UPSC Current Affairs Quiz — 14 August 2026

1.

Petermann Glacier, recently in the news for a major calving event, drains which one of the following ice masses?

The north-western part of the Greenland Ice Sheet The West Antarctic Ice Sheet near the Amundsen Sea The Vatnajokull ice cap of southern Iceland The Austfonna ice cap of the Svalbard archipelago

From: Petermann Glacier Sheds Its Largest Ice Island since 2012 Open full article →

2.

Silicosis, recently reported among workers who cut engineered-stone countertops, is caused by the inhalation of:

asbestos fibres cotton and flax dust coal mine dust respirable crystalline silica dust

From: Engineered-Stone Silicosis Surge among Countertop Workers Open full article →

3.

The PRASHAD scheme, under which an upgrade of the Srikalahasti temple has been proposed, is implemented by which one of the following Union Ministries?

Ministry of Culture Ministry of Tourism Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry of Minority Affairs

From: Srikalahasti Temple Seeks Rs 114.06-Crore Upgrade Approval Open full article →

4.

The term 'stygobitic', used for the newly described fish Gangaichthys indonepalicus, refers to an organism that:

lives permanently in groundwater and is adapted to it migrates between rivers and the sea in order to breed survives dry periods buried in the mud of river beds lives attached to the shells of larger aquatic animals

From: Gangaichthys indonepalicus: New Groundwater Fish Described Open full article →

5.

The babirusa, recently in the news, is an animal endemic to which one of the following countries?

Malaysia Indonesia Papua New Guinea the Philippines

From: Babirusa Birth Spotlights a Worsening Wild-Population Risk Open full article →

6.

With reference to a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, of the kind that powers Voyager 2, consider the following statements:

1.It produces electricity from the heat released by radioactive decay.

2.It depends on a controlled nuclear fission chain reaction.

3.It has no moving parts.

Select the answer using the code given below:

1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 1, 2 and 3

From: Voyager 2 Power-Saving Move Extends Its Instrument Life Open full article →

7.

The Shompen, recently in the news, are an Indigenous community of:

North Sentinel Island Car Nicobar Island Great Nicobar Island Little Andaman Island

From: Shompen Protection Returns to the Great Nicobar Debate Open full article →

8.

The headquarters of the United Nations Environment Programme is located in which one of the following cities?

Geneva Vienna Rome Nairobi

From: Kenya Recognises Its Indian-Origin Community as Indigenous Open full article →

9.

The AH-64E Apache, recently in the news after a fatal crash in the United States, is manufactured by:

Lockheed Martin Sikorsky Boeing Airbus Helicopters

From: AH-64E Apache Under Scrutiny after Fatal Texas Crash Open full article →

10.

PM Vishwakarma, launched by the Union Government in 2023, is a scheme intended primarily for:

urban street vendors seeking working capital loans traditional artisans and craftspeople working with hands and tools landless agricultural labourers seeking wage employment self-help groups engaged in dairy processing

From: PM Vishwakarma Artisans Invited to Red Fort Ceremony Open full article →