Daily Current Affairs and GK Updates (14th October, 2026)

National News / राष्ट्रीय समाचार

JOSH Campaign Launched to Support India’s TB Elimination Efforts

• The Government of India launched the Joint Squad for Health (JOSH) Campaign on October 13, 2026.

• The campaign is being implemented on a pilot basis across 11 states and 55 districts.

• It brings together MY Bharat volunteers, National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets and designated Class-I officers.

• The initiative promotes TB awareness, early diagnosis, timely screening and treatment adherence.

• It complements the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) and the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan.

• Key Fact: The global target for ending tuberculosis as a public health challenge is 2030.

State News / राज्य समाचार

Delhi Makes Aadhaar Mandatory for Electricity Subsidy Benefits

• The Delhi government has made Aadhaar identification mandatory for consumers seeking electricity subsidies under Section 7 of the Aadhaar Act, 2016.

• The requirement aims to verify beneficiaries and improve transparency in subsidy delivery.

• Eligible domestic consumers receive free electricity for monthly consumption of up to 200 units.

• Consumers using 201–400 units receive a 50% subsidy, capped at ₹800 per month.

• Consumers without Aadhaar can follow the prescribed enrolment procedure to access the benefits.

• Key Fact: Section 7 of the Aadhaar Act covers subsidies, benefits and services funded from the Consolidated Fund of India.

Sikkim Releases Chocolate Mahseer into Rangeet River

• Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang released Chocolate Mahseer (Neolissochilus hexagonolepis) into the Rangeet River near Jorethang on October 11, 2026.

• The release took place during the Chirbirey River Fest, organised in collaboration with the Sikkim Anglers’ Association.

• The initiative aims to conserve indigenous fish species and protect freshwater biodiversity.

• The event highlighted pisciculture as a potential source of rural livelihoods in Sikkim.

• Farmers are exploring modern aquaculture methods, including Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS) and Biofloc technology.

• Key Fact: RAS recirculates treated water, while Biofloc technology uses beneficial microorganisms to improve nutrient utilisation in fish farming.

West Bengal Merges Madrasah Service Commission with School SSC

• The West Bengal government has abolished the Madrasah Service Commission and transferred its teacher recruitment responsibilities to the School Service Commission (SSC).

• The state Cabinet approved the decision on October 5, 2026.

• The move aims to promote transparent and impartial teacher recruitment.

• The merger is expected to widen recruitment opportunities for eligible teaching candidates.

• The government stated that the distinct identity of madrasah education would be preserved under the new arrangement.

• Key Fact: Aliah University was separately transferred from the Madrasah Education Department to the Higher Education Department.

Keralam Launches Olympic Talent Pathway Project for 2036 Games

• The Keralam government launched the Olympic Talent Pathway project to identify and train promising young sportspersons.

• The long-term objective is to develop athletes capable of competing at the 2036 Olympic Games.

• Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan announced the initiative while inaugurating a Sports Awards programme and unveiling its logo.

• The government pledged employment opportunities for athletes excelling in international competitions and timely payment of allowances and prize money.

• Planned infrastructure includes cricket and football stadiums, indoor volleyball facilities and sports facilities at schools and colleges.

• Key Fact: The project focuses on grassroots talent identification and long-term athlete development.

International News / अंतर्राष्ट्रीय समाचार

Oman Becomes India’s Largest LNG Supplier in September

• Oman replaced the United States as India’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplier in September 2026.

• Oman supplied 585,000 tonnes, accounting for 27% of India’s LNG imports during the month.

• Nigeria ranked second with 351,000 tonnes, while the United States fell to third place after its shipments declined by 59% from August.

• Qatar ranked sixth, supplying approximately 94,000 tonnes.

• India imported 2.17 million tonnes of LNG in September, down from 2.5 million tonnes in August.

• Key Fact: Supply disruptions in West Asia and competition from European buyers for US cargoes influenced the changing supplier rankings.

BIMSTEC Holds First Home Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi

• India hosted the first BIMSTEC Home Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi on October 13, 2026, under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

• The meeting concluded with the adoption of the Delhi Declaration.

• Member states agreed to strengthen cooperation against terrorism, drug trafficking, human trafficking, cybercrime and illicit financial flows.

• Discussions emphasised intelligence sharing, mutual legal assistance, extradition and institutional capacity-building.

