Background
The Department of Military Affairs (DMA), with the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as Secretary, was created to facilitate optimal utilization of resources and promote jointness among the three Services. As per the Second Schedule to Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules 1961, the subjects allocated to the DMA include the Armed Forces of the Union, namely, Army, Navy and Air Force; the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence comprising of Army Headquarters, Naval Headquarters, Air Headquarters and Defence Staff Headquarters; the Territorial Army; works relating to Army, Navy and Air Force; procurement exclusive to the Services except capital acquisitions, as per prevalent rules and procedures; promoting jointness in procurement, training and staffing for the Services through joint planning and integration of their requirements; facilitation of restructuring of Military Commands for optimal utilisation of resources by bringing about jointness in operations, including through establishment of joint / theatre commands; and promoting use of indigenous equipment by the Services. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha the Government stated that the Second Schedule clearly identifies the functions of all the five Departments of the Ministry of Defence and thus there will not be any duplication of functions among them, and that work of 23 sections along with around 160 Civilian officers and staff have been transferred from Department of Defence to DMA.
Secretary of the Department:
The Chief of Defence Staff
Subjects allocated by:
Second Schedule to Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules 1961
Departments in the Ministry of Defence:
Five
Excluded from its procurement:
Capital acquisitions
Transferred from Department of Defence:
23 sections and around 160 Civilian officers and staff
Why it matters for exams: Which subjects sit with the Department of Military Affairs and which do not — capital acquisitions in particular — is the exact distinction an examiner uses to test whether a candidate has read the allocation of business rather than the headlines.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Jointness Jointness among the Services — Planning, training, procurement and operations carried out by the Army, Navy and Air Force together rather than separately.
Theatre command Joint or theatre command — A command that brings units of more than one Service in a given area under a single commander.
Background
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) describes itself as the only UN office dedicated to preventing and addressing drugs and crime. Its mission is to tackle the world drug problem, fight organized crime, prevent and counter terrorism, prevent and counter corruption, money laundering and economic crime, and promote fair and effective criminal justice systems. Started in 1997, UNODC has its headquarters in Vienna, Austria, and runs a network of field offices covering some 150 countries. It is the guardian of international crime and corruption conventions, among them the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the UN Convention against Corruption, and it serves as the secretariat of the global UN policy bodies on drugs, crime and corruption. Those bodies include the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. Its support to governments, criminal justice institutions and law enforcement is focused on three areas: policy, data and research, and training and support. UNODC relies on voluntary contributions, mainly from governments.
Started:
1997
Headquarters:
Vienna, Austria
Field coverage:
some 150 countries
Funding:
Voluntary contributions, mainly from governments
Why it matters for exams: Vienna as the headquarters, and the conventions UNODC guards — the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Convention against Corruption among them — are the facts that separate it from other UN bodies in an objective question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
UNCAC United Nations Convention against Corruption — The global anti-corruption treaty for which UNODC acts as guardian.
UNTOC United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime — The global treaty against organised criminal groups operating across borders.
Background
INTERPOL Notices are international requests for cooperation or alerts allowing police in member countries to share critical crime-related information. They are issued by the General Secretariat at the request of a member country's INTERPOL National Central Bureau and are made available for all member countries to consult in the Notices database. A Red Notice seeks the location and arrest of persons wanted for prosecution or to serve a sentence. A Yellow Notice helps locate missing persons; a Blue Notice collects additional information about a person's identity, location or activities; a Black Notice seeks information on unidentified bodies. A Green Notice warns about a person's criminal activities where the person is considered a possible threat to public safety, an Orange Notice warns of a serious and imminent threat to public safety, and a Purple Notice seeks or provides information on modus operandi, objects, devices and concealment methods used by criminals. A Silver Notice, in pilot phase, is to identify and trace criminal assets. A Notice is published only if it complies with INTERPOL's Constitution and the Rules on the Processing of Data, and it will not be published if it violates Article 3, which forbids the Organization from undertaking any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character. Most Notices are for police use only, but all United Nations Special Notices are public. Member countries may also circulate a diffusion directly to other countries, following the same colour-coded system.
