National News

Female Labour Force Participation and Workforce Participation Reach Yearly Highs as India’s Employment Landscape Shows Steady Progress

• Female labour force participation rate (LFPR) in India reached its highest level of the year in December 2025, marking a significant milestone in the country’s ongoing efforts to enhance women’s participation in the formal economy and reduce gender disparities in employment opportunities.
• The female workforce participation rate (WPR) also demonstrated notable improvement during the same period, contributing to an overall LFPR increase to 56.1 percent and an overall WPR rise to 53.4 percent, indicating broader economic engagement across demographic segments.
• Rural areas emerged as the primary driver of these gains, reflecting the impact of government schemes, skill development programs, and increased economic activity in semi-urban and rural regions that have created new employment opportunities for women.
• The unemployment rate remained broadly stable at 4.8 percent, while urban female unemployment showed a decline, suggesting that labour market conditions are gradually improving and that economic growth is translating into tangible employment outcomes.
• This data reflects gradual but consistent labour market improvement that supports inclusive growth objectives and aligns with India’s broader development goals of achieving gender parity in workforce participation and creating sustainable livelihoods.

National News

Government e-Marketplace’s Womaniya Initiative Marks Seven Years of Transforming Women’s Entrepreneurship Through Public Procurement

• The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) celebrated seven years of its flagship Womaniya Initiative, which was specifically designed to support women-led Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in accessing public procurement opportunities and breaking traditional barriers in government contracting.
• Over two lakh women-led enterprises have registered on the platform since its inception, collectively securing orders worth more than ₹80,000 crore, demonstrating the initiative’s substantial economic impact and its role in channeling government spending toward women entrepreneurs.
• The initiative has consistently exceeded its procurement targets by removing intermediaries through digital access, providing direct market linkages, and offering institutional support that has strengthened women’s entrepreneurship capabilities across diverse sectors and geographical locations.
• A new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed to expand capacity building efforts, including training programs, mentorship opportunities, and technical assistance to help women entrepreneurs scale their businesses and compete effectively in larger procurement contracts.
• The Womaniya Initiative aligns closely with national economic priorities including financial inclusion, gender equality, and support for MSMEs, while promoting inclusive and sustainable growth that empowers women as key contributors to India’s economic development.

National News

India Post Marks Historic Entry Into Digital Commerce by Delivering First ONDC Order

• India Post successfully delivered its first order through the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform, with the booking made on January 13, 2025, and delivery completed on January 15, 2025, marking a significant milestone in the organization’s digital transformation journey.
• The Department of Posts functioned as a logistics service provider on the ONDC network, with UdyamWell placing the historic first order using the Click and Book model, demonstrating the successful integration of traditional postal infrastructure with modern e-commerce ecosystems.
• This development is expected to particularly benefit Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by providing them access to India Post’s extensive logistics network, which includes over 1.5 lakh post offices across the country, many located in remote and underserved areas.
• Rural sellers and small businesses will gain unprecedented access to digital commerce opportunities through India Post’s participation, as the postal network’s national reach can bridge the last-mile delivery challenges that often exclude rural entrepreneurs from e-commerce platforms.
• The initiative strengthens India’s digital logistics infrastructure and supports the government’s vision of democratizing e-commerce by ensuring that the benefits of digital trade reach every corner of the country, regardless of geographical or infrastructural constraints.

Summit and Conference News

India Prepares to Host Bharat Electricity Summit 2026 Bringing Together Global Power Sector Leaders

• The Bharat Electricity Summit 2026 has been officially announced and will be held in March 2026 at Yashobhoomi, India’s International Convention and Expo Centre, bringing together global stakeholders from the power and energy sector for discussions on the future of electricity generation, distribution, and consumption.
• The summit will focus comprehensively on the power sector with particular emphasis on clean energy transitions, renewable energy integration, grid modernization, and sustainability practices that can help nations meet their climate commitments while ensuring energy security.
• A dedicated buyer-seller meet will be organized as part of the summit to facilitate business connections, technology transfers, and commercial partnerships, creating concrete investment opportunities in India’s rapidly expanding power sector which requires significant capital infusion for its modernization goals.
• The event will highlight India’s vision of energy abundance and self-sufficiency, showcasing the country’s achievements in renewable energy expansion, rural electrification, and power sector reforms that have transformed India into one of the world’s fastest-growing energy markets.
• The summit aims to strengthen global cooperation in the energy sector by providing a platform for knowledge exchange, policy discussions, and collaborative initiatives that can accelerate the worldwide transition to cleaner, more efficient, and more accessible electricity systems.

