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Daily DigestArchive
Current Affairs — Saturday, 15 August 2026
35 items
Tamil Nadu
- 20 Tamil Nadu Police Officers receive President's Police Medals
— The Union Government announced the awards on Independence Day 2026; President's Medals are the highest peacetime gallantry recognition for police personnel. (Exam angle: Awards & Honours, Ministry of Home Affairs) - TASMAC halts sale of 11 Enrica liquor brands
— Tamil Nadu's state-run liquor retailer suspended sales following an FSSAI inspection that detected artificial and natural identical flavouring substances in the products. (Exam angle: FSSAI powers, food safety regulation) - Tamil Nadu CM Vijay signs 3 key welfare schemes
— CM C. Joseph Vijay signed three welfare schemes early in his tenure, signalling policy continuity and expansion of social welfare commitments. (Exam angle: State welfare schemes, TVK government) - KMUT beneficiaries above 60 to be moved to pension scheme; aid hiked to ₹1,500
— The Vijay government announced the rationalisation of the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam, transferring elderly beneficiaries to the social pension scheme with enhanced monthly support. (Exam angle: State social security schemes) - Tamil Nadu maintains two-language policy; rejects NEP's three-language formula
— A state minister confirmed no change in TN's longstanding two-language (Tamil-English) policy; MDMK's Vaiko also urged CM Vijay to reject the PM SHRI scheme over Hindi imposition concerns. (Exam angle: Language policy, NEP 2020, state-Centre relations) - AIADMK rebels hold statewide protests against TVK government
— Supporters of O. Panneerselvam-faction held demonstrations criticising the Vijay government over incomplete cooperative crop loan waivers and the Mekedatu dam issue. (Exam angle: State politics, inter-state river disputes)
India — National
- 78 Gallantry Awards announced on Independence Day 2026
— The awards include 9 Kirti Chakras and 19 Shaurya Chakras; Chhattisgarh Police bagged 141 medals, the highest ever by a single force. (Exam angle: Gallantry awards, defence honours) - CJI criticises BCI interference; Supreme Court bars coercive action against NALSAR
— The court directed the Bar Council of India to file an affidavit, stating BCI letters against NALSAR students and faculty created a "chilling effect" on academic freedom. (Exam angle: Judicial independence, Article 19, legal education) - J&K CM Omar Abdullah warns of Gen Z-style agitation over stalled Transaction of Business Rules
— Abdullah accused the Centre of delaying rules mandated by the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019, which are necessary to define the Lieutenant Governor's and Chief Minister's respective domains. (Exam angle: J&K Reorganisation Act, Articles 239–241, Centre-state relations) - J&K administration denies work-from-home order for Kashmiri Pandits amid threat letter controversy
— CM Abdullah acknowledged the threat as credible; six Pandit employees named in an online threat letter were shifted to Jammu as a precautionary measure. (Exam angle: Minority rights, J&K security situation) - Government to launch 'Reform Utsav' to crowdsource citizen suggestions
— The initiative aims to capture grassroots feedback on governance reforms, building on the 100-day reform agenda. (Exam angle: Governance, citizen participation) - Telangana Special Intensive Revision (SIR): 94 lakh electors at risk due to flawed enumeration
— With 119 Electoral Registration Officers tasked to verify 94 lakh cases in a compressed window, each elector would get under one minute of review time even if officers worked 24 hours a day. (Exam angle: Election Commission, electoral rolls, Article 326) - 2 Nagas killed in suspected Kuki militant attack in Manipur
— The incident further deepened ethnic tensions in Manipur, which has witnessed prolonged inter-community violence since May 2023. (Exam angle: Internal security, Northeast India)
Economy & Finance
- WPI inflation eases marginally to 9.78% in July 2026
— This is the first month-on-month decline under the new 2022-23 base year WPI series, driven by cooling food, fuel, and power prices. (Exam angle: Inflation indices, Ministry of Commerce & Industry) - India's goods exports surge 20% in July 2026
— The jump was driven by West Asia recovery and export diversification; however, the trade deficit widened to $15 billion as services imports outpaced exports. (Exam angle: Balance of trade, DGCI&S data) - Central government capex surges 66% in June; subsidy bill also rises
— The sharp jump in capital expenditure signals accelerated public investment, though a simultaneous rise in subsidies raises fiscal management concerns. (Exam angle: Union Budget, fiscal policy, FRBM) - India holds "reassuring" talks with US over proposed 100% tariff bill
— The US Senate passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which could impose 100% tariffs on nations buying Russian oil in large quantities, directly affecting India. (Exam angle: India-US trade, energy security, sanctions) - Ethanol Blending Programme saved ₹2 lakh crore in forex: Government
— The Centre informed the Lok Sabha that the E20 push under the National Biofuel Policy has yielded significant foreign exchange savings, though sustainability concerns persist. (Exam angle: National Biofuel Policy, energy policy)
