Current affairs — 30 August 2026

Prelims pointers

• The Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of scams in which fraudsters impersonate police, judicial officials or bureaucrats over video calls.
• The Court directed the Union and States to assess the problem and called for a distinct offence with proportionate penalties.
• The CJI referred to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 and Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018.
• He cited an apex court ruling that grounds of arrest must be given to an accused in writing, not merely read aloud.
• The CJI identified due process, proportionality and the presumption of innocence as guiding principles of Supreme Court jurisprudence.

Prelims pointers

• Zaporizhzhia's six reactors were shut, but the plant still required electricity to keep the non-operating reactors cool.
• After more than a week without off-site power, the plant relied on emergency generators and had a ten-day diesel supply on site.
• The IAEA was trying to negotiate a local ceasefire to permit repairs to damaged electrical lines.
• Three drone incidents at the plant during the week injured two employees, according to the IAEA.
• Russian forces seized Zaporizhzhia in March 2022, and permanent IAEA teams have been present there since September 2022.

Prelims pointers

• India supplied 68.5 tonnes of relief materials, and the fourth flight carried 11 tonnes on August 30, 2026.
• An 11-member Indian team included doctors, paramedics and tunnel engineers for rescue-related work.
• India sent forensic experts and DNA-analysis equipment, along with blankets, tarpaulins and hygiene kits.
• Sixteen trucks brought equipment for a 230-foot single-lane modular steel bridge to Nepal.
• Nepal sought Indian and Chinese help for 42 Bailey bridges, which can be assembled quickly without heavy machinery.

Prelims pointers

• Nepal issued fresh alerts after Bhotekoshi River levels rose and China reported increased upstream water flow.
• The combined reported toll in Nepal and Tibet reached 750 dead and more than 3,000 missing.
• Nepal reported 734 deaths and 2,498 missing, while China reported 16 deaths and 546 missing.
• Destroyed concrete and suspension bridges left communities separated across the affected river areas.
• The Prithivi Highway carries food, fuel and other goods into Kathmandu, and damaged sections faced repair challenges.

Prelims pointers

• Russia’s seaborne gasoline imports reached about 125,000 barrels per day in August, a projected 470,000 tonnes.
• Indian refiners supplied as much as one million barrels of petrol to Russia over the previous two months.
• Supplies mainly came from Gujarat’s Vadinar refinery, operated by Nayara Energy and half-owned by Rosneft.
• India imported over 2.6 million barrels per day of Russian crude in June and July, more than half its crude imports.
• All India-origin gasoline cargoes imported by Russia in August used sanctioned fleets and dark Mediterranean transfers.

Prelims pointers

• Niger said loyal forces regained a key military airbase in Niamey after an August 29, 2026 mutiny.
• The Alliance of Sahel States counter-terrorism unit at the base links Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.
• The airbase shares a complex with Niamey’s civilian airport and hosts aircraft, drones, Russian and Italian forces.
• Niger has been ruled by military officers since the July 2023 coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
• Tiani’s government has moved away from Western partners, strengthened Russian ties and broken with ECOWAS.

Prelims pointers

• Vacuum birefringence predicts that a sufficiently magnetised quantum vacuum changes light propagation in a crystal-like manner.
• The studied magnetar, 1E 1547.0-5408, is about 14,700 lightyears away and belongs to a rare subclass that also emits radio pulses.
• NASA’s IXPE satellite detected X-ray polarisation of up to 80% in some observations of the magnetar.
• The study combined IXPE data with the NICER instrument aboard the International Space Station and Australia’s Murriyang radio telescope.
• The detection remains indirect because polarised light was observed and the birefringence was inferred using a model of the magnetar’s geometry.

Prelims pointers

• The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is a roughly $4 billion NASA flagship observatory project.
• It is named after Nancy Grace Roman, who was NASA’s first chief astronomer.
• The planned launch vehicle was a SpaceX Falcon Heavy from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
• Roman is intended to travel toward Lagrange point 2, about 1.6 million km from Earth.
• Its main survey is expected to include over two billion galaxies and take more than a year.

Prelims pointers

• Opponents of restarting European Union accession talks won Iceland’s vote by 52.8% to 47.2%.
• The August 29 referendum involved roughly 265,000 eligible voters in a country of about 400,000 people.
• Reykjavik was the only part of Iceland where a majority supported resuming negotiations.
• Iceland is a NATO member and already benefits from the EU single market and the Schengen free-travel zone.
• Opponents stressed fishing, sovereignty, parliamentary influence and Iceland’s ability to negotiate its own trade deals.