National News

Startup India Completes Transformative Decade Redefining India’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and Innovation Landscape

• Startup India completed ten years since its launch in January 2016, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi marking National Startup Day by praising youth innovation and the transformative reforms that have supported the creation of a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem across the country.
• Over two lakh startups have been officially recognized under the Startup India initiative, spanning diverse sectors including technology, healthcare, agriculture, education, and services, making India the third-largest startup ecosystem globally with several unicorns and numerous high-growth companies.
• The startup movement has generated millions of direct and indirect jobs across the country while contributing significantly to economic growth, technological innovation, and India’s self-reliance objectives by creating indigenous solutions to local and global challenges.
• India’s global standing in the startup ecosystem has improved dramatically over the decade, with increased venture capital investment, growing numbers of incubators and accelerators, and enhanced support infrastructure including regulatory reforms, tax benefits, and easier compliance mechanisms.
• Mentors, investors, angel networks, and institutional supporters have played crucial roles in nurturing startups, while government initiatives including funding schemes, intellectual property support, and market access programs have created an enabling environment for entrepreneurial risk-taking and innovation.

State News

Kerala Emerges as Leader in Personal Electric Vehicle Adoption Driven by Middle-Class Participation

• Kerala led India in personal electric vehicle (EV) adoption during 2025, particularly achieving the highest share of four-wheeler EVs among all states, driven significantly by middle-class households that have installed charging infrastructure in their homes, demonstrating strong consumer confidence in electric mobility.
• The state’s EV policy, which was initiated in 2019, has created a supportive ecosystem through incentives, charging infrastructure development, and awareness campaigns, resulting in overall EV adoption levels that matched Karnataka despite Kerala’s smaller geographical size and economic base.
• Kerala achieved the second-highest EV penetration rate in the country after Delhi, with two-wheelers playing a particularly important role in boosting overall electric vehicle acceptance among consumers who have traditionally relied on conventional internal combustion engine vehicles for personal transportation.
• The charging infrastructure in Kerala has expanded substantially across urban, semi-urban, and rural areas, addressing one of the primary concerns of potential EV buyers and creating the confidence necessary for consumers to transition from conventional vehicles to electric alternatives.
• Kerala’s success in overtaking bigger and more industrialized states in personal EV adoption demonstrates that focused policy interventions, consumer awareness, and infrastructure development can accelerate electric mobility transition regardless of a state’s size or industrial profile.

State News

Andhra Pradesh to Host World’s Largest Green Ammonia Project in Major Clean Energy Investment

• Andhra Pradesh will host the world’s largest green ammonia production facility at Kakinada, with AM Green committing a massive $10 billion investment in the project, marking one of the largest single investments in India’s clean energy sector and positioning the state as a global hub for green chemicals.
• The ambitious project targets a production capacity of 1.5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) by 2030, utilizing large-scale renewable energy from solar and wind sources to produce green hydrogen, which will then be converted into green ammonia through sustainable processes that eliminate carbon emissions.
• The facility is planned to facilitate India’s first commercial exports of green ammonia, opening new international markets for Indian clean energy products and establishing the country as a competitive player in the global green hydrogen and derivatives market that is expected to grow exponentially.
• The project is anticipated to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs across construction, operations, maintenance, and supporting industries, while catalyzing significant clean energy investment in Andhra Pradesh and contributing to the state’s industrial and economic development objectives.
• This initiative strongly supports India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission, which aims to make the country a global hub for green hydrogen production and exports, while contributing to India’s climate commitments and energy security by reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels and chemicals.

