India will host the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi from Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the event at Bharat Mandapam. The summit will bring global tech leaders, startups and policymakers together.   Day one will focus on AI for road safety, learning, jobs and judicial reforms. Experts will discuss how AI can reduce accidents, improve skills and speed up court cases.   A special session will highlight AI in agriculture and climate resilience.   The Expo will feature over 300 pavilions and 600 startups. The theme is “Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya.”

At least seven workers were killed in a fire at a chemical factory in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan, on Monday. The incident happened in the Khushkhera-Karoli industrial area.   Officials said nine workers were trapped inside the unit. So far, seven bodies have been recovered. Two workers are still trapped. Rescue teams are working at the site.   Additional District Magistrate Sumita Mishra said police noticed the fire during a routine patrol. They quickly launched a rescue operation.   Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire. More details are awaited. (PC: UnSplash)

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said India is now the company’s second-largest market after the US. Over 100 million people in India use ChatGPT every week. India is also the biggest market in Asia.   Altman said India has the largest number of student users globally. Many students use ChatGPT for homework, coding and exam preparation.   OpenAI has around 800 million weekly users worldwide. The company introduced a low-cost ChatGPT plan in India and later made it free for a year.   Google is also expanding Gemini in India through student offers and telecom partnerships.

A 22-year-old Indian student, Saketh Sreenivasaiah, was found dead near Lake Anza in California on February 14. He had gone missing on February 9. His roommate said Saketh showed signs of distress in recent weeks. “I’ve stopped caring, man. I’m cold and don’t care what anyone thinks,” he had said.   Saketh was studying Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. His backpack was found near Tilden Regional Park.   The Indian Consulate in San Francisco confirmed his death and offered support to his family. Authorities are continuing their investigation.

Tech billionaire Vinod Khosla said IT and BPO services will “almost completely disappear” within five years due to artificial intelligence. Speaking before the AI Summit 2026, he warned that most expertise-based jobs may vanish in 15 years.   He said AI workers will replace accountants, doctors and lawyers. “AI will be better than most humans at most things,” he said. Robotics will also replace manual labour.   Khosla added that AI could make healthcare and education almost free. He urged India to build its own AI models. “India should try and win that race,” he said. (PC: Getty Images)

US President Donald Trump said member states of his proposed “Board of Peace” have pledged over $5 billion for Gaza’s reconstruction. He urged Hamas to agree to “full and immediate” disarmament before a February 19 meeting in Washington.   Trump said countries also promised thousands of personnel for a UN-authorised stabilisation force in Gaza. The plan is part of a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. It includes Israeli troop withdrawal and Hamas disarmament.   Hamas has called disarmament a red line. Some US allies have raised concerns about the board’s structure and membership rules. (PC: Reuters)

Delhi has remained warmer than usual in the first half of February. The average maximum temperature from February 1 to 15 was 25°C. This is 1.9°C above normal. On Sunday, the maximum reached 28.5°C, four degrees above average. It may touch 29°C on Monday and Tuesday.   The IMD said a weak western disturbance may bring light drizzle on Wednesday. However, temperatures are unlikely to fall much. Experts say the maximum could rise again after February 19.   Weather officials warned that without strong western disturbances, above normal temperatures may continue. Early signs of summer may appear by March. (PC: HT)

Hundreds of thousands of people protested against Iran’s government across the world on Saturday. The rallies followed a call by exiled prince Reza Pahlavi for a “global day of action.”   About 350,000 gathered in Toronto. Around 250,000 joined in Munich. Large crowds also marched in Los Angeles, London and other cities.   In Munich, Pahlavi told supporters, “Know that you are not alone.” He criticised Iran’s leaders and called the regime “corrupt” and “repressive.”   Protests began in Iran in December over rising prices. Activists say thousands were killed. Iranian officials say about 3,000 died, including security forces. (PC: Getty Images)

Former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board after Pakistan’s 61-run loss to India in the T20 World Cup in Colombo. He questioned PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi’s leadership.   “The biggest crime in the world is that you give a big job to an incompetent person,” Akhtar said. He added that such decisions can “destroy the country” and harm any organisation.   Akhtar also criticised senior players like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Shadab Khan. “You’ve made him a superstar, he can’t win a single match,” he said. Pakistan’s repeated losses have raised serious concerns among fans and experts.

India began one of the world’s biggest AI summits in New Delhi on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims to boost India’s role in the global AI race. Tech leaders like Sundar Pichai, Sam Altman and others are attending. French President Emmanuel Macron will give the keynote speech.   India plans to build low-cost AI models in many Indian languages. BharatGen will launch Param2, a 17-billion parameter model. Sarvam AI will also unveil a new voice-first system.   The government wants AI to help in education, health care and farming. Experts say India must invest more in research to compete with the US and China.