On the occasion of Mahashivaratri, one of the most celebrated Hindu holidays in Nepal, a huge throng of worshippers waited since the early hours of the morning to pray and worship Lord Shiva at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu on Sunday.

Along with Kedarnath and Kashi Vishwanath, Pashupatinath is considered one of the most sacred Shiva pilgrimage locations. The Pashupatinath Temple is visited by devotees during the festival, especially from Nepal and India, but also from other places.

At the hallowed temple grounds, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thousands of pilgrims from all across Nepal and neighboring India waited in line to offer prayers. Chants of “Om Namah Shivaya” filled the air as sadhus, saints, and devotees carried out customary rites, evoking a lively and spiritual ambiance across the temple complex.

“Since early in the morning, devotees have been lining up to pray to Lord Shiva, and the number of people is continuously increasing,” said Shubhas Chandra Joshi, executive director of the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT). “By 9:30 a.m., an estimated 100,000 devotees had already offered prayers.”

“All four doors of the temple were opened as early as 2 a.m. to ensure a smooth flow of worshippers,” Joshi said.

According to him, the Pashupati region is now home to at least 3,000 Hindu saints, mostly from Nepal and India, who are engaging in unique religious and spiritual rituals that represent renunciation, devotion, and spiritual discipline.

Joshi stated that adequate preparations for food, lodging, and other necessities for their stay had been made. “Around 150 Naga sadhus who arrived from India are also engaged in spiritual practices at the temple site,” he said.

Over 700,000 devotees are anticipated to offer prayers throughout the day, with a sizable portion traveling from India, according to the PADT. The precise number of Indian pilgrims who visit Pashupatinath has not yet been determined, Joshi stated.

In order to guarantee the celebration runs smoothly, the PADT stated it has also completed the required preparations for crowd control, safety and security, health services, and sanitation.

In order to support Viksit Bharat’s objectives, M Nagaraju, Secretary of the Department of Financial Services (DFS), has emphasized the importance of improving the credit-to-GDP ratio, making our financial institutions more flexible, and investigating new avenues for larger-scale financing.

“The ideas generated during the session will pave the way for a shared vision and plan of action for the Department and its financial institutions,” he said at a DFS “Chintan Shivir” in Coorg, Karnataka.

Public policy specialists and practitioners from a range of financial disciplines shared their opinions and thoughts at the event.

Former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant discussed the importance of banks in funding MSMEs, the need for Jan Vyapar similar to Jan Aadhar, and the creation of suitable rule-based tools to further down operating costs.

Former Secretary of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dr. KP Krishnan emphasized the need for more GIFT Cities in India, a strong and vibrant bond market, and a decrease in intermediation costs, among other things.

Promoting new viewpoints and innovative ideas to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047 and the role of financial institutions was the main goal of the Shivir.

All stakeholders actively participated in the event, and lively talks centered on the changes that the banks and other financial services players must make in the strategic framework of Viksit Bharat.

The Finance Ministry claims that distinguished specialists, panelists, and attendees engaged in in-depth discussions on a variety of subjects, including financial inclusion, banking and cybersecurity, and guaranteeing a fully insured and pensioned society by 2047.

Replicating the Shadow CEO concept, autonomous organizations, digital trust, knowledge Half Life, creative ways to boost investment, investigating new insurance and pension products, raising financial literacy, and ways to make the financial system more resilient in the rapidly evolving global order were among the ideas that surfaced during the two-day event.

In India’s IT sector, generative AI is reorganizing work, increasing productivity, and shifting demand toward hybrid skill sets rather than displacing many jobs, according to a report released on Saturday.

While mid- and senior hiring remained steady, the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) and OpenAI report found modest moderation in entry-level hiring.

It also noted that productivity gains from AI outnumber declines across affected business divisions by a ratio of 3.5 to 1. Employers observe stability at mid and senior levels and a slight moderation in hiring, mostly at the entry level.

This slowdown is consistent with wider post-pandemic trends in the IT sector and cannot be solely ascribed to the deployment of AI, according to researchers, the paper stated.

