Current Affairs [Top Questions]

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India’s Environment Minister recently announced that India will host a Global Big Cats Summit 2026 in New Delhi, calling for stronger global cooperation. The announcement was made at the COP30 high-level ministerial segment on the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA). India is home to major big cats like the Royal Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Lion, Indian Leopard, Snow Leopard, and Clouded Leopard. India has doubled its tiger population ahead of schedule and increased its Asiatic lion numbers. India built comprehensive wildlife databases and strengthened protected areas and corridors with community participation.

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Ukraine recently used US-supplied Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles to strike targets inside Russia, marking an important development in the current conflict. Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) is a United States (US) made surface-to-surface ballistic missile series developed in the 1980s by Lockheed Martin. The missile was first used in the 1991 Persian Gulf War and is also operated by Bahrain, Greece, South Korea, Taiwan and the UAE. It is an all-weather, inertially guided ballistic missile with a 305 km range and single-stage solid propulsion.

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World Toilet Day is observed every year on 19 November to raise awareness about the global sanitation crisis. It highlights the importance of safe and accessible toilets for public health, dignity, and environmental protection. The day was inspired by Singaporean philanthropist Jack Sim, who founded the NGO World Toilet Organisation (WTO) on 19 November. The United Nations (UN) recognised water and sanitation as human rights in 2010 and officially declared World Toilet Day on 14 July 2013. The theme for World Toilet Day 2025 is ‘Sanitation in a Changing World,’ focusing on future-ready sanitation systems.

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Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT-D) retained its position as India’s most sustainable university in the QS University Sustainability Rankings 2026, securing rank 205 with a score of 83.1. It was followed by IIT Bombay (235) and IIT Kharagpur (236). IIT Delhi also entered the top 100 globally for employability, ranking 93rd, while IIT Kharagpur ranked 96th. India now has 103 universities in the rankings, with 32 improving their positions. Six IITs showed major progress since the ranking began.

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Cyclone Ditwah has formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal and is moving towards Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry. Ditwah is the third cyclone in the Bay of Bengal after the October-November monsoon season. The name “Ditwah”, suggested by Yemen, means “lagoon”, referring to Detwah Lagoon on Socotra Island, highlighting Yemen’s coastal and maritime heritage.

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India is increasing its military presence in Lakshadweep with a new naval detachment on Bitra Island becoming fully operational next year. Air Force facilities are also being expanded on Agatti and Minicoy islands. Bitra Island is located in the northern region of Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea and is the smallest inhabited island of the Union Territory. The island holds strategic importance due to its key position in the Arabian Sea. Bitra will become the third island in Lakshadweep with a defence establishment, joining INS Dweeprakshak in Kavaratti and INS Jatayu in Minicoy.

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National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) is now receiving about 45,000 requests per month, showing increased use by security agencies. It is a real-time intelligence and data-access platform created after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks (2008). It operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India. It integrates more than 20 categories of data like bank transactions, telecom records, passport and immigration data, tax identification, and police First Information Reports (FIRs) via CCTNS (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems).

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The seventh United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) is currently taking place in Nairobi, Kenya. UNEA is the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment, created in 2012 following the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Brazil. It has universal membership of all 193 UN Member States, with the full involvement of major groups and stakeholders. The theme of United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) (2025) is “Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet”.

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Maharashtra has become the first Indian state to empower its police with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered platform for faster cybercrime investigations. MahaCrimeOS AI was unveiled on December 12, 2025, at the Microsoft Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tour in Mumbai. The platform is developed by CyberEye in partnership with the Maharashtra Government’s Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) MARVEL and Microsoft India Development Center (IDC). MahaCrimeOS AI is currently live in 23 police stations in Nagpur and may expand to all 1,100 police stations. The system uses AI and Microsoft Azure to help police resolve cybercrime cases faster amid rising cybercrime incidents.

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Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi received Ethiopia’s highest civilian honour, “The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia,” from Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The award was conferred during a special ceremony at the Addis International Convention Centre. It recognises Modi’s exceptional contribution to strengthening India–Ethiopia partnership and his global leadership. He became the first head of state/head of government globally to receive this honour. He dedicated the award to the 1.4 billion (140 crore) people of India.