News In Short 01-01-2026

Woman’s Earning Capacity Does Not Absolve Father of Parental Responsibilities: HC

Syllabus: GS2/Polity & Governance

Context

• The Delhi High Court has underlined that child maintenance is a recognition of shared parental responsibility and the child’s right to be supported.
  • It has observed that it is neither a favour nor a punitive measure against the non-custodial parent.

About

• While deciding a plea the court order noted that a child’s daily needs extend far beyond what can be precisely quantified in legal pleadings.
  • These include school-related requirements, minor medical expenses, hobbies, social interactions and even ordinary activities.
• The court also held that a woman’s earning capacity does not absolve the father of his parental responsibilities.

Child Custody in India

• Child Custody in India is governed by a mix of personal laws, the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890, and judicial principles developed by courts.
• The overarching principle unifying all Indian child custody law is that the welfare and best interests of the child supersede all other considerations, including parental rights, statutory preferences, and traditional hierarchies.
• Types of Child Custody:
  • Sole Custody: The child lives with one parent and the other parent may get visitation rights.
  • Joint Custody: The child alternates between parents, it is increasingly preferred by courts to ensure balanced upbringing.
  • Third-Party Custody: Granted to grandparents or relatives if both parents are unfit.
• Guardianship ceases when the child attains majority (at eighteen years), when a guardian dies, is removed, or resigns, or in the case of a female ward, upon her marriage to a husband. 

Source: TH

Himachal Pradesh Moves Towards Regulated Cannabis Cultivation

Syllabus: GS3/ Agriculture

Context

• Himachal Pradesh is finalising a policy to legalise and regulate cannabis cultivation for medicinal and industrial purposes.

About Cannabis

• Cannabis cultivation involves growing the Cannabis sativa plant for its fibers (hemp) or psychoactive compounds (marijuana).
• Legal and Regulatory Framework: Cannabis cultivation is prohibited under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
• However, the Act permits states to allow cultivation of cannabis for medicinal, industrial, and scientific purposes under strict regulation.
• Cannabis-based medical treatment utilizes compounds like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) to manage conditions like chronic pain, nausea, muscle spasms, and epilepsy, interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system.

Source: TH

Hanimaadhoo International Airport

Syllabus: GS3/ Infrastructure

Context

• The Centre has asked the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to study a request from Maldives seeking assistance from Indian companies to manage its recently upgraded Hanimaadhoo International Airport.

About Hanimaadhoo International Airport (HAQ)

• Hanimaadhoo International Airport is a key international airport located on Hanimaadhoo Island, part of the Haa Dhaalu Atoll, in the northern Maldives. 
• It serves as a primary gateway to the northern atolls, approximately 300 kilometers north of the capital, Malé.
• Hanimaadhoo Airport was initially developed as a domestic airport in 1986 and was later upgraded to international status in 2012.
• India supported the redevelopment and expansion works at Hanimaadhoo airport with a $800 million line of credit issued by EXIM Bank of India.
  • The upgradation work includes a 2,465-metre runway capable of landing an Airbus A320 aircraft and a new passenger building to handle 1.3 million flyers annually. 

Source: TH

Key Six-lane Green Corridor in Maharashtra Approved

Syllabus: GS3/Infrastructure

Context

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved the construction of a six-lane, access-controlled greenfield corridor connecting Nashik, Solapur and Akkalkot in Maharashtra.

About

• The 374-kilometre-long project will be developed on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) toll mode.
  • A Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model is a project framework where a private company builds, finances, and runs a large project for a set period, recovers costs/makes profit, and then transfers ownership back to the government.
• This will improve regional and inter-state connectivity while strengthening India’s integrated transport infrastructure under the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan.

PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (PMGS-NMP)

• It was launched in 2021 for providing multimodal connectivity infrastructure to various economic zones and improving logistics efficiency across India.
• It is not under a single ministry but is coordinated by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• The plan will provide seamless and efficient connectivity for the movement of people, goods, and services across various modes of transport, thereby enhancing last-mile connectivity and reducing travel time.
• PM GatiShakti is driven by seven engines: Railways, Roads, Ports, Waterways, Airports, Mass Transport and Logistics Infrastructure.
• 57 Central Ministries/Departments including 8 Infrastructure, 22 Social and 27 Economic & other Ministries/Departments have been onboarded on PMGS NMP.

Source: TH

DRDO Conducts Salvo Launch of Two Pralay Missiles

Syllabus: GS3/ Defence

Context

• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted a salvo launch of two ‘Pralay’ missiles off Odisha coast in quick succession.

About

• Pralay, is an indigenous surface-to-surface short-range quasi-ballistic missile.
• Range and Payload: Pralay has an operational range of approximately 400 km and carries a payload capacity of 500 to 1,000 kg.
• Propulsion: It is powered by a solid-propellant rocket motor.
• The missile is equipped with a state-of-the-art navigation system and integrated avionics, ensuring precision targeting even in challenging terrains.
  • It is capable of carrying multiple types of warheads to engage a wide range of targets.