Issued by:
General Secretariat, at the request of a National Central Bureau
Bar on political cases:
Article 3 of INTERPOL's Constitution
Notice in pilot phase:
Silver Notice
Notices that are public:
All United Nations Special Notices
Why it matters for exams: Matching each notice colour to its purpose is a recurring objective question, and Article 3 of the INTERPOL Constitution is the standard follow-up.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
National Central Bureau NCB — The designated police office in each INTERPOL member country that links it to the General Secretariat.
Diffusion — A request a member country circulates directly to other countries instead of through a notice.
7 October 2026
The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, called on 7 October 2026 for an end to attacks on civilians after overnight Russian strikes.
Strikes killed at least 19 in the Chernihiv Region, according to the latest information from local authorities; five children, three of them babies, were among the dead in Pryluky.
At least 50 others were injured when residential buildings were struck, and the toll was expected to rise as rescue work continued.
The overnight attacks also killed around 25 others in Kremenchuk, Kyiv and Oleksandriia.
The UN says 15,280 civilians were killed or injured in Ukraine in the first eight months of 2026, and it assisted 1.5 million people affected by strikes.
Killed in Chernihiv Region (local authorities):
At least 19
Civilian casualties, first eight months of 2026:
15,280 killed or injured
People assisted by UN and partners:
1.5 million
Why it matters for exams: The Russia-Ukraine war, civilian protection and international humanitarian law are regular current-affairs and IR topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
International humanitarian law Laws of war protecting civilians — The body of rules that protects civilians and civilian infrastructure during armed conflict.
7 October 2026
Ethiopia ordered its embassy in Eritrea closed and declared 10 Eritrean diplomats persona non grata, with 48 hours to leave.
Eritrea responded by severing all diplomatic ties with Ethiopia.
Ethiopia says Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt back the opposition alliance led by the Tigray People's Liberation Front; all three deny it.
Ethiopian forces have taken Mekelle, the regional capital of Tigray.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was sworn in for another five-year term and has said landlocked Ethiopia must have access to the Red Sea.
Witnesses told Reuters they saw dozens of Eritrean soldiers in Adigrat, about 25 km from the Eritrean border; Reuters could not verify this.
Eritrea's information minister did not deny that troops had crossed.
Eritrean diplomats expelled:
10
Time given to leave:
48 hours
Adigrat to Eritrean border:
about 25 km
Why it matters for exams: Horn of Africa border and Red Sea access disputes, and the term persona non grata, are staple world-affairs material.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Persona non grata Persona non grata — A diplomat the host country declares unwelcome, who must leave or lose immunity.
TPLF Tigray People's Liberation Front — The group leading the opposition alliance fighting Ethiopian forces.
7 October 2026
Myanmar's president Min Aung Hlaing landed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Wednesday for a two-day visit, his first to Malaysia since the military took power in 2021.
Malaysia's government said the visit allows Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to maintain direct engagement with Myanmar, and named the voluntary, dignified and safe repatriation of Myanmar nationals staying illegally in Malaysia as the key bilateral issue.
Anwar has said about 10,000 Myanmar nationals have been sent back since January.
Malaysia hosts about 215,600 refugees and asylum seekers registered with the United Nations refugee agency, including about 126,000 Rohingya.
Since taking office as president in April, Min Aung Hlaing has travelled to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Viet Nam, China, India, Russia and Belarus.
Malaysia is not a party to the United Nations Refugee Convention and treats refugees as undocumented migrants.
Sent back since January:
about 10,000
Refugees registered in Malaysia:
about 215,600
Rohingya among them:
about 126,000
Why it matters for exams: Myanmar's return to bilateral summit diplomacy inside ASEAN and the Rohingya question are standing themes in international relations papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Repatriation Return of nationals to their own country — The sending back of people to the country of which they are citizens.
ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations — The ten-member grouping of Southeast Asian states to which Myanmar belongs.
7 October 2026
The World Health Organization said its immediate funding requirement for Yemen has increased from 9 million dollars to 31 million dollars as conflict escalates and needs rise.
An additional 700,000 dollars is needed to support refugees who have crossed to Djibouti.
More than 200,000 people have been displaced according to the International Organization for Migration, while close to 3,800 have fled across the Red Sea to Djibouti.
As of 2 October the Yemeni health authorities reported 959 deaths and 4,207 injuries across 10 governorates.
Fighting has been concentrated on the coast in Lahj governorate near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, in neighbouring Taiz and in Marib governorate in the north.
Nearly half the health facilities in the affected governorates lack partner support, with gaps in frontline trauma care and outpatient services.
Dr Syed Jaffar Hussain, WHO Representative in Yemen, said the situation is evolving into a complex emergency.
WHO immediate requirement:
raised from $9 million to $31 million
Deaths as of 2 October:
959
Injuries as of 2 October:
4,207
Why it matters for exams: Yemen, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea route are frequently asked in world geography and current affairs.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Bab al-Mandeb Bab al-Mandeb Strait — The strait between Yemen and the Horn of Africa linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
Governorate Governorate — The first-level administrative division of Yemen, comparable to a state or district.
7 October 2026
SAREX-2026, the 12th National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise, is being organised by the Indian Coast Guard, with the inauguration on 7 October 2026 and the search and rescue demonstration off the Paradip coast on 8 October 2026.
Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth is to inaugurate the exercise, and the 24th National Maritime Search and Rescue (NMSAR) Board Meeting is to be held at Bhubaneswar under the chairmanship of Director General Paramesh Sivamani.
32 observers from 30 countries are taking part, underlining international cooperation in search and rescue.
The exercise deploys 15 Coast Guard ships, two Dornier aircraft, three Advanced Light Helicopters and a Chetak helicopter.
Two Indian Navy ships take part, with Indian Air Force C-130J and Mi-17 aircraft in support, along with civil and State assets and shore-based support units.
The scenario simulates the ditching of a passenger aircraft at sea with 228 persons on board and its impact with the container vessel MV Zumba, creating concurrent maritime and aeronautical emergencies.
The stated aim is a faster, technology-enabled and internationally connected search and rescue framework with better distress-alert management.
Exercise:
SAREX-2026, the 12th National Maritime Search & Rescue Exercise
Dates:
Inauguration 7 October 2026; SAR demonstration off Paradip 8 October 2026
Observers:
32 observers from 30 countries
Coast Guard ships:
15
Persons on board in the simulated ditching:
228
NMSAR Board Meeting:
24th, at Bhubaneswar, chaired by DG Paramesh Sivamani
Why it matters for exams: Named exercises, the participating services and the Coast Guard's search and rescue role are standard defence questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
SAREX National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise — The Indian Coast Guard's periodic national exercise to test maritime search and rescue readiness.
Background
DRDO works under the Department of Defence Research and Development of the Ministry of Defence.
Its stated mission is self-reliance in critical defence technologies and equipping the armed forces in accordance with requirements laid down by the three Services.
DRDO was formed in 1958 from the amalgamation of the Technical Development Establishments of the Indian Army and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production with the Defence Science Organisation.
It was then a small organisation with 10 establishments or laboratories.
Today it is described as a network of around 41 laboratories and 5 DRDO Young Scientist Laboratories.
Its page names Agni and Prithvi missiles, the Tejas light combat aircraft, the Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher and the Akash air defence system among its indigenous developments.
Its motto is Balasya Mulam Vigyanam.
Formed:
1958
Establishments at formation:
10
Laboratories today (around):
41
Young Scientist Laboratories:
5
Motto:
Balasya Mulam Vigyanam
Why it matters for exams: DRDO's origin, parent department and flagship systems are standard defence-science questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
DYSL DRDO Young Scientist Laboratory — A DRDO laboratory in the category of Young Scientist Laboratories counted separately from the around 41 laboratories.
