NATIONAL UPDATES:
Ayush Ministry Signs MoU with CISF to Promote Preventive
Healthcare and Wellness: The Ministry
of Ayush has signed an MoU with Central Industrial Security
Force to promote preventive healthcare and wellness among personnel.The
initiative focuses on AYUSH-based practices including yoga, stress management,
and holistic well-being for CISF personnel and their families.The Ministry of
Ayush will provide technical support and expert guidance, while CISF will
ensure implementation across its units and establishments.
Cabinet Approves ₹1,718.56 Crore MSP Funding to
Strengthen Cotton Procurement and Support Farmers: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs,
chaired by Narendra Modi, approved MSP funding of ₹1,718.56 crore to
Cotton Corporation of India for the 2023–24 cotton season to support
farmers.The funding ensures direct price support as the government procures
cotton at MSP when market prices fall, providing a safety net to farmers based
on recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices.Cotton
Corporation of India acts as the central nodal agency, procuring Fair Average
Quality (FAQ) cotton without any quantity limit across major cotton-growing
states.To strengthen procurement, CCI has set up over 508 centres in 152
districts and introduced tech initiatives like Bale Identification and
Traceability System (BITS) and the “Cott-Ally” mobile app for better
transparency and farmer outreach.
GSI Declares Kalinjar Fort Hill a National Geo-Heritage
Site: The Geological Survey of India has
declared the hill region around Kalinjar Fort (Banda district of Uttar
Pradesh) as a National Geo-Heritage Site on 16 March 2026, recognising its
geological, historical, and cultural importance.The site features the rare
Eparchaean Unconformity, where ~2.5 billion-year-old Bundelkhand granite is
overlain by ~1.2 billion-year-old Kaimur sandstone, offering key insights into
Earth’s geological evolution.Located in the Vindhya Range, the region is
expected to boost geo-tourism and be part of a tourism circuit linking
Kalinjar, Khajuraho, and Chitrakoot.
Punjab Launches ‘Sikhya Kranti 2.0’ with ₹3,500 Crore
Investment to Transform School Education: The Punjab Government has launched
‘Punjab Sikhya Kranti 2.0’ in collaboration with the World Bank to
strengthen and modernize the state’s school education system.The programme aims
to make Punjab’s education system globally competitive by improving quality,
infrastructure, and learning outcomes.The initiative involves a total
investment of ₹3,500 crore over six years, including ₹2,500 crore from World
Bank assistance and ₹1,000 crore from the state government.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India and Bhutan Sign MoU to Boost Postal Cooperation
and Technology Collaboration: India and Bhutan signed an MoU on Postal
Cooperation to strengthen collaboration between India Post and Bhutan Post. The
agreement focuses on postal operations, technology development, logistics,
capacity building, philately, and knowledge exchange. Both countries aim to
enhance cooperation in the technology domain, sharing best practices and
experiences related to modern postal systems.
2. Finland Tops World Happiness Report 2026 for 9th Year: Finland remains the world’s happiest
country for the 9th consecutive year, continuing the dominance of Nordic
nations in global happiness rankings.The World Happiness Report 2026 highlights
that excessive social media use is reducing happiness levels among young
people, especially in Western and English-speaking countries.India ranks 116th
out of 147 countries, showing a slight improvement from its 118th position in
2025. The report is published by the Wellbeing Research Centre in partnership
with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
3. 20 March – World Sparrow Day: World Sparrow Day is observed annually
on March 20 to raise awareness about the declining population of
sparrows.Theme 2026 – Creating Bird-Friendly Cities & CommunitiesThe
day highlights the need for conservation of house sparrows and protection of
their natural habitats. It was first celebrated in 2010, initiated by the
Nature Forever Society of India.
4. 21 March – World Forestry Day: World Forestry Day (also known as
International Day of Forests) is observed annually on March 21.Theme 2026
– Forests and Economies The day aims to raise awareness about the
importance of forests and their role in sustaining biodiversity and climate
balance. It was established by the United Nations to promote forest
conservation and sustainable management worldwide.
