Daily Current Affairs – International
Myanmar-China push for BRI with 33 deals
Myanmar and China signed 33 bilateral deals including agreements, MoUs, exchange letters and protocols on the concluding day of the two day visit by the Chinese President Xi Jinping to Myanmar.
- A large number of these deals relate to the implementation of the China Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) launched by China.
- The two countries signed a concession agreement and shareholders’ agreement for the Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) deep seaport project.
- The port will link the land locked Yunnan province of China directly to the Indian Ocean allowing China to bypass the strait of Malacca through which it imports a sizable amount of oil and gas.
Social Mobility Index: India ranks low at 76th place; Denmark tops
India has been ranked very low at 76th place out of 82 countries on a new Social Mobility Index compiled by the World Economic Forum.
- Denmark has topped the charts.
- The report, released ahead of the 50th Annual Meeting of the WEF, also lists India among the five countries that stand to gain the most from a better social mobility score.
- The top five are all Scandinavian, while the five economies with the most to gain from boosting social mobility are China, the United States, India, Japan and Germany.
China reports SARS-like virus spreads across country, nearly 136 new cases
China reported a mysterious SARS-like virus has spread across the country, including to Beijing.
- A third person was confirmed to have died and nearly 140 cases were announced.
- The new coronavirus strain has caused alarm because of its connection to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which killed nearly 650 people across mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003.
- A total of 201 people have now been diagnosed with the virus in China.
- SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, is the disease caused by SARS coronavirus.
Daily Current Affairs – National
India successfully test-fires K-4 ballistic missile
India has successfully test-fired a 3,500 kilometre range nuclear capable missile that can be launched from a submarine.
- The test of the K-4 ballistic missile was conducted off the Vizag coast in Andhra Pradesh on.
- With this test, India has moved one more step towards the induction of this ballistic missile on the INS Arihant class of nuclear submarines.
- The missile was developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
- Only the US, Russia and China have submarine-launched ballistic missiles of 3,500-kilometre range.
Nationwide programme to administer polio drops to children organized on National Immunization Day
The National immunization day was observed on 19 January.
- With an aim to maintain the ‘NO POLIO’ status, a nationwide programme to administer polio drops to children below 5 years was organized throughout the country.
- President Ram Nath Kovind launched the Pulse Polio Programme for this year by administering Polio drops to children below the age of five at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- This immunization programme would be held for the next two days to cover all the left out children by door to door visit.
PM Modi interacts with students in ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ program
PrimeMinister Narendra Modi interacted with school students in his ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha-2020 programme.
- The third edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha was organised at Talkatora Indoor Stadium in Delhi.
- Over 2,000 students, parents and teachers participated from all over the country.
- Mr Modi answers questions and interacts with students on how they can beat examination stress.
Delhi CM launches ‘Guarantee card’
Aam Aadmi Party national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched party’s Guarantee Card ahead of upcoming assembly elections in the national capital.
- This card lists 10 promises that AAP will deliver on if it is elected to rule Delhi again.
- The card, ’10 guarantees of Kejriwal’, also promised to continue the scheme for free electricity up to 200 units, free health facilities and to plant two crore saplings in the national capital over the next five years.
Daily Current Affairs – Sports
Tow-day SQAY competition kicks off in Madhya Pradesh
The two-day SQAY competition is being organized at Sports Authority of India (SAI) in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
- The under-21 category tournament is organized under the ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ campaign.
- SQAY is a martial art form of Central Asia, in which the players show the skills of fencing.
- Experts say that the martial art form originated in Kashmir.
- In this competition, teams from eight states across the country including Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Goa, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Bihar and Tripura will participate.
Ratchanok Intanon lifts Indonesia Masters 2020 title
Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon lifted the Indonesia Badminton Masters 2020 women’s singles title after defeating Carolina Marin in the summit clash.
- Intanon defeated Marin 21-19, 11-21, 21-18 in one hour and twenty minutes long match.
- The clash went into three-games and both the shuttlers tried their 100 per cent to turn things in their favour.
- Despite losing the first game, the Spanish shuttler made a comeback in the second game and claimed the game by 21-11.
- Intanon won the match by claiming the third game by 21-18.
India bags 7 medals in Rome Ranking Series
In wrestling, India has returned with seven medals from the Rome Ranking Series.
- Bajrang Punia and Ravi Kumar Dahiya claimed gold medals in the tournament.
- The 25-year-old Bajrang staged a comeback to secure a 4-3 win against USA’s Jordan Michael Oliver in the summit showdown of the 65kg freestyle category.
- The 23-year-old Ravi bagged the gold after defeating Kazakhstan’s Nurbolat Abdualiyev 12-2 in his final 61 kg category bout.
- Earlier, Vinesh Phogat won a gold and Anshu Malik a silver in the women’s competition.
- In Greco-roman, Gurpreet Singh won gold in 82 kg category.
- Sunil Kumar settled for a silver in the 97kg category while Sajan Bhanwal got a bronze in the 77 kg category.
Sania Mirza wins women’s doubles title of WTA International trophy at Hobart
In Tennis, Sania Mirza and her Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok have won the women’s doubles title of the WTA International trophy at Hobart in Australia.
- In the final, they beat Shaui Peng and Shuai Zhang of China 6-4, 6-4.
- It is Sania’s 42nd WTA doubles title and first since Brisbane International trophy in 2007 with American partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
Daily Current Affairs – Deaths
Veteran Odia Hindustani vocalist Sunanda Patnaik passes away at 85
Eminent Indian classical singer and daughter of noted Odia poet Baikunthanath Patnaik, Sunanda Patnaik passed away.
- Singer of Gwalior gharana of classical music, Sunanda was referred to as ‘Guruma’ in the classical music circle.
- Her popular devotional Odia song ‘Jeevana Patra Mo Bhariccha Kete Mote’ that was penned by her father, still holds a special place in the hearts of Odias.
- For her contribution to Hindustani classical music, Sunanda was honoured with the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1970 and 1971 and the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for the year 2012.