This is the current affairs 16 & 17 September 2026. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
1. The babies of the Great Ape ‘Orangutan’, found naturally in which region, were rescued in Balasore, Odisha?
a. Western Ghats of India
b. Rainforests of Borneo in Indonesia and Sumatra in Malaysia
c. Amazon Rainforests (Brazil)
d. Forests of Madagascar
Answer: b. Rainforests of Borneo in Indonesia and Sumatra in Malaysia
– 5 baby orangutans (4 approximately 6 months old and 1 approximately 1 year old) were rescued from a coastal forest in Balasore district of Odisha on 8 September 2026.
– Smugglers were illegally bringing them into India through sea or coastal routes.
– After being seized, these animals, suffering from severe mental stress, were sent to Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar, where the unique use of ‘Music Therapy’ was undertaken to reduce their trauma.
Important Facts about Orangutan:
– Orangutans are the only great apes in Asia and hold the title of the largest arboreal mammals on Earth.
– Geographical Distribution: It is the only Great Ape found in Asia. It is naturally found only in the rainforests of the islands of Borneo and Sumatra in Indonesia and Malaysia.
– Characteristic: It is the world’s largest arboreal mammal.
– Status in India: It is not a native species of India.
– Orangutans spend almost their entire lives above the forest floor, and instead of jumping like monkeys, they use exceptional arm strength and grip to move from one branch to another in the upper canopy of trees.
– Average lifespan in the wild: 40 years
– Maximum lifespan achieved in zoos: 55 years
– Red Coat: Their dense, reddish-brown hair distinguishes them from other apes.
– Intelligent: They are known for tool use, problem-solving, and complex social learning.
Conservation Status:
– IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
– CITES: Appendix-I – Complete ban on their commercial international trade.
Note:
– IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature
– CITES: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna
There are a total of 4 main species/groups of ‘Great Apes’:
– Chimpanzees: Found only in Africa.
– Gorillas: Found only in Africa.
– Bonobos: Found only in Africa.
– Orangutans: Found only in Asia. (Rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra in Indonesia and Malaysia)
How Orangutans Reached India and the Smuggling Network
– The coastal region of Odisha and the eastern borders are increasingly becoming a major ‘Transit Route’ for the smuggling of exotic wildlife.
– Smugglers exploit the porous borders of Myanmar and Bangladesh and the maritime routes of the Bay of Bengal.
– International Organized Crime: Since orangutans are found only in the rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia (Borneo and Sumatra), their recovery in India is directly part of ‘Transnational Organized Crime’.
Major Laws and Treaties Violated
– Several serious legal provisions were directly violated at both the national and international levels in this incident:
– The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (2022 Amendment) was violated. Orangutans are included in CITES Appendix-I. After the new amendment, all animals protected under CITES have been placed in Schedule IV of India’s Wildlife Act.
– Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960: Separating baby animals from their natural habitat and mothers and transporting them for long periods in dark boxes under inhumane conditions constitutes a violation of this Act.
– Violation of the International Treaty (CITES): Under this, there is a complete global ban on all forms of commercial international trade in orangutans.
Nandankanan Zoological Park
– Location: Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
– Feature: It is the first zoo in India to become a member of the ‘World Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (WAZA).
– Famous for: It is known for breeding and conservation programmes for Indian pangolins and white tigers.
– Nandankanan already has a dedicated enclosure for orangutans, but it has remained vacant since the death of a 41-year-old female orangutan in 2019. This animal had been brought from a zoo in Pune in 2003.
– Meanwhile, reports have emerged that Indonesia has contacted the Indian government to send the rescued orangutans back.
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2. Which country won the Women’s Asia Cup (Cricket) title for the eighth time?
a. India
b. Sri Lanka
c. Pakistan
d. Bangladesh
Answer: a. India (defeated Sri Lanka)
– India defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final played in Dubai on 13 September 2026.
– India scored 183 runs for five wickets in 20 overs.
– Sri Lanka were all out for 111 runs.
– India won the toss and batted first.
– India has now won the Women’s Asia Cup title eight times in both T20 and ODI formats.
– Indian batters Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma added 129 runs for the first wicket.
– It is the highest partnership for any wicket in the T20 Asia Cup.
– Indian Captain: Harmanpreet Kaur
– ‘Player of the Match’: Shafali Verma (India – 68 runs)
– She became the batter to score the fastest fifty in the tournament, reaching her half-century in 24 balls.
