FirstUp: Jaishankar likely to meet Quad counterparts in US, Zelenskyy to address World Economic Forum… The headlines today

It is set to be a busy Tuesday with several events lined up for the day.

Firstly, a Quad meeting is likely to take place in Washington today since the foreign ministers of the member nations are present in the city for Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony. Meanwhile, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to address the World Economic Forum meeting in Swiss ski resort town Davos.

The London High Court is likely to hear the case of Prince Harry against News Group Newspapers (NGN), the publisher of The Sun tabloid, over unlawful methods of information gathering. Meanwhile, the Senate is scheduled to hold a confirmation hearing for Congressman Doug Collins as US Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

The verdict in a murder case against former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar is likely to take place today.

Here is all that is set to take place throughout the day.

Quad meeting likely to take place in Washington

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is on a visit to Washington DC for Donald Trump’s Inauguration ceremony. He is expected to meet his Quad counterparts namely Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi and US Foreign Minister Marco Rubio.

The Quad grouping is a main component of the US strategy to curb increasing Chinese influence and aggression in the Indo-Pacific. The anti-China initiative was championed by Trump during his first term in office but was elevated to the leaders’ level by outgoing President Joe Biden, reported news agency Associated Press.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address the World Economic Forum

Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to deliver a special address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, reported news agency Reuters. The four-day event began on January 20.

Zelenskyy’s address is anticipated to highlight the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and its broader implications. Some of the other notable speakers include US President Donald Trump, who will participate virtually following his inauguration, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and China’s Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang.

Prince Harry to fight legal battle against The Sun

The highly anticipated legal battle between Prince Harry and Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers (NGN) will commence today at the London High Court. Harry has alleged unlawful information-gathering practices, including phone hacking, between 1996 and 2011 by the media outlet.

Labour Party deputy leader Tom Watson is the co-compliant in the case. Unlike many other claimants who have settled with NGN, Harry and Watson have chosen to proceed with their case, emphasising the importance of holding the media company accountable, reported Financial Times.

Senate to hold confirmation hearing for Doug Collins as US Secretary of Veterans Affairs

The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee is scheduled to hold a confirmation hearing for Congressman Doug Collins as Secretary of Veterans Affairs. He was nominated by President Donald Trump for the position.

Senator Jerry Moran, Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, stated that Collins has been transparent and timely with his paperwork. However, the committee awaits the completion of the FBI’s background check before proceeding. Earlier, the hearing was set for January 14 but was postponed due to delays in the FBI’s customary background check.

Verdict in murder case against Sajjan Kumar

A Delhi court is likely to deliver its verdict against former Congress MP
Sajjan Kumar in connection to a 1984 anti-Sikh riots murder case.

The case is linked to the alleged killings of two men in the Saraswati Vihar area during the riots, reported news agency PTI.

According to PTI, on December 16, 2021, the court framed charges against Kumar, finding a “prima facie” case against him.

On this day…

• Birth anniversary of actor Sushant Singh Rajput

• Birth anniversary of Indian physicist and socialist politician Madhu Dandavate

• 50th statehood day of Tripura, Manipur and Meghalaya

• Louis XVI of France, the last of the French monarchs, was executed by guillotine in 1793 during the French Revolution

• Opel, the German car maker, manufactured its first automobile in 1899

• Author George Orwell died in 1950, after a three-year battle against tuberculosis

• In 2004, the recording industry in America sued 532 computer users for illegally distributing songs over the Internet

• John McEnroe becomes the first player since 1963 to be disqualified from a Grand Slam tournament

• 100th anniversary of the death of Soviet leader Vladimir Illich Lenin