Daily Current Affairs: 14 April 2026

Major General Roman Gofman appointed as new Mossad chief

[Israel]

Key Updates:

• Major General Roman Gofman has been appointed as the next Director of Mossad by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
• The appointment was approved by the advisory committee on senior appointments chaired by retired Supreme Court President Asher Grunis.
• Gofman will assume office on 2 July 2026 for a five-year term.
• He will succeed outgoing Mossad chief David Barnea, whose term ends in June 2026.
• Gofman has served as Netanyahu’s military secretary for the past two years.
• He was seriously wounded during the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack while serving as commander of the Tzeelim training base.

Supreme Court (SC) reiterates right to vote and contest elections are statutory, not fundamental rights.

[Supreme Court of India]

Key Updates:

• Supreme Court bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan set aside Rajasthan High Court orders that had struck down eligibility conditions for District Milk Producers’ Cooperative Unions elections.
• Verdict dated April 10, 2026 held that neither right to vote nor right to contest election is a fundamental right and both are purely statutory rights that can be regulated by law.
• Court upheld bye-laws requiring minimum milk supply and operational continuity as valid eligibility criteria, not unconstitutional disqualifications.
• Supreme Court ruled cooperative societies are not 'State' under Article 12, so writ petitions under Article 226 were not maintainable and statutory remedies under Rajasthan Cooperative Societies Act should have been exhausted first.

Viktor Orbán concedes defeat as Péter Magyar set to become Hungary’s Prime Minister.

[Hungary]

Key Updates:

• Viktor Orbán conceded defeat after the opposition Tisza party was projected to win 135 of 199 parliamentary seats.
• Orbán’s Fidesz party was projected to secure 57 seats based on results with nearly half of votes counted.
• Péter Magyar, leader of the Tisza party, is on course to become Hungary’s new Prime Minister after Orbán’s 16-year tenure since 2010.
• European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted that Hungary has chosen Europe and the Union grows stronger.
• U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance joined Orbán in Budapest days before the election to boost his campaign.
• The EU suspended billions of dollars in funding to Hungary in 2022 over rule-of-law standard violations.

Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI) records 30.2% surge in India patent filings to 1.43 lakh in FY 2025-26

Key Updates:

• Patent applications filed in India rose 30.2% to 1,43,729 in 2025-26 from 1,10,375 in 2024-25.
• Domestic filings accounted for over 69% of total applications, with Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Maharashtra leading.
• Patent filings have climbed every year since 2016-17, when they stood at 45,444.
• Government measures include reduced fees for startups, small entities, and educational institutions; expedited examination; and pro bono facilitation for Indian startups.
• Applications are examined under a two-tier system of the Patents Act, 1970, with pre-grant and post-grant opposition provisions.

World Bank (WB) releases USD 340 million for Amaravati Capital Phase-I development

[World Bank, Andhra Pradesh]

Key Updates:

• The World Bank (WB) has released USD 340 million for the Amaravati Capital Phase-I development in Andhra Pradesh as of April 2026.
• The WB and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have committed a total of USD 1,600 million for the project, with each entity contributing USD 800 million.
• The Central Government will fund ₹1,400 crore out of the ₹15,000 crore committed for the capital development.
• The loan has a 29-year final maturity and a six-year grace period, with repayment scheduled to begin on June 15, 2031.
• The interest rate for the funding is approximately 8% to 8.5% and will fluctuate based on international rates.
• The Amaravati Integrated Urban Development Programme (AIUDP) is being implemented under the Program for Results framework, linking disbursements to milestones.
• Flood management works have achieved over 35% completion across six locations in the capital region.

Union Cabinet approves National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) with ₹16,300 crore expenditure and ₹18,000 crore expected investment.

Key Updates:

• The Union Cabinet approved the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) with an expenditure of ₹16,300 crore and an expected investment of ₹18,000 crore by public sector undertakings (PSUs) and other stakeholders.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the mission in the Union Budget 2024-25.
• The NCMM will cover exploration, mining, processing, and recycling stages of the value chain.
• The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has 195 ongoing exploration projects in FY 2024-25 and plans 227 projects for FY 2025-26.
• Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL) has acquired 15,703 hectares in Argentina’s Catamarca province for lithium exploration and mining.
• The government removed customs duties on most critical minerals in the Union Budget 2024-25.

