Month: January 2026

Director General of Police (DGP) Odisha, Yogesh Bahadur Khurania, on Thursday reported a bomb threat received at several courts in the state through an anonymous e-mail, adding that security has been enhanced at all concerned locations.

The DGP informed that the police have taken cognisance and are “closely monitoring the situation.”

“An anonymous e-mail containing a threat to damage court premises has been received at several courts. The police have taken cognisance of the matter and initiated a thorough investigation. As a precautionary measure, police checks and enhanced security arrangements have been put in place at all concerned locations. The situation is under close monitoring,” he stated.

He further advised the public not to panic and urged cooperation from them.

“The public is advised not to panic and to cooperate with the police in maintaining security and assisting the investigation,” the DGP advised.

Promptly after the reception of the e-mail, staff and others were evacuated from the High Court and the district courts’ premises for inspection.

The threat put the courts in a state of alert, with the advocates raising safety concerns.

Speaking to ANI, Prafulla Kumar Sahoo, Senior Advocate at Odisha High Court, informed that the work has come to a halt following the threat mail, and complained about the traffic management in case of an emergency.

“This creates a lot of difficulty. Our work has been halted, and we do not know the update of the investigation, considering it’s a serious matter…If there is a bomb here, it can get problematic to empty out the premises due to the large number of vehicles parked here, making passage extremely difficult during an emergency. Moreover, the traffic control here is also out of order. Thus, security should be tightened here,” Sahoo stated.

Meanwhile, Shishir Kumar, Joint Secretary, District Bar Association, expressed relief over the safety despite the panic state, reiterating the need for effective traffic management.

“I appreciate and support this step to inspect the premises and conduct a thorough investigation for the safety and security of the advocates in the court. However, if the traffic had been managed better, the inspection could have caused less issues for the passage of people and vehicles,” Kumar said.

The investigation into the threat is ongoing. (ANI)

The new year has just begun, and a host of exciting shows and films are lined up to entertain audiences. While many people are still waiting for release dates of several upcoming projects, there’s plenty you can binge-watch on the OTT platforms in the meantime. And if you’re a foodie who also enjoys a dose of Bollywood gossip, ‘Dining with The Kapoors’ on Netflix is a must-watch.

Created by Armaan Jain, who also serves as producer, and directed by Smriti Mundhra, Dining With The Kapoors offers a sneak peek into the legendary Kapoor family gatherings, centred around their iconic, lavish lunches.

Through this special project, Armaan also takes audiences back to the time when the legendary Raj Kapoor hosted grand parties at his Chembur home, where his wife, Krishna Raj Kapoor, delighted guests with her unforgettable recipes.

Armaan Jain is the son of Rima Jain, who is the youngest daughter of legendary actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor and his wife, Krishna Raj Kapoor

While Kapoor kids like Kareena, Karisma, and Ranbir have proudly carried forward their grandfather’s cinematic legacy, Armaan has carved out a successful culinary career, drawing inspiration from her grandmother, Krishna Raj Kapoor’s deep passion and love for food.

Before foraying into the food ventures, Armaan tried his hand at acting. He made his acting debut in the romantic drama Lekar Hum Deewana Dil in 2014.

Prior to this, he worked as an assistant director at Dharma Productions, contributing to projects such as My Name Is Khan, Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu, and Student of the Year. However, his acting career failed to resonate with audiences. Destiny had other plans. Through perseverance and hard work, he eventually founded The Junglee Kitchen, a delivery kitchen that brings to life the iconic family recipes of the Kapoor family.

Speaking with ANI, Armaan opened up about what made him foray into the food business.

“Initially, you think it’s all glamour and glitz, and it’s easy, and you can just jump into this whole space of cinema and acting. I gave myself a fair shot at acting at that point. I gave eight or 10 years to the whole craft. And it didn’t work out for me. But I mean, of course, you get disheartened. I mean, you tried something for a long time, you’ve invested so much time in a certain space. But if I go back to like, my learning before I was acting, I worked in a production house for three, four years, did about four or five films, got to learn so much there. And today, I am able to put that knowledge into practice”

Armaan said if time is invested in learning something, it is eventually fruitful

“This is my first project as a producer, first time as a showrunner. And I think whatever I did learn, then I think it all comes full circle, you realise later that whatever you kind of, you know, invested your time learning kind of is fruitful eventually. I look at the last 10 or 15 years as just a learning. Yes,acting didn’t work out. But food is something that is such a big part of most Punjabi households, and especially the Kapoors,” he shared.

