Daily Current Affairs- 25th April 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 25th April 2026

Kathua Border Villages Added to Vibrant Village Programme-II

In the News: The Central Government has included six border villages in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir under the Vibrant Village Programme-II (VVP-II) to boost infrastructure and ensure full delivery of welfare schemes. The villages, located along the International Border, were identified at a review meeting chaired by Kathua Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Sharma.

Key Points:

• Villages Identified: The six villages selected under the programme are Bobiya, Kadyala, Gajnal, Karol Krishna, Rathua, and Gujjar Chak — all situated along the International Border in Kathua district, Jammu and Kashmir. These villages face development challenges due to their remote location and proximity to sensitive frontier areas.
• About Vibrant Village Programme: The Vibrant Village Programme (VVP) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme focused on developing border villages in strategic areas. It aims to improve road connectivity, housing, tourism, and livelihood opportunities in remote border regions. VVP-II represents the second phase of this initiative, expanding its coverage to additional frontier villages.
• Key Development Focus Areas: Inclusion under VVP-II is expected to improve access to roads, healthcare, education, electricity, and drinking water facilities. The objective is full saturation of welfare benefits, ensuring that no eligible household is left out of social security, housing, or livelihood support programmes.
• Implementation Directives: Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Sharma directed officials to ensure timely execution of development plans through regular monitoring and close inter-departmental coordination. Departments were asked to conduct field-level verification, identify service gaps, and ensure last-mile delivery of all flagship government schemes.

Safe Travel on National Highways Under Article 21

In the News: The Supreme Court of India, in a suo motu case arising from two fatal road accidents in November 2025 that claimed 34 lives in Rajasthan and Telangana, recognised commuter safety as an integral facet of the Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution. A Division Bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Atul S. Chandurkar issued comprehensive nationwide interim directions to prevent highway accidents and enforce road safety standards.

Key Points:

• Constitutional Basis — Article 21: The Court held that the Right to Life under Article 21 is not merely a guarantee against the unlawful taking of life, but a positive mandate upon the State to ensure a safe environment where human life is preserved and valued. Commuter safety on National Highways was recognised as an integral component of the right to live with dignity.
• Trigger — Two Fatal Accidents: The Court took suo motu cognizance following two back-to-back tragedies. On November 2, 2025, a bus carrying pilgrims rammed into a stationary trailer parked near an unauthorised dhaba on the Bharatmala Expressway in Phalodi, Rajasthan, killing 15 people. On November 3, 2025, a lorry collided head-on with a bus while swerving to avoid a pothole on NH-163 near Chevella, Rangareddy, Telangana, killing 19 people — including a 40-day-old infant. The Telangana stretch lacked basic safety infrastructure such as streetlights, dividers, and signage.
• Highway Accident Statistics: National Highways constitute approximately 2% of India's total road length but account for nearly 30% of all road fatalities. The Court stated that a high-speed expressway must not become a "corridor of peril" due to administrative lethargy or infrastructural gaps, and that every avoidable death represents a failure of the State's protective umbrella.
• Ban on Dhabas and Encroachments: Construction or operation of any new dhaba, eatery, or commercial structure within the Right of Way (ROW) of any National Highway is prohibited with immediate effect. District Magistrates have been directed to enforce demolition or removal of all unauthorised structures within 60 days under the Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002. No licence, NOC, or trade approval shall be granted within highway safety zones without prior NHAI or PWD clearance.
• Emergency Response Infrastructure: NHAI has been directed to deploy Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances and recovery cranes at intervals not exceeding 75 km on every National Highway stretch within 60 days. Truck lay-by facilities must be constructed at every 75 km on all National Highways, with priority to the Amritsar-Jamnagar Highway. All Wayside Amenities must include rest areas, food services, washrooms, safe parking, first-aid facilities, and retro-reflective signage visible from 500 metres.
• Accident Blackspots and Lighting: MoRTH and NHAI have been directed to identify and publish a comprehensive list of accident blackspots on National Highways within 45 days. A Policy Framework mandating installation of high-intensity LED or high-mast lighting, speed enforcement cameras, retro-reflective warning signs, and transverse bar markings at every blackspot must be issued, with full installation completed within 4 months.
• District Highway Safety Task Force: Every district through which a National Highway passes must constitute a District Highway Safety Task Force within 7 days of the order, comprising officers from District Administration, Police, NHAI, PWD, and local bodies. The Task Force shall hold fortnightly review meetings, and State Governments must issue notifications within 60 days prohibiting change of land use within 40 m (residential) and 75 m (commercial) from the mid-point of any National Highway.

India-Uzbekistan Joint Military Exercise ‘Dustlik’ 7th Edition Concludes in Uzbekistan

In the News: The 7th edition of the India-Uzbekistan Joint Military Exercise 'Dustlik 2026' culminated successfully at the Gurumsaray Field Training Area in Namangan, Uzbekistan. The two-week intensive exercise enhanced interoperability and joint operational capability of both nations in semi-mountainous terrain, with a focus on counter-terrorism operations.

