An air ambulance that crashed in Jharkhand’s Chatra district had no black box and had remained unused for four years, officials said. The Beechcraft C90 King Air was flying from Ranchi to Delhi on Monday night. All seven people on board died.   Officials said cockpit voice and flight data recorders were not required for this aircraft. Investigators will use air traffic control records and study the wreckage. Bad weather and a thunderstorm are being examined as possible causes. Air India and IndiGo had earlier reported rough weather on the same route. The victim’s family has sought compensation, saying the flight cost them ₹8 lakh. (PC: HT)

An Indian restaurant in London will shut next month after 16 years in business. Owner Harman Singh Kapoor said rising costs and safety fears forced the decision. He runs Rangrez in Hammersmith with his wife.   In a post on X, Kapoor said “repeated disturbances and attacks by Pakistanis” and “a lack of proper support from the Met Police” made it impossible to continue. He earlier said he and his family received death threats after he posted a video criticising the Khalistan movement. Police said officers attended the scene and reviewed CCTV. Kapoor said he will now focus on activism. (PC: India Today)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a rare, classified briefing to the “Gang of Eight” — senior congressional leaders from both parties — on rising tensions with Iran amid a significant U.S. military buildup in the Middle East. The session, attended by lawmakers and reportedly joined by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, focused on Iran’s nuclear programme and regional threats, as Washington weighs its strategic options. The briefing came just hours before President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, where Iran policy was expected to feature prominently. Some Democrats urged clearer justification for potential military action. (PC: Getty Images)

At least 25 people have died after relentless heavy rains triggered severe flooding and landslides in southeastern Brazil, particularly in Minas Gerais state. Rivers overflowed, inundating residential areas and sweeping away vehicles, while mudslides buried homes and blocked roads. Emergency services evacuated hundreds of residents to safer shelters as rescue teams searched for missing persons. Local authorities reported widespread infrastructure damage, including disrupted power supply and closed schools. Federal and state governments have mobilised relief assistance, while weather officials warned that continued rainfall could worsen conditions and hamper ongoing rescue and recovery operations.

U.S. President Donald Trump strongly criticised the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn key parts of his tariff programme during his State of the Union address, calling the ruling “very unfortunate” as justices watched from the gallery. The high court held that Trump exceeded his authority by imposing broad import duties under emergency trade powers. Defending his approach, Trump said tariffs were vital for American economic and national security and suggested tariffs could even replace income tax. He pledged to pursue new legal and legislative avenues to reinstate his trade policies and protect U.S. industries amid global competition. (PC: India Today)

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)

Former US President Donald Trump has made a dramatic new claim regarding the India-Pakistan conflict, stating that Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif “would have died” if the situation had escalated further. Trump reiterated that his intervention, including warnings of severe trade consequences, helped prevent a full-scale war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. While Pakistan has acknowledged US diplomatic engagement during past tensions, India has consistently maintained that de-escalation was achieved through direct military-level talks without third-party mediation. Trump’s remarks have reignited debate over Washington’s actual role in easing the crisis. (PC: Bloomberg)

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)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans for a strategic “Hexagon of Alliances” just days before PM Narendra Modi’s State visit to Israel on February 25-26, 2026. The proposed bloc aims to counter what Netanyahu described as “radical Shia and emerging radical Sunni axes,” positioning India as a key partner alongside Israel, Greece and Cyprus, with other Arab, African and Asian states expected to join. The alliance seeks enhanced cooperation on security, diplomacy and regional stability amid rising tensions with Iran and shifting Middle East dynamics. Modi will discuss mutual regional and global interests during the visit. (PC: PTI)

Anthropic, the AI company behind Claude, is locked in a high-stakes standoff with the US Department of Defense. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a Friday deadline demanding Anthropic remove safety restrictions from its AI models for unrestricted Pentagon use, including autonomous weapons and mass surveillance. CEO Dario Amodei has firmly refused, describing these as "red lines." Hegseth warned Anthropic could be labelled a "supply chain risk", a designation typically reserved for foreign adversaries or face the Defence Production Act, compelling compliance. Anthropic holds a $200 million government contract and remains the only AI provider cleared for classified military networks, making this standoff extraordinarily consequential for both sides. (PC: India Today)