TODAYS TOP NEWS
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PM Modi has said, the theme of India-AI Impact Summit 2026 is Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya, meaning welfare for all and happiness for all which reflects country’s shared commitment to harnessing Artificial Intelligence for human-centric progress. The five-day event opened in New Delhi yesterday.
1. The Election Commission announced on Wednesday that biennial elections to 37 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 States will be held on March 16.
2. The budget session of the Haryana Legislative Assembly will begin today with the Governor’s address. The session will continue until the 18th of next month. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini will present the budget on 2nd March.
3. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced a pioneering initiative to develop pollinator or ‘Bee Corridors’ along National Highways. The move marks a transition from ornamental roadside plantations to ecologically driven green corridors aimed at supporting honeybees and other pollinators.
4. The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSGRTC), the state-owned public transport operator, floated a tender in September for the retrofitting of 240 diesel buses with electric powertrains. Sai Green Mobility Pvt. Ltd., a company based in Hyderabad, the state capital, won the tender for 200 units. Kalyani Powertrain Ltd., based in Pune (Maharashtra), was awarded the remaining 40 units.
5. The release of the final voter list in West Bengal is likely to be delayed as a large number of voter documents are still pending for verification. The release of voters list was scheduled for the 28th of this month.
6. The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Vinai Kumar Saxena and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta inaugurated 25 new Atal Canteens in the national capital. The canteens were launched digitally from Krishna Nagar, Delhi. Atal Canteens are subsidised community kitchens started to provide affordable, hygienic meals to poor and needy people such as daily wage workers, labourers, auto drivers, and homeless citizens.
🍛 Main Features:
Meals at very low cost (generally ₹5–₹10 per plate).
7. In Kerala, the State Disaster Management Authority has warned that prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays can lead to sunburn, skin and eye diseases, and other health issues. The authority advised people to avoid direct sunlight between 10 AM and 3 PM, when UV levels are highest.
8. Governor of Maharashtra Acharya Devvrat called upon environmental experts to give equal attention to agriculture and the rural economy while addressing global environmental concerns. He was speaking at the valedictory session of Mumbai Climate Week held in Mumbai.
9. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has unveiled the “AI Impact Startup Book” at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, presenting a comprehensive mapping of India’s artificial intelligence and deep-tech startup ecosystem.
10. The Election Commission on Thursday directed the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of 22 states and Union Territories, including Punjab, Haryana, HP and Chandigarh, to start preparations for the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls “at the earliest”.
11. The Commission for Air Quality Management in Delhi and NCR region has revoked Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) with immediate effect. The decision was taken after the improvement of the Air Quality Index (AQI) level in the national capital. The AQI was recorded at 212.
12. In Tamil Nadu, the DMDK Party, founded by late actor-politician Vijaykant, has joined an alliance with the Democratic Progressive Alliance headed by DMK ahead of the State Assembly elections.
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LEGAL REPORT
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1. Fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya on Wednesday informed the Bombay High Court that he is unable to provide a definite timeline for his return to India as his passport has been revoked and he is barred from leaving England and Wales under orders passed by courts in the United Kingdom.
2. The remaining 44 memorials erected as symbols of Maoist terror in Gadchiroli district have been successfully demolished by security forces in Maharashtra. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis congratulated the Gadchiroli police force for this achievement.
3. Bihar has been declared free of Naxal activities. The state achieved this significant milestone after the surrender of the last armed Maoist, Suresh Koda, in Munger.
4. In Kerala, the Kollam Vigilance Court has deferred its order on the bail plea filed by A Padmakumar, former president of the Travancore Devaswom Board, in connection with the Sabarimala gold case. Padmakumar approached the court seeking statutory bail after completing 90 days in remand, as the charge sheet in the doorframe gold case has not yet been filed.
5. The Supreme Court of India will commence hearings on petitions challenging the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019, from 5 May 2026.
The Citizenship Amendment Act, passed on 11 December 2019, amends provisions of the Citizenship Act to provide a fast-track pathway to Indian citizenship for members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
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DEFENCE News
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1. Aerospace giant Airbus, in partnership with TATA Advanced Systems, is set to ramp up production of its H125 helicopters to 10 units per year by 2029.