It also noted that, on average, divisions reporting increased output with stable or smaller team numbers are 3.5 times more numerous than those reporting productivity declines.

According to the report, which was based on a survey of 650 IT companies in ten cities, there is a growing need for candidates who have both domain experience and AI or data skills. Sixty-three percent of the firms surveyed said that they are in more need of such hybrid profiles.

More over half of the companies polled said they are already promoting AI adoption through training or awareness campaigns, and another 38% say they intend to do so.

AI is facilitating more effective scaling without corresponding job losses, as seen by the almost one-third of business divisions reporting both more output and cheaper expenses.

Indian authorities should be reassured by the findings without becoming complacent. Although India’s IT industry seems to be handling the adoption of AI rather successfully, many businesses are still ill-prepared for the future, according to Shekhar Aiyar, Director & Chief Executive, ICRIER.

According to the report, only 4% of businesses trained more than half of their employees in AI within the previous year. Finding experienced trainers is a major obstacle, as are high expenses and unpredictable returns, organizational preparedness, and ethical and legal issues.

An RBI statement released on Thursday stated that the Digital Payments Index (DPI) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) increased from 493.22 in March 2025 to 516.76 as of September 2025.

The apex bank stated that the notable expansion in criteria like payment performance and payment enablers nationwide over the period was the primary driver of the RBI-DPI’s rise.

Since January 1, 2021, the RBI has been releasing a composite RBI-DPI, using March 2018 as the basis month to gauge the level of payment digitization nationwide.

The base period ending in March 2018 received a score of 100. After a year, in March 2019, the index increased to 153.47. Since 2021, the index has been released every six months, and it has been rapidly increasing over time.

Significant increases in the country’s payment performance and payment enablers over the period were the main drivers of the RBI-DPI index’s rise. On July 28, 2025, the most recent index was released.

The DPI is made up of five key metrics that track how widely and deeply digital payments have become used in the nation over time.

Among these metrics are payment enablers, which have a weight of 25%; payment infrastructure, which includes supply-side and demand-side elements (10%); payment performance, which has the largest weight (45%); and consumer centricity, which has a weight of 5%. Every parameter has sub-parameters, which are made up of different quantifiable indications.

The country’s adoption of digital payments has increased significantly thanks in large part to UPI. According to transaction volume, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is the biggest retail fast-payment system globally, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF’s June 2025 paper on “Growing Retail Digital Payments (The Value of Interoperability)” made this point clear.

Furthermore, UPI leads the world in real-time payment systems with a 49 percent market share and a transaction volume of 129.3 billion, according to the ACI Worldwide research on “Prime Time for Real-Time” 2024.

With a market share of 14% and a transaction volume of 37.4%, Brazil is ranked second. Thailand comes in third with a market share of 8% and a transaction volume of 20.4 billion. With a 6% market share and a 17.2 billion transaction volume, China comes in fourth place.

Defending champions India defeated Namibia by 93 runs in their Group A match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday in the Men’s T20 World Cup, with wrist-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy claiming 3-7.

Ishan Kishan’s scorching 61 off 24 balls and Hardik Pandya’s 52 off 28 balls helped India reach 209/9 in their 20 overs. Gerhard Erasmus, the captain of Namibia, was the best bowler in the team, producing figures of 4–20 with his slingy style and variety.

Louren Steenkamp and Jan Frylinck launched a powerplay attack to start Namibia’s chase, but Chakravarthy’s spell destroyed their middle order. Namibia was bowled out for 116 in 18.2 overs, with each Indian bowler contributing at least one wicket. In addition to being India’s largest victory in Men’s T20 World Cup history, the 93-run margin highlights their supremacy in spite of sporadic mistakes during the game.

Jan Frylinck took a four and six off Hardik Pandya to start Namibia’s chase. He then drove and pulled Arshdeep Singh for two boundaries. But when Frylinck mishandled a knuckleball to deep mid-wicket in the fourth over, Arshdeep responded. Namibia finished Power-play at 57/1 after Louren Steenkamp carved Arshdeep for two boundaries and a six slashed over the short third.

