🕯️ Abhinav Bindra – Torchbearer for Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics
- About: India’s first individual Olympic gold medalist, Abhinav Bindra, has been chosen as one of the torchbearers for the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
- Significance: This marks a proud moment for India as Bindra becomes a representative of the Olympic spirit on a global stage.
- Background: The Milano Cortina 2026 will be held in Italy, jointly hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo — the first Winter Olympics to feature a dual-host city model.
⚓ INS Sutlej – Hydrographic Survey at Mauritius
- About: Indian Navy’s survey ship INS Sutlej carried out a Hydrographic Survey in the Mauritian waters.
- Objective: To enhance maritime safety, update nautical charts, and strengthen bilateral cooperation in oceanographic research.
- Context: The initiative is part of India’s “Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)” vision, promoting maritime collaboration with Indian Ocean nations.
🌏 East Timor Becomes 11th ASEAN Member
- About: East Timor (Timor-Leste) has officially become the 11th member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
- Background: The nation had observer status since 2022 and worked toward fulfilling ASEAN’s economic and political requirements.
- Importance: This move integrates East Timor into the ASEAN economic framework and strengthens regional unity in Southeast Asia.
🤖 NPCI Launches AI-Powered UPI Help
- About: The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has launched AI-Powered “UPI Help”, an intelligent assistant for the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform.
- Purpose: To provide instant, automated resolution for user complaints, transaction tracking, and fraud detection.
- Impact: Enhances digital payment security, reduces response time, and improves customer support across banks and fintech apps.
đź’° World Bank Loan to Kerala under KHSP
- About: The World Bank has approved a loan to Kerala under the Kerala Health Systems Preparedness Project (KHSP).
- Objective: To strengthen the state’s public health infrastructure, disease surveillance, and emergency response capabilities.
- Focus Areas: Primary healthcare modernization, digital health systems, and training of healthcare personnel.
