Prelims Current Affairs includes World Football Day 2026, India Postpones Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit, Ummid Programme For Rare Genetic Disorders, India Records 97 Of World’s 100 Hottest Cities, World Cities Report 2026: Global Housing Crisis, Saraswati Wildlife Sanctuary, Project Cheetah: Cheetahs Roar Back In India After 70 Years, East Bengal Win Indian Super League Title For First Time, Chandrayaan-3 Wins 2026 Aiaa Goddard Astronautics Award, Rajasthan Receives World No Tobacco Day Award 2026 & Bismarck Sea

IMPORTANT DAYS

1. WORLD FOOTBALL DAY 2026

Current Context: World Football Day is observed on 25 May to recognize football’s role in promoting peace, achieving Sustainable Development Goals, and upholding universal values.

ABOUT THE DAY

• Proclaimed by: United Nations General Assembly on 7 May 2024 (Resolution A/RES/78/281)
• Date significance: 25 May marks the 100th anniversary of the first international football tournament with representation of all regions, held during the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris

About FIFA

• FIFA stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association (International Federation of Association Football).
• Established in 1904.
• Headquarters: Zurich, Switzerland.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

2. INDIA POSTPONES FOURTH INDIA-AFRICA FORUM SUMMIT

Current Context: India has postponed the Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit scheduled for May 2026 due to the Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa.

ABOUT THE SUMMIT

• To strengthen India-Africa cooperation in trade, investment, technology, health, education, defence, and sustainable development.
• To promote South-South cooperation and Global South partnership.
• Reason for postponement: Ebola virus outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda (WHO declared Public Health Emergency of International Concern – PHEIC)

Previous Summits:

India-Africa Economic Ties:

• Bilateral trade: ~$85 billion
• Africa accounts for nearly 10% of India’s energy imports
• India has provided over 190 Lines of Credit worth over $10 billion to 41 African countries
• ~220 development projects worth $4.5 billion completed
• India is among Africa’s top five investors and fourth largest trading partner

African Union (AU)

• African Union (AU) is a continental organization of African countries.
• Established in 2002, replacing the Organization of African Unity (OAU).
• Headquarters: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
• Comprises 55 African countries.

Ebola Virus

• Ebola Virus causes a severe and often fatal disease called Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
• First identified in 1976 near the Ebola River in present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• Belongs to the Filoviridae Natural host is believed to be fruit bats.
• Spread through direct contact with blood, body fluids, or infected animals/persons.
• Human-to-human transmission occurs through infected bodily fluids and contaminated materials.

HEALTH

3. UMMID PROGRAMME FOR RARE GENETIC DISORDERS

Current Context: The Union Minister for Science & Technology dedicated the UMMID (Unique Methods of Management of Inherited Disorders) Programme for rare genetic disorders.

ABOUT UMMID PROGRAMME

• UMMID stands for Unique Methods of Management of Inherited Disorders.
• Launched in 2019 by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology.
• Improve diagnosis, prevention, and management of inherited and rare genetic disorders.
• Promote early screening, genetic counselling, and affordable healthcare services.
• Three major pillars: NIDAN Kendras (diagnostics and counselling), outreach programmes in aspirational districts, specialised training centres for capacity building
• Supports: National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD) 2021

National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD), 2021

• National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD), 2021 was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in March 2021.
• It aims to improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of rare diseases in India

ENVIRONMENT

4. INDIA RECORDS 97 OF WORLD’S 100 HOTTEST CITIES

Current Context: India recorded 97 of the world’s 100 hottest cities on 22 May 2026 during a heatwave across northern, central and eastern India.

ABOUT THE HEATWAVE

• A heatwave is a prolonged period of excessively high temperatures compared to normal climatic conditions of a region.
• Declared by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
• Generally occurs during March to June, especially in northwestern and central India.

IMD CRITERIA

• Plains: Temperature ≥ 40°C.
• Hilly regions: Temperature ≥ 30°C.
• Severe heatwave: Temperature ≥ 47°C or significant departure from normal temperature.

Hottest city globally: Balangir, Odisha (48°C)

• Other hotspots: Sasaram, Bihar (48°C); Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (47°C)
• IMD forecast: Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions until 27 May 2026
• Non-Indian cities in top 100: Only three cities from Nepal (Dhangadhi, Nepalgunj, Lumbini Sanskritik)

REPORTS

5. WORLD CITIES REPORT 2026: GLOBAL HOUSING CRISIS

Current Context: The World Cities Report 2026, released by UN-Habitat during the World Urban Forum in Baku, highlights a rapidly worsening global housing crisis.

ABOUT THE REPORT

• Released in May 2026 during the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Azerbaijan.
• Focuses on the growing global housing and urban development crisis

Key Findings:

• Nearly 40% of global population (~3.4 billion people) face housing-related challenges
• Global price-to-income ratio increased from 9.3 (2010) to 11.2 (2023)
• In Central and South Asia (including India), ratio reached 16.8
• ~44% of households worldwide spend more than 30% of income on housing

India-specific findings:

• Affordable housing share in new construction declined from 52% (2018) to 17% (2025) in India’s eight largest cities
• PMAY housing coverage increased from 0.3% (2010) to 7% (2023); ~12 million houses sanctioned
• Ahmedabad Slum Networking Project: Praised as successful model of community-led urban improvement

UN-Habitat

• UN-Habitat stands for United Nations Human Settlements Programme.
• It is the UN agency responsible for sustainable urban development and human settlements.
• Established in 1978.
• Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya.

