---
title: "Daily Current Affairs: 26 October 2026"
date_published: "2026-10-26"
date_modified: "2026-10-26T08:00:00+05:30"
language: "en-IN"
audience: "UPSC, SSC, banking and government exam aspirants"
content_type: "daily-current-affairs-briefing"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailyconnects.in/news/26_10_2026"
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content_url: "https://www.dailyconnects.in/news/26_10_2026.md"
---

# Daily Current Affairs: 26 October 2026

Daily current affairs for 26 October 2026 with exam-focused key facts, connected news context, and revision notes for UPSC, SSC, banking and government exams.

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## Editorial Note

Last updated: 26 October 2026. This briefing is structured for current affairs revision, with key updates and related coverage links to help readers connect recurring topics across days.

## Top Current Affairs To Revise Today

- NHAI routes 80% of FY monetisation pipeline through its sponsored InvITs
- CAST and India's National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) Sign Five-Year MoU to Boost U.S.–India Agricultural Science Collaboration
- International Finance Corporation extends $150 million social loan to State Bank of India for rural women
- Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Highlights UPI's Nearly 80 Crore Daily Transactions
- Reserve Bank of India Study Reveals Banks Transmit Monetary Policy Tightening More Effectively Than Easing to Lending Rates
- Road Ministry Drafts Rule for Automatic Emergency Braking in New Cars from October 2030

## NHAI routes 80% of FY monetisation pipeline through its sponsored InvITs

### Key Updates

- The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has allocated nearly 80% of this financial year's monetisation pipeline to the two Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) it sponsors.
- Of 17 operational highway stretches spanning 1,692 km earmarked for monetisation via ToT and InvIT structures this financial year, NHAI will route 1,360 km through the InvIT platform.
- In July, NHAI completed its first Toll-Operate-Transfer (ToT) transaction of the financial year, monetising 184.5 km of highways in Tamil Nadu under ToT Bundle 19 for Rs 2,259 crore.
- Bidding is open for ToT Bundles 20, 21 and 22 as NHAI targets Rs 30,000 crore in asset monetisation this year.
- InvIT monetisation proceeds are used exclusively for debt repayment, and NHAI plans to reduce its outstanding debt, now below Rs 2 lakh crore, from a peak of Rs 3.42 lakh crore at the end of 2022-23.
- The public InvIT Raajmarg Infra Investment Trust (RIIT) has been offered 10 stretches totalling 910 km this financial year; in its debut last year, RIIT acquired 260 km of roads for Rs 9,500 crore, with NHAI holding 15% of its units.
- National Highway Infra Trust (NHIT) has been offered 450 km of roads in its sixth acquisition round; last year it acquired highways for Rs 6,550 crore, with NHAI's unit share reduced to 10%.
- RIIT units are open to retail investors, while NHIT's unit holders are Indian and overseas investment funds.
- NHAI has prepared a three-year monetisation strategy to meet the Rs 4.42 lakh crore roads-sector monetisation target over five years; the second National Monetisation Pipeline targets Rs 16.32 lakh crore by 2029-30, with highways accounting for 26%.

### Related Current Affairs Coverage

- [NHAI Announces Winners of ‘Green Highways Excellence Awards 2026’](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/09/nhai-announces-winners-of-green-highways-excellence-awards-2026)
- [NHAI Releases Guidelines for Upgradation, Maintenance and Smart Monitoring of Toilets and Parking at Toll Plazas](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/nhai-releases-guidelines-for-upgradation-maintenance-and-smart-monitoring-of-toi)
- [NHAI extends exempted FASTag validity for Divyangjan and PwD users to three or five years from October 2, 2026](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/nhai-extends-exempted-fastag-validity-for-divyangjan-and-pwd-users-to-three-or-f)
- [NHAI Adds Toll Plaza Feedback Option to Rajmargyatra App for Rating Highway Toll Services](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/nhai-adds-toll-plaza-feedback-option-to-rajmargyatra-app-for-rating-highway-toll)

## CAST and India's National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) Sign Five-Year MoU to Boost U.S.–India Agricultural Science Collaboration

### Key Updates

- The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST), based in Ames, Iowa, and India's National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), based in New Delhi, signed a five-year memorandum of understanding on Oct. 20, 2026, during the 2026 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue in Des Moines.
- Proposed initial activities include a jointly hosted webinar, a jointly produced science communication or policy product, a leadership exchange on strengthening scientific organizations, a possible CAST–NAAS Distinguished Agricultural Science Lecture series, and mentoring and scientific exchanges for students and early-career scientists.
- CAST President P.V. Vara Prasad is a university distinguished professor at Kansas State University, while NAAS President M.L. Jat is secretary of India's Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and director general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
- Shared areas of interest include food and nutrition security, water availability and quality, adapting agriculture to environmental stresses, artificial intelligence and digital farming tools, biotechnology and gene editing, renewable energy, and protecting natural resources.
- CAST is an independent nonprofit founded in 1972 and based in Ames, Iowa, while NAAS was established in 1990 and is based in New Delhi.

### Related Current Affairs Coverage

- [India and Ghana sign five-year agricultural research MoU between ICAR and CSIR-CRI](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/india-and-ghana-sign-five-year-agricultural-research-mou-between-icar-and-csir-c)
- [India and New Zealand ink customs pact for electronic exchange of trade origin data](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/india-and-new-zealand-ink-customs-pact-for-electronic-exchange-of-trade-origin-d)
- [India's NTPC and Africa50 Sign Cooperation Agreement to Develop Power Projects Across Africa](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/india-s-ntpc-and-africa50-sign-cooperation-agreement-to-develop-power-projects-a)
- [India and Netherlands Sign Tripartite MoUs for Technical Cooperation on Gujarat's Kalpasar Project](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/09/india-and-netherlands-sign-tripartite-mous-for-technical-cooperation-on-gujarat)

## International Finance Corporation extends $150 million social loan to State Bank of India for rural women

### Key Updates

- The International Finance Corporation (IFC) extended a $150 million social loan to State Bank of India, which represents its first-ever credit line to a public-sector bank.
- The transaction is expected to support nearly 8,64,000 rural women engaged in agriculture and allied activities across India.
- The social loan is designed to benefit women across agricultural value chains, including crop cultivation, animal husbandry, fisheries, and food processing.
- Nearly 90 per cent of the financing will be channeled through women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
- The remaining funds will support women entrepreneurs under SBI’s Svayam Siddha Scheme.
- IFC and SBI signed a derivative partnership under an ISDA Master Agreement, making SBI IFC’s first domestic swap counterparty in India and South Asia.
- The swap arrangement is intended to strengthen IFC’s ability to source rupee-denominated funding and reduce foreign exchange risk for borrowers.

### Related Current Affairs Coverage

- [UN Women Statement Marks International Day of Rural Women on 15 October 2026 with Theme on Rural Women Farmers](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/un-women-statement-marks-international-day-of-rural-women-on-15-october-2026-wit)
- [National Campaign on Entrepreneurship-II Launched to Train Five Lakh SHG Women](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/08/national-campaign-on-entrepreneurship-ii-launched-to-train-five-lakh-shg-women)
- [World Bank Group Mobilises $36 Billion Private Capital in India Over Four Years, Including $9.6 Billion for MSMEs](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/world-bank-group-mobilises-36-billion-private-capital-in-india-over-four-years-i)
- [Microfinance institutions hold 43% of ₹3.3 lakh crore loan portfolio in June 2026, per TransUnion CIBIL data](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/microfinance-institutions-hold-43-of-3-3-lakh-crore-loan-portfolio-in-june-2026)

## Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Highlights UPI's Nearly 80 Crore Daily Transactions

### Key Updates

- Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has emerged as the world's largest real-time payment system, processing nearly 80 crore transactions a day.
- UPI handles more than 2,400 crore transactions every month, reflecting the widespread adoption of digital payments in everyday life.
- UPI transactions have increased nearly 13,000-fold since 2016–17.
- The fintech ecosystem built around UPI is helping more people access financial services, including credit, insurance and investment products, many for the first time.
- The government granted infrastructure status to data centres in 2022, which Sitharaman described as the 'vault of the digital age'.
- The Union Budget 2026–27 announced a tax holiday for foreign companies offering global cloud services through data centres located in India.
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) new campus will house key payment infrastructure, including the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) and National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) systems.
- The RBI campus will also include a training institute and a dedicated research wing focused on cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and data centres.

