Mid Day

At least four people, including children, died in kite-related incidents in Gujarat during Uttarayan, while emergency cases surged by 33 percent due to kite strings, electrocution, falls, and two wheeler travel

The Lok Sabha MP claimed that in several polling centres across the state, voters were allegedly made to wipe off the ink on their fingers after casting their votes, raising serious concerns about the integrity of the elections

According to election officials, several residents chose to travel during the holiday, which affected voter participation. Heavy traffic congestion was reported in areas such as Somatane Phata, Bhosari and parts of Pune, making it difficult for some voters to reach polling centres

NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar claimed in a post on X that incidents of EVMs shutting down were reported at the start of voting in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal areas

As voting began across 29 civic bodies in Maharashtra, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar alleged polling booth misplacement, EVM discrepancies, and poll code violations to favour the BJP. Early trends in the BMC elections showed low turnout, with male voters outnumbering women

Kerala used a commercial airline for organ transport for the first time, flying a donor kidney from Kannur to Thiruvananthapuram on an IndiGo flight for a transplant, coordinated by K-SOTTO

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Ankush Kakade claimed the EVM malfunctioned while he was casting his vote and demanded that a formal complaint be registered with election officials

During the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation elections, Nilesh Doke, husband of BJP candidate Aparna Doke, allegedly recorded a voting video inside a polling booth, violating the Model Code of Conduct. PCMC authorities have begun an investigation and filing of an FIR

A total of 2,067 polling centres have been designated across the city. To monitor the voting process, PCMC has installed 4,528 CCTV cameras covering every polling location. Each polling centre has been equipped with cameras inside the voting room, outside the polling centre, and at the building entrance

The US president`s claims, which were made with few details, come as he`s told protesting Iranians in recent days that `help is on the way` and that his administration would `act accordingly` to respond to the Iranian government

Denmark`s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenland`s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt hold talks at the White House with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio

The probe follows reports that Grok has been used to create deepfake images portraying women and girls in sexually explicit scenarios without their consent, content that has allegedly been used to harass individuals across the internet, including on the social media platform X

Officials refused to identify the astronaut who needed care last week and would not divulge the health concerns

Costa Rica`s national security chief Jorge Torres had told prosecutors Tuesday that a hitman allegedly received a payment to assassinate the president, but details of the case were not publicly revealed at the time

With no proper system in place, some residents dump waste at common points and later burn it once it accumulates, adding to air pollution

Some Eastern Orthodox churches follow the ancient Julian calendar, which runs 13 days later than the Gregorian calendar used by Catholic and Protestant churches and much of the secular world

The Indian batting legends reputation of touching peoples lives and lifting spirits just got bigger, with him organising a cricket bat-shaped guitar for star womens cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues last week

Head of Venezuelas national assembly, Jorge Rodriguez, said last week that a significant number of Venezuelan and foreigners imprisoned in the country would be released as a gesture to seek peace following the military operation that deposed Maduro

Independent counsel Cho Eun-suks team requested the Seoul Central District Court to sentence Yoon to death, describing his decree as anti-state activities and a self-coup

In a previous advisory issued on January 5, the MEA had urged its nationals to avoid non-essential travel to Iran. It had also asked Indian citizens and PIOs (Persons of Indian Origin) residing in Iran to exercise due caution and avoid visiting areas of protests

The remains were recovered on the morning of December 20, 2020, from a shop in the Roza area where a fire had broken out the previous night

Five new cases of diarrhoea, linked to drinking contaminated water in the Bhagirathpura area of Indore, the country`s cleanest city, were found on Tuesday, a Madhya Pradesh health department official said

More than 5000 farmers have died by suicide in Maharashtras Marathwada region over the past five years, with 1,129 cases recorded in 2025 alone, the highest so far. Beed district reported the maximum deaths, with unseasonal rainfall and floods cited as key factors

Human rights activists has also appealed for international support to stop Erfan Soltanis execution. He has been unable to seek legal counsel to defend himself. The 26-year-old has been charged with waging war against God, an offence punishable by death in Iran

Meanwhile, an official at Gazas Health Ministry, which maintains casualty records, reported a higher toll of 165 children killed during the ceasefire, out of a total of 442 fatalities. In November, authorities in Gaza said more than 70,000 people had been killed since 2023

