Odisha Coastal Erosion: Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways informed the Rajya Sabha that 28.3% of Odisha’s 564-km coastline is undergoing erosion, based on a long-term assessment (1990–2022) by the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR). Coastal erosion is the progressive wearing away and landward displacement of beach or dune sediments caused by hydrodynamic […]
The Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank) — FCNR(B) Deposits
The Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank) — FCNR(B) Deposits: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) advanced the deadline for fresh Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank) [FCNR(B)] deposits to qualify for its special USD–INR forex swap window to August 31, 2026.An FCNR(B) deposit is a term/fixed deposit account maintained in approved foreign currencies by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and […]
The UN Convention to Combat Desertification
The UN Convention to Combat Desertification: The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification opened in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, under the theme “Restoring Land, Restoring Hope.” The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management. […]
Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 18th Aug 2026
Today’s Current Affairs: 18th Aug 2026 for UPSC IAS exams, State PSC exams, SSC CGL, State SSC, RRB, Railways, Banking Exam & IBPS, etc
Green India Mission
Green India Mission: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) have flagged major shortcomings in the implementation of the Green India Mission (GIM). It was launched in the year 2014 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. It is one of the eight Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). It aims at protecting, restoring […]
Foreign Assets of Small Taxpayers – Disclosure Scheme
Foreign Assets of Small Taxpayers – Disclosure Scheme: The government has notified a one-time voluntary disclosure scheme, Foreign Assets of Small Taxpayers – Disclosure Scheme (FAST-DS). It is a one-time voluntary disclosure scheme contained in Chapter IV of the Finance Act, 2026. It enables eligible taxpayers to declare certain undisclosed foreign assets, undisclosed foreign income, […]
Leucas droupadiae : Plant species
Leucas droupadiae: Plant species Botanists recently discovered a previously unknown plant species named growing along the sandy shores of the Coromandel Coast. Leucas droupadiae is a new species of plant belonging to the mint family (Lamiaceae). It was discovered along the sandy shores of the Coromandel Coast during a survey of the coastal dunes in […]
Mount Ararat
Mount Ararat: A German-Turkish research team conducted the first survey of Mount Ararat’s glacier in eastern Turkey recently. Mount Ararat is a volcanic massif located in extreme eastern Turkey. It overlooks the point at which the frontiers of Turkey, Iran, and Armenia converge. It is the highest mountain in the Armenian Highlands. It is the […]
India’s Lunar Future
India’s Lunar Future: At the ninth India-U.S. Civil Space Joint Working Group meeting held at ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru, NASA formally invited the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to participate in its permanent ‘Moon Base’ programme under the Artemis Accords framework. India’s lunar trajectory is transitioning from robotic exploratory landings to sustained, crewed lunar surface […]
National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission
National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission: The Supreme Court expressed concern over the pending cases in the National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission and asked the Centre to consider setting up regional and circuit benches to clear the backlog. National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission is a quasi-judicial commission set up in 1988 under the Consumer Protection Act […]
