Daily Current Affairs – 18-07-2026

Important Days

July 18 – Tamil Nadu Name Change Day (தமிழ்நாடு பெயர் சூட்டப்பட்ட நாள்)

July 18 is observed in Tamil Nadu as Tamil Nadu Name Change Day to commemorate the day in 1967 when the Madras State Legislative Assembly passed a resolution to rename Madras State as “Tamil Nadu”, reflecting the state’s Tamil linguistic and cultural identity. The resolution was moved by Chief Minister C. N. Annadurai. The name change was later approved by the Government of India, and officially came into effect on 14 January 1969.

Nelson Mandela International Day – July 18

Nelson Mandela International Day is observed every year on 18 July to commemorate the birth anniversary of Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa and a global symbol of peace, equality and human rights. The day was officially recognised by the United Nations (UN) in 2009 and was first observed in 2010. It encourages individuals, communities and organisations to follow Mandela’s values of social justice, reconciliation, freedom and service to humanity by taking positive actions for society.

Reports and Indices

Great Indian Bustard Population Assessment 2024-25

The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) conducted a landscape-level assessment of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) between October 2024 and April 2025 in Rajasthan’s Thar landscape. The survey estimated the population of this Critically Endangered bird at 130 (109–151), which remained almost stable compared with the 2017-18 estimate of 128 (±19). The assessment covered around 14,000 sq km including Desert National Park (DNP), Pokhran Field Firing Range and surrounding priority GIB habitats. The survey used 419 transects covering 4,522 km across 144 sq km grid cells. The study found that GIBs currently occupy only about 16% of the surveyed Thar landscape due to increasing habitat pressure from infrastructure expansion. Power transmission lines, agricultural fencing, roads, water sources and solar power projects have contributed to habitat fragmentation and increased mortality risks. The survey recorded 35 GIB flocks, 1,568 chinkara herds and 79 desert foxes. The assessment also noted the presence of migratory birds using the Central Asian Flyway.

NITI Aayog Investment Friendliness Index 2026

NITI Aayog’s Investment Friendliness Index 2026 identified Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Goa as the top-performing states based on factors such as infrastructure quality, business climate, government policies, and regulatory ease for attracting investments. The index covers all 28 states and 8 Union Territories and evaluates factors influencing investment attractiveness and challenges faced by investors. Infrastructure received the highest weightage of 25%, followed by business climate, resources, government policy, regulatory ease, financial health, institutional environment, and environmental resilience. The index classified Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Karnataka among the “frontrunner” states. Ashok Lahiri, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, highlighted that the index aims to assess state-level performance indicators and areas requiring improvement.

National News

TLPS 2025 Survey on Tamil Nadu Classrooms

The Teaching Learning Practices Survey (TLPS) 2025 studied classroom practices in Tamil Nadu and found that nearly 70% of primary classrooms did not individually assess children’s understanding during lessons or depended on group responses. The survey was conducted by the Language and Learning Foundation with support from Tata Trusts and implemented in Tamil Nadu by Madhi Foundation and Educational Initiatives. It observed 150 Class 1 and Class 2 classrooms in Krishnagiri, Villupuram and Ramanathapuram districts between November 2024 and March 2025. The survey reported that 71% of classrooms did not check students’ written work or provide feedback, only 29% connected discussions with real-life experiences, 8% used open-ended questions, and 95% relied mainly on copying from the blackboard for writing activities. More than 85% of classrooms observed were multigrade classrooms. The report highlighted the role of the Tamil Nadu government’s flagship ‘Ennum Ezhuthum’ programme, which focuses on foundational literacy and numeracy through level-based teaching, continuous assessment and targeted support for children.

Redeveloped Chennai Park Railway Station Inaugurated

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the redeveloped Chennai Park Railway Station from Jalandhar Cantt Railway Station, Punjab. The station is one of the 75 railway stations redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS). Located on the Chennai Beach–Tambaram suburban railway line, Chennai Park Station has been redeveloped at a cost of ₹14.79 crore. The station handles around 29,000 passengers daily. The redevelopment works include a new entrance canopy, tower, modern signages, new booking office, improved flooring, additional platform shelters and roof replacement. Multi-modal connectivity has been improved through new lifts for the Foot Over Bridge (FOB) and pedestrian pathways connecting the MRTS platform and Chennai Central Metro Station.

