Daily Current Affairs Brief : March 5, 2026

Authored By: K Shiva

1. International Current Affairs

Nepal General Election: Nepal is voting in a landmark general election today, two years ahead of schedule, following a youth-led movement against corruption and misgovernance.

U.S.-Iran Conflict Escalation: On the fifth day of the war, a U.S. submarine used a torpedo to sink the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena off the coast of Sri Lanka; 83 bodies have been recovered.

Finnish President's Visit: Finnish President Alexander Stubb arrived in Delhi for a four-day visit to discuss bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, and critical technology with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

U.S. Tariff Hike: U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that President Trump is likely to increase the temporary global import tariff from 10% to 15% this week.

New Supreme Leader for Iran: Following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in recent strikes, Iran is reportedly working to swiftly appoint a new Supreme Leader.

Russia-Ukraine Maritime Tension: Russia has accused Ukraine of using naval drones to sink a liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Libya.

Global Airline Disruptions: Approximately 180 flight services from Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru were cancelled on Wednesday due to airspace restrictions caused by the West Asia crisis.

2. National Current Affairs

Bihar Political Shift: Reports indicate that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may resign and move to the Rajya Sabha, with a new Chief Minister from the BJP expected to succeed him.

Childhood Obesity Warning: A new report ranks India second globally in children with obesity, with projections showing a substantial rise in related disease indicators by 2040.

Rajya Sabha Nominations: The Congress has named Vem Narender Reddy and Abhishek Manu Singhvi as candidates for the Rajya Sabha from Telangana.

Tamil Nadu Seat-Sharing: The DMK and Congress finalized a seat-sharing pact for the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, with Congress contesting 28 seats and receiving one Rajya Sabha berth.

Website Blocking Inconsistencies: A study confirmed that 43,083 unique domains have been blocked in India via DNS filtering, a six-fold increase over previous studies, highlighting inconsistent practices among ISPs.

Tirumala Laddu Controversy: Heated debates continued in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council regarding alleged adulteration of ghee in Tirumala laddus, leading to disruptions and adjournment.

3. Science & Technology

AI for Women: The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, in collaboration with Microsoft, is offering the AI Careers for Women (AI4W) program to provide girls with technical skills and industry certifications.

Environmental Noise Impact: New scientific findings suggest that chronic exposure to traffic noise in Indian cities is causing measurable biological injury and hearing loss, particularly among high-risk groups like traffic police.

Google Data Centre: A new Google Data Centre is scheduled to have its foundation laid in Visakhapatnam this April.

Advanced Air Defense: Reports detailed the capabilities of the Shahed-136 drone (reaching 185 km/h) and the U.S. Patriot PAC-3 interceptor systems currently being utilized in global conflicts.

Venus Exploration: Historic Soviet and NASA missions (Magellan) were highlighted for their role in using synthetic aperture radar to map the surface of Venus through its thick atmosphere.

4. States Current Affairs

Andhra Pradesh Reforms: The AP Legislative Assembly passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, decriminalizing minor offences under 12 State Acts to improve the ease of doing business.

Telangana Health Initiative: The Telangana Health Department will prepare comprehensive health profiles for 46 lakh women in self-help groups (SHGs) starting March 8, involving 30 different medical tests.

Karnataka Recruitment Drive: The Karnataka government announced a massive drive to fill 56,432 government posts, though the move has sparked internal division over the 50% reservation cap and internal reservation matrices.

Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment: MRF signed an MoU with the Tamil Nadu government to establish a ₹5,300 crore greenfield manufacturing unit for automotive tyres in Sipcot.

Andhra Steel Plant: The foundation stone for the ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel plant in Anakapalli is set to be laid this month.

Kerala Nurses Strike: Private sector nurses in Kerala are planning to continue their strike across district headquarters for better wages and staffing levels.

5. District & Local News

Stranded Telugu Diaspora: Roughly 15,000 visitors from Andhra Pradesh are stranded in various Gulf countries due to the conflict; the state government is coordinating their return within three days.

Visakhapatnam Land Issue: Members of the AP Legislative Assembly called for a specific deadline to resolve the long-standing "Panchagramalu" land issues involving Simhachalam temple lands.

Hyderabad Infrastructure: The GHMC proposed a ₹1,345 crore six-lane flyover across Mallardevpally and Shamshabad, which has revived public demand for a direct rail link to the airport.

Chittoor Road Accident: Five residents from Bengaluru were killed in a road accident near Palamaner on the Chittoor-Bengaluru highway while traveling to Tirumala.

Bengaluru Water for Wildlife: An NGO in Visakhapatnam is setting up 20,000 clay pots to provide water for birds and animals during the summer months.

6. Sports & Games

T20 World Cup Semifinal: India will face England in the T20 World Cup semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium today. India has dropped the most catches (13) in the tournament so far.

New Zealand in Final: The "Black Caps" (New Zealand) stunned South Africa to enter the T20 World Cup final.

Cricket Milestone: The Wankhede Stadium is historically significant as the venue where India won the 2011 ODI World Cup, becoming the first home side to do so.

