UPSC Daily Current Affairs| One Liners 07-11-2026

One Liners 07-11-2026

History, Art and Culture

Waree Leeba – Traditional Storytelling Art of Manipur

Manipur Governor inaugurated the 1st North East Waree Leeba Festival 2026 in Imphal West, Manipur.

• Aim – To promote and preserve the traditional storytelling art.
• Origin – Traditional oral narrative art of the Meitei community of Manipur, dating back to the reign of King Khagemba (1597–1652 AD).
• Nature of Art – A traditional solo storytelling performance in which a single male artist narrates the entire story and portrays all characters.
• Performance Features
  • Combines rhythmic narration, facial expressions, hand gestures, mimicry and humour.
  • Traditionally performed without musical instruments.
  • Performer sits on a Vyasa Asana.
  • Uses a white pillow for dramatic effects and a sacred text placed on a wooden stool called Lairik-phan.
• Themes – Stories from the Mahabharata, Ramayana, Meitei folklore, history and spiritual teachings.
• Cultural Significance – It preserves ancestral knowledge, myths, legends, beliefs and Meitei cultural identity.

Five-day festival

• Organised in – Imphal West, by the Repertory of Waree Leeba, Khurai, in association with Irom Meijrao Women for Cultural Centre.

Geography

Climate Zone Shift in India

An IMD–IITM study published in MAUSAM journal found that peninsular India has become wetter over the past 7 decades (1951–2020).

• Title – Identifying the Climate Zones Shifts of Indian Meteorological Subdivisions: Insights from Historical Records.
• Methodology – Used the Köppen–Geiger Climate Classification System, based on IMD rainfall and temperature data (1951–2020).
• Major Findings
• Peninsular India
  • Hot semi-arid climate zone declined from 30% to 16% (1951–1980 to 1991–2020).
  • Tropical savannah climate expanded from approximately 60% to 75% of peninsular India.
  • Shift primarily driven by increased rainfall.
• North-West India
  • Hot semi-arid climate zone expanded towards eastern Uttar Pradesh.
  • Declining rainfall has contributed to increasingly dry conditions.
  • Temperature Trend – Both day-time and night-time temperatures have increased across India.
• Implications – It affect agriculture and water management, highlighting the need for continuous monitoring and adaptive planning.

Tamil Nadu – Related Developments (2026)

• Northeast monsoon onset – 5 days earlier than normal.
• IMD forecast – Normal northeast monsoon rainfall for Tamil Nadu (seasonal average: approximately 44 cm).
• Southwest monsoon rainfall deficit – Tamil Nadu (20%) & India (12.6%).

Polity & Governance

Four-Layer Motor Insurance Cover – IRDAI

• Directed by – Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), for general insurers.
• Aim – To offer a four-layer motor insurance policy for new private cars and two-wheelers from 15 December 2026, following Supreme Court directions.

• Key IRDAI Directions
  • Effective Date – 15 December 2026.
  • Uniform Policy Wordings – Insurers must follow standardised policy wording.
  • Option Form – Mandatory for customers to indicate their selection of optional covers.
  • Customer Information Sheet (CIS) – Mandatory issuance at the point of sale.
  • Premium Transparency – Policy schedule must specify actual coverage and premium charged against each component.
  • Optional Covers – Available on payment of additional premiums.
  • Existing Policies – Optional covers can also be added by paying additional premiums.

Third-Party Motor Insurance

• It is mandatory under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
• It covers the insured person's legal liability for injury, death or property damage caused to third parties, not damage to the insured vehicle itself.

Environment

Malabar Tree Toad – Karnataka's State Amphibian

• Karnataka became the 1^st Indian state to designate an official State Amphibian, declaring the Malabar Tree Toad (Malenadina Mara Gantikappe).

• Endemic to – Western Ghats.
• Discovery – First discovered in 1876; rediscovered at Ponmudi (Kerala) in 1980 and recorded in Karnataka in 2005.
• Conservation Status  
  • Classified as Endangered.
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 – Reportedly the only amphibian listed under Schedule II
• Breeding Season – March–June (pre-monsoon period), unlike most amphibians.
• Significance – It is considered an indicator species of evergreen forest health.
• Unique among toads for its tree-climbing ability.

Karnataka also selected Apis cerana (Asiatic honeybee) as its State Honeybee in May 2026.

Kazakhstan's Tiger Reintroduction Programme – Amur Tiger

Kazakhstan released its 2^nd Amur tiger, a male named Amur, into the wild at the Ile-Balkhash State Nature Reserve.

