🏛️ Polity & Governance

🔷 New Chief Justices Appointed for Three High Courts

The Central Government has approved the appointment of new Chief Justices for three major High Courts.
Justice MS Sonak is appointed as the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court.
Justice Revati Prashant Mohite Dere takes charge as the Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court.
Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo has been elevated to Chief Justice of the Patna High Court.
These appointments follow recommendations from the Supreme Court Collegium to fill long-standing vacancies.

🔷 Cabinet Approves 6-Lane Nashik-Solapur-Akkalkot Corridor

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by PM Narendra Modi, has approved a new 6-lane greenfield corridor in Maharashtra.
The corridor will connect Nashik, Solapur, and Akkalkot, significantly reducing travel time between North and South Maharashtra.
This project is part of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity.

💰 Economy & Banking

🔷 December GST Collections Reach ₹1.75 Lakh Crore

India's gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection for December 2025 stood at ₹1.75 lakh crore.
This represents a 6.1% growth compared to the same month in the previous year.
Total collections for the current fiscal year (April-December 2025) have crossed ₹16.5 lakh crore.
The increase is attributed to robust import revenues and improved tax compliance despite recent rate rationalizations.

🔷 SMFCL: India’s First Maritime NBFC Starts Operations

Sustainable Maritime Finance Corporation Limited (SMFCL) has officially begun its lending operations.
It is India's first-ever NBFC dedicated exclusively to the maritime sector.
The board has already approved loans worth ₹4,300 crore, including a ₹4,000 crore allocation for a Greenfield Port Project.
This initiative aims to boost India's blue economy and port infrastructure under the Sagarmala Programme.

🔬 Science & Technology

🔷 Ministry of S&T Launches 'PathGennie' Software

The Ministry of Science and Technology has introduced PathGennie, a new open-source software for medical research.
The software allows scientists to simulate drug-molecule interactions within the human body more accurately.
It is expected to reduce the time and cost of drug discovery by replacing expensive manual trials with high-speed digital simulations.

🌐 International Relations & Agreements

🔷 World Braille Day Observed Globally

World Braille Day is celebrated every year on January 4 to raise awareness about the importance of Braille as a means of communication for the blind.
The day marks the birth anniversary of Louis Braille, the inventor of the Braille script.
In India, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment organized several programs to distribute braille kits and assistive devices to students.

🪖 Defence & Security

🔷 Tenure of CDS General Anil Chauhan Extended

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has extended the service of General Anil Chauhan as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
He will now serve until May 30, 2026, providing stability to the ongoing military reforms and the creation of Integrated Theatre Commands.
General Chauhan took over as the second CDS of India in September 2022 following the death of General Bipin Rawat.

📌 January 4, 2026 General Knowledge

Birth of Louis Braille (1809): Born in France, he invented the Braille system at age 15, which revolutionized education for people with visual impairments.
Independence of Myanmar (1948): On this day, Myanmar (then Burma) officially gained independence from British colonial rule.
Newton's Birthday (1643): According to the Gregorian calendar, today is the birth anniversary of Sir Isaac Newton, one of the most influential scientists in history.
First Hydrogen Bomb Test (1958): The first successful test of a hydrogen bomb by the UK took place in the Pacific Ocean on this date.
Rape of Nanking Ends (1938): A significant historical milestone marking the end of the six-week massacre during the Second Sino-Japanese War.