Daily Current Affairs- 1st September 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 1st September 2026

Sone River Water Sharing Agreement Signed Between Bihar and Jharkhand

In the News: Bihar and Jharkhand signed a Memorandum of Understanding in New Delhi on 31 August 2026 to resolve their long-pending dispute over sharing the waters of the Sone River. The agreement was concluded in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil.

Key Points:

• Water-Sharing Arrangement: Bihar is to receive 5.75 million acre-feet of Sone River water, while Jharkhand is allocated 2 million acre-feet. The arrangement settles the division of the share that had belonged to undivided Bihar.
• Parties to the Agreement: Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren represented the two states. The agreement was reached with the involvement of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• Purpose of the Agreement: The settlement is expected to improve water availability for irrigation and drinking purposes in both states. It is particularly significant for agricultural areas dependent on the Sone River system.
• Eastern Zonal Council reference: The consensus was reached at the 27th meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council held in Ranchi in July 2025. Zonal Councils are statutory bodies under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.
• Background: The dispute emerged after the creation of Jharkhand from Bihar in 2000. The new agreement addresses division of the water allocation linked to the earlier Bansagar arrangement.

RPwD Act, 2016: Bridging the Post-18 Disability Support Gap

In the News: The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 has come into focus over concerns regarding support available to persons with disabilities after they turn 18. The discussion has centred on adult care, assisted living, vocational opportunities and long-term support mechanisms.

Key Points:

• RPwD Act, 2016: The Act is administered by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It gives effect to India's obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
• Education Provision: The Act guarantees free education to children with benchmark disabilities in the prescribed age group. It also provides reservation in government and government-aided higher educational institutions for persons with benchmark disabilities.
• Employment Provision: The legislation provides reservation in government establishments for persons with benchmark disabilities. It also contains provisions relating to vocational training, skill development and self-employment.
• High-Support Needs: The Act contains provisions for persons with disabilities who require high support. These provisions are important for individuals needing continuing assistance beyond school education and into adulthood.
• PRASHAST Initiative: PRASHAST ("Pre Assessment Holistic Screening Tool") was developed by NCERT, and generates school-level reports for the certification process under Samagra Shiksha, a programme of the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education.

Turkey Joins Artemis Accords as 71st Member

In the News: Türkiye became the 71st signatory of the Artemis Accords on 31 August 2026 at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Turkish Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır signed the Accords during a ceremony hosted by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.

Key Points:

• 71st Signatory: Türkiye became the 71st country to join the Artemis Accords. The Accords promote international cooperation for safe, peaceful and responsible civil exploration of outer space.
• Origin of the Accords: The Artemis Accords were established in 2020 by NASA and the US Department of State together with initial partner countries. They are based on principles consistent with major international space-law instruments.
• Core Principles: The Accords emphasise peaceful exploration, transparency, interoperability, emergency assistance, registration of space objects, scientific data sharing, preservation of space heritage and mitigation of orbital debris.
• Türkiye's Space Programme: Türkiye has expanded its space programme in recent years. Its first astronaut, Alper Gezeravcı, travelled to the International Space Station aboard Axiom Mission 3 in 2024.
• Scope of the Accords: The Artemis Accords are associated with civil space cooperation relating to the Moon, Mars and other destinations. They are not a military alliance and do not constitute a separate binding international treaty.

26th SCO Summit Held in Bishkek

In the News: The 26th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, on 1 September 2026. The meeting was chaired by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and coincided with the 25th anniversary of the SCO.

Key Points:

• Host and Chair: The summit was hosted in Bishkek under the chairmanship of President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi represented India at the Council of Heads of State meeting.
• SCO at 25 Years: The 2026 summit marked the 25th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Leaders reviewed cooperation in regional security, connectivity, economic engagement and sustainable development.
• India and SCO: India has been a full member of the SCO since 2017. At the summit, India highlighted cooperation around the broad themes of Security, Connectivity and Opportunity.
• Bishkek Declaration: The summit adopted the Bishkek Declaration. The document covered cooperation in areas such as counter-terrorism, climate action, energy, disaster management and digital cooperation.
• Institutional Outcomes: Important outcomes included measures to strengthen cooperation against terrorism, extremism and transnational crime. The summit also advanced institutional coordination within the organisation.

Ramon Magsaysay Awards 2026 Honour Three Asian Leaders

In the News: The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation announced Tommy Koh of Singapore, Runa Khan of Bangladesh and Bo Kyi of Myanmar as the three recipients of the 2026 Ramon Magsaysay Award. The award recognises exemplary leadership and service to the peoples of Asia.

Key Points:

• Tommy Koh – Singapore: Diplomat and legal scholar Tommy Koh was honoured for his contribution to international diplomacy, cooperation and peaceful dispute resolution. He played an important role in negotiations connected with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
• Runa Khan – Bangladesh: Runa Khan is the founder of Friendship, an organisation providing healthcare, education, livelihoods and climate-resilience support to remote communities in Bangladesh.
• Bo Kyi – Myanmar: Bo Kyi co-founded the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners in 2000. The organisation supports political prisoners and their families and documents human-rights violations in Myanmar.
• About the Award: The Ramon Magsaysay Award is regarded as one of Asia's leading honours for public service and leadership. The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation was established in 1957.
• Award Association: The award is named after former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay. The award ceremony is traditionally associated with Manila, Philippines.

John Ternus Takes Over as Apple CEO From Tim Cook

In the News: John Ternus formally became Chief Executive Officer of Apple on 1 September 2026, succeeding Tim Cook after his long tenure as CEO. Cook moved to the position of Executive Chairman of Apple's Board of Directors.

Key Points:

• New Apple CEO: John Ternus previously served as Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. Apple's Board approved the leadership transition as part of the company's succession-planning process.
• Career at Apple: Ternus joined Apple's Product Design team in 2001 and later rose through its hardware-engineering leadership. He became Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering in 2021.
• Educational Background: Ternus holds a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. Before joining Apple, he worked as a mechanical engineer.
• Tim Cook's New Role: Tim Cook, who became Apple's CEO in 2011, continues with the company as Executive Chairman. He remains associated with the company's strategic and external engagement functions.
• Board Restructuring: Arthur Levinson became Apple's Lead Independent Director as part of the leadership transition. Ternus also joined Apple's Board of Directors on assuming the CEO position.

Messi Announces Argentina Retirement After Historic Career

In the News: Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football with Argentina on 31 August 2026, ending a national team career spanning more than two decades. The announcement came six weeks after Argentina's defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.

Key Points:

• International Career: Messi retired as Argentina's most-capped player and all-time leading scorer, with 207 appearances, 125 goals and 68 assists. He made his senior debut against Hungary in August 2005 and surpassed Javier Mascherano's previous record of 147 caps.
• 2026 World Cup Final: Argentina lost the 2026 FIFA World Cup final 1-0 to Spain after extra time on 19 July 2026 at the New York New Jersey Stadium. Substitute Ferran Torres scored in the 106th minute to give Spain its second World Cup title after 2010.
• World Cup Record: Messi appeared at six FIFA World Cups from 2006 to 2026, holding the records for most tournaments played, most matches played and most minutes played. He scored 21 World Cup goals and briefly held the all-time tournament scoring record before Kylian Mbappé finished the 2026 edition on 22.
• Major Titles with Argentina: Messi won four senior titles with the national team, namely the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the 2021 and 2024 Copa América, and the 2022 Finalissima. The 2022 World Cup ended Argentina's 36-year wait for a men's world title.
• Club Career Continues: The announcement relates only to international football with Argentina. Messi continues his club career with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.