1. President Murmu confers PBS Awards 2023 at PBD convention in Indore
2. Prithvi-II missile successfully tested-fired in Odisha
3. Anti-tank missiles, air defense weapons part of ₹4.2k-cr boost:
4. Joshimath PIL: Not every issue of urgency must be taken up by SC, says CJI
5. Lu to Visit India, Bangladesh as Asst Sec. for So & Central Asian Affairs

What Else

6. India wheat harvest could hit record on higher planting area, favorable weather
7. Trade pact with UAE bearing fruits for Indian jewellery exporters
8. India’s UPI, Singapore’s Paynow to integrate soon, says an official at a G20 meeting
9. India: J&K gov’t promises free education to children of martyred police officers
10. Ex-JNU student to be tried for sedition over ‘anti-army’ tweet
11. Counter-terrorism police investigate after uranium seized at Heathrow
12. Saudi Arabia mulls increasing deposit in SBP to $5bn
13. Army chief Gen Asim Munir discusses defence, military ties with UAE president
14. Pak suffers as terror strikes continue; Mobile tower set ablaze in KPK
15. Nepal: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal secures vote of confidence
16. ‘Friend’ China warns Australia: ‘Be careful’ of Japan
17. Chinese FM lands in Dhaka for stopover
18. House GOP to embark on sweeping probe of covid origin, U.S. response
19. Workers in China clash with police after reported layoffs at Covid test maker
20. Canada imposes sanctions on Sri Lankan officials including Rajapaksa brothers for human rights violations

President Murmu confers PBS Awards 2023 at PBD convention in Indore

• President Droupadi Murmu on Tue graced the valedictory session of the 17^th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention and conferred the PB Samman upon 27 overseas Indians.
• It was as part of the PBD Convention on NRI, or an organization established and run by NRI in recognition of their outstanding triumphs both in India and abroad. (here)
• On the sidelines of the PBD, President Murmu met the President of Suriname, Chandrikapersad Santokhi at Indore Tue.
• President Murmu said that it is optimistic to see his participation in the PBD as she noted that the Indian community in Suriname has maintained its cultural identity.
• Both leaders also discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral relations and advance cooperation in trade, energy, technology, and culture.
• President Murmu also held talks with her counterpart from Guyana, Mohamed Irfaan Ali and the two sides discussed various sectors including oil and gas, etc (here)
• The diligence and success of the Indian diaspora are recognized very well around the world, said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar as he met the NRIs. (here)
• In a special media briefing, the Ministry of External Affairs on Tue said that Oil and Gas cooperation are major sectors of support for India with Guyana and Suriname.
• The Minister of Skill development and education also talked about it, Secretary East, MEA. (here)

Leaders Visiting India in Q1, 2023

• Jan: Guyana President Irfaan Ali, Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi, Egypt President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi
• Feb: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
• Mar: French President Emmanuel Macron, Australia PM Anthony Albanese

Prithvi-II missile successfully tested-fired in Odisha

• India successfully carried out a test launch of the tactical ballistic missile Prithvi-II from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha on Tue.
• The defense ministry said the missile, an integral part of India’s nuclear deterrence, struck its target with “high accuracy”.
• It said the “user training launch” successfully validated all operational and technical parameters of the missile. The Prithvi-II missile has a range of around 350 km. (here)

Anti-tank missiles, air defense weapons part of ₹4.2k-cr boost:

• India on Tue set the ball rolling to buy indigenous helicopter-launched anti-tank guided missiles, and air defense weapons and equip more of its warships with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, with the DAC, clearing proposals worth ₹4,276 crores.

