Daily Current Affairs: 3 March 2026

Dan Bailey appointed President of Jio Platforms to lead international expansion.

[Jio Platforms]

Key Updates:

• Dan Bailey has been appointed as President of Jio Platforms to spearhead its global business initiatives.
• Bailey will be based in London and will join the company’s Executive Committee.
• He will report to Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm.
• Bailey has over 35 years of experience and previously served as Chairman of Deutsche Bank’s technology, media and telecom (TMT) practice.
• Jio Platforms is backed by Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and aims to export its 5G and digital ecosystem capabilities to international markets.

B.P. Singh assumes charge as Director General of Naval Armament (DGONA).

Key Updates:

• B.P. Singh took over as Director General of Naval Armament (DGONA) at Naval Headquarters, New Delhi, on 1 March 2026.
• He succeeded Divakar Jayant, who superannuated on 28 February 2026.
• Singh is a 1994-batch officer of the Indian Naval Armament Service (INAS).
• He previously served as Chief General Manager at Naval Armament Depot (NAD), Mumbai.
• Singh is a Mechanical Engineering graduate of National Institute of Technology Patna and an alumnus of the National Defence College.

Deepak Gupta assumed charge as chairman and managing director of GAIL (India) Limited.

[GAIL (India) Limited]

Key Updates:

• Deepak Gupta took over as chairman and managing director of GAIL (India) Limited on Sunday.
• He replaced Sandeep Kumar Gupta who superannuated on February 28.
• Gupta joined GAIL as Director (Projects) in February 2022 and will serve up to February 28, 2029.
• He is a mechanical engineer from Delhi College of Engineering and has 32 years of prior experience at Engineers India Limited (EIL).
• Under his leadership GAIL completed the Dabhol breakwater project of Konkan LNG, enabling all-weather operations.

Saba Shawl became first Kashmiri woman to head Central Jail Srinagar.

Key Updates:

• Saba Shawl was appointed Superintendent of Central Jail Srinagar through Government Order No. 145 Home of 2026 dated March 2, 2026.
• She was transferred from her previous role as Staff Officer to the Director General Prisons, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
• Shawl cleared the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) examination in 2012 for the post of Superintendent of Police (Prisons).
• She holds a master’s degree in social work and earlier worked with the Indo Global Social Service Society.
• She had served at Central Jail Kothbalwal in Jammu and Kupwara Jail before her current posting.

K P Unnikrishnan, former Union minister and seven-term Vadakara MP, died at 89.

Key Updates:

• K P Unnikrishnan died in Kozhikode at the age of 89.
• He represented Vadakara Lok Sabha constituency for seven consecutive terms from 1971 to 1996.
• He served as Union minister for Surface Transport, Shipping and Telecommunications in the V P Singh government between 1989 and 1990.
• He was among the first to raise the Bofors issue in Parliament during Rajiv Gandhi's tenure.
• He began his career as a journalist with Blitz in Mumbai in the early 1950s.
• He was a close confidant of Indira Gandhi and managed V K Krishna Menon's 1962 Mumbai Lok Sabha election campaign.
• He contested and won Lok Sabha elections in 1971, 1977, 1980, 1984, 1989, and 1991 from Vadakara.
• He lost the 1996 Lok Sabha election after rejoining Congress in 1995.

Catherine O'Hara won posthumous SAG-AFTRA Actor Award for best female actor in a comedy series.

Key Updates:

• Catherine O'Hara received the posthumous SAG-AFTRA Actor Award for best female actor in a comedy series for her role as Patty Leigh in 'The Studio'.
• 'The Studio' is an Apple TV show co-created by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and is a satire of modern Hollywood.
• Catherine O'Hara died in January at age 71 from a blood clot in her lungs due to rectal cancer.
• Seth Rogen accepted the award on her behalf at the Actor Awards streamed live on Netflix.
• 'The Studio' also won the Actor Award for best ensemble in a comedy series.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reports India’s current account deficit moderates to $30.1 billion

[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]

