PM Modi to visit Israel on Feb 25-26 as 1st round of FTA talks begins

IANS | February 24, 2026 7:59 PM

New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS) The first round of negotiations for the proposed India-Israel Free Trade Agreement (FTA) began in New Delhi and will continue until February 26, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel on February 25-26, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said on Tuesday.

India, Gulf Cooperation Council launch FTA talks

IANS | February 24, 2026 7:51 PM

New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS) The negotiations for the proposed free trade agreement between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) were formally launched here on Tuesday with the signing of a joint statement by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi.

India and Kenya continue work on enhancing defence cooperation

IANS | February 24, 2026 7:43 PM

Nairobi, Feb 24 (IANS) India and Kenya held the fourth meeting of the Joint Defence Coordination Committee (JDCC) in Nairobi on Tuesday, focusing on enhancing defence cooperation in various fields as mentioned in the joint Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation and the BAHARI maritime vision document.

Pakistan: 7.5 million people face acute food insecurity

IANS | February 24, 2026 7:35 PM

Islamabad, Feb 24 (IANS) The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, covering 45 vulnerable rural districts in Pakistan, has revealed that 7.5 million people - 21 per cent of the population assessed - face crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity from December last year to March 2026. Of these, 1.25 million people are in emergency, a rung below famine and marked by food shortages and increasing malnutrition, a report has stated.

Synergy of laws in focus at ECI, state poll commissioners’ round table

IANS | February 24, 2026 7:29 PM

New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS) Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Tuesday chaired a National Round Table Conference of the ECI and State Election Commissioners (SECs) that resolved to synergise laws related to panchayats and civic polls with those for parliamentary and state Assembly elections.

T20 WC: Afridi replaces Ashraf as Pakistan opt to bat vs England

IANS | February 24, 2026 7:02 PM

Pallekele, Feb 24 (IANS) Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat against England in the Group 2 match of the Super 8s of the T20 World Cup 2026 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka, on Tuesday. Pakistan have dropped Faheem Ashraf and brought in Shaheen Afridi in the playing eleven, whereas England are playing with the same eleven from the last match against Sri Lanka.