Nationalist Congress Party leader Sunetra Pawar on Tuesday assumed charge as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. She has been assigned the departments of State Excise Duty, Sports and Youth Affairs, and Minorities Development and Auqaf. Before taking office, Pawar visited the Shri Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple in Prabhadevi to offer prayers. Several senior leaders and dignitaries were present, including NCP MPs Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, Maharashtra State Womens Commission Chairperson Rupali Chakankar, Parth Ajit Pawar, Shri Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust Chairman Sadanand Saravankar, and others. She also paid tribute to BR Ambedkar.
The post of Deputy Chief Minister had remained vacant following the death of Ajit Pawar on January 28, after a chartered aircraft crash landed in Baramati. His personal security officer, a flight attendant, and two pilots also lost their lives in the incident. Ajit Pawar last rites were conducted with full state honours on January 29 at the Vidya Pratishthan ground in Baramati, where his sons performed the final rituals. Following his demise, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took charge of the Planning and Finance portfolios that were earlier held by Ajit Pawar. Sunetra Pawar was also elected as the NCP Legislative Party Leader.
A Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, Sunetra Pawar is widely recognised for her work in sustainable development, environmental conservation, and rural empowerment. In 2010, she founded the Environmental Forum of India, a non governmental organisation focused on promoting environmental awareness. She has led grassroots initiatives related to biodiversity conservation, protection of endangered species, water management, and drought mitigation.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.
India is holding discussions with Brazil, Canada, France, and the Netherlands on partnerships to jointly explore, mine, process, and recycle critical minerals, as it steps up global efforts to secure essential raw materials, sources said. The talks are centered on lithium and rare earth elements, with India also seeking access to advanced mineral-processing technologies. The sources requested anonymity due to the confidential nature of the negotiations.
India’s heavy dependence on China, which dominates global supplies and processing of many critical minerals, has heightened the urgency to diversify sourcing as the country pushes ahead with its energy transition and emission-reduction goals, industry experts noted. Mining projects typically take years to materialize, with exploration alone lasting five to seven years and often failing to result in commercially viable operations. India is looking to model these potential agreements on a critical minerals pact signed with Germany in January, covering exploration, processing, recycling, and the acquisition and development of mineral assets domestically, bilaterally, and in third countries.
According to one source, discussions are ongoing with France, the Netherlands, and Brazil, while a proposed agreement with Canada is under active review. The Ministry of Mines is spearheading these efforts. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to visit India in early March, during which agreements related to uranium, energy, minerals, and artificial intelligence may be signed. Canada’s Natural Resources Department, responding to queries, pointed to a January statement confirming plans to formalize cooperation on critical minerals in the coming weeks.
Brazil’s embassy in New Delhi, along with India’s Ministry of Mines and the Ministry of External Affairs, did not respond to requests for comment. The Dutch embassy offered no comment, while France’s embassy declined to respond. India has been actively pursuing critical minerals worldwide, already signing agreements with Argentina, Australia, and Japan, and holding talks with Peru and Chile on broader bilateral arrangements that include mineral cooperation.
These efforts coincide with recent discussions among G7 and other major economy finance ministers in Washington on reducing dependence on Chinese rare earth supplies. In 2023, India designated more than 20 minerals, including lithium, as critical to its energy transition and to meet growing industrial and infrastructure demand.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.
The Mumbai Crime Branch investigation into the firing outside Bollywood director producer Rohit Shetty’s Mumbai residence has found that accused arms supplier Asaram Fasle had been associated with the Bishnoi gang for the past four years while working as a garage mechanic. Police said he joined the gang under the influence of Shubham Lonkar who is suspected to be the key conspirator in both the Baba Siddique murder case and the firing at Shetty’s house.
According to the Crime Branch Fasle supplied weapons to Swapnil Sakat on Lonkar’s instructions and those weapons were later used by an unidentified shooter. On February 5 the Esplanade Court remanded all five accused in the case to police custody for six days. Four suspects were arrested on February 1 soon after shots were fired outside Shetty’s Juhu home while the fifth accused Fasle was arrested on February 5 and produced before the court.
