The Digital India Corporation, under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, to foster the Artificial Intelligence (AI) ecosystem in the country has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Uttar Pradesh Development Systems Corporation Limited (UPDESCO), Lucknow.

Under the IndiaAI Mission, a total of 65 Data and AI Labs are planned to be established across Uttar Pradesh. Of these, two IndiaAI Data and AI Labs at NIELIT Centres located in Lucknow and Gorakhpur are already operational, while one Data and AI Lab have been established by an industry partner at Pilibhit. Further, 49 Data and AI Labs have been approved by the State Government and implementation work has commenced, and 13 additional locations will be identified in due course.

The IndiaAI Data Labs will be equipped with modern AI-ready infrastructure, including computing resources, software platforms, curated datasets, and learning modules specifically designed to support AI skilling and experiential learning. Students will receive hands-on training through real-world use cases, project-based learning, and problem-solving exercises, enabling them to design, develop, and deploy AI-based solutions relevant to practical and industry scenarios.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research- ICAR today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Dairy Development Board – NDDB to enhance collaboration in multidisciplinary research, innovation, and capacity building across the entire dairy sector. The Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry informed that the MoU aims to synergise ICAR’s scientific and research expertise with NDDB’s extensive field-level experience and address emerging challenges at the grassroots level.

Director General of ICAR, Dr. Mangi Lal Jat, said that the MoU will pave the way for a structured partnership to address complex challenges such as climate resilience, low productivity, and value chain development. The Ministry highlighted that the collaboration places strong emphasis on knowledge sharing, technology development and validation, human resource development, and the conduct of joint training programmes for researchers, professionals, and farmers.

Vice President CP Radhakrishnan today said that the vision of a Viksit Bharat can only be realised when the youth of the country is drug-free, healthy and purpose-driven. Mr Radhakrishnan said this while addressing Delhi University’s Drug Free Campus Campaign in the National Capital. On the occasion, Mr Radhakrishnan also launched a dedicated e-pledge platform and Mobile App for Drug-Free Campuses.

The Vice President said that the campaign aligns strongly with the government’s Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan. He underlined that substance abuse is a social challenge, a public health concern and a threat to the country’s demographic dividend. Mr Radhakrishnan also urged the students to actively participate and take the pledge for a drug-free campus.

Mr Radhakrishnan highlighted that it is the need of the hour for everyone to keep themselves away from drugs. He also stressed the need to rise against drug abuse and spread awareness amongst everyone against the use of drugs. Mr Radhakrishnan said that drugs also spoil the physical and mental health of people.

By taking decisive steps to secure a sustainable future, Bamanwas Kankar panchayat in Rajasthan has become the first village body in the State to be certified as fully organic.

The panchayat, comprising seven hamlets in the newly formed Kotputli-Behror district, took measures not only to resolve issues of soil degradation and declining groundwater level but also to address health concerns linked to chemical-based farming.

All farming activities in Bamanwas Kankar are free of chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers while animal husbandry practices follow ecological and health-conscious standards. “This integrated approach has ensured that agriculture, livestock management, and environmental protection will move forward together,” sarpanch Ganesh Jat said.

Scientists at a nuclear fusion reactor in China recently surmounted an important obstacle in operating reactor vessels at high density. They pushed plasma density 65% beyond a special threshold, entering a stable state that overcomes a long-standing barrier to achieving burning plasma, the stage where a fusion reaction becomes self-sustaining.

Fusion power mimics what happens inside the sun. Hydrogen atoms slam together so hard that they fuse into helium, releasing copious amounts of energy. But this reaction only works when the atoms are packed into a small space at an extreme temperature, typically more than 100,000,000º C.

In Kerala, the hill shrine of Sabarimala will celebrate the Makaravilakku festival today, coinciding with Makara Sankrama night, when devotees will witness the appearance of the Makarajyothi at Ponnambalamedu.

Rituals, including the procession with Thiruvabharanam, the sacred ornaments of Lord Ayyappa, will be held as part of the celebrations.

Akashvani’s correspondent reports that thousands of pilgrims have already camped at various locations of Sabari Mala to witness Makara Vilakku.

The festival is also coinciding with Makara Sankrama night. Rituals, including the procession with Thiruvabharan, the sacred ornaments of Lord Ayyappa, will be held as part of the celebrations. Makara Sankrama pooja will be held at 3 pm today. Strict restrictions have been imposed at Sabari Mala and only 35,000 pilgrims will be allowed at Sabari Mala today.

The India Open Badminton tournament has started at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi today. Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu will lead India’s challenge in the competition. Currently ranked 18th, Sindhu is returning after a difficult 2025 season and a long injury layoff. She recently reached the semi-finals of the Malaysia Open and will be keen to build on that form at home. Malvika Bansod and young Tanvi Sharma will also represent India in women’s singles.

In women’s doubles, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand will lead the Indian challenge, which has a strong home presence. In men’s singles, Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty will face each other in the opening round, meaning only one will progress. Former world championship medallists Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy are also in the draw.

In men’s doubles, world number three pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will aim to reclaim the title they won in 2022, while MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan will also be in action.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday launched the website, theme, and logo for BRICS 2026, scheduled to take place under India's chairship.

Union Ministers of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and Kirti Vardhan Singh were present on the occasion.

BRICS brings together eleven major emerging markets and developing countries of the world - Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. It serves as a useful platform for consultation and cooperation on contemporary issues having global and regional significance, as well as issues of global political and economic governance.

The All India Spices Exporters Forum (AISEF) will host the 9th edition of the International Spice Conference (ISC 2026) from February 23 to 26, 2026 in Kochi.

The 4-day conference with the theme -- “Spice 360 – Getting Future Ready”-- will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, researchers and innovators from across the world to deliberate on the future of the global spice industry.

Amitabh Kant, former G20 Sherpa and former CEO of NITI Aayog will inaugurate the conference and deliver keynote address on “Transforming Agro-Industry: Innovation, Inclusion & Global Leadership.” Martin Sonntag, CEO of Oterra, will be the Guest of Honour and speak on “Shaping the Next Decade of Food & Nutrition: Collaboration, Trust, and Responsibility.”

Mumbai today hosted the fifth edition of the Tri-Services Veterans Day parade at Marine Drive, ahead of Veterans Day to be observed on Wednesday. The event was held between 8 AM and 11 AM and saw the participation of over 500 veterans, including gallantry award winners and octogenarians.

The parade was flagged off by Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, AVSM, VSM, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command, who attended the event as the chief guest. Senior officers from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, along with other dignitaries, were present on the occasion.

Mumbai is the only city in the country to host a city-level parade to mark Veterans Day. The event was organised by the Navy Foundation Mumbai Chapter with the support of Headquarters Western Naval Command.