• Host Country: India (India holds the BRICS presidency for the year 2026).
• Venue: Nagpur, Maharashtra.
• Chaired by: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari.
• Theme: "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability (BRICS)."
• Main Objective of the 3rd Meeting: To further strengthen international transport cooperation.
• Key Agenda and Points of the Meeting:
• Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF): 'Sustainable Aviation Fuel' was a top priority on the meeting's agenda. Discussions focused on promoting its use and reducing carbon emissions in the aviation sector.

BRICS:

• A group of the world's major emerging economies.
• Full Name: BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
• Concept: The term 'BRIC' was first coined by British economist Jim O'Neill in 2001.
• First Formal Meeting: The first meeting of foreign ministers took place in New York in September 2006.
• First Summit: Held on June 16, 2009, in Yekaterinburg, Russia.
• Inclusion of South Africa: South Africa became part of the group in 2010, after which the name changed from BRIC to BRICS.
• New Members (effective from January 1, 2024): Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
• Currently, BRICS comprises 11 full member countries.
• Indonesia joined as a full member in the year 2025.
• New Development Bank (NDB): Also known as the 'BRICS Bank'; established in July 2014 (during the Fortaleza Summit).
• NDB Headquarters: Shanghai, China.
• Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA): A framework created to address global liquidity crises.
• BRICS accounts for 45% of the world's population and 37.3% of the global GDP—figures that exceed the European Union's 14.5% and the G7's 29.3%.
• With the inclusion of Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), BRICS now accounts for approximately 44% of global crude oil production.

• Launched by: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu
• Venue: Banganapalle, Nandyal district, Andhra Pradesh
• Main Objective: To distribute error-free and digitally updated *Pattadar* passbooks (land ownership passbooks) to farmers and landowners in villages where land re-survey has been completed.
• Distribution Target: Under this new phase, the state government has initiated the distribution of approximately 29.04 lakh *Pattadar* passbooks across 6,887 villages. The government aims to distribute a total of 72.70 lakh passbooks across 9,833 villages by March 2027.

Andhra Pradesh:

• Formation: 1 October 1953
• Capital: Amaravati
• Governor: S. Abdul Nazeer
• Chief Minister: N. Chandrababu Naidu
• Parliamentary Representation: 25 Lok Sabha seats and 11 Rajya Sabha seats
• Classical Dance: Kuchipudi
• Major Rivers: Godavari (Ganga of the South) and Krishna
• Major Producer: Mica
• Coastline: India's second-longest coastline after Gujarat (approximately 974 km)

Major Lakes:

• Kolleru Lake (Freshwater, Ramsar site)
• Pulicat Lake
• Visakhapatnam Steel Plant: India's first shore-based integrated steel plant
• Major Festivals: Ugadi (Telugu New Year), Sankranti, and Tirupati Brahmotsavam

National Parks:

• Papikonda National Park
• Sri Venkateswara National Park
• Rajiv Gandhi (Rameswaram) National Park

Major Ports:

• Visakhapatnam Port (India's deepest natural port)
• Gangavaram Port

• Latitude: 29° to 38° N
• Longitude: 60° to 75° E
• Hindu Kush mountain range in the central region
• Highest peak: Noshaq
• Connects South Asia, Central Asia, and West Asia
• Major rivers: Amu Darya, Kabul River, Hari Rud, Helmand River
• Capital: Kabul
• Currency: Afghani (AFN)
• System of government: Interim Taliban regime
• Main languages: Pashto, Dari
• International borders: Pakistan (Durand Line), Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, China (Wakhan Corridor border)

• History of Listing: The US first added Syria to this list in 1979.
• Current Status (Remaining Countries): With the process of Syria's removal underway, only three countries now remain on this blacklist: Iran, North Korea, and Cuba.
• 'State Sponsors of Terrorism' (SST) List:
• The US State Department places countries on this list if they repeatedly provide support for acts of international terrorism.