The court sent the accused to police custody until February 11 2026 citing the gravity of the offence a suspected criminal conspiracy and the need for detailed and joint interrogation. Police informed the court that a social media post had claimed responsibility for the attack and said the accused communicated through the Signal app to avoid detection while investigators are trying to recover deleted chats with Shubham Lonkar.
Police sought extended custody for all the accused while defence lawyers argued lack of direct evidence and claimed limited involvement of some accused. Separately the Anti Extortion Cell confirmed the arrest of Asaram Fasle alias Babu stating he was the person who supplied the weapon used in the firing incident.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.
Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth met Khaled bin Hussein Al-Biyari, Saudi Arabia’s Assistant Minister of Defence for Executive Affairs, on the sidelines of the World Defence Show 2026 in Riyadh. The Indian Embassy in Riyadh shared the development on X, stating that the meeting aimed at strengthening the India–Saudi strategic partnership. Discussions centred on expanding defence cooperation and enhancing engagement across services.
The meeting followed the 8th Abu Dhabi Dialogue, during which India engaged with the UAE on issues related to migrant welfare and skills development. The Indian delegation to the dialogue, held in Dubai from January 31 to February 1, was led by Prashant Pise, Additional Secretary (Emigration Policy and Welfare), according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
Established in 2008, the Abu Dhabi Dialogue is a voluntary and non-binding regional consultative forum comprising 11 Asian labour-sending countries and seven destination countries. It facilitates cooperation on contractual labour mobility, exchange of best practices, and sharing of experiences. India’s active participation reflects its commitment to ensuring safe, orderly, and legal migration while protecting the rights and welfare of Indian migrant workers.
India and the UAE established diplomatic relations in 1972, with embassies opening in the early 1970s. Bilateral ties gained renewed momentum after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the UAE in 2015, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 34 years, marking the start of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This was followed by several subsequent visits, including the most recent in February 2024, when Prime Minister Modi addressed the Indian community in Abu Dhabi and inaugurated the BAPS Hindu Mandir, the first Hindu temple in the Middle East.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from X/@IndianEmbRiyadh.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday interacted with students during the second episode of the 9th edition of ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’, connecting with participants from cities including Delhi, Coimbatore, Raipur, Guwahati, and Devmogra. Modi said he participates in these sessions “to learn, not to teach.” On being asked about the role of youth in achieving Viksit Bharat 2047, the Prime Minister appreciated students’ focus on the country’s future. He emphasized the importance of discipline, reducing wastage, and adopting good habits. Addressing concerns about technology, Modi cautioned against over-dependence on AI and smartphones, urging students to use them as tools, not masters. He also highlighted the need to balance education, talent, and play, noting that inspiration alone is not enough without discipline.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from PMModi/Youtube.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s coalition secured a historic victory in Sunday’s (Feb 8) election, setting the stage for planned tax cuts that have rattled financial markets, as well as increased military spending to counter China. For insights into this outcome, Andrea Heng and Genevieve Woo consulted Dr. Lim Tai Wei, East Asia specialist and Professor at Soka University, Japan.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.
A crocodile has been spotted in the southern waters of Singapore, leading to increased patrols and safety warnings on Sentosa’s beaches. Authorities are keeping track of the animal’s movements and advising visitors to avoid entering the water. Andrea Heng and Susan Ng report on saltwater crocodiles, with insights from Kannan Raja, President of the Herpetological Society of Singapore.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.
The expiration of the New START treaty has lifted the final restrictions on the nuclear stockpiles of the United States and Russia. As global arms control frameworks weaken, Russia is simultaneously strengthening military partnerships abroad, notably through a new five-year defense agreement with Myanmar’s ruling junta. This raises questions about whether Moscow now has greater freedom to act militarily and what these moves mean for global nuclear security.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.
Artificial intelligence is rapidly making inroads into healthcare, offering tools that can answer medical queries, forecast risks, and support personalized health choices. But a new Singapore-based startup is challenging the notion that a single global AI model can safely cater to everyone. With structured screenings and national healthcare systems already in place, is there room for another AI health platform in Singapore? Hairianto Diman and Susan Ng explore this question with Hari V Krishnan, Co-founder and CEO of Genie Health.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.
