Daily Current Affairs Brief: January 16, 2026

Authored by: K Shiva

1. International News

• U.S. Sanctions on Iran: The United States has imposed new sanctions on five Iranian officials, accusing them of orchestrating the crackdown on nationwide protests. The U.S. Treasury is also tracking Iranian leaders' funds being wired to international banks.

• Canada-China Diplomatic Push: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is on his first trip to China in eight years to meet President Xi Jinping. Canada is attempting to diversify its markets following the imposition of heavy U.S. tariffs.

• Greenland Security Tensions: Troops from several European countries, including France and Germany, have arrived in Greenland to boost the island's security amid "fundamental disagreement" with the U.S. over its strategic intentions for the territory.

• Singapore Political Move: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong removed Indian-origin Workers Party chief Pritam Singh as the Leader of the Opposition following Singh's court conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee.

2. National Current Affairs

• India-EU Trade Progress: India and the European Union have successfully closed 20 out of 24 chapters in their free trade agreement negotiations. Both parties aim to reach a deal before EU leaders, who will be chief guests at the Republic Day parade, visit India later this month.

• Evacuation from Iran: India has initiated steps to evacuate its approximately 10,000 nationals from Iran following the temporary closure of Iranian airspace due to rising regional tensions.

• SC Notice to West Bengal CM: The Supreme Court issued a notice to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and top police officials on an Enforcement Directorate (ED) plea seeking a CBI probe into alleged obstruction of search operations at the I-PAC office.

• Exit Polls for BMC: Exit polls predict a significant sweep for the BJP-led alliance in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.

3. Science & Technology

• Lethal Pathogen Lab in Gujarat: Union Home Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation for India’s first state-funded Bio-Safety Level 4 (BSL-4) containment facility in Gandhinagar. This "health shield" will allow research on the deadliest pathogens like Ebola and Nipah.

• Pax Silica Inclusion: India has been belatedly inducted into the U.S.-led "Pax Silica" strategic initiative, which aims to build secure supply chains for semiconductors, AI, and critical minerals to counter China’s dominance.

• NASA Medical Evacuation: An ailing astronaut was successfully returned to Earth early in the first-ever medical evacuation from the International Space Station, guided by a SpaceX capsule.

4. State Current Affairs (Telangana & Andhra Pradesh)

• Google Investment in A.P.: Google announced a $1.5 billion investment to build an AI infrastructure hub in Andhra Pradesh.

• Telangana Legislators Disqualification: The Telangana Speaker dismissed disqualification petitions against two BRS legislators who switched to the Congress party.

• A.P. Genco Sustainable Storage: AP-Genco is moving ahead with Pumped Storage Hydro Projects to ensure long-term sustainable energy storage.

5. District & Local News

• Alpha 2 Sector Health Scare: Over 70 residents in Alpha 2, Greater Noida, fell ill after consuming water allegedly contaminated with sewage due to corroded pipelines.

• Delhi Traffic QR Payments: Delhi Traffic Police has integrated a new system allowing citizens to pay traffic challans on the spot by scanning QR codes for UPI transactions.

• Indore Water Contamination Audit: A death audit report in Indore confirmed that at least 15 out of 23 recent deaths are suspected to have been caused by contaminated water.

6. Sports and Games

• U-19 World Cup Heritage: India defeated the USA in their opening game of the ICC Under-19 World Cup. Interestingly, one in every three cricketers in the entire tournament traces their ancestry to South Asia.

• India Open Badminton: Lakshya Sen has progressed to the quarterfinals and is set to take on Lin Chun-Yi.

• Hockey India League: JSW Soorma Hockey Club secured their first victory of the 2026 season by defeating the HIL Governing Council 3-1.

7. Cinema & Entertainment

• Jaipur Literature Festival: The festival opened with a focus on International Booker Prize-winning authors, including Banu Mushtaq and Kiran Desai.

• 3rd International Kite Festival: Inaugurated by Amit Shah in New Delhi, the festival celebrates traditional craftsmanship and culture.

8. General Knowledge Points (GK Zone)

1. Which state has recently been officially declared as the "Ginger Capital of India" by NITI Aayog? Answer: Mizoram (The state received this recognition due to its rapid growth in production and the high quality of ginger grown by local farmers.)

