Times of India

The Gujarat high court ruled that an insurance company must pay compensation if it can't prove negligence by the vehicle owner in verifying a truck driver's license. The court dismissed ICICI Lombard's appeal against awarding Rs 19 lakh to a victim's family, citing insufficient evidence that the truck owner knew about the invalid license.

The government has started the process of appointing a new chief election commissioner as Rajiv Kumar is set to retire on February 18. The selection panel, which includes the Prime Minister, leader of the opposition, and the Union home minister, will meet after the PM's US trip, likely on February 17, to discuss the candidates.

Former Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat and 15 others have been cleared in the Kadnekar Mines case linked to the alleged delay in mining lease renewal, costing the state Rs 135 crore. An SIT report had implicated Kamat for permitting the delay despite IAS officers’ recommendations.

The US Army will no longer accept transgender individuals for enlistment or perform gender transition-related medical procedures. This follows a directive from Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, emphasizing military unity and compliance with President Trump's earlier executive order regarding transgender military personnel.

The Kerala government has restored full funding for nine minority scholarships that were previously reduced by 50%. The decision comes amid criticism and aims to support students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. An additional Rs 11 crore has also been allocated for the Margadeepam scholarship, increasing its total plan size to Rs 20 crore.

Maharashtra agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate faced backlash for comparing the Re 1 crop insurance scheme to begging, amid widespread rejection of claims. He clarified his comments were about scheme misuse, while critics call for free applications to prevent fraud. Opposition demands an apology for farmers.

Police have yet to identify three of the 31 Maoists killed in the Bijapur encounter. The remaining 28 carried a cumulative bounty of Rs 1.1 crore. Among the dead was Hunga Karma, a senior Maoist commander with a bounty of Rs 8 lakh. Nine were area committee members, and seven belonged to the 'platform party committee'.

In a move to address the reluctance of IAS officers opting for central deputation, the latest empanelment of joint secretaries includes only 16 out of 119 officers from the 2009 batch, the lowest in recent years. This strict adherence to the norm requiring a minimum of two years of central government service aims to send a strong message.

Delhi high court has overturned an international arbitration tribunal's ruling in favor of Reliance Industries Ltd, stating that RIL unjustly enriched itself by extracting gas migrating from ONGC's adjacent blocks. The court has set aside previous judgments and dismissed the arbitral award, highlighting a breach of contract terms in the process.

Syed Ruknuddin Ahmad, an RJD MLA, is accused of kidnapping and assaulting Rehan Fazal, a JD(U) functionary, including forcing him to drink urine. The allegations came after RJD chief spokesperson Shakti Singh Yadav was caught allegedly drinking in prohibition-ruled Bihar.

NIA has filed a chargesheet against two Babbar Khalsa International operatives for the murder of VHP leader Vikas Prabhakar in Punjab. The accused, Dharminder Kumar and Harwinder Kumar, face charges under UAPA, IPC, and Arms Act. The murder was part of a conspiracy involving BKI members in multiple countries, directed by Pakistan-based BKI chief.

Two more people succumbed to Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in Maharashtra, raising the state's toll to 11 and the national count to 14. Nagpur and Kolhapur reported their first fatalities from the neurological infection. Maharashtra's health minister stated the cases have been contained to below 200 since the outbreak in January.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath defended the Rs 4,000 crore expenditure on the Maha Kumbh, highlighting its economic benefits. He clarified that only Rs 1,500 crore was spent on the event, with the rest on Prayagraj's infrastructure. At a Lucknow event, he emphasized ongoing projects that bolster UP's development and thanked ministers for their support in achieving world-class infrastructure.

The Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl LIX victory parade was marred by a shooting incident in the Spring Garden neighborhood. Two individuals were shot near 23rd and Spring Garden Streets. Although celebrations continued, the event raised concerns about security at public events. This marks the second consecutive year of violence at Super Bowl victory parades.

India and the US have decided to collaborate on boosting agricultural trade by enhancing market access for each other's farm products. Measures include the US increasing exports of Indian mangoes and pomegranates and India allowing greater access for US products such as alfalfa hay and duck meat. This cooperation aims to strengthen and deepen bilateral trade relations.

India could benefit from lower oil and gas prices driven by Donald Trump's energy policy. Increased US production and exports are likely to reshape global energy flows, potentially offering Indian refiners alternatives to expensive Gulf supplies, especially in light of US sanctions on Russian oil.

Prime Minister Modi highlights India's firm stance on illegal immigration and human trafficking, emphasizing cooperation with the US. He advocates for tackling the root causes of these issues. Additionally, Modi discusses India's efforts to promote peace in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, supporting diplomatic solutions.

Two additional flights carrying deported Indian immigrants from the US are set to land in Amritsar, sparking criticism from CM Bhagwant Mann. He accuses the Centre of tarnishing Punjab’s image by turning Amritsar into a deportation center. Mann expresses his willingness to assist deportees but emphasizes that illegal immigration is a nationwide issue.

India is evaluating US President Trump's offer of the F-35 fighter jets, weighing strategic and economic factors. With China deploying its own advanced jets, India might seek F-35s in the interim, while continuing its 5th-generation fighter project. The India-US defence relationship is set to expand further this year.