Daily Current Affairs – 09-08-2026

Important Days

National Deworming Day in Tamil Nadu

As part of National Deworming Day, the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Tamil Nadu will distribute deworming tablets on August 10, 2026 to 2.06 crore children and adolescents aged 1–19 years and 52.44 lakh women aged 20–30 years. Special camps will be conducted at 54,481 Anganwadi centres, 11,723 health sub-centres and 56,483 schools across Tamil Nadu from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Those who miss the distribution will be covered through follow-up camps on August 17, 2026. The deworming programme is conducted every year during February and August.

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is observed annually on 9 August to recognize the rights, cultures, traditions and languages of indigenous communities. The day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1994 and commemorates the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations held on 9 August 1982. In India, Scheduled Tribes constituted about 8.6% of the population according to Census 2011. The Constitution of India – Article 46 provides for the promotion of the educational and economic interests of Scheduled Tribes, while the Fifth Schedule deals with the administration of Scheduled Areas and the Sixth Schedule provides for autonomous administration in certain tribal areas of Northeast India. Important laws concerning tribal communities include the Forest Rights Act, 2006 and the PESA Act, 1996 (Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act).

Science and Technology News

AI-Designed Bacteriophages

Scientists have used Artificial Intelligence (AI) and genome language models to design complete genomes of bacteriophages, viruses that infect and kill bacteria. Using the well-studied X174 bacteriophage as a template, researchers generated thousands of new DNA sequences and developed 16 functional viruses. The AI-designed phages were different from naturally occurring viruses and were able to kill bacteria resistant to natural phages. The research may support the development of new treatments against drug-resistant bacteria.

AI and Data Centres: Environmental Water Footprint

A study by the University of California, Riverside highlighted the water footprint associated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data centres. India’s data-centre capacity increased from 375 MW in 2020 to about 1,500 MW in 2025 and is projected to reach 13.56 GW by 2031–32. According to a United Nations report, the water footprint associated with data-centre electricity consumption was estimated at 4.5 trillion litres in 2025 and is projected to reach 9.3 trillion litres by 2030. Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat have introduced policies to attract data-centre investments. Gautam Buddha Nagar in Uttar Pradesh has at least 17 data centres, with groundwater extraction reported at 104.79%, while Hyderabad has been classified as an over-exploited groundwater area by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB). Protests related to environmental and water-resource concerns have also been reported in Visakhapatnam and Thane, Maharashtra.

Economy News

Tamil Nadu Budget: Key Schemes and Fiscal Measures

The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led government has proposed several initiatives in its first Budget for Tamil Nadu, including a residential school scheme named after former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj, the Super Clean Super Campus Scheme covering 10,000 schools, and continuation of bicycles with helmets and water bottles for 5.32 lakh Class XI students. The free milch cow distribution scheme will be revived to benefit 10,000 women annually. Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts are proposed to be developed as a Space Industrial Investment Zone. Under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, 20,000 public EV charging stations are proposed to be established over five years, while smart electricity meters will be provided to domestic consumers in Chennai. The Coimbatore–Ariyalur power transmission project will also be implemented under PPP mode, and the Hosur–Bommasandra Metro Rail project will be pursued. An annual award will be instituted in the name of Muhammad Ismail, popularly known as Quaid-e-Millat. The Budget also included a reduction in allocation for government employees’ pensions, while the Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme and several major electoral promises were not included. Fiscal consolidation has been deferred, with net borrowing remaining high.

International News

Mecca Agreement – Trilateral Security Pact

On 7 August 2026, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye signed the Mecca Agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, establishing a trilateral security framework. The agreement was signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The three countries agreed to strengthen collective defence and collective deterrence and to treat an armed attack against any one of the three countries as an attack against all. The agreement is significant for the evolving security architecture of West Asia.

Tamil Nadu News

Rehabilitation Scheme for Transgender Persons

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu to file a compliance report regarding the formulation of a comprehensive rehabilitation scheme for transgender persons at the taluk level. In an order dated April 24, 2026, Justice K.K. Ramakrishnan directed the State Government to develop measures for self-employment, sustainable livelihood, education, healthcare and welfare and to ensure the social inclusion of transgender persons. The Chief Secretary was directed to coordinate with the concerned departments and submit a compliance report by August 21, 2026, after the earlier status report was found inadequate in complying with the court’s directions.