 The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2019. The awards were presented to 26 shortlisted awardees including one joint award for National Child Award (now renamed as Bal Shakti Puraskar) under the category of innovation, scholastic, sports, art and culture, social service and bravery. Under National Child Welfare Awards category, 2 individuals and 3 institutions were awarded. The names of awardees were finalized by the National Selection Committee under the Chairpersonship of Minister of Women and Child Development, Maneka Sanjay Gandhi. |
| Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB) |
 Noted Gujarati poet Sitanshu Yashashchandra has been awarded Saraswati Samman, 2017, for his poetry collection in Gujarati named “Vakhar”. This is the 27th edition of the prestigious award instituted by K.K.Birla foundation given every year to an outstanding work of an Indian citizen published during the last 10 years in any of the languages mentioned in Schedule 8 of the constitution. The award comprises of a citation and a plaque apart from award money of 15 lakh rupees. Noted film director and author Gulzar gave away the award at a solemn function at National museum auditorium in New Delhi. Mr. Yashashchandra, recipient of the Padmashri in 2006, is known for seamlessly blending history with poetry. |
| Source- AIR World Service |
 The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the following set of approvals. The important Cabinet Approvals are given as follows: |
| The Cabinet has approved- |
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| Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB) |
 Omega Healthcare Management Services has signed a pact with IIIT-Bangalore for advanced use of the latest technology in providing healthcare solutions. The MoU is aimed at building industry-grade AI engines that can be embedded as part of Omega’s business solutions to solve healthcare business challenges. The pact also entails research programmes in artificial intelligence (AI) and Data Science, aiming to focus on specific business-related processes along with expected outcomes, with the programme being collectively decided by both organisations. |
| Source: Business Standard |
 India’s largest telecom operator by subscriber base Vodafone Idea announced that its board had approved a rights issue of Rs25,000 crore to existing eligible equity shareholders in line with the recommendations of a capital raising committee it had set up in November 2018. The fund infusion will come at a time when it is critical for the company to raise resources to compete in the telecom market disrupted by the entry of Reliance Jio in September 2016, which brought down tariffs, hitting revenue streams of other operators. |
| Source- The Livemint |
 Ten years after “26/11”, the Indian Navy commenced the largest coastal defenceexercise off the Indian coast. Exercise SEA VIGIL, a first of its kind, is being undertaken along the entire 7516.6 km coastline and Exclusive Economic Zone of India and is involving all the 13 coastal States and Union Territories along with all maritime stakeholders, including the fishing and coastal communities. Exercise SEA VIGIL aims to comprehensively and holistically validate the efficacy of the measures taken since ’26/11′. The exercise aims to simultaneously activate the coastal security mechanism across all States and Union Territories. |
| Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB) |
 Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Pema Khandu declared Pakke Paga Hornbill Festival (PPHF) as the “State Festival” at Seijosa in East Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh. Pakke Paga Hornbill Festival (PPHF) is only conservation festival of Arunachal Pradesh. He announced that Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department will fund the festival from 2020 and permanent infrastructure will be constructed for the festival ground. The PPHF festival was celebrated first time in 2015 to recognize the role played by the resident Nyishi tribe in conserving hornbills in the Pakke Tiger Reserve (PTR). |
| Source: DTE |
 Andhra Pradesh cabinet has decided to cater 5% reservation each for Kapu community and the economically backward classes (EBCs) among the forward castes. The cabinet approved the decision of doubling the welfare pensions given under the NTR Bharosa Scheme. Pensions of Rs 1000 and Rs 1500 are doubled to Rs 2000 and Rs 3000 respectively. It is believed that 54.61 lakh pensioners will be benefited from this decision. The cabinet decided to give exemption of life tax for autos and quarterly tax for tractors. It has also approved the proposal of motor vehicle tax arrears. In total 9.79 lakh vehicle owners will be benefited to the extent of Rs 66.50 crores. |
| Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB) |
 India has moved up one position to rank 80th on the global talent competitive index, but remains a laggard among the BRICS nations. Switzerland continues to top the list, released on the first day of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting at Davos by INSEAD business school in partnership with Tata Communications and Adecco Group. |
| The top 3 countries in the list are: 1. Switzerland, 2. Singapore, 3. The United States. |
 Social media giant Facebook announced that it will create an independent Institute for Ethics in Artificial intelligence (AI) with an initial investment of $7.5 million over a period of five years. Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Germany will collaborate with this project which aims to explore fundamental issues affecting the use and impact of AI. The Institute will address issues that affecting the use and impact of AI such as Safety, Privacy, Fairness, and transparency. TUM was ranked 6th in the world for AI research by the Times Higher Education magazine in 2018. |
| Source: Forbes |
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