Daily Current Affairs Brief: February 11, 2026

Authored By: K Shiva

1. International Current Affairs

U.S.-Bangladesh Trade Deal: The U.S. and Bangladesh have struck a deal securing a reduced 19% reciprocal tariff for Bangladesh, causing concern among Indian textile exporters.

Trump's China Visit: U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly scheduled to visit Beijing in April to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Indo-China Strategic Dialogue: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held meetings with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, discussing the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and bilateral ties.

Russia on India-US Ties: Russia expressed hope that the recent India-US trade framework would not adversely affect India-Russia energy ties, particularly oil imports.

Bangladesh Minority Concerns: Ahead of the February 12 elections, the Hindu community in Bangladesh has expressed deep concern over safety following a series of violent incidents.

Nepal Bus Accident: A tragic accident occurred in central Nepal where a passenger bus fell into the Tamakoshi River, resulting in 12 deaths.

2. National Current Affairs

Opposition vs. Speaker: At least 118 Opposition MPs (excluding TMC) have submitted a notice to remove Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, accusing him of partisanship.

New IT Rules for AI: The Union government has notified amendments to the IT Rules, 2026, requiring photorealistic AI-generated content to be prominently labeled starting February 20.

Stricter Content Takedown: New regulations now mandate social media platforms to remove illegal or sensitive content (like deepfakes) within 2 to 3 hours, down from the previous 24–36 hours.

Assam Voter Roll Purification: The Election Commission deleted 2.4 lakh names from Assam's final electoral rolls to remove duplicates and deceased voters, achieving near-perfect gender parity.

Enforcement Directorate Action: The ED has issued fresh summons to Anil and Tina Ambani in connection with a probe into alleged money laundering of ₹40,000 crore.

3. Science & Technology

AI Impact Summit 2026: New Delhi is set to host a major global summit from February 16–20, with attendees including CEOs like Sam Altman (OpenAI), Sundar Pichai (Google), and Jensen Huang (NVIDIA).

ISRO's Future Goals: ISRO Chairman Dr. S. Somanath announced plans for a human moon landing by 2040 and the establishment of a Bharatiya Space Station by 2045.

Agentic AI: Today's news highlights the rise of "Agentic AI"—systems designed to act autonomously toward goals rather than just responding to prompts.

AI in Healthcare: Doctors at AIIMS are using AI-assisted reconstruction for complex surgeries, though some jaw reconstruction procedures have been delayed due to administrative hurdles.

Environmental Monitoring: The Yamuna river has seen a return of white thick froth at Kalindi Kunj, prompting calls for more rigorous technology-enabled water quality monitoring.

4. States Current Affairs

Andhra Pradesh Budget: The A.P. Budget session commences today, with the state budget scheduled to be presented on February 14.

Statutory Status for Amaravati: CM Chandrababu Naidu met Union Ministers Amit Shah and Nirmala Sitharaman, seeking statutory backing for Amaravati as the state capital.

J&K Water Projects: CM Omar Abdullah stated that the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty by the Centre has paved the way for work to begin on the Tulbul Navigation Barrage and Chenab water lifting projects.

Unclaimed Deposits in A.P.: The Lok Sabha was informed that unclaimed bank deposits in Andhra Pradesh total ₹2,279 crore as of January 2026.

Telangana Local Polls: Tensions rose in Telangana ahead of urban local body elections following the suspicious death of a BJP candidate in Narayanapet.

5. District & Local News

Visakhapatnam Metro: The state government has made progress on the DPR for the Visakhapatnam Metro Rail project, with minor changes being finalized.

Fake Hallmarking Raid: BIS officials conducted a raid at a gold hallmarking center in Kurupam Market, Visakhapatnam, seizing a laser marking machine used for fake hallmarks.

Vijayawada Drone Surveillance: Police in Vijayawada have deployed 42 drones for continuous aerial surveillance to monitor traffic, crime, and public safety.

Mathura Tragedy: A family of five, including three children, was found dead in Mathura; police suspect a case of murder-suicide.

GVMC Amenities: Visakhapatnam corporators have demanded improved drinking water, sanitation, and electricity during a review meet with the GVMC Commissioner.

6. Sports & Games

Asian Shooting Championship: Kazakhstan's Sofiya Shulzhenko set a new world record in the 50m rifle 3 positions event at the championship held in New Delhi.

Ranji Trophy: Bengal defeated Andhra by an innings and 100 runs in the quarterfinals to qualify for the semifinals.

T20 World Cup: Key league matches today include England vs. West Indies and Australia vs. Afghanistan.

Sumit Nagal's Win: Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal progressed to the second round of his tournament after a three-set victory over Felix Gill.

Serena Williams' Return: The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has listed Serena Williams as eligible to return to the court from February 22.

7. Cinema & Entertainment

Title Change for 'Rai Wala': The film starring Shiva Kandukuri, originally titled Rai Wala, has been renamed 'Nawab' due to sensor-related adjustments.

Maniam Selven’s Tribute: A new coffee-table book titled 'The Complete Artist' has been launched as a tribute to the legendary artist Maniam to mark his birth centenary.

