Month: January 2026

The sale of tickets for the Republic Day Parade 2026, the Full Dress Rehearsal of Beating Retreat, and the main Beating Retreat ceremony will commence from January 5, the Ministry of Defence announced on Sunday.

Tickets will be available for the Republic Day Parade scheduled on January 26, the Full Dress Rehearsal of Beating Retreat on January 28, and the Beating Retreat ceremony on January 29. Sales will continue until January 14, 2026, and tickets can be purchased daily from 9 am until the allotted quota is exhausted.

For the Republic Day Parade, tickets are priced at Rs 20 and Rs 100. Tickets for the Full Dress Rehearsal of Beating Retreat will be available at Rs 20, while tickets for the Beating Retreat ceremony are priced at Rs 100.

Tickets can be purchased online through the Aamantran portal (www.aamantran.mod.gov.in).

In addition, offline tickets will be available at designated counters in Delhi on production of an original photo identity card, such as an Aadhaar Card, Voter ID, Driving Licence, PAN Card, Passport, or an ID card issued by the Central or State government. The same photo ID must be presented at all three events.

Offline ticket counters will operate from January 5 to January 14, 2026, between 10 am and 1 pm, and again from 2 pm to 5 pm, at six locations: Sena Bhawan (near Gate No. 5, inside the boundary wall), Shastri Bhawan (near Gate No. 3, inside the boundary wall), Jantar Mantar (main gate, inside the boundary wall), Parliament House (reception), Rajiv Chowk Metro Station (D Block, near Gates No. 3 and 4), and Kashmere Gate Metro Station (concourse level, near Gate No. 8).

Further information related to Republic Day Celebrations 2026 is available on the official website https://rashtraparv.mod.gov.in/.

India will celebrate its 77th Republic Day on January 26, 2026, with elaborate parades, cultural displays, and a showcase of India’s defence capabilities. The event is expected to attract thousands of spectators, both in-person and via live broadcasts. (ANI)

Popular television couple Jay Bhanushali and Mahhi Vij have announced their separation after nearly 14 years of marriage, sharing the news with their fans through a joint statement on social media.

The couple, known for their long-standing partnership both on and off screen, emphasised that the decision to part ways was mutual and taken with care, respect and consideration for their family.

On Sunday, Jay and Mahhi posted a joint note on their Instagram Stories. In the message, they said they have chosen to “part ways” but will continue to stand by values like “peace,” “growth,” and “kindness.” They made it clear that the decision was “mutual” and taken with care and respect for each other.

“Today, we choose to part ways on a journey called life, yet continue to have each other’s backs. Peace, growth, kindness, and humanity have always been our guiding values for the sake of our children, Tara, Khushi, and Rajveer.”

They went on to share that there is “no villain in this story” and asked people not to jump to conclusions. Stressing that they choose “peace over drama,” the couple requested love, respect, and kindness as they move forward in life.”

“We commit to being the best parents, the best friends, and doing whatever it takes to do what is right for them. Though we walk separate paths, there is no villain in this story, and no negativity attached to this decision,” they added.

“Before any conclusions are drawn, please know that we choose peace over drama and sincerity above all else. We continue to respect one another, support one another, and remain friends, as we always have. With mutual respect, we ask for your respect, love, and kindness as we move forward. Mahhi Vij and Jay Bhanushali,” the statement further read.

Mahhi Vij is widely recognised for her roles in popular television shows like Laagi Tujhse Lagan and Balika Vadhu, while Jay Bhanushali has been a prominent figure in TV serials and reality shows.

The two married in 2011 and later expanded their family through fostering two children, Rajveer and Khushi, in 2017, followed by the birth of their daughter Tara in 2019.

Jay and Mahhi also won Nach Baliye Season 5 in 2013 and were seen separately in reality shows like Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa and Khatron Ke Khiladi. (ANI)

Bollywood couple Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor rang in the New Year with family, giving fans a glimpse into their holiday time.

