 Seven-time champions Egypt have won the hosting rights for the 2019 edition of the African Cup of Nations. Egypt beat South Africa by 16 votes to one at the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) Executive Committee. With just five more months for the tournament, Egypt has got a limited time to prepare for an event where a total of 24 teams will be participating. |
| Source- ANI News |
 Australian cities Sydney and Brisbane have been announced as the first two host locations for the newest team event in men’s tennis for the multi-million dollar ATP Cup from 2020. The third Australian city for the tournament is yet to be determined. The tournament will comprise more than 100 players from 24 nations with $15 million in prize money and 750 ATP Ranking points. |
| Source: CNBC |
 The second edition of Khelo India Youth Games has officially begun in Pune, Maharashtra. Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attended a virtual torch ceremony at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the event through a video message. More than 9,000 players from different states will participate in 18 different events. |
| Source: News On AIR |
 The 124th Constitution Amendment Bill, 2019 to award 10% reservation to economically weaker sections was passed with a majority in Rajya Sabha. It was already passed in Lok Sabha. After 10-hour-long debate, most of the members in the Upper House of the Parliament agreed to go ahead with the bill despite opposition from some parties. The Constitution (124rd Amendment) Bill has passed the Rajya Sabha test with 165 ‘Yes’ and 7 ‘No’ votes. This was brought to the Upper House after the sitting of the House was extended by a day. |
| Source: The Money Control |
 The interim budget for 2019 will be presented on 1 February during the budget session of the parliament. The budget session of the Parliament to be held from 31 January to 13 February. The decision was taken in the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs. |
| Source- The Quint |
 The Citizenship Amendment bill seeking to provide Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan was passed by Lok Sabha. The Bill provides for Indian citizenship to such immigrants after six years of residence in India instead of 12 years currently. Home Minister Rajnath Singh moved the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in Lok Sabha and was passed after a discussion. The Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act of 1955in order to grant citizenship to Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan if they have lived in India for six years. |
| Source- AIR World Service |
 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted a High-Level Committee on Deepening of Digital Payments to encourage digitisation of payments and enhance financial inclusion. The five-member committee headed by UIDAI’s former Chairman Nandan Nilekani will include RBI’s former Deputy Governor Mr. H.R. Khan and Former Secretary, Ministry of Information Technology, Mrs. Aruna Sharma among others. RBI stated that the committee will review the existing status of digitisation of payments and suggest ways to bridge any gaps in the ecosystem if any. The committee will also undertake cross country analysis to identify best practices that can be adopted to accelerate digitisation of the economy and financial inclusion through greater use of digital payments. |
| Source: News on AIR |
 To ensure easier availability of FASTags, Indian Highways Management Company Ltd. (IHMCL), a company promoted by NHAI, has signed MoUs with state-run Oil Marketing Companies (IOCL, BPC, and HPC). It will ensure availability of FASTags at petroleum outlets across India. In the first phase, the tags will be available across 50 Fuel Station in Delhi NCR, which will subsequently be expanded to outlets across India. IHMCL has been mandated to implement the National Electronic Toll Collection Program (NETC) in the country. The company launched the program under the brand name “FASTag” in April 2016. |
| Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB) |
 An MoU was signed between the Indian Army and Punjab National Bank on the Defence Salary Package. The signing ceremony was chaired by the Adjutant General, Lt Gen Ashwani Kumar. Salient features of the improved and updated MoU are free ‘RAKSHAK PLUS’ Scheme for serving pers and veterans, overdraft facility range from Rs 0.75 to 3.0 lakhs, multicity ‘At Par’ cheques, instant credit of outstation cheques, preferential allotment of lockers at concessional AMC and free SMS alerts. |
| Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB) |
 Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks in New Delhi. Prime Minister Modi said that both the countries have vibrant trade ties. MoU were exchanged on India-Norway Ocean Dialogue. Erna Solberg also called on President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu. She also delivered the Inaugural address at the Raisina Dialogue and addressed India-Norway Business Summit in New Delhi. |
| Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB) |
You need to login to perform this action.
You will be redirected in
3 sec
