Times of India

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd subtly hinted that Luka Doncic's presence affected Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson's performances. Kidd's comments come after Doncic's departure to the Los Angeles Lakers in a major trade. With new additions like Anthony Davis, the Mavericks aim to remain competitive despite recent injuries and challenges.

A Saharanpur court has ordered UP police to file a case against a woman's in-laws for allegedly injecting her with an HIV-infected syringe due to unmet dowry demands. The woman's father stated significant expenses for her wedding and ongoing harassment by her in-laws.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia remains optimistic about India's chances at the ICC Champions Trophy despite the absence of key bowler Jasprit Bumrah. With a strong bench, the team looks forward to upcoming matches, buoyed by recent impressive performances from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. India will start their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20.

Australia's stand-in captain Steve Smith remains optimistic about their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 chances despite a 2-0 ODI series loss to Sri Lanka. Missing key players, the team struggled but Smith praised the new bowlers and expressed confidence in their spin options for Pakistan. He also supported Jake Fraser-McGurk, confident in the young batsman's potential.

India and the US are hopeful of finalizing a mutually beneficial trade deal by fall 2025. Key aspects include reducing import duties and non-tariff barriers. The deal aims to enhance bilateral trade with a focus on Indian goods such as textiles and leather, while boosting US exports of industrial goods and agricultural products.

The Maharashtra government has set up a seven-member committee to draft a law against 'love jihad,' focusing on forced religious conversions in inter-faith marriages. Opposition voices have raised concerns about the lack of statistical evidence for such cases and potential politicization of the issue.

Days after BJP defeated AAP in the Delhi assembly polls, the law department sought details of all court cases filed by the outgoing AAP government against the Centre and LG. Over Rs 300 crore was spent on such litigation, and the new administration may consider withdrawing these cases.

A book fair to be held at Uttarakhand's HNB Garhwal University faced cancellation allegedly due to pressure from right-wing groups. Organisers claimed the event was obstructed by ABVP citing exams and a pre-booked RSS event, despite prior permissions and arrangements.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar questioned the involvement of the CJI in executive appointments, such as selecting the CBI director, and called for a review of such rules. He emphasized the need to uphold the principle of separation of powers, indicating that judicial involvement in executive functions does not align with democratic principles.

Influencer Ranveer Allahbadia petitions the Supreme Court to address an FIR registered against him by Assam Police despite an ongoing inquiry by Mumbai Police on the same matter. Advocate Abhinav Chandrachud seeks an early hearing, fearing potential coercive actions from Assam Police.

Approximately 36,000 children remain untraceable across India since 2020 despite efforts by state and central police to recover missing children. Centre advised states to transfer long-term missing children cases to anti-human trafficking units. Notable data gaps exist as several states haven't provided information on missing children, highlighting the continuing challenge of child trafficking.

A newborn, Pihu, was found with her throat slit and abandoned in a bin in Madhya Pradesh. Despite the severe injuries, she survived after extensive treatment at Kamla Nehru Hospital. Her mother and grandmother have been arrested. The incident highlights the alarming rate of infant abandonments in the state.

The Gujarat high court ruled that an insurance company must pay compensation if it can't prove negligence by the vehicle owner in verifying a truck driver's license. The court dismissed ICICI Lombard's appeal against awarding Rs 19 lakh to a victim's family, citing insufficient evidence that the truck owner knew about the invalid license.

The government has started the process of appointing a new chief election commissioner as Rajiv Kumar is set to retire on February 18. The selection panel, which includes the Prime Minister, leader of the opposition, and the Union home minister, will meet after the PM's US trip, likely on February 17, to discuss the candidates.

Former Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat and 15 others have been cleared in the Kadnekar Mines case linked to the alleged delay in mining lease renewal, costing the state Rs 135 crore. An SIT report had implicated Kamat for permitting the delay despite IAS officers’ recommendations.

The US Army will no longer accept transgender individuals for enlistment or perform gender transition-related medical procedures. This follows a directive from Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, emphasizing military unity and compliance with President Trump's earlier executive order regarding transgender military personnel.

The Kerala government has restored full funding for nine minority scholarships that were previously reduced by 50%. The decision comes amid criticism and aims to support students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. An additional Rs 11 crore has also been allocated for the Margadeepam scholarship, increasing its total plan size to Rs 20 crore.

Maharashtra agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate faced backlash for comparing the Re 1 crop insurance scheme to begging, amid widespread rejection of claims. He clarified his comments were about scheme misuse, while critics call for free applications to prevent fraud. Opposition demands an apology for farmers.

Police have yet to identify three of the 31 Maoists killed in the Bijapur encounter. The remaining 28 carried a cumulative bounty of Rs 1.1 crore. Among the dead was Hunga Karma, a senior Maoist commander with a bounty of Rs 8 lakh. Nine were area committee members, and seven belonged to the 'platform party committee'.

In a move to address the reluctance of IAS officers opting for central deputation, the latest empanelment of joint secretaries includes only 16 out of 119 officers from the 2009 batch, the lowest in recent years. This strict adherence to the norm requiring a minimum of two years of central government service aims to send a strong message.