MBBS students at Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College in Jammu and Kashmir are facing sudden uncertainty after the college lost recognition. Barely three months into their course, around 50 students were told the college would close. The National Medical Commission withdrew permission, citing deficiencies. Students say the move followed political protests over the admission of Muslim students. Outside the campus, BJP and right-wing groups celebrated the closure. Inside, students said politics destroyed their future. “We studied medicine, not religion,” a student said. BJP leader Sunil Sharma called the decision “historic.” The college, inaugurated by Narendra Modi in 2016, now stands shut.

Multiple district court complexes in Punjab — including Ludhiana, Ropar (Rupnagar), Ferozepur, Mansa and Moga — were evacuated on Thursday after anonymous bomb-threat emails were received on official judicial addresses, prompting panic and suspension of court proceedings. Security forces, including bomb disposal squads and police, conducted thorough searches, but no explosives were found. Punjab Police cybercrime units traced the threatening emails’ origin to Austria and Germany, with suspects masking identities using VPNs and Tor networks. Officials have sought international cooperation for further investigation amid heightened alert in court complexes. (PC: The Tribune)

Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil has slammed the Centre’s repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), calling the newly enacted Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act “draconian” and harmful to rural workers’ rights. The state cabinet unanimously decided not to accept the VB-G RAM G Act and to challenge it in court, accusing it of violating the right to work and livelihood and undermining panchayat authority. Patil said the repeal strips rural labourers of guaranteed work and decentralised decision-making, prompting legal and public opposition. (PC: ANI)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced a major protest rally in Kolkata on January 9 against Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on the I-PAC office and the home of its chief, Pratik Jain, part of a money-laundering probe. Banerjee has angrily criticised the central agency, accusing it of attempting to seize Trinamool Congress internal data, hard disks and strategy documents linked to election campaigning, and labelled the action politically motivated ahead of upcoming state polls. Thousands of TMC workers are expected to join the demonstration, marking an escalation in the political standoff with the central government. (PC: ANI)

West Bengal Chief Minister **Mamata Banerjee has announced a protest rally in Kolkata on Friday in response to Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids at the I-PAC office and the home of its chief, Pratik Jain, as part of a money-laundering investigation linked to a coal pilferage case. Mamata has described the raids as politically motivated ahead of upcoming elections, alleging attempts to confiscate Trinamool Congress internal documents, hard disks and data. She has vowed demonstrations across the city and across state party units, framing the issue as misuse of central agencies for political ends. (PC: The Hindu)

The family of I-PAC chief Pratik Jain has filed a police complaint in Kolkata, alleging that important documents were stolen during an Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid at their Loudon Street residence. The raid, conducted in connection with a money-laundering investigation linked to the coal pilferage case, reportedly began early morning and continued for nearly nine hours. Jain’s wife approached the Shakespeare Sarani police station, claiming personal and official papers went missing during the search. The police have confirmed receipt of the complaint and said the matter is under verification and inquiry. The ED also searched I-PAC offices, sparking political controversy.

A Bengaluru-based entrepreneur, Suraj Biswas, founder and CEO of deep-tech startup Assessli, has publicly defended Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal, drawing on his own experience as a former Zomato delivery partner in 2020–21. In a LinkedIn post, Biswas said his time delivering food helped him pay college fees, support his early team and stay financially independent, with monthly earnings of around ₹40,000, and he knew riders earning up to ₹90,000. He described gig work as offering independence, dignity and opportunity, and rejected calls to ban ultra-fast delivery models, arguing that flexibility and tech-led platforms create economic mobility. (PC: LinkedIn)

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence said it detected 77 Chinese military aircraft and 17 naval vessels operating around the island as of 6 a.m. local time, during large-scale drills by China’s People’s Liberation Army. Of the aircraft, 35 crossed the median line into Taiwan’s Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ), the ministry added, and it monitored and responded to the activity. The exercises, dubbed “Justice Mission 2025,” involve joint Army, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force units and have raised concerns about regional stability and risks to civilian air and sea traffic. 

Actor and politician Divya Spandana, known as Ramya, reacted on social media to a remark made by the Supreme Court during a hearing on stray dog attacks. The court said it is hard to judge “what mood a dog is in the morning” and that this creates a risk of attacks. Referring to the comment, Ramya wrote, “Put all men in jail?” to question how fear should be applied in public policy. Her post was widely shared online. The hearing is part of a case on how states handle rising cases of stray dog bites and the safety of people in public places, especially children and the elderly. (PC: HT)

A male hippopotamus at Alipore Zoo in Kolkata has stayed in its water enclosure for the past 14 days during a cold wave. Zoo officials said the young hippo stopped leaving the pool around Christmas and is eating very little. Vets have tried to draw it out with food, but it returns to the water after feeding. The animal usually comes out before dusk. The hippo arrived from Odisha’s Nandankanan Zoo in September 2024 with a mate, which died days later. Officials are checking if illness or stress after the loss is causing the behaviour. The enclosure is now closed to visitors. (PC: BBC)