“And I saw that firsthand, I didn’t get to meet my grandfather, Raj Kapoor. I mean, it was all cinema, cinema, cinema in his era. I mean, I mean, of course, it is today as well. But with my grandmom, my fond memories are just food and get-togethers and, you know, seeing her host people. And I think that that legacy transcended to my mom’s home and then our home. I always felt like preserving a certain part of that legacy, which no one’s really seen before,” he added.

Recalling the influence of his grandmom on his life, Armaan further said, “This takes me back to the years when I started the Junglee Kitchen, which is my food business. It’s just that, when I think of my grandmom, the bite she fed me with, actually, that rice, ghee and dal, it’s something, it’s just so special, which I want to feed to the whole world. And that’s why I started this food business. And it’s all our household recipes. And I’ve obviously tweaked and improvised it. I guess just being a foodie is just something that we all are, and I wanted to take it forward.” (ANI)

The Supreme Court on Thursday clarified that it had not directed the removal of every dog from the streets, and the direction was to treat these stray canines according to the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules.

A three-judge special bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria said, “We have not directed the removal of every dog from the streets. The direction is to treat them as per the rules.”

The apex court also said that dogs can smell people who are either afraid of them or have suffered a dog bite, and they attack such persons.

Today, it heard detailed arguments in the suo motu case it initiated on the issue of stray dogs in public places.

The hearing in the case will continue on Friday.

The bench heard submissions of lawyers, including senior advocates Shyam Divan, Sidharth Luthra, CU Singh, Krishnan Venugopal, Dhruv Mehta, Gopal Sankaranarayanan, and Karuna Nundy.

Senior advocate argued that when there is an abrupt removal of dogs, rodent populations shoot up and leading to unintended consequences. When dogs are housed in shelters in a crowded environment, it leads to the spread of other diseases, the bench added.

Senior advocate Nakul Dewan said that dogs should be microchipped for a record of vaccinations, sterilisation and other benefits and called for setting up an expert committee for examination of the issues involved.

“It is necessary to constitute an expert committee. This is not a problem that can be eliminated in a day. We need to decelerate the growth of community dogs,” he said.

Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for PETA, called for the constitution of an expert committee to examine the issues and submitted that when dogs are housed in kennels, it leads to cruelty, as they are usually kept in a very congested cage.

At the fag end of the hearing, the bench referred to a report published in the Times of India on December 29, 2025, titled “On the roof of the world, feral dogs hunt down Ladakh’s rare species”, and said the lawyers should go through the report and come prepared on that on Friday.

On November 7, the three-judge bench, while taking into consideration the “alarming rise of dog bite incidents”, ordered all states and Union Territories (UTs) to ensure the removal of all stray dogs from every educational institution, hospital, public sports complexes, bus stands, railway stations, etc.

It said all these institutions and places must be fenced properly to prevent the entry of stray dogs.

The stray dogs should not be released to the same spot from which they were picked up, ordered the bench. It had also said that permitting their return would “frustrate the very purpose” of securing such premises and addressing public safety concerns.

It will be the responsibility of the concerned local government institutions to pick up stray dogs from such institutions/areas, and shift them to designated dog shelters after vaccination and sterilisation in accordance with the Animal Birth Control Rules, the apex court had ordered.

The apex court order had come on a suo moto cognisance it took of menace of stray dogs across the country. (ANI)

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has issued a stark warning to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, asserting that US President Donald Trump would “kill” him and other leaders in the regime if they continued to harm their people amid protests spreading across several Iranian provinces triggered by economic hardship, inflation and public anger over government policies.

In an interview with Fox News, Graham showed his solidarity with the demonstrators in Iran, who took to the streets expressing their unrest against the current regime.

He called out to “the Ayatollah”, warning him of US intervention in the region, which would result in his death if he continues to ‘kill and terrorise’ the people of the Islamic Republic.

“To the People of Iran, we stand with you tonight. We stand for you taking back your country from the Ayatollah, who kills you and terrorises the world. We pray for you. We support you. Donald J. Trump is not Barack Obama. He has your back,” the Republican Senator said to Fox News.