Key Updates:

• India’s current account deficit moderated to $30.1 billion (1% of GDP) in April-December 2025 from $36.6 billion in the same period a year ago.
• Net foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow rose to $3 billion in April-December 2025, up from $0.6 billion a year ago.
• Foreign portfolio investment (FPI) recorded net outflows of $4.3 billion in April-December 2025 against net inflows of $9.4 billion a year ago.
• Foreign exchange reserves depleted by $30.8 billion on Balance of Payments basis in April-December 2025, compared with a depletion of $13.8 billion a year ago.
• Services exports increased annually in major categories such as computer services and other business services.

Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) record Rs 22,615 crore inflow in February 2026

Key Updates:

• Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) infused Rs 22,615 crore into Indian equities in February 2026, the highest monthly inflow in 17 months.
• FPIs had pulled out Rs 35,962 crore in January 2026, Rs 22,611 crore in December 2025 and Rs 3,765 crore in November 2025.
• Net FPI withdrawal from Indian equities in 2025 stood at Rs 1.66 lakh crore (USD 18.9 billion).
• Financial and capital goods sectors attracted significant FPI investment, while the IT sector saw outflows of Rs 10,956 crore.
• The February inflow was driven by the interim India-US trade deal, correction in domestic market valuations and 14.7 per cent growth in Q3 FY26 corporate earnings.
• Rupee stability below Rs 91 to the dollar and improving GDP growth prospects support positive FPI sentiment for FY27.

Finance Ministry records 8.1% YoY rise in February GST collections to ₹1.83 lakh crore

[Finance Ministry]

Key Updates:

• India’s gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection reached ₹1.83 lakh crore in February 2026, up 8.1% YoY.
• Cumulative gross GST revenue for FY26 up to 28 February stood at ₹20.27 lakh crore, marking an 8.3% YoY increase.
• Total refunds issued in February were ₹22,595 crore, up 10.2% YoY, yielding net GST revenue of ₹1.61 lakh crore.
• Gross Domestic Revenue grew 5.3% to ₹1.36 lakh crore, while Gross Import Revenue surged 17.2% to ₹47,837 crore.
• Net cess revenue declined to ₹5,063 crore from ₹13,481 crore in February 2025.
• Maharashtra led pre-settlement SGST with ₹10,286 crore, followed by Karnataka and Gujarat.
• Post-settlement SGST growth was positive in Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
• Post-settlement SGST contracted in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura and Jammu and Kashmir.

Haryana Agri Discom: Third power distribution company for 7.12 lakh farmers

[Haryana]

Key Updates:

• Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini announced the creation of 'Haryana Agri Discom', the state’s third power distribution company dedicated to agriculture.
• Haryana Agri Discom will supply electricity to all 5,084 agricultural feeders and 7.12 lakh agriculture consumers in Haryana.
• The 2026-27 Haryana budget allocates Rs 28,205 crore as capital expenditure, 12.6% of the total Rs 2.23 lakh crore outlay.
• World Bank approved Rs 2,716 crore for the 'Haryana Clean Air Project' to improve air quality in the state.
• A Rs 100 crore 'Haryana Green Climate Resilience Fund' is proposed to promote zero-emission vehicles, renewable energy, water conservation, urban greening, climate-resilient agriculture and nature-based solutions.

ASMITA initiative to hold athletics events in 250 districts for 2 lakh girls

Key Updates:

• Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) announced ASMITA League athletics events on 8 March 2026 in 250 districts.
• Over 2 lakh girls will compete in 100m, 200m, 400m races across Under-13, 13–18 and 18+ age groups.
• ASMITA (Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women), launched in 2021 under Khelo India Scheme, organises the league.
• Each venue will have five Technical Officials, 10 Volunteers, one Competition Manager, one Past Champion Athlete and one District Youth Officer.
• A Women Technical Officials Development Workshop will run parallel to train referees and timekeepers per Athletics Federation of India standards.
• The initiative targets talent identification for 2030 Commonwealth Games Ahmedabad and India’s 2036 Olympics bid.

Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana: ₹61,000 deposited from birth to graduation, maturing to ~₹1.25 lakh.

[Delhi]

Key Updates:

• Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana will deposit ₹61,000 in stages from birth until graduation, maturing to around ₹1.25 lakh with interest.
• Budget provision of ₹128 crore has been made for the Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana.
• Girls living in child care institutions are also covered under the Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana.
• Saheli Pink Smart Card issued free to eligible women for travel on DTC buses and other public transport systems.
• Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) authorised Hindon Mercantile Limited (MufinPay) and Airtel Payments Bank to issue the Saheli Pink Smart Card.
• Free LPG cylinders on Holi and Diwali provided through DBT to eligible ration card holders in Delhi.
• Around ₹130 crore transferred directly to beneficiaries’ accounts under the free LPG cylinder initiative.
• Over ₹100 crore transferred through DBT to 40,642 beneficiaries under the Delhi Ladli scheme on 3 March 2026.
• Around ₹90 crore transferred to nearly 30,000 girls in the first phase of the ‘Meri Punji, Mera Adhikar’ special drive.

West Bengal signs MoU with GIZ for basin-based masterplans of Ichhamati and Jalangi rivers

[West Bengal]

Key Updates:

• The Government of West Bengal signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with German federal enterprise GIZ and the State Mission for Clean Ganga (SMCG) on 23 February to develop basin-based masterplans for Ichhamati and Jalangi rivers.
• The project is the first under the state’s 2025-26 budget scheme ‘nodi bandhan’ with a budgetary provision of ₹200 crore.
• Ichhamati and Jalangi are the first two of West Bengal’s 39 river sub-basins selected for such masterplan development.
• The masterplan scope includes dredging for increased water flow, pollution control, erosion minimisation, groundwater recharge, flood mitigation and enhanced irrigation supply.
• Implementation is expected to start after plan approval and finish within one year.

Maharashtra launches Divyang Sahayak Portal for paperless disability scheme access

[Maharashtra]

Key Updates:

• Maharashtra government launched the country’s first integrated Divyang Sahayak Portal to streamline welfare schemes for persons with disabilities.
• The portal enables online applications, real-time tracking and automatic approvals without physical documents.
• It integrates with Unique Disability ID, Aadhaar through Meri Pehchan and Direct Benefit Transfer platform; integration with PAN, TAN, GST, bank details, e-Sign, UDISE and RBSK is underway.
• Artificial intelligence tools scan uploaded documents for clarity and allocate grievances to the appropriate desk.
• The portal is structured into 11 modules; the first four—unified scheme delivery, institution information management, citizen grievance redressal and department dashboard—are ready to go live.
• A mobile application has been created and submitted to the Government of India for listing on its app store.

Gujarat STI Policy 2026–2031: Rs 1000-crore Swadeshi Anusandhan Fund for indigenous research

[Gujarat]

Key Updates:

• Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel unveiled the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy 2026–2031 at the Gujarat SemiConnect Conference in Gandhinagar.
• The policy establishes a Rs 1000-crore Swadeshi Anusandhan Fund to support over 100 high-impact indigenous research projects annually in AI, semiconductors, quantum, biotech, green energy, defence, immersive and space technologies.
• Gujarat Rajya Research and Innovation Clusters (GRRIC) will create a Science and Technology cluster network starting with Gandhinagar–Ahmedabad and expanding to Vadodara–Surat and Rajkot–Bhavnagar–Junagadh–Jamnagar.
• The state targets nurturing 1 lakh skilled researchers by 2030 through 250 annual JRF, SRF, PDF fellowships, a Women in Innovation Fellowship, a unified Gujarat R&D portal and large-scale STEM youth initiatives.
• Over 200 IP Facilitation Centres will help file more than 1000 intellectual properties annually, including at least 500 patents.

Khurda Road-Balangir new railway line prioritises environmental safeguards with elephant passages.

