Under the 'Operation Amistad', launched by India to offer humanitarian assistance to quake-hit Venezuela, two IAF C-17 Globemaster aircraft carrying relief supplies and a 41-member rescue team departed on Friday to assist the ongoing relief and rescue efforts in that country. The assistance contains an Indian Army Field Hospital Unit and over 35 tons of relief supplies, medicines and medical equipment, including two BHISHM cubes.

Pax Silica is a US-led strategic initiative to build a “secure, prosperous, and innovation-driven silicon supply chain” — from critical minerals and energy inputs to advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, AI infrastructure, and logistics. India was not part of the founding group when It was launched in December 2025. According to the official statement, “Pax Silica” draws from the Latin pax—meaning peace, stability, and long-term prosperity, as seen in terms like Pax Americana and Pax Romana.

In 1984, 35 years after both sides had agreed that the area was unfit for human habitation, India secured the Saltoro ridge overlooking and protecting the Siachen Glacier. A small army team, led by Captain (later Lieutenant General) Sanjay Kulkarni beat the Pakistanis to the top by a matter of days. Two years later, Pakistan’s Special Services Group captured the left shoulder of Bilafond La, establishing Quaid Post at a altitude of 21,500 feet.

Russia on Thursday (June 25, 2026) denied exerting pressure on Belarus to ​support an expansion of the war in Ukraine, while Belarus said it was ⁠the West that was trying to drag it into the conflict. The former Soviet state is strategically important to all sides, being closely allied to Moscow and sharing borders with Russia, Ukraine and three NATO ‌states.

The MEA has clarified that an Indian passport is not definitive proof of citizenship. The clarification has triggered political backlash and renewed calls for a unique citizenship document. Experts say the issue highlights the need for clearer rules on how citizenship is established, verified and protected, especially amid rising anxiety over documentation, migration, voter rolls, passports, Aadhaar, birth records and government-issued IDs.

On a steep cliff on Robinson Crusoe Island, a single tree is holding on against the odds. For years, 'Dendroseris neriifolia', a rare tree daisy found only in Chile's remote Juan Fernández Islands, has survived as the last known wild individual of its species. Now, seeds collected from that lone tree have successfully begun to grow at Kew's Millennium Seed Bank in England.

पासपोर्ट अधिनियम 1967 पूरे भारत में विदेश यात्रा और पासपोर्ट से जुड़े नियमों (जैसे पासपोर्ट बनाना, रिन्यू करना या रद्द करना) को संभालता है. इस कानून में एक विशेष नियम है कि सरकार जरूरत पड़ने पर किसी विदेशी या गैर-नागरिक को भी पासपोर्ट या यात्रा से जुड़े दस्तावेज दे सकती है. इसी वजह से पासपोर्ट को नागरिकता का अंतिम सबूत नहीं माना जाता. पासपोर्ट आपकी पहचान और विदेश यात्रा के लिए एक जरूरी दस्तावेज है, जो यह तो दिखाता है कि आप नागरिक हो सकते हैं, लेकिन आपकी असली नागरिकता देश के संविधान और नागरिकता कानून (Citizenship Act) से तय होती है, किसी एक पासपोर्ट से नहीं.

The weekly UPSC current affairs roundup (June 15–21, 2026) highlights major developments across governance, economy, environment, health, and international relations. Key topics include India’s G20 legacy review, Supreme Court climate ruling, Kailash Mansarovar Yatra resumption, defence PSU upgrades, corporate stock movements, public health outbreaks, and global diplomacy. These issues reflect important trends for UPSC preparation across GS papers.

The white-spotted pufferfish, a small fish found off the coast of Japan, creates intricate six-foot-wide geometric circles on the ocean floor to attract a mate. Males spend up to nine days building and decorating these structures with shells and coral fragments. The stunning designs help impress females, making this one of nature’s most unique courtship displays and earning the pufferfish a reputation as an extraordinary underwater artist.

The UPSC has opened the Detailed Application Form (DAF) window for candidates who cleared the Civil Services Preliminary Examination and are eligible for CSE Mains 2026. Candidates must submit the form online by June 28, 2026. The DAF includes personal, educational, and service preference details and plays a crucial role in the interview stage. Aspirants should fill it carefully and avoid last-minute submission to prevent technical issues.

UPSC Civil Services Main Exam 2026: Application Process Begins Today at upsc.gov.in

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially opened the application window for the Civil Services Main Examination 2026, marking a crucial step for thousands of aspirants who have successfully cleared the Preliminary Examination. Candidates who qualified in the UPSC CSE Prelims 2026 are now eligible to fill out the Detailed Application Form (DAF) through the official website at upsc.gov.in. The Main Examination is the second stage of the three-tier selection process for recruitment into prestigious Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and other central government Group A and Group B services. This examination is considered one of the most challenging and competitive assessments in the country, testing candidates on their analytical abilities, depth of knowledge, and overall understanding of national and international affairs. Aspirants are strongly advised to carefully read the official notification and instructions before filling out the application form to avoid any errors or discrepancies that could lead to rejection. The UPSC has urged all eligible candidates to complete the registration process well before the deadline to prevent last-minute technical issues on the portal.

# Key Highlights of the Application Process
- Official Website: Candidates must visit upsc.gov.in to access the Detailed Application Form (DAF) for the Civil Services Main Examination 2026.

- Eligibility: Only those candidates who have successfully cleared the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 are eligible to apply for the Mains.

- Application Mode: The entire application process is conducted online only, and no offline or postal submissions will be accepted by the Commission.

- Documents Required: Candidates need to upload scanned copies of essential documents, including photographs, signatures, educational certificates, caste/category certificates (if applicable), and other relevant identity proofs.

- Application Fee: A prescribed application fee must be paid online through net banking, credit card, debit card, or UPI; female candidates and those belonging to SC/ST and PwBD categories are generally exempted from the fee.

- Deadline: Candidates are advised to complete and submit the DAF before the 

A woman who left UPSC preparation shared her journey of rebuilding her life, saying her decision was about self-realization, not failure. After years of stress, isolation, and pressure, she quit and focused on understanding her true goals. She advised aspirants to prioritize self-awareness over career obsession, overcome the sunk-cost mindset, and start small through freelancing and skill-building to create a more meaningful and balanced life.

UPSC CSE Prelims 2026 result has been declared on the official website upsc.gov.in. The Commission has released a name-wise and roll number-wise PDF list of qualified candidates who have cleared the cutoff and are eligible for the Mains examination. Candidates must now complete the Detailed Application Form (DAF) for UPSC CSE Mains 2026 within the deadline. UPSC has advised aspirants to download the result and begin focused preparation for the next stage of the examination.

A consumer court awarded ₹1.5 lakh compensation to a UPSC aspirant after his mobile phone exploded a day before the exam, causing injury and severe mental distress. The court held the manufacturer guilty of selling a defective product and deficiency in service. It emphasized consumer rights and strict product safety standards. The ruling reinforces corporate accountability and sets a precedent for future cases involving faulty electronic devices affecting consumers’ health and important life events.

UPSC ने NDA II और CDS II 2026 परीक्षाओं के लिए आवेदन की अंतिम तिथि बढ़ाकर 11 जून 2026 शाम 6 बजे तक कर दी है। इच्छुक उम्मीदवार ऑनलाइन आवेदन कर सकते हैं। दोनों भर्ती परीक्षाएं 13 सितंबर 2026 को आयोजित होंगी। अभ्यर्थियों को समय रहते आवेदन करने की सलाह दी गई है।