British lawmakers defeated Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit divorce deal by a crushing margin, triggering political upheaval that could lead to a disorderly exit from the EU or even to a reversal of the 2016 decision to leave.
Parliament voted 432-202 against her deal, the worst parliamentary defeat for a government in recent British history. Scores of her own lawmakers -both Brexiteers and supporters of EU membership - joined forces to vote down the deal.
Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn promptly called a vote of no confidence in May's government, to be held within 24 hours.
With the clock ticking down to March 29, the date set in law for Brexit, the United Kingdom is now ensnared in the deepest political crisis in half a century as it grapples with how, or even whether, to exit the European project that it joined in 1973.
May's crushing loss, the first British parliamentary defeat of a treaty since 1864, marks the collapse of her two-year strategy of forging an amicable divorce with close ties to the EU after the March 29 exit.
Antarctica losing ice 6 times faster than in 1980s
Antarctica is melting more than six times faster than it did in the 1980s, a new study has revealed.
Scientists used aerial photographs, satellite measurements and computer models to track how fast the southern-most continent has been melting since 1979 in 176 individual basins.
They found the ice loss to be accelerating dramatically - a key indicator of human-caused climate change.
Since 2009, Antarctica has lost almost 278 billion tonnes (252 billion metric tonnes) of ice per year, the new study found. In the 1980s, it was losing 44 billion tonnes (40 billion metric tons) a year.
The recent melting rate is 15% higher than what a study found last year.
Oz state to pump oxygen into rivers as fish die
An Australian state government announced plans to mechanically pump oxygen into lakes and rivers after hundreds of thousands of fish died in heatwave conditions.
Up to a million dead fish were found floating last week in the Darling river in western New South Wales state and the state government announced that 1,800 more rotting fish had since been found in Lake Hume.
16 battery-powered aerators had been bought and would be placed in drought affected waterways.
Experts blame heatwave conditions across much of Australia, drought and algal blooms for starving waterways of oxygen.
The Ministry of Human Resource Development has approved extending the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations to the academic staff of government and aided technical institutions.
This will directly benefit 29,264 teachers and other academic staff government- funded institutes.
Besides, about 3.5 lakh teachers and other academic staff of private colleges or institutes within the purview of AICTE will also benefit.
25% Quota for Economically Weaker Sections in Universities
The HRD Ministry announced that it will implement 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker section of the General Category from the 2019 academic session and increase around 25 per cent seats in higher educational institutions and universities across the country.
The decision was taken at a meeting of officials from the ministry, University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE).
The reservation will be implemented from the 2019-2020 academic session itself.
Nearly 25 per cent seats will be added to ensure that the reservation does not disturb the existing quota for SC, ST and other categories.
The number of seats to be added are not specified.
E-way Bill to be Integrated with FASTag
The GST e-way bill system is likely to be integrated with NHAI's FASTag mechanism from April to help track movement of goods and check GST evasion.
The revenue department has set up an officers committee to integrate e-way bill, FASTag and DMIC's Logistics Data Bank (LDB) services, after consultation with transporters.
Integration of e-way bill with FASTag would help find the location of the vehicle and when and how many times it has crossed NHAI's toll plazas.
A small green shoot is growing on the moon in an out-of-this-world first after a cotton seed germinated on board a Chinese lunar lander.
The sprout has emerged from a lattice-like structure inside a canister since the Chang'e-4 lander set down earlier this month.
This is the first time humans have done biological growth experiments on the lunar surface.
Scientists from Chongqing University, who designed the "mini lunar biosphere" experiment, sent an 18-cm bucket-like container holding air, water and soil.
 Novel smart home robot may help older adults live independently
Scientists have created a robot that could help elderly people with dementia and other limitations live independently in smart homes.
The Robot Activity Support System uses sensors embedded in a smart home to determine where its residents are, what they are doing and when they need assistance with daily activities.
It navigates through rooms and around obstacles to find people on its own, provides video instructions on how to do simple tasks and can even lead its owner to objects like their medication or a snack in the kitchen.
Tamil Nadu lad D Gukesh became the second youngest Grand Master in the world and the youngest Indian to achieve the feat at 12 years, 7 months, and 17 days erasing the mark set by his state-mate R Praggnanandhaa. Gukesh became India's 59th Grand Master.
Ukraine's Sergey Karjakin remains the youngest ever GM, having achieved the feat at 12 years, and seven months in 2002.
Ali Qamar Named Women's Coach
Mohammed Ali Qamar, the man who won India's first Commonwealth Games gold medal in boxing, has taken over as chief coach for the country's women pugilists, becoming the youngest ever to get the top job.
Ali Qamar, who turns 38 in a couple of months' time, was appointed to the position, replacing veteran Shiv Singh. Ali Qamar has been an assistant coach in the national camp for more than a year.
In addition, the Arjuna awardee has helmed the Railways Sports Promotion Board's women's team for three years.
India Wins Second One-Day International
Virat Kohli made 104 and Mahendra Singh Dhoni an unbeaten 55 from 54 balls as captains past and present guided India to a six-wicket win over Australia in the second One-Day International, levelling the three-match series at 1-1.
Kohli posted his 39th ODI century, his 24th in a second innings and his sixth against Australia, to lead a perfectly measured run chase which saw India surpass Australia's total of 298-9 with four balls to spare.
Haryana's Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu launched a cyber security portal and a toll free helpline number (1800-180-1234) for reporting cyber security issues.
It is the first time in the country that any state has launched such a portal.