• First Release – Female tiger Umit was released on 31 July 2026 and is adapting successfully to the wild.
• Objective – To restore the tiger population in its historical habitat in Central Asia, where native tigers disappeared over 70 years ago.
• Historical Distribution – The region was historically inhabited by the Caspian (Turanian) Tiger, which became extinct in the mid-20th century.
• Location – Ile-Balkhash State Nature Reserve, south-eastern Kazakhstan, established in 2018.
• Conservation Measures
  • Restoration of natural habitats and prey populations.
  • Relocation of Bukhara deer and kulans to the reserve.
  • 30 kulans relocated from Altyn-Emel National Nature Park in September 2026.
  • Satellite collars used to monitor tiger movements and adaptation.
• International Cooperation – Kazakhstan, Russia, Amur Tiger Centre, WWF and other conservation partners.
• Future Plan – Two tiger cubs remain under specialist supervision and may be released after reaching the appropriate age and completing assessments.

Disporum kamakhasiense – New Flowering Plant Species

Botanists discovered a new flowering plant species, Disporum kamakhasiense, in the forests of Assam and Meghalaya.

• Family – Colchicaceae.
• Nature – Perennial herb, growing up to 180 cm in height.
• Distribution – Recorded at three locations:
  • Garbhanga Reserve Forest – Assam.
  • Laisong – Dima Hasao district, Assam.
  • Barapani – Meghalaya.
• Habitat – Grows on cliffs, mainly beneath bamboo forests, at elevations of 200–1,100 metres.
• Identification Features – Extensively branched stems, broad yellowish-green leaves with prominent veins and white, star-shaped flowers.
• Distinctive Features – Taller than its close relative Disporum calcaratum (approximately 100 cm) and differs in leaf and floral structures.
• Name Significance – Derived from Kamrupa (ancient name associated with Assam) and the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya.
• Conservation Concerns – Described as potentially endangered due to restricted distribution, small populations, road expansion, over-exploitation and deforestation.

High-Altitude Wildlife Records in Sikkim

A camera-trap study in eastern Sikkim recorded new high-altitude wildlife sightings.

• Study from – Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
• Survey Period – February 2023 to May 2026.
• Coverage – 64 camera-trap stations, 20,411 trap nights across three protected areas and adjoining forests.

• Key Findings
  • Recorded 30 mammal species.
  • Identified 5 new elevational range records and 6 first confirmed photographic records for eastern Sikkim.
  • Survey covered elevations of 1,800–4,200 m.
• Protected Areas – High-altitude sightings recorded in
  • Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary,
  • Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary, and
  • Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary.

Tiger Relocation – Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal

West Bengal's first relocated tigress, Dooars Rani (T-138), was captured in Assam's Raimona National Park and returned to Buxa Tiger Reserve on 3 November 2026.

• Tigress Details – Three-year-old tigress translocated from Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar, and released in Buxa on 2 October 2026.
• Movement – Crossed the Sankosh River and entered Assam's Raimona National Park on 25 October 2026 in search of suitable habitat.
• Objective – To restore the tiger population in Buxa through tiger relocation and habitat recovery.

Buxa Tiger Reserve

• Located in – Alipurduar district, West Bengal.
• Declared a Tiger Reserve in 1983.
• Part of – Eastern Himalayan biodiversity landscape.
• Tiger Augmentation and Recovery Project – Initiated by West Bengal in 2018, with support from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
• Monitoring Mechanisms – Telemetry, camera trapping and field-based monitoring to assess tiger movement, adaptation, health and behaviour.
• Future Plan – Three more tigers are proposed to be released in Buxa over the following two months.

Central Asian White Stork – Okhla Bird Sanctuary

A rare white stork was spotted at Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Uttar Pradesh, in November 2026.

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• Scientific Name – Ciconia ciconia asiatica.
• Family – Ciconiidae.
• Habitat – Wetlands, marshes, grasslands and shallow water bodies.
• Migration – Long-distance migratory bird, Migrates south during winter; wintering range extends from Iran to the Indian subcontinent.
• Distribution (Breeding Grounds) – Primarily Uzbekistan and southern Kazakhstan.
• Population – Estimated global population of fewer than 2,000 individuals.
• Previous Sightings in India – Okhla (1992 and 2005), Palwal (2004–05) and Jewar (2019).
• Significance – It highlights the importance of urban wetlands as habitats and stopover sites for migratory birds.

Security

MALABAR 2026 – Multilateral Naval Exercise

• Hosted by – Japan, from November 5 to November 12, 2026, in the waters south of Japan's Kanto region, centered around the Yokosuka Naval Base.
• Participating Countries – India, Japan, USA and Australia (Quad countries).
• Participating Indian Ship – INS Sahyadri, an indigenous guided-missile stealth frigate of the Indian Navy's Eastern Fleet.
• Phases
  • Harbour Phase – Professional interactions and coordinated planning.
  • Sea Phase – Joint naval operations to enhance interoperability and operational coordination.
• Objective – To strengthen maritime cooperation, mutual trust, interoperability and professional expertise among participating navies.
• Significance – To promotes a free, open, secure and stable Indo-Pacific region.
• Strategic Linkage – Supports India's MAHASAGAR Vision – Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.