India’s 8 Title Wins
– 2004 (ODI)
– 2005 (ODI)
– 2006 (ODI)
– 2008 (ODI)
– 2012 (T20)
– 2016 (T20)
– 2022 (T20)
– 2026 (T20)
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3. Which country’s team won the Women’s Junior Asia Cup (Hockey) 2026 title?
a. China
b. India
c. Japan
d. South Korea
Answer: b. India
– India defeated China 1-0 in the match played in Mokhi, China, on 13 September 2026.
– This is India’s third Junior Hockey Asia Cup title.
– Before this, India had won the title in 2023 and 2024.
– With this Asia Cup, India qualified for the FIH Junior Women’s World Cup.
– It is scheduled to be held in 2027.
– Indian player Sanika Mane scored the only goal of the final in the 17th minute to make India the winner.
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4. Who won the Men’s Junior Asia Cup (Hockey) 2026 title for the fourth time?
a. Japan
b. Pakistan
c. India
d. South Korea
Answer: c. India
– With this, Team India also secured a place in the Junior World Cup.
– Members of the champion team were awarded Rs. 3 lakh and the support staff were awarded Rs. 1.5 lakh.
– India became the first team in the history of the tournament to win the men’s title four times.
When the titles were won:
– 2015
– 2023
– 2024
– 2026
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5. Who won the 2026 US Open men’s singles title?
a. Yannick Sinner
b. Ben Shelton
c. Dominic Thiem
d. Alexander Zverev
Answer: d. Alexander Zverev
– Germany’s Alexander Zverev won the US Open men’s singles title for the first time.
– In the final held at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York on 13 September 2026, he defeated American player Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6, 5-7, 6-2.
– This is Zverev’s second Grand Slam title of the season.
– Before this, he won the French Open title on 7 June 2026.
– Zverev won the gold medal in men’s singles at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in 2021).
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6. Who won the 2026 US Open women’s singles title?
a. Elena Rybakina
b. Coco Gauff
c. Aryna Sabalenka
d. Iga Swiatek
Answer: a. Elena Rybakina
– In the final held on 12 September 2026, Elena of Kazakhstan defeated Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.
– This is the third Grand Slam title of 27-year-old Elena.
– Before this, she had won the Australian Open 2026 and Wimbledon 2022.
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7. Who won the 2026 US Open men’s doubles title?
a. Neal Skupski and Tim Puetz
b. Kevin Krawietz and Christian Harrison
c. Christian Harrison and Neal Skupski
d. Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz
Answer: c. Christian Harrison and Neal Skupski
– Christian Harrison is an American and Neal Skupski is a British tennis player.
– In the final held on 12 September 2026, they won the title by defeating the German pair of Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz 6-4, 7-6(6).
– The pair of Christian and Neal Skupski had also won the men’s doubles title at the Australian Open 2026.
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8. Who won the 2026 US Open women’s doubles title?
a. Taylor Townsend and Karolina Muchova
b. Ashlyn Krueger and Robin Montgomery
c. Katerina Siniakova and Robin Montgomery
d. Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova
Answer: d. Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova
– Taylor Townsend is an American and Katerina Siniakova is a tennis player from the Czech Republic.
– They defeated the American pair of Ashlyn Krueger and Robin Montgomery 5-7, 6-0, 6-2 in the final.
– Siniakova became the first female player to complete Grand Slams with two different players.
– Before this, she had won 7 Grand Slam titles with Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic and American player Coco Gauff.
– Siniakova and Townsend won Wimbledon Women’s Doubles 2024, Australian Open 2025, French Open 2026 and now the US Open.
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9. Who won the 2026 US Open mixed doubles title?
a. Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli
b. Karolina Muchova and Belinda Bencic
c. Flavio Cobolli and Jakub Mensik
d. Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik
Answer: d. Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik
– Karolina Muchova is a female tennis player from the Czech Republic and Jakub is a male tennis player from the Czech Republic.
– In the final held on 26 August 2026, this Czech pair defeated Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic and Italy’s Flavio Cobolli.
– Karolina Muchova has won a total of 3 singles titles.
