Current affairs: Monday, November 2, 2026

Monday, November 2, 2026

1. Assam and the Northeast

   Centre extends northern bullet train corridor to Guwahati

   Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on 31 October 2026 that the northern bullet train corridor has been approved and will be extended to Guwahati. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the corridor was first planned to end at Siliguri.

   Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced in Varanasi on Saturday, 31 October 2026, that the northern corridor of the proposed bullet train project has received the Prime Minister's approval and will be extended to Guwahati. He made the announcement before flagging off the new Vande Bharat Sleeper Express between Varanasi and New Delhi, and said the construction would be fully "Make in India".

   The corridor will connect Delhi, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Patna and Siliguri before reaching Guwahati. The minister gave estimated travel times for some sections: Delhi–Agra 59 minutes, Delhi–Kanpur 1 hour 45 minutes, Delhi–Lucknow 2 hours 12 minutes, Lucknow–Varanasi 1 hour 21 minutes and Varanasi–Delhi 3 hours 35 minutes.

   On Sunday, 1 November, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma welcomed the decision. He said the corridor was first meant to end at Siliguri and was extended to the Northeast after his written request and a meeting with the Railway Minister in July. He said a Guwahati–Delhi journey could take under eight hours. No construction timeline, and no official journey time for the Guwahati–Delhi section, was given.

   For Assam, the extension would link Guwahati by high-speed rail with Patna, Varanasi, Lucknow and Delhi. India's first high-speed rail line, between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, is being built with Japan's help. Siliguri lies on the narrow Siliguri Corridor, often called the "Chicken's Neck", which joins the Northeast to the rest of India.

   Points to remember

   • The northern bullet train corridor was approved and extended to Guwahati (announced 31 October 2026).
   • Announced by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in Varanasi.
   • Route: Delhi, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Patna, Siliguri and Guwahati.
   • The corridor was originally planned to end at Siliguri.
   • Estimated Delhi–Agra travel time: 59 minutes.
   • India's first high-speed rail line: Mumbai–Ahmedabad.

   For the exam: The northern bullet train corridor (Delhi–Varanasi–Patna–Siliguri) will be extended to Guwahati; it was first planned to end at Siliguri.

2. Assam and the Northeast

   Cooch Behar royal family backs statues of Naranarayan and Chilarai

   The royal family of Cooch Behar has welcomed Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's plan to install statues of Maharaja Naranarayan and Mahabir Chilarai along the Assam–West Bengal border. The Chief Minister announced the plan during a visit to Madhupur Dham Satra in Cooch Behar.

   The Cooch Behar Royal Family Succession Welfare Trust, which represents the descendants of Maharaja Naranarayan, has written to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma welcoming his announcement of grand statues of Maharaja Naranarayan and Mahabir Chilarai along the Assam–West Bengal border. The trust's president is Kumar Jitendra Narayan.

   The Chief Minister made the announcement during a recent visit to Madhupur Dham Satra in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal, where Mahapurush Srimanta Sankaradeva spent the last years of his life.

   Naranarayan was a 16th-century Koch king, and his younger brother Chilarai was his military commander. The royal family's letter recalls that the two protected the greater Assamese region from outside enemies, rebuilt the Kamakhya temple after it was destroyed by invaders, and supported Sankaradeva in spreading the Vaishnavite faith, including setting up the satra at Madhupur.

   The family also gave the Chief Minister a memorandum. It asks for encroachments to be removed from Madhupur Dham Satra's land, for Damodar Dham at Baikunthapur to be developed, for the under-construction bridge over the Brahmaputra between Dhubri in Assam and Phulbari in Meghalaya to be named after Mahabir Chilarai, and for the historic Gohain Kamal Ali road, about 350 km long, to be rebuilt.

   Chilarai's real name was Shukladhwaj; he earned the name Chilarai for the speed of his attacks, said to be like a kite's. The Kamakhya temple stands on Nilachal hill in Guwahati.

