Current Affairs - January 15, 2020 Current Affairs

Tata Power Solar Systems Ltd bagged a megaproject from NTPC for a 250-megawatt solar project under the Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSU) scheme. The cost of the project is Rs.1,505 crore. It has been estimated to be completed in a period of 20 months.

On January 17, 2020, the Indian Space Research Organization will launch GSAT-30 satellite on the launch vehicle Ariane-5. It is to be launched in Ariane Launch Complex at Kourou. Kourou is a French territory that if located along the north eastern coast of South America.

Real Madrid Beat Atletico Madrid on Penalties to Win 2020 Spanish Super Cup. Real Madrid won the Spanish Super Cup after beating local rivals Atletico Madrid 4-1 in a penalty shootout at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Senior IPS officer A P Maheshwari was on January 13 appointed as Director-General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), according to a Personnel Ministry order. Maheshwari, a 1984 batch IPS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, is at present Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the Union Home Ministry.

Portuguese motorcycle rider Paulo Goncalves died after a crash in the seventh stage of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia. The 40-year-old Hero Motorsports entrant, taking part in his 13th Dakar Rally since making his debut in 2006, fell after 276km of the special stage from the capital Riyadh to Wadi Al Dawasir.

P.V. Sindhu was adjudged the Sportstar of the Year and Kapil Dev honoured for Lifetime Achievement at the Sportstar Aces Awards here on January 13. Sindhu, who won a historic badminton World Championship gold in 2019, was also declared the Sportswoman of the Year (racquet sports) before an audience of some of the finest Indian sporting stars.

Assam's Dibrugarh district won the Plastic Waste Management Award 2020. It was awarded for being the best district of India in the plastic waste management category during Swachhta Hi Sewa 2019. The award was received by Pallav Gopal Jha, Deputy Commissioner from renowned Bollywood actor Amir Khan at a function held at Pride Plaza, Aerocity in Delhi.

Kolkata Port Trust was renamed as Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Port on the occasion of 150th year's 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.

Veteran Odia filmmaker Manmohan Mohapatra died at a hospital here on January 13following prolonged illness. He was 69. Winner of several National Awards, Mohapatra was undergoing treatment at a private hospital where he breathed his last in the evening.

The Statue of Unity that was inaugurated by PM Modi in October 2018 has been included in 8 wonders of SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization). The statue was a monumental tribute to Sardar Vallabhai Patel.

On January 13, 2020, Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the sixth Island Development Agency meeting in New Delhi. The meeting focused on "Green Development in the Islands to reach new heights".

For the first time, India will host the annual meeting of council of heads of government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the grouping''s Secretary General Vladimir Norov said on January 13.

Odisha was named the Best State for the Promotion of Sports at the Sportstar Aces Awards in Mumbai on January 13, beating out Telangana and Tamil Nadu to the prize. Odisha had a budgetary allocation of ?220 crore for 2019-20.

Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister launched the first Cyber Crime Prevention Unit of India "AASHVAST" in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. He also launched 2 other projects: VISWAS & Netrang. AASHVAST project will act as a helpline for the cybercrime victims.

Kenya's Rhonex Kipruto set a new 10km road world record of 26 minutes 24 seconds in Valencia. Kipruto bettered the previous fastest time set by Uganda's Joshua Cheptegei, also in Valencia in December 2019, by 14 seconds.

Ishwar Sharma from the UK has been honoured with the Global Child Prodigy Award 2020. The award recognized for the achievements in spiritual discipline yoga. He received his Certificate of Achievement at a special event attended by Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi and Dr. Kiran Bedi, Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, in New Delhi in January 2020.

Every year 15 January is observed as Indian Army Day because on this day in 1949 field Marshal Kodandera M Cariappa took over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from General Sir Francis Butcher, the last British Commander-in-Chief.

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated a workshop-cum-exhibition on Bamboo-A wonder grass at Convention Centre, Jammu on 11 January. The workshop was held on 11-12 January 2020.

The 18th edition of Dhaka International Film Festival begins at Dhaka, Bangladesh. The theme of the festival is 'Better Film, Better Audience and Better Society'.

Every year, Armed Forces Veterans Day is celebrated on January 14. The day is being celebrated since 2017. The day was initially called Armistice Day.The Day began its journey as Armistice Day in order to reflect upon heroism of those who died in country's service. Armistice Day is celebrated on November 11 all over the world.