Daily Current Affairs- 22nd May 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 22nd May 2026

SC Orders Mandatory FIRs in Missing Child Cases

In the News: The Supreme Court directed police stations across India to immediately register FIRs in missing child and missing person cases without waiting for a preliminary inquiry. The Court said such FIRs must include the relevant kidnapping provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The order came amid concern that nearly 47,000 children remain untraced across the country.

Key Pointers:

• Mandatory FIR Registration: Police must register an FIR immediately whenever a child or person is reported missing. The Court clarified that families cannot be asked to search first, and police cannot delay action for preliminary verification.
• Presumption of Kidnapping: The Supreme Court said missing child cases should be treated seriously from the beginning by proceeding on the presumption of kidnapping or abduction. This is important for exams because it links child protection, criminal law, and police accountability under the BNS framework.
• Anti-Human Trafficking Units: If circumstances suggest trafficking or organised crime, the case must be transferred to the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit without waiting for long procedural delays. The Court also directed that AHTUs across the country be made fully functional with proper powers and infrastructure.
• National Data Grid and Coordination: The Court directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to create or strengthen a national data grid connecting police stations with portals related to trafficking, missing children and missing women. This aims to improve coordination among police, Child Welfare Committees, District Child Protection Units and child care institutions.
• Aadhaar Verification and Restoration: The Court supported Aadhaar verification or Aadhaar creation for rescued or recovered children to help identify them and reunite them with families. It also stressed that the focus should not stop at recovery; authorities must ensure safe restoration after due verification.

Who Is Dr Soumya Swaminathan? Former WHO Scientist Elected Fellow of the Royal Society

In the News: Former WHO Chief Scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in May 2026. The fellowship is one of the world’s most prestigious honours in science. She is known for her major contributions to tuberculosis research, HIV, public health, epidemiology and science policy.

Key Pointers:

• About Dr Soumya Swaminathan: Dr Soumya Swaminathan is an Indian paediatrician, clinical scientist and public health expert. Her work mainly focuses on tuberculosis, HIV, epidemiology and health systems research. She is important for competitive exams related to science, health and global institutions.
• Major Positions Held: She served as Director General of ICMR and Secretary of the Department of Health Research from 2015 to 2017. She later worked as WHO’s Deputy Director-General for Programmes. In 2019, she became the first Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization.
• About the Royal Society: The Royal Society is the United Kingdom’s national academy of sciences.
  It is considered the oldest scientific academy in continuous existence. Election as a Fellow recognises major contributions to natural knowledge, including science, medicine and engineering.
• Indian Science Milestone: Her election is significant because her father, Dr M S Swaminathan, was also elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1973. This makes it a rare father-daughter distinction in Indian science. It also highlights India’s contribution to global scientific research and public health leadership.

Trump’s green card rule explained: What it means for visa holders in the US

In the News:  The Trump administration announced a new U.S. immigration policy on 22 May 2026.
The rule changes how many temporary visa holders can apply for a U.S. Green Card.
USCIS said Adjustment of Status from within the U.S. will now be allowed mainly in extraordinary circumstances.

Key Pointers:

• New Green Card Rule: Temporary visa holders seeking permanent residence may generally have to apply from their home country. The process may shift from in-country Adjustment of Status to overseas consular processing. This means applicants may need to approach U.S. consulates abroad for permanent residence applications.
• Legal Basis: The rule is linked to Section 245(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
  This section deals with adjustment of status for eligible non-citizens already present in the U.S. USCIS has described the benefit as discretionary, not an automatic legal right.
• Who May Be Affected: The policy may affect students, temporary workers, spouses of U.S. citizens, refugees and asylum seekers. It is especially relevant for Indian students and skilled workers in the U.S. Many such applicants move from temporary visas to permanent residency through Green Card applications.
• Government’s Argument: The Trump administration said the change restores the original purpose of temporary  visas.USCIS argued that temporary stay should not automatically become a pathway to permanent residence from within the U.S. The government also presented it as a step to reduce misuse of immigration procedures.

Saudi Arabia Joins International Big Cat Alliance

In the News:  Saudi Arabia has joined the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) as its newest member country. With this, the India-led alliance now has 26 member countries and five observer nations. The development is important for global wildlife diplomacy, especially as IBCA works for the conservation of seven major big cat species.

