Daily Current Affairs and GK Updates (6th November, 2026)

National News

Four Countries Launch BOB-NOR Fisheries Research Network in Kochi

India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Maldives jointly launched the Bay of Bengal Network of Ocean Researchers for Fisheries (BOB-NOR) on 5 November 2026.
The network was launched at the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) in Kochi, Kerala.
It is coordinated by the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO).
The initiative aims to strengthen scientific cooperation, promote sustainable fisheries management and address climate change impacts on marine ecosystems.
Researchers will use satellite observations, oceanographic surveys and fisheries data to study fish populations, migration patterns and changing ocean conditions.
Key Fact: BOB-NOR has four founding countries and focuses on climate-resilient, science-based fisheries management.

Ministry of Culture Signs MoU with Google Arts & Culture

The Ministry of Culture signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Google Arts & Culture on 5 November 2026.
The agreement aims to digitally preserve and showcase India’s monuments, archaeological sites, ancient manuscripts, museum collections and traditional arts.
The agreement was signed virtually in the presence of Vivek Aggarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Culture, and Amit Sood, Vice President and Founder of Google Arts & Culture.
A major focus is the digital documentation of the Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum, being developed in the North and South Blocks of New Delhi.
The partnership will support manuscript preservation under the Gyan Bharatam initiative and digitisation of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected monuments.
Key Fact: The partnership promotes digital heritage preservation, Indian-language accessibility and global awareness of India’s cultural heritage.

Amit Shah Inaugurates 1857 Martyrs’ Memorial in Haryana

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the Martyrs’ Memorial of the First War of Independence of 1857 in Ambala Cantonment, Haryana, on 5 November 2026.
The memorial was constructed at a cost of ₹594 crore across 22 acres.
It features 22 historical galleries showcasing the events, freedom fighters and sacrifices associated with the Revolt of 1857.
The memorial incorporates virtual reality, holography, interactive projections and traditional crafts.
It also includes an open-air theatre with a seating capacity of 2,500 and a light-and-sound show.
Key Fact: The memorial commemorates the Revolt of 1857 and highlights Ambala’s historical role in India’s freedom struggle.

International News

Bahamas Becomes 116th Member of International Solar Alliance

The Commonwealth of The Bahamas joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA) as its 116th member country on 4 November 2026.
The accession took place during the 9th Session of the ISA Assembly in New Delhi.
Peter Nicholas Symonette Jr., High Commissioner of the Bahamas, submitted the Instrument of Accession to P. S. Gangadhar.
The membership will strengthen solar energy cooperation, technical assistance and renewable energy investment for Small Island Developing States.
The ISA was jointly launched by India and France in 2015 during COP21 in Paris.
Key Fact: The International Solar Alliance is headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana, and its Framework Agreement entered into force on 6 December 2017.

UN Mission MINURSO Reportedly Enters Liquidation Phase

The United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) reportedly entered its liquidation phase in November 2026 after approximately 35 years of operations.
MINURSO was established in April 1991 under United Nations Security Council Resolution 690.
Its primary objectives were to monitor the ceasefire and organise a referendum on self-determination in Western Sahara.
The reported development followed a diplomatic disagreement between the United States and Russia over extending the mission’s mandate.
Western Sahara remains a disputed territory involving Morocco and the Polisario Front, with hostilities having resumed in November 2020.
Key Fact: MINURSO was established in 1991 to support ceasefire monitoring and a referendum on Western Sahara’s political future.

Defence News

DRDO Successfully Tests Pralay Quasi-Ballistic Missile

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted a flight test of the indigenous Pralay quasi-ballistic missile on 5 November 2026.
The missile was launched from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast at approximately 11:10 AM.
The test was conducted as part of user evaluation trials, and all stipulated objectives were successfully achieved.
Pralay is a solid-propellant, surface-to-surface quasi-ballistic missile designed for precision strikes.
It was developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, with other DRDO laboratories, while Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) is a development-cum-production partner.
Key Fact: Pralay’s first flight test was conducted in December 2021, and the 2026 trial was monitored by the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur.

INS Sahyadri Participates in Exercise MALABAR 2026 in Japan

Indian Navy’s indigenous guided-missile stealth frigate INS Sahyadri arrived at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, on 4 November 2026.
The ship participated in Exercise MALABAR 2026 involving India, Japan, Australia and the United States.
The exercise aims to strengthen maritime cooperation, operational coordination and interoperability in the Indo-Pacific region.
MALABAR 2026 includes a harbour phase for professional exchanges and planning, followed by a sea phase involving coordinated naval activities.
Exercise Malabar began in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between India and the United States.
Key Fact: INS Sahyadri is a Shivalik-class (Project 17) stealth frigate belonging to the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet.

Science & Technology News

Astronomers Identify Asteroid 2026 QQ8 as Earth’s Temporary Mini-Moon

Astronomers identified a small asteroid designated 2026 QQ8 as a temporary natural satellite of Earth, commonly called a mini-moon.
The asteroid was first observed in August 2026, and its discovery was reported by the Minor Planet Center on 29 October 2026.
The asteroid measures approximately 2 metres in diameter.
Orbital calculations suggest it entered temporary gravitational capture around April 2026 and is expected to depart in early 2027.
Its orbital period around the Sun is approximately 359 days, with an estimated closest distance of 568,000 kilometres from Earth.
Key Fact: A mini-moon is a small celestial object temporarily captured by Earth’s gravity before returning to an orbit around the Sun.

