World Economic Forum (WEF) is holding its Annual Meeting

♦ The World Economic Forum (WEF) is holding its Annual Meeting from January 20 to 24 in Davos, Switzerland. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw headed the Indian delegation.

♦ Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu Chief also attended. 

♦ The five main these this year (2025) are: reimagining growth, industries in the intelligent age, investing in people, safeguarding the planted and rebuilding trust. 

♦ German professor Klaus Schwab founded the WEF in 1971, originally known as the European Management Forum.

♦ He was a mechanical engineering graduate who then earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. 

♦ WEF introduced the concept of “stakeholder capitalism.” 

28thCSPOC2026

♦ Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said India will host the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliaments of Commonwealth Countries (CSPOC) in 2026. He announced at the CSPOC Standing Committee Meeting in Guernsey. 

♦ The event will focus on the use of artificial intelligence and social media in parliamentary processes.

♦ India had hosted the CSPOC in 1970-71, 1986, and 2010.

Financial Intelligence Unit-India

♦ The Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen the fight against money laundering and terrorism financing. The MoU was signed by Vivek Aggarwal, Director, FIU-IND and Satyajit Tripathy, Member (Distribution), IRDAI. 

♦ The agreement aims to enhance coordination and information exchange between the two agencies, ensuring effective implementation of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and its associated rules.

♦ The MoU underscores the commitment of both FIU-IND and IRDAI to international standards in combating financial crimes. The agreement includes provisions for quarterly meetings to review progress, discuss emerging trends in AML/CFT, and share information on cases where sanctions have been imposed.