### Related Current Affairs Coverage

- [NPCI's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) expands international acceptance to 11 countries](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/npci-s-unified-payments-interface-upi-expands-international-acceptance-to-11-cou)
- [National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) records highest-ever UPI transaction volume of 24.51 billion in August](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/09/national-payments-corporation-of-india-npci-records-highest-ever-upi-transaction)
- [UPI average daily transactions top 800 million for first time as September volume reaches 24.07 billion](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/upi-average-daily-transactions-top-800-million-for-first-time-as-september-volum)
- [Finance Ministry Announces UPI Completes 10 Years with 13,000-Fold Rise in Transaction Volume](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/08/finance-ministry-announces-upi-completes-10-years-with-13-000-fold-rise-in-trans)

## Reserve Bank of India Study Reveals Banks Transmit Monetary Policy Tightening More Effectively Than Easing to Lending Rates

### Key Updates

- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) study found that banks transmit monetary policy changes more fully during a tightening cycle than during an easing cycle.
- During the tightening cycle between March 2022 and January 2025, banks passed on 76.4% of a cumulative 250-basis-point repo rate hike through contracted lending rates.
- The Weighted Average Lending Rate (WALR) increased by 181 basis points during the tightening cycle following a 250-basis-point repo rate hike.
- During the easing cycle between February 2025 and March 2026, banks transmitted 64% of a cumulative 125-basis-point repo rate cut to contracted lending rates.
- The WALR saw a decline of 93 basis points during the easing cycle following a 125-basis-point repo rate cut.
- Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) recorded the most significant impact on fresh-loan WALR during the easing cycle.
- MSME lending rates declined by 122 basis points between February 2025 and March 2026.
- MSMEs contributed 24 basis points to the overall decline in the banking system's WALR during the easing cycle.
- Education loan rates recorded the sharpest decline among analyzed segments, falling by 162 basis points during the easing cycle.
- In March 2026, fresh lending rates increased by 12 basis points despite the easing stance.

### Related Current Affairs Coverage

- [Reserve Bank of India (RBI) holds repo rate at 5.25%, retains neutral stance for fourth straight meeting](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/08/reserve-bank-of-india-rbi-holds-repo-rate-at-5-25-retains-neutral-stance-for-fou)
- [Reserve Bank of India (RBI) MPC Raises Repo Rate by 25 Bps to 5.50%, Shifts Stance to Calibrated Tightening](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/reserve-bank-of-india-rbi-mpc-raises-repo-rate-by-25-bps-to-5-50-shifts-stance-t)
- [RBI Bulletin confirms banks passed on 93 bps lending rate cut following RBI's 125 bps repo reduction.](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/rbi-bulletin-confirms-banks-passed-on-93-bps-lending-rate-cut-following-rbi-s-12)
- [RBI Hikes Bank Rate to 5.75 Per Cent, Revises Penal Interest Rates on CRR and SLR Shortfalls](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/rbi-hikes-bank-rate-to-5-75-per-cent-revises-penal-interest-rates-on-crr-and-slr)

## Road Ministry Drafts Rule for Automatic Emergency Braking in New Cars from October 2030

### Key Updates

- The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) issued a draft notification dated October 19, 2026, proposing that M1 category vehicles (cars) be fitted with Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS) conforming to AIS-185 from October 1, 2030 for new models and October 1, 2032 for all models still in production.
- AEBS provides automatic braking if a driver fails to respond in an emergency, to avoid a crash or reduce collision impact.
- A revised braking standard and mandatory electronic stability control systems (AIS 162) for trucks take effect from October 1, 2027.
- The draft rules will be considered after 30 days from the date the notification is published and made available in the Gazette of India.

### Related Current Affairs Coverage

- [Supreme Court Orders Insurance Cover For All Counter-Sold Train Tickets From October 27, 2026](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/supreme-court-orders-insurance-cover-for-all-counter-sold-train-tickets-from-oct)
- [MoRTH Draft Notification Proposes 600W Motor Limit for Registration-Free Low-Speed Electric Scooters](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/09/morth-draft-notification-proposes-600w-motor-limit-for-registration-free-low-spe)
- [Centre Proposes Rules for Two-Wheeled Ambulances to Boost Emergency Medical Access](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/08/centre-proposes-rules-for-two-wheeled-ambulances-to-boost-emergency-medical-acce)
- [Government Notifies CAFE-III Norms Targeting About 17% Better Car Fuel Efficiency by 2032](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/government-notifies-cafe-iii-norms-targeting-about-17-better-car-fuel-efficiency)

## Centre relaxes Central Motor Vehicles Rules to permit flex-fuel vehicles using up to E100 ethanol

### Key Updates

- The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) notified changes to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, allowing flex-fuel vehicles that can run on up to E100, nearly pure ethanol.
- Fuel beyond E20 and up to E100 is meant only for vehicles designed and certified to use it; vehicles using E20 or normal fuel cannot use E85 or E100.
- The government raised the vehicle weight limit for light petrol and diesel vehicles affected by these changes to 3,500 kg from the earlier 3,000 kg threshold.
- Maruti Suzuki launched India's first flex-fuel passenger vehicle, the Wagon R Flex Fuel, in June this year, capable of running on ethanol-petrol blends from E20 to E100.
- India has already rolled out E20 fuel containing 20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent petrol as part of its strategy to reduce dependence on imported crude oil.
- Major automakers including Toyota, Tata Motors, and Hyundai are developing flex-fuel vehicles for the Indian market.
- Earlier draft amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, also aimed to provide for wider use of fuels such as E85, B100 biodiesel, and hydrogen-CNG combinations.

### Related Current Affairs Coverage

- [DGFT Approves Import of 642 UK Cars Under India-UK FTA Quota](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/09/dgft-approves-import-of-642-uk-cars-under-india-uk-fta-quota)
- [Government Notifies CAFE-III Norms Targeting About 17% Better Car Fuel Efficiency by 2032](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/government-notifies-cafe-iii-norms-targeting-about-17-better-car-fuel-efficiency)
- [India to Phase In BS-VII Emission Norms Aligned with Euro 7 Between April 2029 and April 2035](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/india-to-phase-in-bs-vii-emission-norms-aligned-with-euro-7-between-april-2029-a)
- [PM E-DRIVE scheme supports 26.59 lakh EVs with ₹11,900-crore outlay running till March 2028](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/pm-e-drive-scheme-supports-26-59-lakh-evs-with-11-900-crore-outlay-running-till)

## TRAI Recommends Light-Touch Authorisation Framework for Application-based Linear Television Distribution (ALTD) Services

### Key Updates

- TRAI released its Recommendations on the Authorisation Framework for Application-based Linear Television Distribution (ALTD) Services on 26 October 2026.
- The recommendations follow a reference from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) dated 15 December 2025 under Section 11(1)(a) of the TRAI Act, 1997, seeking a regulatory framework for Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST) Services.
- TRAI issued a Consultation Paper on 6 April 2026, received 207 comments and 11 counter-comments, and held an Open House Discussion on 10 June 2026.
- ALTD Service is recommended as a distinct sub-category under 'Television Channel Distribution Services' within the broadcasting authorisation framework under Section 3(1)(a) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
- Authorisation terms should be notified as Rules under Section 56 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, with authorisation, channel registration and reporting processes enabled through an online portal.
- The light-touch framework includes a national service area, initial validity of 20 years renewable for successive 10-year periods, ₹10,000 application processing fee and ₹1 lakh one-time entry fee, with no authorisation fee, bank guarantee or security deposit.
- The Application Provider is the primary entity responsible for obtaining authorisation and serves as the primary point of contact for consumer complaints and grievance redressal.
- OEMs and OS providers must ensure only authorised ALTD applications are available through their devices and app stores, submit annual compliance reports to MIB, which will maintain a 'Master ALTD app repository'.
- ALTD viewership is to be integrated into the television audience measurement framework, with providers permitted to publish anonymised periodic viewership data under the TV Ratings Policy, 2026.

