Prahaar Anti Terror Policy

• India has unveiled its first-ever comprehensive anti-terror policy, titled ‘Prahaar’, formalising a proactive and intelligence-led counter-terror doctrine.

About Prahaar Anti Terror Policy:

• Prahaar is India’s first integrated national counter-terrorism policy and strategy, designed as a doctrine-level framework for preventing, responding to and recovering from terrorism threats.
• It adopts a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, combining intelligence, law enforcement, technology and international cooperation.

Launched by:

• Introduced by the Government of India as a national counter-terror strategy framework involving central and state security agencies.

Aim:

• To prevent and neutralize terrorism through proactive, intelligence-guided operations and coordinated institutional mechanisms.
• To disrupt terror ecosystems by targeting financing, recruitment, radicalisation, logistics and cyber networks.

Key Features:

• Seven-Pillar Framework (PRAHAAR): Prevention, Response, Aggregation of capacities, Human-rights-based processes, Attenuation of radicalisation, Aligning international cooperation, and Recovery.
• Proactive Intelligence Model: Focus on pre-emptive disruption of terror networks instead of reactive policing.
• Technology-Centric Security: Addresses threats from drones, encrypted messaging apps, dark web and crypto financing.
• Uniform Counter-Terror Structure: Standard procedures and coordinated mechanisms across central, state and district levels.
• Counter-Radicalisation Strategy: Graded police response combined with education, engagement and de-radicalisation programmes.
• Global Collaboration: Emphasis on extradition, intelligence sharing and alignment with UN anti-terror norms.
• Human Rights Safeguards: Ensures legal due process, redressal mechanisms and rule-of-law based action.

Significance:

• Marks a doctrinal shift from fragmented responses to a structured national counter-terror policy.
• Enhances India’s preparedness against emerging hybrid threats combining terrorism, cyber warfare and organised crime.

National Monetisation Pipeline 2.0 (NMP 2.0)

Source: PIB

• Union Finance Minister has launched the National Monetisation Pipeline 2.0 (NMP 2.0) to accelerate infrastructure financing through asset monetisation.

About National Monetisation Pipeline 2.0 (NMP 2.0):

• NMP 2.0 is the second phase of India’s national asset monetisation programme that provides a medium-term roadmap for monetising operational public infrastructure assets.
• It focuses on unlocking value from existing brownfield assets to generate resources for new infrastructure creation and capital expenditure.

Ministry / Implementing Agency:

• Developed by NITI Aayog in consultation with infrastructure line ministries.
• Implemented under the guidance of the Ministry of Finance and monitored by the Core Group of Secretaries on Asset Monetisation (CGAM).

Aim:

• To recycle public assets and mobilise funds for fresh infrastructure development without increasing fiscal burden.
• To provide visibility and investment opportunities for private sector participation in infrastructure.

Key Features:

• Total Monetisation Potential: ₹16.72 lakh crore for FY 2026–2030, including ₹5.8 lakh crore private investment.
• Guidance Framework: Structured as a methodology and roadmap document for ministries and investors.
• Multiple Monetisation Models: PPP concessions, InvITs, securitisation of cash flows, strategic auctions, and partial divestments.
• Revenue Allocation Mechanism: Proceeds flow to Consolidated Fund of India, PSUs, State Consolidated Funds, or direct private investments.
• Sector-Wide Coverage: Includes highways, railways, power, ports, coal, mining, telecom, aviation, tourism and urban infrastructure.
• Process Standardisation: Emphasis on simplification and time-bound execution based on lessons from NMP 1.0.
• Monitoring Mechanism: Continuous oversight by empowered inter-ministerial group led by Cabinet Secretary.

