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Think about this. What connects the late rock legend John Lennon, the Netflix series Stranger Things, and Kerala? Or Squid Games, Superman and Malayalis? While, at first, it may seem like nothing to us, Kerala Tourism thinks differently. And that has got Kerala Tourism the 2025 Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Awards for most engaging social media campaign.Be it the Beatles’ iconic Abbey Road photo, Vecna from Stranger Things sipping coconut water, or the Superman whose kryptonite is Kozhikodan halwa — Kerala Tourism’s online persona has gone quirky, linking culturally relevant references with niche hyper-local instances.Ajith Gopinath, National Creative…

Yadgir Deputy Commissioner Harshal Bhoyar directed the officers to take all precautionary measures to conduct smooth, fair, and transparent examinations for II PU in the district.He chaired a preliminary meeting at Yadgir on February 20. The board examinations for II PU will commence on February 28 and conclude on March 17. A total of 11,760 students are eligible to appear for examinations in 20 centers across the district. Of the 20, five are in Shahapur taluk, followed by four in Shorapur, seven in Yadgir taluk, two in Gurmitkal taluk, and one each in Kembhavi and Hunsagi towns, respectively.The Deputy Commissioner…

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti. | Photo Credit: PTI Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday (February 20, 2026) urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to exclude apples from the proposed India-U.S. trade deal “to safeguard the interests of Kashmir”.Ms. Mufti said reports of zero-duty on American apple imports would deliver a death blow to the orchard economy of Kashmir. “Horticulture is the backbone of Kashmir’s economy, supporting over seven lakh families whose livelihoods, children’s education, and healthcare depend entirely on it,” Ms. Mufti said.She demanded that the government exclude apples from the…

Image for representational purpose. File | Photo Credit: Reuters The Ministry of Commerce on Friday introduced seven additional interventions under the Export Promotion Mission which is meant to strengthen micro, medium and small enterprises (MSMEs) to compete in global markets. According to a statement from the ministry, the interventions would seek to “address structural constraints faced by MSMEs, including high cost of capital, limited access to diversified trade finance instruments, compliance burdens in international markets, logistics disadvantages, and barriers to market entry”. Among the new set of interventions announced on Friday, this would seek to enable exporters to access new…

Third International Conference on Integrated Intelligence and Communication being inaugurated at Sharnbasva University in Kalaburagi on February 20. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Participating in high-level academic conferences sharpens the minds of scholars and enhances their research capabilities, said Basavaraj Deshmukh, secretary of the Sharnbasaveshwar Vidya Vardhak Sangha and Member of the Board of Governors of Sharnbasva University, on February 20.He was speaking after inaugurating the two-day Third International Conference on Integrated Intelligence and Communication, organised by Sharnbasva University in association with Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) as a technical co-sponsor, at the university’s main campus in Kalaburagi.Mr.…

On February 6, 2026, a devastating suicide bombing ripped through the Khadija Tul Kubra Mosque in Islamabad’s Tarlai Kalan area during Friday prayers, killing at least 31 people and injuring over 169 others. The attack, targeting a Shia mosque, marked one of the deadliest incidents in Pakistan’s capital in recent years, evoking memories of past sectarian violence like the 2023 Peshawar mosque blast.While no group immediately claimed responsibility, initial reports pointed to a lone suicide bomber who detonated explosives after being stopped by security at the mosque’s gate. In the immediate aftermath, Pakistani officials condemned the act as terrorism, with…

A panel discussion on ‘Building Innovation-First GCCs: AI, R&D & Digital Transformation’ was organised as part of BioAsia 2026 in Hyderabad on Wednesday (February 18, 2025) | Photo Credit: Siddhant Thakur Hyderabad is emerging as a key hub for building artificial intelligence-driven capabilities for global pharmaceutical and medical technology companies, with several multinational firms developing core digital, R&D and decision-making platforms from their Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in the city, executives said during a panel discussion titled ‘Building Innovation-First GCCs: AI, R&D and Digital Transformation’ at BioAsia 2026 in Hyderabad on Wednesday (February 18, 2026).Gail Horwood, chief marketing and customer…

Perth Scorchers players celebrate their win after the Big Bash League T20 cricket final against Sydney Sixers at the Optus Stadium in Perth on January 25, 2026. | Photo Credit: AFP The Big Bash League, Australia’s franchise-based T20 cricket league, is exploring the possibility of hosting a few games of the 2026-27 edition in India. Two BBL executives — Phil Rigby and Margot Harley — along with a Cricket Australia production executive — Richard Ostroff — visited India to assess the feasibility of hosting a few games. The representatives visited the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here last week and met officials…

I am surrounded by racks of poofy skirts. It’s a drizzly day at Jeonju Hanok Village in Jeollabuk-do(North Jeolla province), South Korea, home to more than 700 hanoks — traditional Korean houses with distinct wooden frames and tiled roofs. The rain is no deterrent. I follow tourists and locals into a hanbok rental store. I am on a mission. But first, some background. A mix of traditional architecture and commercial establishments, which include cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops and hanbok rentals, Jeonju Hanok Village draws hundreds of tourists with its history and selfie-friendly surroundings. An added perk? South Korea encourages visitors…

Hailed as a ’landmark’ by proponents and criticised as a ‘concession’ by detractors, the newly unveiled India–US trade agreement signals a decisive shift in bilateral economic ties. The deal lowers US reciprocal tariffs on Indian exports to 18 per cent, a sharp reduction from earlier effective levels that touched nearly 50 per cent once the Russia-linked punitive surcharge was factored in. The announcement, however, raises a pivotal question: has India finally secured its seat at the high table, or does it come at the cost of diluting the country’s long-held commitment to strategic autonomy?STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADExport Gains and…