All daily digests
Daily DigestArchive
Current Affairs — Monday, 24 August 2026
34 items
Tamil Nadu
- TN Government to Extend Free Breakfast Scheme to Middle School Students
— CM C. Joseph Vijay's government announced expansion of the free breakfast scheme (originally launched under the previous DMK government) to middle school students, broadening its reach beyond primary classes. (Social welfare; state scheme) - TN to Explore Alternative Sites for Chennai's Second Airport; Hosur Project Also on Agenda
— CM Vijay held a review meeting at the Secretariat and the government is expected to disclose plans for both airports shortly; Hosur airport project is also under active consideration. (Infrastructure; civil aviation) - Tamil Nadu Reaffirms Two-Language Policy; Rejects PM SHRI Three-Language Scheme
— A TN minister stated the TVK government will continue the state's long-held two-language policy; MDMK's Vaiko urged CM Vijay to formally reject the Centre's PM SHRI scheme citing Hindi imposition concerns. (Language policy; Centre-State relations) - TN HR&CE Minister Defends Mandapam Proposal at Temple for Chickenpox Devotees
— The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister justified a proposal to build a facility at a temple for devotees who recover from chickenpox, amid public debate. (Temple administration; HR&CE Ministry) - Fifth Century Hero Stone Inscription Unearthed in Tamil Nadu
— An ancient hero stone inscription dating to the 5th century CE was discovered, adding to the state's archaeological record. (History & culture; Tamil heritage) - Tamil Nadu Life Convict Selvam's Book Wins Iyal Award of Canada
— Oru Thooku Kaithiyin Vaakumoolam, written by life convict Selvam, won the Iyal Award of Canada; the book advocates for prison reforms and documents life behind bars. (Prison reforms; Tamil literature)
India — National
- Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 Passed by Parliament
— Parliament passed the MMDR Amendment Bill, 2026, centralising the extraction and management of minerals under the Central government, raising concerns in mineral-rich states like Odisha. (Centre-State federalism; Ministry of Mines; GS Paper II & III) - NSA Ajit Doval Heads to Beijing; Boundary Talks with Wang Yi Scheduled
— National Security Advisor Ajit Doval travelled to Beijing for boundary talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, signalling continued diplomatic engagement on the LAC dispute. (India-China relations; foreign policy; NSA role) - Two POCSO Undertrial Inmates Escape from Srinagar Central Jail; Manhunt Launched
— Two men arrested under the POCSO Act escaped from Srinagar Central Jail; police urged the public to contact the nearest station or dial 112 with information. (Internal security; POCSO Act; J&K administration) - Centre Weighs Curbs on AI Autonomy and Consent Rules for Deepfakes Under New Law
— The Central government is considering regulations to limit AI autonomy and introduce mandatory consent rules for deepfakes as part of a forthcoming digital law framework. (IT law; AI regulation; Ministry of Electronics & IT) - Government Appoints Three More Members to RBI Central Board
— The Centre appointed three additional members to the Reserve Bank of India's Central Board, strengthening its statutory composition. (RBI governance; Ministry of Finance) - Search Continues for 22 Missing After Vessel Sinks Off Odisha; Two Chinese Nationals Rescued
— A ship built in 1998, flagged with multiple inspection deficiencies, sank off the Odisha coast; two Chinese nationals were rescued while 22 crew members remain missing. (Maritime safety; Odisha; coastal security) - BJP Holds First-Ever Organisational Meeting in Srinagar
— The BJP conducted its first-ever organisational meeting in Srinagar, signalling a push to consolidate its presence in the Union Territory of J&K. (J&K politics; post-Article 370)
Economy & Finance
- PNGRB Authorises ~1,800 km LPG Pipeline Infrastructure Worth ₹7,000 Crore
— The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board approved approximately 1,800 km of new LPG pipeline infrastructure, which will increase India's LPG pipeline network by about 24%. (Energy infrastructure; PNGRB; Ministry of Petroleum) - RBI's Forex Swap Window Draws $72.85 Billion Inflows Till August 21
— The RBI's foreign exchange swap window attracted cumulative inflows of $72.85 billion as of August 21, 2026, reflecting strong demand for rupee liquidity. (Monetary policy; RBI; forex management) - FM Nirmala Sitharaman Meets Bankers; Banking for Gen Z and Deposit Mobilisation in Focus
— Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held consultations with bank heads, focusing on strategies to attract younger depositors and mobilise retail deposits. (Banking sector; Ministry of Finance) - Central Government's Capex Surges 66% in June; Subsidy Bill Also Jumps
— Capital expenditure by the Central government rose 66% year-on-year in June 2026, even as subsidy expenditure saw a simultaneous increase. (Union Budget; fiscal policy; infrastructure spending) - Partial FDI Opening in E-Commerce Described as "Almost Worse" Than No Opening
— Following the July 2025 easing of FDI rules allowing inventory-holding e-commerce firms to receive foreign investment only for export inventory, industry observers flagged structural concerns about the partial liberalisation. (FDI policy; e-commerce regulation; DPIIT)
