Yemen Appoints Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak as its New Prime Minister
Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council appointed its Foreign Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak as the country's new Prime Minister. Outgoing PM Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed took on the role of an advisor to the Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council.
Bin Mubarak came to prominence in 2015 when he was kidnapped by the country's Iran-aligned Houthis while he served as Yemen's presidential chief of staff during a power struggle with then-President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
Jio Financial Services, HDFC Bank Frontrunners to Buy Paytm's Wallets Business
Paytm is in exploratory talks to sell its wallets business. HDFC Bank and Jio Financial Services (JFSL) are among the forerunners to acquire it. The company's wallet business is housed under Paytm Payments Bank.
The report came days after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) barred the Paytm Payments Bank from accepting deposits from February 29.
As per reports, Paytm had reached out to HDFC Bank for a deal just before the RBI ban. HDFC's digital wallet, Payzapp, has around 14 million users. JFSL has not been able to make any significant impact on the industry, but this deal could give it the much-needed start.
Dr. Bina Modi Named 'Outstanding Business Woman of the Year 2023'
Dr. Bina Modi, the esteemed Chairperson of Modi Enterprises, was honoured with the prestigious 'Outstanding Business Woman of the Year' Award. This recognition, bestowed upon her by Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister of India, at a distinguished conference organised by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC), underscores her exceptional leadership and contributions to the industry.
The award ceremony, held to celebrate Dr. Modi's outstanding achievements, took place during a conference aimed at strengthening the Indo-US relationship. Attended by notable figures including Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti and representatives of IACC, the event served as a platform to foster economic and diplomatic ties between the two nations.
NASA Discovers 'Super-Earth', A Potentially Habitable Planet
American space agency NASA discovered a 'super-Earth', a planet that could potentially support life. It is located 137 light-years away.
The planet is dubbed TOI-715 b and is around one and a half times as wide as Earth, and orbits within the 'conservative' habitable zone around its parent star, possibly indicating that it may form liquid water on its surface, as per NASA. It completes a full orbit (a year) in just 19 days.
Legendary chess player Mir Sultan Khan, widely known as the best Asian chess player of his generation, was bestowed with the title of Honorary Grandmaster by FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich. Mir Sultan thus became Pakistan's first grandmaster (as per FIDE, even though he played in pre-partition era India).
Born in 1903, Sultan Khan was a chess player from Sargodha in what is now north-east Pakistan. He famously won the British Chess Championship in 1929, 1931, and 1932. He also thrice played for England at the Chess Olympiad.
What was remarkable about Sultan Khan was that he learnt the game from his father, who taught him the traditional Indian rules which were slightly different than the rules of the modern game. And that he barely spoke any English, which made it even more difficult for him to grasp knowledge about the game from books.
Champai Soren-led JMM-Cong Govt Wins Trust Vote in Jharkhand Assembly
The Champai Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Congress coalition government won the floor test in the Jharkhand assembly.
The ruling alliance got 47 votes including that of a nominated member in the 81-member House. The opposition NDA alliance received 29 votes.
The floor test was necessitated after the new government under Champai Soren was sworn-in just months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and the assembly elections.
Telangana to Switch to 'TG' as New Abbreviation, Replacing 'TS'
The Congress ruled Telangana is set to adopt its new abbreviation as 'TG', replacing the earlier 'TS', a cabinet meeting headed by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy announced.
The state will also adopt a new state anthem – 'Jaya Jaya Ho Telangana', it was decided in the key meeting ahead of the state's budget session. The new anthem is composed by Andre Sri, an award-winning Indian poet and lyricist.
Don't Use Children in Poll Campaign, Election Commission Tells Parties
With the Lok Sabha elections just couple of months away, the Election Commission directed political parties and candidates not to employ children in any form of election campaigning process.
Emphasising its zero-tolerance policy on the use of children in any election-related activities, the EC, in an advisory to all parties, said that they should not involve children in any manner, including holding a child in arms, carrying a child in a vehicle or in a rally.
This prohibition extends to the use of children to create the semblance of a political campaign in any manner including use through poem, songs, spoken words, display of insignia of political party or candidate.
