Daily Current Affairs 2025  

10/02/2026

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CA-10/02/2026

• India is hosting the India edition of this initiative as an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) study tour and workshop in New Delhi, bringing together delegations from countries such as Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Malaysia, Nigeria and South Africa.
• Themes of the workshop: Regulatory frameworks for e‑waste, circular‑economy approaches in electronics, and practical aspects of implementation (collection models, financing, informal sector integration).

• Implementing body: International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecommunication Development Bureau, working with national governments and partner agencies like APC Colombia.
• Core aim: Support developing countries to assess the scale of e‑waste and pilot environmentally sound management through collection, dismantling, refurbishment and recycling, under a circular‑economy approach.
• Focus countries/regions: Multiple developing countries in Africa, Asia‑Pacific and Latin America, with country “editions” such as the India Study Tour for regional knowledge exchange.
• Promote circular economy principles in electronics: Design for durability, repairability and recyclability; safe handling of hazardous substances; resource‑efficient value chains.​

• Build institutional capacity of regulators, line ministries and municipalities to plan and operate e‑waste systems (collection networks, formal recyclers, data systems).
• Engage tech companies and other private‑sector actors in policy dialogue, extended producer responsibility, financing of take‑back schemes and innovation in product design.
• Facilitate international knowledge exchange via study tours, technical workshops, case‑study presentations and peer‑to‑peer support.​

• For India: As one of the fastest‑growing digital economies with nearly a billion internet users and very high volumes of electronic products, strengthening e‑waste governance is critical for public health, environment and resource security.

• For global governance: The initiative complements other international efforts (Basel Convention, WHO work on e‑waste and health, and bilateral networks) by focusing specifically on regulatory capacity and circular‑economy solutions in developing countries.

• The NRI 2025 report places India at 45th rank, an improvement of four positions from its earlier rank (49th in NRI 2024).
• Score: 54.43/100 in 2025 (up from 53.63/100 in 2024).
• Coverage: 127 economies, assessed on digital infrastructure, usage and impact through 53 specific indicators.

• NRI is a global ranking that measures how well countries are prepared to use digital networks and ICTs for development, growth and competitiveness.
• It is prepared by the Portulans Institute, an independent non‑profit research and educational institute based in Washington, DC.
• Objective: To benchmark countries’ ability to leverage networks and digital technologies and to guide policy priorities for digital transformation.

1. United States
2. Finland
3. Singapore
4. Denmark
5. Sweden

• Policy push: Strong emphasis on Digital India, telecom reforms, 5G rollout, indigenous telecom technology and digital public infrastructure.
• Infrastructure: Expansion of broadband, fiber‑to‑the‑home (FTTH) and mobile broadband leading to high rankings in connectivity indicators.
• Innovation and services: High AI research output and ICT services exports strengthen India’s position under Technology and Impact pillars.

• Frequently cited in cases of encroachments near sites like Mamallapuram temple; ASI addresses complaints on daily life impacts while upholding protections.​
• Ongoing relevance in 2022-2024 discussions on balancing heritage conservation with urban needs, as in Swaniti reports.
• ASI enforces against violations, with recent focus on post-1992 illegal builds via local authority data.​

• Enacted in 1958 to preserve ancient monuments, archaeological sites of national importance, regulate excavations, and protect sculptures or carvings.
• Defines "ancient monument" as any structure, tumulus, cave, rock-sculpture, inscription, or monolith over 100 years old with historical, archaeological, or artistic value.

• Prohibits construction within 100 meters (prohibited area) of protected monuments; extends to 200 meters as regulated area for further controls.
• Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) surveys sites, identifies post-1992 constructions, and enforces rules; requires permissions for repairs or public works.
• Bans new builds in prohibited zones post-2010 amendment; allows pre-1992 structure repairs with approval from National Monument Authority (NMA).​

• 2010 Amendment created NMA for monument classification, clarified terms like "construction" and "renovation," and mandated ASI surveys of zones.​
• 2017 proposal sought to permit public works in prohibited areas, sparking preservation vs. development debates.​

• Union Minister of State Jitin Prasada inaugurated the portal in New Delhi, attended by MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan and STQC officials.

• The launch supports Digital India, ease of doing business, and Minimum Government–Maximum Governance principles by automating Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) lab services.

• Satya Portal is a new digital platform launched by India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to streamline quality certification services.

• Single integrated platform for testing, certification, and capacity-building services for citizens, startups, MSMEs, industry, and government.
• End-to-end digital processes for faster delivery, predictability, transparency, and trust in quality assurance of electronic/IT products.
• Developed by C-DAC for STQC; reduces procedural burdens, especially for startups/MSMEs bringing secure products to market.

• Enhances accountability, efficiency, and accessibility in certification for product quality, security, and reliability.
• Builds a trusted digital ecosystem, aiding India's goal as a global tech/manufacturing hub amid rising cybersecurity needs.
• Minister urged users to adopt it and provide feedback for improvements.

• Scheduled from February 5–10, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam (Pragati Maidan), New Delhi.
• Launched as India's showcase for sustainable plastics innovation amid global trade shifts, infrastructure boom, and sectors like space/defense.

