Jan 14 News Live: India vs New Zealand ODI: Mitchell's ton powers Kiwis to victory
Catch all the important news updates from India and across the world
Here is the top, trending news of Wednesday, January 14, 2026, including Indian politics, states' politics, geopolitics, federal issues, economics, development issues, sports, entertainment, and so on.
Read updates below.
Live Updates
- 14 Jan 2026 10:48 PM IST
India vs New Zealand ODI: Mitchell's ton powers Kiwis to victory
Indian spinners were out-bowled on home turf once again and KL Rahul’s unbeaten ton was eclipsed by Daryl Mitchell’s splendid 131 not out as New Zealand levelled the three-match series 1-1 with a seven-wicket win in the second ODI in Rajkot on Wednesday.
New Zealand not only adapted but also executed better than India on a sluggish wicket here at the Niranjan Shah Stadium to keep the hosts to 284/7 despite Rahul’s 91-ball 112 not out (9 fours, 1 six), and overhauled the target in 47.3 overs to end at 286 for three.
The series-deciding third ODI will be played in Indore on Sunday.
Young and Mitchell, among the architects of New Zealand’s 3-0 Test series win over India on their previous visit, batted with poise and control even as the asking rate hovered over six an over.
- 14 Jan 2026 8:52 PM IST
Maharashtra votes for high-stakes civic polls tomorrow
As Maharashtra heads to the elections on Thursday (January 15) for 29 municipal corporations, the spotlight is firmly on Mumbai, where the BJP-led Mahayuti is locked in a keen battle with the united Thackeray cousins Raj and Uddhav for control of the cash-rich BMC.
Polling for the 2,869 seats spread across 893 wards will begin at 7.30 am and end at 5.30 pm. A total of 3.48 crore voters are eligible to decide the fate of 15,931 candidates. In the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), whose annual budget is over Rs 74, 400 crore, 1,700 candidates are vying for 227 seats in elections being held after a four-year delay.
Except for Mumbai, the other urban bodies have multi-member wards. Vote count will take place on January 16.
The polls, being held after a gap of several years due to various legal and administrative delays, are being seen as a “mini assembly battle” that will test the ground strength of the split factions of the Shiv Sena and the NCP, as well as the electoral prowess of the ruling Mahayuti and the Congress.
These are the first BMC polls since the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena when Eknath Shinde broke away with a majority of the party’s MLAs. The undivided Shiv Sena held sway over India’s richest civic body for 25 years (1997-2022).
More than 25,000 police personnel will be deployed across Mumbai to oversee elections to the BMC and vote counting.
- 14 Jan 2026 8:46 PM IST
Sabarimala gold case: SIT arrests former TDB member K P Sankara Das
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold-loss case on Wednesday arrested former Travancore Devaswom Board member K P Sankara Das from a private hospital here, sources said.
He was arrested in the two cases related to the loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frames, the source said.
His arrest comes days after the Kerala High Court questioned why Das has not yet been arrested in connection with the two cases. He is the 12th person to be arrested in the cases.
Das’s arrest comes days after Kandararu Rajeevaru, the temple’s chief priest, was held by the SIT after prolonged questioning.
Das is likely to be produced in court in Thiruvavanthapuram on Thursday (January 15) for being remanded, the source said.
- 14 Jan 2026 8:40 PM IST
No Infosys employee held by US, says CEO Salil Parekh
Infosys CEO and Managing Director Salil Parekh on Wednesday clarified that no employee of the IT major has been apprehended by US authorities, dismissing viral social media reports about a purported deportation of a staffer.
“A few months ago, one of our employees was denied entry into the US and was sent back to India,” Parekh said.
The clarification comes in the wake of a post on social media platform X by a user named Chetan Anantharamu, which went viral earlier this week.
The post narrated what Anantharamu described as a “wild wild story” involving an Infosys employee from Mysuru who was allegedly on-site for a project in the United States.
According to the post, the employee was purportedly “picked up” by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents and given just two hours to pack his belongings before being offered a choice between jail or deportation.
The post further claimed that the employee was escorted by agents to the airport and subjected to humiliation during a transit in Frankfurt, alleging that public announcements were made on the aircraft stating he should not be allowed to escape.
Heightened scrutiny of the US H-1B visa programme, including a USD 1,00,000 fee for new visas, social media screening and unpredictable processing delays, has complicated cross-border delivery for Indian firms. The US remains the largest export market for India’s USD 280-billion IT industry.
- 14 Jan 2026 8:27 PM IST
Thousands of devotees witness 'Makaravilakku' at Sabarimala
Thousands of devotees thronged the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa in Sabarimala on Wednesday to witness the ‘Makaravilakku’, marking the climax of the annual two-month-long pilgrimage season, amid heavy rush.