“To the Ayatollah: you need to understand, if you keep killing your people who are demanding a better life, Donald J. Trump is going to kill you. To the Ayatollah and his thugs: if you keep killing your people in defiance of President Trump, you are going to wake up dead,” he added.

His remarks come amid heightened tensions following Trump’s threat an intervention during the protests in Iran, stating that Washington was “locked and loaded” to respond if authorities in the Islamic Republic use violence against peaceful protesters.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “If Iran shots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

This comes as people in Iran continue to protest against rising prices and economic hardship, pouring into the streets across several provinces in Iran, with some protests escalating into fatal confrontations with security forces, CNN reported.

Protesters reportedly clashed with police, hurled stones at officers and torched vehicles.

This rhetoric by the MAGA crowd has intensified after the US launched a “large-scale strike” in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas on Saturday and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores.

Maduro and Flores were flown out of the country in a joint operation involving intelligence agencies and US law enforcement. They were indicted on charges of alleged “drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies” in the Southern District of New York and are currently facing trial.

Following their capture, Delcy Rodriguez, the Vice President of Venezuela under Maduro, officially assumed the role of the country’s acting president.

Graham has also issued a warning to the Cuban leadership, stating “help is on the way” to the people there, after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed his concern over the Latin American country following the capture of Maduro. (ANI)

American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars is set to make a major comeback with a new full-length album, marking his return to solo music after nearly a decade.

The Grammy-winning pop superstar announced his upcoming album titled ‘The Romantic’ through the social media platform, generating widespread excitement among fans worldwide.

Taking to Instagram, Mars confirmed the release date of the album and teased fresh music. “New music this Friday. The Romantic coming 2.27,” the singer wrote, announcing that the album will be released on February 27, 2026. He also hinted that a new track from the album will be unveiled later this week.

The announcement came shortly after Mars shared an update about the album’s completion on social media. “My album is done,” he wrote in a post on X, further fuelling anticipation surrounding the project.

‘The Romantic’ will be Bruno Mars’ fourth studio album and his first solo release since ’24K Magic’, which was released in 2016, as per Variety/ While Mars has remained musically active over the years, his recent work largely comprised collaborations and featured appearances rather than solo albums.

In 2024, Bruno Mars also featured on Billboard’s global No. 1 hit ‘APT’ with BLACKPINK singer Rose. The song emerged as a chartbuster and even won the Song of the Year at the MTV Video Music Awards. Earlier in November, it earned three Grammy Award nominations.

Even throughout 2025, Mars dominated the charts with collaborations like ‘Die With a Smile’ – his duet with Lady Gaga. The song was one of the biggest singles of the year, finding a place in the Billboard Hot 100 for five non-consecutive weeks.

The song also became the fastest to reach a billion Spotify streams, as per Variety.

Bruno Mars’ last album, ’24K Magic,’ was released in November 2016, bowing at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

It featured songs like ’24K Magic’, ‘That’s What I Like’, and ‘Finesse (Remix)’ featuring Cardi B. (ANI)

The political confrontation between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Delhi Assembly escalated sharply after Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva strongly condemned Leader of Opposition Atishi Marlena for her alleged remarks on Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur, demanding a public apology and announcing a protest against the AAP leadership.

Speaking on the issue, Sachdeva said, “When the Assembly was paying its tribute to the sacrifices made by Guru Tegh Bahadur ji and the Sahibzaade, at that time, the derogatory words used by LoP Atishi are not worth using anywhere. We strongly condemn it. The public is agitated on this issue.” He added that the BJP has decided to hold a protest demonstration outside the AAP office on Friday against Atishi and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, insisting that Atishi must publicly apologise for her statement.

The controversy unfolded amid a charged atmosphere in the Delhi Assembly during the ongoing winter session. On Thursday morning, proceedings were disrupted as BJP MLAs protested against AAP over the alleged remarks, while AAP legislators countered by entering the House with posters and slogans demanding the resignation of BJP leader Kapil Mishra. The uproar forced the Speaker to adjourn the House for 30 minutes.