Science & Technology
- India's per-unit space launch cost highest globally despite ISRO's reputation: Study
— An analysis spanning six decades of global space missions found India does not launch frequently enough to achieve economies of scale, keeping per-launch costs elevated. (Exam angle: ISRO, space economy, comparative space policy) - NASA seeks India's participation in Moon Base (Lunar South Pole Outpost) programme
— NASA is developing an ambitious lunar outpost at the Moon's south pole and has formally invited India to partner, building on the Artemis Accords framework. (Exam angle: ISRO-NASA cooperation, Artemis Accords, space diplomacy) - AI designing viruses raises global biosecurity concerns: Stanford experiment
— A Stanford study showed AI systems are beginning to move from analysing biological data to proposing novel biological structures, prompting calls for regulation. (Exam angle: AI governance, biosecurity, emerging technology policy) - Bhubaneswar start-up tests drug manufacturing in space
— The experiment marks a significant step for India's emerging space-based pharmaceutical research capability. (Exam angle: Space economy, start-up ecosystem, ISRO commercialisation)
Environment
- States turn to solar subsidies to offset losses from subsidised power supply
— Several state governments are channelling power subsidy expenditure as capital investment for rooftop solar installation, aligning fiscal relief with clean energy targets. (Exam angle: PM Surya Ghar scheme, renewable energy, state finances) - 7.7-magnitude earthquake strikes off Indonesia; tsunami warning issued
— The US Geological Survey recorded the quake; Indonesia's BMKG warned of potential tsunami waves, underscoring Pacific Rim seismic risks. (Exam angle: Disaster management, seismology, BMKG-NDMA coordination context)
Sports
- Jemimah Rodrigues ruled out of Asia Cup and Asian Games with hamstring injury
— The BCCI confirmed the 25-year-old suffered a high-grade hamstring tear; her absence is a significant blow to India's women's cricket squad. (Exam angle: BCCI, women's cricket, Asian Games 2026) - Praggnanandhaa beats Van Foreest; reaches 2.5/4 in elite round-robin event
— R. Praggnanandhaa's win kept him in contention in the 10-player, nine-round chess tournament. (Exam angle: Indian chess achievers, FIDE) - Kashmir's bat-making industry: ₹700-crore sector employing 50,000
— Since 2021, Kashmiri bats have reached international cricket grounds with 47 international players using them, showcasing J&K's artisanal export potential. (Exam angle: J&K economy, MSME, GI-tagged products context) - Refaay and Sohayla win PSA Challenger Tour titles in Kolkata
— The squash event hosted in India reflects the country's growing role as a venue for international racket sports. (Exam angle: Sports events in India)
Appointments & Awards
- Justice M. Fathima Beevi conferred Padma Bhushan
— India's first female Supreme Court judge (appointed 1989) received the Padma Bhushan, recognised on Independence Day 2026. (Exam angle: First women in judiciary, Padma Awards) - Former CJI J.S. Khehar announced as Padma awardee
— Khehar, who served as the 44th Chief Justice of India, is notable for several landmark judgments that often differed from the government's position. (Exam angle: Supreme Court history, Padma Awards) - Justice K.T. Thomas to receive Padma Vibhushan
— The former Supreme Court judge, known for his role in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case verdict, was announced as a Padma Vibhushan recipient. (Exam angle: Highest civilian awards, judiciary) - Former TNCC president M. Krishnasamy chosen for Thagaisal Thamizhar Award
— Krishnasamy represented Vandavasi (1991–96) and Arani (2009–14) Lok Sabha constituencies and was recognised for contributions to Tamil public life. (Exam angle: State-level civilian awards, Tamil Nadu)
International
- India reaffirms "longstanding ties" with Afghanistan
— MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted several ministerial-level engagements with Afghanistan over the past year, signalling India's sustained diplomatic presence despite Taliban rule. (Exam angle: India-Afghanistan relations, MEA, neighbourhood policy) - US tightens sanctions on Iran; Treasury Secretary Bessent warns of unprecedented measures
— The Biden-era Lindsey O. Graham Act and new Treasury measures target Iran's weapons procurement network, with potential secondary tariff impacts on India's oil imports. (Exam angle: India-Iran relations, energy security, CAATSA-type measures) - Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to federal stalking charges in UnitedHealthcare CEO killing
— Mangione pleaded guilty on August 14, 2026; the high-profile case has intensified debate in the US on healthcare policy and domestic extremism. (Exam angle: Limited exam relevance — note only for context)
- Quick Revision:
- 🏅 78 Gallantry Awards on Independence Day 2026 — includes 9 Kirti Chakras and 19 Shaurya Chakras; Chhattisgarh Police won 141 medals, highest ever by a single force.
- 📊 WPI inflation = 9.78% in July 2026 (new 2022-23 base year); India's goods exports rose 20% in July 2026; trade deficit widened to $15 billion.
- ⚖️ Justice M. Fathima Beevi (India's first woman SC judge) → Padma Bhushan; Justice K.T. Thomas → Padma Vibhushan, announced on Independence Day 2026.