LIVE: Trending, top news of January 7, 2026

Bus catches fire near toll plaza in Andhra, all passengers safe

A Visakhapatnam-bound bus caught fire in the early hours of Wednesday, near the Gaman Bridge toll plaza in East Godavari district, police said on Wednesday.

Thanks to the driver's quick thinking, all 10 passengers and crew members were evacuated before the vehicle was engulfed in flames.

The fire broke out as the bus approached the toll plaza around 2 am.

"No injuries or casualties were reported," a police official told PTI.

According to police, the driver suggested that a technical fault in the dynamo triggered the fire.

After the bus halted near the toll plaza, the driver inspected the engine and noticed the sparks. He immediately alerted those on board, who quickly got down.

Police said the driver's swift response helped avert a major mishap.

The crew managed to evacuate the passengers along with the luggage in 10 minutes, police said.

Alternative transport arrangements were made for the affected passengers while officials regulated traffic and initiated a technical inspection to determine the exact cause of the fire.

Commissioning of Samudra Pratap strengthens self-reliance: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the commissioning of home-built pollution control ship Samudra Pratap has strengthened the vision of self-reliance and reflected the commitment to sustainability.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissioned the Indian Coast Guard Ship Samudra Pratap on Monday, India's first indigenously built pollution control vessel and the largest ship in the Coast Guard's fleet so far.

"The commissioning of Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Samudra Pratap is noteworthy for numerous reasons, including the fact that it adds strength to our vision of self-reliance, boosts our security apparatus and reflects a commitment to sustainability, among others," the prime minister said in a post on X.

The vessel will serve as a critical platform for enforcing marine pollution control regulations, maritime law enforcement, search and rescue operations, and safeguarding India’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

The vessel's primary role is pollution response at sea, supported by state-of-the-art systems including side-sweeping arms, floating booms, high-capacity skimmers, portable barges, and a pollution control laboratory.

The ship is also fitted with an external fire-fighting system and integrates advanced systems such as dynamic positioning, integrated bridge system, integrated platform management system, and automated power management system to enhance automation and mission efficiency.

Mamata remembers those killed in Bengal's Netai village 15 years ago

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday paid homage to the nine people, who were shot dead at Netai village in Jhargram district 15 years ago.

In a post on X, Banerjee expressed her “humble respects and salutations” to those who lost their lives in the incident of firing, carried out by armed vigilantes, allegedly sheltered by the then-ruling CPI(M).

“On this day in 2011, nine innocent people lost their lives in Netai village, Jhargram district, at the hands of the Harmad Bahini. I offer my heartfelt tribute to all those martyrs of Netai,” the chief minister said.

The village, bordering the erstwhile Maoist hotbed Lalgarh in Binpur block and falling under the Jhargram Lok Sabha seat, caught national attention when armed vigilantes, allegedly sheltered by the then-ruling CPI(M), opened fire on villagers, killing four women and five men besides injuring 28 others on January 7, 2011.

FIR filed, several detained as police probe if violence during Delhi demolition drive was planned

The Delhi Police on Wednesday registered an FIR and detained several people in connection with the violence that erupted during an anti-encroachment drive near the Syed Faiz Elahi Mosque in Delhi's Ramlila Maidan area, an official said.

At least five police personnel were injured after some people allegedly pelted stones and glass bottles at the force when the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was carrying out a court-mandated demolition on land adjoining the mosque and a nearby graveyard.

Tear gas shells were fired to disperse the crowd and restore order.

While efforts are on to identify those involved in the stone-pelting incident, police is also also probing whether the violence was spontaneous or a pre-planned attempt to disrupt the demolition drive, the official added.

Senior police officers said CCTV footage and video clips circulating on social media are being analysed to identify the miscreants. Statements of witnesses and detained persons are also being recorded as part of the investigation.

Meanwhile, an MCD official clarified that Syed Faiz Elahi Mosque was not damaged during the demolition drive.

The civic body said the demolition drive was carried out in compliance with directions of the Delhi High Court.

ISRO to kick off 2026 with PSLV-C62 launch on Jan 12

ISRO is gearing up for its first launch of the new year with the PSLV-C62 mission on January 12 from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

According to an ISRO official, the primary payload of the mission is the EOS-N1, an imaging satellite built for strategic purposes by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

"The Launch of PSLV-C62 Mission is scheduled on 12 January 2026 at 10:17 hrs IST from First Launch Pad (FLP), SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota," ISRO said in a post on 'X'.

The rocket will also carry a small probe device, Kestrel Initial Demonstrator (KID), developed by a Spanish-based startup, and will remain attached to the PS-4 stage, ISRO added.

Rupee rises 26 paise to 89.92 against US dollar in early trade

The rupee rose 26 paise to 89.92 against US dollar in early trade on Wednesday aided by a weaker greenback and a sharp drop in global crude oil prices.

At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 90.20 against the US dollar but kept rising to trade at 89.92, up 26 paise from its previous close.

The rupee snapped its four-day losing streak to appreciate 12 paise to settle at 90.18 against the American currency on Tuesday.

Anbumani Ramadoss-Edappadi Palaniswami meeting underway in Chennai

A crucial meeting between PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss and AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami is currently underway at the latter's residence on Greenways Road in Chennai.

Anbumani has arrived along with key PMK figures. Senior AIADMK leaders such as D Jayakumar, CV Shanmugam, and others are also present. Discussions are focused on finalising an electoral alliance for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, with expectations that a formal agreement could be signed today. Details on seat allocation for PMK (previously rumored up to 18-25 seats) are likely to be announced soon. This development bolsters the AIADMK-led front, which is already allied with the BJP, amid ongoing efforts to expand the coalition.

Sensex, Nifty down in early trade

Sensex declines 169.64 points to 84,909.30 in early trade; Nifty down 42.35 points to 26,128.90.

Oxford University Press apologises over content on Shivaji Maharaj in 2003 book

Oxford University Press (OUP) India has issued an apology to Udayanraje Bhosale, 13th descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, over certain "unverified statements" made about the Maratha king in a book published more than two decades ago.

In a public notice that appeared in a newspaper, OUP India acknowledged that some statements contained on pages 31, 33, 34 and 93 of the book "Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India", published in 2003, were unverified.

The book, written by American author James Laine, had triggered a row after more than 150 activists from the Sambhaji Brigade ransacked the renowned Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) on Law College Road in Pune in January 2004, alleging that it helped the writer, who allegedly made objectionable remarks about Shivaji Maharaj in the book.

In the notice, the publisher expressed regret over the publication of those statements and tendered an apology to Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale and to the public at large "for any distress and anguish caused".

The apology was issued on behalf of the OUP's former Managing Director, Sayeed Manzar Khan, the notice said.

4 Sabarimala pilgrims injured in road accident in Kerala's Muvattupuzha

Four Sabarimala pilgrims were injured in a road accident near Muvattupuzha here on Wednesday morning when their car collided with a lorry, police said.

Two of the four, all hailing from outside Kerala, suffered serious injuries, while a fifth person travelling with them was unhurt, an officer of Muvattupuzha police station said.

The accident occurred around 6 am when the pilgrims were on the way back from the shrine, the officer said.