UPSC Daily Current Affairs | One Liners 13-08-2026

One Liners 13-08-2026

History, Art and Culture

Sangam‑Age Irrigation Structure – Kollidam

• Event – Brick and stone remain exposed on Kollidam river bed near Lalgudi, Trichy.
• ASI Finding – Likely Early Historic (3rd–4th CE) inlet/sluice channel.
• Features – Semi‑circular wall, parallel submerged walls, large bricks; comparable to Vanagiri–Kaveripattinam structures.
• Significance – Possible Sangam‑age water regulation system near ancient Kallanai dam.

Geography

Ladakh’s giant ‘Rivers of Ice’

Zanskar glaciers are slowing as mountains warm, revealing climate change impacts on Indus basin water security.

• Observation – Study shows glaciers in Zanskar Himalaya slowed by 2.4 m/year per decade since 1992.
• Cause – Thinning ice reduces driving force, slowing glacier flow.
• Impact – Less replenishment to lower glacier parts, increasing shrinkage risk.
• Indus Basin – Temporary peak water may rise, but long‑term meltwater supply will decline.
• Similar slowdowns reported in Alps, Arctic, Andes, Tibet.

Social Issues

SC on PepsiCo’s Potato Variety

• Judgment – SC upheld PepsiCo’s registration of FL‑2027 (FC‑5) potato variety under PPVFR Act.
• Key Point – Registration cannot be revoked under Sec 34(h) merely for suing farmers.
• Protection – Farmers retain rights under Sec 39(1)(iv) to defend themselves in court.

Polity and Governance

One Herb, One Standard Initiative

 One Herb, One Standard’ initiative gets 3-year extension to strengthen quality of traditional medicines

• Aim – Establish common scientific standards for medicinal plants across Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Sowa‑Rigpa, Homoeopathy.
• Partnership – Renewed MoU between Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H) and the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC).
• Impact – Reduces ambiguity for manufacturers, exporters, regulators.
• Aligns Indian standards with global benchmarks.
• Progress – 50 monographs developed in first phase (2022) and new framework expands standardisation effort.

Economy

Polymer Banknotes

Recently, Government approved introduction of 1 billion polymer Rs. 10 and Rs. 20 notes for field trials.

• Proposal – Sent by RBI under Section 25, RBI Act 1934.
• Status – Procurement at initial stage; to be issued alongside paper notes.
• Polymer notes – Made from plastic instead of traditional cotton paper.
• Lasts 2 to 4 times longer, resist water and dirt, and feature advanced transparent windows that stop counterfeiting.

India – World’s Leading Ship Recycling Nation

Recently, India’s ship recycling global share rose to 35.4% in 2025 (2.99 million GT), up from 30.1% in 2024.

• Framework – Ship Recycling Act 2019, Rules 2021, Regulations 2026 aligned with Hong Kong Convention (2025).
• Alang – Sosiya, Gujarat – Conducts 98% activity; capacity 6 million GT.
• Produces approximately 3.50 million metric tonnes of steel annually without exploiting natural resources.
• Plans to expand to 9 million Light Displacement Tons (LDT).

Science

Petal‑like structures in Sun’s corona

Recently, Team led by RRI scientists forecasts large‑scale and elongated petal‑like structures in the corona.

• Corona is faint, visible best during total solar eclipse.
• Helps test models of solar magnetism and space weather.
• Impact – Improves understanding of solar storms, flares, coronal mass ejections.
• Supports forecasting to protect satellites, communication, GPS, and astronauts.
• Event – Eclipse on, visible in Europe, Africa, U.S., not in India.
• On the day of the eclipse, their prediction indicates the presence of multiple large-scale petal-like structures.

Miscellaneous

World Elephant Day – 2026

Recently, World Elephant Day was observed globally on 12 August.

• Theme – “Bringing the world together to help elephants”.
• Conservation Status – Asian Elephant are India’s National Heritage Animal (2010).
  • IUCN – Endangered.
  • CITES – Appendix I.
  • WPA 1972 – Schedule I.
• Conservative measures –
  • Project Elephant (1992)
  • 33 Elephant Reserves
  • 150 corridors
  • MIKE Programme under CITES.

International Youth Day – 2026

Recently, International Youth Day was observed globally on 12 August.

• Theme – “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations”.
• Focus – Youth in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS);
• Challenges – Poverty, climate change, digital divide, limited opportunities.
• Significance – Promotes dialogue, partnerships, youth innovation, global solidarity for sustainable development.

World Organ Donation Day – 2026

Recently, World Organ Donation Day was 0bserved globally on 13 August.

• Purpose – Raises awareness on life‑saving organ & tissue transplantation.
• Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA), 1994 – Legalizes brain-stem death and curbs commercial dealings in organs.
• Institutions – National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) – Policy coordination and organ allocation
• ROTTO and SOTTO – Regional and State-level networks handle regional sharing and local execution of donation programs.