FirstUp: PM Modi to visit Israel and other headlines of the day

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a two-day visit to Israel from today. Meanwhile, Jasveen Sangha, popularly known as 'Ketamine Queen,' is scheduled to be sentenced in the case surrounding the overdose death of Friends star Matthew Perry.

A 24-hour nationwide strike by Greek tourism and catering workers is scheduled to take place today. South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana is scheduled to present the country’s 2026 National Budget to Parliament today. In India, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to visit Karkala to inaugurate the Kisan Sabha auditorium.

Here is all that is set to take place across the world today.

PM Modi to visit Israel

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a two-day visit to Israel from today. He is scheduled to hold wide-ranging talks with his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, in Tel Aviv. A series of programmes will be held in Jerusalem during Modi's visit.

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PM Modi will address the Israeli Parliament during his visit. This will be the first time that an Indian leader will address the Knesset. He will also interact with the Indian community settled in Israel, following which he will participate in a tech exhibition.

Ambassador of India to Israel JP Singh has termed PM Modi's visit as historic. Speaking to Akashvani News, he said, "India and Israel are on the same page on the issue of terrorism." He further added that whenever there has been a crisis, the two countries have stood by each other.

"Ketamine Queen" Jasveen Sangha to be sentenced

Jasveen Sangha, also known as Ketamine Queen, is scheduled to be sentenced today in connection with the death of Friends actor Matthew Perry. She faces a maximum of 65 years in federal prison for the crime.

In September 2025, Sangha pleaded guilty to five federal charges, including one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death and maintaining a drug-involved premises. Prosecutors established that Sangha supplied 51 vials of ketamine to Perry through a middleman, Erik Fleming, in the weeks before the actor's death.

According to the news website BBC, a raid on her North Hollywood 'stash house' uncovered nearly 80 vials of liquid ketamine, along with methamphetamine, cocaine, and counterfeit Xanax.

Greek tourism workers on a 24-hour strike

A 24-hour nationwide strike by Greek tourism and catering workers is scheduled to take place today. The strike is being organised by the Panhellenic Federation of Food and Tourism Workers (POEET) and is likely to affect hotels, restaurants, cafes, and bars across the country.

Workers are demanding that seasonal unemployment benefits be set at 80 per cent of the regular rate without restrictive terms and conditions, the signing of a new National Collective Labour Agreement that includes substantial wage increases and a mandatory five-day and 40-hour workweek, and a primary demand is the reinstatement of the lump-sum retirement payment after 20 years of service.

The strike will affect many restaurants, cafes, nightclubs, and hotel services across the city.

South Africa's 2026 budget to be presented to the parliament

South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana is scheduled to present the country’s 2026 National Budget to Parliament today. This budget is viewed as a "credibility marker" for the Government of National Unity (GNU) following a period of fiscal stabilisation and a historic credit rating upgrade by S&P in late 2025.

Analysts expect the Treasury to narrow the fiscal deficit forecast to approximately 4.4 per cent of GDP. After significant political debate in 2025, there is a "little-to-no debate" on further VAT increases for 2026, though an expansion of zero-rated food items may be considered to ease consumer pressure. The budget is expected to maintain restraint on the public sector wage bill, potentially through early retirement programmes.

Siddaramaiah to inaugurate Kisan Sabha auditorium

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to visit Karkala to inaugurate several key facilities, including the newly constructed Kisan Sabha auditorium.

CM will inaugurate a new building for the Ambedkar Bhavan in Kabettu at 11:30 am today, following which he will officially open the Kisan Sabha auditorium located on Taluk Office Road. The facility was built by the Kisan Sabha Trust. Later in the day, the CM will attend the 35th annual day celebrations of the Mahatma Gandhi Residential High School in Kukkundur.

This visit comes amid a busy February for the Chief Minister, who has recently focused on agricultural initiatives, including the inauguration of Krishi Mela 2026 in Bengaluru and meetings with farmers' unions regarding Minimum Support Price (MSP) guarantees.

With inputs from agencies