Recently, Dashavatar performances in Maharashtra started.

• Dashavatar is a traditional folk theatre form from the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra’s South Konkan region and the North Goa district of Goa.
• The term “Dashavatar” refers to the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu: Matsya (fish), Kurma (tortoise), Varaha (boar), Narasimha (lion-man), Vamana (dwarf), Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, and Kalki.
• It has a history of over 800 years and is deeply rooted in Maharashtra and Goa’s cultural traditions.
• Performances are traditionally held in temple courtyards and are enacted by male performers, who also play female characters.
• The performance consists of two parts:
• Poorva-Ranga (Initial Session):Depicts the story of the demon Shankhasur’s defeat.
• Uttar-Ranga (Main Performance):Also called ‘akhyan’, it narrates stories from Hindu mythology, focusing on one of Vishnu’s incarnations.
• Musical instruments used include:
• Paddle harmonium (hand-pumped keyboard instrument).
• Tabla (pair of hand drums).
• Zanj (small metallic cymbals).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a three-day France visit from Monday at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron. He will co-chair Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit with Macron on February 11.

• France is hosting the AI Action Summit, to be held on 10 and 11 February 2025 at the Grand Palais in Paris.

• It is in continuation of AI Safety Summit held in Britain in Bletchley Park in 2023 and a smaller meeting in Seoul in 2024.
• It holds great relevance for Europe as AI is being seen as a race between America and China.
• The entry of China’s Deep Seek model, which is cheaper and shows great efficiency in reasoning, has further complicated the AI debate.
• It aims to deliberate on the issue of monopoly of AI market as the foundational models are being owned by few corporations like Microsoft, Amazon, Meta
• The initiative focuses on the broader agenda of global AI governance, innovation, and on means of serving the larger public interest. 

• Donald Trump, the 47th President of the United States of America, has signed an executive order on 4th February 2025, to withdraw the country from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)and permanently stop the funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
• He has also ordered the review of the American contribution to UNESCO and the funding of the United Nations.
• It is an intergovernmental body within the United Nations whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world
• It was created by the General Assembly on 15 March 2006 by replacing the Commission on Human Rights.
• The headquartersof the Council is in Geneva, Switzerland
• It has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a regional group basis.
• The members of the United Nations General Assemblyelect the members who occupy 47 seats of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
• In 2021, India was re-elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2022-24 term and vowed to continue to work for the promotion and protection of human rights through “Samman, Samvad and Sahyog”

National Productivity Day is observed in India on February 12 each year to promote productivity culture.

• The day is organized by the National Productivity Council (NPC), established in 1958 under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• National Productivity Day aims to raise awareness about the importance of productivity, innovation, and efficiency in driving economic growth and improving the quality of life.

12 February is celebrated as the birthday of the most popular president in United States history namely Abraham Lincoln.

• This day is also known as Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday, Abraham Lincoln Day, or Lincoln Day.
• Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was born on February 12, 1809.

On completion of 10 years of the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ campaign, an awareness campaign was organized at the Government Girls Hostel in Betul, Madhya Pradesh.

• During this campaign, girls were given information on the POCSO Act, Child Helpline (1098), One Stop Centre services, and menstrual hygiene management.
• The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme was launched in 2015.
• The National Girl Child Day (24th January) was started by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2008.
• BBBP is a national campaign with focused multisectoral action in 100 selected districts low in Child Sex Ratio (CSR), covering all States and UTs.
• This is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the Ministry of Education.

• S. President Donald Trump on Thursday, February 6, authorized economic and travel sanctions targeting people who work on International Criminal Court investigations of U.S. citizens or U.S. allies such as Israel, repeating action he took during his first term.
• The International Criminal Court (ICC) was established in 2002 to hold to account those guilty of some of the world’s worst crimes.
• The ICC is the world’s first permanent international criminal court. It is the only permanent international criminal tribunal.
• It was established by an international agreement, the Rome Statute, on 17 July 1998.
• The Rome Statute sets out the Court’s jurisdiction, structures, and functions.
• The ICC investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression.
• As a court of last resort, it seeks to complement, not replace, national courts.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has recently introduced a framework to facilitate the safe participation of retail investors in algorithmic (algo) trading.

• The move aims to democratize access to advanced trading strategies traditionally dominated by institutional investors.
• Algorithmic trading, or algo trading, is computer-assisted buying and selling of stocks. It is also known as automated or programmed trading. Algo trading came to India in 2008.
• SEBI is a statutory body established on April 12, 1992, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992.
• The headquarters of SEBI is situated in Mumbai. The regional offices of SEBI are located in Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai, and Delhi.
• The basic functions of SEBI are to protect the interests of investors in securities and to promote and regulate the securities market.

TP Solar, a Tata Power subsidiary, has opened a 4.3 GW solar cell and module factory in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu.

• It is India’s single largest solar cell manufacturing unit.
• The Gangaikondan SIPCOT Industrial Growth Centre is an industrial park in the village of Gangaikondan, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu.
• The facility will produce photovoltaic cells and modules for solar power generating units, having an annual capacity of around 4 GW.
• The unit will produce 182mm mono and 158.25mm multi-crystalline cells.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences launched SARAT (Search and Rescue Aid Tool) Version 2 to enhance search-and-rescue efficiency in the Indian Ocean.

• Key enhancements include more accurate search areas, enhanced data visualization, and future upgrades (e.g., surface current and wind prediction accuracy).
• SARAT is a satellite-based distress alert system that aids vessels, aircraft, and individuals in remote or high-risk areas at sea.
• It was developed by the Earth System Science Organization (ESSO) and the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) as part of the Make in India initiative.

Key Features of SARAT include:

• Customizable Tracking: Tracks 60 object types, including people, rafts, boats, and aircraft.
• Accurate Predictions: Forecasts search areas up to 10 days using wind, currents, and drifting buoys.
• User-Friendly Interface: Includes interactive maps, SMS/email alerts, and local language support for fishermen.
• INCOIS, recognized by UNESCO for its expertise in tsunami warnings, won the Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar 2025 for excellence in disaster management.