Daily Current Affairs – 19-08-2026

International News

BRICS Opposes EU Carbon Border Measures

The 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting, held in New Delhi under India’s chairmanship, adopted a joint statement opposing the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and similar carbon border measures. CBAM covers carbon-intensive imports such as iron and steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, hydrogen and electricity. India is significantly exposed to CBAM, with iron and steel accounting for about 90% of India’s exports to the EU covered by the mechanism. The BRICS Environment Ministers called for increased international adaptation finance for developing countries and urged developed countries to fulfil the 2025 UN climate conference commitment to triple adaptation finance by 2035.

National News

PM-CARES Fund Corpus Rises Despite Decline in Donations

The audited financial statements of the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM-CARES) Fund for 2023-24 and 2024-25 showed that its corpus increased from ₹6,722 crore in 2022-23 to ₹8,453 crore in 2024-25, a growth of 25.8%, mainly due to interest earnings. During the same period, fund utilisation declined from ₹437.9 crore to ₹87.5 lakh. In 2024-25, interest income stood at ₹475 crore, while donations amounted to ₹480 crore. The corpus was shifted from savings accounts to fixed deposits in 2023-24, contributing to higher interest income. PM-CARES was established as a public charitable trust in March 2020.

Lokpal and Lokayukta Institutions in India

The Ombudsman system originated in Sweden in 1809 for addressing citizens’ grievances. The First Administrative Reforms Commission recommended in 1966 the establishment of Lokpal at the Union level and Lokayuktas in the States to deal with corruption complaints. The Lokpal Bill was first introduced in Parliament in 1968, followed by reintroductions in 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2008. Maharashtra became the first Indian State to establish a Lokayukta under the Lokayukta Act, 1971. India signed the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in 2005 and ratified it in 2011. The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 was enacted by Parliament. The Tamil Nadu Lokayukta Act, 2018 was enacted and the Tamil Nadu Lokayukta began functioning in 2019. At present, the Lokpal at the Union level and Lokayuktas in 28 States function as anti-corruption bodies. According to Lokpal website data, 431 corruption complaints were registered between April 1, 2025 and March 31, 2026, including two complaints against the Prime Minister, two against Union Ministers and six against Members of Parliament.

H1N1 Cases Rise in Several States

H1N1, a subtype of Influenza A, has increased in several States along with influenza-like illnesses and respiratory infections. Delhi recorded 1,344 H1N1 cases by early August 2026, compared with 229 cases during the same period in the previous year, while Mumbai recorded 309 cases between June 1 and August 15, 2026, compared with 72 cases in 2025. In Bengaluru, H1N1 cases were confirmed mainly among children with severe or persistent symptoms. Kerala reported 7,421 influenza cases and 88 deaths in 2026 up to August 17, including 526 cases and 6 deaths in May, 2,050 cases and 26 deaths in June, and 2,899 cases and 31 deaths in July.

Personalities, Awards and Events

Vice President Releases Book on Kidney Failure

Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan released the book Truth and Healing: Religion, Spirituality and Faith in Kidney Failure, authored by Georgi Abraham, President and Founder Trustee of TANKER Foundation, at the Vice-President’s Office, New Delhi. The book contains 22 chapters, including contributions from 17 kidney specialists from India, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, South Africa and the United States.

Tamil Nadu News

Environmental Impact of HOECL Wells in Cuddalore

Environment and Climate Change Minister V.K. Rajeev responded to a special calling-attention motion on the environmental impact of development wells dug by Hindustan Oil Exploration Company Limited (HOECL) at Parangipettai in Cuddalore district. HOECL had already dug four development wells and one exploratory well and planned to dig four more development wells after obtaining permission from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The motion was moved by CPI member T. Ramachandran, CPI(M) member K. Marimuthu, and Chidambaram MLA Thameemun Ansari.

