TODAY NEWS ON January 31, 2026

Sunetra Pawar likely to be sworn in as Maharashtra’s first woman Deputy Chief Minister

Sunetra Pawar, wife of the deceased Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar, is set to become the first woman Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. The NCP plans to hold its Legislature Party meeting at 2 p.m. on Saturday (January 31, 2026) to choose its new Legislature Party leader to replace Mr. Pawar. A small swearing-in ceremony is likely to happen after that, top sources from the NCP told The Hindu on Friday (January 30, 2026).

Thousands rally in Minneapolis as immigration anger boils

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Minneapolis on Friday (January 30, 2026) in the latest show of anger over President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, as a prominent U.S. journalist was charged over his coverage of protests in the northern city. People marched with signs blasting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the agency leading Mr. Trump’s mass deportation drive, in response to a call for a “national shutdown” across the United States.

Delhi car blast: Terror module wanted to target global coffee chain outlets

The group of doctors arrested in connection with the November 10, 2025, Red Fort car-borne suicide attack that killed over a dozen people was allegedly conspiring to bomb the outlets of a global coffee chain, whose founder is a Jew, a source in the government told The Hindu. The “white collar terror module” had been active for the past four years, the source said.

CBFC files caveat in Supreme Court in Jana Nayagan case

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has filed a caveat in the Supreme Court seeking that no order should be passed without hearing it in connection with the release of actor Vijay-starrer Jana Nayagan. A caveat is filed by a litigant in the high courts and the Supreme Court to ensure that no adverse order is passed against it without it being heard.

U.S. Justice Department releases many more records from its Jeffrey Epstein files

The Justice Department on Friday (January 30, 2026) released many more records from its investigative files on Jeffrey Epstein, resuming disclosures under a law intended to reveal what the government knew about the millionaire financier’s sexual abuse of young girls and his interactions with the rich and powerful.

Last chance for India, New Zealand to tune up ahead of T20 World Cup

Next week, the Men in Blue will begin their defence of the T20I World Cup in Mumbai. Before that, though, they have some unfinished business in this smaller, quieter coastal city. They may have sealed the five-match T20I series against New Zealand in the shortest way possible: winning the first three games. But, after that, they suffered a reverse in the fourth match at Visakhapatnam.

Venezuela’s acting President Rodriguez dials PM Modi, agrees to take bilateral ties to new heights

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez on Friday (January 30, 2026) and the two leaders agreed to take the bilateral relations to new heights in the years ahead. The phone call between Ms. Rodriguez and Mr. Modi was the first since the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife by the United States.

AI171 crash probe: AAIB assessing various aspects; nothing has been ruled out, says source

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) team probing last year’s fatal Air India plane crash is examining certain components of the aircraft and assessing various aspects, and “nothing has been ruled out” in terms of the factors that could have led to the accident that killed 260 people, according to a source.

SIR in Bengal: Cricketer Jhulan Goswami summoned for hearing

Former India women’s cricket team captain Jhulan Goswami has been summoned for a hearing under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, along with her two siblings, over a discrepancy in their father’s name, an official said on Friday (January 30, 2026). Their father’s name appeared as “Nishith Ranjan Goswami” in some documents and “Nishith Goswami” in others, he said.

NGT warns action against officers for lapses on curbing illegal mining

In a matter related to illegal sand mining in the Ganga, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) pointed out lapses on the part of the Director of Geology and Mining, Uttar Pradesh, and the Member Secretary of Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) and warned that any future non-compliance would invite prosecution, including penal consequences, as per a recent judgment.

‘Kerala for All’ knowledge conclave on inclusive and accessible tourism from Saturday

‘Kerala for All,’ a two-day knowledge conclave on inclusive and accessible tourism convened by the Kerala Tourism in partnership with The Hindu Group, will begin at the Hotel Grand Hyatt, Kochi, on Saturday (January 31, 2026). Policymakers, industry leaders, designers, economists, accessibility practitioners, and travellers will share the stage on the first day as it will bring together policy intent, expert perspectives, lived experience, and design practice to debate on the central question of what it will take to make tourism truly inclusive.

Supreme Court says right to menstrual health a fundamental right; orders free sanitary pads for school girls

The Supreme Court on Friday (January 30, 2026) declared that the right to menstrual health and access to menstrual hygiene management (MHM) measures in educational institutions is part of the fundamental right to life and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution. “Dignity cannot be reduced to an abstract ideal; it must find expression in conditions that enable individuals to live without humiliation, exclusion, or avoidable suffering.

Rupee hits lowest-ever level of 92.02 against U.S. dollar; ends with marginal gain

The rupee on Friday (January 30, 2026) hit its record low of 92.02 before ending a tad higher at 91.97 against the U.S. dollar, amid a firm American currency and volatile geopolitical cues. Forex traders said sustained withdrawal of foreign funds and a negative trend in domestic equities weighed on investor sentiment.

Why indefinite relaxation of norm on weekly rest, leaves for pilots: HC asks DGCA

The Delhi High Court on Friday (January 30, 2026) questioned the DGCA on the “indefinite” relaxation given to airlines with respect to the implementation of new norms on weekly rest and leaves for pilots. Issuing notice on a public interest litigation (PIL) on the issue, a Bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia asked the aviation regulator to explain the “rationale” behind its decision to immediately withdraw the new flight-duty norm which said that “no leave shall be substituted by weekly rest”.

Government imposes import curbs on three pharma ingredients for one year

The government has imposed a minimum import price on three components used in the production of penicillin-class antibiotics — Penicillin G-potassium, 6-APA, and Amoxicillin Trihydrate, according to a notification. These three ingredients have been kept under the restricted category for one year. “The import of Penicillin G-potassium... 6-APA... and Amoxicilline Trihydrate... having CIF (cost, insurance, freight) value of less than ₹2,216 per kilogram, ₹3,405 per kilogram, and ₹2,733 per kilogram respectively, are restricted for a period of one year from the date of publication of this notification,” Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification dated January 29.

As SC stays UGC equity rules, protection to marginalised castes came from a Constitutional promise to end ‘historical oppression’

Petitioners criticise that the University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026 is based on an “unfounded presumption” that caste discrimination is “uni-directional”. They argue that the 2026 Regulations wrongly imagine that only members of Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) are affected by caste bigotry. The stimulus behind the 2026 Regulations was a petition filed jointly by the mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi in the Supreme Court against “rampant” caste discrimination in higher education institutions.

Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt to reopen on February 1, Israel says

Israel will reopen the Rafah ​border crossing on Sunday (February 1, 2026) for people ‌to travel between ​Gaza and Egypt, the Israeli Government agency that coordinates civilian policy in Gaza, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), said on Friday (January 30, 2026).

Trump names former Federal Reserve Governor Warsh as the next Fed chair, replacing Powell

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday (January 30, 2026) that he will nominate former Federal Reserve official Kevin Warsh to be the next chair of the Fed, a pick likely to result in sharp changes to the powerful agency that could bring it closer to the White House and reduce its longtime independence from day-to-day politics.

Trump says Iran wants deal, U.S. ‘armada’ larger than in Venezuela raid

President Donald Trump said on Thursday (January 29, 2026) he believed Tehran wanted to make a deal to avoid military action, adding that the U.S. “armada” near Iran was bigger than the one he dispatched to topple Venezuela’s leader. “We have a large armada, flotilla, call it whatever you want, heading toward Iran right now, even larger than what we had in Venezuela,” the Republican President told reporters in the Oval Office.