APPOINTMENT
Sunil Kumar Appointed Next Chairman of ONGC
• The government appointed Sunil Kumar, an Executive Director at Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), as the company’s next Chairman on 22 October 2026.
• Kumar currently serves as Executive Director and Asset Manager of ONGC’s Mehsana Asset.
• He will succeed Arun Kumar Singh, whose extended tenure ends on 6 December 2026.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the appointment following a recommendation from the Petroleum Ministry’s search-cum-selection committee.
• Kumar is expected to assume charge on or after 7 December 2026, with a combined tenure of three years, including contractual service after superannuation on 31 December 2028.
• He joined ONGC in 1991 as an Assistant Executive Engineer (Production) in Assam and became Mehsana Asset Manager on 8 January 2025.
• Kumar contributed to the Vasistha & S1 deep-water project on India’s East Coast and led a shallow-water subsea project involving 11 subsea wells.
• A petroleum engineering graduate of the Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, Kumar also holds a postgraduate qualification in business management. ONGC is a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise and a major Indian oil and natural gas exploration and production company.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
FIFA Opens U.S. Media Rights Bidding for 2030 World Cup
• FIFA opened the bidding process for U.S. media rights to the 2030 FIFA World Cup on 22 October 2026.
• Broadcasters and digital platforms must submit proposals by 19 November 2026; bids may cover the 2030 tournament, with an option to include the 2034 edition.
• The 2030 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain.
• Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will each host one centenary celebration match in 2030 to mark the tournament’s 100th anniversary.
• The Extraordinary FIFA Congress appointed the 2030 hosts on 11 December 2024.
• Saudi Arabia was appointed host of the 2034 FIFA World Cup at the same Congress.
• Australia withdrew from the 2034 host-bidding process, leaving Saudi Arabia as the sole bidder; eligibility had been limited to member associations of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).
• FIFA published its evaluation of Saudi Arabia’s 2034 bid on 29 November 2024, awarding it an average score of 4.2 out of 5. Media rights authorise broadcasters and digital platforms to distribute tournament coverage in specified markets.
Ukraine Joins NATO’s Security Cooperation Support Partnership (SCSP)
• Ukraine joined the NATO Support and Procurement Agency’s (NSPA) Security Cooperation Support Partnership (SCSP) on 22 October 2026.
• The partnership gives Ukrainian defence companies access to NSPA tenders and allows Ukraine to procure military equipment through the agency.
• The NSPA coordinates multinational procurement, logistics, equipment acquisition, supply chains and technical support for NATO members.
• Ukraine is the first and only non-NATO country with a separate partnership providing a single entry point to NSPA operations.
• The SCSP was established in 2025; the North Atlantic Council approved direct NSPA contracts with Ukrainian industry in April 2026.
• Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers approved the partnership on 13 August 2026, and Defence Minister Yevhen Khmara signed the agreement on 14 October 2026.
• The NSPA held Ukraine Industry Day in Kyiv on 14 October 2026, attended by approximately 150 Ukrainian companies.
• The NSPA mobilised approximately €400 million through the Ukraine Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP) Trust Fund, while the IT Capability Coalition contributed €219 million for digital defence modernisation. The partnership does not make Ukraine a NATO member.
UK Launches “Be Ready” Emergency Preparedness Campaign
• The UK government launched the “Be Ready” initiative on 22 October 2026 through the Cabinet Office as the first phase of a three-year public awareness campaign.
• The campaign advises households to prepare for at least three days without essential services, including electricity, water, telephone networks and internet access.
• Recommended emergency supplies include non-perishable food, bottled water, cash, prescription medicines and backup power or communication equipment.
• The suggested water supply is up to nine litres per person; households are also advised to keep batteries charged or maintain a wind-up radio.
• The campaign encourages people to register with the Priority Services Register, which helps utility companies identify customers needing additional support during service disruptions.
• More than 500 organisations, including businesses, charities and community groups, are partnering with the government to distribute preparedness advice.
• The initiative addresses risks such as severe weather, cyberattacks on critical infrastructure and threats to food supply chains; its guidance aligns with preparedness advice in France, Ireland and the Netherlands.
