Vietnam lifted
the ban on import of Indian groundnut
•
Vietnam
has formally lifted the ban on import of Indian groundnut, thereby providing
market access after nine months.
•
The
Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development (MARD) has formally
communicated the decision to the Indian Government stating that the Plant
Protection Department of Vietnam (PPD) will issue import permits for groundnuts
for January 18, 2016.
CBDT entered
into two bilateral Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs) with United Kingdom
•
The
Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has entered into two bilateral Advance
Pricing Agreements (APAs) with United Kingdom. With this signing, CBDT has
concluded three bilateral APAs the first one being a bilateral APA signed with
Japan in December, 2014.
•
The
two bilateral APAs were signed with two Indian group entities of a UK based
Multi-National Company (MNC).
31 countries
have signed the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement (MCAA) for the
automatic exchange of Country-by-Country reports
•
As
part of continuing efforts to boost transparency by multinational enterprises
(MNEs), 31 countries have signed the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement
(MCAA) for the automatic exchange of Country-by-Country reports.
•
The
signing ceremony marks an important milestone towards implementation of
theOECD/G20 BEPS Project and a significant increase in cross-border cooperation
on tax matters.
USAID extends
funding for projects for TB-free India
•
To
support India’s efforts to end tuberculosis, US development agency USAID has
announced grants aimed at scaling up innovative solutions for combating the
disease in a country where an estimated 2.2 million such cases are reported
annually.
•
As
part of the Tuberculosis Health Action Learning Initiative (THALI) project,
$7.5 million has been awarded to the World Health Partners (WHP) for
implementing activities in Kolkata while another $7.5 million has been awarded
to Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT) for work in Bangalore, Hyderabad,
and Pune.
Cabinet of Somalia
agreed on Election Model outlined by the Mogadishu Declaration
•
The
declaration, which was adopted in December 2015, calls for the electoral
process in Somalia to establish a new, bicameral Federal Parliament in 2016,
based on inclusivity and representation.
•
The
election model paves the way for formation of new government as the term of
non-elected Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) is set to expire in 2016 after
serving for about four years.
Iran and Airbus
signed two agreements covering new aircraft orders and a comprehensive civil
aviation co-operation package
•
Iran
and Airbus signed two agreements covering new aircraft orders and a
comprehensive civil aviation co-operation package. The agreement includes
purchase of 118 new Airbus aircrafts.
•
The
agreement for 118 new aircraft includes 21 A320ceo family, 24 A320neo family,
27 A330ceo family, 18 A330neo (-900), 16 A350-1000 and 12 A380.
India becomes
world’s largest exporter of Rice
•
In
a data released by the Bangkok based Thai Rice Exporters Association, India has
beaten Thailand to become the largest exporter of rice in the world. According
to the reports, India has exported 10.23 million tons of rice in the year 2015
as compared to Thailand's 9.8 million tons. In terms of imports, China remains
the number one importer of rice.
France’s
Parliament approved a bill that will let doctors keep terminally ill patients
sedated until death comes:
•
France’s
Parliament has approved a bill that will let doctors keep terminally ill
patients sedated until death comes but stops short of legalizing euthanasia or
assisted suicide.
•
After
years of tense debate over the issue and a long journey through Parliament, the
bill was passed by the country’s lower house and Senate.
•
The
new law will allow patients to request deep, continuous sedation altering
consciousness until death” but only when their condition is likely to lead to a
quick death.
Corruption
Perceptions Index 2015
•
The
Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2015 has India at the 76 rank with 38
scores, unchanged from 2014. Report blames it on the failed electoral promises
of the leaders.
•
The
scoring system of CPI measures perceived levels of public sector corruption
world-wide and countries with high score points on a scale from 0-100 shows
corruption levels are low.
India and the
Arab League vowed to combat terrorism
•
India
and the Arab League have vowed to combat terrorism and called for developing a strategy
to “eliminate” its sources and extremism, including its funding, as External
Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj made a strong pitch for delinking religion from
terrorism.
•
While
addressing the 1st Ministerial Meeting of Arab-India Cooperation Forum here in
the Bahraini capital, she also warned that those who “silently sponsor” terror
groups could end up being used by them, in an apparent jibe at Pakistan.
