NATIONAL NEWS

Shri Nitin Gadkari Inaugurates Flyover Built For Rs 300 Crore at Uttar Pradesh

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the flyover built for 300 crore rupees in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh through video conferencing.

The construction of ROB and flyover will bring more ease in traffic between Lakhimpur and Sitapur districts.

These projects will prove to be a milestone in the industrial development of Lakhimpur district and the produce of local traders and farmers will be easily accessible to the markets.

Indian Institute of Mass Communication Designated as Deemed University

Ministry of Education, on the recommendation of the University Grants Commission (UGC), has declared the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), a leading institution for Journalism and Mass Communication, as a deemed university under a distinct category.

The declaration extends to IIMC New Delhi and its five regional campuses located in Jammu (Jammu & Kashmir), Amravati (Maharashtra), Aizawl (Mizoram), Kottayam (Kerala), and Dhenkanal (Odisha).

With this new status, IIMC is now authorized to offer degrees, including doctoral degrees, enhancing its academic offerings.

IIMC is one of the leading institutions in the country for journalism and mass communication training.

IIMC is renowned for providing quality training in journalism and conducting significant research in media and mass communication fields.

IIMC serves as the training academy for Indian Information Service (IIS) officers, further highlighting its importance in the domain of media and communication education.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

France Issued First-Time Schengen Digital Visa

France has started issuing Digital Schengen visas.

The country plans to distribute around 70,000 digital visas for the upcoming 2024 Olympic and Paralympic games in Paris.

France became the first country in the European Union to hand out these visas starting from January 1, 2024.

Those who are a part of the Olympic and Paralympic Family and are seeking accreditation should apply through their respective committees.

Additionally, other official guests who have been invited by the Olympic or Paralympic Committee (OCOG) can also apply for accreditation.

However, visitors who wish to attend the Olympics will need to apply for a regular Schengen Visa.

The Schengen area includes all EU member states, except for Ireland and Cyprus. Currently, Bulgaria and Romania only apply some of the Schengen provisions.

The Schengen area allows for free and safe travel without internal borders for EU citizens, non-EU residents, and visitors.

 

SPORTS

Short Track Ice Skating

Karnataka has topped in the medal tally in the Short track Ice Skating with 4 gold medals in the ongoing Fourth edition of the Khelo India Winter Games 2024 at Leh.

Telangana is in second place with 2 golds and 3 silver medals and Maharashtra is in third in the medal tally with one Gold, 7 Silver, and 5 Bronze

The Short Track Ice Skating under 17 and Above 17 in 300 metres and 500 metres in the Khelo India Winter Games concluded.

Out of six disciplines of the Khelo India Winter Games, two disciplines namely Ice Hockey and Speed Track Skating are being held at Leh as the fourth edition of Khelo India Winter Games is being jointly hosted by Ladakh Union Territory and Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.

The Ice Skating long track competition will begin.

The semi-final match of Ice Hockey is going to be held between ITBP and UT Ladakh and Indian Army and Himachal Pradesh

 

AWARDS & PRIZES

Grammy Award 2024

Five Indian musicians, including famous tabla player Zakir Hussain and flute player Rakesh Chaurasia, won the most prestigious 'Grammy Awards 2024' awards in the field of music.

Zakir Hussain won three Grammy Awards while Rakesh Chaurasia won two.

The 66th Grammy Awards ceremony was held in Los Angeles, USA.

Shakti, a fusion music group of Indian musicians, has won the 2024 Grammy Awards in the category of Best Global Music Album for 'This Moment'.

The five Indian composers are Tabla player Zakir Hussain, Flute player Rakesh Chaurasia, Singer Shankar Mahadevan, Violinist ganesh rajagopalan and Percussionist Selvaganesh Vinayakram.

'Abundance in Millets', a song written by PM Narendra Modi, has also got a place in the Global Song category in the Grammy Awards 2024.

Asset Triple A Awards for Sustainable Finance 2024

REC Limited, a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Power and a leading NBFC, has been bestowed with the prestigious Best Green Bond - Corporate Award at The Asset Triple A Awards for Sustainable Finance 2024.

