• Launch: April 2025
• Total Budget and Duration: ₹6,839 crore; valid until the financial year 2028-29.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs
• Coverage: 1,954 villages located across 334 blocks in 17 states/Union Territories of the country will be developed.
• Impact in Assam: 9 districts, 26 blocks, and 140 villages.
• Included Borders: Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar.
• Included States: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

‘Vibrant Villages Program’ (VVP-I):

• Inception: Launched on February 15, 2023, as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
• Inauguration: Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the program.
• Location: It was launched from Kibithoo village, which is India's easternmost village, located in the Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh.
• Budget: A financial allocation of ₹4,800 crore has been made for the first phase (VVP-I) (covering the period from 2022-23 to 2025-26).
• Scheme Structure: It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.

Coverage (VVP-I):

• In the first phase, only areas adjacent to the Northern Border were included:
• States/UTs: Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Ladakh (UT).
• Administrative Units: This covers 46 blocks across 19 districts.

• Manufacturing Plant ‘Aditya’: This state-of-the-art facility has been established by BEML Limited in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• Design and Development: This is a joint project between the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) and BEML.
• First Bullet Train (B28): The first train to be manufactured at this facility has been named ‘B28’ (Bharat-made bullet).
• Capacity and Speed: This train will be capable of reaching a maximum speed of 280 km/h and is being designed for an operational speed of 250 km/h.
• Operational Corridor: Initially, these trains will operate on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed ​​Rail Corridor, significantly reducing travel time.
• Future Plans: The government has planned 7 new high-speed rail corridors, including routes such as Delhi-Varanasi and Hyderabad-Bengaluru.

• The Trump administration will also reinstate the use of pentobarbital-based injections for carrying out the death penalty.
• The Biden administration had previously imposed a ban on its use.
• In the US, the use of a firing squad is permitted in only five states.
• These include Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Utah.

America :

• It is an extremely powerful and developed nation situated on the North American continent.
• It comprises 50 states and one federal district (Washington, D.C.).
• Capital: Washington, D.C.
• Largest City: New York City
• Independence: July 4, 1776 (from Great Britain)
• Currency: US Dollar ($)
• Neighboring Countries: Canada to the north and Mexico to the south.

• A specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health.
• Established: April 7, 1948 (which is why World Health Day is observed on April 7).
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Members: 194 Member States.
• Director-General: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
• India became a member of the WHO on January 12, 1948.
• The Regional Office for the WHO South-East Asia Region is located in New Delhi.
• In collaboration with India, the WHO has achieved significant success in eradicating diseases such as polio and smallpox.

• The largest component of the reserves—Foreign Currency Assets—increased by $1.4 million during this week, rising to over $557 billion.
• Gold reserves rose by $790 million to exceed $122 billion.
• Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) increased by $78 million to reach $1,884 billion.
• The central bank's reserve position in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) rose by $14 million to reach $487 billion.

• Total Affected: During 2025, approximately 266 million people across 47 countries faced high levels of 'Acute Food Insecurity.'
• Decadal Trend: Over the past 10 years, the hunger crisis has nearly doubled, highlighting a deteriorating situation despite global efforts.
• Famine: For the first time in the history of the report, famine was officially confirmed simultaneously in two distinct regions—Gaza and Sudan—in 2025.
• Impact on Children: Approximately 35.5 million children are grappling with severe forms of malnutrition, posing a significant threat to their physical and cognitive development.
• Pakistan: It is included among the top 10 countries globally where the crisis is most acute. Here, nearly 11 million people are severely affected.
• Catastrophic (IPC 5) Situation: The situation remains 'catastrophic' in Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, and Yemen, where people are on the brink of starvation.

Three Major Causes of the Crisis:

• Conflict: In war-torn regions such as Gaza and Sudan, humanitarian aid delivery and agricultural activities have been completely disrupted.
• Climate Change: The effects of El Niño and extreme weather events have devastated crops in Southern Africa and Central America.
• Economic Shocks: Global volatility in food and fertilizer prices has eroded the purchasing power of poorer nations.

• Opponent Defeated: Japan's club, Machida Zelvia.
• Score: Al-Ahli secured a 1-0 victory in extra time.
• Decisive Goal: Saudi Arabian striker Firas Al-Buraikan scored the winning goal in the 96th minute of the match.
• Venue: This thrilling encounter was played at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, in front of approximately 60,000 fans.
• Next Objective: With this victory, Al-Ahli has also qualified for the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup.

• This historic decision was taken during the IWGA Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.
• With this, IWGA now has 40 members.

International Chess Federation (FIDE):

• Founded: 20 July 1924 in Paris, France.
• Headquarters: Currently located in Lausanne, Switzerland.
• Motto: Gens Una Sumus (Latin), meaning “We are one family.”
• President: Arkady Dvorkovich (since 2018–present).
• Deputy President: Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand.
• Membership: Includes 200+ national chess federations worldwide.
• International World Games Association (IWGA):
• Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland.
• Founded: 21 May 1980 in Seoul, South Korea (initially named ‘World Games Council’).
• Newly Elected President: Anna Arzhanova (elected on 25 April 2026).
• Membership: Currently consists of 40 international sports federations.

