India

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia met VVS Laxman, head of the Centre of Excellence, to review current activities and chart its future roadmap. The meeting in Mumbai also involved top officials, amid reports linking Laxman to Team India’s coaching role

Nadine de Klerk starred with bat and ball as Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated defending champions Mumbai Indians by three wickets in the WPL opener. Her unbeaten 63 and four wickets sealed a dramatic last-over win in Navi Mumbai

Soorma Hockey Club defeated Hyderabad Toofans 3-1 in a shootout after a 1-1 draw in the Men’s Hockey India League at Chennai. Harmanpreet Singh and Amandeep Lakra scored in regulation time, while Soorma sealed victory through shootout brilliance

Jadumani Singh defeated Amit Panghal to set up a final clash with Pawan Bartwal at the Elite National Boxing Championships in Greater Noida. Lovlina Borgohain, Nikhat and Minakshi also advanced to the finals, highlighting India’s strong presence across categories

Hyderabad and Cricket Federation of India entered the final of the 19th All India Rajiv Gandhi Invitation T-20 cricket tournament. Hyderabad beat Telangana, while CFI defeated Karnataka in the semifinals, with standout performances from Sai Sharan Ravuri and Kshitij Singhania

India’s Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi will feature a dramatic aerial display by fighter jets that played a key role in Operation Sindoor, launched after the Pahalgam attack. For the first time, the newly raised Bhairav Battalion will march down Kartavya Path, marking its historic debut.

US intervention in Venezuela highlights a global resurgence of great-power coercion, where international law is increasingly sidelined

Jyothi Surekha Vennam has been selected for the Indian compound women’s archery team after topping the Kolkata trials with 15.25 points. This marks her 16th consecutive selection to the national team, continuing her streak from 2011 to 2026

State Bank of India Hyderabad Circle secured third place in the All India SBI Inter-circle football championship at Bhubaneshwar, defeating Gandhinagar Circle 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out. Goalkeeper M Gopiah’s crucial save proved decisive in the victory

President Droupadi Murmu has approved the summoning of Parliament for the Budget Session 2026, scheduled from January 28 to April 2 in two phases. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to present the Union Budget on February 1, a rare Sunday occurrence.

Zomato Founder Deepinder Goyal engaged in a rare public exchange with Hyderabad-based neurologist Dr. Sudhir Kumar over the design of his experimental brain-health wearable, ‘Temple’. Dr. Kumar suggested shifting the sensor from the temple to the neck for better correlation with cerebral blood flow.

Aurobindo Pharma said its subsidiary CuraTeQ Biologics has received a Notice of Compliance from Health Canada for its biosimilar Dyrupeg, used to treat cancer patients with low neutrophil levels, following a successful regulatory review

The Supreme Court refused to entertain a plea by a Telangana advocate barred from contesting state Bar Council elections, observing that lawyers are held to higher ethical standards and bar bodies should be allowed to maintain professional integrity

A Delhi court ordered the framing of charges against RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, his family members and others in the alleged land-for-job scam, citing grave suspicion and misuse of the railway ministry during his tenure as minister

Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a national digital IED data management system developed by the NSG to help analyse bombing patterns, strengthen investigations and improve coordination among security agencies. The AI-based platform will act as a key national security asset

The Madras High Court directed the CBFC to grant a censor certificate to Vijay-starrer Jana Nayagan, ruling that the board’s Chairperson had no power to refer the film to a review committee after clearance. The CBFC has filed an appeal

The Congress has accused the Modi government of planning to lift curbs on Chinese firms bidding for government contracts, calling it a policy U-turn. Party leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Jairam Ramesh demanded explanations during the upcoming Budget session of Parliament

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Enforcement Directorate of attempting to steal the Trinamool Congress’s internal strategy during raids at I-PAC offices, alleging BJP leaders including Amit Shah benefited from the coal scam.

The SIT arrested Sabarimala temple tantri Kantaru Rajeevar in the gold theft case after he allegedly evaded summons. The Enforcement Directorate has also registered a money laundering case, widening the scope of the investigation ahead of key political developments

Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi reviewed the combat readiness of the Eastern Fleet during advanced operational drills in the Bay of Bengal and eastern Indian Ocean, highlighting the role of trained personnel and high operational preparedness amid evolving regional security challenges

The moves provide a fresh lease of life to the debt-ridden teleco, which otherwise faced payments of nearly Rs 18,000 crore by March 2026 and similar amounts every year for the next six years

The Supreme Court refused to address allegations of harassment against women dog feeders in the stray dog case, emphasizing law-and-order issues and urging victims to file FIRs for criminal offenses

The RBI has compounded FEMA violations by Kakinada Seaports Limited after the Enforcement Directorate issued a no-objection certificate. The company paid Rs 21.68 lakh, leading to the closure of adjudication proceedings and termination of further litigation.

CBI arrests Central Power Research Institute Joint Director Rajaram Mohanrao Chennu and Sudhir Group director Atul Khanna in a Rs 9.5 lakh bribery case. Over Rs 3.76 crore in cash seized