News Breakfast @6

01. Lakhimpur Gets First Sports Complex

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday inaugurated a newly constructed training centre-cum-sports complex of Sports Authority of India (SAI) at Solalgaon in Lakhimpur. Union Minister of State (i/c) for Sports & Youth Welfare Kiren Rijiju was present for the occasion. In a first across Upper Assam, the sports complex includes a training centre, multipurpose indoor stadium, hostel for players and coaches. A guidebook on body building called "Age Appropriate Fitness Protocols" in Assamese language was released as well.

02. Kaziranga: Forest Game Watcher Killed In Rhino Attack

In a tragic incident, a forest department staff on Saturday night was killed in an attack by a rhinoceros in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. A game watcher in the national park, the deceased identified as Moheshwar Hazarika was attacked and died on spot while patrolling last night at Siga highland in the Agoratoli range of the park. The director of the park and reserve, P Sivakumar informed that Hazarika succumbed to his injuries on the spot and brought dead to the Bokakhat civil hospital. As per reports, along with Hazarika, another staff was present at the site of the incident, however, he managed to narrowly escape. Hazarika belonged to Bochagaon in Kaziranga.

03. Newspaper Hawker Killed In Road Accident

In a tragic incident, a newspaper hawker died in a road accident at Thekeraguri in Lakhimpur in the wee hours of Sunday.  As per sources, Jagannath Bora was killed after being hit by an unidentified vehicle on NH 15 under Chawuldhuwa police station. The accident took place when the deceased person went to distribute daily newspapers in the region. Bora was survived by his wife and two sons. Meanwhile, in a separate incident, another person was killed, while, one was injured after a vehicle hit their bike bearing registration number AS-13K 3340 at Baihata Chariali, Kamrup. The identities of the dead and injured persons are yet to be revealed.

04. Me-Dam-Me-Phi Observed Across Assam

The Ahom community across Assam is observing the festival of Me-Dam-Me-Phi on Sunday by offering prayers to the forefathers and ancestors. Me-Dam-Me-Phi is observed on January 31 every year. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will take part in the Me-Dam-Me-Phi ceremony in Sadiya today. Minister Himinta Biswa Sarma also attended the auspicious occasion of Me-Dam-Me-Phi in Sivasagar. The minister also participated in the festive rituals. Me-Dam-Me-Phi is the worship of the ancestors among the Ahoms. Literally, 'Me' means offerings, 'Dam' means the ancestors and 'Phi' means God. Similarly, there have been reports of celebrations of the festival in Golaghat, Gohpur, Kamprup, Bihpuria, Naharkatia.

05. Military Aviator Shruti Chauhan Gives Wings To Her Dreams At Mrs. India Pageant

When it comes to navigating a career and family life, Indian Air Force Wing Commander Shruti Singh Chauhan who had already been trailblazing in military aviation and homemaking has now made her mark into the pageant industry and was adjudged the second runner-up in the recently concluded Mrs. India World. Chauhan has had a glorious career spanning over fifteen years in military aviation. A mother of a ten-year-old daughter, wife of military aviator Wing Commander Gaurav Singh, Chauhan stepped into her heels, grabbed the centre stage, walked the ramp, and shined in the spotlight to give a larger message to women hustling life every day. "Well for me life has always been about taking on new challenges. Whether that be high in the skies, out in the field, or in this case up on the ramp. I truly believe that if you are passionate about what you want, not only does the journey become enjoyable but you also find ways around the obstacles and remain confident about achieving beyond your potential," Shruti said.

06. Was Farmers' Tractor Rally Hijacked?

Braving chilly weather and heavy rain, tens of thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, have been camping on the borders of New Delhi for more than 2 months in protest against a set of new farm laws which they believe will leave them vulnerable and at the mercy of large corporate firms. They have been demanding the repeal of these laws and a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP), which the government is adamant about eradicating. The government argued that the three laws will open up new opportunities for the farmers, enabling them to earn more from their farm produces. They reiterated that these laws will help strengthen basic farm sector infrastructure through "greater private investments". The farmers however mentioned the MSP issue, the main sticking point in the farmers' protest, which they fear would allow trade of farm produces outside the APMCs, leading to lesser buying by the government agencies in the approved mandis. They say that the new laws will nullify the MSP system and would not have any assured income from their farming. MSP is defined as a product price set by the government to purchase directly from farmers at an assured rate.

07. Guwahati: Speeding Biker Killed In Road Accident

In a tragic incident, a speeding biker was killed after he lost control and hit a parked vehicle in Guwahati's Ganesh Para area on Sunday evening. According to sources, the biker, who was on his way from Gorchuk, died on the spot as the impact was huge. He was identified as one Ratan Boro, a resident of Sonkuchi area in Beharbari. Police reached the accident spot soon after and rushed the deceased to a nearby hospital.

