Daily Current Affairs: 17 February 2026

David J. Farber, Grandfather of the Internet, Died at 91

[United States]

Key Updates:

• David J. Farber, a computer science professor widely known as the grandfather of the internet, died of heart failure on 7 February at the age of 91 in Tokyo, Japan.
• He had been teaching at Keio University in Japan since 2018 and previously conducted foundational networking research at Bell Laboratories starting in the mid-1950s.
• Farber mentored Jonathan Postel, who helped define the Internet Protocol (IP), and Paul Mockapetris, who assisted in designing the Domain Name System (DNS).
• In 1977, he co-authored a research paper with Paul Baran that anticipated the development of digital communication tools like email and messaging.

Ayesha Karim won Veergatha 5.0 Super 100 title.

Key Updates:

• Ayesha Karim, Class IV student of Sarala Birla Gyan Jyoti, Amingaon, Guwahati, secured place in Veergatha 5.0 Super 100 winners.
• She created a sketch depicting Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Ashok Chakra, during 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
• She is the only student from Assam in five years to win this competition.
• Ministry of Defence (MoD) gave her cash award, medal, certificate and invitation to 77th Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path on 26 January.
• Veergatha Project is annual flagship initiative of Government of India to inspire school students to honour bravery of armed forces through essays, poems, paintings and creative forms.

Geeta Patnaik Passes Away at 73 as Iconic Odia Singer

[Odisha]

Key Updates:

• Renowned Odia vocalist Geeta Patnaik passed away at the age of 73 while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Cuttack, Odisha.
• The singer had been hospitalised after suffering a brain stroke and was declared brain dead on Sunday.
• Her musical career spanned over five decades, during which she became one of the most influential voices in the Odia music industry.
• She was widely recognised for her frequent collaborations with the legendary Odia singer Akshaya Mohanty.
• One of her most notable contributions to Odia cinema was lending her voice to the popular song Phur Kina Udigala Bani from the film Jajabar.
• Condolences were expressed by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik.

Union Cabinet approves Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 with ₹10,000 crore corpus.

Key Updates:

• The Union Cabinet approved the second edition of the Startup India Fund of Funds (FoF) with Rs. 10,000 crore (US$ 1.2 billion).
• The FoF aims to provide patient capital to deep technology companies, technology-driven innovative manufacturing ventures, and early-stage growth enterprises.
• The scheme adopts a sectoral and stage-focused investment approach to improve efficient capital deployment across business stages.
• Startup India initiative, launched in 2016, has increased recognised startups from a few hundred to over 2 lakh.
• The Fund expects to catalyse private investments, create jobs, and support India’s position as a global innovation hub.

Amit Shah launches CBDC-enabled PDS in Gujarat to digitise ration distribution.

[Gujarat]

Key Updates:

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)-enabled Public Distribution System (PDS) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• Shah stated that India now accounts for half of the world’s digital transactions.
• The new system aims to make ration distribution more transparent and efficient.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) levies penalties totalling Rs 1.35 crore on three banks and two NBFCs

[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]

Key Updates:

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed penalties totalling Rs 1.35 crore on CSB Bank (Rs 63.60 lakh), Bank of Maharashtra (Rs 32.50 lakh), DCB Bank (Rs 29.60 lakh), IIFL Finance (Rs 5.30 lakh) and Navi Finserv (Rs 3.80 lakh).
• CSB Bank was penalised for non-compliance with directions on ‘Scope of activities to be undertaken of Business Correspondents (BCs)’ and ‘Customer Service in Banks’ and for failure to classify certain accounts as non-performing assets on restructuring.
• Bank of Maharashtra was penalised for non-compliance with directions on ‘Credit information reporting in respect of Self Help Group members’ and ‘Know Your Customer’, including not reporting Self Help Group member level data to Credit Information Companies and not identifying Beneficial Owners in certain accounts.
• DCB Bank was penalised for non-compliance with directions on loans against pledge of gold ornaments and jewellery for non-agricultural end uses by failing to maintain the prescribed loan-to-value ratio in certain non-agricultural gold loan accounts.
• IIFL Finance was penalised for non-compliance with directions on ‘Asset Classification’ by entering into an arrangement with BCs for activities outside the permitted scope and levying charges in savings bank accounts without ensuring prior customer awareness.
• Navi Finserv was penalised for non-compliance with directions on ‘Recovery Agents’ by contacting customers after 7:00 p.m. and before 8:00 a.m. for recovery of overdue loans and not following due protocol while sending messages to customers.

