Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport has been named Asia-Pacific’s Best Airport for departures in the over 40 million passengers category. The award was given at the 2025 Airport Service Quality Customer Experience Awards by Airports Council International. The ranking is based on passenger feedback collected through the year. It reviews check-in, security, boarding, cleanliness and staff service. A CSMIA spokesperson said, “We are thankful to our passengers for voting for us.” The airport has added DigiYatra e-gates, self-check-in kiosks and hybrid baggage-drop units to manage heavy traffic. Mumbai Airport is the world’s busiest single-runway airport by annual passenger traffic. (PC: NDTV)

The push to rename the state as “Bangla” has resurfaced after the Centre approved Kerala’s request to be called “Keralam.” The Chief Minister accused the Union government of discrimination and being “anti-Bengali.” However, officials say the change is complicated. Concerns include possible international confusion with Bangladesh, the need for parliamentary approval, and extensive administrative updates across ministries and legal documents. Earlier proposals featuring names in multiple languages were rejected, as rules require one uniform name. The state government argues that “West” is outdated and affects alphabetical positioning in official forums. (PC: NDTV)

India is set to roll out a free, nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme aimed at preventing cervical cancer, which remains a leading cause of cancer deaths among women. The campaign will target girls aged around 14 years, offering the quadrivalent Gardasil vaccine at no cost through government health facilities. The voluntary programme, backed by strong scientific evidence, is designed to vaccinate girls before potential exposure to HPV, significantly lowering future cancer risk. Vaccination sessions will be medically supervised and linked to 24×7 facilities, with supplies secured under a partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. (PC: ANI)

Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport has been named Asia-Pacific’s Best Airport for departures in the over 40 million passengers category. The award was given at the 2025 Airport Service Quality Customer Experience Awards by Airports Council International. The ranking is based on passenger feedback collected through the year. It reviews check-in, security, boarding, cleanliness and staff service. A CSMIA spokesperson said, “We are thankful to our passengers for voting for us.” The airport has added DigiYatra e-gates, self-check-in kiosks and hybrid baggage-drop units to manage heavy traffic. Mumbai Airport is the world’s busiest single-runway airport by annual passenger traffic. (PC: NDTV)

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has grounded four aircraft of VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd after a special safety audit. The review followed the January 28 Learjet 45 crash in Baramati that killed five people, including NCP leader Ajit Pawar. Officials said the audit found “several non-compliances” in airworthiness, flight operations and safety procedures. The aircraft with registrations VT-VRA, VT-VRS, VT-VRV and VT-TRI have been grounded. They will remain grounded until safety standards are restored. The DGCA has asked the company to submit a “root cause analysis” of the lapses. The regulator is also carrying out phase-wise audits of other non-scheduled operators. (PC: HT)

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.

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)

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.

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)

Delhi Police arrested Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib over the shirtless protest at the AI Impact Summit. He was questioned for nearly 20 hours before his arrest. Police say he planned the protest and did not cooperate. He faces charges of criminal conspiracy and obstructing public servants. The case is now with the Crime Branch. Police told the court that the protest aimed to damage India’s image before foreign guests. Chib’s lawyer said he was not present at the protest and gave no instructions. Congress leaders called the arrest unfair and said peaceful protest is part of democracy.