2. Which Indian state recently announced a major "Wildlife Exchange Programme" with Assam to receive rhinos and wild water buffaloes in exchange for tigers? Answer: Madhya Pradesh (Assam will send rhinos and buffaloes to MP, while MP will provide tigers and crocodiles to Assam.)

3. The Supreme Court of India recently suggested introducing which specific clause in the POCSO Act to protect consensual adolescent relationships? Answer: "Romeo-Juliet" Clause (The court urged the Union government to ensure that consensual relationships between adolescents are not unfairly prosecuted under the Act.)

4. Who is the first Indian to receive the rare "Samurai Martial Arts Honour" in Japan? Answer: Pawan Kalyan (The honor was conferred in recognition of his contributions and dedication to martial arts.)

5. According to the "Global Risk Report 2026" released by the World Economic Forum (WEF), what is the top short-term global risk? Answer: Geoeconomic Confrontation (The report highlights trade wars, sanctions, and the weaponization of economic tools as the most immediate threats.)

6. India is set to join which US-led global technology alliance in February 2026? Answer: Pax Silica Initiative (This initiative focuses on technology security and creating a secure global supply chain for semiconductors and electronics.)

7. Which Indian bank has launched the country’s first "Solar-Powered ATM Van"? Answer: Punjab National Bank (PNB) (The van is designed to provide mobile banking services in remote areas while operating entirely on renewable energy.)

8. The "Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary," which was recently in the news for hosting over 6,500 rescued monkeys, is located on which hill range? Answer: Aravalli Range (The sanctuary spans the Southern Delhi Ridge and extends into parts of Haryana.)

9. Which Indian personality was recently appointed as the Director General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)? Answer: Shatrujeet Kapur (The senior IPS officer has taken charge of the elite mountain-trained force.)

10. In which city was the "Third Indian Lighthouse Festival" recently organized to promote maritime tourism? Answer: Visakhapatnam (The festival highlights the historical significance of lighthouses and their role in India's coastal heritage.)

11. Unicorn Status: India ranks third globally in terms of the number of unicorns according to the Hurun Global Unicorn Index 2025.

12. BSL-4 Facility: Represents the highest level of biological containment for researching dangerous pathogens.

9. Do You Know?

• Oldest River: The Finke River in Australia (known to locals as Larapinta) is being highlighted by geologists today as the oldest river system in the world, dating back over 300 million years.

• Samurai Honor: The Samurai martial arts honor received by Pawan Kalyan is a rare distinction, as it is usually reserved for practitioners who have mastered the philosophy of Bushido alongside physical combat.

• Miyawaki Forests: Many Indian cities are now adopting the Miyawaki Method, which allows native forests to grow 10x faster and 30x denser than traditional plantations, helping fight urban heat.

• Jamma Bane Lands: A unique form of hereditary land tenure in the Kodagu district of Karnataka, originally granted for military service.

• Gen Z Stare: An expression coined on social media to describe the awkward, expressionless look given by tech-dependent individuals when asked a simple verbal question.

10. Job & Educational Topics

• AICTE Caution: The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) issued a public notice warning students against fraudulent Ed-Tech companies offering unapproved diploma and degree courses.

• SBI Property Fest: State Bank of India is hosting "Griha Utsav," a grand property fest in Gurugram on January 17-18, featuring over 250 approved projects and on-the-spot home loan assistance.

11. Day Special: 10th Anniversary of National Startup Day (January 16)

• Vision: The Startup India initiative was launched on January 16, 2016, to cultivate innovation and stimulate investments.

• Milestones Over 10 Years:

  • 2+ Lakh startups are registered in the country today.

  • 45% of these startups are based in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.

  • 48% of startups have at least one woman director.

  • 20+ Lakh direct jobs have been created.

  • ₹15 Lakh Crore in total funding has been secured by Indian startups.

• Key Celebrations: Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a special address at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, to commemorate "10 Glorious Years of Startup India".

• New Policies: Tamil Nadu recently launched India’s first Deeptech Startup Policy to specifically support high-tech innovation.

• Funding News: Union Minister Piyush Goyal unveiled the second edition of 'Anusandhan', a ₹1 lakh crore startup fund.