DBS Bank and Visa pilot Visa Intelligent Commerce for AI agent-initiated payments in Asia Pacific.

[DBS Bank, Visa, Asia Pacific]

Key Updates:

• DBS Bank is the first issuer in Asia Pacific to pilot Visa Intelligent Commerce (VIC) for agent-initiated payments.
• VIC uses integrated APIs and Visa’s secure infrastructure to enable consent-driven payments by AI agents on behalf of consumers.
• Close to 77% of Singapore residents use generative AI tools such as chatbots in daily life.
• Eight in ten Singapore consumers rely on AI assistance when shopping online.
• DBS and Visa demonstrated AI-powered agents completing food and beverage transactions using DBS/POSB credit and debit cards.
• Future trials will explore agentic commerce in online shopping and travel bookings.
• DBS is validating AI-ready credentials, advanced authentication, and intent-driven transaction controls for agent-led commerce.

Seva Teerth complex becomes new permanent PMO hub, freeing North & South Blocks for Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum

Key Updates:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially inaugurated the Seva Teerth complex.
• Seva Teerth now houses the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Cabinet Secretariat, and the National Security Council Secretariat.
• The relocation date was chosen to coincide with the 95th anniversary of New Delhi being declared the capital.
• North and South Blocks are being transformed into the Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum, set to be the world’s largest museum at 1.55 lakh square metres.
• The museum will display 80,000–100,000 artefacts across 30 galleries and over 950 rooms.
• India has partnered with France Muséums Développement for technical expertise in conservation and visitor experience.
• The first glimpse gallery, showcasing 100 key artefacts, is scheduled to open by December 2026.
• The fully operational museum expects nearly 10 million visitors annually within the next three years.

PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana offers 40% subsidy and Rs 75,000 crore outlay for rooftop solar

Key Updates:

• PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PM Surya Ghar) provides up to 40% subsidy for households installing rooftop solar panels.
• Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has sanctioned over Rs 16,000 crore in subsidies and solarised more than 2.8 million households in two years.
• The scheme has a total budget allocation of Rs 75,000 crore to support 10 million homes.
• National Solar Portal operates as India’s unified digital platform for solar permits and subsidy tracking.
• Residential solar loans under the scheme are classified as priority-sector lending with attractive interest rates.
• Households installing rooftop solar through SolarSquare have cut monthly electricity bills by up to 90%.
• Key growth states include Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan, with rising demand in Tier-II cities such as Nagpur, Bhopal, Jabalpur, and Gwalior.

Urban Challenge Fund approved with Rs 1 lakh crore Central assistance

Key Updates:

• Union Cabinet approved Rs 1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund to support urban infrastructure projects over five years.
• Cities must raise at least 50% of project cost from market through municipal bonds, bank loans, and public-private partnerships.
• Fund provides 25% Central assistance for projects where 50% cost is market-raised, covering projects worth Rs 4 lakh crore.
• Operational period is 2025-26 to 2030-31, extendable up to 2033-34.
• Projects identified via challenge-based framework covering urban mobility, water supply, sewerage, and legacy infrastructure retrofitting.
• Credit repayment guarantee scheme of Rs 5,000 crore approved for north-east/hilly states and cities below 1 lakh population, offering Central guarantee up to Rs 7 crore or 70% of loan amount for first-time borrowers.
• Administrative control of projects remains with state governments and urban local bodies.

