A woman in Andhra Pradesh allegedly murdered her husband by drugging and suffocating him with her lover's help, then watched pornographic videos beside the body all night. Lakshmimadhuri mixed 20 sleeping pills into biryani served to her husband Lokam Shivanagaraju, an onion trader, on January 18. After he fell unconscious, her lover Gopi arrived around 11:30 pm and pinned him down while she smothered him with a pillow. She claimed heart attack at 4 am, but neighbors noticed injuries and blood near his ear. Autopsy revealed chest fractures and death by suffocation. The couple, married since 2007 with two sons, had disputes over her extramarital affair. Both accused are in custody. (PC: India Today)

US President Donald Trump unveiled his Board of Peace initiative at the World Economic Forum in Davos, claiming "everybody" wants to join. Trump chairs the Executive Council alongside Tony Blair, Jared Kushner, Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff, Marc Rowan, Ajay Banga, and Robert Gabriel. While 59 countries are involved in Middle East peace efforts, 35 have agreed to join, with 20 formally becoming members including Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Pakistan, Turkey, and several European nations like Hungary, Belgium, and Bulgaria. However, major European powers icncluding France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Slovenia declined participation. Countries can serve three-year terms or secure permanent seats by contributing $1 billion to a peace-building fund. (PC: AP)

A disturbing trend of sex-selective abortions has emerged among Indian communities in the UK, with 118 boys born for every 100 girls between 2021-2025, significantly exceeding Britain's national average of 105:100 and the accepted upper limit of 107:100. The ratio dramatically jumped to 118:100 in 2023-24 for third children, suggesting targeted termination of female fetuses. Analysis reveals Indian parents with two daughters are aborting third female children, with approximately 400 terminations estimated between 2017-2021. Experts warn women face family pressure to terminate pregnancies or believe they're "worth more" producing boys. While the Abortion Act 1967 doesn't permit gender-based terminations, enforcement remains challenging amid cultural pressures. (PC: HT)

Ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina delivered a defiant audio message from New Delhi, calling the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government a "murderous, fascist clique" and urging citizens to overthrow the "foreign-serving regime." Speaking at the Foreign Correspondents' Club via audio link during her first formal public appearance with former ministers since fleeing in August 2024, Hasina declared herself "democracy in exile." She accused the administration of creating "murderous anarchy" and targeting religious minorities including Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians. Former ministers Hasan Mahmud and Mohibul Chowdhury Nowfel attended the briefing. With Bangladesh's February 12 elections approaching and Awami League banned from participating, Hasina dismissed the polls as illegitimate under Yunus's "illegal government." (PC: X)

West Bengal faces a Nipah virus outbreak with five confirmed cases in Barasat near Kolkata, prompting authorities to place 100 individuals under home quarantine. The infected include two nurses in ICU, a doctor, another nurse, and a healthcare worker, now receiving specialized care at Beleghata infectious diseases hospital. The Union Health Ministry deployed a National Joint Outbreak Response Team and shared containment protocols. Key precautions include thoroughly washing fruits, avoiding raw date palm sap, maintaining hand hygiene, and not consuming ground fruits showing bite marks. Symptoms appear within 4-14 days, resembling flu initially before potentially causing serious neurological complications. With no approved vaccine or cure, rapid detection and strict isolation remain critical for containment. (PC:X)

Bangladesh is pushing ahead with the Padma Barrage project costing 50,443.64 crore Taka as India-Bangladesh Farrakka Water Treaty renewal talks stall. The 1996 treaty, expiring in 2026, faces complications from deteriorating bilateral ties, with Bangladesh seeking guaranteed dry season flows while India pursues revised terms. Bangladesh claims the barrage is necessary due to disrupted water flow caused by India's upstream Farakka Barrage, affecting 37% of the country. The project aims to store monsoon water and supply seven to eight rivers year-round. Meanwhile, China's involvement in Bangladesh's Teesta Master Plan and recent visits near India's strategic Siliguri corridor add geopolitical complexity to regional water-sharing negotiations. (PC: NDTV)

India's badminton campaign at Indonesia Masters ended in disappointment as PV Sindhu lost to top seed Chen Yu Fei 13-21, 17-21 in the quarterfinals. The match turned dramatic when Sindhu received a yellow card followed by a red card for protesting line calls and delaying play while trailing 12-17. Though the red card was overturned after referee intervention, Sindhu briefly rallied to 17-18 but couldn't complete the comeback. Chen dominated with powerful smashes targeting Sindhu's weak areas. Meanwhile, Lakshya Sen also crashed out, losing 18-20, 20-22 to lower-ranked Thai player Panitchapon Teeraratsakul despite strong defensive play, ending India's challenge at the tournament. (PC: X)

A Pakistani Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist was killed during a joint counter-terrorism operation by Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Army, and CRPF in Kathua district's Billawar area on Friday. The operation was launched following specific intelligence inputs, with the area being cordoned off before contact was established. Search operations continue in the region. This incident occurs just ten days after security forces discovered three terrorist hideouts in the same area. Meanwhile, a separate operation is ongoing in Kishtwar district for the third consecutive day, where terrorists fled into forests after a gunfight that killed one paratrooper and injured seven others. Senior officials are monitoring both operations closely on the ground. (PC: X)

Organisers of the London protest submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Keir Starmer outlining four key demands over alleged persecution of minorities in Bangladesh. These include suspending UK aid and trade, initiating parliamentary debate, pursuing Magnitsky-style sanctions against perpetrators, and appointing a UK special envoy to monitor the situation. The Bangladesh Hindu Association stressed the protest was not against any nation or faith but against injustice. Organisers said continued advocacy and international pressure are essential to protect minority communities and ensure accountability. (PC: Reuters)

The United States has officially left the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 22, 2026. The decision was started by President Donald Trump when he returned to office in 2025. The U.S. government said the WHO did not handle the COVID-19 pandemic properly and needs major reforms. With this move, the U.S. has stopped all funding and is no longer part of WHO meetings or programs. The exit also leaves about $260 million in unpaid dues. Health experts around the world worry this step may weaken global efforts to track diseases and respond quickly to health emergencies. (PC: Reuters)