UPSC Current Affairs 18 April 2026

• Article 89: Mandates the Rajya Sabha to choose one of its members as the Deputy Chairman.
• Article 90: Outlines the resignation or removal of the Deputy Chairman.
• Article 91: States that the Deputy Chairman performs the duties of the Chairman when the office is vacant or the Vice President is acting as President. 

• Electors: Chosen by the members of the Rajya Sabha from among themselves.
• Term: Usually coincides with their membership term in the Rajya Sabha (6 years).
• Vacation of Office: The office is vacated if they cease to be a member of the House, resign in writing to the Chairman, or are removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all the then members. 

• Presiding Authority: Presides over the House in the absence of the Chairman.
• No Subordination: He is not subordinate to the Chairman; he is directly responsible to the Rajya Sabha.
• Casting Vote: He does not vote in the first instance but exercises a "casting vote" to break a tie.
• Committee Head: Often chairs various parliamentary committees, such as the Committee on Privileges. 

• Background: A veteran journalist and former Editor-in-Chief of the Hindi daily Prabhat Khabar.
• Political Career: Formerly a member of Janata Dal (United), he first became Deputy Chairman in 2018.
• Reputation: Known for his soft-spoken nature, impartiality, and deep understanding of parliamentary traditions. 

• Ideal Climate: Thrives in tropical/sub-tropical regions with temperatures between 24°C and 27°C.
• Soil Requirements: Prefers well-drained sandy loam with a pH of 6.0–7.0; also thrives in riverbed alluvial soil.
• Planting Seasons:
  • Summer Crop: Sown January–February.
  • Rainy Season: Sown May–June.
• Innovative Methods: Recent research from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research highlights that protected cultivation (net houses) can yield 2–3 times more fruit with higher antioxidant levels compared to open fields. 

Variety	Source/Institution	Key Features
Pusa Rasdar	ICAR-IIVR	First open-pollinated variety for net houses; extra early (45 days).
Kashi Pratishtha	National Seeds Corp.	High-quality government-certified variety known for robust growth.
Arka Harit	IIHR, Bangalore	Spindle-shaped, green, and moderately bitter; yields 9–12 t/ha.
Pusa Vishesh	Hyland Hybrid Seeds	Early maturity and uniform fruits; best for Northern Indian climates.

• Diabetes Management: Contains polypeptide-p and charantin, which mimic insulin to lower blood glucose levels.
• Nutrient Rich: High in Vitamin C (88mg/100g), Vitamin A, zinc, and iron.
• Therapeutic Uses: Traditionally used in Ayurveda to treat blood diseases, asthma, and rheumatism.
• Antioxidant Power: Rich in saponins and carotenoids that combat oxidative stress and support liver health. 

• Leading Producer: India accounts for roughly 70% of global bitter gourd powder exports (~31,500 metric tons).
• Mandi Prices: As of April 17, 2026, average prices range from ₹2,350 to ₹3,800 per quintal, depending on the region and variety.
• Profitability: Short crop cycles (55–60 days to first harvest) allow for multiple rotations in a single year. 

• Strategic Agreements: On April 16, India and Austria signed six key agreements covering defence, food safety, and counter-terrorism.
• Post-FTA Momentum: The visit follows the conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) earlier in 2026, which is expected to significantly boost trade between the two nations.
• First Nominated Chancellor: Chancellor Stocker chose India for his first official visit outside Europe, signalling India's growing importance as a strategic partner. 

• Defence & Security: A Letter of Intent on Military Matters and a new Working Group on Counter-Terrorism.
• Sectoral Cooperation: MoUs on food safety (FSSAI-AGES) and joint R&D in technology (semiconductors, AI).
• People-to-People: Launch of a "Working Holiday Programme" and a space industry seminar. 

• Long-standing Ties: Relations were established in 1949, with 2024 marking 75 years of ties.
• Historical Support: India supported Austrian neutrality, while Austria now supports India's UN Security Council bid.
• Academic Ties: Strong cooperation exists between institutions like IIT Delhi and Montanuniversität Leoben. 

• Trade Volume: Bilateral trade exceeds €3 billion, with India achieving a trade surplus of US$ 214 million in 2023–24.
• Key Sectors: High-end machinery, renewable energy, and infrastructure, with over 160 Austrian companies active in India. 

