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At IndiaVerve, we go beyond the noise to bring you meaningful stories of change, resilience and progress—from India to the world stage. Our mission is to bring readers credible, wide-ranging coverage across politics, business, sports, culture, society and more.
At IndiaVerve, we go beyond the noise to bring you meaningful stories of change, resilience and progress—from India to the world stage. Our mission is to bring readers credible, wide-ranging coverage across politics, business, sports, culture, society and more.
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Day: February 13, 2026

Zimbabwe shock Australia; USA, UAE register big wins in T20 World Cup

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Colombo: Zimbabwe delivered a composed and clinical performance to defeat Australia by 23 runs in their T20 World Cup encounter at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday, registering their second successive win over the former champions in the tournament.

Batting first on a sluggish surface, Zimbabwe’s openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani showed early restraint before gradually building momentum. Marumani broke the shackles with a series of boundaries, while Bennett anchored the innings with maturity, rotating the strike effectively and punishing loose deliveries. The pair laid a solid platform, and Bennett carried on to finish unbeaten on 64 as Zimbabwe posted a competitive 169/2 in 20 overs.

Zimbabwe accelerated smartly in the latter stages, with Ryan Burl’s brisk 35 and Sikandar Raza’s late cameo adding crucial runs. Despite Australia’s attempts to contain the scoring through spin and changes of pace, Zimbabwe’s batters remained measured, adapting well to the conditions.

Australia’s chase was derailed by early wickets as Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans exploited the slow pitch to devastating effect. The top order collapsed inside the first five overs, with four wickets falling within 27 balls. The pressure of the mounting asking rate and disciplined Zimbabwean bowling left Australia struggling to rebuild.

Matt Renshaw attempted a counterattack, crafting a fighting 65 off 44 deliveries, while Glenn Maxwell contributed 31. However, Zimbabwe’s bowlers maintained tight control through the middle overs, mixing cutters and slower deliveries to deny boundaries. Crucially, Zimbabwe’s fielders backed up the effort with outstanding work on the boundary, saving several runs and holding key catches.

Muzarabani returned to dismiss Renshaw with a well-disguised cutter, effectively sealing the contest. Australia were eventually bowled out for 146 in 19.3 overs, handing Zimbabwe a memorable victory built on disciplined batting, incisive bowling and sharp fielding.

Brief Scores: Zimbabwe 169/2 in 20 overs (Brian Bennett 64*, Tadiwanashe Marumani 35, Ryan Burl 35) beat Australia 146 in 19.3 overs (Matt Renshaw 65, Glenn Maxwell 31; Blessing Muzarabani 4-17, Brad Evans 3-23) by 23 runs

USA vs Netherlands

In Group A, USA kept their T20 World Cup campaign alive with a commanding 93-run victory over the Netherlands in the tournament’s first evening fixture in Chennai. After being asked to bat, USA’s top order set an aggressive tone. Saiteja Mukkamalla played the anchor’s role with a fluent 79, combining clean hitting with smart strike rotation, while Shubham Ranjane provided the late surge with an unbeaten 48 off just 24 balls. Their efforts propelled USA to a formidable 196/6, a total built on sustained pressure through the middle and death overs.

The Netherlands’ chase faltered almost immediately. Early breakthroughs dented their momentum before USA’s spin duo tightened the screws. Harmeet Singh emerged as the standout performer, claiming 4/21 with disciplined lines and subtle variations. Regular wickets and a rising required rate triggered a collapse, with the Netherlands eventually bowled out for 103. The emphatic margin not only boosted USA’s net run rate but also kept them firmly in contention in Group A.

Brief Scores:USA 196-6 in 20 overs (Saiteja Mukkamalla 79, Shubham Ranjane 48*; Bas de Leede 3-37) beat Netherlands 103 all-out in 15.5 overs (Bas de Leede 23; Harmeet Singh 4-21, Shadley van Schalkwyk 3-21) by 93 runs

UAE vs Canada

In Delhi, United Arab Emirates registered a hard-fought five-wicket win over Canada in a closely contested clash in Group D. Canada posted 150/7 after a steady rebuilding effort led by Harsh Thaker’s composed half-century. However, UAE’s bowling at the death proved decisive, with Junaid Siddique delivering a superb five-wicket haul. His variations and control in the closing overs prevented Canada from accelerating beyond a par total.

