Current Affairs

Lahiru Thirimanne retires from international cricket

After a 12-year career, Sri Lankan batter Lahiru Thirimanne has announced his retirement from international cricket.

The 33-year-old Lankan featured in 44 Tests, 127 One-Day Internationals and 26 T20 Internationals, having made his debut in 2010.

He played for Sri Lanka in three ICC T20 World Cups, including the 2014 edition where the side emerged victorious. Besides, he also featured in a couple of ODI World Cups. He also had the honour of leading the team in five ODIs.



World Archery Para C'ships 2023: Duo Sarita-Rakesh clinch gold, India finish with ever-best three medals

Indian para-archers finished the World Archery Para Championships 2023 with three medals in Pilsen, Czech Republic, as per Olympics.com.

They have also secured six quota places for the Paris 2024 Paralympics.

At the world championships, India's medal total included one gold, one silver, and one bronze, making it the best-ever performance for the nation on Saturday. The previous high for India was two silvers in Dubai last year.



Nuclear power capacity set to increase from over 7000 MW to over 22,480 MW by 2031: Govt in RS

Minister of State for Atomic Energy and Space Dr Jitendra Singh today said that nuclear power capacity has set to increase from over seven thousand Mega Watt to over 22 thousand 480 Mega Watt by 2031. The present installed nuclear power capacity in the country is seven thousand 480 Mega Watt comprising 23 nuclear power reactors. Dr Singh said this in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha. The Minister said, the share of nuclear power in the total electricity generation in the country was about 2.8 percent in 2022-23.



PACS to offer services of Common Service Centres; Cooperation ministry signs MoU

The Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) will soon start providing services like the one offered by Common Service Centres (CSC).

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of this effect was signed between the Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, NABARD and CSC e-Governance Services India Limited. The MoU was signed in the presence of Amit Shah, Union Minister of Home and Cooperation, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology. BL Verma, Minister of State for Cooperation, Gyanesh Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, and other officials were present on the occasion.



QS Best Cities for Students 2024: No Indian City in Top 100

Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Rankings have been released. According to the QS Best rankings, London is the world's best city for the students to live. The survey showcased the best urban destinations for international students. It is for the fifth consecutive time that London has remained in the top spot for another year. 

okyo ranked the second position followed by Seoul in third position in QS world best city rankings. Melbourne ranked to fourth while Munich has moved to fifth postion. 



The Indian Navy Quiz “G20 THINQ” launches for school students

The Indian Navy has launched the second edition of The Indian Navy Quiz “G20 THINQ” under the aegis of the G20 Secretariat and the Navy Welfare and Wellness Association in New Delhi today.
 
Ministry of Defence said, the quiz has been conceptualized for class 9 to 12 students under which the National Round is expected to see the participation of over 10,000 schools from all parts of the nation.
 
Along with this, the International Round will feature invitees from G20 nations in Finals at the India Gate.



Air force day parade, flypast to be held in Prayagraj

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will celebrate its 91st anniversary on October 8.

Keeping with a new tradition of hosting the Air Force Day celebrations in different parts of the country, this year's parade and air display will be held in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on Friday.

The ceremonial parade will be conducted at Air Force Station, Bamrauli, while the air display will take place at the Sangam area, the picturesque confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers in Prayagraj.



Indian team wins bronze in Asian Surfing Championship

The India surf team, participating for the first time, in the Asian championship has bagged the bronze medal. The icing on the cake was two Tamil Nadu youths breaking into the top 10 Asian rankings. The Asian Surfing Championship was held at Thulusdhoo Island in Maldives, which saw participation from 18 countries. The Surfing Federation of India had sent four senior surfers in the men’s category and two surfers in the under-18 category. Five out of the six surfers were from Tamil Nadu.

This comes at a time when preparations are in full swing for the World Surfing League (WSL) event that India is hosting for the first time in Mahabalipuram between August 14 and 20. As a team, India scored 2,708 points securing the third position, thereby winning the bronze medal. Japan won the gold with 4,450 points. Among Indian surfers, D Srikanth, 18, from Kovalam fishing village near Chennai, was the centre of attention at the event. He reached the semi-finals and currently ranks fifth in Asia. “This was my first time competing in the Asian Surfing Championship, and it was a fantastic opportunity for me,” he told TNIE.



ISSF Junior World C’ships: Harmehar Singh Lally, Sanjana Sood win silver medal in skeet mixed team event

In shooting, India bagged one silver to stay in the second position of the medal tally on Day 4 of the ISSF Junior World Championships, in Changwon, Korea yesterday. Indian pair of Harmehar Singh Lally and Sanjana Sood won a silver medal in the skeet mixed team event. Harmehar and Sanjana had to endure a gruelling 52-shot shoot-off, which they won 26-24 eventually, enroute to the final, where they lost 38-43 to the Italian duo of Andrea Galardini and Sara Bongini.
 
With that medal, India stayed in second place on the medals table with four gold, four silver and three bronze medals. China kept rising at the top with six gold, eight silver, and four bronze medals. Italy is in the third spot with two gold, one silver and three bronze medals.



Ethiopia allows social media access after five months

Ethiopia has allowed people to access Facebook, Telegram, TikTok, and YouTube after five months. The blackout was imposed on 9 February this year after tensions between the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the government. Only those with access to virtual private network (VPN) software could get on to the social media platforms, something that cost them additional data.
 
The Orthodox Church faced a split in February when some archbishops from the Oromia region said they wanted to form a new synod as they wanted to hold services in the Oromo language. The move triggered deadly clashes, but a mediation effort by the government has now papered over the cracks. There has been no statement from the authorities over the decision to lift the ban.