UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 8 August 2026

Begonia neelamorum

August 8, 2026

Begonia neelamorum Latest News

Researchers recently discovered a new begonia species named Begonia neelamorum in Arunachal Pradesh.

About Begonia neelamorum

It is a new species of perennial flowering plant.
It belongs to the genus Begonia in the family Begoniaceae.
It was discovered in the Keyi Panyor district of Arunachal Pradesh.
The species was found growing on steep, moist rock walls along the Keyi River at an elevation of about 1,000 metres.
It was after the Neelam clan of the Nyishi tribe.
Researchers also recorded its Nyishi name, Kobiirhopu Baabra, linking the scientific discovery to the community closest to its habitat.
The plant grows between 10 cm and 20 cm tall and has a single light-green, serrated leaf and white flowers.

News: TOI

Begonia neelamorum FAQs

Q1: What is Begonia neelamorum?

Ans: Begonia neelamorum is a newly discovered species of perennial flowering plant belonging to the genus Begonia.

Q2: In which Indian state was Begonia neelamorum discovered?

Ans: It was discovered in Arunachal Pradesh.

Q3: Along which river was Begonia neelamorum found growing?

Ans: It was found growing along the Keyi River.

Q4: After whom or what was Begonia neelamorum named?

Ans: It was named after the Neelam clan of the Nyishi tribe.

Q5: What are the characteristic features of Begonia neelamorum?

Ans: It has a single light-green, serrated leaf and white flowers.

AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile

August 8, 2026

AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile Latest News

Australia is poised to become the first international buyer of the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM), one of the US Air Force’s (USAF) best-kept secrets and unarguably its longest-range air-to-air missile.

About AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile

It is a next-generation beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM).
It is being developed by U.S. defence company Lockheed Martin.
It was developed as a top-secret Special Access Program, and therefore no definite details about its characteristics have been made public.
The missile is optimized for long-range interception, particularly against high-value airborne assets and advanced fighters.

AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile Features

The missile is estimated to be about 4 m long.
JATM is likely to utilize dual-pulse or advanced solid rocket propulsion.
It is expected to have inertial mid-course guidance, a two-way datalink, a dual-mode terminal seeker and an effective range of at least 200 km (125 miles).
It is expected to achieve high supersonic speeds, likely above Mach 4, enabling rapid engagement of distant and maneuvering targets.

News: ET

AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile FAQs

Q1: What is the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM)?

Ans: It is a next-generation beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM).

Q2: Who is developing the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM)?

Ans: It is being developed by Lockheed Martin, a U.S. defence company.

Q3: What is the primary purpose of the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM)?

Ans: It is designed for long-range interception, particularly against high-value airborne assets and advanced fighter aircraft.

Q4: What is the expected effective range of the AIM-260 JATM?

Ans: Its effective range is expected to be at least 200 km (125 miles).

Everest Engine

August 8, 2026

Everest Engine Latest News

Astrobase Space Technologies recently unveiled Everest, an 800 kN Full-Flow Staged Combustion rocket engine, as India’s private space sector targets reusable, high-cadence orbital launches.

About Everest Engine

It is an 800 kN Full-Flow Staged Combustion (FFSC) rocket engine.
It was developed by Astrobase Space Technologies, a Bengaluru-based Indian space-tech startup.
It is India’s first privately developed high-thrust FFSC engine.
It is designed for reusable medium-lift launch vehicles, supporting precision control, faster turnaround, and improved launch economics.
It is powered by liquid oxygen and liquid methane, a combination known as methalox, and is designed to produce about 800 kilonewtons of thrust in the vacuum of space.

What Is Full-Flow Combustion?

In a conventional rocket engine, some of the hot gases produced during combustion are used to power the turbopumps that push fuel and oxidiser into the main combustion chamber.
A full-flow engine takes this a step further.
- Both the fuel and oxygen are first partially burned in separate pre-burners, producing hot gases that drive their respective pumps before both flows enter the main combustion chamber.
- This allows the engine to operate efficiently at very high pressure while reducing stress on some components.
- The design is widely considered among the most advanced approaches to rocket propulsion.
SpaceX is currently the only company to have flown an FFSC engine in an orbital rocket.

