Category: All Current Affairs

Hindi Novel ‘Balwa’ penned by Cabinet Minister Mukhtar Naqvi

Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has penned a Hindi novel titled “Balwa”, which loosely translates to turmoil. The Hindi book, published by Diamond Books, is first of Naqvi’s three-novel series to be out this year. Balwa, which means public violence or lynching is set in the 1990s, at a time when India is grappling with a major communal churn.

The other two – “Raj Leela” and “Cyber Supari” – revolve around social and political exploitation of tribals, and fake news, respectively. Naqvi, who wrote his last book “Vaisali” in 2008, said it took him almost two years to finish Balwa and Raj Leela. Cyber Supari, would take another month to finish.

International Tennis Federation shifts the matches from China to Kazakhstan

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) on Sunday shifted the Federation Cup games from virus-hit China to Kazakhastan. The All India Tennis Association (AITA) had written to the ITF requesting it to shift or postpone the meet originally scheduled to be held in Dongguan from February 4 keeping in mind the medical emergency in China which is hit by coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the Indian team will, in all likelihood, travel to Kazakhstan without Sania Mirza who retired mid-way into her women’s doubles first round at the Australian Open due to a calf injury. This Federation Cup is Sania’s ticket to the Tokyo Olympics and a no show might complicate matters.

However, the ITF might consider she was on maternity break for two years and only returned to play the Hobart International with partner Nadiia Kichenok which she won. Sania had returned to the Indian Federation Cup team after four years.

Meanwhile, the Women’s Olympic football qualifiers have also been shifted out of China due to the same reason. The football tournament had already been moved from Wuhan to Nanjing in Jiangsu province, but will now be held in Sydney, the Asian Football Confederation said.

ISRO’s space station project to be aided by French agency CNES

The French national space agency National Centre for Space Studies (CNES), will partner with the Indian Space Research Organisation in the development of India’s planned space station. They have been also collaborating in the Gaganyaan project.

French and European partners can bring the skills they have acquired in developing and operating systems and dedicated infrastructure for long-term six-month flights of European astronauts on the International Space Station.

The French agency and its industry partners have gained vast experience from the Automated Transfer Vehicle and its spin-offs such as rendezvous operations with the International Space Station.

Jammu and Kashmir Police gets 108 gallantry medals on Republic Day

The Jammu and Kashmir Police has been given the maximum number of gallantry honours with 108 medals, followed by the CRPF 76, on the occasion of the 71st Republic Day. The medals are declared biannually on the eve of Republic Day and Independence Day.

The Union Territory police, thickly involved in counter-terrorism operations in the Kashmir Valley, has also bagged three top President’s Police Medal for Gallantry (PPMG) while one has been accorded to the CRPF (posthumously).

A total of 105 Police Medals for Gallantry (PMG) and three PPMG have been given to the JKP followed by 75 PMG to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) that is also deployed in the UT for counter-terror duties. Jharkhand Police has been given 33 PMG.

Second all-women post office inaugurated in Mumbai

The city’s second ‘mahila dakghar’ – post office operated by women staffers opened in Mumbai. The post office was inaugurated by operations member, Department of Posts, Arundhaty Ghosh. The post office is located in West zone of Mumbai. A market place and residential area of Mahim Bazaar in Mahim where all kinds of postal services will be provided by staff.

All the official positions at the post office, from postmaster in-charge to counter persons, will be managed by women. They will manage and supervise all types of work including, Savings Bank Counters, Multipurpose registration booking counters, Aadhaar Centre, India Posts Payment Bank and Treasury work.

‘Malaria-free Bastar’ campaign launched by Chhattisgarh government

Bastar, the Red zone in south Chhattisgarh which has so far not received the deserving attention to fight the malaria menace, has the Annual Parasite Incidence (API) of over 10—rated among the highest in the country. API-10 is equivalent to 10 confirmed cases per thousand population and Bastar is among the very few geographical locations endemic to malaria parasites—Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum.

The prevalence of malaria cases recorded were highest during the months of January, July and November, as per the previous 3 years data. Hence, a three-phase ‘Malaria Free Bastar’ campaign would be carried out during these months to eliminate malarial parasites entirely. The state has come up with a plan to eliminate Malaria from Bastar through door-to-door ‘Mass Active Screening and Treatment’ process, which will continue till February 14 under the campaign.