In reply, UAE stumbled to 66/4, facing the prospect of a difficult chase. Aryansh Sharma and Sohaib Khan then engineered a match-defining recovery with an 84-run partnership. Aryansh anchored the innings with an unbeaten 74, while Sohaib’s brisk 51 shifted the momentum with timely boundaries. With composure under pressure, UAE sealed victory in the final over, strengthening their standing in the group.

Brief scores: Canada 150/7 in 20 overs (Harsh Thaker 50; Junaid Siddique 5-35) lost to UAE 151/5 in 19.4 overs (Aryansh Sharma 74*, Sohaib Khan 51; Saad Bin Zafar 3-14) by five wickets.

Odisha moves to institutionalise Gender Responsive Cell in agriculture policy

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Bhubaneswar: Odisha has begun institutionalising a Gender Responsive Cell (GRC) in agriculture, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said on Friday, urging stronger women’s participation in policy.

Addressing the Inception Workshop on “Institutionalising the Gender Responsive Cell, its Framework and Roadmap” in Bhubaneswar, Singh Deo emphasised that gender-responsive development must move beyond policy intent and translate into measurable outcomes on the ground.

He noted that women have historically played a central role in India’s agrarian systems, yet their contributions often remain unrecognised.

The deputy CM underlined the need to formally recognise women as farmers, ensure land and asset ownership in their names, promote sustainable agricultural practices, and revive traditional knowledge systems.

He described the proposed GRC as a critical institutional reform aimed at embedding gender equity into agricultural planning and implementation.

In a post on X, Singh Deo said: “Agricultural transformation cannot be built on invisible labour. Empowering women farmers means empowering Odisha’s future.”

Senior officials and subject experts at the workshop described the GRC as a significant governance reform and a transformative step in strengthening public systems. They highlighted the importance of structured monitoring mechanisms, gender-disaggregated data, and policy alignment to ensure inclusive agricultural growth.

The workshop was organised by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment in collaboration with the International Food Policy Research Institute, with support from the Gates Foundation.

Participants said the initiative reinforces Odisha’s position as a frontrunner in gender-responsive agricultural governance. The roadmap discussed at the workshop aims to integrate gender considerations into budgeting, programme design, and policy evaluation processes across the agriculture sector.

Indian Railways deactivated 3.03 crore suspicious IDs in 2025

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New Delhi: Indian Railways deactivated 3.03 crore suspicious user IDs in 2025 as part of strengthened Aadhaar-based authentication and cybersecurity measures aimed at preventing fraud and ensuring fair ticket booking, the Parliament was informed today.

Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Railways’ reservation and e-ticketing platform operates on a robust and highly secure IT system equipped with industry-standard cybersecurity controls, particularly to curb misuse in Tatkal bookings.

To improve transparency and fairness, Aadhaar-based One-Time Password (OTP) authentication has been introduced for online Tatkal ticket reservations. The minister said Aadhaar verification enables instantaneous confirmation of user uniqueness, helping prevent the creation and operation of fake or multiple agent-controlled accounts and improving ticket availability for genuine passengers.

Vaishnaw said Indian Railways has also implemented application-layer security mechanisms, including CAPTCHA systems at multiple stages, to guard against scripting, brute-force attempts and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Anti-bot solutions and a Content Delivery Network (CDN) have been deployed to filter non-genuine traffic and enhance system performance.

The minister informed the House that administrative anti-fraud measures undertaken during 2025 led to the deactivation of 3.03 crore suspicious user IDs. In addition, 12,819 suspicious email domains were blocked, while 376 complaints involving 3.99 lakh suspicious bookings were lodged on the National Cyber Crime Portal.

Providing details of malicious traffic, Vaishnaw said Indian Railways blocked 60.43 billion bot or automated requests over the last six months ending December 2025. He noted that automated bot traffic constituted a significant share of total booking attempts during this period, underlining the scale of cyber threats targeting the e-ticketing system.

