Daily Current Affairs - 18 June 2026
Generated by AllJobAlerts on 19 June 2026
New Lynx Spider Species Discovered in Meghalaya
- A new species of lynx spider, Hamataliwa mawlyngot, was discovered in Mawlyngot village, East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya in June 2026.
- Identified by scientists from Zoological Survey of India and University of Calcutta; study published in National Academy Science Letters.
- The small spider (smaller than a fingernail) was found on hillside shrubs like Molucca brambles in the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot.
- Lynx spiders (family Oxyopidae) are active hunters that do not build webs.
- This extends the known distribution of genus Hamataliwa in India.
New Chilli Varieties Released in Guntur
- Regional Horticultural Research Station (RHRS), Lam Farm, Guntur released two new chilli varieties â LCA-625 and LCA-643 on 16 June 2026.
- LCA-625 (dry chilli) offers 45,000â50,000 Scoville Heat Units and 60â65 ASTA colour value as an alternative to Teja.
- LCA-643 suits both green and dry chilli, shows moderate resistance to Gemini virus and black thrips, and resembles Byadgi variety when dried.
- Foundation seed sale started at âš1,200/kg, limited to 250g per farmer due to short supply.
- Available only at Lam Farm, Andhra Pradesh.
RBI Launches Reelathon 2026 in Kerala
- Reserve Bank of India launched âRBI Reelathon 2026â on 16 June 2026 at Thiruvananthapuram to create awareness among college students about cyber financial frauds.
- The multi-phase campaign covers ~150 colleges in Kerala, focusing on smart borrowing, safe digital banking, illegal loan apps, mule accounts, and cyber hygiene.
- Students will create short reels on fraud prevention and the âgolden hourâ of reporting.
- Top winners get cash prizes of âš75,000, âš50,000, and âš25,000; best content will be shared on official platforms.
- The campaign ends with a grand finale later in 2026.
India-Japan Joint Crediting Mechanism Rules Adopted
- India and Japan adopted âRules of Implementationâ for the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement on 8 June 2026.
- Builds on last yearâs Memorandum of Cooperation for greenhouse gas emission reduction projects.
- Establishes Joint Committee, transparent approval processes, third-party verification, sustainable development safeguards, and national registries.
- Aims to catalyse investment, technology transfer, and low-carbon projects in India to meet Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
- Demonstrates Indiaâs commitment to climate action and sustainable development.
Usutu Virus Detected in Scotland
- Usutu virus (USUV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus, was detected for the first time in blackbirds in Scotland in summer 2025; confirmed on Isle of Arran.
- Public announcement made on 1 April 2026 by Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) through reverse transcription-PCR testing.
- Scottish samples belong to Africa 3.2 lineage, indicating spread from existing UK detections rather than new introduction.
- Primarily affects wild birds, especially blackbirds; human risk remains very low with no UK cases reported.
- Part of ongoing avian disease surveillance in the UK.
ISRO Developing Advanced Lunar Lander
- ISRO, in collaboration with the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), is developing a new lunar lander capable of operating for 100â200 days on the Moon.
- The current Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander operated for only one lunar day (~14 Earth days) using solar power.
- Challenge: Extreme cold during 14-day lunar nights (below -100°C) requires new artificial heating systems for electronics and instruments.
- Supports Indiaâs Space Vision 2047, aiming for a national space station by 2035 and Indian astronauts on the Moon by 2040.
BHASHINI and GeM Sign MoU for Multilingual Procurement
- Digital India BHASHINI Division and Government e-Marketplace (GeM) signed an MoU on 15 June 2026 to enable multilingual access in public procurement.
- The collaboration uses BHASHINI â Indiaâs National Language Digital Public Infrastructure â for translation, speech recognition, and voice tools.
- It supports 22 official Indian languages through AI-powered technologies and âVoice Firstâ solutions under âBHASHINI for Seva/Sanchalanâ programme.
- Aims to benefit MSMEs, startups, and users by allowing interaction in preferred regional languages on the GeM portal.
SpaceX Becomes Worldâs 5th Most Valuable Company
- SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk in 2002, became the worldâs fifth most valuable company on 16 June 2026, surpassing Amazon.
- Its market capitalization reached ~$2.97 trillion (closed at ~$2.66 trillion), listed on Nasdaq as SPCX.
- The company went public on 12 June 2026; IPO raised $85.7 billion after over-allotment.
- 2025 revenue stood at $18.7 billion with a net loss of $4.9 billion; Q1 2026 revenue was $4.69 billion.
UPI Launch at Galeries Lafayette Nice Massena, France
- India launched UPI services at Galeries Lafayette Nice Massena in Nice, France on 16 June 2026.
- The launch was led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, with NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) and French provider Lyra Collect.
- UPI, developed by NPCI, enables instant real-time bank-to-bank transfers and QR code merchant payments.
- UPI is now operational in nine countries, including France; it was previously introduced at Eiffel Tower, Paris in 2024.
- The integration allows Indian travellers easier retail transactions at the popular 600+ brand department store, strengthening India-France digital payment cooperation.
Exercise Pitch Black 2026
- Exercise Pitch Black 2026, a biennial multinational air combat exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force, is scheduled from 20 July to 7 August 2026 in Australiaâs Northern Territory.
- The Indian Air Force is participating along with 19 nations including Australia, US, UK, Japan, France, and others.
- Over 100 aircraft will take part from bases like RAAF Darwin, Tindal, and Amberley.
- It features complex combat scenarios in one of the worldâs largest training areas.
- Community events include Mindil Beach Flying Display (23 July) and RAAF Darwin Open Day (1 August). Air Commodore Matt McCormack is the Exercise Commander.