National News

India’s First National Highway Steel Slag Road section

• JSW Steel, under the CSIR-CRRI technological guidance, has constructed the 1 km long four lane India’s First National Highway Steel Slag Road section on NH- 66 Mumbai-Goa National Highway.
• The Steel Slag Road Technology, developed by CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) is transforming the waste of steel industries into wealth and is helping the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to build stronger and eco-friendly national highways in the country.

About NHAI

Indian International Science Festival 2023

• Indian International Science Festival (IISF) will be held in Faridabad, Haryana from the 17th January to 20th January.
• The primary objective of this festival is to commemorate the world of science, making it accessible to all.

IISF 2023

6th edition of the Telangana International Kite Festival and Sweet Festival

• The 6th edition of the Telangana International Kite Festival and Sweet Festival commenced at the Parade Ground in Secunderabad.
• This three-day event features 37 international professional kite flyers from 16 different countries.

Countries participated in festival

2400 MW Greenfield Thermal Power Plant in Odisha

• Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has been awarded the EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) contract by NLC India Limited to set up a 2,400 MW capacity greenfield thermal power plant in Jharsuguda district, Odisha.

About BHEL

International

 Ukraine peace meet in Davos

• Deputy national security advisor (NSA) Vikram Misri will represent India at a peace meeting on Ukraine in Davos, and is expected to suggest creation of a formula that is acceptable to all sides.

About Ukraine

2nd International AYUSH Conference

• The 2nd International AYUSH Conference and Exhibition has been inaugurated at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai.
• The conference is being organised by the Science India Forum and the Ministry of AYUSH.
• The event is dedicated to showcasing AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy) as a reliable healthcare system for preventing and managing Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases (NCDs).

About UAE

Environment 

 Third National Communication and Initial Adaptation Communication

• The total emissions due to agriculture increased by 4.5 per cent, to 2,647 MtCO2e in 2019 from 2,531 MtCO2e in 2016. 
• The findings are reported in the Third National Communication and Initial Adaptation Communication, submitted by the Union ministry of environment, forests, and climate change to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

About UNFCCC

Economy

 Group (Term) Insurance Scheme for CPLs

• A proposal to launch a Group (Term) Insurance Scheme for Casual Paid Labourers (CPLs) engaged by Border Roads Organisation or General Reserve Engineer Force for the ongoing project works has been approved by Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh.
• Scheme will provide the insured value of 10 lakh rupees as insurance in any kind of death to CPLs family or Next of Kin.

About BRO

Defence

 Operation Sarvashakti

• The Indian Army is launching "Operation Sarvashakti" to counter Pakistan's attempts to increase terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

About Indian Army

INS CHEETAH, GULDAR AND KUMBHIR

• Indian Navy Ships Cheetah, Guldar and Kumbhir were decommissioned in an event after rendering four decades of glorious service to the nation, conducted on 12 Jan 2024 at Port Blair.

About Indian Navy

Science and Technology

 X-59 Quiet Supersonic Aircraft

• NASA and Lockheed Martin have debuted the X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft, which aims to enable commercial supersonic flight over land by generating a quieter sonic thump.
• The X-59 is part of NASA's Quest mission to provide data for regulators to reconsider supersonic flight rules.

About NASA

Art and Culture

 Magh Bihu

• Assam is celebrating the Magh Bihu (harvest festival), also known as Bhogali Bihu and Maghor Domahi.
• It is the first festival of the year that brings people of various communities together to enjoy the winter crops and pray for prosperity for the rest of the year.

Other two Bihu of Assam

India’s oldest living city found in Vadnagar

• A joint study by five prominent institutions has found evidence of a cultural continuity in Vadnagar in present day Gujarat even after the collapse of the Harappan civilisation.
• The evidence of a human settlement that is as old as 800 BCE contemporary to late­Vedic/preBuddhist  Mahajanapadas or oligarchic republics has been found.

About Gujarat

Sports

 Malaysia Open Badminton

• The duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have entered the finals of men’s doubles of the Malaysia Open Badminton being held in Kuala Lumpur.
• The Indian duo thus became the first Indians in any discipline to make it to the final of the Malaysia Open in the Open Era (since 1983).

Badminton World Federation

Beach Games 2024, Diu

• The first multi-sports beach games in India were organised at the blue flag-certified Ghoghla Beach in Diu.
• Madhya Pradesh has emerged as the overall champion, winning 18 medals including 7 gold.
• Lakshadweep secured the gold medal in Beach Soccer, marking a historic achievement for the pristine island territory.

Awards and Honours

 Title of “Best Rice in World”

• Basmati Rice (Staple Food) from India has earned the title of 'Best rice in World' by Taste Atlas, a popular food guide for the year 2023-24.
• The food guide also placed India at the 11th position on the esteemed '100 Best Cuisines in the World list.

Important Fact

Best World Whisky Award

• Rampur Asava Indian Single Malt Whisky has been awarded Best World Whisky in the 2023 John Barleycorn Awards.

Person in News

Lai Ching-te

• Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Lai Ching-te has won the Taiwanese presidential polls and is set to be the next President of Taiwan.

About Taiwan

Prabha Atre

• Legendary classical singer and Padma Vibhushan recipient Prabha Atre, considered the doyen of the Kirana gharana, passed away on 13 Jan in Pune, aged 92.

Famous Gharanas in Music