India

The over 10-day Khejri Bachao Andolan in Bikaner was called off after the Rajasthan government assured no Khejri tree would be felled until a special protection law is enacted, following talks with ministers and community leaders

Seven people were killed in a chain collision involving a car, motorcycle and truck on the Hoskote-Dabaspete National Highway near Bengaluru. Police suspect overspeeding and are investigating whether the driver was under the influence

Counting of municipal election votes began across 123 centres amid minor glitches, including a strong room key mix-up in Huzurabad and a power outage in Sangareddy, following a 73.01 percent voter turnout

India defeated Namibia by 93 runs in the T20 World Cup at New Delhi, their biggest win in the tournament. Ishan Kishan smashed 61, Hardik Pandya hit 52, while Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel starred with the ball

Sreenidi Deccan FC have signed Brazilian forward Paulo Cezar ahead of the I-League 2025–26 season. The 32-year-old, who starred in the Bengal Super League and played for Real Kashmir, brings global experience and proven goal-scoring ability to the squad

India completed a clean sweep in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions at the Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship in Delhi, with Aishwary Tomar winning gold, Niraj Kumar silver, and Akhil Sheoran bronze. Adriyan Karmakar added his second junior gold

Right-wing activists entered a private university in Indore on Thursday, claiming an obscene Valentine’s Day-related programme was being held. They allegedly vandalised property before police intervened to restore order.

The Home Ministry’s decision to restore all six stanzas of Vande Mataram on its 150th anniversary reaffirms the principle that literary works must be preserved in their authentic, unaltered form

The national election is Dhaka’s pivotal moment — a bid to turn a youth uprising into institutional power and to set the country’s course after Sheikh Hasina’s dramatic fall

The Defence Ministry has cleared the long-pending proposal to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets under a government-to-government deal with France, as the DAC approved defence capital acquisitions worth Rs 3.60 lakh crore to boost the combat readiness of the armed forces

The Supreme Court criticised real estate regulatory authorities, saying they mainly aid defaulting builders and fail homebuyers. Allowing Himachal Pradesh to shift its RERA office, the court urged states to rethink the institution’s functioning

The Central Information Commission’s latest report shows that the Delhi High Court, Supreme Court and Home Ministry rejected the most RTI applications in 2024-25, with nearly half of denials citing Section 8(1) exemptions

Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has criticised the Centre’s directive mandating the singing of all six stanzas of Vande Mataram at official functions, calling it arbitrary and an attack on religious freedom. It urged respect for constitutional rights

CPI-M MP A A Rahim raised concern in the Rajya Sabha over stressful working conditions in public sector banks, claiming around 500 employees died by suicide in the last decade. He cited staff shortages, heavy pressure and unrealistic targets

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has submitted a notice for a substantive motion against Rahul Gandhi, alleging links with foreign organisations. He demanded cancellation of Gandhi’s Lok Sabha membership and a lifetime ban on contesting elections

Former Doordarshan news reader Sarla Maheshwari, a leading face of television news in the 1980s and 1990s, died in Delhi at the age of 71. Colleagues and Doordarshan paid tribute to her contribution to Indian broadcasting

The Department of Official Language will organise the Akhil Bharatiya Rajbhasha Sammelan in Agartala on February 20. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will attend the event, which will see participation from Central offices, PSUs, banks and other organisations

A professor at King George’s Medical University in Lucknow has been suspended after an MD student accused him of sexual harassment. The matter has been referred to the Internal Complaints Committee for inquiry. Further action will follow its findings

The Enforcement Directorate has told the Delhi High Court that it will challenge the acquittal of AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal in summons-related cases linked to the excise policy probe. The court dismissed his petition after he withdrew it

Rolls-Royce has announced plans to significantly expand its operations in India, including co-developing a next-generation combat jet engine. The company aims to double its workforce, strengthen local sourcing and support India’s Atmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat goals

The YSR Congress Party has accused Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu of doublespeak on the pricing and quality of ghee used for Tirupati laddu. Party leader Bhumana Karunakar Reddy questioned past and present rates supplied by Heritage Foods units

A woman allegedly bit and chewed a farmer’s finger after he refused to give her cow’s milk in a village in Madhya Pradesh’s Raisen district. The injured man was medically examined, and police have registered a case against the woman

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has denied Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju’s claim that she encouraged MPs to misbehave in the Speaker’s chamber. Calling the allegation a lie, she said no one was abused and she remained calm during the incident