India’s Minerals Diplomacy: India is recalibrating its global mineral strategy following the launch of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) in 2025 and the tightening of export controls by China on rare earths.Minerals diplomacy is the strategic use of international partnerships and multilateral mineral clubs to secure a reliable supply of minerals like Lithium and […]
Accountability in Democratic Institutions
Accountability in Democratic Institutions: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla recently addressed the 28th Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers Conference (CSPOC) in New Delhi.He emphasized that the legitimacy of democratic institutions depends on their ability to remain transparent, inclusive, and accountable amidst the rise of AI and social media.Accountability is the ethical obligation of those in […]
Coconut root wilt disease
Coconut root wilt disease: Coconut Root Wilt Disease is in the news due to its rapid spread across major coconut-growing regions of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, affecting lakhs of palms.A debilitating, non-fatal disease of coconut caused by a phytoplasma (phloem-limited pathogen), leading to chronic decline and major yield loss.Infected palms often remain alive but […]
Dugongs
Dugongs: The Union government’s Expert Appraisal Committee (MoEFCC) has asked Tamil Nadu to revise the design of the proposed International Dugong Conservation Centre at Manora (Thanjavur).Dugong is a large, slow-moving marine mammal, commonly called a “sea cow”, that feeds exclusively on seagrass.It is a keystone species, playing a vital role in maintaining healthy seagrass meadows.Scientific […]
Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 17th January 2026
Today’s Current Affairs: 17th January 2026 for UPSC IAS exams, State PSC exams, SSC CGL, State SSC, RRB, Railways, Banking Exam & IBPS, etc
Chatham Islands
Chatham Islands: A bloom of phytoplankton—tiny photosynthetic organisms that become visible to satellites when their numbers explode—encircled the Chatham Islands in austral summer recently Chatham Islands is an island group in the South Pacific Ocean. These islands are New Zealand’s most easterly territory. Composed of 10 islands, they are primarily of volcanic formation, but areas […]
Vitamin A : New Study
Vitamin A : New Study Recently uncovered new ways a vitamin A-derived molecule can interfere with the immune system’s ability to fight cancer. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin primarily stored in the liver. There are two types of vitamin A that are found in the diet. Preformed vitamin A is found in animal products […]
Dardanelles Strait
Dardanelles Strait: Southbound ship traffic is set to resume in Turkey’s Dardanelles Strait after a tanker experienced engine failure recently. Dardanelles Strait is a very important narrow waterway in northwestern Turkey. It connects the Aegean Sea (an arm of the Mediterranean Sea) to the Sea of Marmara. This strait acts like a natural border, separating […]
Gegeneophis valmiki
Gegeneophis valmiki: Indian scientists recently discovered a rare subterranean amphibian species in the northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra and named it Gegeneophis valmiki. It is a rare, subterranean amphibian species, discovered in the northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra. The name Gegeneophis valmiki honors the historic Maharshi Valmiki Mandir located near the discovery site. It belongs […]
Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC)
Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC): The Prime Minister recently inaugurated the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in New Delhi, highlighting India’s commitment to sharing open-source tech platforms with the Global South. It brings together the Speakers and Presiding Officers of the national parliaments of […]
