Daily Current Affairs Brief: February 13, 2026

Authored B K Shiva

1. International Current Affairs

Russia Blocks WhatsApp: The Russian government has completely blocked the messaging app WhatsApp, citing its failure to comply with local laws. The Kremlin has urged citizens to switch to a state-backed domestic alternative called "MAX".

Bangladesh General Elections: Voting has concluded in Bangladesh's first general election since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina. Early projections show the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, taking a lead, followed by Jamaat-e-Islami.

Canada School Shooting: An 18-year-old woman with a history of mental health issues killed her mother and stepbrother before attacking her former school in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, resulting in eight fatalities.

Settlement for Indian Student in US: The city of Seattle has agreed to a $29 million (approximately ₹262 crore) settlement with the family of Jaahnavi Kandula, an Andhra Pradesh student killed by a speeding police vehicle in 2023.

Nissan Turnaround: Japanese automaker Nissan reported a surprise profit in the third quarter, signaling that its global manufacturing footprint reduction and turnaround plan are gaining traction.

2. National Current Affairs

Massive Rafale Deal: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has cleared a proposal to purchase 114 Rafale multirole fighter aircraft from France. Of these, 90 aircraft are expected to be manufactured in India.

New Retail Inflation Series: The government released retail inflation data based on a new 2024 series. Inflation for January 2026 stood at 2.75%, with a reduced weightage for food and beverages.

India-US Trade Deal: Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal announced that the interim trade deal with the US, expected by mid-March, will provide India with zero-duty textile export benefits similar to those recently granted to Bangladesh.

Supreme Court on Rera: The Supreme Court criticized the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (Rera), suggesting it has become a "rehabilitation center" for retired bureaucrats and is failing to provide effective relief to home buyers.

Nationwide General Strike: Central trade unions and farm unions reported that over 30 crore participants joined a general strike on Thursday to protest against new Labour Codes and free trade deals.

Seva Teerth Inauguration: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate "Seva Teerth," a new consolidated building complex housing the PMO, Cabinet Secretariat, and National Security Council.

3. Science & Technology

Bharat Bodhan AI Conclave: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated a two-day conclave in New Delhi, stating that India's AI will be "inclusive by design, interoperable by architecture, and sovereign by capability".

AI in Education: Discussions at the AI conclave focused on deploying AI at scale across India's education system in alignment with NEP 2020.

Digital Public Infrastructure for Power: The Ministry of Power released Version 0.3 of the India Energy Stack (IES) architecture to enable secure data exchange and interactions among utilities and consumers.

Space-Based AIS for Navy: The DAC approved the acquisition of a High-Altitude Satellite-based Automatic Identification System (AIS) for maritime surveillance.

AI for Disaster Recovery: Industry leaders highlighted the use of AI layers in predictive monitoring to prevent disasters and build robust recovery systems.

4. States Current Affairs

Andhra Pradesh State Budget: The A.P. government is set to present its 2026-27 State Budget on Saturday, with an estimated size between ₹3.38 lakh crore and ₹3.48 lakh crore, focusing on "Super Six" welfare schemes.

Telangana Municipal Elections: Counting of votes for 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations in Telangana began on Friday morning under tight security.

99-Paise Land Policy in A.P.: IT Minister Nara Lokesh defended the allotment of land to five major companies (including TCS and Cognizant) at 99 paise per acre, calling it a pro-jobs initiative aimed at creating 20 lakh jobs by 2029.

Ladakh Territorial Council: The Centre has offered a territorial council to Ladakh while making it clear that Sixth Schedule status or full statehood will not be granted.

Karnataka MLA Arrest: CID arrested KR Pura BJP MLA B.A. Basavaraja at the Bengaluru airport in connection with the murder of a realtor after the Supreme Court rejected his bail plea.

5. District & Local News

New Civic Bodies for Hyderabad: The two new civic bodies carved out of the expanded GHMC (Cyberabad and Malkajgiri) will each receive ₹500 crore for urgent infrastructure works.

Srisailam Temple Rush: Thousands of devotees are reaching the Srisailam temple for Mahasivaratri Brahmotsavams. Authorities have exempted toll fees for vehicles from February 13 to 16.

QR Codes for Transport Vehicles: The Telangana Transport Department will mandate a QR-based verification system for reflective tapes on transport vehicles starting February 20 to enhance night safety.

TIMS Opening: The Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) at Sanathnagar is scheduled to be inaugurated on Ugadi (March 19).

6. Sports & Games

India vs. Namibia T20: Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan starred for India in a T20 match against Namibia; Pandya scored 52 runs and Kishan hit a quick fifty.

T20 World Cup - Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka defeated Oman, with Pavan Rathnayake scoring his maiden T20I fifty. Sri Lanka now tops Group B.

Cricket Returns to Bengaluru: The Karnataka cabinet approved the resumption of cricket matches at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, allowing RCB to host IPL matches there.

Delhi Khelo Mahakumbh: The capital is set to kick off the "Khelo Mahakumbh" on Friday, featuring over 30,000 athletes competing across 17 stadiums.

Hockey Pro League: The Indian men's hockey team suffered a heavy defeat against Argentina in Rourkela.

