{"id":67172,"date":"2026-02-20T18:23:45","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T12:53:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=67172"},"modified":"2026-02-20T18:31:48","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T13:01:48","slug":"news-in-short-20-02-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/20-02-2026\/news-in-short-20-02-2026","title":{"rendered":"News In Short 20-02-2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Vibrant Villages Programme\u2013II (VVP-II)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/ Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Vibrant Villages Programme\u2013II (VVP-II) <\/strong>is a Central Sector Scheme launched by the Union Home Minister at Nathanpur village in Assam&#8217;s Cachar district.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>VVP-II aims to fill infrastructure gaps, reverse out-migration, and improve livelihoods in border areas, fostering secure communities aligned with <strong>Viksit Bharat 2047<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It <strong>builds on VVP-I by targeting comprehensive development<\/strong> in border villages along India&#8217;s international land borders (excluding northern borders covered earlier), spanning 15 states and 2 UTs with a \u20b96,839 crore outlay until FY 2028-29.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Evolved from the 1986-87 Border Area Development Programme (BADP), VVP-I (2023) targeted northern borders; VVP-II extends to Indo-Bangladesh, Indo-Nepal, Indo-Myanmar, Indo-Bhutan, and Indo-Pakistan frontiers with tailored strategies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Features<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Saturation approach:<\/strong> Ensures all households access existing welfare schemes via convergence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Core infrastructure: <\/strong>Prioritizes all-weather roads (PMGSY-IV), telecom (Digital Bharat Nidhi), TV connectivity (BIND), and electrification (RDSS).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Livelihood focus: <\/strong>Promotes value chains through cooperatives\/SHGs, tourism, education (e.g., SMART classes), and cultural events.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: PIB<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Trump&#8217;s Board of Peace<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/ IR<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India participated as an observer in the recent inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump&#8217;s Board of Peace on Gaza, held in Washington DC and hosted at the Donald J Trump Institute of Peace.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About the Board<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Established in January, 2026, in Davos, the Board stems from Trump&#8217;s 20-point peace plan for Gaza, endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which facilitated a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Board aims to demilitarize Gaza, oversee reconstruction (estimated at $70 billion), and stabilize the region through aid, Hamas disarmament, and Israeli troop withdrawal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: TH<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>\u201cBio-AI Mulankur\u201d Hubs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ S&amp;T<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Dr. Jitendra Singh, India&#8217;s Science and Technology Minister, announced plans to establish Bio-AI Mulankur hubs during recent events tied to the India AI Impact Summit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These hubs create closed-loop platforms integrating AI predictions with lab validation and data analytics.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They target genomics diagnostics, biomolecular design, synthetic biology, and Ayurveda research to drive scalable biotech solutions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The initiative supports the BioE3 Policy, promoting biotechnology for environment, economy, and employment through high-performance biomanufacturing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It builds on DBT&#8217;s Bio-RIDE scheme, emphasizing AI-biotech convergence for health, agriculture, and environmental gains.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: PIB<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Bharat GI<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ Economy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>&#8216;Bharat GI&#8217;, a national initiative to promote India&#8217;s Geographical Indication-tagged products globally, was highlighted at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Bharat GI serves as an umbrella brand showcasing unique Indian GI products like Coorg coffee and Darjeeling tea on international platforms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is launched by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It leverages digital tools, including AI-driven traceability and market analytics, to connect artisans directly with global buyers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2230299&amp;reg=3&amp;lang=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>PIB<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds) Surged<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Economy <\/strong><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>According to data from the World Gold Council, India\u2019s gold ETFs bought a record 15.52 tonne of gold in January, almost equal to the demand seen in the previous three months combined.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They\u00a0 are investment funds traded on stock exchanges that hold a mix of assets like stocks, bonds, or commodities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They let investors easily buy a diversified portfolio, track a specific index or sector, and offer cost-effective exposure to various markets, with prices fluctuating throughout the trading day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Types<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Equity ETFs<\/strong> \u2013 invest in stocks, track indices like S&amp;P 500 or sector-specific indices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bond ETFs<\/strong> \u2013 invest in government or corporate bonds, offering stability and fixed income.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Commodity ETFs<\/strong> \u2013 mainly gold in India, providing exposure to commodities and hedging against inflation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Currency ETFs \u2013<\/strong> track specific currencies globally but limited in India.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Benefits&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>ETFs offer diversification across assets, are cost-effective with lower fees<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They provide high liquidity as they trade like stocks, ensure transparency with daily disclosure of holdings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They are generally tax-efficient compared to mutual funds.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Issues&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>ETFs can incur trading costs like commissions, carry an overtrading risk due to ease of buying and selling,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They may experience tracking errors, where their performance slightly deviates from the underlying index.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Developments<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Rising gold and silver ETF investments in January pushed India\u2019s goods trade deficit to $35 billion, as households, still wary of formal savings, turned to metals amid volatility and geopolitical uncertainty.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Earlier Sovereign Gold Bonds helped curb imports but were discontinued in 2024 due to high costs, prompting calls for a new scheme for gold, silver, and other metals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source :<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-economics\/indians-gold-silver-investment-economy-10540249\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>India\u2013UK Offshore Wind Taskforce\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/IR<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India and the United Kingdom launched the<strong> India\u2013UK Offshore Wind Taskforce.