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Current Affairs 20th January 2026
NOBEL PRIZE 2025
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Nobel Peace – María Corina Machado (Venezuela)
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Physiology – Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell & Shimon Sakaguchi
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Physics – Awarded to John M. Martinis, Michel H. Devoret & John Clarke
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Chemistry – Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson & Omar M. Yaghi
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Literature – László Krasznahorkai
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Economics – Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion & Peter Howitt
1. Maharashtra Emerges as India’s Global Investment Hub
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Record-Breaking Investment Pledges: At the January 2026 Davos summit, Maharashtra signed 19 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) totaling ₹14.5 lakh crore ($173 billion). These agreements, spanning sectors like green energy, data centers, and logistics, are projected to create over 15 lakh jobs.
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Dominance in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): The state continues to be India's "FDI Gateway," attracting approximately 31% to 39% of India’s total FDI inflows over the 2024–2026 period. High execution discipline is a major draw, with the state reporting a conversion rate of nearly 75% for previous investment intentions.
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Infrastructure-Led Economic Vision: Through its "Viksit Maharashtra 2047" roadmap, the state is investing heavily in mega-projects like "Third Mumbai" (a new planned city) and the Green Integrated Data Centre policy. These initiatives aim to propel the state toward becoming a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
Footnotes: Maharashtra's Governor: Acharya Devvrat, CM: Devendra Fadnavis, Capital: Mumbai
2. Jitendra Singh Launches India’s First Open-Sea Farming Project
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Pioneering Technology & Collaboration: The project is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), and the Andaman & Nicobar Administration. It utilizes advanced, NIOT-developed open-sea cages specifically engineered to withstand natural oceanic conditions, moving beyond traditional coastal aquaculture into deep-sea farming.
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Dual Focus on Marine Flora and Fauna: The initiative focuses on the cultivation of high-value marine species to meet both domestic and export demands. This includes Marine Fauna, Marine Flora.
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Economic & Livelihood Empowerment: A central goal of the project is to provide sustainable livelihoods for local fishing communities. By establishing a commercially viable model for marine farming, the government aims to reduce pressure on traditional coastal fishing and eventually scale the project nationwide through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models.
3. Shaea Muhssin Mohammed Al-Zindani appointed as Yemen's PM
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Career Diplomat: Al-Zindani is a veteran diplomat who previously served as Yemen’s Minister of Foreign Affairs (appointed in March 2024) and as the Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, where he played a pivotal role in managing relations with Yemen's most influential regional ally.
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Succession andStability: He succeeds Salem Saleh bin Braik (who served in an acting capacity following Ahmad Awad bin Mubarak). His appointment is seen as an effort by the PLC to consolidate leadership and streamline governance amid the country's ongoing political and economic crises.
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Mandate for Reform: As Prime Minister, Al-Zindani is tasked with addressing Yemen’s severe humanitarian challenges, stabilizing the depreciating national currency, and navigating the complex peace negotiations to end the decade-long conflict with Houthi rebels.
Footnotes: Yemen's PM: Shaea al-Zindani, Capital: Sanaa
4. India, Sri Lanka & Maldives Conducts DOSTI 17 Exercise
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Focus on Non-Traditional Security: The exercise prioritized practical joint training to address non-traditional maritime challenges. This included collaborative MARPOL (marine pollution) response exercises, Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) drills, and coordinated Search and Rescue (SAR) operations.
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Strategic Participation: India deployed key assets including the ICGS Vajra, ICGS Atulya, and an ICG Dornier aircraft. The drills were conducted in two phases—a Harbor Phase in Malé for professional exchange and a Sea Phase to test operational coordination and interoperability in open waters.
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Regional Cooperation & Vision: Formally launched by Maldivian Defence Minister Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon, the exercise serves as a cornerstone of India’s "SAGAR" (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision and its "Neighbourhood First" policy, aiming to ensure stability in the strategically vital Indian Ocean Region.
5. Shri Rajesh Kumar appointed as Director at SJVN
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Internal Leadership Transition: Shri Rajesh Kumar Chandel currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SJVN Limited. His selection represents an internal promotion, ensuring continuity in the leadership and strategic direction of the company's massive project portfolio.
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Competitive Selection Process: Chandel was chosen from a highly competitive pool of 12 senior candidates interviewed by the PESB. The applicants included top-tier executives from other major power utilities, such as NHPC Limited and Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC).
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Strategic Responsibility: As Director (Projects), he will be responsible for overseeing SJVN’s ambitious expansion in the hydro, thermal, and renewable energy sectors. This includes steering critical domestic projects and international ventures in countries like Nepal and Bhutan to meet India's 2030 green energy targets.
Footnotes: SJVN's Chairman & MD: Bhupendra Gupta, HQ: Shimla, Estd: 1988
6. Ilaiyaraaja to Receive Padmapani Award
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Recognition of a Musical Legend: The award celebrates Ilaiyaraaja’s unparalleled career spanning over five decades, during which he has composed more than 7,000 songs and original scores for over 1,500 films across multiple languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Marathi.
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Prestigious Selection Committee: The maestro was chosen by a high-profile committee chaired by film critic Latika Padgaonkar and including acclaimed filmmakers Ashutosh Gowariker, Sunil Sukthankar, and Chandrakant Kulkarni.
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Festival Presentation: The award, which includes a Padmapani memento, a citation, and a cash prize of ₹2 lakh, will be presented during the opening ceremony of the 11th edition of the festival on January 28, 2026, in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
7. C-DOT Wins SKOCH Award 2025
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Recognition for Life-Saving Innovation: The award was conferred for C-DOT’s indigenous Cell Broadcast Solution (CBS). This mission-critical platform delivers near real-time, life-saving emergency alerts directly to mobile phones in geo-targeted areas, bypassing network congestion to reach citizens instantly during disasters.
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Unified National Alert System: The CBS acts as a centralized hub, integrating various alert-generating agencies such as the IMD (weather), CWC (floods), INCOIS (tsunamis), and FSI (forest fires). It streamlines the flow of information between these agencies and telecom operators to ensure swift public warnings.
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Global Standards & Inclusivity: The system supports 21 Indian languages, ensuring that critical alerts are accessible to diverse populations. It aligns with international standards like the ITU’s Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) and the UN's "Early Warnings for All" initiative, positioning India among a select group of nations with such advanced, indigenous technology.
Footnotes: C-DOT's Executive Director: Dr Rajkumar Upadhyay, HQ: Delhi, Estd: 1984
8. Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani passed away
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The "Last Emperor" of Fashion: Known mononymously as Valentino, he was considered one of the final giants of the golden age of haute couture. Over a career spanning nearly 50 years, he became the "King of the Red Carpet," dressing global icons ranging from Jacqueline Kennedy and Princess Diana to Hollywood stars like Elizabeth Taylor and Julia Roberts.
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Signature "Valentino Red": He was world-renowned for his mastery of elegance and his creation of a specific, vibrant shade of scarlet known as "Valentino Red" (Rosso Valentino). This signature hue became a hallmark of his brand, symbolizing the passion, glamour, and timeless femininity that defined his design philosophy.
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National Tribute in Italy: Following the announcement by his foundation, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni paid tribute to him as an "undisputed master of style."
WHAT HAPPENED TODAY?
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1957 – India’s first nuclear reactor “Apsara” was inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru.
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1961 – John F. Kennedy was sworn in as the 35th President of the USA.
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