Weekly Current Affairs (January 2026 – Week 4) – Exam Revision Notes | ReadingRoomz

REVISION DIGEST • APPSC / Group 1 / Group 2 / Group 3 / Group 4 / AP Police SI / Constable / AP DSC / AP TET

Weekly Current Affairs (Jan 2026 – Week 4) – Exam Revision Notes

Structured for quick revision, MCQs, and exam-oriented clarity (ReadingRoomz).

1) Andhra Pradesh Current Affairs

AP FIRST-Tirupati Project Approved

CM N. Chandrababu Naidu approved establishment of Andhra Pradesh Futuristic Innovation and Research in Science and Technology (AP FIRST) at Tirupati.
Developed jointly by IIT Tirupati and IISER Tirupati.
Will be AP’s largest and most prestigious research centre.
Focus areas: aerospace, defence, space technology, AI, cybersecurity, semiconductors, quantum technology, biotechnology, green energy, healthcare, and rural technologies.

Exam Angle

AP Science & Technology • Research infrastructure • IIT-IISER collaboration • Futuristic sectors.

Kakinada Declared ‘Green Hydrogen Valley of India’

CM N. Chandrababu Naidu declared Kakinada as “Green Hydrogen Valley of India”.
Foundation stone ceremony of ₹15,600-crore Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia Production Complex by AM Green (Greenko Group).
Project spread over 495 acres in Kakinada.
Touted to be the world’s largest green hydrogen and green ammonia complex.
Green ammonia produced will be exported mainly to Europe, with Germany as major importer.

Exam Angle

Green Hydrogen • Green Ammonia • Renewable energy • Climate change mitigation • AP industrial development.

Andhra Pradesh Attracts 25% of India’s FDI at WEF Davos

CM announced at World Economic Forum (WEF), Davos that AP attracted 25% of total Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) entering India.
Attributed to policy stability, speed of doing business, and proactive governance.

Key Highlights

UAE support: Collaboration between AP’s food processing sector and Dubai Food Cluster, with facilitation of investments from 40 Emirati companies
USD 10 billion strategic investment partnership between AP government and RMZ Corporation
Proposed projects: Global Capability Centre (GCC) Park and hyperscale data centre cluster in Visakhapatnam
Industrial & logistics park in Rayalaseema
Focus areas: green energy, green ammonia, digital infrastructure, logistics, manufacturing, natural farming

Gandabherunda Image Inscription Discovered

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) discovered rare Gandabherunda image inscription at Sri Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy Temple in Vinukonda, Palnadu district.
Gandabherunda: mythological double-headed bird associated with Lord Vishnu.
Inscription carved on stone slab inside sanctum sanctorum, written in Telugu language and script.
Dates back to Saka 1399 (Hemalambi year), corresponding to October 16, 1477 CE.
Temple, sikhara, and mandapa constructed by Sagi Gamnamanayini.
Provides insights into 15th century Vaishnava traditions, temple architecture, and socio-religious history.

2) Polity & Governance

Praveen Vashista Appointed Vigilance Commissioner

President of India appointed Shri Praveen Vashista as Vigilance Commissioner in the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).
Appointed under provisions of the Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003.
Took oath on 16 January 2026 before the Central Vigilance Commissioner.
Tenure: 4 years or till the incumbent attains the age of 65 years.

Current CVC Composition

Central Vigilance Commissioner: Praveen Kumar Srivastava
Vigilance Commissioners: A S Rajeev, Praveen Vashista

EU Leaders to be Chief Guests at India’s 77th Republic Day

European Union leaders Antonio Costa (President of European Council) and Ursula von der Leyen (President of European Commission) will be chief guests at India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations on January 26, 2026.
Announced by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.
Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path themed around “150 years of Vande Mataram”.
This theme will also anchor the Beating the Retreat ceremony.

First-Time Military Showcases

Bhairav Battalions
Shaktibaan regiments
Drone Shakti
Universal rocket launcher
First European naval contingent to participate in Republic Day parade

Supreme Court Guidelines on Child Trafficking

In judgment K. P. Kiran Kumar vs State, SC issued strict guidelines to prevent child trafficking.
Held that trafficking grossly violates fundamental right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.
Emphasized preventive, victim-centric and coordinated approach involving both Centre and States.

