India is set to host the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliaments of Commonwealth Countries (CSPOC) from January 3 to 6, 2026, in New Delhi.

• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced this during the CSPOC Standing Committee Meeting in Guernsey. 
• The conference will focus on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and social media in parliamentary processes, aiming to enhance the effectiveness, inclusivity, and transparency of parliamentary institutions.
• CSPOC, established in 1969 by then Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada, Lucien Lamoureux, serves as a platform for Speakers and Presiding Officers from Commonwealth parliaments to exchange best practices and strengthen parliamentary cooperation.
• The conference is held biennially, with Canada providing a secretariat to facilitate its activities.
• CSPOC operates independently without formal ties to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association or the Commonwealth Secretariat.
• India has previously hosted CSPOC conferences in 1970-71, 1986, and 2010, reflecting its longstanding tradition of engaging in inter-parliamentary dialogues.

Benjamin Franklin Day is observed annually on January 17 to honor Benjamin Franklin, one of the most influential Founding Fathers of the United States.

• Born on January 17, 1706, in Boston, Franklin was a polymath excelling as an inventor, author, printer, politician, diplomat, musician, and postmaster.
• He invented the lightning rod, bifocal glasses, and the Franklin stove.
• Authored “Poor Richard’s Almanack,” an annual publication from 1732 to 1758.
• Founded the first subscription library in America in 1731 and contributed to establishing the University of Pennsylvania.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is set to be the Chief Guest at India’s 76th Republic Day celebrations on January 26, 2025.

• This visit coincides with the 75^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Indonesia, underscoring the deep-rooted ties between the two nations.
• His selection as the Chief Guest reflects India’s “Act East” policy, emphasizing the importance of strengthening relations with Southeast Asian nations.
• In 1950, Indonesia’s first President, Sukarno, was the Chief Guest at India’s inaugural Republic Day celebrations, marking a historical continuity in bilateral relations.

US President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America”, citing its “beautiful ring.”

• The Gulf of Mexico is a large ocean basin, bordered by the U.S., Mexico, and Cuba.
• It is connected to the Caribbean Sea through the Yucatán Channel and to the Atlantic Ocean through the Florida Straits.
• The Gulf has major oil reserves and serves as a crucial site for the oil and gas industry.
• It is home to diverse ecosystems, including coral reefs, estuaries, and wetlands.
• Key rivers draining into the Gulf include the Mississippi, Rio Grande, and Florida’s Apalachicola River.
• The region is prone to hurricanes, such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which caused significant damage.
• The Gulf’s rich biodiversity supports commercial fishing, including shrimp, oysters, and other marine life.

Recent wildfires in Southern California have brought into light the use of pink fire retardant as authorities deploy aerial resources to combat the flames.

• Pink fire retardant is used to slow or extinguish wildfires, primarily made of ammonium phosphate-based slurry.
• The most common brand in the U.S. is Phos-Chek.
• The pink color aids visibility for firefighters in identifying treated areas.
• It includes salts like ammonium polyphosphate, which remain effective longer than water.
• It is deployed from aircraft like planes and helicopters for effective coverage.

INTERPOL launched its first Silver Notice to trace and recover criminal assets, strengthening global efforts against transnational organized crime.

• The Silver Notice is part of a pilot phase involving 52 countries, including India.
• It aids in locating and identifying laundered assets like properties, vehicles, financial accounts, and businesses connected to criminal activities such as fraud, corruption, drug trafficking, and environmental crimes.
• INTERPOL Notices are international alerts for cooperation, with 8 types, including Silver, used for sharing critical crime-related information.
• India joined INTERPOL in 1949, with the CBI serving as the National Central Bureau for the country.
• Silver Notice enhances the ability of law enforcement agencies to track and recover assets across borders.
• INTERPOL, or the International Criminal Police Organization, is an intergovernmental organization that helps police forces work together to combat international crime.

Mumbai-based Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited handed over the sixth Scorpene submarine, Vaghsheer, to the Indian Navy.

• INS Vagsheer is the sixth and final submarine of the Kalvari-class (Scorpene-class) under India’s Project 75.
• The submarine is named after the sandfish, a predatory fish found in the Indian Ocean.
• Vagsheer is a diesel-electric attack submarine based on the Scorpène-class design by French naval defense group Naval Group.
• The Kalvari-class submarines are equipped with advanced stealth features, including low acoustic signatures, and are capable of launching precision-guided weapons.
• The other submarines in this class are INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi, INS Karanj, INS Vela, and INS Vagir.
• Project 75 involves the indigenous construction of six Scorpene-class submarines, with technology transfer from France, aimed at enhancing India’s underwater warfare capabilities.

These submarines are expected to be equipped with an indigenously developed Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system, allowing them to remain submerged for longer durations, thereby increasing their stealth and operational range.

The National River Traffic and Navigation System (NRT&NS) was launched during the 2nd meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC).

• NRT&NS aims to enhance the safety and efficiency of inland waterway transport by leveraging real-time data and technology for optimized navigation on India’s National Waterways.
• Key features of NRT&NS include real-time monitoring using GPS and GIS for safe vessel navigation, centralized traffic control centers for efficient operations, and digital platforms for route planning, cargo tracking, and alerts.
• The system is being deployed across India’s National Waterways, including NW-1 (River Ganga) and NW-2 (River Brahmaputra). 
• The Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC), established in 2023, serves as an apex platform for policy deliberation to promote inland waterways in India.
• India has declared 111 waterways as National Waterways (NWs) under the National Waterways Act, 2016, with significant ones being NW-1 (Haldia – Prayagraj on Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly River System) and NW-2 (Dhubri – Sadiya on River Brahmaputra). 
• The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), established through the IWAI Act, 1985, is responsible for the regulation and development of NWs.
• India possesses approximately 14,500 km of navigable waterways, including rivers, canals, backwaters, and creeks, offering significant potential for inland water transport.

India’s poverty rate fell below 5% in 2024, with extreme poverty nearly eradicated, according to an SBI Research report. 

• Rural poverty decreased to 4.86% in FY24 from 7.2% in FY23 and 25.7% in FY12.
• Urban poverty dropped to 4.09% from 4.6% in FY23 and 13.7% in FY12.
• The decline is attributed to higher consumption growth among the bottom 5% of the population, leading to a shift in the poverty line.
• The poverty line represents the minimum expenditure required to purchase a basket of goods and services necessary to satisfy basic human needs.
• Individuals with income levels below these thresholds are classified as poor.

Poverty Estimation in India (Major Committees):

• Lakdawala Committee (1993):Recommended calculating poverty based on consumption expenditure related to calorie intake.
• Tendulkar Committee (2009):Shifted away from calorie-based poverty lines and introduced a uniform all-India urban Poverty Line Basket.
• Rangarajan Committee (2014):Reinstated separate rural and urban poverty lines and state-specific estimates.

National Startup Day is celebrated on January 16 annually in India to honor the role of startups in economic growth and innovation.

• Announced by PM Modi in 2022, recognizing startups as the backbone of New India.
• The day promotes entrepreneurship, innovation, job creation, and economic development.
• Startup India initiative, launched in 2016, supports funding, partnerships, and simplified regulations.