NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. WEP of NITI Aayog Partners with India’s Largest Convenience Retail Chain New Shop to Empower Women Retail Business Owners: The Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) of NITI Aayog, launched EmpowHER Biz – Sapno Ki Udaan in partnership with New Shop, India’s largest 24/7 convenience retail chain under its Award to Reward (ATR) program.This initiative aims to empower women entrepreneurs by equipping them with the skills and resources needed to succeed in the organized retail sector.EmpowHER Biz will offer mentorship and comprehensive training, covering retail management, digital tools, financial literacy and business development to aspiring women entrepreneurs. Through this collaboration with New Shop, WEP aims to create a robust retail ecosystem that empowers women entrepreneurs and drives sustainable growth in the sector.Under the initiative, fifty participants aged 18–35, will be selected through an online application process based on specific criteria.
2. Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) and NALSAR University Sign MoU to Train Animal Welfare Representatives: The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), a statutory body of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, entered into an MoU with NALSAR University of Law, in Hyderabad.The MoU formalized a strategic partnership aimed at providing high-quality, professional legal training to civil society members who support District Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCAs) and State Animal Welfare Boards in their efforts to assist animals.This collaboration between AWBI and NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad will help in providing specialized training and education to the applicants of Honorary Animal Welfare Representatives (HAWRs) with AWBI wherein participants will be equipped with essential knowledge in animal welfare laws, procedures, investigative techniques, and related subjects.
3. Goa govt launches ‘Bima Sakhi Yojana’: Chief Minister of Goa Pramod Sawant has launched the ‘Bima Sakhi Yojana’ in the state with the aim of providing “insurance for all“.With this, Goa became the second state after Haryana to launch this flagship scheme envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.As per the central government’s portal, the Bima Sakhi Yojana initiative of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is designed to empower women aged 18-70 years, who are Class X pass. They will receive specialised training and a stipend for the first three years to promote financial literacy and insurance awareness.After training, they can serve as LIC agents and the graduate Bima Sakhis will have the opportunity to qualify for being considered for development officer roles in LIC.In the beginning, the Bima Sakhis will be trained and get a Stipend of Rs 7,000 per month in the first year, Rs 6,000 per month in the second and Rs 5,000 in the third year.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India, Malaysia agree to explore to enhance cooperation in critical minerals: India and Malaysia agreed to deepen cooperation in counter terrorism and deradicalization; cyber security; defence industry; and maritime security.They also explored ways to enhance cooperation in critical minerals and rare earths. It was agreed to institutionalise the dialogue by holding annual meetings.The first India- Malaysia Security Dialogue was co-chaired by Ajit Doval, National Security Adviser and Raja Dato Nushirwan Bin Zainal Abidin, Director General of the National Security Council of Malaysia in New Delhi.
2. Singapore leads in 2025’s most powerful passports; India drops to 85th: Singapore has reclaimed its place at the top of a quarterly ranking of the world’s most powerful passports. Holders of this passport enjoy visa-free access to 195 out of 227 destinations worldwide, according to the Henley Passport Index.Japan is second in the ranking, with an open door to 193 destinations, having secured the silver medal by regaining visa-free access to neighbouring China for the first time since the Covid-19 lockdowns.The EU member states of France, Germany, Italy and Spain are at No. 3, along with Finland and South Korea, with access to 192 destinations with no prior visa needed.
3. 9 January – NRI (Non-Resident Indian) Day or Pravasi Bharatiya Divas: NRI or Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is observed every year on 9 January to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community towards the development of India.This day also commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to Mumbai on 9 January 1915.The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention was first established in 2003 under the government of then Prime Minister Late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, as a platform to recognize and engage with the overseas Indian community.The 18th PBD Convention is scheduled for January 8-10, 2025, in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The theme for this year is the “Diaspora’s contribution to a Viksit Bharat” (Developed India).
4. 10 January – World Hindi Day: The World Hindi Day, popularly called the ‘Vishwa Hindi Diwas’, is celebrated on January 10 every year to promote Hindi as one of the most widely spoken languages around the world, along with English and Mandarin.Theme 2025 – A Global Voice of Unity and Cultural PrideOn September 14, 1949, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted Hindi written in the Devanagari script as the official language of the Republic of India.While Hindi became one of India’s official languages, the Indian Constitution does not recognize any language as the national language. Hindi, along with 21 other languages, holds official status. The decision reflected the necessity to respect India’s multilingual heritage.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. India, U.S. to jointly manufacture interoperable sonobuoys for Navy: India and the United States have announced a strategic partnership aimed at co-producing sonobuoys for Undersea Domain Awareness (UDA) within the Indian Navy.This initiative reflects both nations’ concerns regarding the increasing Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean Region.Sonobuoys are devices used for detecting submarines in deep waters. They are deployed from aircraft or ships and can monitor underwater sounds. These technologies play a critical role in naval operations, particularly in anti-submarine warfare.Ultra Maritime, a leader in undersea warfare technology, is collaborating with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for this project. The partnership will focus on developing sonobuoys tailored for the unique conditions of the Indian Ocean. This collaboration aligns with the U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies launched in May 2022.
