Joe Root’s form since 2021 has moved him near Sachin Tendulkar’s long-held Test runs record. He has scored 24 centuries in the last five years and has averaged above 55 in each season. Root is now less than 2,000 runs behind Tendulkar. His career has also been helped by strong fitness, with few injuries since his Test debut in 2012. This has allowed him to play most matches each year. England’s heavy Test schedule gives him steady chances to add more runs. At 35, Root already has close to 14,000 Test runs, more than Tendulkar had at the same age. (PC: HT)

An intense cold wave is set to hit the northern plains from January 7, bringing biting cold and dense fog, weather experts said. Day temperatures may fall 4–8°C below normal between January 8 and 16 across Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi. Dense to very dense fog is expected in parts of Jammu and Kashmir and many districts of Uttar Pradesh, including Lucknow, Kanpur and Prayagraj. Visibility may stay poor even during daytime hours. Madhya Pradesh may see a further drop in night temperatures with fog in several cities. Southern states may get light rain but will avoid severe cold for now. (PC: India Today)

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced the Indian Super League will resume February 14 with all 14 clubs participating after being paused due to absence of commercial partner. The tournament will feature 91 matches in single-leg round-robin format on home-and-away basis. Participating clubs include Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, Mohammaden FC, Kerala Blasters, FC Goa, Mumbai City FC, Chennaiyin FC, SC Delhi, Bengaluru FC, NorthEast United FC, Jamshedpur FC, Odisha FC, and Inter Kashi. AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey revealed a Rs 25 crore central pool for ISL conduct, with AIFF contributing Rs 14 crore. The I-League will also resume simultaneously with 11 clubs playing 55 matches.

Jawaharlal Nehru University filed an FIR after students raised "provocative and inflammatory" slogans against PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah during a Monday night protest titled "A Night of Resistance with Guerrilla Dhaba" at Sabarmati premises. The administration warned of strict action including immediate suspension, expulsion, and permanent debarment, stating "universities cannot be converted into laboratories of hate." The gathering, initially 30-35 students commemorating 2020 campus violence, escalated after Supreme Court rejected Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam's bail pleas. BJP leaders demanded severe punishment while Union Minister Giriraj Singh accused opposition parties of turning JNU into a hub for "breaking the country."

Indian-origin Singaporean R Shanmugaratnam, 59, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for falsifying documents in the Wirecard AG fraud case, while Briton James Henry O'Sullivan, 51, received six-and-a-half years. Shanmugaratnam, director of Citadelle Corporate Services, was convicted of 13 charges for falsifying balance confirmation letters between 2016-2018 with fraudulent intent. O'Sullivan was found guilty of five charges for abetting by instigating fraudulent letters. Both misrepresented to auditors that Wirecard AG held hundreds of millions of Euros in Citadelle's escrow accounts, though no money was actually held. Prosecutors called the falsification "unprecedented," with misrepresented balances ranging from €20 million to €327.5 million. Both men will appeal their convictions. (PC: HT)

Controversy erupted at Jawaharlal Nehru University after students allegedly raised provocative slogans against PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah during a January 5 event marking six years of the 2020 campus attack. The gathering, titled "A night of resistance with Guerrilla Dhaba," occurred after the Supreme Court denied bail to former JNU students Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case. JNU's security department requested an FIR for "objectionable" and "inflammatory" slogans, calling it contempt of court. JNUSU president Aditi Mishra defended the slogans as "ideological," not personal attacks. The incident triggered political reactions, with BJP alleging treason while Congress suggested RSS-BJP involvement.

Communal tension erupted in Nepal's Parsa and Dhanusha districts after two Muslim men, Haider Ansari and Amanat Ansari, posted a video allegedly containing religiously insulting remarks. Locals handed them to police, but a mosque was subsequently vandalized in Sakhuwa Maran area of Kamala Municipality, intensifying unrest. Violent protests followed with stone-pelting at police and vandalization of stations; authorities fired tear gas shells and imposed curfew in Birgunj city. India completely sealed its border with Nepal, halting all cross-border movements except emergency services. Sashastra Seema Bal increased patrolling along Maitri Bridge and border areas. Indian migrant workers began returning home as shops and markets closed amid deteriorating security situation. 

Seven European leaders issued a joint statement reaffirming support for Denmark after US President Donald Trump hinted at taking control of Greenland, Denmark's autonomous Arctic territory. Leaders from France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Denmark stressed sovereignty, territorial integrity, and border inviolability are "universal principles" they'll continue defending. The statement emphasized Arctic security as a "key priority for Europe" and critical for international security, noting Greenland holds untapped rare earth deposits and sits on strategic polar routes and missile paths between Russia and the US. Leaders declared "Greenland belongs to its people" and only Denmark and Greenland can decide their matters, reaffirming Denmark is NATO member requiring collective Arctic security. (PC: News 18)

An Indian woman's Google review of a restaurant's Asian food sparked a viral fiery response from owner Wang Tulum. Reviewer Anvita Kotha, a local guide, criticized dan dan noodles and dumplings in chili oil for lacking spiciness despite extra chili oil and salt, though she praised the matcha latte. The owner fired back: "We don't cater your tastes" and "Open your own damn restaurant," explaining recipes reflect personal preferences, not customer demands. Wang criticized "self-entitled" expectations, emphasizing dishes are designed for balance rather than excessive spice. The January 5, 2026 X post gained 1.3 million views with mixed reactions some supporting chef autonomy, others criticizing the owner's aggressive tone.

Punjab Police have detained a 15-year-old boy from Samba district in Jammu and Kashmir for alleged contact with Pakistan’s ISI and terror handlers. He was held in the Madhopur area after intelligence inputs. Police said they found phone numbers of suspected anti-national elements during a scan of his mobile phone. Initial checks suggest he shared photos and videos of Army locations and security sites. SSP Pathankot Diljinder Singh Dhillon said the boy had been in contact with handlers for over a year and data was taken through phone cloning. A case has been filed under the Official Secrets Act as the probe continues. (PC: NDTV)