The issue comes against the backdrop of AAP’s protest earlier this week at the Delhi Assembly premises over rising air pollution and deteriorating AQI levels in the national capital. Atishi had accused the BJP of “running away” from discussions on pollution and avoiding accountability. She highlighted the severe health impact of poor air quality, claiming children are being forced to use steroid inhalers, hospitals like AIIMS are filled with patients struggling to breathe, and senior citizens are facing life-threatening conditions. She also alleged that AQI data is being manipulated through water sprays, calling the situation a serious public health emergency that requires legislative action.

Meanwhile, AAP MLA and Deputy Leader of Opposition Mukesh Ahlawat wrote to Speaker Vijendra Gupta, questioning the circulation of a video related to Atishi’s remarks. He stated that the video shared by Kapil Mishra is not part of the official Assembly record and raised concerns over how it was obtained. AAP has demanded the release of full Assembly footage, cancellation of Kapil Mishra’s membership for circulating what it terms a manipulated video, and suspension of other MLAs who shared it.

The winter session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly began on January 5 and will continue till January 8. (ANI)

Newspaper circulation across Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) has plummeted sharply in recent years, with industry workers saying the rise of social media and the absence of government assistance have pushed the once-thriving sector to the brink of collapse.

Vendors and publishers state that the industry, which supported thousands of families for decades, is now surviving on a fraction of its former readership.

According to workers who have spent nearly their entire careers in the profession, the decline began after the Covid-19 pandemic, when newspaper prices surged due to high newsprint costs and disrupted supply chains.

Instead of offering relief, the government issued promises of aid that never materialised, leaving workers grappling with financial instability. Many say their daily earnings have fallen to less than a quarter of what they once made.

One of the biggest shifts, they argue, is the dominance of social media. Digital platforms now carry scanned PDF copies of newspapers, freely circulated and widely read, especially among younger audiences, leaving print editions with limited buyers. Most remaining readers are above 50 years old, while government offices remain the only sizeable institutional subscribers.

As circulation shrinks, the livelihoods of newspaper vendors have taken a direct hit. Workers report they can no longer afford quality education for their children, as school fees have risen well beyond their current income.

Healthcare has become another luxury, as treatment at reputable hospitals remains financially unaffordable. Many families are struggling to cover even their monthly rent.

The situation has forced several workers to leave the field altogether, while others remain due to a lack of alternative employment.

Several vendors from Muzaffarabad and surrounding areas report repeatedly appealing for a press support fund to help sustain their businesses, but no such initiative has been implemented. With nearly 70 per cent of newspaper activity declining across PoJK, workers fear the industry may not survive without urgent reforms. (ANI)

With the onset of cold waves this winter in Rajasthan, special arrangements have been made at Nahargarh Biological Park in Jaipur to protect the wildlife from the cold. Changes have been made to the animals’ routine diet, and heaters have been installed in their cages and enclosures to protect them from the cold.

Special arrangements have been made for the wildlife at Nahargarh Biological Park during the winter, and they are also receiving a specialised diet. Senior Veterinary Officer Dr. Arvind Mathur said that in the special diet, tigers, lions, and panthers are being given chicken along with their regular diet. In addition, special care is being taken of the young tiger cubs and lion cubs. They are receiving chicken and chicken soup in addition to their regular diet.

Speaking to ANI, Senior Veterinary Officer Dr. Arvind Mathur said, “Following severe cold, the local administration has arranged to provide relief to the animals in the zoo. Their shelters have been equipped with heaters to keep them warm. Special minerals, vitamin supplements, and a special diet have been planned for the animals.”

Wildlife is also receiving essential protein and calcium supplements. For bears, dates, honey, milk, and eggs are provided as a special diet in addition to their regular diet. The Himalayan black bear, brought to Nahargarh Biological Park a few days ago, is also receiving a special diet of bread, apples, and honey.

According to Dr. Arvind Mathur, wolves, hyenas, and jackals are being given chicken meat and eggs daily. Special changes have also been made to the diet of otters and hippos. They are being given carrots, apples, and bananas as a special diet. The amount of fish given to crocodiles and gharials has been increased.

