KARNATAKA ISSUES

• Karnataka has notified a menstrual leave policy granting one paid leave per month to women aged 18–52, aiming to improve women’s health and workplace inclusivity. The policy covers permanent, contract, and outsourced workers under major labour laws but excludes government staff, anganwadi workers, and ASHAs. Leave cannot be carried forward and no medical proof is required. Cabinet approval raised the annual entitlement to 12 days. Activists welcomed the move but sought inclusion of informal workers and flexibility in the upper age limit.
• Child adoptions in Bengaluru rose by nearly 72% between 2020-21 and 2024-25, while Karnataka saw a 20% increase, according to SARA data. The state has 45 specialised adoption agencies. Officials noted growing openness toward adoption but highlighted a large demand-supply gap — 2,279 parents await adoption, with only 27 normal and 55 special-needs children available. The minimum waiting period is about two years, depending on parental preferences.

ECONOMY

• SEBI has issued a public warning against digital gold and e-gold investments, citing their unregulated status and rising risks amid increasing gold prices. Digital gold allows online purchases backed by stored physical gold and often uses blockchain for transparency and fractional ownership. However, it is not regulated by SEBI or RBI, leaving investors exposed to counterparty, operational, and default risks, with no investor protection. SEBI advises choosing regulated options like Gold ETFs, Electronic Gold Receipts (EGRs), and Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs).

ENVIRONMENT

• The Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2026, released by Germanwatch at COP30 in Belem, ranks India 9th among nations most affected by climate disasters (1995–2024). Over 8.32 lakh global deaths were recorded, with India accounting for 80,000 and USD 170 billion in losses from 430 extreme events. Global South nations remain most vulnerable due to low adaptive capacity. India’s resilience efforts include CDRI, IRIS, and IRAF. WMO’s COP30 update warns 2025 could be among the warmest years, with temperatures 1.42°C above pre-industrial levels.

SCIENCE

• According to the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2025, India accounts for 25% of global TB cases and remains the world’s highest-burden country. The incidence rate has reduced to 187 per lakh, still far from the 2025 target of 77. TB mortality stands at 21 per lakh, thrice the national goal. India also bears 32% of global drug-resistant TB. Treatment coverage has improved to 92%, yet drug resistance and under-reporting continue to hinder India’s 2025 elimination target.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bhutan to mark the 70th birthday of King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the architect of modern Bhutan. The visit strengthens India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and reaffirms deep strategic ties. India-Bhutan relations—rooted in the 1949 Treaty and modernised in 2007—emphasise equal partnership, security cooperation, and hydropower development. King Wangchuck’s legacy includes transitioning Bhutan to democracy, economic reforms, and strong bilateral engagement. Modi inaugurated the 1,020 MW Punatsangchhu-II project and advanced cultural and energy cooperation.
• India has withdrawn from the Ayni airbase in Tajikistan, its only full-fledged overseas military base, marking a strategic shift in Central Asia. Built and renovated by India since 2002 at a cost of $80 million, Ayni gave India proximity to Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor—bordering PoK and China’s Xinjiang—and leverage in a region influenced by Russia and China. India’s withdrawal in 2022 followed Tajik reluctance to renew the lease, reportedly under Russian and Chinese pressure. The move reduces India’s Central Asian footprint, though new projects like Agaléga in Mauritius expand its Indian Ocean presence.