In the eighth over, Varun Chakaravarthy shifted the tide of the match after Namibia amassed 10 runs off Jasprit Bumrah’s first over. His first delivery was a googly that hit Steenkamp for 29. Erasmus and Loftie-Eaton made an effort to rebuild, but Varun’s accuracy silenced them.

Even though Gerhard Erasmus hit Axar Patel with consecutive slog-sweeping sixes in the ninth over, Varun came back to further destroy Namibia, dismissing JJ Smit with another googly and having Loftie-Eaton hole out to long-off.

When Erasmus holed out to long-off, Axar was added to the wicket-taking charts. Malan Kruger then top-edged a sweep to short fine leg, but he was able to hold onto the ball just in time.

In order to help India win the T20 World Cups for the eleventh time in a row, Bumrah, who replaced Mohammed Siraj, smashed a yorker on the base of an off-stump to castle Ruben Trumpelmann. Hardik also took two wickets, and Shivam Dube got Zane Green out by hit wicket.

Brief scores:
India 209/9 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 61, Hardik Pandya 52; Gerhard Erasmus 4-20)
Namibia 116 all out in 18.2 overs (Louren Steenkamp 29, Jan Frylinck 22; Varun Chakaravarthy 3-7, Axar Patel 2-20)

The “Most pledges received for an AI responsibility campaign in 24 hours” is a Guinness World Records title that IndiaAI and Intel India will seek to achieve next week, February 16–17.

According to a formal statement released on Wednesday, the goal of this national “AI Responsibility” Pledge is to encourage the ethical, human-centered, and responsible application of AI while fostering awareness, trust, and accountability in emerging technologies.

The project seeks to increase India’s preparedness for AI and encourage its responsible application. It demonstrates India’s dedication to moral and inclusive AI and is one of the biggest initiatives centered on responsible digital citizenship.

Citizens from all regions, age groups, and backgrounds—especially young people—are urged to support trustworthy AI, data protection, responsible technology use, and the fight against misinformation through a 24-hour national digital commitment, the statement stated.

After receiving an honorable badge from Intel and IndiaAI, participants will have the chance to investigate several government-led AI learning pathways.

A broad range of individuals are invited to participate in the AI responsibility pledge, including students of all ages, educators and academic leaders, parents and guardians, general citizens from a variety of backgrounds, public sector representatives and government officials, and employees from a variety of industries.

Visit https://aipledge.indiaai.gov.in/ to participate in the AI Responsibility initiative.
You can then begin by scrolling down and selecting the “Take the Pledge” button.

From February 16–20, India will hold the India AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam. The summit will bring together governments, business executives, researchers, entrepreneurs, students, and citizens from all around the world.

It is being sponsored by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) as part of the IndiaAI Mission. It seeks to go beyond high-level debates and provide concrete results that can assist social development, economic progress, and the sustainable use of AI.

It is envisioned as a crucial worldwide platform to build a future-oriented agenda for inclusive, responsible, and impactful AI.

The summit will be organized around three main pillars: People, Planet, and Progress. Topics of debate will include economic and social development, sustainable and energy-efficient AI, and employment and skilling.

Representatives from the Global North and Global South will co-chair seven thematic working groups that will provide tangible deliverables such as sector-specific compendiums of AI use cases, trusted AI tools, shared compute infrastructure, and suggestions for AI Commons.

Additionally, participants will learn how AI is affecting different industries and professions, what new skills are needed in the changing labor market, how startups can interact with partners and investors, and how AI can help small businesses, farmers, and service providers.

Participants are encouraged to arrange their schedules by looking over the website’s agenda, selecting sessions that interest them, and adding them to their calendars.

There are nearly 700 sessions scheduled across five days. AI safety, governance, ethical use, data protection, and India’s approach to sovereign AI—including the creation of domestic foundation models for key industries—will all be covered in sessions.