5. 21 March – World Poetry Day: World Poetry Day is observed annually on
March 21 to celebrate the power of poetry and promote linguistic
diversity. Theme 2026 – Poetry as a Bridge for Peace and Inclusion The day
encourages reading, writing, publishing, and teaching poetry across cultures
worldwide. It was established by UNESCO in 1999 to support poets and revive
oral traditions of poetry.
6. Litani
River Bridge Strike Highlights Strategic Importance: Recent Israeli airstrikes
have destroyed the Qasmiyeh Bridge, a crucial crossing over Lebanon’s Litani River along the southern
coastal highway. The incident underscores the strategic and economic importance
of the river, which plays a vital role in Lebanon’s water resources, agriculture and
infrastructure connectivity. The Litani River is the longest river entirely
within Lebanon. It originates near Baalbek in a low divide and flows southwest
through the fertile Bekaa Valley,
situated between the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon mountain ranges. Near Marjayoun,
the river takes a sharp westward turn, carving a deep gorge through the Lebanon
Mountains before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea south of Sidon.
7. US Bill Seeks to Protect OPT Programme for Students: A bipartisan group
of United
States lawmakers has
introduced a new bill to safeguard the Optional Practical Training (OPT)
programme, a key pathway that allows international students to gain work
experience after completing their studies. The move comes amid rising
uncertainty over post-study employment policies and aims to provide long-term
stability to students and employers. The Optional Practical Training (OPT)
programme permits international students on F-1 visas to work in the United States for up to 12 months after
graduation. Students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
fields are eligible for an additional two-year extension. The programme is
widely regarded as a bridge to long-term work visas such as the H-1B.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. CAPF
Umbrella Bill 2026 Aims to Reform Force Administration: The Union Government is
set to introduce the Central
Armed Police Forces (General
Administration) Bill, 2026, in the Rajya Sabha. The proposed legislation seeks to establish a
unified legal framework governing recruitment, deputation, promotions and
service conditions across all Central
Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). At present,
CAPFs such as the CRPF, BSF, ITBP and SSB are governed by separate Acts,
leading to fragmented service regulations. The absence of a unified framework
has resulted in administrative challenges and frequent litigation on service-related
issues. The proposed bill aims to streamline these provisions and ensure
consistency in governance.
SPORTS
1. India to Host World Indoor Athletics Championships
2028 in Bhubaneswar: India will host
the World Indoor Athletics Championships 2028 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha,
marking a major boost for India’s global sports profile. The hosting rights
were granted by the World Athletics Council, reflecting confidence in India’s
sporting infrastructure and organizational capacity. The event will take place
at the Kalinga Stadium Complex, while the 2025 edition is being held in Toruń,
Poland.
2. Lionel Messi Becomes Second Footballer to Score 900
Career Goals: Lionel
Messi became only the second men’s footballer to score 900 official
goals, achieving the milestone for Inter Miami CF against Nashville SC in the
CONCACAF Champions Cup. He joins Cristiano Ronaldo, who reached the 900-goal
mark earlier in 2024 and currently leads with 965 goals, aiming for the
historic 1,000-goal milestone. Messi reached 900 goals in 1,142 matches, faster
than Ronaldo (1,236 games), while Pelé ranks third on the all-time list with
765 goals.
3. FIFA Fines Israeli FA $190,700 Over
Anti-Discrimination Violations: FIFA imposed a fine of $190,700 on the Israeli
Football Association for breaching anti-discrimination rules. The action
was taken due to failure to address racist behaviour associated with Beitar
Jerusalem
4. Anahat
Singh Triumphs Again at Indian Open Squash: India’s rising squash star Anahat Singh reaffirmed her
dominance by successfully defending her title at the JSW Indian Open, a PSA
Copper-level tournament held in Mumbai. The 18-year-old showcased remarkable
composure and skill to defeat Egypt’s Hana Moataz in the women’s final,
underlining her growing stature in international squash. Anahat Singh secured a
3-1 victory in the final with scores of 11-5, 11-6, 9-11, 11-6. She began
aggressively, quickly establishing control through precise shot placement and
court coverage. Despite a brief setback in the third game, she regained
momentum in the fourth to seal the match. Her ability to combine power with
tactical awareness stood out throughout the contest.