   Points to remember

   • Statues of Maharaja Naranarayan and Mahabir Chilarai are planned along the Assam–West Bengal border.
   • Announced by CM Himanta Biswa Sarma at Madhupur Dham Satra, Cooch Behar.
   • Sankaradeva spent his last years at Madhupur.
   • Chilarai (real name Shukladhwaj) was Naranarayan's younger brother and commander.
   • Demand: name the Dhubri–Phulbari Brahmaputra bridge after Chilarai.
   • Gohain Kamal Ali: a historic road of about 350 km.

   For the exam: Statues of Koch king Naranarayan and his brother and commander Chilarai are planned along the Assam–West Bengal border.

3. Assam and the Northeast

   Below-normal rain strains Kaziranga's grasslands and wetlands

   Below-normal rainfall in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve is holding back the growth of grasses that rhinos, elephants and deer feed on, a WWF India conservationist said on 1 November 2026. Many lakes and beels in the park have little water, and some have dried up.

   Erratic rainfall in Assam and the Northeast is affecting forests, including Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, said Amit Sharma, a senior rhino conservationist with WWF India, on 1 November 2026.

   He said rainfall in Kaziranga is below the range needed for healthy vegetation, so the grasses and plants that feed herbivores are growing poorly. With less nutritious food, the health of rhinos, elephants and deer could suffer over time, and the animals' behaviour could change. He added that temperatures in the state have risen over the last couple of years, and that heavy rain in some places has caused flash floods that did not happen 10 to 15 years ago.

   Because the monsoon rain was low, most lakes and beels inside Kaziranga have less water, and some areas have dried up. Water hyacinth and other invasive plants, usually carried away by floods, now cover parts of the water bodies. Rivers and rivulets that flow into the park from the Karbi Anglong hills to the south have been blocked or have dried up because of human activity in the hills, including in the Agaratoli range in the east of the park. He called for nature-based solutions and a study of the soil and other data.

   A senior forest official said the flooding of the forest in the monsoon is necessary: it keeps up the water table and brings silt that makes the soil fertile.

   Kaziranga, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, has the world's largest population of the one-horned rhinoceros.

   Points to remember

   • Below-normal rainfall is hurting grass growth in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.
   • Concern raised by Amit Sharma of WWF India (1 November 2026).
   • Many lakes and beels inside the park have little water; some have dried up.
   • Rivulets from the Karbi Anglong hills to the south are blocked or dried up.
   • Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary is also affected.
   • Kaziranga: UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.

   For the exam: Below-normal rainfall is reducing grass growth and drying up beels in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.

4. Assam and the Northeast

   Study: elephants feed mostly on grass in Udalguri's tea gardens

   Grasses made up 81.6% of the feeding seen among Asian elephants in tea gardens of Udalguri district, according to a study in the Journal of Threatened Taxa reported on 1 November 2026. Researchers recorded 103 feeding events between August and November 2024.

   A study titled "Feeding Habits of Asian Elephants in Tea Gardens of Assam, India", published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa, found that tea gardens are not only shelters for elephants but also places where they feed.

   The researchers watched elephants during the day in Udalguri, a district of the Bodoland Territorial Region with high human–elephant conflict, which is part of a landscape linking Assam with Bhutan. They recorded 103 feeding events between August and November 2024. Of these, 81.6% were on grasses, 9.7% on trees and 8.7% on herbs. Plants eaten included Albizia lebbeck, kadam (Neolamarckia cadamba), Cynodon dactylon and Bombax ceiba.

   The lead author, Richard Sangma of the Wildlife Institute of India, said earlier studies had described tea estates mainly as daytime refuges and corridors, while these observations show that elephants also find food there, especially on grassy edges in the monsoon and post-monsoon months. He cautioned that it was a daytime study over a few months and does not describe elephants' full diet.

   The study notes that forest loss, plantations and farming have broken up elephant habitat in Udalguri, bringing elephants closer to villages and fields. It cites records from the Dhansiri Forest Division of 221 human casualties, including 144 deaths, and 96 elephant deaths between 2011 and 2024.

   The Asian elephant is India's National Heritage Animal. The Wildlife Institute of India is in Dehradun.

