Uttarakhand issued an avalanche alert for five hill districts following fresh snowfall in higher Himalayan regions. Uttarkashi, Chamoli, and Rudraprayag are under Danger Level-2, indicating greater avalanche probability, while Pithoragarh and Bageshwar face Level-1 warnings until 5 pm Monday. The State Emergency Operations Centre issued the advisory based on Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment forecasts. Residents in snow-bound areas are urged to restrict movement, monitor weather updates, and remove snow from rooftops. Those in heavy snowfall zones should relocate to safer areas. The season's first snowfall occurred January 23 after a prolonged dry spell. District disaster management teams remain on emergency standby. (PC: Wikipedia)

The India-EU Free Trade Agreement has alarmed Bangladesh and Pakistan, threatening their preferential European market access. The deal grants Indian goods duty-free access to 93% of EU exports, potentially eroding advantages Pakistan and Bangladesh enjoyed through GSP Plus and Everything But Arms schemes. Pakistan's textiles, constituting 75.8% of EU imports, face serious competition. Bangladesh, losing LDC status in November 2025, will lose duty-free EU access in three years while India gains it. Pakistani traders compared the economic impact to Operation Sindoor, calling it an "economic front." Industry experts warn both countries must secure alternative trade agreements or face declining competitiveness as India's textile exports could grow 20-25% annually. (PC: Reuters & X)

Indian sitar virtuoso Anoushka Shankar lost the Grammy for Best Global Music Performance to Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny at the 68th Grammy Awards' Premiere Ceremony. Her nominated song "Daybreak," featuring Alam Khan and Sarathy Korwar, was among five contenders. This marked Shankar's 12th and 13th Grammy nominations. She consciously skipped the Los Angeles ceremony, choosing to tour India instead, emphasizing that "awards don't matter like the actual connection playing music for people affords us." The British-American musician has earned fourteen Grammy nominations throughout her career and became the first Indian-origin musician to perform live and present at the Grammys. (PC: Instagram)

The ICC responded to Pakistan's decision to boycott their February 15 T20 World Cup 2026 group match against India, stating it "undermines the spirit and sanctity" of global cricket competitions. The ICC said selective participation contradicts fundamental sporting principles where all qualified teams compete equally per schedule. While awaiting official PCB communication, the ICC urged reconsideration given significant long-term implications for Pakistani cricket and the global ecosystem. Pakistan will participate in the tournament but skip only the India match. ICC playing conditions stipulate Pakistan would forfeit two points, and their net run rate would suffer, with the full 20 overs counted in calculations. (PC: NDTV)

Tibetian spiritual leader Dalai Lama won his first Grammy Award, at the age of 90, for the spoken-word album "Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama" at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. The album, which won Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording, features collaborations with sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan and his sons, Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash. It blends spoken wisdom with Indian classical music celebrating peace, compassion, and universal humanity. Musician Rufus Wainwright accepted the award on behalf of the Tibetan spiritual leader, who expressed gratitude, viewing the recognition as acknowledgment of shared universal responsibility rather than personal achievement. (PC: X)

India firmly rejected Pakistan's allegations linking New Delhi to deadly Balochistan attacks that killed dozens, calling them "baseless" and diversionary tactics. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal urged Pakistan to address internal grievances instead of making "frivolous claims," highlighting Islamabad's record of suppression and human rights violations in the region. The Saturday attacks across Quetta, Gwadar, Mastung, and Noshki killed 17 law enforcement personnel and 31 civilians. The Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility under "Operation Herof," alleging 84 security personnel killed. Pakistan's military claimed killing 133 separatists over two days. Balochistan faces a decades-long insurgency by ethnic Baloch groups demanding autonomy and resource control. (PC: X/@MEAIndia)

Pakistan claims to have killed 145 terrorists in counterterrorism operations across Balochistan following coordinated suicide and gun attacks that killed 33 people, mostly civilians. Provincial Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said the militants belonged to the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, alleging Indian backing. The Saturday attacks killed 18 civilians, including five women and three children, and 15 security personnel. Bugti claimed some dead militants were Afghan nationals and accused Afghanistan of harboring BLA leaders despite the 2020 Doha agreement. The BLA, designated a foreign terrorist organization by the US in 2025, regularly targets security forces and Chinese interests in resource-rich Balochistan, where separatist insurgency continues.

Mumbai is on high alert after 12 minor children, including eight girls, disappeared within 36 hours across seven police station jurisdictions. Police registered kidnapping cases under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita amid growing fears of organized child trafficking networks. The disappearances occurred in Shivaji Nagar, Sakinaka, Antop Hill, Oshiwara, Mankhurd, Bangur Nagar, and Ghatkopar. No ransom calls have been received. City-wide searches involve CCTV surveillance, foot patrols, and circulating photographs at public places. Between June-December 2025, 145 children went missing, with 93 being girls. Experts identify slum areas, crowded markets, and railway stations as vulnerable hotspots where children are easily targeted by trafficking gangs. (PC: Free Press Journal)

India has slashed Bangladesh's budget allocation by 50% to Rs 60 crore in Union Budget 2026-27, down from Rs 120 crore, amid escalating diplomatic tensions. The reduction follows violence against minorities, particularly Hindus, and Bangladesh's foreign policy shift toward Pakistan after Sheikh Hasina's fall in 2024. The MEA criticized Bangladesh's interim government for attributing attacks to personal rivalries, stating it emboldens extremists. Bangladesh has strengthened Pakistan ties through visa-free diplomatic travel, revived trade commissions, and restored direct flights after 14 years. India allocated no funds for Iran's Chabahar port project due to US sanctions. Bhutan remains India's largest aid recipient at Rs 2,289 crore. (PC: X)

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman targeted the Opposition over India's economic performance, citing Elon Musk's post on IMF data showing India and China's dominant role in global growth. Speaking to university students after presenting Budget 2026-27, she highlighted that China contributes 26% and India 17% to global GDP growth, together accounting for 43%. Sitharaman urged the Opposition to acknowledge India's strengthened economic position, expressing confidence in bridging the gap with China. Musk had commented that "the balance of power is changing" when sharing the IMF chart. The IMF projects global growth at 3.3% in 2026, citing technology investment and fiscal support as key drivers despite geopolitical and trade risks.