India and France
inked 16 agreements at the India-France Business Summit in Chandigarh
•
India
and France inked 16 agreements at the India-France Business Summit in
Chandigarh. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) covered a wide range of
sectors like urban development, urban transport, water and waste treatment and
solar energy.
•
The
agreements were signed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and
French President Francois Hollande, who began his three-day visit to India.
•
Hollande
is the Chief Guest at the 67th India’s Republic Day (26 January 2016)
celebrations. He is the fifth French leader to be a chief guest at India’s
Republic Day celebrations, maximum number from any country so far.
Iran and China
agreed to expand economic and political ties
•
Iranian
President Hassan Rouhani and visiting Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping revealed
that their countries had agreed to expand economic and political ties, calling
it a “new season” in bilateral relations.
•
Mr.
Rouhani revealed that “We are happy that President Xi visited Iran after the
lifting of sanctions ... Iran and China have agreed to increase trade to $600
billion in the next 10 years,”.
Sri Lanka tops
South Asia in HDI
•
Sri
Lanka has maintained its high ranking in human development. But the country’s
performance in terms of average annual human development index (HDI) growth
rate during 1990-2014 was lower than many other South Asian countries.
•
These
findings are among the highlights of the Global Human Development Report (HDR)
2015 released by the UN Development Programme (UNDP)
•
Sri
Lanka has been placed at the 73rd rank with an HDI value of 0.757. In the
previous year’s report, it occupied the 74th place.
•
Since
the end of the civil war in 2009, the country’s rank went up by five, report
studied a total of 188 countries and territories, has determined the HDI values
by assessing long-term progress in three basic dimensions of human
development—a long and healthy life, access to knowledge and a decent standard
of living.
•
The
region of South Asia includes Iran too, apart from India, Pakistan,
Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Maldives.
2015 is Earth’s
warmest year since 1880: NOAA
•
The
globally averaged temperature over land and ocean surfaces for 2015 was the
highest among all years since modern record keeping began in 1880.
•
It
was revealed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) after an independent
analysis.
•
During
2015, the average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 1.62°F
(0.90°C) above the 20th century average.
India to be
fastest growing economy in 2016: UN Report
•
India
will be the fastest growing economy in 2016, states the recently released
United Nations (UN) World Economic Situation and Prospects 2016 Report.
•
According
to the report, India's economic growth will shoot up to 7.8 percent in 2016.
•
This
is an improvement from the 2015 value of 7.2 percent growth in the country's
Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
•
India
will account for 70 percent of the foreign investment in South Asia.
•
India's
annual per capita income has also increased from 900 dollars in 2000 to 2,800
dollars in 2015.
Japan lifted
sanctions on Iran
•
Japan
lifted sanctions on Iran, falling in line with major world powers. The
announcement was made by Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.
•
The
sanctions were lifted after the United Nations atomic energy agency confirmed
on 16 January 2016 that Tehran has fully taken steps to curb its disputed
nuclear programme.
World Economic
Forum 2016: India Ranked 22nd Among World's Best Countries
•
India
was ranked 22nd on an inaugural list of the world's best countries, WEF Annual
Meeting and is topped by Germany.
•
Apart
from Germany being in the first position, other countries in the top five are
Canada (2), the UK (3), the US (4) and Sweden (5).
•
The
report has been prepared by US News and World Report and New York-based brand
consultancy BAV Consulting and Wharton School of Business.
2016 NTI Nuclear
Security Index released
•
The
Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) Nuclear Security Index is a first-of-its-kind
public benchmarking of nuclear materials security conditions on a
country-by-country basis in 176 countries.
•
Initially
launched in 2012, the NTI Index, prepared with the Economist Intelligence Unit
(EIU), helped spark international discussions about priorities required to
strengthen security and most important
India Submits
First Biennial Update Report to UNFCCC
•
India
submitted its first Biennial Update Report (BUR) today, to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), towards fulfillment of the
reporting obligation under the Convention.
•
As
per the provisions of the Convention, countries need to periodically provide information
in the form of their National Communication.
•
BUR
contains national GHG inventory of India for the year 2010, prepared in
accordance with the guidelines of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC).
•
The
inventory covers six greenhouse gases, viz. Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane
(CH4), Nitrous Oxide (N2O), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Perfluorocarbons (PFCs)
and Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) and five categories, namely- energy, industrial
processes and product use (IPPU), agriculture, waste and Land-use, Land-use,
Change and Forestry (LULUCF).