Extortion Threat: Actor Ranveer Singh reportedly received an extortion threat via a voice note, allegedly from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

Sachin Tendulkar in Delhi: Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar met PM Modi to invite him for his son Arjun’s wedding; he also met A.P. CM Naidu at the Delhi airport.

8. General Knowledge Points

1. Which international observance is celebrated today to advocate for full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls? Answer: International Day of Women and Girls in Science (UNESCO and UN-Women are hosting a global event today under the theme: "From Vision to Impact: Redefining STEM by Closing the Gender Gap.")

2. India and which neighboring country recently held a Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi to discuss trade concerns and LAC stability? Answer: China (Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu met to focus on stabilizing bilateral ties following the 2024 border agreements.)

3. Which Indian state has officially become the largest wool producer in India as of February 2026? Answer: Rajasthan (According to the latest Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics, Rajasthan accounts for nearly 47.5% of the national wool output.)

4. India recently signed a "Joint Declaration of Intent" with which country to boost defense industrial cooperation? Answer: Greece (The agreement establishes a 5-year roadmap for collaboration between India's Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and Greece's defense reforms.)

5. ISRO has recently identified "Mons Mouton-4" as the prospective landing site for which upcoming lunar mission? Answer: Chandrayaan-4 (Mons Mouton-4 is located near the Moon's south pole and was chosen for its high scientific potential for sample return.)

6. Opposition parties in India have recently submitted a motion seeking the removal of which high-ranking constitutional officer? Answer: Lok Sabha Speaker (Om Birla) (The move comes amid repeated disruptions and disagreements over the functioning of the House during the Budget Session.)

7. Which international financial institution recently approved a $182 million loan to manage flood and soil erosion in Assam? Answer: Asian Development Bank (ADB) (The funding will extend integrated risk management measures along high-priority reaches of the Brahmaputra river.)

8. The CBSE has announced the introduction of which new technology-driven evaluation method for Class 10 and 12 board exams starting in 2026? Answer: Digital Screen-Based Marking (This move is expected to streamline the evaluation process and significantly reduce manual errors.)

9. Which Indian city is currently implementing a fresh budget plan to achieve "Cleaner Air" targets by the end of 2026? Answer: New Delhi (The Commission for Air Quality Management announced measurable targets and budget provisions to reduce historical pollution levels.)

10. Pakistan has recently reversed its earlier decision and agreed to play its match against India in which global tournament? Answer: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (The highly anticipated fixture is set to take place on February 15, ensuring the tournament proceeds with all major teams.)

11. BIS Act 2016: Provides for penalties including imprisonment of up to one year or heavy fines for using counterfeit hallmarks.

12. Safe Harbour Principle: A legal protection for digital intermediaries (like social media) that prevents them from being held liable for user-generated content, provided they comply with takedown rules.

13. Indus Water Treaty (1960): Governs the sharing of water from the Indus river system between India and Pakistan; parts of it are currently in abeyance by India.

14. Finance Commission: The 16th Finance Commission’s recommendation to scrap Revenue Deficit Grants is a major fiscal discussion point for states like A.P..

9. Do You Know?

• The Ferrero-Lourdes Secret: The famous chocolate Ferrero Rocher was actually inspired by the "Rocher de Massabielle," the rocky grotto at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in France. The word "Rocher" means "rock" in French.

• The First "Robot": On this day in 1938, the BBC produced the world's first-ever science fiction TV program. It was an adaptation of a play that originally coined the word "robot."

• A "Light-Day" Away: NASA's Voyager 1 is expected to become the first human-made object to reach a distance of one light-day from Earth (approx. 26 billion km) later this year.

• Thomas Edison’s Birthday: Today is the birth anniversary of Thomas Edison, the world's most prolific inventor. It is also celebrated as National Inventors' Day in his honor.

• Lattes and Guitars: Aside from science and politics, today is also globally recognized as National Latte Day and National Get Out Your Guitar Day!

• Take One's Medicine: An idiom meaning to be willing to accept punishment or something unpleasant.

• BMB Portal: The RBI's UDGAM portal serves as a centralized search platform for unclaimed deposits but does not settle claims directly.

10. Job & Educational Topics

CBSE Class XII Evaluation: CBSE has announced that Class XII evaluation will move to an on-screen marking system, while Class X will remain manual.

A.P. Fee Reimbursement: The A.P. government has released ₹1,200 crore toward fee reimbursement for the 2024-25 academic year, benefiting students from BC, Minority, and EWS categories.

New Recruitment: ECIL Hyderabad is recruiting for 18 Executive Officer posts via interview on February 20.

IIT Guwahati Jobs: Applications are open for Junior Research Fellows and Associate Project Engineers; the deadline is February 16, 2026.

11. Day Special: February 11

International Day of Women and Girls in Science: Celebrated annually on February 11 to promote full and equal access to science for women and girls.

World Unani Day: Observed to mark the birth anniversary of Unani scholar Hakim Ajmal Khan and promote the holistic healing traditions of Unani medicine