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- [No monopoly in India; satcom firms must clear security norms before launch: Communications Minister Scindia](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/no-monopoly-in-india-satcom-firms-must-clear-security-norms-before-launch-commun)
- [Trai Unveils Digital Connectivity Rating Platform to Certify In-Building Connectivity](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/09/trai-unveils-digital-connectivity-rating-platform-to-certify-in-building-connect)
- [Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) Unveils Five New Initiatives at Aadhaar Samvaad in Kolkata on 17th Aadhaar Day](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/unique-identification-authority-of-india-uidai-unveils-five-new-initiatives-at-a)
- [DoT mandates Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) on 4G and newer networks from November 1, 2026](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/dot-mandates-calling-name-presentation-cnap-on-4g-and-newer-networks-from-novemb)

## Goa launches governance AI hackathon, Granthika records initiative and rural AI report at Panaji conclave

### Key Updates

- The Goa AI Hackathon was launched at the Goa AI Tech Conclave 2026 in Panaji to encourage technology-based solutions for governance and public service delivery through a phased implementation strategy.
- Granthika is designed to digitise and preserve historical, legal and manuscript records through citizen participation, including elderly people.
- The conclave launched the Living Library of Goa Rural AI report by Hyprlocl and felicitated 12 Drone Didis who completed foundational drone training and are progressing to advanced courses.
- The first batch of 10 AI trainees trained by TAWAI Studio was showcased.

### Related Current Affairs Coverage

- [Goa's new AI policy: Rs 250-crore innovation fund and target of 50,000 AI-ready professionals by 2030](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/goa-s-new-ai-policy-rs-250-crore-innovation-fund-and-target-of-50-000-ai-ready-p)

## Kerala Approves Co-Kerala, India's First Cooperative Airline, With Rs 400 Crore Funding Model

### Key Updates

- Kerala has approved the country's first cooperative airline, provisionally named Co-Kerala, announced by Chief Minister V D Satheesan.
- The airline will be managed by the Kerala Civil Aviation Development Cooperative Society, led by MVR Cancer Centre Chairman C N Vijayakrishnan.
- The venture will be a public-private partnership modelled after Cochin International Airport Limited, with the Chief Minister as Chairman and the State Cooperative Minister as Vice-Chairman.
- Around 200 cooperative societies will invest Rs 2 crore each as equity shares, raising Rs 400 crore without financial burden on the state government.
- Headquartered at Nedumbassery in Kochi, the airline will start with two leased 72-seater aircraft connecting Kerala with Kozhikode, Kannur, Mangaluru, Bengaluru, Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai, expanding later to four and then six aircraft.
- Ticket fares are proposed between Rs 3,500 and Rs 7,000, with discounted last-minute fares for unsold seats up to an hour before departure.
- The project is expected to create around 200 jobs initially, with plans for aviation training institutes.

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- [Singapore Airlines Takes Top Spot in Skytrax World Airline Awards 2026 as Air India Emerges as Leading Indian Carrier](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/singapore-airlines-takes-top-spot-in-skytrax-world-airline-awards-2026-as-air-in)
- [Megamax Aviation's Air Ayodhya Secures Civil Aviation Ministry NOC to Fly Uttar Pradesh Towns Under UDAN](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/megamax-aviation-s-air-ayodhya-secures-civil-aviation-ministry-noc-to-fly-uttar)
- [Kerala State Biodiversity Board Begins India’s First-Ever Red List Assessment of Ecosystems](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/kerala-state-biodiversity-board-begins-india-s-first-ever-red-list-assessment-of)
- [Akasa Air and BPCL Fly Commercial Flight Using 1 Percent SAF Blend](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/09/akasa-air-and-bpcl-fly-commercial-flight-using-1-percent-saf-blend)

## Supreme Court notes 14 states back judicial retirement age of 62, declines individual urgent pleas

### Key Updates

- On October 26, 2026, the Supreme Court expressed satisfaction that 14 states had agreed to raise district judicial officers’ retirement age from 60 to 62 years.
- The court refused urgent listing of separate pleas by judges nearing or just past retirement, stating that the issue was between the Supreme Court and the states.
- The petition seeks a uniform increase in the retirement age of district judiciary judges to 62 years across the country.
- In its earlier September 4 directions, the court had asked consenting states to amend service rules, preferably within two months, with the extension subject to the High Court’s suitability assessment.

### Related Current Affairs Coverage

- [Supreme Court Directs States to Raise Retirement Age of District Judiciary to 62](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/09/supreme-court-directs-states-to-raise-retirement-age-of-district-judiciary-to-62)

## First National SARAS Mela 2026 at Vijayawada Showcases Lakhpati Didi Enterprises with Turnovers up to ₹1 Crore

### Key Updates

- The First National SARAS Mela, organised by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) with the Government of Andhra Pradesh and support from NABARD, NIRDPR and Kudumbashree, is being held at Punnami Ghat, Vijayawada till 31 October 2026, open daily from 11:00 am to 9:30 pm.
- A Lakhpati Didi is a woman from a self-help group (SHG) household with a sustainable annual household income of at least ₹1 lakh, under the Prime Minister's vision of six crore Lakhpati Didis by 2029, supported through the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
- Chandrakala of Lotus SHG, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, runs a woodcarving enterprise with annual turnover over ₹1 crore, employment for over 100 members, and supplies through the Lepakshi emporium.
- Siddhi of Mahamaya SHG, North Goa, runs an ethnic wear business with annual turnover of ₹60 lakh, sending orders via India Post to Singapore, the UAE and the USA, and aims to create work for around 100 more women in Goa.
- Kunwari Barwa's farmer producer organisation in Gumla, Jharkhand, formed in 2022 with 381 members and now 1,501 members, makes ragi products with monthly sales of ₹6-7 lakh and provides regular work for over 150 women.
- Singampalli Parwathi of Anakapalli district, Andhra Pradesh, built a cashew-processing enterprise with annual turnover of about ₹50 lakh, processing cashews into 11 grades, using loans of ₹20,000 and ₹50,000 from her farmer producer group plus ₹2 lakh from the group and ₹3 lakh under the Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP).
- President Droupadi Murmu, inaugurating the Mela, encouraged women to grow enterprises beyond the Lakhpati milestone and noted that SARAS Melas would be organised every year in different states.
- The Lakhpati Didi Pavilion at the Mela features a 16-foot installation titled 'SHAKTI - The Spirit of Lakhpati Didi'.

### Related Current Affairs Coverage

- [National SARAS Mela 2026: President Droupadi Murmu to Inaugurate First Mela outside Delhi-NCR at Vijayawada from 13-31 October](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/national-saras-mela-2026-president-droupadi-murmu-to-inaugurate-first-mela-outsi)
- [PMAY-Gramin 2.0: Centre Sanctions 3 Lakh Houses Worth ₹3,600 Crore for Andhra Pradesh; Foundation Laid for India's First 3D Concrete-Printed Housing Project](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/pmay-gramin-2-0-centre-sanctions-3-lakh-houses-worth-3-600-crore-for-andhra-prad)

## Counter-ticket travel insurance rollout scheduled for October 27 with digital-only payment of fare and premium

### Key Updates

- The Railway Board, in its letter dated October 24, 2026, directed PRS reservation counters to be ready to offer optional travel insurance from October 27, 2026.
- Where a passenger opts for insurance at the counter, the insurance premium and ticket fare must both be collected through digital means only.
- The premium is 45 paise per passenger inclusive of taxes, effective from February 17, 2024; on ticket cancellation, 9 paise is deducted from the premium along with other cancellation charges.
- The existing scheme covers Rs 10 lakh for death or permanent total disability, Rs 7.5 lakh for permanent partial disability, Rs 2 lakh for hospitalisation expenses for injuries, and Rs 10,000 for transportation of mortal remains.
- Optional insurance is available for confirmed (CNF), Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) and partially confirmed (PartCNF) tickets; travelling passengers on a partially confirmed PNR can obtain insurance at 45 paise per passenger.
- Passengers' mobile numbers are mandatory, and staff must accurately record passenger details so the information can reach the insurance company for policy issuance.
- CRIS is undertaking system development and integration with IRCTC; software testing is underway, with implementation scheduled for October 27 and zonal railways responsible for field-level preparedness.