   Points to remember

   • Study: Feeding Habits of Asian Elephants in Tea Gardens of Assam, India.
   • Published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa.
   • Area: Udalguri district, Bodoland Territorial Region.
   • 103 feeding events recorded, August–November 2024: 81.6% grasses, 9.7% trees, 8.7% herbs.
   • Lead author: Richard Sangma, Wildlife Institute of India.
   • The Asian elephant is India's National Heritage Animal.

   For the exam: A study of elephants in Udalguri's tea gardens found that 81.6% of their observed feeding was on grasses.

5. Assam and the Northeast

   Dibrugarh first in Assam to become a 'Surakshit District' for HIV/AIDS

   Dibrugarh has become the first of Assam's six high-priority districts to reach all three 95-95-95 HIV targets and earn 'Surakshit District' status under the National AIDS Control Programme, as shown on NACO's Mobilization for AIDS Suraksha (MAS) Dashboard.

   Dibrugarh district has attained 'Surakshit District' status under the National AIDS Control Programme, it was reported on 31 October 2026. It is the first of Assam's six identified high-priority districts to achieve all three targets of the 95-95-95 framework, as shown on the Mobilization for AIDS Suraksha (MAS) Dashboard of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO).

   The 95-95-95 targets mean that 95% of all people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those diagnosed receive antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 95% of those on treatment achieve viral suppression. Reaching all three greatly reduces the spread of HIV and improves the lives of people living with it.

   Mobilization for AIDS Suraksha is a NACO framework to speed up India's work towards ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. The district's success is credited to the District AIDS Prevention and Control Unit (DAPCU), the Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTCs), the ART Centre, health workers, partner departments and community members.

   HIV testing and treatment are free at all government health facilities. The National AIDS Helpline number is 1097.

   NACO works under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

   Points to remember

   • Dibrugarh: first of Assam's six high-priority districts to get 'Surakshit District' status.
   • Met all three 95-95-95 HIV targets.
   • Shown on NACO's Mobilization for AIDS Suraksha (MAS) Dashboard.
   • Goal: end HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
   • National AIDS Helpline: 1097.
   • NACO is under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

   For the exam: Dibrugarh is the first of Assam's six high-priority districts to reach all three 95-95-95 HIV targets and get 'Surakshit District' status.

6. Assam and the Northeast

   71st Bordoloi Trophy: cluster matches played in 20 districts

   Cluster-wise matches of the 71st Bharat Ratna Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Trophy were played across 20 districts of Assam on 1 November 2026. Lenruol FC beat Sporting Spirit YC 22-3 in Silchar, the day's highest-scoring match.

   The 71st Bharat Ratna Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Trophy 2026 continued across Assam on 1 November with cluster-wise matches in 20 districts, played at venues in six clusters.

   The highest-scoring match of the day was in Silchar (Cluster 5), where Lenruol FC beat Sporting Spirit YC 22-3. In Kamrup (Metro), Girijananda Sports Club beat Greenfield FC 8-0, one of the biggest wins of the tournament so far.

   Other big wins came in Nagaon, where Nowgong Town Club beat Kachamari Sub Kriya Santha 7-2, and in Barpeta, where Navarup Club, Kahibari beat Chenga Anchalik Krira Sangha 7-2. In West Karbi Anglong, DSA beat Tumpreng FC 6-1, and in Charaideo, Mahmora Nabajyoti Sangha beat Manjushree Tea Estate FC 5-0. In Karbi Anglong, Chirinti FC Dengaon edged Young Gun FC 5-4.

   The cluster stage brings clubs from districts across the state into the tournament.

   The trophy is named after Gopinath Bordoloi, the first Chief Minister of Assam, who was given the Bharat Ratna in 1999. He is called "Lokapriya", meaning "loved by the people".

   Points to remember

   • 71st Bharat Ratna Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Trophy 2026.
   • Cluster matches in 20 districts on 1 November 2026.
   • Highest score: Lenruol FC 22-3 Sporting Spirit YC, in Silchar.
   • Girijananda Sports Club beat Greenfield FC 8-0 in Kamrup (Metro).
   • Gopinath Bordoloi: first Chief Minister of Assam; Bharat Ratna 1999.

