THE HEADLINES::
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be on a three-day visit to Gujarat beginning today; To take part in several events including Somnath Swabhiman Parv.
- Budget Session of Parliament to begin from 28th of this month.
- India’s Operation Sindoor forced Pakistan to carry out hurried constitutional amendments, says Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.
- Fourteen people killed in Himachal Pradesh as bus falls into gorge in Sirmaur district.
- Massive protests continue across Iran as unrest claims 62 lives so far.
- In Women’s Premier League Cricket, Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat defending champions Mumbai Indians by three wickets in opening match.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a three-day visit to Gujarat beginning today. During his visit, the Prime Minister will attend several events including the Somnath Swabhiman Parv. Mr Modi will also take part in major development programmes and diplomatic engagements across Rajkot, Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. The four-day Somnath Swabhiman Parv, celebrating the enduring spirit of the Somnath Temple, began on Thursday at the coastal town of Veraval in Gir Somnath district.
The four-day ‘Somnath Swabhiman Parv’ being held at Prabhas Patan is a tribute to India’s enduring spirit that refused to break even after the invasion of 1026 to the Somnath temple. On the economic front, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the second Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference in Rajkot. This conference, dedicated to the Western Gujarat region, will focus on key sectors like Ceramics, Engineering, and Green Energy. The visit will conclude with a high-level diplomatic engagement as the Prime Minister will meet German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Gandhinagar. Marking twenty-five years of the India-Germany Strategic Partnership, both the leaders will focus on intensifying cooperation in various sectors such as trade, technology, and green development among others. Aparna Khunt, Akashvani News, Ahmedabad.
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The Budget Session of Parliament will commence from 28th of this month and will continue till 2nd of April. In a social media post, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said, the first phase of the Budget Session will conclude on 13th of February. He said, the Parliament will reassemble for the second phase on 9th of March. Mr Rijiju said that it is a vital step towards meaningful debate and people-centric governance. The Minister informed that on the recommendation of the Central government, President Droupadi Murmu has approved the summoning of both the Houses of Parliament for the Budget Session 2026.
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Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan has said, Pakistan’s hurried military and constitutional restructuring after Operation Sindoor was a tacit admission of its serious shortcomings exposed during the conflict. General Chauhan was speaking at the Pune Public Policy Festival yesterday. Addressing a session on “Technology and National Security, the CDS said, Operation Sindoor launched in May last year after the terror attack in April, forced Pakistan to carry out constitutional amendments, which is an acknowledgement that everything did not go well for the neighbouring nation. General Chauhan said Operation Sindoor is only on pause.
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Home Minister Amit Shah has announced that a collective nationwide campaign against drugs will be launched from 31st March this year. The campaign, which will run for three years, aims to make the country drug-free. Mr Shah made the announcement while chairing the 9th Apex-Level Meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre in New Delhi yesterday. He said, in the fight against drugs, all departments of the Central Government should prepare a roadmap up to 2029 and establish a time-bound review mechanism for its implementation. The Home Minister said, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country has achieved considerable success in combating the drug menace.
Mr Shah informed that between 2014 and 2025, drugs weighing one crore eleven lakh kilograms and valued at one lakh seventy-one thousand crore rupees were seized.
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Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said that Indian Railways is well-positioned to set global benchmark and play a key role in India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047. Mr Vaishnaw was speaking after presenting the 70th Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar 2025 to 100 railway officials and awarding 26 shields to the best-performing railway zones in New Delhi yesterday.
Mr Vaishnaw said Indian Railways has set six new resolutions for 2026. These include carrying out systemic reforms in 52 weeks, using technology and artificial intelligence to improve reliability and productivity, upgrading maintenance standards, strengthening safety, and moving away from a colonial mindset. He added that a new innovation portal will link Indian Railways with startups and innovators, and that AI will be widely used for maintenance work.
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In Chhattisgarh, 63 Maoists have surrendered in Dantewada district. Of these, 36 Maoists were carrying a total reward of one crore nineteen lakh fifty thousand rupees. The Maoists surrendered before the Superintendent of Police, Gaurav Rai. Talking to reporters, Mr Rai said that the surrendered Maoists include 18 women cadres. He informed that these Maoists were active in the Darbha Division, South Bastar, West Bastar, the Maad region and in the neighbouring state of Odisha. The Superintendent of Police said that the surrendered Maoists were allegedly involved in serious Maoist incidents, including encounters with police, IED blasts, ambushes, arson, murder and firing incidents. He added that all the surrendered Maoists have been provided an incentive amount of fifty thousand rupees each under the State Government’s rehabilitation policy.
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In Himachal Pradesh, 14 people were killed and several others seriously injured after a private bus plunged into a deep gorge near Haripurdhar in Sirmaur district yesterday. The bus, carrying 66 passengers, was travelling from Solan to Haripurdhar when the accident occurred.
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have expressed grief at the loss of lives in the bus mishap in Himachal Pradesh. Prime Minister Modi has announced an ex-gratia of two lakh rupees to the next of kin of each deceased from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. The injured will be given 50 thousand rupees.
