- India’s Gita Sabharwal was appointed as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Thailand on January 29, 2020. The UN Resident Coordinators, designated representatives of the UN Secretary-General, are the highest-ranking representatives of the UN’s country-level development system.
- The World Leprosy Eradication Day is observed annually across the globe on January 30. The day was chosen by the World Health Organisation as a tribute to the Mahatma Gandhi, who was assassinated on January 30, 1948. Mahatma Gandhi had a compassion for the people affected with leprosy.
- Mahatma Gandhi’s Martyrdom day is observed annually on January 30. He was killed by Nathuram Godse on this day in January 1948. This year India is observing the 72nd death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
- The Indian Navy recently launched ‘Operation Vanilla’ to help Madagascar after a severe cyclone hit the country. About 92,000 people have been affected by the natural disaster in Madagascar.
- Bengaluru topped the list of Global Traffic Index recently released by a Netherlands-based global provider of navigation. According to the results, a commuter in Bengaluru spent 243 hours in traffic while driving during peak hours in 2019.
- The government of India has released a press statement that Kerala has reported first confirmed case of Coronavirus. The patient of Novel Coronavirus is being kept in isolation in a hospital.
- According to the annual report on weapons by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China is the second biggest weapon producer country after the United States. China has surpassed Russian companies.
- The European Parliament decided not conduct a vote on a resolution against India’s new citizenship law on January 30, 2020. The deferment of the voting on the Citizenship Amendment Act is a diplomatic victory for India.