Top Stories

Donald Trump finished a year into his second term in January 2026.

Donald Trump finished a year into his second term in January 2026. His first year has seen monumental changes, both in domestic policy and international approaches. What has been done so far? And what have the impacts been? The United States Department of Education was created by Andrew Jackson after the Civil War in 1867. The Trump administration is turning the US into a ‘model for how to dismantle’ academic freedom. Economic concerns are high on the list, with 87% of those surveyed worried about rising tuition costs. Curbing of free speech (84%) and a liberal bias (77%) are also major concerns.

Sunetra Pawar is set to take oath as Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister on Saturday.

Sunetra Pawar is set to take oath as Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister on Saturday. She will replace her late husband and NCP chief Ajit Pawar in the state cabinet. The 62-year-old leader will be elected leader of the NCP legislature wing at a party meeting in Mumbai this afternoon. She is set to be elected from the Baramati assembly seat in the by-election. NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar said that he was unaware of Ajit's wife being being sworn in as Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister. He said the NCP must have made the decision.

Border 2 continues its run in cinemas across India, though the film has started showing clear signs of fatigue after a powerful opening week.

Border 2 continues its run in cinemas across India, though the film has started showing clear signs of fatigue after a powerful opening week. The war drama opened to packed theatres and strong national interest. On Day 8, Border 2 witnessed another significant dip in earnings. Border 2 is a standalone sequel to the 1997 blockbuster. Along with Sunny Deol and Varun Dhawan, the film features Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty. The supporting cast includes Mona Singh, Sonam Bajwa, Anya Singh, Pranav Vashisht and Medha Rana.

The US government entered a partial shutdown on Saturday.

The US government entered a partial shutdown on Saturday. Congress failed to approve a 2026 budget before the midnight deadline. This triggered a lapse in federal funding, causing a partial shutdown. The shutdown was triggered by Democratic opposition to federal immigration agents killing two protesters in Minneapolis. However, the disruption is expected to be brief as the House plans to approve a Senate-backed deal early next week. If shutdown continues, tens of thousands of federal workers could be furloughed or required to work without pay until funding is restored. Departments affected include education, health, housing and defence, among others.

The US Department of Justice has released more than three million documents linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The US Department of Justice has released more than three million documents linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The documents shed new light on years of investigative material, emails and public tip submissions. One set of documents tied to public controversy involves emails Epstein wrote to himself in 2013 that contain unverified allegations about Bill Gates’ personal life. A spokesperson for Bill Gates strongly rejected the assertions contained in the documents, calling them ‘absolutely absurd and completely false’ The release comes under the new Epstein Files Transparency Act passed by the US Congress and signed into law in November 2025. The documents include emails, public tip submissions and other material.

Sunetra Pawar set to be sworn in as Maharashtra's first woman Deputy Chief Minister.

Sunetra Pawar set to be sworn in as Maharashtra's first woman Deputy Chief Minister. She is expected to contest the Baramati assembly seat in the forthcoming by-election. Sharad Pawar paid rich tribute to Ajit Pawar, describing him as a committed leader who worked tirelessly for the people. He dismissed speculation about a possible merger between the two NCP factions or participation in the NDA. He said key political decisions were being taken by senior leaders of the rival NCP faction in Mumbai without his involvement. The decision was taken by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and not by the family.

Ajit Pawar, 66, died early Wednesday morning when his private aircraft crash landed in Baramati, the home turf of the Pawar family.

Ajit Pawar, 66, died early Wednesday morning when his private aircraft crash landed in Baramati, the home turf of the Pawar family. He will be known as the longest-serving deputy CM of Maharashtra, though non-consecutively, so far. His wife Sunetra Pawar will take oath as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra today. She will be chosen as leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) - the faction led by her late husband. Ajit Pawar led the NCP faction that split in 2023 from the parent party founded by his uncle Sharad Pawar.

Harry Brook says he was trying to protect teammates when he was hit by bouncer.

Harry Brook says he was trying to protect teammates when he was hit by bouncer. The incident happened in Wellington, New Zealand, on October 31. Two of his teammates were fined for their part in the incident. Brook says he will continue to "reflect" on the incident. The English media reported the incident during the Ashes, claiming that the bouncer stopped Brook from entering a nightclub. It happened on the eve of the third ODI between England and New Zealand and Brook almost lost his captaincy because of it. The incident took place on the verge of England’s final ODI against New Zealand.

Silver prices fell by more than 31% on Friday, following a broader sell-off in precious metals.

Silver prices fell by more than 31% on Friday, following a broader sell-off in precious metals. The decline came after President Donald Trump nominated Kevin Warsh as the next Federal Reserve chair. Investors reacted to the shift in market conditions, selling metals and reducing risk exposure. Spot silver tanked 39% to $74 per troy ounce after touching a record high of $121.60 earlier in the week. Silver could continue its rally if supply tightness persists and geopolitical risks remain elevated. Technical indicators indicate that the market is overbought, increasing the likelihood of short-term corrections.