The AI Impact Expo, which will highlight real-world AI applications in fields like healthcare, agriculture, education, climate change, energy efficiency, and accessibility, will be a major part of the Summit. The purpose of these demonstrations is to educate the public on how AI can enhance service delivery and solve practical issues.

By preparing questions, actively participating in sessions, and comprehending how AI can be responsibly implemented to improve productivity, livelihoods, and quality of life, citizens are invited to treat the India AI Impact Summit as a learning and participation opportunity.

The goal of the Summit is to give attendees the information and guidance they need to confidently and clearly navigate the AI-driven future.

The summit’s official website, www.impact.indiaai.gov.in, offers registration, which guests are encouraged to finish beforehand.

In the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, South Africa and Afghanistan engaged in an intense Group D match at the Narendra Modi Stadium. After two thrilling innings, the match was forced into a double super over before the Proteas eventually won.

With the squad aiming for their first victory of the competition, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan chose to field after winning the toss.

Afghanistan took full advantage of the early morning circumstances, which helped the bowlers somewhat, and held the South African batsmen in check for the opening three overs.

The first goal came from Fazalhaq Farooqi, who cleverly used a slower throw to snare South Africa skipper Aiden Markram in mid-off.

However, Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickleton’s strong partnership quickly turned the tide of the match in South Africa’s favor. The left-handed duo amassed 116 runs off of just 61 balls, tearing up the Afghan bowling attack.

Rickleton was outstanding, hitting 61 from just 28 balls, including four sixes and five boundaries, while De Kock completed his fifty with a graceful pull shot, ending at 59 off 41 deliveries.

By dismissing both de Kock and Rickleton within three balls, Rashid was able to momentarily stop the run-flow, but cameos from David Miller (20 not out) and Dewald Brevis (23) allowed South Africa to record a respectable 187/6.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz was in full force as Afghanistan got off to a fantastic start in the chase. The squad quickly reached 50 in just four overs thanks to the opener’s two fours and three sixes.

In response, South Africa took three fast wickets, with Kagiso Rabada dismissing Sediqullah Atal and Lungi Ngidi dismissing Ibrahim Zadran and Gulbadin Naib, bringing Afghanistan down from 51/0 to 52/3.

Gurbaz persisted in his assault, striking hard and hitting seven sixes and four fours to reach a fifty off 26 balls. Afghanistan had 93/3 at the 10-over point, maintaining the pressure on the Proteas.

Gurbaz’s devastating blow was finally stopped by George Linde, but Rashid Khan (20) and Azmatullah Omarzai (22) maintained the pace.

Afghanistan needed 13 runs to win the match, which came down to the last over. Afghanistan managed to scrape to 187 after Kagiso Rabada’s over started badly with a no-ball and a wide, but a critical run-out compelled a thrilling super over.

Afghanistan was the first to bat in the first super over. Against Linde and Ngidi of South Africa, Azmatullah and Gurbaz scored an incredible 17 runs together, with Azmat’s long-range six and a deft boundary through backward point serving as highlights.

Tristan Stubbs cleared Nabi’s outstretched hand, leveling the super over and forcing a second one after South Africa’s Brevis responded with a massive six off Farooqi.

With Miller and Stubbs walking out to set up a target for the Afghans, South Africa proceeded confidently in the second super over, thinking they had the match to win.

By hitting a slower-ball off-cutter over deep mid-wicket for six, Stubbs gave South Africa a head start. In order to keep the strike going for Miller, he quickly singled.

Miller then grabbed control, hitting a huge six off a length delivery outside off with a brilliant loft over deep mid-wicket and then another huge six off an off-pace length ball right after. Two more runs were scored after a poorly timed pull, but South Africa’s momentum persisted.

By the last delivery, Miller had swung the balance decisively in the Proteas’ favor by flicking a yorker-length ball between long-on and deep mid-wicket for a well-taken two, bringing South Africa’s second super over total to 23 runs. Afghanistan now had a formidable goal of 24 to chase.

Mohammad Nabi and Rahmanullah Gurbaz were sent out by Rashid to chase the total, but Keshav Maharaj, the spin ace for South Africa, maintained his composure admirably.

