Prime Minister Narendra Modi was pegged as the world's most popular leader with an approval rating of 78 per cent as per a survey by a US-based consulting firm 'Morning Consult.'
As per the rating PM Modi's ratings trumped those of other leaders including US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The poll surveyed 22 global leaders for the ratings.
The "Global Leader Approval" survey was based on data collected from January 26-31 this year (2023).
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador came in second with 68 per cent ratings and Swiss President Alain Berset occupied the third position with 62 per cent approval rating.
U.S. Shoots Down Chinese Balloon over the Atlantic
The United States downed a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the Carolina coast on orders from President Joe Biden after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America, becoming the latest flashpoint in tensions between Washington and Beijing.
This is not the first time Chinese spy balloons have crossed into U.S. airspace in recent years. At least three times during the Trump administration and at least one other time during Biden's time as President they've seen balloons cross, but not for this long.
China denied any claims of spying and said it is a civilian-use balloon intended for meteorology research. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the balloon's journey was out of its control and urged the U.S. not to "smear" it because of the balloon.
India, France, UAE Establish Trilateral Cooperation Initiative
India, France and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced the creation of a formal trilateral cooperation initiative for projects in solar and nuclear energy, the fight against climate change and joint production of military hardware.
The initiative will also act as a platform to bolster cooperation on sustainable projects between the development agencies of the three countries, which will also work to align their economic, technological and social policies with the objectives of the Paris Agreement.
The initiative follows the first meeting of the foreign ministers of India, France and the UAE on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 19, 2022. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his counterparts from France and the UAE – Catherine Colonna and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan – adopted a roadmap for implementing the initiative.
The three Foreign Ministers had agreed at their meeting last year to establish the trilateral cooperation initiative in line with the shared desire to promote international stability and prosperity and to build on constructive and collaborative ties between the three countries.
Bhupender Yadav Launches 'Save Wetlands Campaign' for Conservation
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav launched the 'Save Wetlands Campaign' in the presence of Chief Minister of Goa, Pramod Sawant.
This campaign is structured on a "whole of society" approach to wetlands conservation, enabling affirmative actions for wetlands conservation at all levels of society and involving all strata of society. The campaign, over the next year, will include sensitizing people to the value of wetlands, increasing the coverage of wetlands and building citizen partnerships for wetlands conservation.
Two publications were also released during the occasion, 'India's 75 Amrit Dharohar- India's Ramsar Sites Factbook' and 'Managing Climate Risks in Wetlands – A Practitioner's Guide.
Mahindra Finance Names Raul Rebello as MD and CEO-designate
The Board of Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services at its meeting approved the appointment of Raul Rebello, currently the Chief Operating Officer of the Company, as the MD & CEO-designate of the Company. Rebello will assume the position of MD & CEO of the Company (subject to necessary approvals from NRC, Board of Directors and Shareholders), when Ramesh Iyer, the current Vice Chairman & Managing Director of the Company, superannuates on 29 April 2024.
Raul joined Mahindra Finance in September 2021, as the COO. Before that, he had a 19-year stint with Axis Bank, where he was most the Executive Vice President and Head, Rural Lending and Financial Inclusion.
Raul has deep experience in rural banking, across assets and liabilities.
Amit Shah Lays Foundation Stone for India's Fifth Nano Urea Plant in Deoghar
Union Home Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation stone of a Rs. 450-crore nano urea plant and township of the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) in Jharkhand's Deoghar.
This is India's fifth nano urea plant. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the world's first nano urea plant in Gujarat in 2022.
"Nano urea will benefit farmers and it is already being exported to five countries," Shah said while laying the foundation stone of the plant.
The plant is scheduled to be commissioned in December next year.
Jupiter Beats Saturn to Become the Planet with most Moons
Astronomers made a groundbreaking discovery beyond Earth's orbit by discovering 12 new moons around Jupiter. Previously held by Saturn, the gas giant has overtaken Saturn as the planet with the most moons. Jupiter has 92 moons, much more than Saturn's 83.