### Related Current Affairs Coverage

- [Supreme Court Orders Insurance Cover For All Counter-Sold Train Tickets From October 27, 2026](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/supreme-court-orders-insurance-cover-for-all-counter-sold-train-tickets-from-oct)

## IIIT-Bangalore and Poland's AGH University of Krakow sign MoU covering AI and Quantum Technologies collaboration

### Key Updates

- IIIT-Bangalore and AGH University of Krakow, Poland, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on October 23, 2026, for academic and research collaboration, with the MoU exchanged in the presence of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Karnataka Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar.
- The MoU was signed by Prof. Debabrata Das, Director of IIIT-Bangalore, and Mr Rao Maddukuri, Senior Advisor at AGH University of Krakow.
- The MoU promotes collaboration in Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Technologies and other emerging technologies, covering joint research, joint academic programmes, exchange of academic materials, and faculty and student mobility.
- Other cooperation areas include joint seminars, symposia, educational conferences, career guidance, promotional-information events, and participation in winter and summer schools.

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- [C-DAC and Bank of India Collaborate on Quantum Financial Innovation and Emerging Technologies](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/c-dac-and-bank-of-india-collaborate-on-quantum-financial-innovation-and-emerging)

## DAC chaired by Rajnath Singh approves defence capital acquisition proposals of about ₹2.12 lakh crore for Army, Navy and Air Force

### Key Updates

- The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, cleared capital acquisition proposals of the Defence Forces worth around ₹2.12 lakh crore on October 26, 2026.
- For the Indian Army, the DAC approved procurement of High Mobility Vehicles, Self-Propelled Tracked Gun System, Light Multi Role Helicopters, Very Short-Range Air Defence System, Surveillance UAV, Integrated Surveillance and Strike System and Long Range Kamikaze Drone System.
- The Light Multi Role Helicopters will be used by both the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force for reconnaissance and surveillance, combat, search and rescue of troops, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
- For the Indian Navy, the DAC approved procurement of the Active Offboard Decoy System and other major naval platforms to enhance anti-missile defence credibility against modern anti-ship missiles.
- For the Indian Air Force, the DAC approved procurement of helicopters, air defence systems, weapons and Mobile X-Band Doppler Weather Radar System, including Special Utility Helicopters for air transport requirements.
- Nearly 82 per cent of the procurements will be made from the Indian Industry.

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- [Indian Navy: 78 platforms and 120 fast interceptor craft worth ₹2.41 trillion get Acceptance of Necessity; RFP issued for four LPDs](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/indian-navy-78-platforms-and-120-fast-interceptor-craft-worth-2-41-trillion-get)
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- [DAC Approves Rs 1.10 Lakh Crore Defence Procurement for Indian Armed Forces](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/09/dac-approves-rs-1-10-lakh-crore-defence-procurement-for-indian-armed-forces)

## DRDO's Indigenous Air Independent Propulsion Energy Module Begins Setting-to-Work Phase-2 for Indian Navy Submarines

### Key Updates

- The Setting to Work Phase-2 (STW-2) activity of the indigenous Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system Energy Module, developed by Naval Materials Research Laboratory, DRDO, was inaugurated on October 24, 2026 at Larsen and Toubro's AM Naik Heavy Engineering Complex in Hazira, Gujarat.
- The AIP system enhances underwater endurance of diesel-electric submarines by reducing dependence on atmospheric oxygen.
- Defence Secretary and Chairman DRDO Rajesh Kumar Singh attended the inauguration virtually as Chief Guest, while Chief of Materiel Vice Admiral B Sivakumar and Director General Naval Systems & Materials Dr R Balamuralikrishnan attended in person.
- In the next phase, the AIP Energy Module will be energised for power production and tested as per Indian Navy protocols before handover to Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited for integration on a Kalvari-class submarine in early 2027.

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- [Indian Navy commissions Samarthak, its first warship built by a private shipyard](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/indian-navy-commissions-samarthak-its-first-warship-built-by-a-private-shipyard)
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## Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla Inaugurates 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum at Samvidhan Sadan, New Delhi

### Key Updates

- Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurated the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum 2026 on 26 October 2026 at Samvidhan Sadan in the Parliament House Complex, New Delhi.
- The two-day Forum's theme is 'Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centric Development', with deliberations on four pillars: resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.
- The Forum follows the unanimous adoption of the Joint Statement at the BRICS Summit of Heads of State and Government held in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh also addressed the gathering, and the Lok Sabha Secretary-General delivered the welcome address.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with parliamentary delegations from BRICS member and partner countries, and referred to his vision of transforming BRICS into an 'ecosystem of solutions'.
- BRICS is marking two decades of its journey and represents nearly half of the world's population.

### Related Current Affairs Coverage

- [India to Host 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in New Delhi on October 26–27, 2026](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/india-to-host-12th-brics-parliamentary-forum-in-new-delhi-on-october-26-27-2026)

## Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Defeats Flavio Bolsonaro to Secure Historic Fourth Term

### Key Updates

- Brazil's incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won a historic fourth term on Sunday, defeating Senator Flavio Bolsonaro with 51.75% of the vote against 48.25%, with over 98.76% of votes counted, as confirmed by Brazil's electoral court.
- This is the first time since Brazil's military dictatorship ended in 1985 that a candidate trailing in the first round has come back to win the runoff; Lula trailed by 2.2 million votes after the October 4 first round.
- Lula's fourth term begins on January 5, 2027.
- During the runoff, Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin extended voting nationwide by two hours, till 7pm local time, after Lula's campaign cited transport issues preventing voters from reaching polling stations, pausing the ongoing counting.
- The 80-year-old Lula first won the presidency in 2002 and was reelected in 2006 and in 2022 for his third term after a hiatus that included 580 days in prison.

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## Rajnath Singh to lead Indian delegation at 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus in Cebu, Philippines on October 28-29, 2026

### Key Updates

- Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh will lead the Indian delegation at the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus in Cebu, Philippines from October 28 to 29, 2026.
- He will address the forum on 'Exchange of Views on Regional and International Security Issues' and hold bilateral meetings with counterparts of participating countries on the sidelines.
- ADMM-Plus is a platform for ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam) and its eight Dialogue Partners, including India, the United States, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
- India became an ASEAN dialogue partner in 1992, and the inaugural ADMM-Plus was held in Hanoi, Vietnam on October 12, 2010; ministers have met annually since 2017.
- The Philippines is the chair of ADMM-Plus for 2026.
- India is co-chairing the Experts Working Group on Counter-Terrorism with Malaysia for the 2024-2027 cycle.

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- [Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh urges SCO members at 25th Council of Heads of Government in Dushanbe to jointly dismantle terrorism's entire ecosystem; India to host first SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum by year-end](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/raksha-mantri-rajnath-singh-urges-sco-members-at-25th-council-of-heads-of-govern)
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## TDB-DST signs agreement with Manastu Space for ₹116 crore RDI support to develop indigenous green propulsion technology

### Key Updates

- The Technology Development Board (TDB), Department of Science & Technology (DST), signed an agreement with M/s Manastu Space Technologies Private Limited for ₹116 crore under the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund.
- The project aims to develop a scalable, integrated green propulsion system for satellites and launch vehicles, advancing the technology from Technology Readiness Level (TRL)-6 to TRL-9.
- The indigenous green propulsion system utilizes a hydrogen peroxide-based green propellant with additives, supported by an integrated engine and catalyst system.
- The propulsion system is designed to serve propulsion requirements ranging from 5 mN to 300 N thrust class and includes the development of an ultra-high-temperature ceramic catalyst.
- The propulsion system has already been demonstrated in space.

