A Jharkhand family took a Rs 8 lakh loan to hire an air ambulance to save 41-year-old Sanjay Kumar. He had suffered severe burns in a hotel fire in Chandwa. His condition worsened, and the family planned to shift him to Delhi for treatment. The Beechcraft C90 aircraft crashed in Chatra district shortly after takeoff from Ranchi. Sanjay, his wife Archana Devi, and relative Dhruv Kumar died in the crash. Two pilots, a doctor, and a paramedic were also killed. The family had even considered selling their land for treatment. All 7 on board died.

India is considering buying Russian Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jets to strengthen its Air Force. Sources said the Air Force may order around 40 aircraft. The Su-57 comes with advanced stealth features and radar-evading design. It can carry out air-to-air and air-to-surface missions. Officials say modern air warfare now depends more on detection than dogfights. The talks come after Operation Sindoor and rising regional threats. China has deployed J-20 stealth fighters, which may support Pakistan. India is also developing its own Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft. The first flight is expected by 2028 or 2029, with induction around 2035.

Reddit has been fined £14 million by the UK Information Commissioner’s Office for failing to protect children’s data. The watchdog said the platform did not properly check users’ ages. Children under 13 had their personal information collected without proper safeguards. The ICO found Reddit lacked strong age verification measures. It also failed to assess data risks to children before January 2025. UK Information Commissioner John Edwards said companies must ensure children are not exposed to harm online. He warned that relying only on self-declared age is not enough. The ICO is reviewing new controls introduced by Reddit.

The Union Cabinet led by Narendra Modi has approved a proposal to rename Kerala as “Keralam”. The move follows resolutions passed by the state assembly in 2023 and 2024. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had urged the Centre to make the change under Article 3 of the Constitution.   The resolution said, “The name of our State is ‘Keralam’ in Malayalam Language.” It added that the Assembly “unanimously appeals to the Central Government” to modify the name.   The President will now refer the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to the state assembly for its views. The process comes ahead of assembly elections. (PC: HT)

A powerful winter storm hit the US east coast on Monday. It brought record snowfall and forced more than 5,700 flight cancellations. Parts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts saw up to 37 inches of snow. New York City’s Central Park recorded more than 19 inches. Over 600,000 homes and businesses lost power. Travel bans were imposed in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Governor Maura Healey warned of “white-out conditions” and said travel was “extremely dangerous.” Nearly all flights from LaGuardia and JFK were cancelled. The National Weather Service said the storm will move toward eastern Canada, but strong winds may continue. (PC: BBC)

India has released its first National Counter Terrorism Policy, named PRAHAAR. The policy adopts a zero tolerance approach to terrorism. It calls for a whole-of-society response. The government said terrorism will not be linked to any religion or nationality. The policy highlights threats from cross-border terror, ISIS and Al Qaeda. It also flags risks from drones, cyber attacks and crypto funding. Local police will act first in attacks, while the NIA and NSG will handle major cases. The Unlawful Activities Prevention Act remains the key law. The policy also stresses de-radicalisation and stronger international cooperation.

Authorities in Chiang Mai are investigating the deaths of 72 tigers at Tiger Kingdom, a popular tourist park. The tigers died within two weeks across two facilities. Officials said tests found canine distemper virus and a respiratory bacteria. The virus is highly contagious and can be fatal for big cats. More than 240 tigers live at the park. Staff said the illness was hard to detect early. The park has been closed for two weeks for cleaning and disinfection. Animal rights groups raised concerns about captive wildlife conditions. Officials are monitoring staff, but no human infections have been reported. (PC: Getty Images)

The Supreme Court has allowed civil judges from Odisha and Jharkhand to assist in West Bengal’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The court acted after noting nearly 80 lakh pending claims and objections. It said 250 judges may take around 80 days to finish the work. The court asked the Calcutta High Court to seek help from neighbouring states. The Election Commission will bear travel and stay costs. The final voter list will be published on February 28. If some checks remain pending, supplementary lists can be issued later. The court used its special powers to speed up the process. (PC: PTI)

A 22-year-old Indian national has been removed from Canada over alleged links to extortion activities. Surrey Police Service said Lovebir Singh was identified in early 2026. He had been in Canada since 2023. Police shared details with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). After an immigration probe, he was deported. Officials believe he was sent back to India. Authorities released his photo to seek more information. Canada removed over 22,000 inadmissible persons last year, a record high. In the first ten months of 2025, 2,831 Indians were removed. Investigations into extortion networks are ongoing. (PC: AP)

A photo published by The Irish Times showing students outside the Speir student pantry at the University of Galway has sparked racist abuse online against Indians in Ireland. The report highlighted the growing cost-of-living crisis and rising demand for food support. It did not mention the nationality of students using the pantry. However, some social media users focused on South Asian faces in the image. One user wrote, “Deport Indians,” while others made similar remarks. The backlash comes amid recent attacks on Indians in Ireland. The Indian Embassy has urged citizens to remain cautious and take safety precautions.