AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Jeevan Raksha Padak Awards 2016 announced

The President of India has approved the conferment of Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards 2016 on 36 persons which includes Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak to 05, Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak to 08 and Jeevan Raksha Padak to 23 persons; 07 awards are posthumous.

2. National Geoscience Award for Keshav Krishna

A Keshav Krishna, a scientist at the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) has been selected for the National Geoscience Award for 2016. The award given by the Union Ministry of Mines is in recognition of his work in the field of geo-environmental studies.

Krishna is presently involved in studies on environmental risk assessment related heavy metal contamination in soil, sediments and water in industrial areas, abandoned mine sites and their interactions with the environmental pollutants.

APPOINTMENTS    

3. Trump appoints Indian-American attorney to key White House post

US President Donald Trump has appointed prominent Indian-American attorney Uttam Dhillon to a key White House position to assist him on ethics and compliance matters. Dhillon, who served as chief oversight counsel for the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee, has been appointed as special assistant to the President.

INDIAN AFFAIRS

4. Kerala CM Inaugurates e-Health Kerala scheme at Peroorkada Hospital

E-Health Kerala, the project envisaged by the health department in association with the state IT Mission, was launched officially by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan at a function held at Peroorkada District Hospital. The project envisages to create an effective IT-enabled integrated framework to ensure effectual health care to the common citizen and create a centralized database of healthcare information.

5. Mysuru gets India’s 1st post office passport Kendra

One of the country’s first post office Passport Seva Kendras (PSK) began its operations in Mysuru.  The second one simultaneously opened in Gujarat. Syed Ayathullah, a resident of Udayagiri in Mysuru, had applied for renewal of passport and had booked an appointment slot online in the PSK at Lalbagh in Bengaluru. The POPSK has been launched to expand the passport services over a wide area and simplify the process to travel abroad.

6. India ranks sixth on eight great powers in 2017

India is ranked at the sixth spot, behind China and Japan, in a list of eight great powers for the year 2017 by a leading American foreign policy magazine which is topped by the US.

The list is topped by the US, whereas China and Japan are at tie for being on the second spot. Russia (fourth) and Germany (fifth) are the other two countries ahead of India. Iran is ranked seventh and Israel is on the eighth spot.

7. 7th edition Hyderabad Literary Festival starts

The seventh edition of Hyderabad Literary Festival will be held from January 27-29, 2017 at the Hyderabad Public School (HPS), Begumpet.

Over 100 speakers have been invited and more than 130 events are planned. The guest nation for this year will be Philippines. Teresita C. Daza, the Phillippines ambassador to India is invited as the guest of honor for the inauguration.

8. Telangana ranks 2nd in Walnut’s cashless score card

Telangana ranked second in the `Cashless India Scorecard’ prepared by Walnut app to track the growth of digital payments in the country.

• The scorecard is meant for comparing how each state is moving towards a cashless economy post- demonetisation based on an aggregate and anonymised analysis of Walnut’s over five million user data.
• It ranked States based on percentage increase in overall cashless transactions, growth in shoppers using debit or credit card for the first time and growth in merchants accepting digital payments.
• Based on these parameters, Gujarat, Telangana and Haryana emerged as the top three states with the highest growth in going cashless.

9. IIM-A’s annual cultural festival Chaos kicks off

The annual cultural extravaganza of the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A), Chaos-2017, kicked off, with the theme of wanderlust.

• The focus of the theme is to let the attendees unleash their wanderlust, explore the extravaganza and take back memories to last a lifetime. The event will continue till January 29, 2017.
• Ankit Parmar, Secretary for Chaos-2017, informed that Chaos has now become ISO 9001:2008 certified event, marking the recognition of quality and standards Chaos is delivering through the years.

