NATIONAL AFFAIRS
1. Odisha Announces ₹1,000 Crore Flood Relief Package
The Odisha Government announced a ₹1,000 crore relief package for flood-affected areas in the state. This comes after severe flooding in northern districts including Mayurbhanj, Balasore, and Kendrapada due to heavy rainfall and a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal. The package will cover:
- Compensation for damaged houses
- Agricultural loss reimbursement
- Relief materials and food distribution
- Infrastructure restoration
Answer: ₹1,000 crore
2. Supreme Court Invokes Article 142 to Quash FIRs Against NEET-UG Student Protesters
The Supreme Court invoked its special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to quash all FIRs filed against students who protested over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2026 examination. The Court emphasized that institutional reforms within NTA are needed rather than criminalizing student dissent. This is a landmark judgment on student rights and protest freedoms.
Answer: Article 142
3. Supreme Court Forms High-Powered Panel on Police Excesses During Student Protests
The Supreme Court ordered the formation of a high-powered panel to investigate allegations of police excesses and brutality during student protests related to NEET-UG and JSSC-CGL exam irregularities across multiple states. The panel will submit a report within 6 weeks and recommend measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
Answer: NEET-UG and JSSC-CGL
4. Jharkhand Cancels All JSSC-CGL Exams Conducted by TSR Data Processing Since 2014
The Jharkhand Government officially cancelled the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) examination and all tests, results, and selections conducted by TSR Data Processing Private Limited since 2014. This decision came after widespread student protests alleging massive irregularities and malpractices in recruitment exams. Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced the cancellation and promised a re-examination under a new agency.
Answer: Jharkhand
5. India's First-Ever Guide to Grasslands and Open Natural Ecosystems Launched
India launched its first-ever comprehensive Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems at the UNCCD COP17 (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The guide documents India's grassland ecosystems including Shola grasslands, Phumdis, Terai grasslands, and Banni grasslands.
Answer: UNCCD COP17
6. Central Information Commission (CIC) Launches AppCoMS 2.0 Portal
The Central Information Commission (CIC) launched AppCoMS 2.0 (Appeal and Complaint Management System), an upgraded digital portal for filing and tracking RTI appeals and complaints. The new version features faster processing, real-time tracking, improved UI, and integration with state information commissions.
Answer: Central Information Commission
7. Public Sector Banks (PSB) Confluence 2026 Held
The Ministry of Finance organized the PSB Confluence 2026, a major meeting of all Public Sector Bank CEOs and Chairpersons in New Delhi to discuss credit growth strategies, NPA reduction, digital banking initiatives, and financial inclusion targets.
Answer: Ministry of Finance
8. India and Armenia Sign MoU on Defence Innovation
India and Armenia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence innovation to strengthen cooperation in defence research and development. The MoU covers joint development of defence technologies, exchange of expertise in aerospace and cybersecurity, and collaboration on indigenous defence manufacturing.
Answer: Armenia
9. Supreme Court's Cauvery Water Order – Karnataka Directed to Release Water to Tamil Nadu
The Supreme Court directed Karnataka to comply with the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) order and release 5,000 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days.
Answer: 5,000 cusecs
10. PMAY-G: ₹3,473 Crore Housing Package for Rajasthan
The Ministry of Rural Development approved a ₹3,473 crore housing package for Rajasthan under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) to fund the construction of over 3 lakh additional houses in rural areas.
Answer: ₹3,473 crore
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
11. World Humanitarian Day – 19 August 2026
World Humanitarian Day is observed annually on 19 August. The 2026 theme is "Leave No One Behind: Humanitarian Action in a Changing World".
Answer: 19 August
12. World Mosquito Day – 20 August
World Mosquito Day is observed on 20 August to commemorate Sir Ronald Ross's discovery (1897) that female Anopheles mosquitoes transmit malaria.
Answer: 20 August
13. Pakistan Extends Airspace Ban for Indian Aircraft Till 24 September
Pakistan extended its airspace ban for Indian aircraft until 24 September 2026, citing ongoing security concerns and diplomatic tensions.
14. India Receives Invitation to Join NASA's Moon Base Programme
India received a formal invitation from NASA to join the Moon Base Programme, a collaborative international effort to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon by the 2030s.
ODISHA-SPECIFIC NEWS
15. Orissa High Court to Get Four New Judges
The Supreme Court Collegium approved the appointment of four new judges to the Orissa High Court. The recommended judges are Smt. Sasmita Tripathy, Shri Aditya Narayan Das, Shri Rajjeet Roy, and Shri Gautam Misra.
16. Maharashtra's Sugarcane Dilemma: Cutters Seek Way Out as Mills Turn to Machines
In Maharashtra, sugarcane cutters are facing unemployment as sugar mills increasingly adopt mechanized harvesting.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
17. Sixth Positive Indigenisation List for Defence Released
The Ministry of Defence released the sixth Positive Indigenisation List, which includes 108 defence items that must be manufactured in India and cannot be imported.
18. MIDHANI Achieves Global Aerospace-Testing Milestone
MIDHANI achieved a global milestone in aerospace testing by successfully testing a new titanium alloy for fighter jet components.
19. SEBI Introduces New Cybersecurity Infrastructure
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) introduced new cybersecurity infrastructure to protect stock market data and investor information.
EDUCATION & EXAMS
20. UIDAI Completes 2 Crore Biometric Updates for School Children
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) completed a major milestone in its nationwide biometric update drive, successfully updating Aadhaar biometrics for over 2 crore school children across 1.6 lakh schools.
SPORTS
21. Rishabh Pant Becomes First Indian Batter to Hit 100 Sixes in Test Cricket
Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant became the first Indian batter to hit 100 sixes in Test cricket during a match against England at Lord's.
22. Virat Kohli Completes 18 Years in International Cricket
Former Indian captain Virat Kohli completed 18 years in international cricket on 18 August 2026, having debuted in 2008.
23. India's Women's Hockey Team Thrashes South Africa 6–1 at World Cup
The Indian women's hockey team defeated South Africa 6–1 in the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 in Valencia, Spain.
24. Asian Junior Blitz Chess: India Wins Gold Medals
Indian chess players won 2 gold medals at the Asian Junior Blitz Chess Championship 2026 held in Mumbai, India. The gold medalists are Vignesh Advaith Vemula (Open Section) and Saranya Devi (Girls' Section).
Quick Recap Table
| Category | Key Event | Expected Question Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Odisha | ₹1,000 crore flood relief package | Amount, state schemes |
| Judiciary | SC invokes Article 142 for NEET protesters | Article number, NEET |
| Governance | Jharkhand cancels JSSC-CGL exams since 2014 | State, exam name |
| Environment | India's first Grasslands Guide at UNCCD COP17 | Conference name |
| RTI | CIC launches AppCoMS 2.0 | Commission name |
| Defence | India-Armenia MoU on defence innovation | Country name |
| Water Dispute | SC orders Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs to TN | Water quantity |
| International Days | World Humanitarian Day (19 Aug) | Date |
| Space | India invited to NASA's Moon Base Programme | Agency name |
| Sports | Rishabh Pant: 100 sixes in Tests | Player name |