News: FP

Everest Engine FAQs

Q1: What is the Everest Engine?

Ans: It is an 800 kN Full-Flow Staged Combustion (FFSC) rocket engine.

Q2: Who developed the Everest Engine?

Ans: The Everest Engine was developed by Astrobase Space Technologies, a Bengaluru-based Indian space-tech startup.

Q3: What type of rocket engine is the Everest Engine?

Ans: It is a Full-Flow Staged Combustion (FFSC) rocket engine.

Q4: What is significant about the Everest Engine for India's private space sector?

Ans: It is India’s first privately developed high-thrust Full-Flow Staged Combustion (FFSC) engine.

World Tribal Day 2026

August 8, 2026

World Tribal Day 2026 Latest News

Ahead of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, also known as World Tribal Day, a two-day cultural festival showcasing the heritage of indigenous communities was held at Vellalar College for Women, Erode, Tamil Nadu.

About World Tribal Day

World Tribal Day, also referred to as International Day of World’s Indigenous People, is observed on August 9 every year to raise awareness and protect the rights of the world's indigenous population.
History:
- The origins of the International Day of the World's Indigenous People date back to December 1994, when the United Nations General Assembly designated 9 August for this annual observance.
- This date holds symbolic significance as it marks the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.
- This meeting took place in Geneva in 1982.
World Tribal Day 2026 Theme: “Honouring Indigenous Midwives: Safeguarding Life and Well-being”

Also Read About: Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)

Key Facts

Indigenous peoples make up less than 6% of the world's population but represent at least 15% of the extremely poor.
They are the guardians of 28% of the Earth's surface, which includes 11% of the world's forests.
Indigenous territories are home to most of the world's remaining biodiversity.
Their food systems are incredibly self-sufficient, producing 50-80% of their own food and resources.

News: TH

World Tribal Day FAQs

Q1: When is World Tribal Day observed every year?

Ans: World Tribal Day is observed on August 9 every year.

Q2: What is World Tribal Day also known as?

Ans: It is also known as the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.

Q3: Why was August 9 chosen as the date for World Tribal Day?

Ans: The date commemorates the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations.

Q4: What is the theme of World Tribal Day 2026?

Ans: The theme is “Honouring Indigenous Midwives: Safeguarding Life and Well-being.”

Slender-billed Vulture

August 8, 2026

Slender-billed Vulture Latest News

Recently, five slender-billed vultures bred in captivity at the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS)’s conservation facility in Assam were released into the wild.

About Slender-billed Vulture

The slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris ) is an Old World vulture species native to sub-Himalayan.
Habitat: Wetlands and wooded areas and also in open countryside.
Distribution: It is found in India from the Gangetic plain north, west to Himachal Pradesh, south potentially as far as northern Odisha, and east through Assam.
- It is also found in north and central Bangladesh, southern Nepal, Myanmar, and Cambodia.
Characteristics
- They are characterised by their long, slender necks, pale underparts and their dark, thin bills.
- Unlike other vultures, they are not that common in areas close to human habitation.
- Diet: They feed on carrion, and large flocks are often seen near carcasses.
- Behavior: It is very good at gliding and always away on search flights to find new food.
Reasons for its population decline: These are exposed to diclofenac (and other Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs [NSAIDs]) through scavenging on the carcasses of largely cattle and buffalo that had been treated prior to death.
Conservation Status
- IUCN Red list: Critically Endangered
- Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule I

Source: TH

Slender-billed Vulture FAQs

Q1: Slender-billed Vulture is listed in which schedule of WPA 1972?

Ans: Schedule I

Q2: What is the the scientific name of Slender-billed Vulture ?

Ans: Gyps tenuirostris

Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research

August 8, 2026

Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research Latest News

Recently, the first of three units of beam catcher equipment, an integral part of the beam line, has reached the International Mega Science Project, Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) site.

About Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research

It is a large multipurpose particle accelerator facility being built at Darmstadt, Germany.
It is being developed and built in cooperation with international partners.
India’s contribution to this is funded jointly (50:50) by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) of Government of India.
Bose institute, Kolkata has been designated as the Indian shareholder in the FAIR GmbH and the nodal Indian Institution for the implementation of FAIR programme in India.
Bose institute is an autonomous R&D Institute under the Department of Science & Technology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India,
India became one of the founding members of this initiative in 2010.

Key Facts about Beam Catcher Equipment

It is one of the key elements of the super fragment separator (super-FRS) that produces the radioactive beams.
It is required to absorb the remnants from the primary heavy-ion beams of energy 0.4-1.5 GeV/nucleon when it hits the production target for production of radioactive beams.
The absorbers of the beam are housed in a vacuum chamber which will remain under vacuum level of ~10-7 mbar.
The absorbers, made of fine-grained graphite and hyper pure copper, are subjected to motorized horizontal and vertical movements inside the chamber with a precision of mm scale.
It was designed by the Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-CMERI) in Durgapur under the supervision of Bose Institute.

Source: PIB

Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research FAQs

Q1: Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research is located in which country?

Ans: Germany

Q2: FAIR will accelerate which particles?

Ans: Ions and Antiprotons

National Gopal Ratna Award

August 8, 2026

National Gopal Ratna Awards Latest News

Recently, the department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry has invited nominations for the National Gopal Ratna Award 2026.

About National Gopal Ratna Award

NGRA are the country’s highest honours in the livestock and dairy sector.
It was established under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission in 2021.
The “Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM)”, was launched in December 2014, with a view to conserve and develop indigenous bovine breeds in a scientific manner.
It was constituted by the Department of Animal Husbandry, and Dairying under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
Objective: It aims to encourage excellence among milk-producing farmers, dairy cooperatives, Milk Producer Companies (MPCs), Dairy Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and Artificial Insemination Technicians (AITs).
The NGRA will be conferred in the following categories
- Best Dairy farmer rearing indigenous cattle/buffalo breeds (list of registered breeds Annexed).
- Best Dairy Cooperative Society (DCS)/ Milk Producer Company (MPC)/Dairy Farmer Producer Organization (FPO).
- Best Artificial Insemination Technician (AIT).
There is also a provision of Special award for the North Eastern Region (NER) and Himalayan States so as to encourage and boost the dairy development activities in these States/UTs.
Cash Prize: The Award consists of a cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh for 1st rank, Rs. 3 lakh for 2nd rank, Rs. 2 lakh for 3rd rank and Rs. 2 lakh for Special Award for North Eastern Region, along with a Certificate of merit and a memento in the first two categories i.e Best Dairy Farmer and Best DCS/FPO/MPCs.
In the Best Artificial Insemination Technician (AIT) category, NGA will consist of a Certificate of merit and a memento.

Source: PIB

National Gopal Ratna Awards FAQs

Q1: National Gopal Ratna Award is given by which ministry?

Ans: Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying

Q2: What is the Cash prize for Best Dairy Farmer under National Gopal Ratna Award?

Ans: Rs 5 lakh

Dhansiri River

August 8, 2026

Dhansiri River Latest News

Assam's ongoing flood crisis escalated recently with the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) issuing a critical public advisory for residents near the Dhansiri River in the Golaghat district.

About Dhansiri River

It is a transboundary river running through the states of Assam and Nagaland and forms an important tributary to the Brahmaputra River.
Course:
- It originates from Laisang Peak of Nagaland.
- For the first 40 km from its source, the river flows in a northwesterly direction, and thereafter it flows northeast for about 76 km up to Dimapur.
- Beyond Dimapur, the direction of flow is generally northerly up to Golaghat in Assam, where the river takes an abrupt turn towards the northwest and ultimately joins the Brahmaputra at Dhansirimukh, Assam.
Total Length: 352 km.
Its total catchment area is 1,220 sq.km.
Major Tributaries: Intaki River, Bara Monglu River, Langlong Nadi, and Amaluma Jan River.
It flows through the Nagaland-Assam border harbouring rich flora and fauna. On one side is the Dhansiri Reserved Forest, and on the other is Intanki National Park.

