Current Affairs Today
A quick-revision roundup of the most exam-relevant developments for June 24, 2026. The six deep-dive articles in today’s edition cover NAFED’s NAFEX.in portal, the RBI’s TReDS Master Direction, India’s Access and Benefit Sharing framework, CPCL becoming the 28th Navratna, the Vijayanagara trilingual inscriptions, and the public-health architecture debate. The items below round out the day.
Qatar Ras Laffan Gas Plant Explosion Kills 12 Indians
🗞️ Why in News An explosion at the Barzan gas plant in Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar, killed 13 people, of whom 12 were Indian nationals, during a restart after scheduled maintenance.
Key Data
- The blast occurred on June 21, 2026; the diaspora and repatriation angle kept it in the news through June 24.
- Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi attributed it to a technical accident and ruled out sabotage; LNG exports were unaffected.
- Qatar is one of the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters and hosts a very large Indian expatriate workforce.
UPSC Angle
The incident links to the welfare of the Indian diaspora in the Gulf, the Ministry of External Affairs’ consular machinery, and industrial-safety standards in the energy sector. The Gulf hosts roughly 9 million Indians and is a major source of remittances.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta Reappointed for Three Years
🗞️ Why in News The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) reappointed Tushar Mehta as Solicitor General of India for a fresh three-year term effective July 1, 2026.
Background
The Solicitor General (SG) is the second-highest law officer of the Union after the Attorney General of India. The Attorney General is a constitutional post under Article 76; the SG and Additional Solicitors General are neither constitutional nor statutory posts, being governed by the Law Officers (Conditions of Service) Rules, 1987 (executive rules). The SG assists the Attorney General and represents the Union in important cases. Appointments are made by the ACC.
Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Scanned for Technosignatures
🗞️ Why in News The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS remained a focus of astronomical observation through mid-2026 as it moved through the inner Solar System, with featured imaging and analysis circulating in the June 2026 window.
Key Data
- 3I/ATLAS is only the third confirmed interstellar object to pass through the Solar System, after 1I/Oumuamua (2017) and 2I/Borisov (2019).
- It was first detected on July 1, 2025, by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope in Chile.
- Its deuterium-rich water and estimated great age point to an origin around an old, cold star. An earlier SETI Institute radio scan using the Allen Telescope Array found no technosignatures, consistent with a natural origin.
Padma Awards 2026 Conferred at Rashtrapati Bhavan
🗞️ Why in News President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Padma Awards 2026 at a Civil Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan on June 23, 2026.
Key Data
- The Padma Awards 2026 list totalled 131 awards: 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri. Of these, 65 were conferred at this second Civil Investiture Ceremony.
- The Padma Awards were instituted in 1954 and are announced annually on Republic Day. In order of precedence they are Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri.
- They are conferred for distinguished and exceptional service across fields and are not titles under Article 18 of the Constitution.
Thewa Art of Rajasthan
🗞️ Why in News The Thewa art of Pratapgarh, a Geographical Indication (GI) tagged craft, featured in current-affairs coverage as a Prelims-focus item on June 24, 2026.
Background
Thewa is a roughly 400-year-old traditional jewellery-making craft from Pratapgarh in Rajasthan. It involves fusing intricately hand-worked sheet gold onto molten coloured glass without any adhesive. The craft is GI-tagged, protecting it as a product whose qualities are tied to its geographic origin. GI tags in India are granted under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.
UPSC Relevance
- GS2 (Polity): law officers of the Union (Articles 76), the ACC, Padma Awards and Article 18.
- GS2 (International Relations): Indian diaspora in the Gulf, MEA consular role.
- GS3 (Science and Technology): interstellar objects and space observation.
- GS1 (Art and Culture): Thewa art and the GI framework.
Facts Corner
📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia
Qatar Ras Laffan Blast:
- Barzan gas plant, Ras Laffan Industrial City; 13 killed, of whom 12 were Indian; ruled a technical accident.
- Qatar is a top LNG exporter; the Gulf hosts around 9 million Indians.
Law Officers:
- Solicitor General reappointed for three years from July 1, 2026, by the ACC.
- Attorney General is constitutional (Article 76); SG and ASGs are neither constitutional nor statutory (Law Officers Rules, 1987).
3I/ATLAS:
- Third confirmed interstellar object, after 1I/Oumuamua (2017) and 2I/Borisov (2019); detected July 1, 2025, by the ATLAS telescope, Chile.
- SETI’s Allen Telescope Array found no technosignatures.
Padma Awards 2026:
- 2026 list: 131 total (5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, 113 Padma Shri); 65 conferred at the June 23 second investiture; instituted 1954; not titles under Article 18.
Thewa Art:
- Gold-fused-on-glass jewellery craft of Pratapgarh, Rajasthan; GI-tagged under the GI Act, 1999.
Sources: Ministry of External Affairs, Press Information Bureau, The Hindu, Rashtrapati Bhavan
Source: Current Affairs Today, June 24, 2026 — Ujiyari.com | Free UPSC & State PCS Current Affairs