• The anti-tank guided missile, Helina, will be integrated with the advanced light helicopter and can strike targets up to 7km away.
• DAC, which is India’s apex munitions procurement body, accorded its acceptance of the necessity for the Helina missiles, launchers, and associated support equipment.
• Defense minister Rajnath Singh chaired the DAC meeting on Tuesday.
• Under India’s defense procurement rules, AoN by the council is the first step toward buying military hardware. (here)

J&K: 3 Indian Army personnel die after falling into a deep gorge in Kupwara

• In a tragic incident, three Indian Army personnel died after they slipped and fell into a deep gorge in the Machhal Sector of north Kashmir’s Kupwara.
• All three of them belonged to the 14^th Battalion of the Dogra Regiment.
• “During a regular op task in the forward area, a party of 01 JCO & 02 OR slipped into a deep gorge, when snow on the track gave way,” Chinar Corps said on Thu.

Joshimath PIL: Not every issue of urgency must be taken up by SC, says CJI

• Not every issue of urgency must be taken up by the SC when democratically elected institutions are addressing it, CJI said on Tue, posting a PIL into the land. (here)
• As the panic due to Joshimath land subsidence looms large, fresh cracks have appeared on some houses in Bahuguna Nagar of Karnaprayag, in the Chamoli district.
• In a video shared by the news agency ANI, several cracks can be seen on houses in the vicinity.
• Earlier on Mon, Sitarganj MLA Saurabh Bahuguna had informed that other villages near Joshimath are facing a similar situation of subsidence.
• Meanwhile, the authorities will begin demolishing houses and hotels in Joshimath on Tue that are deemed to be in danger of collapse.
• According to officials, all residents have been safely evacuated from the ‘unsafe zones’.
• Protests erupted as the administration moved to demolish unstable buildings, including two precariously standing hotels, even as more structures developed cracks (here)
• National Crisis Management Committee meeting chaired by Cabinet Secy to review the situation.
• Uttarakhand chief secy briefed that the residents of severely damaged houses are being shifted to safe places, Relief shelters identified to take in affected families
• With appropriate compensation and relief being provided, the Operation of the Joshimath-Auli ropeway was discontinued and construction in and around stopped

Lu to Visit India, Bangladesh as Asst Sec. for So & Central Asian Affairs

• Assistant Secy of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu will travel to India and B’desh Jan 12-15, for meetings on a range of priorities including energy, trade, security cooperation, religious freedom, labor, and human rights.
• In India, Lu will participate in the India-U.S. Forum.
• Lu will also meet with senior Indian officials to discuss ways in which the US and India can further expand energy, trade, security, and human rights cooperation.
• In B’desh, Lu will meet with senior officials and civil society leaders to discuss firming our bilateral relationship, expanding economic engagement, and labor and human right. (here)

India wheat harvest could hit record on higher planting area, favourable weather

• Reuters -Wheat production is set to jump to a record after prompting farmers to expand planting areas with high-yielding varieties and good weather conditions. told.
• Higher output could encourage India, the world’s 2^nd-biggest producer to consider lifting a ban on exports and ease concerns over persistently high inflation in food prices.
• India, also the world’s 2^nd-biggest consumer of wheat, banned exports in May 2022 after a sharp, sudden rise in temperatures clipped output.
• India’s wheat output fell to 106.84 million tonnes in 2022 from 109.59 million tonnes a year earlier, the official estimates.
• The surge in wheat prices to a record despite the ban on exports of the grain indicates a far bigger drop in this year’s output.
• This year, the weather in key wheat-producing states has been favorable with temperatures hovering below normal levels. (here)

Trade pact with UAE bearing fruits for Indian jewellery exporters

• Trade agreements with UAE and most recently with Australia are working in favor of Indian gem and jewelry exports.
• Post the India-UAE trade pact, India’s plain gold jewelry exports for the period during the three quarters of 2022-23 (Apr-Dec), grew 21% to Rs 24,242.91 crore
• For Dec 2022, the total gross export of plain gold jewelry grew over 21% to Rs 2,369.74 crore as compared to Rs 1,953.46 crore for the same month last year.
• The trade agreement with UAE entered into force on May 1.
• The Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) came into force on Dec 29, 2022. (here)

India’s UPI, Singapore’s Paynow to integrate soon, says an official at a G20 meeting