   For the exam: The 71st Bordoloi Trophy is named after Gopinath Bordoloi, Assam's first Chief Minister (Bharat Ratna, 1999).

7. India

   Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express flagged off

   Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express from SMVT Bengaluru on 1 November 2026. The overnight train runs to CSMT Mumbai through Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

   Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express on Sunday, 1 November 2026, from Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT), Bengaluru. The new overnight service runs to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Mumbai, linking India's IT and start-up capital with its financial capital.

   The train runs through Anantapur and Guntakal in Andhra Pradesh; Raichur, Yadgir, Wadi and Kalaburagi in Karnataka; and Solapur, Pune and Kalyan in Maharashtra. Railway officials said it would especially improve overnight travel for passengers from North Karnataka.

   It leaves Bengaluru at 7.45 pm and reaches Mumbai at 11.55 am the next day. In the other direction, it leaves Mumbai at 8.10 pm and reaches Bengaluru at noon the next day. It runs six days a week: not on Mondays from Bengaluru and not on Tuesdays from Mumbai.

   The service follows the first Vande Bharat Sleeper services on the Howrah–Guwahati corridor in January 2026 and the Varanasi–New Delhi service flagged off on 31 October 2026.

   The first Vande Bharat Express, a day train with chair cars, ran between New Delhi and Varanasi in 2019. SMVT Bengaluru is named after the engineer M. Visvesvaraya, whose birthday, 15 September, is observed as Engineers' Day in India.

   Points to remember

   • Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express flagged off on 1 November 2026.
   • Flagged off by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw from SMVT Bengaluru.
   • Runs SMVT Bengaluru to CSMT Mumbai through Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
   • Runs six days a week, overnight.
   • First Vande Bharat Sleeper services: Howrah–Guwahati corridor, January 2026.
   • First Vande Bharat Express: New Delhi–Varanasi, 2019.

   For the exam: The Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express (SMVT Bengaluru–CSMT Mumbai) was flagged off on 1 November 2026.

8. World

   Ebola outbreak in DR Congo passes 5,000 deaths

   More than 5,000 people have died in the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, government data showed on 31 October 2026. The outbreak, which began in May, has over 10,300 confirmed cases in eight of the country's 26 provinces.

   More than 5,000 people have died in the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), according to government data reported on 31 October 2026. There are more than 10,300 confirmed cases, and eight of the country's 26 provinces are affected. The case fatality rate is 48.6%.

   The outbreak began in May and became the deadliest in DR Congo's history in August. The United Nations says it is the country's 17th Ebola outbreak and the second largest in history. The epicentre is Ituri province in the north-east, a conflict zone, which makes the virus harder to contain. Health workers and a politician have been attacked while responding to it.

   The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species of the virus, for which there is not yet any treatment or vaccine. Clinical trials of vaccines are under way. DR Congo's previous deadliest outbreak killed 2,299 people between 2018 and 2020. The deadliest in history was in West Africa in 2014–2016, which killed more than 11,325 people.

   The disease has also reached neighbouring countries: Uganda recorded 20 cases and two deaths, with none reported since August, and Kenya has had nine confirmed cases and two deaths.

   Ebola spreads through contact with the body fluids of an infected person, such as blood or vomit. The virus was first identified in 1976, near the Ebola River in what is now DR Congo.

   Points to remember

   • Ebola deaths in DR Congo passed 5,000 (reported 31 October 2026).
   • Over 10,300 confirmed cases in 8 of 26 provinces; fatality rate 48.6%.
   • Epicentre: Ituri province.
   • Caused by the Bundibugyo species: no treatment or vaccine yet.
   • DR Congo's 17th Ebola outbreak; second largest in history.
   • Deadliest ever: West Africa, 2014–2016.

   For the exam: DR Congo's Ebola outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo species, has killed more than 5,000 people; its epicentre is Ituri province.