SOURCE: IANS

Several airlines have reported cases of GPS interference and spoofing while operating in and around Amritsar, the Parliament was informed on Thursday. The disruptions, which impact aircraft navigation systems, have been most frequent in the border regions of Amritsar and Jammu between November 2023 and February 2025.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told the Lok Sabha that a total of 465 incidents of GPS interference and spoofing have been reported during this period. These incidents involve attempts to manipulate or block GPS signals, which could mislead navigation systems used by aircraft, he said.The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had issued a circular in November 2023, instructing airlines to report such interference cases.

SOURCE: PIXXEL

Pixxel, a space technology company building the world’s highest-resolution hyperspectral satellite constellation, today announced that its three Firefly satellites have successfully captured and downlinked their ‘First Light’ images- setting a new benchmark as the world’s highest-resolution hyperspectral images!

All three satellites have completed commissioning successfully and are in perfect working condition, marking a significant milestone in the company’s aim to deliver cutting-edge Earth observation capabilities. Launched in January 2025 aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-12, the three Firefly satellites are beaming down images at an unprecedented 5-meter resolution across 150+ spectral bands with a 40 km swath width. The released images highlight unseen details of three areas, one from each satellite.

SOURCE: PIB

North India’s first Nuclear project is coming up in Haryana in a small town called Gorakhpur. This was revealed by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh while reaffirming the government’s commitment to the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project, calling it a critical step toward India’s clean energy future.

Responding to concerns raised in the Lok Sabha, Dr. Jitendra Singh clarified that environmental clearance for the project is under renewal and that necessary safeguards are in place to address ecological and safety concerns.

SOURCE: ANI

Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday outlined the steps taken by the BJP-led government to strengthen internal security and said Naxalism will be eliminated from the country by March 31, 2026. Replying to the debate on the working of his ministry in Rajya Sabha, Amit Shah talked of the steps taken by the government to tackle terrorism in J-K, Naxal challenge, drug abuse and problems in the Northeast.

He said the country would get free of the “Naxal problem” during the term of the BJP-led government. “I say it in this House with responsibility that Naxalism in this country will be eliminated by March 31, 2026,” he said. Amit Shah talked of the steps taken by the government to provide accurate intelligence to security forces dealing with Naxalites and said he has pity on those who think Naxalism is only a political problem.

SOURCE: PTI

US Supreme Court justices will hear next month Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana’s renewed application, submitted to Chief Justice John Roberts, seeking a stay of his extradition to India. 

Rana, 64, is currently lodged in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles and submitted an “Emergency Application For Stay Pending Litigation of Petition For Writ of Habeas Corpus on February 27, 2025 with Elena Kagan, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and Circuit Justice for the Ninth Circuit. 

SOURCE: PTI

A huge blast occurred in a warehouse stocked with explosives for a private small-calibre ammunition factory in South Goa, a senior police official said on Friday. No one was injured in the explosion at the facility in the Naqueri-Betul area around 10.30 pm on Thursday. It also triggered a fire, the official said.

Fire and emergency services were rushed to the spot and controlled the spread of the fire within two hours.

SOURCE: PTI

In a fresh offensive against Naxals, the security forces killed at least 30 members of the banned CPI (Maoist) in two separate encounters in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region on Thursday, officials said.

While 26 Naxalites were killed in Bijapur district, four Maoists were gunned down in Kanker by a joint team of the BSF and District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel of the state police. A policeman was also killed in the encounter in Bijapur, the officials said.

SOURCE: IANS

In a remarkable breakthrough, a women-led police team in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district have uncovered a significant cache of black money and explosives linked to Maoists.  During a joint operation conducted by the police and security forces in the Pandaripani area under the jurisdiction of the Mainpur police station, Rs 8 lakh in cash and explosive materials were seized.

This operation was notably led by women police officers, with DSP (Deputy Superintendent of Police) Garima Dadar playing a pivotal role, marking a significant step in the increasing involvement of women in anti-Maoist missions.

SOURCE: PTI

India on Thursday approved the capital acquisition of a plethora of military hardware worth more than Rs 54,000 crore, including airborne early-warning and control-aircraft systems, torpedoes and engines for T-90 tanks.

In a significant move, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) also approved the guidelines for reducing the timelines at various stages of the capital acquisition process to make it “faster, more effective and efficient”, according to the defence ministry.

SOURCE: IANS

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday that fighter aircraft will soon be able to land on the state’s national highways.

The state administration is preparing to facilitate this development later this year. Addressing the media after a Cabinet meeting in Dibrugarh on Thursday, CM Sarma said, “We are upgrading the national highway between Dibrugarh and Jorhat to meet international standards. Soon, Indian Air Force fighter jets will be able to land on this highway. Assam will witness several significant developments this year.”

SOURCE: PTI

Ways to further advance the India-US military ties, including a likely renewal of a 10-year defence framework, figured prominently in talks Admiral Samuel J Paparo, the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, held with India’s top civil and military brass this week.

Paparo met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, according to an American readout.

SOURCE: IANS

Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, on Thursday, highlighted the growing concern regarding China’s massive 137 billion dollar hydroelectric dam project, which is set to produce 60,000 MW of electricity over the Yarlung Tsangpo river, in the upper reaches of Siang river in the neighbouring country China.

During his two-day visit to Siang and Upper Siang district, the Deputy Chief Minister addressed the people about the importance of the Upper Siang Multipurpose Project (USMP), being constructed by India.

SOURCE: IANS

India is all set to welcome its own web browser, taking another big step toward building an indigenous internet ecosystem, said Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Railways and Electronics and IT on Thursday.

Vaishnaw made the announcement while awarding the winners of the Indian Web Browser Development Challenge (IWBDC). The top prize in the competition was won by Zoho Corporation, a software company founded by Sridhar Vembu.

SOURCE: PTI

Social media giant ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), owned by US billionaire Elon Musk, has filed a lawsuit in the Karnataka High Court against the Indian government, challenging what it calls unlawful content regulation and arbitrary censorship.

It raised concerns over the Centre’s interpretation of the Information Technology (IT) Act, particularly its use of Section 79(3)(b), which ‘X’ argues violates Supreme Court rulings and undermines free expression online.

SOURCE: PTI

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Navy Chief Rear Admiral Garin Golding on Thursday visited the latest indigenously built destroyer of the Indian Navy INS Surat at the Naval Dockyard here.

Luxon was welcomed aboard by Vice Admiral Sanjay J Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command. The visiting dignitories were given an in-depth briefing on the warship’s intricate design, cutting-edge technologies and formidable capabilities, a Navy release said here.