Daily Current Affairs 2025  

01/02/2026

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CA-01/02/2026

• Reaffirmed commitment to the Palestinian cause and the two‑state solution.
• Condemned terrorism in all forms and pledged deeper cooperation in counter‑terrorism.
• Strengthened economic ties, with bilateral trade between India and Arab states exceeding USD 240 billion.
• The Arab League continues to push forward the Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA), aiming to reduce tariffs and boost intra‑Arab trade
• Expanded cooperation in energy, education, and culture

• Founded: March 22, 1945, through the Alexandria Protocol.
• Headquarters: Cairo, Egypt.
• Members: 22 countries including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and others.
• Official Language: Arabic.

• Political Cooperation: Coordinate policies among Arab states and present a unified stance in global affairs.
• Support for Palestine: The Arab League has consistently backed the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state alongside Israel.
• Economic Integration: Initiatives like the Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) launched in 2005.
• Security: Joint defense agreements and collective action against terrorism.
• Cultural Collaboration: Promotion of Arabic language, heritage, and education.

• Internal Divisions: Member states often disagree on foreign policy, limiting effectiveness.
• Limited Enforcement Power: Resolutions are often symbolic and not binding.
• Regional Conflicts: Struggles in Syria, Yemen, and Libya have tested unity.
• Dependence on Consensus: Decisions require unanimity, slowing action.

• Location: Jalesar, Etah district, ~45 km from Etah city.
• Size: ~108 hectares (smallest bird sanctuary in UP).
• Habitat: A shallow rain-fed lake surrounded by forest land, which fills during monsoon and attracts migratory birds in winter.
• Birdlife:
  • Over 178 bird species recorded.
  • Storks, Cranes, Rosy Pelicans, Bar-headed Geese, Wild Ducks, Spot-billed Ducks, Cotton Teal, Lesser Whistling Duck.
  • Seasonal population can reach 200,000 birds.
• Flora: ~252 plant species documented.
• Special Recognition: Declared a Ramsar Site on 31 January 2026, making it the 11th Ramsar wetland in Uttar Pradesh.

• Location: Edge of Banni grasslands and salt flats of the Rann of Kutch, near Bhuj.
• Meaning: “Chhari” = saline, “Dhand” = shallow lake.
• Habitat: Seasonal wetland formed in a saucer-shaped depression, between desert and grassland ecosystems.
• Birdlife:
  • More than 250 bird species recorded.
  • Important stopover for migratory waterfowl, raptors, and waders.
  • Known for flamingos, cranes, pelicans, and raptors.
• Special Recognition: Declared a Ramsar Site on 31 January 2026, becoming Gujarat’s 5th Ramsar site (after Nal Sarovar, Thol, Khijadiya, and Wadhwana) and the first in Kutch.

• Both sanctuaries highlight India’s growing Ramsar network (expanded from 26 sites in 2014 to 98 by 2026).
• Recognition ensures global conservation support, eco-tourism potential, and protection of migratory bird habitats.
• Patna represents compact biodiversity richness, while Chhari-Dhand showcases large-scale wetland ecosystems.

• Birth: Around 1450 CE in Varanasi (Kashi), Uttar Pradesh.
• Community: Born in the Chamar caste, traditionally associated with leather work.
• Occupation: Shoemaker by profession, but became a spiritual teacher through his devotion and poetry.
• Influences: Ramananda and the Bhakti movement; he also drew from Advaita Vedanta, Vaishnavism, and Sufi traditions.
• Followers: His teachings influenced saints like Meera Bai and even Sikh Gurus—his hymns are included in the Guru Granth Sahib.

• Equality: Ravidas Ji strongly opposed caste discrimination and untouchability.
• Inner Purity: His famous saying “Man changa to kathauti mein Ganga” (If the mind is pure, the Ganga flows in your vessel) emphasizes inner spirituality over ritual.
• Begampura: A utopian vision of a society free from sorrow, taxes, kings, and caste divisions.
• Bhakti (Devotion): He taught that devotion to God through love and humility is greater than ritualistic practices.

• IIM Ahmedabad – Global benchmark for academic rigor, case-based pedagogy, and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
• IIM Bangalore – Known for leadership research, policy studies, and NSRCEL incubator.
• Other IIMs & private schools – Several institutions recognized across categories (public, private, distance learning).

• Rank 1: Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) – Leading in international trade and global business education; expanding with a new overseas campus in Dubai.
• Other top contenders – IIMs and private B-schools continue to dominate, but IIFT’s trade specialization gave it the edge in 2026.

• Business Schools (B-Schools) are institutions offering management education, typically MBA, PGDM, or executive programs.
• Core Focus: Leadership, strategy, finance, marketing, operations, entrepreneurship, and global business.
• Entry Routes: Competitive exams (CAT, GMAT, GRE, XAT, MAT, etc.), interviews, and academic performance.

• IIMs remain the safest bet for general management excellence, strong alumni networks, and diverse career opportunities.
• IIFT is ideal for students targeting global trade, economics, and international business careers.
• Private B-schools are rising in rankings due to inclusiveness, employability, and online learning innovations.

• Carnatic Music: A South Indian classical music tradition, rich in ragas (melodic frameworks) and talas (rhythmic cycles).
• Classical Dance Forms: Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohiniyattam, Kathakali, and others—all deeply tied to devotional themes and storytelling.
• Fusion: When dancers choreograph Bharatanatyam or Kuchipudi pieces to Carnatic compositions (like kritis, varnams, or tillanas), it is often referred to as Carnatic classical dance.

