NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Tamil Nadu Launches First Dark Sky Park at Kolli Hills
to Promote Stargazing Tourism: The Tamil Nadu
government has launched its first Dark Sky Park at Ariyur Shola
Reserve Forest in Kolli Hills, aimed at promoting stargazing and
astronomical tourism.A Dark Sky Park is a protected area with minimal
artificial light pollution, and Kolli Hills’ elevated terrain, dense forest
cover, and low urban light disturbance make it ideal for night-sky
preservation.The project, announced in the Legislative Assembly on June 25,
2024, was developed at a cost of ₹1 crore, with visitor entry restricted to 20
people at a time to ensure ecological protection and participant safety.
2. Fino Payments Bank MD & CEO Rishi Gupta Arrested
Under GST Act: Fino
Payments Bank MD & CEO Rishi Gupta has been arrested under
Section 132(1)(a) of CGST Act, 2017 and Section 132(1)(i) of SGST Act, 2017 as
per the bank’s exchange filing.The bank clarified that the investigation is
related to its business partners, not its own GST practices, and stated that no
other bank officials are involved and there is no operational impact.In a
special Board Meeting, current CFO Ketan Merchant has been appointed as the
Head of the Organisation to oversee day-to-day operations, and the development
has been informed to the RBI.
3. Park Chan-wook Appointed President of Main Jury at
79th Cannes Film Festival, First Korean to Lead Jury: Acclaimed South Korean
director Park Chan-wook has been appointed as the President of the
Main Competition Jury at the 79th Cannes Film Festival. This marks the first
time a Korean filmmaker has been selected to lead the Cannes main jury. The
79th Cannes Film Festival is scheduled to be held from 12 to 23 May 2026 in
Cannes, France.
4. The Derma Co. Appoints Sania Mirza as Brand Ambassador
for Suncare: The Derma
Co. has appointed Sania Mirza as the brand ambassador for its suncare
category and launched a new digital campaign for its 1% Hyaluronic
Sunscreen Aqua Gel.The campaign promotes daily sun protection, highlighting the
product’s formulation with six UV filters for sun defence and 1% hyaluronic
acid for hydration, positioned as “one sunscreen, two superpowers.”
5. Darjeeling
Hill Festival Showcases India’s Tribal Heritage: President Droupadi Murmu
will inaugurate the Darjeeling Hill Festival at the Durbar Hall of Raj Bhavan
in Darjeeling, recently renamed Lok Bhavan. The festival is designed as a large
cultural platform celebrating India’s diverse tribal traditions and heritage.
Conceived by West
Bengal Governor C. V. Ananda
Bose, who also chairs the Board of Trustees of the Indian Museum, the event brings together leading
cultural institutions, museums, universities, and non-governmental
organisations to highlight the artistic and cultural contributions of
indigenous communities. A major highlight of the festival is the exhibition
titled ‘Roots and Rhythm’, which presents rare ethnographic artefacts from the
Indian Museum’s collections. The display features objects representing tribal
communities from the North-East, Central India, Eastern India, southern
highlands, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Artefacts include Adi cane
helmets, Naga warrior sculptures, Santhal jewellery, Kondh Dokra metal
effigies, Toda embroidered textiles, and traditional Onge wooden vessels. These
objects reflect the deep relationship between tribal life, ecology,
spirituality, and artistic expression.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Jyotiraditya Scindia to Represent India at MWC 2026 in
Barcelona: Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Minister for
Communications, will represent India at the Mobile World Congress (MWC)
2026 in Barcelona, Spain — one of the world’s largest telecom and
technology events. He will inaugurate the Bharat Pavilion, showcasing India’s
growing strength in telecom and digital innovation on the global platform. The
Minister will also visit the booth of Tejas Networks for the launch of the
T31600-D3 Hyper-scalable DCI Platform, a Data Center Interconnect (DCI)
technology used to connect multiple data centers with ultra high-speed
networks.
2. 11th Raisina Dialogue 2026 to be Held in New Delhi
with Finland President Dr Alexander Stubb as Chief Guest: The 11th Raisina Dialogue
2026 will be held in New Delhi, India’s premier conference on
geopolitics and geoeconomics, bringing together global leaders and
policymakers.
