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• Italy's far-right firebrand Matteo Salvini is facing a setback after his League Party looks set to be beaten by the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) in a closely watched election in the country's north.


• The left has governed Emilia-Romagna since the end of World War Two.


• But an exit poll for state television is showing a narrow win for the PD, taking between 49% and 51% of the vote.

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• The European Parliament is expected to take up six resolutions on India’s Citizenship (Amendment) Act this week, with the two largest groups of its members strongly criticising the law for its negative consequences for internal stability and potential for creating a “statelessness crisis”.


• The draft resolutions were all tabled on January 22 as part of the procedures to wind up the debate on the European Commission’s vice president’s statement on CAA and are expected to be taken up for debate during a plenary session on January 29.

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• China banned wildlife trade nationwide in markets, supermarkets, restaurants, and e-commerce platforms due to the coronavirus outbreak, the country’s market watchdog, agricultural ministry, and forestry bureau said in a joint statement.


• Any places that breed wildlife should be isolated, and the transportation of wildlife should be banned, said the statement.

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• Britain announced a new fast-track visa scheme for top scientists, researchers and mathematicians as it prepares a new immigration system for life outside the European Union.


• Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed the plan just days before Brexit finally takes place on January 31.


• Concerns about mass migration were a driving force in the 2016 campaign to leave the EU, and Johnson has promised to end the free movement with the bloc.

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• India's 71st Republic day celebrations in the US were marred by protests and marches, albeit peaceful ones, against recent changes in the citizenship law by large number of Indian Americans in various cities of the country.


• Among Indian-Americans, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019, however, also had a fair share of its supporters who sought to counter-protesters by asserting that "India cares for Neighbouring Minorities" and "CAA Won't Impact Indian Citizens."

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• The Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government launched its much-awaited ''Shiv Bhojan'' scheme, which is aimed at providing a meal to the poor for just Rs 10, on the occasion of the 71st Republic Day.


• Under the scheme, which was launched on a pilot basis, thalis or lunch plates would be available to people at designated centres/ canteens during a stipulated time in all the districts.

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• Armies of India and China held a ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) in Ladakh sector on Sunday to mark the country's 71st Republic Day, a defence spokesperson said.


• The meeting was conducted at Indian BPM huts at Chushul-Moldo and DBO-TWD meeting points of eastern Ladakh, he said.

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• Ahead of a vote on a resolution in the European Union parliament against the new citizenship law, India called on the MEPs to engage with the government on CAA.


• Earlier in the day, the two largest groups of MEPs strongly criticised the citizenship law for its negative consequences for India’s internal stability and potential for creating a “statelessness crisis”.


• “We hope the sponsors and supporters of the draft will engage with us to get a full and accurate assessment of the facts before they proceed further,” official sources said reacting to the MEPs stand.

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• Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ on Sunday felicitated 87 meritorious students from across the country here on Republic Day.


• The students also witnessed the Republic Day Parade in the national capital.


• An HRD ministry release said the students were awarded Certificate of Appreciation by the Minister to encourage them to achieve new heights in the future.

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• National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development has released the NABARD Admit Card 2020 for Office Attendant posts on its official website. Candidates who have registered for the examination can download their admit card online at nabard.org on or before February 4, 2020.


• The preliminary examination is to be conducted on February 4, 2020, at various centres. Candidates are advised to bring a copy of their to admit card to their allotted examination centres or else they won’t be entertained.

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• National Testing Agency (NTA) will commence the application process for JEE Main II or April 2020 JEE Main next week.


• As per the examination calendar released by NTA, the application process for the second JEE Main of the year will begin on February 7, 2020.


• Students will have a month's window to complete the application process.


• The admit cards for April JEE Main will be released on March 16. The examination will be held between April 3 and April 9, 2020. NTA will release the result for JEE Main by April 30, 2020.

