SENSEX
NIFTY
GOLD
USD/INR

Weather

image 16    C

The Hindu

Top News / The Hindu

Rupee declines 27 paise to 90.95 against U.S. dollar in early trade

The rupee rose 4 paise to settle at 90.68 against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday February 18. The currency exchange markets were closed on February 19, on account of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti

20 Feb 2026 10:27 am
Striking Argentine workers clash with police in protest over labor reforms

Several thousand demonstrators gathered outside parliament, where a few dozen participants engaged in running battles with police, throwing bottles and stones

20 Feb 2026 10:22 am
Nvidia nears deal for scaled-down investment in OpenAI: Report

Nvidia will be part of OpenAIs new funding round with an agreement that could be concluded as early as this weekend, according to the Times, which cited unnamed sources close to the matter

20 Feb 2026 10:18 am
Messi kicks off MLS season in key World Cup year

It is a suitably splashy start for a season that will be split in two by the 2026 World Cup, which takes place across the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer

20 Feb 2026 10:16 am
Call of the apple tree

No one picked fruit from the old apple tree at the back of the garden but Tara was fascinated by it.

20 Feb 2026 10:15 am
Why whiskers are so important to a cat

Theres more to the whiskers of a cat than just making it look cute. Read on ...

20 Feb 2026 10:14 am
20 Feb 2026 10:06 am
T20 World Cup: Jonathan Trott reflects on journey with Afghanistan after his last game as teams coach

The former England international guided the team through more than three successful years, highlighted by a remarkable run to the semifinals of the 2024 T20 World Cup

20 Feb 2026 10:06 am
Toxic teaser: Yash shows grand machismo in Geetu Mohandas stylistic actioner

Directed by Geetu Mohandas and co-produced by Yash, Toxic hits theaters on March 19, 2025, right in the ring with the blockbuster sequel Dhurandhar 2, featuring Ranveer Singh

20 Feb 2026 10:06 am
Treasures from the past

How did a dolphins tooth get buried in the sands of a barren land?

20 Feb 2026 10:05 am
Measuring nonwhiteness: remembering Toni Morrison and Nina Simone

In their birthday month, we look at the extraordinary oeuvre of two great Black artists. If Nina Simone confronts the nation in public with her songs, Toni Morrison confronts it in the intimate spaces of the home in her books

20 Feb 2026 10:03 am
NASA conducts successful rehearsal of Artemis 2 lunar launch

Technical problems in early February cut short an earlier so-called wet dress rehearsal of the launch of the Artemis 2 mission

20 Feb 2026 9:59 am
Iran warns U.S. bases, assets 'legitimate targets' if it attacks

President Donald Trump has deployed warships, fighter jets, and other military hardware to the Middle East as he seeks to block Iran from building a nuclear bomb, something Tehran says it is not pursuing

20 Feb 2026 9:54 am
IT Minister Priyank Kharge meets Anthropic team, indicates Karnataka to work closely with AI firm

The interaction covered Anthropics plans for its Bengaluru office and opportunities to work closely with Karnatakas technology and startup ecosystem

20 Feb 2026 9:48 am
Gram panchayat member caught taking 1.7 lakh bribe in Thane district

According to the ACB, the complainant had constructed a three-story building after securing all necessary permissions. He applied to the gram panchayat in October 2025 for the assessment and levy of property and water taxes for the building

20 Feb 2026 9:46 am
Umpire dies, 15-20 players injured in bee attack during cricket match in Unnao

Another umpire and around 15 to 20 players also suffered bee stings

20 Feb 2026 9:39 am
Formula One CEO Domenicali dismisses Verstappens retirement hint over 2026 rule changes

In comments on an episode of the Up to Speed podcast, Verstappen also said the regulations wouldn't help the longevity of his career

20 Feb 2026 9:38 am
Starlink loss a blow to Russian forces in Ukraine, say experts

On February 5, Russian military observers reported disruption of the Starlink internet terminals used by Moscow on the front lines after Musk took measures following a request from Kyiv

20 Feb 2026 9:35 am
Ekki Homa launches sewage pumps for the Indian market

The eight-year-old joint ventures production capacity would make pumps to cater primarily to the Indian market of German technology and also supply pumps to Germany

20 Feb 2026 9:31 am
By donating organs to others, deceased Kerala baby now immortal: Jharkhand CM

Hemant Soren said that his government would take all steps to strengthen the State's organ donation policy

20 Feb 2026 9:31 am
Novartis to exit Indian unit in $159 million deal

The stake will be acquired by a consortium of WaveRise Investments, ChrysCapital and Two Infinity Partners.