• Indian Community: Around 31,000 Indians reside in Austria, primarily in healthcare and international organizations.
• Cultural Ties: Strong interest in Yoga, Ayurveda, and Indology (Sanskrit studies) at the University of Vienna. 

• India's Maritime Leadership: India made headlines as a three-member delegation from the Indian Coast Guard led by Additional Director General Anand Prakash Badola participated to showcase India's strategies in maritime security and coastal surveillance.
• Schengen Pressures: The 2026 congress was particularly significant due to its location in Vienna, placing it at the heart of debates over the Schengen framework and the operational challenges of "return hubs" for rejected asylum seekers.
• Post-Digital Rollout: The event took place just days after the full-scale rollout of the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), making it a critical forum for discussing real-time implementation issues and biometric border trials. 

• Venue: Savoyen Trend Hotel, Vienna, Austria.
• Participation: Approximately 450 participants and 35 exhibitors representing international agencies like INTERPOL, EUROPOL, and Frontex.
• Speakers: The 2026 Programme featured 75 global experts, including representatives from the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). 

• AI as a Force Multiplier: Discussions on using Artificial Intelligence for real-time data analysis to identify smuggling patterns and irregular activities.
• Biometrics: Evaluation of automated biometrics and rapid-DNA testing to verify identities and combat human trafficking.
• RF & Drone Security: Demonstrations of RF sensor solutions for fixed and tactical monitoring, specifically for detecting illegal drone activity at land and sea borders. 

• Countering Human Trafficking: Specialized workshops on disrupting "cyber-enabled" smuggling networks and identifying victims of organ harvesting.
• Maritime Safety: Sessions led by the Indian and Bangladesh Coast Guards on balancing security with national sovereignty in contested international waters.
• Wildlife Trafficking: New strategies to strengthen collaboration and implement stricter penalties for illegal wildlife trade. 

• Climate-Induced Displacement: Addressing how extreme weather and resource scarcity are becoming primary drivers of mass migration.
• Privacy vs. Security: Debate on how law enforcement can share intelligence under the increasing pressure of stringent global privacy laws.

• Harmonizing legal frameworks across different jurisdictions.
• Enhancing data-sharing between customs officers and border agencies.
• Improving interoperability between varied technological systems used by different nations.

• Black Hole Discovery: Researchers from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) found that stellar motions in dwarf spheroidal galaxies orbiting the Milky Way are "fully consistent" with the presence of central black holes.
• Mass Limits: The study established upper limits for these black holes, typically below one million solar masses, bridging the gap between small stellar-mass black holes and supermassive ones.
• Unified Scaling Law: The team constructed a unified relation between black hole mass and stellar velocity, proving that the same growth laws apply to both the smallest and largest galaxies in the universe.
• Preparation for NLOT & ELT: These findings serve as a critical benchmark for upcoming facilities like the National Large Optical Telescope (NLOT) and the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), which will provide the resolution needed to confirm these black hole seeds. 

• Appearance: They are small, low-luminosity galaxies with a nearly spherical shape.
• Composition: Unlike spiral galaxies, they lack a neutral interstellar medium (gas and dust), meaning they have no ongoing star formation.
• Stellar Population: They consist almost entirely of old, metal-poor stars, often exceeding 1–2 billion years in age.
• Local Group: Most are found as satellite companions to larger galaxies like the Milky Way and Andromeda. 

• "Dark" Galaxies: dSphs are among the most dark matter-dominated objects known.
• Mass-to-Light Ratio: Their gravitational mass (calculated from how fast stars move) is significantly higher than the mass of their visible stars.
• Testing Physics: Because they are so dark matter-rich, they are ideal for testing Cold Dark Matter (CDM) models and seeking signatures of dark matter particles. 

• Tidal Stripping: Many scientists believe dSphs were once larger, gas-rich galaxies. As they orbited larger galaxies, tidal forces stripped away their gas and outer stars.
• Stellar Feedback: Internal "explosions" from early supernovae may have also blown out gas, halting star formation and leaving the diffuse spheroidal shape we see today. 

• Sculptor & Fornax: The first dSphs discovered (1938); Fornax is notable for having its own globular clusters.
• Antlia II: Known as a "ghost" galaxy; it is as large as the Large Magellanic Cloud but 10,000 times fainter.
• Sextans: Often studied for its unusual velocity dispersion that hints at strong dark matter influence. 
• The term "Dwarf Spheroidal" is strictly applied to those with low surface brightness. If they were any brighter, they would be classified as Dwarf Elliptical (dE) galaxies.

