Current Affairs

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.

Central Board of Direct Taxes launched FAST-DS 2026 for small taxpayers, a one-time voluntary disclosure scheme under the Finance Act, 2026, effective from 16 August 2026. It permits eligible taxpayers to declare specified undisclosed/undeclared foreign assets or income on payment of specified tax/fee. Category 1 covers undeclared assets/income up to ₹1 crore; Category 2 covers unreported assets up to ₹5 crore with ₹1 lakh fee, granting immunity under the Black Money Act, excluding PMLA-linked proceeds and concluded assessments.

A new freshwater crab species, Ghatiana karnataka (family Ghatiana), was discovered in Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary, Udupi, Karnataka. The Western Ghats now record 15 Ghatiana species, with 8 endemic to Karnataka. Males are dark-purple with a V-shaped carapace mark; the species is sighted year-round near perennial streams in evergreen/semi-evergreen forests, using laterite rocks/tree cavities. As pollution-sensitive bio-indicators, its presence suggests pristine habitat. The sanctuary includes Kodachadri Peak, Koosalli/Belkal Theertha/Hidlumane falls, Chakra and Souparnika rivers, and fauna like lion-tailed macaque and slender loris.

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, its next flagship orbital observatory, begins its journey to deep space on August 30. Orbiting the Sun–Earth L2 point, it studies dark energy, exoplanets, dark matter and infrared astrophysics, including deep views of the Milky Way. Its Wide Field Instrument (300‑MP infrared; 100× Hubble FOV) measures light from a billion galaxies and microlensing-searches ~2,600 exoplanets; a Coronagraph demonstrates high-contrast imaging/spectroscopy; includes the Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey.

A Pakistan population-scale genomics study analysed 1,73,303 people and documented naturally occurring human “knockout” (biallelic loss-of-function) variants across 6,476 genes, aided by consanguinity, and showcased “recall by genotype”. Findings linked APOC3 loss to lower triglycerides (drug: olezarsen); PLA2G7 loss to low Lp-PLA2 (darapladib failed trials); CIDEB loss to lower fatty-liver risk; LRRK2 as Parkinson’s target. Limitation: lifelong gene loss differs from partial, adult-onset drug blockade. India: GenomeIndia (10,000 genomes, 83 groups).

Indian Institute of Astrophysics (DST-led), with collaborators from the US, Hungary and Finland, developed a 3-D magnetohydrodynamic simulation to improve forecasting of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). It traces magnetic energy build-up/release and full evolution of magnetic flux ropes. The study links higher magnetic reconnection rates with greater CME acceleration; reconnection flux can predict CME speed/energy and Earth impact. Validated using NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory HMI and AIA data.

The 7th CBD Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI 7) concluded in Nairobi, Kenya, after SBSTTA 28, focusing on the first global review of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) to identify implementation gaps. Priorities include mobilising means of implementation, mainstreaming biodiversity, inclusive participation and traditional knowledge. Fewer than half Parties are on track for 2030; water-related targets lag terrestrial. COP 17: Yerevan, Armenia, 19-30 Oct 2026, theme “Taking action for nature”; Kunming Dialogue: 7-9 Sept 2026, Kunming, China.

Researchers at IISc’s SPIRE Lab, in collaboration with ARTPARK and Google, released SraVaani, a multilingual Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) model. It is trained on 65 Indian languages and dialects, comprising 20 scheduled languages and 45 regional languages/dialects. The model is built on the Vaani dataset, described as one of the largest speech corpora for Indian languages.

India and Indonesia launched a project to restore the Prambanan Temple complex in Indonesia, focusing on conservation of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dating to the 9th century, Prambanan (also called Loro Jonggrang) is the largest temple compound dedicated to Lord Shiva in Indonesia and is dedicated to the Trimurti—Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Its stone carvings include Ramayana reliefs across the galleries.