China launched the first satellite of a remote sensing constellation for Pakistan late Thursday( 16 January 2025), with two domestic spacecraft also along for the ride.

• A Long March 2D rocket lifted off at 11:07 p.m. Eastern, Jan. 16 (0407 UTC, Jan. 17) from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert.
• PRSC-EO1 is the first of a series of three optical remote sensing satellites for Pakistan, which will join the country’s existing remote sensing satellites, PRSS-1 and PakTES-1A, in orbit. 
• These satellites will provide data for the fields of land mapping, agriculture classification and assessment, urban and rural planning, environmental monitoring, natural disaster monitoring and management, surveying, natural resources protection and others uses, according to SUPARCO.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has permitted overseas branches of banks to open rupee accounts for individuals residing outside India.

• According to a notification issued by RBI, individuals residing outside India will be able to settle transactions with other persons residing outside the country using balances in their rupee accounts.
• Experts believe that this move will significantly enhance the global usage of the Indian Rupee for cross-border transactions.
• Overseas branches of Authorised Dealer (AD) banks can now open rupee accounts. AD banks are those which are authorised by RBI to deal in foreign exchange transactions.

Justice Arun Mishra was appointed as the Ombudsman and Ethics Officer of the Board of Control for Cricket in India on Thursday ( 16 January 2025).

• Justice Arun Mishra was selected in the Bar Council M.P. with record votes in 1989 and 1995.
• He was elected as the youngest Chairman of the Bar Council of India in 1998-99.
• He was appointed Judge of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh on October 25, 1999, and was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court on November 26, 2010.
• Arun Mishra was also appointed as the Chief Justice of the High Court at Calcutta on December 14, 2012.

Director David Lynch, one of the most important filmmakers of the past century, has died at age 78.

• Lynch was the visionary behind the films “Mulholland Drive” and “Blue Velvet” and television series “Twin Peaks.”
• In 1990, his romantic crime film, “Wild at Heart,” won the Palme d’Or ? the highest honor at the Cannes Film Festival. He was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Director.
• His debut, the 1977 film “Eraserhead,” has become a cult classic; in 2004, it was added to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

The 10th battalion of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) will celebrate the 20th Raising Day on its premises at Kondapavuluru in Gannavaram mandal of Krishna district on Sunday (January 19, 2025).

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is participating in the event as the chief guest and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will be the guest of honour.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was raised on January 19, 2006, as the main disaster response force of the country. Since then, NDRF Raising Day is observed annually on January 19.

Since its inception in 2006, NDRF has always proved its mettle in the realm of disaster response and disaster risk reduction. Being a specialised disaster response force, NDRF rescuers have saved lakhs of lives in various disasters and are always committed to its motto, 'Aapda Seva Sadaiv Sarvatra'.

The Organisation

The NDRF comprises 16 Battalions drawn from the central armed police force (CAPF), including BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB and Assam Rifles. Each battalion is composed of 18 self-sufficient specialised search and rescue teams, consisting of 47 members each, encompassing structural engineers, technicians, electricians, canine units, and medical/paramedic personnel. With a total strength of 1,149 personnel. All 16 units are proficiently equipped and trained to handle any type of natural and manmade disasters.

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal is slated to visit Brussels, Belgium for a high-level dialogue.

• The dialogue with Maros Sefcovic, Commissioner of the European Commission for Trade and Economic Security, will have wide-ranging discussions on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, the Trade and Technology Council framework and bilateral trade matters, according to Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• This three-day visit from January 18-20 underlines the importance that India attaches to its trade and investment ties with the EU, one of its largest trading partners with bilateral trade estimated at over $180 billion in 2023-2024.
• The EU is also a significant source of foreign direct investment (FDI), with total FDI estimated at $117.34 billion.

The ICAR-Central Tobacco Research Institute (ICAR-CTRI), known for its groundbreaking research on tobacco since 1947 has been renamed as the National Institute for Research on Commercial Agriculture (ICAR-NIRCA), with a focus on advancing research and development in high-value crops like turmeric, chilli, ashwagandha, and castor.

• The shift comes in response to growing public health concerns, international tobacco control policies, and the declining consumption of tobacco.
• Despite tobacco’s economic significance, its cultivation faces increasing scrutiny.
• Recognising these challenges, ICAR constituted a multidisciplinary expert committee in 2020 to reimagine the institute’s role.
• ICAR-NIRCA will lead research on crop improvement, climate resilience, post-harvest management, and export promotion for commercial crops.

Sri Lanka secured the largest foreign direct investment to date on Thursday (16), during President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's visit to China.

• This landmark deal was formalized with the signing of an agreement between Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Energy and Sinopec, a leading Chinese international petroleum corporation.
• The $3.7 billion investment will fund the construction of a state-of-the-art oil refinery with a capacity of 200,000 barrels in the Hambantota region.
• A substantial portion of the refinery’s output is planned for export, which will further enhance the nation’s foreign exchange earnings.
• This major investment from China is expected to bolster Sri Lanka’s economic growth while uplifting the livelihoods of low-income communities in the Hambantota area.

Gyanendra Pratap Singh, a 1991 batch IPS officer and currently Director General (DGP) of Assam Police, has been appointed as the new DG of Central Reserve Police Force.

• CRPF special DG Vitul Kumar has been officiating as CRPF chief since the superannuation of incumbent Anish Dayal Singh on Dec 31, 2024.
• Singh’s appointment order dated Jan 18 states that he will have a tenure until his superannuation on Nov 30, 2027, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
• Meanwhile, the next DGP of Assam is likely to be named after CM Himanta Biswa Sarma returns from South Korea and Japan, where he is on a visit to seek investments in Assam.