• The UK’s Cabinet Office coordinates government emergency planning, while the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 provides a statutory framework for emergency preparedness and response. Security Minister Dan Jarvis said household preparation could reduce pressure on emergency services.
Greece Approves Social Media Ban for Children Under 15
• Greece’s Parliament approved legislation on 23 October 2026 prohibiting children under 15 from using social media platforms.
• The ban is scheduled to take effect on 1 January 2027 and covers platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.
• The restriction applies to both existing and new accounts, and parental consent cannot exempt children under 15.
• Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said platforms had 2.5 months to develop age-verification systems that protect users’ privacy.
• The system is linked to the KidsWallet app, which uses cryptographic methods to verify users’ ages without unnecessarily disclosing personal information.
• Zero-knowledge proofs allow a system to verify a claim without revealing the underlying information used to establish it.
• The law aims to address concerns about children’s health and safety, including excessive scrolling, sleep disruption, reduced concentration, inappropriate content and cyberbullying.
• Greece is collaborating with six other EU countries and the European Commission on age verification. Its framework may inform future EU-wide measures, including the proposed EU Kids Act.
NATIONAL NEWS
MoSPI Proposes Changes to Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) from 2027
• The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), through the National Statistics Office (NSO), proposed changes to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) from January 2027.
• The PLFS collects employment and unemployment data in India and provides key indicators such as the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR) and Unemployment Rate (UR).
• The NSO proposes a fresh sampling frame for Panel 6, covering the two-year period 2027–2028.
• The revised sampling design will account for changes in urbanisation and administrative boundaries and use an updated rural Census 2011 frame.
• A new Second Stage Stratum (SSS) is proposed to improve the coverage of digital platform workers, who were inadequately captured in the PLFS 2026 survey.
• The revised questionnaire will identify households with digital platform workers and collect information on unpaid household and caregiving activities, volunteer work and unpaid trainee work.
• During January–March 2027, the transition sample will combine First Stage Units (FSUs) from the existing Panel 5 frame and the updated Panel 6 frame.
• On 23 October 2026, MoSPI invited policymakers, researchers, academic institutions and the public to submit comments on the proposed changes within 15 days.
MHA and Indian Army Launch Nationwide Civil Defence Training Pilot
• On 23 October 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced a joint initiative with the Indian Army to develop a nationwide Civil Defence network.
• The pilot aims to train 60,000 volunteers across 12 states and Union Territories, with further expansion planned after assessment.
• The initiative is being conducted by the Directorate General of Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards under the MHA, in coordination with the Indian Army.
• The 12 jurisdictions are Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
• The first phase will train 600 Civil Defence Master Trainers, with 50 selected from each participating jurisdiction.
• The master trainers will attend a three-day specialised course at designated Indian Army training establishments by the second week of November 2026; each will then train 100 volunteers.
• The curriculum covers modern and hybrid warfare, drone threats, air raids, critical infrastructure protection, fire safety, CBRN awareness, casualty management, search and rescue, cyber hygiene and emergency communication.
• The Civil Defence Act, 1968 provides the statutory framework for civil defence in India. CBRN stands for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear hazards.
AWARDS
Ashoke Sen Receives 2026 Oskar Klein Medal
• Indian theoretical physicist Ashoke Sen received the 2026 Oskar Klein Medal on 22 October 2026, becoming the first Indian physicist to receive the honour.
• The medal is awarded annually by Stockholm University and the Nobel Committee for Physics of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
• Sen is internationally recognised for his contributions to string theory, including S-duality, black hole entropy and string field theory.
• String theory models fundamental objects as one-dimensional strings whose vibrational states correspond to different particles.
• S-duality relates strong-coupling descriptions of a theory to weak-coupling descriptions, while black hole entropy research involves counting microscopic states associated with black holes.
• On 22 October 2026, Sen delivered the Oskar Klein Memorial Lecture at Stockholm University’s AlbaNova Centre, titled “Gravity from Strings and Strings from Gravity.”