• Rhythmic Precision: Dancers mirror the complex talas of Carnatic music with footwork (adavus).
• Expressive Abhinaya: Facial expressions and hand gestures (mudras) bring out the lyrical meaning of Carnatic compositions.
• Devotional Themes: Most pieces are based on Hindu mythology, bhakti poetry, or philosophical ideas.
• Musical Integration: Instruments like the mridangam, veena, violin, and flute accompany the dance, blending seamlessly with the choreography.

Dance Form	Origin (Region)	Connection to Carnatic Music
Bharatanatyam	Tamil Nadu	Strongest link; many varnams and padams are choreographed to Carnatic kritis.
Kuchipudi	Andhra Pradesh	Uses Carnatic compositions, often with dramatic storytelling.
Mohiniyattam	Kerala	Employs Carnatic ragas for graceful, lasya-style movements.
Kathakali	Kerala	Though distinct, it sometimes uses Carnatic-based ragas for its musical score.

• The tomb, from the Late Classic period (around 600 CE), features intricate carvings like a giant owl sculpture symbolizing death and power, with a painted Zapotec lord's face in its beak.
• Inside, multicolored murals (white, ocher, red, blue, green) depict a funeral procession carrying copal incense bags, plus guardian figures and calendrical symbols.

• Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Culture Minister Claudia Curiel de Icaza praised its preservation, offering insights into Zapotec social structure, funerary rituals, and cosmology.
• The site was found after a looting report prompted INAH excavations; stabilization aims for public access by year's end.

• Location: Valley of Oaxaca, southern Mexico.
• Environment: High elevation, fertile valleys, irrigation from the Atoyac River.
• Emergence: Transitioned from hunter-gatherers to agricultural societies around 700 BCE.

• Religion: Polytheistic, with gods linked to fertility, rain, and maize. Ancestors were believed to descend from the clouds.
• Writing: One of the earliest Mesoamerican writing systems, using glyphs and calendrical symbols.
• Architecture: Monumental stone structures, plazas, and tombs decorated with intricate mosaics.
• Crafts: Advanced pottery, weaving, and stone masonry.
• Trade: Linked with Olmec, Teotihuacan, and Maya civilizations.

• Mixtec Conflicts: Rivalries weakened Zapotec power in the late Postclassic period.
• Spanish Conquest (1521 CE): The Zapotecs resisted but were eventually subdued.
• Legacy: Their descendants still live in Oaxaca, speaking Zapotec languages and preserving traditions.

• Cytosol: A semi-viscous fluid containing water, salts, and organic molecules.
• Organelles: Suspended structures such as mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, etc.
• Cytoskeleton: A network of protein filaments (microtubules, microfilaments) that provides shape and aids movement.

• Support & Shape: Maintains cell structure and provides a medium for organelles.
• Biochemical Reactions: Many metabolic pathways (glycolysis, protein synthesis) occur in the cytoplasm.
• Transport: Facilitates movement of materials within the cell.
• Storage: Stores nutrients, ions, and waste products.
• Cell Division: Plays a role in distributing organelles during mitosis.

• Medical Applications: Cytoplasm-targeted therapies may help fight cancer or genetic disorders.
• Biotechnology: Cytoplasm engineering could improve synthetic biology and bio-manufacturing.
• Fundamental Biology: Understanding cytoplasm dynamics reshapes how we view cell function beyond the nucleus

• Taxonomy: Belongs to the genus Diplocentrum in the family Orchidaceae.
• Discovery: Identified recently (2025–2026) by botanists in Kerala’s Idukki district.
• Habitat:
  • Found in the southern ranges of the Western Ghats.
  • Grows on rocks and tree branches, adapted to withstand strong winds.
• Flower Characteristics:
  • Unbranched clusters of blooms.
  • Pink and white petals, distinctively shaped.
  • Fragrant and visually striking, making it stand out from related species.

• Scientific Significance: Expands the known diversity of orchids in India.
• Conservation Awareness: Discovery underscores the importance of protecting fragile ecosystems in the Western Ghats.
• Cultural/Educational Value: Orchids often symbolize beauty and rarity, making this species a potential flagship for biodiversity campaigns.

• Handcrafted bridges made by guiding the aerial roots of rubber trees across rivers and streams until they take root on the opposite bank.
• Local Name: Jingkieng Jri (Khasi language).
• Material: Living roots of Ficus elastica trees.
• Process: Takes 15–30 years to fully form, but once established, they last for centuries and grow stronger with time.

• East Khasi Hills: Nongriat (home to the famous Double-Decker Root Bridge).
• West Jaintia Hills: Villages like Rangthylliang and Mawkyrnot.
• Other Sites: Mawlynnong and Rewai.

• Sustainable Engineering: Unlike steel or concrete, these bridges are living, self-strengthening, and eco-friendly.
• Community Heritage: Built and maintained by indigenous Khasi and Jaintia tribes, reflecting deep harmony with nature.
• Tourism: Attracts trekkers and eco-tourists worldwide, especially to Nongriat’s double-decker bridge and nearby Rainbow Falls.

• India has officially submitted the Living Root Bridges (Jingkieng Jri / Lyu Chrai Cultural Landscape) for UNESCO World Heritage recognition.
• The nomination emphasizes their role as a “living cultural landscape” shaped by indigenous communities.
• If inscribed, it will bring global recognition and protection to these bio-engineered wonders.

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