Daily Current Affairs — 29 September 2026
· 22 min read · TS Police Hub (Anvil Edtech)
The UN General Assembly adopts its first-ever declaration on sea-level rise; UNEP's Cool Coalition names its first Cool Leaders; Hyderabad's TakeMe2Space readies the MOI-1A orbital-computing satellite and SpaceX's Starship reaches orbit for the first time; Exercise KAZIND 2026 begins in Kazakhstan; the Centre bans the herbicide paraquat; Telangana lays the foundation of Indiramma Towers in Hyderabad; Andhra Pradesh launches Palle Panduga 3.0 and 'The Godavari Calls'; Tamil Nadu starts a gold-ring scheme for newborns; two Indian scientists win AGU 2026 honours; India takes silver and bronze at the Chess Olympiad and will host the 2027 Asian Pencak Silat Championships.
1. International Relations & Environment
UN General Assembly Adopts Its First-Ever Declaration on Sea-Level Rise
Why in news: On 24 September 2026, during the high-level week of the 81st UN General Assembly (UNGA-81) in New York, member states adopted the first-ever UN declaration on sea-level rise. It was adopted by consensus — without a vote — and the United States also joined.
Rising seas threaten low-lying island countries such as Tuvalu, Kiribati and the Maldives, some of which could lose most of their land. The declaration's key message is that a country does not stop being a country because the sea swallows its land.
Key facts
- Statehood protected: A state's statehood, sovereignty and international legal personality continue even if sea-level rise changes its territory.
- Maritime zones: Maritime zones and baselines already fixed under UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982) can be kept even when coastlines shrink.
- Who drove it: Pushed by the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS); the text was co-facilitated by Australia and Cabo Verde.
- Action asked: Early-warning systems, adaptation finance, nature-based solutions such as mangroves, and faster cuts in emissions. It calls sea-level rise a 'threat multiplier'.
- Why seas rise: Greenhouse gases cause global warming; glaciers and ice sheets melt and warm water expands. According to WMO, the global mean sea level rose about 11 cm between 1993 and 2025.
First 'Cool Leaders Award' Given by UNEP's Cool Coalition
Why in news: The Cool Coalition, led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), presented the first-ever Cool Leaders Award at the Global Cooling Pledge Assembly 2026 in Singapore (announced 17 September 2026). The award honours leadership in cooling people without heating the planet.
- Singapore: For passive cooling and heat resilience — urban greenery and heat-smart city planning.
- UAE: For district cooling and for bringing cooling into global climate policy.
- Dong Mingzhu: Chairwoman of Gree Electric Appliances (China), for ultra-efficient, low-carbon air-conditioning technology.
2. Science & Space
Hyderabad's TakeMe2Space Readies MOI-1A, an Orbital-Computing Satellite
Why in news: TakeMe2Space, a space start-up based in Hyderabad, Telangana, is set to launch MOI-1A ('My Orbital Infrastructure') on 1 October 2026 aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 Transporter-18 rideshare mission from Vandenberg, USA. It is described as India's first orbital-computing satellite — a small data centre and AI lab in orbit.
Normally a satellite sends raw data to Earth, where it is processed. Processing the data in space itself ('edge computing') saves time and the cost of sending huge files down to ground stations.
Key facts
- Computer on board: An NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX processor, rated at about 117 TOPS (trillion operations per second), plus 2 TB storage and a multispectral imager.
- Earlier missions: MOI-TD flew on ISRO's PSLV-C60 (POEM-4) in December 2024 as 'India's first AI lab in space'. MOI-1 was lost when PSLV-C62 failed on 12 January 2026.
- Plan for 2028: A networked orbital data centre: two 100-kg satellites linked by laser, with the Paris-based partner RIDE! space.
- Founder & CEO: Ronak Kumar Samantray (company founded in 2023).
SpaceX's Starship Reaches Orbit for the First Time
Why in news: On 28 September 2026, SpaceX's Starship Flight 14 lifted off from Starbase, Texas, reached orbit for the first time and released 26 Starlink V3 internet satellites. The Super Heavy booster made a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico; the ship splashed down in the North Pacific about three hours after launch and then exploded.
- Two stages: Lower stage: Super Heavy booster with 33 Raptor engines. Upper stage: the Starship spacecraft. Together about 124 m tall — the largest and most powerful rocket ever flown.
- Fuel: Liquid methane as fuel and liquid oxygen as oxidiser ('methalox'). Designed to be fully reusable, for missions to the Moon and Mars.