Astronomer Scott Sheppard of Washington's Carnegie Institution for Science made the observations that uncovered the dozen new moons.
They were discovered using telescopes in Hawaii and Chile in 2021 and 2022, and their orbits were confirmed with follow-up observations.
These newest moons range in size from 0.6 miles to 2 miles (1 kilometre to 3 kilometres), according to Sheppard.
SpaceX Awarded Shared NASA Contract Worth up to $100 Million
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. is part of a payload contract NASA has awarded for as much as $100 million over a decade. Elon Musk's rocket launch and satellite operator will share the contract for unspecified "commercial payload processing services with Astrotech Space Operations LLC, a unit of Lockheed Martin Corp. The deal is for payload processing, which involves preparing spacecraft to be flown on top of a rocket ahead of a flight to space.
The uncrewed missions will be launched out of Cape Canaveral, Florida, or Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and the contract could run for as many as 10 years through February of 2033, NASA said. The missions that SpaceX and Astrotech will work on involve launching satellites to observe the Earth or spacecraft that visit deep-space destinations in the Solar System.
Sports Minister Launches Mascot for 3rd Khelo India Winter Game
Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur and the LG of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha launched the third Khelo India Winter Games mascot, theme song and jersey.
The Winter Games are scheduled to be held from February 10 to 14. Approximately 1500 athletes across the country will participate in the games that will take place in Gulmarg and will be played across nine sports events.
The Khelo India Winter Games started in 2020 and it is supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and is organized by the J&K Sports Council as well as the Winter Games association of the J&K.
Gymnast Dipa Karmakar Handed 21-month Ban after Failing Dope Test
Star gymnast Dipa Karmakar was handed a 21-month ban for failing a dope test conducted by the International Testing Agency, contrary to claims made by Indian officials that her "suspension" last year was not related to doping offence. Karmakar's dope sample collected out-of-competition by the ITA, an independent organisation that manages the anti-doping programme of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), was found to contain Higenamine, which is a prohibited substance under World Anti-Doping Agency Code.
Her ban period will however, end on July 10, 2023 as it was counted from the day (October 11, 2011) the sample was collected.
Ranji Trophy: Bhut Knocks Out Punjab
Parth Bhut capped off a dream game with a five-wicket haul after a game-changing century and a half-century as Saurashtra won a memorable Ranji Trophy quarter-finals against Punjab by 71 runs to set up a semi-finals date with Karnataka.
Needing 252 to win, Punjab started the day at 52/2 and was all out for 180 in 89.1 overs with veteran Mandeep Singh's 45 being the highest score.
India's G20 Presidency: Gujarat's Rann of Kutch to Host First Tourism Working Group Meet
As part of India's G20 presidency, Gujarat will host the first Tourism Working Group (TWG) meeting in the state's Rann of Kutch from February 7 to 9. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Minister of Tourism G. Kishan Reddy and Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala will attend the event.
According to the government release, two more events are also planned under the TWG. Side Event-1, on February 7, will focus on Rural Tourism for Community Empowerment and Poverty Alleviation. Union Minister of Tourism G. Kishan Reddy will attend the event. Sandra Carvao, Chief, Tourism Market Intelligence and Competitiveness, UNWTO will share her insights.
Chief Minister and Union Minister Parshottam Rupala will inaugurate the TWG on 8th February 2023. It will be followed by working sessions on five issues, including green tourism, digitalization, skills, tourism MSMEs, and destination management.
On February 9, the international delegates and participants will have a Yoga session at the White Rann of Kutch followed by a visit to Dholavira, the UNESCO world heritage site of the Harappan civilization. Side Event -2 will focus on Promotion of Archaeological Tourism: Discovering Shared Cultural Heritage.
BJP Appoints New Sikkim Unit Chief, after Chauhan Quits
BJP appointed D. R. Thapa as its Sikkim unit president, weeks after his predecessor D. B. Chauhan quit alleging indifference from the central leadership towards the state organisation.