• It is a type of Immunotherapy that "reprograms" a patient’s own immune system to fight cancer. 

• Living Drug: Unlike traditional pills or chemicals, it uses the patient’s own T-cells (white blood cells).
• Gene Engineering: T-cells are extracted and genetically modified in a lab to produce Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CARs) on their surface.
• Targeting: These receptors act like a "GPS," allowing the T-cells to identify and bind to specific proteins (like CD19) on cancer cells.
• The Kill: Once infused back into the patient, the cells multiply and systematically destroy the tumour cells. 

1. Leukapheresis: Blood is drawn to collect T-cells; the rest of the blood is returned to the body.
2. Engineering: Scientists insert a gene for the "CAR" into the T-cells using a viral vector.
3. Expansion: The new CAR T-cells are grown in large numbers in a laboratory.
4. Conditioning: The patient receives mild chemotherapy to make "room" for the new cells.
5. Infusion: The engineered cells are dripped back into the patient’s bloodstream. 

• One-Time Treatment: Unlike chemotherapy which requires multiple rounds, this is often a single infusion.
• High Remission Rates: Effective for patients who have "relapsed" (cancer came back) or are "refractory" (did not respond to other treatments).
• Current Approvals: Primarily used for:
  • B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
  • B-cell Lymphomas
  • Multiple Myeloma 

• Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS): An overreaction of the immune system that can cause high fever and low blood pressure.
• Neurotoxicity: Temporary confusion, tremors, or difficulty speaking.
• High Cost: Despite Indian versions being cheaper, it remains expensive for many due to the complex lab infrastructure required.
• Targeting Solid Tumours: It is currently less effective against solid tumours (like lung or breast cancer) due to the "hostile" environment around the tumour. 

• Origin: Native to the Amazon Basin (South America); introduced to India by the British in the late 19th century for its beautiful flowers.
• Growth Rate: It is the fastest-growing plant known; it can double its population in just 10 to 12 days.
• Reproduction: Spreads both by seeds (which can stay viable for 20 years) and by vegetative "runners." 

• Oxygen Depletion: It forms thick mats that block sunlight and prevent oxygen exchange, leading to "dead zones" where fish cannot survive.
• Water Loss: It increases water loss through evapotranspiration at a rate 3–4 times higher than an open water surface.
• Clogging: Obstructs navigation, irrigation channels, and hydroelectric power intake pipes.
• Health Hazard: Provides a breeding ground for mosquitoes (malaria/dengue) and snails (schistosomiasis). 

• Handicrafts: Stems are dried and woven into bags, mats, furniture, and paper.
• Bio-Fertilizer: It is rich in nitrogen and is used to make high-quality organic compost.
• Water Purification: Ironically, it can absorb heavy metals (like arsenic and lead) from polluted water, though it must be harvested and disposed of carefully.
• Livestock Feed: When processed, it serves as a protein-rich supplement for cattle and poultry. 

• Physical: Manual removal (labour-intensive) or mechanical harvesters.
• Chemical: Herbicides like Glyphosate (effective but controversial due to water toxicity).
• Biological: Using natural enemies like the Neochetina weevils or specific fungal pathogens. 
• The plant was nicknamed the "Terror of Bengal" because it once nearly destroyed the fishing and rice-growing economy of the state, causing a massive food security crisis in the early 20th century. 

• The Cause: It is caused by a mutated measles virus that stays dormant in the central nervous system after an initial infection.
• The Mutation: Unlike normal measles, this version of the virus lacks a specific protein ("M" protein) that allows the immune system to recognize and clear it from brain cells.
• Progression: It leads to chronic inflammation and the slow destruction of neurons (brain cells). 

• Irritability and personality shifts.
• Declining school performance/memory loss.
• Lethargy or social withdrawal. 

• Myoclonic jerks (sudden, involuntary muscle spasms).
• Seizures and loss of balance.
• Difficulty walking or recurring falls. 

• Loss of speech and vision.
• Progressive dementia.
• Inability to perform basic tasks (eating, dressing). 

• The patient enters a vegetative state or a coma.
• Death usually occurs within 1 to 3 years of diagnosis due to respiratory failure or pneumonia. 