Vaishnaw said these technology-driven and administrative measures have helped safeguard the integrity of the Railways’ online reservation ecosystem while ensuring seamless booking access for genuine passengers.

IndiaAI Mission advances indigenous AI model development

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New Delhi: The IndiaAI Mission has made notable progress in strengthening India’s artificial intelligence ecosystem within less than 24 months of its launch, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada informed the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

Launched in March 2024 with an outlay of ₹10,372 crore, the mission aims to build a comprehensive AI ecosystem aligned with India-centric challenges and opportunities.

Prasada said more than 38,000 GPUs have been onboarded under the mission’s common compute facility. These high-performance computing resources are being provided to Indian startups and academic institutions at affordable rates to support research and innovation.

A key milestone, the minister noted, is the shortlisting of twelve teams for the development of indigenous foundational models or Large Language Models (LLMs). The selected organisations include Sarvam AI, Soket AI, Gnani AI, Gan AI, Avataar AI, IIT Bombay Consortium (BharatGen), GenLoop, Zenteiq, Intellihealth, Shodh AI, Fractal Analytics Ltd. and Tech Mahindra Maker’s Lab.

The resulting AI models are expected to contribute to the open-source ecosystem and will be made available for government use as well as India’s startup and research community.

The government is extending financial assistance to cover compute usage costs, with an additional 25 per cent of compute expenditure earmarked for related expenses such as datasets and personnel.

Prasada also informed the House that 30 applications have been approved for developing India-specific AI solutions. On the talent development front, over 8,000 undergraduate students, 5,000 postgraduate students and 500 PhD scholars are currently being supported.

Highlighting responsible AI initiatives, the minister said 13 projects have been selected under the ‘Safe & Trusted AI’ pillar, focusing on bias mitigation, privacy-preserving systems, deepfake detection and ethical AI frameworks.

He added that the India AI Governance Guidelines provide a national framework to ensure AI systems remain safe, trustworthy, human-centric and inclusive, while continuing to promote innovation.

The minister reiterated that the IndiaAI Mission reflects the government’s balanced approach of accelerating AI adoption while ensuring transparency, safety and sustainability.

BNP-led alliance secures majority in Bangladesh polls

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New Delhi: The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies secured a decisive majority in Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary elections, according to unofficial results declared by the Election Commission (EC).

As per media reports citing EC data from 297 constituencies, the BNP-led alliance won 212 seats. The BNP alone secured 209 seats, while its allies — Ganosamhati Andolan, Bangladesh Jatiya Party and Gono Odhikar Parishad — won one seat each.

The Jamaat-e-Islami-led bloc emerged as the second-largest grouping, winning 77 seats. Jamaat-e-Islami itself captured 68 constituencies, with its allies National Citizen Party (NCP) winning six seats, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis two seats, and Khelafat Majlis one seat. Islami Andolan Bangladesh won one seat, while independent candidates secured victories in seven constituencies, the Daily Star reported.

The Election Commission postponed polling in the Sherpur-3 (Sreebordi–Jhenaigati) constituency following the death of Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Nuruzzaman Badol. Results in Chattogram-2 and Chattogram-4 were withheld due to pending legal proceedings.

Separate media updates earlier in the day indicated that the BNP and its allies had crossed the majority mark, confirming the party’s return to power after nearly two decades. BNP leader Tarique Rahman who won from both constituencies he contested is set to become the next prime minister of Bangladesh.

The elections also marked a significant shift in Bangladesh’s political landscape, with the Awami League’s “boat” symbol absent from ballots for the first time in three decades. The development follows the interim government’s decision to suspend the party’s registration after the 2024 student-led protests that led to the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Sheikh Hasina, who has been living in exile in New Delhi since her removal from office, criticised the elections in public statements, describing them as “illegal.”

With BNP coming to power, the party has reiterated its demand for Hasina’s extradition from India. BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed told media that his party will formally urge India to extradite the ousted prime minister to stand trial.

“We will press for her [Hasina] extradition in accordance with the law. It is a matter between the foreign ministry of Bangladesh and the foreign ministry of India. We will urge the government of India to send her back to face trial,” he was quoted as telling to media by the Daily Star.

