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Daily DigestArchive
Current Affairs — Friday, 29 May 2026
33 items
Tamil Nadu
- Four AIADMK MLAs resign, join TVK
— In what critics are calling Tamil Nadu's "Operation Lotus," four AIADMK MLAs resigned and joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam led by CM C. Joseph Vijay, triggering political controversy. (Polity — anti-defection, Tenth Schedule angle) - Former AIADMK Minister Vellamandi Natarajan joins TVK
— Senior AIADMK leader Vellamandi Natarajan switched to TVK, citing the party's acceptance of leaders across Dravidian ideological traditions including Periyar, Anna, MGR, and Jayalalithaa. - Madras HC bans use of former CMs' photos in government scheme advertisements
— A vacation Bench directed Tamil Nadu government not to use photos of former Chief Ministers in welfare scheme publicity materials; Supreme Court to hear the state's plea. (Judiciary — separation of power, election law) - CM Vijay's flagship policies face cost scrutiny
— Analysts question the fiscal burden of CM Vijay's bold policy package including closure of liquor shops (TASMAC), free electricity, and distribution of 8 grams of gold to women. (Economy — State finances, fiscal federalism) - Tamil Nadu government to distribute 19,767 sports equipment kits
— Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin announced the initiative to promote grassroots sports development across the state. - CPI(M) urges TN government to appeal HC order banning cow slaughter
— A Madras HC vacation bench directed the Chief Secretary and DGP to enforce the ban; CPI(M) asked the current government to challenge the order. (Judiciary — Article 48, Directive Principles)
India — National
- IMD revises monsoon forecast downward to 90% of Long Period Average
— The India Meteorological Department now predicts India will receive only 90% of LPA rainfall in 2026, potentially making it the driest year in a decade; monsoon arrival in Kerala now expected in early June. (Geography — Monsoon, disaster preparedness) - Supreme Court sets three-month deadline for High Courts to pronounce judgments
— The SC Bench held that bail orders must ideally be pronounced the next day and communicated to jails the same day, addressing pendency crisis. (Polity — Judiciary, Article 21, bail jurisprudence) - Right to trauma care is integral to Right to Life: Supreme Court
— A Bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and A.S. Chandurkar ruled that citizens have a fundamental right to emergency trauma care; states directed to file periodic compliance reports. (Polity — Article 21) - NHAI identifies 1,600 km of highways for monetisation in FY27
— Projects span nine states including Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, UP, Bihar, and Maharashtra under the asset monetisation pipeline. (Economy — Infrastructure, NMP) - Karnataka CM change: Shivakumar to succeed Siddaramaiah
— Karnataka Governor accepted Siddaramaiah's resignation; D.K. Shivakumar is set to become the new Chief Minister after Congress high command brokered the leadership transition. (Polity — Governor's role, government formation) - Under-construction bridge collapses in Uttar Pradesh; six killed
— A severe storm caused the partial collapse of a bridge under construction, killing six workers and trapping two others. (Disaster management — infrastructure safety) - US-India interim trade agreement talks to resume June 1–4
— A US team visits India June 1–4 to finalise details of an interim bilateral trade deal; Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has stressed clarity on tariff structure is essential. (Economy — International trade, WTO)
Economy & Finance
- RBI holds repo rate; projects GDP growth at 6.9% for FY27
— The Reserve Bank of India kept the repo rate unchanged and moderated its GDP growth forecast to 6.9% for 2026–27 amid global uncertainty. (Economy — Monetary policy, MPC) - LPG price hiked to balance consumer and oil company finances
— Government sources confirmed an LPG price hike to address the financial health of oil marketing companies, while ruling out any hike in petrol or diesel prices. (Economy — Energy subsidy, OMCs) - India's energy investment to hit $170 billion in 2026: IEA
— The International Energy Agency reported that solar PV investment grew 25% annually and oil refining by 23%, together accounting for one-fourth of India's energy investment growth. (Economy — Renewable energy, climate finance) - US grants India one-month waiver to purchase Russian oil
— Washington issued a temporary waiver allowing India to continue buying Russian crude, reflecting India's strategic autonomy in energy procurement. (International — India-US relations, energy security) - Finance Ministry to conduct factory visits ahead of Budget planning