PM Modi Inaugurates Infrastructure Projects Worth ₹5,450 Crore in Assam

[Assam]

Key Updates:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated multiple infrastructure projects in Assam worth over ₹5,450 crore to enhance connectivity, digital infrastructure, and urban mobility.
• The Prime Minister inaugurated the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu, a 2.86-km-long, six-lane extradosed Prestressed Concrete (PSC) bridge over the Brahmaputra River in Guwahati.
• The Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu was constructed at an approximate cost of ₹3,030 crore and is the first extradosed bridge in Northeast India.
• The bridge incorporates base isolation technology using friction pendulum bearings and a Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS) for real-time condition monitoring.
• The Northeast’s first Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) was inaugurated on the Moran Bypass in Dibrugarh district, developed in coordination with the Indian Air Force (IAF).
• The ELF is a 4.2-km-long reinforced concrete stretch designed to handle fighter aircraft up to 40 tonnes and transport aircraft up to 74 tonnes.
• The facility serves as a strategic alternative to Dibrugarh Airport and the Chabua Air Force Station, strengthening military infrastructure near the India-China border.

PM Rahat Scheme: Cashless Treatment up to ₹1.5 Lakh for Road Accident Victims

Key Updates:

• The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) announced the Pradhan Mantri Rahat Road Accident Victim Hospitalization and Assured Treatment (PM Rahat) Scheme.
• Eligible road accident victims on any category of road can avail of cashless treatment up to ₹1.5 lakh for seven days from the accident date.
• Victims or good samaritans may dial 112 to obtain details of the nearest designated hospital and request ambulance assistance.
• Stabilisation treatment is provided for a maximum of 24 hours in non-life-threatening instances and up to 48 hours in life-threatening cases, subject to police validation.
• Reimbursements to hospitals will be made through the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVAF), with the State Health Agency (SHA) paying accepted claims within 10 days.
• The government will use budgetary allocations to pay for treatment in hit-and-run and uninsured vehicle instances.
• The scheme integrates the Electronic Detailed Accident Report (eDAR) platform of the MoRTH with the Transaction Management System (TMS 2.0) of the National Health Authority (NHA).
• The Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) offers accidental death or total disability cover of ₹2 lakh and partial disability cover of ₹1 lakh for an annual premium of ₹20.

Kerala Government approves Graphene Policy for Industrial Research and Production

[Kerala]

Key Updates:

• The Kerala government approved a graphene policy to establish the state as a hub for the research and production of the carbon-based material.
• The policy aims to promote the application of graphene technology across industrial sectors by creating a startup ecosystem and fostering global partnerships.
• The cabinet approved the Kerala Advocates Welfare Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2026, to enhance financial security for legal practitioners.
• The amendment increases the maximum aggregate limit for termination of practice and post-death benefits from ₹10 lakh to ₹20 lakh.
• Financial assistance for major surgeries and cancer treatment under the welfare fund will be increased from ₹1 lakh to ₹2 lakh.

India to host India-AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi from February 16 to 20

Key Updates:

• India is scheduled to host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi from February 16 to 20, 2026.
• The Summit is organised under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is built around three foundational Sutras: People, Planet, and Progress.
• The event will see participation from ministerial-level delegations representing over 45 countries and the United Nations (UN) Secretary General.
• Confirmed attendees from Europe include President Emmanuel Macron (France), President Pedro Sanchez Perez-Castejon (Spain), Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (Finland), Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (Greece), Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic (Croatia), President Alar Karis (Estonia), President Peter Pellegrini (Slovakia), President Aleksandar Vucic (Serbia), President Guy Parmelin (Switzerland), Prime Minister Dick Schoof (Netherlands), and Hereditary Prince Alois (Liechtenstein).
• Leaders from the Americas and Asia-Pacific attending include President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (Brazil), Vice President Edmand Lara Montano (Bolivia), Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo (Guyana), Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay (Bhutan), President Anura Kumara Disanayaka (Sri Lanka), and Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov (Kazakhstan).
• Participants from Africa, the Indian Ocean, and the Middle East include Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam (Mauritius), Vice President Sebastien Pillay (Seychelles), and Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (United Arab Emirates).

