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CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS
Nation celebrates its 70th Republic Day
- The Nation is celebrating its 70th Republic Day in January 26, 2019.
- The main function was organized at Rajpath in the National Capital.
- President Ram Nath Kovind unfurled the Tricolour and took salute of the parade. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was the Chief Guest at the Parade this year.
- As per the tradition, after unfurling of the National Flag by the President, the national anthem was played with a 21 gun salute.
- Several Union Ministers including Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, Piyush Goyal, Dr Harsh Vardhan , Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Congress President Rahul Gandhi were among those present on the occasion.
- At the end of Republic Day event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the
International Customs Day
- International Customs Day, well known as the ICD, is celebrated by the custom organizations every year on 26th of January.
- It is celebrated to commemorate the very first official conference of the Customs Co-operation Council means the World Customs Organization, WCO.
- World Customs Organization, having over 177 custom administration members, is called as the only intergovernmental organization which solely highlights on the customs matters.
- World Customs Organization was established in the year 1952 as an autonomous body to enhance the efficacy and effectiveness of the customs administrations all across the world.
| USEFUL INFO |
| Theme 2019 | SMART borders for seamless Trade, Travel and Transport |
| World Customs Organization Headquarters | Brussels, Belgium |
| World Customs Organization Secretary General | Kunio Mikuriya |
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
Lt Kasturi becomes 1st woman to lead all-men contingent on Republic-Day
- Lieutenant Bhavana Kasturi has become the first woman to lead an all-men Army contingent in Republic Day parade by leading the Indian Army Service Corps contingent.
- An all-women Assam Rifles contingent was also part of the parade for the first time.
| USEFUL INFO |
| Chief of Indian Army | BipinRawat |
| Vice Chief of Indian Army | DevrajAnbu |
| Assam Capital | Dispur |
| Assam Chief Minister | SarbanandaSonowal |
| Assam Governor | JagdishMukhi |
I&B Ministry to increase advertisement rates by 11% to private TV channels
- Information and Broadcasting Ministry has decided to revise the advertisement rates offered by the Bureau of Outreach and Communication (BOC) to private TV channels.
- The revision would lead to an increase in rates of around 11 per cent over the rates of 2017 in respect of most of the private TV channels.
- It could be of higher percentage for some others, as per their reach and TV ratings. Differential rate structures for news and non-news channels will be offered, depending upon their overall reach in the country.
| USEFUL INFO |
| Minister of Information and Broadcasting | Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore |
| Constituency | Jaipur Rural, Rajasthan |
CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE
Jammu and Kashmir Governor gives nod to bill for reservation to Paharis
- Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik gave his assent to the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2014, granting reservation to people belonging to the Pahari community in government jobs.
- The amendment provides for addition of a separate category for the persons belonging to the Pahari community, clan or tribe having distinct, cultural, ethnic and linguistic identity among the Socially and Educationally Backward classes (other than Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes).
| USEFUL INFO |
| Jammu and Kashmir Capital | Jammu (Winter), Kashmir (Summer) |
| Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister | – (President Rule) |
| Jammu and Kashmir Governor | Satya Pal Malik |
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS
Parthasarathi Mukherjee to head Lakshmi Vilas Bank for another two years
- Private sector Lakshmi Vilas Bank has reappointed Parthasarathi Mukherjee as its managing director when the lender is struggling to raise Rs. 2000 crore from investors.
- Mukherjee will be at the helm for another two years from January 25. The decision was taken by the board.
- Reserve Bank of India has approved his reappointment.
| USEFUL INFO |
| Lakshmi Vilas Bank Headquarters | Chennai |
| Lakshmi Vilas Bank Tagline | The changing face of prosperity |
| Lakshmi Vilas Bank MD and CEO | Parthasarathi Mukherjee |
CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS
Government to confer 4 Padma Vibhushan, 14 Padma Bhushan awards this year
- The Government of India announced four Padma Vibhushan, 14 Padma Bhushanand 94 Padma Shri Awards for 112 personalities.
