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- Britain’s Newcastle doctors have been granted the first license to create babies using a three-parent IVF technique. The treatment is known as “three-parent” IVF, as the babies, born from genetically modified embryos, would have DNA from a mother, a father and from a woman donor. Notably, Britain was also the first country to pass law to allow three-parent IVF. The world’s first and so-far only known three-parent IVF baby was born in 2016 in Mexico.
- The New Zealand Parliament by passing legislation, called The Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Bill 2017, has recognised Whanganui River as a legal person. The move is believed to be the first of its kind in the world. This recognition means that the river now has its own legal identity with all the corresponding rights, duties and liabilities as of a legal person. The river is known as Te Awa Tupua by Maori tribe. It is the third largest river in New Zealand.
Whanganui River - The Executive Committee (EC) of National Mission for Clean Ganga approved projects for implementation of Namami Gange Programme in Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand and Delhi.
- World’s Most Ethical Companies 2017 by US think tank Ethisphere Institute enlists two Indian companies, Tata Steel Limited and Wipro Limited.
- France based Aircraft maker Airbus will set up Asia’s first training facility for pilots and maintenance engineers in New Delhi. It is expected to be operational by the end of 2018.
- Jwala Gutta was appointed as a member of Sports Authority of India (SAI). Jwala Gutta is a 14-time national champion. Gutta has won the bronze medal at the 2011 World Championship and she is a 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games champion and a silver medallist at the 2014 Glasgow Games in women’s doubles. She was also honoured with Arjuna award by the Indian Government.
- Three day International Buddhist conference was held in The conference was inaugurated by His Holiness, The Dalai Lama jointly with the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Dr. Mahesh Sharma. The theme of the conference was: Buddhism in the 21st Century – Perspectives and Responses to Global Challenges and Crises.
- The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UN Women launched the ‘Women in Politics 2017 Map’ in New York. The Women in Politics 2017 Map is the visual representation of women’s political empowerment in executive government and parliament as on January 1, 2017. The theme for 2017 CSW is Women’s Economic Empowerment In The Changing World Of Work. As per the Map, India ranked 148 out of 193 UN member nations in representing women in the executive government.
- Amitabh Bachchan launched the World’s first mobile Application for breast cancer awareness, named ‘ABC of Breast Health’. Aim: To educate the nation about every aspect of breast cancer and non-cancer breast health issues. The App has been conceived, created and designed by the Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation, Hyderabad.
- American guitarist, singer and songwriter, Chuck Berry who is recognized as one of the pioneers of rock ‘n’ roll music died at the age of 90 in Missouri. He received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 1984 and was among the first inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. Berry was one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most influential guitarists who performed his signature duck walk move, bending his knees and bobbing his head at every concert.
