The Daily Brief – 28th January 2020

British Chancellor Sajid Javid launched a commemorative 50p coin marking the UK’s departure from the European Union (EU). The coins has the inscription “Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations” and the date of 31^st Prime Minister of UK Boris Johnson signed the Brexit Agreement to leave the bloc, on 24^th January, 2020.

India celebrated the 155^th birth anniversary of the freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai on 28^th January, 2020. He was popularly known as Punjab Kesari. He was one third of the Lal Bal Pal He was born on 28 January, 1865 in Punjab. The three leaders changed the political discoursed of the Indian Movement. They mobilized Indians across the countries and strengthened Swadeshi Movement. He founded several institutions and organizations such as Hisar Bar Council, Hisar Arya Samaj, Hisar Congress, National DAV Managing Committee.

West Bengal became the fourth state in the country to pass Anti-CAA resolution on 27^th January, 2020. The West Bengal state assembly had previously passed a similar resolution against NRC in September 2019. Kerala was the first state to pass anti-CAA resolution. Punjab and Rajasthan also passed similar resolutions. According to West Bengal, the act does not stick to secularism. Also, the state claims that NPR, CAA and NRC are co-related. CAA stands for Citizenship Amendment Act which was enacted into law on 12^th December, 2019. The act provides citizenship to the Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Christian and Parsi refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who sought refuge in India on or before 31^st December, 2014.

Government of India on 27^th January, 2020 signed an accord with the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), an insurgent group of Assam, providing political and economic benefits to the Bodo tribes. The tripartite agreement has been signed by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, the leadership of four factions of NDFB, Satyendra Garg, Joint Secretary of All Bodo Students Union (ABSU), Ministry of Home Affairs and Kumar Sanjay Krishna, Chief Secretary of Assam.

The 62^nd annual Grammy Awards were presented in Los Angeles on 26^th January, 2020. The winners were awarded in more than 80 categories. The Album of the year was won by Billie Eilish for When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go. Billie Eilish also won the Best New Artist award. The Song of the year was Bad Guy by Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell. The Best rap album was “Igor” by Tyler, The Creator. Grammy is an award presented by The Recording Academy to recognize achievements in the music industry. It was first awarded on 4^th May, 1959.

Government of India has set up a 24×7 helpline number to provide support regarding queries on novel coronavirus. Under the directions of Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) call centre, 91-11-23978046, has been made operational. The death toll in China has risen to 56 while the confirmed cases of viral affliction have reached to 1,975. Coronavirus is a virus that causes serious illnesses ranging from the common cold to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed on 27^th January every year to commemorate the tragedy of the Holocaust that occurred during the Second World War. It commemorates the genocide that resulted in the deaths of 6 million Jews and 11 million others, by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. The day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 60/7 on 1^st November 2005. The theme for this year is ‘75 Years after Auschwitz-Holocaust Education and Remembrance for Global Justice’. The International Day marks the ending of World War II.