Following member-state voting at CBD COP17 in Yerevan, Armenia, Quito, the capital city of Ecuador, was selected to host CBD COP18 in 2028. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) originated at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, came into force in 1993, and maintains its permanent secretariat in Montreal, Canada.

Bihar became the first state in India to implement a comprehensive policy for the scientific desiltation and management of sediment from rivers and water bodies. Under the allied ‘Nadi Sanjivani’ framework with MoRTH and NHAI, scientifically extracted silt and sand are repurposed as embankment fill for National Highway construction, expanding river discharge capacity to mitigate recurrent flooding while conserving agricultural topsoil.

Uttarakhand batter Prema Rawat smashed an unbeaten 50 runs off just 14 balls against Hyderabad during the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune. This performance established a new benchmark for the fastest fifty recorded in women’s T20 cricket history.

India’s second spaceport is under construction at Kulasekarapattinam in the Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu. Scheduled to be operational by 2027, the facility is dedicated to launching payloads up to 500 kg into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) via SSLVs. Its geographic location provides a direct southward launch trajectory over the ocean, bypassing the dogleg maneuver required when launching from Sriharikota.

Directed by Vandana R. Jayakumar, the short documentary Mothers of Courage was awarded the UN SDG Action Award 2026 (Creativity Category) at a ceremony in Rome, Italy. The documentary highlights the work of rural mothers in Bihar who organize community educational forums (Shiksha Chaupals) across 14 districts to prevent early child marriages and keep young girls enrolled in school.

The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation notified the Indian Aircraft Rules 2026, which will supersede the colonial-era Aircraft Rules, 1937 beginning 1 January 2027. Framed under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam 2024, the updated rules modernize aircraft registration, crew licensing, airfare transparency, safety enforcement, and mandate clear protocols for passenger ticket cancellation refunds.

Distinguished Malayalam author Maythil Radhakrishnan was selected for the 34th Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, the highest literary honor bestowed by the Government of Kerala. Conferred for lifetime contributions to Malayalam literature, the award carries a citation, plaque, and a cash purse of ₹5 lakh.

Qeshm Island, the largest island in Iran situated in the Persian Gulf near the port of Bandar Abbas, lies along the strategic Strait of Hormuz. It came under precision military strikes targeting military and maritime assets. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical petroleum transit chokepoints, through which a significant portion of global seaborne crude oil passes.

Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh announced the establishment of a state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence in Sikkim to conserve and genetically upgrade the native Siri cattle breed. Siri is an indigenous, resilient hill breed native to Sikkim and Darjeeling (West Bengal), highly adapted to cold mountainous terrains and valued for draught power and dairy subsistence.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah presented the President’s Colour to the Chandigarh Police during its Diamond Jubilee (60th Raising Day) parade. The President’s Colour is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon any military or police unit in recognition of six decades of distinguished service, gallantry, and commitment to public duty.