The Report warns the region is on track to fail 103 of 117 measurable targets by 2030.

Key Highlights of the Report

• Stalled Progress: Only 14 targets are currently on track, with 88% projected to be missed.
• Environmental Crisis: Severe regression in climate action, marine conservation, and biodiversity is undermining economic gains.
• Bright Spots: The region performs strongly in industry, innovation, and infrastructure (SDG 9).

VoicERA launched on BHASHINI National Language Infrastructure at India AI Impact Summit 2026.

About VoicERA

• An open source, end to end Voice AI stack
• Developed by: Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD) under Digital India Corporation (DIC), MeitY.
• Function: As a national execution layer for multilingual Voice & Language AI. 
  • It will expand BHASHINI’s capabilities from translation and language technologies to real time speech systems, conversational AI, and multilingual telephony at population scale

About BHASHINI

• BHASHINI is an AI powered language translation platform, bridging literacy, language, and digital divides, enhancing workforce participation, particularly for those in non-English speaking regions.
• Aim: To make language and technology accessible to everyone.

FCI and World Food Programme (WFP) have signed an agreement for supply of rice in support of global humanitarian operations aimed at combating hunger.

• WFP ,established in 1961 , is the food-assistance branch of the UN and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security.

About Food Corporation of India (FCI)

• Genesis: It is a statutory body set up under the Food Corporations Act 1964.
• Core Functions:
  • Procurement: Procure food grains from farmers at Minimum Support Prices (MSPs).
  • Storage: Maintains an extensive network of modern warehouses and silos to store food grains .
  • Buffer Stock Management: It manages the strategic buffer stock of essential food grains to meet any unforeseen contingencies, such as droughts, floods etc.
  • Quality Control: The Quality Control (QC) wing of FCI  manages procurement & preservation of foodgrains.

Three cubs born to a South African cheetah in Kuno National Park.

• Cheetah Gamini has given birth to three cubs taking the total number of the cheetahs in India to 38.
• This is the ninth successful cheetah litter in Kuno.

About the Kuno National Park

• Houses Project Cheetah: India’s exclusive home for cheetahs.
• Location:  lies in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur-Shivpuri region, in the Vindhyan landscape, named after the Kuno River.
• Area:  Spread across ~74,200 hectares (around 748 sq km), known for dry deciduous forests and open grasslands.
• Biodiversity: Flora like Kardhai, Salai, Khair and diverse; fauna including deer, hyena, reptiles and over 200 bird species.

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) organised a high-level consultation towards deepening Municipal Bond Market. 

About Municipal Bonds

• Marketable debt instruments issued by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) either directly or through any intermediate (Corporate Municipal entity/statutory body/special purpose distinct entity). 
  • First issued by Bengaluru in 1997. 
• Objective: Finance ULBs’ capital projects, refinance existing loans, meeting working capital requirements,  etc.
• Regulation: Under Securities and Exchange Board of India ([Issue and Listing of Municipal Debt Securities]) Regulations, 2015.
  • As of September 2025, 26 municipal bond issuances have been completed under SEBI’s framework, towards mobilising ₹3783.90 crore.

Election Commission announced biennial elections for 37 seats of Rajya Sabha in 10 states. 

About Rajya Sabha Elections

• Nature of Rajya Sabha: Permanent House, not subject to dissolution. 
  • However, one-third Members retire after every second year, with tenure of each member being six years. 
• Manner of Election: Indirect, in accordance with system of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote (Article 80(4)).
• Electoral College: Representatives of each State and three Union territories are elected by elected members of Legislative Assembly of that State. 
  • For 3 UTs (NCT of Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu & Kashmir), it consists of elected members of respective Legislative Assemblies.

United States urged United Kingdom to not  hand over Diego Garcia over Chagos to Mauritus. 

• Diego Garcia is the largest island in Chagos archipelago, and is used as joint military base by UK and US. 
• Following the 2019 ruling by International Court of Justice and building international pressure, UK signed an agreement with Mauritius in 2025 to return Chagos while keeping Diego Garcia military base on a 99-year lease.

About Chagos Archipelago

• Location: Indian Ocean in the northeast of Mauritius. 
• Background: Became a British territory along with Mauritius in 1814 under treaty of Paris. 
  • Designated as British Indian Ocean Territory in 1965 and was detached from Mauritius, which became independent in 1968.