23^rd January 2026

1. World Malaria Report 2025: Recently, the World Health Organization’s World Malaria Report 2025 notes major progress in reducing malaria across the Asia-Pacific region.

• Key Findings: Asia-Pacific has made strong progress against malaria but is not fully on track to meet the 2030 elimination target. Two major bottlenecks remain: sustainable long-term financing and last-mile execution in high-burden countries.

• Estimated malaria cases in the region fell from 6 million (2023) to 8.9 million (2024), driven by 10 of 17 endemic countries.

• Major reductions recorded in Pakistan; historic lows in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Vietnam for the second consecutive year.

• The Greater Mekong Subregion demonstrated success in tackling antimalarial drug resistance.

• Sri Lanka, China, and Timor-Leste show malaria elimination is achievable with sustained political commitment.

• India’s malaria burden rebounded in some regions after post-2015 declines, indicating loss of elimination momentum.

• India targets zero indigenous malaria cases by 2027, earlier than the global 2030 goal.

• India’s progress includes successful local initiatives like AMaN (Odisha) and Mandla Elimination Project.

2. Question Schedule for Phase I of Census: Recently, the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India officially notified the 33-question schedule for Phase I of Census 2027, marking a historic shift.

• Key Highlights: Census 2027 will be India’s first digital Census.

• It will also be the first Census to enumerate caste.

• Phase II (Population Enumeration), including caste details, will be conducted in February 2027; its questions are yet to be notified.

• Phase I focuses on housing conditions, household characteristics, and amenities, not individual socio-economic details.

• Key housing-related questions cover building number, Census house number, use and condition of house, and material of floor, wall, and roof.

• Household details include household size, head of household (name, sex, SC/ST status) and ownership status.

• Amenities covered include drinking water source, lighting, toilet access and type, waste water outlet, bathing facility, kitchen, and LPG/PNG.

• Asset ownership questions include radio, TV, internet access, computer/laptop, phone/smartphone, bicycle, two-wheeler, and car. Other questions include main cooking fuel, main cereal consumed, and mobile number (for Census communication only).

3. Operation Trashi-I: Recently, Operation Trashi-I saw heightened counter-terror action by security forces in the thick forested regions of Kishtwar district, Jammu & Kashmir.

• About Operation Trashi-I: An extended counter-terrorism and area-domination exercise focused on locating, isolating, and eliminating terrorist elements hiding in the forested Chatroo belt of Kishtwar.

• The operation is being carried out through joint coordination among the Indian Army, Jammu & Kashmir Police (including the Special Operations Group), and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), acting on credible intelligence inputs.

• Objectives: Neutralise terrorists exploiting dense forest cover for concealment

• Dismantle terrorist hideouts, supply lines, and logistical bases

• Break infiltration & mobility corridors connecting the Jammu region with the Kashmir Valley

• Strategic importance: Kishtwar falls along a traditional militant transit axis extending from Kathua–Udhampur–Doda towards Kashmir

• Reflects a geographical shift in terrorist activity from urban Kashmir Valley to remote forested areas of Jammu

4. DRDO: Recently, DRDO will present a range of advanced indigenous defence technologies, highlighting India’s self-reliance, at the 77th Republic Day Parade and Bharat Parv 2026.

• Key Highlights: A major attraction is the Long-Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM) along with its mobile launcher at Kartavya Path.

• LR-AShM is a first-of-its-kind hypersonic glide missile, developed indigenously for the Indian Navy’s coastal battery requirements.

• The missile can engage both static and moving naval targets with high precision.

• It features fully indigenous avionics and advanced sensor packages, highlighting defence self-reliance. It follows a quasi-ballistic trajectory and reaches speeds of up to Mach 10, with an average speed of Mach 5.

• Key submarine systems on display include:

  • Integrated Combat Suite for enhanced underwater situational awareness

  • Wire-Guided Heavy Weight Torpedo to counter surface and submarine threats

  • Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system using phosphoric acid fuel cell technology for longer submerged endurance

• Other DRDO-developed platforms on display include Arjun MBT, BrahMos missile, Akash air defence system, and battlefield surveillance radars.

5. MASLD: Recently, MASLD (Metabolic Dysfunction–Associated Steatotic Liver Disease) has emerged as a growing public health concern in India.

• About MASLD: A chronic liver disorder marked by excess fat accumulation in liver cells. It is commonly called a “silent disease” because it progresses gradually and often without early warning signs.