Nabi misjudged a lofted shot to Miller at the backward point, causing him to fall early. Gurbaz was left to bear the burden of the pursuit by himself.

The Afghan opener reduced the equation to four needed off the final ball with a stunning exhibition of power hitting, hammering three successive sixes in a display of utter boldness.

However, Maharaj remained calm and trapped Gurbaz on the final delivery, dismissing him and giving South Africa a thrilling win.

The outcome ended an incredible match that had already featured two super overs, valiant efforts by Rahmanullah Gurbaz, David Miller, and Stubbs, and an incredible exhibition of drama, skill, and tension that will go down as one of the best T20 matches in World Cup history.

Brief Scores
South Africa 187/6 in 20 overs (Ryan Rickleton 61, Quinton de Kock 59; Azmatullah Omarzai 3-41, Rashid Khan 2-28)
Afghanistan 187/10 in 19.4 overs (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 84, Azmatullah Omarzai 22; Lungi Ngidi 3-26, Keshav Maharaj 1-27)

1st Super Over

Afghanistan 17/0 (Azmatullah Omarzai 16*, Rahmanullah Gurbaz 1*; Lungi Ngidi 0-17)
South Africa 17/1 (Tristan Stubbs 10*, Dewald Brevis 6; Fazalhaq Farooqi 1-17)

2nd Super Over

South Africa 23/0 (David Miller 16*, Tristan Stubbs 7*)
Afghanistan 19/2 (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 18, Keshav Maharaj 2-19)

‘Mayilaa‘, a Tamil film directed by Semmalar Annam, had its global debut earlier this month and is currently nominated for the NETPAC Award at the 2026 International Film Festival of Rotterdam (IFFR).

The Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema presents the NETPAC Award, which honors exceptional Asian films that exhibit artistic merit, cultural nuance, and cinematic brilliance.

Recall that the film, which depicts a young working woman’s path to independence and dignity in a personal and realistic manner, was well appreciated by festivalgoers at its Rotterdam showing.

An major turning point in the movie’s international festival journey has been reached with the nomination.

Filmmaker Pa introduces ‘Mayilaa’ to the uninitiated. Anto Chittilappally formed Newton Cinema, which produced Ranjith.

V. Shudar Kodi plays a key supporting part in the movie, while P. Melody Dorcas plays the lead.

The technical team consists of sound designer Anand Krishnamoorthi, music composer Nandhan Kalaivanan, sync sound recordist Amrith Shankar, editor A. Sreekar Prasad, and cinematographer Vinoth Janakiraman.

“This NETPAC nomination is a meaningful recognition for our entire team,” director Semmalar Annam said in response to the nomination. ‘Mayilaa’ was made with great care and honesty, and it is heartening to see the picture receiving recognition at IFFR.

“The journey of ‘Mayilaa’ has been very rewarding, from the world premiere at Rotterdam to this nomination,” stated Anto Chittilappally, founder of Newton Cinema. We are proud, as is everyone who contributed to the movie.

“Mayilaa is a socially rooted and emotionally sincere film,” stated filmmaker Pa. Ranjith, who is also the film’s presenter. Such views should have access to global platforms, and this nomination is well-earned.

“We are thankful and inspired by the NETPAC nomination. We are all very touched by the response during the global premiere and by this honor,” the cast and crew said.

According to people close to the unit, Mayilaa will continue its festival run with other overseas screenings in the upcoming months.

President Donald Trump claimed that in order to fulfill the enormous demand for electricity brought on by artificial intelligence, the US is permitting private corporations to construct their own power facilities.

In a Larry Kudlow interview on Fox Business, Trump claimed that AI infrastructure demands previously unheard-of energy capacity.

“Anyway, AI requires a lot of electricity, don’t you think? twice the amount of electricity already produced nationwide,” he stated.

Trump stated that rebuilding the nation’s grid to meet such demand would take time. He stated his administration is allowing businesses to build massive facilities to produce their own electricity as a result.