Clad in black attire and carrying the traditional ‘irumudi kettu’ on their heads, pilgrims waited for hours along the forest pathways and temple precincts to have darshan of the deity on the auspicious day.
Undeterred by the crowd, devotees continuously chanted the ‘Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa’ mantras as they moved slowly towards the sanctum sanctorum.
In the evening, the sacred ornaments known as ‘thiruvabharanam’ were brought to the hill temple from the Pandalam Palace, around 85 kilometres away, in a ceremonial procession that began two days earlier.
- 14 Jan 2026 8:01 PM IST
Operation Sindoor still underway, enemy closely monitored: Army chief
Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Wednesday said Operation Sindoor is still ongoing and every move of the enemy is being closely monitored.
Speaking at the investiture ceremony at the South Western Command in Jaipur, he said the Army, Navy and Air Force jointly engaged nine terrorist camps and infrastructure in Pakistan with precision in just 22 minutes during Operation Sindoor.
"Operation Sindoor is still ongoing, and we are keeping a close watch on every move of the enemy," he said.
He said following the Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 22, 2025, a clear decision was made at the highest level that India would take decisive action.
"Operation Sindoor was the result of this resolve. Within 88 hours, our precision, professionalism and operational superiority forced Pakistan to agree to a ceasefire," he said. PTI
- 14 Jan 2026 6:42 PM IST
'Zubeen Garg was very drunk, declined life jacket': Singapore cops tell coroner's court
Singapore police, ruling out any foul play in the death of Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, told a coroner’s court on Wednesday (January 14) that the singer-songwriter was very drunk, and refused to wear a life jacket when he entered the sea.
Garg drowned off Lazarus Island near Singapore on September 19, 2025.
- 14 Jan 2026 4:29 PM IST
Infosys Q3 net profit falls 2.2 per cent to Rs 6,654 crore
IT services major Infosys on Wednesday (January 14) reported a 2.2 per cent decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 6,654 crore in the October-December quarter of FY26.
The Bengaluru-headquartered firm had registered a net profit (attributable to owners of the company) of Rs 6,806 crore in the year-ago period.
Infosys' revenue from operations grew 8.89 per cent to Rs 45,479 crore compared to Rs 41,764 crore in Q3 FY25.
On the quarter-on-quarter basis (Q2 FY26), its profit fell 9.6 per cent, while revenue increased 2.2 per cent.
"Infosys delivered a strong Q3 performance, demonstrating how our differentiated value propositions in enterprise AI, through Infosys Topaz, are consistently driving higher market share.
"Clients increasingly view Infosys as their AI partner with demonstrated expertise, innovation capabilities and strong delivery credentials. This has helped them unlock business potential and enhance value realisation. Central to this journey is our commitment to re-skill, transform and empower our dedicated human resource pool to drive success in an AI augmented world," Infosys CEO and MD Salil Parekh said.
Shares of Infosys settled at Rs 1,599.05 apiece on the BSE on Wednesday, 0.07 per cent higher than the previous close.
The financial results were announced after market hours.
- 14 Jan 2026 4:20 PM IST
Battle for Kerala Congress: Why every ruling front wants a slice of the party
The Kerala Congress, the sub-regional party rooted in Central Kerala, holds a distinction unmatched in the state’s political history. Since its birth more than six decades ago, at least one Kerala Congress faction has been part of every government in Kerala, whether led by the Communists or the Congress. Today, both major political fronts continue to host Kerala Congress factions.
As Kerala moves closer to the 2026 Assembly elections, this fractured yet influential political formation has once again become central to electoral calculations. This time, however, the spotlight is not only on where Kerala Congress factions stand, but on how far the UDF is willing to go to expand its base. - 14 Jan 2026 4:13 PM IST
Indian Embassy urges nationals to leave Iran as protest toll crosses 2,000
With the death toll in protests in Iran crossing 2,000, the Indian Embassy in Iran on Wednesday (January 14) has advised all Indian nationals, including students, pilgrims, businesspersons and tourists, to leave the country at the earliest using available options, including commercial flights.
“In continuation of the advisory issued by the Government of India on 5 January 2025, and in view of the evolving situation in Iran, Indian nationals who are currently in Iran (students, pilgrims, business persons and tourists) are advised to leave Iran by available means of transport, including commercial flights,” stated the embassy.
“It is reiterated that all Indian citizens and PIOS should exercise due caution, avoid areas of protests or demonstrations, stay in contact with the Indian Embassy in Iran and monitor local media for any developments. All Indian nationals in Iran are requested to also have their travel and immigration documents, including passports and IDs, readily available with them. They are requested to contact the Indian Embassy for any assistance in this regard,” it added in a post on X.
“In view of the ongoing developments in Iran, Indian nationals are once again strongly advised to avoid travel to the Islamic Republic of Iran until further notice. MEA’s advisory issued on 5 January 2026 may also be referred to,” stated the MEA.