• BIMSTEC promotes regional cooperation among countries around the Bay of Bengal.

• Key Fact: Established on June 6, 1997, through the Bangkok Declaration, BIMSTEC has seven members: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

IMF, World Bank and Bank of Thailand Launch Bangkok Blueprint

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank Group (WBG) and Bank of Thailand launched the Bangkok Blueprint on October 14, 2026.

• The launch took place during the IMF and World Bank Group Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Thailand.

• The framework aims to help countries prevent, detect and respond to cyber-enabled financial fraud.

• It outlines 12 key considerations organised under five pillars, covering legal foundations, fraud mitigation, enforcement, cooperation and consumer protection.

• It encourages coordination among governments, financial institutions, law-enforcement agencies, telecommunications providers and digital platforms.

• Key Fact: The Bangkok Blueprint is a policy framework, not a legally binding international law.

Russia Ratifies India Agreement on Temporary Employment of Workers

• Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the ratification law for the India–Russia temporary employment agreement on October 12, 2026.

• The agreement was signed in New Delhi on December 4, 2025, and received approval from both houses of Russia’s Parliament.

• It establishes a framework for the temporary employment of Indian citizens in Russia and Russian citizens in India.

• The agreement addresses work permits, employment conditions, professional qualifications and compliance with host-country laws.

• It aims to facilitate legal labour mobility amid reported workforce shortages in Russia.

• Key Fact: Ratification alone does not bring the agreement into force; both countries must complete domestic procedures and exchange written notifications.

Banking News / बैंकिंग समाचार

SEBI Proposes Monitoring Agencies for All Public Issues

• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) proposed making monitoring agencies mandatory for all public issues, irrespective of issue size, on October 13, 2026.

• The proposal forms part of a review of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015.

• It aims to improve transparency in the utilisation of funds raised from investors.

• The offer-for-sale (OFS) portion would be excluded when determining the relevant issue size.

• Proposed measures include quarterly or half-yearly reporting, a ₹50,000 penalty for each instance of non-cooperation and restrictions on changing monitoring agencies while violations remain unresolved.

• Key Fact: SEBI invited public comments on the proposal until November 3, 2026.

Economy News / आर्थिक समाचार

India’s Wholesale Price Inflation Rises to 11.39% in September

• India’s Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation rose to 11.39% in September 2026 from 9.92% in August.

• The Ministry of Commerce and Industry released the data on October 14, 2026.

• The rate marked the highest inflation level in the current WPI series based on the 2022–23 base year.

• Fuel and power inflation accelerated to 25.85%, while food inflation increased to 8.14%, an approximately 21-month high.

• Inflation in manufactured products rose from 8.37% to 9.76%.

• Key Fact: WPI measures changes in wholesale goods prices and tracks supply-side price pressures; it does not necessarily translate into an equivalent rise in consumer price inflation.

Awards News / पुरस्कार समाचार

Oscar Whitfield Wins Young Wildlife Photographer Award 2026

• Fourteen-year-old British photographer Oscar Whitfield won the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 award on October 14, 2026.

• His winning black-and-white photograph, Labour of Love, depicts a dung beetle pushing a ball of dung from ground level.

• The competition is organised by London’s Natural History Museum.

• The 62nd edition received a record 65,403 entries from 121 countries and territories.

• Dung beetles contribute to nutrient recycling, soil improvement and organic matter decomposition.

• Key Fact: In 2026, both the adult and young overall winners were recognised for black-and-white photographs.

Defence News / रक्षा समाचार

Indian Navy to Commission Indigenous Vessel Samarthak on October 16

• The Indian Navy is scheduled to commission Samarthak, an indigenous multi-purpose vessel, at Naval Base Karwar, Karnataka, on October 16, 2026.

• Built by Larsen & Toubro Ltd under the Make in India initiative, it is the first of four planned multi-purpose vessels.

• Its capabilities include maritime surveillance, patrol, Low-Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO), target deployment and equipment trials.

• The vessel will also support unmanned systems, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), firefighting and salvage operations.

• It can be converted into a limited hospital ship when required.

• Key Fact: The vessel’s motto is “Victory is Our Sole Aim.”