Top 5 Sectoral Shares (FY 2026–30):

1. Highways, MMLPs & Ropeways – 26% (₹4.42 lakh crore)
2. Power Sector – 17% (₹2.76 lakh crore)
3. Railways – 16% (₹2.62 lakh crore)
4. Ports – 16% (₹2.63 lakh crore)
5. Coal – 13% (₹2.16 lakh crore)

Significance:

• Promotes asset recycling, enabling reinvestment into new infrastructure projects.
• Reduces dependence on direct budgetary expenditure for CAPEX.
• Strengthens PPP ecosystem and attracts long-term private investment.

2025 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation

• The Our Lady of Grace Cathedral, Vasai (Maharashtra) has won the Award of Merit at the 2025 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation: What it is?

• A prestigious UNESCO initiative that recognises outstanding heritage conservation projects across the Asia-Pacific region.
• It honours restoration efforts that combine technical excellence with cultural authenticity and community participation.

Established in:

• 2000, by UNESCO to promote best practices in cultural heritage preservation across Asia and the Pacific.

Aim:

• To encourage high-quality conservation of historic sites while maintaining cultural integrity and sustainability.
• To promote community participation and adaptive reuse of heritage structures for long-term preservation.

Key Features:

• Recognises projects based on understanding of place, technical achievement, sustainability, and impact.
• Open to private sector and public-private partnership conservation initiatives.
• Covers heritage types such as historic buildings, towns, archaeological sites, cultural landscapes and vernacular architecture.
• Projects must generally be completed within the last ten years to qualify.
• Has honoured 300+ projects across 27 countries, shaping regional conservation standards.

Vasai Cathedral (Our Lady of Grace Cathedral):

• A 16th-century Catholic cathedral located in Papdy village, Vasai (Maharashtra), representing early Portuguese colonial architecture in India.

History:

• Built around 475 years ago during Portuguese rule on India’s western coast.
• Constructed using stone and mud mortar, without modern cement.
• Recently restored (2023–24) through a community-funded conservation initiative costing about ₹4.5 crore.

Key Features:

• Reflects Portuguese ecclesiastical architecture with stone masonry and traditional craftsmanship.
• Interior restored using hand-carved liturgical elements and authentic materials.
• Includes restored roof, façade, corridors, colonnade and bell tower.
• Serves as a living place of worship, preserving both tangible and intangible heritage.

INS Anjadip

• The Indian Navy is set to commission Anjadip, the third vessel of the eight-ship Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) project, into the Eastern Naval Command.

About INS Anjadip:

• INS Anjadip is a state-of-the-art Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC). It is a reincarnation of the erstwhile Petya-class Corvette of the same name that was decommissioned in 2003.
• Built By: The vessel was indigenously designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.
• The construction was executed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model between GRSE and L&T Shipyard, Kattupalli.

Other Ships in the Project:

• Anjadip is the third of eight planned ASW-SWC vessels. Other notable ships already launched or delivered in this class include INS Mahe and INS Malvan.
• Aim: The primary aim of the vessel is to address challenges in the littoral combat environment (coastal and shallow waters). It is specifically engineered to act as a ‘Dolphin Hunter’, tasked with the detection, tracking, and neutralization of enemy submarines in coastal approaches.

Key Features:

• Dimensions: Approximately 77 meters in length.
• Propulsion: High-speed Water-Jet Propulsion system, making it the largest class of Indian naval warships to use this technology.
• Speed: Capable of reaching a top speed of 25 knots.
• Weapons Package: Armed with Lightweight Torpedoes, indigenously designed Anti-Submarine Rockets, and mine-laying capabilities.
• Sensors: Equipped with the Hull Mounted Sonar ‘Abhay’ for shallow water detection.
• Multirole Capabilities: Beyond ASW, it can perform Coastal Surveillance, Low-Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO), and Search & Rescue (SAR).

20th anniversary of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006

• The ILO and IMO marked the 20th anniversary of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006, highlighting its role in improving seafarers’ welfare and global shipping standards.

What it is?

• Often referred to as the Seafarers’ Bill of Rights, the MLC, 2006 is a comprehensive international treaty that establishes minimum requirements for almost every aspect of working and living conditions for seafarers.

