Veteran Communist Party of India (CPI) leader R Nallakannu passed away at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital here on Wednesday, February 25, due to prolonged age-related ailments. He was 101.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the hospital said that he had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on February 1. The statement noted that despite specialised care, he had not been responding well to the treatments and his condition became critical.

“With profound sorrow, we inform you that Mr Nallakannu passed away at 1.55 pm on February 25,” the statement read.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Wednesday (February 25, 2026) conferred with the ‘Speaker of the Knesset Medal’ in recognition of his exceptional contribution to strengthening strategic relations between India and Israel.

PM Modi is the first leader to receive this medal, which is the highest honour of the Knesset — the Israeli Parliament.

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana conferred the award on the Prime Minister after his address at the Israeli Parliament.

The medal was conferred in recognition of the Prime Minister’s exceptional contribution — through his personal leadership — to strengthen strategic relations between India and Israel.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has announced that Delhi will adopt the Centre's 'Rah-Veer' scheme, a programme designed to encourage citizens to assist road accident victims. Under this initiative, anyone who helps transport a seriously injured person to a hospital or trauma centre within the crucial "golden hour" will be eligible for a cash reward of Rs 25,000. The golden hour refers to the first hour after an accident, when timely medical care can make the difference between life and death.

Speaking about the scheme, Gupta explained that it was created to remove hesitation among bystanders who often avoid helping due to fear of legal complications. "Many people hesitate to help due to fear of legal complications or police procedures. This scheme will remove such apprehensions and encourage citizens to step forward," she said. The programme aims to ensure that victims receive immediate medical attention without delay.

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari today launched the upgraded RAJMARG PRAVESH web portal for hassle-free obtaining of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for fuel stations. The Ministry, in a statement, informed that the portal has been developed to make the process of getting permissions simpler, faster and more transparent. It added that, through the new portal, citizens, businesses, and organisations can apply online in a simple way for permissions related to access from National Highways for private properties, industries and wayside facilities. The Ministry further said that the portal is designed in line with the government’s commitment to improving ease of doing business.

The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), an autonomous body under the Union Health Ministry, today achieved a historic milestone by being officially recognised by Guinness World Records for the most viewers of an Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare lesson live stream on YouTube. The Union Health Ministry informed that the record was achieved through the successful implementation of a nationwide online training programme on Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare. The programme was designed specifically for registered medical practitioners across the country.

President of NBEMS, Dr Abhijat Sheth, said that this recognition from Guinness World Records is not merely a record but a testimony to India’s leadership in adopting digital innovation in medical education. He said NBEMS remains committed to advancing competency-based learning and will continue to introduce initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of healthcare delivery across the nation.

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.