The Union minister of state for civil aviation has rejected a foreign media report that suggested an intentional pilot act caused the Air India crash in Ahmedabad. Minister Murlidhar Mohol said the investigation is still ongoing and no final findings are ready. “Our investigation agencies are probing the matter. Should we have faith in our own agencies or outsiders?” he said. He added that comments are not justified until the final report is completed. An Italian newspaper had claimed a pilot may have shut fuel controls. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau called such reports “incorrect and speculative” and said the probe is not finished. (PC: HT)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a historic landing on Northeast's first Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on a national highway in Assam's Dibrugarh district Saturday. His Indian Air Force C-130J aircraft touched down on the 4.2-kilometer specially constructed stretch on Moran Bypass, built at Rs 100 crore. The dual-use infrastructure can handle fighter aircraft up to 40 tonnes and transport aircraft up to 74 tonnes maximum take-off weight. Following the landing, Modi witnessed a 20-minute aerial display featuring fighter jets, transport aircraft, and helicopters. He later traveled to Guwahati to inaugurate the Rs 3,000-crore Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu bridge over Brahmaputra river, connecting Guwahati with North Guwahati.

Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee strongly rebutted Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's accusation of "twisting facts" regarding GST burdens. Banerjee asserted the government overlooks everyday tax expenses facing ordinary families, despite claims of zero tax on essential services. Sitharaman had rejected allegations that West Bengal wasn't mentioned in the Union Budget, calling it "deliberate misinformation." She countered Banerjee's claim about GST on funeral services, stating no such tax exists and suggesting West Bengal's "syndicate" charges "cut money on death." Banerjee expressed hope that the Finance Minister would "listen carefully to the people of Bengal," highlighting the disconnect between government claims and citizens' real-life financial struggles under current taxation policies.

The Jammu and Kashmir government will soon restart work on the Wular barrage in Sopore. The project was stopped in 2012 after militant attacks. Work had also faced delays due to the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan. After suspending the treaty last year, India is no longer bound by its terms. Officials said the Centre is working with the state to resume construction. The barrage will help store water from the Jhelum River. It will support fishing and improve navigation. Local residents say the project will protect livelihoods and help revive the shrinking Wular Lake.

Three former convicts have won seats in Bangladesh’s national parliament after being acquitted. Two winners — Lutfozzaman Babar and Abdus Salam Pintu from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) — had faced death sentences for involvement in a 2004 grenade attack and links to the anti-India militant group Harkat‑ul‑Jihad‑al‑Islami. The third, ATM Azharul Islam of Jamaat‑e‑Islami, was convicted of alleged war crimes in the 1971 Liberation War. Their acquittals allowed them to contest and win in the February 12 elections. (PC: NDTV)

A portion of an under‑construction metro pillar on Metro Line 4 collapsed around 12:15–12:20 pm on LBS Road in Mulund (Mumbai), crashing onto passing vehicles including an auto‑rickshaw, killing one person and injuring three to four others. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) said a parapet segment fell from height and rescue teams from the metro project, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), police and fire services rushed to the site. The injured were shifted to hospital, and a safety review and investigation into the cause of the collapse have been initiated. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 14 February 2026 inaugurated the new Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu, a six‑lane bridge across the Brahmaputra River in Guwahati, Assam. This ₹3,030 crore extradosed bridge connects Guwahati with North Guwahati, drastically reducing travel time between the two banks to around seven minutes and easing traffic congestion in the region. Engineered for durability with advanced seismic base‑isolation technology and a Bridge Health Monitoring System, the bridge enhances regional connectivity and is expected to boost economic activity. The inauguration is part of a broader push to strengthen infrastructure in the Northeast, including digital and transportation projects unveiled during Modi’s Assam visit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a historic landing aboard an Indian Air Force C‑130J aircraft at the Northeast’s first Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on a stretch of the Moran bypass in Dibrugarh, Assam. The 4.2‑km reinforced highway runway, built at a cost of around ₹100 crore, can serve both military and civilian aircraft, strengthening defence readiness, logistics and emergency response in the region. Modi, on a one‑day visit to Assam ahead of elections, inaugurated the facility and is set to open other development projects. Officials say the ELF will enhance strategic infrastructure in the Northeast. 

1 person died and 4 were injured after part of an under-construction metro pillar collapsed in Mulund, Mumbai, on Saturday. The incident happened around 12:15 pm on LBS Road near the Johnson and Johnson factory.   The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority said a parapet segment fell from a height and hit a passing auto-rickshaw.   The injured were taken to a nearby hospital. Their condition is being monitored.   Officials and disaster teams reached the spot. Authorities are securing the area and investigating the cause of the collapse.

The Cabinet, led by Narendra Modi, has approved three railway projects worth ₹18,509 crore. The projects will add third and fourth lines on key routes in Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra and Karnataka.   The plan will expand the Indian Railways network by about 389 km. It will improve train speed and reduce congestion. Around 3,902 villages will benefit.   The new lines will help move coal, steel, cement and food grains faster. The government said the projects will cut oil use and reduce carbon emissions. Work will follow the PM Gati Shakti plan. (PC: PTI)