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- [Technology Development Board under DST commits ₹150 crore from RDI Fund to QNu Labs for indigenous quantum-secure technology development](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/technology-development-board-under-dst-commits-150-crore-from-rdi-fund-to-qnu-la)
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## Two New Ophiorrhiza Plant Species Discovered in Arunachal Pradesh

### Key Updates

- Researchers Krishna Chowlu, Renthlei Lalnunfeli and Dr Vinay Kumar Sahani discovered two new plant species, Ophiorrhiza shidiensis and Ophiorrhiza pemae, belonging to the Rubiaceae family, during botanical surveys in Arunachal Pradesh's Vijoynagar.
- One of the newly discovered species, Ophiorrhiza pemae, was named after Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
- Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein described the discovery as a significant contribution to documenting the state's biodiversity and advancing botanical research.

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- [New Begonia Species Begonia neelamorum Discovered in Arunachal Pradesh](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/09/new-begonia-species-begonia-neelamorum-discovered-in-arunachal-pradesh)
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- [Researchers Record Ophiopogon japonicus in India for the First Time in Arunachal Pradesh](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/09/researchers-record-ophiopogon-japonicus-in-india-for-the-first-time-in-arunachal)

## Study finds nearly 1 in 11 high-risk hospitalised adults in India had melioidosis, with high in-hospital deaths

### Key Updates

- A multicentre study published in The Lancet Global Health, led by Nitin Gupta of Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, assessed high-risk hospitalised adults at 15 Indian tertiary-care centres between January 2023 and December 2025.
- Culture-confirmed melioidosis was found in 262 of 2,953 patients (8.9%), and 50 of those diagnosed (19.1%) died in hospital.
- The study found the highest proportions of confirmed cases in Odisha (26%), Madhya Pradesh (22.7%) and Karnataka (19.3%), though these figures describe selected hospital populations, not State-wide prevalence.
- The study found associations between melioidosis and monsoon admission, outdoor high-risk occupations and groundwater as the main drinking-water source, though these do not establish causation.
- Melioidosis is caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, a bacterium found in soil and water in tropical and subtropical regions, which enters the body through cuts or wounds, inhalation of contaminated dust or droplets, or ingestion of contaminated water.
- Diabetes is a major risk factor for melioidosis, while chronic kidney, lung and liver diseases, heavy alcohol use and reduced immunity also increase vulnerability.
- Melioidosis treatment has two phases: an initial intensive phase with intravenous antibiotics such as ceftazidime (meropenem preferred in severe illness), followed by prolonged oral eradication therapy commonly using trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for several months.
- India's National Centre for Disease Control provides technical guidance for melioidosis treatment in its 2025 manual on zoonotic diseases of public health importance.
- There is currently no licensed vaccine against melioidosis.
- Diagnostic challenges include nonspecific symptoms and misidentification of B. pseudomallei by automated systems such as VITEK 2, while MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry can aid identification but faces cost and availability barriers.
- Experts recommend a phased surveillance system beginning with hospitals and laboratories equipped to confirm melioidosis, tracking confirmed cases, exposures, antimicrobial susceptibility, treatment outcomes, deaths and relapse.

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## Balloon-Borne Sunrise-III Observatory Reveals Twisted Magnetic Threads in the Sun's Atmosphere

### Key Updates

- An international team led by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan detected thin, thread-like magnetic structures in the Sun's chromosphere using Sunrise-III, a balloon-borne solar observatory that flew a one-meter telescope about 35 kilometers above Earth during a July 2024 mission lasting roughly six and a half days.
- Some of the detected magnetic threads, typically narrower than one arcsecond, had polarities opposite to the surrounding magnetic canopy, with line-of-sight field strengths around 10 to 20 gauss weaker than the surrounding canopy.
- The findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters and highlighted by ScienceDaily on October 24, 2026, were made above quiet-Sun regions without prominent sunspots, which cover most of the solar surface.
- The Sun's photosphere is about 5,500 degrees Celsius while the corona above reaches millions of degrees, a temperature increase that has puzzled scientists for decades.
- Numerical simulations suggest surface motions twist magnetic field lines into rope-like formations, where magnetic reconnection could convert magnetic energy into heat, though the study did not establish that these threads heat the corona.
- The Sunrise Chromospheric Infrared spectroPolarimeter (SCIP), developed under Japanese leadership, measured magnetic fields using polarized infrared light across a region of about 58 by 58 arcseconds.
- Sunrise-III also mapped magnetic fields along spicules, narrow jets of solar material extending thousands of kilometers above the visible surface.

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## Kerala Opens Regulated Trekking as Neelakurinji Flowers on Meeshapulimala Slopes

### Key Updates

- The Kerala Forest Development Corporation has opened regulated trekking access at Meeshapulimala in the Munnar landscape following the rare Neelakurinji flowering on its high-altitude slopes, capping daily footfall at 750 visitors with travel slots coordinated through an application developed with the Wildlife Trust of India.
- Neelakurinji typically does not flower above 2,500 metres; while Anamudi lacks blooms, slopes around Meeshapulimala at about 2,470 metres near the Rhodo Mansion have witnessed active flowering.
- Botanists noted that climatic disruptions linked to El Nino and monsoon variability initially raised apprehensions of delayed or aborted flowering before the current blooms emerged.
- The flowering terrain also provides crucial habitat for the endangered Nilgiri tahr, underscoring the ecological sensitivity of opening such zones to ecotourism.
- The bloom usually progresses along an altitudinal gradient, beginning at lower points such as Chokramudy and culminating at upper elevations between October and December.
- The event relates to Western Ghats montane ecosystems, high-altitude biodiversity, and plant phenology under climatic variations like El Nino, with the next major blooming cycle in the Munnar region projected at Eravikulam National Park in 2030.

## Tata Communications to Spend $450 Million on 10,000-km AI Fibre Network Across India

### Key Updates

- Tata Communications will invest nearly $450 million to build a 10,000-km high-speed fibre network connecting India's AI data centre corridors and key business hubs.
- The investment, disclosed in a stock exchange filing on October 26, will add around 6 petabits per second (Pbps) of network capacity between FY2030 and FY2036 and will be funded through operating cash flows.
- Branded an "AI Super Highway", the network will connect data centre clusters with hyperscalers, cloud service providers, global capability centres (GCCs), banks and other enterprises.
- The rollout will happen in three phases, starting with the Mumbai-Pune-Hyderabad-Chennai corridor, followed by expansion to eastern and western India's data centre ecosystems including Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Jamnagar and GIFT City.
- Tata Communications currently has 1.25 Pbps of network capacity, with utilisation of around 70-80%.
- The company's existing infrastructure includes more than 500,000 km of subsea optical fibre network and over 200,000 km of terrestrial fibre.
- Tata Communications MD and CEO Ganesh Lakshminarayanan said the data centre-to-data centre connectivity market could exceed $1 billion over the medium term.

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## FAHR-Face AI estimates biological age from facial photos and flags mortality risk in cancer patients

### Key Updates

- Researchers developed an AI model called Foundation Artificial Intelligence for Health Recognition-Face (FAHR-Face), trained on more than 40 million facial photographs, to estimate biological age and predict death risk.
- The findings were published in The Lancet Digital Health in 2026; on publicly available photographs the model estimated biological age with an average error of about five years.
- Among 38,183 patients treated at six US centres affiliated with Harvard, those appearing biologically older than their actual age tended to have poorer survival outcomes.
- A second model, FAHR-FaceSurvival, was trained on photographs of 34,363 cancer patients and tested on 3,820 others; patients in the highest-risk group were more than three times as likely to die as those in the lowest-risk group, even after accounting for clinical and demographic factors.
- The models were also tested on 4,892 cancer patients in the Netherlands, suggesting the AI could estimate survival risk beyond the original US population.

