The Rockefeller Foundation president and former head of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Dr Rajiv Shah has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Shah has been appointed by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System as a 'Class C' director on the New York Fed Board of Directors for a three-year term ending December 31, 2026.

Class C directors on the New York Fed's Board of Directors represent the interests of the public, a statement said here Friday.

Shah has led the prominent philanthropic organisation The Rockefeller Foundation since 2017.

In a significant diplomatic move, Union Minister of Women and Child Development and Minority Affairs, Smriti Zubin Irani, is set to visit Saudi Arabia from January 7th to 8th, 2024. Accompanying her on this crucial mission is Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, V. Muraleedharan.

The visit kicks off on January 7th with Minister Irani leading a delegation for the signing and exchange of the bilateral Haj Agreement 2024 in Jeddah. This occasion will also feature a bilateral meeting between Minister Irani and the Minister of Haj and Umrah Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, H.E. Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al Rabiah. Discussions will revolve around mutual interests, focusing on issues related to the forthcoming Haj in 2024. The delegation will also engage with the Indian business community and the Indian diaspora in Saudi Arabia, fostering stronger ties.On January 8th, Minister Irani is slated to attend the opening ceremony of the 3rd Edition of the ‘Haj and Umrah Conference’ in Jeddah, organized by the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah Affairs.

The Indo-Saudi partnership, which has deepened in recent years, will be further strengthened during this visit, marked by sustained engagement across various sectors. The strategic significance of the Haj pilgrimage is highlighted, emphasizing its role as a vital dimension in the relationship between the two nations.

Tamil Nadu has signed investment pacts worth more than $4.39 billion with firms such as Apple suppliers Tata Electronics and Pegatron, as well as auto major Hyundai Motors, it said on Sunday during the state's Investor Summit.

Apple is counting on India as the next big driver of its growth as the tech giant looks to diversify some production away from China, with Pegatron working towards a second factory in the country where Tata Group last year began to assemble iPhones.

Tata Electronics, a part of the Indian conglomerate, committed to invest Rs 120.8 billion for mobile phone assembly operations, the state government said during the signing of the agreements.

To enhance the understanding of the Earth and its vital signs, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday approved the “PRITHVI VIgyan (PRITHVI)” scheme.

This overarching initiative, with an allocation of Rs 4,797 crore for the period 2021-26, aims to significantly enhance research, modelling, and service delivery across crucial areas like weather, climate, oceans, and the polar regions.

The government stated that PRITHVI stands for “Promoting Research in Earth Systems Science, Technology, & Human Resource Development,” and includes five existing sub-schemes i.e. ACROSS (Atmosphere & Climate Research-Modelling Observing Systems & Services) that focuses on long-term observations and advanced modelling systems for weather and climate predictions, O-SMART (Ocean Services, Modelling Application, Resources and Technology which targets sustainable exploration and utilization of marine resources, utilizing cutting-edge technology, PACER (Polar Science and Cryosphere Research) which aims to explore the mysteries of the Earth’s poles and glacial regions, contributing to a deeper understanding of global climate changes, SAGE (Seismology and Geosciences) aiming to strengthen earthquake monitoring and research on the Earth’s solid components and REACHOUT (Research, Education, Training, and Outreach) which fosters talent development and ensures effective translation of research into services directly benefiting society. 

India’s first health food street, Prasadam, was launched on Sunday by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in the city of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. The food street at Neelkanth Van, Mahakal Lok in Ujjain, will be the first of 100 food streets that will come up in as many districts across the country. Housing the world-famous Mahakal Temple, Ujjain is also the home city of MP’s new Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.

Mandaviya, who opened the food street, along with the Chief Minister, stated that the launch marks a significant stride in the country’s journey towards healthy eating habits. “Prasadam will connect common citizens in every corner of the country with pure and safe local and traditional food,” Mandaviya said.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) Sub-Zonal Office and Central Drug Testing Laboratory in Madhya Pradesh's Indore on Sunday.

"Monitoring the quality of medicines through the CDSCO Sub-Zonal Office will ensure access to high-quality medicines to the citizens and provide ease of doing business for the stakeholders of pharmaceutical industries of Madhya Pradesh," Mandaviya said.

Mandaviya also laid the foundation stone of six new facilities at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhopal and inaugurated a slew of facilities in Madhya Pradesh.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, will chair the 'National PACS Mega Conclave’ on ‘Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) as Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendra' tomorrow at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The Mega Conclave is being organised by the Ministry of Cooperation in collaboration with the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC). Additional Chief Secretaries (ACS)/ Principal Secretaries/ Secretaries of Cooperation Department and Registrars of Cooperative Societies of all the States/Union Territories, and Chairman, Secretaries and Pharmacists of those PACS, which have obtained drug licenses for operating Jan Aushadhi Kendras, will also participate in the Mega Conclave. Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) provide quality generic medicines to the general public, which cost 50-90 percent less than the branded medicines available in the open market. More than 2000 types of generic medicines and around 300 surgical items are made available through these Kendras to common citizens at affordable prices. This initiative will provide new opportunities to PACS for diversification and expansion of their economic activities, thus leading to an increase in the incomes of millions of small and marginal farmers associated with them. It will also help in creating new employment opportunities in rural areas.

The Inland Waterways Authority of India, under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW), is set to host the inaugural 'Inland Waterways Development Council' meeting in Kolkata on Monday.

According to an official statement issued from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, the day-long meeting on board the vessel MV Ganga Queen, by Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and AYUSH, will bring together key figures from across the waterways states and central government including Shripad Naik and Shantanu Thakur, Ministers of State for Ports, Shipping & Waterways.

Indian cricketer Virat Kohli was named the Pubity Athlete of the Year for 2023 after he defeated Lionel Messi 78-22 in the final vote count.

Pubity is an online community, spanning 20 channels. The popular Instagram page has over 35 million followers and their subsidiary channel - Pubity Sport - hosted the online poll between the legends of the sport, Virat Kohli and Lionel Messi.

Sixteen athletes including the likes of Novak Djokovic, Pat Cummins, LeBron James, Erling Haaland, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Max Verstappen were pitted against one another in a knockout setup for online voting. It came down to Kohli and Messi in the final, with the former claiming 78% of the votes to win the Pubity Athlete of the Year 2023 title.

Seven more products from Odisha have been granted the coveted geographical indication (GI) tag, recognising them as products unique to the state and safeguarding the interests of local growers, producers and artisans.

Chennai-based GI Registry under Ministry of Commerce and Industry - the national body for GI registrations - on Wednesday registered applications for Gajapati Date Palm Jaggery, Dhenkanal Magji, Similipal Kai Chutney of Odisha, Nayagarh Kanteimundi brinjal, Kapadaganda: Dongria Kondh Embroidery Shawl, Koraput Kalajeera Rice, and Painting of Lanjia Saura (Idital).