• Sen serves as the ICTS-Infosys Madhava Chair Professor at the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS), Bengaluru, and has worked in string theory for over four decades.
• His previous honours include the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics (2012) and the Dirac Medal (2014). The Oskar Klein Medal is named after Swedish theoretical physicist Oskar Klein.
Lionel Messi Receives 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports
• Lionel Messi received the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports on 23 October at the Campoamor Theatre in Oviedo, Spain.
• Princess Leonor presented the award at a ceremony attended by members of the Spanish Royal Family.
• Messi became the first footballer to receive the Sports award as an individual laureate; previous football recipients were honoured as teams or jointly.
• His achievements include Argentina’s 2022 FIFA World Cup victory, four UEFA Champions League titles and 10 La Liga titles with FC Barcelona.
• Messi has won the Ballon d’Or eight times and the European Golden Shoe six times.
• He has served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2010 and supports children’s education, healthcare and sports through the Leo Messi Foundation.
• The jury selected Messi on 3 June 2026 from 27 candidates representing 12 nationalities. Previous football recipients include Brazil’s national team (2002), Spain’s national team (2010), and Iker Casillas and Xavi Hernández jointly (2012).
• The Princess of Asturias Awards are presented annually by the Princess of Asturias Foundation in Oviedo. Established in 1981, they recognise achievements across eight fields, including Arts, Literature, Sports, Concord and International Cooperation.
Ameena Nazreen A S Receives Award at Global Youth Institute 2026
• Ameena Nazreen A S received a US$500 cash award at the Global Youth Institute on 23 October 2026 in Des Moines, Iowa, USA.
• The institute was part of the 2026 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, organised by the World Food Prize Foundation under the theme “Before Hunger Wins”.
• The Global Youth Institute brings high school students from different countries together to discuss food security, nutrition, sustainable agriculture and agricultural innovation.
• Seven Indian high school students were selected through the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS)-YUVA initiative to participate in the 2026 institute.
• On 14 July 2026, Nagappan N., a Class XII student at Reliance Foundation School, Navi Mumbai, was also selected to represent India.
• The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) identifies four dimensions of food security: availability, access, utilisation and stability.
• During the symposium, NAAS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US-based Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) for agricultural research, capacity building and knowledge exchange.
• The 2026 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue was held from 20 to 22 October in Des Moines. Norman E. Borlaug was an American agronomist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate associated with the Green Revolution.
BOOKS AND AUTHORS
Harsaran Bir Kaur Pandey’s Book on Indian Television News Launched
• The book “ The Evolution of TV News in India: From Doordarshan to Digital Disruption – An Insider’s Account “was authored by Harsaran Bir Kaur Pandey.
• It was launched by former Prasar Bharati Chairman Surya Prakash.
• The launch event took place at the India International Centre, New Delhi.
• The book was published by Om Books International.
• It traces the development of Indian television journalism from Doordarshan to satellite television and 24-hour news channels.
• The book also examines the shift from traditional broadcasting to digital news platforms.
• Pandey began her broadcasting career at Doordarshan’s Mandi House headquarters in the early 1970s.
• Her later international communications experience included roles with UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), and the book discusses major historical events and technological changes in television news.
SPORTS
Pankaj Advani Wins 29th Career World Title in Billiards
• Indian cueist Pankaj Advani won his 29th career world title at the WBL World Billiards Championships on 23 October 2026.
• He defeated England’s Robert Hall 1,906–1,206 in the final at Great Wyrley, England.
• The five-hour final saw Advani recover from a deficit of more than 300 points.
• Advani recorded a 587-point break, the highest break of the championship, and received the John Roberts Trophy.
• The victory marked his 21st world championship title in billiards; his 29 career world titles span billiards and snooker.
• He reached the final after defeating defending champion David Causier 1,607–1,271 in the semi-final and Sourav Kothari 1,134–575 in the quarter-final.
• In the women’s event, India’s Shruthi L retained her title by defeating Australia’s Anna Lynch 347–222.
• English billiards uses three balls: one red object ball and two cue balls. Scoring methods include cannons, pots and in-offs; a break is the consecutive points scored during one visit to the table.