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>India\u2013UK Offshore Wind Taskforce&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It has been constituted under <strong>Vision 2035 and the fourth India\u2013UK Energy Dialogue<\/strong> to provide strategic leadership and coordination for building India\u2019s offshore wind ecosystem.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is aimed at accelerating cooperation in offshore wind development as part of their broader clean energy partnership under Vision 2035.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Focus areas for cooperation are ecosystem planning and market design, including seabed leasing frameworks and revenue certainty mechanisms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Importance&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Offshore wind can supply high-quality renewable power to coastal industrial and green hydrogen clusters, strengthening industrial competitiveness and energy security.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India\u2013UK Offshore Wind Taskforce reflects mutual confidence between India and the UK to address execution challenges in offshore wind development.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The UK brings experience in scaling offshore wind and developing mature supply chains, India offers scale, long-term demand and a rapidly expanding clean energy market.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>Do you know?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India\u2019s installed non-fossil fuel capacity has crossed 272 GW, including over 141 GW of solar and 55 GW of wind capacity.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>During the current financial year, India has added more than 35 GW of solar and 4.61 GW of wind capacity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India is leading the Hydrogen Breakthrough Goal under the international Breakthrough Agenda and has achieved globally competitive benchmarks under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, with green hydrogen prices falling to a historic low of \u20b9279 per kg (approximately \u00a32.65 per kg) and green ammonia prices reaching \u20b949.75 per kg (approximately \u00a30.47 per kg).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source :<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=2229531&amp;reg=6&amp;lang=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>PIB<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Bihar\u2019s Ban on Open Sale of Meat<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Governance; Health<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Bihar government announced a ban on<strong> open-air and unlicensed meat sales in urban areas.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>It prohibits the sale of meat and fish in open spaces,<\/strong> such as roadsides, weekly markets or public thoroughfares, within urban municipal areas.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sales <\/strong>are now restricted to licenced shops that comply with hygiene standards such as proper waste disposal.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Violations<\/strong> can attract penalties under the Bihar Municipal Act, 2007, including fines, seizure of goods and shop closures.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rational: <\/strong>Open-air vending poses serious public health risks, particularly in Bihar\u2019s humid climate.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Unrefrigerated meat attracts flies, dust and pests, increasing contamination by pathogens like salmonella, E. coli, and listeria.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Waste such as blood, feathers and offal often clogs drains.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Legality:<\/strong> The Bihar Municipal Act, 2007, empowers municipalities to impose conditions on hygiene, waste management, location and supervision.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Other States:<\/strong> Many states have regulations calling for licensed and enclosed sale of meat and fish.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These states include Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and Jharkhand.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>States such as Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra have imposed localised restrictions, such as near temples during festivals or in pilgrim towns.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: IE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Loggerhead Turtles<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Species in News<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>According to a recent study, warmer oceans and declining food availability are affecting the reproductive and migratory patterns of <strong>loggerhead turtles<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Loggerhead Turtles (Caretta caretta<\/strong><strong>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The loggerhead turtle is named for its large head, which supports powerful jaw muscles that enable them to feed on hard-shelled prey, such as whelks and conch.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They are found across the Caribbean region, Atlantic Ocean, the eastern Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean and the North and South Pacific Oceans.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Loggerhead sea turtle is a large <strong>omnivorous marine reptile <\/strong>recognized as one of the seven extant species of sea turtles.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They can live up to 80 years or more.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Threats include <\/strong>bycatch in fishing gear, direct harvest of turtles and eggs, loss and degradation of nesting habitat, and changing environmental conditions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>They are <\/strong>classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"1b8598\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"601\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-110-1024x601.png\" alt=\"loggerhead turtles\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-67179\" style=\"--dominant-color: #1b8598; aspect-ratio:1.7038539553752536;width:440px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-110-1024x601.png 1024w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-110-300x176.png 300w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-110-768x451.png 768w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-110.png 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/energy-and-environment\/loggerhead-turtles-face-four-pronged-threats-due-to-climate-change\/article70639096.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong> In News <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> The Vibrant Villages Programme\u2013II (VVP-II) is a Central Sector Scheme launched by the Union Home Minister at Nathanpur village in Assam&#8217;s Cachar district. <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong> About <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> VVP-II aims to fill infrastructure gaps, reverse out-migration, and improve livelihoods in border areas, fostering secure communities aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047. <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> It builds on VVP-I by targeting comprehensive development in border villages along India&#8217;s international land borders (excluding northern borders covered earlier), spanning 15 states and 2 UTs with a \u20b96,839 crore outlay until FY 2028-29. <\/li>\n<p><a href=\" https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/20-02-2026\/news-in-short-20-02-2026 \" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-67172","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67172","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67172"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67172\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67185,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67172\/revisions\/67185"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67172"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67172"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67172"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}