Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) announced that 500 data labs will be established nationwide as part of the India AI Mission.

About India AI Mission

• Launch in 2024 by the MeitY
• Aim: To foster AI innovation by democratizing computing access, enhancing data quality, and developing indigenous AI capabilities. 
• Implementing agency: IndiaAI, an Independent Business Division (IBD), under MeitY.
• Based on 7 pillars such as IndiaAI Innovation Centre, IndiaAI compute capacity, etc. 

A joint Pakistan-China bid to list the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Majeed Brigade under the UN 1267 sanctions regime has been blocked by the United States, France and the United Kingdom.

About UN 1267 Committee

• Created in 1999 to oversee sanctions against the Taliban, Al-Qaida and affiliated groups/individuals. 
• Also called the ISIS and Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee.
• It comprises all permanent and non-permanent members of the UNSC.
• Key Functions: Asset freeze, Travel ban, Arms embargo, etc.

The Supreme Court pulled up the Union Government for non-granting of FCRA renewal for two NGOs.

• Renewal was rejected due to violation of Section 7 of FCRA. 

Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA)

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs
• Aim: Regulate and monitor foreign contributions and hospitality, prohibiting their use for activities detrimental to national interest.  
• Section 7 of FCRA: Prohibits any person or organization that has received foreign contribution under the Act from transferring such funds to any other person or organization.
  • Exception: Contributions made by Non-Resident Indian, from his personal savings, through the normal banking channels, is not treated as foreign contribution.

US imposed visa bans on Indians linked to fentanyl precursor chemicals trafficking.

About Fentanyl

• It is a potent synthetic opioid for analgesic (pain relief) and anesthesia.
• It is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin as an analgesic.
• Health Impact: Like other opioids, alters brain activity, leading to compulsive use despite harmful effects (like drowsiness, visual disturbances, etc.). 
  • High doses can cause life-threatening conditions or death.

50th Golden Jubilee Meeting of the National Committee of Archivists (NCA) was co-hosted by NAI.

• NCA is an all-India professional body of archivists established in 1953 and headed by Director General of Archives, NAI.
• NCA work is to discuss professional and technical problems being faced by Archives Departments.

About NAI

• Genesis: 1891 at Calcutta (Kolkata) as the Imperial Records Department.
• Ministry: Attached office of Ministry of Culture.
• Present Location: New Delhi (One Regional office: Bhopal; Three Records Centres: Bhubaneswar, Jaipur and Puducherry). 
• Purpose: Custodian of the records of enduring value including public records, private papers, oriental records, cartographic records and microfilms, etc. 
• Headed by: Director General of Archives for the implementation of Public Records Act, 1993 and Public Records Rules, 1997.

US President signs a proclamation imposing a $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications.

About H-1B visa

• It is a U.S. non-immigrant visa for skilled workers in specialized occupations, allowing them to work in the U.S. temporarily.
• Specialty Occupations: These fields typically include IT, engineering, and medicine, which demand a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• Sponsorship: Employer sponsorship is mandatory for the visa application.
• Validity: Initially valid for 3 years, extendable up to 6 years.
• Annual Cap: 65,000 visas per year, plus 20,000 additional for advanced degree holders.

After over two decades, an underwater archaeological survey has commenced off the coast of Poompuhar.

About Poomphuar

• Port City: Ancient Chola port city at the mouth of the Kaveri River, Tamil Nadu and second capital of the cholas.
• Ancient Trade: Major center for maritime trade, connecting South India with overseas markets during the Sangam period.
  • Famous for exporting pearls, spices, and textiles.
• It is believed that ancient city of Poompuhar was submerged by the sea which find detailed description in Poompuhar (Kaveripattinam).
  • The Tamil epic “Manimekalai” is authored by the Tamil poet Sattanar, who lived during the Sangam period.

RBI Governor urges CCIL to explore settlement options beyond the traditional dollar–rupee framework for internationalisation of rupee.

About CCIL

• Founded: In 2001 for offering reliable clearing and settlement services in money and government securities markets.
  • Clearing is process of confirming trade details.Settlement is when actual exchange of money and securities takes place.
• It is a systemically important financial market infrastructure (FMI), regulated by RBI under Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007
• Role: It acts as a Central Counterparty (CCP), which means it guarantees settlement even if one party defaults, reducing settlement risk.
• Recognition: Declared Qualified Central Counterparty (QCCP) by RBI.