- National:
- Titagarh Rail Systems and Amber Group formed a joint venture on January 25, 2024. They will invest INR 120 crores each to manufacture railway components and subsystems in India and expand their business into European markets.
- Satnam Singh Sandhu, the Chancellor of Chandigarh University and a well-known educationist, has been nominated as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha. He is also the founder of Chandigarh University and the Convener of the Indian Minorities Foundation. His nomination has been hailed by leaders of various political parties in Punjab.
- The Indian Central Government announced on January 29, 2024, a plan to make 30 cities beggar-free by 2026 under the ‘SMILE’ scheme. The cities were chosen based on their religious, historical, and tourism significance. The plan includes survey, mobilisation, rescue, relocation, and comprehensive rehabilitation.
- International:
- Comoros President Azali Assoumani has been re-elected for a fourth term. The election was held on 14th January 2024, and President Assoumani secured the win with 63% of the vote. However, the poll was disputed by the opposition as “fraudulent” and the turnout was low, with just 16% of people voting in the presidential election.
- Banking:
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has indeed directed regulated entities to enhance the effectiveness of their technology solutions for compliance. This directive comes after an assessment of banks’ use of technology solutions for internal monitoring of compliance with regulatory norms. The RBI has recommended ways to enhance effectiveness and advised lenders to make necessary changes by June 30, 2024.
- Govt. Schemes:
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a computerization scheme for the offices of the Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCSs) and Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (ARDBs) of the states on January 30, 2024. The initiative aims to modernize the cooperative sector, reduce transaction costs, facilitate loan distribution to farmers, and enable real-time data access for better monitoring and assessment of schemes.
- Science & Technology:
- Elon Musk’s company, Neuralink, has successfully implanted its first brain chip in a human. The patient is recovering well and initial results show promising neuron spike detection. This implant, known as the “Link,” is a small device that was placed in the patient’s brain on 28th January 2024.
- Defence:
- The Indian Navy’s indigenously designed and built survey ship, INS Nirupak, was decommissioned after 38 years of illustrious service to the nation. The decommissioning ceremony was presided over by Vice Admiral Adhir Arora, AVSM, NM, Chief Hydrographer to the Government of India at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam on January 29, 2024.
- Sports:
- East Bengal FC defeated Odisha FC in the final of the Kalinga Super Cup 2024. The match ended with a score of 3-2 in favor of East Bengal FC after extra time. This victory marked the end of a 12-year wait for East Bengal FC, earning them their first silverware in as many years. The final was held at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Sunday, January 28, 2024.
- Indian shooter Divyansh Singh Panwar clinched the gold medal in the men’s 10m Air Rifle event at the ISSF World Cup 2024 in Cairo, Egypt. He set a new world record in the final with an outstanding score of 253.7, surpassing the previous mark of 253.3 held by China’s Sheng Lihao.
- Important Days:
- World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day (WNTD) is observed every year on January 30th. The purpose of this day is to raise the profile of neglected tropical diseases, the suffering they cause, and to garner support towards their control, elimination, and eradication. The theme for WNTD 2024 is "Unite. Act. Eliminate."
- The International Day of Clean Energy was observed for the first time on 26th January 2024. This day was declared by the General Assembly (resolution A/77/327) as a call to raise awareness and mobilize action for a just and inclusive transition to clean energy for the benefit of people and the planet.
- International Zebra Day is observed every year on January 31. This day is dedicated to raising awareness about the plight of zebras and the steps that humans can take to help safeguard these species from extinction. The Grevy’s zebra is critically endangered according to the Red List of Threatened Species.
- Awards & Honours:
- On the 14th National Voters Day, President Droupadi Murmu presented the Best Electoral Practices Awards 2023 to state and district level officers for their outstanding performance in the conduct of elections. A total of 16 awards were presented under 4 categories: General Award, Special Award, Others, and ECI Media Awards. The event also saw the launch of a voter awareness campaign with the tagline, “Chunav ka Parv, Desh ka Garv”.
- Appointments:
- The Government of India has appointed four key members to the Sixteenth Finance Commission. The newly appointed members, approved by the President of India, are: Shri. Ajay Narayan Jha, former member, 15th Finance Commission and former Secretary, Expenditure (Full time Member), Smt. Annie George Mathew, former Special Secretary, Expenditure (Full time Member), Dr. Niranjan Rajadhyaksha, Executive Director, Artha Global (Full time Member), Dr. Soumya Kanti Ghosh, Group Chief Economic Advisor, State Bank of India (Part time Member).
- Justice P.S. Dinesh Kumar was appointed as the Acting Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court on January 24. His tenure as Chief Justice will last until his retirement on February 24.
- Obituaries:
- Historian R. Champakalakshmi Passes Away at the age of 91. She was a respected figure in the field of history, having served as the president of the Indian History Congress and a professor in the Centre for Historical Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Questions:
Q.1 What is the name of the device implanted by Neuralink in a human brain?a. Connect
b. Link
c. Bridge
d. Node
Q.2 When was the International Day of Clean Energy observed for the first time?
a. 26th January 2022
b. 26th January 2023
c. 26th January 2024
d. 26th January 2025
