1: Bangladesh has hosted Muslim congregation “Bishwa Ijtema” in Dhaka

• First phase of “Bishwa Ijtema” has commenced in Dhaka, Bangladesh
• This is the second largest congregation of Muslim community after Hajj.
• The second phase of the congregation will be held from 17th January to 19th January 2020

2: World Future Energy Summit held in UAE

• The World Future Energy Summit commences in Abu Dhabi, UAE
• The theme for World Future Energy Summit is “Rethinking Global Consumption, Production, and Investment”. The Summit will conclude on 17th January, 2020

3: Treasury Department of USA removes China from “currency manipulator” list

• The Treasury Department of United States of America has been removed China from the designation as œcurrency manipulator

4: Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev steps down

• The Prime Minister of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev has resigned to lead the Russia’s Security Council

1: Kolkata Port Trust renamed as Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Port

• Kolkata Port Trust was renamed as Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Port on the occasion of 150th years celebration of Kolkata Port Trust
• The event was also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• He dedicated a Commemorative Stamp to mark 150 years of Kolkata port trust to India

2: Smriti Irani has launched 3 welfare schemes in Goa

• Union minister for women and child development and Member of Parliament from Amethi, Smriti Irani has launched 3 welfare schemes for women in Goa
• The schemes are Yashaswini Scheme for Women Entrepreneurship, Swasthya Sahayak Project and breast cancer screening initiative handheld device facilitating detection of cancer

3: Sardar Patel’s Statue of Unity place in ˜8 Wonders of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’

• Sardar Patel’s 182 meter tall Statue of Unity in Gujarat included in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s ‘8 Wonders of SCO’ list
• S Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister has announced today

4: Income Tax Department launched 24A—7 control room

• Income-Tax Department was launched 24A—7 control room to monitor black money and illegal inducements in poll-bound Delhi
• This facility will also host a toll-free number (1800117574).
• People can inform the department about any activity of use of money power, illegal distribution of cash etc

5: Captain Tania Shergill become 1st Woman to lead Republic Day contingent

• Indian Army Officer Captain Tania Shergill will be the first woman parade adjutant for the Republic Day parade 2020
• Tania Shergill commissioned in March 2017 from the Officer Training Academy, Chennai. She is an electronics and communications graduate

6:15 January celebrated as Indian Army Day

• January 15 celebrated as Indian Army Day every year. This year (2019) 72nd Army Day is being celebrated across the country
• Army of India has the dedication to the motherland by being effective responders during calamities and through the contributions to wider nation-building.

7: Mega campaign ˜Saksham’ launched by Petroleum Minister

• A mega campaign “Saksham” has been launched by Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan.
• It is a campaign of Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) which aims to aware the people regarding fuel conservation and greener environment across India.

8: Arunachal Pradesh signs a MoU with IUCN

• Arunachal Pradesh signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) to red-listing of orchids
• Arunachal Pradesh has become the 1st state in the country to initiate the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) ˜red listing’ at the state level

1: Indian Oil launches special class diesel for Navy

• Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has developed a special class diesel conforming to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) grade for use in ships and vessels of Indian Navy.
• Vice Admiral GS Pabby has launched the Upgraded High Flash High-Speed Diesel (HFHSD-IN 512).

2: India will get USD 1 billion investment from e-commerce company Amazon

• The e-commerce company, Amazon has announced the incremental investment of 1 USD bn in India
• The investment by Amazon will have the prime objective of digitising the small and medium businesses (SMB’s) in India.

1: Indian Bowler Jasprit Bumrah gets BCCI’s Polly Umrigar award

• Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah will receive the BCCI’s prestigious Polly Umrigar Award for his super performance in international cricket in the 2018-19 season.
• World’s No.1 ODI bowler made his Test debut during India’s tour of South Africa in January 2018

2: Kento Momoto from Japan won Malaysia Masters 2020

• Japanese badminton player Kento Momota (world number 1 ranked) won the Malaysia Masters 2020 title.
• He has defeated Viktor Axelsen from Denmark by 24-22, 21-11. Kento Momota won a record 11 titles in 2019.