Key Pointers:

• Saudi Arabia Becomes New Member: Saudi Arabia has officially joined the International Big Cat Alliance as its latest member country. This expands the global conservation platform and strengthens cooperation among countries linked to big cat habitats and protection.
• About International Big Cat Alliance: IBCA is a treaty-based inter-governmental international organisation headquartered in India. It was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 9 April 2023 during the event marking 50 years of Project Tiger.
• Seven Big Cats Covered: The alliance focuses on the conservation of tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar and puma. These species are important for maintaining ecological balance because they act as apex predators in their habitats.
• India’s Conservation Diplomacy: IBCA highlights India’s leadership in wildlife conservation and biodiversity diplomacy. It brings together range countries, non-range countries, scientific organisations and conservation partners for coordinated action.

India Records 97 of World’s 100 Hottest Cities

In the News: India was reported to have 97 of the world’s 100 hottest cities on 22 May 2026, according to a real-time temperature ranking cited by media reports. The extreme heat was concentrated across northern, central and eastern India, with several cities crossing 45°C. Balangir in Odisha and Sasaram in Bihar were reported around 48°C, while Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh touched about 47°C. This was a live weather snapshot and not an annual climate ranking.

Key Points:

• India Dominates Global Heat Ranking: According to AQI.in’s live ranking cited by reports, Indian cities occupied 97 places in the global top 100 hottest cities list. The only three non-Indian cities in the list were from Nepal, including Dhangadhi, Nepalgunj and Lumbini Sanskritik. For exams, this is important under climate change, disaster management and extreme weather events.

• Worst-Affected Regions: The heatwave mainly affected north, central and eastern India, including parts of Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Cities such as Balangir, Sasaram, Varanasi, Muzaffarnagar, Ayodhya, Patiala, Warangal, Haridwar, Gwalior and Dhanbad were among the intensely hot locations. This regional spread shows how heatwaves are no longer limited to traditional desert areas.

• IMD Heatwave Warning: The India Meteorological Department said heatwave to severe heatwave conditions were likely to continue over plains of northwest India, central India, east India and parts of peninsular India.
This makes IMD important for exam questions related to weather forecasting, early warning systems and climate risk governance. IMD functions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences and issues colour-coded weather alerts.

• Heatwave Criteria in India: As per NDMA and IMD criteria, a heatwave is generally considered when maximum temperature reaches at least 40°C in plains and 30°C in hilly regions. A heatwave may also be declared based on departure from normal temperature or absolute maximum temperature thresholds. For exams, remember that severe heatwaves are linked with higher departures from normal or very high actual temperatures.

• Public Health and Infrastructure Impact: Extreme heat increases the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke, especially among children, elderly people, outdoor workers and people with chronic illnesses. Reuters reported over 300 suspected heat-related illness cases in Andhra Pradesh between March and mid-May 2026. The heatwave also raised electricity demand sharply, showing links between climate stress, health systems and power infrastructure.

Taiwan Travelogue Wins International Booker Prize 2026 as First Mandarin-Translated Winner

In the News: Taiwanese writer Yáng Shuāng-zǐ and translator Lin King won the International Booker Prize 2026 for Taiwan Travelogue. The award was announced at Tate Modern, London, making it the first book translated from Mandarin Chinese to win the prize. The novel has gained attention for bringing Taiwan’s colonial history and translated literature into global focus.

Key Pointers:

• Historic First for Mandarin Literature: Taiwan Travelogue became the first winning book translated from Mandarin Chinese in the history of the International Booker Prize. It also made Yáng Shuāng-zǐ the first Taiwanese author and Lin King the first Taiwanese-American translator to win the award.
• Author and Translator: The book was written by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ, a Taiwanese writer, and translated into English by Lin King. For exams, remember that the International Booker Prize gives equal importance to the author and the translator.
• Prize Money and Objective: The International Booker Prize carries £50,000, which is divided equally between the writer and translator. The prize promotes fiction translated into English and highlights the role of literary translators in world literature.
• Theme and Setting of the Novel: Taiwan Travelogue is set in Japanese-occupied Taiwan in the 1930s and is framed as a historical travel narrative. It explores colonialism, language, power, class, identity and love through a layered postcolonial story.
• Previous Recognition: The novel had earlier won the U.S. National Book Award for Translated Literature in 2024. It was originally published in Mandarin in 2020 and later translated into English, helping Taiwanese literature reach a wider global readership.