The Supreme Court has permitted a 17-year-old to terminate her 30-week pregnancy, emphasizing a minor's right to decide against continuing a pregnancy. Justices Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan directed JJ Hospital to proceed with the termination, prioritizing the girl's reproductive autonomy and her clear unwillingness to carry the pregnancy to term.

Three Delhi Jal Board engineers were suspended after a 25-year-old motorcyclist died falling into an unbarricaded construction pit. The victim's family alleged gross carelessness by the police in their search efforts, claiming they received no timely assistance. Authorities are investigating the incident and safety protocols.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta noted that Delhi's transport agencies have historically functioned in silos, with limited coordination in route planning, infrastructure development and service delivery.

Congress MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah expressed confidence that his father, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, will complete the full five-year term, citing a clear signal from the party high command. Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, however, responded sarcastically, suggesting the central leadership should clarify the matter. Speculation about a leadership change has intensified as the government nears its halfway mark

A gas leak at a factory in Sarigam, Valsad district, Gujarat, has led to four people being hospitalised. The incident that occurred at Cynax Metachem, caused eye irritation. Authorities quickly contained the leak and cordoned off the area. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the gas release.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged with students nationwide in the 9th Pariksha Pe Charcha, offering guidance on exams, personal growth, and nation-building. He emphasized the importance of dreams, action, balance in life, and the equal significance of life and professional skills, urging students to avoid treating education as a burden and focus on holistic development.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union government for denying facts surrounding former Army chief General MM Naravane’s memoir. Kharge accused the government of evading questions on national security and China, leading to an Opposition walkout from Rajya Sabha.

Unnikrishnan Potti, the key accused in the Sabarimala gold-theft case, has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate. This follows his statutory bail granted a day earlier, along with three others, due to the Crime Branch's failure to submit a final report within the stipulated time. Potti is accused of misappropriating gold from various parts of the temple.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey announced plans to establish a library documenting alleged «misdeeds, corruption and policy failures» of the Nehru-Gandhi family. He appealed for contributions of books and documents, aiming to create a consolidated resource for students and researchers on the Congress party's first family.

Artificial intelligence is facilitating the procurement of restricted drugs, including antibiotics and addictive medications, through AI-generated prescriptions. Investigations revealed that fake prescriptions, even with hospital logos, can be used to obtain medicines from online and offline pharmacies, raising significant patient safety and drug misuse concerns. Experts warn of escalating antimicrobial resistance and addiction risks due to weak verification.

A political row erupted in Parliament over Rahul Gandhi quoting former Army Chief General MM Naravane's memoir. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju defended the government's decision to keep the Henderson Brooks-Bhagat report on the 1962 war classified. He stated the report is a sensitive defence document and should not be used for political purposes.

India and Malaysia have an extradition treaty, but the case, as Malaysia maintains, will be resolved based on judicial consideration. The official said that Modi and his counterpart Anwar Ibrahim will review progress under the India-Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, especially in priority areas of cooperation such as trade, investments, defence, security, semiconductors, digital technologies, renewable energy, education, healthcare, and people-to-people exchanges.

Possibility of a re-unification grew stronger after Pawar Senior took the lead to minimise tension within the family when he went to meet Sunetra and her sons at their Baramati residence for the second consecutive day on Thursday. Some senior NCP members, including Patel and state chief Sunil Tatkare, have refuted Sharad Pawar’s claim that his nephew had initiated steps for NCP’s merger.

SC rejected Bengal govt’s defence it lacked funds and said it is not open for the State to shirk its responsibility of paying DA on account of financial difficulty, given that it is an obligation arising out of a statute of its own creation. SC said the least that is expected of a State in a democracy is that it honours its obligations and commitments arising from a legislation or judicial decisions, for such obligations are not discretionary.

Finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya on Thursday had some cheer for state govt employees too, budgeting for a 4% hike in DA. Govt rechristened its Karmashree scheme as “Mahatma Shree” and hiked the minimum number of workdays from 75 to 100 in what is being seen as a nod to Trinamool Congress’s opposition to the Centre’s decision to replace MGNREGA.

According to the MEA, Jaishankar, in the meeting, highlighted the challenges of excessive concentration and the importance of de-risking supply, and also spoke about structured international cooperation. Jaishankar said on X that the deal opens up a new phase in India-US bilateral ties, with vast possibilities for the relationship, signalling renewed high-level engagements in the next few months.

​​The influential Kuki Zo Council declared a social boycott of any legislator from the community joining CM Yumnam Khemchand Singh’s govt. Protesters burned tyres and blocked roads in Kangpokpi district, and at least one group called for a shutdown in the hills. In Kangpokpi, roads littered with burning tyres signalled a return to unrest after a period of relative calm across the hills.

Asked how the directive will be implemented, additional chief secretary (home) Sanjay Prasad said, “We are working on a legal and procedural framework to ensure any death caused due to the use of banned Chinese manjha is treated as a case of murder. Clear instructions will be issued to the police so that strict action can be taken against all those involved in its sale, supply or use.”

West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose read out portions of the address highlighting law and order, including references to Kolkata being among the safest cities in the country. In a rare display of cordiality, he was even seen briefly holding hands and speaking with CM Mamata Banerjee after his address, prompting BJP legislators to sarcastically comment “well done”, as he exited the House.

Govt also sought clarity on the financial burden of granting Ladakh full statehood with a legislature, including salaries, provident fund liabilities and other expenditures for about 19,000 employees. Running a state or a Union territory with a legislature involves managing deficits and long-term fiscal responsibility, prompting the panel to press Ladakhi activists for detailed projections, the sources said.

The row comes weeks after PDP president Mehbooba Mufti pitched for a separate administrative division comprising Rajouri and Poonch in Pir Panjal along with Chenab valley districts, citing remoteness, hilly terrain and lack of infrastructure — a demand BJP opposed. The region refers to the mountainous belt along the Pir Panjal range south of Kashmir valley and close to the LoC.

«Pollution is a legacy problem resulting from the negligence of previous governments. If we look at pollution only from the perspective that the air should be clean, we will not get results. You have to work on dust, air and water together, with a holistic vision,» she said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Malaysia on February 7-8 to strengthen ties and expand cooperation under a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He will hold bilateral talks with PM Anwar Ibrahim, review key sectors like trade and defense, and address the Indian community. The visit aims to deepen engagement with the ASEAN region and boost business ties.

Protests erupted in Manipur's Churachandpur district following MLA Nemcha Kipgen's appointment as deputy chief minister, leading to clashes. Demonstrators set fire to discarded materials and hurled stones at security forces who responded with a baton charge. Two individuals sustained minor injuries, and additional forces have been deployed to manage the tense situation.

the Delhi CM asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led administration prioritised policy decisions and accountability after forming government on February 20, 2025.