1: National Youth Festival 2020 started in UP’s Lucknow

• The 23rd National Youth Festival 2020 has started from 12-16 January in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. This festival is celebrated on the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda
• The NYF 2020 is organized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and State Government of Uttar Pradesh.
• The theme of the 23rd National Youth Festival 2020 is “FIT YOUTH FIT INDIA”.

2: 6th meeting of the Island Development Agency chaired by Amit Shah

• The 6th meeting of the Island Development Agency (IDA) was supervised by Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister in New Delhi
• During the meet, initiatives of sustainable development in the identified Islands were taken under Island Development Agency.

3: India to host SCO heads of govt meeting later this year

• India to host the 19th Edition of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting 2020.The meeting is held annually at the Prime Minister’s level

1: 12th January celebrated as National Youth Day

• National Youth Day celebrated every year on 12 January every year. This is the day when Swami Vivekananda was born.
• He was one of the greatest social reformers, thinkers, and philosophers of India.

2: 14th January celebrated as Armed Forces Veterans Day

• 14 January celebrated as Armed Forces Veterans Day every year. Armed Forces Veterans Day is being celebrated since 2017
• This day is observed to mark the respect and recognition of the services rendered by Field Marshal KM Cariappa.
• He was the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces, retired on 14th January 1953.

1: Ishwar Sharma wins ‘Global Child Prodigy Award’

• Indian yoga boy Ishwar Sharma, a 10-year-old British wins Global Child Prodigy Award.
• Ishwar Sharma chosen from the United Kingdom for the awards, honour child prodigies from across 45 countries and 30 different categories such as palaeontology, biking, choreography, fitness and martial arts etc.

2: Puri recieves Swachhata Darpan Awards 2019

• Puri, a city of Odisha has been awarded for its initiatives for plastic waste management with the Swachhata Darpan Awards 2019.
• Award ceremony was held during the Open Defecation Free Sustainability Workshop held in National Capital New Delhi.

3: Indian scientist Sakya Singha Sen awarded œMerck Young Scientist Award 2019

• Indian scientist Sakya Singha Sen from National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL) Pune, has been awarded “Merck Young Scientist Award 2019” for doing remarkable research in chemical science
• This award is instituted by Merck, a science and technology company operating worldwide.
• Sen and his research team specializes in main group chemistry and involves in the synthesis of compounds with main group element and their catalytic application.

“The Global Risks Report 2020″ has been released by World Economic Forum

• “The Global Risks Report 2020” has been released by World Economic Forum. It is the 15th edition of the report
• The report has been prepared by WEF in partnership with Marsh & McLennan and Zurich Insurance Group.
• The report defines the major risks, the world is going to face in the coming years.
• The data used to make the report was collected by Global Risks Perception Survey (GRPS) through survey conducted from 5 September to 22 October 2019.

1: IIM-Indore signs MoU with TikTok provides short video modules

• The Indian Institute of Management, Indore has signed an MoU with the video sharing platform “TikTok”
• The MoU will facilitate the production of short video modules for students and trained professionals.

2: World Bank & GoI signs MoU for loan of Assam Inland Water Transport Project

• World Bank & GoI signs MoU for loan of  $88 million of Assam Inland Water Transport Project
• The loan agreement seeks to modernize the Assam’s passenger ferry sector by improving the infrastructure and its services.
• The government ferries are operated by the Assam Shipping Company (ASC) while the terminals and terminal services are provided by the Assam Ports Company (APC) in the state of Assam.
• The $88 million agreement will provide technically better designed terminals and energy-efficient vessels to make the ferry services more efficient, modern and safe mode of river transport system.

Ladakh hosts the 1st ever Food Processing Summit

• The Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, the UT Administration of Ladakh has organised the 1st-ever Food Processing Summit in the Union Territory Ladakh.

Filmmaker Manmohan Mohapatra demise

• Veteran filmmaker Manmohan Mohapatra passed away at the age of 69 in Bhubneshwar
• Manmohan Mohapatra was an Odia filmmaker considered as the ‘Father of New Wave Odia Cinema’ and won eight national awards consecutively for ‘Best Feature Odia film’