Notes:
Fourteen-year-old Bharath Subramaniyam became India’s 73rd chess Grandmaster, after he secured the third and final GM norm at an event in Italy. He also touched the requisite 2,500 (Elo) mark.
Fellow Indian player M R Lalith Babu emerged winner in the tournament, winning the title. Mitrabha Guha had become the country’s 72nd GM in November last, two days after Sankalp Gupta became the 71st GM.

Notes:
The UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre (WHC) has agreed to publish Hindi descriptions of India’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the WHC website.
The information was shared by the Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO announced this news, to be implemented on the occasion of World Hindi Day. It is observed on January 10 across the world.

Notes:
West African nations will close their borders with Mali, cut diplomatic ties and impose tough economic sanctions in response to delay in holding elections.
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the 15-state regional bloc announced this stance, as Mali’s interim authorities have proposed holding elections in December 2025 instead of this February as originally agreed with the bloc.

Notes:
India and South Korea set a bilateral trade target of USD 50 billion before 2030. South Korea’s Trade Minister Yeo Han-Koo and Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal held bilateral talks in New Delhi.
In 2021, South Korea’s exports to India increased 38.5 per cent (USD 7.4 billion), imports increased 37.4 per cent ( USD 3.6 billion), and the trade balance recorded a surplus of USD 3.8 billion.

Notes:
Ministry of Education (MoE), AICTE, and Ministry of Commerce & Industry (DPIIT) is organising ‘National Innovation Week’ from January 10 to 16, 2022.
During the innovation week, various initiatives undertaken by these agencies to spread awareness to promote innovation and entrepreneurship will be highlighted.  An e- symposium on ‘Building Innovation Ecosystem in educational institutions was held by the Ministry of Education.