The dialogue is organised by
the Observer Research Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of External
Affairs, focusing on strategic and economic discussions. The theme for 2026 is
“Samskāra: Assertion, Accommodation, Advancement”, with Dr Alexander Stubb
attending as the Chief Guest.
3. Ayatollah Alireza Arafi Appointed as Interim Supreme
Leader of Iran: Iran has
appointed Ayatollah Alireza Arafi as the interim successor to long-time
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, placing him in an interim leadership council
alongside the President and the Head of the Judiciary. He has been named as the
jurist member of Iran’s Leadership Council, which will perform the duties of
the Supreme Leader until the Assembly of Experts elects a permanent leader. Alireza
Arafi previously served as President of Al-Mustafa International University
(2008–2018) and has been a permanent member of the Supreme Council of the
Cultural Revolution since 2011.
4. Chile
Eliminates Leprosy, First in Americas Verified by WHO: Chile has become the first country in the Americas to be
officially verified by the World Health
Organization (WHO) for eliminating leprosy as a
public health problem. The recognition follows more than three decades without
locally transmitted cases, marking a major milestone in global disease control
efforts. Chile’s last locally acquired case of the disease was recorded
in 1993. The verification reflects sustained public health surveillance,
early diagnosis and long-term commitment by the country’s health system. Health
authorities continued monitoring the disease even after cases became rare,
ensuring that any imported infections could be quickly detected and treated. The certification was
granted after a rigorous evaluation conducted by an independent panel of
experts from the WHO and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). At the
request of Chile’s Ministry of Health, experts reviewed the country’s
epidemiological data, surveillance mechanisms and case management systems. The review
confirmed that Chile had successfully interrupted local transmission and
maintained the capacity to detect and respond to imported cases. This
verification makes Chile the “second country globally to receive WHO
confirmation for eliminating leprosy”,
following Jordan, which achieved the status in 2024.
5. India
Promotes Sustainable Tourism Vision at ITB Berlin 2026: Union Minister for Culture and Tourism
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat emphasised India’s commitment to building globally
competitive, sustainable, and community-focused tourism destinations under the
Vision 2047 framework. Addressing the UN Tourism Minister’s Summit at ITB
Berlin 2026, he outlined India’s strategy for responsible and inclusive tourism
growth. The minister stated that the country’s tourism policy is guided by the
principle of “Growth with Responsibility”, aligning economic expansion with
environmental protection and cultural preservation. The government aims to
transform India into a leading global tourism hub while ensuring sustainability
and local participation. The minister highlighted that tourism development in
India is not only focused on increasing visitor numbers but also on
strengthening local economies and protecting heritage assets. The approach
emphasises balanced development that integrates infrastructure expansion with
conservation of cultural landmarks and fragile ecosystems.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Southern Air Command Conducts ‘Kalari Leap’ Joint
Maritime Exercise in Lakshadweep Region: The Southern Air Command
of the Indian Air Force conducted a high-tempo joint maritime exercise
named Kalari Leap in the Lakshadweep and Minicoy archipelago. The
exercise aimed to validate joint operational planning, rapid force projection,
and precise execution in complex maritime environments, strengthening coastal
and island security preparedness.
2. Indian Navy Commissions Indigenous ASW Craft ‘INS
Anjadip’ at Chennai to Boost Coastal Defence: The Indian Navy commissioned its fourth
indigenously built Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC), INS
Anjadip, at Chennai Port, Tamil Nadu, to strengthen coastal anti-submarine
warfare capabilities. The vessel was commissioned by Chief of the Naval Staff
Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi in the presence of senior naval officials. The
77-metre-long warship is equipped with indigenous ASW weapons and advanced
sensor systems to detect, track, and neutralise enemy submarines in coastal
waters, and is named after Anjadip Island off the coast of Karwar.
SPORTS
1. Indian Army Clinches Khelo India Winter Games 2026
Team Title with 23 Medals: The first three editions of the Khelo India Winter
Games (KIWG) were hosted and won by Jammu and Kashmir in 2020, 2021,
and 2023, showcasing its dominance in winter sports.The Indian Army won the
KIWG 2026 team championship title with a total of 23 medals (9 Gold, 6 Silver,
8 Bronze).The Indian Army has maintained its supremacy by also winning the team
championships in 2024 and 2025, continuing its winning streak.In the 2026 medal
tally, Himachal Pradesh (14 medals), Haryana (7 medals), Maharashtra (12 medals),
and Ladakh (13 medals) secured the next top positions after the Indian Army.
