Union Cabinet approves changing Kerala’s name to Keralam; Rahul Gandhi challenges Modi to scrap U.S. trade deal, and more in The Hindu’s top news of February 24, 2026.

Kerala to become ‘Keralam’: Union Cabinet approves change of name

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday (February 24, 2026) approved the renaming of the State of “Kerala” to “Keralam”, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced. On June 24, 2024, the Kerala Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution urging the Union government to rename the State as “Keralam”. The move came ahead of the Kerala Assembly elections expected to be held in April-May.

PM Modi should scrap ‘anti-farmer’ trade deal with U.S., says Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday (February 24, 2026) said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should scrap the India-U.S. trade deal, which he described as being against the interests of Indian farmers. Addressing the ‘Kisan Mahachaupal’ farmers’ rally in Bhopal, Mr. Gandhi likened the interim trade deal to an arrow piercing the hearts of Indian farmers.

Top Maoists underground for three to four decades surrender before Telangana police; only one central committee member active

Four of the most senior underground leaders of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) surrendered before the Telangana police, expressing their intent to join the mainstream in the presence of Telangana Director General of Police B. Shivadhar Reddy on Tuesday (February 24, 2026). Those who renounced armed struggle include politburo member (PBM) and central committee member (CCM) Tippiri Thirupati alias Devuji alias Kumma Dada; CCM Malla Raji Reddy alias Sangram; Telangana State Committee (TSC) secretary Bade Chokka Rao alias Damodar alias Jagan; and State Committee member (SCM) Nune Narsimha Reddy alias Ganganna alias Sannu Dada.

SC declines plea to remove Aadhaar from SIR document list, says RP Act still endorses it as identity proof

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (February 24, 2026) refused to alter a September 2025 order to use Aadhaar in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, saying the Representation of the People Act continues to endorse the 12-digit unique identity number as an identity proof for citizens. A Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said petitioner-advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay should take his apprehensions that fake Aadhaar cards were manufactured on an “industrial scale” in the border areas to the Union Government.

West Bengal SIR hearing: Supreme Court asks Calcutta HC to deploy more judicial officers

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (February 24, 2026) moved in quickly to swell the ranks of judicial officers deployed to aid the Election Commission of India (ECI) in the completion of the West Bengal Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, even alerting neighbouring Odisha and Jharkhand to spare their judges. A Special Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant convened urgently after receiving a letter from the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court detailing the perils of the “enormous exercise”.

Cabinet approves three railway projects worth ₹9,072 crore covering eight districts in four States

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday (February 24, 2026) approved three multi-tracking railway projects at a cost of ₹9,072 crore. The projects include the construction of a second line on the Gondia (Maharashtra)—Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) section and the addition of third and fourth lines between Punarakh and Kiul in Bihar, and between Gamharia and Chandil in Jharkhand.

Cabinet clears ₹1,677 crore Srinagar airport expansion

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday (February 24, 2026) approved the expansion of passenger facilities at Srinagar airport at a cost of ₹1,677 crore. The airport expansion project is spread over 73.18 acres and includes a terminal building spanning 71,500 square metres, of which 20,659 square metres comprises the existing structure. It will have the capacity to accommodate 2,900 passengers at a time and an annual capacity of 10 million passengers per annum.

Every violation of RBI fraud rules not open to court scrutiny: Bombay High Court on lifting Anil Ambani case stay

The RBI’s Master Directions aim to identify frauds and unscrupulous borrowers for timely action, and every violation of the same is not subject to judicial scrutiny, the Bombay High Court has said while lifting the stay on action by three banks to classify industrialist Anil Ambani’s accounts as fraud.

Union Minister claims unauthorised presence of former Bengal Chief Secretary at Supreme Court-mandated SIR meeting

Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar on Tuesday (February 24, 2026) alleged that a high-level meeting convened to take forward the SIR process in West Bengal, as mandated by the Supreme Court, was attended by unauthorised persons, including former Chief Secretary Manoj Pant. The BJP leader demanded a probe into the issue and the arrest of Mr. Pant. Mr. Majumdar accused the State’s TMC Government of trying to influence the judiciary during the meeting held on February 21.