Similarly, salt bricks have been placed in the enclosures of deer species. Various deer species are being fed green fodder, along with gram lentils and carrots, as a special diet. According to Dr. Arvind Mathur, all wild animals have been dewormed to protect them from the cold. They are also being given vitamins, minerals, calcium, amino acids, and other supplements as needed. Dr. Mathur added that heaters have been installed in the night shelters of all the wild animals to protect them from the cold. The animals’ enclosures have been covered with tarpaulins. All the wild animals are being monitored around the clock. (ANI)

Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday accused the BJP of trying to create fake votes in Uttar Pradesh, following the deletion of 2.89 crore names from the draft electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

He urged people to check their names to ensure their votes are not affected.

Speaking to the reporters in Lucknow, Yadav said, “I appeal to the public to check their names in the draft electoral rolls when they reach the booth level. The public should ensure their vote and not get stuck in the BJP’s false narrative…For the first time, we are seeing that BJP leaders are troubled by SIR in UP. BJP leaders are saying that the number of voters should be increased and are putting pressure on administrative officers.”

“If the BJP makes fake votes, then ‘PDA Prahari’, people from the Samajwadi Party will file an FIR against them. Entire BJP is on a mission to make fake votes as so many votes have been cut…The CM himself is instructing the officers to increase the votes,” he said.

On Tuesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) announced the publication of the draft electoral roll following the completion of the Enumeration Phase of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state. A total of 2.89 crore names were deleted from the draft voter list.

Addressing the press, Navdeep Rinwa said, “The number of enumeration forms we received was approximately 12 crore, 55 lakh. This means that this many people returned the forms signed, indicating that their names should be included in the draft list. There were 46.23 lakh such deceased voters. There are 2.17 crore voters who have migrated, those who have shifted from their place of residence, who have left the house where they were residing when they registered their name in the voter list, and have permanently moved, or are missing or absent, or could not be found by the BLOs in the field. There were 25.47 lakh voters whose names were registered in more than one place on the voter list. In total, 2.89 crore names were not included in the draft voter list.”

A total of 12,55,56,025 electors, out of a total of 15,44,30,092 electors, as per the Electoral Roll on October 27, 2025, have submitted their Enumeration Forms till December 26, 2025, reflecting an overwhelming participation in the first phase of SIR, according to the CEO.

The claims and objections period has been set for January 6, 2026, to February 6, 2026. Any existing or prospective elector may file claims or objections for inclusion of eligible electors or deletion of ineligible names. A total of 403 EROs and 2042 AEROs are in position to scrutinise such cases by February 27, 2026. In addition to that, Additional AEROs have been notified as per the requirement to dispose off the claims and objections, within the prescribed time limit. (ANI)

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said that the party remains committed to giving electoral tickets to common people who earn the trust and support of the public through their work.

Addressing an event in Ludhiana, Kejriwal said AAP is different from traditional political parties as it does not distribute tickets based on money, influence, or family background.

Kejriwal said to ANI, ” Aam Aadmi Party is a party which gives tickets to the common people. You can get a ticket only based on the work you do. Kejriwal will ticket to the one who is liked by the public.”

Reiterating AAP’s founding principles, Kejriwal said the party was created to bring honest and capable individuals from ordinary backgrounds into politics, ensuring accountability and people-centric governance.

Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of being “anti-Punjab and anti-Sikh”. CM Mann demanded a public apology from the party for what he termed a “shameful act” involving the misuse of Guru Teg Bahadur’s name in a video featuring AAP leader Atishi.

In a post on X, Mann alleged that the BJP had added words that Atishi had “never spoken” and inserted the name of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji in a false manner, insulting the revered Sikh Guru.

“The Bharatiya Janata Party has always been against Punjab and Sikhs. Today again, its anti-Punjab and anti-Sikh face has come to the fore, when they, in Atishi Ji’s video–words that she hadn’t even spoken–and by adding Guru Sahib’s name to it, insulted Guru Sahib. For this shameful act, the BJP should apologise to the Sikh community and Punjabis,” the post read.

CM Mann’s remarks came amid the political row following allegations by Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, Atishi. the Delhi Assembly’s LoP had said that the BJP had misrepresented her remarks in the Assembly by adding misleading subtitles to a video clip shared by the BJP Delhi’s X account.

Residents holding Punjab Aadhaar cards and voter ID cards were eligible for up to Rs 10 lakh in health insurance coverage from the state government. The scheme will be formally launched on January 15 by Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

Most beneficiaries will receive their health cards within the next three to four months. Under the scheme, people will be able to avail of cashless treatment at more than 800 private and government hospitals across the state. (ANI)