• Organized by Plastindia Foundation as a triennial event, expecting over 2,000 exhibitors from 80+ countries and 600,000+ visitors.
• Theme "Bharat Next" aligns with Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat visions, emphasizing self-reliance, manufacturing, and employment.
• First-ever 100% zero-waste exhibition: All solid waste segregated, recycled, or reused, tying into Swachh Bharat Mission.
• Government backing from Ministries of Chemicals, Commerce, and MSME highlights its role in positioning India as a plastics export leader.

• CEO Conclave for policy talks; Reverse Buyer-Seller Meets (RBSM) for direct global business matchmaking.
• Startup Search with IIM Calcutta; 20,000 sq. ft. Open Air Museum on plastics' responsible uses via sculptures/installations.​
• Showcases machinery, raw materials, recycling tech, circular economy solutions, and applications in packaging, agriculture, healthcare.

• Plastics sector valued at ₹3–3.5 lakh crore, pivotal for housing, digital infra, and exports; event boosts Men, Material, Machine, Markets.
• Features international buyers, tech partners, and innovations like eco-friendly materials and smart automation.​

• On February 9, 2026 the scheme's implementation, noting Rs 40.46 lakh allocated (Rs 10.11 lakh released) for training via National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) and Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE).​
• Minister of State for Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) addressed Lok Sabha on its status—no expansion plans yet for states like Andhra Pradesh, but pilot ongoing in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana.

• Boost women's entrepreneurship via training, mentorship, and funding.
• Promote self-employment and economic independence for female students.
• Target at least 10% of participants to launch successful enterprises.

• Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme (EAP): 2-day basics workshop.
• Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP): 40-hour training on finance, markets, compliance.
• Awards for top women-led startups to inspire others.
• Links to schemes like Stand-Up India, Mudra Yojana.

• Copernicus Sentinel-2 is a key Earth observation mission under the EU's Copernicus program, providing high-resolution multispectral imagery for land monitoring.
• It's recently highlighted for capturing detailed images of the 2026 Winter Olympics venues and ongoing constellation enhancements, showcasing land features, terrain, and infrastructure.

• Part of Copernicus, Europe's Earth observation program run by ESA and EC, focusing on global land, vegetation, soil, water, and coastal monitoring.
• Constellation includes Sentinel-2A (launched 2015), 2B (2017), and 2C (2024), in sun-synchronous polar orbits phased 180° apart.
• Provides 10-5 day revisit times (2-3 days at mid-latitudes) with 290 km swath width for frequent surface change detection.
• Sentinel-2A entered an exceptional extension campaign starting March 2025, repositioned to a new orbit for a three-satellite setup until March 2026, boosting coverage.​
• Sentinel-2C launch in September 2024 reinforced the constellation, enabling methane emissions detection via shortwave-infrared bands and AI analysis for climate efforts.​

• Multispectral instrument captures 13 bands (visible to shortwave infrared) at resolutions of 10m, 20m, and 60m.
• Supports disaster mapping, agriculture, forestry, urban planning, bathymetry, and pollution tracking in coastal areas.​
• Data is free, open-access, processed near-real-time for biophysical indicators like vegetation health.
• This image shows a Sentinel-2 satellite, highlighting its thermal blanketing and solar array design for precise imaging operations.​

• Recent displacement surged, with over 7,000 fleeing South Kordofan and 2,000 from North Kordofan; the region now hosts over 1 million displaced people.​
• SAF renewed efforts to retake oil-rich areas from RSF, thwarting sieges on el-Obeid, though locals doubt full security.​
• Kordofan Region in Sudan is currently a major hotspot in the ongoing civil war due to escalating clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

• Comprises three states (North, South, West Kordofan) in central Sudan, between Khartoum and Darfur; population around 8 million.
• Oil-rich with vital pipelines for South Sudan exports; strategic link between RSF western strongholds and SAF eastern/northern areas.

• Part of Sudan's civil war since April 2023 between SAF and RSF; Kordofan campaign intensified in 2025 as RSF/allies (like SPLM-N) push into SAF-held towns.
• SAF controls some oilfields but faces RSF threats to infrastructure like Heglig; airstrikes have killed civilians, fueling resentment.​

• Scientists established a camp on Thwaites to drill into the ice for ocean measurements, succeeding briefly despite weather delays, crevasses, and shifting ice; instruments revealed turbulent, warm waters beneath driving melt.

• Located in West Antarctica on the Walgreen Coast of Marie Byrd Land, east of Mount Murphy; spans an area comparable to Florida.
• Flows as an outlet glacier from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet into the Amundsen Sea, channeling vast inland ice.

• Recently contributes about 4% of annual global sea-level rise (around 3.4 mm/year total); full collapse could raise levels by 65 cm short-term, or up to 3.3 meters if it triggers West Antarctic Ice Sheet loss over centuries.
• Vulnerable due to proximity to warm ocean currents eroding its underside, especially after grounding line retreat forming vast underwater cavities.

• Nicknamed "Doomsday" for instability risks; monitored for decades with faster flow and retreat noted since 2020s.
• 2020-2022 efforts included prior drilling; 2026 marked first measurements under main trunk, despite partial failures from ice movement.
• Volcanoes beneath West Antarctica may influence dynamics, concentrated in Marie Byrd Land.

• Potential destabilization of neighboring glaciers and full West Antarctic Ice Sheet, with irreversible sea-level impacts even from past warming.​
• Turbulent basal waters confirm ongoing erosion, demanding more missions for precise forecasts.

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