20 Feb 2026 9:23 am
Mild tension at Amberpet during Shivaji Jayanti procession

The incident was reported after 10 p.m. when a group taking part in the procession allegedly shouted slogans in front of the Jamia Masjid while prayers were being conducted inside

20 Feb 2026 9:14 am
US state sues Apple over child sex abuse images in iCloud

West Virginia said it is suing Apple over child sex abuse material people tuck away in its iCloud online storage service

20 Feb 2026 9:13 am
India AI Summit 2026 Day 5 LIVE: India to formally join U.S. led effort on AI, supply chain security-Pax Silica today

The AI Impact Summits expo has been extended by one day, to February 21, so that attendees can visit with more flexible security arrangements, IT Secretary S. Krishnan said

20 Feb 2026 9:07 am
Eric Dane, Greys Anatomy and Euphoria star, passes away at 53

His representatives said Dane died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known also as Lou Gehrigs disease, less than a year after he announced his diagnosis

20 Feb 2026 8:32 am
Indias perfect record has been tempered by indifferent form

Though Kishans hitting has been a revelation, most of of his batting colleagues havent been as free-spirited; Abhishek has suffered the ignominy of falling for a duck thrice; the co-hosts scores are a tribute to the ability to accelerate in the second half even when the first period has been singularly demanding

20 Feb 2026 8:26 am
Trump says he doesnt know if aliens are real but directs government to release files on UFOs, more

President Donald Trump says hes directing the Pentagon and other government agencies to identify and release files related to extraterrestrials and UFOs because of tremendous interest

20 Feb 2026 8:22 am
Stop garbage burning near railway tracks: Sealdah Division urges people

The authorities of the Sealdah Division pointed out that setting fire to dumped garbage or waste piles near the railway line is strictly discouraged, as the intense heat and smoke from ground fires pose a severe threat to high-tension (OHE) wires and sensitive signalling equipment.

20 Feb 2026 8:07 am
Sandalwood: An expensive fragrance

India was the worlds leading producer of sandalwood until the last century, but it was displaced by Australia. What led to this fall, and what does the recent Union Budgets offering to collaborate with States to revive the sandalwood industry in India mean for farmers? Chetan B.C. explores.

20 Feb 2026 7:58 am
A tribal hamlets tryst with AI-assisted tools

In the remote hills of Kumram Bheem Asifabad district, Limbuguda home to less than 40 Kolam families is witnessing a quiet transformation. A state-of-the-art Multipurpose Centre, established under the PM-JANMAN scheme, is leveraging AI-assisted learning tools to improve education, alongside healthcare and nutrition services, reshaping aspirations in one of Telanganas most marginalised PVTG habitations

20 Feb 2026 7:56 am
Building permissions hit due to trifurcation of GHMC

A large number of applications for building permissions which have been divided among the three corporations depending on the location, are now pending approval, despite passing through the rigmarole of submission.

20 Feb 2026 7:49 am
Kim Jong Un opens rare party congress in North Korea

Leader Kim Jong Un took centre stage with a speech to start the Workers' Party congress, a gathering that directs state efforts on everything from house building to war planning

20 Feb 2026 7:28 am
Venezuela approves amnesty bill that could see release of hundreds detained for political reasons

Acting President Delcy Rodrguez, who proposed the bill late last month, is expected to sign the measure, which outlines the eligibility and exclusions for people to be granted amnesty, and therefore, be released after months or years of being in custody

20 Feb 2026 6:50 am
Harmanpreet Kaur becomes highest capped woman in international cricket

Harmanpreet Kaur has now played six tests, 161 One-Day Internationals and 189 T20 matches for her country since 2009

20 Feb 2026 5:45 am
Russell outpaces Piastri and Leclerc at Formula 1 testing in Bahrain

World champion Lando Norris was half a second back in fourth place

20 Feb 2026 5:37 am
Trump claims Obamas alien comments included classified info

Barack Obama, in a podcast interview released last week, declared that he believed aliens were real but that he had not seen any evidence of it during his 2009-2017 presidency

20 Feb 2026 4:49 am
A temporary relief from bonded labour

A landmark law formulated to end bonded labour in India marks its 50th year of passing. Satyasundar Barik examines the Acts relevance and effectiveness through the voices of labourers in Odisha who slipped back into bondage even after being officially rescued

20 Feb 2026 4:23 am
15,849 vehicles with same chassis, engine number registered in multiple Northeast States: CAG

The latest audit report flagged contract carriage permits for school buses in Assam, resulting in the bypassing of mandatory fitness tests

20 Feb 2026 2:31 am
Petitions filed in Patna High Court challenging election of several MLAs, court issues notices

The petitions have been filed by the candidates who lost the election from their respective constituencies

20 Feb 2026 2:21 am
From Washington to Delhi, the shadow of Epstein

India cannot ignore some of the implications of the Epstein connections

20 Feb 2026 2:14 am
Privacy and transparency: On the RTI Act amendment, petitions

There must be no information asymmetry between state and citizens

20 Feb 2026 1:53 am
Overreach during flight: On the DGCA and passenger ban rules

Disruptive behaviour must not be confused with airing of grievances

20 Feb 2026 1:52 am
Tehran reenters the global geopolitical spotlight

Iran returns to haunt the United States and West Asia alike

20 Feb 2026 1:40 am