-
India to host first-ever Kho Kho World Cup in 2025 [15 Oct 2024]
The first-ever Kho Kho World Cup is scheduled to take place in India in 2025. The Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI), in partnership with the International Kho Kho Federation, officially announced this. This groundbreaking tournament will feature 24 countries across six continents, showcasing 16 teams in both men’s and women’s categories. Originating as a traditional mud-based game, Kho Kho has transformed into a globally recognized sport, now played on mats, with participation from 54 nations. The World Cup aims to honor this rich cultural heritage while highlighting the sport’s competitive nature.
-
India launches first indigenous multi-purpose vessel ‘Samarthak’ [14 Oct 2024]
The Indian Navy marked a significant milestone with the launch of Samarthak, the first vessel under the two Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV) project being constructed by L&T Shipyard at Kattupalli. This event highlights India’s progress in indigenous shipbuilding, aligning with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.
-
WHO approves Bavarian Nordic’s mpox vaccine for adolescents [14 Oct 2024]
The World Health Organization said it had approved Bavarian Nordic’s mpox vaccine for adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, an age group considered especially vulnerable to outbreaks of the disease that has triggered global concern. The WHO said in a statement that it gave the Jynneos vaccine prequalification for adolescents on Oct. 8. The WHO declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years in August after a new type of the virus spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo to its neighbours. The United Nations agency approved the use of the vaccine in September as the first shot against mpox in adults, making it easier for badly hit African countries to access the vaccine.
-
Claudia Sheinbaum sworn in as Mexico’s first woman President [14 Oct 2024]
Claudia Sheinbaum was sworn in as Mexico’s first woman president. Sheinbaum, a climate scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, was elected president following the June 2 elections, securing nearly 58 percent of the vote, according to preliminary results from the Mexican electoral office.
-
Nobel Peace Prize 2024 [14 Oct 2024]
The Nobel Peace Prize 2024 was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo "for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again".
-
Cabinet approves National Maritime Heritage Complex in Gujarat [09 Oct 2024]
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the development of the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) in Lothal, Gujarat. This major project, aimed at preserving and showcasing India’s 4,500-year-old maritime heritage, will be executed in two phases. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the museum at Lothal will be the largest maritime heritage complex in the world.
-
Sanjeev Kumar Singla appointed as India’s next Ambassador to France [07 Oct 2024]
Diplomat Sanjeev Kumar Singla has been appointed as India’s next Ambassador to France, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. An Indian Foreign Service officer of batch 1997, Singla presently serves as the Ambassador of India to Israel. His contributions to shaping India’s foreign policy towards Israel have been described as significant. Singla handled sensitive matters, particularly the complex Israel-Palestine conflict, with caution and diplomacy. His careful approach to these issues ensured that India maintained balanced relations in the region during volatile times.
-
India’s foreign exchange reserves cross USD 700 billion first time [04 Oct 2024]
India’s foreign exchange reserves have reached an unprecedented milestone, crossing the USD 700 billion mark for the first time. According to data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday, the reserves surged by USD 12.588 billion in the week ending on September 27, pushing the total to USD 704.885 billion. The previous high stood at USD 692.296 billion just a week earlier, marking a significant boost in India’s economic buffer. This substantial foreign exchange reserve is a crucial shield for the domestic economy, helping to protect it from global financial shocks and uncertainties.
-
Centre declares Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali as classical languages [03 Oct 2024]
The Union Cabinet officially granted classical language status to Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali, recognizing their historical and cultural significance. This decision marks a significant addition to India’s classical language list, which was first established on October 12, 2004, with the declaration of Tamil as a classical language. The category was created to honor languages with a long and rich history, ancient literature, and cultural heritage.
The status of a classical language is granted based on specific criteria, including the language’s antiquity, with recorded texts dating back over a thousand years, a body of ancient literature considered a valuable heritage by generations, and an original literary tradition not borrowed from other linguistic communities.
The Linguistic Experts Committee (LEC), constituted by the Ministry of Culture under Sahitya Akademi in November 2004, reviewed and revised the criteria, leading to the declaration of Sanskrit as a classical language in 2005. Since then, Telugu (2008), Kannada (2008), Malayalam (2013), and Odia (2014) have also received classical language status.
-
Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin becomes first woman to take over as DG, Armed Forces Medical Services [01 Oct 2024]
Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin became the first woman officer to take over as the Director General, of Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS). The DGAFMS is directly responsible to the Ministry of Defence for overall medical policy matters that relate to the Armed Forces.
Before assuming the appointment of 46th DGAFMS, the Flag Officer held the coveted appointments of DG Medical Services (Navy), DG Medical Services (Air), and Director & Commandant of Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune. She is an alumna of AFMC, Pune, and was commissioned into the Armed Forces Medical Services in December 1985. She is an MD in Radiodiagnosis from AFMC, Pune, and a Diplomate National Board in Radiation Oncology from Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, complemented with training in Gamma Knife Surgery from the University of Pittsburgh. In a career spanning 38 years, the Flag Officer has held prestigious academic and administrative appointments including Professor & Head, Radiation Oncology, Army Hospital (R&R) and Command Hospital (Southern Command)/AFMC Pune, Commanding Officer, INHS Asvini, Command Medical Officer in the Indian Navy’s Southern and Western Naval Commands.