THE HEADLINES:-
- New Delhi says, it is closely watching US Bill on tariffs over Russian Oil purchases; Reiterates, energy security of 1.4 Billion people guides India’s Oil sourcing.
- India asks Bangladesh to deal with attacks on minorities swiftly and firmly and not attribute such incidents to personal rivalries.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be on a three day visit to Gujarat from tomorrow to participate in Somnath Parva and other programmes.
- Budget Session of Parliament to commence from 28th of January.
- Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says, Prasar Bharati’s WAVES platform facilitated international business worth five thousand crore rupees.
- In Iran, protesters attack public properties across the country; Flights cancelled and internet shutdown; Khamenei blames U.S. President Donald Trump for the unrest.
- fourth season of Womens Premier League Cricket begins; First match underway between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and defending champions Mumbai Indians in Navi Mumbai.
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External Affairs Ministry has said, New Delhi is closely following the developments on the Bill in US Congress proposing high tariffs on countries buying Russian oil. Briefing reporters in New Delhi today, Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that India’s position on the larger question of energy sourcing is well known. He stressed that energy security of 1.4 Billion people guides India’s Oil sourcing.
The spokesperson said that India and the US remain interested in a mutually beneficial trade deal between two complementary economies and look forward to concluding it.
Referring to recent comments by US Secretary of Commerce, the spokesperson said the characterisation of these discussions in the reported remarks is not accurate. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald rump have also spoken on phone on eight occasions last year, covering different aspects of wide-ranging partnership.
Responding to a question on minorities in Bangladesh, Mr Jaiswal said a disturbing pattern is being witnessed of recurring attacks on minorities as well as their homes and businesses by extremists. He said such communal incidents need to be dealt with swiftly and firmly. He also pointed out that there is a troubling tendency to attribute such incidents to personal rivalries.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a three day visit to Gujarat from tomorrow. Prime Minister will reach Somnath in the evening and participate in Omkar Mantra chanting. He will also witness drone show at Somnath temple. On Sunday, the Prime Minister will take part in Shaurya Yatra, a ceremonial procession organised to honour the countless warriors who laid down their lives defending the Somnath Temple. The ongoing ‘Somnath Swabhiman Parv’ at the first Jyotirlinga is not just a spiritual gathering but a celebration of India’s ancient scientific wisdom. Central to this is the historic Baanstambh (Arrow Pillar), which stands as a testament to the advanced geographical knowledge and unwavering self-confidence of our ancestors. We have more from our correspondent:
“Standing tall in the Somnath Temple premises and facing the vast Arabian Sea, the Baanstambh remains a marvel of ancient Indian geography. An inscription on the pillar in Sanskrit declares that from this specific point at Somnath, there is no landmass in a straight line southward until the South Pole. This “Unobstructed Light Path” to the end of the earth reflects the profound scientific thinking and global vision of ancient Indian scholars. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ‘Somnath Swabhiman Parv’ is highlighting such historic insights to the visiting pilgrims. The pillar symbolises a continuous civilisation that maintained its scientific temperament even through centuries of foreign invasions and destruction. For the younger generation, the Baanstambh serves as a vital link to India’s glorious history, fostering a sense of national unity and self-confidence. As the temple was reconstructed through firm faith, this pillar stands as a living expression of India’s indivisible self-respect. The festival effectively bridges our ancient cultural legacy with a modern scientific outlook, fulfilling a national resolve of resurgence. Aparna Khunt, Akashvani News, Ahmedabad.”
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The Budget Session of Parliament will commence from 28th of January and will continue till 2nd of April, 2026. In a social media post, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the first phase of the Budget Session will conclude on 13th of February. He said, the Parliament will reassemble for the second phase on 9th of March. Mr Rijiju said that it is a vital step towards meaningful debate and people-centric governance. The Minister informed that on the recommendation of the Central government, President Droupadi Murmu has approved the summoning of both the Houses of Parliament for the Budget Session 2026.
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Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has conducted successful ground test of full scale actively cooled long duration Scramjet Engine for Hypersonic Missile Programme. Defence Ministry in a statement today said that Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), the Hyderabad-based laboratory of DRDO achieved a run time of over 12 minutes at its state-of-the-art Scramjet Connect Pipe Test (SCPT) Facility. Hypersonic Cruise Missile is capable of exceeding five times the speed of sound over 6,100 kilometres per hour for extended periods.
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In Chhattisgarh, as many as 63 Maoists surrendered in Dantewada district today. Of these, 36 Maoists were carrying a total reward of one crore nineteen lakh fifty thousand rupees. The Maoists surrendered before the Superintendent of Police, Gaurav Rai.
Talking to reporters, Mr Rai said that the surrendered Maoists include 18 women cadres. He added that all the surrendered Maoists have been provided an incentive amount of fifty thousand rupees each under the State Government’s rehabilitation policy.