Established In:

• The Convention was adopted on 23 February 2006 by the International Labour Conference in Geneva.

Aim:

• To create a single, coherent instrument embodying as many up-to-date standards of existing maritime labour Conventions as possible.
• To ensure that all seafarers, regardless of their nationality or the flag of the ship, have access to decent working and living conditions.
• To level the playing field for responsible shipowners by preventing unfair competition from substandard ships

Key Features of the Convention:

• Minimum Requirements for Seafarers: Sets clear standards for minimum age, medical certification, and necessary training/qualifications for working on a ship.
• Conditions of Employment: Regulates seafarers’ employment agreements, wages, hours of work and rest, and entitlement to leave and repatriation.
• Accommodation and Recreational Facilities: Mandates specific standards for on-board living conditions, including ventilation, heating, and lighting.
• Health Protection and Medical Care: Ensures seafarers have access to prompt and adequate medical care while on board and in port.
• Social Security Protection: Requires members to provide seafarers with social security protection matching that of land-based workers, covering areas like sickness and unemployment benefits.
• Compliance and Enforcement: Features a robust system of Flag State and Port State inspections to ensure ships meet the convention’s requirements.

Significance

• Improved Seafarers’ Welfare: Enhanced wages, working hours, safety, and living standards globally.
• Fair Competition: Prevents unfair advantage gained through poor labour conditions.

India and France amends Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC)

• India and France signed a Protocol to amend the Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC), which was originally signed in 1992.
• DTAC is the formal/legal name used for some Double Tax Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs).
• DTAA is an agreement signed between two countries to prevent individuals or businesses from being subject to double taxation on their income.

Key Amendments

• Removed the Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) clause to eliminate ambiguity in treaty benefits.
• Incorporation of Base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) Multilateral Instrument (MLI) Provisions to prevent profit shifting.

About the Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN)

• It is a fundamental principle of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
• It ensures that countries do not discriminate between their trading partners.
• If a WTO member grants favourable trading terms like lower tariffs to one country, it must extend the same benefits to all other WTO members.

About the BEPS Multilateral Instrument (MLI)

• An international treaty that enables countries to modify existing bilateral tax treaties without renegotiating them individually.
• The BEPS MLI entered into force in 2018, and its provisions entered into effect in 2019.

Objectives:

• Implements tax treaty measures developed under the OECD/G20 BEPS Project.
• Helps prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting.
• BEPS are tax avoidance strategies used by MNCs to shift profits to low or no-tax jurisdictions by exploiting gaps in tax rules, reducing overall corporate tax liability.

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Emerging as a foundational driver of Inclusive Rural Development

• India’s dual framework on AI combining national strategy for inclusive growth with robust governance architecture, is particularly suitable for rural and socially sensitive contexts.

How AI helps in Inclusive Rural Development?

• Detecting Underserved Villages: By analysing healthcare, education, and sanitation deficits using Mission Antyodaya data.
• Predictive Future Planning: Forecasts future development needs based on population growth and economic activity.
• Fulfilling Infrastructure Needs: Identifies villages lacking proper roads using Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), etc.

Key Initiatives Promoting AI for Inclusive Rural Development

• Decentralised Rural e-governance: Through tools like SabhaSaar,  AI-enabled tool that generates minutes of Gram Sabha and Panchayat meetings, digital platforms like eGram Swaraj and Gram Manchitra, etc.
• Infrastructure Monitoring: BhuPRAHARI platform for monitoring assets created; Digital Shram Setu Mission dealing with informal sector.

Sectoral Analysis:

• Agriculture and Food Security: Kisan e-Mitra, a virtual assistant providing information on government schemes; National Pest Surveillance System, Crop Health Monitoring, Precision Faming, etc.
• Education: NCERT’s DIKSHA platform; Youth for Unnati and Vikas with AI (YUVAI) for building foundational socio-technical/AI skills among grades 8-12.
• Healthcare: State-led AI innovations like Madhya Pradesh’s Suman Sakhi WhatsApp Chatbot for rural women, delivers maternal/newborn health information, etc.

