Current Context: Poland, Finland, and the three Baltic states have announced plans to withdraw from the 1997 Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines, citing increased security concerns due to Russia.

About

• Official Name: Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction
• Adopted: 1997 (Oslo), Opened for signature in Ottawa
• Came into Force: 1 March 1999
• Objective: To ban anti-personnel landmines and ensure their destruction

Impact:

• Over 40 million stockpiled mines destroyed
• Support for mine survivors and clearance of contaminated areas
• Led to decline in landmine-related casualties

Current Context: India has called upon BRICS nations to collaborate on the ‘Baku to Belém Roadmap’ to mobilize $1.3 trillion annually by 2035, supporting developing countries Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and enhancing climate action efforts.​

About

• Initiation: Launched at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, the roadmap outlines strategies for scaling up climate finance through public and private sources. ​
• BRICS Involvement: India has urged BRICS nations to collaborate on this initiative, emphasizing their collective role in achieving equitable climate transitions. ​
• Financial Gap: The current climate finance goal of $300 billion annually by 2035 falls short of the estimated $1.3 trillion needed by developing countries to fulfill their NDCs.

Current Context: At the 6th BIMSTEC Summit held in Bangkok, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a 21-point action plan to strengthen regional cooperation. The initiative aligns with India’s Neighbourhood First and Act East policies.

About

• Business Cooperation:
  • BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce to be established
• Annual Business Summit for dialogue between governments and businesses
  • Study on local currency trade to reduce dependence on the US dollar
• Digital and IT Initiatives:
  • Pilot study on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)
  • Linking India’s UPI with BIMSTEC payment systems
• Disaster Management:
  • BIMSTEC Disaster Management Centre to be set up in India
  • 4th joint exercise of disaster authorities to be held in India in 2025
• Security and Space:
  • First BIMSTEC Home Ministers’ meet in India
  • Focus on cybercrime, terrorism, trafficking
  • Nano-satellite training and ground station infrastructure
• Capacity Building:
  • BODHI initiative: 300 youths to be trained annually in India
  • Scholarships at Forest Research Institute and Nalanda University
  • Centres of Excellence in traditional medicine and agriculture
• Energy and Youth Engagement:
  • BIMSTEC Energy Centre operational in Bengaluru
  • Faster electric grid connectivity
  • Athletics Meet (2024) and BIMSTEC Games (2027) to be hosted in India
• Cultural and Maritime Cooperation:
  • Traditional Music Festival in India
  • Sustainable Maritime Transport Centre to be established in India

Current context : Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the New Pamban Bridge on April 6, 2025, connecting Rameswaram Island to mainland Tamil Nadu. ​

Structural Features:

• Length: 2.08 kilometers
• Vertical Lift Span: 72.5 meters, capable of rising 17 meters to allow large vessels to pass. ​
• Height: 3 meters taller than the previous bridge, enhancing maritime navigation. ​

Significance:

• Replaces the 110-year-old Pamban Bridge decommissioned in 2022.​​
• Construction Details:Developed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a Navratna PSU under the Ministry of Railways. ​

Current context: The Himachal Pradesh government is considering a public-private partnership (PPP) model to develop a satellite township at Jathia Devi, aiming to decongest Shimla. ​

Key Highlights:

• Project Objective: Establish a satellite township 14 km from Shimla to relocate government offices and create housing societies, reducing congestion in the state capital. ​
• Land Acquisition: The Himachal Pradesh Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) has acquired 35 hectares and plans to acquire an additional 100 hectares for the township. ​
• Planning Area Notification: On January 23, 2024, the Town and Country Planning Department designated Jathia Devi as a Planning Area, incorporating 177 villages from Shimla and Solan districts for structured development. ​
• Funding Challenges: The state sought ₹500 crore from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under the Urban Challenge Fund but has yet to receive a response, prompting consideration of the PPP model. ​

• Current Context: Acclaimed actor, director, and producer Kamal Haasan has been named the Chairperson of FICCI’s Media & Entertainment Committee (South).
• Unveiled at: FICCI Media & Entertainment Business Conclave South Connect 2025, Chennai.

Current context: The Warangal Chapata Chilli, also known as Tomato Chilli, from Telangana has been granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the GI Registry. ​

About Chapata Chilli (Tomato Chilli):

• Distinctive Features: Recognized for its bright red color and low pungency.​
• Highly valued for its natural coloring agent, “paprika oleoresin.” ​
• Varieties: Three distinct fruit types: Single Patti, Double Patti, and Odalu. ​
• Cultivation Regions: Primarily grown in Warangal, Hanamkonda, Mulugu, and Jayashankar Bhupalpally districts of Telangana. ​
• Recognition: Marks the 18th GI registration for Telangana and the first for a horticultural product from the state. ​
• Market Potential: Enhances marketability, potentially increasing the price from the current ₹300 per kg to ₹450-₹500 per kg. ​

Current context :Kannadippaya, a traditional bamboo mat from Kerala, has been granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, ensuring market protection and global recognition.​

About Kannadippaya

• Meaning: Kannadippaya translates to “mirror mat” in ​
• Material: Crafted from the soft inner layers of reed bamboo, specifically Teinostachyum wightii and other species like Ochlandra ​

Unique Features:

• Reflective surface due to intricate weaving techniques, creating mirror-like patterns.​
• Provides warmth in winter and a cooling effect in summer.​
• Durable, with a lifespan of up to 10 years.​

Cultural Significance:

• Historically presented to kings as a mark of honor by tribal ​
• Traditionally woven by tribal women, with skills passed down through generations.​

Geographical Distribution:

• Primarily crafted by Oorali, Mannan, Muthuvan, Malayan, and Kadar tribal communities.​
• Artisans are mainly from Idukki, Thrissur, Ernakulam, and Palakkad districts in Kerala.​

Current Context: The Kodungalloor Bharani is one of Kerala’s most renowned and intense festivals, celebrated annually during the Malayalam month of Meenam (March-April). ​

About:

• Location: Sree Kurumba Bhagavathy Temple, Kodungalloor, Thrissur district, Kerala.
• Duration: The festival spans from the Bharani asterism in the month of Kumbham to seven days after the Bharani asterism in Meenam. ​

Key Features:

• Oracles (Komaram or Velichappadu): A multitude of oracles, clad in red attire, participate in the festivities, entering a trance-like state. ​
• Kozhikkallu Moodal: The festival commences with this ritual involving the sacrifice of cocks and the shedding of their blood, an essential aspect of the temple’s traditions. ​
• Kavu Theendal: A significant ritual where oracles run around the temple in a frenzied trance state, waving their swords in the air. ​
• Significance: The Bharani festival commemorates the birth of Goddess Bhadrakali, believed to have emerged from the third eye of Lord Shiva to destroy the demon Darika. ​

Current Context: Parliament has adopted a statutory resolution confirming the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur. ​

About President’s Rule

• Article 356: Empowers the President to assume control of a state’s administration if the state government fails to function constitutionally. ​
• Duration: Initially valid for six months; can be extended up to three years with parliamentary approval every six months. ​
• Revocation: The President can revoke President’s Rule at any time without parliamentary approval.​
• Article 365: Allows for President’s Rule if a state fails to comply with directions from the Union government. ​
• Judicial Oversight:S.R. Bommai vs Union of India (1994): Established that the imposition of President’s Rule is subject to judicial review. ​