Prelims Current Affairs includes World Elephant Day 2026, Lebanon Becomes First West Asian Country To Abolish Death Penalty, Uttar Pradesh Becomes India’s Largest Milk-Producing State, Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel Shruti Launched, The Hallaniyat Islands, India Wins 1 Gold, 3 Bronze At Linguistics Olympiad 2026 & Widow And Orphan Cess On Fuel Begins In Himachal Pradesh

IMPORTANT DAYS 

1. WORLD ELEPHANT DAY 2026

Current Context: World Elephant Day is observed on 12 August to promote elephant conservation and protection.

ABOUT WORLD ELEPHANT DAY

• The inaugural World Elephant Day was launched to draw global attention to the urgent threats facing Asian and African elephants.
• It is a global conservation-awareness initiative that brings together conservation organisations, governments, researchers and the public.
• Initiated By:Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, Patricia Sims, Michael Clark (2011)
• Theme 2026:“Bringing the world together to help elephants”

Elephants in India:

• India houses over 60% of wild Asian elephants worldwide
• Asian Elephant Status:Endangered (IUCN)
• Protection:Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
• Project Elephant:Launched 1992 (Centrally Sponsored Scheme)

ASIAN VS AFRICAN ELEPHANTS

• Asian elephants generally have smaller ears than African elephants.
• In Asian elephants, usually only males have prominent tusks, while both male and female African elephants can have tusks.

INTERNATIONAL

2. LEBANON BECOMES FIRST WEST ASIAN COUNTRY TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY

Current Context: Lebanon’s parliament voted on 11 August 2026 to abolish the death penalty.

ABOUT THE LEGISLATION

• The move makes Lebanon the first country in the Middle East/West Asia to formally abolish capital punishment. It is also the first Arab country to do so.
• Replacement:Life imprisonment with aggravated hard labour
• Second Arab League memberafter Djibouti
• Lebanon had maintained a de facto moratorium on executions since 2004.
• Although executions had not been carried out since 2004, Lebanese courts could still issue death sentences for serious crimes including murder, terrorism and treason.

STATES IN NEWS

3. UTTAR PRADESH BECOMES INDIA’S LARGEST MILK-PRODUCING STATE

Current Context: Uttar Pradesh is India’s largest milk-producing state, contributing 15.66% of the country’s total milk production, according to the Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics (BAHS) 2025 released by the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying.

ABOUT INDIA’S MILK PRODUCTION

• India’s total milk production reached 87 million tonnes (MT) in 2024-25.
• Milk production increased by 58% over the previous year.
• India remains the world’s largest milk-producing country.
• These five states together account for 09% of India’s total milk production.
• Uttar Pradesh has remained the largest milk-producing state throughout the period from 2018-19 to 2024-25

KEY DATA (2024-25):

Key Facts:

• Uttar Pradesh Production:01 million tonnes (2024-25)
• Growth:7 million tonnes (2016-17) → 38.8 million tonnes (2024-25)
• India:World’s largest milk producer (~25% of global production)

DEFENCE

4. NEXT GENERATION OFFSHORE PATROL VESSEL SHRUTI LAUNCHED

Current Context: The Indian Navy’s Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) “Shruti”, designated Yard 3037, was launched at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.

ABOUT NGOPV PROGRAMME

• Shruti is the second NGOPV under the Navy’s NGOPV programme.
• The Indian Navy’s NGOPV programme involves 11 indigenously designed and built vessels.
• Construction is being undertaken by GRSE, Kolkata and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), Goa.
• The programme is aimed at strengthening India’s maritime surveillance, coastal security and long-duration patrol capabilities.

KEY SPECIFICATIONS

• Length: 113 metres.
• Breadth:6 metres.
• Displacement: Approximately 3,000 tonnes.
• Maximum speed: 23 knots.
• Endurance: About 8,500 nautical miles at 14 knots.

GEOGRAPHY

5. THE HALLANIYAT ISLANDS

Current Context: An oil slick covering approximately 390 sq km has been reported off southern Oman, near the Hallaniyat Islands, after the crude-oil tanker Caroline Bezengi ran aground.

ABOUT HALLANIYAT ISLANDS

• Location: Off the Dhofar coast of southern Oman, in the Arabian Sea.
• The archipelago consists of four main islands with rugged terrain and cliffs.
• The islands are an important marine and terrestrial biodiversity area.
• Formerly Known As:Kuria Muria Islands

SPORTS

6. INDIA WINS 1 GOLD, 3 BRONZE AT LINGUISTICS OLYMPIAD 2026

Current Context: India won 1 Gold and 3 Bronze medals at the International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL) 2026, held in Romania.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL LINGUISTICS OLYMPIAD

• Edition: 23rd International Linguistics Olympiad.
• IOL is one of the 12 International Science Olympiads.
• It is an international competition for school students that tests their ability to solve problems related to linguistics and language.
• Unlike conventional language examinations, participants do not need prior knowledge of the languages appearing in the problems.
• Problems generally require students to identify patterns in unfamiliar languages, scripts, grammatical structures and sound systems.
• It primarily tests logical reasoning, analytical ability and pattern recognition.

MEDAL WINNERS:

HIMACHAL NEWS  

7. WIDOW AND ORPHAN CESS ON FUEL BEGINS IN HIMACHAL PRADESH

Current Context: Himachal Pradesh has introduced a Widow and Orphan Cess on petrol and diesel under Section 6-A of the Himachal Pradesh Value Added Tax Act, 2005.

ABOUT THE CESS

• The cess is imposed on the sale of petrol and diesel in Himachal Pradesh.
• It is intended to generate dedicated revenue for social-welfare measures benefiting widows and orphaned children.
• The measure is part of the state’s efforts to mobilise additional resources for social security and welfare programmes.

LEGAL BASIS

• Act: Himachal Pradesh Value Added Tax Act, 2005.
• Relevant provision: Section 6-A.

WHAT IS A CESS?

• A cess is a tax/levy imposed for a specific purpose.
• Unlike a general tax, which normally goes into the government’s general pool of revenue, a cess is associated with a designated objective.
• A cess may be imposed by the Union or State government, subject to constitutional and statutory authority.
• Rate:₹0.60 per litre (initial)
• Statutory Ceiling:₹5 per litre
• Applies To:Petrol and high-speed diesel
• Effective From:11 August 2026 (midnight)

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