Daily Current Affairs- 16th January 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 16th January 2026

MS Sahoo Committee for NPS Reforms

In the News: The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) constituted a high-level 15-member expert committee under the chairmanship of M.S. Sahoo to develop a regulatory framework for assured payouts under the National Pension System (NPS).

Key Points:

• Committee Constitution and Leadership: PFRDA established the 15-member expert committee on January 13, 2026, chaired by M.S. Sahoo, Founder of Dr. Sahoo Regulatory Chambers and former Chairperson of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI).
• Primary Mandate and Objectives: The committee will function as a standing advisory body on structured pension payouts with the central task of designing a regulatory framework for assured payout products under NPS.
• Tax and Legal Clarity: An important mandate involves examining the tax treatment of assured payouts, particularly for subscribers who remain within the NPS architecture during the payout phase rather than exiting entirely.
• Implementation Timeline and Context: The committee's work follows PFRDA's September 30, 2025 consultation paper on assured pension products. In a separate development, PFRDA issued fresh operational guidelines on January 12, 2026, for data-sharing protocols under the Multiple Scheme Framework (MSF), which allows pension funds to design and manage multiple NPS schemes under their own brand identity.
• Alignment with Viksit Bharat 2047: PFRDA stated that the initiative aligns with provisions of the PFRDA Act and the broader national goal of Viksit Bharat 2047. The framework aims to ensure financial independence, stability, and dignity for citizens in their post-retirement years, addressing rising longevity and evolving retirement needs.

US Freezes Immigrant Visa Processing for 75 Countries Under Trump Administration

In the News: The Trump administration announced an indefinite freeze on immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, affecting nearly 40% of the world's nations. The State Department justified the suspension by claiming that immigrants from these countries take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates.

Key Points:

• Announcement and Implementation: The State Department announced on January 14, 2026, that it will pause immigrant visa processing for 75 countries beginning January 21, 2026. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott stated that the administration is bringing an end to the abuse of America's immigration system by those who would extract wealth from American citizens.
• Countries Affected: The 75 countries include US allies and adversaries across multiple regions. Confirmed countries include Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, Yemen, Haiti, Colombia, Cuba, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Jamaica, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, and St. Lucia. The list spans Latin America and the Caribbean, the Balkans, South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, representing nearly 40% of the world's countries.
• Scope of the Freeze: The freeze does not apply to non-immigrant visas such as student visas, tourist visas, business visas, or temporary work visas. This distinction is significant with the 2026 FIFA World Cup (co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico) and the 2028 Olympics approaching, when demand for non-immigrant visas is expected to rise dramatically.
• Green Card Reexamination: Joseph Edlow, director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services, announced in November 2025 a full-scale reexamination of every green card issued to individuals from countries of concern under the Biden administration.
• Impact on Legal Immigration: According to Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council, when combined with existing travel bans, the Trump administration has now banned or suspended immigrant visas for 90 different countries, including 70% of African nations.

Pentagon Pizza Index: Why a Food Meme Is Trending Amid US–Iran Tensions

In the News: The Pentagon Pizza Index surged into trending discussions amid escalating US-Iran tensions, with reports of approx. 222% spike in pizza orders near the Pentagon on January 5, 2026. The informal intelligence indicator, which tracks late-night pizza deliveries to government buildings as a signal of unusual military activity, shifted from "nothing ever happens" to "something might happen" on January 14, 2026.

Key Points:

• What is the Pentagon Pizza Index: The Pentagon Pizza Index (also called the Pizza Meter) is an open-source intelligence theory suggesting that late-night pizza orders near US government buildings spike before major geopolitical events. The logic is that when Pentagon, CIA, or White House staff work through the night on developing crises, they order food, making pizza deliveries an observable signal of unusual activity.
• Historical Precedents: The theory has coincided with several major events. In August 1990, the CIA ordered 21 pizzas in a single night before Iraq's invasion of Kuwait the following day. During the December 1998 impeachment hearings of Bill Clinton and Operation Desert Fox, the White House ordered 32% more extra-cheese pizzas than normal, totaling $11,600 in Capitol Hill orders.
• Recent Spikes and Events: On June 22, 2025, high activity was reported at a Papa John's one hour before Trump announced US strikes on Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities. Between late January 2 and early January 3, 2026, unusually high activity preceded the United States strikes in Venezuela and the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
• January 2026 Surge: On January 5, 2026, social media reported a 1,250% surge in pizza orders near the Pentagon, nearly double the spike observed before the Venezuela operation days earlier. On January 14, 2026, the Pentagon Pizza Index shifted from "nothing ever happens" to "something might happen" amid growing speculation about a possible US strike on Iran.
• Companion Indicator - Gay Bar Index: Similar to the Pentagon pizza observation, gay bars in Washington, D.C., reportedly see abnormally low traffic on nights when Pentagon workers stay late. This has become a companion indicator, with both the pizza index and gay bar index described as accidental barometers of a state preparing military action while official channels remain silent.

WEF Global Risks Report 2026

In the News: The World Economic Forum released its Global Risks Report 2026, the 21st edition of this annual analysis. The report, based on insights from over 1,300 global experts, identifies geoeconomic confrontation as the top short-term risk, marking a significant shift toward an "age of competition" characterized by fragmentation and confrontation. Half of respondents expect turbulent or stormy conditions over the next two years, rising to 57% for the 10-year outlook.