International News

Yemen Undergoes Leadership Change as Foreign Minister Appointed Prime Minister Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions

• Yemen’s Prime Minister Salem bin Breik submitted his resignation in January 2026, which was subsequently accepted by the Presidential Leadership Council, marking a significant political development in the country that has been ravaged by civil war since 2014 and continues to face multiple internal and external challenges.
• Foreign Minister Shaya Mohsen Zindani was appointed as the new Prime Minister, bringing his diplomatic experience to the top executive position at a critical time when Yemen faces complex regional dynamics and ongoing efforts to stabilize the security situation and rebuild state institutions.
• The leadership change occurs against the backdrop of heightened tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Yemen’s two primary external supporters, following advances by UAE-backed separatist forces in southern Yemen that challenged the unity of the internationally recognized government.
• Saudi-backed forces later regained control of contested areas in southern Yemen, but the episode highlighted the fragile nature of the coalition supporting the government and the competing interests that continue to complicate efforts to end the civil war and establish lasting peace.
• The leadership shift reflects the ongoing regional and internal challenges facing Yemen, including the humanitarian crisis, economic collapse, security threats from various armed groups, and the complex task of negotiating a political settlement that can accommodate the interests of multiple domestic and international stakeholders.

International News

United States Freezes Immigrant Visa Processing for 75 Countries Under New Trump Administration Policy

• The United States government announced a freeze on immigrant visa processing affecting 75 countries worldwide, with the policy set to take effect on January 21, 2026, under the Trump Administration, representing a significant shift in American immigration policy with far-reaching consequences for families and prospective immigrants globally.
• The suspension specifically targets permanent immigrant visas including family-sponsored and employment-based categories, while explicitly excluding tourist and other temporary visitor visas, indicating a policy focused on long-term migration rather than short-term travel or business visits.
• The administration cited concerns related to welfare costs and public benefits as the rationale for the suspension, though no specific end date has been provided for when normal visa processing might resume, creating uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of applicants in the affected countries who are in various stages of the immigration process.
• The policy is expected to severely impact family migration, preventing U.S. citizens and permanent residents from bringing family members to America, and represents a nationality-based restriction that has drawn comparisons to previous controversial immigration policies and raised questions about discrimination and equal treatment.
• The announcement has generated significant global criticism from immigration advocates, human rights organizations, affected countries, and diaspora communities who argue that the policy separates families, undermines America’s traditional role as a destination for immigrants, and damages U.S. diplomatic relationships and soft power across the affected regions.

International News

Pentagon Pizza Index Trends on Social Media Amid US-Iran Tensions Despite Expert Skepticism

• The Pentagon Pizza Index has gained widespread attention on social media platforms as tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated, with online observers tracking pizza delivery orders to the Pentagon as a supposed indicator of crisis management and heightened military activity requiring personnel to work late hours.
• The viral theory suggests that increased pizza orders to the Pentagon and other military installations correlate with major military operations, crisis situations, or significant geopolitical events, based on the assumption that personnel working on urgent matters require food deliveries during extended work hours.
• Military and national security experts have rejected the accuracy of the Pentagon Pizza Index as a reliable indicator of military planning or crisis response, noting that modern military operations involve long-term planning, secure communications, and professional protocols that are not reflected in commercial food delivery patterns.
• Multiple factors can affect food ordering patterns at large government and military facilities, including routine training exercises, administrative workload, weather conditions, scheduled events, and individual preferences, making it impossible to draw meaningful conclusions about military operations from such data.
• While the Pentagon Pizza Index reflects public anxiety and interest in monitoring geopolitical tensions through accessible indicators, it is not considered a legitimate intelligence tool by experts, though online speculation and tracking continue as a form of crowdsourced attempt to understand opaque military and government activities.