Prelims pointers

• The study combined ultraviolet and X-ray observations from three payloads aboard Aditya-L1.
• SUIT observes through 11 near-ultraviolet filters, covering layers from the upper photosphere to the chromosphere.
• SoLEXS and HEL1OS measured X-ray emissions associated with energetic processes in the solar corona.
• Transient brightenings appeared before major flares and clustered around the locations where those flares later occurred.
• Some transient events had matching X-ray signatures, indicating a release of magnetic energy.

Prelims pointers

• All workers registered under MGNREGA were migrated to VB-G RAM G irrespective of completion of job-card e-KYC.
• The Ministry said e-KYC is a database-authentication measure, not a precondition for demanding employment.
• An exception mechanism is available for workers whose e-KYC remains pending when they demand work.
• e-KYC had been completed for 15.89 crore workers, including 10.27 crore of 10.84 crore active workers.
• Around 2.11 crore workers had been offered employment under VB-G RAM G at the time of the clarification.

Prelims pointers

• Foreign portfolio investors invested ₹30,919 crore in Indian equities in August 2026 after ₹20,200 crore in July.
• The two-month buying streak followed equity withdrawals in March, April, May and June 2026.
• FPIs remained net equity sellers in 2026, with withdrawals of ₹2.23 lakh crore at the time of the report.
• Foreign investors put ₹627 crore into debt through FAR and ₹289 crore through VRR.
• They withdrew ₹2,318 crore from the debt market through the general route.

Prelims pointers

• Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, 2026.
• The agreement commits all three members to mutual defence if any one of them is attacked.
• Istanbul was to host the grouping’s first ministerial meeting on August 31, 2026.
• The meeting was expected to establish a political and defence strategic committee of ministers and military chiefs.
• The planned agenda included international security, defence capabilities, armed-forces interoperability and defence-industry cooperation.

Prelims pointers

• The outcome list contains eleven MoUs or agreements and five separate announcements.
• The Cultural Exchange Programme between India and Uzbekistan covers the years 2026–2030.
• A Letter of Intent covers conservation and restoration of Fayaz Tepa and KaraTepa in Termez.
• The Lal Bahadur Shastri Scholarship announcement provides 100 scholarships for Hindi Language.
• The NIPL–NIPC commercial agreement will let Indian UPI apps scan Uzbekistan’s national UZQR for merchant payments.

Prelims pointers

• The India–Chile CEPA negotiating meeting took place in Santiago, Chile, on August 26, 2026.
• Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal met Vice-Minister Paula Estévez Weinstein to advance the negotiations.
• India stated its commitment to concluding the India–Chile CEPA negotiations within 2026.
• Priority sectors include healthcare, pharmaceuticals, energy, minerals, agriculture, machinery and engineering.
• The proposed CEPA is expected to foster cooperation in technology, talent and resilient supply chains.

Prelims pointers

• The Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026 were notified on August 27, 2026.
• The Rules come into force 180 days after publication in the Official Gazette.
• IST becomes the common reference for legal, administrative, commercial and other official purposes.
• The Rules allow NavIC and other approved Indian timing sources for reliable and secure time dissemination.
• A White Rabbit Technology-based IST demonstration network was commissioned at RRSL Bengaluru in July 2026.

Prelims pointers

• The National Biodiversity Authority disbursed ₹5.68 crore through the Access and Benefit-Sharing mechanism.
• For okra access covering 139 varieties and 28 hybrids, ₹3.51 crore went to 32 State and Union Territory bodies.
• The watermelon component covered 662 varieties and 15 hybrids, while cucumber covered 1,009 varieties and 14 hybrids.
• When market sourcing prevents tracing individual providers, benefit shares are distributed among cultivating States and Union Territories.
• NBA’s cumulative Access and Benefit-Sharing disbursements have crossed ₹191 crore.

Prelims pointers

• Mission Rangeen Machhli 2031 is a Strategic Action Plan for ornamental fisheries development.
• The plan was scheduled for release at Agatti, Lakshadweep, on August 31, 2026.
• Its SOPs cover broodstock, breeding, hatcheries, quarantine, traceability, aquarium operations, transport and trade.
• Lakshadweep has been notified as a dedicated Seaweed Cluster under the cluster-based fisheries approach.
• The release identifies yellowfin tuna and skipjack tuna as key high-value fisheries resources of Lakshadweep.