ISIS has
destroyed Iraq’s oldest Christian monastery
•
Satellite
images confirm that the oldest Christian monastery in Iraq has been destroyed
by the jihadist group Islamic State (IS).
•
St
Elijah’s stood on a hill near the northern city of Mosul for 1,400 years. But
analysts revealed the images, obtained by the Associated Press, suggested it
had been demolished in late 2014, soon after IS seized the city.
•
A
Catholic priest from Mosul warned that its Christian history was “being
barbarically levelled”.
World Economic
Forum meeting starts in Davos, Switzerland
•
The
annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting has started in Davos, Switzerland
with participation of political leaders and business from around the world.
•
In
this edition of WEF meeting, the agenda includes the outlook of the global
economy and measures to fight terrorism.
Singapore named
most forward-looking country in the world
•
Singapore
has emerged as the ‘most forward-looking’ country and the second best country
to invest in, according to an inaugural “Best Countries” ranking by US News
& World Report, the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and global
brand consultants BAV Consulting.
•
The
ranking was officially unveiled at the World Economic Forum in Davos,
Switzerland.
•
Singapore
ranks as the 15th “best country in the world”, Germany tops the rankings as the
best country overall, followed by Canada and the United Kingdom.
•
The
United States and Sweden round up the top five.
India home to
2.36 lakh millionaires
•
India
was ranked among the top five Asia Pacific countries in terms of number of High
Net worth Individuals (HNWIs).
•
HNWIs
(millionaires) were defined as those individuals with net assets of USD 1
million or more.
•
India
is home to the fourth largest population of millionaires in the Asia Pacific
region, with 2.36 lakh such high net worth individuals, while Japan topped the
list with 12.60 lakh people.
IS holds 3500
slaves in Iraq
•
The
United Nations has revealed details of the “staggering civilian death toll in
Iraq” over the past two years and estimated some 3500 Iraqis continue to be
held captive as “slaves”, since the Islamic State’s insurgency flared at the
beginning of 2014.
•
In
a new report this week, the UN revealed that the jihadists’ captives included
many women and girls from the persecuted Yazidi sect who have been abducted and
forced into sexual slavery.
India ranks 89th
in Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2015-16
•
India
ranked at the 89th position in the list of 109 countries In the Global Talent
Competitiveness Index (GTCI) for the year 2015-16.
•
The
list has been compiled by the INSEAD business school, in partnership with
Adecco and Human Capital Leadership Institute of Singapore (HCLI).
•
The
countries which are included in to 20 they all are high-income countries.
•
The
top rankings were reserve by European countries.
French President
Francois Hollande declared a state of economic emergency
•
French
President Francois Hollande has declared a state of economic emergency to
redefine France’s economic and social model.
•
Under
the ambit emergency, government has proposed series of economic measures to
boost long-stagnant economic growth and reduce chronic unemployment.
India and Israel
face challenges of terrorism, the two countries agreed to intensify
coordination to deal with the menace
•
India
and Israel face challenges of terrorism, the two countries agreed to intensify
coordination to deal with the menace. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj
met top Israeli leadership and discussed a wide-range of bilateral and regional
issues.
•
Swaraj,
who is on her first visit to West Asia as the External Affairs Minister, called
on President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top
leaders.
United States
(US) has removed a wide range of nuclear sanctions against Iran
•
United
States (US) has removed a wide range of nuclear sanctions against Iran after it
has meet its commitments to roll back its nuclear programme.
•
These
sanctions were lifted after International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed
that Iran has met its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
(JCPA) or Vienna agreement with P5+1 countries signed in July 2015.
•
So
called P5+1 countries include the five permanent members of the UN Security
Council (UNSC) viz. USA, Russia, China, UK, France and non- permanent member
Germany.
China reshuffles
military headquarters in major revamp
•
In
a major military reform, Chinese President Xi Jinping has reorganised four army
headquarters by replacing them with 15 new agencies under the Central Military
Commission (CMC) headed by him, tightening his control over the world’s largest
force.
•
The
new structure includes new commissions such as discipline inspection, politics
and law and science and technology and general office.
•
The
reform includes formation of five more divisions, administration, auditing,
international cooperation, reform, organisational structure and strategic
planning.
