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🔆 CURRENT AFFAIRS – 28 AUGUST 2026 | FRIDAY

🔆 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS & ISSUES

📍 Palestine Action
🟢 The US designated UK-based Palestine Action as a foreign terrorist group
🟢 Palestine Action had already been banned by the British government
🟢 Other groups designated as terrorist organisations:
• Autistici/Inventati (A/I Collective) – Italy-based
• Masar Badil – Pro-Palestinian organisation

📍 Africa Health Workforce Agenda 2026–2035
🟢 African health ministers adopted the Africa Health Workforce Agenda 2026–2035
🟢 Target: Educate, employ and retain 3 million additional health workers by 2035
🟢 Health workforce density target: 27 to 47 per 10,000 population
🟢 Unemployment target: 27% to 13%
🟢 Strategy: “Plan, Train, Retain”
🟢 Focuses on data-driven planning, competency-based training and improved retention
🟢 Seeks to address diagnostic and treatment gaps
🟢 By 2035, targets include:
• 80% countries adopting workforce strategies and education reforms
• 70% implementing staffing norms
• 100% reporting through national workforce accounts
🟢 Aims to raise the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Service Coverage Index from 51 (2024) to 60 (2035)

🔆 ECONOMY

📍 World’s Fastest-Growing Container Port
🟢 Jawaharlal Nehru Port emerged as the world’s fastest-growing container port
🟢 Reached 21st position globally
🟢 Recorded 13.6% growth in container throughput during the first half of 2026
🟢 Outpaced all other ports among the world’s top 30 ports in growth
🟢 Highlights the growing importance of India’s maritime and logistics sector

🔆 ENVIRONMENT

📍 Three New Elephant Corridors in Tamil Nadu
🟢 Three elephant corridors in the Cauvery North Wildlife Sanctuary, Hosur Forest Division, have been submitted for recognition
🟢 Jawalagiri–Ulbanda–Thaggatti Corridor – 18.50 km
🟢 Jawalagiri–Panai–Anchetty Corridor – 20.90 km
🟢 Bilikkal–Jawalagiri Corridor – 2.20 km
🟢 These corridors facilitate elephant movement across the wider landscape
🟢 They provide vital connectivity between elephant habitats and support long-term wildlife conservation

🔆 SECURITY

📍 Sahyog Hop-Tac 2026
🟢 The 2nd edition of the joint maritime exercise Sahyog Hop-Tac concluded off the Chennai coast
🟢 Participants:
• 8 Indian Coast Guard ships
• 6 aircraft
• Vietnam Coast Guard ship CSB 8002
🟢 Objective: Enhance tactical interoperability and standardise emergency response procedures
🟢 Focused on search-and-rescue operations and maritime emergency protocols
🟢 Strengthens India–Vietnam maritime security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific

📍 Delivery of Indigenous MPV ‘Samarthak’
🟢 Indian Navy received its first indigenous Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV), Samarthak
🟢 Delivered by L&T, Kattupalli
🟢 Built with over 75% indigenous material
🟢 Serves as a versatile platform for:
• Trials and evaluation
• Maritime surveillance and reconnaissance
• Offshore patrolling
• Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR)
🟢 Samarthak means “The Proponent”, signifying a dependable enabler for multiple missions

🔆 SCIENCE

📍 World’s First Pinhole Pupilloplasty Centre
🟢 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister inaugurated the dedicated Pinhole Pupilloplasty (PPP) Centre at Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, Chennai
🟢 PPP technique developed by Amar Agarwal
🟢 Creates a small pinhole in the clear corneal region to improve vision
🟢 Blocks scattered light and improves focus on the retina
🟢 Useful for patients with:
• Corneal scars
• Irregular corneas
• High optical aberrations
🟢 Offers an alternative for patients awaiting donor corneal transplantation
🟢 Can potentially avoid lifelong medication associated with certain transplant procedures

📍 AstraZeneca–Amgen Asthma Drug
🟢 Tezspire met its main goals in a late-stage trial for eosinophilic oesophagitis
🟢 Developed by AstraZeneca and Amgen
🟢 It is a monoclonal antibody that blocks TSLP, a protein involved in inflammation
🟢 Eosinophils are white blood cells associated with inflammatory conditions, including severe asthma
🟢 Trial results showed reduced oesophageal inflammation and improved swallowing difficulties
🟢 Tezspire is already approved in several countries as an add-on treatment for severe asthma

🔆 MISCELLANEOUS

📍 First Certificate for 15-Metre Sleeper Bus
🟢 International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) issued the first compliance certificate for a 15-metre multi-axle sleeper bus
🟢 Certified under:
• Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR)
• AIS-119
• AIS-153
🟢 Evaluation covered:
• Safety
• Structural integrity
• Passenger accommodation
• Passenger comfort
🟢 Marks a significant milestone in certification of long-format passenger vehicles in India.

#CurrentAffairs

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