• The UPI of India and its similar network in Singapore, PayNow, will soon be integrated, according to Singapore’s Authority, which will result in a 10% reduction in remittance.
• The govt seeks to reduce the risks of a financial or geopolitical scenario in which payment channels are disrupted by creating a worldwide UPI ecosystem.
• The two payment networks between India and Singapore would be interoperable, enabling seamless remittances between the two at a very affordable rate.
• As of now, remittance to India is at least 1 bn Singapore Dollars, and India to Singapore will be 200-300 million Singapore Dollars. (here)

India: J&K gov’t promises free education to children of martyred police officers

• The J&K govt has decided to bear the educational expenses of the children of police personnel killed in militancy-related incidents in the Union territory.
• The educational expense includes monthly school fees, transport charges as well as the annual uniform expense.
• However, It will only apply to the first two children of those police personnel who laid their lives in militancy-related incidents and encounters.
• The J&K govt has said that the schools would require to be duly recognized by the govt and affiliated with any other registered board in India. (here)

Ex-JNU student to be tried for sedition over ‘anti-army’ tweet

• Delhi Lt governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved the prosecution of Shehla Rashid, ex-VP of the JNU Students’ Union, for tweets about the Army allegedly “aimed at promoting enmity” and for “acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony”.
• She was, in Sept 2019, booked on a complaint over her tweets, which accused the armed forces of ransacking houses and “creating an environment of fear” in Kashmir.
• The Army rejected the allegations and said such “unverified and fake news is spread by inimical elements and organizations to incite unsuspecting population”, ANI. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

Counter-terrorism police investigate after uranium seized at Heathrow

• Counter-terrorism police have launched an investigation after Border Force officials seized material containing uranium at Heathrow.
• Scotland Yard confirmed its counter-terrorism team was investigating after the contaminated material was discovered as part of a routine security screening.
• It was discovered on Dec 29 on a passenger flight that arrived from Oman, according to the Sun.
• It is understood the package originated from Pakistan and was destined for an Iranian business with premises in the UK.
• A Home Office said: “We do not comment on live investigations.” (here)

Saudi Arabia mulls increasing deposit in SBP to $5bn

• Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has directed the Saudi Development Fund to study increasing the deposit amount in the SBP to $5 bn, on Tue.
• The move, SPA stated, confirmed Saudi Arabia’s position on supporting the economy of Pakistan and its “sisterly people”.
• The development was reached within the framework of the existing communication between Prince Salman and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, it added.
• The announcement comes a day after Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir — who was on a week-long official visit to Saudi Arabia and UAE — held a meeting with MBS
• Cash crunch: The country is currently amid a severe cash crunch, with foreign exchange reserves was $5.576 bn in the SBP depleting to an 8-year low.
• During the week the SBP foreign exchange reserves saw an outflow of $245 million for external debt repayments. (here)
• Pakistan has managed to secure over $10.5 bn in flood pledges which would be materialized in 3 phases — short (for 1 yr), medium-(up to 3 yrs), and long-term (up to 5-7 years)— for reconstruction of flood-affected areas, reported Tue. (here)

Army chief Gen Asim Munir discusses defence, military ties with UAE president

• Army Chief Gen Asim Munir discussed defense and military ties with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on his first official visit on Tue.
• The two sides also discussed ways to strengthen military affairs to serve the common interests of the two friendly countries during the meeting, as per the state news agency.
• The meeting was attended by UAE’s NSA, Deputy PM and Minister of the Presidential Court, Adviser for Special Affairs, Secy-Gen of the Supreme Council for National Security, and chief of staff of the UAE armed forces. (here)