Syria:

• Continent: Asia (West Asia)
• Capital: Damascus; it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
• Mediterranean Sea: Syria's western border lies along the Mediterranean Sea.
• Neighboring Countries: Syria shares borders with a total of five countries: Turkey (north), Iraq (east), Jordan (south), Israel (southwest), and Lebanon (west).
• Official Language: Arabic
• Currency: Syrian Pound (SYP)
• Euphrates River: This is Syria's longest and most important river; it originates in Turkey and flows through Syria and Iraq.
• Name of Parliament: People's Council or 'Majlis al-Sha'ab'

• Defense and Maritime Security: Agreement reached between the Indian Navy and the New Zealand Defence Force regarding maritime cooperation, hydrography, and reciprocal logistics support.
• Disaster Management: Agreement between India's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and New Zealand's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
• Tourism: MoU between India's Ministry of Tourism and New Zealand's Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
• Sports: A 'Joint Action Plan' adopted in the field of sports.
• Animal Husbandry and Dairy: Technical cooperation agreement between India's Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries.
• Prime Minister Modi's visit to New Zealand marks the first official visit by an Indian Prime Minister in nearly 40 years.
• Bilateral Trade Target: Both nations have set an ambitious goal to double bilateral trade to 7 billion New Zealand dollars (approximately ₹35,000 crore) by 2030.
• Cooperation in Multilateral Forums: New Zealand has reiterated its support for India's bid for permanent membership in the UN Security Council (UNSC). Additionally, New Zealand has officially joined the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA).
• Counter-Terrorism Mechanism: Agreement reached to establish a joint working group and an annual maritime security dialogue to combat terrorism, financial crimes, and international organized crime.

• Focus Area: This report focuses on 'intangible investments' such as software, research and development (R&D), intellectual property (IP), and organizational capabilities.
• What is intangible investment?: Investment that does not take a physical form, such as software, databases, patents, brand designs, and research.

Key findings for India:

• Fastest growth: Among the world's 15 largest economies, India recorded the fastest annual growth (7.9%) in intangible investment.
• Total investment value: India's total intangible investment reached $78.2 billion in 2023.
• Surpassed European nations: India's intangible investment exceeds that of several European economies, such as Denmark, Finland, and the Czech Republic.
• Fastest-growing sector in India: Software and databases have been the fastest-growing categories of intangible assets within India.
• Gross Capital Formation: India's gross capital formation rose from 32% in 2021 to 33% (of GDP) in 2023.

Top countries by global growth rate:

• India: 7.9%
• Japan: 4.8%
• Philippines: 4.6%
• USA: 4.4%
• Top country by total intangible investment: The USA leads globally in terms of total intangible investment.

• Organization: Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), part of The Economist Group.
• Scope: Evaluation of 173 cities.
• Assessment: Based on five parameters—stability, healthcare, culture, education, and infrastructure.
• Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, has been declared the world's most liveable city for the second consecutive year.
• A total of 173 global cities were evaluated in this year's index; no Indian city managed to secure a place in the top 100.

Top 10 Most Liveable Cities:

• Copenhagen (Denmark): Ranked first for the second consecutive year (Total score: 98; perfect score of 100/100 in stability, education, and infrastructure).
• Vienna (Austria)
• Melbourne (Australia)
• Sydney (Australia)
• Zurich (Switzerland)
• Geneva (Switzerland)
• Osaka (Japan)
• Adelaide (Australia)
• Vancouver (Canada)
• Tokyo (Japan)

World's 5 Least Liveable Cities:

• Damascus (Syria) – Ranked lowest on the list
• Tripoli (Libya)
• Dhaka (Bangladesh)
• Karachi (Pakistan) – Ranked 170th globally (fourth worst)
• Algiers (Algeria)

Performance of Indian Cities:

• New Delhi ranked 120th (score: 48.1). Its key strengths were education (66.7 points) and infrastructure (58.9 points), while healthcare (41.7 points) and culture & environment (35.4 points) were its weaker areas. Mumbai ranked 121st. Its key strengths are economic opportunities and education, while traffic congestion and mounting pressure on basic civic services are its major challenges.
• Chennai secured the 123rd spot. Its primary strength is a stable social structure, whereas a lack of healthcare infrastructure was its main weakness.
• Bengaluru ranked 127th. Its key strengths are the IT sector and economic growth, while water scarcity, unplanned urbanization, and infrastructure-related issues are its major weaknesses.