World Urban Forum 13 (WUF13)

• World Urban Forum 13 (WUF13) was held from 17-22 May 2026 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
• Organized by United Nations Human Settlements Programme in collaboration with the Government of Azerbaijan.
• Theme: “Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities.”
• WUF is the world’s premier global conference on sustainable urbanization.
• Established by the United Nations in 2001 and held every two years.

ENVIRONMENT

6. SARASWATI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

Current Context: Haryana’s first constellation garden has been developed at the Saraswati Wildlife Sanctuary in the Seonsar forest area of Pehowa.

ABOUT SARASWATI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

• Haryana’s first constellation-themed garden, named Nakshatra Vatika, has been developed at the Saraswati Wildlife Sanctuary in the Seonsar forest area of Pehowa, Haryana
• Plantation of trees linked to all 27 Nakshatras (constellations) of Indian astrology.
• Displays information about scientific, ecological, and traditional significance of each tree.
• Designed to connect youth with nature, forests, and traditional knowledge systems
• Also known as: Seonsar Forest
• Location: Kaithal and Kurukshetra districts, Haryana
• Area: ~4,452.85 hectares
• Vegetation: Tropical deciduous forest (Kikar, Neem, Shisham, Peepal)
• Fauna: Blue Bull (Nilgai), Wild Boar, Spotted Deer, rare Hog Deer, over 250 species of resident and migratory birds
• Historical significance: Ancient bricks from Kushan and Gupta periods, 400-year-old Mughal-era water well

 ENVIRONMENT

7. PROJECT CHEETAH: CHEETAHS ROAR BACK IN INDIA AFTER 70 YEARS

Current Context: India’s cheetah population has reached 53, including 33 Indian-born cubs, under Project Cheetah.

ABOUT PROJECT CHEETAH

• Project Cheetah is India’s flagship programme to reintroduce cheetahs into the wild after their extinction in India in 1952.
• Officially launched on 17 September 2022 at Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh.
• Implemented by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
• Scientific support provided by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
• Restore cheetah population in India.
• Revive grassland and semi-arid ecosystems.
• Enhance biodiversity conservation and eco-tourism
• Current cheetah population: 53 (including 33 Indian-born cubs)
• Initial translocation: 20 cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa
• Additional introduction: 9 cheetahs from Botswana (early 2026)
• Cheetah declared extinct in India: 1952
• Core habitat: Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh
• Expansion plans: Gandhisagar, Gujarat’s Banni grasslands
• World’s first: Intercontinental translocation of large wild carnivores for species restoration

SPORTS

8. EAST BENGAL WIN INDIAN SUPER LEAGUE TITLE FOR FIRST TIME

Current Context: East Bengal won the Indian Super League title for the first time.

ABOUT THE MATCH

• East Bengal defeated Inter Kashi 2-1 in the final league match to clinch the ISL 2025-26 title.
• The club ended a 22-year wait for a national league title.
• Venue: Kishore Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata
• Last top-tier title: 2003-04 National Football League season (22-year wait)
• Title race: East Bengal finished level on 23 points with Mohun Bagan but won on goal difference (+18 vs +13)

ABOUT ISL

• Indian Super League (ISL) is India’s top professional football league.
• Organized under the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
• Started in 2014.

AWARDS

9.  CHANDRAYAAN-3 WINS 2026 AIAA GODDARD ASTRONAUTICS AWARD

Current Context: India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission has received the 2026 AIAA Goddard Astronautics Award in Washington DC.

ABOUT THE AWARD

• Awarding body: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
• Venue: Washington DC (21 May 2026)
• Achievement: First country to successfully soft-land a spacecraft near Moon’s south pole (23 August 2026)

About Chandrayaan-3

• Chandrayaan-3 is India’s third lunar exploration mission launched by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• Launched on 14 July 2023 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota using LVM3-M4 rocket.

AWARDS

10. RAJASTHAN RECEIVES WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY AWARD 2026

Current Context: Rajasthan received the World No Tobacco Day Award 2026 from WHO for outstanding tobacco control initiatives.

ABOUT THE AWARD

• Awarded by: World Health Organisation (WHO), South-East Asia region
• State initiatives: Tobacco cessation treatment and counselling services through more than 500 centres up to block level with geo-tagged digital access
• Vision: “Tobacco-Free Rajasthan”

 About WHO

• WHO stands for World Health Organization.
• Specialized health agency of the United Nations.
• Established in 1948.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.

PLACES IN NEWS

11. BISMARCK SEA

Current Context: A submarine volcanic eruption in the Bismarck Sea, north of Papua New Guinea has drawn attention to the poor mapping of the deep ocean floor.

ABOUT BISMARCK SEA

• Location: Part of southwestern Pacific Ocean
• Bounded by: Northeast coast of Papua New Guinea (southwest), Bismarck Archipelago (northwest to southeast) including Admiralty Islands (north), New Ireland (east), New Britain (southeast)
• Area: ~40,000 sq km
• Depth: Generally 2,000 metres, maximum approaching 2,500 metres
• Name origin: German statesman Otto von Bismarck (under German control from ~1885-1914)
• Historical significance: Site of many important naval battles during WWII, Battle of Bismarck Sea (March 1943) where Allied forces stopped a Japanese convoy

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