A Confederation of Indian Industry report has proposed a pilot air taxi corridor for the Delhi-NCR region connecting Gurugram, Connaught Place, and the soon-to-be Jewar International Airport in Noida which could cut down travel time and ease infrastructure bottlenecks. According to the report, in crowded urban areas, electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, also referred to as “air taxis,” could reduce transit times from hours to minutes. Such services could be used in the early stages for medical logistics, such as emergency missions and the transportation of organs. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 February,2026 10:00 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesThe police in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargaon district have arrested a man for stealing Rs 100 worth of wheat 45 years ago. Salim, 65, was arrested on Saturday for stealing wheat in 1980 when he was 20 years old, along with six other people. At the time, a quintal of good-quality wheat fetched around one hundred and fifteen rupees. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 February,2026 09:57 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesA minor boy was stabbed to death late last night in the Khyala area of West Delhi, police said on Tuesday. According to Delhi Police, the boy has been identified as Sohail. Delhi Police are searching for those who committed the murder and reviewing CCTV footage from the area around the crime scene. Further updates, including the identities of the suspects and the circumstances of the murder, are awaited as the investigation continues. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 February,2026 09:54 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIUnion Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman shared the key priorities and reform direction of the Union Budget 2026-27, with a focus on policy stability, manufacturing growth and long-term investment. The minister on Monday, addressed the Board Members of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum in New Delhi and shared the budget priorities. According to a social media post by the Ministry of Finance, the meeting focused on strengthening India-US economic engagement and sharing the outcomes and intent of the Union Budget. The ministry said the interaction underlined the government's broader objective of creating a predictable and stable policy environment to encourage businesses and industry to plan long-term investments. Outlining the key tenets of the Union Budget 2026-27, Finance Minister Sitharaman said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Budget reflects the government's commitment to continuity, certainty and predictability from a policy perspective. She noted that such an approach is aimed at enabling businesses and industry to foster long-term plans and make sustained investment commitments. During her address, the finance minister highlighted major announcements related to reforms across multiple sectors. She specifically pointed to government support for semiconductors and electronic components manufacturing, Bio Pharma Shakti initiatives, development of Rare Earth Corridors, and the upgradation of legacy industry clusters. Sitharaman also underlined the government's focus on building and strengthening India's manufacturing capacity through Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). She said special emphasis has been placed on medium enterprises, with the objective of creating strong manufacturing champions that can drive growth, innovation and employment. The finance minister reiterated that these measures are aligned with the broader vision of enhancing India's industrial base and improving competitiveness in key strategic sectors. Participants at the meeting acknowledged the policy efforts being made by the government to support the reform momentum. They appreciated the commitment towards fiscal discipline, particularly in the backdrop of heightened global uncertainty. The participants also noted that policy clarity and fiscal prudence would help reinforce investor confidence and deepen economic cooperation between India and the United States. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 February,2026 09:51 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIA law student in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district on Monday allegedly shot dead a woman student in the head inside the classroom as horrified classmates watched on. He then turned the gun on himself and pulled the trigger. While Prince Raj is critically injured, Sandeep Kaur died on the spot, police said. Both the attacker, Prince Raj, and the victim, Sandeep Kaur, were first-year law students and classmates. They were about 19-20 years old. DSP Jagbir Singh said Prince opened fire on Sandeep inside the classroom, leading to her death, and thereafter, he shot himself too. Police said an investigation was underway to determine the motive. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 February,2026 09:44 AM IST | Chandigarh | AgenciesIndia will continue to procure crude oil from multiple sources and diversify its imports to ensure stable supply, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Monday. Misri's remarks came amid controversy over US claims that New Delhi agreed to stop importing Russian oil. “National interests will be the guiding factor for us in our choices for energy procurement,” Misri emphasized, adding that India’s key priorities are adequate supply, fair pricing, and reliability according to PTI. Misri said India’s foremost concern is to protect the interests of Indian consumers, ensuring they receive sufficient energy at reasonable prices through secure and reliable channels. “Our import policy for energy is driven entirely by these objectives,” he said, stressing that India neither depends on a single source nor intends to. The mix of sources naturally varies over time based on market conditions. “Our approach is to maintain multiple sources of supply and diversify them to ensure stability. The more diversified we are, the more secure we are,” Misri added as per PTI. US Claims on Russian Oil US President Donald Trump, while announcing a trade deal with India last week, claimed that India had agreed not to purchase crude oil from Russia. In response, Trump’s executive order rolled back the additional 25 percent tariffs imposed in August 2025 on Indian imports, including Russian crude. The US will monitor India’s purchases to determine whether tariffs are reinstated. India’s global role and dependence Highlighting India’s role in global energy markets, Misri said the country is one of the largest energy consumers and also helps stabilize global markets. India imports crude oil from dozens of countries, and actual sourcing decisions are made by oil companies based on market conditions, availability, cost, and logistics. “These companies also follow internal accountability and fiduciary processes. National interests remain the ultimate guiding principle in our decisions,” Misri said. Misri noted that India is heavily dependent on imported oil and gas, covering 80–85 percent of its needs. As a developing economy, the country must remain cautious about resource availability and the risk of energy-driven inflation. Relations between New Delhi and Washington had previously strained after Trump imposed 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods, including 25 percent on Russian crude imports. Following discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump, tariffs on Indian goods have now been reduced to 18 percent from 50 percent. (With PTI Inputs)
09 February,2026 09:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple in Pune district of Maharashtra will remain closed to devotees during Mahashivratri 2026, an official statement said on Monday. The decision comes amid ongoing construction work on the temple’s assembly hall (sabhamandap) and the stone steps leading to the shrine, part of the Bhimashankar Development Plan. Earlier, the district administration had announced that the temple would be closed for three months from September 9, 2026 to complete the construction, but it had also stated that the shrine would reopen for devotees during the Mahashivratri period (February 12-18, 2026). However, the latest update states that large stones have been brought into the temple premises for the construction work. Because of the heavy materials and the risk of accidents due to crowds, the temple cannot be opened even during the festival period. A press note announcing the closure has been issued by the District Planning Officer of Pune, urging the devotees to stay informed. One of most sacred festivals Mahashivratri, one of the most sacred festivals dedicated to Lord Shiva, will be observed on February 15, 2026, according to the Hindu calendar. The festival holds deep religious and spiritual significance and is marked by night-long prayers, fasting and devotion. Mahashivratri falls on the Chaturdashi tithi of Krishna Paksha in the month of Phalguna. Since the festival is centred on worshipping Lord Shiva throughout the night, Mahashivratri will be celebrated on Sunday, February 15. Devotees observe the night with special rituals, including offering milk, water and bel leaves to the Shiva lingam, chanting prayers and performing meditation. The night symbolises gratitude, spiritual awakening and the victory of light over darkness. Special Mumbai-Sawantwadi trains for Maha Shivaratri Meanwhile, the Railways on Monday announced that special trains will be operated between Mumbai CSMT and Sawantwadi Road for Maha Shivratri. The Central Railway will run these special trains, an official statement said. The special train announcement comes ahead of the occasion of Maha Shivratri, which is on February 15. Train No. 01129 Mumbai CSMT–Sawantwadi Road Special will depart from Mumbai CSMT at 12.20 am on February 14, 19 and 21, 2026, and reach Sawantwadi Road at 12.30 pm the same day, railway officials said. In the return direction, Train No. 01130 Sawantwadi Road-Mumbai CSMT Special will leave Sawantwadi Road at 5.20 pm on the same dates and arrive at Mumbai CSMT at 4.05 am the following day. The special trains will halt at Dadar, Thane, Panvel, Pen, Roha, Mangaon, Veer, Khed, Chiplun, Sawarda, Aravali Road, Sangameshwar Road, Ratnagiri, Adavali, Vilavade, Rajapur Road, Vaibhavwadi Road, Nandgaon Road, Kankavali, Sindhudurg and Kudal stations. Each train will have 22 coaches, including one AC 2-tier, five AC 3-tier, ten sleeper coaches, four general coaches and two SLR coaches.
