By: D.K. Choudhary
5 Indian Americans Takes Oath as Members of US Congress
i. Five Indian Americans, hailing from a Minority Ethnic Community which is just 1 percent of the entire US population, have created history as they took oath as US Congress Members.
ii. They are Kamala Harris, Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Pramila Jayapal
iii. American politician, Paul Ryan was re-elected on January 3, 2017 as speaker of the House of Representatives by the US lawmakers for the 115th session of the Congress.
iv. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump named Robert Lighthizer as US Trade Representative on January 3, 2017.
Jovenel Moise elected as the President of Haiti
i. Jovenel Moise has been elected as the President of Haiti. The electoral tribunal officially declared the winner on 3 January 2017.
ii. Jovenel Moise is a businessman from Haiti capital city of Port-au-Prince and is related to
banana export business. Mr. Moise who is from Bald Heads Party (PHTK) has won 55.6% of the total votes casted. Jude Celestin remained at the second spot in the race of Presidential election with only 19.5% votes.
iii. Mr. Moise will take over from the interim president Jocelerme Privert who took the position in February 2016 after the former president Michel Martelly left the position without announcing his successor.
iv. Some people were of the view that Mr Moise has won with help of some fraud and hence some protesters marched against the result. But electoral tribunal officials dismissed allegations of fraud.
v. Port-au-Prince has been suffering from political instability since decade and is vulnerable 
to natural disasters. In October 2016 Hurricane Matthew killed up to 1,000 people. Amidst of fraud allegations and natural disaster Mr Moise will have to work very hard to improve the condition of impoverished Caribbean nation
Haiti :
♦ Capital: Port-au-Prince
♦ Currency: Haitian gourde
RBI Appoints Surekha Marandi As Executive Director
i. India’s central banking institution Reserve Bank of India(RBI) was appointed Surekha Marandi as its Executive Director (ED). She replaced U S Paliwal .
ii. Prior to this, Marandi was working as the Principal Chief General Manager and Chief Vigilance Officer in the Reserve Bank.
iii. She has worked in Consumer Education and Protection Department, Financial Inclusion and Development Department, and Secretary’s Department.
iv. She has also served on the Boards of United Bank and Bank of Baroda.
Key People:
♦ Governor : Dr. Urjit R. Patel
♦ Deputy Governors: R. Gandhi, S. S. Mundra, and N. S. Vishwanathan
Ivan Rogers, Britain’s Ambassador to the EU resigns
i. The UK’s ambassador to the EU, Sir Ivan Rogers, has resigned.
ii. The diplomat was appointed by David Cameron in 2013 and was due to stay in office until November.
UK :
♦ Capital: London
♦ Currency: Pound sterling
♦ Prime minister: Theresa May
