🚀 1. Vayu Shakti 2026 Exercise

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is conducting a large-scale combat exercise near the Pakistan border to test readiness.

• Location: Pokaran Field Firing Range, Jaisalmer (Rajasthan).
• Participants: Western & South Western Air Commands. Over 100 aircraft.
• Key Assets: Rafale, Su-30 MKI, Tejas. Indigenous Prachand Helicopter participating for the first time.
• Significance: First edition without the retired MiG-21. Uses IACCS for real-time tracking.

📜 2. Motion of Thanks

Protests in Lok Sabha halted the Prime Minister's reply to the Motion of Thanks.

• Constitutional Basis: Article 87(1).
• Procedure: The President outlines the government's agenda. The motion is debated and voted upon.
• Implication: If an amendment to the motion is passed, it indicates a lack of majority for the government, effectively acting like a vote of no-confidence.

🐅 3. Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary

A tiger was camera-trapped for the first time in this sanctuary located in the Lower Dibang Valley.

• Location: Arunachal Pradesh.
• Key Flora: Coptis Teeta (Mishmi Teeta) - an endemic medicinal plant.
• Key Fauna: Clouded Leopard, Red Panda, Himalayan Black Bear.
• Geography: High altitude variation (400m to 3560m) supports diverse forest types from tropical to temperate.

🏙️ 4. Hudson River Dispute

New York and New Jersey have sued the US administration over frozen funding for a rail tunnel.

• Geography: Flows mainly through New York State; forms the boundary with New Jersey near the mouth.
• Source: Lake Tear of the Clouds (Adirondack Mountains).
• Mouth: Upper New York Bay (Atlantic Ocean).
• Importance: A key waterway linked to the Erie Canal system for inland trade.

📈 5. RBI Monetary Policy (Feb 2026)

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) kept the key policy rate unchanged.

• Repo Rate: Maintained at 5.25%.
• Reverse Repo Rate: 3.35%.
• Outlook: Inflation projected at 2.1% for FY 2025-26.
• Impact: Lower repo rates usually reduce loan EMIs; higher rates control Inflation.

🙏 6. Jagannath Temple, Puri

President Droupadi Murmu offered prayers at this historic temple in Odisha.

• Architecture: Classic Kalinga Style.
• History: Built by King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva (Eastern Ganga Dynasty) in the 12th Century.
• Deities: Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra. Idols are made of wood (Daru Brahma).
• Festivals: Famous for the annual Ratha Yatra (Chariot Festival).

🏆 7. Global Teacher Prize 2026

Rouble Nagi (India) won this prestigious award for her work in urban slums.

• Initiative: "Misaal Mumbai" - transforming slums via art and education.
• Method: Painted murals to create "open classrooms" covering literacy, science, and hygiene.
• Impact: Established 800+ learning centers; emphasized skill-based learning.

💧 8. Lake Urmia

Iran has initiated Cloud Seeding to save this shrinking lake.

• Location: Northwestern Iran.
• Type: Endorheic (no outlet) Salt Lake.
• Status: Ramsar Wetland Site and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

🏔️ 9. Mount Aconcagua

A joint mountaineering expedition was flagged off to this peak.

• Location: Argentina (Andes Mountain Range).
• Facts: Highest peak in South America and the highest outside Asia.
• Origin: Volcanic origin (extinct).

🐦 10. Sarus Crane Census

Uttar Pradesh recorded a 3.1% increase in the Sarus Crane population.

• State Bird: Uttar Pradesh.
• Features: World's tallest flying bird. Known for lifelong monogamy.
• Conservation Status: IUCN: Vulnerable. Wildlife Protection Act: Schedule IV.

🤝 11. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

India and GCC signed terms for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

• About: Political and economic alliance established in 1981.
• HQ: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
• Members (6): Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE.

🌌 12. NASA SPHEREx Mission

NASA's telescope observed interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS.

• Mission: Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer.
• Goal: Create a 3D map of the universe by surveying 450 million galaxies.
• Key Study: Understanding the Epoch of Reionization.

⚖️ 13. UP Teachers Appointment Scrutiny

Allahabad High Court ordered a scrutiny of assistant teacher appointments.

• Issue: Discovery of fake degrees and domicile certificates.
• Court Order: Complete scrutiny in 6 months; remove fraudulent teachers; recover salaries.
• Significance: Upholds Article 21A (Right to Quality Education) and the Rule of Law.