Pak suffers as terror strikes continue; Mobile tower set ablaze in KPK

• Pakistan’s border provinces continue to suffer daily terror attacks with militants now setting ablaze a mobile tower in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
• The attack took place last night.
• Separately, Balochistan Liberation Army claimed to have carried out 188 attacks in Pakistan last year. (here)
• PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Tue slammed the coalition govt’s “irresponsible statements” against the Afghan govt, warning that a deterioration in ties could lead to a “never-ending” war against terrorism.
• The TTP, which has ideological linkages with the Afghan Taliban, executed more than 100 attacks last year, mostly after Aug, the post-failure of peace talks with govt
• The ceasefire was formally ended last year on Nov 28 by the TTP. (here)

Nepal: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal secures vote of confidence

• The Nepali Congress has decided to vote in favor during a floor test by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
• A central work execution committee meeting of the party held on Tue afternoon decided to vote in favor but not to join the govt, said the party’s joint general secretary.
• The party was widely divided on whether to support the government.
• Congress held the meeting of the central committee after an office-bearer’s meeting held earlier today remained undecided.
• On Mon evening, Dahal visited Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba at the latter’s residence seeking Congress’ support during Tue’s vote.
• Congress is the largest party with 88 lawmakers.
• Dahal will get the support of at least 269 lawmakers when the Congress lawmakers will vote in favor of the trust motion. (here)

‘Friend’ China warns Australia: ‘Be careful’ of Japan

• China on Tue said Australia should remember Japan’s war crimes during World War II before cozying up to the regional power.
• Australia’s center-left govt has been trying to repair its relationship with China, which soured considerably under the former conservative government.
• But it has also recently signed a new security pact with China’s regional rival Japan, seen as an attempt to limit Beijing’s muscle in the Pacific region.
• China’s ambassador to Australia said Canberra should be cautious about trusting Japan, given its attacks on Australia during World War II.
• “During the Second World War Japan invaded Australia, bombed Darwin, killed Australians, and shot Australian (prisoners of war),” he told reporters. (here)

Chinese FM lands in Dhaka for stopover

• China’s new Foreign Minister Qin Gang landed in Dhaka at 2:00 am on Tue for a 2-hour stopover on his way to five African countries.
• Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen was supposed to pay a courtesy call to the Chinese minister ministry officials told to The Star.
• Qin, who was Chinese ambassador to the US, will visit Ethiopia, Gabon, Angola, Benin, and Egypt from Jan 9-16, China’s foreign ministry said at a daily media briefing. (here)
• Bangladesh readout says, they discussed trade, Rohingya, covid.

House GOP to embark on sweeping probe of covid origin, U.S. response

• House Republicans on Mon commissioned a special investigative panel focused on COVID, hoping to leverage their new, powerful majority to press scientists and federal officials about the origin of the public health crisis and the govt’s response to it.
• Party lawmakers chartered the new effort in a sprawling package setting the chamber’s rules for the next 2 years, awarding it a sweeping mandate.
• Republicans have long derided Democrats, public health experts, and others who advocated for an aggressive govt response to covid-19.
• At the center of GOP criticism is the suspicion that the coronavirus originated out of laboratory experiments in Wuhan, China, potentially backed by U.S. money. (here)

Workers in China clash with police after reported layoffs at Covid test maker

• Workers at a Chinese factory making Covid-19 test kits clashed with police over the weekend after their managers told them to go on vacation early
• A move that effectively terminated their employment without notice, according to social media posts and videos reviewed by CNN.
• Online footage showed workers protesting at a facility belonging to Zybio Inc, a Chinese pharmaceutical company, in the mega city of Chongqing.
• Social media users said the workers, who produced rapid antigen test kits, had either been unpaid or not paid the full amount promised by Zybio.
• The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Mon. (here)

Canada imposes sanctions on Sri Lankan officials including Rajapaksa brothers for human rights violations

• Canada has imposed sanctions against four Sri Lankan state officials including former Presidents Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Mahinda Rajapaksa for “gross and systematic violations of human rights” during the armed conflict that occurred from 1983 to 2009.
• Along with the Rajapaksa brothers, Staff Sergeant Sunil Ratnayake and Lt Commander Chandana P Hettiarachchithe were also being put under sanctions. (here)