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• The US will begin the process of the withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty on February 2.


• The US' announcement came after it rejected an offer to inspect a new Russian missile that it claims violates the Cold War-era treaty.


• The INF treaty required the elimination of both US' and Russia's land-based nuclear missiles from Europe.

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• President Donald Trump cancelled the US delegation's trip to the annual international conference at Davos, saying the officials were needed in Washington to tackle the shutdown of the federal government.


• Out of consideration for the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay and to ensure his team can assist as needed, President Trump has cancelled his Delegation's trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland".

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• World Economic Forum released its annual Global Risk Report 2019, the 14th edition.


• The report’s findings are based on the annual Global Risks Perception Survey, which asks the Forum’s network of business, government, civil society and thought leaders to gauge the risks facing our world.


• The risks in the report has been divided in 2 parts Top 10 Risks by Likelihood and Top 10 Risks by Impact.


• Further the risks were dived into 5 categories of: Economic, Environmental, Geopolitical, Societal, Technological.


• It was done in partnership with: Marsh McLennan Companies and Zurich Insurance Group.


• The report was released ahead of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos.

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• A North Korean envoy arrived in Washington for expected talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a possible encounter with President Donald Trump aimed a laying the groundwork for a second U.S.-North Korea summit.


• The envoy arrived on the same day Mr. Trump unveiled a revamped U.S. missile defense strategy that singled out North Korea as an ongoing and “extraordinary threat,” seven months after he declared after his first summit with leader Kim Jong Un that the North Korean threat had been eliminated.

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• Minister of State in Department of Space Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the 1st batch of UNNATI programme of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Bengaluru, Karnataka.


• The full form of UNNATI is Unispace Nanosatellite Assembly and Training programme.


• It has been launched by ISRO as part of initiative by United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE-50).

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• Honorable President of India Shri. Ramnath Nath Kovind inaugurated the two-day Gandhian Resurgence Summit on the occasion of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi’s 150 birth anniversary at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh.


• The summit was organised by the Parmarath Niketan, the Harijan Sevak Sangh and the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance.


• The President also unveiled the statue of Maharishi Bhardwaj in the town.


• Mr. Kovind participated in Vishwa Shanti Yagya at Parmarth Niketan in Arail.

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• Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Suresh Prabhu inaugurated the three-day 10th India Rubber Expo – 2019 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai.


• He announced that a National Rubber Policy would soon be put to place to improve productivity of the sector enabling India’s efforts to become a 5 trillion-dollar economy.


• The India Rubber Expo is Asia’s largest rubber expo. The event offers a unique opportunity for Indian companies to meet and collaborate with overseas companies.

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• The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama, Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) launched the second phase of the WebCampaign ‘SĀNJHI –MUJH MEIN KALĀKĀR’.


• To document and promote direct public-participation in the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) and diverse cultural traditions of the country.


• The literal meaning of the term SĀNJHI is “to share” and “to partner”.


• The second phase of this campaign, SĀNJHI –MUJH MEIN KALĀKĀR, will be main focused in areas like- the folk, traditional, customary, socially events and ritualistic art forms.


• This second phase would focus around the time of harvest festival season of January which is dubbed in many nomenclatures like Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Lohri, Bhogali Bihu, Torgya, Uttarayan, Attukkal Pongal etc.


• This would integrate domains of intangible cultural heritage as per the Convention of Safeguarding the ICH under UNESCO.


• The first phase of this campaign was initiated in the month of November 2018 during the festival season of Diwali.

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• The Supreme Court set aside some provisions of a law imposing restrictions on the licensing and functioning of dance bars in Maharashtra.


• A bench headed by Justice A K Sikri quashed certain provisions of the 2016 Maharashtra law like the mandatory installation of CCTV and a partition between barrooms and the dance floor.


• The court allowed payment of tips to performers in Maharashtra dance bars but made it clear that showering of currency notes cannot be allowed.


• The apex court also quashed provision mandating that Maharashtra dance bars should be 1 km away from religious places and educational institutions. It also upheld the condition fixing the timing of dance bars in Maharashtra from 6 pm to 11.30 pm.

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• The Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Office in Mumbai announced that SBI along with others banks agreed to provide finance for Nagpur-Mumbai ‘Samruddhi Corridor’ expressway project.


• Among the consortium of banks, SBI will be providing the highest amount which is Rs. 8,500 crore.


• Other parties include Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of Maharashtra as well as the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India.


• The estimated cost of the project, being constructed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, is around 50,000 crores.


• Out of this, around 26,000 crores are required for the construction of the expressway.


• The corridor will have 25 toll plazas, and the toll will be collected for 40 years.

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• RBI announced the New External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) Framework. To promote ease of doing business. According to the announcement, a few changes has been made.


• RBI rationalised the overseas borrowing norms allowing a uniform borrowing limit of Rs 750 million a year across tenors.


• The list of eligible borrowers has been expanded to enable all entities eligible to receive foreign direct investment under the ECB framework.


• Any entity who is a resident of a country which is FATF or IOSCO compliant will be treated as a recognised lender. This in term increases the lending options for lenders.


• The minimum average maturity period (MAMP) has been kept at 3years for all ECBs, irrespective of the amount of borrowing, except the borrowers specifically permitted in the circular to borrow for a shorter period.


• A late submission fee for delay in prescribed reporting under the ECB framework have been introduced.


