Daily Current Affairs Brief: February 8, 2026

Authored By: K Shiva

1. International Current Affairs

India-US Interim Trade Deal: India and the US have unveiled a framework for an interim trade agreement, signaling a significant shift in bilateral relations.

Removal of Russian Oil Penalty: US President Donald Trump signed an executive order lifting the 25% penalty tariff on Indian goods, which had been imposed due to India's purchase of Russian oil.

Commitment to Stop Russian Oil: The US executive order claims India has committed to stop "directly or indirectly" importing Russian oil, though Indian officials maintain that energy security remains a top priority.

Iran Threatens US Bases: Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi warned that Iran will strike US bases in the Middle East if attacked by American forces massed in the region.

US-Ukraine War Deadline: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the US has proposed a June 2026 deadline for Ukraine and Russia to reach a deal to end the war.

Bangladesh Election Tensions: Tarique Rahman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) rejected a "unity government" proposal from rivals, expressing confidence in winning the upcoming February 12 election solo.

2. National Current Affairs

Security Review in Chhattisgarh: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to chair a high-level security meeting to clear a roadmap for the development of Maoist-affected areas.

First Dalit Cardinal Leads CBCI: Archbishop Poola Anthony of Hyderabad has been elected as the new President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), becoming the first Dalit prelate to head the body.

New Income Tax Rules: The Income Tax department unveiled draft rules aimed at simplifying language and using tables/formulas for easier filing, effective from April 1, 2026.

Investment in J&K Tourism: Home Minister Amit Shah assured full support for developing new tourist destinations in Jammu & Kashmir and announced efforts to secure ₹200 crore in sports investments.

Muzaffarnagar Riots Case: A local court in Agra acquitted 22 individuals accused in a 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots case involving murder and arson due to a lack of evidence.

3. Science & Technology

National Quantum Mission: The Union government has launched the National Quantum Mission with an allocation of ₹6,000 crore to position India as a global tech leader.

Amaravati Quantum Valley: Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Union Minister Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone for the "Amaravati Quantum Valley" (AQV), with a goal to produce 80% of the world's quantum devices.

Heavy Ion Cancer Therapy: A Japanese research team found that using heavier ions like oxygen in multi-ion cancer therapy narrows error margins by over 7%, improving treatment accuracy for radiation-resistant tumors.

AI Hardware Trade: The India-US deal includes significantly increasing trade in technology products like Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and AI hardware.

Microplastics in Skincare: Reports highlighted that beauty products are common sources of microplastic pollution, with liquid microplastics widely used in India as emulsion stabilizers.

4. States Current Affairs

Andhra Pradesh Local Polls: The State Election Commission (SEC) issued notifications for preparing new voter lists for gram panchayats and municipal bodies, with final lists due by March 9, 2026.

Telangana Forensic Lab Fire: A major fire broke out at the State Forensic Science Laboratory in Nampally, Hyderabad, damaging physical evidence, samples, and documents.

West Bengal SIR Extension: The Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal sought a one-week extension for the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls due to a massive backlog of pending hearings.

Madhya Pradesh Cheetah Births: Five new cheetah cubs were born to a Namibian cheetah named Aasha at Kuno National Park, bringing India’s total cheetah population to 35.

Maharashtra BMC Elections: The Mahayuti alliance announced Ritu Tawde (BJP) as their mayoral candidate and Sanjay Shankar Ghadi (Shiv Sena-Shinde) as the deputy mayoral candidate for the BMC.

5. District & Local News

Mathura Road Accident: A container truck plowed into deboarded bus passengers on the Yamuna Expressway in Mathura district, killing six people.

Surajkund Fair Tragedy: An electrical swing collapsed at the 39th Surajkund International Crafts Mela in Faridabad, resulting in the death of a police inspector and injuries to 13 others.

Janakpuri Pit Negligence: A 25-year-old biker died after falling into an open, unbarricaded 14-foot pit dug by a DJB sub-contractor in Janakpuri, Delhi.

Food Poisoning in Polavaram: Over 70 students fell ill due to food poisoning after eating semi-cooked food at a Government Tribal Welfare Ashram School in Polavaram district.

Goa Tourism Controversy: An individual was arrested in Calangute for filming a foreign tourist without consent and circulating the video on social media.

6. Sports & Games

T20 World Cup Opener: India defeated the US by 29 runs in their opening match, led by captain Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 84 off 49 balls.

India-Pakistan Boycott Dialogue: The PCB and ICC have entered formal discussions regarding Pakistan’s threatened boycott of the February 15 clash against India in Colombo.

SAFF U-19 Women’s Title: The India U-17 women's football team clinced the SAFF U-19 championship by defeating Bangladesh 4-0 in the final.

Winter Olympics Controversy: Indian alpine skier Arif Khan is competing in the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, but controversy arose over the selection of other athletes despite court orders.

Asian Indoor Athletics: Tejaswin Shankar leads the heptathlon field after day one at the 12th Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in China.

7. Cinema & Entertainment

Bhakti Music Trend: "Bhajan Clubbing" is emerging as a major trend in India's ₹20,000-crore live events industry, blending traditional kirtan with modern concert formats.

