Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday unveiled the Rail Tech Policy, Portal and e-Railway Claims Tribunal (RCT) system. He said the policy encourages collaboration between Indian Railways and startups and is designed to enable introduction of technology into the railways. He also added that the e-RCT system will transform the filing, processing and adjudication of claims.

Google’s investment arm, CapitalG, has led a reported $200 million funding round in a European fintech startup. The company focuses on faster cross-border payments and embedded finance tools for businesses. The investment highlights growing confidence in Europe’s digital payments sector as the startup expands into new markets and strengthens its financial technology infrastructure.

Punjab's Amarjeet Sharma Chaina and his grandson Ravi have saved 250 native seed varieties to conserve biodiversity and reduce market dependence. Their desi seeds of vegetables, millets and pulses are now grown by farmers across India and as far as the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Balijori Haat in Odisha is Asia's largest open-air handloom market, where Sambalpuri weavers sell directly to traders and retail buyers. Every Wednesday, at dawn, a stretch of ground near Balijori transforms into a vibrant marketplace. By 4 am, the darkness is alive with the call of traders and the weavers who arrive with bundles of their work in cotton and silk.

Dubai International Airport's shutdown amid US-Iran war is a concern because it's the point that funnels a vast share of flights from East to West and West to East daily, NDTV reported. It's world's busiest airport, which connects 291 destinations across 110 countries. With all flight operations suspended at the airport, passengers flying between Europe and Asia are left stranded.

Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has reportedly closed, is a narrow maritime corridor located between Iran and Oman, near the UAE and is among world’s most critical shipping routes. Over 20-30% of global oil and LNG supplies pass through it, making any disruption a matter of economic concern. Even a one-day blockade could push oil prices to $120–$150/barrel, experts said.

Gujarat has semiconductor projects worth ₹1.24 lakh crore in works, Gujarat's Science and Technology Minister Arjun Modhwadia said. The announcement comes ahead of the Gujarat SemiConnect Conference 2026, which will be held at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar on March 1 and 2. “This...milestone will position Gujarat as a key hub for memory packaging and advanced semiconductor manufacturing,” he said.

India is experiencing a talent shortage of 82%, exceeding the global average of 72%, as per 2026 ManpowerGroup Global Talent Shortage Survey. The survey reported that top five countries witnessing the most talent shortage included Slovakia (87%), Greece (84%), Japan (84%), Germany (83%), and India (82%). Globally, in the information industry, three in four employers are struggling to fill roles.

Consumer protection body CCPA fined Raising Superstars Enterprises ₹8 lakh for misleading advertisements related to infant development. "It made…claims [like] 'Crawling at three months', "Walking at eight months', 'Using 200+ vocabulary by 18 months'," CCPA said. These claims were not backed by any scientific study or clinical assessment and are based on selective parental testimonials, it added.

A surge in freight rates looms as escalating tensions in West Asia trigger widespread airspace closures. This has raised concerns of prolonged disruption to global air cargo flows. According to ACCAI, airlines are rerouting services to maintain safety compliance. It noted that there could be marginal transit delays and pressure on available belly cargo capacity on Europe & US sectors.