Current Context: Recently, India’s Supreme Court ruled that every person has the right to safe, obstruction-free footpaths, including those with disabilities.

About the SC Order:

• Legal Basis: Article 21 of the Constitution (right to life and personal liberty).
• Court Directions:
  • Build Footpaths: All public roads must have proper sidewalks.
  • Clear Obstructions: Remove shops, vehicles, and other blockages.
  • Make Policies: States and UTs must plan for footpath upkeep.
• Why It Matters:
  • Shows how courts can expand Article 21 to include basic infrastructure.

Celebrated on 18 May.

• Aim :To raise awareness about museums’ role in sharing culture and history.

About International Museum Day:

• Organiser: International Council of Museums (ICOM).
• Main Goals:
  • Show how museums educate, preserve heritage, and build community.
  • Encourage museums to be inclusive and environmentally responsible.

Observed on 18 May each year.

• Aim : to honor the thousands of researchers, scientists, and health professionals dedicated to developing a safe and effective HIV vaccine.

About World AIDS Vaccine Day:

• Established: 1998 by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the USA.
• Purpose:
  • Raise awareness of ongoing HIV vaccine research.
  • Educate communities on the importance of preventive vaccines in ending the AIDS epidemic.

Current Context: At the Archery World Cup Stage 2 held in Shanghai in May 2025, India secured a total of seven medals, including two golds, one silver, and four bronzes.

Notably, Deepika Kumari clinched her 18^th World Cup medal, and Parth Salunkhe earned his first senior-level bronze, highlighting India’s growing prowess in archery.

Key Highlights:

• Total Medals: 7 (2 Gold, 1 Silver, 4 Bronze)
• Individual Achievements:
  • Deepika Kumari won bronze in Women’s Individual Recurve.
  • Parth Salunkhe secured bronze in Men’s Individual Recurve.
• Team Success: India’s men’s compound team clinched gold.

Current Context: On 15 May 2025, provisional data from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) showed India’s combined Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation fell to 3.16% year-on-year in April 2025—the lowest since July 2019—down 18 basis points from March.

About Retail Inflation (CPI):

• CPI Combined: Aggregates CPI-Urban and CPI-Rural; measures average price change for a fixed basket of goods and services.
• Base Year: 2012 = 100 (calculated by the National Statistical Office under MoSPI).
• Core Inflation: Excludes volatile food and fuel; rose slightly to 1% in April—within the Reserve Bank of India’s 2–6% target band.

Key Drivers of the Decline:

• Food Prices Eased Sharply: Vegetables and pulses saw significant deflation, pulling down overall CPI.
• Non-Food Categories Softened: Housing and “pan, tobacco & intoxicants” reported lower price rises compared to March.
• Rural Inflation: Headline CPI-Rural fell to 92% from 3.25% in March, reflecting broad-based relief.

Current Context: The U.S. Deputy Secretary of State formally welcomed the first group of Afrikaner refugeesfleeing South Africa to the United States.

About Afrikaners:

• Afrikaners are a white ethnic group native to South Africa, shaped through ethnogenesis on African soil, and are often referred to as “Africa’s White Tribe” due to their deep-rooted historical presence since the 17th century.
• Ethnic Group: Descendants of 17th–18th century Dutch, French Huguenot, German settlers, and enslaved peoples.
• Language: Afrikaans, a derivative of Dutch with influences from local and imported languages.
• Culture: Shaped by Calvinist values, frontier life, and interactions with Khoikhoi and other communities.

Identity Formation:

• Trekboers: Early inland farmers whose conflicts with indigenous tribes forged a distinct self-reliant

Ethnogenesis: Emergence of a unique Afrikaner identity on African soil, earning them the moniker “Africa’s White Tribe.”

Current Context: The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) inaugurated its first Srinagar office to develop navigation on River Chenab (NW-26), Jhelum (NW-49), and Ravi (NW-84).

About IWAI

• Statutory Body: Established on October 27, 1986, under the Inland Waterways Authority of India Act, 1985.
• Ministry: Operates under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways.
• Mandate: Responsible for the development, maintenance, and regulation of inland water transport (IWT) infrastructure on designated national waterways.
• Headquarters: Located in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

National Waterways in India

India has an extensive network of inland waterways, with 111 officially notified National Waterways (NWs) identified for the purposes of inland water transport, as per the National Waterways Act, 2016.

Major National Waterways:

1. NW-1: Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system from Haldia (West Bengal) to Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), spanning 1,620 km.
2. NW-2: Brahmaputra river from Sadiya to Dhubri in Assam, covering 891 km.
3. NW-3: West Coast Canal from Kollam to Kottapuram in Kerala, including Champakara and Udyogmandal canals, totaling 205 km.
4. NW-4: Kakinada-Pondicherry stretch of canals along with Godavari and Krishna rivers, covering 1,095 km.
5. NW-5: East Coast Canal along with Brahmani river and Mahanadi delta, spanning 623 km.

Current Context : Dr. Mariangela Hungria, a renowned Brazilian microbiologist, was awarded the prestigious World Food Prize for her groundbreaking work in sustainable agriculture, particularly in biological nitrogen fixation.

About Dr. Mariangela Hungria

• Profession: Senior Researcher at Embrapa Soja (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation)
• Experience: Over 40 years in soil microbiology and plant nutrition research
• Focus Areas:
  • Biological nitrogen fixation in legumes, especially soybeans
  • Development of microbial inoculants to enhance crop yields
  • Promotion of eco-friendly agricultural practices

About the World Food Prize

• Established: 1987 by Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug
• Purpose: To honor individuals who have made significant contributions to improving the quality, quantity, or availability of food in the world
• Award: Accompanied by a $500,000 honorarium.
• Ceremony: Scheduled for October 2025 in Des Moines, Iowa

Current Context: The Chief Minister of Telangana, along with other dignitaries, contributed to the National Defence Fund (NDF) to show solidarity with India’s armed forces.

About the National Defence Fund (NDF):

• Established: 1962, post-Sino-Indian War.
• Objective: Manage voluntary donations for national defense efforts.
• Utilization: Welfare of Armed Forces, Para-Military Forces, and dependents.
• Administration:
  • Chairperson: Prime Minister
  • Members: Defence, Finance, Home Ministers
  • Treasurer: Finance Minister
• Tax Benefit: Contributions exempt under Section 80(G) of the Income Tax Act.

Current Context: Harvansh Chawla, Founder and Managing Partner of K.R. Chawla & Co. Advocates, has been appointed as the new Chairman of the BRICS Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BRICS CCI).

About BRICS Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BRICS CCI):

• Established in 2012, BRICS CCI is a not-for-profit and non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting economic cooperation, trade, and investment among the BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
• Registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860, Government of India, and empanelled with NITI Aayog.
• Recognized by the United Nations for its efforts in fostering international trade and development.
• BRICS CCI plays a pivotal role in fostering trade and investment opportunities within the BRICS bloc, contributing to global economic development.