Key Points:

• Report Overview and Methodology: The Global Risks Report 2026 is the 21st edition of the annual WEF risk analysis, surveying over 1,300 leaders and experts from business, government, academia, and civil society. The report analyzes global risks through three timeframes: immediate term (2026), short-to-medium term (to 2028), and long term (to 2036). Chapter 1 presents findings from the Global Risks Perception Survey, while Chapter 2 explores implications through six in-depth thematic analyses.
• Top Short-Term Risk - Geoeconomic Confrontation: Geoeconomic confrontation ranks as the top risk most likely to trigger a global crisis in 2026, selected by 18% of respondents and climbing eight positions from last year. This includes the use of economic tools such as sanctions, tariffs, regulations, supply chain controls, and capital constraints.
• Heightened Uncertainty and Pessimism: Uncertainty defines the 2026 outlook, with 50% of respondents anticipating turbulent or stormy conditions over the next two years, up 14 percentage points from last year. Only 1% expect calm conditions in both the short and long term. Over the next decade, 57% foresee turbulent or stormy times, with nearly one-fifth anticipating global catastrophic risks.
• Technological Risks Growing Unchecked: Misinformation and disinformation ranks #2 in the two-year outlook, remaining an acute concern, while cyber insecurity ranks #6. Adverse outcomes of AI shows the largest rise across timeframes, moving from #30 in the two-year outlook to #5 in the 10-year outlook.
• Environmental Risks Deprioritized Short-Term: Environmental risks experienced significant declines in the two-year outlook compared to previous years. Extreme weather events dropped from #2 to #4, critical change to Earth systems declined seven positions to #24, and biodiversity loss dropped five positions to #26.

Google Launches Translate Gemma Open Translation Models

In the News:   Google introduced TranslateGemma, a new collection of open translation models built on Gemma 3. The models support translation across 55 languages and are available in three parameter sizes: 4B, 12B, and 27B. The launch came shortly after OpenAI released ChatGPT Translate, positioning Google's offering as an open-source alternative with local deployment capabilities.

Key Points:

• Model Launch and Availability: Google released TranslateGemma on January 15, 2026, as part of its Gemma 3 model family. The models are available in three sizes—4B, 12B, and 27B parameters—designed for different deployment needs from mobile devices to cloud systems. The models can be downloaded on Kaggle, Hugging Face, Google Colab, and deployed in Vertex AI, along with comprehensive technical documentation.
• Language Support: TranslateGemma supports translation across 55 fully tested languages, including high-resource languages like Spanish, French, Chinese, and Hindi, as well as low-resource languages such as Icelandic and Swahili. The models are already trained on nearly 500 additional language pairs for future updates and research, though evaluation results for these extended pairs have not yet been confirmed.
• Superior Performance with Efficiency: The 12B TranslateGemma model outperforms the larger Gemma 3 27B baseline when measured on the WMT24++ benchmark using MetricX, achieving a score of 3.60 compared to 3.09 for the baseline.
• Multimodal Translation Capabilities: TranslateGemma retains the multimodal capabilities of Gemma 3, enabling translation of text within images without any additional multimodal training.
• Open-Source Positioning: TranslateGemma uses the Gemma Terms of Use, which Google labels as "Open Weights" rather than traditional open-source licensing due to additional restrictions. The license allows commercial use, modification, and redistribution but prohibits certain applications under Google's Prohibited Use Policy

Andhra Pradesh to Host World’s Largest Green Ammonia Project at Kakinada

In the News: The Andhra Pradesh government announced that the state will host India's first and the world's largest green ammonia project in Kakinada. Led by AM Green with a $10 billion investment, the project aims to produce 1.5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of green ammonia by 2030.

Key Points:

• Project Announcement: The Andhra Pradesh government announced on January 16, 2026, that AM Green will establish the world's largest green ammonia project at Kakinada with a $10 billion investment. The project represents one of the largest clean-energy investments ever made in India and will position the country as a global leader in green hydrogen and ammonia production.
• Production Capacity and Timeline: The Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia Complex will have a planned capacity of 1.5 MTPA. Phased commissioning includes 0.5 MTPA by 2027, 1.0 MTPA by 2028, and full capacity of 1.5 MTPA by 2030.
• Renewable Energy Infrastructure: The project will be powered by approximately 7.5 GW of renewable energy from solar and wind sources. Energy storage requirements will be met through pumped hydro projects, including approximately 1 GW from the Pinnapuram pumped storage project in Andhra Pradesh.
• Export Markets: This marks India's first-ever export of green energy molecules, with green ammonia being exported to Germany, Singapore, and Japan. AM Green has entered into long-term supply agreements with leading global players, including Uniper (Germany), and is engaged with major companies in Japan and Singapore.
• Environmental and Strategic Impact: Green ammonia is produced using renewable electricity and green hydrogen, eliminating carbon emissions associated with conventional ammonia production.

As Machado presents the Nobel to Trump, can the Peace Prize be transferred?

In the News: Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado presented her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Donald Trump during a private meeting at the White House. Machado gave Trump the medal in appreciation for the U.S. military raid on January 3 that deposed Venezuela's leader Nicolás Maduro.

Key Points:

• Medal Presentation:.A photo shows Trump holding a large gold-framed plaque containing the medal with a dedication expressing gratitude from the Venezuelan people for Trump's actions to secure a free Venezuela.
• Cannot Be Transferred: The Norwegian Nobel Institute stated that while the medal can change hands, the title of Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot be transferred. Organizers emphasized that once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others.
• Machado's Nobel Win: María Corina Machado won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and her push to move the country from dictatorship to democracy.
• Trump's Desire for Nobel: Trump's longstanding desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize is well known. Speaking at the UN General Assembly in September 2025, Trump claimed he ended seven wars and stated that everyone says he should get the Nobel Peace Prize.
• Context of U.S. Action: The medal presentation came after a U.S. military raid on January 3, 2026, that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Maduro faces drug trafficking charges in New York, to which he has pleaded not guilty.