IIT Madras Partners with Munitions India for Indigenous 155mm Smart Ammunition
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) partnered with Munitions India Limited, a Defence Public Sector Enterprise, to develop India's first indigenously-designed 155 Smart Ammunition. This initiative will help achieve indigenisation in a critical defence sector.
The objective is to increase the accuracy of 155 mm shell within a Circular Error Probable (CEP) of 10 metres. At present, ammunitions developed in India have a CEP of 500 m. Another key goal is to increase the lethality at the terminal impact point.
Munitions India Limited comes under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, and is India's biggest manufacturer and market leader engaged in the Production, Testing Research and Development and Marketing of a comprehensive range of ammunition and explosives for the Army, Navy, Air force and Paramilitary Forces.
Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi is New Army Vice Chief
Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi was appointed as the new vice chief of Army staff.
He assumed charge from Lt Gen M. V. Suchindra Kumar, who took over as the Northern Army commander in Udhampur.
Lt Gen Dwivedi is the senior-most officer to take over from Army chief Gen Manoj Pande when he retires in May this year (2024).
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Lt Gen Dwivedi was commissioned into the 18th battalion of the Regiment of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles (JAK Rifles) in December 1984.
Ranveer Singh Joins boAt as a Stakeholder and Brand Ambassador
Leading audio wearable brand boAt roped in actor Ranveer Singh as the brand ambassador, and he has also invested an undisclosed amount in the company, becoming a key stakeholder in the company.
Singh will be the star of the company's immersive new campaign, 'Lost in Nirvana'.
With Ranveer Singh on board, boAt's line-up of brand ambassadors now includes some of the most influential names in the entertainment and sports industry, such as Kiara Advani, Rashmika Mandanna, and cricket stars Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, K. L. Rahul, and Jemimah Rodrigues.
Safer Internet Day is celebrated on February 6, every year. It is a platform to raise awareness about internet safety and encourage people to take steps to protect themselves from online threats.
The annual event promotes the safe and responsible use of digital technology. It helps to raise awareness about online threat and ways to stay safe.
The day was first initiated by EU Safe Borders in 2006. It was later expanded by the Insafe Network of Awareness Centres to promote the importance of internet safety for individuals, families, and communities.
In 2012, the United States officially adopted the concept of Safer Internet Day, and it quickly spread all over the world.
The theme for Safer Internet Day 2024 is 'Together for a Better Internet', which revolves around promoting a secure online environment for all users, with a special focus on safeguarding children and young people. The initiative underscores the importance of staying safe and informed in the digital age.
International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation
February 6, marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a pivotal moment for communities worldwide to unite against a practice that infringes on the rights, health, and well-being of millions of women and girls. This day serves not only as a call to action but also as a reminder of the progress made and the challenges that remain in the fight to eradicate FGM.
In the year 2012, the UN General Assembly designated February 6 as the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. The need is to amplify and direct the efforts to eliminate this practice.
Each year, the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM is commemorated with a theme that highlights a specific aspect of the fight against this harmful practice. The theme for 2024 focuses on 'Her Voice. Her Future', emphasising the crucial role that community-led initiatives play in achieving lasting change.
Priest Ishwari Prasad Namboodiri Honoured with the Shankar Smriti Award
Priest Ishwari Prasad Namboodiri, the chief priest (Rawal) of the world-renowned Badrinath Dham in Uttarakhand, was honoured with the Shankar Smriti Award in Kerala. This recognition marked a significant acknowledgement of his dedication and service to the spiritual domain, enhancing the rich tapestry of Indian religious practices.
Awarded annually during the 103rd Malliyoor Bhagavat Hamsa Smarana Utsav in Kerala's Kottayam district, the Shankar Smriti Award celebrates outstanding contributions to spirituality, art, and service. The Malliyoor Bhagavat Hamsa Smriti Trust presents this award to individuals who have shown exceptional dedication to ritual practice, meditation, and the pursuit of spiritual service. The award comprises a cash prize of one lakh rupees, a plaque, and a citation.
P. T. Usha Honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award by SJFI and DSJA
Legendary sprinter and current President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), P. T. Usha, was honoured with the prestigious 'Lifetime Achievement' award. This accolade was presented to her by the Sports Journalists Federation of India (SJFI) and Delhi Sports Journalists Association (DSJA), recognising her extraordinary contributions to Indian athletics.