Societal Benefits through Multilingual Governance:

• BHASHINI: AI-enabled language platform offering translation, speech-to-text, and voice-based interfaces across more than 36 Indian languages.
• BharatGen: India’s first government-funded, sovereign, multilingual, and multimodal Large Language Model.
• Adi Vaani: Addressing communication barriers faced by tribal communities.

Meta Challenges CCI Penalty over WhatsApp Data-Sharing Policy

• India’s digital competition regime is under scrutiny as WhatsApp challenges before the Supreme Court the ₹213.14 crore penalty imposed by the Competition Commission of India.

About CCI-WhatsApp Data Sharing Dispute

• Policy Update: WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy compelled users to share data with Meta on a take-it-or-leave-it basis, without an opt-out option.
• CCI Penalty: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) imposed a ₹213.14 crore penalty on Meta in 2024 for abusing its dominant position in India’s digital messaging market.
• Ad-Data Ban: It simultaneously directed WhatsApp to cease sharing user data with all Meta group entities for advertising purposes for five years.
• Meta’s Defence: Meta argued that data sharing was essential for service improvement. It also claimed privacy matters fall exclusively under data protection law, not competition law.
• NCLAT Reversal: The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) in 2025 upheld the ₹213.14 crore penalty but overturned the five-year ban on cross-platform data sharing.
• SC Observation: The Supreme Court characterised WhatsApp’s consent mechanism as an exploitative agreement between a “lion and a lamb.”

India’s Digital Competition Framework

• Competition law prohibits monopolistic conduct, cartelisation, and abuse of a dominant position to protect market contestability and consumer welfare.
• Legal Foundation: The Competition Act, 2002, governs India’s competition regulation through a reactive, ex-post framework – intervening only after market harm occurs.
• Merger Threshold: The Competition (Amendment) Act, 2023 mandates prior CCI approval for acquisitions exceeding ₹2,000 crore to prevent “killer acquisitions” of nascent startups.
• Digital Bill: The proposed Digital Competition Bill aims to pre-regulate “Systemically Significant Digital Enterprises” (SSDEs) to curb predatory pricing and data monopolisation.
• New Division: The CCI has recently established a dedicated Digital Markets Division to investigate and monitor digital intermediaries.
• DPDP Supplement: The DPDP Act, 2023, serves as a supplementary regulatory pillar. It restricts data fiduciaries from cross-utilising harvested data without explicit user consent.

About Competition Commission of India (CCI)

• The CCI is a statutory body established in 2003 under the Competition Act, 2002. It functions under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA).
• Core Mandate: It is mandated to eliminate anti-competitive practices, promote market contestability, and protect consumer interests across India.
• Composition: The Commission has a chairperson and between two to six other members, all appointed by the Central Government.
• Quasi-Judicial Powers: It can penalise antitrust violations, regulate corporate combinations (mergers and acquisitions), and mandate behavioural remedies against dominant market players.
• Appellate Mechanism: Appeals against the Commission’s orders lie before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT).
• Extraterritorial Reach: The CCI can investigate foreign entities whose conduct causes an Appreciable Adverse Effect on Competition (AAEC) within Indian markets.

India’s E-Commerce Expansion

• India’s e-commerce market, currently valued at approximately $120–140 billion, is projected to reach $280–300 billion by 2030, reflecting sustained structural growth.
• Despite rapid expansion, online commerce still accounts for only 7–8% of total consumer spending, signalling significant untapped potential.

