Air India has started precautionary inspections of fuel control switches across its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet after a pilot reported a possible defect on a London-to-Bengaluru flight. The affected aircraft was grounded for detailed technical checks, and the issue — which involves the switch that regulates fuel flow to engines — has been escalated to Boeing for evaluation. Air India has notified India’s aviation regulator, the DGCA, as the review continues. The move comes amid heightened scrutiny of the 787’s fuel control systems following the June 2025 Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad, where similar switches were under investigation. (PC: PTI)

After almost 12 months of strained negotiations marked by escalating tariffs, stalled discussions and disputes over energy sourcing, India and the United States reached a new trade agreement in early February 2026. Throughout 2025, talks were hampered by disputes over reciprocal duties and India’s purchase of Russian oil, with U.S. tariffs on Indian goods rising to 50% at one point amid diplomatic friction. Multiple negotiation rounds, phone calls between leaders and diplomatic engagement eventually led to a breakthrough, resulting in tariffs cut to 18% and renewed cooperation, signalling a thaw in ties after a year of setbacks. (PC: Reuters)

The Supreme Court of India delivered a stinging rebuke to Meta and its messaging app WhatsApp over the controversial 2021 privacy policy that expands data-sharing practices. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant said the court will not allow the privacy of Indian citizens to be compromised and stressed that not “a single digit” of user data should be shared without lawful compliance. The CJI warned Meta that if it “can’t abide by India’s Constitution and laws,” it could leave the country. The case involves Meta’s appeal against a Competition Commission of India penalty over alleged exploitative data practices. (PC: NDTV)

In Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has launched a series of coordinated attacks against security forces and infrastructure, marking a significant escalation in its separatist insurgency. The group released images of two female ‘fidayeen’ (suicide) attackers, including Asifa Mengal, highlighting the growing involvement of women in frontline combat roles — a shift from the traditionally male-dominated rebellion. At least dozens of security personnel and civilians were killed in the violence. Pakistani authorities have responded with heavy military operations, raising concern over the conflict’s intensification and broader instability in the region. (PC: India Today)

Sex workers in Sonagachi, Asia’s largest red‑light district in Kolkata, are facing anxiety and uncertainty amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ahead of elections. Many residents, mostly estranged from families and lacking required documentation linking them to the 2002 voter list, fear removal from voter rolls and potential disenfranchisement. Despite special camps by the Election Commission to assist with forms and verification, sex workers remain concerned about losing their constitutional voting rights due to bureaucratic hurdles and lack of family records. Welfare groups are urging sensitive handling of their cases. (PC: ANI)

Under the recently announced India–US trade agreement, Washington has cut tariffs on Indian goods to 18%, down from as high as 50% previously, by rescinding punitive levies and revising reciprocal duties. This lower rate now stands below tariffs faced by regional competitors such as Pakistan (19%), Bangladesh and Vietnam (20%), and China (34%), giving Indian exporters a competitive edge in the US market. The deal is expected to boost “Made in India” exports, support economic growth, and deepen bilateral ties, although exact implementation details are still awaited. (PC: X)

OpenAI is reportedly dissatisfied with certain Nvidia AI chips, particularly for inference workloads — the process where models like ChatGPT generate responses — and has been exploring alternative hardware options since 2025, sources say. Nvidia still dominates chips for training large AI models, but inference performance has become a growing priority for OpenAI’s products, including coding tools. The company has discussed potential chip partnerships with startups like Cerebras and Groq to improve speed and efficiency, though Nvidia’s related licensing deals have complicated such efforts. OpenAI and Nvidia continue to publicly affirm their partnership even as the hardware landscape evolves. (PC: Reuters)

The U.S. Department of Justice has released a new massive batch of Jeffrey Epstein files, revealing over 3 million documents tied to the late financier’s sex-trafficking network. The files include allegations that Epstein and associate Ghislaine Maxwell supplied victims to other men, with internal memos referencing encounters involving powerful figures such as Harvey Weinstein and financier Leon Black, though neither has been charged in relation to Epstein. Survivors’ lawyers argue the records support long-standing claims of broader complicity and criticize authorities for redacting perpetrator names while exposing victims’ stories. These disclosures are part of ongoing efforts to comply with mandatory transparency laws. (PC: AP)

Air India has grounded a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (Flight AI132 from London to Bengaluru) after the left engine’s fuel control switch failed to remain in the ‘RUN’ position twice, moving instead to ‘CUTOFF’ during engine start-up — a mechanism that controls fuel flow to the engines. Aviation experts say such switches are spring-loaded and require deliberate action to move. The airline reported the issue to India’s aviation regulator DGCA and is working with Boeing to inspect the aircraft as a precautionary safety measure. This comes amid heightened scrutiny after a similar switch issue was linked to a deadly Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad in June 2025. (PC: NDTV)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee walked out of a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi, accusing him of insulting, disrespecting and humiliating her and the Trinamool Congress delegation during discussions on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls ahead of state elections. Banerjee, joined by party leaders and affected families, protested wearing black shawls and said the CEC’s conduct was “arrogant” and biased. The Election Commission defended its position, stressing that rule of law must prevail and warning against interference in the SIR process. (PC: ANI)