Current Affairs, January 2019

30th January, Current Affairs:

• The nation pays homage to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi on his 71st death anniversary today.

29th January, Current Affairs:

• Former Defence Minister George Fernandes passed away in New Delhi this morning. He was 88.

27th January, Current Affairs:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for All India Institutes of Medical Sciences, AIIMS at Madurai in Tamil Nadu.
• India's fastest indigenous train which will run from Delhi to Varanasi has been named as Vande Bharat Express. It was named Train 18 and now it has been given a new name after taking suggestions from the general public.
• World No.1 Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 and clinch the Australian Open title for a record seventh time.
• Saina Nehwal clinched the Indonesia Masters title as Carolina Marin retired hurt during the first game of the final.

26th January, Current Affairs:

• India is celebrating its 70th Republic Day today. The main function was organized at Rajpath in the National Capital. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was the Chief Guest at the Parade this year.
• Japan's Naomi Osaka defeated eighth placed Czech Petra Kvitova 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 to win the Australian Open Women's final. The victory allows the 21-year-old Osaka to become the first tennis player from Japan to reach No. 1 in the rankings.

25th January, Current Affairs:

• Former president Pranab Mukherjee has been awarded the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian honour, by President Ram Nath Kovind. Along with Mr Mukherjee, social activist Nanaji Deshmukh and music maestro Bhupen Hazarika have also received the Bharat Ratna posthumously.
• President of India has approved conferment of 112 Padma Awards including 4 Padma Vibhushan, 14 Padma Bhushan and 94 Padma Shri Awards. Late actor Kader Khan, cricketer Gautam Gambhir, senior advocate HS Phoolka, scientist Nambi Narayanan, late journalist Kuldip Nayar, mountaineer Bachendri Pal, folk artiste Teejan Bai and southern actor Mohanlal are among the 112 personalities selected for the Padma awards announced this evening ahead of India's 70th Republic Day celebrations.
• President Ram Nath Kovind Addresses Nation Ahead Of 70th Republic Day.
• Famous Hindi writer and essayist, Krishna Sobti today passed away. She was 94.
• Indian space agency Indian Space Research Organisation's (Isro) successfully launched Microsat-R. The military satellite is onboard its Polar rocket PSLV-C44. Microsat-R was launched from the spaceport in Sriharikota.
• National Voters' Day is observed today in India.

24th January, Current Affairs:

• National Girl Child Day observed today.
• The Rashtriya Bal Puraskar was presented by President Ram Nath Kovind. President conferred awards to 26 awardees including one joint award for National Child Award.

23rd January, Current Affairs:

• Nation remembered India's great freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on his 122nd birth anniversary today.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Subhash Chandra Bose museum at the iconic Red Fort in New Delhi to mark the leader's 122nd birth anniversary.

22nd January, Current Affairs:

• World Economic Forum 2019 begins in Davos.
• Indian skipper Virat Kohli named as the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year, Test Cricketer of the Year and Cricketer of the Year for 2018. Virat Kohli became the first player to win all 3 big ICC awards in a single year. Kohli is also the first man to win consecutive ICC Cricketer of the Year awards.

21st January, Current Affairs:

• 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas began at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The theme for this year Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is "Role of Indian Diaspora in building New India".
• Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura are celebrating their statehood day today. On this day in 1972, all the three states became full-fledged states under the North Eastern Region (Reorganisation) Act, 1971.
• The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have announced that the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro will be the World Capital of Architecture for 2020. Rio will be the first city to receive the title under a programme launched together by UNESCO and the International Union of Architects in November 2018.

19th January, Current Affairs:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Armoured Systems Complex of Larsen and Toubro in Gujarat, the first private facility in the country where the K9 Vajra self-propelled Howitzer guns will be manufactured.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the National Museum of Indian Cinema in Mumbai.

18th January, Current Affairs:

• India defeated hosts Australia by 7 wickets in the third ODI to register their first-ever bilateral ODI series victory in Australian soil. India won the 3-match ODI series 2-1.
• Star wrestler Vinesh Phogat became the first Indian to be nominated for the prestigious Laureus World Sports Award. Vinesh has been nominated in “Laureus World Sporting Comeback” category for the year 2019.