SPORTS
1. Anahat Singh clinches U-17 Girl’s Singles title at British Junior Open: In Squash, India’s Anahat Singh has clinched the Under 17 Girl’s Singles title at the British Junior Open in Birmingham, England.The 16-year-old top-seed Indian defeated Malika El Karaksy of Egypt, 3-2 in the summit clash.Anahat came from behind twice to secure the win with scores of 4-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-5, and 11-3. The victory marks Anahat’s third British Junior Open title, following her triumphs in the Under-11 category in 2019 and the Under-15 category in 2023.Earlier in the tournament, Anahat defeated Egypt’s Ruqayya Salem 3-1 in the semi-finals after a dominant 3-NIL win over another Egyptian, Nadia Tamer, in the quarter-finals.Anahat had won nine PSA Challenger titles last year, more than any other woman in the world.
2. NZ cricketer Martin Guptill announces retirement from international cricket: New Zealand Cricketer, Martin Guptill announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 38.Guptill’s career spanned around 14 years during which he scored over 14 thousand runs in 367 matches and smashed 23 international hundreds.Guptill played 198 ODI, 122 T20Is and 47 Tests. He debuted in 2009 against the West Indies.Guptill holds the record for the highest individual score in an ODI World Cup. In the 2015 World Cup, he played an innings of 237 not out from 163 balls.Guptill will continue to play in T20 franchise cricket around the globe in the immediate future.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. SBI lowers India’s FY25 GDP growth forecast to 6.3%: The State Bank of India (SBI) has revised its forecast for India’s GDP growth in the financial year 2024-25 (FY25) to 6.3 per cent, down from the National Statistical Office’s (NSO) projection of 6.4 percent.The bank attributed the downgrade to multiple economic challenges, including a slowdown in lending and manufacturing, shortly after the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation released its gross domestic product (GDP) projections.SBI’s revision reflects concerns over a slowdown in lending and manufacturing, coupled with the effects of a large base effect from the previous year.
According to the NSO’s data, agriculture and allied activities are projected to grow by 3.8 per cent in FY25, up from 1.4 per cent in FY24, driven by robust policy measures and public infrastructure development.
2. Mirae Asset launches smallcap fund, targets India’s high-growth segment: Mirae Asset Investment Managers (India) Pvt. Ltd. has launched its new Mirae Asset smallcap fund, an open-ended equity scheme focusing predominantly on smallcap stocks.The fund, to be managed by senior Fund Manager Varun Goel, will be benchmarked against the Nifty smallcap 250 Total Return Index (TRI).The New Fund Offer (NFO) opens for subscription on January 10, and closes on January 24, with a minimum initial investment requirement of Rs 5,000. Regular trading will commence on February 3, with subsequent investments accepted in multiples of Re 1.The launch comes at a time when small-cap companies have shown significant compounding trends over the past two decades, according to the Nifty smallcap 100 Index factsheet, highlighting the potential for long-term growth in this segment of the market.
3. KredX Receives RBI’s Final Nod to Launch TReDS Platform, DTX: KredX, India’s largest supply chain finance platform, has secured the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) final approval to commercially launch its Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS) platform under the brand name DTX (Domestic Trade Exchange).This milestone positions KredX as the fifth RBI-regulated TReDS platform in the country, further advancing its mission to transform supply chain financing.
The TReDS platform is a government-mandated initiative designed to address the persistent challenges of delayed payments and working capital gaps in the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector.Founded in 2015, KredX has been a pioneer in supply chain finance, working with over 70,000 MSME suppliers and large corporations.
4. PhonePe partners with ICICI Lombard to offer Maha Kumbh Mela insurance: PhonePe has partnered with ICICI Lombard General Insurance to offer insurance cover for people travelling to the Maha Kumbh The insurance plan, available from January 13, 2024, to February 25, 2025, will be offered in two variants.This comprehensive yet affordable insurance plan is available in two variants, catering to the needs of a broad spectrum of travellers: Rs 59 per traveller for individuals travelling by train or bus, and Rs 99 per traveller for individuals travelling by domestic flights.The launch aims to provide devotees with extensive coverage for various risks, including hospitalization, doctor consultation, outpatient treatment, personal accident cover, loss of checked-in baggage, trip cancellation cover, missed connecting flight cover, and repatriation of remains.The North Central Railway has devised a plan to ensure a smooth and safe experience for the pilgrims. The uni-directional movement to prevent chaos and congestion, the movement of people will be kept uni-directional, avoiding criss-cross movements.
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