THE HEADLINES:
- Government launches new national counter-terrorism policy and strategy ‘PRAHAR’ to tackle evolving terror threats with proactive approach.
- Prime Minister Writes to People of West Bengal; Urges them to join the development journey.
- Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar says, his country is excited to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week; Asserts, two nations will move forward decisively during his visit.
- Supreme Court seeks centre’s response on shifting coal based industries from Delhi-NCR to curb air pollution; Asks states to submit specific action plan for long-term solutions.
- Rob Jetten takes oath as Prime Minister of Netherlands.
- In ICC T20 Cricket World Cup, super 8 match underway between West Indies and Zimbabwe in Mumbai.
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The Ministry of Home Affairs today unveiled the country’s new national counter-terrorism policy and strategy titled PRAHAAR. The strategy outlines the comprehensive framework to address evolving terror threats using a proactive approach to prevent and counter terrorist threats.
PRAHAAR stands for Prevention of terror attacks to protect Indian citizens and interests, Responses, which are swift and proportionate to the threat posed, Aggregating internal capacities for achieving synergy in a whole-of-government approach, Human rights and ‘Rule of Law’ based processes for mitigation of threats, Attenuating the conditions enabling terrorism, including radicalization, Aligning and shaping the international efforts to counter terrorism and Recovery and resilience through a whole-of-society approach. More from our correspondent:
“To build consensus on the understanding of terrorism and the rights of victims of terrorism, India will continue to work for a comprehensive framework on international terrorism. It will pursue its counter-terrorism policy and strategy ‘Prahaar’, which aims to criminalize all terrorist acts and deny access to funds, weapons and safe havens to the terrorists, their financiers and supporters. India will continue its efforts together with the international community, to counter the global challenge of misuse of Information and Communications Technology for terrorist purposes. Besides, investment in technology and partnerships with private enterprise have been included to mitigate futuristic terror threats. With Anand Kumar, Anupam Mishra, Akashvani News, Delhi.”
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written a letter to the people of West Bengal appealing to them to join the development journey. Issued in Bengali and Hindi the letter outlines the Prime Minister’s appeal to the electorate and presented BJP’s development vision for the state. He said, in a few months the fate of the state will be decided. Mr Modi said, the future of the next generation depends on the careful choices made by the people of the state. He said, the ir-reparable damage that West Bengal has suffered due to mismanagement and appeasement politics of the last six decades is indescribable.
The Prime Minister said, despite the state government’s utter non-cooperation and hostility, today crores of people in West Bengal have come under the ambit of banking services under Jan Dhan Yojana. Mr Modi said, when the ruling party in the state is taking away the food supply of the poor, Centre has extended a helping hand by providing loans worth two lakh 82 thouand crore rupees to small traders and entrepreneurs. He said he is grateful that schemes like the Atal Pension Yojana have helped 56 lakh senior citizens become self-reliant, and that over one crore families received gas connections under the Ujjwala Yojana, freeing women from smoke in kitchens. He added that financial support under the Krishak Samman Nidhi scheme has brought smiles to more than 52 lakh farmers in West Bengal.
Mr Modi said, West Bengal is an integral part of the country due to the tireless efforts of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, the heroic son of Mother India.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that the PM SuryaGhar scheme is a commendable milestone in the country’s clean energy journey. Responding to a social media post by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Mr Modi complemented those who embraced rooftop solar power thereby boosting savings, sustainability and self-reliance. The Union Minister noted in his post that thirty lakh households across the nation are now empowered with rooftop solar power under the scheme.
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President Droupadi Murmu unveiled the bust of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari as part of Rajaji Utsav at Rashtrapati Bhavan, a celebration of the life and legacy of the first Indian Governor General of the country. The bust of Rajaji situated at the Grand Open Staircase near Ashok Mandap, replaced the bust of Edwin Lutyens. Speaking on the occasion, the President said, the initiative is part of a series of steps being taken towards shedding the vestiges of the colonial mindset and embracing, with pride, the richness of India’s culture and heritage.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan said that India’s movement away from the colonial influence is not a single event, it is an ongoing transformation across governance, law, education, culture, and national identity.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said Rajaji Utsav is a wonderful initiative, which brings out different aspects of C Rajagopalachari’s rich contribution to the nation.
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Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar today said, Israel is excited to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week, noting that the two nations will move forward decisively during his visit. In a social media post, he said that when India and Israel come together it’s never just a meeting but a partnership built on trust, guided by a clear understanding of the challenges, and powered by innovation.
Highlighting that both countries are moving forward to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the Israeli Ambassador stated that India and Israel will deepen defence partnership by updating security agreements during Prime Minister Modi’s visit. He underlined that both nations have worked closely for years.
