Current Affairs 18 May 2026

Karnataka introduces India’s 1st alcohol-in-beverage excise duty system.

• Karnataka became the 1st Indian state to adopt an Alcohol-in-Beverage (AIB) based excise duty system.
• New system links excise duty directly to alcohol content in beverages.
• Government-administered liquor price fixation has been deregulated.
• Indian Made Liquor (IML) categories reduced to 8 slabs.
• Reform introduced through amendments to the Karnataka Excise Rules, 1968.
• Aim: ensure lower consumer prices and maintain competitive rates with neighboring states.

India releases 1st satellite-tagged Ganges softshell turtle in Kaziranga National Park.

• India released its first satellite-tagged Ganges softshell turtle at Kaziranga National Park.
• First use of satellite telemetry for tracking a freshwater turtle in India.
• Project aims to study turtle migration, behaviour, and habitat use.
• Data will help identify conservation zones and improve habitat management.
• Ganges softshell turtle is classified as Vulnerable.

Chhattisgarh launches the "Jan Bhagidari: Sabse Door, Sabse Pehle" campaign.

• Chhattisgarh launched the Jan Bhagidari – Sabse Door, Sabse Pehle campaign from 18–25 May 2026.
• Campaign aims to deliver welfare schemes to remote tribal villages.
• Implemented by the Tribal Development Department across 8,000+ tribal villages.
• Covers villages under PM-JANMAN and Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan.
• Focus areas: health, education, nutrition, social security, and drinking water.
• Includes health camps for sickle cell disease and TB screening.

Rajasthan inaugurates its 1st semiconductor plant in Bhiwadi.

• Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated Rajasthan’s 1st semiconductor packaging facility and Electronics Manufacturing Cluster in Bhiwadi.
• Facility developed by Sahasra Semiconductors Pvt. Ltd..
• India’s 1st SME-led unit to begin commercial chip production.
• Semiconductor plant received investment of over ₹150 crore under the SPECS scheme.
• Current production capacity: 60 million units annually, expandable to 600 million units in 3 years.
• More than 60% of production is exported to global markets.
• Cluster expected to attract over ₹1,200 crore in investments and generate large-scale employment.

Scientists retrieve the oldest air from Allan Hills, East Antarctica.

• Scientists extracted 6-million-year-old air from ice cores in Allan Hills.
• Air was trapped in ice during the late Miocene epoch.
• Samples collected from blue ice areas where ancient ice is exposed at the surface.
• Dating done using argon isotope analysis and oxygen isotope studies.
• Findings show Antarctica has cooled by about 12°C over millions of years.
• Provides direct evidence to study past greenhouse gas levels and climate change patterns.