Rahul Gandhi slams arrest of Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib, says it is reflective of ‘dictatorial tendencies, cowardice’

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday (February 24, 2026) hit out at the government over the arrest of Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib and other Indian Youth Congress (IYC) members, saying it is reflective of “dictatorial tendencies and cowardice”. Mr. Gandhi said he is proud of his fellow members of the Youth Congress, who have fearlessly raised their voices in national interest against the “compromised PM”.

Jharkhand air ambulance crash: Bodies of 7 deceased handed over to family members after post-mortem

The grief and pain of family members of seven people, who died in an air ambulance crash near Simaria in Jharkhand’s Chatra district, were palpable on Tuesday (February 24, 2026) afternoon, as the bodies were handed over to them after post-mortem examination. The Beechcraft C90 air ambulance, operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, was en route to Delhi from Ranchi when it crashed on Monday (February 23, 2026) evening in the Bariatu Panchayat area of Simaria, located deep inside a forest, killing all seven onboard, including two pilots.

Centre approves construction of 5,000 houses for displaced people in Manipur

The Union government has approved the construction of 5,000 new houses for the rehabilitation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Manipur. These houses will be built according to the framework of implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), the office of Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh said on Tuesday (February 24, 2026).

All money lost in IDFC First Bank fraud recovered: Harayana CM Saini

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday (February 24, 2026) informed the State Assembly that the State government had recovered nearly ₹556 crore owed to it in the IDFC First Bank case. “Nearly ₹556 crore, including nearly ₹22 crore in interest, came back within 24 hours,” Mr. Saini said in the House.

Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati moves Allahabad HC seeking anticipatory bail in POCSO case

Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati on Tuesday (February 24, 2026) moved the Allahabad High Court seeking anticipatory bail after being booked for alleged sexual harassment of minor children and other offences. A notice has been sent to the office of the government advocate in this regard, before filing the application in court, sources said.

Russia-Ukraine war at four years: key events from 2022 to 2026

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, unleashing the deadliest war in Europe since World War II. Tens of thousands of civilians and hundreds of thousands of soldiers have been killed in the war as it completes four years of invasion. In Ukraine, millions more have had to flee their homes to escape the fighting as Russia’s troops advanced. Entire cities in Ukraine’s east and south, among them Bakhmut, Toretsk and Vovchansk, have been reduced to rubble by fighting.

Canada moves to revoke Tahawwur Rana’s citizenship ahead of Carney’s visit to India: report

Ahead of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to India, the Canadian government is pushing to revoke the citizenship of a Pakistan-born, Tahawwur Rana Hussain, accused of playing a key role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. Rana, 64, is a Pakistan-born Canadian national and close associate of one of the main conspirators of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, David Coleman Headley, alias Daood Gilani, a U.S. citizen.

Iran military helicopter crashes into central fruit and vegetable market, reportedly killing four

An Iranian military helicopter crashed into a fruit and vegetable market in central Iran on Tuesday (February 24, 2026), reportedly killing at least four people. The crash happened in the town of Dorcheh, some 330 kilometres (205 miles) south of Iran’s capital, Tehran, in the country’s Isfahan province, Iranian state television reported. Isfahan is home to a major Iranian air base, as well as a nuclear site struck by the U.S. during the Iran-Israel war in June.

ICC announces full fixtures for Women’s T20 World Cup 2026

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday (February 24, 2026) unveiled the complete schedule for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, featuring all 12 participating teams. Hosts England will square off against Sri Lanka in the opening fixture on June 12. The 10th edition of the competition will take place from June 12 to July 5 this year, with 12 teams vying for the title in what is the biggest field in the tournament’s history so far, as per the ICC website.

Published – February 24, 2026 07:06 pm IST