Month: January 2026

The makers released the trailer for the series ‘Space Gen: Chandrayaan’ on Tuesday, offering a glimpse into India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission at the lunar South Pole.

Inspired by the true events, the series ‘Space Gen: Chandrayaan’ narrates the story of one of India’s greatest scientific comebacks after the failure of the Chandrayaan-2 mission in 2019.

On Instagram, JioHotstar shared the series trailer, which stars Nakuul Mehta, Shriya Saran, Danish Sait, Prakash Belawadi, and Gopal Datt in lead roles. It is produced by The Viral Fever (TVF).

The trailer takes viewers inside the heartbreak moments of Indian scientists after the failure of the Chandrayaan-2 mission. The unsuccessful landing of Vikram was followed by the gruesome interrogation of the Indian scientists, as shown in the trailer.

After the series of criticisms, Nakuul Mehta was seen preparing for the Chandrayaan-3 mission amid the Covid pandemic, Russia’s competitive Luna Mission and other challenges.

Actor Nakuul Mehta, who leads the series, expressed his happiness at working on the project, calling it a “privilege to be part of a series that celebrates resilience in its quietest, most human form.”

“Space Gen: Chandrayaan changed the way I look at success and failure. This story isn’t about the moment the signal drops, it’s about what happens the morning after, when you still have to show up, take responsibility, and start again. Playing someone who carries both the weight of a mistake and the courage to fix it was deeply grounding for me as an actor & a human. It’s a privilege to be part of a series that celebrates resilience in its quietest, most human form, and I’m excited for audiences to discover this journey on JioHotstar,” said Nakuul Mehta as quoted in the press note shared by JioHotstar.

Regarding Shriya Saran, the actress shared the series’ significance in her life.

“This role required a different kind of strength, quiet, composed, and deeply internal. Portraying someone at the heart of such a high-stakes mission made me reflect on the emotional cost of ambition and the sacrifices that often go unseen. Space Gen: Chandrayaan isn’t just about reaching the moon; it’s about the people who carry that dream within them every day. It celebrates the power of coming together and the resilience required to achieve something extraordinary for our nation. I hope audiences connect with the heart of this story as much as we loved bringing it to life,” said Shriya Saran.

‘Space Gen: Chandrayaan’ will be released on JioHotstar on January 23, 2026. (ANI)

Bharatiya Janata Party National Working President Nitin Nabin will assume the post of BJP National President, succeeding JP Nadda, on January 20, sources aware of the development said on Tuesday.

Nitin Nabin, who was elected as the party’s working president in December, will file his nomination on January 19 and is likely to be elected as President on January 20.

According to the sources, all Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states, all state BJP presidents, national office bearers, and senior BJP leaders have been asked to be present in Delhi.

BJP’s Chief Election Officer K. Lakshman will announce the name of the national president, Nitin Nabin. Three sets of nominations will be filed for the national president’s post. One set will have the signatures of more than 20 elected state BJP presidents. One set will have the signatures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, and JP Nadda.

The third set will have the signatures of the members of the BJP National Council.

If only one name is nominated, the national president’s name will be announced the same day, sources said.

Meanwhile, a major meeting has begun under the chairmanship of JP Nadda regarding preparation for the BJP president’s election, according to sources.

Working President Nitin Nabin, B. L. Santhosh, Sunil Bansal, Arun Singh, and Tarun Chugh are present at the meeting. The meeting is to review preparations for the BJP president’s election, scheduled for January 19 and 20, the sources said.

BJP had appointed Bihar Minister and five-term MLA Nitin Nabin as the party’s working president in December of last year. Union Minister JP Nadda currently helms the national party. The appointment of Nabin is seen as the party focusing on youth leadership.

Since his appointment as the National Working President, Nitin Nabin has been deeply engaged in the party’s preparations for the upcoming state assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, West Bengal, and Puducherry.

Recently, Nitin Nabin visited Tamil Nadu to review party preparations to face Chief Minister MK Stalin-led DMK. Before Tamil Nadu, he was in Assam, where BJP’s Himanta Biswa Sarma is going to face a tough competition from Congress. (ANI)

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra commented on Delhi youngster Ayush Badoni’s maiden call-up to Team India in the absence of all-rounder Washington Sundar in the ongoing New Zealand series, saying that it could be an “unpopular choice” but he has been “economical” while bowling his useful spin bowling for Delhi.

