Southern Air Command of the Indian Air Force has successfully conducted a high-tempo joint maritime exercise, named Kalari Leap, in the Lakshadweep and Minicoy archipelago. The exercise was aimed at validating joint planning, rapid force projection and precise operational execution in complex maritime environments.

“The Kalari Leap exercise was validating Southern Air Command’s strength in rapid force projection and precision execution in a challenging maritime environment. The Armed Forces Special Operations Division and the Indian Coast Guard also participated in the Kalari Leap joint exercise along the Lakshadweep area. Exercises, including anti-ship strikes and maritime search and rescue operations, were conducted during Kalari Leap. Along with the assets of the Indian Air Force, the Coast Guard Ships. Gemini boats and Dornier 228 aircraft were also deployed for Kalari Leap. The exercise demonstrated Air Command’s readiness to execute integrated air, maritime, and special operations along island domains.

The Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (CSMC) chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on Monday sanctioned 2.88 lakh more houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban 2.0 (PMAY-U 2.0).

With the latest approval, total number of sanctioned houses under the scheme is now over 13.61 lakh, reflecting the Government’s continued commitment to ensure access to dignified and affordable housing for urban families belonging to Economically Weaker Section (EWS), Low Income Group (LIG) and and Middle-Income Group (MIG).

The newly sanctioned houses have been approved in 16 states and union territories (UTs) including Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

In a historic milestone for Indian mountaineering, a six-member team from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), Uttarkashi and the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering & Winter Sports (JIM&WS), Pahalgam successfully summited Mt. Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America and the second-highest peak in the world outside of Asia, on February 22, 2026, at 14:10 hours.

The team led by Col Hem Chandra Singh (Principal, NIM and JIM&WS), was ceremonially flagged off by Raksha Mantri, Shri Rajnath Singh, on February 5, 2026. Following their departure, the team arrived in Argentina on February 8, 2026, to begin their ascent.

To ensure acclimatization, the team first conquered Bonete Peak (5,050m) before tackling the extreme conditions of Aconcagua. The team including Capt G Santhosh Kumar, Shri Deep Bahadur Sahi, Shri Vinod Gusai, Nb Sub Bhupinder Singh, and Hav Ramesh Kumar overcame fierce winds and challenging temperatures between -20°C and -30°C, demonstrating exemplary grit, teamwork and professionalism.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda today virtually inaugurated the Liver Transplant Unit and Robotic Surgery System at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. Inaugurating the facilities, Mr Nadda said these additions will strengthen the healthcare infrastructure, elevating the quality of healthcare delivery and enabling access to advanced, world-class, and life-saving treatments for patients across Odisha and eastern India. He stated that the launch of the facility is an important step forward in advancing the noble cause of organ donation. With the commissioning of the state-of-the-art surgical robotic system, AIIMS Bhubaneswar became the first government institution in Odisha with a comprehensive robotic surgery programme.

With the Union Cabinet approving the renaming of Kerala as Keralam on Tuesday, the demand, previously endorsed twice by the Kerala Assembly, is finally set to be fulfilled.

The Assembly passed resolutions in 2023 and 2024 urging the Union government to amend the Constitution and change the state’s name from Kerala to Keralam. Both resolutions were moved by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Last month, Kerala BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar wrote to the CM extending the party’s support to the move.

The next round of airport leasing (divestment) just got a boost, with the Centre setting a monetisation target of ₹27,500 crore for the civil aviation sector under the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) 2.0 for FY26 to FY30.

At present, 11 airports have been identified for monetisation (leasing) during the five-year period. The proposal is being considered by the Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC). These airports include Varanasi, Bhubaneswar, Amritsar, Indore, Raipur, Trichy, Calicut, Coimbatore, Ranchi, Jodhpur and Gaya.

NMP 2.0 framework covers operational, revenue-generating airports and select equity divestments in aviation-related public sector entities. The framework provides for structured private participation, while ownership of core airport assets will remain with the government.

Finally, one of India's great heroes, all-time great cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, has had to intervene. Too many lives have been lost needlessly, too many people disabled, and this hurts not just families but also the national economy - the road safety in India. Tendulkar, focusing on road accidents in India and the increasing number of tragedies, said, "Throughout my career, I have learned that discipline and awareness are essential not just for success but for responsibility," adding "The same is true on our roads. Every day, our actions affect others. Wearing a seat belt or helmet, staying alert, and respecting the rules of the road can save lives... Our road crash fatality rate is 10 times higher than the volume of vehicles we own. But with greater awareness and collective action, we can protect our families and communities."

As Tendulkar rightly said, "Every life matters," he said, hoping that his safety statement for the United Nations (UN) will help to "create safer roads for all of us."

The 7th edition of the annual Joint Military Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN between India and Japan commenced today in Uttarakhand. The military exercise held between the Indian Army and the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force will continue till the 9th of March.

In a statement, the Defence Ministry said that the 120-member contingent from each side is participating. The Japanese contingent is represented by troops from the 32nd Infantry Regiment, while the Indian Army team comprises soldiers from the Ladakh Scouts.

Held alternately in India and Japan, the exercise remains an important pillar of defence cooperation between the two countries. It aims to strengthen military collaboration and enhance combined capabilities to undertake joint operations in a semi-urban environment.

At Soundala, 60 km from Ahilyanagar in Maharashtra, Class 5 students sit in a circle outside the village temple preparing for their primary scholarship examination. A few steps away is the gram panchayat office, where, on February 5, the village gram sabha passed a unique resolution to make the village ‘caste-free’ and end discrimination on all grounds.

The effects are not just on paper. “We had Hindu religious reading last week. She is Muslim and she also had food at the festival with us,” says one of the students Gauri Bhand, referring to her friend Mahira Sayyad sitting beside her. “Christian, Muslim, Maratha, everyone has the same rights,” she adds.

Led by sarpanch Sharad Argade, the resolution read, “There will be no discrimination on the basis of caste, religion, creed, or race in Mouje Soundala. All residents in the village will be equal and the belief of ‘My religion — humanity’ is being adopted.”

Karnataka government is considering a ban on mobile phones for school children. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar stated that parents are pressuring the government to act. The government is examining models from other countries. This move aims to address the negative impact of excessive screen time on students' learning and mental health.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday said the government was actively discussing a ban on use of mobile phones by school children amid growing concerns over the impact of excessive screen time on them.