State News

Madhya Pradesh Partners with Digital India BHASHINI to Integrate Multilingual AI into State Governance

• Madhya Pradesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Digital India BHASHINI Division to integrate multilingual artificial intelligence tools into state government platforms and services, marking a significant step toward making digital governance more accessible to citizens in their native languages.
• The agreement was formalized at the AI Impact Conference 2026 held in Bhopal, the state capital, where government officials, technology experts, and policy makers gathered to discuss the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in improving public service delivery and administrative efficiency.
• The partnership specifically supports voice-first governance initiatives that will allow citizens to interact with government services using voice commands in Indian languages rather than requiring text-based interfaces or English proficiency, significantly lowering barriers to digital service access for rural and less-educated populations.
• The integration of BHASHINI’s multilingual AI capabilities will improve accessibility and inclusion by enabling government services, applications, and information portals to operate seamlessly in Hindi, tribal languages, and other regional languages spoken in Madhya Pradesh, ensuring that language is not a barrier to accessing entitlements and services.
• This initiative aligns with both the Digital India mission and India’s national artificial intelligence strategy, strengthening last-mile service delivery and promoting inclusive, citizen-centric governance that recognizes linguistic diversity as a core element of equitable development and democratic participation.

Appointments and Resignations News

MS Dhoni Appointed Goodwill Ambassador for India’s First UCI-Ranked International Cycling Event

• Former Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni has been named Goodwill Ambassador for the Pune Grand Tour 2026, lending his immense popularity and sports credibility to promote India’s first UCI 2.2 category international cycling event and raise awareness about competitive cycling in the country.
• The Pune Grand Tour will be held from January 19 to 23, 2026, featuring a challenging route spanning 437 kilometers across varied terrain around Pune and surrounding areas, testing the endurance, strategy, and skill of participating cyclists in India’s most significant international cycling competition to date.
• The event will feature participation from cycling teams representing 35 countries from across the world, bringing international-level competition to Indian soil and providing Indian cyclists with invaluable exposure to global racing standards, tactics, and competition without requiring travel abroad.
• Indian cyclists will gain crucial experience and UCI ranking points from competing against international professionals, potentially accelerating their development and improving India’s standing in global competitive cycling, a sport where the country has traditionally had limited international presence.
• The Pune Grand Tour is expected to promote both cycling as a competitive sport and cycling tourism in the region, strengthen India’s presence in international sports beyond its traditional strongholds, and inspire young Indians to consider cycling as a viable sporting career through the visibility provided by Dhoni’s association.

Awards and Recognitions News

Biologist Toby Kiers Receives Prestigious Tyler Prize for Groundbreaking Research on Underground Fungal Networks

• Dutch biologist Toby Kiers has been awarded the prestigious Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement for her pioneering research uncovering the hidden power and ecological importance of underground fungal networks that connect plant roots across vast areas and play critical roles in ecosystem functioning.
• Kiers’ research focuses on mycorrhizal networks, symbiotic relationships between fungi and plant roots that facilitate nutrient exchange, with fungi providing plants with water and minerals while receiving carbon compounds in return, creating what scientists call the “wood wide web” that connects entire forests.
• Her work has demonstrated that these fungal networks play a crucial role in carbon storage in soils, holding vast quantities of carbon that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere, and supporting climate regulation by maintaining this underground carbon reservoir that is essential to global carbon cycles.
• Kiers has documented that fungi act strategically in their exchanges with plants, preferentially trading with partners that provide better resources and even “punishing” plants that don’t reciprocate fairly, revealing complex economic-like behaviors in organisms previously thought to operate through simple biological mechanisms.
• She led the creation of a global atlas mapping mycorrhizal fungal networks worldwide, revealing critical biodiversity gaps and priority areas for conservation, and promoting recognition of underground life as equally important to aboveground biodiversity in conservation planning and environmental policy.

Awards and Recognitions News

Mitchell Starc Wins ICC Men’s Player of the Month Award for December 2025 After Dominant Ashes Performance

• Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has been named ICC Men’s Player of the Month for December 2025 in recognition of his outstanding performance during the Ashes series against England, which Australia won convincingly by a margin of 4-1, reasserting their dominance in cricket’s oldest rivalry.
• Starc took an impressive 31 wickets throughout the Ashes series, consistently breaking through England’s batting lineups across different conditions and demonstrating the pace, swing, and accuracy that have made him one of the world’s premier fast bowlers across all formats of the game.
• The left-arm speedster delivered a match-winning 10-wicket haul at Perth Stadium, taking wickets in both innings to effectively decide the match in Australia’s favor and showcasing his ability to perform under pressure in crucial moments of important Test matches.
• In addition to his bowling heroics, Starc contributed valuable runs with the bat, scoring key half-centuries in the lower order that helped Australia post competitive totals and demonstrated his all-round cricketing abilities and value to the team beyond his primary role as a fast bowler.
• His exceptional all-round display throughout the series earned him Player of the Series honors and the ICC monthly award, ending a two-year wait for an Australian cricketer to receive the ICC Men’s Player of the Month recognition and reaffirming his status among the elite performers in international cricket.

