Weekly Current Affairs Test : 15th to 21st February 2026

Researchers discovered a new plant species named Tetrataenium paikadae in the high-altitude grasslands of Idukki district, Kerala. It was found inside Eravikulam National Park in the Western Ghats. The plant belongs to the Apiaceae family, which includes common plants like carrot and coriander. It grows in moist, marshy grasslands at elevations of 1,000 to 2,500 metres above sea level. It was identified as a new species based on the unique number and arrangement of oil tubes in its fruits.

Reserve Bank of India issued draft revised guidelines for the Lead Bank Scheme for public comments. Lead Bank Scheme was introduced in December 1969 on the recommendation of the Nariman Committee. The objective of scheme is to coordinate banks and development agencies to increase bank finance to priority and other sectors. It also promotes the role of banks in overall rural development. Under the scheme, one bank is assigned as the Lead Bank for each district. The Lead Bank coordinates credit institutions and Government efforts at district level.

Narendra Modi congratulated Mia Amor Mottley on her historic third consecutive election victory. Her party, Barbados Labour Party, won all 30 seats in the House of Assembly with a 30–0 mandate. She declared a national bank holiday and a thanksgiving rally at the National Botanical Gardens. India and Barbados share strong ties through Commonwealth membership, English language and cricket. Both countries cooperate in United Nations, Commonwealth and Non-Aligned Movement forums. Barbados supports India’s permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council.

Supreme Court of India allowed construction of a road through Rajaji National Park with condition that no commercial vehicles will operate on it. It is located in Uttarakhand between the Shivalik ranges and the Indo-Gangetic plains. It was formed by merging Rajaji, Motichur and Chilla wildlife sanctuaries. It is named after C. Rajagopalachari, a freedom fighter known as Rajaji.

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi became the first in India to announce a face transplant programme. The Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Burns Surgery started a registry for patients with severe facial deformities and loss of functions like breathing and blinking. Face transplantation uses tissue from a deceased donor to restore facial function and appearance. Around 80 face transplants have been done worldwide, recently in Spain. Patients require lifelong immunosuppressive therapy to prevent rejection. The programme focuses on ethical screening, counselling and multidisciplinary support.

Researchers discovered a new species of squat lobster named Leiogalathea samudragiri near Minicoy in the Lakshadweep archipelago. It was found at a depth of 360 metres below the sea surface. The discovery happened during a research cruise under India’s Deep Ocean Mission, also called the Samudrayaan program. It has smooth and continuous ridges on the top of its shell, unlike related species with broken ridges. Squat lobsters are marine crustaceans, related to hermit and porcelain crabs.

Futala Lake, also called Telankhedi Lake, is a man-made lake in western Nagpur, Maharashtra. It is more than 200 years old and was built in the 18th century during the Bhonsle dynasty rule. It was created to supply water to nearby villages and farmlands. The lake spreads over about 60 acres and is one of the largest lakes in Nagpur. It is surrounded by forest on three sides and a landscaped beach on one side. Recently, it is facing problems due to untreated sewage and increasing pollution.

The 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) Summit 2026 was held at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The summit took place on February 14-15, 2026, focusing on “Ensuring the sustainable availability of safe water and sanitation systems”. The Assembly is the highest decision-making body with heads of state and government. The Executive Council of foreign ministers handles policy matters. The African Union Commission implements decisions. The Peace and Security Council maintains peace and security.

India ranked 75th in the latest Henley Passport Index by Henley and Partners, improving 10 places from 85th in 2025. Indian passport allows visa-free travel to 56 countries, one less than last year’s 57. India shares its rank with Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Madagascar, and Mauritania. The index ranks 199 passports and 227 destinations using data from International Air Transport Association. It reflects a country’s foreign policy strength and global standing. Singapore tops the list with visa-free access to 192 countries. Japan and South Korea rank second with 187 access. Maldives ranks 49th among neighbours, while Pakistan and Afghanistan are lowest ranked.

Kerala became India’s first state to adopt a comprehensive Urban Policy for the next 25 years. The policy was announced in the 2023–24 State Budget and approved by the State Cabinet. Kerala Urban Policy Commission was formed in December 2023 and submitted its report in March 2025. A global conference in Kochi discussed the report and suggestions were included in the final policy. The Commission estimates 80 percent of Kerala will be urbanised by 2050. The policy promotes climate-smart cities, scientific planning, and decentralised governance. It focuses on reducing inequalities, ensuring social support, and improving urban amenities. It suggests Public Private People Partnership for future development.