BJP national president J. P. Nadda also appointed N. K. Subba its legislative party leader
The BJP's move to put its house in order in Sikkim came as the party gears up for polls in the northeastern state next year.
PM Modi Open India's Biggest Copter Production Unit
A new helicopter manufacturing factory of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was opened, which is India's largest such facility that will initially produce light utility helicopters (LUHs).
The HAL plans to produce more than 1,000 helicopters with varying load-carrying capacities, with a total business of over Rs. 4 lakh crore over the next 20 years. The HAL already has a plant in Bengaluru that produces advanced light helicopters (ALHs).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation the factory spread over 615 acres at Tumakuru, Karnataka. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and senior officials of the Ministry of Defence will be among those present on the occasion.
The LUH is an indigenously designed and developed '3-ton class', single engine multipurpose utility helicopter with unique features of high manoeuvrability. Initially, the factory will produce around 30 helicopters per year, a count that can be enhanced to 60 and then 90 in a phased manner.
The Indian Army announced major changes in the recruitment process under the Agnipath scheme for candidates wishing to join the force. Aspirants will now have to first appear for an online common entrance examination (CEE), followed by physical fitness and medical tests.
Earlier, the recruitment process for Agniveers followed a different order, which began with the candidates undergoing a physical fitness test first followed by their medical tests. The qualifying candidates then had to write a common entrance examination and they were selected for training based on the final merit list.
The new process will apply to about 40,000 candidates who are willing to join the army from the next recruitment cycle of 2023-24. The first online CEE will likely be held in April at around 200 locations across the country.
Padma Bhushan awardee Vani Jairam was found dead at her residence in Chennai. She was 78. The singer was awarded Padma Bhushan by the Government of India ahead of Republic Day 2023. The news of her sudden demise sent shockwaves across the country. She was known for recording over 10,000 songs in her career.
She became a playback singer in 1971 and went on to sing for over five decades. She sang in over 19 languages and won National Film Awards and state government awards.
Vani Jairam's big break came with Guddi in 1971. She worked with many legendary composers, including M. S. Vishwanathan, K. V. Mahadevan, Chakravarthy, Ilaiyaraaja, and Sathyam, among others.
Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's Former President, Passes Away
Pakistan's former President Pervez Musharraf, a four-star general who seized power through a coup in 1999 after the Kargil war and later became an important ally in the US war in Afghanistan, died at a Dubai hospital after a long illness. He was 79.
Musharraf was in self-imposed exile in Dubai since March 2016 and was facing a treason case for suspending the Constitution in 2007. He was also declared a fugitive in cases related to the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and the siege of the Lal Masjid.
Coming to power after a military takeover of the Nawaz Sharif government in 1999, Musharraf served first as 'Chief Executive', before going on to become Pakistan's tenth President in June 2001. He stepped down in August 2008 after facing a possible impeachment.
International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation
International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is observed on February 6. Female genital mutilation (FGM) involves altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons and is recognised internationally as a violation of human rights and the integrity of girls and women.
The UN General Assembly designated February 6 as the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation in 2012. The primary objective behind observing this day is to amplify and direct efforts on the elimination of this cruel practice.
The theme for International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation 2023 was - Partnership with Men and Boys to transform Social and gender Norms to End FGM.
Programme to Scale Up Diagnostics Space for Infectious Diseases Launched
The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) launched a programme to boost India's preparedness for current and future pandemics and scale up diagnostics space for infectious diseases.
The launch of the National Diagnostics Catapult (C-CAMP InDx 2.0) took place in the presence of Parvinder Maini, scientific secretary at the office of the principal scientific adviser to the government.
The programme is anchored by C-CAMP with support from the Bangalore Life Sciences Cluster (BLiSc) and funding from the Rockefeller Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and FIND, a global alliance for diagnostics.
