• National

Inter-state bridge in J-K to be inaugurated

• Union minister Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate the 1.2 km-long ‘Keediyan-Gandiyal’ bridge on the Ravi river in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir on 22 January 2019.
• The inter-state bridge will connect the secluded areas of Kathua district with Punjab.
• The bridge would strengthen the inter-state connectivity besides giving a boost to the social as well as economic development of the region.

• International

Rio de Janeiro will be World Capital of Architecture for 2020: UNESCO

• According to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization), the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro will be the World Capital of Architecture for 2020.
• Rio (defeated Paris and Melbourne) will be the first city to receive the title under a program launched together by UNESCO and the International Union of Architects (UIA) in November 2018.
• The city will host the World Congress of UIA, in July 2020, an event that occurs every three years.
• The World Capital of Architecture is intended to become an international forum for debates about pressing global challenges from the perspectives of culture, cultural heritage, urban planning and architecture.

• International

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven Reelected For Second Term

• The Swedish Parliament approved Stefan Lofven as Prime Minister for a second four-year term.
• A total of 115 MPs voted yes, 153 voted no and 77 abstained.
• To be elected, Lofven did not need to secure a majority of the vote.
• As long as fewer than 175 of the 349-member parliament voted against him, he would be elected.

• Economy and Business

Nepal’s Central Bank Announces Ban of Indian Notes Above Rs100

• Nepal’s central bank has banned the use of Indian currency notes of Rs 2,000, Rs 500 and Rs 200 denominations, a move that could affect Indian tourists visiting the Himalayan nation where Indian currency is widely used.
• Nepal Rastra Bank issued a circular prohibiting Nepali travellers, banks and financial institutions from holding or carrying and trading Indian bank notes higher than Rs 100.
• Under the new regulation, Nepali citizens cannot carry these denominations to countries other than India.
• Similarly, Nepalis are also not allowed to bring such notes from other countries. Indian notes of Rs 100 or below, however, are allowed for trading and conversion.

• Sports

Ankita Raina wins ITF's tournament in Singapore

• India’s Ankita Raina has won the International Tennis Federation’s 25,000-dollar Women’s tournament in Singapore.
• In the Final, Ankita defeated top seed and world number 122 Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands, 6-3, 6-2.
• She toppled four seeded players in the tournament to win her first title of the season and eighth overall.

• Sports

Mumbai Marathon: Cosmas Lagat, Worknesh Alemu clinch men’s, women’s titles

• Cosmas Lagat (Kenya) and Worknesh Alemu (Ethiopia) won the men’s and women’s crowns in the Tata Mumbai Marathon in Mumbai.
• Lagat stormed his way home in the 42.195 kilometres race in 2 hours 9 minutes and 15 seconds.
• India’s Sudha Singh finished on top among the Indian runners while sitting at a personal best of 2 hours:34 minutes and: 56 seconds.
• In second place was Aychew Bantie of Ethiopia who clocked 2 hours:10 minutes and: 05 seconds. The women’s race Ethiopian Alemu in 2 hours: 25 minutes and: 45 seconds.

• Awards

Ranjani Murali wins ‘Woman’s Voice Award’

• US-based Indian poet Ranjani Murali received the ‘Woman’s Voice Award’ at the Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival (AKLF) on 20 January 2019.
• The aim of the award is to recognise and encourage creative writing by women in India and to support the publication of their writing.
• Ranjani Murali’s first book of poems ‘Blind Screens’ was published in July 2017.

• Awards

Indian-American Gurinder Singh Khalsa Presented with Rosa Parks Trailblazer Award

• The Indian-American Sikh Gurinder Singh Khalsa, 45, who lives in Fishers of Indiana, US was presented with the prestigious 2019 Rosa Park Trailblazer award after being selected for champions of the diversity by the Indiana Minority Business Magazine.
• The award has been given for his campaign that forced the authorities in the US to change their policy towards turban of the Sikh community and for his continued demonstration of courage and compassion.

• Appointments

RBI Approves Appointment of V Vaidyanathan as MD, CEO of IDFC First Bank

• The Reserve Bank of India has approved the appointment of V Vaidyanathan as MD and CEO of IDFC First Bank for a period of three years.
• In December 2018, IDFC Bank and non-banking financial company Capital First completed their merger, creating a combined loan asset book of Rs 1.03 lakh crore for the merged entity IDFC First Bank.
• Following the merger, the board of IDFC First Bank approved the appointment of Vaidyanathan as MD and CEO of the new entity.

• States

ASI finds 2,300-year-old artefacts in Odisha

• Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) unearthed artefacts believed to be 2,300-year-old while carrying out excavation at the Asurgarh Fort in Odisha’s Kalahandi district.
• The artefacts belonged to the Mauryan and Kushan period.
• Other discovered artefacts include glass bangle pieces of different designs and colours, sling balls, pestle, iron equipment like a small wheel, ring, and arrowhead.

• Miscellaneous

UK Sinha-Headed Working Group to Suggest Suitable Framework

• The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has set up an 11-member working group under the Chairmanship of former SEBI chief UK Sinha to go into the concept of ‘Group Insolvency’ and suggest a suitable framework.
• This Working Group has been tasked to submit a report — within two months — recommending a complete regulatory framework to facilitate insolvency resolution and liquidation of corporate debtors in a Group.