5. Ria
Solanki Wins Shot Put Gold at Para Athletics: Ria Solanki, a 19-year-old para-athlete from Meerut,
has secured a gold medal in shot put at the national para-athletics
championship held in Bhubaneswar. Her achievement stands as a powerful example
of determination and resilience, overcoming both physical disability and
financial hardship. Born without her left hand below the elbow, Ria Solanki
began training in shot put in 2018. Despite limited resources, she remained
committed to her sport. Her family faced severe financial challenges, often struggling
to provide even basic nutrition required for athletic training. Yet, her
perseverance and focus helped her rise steadily in the field of para-athletics.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Elon
Musk Unveils Terafab AI Chip Manufacturing Project: Elon Musk has announced
an ambitious semiconductor initiative named “Terafab” in Austin, Texas, aimed
at scaling up artificial
intelligence chip production. The
project, involving Tesla, SpaceX and xAI, seeks to address the growing demand
for advanced chips required for autonomous driving, robotics and AI systems.
Terafab is envisioned as a massive semiconductor fabrication facility,
significantly larger than Tesla’s existing gigafactories. It will function as
an advanced technology hub capable of designing, manufacturing and testing
next-generation chips. The project reflects concerns that current global chip
production capacity may not meet the rapidly increasing demand for AI-driven
applications.
2. India
Discovers New Cockroach Species Using DNA Taxonomy: India has recorded a
major scientific breakthrough with the discovery of a new cockroach species,
Neoloboptera peninsularis, using advanced DNA-led taxonomy. The finding by the
Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) marks a significant shift from traditional
classification methods to modern, integrative approaches in biodiversity research. The new species was
identified using an integrative taxonomy approach that combines morphological
analysis, genitalic study, DNA barcoding and phylogenetic assessment. This
marks the first time in over 267 years of cockroach research in India that such
a comprehensive scientific framework has been applied to establish a new
species with high precision.
3. Japan
Discovers Massive Deep-Sea Rare Earth Deposit: Japan has identified a vast deposit
of rare
earth elements nearly 6,000 metres
beneath the Pacific
Ocean near Minamitorishima
island. The discovery, described as a “rare earth giant,” could significantly
reshape global resource security by providing a long-term supply of critical
minerals essential for modern technologies. The deposit contains over 16
million tonnes of rare earth-rich mud, including key elements such as yttrium and dysprosium. These materials are crucial for
manufacturing high-performance magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines
and advanced electronics. Estimates suggest that the deposit could meet global
demand for some of these elements for up to 700 years.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Core Industries Growth Rises to 2.3% in February 2026:
The Index of Eight Core Industries
(ICI) grew by 3% (provisional) in February 2026 compared to
February 2025.Cement, Steel, Fertilisers, Coal, and Electricity sectors
recorded positive growth during February 2026.The ICI tracks performance of
eight core industries (including coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery
products, etc.) and has a 40.27% weight in the Index of Industrial Production
(IIP). The final growth rate for January 2026 stood at 4.7%, while the
cumulative growth (April–February 2025-26) was 2.9% (provisional).
2. RBI Imposes ₹31.80 Lakh Penalty on HSBC for
Non-Compliance: The
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a ₹31.80 lakh penalty on HSBC
for regulatory non-compliance. The penalty was due to violation of RBI
guidelines related to “Inoperative Accounts / Unclaimed Deposits in Banks –
Revised Instructions.”
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Sahibzada Farhan Wins ICC Award After Record-Breaking Feat: Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan has been named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for February 2026 following a remarkable performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. His outstanding batting display saw him surpass a long-standing record held by Virat Kohli, marking a significant milestone in international cricket. Sahibzada Farhan emerged as the highest run-scorer of the tournament, amassing 383 runs in seven matches at an impressive average of 76.60. His tally included two centuries and two half-centuries, achieved at a striking rate exceeding 160. This performance broke Virat Kohli’s previous record of 319 runs in a single T20 World Cup edition set in 2014.
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