US conducts first airlift of Valar Atomics' Ward microreactor from California to Utah

[United States]

Key Updates:

• The US Departments of Energy and Defense airlifted a fuel-free Ward microreactor from March Air Force Base, California to Hill Air Force Base, Utah aboard a C-17 cargo aircraft.
• The reactor, developed by California-based Valar Atomics, is slightly larger than a minivan and can generate up to 5 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 5,000 homes.
• Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey accompanied the reactor on the flight.
• The demonstration aims to validate rapid deployment of nuclear power for military and civilian use, with the reactor scheduled to begin operating at 100 kilowatts in July and peak at 250 kilowatts this year.
• Valar Atomics plans to start test power sales in 2027 and reach full commercial operations in 2028.
• The Energy Department targets three microreactors to achieve criticality by July 4.
• Fuel for the reactor will be transported from the Nevada National Security Site to the San Rafael facility.
• Critics, including Edwin Lyman of the Union of Concerned Scientists, question the economic viability and radioactive waste management of microreactors.

Denmark archaeologists uncover 2,000-year-old Iron Age temple and fortified settlement at Hedegaard.

[Denmark]

Key Updates:

• The temple, dated around 0 AD, measures roughly 15 by 16 metres and features a colonnade of strong posts around an inner clay-and-plank structure with a southern entrance.
• Inside the temple archaeologists found a raised 2x2 metre hearth with stamped and linear patterns, interpreted as a ritual feature rather than for cooking.
• The larger fortified settlement includes workshops, elite residences and defensive palisades, indicating a major political, religious and economic centre.
• Initial discovery occurred in 1986 when archaeologist Orla Madsen uncovered a rich weapon burial ground; large-scale excavations resumed in 2016 under Museum Midtjylland and revealed the full complex by 2023.
• The defensive works are viewed as a response to the Roman Empire’s northern expansion reaching the River Elbe, demonstrating strategic planning and technical knowledge.

Government unveils India’s first AI governance guidelines ahead of AI Impact Summit 2026

Key Updates:

• India released its first comprehensive AI governance guidelines on Sunday, opting for a principle-based framework over a new law.
• The framework is anchored in seven principles: trust as foundation, people first, innovation over restraint, fairness and equity, accountability, understandable by design, and safety, resilience and sustainability.
• Guidelines apply to AI development and use across healthcare, education, agriculture, finance and governance sectors.
• Existing laws such as IT rules, data protection laws and criminal statutes will cover AI-related risks instead of a standalone AI law.
• New proposed institutions include an AI governance group for inter-ministerial coordination, a technology and policy expert committee for expert inputs, and an AI safety institute for testing standards and risk assessment.
• Developers and deployers must publish transparency reports, disclose AI-generated content, provide grievance redressal, and cooperate with regulators.
• High-risk AI applications affecting safety, rights or livelihoods must follow stronger safeguards and human oversight.
• The five-day AI Impact Summit 2026 begins on Monday, positioning India as a global voice for responsible and inclusive AI governance aligned with ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’.

BIRAC–RDI Fund: ₹2,000 crore national call announced to scale high-impact biotechnology innovations

[Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC)]

Key Updates:

• Union Minister Jitendra Singh announced the first national call for the BIRAC–RDI Fund, a ₹2,000 crore financing window under the ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) initiative.
• The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is appointed as the second-level fund manager and will deploy the amount over up to five years.
• The fund will support technologies from TRL-4 to TRL-9 through equity, convertible instruments and long-term debt.
• Phase-1 submissions for eligible startups, SMEs and industry partners close on 31 March 2026.
• India’s biotechnology startups expanded from around 50 in 2014 to more than 11,000 today.
• The bioeconomy grew from about $8 billion in 2014 to $165.7 billion in 2024, targeting $300 billion by 2030 and $1 trillion by 2047.
• Biotechnology experiments using domestically developed kits are being conducted in space for plant and life sciences research.

Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) and Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for telecom and cybersecurity collaboration

[Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU)]

Key Updates:

• The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) and Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), Gandhinagar, signed the MoU on February 13, 2026, for collaboration in the telecom and cybersecurity domains.
• The Ministry of Communication informed that C-DOT will establish an Innovation-cum-Experience Centre at the RRU campus to spearhead research and technology development.
• The collaboration focuses on critical domains including Cybersecurity, Quantum Technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT), Machine-to-Machine (M2M) solutions, 5G networks, and Mission Critical Services.
• The initiative includes training, capacity-building, and skilling programmes to create an industry-ready workforce.
• Dr Rajkumar Upadhyay, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of C-DOT, highlighted that the MoU aims for self-reliant innovation in telecom and cybersecurity.

India adds record 52.5 GW power capacity in first 10 months of FY26

Key Updates:

• India added 52,537 MW (52.5 GW) of power generation capacity from all sources in April 2025–January 2026, raising total installed capacity to 520.6 GW as of January 2026.
• Over 75% of the new capacity came from renewable energy sources, while the remainder was from thermal sources.
• Renewable capacity additions comprised 39.7 GW, including 35 GW of solar and 4.6 GW of wind power.
• Large hydro projects contributed 3.4 GW, thermal sources 8.8 GW, and nuclear 700 MW during FY 2025-26.
• Fossil fuel-based capacity totals 248.5 GW and non-fossil fuel capacity stands at 272 GW.
• Projects under construction include 158 GW of renewable, 39.6 GW of thermal, 13 GW of hydro-electric, and 6.6 GW of nuclear capacity.
• Contracts for 22.9 GW of coal- and lignite-based projects have been awarded, with another 24 GW in planning stages; 48.8 GW of renewable, 4.3 GW of hydro-electric, and 7 GW of nuclear projects are also under planning.

du and Datawave Networks invest in Singapore-India-Gulf subsea cable system

[du, UAE]

Key Updates:

• UAE-based telecom operator du has partnered with Cyprus-based Datawave Networks to invest in the Singapore-India-Gulf (SING) subsea cable system.
• The SING cable will connect six strategic landing points: Kalba (UAE), Muscat (Oman), Mumbai and Chennai (India), Kedah (Malaysia), and Singapore.
• The system will feature 16 fibre pairs and support tens of terabits per second of data capacity.
• Industry estimates suggest the cable could go live by 2030.

NewSpace India Limited (Nsil) partners with GalaxEye to distribute private satellite data for first time

[NewSpace India Limited (Nsil)]

Key Updates:

• NewSpace India Limited (Nsil) signed a channel partnership with Bengaluru-based space start-up GalaxEye to resell high-resolution OptoSAR data.
• GalaxEye’s first satellite "Drishti" is scheduled for launch on 25 February 2026 aboard a SpaceX mission.
• Drishti weighs 160 kg and is claimed to be India’s largest privately built commercial satellite.
• GalaxEye plans a 10-satellite constellation to be deployed over the next four years, all covered under the Nsil agreement.
• Drishti carries proprietary "SyncFused OptoSAR" technology combining optical and synthetic aperture radar data on a single platform.
• The satellite will provide 1.5-metre resolution imagery with a global revisit time of seven to ten days.
• Nsil will market both raw data and downstream products to government agencies and commercial clients.

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen wins Olympic giant slalom gold for Brazil

[Brazil]

Key Updates:

• Lucas Pinheiro Braathen claimed gold in the men’s giant slalom at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics held at Stelvio Alpine Skiing Centre on 14 February 2026.
• He recorded a two-run combined time of 2 minutes 25 seconds.
• He beat defending champion Marco Odermatt of Switzerland by 0.58 seconds; Loic Meillard of Switzerland took bronze.
• This victory marks South America’s first-ever medal at a Winter Games and Brazil’s first Winter Olympics gold.

Rashid Khan becomes first bowler to reach 700 T20 wickets

[Afghanistan]

Key Updates:

• Afghan leg-spinner Rashid Khan became the first player in cricket history to reach the milestone of 700 wickets in T20 cricket.
• He achieved the landmark during an International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Delhi.
• Rashid Khan is the highest wicket-taker in T20 Internationals (T20Is) with 191 victims, followed by Tim Southee (164) and Ish Sodhi (162).
• In the overall T20 wicket-takers list, Dwayne Bravo holds the second position with 631 wickets, while Sunil Narine is third with 613 wickets.
• He was the first Afghan player to join the Indian Premier League (IPL), winning the title with Gujarat Titans (GT) in 2022.
• Rashid Khan holds the records for being the youngest player to top the ICC One Day International (ODI) bowling rankings and the fastest to reach 100 ODI wickets.
• His domestic career includes winning the Big Bash League (BBL) title with Adelaide Strikers in 2018.

