The BCCI had informally approached former India batter VVS Laxman to take charge of the Test team after India’s 0–2 home series defeat to South Africa, a report said. The move came even though current head coach Gautam Gambhir is under contract until the 2027 ODI World Cup. This was the second time Laxman was contacted, after a similar outreach last year before Gambhir’s appointment. Laxman declined again, saying he is happy as Head of Cricket at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The report said the board still has doubts about Gambhir’s red-ball role, with India sixth in the World Test Championship. (PC: HT)

The Congress is dealing with new internal tension after senior leader Digvijaya Singh made an online post seen as praising the BJP and the RSS. Singh said the BJP-RSS allows workers to rise from the ground level to top posts, sharing a photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with L K Advani. He later said he remains opposed to the RSS ideology. Party leaders gave mixed reactions. Pawan Khera rejected Singh’s view, while Mallikarjun Kharge stressed that Congress does not do politics in the name of religion. Sachin Pilot said the party is united. Others backed Singh, saying his words were misread. (PC: NDTV)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a major overnight Russian attack on Kyiv showed Moscow does not want peace. The strike lasted about 10 hours and used missiles and drones. Local officials said two people were killed and 32 were injured. Energy damage left about 40% of homes in Kyiv and nearby areas without heating. Zelensky said Russia launched almost 500 drones and 40 missiles at energy and civilian sites. Russia said it used long-range weapons to hit military-linked facilities. Zelensky made the remarks while travelling to Florida for talks with US President Donald Trump on a new 20-point peace plan. (PC: BBC)

Security agencies have flagged the presence of more than 30 Pakistan-linked terrorists operating in the Jammu region this winter. Officials say sustained pressure has pushed these groups into higher and middle mountain areas of Kishtwar and Doda, where civilian movement is limited. The Army has expanded counter-terror work since the start of Chillai Kalan on December 21. Forward winter bases and temporary surveillance posts have been set up in snowbound zones. Patrols are sweeping ridges, forests, and remote valleys. Operations are being carried out with the police, CRPF, and local defence groups using drones, thermal cameras, and ground sensors. (PC: India Today)

In Bangladesh, the political group Inqilab Moncho has called for “all-out” blockades in all divisional cities, starting Sunday, as part of escalating protests demanding justice for slain leader Sharif Osman bin Hadi. The announcement follows ongoing sit-ins and road blockades, particularly at Shahbagh in Dhaka, where activists have disrupted traffic while demanding the arrest and trial of Hadi’s killers. Protesters briefly moved to accommodate BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s visit to Hadi’s grave, but have since resumed demonstrations. Leaders warn the movement will continue — even escalate — until justice is delivered. (PC: Reuters)

U.S.-backed airstrikes have struck two Islamic State-linked militant camps in the Bauni forest of Sokoto State, northwest Nigeria, targeting foreign fighters infiltrating from the Sahel, the Nigerian government said. The operation, approved by President Bola Tinubu and coordinated with U.S. forces, involved 16 GPS-guided munitions launched from maritime platforms and was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on social media, who said the group had targeted Christians. Nigerian authorities reported no civilian casualties, though debris fell in nearby towns in Sokoto and Kwara states. Officials highlighted heightened security cooperation amid rising extremist threats in West Africa. (PC: Reuters)

Switzerland’s Army Chief, Lieutenant General Thomas Suessli, has warned that the country is currently unable to defend itself against a full-scale military attack, particularly amid rising geopolitical tensions with Russia, according to his interview with a Swiss newspaper. He said Switzerland is prepared for cyberattacks and assaults by non-state actors, but faces major equipment shortages, with only about one-third of soldiers fully outfitted. Suessli stressed that neutrality alone is not enough without credible military strength and called for increased defence spending and modernisation, including new fighter jets. However, planned upgrades face financial constraints, and full readiness is unlikely before 2050, he said. (PC: The Hindu)

In London, members of the Indian and Bangladeshi Hindu diaspora held a protest outside the Bangladesh High Commission, condemning reported killings of Hindus in Bangladesh and demanding international attention and protection for minority rights. Demonstrators chanted slogans like “Hindu Lives Matter” and played Bangladesh’s national anthem to highlight alleged violence against Hindu minorities. However, a small group of pro-Khalistan activists arrived, chanting their slogans and waving flags, leading to a brief confrontation before UK police intervened to separate the groups and restore order. The incident reflects deep-seated tensions among diaspora factions over religious and political issues. 

Hyderabad-based Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) has urged Australian health authorities to review a recent alert about counterfeit rabies vaccine batches circulating in India, saying the warning may cause undue public anxiety. The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation had cautioned that fake Abhayrab vaccine batches might have been in use since November 2023, advising travellers to consider revaccination. IIL countered that the issue involved only one specific counterfeit batch identified and reported in January 2025, which is no longer on the market, and has asked for the advisory to be revised to reflect the isolated nature of the incident. 

In Satna district, Madhya Pradesh, a woman has accused Ashok Singh, husband of a BJP councillor, of raping her at knifepoint, secretly recording the assault and then threatening her with the video to coerce compliance, according to her complaint to police. A viral clip shows Singh allegedly telling her, “Nothing will happen to me,” asserting influence and intimidating authorities, while the distraught woman talks about filing a complaint. She alleges ongoing harassment and fear for her and her family’s safety. Police are verifying the video and evidence and have begun investigation; no confirmed arrest yet.