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India pays $35.18 million to UN Regular Budget for 2026

 India has paid USD 35.18 million to the UN Regular Budget for 2026, joining the "honour roll" of 47 Member States who have paid their regular budget dues in full to the world body on time.

The UN Committee on Contributions said that as of February 3, 2026, 47 Member States have paid their regular budget assessments in full, within the 30 day due period specified in UN financial regulations.

India contributed USD 35.18 million to the 2026 United Nations Regular Budget and made the payment on February 3.

Listing the countries making it to the “honour roll” of Member States who have paid their regular budget assessments in full, Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, asked a quiz-style question at the daily briefing about India.

“This country is the home of The Statue of Unity, the world's tallest statue, with a height of 182 metres. [...] Yes, very good, India,” Dujarric said, referring to the statue of Indian political leader Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel situated in Gujarat.

India has consistently been among the countries to pay its contributions to the UN budget on time and in full. 

Mumbai-Pune Expressway traffic resumes after 33 hours; overturned gas tanker removed

Traffic on the Mumbai-bound carriageway of Mumbai-Pune Expressway was restored early on Thursday, 33 hours after a gas tanker overturned in the hilly Khandala Ghat section, officials said.

The tanker, which carried the highly flammable propylene gas, was removed from the accident site near the Adoshi tunnel in the ghat section, allowing the resumption of traffic on the Mumbai-bound carriageway at 1.46 am, an official from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) said.

The Mumbai-Pune Expressway is India's first 6-lane concrete, access-controlled tolled expressway. It spans a distance of 94.5 km connecting Mumbai, Raigad and Navi Mumbai with Pune.

The tanker overturned on the Mumbai-bound carriageway around 5 pm on Tuesday, triggering a massive traffic congestion that left thousands of vehicles stranded for hours on the busy expressway.

Lines of stationary vehicles stretched for as far as 20 km at the peak of congestion. Passengers, including women and children, remain stranded in their vehicles for several hours without food, water, or toilet facilities.

Al Falah University Chairman Javed Ahmed Siddiqui arrested

The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has arrested Javad Ahmad Siddiqui, chairman of the Al Falah University, following two FIRs registered on a complaint by the University Grants Commission (UGC) after the Delhi Blast, an official said.

The action came after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had initiated proceedings in the matter.

The Crime Branch registered the cases over alleged irregularities and forgery related to the functioning of the private university after the blast near the Red Fort.

Siddiqui was produced before a local court, which granted four days of police custody for further questioning, the officer added. Further details awaited. 

PM Modi expected to officiate at rollout of first Tata-Airbus aircraft from Vadodara facility

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to officiate at the delivery of a military transport aircraft from Tata-Airbus' Vadodara assembly line to the Ministry of Defence in the second half of this year, its President International and executive committee member Wouter Van Wersch told reporters at the Singapore Airshow on Wednesday.

The military transport aircraft, C295, is the first "Made in India" project from the Vadodara assembly line, a joint venture between Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Airbus.

Seventy per cent of the components in the making of C295 were sourced from India and 30 per cent imported, including the engine from Connecticut-headquartered Pratt & Whitney.

The Vadodara facility is expected to deliver to the Indian Air Force 40 out of the 56 aircraft to be built under its contract with the Defence Ministry.

Sixteen aircraft have been delivered from the Airbus' Spanish facility.

"That's a big step. All the others will be coming from the India assembly line," Van Wersch said.

In future, the Vadodara facility is also expected to supply aircraft to the regional markets, he added.

Air India Boeing Dreamliner fuel control switch issue: UK seeks details

Air India has been asked by the UK's Civil Aviation Authority to provide details of the incident of a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft facing a fuel control switch issue at London's Heathrow airport before take off for Bengaluru on February 1, a report said.

An Air India pilot reported on February 2 a defect with the fuel control switch of the Boeing 787-8 plane after operating the AI 132 flight. The airline grounded the aircraft for checks after it landed in Bengaluru on February 2.

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Iran, US agree to hold nuclear talks Friday in Oman

Nuclear talks between Iran and the United States will take place Friday in Oman, the Iranian foreign minister said, as tensions between the countries remain high following Tehran's bloody crackdown on nationwide protests last month.

The announcement by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday came after hours of indications that the anticipated talks were faltering over changes in the format and content of the talks. US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, sent a blunt warning to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ahead of the talks.

"I would say he should be very worried," Trump said of Khamenei in an interview with NBC News.

Trump, Xi discuss Iran in wide-ranging call

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the situation in Iran in a wide-ranging call as the US administration pushes Beijing and others to further isolate Tehran.

Trump said the two leaders also discussed a broad range of other critical issues in the US-China relationship, including trade and Taiwan and his plans to visit Beijing in April.

"The relationship with China, and my personal relationship with President Xi, is an extremely good one, and we both realise how important it is to keep it that way," Trump said in a social media posting about the call.

The Chinese government, in a readout of the call, said the two leaders discussed major summits that both nations will host in the coming year that could present opportunities for them to meet. The Chinese statement, however, made no mention of Trump's expected April visit to Beijing.

Trump and Xi discussed Iran as tensions remain high between Washington and Tehran over Iran's bloody crackdown on nationwide protests last month. The US president says he is weighing taking military action against the Middle Eastern country.