Daily Current Affairs Brief : February 28, 2026

Authored By : K Shiva

1. International Current Affairs

Pakistan-Afghanistan "Open War": Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif declared an "open war" with Afghanistan after Pakistan bombed major cities, including Kabul and Kandahar, in response to border clashes. Pakistan claimed to have killed 274 Taliban members, while the Taliban reported killing 55 Pakistani soldiers.

U.S. Embassy Evacuation in Israel: The U.S. Embassy in Israel has authorized non-emergency staff and families to leave the country immediately due to the looming threat of American strikes on Iran.

China Military Purge: China’s legislature dismissed 19 members, including nine high-ranking military officers, just ahead of its annual meeting. The removals, including three generals from the rocket force, are linked to an ongoing anti-corruption campaign.

U.K. Political Blow to Starmer: Britain's ruling Labour Party suffered a significant defeat, finishing third in a key bypoll for the Greater Manchester seat of Gorton and Denton, which was won by the Green Party.

Nepal Prime Ministerial Race: Nepal is set to hold elections on March 5 to elect its 16th Prime Minister in less than two decades, with a former rapper, a young leader from the oldest party, and a communist veteran in the fray.

Trump-Mamdani Meeting: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House to discuss housing affordability and the detention of students by immigration authorities.

2. National Current Affairs

Kejriwal and Sisodia Discharged: A Delhi special court discharged AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and 21 others in the excise policy case, citing a lack of material evidence. The court termed the CBI probe a "premeditated and choreographed exercise".

GDP Growth Outlook Upgraded: India's economic growth for FY26 has been upgraded to 7.6% under a new GDP series with 2022-23 as the base year, up from the previously estimated 7.4%.

INS Anjadip Commissioned: The Indian Navy commissioned INS Anjadip, the third of eight indigenously built ASW Shallow Water Craft, to boost its maritime capabilities.

SC Warns Against Anti-Investment Climate: The Supreme Court emphasized that constitutional courts must be careful with judicial reviews to avoid creating an "anti-investment atmosphere," particularly regarding liability laws for private nuclear power operators.

NCERT Textbook Recall: Following a Supreme Court ban, NCERT has asked for the return of a Class 8 Social Science textbook due to a controversial section on "judiciary corruption".

IAF Vayu Shakti Exercise: The Indian Air Force demonstrated its combat prowess at the "Vayu Shakti" exercise in Pokhran, Rajasthan, in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu.

3. Science & Technology

Micron's Semiconductor Debut: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the Micron Technology plant in Sanand, Gujarat, which is expected to account for 10% of the company's worldwide memory chip production.

640-Slice CT Scan in Hyderabad: Medicover Hospitals in Hyderabad introduced the first 640-slice CT scanner in the Telugu states, capable of detailed 3D heart visualization in just 5 seconds.

Deep Tech School Launch: The Sajjan Agarwal School of Technology (SASTech) at Rishihood University is launching India’s first endowed deep-tech school, focusing on AI, robotics, and cybersecurity.

JioFinance App Expansion: Jio Financial Services expanded its app into a marketplace for third-party products, utilizing AI and machine learning to provide financial advice and scores to users.

National Science Day (Feb 28): Today is National Science Day, commemorating the discovery of the "Raman Effect" by Sir C.V. Raman, which explains how light changes wavelength when passing through a material.

4. States Current Affairs

Telangana High Salaries: Telangana holds the distinction of being the state that pays the highest salaries to government employees in India.

Andhra Pradesh First Woman CJ: The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended Justice Sabina Gills as the first woman Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

Rayalaseema Horticulture Hub: CM Chandrababu Naidu announced a ₹1 lakh crore plan to transform Rayalaseema into a global horticulture hub, targeting production on 40 lakh acres.

Maharashtra "Ladki Bahin" Scheme: The Maharashtra government confirmed that the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, providing ₹1,500 monthly to women, will continue despite straining state funds.

Sujala Sravanthi Project: The Andhra Pradesh budget has allocated ₹1,600 crore (some reports say ₹2,600 crore) for the Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi project.

5. District & Local News

Groom Killed in East Godavari: A bridegroom was allegedly killed by his bride's family in Mandapeta mandal, East Godavari district, just hours after an inter-caste wedding.

Fake Insurance Racket in Hyderabad: Hyderabad police arrested nine individuals for running a fake vehicle insurance certificate racket using digital manipulation.

Double Murder in Goa: A double murder in the "Mini Russia" stretch of Goa has reignited safety concerns and questions regarding the investigation of foreigner deaths in the state.

Drone Survey for Illegal Units in Delhi: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) conducted a drone survey in West Delhi to identify illegal factories and dyeing units operating in residential areas.

6. Sports & Games

Ranji Trophy Milestone: Jammu & Kashmir is on the verge of a historic maiden Ranji Trophy title, led by strong bowling performances from Nabi and batting by Abdul Samad against Karnataka.

Arshdeep Singh Record: Arshdeep Singh became India’s leading wicket-taker in T20 World Cup history with 35 scalps, surpassing Jasprit Bumrah’s previous record.

England Victory over NZ: In a thrilling match, England’s Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed pulled off a major win against New Zealand.

Jamshedpur FC Leads ISL: Jamshedpur FC defeated East Bengal FC 2-1 to record their third consecutive win, taking them to the top of the Indian Super League table.

Champions League Draw: Real Madrid will face Manchester City in the knockout stage for the fifth consecutive season, while PSG is drawn against Chelsea.