2. DRDO conducts successful qualification test for Gaganyaan drogue parachute : The Indian Army has achieved a significant milestone by successfully conducting an airdrop of a BMP infantry combat vehicle from a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.This operation utilised an indigenous 28-foot Cluster Extractor Parachute, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
3. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is in Assam on a three-day-long tour. Union Minister will visit the BSF’s Natunpur border outpost along the India-Bangladesh border to review the situation. He will also launch the Vibrant Villages Programme, an initiative focused on border infrastructure and livelihoods at Natunpur.
On Saturday, he will attend the CRPF’s annual day parade at the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex in Guwahati and will also lay the foundation stone for the new campus of the 10th Assam Police Battalion at Kasutoli in Sonapur, near Guwahati.
4. Around 2,000 security personnel, led by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), launched an operation on Tuesday (February 17, 2026) along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border to track down senior Maoist commanders.
5. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a Navratna Defence Public Sector Undertaking, has entered into a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bangalore-based SASMOS HET Technologies Ltd. This collaboration, signed on 16 February 2026, focuses on advancing defence technologies to bolster India’s self-reliance.
FINANCE
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INDIAN RUPEE VALUE
💷 GBP ₹123(Approx)
€ Euro : ₹107(Approx)
USD ₹ 91(Approx)
🇨🇦 Canada :CAD ₹66
🇦🇺 Australia : ₹ 61
🇦🇪 UAE Dirham : ₹ 25
🇨🇳 China Yuan ¥ : ₹ 13
🇲🇻 Maldives Rufiya : ₹ 5.88
🇧🇹 Bhutan ngultrum : ₹ 1.00
🇳🇵 Nepal Rupee : ₹ 0.63
🇧🇩 B’desh Taka* : ₹ 0.70
🇵🇰 Pak Rupee : ₹ 0.32
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka Rupee : ₹ 0.29
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BSE SENSEX
82,498.14 −1,236.11 (1.48%)🔻
NIFTY
25,454.35 −365.00 (1.41%)🔻
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Rates in Financial Capital Mumbai
GOLD : ₹ 15,500/ 01gm (24 krt)
SILVER : ₹ 265,000/KG
1. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has cleared the ₹81,000 crore Great Nicobar Project, stating it found no valid ground to interfere with the environmental clearance granted earlier.
2. The Gender Budget allocation in Union Budget 2026-27 has increased to ₹5.01 lakh crore, marking an 11.55% rise compared to ₹4.49 lakh crore in the previous financial year. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the enhanced allocation while presenting the Union Budget 2026-27.
The share of Gender Budget in the total Union Budget has also increased to 9.37% from 8.86% last year. This reflects the government’s growing focus on women welfare and empowerment.
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ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
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1. Veteran screenwriter Salim Khan is recovering in Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital following a minor brain haemorrhage on February 17. Khan, who is 90, is now stable.
Salim Khan, father of actor Salman Khan and one half of the legendary Salim-Javed screenwriting duo, experienced dizziness caused by a sudden spike in blood pressure, which led to internal bleeding on the right side of his brain.
2. One of the most anticipated releases of 2026, ‘Raja Shivaji’ brings Riteish Deshmukh to the big screen as the valiant Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Months after announcing the ambitious pan-India project, filmed in both Marathi and Hindi, the makers marked Shiv Jayanti 2026 by unveiling the film’s first official poster.
3. Varalaxmi Sarathkumar is set to make her directorial debut with the upcoming film ‘Saraswathi’. Prominent star Samantha Ruth Prabhu took to social media to share the film’s poster.
20 Feb(Friday)
Vedic Ritu/ Shishir
Drik Ritu : Vasant (Spring)
पक्ष :: Shuklapaksh
(In Purnimanta calendar)
Vikram Samvat – 2082
Month : Phlguna 19,
(In Amanta calendar)
Shaka Samvat – 1947
Month : Phlguna 03
Tithi : Tritiya (up to 2:38 pm)Chaturthi
Nakshatra:Uttara Bhadrapada
Rahu : 11:15 AM – 12:40 PM
Yamaganda : 03:31 PM – 04:56 PM
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Ms. Pooja, |