09 February,2026 08:58 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentNationalist Congress Party (NCP SP) chief Sharad Pawar was on Monday taken to a hospital in Pune district of Maharashtra he complained of throat-related problems and persistent coughing. Sharad Pawar was admitted to Ruby Hall Clinic in Pune at around 4 pm on Monday, an official statement said. The 85-year-old leader was accompanied by his wife Pratibha Pawar, daughter Supriya Sule, son-in-law Sadanand Sule and grandson Rohit Pawar. Dr Abhijeet Lodha, who is treating Pawar, said a preliminary medical examination had been carried out. The initial assessment showed that Sharad Pawar’s heart rate and oxygen levels were stable, although his respiratory rate was slightly elevated. He may be kept under observation for a day, the doctor added. Experienced fatigue due to continuous travel Dr Lodha told the media that there was no cause for immediate concern. “He has experienced fatigue due to continuous travel and engagements over the past few days. There is some chest congestion, so a respiratory examination has been conducted. He has been admitted to a private room and does not require oxygen support or a ventilator,” he said. Further test reports are expected in the next two to three hours, after which the family will decide on the next steps and treatment, the doctor said. Hectic schedule over past ten-twelve days NCP leader Rohit Pawar said his grandfather had a hectic schedule over the past ten to twelve days and was admitted due to exhaustion and mild breathing discomfort. He added that doctors had conducted all necessary tests and that reports so far were normal. The family will decide whether he should remain in Pune or be moved to Mumbai once the remaining reports are received. Party workers have been urged not to gather outside the hospital to avoid inconvenience to other patients. Wheeled inside the hospital Immediately after arrival from Baramati, around 100 km from Pune, the former Union minister, who lost his nephew and deputy CM Ajit Pawar in an air crash on January 28, was wheeled inside the hospital. Pawar was taken inside the facility in a wheelchair for the . Sharad Pawar, an oral cancer survivor, was suffering from throat infection, persistent cough, and chest congestion, sources said.
09 February,2026 07:20 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentA Class 10 student was allegedly stabbed to death by unidentified attackers in outer Delhi’s Mangolpuri area on Monday morning, police said. The teenager suffered critical head injuries in the attack, with the knife found lodged in his skull when police reached the scene, a senior officer said, reported the PTI. According to police, the student was attacked early in the morning while on his way to school. Following a PCR call, a police team rushed to the spot and shifted the injured boy to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead. “Preliminary inquiry suggests the victim was a Class 10 student who was on his way to appear for an examination. The exact sequence of events leading to the stabbing is being ascertained,” the officer said, reported PTI. A crime team and forensic experts were called to examine the scene, and CCTV footage from the surrounding areas is being scanned to identify the attacker and establish the motive behind the crime, police said. A case of murder has been registered and multiple teams have been formed to trace the accused, they added. Police are also questioning local residents and the victim’s acquaintances to determine whether the attack was the result of personal enmity or another dispute. Further investigation is underway. Russia: Four Indian students injured in stabbing at Russian university dormitory In another incident last week, four Indian students were among at least six people injured in a stabbing attack at a university in Russia’s Bashkortostan Republic, the Indian mission said. According to preliminary reports, a teenager armed with a knife entered a dormitory of the State Medical University in Ufa in the Bashkortostan Republic. He attacked the students living there and stabbed several of them, the Interior Ministry said. “The attacker resisted arrest, during which two police officers were stabbed. Furthermore, the suspect also inflicted bodily harm on himself,” Interior Ministry spokesperson Maj General Irina Volk was quoted as saying by RTVI.com webportal. Calling it an “unfortunate incident”, the Indian Embassy here said, “Several persons, including four Indian students, have been injured.” The attacker, identified as a 15-year-old youth, has also been admitted to a local children’s hospital in serious condition, the Baza telegram channel said. (With PTI inputs)
09 February,2026 07:15 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentCalling it “absolutely bizarre,” senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday said that Rahul Gandhi must be allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha, claiming both their microphones were cut when he yielded time during the Budget discussion. The Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram questioned the intent of the Speaker and the government, reported news agency PTI. “The situation is very strange. I don’t know whether the Speaker or the government do not want the House to debate the Budget. There is a long-standing tradition of more than 70 years that when two members seek the floor, priority is given first to the LoP and then to the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs,” Tharoor told reporters in the Parliament House complex after