CDSCO Approves Wegovy for MASH Treatment

Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has approved Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy (semaglutide 2.4 mg) for the treatment of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH), a progressive form of fatty liver disease. This is the first injectable GLP-1 therapy approved in India for MASH treatment apart from obesity management. GLP-1 drugs act like natural gut hormones that regulate blood sugar, reduce appetite, and slow digestion. The approval was granted after the ESSENCE trial, in which Wegovy resolved steatohepatitis in 63% of patients and reduced liver fibrosis in 37% of patients. Semaglutide was found to reduce liver fat, inflammation, and scarring, with a treatment dose of 2.4 mg injection. MASH (Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis) occurs due to excess fat accumulation in the liver, leading to chronic inflammation and liver damage. Wegovy can be used for adults with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis (F2 to F3 stages) along with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.

Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project

India and Japan have agreed to begin operations on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor using indigenously developed high-speed trainsets until Japan's E10 Shinkansen trains become available in the early 2030s, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The first section of the corridor is scheduled to become operational in 2027. The E10 Shinkansen is currently under development in Japan. The MEA stated that signalling equipment for the project has already been ordered in accordance with the operational plan and conforms to international specifications. The Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor is being implemented with Japanese financial and technological assistance and is India’s first bullet train project.

India’s First Hydrogen Train Service

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first hydrogen-powered train service at Jind, Haryana, operating between Jind and Sonipat under the Make in India initiative. With this launch, India joined the select group of countries operating hydrogen trains, including Germany, France, China, Japan, and Sweden. The train is powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology, has a 3,200-horsepower propulsion system, consists of 10 coaches, can carry about 2,600 passengers, and has a maximum speed of 75 km/h. It covers the 89 km route between Jind and Sonipat, passing through 12 railway stations, in about 2 hours. The train is regarded as the world’s longest and most powerful hydrogen train. Germany became the first country to introduce a hydrogen train service in 2018. The hydrogen train generates electricity through a hydrogen-oxygen chemical reaction, emits only water vapour, and does not require overhead electrification infrastructure. The event also marked the launch and foundation laying of development projects worth over ₹14,700 crore in various states, including Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Supreme Court on Election Commission’s Powers

The Supreme Court has reiterated that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has the authority only to prepare and revise electoral rolls and does not have the power to determine citizenship. The observation was made during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Prasenjit Bose, Chairperson of the committee constituted by the West Bengal Congress on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The petition sought constituency-wise data on the SIR process in West Bengal, including details of newly added voters, deleted voters, pending cases, and appeals before tribunals. The case was heard by a Supreme Court Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana. The Court directed the Election Commission of India, the Government of West Bengal, and the West Bengal State Election Commission to file their responses and scheduled the matter for hearing on 25 August, along with other pending petitions, including those filed by Mamata Banerjee. The Court also reiterated that it had already clarified the same legal position in the Bihar SIR case.

Joint Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Amendment Bill

The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) has postponed the adoption of its draft report on the proposed 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill, which seeks to provide for the automatic removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and Ministers from office if they are arrested under serious criminal charges and remain in prison for 30 days, with disqualification taking effect on the 31st day. The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in August (last year) and was later referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee for examination. The committee prepared five recommendations, including that such office-bearers should be temporarily removed instead of being permanently disqualified until legal proceedings are completed, and that they should be reinstated if acquitted or if the investigation is not completed within the prescribed period. The first two recommendations were approved by majority vote, but the committee postponed adoption of the draft report to allow further consultation on all five recommendations. During the meeting, Asaduddin Owaisi and Supriya Sule submitted dissent notes, which were later withdrawn after the draft report was deferred. The Monsoon Session of Parliament is scheduled from 20 July to 13 August, and it remains uncertain whether the bill will be introduced during this session.

International News

President Murmu’s Visit to Eastern Europe

President Droupadi Murmu will undertake a week-long state visit to Moldova, North Macedonia, and Romania from July 19 to strengthen India’s relations with Eastern and Central European countries. At the invitation of Moldova President Maia Sandu, President Murmu will visit Moldova on July 20, marking the first visit by an Indian President to Moldova. During the visit, she will hold delegation-level talks, meet Moldovan Parliament President Igor Grosu, interact with the Moldova–India Parliamentary Friendship Group and the Indian diaspora, and attend a business forum. From July 21, she will visit North Macedonia, marking the first visit by an Indian President to the country, where she will hold bilateral talks with President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, meet Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, and address the Assembly of North Macedonia. On July 23, she will visit Romania, marking the first visit by an Indian President to Romania after three decades, and meet President Nicușor Dan and Interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan. She will also address the India–Romania Business Forum and interact with the Indian diaspora.