US President Donald Trump warned Iran of very strong action if authorities execute protesters amid ongoing anti-government unrest. He stressed that mass killings would not be tolerated and compared the situation to past US actions overseas

The victim, Shivaji Bhalerao, whose wife Sarika Bhalerao is contesting the January 15 civic election on a Congress ticket, was seated outside his home in Ward No. 1 when six assailants arrived on motorcycles and assaulted him, a police official said

The comments from Iran`s judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei come as activists had warned hangings of those detained could come soon. Already, a bloody security force crackdown on the demonstrations has killed at least 2,571, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported

Two nurses from Barasat, North 24 Parganas, who tested positive for the Nipah virus are in a coma and in extremely critical condition. Authorities have intensified contact tracing, screening, and containment measures, with central and state health teams deployed to prevent further spread

Over nine lakh devotees took a holy dip at the Sangam in Prayagraj on Wednesday ahead of Makar Sankranti during the ongoing Magh Mela. Authorities expect the turnout to rise to 11.5 crore by evening, with extensive security and traffic arrangements in place

Eight flights were cancelled and ten delayed at Chennai Airport on Wednesday due to precautionary measures taken ahead of possible smoke haze and fog during Bhogi celebrations. Airlines had informed passengers in advance, preventing major inconvenience

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in New Delhi on January 15. The event will bring together parliamentary leaders from across Commonwealth nations to discuss key democratic and legislative issues

US federal courts in multiple states have ruled that ICE unlawfully detained several Indian nationals without bond hearings or due process. Judges ordered their release or bond hearings, rejecting the use of mandatory detention for immigrants already living in the United States and reaffirming constitutional protections for asylum seekers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended Pongal greetings to the people of Tamil Nadu, describing the harvest festival as a shining symbol of the richness of Tamil traditions. In a special letter, he highlighted Pongals deep connection with nature, agriculture, farmers, and the dignity of labour, while praising its role in strengthening family bonds

A cyberattack on South Koreas Kyowon Group may have exposed up to 9.6 million user accounts, authorities said, after signs of a ransomware attack were detected. Investigations are ongoing, and the company has not yet confirmed whether personal data was leaked

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings on Makar Sankranti, Magh Bihu and Pongal, highlighting their shared message of hope, gratitude and the importance of farmers, while celebrating Indias cultural diversity and traditions linked to the harvest season

In northeastern Thailand, a construction crane being used for a high-speed railway project toppled onto a moving passenger train traveling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani. The impact caused the train to derail and catch fire, resulting in at least 12 fatalities. Rescue teams have brought the fire under control and are searching for passengers

As per the same report, the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Mumbai on Wednesday is 112, which falls under the moderate category. This may cause breathing discomfort for people with lung conditions, asthma, or heart disease

A total of 1,700 candidates are in the fray, including 878 women and 822 men. As many as 1,03,44,315 persons -- 55,15,707 men, 48,26,509 women and 1,099 others -- are eligible to vote

A fire broke out at BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasads residence in New Delhi on Wednesday morning. Delhi Fire Department officials brought the blaze under control with three fire engines and a forensics team. No damage has been reported, and the cause of the fire is yet to be determined

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami extended Uttarayani greetings, calling Baijnath Temple a living symbol of Uttarakhands Shiva tradition. He also inaugurated the Uttarayani fair in Khatima, announced new development projects, and stressed protecting Devbhoomis culture while pushing growth

A viral video from Har Ki Pauri showing two men in sheikh attire triggered tensions among priests and renewed calls to restrict access to Ganga ghats. The men, later identified as local youths, told police the act was for a YouTube video and were released after apologising

Recover 46 stolen vehicles from Oshiwara workshop

While public rallies, processions, and the use of loudspeakers are now strictly prohibited, candidates can engage in personal outreach, provided they are accompanied by less than five people

Flying Squad Team make seizures from Ganraj Colony in Rahatani ahead of the PCMC elections following complaints

Santacruz pedestrians forced onto the road amid poor footpath design

Navi Mumbai and Panvel gear up for smooth civic polls on Thursday, January 15

United Christian Front (UCF) extends support to Christian candidates for civic elections; believes polls are platform to make community participate in public life

With Mumbai already grappling with deteriorating air quality, such dust-generating road cleaning activities, further aggravate air pollution instead of mitigating it

Sawant emphasised that the party believes in bringing everyone along, noting that Mumbai has always been an inclusive city, which is why people live peacefully