3. Defence & Security
Exercise KAZIND 2026 Begins in Kazakhstan
Why in news: The 9th edition of Exercise KAZIND, the India–Kazakhstan joint military exercise, began on 28 September 2026 at Oskemen, Kazakhstan, and will continue till 11 October 2026. The name joins 'KAZ' (Kazakhstan) and 'IND' (India).
Key facts
- Indian contingent: 60 personnel, mainly from a battalion of the Garhwal Rifles, with other arms and the Indian Air Force. Kazakhstan sends an equal number, mainly from its Land Forces.
- Focus: Joint counter-terrorism operations under a UN mandate in semi-urban and mountainous terrain, including drones and counter-drone systems.
- History: Began in 2016 as 'Prabal Dostyk'; later renamed KAZIND. Air Force personnel have joined since 2023, making it a bi-service exercise.
4. Agriculture & Health
Centre Bans the Deadly Herbicide Paraquat
Why in news: The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has banned paraquat dichloride across India through an order (S.O. 5234(E), dated 22 September 2026, reported on 28 September). All registration certificates have been cancelled, and its manufacture, import, transport, distribution, sale and use are prohibited.
Paraquat is a weedkiller (herbicide) used to clear weeds in fields. It is highly poisonous to humans and animals — even a small amount swallowed can be fatal, and there is no antidote. It has been linked to many deaths by accidental and intentional poisoning in rural India.
Key facts
- Law used: Section 27 of the Insecticides Act, 1968 (the Centre's power to prohibit an insecticide). A draft notification was published on 13 July 2026 for public objections.
- Global picture: Paraquat is banned or severely restricted in more than 70 countries.
- Telangana link: Telangana had imposed a 60-day ban on paraquat on 2 April 2026 — the maximum a State can impose on its own under the Act (extendable by 30 days).
5. Telangana Focus
Foundation Laid for Indiramma Towers at Red Hills, Hyderabad
Why in news: On 29 September 2026, Revenue and Housing Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy laid the foundation stone for Indiramma Towers at Red Hills in the Nampally constituency of Hyderabad. Phase 1 will have 480 flats in ground-plus-10-floor towers at a cost of ₹43.20 crore, with completion targeted within a year.
Beneficiaries were chosen by a draw of lots. Building upwards (vertical housing) lets the government house more poor families on scarce city land.
Also in Telangana
- Award for the CM: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy received the Aryadan Muhammed Best Public Servant Award 2026 at Nilambur, Kerala (25 September) — the first recipient from outside Kerala.
- Space start-up: Hyderabad-based TakeMe2Space's MOI-1A satellite launches on 1 October (see Science & Space).
- Paraquat: Telangana's 60-day ban in April 2026 came before the new nationwide ban (see Agriculture & Health).
6. Andhra Pradesh Focus
Palle Panduga 3.0: ₹11,085 Crore for Village Infrastructure
Why in news: On 29 September 2026, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan launched Palle Panduga 3.0 ('village festival') at Ramapuram village, Varikuntapadu mandal, Udayagiri constituency, in Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore district. The programme will build rural roads, drains, cattle sheds and village buildings worth ₹11,085 crore.
What Palle Panduga 3.0 will build| Work | Size | Cost |
|---|
| BT (bitumen) roads | 9,500 km | ₹7,550 crore |
| CC (cement concrete) roads | 6,000 km | ₹2,700 crore |
| Mini Gokulams (cattle sheds) | about 22,000 | ₹300 crore |
| Horticulture | 50,000 acres | ₹225 crore |
| Bus shelters, panchayat buildings | — | ₹200 crore |
| Magic drains | 1,000 km | ₹110 crore |
- Who pays: Centre ₹5,391 crore + State ₹5,694 crore. Sources include VB-G RAM G, NABARD and others.
- VB-G RAM G: The Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 replaced MGNREGA from 1 July 2026 and guarantees 125 days of rural work (up from 100).
'The Godavari Calls' Ahead of Godavari Pushkaralu 2027
Why in news: On World Tourism Day (27 September 2026), Andhra Pradesh Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh launched 'The Godavari Calls' tourism campaign at Rajamahendravaram and unveiled a 'Rajamahendravaram Declaration' (a tourism action plan). It is a curtain-raiser for the Godavari Pushkaralu, to be held from 26 June to 7 July 2027.
- AI for tourists: AI-enabled QR codes at 130+ destinations, giving information in many languages; ₹428 crore for eight tourism projects.