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Ambassador of India to Israel J P Singh has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel will be a historic one. Talking exclusively to Akashvani News in Jerusalem, Mr Singh called it a historic visit and elaborated upon Prime Minister’s engagements in Israel.
The Indian Envoy said, the visit is important in the context that the Israeli ecosystem and Indian ecosystem complement each other.
Our Correspondent covering the Prime Minister’s Israel visit, says, the Indian community in Israel is a vibrant and diverse group, consisting of approximately 85 thousand Jews of Indian origin and around 18 thousand to 20 thousand Indian nationals employed in various sectors. The majority of Indian Jews in Israel hail from Maharashtra, Kerala and Kolkata.
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The Supreme Court today sought responses of the union ministries on a proposal for shifting all the coal-based industries out of Delhi-NCR to ensure better air quality. Responses have been sought by the bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi to deal with the persistent air quality crisis in the National Capital Region. The bench said it will examine the issue of vehicular air pollution on 12th of the next month based on the suggestions made by the Commission for Air Quality Management.
The top court sought responses of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Ministry of Power on the suggestions that no new coal-based thermal power plant be set up within 300 kilometers of Delhi. The bench asked all stakeholders to file their respective status reports and proposals before the next hearing on 12th March.
The apex court also directed Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan to issue public notices inviting suggestions and objections from stakeholders, including the coal-based industries in the NCR. The bench directed the Government of NCT of Delhi to submit a specific action plan to implement the commission–recommended long-term solutions.
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Dispelling the myth of an idle wife, the Delhi High Court has said that a homemaker’s labour enables the earning spouse to function effectively, and it was unjust to disregard her contributions while deciding the maintenance. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma observed that a wife’s non-employment cannot be equated with idleness or deliberate dependence, and when determining the maintenance. It said the law must recognise not only financial earnings but also the economic value of her contributions to the home and domestic relationship during the subsistence of marriage.
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The Calcutta High Court expressed its anguish over the lackluster role of the government of West Bengal and Kolkata Municipal Corporation over the illegal constructions on the East Kolkata Wetlands which is a Ramsar site despite the court’s multiple orders to dismantle. The High Court today ordered to add the government of India in this case and observed if the state government is unable to dismantle the illegal constructions then the central forces will be instructed to complete the job. The next hearing in this case will take place on 16th of the next month.
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Dutch King Willem-Alexander has officially sworn in a new Dutch government today, led by Rob Jetten, who is the youngest Prime Minister in the country’s history. Jetten leads a three-party coalition government made up of his centrist party, Democrats 66 (D66), the Christian Democratic Appeal, and the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy. Together these parties hold only 66 out of 150 seats in the lower house of parliament, so Jetten will have to negotiate with opposition parties to pass laws. Mr. Jetten and his ministers were sworn in at the royal palace, in the Orange Hall, near The Hague.
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At the recently concluded India AI Impact Expo 2026 in Delhi, exhibitors unveiled cutting-edge innovations aimed at early disease detection, precision treatment, and smarter surgeries. These AI-driven solutions seek to transform and strengthen the country’s healthcare infrastructure through advanced technology. Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Tanprish Dynamics, Abhay Dwivedi said that his company is harnessing the power of AI to assist healthcare workers in the early detection of cervical cancer.
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In the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup, West Indies set a target of 255 runs against Zimbabwe in their Super 8 Group 1 clash at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. West Indies scored 254 runs for loss of 6 wickets in stipulated 20 overs. Earlier, Zimbabwe won the toss and opted to bowl.
Yesterday, India went down to South Africa by 76 runs in their Super 8 clash at Ahmedabad.
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In Jammu and Kashmir, the second chapter of Khelo India Winter Games kicked off today at the world famous tourist destination Gulmarg. Around one thousand athletes and officials from various states and Union Territories will take part in different disciplines during the four day sports extravaganza. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated the Games today. Speaking on the occasion, he said the Games have evolved from a simple sporting event into a true national festival.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:-
- Government launches new national counter-terrorism policy and strategy ‘PRAHAR’ to tackle evolving terror threats with proactive approach.
- Prime Minister Writes to People of West Bengal; Urges them to join the development journey.
- Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar says, his country is excited to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week; Asserts, two nations will move forward decisively during his visit.
- Supreme Court seeks centre’s response on shifting coal based industries from Delhi-NCR to curb air pollution; Asks states to submit specific action plan for long-term solutions.
- Rob Jetten takes oath as Prime Minister of Netherlands.
- In ICC T20 Cricket World Cup, super 8 match underway between West Indies and Zimbabwe in Mumbai.
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