Daily Current Affairs Quiz: March 8-9, 2026

Notes:
Centre for Science and Environment released State of India’s Environment 2026 report, published yearly since 1982, reviewing floods, extreme weather, wildlife behaviour and air pollution in India. Report warns global temperature may cross 1.5°C, showing the world is nearing a climate tipping point. In 2025, extreme weather occurred on 99% of days, causing 4,419 deaths and damaging 17.41 million hectares crops. States like Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh experienced the highest number of extreme weather days. The report stresses the need to shift from disaster relief to climate-resilient planning and infrastructure.

Notes:
The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) was recently used by the United States for the first time in operations by United States Central Command during the conflict with Iran. It is a surface-to-surface guided ballistic missile designed to strike long-distance targets with very high precision. The missile is developed mainly for the United States Army by Lockheed Martin, a major US aerospace and defence company. It has an open system architecture and modular design, allowing upgrades and integration with new technologies.

Notes:
The Union Minister for Earth Sciences recently visited the Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) plant at Kavaratti in Lakshadweep to review desalination facilities. Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) is a technology that converts seawater into drinking water by using temperature differences in ocean water. The project is implemented by National Institute of Ocean Technology under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. LTTD plants operate on eight Lakshadweep islands including Kavaratti, Minicoy, Agatti and Kalpeni, improving year-round drinking water supply.

Notes:
Health officials in Maryland, United States recently reported an increase in mumps cases and issued a health alert. Mumps is a contagious viral disease caused by the mumps virus, which belongs to the paramyxovirus group. The disease mainly causes painful swelling of the parotid salivary glands (parotitis) near the ears and jaw. Humans are the only host, and the virus spreads through respiratory droplets from sneezing, coughing, or contact with infected saliva. There is no specific treatment, and medicines mainly relieve symptoms.

Notes:
Entomologists discovered two new species of fruit flies named Acidoxantha paratotoflava and Hemilea suneriae in the Himalayan foothills of Solan district in Himachal Pradesh. Acidoxantha paratotoflava is a medium-sized greenish-yellow fly with four black stripes on its thorax and large black spots on its abdomen. The species also has distinct hook-like structures in the male anatomy, which help in identification. Hemilea suneriae is a reddish-brown fruit fly with prominent black dots on its body. It has a unique wing pattern with a single clear “window” (hyaline indentation) in a dark wing area, unlike related species that usually have two. The discovery adds to India’s insect biodiversity and improves scientific knowledge of fruit fly taxonomy.