23rd January Current Affairs

15th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas: All You Need To Know

i. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi inaugurated the 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas Convention at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

ii. For the first time, the three day long convention is being organized in Varanasi from 21-23 January, 2019. The theme of PBD Convention 2019 is “Role of Indian Diaspora in building New India”.

India Signs MoU With Sri Lanka to Modernize Facilities At Vipulananda Institute of Aesthetic Studies in Batticaloa

i. India and Sri Lanka signed an MoU to provide modern infrastructural facilities to Swami Vipulananda Institute of Aesthetic Studies of Eastern University in Batticaloa district of Sri Lanka.

ii. The project involves refurbishment of the auditorium and construction of a modern building complex with recording cum editing facilities and supply vehicles to the institute through a grant of over 27 crore Sri Lankan rupees from the Government of India.

India Steel 2019 Exhibition and Conference Begins in Mumbai

i. India Steel 2019 Exhibition and Conference had begun in Mumbai. The three-day event organized by the Ministry of Steel helped chart out the future growth path of the steel industry.

ii. The event provided an opportunity for all the stakeholders to deliberate and identify ways to contribute towards building a robust roadmap for the further growth of the steel sector.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For NIACL AO Mains Exam:

Chaudhary Birender Singh is the Cabinet Minister of Steel of India.

Dell Launches India’s First PolicyHack for Teachers

i. Dell, as a part of its three-city PolicyHack series, hosted an interactive hackathon, where teachers focused on their learning journey in New Delhi. The initiative allows the teaching fraternity to come up with solutions for problems faced by teachers inside and outside the classroom.

ii. PolicyHack in India was conducted at two levels. Over 80 schools pan-India took part in it. The maiden hackathon for teachers was won by the Government Boys Senior Secondary School No 1 Ghonda, Delhi who presented the most promising and innovative ideas and solutions.

Andry Rajoelina Sworn In As Madagascar President

i. Madagascar president, Andry Rajoelina, has sworn into office after taking the oath in Antananarivo before nine judges of the High Constitutional Court. 

ii. He won nearly 56% to defeat another former president, Marc Ravalomanana.

China's Economy Grew At 6.6% In 2018, Slowest Rate In 3 Decades

i. China's economy grew at 6.6% in 2018, its slowest rate in almost 3 decades. The world's 2nd biggest economy was grappling with the effects of the current trade war with the US and declining exports.

ii. In the 3 months to December, the economy grew 6.4% from a year earlier, down from 6.5 % in the previous quarter. China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) stated that last year's growth rate was down from 6.8% in 2017 and was the lowest since 1990 when the growth rate was 3.9%.