10. Arunachal launches ‘Dulari Kanya’ scheme to check infant mortality

Arunachal Pradesh launched ‘Dulari Kanya’, a special scheme to check infant mortality in the state, on the occasion of the 68th Republic Day. Governor V Shanmuganathan launched the scheme, under which the government will deposit Rs 20,000 in the bank account of a girl child, born in any government hospital. It would be paid along with the accrued interest after she attains 18 years of her age.

BANKING AND FINANCE

11. Digi Dhan Mela launched in Andaman & Nicobar Islands

In order to promote cashless transaction, the first ‘Digi Dhan’ mela has organised in Gurugram on December 26 where customers will be able to purchase items only by making digital payment. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar will inaugurate the mela. This is the first such fair in the country since demonetisation for educating masses on how to use mobile phones for making purchases.

12. RBI Prohibits FDI in Non-Cooperative Countries

Reserve Bank has prohibited Indian entities from making direct investments in any entity located in ‘non co-operative countries and territories’, as identified by the inter-governmental body FATF.  The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) currently comprises two regional organisations and 35 member jurisdictions, including India, US, UK, China and the European Commission.

FATF was established in 1989. Its objectives are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.

13. Karnataka Bank inks pact with Tirth Agro Technology

Karnataka Bank Ltd has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Rajkot-based Tirth Agro Technology Pvt Ltd (manufacturer of agricultural equipment and implements) for financing agricultural mechanisation.

The bank has a network of 740 branches in 21 states and two Union Territories. Tirth Agro Technology Pvt Ltd manufactures agricultural implements under the brand name ‘Shaktiman’.

MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS

14. Pharmaceutical Firm Johnson & Johnson to Buy Actelion for $30 Billion

U.S. healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) will buy Swiss biotech company Actelion (ATLN.S) in a $30 billion all-cash deal that includes spinning off Actelion’s research and development pipeline. The biggest European drugs takeover in 13 years gives J&J access to the Swiss group’s range of high-price, high-margin medicines for rare diseases, helping it diversify its drug portfolio as its biggest product, Remicade for arthritis, faces cheaper competition.

SPORTS

15. Delhi Dynamos appoint Ashish Shah as new CEO

Indian Super League side Delhi Dynamos has appointed Ashish Shah as their new CEO. His appointment effective as of January 23, 2017. Shah was the heading Chennaiyin FC when the team won the ISL title in 2015.

Indian football is growing fast, attracting global attention and we need to move on the fast lane in order to stay on top of the developments and ahead of the competition.

16. Usain Bolt Loses an Olympic Medal due to Positive Doping of Team-Mate Nesta Carter

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt has lost one of his nine Olympic gold medals and his perfect triple treble of Games’ sprint victories after team mate Nesta Carter was found guilty of doping at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Carter was found in re-tests of his sample to have taken the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) meaning Jamaica’s 4×100 metres relay team must give back their gold medals.

17. Sumo wrestler becomes first Japanese athlete to receive highest honour in 19 years

Japan rejoiced as Japan based sumo wrestler Kisenosato was promoted to the highest rank of the wresting, Yokozuna after winning his first title at the New Year Grand Sumo Japan Wrestler Tournament with a 14-1 record.

The 30-year-old Kisenosato, whose real name is Yutaka Hagiwara is the first Japanese born and bred wrestler to earn the coveted rank of “grand champion since 1998.

18. England won 1st T20 against India by 7 wicket

India has defeat in the first T20 international against England at the Green Park in Kanpur. England first restricted India to just 147 for the loss of seven wickets and then chased down the target with 11 balls and seven wickets remaining. Eoin Morgan and Joe Root made sure England cruise home to a big win.

OBITUARY

19. Russian envoy Alexander Kadakin passes away

Russian Ambassador to India and Delhi’s diplomatic corps’ most prominent face for decades, Alexander Kadakin passed away. Alexander Kadakin was known for his strong statements in support of India, especially on the issue of terrorism, and was a part of all major agreements between India and Russia, from the days of the Soviet Union and the India-Soviet treaty of friendship of 1971.