Daily Current Affairs Brief: January 19, 2026

Authored by: K Shiva

1. International News

• Trump’s Gaza ‘Board of Peace’: U.S. President Donald Trump has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to join a proposed "Board of Peace" intended to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza. Invitations have been sent to around 60 nations, though most (except Hungary) have reacted with diplomatic caution.

• UAE President’s Visit: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, arrived in India for official talks with PM Modi to deepen bilateral collaboration.

• Greenland Security Stand-off: Tensions escalated in the Arctic as European troops from France and Germany arrived in Greenland to bolster security, countering U.S. strategic interest in the territory.

• Iran Unrest Update: Reports indicate that over 2,500 people have been killed in the Iranian government's crackdown on nationwide protests. India has evacuated several hundred nationals, including students from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, via commercial flights.

2. National Current Affairs

• PM on ‘Maha Jungle Raj’: During a visit to West Bengal, PM Modi vowed to end what he termed "Maha Jungle Raj" and addressed the issue of infiltrators ahead of assembly elections.

• Voter Roll Revision Controversy: The Supreme Court is closely monitoring the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls following reports of high name-deletions in states like West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

• Digital Arrest Panel: A new inter-departmental panel has been formed to combat the rising menace of "digital arrests" and cyber-extortion.

• New Road Safety Campaign: The 'Arrive Alive' campaign was launched in major metros, encouraging citizens to pledge adherence to traffic rules via missed calls.

3. Science & Technology

• Antibiotics Awareness: Health journals highlighted that antibiotics, pioneered by the discovery of penicillin, have increased global average life expectancy by nearly 23 years.

• ISRO PSLV-C62 Aftermath: Analysis continues following the loss of 16 satellites (including payloads from startups like Dhruva Space) due to the failure of the PSLV-C62 mission.

• AI Infrastructure: Google has confirmed a $1.5 billion investment for an AI infrastructure hub in Andhra Pradesh.

4. State Current Affairs (Telangana & Andhra Pradesh)

• Telangana Cabinet Decisions: The historic Cabinet meeting at Medaram cleared Metro Rail Phase-II expansion (₹2,787 crore) and municipal polls for February.

• Private School Fee Cap: The Telangana government has proposed capping private school fee hikes at 8% every two years, a move rejected by school management associations.

• AP Green Hydrogen Hub: CM N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan inaugurated the major equipment erection for the world’s largest green ammonia complex in Kakinada.

• Singareni Coal Tenders: Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka ordered the cancellation of tenders for the Naini coal mines in Odisha following allegations of irregularity.

5. District & Local News

• Tiger Scare in Yadadri: A male tiger has been spotted just 5km from the Yadagirigutta temple in Yadadri-Bhongir district, where it reportedly killed two calves.

• Medaram Shrine Renovation: CM Revanth Reddy inaugurated the ₹300-crore renovation works at the Sammakka Saralamma temple in preparation for the upcoming Jatara.

• Fake Currency Arrest: Hyderabad police arrested three individuals, including a Kenyan national, for circulating high-quality counterfeit ₹500 notes.

6. Sports and Games

• Tata Steel Masters Chess: World Champion D. Gukesh played out a hard-fought draw against Javokhir Sindarov, while Arjun Erigaisi secured a victory over Praggnanandhaa.

• U19 World Cup: 14-year-old Suryavanshi made history as the youngest player to score a half-century in a Men’s U19 World Cup match as India beat Bangladesh.

• WPL 2026: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) moved to the top of the table after a thrilling last-over win against Mumbai Indians.

7. Cinema & Entertainment

• The Hindu Lit for Life 2026: The premier literature festival concluded in Chennai, featuring speakers like Banu Mushtaq, Kiran Desai, and Shashi Tharoor.

• Space Gen: Chandrayaan: The trailer for India’s first OTT series in the space genre, starring Nakuul Mehta and Shriya Saran, has generated significant buzz ahead of its Jan 23 premiere.

