Current Affairs

A black melanistic leopard cub was spotted near Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary in Darjeeling hills, West Bengal. Established in 1915, it lies in the Gangetic plain biogeographic zone and is a south-east extension of Singalila National Park. The sanctuary has temperate and alpine forests at 1,500–2,600 m, with oak, pine and birch; fauna includes Indian leopard, Himalayan black bear and barking deer. Melanism arises from increased melanin due to genetic mutation or gestational temperature changes.

Centre notified an incentive scheme to accelerate domestic Piped Natural Gas (PNG) via City Gas Distribution (CGD) companies from 1 September 2026. It incentivises activating unbilled connections and expanding networks, implemented in two tranches over six months; domestic PNG base is 1.74 crore. For each incremental billed connection above area thresholds, CGDs get 200 SCM extra lower-priced APM gas, substituting LNG in CNG, cutting costs and payback (10 to 3 years). Support includes faster approvals, standardised RoW under Natural Gas & Petroleum Distribution Order, 2026, VAT cut to 5%, National PNG Drive 2.0 and a unified registration portal.

National Medical Commission (NMC), headquartered in New Delhi, has proposed a unique ID (UID) for doctors to enable nationwide practice without separate State registrations. Established under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 (in force from 25 September 2020), it replaces the Medical Council of India and regulates medical education, professionals and institutions, including qualification recognition, accreditation, practitioner registration, ethics, infrastructure assessment, and fee guidelines for 50% seats in private/deemed institutions, via a Medical Advisory Council and four autonomous boards.

A US report, “The Great Transhipment Scam - Global Evasion and Economic Costs,” alleges Chinese goods are routed via over 40 countries, including India, to evade US tariffs. It flags illegal transhipment (concealing origin) and classifies risks: Tier 1 (India, Mexico, Canada, EU), Tier 2 (Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand), Tier 3 (Cambodia, Panama, UAE). It estimates $67 billion (2025) and $28 billion tariff loss. India’s Pune-Gujarat-Chennai corridor (pumps, compressors) is cited; GTRI urges distinguishing value addition under Rules of Origin amid complex supply chains as the US may tighten customs norms.

In a PIL, the Supreme Court upheld hanging as a constitutionally valid mode for executing death sentences, holding that properly administered hanging does not violate dignity under Article 21 (right to live and die with dignity; Gian Kaur, 1996). It relied on Deena v Union of India (1983) and noted BNSS Section 393(5) retains “hanged by the neck till he is dead”. It rejected claims of pain /unpredictability (England 1882-1945 study) and held no alternative (lethal injection / gas / electrocution / shooting) is clearly superior; Law Commission 187th Report (2003) is non-binding.

For the 80th Independence Day at Delhi’s Red Fort, spectator galleries are named after 25 lakes, including Dimna Lake. Dimna is an artificial lake at Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, in the foothills of the Dalma range, built under Tata Steel’s Dimna Nala Water Supply Scheme by damming the Subarnarekha River. Started 1940, completed 1944; first supply on 17 April 1944. Capacity ~7,500 million gallons; area ~27 sq km, near Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports launched the digital initiative “Friends of MY Bharat” through the Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) platform to engage Indian-origin youth globally and link them to nation-building and youth-led programmes. It enables access to volunteering and programme information, including education, environment, health awareness, disaster relief and cultural preservation, and includes a “Know Your India” section. MY Bharat was launched in October 2023.

In Africa’s Sahel (semi-arid belt between the Sahara and tropical savannas), lithium extraction critical for rechargeable batteries in EVs, smartphones and laptops is reportedly funding armed groups amid weak mining oversight. Boko Haram and ISWAP allegedly exploit revenues via taxation, site control and protection payments. Deposits/exploration span Nigeria, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad; Niger’s 2023 coup reportedly heightened smuggling. Measures suggested: formalise artisanal mining, improve traceability, cross-border intelligence, state control and domestic processing.

Meghalaya CM Conrad K. Sangma inaugurated a Centre of Excellence for Eri Silk Weaving. Eri (“peace/ahimsa silk”) is spun (not reeled) after the moth leaves the cocoon; wool-like, strong, matte. Produced mainly in NE India; Assam contributes ~65% (also Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh). NEHHDC (Ministry of DoNER) obtained Germany’s Oeko-Tex certification testing harmful substances. Sericulture is commercial silkworm rearing; Central Silk Board (statutory, 1948 Act) HQ Bengaluru, under Ministry of Textiles. India is 2nd-largest silk producer (>41,000 MT/year).

