1. , NASA to study Ladakh region under Spaceward Bound programme

India and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) entered into a partnership in January 2016 to explore the environment of Ladakh under NASA’s Spaceward Bound programme.

 Under the partnership, a team of scientists from NASA, the Mars society Australia and the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow will undertake an expedition to Ladakh in August 2016.  During their 10-day expedition, the scientists will study the similarities of certain parts of the region’s topography and microbial life to the surroundings of Mars.  Previous spaceward bound expeditions were Atacama Desert (South America), Mojave Desert (the USA), Pavilion Lake (Canada) and Arctic region among others.

2. India appointed Muktesh Kumar as Envoy to Mexico

Senior IFS officer Muktesh Kumar Pardeshi was appointed as India’s Ambassador to Mexico.

 He is currently posted as Joint Secretary (Passport division) in the Union Ministry of External Affairs.  He served as the Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of India in Jakarta from 2007 to 2010. During 1993-2001, he worked with Indian Missions in Mexico, Colombia and Nepal.

3. Famous British television and radio personality Terry Wogan died

British television and radio personality Terry Wogan died of cancer on 31 January 2016 in Buckinghamshire, . He was 77.

 He was one of the BBC's most recognisable faces and voices.He was honoured with the title of Freeman of Limerick in 2007.

4. Noted Telugu litterateur Nayani Krishnakumari passes away

Well known Telugu litterateur Nayani Krishnakumari passed away early on Saturday morning at her home in Hyderabad. She was 86. She was ailing for some time, according to family sources.

 Daughter of legendary writer Nayani Subbarao, she began writing stories with a history of Andhraites called Andhrula Katha when she was 18.  Besides being a well known literary figure, she was an academic who taught in Chennai, Osmania University and finally at the Potti Sriramulu Telugu University.

5. Fiscal deficit at 88% of annual target

The government’s fiscal deficit for the first nine months (April-December) of this financial year stood at 88 per cent of the annual target comparable with 100.2 per cent of the target it managed during the same period in the previous financial year.

 The April-December fiscal deficit — the difference between government revenue and expenditure — stood at Rs.4.88 lakh crore, which is 88 per cent of the Rs.5.55 lakh crore target for the full year set by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the Budget.

6. Russian “Order of Friendship” bestowed upon Ramayah Shanmuga Sundar

Director of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant (NPP) construction site, RamayahShanmugaSundar has been conferred with “Order of Friendship” by Russia to recognize his contribution towards the implementation of the NPP Kudankulam project.

 In accordance with Intergovernmental agreement of 1988 between India and Russia, NPP Kudankulam project is currently under construction at Koodankulam in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.  In 2014, both nations inked the General framework agreement for construction of the second phase of the NPP (third and fourth Units).

7. Aditya Mehta won 83rd Senior National Championship

Aditya Mehta on 31 January 2016 won the 83rd Senior National Snooker Championship in , Madhya Pradesh.

 In another event, Vidya Pillai won the National Snooker Championship in the women’s category by defeating Amee Kamani 4-2. For 38-year- old Vidya, it was her ninth national title.  The women’s billiards title was won by 19-year old Keerath Bhandaal by defeating Arantxa Sanchis of 3-1. Keerath is a student of Economics at the Jesus and Mary College in Delhi.

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