Department of Posts releases commemorative stamps honouring ISRO's space milestones

[Karnataka, ISRO]

Key Updates:

• Department of Posts (DoP) released two commemorative postage stamps to mark India's space achievements led by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• The stamps depict India's journey from its first satellite Aryabhata to the upcoming Gaganyaan mission.
• ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian astronaut to reach the International Space Station, attended the unveiling event in Bengaluru.
• The stamps and accompanying souvenir sheets highlight India's goal to establish an Indian space station named Bharatiya Antariksha by 2035.

U.S.-Iran talks collapse in Pakistan with no deal as ceasefire clock ticks

[United States, Iran, Pakistan]

Key Updates:

• Vice President JD Vance led the U.S. delegation for 21-hour talks with Iranian officials in Islamabad, Pakistan.
• The two-week U.S.-Iran ceasefire remains intact but expires in eight days.
• Key sticking points were Iran’s nuclear programme and control of the Strait of Hormuz.
• Iranian parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the U.S. failed to gain Tehran’s trust.
• Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged both sides to uphold the ceasefire and continue dialogue.
• HRANA reports almost 3,400 people, including over 1,600 civilians, killed in Iran since the war began.
• President Donald Trump announced an immediate U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz to counter Iranian mining.

India to host BRICS senior officials meeting bringing Iran and UAE together

[Iran, United Arab Emirates, BRICS]

Key Updates:

• India is hosting a BRICS senior officials meeting under its BRICS presidency that will see Iran and the UAE face to face for the first time since the West Asian conflict.
• The meeting agenda covers broader West Asian and North African issues including Palestine, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon.
• Iran, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are all BRICS members.
• BRICS could not issue a statement on the war earlier as consensus eluded it due to differences between Iran and UAE.
• Egypt, a BRICS member and India's strategic partner, is assisting India to hold the meeting and subsequent events including the foreign ministers' meet in May and the summit in September.
• Russian support has also been extended to India's BRICS Presidency.

Andhra Pradesh unveils India’s first open-access quantum computer test beds at Amaravati Quantum Valley

[Andhra Pradesh]

Key Updates:

• Andhra Pradesh launched two open-access quantum computer test beds under the Amaravati Quantum Valley project.
• The 1Q test bed is located at Medha Towers and the 1S test bed at SRM University, Amaravati.
• Both systems use entirely locally developed components and operate at about minus 273°C.
• Technical support was provided by Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• The 1Q test bed was set up by Qubitech and Qbit Force; the 1S test bed uses superconducting technology.
• Delhi-based QUTE Electronics developed the ultra-low noise power supply systems with six decimal point stability.
• The mission aims to create 100 quantum algorithms within the next two years.
• Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu will unveil the facilities on April 14, World Quantum Day.

Jannik Sinner beats Carlos Alcaraz to win Monte Carlo Masters 2026

[Monaco]

Key Updates:

• Jannik Sinner defeated Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(5), 6-3 in the Monte Carlo Masters final on Court Rainier III at the Monte-Carlo Country Club in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.
• The victory gave Sinner his first Masters title on clay and reclaimed the ATP world number one ranking.
• Sinner became only the second player after Novak Djokovic in 2015 to win the Sunshine Double and Monte Carlo in the same season.
• This was Sinner’s fourth consecutive Masters 1000 crown and his eighth Masters title overall.

Meenakshi Goyat bags silver; Sujeet, Abhimanyou, Sandeep enter gold medal bouts

Key Updates:

