Jan 14 News Live: India vs New Zealand ODI: Mitchell's ton powers Kiwis to victory

President Murmu lauds ex-servicemen on Veterans' Day

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday (January 14) lauded ex-servicemen on Veterans' Day, saying their unwavering courage continues to inspire every Indian.

"Occasions such as Veterans' Day and Armed Forces Flag Day are not only opportunities to pay tribute to our brave soldiers, but also to extend meaningful support to them. I am confident that our veterans will continue to remain deeply committed to the cause of the nation," the President said in a post on X.

"On Veterans' Day, I salute the valour, dedication, and sacrifice of our ex-servicemen. Their unwavering courage continues to inspire every Indian," Murmu said.

Armed Forces Veterans's Day is celebrated on January 14 every year to recognise the service rendered by the first Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Field Marshal K M Cariappa, who retired on this day in 1953.

TN celebrates 'Bhogi' with bonfires leading to mild smog; Chennai airport issues advisory

The "Bhogi" festival celebrated ahead of the harvest festival Pongal across Tamil Nadu with bonfires leading to mild smog briefly in some areas on Wednesday (January 14).

Celebrated on the eve of 'Pongal', the harvest festival in Tamil Nadu, those things that are not needed were discarded as part of the Bhogi celebrations.

Keeping with the tradition, people lit bonfires early on Wednesday morning and youngsters beat drums in front of their houses marking the arrival of the festival.

Flight operations in the domestic sector were unaffected as the presence of the fog and smog was mild and lasted only for a while, according to a PTI report quoting airport sources.

In an advisory, the Chennai Airport under the weather and smog alert for Bhogi festival said, "Smog due to Bhogi festival activities and winter weather conditions may affect flight operations, causing delays, diversions or cancellations." "Passengers are requested to check flight status in the Flight Information Display Systems. And keep in touch with respective airlines. We regret the inconvenience caused. Safety of passengers is our priority," it said.

However, residents in several urban neighbourhoods said the smell of bonfires was noticeably weaker than in previous years, suggesting that the practice of burning waste declines every year.

Parts of Dal Lake freezes as Kashmir reels under severe cold

Parts of the famous Dal Lake here and several water bodies in Kashmir froze on Wednesday (January 14) as sub-zero minimum temperatures across the Valley dropped further.

The Kashmir Valley is in the midst of 'Chilla-i-Kalan,' a 40-day period of extreme cold, when the chances of snowfall are the highest. It began on December 21 and will end on January 30.

Srinagar recorded a low of minus 5.2 degrees Celsius on Tuesday (January 13) night, down from the minus 4.9 degrees Celsius recorded the previous night, weather department officials said. Shopian in south Kashmir was the coldest place in the Valley, where the mercury settled at minus 7.5 degrees Celsius.

Parts of several water bodies, including the interiors of the Dal Lake, froze due to severe cold. Pahalgam, a popular tourist spot in south Kashmir, which also serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath yatra, recorded a low of minus 6 degrees Celsius.

The India Meteorological Department has said a western disturbance is approaching Kashmir and is likely to affect the Valley's weather from January 16. 

Fire breaks out at BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad's official residence in Delhi

A fire broke out at the official residence of BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad on Mother Teresa Crescent Marg here on Wednesday morning, an official of the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said.

There were no casualties in the incident. It was not immediately known if the Patna Sahib MP was home at the time of the incident.

A call regarding the fire at Prasad's residence was received around 8.05 am. The fire broke out in some furniture kept in one of the rooms of the house, the DFS official said.

Three fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the blaze was brought under control by 8.35 am. No one was injured in the incident, he said.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

Delhi Police's Forensics Team was also at the spot.

Pongal shining symbol of richness of Tamil traditions: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday greeted people of Tamil Nadu and Tamils across the globe on the occasion of Pongal, and said it is a shining symbol of the richness of Tamil traditions.

In a letter in Tamil and English, Modi also said that Pongal is also about expressing gratitude to all those who enrich our lives with their hard work.

"Dear fellow citizen, Vanakkam!| I extend my heartfelt greetings to you and your family on the joyous occasion of Pongal. This special festival reminds us of the close relationship between human labour and the rhythms of nature," Modi said in his letter.

The prime minister noted that it is a festival deeply connected with agriculture, the hardworking farmers, rural life and the dignity of work.

He said the families come together to prepare traditional dishes and share joy and goodwill and this strengthens bonds across generations and reinforces the spirit of togetherness.

"We in India take pride in the fact that we are home to the oldest language in the world, Tamil. It is gladdening to see Pongal emerge as a global festival. It is celebrated enthusiastically in Tamil Nadu, in different parts of India and by the Tamil community across the word," he said.

"Once again, warm Pongal wishes to you. May this festival bring an abundance of prosperity, success and good health to everyone's lives," Modi said.

The prime minister's outreach to the Tamil community is significant ahead of the assembly polls in Tamil Nadu this year. 