A private bus travelling from Solan to Haripurdhar fell into a deep gorge near Haripurdhar in Sirmaur district yesterday afternoon. Fourteen people lost their lives in the accident, while several others sustained serious injuries. A total of sixty-six passengers were travelling on the bus. As soon as information about the incident was received, local residents, along with the police and the administration, immediately launched relief and rescue operations. The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals, where they are undergoing treatment. Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri visited the accident site and said that the administration acted promptly and took all necessary steps. He added that orders have been issued to probe the accident, and the exact cause of the mishap will be ascertained after a detailed investigation. Ritesh Kapoor, Akashvani News, Shimla.
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The 53rd edition of the New Delhi World Book Fair 2026 begins today at Bharat Mandapam in National Capital. The fair brings together publishers, authors, readers, and cultural voices from India and across the world.
The nine-day book fair will attract participation from over one thousand publishers representing more than 35 countries. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will inaugurate the fair .The theme of the fair is Indian Military History: Valour and Wisdom @ 75. The Theme Pavilion is the main attraction, showcasing over five hundred books on military history and hosting more than one hundred theme-based events. A key highlight this year is the Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya, a digital library offering access to six thousand free eBooks. This initiative blends traditional book browsing with digital innovation, ensuring wider and more inclusive access to literature. Ishani Yadav, sShivang Mishra, Akashvani News Delhi.
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Prime Minister’s flagship platform for Proactive Governance and Timely Implementation, PRAGATI, has marked a significant milestone with the successful conduct of its 50th meeting. Today, in this special series, we take a look at the four laning of the Phagwara-Rupnagar section of National Highway in Punjab.
The 4-laning of the Phagwara – Rupnagar section of National Highway in Punjab represents a strategically important corridor, connecting the industrial clusters of Jalandhar and Phagwara. the project established the shortest route between Amritsar and Chandigarh, strengthening access to major Sikh pilgrimage centres along the corridor. The project faced significant implementation challenges, primarily related to land acquisition and compensation disbursement. The projects stands as a compelling example of how rigorous monitoring, decisive leadership, and cooperative federalism under PRAGATI can convert persistent land acquisition challenges into a fully realised infrastructure asset. The corridor was envisaged to reduce travel time, lower vehicle operating costs, and improve safety for both passengers and heavy commercial vehicles. With Dipendra Kumar, Anand Kumar, Akashvani News Delhi.
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In Iran, anti-government protests have widened to all 31 provinces, cutting across cities and regions of country, posing the most serious challenge to the Islamic Republic since the 2022 unrest. The West Asian country is witnessing nationwide protests fueled by a worsening economic crisis, as rising inflation, unemployment, and a weakening currency deepen public anger. According to the US-based, overseas Iranian rights group, Human Rights Activists News Agency, 62 people have been killed since the demonstrations began on 28th of last month, including 14 security personnel and 48 protesters.
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In Women’s Premier League Cricket, Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Defending Champions Mumbai Indians by three wickets in Navi Mumbai last night.
Put in to bat first, Mumbai Indians posted 154 runs for the loss of six wickets in stipulated 20 overs, with Sajeevan Sajana scoring 45 and Nicola Carey contributing 40 runs. For Bengaluru, Nadine de Klerk picked up an impressive four-wicket haul.
In reply, Royal Challengers Bengaluru overhauled the score, posting 157 for the loss of seven wickets in the alloted overs.
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And in Malaysia Open Badminton, the semi-final match between two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and China’s Wang Zhi Yi is underway in Kuala Lumpur. Sindhu advanced to the semifinals after her opponent, Akane Yamaguchi of Japan, retired due to injury.
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TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS HEADLINE,
- Hindustan Times leads with the headline, “India junks claim Modi not calling Trump held up deal”. The paper quotes the External Affairs Ministry spokesperson as saying that Prime Minister Modi and President Trump have spoken on phone 8 times in 2025 on different aspects of partnership.
- “Mamata takes fight to streets, sees ED ‘bid to steal poll plan'” headlines The Asian Age. Meanwhile the Enforcement Directorate has approached the Calcutta High Court seeking an FIR and a CBI proe against Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee and top police officers for obstructing its raids, writes the paper.
- Prasar Bharati has launched “Creator’s Corner”, a dedicated platform on DD News for content created by digital creators, reports The Hindu.
- Sabarimala’s most senior priest held in ‘gold theft’ scandal, writes The Indian Express
- And finally, the Supreme Court has said that the picture projected by animal rights activists in favour of canines, is different from ground ralities, writes The Times of India.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be on a three-day visit to Gujarat beginning today; To take part in several events including Somnath Swabhiman Parv.
- Budget Session of Parliament to begin from 28th of this month.
- India’s Operation Sindoor forced Pakistan to carry out hurried constitutional amendments, says Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.
- Fourteen people killed in Himachal Pradesh as bus falls into gorge in Sirmaur district.
- Massive protests continue across Iran as unrest claims 62 lives so far.
- In Women’s Premier League Cricket, Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat defending champions Mumbai Indians by three wickets in opening match.
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