• Vanshika Chaudhary and Chirag Sharma won the gold medal in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event.
• Mohini Singh and Himanshu Rana won the bronze medal. India currently tops the medal tally with five gold, five silver, and four bronze medals.

International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF):

• Established: 1907 (in Paris)
• Headquarters: Munich, Germany
• President: Luciano Rossi

• Objective: DMIL will provide consultancy services and operations (O&M) by leveraging DMRC's years of experience in other Indian cities and foreign markets.
• Sanjay Jamuar: He is a former Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) officer with extensive experience in metro systems across Indian Railways, DMRC, and internationally (UK, USA, France, Middle East).
• Historical Context: Jamuar was DMRC's first Operations and Maintenance (O&M) employee in 1998.
• Current Focus: DMIL is currently involved in the consultancy/operations of the Dhaka Metro in Bangladesh, as well as the Chennai, Mumbai, and Patna metro projects in India.

Metro:

• A metro is a rapid, electric-powered urban transportation system (Mass Rapid Transit System - MRTS) that offers high speed and convenience in densely populated cities.
• First Metro: India's first metro service began in Kolkata in 1984.
• Largest Network: The Delhi Metro (DMRC) is India's largest and busiest metro network (launched in 2002).
• Metro Man: E. Sreedharan is known as India's 'Metro Man' for playing a pivotal role in the construction of the Delhi Metro.
• Ministry: Metro rail projects fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
• Model: Most metro systems operate as 50:50 Joint Venture partnerships between the Central Government and the respective State Government.

Types:

• Mega Metro: Designed for large cities.
• Metro Neo: A rubber-tyred, bus-like system designed for cities with lower population densities. Metro Lite: A low-cost, compact metro rail system.
• Driverless Metro: India's first driverless metro service was launched on the Magenta Line of the Delhi Metro.
• Underwater Metro: The tunnel built beneath the Hooghly River for the Kolkata Metro marks India's first underwater metro service.
• Green Metro: The Delhi Metro holds the distinction of being the world's first fully green metro system, as it utilizes solar energy on a large scale.
• Kochi Water Metro: India's first water metro service, connecting the islands of Kochi.

Lodha Committee Recommendations:

• Following the 2013 spot-fixing controversy, the Supreme Court constituted this committee to reform cricket administration. Its key recommendations were:
• One State, One Vote: Each state should possess only one voting right.
• Tenure Limits: Imposition of tenure limits (a 3-year term, with a maximum of 9 years) and a mandatory 'cooling-off period' for BCCI office-bearers.
• Ombudsman and Ethics Officer: Appointment of an independent Ombudsman to resolve disputes and an Ethics Officer to address conflicts of interest. Justice Hrishikesh Roy's appointment to the Bihar Cricket Association is part of this very framework.
• Players' Association: Creation of an official association for former players to ensure their voices are heard.
• Under the Ambit of RTI: A recommendation to bring sports associations under the Right to Information (RTI) Act to enhance their transparency.

Constitutional Aspects of Sports Administration:

• The administration of sports in India involves a complex balance between the law and the Constitution:
• State List: Under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, 'Sports' is a subject falling under the State List, specifically Entry 33.
• Judicial Activism: Since sports associations (such as the BCCI) perform public functions, the Supreme Court—treating them as 'State-like entities' under Articles 12 and 226—has intervened in their operations to ensure transparency.
• Administrative Accountability: The objective behind appointing an Ombudsman is to ensure that internal democracy is maintained within sports associations and to prevent financial irregularities.

• Reason for Appointment: According to the regulations of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), it is mandatory for the CEO of any airport in India to be an Indian citizen.
• Former CEO: Prior to her, Swiss national Christoph Schnellmann held this position; he has now been appointed as the Executive Vice Chairman on the Board.
• Experience: Neetu Samra had been serving as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for this project since October 2021.
• Significance: With this change, the path has been cleared for the airport to receive its final security clearance and for flight operations to commence.
• Noida International Airport (NIA):
• This is a greenfield project located in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh.
• It is being developed and operated by Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG.

• Introduction: He is regarded as a pioneer of Indian photojournalism. Over a career spanning more than six decades, he captured the soul of India, as well as its social and political landscapes, through his camera lens.
• Early Life: He was born on December 18, 1942, in Jhang (now in Pakistan).
• Magnum Photos: In 1977, upon the nomination of the renowned photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, he became a member of the prestigious 'Magnum Photos'.
• Major Works: Through his lens, he documented the Bangladesh Liberation War, the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, and the lives of prominent figures such as Indira Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and the Dalai Lama.

Awards and Honors:

• Padma Shri (1972): For his photographs taken during the Bangladesh Liberation War.
• Photographer of the Year (USA, 1992).
• Lifetime Achievement Award (2017): Presented by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.
• Académie des Beaux-Arts Photography Award (2019).