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The United States imposed sanctions on Iran’s “shadow fleet,” targeting nine vessels accused of secretly exporting oil worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Washington says the revenue funds repression, weapons programs and regional proxies. The move follows reports of over 5,000 deaths during recent protests and an ongoing internet blackout.
An earthquake of magnitude 3.0 struck Tibet today, the National Center for Seismology said. The quake occurred at a shallow depth of 10 km, increasing the risk of stronger ground shaking. The Tibetan Plateau is seismically active due to collisions between the Indian and Eurasian plates, with frequent tectonic uplift affecting the Himalayan region.
A Pakistan-linked Jaish-e-Mohammed militant, identified as commander Usman, was killed in a gunfight with security forces in Kathua’s Billawar area, Jammu and Kashmir. The operation involved J&K Police, Army, and CRPF. Authorities recovered a significant cache of weapons, including an M4 automatic rifle, from the slain terrorist during the joint operation.
Tensions erupted in Tarana, Ujjain, after Bajrang Dal member Sohel Thakur was attacked. A mob torched a bus, vandalised shops, and blocked roads. Police increased security, launched a probe, and reviewed CCTV footage. Thakur claimed the attackers were involved in illegal activities, including cow smuggling, and targeted him due to past cases and events.
Security checks at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal 3 revealed the human bones in a student’s bag, causing a stir. Preliminary investigation confirmed it was a demo skeleton used by medical students for educational purposes. The Delhi Police have sent it for forensic testing for full verification regarding this.
Prime Minister Modi visited Kerala to inaugurate development projects and flag off three Amrit Bharat Express trains. He launched the PM SVANidhi Credit Card, distributed loans to 1 lakh beneficiaries, and laid the foundation for the CSIR-NIIST Innovation Hub in Thiruvananthapuram. Modi also addressed a BJP-NDA public meeting in the poll-bound state.
Several schools in Ahmedabad received bomb threat emails, prompting police, bomb squads and forensic teams to rush to the sites. A private school in Noida also reported a similar threat, and parents were informed as a safety measure. Earlier, schools in Punjab faced such threats, which later turned out to be hoaxes.
In Jharkhand’s Deoghar, the Gonda–Asansol Express crashed into a truck at a busy railway crossing around 9:38 am, also damaging two nearby motorcycles. Despite no casualties, the train’s front engine was badly damaged. Rail traffic was briefly disrupted. Authorities have formed a four-member committee to investigate the incident and determine responsibility.
In Odisha’s Dhenkanal district, Pastor Bipin Naik was attacked by a mob over alleged religious conversion. He was beaten, paraded with a garland of shoes, and forced to eat cow dung. Four people were arrested. The pastor and his family remain traumatised. The attack has drawn nationwide condemnation from political leaders.
At least 10 Army personnel were killed and seven injured after a military vehicle carrying 17 soldiers plunged into a 200-foot gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district. The accident occurred at Khanni Top on the Bhaderwah–Chamba road while heading to a high-altitude post. Rescue operations continue; critically injured soldiers were airlifted to Udhampur hospital.
The World Economic Forum has shown interest in partnering with Telangana’s Rising 2047 vision. CM Revanth met WEF leaders at Davos and explained plans to make Telangana a USD 3 trillion economy. Focus areas include electric vehicles, renewable energy, skill development, healthcare innovation, and sustainable cities.
PM Kisan beneficiaries are declining in Telangana. The main reasons are the unchanged 2019 cut-off date and the rule allowing only one member per family. Although about 69 lakh farmers are eligible for investment support, the Centre is helping only 31.19 lakh farmers. Mandatory 11-digit Farmer ID may reduce beneficiaries in the 20th installment period.
The Supreme Court today refused to issue omnibus directions on a PIL seeking stampede-prevention guidelines for large gatherings, citing limits of judicial intervention. A bench led by CJI Surya Kant allowed the petitioner to approach the Home Ministry and Election Commission, observing that crowd management policy falls under the executive and domain experts.
Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot cut short his address to the joint legislature today after reading just two lines at the start of the budget session. Objecting to paragraphs on controversial MGNREGA overhaul legislation, he said the speech resembled government propaganda, disrupting the customary outline of policies and priorities.
The country is deeply shaken by a series of student suicides at IITs. On Tuesday, another student at IIT Kanpur tragically took their life, marking the tenth such death on this campus in the past two years. Allegations about underlying academic and mental pressures have emerged, prompting the Supreme Court to form a task force […]