Prague Chess Festival: Indian grandmaster D. Gukesh lost to Aravindh Chithambaram in round 6 of the Masters section, while David Navara and Jorden van Foreest played to a draw.

Fastest T20 Century: Finn Allen (New Zealand) recorded the fastest century in T20 World Cup history off 33 balls, breaking Chris Gayle's 2018 record.

7. Cinema & Entertainment

Nandi Awards: Andhra Pradesh Minister Kandula Durgesh announced that the state will soon resume the Nandi Awards and Nandi Natakotsavams.

Ustaad Bhagat Singh: The upcoming film starring Pawan Kalyan will feature a unique collaboration with both Devi Sri Prasad (songs) and Thaman (background score).

Film Incentives: The AP government plans to offer heavy subsidies for low-budget films and free shooting permissions to encourage local production.

New TV Awards: The government is considering new TV artist awards named after ETV Suman and Devadas Kanakala.

8. General Knowledge Points

1. Which major global diplomatic event is being inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi in New Delhi today? Answer: Raisina Dialogue 2026 (11th Edition). (The President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, is the Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker for this year's summit.)

2. India recently signed a massive $1.9 billion deal with which country to secure its nuclear energy future? Answer: Canada. (The deal involves the supply of uranium to fuel India's nuclear reactors as the country aims for 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047.)

3. The Ministry of Defence recently signed contracts worth ₹5,083 crore for which two major acquisitions? Answer: Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Mk-III and VL-Shtil Missile Systems. (The helicopters are for the Indian Coast Guard, while the vertical-launch missiles are for the Indian Navy.)

4. Which day is observed in India today to commemorate the founding of the National Safety Council? Answer: National Security Day (Rashtriya Suraksha Diwas). (Note: While March 4 is National Safety Day, March 5 is often observed as National Security Day to honor the security forces; however, the ongoing Safety Week theme is "Engage, Educate & Empower People to Enhance Safety.")

5. Which country has set its 2026 economic growth target at a lower range of 4.5% to 5% due to domestic challenges? Answer: China.

6. Which Indian stock exchange recently received SEBI's nod to launch new derivative contracts on the "SENSEX Next 30 Index"? Answer: BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange).

7. Due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which Indian gas major has issued "Force Majeure" notices to its industrial customers today? Answer: Gujarat Gas Ltd.

8. Which Indian state recently became the first to achieve 100% household tap water connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission? Answer: Kerala.

9. Who is the current President of Finland currently on a state visit to India? Answer: Alexander Stubb.

10. International Fleet Review (MILAN 2026): The Iranian warship IRIS Dena was a participant in the Indian Navy's flagship multilateral exercise held in the Bay of Bengal in February 2026.

11. Currency Record: The Indian Rupee hit a record low of 92.30 against the U.S. Dollar on Wednesday due to the oil shock from the West Asia conflict.

12. Strait of Hormuz: This critical shipping lane is currently a focal point of global market anxiety as its closure has surged crude oil prices.

13. Jan Vishwas Act: Originally enacted by the Centre in 2023, this act serves as a framework for states to decriminalize minor technical or procedural defaults.

9. Do You Know?

• The "Zero-Waste" Summit: The Raisina Dialogue 2026 is being marketed as a "Green Summit," using 100% recycled paper for documentation and AI-driven real-time translation for over 50 languages.

• A "Light-Day" Closer: Scientists noted today that Voyager 1 is officially just a few months away from being one full "light-day" (roughly 26 billion km) away from Earth.

• Nuclear Milestone: The Canada-India uranium deal is the largest of its kind since the 2008 Nuclear Waiver, marking a complete "reset" in bilateral ties.

• Blue Blood Mystery: In a scientific discovery shared today, researchers found a new species of "Gitchak nakan" (blind red fish) in Meghalaya that survives in total darkness with no eyes.

• Sinking by Torpedo: U.S. officials claim the sinking of the Iranian warship IRIS Dena is the first time the U.S. has sunk an enemy ship with a torpedo since the Second World War.

• Language Usage: In formal English, "hundred per cent" is preferred over the common Indian phrase "cent per cent".

• Rice Production: India has surpassed China to become the world's largest producer of rice.

10. Job & Educational Topics

SSC Hall Tickets: The Board of Secondary Education, AP, is scheduled to release hall tickets for the SSC exams today (March 5) at 11 a.m..

APSIRD Recruitment: The AP State Institute of Rural Development is inviting online applications for Core Faculty positions in various sectors including IT and Rural Development until March 23.

Andhra Education Model: HRD Minister Nara Lokesh aims to showcase the "Andhra model of education" globally, highlighting a 10 lakh student increase in government schools following the withdrawal of certain restructuring orders.

Demand for Actuaries: The insurance sector is seeing a surge in demand for actuaries as companies transition to new international financial reporting standards (IFRS) by FY27.

11. Day Special

March 5 Historical Significance: In 1996, the foundation stone for the Veligonda Project was laid on this day by N. Chandrababu Naidu to address fluoride and irrigation issues in the Prakasam district.

National Safety Week: Currently observed in India, with themes focusing on engaging and empowering workers to maintain high safety standards in industrial settings.