— The Department of Economic Affairs will send senior officials to large, medium, and small manufacturing units for ground-level inputs before Union Budget preparations. (Economy — Budget process, DEA)
Science & Technology
- Chandrayaan-2 detects possible subsurface ice near Moon's south pole
— Scientists using the DFSAR (Dual Frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar) payload aboard Chandrayaan-2 have found evidence suggesting the presence of subsurface ice, strengthening the case for a future lunar base. (Science — ISRO, lunar exploration) - SpaceX Starship grounded pending investigation after test flight
— The spacecraft released 20 mock satellites before a splashdown in the Indian Ocean; a post-flight investigation has grounded the rocket. (Science — Space technology) - NASA outlines Moon base plans for Artemis programme
— NASA detailed infrastructure plans including landers, buggies, and drones; the Artemis III mission will test docking of Orion capsule with lunar landers developed by Blue Origin and SpaceX. (Science — International space missions) - India's private space sector records blockbuster month in May 2026
— Multiple milestones were achieved by Indian private space firms, reflecting the impact of liberalised space policy and IN-SPACe framework. (Science — Space policy, ISRO ecosystem)
Environment
- Budget 2026–27 sees 10% cut in air quality management outlay
— Allocations for air quality management and pollution control have been reduced, raising concerns among environmentalists ahead of peak pollution season. (Environment — Pollution policy, fiscal allocation) - State of India's Environment 2026 Report flags rising climate risks
— The annual report highlights increasing wildlife conflicts, rising climate-related risks, and significant gaps in pollution monitoring infrastructure across India. (Environment — Climate change, biodiversity)
Sports
- French Open 2026: Aryna Sabalenka advances despite first-set struggle
— Four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka beat Jacquemot after a shaky opening set; she is still in pursuit of her maiden French Open title. (Sports — Tennis, Grand Slam) - Paris Saint-Germain on brink of Champions League glory
— PSG, fresh from a record 5–0 final win over Inter Milan last year, are close to retaining the UEFA Champions League title. (Sports — Football) - FIFA World Cup 2026: India's passion on display
— Indian fans, particularly from Kerala and West Bengal, are organising large-scale World Cup celebrations including midnight screenings and bike rallies. (Sports — FIFA, India's football culture)
Appointments & Awards
- Padma Awards 2026 presented by President Droupadi Murmu
— President Murmu conferred Padma Awards 2026 recognising doctors, tribal artists, and other unsung heroes; the ceremony marked civilian honours across diverse fields. (Polity — Constitutional honours, Article 18) - Bhagat Singh Koshyari awarded Padma Bhushan
— Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari received the Padma Bhushan at the 2026 ceremony. (Appointments — Padma Awards) - SC Collegium recommends judges for Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka High Courts
— The Supreme Court Collegium forwarded names for judicial appointments to two High Courts, continuing the process of filling judicial vacancies. (Polity — Collegium system, judicial appointments)
International
- US–Iran 60-day ceasefire extension reached; awaits Trump's approval
— Negotiators from both sides agreed on a tentative 60-day extension of the ceasefire, but US President Donald Trump has yet to formally approve the deal, keeping the situation uncertain. (International — West Asia, geopolitics affecting oil prices) - India–Canada Trade and Investment Forum launched
— The Canada–India Trade and Investment Forum was formally launched to enhance bilateral economic ties and business partnerships between the two countries. (International — India-Canada relations, bilateral trade) - Australian PM Albanese praises India's economic growth
— PM Albanese hailed India's economic trajectory and expressed eagerness to host PM Modi in Australia, signalling momentum in the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. (International — India-Australia CECA, Quad)
- Quick Revision:
- 🔹 IMD revised India's 2026 monsoon forecast to 90% of Long Period Average (LPA) — potentially the driest year in a decade; Kerala landfall now expected early June.
- 🔹 RBI kept repo rate unchanged and projected FY27 GDP growth at 6.9%; LPG prices hiked but petrol/diesel rates unchanged.
- 🔹 Chandrayaan-2's DFSAR payload detected possible subsurface ice near the Moon's south pole — a key ISRO science milestone for exam MCQs.