• Tracks I (medium term ECB of three to five years)and Track II (long term ECB of upto ten years ) under the existing framework have been merged as “Foreign Currency denominated ECB” and Track III and Rupee Denominated Bonds framework are combined as “Rupee Denominated ECB” to replace the current four-tiered structure, making the framework instrument-neutral.

• A Fitch group company India ratings and research estimated that India’s GDP growth to be a “tad higher” at 7.5% in financial year 2019-20. Earlier it was 7.2% during fiscal year 2018-19.


• The economy seen a growth rate of 7.2% in the current financial year against 6.7% in the previous year estimated by Central Statistics Office (CSO).


• According to India Ratings investments are slow but steady gaining traction with gross fixed capital formation growing 12.2% in FY19 and projected to grow at 10.3% in FY20.


• According to Fitch rating current fiscal has seen sharp recovery after demonetization and GST (Goods and Services Tax).

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• The Union Cabinet has approved the recapitalization of EXIM Bank.


• Issuance of Recapitalization Bonds by the Government of India to the tune of Rs.6,000 crore for capital infusion in Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank).


• The equity will be infused in two tranches of Rs. 4,500 crore in FY 2018-19 and Rs.1,500 crore in FY 2019-20 respectively.


• The Cabinet also approved an increase in the authorized capital of Exim Bank from Rs. 10,000 crore to Rs. 20,000 crore.

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• Defending champion Roger Federer marked his 100th match on Rod Laver Arena by storming past American Taylor Fritz 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 in the third round.


• The 21-year-old world number 50 had no answer to the precision and finesse of the Swiss master, who extended his Open-era record for the most appearances in the fourth round of a Grand Slam to 63 with an 88-minute demolition.


• The 20-time Grand Slam champion will continue his quest for a record seventh Australian Open title against Greek 14th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last 16.

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• The three-match ODI rubber tantalisingly poised at 1-1, the task is cut out for both India and Australia to pull up their socks in the series decider at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).


• India bounced back from the 34-run loss in the series opener at Sydney, with another Virat Kohli masterclass century combined with his predecessor Mahendra Singh Dhoni's vintage finish to pull off a 6-wicket win at Adelaide.


• Going into the final ODI, India will be aiming to take the winning momentum and end the ongoing tour Down Under without losing a series.

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• Yohei Sasakawa was named to receive Gandhi Peace Prize for 2018, who is the Goodwill Ambassador of the World Health Organization for Leprosy Elimination.The award will be given to Yohei Sasakawa in recognition of his work towards the eradication of the disease in India and across the world.


• The Gandhi Peace Prize for the years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 has been conferred on the following:
  
• For 2015: Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari for their contribution in Rural Development, Education, Development of natural resources.


• For 2016: Jointly to Akshaya Patra Foundation for its contribution in providing mid-day meals to millions of children across India and Sulabh International for its contribution in improving the condition of sanitation in India and emancipation of manual scavengers.


• For 2017: Ekal Abhiyan Trust for their contribution in providing Education for Rural and Tribal Children in remote areas pan India, Rural Empowerment, Gender and Social Equality.


• For 2018: Shri Yohei Sasakawa for his contribution in Leprosy Eradication in India and across the world.

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• Japan Prize Foundation announced India born professor Dr. Rattan Lal as the recipient of the 2019 Japan Prize in the field of “Biological Production, Ecology”.


• Dr. Yoshio Okamoto was announced to be the recipient of the 2019 Japan Prize on of “Materials and Production” field.


• Each laureate will receive a certificate of recognition and a commemorative gold medal.


• A cash award of 50 million Japanese yen (approximately $450,000 USD) will also be given to each prize field.

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• President Ram Nath Kovind appointed senior advocate Sanjay Jain as Additional Solicitor General of India for the Supreme Court. He will be on the post till June 30, 2020. With the appointment of Sanjay Jain, the Central government now has seven Additional Solicitor General in Supreme Court.


• Additional Solicitor General, appointed under Law Officers Act 1987, is the third largest law officer of the Central Government. It is a duty of the Additional Solicitor Genral to assist the Solicitor General.


• The President of India Ramnath Kovind also appointed Senior Advocate KM Nataraj as the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) in the Supreme Court of India. His term will also end on June 30, 2020.He also holded the post as the Additional Advocate-General of Karnataka for four years from 2009 and also as the Additional Solicitor General of India for Southern Zone for a period of 03 years.

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• Former Union minister CP Joshi was elected unopposed the Speaker of the 15th Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. A Congress legislator from Nathdwara, Joshi was named for the post by the party’s top leadership.


• The 68-year-old Congress veteran took over the chair relieving protem speaker Gulab Chand Kataria after the House passed the motion for his election by a voice vote.

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• World’s first television channel dedicated to human rights was launched in London by the International Observatory of Human Rights (IOHR).


• It would be a web-based channel would bring human rights issues to audiences in over 20 countries across Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.


• Initally the programmes would be in broad casted in English but other languages including Farsi, Turkish, Arabic and Russian would be inducted in the future.


• Also a mobile app for the channel would be launched.

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• John C. Bogle, who founded the Vanguard Group of Investment Companies in 1974 and built it into a giant kingdom, with $4.9 trillion in assets under management today, died at the age of 89.


• Bogle was also a best-selling author,Stay the Course: The Story of Vanguard and the Index Revolution is the recent and the last master piece written by him.