A new social security
agreement signed between India and Australia
•
A
new social security agreement signed between India and Australia has come into
operation enabling people of both nations to avail retirement benefits in each
other’s country, a pact likely to boost bilateral business linkages.
•
Australian
Minister for Social Services Christian Porter and Minister for Small Business
and Assistant Treasurer Kelly O’Dwyer said the Commonwealth government wanted
to make sure people who live and work in more than one country are not
disadvantaged. The Agreement signed in November 2014 came into operation on
January 1, 2016.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared West Africa free
from Ebola outbreak
•
The World Health
Organization (WHO) declared West Africa free from Ebola outbreak. The decision
was taken by the WHO as all known chains of transmission have been stopped in
Liberia, which was worst affected among all the nations in the region.
Government of Nepal formed a 4-member eminent persons group
(EPG)
•
Government of Nepal
formed a 4-member eminent persons group (EPG) to look into India-Nepal ties in
totality and review all bilateral treaties with India.
•
A decision in this
regard was approved by the Cabinet at a meeting headed by Prime Minister KP
Sharma Oli.
Conference of QCG on Afghan Peace & Reconciliation held in
Islamabad
•
Conference of
Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) on Afghan Peace and Reconciliation
process was held in Islamabad.
•
The purpose of the
conference was to explore ways to create consensus for talks between the
Taliban and Afghanistan's government.
•
The conference was
attended by representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the US.
United
States and Jordan signed a Joint Action Plan (JAP) to improve efforts against
nuclear and radiological smuggling.
•
United
States and Jordan signed a Joint Action Plan (JAP) to improve efforts against
nuclear and radiological smuggling. The partnership will help in enhancing the
efforts to combat nuclear terrorism.
•
The
JAP was signed by Secretary of State John Kerry and Jordan’s Foreign Minister
Nasser Judeh in Washington.
The
USCIS notified revised petition fees for H-1B and L-1 visas
•
The
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) notified revised petition fees
for H-1B and L-1 visas. The increase in the fees is in tune with the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 that was signed into law by Barack Obama,
the President of the USA, on 18 December 2015.
•
As
per the revision, the petitioners must submit an additional fee of 4000 US
dollars for certain H-1B visas and 4500 US dollars for certain L-1A and L-1B
visas.
Sri
Lanka’s new government presented its plan for a new constitution
•
Sri
Lanka’s new government has presented its plan for a new constitution aimed at
devolving power and preventing the sort of ethnic tensions that led to a long
and bitter civil war that ended in 2009.
•
The
move comes as reformist President Maithripala Sirisena’s administration takes
some steps to promote post-conflict reconciliation and address alleged war
crimes committed during the 26-year conflict between government troops and
Tamil Tiger rebels.
•
Sirisena,
who unseated former leader Mahinda Rajapaksa in a bitterly contested poll last
year, promised a new constitution to strengthen democracy and fundamental
rights.
Nepal
elected a member of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) executive board
•
Nepal
has been elected a member of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) executive board,
representing the Group of Asia-Pacific States for 2016-18.
•
Nepal’s
Permanent Representative of to the UN, Durga Prasad Bhattarai, was also
unanimously elected vice-president to the Bureau of the Executive Board of the
UNICEF for 2016, representing the Asia-Pacific region.
Saudi
Arabia is Third Happiest Country
•
Saudi
Arabia has come third in a poll for the world's happiest countries - in a list
which features almost no European.
•
At
an average temperature of about 260C in January, the beautiful Fiji islands
have an evident advantage - but Colombia, which suffers from drug-related gang
wars and rife government corruption, was the country which came in first out of
all 68 surveyed.
•
The
research was carried out by WIN/Gallup International, a polling association
which interviewed 66,040 people from 68 countries.
Kenya
published new broadcast regulations
•
In
order to protect children, Kenya published new broadcast regulations that place
strict limits on sexual content.
•
The
regulations also ban preachers from soliciting money from audiences in exchange
of blessings and prayers on air.
•
The
new rules contained in the Programming Code for Free-to-Air Radio and
Television Services apply to programmes as well as advertisements, programme
listings and promotions.
South
Korea's Parliament adopted a resolution, denouncing the DPRK fourth nuclear
test
•
South
Korea's Parliament adopted a resolution, denouncing the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s fourth nuclear test, urging the DPRK to dismantle
its nuclear programme.