Forest officials in Kerala recently rescued a critically endangered White-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis) found weak and grounded at Mampad near Nilambur. The White-rumped vulture, also known as the Indian or Oriental White-backed Vulture, is a small Old World vulture native to South and Southeast Asia. It primarily feeds on carcasses, locating them by soaring high in thermals and observing other scavengers. Its distribution spans Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and southern Vietnam, with a preference for plains habitats. The White-rumped vulture is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Iran recently released dramatic footage of its Khorramshahr‑4 ballistic missile amid rising tensions with the United States of America (USA). The Khorramshahr‑4, also called the Kheibar missile, is a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM). It is developed by the Iranian state-owned defence company Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO). The missile uses liquid fuel for propulsion. It has an operational range of around 2,000 kilometers. The missile travels faster than the speed of sound. It is considered one of Iran’s most powerful medium-range missiles.

Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovered a new species of Diplura named Lepidocampa sikkimensis in the eastern Himalayas. The species was found in Ravangla, Sikkim. Diplura are small, wingless, soil-dwelling arthropods. This is the first time an Indian research team described a species in this primitive hexapod group. The study provides the first DNA barcode data globally for an Indian Lepidocampa species.

The Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) government is considering diverting water from the Ravi River in Punjab to the Jammu region. This move comes amid the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) between India and Pakistan. J&K is also pushing to revive the Tulbul Navigation Barrage Project, also called the Wular Barrage. The barrage is a navigation lock-cum-control structure at the outlet of Wular Lake in J&K. It was designed to facilitate navigation on the Jhelum River during lean winter months. The project regulates Wular Lake water to maintain minimum river draft up to Baramulla in winter.

The sail training ship (STS) INS Tarangini arrived in Visakhapatnam for the International Fleet Review (IFR) and MILAN exercise starting February 18. INS Tarangini is the Indian Navy’s first sail training ship. It became the first Indian naval ship to circumnavigate the globe in 2003‑2004. Its primary role is to instill courage, camaraderie, and endurance in officer cadets starting a naval career. The ship provides hands-on training in sailing, setting and furling sails, watch-keeping, and sail manoeuvres.

India plans to stop surplus water of the Ravi River from flowing into Pakistan by completing the Shahpur Kandi Dam. The Shahpur Kandi Dam project is located on the Ravi River in Pathankot district of Punjab, near the Jammu and Kashmir–Punjab border. It is built downstream of the Ranjit Sagar Dam, which already stores river water. Water released from Ranjit Sagar Dam will be used in Shahpur Kandi Dam to generate electricity. The project was declared a National Project in 2008. Punjab government funds 80 percent of the cost, while the Central Government provides 20 percent.

Kerala Government declared tidal flooding as a State-specific disaster for the first time in India. Tidal flooding, also called sunny day flooding, king tide flooding, or nuisance flooding, is temporary flooding of low-lying coastal areas. It happens due to high tides influenced by strong winds, offshore storms, and full moon or new moon cycles. Unlike cyclone storm surges, it occurs twice daily and becomes severe during full or new moons. Along Kerala coast, the Arabian Sea level rises above a fixed limit and floods nearby areas briefly. Victims will receive financial aid under State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).

The lost city of Charax Spasinou has been discovered in the deserts of Iraq. It was an ancient port city located at the meeting point of the Tigris and Choaspes rivers near the Iraq–Iran border. It was founded in 324 Before Common Era during the Hellenistic period, initially by Alexander the Great. Later, Hyspaosines rebuilt it and founded the Kingdom of Characene with Charax as its capital. Its strategic location made it a major trade hub between Mesopotamia and India through the Persian Gulf. Its importance declined around 224–228 After Death with the rise of the Sassanian Empire.

Lake Victoria’s water has turned green due to severe ecological damage, mainly from algal blooms. Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa. It lies mainly in Tanzania and Uganda and also borders Kenya. It is known as Victoria Nyanza in Kenya, Nalubaale in Uganda, and Ukerewe in Tanzania. It is crossed by the Equator. It is the second-largest freshwater lake in the world after Lake Superior in North America.

