Current Affairs

Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and collaborators discovered three new aquatic beetle species from freshwater habitats in Telangana and Uttar Pradesh. Taxonomically, they belong to genus Amphiops (family Hydrophilidae), adapted to shallow ponds/wetlands with vegetated substrates. Species: A. hyderabadi (seasonal pond, Hyderabad), A. kinnerasani (roadside pond, Kinnerasani Wildlife Sanctuary), and A. sandi (Sandi Bird Sanctuary). Distinct morphology and COI (Cytochrome c Oxidase I) mitochondrial DNA barcoding showed 7–17% divergence, confirming separate lineages.

Union Agriculture and Environment Ministers chaired a high-level meeting on stubble management under the Crop Residue Management (CRM) Scheme, with provision/targets for 2026–27. Launched in 2018 under RKVY, it is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme governed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, implemented by State Agriculture Departments under ICAR supervision, covering Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and NCT Delhi. Funding: 60:40 (states) and 100% Centre (Delhi). Subsidies: 50% (farmers’ machines), 80% (CHCs), 65% (paddy straw supply chain). Targets: 46,000 machines, 910 CHCs, 141 supply-chain projects.

National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) approved, under Regional Plan 2041, four semi-greenfield, mixed-use Transit-Oriented Development “Namo Cities” along Namo Bharat (RRTS) stations, one each in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The plan covers 55,083 sq km, guides land use, housing, transport and environment, projects population 7.86 crore (2026) to 14.73 crore (2041) and urbanisation 67%, with hotspots Sonipat, Meerut, Jewar, Bhiwadi, Alwar. RRTS is a semi-high-speed, high-frequency network (up to 160 km/h) for city–satellite links; “30-Minute NCR” uses RRTS/metro/highways/rail. States get green credits and Special Development Rights (SDRs) for canopy; FAR/FSI rationalised near corridors; linked to Noida International Airport, Yamuna, Dwarka expressways, expanding metro/RRTS.

Kerala reported a surge in “brain-eating amoeba” cases, mainly linked to Acanthamoeba from contaminated water. These are free-living, single-celled amoebas found in warm freshwater (lakes, rivers, hot springs) and soil. Three cause severe human disease: Acanthamoeba (Granulomatous Amoebic Encephalitis), Naegleria fowleri (Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis), and Balamuthia mandrillaris. Infection occurs via nose, skin or inhalation; PAM is rare but almost always fatal.

India attended the 2026 G7 Summit at Évian, France, as an invited partner. Declarations covered development finance (global debt management reforms; strengthening IMF–World Bank 3‑Pillar Approach: structural reforms, external support, reduced debt servicing; private capital), Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak response (DRC, Uganda), cancer research/data, geopolitics (US–Iran nuclear agreement, free and open Indo‑Pacific, North Korea), and action on trafficking/smuggling (online platforms) plus a G7+ Ports Network against maritime drug trafficking/illicit flows. PM cited “shortage of trust”, urged donor‑recipient shift to equal partnerships; ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, “humanity first”. G7: 1975 (post‑1973 energy crisis); members Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, US + EU; G8 (1998–2014) with Russia, suspended 2014 after Crimea; no secretariat, rotating presidency; focus on economic governance, security, energy.

NCERT decided to restore the original image of the Harappan “Dancing Girl” in its textbook. The “Dancing Girl” is a bronze figurine from Mohenjo-daro, belonging to the Harappan (Indus Valley) Civilization (c. 2600–1900 BCE). It was discovered in 1926 during excavations led by John Marshall, is about 10.8 cm tall, made using lost-wax casting, and is housed in the National Museum, Delhi.

GI-tagged “Bhagalpuri Zardalu” mango (GI recognition 2018) from Bhagalpur district, Bihar, is dispatched to the President, Prime Minister and other dignitaries. Grown in orchards along the fertile alluvial Ganga basin under tropical hot-summer conditions, it has light yellow, elongated fruits (150–300 g) turning golden-yellow with red tinge. It is creamy, non-fibrous, strongly aromatic; graded by Bihar Agriculture Department; traced to Madhuban Bagh (early 19th century). Season: mid-April–June; contains fibre and enzymes aiding digestion.

India’s workers’ remittances crossed USD 100 billion; FY2026 remittances were USD 110.47 billion (26% y-o-y), private transfers USD 151.71 billion (15%), net transfers USD 144.07 billion (16%). BoP records goods, services and assets in double-entry credit/debit. Remittances form >2/3 of private transfers (incl. NRI deposit withdrawals, gifts, baggage gold/silver), cushioning weak FDI/FPI inflows and outflows. RBI buys forex to build reserves and limit rupee appreciation; reserves insure against CAD (imports+transfers > exports). Gulf share fell from 47% (2016-17) to 38% (2023-24), with higher US/UK shares.

CCRAS and Central Sanskrit University launched a 15-day Ayurveda manuscripts transliteration workshop at Udupi under manuscript preservation programmes of the Gyan Bharatam Mission. It trains scholars to read, decipher and transliterate rare unpublished texts for publication, covering Tigalari and Old Kannada scripts. Earlier workshops covered Karani/Devanagari (Puri, Odisha) and Vattezhuthu/Malayalam (Guruvayur, Kerala). Collaborator: Sri Vadiraja Research Foundation. Participants include Ayurveda colleges (Udupi, Hassan) and Sanskrit Gurukula students. CCRAS, under Ministry of Ayush, is the apex Ayurveda research body.

On the sidelines of UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies’ 64th session (SB64)/Bonn Climate Change Conference, a dialogue was created after developing-country concerns over rising trade-linked climate measures. Measures include unilateral actions (EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, CBAM), green subsidies (U.S. Inflation Reduction Act) and non-tariff measures (Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence, Digital Product Passports, EU anti-deforestation laws). EU CBAM targets energy-intensive, carbon-leakage-prone sectors, affecting exports such as aluminium, iron/steel, cement and fertilisers, imposing compliance costs and market-access barriers, risking weaker industrialisation. Developing states seek UNFCCC-based equity/CBDR governance; developed countries prefer WTO, where subsidy/local-content limits and strict IP raise technology-access costs.

India’s annual per capita water availability is projected to fall from ~1,500 cubic metres to <1,200 by 2050 (scarcity threshold: 1,000). NITI Aayog projects water demand to double available supply by 2030; groundwater depletion may triple in 2041–2080. Drivers include paddy over-extraction in Punjab-Haryana, CPCB-reported >350 polluted river stretches, and climate change (erratic monsoons, floods, droughts). A National Circular Water Mission proposes “use-and-dispose” to circularity via technology, institutions, finance and behaviour, with city reuse plans (Delhi/Bengaluru farming, Chennai lakes, Surat industry).

The Union Environment Ministry’s Expert Appraisal Committee deferred appraisal of a proposed 1,000 MW dam on the Siyom River due to concerns over ensuring environmental flows. Environmental flow refers to the quantity, timing and quality of water released downstream to sustain river ecology. Siyom originates near the India-China border, flows west to east in Arunachal Pradesh, and is a major right-bank tributary of the Siang (Brahmaputra before entering Assam).

Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas notified Motor Spirit and High-Speed Diesel (Temporary Regulation of Supply through Retail Outlets) Order, 2026 (valid 90 days) to curb black marketing/hoarding and protect retail consumers amid extraordinary demand shifts due to ₹40/litre bulk-retail gap. Retail diesel capped at 200 litres/day/customer, only into vehicle tanks/PESO-approved containers; industrial/institutional/commercial bulk consumers barred from retail, must use consumer pumps. Enforced by OMCs (IOCL, BPCL, HPCL) and dealers; violations punishable under Essential Commodities Act, 1955. PSU OMCs reported May 2026 diesel sales +10% in 327 districts; 80 districts +30%; absorbing ₹500 crore/day losses amid West Asia disruption; India 4th-largest refiner, 5th-largest exporter; no fuel shortage.

MNRE will host the Global Wind Day 2026 Conference in Goa. Global Wind Day is observed worldwide on 15 June; organised by GWEC and WindEurope, it began in Europe in 2007 (WindEurope) and became global in 2009 with GWEC. Theme 2026: “Wind Energy: From Ambition to Acceleration”. Global wind capacity is 1,299 GW (>1 TW). China, USA and India lead new capacity. India is 4th largest market (56 GW; 6.1 GW added in 2025–26), with Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka top producers; targets: 100 GW (2030), 155 GW (2035), contributing to 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2070.

A multinational team led by Charles Swanton (Francis Crick Institute, London) reported in Cell a 14-protein blood plasma signature (liquid biopsy) predicting lung cancer years before scans. Using AI/ML on 48,000 U.K. Biobank volunteers, it flags inflammatory changes, often triggered by smoking/air pollution that awaken dormant mutant cells. Retrospective CANTOS data showed canakinumab cut lung-cancer risk 50% in 2,300 signature-positive participants, but is toxic and costly.

