Times of India

Orissa high court ruled that a wife is justified to live separately and entitled to maintenance if her husband doubts her chastity without proof. The court upheld the family court’s decision directing the husband to pay Rs 3,000 monthly maintenance, emphasizing that unproven accusations of infidelity amount to character assassination.

India and the US signed an MoU to enhance cooperation on cybercrime investigations, bolstering security against terrorism, violent extremism, and related threats. The agreement will facilitate collaboration on cyber threat intelligence and digital forensics. The MoU was signed by Indian ambassador Vinay Kwatra and US deputy secretary Kristie Canegallo, with respective agencies overseeing implementation.

Maharashtra govt announced guardian ministers for all 36 districts, with CM Fadnavis becoming the first CM to be a guardian minister for Gadchiroli. Deputy CM Shinde will oversee Mumbai City and Thane, while Deputy CM Pawar will manage Beed and Pune. The appointments include significant role allocations to Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP leaders.

A Sealdah court convicted former Kolkata police civic volunteer Sanjay Roy of raping and murdering a 31-year-old doctor at RG Kar Medical College last year. The in-camera trial concluded in 66 days, with the judge finding Roy guilty based on witness accounts and documents. Sentencing will be decided on Monday.

Private banks like Kotak Bank and RBL Bank are experiencing higher defaults in the microfinance sector. Kotak Bank reported a 10% rise in net profit, but its microfinance arm saw significant losses. Similarly, RBL Bank saw an 86% drop in net profit due to increased provisions for microfinance loans. Industry-wide challenges are anticipated to stabilize in the coming quarters.

Former colleagues of the 31-year-old resident doctor raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College express deep disappointment with Sealdah trial court's verdict. They criticize the investigation's thoroughness and plan to support the victim's parents until complete justice is achieved. Discontent over the handling of the case persists, with calls for further legal action and additional inquiry.

The family of the 31-year-old resident doctor raped and killed at RG Kar Medical College, Kolkata last year finds partial relief as Sanjay Roy is convicted. They continue to demand justice, hinting at a larger conspiracy. The family has moved the Supreme Court, questioning the CBI investigation and suspecting more people are involved in the crime.

Eight cops, including IG Zaidi, were convicted by a special CBI court in Chandigarh for their role in the Kotkhai custodial death case. One SP was acquitted due to lack of evidence. The court will announce the punishment on Jan 27. The case involves the death of Suraj, accused in the rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl in 2017.

Prudent Electoral Trust saw corporate donations surge to Rs 1,075.7 crore in 2023-24, tripling from the previous year after the Supreme Court scrapped the electoral bonds scheme. Major donors included Arcelor, DLF, and Maruti Suzuki. BJP received Rs 723.8 crore, followed by Congress with Rs 156.4 crore. Triumph Electoral Trust and others also saw significant contributions.

PM Modi distributed over 65 lakh property cards under the Svamitva scheme to villagers across 10 states and 2 UTs. The initiative aims to monetize 'dead capital' by providing legal land documents, enabling people to obtain loans for business and education, thereby aiding in poverty alleviation. Digitisation of land records, now at 98%, aims to reduce disputes and corruption.

A murder suspect, Sajjak Alam, who had escaped after shooting two policemen, was killed in an encounter while attempting to flee to Bangladesh in West Bengal. Intercepted by an eight-member police team, Sajjak fired at officers, prompting retaliatory shots. He succumbed to his injuries during surgery. Four officers involved in the incident have been suspended pending further investigation.

Mumbai Police apprehended a man accused of stabbing Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan at his Bandra home. The suspect, Aakash Kailash Kannojia, was captured on CCTV and was arrested in Thane. Khan underwent surgery after sustaining multiple stab wounds during an attempted robbery but is now out of danger and expected to be discharged soon.

Haryana has requested the Centre to remove the caste names 'Chura', 'Bhangi', and 'Mochi' from the Scheduled Castes list, citing them as outdated and offensive. The state aims to mitigate caste prejudice and discrimination associated with such names. The proposal requires an amendment to the Constitution (SCs) Order, 1950, for the changes to be official.

Punjab farmer-activist Jagjit Singh Dallewal has agreed to medical aid after nearly two months on hunger strike for MSP guarantees. The central government will meet with farmer forums on Feb 14 in Chandigarh. Dallewal, a cancer patient, will continue his fast-unto-death despite health concerns. Supreme Court had urged for medical intervention and evaluated his health condition.

D Gukesh triumphed in the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2025 opener against Anish Giri, despite Giri's early advantage. Gukesh's strategic play led to a victory following a pivotal mistake by Giri. Other matches saw mixed results for Indian players, with Praggnanandhaa drawing and Leon Luke Mendonca losing. Highlights included a quick win for Rameshbabu Vaishali in the Challengers section.

Justine Musk highlighted her ex-husband Elon Musk’s focus and boundary-setting as keys to his success in a recent TEDx talk. In an essay, she reflected on their strained marriage, emphasizing the economic imbalance and her struggle for independence. Elon covers all expenses for their children post-divorce.

Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced an amendment to reform the H-1B visa program, accusing it of replacing high-paying American jobs with lower-paid foreign workers and often leading to their exploitation. Sanders proposes increased fees, higher wages, protection for American workers, and job mobility for H-1B recipients.

Imdad Basha poisoned 45-year-old Uzma Khan, his lover, out of jealousy over her planned marriage. While he consumed non-lethal toilet cleaner to fake a joint suicide, Uzma was fed real poison. Investigation revealed discrepancies in the incident timeline, leading to Basha's arrest. A forensic report is awaited to confirm further details of her death.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserts that the government cannot proceed with the truce until receiving details of hostages to be released by Hamas. Israel emphasizes its intention to resume conflict if needed. The approved ceasefire agreement aims to end the 15-month war, liberating hostages and Palestinian detainees, and increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza.