Visit of Crown Prince of Dubai to India 

• This is his first official visit to India.

Key outcomes

• IIM Ahmedabad campus and Indian Institute of Foreign Trade overseas campus to open in Dubai.
• Ship-repair clusters to be developed at Kochi and Vadinar.
• India Office of Dubai Chamber of Commerce to be opened.
• Virtual Trade Corridor (VTC): Acknowledgment of its role in facilitating trade and supporting India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC).

India UAE Relations

• Comprehensive and Strategic partnership since 2015.
• Plurilateral cooperation: IMEEC, BRICS, I2U2 (India-Israel-UAE-USA) and UFI (UAE-France-India) Trilateral.

Report is launched by United Nations Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG) 

• This group comprises of WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, the World Bank Group and the UNDESA/Population Division. 
• Reducing maternal mortality to less than 70 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births by 2030 is one of the targets of SDG 

Key Findings

• 40% global reduction in maternal deaths from 2000 to 2023
• Central & Southern Asia saw the highest drop in MMR (72.9%) from 2000 to 2023
• in 2023, Nigeria (~75 000 deaths) suffered highest maternal deaths whereas India suffered from 19 000 death. 

Ministry of Earth Sciences launched “ICE-CRUNCH” and also inaugurated India’s first High-Altitude Climate Research Station. 

• ICE-CRUNCH (Ice nucleating particles and cloud condensation nuclei properties in the North-Western Himalayas)” is collaborative study between scientists of India and Switzerland, 

About High Altitude Climate Research Station

• Location: Nathatop, Jammu and Kashmir
• Objective: Climate research, capacity building, training of young scientists, and development of climate modelling capabilities. 
• Key Role:  It will serve as a long-term research hub affiliated with the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW) Programme. 

CCI has procured 100 lakh bales of seed cotton under Minimum Support Price (MSP) operations. 

About Cotton Corporation of India Ltd. (CCI)

• Nodal Ministry: CCI is a Public Sector Undertaking under Ministry of Textiles.
• Genesis: Established in 1970, 
• Major Role: 
  • Undertakes price support operations without any quantitative limit.
  • Purchases cotton to meet raw material needs of the domestic textile industry.
• Key initiatives 
  • Cott-Ally mobile app, available in nine regional languages, enables farmers to access real-time information on MSP
  • All cotton bales produced by CCI are traceable via QR codes. 

IEPFA and IPPB have signed a MoA to jointly launch Phase 2 of the “Niveshak Didi” initiative.

About Niveshak Didi

• Launched by: India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) in collaboration with Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA).
• It is a unique initiative that trains women postal workers (a female dakiya) and community leaders to act as financial educators within their local regions. 
• Objective: Promote financial literacy ‘By the women, for the women’.

About India Post Payments Bank (IPPB)

• Establishment: Established under the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communication, Government of India.
• Ownership: 100% equity owned by the Government of India.
• Launch: 2018.

Rajasthan government told the Supreme Court it is considering a total mining ban within 10 km of Chittorgarh Fort.

About Chittorgarh Fort

• Located: At Rajasthan
• Built by a local Mori Rajput ruler Chitrangada Mori in the 7th century.
• Historic Significance 
  • It served as the capital of the kingdom of Mewar.
  • As per Malik Muhammad Jayasi's poem, Padmavat, Alauddin Khilji invaded Chittorgarh Fort to capture Ratnasimha's queen, Padmini.
    • Rani Padmini committed mass jauhar (self-immolation) to safeguard their honour.
• Cultural Significance: Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013 under the Hill Forts of Rajasthan.

A study by IIT Kharagpur reveals that surface ozone pollution is severely affecting major food crops, especially in the Indo-Gangetic Plain and central India. 

About Ozone Pollution

• Ground Level Ozone: Ozone is a secondary pollutant formed by chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds in the presence of sunlight.
• Effect: Contributes to smog and damages crops and health
• AQI: Air Quality Index shows ground Ozone.

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has collaborated with the World Economic Forum to launch the "India Skills Accelerator" initiative.

About India Skills Accelerator 

• The India Skills Accelerator is a national public-private collaboration platform aimed at facilitating cross-sectoral innovation and solutions in skill development.
• Core Objectives: The Accelerator seeks to catalyze change across three critical levels-
  • Raising awareness on future skill needs,
  • Enhancing collaboration and knowledge sharing,
  • Reforming institutions and policies for a responsive skilling ecosystem.
• Strategic Focus Areas: Inclusive upskilling, lifelong learning investment, alignment with high-growth sectors like AI, robotics, and energy etc.