Current Affairs One - Liner : 7th March 2026

National:

• On 5 March 2026, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal laid the foundation stone for India’s first riverine lighthouses at Lachit Ghat, Guwahati. The ₹84 crore project will build four solar‑powered towers (20m tall, 14 nautical mile range) along National Waterway‑2 at Pandu, Bogibeel, Silghat, and Biswanath Ghat.

• On 5 March 2026, IBM launched the Sangam Infrastructure Innovation Center at its India Systems Development Lab (ISDL) campus in Bengaluru. The center aims to accelerate enterprise Artificial Intelligence (AI) development and advanced infrastructure engineering.
• On 6 March 2026, SBI General Insurance launched its campaign “Chuniye Bharosa, Apno Sa” with actor Pankaj Tripathi as brand ambassador. The campaign highlights trust and family‑like assurance in insurance services. It strengthens SBI General’s image as a customer‑centric insurer.
• In March 2026, Thiruvananthapuram deployed an AI‑powered robot named G‑SPIDER for canal cleaning. This innovative robot uses artificial intelligence and advanced sensors to remove waste, silt, and plastic from clogged canals more efficiently than manual methods.
• In March 2026, a rare pair of Dusky Eagle Owls (Bubo coromandus)** was sighted in the Phato Tourism Zone of the Terai West Forest Division, Uttarakhand. This species is seldom seen in India and is typically associated with dense forests and wetlands.

International:

• On 2 March 2026, Scotland became the first UK country to legalise water cremation (alkaline hydrolysis). This eco‑friendly process uses heated water and alkaline chemicals to speed natural decomposition, producing fewer emissions than traditional cremation — the biggest change in funeral law since 1885.
• On 3 March 2026, the U.S. test‑launched its nuclear‑capable Minuteman III ICBM from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The unarmed missile flew across the Pacific as part of “Glory Trip 255,” a routine reliability check of America’s nuclear deterrence system.
• On 4 March 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Chile has become the first country in the Americas—and only the second globally after Jordan (2024)—to eliminate leprosy as a public health problem.

Banking:

• Axis Bank has officially partnered with Tesla as its preferred financing partner in India, announced on 4 March 2026 in Mumbai. This collaboration introduces India’s first 10‑year loan tenure for premium EVs, making Tesla cars more accessible with lower monthly installments and a fully digital loan experience.
• On 5 March 2026, Yes Bank launched the YES Essence Women’s Salary Account, an exclusive offering for working women with financial, healthcare, and lifestyle benefits. The initiative was timed around International Women’s Day to empower women’s financial independence.
• L&T Finance has launched the “Spoorthi” program in March 2026 to empower women entrepreneurs in India, offering flexible loans with extended repayment tenors of up to 25 years for home property purchases or Loan Against Property (LAP) to support business expansion and working capital.

MoUs:

• On 5 March 2026, India and Finland renewed their Environmental Cooperation Agreement in New Delhi. The MoU was signed by Bhupender Yadav, India’s Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Sari Multala, Finland’s Minister of Climate and the Environment.

Apps & Portals:

• On 5 March 2026, the Ministry of Culture launched Version 2.0 of the Indian Culture Portal at Kartavya Bhawan, New Delhi. The upgraded platform offers faster access, AI‑powered navigation, and a unified digital repository of India’s cultural heritage.

Important Days:

• The International Day for Disarmament and Non‑Proliferation Awareness 2026 was observed on 5 March. This UN‑designated day aims to raise global awareness about the dangers of nuclear weapons, promote disarmament education, and encourage cooperation among nations to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

Appointments:

• Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56‑year‑old son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been declared the new Supreme Leader of Iran following his father’s death in U.S.–Israeli strikes in early March 2026. The Assembly of Experts confirmed his appointment on 8 March, marking a historic hereditary succession in the Islamic Republic.

Awards & Honours:

• On 5 March 2026, Professor Krishnamurthy V. Subramanian (KV Subramanian), former Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India, became the first Indian economist to win the University of Chicago Alumni Award for Professional Achievement.

Questions:

Q.1 Who became the first Indian economist to win the University of Chicago Alumni Award for Professional Achievement in 2026?
a) Raghuram Rajan
b) Arvind Subramanian
c) Krishnamurthy V. Subramanian
d) Kaushik Basu

Answer: c) Krishnamurthy V. Subramanian, former Chief Economic Adviser of India, received the prestigious award from the University of Chicago for contributions to economics and policy.

Q.2 Which country became the first in the Americas to eliminate leprosy as a public health problem in March 2026?
a) Brazil
b) Argentina
c) Mexico
d) Chile

Answer: d) According to World Health Organization, Chile became the first country in the Americas and second globally after Jordan (2024) to eliminate leprosy as a public health problem.