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Current Affairs 19th August 2026
Agricultural Research Institutes in India
Karnal — Wheat & Barley Research
Hyderabad — Rice Research
Kanpur — Pulses Research
Shimla — Potato Research
Coimbatore — Sugarcane Breeding
Nagpur — Cotton Research
1. Sumer Singh Bhati received the UNCCD Rangeland Restoration Award 2026 in Mongolia.
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Sumer Singh Bhati is a traditional camel herder and conservationist from Sanwata village in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
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He has been recognised for his long-term efforts to protect and restore the Degrai Mata Oran, a community-conserved grassland in the Thar Desert.
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The Degrai Mata Oran covers about 10,000 hectares and serves as an important grazing landscape for livestock and a biodiversity-rich ecosystem.
2. Rishabh Pant became the first Indian to hit 100 sixes in Test cricket.
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Rishabh Pant became the first Indianand fourth player in the world to complete 100 sixes in Test cricket.
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He reached the milestone during the first Test between India and Sri Lanka.
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Pant achieved the feat in his 51st Test match.
3. NCW launched the ‘Yashoda AI’ initiative in Jalandhar.
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The National Commission for Women (NCW) launched the YASHODA AI initiative in Jalandhar, Punjabto promote digital empowerment of women.
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The programme was taken to Lovely Professional University (LPU), Jalandhar.
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YASHODA stands for “Your AI Skills & Holistic Opportunities for Digital Advancement”AI is described as a national AI-literacy movement focused specifically on women.NCW Chairperson: Vijaya Rahatkar.
4. Maharashtra Declares Snakebite a Notifiable Disease
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Maharashtra declared snakebite a Notifiable Disease under the state public health framework.
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Reporting of every suspected, probable and confirmed snakebite case and death has been made mandatory.
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The order covers government hospitals, private hospitals, medical colleges and healthcare practitioners.
5. The 5th Tamil Nadu International Kite Festival was organised in Mamallapuram.
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The 5th Tamil Nadu International Kite Festival (TNIKF 5.0) was organised in Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram), Tamil Nadu.
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The 2026 edition was held at Thiruvidanthai Beach along the East Coast Road (ECR).
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The festival was organised by Global Media Box in collaboration with the Department of Tourism, Government of Tamil Nadu.
6. Hakainde Hichilema was re-elected as President of Zambia.
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Hakainde Hichilema has been re-elected as the President of Zambia for a second five-year term.
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Hichilema defeated Edgar Lungu in the 2021 election and took office as Zambia’s 7th President.
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He contested the election under the United Party for National Development (UPND).
7. India and Armenia signed an MoU to strengthen their bilateral defence partnership.
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India and Armenia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Yerevan, Armenia, to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation.
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The MoU focuses on cooperation in defence research, development, innovation and shared production.
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Rajesh Kumar Singh, Defence Secretary of India, represented the Indian side during the agreement.
8. BRO opened the Sungal Tunnel on the Jammu–Poonch Road.
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The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has operationalised the 2.79-km Sungal Tunnel on the Jammu–Poonch road in Jammu & Kashmir.
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It has been constructed through the Kalidhar Range.
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The tunnel forms part of the strategically important Akhnoor–Rajouri–Poonch road corridor, also associated with NH-144A / Golden Arc Road.
WHAT HAPPENED TODAY
World Humanitarian Day — observed on 19 August to honour humanitarian workers and promote humanitarian action.
The theme of World Humanitarian Day 2026 is “Honouring fallen humanitarians and calling for greater protection of health care.”
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