While Sundar is all set to miss out on the remaining two ODIs against New Zealand, it was Badoni’s gain as he got his first-ever India team call-up. While the batter has not been able to bat much for Delhi in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring just 15 runs in three innings, he has bowled some useful spells for Delhi, with a brilliant 3/30 in 10 overs against Railways, 1/28 in seven overs against Services and 0/21 in five overs against Gujarat.

Speaking on his YouTube Channel, Chopra said, “Washington Sundar is not there. So Ayush Badoni has come in his place. I think the Indian selection committee was looking for a like-for-like replacement, and that is not available. Ayush Badoni bowled a lot and batted for India A. He is also bowling for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and is economical,” Chopra said.

“So the selection committee went for Ayush Badoni. It could be a slightly unpopular choice because he hasn’t scored even 1,000 runs in List A cricket. He does not have those many wickets, seeing which you would say he has broken the door and come in,” he added.

In 27 List A appearances so far, he has made 693 runs at an average of 36.47, with a strike rate of over 93, with a century and five fifties and best score of 100. He has also taken 18 wickets at an average of 29.72 and an economy rate of 4.54, with best figures of 3/29.

During the South Africa A tour to India last year, Badoni had registered a half-century, a knock of 66 in the second unofficial ODI and had spells of 0/15 (four overs) and 0/43 (seven overs) in two matches he played.

Also, Aakash said that all-rounder Riyan Parag could not make it because of him returning after a long injury layoff during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, while Rinku Singh missed out because he is a “batter who bowls occasionally”.

“You might be wondering why Riyan Parag couldn’t have come, or why Rinku Singh couldn’t have been thought about. Riyan Parag has just started coming back after a very long injury layoff. Another middle-order batter was available in the form of Rinku Singh. Although he has started bowling a lot now, he is not basically a bowler. He is a batter who bowls occasionally,” he said. (ANI)

In a significant development, India is going to take up the around Rs 3.25 lakh crore deal for buying 114 Rafale fighter jets from France, which would be manufactured in India with an indigenous content of around 30 per cent, at a high-level meeting of the Defence Ministry this week.

Top Defence sources told ANI that as per the proposal, the deal would also include around 12-18 Rafale jets to be acquired by the Indian Air Force in fly-away condition.

As per the proposal to be taken up for discussion at a high-level Defence Ministry meeting scheduled to be held in the next two to three days, the Indian side is also asking France to enable the integration of Indian weapons and other indigenous systems into the French aircraft under the government-to-government deal, they said.

The source codes will remain with the French side only.

Interestingly, India is moving ahead with the deal with France when both the United States of America and Russia have offered their fifth-generation fighters, including the F-35 and the Su-57, respectively, to the Indian Air Force.

The indigenous content in the aircraft would be around 30 per cent only. Generally, the indigenous content required in Make in India deals is around 50-60 per cent.

If approved, this would be India’s largest-ever defence deal and would take the number of Rafale jets in the Indian military to 176, as the Indian Air Force already has 36 of them, while the Indian Navy placed orders for 26 of them last year.

“The Statement of Case (SoC) or the proposal for the 114 Rafale jets prepared by the Indian Air Force was received by the Defence Ministry a few months ago. Once approved by the Defence Ministry, the proposal will have to be given final clearance by the Cabinet Committee on Security

The move to take the proposal forward came soon after the Rafale performed very well against Pakistan in Operation Sindoor, where it managed to comprehensively beat the Chinese PL-15 air-to-air missiles using its Spectra Electronic Warfare suite. The indigenous content in the Made in India Rafale fighter jets is expected to be more than 60 per cent.

The French side is also planning to set up a maintenance, repair and overhaul facility for the M-88 engines, which are used by Rafale jets in Hyderabad. The French firm Dassault has already set up a firm to look after the maintenance of French-origin fighter jets. Indian aerospace firms such as Tata are also likely to be part of the manufacturing.

India has an urgent need to induct fighter jets to address the growing threat perception in the region. The IAF’s fighter jet force structure is expected to be primarily comprised of the Su-30 MKIs, Rafales, and indigenous fighter jet projects. India has already ordered 180 LCA Mark 1A jets and also has plans to induct the indigenous fifth-generation fighter in large numbers beyond 2035. (ANI)

Filmmaker Suparn S Varma, who has been receiving rave reviews for his latest release ‘HAQ’, has expressed heartfelt gratitude for the love pouring in from fans and celebrities alike.