Science & Technology
- ISRO's Gaganyaan Crew Escape System Explained — Last Line of Defence for Astronauts
— ISRO's Crew Escape System for the Gaganyaan mission uses powerful motors to pull the crew module away from the launch vehicle in an emergency; the mission remains India's first human spaceflight programme. (ISRO; Gaganyaan; space technology) - Lunar Eclipse August 2026 — Visibility and Science
— A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth passes directly between the Sun and Moon; the August 2026 event is significant for public science engagement and is visible from multiple regions. (Astronomy; general science) - UK Forecasts Strongest El Niño in Over a Century; 2027 Could Be Hottest Year Ever
— Britain's Met Office warned that an unusually powerful El Niño may develop, potentially making 2027 the hottest year on record, with significant implications for Indian monsoon patterns. (Climate science; El Niño-Indian monsoon linkage)
Environment
- State of India's Environment 2026 Report Highlights Rising Climate Risks, Wildlife Conflicts, and Pollution Monitoring Gaps
— The annual report flagged increasing climate vulnerabilities, escalating human-wildlife conflicts, and inadequate pollution monitoring infrastructure across India. (Environment GS Paper III; CSE report; biodiversity) - Indonesian Police Arrest 72 Suspects for Starting Forest Fires Across Borneo and Sumatra
— Authorities arrested 72 people in connection with 89 forest and land fire cases across five provinces in Borneo and four in Sumatra, highlighting the region's ongoing deforestation crisis. (International environment; forest fires; biodiversity) - Guinea Landfill Landslide Kills 30
— A landslide at a landfill site in Guinea killed at least 30 people, underscoring global waste management and urban planning failures. (Disaster management; international environment)
Sports
- Treesa Jolsna–Gayatri Gopichand Win Historic Bronze at BWF World Championships
— The unseeded Indian women's doubles pair beat reigning Olympic champion Jia Yifan and Zhang Shuxian in the quarterfinals before losing to China's Liu-Tan in the semis, claiming India's historic bronze medal. (Badminton; World Championships; Indian women's sport — high exam probability) - Lando Norris Wins Dutch Grand Prix; McLaren Completes Hat-Trick of Wins
— Norris's victory at Zandvoort gave McLaren three consecutive race wins; Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli finished second to extend his championship lead. (Formula 1; Dutch GP 2026) - Harry Kane Named Germany's Player of the Year; Vincent Kompany Wins Coach's Award
— Kane scored 61 goals across all competitions for Bayern Munich, helping them defend the Bundesliga title and win the German Cup; Kompany was named coach of the year. (Football; Bundesliga) - Karn Sharma Announces Retirement from All Formats of Cricket
— The 38-year-old leg-spinner and four-time IPL champion announced retirement after playing in the UP T20 League Season 4. (Cricket; IPL; player retirement)
Appointments & Awards
- Justice M. Fathima Beevi Conferred with Padma Bhushan
— Justice M. Fathima Beevi, the first woman judge of the Supreme Court of India, was conferred the Padma Bhushan award. (Padma awards; judiciary; first woman SC judge — high exam probability) - Justice K.T. Thomas to Receive Padma Vibhushan
— Retired Supreme Court Justice K.T. Thomas, known for independent judgements including on the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, was announced as a Padma Vibhushan awardee. (Padma awards; judiciary) - Justice J.S. Khehar Recognised with Padma Award
— Former Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar, known for rulings that frequently differed from government positions, was recognised with a Padma award. (CJI; Padma awards; judiciary)
International
- NSA Ajit Doval in Beijing for India-China Boundary Talks with Wang Yi
— Doval's visit marks a significant diplomatic step in India-China border negotiations following the Galwan disengagement process; talks focus on remaining friction points along the LAC. (India-China bilateral; LAC; foreign policy) - China Abruptly Postpones Chang'e-7 Lunar Mission Launch
— China postponed the ambitious Chang'e-7 spacecraft launch from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on Hainan island without stating a new date, a mission designed to explore the Moon's south pole. (Space; China's lunar programme; geopolitics of space) - India and US Businesses Keen to Invest in Bangladesh
— Bangladesh Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir noted strong interest from Indian and American businesses days after a 14-member CII delegation visited Bangladesh (August 17–19). (India-Bangladesh trade; CII; South Asia diplomacy)
- Quick Revision:
- 🏸 Treesa Jolsna & Gayatri Gopichand won India's historic bronze medal at the BWF World Championships 2026 in women's doubles — first such medal for the pair, beating Olympic champions in the QF.
- ⚖️ Justice M. Fathima Beevi — India's first woman Supreme Court judge — conferred Padma Bhushan; Justice K.T. Thomas to receive Padma Vibhushan.
- 🔬 Parliament passed the MMDR Amendment Bill, 2026, centralising mineral extraction management under the Central government — significant for federal balance and mineral-rich states like Odisha.