Key Updates:

• The Khurda Road-Balangir new railway line is a 301 km project conceived before Indian independence and is nearing completion by early next year.
• The line passes through Khurda, Nayagarh, Boudh, Sonepur and Balangir districts, providing rail connectivity to Nayagarh (2017), Sonepur (2024) and Boudh (2025).
• East Coast Railway (ECoR) constructed seven tunnels covering 12.76 km and multiple wildlife underpasses and overpasses, including a 4.77 km viaduct that serves as an elephant underpass.
• Odisha reports an average of 85 elephant deaths annually; the project features 12 elephant underpasses and six overpasses between Mahipur and Jhatarabha stations.
• The ₹5,000 crore project saved approximately two lakh trees by using high-rise viaducts instead of massive embankments and was designed in consultation with the forest department.
• Currently, 226 km of the line is operational with 20 stations, and around 5,000 passengers travel daily on four Khurda Road-Daspalla and three Balangir-Purunakatak trains.

Eligible Manufacturer Importer (EMI) Scheme: Deferred Customs Duty Payment Facility

Key Updates:

• Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) introduced the trust-based Eligible Manufacturer Importer (EMI) scheme effective 1 April 2026.
• Online applications for the EMI scheme open from 1 March 2026 and the facility runs through 31 March 2028.
• Approved EMIs can clear imported goods without paying customs duty at clearance and pay the duty monthly under the Deferred Payment of Import Duty Rules, 2016.
• Applicant must be a manufacturer-importer with valid IEC, active GST registration, minimum 25 export-import documents filed in previous FY, and annual turnover above ₹5 crore.
• Entity must have conducted business for at least two financial years, filed all pending GST return-3B forms, and show positive net worth for last two years certified by a chartered accountant.
• Customs commissioners will monitor usage through ICES dashboards and can suspend or revoke approval if eligibility conditions are breached.

Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu (Transtan) oversees State’s deceased organ donation programme

[Tamil Nadu]

Key Updates:

• Tamil Nadu recorded 57 deceased organ donations in January–February 2026.
• Government Order 331 mandates state honours for deceased organ donors.
• About 652 honour walks have been accorded since 2023.
• Vidiyal mobile-cum-web application launched in 2021 streamlines organ allocation.
• First-round counselling achieves 75% family consent; second round raises acceptance to around 80%.
• Government Dharmapuri Medical College Hospital, a non-transplant organ retrieval centre, recorded the highest donations this year.

Meghalaya launches probe into suspected meningococcal cases after two Agniveer trainees die

[Meghalaya, Ministry of Defence (India), Indian Army]

Key Updates:

• Meghalaya’s State Surveillance Unit (SSU) has launched an epidemiological investigation into suspected meningococcal infections in East Khasi Hills.
• Two Agniveer trainees at the Assam Regimental Centre (ARC) have died from suspected meningococcal bacterial infection over the past two weeks.
• The State Health Department has deployed a team at ARC and sent samples for laboratory testing.
• The District Surveillance Unit (DSU) is coordinating with SSU to conduct contact tracing, laboratory reviews, and strengthen surveillance measures.
• No new cases have been detected in other areas or at ARC, and contacts of a previous case have been isolated at Military Hospital (MH) Shillong.
• Army medical officials are conducting intensive monitoring, and masking and restricted movement protocols remain in force at the military facility.
• The health department has advised people to report to the nearest medical facility if they experience sudden high fever, headache, vomiting, or a rapidly spreading rash.

Bharat Steel 2026 scheduled for 16-17 April at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi

[Bharat Steel 2026]

Key Updates:

• Bharat Steel is India’s premier annual steel industry event convened under the Ministry of Steel, Government of India.
• The 2026 edition will be held on 16 and 17 April 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
• Stall booking for the event is currently open.
• Russia, Oman, Australia, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, South Korea, Mozambique, Brazil and Sweden are listed as International Partners.
• Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand and Maharashtra are listed as State Partners.

