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Current Affairs — Thursday, 18 June 2026
35 items
Tamil Nadu
- T.N. Assembly session begins with Governor's address
— The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly session opened on 18 June 2026 with the Governor's address, marking a key constitutional event; Governors address under Article 176 of the Constitution. - CM Vijay chairs Transport Department review meeting
— Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay held a comprehensive review of the Transport Department, signalling policy continuity and administrative oversight in his early tenure. - Tamil Nadu to continue two-language policy; PM SHRI scheme decision pending
— State minister confirmed no change to Tamil Nadu's two-language policy; the Vijay government is yet to decide on adopting the Centre's PM SHRI schools scheme, which includes a three-language formula opposed by parties like MDMK. - Tamil Nadu to move KMUT beneficiaries above 60 to pension scheme, hike aid to ₹1,500
— The state government announced a welfare upgrade for Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam beneficiaries aged above 60, increasing monthly assistance to ₹1,500 (Ministry of Social Welfare angle; social security scheme). - CM Vijay announces 2% Dearness Allowance hike for govt. teachers and employees
— The hike benefits state government staff and teachers; DA revision is a recurring exam topic under State Finance/Service Rules. - Shankar Jiwal resigns as T.N. Fire Commission chief; TNUSRB chairman Sunil Kumar also quits
— Two senior appointments vacated simultaneously citing personal reasons, creating key administrative vacancies in Tamil Nadu's public safety apparatus.
India — National
- PM Modi raises seafarers issue as 'utmost importance' with Trump
— Modi flagged the issue of Indian seafarers stranded or affected by ongoing West Asia conflict during discussions with U.S. President Trump, underlining India's consular responsibility. - Supreme Court flags 'serious' allegation of Registry misplacing case records
— CJI Surya Kant ordered scrutiny after a claim that records in an urgent matter went missing from the court's Registry, raising concerns about judicial administration integrity. - Farm workers' unions announce protests from July 1 against VB-G RAM G scheme
— NREGA Sangarsh Morcha alleges the new scheme offers only 42 days of work instead of 125 days promised, replacing MGNREGA; key GS Paper II topic on rural employment guarantee. - Supreme Court defers hearing on NEET-UG re-test plea to July
— The re-test is scheduled for 21 June but the relevant bench sits only after July 13, effectively rendering the challenge infructuous; NEET controversy continues as a recurring exam topic. - NTA chief says Telegram was warned about misuse before blanket ban
— NTA Director-General Abhishek Singh stated the messaging platform failed to implement the 'edited' label visibility despite promises, leading to its ban in the context of NEET paper-leak concerns. - Supreme Court calls cyberfraud accused 'parasites', seeks sterner legislation
— Top court refused bail to a multi-case cyberfraud accused and called for legislative reform; relevant to IT Act, cybercrime law, and GS Paper II governance. - G7 Summit 2026: PM Modi tells Zelenskyy India will always be on the side of peace
— Modi also told G7 leaders that the Global South alone cannot bear the financial burden of war, reinforcing India's non-aligned diplomatic stance (India's foreign policy, GS Paper II).
Economy & Finance
- India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement to be implemented from July 15
— Signed in July 2025, implementation was delayed by a UK steel imports regulation hurdle; now confirmed for July 15, 2026 — a landmark bilateral trade deal. - India-EU Free Trade Agreement to be signed by end of 2026: Ursula von der Leyen
— European Commission President confirmed the FTA timeline on the sidelines of the G7 summit; India-EU trade relations and FTA negotiations are key exam topics. - RBI allows banks to offer higher interest rates on NRE/NRO deposits to mobilise forex
— RBI directive permits competitive rates for Non-Resident External and Non-Resident Ordinary deposits; relevant to RBI monetary tools and forex management. - India's current account surplus narrows to $7.1 billion in Q4 amid rising gold imports
— Narrowing surplus attributed to elevated gold import bill and foreign investor outflows; Balance of Payments concept for Economy GS Paper III. - Industrial Production (IIP) rises to 4.9% in April under new series
— April industrial growth improved from 3.2% in March under the revised IIP series; key macro indicator for economy papers. - Government directs oil companies to build 30-day LPG reserves amid Hormuz supply risks
— Strategic petroleum reserve directive issued in response to U.S.-Iran tensions affecting Strait of Hormuz passage; energy security angle.