• Top FDI recipient country: The United States (USA) remained the world's largest FDI destination. It was followed by Singapore, Hong Kong (China), and China, respectively.
• Global Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows: Global FDI rose by 6% to $1.6 trillion in 2025, ending two consecutive years of decline.
• Top recipient region: Developing Asia remained the largest recipient region, attracting $644 billion (approximately 40% of global flows).
• India became the world's 11th largest recipient of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in 2025, up from the 13th position in 2024.
• FDI inflows into India increased by 44%, rising from $27.09 billion in 2024 to $38.89 billion in 2025.
• The United States remained the world's largest FDI recipient in 2025 with $277 billion in FDI, while China ranked fourth with $104.66 billion.
• Polish company Hynfra announced an investment of $4 billion in Andhra Pradesh.
• India's outward FDI rose by 47% to $35.66 billion in 2025, up from $24.26 billion in 2024.
• Due to the increase in outward FDI, India rose to the 18th position on the list of FDI-investing nations.

• Report Name: World LNG Report 2026
• Issuing Organization: International Gas Union (IGU)
• India's Global Standing: India has overtaken Spain to become the market with the fourth-largest LNG regasification capacity in the world.
• India's Total Capacity: India's total regasification capacity has reached 52.5 million tonnes per annum, spread across a total of 8 terminals.
• Key Terminal Record: The Dahej LNG terminal in Gujarat is ranked as the sixth-largest regasification facility in the world.
• Global LNG Trade: Reached a record level of 437 million tonnes in 2025, marking a 6.3% increase—the strongest growth since 2022.
• Growth in Trade: Driven by expanded supplies from the United States, Qatar, Australia, Russia, and other producers.
• New Exporters: Canada and Mauritania/Senegal have joined the list (the first new LNG export markets since 2022).
• Top Exporter: The United States (110.7 million tonnes) remains the world's largest exporter, followed by Qatar and Australia.
• Top Importer: China (69.8 million tonnes) remains the largest LNG importer globally.

• Death and Cause: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei passed away in February 2026 during US-Israel airstrikes.
• Reason for Delay in Funeral: The funeral took place approximately 131 days after his death due to war-like conditions, security concerns, and political-logistical complexities.
• Burial Site: He was buried in the 'Dar al-Dhikr' prayer hall of the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad. Mashhad was also his birthplace.
• New Supreme Leader: Following his death, his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been appointed as Iran's new Supreme Leader.

Historical Background of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei:

• Tenure: He assumed the role of Iran's Supreme Leader in 1989.
• He was one of the longest-serving heads of state in the Middle East.
• Previous Position: Before becoming Supreme Leader, he served as the third President of Iran from 1981 to 1989.
• Iranian Revolution (1979): He was one of the key leaders of the famous 1979 Islamic Revolution, which ended the Shah's rule in Iran.
• Imam Reza Shrine: This is the mausoleum of Imam Ali al-Rida, the eighth Imam of Shia Islam. It is one of the largest mosques in the world and a major religious and cultural center in Iran.

