Current Affairs - January 17, 2020 Current Affairs

Army Day is observed on 15 January every year. India celebrates 72nd Army Day on 15 January 2020. The special event was organized on this day in the national capital, Delhi. Army Command headquarters in the national capital, as well as in other parts of the country, celebrate the occasion by organizing military parades and other shows of strength.

IPS officer Anand Prakash Maheshwari took over as the new director-general of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the world's largest paramilitary force on 15 January 2020. He will retire in February 2021. He will replace ITBP Director General S Deswal who was given the additional charge to head the CRPF.

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh announced that the training for Gaganyaan space astronauts will start their training from the third week of January 2020.The training of the Indian astronauts for India's first human space mission will take place in Russia.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) celebrated its 145th Foundation Day on 15 January 2020. The day was celebrated by the Ministry of Earth Science.

Arunachal Pradesh has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the IUCN on 13 January in Arunachal Pradesh.According to the MoU, the Arunachal Pradesh state government will collaborate with the IUCN and carry out a red-list assessment of the orchids in the state.The state has become the first state to initiate the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) red listing at the state level.

Union MoS Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge) Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurated the exhibition on Indian Heritage in Digital Space and First International Heritage Symposium at National Museum, New Delhi.The exhibition will be open till 15 February 2020.

Union Minister for Women and Child Development and Textiles, Smriti Irani launched 3 welfare Schemes namely the Yashaswini Scheme for Women entrepreneurship, SwasthyaSahayak Project and breast cancer screening initiative for women in Goa in the presence of Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane.

Brazil has announced that it is to open a new research base in Antarctica. Brazil's original scientific outpost was destroyed by fire 8 years ago. The Brazilian government has invested nearly $100 million in the reconstruction of the Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station.

Barcelona FC tops Deloitte Football Money League with earnings of 840.8 million euros in 2018-19.

The United States removed the currency manipulator label it imposed on China last summer, in a sign of easing tensions between the two economic powers after nearly two years of conflict.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is to launch a communication satellite (geosynchronous satellites) GSAT-30 onboard the Ariane-5 launch vehicle (VA 251) from French Guiana, northeastern coast of South America on 17 January 2020.

The World Health Organization (WHO) released the list of Global Health Challenges of the forthcoming year on 13 January 2020. The list of Global Health Challenges highlighted 13 potential threats. The top among the listed threats was Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) and climate crisis.

India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Finland on 15 January 2020. The MoU was signed by Defence Secretary Dr. Ajay Kumar and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence of Finland Mr. Jukka Juusti. The MoU is signed on the sidelines of Raisina Dialogue 2020.

Janak Raj is expected to be appointed as the third internal member of the central bank in the monetary policy committee (MPC). He is currently serving as Reserve Bank of India's principal adviser in the monetary policy department. He will replace Michael Patra, the executive director of the monetary policy department, who was elevated as deputy governor.

Michael Debabrata Patra has been appointed as the deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). He has been appointed to the post for a period of three years. Mr. Patra, who is looking after the monetary policy department as the executive director, will be the fourth deputy governor of the RBI. The post was lying vacant after Viral V Acharya had resigned from the post in June last year.

Secretary, Petroleum and Natural Gas Dr. M MKutty inaugurated fuel conservation mega campaign 'Saksham' in New Delhi on 16 January 2020. The campaign was organized by the Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA). The campaign will be held for a month.

Indo-Japan joint-exercise Sahyog-Kaijin began on 16 January 2020 at the Chennai port. This is the 19th edition of the exercise that is being conducted between the two Coast Guards. The exercise is aimed at further strengthening bilateral ties and mutual understanding between the two coast guards. It also aims to enhance interoperability in communication, search and rescue procedures and sharing of best practices.

Maharashtra Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is expected to launch the first girder for the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL) in January 2020. The estimated cost of the project is Rs.18,000 crore. The project is expected to be completed by 2022.

European Countries namely Britain, France, and Germany pressured Iran to stop its violations of the nuclear deal. The EU countries stressed to resolve differences through talks on the United Nations sanctions. The three countries rejected Iran's justification for violating the deal because the U.S. broke the agreement by withdrawing in 2018.

Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) celebrated its 5th Annual Day in New Delhi on 15 January 2020. Secretary WCD, Rabindra Panwar along with other senior officials of the Ministry, its associated Statutory/Autonomous Bodies and representatives from the States and Union Territories participated in the function.