DRDO Tests Quantum Key Distribution Platform for Secure Defence Communications

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully configured and tested a Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) platform on the live network of dynamic test ranges at PXE, Chandipur, Odisha.

• The platform was developed under DRDO’s Microelectronic Devices, Computational Systems and Cyber Security (MCC) cluster.

• Taqbit Labs served as the production partner.

• The technology aims to strengthen secure communications during artillery and armoured weapon trials.

• QKD uses quantum-mechanical principles to distribute cryptographic keys and detect potential eavesdropping during key exchange.

• Key Fact: QKD secures cryptographic key distribution; it does not independently encrypt all communications.

Ranks & Reports News / रैंकिंग एवं रिपोर्ट समाचार

Mérida Tops Global Friendliest Cities Index 2026 Ranking

• Mérida, Mexico, ranked first in the Friendliest Cities Index 2026 with a score of 95 out of 100.

• Glasgow in the United Kingdom ranked second with 94.9, followed by Bogotá in Colombia with 94.5.

• Published on September 23, 2026, the index was commissioned by travel platform Fernwayer.

• The study analysed more than 1.2 million Reddit comments covering 200 cities.

• Delhi scored 43.6 and featured among the 10 lowest-scoring cities, while Buenos Aires ranked last with 42.0.

• Key Fact: The index measured online traveller perceptions of local hospitality rather than objectively assessing residents’ behaviour.

Science & Technology News / विज्ञान एवं प्रौद्योगिकी समाचार

TRISHNA Mission: ISRO and CNES Joint Earth Observation Satellite

• TRISHNA stands for Thermal Infra-Red Imaging Satellite for High-resolution Natural Resource Assessment.

• It is a joint Earth-observation mission developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and France’s National Centre for Space Studies (CNES).

• The satellite is planned for launch in 2027 to monitor land surface temperature, evapotranspiration, vegetation health and water stress.

• It will use thermal infrared and visible-to-shortwave infrared instruments and operate in a sun-synchronous orbit at approximately 761 km altitude.

• Its observations will support agricultural monitoring, irrigation planning, water-resource management, urban heat island assessment and climate research.

• Key Fact: TRISHNA is designed to revisit the equator every three days, combining ISRO’s VNIR–SWIR instrument with CNES-supported thermal infrared technology.

Sports News / खेल समाचार

Seven Countries Express Interest in Hosting 2036 Summer Olympics

• India is among seven countries exploring the possibility of hosting the 2036 Summer Olympic Games.

• The other interested countries are Germany, Qatar, Hungary, Türkiye, South Africa and South Korea.

• India’s proposal centres on Ahmedabad, which is also preparing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

• India submitted its letter of intent to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in October 2024.

• The IOC plans to shortlist interested parties in March 2027, invite preferred hosts for further discussions in December 2028 and elect the host around mid-2029.

• Key Fact: Los Angeles will host the 2028 Summer Olympics, followed by Brisbane in 2032.

Obituaries News / निधन समाचार

RJ Mitte: Breaking Bad Star, Actor and Disability Advocate

• RJ Mitte, whose full name was Roy Frank Mitte III, was best known for playing Walter “Flynn” White Jr. in Breaking Bad (2008–2013).

• Born on August 21, 1992, in Jackson, Mississippi, he also appeared in Dixieland, The Recall and Triumph.

• Living with cerebral palsy, Mitte advocated for disability inclusion and more realistic representation in entertainment.

• He supported organisations including United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s Hospital and established the Mitte Foundation.

• Reports stated that he died on October 12, 2026; however, the reported death requires confirmation from reliable sources.

• Key Fact: Mitte was known for combining his acting career with disability advocacy.

Peter Nagy, Nature Morte Gallery Co-Founder, Dies at 67

• American artist and gallerist Peter Nagy, co-founder of the contemporary art gallery Nature Morte, reportedly died on October 13, 2026, aged 67, following a prolonged illness.

• Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1959, he established Nature Morte in New York City in 1982 with artist Alan Belcher.

• Nagy moved to New Delhi in 1992 and re-established the gallery in India in 1997.

• Nature Morte became an important platform for contemporary Indian artists, including Subodh Gupta, Bharti Kher and Jitish Kallat.

• His work helped connect India’s contemporary art scene with international audiences.

• Key Fact: Nature Morte expanded to Mumbai in January 2024.