Alia posted an adorable picture on Instagram on Sunday that quickly caught everyone’s attention.

The ‘Raazi’ actress posted a silhouette photo from what appears to be a beach holiday. The picture shows the family standing by the sea, dressed in soft white outfits. Ranbir Kapoor is seen lifting their daughter, Raha, high in the air, while the little one looks at her father with joy. Alia stands close to them, smiling freely and holding a fairy wand as she watches the moment.

The picture soon won hearts online, and fans were quick to react in the comments section. One fan wrote, “Life in a full circle picture<3, (Aww)dorable.” Another fan commented, “Awww…beautiful pic.”

On the work front, Alia Bhatt will next be seen in the film ‘Alpha.’ As per trade analyst Taran Adarsh, the makers have decided to postpone the release of the film. The move, according to Adarsh, has been made to avoid a clash with Salman Khan’s upcoming war film ‘Battle of Galwan.’

Directed by Shiv Rawail, Alpha is the sixth film in the YRF Spy Universe. The franchise includes films like ‘Ek Tha Tiger,’ ‘Tiger Zinda Hai,’ ‘War,’ and ‘Pathaan.’ Along with Alia Bhatt, the film also stars Sharvari and Bobby Deol in key roles. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced that India is actively preparing to bid for the 2036 Olympics, leveraging its experience in hosting major international events like the FIFA Under-17 World Cup and Hockey World Cup.

The country is also set to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, which will help develop sports infrastructure and showcase India’s capabilities.

While virtually addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 72nd National Volleyball Championship held in Varanasi, PM Modi said, “You may have noticed that over the past decade, several cities have hosted more than 20 international events, including the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, the Hockey World Cup, and various chess tournaments. The 2030 Commonwealth Games are also scheduled to be held in India. India is now actively preparing to bid for the 2036 Olympics…”

Ahmedabad is reportedly bidding to host the 2036 Summer Olympics, with a proposed budget of Rs 34,700 crore to Rs 64,000 crore.

The plan involves twin-city development with Gandhinagar and aims to create world-class facilities, with officials actively engaging with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Highlighting the transformation of India’s sports ecosystem, PM Modi said initiatives such as the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) have played a crucial role in nurturing talent by providing exposure, while the government is working to build better infrastructure and a funding system.

“Because of the TOPS initiative, the sports ecosystem is being developed in India today,” he said, adding that over the past decade, the country has successfully hosted more than 20 international sporting events.

Addressing players participating in the national volleyball event, PM Modi congratulated teams from 28 states, calling their presence a living example of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’.

He said volleyball symbolises balance, cooperation, and willpower, and drew parallels between the sport and India’s development journey.

“Our victory depends on coordination, trust, and preparation. We succeed only when everyone fulfils their responsibilities. Our country is also progressing in the same way,” he said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who also addressed the event, said, “In the last 11 years, we have seen the development of entire India. Every Indian is benefiting from the new model infrastructure that the Prime Minister envisioned. Each and every Indian is benefiting from the government welfare schemes and rising above the poverty line.”

Sports are no longer considered a mere waste of time, but rather a means of holistic development,” he added. (ANI)

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday unveiled their joint manifesto, ‘Vachan Nama’, for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.

The manifesto’s cover prominently featured a photograph of the Thackeray brothers alongside Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.

The Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance pledged to provide affordable housing and strengthen infrastructure across healthcare, public transport, and education sectors.

Under the manifesto, women employed as domestic workers and Koli women are to receive a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 under the proposed ‘Swabhiman Nidhi’ scheme.

The alliance has also said that if it comes to power, it will cut the minimum fare to Rs 5 from Rs 10 and add more buses and routes. They also promised to scrap property tax on homes up to 700 sq ft and change parking rules so that each flat in redeveloped buildings gets one parking space.