Thirumangai Alwar Bronze Idol Repatriated to Kumbakonam Temple

The Idol Wing-CID of the Tamil Nadu Police recovered an antique bronze idol of Thirumangai Alwar stolen from the Sri Soundararaja Perumal Temple, Kumbakonam, and returned it to the temple. The idol was traced to the Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, United Kingdom. On February 12, 2020, the Idol Wing-CID registered a case regarding the theft of four idols from the temple between 1957 and 1967, including Thirumangai Alwar, Kaalinga Narthana Krishnar, Vishnu and Sridevi. The Ashmolean Museum had acquired the Thirumangai Alwar idol from an unidentified seller in 1967, while the other three idols were traced to museums in the United States. The Idol Wing-CID established the provenance of the idol through scientific evidence. In 2024, the Ashmolean Museum expressed its commitment to repatriate the idol to India. In 2026, the Tamil Nadu Government coordinated with the High Commission of India in London and the Union Ministry of Culture for its return. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) received the idol in New Delhi, after which the Idol Wing-CID brought it to Chennai. The idol was subsequently handed over to the temple custodians at the Kumbakonam court and returned to the temple.

Tamil Nadu to Launch Chief Minister’s Road Safety Mission

Tamil Nadu will launch the Chief Minister’s Road Safety Mission within 6–8 months with an annual allocation of ₹500 crore to reduce road accident fatalities. Tamil Nadu was stated to have the highest number of road accidents among States in India. ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras will be installed along all State and National Highways to record vehicle speed and registration numbers. Under the Corridor Accident Response and Emergency programme, 25 government hospitals and primary health centres will be upgraded as emergency response centres, and 25 accident-prone locations will be connected to these facilities. Ambulances equipped with doctors and life-saving equipment will also be provided. A Land Acquisition Wing will be established under the Highways Department to expedite land acquisition for highway projects.

365-Day Maternity Leave for Third Child

The Tamil Nadu Government will increase maternity leave for the third child of government employees from 12 weeks to 365 days, while 365 days of maternity leave is already provided for the first two children. An app named ‘Vetri Paathai’ will be developed at a cost of ₹20 lakh for students preparing for competitive examinations conducted by SSC, RRB, IBPS, TNPSC and other Central and State recruitment agencies. A new building will be constructed at the TNPSC headquarters at a cost of ₹12.5 crore. A CCTV surveillance system will be installed at the Tamil Nadu Information Commission at a cost of ₹10 lakh. At the Government Training Institute, Bhavanisagar, a computer laboratory will be established at a cost of ₹1 crore, and sports facilities will be developed at a cost of ₹2.25 crore.

Tamil Nadu Announces Major Road and Ferry Infrastructure Projects

Tamil Nadu’s Highways and Minor Ports Department announced several infrastructure projects, including a coastal elevated road connecting Chennai–Mahabalipuram–Puducherry, a ‘Vetri MLA Constituency Road Development Scheme’, and a ₹250-crore road maintenance project including the ‘Namma Saalai’ app. 2,000 km of rural roads will be upgraded annually at a cost of ₹2,550 crore, while a Centre of Excellence for Road Technology and Safety will be established under the Highways Research Station. A ₹120-crore triangular corridor will connect Chennai Central, Kathipara and Koyambedu, and bypass and link-road projects will be taken up at a cost of ₹257 crore. Inland ferry services will be introduced between Rameswaram Agnitheertham and Mandapam through the Pamban Canal, and ferry services between Nagapattinam and Kankesanthurai in Sri Lanka will be expanded. AI-equipped CCTV cameras will be installed on all types of roads in Tamil Nadu, with stricter enforcement planned from the following year, and the Chief Minister’s Road Mission will receive ₹500 crore annually to reduce road accident deaths. The Chennai–Kanyakumari road will be upgraded from four lanes to an eight-lane highway, while projects including the Trichy–Karur National Highway expansion and Kilambakkam–Chengalpattu elevated road will be expedited.