P. T. Usha, often hailed as the 'Queen of Indian track and field', was presented with a medallion, a citation, and a memento, signifying the high esteem in which she is held for her stellar sporting career.
Lok Sabha Nod to Bill for OBC Quota in Local Bodies in J-K
The Lok Sabha passed a bill to provide reservation to Other Backward Classes in local bodies in Jammu and Kashmir, with the government asserting that important changes have taken place in the Union territory since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
Currently, there is no provision for reservation of seats for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in panchayats and municipalities in Jammu and Kashmir.
The bill seeks to provide reservation to Other Backward Classes in panchayats and municipalities in Jammu and Kashmir and bring consistency in the local body laws of the Union territory with the provisions of the Constitution.
IIT-Madras Introduces Sports Quota for Admission to BTech Courses
The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) announced a sports quota for admissions in its undergraduate programmes. A 'Sports Excellence Admission' (SEA) will be introduced from the academic year 2024-2025 under which IIT Madras seeks to offer two supernumerary seats, of which one will be exclusively for female students, in each of its undergraduate programs for Indian nationals.
Although the admission process through SEA will require a student to qualify JEE Advanced, but will not be through the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) portal. The IIT Madras admission under the sports quota will be through a separate portal operated by the institute. It is jeeadv.iitm.ac.in/sea/.
To be eligible for admission through this programme, candidates must have secured a position in the Common Rank List (CRL) or category-wise rank list in the JEE Advanced, and must have won at least one medal in any national or international-level sports competition in the last four years.
IIT Kanpur Breaks Ground with India's First Hypervelocity Test Facility, S2
The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) successfully established and tested India's first Hypervelocity Expansion Tunnel Test Facility, a major achievement that puts India amongst only a handful of countries with this advanced hypersonic testing capability. The facility, named S2, is capable of generating flight speeds between 3-10 km/s, simulating the hypersonic conditions encountered during atmospheric entry of vehicles, asteroid entry, scramjet flights, and ballistic missiles. This makes it a valuable test facility for ongoing missions of ISRO and DRDO including Gaganyaan, RLV, and hypersonic cruise missiles.
The S2, nicknamed 'Jigarthanda', is a 24-meter-long facility located at IIT Kanpur's Hypersonic Experimental Aerodynamics Laboratory (HEAL) within the Department of Aerospace Engineering.
The Ellora – Ajanta International Festival, held in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar concluded marking the end of a three-day musical extravaganza that delighted audiences with a rich cultural treat. After a seven-year hiatus, the event returned in 2023. Now, the district plans to host it annually in early February. District Guardian Minister Sandipan Bhumre, along with Ministers Atul Save and Abdul Sattar, and MLA Sanjay Shirsath, inaugurated the festival amidst grandeur, symbolised by the traditional lamp lighting ceremony.
Bapu Tower: A Monumental Tribute to Mahatma Gandhi in Patna, Bihar
In the heart of Patna, Bihar, a new landmark emerged as a monumental tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, fondly known as the Father of the Nation. The Bapu Tower, located in Gardanibagh, stands as a testament to the enduring legacy and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. This tower, the first of its kind in the country dedicated to Gandhi, has been completed, marking a significant milestone in the architectural and cultural landscape of Bihar.
The construction of the Bapu Tower, which began in October 2018, has seen several extensions from its initial completion target. Finally completed and inaugurated in February 2024.
Bapu Tower is a vital resource for children, students, researchers, and anyone interested in Gandhi's principles. With its extensive exhibition of historical events, Gandhi's thoughts, and his profound connection with Bihar, the tower offers an enlightening experience that goes beyond conventional memorials.
Justice Arun Kumar Rai Takes Oath as Judge of Jharkhand High Court
Ranchi Judicial Commissioner Arun Kumar Rai took oath as a Judge of the Jharkhand High Court. Acting Chief Justice S. Chandrashekhar administered his oath of office at a function held at the Jharkhand High Court.
The High Court collegium had recommended his elevation on September 2023.
Rai joined the judicial service in May 2012 and served as a judicial officer in various capacities in the state of Jharkhand. Before joining the service, he practised at the Bar for more than 15 years in Delhi at the trial courts and the High Court on the criminal and civil sides.
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