The manifesto was announced at a joint press conference at Shiv Sena Bhawan, marking Raj Thackeray’s return to the place after 20 years. Raj Thackeray left Shiv Sena in 2005 due to differences with his cousin Uddhav Thackeray over the future of the party. Balasaheb Thackeray handed the responsibility of the party to his son.

The Thackeray brothers also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at a press conference, accusing it of “threatening” voters and undermining democratic norms ahead of the BMC polls.

Uddhav Thackeray accused Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar of “threatening” candidates and voters and demanded his suspension.

“Rahul Narwekar, who is the chairman of the assembly, openly threatening candidates and voters, is very shocking. Action must be taken against him; he should be immediately suspended… He tells officers to remove the security of the leaders; he has this authority inside the assembly, not outside. A case should be filed against Rahul Narwekar,” he said.

“You have stolen the right to vote from voters by electing candidates unopposed. By-elections should take place at these places,” he added.

Additionally, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief also took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he made “vote theft” allegations.

“This is Jhund shahi, not democracy anymore, even if we catch them red-handed while doing vote chori, now they have started stealing the candidates,” he said.

“We have no comparison with PM Modi, who built Mount Kailash and brought the Ganga to Earth. He was the one who did Samudra Manthan! We are still waiting for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue to come out from the sea where PM Modi had done poojan years back… We dare the Election Commission, show all call records of the Returning officers, we want to see,” he added.

MNS Chief Raj Thackeray flagged concern over BJP and Shiv Sena candidates winning unopposed in the Maharashtra civic polls.

“The BJP had gone to the Supreme Court against the unopposed elected candidates of West Bengal. I want to know what the same party thinks of the unopposed elected candidates of Mahayuti now. Nobody comes with permanent power; if they think they will never be removed from government, they should rethink. I have been saying this for years, they are turning Maharashtra into UP and Bihar. Maharashtra has shown direction to the country. Those who want to come into politics are changing their ideologies,” he said.

Polling for 29 municipal corporation elections across the state, including Mumbai, Pune, and Pimpri-Chinchwad, will be held on January 15, with vote counting scheduled for January 16. (ANI)

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided not to send its senior men’s cricket team to India for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India following a directors’ meeting on Sunday, the Daily Star reported.

The BCB has also asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to shift Bangladesh’s cricket team matches from India to Sri Lanka, the report citing a BCB official added.

Further, as per the Daily Star, BCB is expected to issue an official statement shortly.

The development comes after Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) confirmed on Saturday that the franchise has excluded Bangladeshi player Muztafizur Rahman from its Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 squad following a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

A media advisory issued by the KKR stated, “Kolkata Knight Riders confirms that BCCI/IPL, as the regulator of IPL, has instructed it to release Mustafizur Rahman from the squad ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season.”

Earlier, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the apex cricket board had instructed the IPL franchise KKR to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman “due to the recent developments”.

“Due to the recent developments which is going on all across, BCCI has instructed the franchise KKR to release one of their players, Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh from their squad and BCCI has also said that if they ask for any replacement, BCCI is going to allow that replacement,” Devaijit Saikia told ANI.

Notably, the inclusion of the Bangladesh player sparked a political backlash in India, particularly amid the recent targeting of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, and various opinions have been raised about Mustafizur’s selection by KKR for the IPL 2026 season.

Mustafizur was picked up by the Kolkata-based franchise for a whopping Rs 9.20 crore at the IPL auction in December last year.

Bangladesh are scheduled to open their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on February 7 against two-time champions West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

After the West Indies, Bangladesh will face Italy on February 9 at the same venue, then face the 2022 T20 World Cup champions, England, in Kolkata again.

After facing England, Bangladesh are scheduled to travel to Mumbai to play Nepal at Wankhede Stadium.

The World Cup event will start on February 7 with a match between Pakistan and the Netherlands at Colombo. (ANI)

President Donald Trump on Saturday (local time) said that the oil companies in the United States will “spend billions of dollars” to fix the broken oil infrastructure in Venezuela and “start making money” for the South American nation.