- Pushkaralu: A river festival held once in 12 years for each sacred river; the Godavari Pushkaralu is held when Jupiter (Guru) enters Simha rashi (Leo). Tent cities are planned for pilgrims.
7. States & National Schemes
Tamil Nadu: 'Thai Maman Thanga Mothiram' Gold-Ring Scheme for Newborns
Why in news: On 28 September 2026, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay launched the 'Thai Maman Thanga Mothiram' ('maternal uncle's gold ring') scheme at the Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai. Every baby born in a government hospital or primary health centre in the State on or after 22 June 2026 gets a 1-gram, 22-carat gold ring.
Such incentives encourage institutional deliveries — births in hospitals under trained staff — which lower maternal and infant deaths. The mother must be a Tamil Nadu resident registered on the State's PICME pregnancy-tracking system. The budget for the year is ₹755.83 crore.
Minority Affairs Ministry Signs MoUs with IISc, IIM Bangalore and IIT Madras
Why in news: On 25 September 2026 at IISc Bengaluru, the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs signed four MoUs to get independent checks on its schemes and to build a start-up pipeline.
- IIM Bangalore: Third-party monitoring of PM VIKAS (skill training for minorities).
- IIT Madras: Quality checks of infrastructure built under the PM Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK).
- Start-ups: Two agreements with NMDFC, IISc and IIM Bangalore's incubators to support minority entrepreneurs under the PM Minority Venture Fund.
8. Awards & Honours
Two Indian Scientists Win American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2026 Honours
Why in news: The American Geophysical Union announced its 2026 awards, medals and prizes on 25 September 2026. Two scientists working in India are among the winners; the honours will be presented at AGU's annual meeting in San Francisco in December 2026.
- Roxy Mathew Koll: Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune — Pavel S. Molchanov Climate Communications Prize, for explaining how Indian Ocean warming affects monsoons, heatwaves and cyclones.
- Neelima Satyam: Professor, IIT Indore — Devendra Lal Memorial Medal, named after the Indian geophysicist Devendra Lal.
9. Sports
46th Chess Olympiad: India Wins Silver and Bronze, Retains the Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy
Why in news: The 46th Chess Olympiad, organised by FIDE, was held at Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from 15 to 27 September 2026. India won silver in the Open section and bronze in the Women's section, and won the Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy for the best combined Open + Women performance for the third Olympiad in a row (2022, 2024, 2026).
Medal winners| Section | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|
| Open | Uzbekistan | India | Germany |
| Women | China | Kazakhstan | India |
- India's Open team: D. Gukesh, R. Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Nihal Sarin and Vidit Gujrathi.
- Youngest WGM: Bodhana Sivanandan, an 11-year-old Indian-origin girl playing for England, became the youngest ever to qualify for the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title, earning her final norm at this Olympiad.
India to Host the 2027 Asian Pencak Silat Championships in Goa
Why in news: India will host the 4th Junior and 11th Senior Asian Pencak Silat Championships from 19 to 23 April 2027 at the Manohar Parrikar Stadium, Goa. The Indian Pencak Silat Federation announced it on 26 September 2026 after approval from PERSILAT, the international federation.
- What it is: A traditional martial art from Indonesia. It entered the Asian Games at Jakarta–Palembang 2018 and is on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list (2019).
10. Quick Revision — One-Liners
Practice questions with answers
With reference to the UN declaration on sea-level rise adopted in September 2026, consider the following statements:
- It was adopted by consensus, without a vote.
- It says a state loses its statehood once its land is fully submerged.
- Australia and Cabo Verde co-facilitated its text.
- 1 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (B) 1 and 3 only
Explanation: Statements 1 and 3 are correct. Statement 2 is the opposite of what the declaration says: it affirms that statehood, sovereignty and maritime zones continue even if sea-level rise changes a country's territory. It was adopted on 24 September 2026 at UNGA-81.
The Malé Declaration of 1989 is related to:
- Protection of the ozone layer
- Trade in hazardous waste
- Global warming and sea-level rise
- Conservation of wetlands
Answer: (C) Global warming and sea-level rise
Explanation: The Malé Declaration on Global Warming and Sea Level Rise was adopted on 18 November 1989 at the Small States Conference in Malé, Maldives. The ozone layer is covered by the Vienna Convention and Montreal Protocol, hazardous waste by the Basel Convention, and wetlands by the Ramsar Convention.