Pinaka Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher — An indigenously developed multi-barrel rocket launcher named on the DRDO page.
6 October 2026
Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae met families of abductees and others at the Prime Minister's Office on 6 October 2026.
Those present included Chairman Furuya of the Parliamentary League on the Abductions Issue, Ms. Yokota, Mr. Iizuka and Mr. Nishioka.
She thanked the group for their recent visit to the United States, where they sought help from officials, lawmakers and experts.
She said she had raised the issue in her speech to the United Nations General Assembly and with leaders she has met since taking office.
She described the matter as a humanitarian issue on which there is no time to lose, and noted that the previous day had been Megumi Yokota's birthday.
She pledged to work with the Chief Cabinet Secretary towards the return of the abductees to their homeland.
Date:
6 October 2026
Venue:
Prime Minister's Office, Tokyo
Parliamentary League chairman:
Chairman Furuya
Why it matters for exams: The abductions issue is a fixed element of Japan's policy towards North Korea and appears in questions on North-East Asian relations.
UPSC
In plain words
Chief Cabinet Secretary Chief Cabinet Secretary — The Japanese Cabinet's coordinating minister and chief government spokesperson.
6 October 2026
Justice G Girish ordered the investigation transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation in Balan P K v State of Kerala, WP(C) 25341/2012, reported as 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 555.
Rifle Man Subash Chandra Bose P of the Third Battalion, Tripura State Rifles, went missing on 4 April 2012 while travelling by train from Kerala to Guwahati after his leave.
His father had seen him off at Ernakulam railway station; the jawan telephoned from Visakhapatnam saying he was unwell and never reached his posting.
The cases registered by the Railway Police Station, Ernakulam, and the Visakhapatnam Government Railway Police were handed to the CBI after 14 years without a result.
The court directed the police chiefs of Kerala and Andhra Pradesh to transmit all investigation records to the CBI officer assigned the case.
The judgment said the peaceful sleep of the civilian is at the cost of the sleepless nights, vigilance and sacrifice of the soldier, and that society owes a responsibility to stand by the soldier.
Case:
WP(C) 25341/2012
Citation:
2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 555
Date of disappearance:
4 April 2012
Years without result:
14
Why it matters for exams: Transfer of an investigation to the CBI by a High Court under its writ jurisdiction is a recurring polity and judiciary question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
WP(C) Writ Petition (Civil) — A petition to a High Court under Article 226 asking it to enforce a right or correct an authority's inaction.
6 October 2026
Opening a two-day official visit to Pakistan, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed for an end to the United States-Iran war and to the damage it has done to global trade.
Speaking to journalists in Islamabad, he told all parties to end the conflict, return to diplomacy and fully restore navigational rights and freedoms in accordance with international law.
The crisis began in late February 2026 following joint United States-Israeli strikes on Iran; Tehran launched counter-attacks on targets in Gulf countries and Jordan and blocked transit through the Strait of Hormuz, a corridor critical for trade in crude oil, fertilisers and liquefied natural gas. Hundreds of ships and their crews have been stuck at sea for months.
Fighting has also spread to Yemen's Red Sea coast, where Houthi forces are battling government troops, supported by Saudi Arabia, for control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Mr Guterres credited Pakistan with helping to create the conditions for dialogue, citing the 17 June Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, the subsequent ceasefire and the framework for further negotiations.
He also noted that Pakistan and Denmark led Security Council resolution 2823, which strengthens accountability for crimes against UN peacekeepers and drew 153 co-sponsoring countries, the largest number of co-sponsors for a Security Council resolution in UN history.
Conflict began:
late February 2026
Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding:
17 June
Co-sponsors of Security Council resolution 2823:
153 countries
Why it matters for exams: The Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandab and the Security Council's resolution numbering are high-yield facts for world geography and international organisation questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
Strait of Hormuz Strait of Hormuz — The narrow sea passage between Iran and Oman linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, through which much of the world's seaborne oil moves.