the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day. “Now we have had two successive presiding officers who refused to let the LoP speak, while the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs is consistently given the floor whenever he raises his hand. That is not correct. You cannot favour the government side like this. The House belongs to all of us,” he said, reported PTI. Tharoor added that the government would get its opportunity to reply in due course. “No one is stopping them from replying,” he said. He further stated that Gandhi should have been allowed to place his concerns on record. They simply would not let Rahul Gandhi speak “When you do not allow him to speak, you undermine the very purpose of Parliament, which is discussion and deliberation. I do not understand what instructions these presiding officers came with, but they simply would not let Rahul Gandhi speak,” he said. “So when I finally got the microphone during the Budget discussion, I said I would yield to the LoP and let him speak. At that point, both our microphones were cut off. I don’t understand what the government and the Speaker want,” Tharoor said. Denying one side the right to speak was “absolutely bizarre” and contrary to parliamentary tradition, he added. Rahul Gandhi was seeking to clarify allegations against opposition, says Tharoor “This is not the parliamentary culture we have been accustomed to over seven decades of democracy. He was standing up to clarify allegations made against the opposition, including claims that women MPs intended to attack the Prime Minister. How would we know what he would have said?” Tharoor asked, reported PTI. The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day amid a stand-off between the government and the opposition over Gandhi’s demand to speak before the Budget discussion began. When the House reconvened at 2 pm after two adjournments, Sandhya Ray, who was in the Chair, asked Tharoor to initiate the Budget debate. Tharoor requested that Gandhi, as LoP, be allowed to raise certain points first. Ray said she had no objection if Gandhi wished to speak on the Budget and invited him to begin. However, Gandhi said an agreement had been reached at a meeting between Speaker Om Birla and opposition MPs, allowing him to raise certain issues before the debate, but alleged that the Chair was now reneging on it, reported PTI. Ray said she was unaware of any such agreement and could not permit members to raise issues without prior notice. Rijiju denies any agreement, says Speaker must be present for remarks Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju intervened, denying the existence of any agreement and stating that if the LoP wanted to make remarks about the Speaker, Birla should be present in the House to respond. Rijiju added that other members would also speak and the matter could be discussed more broadly. With neither side relenting, the Chair adjourned the House for the day. (With PTI input)
09 February,2026 07:11 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentIn a dramatic conclusion to the Dhoki Panchayat Samiti election in Dharashiv district of Maharashtra, Uddhav-Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate won by a margin of just one vote, officials said on Monday, reported the PTI. The victory came after postal ballots were counted, giving Amar Samudre two additional votes. He secured a total of 3,187 votes, while his BJP rival Nihal Qazi received 3,186 votes, including three postal votes, the news agency reported. The official also reported that 56 votes were cast in favour of NOTA (None of the Above), highlighting the tight nature of the contest. Counting was on Monday ongoing for elections to 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis across Maharashtra, with results being closely monitored, as per the PTI. ZP polls record 68.28 per cent voter turnout Elections to 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis in Maharashtra recorded an overall voter turnout of 68.28 per cent, the State Election Commission (SEC) said on Sunday, according to the PTI. Parbhani district recorded the highest voter participation at 74.89 per cent, while Ratnagiri saw the lowest turnout, with only 55.79 per cent of eligible voters casting their ballots. According to the SEC, Kolhapur followed closely with 74.45 per cent, while Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar registered a turnout of 72.69 per cent. Voting was held on Saturday across Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Pune, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Kolhapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Parbhani, Dharashiv and Latur districts. A total of 731 members were to be elected, with 2,624 candidates contesting the polls. The State Election Commission said the counting of votes will take place on February 9. Polls postponed due to state mourning The elections were originally scheduled for February 5, but were postponed following the death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and the declaration of three days of state mourning. These elections are being seen as the first major electoral exercise since the tragedy and are being closely watched for signals on the future direction and unity of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Both factions of the NCP contested the polls in alliance in their strongholds in western Maharashtra, making the results politically significant. (with PTI inputs)
09 February,2026 06:32 PM IST | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
-1770650536240_d.png "India unlikely to discontinue Russian oil imports. Representational Image")