Taking to his X handle, Suparm S Varma penned a long note and thanked everyone for the warm response to the film.

“To get the love and appreciation of your peers and audiences alike is the stuff dreams are made of! On behalf of team #Haq we cannot begin to describe the amazing feeling when your day begins with @TheFarahKhan, @advani_kiara, @aliaa08 posting about their love for @yamigautam @emraanhashmi and the film and ends with #KaranJohar being so generous in his praise,” the director wrote, offering a shoutout to celebrities like Karan Johar, Farah Khan, Alia Bhatt, and Kiara Advani.

He also acknowledged the rousing welcome that his film received from the audiences.

“As an artist we all aspire for a day like this. Grateful and a heart full of gratitude for the love and praise coming for Haq from every corner of the world with its @NetflixIndia debut. We are a very small industry and mutual love and respect binds us together along with our passion for cinema,” Varma added.

The film ‘HAQ’ is based on the 1985 Supreme Court judgement in Mohd. Ahmed Khan vs Shah Bano Begum, a landmark case concerning women’s rights and maintenance laws in India.

Directed by Suparn S Varma, ‘HAQ’ also features Vartika Singh, Danish Husain, Sheeba Chadha, and Aseem Hattangady in key roles.

Produced under the banner of Junglee Pictures, ‘Haq’ is backed by Vineet Jain, Vishal Gurnani, Juhi Parekh Mehta, and Harman Baweja. The movie was released in theatres on November 7, 2025. (ANI)

Anupama Gurung, the sister of late actor and singer Prashant Tamang, expressed her sorrow at the demise of her brother, who passed away on January 11.

While referring to the singer’s grand final rites in Darjeeling, Anupama Gurung shared that they have been receiving condolence messages from Prashant Tamang’s fans worldwide.

Anupama Gurung, while talking to ANI, said, “Nothing can make up for this loss, but you should know how much respect my brother earned and how much fame he achieved. Wherever he is, his name will live on forever. People worldwide are messaging and calling us and expressing their grief.”

Meanwhile, the actor’s mortal remains were brought to the Bagdogra airport in Siliguri on Monday morning. BJP MP Raju Bista from Darjeeling and many other prominent figures from the entertainment community were present to pay final respects to the late singer.

The Tamang’s mortal remains were later brought to his residence in Darjeeling for the fans to offer their last respect today.

Hailing from West Bengal’s Darjeeling, Prashant Tamang passed away on Sunday at his Delhi residence.

ADCP South-West Delhi, Abhimanyu Poswal, shared official updates about his death and told ANI, “At 3.10 today, an MLC was received from Mata Chanan Devi Hospital. We received information that Prashant Tamang was declared dead at the hospital. An Investigation Officer visited there and received the MLC.”

“Crime team and FSL team reached the residence of the deceased and collected evidence. At present, for postmortem examination, the body has been sent to DDU hospital, so that we can determine the cause of death. His wife and daughter lived with him, and it was his wife who had brought him to the hospital. Her statement and other things have been recorded. It will be tough to point out anything suspicious until the final postmortem report comes,” he added.

Addressing speculation about his sudden death, Martha Aley clarified that no suspicious circumstances were involved.

“It was a natural death. He was in his sleep when he left us. I was right beside him at that time,” she said.

Tamang was the winner of Indian Idol Season 3. Besides cementing his position in music, he also entered acting, famously appearing in ‘Paatal Lok Season 2’. He is also expected to be a part of Salman Khan’s upcoming film, ‘Battle of Galwan’. (ANI)

Tis Hazari Court on Tuesday reserved the bail pleas of five accused persons arrested in the Turkman Gate stone pelting case. The court will pronounce the order tomorrow at 4 PM.

Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Sayesha Chaddha reserved the order on the bail pleas of the accused Adnan, Kaif, Kasif, Areeb and Sameer.

Advocate M Asad Beig appeared for Kaif, Kasif and Areeb. They argued that the accused persons were apprehended at around 3 AM on January 7, before the FIR was registered at around 9 AM.

CCTV footage confirmed that Kaif was at his house from 7 PM until his arrest.

The Defence counsel also submitted that Areeb was at Chitli kabar at the time of the incident. This location is approximately 1-2 kilometres from the incident site. They are residents of the same locality near the incident site; therefore, they are in the same area.

