INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Scotland Legalises Water Cremation
• Scotland has become the first country in the United Kingdom to legalise water cremation.
• The process is known as Alkaline Hydrolysis and is introduced as a third option alongside traditional burial and flame cremation.
• In this method, the body is wrapped in biodegradable materials such as silk or wool and placed in a pressurised chamber containing hot water and chemicals.
• The body is heated to around 150°C in a mixture of water and potassium hydroxide for about 90 minutes, which accelerates natural decomposition.
• After tissue dissolution, the remaining bones are rinsed, dried, and powdered using a machine called a cremulator, and the remains are returned to the family in an urn.
• Water cremation is considered an environmentally friendly or “green cremation” method.
• Studies indicate it produces about seven times less carbon dioxide emissions compared to conventional cremation, which releases roughly 320 kg of CO₂.
• The method has already been adopted in countries such as the United States and the Republic of Ireland, showing its growing global acceptance.
STATE NEWS
Saba Shawl Becomes First Kashmiri Woman to Head Srinagar Central Jail
• Saba Shawl has become the first Kashmiri woman to head the largest high-security prison in the Jammu and Kashmir.
• She has been appointed Superintendent of Srinagar Central Jail.
• The appointment was announced through an order issued by the Jammu & Kashmir Home Department.
• In the same order, four officers were appointed as Superintendents of different prisons, with Shawl specifically assigned to Srinagar Central Jail.
• She belongs to the Peer Bagh area of Srinagar.
• Shawl cleared the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission examination in 2012.
• Earlier, she served as Staff Officer to the Director General of Prisons and also worked as a Public Relations Officer in the J&K Prisons Department.
• Srinagar Central Jail is the oldest prison in the Union Territory.
AI-Powered G-SPIDER Robot for Canal Cleaning
• An AI-powered G-SPIDER robotic canal-cleaning system has been deployed in Thiruvananthapuram under Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban 2.0.
• The robot has been installed at Amayizhanchan Canal near Thampanoor Railway Station.
• The initiative aims to eliminate manual scavenging and improve safety for sanitation workers.
• The system was commissioned by M. B. Rajesh.
• It was developed by Genrobotic Innovations, creators of the robotic scavenger Bandicoot.
• The robot uses Cable-Driven Parallel Robotics (CDPR) architecture with AI-enabled vision and advanced sensors.
• Through machine-vision technology, it can automatically detect different types of waste and adjust to canal conditions.
• Its biomimetic claw-type grabber removes debris and transfers waste directly to collection vehicles, ensuring fully hands-free canal cleaning.
SPORTS
First Khelo India Tribal Games to be Held in 2026
• The Khelo India Tribal Games will be held for the first time from 25 March to 6 April 2026.
• The first edition will be hosted in Chhattisgarh, with events in Raipur, Jagdalpur, and Surguja.
• Seven medal sports will be included: athletics, football, hockey, weightlifting, archery, swimming, and wrestling.
• Mallakhamb and Kabaddi will be organised as demonstration sports.
• Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stated that the initiative aims to expand opportunities for tribal youth in sports.
• The logo, theme song and mascot “Morveer” were launched on 23 December.
• The event aims to integrate tribal athletes into the national sports ecosystem and promote wider sports participation.
• The Games will be organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sports Authority of India, Indian Olympic Association, national sports federations and the state organising committee.
• The Games are conducted under the Khelo India Scheme, which aims to increase public participation and promote sports nationwide.
MISCELLANEOUS
‘Spoorthi’ Program for Women Entrepreneurs
• L&T Finance has launched the “Spoorthi” programme to support and empower women entrepreneurs in India.
• The initiative provides special financial benefits and relaxations for women borrowers for housing and business expansion.
• It offers extended loan tenure up to 25 years for house purchases and Loan Against Property (LAP).
• Industrial LAP tenure up to 12 years will also be provided by the NBFC.
• Higher debt-to-income ratio eligibility norms have been introduced to provide greater financial flexibility.
• To qualify, the woman must hold at least 50% ownership in the business and play a key managerial role.
• The business must show annual cash profit of at least ₹5 lakh and no losses in the previous two years.
• The programme will initially be launched in major metro regions including Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, and Hyderabad.
