In a move to address the reluctance of IAS officers opting for central deputation, the latest empanelment of joint secretaries includes only 16 out of 119 officers from the 2009 batch, the lowest in recent years. This strict adherence to the norm requiring a minimum of two years of central government service aims to send a strong message.
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Following communal clashes in Murshidabad linked to protests over the Waqf (Amendment) Act, the National Commission for Women (NCW), led by Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar, and West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose visited the violence-affected areas.
Allu Arjun's 'Pushpa 2: The Rule' blazed through box office records, hitting Rs 1000 crore globally in a mere six days, the fastest ever for an Indian film. The action-packed sequel dethroned Shah Rukh Khan's 'Jawan' in Hindi markets and saw massive success across regions, cementing its place in cinematic history.
Karnataka's Deputy CM, DK Shivakumar, has stated that the state government will not make any hasty decisions regarding the 'caste census' report. The report, which was recently presented to the cabinet, suggests increasing the OBC quota to 51%. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge refrained from commenting until he reviews the report, while dominant communities express reservations about the survey.
Rajasthan's education department has instructed a school in Jaipur to discontinue Urdu classes and instead offer Sanskrit due to low Urdu enrollment. The decision followed a letter from the education minister's assistant. Despite an order claiming no such directive, protests from teachers ensued.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz in Washington, engaging in discussions that included top officials like External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval. Modi also interacted with US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and will meet Tesla CEO Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
Kirsty Coventry has been elected as the first female president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). IOC members voted on Thursday to appoint Coventry, a seven-time Olympic swimming medalist, for an eight-year term, which can be extended for an additional four years. She succeeds Thomas Bach, who steps down after 12 years, and emphasized her commitment to working alongside the six other high-profile candidates she defeated in the election.
The 2025 Royal Rumble has set the stage for new feuds and title challenges, with Charlotte Flair and Jey Uso securing WrestleMania 41 main event spots. Alexa Bliss's return, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins' emerging feud, and Flair's upcoming opponent decision are key highlights to watch on RAW and SmackDown.
Mississippi lieutenant governor Delbert Hosemann collapsed on the senate floor, sparking concerns and dramatic social media videos. Hosemann later attributed the incident to dehydration and reassured the public of his recovery. His office confirmed he is in good spirits, ready to resume work. The collapse follows his recent $326 million tax cut proposal aimed at balancing income and grocery taxes with infrastructure funding.
Donald Trump’s inauguration speech, where he announced the recognition of only two genders, male and female, sparked controversy, especially among the LGBT+ community. During the event, protests escalated with the setting up of a 'guillotine.' Former MLB star John Rocker criticized the protesters, expressing his disgust over the non-peaceful demonstration.
In Maharashtra, MNS workers aggressively demanded the use of Marathi in banks. They confronted a bank manager in Ambarnath who was not conversing in Marathi, threatened him, and vandalized a computer. The workers demanded that he learn Marathi quickly. This follows MNS Chief Raj Thackeray's recent call to make Marathi mandatory for official communication.