While addressing a press conference in Florida, Trump said the United States was in the “oil selling” business and would provide it to other countries interested in buying.

“We’re in the oil business. We’re going to sell it to them (other countries). We’ll be selling oil probably in much larger doses because they (Venezuela) couldn’t produce very much because their infrastructure was so bad. So we’ll be selling large amounts of oil to other countries, many of whom are using it now. But I would say many more will come.”

Trump said that the oil business in Venezuela has been a “total bust” and will be fixed with billions of dollars of investment by oil companies in the United States to fix the “badly broken oil infrastructure”. He also said that Venezuela’s poor infrastructure had limited its own oil production.

“As everyone knows, the oil business in Venezuela has been a bust, a total bust for a long period of time. They were pumping almost nothing by comparison to what they could have been pumping and what could have taken place. We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country (Venezuela),” he added.

His statement comes after the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a US military operation.

Trump said that the United States will temporarily run Venezuela to ensure peace, justice and a safe transition of power. He added that American authorities will remain in the country until a proper and stable transition takes place.

“We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition. We want peace, justice and liberty for the great people of Venezuela. We can’t take a chance if somebody else takes over Venezuela, doesn’t have the good of Venezuelan people in mind. We’re not going to let that happen. We are there now but we are going to stay until such time till proper transition takes place. We’re going to run it essentially until such time,” he said. (ANI)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged large-scale corruption in the distribution of flood relief compensation in West Bengal, accusing the Mamata Banerjee-led state government of being involved in a scam amounting to nearly Rs 100 crore in Malda district.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP’s central office in New Delhi on Saturday, BJP National Spokesperson KK Sharma said serious irregularities have been detected in the disbursement of compensation meant for flood-affected people. He stated that the issue came to light after multiple applications were filed before the Calcutta High Court, following which the court directed the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to conduct a detailed inquiry and submit a report.

Sharma said that facts emerging from the CAG report, parts of which have been published in newspapers, point towards large-scale misappropriation of public funds. “Based on the facts that have come to light, it is clear that the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal is completely immersed in corruption,” he alleged.

According to the BJP spokesperson, the manner in which compensation meant for flood victims was distributed amounted to “loot and inhuman plunder,” as the relief funds were intended to support people who had already suffered severe losses due to floods. Sharma claimed that irregularities amounting to approximately Rs 100 crore have been revealed through the findings of the CAG report.

Terming the alleged scam shameful and painful, Sharma said flood victims who lost their homes, belongings and means of livelihood were subjected to corruption even in the assistance meant for their rehabilitation. He further said that four major categories of irregularities have come to light during the investigation.

The first category relates to the Harishchandrapur-II area of Malda district, where compensation was reportedly disbursed to around 6,985 people for damage to houses. Sharma alleged that for the same house and the same bank account, compensation was released multiple times, ranging from two to as many as 42 times. He cited an instance in which one individual allegedly received compensation 42 times for the same damaged house, highlighting what he termed as serious corruption.

The second category involves the alleged disbursement of nearly Rs 7.5 crore as compensation for damage to 1,609 pucca houses. Sharma claimed that the District Magistrate’s report for the same district clearly stated that no pucca houses had been damaged during the floods. Despite this, compensation was allegedly paid to 1,609 beneficiaries.

In the third category, Sharma alleged that around 108 individuals, including public representatives, government employees and local Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, were given compensation meant for Below Poverty Line (BPL) flood victims, even though they were drawing regular salaries or holding public office.

The fourth category of irregularity, he alleged, involved the disbursement of approximately Rs 7 crore as compensation to individuals who had not even applied for flood relief assistance.

“These facts clearly show the scale of scams and the insensitivity with which the Mamata Banerjee government has handled money meant for the poor and flood-affected people,” Sharma said.

