IMPORTANT DAYS

International Women’s Day (8 March)

• International Women's Day is celebrated every year on March 8.

• It recognises the achievements of women across all boundaries.

• The day was officially recognised by the United Nations in 1977.

• The 2026 theme is “Rights. Justice. Action. For all women and girls.”

• It focuses on strengthening rights, ensuring justice, and promoting gender equality.

• In India, the Ministry of Women and Child Development organised the Shakti Walk.

• The walk was held at Kartavya Path.

• The global campaign theme is “Give to Gain,” promoting collective support for women empowerment.

APPOINTMENT

Deepak Gupta – CMD of GAIL

• Deepak Gupta assumed charge as Chairman & Managing Director of GAIL (India) Limited.

• GAIL is India’s largest natural gas transmission and marketing company.

• He succeeded Sandeep Kumar Gupta, who retired on February 28.

• He is a Mechanical Engineer from Delhi College of Engineering.

• Has extensive experience in gas transmission, marketing, and infrastructure.

• Earlier served as Director (Projects) at GAIL since February 2022.

• His tenure as CMD will continue till February 28, 2029.

• Led successful completion of Dabhol breakwater project (Konkan LNG) enabling all-weather operations.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Iran Leadership Change & Regional Conflict

• Mojtaba Khamenei has been declared the new Supreme Leader of Iran.

• This follows the reported death of Ali Khamenei during a joint attack in Tehran.

• The incident is linked to Operation Epic Fury, which has entered its 10th day.

• The operation is being carried out by the United States and Israel.

• Iran has retaliated with multiple missile and drone strikes, escalating tensions.

• The conflict intensified after a large-scale air campaign began on 28 February.

• Maritime activity in the Strait of Hormuz has been severely affected.

• Ship traffic has declined by nearly 80%, though the strait remains officially open.

STATE NEWS

‘Nirbhaya Nisha’ Initiative

• The Kerala Police launched the “Nirbhaya Nisha” initiative on 8 March for women’s safety.

• It aims to ensure safe night travel for women across Kerala.

• The programme was launched by Ravada A. Chandrasekhar at Manaveeyam Veedhi.

• 28 police jeeps driven by women personnel were flagged off for statewide operations.

• The service will operate from 9:00 pm to 5:00 am for late-night safety.

• It is designed to assist women travelling for work, education, emergencies, and personal needs.

• The system will function with ERSS (112 helpline), control rooms, highway patrol and pink patrol units.

• AI-enabled safety poles with cameras, panic buttons and facial recognition will be installed to enhance public safety.

GOVERNMENT SCHEME

NCB Busts ‘Team Kalki’ Drug Network

• The Narcotics Control Bureau dismantled a nationwide drug network named “Team Kalki.”

• The group operated across India using darknet marketplaces and encrypted platforms.

• The network had been active since January 2025 and used the Session app for coordination.

• A major operation was carried out in New Delhi.

• Authorities intercepted 13 domestic parcels containing narcotics.

• Two international parcels were also seized, traced to the Netherlands.

• Investigators recovered a cryptocurrency wallet, showing the use of digital payments in drug trade.

• The NCB, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, enforces the NDPS Act, 1985 and highlighted misuse of darknet & encrypted apps.

AWARDS

Mangaluru Airport Wins ASQ Award

• Mangaluru International Airport won the 2025 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Award.

• It was recognised as the best airport in the Arrivals category.

• The award is based on passenger feedback under Airports Council International survey program.

• Evaluation includes immigration, baggage delivery, cleanliness, ambiance, and comfort.

• This is the second consecutive year the airport has won the Global Arrivals Award.

• In 2025, six airports worldwide were shortlisted in this category.

• The airport is managed by Adani Airport Holdings Limited.

• The award ceremony will be held in Istanbul on September 2.

SPORTS

India Wins ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026

• India national cricket team won the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 on 8 March 2026.

• India defeated New Zealand national cricket team by 96 runs in the final.

• The final was played at Narendra Modi Stadium.

• India became the first host nation to win a T20 World Cup on home soil.

• India also became the first team to win back-to-back titles (2024 & 2026).

• It marked India’s third T20 World Cup title, the most by any team.

• The team was led by captain Suryakumar Yadav.

• Sanju Samson (Player of the Tournament) and Jasprit Bumrah (Player of the Match – Final) played key roles.

Lakshya Sen – Runner-up at All England Open 2026

• Lakshya Sen finished runner-up in men’s singles at the All England Open Badminton Championships 2026.

• The final was held at Utilita Arena in Birmingham.

• He faced Lin Chun-Yi in the championship match.

• Lin Chun-Yi defeated Lakshya Sen in straight games.

• The first game ended 21–15 in favour of Lin Chun-Yi.

• Lakshya Sen lost the first game 15–21.

• The second game was closely contested, ending 22–20 for Lin Chun-Yi.

• Lin Chun-Yi won the title, while Lakshya Sen secured second place.

GOVERNMENT SCHEME

Viksit Bharat Yuva Connect – Phase II

• The second phase of Viksit Bharat Yuva Connect Program was launched on 9 March in New Delhi.

• It is organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

• The programme is implemented through Mera Yuva Bharat.

• Over 10,000 students from 35+ colleges in Delhi are expected to participate.

• It aims to engage youth with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 and nation-building.

• Activities include interactive sessions, dialogues, and youth engagement programmes.

• Youth icons and Youth Parliament winners will interact and inspire participants.

• Earlier, the programme covered 274 institutions across 22 States/UTs, engaging around 20,000 youth via the MY Bharat digital platform.

DEFENCE

Joint Military Exercise ‘Freedom Shield’

• United States and South Korea launched the joint military exercise Freedom Shield on 9 March 2026.

• The exercise involves thousands of troops from both countries to strengthen defence cooperation.

• Around 18,000 South Korean troops are participating, according to the South Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff.

• The number of participating U.S. troops has not been officially disclosed.

• The military drills are scheduled to continue until 19 March 2026.

• The exercise includes combined defence operations and strategic coordination activities.

• It aims to enhance military readiness and response to regional security challenges.

• North Korea criticised the exercise, calling it a rehearsal for invasion.

SUMMIT AND CONFERENCE

International Malaria Conference 2026

• The International Malaria Conference 2026 concluded in New Delhi.

• The conference was organised by ICMR–National Institute of Malaria Research.

• The event was held from 7–9 March 2026.

• It brought together scientists, policymakers, public health experts, and researchers from India and other nations.

• The theme of the conference was “Discovery, Development and Delivery: Driving Malaria Elimination and Beyond.”

• The conference provided a platform for sharing research findings on malaria.

• Experts discussed challenges such as malaria persistence, drug resistance, and residual transmission.

• Advances in malaria vaccine research and strategies for malaria elimination were also highlighted.