India and Canada establish India-Canada Defence Dialogue and set $50 billion bilateral trade target by 2030

[Canada]

Key Updates:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the launch of the India-Canada Defence Dialogue after talks in New Delhi.
• Both countries set a bilateral trade target of $50 billion to be achieved by 2030.
• A long-term uranium supply agreement was announced between India and Canada.
• Three Memorandums of Understanding on Critical Mineral Cooperation, Promoting the use of Renewable Energy, and Cultural Cooperation were exchanged by Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
• India and Canada agreed to create the India-Canada Pulse Protein Centre of Excellence in India.
• Canadian Space Agency and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) agreed to cooperate on Earth observation and explore joint initiatives on space exploration and quantum technologies.
• Both nations will advance cooperation on security and law enforcement, focusing on illegal flow of drugs including fentanyl precursors and transnational organised criminal networks.
• Canada and India will conclude a new Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) this year following finalisation of Terms of Reference.

Japan, South Korea and Malaysia to invest ₹1,600 crore in Gujarat’s semiconductor ecosystem

[Japan, South Korea, Malaysia]

Key Updates:

• Gujarat Semiconnect conference in Gandhinagar saw investment proposals worth over ₹1,600 crore to strengthen the state’s semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem covering manufacturing units, chemicals, equipment, R&D centres and advanced technology startups.
• Japan’s Horiba Group, through Horiba India Pvt Ltd, signed an MoU with the Gujarat government to establish an R&D centre in Ahmedabad focused on semiconductor-grade mass-flow controllers and advanced instrumentation.
• Malaysia-based Hotayi Electronic signed an agreement with the Gujarat government to set up a ₹250 crore electronics manufacturing facility at Sanand GIDC, expected to employ 1,000 persons and supply high-precision components for semiconductor and allied industries.
• Hi-Spec Ltd will set up a ₹750 crore facility to manufacture semiconductor-grade hydrofluoric acid, a critical chemical for wafer processing.
• Kiansh International Technologies, in collaboration with a South Korean firm, will invest ₹25 crore to produce gas abatement systems and scrubbers for semiconductor and solar industries.
• Japanese chipmaker Rohm Semiconductor partnered with Gujarat-based Suchi Semicon to provide IC packaging and test solutions to the local value chain.
• Kaynes Semicon, a subsidiary of Kaynes Technology India Ltd, committed ₹500 crore to Ahmedabad-based startup SpectraGaze Systems to advance India’s capabilities in outer-space imaging and semiconductor technologies.

Kenya’s Musalia Mudavadi to attend 11th Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi

[Kenya]

Key Updates:

• Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi will attend the 11th Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi from March 5 to 7, 2026.
• The Raisina Dialogue is billed as India’s leading forum on geopolitics and geoeconomics.
• During his visit Mudavadi will also participate in the Kenya–India Joint Commission for Cooperation focused on securing concrete bilateral outcomes.
• US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Finnish President Alexander Stubb will also visit India from March 4 to 7, 2026, at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the Dialogue.
• Finnish President Alexander Stubb will serve as Chief Guest and deliver the keynote address at the 11th Raisina Dialogue.

United States Deputy Secretary of State to lead delegation at 2026 Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi

[United States]

Key Updates:

• Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will travel to New Delhi from March 3-6, 2026.
• Landau will lead the United States (US) delegation to the 2026 Raisina Dialogue.
• He will meet senior Indian officials to discuss bilateral cooperation on defence, critical minerals, and counternarcotics.
• Finnish President Alexander Stubb will visit India from March 4 to March 7, 2026, at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Stubb will be the Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker at the 11th Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi.
• This will be Stubb’s first visit to India as President of Finland.

Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan launches Project HANUMAN to curb human-wildlife conflict

[Andhra Pradesh]

Key Updates:

• Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan launched Project HANUMAN (Healing and Nurturing Units for Monitoring, Aid and Nurturing) to tackle human-wildlife conflict in Chittoor and Parvathipuram Manyam districts.
• The project deploys 100 GPS-enabled vehicles comprising 93 Rapid Response vehicles and 7 Wildlife Ambulances.
• Four Wildlife Rescue and Treatment Centres are being established under the initiative.
• Ex-gratia compensation for wildlife attack victims has been raised to Rs. 10 lakhs for deaths and Rs. 2 lakhs for injuries.
• AI-based early warning systems will be implemented in vulnerable villages.
• The Central Government enhanced ex-gratia from Rs. 5 lakhs to Rs. 10 lakhs in December 2023 under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes 'Development of Wildlife Habitats' and 'Project Tiger and Elephant'.
• Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh stated in Lok Sabha that elephants caused 21 human deaths in Andhra Pradesh from 2019 to 2023.
• The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 was amended in 2022 to rationalise listings of wild animals in Schedules I and II.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued guidelines advising States and Union Territories to utilise provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 for managing human-wildlife conflict situations.

World Wildlife Day 2026 highlights medicinal plants amid rising global demand

[World Wildlife Day]

Key Updates:

• World Wildlife Day is observed annually on 3 March and in 2026 focuses on medicinal and aromatic plants.
• Danna J. Leaman, outgoing co-chair of the Medicinal Plant Specialist Group of the Species Survival Commission at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), stated that plants are critical for ecosystems and economies.
• Around 30,000 plant species are documented as medicinal or aromatic based on published evidence and trade data.
• The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) recognises that many species in international trade are plants.
• Nardostachys jatamansi, a Himalayan herb used in Ayurveda and valued for its aromatic roots, is listed as critically endangered on IUCN’s Red List.
• The species grows in high-altitude regions of Nepal, India and China, and harvesting its root usually kills the plant.
• Nepal has imposed trade restrictions on wild Nardostachys jatamansi to promote conservation while affecting rural livelihoods dependent on its harvest.

Forest Owlet unseen for 113 years rediscovered in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park

[Madhya Pradesh]

Key Updates:

• The Forest Owlet, endemic to central India, was first found in 1872 and vanished after 1884, presumed extinct for 113 years.
• Local tourism operator Labh Yadav first spotted the owl in Kuno National Park's Parond Beat and alerted forest officials.
• Vivek Patel from Pune's Wildlife Research and Conservation Society confirmed the sighting on-site, marking Kuno's inaugural record.
• The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the Forest Owlet as endangered, with 250-999 adults worldwide.
• Unlike nocturnal relatives, the Forest Owlet hunts mornings from 6-10 a.m., perching in harsh sun on tall branches.
• Previous sightings in Madhya Pradesh were limited to eastern Khandwa, Burhanpur, and Betul districts.

Third batch of nine Botswana cheetahs arrives at Kuno National Park, raising India’s total to 48

[Botswana]

Key Updates:

• Nine cheetahs airlifted from Botswana reached Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh, on Saturday in an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft.
• All nine cheetahs were reported in good health and received their first meal on Monday morning inside their quarantine enclosures.
• With the new arrivals, India’s cheetah population rose to 48, with three relocated to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary and the rest housed at Kuno.
• Since 2023, 39 cheetah cubs have been born at Kuno, of which 27 have survived, including nine cubs born between 7 and 18 February 2026.
• Adult cheetahs weigh 40–65 kg and consume about 15 kg of meat every three to five days.

Scotland becomes first UK country to legalise water cremation via alkaline hydrolysis

[Scotland, United Kingdom]

Key Updates:

• Scotland has become the first country in the United Kingdom to legalise water cremations using the alkaline hydrolysis process.
• Alkaline hydrolysis heats the body to 150 °C in a mixture of potassium hydroxide and water for up to 90 minutes, leaving only bones that are dried, pulverised and returned to relatives.
• The process emits about seven times less carbon dioxide than a typical cremation, which has a footprint of roughly 320 kg of carbon dioxide.
• Water cremation was chosen as the method for anti-apartheid campaigner Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
• Scottish Public Health Minister Jenni Minto stated the process offers an environmentally friendly alternative and will follow the same regulatory requirements as existing burial and cremation methods.
• Kindly Earth, which holds exclusive UK rights to manufacture hydrolysis equipment, expects the first Scottish procedures to begin in summer after equipment installation and approval from Scottish Water.

Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary hosts second Indian Bison Fest from March 8

[Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary]

Key Updates:

• The Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary will host the second edition of the two-day Indian Bison Fest on March 8 at Zeropoint.
• The Hirakud Wildlife Division organises the festival to celebrate the Indian bison, locally called Gayala, and its rising numbers in the Debrigarh-Hirakud landscape.
• The 2026 programme adds night camping, making it a two-day immersive experience inside the sanctuary.
• Day 1 features expert talks on gaur behaviour, habitat and conservation, a wildlife film screening, a guided gaur safari, and an evening stargazing session covering constellations like Saptarishi Mandal and Orion.
• Day 2 includes trekking, a cruise ride, and a visit to Bat Island which shelters over 1,000 fruit bats or flying foxes.
• The January 2026 gaur census recorded 848 animals, a net rise of 190 within one year, with 235 juveniles below two years forming nearly 30% of the population.
• The first edition on March 25, 2025 drew over 500 participants from across Odisha, including members of 68 eco development committees and students and teachers from 37 nearby schools.

Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) marks 25 years; Power Minister launches RCO Portal and BEE Star Label mobile app

[Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)]

Key Updates:

• Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) celebrated its 25th Foundation Day at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
• Union Minister for Power and Housing & Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar presided as Chief Guest.
• India has reduced emissions intensity of GDP by 36 per cent from 2005 levels and achieved 52 per cent non-fossil fuel-based installed power capacity ahead of 2030 target.
• Policy measures reviewed include Renewable Consumption Obligation (RCO), Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme, Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) norms, ADEETIE initiative for MSMEs, Standards & Labelling programme, and Energy Conservation and Sustainable Building Code (ECSBC).
• Secretary (Power) Pankaj Agarwal described energy efficiency as India’s “first fuel”.
• BEE@25 commemorative logo was unveiled for use in official communications during the anniversary year.
• RCO Portal launched to strengthen monitoring and compliance under renewable and efficiency programmes.
• BEE Star Label mobile application, developed with CLASP, enables consumers to scan QR codes on star-rated appliances for verified energy performance data.

Cassava Brown Streak Disease threatens African food security as virus spreads beyond East Africa

[Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)]

Key Updates:

• Cassava Brown Streak Disease causes root necrosis and can lead to total crop loss in infected cassava plants.
• About 33.7 per cent of Africa — roughly 10.2 million sq km — is at risk of CBSD spread.
• The virus is primarily transmitted by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, with Sub-Saharan Africa 1 and 2 populations highly efficient vectors.
• CBSD remained largely endemic for more than 70 years along coastal Tanzania and Mozambique before spreading to Uganda and other East and Central African areas.
• Scientists fear westward expansion into major cassava producers Nigeria and Ghana if control measures are not strengthened.
• Weak formal clean-seed systems and farmer reuse of infected cuttings perpetuate disease spread across smallholder farms.
• Dual-resistant varieties are under evaluation in Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, Malawi, Cameroon, Zambia, Brazil and Vietnam.
• Ethiopia has not reported CBSD or its whitefly vector; local studies show field spread via whiteflies is limited to around 17 metres per season.

MIT scientists identify 541-million-year-old sea sponges as Earth’s first animals

[Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)]

Key Updates:

• MIT researchers detected chemical fossils (steranes) in rocks over 541 million years old, confirming soft-bodied sea sponges as the earliest animals.
• The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), analysed Precambrian samples for 30-carbon steranes unique to demosponges.
• Lab burial simulations of modern sponge sterols matched the ancient rock traces, providing three converging lines of evidence: rock samples, living sponges, and lab results.
• Demosponges synthesise these sterols via enzymes absent in bacteria, pushing animal origins deeper into the Precambrian and predating the Cambrian explosion.