Changing Landscape of the E-Commerce Sector in India

• Digital Consumer Expansion: India currently hosts nearly 300 million online shoppers, projected to reach approximately 440 million by 2030, reflecting sustained digital adoption.
• Rural Market Deepening: Around 30% of India’s online shoppers now originate from rural regions, signalling structural diffusion of digital consumption.
• Online–Offline Coexistence: Offline retail continues to remain resilient, recording an estimated 13–14% annual growth even amid rapid e-commerce expansion.
• Emerging Commerce Models: Quick commerce has registered 100%+ CAGR, while chat commerce segments are registered ~40–45% CAGR, reshaping impulse-based consumption patterns.
• Gendered Dimensions: Consumer surveys indicate notable behavioural shifts, with nearly two-thirds of women shoppers reporting feeling safer shopping online.

Significance of India’s E-Commerce Growth

• Consumption Formalisation: E-commerce expansion strengthens transaction traceability, with India’s digital payments ecosystem processing over 100+ billion UPI transactions annually.
• Consumer Inclusion: With nearly 300 million online shoppers expected to rise to about 440 million by 2030, digital commerce is driving broader participation.
• Business Ecosystem Implications: The time required for online brands to achieve ₹100 crore annual revenue has declined from 11 years to about 7 years, signalling improved logistics efficiency.

Challenges Faced

• Digital Divide: Internet penetration in India stands near 55–60%, with rural connectivity gaps and digital literacy disparities constraining inclusive growth.
• Logistics & Last-Mile Costs: India’s logistics costs remain at roughly 7.97% of its GDP, affecting delivery efficiency and profitability for e-commerce firms.
• Data Privacy & Consumer Trust: With India generating over 20% of global data traffic, rising cybersecurity incidents intensify concerns around consumer data protection.

Way Forward

• Infrastructure Strengthening: Expand rural broadband and multi-modal logistics integration to reduce delivery inefficiencies. E.g., BharatNet expansion and Gati Shakti logistics integration.
• Regulatory Certainty: Ensure predictable policy frameworks covering data protection and consumer safeguards. E.g., Implementation of the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025.
• MSME Integration: Promote digital onboarding and logistics support for small sellers entering online marketplaces. E.g., Open Network for Digital Commerce ecosystem participation.

Semiconductor Manufacturing Unit in Uttar Pradesh

• PM Modi virtually laid the foundation stone for India Chip Pvt Ltd., a semiconductor unit in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh.
• The project is a joint venture between India’s HCL Group and Taiwan’s Foxconn. It marks North India’s first major semiconductor unit.
• It is an Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) plant that packages and tests silicon wafers to produce finished chips, specifically Display Driver Integrated Circuits (DDICs).
• The unit is expected to become operational by 2028 and produce around 36 million chips per month.
• Significance: The facility strengthens technological self-reliance, advances the Viksit Bharat vision, and positions India as a trusted hub for advanced electronics manufacturing.

Landscape of India’s Semiconductor Industry

• India’s semiconductor market, valued at $52 billion in 2024-25, is projected to exceed $100 billion by 2030 and create 1 million jobs by 2026.
• The nation currently imports 90–95% of its semiconductor requirements, but upcoming facilities aim to meet 70–75% of domestic demand by 2029.
• The Union Budget 2026-27 has launched the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM 2.0) to build a high-value ecosystem for indigenous chip design.

Access Pass for Fishing in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

• The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying launched the national Access Pass for fishing in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
• The initiative aims to shift Indian fishing from nearshore to sustainable deep-sea operations, unlocking high-value resources like tuna.
• Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the EEZ Rules 2025 establishes a legal framework for using marine fisheries resources in India’s EEZ.
• The pass mandate applies only to mechanised vessels and large motorised crafts. Traditional, non-motorised crafts are exempt to protect artisanal fishers’ livelihoods.
• It operates on the zero-fee ReALCRaft platform, which is integrated with the MPEDA to ensure end-to-end traceability for global markets.

About Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

• The 1982 UNCLOS defines an EEZ as a zone extending 200 nautical miles from a coast baseline where a nation has the right to explore and exploit natural resources.
• India has the world’s 18th largest EEZ, covering approximately 2.4 million sq. km; the Andaman, Nicobar, and Lakshadweep island chains account for 49% of this maritime area.
• India exercises jurisdiction over its EEZ under the Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and Other Maritime Zones Act of 1976.