Meanwhile, diplomatic engagement followed the announcement of results. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Tarique Rahman and congratulated him on the BNP’s electoral performance.

In a post on X, Modi said he conveyed his best wishes and reiterated India’s commitment to strengthening ties with Bangladesh. He emphasised the “deep-rooted historical and cultural connections” between the two countries and expressed support for Bangladesh’s peace, progress and prosperity.

The BNP’s victory is expected to shape the next phase of governance in Dhaka, as attention turns to government formation and policy priorities following the polls.

IIT Guwahati partners with Skyroot Aerospace to boost space research

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New Delhi: IIT Guwahati on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Skyroot Aerospace to strengthen research and innovation in space technology. The collaboration aims to create new opportunities for students in advanced aerospace engineering and satellite launch technologies.

The MoU was signed by Prof. Sumana Dutta, Dean of Alumni and External Relations at IIT Guwahati, and Ashwin Mahavadi, Senior Vice President of Skyroot Aerospace. The signing took place in the presence of IIT Guwahati Director Prof. Devendra Jalihal, along with other senior officials from both institutions.

The agreement, valid for an initial period of five years, will support joint research projects aligned with India’s strategic priorities in the space sector. A key focus area will be the development of advanced space-grade components using additive manufacturing technologies.

Under the partnership, students will gain access to internships, thesis projects, and research engagements within Skyroot’s R&D ecosystem. The collaboration will also explore subsidised research payloads on Skyroot’s Vikram-series launch vehicles, enabling hands-on mission experience.

Both sides plan to develop joint academic programmes at the undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels in aerospace and space technologies. The arrangement will also allow Skyroot employees to pursue higher education at IIT Guwahati, subject to the institute’s norms.

The partnership includes technical advisory exchanges, short-term training programmes, and shared access to specialised research and testing facilities, IIT Guwahati said in a release.

IIT Guwahati said the collaboration reflects its commitment to translational research and stronger industry engagement, while Skyroot Aerospace noted that the initiative will help convert advanced manufacturing research into scalable, production-ready space solutions.

PM Modi inaugurates new PMO, ‘Seva Teerth’ complex

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the Seva Teerth complex, the new integrated facility that now houses the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the National Security Council Secretariat and the Cabinet Secretariat.

According to an official government statement, the newly inaugurated complex reflects “India’s administrative governance architecture” and underlines the Prime Minister’s commitment to building a “modern, efficient, accessible and citizen-centric governance ecosystem.”

The Seva Teerth complex prominently displays the motto ‘Nagriko Devo Bhava’ (Citizens akin to God), symbolising a governance approach centred on public service.

Earlier, the Prime Minister’s Office and the two key secretariats functioned from separate locations. The consolidation of these offices into a single complex is aimed at improving coordination and administrative efficiency.

The date of inauguration — February 13 — carries historical significance, marking 95 years since New Delhi was formally inaugurated as India’s capital on February 13, 1931.

Alongside Seva Teerth, the Prime Minister also inaugurated Kartavya Bhavan 1 and Kartavya Bhavan 2, which will accommodate several key ministries. The Prime Minister’s Office said the buildings are equipped with digitally integrated offices, structured public interface zones and centralised reception facilities.

The complexes have reportely been designed in line with 4-Star GRIHA standards and incorporate renewable energy systems, water conservation measures, waste management solutions and high-performance building envelopes.

PM Modi dedicated Seva Teerth to the nation. In a post on X, Modi wrote: “Seva Teerth is humbly dedicated to the nation. May Seva Teerth always stand as a radiant symbol of duty, compassion, commitment to the principle of India First. May it inspire generations to walk the path of selfless service and tireless dedication to the welfare of all.”

The buildings also feature comprehensive safety and security systems, including smart access controls, surveillance networks and advanced emergency response infrastructure, ensuring a secure and accessible environment for officials and visitors.

Soon after the inauguration, Prime Minister Modi commenced work from the new office. Among the first decisions taken from Seva Teerth was reportedly the approval for launching the PM RAHAT Scheme.

Under the initiative, accident victims will be eligible for cashless medical treatment of up to ₹1.5 lakh, with the objective of ensuring timely care and preventing loss of life due to delays in emergency treatment.

