Current Affairs Quiz - August 2026

Notes:
The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2026 rankings have been released. The EPI 2026 ranks 177 countries on environmental sustainability. It is developed by the Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy, CIESIN (Columbia University), and the Yale Center for Geospatial Solutions. The index evaluates 47 indicators under 12 environmental issue categories. It measures performance in climate change, ecosystem vitality, and environmental public health. Estonia ranked 1st with a score of 74.79. India ranked 176th out of 177 countries, with a score of 22.46. Laos ranked last (177th) in the index.

Notes:
Lovepreet Singh won the silver medal in the men’s 110 kg weightlifting event at the Commonwealth Games 2026. He set a Commonwealth Games record by lifting 176 kg in the snatch. Lovepreet lifted 212 kg in the clean and jerk, finishing with a total of 388 kg. David Liti (New Zealand) won the gold medal with a total lift of 389 kg. Andrew Griffiths (England) won the bronze medal with 356 kg.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet approved the Samudra Manthan National Offshore Exploration Scheme. It is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. The scheme has an outlay of ₹84,084 crore and will run till FY 2030–31. It aims to boost offshore oil and gas exploration and strengthen India’s energy security. It also seeks to increase domestic crude oil and natural gas production. The scheme was inspired by PM Narendra Modi’s “Samudra Manthan” vision announced on Independence Day 2025. It covers seismic surveys, deepwater drilling, scientific drilling, and offshore infrastructure development.

Notes:
AC Milan and Italy football legend Franco Baresi passed away at the age of 66 on 31 July 2026. He spent his entire 20-year playing career (1977–1997) with AC Milan. Baresi captained AC Milan for 15 seasons and made 719 appearances. He won 6 Serie A titles and 3 European Cup/UEFA Champions League titles with AC Milan. His No. 6 jersey was retired by AC Milan after his retirement. He played 81 matches for Italy and was part of the 1982 FIFA World Cup-winning team. He captained Italy in the 1994 FIFA World Cup Final, which Italy lost to Brazil on penalties.

Notes:
The 11th All India Police Judo Cluster Championship 2026 concluded in Hyderabad. The championship was hosted by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). It was organised under the All India Police Sports Control Board (AIPSCB). Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) became the overall champion with 203 points. CISF finished as the runner-up with 198 points. Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) secured the third position with 139 points.

Notes:
The Centre informed Parliament about the achievements of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme. The scheme has improved the Child Sex Ratio and promoted the empowerment of girls and women. It focuses on changing societal attitudes towards the girl child through awareness and behavioural change. During the 15th Finance Commission period, BBBP was expanded under the SAMBAL vertical of Mission Shakti. The scheme now covers all districts of the country through multi-sectoral interventions. According to Health Management Information System (HMIS) data, the national Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) improved from 918 (2014–15) to 929 (2025–26 provisional).

Notes:
The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme for 2026–27 to 2030–31. The scheme has been approved with a financial outlay of ₹3.15 lakh crore. PM-KISAN was launched in February 2019 to provide income support to eligible landholding farmer families. Under the scheme, eligible farmers receive ₹6,000 annually in three equal instalments through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The scheme uses Aadhaar-based authentication, digital verification, and DBT to ensure transparent and timely transfer of funds. Since its launch, more than ₹4.47 lakh crore has been transferred directly to farmers’ bank accounts.

Notes:
A massive Dhimsa dance performance at Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport, Bhogapuram (Andhra Pradesh) entered the Guinness World Records. 13,000 tribal girls from Classes VIII, IX, and X participated in the event. Dhimsa is a traditional tribal folk dance of the Araku Valley in Andhra Pradesh. It symbolises nature, unity, and community life.

Notes:
In a major conservation milestone, the Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) was photographed for the first time in the Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary. The Snow Leopard, known as the “Ghost of the Mountains,” is an endangered species. Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh. It is home to wildlife such as Himalayan black bear, leopard, musk deer, and rare pheasants. The discovery highlights the sanctuary’s rich Himalayan biodiversity.

Notes:
The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) disbursed ₹8.22 crore under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism for the use of Indian rice varieties. The funds were received from M/s Pioneer Overseas Corporation for developing hybrid rice seeds using Indian rice (Oryza sativa). Uttar Pradesh received the highest allocation of over ₹73 lakh. NBA is a statutory body established under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).