Filipino Engineer Wins James Dyson Global Sustainability Award 2026

Filipino structural engineer Aldrei Ong won the 2026 James Dyson Global Sustainability Award, announced on 4 November 2026.
He received the award for developing Sentinel, a sensor designed to detect hidden structural damage in concrete buildings.
Ong is a graduate of De La Salle University in the Philippines.
Sentinel uses self-sensing concrete containing electrically conductive materials to identify internal cracks through changes in electrical resistance.
The innovation aims to improve structural safety and provide affordable monitoring solutions, particularly in earthquake-prone regions.
Key Fact: Aldrei Ong received £30,000 for developing Sentinel, an innovative concrete-based structural monitoring sensor.

Environment News

NASA and NOAA Report Seventh-Largest Antarctic Ozone Hole in 2026

NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported on 4 November 2026 that the Antarctic ozone hole ranked seventh largest in 48 years of monitoring.
Its seasonal average area was approximately 25 million square kilometres during 7 September–13 October 2026.
The ozone hole reached a maximum extent of approximately 27.1 million square kilometres on 18 September 2026.
The lowest measured ozone concentration over the South Pole was 105 Dobson Units on 17 October 2026.
Scientists attributed the large ozone hole partly to a powerful polar vortex and atmospheric conditions favourable for ozone depletion.
Key Fact: The Montreal Protocol was adopted in 1987 to control ozone-depleting substances, with Antarctic ozone recovery projected for the 2070s.

Awards & Honours

Ministry of Railways Wins PM Surya Ghar Excellence Award 2026

The Ministry of Railways received the PM Surya Ghar Excellence Award 2026 on 5 November 2026.
Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan presented the award during the Renewable Energy Summit & Expo 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
The Ministry secured first position in the category “Maximum Buildings Solarized by Central Ministries/Departments.”
Indian Railways has solarized 12,495 out of 15,868 identified feasible buildings, achieving approximately 79% completion.
It has commissioned 351 MW of rooftop solar capacity against a target of 424 MW and aims to solarize all remaining feasible buildings by March 2027.
Key Fact: PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana was launched in February 2024 to promote rooftop solar installations, including a target of one crore households.

Banking & Economy News

NPCI Launches Fourth Subsidiary NPCI Tech Solutions Limited

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) launched NPCI Tech Solutions Limited (NTSL) in November 2026 as its fourth wholly-owned subsidiary.
NPCI appointed Vishal Kanvaty, its former Chief Technology Officer, as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NTSL.
The subsidiary will focus on artificial intelligence, blockchain, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Global Capability Centre (GCC) services.
Its technology offerings include e-KYC Setu and the Unified Ticketing Platform.
NPCI’s other three wholly-owned subsidiaries are NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited (NBBL) and NPCI BHIM Services Limited (NBSL).
Key Fact: NPCI was established in 2008 and is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Sports News

Tanvi Patri Reaches Youth Olympic Badminton Final

Indian badminton player Tanvi Patri reportedly became the first Indian woman to reach the women’s singles final at the Youth Olympic Games 2026 in Dakar, Senegal.
She defeated Japan’s Yuzuno Watanabe in the semifinal by 21-14, 11-21, 21-19 in 54 minutes.
Her qualification for the final assured India of at least a silver medal.
Tanvi was scheduled to face China’s Yi Xin Zhang in the gold-medal match.
She also became the fourth Indian badminton player to reach a Youth Olympic semifinal, after H. S. Prannoy, Lakshya Sen and Aditya Joshi.
Key Fact: Dakar, Senegal, is the host city of the 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games, the first Olympic sporting event scheduled to be held in Africa.

India Wins Sixth Men’s Asian Champions Trophy Hockey Title

India won the 9th Men’s Asian Champions Trophy after defeating Japan 4-1 in the final at Mohali, Punjab.
The victory marked India’s sixth Men’s Asian Champions Trophy title and third consecutive championship.
The final was played at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium.
Indian midfielder Nilakanta Sharma retired from international hockey following the tournament.
Malaysia secured the bronze medal after defeating South Korea 5-2.
Key Fact: Hockey India announced cash rewards of ₹3 lakh for each player and ₹1.5 lakh for each support staff member.

India Wins Two Silver Medals at ISSF World Championships 2026

India won two silver medals in the 10m air pistol events at the ISSF World Championships 2026 in Doha, Qatar, on 5 November 2026.
Jaypal Malviya won silver in the men’s 10m air pistol event with a score of 242.2.
His performance secured India’s first shooting quota place for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Manu Bhaker, Suruchi Singh and Sainyam Vij won silver in the women’s 10m air pistol team event with a combined score of 1738-61x.
China’s Hu Kai won gold in the men’s individual event, while China also secured gold in the women’s team competition.
Key Fact: India’s reported medal tally reached five medals, comprising one gold and four silver medals.