Bab al-Mandab Bab al-Mandab Strait — The strait between Yemen and Djibouti that links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
Memorandum of Understanding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) — A written record of an understanding between parties that is usually not a binding treaty.
6 October 2026
General Dhiraj Seth, Chief of the Army Staff, flagged in the members of the Joint Indo-Argentine Army Mountaineering Expedition in New Delhi.
The team summited Mt Abi Gamin, 7,355 metres, on 17 September 2026 and Mt Kamet, 7,756 metres, on 21 September 2026.
Mt Kamet is in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, and is the third-highest peak in India after Mt Kanchenjunga and Mt Nanda Devi.
The 35-member expedition was led by Lieutenant Colonel Chirag Chatterjee and comprised 25 personnel of the Indian Army and 10 personnel of the Argentine Army. It was flagged off from the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi, on 21 August 2026.
This was the third joint mountaineering venture between the two Armies. The earlier two were to Mt Aconcagua, 6,962 metres, in Mendoza, Argentina, in January 2025, and Mt Kun, 7,077 metres, in the Suru Valley, Ladakh, in August 2025.
The Ministry of Defence said the expeditions have strengthened professional cooperation, interoperability and mutual trust between the two Armies.
Mt Kamet height:
7,756 metres
Mt Abi Gamin height:
7,355 metres
Team composition:
25 Indian Army and 10 Argentine Army personnel
Mt Kamet location:
Chamoli district, Uttarakhand
Why it matters for exams: The ranking of Indian peaks and India's joint military ventures with named countries are both frequent questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
COAS Chief of the Army Staff — The professional head of the Indian Army, who holds the rank of General.
Flag in Flagging in — The formal ceremony at which a returning expedition or convoy is received.
Manekshaw Centre Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi — The Indian Army's convention centre in Delhi Cantonment, named after Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.
6 October 2026
The Ministry of Defence announced that the Government has appointed Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM, at present the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff in the rank of Air Chief Marshal.
The appointment takes effect from the afternoon of October 31, 2026. The present Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, superannuates from office on October 31, 2026.
Born on December 09, 1966, Air Marshal Dixit was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 06, 1986.
Before becoming Vice Chief of the Air Staff he was Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, and earlier Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Air Command.
He has more than 3500 hours of flying experience on aircraft including Mirage-2000, variants of MiG, Kiran, Jaguar, IL-78, Hawk and Tejas, and is an Experimental Test Pilot and a Qualified Flying Instructor.
He has taken part in operations and exercises including Op-Safed Sagar, Op-Rakshak and Op-Sindoor, and was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2026.
Post:
29th Chief of the Air Staff
Rank:
Air Chief Marshal
Effective from:
Afternoon of October 31, 2026
Flying experience:
more than 3500 hours
Why it matters for exams: Service-chief appointments are a standard current affairs question in every national examination.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSCBank
In plain words
Chief of the Air Staff Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) — The professional head of the Indian Air Force, who holds the rank of Air Chief Marshal.
PVSM Param Vishisht Seva Medal — The highest Indian military award for distinguished service of the most exceptional order in peacetime.
CISC Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee — The senior tri-service officer who heads Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff.
Qualified Flying Instructor Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) — A pilot formally certified by the air force to train other pilots.
Background
Collective defence is NATO's most fundamental principle.
Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty says an armed attack against one NATO member shall be considered an attack against all members.
It triggers an obligation for each member to come to the assistance of the one attacked.
That assistance may or may not involve the use of armed force.
NATO invoked Article 5 for the first and only time in its history after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Treaty article:
Article 5
Principle:
collective defence
Times invoked:
once
Why it matters for exams: Article 5 and its link to Article 51 of the UN Charter are common defence and polity questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Collective defence Mutual defence among allies — An attack on one ally is treated as an attack on all.