Crane collapse derails train in Thailand, 22 dead

A construction crane falls on a passenger train in northeastern Thailand, killing at least 22. The incident happened in Sikhiu, Nakhon Ratchasima, 230 km northeast of Bangkok.

Lakhs of pilgrims take holy dip on Makar Sankranti; heavy rush at Gangasagar Mela

Lakhs of pilgrims took a holy dip on Wednesday morning at the confluence of the Hooghly river and the Bay of Bengal in West Bengal's Sagar Island on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.

The pilgrims braved the winter chill to take a dip at sunrise and offered prayers at the Kapil Muni Ashram on the island in the South 24 Parganas district, where the revered Gangasagar Mela is underway.

The auspicious timing for the 'shahi snan' is scheduled to begin at 1.19 pm and will continue for 24 hours.

In view of the huge gathering from different corners of the country, the state government has made elaborate arrangements at Sagar Island, located around 100 km from Kolkata.

A senior official said that more people are expected to take a dip at the confluence of the sea and the Hooghly river, a distributary of the Ganga, as the auspicious timing for the 'shahi snan' is yet to begin.

Besides, security has also been beefed up across the districts, and at the railway stations and bus stands in Kolkata in view of the annual fair, he said.

For the first time, advanced water drones, also known as 'rescue drones', have been deployed for continuous surveillance along the shore, he said.

"These drones have been stationed specifically to enhance monitoring around Kapil Muni's Ashram and the main bathing ghats. These rescue drones are capable of carrying a load of up to 100 kg and quickly evacuating pilgrims in distress," he added. 

Rupee recovers 11 paise to 90.12 against US dollar in early trade

The rupee rebounded from low levels and gained 11 paise to trade at 90.12 against the US dollar in early deals on Wednesday, tracking lower crude oil prices and retreating American currency overseas.

Domestic equity markets also showed resilience even as traders stayed cautious, watching geopolitical developments and awaiting US inflation numbers that are expected to provide cues for the Federal Reserve's policy move, forex analysts said.

At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 90.26 and strengthened up to 89.94 level before trading at 90.12 against the greenback, 11 paise higher from the closing level of the previous session.

On Tuesday, the rupee declined 6 paise to close at 90.23 against the US dollar.

Meanwhile, the dollar index, which measures the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.01 per cent lower at 98.90.

TVK calls Rahul's support to Jana Nayagan 'friendly gesture'

Actor-politician Vijay-led TVK has said it considered Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s support to Vijay-starrer 'Jana Nayagan' as a "friendly gesture" whereas Tamil Nadu Congress has maintained that their leader's statement was aimed at "undemocratic methods" of Censor board and no 'political motive' behind it.

Since the Karur stampede on September 27, 2025, he was supportive, and his statement today in favour of the Vijay's final film, and opposing the Centre was a friendly gesture, a senior leader of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam said on Tuesday.

He, however, declined to be drawn into any speculation on poll alliance and said this decision could only be made by the party chief.

The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee said Gandhi's statement was only aimed at the 'undemocratic methods' of the Censor Board and there was nothing political or electoral motivation behind the statement.

"Our leader Rahul’s statement hitting out at the I&B Ministry for its attempt to block Jana Nayagan is to unmask the real face of Modi-led government, which is not only undemocratic, but fascist and the statement has nothing to do with Tamil Nadu politics," a senior Congress leader said.

In Tamil Nadu, the Congress party will only align with the DMK, and this was 200 per cent clear. "There will be no change at all," he added.

A TVK leader said: "Right from the beginning, Rahul Gandhi is friendly towards our party founder leader Vijay.

When the Karur stampede happened, he spoke to Vijay. Today, he has given this statement in support of 'Jana Nayagan' and opposing the Centre." He further said, "though we welcome the friendly gesture, we do not want to get into any speculation and all alliance decisions are only taken by our party chief."

Earlier in the day, Gandhi said in a post on the social media platform 'X' that "the I&B Ministry's attempt to block Jana Nayagan is an attack on Tamil culture." "Mr Modi, you will never succeed in suppressing the voice of the Tamil people," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.

China had record USD 1.2 trillion trade surplus in 2025

China's trade surplus surged to a record of almost USD 1.2 trillion in 2025, the government said on Wednesday, as exports picked up in December.

Customs data showed that China's global surplus rose 20 per cent from the previous year, with exports at USD 3.77 trillion and imports at USD 2.58 trillion. The 2024 trade surplus was USD 992 billion.

China's exports for December were up 6.6 per cent from the previous year, better than economists' estimates and higher than November's 5.9 per cent year-on-year increase. Imports in December were up 5.7 per cent year-on-year, compared to November's 1.9 per cent.

Economists expect exports to continue to support China's economy this year, despite trade friction and geopolitical tensions.

“We continue to expect exports to act as a big growth driver in 2026,” said Jacqueline Rong, chief China economist at BNP Paribas.