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## IIT Bombay researchers create affordable blood-smear device to detect anaemia and sickle cell disease

### Key Updates

- Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay), led by Prof. Mahesh Tirumkudulu of the Department of Chemical Engineering, have developed a low-cost point-of-care device that screens for anaemia and sickle cell disease using a drop of blood.
- The patented automated smearing device creates a uniform blood smear, and the test detects disease by measuring the length of the smear, since more viscous blood spreads less and produces a shorter, thicker smear.
- The test requires only a pipette, glass slides, an inexpensive chemical, vials for sickling treatment, and a ruler or imaging device to measure smear length, and can be manufactured cost-effectively.
- Dr. Mahrukh Mir, a former PhD scholar in Prof. Tirumkudulu's lab, is the first author of the study.
- Blood viscosity cutoffs vary among population groups because genetic differences affect how blood reacts when oxygen levels drop, and the anaemia test may miss patients with hyperviscosity syndrome, where blood plasma is unusually thick.
- The technology is licensed to IIT Bombay startup Rheoheme Private Limited, and the team is working with the National Institute for Research in Tribal Health, Jabalpur, and AIIMS Nagpur toward regulatory approval while exploring measurement of clotting time and glucose levels.

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## India Become First Team to Claim 200 Wins in Men's T20 Internationals

### Key Updates

- India became the first team to register 200 victories in men's T20 Internationals after defeating New Zealand by four wickets in the second T20I of the five-game series at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, taking a 2-0 lead.
- Chasing 181, India recovered from 70 for five to reach 181 for six, with Tilak Varma (47 not out) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (26 off 13 balls) sharing an unbeaten 69-run seventh-wicket partnership and completing the chase off the penultimate ball.
- India have won 200 of their 300 T20Is since debuting in the format in 2006, losing 83, and boast a 71.20 per cent winning percentage among Full Member nations.
- The 69-run stand surpassed India's previous seventh-wicket T20I record of 63 runs by Dinesh Karthik and Krunal Pandya against New Zealand in 2019.
- New Zealand posted 180 for five after being asked to bat, recovering from 41 for three through a 116-run partnership between Glenn Phillips (70 off 43) and Bevon Jacobs (58 off 46).
- Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Prince Yadav took early wickets for India, dismissing Tim Seifert, Daryl Mitchell and Finn Allen respectively.
- In India's chase, Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma added 40 for the opening wicket, but a New Zealand fightback led by Mitchell Santner left India in serious trouble before Varma and Reddy sealed the win.
- The teams will next meet in the third T20I in Wellington on October 27.

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- [England Fast Bowler Mark Wood Announces Retirement from International Cricket](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/09/england-fast-bowler-mark-wood-announces-retirement-from-international-cricket)
- [Nepal and Bangladesh to jointly host ICC U-19 Women's T20 World Cup 2027](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/nepal-and-bangladesh-to-jointly-host-icc-u-19-women-s-t20-world-cup-2027)
- [Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma fifties power India to 211/6 against Pakistan in Asian Games 2026 T20 gold medal match](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/abhishek-sharma-and-tilak-varma-fifties-power-india-to-211-6-against-pakistan-in)

## India Awarded Hosting Rights for 2029 World Weightlifting Championships in Ahmedabad

### Key Updates

- India has been awarded the hosting rights for the 2029 World Weightlifting Championships, to be held in Ahmedabad, at the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Executive board meeting in Ningbo, China.
- India beat competition from Venezuela and Russia for the 2029 bid; Russia won the 2030 bid and Venezuela got the 2028 Junior World Championships.
- This is the first time India will host the global weightlifting championship, after hosting the Commonwealth and Asian Championships earlier this year.
- The IWF World Championships in Ningbo, starting Tuesday, is the first qualification tournament for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
- Mirabai Chanu will lead a seven-member Indian team at the 2026 World Championships in Ningbo, China.

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- [Pune Awarded 2032 UCI Road World Championships as India Prepares First-Ever Hosting](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/09/pune-awarded-2032-uci-road-world-championships-as-india-prepares-first-ever-host)
- [International Olympic Committee Confirms Seven Bidders Including India and Qatar for 2036 Olympics Hosting Race](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/international-olympic-committee-confirms-seven-bidders-including-india-and-qatar)
- [First Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship Gets Underway in Ahmedabad](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/first-commonwealth-kabaddi-championship-gets-underway-in-ahmedabad)
- [Pune Defeats Netherlands to Win Right to Host 2032 UCI Road World Cycling Championships](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/09/pune-defeats-netherlands-to-win-right-to-host-2032-uci-road-world-cycling-champi)

## Yuki Bhambri and Ryan Seggerman Claim Almaty Open Doubles Crown

### Key Updates

- Yuki Bhambri won the Almaty Open 2026 doubles title with American partner Ryan Seggerman, beating top seeds Lucas Miedler and Neil Oberleitner of Austria in the final.
- The Indo-American fourth-seeded pair won the ATP 250 final 7-6(3), 6-7(1), \[10-2\], giving Bhambri his fifth career ATP Tour doubles title.
- Bhambri's earlier ATP doubles titles came at Mallorca (2023), Gstaad and Munich (2024), and the ATP 500 Dubai event (2025).
- It was Bhambri's second ATP final of 2026 after a runner-up finish at the ATP 250 Geneva Open with New Zealand's Michael Venus.
- Bhambri's best Grand Slam result was reaching the 2025 US Open doubles semifinals with Venus.

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- [Pankaj Advani Captures 29th World Crown at World Billiards Championship in Birmingham](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/pankaj-advani-captures-29th-world-crown-at-world-billiards-championship-in-birmi)
- [USTA announces record $108 million prize purse for US Open 2026](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/08/usta-announces-record-108-million-prize-purse-for-us-open-2026)
- [Indian Teenager Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi Claims Maiden Pro Singles Crown at W35 Lagos](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/indian-teenager-maaya-rajeshwaran-revathi-claims-maiden-pro-singles-crown-at-w35)

## Global Media and Information Literacy Week 2026: Dates and UNESCO-Led Annual Observance

### Key Updates

- Global Media and Information Literacy Week is an annual international observance held every year from October 24 to October 31.
- The 2026 theme is 'We All Play a Part – Media and Information Literacy for the People'.
- UNESCO brings together educators, researchers, journalists, young people and other partners to advance media and information literacy.
- The 2026 programme takes a decentralised approach with regional and thematic activities.

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- [IICT and Netflix announce scholarships for 100 students in creative arts](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/08/iict-and-netflix-announce-scholarships-for-100-students-in-creative-arts)
- [Iran's Parliament Approves Framework to Criminalise Interviews with US and Israeli Media](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/08/iran-s-parliament-approves-framework-to-criminalise-interviews-with-us-and-israe)
- [Karnataka High Court issues guidelines to police against mechanical FIRs over social media posts](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/karnataka-high-court-issues-guidelines-to-police-against-mechanical-firs-over-so)