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• A special cover and stamp were released by IIT Kanpur on the eve of the Republic Day, as part of the ongoing diamond jubilee celebrations. IIT-K turned 60 in November last.


• The special cover depicted the iconic PK Kelkar Library building, which is one of the most prominent buildings of the lush green academic campus spreading 1200 acres. The library building is named after the first director of the institute Prof PK Kelkar.

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• ICICI Bank share price rose nearly 2 percent in the early trade on January 27 after the company posted a robust set of numbers in the quarter ended December 2019.


• The company registered a healthy 158.4 percent year-on-year (YoY) growth in Q3FY20 profit at Rs 4,146.46 crore from Rs 1,604.91 crore in the same period last year.

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• Nobel laureate and economist Abhijit Banerjee here said the banking sector in the country is "stressed" and the government is in no position to bail it out.


• Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the 13th Jaipur Literature Festival, Banerjee said the demand slowdown in the automobile sector also shows that people are lacking confidence in the economy.

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• The government may consider cut in import duty on raw material used in the fertiliser industry in the forthcoming budget with a view to boost domestic manufacturing in the country, sources said.


• Lower import duty on raw material like rock phosphate and sulphur used for manufacturing of DAP (Di ammonium phosphate) would help boost domestic production and cut in import bill, according to sources.

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• Holders Manchester City cruised into the FA Cup fifth round with a 4-0 thrashing of 10-man Fulham at the Etihad.


• Tim Ream's sixth-minute red card gave the Championship side a mountain to climb after he hauled down Gabriel Jesus inside the box.


• Ilkay Gundogan converted the resulting penalty before Bernardo Silva's smart turn and shot quickly doubled City's advantage.

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• Liverpool let a 2-0 lead slip as League One Shrewsbury earned a FA Cup fourth round replay at Anfield thanks to a 2-2 draw, whilst Manchester United and Manchester City cruised into the fifth round.


• Jurgen Klopp showed his focus is very much on a first Premier League title for 30 years as he made 11 changes to the side that won at Wolves.


• And Klopp confirmed he will name an even younger side for the replay as it falls days into Liverpool's two-week winter break from Premier League action.

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• Eminent personalities, including former union ministers Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and George Fernandes, Olympian boxer Mary Kom and former Mauritius prime minister Anerood Jugnauth have been honoured with the Padma Vibhushan


• Former defence minister Manohar Parrikar, industrialists Anand Mahindra and Venu Shrinivasan, Olympian badminton player PV Sindhu and PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig are among the 16 awarded with Padma Bhushan The Padma Shri for this year has been awarded to a total of 118 eminent personalities, including filmmakers Karan Johar and Ekta Kapoor, actor Kangana Ranaut and cricketer Zaheer Khan.

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• Sneha Pamneja, a well known Graphic designer based in New Delhi, was awarded Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize 2020, a 1st of its kind award for brilliance in book design, at Jaipur BookMark of ongoing 13th edition of the Zee Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) at Diggi Palace Hotel in Jaipur, Rajasthan.


• She was honoured for designing the cover of the book ‘Tiffin: Authentic Recipes Celebrating India’s Regional Cuisine’.

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• The 62nd edition of the Grammys are being held in Los Angeles on Sunday, January 26 (Monday for India).


• The Grammys began with a heart-wrenching tribute to NBA legend Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash just hours before celebs began arriving on the Grammy red carpet.


• Lizzo, who had the highest number of nods with eight nominations, was an early winner with the Best Pop Solo Performance Grammy for Truth Hurts.


• Billie Eilish, who had the second highest number of nominations with six nods, won four Grammys, including the Best Pop Vocal Album Grammy for When We All Fall Asleep.

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• US basketball legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna are among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in the city of Calabasas, California.


• Bryant, 41, was travelling in a private helicopter when it came down and burst into flames.


• Bryant, a five-time NBA champion, played for the LA Lakers throughout his career and is considered one of the greatest players in the game's history.