Sharada Iyer, a 52-year-old Indian woman living in Muscat, died in a trekking accident in Oman's Jebel Shams region. The former Oman Air manager, originally from Thazhava, Kerala, was trekking with a group along marked paths in the rugged Wadi Ghul area of Al Dakhiliyah Governorate when the accident occurred on January 2. Authorities did not disclose the exact cause of death, but the location's steep cliffs and challenging terrain pose recognized risks. Iyer, daughter of late agricultural scientists RD Iyer and Rohini Iyer and sister of Malayalam playback singer Chitra Iyer, had returned to Oman on December 24 after attending her father's funeral. Her last rites will be performed on January 7 at the family's ancestral home in Thazhava. (PC: Instagram)

The Election Commission of India has summoned cricketer Mohammed Shami and his brother, Mohammed Kaif, for a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearing in Kolkata regarding discrepancies in their enumeration forms. Issues include complications in progeny mapping and self-mapping. Shami, enrolled as a voter in KMC Ward No. 93 under Rashbehari Assembly constituency, informed the ECI he cannot attend as he's representing Bengal in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in Rajkot. His hearing, initially scheduled for January 5, has been postponed to January 9-11. Although born in Uttar Pradesh's Amroha, Shami has been a permanent Kolkata resident for years. This development follows West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's concerns about SIR procedural lapses. (PC: PTI)

Arjun Sharma, accused of murdering Telugu woman Nikitha Godishala in the US, allegedly siphoned approximately $3,500 from her bank account before fleeing to India. The victim's sister, Saraswati, filed a complaint with the Indian Embassy detailing unauthorized financial transactions. Arjun had borrowed $4,500 from Saraswati, returning only $3,500, and requested an additional $1,000 on January 2, which was denied. That same day, the 26-year-old reported 27-year-old data analyst Nikitha missing to Howard County Police, claiming he last saw her on New Year's Eve, then immediately fled to India. His suspicious departure prompted coordination between US federal agencies and Indian authorities, leading to his Interpol-facilitated arrest in Tamil Nadu on Monday. (PC: X)

Venezuela leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have a little-known link with India through the late spiritual teacher Sathya Sai Baba. Maduro was raised Catholic but was introduced to Sai Baba by Flores before their marriage, reports say. In 2005, the couple visited the Prasanthi Nilayam ashram in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, and met the guru. A photo from the visit shows them seated near him. After Sai Baba died in 2011, Maduro, then foreign minister, helped pass a condolence motion in Venezuela’s assembly. In 2025, he also marked Sai Baba’s centenary with a tribute. (PC: HT)

The Bangladesh government has ordered an immediate ban on the telecast of the Indian Premier League across the country. The move follows a row over the removal of fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad for the 2026 season. In a statement, the government said it was not aware of any clear reason for the decision by the Indian board and called it painful for the people of Bangladesh. The order said all IPL matches and related shows must stop until further notice. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has also asked the ICC to move its T20 World Cup matches out of India. (PC: NDTV)

India’s Dust EXperiment, or DEX, has recorded repeated strikes from tiny space dust near Earth orbit. The 3-kg device flew on ISRO’s PSLV-C58 XPoSat mission in January 2024 and worked at about 350 km altitude. It was built by the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad. From January 1 to February 9, the instrument logged clear signals from fast dust particles formed by comet tails and asteroid crashes. Some hits were seen about once every 17 minutes. Scientists say such particles can damage satellites over time. The data will help plan shielding for future missions. (PC: India Today)

The India Meteorological Department has warned that dense fog will continue in many parts of north, central, east and northeast India for the next four to five days. Visibility has fallen below 50 metres in some areas of eastern Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Uttarakhand. Cold day conditions are likely in parts of Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh this week. A cold wave is expected in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Chhattisgarh from January 6. Light rain or snow may occur in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Minimum temperatures may drop by two to three degrees. (PC: HT)

Images have shown former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro being transferred ahead of a court appearance in New York. He and his wife were seized by US forces over the weekend. Maduro faces charges linked to drug trafficking and weapons offences, which he denies. Allies including China and Iran have called on Washington to release him. Beijing said the action breaches international law. At the same time, Delcy Rodríguez is due to be sworn in as Venezuela’s new leader before the National Assembly. US President Donald Trump warned Rodríguez she could “pay a very big price” if she does not cooperate. In response, Rodríguez said the region needs peace and dialogue, not war. (PC: BBC)

A gas leak and fire broke out at an ONGC oil well in Irusumanda village of Andhra Pradesh’s Konaseema district on Monday. Officials said the incident happened during repair work using a workover rig after the well had stopped production. A sudden blowout released large volumes of gas mixed with crude oil, which soon caught fire. Thick smoke and gas spread across the area. Authorities used loudspeakers to warn residents in three nearby villages to avoid using power or lighting stoves. Many people moved out with their cattle. ONGC teams and district officials reached the spot to control the leak and secure the area. (PC: NDTV)

One person has been taken into custody after an incident at the Ohio residence of US Vice President JD Vance, US media reported. CNN, quoting a federal law enforcement source, said several windows were damaged and an investigation is under way. Local outlet WLWT reported broken glass at the scene, with police and the Secret Service present. Authorities said the Vance family was not at home at the time. Officials do not believe the suspect entered the house. Investigators are trying to determine whether the act was aimed at the vice president or his family. No further details on the suspect or motive have been released so far. (PC: HT)