India

Due to technical glitches, some men in Darbhanga, Bihar, received Rs 10,000 under the women-only Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana. Many have spent the money, prompting government notices and raising concerns over scheme implementation ahead of elections

The Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday presented a Rs 2.5 crore cash reward to woman cricketer Shree Charani for her outstanding performance at the ICC Women’s World Cup, along with a house plot and assurance of a Group-I government job.

Congress MPs protested at Parliament against the alleged misuse of the Enforcement Directorate after a Delhi court dismissed money laundering charges against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case. Leaders demanded government accountability and criticized “vendetta politics”

Telangana BJP chief N Ramchander Rao called the involvement of Hyderabad-born Sajid Akram in the Bondi Beach mass shooting in Australia an “insult” and a national security concern, urging local police to investigate his migration and connections abroad

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said global trade is increasingly being "weaponised" through tariffs and other measures. She emphasized India must negotiate carefully, leveraging its economic strength to safeguard domestic industries amid rising international protectionism

Himachal Pradesh police are investigating multiple aeroplane-shaped balloons marked with PIA logos or Pakistani flags found across the state. Authorities have contacted neighboring states and the Indian Air Force to trace their origin, with no suspicious devices detected so far

Kartik Sharma, 19, became the joint-highest paid uncapped IPL player after Chennai Super Kings bought him for Rs 14.20 crore in the 2026 mini-auction. Overwhelmed with emotion, he expressed excitement to play alongside MS Dhoni and thanked his family 

The Assam administration imposed prohibitory orders along the India-Bangladesh border in Cachar district to curb illegal movement and cross-border activities. Restrictions include night-time movement bans, controls on river activities and transport of essential commodities to maintain law and order

Former champions Kolkata Knight Riders made a strong impact at the IPL 2026 mini-auction, signing Cameron Green, Matheesha Pathirana and Mustafizur Rahman, while also strengthening their squad with overseas depth and emerging Indian talent.

Nightclub owners Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra were brought to Goa after being deported from Thailand for questioning in the December 6 Arpora fire that killed 25 people. Goa Police will interrogate them and seek further remand in court

ICRISAT’s climate-resilient pigeonpea hybrids have performed well in high-altitude trials in Kashmir, demonstrating cold tolerance and stable flowering. The breakthrough could boost food security, diversify farm incomes, and promote climate-resilient agriculture in regions previously unsuitable for pigeonpea cultivation.

Five people, including two women, were killed in separate elephant attacks in Jharkhand’s Ramgarh and Ranchi districts within 24 hours. Forest officials deployed quick response teams to track roaming herds as authorities urged people to avoid approaching wild elephants

A 36-hour special drive across Karnataka prisons led to the seizure of mobile phones, SIM cards, knives, and ganja, officials said. Authorities vowed to continue such operations to curb illegal activities within correctional facilities, DGP Alok Kumar added.

Normalcy returned to Ludhiana’s Central Jail after a violent clash between inmates and police injured several people, including the jail superintendent. Authorities registered a case, launched an investigation, and tightened security, while the Punjab Jail Minister sought a detailed report.

Madhuri Dixit returns to the screen with thriller 'Mrs. Deshpande', saying she now chooses only exciting, well-crafted roles. The actress stressed the importance of strong writing and direction, as she plays a serial killer in the Nagesh Kukunoor-directed series

Silver prices surged to record highs in domestic and global markets, driven by strong global cues, safe-haven demand, and rising expectations of US interest rate cuts, while gold prices remained subdued amid mixed trends and a weaker dollar

The Madhya Pradesh government formed a six-member committee to probe how six thalassemia-affected children contracted HIV, allegedly through contaminated blood transfusions at district hospitals. The panel will investigate lapses and submit its report within seven days

Indian equities rebounded in early trade as Sensex and Nifty rose on value buying, strong Asian cues and steady domestic inflows, despite recent losses and FII selling, with banks and IT stocks leading gains while some heavyweight stocks lagged marginally

The rupee remained volatile in early trade amid easing crude oil prices and sharp intraday recovery, but uncertainty over the India-US trade deal and sustained foreign fund outflows kept pressure on the currency despite supportive domestic equity market cues

Neeraj Ghaywan’s acclaimed drama Homebound has been shortlisted in the Best International Feature category at the Oscars. The film, produced by Karan Johar, premiered at Cannes and now joins 14 other global contenders.

Three people were burnt alive after a pickup truck collided with a truck and caught fire on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Rajasthan’s Alwar district. One person was critically injured, while police and fire officials launched rescue operations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday thanked the people and government of Ethiopia for conferring the country’s highest award, the ‘Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia’, calling it a tribute to India-Ethiopia ties and reaffirming commitment to deeper cooperation.

A man in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli allegedly killed his wife and two daughters and buried their bodies in a seven-foot-deep pit at home. Police arrested the accused after he confessed, and recovered the bodies for post-mortem.