Soybean Festival in Nagaland

• A two-day Soybean Festival was organised at Chümoukedima, Nagaland, under the theme “From Field to Feast”, with emphasis on scientific cultivation practices.
• Nagaland currently contributes only about 0.1% of India’s soybean output, indicating substantial untapped production potential.

About Soybean (Golden Bean)

• Crop Profile: Soybean (Glycine max) is an important kharif crop and serves as both an oilseed and a leguminous crop.
• Agro-climatic Conditions: It grows best at 26–30°C, needs about 90 cm well-distributed rainfall, and prefers fertile, well-drained loamy soils.
• Origin & Spread: Soybean is native to East Asia and is now cultivated widely in tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions.
• Soybean Production: Madhya Pradesh (“Soy State of India”), followed by Maharashtra & Rajasthan.
• Production Geography: Cultivation is concentrated largely in central and western India.
• Global Production: Brazil, United States, and Argentina are the top soybean producers globally. India is 5th largest producer.
• Leguminous crops are pod-bearing crops (family Fabaceae) whose root nodules with Rhizobium bacteria fix atmospheric nitrogen, thereby improving soil fertility (e.g., gram, pea, lentil, groundnut).

PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana

• Context (PIB): PM Modi recently stated that 30 lakh households have adopted rooftop solar under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.
• PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana is a central sector scheme launched in 2024 to promote rooftop solar (RTS) installations across India. It is recognised as the world’s largest RTS scheme.
• Nodal Authority: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) oversees the programme.
• Key Target: To provide up to 300 units of free electricity per month to 1 crore households through rooftop solar panel installations.
• Significance: The initiative accelerates India’s renewable energy transition to meet India’s climate goals, including 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 and Net Zero by 2070.

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) Neurotoxin

• Tetrodotoxin contamination is suspected after seafood consumption led to rapid neurological illness and deaths in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a non-protein neurotoxin and among the deadliest natural substances known. It is estimated to be about 1,200 times more toxic than cyanide.
• Host Animals: Pufferfish, blue-ringed octopuses, rough-skinned newts, xanthid crabs, moon snails, certain frogs, and sea stars accumulate the toxin in their tissues.
• Bacterial Origin: TTX is produced by symbiotic or ingested bacteria, not the host animal. The animals accumulate it through diet or bacterial association.
• Mechanism: The toxin selectively binds to voltage-gated sodium channels on nerve and muscle membranes. This blocks the entry of sodium ions into the cell.
• Signal Failure: Blocked channels silence nerve impulses and paralyse muscles. Respiratory failure follows in severe poisoning.
• Treatment: No antidote exists for TTX poisoning. Mechanical ventilation supports breathing until the toxin clears naturally.
• Medical Research: At ultra-low doses, it is being researched as an analgesic for chronic neuropathic and cancer-related pain.

Sayyad-3G Missile

• Iran tested the Sayyad-3G missile in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global chokepoint for maritime energy transit.
• The weapon is an Iranian naval surface-to-air defence missile. It is an advanced maritime adaptation of the land-based Sayyad-3 air defence system.
• Range: The missile provides a medium-to-long-range defensive shield with an operational radius of approximately 150 km.
• Target: It can intercept multiple aerial threats, including warplanes, maritime patrol aircraft, high-altitude drones, and cruise missiles.
• Launch Mechanism: The system utilises a Vertical Launch System (VLS) to deliver a rapid 360-degree response without reorienting the ship.
• Guidance System: It features inertial mid-course guidance and radar-based terminal homing to track targets amid sea-surface clutter.
• Significance: The successful integration transitions Iranian naval strategy from point-defence systems to a layered defence umbrella to protect assets in strategic waterways.

