NATIONAL NEWS
'Train 18' named Vande Bharat Express: Piyush Goyal
Highlighting the success of Make in India and contribution of Indian workers, Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal, renamed India's first indigenous semi-high speed train 'Train 18' as 'Vande Bharat Express'.
- Vande Bharat Express will run from Delhi to Varanasi taking stops at Kanpur and Prayagraj. It has 16 coaches (2 executive chair car and 14 chair car) and will take only eight hours to complete the journey.
TCS 3rd most-valued IT services brand globally
India's Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has been ranked third most-valued IT services brand globally in 2018-19, after Accenture and IBM, according to a report by Brand Finance.
- Four Indian IT services companies- TCS, Infosys, HCL and Wipro clinched spots in the top-10 global tally.
- Valued at USD 26.3 billion, Accenture took the title of the world's most-valued IT services brand.
BANKING & FINANCE
SBI Card & Etihad Guest tie-up to launch premium card for international travel
SBI Card and Etihad Guest, the loyalty programme of Etihad Airways, have joined hands to launch a travel specific Visa credit card for members and Indian travellers. This is the first international co-brand partnership of SBI Card, the country's second largest credit card issuer.
- The card will be available in two variants, Etihad Guest SBI Card and Etihad Guest SBI Premier Card, will bring an unmatched value proposition to Etihad Guest members and international travellers from India.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
IRDAI sets up a panel to identify systemically important insurers
Insurance regulator Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI) set up a panel to identity domestically systemically important insurers (SII) and put in place an enhanced regulatory framework for them. SIIs are perceived as insurers that are 'too big to fail'.
- The committee headed by Pravin Kutumbe, Member-Finance & Investment, Irdai, has been asked to submit report in six months.
- Extra info.:
IRDAI Headquarters: Hyderabad
Chairperson: Subhash Chandra Khuntia
NCDEX, IRMA sign MoU to handhold farmer producer organisations
The National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Ltd (NCDEX) and Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), the premier training Institute in agri-business and rural management has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with special emphasis mentoring Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and allied institutions.
- The mentoring is expected to occur through training sessions, handholding, and leadership development.
GSKCH India gets CCI approval for merger deal with HUL
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (GSKCH India) said its merger deal with Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has been approved by the fair trade regulator CCI.
- The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the scheme of amalgamation between the two companies, through an-all equity deal, valuing the total business of the latter at Rs 31,700 crore.
- Extra info.:
Competition Commission of India Headquarters: New Delhi
WEF, annual meet to begin in Davos
The World Economic Forum,WEF, annual meet began in Davos. World leaders from across the globe flocked to the ski resort town on the Swiss Alps for five days to discuss what's ailing the world amid fears of the global economy sleepwalking into a crisis.
- The theme of the event would be 'Globalization 4.0: Shaping a Global Architecture in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution', which would have several India-focussed sessions.
SPORTS
Indonesia Masters: Saina crowned champion as Marin withdraws after injury
Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal was crowned champion of the Indonesia Masters 2019 after her opponent Carolina Marin pulled out of the summit clash due to an injury.
- Saina was the runner-up in the 2018 edition of the Indonesia Masters.
Nepal batsman surpasses Tendulkar's record to be youngest half-centurion
Surpassing master blaster Sachin Tendulkar's record, Nepal teenage batsman Rohit Paudel has become the youngest cricketer to score a half-century in international cricket at the age of 16 years and 146 days.
- Earlier, Tendulkar was holding the record of the youngest half-centurion having played an innings of 59 in a Test against Pakistan aged 16 years and 213 days.
Ladakh: ITBP wins National Ice hockey tournament
Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) won the National Ice hockey tournament in Ladakh. The championship was organised by Ice Hockey Association of India. The ITBP defeated the Indian Army to lift the National Ice Hockey Championship.
- Extra info.:
Ice Hockey Association of India President: K. L. Kumar
ITBP Headquarters: New Delhi
Veteran Kiwi bowler Ewen Chatfield retires at 68
New Zealand pacer Ewen Chatfield, famously known as the Naenae Express, finally ran "out of steam" as he has announced his retirement from cricket at the age of 68.
- Chatfield had started his cricketing career in February 1968 at the Naenae Park and at the same venue, he bid adieu to the cricketing world.
AWARDS
Kerala Sahitya Akademi award goes to V J James's 'Nireeswaran'
V J James's 'Nireeswaran' has won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi award for the best novel of 2017. Veeran Kutty's 'Mindaprani' has been selected as the best poem. The award for the best short story goes to Aymanam John's 'Itharacharacharangalude Charithrapusthakam'.
- Lifetime achievement awards have been bestowed on Pazhavila Ramesan, M P Parameswaran, Kunjappa Pattanoor, Dr K G Poulose, K Ajitha and C L Jose.
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