On behalf of Adnan, it was submitted that he was apprehended from his house around 1.30 AM. He was not visible in the CCTV footage that the police relied on.

On the other hand, the Delhi Police opposed the bail pleas. Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Atul Shrivastava, Dr. Tushar Kadyan and Anish appeared for the police.

They submitted that the anti-environment drive near the masjid Faizan E Elahi was carried out pursuant to a Delhi High Court order.

Before the drive was carried out, the DCP requested peace, and the police issued a prohibitory order.

Accused persons were involved in stone pelting and instigating other people. Delhi police relied upon the WhatsApp message and videos.

The prosecution said that Adnan’s mobile phone contained an inciting message, and he also sent it to several groups. “It was not a simple assault on police persons, it was an attack on the system,” they said.

In rebuttal arguements, counsel for Adnan submitted that he was not visible in the CCTV footage. Either he can be spreading the message, or he can be at the spot. The offence of attempt to murder is not attracted towards him.

During the hearing, two accused, Imran and Adnan, were produced following their fresh arrests. Both the Accused persons broke down in the court and alleged physical assault during police custody. After hearing the allegations, the court examined both the Accused in the chamber and found injury marks on the body of Imran.

The court remanded both accused to judicial custody. (ANI)

In a decisive move to curb the growing influence of gang culture and the glorification of violence among youth, the Special Task Force (STF) and Cyber Unit of Haryana Police have succeeded in removing or blocking 67 songs that promoted organised crime across major digital platforms.

During an extensive investigation, the STF and cyber teams found that several songs available on platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, Gaana and JioSaavn were glorifying gangsters, weapons and violence, while portraying a distorted and glamorous image of criminal life.

Police officials said such content was having a negative influence on young listeners and was pushing impressionable minds towards crime.

Acting on these findings, Haryana Police coordinated with digital platforms to take down the objectionable content. Officials stressed that the action marks the beginning of a sustained campaign against online material that promotes criminal culture, with further strict measures to follow.

Director General of Police (DGP) Haryana Ajay Singhal described the move as a crucial step in safeguarding society, particularly the younger generation.

“Our aim is not only to prevent crime but also to protect youth from being drawn into the criminal world,” he said.

The DGP noted that such songs often project criminals as role models and depict an illusion of wealth and power, while ignoring the harsh reality of crime–marked by danger, legal consequences and suffering for families. He reiterated that Haryana Police has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards content that promotes criminal behaviour and urged artists and content creators to act responsibly.

Inspector General of Police (IG), STF, Satheesh Balan said the police are also keeping a close watch on social media users who like or share posts related to criminals.

“Gangsters frequently use social media to glorify themselves and recruit youth into their networks. Monitoring such activity is essential to break this cycle,” he said.

The STF, he added, has held interactions with singers, lyricists and digital creators, advising them to avoid glorifying violence, gangster lifestyles and weapons. According to officials, such content fuels fear, insecurity and criminal tendencies in society.

Alongside the digital crackdown, the Haryana STF continues to target the terror-gangster nexus operating through foreign handlers. Intelligence-led operations have exposed several modules using local networks to advance terror-linked activities.

On March 2, 2025, a joint operation by Haryana STF and Gujarat ATS foiled a possible attack on the Ram Temple in Ayodhya with the arrest of Abdul Rehman, alias Abu Bakar, from whom two hand grenades were recovered. On June 13, 2025, a live hand grenade was seized from two youths in Karnal, later traced to a US-based gangster linked to Khalistan-backed networks.

Following the grenade attack on the Sirsa Women Police Station on November 25, 2025, the STF traced financial and technical links to foreign handlers, leading to coordinated arrests. The arrest of Amar Singh in Karnal and the recovery of a foreign-made Glock pistol, two live hand grenades and an improvised explosive device (IED) underscored the seriousness of the threat.

Officials said the twin strategy of curbing digital glorification of crime while dismantling terror-gangster networks has significantly strengthened internal security in Haryana. The removal of 67 gangster songs and continued action against organised crime networks underline the police force’s technological capability, social responsibility and operational resolve. (ANI)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday stated he spoke with Netherlands Prime Minister Dick Schoof and briefed him on what he described as intensified Russian drone and missile attacks targeting Ukrainian cities and communities.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy wrote, “I spoke with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Dick Schoof @MinPres. I informed him about the intense Russian drone and missile attacks on our cities and communities.”