The services were launched during the 'National Summit on Digital Innovation & Cyber Security' at Hartron Campus .
The users can log on 'haryanaismo.gov.in and know the ways for securing oneself against cyber threats. The portal has information about how to keep children safe online.
Telangana and Gujarat Allows EWS Quota
The entire recruitment process for government jobs in Gujarat has been suspended pending fresh notifications to accommodate the new quota category that came into existence on January 14.
Gujarat emerged as the first state to implement the 10 percent reservation for the economically weaker sections among the general category.
Telangana will become the second state, after Gujarat to implement the 10 percent quota for General Category economically weaker sections in educational institutions and jobs.
The formal go-ahead to the move is expected in the Assembly session starting on January 17.
Entrepreneurship Programme
Niti Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), in partnership with Dell and Learning Links Foundation, launched the "Nayee Dishayein, Naye Nirman" programme on the eve of the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda to celebrate the Top six innovations of the country under the Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) initiative.
The top innovations are in key social sectors of agritech, health care, clean energy, smart mobility, waste management, and water resources.
All 6 teams are being awarded a 10-month ATL Student Entrepreneurship Program with Dell, which will help them transform their innovative prototypes into fully functional products and Go to Market.
France's Dassault Aviation said it had received a contract from the French government to upgrade the Rafale fighter jet.
The so-called F4 version of the multirole Rafale, which is being developed for a reported investment of €2 billion, will include greater connectivity to allow networked combat.
The French government inked the contract with the aircraft maker on January 14.
India is paying €7.8 billion for 36 Rafale aircraft. France is paying €2 billion for 28 upgraded Rafale aircraft.
The National Democratic Alliance government's decision to enter into a government-to-government deal with France to buy 36 Rafale warplanes was announced in April 2015 with the deal signed a little over a year later.
This replaced the United Progressive Alliance regime's decision to buy 126 Rafale aircraft, 108 of which were to be made in India by HAL using parts imported from France.
Biraj Kumar Sarma- one of the signatories of historic Assam Accord of 1985- Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) co-founder, and former minister died in the hospital.
He was a front ranking leader of the six year-long Assam movement led by the All Assam Students Union from 1979 which had culminated in the signing of the Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) Assam Accord in 1985.
WH Deputy Spokesman Shah Quits
Raj Shah, the first Indian-American to hold a top White House Press Office post, has quit to join an arm of a prominent communications and lobbying firm, becoming the latest of several senior officials to leave the Trump administration in recent months.
Shah, 34, White House deputy spokesman was in the administration since president Trump took office in January 2017.
His portfolio recently included helping prepare Justice Brett M Kavanaugh for his Senate confirmation hearings to the Supreme Court.
Shah will lead the Media Group, the press wing of Ballard Partners, a lobbying firm with offices in Florida and Washington.
Nooyi Shortlisted for World Bank Chief
The White House is reportedly considering Indra Nooyi, the Indian-American former CEO of Pepsi, as the president of World Bank to succeed Jim Yong Kim, who will step down in February.
Ivanka Trump, President Donald Trump's daughter and adviser, had floated Nooyi's name for the position, but it was not yet clear if she would accept if the position is offered. The post has always been held by an American.
Ivanka is among the three people conducting the search for a successor to Kim, who resigned earlier this month.
The other two are Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney.
Others in the race include David Malpass, undersecretary of treasury, and Ray Washburne, who is heading the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.
Both of them had served as advisers to Trump's presidential campaign.
Delhi University's (DU) campus for law centre is set to host the 15th edition of its the K K Luthra Memorial moot court.
The theme of this year's moot court (mock court proceeding) is on the implications of money laundering.
Around 50 institutions from India and abroad are participating in the event. International teams from the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, Zambia, Ethiopia and South Africa are among the participants in the event which is being organised in the memory of late senior advocate KK Luthra.
Govt forms panel to look into tax relief for realty
A ministerial panel led by Gujarat deputy chief minister Nitin Patel will explore ways of giving tax relief to the residential real estate sector that has been struggling with unsold inventory in a sluggish market.
Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council said it has set up a seven-member panel of state ministers that will examine a wide range of issues related to residential real estate with the idea of giving it a boost.
Its mandate includes suggesting ways for a concessional tax scheme and mode of transition to the proposed scheme, and examining all issues related to residential real estate units.
Real estate is not part of GST but under-construction property is taxed as "works contracts" that attract an effective rate of 12%.
The panel has been mandated to examine the issue of tax concessions on residential real estate as one proposal that was previously considered—levying a lower flat 5% tax rate without credits for the taxes paid on inputs—was found to be unfavourable for small houses.
A concessional flat rate of tax under what is called a composition scheme is now available for merchants and restaurants.
The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), a global association of leading graduate business schools, has acquired The MBA Tour.
The MBA Tour supports business school's global recruiting efforts by organising business education- focused events each year around the world.
GMAC will look to grow the MBA tour's core offering expand into additional markets and explore ways to deepen the interaction between business schools and prospective students in a personalized, data-rich manner.
Emirati business tycoon Rashid Al-Habtoor plans to acquire the Leela Group of Hotels in India with an equity infusion of about $600 million (about Rs 4,200 crore) and has made an offer in a letter to finance minister Arun Jaitley and the hotel.
Al-Habtoor, who is also a leading polo sports icon of the Gulf region, has offered to make the investment in Hotel Leelaventure through the FDI route and pay the entire debt of the lender institutions as well as the asset reconstruction company that might be approximately $600 million, including the open offer to the public for acquisition of their shares under Sebi norms.
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