The other two important decisions the prime minister took were doubling up of the target of the Lakhpati Didi initiative and approval of the agriculture infrastructure fund.

According to media reports, the goal of the Lakhpati Didi initiative, aimed at strengthening women’s self-help groups and promoting financial empowerment, was increased from 3 core to 6 core, while the outlay for the agriculture infrastructure fund doubled from Rs 1 lakh crore to Rs 2 lakh crore to strengthen the farm value chain..

Anu Garg backs future expansion plans of Paradip Port

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Bhubaneswar: Chief Secretary Anu Garg on Friday expressed satisfaction over cargo growth at Paradip Port Authority and appreciated its future expansion plans during her visit to the port.

She was briefed by Chairman P. L. Haranadh at the Administrative Building about key infrastructural and technological upgrades undertaken by the port.

The discussion covered major maritime initiatives, including the proposed Bahuda Satellite Port, the development of a cruise terminal at Puri to boost coastal tourism, and a proposed shipbuilding cluster in Kendrapara. Broader port-led development in Odisha was also reviewed.

Deputy Chairman T. Venu Gopal and senior officials were present.

During the visit, the chief secretary took a launch ride in the harbour to observe operations. She reviewed berth readiness, vessel traffic management systems, and marine activities, and interacted with officials to understand ground-level functioning.

Haranadh said the port is focusing on efficiency improvement, stronger safety standards, and capacity expansion to meet rising maritime demand.

In a post on X, the Port said: “Shri P. L. Haranadh, IRTS, Chairman, PPA, was present on the occasion and highlighted the Port’s continued focus on improving efficiency, strengthening safety standards, and preparing for future capacity expansion in line with growing maritime needs.”

Odisha irrigation projects worth Rs12,314 crore under PMG monitoring

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New Delhi: Three major irrigation projects in Odisha, with a combined estimated cost of Rs12,314 crore, are currently being tracked through the Project Monitoring Group (PMG) portal to ensure timely execution.

Among them, the Subernrekha Irrigation Project in Mayurbhanj (Rs7,023 crore) and the Integrated Anandpur Barrage Project in Keonjhar and Bhadrak (Rs2,990 crore) have also been reviewed under PRAGATI to speed up implementation and improve water supply.

Union Minister of Jal Shakti C.R. Patil shared, as reported by PIB India, said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

Given the scale and complexity of large water resource projects, including challenges related to land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement, environmental approvals, inter-state coordination, field-level execution and community engagement, several initiatives have been brought under the PMG framework for closer supervision.

The PMG system focuses on real-time issue tracking through its online portal, along with parallel monitoring of physical and financial progress. Responsibilities are clearly defined, and decisions taken during review meetings are documented and followed up until resolved. The framework aims to move project oversight beyond routine reporting towards outcome-driven governance.

Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar sets world record at Asian Shooting Championships

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New Delhi: Two-time Olympian Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar delivered a record-breaking performance to win gold in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions event at the Asian Shooting Championships 2026 on Thursday.

With Thursday’s results, India’s medal tally in senior rifle and pistol events at the ongoing championships rose to 26, including 10 gold, nine silver, and seven bronze medals.

Competing at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi, Tomars successfully defended his title with a world record score of 362.0 in the final, following the kneeling, prone, and standing rounds.

The victory marks his fifth individual medal at the continental meet. He previously won bronze in Doha (2019), gold in Changwon (2023), silver in Jakarta (2024), and gold in Shymkent (2025).

India achieved a podium sweep in the event. Niraj Kumar secured silver with 361.8, while Akhil Sheoran claimed bronze with 343.5, according to olympics.com.

Earlier in the qualification, Niraj, Aishwary, and Akhil combined for 1769-106x to clinch team gold. Japan finished second with 1754-86x, and Kazakhstan took bronze with 1748-87x.

Niraj topped the qualification round with 593-34x. Rudrankksh Patil (591-33x) and Nikhil Tanwar (587-29x) competed for Ranking Points Only (RPO). Aishwary placed third with 588-40x, while Akhil finished fourth with 588-32x.