17th January, Current Affairs:

• The Centre on Wednesday announced the winners of the Gandhi Peace Prize for 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. The Gandhi Peace Prize for 2015 has been given to the Vivekananda Kendra in Kanyakumari for its contribution to rural development, education and the development of natural resources. The award for 2016 has been jointly given to Akshaya Patra Foundation and Sulabh International. The 2017 Gandhi Peace Prize was conferred on the Ekal Abhiyan Trust. The 2018 award has been given to the Japanese Yohei Sasakawa, the WHO Global Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination.

15th January, Current Affairs:

• Kumbh Mela, the largest public congregation of faith began today with a Shahi Snan at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh.
• Manu Sawhney has been named as the new chief executive officer of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and will take over the reins from David Richardson following the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 in July.
• India crash out of AFC Asian Cup with 0-1 defeat to Bahrain.

14th January, Current Affairs:

• Makar Sankranti is celebrated across the India in different ways.
• Gujarat became the first state to implement 10% quota for economically weak in general category.

12th January, Current Affairs:

• Mahendra Singh Dhoni became the fifth Indian and 13th batsman overall to score 10,000 runs in the 50-over format.

11th January, Current Affairs:

• Ashok Chawla has resigned as the chairman of the National Stock Exchange Of India with immediate effect.

10th January, Current Affairs:

• The proposed law to provide 10 per cent quota in jobs and education to the economically weaker sections in the general category is passed by Rajya Sabha.
• A high-power committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi removed Alok Verma as CBI Director, a day after he resumed office following the Supreme Court verdict restoring his position.
• In the updated rankings put out by AIBA, Mary Kom is placed top of the charts in the weight division with 1700 points.

8th January, Current Affairs:

• Exiled CBI chief Alok Verma was reinstated by the Supreme Court, three months after the government divested him of his powers and sent him on forced leave.
• Lok Sabha passes DNA Bill. The DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2018 would allow use of DNA technology for establishing identity of persons such as victims, offenders, suspects, under trials, missing persons, and unknown deceased persons.
• A proposed law to give citizenship to non-Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan was passed by Lok Sabha.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced the formation of a high-level panel to assess digitisation of payments in the country. The Committee on Deepening of Digital Payments will be chaired by Nandan Nilekani.
• The Supreme Court of India set up a five-judge Constitution Bench to hear the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land title dispute case.
• The Confederation of African Football has chosen Egypt as host of this year’s African Cup of Nations soccer tournament.

7th January, Current Affairs:

• The Union Cabinet has approved 10% reservation in jobs and educational institutions for the economically backward section in the general category. Those who earn less than Rs. 8 lakh a year, have less than five acre land qualify for the quota.
• India won their first-ever Test series in Australia by a margin of 2-1 after play in the fourth and final Test in Sydney. It is the first time India managed the feat since they began touring Australia in 1947-48. Consequently, Virat Kohli became the first Indian as well as the first Asian captain to win a Test series in Australia.
• British stars Olivia Colman, Christian Bale, Richard Madden and Ben Whishaw were among the winners at this year's prestigious Golden Globe Awards 2019. Colman was honoured for the film The Favourite, and Bale won for playing ex-US Vice-President Dick Cheney in Vice.

5th January, Current Affairs:

• A special court in Mumbai declared absconding accused liquor baron Vijay Mallya as a fugitive economic offender under the new Fugitive Economic Offenders Act. He is the first person to declare so under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act and government can now confiscate all his properties.

2nd January, Current Affairs:

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the merger of state-run Vijaya Bank, Bank of Baroda and Dena Bank. The merged entity will become the third largest bank in the country, after government-owned State Bank of India and private sector lender ICICI Bank.
• Sudhir Bhargava took oath as the chief information commissioner in the Central Information Commission (CIC).

1st January, Current Affairs:

• New Year's Eve is celebrated across the World.
• Veteran Bollywood actor Kader Khan died in a hospital in Canada at the age of 81.