Daily Current Affairs – 23-02-2026

National News

Supreme Court Hearing on CCI Fine in WhatsApp Privacy Case

The Supreme Court of India is scheduled to hear on February 23 a petition filed by Dellon and WhatsApp challenging the Rs.213.14 crore fine imposed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for alleged violation of its privacy policy. The CCI had penalised WhatsApp for sharing user data with its parent company Meta for advertising purposes for a period of five years. The appeal was earlier heard by the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), which lifted the restriction imposed by the CCI but ruled that the penalty amount need not be paid. A consumer protection and personal data protection group has filed a petition supporting the CCI. The matter will be heard by a bench comprising Justice K.M. Joseph, Justice Hrishikesh Roy, and Justice V. Ramasubramanian. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has also been directed to be added as a petitioner. The Supreme Court is currently hearing the appeal filed by the CCI against the February 19 order related to the case.

First Boundary Pillar between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh

The first boundary pillar between the northeastern states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh was installed on February 22 in the Serjosa border area. This step was taken as part of the implementation of the Namsai Declaration, which was signed in 2022 to resolve the long-standing inter-state boundary dispute between the two states. Following the declaration, regional committees comprising ministers and officials from both states were formed, and actions such as field surveys, examination of historical documents, and consultations with local residents were carried out. The boundary pillar was installed in the presence of officials from both state governments, police personnel, community leaders, and village heads. The development is related to the boundary dispute resolution process between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. The Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, is associated with this development.

Namsai Declaration (2022)

The Namsai Declaration was signed in 2022 between the northeastern states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh to resolve the long-pending inter-state boundary dispute. It provided a framework for peaceful settlement through the formation of regional committees comprising ministers and officials from both states. The declaration emphasized field surveys, examination of historical documents, and consultations with local residents to arrive at mutually agreed solutions. The implementation of the declaration led to steps such as the installation of the first boundary pillar in the Serjosa border area, marking progress in the boundary dispute resolution process.

Sports News

Delhi Open ATP 75 Challenger 2024 – Stefanos Sakellaridis Wins Title

In the Delhi Open ATP 75 Challenger Tennis Tournament held at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association grounds in New Delhi, Stefanos Sakellaridis won the singles title on February 22. In the final match, the 21-year-old player defeated Oliver Crawford of Great Britain with a score of 7-5, 5-6, 7-6. This is the first ATP Challenger title won by Stefanos Sakellaridis. The tournament was conducted from February 16 to 22, with 32 players participating in the singles category and 16 players in the doubles category. The champion received 75 ATP ranking points and a cash prize of Rs.15 lakh, while the runner-up received 44 ranking points and Rs.8.7 lakh.

Qatar Open – Carlos Alcaraz Wins Title

At the Qatar Open Tennis Tournament held in Doha, the capital of Qatar, World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz won the men’s singles title on February 22. In the final, the Spain player defeated Arthur Fils of France in straight sets 6-2, 6-1. This is the 26th career title for Carlos Alcaraz, who is a 7-time Grand Slam champion. He had earlier won the Australian Open in January. Arthur Fils is currently ranked 40th in the world and recently returned to competition after an 8-month injury break.

Dubai Duty Free Open – Jessica Pegula Wins WTA 1000 Title

At the Dubai Duty Free Open WTA 1000 Tennis Tournament held in Dubai, American player Jessica Pegula won the women’s singles title on February 22. In the final, the fourth-seeded Pegula defeated Karolína Svitolina of Ukraine in straight sets 6-2, 6-4. The match lasted 72 minutes. This victory marks the 10th WTA title of Jessica Pegula. Svitolina had previously won the Dubai title and is currently 31 years old. In the semifinals, Pegula defeated Anisimova, while Svitolina defeated Coco Gauff. In this year’s tournament, 20 top players, including Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Świątek, withdrew from the competition.

States’ News

Karnataka Plans Restrictions on Mobile Phone Use for Children

The Karnataka Government is considering enforcing restrictions on mobile phone usage by children below the age of 16 years. The issue was discussed in Bengaluru at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, which was attended by Vice-Chancellors of public universities. The meeting was also attended by the Governor of Karnataka, Thaawarchand Gehlot, who serves as the Chancellor of public universities. The discussion focused on regulating mobile phone and social media usage among children in the State.

Personalities, Awards and Events

Manipuri Film ‘Boong’ Wins India’s First BAFTA Award

At the 79th British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards held in London, the Manipuri film ‘Boong’, directed by Lakshmipriya Devi, won the award in the Best Children and Family Film category, marking India’s first BAFTA win. The event is considered the British equivalent of the Oscars. ‘Boong’ was India’s sole representation at this year’s ceremony and received the award on the prestigious international platform. Actor and producer Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, who backed the film, attended the event along with director Lakshmipriya Devi.