08. 6 Jaish Terrorists Held In J&K

A joint operation led by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir police led to the arrest of two newly recruited terrorists and four terrorist associates of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and its offshoot Lashkar-e-Mustafa (LeM). Acting on tip-off regarding terrorist attacks being planned in Anantnag and Bijbehara special checking points at multiple locations were established, PTI reported. At one of the checkpoints at Donipora in Bijbehera, officers intercepted a car with two persons onboard. The two tried to flee but were apprehended tactfully by the alert forces, it added. "They have been identified as Imran Ahmed Hajam, a resident of Nathpora Khanabal, and Irfan Ahmed Ahanger, a resident of Nandpora Khanabal. Both had recently joined terrorist ranks and were affiliated with proscribed terror outfit LeM/JeM," a police spokesperson said to the agency.

09. 100% Occupancy In Cinema Halls From Feb 1 | Guidelines

Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar on Sunday said cinema halls, multiplexes and theatres across the country can have 100 per cent seating capacity from February 1 onwards. The ministry of I&B released the revised SOPs for cinema halls and theatres on preventive measures to contain the spread of coronavirus.

10. India Hurt To See Tricolour Dishonoured On R-Day: PM

In the first broadcast of this year's Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the country was shocked and pained at seeing the dishonour to the Tricolour on Republic Day. Referring to the religious flag incident and conflict at the Red Fort during the farmers' tractor rally, in his monthly Mann ki Baat radio broadcast, Modi also said the government is committed to improving agriculture with latest and modern technologies and consistent steps are being taken in this regard. The prime minister also claimed that India has not only rolled out the world's largest vaccination drive but is also vaccinating its citizens at the fastest rate. So far, 30 lakh frontline workers have been vaccinated in 15 days.

11. Farmers Protest Barb: Freelance Scribe Mandeep Poonia Held

Amid the ongoing chaos of farmers protests at Singhu border, Delhi Police has arrested freelance journalist Mandeep Poonia for alleged misconduct with police personnel and interrupting a public servant from discharging duties. ANI reported that according to Delhi Police, Poonia was arrested on Saturday night. An FIR under the IPC section 186 (obstructing public servant in the discharge of public functions) and section 353 (assaulting a public servant in the execution of duty) was registered. As per reports, Poonia is associated with The Caravan and Junpath. Heavy security deployment has been observed at the Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana border) as the farmers' protest entered the 67th day on Sunday.

12. Congress' Delhi Unit Wants Rahul Gandhi To Return As Party Chief

The Delhi unit of Congress on Sunday passed a "unanimous" resolution asking Rahul Gandhi to return as party chief with "immediate effect". The resolution comes days after the party said organizational polls would be held in June after Assembly elections in several key states including West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. Notably, the decision was taken after a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC). Senior leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Mukul Wasnik and P Chidambaram, who were present at the meeting, raised questions over party leadership and management and asked for immediate organizational polls.

13. Kangana Glorifies Nathuram Godse On Gandhi's Martyrdom Day

In yet another controversial statement, Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut on Saturday drew sharp criticism from netizens after she glorified Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse on Twitter. "Every story has three sides to it, yours, mine and the truth …. A good story teller neither commits nor conceals… and that's why our text books suck … full of exposition #NathuramGodse," she tweeted along with a pictures of Godse. Ranaut posted her tweet on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's 73^rd death anniversary yesterday. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi or Mahatma Gandhi, who is considered the 'Father of the Nation' in India, was assassinated by Godse on January 30, 1948. Godse was hanged to death on November 15, the same year.

14. Businessman Anoop Gupta Arrested In VVIP Choppers Scam Case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested businessman Anoop Kumar Gupta, the joint managing director of KRBL Limited, in connection with a money-laundering probe into the over Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland VVIP choppers purchase scam case. A special Delhi court has remanded Gupta to five-day custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). ED sources said Gupta was arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP choppers deal case and alleged he was not cooperating in the ongoing probe.

15. India: 17 Cr Children To Get Polio Drops

Polio National Immunisation Day, also known as Polio Ravivar is underway across the country, administering polio drops to nearly 17 crore children under the age of five. On Saturday, President Ram Nath Kovind launched the drive with the fire round of the Pulse Polio Programme for this year in Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Polio Immunisation drive will continue till February 2. "The countrywide drive will be supported by about 24 lakh volunteers, 1.5 lakh supervisors, and many Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), and Rotary", an official release from the Health ministry read.