Daily Current Affairs Brief: January 26, 2026

Authored by: K Shiva

1. International Current Affairs

Republic Day Guests: Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, attended India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations as Chief Guests.

U.S. Visa Backlog: Indian professionals face significant anxiety as the waiting period for H-1B visa stamping interviews at U.S. consulates has reportedly extended into 2027.

Trump's Tariff Warnings: U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened Canada with a 100% tariff on all goods if it moves forward with a trade deal with China, claiming such a pact would destroy Canada's social fabric.

Violence in Bangladesh: Another Hindu youth, Chanchal Chandra Bhowmik, was reportedly burned to death in a planned act of arson while he slept in his workshop.

U.S. Winter Storm: A massive winter storm forced the cancellation of over 9,000 flights across the United States, disrupting power and snapping major roadways.

Airbus Geopolitical Warning: Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury warned staff to adapt to unsettling new geopolitical risks, including disunity between Washington and allies over Greenland and NATO.

2. National Current Affairs

Padma Awards 2026: The Union Government announced 131 Padma awards, including 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri.

Padma Vibhushan Recipients: Honorees include Bollywood veteran Dharmendra, former Kerala CM V.S. Achuthanandan (posthumous), former SC Judge K.T. Thomas, and CPI leader P. Narayanan.

Ashok Chakra for Astronaut: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian astronaut to reach the ISS, was awarded the Ashok Chakra, the nation's highest peacetime gallantry award.

New BJP Leadership: Nitin Nabin (45) has officially taken charge as the youngest-ever National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Rozgar Mela: Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributed appointment letters to over 61,000 newly recruited government personnel via video conference.

Passing of Mark Tully: Legendary former BBC bureau chief Sir Mark Tully, a trusted voice in Indian journalism for decades, passed away at age 90.

3. Science & Technology

Nuclear PLI Scheme: The government is likely to announce an ₹18,000–20,000 crore Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for manufacturing critical nuclear components in the upcoming Budget.

Alzheimer’s AI Test: Indian diagnostic firms have introduced an AI-integrated blood biomarker test to support early detection of Alzheimer’s disease.

Hypersonic Missile Debut: DRDO showcased its Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM) during the 77th Republic Day parade.

Sonic Boom Tracking: Researchers have successfully used seismometers to detect and analyze sonic booms from space debris during atmospheric reentry.

UP AI Mission: Uttar Pradesh launched a ₹2,000 crore "UP AI Mission" focusing on 65 Data & AI labs to revolutionize healthcare.

Andhra SpaceTech Summit: The Space Tech Summit-2026 at Vignan’s University concluded successfully, featuring rocketry challenges for students.

4. States Current Affairs

Andhra Pradesh Investment: CM Chandrababu Naidu stated that AP secured approximately ₹20 lakh crore in investment commitments over the last 18 months.

Amaravati Legal Sanctity: A bill to provide permanent legal sanctity to Amaravati as the capital of Andhra Pradesh is expected to be introduced in the current Parliament Budget Session.

Telugu Padma Winners: A total of 14 Telugu individuals were honored with Padma awards this year, including oncologist Dr. Nori Dattatreyudu (Padma Bhushan).

Punjab Education & Health: CM Bhagwant Mann pledged to make quality education and healthcare fundamental rights for every common citizen in Punjab.

Telangana Projects: CM Naidu expressed that Telangana's stance on the Nallamalasagar project is incorrect and urged AP MPs to clarify this in Parliament.

Mumbai Infrastructure: Embassy Group announced plans for new projects in Mumbai worth ₹12,000 crore.

5. District & Local News

Tirumala Ratha Saptami: Approximately 1.50 lakh devotees attended the Ratha Saptami celebrations at Tirumala, where Lord Malayappa Swamy was taken in procession on seven vahanas.

Tiger Scare in Eluru: A tiger straying through Koyyalagudem and Buttayagudem mandals has killed ten cattle in five days, prompting forest officials to set traps.

Visakha Utsav: The annual cultural festival "Visakha Utsav" began with grand celebrations along the RK Beach in Visakhapatnam.

Hyderabad Fire Aftermath: Investigation and DNA testing continue to identify victims of the massive furniture shop fire in Nampally.

Guntur Tragedy: A woman named Durga, who allegedly set fire to her boyfriend's family, died while undergoing treatment for her own burn injuries.

Kurnool Arrests: Police arrested four individuals for allegedly injecting a woman doctor with HIV-positive blood in Kurnool.

6. Sports & Games

India Sweeps T20 Series: India took an unassailable 3-0 lead against New Zealand after a dominant 8-wicket win; Abhishek Sharma smashed a record 12-ball half-century.

Tennis Honor: Indian tennis legend Vijay Amritraj was awarded the Padma Bhushan.

Cricket Padma Shri: Indian captains Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur were named recipients of the Padma Shri award.

