1) 4th ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture & Forestry Held in New Delhi
•Agriculture ministers of ASEAN countries met for the fourth sitting in New Delhi. The topic of discussion was based on food and agricultural future developments.
•On this occasion, Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh stated that India is committed towards the agenda set by United Nations and ASEAN countries have been working together for the prosperity of the agriculture sector as well.
2) Indu Malhotra Becomes 1st Woman Lawyer Directly Appointed for SC Judgeship
•The Supreme Court collegium has recommended the name of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as the first woman lawyer to be directly appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of India.
•She will be the seventh woman judge since independence to make it to the Supreme Court. At present, Justice R Banumathi is the lone woman judge in the apex court.
3) India Signs Pact with UK on Illegal Migrants
•India has signed an MoU with the United Kingdom to enable the return of illegal Indian migrants within a month of their detection by authorities abroad.
•Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju confirmed that the pact was signed by him and UK Minister of State for Immigration Caroline Nokes in Britain during his visit along with an Indian delegation.
4) 'IRON FIST'- US, Japan Joint Military Drill Begins
•American and Japanese military forces have launched joint exercise named Iron Fist. The 13th annual Iron Fist exercises kicked off in the U.S. western state of California.
•More than 500 U.S. Marines and sailors are partnering with about 350 members of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force to train in fire support operations and amphibious assaults.
5) Retail Inflation Rises to 5.21% in December
•Retail inflation crossed the RBI’s comfort level and rose to 5.21 percent in December on rise in prices of food items, egg and vegetables, dashing hopes of interest rate cut in the near future. The retail inflation, based on Consumer Price Index (CPI), was 4.88 percent in November.
•In December 2015, it was 3.41 percent. As per the data released by the Central Statistics Office, CSO, inflation for the food basket increased to 4.96 percent in December from 4.42 percent in the preceding month.
6) Anil Khanna to Head IOA Finance Commission
•Senior sports administrator Anil Khanna was named Chairman of the Finance Commission of the Indian Olympic Association, which also formed a four-member advisory committee. The advisory committee comprises Tarlochan Singh, GS Mander, S Regunathan and BS Landge.
•The IOA also formed a Medical Commission and Games Technical Conduct Committee and nominated office bearers of IOA and National Sports Federations (NSFs) to the Committees.
