Times of India

A Chartered Accountant's detailed Excel sheet, used for recording expenses of a gathering, goes viral on social media. Despite suggestions to use Splitwise, the CA preferred Excel for its efficiency. The post sparked discussion, with some users questioning the calculated figures.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the 150th foundation day of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), lauding it as a symbol of scientific progress. He highlighted the launch of 'Mission Mausam' to make India climate-smart, and emphasized advancements in IMD's infrastructure and technology.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah celebrated Makar Sankranti in Ahmedabad by flying kites with locals. The festivities featured traditional music and cultural performances. Shah highlighted the festival's significance in Indian culture, marking the Sun's transition into Capricorn and encouraging charity and religious devotion.

A Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and a party worker were critically injured in a shooting during a road inauguration event in West Bengal's Malda district. The incident occurred less than two weeks after a TMC councillor's murder in the same district. Police are investigating the attack.

An ongoing shortage of tech and manufacturing workers in the US underscores the importance of skilled foreign workers, particularly as demand for roles in AI, data analytics, and semiconductor processing rises. Labour shortages threaten stability and economic productivity, making immigrant talent critical to maintaining a competitive edge.

Arvind Kejriwal accuses BJP and Congress of a secret alliance after BJP's Amit Malviya reacts to Kejriwal's comments on Rahul Gandhi. Kejriwal alleges both parties are working together behind the scenes, especially with the upcoming Delhi elections where AAP and Congress will contest separately.

TikTok denies reports of selling its US operations to Elon Musk, a scenario mentioned by Bloomberg amid fears of a potential ban. ByteDance faces a deadline to sell its stake by January 19, with the US Supreme Court skeptical of TikTok's appeal against the law.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will replace defective medals from the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The Monnaie de Paris, responsible for manufacturing the medals, has already replaced damaged ones reported since August. The medals' varnish issues stem from new regulations. Over 100 medals have been returned, and replacements will continue as needed, ensuring quality and consistency.

As the potential US TikTok ban approaches, American content creators are turning to Xiaohongshu (RedNote), a Chinese app akin to Instagram and Pinterest. RedNote’s swiftly growing American userbase highlights its appeal amidst concerns over TikTok’s future, driven by national security and privacy debates.

Stock market today: BSE Sensex and Nifty50, the Indian equity benchmark indices, opened in green a day after the significant market crash. While BSE Sensex was above 76,600, Nifty50 was near 23,200.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar highlights strong growth in India-US relations under leaders Modi and Trump, expressing confidence in future ties. During his visit to Spain, he emphasizes India’s substantial interests in the Mediterranean region and the importance of India-Spain and India-EU cooperation for global stability.

Apple and Foxconn urgently seek Indian government assistance due to severe delays of specialized manufacturing equipment at Chinese ports. These delays, persisting for months, could significantly impact India's electronics manufacturing expansion plans, especially for iPhone production, amid heightened India-China diplomatic tensions.

The FBI has issued a warning about potential 'copycat or retaliatory attacks' after Shamsud-Din Jabbar, an ISIS sympathiser, drove a truck into crowds on New Year's Day in New Orleans, killing 14 people. The authorities highlight the increasing use of vehicle ramming by extremists inspired by foreign terrorist organisations.

Kapil Dev addressed the retirement speculation surrounding Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, expressing confidence in their ability to make the right decision about their careers. The retirement rumours have arisen following their underwhelming performances in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia and previous retirement from T20Is.

L&T’s HR head Sonica Muraleedharan clarifies Chairman S N Subrahmanyan's remarks about a 90-hour work week, explaining that his comment was misinterpreted and not intended to mandate extreme working hours. Muraleedharan emphasizes Subrahmanyan’s supportive leadership and commitment to employee growth, urging understanding of his true intentions.

Next Sankranti, cockfights in coastal Andhra Pradesh are set to see high stakes with prizes like Mahindra Thar SUVs and Royal Enfield Bullets for winning roosters. This new trend aims to attract more participants, emphasizing memorable events over profits, with organizers focusing on participant satisfaction and elaborate setups.

Jagmeet Singh warns that Donald Trump's tariff threats pose a significant danger to Canadian jobs and the economy. He urges Canada to respond strongly, possibly by halting the export of critical minerals to the US, and firmly rejects any notion of Canada integrating into the United States.

In 'Fearless', Mohinder Amarnath recounts the 1978 cricket tour of Pakistan, depicting an unwelcome derogatory comment from a Pakistani cricketer and mixed interactions with Pakistani players. Despite some hostility, the Indian team received overwhelmingly warm welcomes from the crowds, highlighting the contrasting experiences throughout the tour.