Daily Current Affairs

International Thalassaemia Day (ITD) is observed every year on 8 May to raise global awareness about thalassaemia and promote prevention, early diagnosis, and equitable access to quality care. The 2026 theme — ‘Hidden No More: Finding the Undiagnosed. Supporting the Unseen.’ — focuses on the millions globally who remain undiagnosed, often until pregnancy or early childhood.

• What is Thalassaemia: An inherited (autosomal recessive) genetic blood disorder; mutations in alpha- or beta-globin genes reduce haemoglobin production, causing chronic anaemia and multi-organ complications.
• India’s burden: India has the highest number of beta-thalassaemia major patients globally; approximately 10,000–15,000 children are born with thalassaemia major each year in India.
• Campaign 2026: ‘Bring Thal to Light’ — cities invited to illuminate landmarks in red; ‘Your Journey, Your Story’ — patient narrative initiative.

World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day is observed on 9 May every year, marking the birthday of Henry Dunant (8 May 1828) — the founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and co-recipient of the first Nobel Peace Prize (1901). The 2026 theme is ‘Humanity That Unites Us.’

• Henry Dunant: Born 8 May 1828; founded the ICRC; co-recipient of the first Nobel Peace Prize (1901).
• ICRC: International Committee of the Red Cross; founded 1863, Geneva, Switzerland; awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 1917, 1944, and 1963.
• India: Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) established in 1920 under the Indian Red Cross Society Act.

In May 2026, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) payable to sugarcane farmers (Ganna Kisan) at Rs 365 per quintal for the 2026-27 season, at a basic recovery rate of 10.25%.

• FRP (Fair and Remunerative Price): Minimum price mandated under the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966; determined by CCEA on recommendations of CACP.
• Increase: 2.81% over Rs 355/quintal set for 2025-26 season.
• Effective from: 1 October 2026.

The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi approved the ‘Mission for Cotton Productivity (2026-27 to 2030-31)’ with a total budget outlay of Rs 5,659.22 crore, aligned with the Government of India’s 5F Vision.

• Implementing Agencies: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoAFW) and Ministry of Textiles (MoT).
• 5F Vision: Farm → Fibre → Factory → Fashion → Foreign; part of PM’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative for the textile sector.
• Significance: India is the world’s largest cotton producer; mission aims to boost cotton yield, quality, and farmer income and support the domestic textile industry.

In May 2026, the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), through its autonomous institute the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, established India’s first comprehensive Urban Testbed and Aerosol Observatory along with the Centre for Atmospheric Science Research and Innovation (CASRI) at SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST), Ramapuram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

• Centre: CASRI (Centre for Atmospheric Science Research and Innovation) set up at SRMIST, Chennai — India’s first facility of its kind.
• Purpose: Improve weather forecasting, monsoon prediction, urban flood prediction, severe weather nowcasting, climate adaptation planning, and smart urban infrastructure development.
• Infrastructure: Plans to deploy ~100 Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) across urban and suburban transition zones.
• IITM: Established 1955; autonomous institute under MoES; HQ: Pune; key role in monsoon research and climate modelling.

In May 2026, the Governments of India and Japan signed bilateral agreements to strengthen cooperation in quantum technology and health research, during a high-level meeting in New Delhi in the presence of Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Science and Technology (MoS&T), India, and Kimi, Japan’s Minister for Science and Technology Policy.

• Health Agreement: MoC signed among Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and Department of Science and Technology (DST) — covering biomedical research, medical devices, disease prevention, diagnostics, and data sharing.
• Quantum Agreement: LoI on Quantum Science and Technology cooperation signed between Japan’s Cabinet Office and DST — covers quantum computing, communication, sensing, cryptography, and simulation.
• ICMR: Indian Council of Medical Research; under MoHFW; established 1911; HQ: New Delhi; apex body for biomedical research in India.

In May 2026, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) launched the Swasth Bharat Portal at the 10th National Summit on Innovation and Inclusivity: Best Practices Shaping India’s Health Future, held in Chandigarh. The portal integrates fragmented health programme systems into a unified digital platform.

• Problem solved: Multiple programme-specific digital applications operated in silos, causing duplication, fragmented data, and increased workload for ASHAs, ANMs, CHOs, and Medical Officers.
• Compliance: API-based federated aggregator portal; compliant with Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM); integrated with ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account), HPR (Health Professional Registry), and HFR (Health Facility Registry).
• Co-launch: RBSK 2.0 Guidelines were also released on 7 May 2026 at the same summit.

On 5 May 2026, under the framework of the India–European Union Trade & Technology Council (TTC) Working Group 2 on Green and Clean Energy Technologies, India and the EU announced the launch of a third coordinated call for proposals focused on recycling of Electric Vehicle (EV) Batteries.

• Focus: Recovering lithium, graphite, and cobalt from battery waste to reduce import reliance; aims to transform battery waste into a ‘virtual mine.’
• TTC: India-EU Trade and Technology Council — launched in 2023 to coordinate technology, trade, and security policy; has 3 working groups.
• Funding: EUR 15.2 million (~Rs 169 crore); co-funded through the EU’s Horizon Europe programme and India’s Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI).

In May 2026, Canada’s Cape Breton University (CBU) signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Indian academic institutions as part of a multi-city India outreach initiative led by CBU President and Vice-Chancellor David C. Dingwall.

• Cities covered: New Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Vadodara, and Ahmedabad.
• Focus areas: Academic collaboration, student mobility, joint research, and innovation partnerships.
• CBU: Cape Breton University; located in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada; established 1974.

India’s combined goods and services exports rose by 4.59% to USD 863.11 billion in Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26), reflecting continued growth in the services sector even as merchandise exports faced headwinds from global trade uncertainties.

• Export growth: Combined goods and services exports up 4.59% to USD 863.11 billion in FY26; services sector drove growth amid global trade uncertainties affecting merchandise.
• EV milestone: Electric passenger vehicle sales surged 75.14% in April 2026 (per FADA data), reflecting accelerating EV adoption in India.
• IPL 2026 Final: Shifted from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad.
• Chess: Gukesh Dommaraju delivered an impressive performance defeating Sindarov in May 2026.