Ai Weiwei Solo Show: Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei is in Delhi for his first solo exhibition in India.

Kohrra 2 Narrative: The new series Kohrra is highlighted for shifting the narrative to small-town Punjab and weaving personal turmoil into murder probes.

Photography Milestone: Britain-born photographer Pepita Seth, known for her work with temple and elephant communities, received her Indian citizenship after living in Kerala for 50 years.

8. General Knowledge (Competitive Exams)

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently held wide-ranging talks with PM Anwar Ibrahim to boost trade and defense in which country? Answer: Malaysia (The leaders unveiled initiatives in semiconductors, defense security, and trade under the "Act East" policy.)

2. Which Indian weightlifter shattered three National Records in the 48kg category on 8 February 2026? Answer: Mirabai Chanu (The Olympic medalist set new benchmarks in Snatch (89kg), Clean & Jerk (116kg), and Total Lift (205kg) during her transition to a lower weight class.)

3. Which is the heaviest military communication satellite launched from Indian soil using the LVM3-M5 rocket? Answer: CMS-03 (Weighing 4,410 kg, it serves as the "Eye in the Sky" for the Indian Navy, replacing the aging GSAT-7 Rukmini.)

4. Who won the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 title in Vadodara? Answer: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) (Captained by Smriti Mandhana, they defeated Delhi Capitals by six wickets to clinch the trophy.)

5. Which Indian bank became the first to issue a fully digital Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI) license? Answer: Kotak Mahindra Bank (The end-to-end online process used e-signatures, significantly easing the onboarding for foreign investors.)

6. India won its 6th ICC Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup title by defeating which team in the final? Answer: England (India secured a 100-run victory in the final held in Zimbabwe.)

7. Which state government unveiled India's first women-led industrial park in Gowribidanur? Answer: Karnataka (The 50-acre park by FLO Bengaluru offers gender-centric facilities like creches and R&D centers for women entrepreneurs.)

8. Which Indian teacher was awarded the $1 million Global Teacher Prize 2026 in Dubai? Answer: Rubal Nagi (She was honored at the World Government Summit for her exceptional contribution to education.)

9. Who is the first Indian mountaineer to successfully summit Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere? Answer: Kabak Yano (The 27-year-old from Arunachal Pradesh reached the 22,831-foot summit as part of her "Seven Summits" quest.)

10. Which Indian port became the first to implement an advanced 360-degree anti-drone security system? Answer: V.O. Chidambaranar Port (Tamil Nadu)

11. Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI): Jammu & Kashmir has been brought under this scheme for the first time in FY 2025-26, allowing access to 50-year interest-free loans.

12. Viksit Bharat 2047: The goal to transform India into a developed nation by the 100th anniversary of independence remains the central theme for the 2026-27 Union Budget.

13. Quantum Computing Hub: Amaravati is being developed as a global hub with a "Wiser Quantum Talent Hub" to train 35 lakh students by 2035

14. Cheetah Population in India: Following new births at Kuno, the total number of cheetahs in India stands at 35 (11 translocated, 24 Indian-born).

15. Section 232 Investigation: This US national security law is being used to investigate imports of pharmaceuticals and other goods, affecting global trade tariffs.

9. Do You Know?

• The "LVM3" Power: The LVM3 rocket used for CMS-03 is nicknamed "Bahubali" because it is India's most powerful launcher, capable of carrying 4-tonne class satellites to space.

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

• NASA's SPHEREx: On 8 February, NASA's SPHEREx mission successfully observed the interstellar comet 3I/Atlas, helping scientists study the chemical building blocks of life beyond our solar system.

• Elderly Budget: Kerala has become the first state in India to announce a separate "Elderly Budget" (FY 2026-27), allocating over ₹46,000 crore specifically for senior citizen welfare.

• Digital Highway: The Indian Highways Management Company partnered with NFSU today to use cyber forensics to protect FASTag and traffic data from hackers.

• Peregrine Falcons: These are the world's fastest animals, capable of diving at speeds of up to 320 km/h.

• Living Root Bridges: Located in Meghalaya, these bridges are cited as powerful reminders of patience and long-term natural construction over speed.

• Microplastics in Skincare: Many common beauty products contain liquid microplastics used as emulsion stabilizers, which are often listed differently for different global markets.

10. Job & Educational Topics

Entrance Exam Deadlines: The deadline to register for BITSAT-2026 is March 16, 2026, while the COMEDK application deadline is March 15, 2026.

New B.Tech Courses: B.Tech courses in Quantum Studies are now underway at Amaravati, with M.Tech programs scheduled to launch soon.

Government Hiring: Kerala IT is inviting applications for several technical positions, with more details available on the Technopark website.

11. Day Special: February 8

Sammakka Saralamma Jatara: The historic tribal festival at Medaram concluded with devotees performing ritual baths in the Jampanna Vagu and priests carrying the deity in a vermilion casket.

Mahashivaratri Brahmotsavams: The 12-day Brahmotsavam at Srisailam began today with "Yagasala Pravesam" and "Dwajarohanam" ceremonies.