International team discovers new blind aquifer-dwelling fish species Gitchak nakana in Assam well

[Assam]

Key Updates:

• An international team of fish taxonomists from Germany, India and Switzerland described the new genus and species Gitchak nakana from a dug-out well in an Assam village.
• Gitchak nakana is the first aquifer-dwelling fish species recorded from Northeast India and the eastern Himalayan landscape.
• The species name combines the Garo word 'Gitchak' meaning red, with 'na-tok' and 'kana' meaning blind fish, reflecting its red colour and absence of eyes.
• The fish belongs to a new genus within the family Cobitidae.
• The discovery was published in Scientific Reports, a Nature portfolio journal.
• The single well locality is undisclosed due to the species being found only there and in very low numbers.
• Rajeev Raghavan, assistant professor at Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos) and South Asia chair of IUCN SSC Freshwater Fish Specialist Group, was part of the team.

Alyssa Healy powers Australia to 185-run victory over India in final ODI

[Australia]

Key Updates:

• Alyssa Healy struck 158 off 98 balls in her last ODI, guiding Australia to 409/7 in Hobart.
• Australia defeated India by 185 runs; India were bowled out for 224 in 45.1 overs.
• Healy’s career ODI tally ends at 3,619 runs from 125 matches at an average of 35.83 with seven centuries and a strike rate of 100.69.
• Beth Mooney hit 106 not out and Alana King claimed 4/33 in the match.

India defeats West Indies to record third-highest successful T20 World Cup chase

[West Indies]

Key Updates:

• India chased 196 against West Indies at Eden Gardens, Kolkata in 2026, ranking third in T20 World Cup history.
• England holds the record for the highest successful chase: 230 against South Africa at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai in 2016.
• South Africa’s 208-run chase against West Indies in Johannesburg in 2007 is the second-highest successful chase.
• Sanju Samson scored 97 to lead India to victory and secure a semifinal berth in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8.
• India will face England in the second semifinal in Mumbai; South Africa will play New Zealand in the first semifinal.

Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) marks 70th Foundation Day on 2 March 2026

[Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC)]

Key Updates:

• Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) celebrated its 70th Foundation Day on 2 March 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
• Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi inaugurated the celebrations and urged CWC to aim for Maharatna status.
• CWC recorded its highest-ever turnover of ₹2,776.88 crore and Profit Before Tax of ₹711.60 crore in FY 2024–25.
• CWC is a Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.

Amondawa tribe lacks abstract time concepts, life measured by stages

Key Updates:

• The Amondawa tribe, an Amazonian group, has no words for 'time', months, years or ages in their language.
• Life transitions are marked by stages or roles, not by dates or abstract schedules.
• The tribe was first studied by researchers from the University of Portsmouth and the Federal University of Rondonia in 1986.
• Chris Sinha, a psychology of language professor, states that for the Amondawa time does not exist independently but is tied to events.
• The Amondawa do not use spatial metaphors for time (e.g., future as ahead, past as behind) and apply spatial terms only to physical features like rivers and hills.
• Exposure to Portuguese is enabling younger Amondawa to adopt temporal concepts from other languages.

First ancient shipwreck discovered in Singapore waters named Temasek Wreck

[Singapore]

Key Updates:

• Temasek Wreck is the first ancient shipwreck discovered in Singapore waters.
• The vessel dates to the fourteenth century and was located near the eastern entrance of the Singapore Strait.
• Divers recovered approximately 3.8 tons of Chinese manufactured ceramics from the wreck.
• Around 300 blue-and-white Yuan dynasty porcelain bowl fragments were found, more than from any other documented shipwreck.
• The cargo included Longquan celadon, Jingdezhen qingbai and shufu wares, Dehua whiteware, greenwares from Fujian, and Fujian Cizao storage jars and small-mouth jars.
• Lead researcher Michael Flecker of HeritageSG, a subsidiary of Singapore National Heritage Board (NHB), believes the ship was a Chinese junk that sailed from Quanzhou between 1340 and 1352.