Iran:

• It is situated between the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea.
• Supreme Leader: Ali Khamenei
• Languages: Persian (official), Kurdish, Azeri
• Capital: Tehran
• Currency: Iranian Rial
• Parliament Name: Majlis
• Maritime Boundaries: Caspian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Gulf of Oman
• Bordering Countries: Iraq, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan
• India and Iran established diplomatic relations on March 15, 1950.
• On May 13, 2024, India and Iran signed a long-term 10-year contract for the operation of the Shahid Beheshti Terminal at Chabahar Port.
• Container traffic at the India-funded Chabahar Port in Iran witnessed a 600 percent increase in the 2024 fiscal year.

• Bonnie Tyler's real name was Gaynor Sullivan (born Gaynor Hopkins). She was born near the city of Swansea in Wales (United Kingdom).
• Bonnie Tyler is the first and only Welsh artist to reach the number one spot on the US Billboard charts.
• She represented the United Kingdom (UK) in the famous Eurovision Song Contest in 2013.
• She was awarded the 'Member of the Order of the British Empire' (MBE) by the British monarchy in 2022 for her outstanding contributions to the field of music.

• Winning pair: Marcelo Arévalo and Jeļena Ostapenko
• Runners-up: Storm Hunter and Marc Polmans (both from Australia)
• Venue: All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London (United Kingdom)
• Court type: Grass court
• Marcelo Arévalo: Player from El Salvador.
• Jeļena Ostapenko: Player from Latvia.
• Historic Record: Marcelo Arévalo has become the first player from El Salvador to win a Wimbledon mixed doubles title.
• Jeļena Ostapenko: She is also an established singles player who won the French Open (women's singles) title in 2017.
• Marcelo Arévalo: He is a doubles specialist and has previously won the French Open (2022, 2024) title in men's doubles.

Tennis Grand Slams:

• Australian Open (January - Hard court)
• French Open (May/June - Clay court)
• Wimbledon (June/July - Grass court)
• US Open (August/September - Hard court)

• Plant Name: *Cyananthus hookeri*
• Time elapsed since last sighting: 158 years (last seen in 1867)
• Discovering Organization: Scientists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) — Dr. Sudhanshu Sekhar Dash, Dr. Subhajit Lahiri, and Monalisa Das.
• Location of Discovery: Chuna Valley (near Mago village) in Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh, at an altitude of approximately 3,600 meters.
• History of First Discovery: It was last recorded in India in 1867 in Sikkim by the renowned British botanist Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker.
• Publication: Findings of this discovery have been published in *Oryx*, the international conservation journal of Cambridge University Press.
• Family: It belongs to the Campanulaceae, or 'bellflower', family.
• Appearance: It is a small alpine herbaceous plant with purple-blue, bell-shaped flowers.
• Habitat: It grows on the cold, rocky, and grassy slopes of the Eastern Himalayas at high altitudes.

• Species Name: Sperm Whale (Scientific name: *Physeter catodon*)
• Characteristic: It is the largest toothed whale on Earth and possesses the largest brain of any living creature.
• Reason for Interest: Scientists have used AI tools to discover a 'phonetic alphabet' used by these whales, which is as complex as human language.
• Project Name: Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative). Marine biologists and AI experts are collaborating on this multidisciplinary initiative.
• Codas: Sperm whales use short sequences of 'click' sounds to communicate with one another; these sequences are known as 'codas'.
• Echolocation: Whales primarily use these clicks for navigation in the deep sea and for locating prey, but they also utilize them for social interaction.
• Role of AI: Machine learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP) models have analyzed over 9,000 whale recordings to decode hidden patterns (resembling human language vowels and syllables).
• Regional Dialects: Recent studies (July 2026) have revealed that sperm whales in the Eastern Mediterranean use a regional dialect distinct from that of whales in western regions.

• Date of Observance: July 11
• Inception: 1989, by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
• Inspired by: 'Five Billion Day,' when the global population reached 5 billion
• First Observance: July 11, 1990
• Theme for this year (2026): "Realizing the hopes and aspirations of youth – for the present and the future"
• Linkage to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being (Maternal and reproductive health)
• SDG 5: Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth (Leveraging the demographic dividend)