30th January 2026

1. Martyrs’ Day January 30
2. Nomination of Meghalaya’s living root bridges to the UNESCO World Heritage list
3. Rationale behind Tamil Nadu’s plan to develop a Knowledge City
4. Analysis of why the US Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged amid economic resilience
5. Overview of Meghalaya’s first state-led spice festival organised in Mumbai
6. Explanation of Madhya Pradesh’s decision to declare 2026 as the Year of Agriculture
7. Assessment of whether Karnataka’s new board can reshape gig worker protection in India
8. Explanation of AlphaGenome and its role in predicting DNA mutations
9. Overview of the states that won accolades at the Republic Day 2026 tableaux
10. Overview of the Bombardier Learjet 45, including specifications and manufacturer details

National News

1. India submits Meghalaya’s living root bridges for World Heritage consideration

• What
  • India submitted the nomination dossier of Meghalaya’s living root bridges to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris for inclusion in the World Heritage List 2026–27.
• Tell me more
  • The dossier was handed over by India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Vishal V. Sharma, to World Heritage Centre Director Lazare Assomo Eloundou.
  • The nominated property spans the southern slopes of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills and reflects long-standing systems of land use, governance, and ecological care.
  • Meghalaya’s living root bridges, locally called Jingkieng Jri, were shaped over centuries by Khasi and Jaintia communities.

Source: TH

State News

1. Tamil Nadu proposes knowledge city near Chennai to build global education and innovation hub

• What
  • A proposed knowledge city near Chennai was announced at the India Global Education Summit (IGES) to build a knowledge-driven ecosystem supporting global universities, research, innovation, industry collaboration, and economic growth through talent and technology.
• Tell me more
  • The project is led by the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation, chaired by Sandhya Venugopal Sharma.
  • It is described it as India’s first integrated global education and innovation district.
  • The India Global Education Summit was held at Kalaivanar Arangam, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

2. Meghalaya to host first Spice Festival in Mumbai to expand spice markets

• What
  • The Government of Meghalaya will organise the first Meghalaya Spice Festival from January 30 to February 1, 2026, at Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai, to showcase premium spices and strengthen market access, value addition, and export linkages for farmers and producer enterprises.
• Tell me more
  • The festival will connect Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Self-Help Groups (SHGs), cooperatives, and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with buyers, exporters, retail chains, HoReCa players, nutraceutical brands, and institutional buyers.
  • Featured products include Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged Lakadong turmeric with high curcumin content, ginger, black pepper, bay leaves, cinnamon, and indigenous spice blends.

3. Madhya Pradesh declares 2026 as year of agriculture with higher spending and reforms

• What
  • Madhya Pradesh will observe 2026 as the year of agriculture, announced during Republic Day celebrations, highlighting increased spending, farmer welfare measures, agricultural reforms, and allied sector growth as key development priorities for the State.
• Tell me more
  • The announcement was made by Mangu Bhai Patel during the 77th Republic Day event.
  • Madhav National Park was declared the ninth tiger reserve of Madhya Pradesh.

Source: TH

4. Karnataka constitutes Gig Workers’ Welfare Board

• What
  • The State government constituted a statutory board to implement gig worker welfare through mandatory registration of aggregators and workers, enabling structured fee collection, worker registration, and disbursement of social security benefits.
• Tell me more
  • The Board includes four gig worker representatives and four aggregator representatives from Porter, Zomato, Uber, and Amazon.
  • The welfare fee is fixed between 1% and 1.5%, with sector-wise variation and a cap, and may rise up to 5% if funds are insufficient.

Source: TH

International News

1. United States Federal Reserve pauses interest rate cuts amid stabilising economy

• What
  • The United States Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate unchanged at about 3.6% after three cuts last year, citing improved economic outlook, stabilising job market, healthy growth, and inflation still above the 2% target.
• Tell me more
  • Inflation stood at 2.8% in November by the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure, while most policymakers expect future cuts later this year, though two governors dissented seeking another quarter-point reduction.

Source: TH

Science and Technology

1. Google DeepMind releases AlphaGenome to predict DNA functions

• What
  • Google DeepMind released AlphaGenome, a machine learning model that predicts DNA sequence functions, marking a major step in genome research following the Nobel Prize recognition for AlphaFold and expanding artificial intelligence use beyond protein structure prediction.
• Tell me more
  • AlphaGenome predicts gene expression, DNA accessibility, histone modifications, transcription factor binding, and genome folding structure with high accuracy for DNA sequences up to one million base pairs long.
  • The model has been publicly available for noncommercial use since June 2025 and is accessible through GitHub.

Source: CEN

Awards

1. Republic Day Parade 2026: Results announced for Best Marching Contingents & Best Tableaux

Source: PIB

Important Days

1. Martyrs’ Day in India – January 30 and March 23

• January 30 remembers the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi in 1948, while March 23 honours the execution of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev in 1931.

Source: TOI

Miscellaneous

1. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar dies in private aircraft crash

• What
  • Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, along with four others, raising concerns on private business jet safety and political leadership loss.
• Tell me more
  • Ajit Pawar was travelling on a Bombardier Learjet 45 (LJ45), a mid-size business jet, owned by Delhi-based VSR Ventures Private Limited.
  • Bombardier Learjet 45 is produced by Bombardier Aerospace.

Source: TH ET

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