• EEG: Shows characteristic "periodic complexes" (burst-suppression patterns).
• CSF Analysis: High levels of measles antibodies (IgG) in the spinal fluid.
• MRI: Shows white matter damage (demyelination) and brain shrinkage.
• Treatment Status: There is no cure for SSPE. Antiviral drugs (like Isoprinosine) and Interferons can sometimes slow the progression, but they cannot reverse the damage. 

• Vaccination: The Measles-Rubella (MR) or MMR vaccine is the only way to prevent SSPE.
• Zero Risk for Vaccinated: SSPE is never caused by the vaccine; it only occurs following a "wild" (natural) measles infection.
• Herd Immunity: High vaccination coverage (95%+) prevents the virus from circulating, protecting those too young to be vaccinated. 

• Lack of Guarantees: While Zambia previously allocated a 9,000 sq. km block for exploration, it has withheld the legal guarantees India requires before committing to large-scale private sector investments.
• Failed Breakthrough: Despite Indian geologists already completing initial sampling and returning with promising results, the next phase of the three-year exploration program is now on hold.
• Strategic Vulnerability: The delay comes at a time when India's copper imports have hit 1.2 million metric tons (fiscal year ending March 2025), a 4% rise following domestic supply gaps.

• Cobalt: Vital for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles (EVs) and smartphones. India is currently nearly 100% dependent on imports for cobalt.
• Copper: Essential for power transmission, construction, and EV motors. 

• Allocation: India was granted rights to a massive 9,000 sq. km area in the Zambian Copper Belt.
• Phase 1 (Completed): A team of Indian geologists conducted fieldwork and collected samples to confirm the presence of high-grade deposits.
• Phase 2 (Stalled): New Delhi planned to invite private sector companies (such as Vedanta and Ola Electric) to develop the sites after three years of exploration. 

• Regulatory Uncertainty: Reports from Shanghai Metals Market suggest Zambia's internal mining licensing systems and opaque bidding processes may be contributing to the lack of guarantees.
• Geopolitical Competition: Zambia is a focal point for global resource competition; India is competing directly with established Chinese mining operations that already control significant portions of the Copper Belt. 

• Supply Chain Diversification: India is actively pursuing government-to-government (G2G) deals across Africa, Australia, and Latin America to reduce its reliance on any single supplier, particularly China.
• Domestic Demand: Securing these minerals is critical for India's Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision, especially for the domestic manufacturing of electronics and EVs.
• Ongoing Efforts: Despite the setback, New Delhi is reportedly making efforts to restart discussions to secure the mineral blocks needed to meet its Viksit Bharat 2047 goals. 
• The Zambian Copper Belt features some of the world's highest-grade ore, with an average copper content of 2.5%, significantly higher than many South American mines.

• Location: Situated in the Zainakote area near Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir.
• Type: A permanent freshwater wetland within the Jhelum River basin.
• Status:
  • Declared a Ramsar Site in 2005 (Wetland of International Importance).
  • Designated as a Wildlife Sanctuary under the J&K Wildlife Protection Act.
• Function: It acts as a natural flood absorption basin for the Jhelum River, protecting Srinagar city from seasonal flooding. 

• Migratory Hub: Every winter, it hosts millions of birds flying in from Siberia, Central Asia, and Europe.
• Species Found:
  • Common: Mallards, Greylag Geese, Pintails, Shovellers, and Gadwalls.
  • Rare: The Endangered White-fronted Goose.
• Flora: Dominated by reed beds (Phragmites) and floating-leaf vegetation, which provide ideal nesting and feeding grounds. 

• Siltation: Heavy silt brought by the Doodhganga stream is turning the wetland into a landmass.
• Pollution: Direct discharge of untreated sewage and solid waste from surrounding residential colonies.
• Invasive Species: Rapid spread of water hyacinth and other weeds that deplete oxygen levels.
• Land Conversion: Illegal conversion of wetland areas into agricultural land or residential plots. 

• Dredging: Excavating silt to increase the water-holding capacity.
• Boundary Wall: Construction of a physical perimeter to prevent further encroachment.
• Community Awareness: Involving local youth in "Wetland Mitras" (Friends of Wetlands) programs to monitor illegal hunting and garbage dumping. 
• Hokersar is considered the most accessible and "northernmost" significant wetland in the Kashmir Valley, making it the first stop for birds entering the valley via the Central Asian Flyway. 

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