– 2019 Korea Open, 2026 Bad Homburg Open and Qatar Open
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US Open 2026 Winners List
Men’s Singles
– Winner: Alexander Zverev (Germany)
– Runner-up: Ben Shelton (USA)
Women’s Singles
– Winner: Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan)
– Runner-up: Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)
Men’s Doubles
– Winner: Christian Harrison (USA) and Neal Skupski (Great Britain)
– Runner-up: Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz (Germany)
Women’s Doubles
– Winner: Taylor Townsend (USA) and Katerina Siniakova (Czech Republic)
– Runner-up: Ashlyn Krueger and Robin Montgomery (USA)
Mixed Doubles
– Winner: Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik (Czech Republic)
– Runner-up: Belinda Bencic (Switzerland) and Flavio Cobolli (Italy)
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10. Who became the first Indian archer to win the men’s recurve gold medal at the 2026 Archery World Cup?
a. Atanu Das
b. Tarundeep Rai
c. Dhiraj Bommadevara
d. Parth Salunkhe
Answer: c. Dhiraj Bommadevara
– He achieved this feat by defeating Japan’s Junya Nakanishi in a shoot-off in the final held in Saltillo, Mexico, on 13 September 2026.
– 25-year-old Dhiraj was declared the World Cup winner on the basis of the shoot-off.
– Dhiraj scored 10 out of 10 points.
– The long drought of Indian men in the men’s recurve Archery World Cup has ended.
– Before this, India was represented by Jayanta Talukdar.
– He had won a bronze medal in the final held in Edinburgh in 2010.
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11. Who won the Global Chess League (GCL) 2026 title?
a. American Gambits
b. Checkmate Mumbai Masters
c. Alpine SG/APL Pipers
d. Ganga Grandmasters
Answer: d. Ganga Grandmasters
– Ganga Grandmasters became champions for the first time.
– The tournament was held in Bengaluru, India, from 5 to 13 September 2026.
– In the final, Ganga Grandmasters defeated Alpine APL Pipers 7-5 over two legs.
– The final match was played in two stages (legs), with the teams playing once with the white pieces and once with the black pieces.
– American Gambits defeated Checkmate Mumbai Masters to secure third place.
– The total prize money of the Global Chess League is 1,000,000 dollars (approximately Rs. 8.3 crore).
– The winning team receives the largest share based on rankings and match points, including an additional $50,000 champion bonus.
Awards Received by the Team and Players
– Season Most Valuable Player (MVP): Stavroula Tsolakidou (Ganga Grandmasters)
– Why: For consistently displaying excellent performance throughout the tournament and helping the team win the title match in the final.
– Final MVP: Ian Nepomniachtchi (Ganga Grandmasters)
– Why: For defeating world number-one player Magnus Carlsen while playing with the black pieces in the final match.
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12. Which new initiative has the Supreme Court launched, under which Hindi summaries of certain court orders will be made available?
a. Nyaya Samvad Seva
b. Jan Suchna Seva
c. Judicial Language Campaign
d. Jan Nyaya Portal
Answer: b. Jan Suchna Seva
– This initiative has been launched on the occasion of Hindi Day 2026.
– Under this, the Supreme Court plans to provide Hindi summaries of selected major judgments/orders, along with Hindi audio and video bulletins of 15 to 30 minutes in duration.
– Its objective is to make important judicial information available in simple Hindi.
– Instead of requiring citizens to go through lengthy legal documents, this service will present summaries of selected major judgments/orders.
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13. In which orbit was the Earth Observation Satellite ‘EOS-05’ placed by ISRO in September 2026?
a. Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
b. Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO)
c. Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)
d. Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO)
Answer: b. Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) {Launched by GSLV-F17}
Mission
– Satellite: EOS-05 (Earth Observation Satellite-05)
– Launch Date: 4 September 2026
– Launch Agency: ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation)
– Launch Site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota
– Launch Vehicle: GSLV-F17 (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle)
– Orbit: It was placed from the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) into Geostationary Orbit (GEO). GEO is a circular orbit at an altitude of 35,786 km from Earth.
Main Objective of Satellite EOS-05
– Continuous Monitoring: 24×7 real-time imaging of the Indian subcontinent and surrounding maritime regions from geostationary orbit. It will move at the same speed as the Earth from the same position, allowing it to continuously capture images over India and nearby areas.
– Weather and Environment: Detailed study of atmospheric conditions, cloud structures and weather changes.
– Disaster Management: Provide accurate data for the rapid forecasting of natural disasters such as cyclones, floods and landslides and for relief operations.
– Agriculture and Resource Mapping: Monitoring crop health, land use and assessment of water resources.
Technical Aspects
– Advanced Payloads: It includes high-resolution optical and infrared imaging payloads capable of collecting clear data during both day and night.