He added that the matter is currently under consideration in the Calcutta High Court and expressed confidence that justice would be delivered. Referring to the upcoming Assembly elections in the state, Sharma said that along with the judiciary, the verdict of the people would be the greatest form of justice.

“The people of West Bengal will give a fitting reply to this loot, plunder and corruption through their votes and defeat the Mamata government in the forthcoming Assembly elections,” he said. (ANI)

The AICC (All India Congress Committee announced Priyanka Gandhi as the Chairperson of the Assam Congress screening committee on Saturday ahead of the State Assembly Legislative elections 2026.

The Assam Screening Committee is formed with Priyanka Gandhi as the chairperson, with Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, Imran Masood, Dr. Sirivella Prasad as members.

Congress leader Madhusudan Mistry was also announced as the chairperson of Kerala, with T.S. Singh Deo as the chairperson for the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry screening committee.

B.K. Hariprasad was also declared as the West Bengal screening committee’s chairperson. Congress has made moves in poll-bound states to strengthen the party’s campaign for the 2026 Legislative Elections, where they are aiming for electoral wins.

Currently, Asaam is led by the BJP following their win in the 2026 elections.

Earlier, Assam Congress President Gaurav Gogoi on Friday said that the government led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has failed to undertake any visionary plan beyond turning women and economically backward sections of society into mere beneficiaries in the name of welfare schemes.

Addressing a press conference in Tinsukia, he said that the BJP will not be able to mislead the conscious people of Assam.He said that although the Himanta government has decided to provide ₹1,500 to temple attendants, no concrete steps have been taken to make the sattras economically self-reliant.

Stating that the BJP may put up any show of strength it wants, Gogoi said the upcoming Assam Assembly elections will be highly engaging.

“This time, the people of Assam will show the entire country that when a self-respecting populace unites, an arrogant and corruption-ridden government collapses easily. The BJP will not be able to mislead the conscious people of Assam,” he asserted.

Gogoi stated that there is nothing new about distributing schemes, as programmes like Arunodoi exist in almost every state of India. What Assam truly needs, he said, are schemes that can make ordinary people economically self-sufficient.

“During the Congress government, emphasis was laid on economic empowerment. Even sattras were extended such support. As a result, many sattras are still able to sustain themselves independently, at least to some extent,” Gogoi said.

He further added that if the Congress comes to power, the party will study ways to ensure genuine empowerment of women and introduce new schemes accordingly. Real development, he said, can only be witnessed when schemes address the actual problems faced by the people. (ANI)

In a major crackdown on illegal narcotics cultivation, joint security forces destroyed a massive ganja plantation spread across forest land in the Kalamchoura region of Sepahijala district in Tripura, officials said.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs on Saturday, the operation was conducted from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm in the North Kalamchoura, South Kalamchoura, and Anandapur Ghatigarh areas. During the coordinated raid and search operation, around 19 lakh pre-mature ganja plants were uprooted and destroyed on the spot.

Officials said the illegal cultivation covered nearly 650 acres of forest land, with the market value of the destroyed ganja estimated at around Rs 100 crore.

The large-scale operation was jointly conducted by Kalamchoura and Sonamura Police Stations, Bishramganj Police Station, along with personnel from BSF battalions 42, 43, 49, 69 and 81, Tripura State Rifles (TSR) 7th, 9th, 11th, 14th and 14th Women Battalion, the Sonamura Sub-Divisional Forest Department, the District Civil Magistrate (DCM), Sonamura, and the Excise Department, Sepahijala, besides other sister agencies.

The operation was led by the Commandants of the 81 and 42 Battalions, BSF, along with the Additional Superintendent of Police, Sepahijala; the SDPO, Sonamura; and the Deputy Superintendent of Police, DIB, Sepahijala.

Senior officials termed the operation a significant achievement in the ongoing drive against narcotics cultivation. They said such joint actions would continue to protect forest land and curb drug-related activities in the district. (ANI)