The Economic Times

Maharashtra civic polls: Allegations of widespread voter inducement surfaced across Mumbai Metropolitan Region before the vote. Reports and videos showed cash and gifts distributed to influence voters. Videos depicted party workers arguing over money distribution. The State Election Commission has acknowledged the charges and assured action.

Is Meta's mega AI bet bursting? Mark Zuckerberg and his $14 billion AI hire Alexandr Wang are reportedly facing a rift. Reports hint that Alexandr Wang told his associates that he founds Zuckerberg's deeply involved management approach 'suffocating'. Mark Zuckerberg brought Wang on board in June 2025 as part of a $14.3 billion deal for a 49% stake in Scale AI.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of demolishing historical heritage at Varanasi's Manikarnika Ghat under the guise of renovation. Kharge alleged that Modi aims to erase historical sites to simply affix his own nameplate, questioning the intent behind the destruction and commercialization of the sacred site.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership in addressing global challenges. He spoke at the Commonwealth Speakers' conference. Birla noted India's parliamentary journey has strengthened democracy through people-centric policies. He also mentioned the repeal of over 1500 obsolete laws and the enactment of new welfare-focused legislation. These efforts aim to make India self-reliant and developed.

On the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti, Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued with his ritual and fed cows at his Lok Kalyan Marg residence. In the heartwarming video, he can be seen feeding the fodder to the cattle and playing with them. The dwarf cows in the video appear to be from the Punganur breed, the world's smallest and cutest cattle breed.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath participated in the sacred Makar Sankranti rituals. He offered Khichdi to Mahayogi Guru Gorakhnath at the Gorakhnath Temple early Thursday. Lakhs of devotees across the state also visited pilgrimage sites. The festival marks an auspicious beginning for sacred activities. Makar Sankranti signifies the Sun's northward journey, Uttarayan, leading to longer days.

The Supreme Court has declined to hear a plea regarding the film 'Jana Nayagan'. The Madras High Court had previously stayed an order for censor board clearance. The producers were directed to approach the division bench of the high court. A decision is expected on January 20.

The Indian Air Force swiftly deployed an Mi-17 V5 helicopter to combat a forest fire in Uttarakhand's Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. The Central Air Command highlighted the IAF's crucial dual role in national defense and disaster response, showcasing its operational readiness in assisting the state government.

Estonia has achieved a digital voting milestone. In 2023, over half its citizens voted online, surpassing paper ballots. This system, adopted in 2005, allows voters to cast and change votes digitally throughout election week. Estonia's digital infrastructure and stringent data privacy laws ensure secure and accessible elections. This model presents a future for democratic participation.

Australia's government is pushing new laws on hate speech and gun control after a mass shooting. These proposals are facing strong opposition from conservative and Green parties. Parliament has been recalled to debate the combined bill. The government is open to amendments. Concerns exist about free speech and political protest protections.

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection is releasing the IBPS RRB Clerk 2025 Prelims results today. Candidates can check their scores and qualifying status on ibps.in. Those who clear will advance to the Mains exam on February 1. This recruitment drive aims to fill 8,002 Office Assistant positions across Regional Rural Banks nationwide.

Delhi-NCR school holidays: At a time when Delhi, Noida, and Gurugram are colder than Shimla and Dehradun, parents and students are wondering if schools will reopen in the NCR region from January 16. As of now, there is no official confirmation that schools will remain closed today ,but seeing the intense cold, it is expected that authorities may announce closure of schools.

A routine plumbing job on Phillip Island took a shocking turn. Workers unearthed what police believe are human remains, including a skull. The discovery occurred on Thursday morning at a holiday property. A major forensic investigation is now underway. Police have secured the scene and are continuing their inquiries. The incident has caused concern in the local Silverleaves community.

Voting is underway across Maharashtra for 29 municipal corporations, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Several prominent personalities from Bollywood and cricket were seen casting their votes. Akshay Kumar, Twinkle Khanna, Sachin Tendulkar, Piyush Goyal, Vishal Dadlani, Nana Patekar, Hema Malini, and Divya Dutta exercised their franchise. They urged citizens to participate in the democratic process.

Khamenei, now 86, has dominated Iran for the last three-and-a-half decades since taking on the post for life in 1989 as leader of the Islamic revolution following the death of revolutionary founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

The traditional bull-taming sport has begun in Madurai for the Pongal 2026 festival. Around 550 bull tamers and 1,100 bulls are participating. The event spans three days, with Palamedu and Alanganallur hosting the finale. Winners will receive attractive prizes, including a car and tractor. Over 2,200 police personnel are ensuring security for the festivities.

Japan and the Philippines have signed a significant defense pact. This agreement allows for the tax-free provision of essential supplies during joint military training. The pact aims to strengthen deterrence against China's increasing assertiveness in the region. It also enhances preparedness for natural disasters. This move deepens the security alliance between the two nations.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed willingness to boost ties with Canada, emphasizing the need to remove interference for steady, substantive, and robust bilateral relations. Speaking with Canadian counterpart Anita Anand during a Beijing meeting, Wang highlighted enhancing communication and fostering mutual trust. This engagement occurred as part of Prime Minister Mark Carney's delegation visit this week.

Garena Free Fire Max players can snag free in-game items using special redeem codes released regularly. These 12-character codes are time-sensitive and can be redeemed on the official Garena website. Players are urged to act fast to claim their rewards before expiry. The process involves visiting reward.ff.garena.com, logging in, and entering the code.

Iran's airspace reopened after a five-hour closure due to U.S.-Iran tensions. This closure impacted flights, causing cancellations and reroutes. Indian airlines like IndiGo and Air India faced disruptions. Germany also cautioned its airlines. The situation heightened risks for air travel, with several airlines avoiding Iranian airspace.

