News of The Day – 9th March 2026

The Hindu, Indian Express, Live Mint, Business Standard, Economic Times, PIB and AIR, etc

(with Syllabus Relevance)

• The Solomon Islands lie along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone of intense seismic activity.
• Earthquakes occur due to movement of tectonic plates along faults.
• The region involves subduction of the Pacific Plate under nearby plates.
• Large earthquakes may trigger tsunamis in the Pacific Ocean basin.

• Supreme Court to examine petitions alleging misuse of Governor’s discretionary powers by delaying assent to State Bills.
• Article 200: Governor may assent, withhold assent, or reserve a Bill for the President.
• Concerns arise when Bills are kept pending indefinitely (“pocket veto”).
• Issue linked to debates on cooperative vs confrontational federalism.
• Relevant judgments: Shamsher Singh case (1974) and Nabam Rebia case (2016) limiting discretionary powers.

(GS-2: Polity and Governance)

• The Chief Justice highlighted the low representation of women in higher judiciary.
  • Women constitute around 14–15% of High Court judges and even fewer in the Supreme Court.
• About the Collegium system.
  • CJI urged High Court collegiums to recommend more women candidates at the entry stage (“pipeline”).
• Gender diversity is important for representative justice and institutional legitimacy.

(GS-2: Polity and Governance)

• ASMITA (Achieving Sports Milestones by Inspiring Women Through Action) initiative by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
• Aims to increase women’s participation in sports at grassroots levels.
• Includes women-specific sports leagues and competitions across states.
• Promotes gender equality and talent identification in sports.

(GS-2: Polity and Governance)

• Finance Commissions recommend grants-in-aid to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) under Article 280.
• Despite rapid urbanisation, cities receive a relatively small share of fiscal transfers.
• The 15th Finance Commission allocated grants for air quality improvement and urban infrastructure.
• Challenges include weak municipal finances, low property tax collection and dependence on states.
• Strengthening ULBs aligns with 74th Constitutional Amendment Act (1992).

• Political development in Nepal, where a new coalition led by Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is emerging.
• Former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli faces electoral setback.
• Nepal Political Structure:
  • Follows a federal parliamentary republic system under the 2015 Constitution
• India-Nepal Relation

(GS-2: International Relations)

• Regional cooperation platform launched in 2015 by Poland and Croatia.
• Includes 13 countries located between the Baltic, Adriatic and Black Seas in Central and Eastern Europe.
• Focus areas: energy security, digital connectivity and transport infrastructure.
• Aims to reduce energy dependence on Russia and improve regional integration.
• Supported by the EU and the United States.

• The government is setting up an integrated renewable energy and desalination plant in Kavaratti island.
• Designed to address energy and freshwater challenges in island territories.
• Likely to combine solar energy generation with seawater desalination technology.
• Supports sustainable development of Lakshadweep islands and reduces dependence on diesel power.

(GS-3: Economy )

• Essential Commodities Act, 1955 allows the government to regulate production, supply and pricing of essential goods.
• Used to impose stock limits, curb hoarding and control price rise.
• Frequently invoked during food inflation or shortages (e.g., onions, pulses).
• Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 relaxed stock limits except under extraordinary circumstances like war, famine or sharp price rise.
• Objective: protect consumers and ensure price stability.

• Report released under the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).
• Nearly 50% of migratory species populations are declining globally.
• Major threats: habitat loss, climate change, overexploitation and pollution.
• Migratory species include birds, marine mammals, fish and terrestrial animals. 
• Conservation requires international cooperation across migration routes (“flyways”).

(GS-3: Environment)

• Scientists rediscovered a rare marsupial species believed extinct for millennia in New Guinea forests.
• Discovery highlights biodiversity richness of tropical forests and the possibility of “Lazarus species”.
• Reinforces the importance of habitat conservation and scientific exploration.
• About Marsupials
  • Mammals that carry young in a pouch (e.g., kangaroos, koalas).

(GS-3:Science and Tech)

• “Team Kalki” refers to a defence innovation team working on autonomous or AI-enabled military systems.
• About Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) and AI integration in the armed forces.
• Focus areas include unmanned systems, surveillance and battlefield automation.