REC received the award for issuance of $750 million USD Green Bonds in April 2023 which was also the first USD Green Bond issuance from India post India’s assumption of G20 Presidency and the largest ever Senior Green Bond Tranche by a South or South-East Asian issuer.

The bond issue was priced at a minimum new issue premium of 7.5 bps, which was tighter than the most recent high-rated issuances from the region.

The issue was well received by the investors and demonstrates REC’s significant contribution to financing projects aimed at mitigating climate change and promoting environmental sustainability.

This recognition represents a milestone in REC Limited's dedication to support initiatives that drive positive environmental impact and foster sustainable development.

 

DEFENCE

Four Flight Trials of 'ABHYAS' Conducted by DRDO

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted four flight trials of the high-speed expendable aerial target named 'ABHYAS' from the integrated test range located at Chandipur, Odisha.

These trials were carried out between January 30 and February 2, and achieved four different mission objectives using a revised robust configuration.

Additionally, the single booster, which was designed by the Advanced Systems Laboratory in Hyderabad, provided reduced launch acceleration.

Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) designed and developed the ABHYAS.

The flight trials validated various parameters such as endurance, speed, manoeuvrability, altitude, and range.

It serves as a realistic threat scenario for practising weapon systems.

 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

IIT Madras to Create India's First 155mm Smart Ammunition

Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) will manufacture India's first indigenous 155 smart ammunition.

This step of IIT-M will be an important step towards achieving self-reliance in the Indian defense sector.

Indian Institute of Technology Madras has partnered with state-owned defense sector company Munitions India Limited to manufacture 155 smart ammunition.

This is to achieve self-reliance in the defense sector by developing ammunition with better accuracy than before and also to increase firepower.

It will have a circular error probable (CEP) of only 10 meters. Whereas currently the CEP of indigenous ammunition is 500 meters. CEP, circular error probability or circle of equal probability, is a measure of the accuracy of a weapon system in the military science of ballistics.

Munitions India is a manufacturer of ammunition and explosives for the armed and paramilitary forces.

Taiwan's First Lunar Mission Set to Launch in 2024

Taiwan is set to launch its first lunar mission in 2024, marking a significant milestone in the country's space exploration efforts.

Taiwan's National Central University revealed details about this groundbreaking lunar mission, underscoring the collaboration between academia and the space sector.

Developed by faculty and students of Taiwan's National Central University, the Deep Space Radiation Probe (DSRP) is a crucial component of the mission.

Weighing only 400 grams and slightly larger than the size of a hand, it aims to study the radiation environment in deep space.

The DSRP is specifically designed to assess the radiation effects on technology during a four-month journey to the Moon. This research will provide valuable insights for future space missions and the design of space and electronic products.

 

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation

International Day of Zero Tolerance against Female Genital Mutilation is observed every year on 06 February.

The main objective of celebrating Female Genital Mutilation Day (FGM) is to give respect to women by completely eliminating female genital mutilation.

The theme of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation to be observed on 6 February 2024 is ‘Her Voice Her Future’.

The United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations Children's Fund launched a joint campaign against female genital mutilation in 2007.

With the beginning of this day, it has been determined that the practice of female genital mutilation will be eliminated by the year 2030.

 

OBITUTARY

Veteran Odia Actor and National Award Winner, Sadhu Meher        

Renowned actor and director Sadhu Meher, who left an indelible mark on both Hindi and Odia film industries, passed away in Mumbai at the age of 84.

He initiated his career in 1969 with notable Hindi films such as "Bhuvan Shome", "Ankur", and "Mrigayaa", later transitioning his focus to Odia cinema.

In the Hindi film industry, Sadhu Meher made his debut in Mrinal Sen's "Bhuvan Shome" (1969), portraying the character of a junior railway official.

The movie received national acclaim, securing awards for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor the following year.

Concurrently, in 1969, he took on a role in "Icchapuran", the only children's film directed by Sen and based on a story by Rabindranath Tagore.

In 1974, Sadhu Meher secured the National Award for Best Actor for his compelling portrayal in Shyam Benegal's debut film, "Ankur" (The Seedling).

He is recipient of Odisha State Film Award or Jayadev Award for outstanding contribution to Cinema of Odisha for the year 2008.

He was conferred Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2017.