Legal Framework

Palermo Protocol (2000): Provides global definition of child trafficking
Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 Section 143: Defines trafficking broadly to include recruitment, transport, harbouring or receipt of persons for exploitation
Constitutional safeguards: Articles 23, 24, and Article 39 protect children from exploitation, forced labour, hazardous employment
Other laws: POCSO Act, JJ Act, Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act
Despite multiple laws, conviction rates remain low, highlighting need for stronger enforcement, rehabilitation, Centre-State coordination

Balaram Ambaji Wildlife Sanctuary Guidelines

Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife (SCNBWL) framed guidelines for permitting religious structures inside wildlife sanctuaries and protected areas.
Guidelines state that any construction or expansion on forest land after 1980 should generally be treated as encroachment, in line with forest conservation principles.
Exceptional cases may be considered if State government issues reasoned and documented order justifying regularisation.
Centre will examine such cases on a case-by-case basis.
Move follows controversial proposal involving land diversion for religious trust inside Balaram Ambaji Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat.
Clearances were initially granted and later revoked due to unresolved forest rights.

Tripura, Manipur, and Meghalaya Statehood Day

Every year on January 21, northeastern States of Tripura, Manipur, and Meghalaya observe their Statehood Day.
Marks transition to full-fledged States of Indian Union in 1972.
Tripura became 19th State of India
Manipur became 20th State of India
Meghalaya became 21st State of India
Statehood granted under North Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971, which came into effect on January 21, 1972.
Day highlights constitutional, political, and administrative integration of these States and their role in strengthening India’s federal structure.

For Better Understanding

Tripura, Manipur, and Meghalaya attained statehood in 1972 due to historical identities, tribal autonomy demands, dissatisfaction with Assam-centric administration, and need for tailored federal approach in Northeast India.

International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM-2026)

Election Commission of India (ECI) inaugurated 3-day IICDEM-2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
Conference brought together nearly 60 international delegates, representatives from 42 Election Management Bodies (EMBs), ambassadors from 27 countries.
Experts from 70+ national institutions, and 36 Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) from across India.
Led by CEC Shri Gyanesh Kumar, along with ECs Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi.
Theme: “Democracy for an inclusive, peaceful, resilient and sustainable world.”

3) Economy & Development

IMF Upgrades India’s GDP Growth Forecast

International Monetary Fund (IMF) upgraded India’s GDP growth projection for FY 2025-26 to 7.3%, from earlier estimate of 6.6%.
According to January 2026 update of World Economic Outlook (WEO).
IMF projected Global growth at 3.3% and 3.2% in 2026 and 2027 respectively.

Atal Pension Yojana Extended till 2030-31

Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister, approved continuation of Atal Pension Yojana (APY) up to FY 2030-31.
Decision includes extension of government funding support for promotional, developmental, and gap-funding activities.
Launched on 9 May 2015, aims to provide old-age income security to workers in unorganised sector.
Subscribers receive guaranteed minimum pension of ₹1,000 to ₹5,000 per month after attaining age of 60, depending on contribution.
As of 19 January 2026: over 8.66 crore subscribers enrolled, making it one of India’s largest social security schemes.

Anna Chakra Wins Franz Edelman Award Nomination

Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) selected among top six global finalists for 2026 Franz Edelman Award, often referred to as “Nobel Prize of Operations Research and Analytics”.
Recognition for flagship initiative “Anna Chakra”, an operations research (O.R.)-based decision support system for Public Distribution System (PDS).
Developed in collaboration with United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) India and IIT Delhi.
Optimises state-wise food grain logistics using advanced analytical models.
Launched in December 2025 by Union Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi.

Impact

Annual savings of ₹250 crore, 35% reduction in emissions, improved efficiency benefiting over 81 crore PDS beneficiaries.

