1) 🇮🇳National

• Republic Day 2026 Theme: The upcoming Republic Day parade will be celebrated with the theme "150 Years of Vande Mataram". For the first time, the Indian Army will showcase a phased battle array display to highlight military preparedness.
• India-Germany Tech Pact: India and Germany have signed a Joint Declaration of Intent to enhance cooperation in the field of Telecommunications, focusing on 6G technology and network security.
• PM Vishwakarma Haat: Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi inaugurated the PM Vishwakarma Haat 2026 at Dilli Haat, New Delhi, to provide a global marketing platform for traditional artisans and craftsmen.
• Green Ammonia Complex: Andhra Pradesh is set to host India's first and the world’s largest green ammonia complex at Kakinada, with a target capacity of 1.5 million tonnes per annum.
• GRAP Stage 4 in Delhi: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has invoked Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR as the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossed the 'Severe' 400 mark.

2) 🌍International

• Gaza Peace Board: U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly invited India to join a proposed "Board of Peace" for Gaza to support long-term regional stability and governance.
• UN at 80: UN Secretary-General António Guterres commemorated the 80th anniversary of the UN General Assembly in London, emphasizing global unity amidst rising geopolitical tensions.
• NASA Moon Mission: NASA has moved its new moon rocket to the launch pad in preparation for the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years.
• Turkey’s Dardanelles Strait: The strategic Dardanelles Strait, which connects the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara, was recently in the news due to a temporary suspension of ship traffic following a tanker's engine failure.

3) 💰Economy

• IndiGo Penalty: The DGCA has imposed a massive fine of over ₹22 crore on IndiGo Airlines following widespread flight delays and cancellations reported last month.
• Indian Rupee Update: The Indian Rupee witnessed a sharp decline, falling 50 paise to hit a near all-time low of 90.84 against the U.S. Dollar.
• FPI Outflows: Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) continue their selling spree, withdrawing approximately ₹22,530 crore from Indian equities in the first three weeks of January 2026.
• CareEdge Forecast: Credit rating agency CareEdge projected that India’s economy will grow at a healthy 7% in FY 2026-27, despite global trade uncertainties.

4) 🗓️Date’s importance

• National Start-up Day (January 16 - observed updates): Celebrated to recognize the spirit of entrepreneurship; 2026 marks a decade of the 'Startup India' initiative.
• NDRF Foundation Day (January 19): The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) celebrates its 21st Raising Day today. Formed in 2006, it is the world's largest specialized force for disaster response.

5) 👱‍♂️👩‍🦳Person of the day

• Aaryan Varshney: The 21-year-old chess prodigy from Delhi became India’s 92nd Chess Grandmaster (GM) after securing his final norm in a tournament in Europe.
• Toby Kiers: Awarded the prestigious Tyler Prize 2026 (often called the 'Nobel for the Environment') for her groundbreaking research on underground fungal networks.

6) 🏅Sports

• India vs NZ ODI Series: Virat Kohli smashed a "lone warrior" century against New Zealand in the final ODI at Indore, rewriting several record books for most centuries in winning causes.
• Manchester Derby: In European football, Manchester United secured a stunning 2-0 victory over Manchester City in what was Michael Carrick’s first match as a permanent manager.
• Australian Open 2026: The first Grand Slam of the year is underway in Melbourne, currently facing challenges due to extreme heat conditions affecting players and staff.

7) 🏆Awards

• NCC Gold Medal: Lieutenant K.M. Sudha created history by becoming the first person from India’s Northeast region to win the NCC Gold Medal at the Officers' Training Academy.

8) ⭐️Other important significance

• New Species Discovery: Indian scientists discovered a rare subterranean, limbless amphibian named Gegeneophis valmiki (a type of blind caecilian) in the northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra.
• Disobind AI Tool: Researchers at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Bengaluru, developed a deep-learning tool named 'Disobind' to predict how disordered proteins bind to their partners, aiding drug discovery.

📚Word of the day

• Conservation: The careful preservation and protection of something, especially the planned management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation or destruction.
• Usage: "The newly launched wildlife corridor in Kaziranga is a vital step toward habitat conservation."