Daily Current Affairs Brief: February 9, 2026

Authored By: K Shiva

1. International Current Affairs

Japan Election Outcome: Exit polls indicate a significant victory for Sanae Takaichi’s coalition in Japan's snap elections. Her win is expected to pave the way for promised tax cuts and increased military spending aimed at countering regional threats.

India-Malaysia Strategic Pivot: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim signed 11 agreements in Kuala Lumpur, covering high-priority sectors such as semiconductors, defense, security, and energy.

Local Currency Trade: India and Malaysia have agreed to promote the usage of local currencies—the Indian Rupee and Malaysian Ringgit—for settling trade, aiming to reduce dependence on third-party currencies.

Iran Human Rights: Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi has been sentenced to an additional seven years in an Iranian prison, following her continued activism against capital punishment.

Thailand Elections: Conservative Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s party has claimed victory in national elections following a campaign focused on surging nationalism.

2. National Current Affairs

India-US Trade Interim Deal: Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal stated that negotiations for an interim trade agreement with the U.S. are "nearly complete." The deal focuses on critical commodities and technology while protecting sensitive Indian agricultural sectors.

Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) Deadline: Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level security meeting in Raipur, reaffirming the government's goal to completely eradicate Naxalism in India by March 31, 2026.

Assam Video Controversy: The Assam unit of the BJP deleted a controversial social media video featuring Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma after it drew widespread condemnation for allegedly promoting hate.

New Income Tax Act: The government has invited public feedback on the draft rules and forms for the new Income Tax Act, 2025, which is set to come into effect from April 1, 2026.

Public Sector Bank Profits: Financial Services Secretary M. Nagaraju expressed confidence that the combined profits of public sector banks (PSBs) will cross the ₹2 lakh crore mark in the 2025-26 financial year.

3. Science & Technology

Quantum Valley Project: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu laid the foundation for the "Amaravati Quantum Valley," aiming to position India as a global hub for quantum computing and hardware manufacturing.

Deep-Space Exploration Funding: The 2026-27 Budget has earmarked ₹13,416.20 crore for the Department of Space, with a specific focus on deep-space exploration and advanced telescope facilities in Ladakh.

Anti-Droning Systems: Indrajaal has signed a major agreement with Sigma Advanced Systems for the indigenous manufacturing of counter-drone systems using specialized sensors and jamming technology.

Hydrogen Fuel Innovation: Students at the Indian School of Mines (ISM) have developed a method to convert harmful greenhouse gases like methane from coal mines into eco-friendly hydrogen fuel.

Cyber-Crime Increase: Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police reported a surge in "digital arrest" and investment frauds, registering 117 cases in January 2026 alone.

4. States Current Affairs

Telangana District Policy: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy clarified that there are currently no plans to abolish or create new districts in Telangana, dismissing rumors about the abolition of the Bhupalpally district.

Andhra Pradesh TIDCO Homes: The state government announced that one lakh TIDCO houses are ready for distribution and will be handed over to beneficiaries by the Ugadi festival.

Meghalaya Mining Crackdown: Following a series of accidents, Meghalaya police have been ordered to hunt down the financiers and owners of illegal rat-hole coal mines in East Jaintia Hills.

Delhi Electric Bus Fleet: Delhi has inducted 500 new electric buses, bringing its total e-bus fleet to over 4,200—the highest in the country—and surpassing Maharashtra.

Assam Digital Twin Project: Genesys was awarded a contract to create a "Digital Twin Map" platform for Guwahati to assist in data-driven urban planning and governance.

5. District & Local News

Bird Flu Outbreak: Avian influenza has been confirmed in two villages in the Annamayya district (Andhra Pradesh), leading to the deployment of Rapid Response Teams.

Srisailam Brahmotsavams: The Mahasivaratri Brahmotsavams commenced at the Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy temple in Srisailam with the traditional 'Dwajarohana' ritual.

Delhi Traffic Upgrade: Delhi has approved ₹100 crore for an Advanced Traffic System (ATS) to monitor roads in real-time and trigger faster emergency responses.

Vijayawada River Competition: The 26th Krishna River Cross Swimming Competition was held in Vijayawada, with local authorities urging youth to take up swimming as an essential life skill.

Food Poisoning Incident: Two staff members were suspended at a tribal welfare hostel in Rampachodavaram following a food poisoning incident affecting students.

6. Sports & Games

Davis Cup Success: India defeated the Netherlands 3-2 in the Davis Cup, with Dhakshineswar Suresh winning the decisive fifth rubber to secure India's place in the Elite Qualifiers.

T20 World Cup: England survived a scare to defeat Nepal by 4 runs in their opening match, while New Zealand comfortably beat Afghanistan by 6 wickets.

Under-19 World Cup: The victorious Indian Under-19 team received a grand welcome in Mumbai; three Indian players (Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Kanishk Chouhan, and Henil Patel) were named in the Team of the Tournament.

Badminton Victory: Shuttler Devika Sihag clinched her second successive international title at the Azerbaijan International tournament in Baku.