Key Points:

• Exercise & Venue: Dustlik 2026 was held at the Gurumsaray Field Training Area, Namangan, Uzbekistan. The word "Dustlik" means friendship in Uzbek, reflecting the spirit of the bilateral engagement. It is conducted alternately in India and Uzbekistan; the previous (6th) edition was held in Aundh, Pune, India in 2025.
• Participation: A total of 120 personnel participated — 60 from each side. The Indian contingent comprised 45 personnel from the Indian Army and 15 from the Indian Air Force. Uzbekistan was represented by personnel from its Army and Air Force.
• Key Objectives: The exercise aimed to strengthen military cooperation and enhance the ability to conduct joint operations in semi-mountainous terrain, with emphasis on physical fitness, coordinated planning, joint tactical drills, and special arms skills.
• Operational Structure: In the concluding phase, six operational phases were structured and rehearsed in detail. Troops were organised into specialised groups covering reconnaissance, airborne operations, surveillance, helicopter firing, house intervention, and reserve elements comprising engineer and medical detachments.
• Counter-Terrorism Focus: The exercise enhanced preparedness for joint operations to neutralise unlawful armed groups and provided an opportunity for both sides to exchange best practices in counter-terrorism tactics and procedures.

World Malaria Day 2026

In the News: Ahead of World Malaria Day on April 25, 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) prequalified artemether-lumefantrine, the first-ever antimalarial treatment developed specifically for newborns and young infants weighing between two and five kilograms — marking a landmark step in addressing one of the most underserved patient groups in global health.

Key Points:

• First-Ever Infant Malaria Treatment: WHO granted prequalification to artemether-lumefantrine, the first antimalarial formulation designed specifically for newborns and young infants (2–5 kg). Previously, infants were treated with formulations meant for older children, raising risks of dosing errors, side effects, and toxicity.
• WHO Approves First Malaria Drug for Newborns: This marks the first time in history that a malaria treatment has been formally approved and prequalified exclusively for newborns and young infants — a patient group that had long been overlooked in antimalarial drug development. The approval addresses a critical gap, as around 30 million babies are born each year in malaria-endemic areas of Africa with no age-appropriate treatment previously available.
• New Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) Prequalified: On April 14, 2026, WHO also prequalified three new RDTs that detect the pf-LDH protein instead of the HRP2 protein. Some malaria parasite strains have lost the gene producing HRP2, making them invisible to conventional tests — causing up to 80% of cases to be missed in parts of the Horn of Africa.
• WHO Recommendation on Diagnostic Switching: WHO now recommends that countries switch to the new pf-LDH-based RDTs when more than 5% of malaria cases are being missed due to pf-hrp2 gene deletions, ensuring accurate diagnosis and timely treatment.
• World Malaria Day 2026 Campaign: WHO and partners launched the 2026 World Malaria Day campaign themed "Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must." — a call to action to sustain political commitment and financial investment in malaria elimination.
• Global Malaria Burden (2024): According to the World Malaria Report 2025, there were an estimated 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 deaths in 2024 — a rise from 2023 — signalling that global progress is stalling amid drug resistance, insecticide resistance, diagnostic failures, and cuts in international aid.

Virat Kohli Becomes First Player in IPL History to Hit 800 Boundaries

In the News: During Royal Challengers Bengaluru's clash against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026, Virat Kohli became the first player in IPL history to smash 800 fours — reaching the landmark by driving Kagiso Rabada to the long-on boundary. The milestone adds yet another record to Kohli's extraordinary IPL legacy, all achieved in RCB colours since his debut in 2008.

Key Points:

• Historic 800 Fours Milestone: Virat Kohli became the first batter in IPL history to hit 800 fours, achieving the feat against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026. He was sitting on 799 boundaries and had also been dropped on zero in the opening over by Mohammed Siraj before reaching the landmark in style.
• Kohli's Overall IPL Record: Since making his IPL debut in 2008, Kohli has played 274 matches for RCB, scoring 8,924 runs at an average of 39.79, including 65 fifties and eight centuries, alongside his record 801 fours and 299 sixes — all for a single franchise.
• Closest Competitors in the Fours Tally: Shikhar Dhawan (768 fours in 222 matches across DC, DCH, MI, PBKS, and SRH) is second, followed by David Warner (663 fours in 184 matches for DC and SRH), Rohit Sharma (653 fours in 276 matches for DCH and MI), and Ajinkya Rahane (522 fours in 205 matches across multiple franchises).
• Top 10 — Most Boundaries (Fours) in IPL History:

Player	Matches	Runs	4s	6s
Virat Kohli (RCB)	274	8,924	801	299
Shikhar Dhawan (DC/DCH/MI/PBKS/SRH)	222	6,769	768	152
David Warner (DC/SRH)	184	6,565	663	236
Rohit Sharma (DCH/MI)	276	7,183	653	310
Ajinkya Rahane (CSK/DC/KKR/MI/RPS/RR)	205	5,184	522	132
Suresh Raina (CSK/GL)	205	5,528	506	203
Gautam Gambhir (DC/KKR)	154	4,217	492	59
Robin Uthappa (CSK/KKR/MI/PWI/RCB/RR)	205	4,952	481	182
KL Rahul (DC/KXIP/LSG/PBKS/RCB/SRH)	151	5,427	472	218
Suryakumar Yadav (KKR/MI)	173	4,468	471	172