Times of India

Anand Mahindra humorously turned Bengaluru's persistent traffic into an unplanned advantage during his visit for the Invest Karnataka 2025 summit. He quipped that his new Mahindra BE 6 electric SUV got extensive visibility due to the constant gridlock, acting as a 'live showroom'. Social media users enjoyed his witty take on the city's traffic.

Elon Musk brought his 4-year-old son, X Æ A-Xii, to a White House press conference. Grimes, the boy's mother, expressed her displeasure about the child's public appearance on social media. Despite their separation, Musk and Grimes continue to co-parent and maintain a respectful relationship.

A Delhi court has found former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar guilty of leading a mob that murdered a father-son duo during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The verdict relied on survivor testimonies, highlighting police inaction during the incident. Kumar faces a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment.

A political controversy has erupted after Sharad Pawar presented an award to Dy CM Eknath Shinde, causing backlash within the MVA. Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut criticized Pawar for honoring Shinde, who he claims divided Maharashtra. Rohit Pawar defended the decision, emphasizing the tradition of separating socio-cultural events from politics. Shinde dismissed Raut's comments as hatred.

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has demanded an immediate review of the recent fare hike for Bengaluru's Namma Metro, with fares more than doubling in some sections, causing public outcry. The fare increase has led to reduced metro ridership and many commuters seeking alternate transportation options due to affordability concerns.

Rajat Kumar, who once saved cricketer Rishabh Pant, is now accused of poisoning his girlfriend Manu Kashyap, after they both consumed poison in a tragic suicide pact due to forbidden love. While Rajat is still undergoing treatment, Manu did not survive. Her family's accusation has turned the village against Rajat.

Tulsi Gabbard, America's first Hindu-American female lawmaker, meets Indian Prime Minister Modi after being confirmed as the Director of National Intelligence. Their meeting signifies potential enhancements in intelligence cooperation between the US and India, amidst Gabbard's longstanding spiritual ties to India and scrutiny over her loyalties in the US establishment.

Police in Kottayam arrested five third-year nursing students for engaging in brutal ragging of first-year students. The victims suffered severe physical abuse, including being stripped naked and having dumbbells hung on their private parts. The accused were charged under various sections of the law and sent to the district jail.

Israel has warned of severe consequences if Hamas fails to release hostages as agreed this weekend, escalating tensions and putting the fragile ceasefire at risk. Both sides accuse each other of not meeting deal terms, with possible resumption of war looming if the accord collapses.

Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal stated that India's economic growth can be significantly boosted by a combination of consumption-led and investment-led growth. Highlighting efforts to enhance exports and manufacturing, Goyal also mentioned upcoming policies for the toy and footwear industries and emphasized India's demographic advantage over the next three decades.

India and France have signed agreements to enhance cooperation in AI, civil nuclear energy, and regional development. Modi and Macron reaffirmed their strategic partnership, emphasizing the joint development of small modular reactors for sustainable energy. They also focused on the Indo-Pacific region, connectivity via the IMEEC corridor, skill development, and anti-terrorism measures.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the US for a two-day visit responding to an invitation from President Donald Trump. Modi aims to enhance the India-USA Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, focusing on areas such as technology, trade, defense, and energy.

Coach Gautam Gambhir believes that fast bowlers like Mohammed Shami and Harshit Rana have significant opportunities with Jasprit Bumrah out of India's Champions Trophy squad. Despite Bumrah's absence due to injury, India's morale remains high ahead of the competition starting February 19, following a convincing 3-0 series win against England.

Retail inflation in India eased to a five-month low of 4.3% in January due to moderating vegetable prices, while industrial output growth slowed to 3.2% in December, largely due to sluggish performance in the manufacturing sector. Both rural and urban inflation witnessed declines.

Retail investors continued to invest in mutual funds throughout January, despite volatility in the stock market. Monthly SIP inflows remained high at over Rs 26,000 crore. However, a reconciliation process led to a reduction in SIP accounts and total assets under management. Investors showed a preference for hybrid funds over thematic schemes due to uncertain market conditions.

Nir Barkat, Israel's minister for economy and industry, is optimistic about strengthening business ties with India across sectors such as high-tech, health and life sciences, agro tech, and homeland security. He emphasizes the complementary strengths of Israeli technology and Indian scaling capabilities. Discussions for increased Indian manpower in Israel are also underway.

Only Gujarat, Odisha, West Bengal, and Maharashtra have reduced their debt-to-GSDP ratios, while Punjab and Tamil Nadu have seen significant increases. Economists propose enhanced fiscal oversight and debt relief for heavily indebted states in exchange for more central oversight. Recommendations include better revenue mobilization, tax base broadening, and capacity-enhancing investments.

Gwalior cyber police arrested three students in Noida for scamming a BSF officer of over Rs 71 lakh, falsely posing as Mumbai Crime Branch officers. They exploited his fear of arrest for money laundering, forcing multiple transactions. The suspects transferred the scammed funds to various locations and collaborated with a Chinese gang to convert the amounts into USDT.

The Ongole breed of cattle, originating from Andhra Pradesh, made headlines as Viatina-19 fetched $4.82 million at a Brazilian auction, marking it the most expensive cow worldwide. Despite limited recognition in India, its unique traits are celebrated abroad. Viatina-19 also won the "Miss South America" title and secured a Guinness World Record.

The Uttarakhand high court has sought responses from the Centre and state govt on petitions challenging the Uniform Civil Code's provisions, particularly those impacting Muslim marriage customs. Contesting the new code's regulations, petitioners argue it infringes on fundamental rights and discriminates against scheduled tribes.