Today's news LIVE! Jan 31 | India rejects reference to PM Modi in Epstein files
Catch all the important and trending news updates from India and across the world
Here is the top, trending news of Friday, January 31, 2026, including Indian politics, states’ politics, geopolitics, federal issues, economics, development issues, sports, entertainment, and more.
Read updates below.
Live Updates
- 31 Jan 2026 10:27 AM IST
Djokovic and Alcaraz set up Australian Open final
Novak Djokovic finally beat one of the two men who've been blocking his path to an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam singles title when he edged Jannik Sinner in five sets to reach the Australian Open final on Friday (January 30).
To get that coveted No 25, he'll have to beat the other: Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz.
They're both chasing history in Sunday's championship decider, with Alcaraz striving to become the youngest man at 22 ever to complete a career Grand Slam.
“There's always, for me, also for Carlos because of his age and everything he's achieved, history is on the line for both of us," Djokovic told reporters packed into a small room deep inside the stadium in a brief interview approaching 3 a.m. "Finals of a Grand Slam. There's a lot at stake.”
- 31 Jan 2026 8:34 AM IST
Protests swell in US against Trump's immigration crackdown
Protesters across the US are calling for “no work, no school, no shopping” as part of a nationwide strike on Friday to oppose the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
The demonstrations are taking place amid widespread outrage over the killing Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse who was shot multiple times after he used his cellphone to record Border Patrol officers conducting an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. The death heightened scrutiny over the administration's tactics after the Jan. 7 death of Renee Good, who was fatally shot behind the wheel of her vehicle by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer.
“The people of the Twin Cities have shown the way for the whole country — to stop ICE's reign of terror, we need to SHUT IT DOWN,” said one of the many websites and social media pages promoting actions in communities around the United States. Some schools in Arizona, Colorado and other states preemptively canceled classes in anticipation of mass absences. Many other demonstrations were planned for students and others to gather at city centers, statehouses and churches across the country.
Protests continue in Minneapolis Just outside Minneapolis, hundreds gathered in the frigid cold early Friday at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, the site of regular protests in recent weeks.
- 31 Jan 2026 7:35 AM IST
Trump administration approves new arms sales to Israel worth USD 6.67 billion
The Trump administration has approved a massive new series of arms sales to Israel totalling USD 6.67 billion, including 30 Apache attack helicopters and related equipment and weapons as well as 3,250 light tactical vehicles.
The State Department announced the package of four separate sales late Friday amid rising tensions in the Middle East over the possibility of US military strikes in Iran.
The Apache helicopters, which will be equipped with rocket launchers and advanced targeting gear, are the biggest part of the total package, coming to USD 3.8 billion, according to the department.
The next largest portion are the light tactical vehicles, which will be used to move personnel and logistics “to extend lines of communication” for the Israel Defense Forces and will cost USD 1.98 billion, it said.
- 31 Jan 2026 6:54 AM IST
West Bengal Assembly polls: Amit Shah holds talks with leaders
Union Home Minister Amit Shah held an informal meeting with BJP core committee members after arriving in West Bengal on Friday night on a two-day visit ahead of the Assembly elections in the state.
A senior party leader said Shah was closeted with core committee members in an informal session, where the present political situation in West Bengal and the issues to be addressed by the BJP during campaigning were broadly touched upon.
The meeting, which lasted for about an hour, was attended by senior leaders Bhupender Yadav, Sunil Bansal, Biplab Dev, Samik Bhattacharya, Sukanta Majumdar and Suvendu Adhikari among others, the senior leader said.
"It was an informal session which took place as Amit ji reached his hotel in the New Town area and obviously the present political situation in Bengal came up for discussion as Amit ji asked for opinions," he said.
Shah reached Kolkata airport at around 9:45 pm from Assam and was greeted by senior state leaders like Adhikari, state unit president Samik Bhattacharya and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar.
- 31 Jan 2026 6:47 AM IST
Sunetra Pawar set to take over as Maharashtra Deputy CM
Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar is likely to be sworn in as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister on Saturday, replacing her late husband Ajit Pawar in the cabinet, said Nationalist Congress Party sources on Friday, signalling the party's continuation in ruling Mahayuti and delaying merger talks.
She is be the first woman to hold the post of Deputy CM in the state, where the position was first created in 1978 when the coalition government era began in Maharashtra.
Following the death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in an air crash in Baramati on Wednesday, a section of NCP leaders had demanded that she be given the post held by her late husband in the Devendra Fadnavis-led cabinet.
