India Signs Loan Agreement with World Bank for UP Tourism Project

• An agreement for IBRD Credit of USD 40 Million from World Bank for “U.P. Pro-Poor Tourism Development Project” was signed between India and the World Bank.
• The programme size is approximately USD 57.14 million, of which USD 40 million will be financed by the Bank, and the remaining amount will be funded out of State Budget.
• The programme duration is 5 years.
• The Project Objective is to increase tourism-related benefits for local communities in targeted destinations. The major districts under attractions in Uttar Pradesh are Agra, Mathura, Vrindavan, Barsana and Govardhan in the Braj region.

SBI Gets Board Approval to Raise Rs 8,000 crore to Comply Basel III

• According to the country’s largest lender, SBI, its board approved raising Rs 8,000 crore through various sources, including masala bonds, to meet Basel III capital norms.
• Masala bonds are rupee denominated specialized debt instruments that can be floated in overseas markets only to raise capital.
• Banks in India have to comply with the global capital norms under Basel III by March 2019, three months later than the internationally agreed time frame by January 2019.

India Successfully Test-Fires AAD Supersonic Interceptor Missile

• India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed Advanced Air Defence (AAD) supersonic interceptor missile, capable of destroying any incoming ballistic missile at low altitude, from a test range in Odisha.
• This was the third supersonic interceptor test carried out this year in which an incoming ballistic missile target was successfully intercepted, within a 30km altitude of the earth’s atmosphere by an interceptor.
• The interceptor is a 7.5-meter long single stage solid rocket propelled guided missile equipped with a navigation system.

Triple Talaq Bill Passed in Lok Sabha

• The Lok Sabha passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriages) Bill 2017 making instant triple talaq illegal with up to three years in jail for the husband. As per the Minister for Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad, the government has to bring a bill because the practice of instant triple talaq has continued despite the Supreme Court order terming it illegal.
• The proposed law would only be applicable on instant triple talaq or ‘talaq-e-biddat’ and give power to the victim to approach a magistrate seeking subsistence allowance for her and minor children. The bill will now be sent to the Rajya Sabha for passage before it is forwarded to the President for signing it into law.

Indo-Maldives Joint Exercise ‘Ekuverin’ Concludes

• The two-week long eighth edition of the Indo-Maldives joint military exercise, ‘Ekuverin’, came to an end at Belagavi, Karnataka. ‘Ekuverin’ means ‘friends’ in the Maldivian language.
• The bilateral annual exercise was a 14-day joint military training between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). The exercise has been held alternatively in India and Maldives since 2009.

Anisa Wins Women’s 25m Pistol with New National Record

• Haryana shooter Anisa Sayyed won the women’s 25m pistol gold with a new record at the ongoing 61st National Shooting Championship Competitions (61st NSCC), in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• Anisa shot a new finals national record score of 33 to prevail over the Maharashtra duo of Shital Shivaji Thorat and Rahi Sarnobat, who won the silver and bronze medals respectively at the National Games Shooting Range.

K S Chitra bags ‘Harivarasanam’ Award

• Veteran singer K S Chitra has been selected for prestigious ‘Harivarasanam’ award 2017, instituted by the Kerala government.
• The award carrying a cash prize of Rs one lakh, citation and plaque would be presented to the veteran playback singer at a function on January 14, 2018.