•
The
resolution passed at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea was
unanimously through the National Assembly two days after Pyongyang announced
its first successful test of a hydrogen bomb.
US
introduced new initiatives to combat recruitment of Americans to extremist
groups
•
To
combat recruitment of Americans to extremist groups like the so-called Islamic
State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), US introduced new initiatives. These
initiatives aim at halting the extremist groups from radicalising and encourage
violence online.
•
The
raft of measures includes setting up of a task force to counter the online
propaganda of terror groups.
The
French soldiers will march down the Rajpath on Republic Day along with Indian
troops in
the presence of President Francois Hollande.
•
The
French soldiers will march down the Rajpath on Republic Day along with Indian
troops in the presence of President Francois Hollande. Hollande is the Chief
Guest for 26 January 2016 celebrations.
•
This
is the first time that a foreign army will participate in the 26th January
Parade, since 1950.
US
President Barack Obama took executive action to unveil steps to reduce gun
violence
•
US
President Barack Obama took executive action to unveil steps to reduce gun
violence. The series of new common sense measures were announced during his
White House address.
•
The
executive actions will require more gun sellers to get licenses from the Bureau
of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATFs) and Explosives and more gun buyers to
undergo background checks. It will help in closing the so-called gun show
loophole.
Signing
of MoU between India and Singapore in the field of Civil Aviation
•
The
Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for signing a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) between India and Singapore on cooperation in the field of
civil aviation.
•
Objective
of MoU is to establish mutual cooperation in the field of civil aviation
between both countries.
North
Korea has announced that it had successfully carried out its first hydrogen
bomb test
•
North
Korea has announced that it had successfully carried out its first hydrogen
bomb test, a development that, if confirmed, would marking a stunning step
forward in its nuclear development.
•
The
surprise test was personally ordered by North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and
came just two days before his birthday. Only last month, during remarks made
during an inspection tour, Kim had suggested Pyongyang had already developed a
hydrogen bomb although the claim was greeted with scepticism by international
experts.
Sri
Lanka and Pakistan signed 8 MoUs to enhance the cooperation between the two countries
•
Sri
Lanka and Pakistan signed 8 Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) to enhance the
cooperation between the two countries in several fields in Colombo.
•
The
MoUs were signed at the Presidential Secretariat in the presence of President
of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif and
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
A
friendship bus service between India and Nepal was flagged off
•
A
friendship bus service between India and Nepal was flagged off via Champawat
district in Uttarakhand after a gap of 27 years.
•
The
resumed bus service has been regularised and will run between Kanchanpur in
Nepal close to the Banbasa border in Champawat district and Anand Vihar in New
Delhi.
•
People
travelling in these buses do not require any special documents to travel. These
buses are air conditioned and provide free wi-fi connectivity to passengers.
Saudi
Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir announced that his country has broken
off
diplomatic ties with Iran.
•
Saudi
Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir announced that his country has broken
off diplomatic ties with Iran. The announcement was made amid a row over the
Saudi execution of a prominent Shia Muslim cleric.
•
Sheikh
Nimr al-Nimr and 46 others were executed by Saudi Arabia on 2 January 2016
after being convicted of terror related offences.
•
This
was the largest execution carried out by Saudi Arabia in three and a half
decades.
China
creates three new Army units to modernise military
•
China
has created three new military bodies as part of reforms to modernise its
military and improve its fighting capacity.
•
State
television showed President Xi Jinping giving military flags to the leaders of
the three new units — a general command for the People’s Liberation Army, a
missile force and a strategic support force.
India,
Pakistan exchange list of nuke installations, prisoners
•
India
and Pakistan exchanged a list of their nuclear installations under a bilateral
agreement that bars them from attacking each other’s atomic facilities.
•
The
two countries also exchanged, through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New
Delhi and Islamabad, the lists of nationals (including civil prisoners and
fishermen) of each country lodged in their respective jails.
India’s
Petronet LNG ink revised contract with RasGas of Qatar
•
India’s
biggest state owned gas importer Petronet LNG has signed a revised contract
with RasGas of Qatar to import gas at a significantly lower price than earlier.
•
Under
the new contract, Rasgas will supply Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to Petronet at
6-7 dollar per million British thermal units (mmBtu) from January 1, 2016.
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