Prime Minister Launches Full 82-km Delhi–Meerut RRTS Corridor

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the remaining sections of the Namo Bharat Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), completing the full 82-km Delhi–Meerut corridor. The newly opened sections include the 5-km stretch between Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar in Delhi and the 21-km stretch between Meerut South and Modipuram in Uttar Pradesh. The RRTS has been integrated with the Meerut Metro, which was also launched. The Sarai Kale Khan station serves as the originating station and is connected with Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station, Delhi Metro Pink Line, Veer Haqeeqat Rai ISBT, and Ring Road. The inauguration event was attended by Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. A proposal for two new rapid rail corridors from Sarai Kale Khan to Karnal in Haryana (125–130 km) and to Babarpur in Haryana and Neemrana in Rajasthan has also been mentioned.

KPB Trust ITF Women’s Open W100 – Hanne Vandewinkel Wins Title

In the KPB Trust ITF Women’s Open W100 Tournament held at the S.M. Krishna Stadium, Bengaluru, Hanne Vandewinkel of Belgium, the third seed , defeated wildcard Vaishnavi Adkar in the final with a score of 6-0, 6-1. Vaishnavi Adkar, a 21-year-old player from Pune, entered the tournament ranked 690 and is expected to rise to the 460s in the world rankings after the event. She became the first Indian woman since Sania Mirza to reach an ITF W100 Final. For finishing as runner-up, Vaishnavi gained 65 ranking points and received $8,147 as prize money.

Kartik Karkera Wins 11th New Delhi Marathon and Qualifies for Asian Games

In the 11th New Delhi Marathon held in New Delhi, Kartik Karkera won the men’s full marathon by completing the 42.2 km distance in 02:13:10, thereby qualifying for the Asian Games later this year. He finished ahead of the qualification mark of 02:15:04 set by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI). In the women’s full marathon, Nirmaben Thakor recorded 02:41:15, which was below the qualifying standard of 02:31:52. In the half marathon events, Kuldip Kumar won the men’s race with a time of 01:08:51, while Genet Shikur Reshid won the women’s race with a time of 01:19:36.

Vaan Island Reef Restoration in Gulf of Mannar Shows ₹61.67 Crore Benefits

A technical assessment by the Tamil Nadu Coastal Restoration Mission, along with the Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Foundation and IIT Madras, reported that the artificial reef restoration of Vaan Island in the Gulf of Mannar generated socio-ecological benefits worth ₹61.67 crore, which is more than double the inflation-adjusted project cost of ₹26.37 crore from the original ₹17 crore spent in 2015. The study recorded a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 2.34. Vaan Island, one of 21 uninhabited coral islands, had shrunk by 92% between 1969 and 2015, with its area reducing from about 20 hectares to 1.53 hectares due to coral mining, sea-level rise and reef degradation. From 2015, scientists deployed 10,600 artificial reef modules, leading to expansion of the island area to over 2.3 hectares. The intervention increased reef-associated fish density from 106 to 875 individuals per hectare, supported an average of 81 coral colonies per module, and preserved 26 native plant species. The study valued mainland coastal protection at ₹28.57 crore, ecosystem services at ₹13 crore, and fisheries and epibenthic gains at ₹13.43 crore, with a positive net present value of ₹35.3 crore. The State has also commenced a ₹50 crore restoration project for Kariyachalli Island in the Gulf of Mannar.

1500 MW Pumped Storage Project Approved in Karbi Anglong, Assam

A Union government-appointed committee has approved the diversion of 442 hectares of forest land for a 1500 MW pumped storage hydro project in Karbi Anglong district, Assam, with an estimated cost of ₹7,273.23 crore. The project, to be developed by the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited, requires a total of 484 hectares of land, including 441.90 hectares of forest land and 42.10 hectares of non-forest land, and will result in the submergence of 352 hectares, affecting over 1,100 people. The proposal was examined by the Environmental Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), which classified it as an open-loop system due to the presence of non-perennial streams. The project includes a 50-metre lower dam and a 72-metre upper dam, both located within elephant corridors. The Kaziranga Karbi Anglong Elephant Reserve is located about 1.4 km from the project site, and the Marat Longri Wildlife Sanctuary is about 10.5 km away. All project components are situated outside the elephant reserve.

Economy News

IDFC First Bank Flags ₹590 Crore Fraud in Chandigarh Branch

IDFC First Bank has reported a potential fraud of ₹590 crore at its Chandigarh branch, involving accounts linked to departments of the Haryana Government, and has suspended four officials pending investigation. In a filing made on February 21 under SEBI’s Listing Regulations, the bank stated that it detected unauthorised and fraudulent activities by certain employees at the branch. The issue came to light after a Haryana government department requested closure of its account and transfer of funds to another bank, during which discrepancies were observed. The bank’s internal review indicated that the matter is confined to specific government-linked accounts operated through the Chandigarh branch. The amount under reconciliation is ₹590 crore. Meetings of the Special Committee of the Board for Monitoring and Follow-up of Cases of Frauds (SCBMF), the Audit Committee, and the Board of Directors were held on February 20 and 21. The bank is appointing an independent external agency to conduct a forensic audit and has informed its statutory auditors.