Zimbabwe Rolls Out Lenacapavir for HIV Prevention

• Zimbabwe has begun a free rollout of twice-yearly lenacapavir injections to treat HIV and prevent new infections among high-risk populations.
• Lenacapavir is the first-in-class capsid inhibitor approved for HIV-1 treatment. Unlike traditional antiretrovirals that target viral enzymes, it acts directly on the capsid protein shell.
• Multi-Stage: It disrupts multiple stages of the HIV-1 viral life cycle, including nuclear entry, virion (virus particles) assembly, and capsid formation.
• Dosing Interval: This drug is administered as a subcutaneous injection into the abdomen once every six months. It is the longest-acting HIV treatment approved to date.
• Anti-Resistant: Due to its novel capsid pathway, it remains effective against multidrug-resistant HIV-1 strains where standard antiretrovirals fail.
• Fast-Track: WHO approved lenacapavir under the Collaborative Registration Procedure (CRP) to accelerate access in low-income countries.
• CRP Mechanism: Under CRP, national regulatory authorities can accept prior assessments by a trusted reference authority as sufficient for approval. No full independent review is required.

President Unveils Bust of C. Rajagopalachari at Rashtrapati Bhavan

• President Droupadi Murmu unveiled the bust of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari at Rashtrapati Bhavan during the ‘Rajaji Utsav’.
• Rajaji Utsav celebrates C. Rajagopalachari’s contributions as part of a national effort to shed colonial vestiges and honour Indian leaders.

About Chakravarti Rajagopalachari

• Rajagopalachari, widely known as Rajaji, served as the first and only Indian Governor-General of independent India.
• Freedom Struggle: He participated in the Non-Cooperation Movement, Vaikom Satyagraha, and Civil Disobedience Movement.
• In 1930, he led the Vedaranyam Salt Satyagraha in Madras.
• Social Reform: He issued the Madras Temple Entry Authorisation Act (1939) to legally abolish untouchability and allow Dalits entry into Hindu temples.
• Political Resolution: He proposed the C.R. Formula (1944) to resolve the deadlock between the Indian National Congress and the All-India Muslim League over the demand for Pakistan.
• Post-Independence: He founded the Swatantra Party in 1959 to advocate a free-market economy. He also served as Governor of West Bengal, Union Home Minister, and Chief Minister of Madras State.
• Literary Works: He authored acclaimed Tamil retellings of the Ramayana and Mahabharata. He also produced English translations of ancient texts, such as the Bhagavad Gita.
• Major Awards: He was among the first recipients of the Bharat Ratna (1954). He received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1958.

BAFTA Awards 2026

• Source (PIB): The Manipuri-language film Boong won the 79th BAFTA Awards (2026) for Best Children’s & Family Film, marking the first Indian win in this category.
• The film, directed by debutant Lakshmipriya Devi, follows a young boy’s emotional journey to reunite his broken family amid social and political unrest in Manipur.

About BAFTA Award

• It is presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in London to honour excellence in British and international film, television, and video games.
• It is regarded as the British equivalent of the Academy Awards (Oscars).
• Widely regarded as the British equivalent of the Academy Awards (Oscars) (especially for film awards).
• Indian Milestone: Rohini Hattangadi (1983) became the first Indian film actor to win a competitive BAFTA, for Best Supporting Actress in Gandhi (as Kasturba Gandhi).

Winter Olympics 2026

•  The 25th Winter Olympic Games (Milano Cortina 2026) recently concluded in Italy (6–22 February 2026).
• This was the first Olympic Games to be officially co-hosted by two cities, Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
• New Sports: Ski Mountaineering (Skimo) made its official Olympic debut in the Winter Olympics 2026.
• Medal Record: Norway topped the medal table for the fourth consecutive time.

About Olympics

• The ancient Olympics began in Olympia, Greece, in the 8th century BC to honour the Greek god Zeus.
• The Winter Olympics started in 1924 and take place every four years for snow and ice sports.
• France will host the 2030 Winter Games.
• Governing Body: The International Olympic Committee (IOC), based in Lausanne, Switzerland.