1. Tripura: Roman Script for Kokborok Language

• News: Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha has announced that the state government is ready to accept the Roman script for the Kokborok language at all levels of examinations under the Tripura Board of Secondary Education.

• Background: Kokborok is spoken by the majority of people in Tripura. While the language is central to their identity, the move to officially integrate the Roman script is a significant shift for the state's educational framework.

2. International Relations: Gaza "Board of Peace"

• News: Donald Trump has announced the formation of a "Board of Peace" for the Gaza Strip.

  
  

• Governance Structure:

  • A 15-member Palestinian Technocratic Committee will be formed to manage the day-to-day governance of post-war Gaza.

  • The Board of Peace will sit above this committee, supervising its work.

    
    

  • It is expected that Donald Trump will chair this Board.

    
    

• Geographic Context: Gaza borders Israel and Egypt. A key transit point is the Rafah Pass, which connects Gaza to Egypt. Important locations within the region include Khan Yunis, Deir al-Balah, Gaza City, Jabalia, and Beit Hanoun.

  
  

• Note: Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado (an opposition figure to Nicolas Maduro) recently met with Donald Trump and presented her medal to him as a gesture of recognition for his commitment to freedom.

3. Indian Economy: New CPI Base Year

• News: India is shifting to a new base year for the Consumer Price Index (CPI), moving from 2012 to 2024.

  
  

• Reason for Change: The 2012 base year is considered outdated as it reflects consumption patterns from over a decade ago and does not account for modern consumption behaviors or the impact of current subsidies.

  
  

• This has led to a "perception gap" where public perception of inflation (around 6.5% to 8%) was significantly higher than the reported data (around 1.4%).

  
  

• Implementation: The new CPI series will be released on February 12, 2026. The new weightage for the index will be based on the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey of 2023-24.

• Background (WPI vs. CPI):

  • WPI (Wholesale Price Index): Measures price changes at the bulk level; includes only goods; impacts producers and wholesalers.

    
    

  • CPI (Consumer Price Index): Measures changes at the retail level; includes both goods and services (like health and education); reflects the impact on common households.

4. Science & Health: The Role of Iron

• Importance: Iron is the most vital element for living organisms because it is essential for oxygen transport and storage via hemoglobin, as well as for cellular growth.

  
  

• Requirements:

  • Adult males typically have 50mg of iron per kg of body weight, while females have 40mg/kg.

    
    

  • Daily Intake: Males need approximately 10mg in their diet (of which 1mg is absorbed), while females require double that amount to compensate for blood loss during menstrual cycles.

    
    

• Dietary Sources: While non-vegetarian sources are absorbed better, a diet including millets, unpolished rice, pulses, and leafy vegetables provides adequate iron.

• Deficiency: A lack of iron leads to anemia, characterized by constant tiredness, pale skin, dizziness, and shortness of breath due to decreased oxygen supply to the body.

5. Environment: The Tyler Prize

• News: American scientist Toby Kiers has won the Tyler Prize.

  
  

• Achievement: Kiers was recognised for her work on underground fungal networks (mycorrhizal networks), mapping the vast biodiversity of fungi existing beneath forests and grasslands.

  
  

• Background: The Tyler Prize is often referred to as the "Nobel for the Environment" and is awarded for significant environmental achievements.

6. Space: Historic ISS Medical Evacuation

• News: SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, successfully conducted the first-ever medical evacuation mission from the International Space Station (ISS).

  
  

• The Mission:

  • The mission brought back four individuals: Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke (NASA), Kimiya Yui (JAXA), and Oleg Platonov (Roscosmos).

    
    

  • They returned to Earth aboard a SpaceX Dragon Capsule, which landed off the coast of San Diego, California.