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Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw today highlighted that Prasar Bharati’s WAVES platform has received widespread global appreciation and has facilitated international business worth five thousand crore rupees. Mr Vaishnaw said this during the launch of a new platform Creator’s Corner on DD News, to empower content creators. He said, the new initiative of Prasar Bharati aims to showcase and promote creative content.
On the occasion, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr L Murugan congratulated DD for the initiative. He said that the new platform will support the content creators and help in the expansion of the country’s orange economy. Creator’s Corner will be broadcasted from Monday to Friday at 7 pm on DD News.
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Prime Minister’s flagship platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, PRAGATI, has marked a significant milestone with the successful conduct of its 50th meeting. Since its launch by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015, PRAGATI has transformed governance by enabling real-time monitoring and resolution of key infrastructure projects and public grievances through direct Prime Ministerial review. The platform exemplifies cooperative federalism, bringing together the Centre, States, and Union Ministries on a single digital interface. Over a decade, PRAGATI has helped accelerate decision-making, resolution of issues causing delay in key infrastructure projects, and instilled a strong culture of accountability. Today, in this special series, we take a look at the maternity benefit scheme – Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana of Women and Child Development Ministry.
“The government’s maternity benefit scheme- , Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana was reviewed thoroughly under the PRAGATI by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Under the Scheme, Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers receive a cash benefit of five thousand rupees for the first child and six thousand rupees for the second girl child. During the meeting, the Prime Minister directed all Ministries and Departments to ensure that the identification of beneficiaries is done strictly through biometrics-based Aadhaar authentication. He also directed to explore the potential for integrating additional programmes into the scheme, specifically those aimed at promoting child care, improving health and hygiene practices. Since inception of the PMMVY scheme in January 2017, over four crore beneficiaries have been paid maternity benefit amounting to more than 20 thousand crore rupees through direct benefit transfer. After the PRAGATI meeting, mandatory biometric verification through Facial Recognition System introduced from 21st May last year for all new enrolments. Over 23 Lakh beneficiaries have been enrolled after biometric verification through this system. The Ministry of Women and Child Development also made proactive effort to reach the doorstep by using the available database of the Poshan Tracker to create a due list of potential beneficiaries. By promoting health check-ups, good nutrition, and financial awareness, the scheme helps women take control of their lives and supports the goal of women-led development. Pallavi Parmar, Akahvani News Delhi.”
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In Himachal Pradesh, 12 people were killed and 33 others injured in an accident involving a private bus near Haripur Dhar, a remote area of Sirmaur district today. The bus was on its way from Solan to Haripur Dhar. President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have expressed grief over the loss of lives in the mishap. The Prime Minister has announced an ex-gratia of two lakh rupees for the victims. The injured will be given 50 thousand rupees.
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A day after Iran imposed a near-total nationwide internet blackout with phone calls failing to connect and flights cancelled, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused that protesters are acting on behalf of U.S. President Donald Trump. In a televised address today, Khamenei said that rioters are attacking public property and asserted that a united Iranian people would defeat all enemies and urged the U.S. president to focus on the problems of his own country. Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani said protesters had targeted economic and public infrastructure, including 26 banks, two hospitals, and 25 mosques. He added Police facilities and 48 fire trucks were also attacked. Protesters reportedly set fire to offices of the state broadcaster IRIB in the city of Isfahan. Several buildings were reported to be ablaze along a stretch of road. Rights groups report that at least 45 protesters, including children, have been killed since the unrest began on December 28, with more than 2,200 people arrested. Iran’s state news agency said 950 police officers and 60 members of the paramilitary Basij force have been injured. Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance reiterated Washington’s support for peaceful protesters in Iran, emphasizing the right to free expression and association.
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In Cricket, the much-awaited fourth season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 began today, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on defending champions Mumbai Indians. Put in to bat first, Mumbai Indians were 150 for 5 in 19.4 overs in the opening clash at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai, when reports last came in.
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The India Meteorological Department, IMD has forecast dense to very fog over Rajasthan tomorrow. The weather agency has predicted dense fog over Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, and Chandigarh. Similar conditions will prevail over Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, Madhya Pradesh, Sub Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and North-eastern states.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN.
- New Delhi says, it is closely watching US Bill on tariffs over Russian Oil purchases; Reiterates, energy security of 1.4 Billion people guides India’s Oil sourcing.
- India asks Bangladesh to deal with attacks on minorities swiftly and firmly and not attribute such incidents to personal rivalries.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be on a three day visit to Gujarat from tomorrow to participate in Somnath Parva and other programmes.
- Budget Session of Parliament to commence from 28th of January.
- Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says, Prasar Bharati’s WAVES platform facilitated international business worth five thousand crore rupees.
- In Iran, protesters attack public properties across the country; Flights cancelled and internet shutdown; Khamenei blames U.S. President Donald Trump for the unrest.
- fourth season of Womens Premier League Cricket begins; First match underway between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and defending champions Mumbai Indians in Navi Mumbai.
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