• Earlier known as Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), the condition was renamed to emphasise its strong association with metabolic abnormalities rather than alcohol intake.

• The updated terminology reflects its close links with obesity, Type-2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and dyslipidaemia.

• Its clinical spectrum ranges from simple hepatic steatosis (fat deposition without significant inflammation) to a more aggressive form known as Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH), earlier termed NASH.

• MASH involves liver inflammation and cellular injury, significantly increasing the risk of fibrosis and cirrhosis. It leads to liver swelling, inflammation, and progressive tissue damage, which can ultimately impair liver function if untreated.

• Management and treatment: MASLD is largely preventable and reversible, particularly in its early stages. The primary treatment approach focuses on lifestyle modification, including a balanced diet, regular physical activity, and sustained weight reduction, which can halt progression and even reverse liver damage.

6. Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025: Recently, the Union government began revising the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in response to strong feedback from States, regulators, and consumer groups.

• Key Highlights: The Bill aims to reform power distribution, improve financial discipline, and reduce losses of state-run discoms. Draft amendments to the Electricity Act, 2003 were released in November 2025, proposing a wide-ranging overhaul.

• Competition in retail power supply is a core reform objective of the Bill.

• A key proposal is distribution sub-licensing / multiple supply licensees, allowing more than one supplier in the same area using a common network.

• The Bill seeks to strengthen State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) by giving them greater autonomy in tariff-setting.

• Cross-subsidies are to be phased down, with subsidies delivered via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) instead of tariff distortions.

• The Centre is considering 16th Finance Commission recommendations, including possible state takeover of certain discom liabilities.

• Several States have raised concerns over erosion of federal powers, as electricity lies in the Concurrent List.

7. Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI): Recently, Spain’s accession to the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative has extended the framework’s scope beyond the Indo-Pacific region, reflecting its rising global importance and appeal.

• About IPOI: A voluntary, non-binding and cooperative maritime framework that encourages practical collaboration among like-minded countries operating in the Indo-Pacific. It is not a treaty or military alliance, but a platform for issue-based cooperation.

• Announced in 2019 at the East Asia Summit in Bangkok

• Proposed by India, drawing conceptual strength from the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision

• Core objectives: Advance a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific order

• Address maritime challenges through functional cooperation rather than strategic blocs

• Integrate security, economic development, and environmental sustainability in ocean governance

• Built around seven thematic pillars: Maritime Security

• Maritime Ecology

• Maritime Resources

• Capacity Building and Resource Sharing

• Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

• Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation

• Trade, Connectivity and Maritime Transport

8. Thyroid Disorders: Recently, a health feature notes that common problems like fatigue, weight gain, hair loss, and mood swings in India are often blamed on thyroid disorders without medical advice.

• About Thyroid: A small neck gland but regulates metabolism, energy, heart rate, digestion, temperature, and mood. It secretes T3 and T4 hormones that act on almost every cell of the body.

• Thyroid disorders are mainly of two types: hypothyroidism (underactive) and hyperthyroidism (overactive).

• Hypothyroidism symptoms include fatigue, weight gain, cold intolerance, constipation, hair thinning, low mood, and slow heart rate.

• Hyperthyroidism causes weight loss, palpitations, anxiety, tremors, heat intolerance, sweating, sleep issues, and menstrual irregularities.

• Many thyroid-like symptoms overlap with stress, poor sleep, diet issues, inactivity, and menopause. This symptom overlap leads to frequent self-diagnosis and overdiagnosis of thyroid disorders.

• Thyroid testing should be based on clinical suspicion, not routine health packages or isolated symptoms. Testing is advised when symptoms are persistent, progressive, or linked with physical signs or family history.

9. ECINET: Recently, the Election Commission of India launched ECINET, a unified digital platform offering end-to-end election-related services.

• About ECINET is the world’s largest integrated electoral service platform.

• It consolidates 40+ digital applications and portals of the Election Commission of India into a single, unified ecosystem.

• Designed as a one-stop interface for: Citizens, Candidates, Political parties and Election officials

• Accessible in 22 Scheduled Languages and English, ensuring nationwide inclusivity.

• Key Features: Online voter registration and corrections

• Electoral roll search and status verification

• Track Your Application facility

• Know Your Candidate information access

• e-EPIC (digital voter ID) download

• Direct connectivity with election officials

• Digital monitoring of ground-level election functionaries

• Cybersecurity forms a foundational pillar of ECINET’s architecture.