Science & Technology
- India's reservoirs can host 102 GW of floating solar capacity: first national assessment
— First-ever national study finds floating solar potential in reservoirs is three to four times more land-efficient than ground-mounted systems; relevant to renewable energy targets. - Drug-resistant malaria poses growing challenge to India's elimination efforts
— Artemisinin-based therapy resistance mutations are spreading in India, threatening the national malaria elimination programme; public health and GS Paper III. - IIT-Delhi study finds human activity drives India's extreme weather patterns
— Researchers warn that historical rainfall statistics are no longer a reliable guide to future climate risk due to anthropogenic warming; climate science and disaster management. - Madras High Court rules AI tools like ChatGPT cannot replace qualified teachers
— Justices S.M. Subramaniam and N. Senthilkumar held that AI cannot impart integrity and morality; significant judicial observation on AI in education policy.
Environment
- State of India's Environment (SoE) 2026 Report released by CSE-DTE
— The report highlights rising climate risks, increasing wildlife conflicts, and gaps in pollution monitoring across India; key annual report for Environment GS Paper III. - India on track to meet 3% Compressed Biogas (CBG) blending target for FY 2026-27
— Officials confirmed the CBG blending roadmap: 3% this year, 4% next year, 5% by FY 2028-29; relevant to India's bioenergy and clean fuel policy. - Centre likely to remove 11% import duty on cotton amid price surge and West Asia crisis
— Supply disruptions from the West Asia conflict have pushed cotton prices higher; duty removal would impact textile sector and farmers.
Sports
- FIFA World Cup 2026: Ghana beat Panama 1-0 in injury time in Toronto
— Ghana opened their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a last-gasp Group L victory; the 2026 World Cup is co-hosted by USA, Canada, and Mexico. - England beat Croatia 4-2 at FIFA World Cup 2026; Harry Kane scores twice
— Luka Modric captained Croatia in his 199th international appearance at his fifth World Cup; result confirms England's early tournament momentum. - Swimmer Srihari Nataraj breaks his own national 50m backstroke record with 25.21 seconds
— The 25-year-old bettered his 2019 national mark of 25.58; Srihari is India's top backstroke swimmer and a recurring Sports GS topic. - Indian shuttlers Anmol, Rakshitha, and Shriyanshi advance to last 16 at Macau Open
— Anmol defeated Indonesia's Mutiara Ayu Puspitasari 21-13, 21-16; progress of Indian shuttlers in international tournaments is exam-relevant.
Appointments & Awards
- Former Jharkhand CM Shibu Soren awarded Padma Bhushan posthumously
— The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha founder and veteran tribal leader received the Padma Bhushan posthumously; Padma awards are perennial exam topics. - Justice K.T. Thomas to receive Padma Vibhushan
— The former Supreme Court judge, known for his independent stance including urging magnanimity towards Rajiv Gandhi's killers, is among Padma Vibhushan awardees; India's second-highest civilian honour.
International
- Trump signs U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding to end West Asia war
— The MoU, signed during a dinner with French President Macron, secures toll-free passage through the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days but does not preclude future fees; major geopolitical development affecting India's energy imports. - EU lawmakers approve 'return hubs' migration reform
— European Parliament approved the contentious policy allowing EU member states to set up offshore return hubs for irregular migrants; Denmark, Austria, Greece, Germany, and the Netherlands are among proponents. - South Korea announces easing of civilian restrictions along the North Korea border
— The two Koreas remain technically at war since the 1950-53 conflict ended only in armistice; any border easing is significant for Korean Peninsula stability.
- Quick Revision:
- 🔑 India-UK CETA implementation date confirmed: July 15, 2026 (signed July 2025; delayed by UK steel import regulation)
- 🔑 Srihari Nataraj set a new national 50m backstroke record: 25.21 seconds (previous: 25.58, set in 2019)
- 🔑 India's first national assessment finds reservoirs can host 102 GW of floating solar capacity, making it a key renewable energy statistic for exam MCQs