4) Environment & Agriculture

Coconut Root Wilt Disease

Issue: Phytoplasma-induced root wilt disease severely affecting coconut plantations in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.
These states together contribute 82-83% of India’s coconut production.
Cause & Spread: Disease spreads through insect vectors, wind movement, and continuous coconut belts.
Spread accelerated due to climate change, erratic temperatures, and rising whitefly infestations.
Impact: Over 30 lakh coconut palms already affected, leading to loss of productivity and collapse of intercropping systems (e.g., cocoa, nutmeg).
Current Research Status: Despite 150+ years of research, no permanent cure exists.
Breeding resistant and tolerant varieties remains most effective management strategy.

Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project

PM Narendra Modi performed Bhoomi Pujan of Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project (4-laning of Kaliabor-Numaligarh section of NH-715) in Kaliabor, Assam.
Project worth ₹6,950 crore and spans 86 km.
Includes 35 km elevated wildlife corridor through Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Corridor designed to ensure uninterrupted movement of wildlife such as rhinos, elephants, and tigers.
Will improve road safety and regional connectivity.
Passes through Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, and Golaghat districts.
Enhances connectivity to Upper Assam, including Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.

Lucknow becomes UP’s First ‘Zero Fresh Waste Dump’ City

Lucknow achieved major milestone in urban sustainability by becoming first city in Uttar Pradesh to achieve 100% scientific processing of municipal solid waste under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban.
Achievement followed commissioning of Shivari Solid Waste Management Plant, with processing capacity of 700 metric tonnes per day.
With three waste processing plants of 700 MT/day capacity each, Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) can now process over 2,100 metric tonnes of waste daily.
Completely eliminated fresh waste dumping.
City’s door-to-door waste collection efficiency: 96.53%
Source segregation: exceeds 70%

GI-tagged Kaladi Upscaled under ODOP

Kaladi, the GI-tagged traditional dairy product of Udhampur district, Jammu & Kashmir, to be scientifically upscaled.
Under One District One Product (ODOP) initiative.
Focus: wider food applications while preserving original taste, texture, and nutritional value.

India’s First Open-Sea Marine Fish Farming Project

India launched first-ever open-sea Marine Fish Farming project in Andaman Sea.
Marks major milestone in advancing Blue Economy.
Inaugurated by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences.
Location: North Bay, Sri Vijaya Puram in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Implemented through collaboration between Ministry of Earth Sciences, National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), and A&N UT Administration.
Pilot focuses on open-sea cultivation of marine finfish and seaweed using NIOT-developed cages.

5) Science & Technology

Gravitons Detection Experiment Proposed

Scientists from Stevens Institute of Technology (USA) and Yale University proposed experiment to detect gravitons.
Gravitons: hypothetical quantum particles that mediate gravity.
If successful, would be first experiment explicitly designed to detect individual gravitons.
Gravitons are analogous to photons for electromagnetism.
Gravity is extremely weak compared to other fundamental forces, making graviton detection extremely difficult.

Soft Matter Physics

Soft matter refers to class of materials exhibiting properties of both solids and liquids depending on applied force and time scale.
Common examples: toothpaste, shampoo, gels, creams.
These materials can flow like liquids under pressure but retain shape when force is removed.
Unique behaviour arises from internal structure consisting of large molecular assemblies (droplets, clusters, flexible macromolecules) held together by weak interactions.
Response is highly time-dependent and force-dependent.
Studied under branch of physics known as rheology.

C-DOT Wins SKOCH Award 2025

Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), premier telecom R&D organisation under Department of Telecommunications, awarded SKOCH Award 2025.
Recognition for Cell Broadcast Solution (CBS).
Award presented during 104th SKOCH Summit, themed “Resourcing Viksit Bharat”.
SKOCH Awards recognise outstanding contributions in governance, technology, public service delivery, and development across India.

Darwin’s Bark Spider Silk – Toughest Ever Recorded

Scientists found that Darwin’s bark spiders (Caerostris darwini) produce toughest spider silk ever recorded.
Found in Madagascar.
Tensile strength: about 1.6 gigapascals, making it stronger than steel and iron.

