This is the current affairs 26 & 27 April 2026. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
1. Raghu Rai passed away on April 26, 2026. Which of the following was he?
a. Renowned photographer
b. Renowned doctor
c. Renowned sportsperson
d. Renowned diplomat
Answer: a. Renowned photographer
– Raghu Rai, counted among the country’s most prestigious photographers, passed away on April 26, 2026.
– The 83-year-old Rai was battling cancer.
– He was born on December 18, 1942.
– He began his career in 1965 with The Statesman newspaper. Later, he worked with several newspapers and then pursued independent photography.
– Major works: He immortalized many historic events, including the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy, the 1971 Bangladesh War, and iconic portraits of Indira Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and the Dalai Lama.
– For more than five decades, he captured India’s social and political life through his lens.
– He was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri in 1972.
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2. The meeting of BRICS members’ Deputy Foreign Ministers and Special Envoys concluded without a joint statement; where was it held in April 2026?
a. Mumbai
b. New Delhi
c. Jalandhar
d. Chennai
Answer: b. New Delhi
– The meeting of Deputy Foreign Ministers and Special Envoys of the 11-nation BRICS group, held in New Delhi, ended without a joint statement despite heated debates and late-night discussions.
– Held on April 23–24, 2026, the meeting has created new diplomatic challenges for India’s BRICS presidency.
Clash over the Middle East issue
– Serious differences emerged over the situation in West Asia. A sharp exchange was seen particularly between representatives of the UAE and Iran.
– Iran demanded that the statement should blame the United States and Israel for initiating the conflict.
– The UAE, on the other hand, wanted clear criticism of Iran’s actions.
– Due to these opposing positions, consensus could not be reached.
Questions on India’s role
– According to sources cited by The Hindu, India attempted to “soften” the language on the Israel-Palestine issue in the joint statement, which was opposed by most member countries. This included:
– A proposal to reduce criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon.
– A suggestion to remove references to “East Jerusalem” as the capital of Palestine.
– An attempt to use general terms like “occupying power” instead of the word “Israel.”
– However, the government rejected these claims, stating that there has been no change in India’s Palestine policy.
Growing polarization in BRICS
– According to The Hindu, a diplomat present at the meeting stated that “BRICS has become deeply polarised.”
– Many countries maintained their maximalist positions.
No side was willing to compromise.
– The meeting continued late into the night and went well beyond the scheduled time, but consensus could not be achieved.
“Chair’s Statement” instead of joint statement
– Due to the lack of consensus, India had to issue a Chair’s Statement, similar to what happened during the G-20 ministerial meetings in 2023.
The statement mentioned:
– Deep concern over the situation in the Middle East
– Discussions on humanitarian aid in Gaza, the role of UNRWA, and zero tolerance for terrorism
– Condemnation of attacks on UNIFIL and a call for ceasefire in Lebanon
– Discussions on the situations in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Libya, and Sudan
About BRICS
– BRICS is a group of major emerging economies aimed at bringing balance to the global economic order and strengthening the voice of developing countries.
– Beginning: 2006 (Foreign Ministers’ meeting)
– Formalization: 2009 (first summit)
– Initially called BRIC
– Became BRICS after South Africa joined in 2010
Member countries (as of 2026):
– Brazil
– Russia
– India
– China
– South Africa
– Egypt
– Ethiopia
– Iran
– Saudi Arabia
– UAE
– Indonesia
Note: Saudi Arabia was granted membership in 2024 but has not yet formally joined.
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3. Which of these countries passed a law banning social media for children under the age of 15?
a. Iran
b. Türkiye
c. Armenia
d. Greece
Answer: b. Türkiye
– The bill was passed in Türkiye on April 23, 2026.
– It was passed after a school shooting incident in Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye, in April 2026, where nine students and one teacher were killed.
– The incident was carried out by a 14-year-old, who also died.
– Police are investigating the attacker’s online activities to determine the cause.
– President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan emphasized the need to reduce online threats to protect children’s safety and privacy after the incident.
– In his televised address on April 20, 2026, he said, “We are living in an era where some digital sharing applications are corrupting the minds of our children, and social media platforms, frankly speaking, have become piles of filth.”
– Under the law passed in Türkiye, platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and others must prevent children under 15 from opening accounts.
Internet media companies must implement age verification systems.
– They must provide parental control tools.
– They must take prompt action against content considered harmful.