TakeMe2Space, whose MOI-1A orbital-computing satellite is to be launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9, is based in which city?
- Hyderabad
- Bengaluru
- Chennai
- Ahmedabad
Answer: (A) Hyderabad
Explanation: TakeMe2Space is a Hyderabad-based space start-up. MOI stands for 'My Orbital Infrastructure'; MOI-1A carries an NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX processor (about 117 TOPS) to process data in orbit. Ahmedabad is the HQ of IN-SPACe, the promoter and regulator of India's private space sector.
Consider the Assertion (A) and Reason (R):
Assertion (A): Telangana could ban paraquat only for a limited period in April 2026, while a permanent nationwide ban came from the Centre.
Reason (R): Under the Insecticides Act, 1968, a State can prohibit an insecticide only for up to 60 days (extendable by 30 days), whereas the Centre can prohibit it permanently.
- Both A and R are true, and R explains A
- Both A and R are true, but R does not explain A
- A is true, R is false
- A is false, R is true
Answer: (A) Both A and R are true, and R explains A
Explanation: Both are true and R explains A. Telangana imposed a 60-day ban on 2 April 2026 — the most a State can do on its own. The permanent nationwide ban came through the Union Agriculture Ministry's order under Section 27 of the Insecticides Act, 1968 (S.O. 5234(E), 22 September 2026).
Match the military exercise with the partner country:
| List I | List II |
|---|
| A. KAZIND | 1. USA |
| B. Nomadic Elephant | 2. Uzbekistan |
| C. Yudh Abhyas | 3. Kazakhstan |
| D. Dustlik | 4. Mongolia |
- A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2
- A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3
- A-4, B-3, C-1, D-2
- A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
Answer: (D) A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
Explanation: KAZIND — Kazakhstan (9th edition at Oskemen, 28 Sep–11 Oct 2026); Nomadic Elephant — Mongolia; Yudh Abhyas — USA; Dustlik — Uzbekistan. Hence A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2.
Which country won the gold medal in the Open section of the 46th Chess Olympiad (2026)?
- India
- China
- Uzbekistan
- Germany
Answer: (C) Uzbekistan
Explanation: Hosts Uzbekistan won the Open gold at Samarkand; India took silver and Germany bronze. In the Women's section China won gold, Kazakhstan silver and India bronze.
The Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy, won by India for the third consecutive time, is given at the Chess Olympiad for:
- The youngest player of the event
- The best individual woman player
- The host country
- The best combined performance in the Open and Women's sections
Answer: (D) The best combined performance in the Open and Women's sections
Explanation: The trophy goes to the country with the best combined result in the Open and Women's sections. It is named after Nona Gaprindashvili of Georgia, the first woman to receive the Grandmaster title. India won it in 2022, 2024 and 2026.
With reference to Andhra Pradesh's Palle Panduga 3.0, consider the following statements:
- It was launched in Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore district.
- The Centre's share of its cost is larger than the State's share.
- It includes 9,500 km of BT roads.
- 1 only
- 2 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (C) 1 and 3 only
Explanation: Statements 1 and 3 are correct. Statement 2 is wrong: of the ₹11,085 crore, the State provides ₹5,694 crore and the Centre ₹5,391 crore — the State's share is larger. It was launched at Ramapuram in the Udayagiri constituency on 29 September 2026.
Under Tamil Nadu's 'Thai Maman Thanga Mothiram' scheme, babies born in government hospitals receive:
- A savings bond of ₹10,000
- A 1-gram gold ring
- A baby-care kit
- Free health insurance till age 18
Answer: (B) A 1-gram gold ring
Explanation: The scheme ('maternal uncle's gold ring') gives a 1-gram, 22-carat gold ring to every baby born in a government hospital or PHC in Tamil Nadu on or after 22 June 2026. It was launched at the Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai, on 28 September 2026, to encourage institutional deliveries.
The first-ever 'Cool Leaders Award', announced in Singapore in September 2026, was given by:
- International Energy Agency (IEA)
- World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
- International Solar Alliance (ISA)
- The UNEP-led Cool Coalition
Answer: (D) The UNEP-led Cool Coalition
Explanation: The UN Environment Programme-led Cool Coalition presented the award at the Global Cooling Pledge Assembly 2026 in Singapore. The winners were Singapore, the UAE and Dong Mingzhu, chairwoman of Gree Electric Appliances. The Cool Coalition was launched in 2019; the Global Cooling Pledge at COP28 (Dubai, 2023).