30 GHz Spectrum for Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication

Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari, informed that Department of Telecommunications allocated 30 GHz radio frequency band for developing Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication systems.
V2V technology will enable vehicles to exchange real-time information such as speed, position, braking, and potential hazards.
Helps prevent collisions and improve road safety.
Ministry also collaborating with IIT Kanpur to develop AI-enabled road safety technologies.
Strengthening accident prevention, black-spot identification, and emergency response systems.

Palaeoclimatology

With accelerating climate change, scientists increasingly turning to palaeoclimatology to understand how Earth’s climate behaved over centuries, millennia, and geological time scales.
By reconstructing past climates, researchers can better predict future climate patterns and assess long-term impacts of global warming.
Branch of science that studies past climates using natural archives known as climate proxies.

Climate Proxies

Ice cores
Ocean and lake sediments
Tree rings
Fossil pollen
Marine micro-organisms

6) International Relations

Board of Peace Charter

U.S. President Donald Trump inaugurated new multilateral initiative called “Board of Peace” at World Economic Forum (WEF), Davos.
Aimed at maintaining ceasefire in Israel’s war against Hamas and shaping future governance of Gaza.
Trump claimed 59 countries have signed on, but representatives from only 19 countries attended founding ceremony.
India was notably absent despite PM Modi being invited.
According to official sources, India has not yet taken decision on joining the Board.
Trump projected Board of Peace as body that could eventually rival or even replace some UN functions.
Later clarified it would work in conjunction with UN.
Countries that accepted invitation: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, among others.

Project Iceworm Environmental Legacy

Amid renewed geopolitical interest in Greenland, reports highlighted serious environmental legacy of U.S. Cold War activities buried beneath Arctic ice.
Abandoned Camp Century, constructed in 1959 as part of secret Project Iceworm.
Left behind hazardous materials including radioactive waste, diesel fuel, sewage, and toxic chemicals.
Materials presumed to remain permanently frozen.
Climate change and accelerating ice melt now threaten to release these pollutants into subglacial aquifers and eventually the ocean.
Issue raises complex questions of environmental accountability, climate justice, and diplomatic responsibility between U.S., Greenland, and Denmark.

7) Awards & Recognition

Graca Machel Selected for Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace 2025

Renowned Mozambican human rights activist and humanitarian Graca Machel selected for Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2025.
Announced by Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.
Honoured for path-breaking contributions in education, health and nutrition, economic empowerment, and humanitarian work.
Often carried out under challenging circumstances.
Award carries cash prize of ₹1 crore, along with citation and trophy.

Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar 2026

Announced to recognise outstanding contributions in disaster management.
Institutional Category: The Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA)
Individual Category: Lieutenant Colonel Seeta Ashok Shelke (Indian Army)
Award instituted by Government of India.
Announced annually on 23 January, birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
Honours individuals and organisations for exemplary service in disaster management.

Responsible Nations Index 2026

India launched Responsible Nations Index (RNI) at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.
Under aegis of World Intellectual Foundation (WIF).
Academic contributors: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Indian Institute of Management Mumbai (IIM Mumbai).
Index provides global framework to assess nations beyond economic strength.
Focuses on ethical and moral dimensions of governance and development.
India’s rank: 16th with overall score of 0.5515

8) Sports & Culture

Aaryan Varshney Becomes India’s 92nd Chess Grandmaster

Indian chess achieved another milestone as Aaryan Varshney (21) from Delhi became India’s 92nd Grandmaster.
Secured third and final Grandmaster norm by winning Andranik Margaryan Memorial Tournament in Armenia.
Clinched title with a round to spare.
Earlier, A.R. Ilamparthi and V.S. Raahul became India’s 90th and 91st Grandmasters in late 2025.

Amelia Valverde Appointed India Women’s Football Head Coach

All India Football Federation (AIFF) appointed Amelia Valverde of Costa Rica as head coach of Indian senior women’s football team.

Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2026

25th edition of Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM) 2026, world’s largest international theatre festival, organised by National School of Drama (NSD).
Dates: 27 January to 20 February 2026
Landmark edition held in largest-ever format.
Spanning 40 locations across India.
Features at least one participating country from each of the seven continents.