Countries that have already imposed restrictions
– Australia (under 16 years)
– Indonesia
– Spain, France, and the United Kingdom are also taking steps to restrict children’s access to social media
Türkiye
– Capital: Ankara
– Currency: Turkish Lira
– Language: Turkic
– Neighboring countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Georgia, Greece, and Bulgaria
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4. Between which two countries was the IN-SLN DIVEX 2026 exercise conducted?
a. Japan
b. Sri Lanka
c. Oman
d. Bangladesh
Answer: b. Sri Lanka
IN-SLN DIVEX 2026
– Full name: India–Sri Lanka Joint Diving Exercise (IN-SLN DIVEX 26)
– When and where: April 21–27, 2026, in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Edition: Fourth
– Participating Indian ship: Indian Navy’s INS Nireekshak
– Objective: To strengthen maritime cooperation through specialized underwater search, rescue, relief operations, and mixed-gas diving exercises, enhancing interoperability between the two navies.
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5. When is World Intellectual Property Day celebrated?
a. April 22
b. April 24
c. April 26
d. April 28
Answer: c. April 26
Theme for 2026
– IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate
World Intellectual Property Organization
– Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
– CEO: Daren Tang
– Established: July 14, 1967
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6. Which disease’s first medication for newborns has been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO)?
a. Dengue
b. Malaria
c. Coronavirus
d. Hepatitis
Answer: b. Malaria
– On April 24, 2026, WHO approved the first malaria drug specifically designed for newborns.
– April 25 is observed as World Malaria Day.
– Until now, infants were treated with medicines designed for adults.
– With the onset of the rainy season, mosquito breeding increases, raising the risk of mosquito-borne diseases.
Combination of two drugs
– The new combination of artemether and lumefantrine is the first malaria treatment safe for infants weighing less than 5 kg.
– It has received prequalification approval for treating newborns and young children.
– Prequalification means the drug meets international standards of quality, safety, and efficacy.
– WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that malaria has claimed millions of newborn lives for centuries.
– However, new vaccines, diagnostic tests, awareness about mosquito nets, and effective medicines are helping turn the tide against the disease.
– About 70% of deaths caused by this mosquito-borne disease occur in this age group.
Approval of three new rapid diagnostic tests
– On April 14, 2026, WHO also prequalified three new rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) designed to tackle new challenges in malaria diagnosis.
– Based on studies in 46 countries, experts found that commonly used RDTs were failing to detect the disease.
– This is because new strains lack the specific genes targeted by existing tests.
– These new tests address that issue.
Global malaria cases
– In 2024, about 282 million malaria cases were reported across 80 countries worldwide.
– Around 610,000 deaths occurred.
– This was an increase of 9 million cases compared to 2023.
– The African region bears the highest burden.
Around 75% of deaths occur in children under five years of age.
Malaria in India
– India has seen nearly an 80% decline in malaria cases between 2015 and 2023.
– Cases dropped from 1.169 million (2015) to about 227,000 (2023).
– The government aims to eliminate malaria by 2030.
– Around 83 deaths were officially recorded in 2023.
– Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and northeastern states are the most affected.
Malaria
– Malaria is a serious infectious disease caused by a parasite called Plasmodium.
– It spreads through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito.
– Symptoms: High fever with chills, headache, vomiting, sweating.
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7. When is World Malaria Day observed?
a. April 24
b. April 26
c. April 25
d. April 23
Answer: c. April 25
Theme for 2026
– Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must
– World Malaria Day was first observed in 2008.
– India has set a target to eliminate malaria by 2030.
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8. Which woman did Noida International Airport appoint as its Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO)?
a. Neetu Samra
b. Vineeta Singh
c. Radhika Gupta
d. Falguni Nayar
Answer: a. Neetu Samra
– She was appointed following directions from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).
– The change was made because it is mandatory in India for airport CEOs to be Indian citizens.
– Since August 2020, Swiss national Christoph Schnellmann had been the CEO of Noida International Airport.
– He will now join the airport’s board as Executive Vice President.
– Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Jewar Airport in March 2026.
– Neetu Samra had been serving as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Noida International Airport Limited since 2021.
– She has over 20 years of experience in finance, project management, and handling large projects.
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9. Which city was awarded the hosting rights for the 2027 World Para Athletics Championships?
a. New Delhi
b. Paris
c. Tashkent
d. Dubai
Answer: c. Tashkent (Uzbekistan)
– World Para Athletics has announced that Tashkent will host the 2027 World Para Athletics Championships.
– The championship will be held in June 2027.
– This will be the first time that Central Asia will host this prestigious event.
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10. When is the International Delegates Day celebrated?
a. April 25
b. April 27
c. April 28
d. April 29
Answer: a. April 25
– This day is declared by the United Nations.
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