He declared, “I’m allowing anyone who constructs a plant to construct their own electric plant.” “They will eventually resemble a utility.”

According to him, developers are building expansive facilities and will run separate production systems. They are constructing their own power plant. According to Trump, they are generating their own electricity.

Any extra electricity would be sold to the system again. He went on to say, “They’ll sell anything they have left over to the grid.”

According to Trump, energy sources may change based on the requirements of the project. “Some are coal as a backup, some are oil and gas, and some are nuclear,” he stated.

Additionally, he maintained that the US is leading the world in artificial intelligence. Trump declared, “We are controlling everyone in the AI.”

Trump said that enormous building was taking place all throughout the nation and connected the AI drive to more general industrial growth. “We have invested $18 trillion in this nation. It’s unlike anything anyone has ever experienced,” he remarked.

He stated that the creation of factories and plants was a key component of his economic agenda.

“We’re setting a new historical record. Nothing like that has ever existed,” Trump remarked.

In his economic rhetoric, Trump has continuously linked technology advancement, energy generation, and manufacturing, claiming that home manufacturing lessens reliance on international supply chains.

It is generally anticipated that in the upcoming ten years, the need for energy would rise dramatically due to artificial intelligence infrastructure, which includes data centers and semiconductor plants. Governments across major economies are weighing grid upgrades, nuclear expansion, and renewable deployment to support AI-driven growth.

With policymakers closely observing international models for powering massive data infrastructure while striking a balance between energy security, climate commitments, and industrial competitiveness, India is likewise growing its AI and semiconductor ecosystem.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has not made any significant concessions to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in exchange for refraining from boycotting the match against India in the current ICC T20 World Cup, which is set to take place in Colombo on February 15.

In its discussions with the ICC, the PCB has asked for a larger portion of the ICC’s earnings and has requested that the sport’s governing body invite the BCCI to approach the Indian government in order to resume bilateral cricket relations between the two nations.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) replaced the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) with Scotland for the jointly-hosted India-Sri Lanka ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after the BCB avoided financial penalties or suspension for refusing to send its men’s cricket team to India.

Following a tri-partite meeting between the ICC, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in Lahore on Sunday, the ICC decided not to impose financial sanctions on the BCB.

It has been decided that the Bangladesh Cricket Board would not face any financial, athletic, or administrative sanctions in connection with the current issue. It is understood that BCB has the option to contact the Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) if it so desires. The ICC said in a statement on Monday that this right is still in place and exists under current ICC laws.

The Indian players’ “no handshake” policy with Pakistani players, which was instituted during the 2025 Asia Cup, has also been urged to be lifted by the PCB and the ICC. The ICC stated that it will keep assisting in the development of the sport in Bangladesh.

“The dialogue between ICC and PCB took place as part of a broader engagement with both parties recognising the need for constructive dealings and being united, committed and purposeful in their aspirations to serve the best interests of the game with integrity, neutrality and cooperation,” the International Cricket Council stated in an official statement.

Shortly after the Pakistani government made a statement in Islamabad authorizing their squad to play India on February 15, the ICC announcement was released.

“In that prevailing spirit, it was agreed that all members will respect their commitments as per the terms of participation for ICC events and do all that is necessary to ensure that the ongoing edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is a success,” the International Cricket Council added.

In order to guarantee that the national team’s exclusion from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has no lasting consequences for cricket in Bangladesh, the ICC reaffirmed its commitment to supporting growth in one of cricket’s most active markets, with over 200 million ardent supporters,” the ICC statement read.

“It is unfortunate that Bangladesh will not be participating in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, but this does not change the ICC’s longstanding commitment to Bangladesh as a core cricketing nation,” stated ICC Chief Executive Sanjog Gupta. Our focus remains on collaborating closely with BCB and other important stakeholders to make sure the sport develops sustainably in the nation and that players’ and fans’ possibilities for the future are enhanced. Bangladesh’s cricket ecosystem is still a top priority that merits sustained investment in order to grow, compete, and integrate globally. It is not characterized by temporary disturbances.