APPOINTMENTS

Iran’s First Woman IOC Member Marks Milestone in Olympic Governance

• Soraya Aghaei has been elected to the International Olympic Committee, becoming the first Iranian woman and the youngest current member of the organisation.

• She secured membership through a decisive voting process, becoming the 107th member and only the third representative from Iran in IOC history.

• At the age of 30, she currently serves on the Athletes’ Commission of the Iranian Olympic Committee, representing athlete perspectives in sports administration.

• Aghaei earlier created history by becoming Iran’s first female badminton player to compete in the Olympic Games during the Tokyo edition.

• Her appointment reflects IOC’s ongoing efforts to promote diversity, youth participation, and wider regional representation in global sports governance.

• The IOC is undergoing leadership transformation under President Kirsty Coventry, with women now accounting for nearly half of the total membership.

• During the same session, Afghanistan’s Samira Asghari was re-elected, highlighting increased representation of women from the Asian region.

• Aghaei will serve an eight-year tenure with voting authority in major IOC decisions, including the selection of the host nation for the 2036 Summer Olympics.

NATIONAL NEWS

9th Edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha 2026

• The ninth edition of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship student interaction programme, Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC), was held on February 6, 2026.

• For the first time, the session was conducted as a multi-location nationwide interaction across New Delhi, Coimbatore, Raipur, Dev Mogra, and Guwahati.

• The programme was broadcast live on Doordarshan, PM’s YouTube channel, Ministry of Education platforms, and streamed on OTT platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Jio, ZEE5, Sony LIV, and Spotify.

• PPC aims to help students manage exam stress and view examinations as a positive experience.

• The initiative aligns with the National Education Policy 2020, promoting holistic well-being, confidence, and mental resilience among students.

• Over time, the programme has evolved into a nationwide Jan Andolan, engaging students, parents, and teachers alike.

• Registrations for the ninth edition crossed all previous records, with over 4.5 crore participants on MyGov.

• Pre-event activities saw participation of around 4.81 crore students across schools nationwide.

Indian Railways Introduces First LNG–Diesel Dual-Fuel DEMU Train

• Indian Railways launched the first DEMU train in India to operate on an LNG–diesel dual-fuel system.

• The train is currently running from Sabarmati in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

• Its 1,400 HP driving power cars have been converted to a dual-fuel system.

• The system uses Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to replace about 40% of diesel consumption.

• The converted power cars successfully completed field trials covering over 2,000 km.

• Following trials, the train is now in regular passenger service without operational issues.

• The dual-fuel system reduces carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, supporting cleaner air along rail routes.

• This innovation provides long-term economic savings while promoting environmentally friendly rail transport.

STATE NEWS

Andhra Pradesh Energy Transition Blueprint by NITI Aayog

• NITI Aayog has prepared a draft Energy Transition Blueprint to position Andhra Pradesh as a leading renewable energy hub.

• The blueprint aims for Andhra Pradesh to become one of India’s top three renewable energy states.

• Proposed investments of around ₹7.5 lakh crore are planned for the state’s energy sector.

• The draft was handed over by NITI Aayog CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam to Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand at the State Secretariat in Amaravati.

• It focuses on ensuring clean, affordable, and reliable electricity for all consumers.

• The blueprint envisions Andhra Pradesh as a major renewable energy export hub by 2035.

• The plan has been developed under NITI Aayog’s ASSET (Accelerating Sustainable State Energy Transition) platform.

• Current estimates indicate that 47% of Andhra Pradesh’s installed power capacity comes from renewable sources.

SPORTS

India Clinches Sixth U19 Cricket World Cup Title

• India won the 2026 U19 Cricket World Cup, marking a record sixth title in the tournament’s history.

• The final was held on 6 February in Harare, Zimbabwe, against England.

• India posted a massive total of 411/9 after choosing to bat first, setting a record for the largest winning margin in a U19 final.

• Vaibhav Suryavanshi starred with a sensational 175 runs off 80 balls, anchoring India’s innings.

• England, in reply, managed 311 runs despite a century by Caleb Falconer.

• India’s victory margin set a new record for the highest by runs in a U19 World Cup final.

• Vaibhav Suryavanshi was named both Player of the Match and Player of the Series for his exceptional performance.

• The Indian team remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, showcasing their consistent dominance.

Mirabai Chanu Shines at National Weightlifting Championships 2026

• Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu set three new national records in the women's 48kg category at the National Weightlifting Championships 2026.

• She lifted a total of 205kg, surpassing her previous national best by 6kg.

• Chanu opened with an 89kg snatch and followed with a 116kg clean and jerk to secure the gold medal.

• Radha Soni claimed silver, while Komal Kohar took bronze in the same category.

• Her earlier total record of 199kg was set at the 2022 World Championships in Forde.

• Chanu has consistently excelled internationally, winning Olympic silver at Tokyo 2020 and gold at the 2023 Commonwealth Championships.

• She is expected to compete in the 53kg category after the upcoming Asian Games, with all her major medals coming from sub-50kg events.

• The championship in Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh, features around 790 athletes from 30 States, UTs, and 3 Departmental Boards, running from 3–14 February 2026.

SUMMIT AND CONFERENCES

Global Cooperation on Critical Minerals Highlighted by EAM Jaishankar

• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stressed the need for structured global cooperation on critical minerals at the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington, D.C.

• He highlighted challenges caused by the excessive concentration of critical mineral supply chains.

• India formally expressed support for the FORGE initiative and showcased national efforts like the Critical Minerals Mission and Rare Earth Corridors.

• Jaishankar emphasized responsible commerce and de-risking global supply chains.

• US Vice President J.D. Vance compared the importance of critical minerals to oil and gas for modern economies.

• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for collective innovation and affordability in critical mineral supply chains.

• Prior to the ministerial, Jaishankar held bilateral meetings with global counterparts, including Canadian FM Anita Anand and Singapore’s Vivian Balakrishnan.

• The ministerial saw participation from delegations of over 50 countries, aiming to secure and diversify global critical mineral supply chains.

MISCELLANEOUS

Walmart Becomes First $1 Trillion Retailer

• Walmart reached a $1 trillion market valuation, becoming the first retailer ever to achieve this milestone.

• This achievement places Walmart among the world’s most valuable companies, a space mostly dominated by tech giants.

• Over the past decade, Walmart’s shares have risen nearly 468%.

• The company serves both higher-income shoppers seeking convenience and its traditional lower-income customer base.

• Walmart has expanded its online marketplace, launched one-hour delivery, and introduced Walmart+ to rival Amazon Prime.

• Significant early investments in artificial intelligence have supported Walmart’s digital growth.

• Approximately one in every four U.S. grocery dollars is spent at Walmart.

• John Furner became global CEO on February 1, and Walmart recently joined the Nasdaq-100 Index of top non-financial U.S. companies.