Current Affairs Quiz - January 2026

Notes:
Researchers from Kerala and Tamil Nadu discovered two new rare ant fly species from India. The species are Metadon ghorpadei and Metadon reemeri of subfamily Microdontinae (Syrphidae). Their larvae live inside ant nests and feed on ant brood, a behaviour called myrmecophily. Metadon ghorpadei was found in Delhi’s northern ridge, a disturbed urban forest of the Aravalli range. Metadon reemeri was discovered in the Siruvani hills of the Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu. The discovery highlights the biodiversity value of urban forests and protected hotspots.

Notes:
The Centre for Trade and Investment Law (CTIL), in collaboration with Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), organised the 9th International Conference on Law and Economics at GNLU, Gandhinagar. The Conference focused on empirical and applied law and economics, governance, trade policy, and inclusive public policy. It featured panel discussions, technical sessions, and plenary talks over three days, bringing together academics, judiciary members, industry leaders, and policymakers.

Notes:
The 2nd Global Buddhist Summit is scheduled to take place in January 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. It is organised by the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) with the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. The theme is “Collective Wisdom, United Voice, Mutual Coexistence”. The summit aims to promote Buddhist values like compassion, wisdom, harmony, and peace.

Notes:
A 19-year-old college girl in Tamil Nadu died after consuming borax for weight loss. Borax is also called sodium tetraborate decahydrate, a white powdery mineral. It is composed of boron, sodium, and oxygen. It is used in glass and pottery glazes, metallurgy, welding flux, fertilizer additive, soap, disinfectant, mouthwash, and water softener. It naturally occurs in evaporite deposits from seasonal lake evaporation and can be synthetically produced.

Notes:
The red-eared slider turtle, spread through the pet trade, is threatening freshwater bodies in Coimbatore. It is among the world’s most widely introduced freshwater turtles, found on all continents except Antarctica. This predominantly aquatic species is identified by red stripes behind each ear. It is highly adaptable, survives harsh conditions, and thrives in non-native habitats. It lives 20–50 years in the wild and is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Notes:
National Girl Child Day is celebrated every year in India on January 24 to focus on the rights, education, health, nutrition, and overall welfare of girls. It was initiated in 2008 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) to raise awareness about gender discrimination and promote equal opportunities. The day highlights the critical role of girls in building a brighter, equitable future and aligns with India’s vision of women-led development and Viksit Bharat by 2047. It addresses issues such as gender bias, female foeticide, poor child sex ratio, child marriage, and barriers to education and health.

Notes:
One District One Product (ODOP) empowers local artisans, revives traditional skills, and creates livelihoods. The initiative has scaled nationwide, transforming more than 770 districts into economic hubs. It was started in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh (2018) with brassware as the district’s signature product. ODOP is now India’s most celebrated local economic transformation program. E-commerce initiatives like the Government e-Marketplace (GeM)–ODOP Bazaar showcase and promote India’s finest ODOP products.

Notes:
India will debut its Long-Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Glide Missile (LR-AShM) at the 77th Republic Day parade, marking entry into the hypersonic anti-ship weapons club. LR-AShM is an indigenous missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Navy. It is designed to destroy high-value naval targets like aircraft carrier battle groups at very long ranges. The missile enhances maritime deterrence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and strengthens Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) capability.

Notes:
The Gandak River, flowing along the India–Nepal border through West Champaran in Bihar, has become the second-largest habitat of gharials after the Chambal River. Sustained conservation efforts by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change have driven this recovery. Adult gharial numbers in the Gandak increased from 54 in 2015 to over 400 in 2025, while the total population including juveniles crossed 1,000. The Chambal River remains the largest habitat with over 2,400 gharials.

Notes:
The Punjab government launched the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, a universal health insurance scheme providing free cashless medical treatment up to ₹10 lakh per family. The scheme covers all 65 lakh families in Punjab, benefiting nearly three crore residents. Eligibility requires possession of an Aadhaar card and voter card. It includes more than 2,500 medical procedures across government and empanelled private hospitals, covering specialties like cardiology, oncology, neurology, nephrology, orthopaedics, general medicine, and urology.