The programme aims to boost India's preparedness for current and future pandemics and scale up diagnostics space for infectious diseases including but not limited to COVID-19.
Further, C-CAMP InDx 2.0 is envisioned to set a global model for capacity building in the diagnostics domain in lower- and middle-income countries to meet the twin goals of affordability and accessibility in the United Nations vision for universal health coverage.
Two Free Seats for Orphans in DU UG and PG Courses from Next Year
From the upcoming academic year, Delhi University will grant orphans two seats each under the supernumerary quota in all undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
Such students, when admitted, will be exempted from payment of any kind of fees whatsoever which will include exemption from payment of their hostel fees, examination fees and other such mandatory fees as well.
The University Welfare Fund or College Students' Welfare Fund, depending on the situation, would cover the costs associated with the students' entrance and continuation of their studies.
IIM Kozhikode, University of Western Australia Jointly Launch Global MBA Programme
The University of Western Australia along with the Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode launched a two-year online global MBA programme.
The candidates who successfully complete their first year will receive a certificate in Advanced Business Management from IIM Kozhikode, followed by a MBA degree from University of Western Australia on completion of the second year of the programme. The curriculum will have 12 modules, including over 30 live online sessions by faculty and industry experts. There will be a mix of pre-recorded lectures from faculties of both institutes.
This programme is ideal for mid-to-senior level working professionals. The first year of the programme includes modules delivered by IIM Kozhikode, as part of the professional certificate programme in Advanced Business Management Programme. The second year includes modules on new–age courses including Business Strategy, Leading Change and Transformation and Leadership in Organization, delivered by the University of Western Australia.
LG Manoj Sinha Inaugurates SARAS Aajeevika Mela 2023 in Jammu
Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated the SARAS Aajeevika Mela 2023 at Aquaplex Crown at Bagh-e-Bahu, Jammu. The fair is witnessing participation of women Self Help Groups (SHG) from around 25 States and UTs across the country. The 11-day-long fair is first of its kind in the Union Territory of J&K. The mega event will provide a platform for the rural SHG women to sell and promote their self-made products & create marketing linkages with various selling platforms. Seventy-five stalls and 10 food courts have been set up at the exhibition site showcasing crafts, handicrafts, handloom and cuisine.
The Self Help Groups will display handicraft, handloom and natural food items from different rural areas across the country. This will be a national-level fair that will exhibit unique and famous indigenous products from various states and UTs. Several cultural events and plays on different Government schemes and campaigns will also be held during the fair.
India's IndiGo Seeks Partnerships to Expand International Network
InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, the operator of India's leading airline IndiGo, is seeking partnerships that will allow it to expand its international network.
The airline's international capacity is already at 105% of pre COVID levels and it plans to grow this further in 2023.
IndiGo's code share agreement with Turkish Airlines and Virgin Atlantic has increased connections to Europe, where the Indian carrier is adding capacity to meet growing demand for air travel.
Five new judges were appointed to the Supreme Court and Chief Justice of India D. Y. Chandrachud administered the oath to the five judges.
Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju had announced the appointment of Justice Pankaj Mithal, Chief Justice, Rajasthan High Court; Justice Sanjay Karol, Chief Justice, Patna High Court; Justice P. V. Sanjay Kumar, Chief Justice, Manipur High Court; Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah of Patna High Court; and Justice Manoj Misra of Allahabad High Court as apex court judges.
Their names were recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium on December 13 last year (2022).
Allahabad High Court Dismisses Petition in SC/ST Act Case
The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court said that it is not mandatory to file a chargesheet after the FIR is lodged in every case under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The Division Bench of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Sanjay Kumar Pachori heard the petition filed by Gyanendra Maurya.
The Petitioner has sought declaration that Section 4(2)(e) of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 and Rule 7(2) of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Rules) 1995 be declared ultra vires Part III of the Constitution of India to the extent they said provisions necessarily direct for filing of chargesheet.
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