News: PRAG

Dhansiri River FAQs

Q1: Which two Indian states does the Dhansiri River flow through?

Ans: Nagaland and Assam.

Q2: Which major river does the Dhansiri River join?

Ans: The Dhansiri River is an important tributary of the Brahmaputra River.

Q3: Where does the Dhansiri River originate?

Ans: It originates from Laisang Peak in Nagaland.

Q4: What is the total length of the Dhansiri River?

Ans: The Dhansiri River is 352 km long.

Delft Island

August 8, 2026

Delft Island Latest News

The Sri Lanka Navy recently rescued 11 Indian fishermen after their trawler ran aground off Delft Island.

About Delft Island

Delft Island, also known as Neduntheevu, is located in the Palk Strait off the northern coast of Sri Lanka
It lies south-southwest of the Jaffna peninsula.
It is the biggest of the seven inhabitable islands in the region.
The island’s area is 50 sq.km. Its length is 8 km, and its maximum width is about 6 km.
A unique feature of this island is that it is flat and oval-shaped and is wind-swept at almost all times, which makes the place very soothing.
It is surrounded by shallow waters and beaches of coral chunks and sand.
There are no streams on the island. The major source of freshwater is surface water, which is collected in natural depressions and artificial ponds.
On the island there are varied kinds of dry shrubs and semi-arid tropical plants. This island also has tall palm trees, which add to the overall beachy feel of the island.
Located by people of Tamil origin, Delft Island has a rich history and heritage from the Chola dynasty, Dutch, Portuguese and British colonial period.
Though there are ancient ruins of a temple, what is more evident in Delft Island’s recent history are the ruins of a Dutch colonial fort.
It was the Dutch who named the island after the city of Delft in the Netherlands, and the name remains to this day in common usage.

News: IT

Delft Island FAQs

Q1: Where is Delft Island located?

Ans: Delft Island is located in the Palk Strait, off the northern coast of Sri Lanka.

Q2: What is another name for Delft Island?

Ans: Delft Island is also known as Neduntheevu.

Q3: What is the shape of Delft Island?

Ans: Delft Island is flat and oval-shaped.

Q4: What prominent colonial ruins are found on Delft Island?

Ans: The ruins of a Dutch colonial fort are prominently found on the island.

Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary

August 8, 2026

Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary Latest News

Andhra Pradesh High Court recently agreed to advance the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) for protecting Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary, Mudasarlova drinking water reservoir, and the surrounding natural water streams in Visakhapatnam.

About Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary

It is located near Visakhapatnam city in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
Spread across the rolling Eastern Ghats, it covers more than 70 sq.km.
The sanctuary derives its name from the local hillock Kambalakonda.
Topography: It constitutes a hilly terrain having steep slopes.
Vegetation: It hosts dry evergreen forests, a highly threatened and unique forest type seen only in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in India.
Flora:
- Several species of flora found in the sanctuary are representatives of Eastern Ghats.
- Some of the prominent species of flora include Abrus precatorius, Grewia tiliaefolia, Catunaregam spinosa, Tectona grandis, and others.
- One of the most stunning flowers found in the region includes the Indian screw tree.
- Other flowers and fruits, like flowers of the Bush plum tree, Jungle berry bunches, can be found all across the landscape.
Fauna:
- Indian Leopard is regarded as the indicator species of the sanctuary.
- Other fauna include Indian Jackal, Chital, Indian Pangolin, Indian Muntjac, Indian Leopard, Partridges, Quails, Treepie, Asian Paradise-flycatcher, Chameleon, Indian Cobra and many more.

News: TH

Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary FAQs

Q1: Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary is located in which state?

Ans: Andhra Pradesh

Q2: Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary is located near which major city?

Ans: Visakhapatnam

Q3: Which type of vegetation is prominently found in Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary?

Ans: It hosts dry evergreen forests, a highly threatened and unique forest type seen only in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in India.

Q4: Which animal is regarded as the indicator species of Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary?

Ans: Indian Leopard