Nation

Several Indian medical students in Iran are reportedly facing difficulties as their passports have been withheld by certain universities. The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has written to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) seeking urgent intervention. Students Seeking Return Amid Worsening SituationAmid the rapidly deteriorating conditions in Iran, many Indian medical students have expressed their desire to return to India. The JKSA has raised serious concerns against some universities, claiming that passports of students who wish to leave the country have not yet been released. Exams Continue Despite Turbulent ConditionsThe association stated that it remains in contact with Indian students in Iran, including many from Jammu and Kashmir. According to JKSA, while so...

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has notified a new set of regulations titled “Regulations for Promoting Equity in Higher Education Institutions, 2026”, effective from 15 January 2026. The rules aim to strengthen safeguards against discrimination in colleges and universities across India. However, the regulations have sparked widespread debate and protests among students, faculty, and civil society groups. Critics argue that the rules do not address false complaints and may create biases against students from the general category. Public BacklashOn social media platforms like X, multiple hashtags and campaigns have emerged against the new UGC rules, including #ShameOnUGC. Some posts suggest that parents should consider sending their children abroad for higher education to avoid th...

India delivered a sharp rebuttal to Pakistan’s “false and self-serving” claims regarding Operation Sindoor at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), asserting that it is unacceptable for Pakistan to use terrorism as an instrument of state policy. Strong Response at the UNSCIndia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvataneni Harish, responded forcefully to remarks made by Pakistan’s envoy, Asim Iftikhar Ahmed, during an open debate on “Reaffirming International Rule of Law: Pathways to Peace, Justice, and Multilateralism” on Monday. Ahmed had commented on Operation Sindoor, Jammu & Kashmir, and the Indus Waters Treaty. Ambassador Harish emphasized that Pakistan, as an elected member of the Security Council, pursues a “singular agenda” aimed at harming India and...

RVS Mani, a former officer of the Ministry of Home Affairs, has been awarded the Padma Shri for his distinguished contribution to civil service. He is notably recognized for his role in exposing contradictory affidavits filed by the UPA government in the 2009 Ishrat Jahan encounter case, highlighting political interference in a high-profile investigation. Contradictory AffidavitsThe first affidavit, filed on 6 August 2009, was based on precise intelligence inputs indicating that Ishrat Jahan was part of a Lashkar-e-Taiba module tasked with targeting senior Indian politicians. It included detailed accounts of the terrorist background of Ishrat, along with Javed Sheikh (Pranesh Pillai), Jishan Johar, and Amjad Ali, who were killed in the encounter on 15 June 2004 in Ahmedabad. The seco...

A Delhi court has rejected the bail petition of an Army officer accused of accepting bribes, citing the “serious” nature of the charges and the officer’s sensitive role in matters concerning national security and sovereignty. The case involves allegations that Lieutenant Colonel Deepak Kumar Sharma accepted a bribe to facilitate the shipment of goods from a Dubai-based company to Armenia. Bail Plea RejectedSpecial Judge Gagandeep Singh dismissed Sharma’s bail request on 23 January. Sharma was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in December 2025 for allegedly taking ₹3 lakh in bribes from the Dubai company. Court Finds Active Involvement in Shipment ApprovalSharma claimed he had no role in approving the shipments. However, the court noted that case documents and rema...

A large-scale study in the United States has found that individuals who frequently use AI chatbots and other generative AI tools are more likely to exhibit symptoms of depression and anxiety. The research, published on January 21 in the prestigious medical journal JAMA Network Open, was conducted in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital and several other U.S. institutions. Study DetailsThe study surveyed 20,847 U.S. adults via an online questionnaire conducted between April and May 2025. Participants were asked about their frequency of AI tool usage, including chatbots and generative AI platforms. Their mental health was assessed using the PHQ-9, a standard measure for depression. Key FindingsParticipants who used AI tools daily or frequently were found to display higher ...

The world needs to brace for extreme heat in the coming decades, as a new study warns that by 2050, half of the global population could be severely affected by rising temperatures. Countries such as India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and the Philippines are expected to bear the brunt of the heat surge. Global Temperatures on the RiseAccording to research from Oxford University, the global temperature is projected to rise by more than 2°C by 2050. While the Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming to 1.5°C, experts now say achieving this target has become almost impossible. In 2010, 23% of the world’s population was already experiencing extreme heat; this figure rose to 41% over the next decade. Temperatures Could Double in Some RegionsBetween 2006 and 2016, global a...

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has released a striking video on Republic Day showcasing its fighter jets armed with advanced missiles, firmly countering claims from Pakistan and some Western media regarding India’s aerial capabilities. The footage features Rafale, Su-30MKI, and Tejas aircraft equipped with Meteor and BrahMos missiles, similar to those used in the 2019 Balakot airstrikes and last year’s Operation Sindoor. Dispelling DoubtsCritics had previously questioned whether India possessed beyond-visual-range (BVR) Meteor missiles. The IAF’s newly released video, shared on X, clearly shows Rafale, Su-30MKI, and indigenous Tejas fighters loaded with these high-end missiles, performing complex maneuvers at high altitudes. The video decisively dispels all doubts and serves as a strong reb...

India is set to ink one of the largest trade deals in the world with the European Union (EU) today. Following this landmark agreement, U.S. President Donald Trump may find himself regretting past trade strategies, as India will no longer be solely dependent on a deal with the United States. After 18 rounds of negotiations spanning four years, the path for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the EU has finally cleared. The official announcement is expected today (27 January). This deal is poised to provide significant relief to Indian exporters in sectors such as textiles, leather and footwear, gems and jewellery, chemicals, and marine products by reducing import duties in the EU. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal confirmed that the deal has been finalized. From India’s per...

New Delhi, January 26, 2026: The Supreme Court of India has clarified the compensation amount for deaths occurring during manual scavenging. The top court ruled that if no ex-gratia payment was made before its October 2023 judgment, the States and Union Territories are required to pay ₹30 lakh to the family of the deceased. The clarification came following differences in the implementation of the 2023 order by various High Courts. Some High Courts reopened cases and increased compensation from ₹10 lakh to ₹30 lakh, while others refused to alter previous awards. On January 20, 2026, the Supreme Court issued this order based on an application by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA). Senior advocates argued that in cases where the deceased received ₹10 lakh before October 20, 2...