LIVE: Today's top trending news

Four students killed in high-speed crash in Telangana

A birthday celebration ended in tragedy early on Thursday when a speeding car crashed into a roadside tree near Mirzaguda in Chevella, killing four college students and leaving one injured.

According to police, the incident occurred around 1.30 am under Mokila police station limits, when the group was returning from a friend's birthday party. Preliminary investigation suggests that overspeeding was the cause of the accident.

The victims, four of whom were BBA students and another an engineering student, included the young man whose birthday they had just gathered to celebrate. "Five students aged 18 to 21 were in the vehicle travelling at a high speed. The driver lost control of the car and hit a tree, resulting in the death of four," an official said.

The impact was so severe that the car split into two, police said, adding a girl student survived the crash and is undergoing treatment at a hospital. 

US tariffs on India may rise up to 500% as Trump backs Russia sanctions bill

US tariffs on imports from India and China could rise sharply, potentially by up to 500 per cent, as early as next week after President Donald Trump approved a bipartisan sanctions bill enabling Washington to “penalise” countries that “knowingly” purchase oil from Russia.

In a post on X, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said the President cleared the legislation, which will also sanction countries purchasing Russian uranium, after they held a “productive” meeting on Wednesday (January 7), adding that it could be put to a vote as early as next week.

He said the president “greenlit” the Russia sanctions bill that has been in the works for months. The hard-hitting sanctions package is primarily meant to economically cripple Moscow as the Trump administration continues to negotiate a deal to end the war that began with Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Click here for more details. 

Australia wins Ashes series 4-1 with a five-wicket victory in Sydney

Australia completed a 4-1 Ashes series victory with a five-wicket win in the fifth and final cricket test on Thursday. The Australians bowled England out for 342 on the fifth morning of the series finale and were chasing 160 for victory.

Tension grew with a succession of wickets and a contentious DRS review before Alex Carey hit the winning runs to guide the Australians to 161 for five in 31 overs.

Carey finished unbeaten on 16, Cameron Green was unbeaten on 22, and 39-year-old Usman Khawaja was sent into retirement with a victory.

The Australians retained the Ashes after winning the first three tests. England rebounded to win the fourth test in Melbourne.

Trump proposes increase in 2027 defence spending to USD 1.5 trillion

President Donald Trump on Wednesday proposed setting military spending at USD 1.5 trillion in 2027, citing “troubled and dangerous times.” Trump called for the massive surge in spending days after he ordered a US military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and spirit him out of the country to face drug trafficking charges in the United States. US forces continue to mass in the Caribbean Sea.

The 2026 military budget is set at USD 901 billion.

Trump in recent days has also called for taking over the Danish territory of Greenland for national security reasons and has suggested he's open to carrying out military operations in Colombia. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ominously warned that longtime adversary Cuba “is in trouble.” “This will allow us to build the Dream Military' that we have long been entitled to and, more importantly, that will keep us SAFE and SECURE, regardless of foe,” Trump said in a posting on Truth Social announcing his proposal.

He added that he feels comfortable surging spending on the military because of increased revenue created by his administration through tariffs imposed on friends and foes around the globe since his return to office.

Delhi demolition drive: Portion of mosque's property razed, claims Owaisi

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has alleged that a portion of a Waqf-owned property of a mosque in Delhi was demolished and blamed the "black" Waqf (amendment) Act.

An anti-encroachment drive near the Faiz-e-Elahi mosque in Delhi's Ramlila Maidan area on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday triggered violence as many people hurled stones at police personnel amid a social media post claiming that the mosque, opposite the Turkman Gate, was being demolished. Five police personnel were injured in stone pelting, prompting the police to lob tear gas shells.

"At 1:30 AM, the property of a mosque near Turkaman Gate was razed. It is a Waqf property as per a gazette notification of 1970. The demolition drive is just the beginning after passing the Waqf Act in Parliament. People should understand the happenings in the country and give a strong message to the ruling parties through their votes," Owaisi said addressing a rally on Wednesday for Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar civic polls.

Click here for ground report. 

Veteran ecologist Madhav Gadgil passes away at 83 in Pune

Madhav Gadgil, the renowned ecologist, passed away in Pune on Wednesday night at the age of 83, after a brief illness.

"I am very sorry to share the sad news that my father, Madhav Gadgil, passed away late last night in Pune after a brief illness," his son, Siddhartha Gadgil, said in a statement.

Gadgil was widely known for his pioneering work on the Western Ghats and was the founder of the Centre for Ecological Sciences. He also served as a member of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India.

Trump orders US withdrawal from 66 UN-linked global organisations

The Trump administration will withdraw from dozens of international organisations, including the UN's population agency and the UN treaty that establishes international climate negotiations, as the US further retreats from global cooperation.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday (January 7) signed an executive order suspending US support for 66 organisations, agencies and commissions following his instructions for his administration to review participation in and funding for all international organisations, including those affiliated with the United Nations, according to a US official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a presidential decision that had not yet been publicly announced.

Most of the targets are UN-related agencies, commissions and advisory panels that focus on climate, labour and other issues that the Trump administration has categorized as catering to diversity and “woke” initiatives.

Read the details here.

4 killed in clashes between residents, mining operators in Afghanistan

Clashes between residents and operators of a gold mining company in northern Afghanistan left four people dead and five others injured, officials have said.

Three residents and one company employee were killed in the violence that occurred Tuesday in the Chah Ab district of Takhar province, Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qane said. He did not specify what triggered the clashes or who owns the company.

In a statement, Qane said a company security employee and a resident were arrested in connection with the violence. He said security forces quickly restored order, and the deputy governor of Takhar had also visited the district to assess the situation. The company's operations have been suspended, Qane said.

Akbar Haqani, the provincial spokesman, said authorities visited the area where clashes erupted and further details will be released after officials conclude their investigation.

Four killed, 6 injured in road accident in Nashik

Four people, three of them from Rajasthan, were killed and six others injured in a head-on collision between two cars in Nashik district of Maharashtra on Wednesday afternoon, police said. The accident occurred on a national highway in Dindori taluka of the district, they said.

According to police, at around 3 pm, an Ertiga car going towards Peth from Nashik collided head-on with a Scorpio SUV coming from the opposite direction near Chachadgaon toll plaza, leaving four people dead.

The deceased were identified as Chogalal Hiralal Gurjar (75), Kishanlal Hiralal Gurjar (45) and Poonam Gurjar (40), all residents of Devgarh in Rajsamand district of Rajasthan. They were travelling in the SUV. Ertiga car driver, Shahrukh Khan Farakat Khan (28), a resident of Silvassa in Dadara & Nagar Haveli, also died in the crash, police said.

As many as six people received injuries in the accident, and they were admitted to Nashik District Hospital and a private hospital, according to police. Both vehicles were badly damaged in the accident.

Vedanta founder Anil Agarwal's son passes away after skiing accident in US

Vedanta Chairman Anil Agrawal’s 49-year-old son Agnivesh died on Wednesday (January ) in a New York hospital following a skiing accident. In an emotional post on X, Agarwal described it as “the darkest day” of his life, adding that the loss has shattered his family.

“Today is the darkest day of my life. My beloved son, Agnivesh, left us far too soon. He was just 49 years old, healthy, full of life, and dreams. Following a skiing accident in the US, he was recovering well in Mount Sinai Hospital, New York. We believed the worst was behind us. But fate had other plans, and a sudden cardiac arrest snatched our son away from us. No words can describe the pain of a parent who must bid goodbye to his child. A son is not meant to leave before his father. This loss has shattered us in ways we are still trying to comprehend,” Agrawal wrote.