7. Cinema & Entertainment

F1 Movie Sequel: Producer Jerry Bruckheimer revealed that a sequel to the 2025 blockbuster "F1" is currently in the works .

Sarla Maheshwari Passes Away: Former popular Doordarshan newsreader Sarla Maheshwari, known for her diction in the 1980s, passed away on Thursday.

Ameesha Patel's Alma Mater Visit: Actress Ameesha Patel visited her graduation alma mater and shared nostalgic memories on social media.

New Film Releases: "Myths and Legends" and an exhibition titled "Satyam Shivam Sundaram" by Srikanth Babu Adepu are opening today.

8. General Knowledge Points

1. Which two important days are celebrated globally and in India today, 13 February? Answer: World Radio Day and National Women’s Day (India).

2. What is the theme for World Radio Day 2026? Answer: “Radio and Artificial Intelligence: AI is a tool, not a voice.” (The theme emphasizes that while AI can enhance broadcasting, the human voice remains the heart of radio.)

3. National Women’s Day is celebrated in India to commemorate the birth anniversary of which leader? Answer: Sarojini Naidu (Today marks her 147th birth anniversary. Known as the "Nightingale of India," she was a key freedom fighter and poet.)

4. According to the latest 2026 reports, which party won a landslide victory in the historic Bangladesh parliamentary elections? Answer: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) (The election is expected to restore political stability in the region.)

5. The Ministry of Cooperation recently launched which initiative to boost the role of women in the dairy sector? Answer: White Revolution 2.0 (Launched by Union Minister Amit Shah, it aims to empower women through cooperative-led dairy farming.)

6. India recently signed a major bilateral Social Security Agreement with which country for cross-border workers? Answer: United Kingdom (UK) (This allows workers to secure a Certificate of Coverage (CoC) via the EPFO or MEA.)

7. Which major defense acquisition was recently cleared by the Indian government for approximately ₹3.25 lakh crore? Answer: 114 Rafale fighter jets (The deal also includes P-8I submarine hunter aircraft to strengthen naval and air preparedness.)

8. Which Indian city is hosting the first BRICS Sherpas' and Sous Sherpas' meeting under India's 2026 Presidency? Answer: New Delhi (The meeting, chaired by Sudhakar Dalela, focused on priorities like health, agriculture, and innovation.)

9. A mud volcano recently erupted in which Indian island territory? Answer: Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Diglipur, Middle Andaman) (Unlike regular volcanoes, these release mud and gases rather than lava.)

10. Which international high-speed rail project was recently announced to connect Riyadh and Doha in just two hours? Answer: Saudi Arabia–Qatar 785 km Bullet Train Project

11. Kodan-vuru-ta-kantan: An ancient Tamil inscription meaning "Kopan came and saw" was found in a tomb in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, confirming historical trade between India and the Roman world.

12. Nightingale of India: Sarojini Naidu, whose birth anniversary is celebrated as National Women's Day on February 13, was famously known by this title.

13. Soleus Push-ups: A simple seated exercise that activates calf muscles can significantly lower post-meal sugar spikes and improve metabolic health.

9. Do You Know?

• The "Nightingale's" Record: Sarojini Naidu was so brilliant that at age 13, she wrote a 1,300-line poem titled The Lady of the Lake in just six days.

• The 300-Million-Year-Old River: Scientists have confirmed that the Finke River in Australia is likely the world's oldest river system. Interestingly, it only flows a few days a year; for the rest of the time, it remains a dry bed with ancient hidden waterholes.

• Radio's "Nightingale" Anniversary: While we celebrate World Radio Day, did you know the first Community Radio Station in India was inaugurated on February 1, 2004?

• The "Romeo-Juliet" Legal Clause: The Supreme Court of India has officially suggested adding a "Romeo-Juliet" clause to the POCSO Act to protect adolescents in consensual relationships from being treated as criminals.

• Ancient Arrow Poison: New research released today reveals that humans in Southern Africa were using poisoned arrows made from the deadly gifbol plant as far back as 60,000 years ago.

• World Radio Day: February 13 is observed as World Radio Day to celebrate the medium's role in education and cultural heritage

• Sixth Schedule: This constitutional provision provides for the administration of tribal areas in certain states to protect indigenous identity; Ladakh has been demanding this status.

10. Job & Educational Topics

IIT Lucknow AI Course: IIT Lucknow will start a Bachelor of Science (BS) course in Artificial Intelligence and Business Analytics for the 2026-27 academic year, with an option for an integrated M.Tech.

Intermediate Hall Tickets: The Board of Intermediate Education (BIE) in Andhra Pradesh is releasing hall tickets for the first and second-year Intermediate Public Examinations on Friday.

Salary Hikes at Wipro: Wipro is reportedly planning to roll out salary increments for its employees starting March 1, 2026.

Foreign Universities in India: The University of Southampton is setting up a campus near Delhi, becoming one of the first British universities to operate in India under new rules.

11. Day Special: National Women's Day & World Radio Day

National Women's Day (India): February 13 marks the birth anniversary of Sarojini Naidu. It is celebrated to honor her contributions to women's rights and the independence movement.

World Radio Day: Celebrated globally on February 13, highlighting the radio as a powerful tool for information and democratic discourse.