7. Cinema & Entertainment

"The Kerala Story 2" Released: The Kerala High Court cleared the release of "The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond" after a Division Bench stayed a previous single-bench order that had temporarily halted it.

Abhishek Bachchan’s Multi-starrer: Producer Deepak Mukut announced a multi-starrer film featuring Abhishek Bachchan and Bobby Deol, which is reportedly a remake of the 1980 film "Do Aur Do Paanch".

Actor Dileep Case: The Kerala government has challenged the acquittal of actor Dileep in the 2017 actor rape case before the High Court.

Paramount Wins Warner Bros Bid: In international media news, Paramount is expected to win the bid for Warner Bros after Netflix dropped out of the race.

8. General Knowledge Points for Competitive Jobs

1. What is the theme for National Science Day 2026 observed today? Answer: "Women in Science: Catalysing Viksit Bharat." (The theme recognizes the pivotal role of women in driving India's scientific and technological progress toward a developed nation by 2047.)

2. Which rare celestial event is visible across India today, shortly after sunset? Answer: Six-Planet Alignment (Planet Parade). (Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, and Jupiter are aligned in the sky; four of these are visible to the naked eye.)

3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is launching a nationwide vaccination programme for girls today from Ajmer, Rajasthan. What is it targeting? Answer: HPV (Cervical Cancer) Vaccination. (The programme aims to vaccinate girls aged 9–14 to eliminate cervical cancer in the coming decades.)

4. India defeated which team by 72 runs in a crucial T20 World Cup Super 8 match last night at Chepauk? Answer: Zimbabwe. (India posted a massive 256/4, the highest total in T20 World Cup history, to keep their semifinal hopes alive.)

5. In the FIH Men’s Pro League, India recently finished its Hobart segment with a victory over which team? Answer: Australia. (India won the shootout 3-1 after a 1-1 draw in regulation time, earning a vital bonus point.)

6. Which Union Minister extended greetings today to the scientific community on National Science Day? Answer: Amit Shah.

7. Which autonomous institute in Shillong organized a major Student-Level Science Competition to mark Science Day? Answer: NECTAR (North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach).

8. The Australian women's cricket team took a 2-0 series lead against India today after winning the second ODI in which city? Answer: Hobart. (Australia won by 5 wickets; this series marks the final assignment for Australian captain Alyssa Healy before her retirement.)

9. Who was the Chief Guest for the National Science Day celebrations at the Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) in Pune today? Answer: Dr. Sangita M. Kasture (Scientist 'G', Ministry of New and Renewable Energy).

10. Which international grouping is India currently chairing in 2026, with major meetings ongoing this month? Answer: BRICS.

11. Durand Line: The 2,640-km border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, established in 1893, is not recognized by any Afghan government since 1973.

12. Raman Effect: Discovered by Sir C.V. Raman, it refers to the inelastic scattering of photons by matter, which leads to a change in the wavelength of light.

13. Fiscal Deficit Target: The lower nominal GDP estimate for FY26 has revised the fiscal deficit to 4.5% of GDP, compared to the 4.4% targeted in the Union Budget.

14. Saranagati: A spiritual concept in Hinduism involving five aspects: doing what pleases God, avoiding what displeases Him, total belief in His protection, viewing Him as the sole refuge, and realizing one's own limitations.

9. Do You Know?

• The 30-Minute Window: To see the Planet Parade today, you must look toward the western horizon exactly 30 to 60 minutes after sunset. After that, planets like Venus and Saturn will dip below the horizon.

• The First Nobel: National Science Day commemorates the discovery of the Raman Effect on this day in 1928. It led to Sir C.V. Raman becoming the first Asian to win a Nobel Prize in any branch of science (1930).

• Rare Disease Day: Today is also World Rare Disease Day (observed on the last day of February). It raises awareness for over 7,000 rare diseases that often lack specialized treatment.

• A "High" Record: India’s 256/4 against Zimbabwe isn't just a win; it’s the highest-ever score in the 20-year history of the T20 World Cup, breaking the previous record of 248.

• The "Viksit" Women: At IIT Gandhinagar today, a conclave titled "Women Force 2026" revealed that women now make up nearly 18% of India’s total scientific R&D workforce, a significant jump from 13% just five years ago.

• Solar Harvesting at Traffic Junctions: Hyderabad officials have been directed to set up water harvesting wells at all signal junctions and circles to capture rainwater.

• Rare Maps of Delhi: An exhibition of rare maps has opened in New Delhi, providing a look into the city's lost historical landscapes.

• Social Media for Children: Experts at the "Ideas of India" summit have advised that children under the age of 11 should not use social media.

10. Job & Educational Topics

APTRANSCO Tenders: APTRANSCO has invited online bids for O&M, housekeeping, and telecom works in the Visakhapatnam Zone for a 36-month period.

IISER Admissions 2026: Applications for 5-year BS-MS and 4-year B.Tech programs at IISER institutes across India (including Tirupati and Pune) will open on March 5, 2026.

Job Mela in Tirupati: APSPDCL and APSSDC are hosting a job mela in Tirupati on March 4, featuring major companies like Amara Raja and Hero Moto Corp.

11. Day Special: National Science Day

Significance: Celebrated every February 28th to mark the announcement of the Raman Effect discovery in 1928, for which Sir C.V. Raman won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930.

2026 Theme: The day focuses on "Science for a Sustainable Future," emphasizing the role of indigenous technology in India's development (Viksit Bharat).