Pointing to the broader impact of the strikes, Zelenskyy added, “It is evident that the Russians are bent on destroying life rather than on diplomacy. Their target is the energy sector.”

Stressing the urgency of international assistance, he wrote, “It is very important that there is sufficient support for Ukraine right now. This concerns both our resilience and recovery, as well as sufficient air defense munitions.”

Zelenskyy underlined immediate priorities, stating, “Missiles for air defence and all the necessary assistance for the energy system are the top priority at the moment.”

He also noted that the two leaders discussed diplomatic engagement, writing, “We also discussed the course of communication with the American side and possible meetings.”

Zelenskyy expressed appreciation for Dutch support, stating, “I am grateful for the support and the readiness to help!”

His remarks came as he also detailed a major overnight aerial assault by Russia on Ukraine, which he said involved nearly 300 attack drones along with 18 ballistic missiles and seven cruise missiles.

In another statement posted on X, Zelenskyy said most of the drones used were Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles and that Russia again targeted Ukraine’s energy-generation facilities and substations, causing widespread damage to residential and civilian infrastructure across several regions.

“Almost 300 attack drones, most of them ‘Shaheds’, along with 18 ballistic and 7 cruise missiles, were launched by the Russians against Ukraine last night. Once again, the main target of the strike was our energy-generation facilities and substations. Sadly, there has been extensive destruction of residential and civilian infrastructure,” Zelenskyy said.

He said the Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Donetsk regions came under attack, adding that Russian missiles struck a postal terminal in Korotych in the Kharkiv region, killing four people.

“Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Donetsk regions came under attack. With no military purpose whatsoever, Russia lobbed missiles at a postal terminal in Korotych, Kharkiv region, killing 4 people,” he said, offering condolences to the victims’ families and loved ones.

Zelenskyy said the strikes on energy-generation facilities and substations were aimed at depriving households of electricity amid a cold wave gripping the country.

He added that the situation in the Kyiv region remains difficult, with several hundred thousand households without electricity following the strikes. He said emergency services are operating on the ground and “Points of Invincibility” have been deployed to support residents affected by outages.

“Points of Invincibility have been deployed. As always, wherever Russia tries to destroy, Ukrainians support one another, and internal resilience is what is most needed right now. Every such strike against life is a reminder that support for Ukraine cannot be stopped. Missiles for air defense systems are needed every day, and especially during winter,” Zelenskyy said.

Renewing his appeal for international support, Zelenskyy stressed that assistance to Ukraine must continue. He said Ukraine expects accelerated deliveries already agreed with the United States and European partners, adding that Russia must learn that “cold will not help it win the war.” (ANI)

In a major action against the terror ecosystem and Infrastructure within government machinery, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday terminated five government employees over alleged terror links, according to officials.

Sources said these active associates were planted into the government machinery by terror outfits and the Pakistan ISI. They infiltrated the administration over the last several decades to weaken the government machinery and to jeopardise national security.

The five employees were terminated under Article 311 (2) (c) of the Constitution.

The terminated employees include a teacher who, according to the investigators, was working for Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT). As per the sources, he was arrested in April 2022 by the Jammu and Kashmir Police before he could execute a plan against the police.

The other employees include a lab technician allegedly linked to Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), an assistant lineman connected to LeT, a field worker in the Forest Department allegedly linked to HM, and a driver in the Health and Medical Education Department.

“However, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha launched a major offensive in 2021 to expose and break the backbone of the terror ecosystem. From financiers to foot soldiers, his decisive and widespread action against all the elements dismantled the terror infrastructure to a large extent,” the sources within the security agencies revealed.

Since 2021, the Jammu and Kashmir LG has terminated the services of more than 85 government employees who were found to be working for terrorist groups.

Sources indicated that the action is intended to purge the system of terrorist influence. “The strict actions by Sinha would cleanse the government machinery and reinforce its integrity,” sources said.

This comes after Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday directed all security forces to “continue counter terror operations targeting terrorist infrastructure and terror financing in a mission mode,” chairing a high-level security review meeting on Jammu and Kashmir.

Shah also directed all security agencies to “remain alert and continue to work in synergy to ensure that the gains achieved after abrogation of Article 370 are sustained and we achieve the goal of ‘terror-free J&K’ at the earliest.”

The Home Minister also assured that “all the resources will be made available in this endeavour.”

The minister further said that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central government is committed to establishing lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir and completely eliminating terrorism, according to a statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) quoting Shah. (ANI)