Nihal Sarin and Koneru Humpy Win Gold at European Chess Club Cup 2026
• Indian chess players Nihal Sarin and Koneru Humpy won individual gold medals at the European Chess Club Cup 2026.
• The competition was held in Budva, Montenegro, from 17 to 23 October 2026.
• Nihal Sarin represented Novy Bor Chess Club in the Open section and won gold on Board 2.
• Sarin scored 5 points from 6 games, recording four wins and two draws.
• Koneru Humpy represented Cercle d’Echecs de Monte-Carlo in the Women’s section and won individual gold on Board 2.
• Humpy scored 4.5 points from 6 games, while her club successfully defended its Women’s team title.
• Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club won team gold in the Open section, while Novy Bor Chess Club secured silver.
• The European Chess Club Cup is organised by the European Chess Union and features separate Open and Women’s team competitions, with individual board awards recognising players’ performances.
Bodhana Sivanandan Becomes Youngest Female International Master in Chess
• Bodhana Sivanandan, aged 11 years, seven months and 16 days, became the youngest female International Master (IM) in chess history on 23 October 2026.
• She secured her third and final IM norm at the European Club Cup in Budva, Montenegro, by defeating Swedish Woman International Master Viktoria Johansson.
• Sivanandan represented She Plays To Win Lionesses A, scoring 5.5 points from seven games with a rating performance of 2,465.
• The International Master title is awarded by FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs) and ranks below Grandmaster.
• The IM title normally requires three qualifying norms and a rating of at least 2,400, subject to FIDE regulations.
• Sivanandan broke the previous record held by Hungarian chess player Judit Polgar, who earned the IM title at age 12 in 1988.
• She also became the youngest Woman Grandmaster and the youngest Women’s British Chess Champion in 2026; in 2025, she became the youngest girl to defeat a Grandmaster.
• At the time of the reported achievement, Sivanandan was the seventh-youngest International Master of any gender. The European Club Cup is a team chess competition organised under the European Chess Union.
Yashaswini Ghorpade and Harmeet Desai Secure Medal at Asian Table Tennis Championships 2026
• Indian table tennis players Yashaswini Ghorpade and Harmeet Desai secured a mixed doubles medal at the 29th ITTF-ATTU Asian Championships.
• The medal was assured on 23 October 2026, when the mixed doubles champions were scheduled to be crowned.
• The championship was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, marking a historic milestone for Indian table tennis.
• The event was organised by the Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU), the continental governing body for table tennis in Asia.
• The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) is the international governing body of table tennis.
• Mixed doubles features one male and one female player representing the same national association.
• A standard table tennis game is played to 11 points, with a two-point winning margin required; at 10–10, play continues until one side leads by two points.
• A standard table measures 2.74 metres × 1.525 metres and is 76 centimetres high, while the net is 15.25 centimetres high.
Nitesh Kumar and Naveen Sivakumar Win Para-Badminton Gold at Asian Para Games 2026
• Nitesh Kumar and Naveen Sivakumar won men’s singles gold medals in para-badminton at the Asian Para Games on 23 October 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
• Nitesh Kumar defeated Pramod Bhagat 21–18, 21–16 in the men’s singles SL3 final.
• Naveen Sivakumar defeated Indonesia’s Fredy Setiawan 21–9, 21–17 in the men’s singles SL4 final.
• Para-badminton has six sport classes: WH1 and WH2 for wheelchair players, SL3 and SL4 for standing players with lower-limb impairments, SU5 for upper-limb impairments and SH6 for players of short stature.
• SL3 players compete on half a standard badminton court, while SL4 players compete on a full court and have less severe lower-limb impairments.
• India also won silver medals through Thulasimathi Murugesan in women’s singles SU5 and Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan in women’s singles SH6.
• The Asian Para Games are organised by the Asian Paralympic Committee. Para-badminton became a Paralympic sport at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, held in 2021.
• As of 23 October 2026, India had won 98 medals—24 gold, 32 silver and 42 bronze—and stood fourth in the overall standings.