Boxing Dominance: Indian boxers, led by Lovlina Borgohain and Arundhati Choudhary, clinching nine gold medals at the BOXAM Elite International tournament in Spain.

7. Cinema & Entertainment

History Literature Festival: The festival concluded in Hyderabad with sessions exploring the evolution of Telugu cinema and its role in shaping regional identity.

Film Release Updates: Actor Sharwanand’s film Biker is set to release on April 3, while Ram Charan’s Swayambhu is scheduled for April 10.

Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT): The government plans to establish this institute to build capabilities in animation, visual effects, and gaming (AVGC-XR) to boost the entertainment sector.

8. General Knowledge Points for Competitive Jobs

1. Which tribal festival was recently inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh? Answer: Bastar Pandum (The festival showcases tribal handicrafts, traditional cuisine, and indigenous musical instruments from 84 different teams.)

2. Who has been appointed as the first female Prime Minister of Japan after a historic election victory in February 2026? Answer: Sanae Takaichi

3. Which Union Minister recently launched the nationwide "Pulse Self-Reliance Mission" to boost domestic production and reduce imports? Answer: Shivraj Singh Chouhan (The mission focuses on cluster-based production and establishing "Seed Villages" to make India a global exporter of pulses.)

4. Which Indian state’s women’s para-throwball team won the gold medal at the 2026 National Federation Cup? Answer: Jharkhand

5. The "MCP Server," launched by the NSO (National Statistical Office) on 9 February 2026, is primarily designed for what purpose? Answer: To make Government Data AI-Ready (This allows researchers and policymakers to use artificial intelligence for better data analysis and governance.)

6. Who received the prestigious Upendra Nath Brahma 'Soldier of Humanity' Award in February 2026? Answer: Bhutan’s Queen Mother, Gyalyum Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck

7. Which private sector bank has issued India’s first-ever fully digital Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI) license? Answer: Kotak Mahindra Bank

8. Airbus recently inaugurated a "Centre of Excellence for Aerospace Studies" at which Indian university? Answer: Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, Vadodara (The center will focus on research in Sustainable Aviation Fuel and future aerospace technologies.)

9. Which project, aimed at providing 1,000 metric tons of grains for food security, was officially approved during the Seychelles President’s visit to India? Answer: India-Seychelles Food Security Partnership (The visit of President Dr. Patrick Herminie concludes on 10 February.)

10. Which government initiative was recently recognized as a "National Movement" due to its success in improving the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) to 929? Answer: Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme

11. UN AI Committee: Professor Balaraman Ravindran from IIT Madras has been selected for the United Nations' new independent scientific committee on Artificial Intelligence.

12. Aadhaar Updates: UIDAI has completed one crore mandatory biometric updates for school children aged 7 to 15 years across 83,000 schools.

13. Uniform Civil Code (UCC): RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat emphasized that the UCC should be framed by taking all sections of society into confidence to preserve unity amid diversity.

9. Do You Know?

• The "Doomsday Glacier": New satellite data released today shows that the Thwaites Glacier (Antarctica) is melting faster than expected. If it collapses completely, global sea levels could rise by over 2 feet.

• The 299 Record: Today, domestic cricketer Sudip Gharami became one of the few players in history to be out for 299 in a first-class match, missing the 300-mark by the narrowest possible margin.

• Green Aviation: The new center in Vadodara is researching how to turn municipal solid waste (your daily trash) into high-quality fuel for commercial airplanes.

• A "Blind" Discovery: Scientists in the Western Ghats confirmed today the discovery of a new species of Caecilian (limbless amphibian) named Gegeneophis valmiki. It looks like a giant worm but is actually a relative of the frog.

• National Deworming Day: Remember, tomorrow (10 February) is National Deworming Day in India, where millions of children (ages 1–19) are provided free Albendazole tablets at schools and Anganwadis.

• Airplane Ear: Ignoring "ear popping" or barotrauma after flights can lead to chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction and permanent hearing loss if the blockage lasts more than seven days.

• WhatsApp Encryption: WhatsApp’s adoption of end-to-end encryption has set a societal norm for secure communication in India, though the platform now faces scrutiny over its transition to an advertising model.

10. Job & Educational Topics

Scholarship Opportunities: The University College London (UCL) is offering the "India Excellence Scholarship" (£5,000), and the British Council has announced 25 fully funded "Women in STEM" scholarships for 2026-27.

Educational Reform: A new circular in Uttar Pradesh directs state-run schools to allot 10 minutes in morning assemblies for reading "physical newspapers" to cultivate the habit of reading among students.

AI Job Growth: Analysts predict that India could see over 20 lakh new AI-related jobs by next year, but a shortage of skilled human resources may leave half of these positions unfilled.

11. Day Special: 9 February

Newspaper Reading Initiative: As of February 9, schools are being encouraged to integrate physical newspaper reading into their daily routines to combat "screen addiction" and improve critical thinking skills.

Foundation Days: February 9 marks the foundation day of INCOIS (Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services), which launched three new ocean information services including the SAMUDRA 2.0 app.