• Meenakshi Goyat added a third silver to India’s tally in the women’s 53kg category at the Senior Asian Wrestling Championships.
• Meenakshi lost 0-10 against China’s Jin Zhang in the 53-kg final, an Olympic Games weight classification.
• Monika defeated Hanbit Lee of South Korea 9-0 to win bronze in the women’s 65kg category.
• Harshita defeated Sevinchoy Polvonova 5-0 to win bronze in the women’s 72kg category.
• India’s overall medals tally stands at three silver and seven bronze medals.
• Sujeet (65kg) defeated Abdulmazhid Kudiev of Tajikistan 7-2 in the semi-final and will face Umidjon Jalolov of Uzbekistan in the final.
• Abhimanyou (70kg) defeated defending champion Ernazar Akmataliev of Kyrgyzstan 6-3 and will face Tumur Ochir of Mongolia in the final.
• Sandeep Mann (79kg) defeated Somonjon Ikromov of Tajikistan 10-0 in the semi-final and will face Japan’s Keyvan Gharehdaghi in the gold medal bout.
• Vicky will contest for bronze in the 97kg category after losing 0-2 to Amirali Azarpira of Iran in the semi-final.
• Ankush will challenge Fuga Sasaki of Japan for bronze in the men’s 57kg freestyle.

Sarun Payasingh wins Indian Athletics Series long jump title in Ranchi

Key Updates:

• Odisha’s Sarun Payasingh won the men’s long jump with a leap of 7.46 m at the fourth leg of the Indian Athletics Series in Ranchi.
• Maharashtra’s Sarvesh Anil Kushare claimed the men’s high jump title clearing 2.19 m.
• Railways’ Vithya Ramraj won the women’s 400 m hurdles in 57.02 seconds.
• Maharashtra’s Aniket took the men’s 100 m in 10.60 secs, followed by Rohan Ghosh (West Bengal) 10.68 secs and Varun Oori (Tamil Nadu) 10.74 secs.
• Odisha’s Mahendra Santa won the men’s 200 m in 21.96 secs, ahead of Paras (Himachal Pradesh) 22.31 secs and Pijush Ghosh (West Bengal) 22.37 secs.
• West Bengal’s Md Mahasin Awal topped the men’s 800 m in 1:53.21, followed by Debraj Mallick (West Bengal) 1:53.62 and Vipin Kumar (Uttar Pradesh) 1:54.42.
• Uttar Pradesh’s Sandeep Pal won the men’s 5 000 m in 14:11.62, ahead of Shivaji P (Reliance) 14:15.15 and Mrunal Sarode (Army) 14:16.84.
• Reliance’s Krishik M led the men’s 110 m hurdles in 13.72 secs, with Rathish (Reliance) 14.10 secs and Majgul M (Gujarat) 15.15 secs.
• Rajasthan’s Shakti Singh won the men’s 400 m hurdles in 51.34 secs, followed by Karthik Y (Andhra Pradesh) 51.71 secs and Murad Sirman (Gujarat) 51.78 secs.
• Maharashtra’s Uttam headed the men’s javelin with 74.85 m, ahead of Naryana Singh (NCOE Patiala) 66.62 m and Arun Modi (Bihar) 64.22 m.
• Odisha’s Mousumi Roy won both women’s 100 m (11.83 secs) and 200 m (24.79 secs).
• Haryana’s Bharti claimed the women’s 5 000 m in 16:55.42, followed by Mamta Pal (All India Police) 17:55.45 and Mitali Deepak (Maharashtra) 18:23.04.
• Navy’s Ancy Sojan topped the women’s long jump with 6.45 m, ahead of Manisha Merel (Odisha) 5.78 m and Bidisha Kundu (West Bengal) 5.73 m.

Sawan Barwal breaks Shivnath Singh's 48-year-old marathon national record

Key Updates:

• Sawan Barwal clocked 2:11:58 at the Rotterdam Marathon to break Shivnath Singh's 1978 national record of 2:12:00.
• Barwal finished 20th in the elite race; fellow Indian Gopi Thonakal finished 23rd in 2:13:16.
• The 28-year-old from Joginder Nagar, Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh, achieved the feat in his marathon debut.
• Barwal won gold in 5,000m and 10,000m at the 2025 National Games in Uttarakhand and 10,000m gold at the 2025 Federation Cup.

Shi Yu Qi defeats Ayush Shetty to win Badminton Asia Championships men's singles title

Key Updates:

• Shi Yu Qi of China beat India's Ayush Shetty 21-8, 21-10 in the Badminton Asia Championships final at Ningbo.
• Ayush Shetty became only the second Indian men's singles player after Dinesh Khanna to reach the continental final.
• Dinesh Khanna remains the lone Indian singles champion, having won the title in 1965.
• Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are the only other Indians to lift the trophy, winning men's doubles in 2023.