## MoSPI's September 2026 Flash Report Monitors 1,853 Central Sector Infrastructure Projects Worth ₹37.56 Lakh Crore

### Key Updates

- The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) monitors 1,853 ongoing Central Sector infrastructure projects with a total latest cost of ₹37.56 lakh crore as of September 2026, across 17 Central Ministries/Departments.
- Cumulative expenditure on these projects stands at ₹17.73 lakh crore, approximately 47.21% of the total project cost.
- Of the 1,853 projects, 780 are Mega projects (cost ₹1,000 crore and above) and 1,073 are Major projects (below ₹1,000 crore); 654 projects (~35%) have achieved over 80% physical progress and 338 (~18%) have crossed 80% financial completion.
- Transport & Logistics is the largest category with 1,320 projects (71.2%) costing ₹20.07 lakh crore, followed by Energy with 225 projects (12.1%) costing ₹11.04 lakh crore; together they account for 83.4% of monitored projects and about 82.9% of the aggregate revised project cost.
- Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has the highest number of projects at 974 (53% of total) with a revised cost of ₹9.46 lakh crore, followed by Ministry of Railways with 284 projects (15%) costing ₹7.21 lakh crore and Ministry of Coal with 121 projects (6%) costing ₹2.22 lakh crore.
- Notable projects commissioned during September 2026 include the Buxar Thermal Power Project (1,320 MW, ₹13,756.56 crore) of Ministry of Power, commissioned on 12.09.2026, and the NMDC Slurry Pipeline Project Phase-1 (₹5,427 crore) of Ministry of Steel, commissioned on 26.09.2026.
- During September 2026, 83 additional projects were onboarded under PAIMANA monitoring: 57 from Ministry of Railways, 16 from Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, 7 from Ministry of Power, 2 from Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and 1 from Ministry of Coal.
- Water & Sanitation records the highest expenditure-to-cost ratio among HML categories at 70.81%, followed by Transport & Logistics (51.03%) and Communication (48.66%).
- The Flash Report covers Central Sector infrastructure projects of ₹150 crore and above; the October 2026 Flash Report is scheduled for release on 25th November 2026.
- The PAIMANA project monitoring interface has been renamed PAIMANA-PROJ, and the PAIMANA-CRIP (Central Repository of Infrastructure Projects), launched in July 2026, serves as the underlying data repository with nearly 80% of data updated via APIs.

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- [PM Modi to Launch Five Projects Worth About ₹3,350 Crore in Ladakh on 15 October 2026](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/pm-modi-to-launch-five-projects-worth-about-3-350-crore-in-ladakh-on-15-october)
- [PM GatiShakti National Master Plan marks five years with 400+ projects worth Rs 20.23 lakh crore evaluated and ITLA cleared by Union Cabinet](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/pm-gatishakti-national-master-plan-marks-five-years-with-400-projects-worth-rs-2)
- [BHAVYA: ₹33,660 Crore Scheme to Build 100 Plug-and-Play Industrial Parks Across India](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/bhavya-33-660-crore-scheme-to-build-100-plug-and-play-industrial-parks-across-in)

## Railway Board clears Punjab-built Alstom-powered Vande Bharat trainset for 160 kmph operation subject to safety conditions

### Key Updates

- The Railway Board has approved the introduction of a 16-car Vande Bharat Chair Car trainset with an Alstom propulsion system, manufactured at the Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala, for speeds of up to 160 kmph, subject to specified safety and operational conditions.
- The approval follows recommendations and technical clearances from the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) and the Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety (CCRS), and requires compliance with RDSO's Final Speed Certificate dated 21.07.2026.
- The trainset must operate on tracks meeting standards under the Indian Railways Permanent Way Manual (IRPWM), 2024, including track geometry requirements for a maximum speed of 160 kmph.
- The Board asked RDSO and RCF to re-examine the rating of certain equipment, including the traction motor, which is rated at 270 kW compared with 210 kW in the Medha-powered version and 225 kW in the Siemens-powered version.
- The Board raised concerns over single-pole miniature circuit breakers (MCBs) in the Electrical Control Cabinets, which replace the double-pole MCBs used in earlier versions and could make fault tracing difficult, directing correction in the current rake and double-pole MCBs in all future trainsets.
- The Board directed that fire extinguishers be properly secured and equipment cubicle doors locked, and that future production include fire-survival cables for CCTV systems and crash-hardened memory modules.
- The approval lays down maintenance and passenger safety requirements, including emergency training for onboard staff, tools to uncouple the semi-permanent coupler within 15 minutes, a driver's cab locked from inside while running, and pre-recorded passenger safety announcements in three languages.

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- [Railway Board Approves Seven New Amrit Bharat Express Trains](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/08/railway-board-approves-seven-new-amrit-bharat-express-trains)
- [Vande Bharat crosses Chenab and Anji bridges at 100 kmph as Katra-Banihal speed limit raised](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/vande-bharat-crosses-chenab-and-anji-bridges-at-100-kmph-as-katra-banihal-speed)
- [Vande Bharat trainset built at Rail Coach Factory Kapurthala clears 180 kmph high-speed trial on Mathura-Nagda section](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/vande-bharat-trainset-built-at-rail-coach-factory-kapurthala-clears-180-kmph-hig)

## DP World begins two double-stack rail services connecting Jawaharlal Nehru Port with National Capital Region and Ahmedabad depots

### Key Updates

- DP World has launched two double-stack rail services linking Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) with its inland container depots in the National Capital Region and Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
- Both new rail services are enabled by the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC).
- The first service, effective September 2026, connects JNPA with DP World's inland container depot network at Pali/Rewari, Jhattipur–Panipat and Modinagar in the National Capital Region.
- The second service connects JNPA with ICD Sachana in Ahmedabad, extending JNPA's double-stack rail connectivity into Gujarat.
- DP World's Hemant Kumar Ruia, Country Manager, Subcontinent (India), said expanding double-stack rail connectivity through the dedicated freight corridor is an important step towards making India's logistics more efficient.

### Related Current Affairs Coverage

- [Gwalior-Chambal Region Gets New Rail Connectivity with Kailaras-Birpur Section](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/08/gwalior-chambal-region-gets-new-rail-connectivity-with-kailaras-birpur-section)
- [Fourth Rail Line Approved in Siliguri Corridor](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/08/fourth-rail-line-approved-in-siliguri-corridor)
- [Ministry of Civil Aviation launches Hub & Spoke International Flight Operations from Ahmedabad](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/09/ministry-of-civil-aviation-launches-hub-and-spoke-international-flight-operation)
- [Amit Shah Flags Off India's First LNG-Powered Train Along with ₹1,472 Crore Railway Projects at Sabarmati](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/09/amit-shah-flags-off-india-s-first-lng-powered-train-along-with-1-472-crore-railw)

## Gujarat government declares Kutch, Jamnagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka and Porbandar drought-hit with relief package for farmers

### Key Updates

- The Gujarat government declared Kutch, Jamnagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka and Porbandar districts as drought-hit on October 26, 2026, with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announcing the decision after a high-level meeting in Gandhinagar.
- Farmers will receive ₹8,500 per hectare for affected crops, subject to a maximum of two hectares, under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
- Cattle in the four drought-hit districts will receive ₹80 per animal per day for two months, and 1.21 crore kg of subsidised fodder has already been distributed at ₹2 per kg, with a current stock of 3 crore kg.
- Under the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar & Ajeevika Mission (VB-G RAM G) scheme, 150 days of employment will be provided in the affected districts from November 1.
- Gujarat received 810 mm rainfall till October 26, 19 percent less than the 996 mm received last year, and the state's 206 major dams recorded 66 percent water storage.
- Irrigation water will be supplied to command areas of 76 dams during the upcoming Rabi season, with drinking water reserves maintained until June 30, 2027.

### Related Current Affairs Coverage

- [Maharashtra Government Declares Drought in 265 of 358 Talukas After Deficient Kharif Rainfall](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/09/maharashtra-government-declares-drought-in-265-of-358-talukas-after-deficient-kh)
- [Gujarat Govt Approves ₹20 Crore for Four Centres of Excellence for Natural Farming](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/08/gujarat-govt-approves-20-crore-for-four-centres-of-excellence-for-natural-farmin)
- [PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) Marks One Year as Kutch, Dahod and Chhota Udepur Win Excellence Awards](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/pm-dhan-dhaanya-krishi-yojana-pmddky-marks-one-year-as-kutch-dahod-and-chhota-ud)
- [Gujarat Registers Over 63.35 Lakh Farmers on Digital Farmer Registry Under Digital Agriculture Mission](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/09/gujarat-registers-over-63-35-lakh-farmers-on-digital-farmer-registry-under-digit)

## Orissa High Court rules Scheduled Caste and Tribe status cannot be transferred between states

### Key Updates

- The Orissa High Court, in a ruling by Justice Sashikanta Mishra, held that SC/ST status is state-specific and a person migrating to another state does not carry the status enjoyed in the state of origin.
- The court quashed the April 23 letter of Mayurbhanj's district registrar-cum-ADM that asked Jharkhand resident Binoy Krishna Das to obtain prior permission to sell his land under Odisha Regulation 2 of 1956, and directed the sub-registrar-cum-tehsildar, Kuliana, to register the sale deed.
- Das, a Bhuiya (notified as a Scheduled Caste in Jharkhand but a Scheduled Tribe in Odisha), sold 0.14 acres of his land in Mayurbhanj district to an SC community member for ₹10 lakh via a deed executed in March this year.
- The court held that since Bhuiya is not notified as an SC in Odisha, Das could not claim SC status there, nor be automatically treated as an ST, so restrictions under Regulation 2 of 1956 and Section 22 of the Odisha Land Reforms Act did not apply.