Prelims pointers

• Mission ShaktiSAT involves 12,000 girl students drawn from 108 countries.
• The second phase of Mission ShaktiSAT was launched on August 23, National Space Day.
• The second-phase launch took place at Gautam Buddha University in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
• Around 100 female students from India and other countries assembled for the second-phase launch.
• The mission is preparing a satellite developed through female students’ participation for lunar orbit.

Prelims pointers

• AISHE is an annual Ministry of Education survey that provides evidence on higher education institutions across India.
• Universities increased from 760 in 2014-15 to 1,289 in 2023-24, a stated rise of 69.6%.
• Higher education enrolment rose from 3.42 crore to 4.50 crore, while GER reached 30% in 2023-24.
• NEP 2020 targets a higher education Gross Enrolment Ratio of 50% by 2035.
• Female GER was 31.2% in 2023-24, above male GER of 28.9% for the seventh consecutive year.

Prelims pointers

• iFMS was developed and is technically supported by the National Informatics Centre for the Department of Fertilizers.
• The platform covers over 14 crore Aadhaar-linked buyers, more than 2.5 lakh retailers and around 7 crore metric tonnes of annual sales.
• iFMS integration with Haryana's Meri Fasal Mera Byora helped link fertilizer transactions with farmer, land and crop records.
• The Framework for Fertilizer Sale uses an AgriStack identity, land verification and a QR booking accessed at the PoS device.
• Vehicle Location Tracking combines dispatch and location data to identify fertilizer transit delays or unusual movement patterns.

Prelims pointers

• PM-SETU cluster projects combine one Hub ITI with four Spoke ITIs and can attract investment of up to ₹241 crore.
• The stated project funding pattern is 50% from the Centre, 33% from State governments and 17% from Industry Partners.
• In the proposed SPV, Anchor Industry Partners hold 51%, while the Centre and State governments hold 24.5% each.
• Uttar Pradesh identified 32 ITIs in eight PM-SETU clusters, with seven clusters still open for collaboration.
• Approved proposals represented over ₹1,500 crore across seven clusters in five States at the time of the conclave.

Prelims pointers

• The Aranmula Uthrittathi Vallamkali is held on the River Pamba and is associated with Onam and Vallasadya.
• The boat festival features decorated Palliyodams with more than a hundred oarsmen rowing in rhythm.
• The River Pamba forms an integral part of the Sabarimala pilgrimage and carries spiritual significance.
• Aranmula is associated with the ancient Sree Parthasarathy Temple and the GI-tagged Aranmula Kannadi.
• Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the festival on August 30, 2026.

Prelims pointers

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s State Visit to Uzbekistan took place from August 29 to 30, 2026.
• India and Uzbekistan agreed to elevate their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
• A Foreign Ministers-led mechanism will oversee implementation of bilateral agreements and priority initiatives.
• India’s USD 1 million Grant-in-Aid will support greening and ecological rehabilitation of the Aral Sea region.
• The latest India–Uzbekistan joint military exercise Dustlik was held in Namangan Region in April 2026.

Prelims pointers

• Delcy Rodriguez said the U.S.-Venezuela energy agreement would remain in force for 25 years.
• The bilateral project envisages development of 17 strategic oilfields and an initial target above 1.5 million barrels per day.
• The broader Venezuelan energy-expansion plan includes development of eight greenfield oil blocks.
• Venezuela was producing about 1.25 million barrels per day despite holding the world’s largest proven oil reserves.
• Rodriguez projected about $209 billion in state revenue using a benchmark oil price of $65 per barrel.

Prelims pointers

• A glacial collapse near the Nepal-China border in Rasuwa district triggered the August 26, 2026 flood disaster.
• Water, mud and debris surged through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems after the collapse.
• Four days after the flood, Nepal reported 788 deaths and 2,502 missing people.
• More than 900 hydropower-site workers were missing, while officials believed about 100 tunnel workers remained alive.
• Unidentified bodies were buried in Chitwan after DNA collection so that remains could later be exhumed if identified.

Prelims pointers

• Bangladesh and China are preparing a two-plus-two dialogue covering diplomatic and defence verticals.
• The dialogue is intended to begin at Minister of State level and later move to Foreign Minister level.
• Humaiun Kobir made the announcement after Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen met him in Dhaka on August 30, 2026.
• TRCMRP denotes the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project discussed by the two sides.
• Other discussions covered the China-Myanmar-Bangladesh corridor, CEIZ, Mongla Port modernisation and a possible Mongla EPZ.