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre observed on April 13

Key Updates:

• The Jallianwala Bagh massacre occurred on April 13, 1919, in Amritsar, Punjab, during the Baisakhi festival.
• The British colonial government had implemented the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919, infamously known as the Rowlatt Act or the Black Act.
• The Government of India Act 1919 introduced the system of dyarchy in the provinces, retaining key powers like military and finance under British control.
• The arrest and deportation of local leaders Dr Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr Satyapal to Dharamshala on April 10, 1919, triggered widespread protests.
• General Reginald Dyer ordered 50 soldiers armed with .303 Lee-Enfield rifles to fire 1,650 rounds into a crowd of approximately 15,000 to 20,000 people.
• The British government appointed the Disorders Inquiry Committee, commonly known as the Hunter Commission, to investigate the massacre.
• The Indian National Congress (INC) conducted an independent inquiry led by Madan Mohan Malaviya and Motilal Nehru.
• The Hunter Commission official report stated 379 deaths, while the INC inquiry estimated the death toll to be over 1,000.
• In protest against the massacre, Rabindranath Tagore renounced his Knighthood in a letter to the Viceroy, Lord Chelmsford.
• Mahatma Gandhi launched the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920 as a direct response to the British actions in Punjab.
• Udham Singh assassinated Michael O’Dwyer, the Lieutenant-Governor of Punjab who sanctioned the action, at Caxton Hall in London in 1940.
• On April 19, 1919, General Dyer implemented the crawling order, forcing Indians to crawl on hands and knees through a specific street in Amritsar.

Supreme Court invokes Article 142 to grant divorce after wife reneges consent

[Supreme Court of India]

Key Updates:

• Supreme Court of India invoked Article 142 to dissolve the marriage after the wife withdrew consent for mutual divorce.
• The wife had received Rs 75 lakh as first instalment and Rs 14 lakh for car purchase under the settlement agreement.
• The court quashed the domestic violence case filed by the wife against the husband and his family members.
• The bench comprised Justices Rajesh Bindal and Vijay Bishnoi.
• The husband was directed to pay the final instalment of Rs 70 lakh to the wife.
• All civil and criminal cases lodged by the couple against each other were quashed by the court.

Association of Indian Universities National Moot Court Competition 2026 held from Apr 9-11

Key Updates:

• Banaras Hindu University (BHU) won the Association of Indian Universities National Moot Court Competition 2026 hosted by Integral University.
• BHU received a cash prize of Rs 25,000 along with trophies and medals.
• Chandigarh University secured the runner-up position with Rs 11,000.
• Ram Manohar Lohia University won the Best Researcher award.
• Army Institute of Law secured the Best Memorial award.
• Mallika Chadha of Lovely Professional University won the Best Speaker award.
• Aligarh Muslim University was recognised for inspiring excellence.
• Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University and Lucknow University were recognised as best regional teams.
• The competition brought together 40 teams from across India.
• Preliminary and quarter-final rounds took place on Apr 10.

Hungarian General Election Results Sunday

[Hungary]

Key Updates:

• Péter Magyar and the Tisza party won the Hungarian general election, ending the 16-year rule of Viktor Orbán.
• The Tisza party is on course to secure 138 seats out of the 199 seats in the Hungarian parliament.
• Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party won 55 seats, while the far-right Our Homeland party secured six seats.
• A record voter turnout of 79.5 per cent was recorded during the election.
• A constitutional majority in the Hungarian parliament requires a two-thirds majority of 133 seats.
• The system of patronage in Hungary is known as NER.
• Péter Magyar pledged that his first official trip abroad as Prime Minister would be to Warsaw, Poland.
• The European Union (EU) has frozen approximately €17 billion in funds for Hungary due to corruption and judicial independence concerns.
• The EU had previously agreed to provide a €90 billion loan to Ukraine, which Hungary had reneged on.
• The election victory was compared to the Hungarian revolution of 1848 and the 1956 uprising against Soviet occupation.
• The state-run media in Hungary includes the M1 TV channel.
• Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk was among the first European leaders to congratulate the new leadership.