Source: PIB

National Technology Readiness Assessment Framework (NTRAF)

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

In News

• Recently, Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India launched the National Technology Readiness Assessment Framework (NTRAF).

NTRAF

• The National Technology Readiness Assessment Framework (NTRAF) is a standardised, objective framework to assess the maturity of technologies from early laboratory research to full commercial deployment using 9 Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs).
• It aims to serve as the operational backbone for various R&D funds launched under National Missions.

Key Features of the Framework

• Global Best Practices: Adapted from global standards (such as NASA) but tailored to the specific needs of the Indian R&D ecosystem.
• Objectivity over Subjectivity: Replaces qualitative estimation with a structured, evidence-based checklist for every stage of development.
• Sector-Specific Nuances: Includes specialised annexures for distinct sectors like Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals and Software, acknowledging that development pathways differ across domains.
• Self-Assessment Tool: Empowers Project Investigators to realistically gauge their standing and identify technical gaps before seeking funding.

Source :PIB

Amazonian Stingless Bees To Get Legal Rights

Syllabus: GS3/Environment 

In News

• Stingless bees have become the first insects in the world to be granted legal rights considering the bees’ ecological and cultural importance.

Stingless bees

• They are native to the Peruvian part of the Amazon rainforest, who have no sting unlike their European counterparts.
• Ecological Role: They  are key rainforest pollinators, sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem health.
  • They are the oldest bee species on the planet and are responsible for pollinating over 80 per cent of Amazonian flora, including globally cherished crops like coffee, chocolate, avocados, and blueberries.
• Threats: They face a deadly confluence of climate change, deforestation and pesticides, as well as competition from European bees.
• Rights granted:  The Declaration of Rights for Native Stingless Bees recognizes their right to exist, thrive, maintain healthy populations, live in pollution-free habitats, regenerate natural cycles, and be legally represented if harmed.

Source :DTE

Mitochondria Evolution In Insects

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

In News 

• Researchers from the University of Guelph have discovered that the way insects produce males and females influences the rate of mitochondrial DNA evolution.

What is Mitochondria?

• Mitochondria are membrane-bound cell organelles (mitochondrion, singular) that generate most of the chemical energy needed to power the cell’s biochemical reactions. 
• Chemical energy produced by the mitochondria is stored in a small molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). 
• Mitochondria contain their own small chromosomes.
• Mitochondria originated from an ancient bacterium and retain a small genome.
• Most mitochondrial proteins are now encoded by nuclear DNA. Mitochondrial DNA is inherited maternally (from females only).

Key Findings of recent study 

• In haplo-diploid (HD) species, such as ants, bees, and wasps, males are haploid and females are diploid, while in diplo-diploid (DD) species, both sexes are diploid.
• The recent study surveyed 86,000 species across 783 families and found that HD species show about 1.7 times more changes in the mitochondrial COI gene (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I), including more insertions and deletions, compared to DD species. 
• This faster evolution is thought to result from HD males carrying only one copy of each nuclear gene, which exposes mutations immediately to selection and pushes interacting mitochondrial genes to adapt more quickly.

Impacts 

• The findings reveal a link between reproductive biology and mitochondrial evolution, with implications for tracking insect biodiversity, as COI barcodes may evolve at different rates across species.

Source: TH

National Investigation Agency (NIA)

Syllabus: GS3/ Security Agencies

Context

• In 2025, the NIA achieved a conviction rate of over 92%, secured the extradition of 26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana, and intensified its crackdown on terrorism and organised crime across the country.

National Investigation Agency (NIA)

• Established under: NIA Act, 2008 after 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
• Function: Central counter-terrorism law enforcement agency.
• Mandate: Investigates offences affecting India’s sovereignty, security, international treaties, etc.
• NIA (Amendment) Act, 2019:
  • Jurisdiction extended: Can investigate scheduled offences committed outside India involving Indian citizens/interests.
  • Expanded mandate: Covers offences under Explosive Substances Act, 1908 Human Trafficking, Cyber Terrorism Arms Act, 1959.
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Special Courts: Total NIA Special Courts: 51
  • Exclusive NIA Courts: 2 (Ranchi & Jammu).

Source: TH

Village Defence Guards (VDG)

Syllabus: GS3/Internal Security

Context

• Amid growing focus of terrorists on the Chenab Valley in the Jammu region, the Army provided a step-by-step training to local civilians who offered to work as Village Defence Guards (VDG).

About

• Aim: Enhancing their operational readiness and coordination with security forces.
• Training: The VDG were provided basic training in self-defence and taking position in bunkers. They were also trained in mountain combat.
  • VDGs were also trained to enhance their operational capabilities, with a focus on weapon handling, firing practices and basic battle drills.
• Significance: Training initiatives play a vital role in strengthening coordination between the armed forces and local defence groups, thereby contributing to overall security and resilience at the grassroots level.

Source: TH