- As many as 21 of the awardees are women. Folk artiste TeejanBai, President of Djibouti Ismail Omar Guelleh, L&T chairman AM Naik and theatre artiste Balwant Moreshwar Purandare were awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second highest civilian award.
Pranab Mukherjee, N Deshmukh and B Hazarika awarded Bharat Ratna
- President Ram NathKovind awarded India’s highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna to ex-President Pranab Mukherjee, late social activist Nanaji Deshmukh and late music maestro Bhupen Hazarika.
- Mukherjee was President from 2012 to 2017, while Hazarika was awarded with India’s highest award in cinema, Dada SahebPhalke Award, in 1992.
- Deshmukh was also a former RajyaSabha member.
Late actor Kader Khan conferred with Padma Shri
- Late actor-screenwriter Kader Khan was conferred with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honour.
- The actor, who breathed his last on December 31, has been honoured for his contribution to cinema.
- Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee, actor-choreographer Prabhudeva and singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan were also among this year’s 94 Padma Shri awardees.
Six youngsters shortlisted for YONO SBI ’20 Under Twenty’ awards
- State Bank of India had recently announced the launch of ‘YONO 20 Under Twenty’ awards to reward young achievers under the age of 20.
- Six of India’s brightest youngsters have now been shortlisted under the category ‘Promising game changers’.
- Notably, the youngsters came up with innovative ideas such as fuel free bikes, bee-saving bots, skin patch detecting heart-attacks and more.
| USEFUL INFO |
| State Bank of India Headquarters | Mumbai |
| State Bank of India Tagline | With you all the way, Pure Banking Nothing Else, The Nation’s banks on us. |
| State Bank of India MD and CEO | Rajnish Kumar |
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ISRO becomes first agency to use fourth stage of rocket as orbital platform
- The fourth and final stage of the rocket normally turns into debris after ejecting a satellite.
- This time, the workhorse PSLV DL’s fourth stage, with a satellite built by school students strapped to its back, will continue orbiting the earth at a distance of 450km above it for six months, maybe more.
- The latest Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) take off from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradeshon a mission to help India notch up one more first in space technology— it will make use of the final stage of rocket as orbital platform for a satellite
| USEFUL INFO |
| ISRO Headquarters | Bangalore |
| ISRO Director | Kailasavadivoo Sivan |
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS
Wasim Jaffer becomes 1st player to score 1,000 runs in a Ranji season twice
- Wasim Jaffer went past 1000 runs this season for Vidarbha a decade after scoring 1260 runs for Mumbai.
- He is the first batsman in Ranji Trophy history to score over 1000 runs in a season twice.
- In 2008-09, Wasim Jaffer had scored 1260 runs for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy
- This season, Jaffer has scored over 1000 runs for Vidarbha
- Jaffer is the only Asian batsman to score 2 first-class double hundreds after turning 40
West Indies captain Holder 3rd player to hit Test double ton batting at no. 8
- Windies captain Jason Holder slammed 202*(229) in the second innings of the first Test against England, becoming only the third batsman in Test cricket history to score a double ton batting at number eight.
- Pakistan’s WasimAkram (257* against Zimbabwe, 1996) and Imtiaz Ahmed (209 against New Zealand, 1955) are the other two batsmen to have achieved the feat.
Sam Stosurand Zhang Shuaiwin Australian Open women’s doubles title
- Former US Open women’s singles winner Sam Stosur teamed up with Zhang Shuai to overcome defending champions TimeaBabos and Kristina Mladenovic to claim the Australian Open women’s doubles title.
- This was the 34-year-old Australian’s first Grand Slam title on home soil since 2005.
- Notably, this was Zhang’s first Grand Slam title of any kind.
| USEFUL INFO |
| Australia Capital | Canberra |
| Australia Currency | Australian Dollar |
| Australia Prime Minister | Scott Morrison |