In a disturbing case in Panipat, Haryana, a woman has been arrested for the alleged drowning of four children — three girls and her own son — driven by jealousy over their appearance. Investigations revealed each child was submerged in shallow water tubs or tanks, one only about a foot deep — challenging claims of accidental death. Police say she killed the children she believed to be “more beautiful than her” and celebrated after the acts, before finally being questioned and confessing within 36 hours. (PC: India Today)

The Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app will no longer be required to be pre-installed on all smartphones, the Ministry of Communications announced amid widespread backlash. The original directive aimed to mandate the app’s presence on new and existing devices to bolster mobile security, citing ~14 million downloads and daily detection of nearly 2,000 fraudulent connections. Critics — including industry and privacy advocates — raised concerns over user consent and surveillance risks. The government clarified the app remains voluntary: users can delete it and registration isn’t compulsory. (PC: Reuters)

IndiGo faced a major nationwide disruption as nearly 200 flights were cancelled and many others delayed due to an acute shortage of crew following new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules. The updated regulations require longer rest periods for pilots, sharply reducing available staff and pushing the airline’s on-time performance to about 35%. The situation was worsened by winter weather, air-traffic congestion and internal scheduling issues. Passengers across major cities reported long queues and sudden cancellations. IndiGo stated that teams are working continuously to stabilise operations, rebook affected travellers and normalise services within the next 48 hours. (PC: NDTV)

The Supreme Court of India has permitted the return of a pregnant woman, Sunali Khatun, and her eight-year-old son, who were earlier deported to Bangladesh. The Union Government informed the court that it would facilitate their re-entry and monitor them, while the West Bengal Government has been directed to ensure medical support and welfare. The Court clarified that this relief is granted solely on humanitarian grounds and does not settle their citizenship status, which remains under investigation. The bench stressed that human dignity and urgent medical needs justified immediate intervention. (PC: PTI)

The Calcutta High Court’s division bench on Wednesday set aside a single-bench order that had cancelled the appointments of 32,000 primary teachers recruited through the 2014 TET. The court said irregularities were not proven in all cases and noted that removing teachers after nine years would cause serious hardship to families. A CBI probe had flagged issues in only 264 appointments, with 96 more under review. The bench ruled that the entire recruitment process could not be scrapped based on limited faults. The earlier order had cited absence of an aptitude test and allegations of a cash-for-jobs scam. (PC: India Today)

In Nabadwip, West Bengal, a newborn was found abandoned outside a bathroom in a railway colony on a freezing night. Miraculously, a pack of stray dogs stood guard around the baby, keeping it safe until residents arrived at dawn. Locals wrapped the infant in cloth and rushed it to Maheshganj and Krishnanagar Sadar hospitals. Doctors confirmed the baby was unharmed. Police are investigating who abandoned the child. Residents praised the dogs for their protective behavior, saying they showed more care than the unknown person who left the baby. The community offered food to the dogs afterward. (PC: Gemini AI)

A technical glitch disrupted airport check-in systems across India on Wednesday, causing flight delays and confusion. Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport saw crowds of passengers seeking updates, while Bengaluru faced delayed and cancelled flights. Airlines including IndiGo, SpiceJet, Akasa Air, and Air India Express were affected. Microsoft reported global service outages impacting IT systems. Airlines switched to manual check-ins to manage operations. Delhi International Airport warned of possible delays due to operational issues. Air India confirmed the system is now restored and flights are back on schedule. IndiGo offered alternate flights or refunds for affected passengers. (PC: India Today)

Delhi saw more than 200,000 cases of acute respiratory illness in six state-run hospitals between 2022 and 2024, the government told Parliament. Over 30,000 patients required hospitalisation during this period. The capital’s toxic air, worsened in winter, is linked to vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, low wind, cold temperatures, and crop stubble burning. Delhi’s Air Quality Index often exceeds 20 times the World Health Organization limit. Hospitals report rising cases, including among children. The Delhi High Court will hear a petition demanding urgent action to curb pollution. Authorities say more study is needed to confirm the exact cause-effect link. (PC: BBC)

The Supreme Court directed the Union government to bring back Sunali Khatun, a pregnant woman, and her eight-year-old son from Bangladesh on humanitarian grounds. The court asked that she receive urgent medical care and be allowed to stay near her family in Birbhum, West Bengal. The Centre agreed, recording its undertaking in court. The bench emphasized humanity over technicalities and said the child would also receive necessary assistance. The order follows earlier High Court directions and concerns over her deportation without proper inquiry. The SC clarified the move is humanitarian and does not affect the Centre’s legal arguments. (PC: HT)

Union communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday denied claims that the Sanchar Saathi app could be used for snooping. Speaking in Lok Sabha, he said such use of the app was “not possible” and stressed that the government wants to empower people to protect themselves. His remarks came after criticism over a DoT order asking phone makers to pre-install the app on all devices. Scindia said the app is voluntary and can be deleted by users. The Sanchar Saathi platform helps people check mobile connections linked to their IDs, report fraud numbers and trace lost phones. (PC: India Today)