Magnus Carlsen defeats Fabiano Caruana to win FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship

[Norway, United States]

Key Updates:

• Magnus Carlsen won the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) Freestyle Chess World Championship after defeating Fabiano Caruana in a four-game finale.
• The tournament was held in the seaside town of Weissenhaus, Germany.
• This victory marks the 21st world championship title for Magnus Carlsen, adding to his five classical, six rapid, and nine blitz world titles.
• Magnus Carlsen won the third game of the final after Fabiano Caruana committed a blunder on the 31st move while in a winning position.
• Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan secured third place by defeating German grandmaster Vincent Keymer.
• Hans Niemann claimed fifth place in the tournament by defeating India's Arjun Erigaisi with a score of 2–0.
• Levon Aronian took seventh place after winning an Armageddon match against Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan.

India's first national cow culture museum to open in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura

[Uttar Pradesh]

Key Updates:

• Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad will establish the national cow culture museum at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Veterinary Science University in Mathura.
• The museum will display approximately 100 digital and symbolic models of cattle including all major breeds and endangered species.
• An exhibition dedicated to cow milk and its products will present scientific, nutritional, and Ayurvedic benefits using modern techniques.
• A dairy parlour will offer visitors pure dairy products on the museum premises.
• The project follows directives of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and aims to elevate the identity of the Braj region.

International Childhood Cancer Day observed on 15 February with the theme Demonstrating Impact

[United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)]

Key Updates:

• International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) is observed globally on 15 February every year to raise awareness about childhood cancer and support survivors and their families.
• The theme for the year 2026 is Demonstrating Impact, which highlights the accomplishments of the global community in overcoming obstacles and reducing inequities.
• The day was first recognised in 2002 and was organised by the International Confederation of Childhood Cancer Parents Organisations (ICCCPO) in partnership with other global organisations.
• According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), approximately 400,000 infants and adolescents aged 0 to 19 years are diagnosed with cancer annually.
• Common types of childhood cancers include leukaemias, brain tumours, lymphomas, and solid tumours such as neuroblastoma and Wilms tumour.
• Key warning signs in children include persistent fever, unexpected weight loss, painless lumps or swelling, excessive fatigue, regular headaches, and eye abnormalities like a white glow in the pupil.
• Other symptoms to monitor include chronic joint or bone pain, excessive sweating, and significant bruising or spontaneous bleeding on the skin.

PM Modi inaugurates and flags off projects worth Rs 5,450 crore in Assam

[Assam]

Key Updates:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Assam and launched development projects worth over Rs 5,450 crore aimed at improving connectivity, digital infrastructure, higher education, and urban mobility in the North-East.
• He landed at the Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on the Moran Bypass in Dibrugarh, the first such dual-use facility in the North-East, developed with the Indian Air Force (IAF) to handle fighter aircraft up to 40 tonnes and transport aircraft up to 74 tonnes.
• PM Modi inspected the newly built Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu, a six-lane extradosed PSC bridge across the Brahmaputra, constructed at a cost of approximately Rs 3,030 crore, reducing travel time between Guwahati and North Guwahati to seven minutes.
• He inaugurated the National Data Centre for the North-Eastern Region at Amingaon in Kamrup district, with a sanctioned load of 8.5 MW and average rack capacity of 10 kW, to host mission-critical government applications and serve as a Disaster Recovery centre.
• PM Modi inaugurated the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Guwahati, adding to higher education infrastructure in the North-East.
• He flagged off 225 electric buses under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme, with 100 for Guwahati, 50 each for Nagpur and Bhavnagar, and 25 for Chandigarh, expected to benefit over 50 lakh citizens.