UPSC Current Affairs for 2026-09-08

Use this daily collection to understand why each development matters, then verify time-sensitive facts through the linked sources before adding them to notes.

• Bogged down: On the U.S.-Iran conflict escalationInternational Relations · Iran attacked U.S. warships near the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. retaliated by striking Iranian oil tankers, marking a new escalation after the collapse of the June 17 Islamabad MoU.
• Manipur government wants 1951 as base year to conduct NRCPolity · Manipur government announced NRC update with 1951 as base year, amid ethnic divisions and deferred Census.
• U.K. recognises India's carbon credit scheme under its carbon tax mechanism: officialEnvironment and International Trade · The U.K. has recognised India's Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) as a qualifying carbon pricing mechanism under its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
• ‘Conduct worthy of derision’: Allahabad HC pulls up District Magistrate over NSA detention of law studentPolity · Allahabad High Court quashed NSA detention of a law student and imposed ₹5 lakh compensation on the District Magistrate for misuse of preventive detention.
• Civil Services foundation course on hold as candidates wait for word from CentrePolity · Centre seeks Supreme Court permission to allocate CSE 2025 services without implementing the Rohith Nathan judgment on OBC creamy layer income test.
• C. Rangarajan flags fewer regional rural banks as ‘a step in the wrong direction’; urges RBI to incentivise SFBsEconomy · Former RBI Governor C. Rangarajan criticised RRB consolidation and urged RBI to incentivise small finance banks.
• UN warns wildfires, heatwaves threaten air quality and healthEnvironment · WMO's Air Quality and Climate Bulletin highlights increasing wildfire and heatwave impacts on air quality and health.
• West Asia conflict updates: Iran warns U.S. energy assets in Gulf are vulnerable after latest clashesInternational Relations · Iran warns U.S. energy assets in Gulf vulnerable after latest clashes, escalating West Asia tensions.
• Germany fights Gaza genocide claims at the UN’s top courtInternational Relations · Germany challenges jurisdiction at ICJ in Nicaragua's genocide case over arms supplies to Israel.
• Ground control: On ISRO, policy and and its focusScience and Technology · ISRO employee associations have sought clarity on long-term plans amid the shift towards private sector participation following the Indian Space Policy 2023.
• Steady gaze: On the launch of the ISRO’s EOS-05 satelliteScience and Technology · ISRO successfully launched EOS-05, India's first geostationary earth-imaging satellite, marking a significant advancement in space-based monitoring capabilities.