Awards and Recognitions News

South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt Named ICC Women’s Player of the Month for December 2025

• South African captain Laura Wolvaardt has been named ICC Women’s Player of the Month for December 2025, recognizing her exceptional batting performances that dominated the month and led her team to series victories across formats.
• Wolvaardt scored three centuries during December against Ireland, displaying remarkable consistency and batting excellence across both T20 International and One Day International formats, demonstrating her versatility and ability to adapt her game to different formats and match situations.
• Her outstanding performances were instrumental in South Africa’s series victories against Ireland, with her leadership and run-scoring providing the foundation for her team’s success and establishing South Africa as a formidable force in women’s international cricket.
• This is Wolvaardt’s second ICC Women’s Player of the Month award, having previously received the honor, and she was selected ahead of strong competition from India’s Shafali Verma and her South African teammate Sune Luus, both of whom also had impressive performances during the month.
• Wolvaardt carries strong momentum into 2026, with her current form positioning her as one of the world’s premier women’s batters and raising expectations for her performances in upcoming major tournaments and series that will shape the international women’s cricket calendar this year.

Important Days News

National Startup Day 2026 Marks Decade of Startup India and Celebrates India’s Innovation-Led Growth Journey

• National Startup Day 2026 commemorates ten years since the launch of the Startup India initiative in January 2016, a flagship program that has fundamentally transformed India’s entrepreneurial landscape and established the country as one of the world’s most dynamic startup ecosystems with global recognition and investment.
• India now boasts over two lakh (200,000) recognized startups spanning technology, agriculture, healthcare, education, manufacturing, and services sectors, with nearly half of these enterprises located in Tier II and III cities beyond the traditional metropolitan hubs, demonstrating the democratization of entrepreneurship across the country.
• Women-led startups have grown particularly strongly under the Startup India framework, with targeted support programs, funding opportunities, and mentorship initiatives helping women entrepreneurs overcome traditional barriers and establish successful businesses that contribute to both economic growth and gender equality objectives.
• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has implemented comprehensive schemes supporting startups through funding access, tax benefits, regulatory simplifications, intellectual property support, and mentoring programs that address the various challenges entrepreneurs face during different stages of business development.
• Startups have generated millions of jobs across skill levels and contributed to inclusive growth by creating employment opportunities in smaller cities and rural areas, supporting the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision of a developed India through innovation-driven economic development and technological self-reliance.

Science and Technology News

CSIR-NIScPR Celebrates Fifth Foundation Day Highlighting Science Communication and Policy Research Achievements

• The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) marked its fifth Foundation Day in January 2026, highlighting the institute’s growing role in bridging the gap between scientific research, public understanding, and evidence-based policy making in India.
• The institute emphasized its achievements in science communication and policy research, including the development of AI-based regional outreach programs that make scientific information accessible to diverse audiences in multiple Indian languages and formats suited to different educational backgrounds and technological capabilities.
• The Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL), maintained by the institute, was showcased for its global role in protecting India’s traditional knowledge from misappropriation through biopiracy and wrongful patenting, having successfully prevented numerous patent applications worldwide that attempted to claim Indian traditional knowledge as novel inventions.
• The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) was highlighted as a mechanism to encourage global collaboration in research and innovation, connecting Indian researchers with international partners and funding opportunities to address scientific challenges of national and global importance.
• The SVASTIK portal was launched during the Foundation Day event as a new digital platform for science and technology knowledge integration, and the event overall reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening the integration of scientific research with policy formulation to ensure evidence-based governance and development planning.