Colonel Sofiya Qureshi has been awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in the 2026 Republic Day honours for distinguished service. She became widely known during the 2025 media briefings of Operation Sindoor. Years earlier, in 2020, the Supreme Court had cited her service while ruling in favour of granting Permanent Commission to women officers. The court said her career showed women could serve in command roles alongside men. It noted her leadership of an Indian Army contingent at Exercise Force 18 in 2016 and her service in UN peacekeeping missions in Congo. Colonel Qureshi belongs to the Corps of Signals and has served in multiple operations and relief missions. (PC: X)

US President Donald Trump extended Republic Day greetings to India, calling the two countries partners linked by a “historic bond” despite ongoing trade and policy disputes. In a message shared by the US embassy in New Delhi, Trump highlighted shared democratic values between the United States and India. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also marked the occasion, stressing growing cooperation in defence, energy, critical minerals and emerging technologies. US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor attended the Republic Day parade in New Delhi and pointed to US-made aircraft in the flypast as a sign of close strategic ties. The messages came amid strained relations due to tariffs and stalled trade talks. (PC: India Today)

Storm Chandra is set to bring heavy rain, strong winds and snow across large parts of the UK, increasing the risk of flooding and travel disruption. The Met Office has issued an amber rain warning for southwest England, with yellow rain alerts covering London, the South East, Wales and Northern Ireland. An amber wind warning is in place for Northern Ireland on Tuesday, where gusts could reach up to 75 mph in coastal areas. Snow is expected over higher ground in northern England and Scotland, with up to 20 cm possible. Forecasters warned that rain falling on already saturated ground could worsen flooding. People have been advised to monitor weather updates and warnings closely. (PC: Sky News)

A growing number of Republican senators are urging a full investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, U.S. officials and news reports say. Pretti, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, died on January 24 during an operation by Border Patrol agents amid protests against federal immigration enforcement. Critics including Senators Thom Tillis and Bill Cassidy want a comprehensive probe of the incident and greater cooperation with local authorities. President Donald Trump told the Wall Street Journal his administration is “reviewing everything” and may withdraw agents from the area. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Pretti approached agents with a semi-automatic handgun. (PC: BBC)

India plans to sharply reduce import duties on cars from the European Union as part of a proposed free trade agreement, a Reuters report said. Tariffs could be cut to 40% from current levels of up to 110% for a limited number of vehicles priced above 15,000 euros. The duty may fall further to 10% over time. The move would improve access for European carmakers such as Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Sources told Reuters that electric vehicles will be excluded from the cuts for the first five years. Officials from India and the EU declined to comment. Talks on the trade pact are close to conclusion, the report added. (PC: NDTV)

Pakistan is considering skipping its group-stage match against India at the T20 World Cup 2026 after a dispute with the International Cricket Council. According to a report by Pakistan’s Geo News, the Pakistan Cricket Board is weighing options to protest the ICC’s refusal to move Bangladesh’s matches away from India. One option includes forfeiting the February 15 match in Colombo, while another is withdrawing from the tournament. The ICC has warned that a withdrawal could cause major financial losses and long-term damage to Pakistan cricket. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said a final decision will be taken after consultations with the Pakistan government. Bangladesh has withdrawn and was replaced by Scotland. (PC: India Today)

A new study by the London School of Economics shows widening wealth gaps among ethnic groups in the UK. The report found that median household wealth rose sharply for Indian-origin people since 2012, alongside gains among white British households. In contrast, wealth among people of Pakistani origin declined significantly over the same period. Several other minority groups, including black African, black Caribbean and Bangladeshi households, reported very low accumulated wealth. The study used data from the UK Household Longitudinal Survey between 2012/14 and 2021/23. It also found that UK-born Indians hold higher wealth than non-UK-born Indians and white British adults, driven mainly by home ownership and investments. (PC: Moneycontrol)

An audio recording of US Senator Ted Cruz has revealed internal criticism of President Donald Trump’s trade policy and claims about a stalled India-US trade deal. In the recording, reported by Axios, Cruz said Trump’s tariff push faced resistance from some Republicans and hurt negotiations with India. He blamed Vice President JD Vance, White House adviser Peter Navarro and, at times, Trump himself for blocking the agreement. The audio, recorded in 2025 during private donor meetings, also captured Cruz describing tense calls with Trump over tariffs. Cruz warned that high tariffs could damage the economy and affect election outcomes. The White House has not commented on the claims. (PC: NDTV)

Lollapalooza India 2026 Day 2 at Mahalaxmi Racecourse drew large crowds as Linkin Park headlined the evening in Mumbai. The band performed a career-spanning set, including In the End, Crawling, Faint and Numb, with strong audience participation throughout. It marked their Mumbai debut and second show in India after Bengaluru. Newer songs such as The Emptiness Machine and Heavy Is The Crown were also part of the set. Other performances on Day 2 included Kehlani, who collaborated with Talwiinder, LANY, Calum Scott, Sammy Virji, BUNT., and Nubiyan Twist. Indian acts Bloodywood, Karsh Kale, and OAFF x Savera also featured prominently.

The United Arab Emirates has dropped its proposal to operate Islamabad International Airport, dealing a setback to Pakistan. The plan had been under discussion since August 2025. Pakistani daily The Express Tribune reported that the UAE could not finalise a local partner to manage airport operations. The decision came soon after UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed’s brief visit to New Delhi, where India and the UAE advanced defence cooperation. While no official political reason was cited, the move comes amid shifting Gulf ties and Pakistan’s efforts to deepen defence links with Saudi Arabia. The withdrawal signals reduced confidence in Pakistan’s aviation and governance framework. (PC: HT)