Times of India

India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav is excited about Mohammed Shami's return to the squad as an experienced pacer. After recovering from an ankle surgery, Shami made a remarkable comeback in domestic tournaments and now aims to lead the pace attack in the T20I series against England in Bumrah's absence.

President Donald Trump pardoned and commuted the sentences of approximately 1,500 individuals linked to the January 6 Capitol incident, including those convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers. He described their sentences as excessive and dismissed pending indictments, citing harsh treatment and unjust imprisonment.

CAB president Snehasish Ganguly backed head coach Gautam Gambhir amid India's cricket struggles, urging for more time. Despite the team’s poor performance, including losses to Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Ganguly highlighted Gambhir's past success with KKR. Ganguly also expressed excitement over Mohammed Shami's anticipated return against England.

Kangana Ranaut's 'Emergency', which hit theatres on January 17, depicts the 1957 Indian emergency period. Despite initial strong weekend earnings of Rs. 10.35 crore, the box office saw a significant fall during weekdays, with Monday and Tuesday collections at Rs. 1.05 crore and Rs. 1.07 crore respectively. The film faces business loss due to an ongoing ban in Punjab.

Judge Anirban Das sentenced Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of a resident doctor. Key allegations such as gang rape, another woman's involvement, and claims of coerced confession were debunked. Evidence indicated Roy acted alone, with the cause of death confirmed as manual strangulation and smothering. The autopsy corroborated no gang-related assault.

The Supreme Court has advised the appointment of ad hoc judges under Article 224A of the Constitution to High Courts to address the backlog of criminal appeal cases. This measure is vital due to prolonged delays in hearings, with fresh appeals in Allahabad HC taking an average of 35 years.

Indian citizen Binil TB from Kerala died fighting for Russian forces in Ukraine. Ukraine has no confirmation of Indian fighters for Russia. Kyiv claims nations like North Korea and Cuba have been duped into supporting Russia's war. India is urged to assist in returning Ukrainian children forcibly deported by Russia. 12 Indians have died, and 16 remain unaccounted for.

The Shahi Masjid Idgah committee has asked the Supreme Court to close the Centre’s right to file a reply in petitions challenging the Places of Worship Act, 1991. The committee claims the Centre is intentionally delaying the hearing by not submitting its affidavit. The Supreme Court has scheduled the hearing date for February 17.

India welcomes the World Bank-appointed neutral expert's ruling, asserting that differences over the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects fall within his competence under the Indus Waters Treaty. India maintains that it does not recognize the parallel Court of Arbitration initiated by Pakistan and emphasizes its commitment to preserving the treaty's integrity.

Shariful Fakir, a Bangladeshi national, broke into actor Saif Ali Khan’s home and stabbed him due to financial desperation. After losing his job, he planned a burglary in Bandra and Khar. Police tracked him down using his phone records and e-wallet payments. He was also a fan of Shah Rukh Khan.

India's Arjun Erigaisi faced his third defeat in the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2025, while Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu leads the Masters with 3.5 points. Pentala Harikrishna secured a win, and Fabiano Caruana and Anish Giri drew their game. In the Challengers section, Vaishali Rameshbabu claimed victory. Miaoyi Lu shares the top spot after a draw.

AAP and BJP are in a dispute over remarks made by Arvind Kejriwal about Ravana during a rally. BJP leaders took issue with Kejriwal's statement, claiming it shows disrespect towards Hindu deities and reflects his ignorance of the Ramayana. The controversy led to protests and symbolic fasts by BJP members.

Shariful Fakir, a Bangladeshi national, was arrested for breaking into actor Saif Ali Khan's home and attacking him due to extreme poverty. Losing his job and needing money for his mother's medical treatment, Shariful resorted to crime. He entered India illegally, planned the burglary, and attacked Saif without realizing he was a famous actor.

Teachers in Ajmer raised concerns over merging Urdu medium schools with Hindi ones just before Class 5 board exams, complicating students' exam preparations. The merger affects nearly 500 students and raises issues on teaching mode and parental concerns. The education department will investigate the issue for optimal resource utilization.

Life insurance companies are opposing the exemption of term insurance policies from GST, citing increased costs due to the loss of input tax credit. They propose maintaining a 12% GST rate to offset costs. The decision has been deferred, awaiting feedback from insurance regulator Irdai. Inconsistent implementation could lead to higher premiums and impact affordability for consumers.

Bombay High Court fined the Enforcement Directorate (ED) Rs 1 lakh for misusing legal proceedings by turning a civil dispute into a criminal case. The court mentioned that the ED acted with wrongful intent and imposed an equal fine on the complainant. It highlighted that the dispute lacked elements of cheating and was fundamentally a civil matter.

Dense fog in Delhi on Wednesday morning caused significant delays in both train and flight services. Nine trains, including Brahmaputra Mail and Poorva Express, were affected. Fog also covered parts of North India. Delhi's air quality remained poor with an AQI of 262. Temporary shelters were set up for the homeless as cold weather continues.

A fortune teller, BM Venkataramanappa, was arrested for robbing gold from women in Bengaluru. He convinced them that their families were under the threat of death and performed fake rituals to steal their jewellery. The police arrested him with the help of CCTV footage and informants. They recovered 115g of gold and will return it to the victims.

A Delhi court has ordered the seizure of two paintings by the late artist M F Husain, displayed at Delhi Art Gallery, as they were deemed offensive to Hindu deities. The court directed the investigating officer to seize the paintings and file a report. Evidence, including CCTV footage, has been preserved.