23rd FIFA Men’s World Cup has begun. FIFA (1904, Paris; HQ Zurich) governs football, with 211 associations; India’s AIFF affiliated since 1948 but has never played it. FIFA World Cup 2026: 48 teams, 12 groups, 104 matches; first tri-nation hosting by USA-Canada-Mexico, and Canada hosts for the first time. FIFA Peace Prize (2025) inaugural to US President Donald Trump.

Jharkhand has received GI tag protection for Bhagaiya silk, Kuchai silk, Munda jewellery and Jharkhand bamboo craft under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. GI protection applies to goods whose quality, reputation or characteristics are linked to a specific origin. Bhagaiya silk is hand-spun Santhal Pargana textile woven by Santhal women; Kuchai (Saraikela-Kharsawan) tasar silk has golden sheen; Munda jewellery uses silver/brass/beads; bamboo craft uses local bamboo.

Death of three Indian seafarers aboard merchant vessel Settebello in the Gulf of Oman after a US military strike highlighted seafarer risks in conflict zones (Persian Gulf, Red Sea), sanctions-linked loss of insurance/port access, weak enforcement under IMO/UNCLOS, and complex jurisdiction (flag/coastal states, owners, crew). Frameworks: UNCLOS 1982, SOLAS 1974, MLC 2006, India’s Merchant Shipping Act; DGMA regulates shipping/certification. Measures: naval patrols/surveillance, mandated risk disclosure, helplines, war-risk cover, international coordination.

India granted legal recognition to E100 fuel, enabling launch of flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) running on E20–E100. Ethanol blending mixes ethanol with petrol; blends include E10, E20, E85 and E100. Under the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme and National Policy on Biofuels, 2018 (amended 2022), the E20 target for 2025–26 was achieved in 2025. E85 is available at several PSU OMC outlets; EBP saved ₹1.84 lakh crore forex since ESY 2014–15. Feedstocks: sugarcane, maize, damaged food grains, agricultural residues. E85 in FFVs cuts lifecycle GHG ~61% and PM near-zero; ethanol octane 100–105; E85 ~₹20/litre cheaper than petrol.

IndiaAI Mission launched the indigenous ‘Varya’ distilled video model developed by Avataar with IndiaAI Mission support. Varya is a distilled video model aimed at making frontier video AI affordable, accessible and relevant. Using model distillation, it reduces video generation from 50 steps to 4 while maintaining comparable quality. It can generate video at ₹0.48 per second, claiming up to 10x cost efficiency, with an Idea–Video–Story product flow.

Government will build a new ₹13,000-crore greenfield civil-military airport under the Great Nicobar project, instead of expanding INS Baaz. INS Baaz, near Campbell Bay on Great Nicobar (Andaman and Nicobar Islands), was commissioned on 31 July 2012; it is the first in Nicobar and the southernmost Indian Armed Forces air station, under Andaman and Nicobar Command. It supports ISR in the Indian Ocean, overseeing Strait of Malacca and Six Degree Channel, operates Dornier Do 228 and IAF C-130J, with a 3,500-ft (1,100 m) runway.

The Prime Minister’s state visit to Slovakia is the first by an Indian Prime Minister since Slovakia’s independence. Slovakia is a mountainous, landlocked Central European country, bordered by Poland (north), Hungary (south), Ukraine (east), Austria (southwest) and Czech Republic (west). Capital: Bratislava. Member of EU and NATO. Northern-central mountains; southern lowlands; continental climate. Ranges: Ore, Tatra, Carpathians; highest peak Gerlach. Rivers: Danube, Morava, Hron, Hornad, Vah. Resources: iron ore, copper, manganese, magnesite, lead, zinc.

Global Peace Index (GPI) 2026, the 20th edition, has been released by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), an independent, non-partisan, non-profit think tank. It ranks 163 independent states and territories (covering 99.7% of world population) using 23 indicators across societal safety and security, ongoing conflict, and militarisation. India ranks 127th. Top: Iceland (19th consecutive year), New Zealand, Switzerland, Slovenia, Ireland. Bottom five: Russia, Sudan, DR Congo, Ukraine, Israel.

Global uranium production has rebounded post-pandemic; major suppliers are Kazakhstan 39%, Canada 24%, Namibia 12%, Australia 8% and Uzbekistan 7%. Uranium (U; atomic no. 92) is an actinide occurring widely in nature. Natural isotopes: U-235 (0.72%; fissionable), U-238 (99.3%; breeds Pu-239) and U-234 (0.005%; raises radiation hazard on enrichment). Power reactors use 3–4% U-235; weapons need ~90%. Th-232 converts to fissile U-233; central to India’s 3-stage nuclear programme. Reprocessed uranium (RepU) recycles spent fuel.