Ministry of Commerce data show India’s buffalo-meat (carabeef) exports rose 25.6% to $5.1 billion in FY26 (April-March), first time above $5 billion, aided by new markets (Uzbekistan, Russia, Georgia, Oman, Senegal) and exports permitted only from APEDA-registered plants. Beef (cattle meat) export is not allowed; carabeef uses low-yield/infertile/aged (~8-9 years)/male buffaloes. India is 3rd-largest bovine meat exporter; unit value ~$3,000/tonne vs ~$5,000 for Brazilian beef, discount narrowing to $500-700. APEDA (statutory, 1986; Ministry of Commerce and Industry) is NAB secretariat for NPOP organic-export accreditation.

UNCCD COP17 opened in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, themed “Restoring Land, Restoring Hope”, focusing on converting land-restoration pledges into finance/action, expanding actors (private investors, local communities, Indigenous peoples, civil society), accelerating the 1 billion hectares-by-2030 target; Mongolia says 77% land is degraded. Global drought framework remains unresolved since COP16 Riyadh (African Group seeks binding protocol; others non-binding); COP16 launched Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership with >$12 billion pledges. UNCCD (Agenda 21) adopted Paris 17 June 1994, in force Dec 1996; only legally binding desertification framework; 197 parties; Holy See non-party; principles: participation, partnership, decentralization; focus on drought/desertification countries, especially Africa.

Gujarat released 20 blackbucks (Antilope cervicapra) into Kutch’s Banni Grassland to rebuild native herbivores and strengthen ecological processes. Banni lies along the northern border of Kachchh, Gujarat, and includes Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary and Chhari Dhand Conservation Reserve; it hosts 22 ethnic groups (Maldharis, Rabaris, Jats, Mutwas, Meghwals). Blackbuck is a diurnal antelope of India-Nepal, inhabiting open grasslands/scrub, widespread in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and peninsular India; state animal of Punjab, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh; IUCN Least Concern; Schedule I, Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972; CITES Appendix III.

Maharashtra reported multiple small earthquakes identified by seismologists as an earthquake swarm, i.e., several seismic events of comparable intensity in a small area over a short period. Swarms involve many (sometimes thousands) low-intensity, shallow quakes at <10 km depth, typically without a discernible main shock, and may persist for weeks, often in geothermal settings. A hydro-seismic cause cited is monsoon rainfall entering Deccan basalt fractures, raising pore-fluid pressure, weakening faults, and triggering repeated tremors.

At UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, India launched its first guide on grasslands and other Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs). It covers ecological and socio-economic significance of grasslands, savannas, deserts and related ONEs, including Himalayan and Terai grasslands, Thar and Banni, Deccan savannas, rocky plateaus, ravines, scrublands and coastal ecosystems. It advocates science-based conservation and restoration to meet Land Degradation Neutrality targets, detailing geography, biodiversity and associated communities/tribes.

Supreme Court directed states not to block elephant corridors and asked the Centre to conduct a nationwide survey of state measures to prevent/prohibit “hula parties” (youth groups using iron rods/spikes and burning mashaals), fireballs, etc. against elephants. Human–wildlife conflict is linked to habitat fragmentation; India lost 1.6 million ha forest cover (2000-2020). Elephants kill >500 people annually. MoEFCC issued 2023 mitigation guidelines; support includes Project Elephant/ Tiger and NWAP 2017-2035, Strategy 2021-26, radio-collaring, e-surveillance.

MIT-led astronomers in the Mirage or Miracle (MoM) survey identified MoM-BH-1*, an early-universe object 660 million years after the Big Bang, linked to JWST “little red dots” (LRDs). Appearing star-sized, it is 100 billion times brighter than fusion allows, housing a 100,000-1 million solar-mass black hole in dense hydrogen with little dust; deep Balmer break supports gas-cocooned growing black holes.

Madurai Bench of Madras High Court ordered the Tamirabharani (Porunai) River in southern Tamil Nadu to be treated as a juristic entity by categorising it as a deity, ensuring legal standing, while noting the 2023 Supreme Court view against conferring legal personhood directly on natural entities. It mandated strict protective duties on officials and enforcement of bans on dumping ritual/funeral waste, citing pollution evidence: in three weeks, 90 tonnes clothes, 2 tonnes ash, 3 tonnes other waste collected; adopted an eco-centric rights approach.

MoEFCC conferred Gaj Gaurav Awards 2026 on August 12 (World Elephant Day). Instituted in 2022 during Project Elephant’s 30-year commemoration, the awards recognise frontline service in Asian elephant conservation, honouring field officers, forest staff, mahouts, captive elephant owners and indigenous communities. Seven mahouts from Jaldapara National Park, West Bengal were awarded. A Regional Action Plan for Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu was launched; “30 Giant Steps” released. Project Elephant (1992) is a CSS; India has 33 Elephant Reserves, 150 corridors and ~60% of wild Asian elephants.