Hockey India League: Ranchi Royals reached the final after captain Tom Boon scored a hat-trick to defeat Hyderabad Toofans 3-2.

Australian Open: Carlos Alcaraz advanced to his 14th Grand Slam quarterfinal, a record for a man under 23 years of age.

Ranji Trophy: Andhra secured a commanding 8-wicket victory over Vidarbha to move to the top of the Group table.

7. Cinema & Entertainment

Telugu Actors Honored: Renowned actors Rajendra Prasad and Murali Mohan were awarded the Padma Shri for their contributions to cinema.

OTT Releases: The mystic thriller Shambala is set for release on Aha, while the series Space Zen Chandrayaan arrives on JioHotstar.

Spiritual Singer Award: Spiritual singer Garimella Balakrishna Prasad was posthumously honored with the Padma Shri.

Murali Mohan’s Legacy: Actor Murali Mohan has acted in over 350 films across his 53-year cinematic journey.

Oscar Nominations: Ryan Coogler’s Sinners led the 98th Academy Award nominations with a record-breaking 16 nods.

8. General Knowledge (Competitive Exams)

1. Who are the Chief Guests for India's 77th Republic Day Parade today? Answer: António Costa (President of the European Council) and Ursula von der Leyen (President of the European Commission).

2. What is the central theme of the 2026 Republic Day Parade? Answer: "150 Years of Vande Mataram" (marking the anniversary of the national song written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay).

3. Which veteran actor has been posthumously honored with the Padma Vibhushan 2026? Answer: Dharmendra Singh Deol (posthumous).

4. Who is the Parade Commander for the Republic Day Parade 2026 at Kartavya Path? Answer: Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar (General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area).

5. Which indigenous rocket system made its debut in the Republic Day Parade today? Answer: Suryastra (Universal Rocket Launcher System).

6. Which former Kerala Chief Minister was awarded the Padma Vibhushan 2026 posthumously? Answer: V.S. Achuthanandan.

7. Which Indian cricket captain was honored with the Padma Shri award on the eve of Republic Day 2026? Answer: Rohit Sharma (along with women's captain Harmanpreet Kaur Bhullar).

8. Which newly raised military unit marched for the first time in the 2026 Republic Day parade? Answer: Bhairav Light Commando Battalion.

9. The 21-gun salute during the National Anthem was presented using which indigenously developed weapon system? Answer: 105 mm Light Field Guns.

10. In the Australian Open 2026 today, which top seed reached the quarterfinals after a walkover? Answer: Novak Djokovic (after his opponent Jakub Mensik withdrew).

11. Delimitation Projections: Projections suggest northern states could gain 158 parliamentary seats while southern states may gain only 24 during future delimitation.

9. Do You Know?

• Wikipedia Data Size: Wikipedia now houses approximately 775 terabytes of data across its 7 million English articles.

• Spider Silk Toughness: Scientific research indicates that female bark spiders produce silk significantly tougher and more durable than that of males.

• The Traditional Buggy: After many years, the President of India arrived at Kartavya Path in a traditional horse-drawn buggy, escorted by the President's Bodyguard, the senior-most regiment of the Army.

• The "Vande Mataram" Gallery: Along Kartavya Path today, the government displayed a rare series of paintings from 1923 by artist Tejendra Kumar Mitra, which illustrate every single verse of our national song.

• Animal Force Multipliers: For the first time, the parade featured a special animal contingent including Zanskar ponies (for high altitude), Bactrian camels (for desert ops), and even Army raptors (birds of prey).

• The First Time for EU: This is the first time in history that two leaders of the European Union have simultaneously served as Chief Guests for India's Republic Day.

10. Job & Educational Topics

Government Appointments: PM Modi handed out 61,000 recruitment letters during the latest Rozgar Mela.

RBI Recruitment: Applications for 572 Office Attendant posts in the Reserve Bank of India are open until February 4, 2026.

Internship Stipend: The government is considering raising the PM Internship Scheme stipend to ₹11,800 per month.

Board Exams: Intermediate annual examinations for 1.75 lakh students in Hyderabad are scheduled to begin on February 25.

SpaceTech Training: Students at the AP Space Tech Summit received specialized training in rocketry and satellite technology.

11. Day Special: 77th Republic Day (26 January)

• Commemoration: Today marks the 76th anniversary of India becoming a Republic in 1950.

• Purna Swaraj Connection: The date January 26 was chosen to commemorate the Purna Swaraj declaration of 1930.

• Theme for 2026: "150 years of Vande Mataram".

• Main Celebrations: President Droupadi Murmu addressed the nation, highlighting India's role as a messenger of peace in a world of conflict.

• Maiden Celebrations: Amaravati hosted its first official Republic Day celebrations as the designated capital of Andhra Pradesh.

• Chief Guests: The historic presence of both the European Council and European Commission Presidents underscored strengthening India-EU ties.