Researchers discovered a new pistol shrimp species named Alpheus madhusoodanai in the Kochi backwaters of Kerala. Pistol shrimp are also called snapping shrimp because they produce a loud snapping sound with their claws. It belongs to the family Alpheidae. It is the first alpheid shrimp species recorded from an estuary in this region. The species shows burrowing behaviour in muddy soil. Its burrowing helps mangrove ecosystems by releasing trapped toxic gases from swampy soil. This improves soil quality and supports overall coastal ecosystem health.

India’s first government-supported National Biobank for Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs) was launched in February 2026 at the Foundation for Research in Genetics and Endocrinology (FRIGE) in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It is funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). This facility stores biological samples and data from 530 patients across 15 states to advance research, develop affordable diagnostic tools, and improve treatment for rare metabolic disorders.

Delhi has become the 29th State/Union Territory to implement Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN), also known as Bhu-Aadhaar. The aim is to ensure clear land ownership records and reduce land disputes. ULPIN was started in 2021 under Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP). DILRMP means Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme of the Central Government. New digital land maps will be created using drone surveys and high-resolution imaging.

Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare directed fast action to achieve revised target of 6 crore Lakhpati Didis by March 2029. A Lakhpati Didi is a Self-Help Group member earning annual household income of Rs. 1,00,000 or more. Income must be sustained for at least four agricultural seasons or business cycles, with average monthly income above Rs. 10,000. It was launched under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). The nodal Ministry is Ministry of Rural Development.

Researchers discovered a new tiny crab species named Galathea balasubramaniani from coral reefs of Agatti in Lakshadweep Islands. It belongs to genus Galathea, a group of small reef-dwelling anomuran crabs called squat lobsters. These crabs look like tiny lobsters and hide in coral and rocky crevices. It measures only about 3 millimetres, making it one of the smallest reef crabs in the region. It plays a key ecological role by recycling organic matter and serving as food for fish and other marine life.

The CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite (CHEOPS) of the European Space Agency has discovered a four-planet system around a nearby star. The observation showed that the outermost planet in this system is small and rocky in nature. The CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite (CHEOPS) is a space mission developed and operated by the European Space Agency to study exoplanets orbiting bright, nearby stars. It is the first mission specifically designed to observe stars that are already known to host exoplanets and to measure their sizes with very high precision as the planets transit across their host stars.

A new meat-eating dinosaur named Spinosaurus mirabilis was discovered in the Sahara Desert. Its fossils were found in Jengueb area of Niger in the central Sahara. It lived about 95 million years ago in a forested inland region with rivers. It is the second known species of Spinosaurus. The first species, Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, was discovered in 1915 in Egypt.

Mount Kanlaon, also called Kanlaon Volcano, recently erupted and released heavy ash and smoke over Negros Island in the Philippines, leading to safety warnings. It is a stratovolcano located on Negros Island, Philippines, and is the tallest peak in the Visayas region, about 2,465 metres above sea level. It is one of the active volcanoes of the Philippines and forms part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. It has many pyroclastic cones and craters with a broad caldera and crater lake at the summit. Its slopes have lava flows, lahar deposits and rich biodiversity, and act as major river headwaters.

China recently showcased the CJ-1000, a land-based scramjet-powered hypersonic cruise missile, during a military parade in Beijing. It is developed indigenously by China and is considered the world’s first operational land-based scramjet-powered hypersonic missile. It is road-mobile and mounted on a 10-wheel diesel-electric hybrid transporter erector launcher for quick deployment. It has an estimated range of at least 2,500 kilometres. It is more advanced than hypersonic glide vehicles like China’s DF-17 and Russia’s Avangard.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court said tank bunds are part of water bodies and encroachment violates the Public Trust Doctrine. Public Trust Doctrine means the government is custodian of key natural resources for public benefit. It says important resources cannot become private property as they belong to the people. It began in Roman law and developed in English common law. It covers tidal waters, lakes, rivers, wetlands and ecosystems. The State acts as trustee in a fiduciary relationship with the public. Resources must be used for public purpose, not sold, and properly maintained. The Supreme Court of India has recognised it as part of Indian law.

The nuclear-powered USS Gerald R. Ford lit up tracking systems while sailing fast toward the Strait of Gibraltar, a move defence experts say is unusual. The Strait of Gibraltar separates Europe from Africa and links the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. It lies at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, between Spain and the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar in the north and Morocco plus Ceuta in the south. It is about 58 km long and only about 13 km wide at its narrowest. Its eastern end features the Pillars of Heracles, including the Rock of Gibraltar and Mount Hacho. Formed by tectonic plate movement, it is a vital and busy global waterway.