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14. When is National Engineers Day celebrated in India?
a. 14 September
b. 15 September
c. 16 September
d. 17 September
Answer: b. 15 September
– The Government of India declared the birth anniversary of Dr. M. Visvesvaraya (15 September) as ‘Engineer’s Day’ in 1960.
– He was born in Kolar district of Mysore (Karnataka).
– For his contribution to public life, King George V also honoured him with the title of Knight Commander of the Order of the British Indian Empire.
– Visvesvaraya was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1955.
– He is considered one of the main pillars behind the construction of the Krishnaraja Sagar Dam (KRS Dam) in Mandya district of Karnataka.
– He also provided a system to protect the city of Hyderabad from floods.
– He played an important role in transforming Mysore in South India into a developed and prosperous region. Bhadravati Iron and Steel Works, Mysore Sandal Oil and Soap Factory, University of Mysore, Bank of Mysore and several other institutions were the result of his efforts.
– He is also known as the Bhagiratha of Karnataka.
– He was 32 years old when he prepared a plan to supply water to the town of Sukkur from the Indus River, which was appreciated by all engineers.
– He was the 19th Diwan of Mysore, serving from 1912 to 1918.
– He died on 14 April 1962.
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15. When is International Democracy Day celebrated?
a. 10 January
b. 14 September
c. 15 September
d. 21 September
Answer: c. 15 September
– The main objective of Democracy Day is to promote democracy throughout the world.
– The United Nations declared this day in 2007.
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16. What amount of MDR has the Central Government imposed on UPI merchant transfers?
a. More than 1000
b. More than 2000
c. More than 3000
d. More than 50000
Answer: b. More than 2000
The Central Government amended the Payment and Settlement Systems Act 2026 (Section 10A) and introduced a new MDR (Merchant Discount Rate) for merchant transactions.
MDR Fee Structure (Applicable from 15 October 2026)
Among ordinary people (P2P)
– Personal transfers will be completely free.
Small Shopkeepers
– If the total UPI income of a shopkeeper in a month is Rs. 1 lakh or less, the Rs. 2,000 threshold is also removed for that shopkeeper.
– This means that even if a customer makes a payment above Rs. 2,000 (such as Rs. 3,000 or Rs. 5,000), not even a single rupee of MDR will be charged to the small shopkeeper.
– MDR will be deducted only when the income exceeds one lakh.
– Who are they? Vegetable vendors, tea-stall owners, or small paan-shop owners.
– They do not have a current account or GST number. They simply keep a QR code linked to their personal savings account pasted at the shop.
– How do banks and NPCI identify them? When small amounts (Rs. 10, Rs. 20, Rs. 50) start coming into a personal account continuously throughout the day from 50-100 different people, the bank’s system understands that this person is not sending money to friends; this person is running a shop!
– That is why NPCI has named them P2PM—meaning the account is “Personal” but the person is performing the role of a “Merchant”.
Payment from an Ordinary Customer to a Merchant
– No charge (0% MDR) will apply to transactions up to Rs. 2,000.
– A 0.4% MDR (maximum Rs. 300 cap) will apply to commercial transactions above Rs. 2,000.
– Special Categories (Fuel, Utility, Railway, Insurance): A flat MDR of Rs. 5 on payments above Rs. 2,000.
– Capital Market (Mutual Funds/Shares): 0.02% MDR (maximum cap Rs. 300).
– For transactions of Rs. 75,000 and above, MDR will be limited to Rs. 300 per transaction.
– MDR will be charged only by the bank/payment aggregator from the merchant, and passing it on to the customer is prohibited.
Note
– Merely writing in government documents that “the merchant will pay” does not change the rule of economics. Ultimately, the final customer bears the entire burden.
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UPI Completes 10 Years (2016-2026)
– Milestone: The UPI system launched by NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) in 2016 has completed 10 years of operation.
– Global Share: At the global level, India alone (mainly through UPI) contributes approximately 49% of total real-time digital transactions.
– Volume Expansion: While only 2 crore transactions were recorded in FY 2016-17, the figure has now crossed 24,000 crore transactions annually.
International Expansion of UPI
– Countries with Acceptance: UPI services/QR code payments have gone live in countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, UAE, Singapore, France (for ticketing at the Eiffel Tower), and Maldives.
– Cross-Border Linkage (PayNow & UPI): Direct integration of UPI with platforms such as Singapore’s PayNow and the UAE’s AANI has significantly reduced both the cost and time of ‘remittances’ for migrants.
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