2. Mumbai Cricket Association to Name Stand at Wankhede
Stadium After Ravi Shastri: Mumbai
Cricket Association (MCA) has decided to name a stand at Wankhede Stadium
after former India cricketer and coach Ravi Shastri as a tribute to
his contribution to Indian cricket. Wankhede Stadium is located in Mumbai,
Maharashtra.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1.Mars Beaches Discovered Beneath Surface by Zhurong Rover
Radar: New radar
evidence from China’s Zhurong rover suggests that Mars once
hosted beaches similar to those on Earth. Scientists have long suspected the
presence of a large ancient ocean on the Red Planet, based on surface images
showing dried river channels and valley networks. However, conclusive
geological proof remained uncertain. A recent study published in “Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)” provides stronger evidence through
subsurface radar scans that reveal structures resembling buried coastal
deposits. The findings indicate that Mars may have had waves and shorelines
shaped by liquid water billions of years ago.
The discovery is based on observations from the Zhurong rover, part of China’s Tianwen-1 mission,
which landed on Mars in 2021. The rover operates in Utopia Planitia, a vast
basin in the northern lowlands of Mars. Scientists have long hypothesised that
this region once contained a massive ocean known as the Deuteronilus Ocean. Using
ground-penetrating radar, the rover scanned layers beneath the Martian surface.
The radar detected sloping sedimentary structures several metres underground.
These layers closely resemble beach ridges and coastal deposits formed by wave
activity on Earth. Because the formations are buried, they have remained
protected from billions of years of surface erosion.
2. Oxford
Museum Returning 16th-Century Tirumankai Alvar Bronze to India: A 16th-century bronze statue of Saint
Tirumankai Alvar, originally from a temple in Tamil Nadu, is set to be returned to India by the
Ashmolean Museum at the University of Oxford. The statue, measuring 57.5
centimetres in height, had been part of the museum’s collection since 1967. The
decision to return the artefact follows research indicating that the sculpture
was originally taken from a temple in southern India. The development forms
part of ongoing global efforts to repatriate cultural heritage objects removed
from their countries of origin. The statue represents
Tirumankai Alvar, one of the twelve Alvar saints revered in the Vaishnavite
tradition of Hinduism. These saints were poet-devotees who composed hymns
praising Lord Vishnu and played an important role in the Bhakti movement in
South India. The bronze idol originally belonged to the
Soundararajaperumal Temple located in Thadikombu village in Tamil Nadu. Such
temple bronzes are typically used in religious rituals and processions. Crafted
using traditional South Indian bronze-casting techniques, the statue dates back
to the 16th century and holds both artistic and religious significance.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. India’s Gross GST Collection Rises 8.1% to ₹1.83 Lakh
Crore in February 2026: India’s gross GST collections rose by 8.1%
year-on-year to over ₹1.83 lakh crore in February 2026, compared to ₹1.69 lakh
crore in February 2025, showing steady revenue growth.The Central GST (CGST)
collection stood at ₹37,473 crore, while State GST (SGST) collections reached
₹45,900 crore during February 2026.The Integrated GST (IGST) collections
crossed ₹1 lakh crore, contributing significantly to the overall GST revenue
for the month.
2. Jio Finance Platform and Service Ltd Launches
‘Finsider’ App Powered by AI: Jio
Finance Platform and Service Ltd (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jio
Financial Services Ltd) has launched its new mobile app
‘Finsider’, along with an early access programme for users to test
features and provide feedback.The app leverages Agentic AI and Neural Networks
to deliver a hyper-personalised, instant, and always-on financial experience to
customers.
3. Central Bank of India Partners with Canara Robeco AMC to Distribute Mutual Fund Products: Central Bank of India has signed a Distribution Agreement with Canara Robeco Asset Management Company Limited to offer its mutual fund products to the bank’s customers.Under this partnership, customers of Central Bank of India will be able to diversify their savings by investing in a wide range of professionally managed mutual fund schemes.The agreement expands investment opportunities for customers by enabling the bank to distribute various mutual fund products managed by Canara Robeco AMC.
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