February 26, 2026 - Page 2 of 2

Industries Minister Sampad Swain reviews projects

February 26, 2026 by India Verve Desk

Bhubaneswar: Industries, Skill Development and Technical Education Minister Sampad Chandra Swain, on Wednesday, chaired a high-level review meeting at Kharavela Bhawan, attended by Additional Chief Secretary Hemant Sharma and senior officials from the Industries Department, Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) and the Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha Limited (IPICOL).

The minister directed officials to speed up the implementation of approved industrial projects and ensure timely execution. In a post on X, he reviewed the progress of projects cleared by the High-Level Clearance Authority and the State Level Single Window Clearance Authority, including ongoing work, key challenges and future action plans.

Officials informed the meeting that 108 projects worth Rs 2.4 lakh crore have already been grounded or inaugurated. These projects are expected to generate around 1.75 lakh employment opportunities in the State.

Swain asked departments to maintain the momentum and aim for more groundbreakings before the government completes two years in office. He instructed IDCO to expedite land allotment, IPICOL to fast-track processing of applications, and the Industries Department to strengthen coordination with other departments.

The government has reiterated its commitment to boosting investment and creating large-scale employment opportunities for the youth through faster industrial growth.

T20 World Cup: New Zealand beats Sri Lanka by 61 runs

February 26, 2026 by India Verve Desk

New Delhi: New Zealand ended Sri Lanka’s run at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 with a commanding 61-run win on Wednesday. After a late lower-order surge helped the visitors post 168/7, New Zealand’s bowlers dominated, restricting the hosts to 107/8 in Colombo.

This was Sri Lanka’s second straight defeat in the Super Eight stage, knocking them out of semi-final contention. New Zealand strengthened their chances of reaching the final four, sitting second in Group 2 with three points behind already-qualified England.

Pakistan remains the only team that could challenge them, but they must beat Sri Lanka by a huge margin and hope New Zealand falters against England.

Put into bat, New Zealand looked in trouble at 84/6, according to icc-cricket.com. Captain Mitchell Santner led the fightback with a 47 off 26 balls, including four sixes and two fours. Cole McConchie remained unbeaten on 31, combining with Santner to add 84 runs for the seventh wicket in just 47 balls. The lower-order surge pushed New Zealand past 160, rescuing the side from a precarious position.

Earlier, Finn Allen gave New Zealand a brisk start, but Sri Lanka fought back with Maheesh Theekshana dismissing Allen in the third over, followed by Dushmantha Chameera removing Tim Seifert.

A 41-run partnership between Rachin Ravindra (32) and Glenn Phillips provided temporary relief, but Phillips’ dismissal triggered a middle-order collapse. New Zealand lost four wickets for just nine runs, with Ravindra, Mark Chapman, and Daryl Mitchell falling in quick succession.

Santner and McConchie then steadied the innings before launching a furious attack in the final overs, scoring 70 runs in the last four overs and setting a challenging target. Off spinner Theekshana (3/30) and pacer Chameera (3/38) were effective early but were hit hard in the slog overs.

Chasing 169, Sri Lanka struggled from the start. Pathum Nissanka was bowled on the first ball by Matt Henry, who then dismissed Charith Asalanka, finishing with 2/3 from two overs. Sri Lanka were 20/2 after six overs, their lowest powerplay total at T20 World Cups.

Things worsened as Kusal Mendis and Pavan Rathnayake fell on successive deliveries, both stumped by Ravindra, who finished with career-best T20I figures of 4/27.

Kamindu Mendis (31) and Dunith Wellalage (29) offered some resistance, but wickets kept tumbling. Sri Lanka managed only 38 runs from boundaries compared to 100 by New Zealand, leaving the home side short of the target.

Modi addresses Knesset, reaffirms India’s support for strong Israel ties

February 26, 2026 by India Verve Desk

New Delhi: Recalling the uncompromising policy of zero tolerance for terrorism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday offered condolences for the October 7 terror attack in Israel, emphasizing that such brutality can’t be justified.

He reaffirmed India’s support for initiatives that promote lasting peace and stability in the region, highlighting India’s backing of the Gaza Peace Initiative endorsed by the UN Security Council.

Speaking at a special plenary of the Knesset in Jerusalem, Modi became the first Indian PM to address the Israeli parliament. He highlighted the deep historical and civilizational bonds between India and Israel, according to an official statement.

He noted that the Indian community in Israel and the Jewish diaspora in India have made significant contributions to the progress of both nations.

PM Modi also underlined the robust contemporary partnership between the two countries in technology, innovation, defence, security, and strategic cooperation. He pointed to strong people-to-people ties and collaboration in agriculture, rural development, water management, sustainability, and enterprise, describing them as a dynamic force driving India-Israel relations forward.

He emphasized economic opportunities, calling for greater bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, green growth, start-ups, digital solutions, and emerging technologies.

He welcomed the conclusion of the Bilateral Investment Treaty and urged early finalization of an ambitious Free Trade Agreement to unlock the untapped potential of India-Israel trade.

Highlighting shared democratic values, PM Modi encouraged more parliamentary interactions through the recently formed Parliamentary Friendship Group for Israel in India.

He drew parallels between India’s philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and Israel’s principle of Tikkun Olam, emphasizing common aspirations for a harmonious and inclusive society.

Concluding his address, PM Modi expressed gratitude for receiving the Speaker of the Knesset Medal, dedicating it to the enduring friendship between India and Israel, and conveyed best wishes to the people of Israel for the upcoming festival of Purim.