India

A 40-year-old teacher, Sanjeev Tiwari, died in Jaunpur after a banned Chinese kite string slit his neck while riding a motorcycle. Police are investigating, and locals demand strict enforcement against hazardous ‘manjha’ to prevent similar incidents

A tiger died after being hit and dragged by a train in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratapani Tiger Reserve while chasing prey. The incident on the Budhni–Midghat track marks the second tiger death in the area in a week and the fifth this year.

YSRCP MPs on Thursday flagged worsening air pollution in Visakhapatnam—now 10 times above WHO limits—and raised concerns over the unsafe Kadapa–Renigunta stretch of NH-761. They urged the Centre to fill APCB vacancies, enforce air-quality measures and repair the highway urgently

The Indian government clarified in Parliament that global air quality rankings by organisations like IQAir and WHO are not official. WHO guidelines are advisory, while India enforces National Ambient Air Quality Standards and ranks cities under the Swachh Vayu Survekshan

A FundsIndia report shows gold delivered 15% annualised returns over 20 years, beating Indian equities, real estate and debt. Mid- and small-cap indices outperformed large caps, while analysts cited safe-haven demand and central bank buying as key drivers of gold’s strong performance.

Sensex and Nifty recovered from early losses in late morning trade, led by banking and auto stocks. Kotak Mahindra, HDFC Bank, and Reliance gained, while FIIs sold equities. US Fed rate cut had limited impact on Indian markets

Three men were found dead under mysterious circumstances at a farmhouse in Korba, Chhattisgarh, allegedly during an occult ritual promising to multiply money. Four suspects, including a tantrik, have been detained, and police investigations are ongoing

Pallas's Gull, a rare migratory bird, has been sighted after nearly a decade at Udhwa Bird Sanctuary in Jharkhand, signaling positive biodiversity. Officials highlighted protection under the Wildlife Protection Act and ongoing conservation measures against threats

IndiGo said it aims to operate more than 1,950 flights on Thursday as operations stabilise after last week’s massive disruptions. The airline has restored connectivity across all destinations and reported steady improvements in cancellations, on-time performance and daily flight volume since December 8.

The NIA has chargesheeted 11 individuals for looting 4,000 kg of explosives in Odisha's Rourkela district in May, linking them to Maoist conspiracy, UAPA, BNSS, Arms Act and Explosive Substances Act violations targeting government and security forces

The Calcutta High Court upheld a life sentence for a man who had a consensual physical relationship with a 14-year-old minor, ruling it inexcusable. The court also directed compensation totaling Rs 3.8 lakh to the victim

Satya Nadella announced Microsoft’s US$ 17.5 billion investment to expand India’s AI and cloud infrastructure, including a new sustainable data centre by 2026. He emphasized digital sovereignty, cybersecurity, talent skilling and India’s rising global developer influence during the company’s Bengaluru event

The Environment Ministry’s Expert Appraisal Committee has cleared Andhra Pradesh to prepare Terms of Reference for seven proposed water aerodromes, including Visakhapatnam. The state must obtain multiple NoCs, including from Defence, before seeking environmental clearance, with public hearings planned within a month

Following three days of parliamentary debate on 150 years of Vande Mataram, Congress claimed Prime Minister Modi and his team were “bruised and exposed for their lies.” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said BJP leaders distorted history and ignored authoritative works on the national song.

Priyanka Chopra made a whirlwind 12-hour visit to Mumbai to shoot for 'The Great Indian Kapil Show' season 4, sharing behind-the-scenes moments online before returning to New York. She now continues filming SSMB29 and prepping for upcoming projects including 'Krrish 4' and 'The Bluff'

Uttar Pradesh STF arrested Afsar Ahmed, a close aide of slain gangster-politician Atique Ahmed, for facilitating a jail meeting that allegedly planned Umesh Pal’s murder. Wanted in a Bareilly case with a Rs 50,000 reward, he was captured in Delhi and sent to jail

IndiGo cancelled 60 Bengaluru flights as DGCA intensified scrutiny amid major disruptions linked to staffing shortages and new crew duty norms. With declining pilot strength and planning lapses, regulators have deployed oversight teams while IndiGo leadership attributes the crisis to multiple “unanticipated” internal and external factors

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Mahakavi Subramania Bharati, praising his empowering writings, commitment to social justice, and contributions to Tamil literature. Bharati’s vision of equality, linguistic pride, women’s empowerment, and inclusive nationalism continues to inspire India’s cultural and social consciousness

A 29-year-old Chinese national, Hu Congtai, was deported to Hong Kong after entering Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir in violation of his tourist visa conditions. He travelled to Leh without mandatory FRRO registration and was detained in Srinagar early this month.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tribute to former President Pranab Mukherjee on his birth anniversary, calling him a towering statesman and scholar whose decades-long public service, intellect and policy leadership left a lasting imprint on India’s democracy.

Days after a fire at a North Goa nightclub killed 25 people, the district administration has banned fireworks, sparklers and pyrotechnics across all tourist establishments. The precautionary order follows evidence that electric firecrackers triggered the blaze at Birch by Romeo Lane.

India has expanded its post-cyclone relief operations in Sri Lanka under Op Sagar Bandhu, restoring communication networks, assisting in bridge repairs, and deploying additional naval ships carrying nearly 1,000 tonnes of relief material. The effort is coordinated with Sri Lankan authorities across multiple affected regions.

US President Donald Trump called it a “shame” that top graduates from India, China and other countries must leave the US after studying at elite universities, as he launched the $1 million ‘Trump Gold Card’ offering companies a powerful new pathway to retain foreign talent.