News Flash (18th January 2021): Top 10 Stories Of The Day

1. Delhi schools reopen after 10 months of COVID-19 lockdown for Classes 10 and 12

The Delhi government on Monday reopened the government-aided and unaided schools for Classes 10 and 12, after 10 months of COVID-19 lockdown. The schools have been reopened to help students with the completion of practicals, projects, and counselling considering the upcoming CBSE board examinations. 

2. Internet-based classes launched by ITBP in Chhattisgarh’s Naxal-affected district

An initiative has been taken by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) to educate school students through internet-based classes in Kondagaon district in Chhattisgarh which is a Naxal-affected region. These classes conducted by the 41st Battalion of ITBP, are taken by personnel who hold a bachelor’s degree. 

3. Bihar Police now to begin recruiting transgenders

From this date, the Bihar state is going to begin recruiting transgender to the office after it received approval from the State Home Department. For every 500 appointments, a transgender would be appointed, as per the new resolution passed. “As per proportional representation based on the transgender population, Bihar Police can employ 51 transgenders…It means 40 constables and 11 sub-inspectors can be appointed,” the State Home Department informed.

4. Kapil Mishra of BJP sends notice to Amazon Prime; demands the removal of ‘Tandav’

Kapil Mishra, a BJP leader, and former MLA said that he has issued a legal notice to Amazon Prime Video seeking the “immediately removal” of the newly released show ‘Tandav’ from its platform. He has warned that if the request wasn’t met, the OTT platform will have to face criminal proceedings. An FIR too, has been filed in Lucknow against Tandav’s makers for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.

5. US defence officials express concern over insider attack at Biden’s inauguration

Ahead of the new president Biden’s inauguration ceremony, the US defence officials have expressed worries about an insider attack or other threat from service members in charge of securing President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. Giving utmost attention to this, the FBI is screening all of the 25,000 National Guard troops who are going to be a part of the event. Army commanders have been warned to be on the lookout for any problems within their ranks.

6. Delhi HC tells petitioner to leave WhatsApp & use some other app

A petitioner who had filed a plea challenging WhatsApp’s new privacy policy was told to, “Leave WhatsApp. Go to some other application. It’s a voluntary thing. Don’t accept it,” by the Delhi High Court judge Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva. The plea accused WhatsApp and Facebook of violating users’ privacy. Justice Sachdeva further told the petitioner that, “Not only WhatsApp, but all applications also do that.”

7. Shane Warne says India has been the best team in the ongoing test series against Australia

Shane Warne, a former Australia spinner expressed that India has been the “best team” in the ongoing four-match Test series against Australia. He said, “I think Australia have had so many opportunities to win this series, they just haven’t taken them…At times their tactics haven’t been good enough,”.

8. Egypt discovers 3,000-year-old coffins in its latest archaeological discovery

In a new archaeological discovery, Egypt has unveiled 54 wooden coffins, many of which, according to the archeologists can be traced back 3,000 years to the New Kingdom period. These were discovered at the Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo. What’s commendable is that even after decades, these coffins are still intact, painted in bright colors. Besides this, archeologists also discovered the funerary temple of Queen Neit near the pyramid of her husband, King Teti.

9. Virgin Orbit launches its LauncherOne rocket off a 747 aircraft, into orbit for 1st time

Virgin Orbit owned by Billionaire Richard Branson has launched its LauncherOne rocket into orbit for the very first time. It has sent nine satellites to low Earth orbit on behalf of NASA. The rocket was attached to the wing of a modified Boeing 747 aircraft from where it took off and fired itself into Earth’s orbit after reaching the launch altitude.

10. CM Sawant of Goa forms a panel to identify a new site for the IIT campus

After the plan to build a new IIT campus at Shel-Melauli attracted protests by villagers, Goa’s Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has now announced that the government will be forming a committee to identify alternative land options for the campus. “We have not decided where to shift yet. We do not want such a problem (protests) again,” the CM said.