• Telugu Film Hikes: The state government approved temporary ticket price hikes for the highly-anticipated Chiranjeevi-starrer 'Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu'.

8. General Knowledge Points (GK Zone)

1. Which specialized force is celebrating its Raising Day today, 19 January 2026? Answer: National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) (Established in 2006, the NDRF is the world's first dedicated stand-alone disaster response force.)

2. Who have been officially named as the Chief Guests for India's 77th Republic Day Parade in 2026? Answer: António Costa (President of the European Council) and Ursula von der Leyen (President of the European Commission)

3. What is the overarching theme for the Republic Day Parade 2026, which marks a significant musical anniversary? Answer: 150 Years of Vande Mataram (The theme will be reflected in music, tableaux, and a series of historical paintings displayed along Kartavya Path.)

4. Who recently became India's 92nd Chess Grandmaster at the age of 21? Answer: Aaryan Varshney (He achieved his final GM norm in New Delhi, becoming the 8th Grandmaster from the capital city.)

5. In which city will the 78th Indian Army Day parade be held for the first time on 15 January 2026? Answer: Jaipur, Rajasthan (The parade was moved to the "Pink City" as part of the initiative to hold major military events in different regions of India.)

6. Which Indian state is set to host the world's largest "Green Ammonia" complex with a capacity of 1.5 million tonnes? Answer: Andhra Pradesh (Kakinada) (The project will support India's goal to become a global hub for clean energy exports.)

7. India recently signed a "Joint Declaration of Intent on Telecommunications Cooperation" with which country? Answer: Germany (The agreement focuses on 6G technology, network security, and digital transformation.)

8. Which rare subterranean amphibian species was recently discovered in the northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra? Answer: Gegeneophis valmiki (Named after Maharshi Valmiki, this "blind caecilian" is a limbless, worm-like creature that lives underground.)

9. Who took a spectacular 4-wicket haul to lead India to an 18-run victory against Bangladesh in the U19 World Cup 2026? Answer: Vihaan Malhotra (India maintained its unbeaten streak in the tournament following this rain-affected DLS win.)

10. The Supreme Court recently gave a landmark ruling regarding the $1.6-billion tax dispute involving which venture capital firm? Answer: Tiger Global (The court ruled that the stake sale in Flipkart to Walmart is subject to taxation, overturning a previous High Court order.)

11. NDRF: Established in 2006 under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. It currently has 16 operational battalions.

12. Henley Passport Index 2026: India ranked 80th globally.

9. Do You Know?

• The First Stand-Alone Force: India's NDRF is the only force of its kind in the world specifically trained for "Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear" (CBRN) emergencies.

• The 1923 Paintings: During the 2026 Republic Day, the government will display a rare set of paintings by Tejendra Kumar Mitra from 1923 that visually illustrate every verse of Vande Mataram.

• Fungal Internet: The Tyler Prize 2026 was awarded to Toby Kiers for discovering that underground fungi create a "Global Underground Atlas"—a massive circulatory system that helps trees trade nutrients, much like a biological internet.

• The "Battle Array": For the first time in history, the 2026 parade will feature a "Phased Battle Array Display" instead of just a standard march, showing how the Indian Army actually positions itself during a real war.

10. Job & Educational Topics

• IIT-JEE/NEET Scholarships: Major coaching institutes in Vijayawada and Hyderabad have announced scholarship tests (ASAT) for the 2026-27 session.

• Agniveer Recruitment: The Indian Army’s recruitment rally in Secunderabad is scheduled to begin on February 2.

11. Day Special: January 19 — NDRF Raising Day

• National Disaster Response Force (NDRF): Celebrates its 21st Raising Day today.

• Significance: PM Modi and various state leaders greeted the "men and women in orange" for their selfless service and professionalism in crisis management.

• Historical Event: On this day in 1966, Indira Gandhi was first elected as the Prime Minister of India.

• Cultural Note: Kokborok Day (Tripuri Language Day) is observed on January 19 in Tripura to promote the native language.