Fiji faces the world’s fastest-growing HIV outbreak: adult prevalence 1.6% (~1 in 60). An official outbreak was declared in January 2025, with a National HIV Outbreak Cluster Response Task Force set up. Only one-third of people living with HIV know their status and one-fourth receive treatment; new infections may triple by 2030. Drivers include methamphetamine needle-sharing, funding disruptions and stigma. Tools include oral PrEP and planned lenacapavir via the Global Fund. Australia pledged over US$10 million; UNAIDS and WHO are supporting, amid regional health-security concerns.

CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) developed a plant-based drug candidate for diabetic foot ulcers under CSIR Phytopharmaceutical Mission Phase III (2024-2027), derived from Gymnema sylvestre, with patents in India and abroad. Reported effects include reduced inflammation, action against resistant bacteria and faster tissue repair, with an IND-ready data package. Phytopharmaceuticals are purified, standardised plant-extract fractions with at least four bioactive compounds. Mission, coordinated by CSIR-IIIM and labs like CSIR-IIC, targets IND-ready packages, captive cultivation, tech transfer, farmer-industry linkages and reduced import dependence.

Department of Atomic Energy issued draft SHANTI Rules and Regulations 2026 for public feedback under SHANTI Act, 2025, replacing Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and CLND Act, 2010. Targets: 100 GW nuclear capacity by 2047; at least five indigenous SMRs (up to 300 MW) by 2033. Private players may build/own/operate/decommission plants, do R&D, fuel manufacture, radiation uses; government retains enrichment, spent-fuel management, heavy water. Operator liability capped ₹3,000 crore (large >3,600 MWth) and down to ₹100 crore (small up to 150 MWth), with state backstop and tariff-funded Nuclear Liability Fund (5-year review). Foreign tech/investment allowed with certified, operational designs. Single composite licence, in-principle approvals, hold points; AERB regulator.

NIELIT (autonomous scientific society under MeitY) launched CYBER KUSHTI 2026, a national Cybersecurity and AI hackathon with ISAC Foundation under the National Security Database (NSD); CERT-In is Knowledge Partner. It tests human judgment using mixed true/false/duplicate/missed vulnerabilities. Three rounds: Akhada (online, 15 Sept; 50 teams), Dangal (24 Sept; 10), Kesari final (9 Oct) at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, during NCCDFI 2026. Free entry for student/independent-researcher teams of three; winner “Cyber Kesari 2026”, runners-up “Rustam” and “Pahalwan”; NSD credits beyond Round 1.

Centre launched CBDC-based DBT of PMGKAY food subsidy in Chandigarh and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, the first Union Territories to implement it at scale and the first large-scale CBDC use in a Central welfare programme. Subsidy is credited to Digital Rupee wallets, purpose-bound for foodgrains at empanelled merchants; payments via QR (smartphones) or OTP (feature phones). It enables real-time, secure, traceable transfers, building on Gujarat/Puducherry pilots and PDS reforms (Aadhaar, e-PoS, digitised cards, ONORC, online supply chain). PMGKAY covers 80+ crore beneficiaries.

A parliamentary panel flagged slow manuscript digitisation under the Ministry of Culture’s Gyan Bharatam Mission, announced in the 2025-26 Union Budget and launched in September 2025. It targets digitising 1 crore manuscripts by 2030, with ₹491.66 crore outlay for 2025-2031. It envisages a National Digital Repository for global sharing, with five pillars including conservation centres, AI-based handwritten text recognition, capacity building and global collaboration; only 7.5 lakh texts are digitised so far.

A marine oil spill in the Persian Gulf contaminated Iran’s Qeshm Island, threatening the Hara mangrove forests along the Strait of Hormuz. Dominated by Avicennia marina (grey mangrove), locally called hara/harra, these mangroves are recognised as a Ramsar Wetland (1975) and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (1976). They support hawksbill and green turtles, Dalmatian pelican, migratory birds, fisheries and local livelihoods.

CAG flagged gaps in Green India Mission (GIM), a MoEFCC mission under NAPCC (launched 2014) to expand forest/tree cover by 5 million ha, improve another 5 million ha, and enhance livelihoods of 3 million households. Forest cover rose 0.03409 mn ha vs 1.4 mn target (97.57% shortfall). Poor convergence with CAMPA/MGNREGS etc. led to ₹10,600 crore loss; 14 states lack tracking links; 8 states/UTs lack accounts. Only MP/Chhattisgarh assessed carbon sequestration (2015–25); 70% sites showed no GIM-attributable change.