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- [United States Pulls Non-Essential Diplomats Out of Saudi Arabia Amid Intensifying Houthi Attacks](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/united-states-pulls-non-essential-diplomats-out-of-saudi-arabia-amid-intensifyin)
- [Ministry of Jal Shakti’s ‘Catch the Rain’ Campaign: Chhattisgarh Emerges Top-Performing State with 77,719 Water Conservation Structures Completed](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/09/ministry-of-jal-shakti-s-catch-the-rain-campaign-chhattisgarh-emerges-top-perfor)
- [Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana Boost Integrated Care and Support for Senior Citizens](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/atal-vayo-abhyuday-yojana-boost-integrated-care-and-support-for-senior-citizens)

## Adani Airports to expand Mumbai airport Terminal 1 capacity by 33% to 20 million passengers through phased redevelopment aided by flight shifts to Navi Mumbai

### Key Updates

- Adani Airports plans to increase the annual passenger-handling capacity of Terminal 1 at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai by around 33%, from 15 million to 20 million passengers, under a phased redevelopment programme.
- The redevelopment will be facilitated by shifting some flight operations of IndiGo and Air India Express to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA).
- The initial phase of the transition aims to move around 5 million passengers from CSMIA to NMIA, of which approximately 3.6 million passengers, about 70% of the first-phase relocation target, are planned to be transferred.
- The Terminal 1 redevelopment is expected to include safety improvements, modernised passenger facilities and upgrades to the terminal's operational infrastructure.
- The planned transfer of flights to NMIA followed consultations between the airport operator and airlines over nearly 18 months.
- Only 9% of CSMIA's annual 55 million passenger traffic will be temporarily transitioned under the redevelopment programme, while around 91% of the traffic will continue to operate from Mumbai Airport.
- Airlines shifting services to NMIA will retain their historical slots at CSMIA, which will be restored once the Terminal 1 redevelopment is complete.
- The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) has built three bridges, SBR-9, BR-4 and BR-5, across Panvel Creek and the Gadhi River to improve road connectivity between NMIA, Atal Setu, Ulwe Coastal Road, Amra Marg and NH-4B.
- NMIA's Terminal 1 is designed to handle 20 million passengers annually, with further expansion planned to raise the airport's overall capacity to 90 million passengers a year.
- The development of NMIA alongside CSMIA is expected to create a dual-airport system for Mumbai, increasing the region's capacity to handle domestic and international traffic.

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## Sitaram Raul Wins Behaviour: Invertebrates Category at 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year

### Key Updates

- Indian photographer Sitaram Raul won the 'Behaviour: Invertebrates' category at the 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition for his photograph 'Shifting Sand', which depicts an Indian Buthacus scorpion burrowing into sand in Rajasthan's Thar Desert.
- The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition is organised by the Natural History Museum in London and received more than 65,000 entries from around the world in 2026.
- The 2026 overall award went to Italian photographer Federico Veronesi for 'The Aftermath', and an exhibition of winning photographs opened at the Natural History Museum on 16 October 2026.
- Raul, based in Badlapur, Maharashtra, with about 14 years of experience, earlier received a 'Highly Commended' distinction in the Urban Wildlife category in 2025 for his photograph 'Nature Reclaims its Space'.

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- [Living Planet Index 2026 Reports 73% Average Decline in Global Wildlife Populations](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/living-planet-index-2026-reports-73-average-decline-in-global-wildlife-populatio)
- [Amruta Pujari of India takes silver in women's 72kg at U-23 World Wrestling Championships](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/amruta-pujari-of-india-takes-silver-in-women-s-72kg-at-u-23-world-wrestling-cham)
- [Lionel Messi wins the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/lionel-messi-wins-the-2026-princess-of-asturias-award-for-sports)

## Maharashtra Initiative Shabari Naturals Receives G-Mark Global Design Award for Tribal Art Packaging

### Key Updates

- Shabari Naturals, a Maharashtra government initiative, received the G-Mark Global Design Award on 25 October 2026 for packaging inspired by traditional tribal art.
- The Japan Institute of Design Promotion will formally present the award in Tokyo on 4 November 2026.
- Leena Bansod, Managing Director of the Nashik-headquartered Shabari Tribal Finance and Development Corporation (STFDC), will accept the award on behalf of the Maharashtra government.
- The packaging incorporates Warli, Gond and Chitrakathi art forms and depicts tribal culture and legends.
- The award grants Shabari Naturals the right to display the G-Mark logo on its packaging; it had previously received the India Design Mark.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned the award in his Mann Ki Baat broadcast on 25 October 2026, highlighting the initiative's promotion of tribal products and the 'Vocal for Local' movement.
- Shabari Naturals markets natural and organic tribal products including wild honey, unpolished rice, pulses, millets, spices and handmade traditional artefacts.

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- [NHAI policy mandates independent design verification of major bridges from December 1](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/nhai-policy-mandates-independent-design-verification-of-major-bridges-from-decem)
- [Ashoke Sen becomes first Indian to receive Oskar Klein medal for theoretical physics](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/ashoke-sen-becomes-first-indian-to-receive-oskar-klein-medal-for-theoretical-phy)
- [Architecture Student from Kochi Awarded 28th Charles Correa Gold Medal in Mumbai](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/architecture-student-from-kochi-awarded-28th-charles-correa-gold-medal-in-mumbai)

## Yasuo Fukuda, former Prime Minister of Japan, passes away at age 90

### Key Updates

- Yasuo Fukuda, who served as the Prime Minister of Japan from 2007 to 2008, died at the age of 90.
- He was known for seeking to deepen relations with China, notably hosting President Hu Jintao during a state visit in 2008.
- His administration also laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Consumer Affairs Agency and secured legislation for hepatitis C compensation.

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- [Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama dies at 97](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/08/japanese-avant-garde-artist-yayoi-kusama-dies-at-97)
- [Russia's Putin Visits Disputed Iturup Island on August 13, Exacerbating Japan-Russia Tensions](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/08/russia-s-putin-visits-disputed-iturup-island-on-august-13-exacerbating-japan-rus)
- [Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji Dies at 97](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/08/former-chinese-premier-zhu-rongji-dies-at-97)
- [PM Modi Releases Former President Ram Nath Kovind's Autobiography](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/08/pm-modi-releases-former-president-ram-nath-kovind-s-autobiography)

## Painter Jogen Chowdhury, known for modern Indian art and Rashtrapati Bhavan curatorship, dies aged 87

### Key Updates

- Jogen Chowdhury, a celebrated Indian painter and former Rajya Sabha member, died in Kolkata at the age of 87.
- A major figure in modern Indian art, Chowdhury served as curator of the art gallery at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- His works are displayed at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

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- [Swiss President Guy Parmelin Receives Ceremonial Welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan During Three-Day State Visit to India](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/10/swiss-president-guy-parmelin-receives-ceremonial-welcome-at-rashtrapati-bhavan-d)
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- [Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar Dies at 80](https://www.dailyconnects.in/current-affairs/2026/08/former-congress-mp-sajjan-kumar-dies-at-80)