Indian-origin Rishi Sunak is the favourite to be the next UK PM and China is reportedly building villages in Bhutan…writes Joyeeta Basu
At least nine people were killed and 36 injured in a train accident in West Bengal, India. The accident occurred after the Bikaner-Guwahati Express train derailed near Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district on Thursday, reported NDTV. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has rushed to the site.
COVID-19: India reported 2.64 lakh fresh cases with the positivity rate up from 13 per cent to 14.7 per cent from yesterday. But the cases are expected to dip from today, said Health Minister Satyendra Jain, reports NDTV.
‘Dishy’ Rishi next UK PM? Rishi Sunak, the Indian-origin Chancellor of the Exchequer, is tipped as the bookmakers’ favourite to succeed the current incumbent Boris Johnson as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The odds on Sunak are 9/4, according to Oddschecker, a UK comparison site.
Award-winning reporter dies: NDTV’s Kamal Khan, a veteran journalist known for his deep insights into Uttar Pradesh politics, died at his home in Lucknow this morning after suffering a heart attack. Kamal was with NDTV for over three decades.
Assembly elections 2022: The BJP will announce its first list of candidates today as the Budget Session will start on January 31, reports the Financial Express.
Financial news: “India’s recovery is on a solid path”, the UN said on Thursday reporting that the country recorded the highest estimated growth rate among the major economies last year. The report estimated India’s gross domestic product (GDP) would grow at 6.7 per cent this year and 6.1 per cent next year.
Pakistan
Taliban facing staffing issues: The Taliban have staffing issues and they are looking for help in Pakistan, claims a report in the Indian Express today. It added that Taliban, despite their new grip on power in Afghanistan, is facing an economic crisis and remain dependent on Pakistan.
Fourth worst passport in the world: The Pakistani passport has been ranked as the fourth worst for international travel for the third consecutive year, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 31 destinations around the world, according to the Henley Passport Index 2022.
Bangladesh
Grave rights concerns dismissed: Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League government has dismissed concerns raised by the United Nations, donors, and non-governmental organizations over evidence of extrajudicial killings, torture, and enforced disappearances by security forces. The Human Rights Watch said in its World Report 2022 that Bangladesh had cracked down on activists, journalists, and even children who criticized the government and its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bhutan
China constructing villages at disputed territory: China is constructing villages in disputed Bhutan territory, according to high-resolution satellite imagery that surfaced with the security establishments. Reports said the Chinese villages in Bhutan are likely to be used for both military and civilian purposes.
On a lighter note…
Brothers unite after 74 years: In a tearful reunion, two brothers who were separated during the India-Pakistan partition in 1947, reunited after 74 years. Watch the heart-warming video on https://bit.ly/3rggKFN
‘Unpaused: Naya Safar’ poster release: The motion poster of film ‘Unpaused: Naya Safar’, has been released followed by the trailer release on January 15.
Five filmmakers have come together to shape the anthology, which features an ensemble cast of Saqib Saleem, Shreya Dhanwanthary, Neena Kulkarni and Priyanshu Painyuli. It will be released on Amazon Prime Video on January 21.
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