US technology companies are using H-1B visas to hire artificial intelligence experts because there are not enough skilled workers inside the country. A Forbes report says firms like Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and Apple depend on foreign engineers and researchers for AI work. Many of these workers are international students trained in US universities. In 2025, over 80% of new H-1B jobs at major tech firms were linked to AI roles. However, tighter visa rules and higher fees may slow hiring and push companies to move AI jobs outside the US.

Indian Railways plans to launch another Vande Bharat Express train for Karnataka. The new semi-high-speed train will run on the Bengaluru–Mangaluru route. It will be operated by the South Western Railway zone. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the service will start after electrification and safety checks are completed. The train is expected to reduce travel time between the two cities. Officials said it will improve regional connectivity and boost the state’s economy. Karnataka currently has 22 Vande Bharat train services. The Centre has allocated ₹7,748 crore for railway projects in the state. (PC: Ministry of Railways/File)

A luxury Lamborghini crash in central Delhi left six people injured on Sunday afternoon. The car was driven by Shivam Mishra, son of a billionaire tobacco businessman from Kanpur. Eyewitnesses said the car suddenly lost control near the Ring Wala area. It hit an auto-rickshaw, a motorcycle, and then climbed onto the pavement. The family claimed Shivam suffered a seizure while driving. Police said they are checking the medical claim. No FIR has been filed yet. Locals stopped the car and alleged that private bouncers tried to take the driver away. An investigation is ongoing. (PC: HT)

Pakistan may agree to play India in the T20 World Cup 2026 if the ICC accepts three conditions set by the Pakistan Cricket Board, according to a report. PCB officials discussed the issue with ICC delegates in Lahore, along with Bangladesh board chief Aminul Islam. The report says PCB wants a higher share of ICC revenue, restoration of bilateral cricket with India, and strict enforcement of a handshake protocol between teams. Pakistan had earlier announced it would not play the February 15 match. ICC officials are trying to find a solution. Bangladesh is also part of the talks and may seek compensation as discussions continue. (PC: India Today)

Indian oil refiners, including Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Reliance Industries, are avoiding purchases of Russian crude for April delivery to support New Delhi’s effort to finalize a trade agreement with the United States by March that would lower tariffs and deepen economic cooperation. These firms have declined trader offers for Russian oil in March and April, although some previously scheduled March deliveries remain. India’s imports of Russian oil have already fallen sharply from 2025 peaks, driven partly by diversification to other suppliers and geopolitical pressures. A key private buyer, Nayara, won’t import Russian crude in April due to maintenance. (PC: Reuters)

Hong Kong media tycoon and pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison under the city’s national security law after being convicted in December of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and publishing seditious material through his now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper. The ruling by three judges comes after a legal saga beginning with his arrest in August 2020 and marks one of the most high-profile applications of the Beijing-imposed law. Lai, 78, will serve this term alongside nearly six years from a previous fraud conviction. The sentence has drawn international criticism as emblematic of declining press freedom in Hong Kong. (PC: AFP)

Bollywood’s beloved singer Arijit Singh marked his first live performance since announcing his retirement from playback singing with an emotional show in Kolkata at the Netaji Indoor Stadium. The concert featured a special collaboration with sitar maestro Anoushka Shankar and percussionist Bickram Ghosh, where they performed songs including a rendition of the Bengali classic “Maya Bhora Raati.” Fans greeted Arijit with thunderous applause, visibly moved by his return to the stage despite his earlier announcement to step back from film music. The appearance underscores his ongoing connection with live music even as he redefines his musical journey. 

Several schools in New Delhi received bomb threat emails on Monday, prompting widespread alarm among students, parents, and authorities. The messages, which included incendiary language like “Delhi will become Khalistan”, led to immediate evacuations, deployment of police, K-9 units, and bomb disposal squads, and thorough security sweeps of the campuses. No explosives or suspicious devices were found during the searches. This incident comes amid a recurring pattern of similar bomb-threat emails targeting educational institutions in Delhi and other cities, causing repeated disruptions and placing city security forces on high alert while investigations into the source and motive continue. (PC: PTI)

At least six people were injured on Sunday afternoon when a speeding Lamborghini Aventador, allegedly driven by Shivam Mishra, the son of prominent tobacco trader K K Mishra, lost control on VIP Road in Kanpur’s Gwaltoli area. The luxury car first struck an auto-rickshaw and then a parked Royal Enfield motorcycle, flinging the rider nearly 10 feet into the air and injuring bystanders. Eyewitnesses claimed the driver was intoxicated and attempted to flee, prompting anger from locals. Police seized the damaged vehicle and took the driver into custody; the injured were hospitalised and an FIR is being registered. (PC: NDTV)

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi has urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to help restore India–Pakistan bilateral cricket ties and address tensions as Islamabad considers boycotting its T20 World Cup 2026 match against India scheduled for February 15 in Colombo. Naqvi presented three conditions to the ICC delegation—higher revenue share, resumption of bilateral series, and adherence to cricketing etiquette like player handshakes after matches—to end Pakistan’s boycott call. The demand comes amid lingering fallout from the Asia Cup 2025 controversy, where India and Pakistan refused traditional handshakes, and broader political tensions. (PC: AP)