Current Affairs Quiz - February 2026

Notes:
Eight members of Karnataka’s Hakki Pikki tribal community are stranded in Central Africa after their visas expired during travel for selling herbal products. Hakki Pikki is a major tribal community of Karnataka with a population of 11,892 as per the Census 2011. In Kannada, “Hakki” means bird and “Pikki” means to catch, reflecting their traditional bird-catching occupation. They believe they descended from Ranapratap Singh and have a Kshatriya or warrior origin, migrating south after Mughal conflicts. They are officially recognized as a Scheduled Tribe in India.

Notes:
On 4 February 2026, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) elected Soraya Aghaei as its first female member from Iran. She became the 107th IOC member through a 95–2 vote and is the youngest current representative at 30 years of age. She is only the third Iranian International Olympic Committee (IOC) member and the first from Iran since 2004. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is an exclusive body of former athletes, sports leaders, royals, diplomats, industrialists, and cultural figures. Aghaei joined the IOC during the presidency of Kirsty Coventry, the first female IOC President in 132 years.

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Operation Kiya is a joint counter-terrorism operation launched by Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. It is currently in news due to an intense encounter in the forested Basantgarh area of Udhampur. The operation aims to track, contain, and eliminate infiltrated terrorists while protecting civilian areas. It also seeks to prevent terrorist movement across districts and infiltration corridors. The operation is carried out by the Army’s White Knight Corps, Counter Insurgency Force (Delta), Jammu and Kashmir Police, and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). It uses a cordon-and-search strategy to trap terrorists in forests and hilly terrain.

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The Union government released enumeration data of 1.52 lakh waste pickers under the National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme. The enumeration was conducted using the Waste Picker Enumeration App, launched in 2025. About 84.5% of waste pickers belong to SC, ST, and OBC communities, while 10.7% are from the General category, mainly in Delhi and Goa. NAMASTE scheme is a joint initiative by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. NAMASTE scheme replaced the Self-Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS). The National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation implements the scheme.

Notes:
The International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is observed on 6 February each year. This observance highlights the harmful effects of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and promotes human rights and women’s health. About 4.5 million girls, many under five, are at risk each year, with 22.7 million more projected by 2030. Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) requires community engagement, strong health and education systems, and sustained investment.

Notes:
Indian teacher Rouble Nagi won the Global Teacher Prize 2026, receiving one million dollars at the World Government Summit in Dubai. The award, presented by GEMS Education in its tenth edition, was handed over by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. She was recognised for turning neglected walls into interactive educational murals teaching reading, writing, arithmetic, public health, and environmental awareness.

Notes:
The Bird Atlas of Goa was released at the ninth Bird Festival of Goa, making Goa the second state after Kerala to publish a state-level bird atlas. The festival also saw the release of “Birds of Goa: Konkani Nomenclature – Olakh Suknayanchi,” promoting bird knowledge in the local language. The ninth Bird Festival of Goa, themed “Majestic Mhadei,” was inaugurated at Valpoi. Volunteers, bird conservationists, forest staff, and wildlife rescuers were honoured for their contributions to avian conservation.

Notes:
World Pulses Day is observed every year on 10 February as a United Nations (UN)–designated global observance. It highlights the role of pulses like lentils, chickpeas, beans, and peas in nutrition, food security, and sustainable agriculture. Pulses are affordable, nutrient-rich, and major vegetarian protein sources for billions of people. The day promotes increased production and consumption to improve diets and reduce environmental impact. It supports the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially goals on hunger, nutrition, climate action, and sustainability.

Notes:
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)–Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has achieved captive breeding of the mangrove clam Geloina erosa. Mangrove clams, also called mud clams or ‘Kandal Kakka’ in northern Kerala, belong to the genus Polymesoda or Geloina. They live in muddy, brackish, and near-freshwater areas of mangrove swamps across the Indo-Pacific region. As a filter feeder, it recycles nutrients, stabilises sediments, supports mangrove health, and provides coastal livelihoods.

Notes:
Services won the 79th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy. The final was played at Dhakuakhana Stadium in Assam. Services defeated Kerala by 1–0 in a closely fought match. The winning goal was scored in the 109th minute of extra time. Striker Abhishek Pawar scored from a cross delivered by Shubham Rana. This victory marked Services’ eighth Santosh Trophy title. Services had also defeated Kerala in the 2023–24 season final.