6 October 2026
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched FSS-1 'Surya', the first indigenous Fleet Support Ship, at Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Visakhapatnam. The ship has cargo and liquid transfer capability, maintenance workshops, a helicopter deck and self-defence systems. The keel of FSS-5, the fifth fleet support ship, was also laid. The upgraded Slipway-4, able to build and launch ships of up to 45,000 DWT, and a 300-tonne Goliath crane built under Make in India were inaugurated.
Ship launched:
FSS-1 'Surya'
Slipway-4 capacity:
Up to 45,000 DWT
Crane:
300-tonne Goliath crane
Why it matters for exams: Naval shipbuilding milestones and Make in India defence projects feature in defence and science-tech sections.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
DWT Deadweight tonnage — The total weight a ship can carry, including cargo and fuel.
6 October 2026
The Ministry of Defence signed a contract worth ₹661.50 crore with BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited. It covers the BrahMos Fire Control System and Launcher for Indian Navy warships. The procurement is under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category with a minimum of 68 percent indigenous content. The project will generate employment over a period of three years. The contract was signed on 6 October 2026 in New Delhi in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.
Contract value:
₹661.50 crore
Indigenous content:
Minimum 68 percent
Category:
Buy (Indian-IDDM)
Employment generation period:
Three years
Why it matters for exams: Defence procurement categories and indigenous-content figures are favourite factual questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
IDDM Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured — A Defence Acquisition Procedure category favouring home-built systems.
6 October 2026
The Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress approved the revised National Defense Mobilization Law at its 24th session in August 2026.
It took effect on 1 October 2026.
The law has 14 chapters and 82 articles.
It is the first update since the original law was adopted in February 2010.
It defines national defense mobilization as State activities ensuring a rapid transition between peacetime and wartime.
It calls for promoting advanced technologies in national defense mobilization.
Structure:
14 chapters and 82 articles
Effective date:
1 October 2026
Original law adopted:
February 2010
Why it matters for exams: China's legislative organs and defence laws feature in polity-comparison and security questions.
UPSCSSC
In plain words
NPCSC Standing Committee of the National People's Congress — The permanent body of China's top legislature that passes laws between full sessions.
6 October 2026
WHO said repeated delays in bringing medicines and prosthetics into Gaza risk devastating consequences.
It is almost 12 months into a fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel marked by ongoing Israeli airstrikes.
Approved aid can enter only via Kerem Shalom; Rafah is open only for limited movement of people.
Almost 87 per cent of medicines are approved and just over 1 per cent rejected, but one prosthetics shipment was rejected four times.
Almost two million people need shelter against cold and flooding as winter begins.
WHO's Dr Reinhilde Van De Weerdt asked for unimpeded entry of supplies through several crossings.
Medicines approved:
almost 87 per cent
People needing shelter:
almost two million
Open aid crossing:
Kerem Shalom
Why it matters for exams: Shows how access rules and crossings shape humanitarian health aid in a ceasefire.
UPSC
In plain words
Dual use Items that could serve civilian and military purposes — Israel bars some items on this ground; WHO says essential medicines should not count.
6 October 2026
A key Ebola transit centre burned down in the Kigonze camp in Ituri province, DR Congo.
The camp had sheltered some 19,000 people and now lies abandoned, said UN Ebola response chief Julien Harneis.
Ebola has spread across seven provinces since a public health emergency was declared in mid-May.
More than 8,000 cases have been confirmed, including 4,000 deaths; Ituri remains the epicentre.
It is the country's 17th Ebola outbreak.
Fighting has delayed lab-sample transport and the transfer of confirmed patients.
WHO says safe burial teams in Ituri have risen from 53 to 114.
Confirmed cases:
more than 8,000
Deaths:
4,000
Provinces affected:
7
Why it matters for exams: Links armed conflict to the course of a public health emergency.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Transit centre Facility where suspected patients wait before treatment — Losing one means lost capacity and investment.