President Droupadi Murmu’s State Visit to Eastern Europe

President Droupadi Murmu will undertake a week-long state visit to Moldova, North Macedonia, and Romania from July 19 to strengthen India’s ties with Eastern and Central European countries. At the invitation of President Maia Sandu, she will visit Moldova on July 20, marking the first-ever visit by an Indian President to Moldova, where she will hold delegation-level talks, meet Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu, interact with the Moldova–India Parliamentary Friendship Group, the Indian diaspora, and address a business forum. From July 21, she will visit North Macedonia, marking the first-ever visit by an Indian President to the country, where she will hold bilateral talks with President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, meet Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, and address the Assembly of North Macedonia. On July 23, she will visit Romania, marking the first visit by an Indian President in three decades, where she will meet President Nicușor Dan and Interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, address the India–Romania Business Forum, and interact with the Indian diaspora.

EU Rejects Chinese Rice Flour Consignment

The European Union (EU) rejected a consignment of hydrolysed rice flour imported from China after the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) detected the presence of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). The Netherlands identified the presence of the 35S promoter and T-Nos (Nopaline Synthase Terminator) in the consignment. Earlier in the year, China rejected nearly 70 consignments of Indian non-basmati rice, alleging the presence of GMOs. A study titled "Exploring the inhibitory effect of RASFF on China-EU trade of rice-based products", led by Qi Zhang of the School of Business, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, stated that RASFF had repeatedly detected unlicensed GM ingredients in rice-based products exported from China since 2006 and had acted as a technical barrier to China–EU rice-based product trade.

Moonshot Launches Kimi K3 AI Model

Moonshot, a Chinese AI start-up, has launched Kimi K3, a 2.8 trillion-parameter open-weight AI model, which the company describes as the world's largest open-weight AI system. The model is designed for advanced reasoning, long-horizon coding, and knowledge work, and features a 1 million-token context window. According to the company, Kimi K3 delivers performance comparable to Anthropic’s Fable model and outperformed Anthropic Opus 4.8, GPT 5.6 Sol, and GPT 5.5 in GPU kernel optimisation. Artificial Analysis reported that the model achieved performance comparable to OpenAI GPT-5.5 and Anthropic Claude Opus 4.8 in tests involving complex multi-step tasks. Following the announcement, shares of Chinese AI companies Zhipu and MiniMax in Hong Kong fell by 27.7% and 16.5%, respectively.

States’ News

Asiatic Lions and Gir Conservation

Gujarat is the only natural habitat of Asiatic lions in the world, with the core habitat located in the Gir Forest, covering Junagadh and Gir Somnath districts. According to the five-year Lion Population Estimation, the lion population in Gujarat increased from 674 in 2020 to 891 in 2025, of which 394 are in the core area and 497 are distributed across satellite populations. Following recent human-lion conflict incidents, 31 lions were relocated to areas without existing lion prides, while confirmed man-eating lions are kept in zoos. The Gujarat Forest Department is conducting a study with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) to understand changes in lion behaviour and recommend precautionary measures. The article also notes that the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has guidelines for classifying man-eating wild animals.

Economy News

RBI’s Pilot for Plastic Currency Notes

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is planning to introduce plastic (polymer) currency notes in place of the existing paper notes and will soon begin a pilot initiative. If the pilot is successful, plastic notes are expected to be introduced on a larger scale by 2027. The trial is likely to begin with ₹10 and ₹20 denomination notes. The new plastic notes will circulate alongside the existing paper notes, and the paper notes will be phased out gradually. The RBI’s banknote printing division has invited global companies to supply the specialised polymer substrates, with 18 August as the last date for applications. Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom have already adopted polymer currency notes. However, RBI has not yet issued any official announcement regarding this initiative.

Personalities, Awards and Events

Sir Garfield Sobers Passes Away

Sir Garfield Sobers, the legendary West Indies cricketer, passed away at the age of 89 in Bridgetown, Barbados, due to age-related illness. He made his international debut in 1954 and captained the West Indies Test team from 1965 to 1972. In 93 Test matches, he scored 8,032 runs, including 26 centuries and 30 half-centuries, with a highest score of 365 not out, and also took 235 wickets. In first-class cricket, he scored 28,314 runs and claimed 1,043 wickets in 383 matches. A left-handed batter, he bowled both left-arm pace and left-arm spin. In 1968, while playing for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan, he became the first batter in cricket history to hit six sixes in a single over. The International Cricket Council (ICC) annually presents the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy to the best international cricketer across all formats in his honour.