Tragedy struck Thailand again as a highway construction crane collapsed in Bangkok's suburbs on Thursday, claiming two lives. This follows a devastating incident just a day prior, where a massive rail construction crane fell onto a train, resulting in 32 fatalities. The Rama II Expressway, site of the latest accident, has a grim history of deadly construction mishaps.

The Ganga Sabha has called for a ban on non-Hindus entering Har Ki Pauri and other Ganga ghats in Haridwar. This restriction should also apply to government employees and media personnel. The Sabha cited existing bylaws from 1916 that prohibit non-Hindu entry. They also highlighted an incident where individuals disguised as Arab sheikhs were seen filming.

2026 BMC Election: Actor Akshay Kumar on Thursday cast his vote for 2026 BMC elections at a polling station in Gandhi Shikshan Bhavan. The 'Airlift' actor said people should not do dialoguebaazi and come out of their homes to cast their votes. The actor requested Mumbaikars to come out in large numbers and cast their vote for the civic body polls.

Indian Army Day 2026 Wishes and Theme: India observes Army Day on January 15, 2026, commemorating 78 years of full command post-Independence. The day honors soldiers' sacrifice and discipline, showcasing modern military displays and reflecting the Army's growth into a national security pillar.

President Trump has decided against imposing tariffs on critical minerals for now. Instead, his administration will negotiate with international partners to secure these vital supplies. This move aims to address national security vulnerabilities linked to foreign reliance and price volatility. The negotiations will focus on establishing price floors for critical minerals. If talks fail, further measures will be considered.

Happy Pongal Wishes 2026: From January 14, the celebrations of the four-day harvest festival, kick-started in Tamil Nadu is being observed alongside Makar Sankranti. Families gather to express gratitude for a plentiful harvest and to pay tribute to the Sun God on Pongal. To mark the occasion, we have compiled a selection of greetings and best wishes to share with friends and family

Ukraine peace plan: Trump's comments suggested renewed frustration with the Ukrainian leader. The two presidents have long had a volatile relationship, though their interactions seem to have improved over Trump's first year back in office.

The Indian side is discussing with French officials for maximising the localised content in the deal with plans of setting up the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility within India to maximise the serviceability of the planes, government sources said.

Delhi, Noida, Gurugram weather: The residents of Delhi woke up to yet another bitter winter morning as dense fog returned and the capital remained in the grip of a cold wave for the fifth straight day on Thursday. The IMD has issued a yellow alert for cold wave for Delhi today. Gurugram may freeze at 1 degree Celsius today, the IMD has warned.

Iran airspace closed: Iran's government has closed its airspace to commercial aircraft without explanation amidst heightened tensions with the United States over a crackdown on protests. The closure, initially for a few hours, allows only permitted international flights to and from Iran. Authorities have offered no specific reasons for the decision.

Ponies release time and how to watch details confirm when the series premieres, what time episodes drop, and which platforms stream it worldwide. The explainer covers launch dates, time zones, streaming services, and the current UK release status for Ponies viewers.

Trump versus Fed: Trump administration recently opened a criminal investigation into Powell over cost overruns for a $2.5 billion project to renovate two historical buildings at its headquarters complex. Powell, who disclosed the probe on Sunday, denies wrongdoing, and said the unprecedented actions are a pretext to put pressure on Powell for not satisfying Trump's long-running demands for sharply lower interest rates.

The apparent decision by the Iranian government to hold off came amid a growing death toll from violent clashes on the streets of the country. Protests against the regime have been met with increasingly deadly force by authorities.

Sentenced to Be a Hero Episode 2 release time, schedule, what to expect and how to watch details are now confirmed. The episode airs on January 15, 2026, on Crunchyroll. This explainer covers story focus, global timings, release changes, episode count, and streaming platforms for viewers.

U.S Stock Market today: Stocks of smaller companies also did better than the rest of the market, with the Russell 2000 index rising 0.7 per cent.

Government ministries and departments will resolve internal commercial disputes through new inter-ministerial panels starting next financial year. This aims to speed up resolutions and reduce court burdens. Disputes involving income tax, customs, and railways are excluded. The cabinet secretary will make final decisions if panels fail. This initiative seeks to save public money and improve accountability.

Verizon users slam service, seek refunds over disruption to life in massive outage after a nationwide network failure left phones in SOS mode. Downdetector logged over 170,000 reports. Users demanded refunds as Verizon confirmed voice and data issues with no repair timeline.

Wealth quote of the day by Michael Burry: Michael Burry, famous for predicting the 2008 housing crash, champions buying unpopular companies when they are undervalued. His strategy focuses on intrinsic worth, not market trends. Burry uses financial metrics like P/E and P/B ratios, alongside qualitative factors. He made his fortune by shorting subprime mortgages and later warned of an AI market bubble.

Quote of the Day: Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, believes success comes from many failures. His journey with Google shows innovation requires constant trial and error. From early days to global impact, Brin's perspective emphasizes learning from mistakes. This approach drove Google's transformation. His words encourage persistence and resilience in pursuing ambitious goals.

Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, US Cellular and Xfinity down across US became a major question after Verizon faced a nationwide outage. Users saw SOS mode, no signal, and call failures. Other carriers reported spillover issues. Verizon confirmed the problem and said engineers are working on a fix.

The IRS has warned Americans about rising tax scams ahead of the 2026 filing season. Fraudsters are using fake messages, social media posts, and identity theft to steal refunds and personal data. Seniors, workers, and businesses are all targets. The agency urges people to stay alert, file carefully, and use extra security steps.