NATIONAL NEWS

Jammu and Kashmir Introduces Geo-Tagging for Chinar Trees Under “Tree Aadhaar” Mission

The Jammu and Kashmir government has launched the “Tree Aadhaar” mission to conserve the declining chinar trees.

The initiative involves conducting a census and assigning a unique identity to each chinar tree for better monitoring and protection.

The chinar tree is the state tree of Jammu & Kashmir, now a Union Territory.

The oldest surviving chinar tree, around 700 years old, is located in Chattergam village, Budgam, central Kashmir, and was planted by a Sufi saint.

So far, 28,560 chinar trees have been enumerated and geo-tagged, out of an estimated 32,000 to 33,000 trees.

A metallic QR code is being placed on chinar trees, allowing users to scan and access information on 25 parameters.

New Delhi World Book Fair 2025

The New Delhi World Book Fair 2025 will be held fromFebruary 1 to 9, 2025, at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi (Halls 2-6, Ground Floor).

The event will be inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu, who will also serve as the chief guest.

The theme for this year’s fair is "Republic@75," highlighting nation-building, governance, freedom, equality, and social justice.

Several renowned personalities, including Shashi Tharoor, Kumar Vishwas, Pankaj Tripathi, Prakash Jha, and Pushpesh Pant, will participate in discussions and cultural programs.

The event will feature a vast collection of books, cultural performances, and discussions on democratic values and constitutional principles.

Andhra Pradesh Launches ‘Mana Mitra’

The Andhra Pradesh government has launched ‘Mana Mitra’, a WhatsApp-based governance platform aimed at providing citizens with digital access to government services.

The initiative, introduced by State Education and IT Minister Nara Lokesh, is designed to simplify processes like obtaining certificates, paying bills, and accessing civic services.

The platform allows residents to access various government services by sending a simple “Hi” message to an official WhatsApp number.

The government plans to connect 36 departments in the first phase, with 161 services available initially.

Blockchain technology and AI-based automation will be incorporated in future upgrades, enhancing digital governance with features like AI bots and voice-enabled services.

The second phase of the platform will expand to include 360 services.

The QR code feature will allow users to verify certificates and prevent fraud.

The initiative follows an agreement with Meta, signed in October 2023.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Niger Becomes The First African Country To Eradicate Onchocerciasis

Niger has been acknowledged by the World Health Organization (WHO) for eliminating onchocerciasis (river blindness), making it the 5th country globally and the first in Africa to achieve this milestone.

Onchocerciasis is the second leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide, after trachoma.

The disease is caused by the parasite Onchocerca volvulus, transmitted through the bites of infected black flies, primarily found in riverine areas.

It affects rural populationsin sub-Saharan Africa and Yemen, with smaller endemic areas in Latin America.

Success was achieved through collaboration between the Nigerien government, WHO, and non-governmental organizations, which mobilized resources and technical support.

Continuous monitoring and timely adjustmentsin strategies ensured the effectiveness of interventions.

Onchocerciasis caused immense human sufferingand hindered economic development by driving communities away from rivers, which are vital for livelihoods.

Niger is the 5th countryto eliminate onchocerciasis, joining Colombia (2013), Ecuador (2014), Mexico (2015), and Guatemala (2016).

In the WHO African Region, 21 countrieshave eliminated at least one NTD.

Niger previously eliminated Guinea-worm disease (dracunculiasis)in 2013, demonstrating its leadership in public health.

 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

First Indian on Private International Space Station Mission

Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to become the 1st Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) on a private mission in 2025.

The mission is led by NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, with Shubhanshu Shukla serving as the mission pilot.

He is also the astronaut-designate for India’s human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan.

He will board the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, as part of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), a joint venture between NASA and ISRO.

Ax-4 will include astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary, marking the first such international collaboration in over 40 years.

The astronauts will spend 14 days aboard the ISS, conducting scientific experiments, educational outreach, and commercial activities with NASA and ISRO.

Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian to travel to space in 1984 aboard the Soviet Soyuz T-11 mission under the Interkosmos program.

 

DEFENCE

India’s Largest Metal 3D Printing Machine For Rocket Components

A significant breakthrough in Large Area Additive Manufacturing (LAAM) has been achieved at the DRDO-Industry-Academia Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE) at IIT Hyderabad.

The project is acollaboration between IIT Hyderabad, DRDO’s Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), and industry partners.

The LAAM system uses Powder-based Directed Energy Deposition (DED) technology for manufacturing rocket components.

The indigenously designed machine has a build volume of 1m x 1m x 3m, making it one of India’s largest metal additive manufacturing machines.

It employs Laser and Blown-Powder Direct Energy Deposition technology and features dual heads for thermal balancing and speed enhancement.

A major milestone was achieved with the successful fabrication of a 1-meter-high component, marking progress in large-scale additive manufacturing.

 

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre in Thiruvananthapuram

Mohan has been appointed as the director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

He succeeds Narayanan and is currently serving as Director (Projects) at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).

Mohan previously served as the director of the Human Space Flight Centre from June 2023 to June 2024.

He has held key roles as Project Director for the Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) and the Space Capsule Recovery Project (SRE-2).

He was also the System Leader for the Moon Impact Probe (MIP) project in the Chandrayaan-1 mission.

His contributions to ISRO have been recognized with the ISRO Performance Excellence Award (2016) and the ISRO Merit Award (2010).

 

SPORTS

Hockey India League 2024-25 Title

Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers won the 6th Men’s Hockey India League 2024-25 title, beating Hyderabad Toofans 4-3 in a tense final at a packed Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, Odisha on 1 February 2025.

This was the first title win for the Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers, winning them a prize of Rs 3 crore. The runners-up Hyderabad Toofan won Rs 2 crore as prize money.

The 6th men’s Hockey India league was held at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, Odisha from 28th December 2024 to 1st February 2025.

Earlier, the Odisha Warriors won the first edition of the Women’s Hockey India League 2024-25 title by defeating Soorma Hockey Club 2-1 in the final.

The inaugural Women’s Hockey India League was held at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Astro Turf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi on 26 January 2025.

Fairplay Award (Team) - UP Rudras

Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament - Bikramjit Singh, Hyderabad Toofans

Upcoming Player of the Tournament - Arshdeep Singh, Hyderabad Toofans

Top Scorer of the Tournament - Jugraj Singh, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers

2025 Player of the Tournament - Sukhjeet Singh, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers

 

OBITUTARY

American Greg Bell, Oldest Living Olympic Gold Medallist

Greg Bell, the 1956 Olympic long jump gold medalist, passed away on January 25at his home at the age of 94.

At the time of his death, he was the oldest living U.S. track and field Olympic gold medalist.

Bell was born on November 7, 1930, in Terre Haute, Indiana, into extreme poverty.

After high school, he was drafted into the Army, where he continued to excel in the long jump during meets in Europe.

He won his first of three AAU national titlesin 1955 with a leap of 26-0.5.

In 1956, he won the NCAA titleand tied for first at the Olympic Trials, though he was declared the winner due to the lack of international tiebreaking rules.

At the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, Bell won the gold medalwith a jump of 83m (25-8.25), setting an Olympic record.

He continued his success with another NCAA titlein 1957, an AAU indoor crown in 1958, and an AAU outdoor gold in 1959.

Bell was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1988.

He was also a charter memberof the Indiana Track and Field Hall of Fame and the IU Athletics Hall of Fame.