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School Assembly Headlines 7 January 2026 LIVE Updates

In Under-19 Cricket, India defeated hosts South Africa by 8 wickets through the DLS method in the second Youth ODI of the three-match series at the Willowmoore Park in Benoni. With this win, the Indian team has clinched the series 2-0. India comfortably surpassed the revised target of 174 runs, scoring 176 for two wickets in 23.3 overs.

The 11-year-old racing prodigy Atiqa Mir made a spectacular switch from the mini category (age 8-12) to the junior S125 category (age 12-14) as she became the first Indian to secure a top-five finish globally on debut during round seven of the IAME UAE Karting Championship at Abu Dhabi’s Formula 1 track- Yas Marina Circuit.

Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, arrived at a U.S. federal court in New York to face narco-terrorism charges. The couple were transported under armed guard todayfrom a Brooklyn jail, where they have been detained, to a courthouse in Manhattan. U.S. forces captured Maduro and his wife in a military operation on Saturday, detaining them at their residence on a military base. A 25-page indictment made public the same day accuses Maduro and others of working with drug cartels to facilitate the shipment of thousands of tons of cocaine into the United States. The indictment also alleges that Maduro’s wife accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in 2007 to arrange a meeting between a major drug trafficker and the director of Venezuela’s National Anti-Drug Office.

In Badminton, two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu will return to action at the Malaysia Open 2026 badminton tournament, at the Stadium Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur today.

The season-opener, a top-tier BWF Super 1000 tournament, will mark a fresh start for Sindhu after an injury-hit 2025 campaign. India’s women’s singles challenge in Kuala Lumpur will also feature Malvika Bansod and Unnati Hooda. In men’s singles, Paris 2024 semi-finalist Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty will carry Indian hopes.

Iran is witnessing its most serious wave of unrest in three years as nationwide protests entered the tenth day on Tuesday, January sixth. Security forces have tightened their presence across major cities, even as U.S. President Donald Trump warned that he could side with demonstrators if violence escalates.

In Bangladesh, a Hindu businessman was shot dead in public by unidentified assailants in Monirampur upazila of Jessore on Monday evening, triggering panic in the area and raising fresh concerns over law and order ahead of the elections.

Israel’s air force struck areas in southern and eastern Lebanon yesterday and early today. A strike early this morning levelled a three-story commercial building in the southern coastal city of Sidon.

The Supreme Court has directed the Central government and the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to decide, within four months, on revising the wage ceiling under the Employees’ Provident Fund Scheme (EPFS), which has remained unchanged for the past 11 years.

Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, will pay an official visit to India on 12th and 13th January at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This will be Chancellor Merz’s first official visit to India. The External Affairs Ministry said in a statement that on the visit, he will be travelling to Ahmedabad and Bengaluru.

Delhi Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Reserve Bank of India, bringing the national capital under the RBI’s full banking, cash management and debt framework for the first time.

In a statement, the Delhi Chief Minister’s office said that the MoU enables the RBI to function as the banker, debt manager, and financial agent of the Government of Delhi. It said that the MoU will facilitate market borrowings through State Development Loans, automatic investment of surplus cash, professional cash management, and access to low-cost liquidity facilities.

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar interacted with participants of the French-Indian Young Talents Program by Chamber of Commerce and Industry France-India in Paris. In a social media post, Dr Jaishankar said he discussed the transformations underway in the world and the importance of India-France collaboration in that context.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lauded the successful commissioning of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited’s (HPCL) Residue Upgradation Facility at the Visakh Refinery in Andhra Pradesh.

Sharing a social media post of Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, the Prime Minister said, this state-of-the-art facility adds momentum to the nation’s efforts to boost energy independence, aligning with the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. He said, it is a decisive leap in Bharat’s journey towards energy security and self-reliance.

Former Union Minister Suresh Kalmadi passed away at the age of 82 in Pune today after a prolonged illness. He also served as the President of the Indian Olympic Association. During the tenure of former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, he held the position of Minister of State for Railways. A seasoned politician from Pune, Mr. Kalmadi represented the city multiple times in Parliament and held several key positions during his long political career.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) today launched Psycho-Social Counselling Support for Students to address examination-related stress. The first phase of free Psycho-Social Counselling Services for examinees of class 10th and 12th will continue tillthe  1st of June this year. This initiative is aimed at addressing examination-related stress and emotional well-being, enabling students to approach their forthcoming exams, scheduled to begin from 17th February, with confidence, balance, and mental clarity.

The Delhi High Court today sought the response of the Central Bureau of Investigation on a plea by RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav challenging an order framing charges against him in the alleged Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation scam case. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued notice to CBI and listed the matter for further hearing on the 14th of this month.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will release 41 literary works developed by the Centres of Excellence for Classical Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Odia today in New Delhi.

The works are developed under the Central Institute of Indian Languages. The event will also mark the release of 13 books along with a 45-episode Sign Language interpretation series of the Tirukkural by the Central Institute of Classical Tamil.

Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada has said that Artificial Intelligence is bringing major transformation in human life. Mr Prasada was addressing the Regional AI Impact Conference 2026 at JECC in Jaipur today. He said, AI is now being widely used across all sectors, leading to enhanced capacity building.

Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Pralhad Joshi has said that the Bureau of Indian Standards is not just an institution but a powerful legacy that has shaped the nation’s journey.
 
Addressing the 79th Foundation Day of BIS in New Delhi, Mr Joshi said the organisation has played a key role in strengthening the country’s quality ecosystem while supporting ease of doing business. He highlighted that the BIS mark has emerged as a symbol of trust across multiple sectors, contributing to growth in agriculture, manufacturing and technology.

The Madras High Court’s Madurai Division Bench today upheld a single judge’s order allowing the lighting of a lamp claimed as Deepathoon on the Thirupparankundram hill.

A Division Bench of Justices G Jayachandran and KK Ramakrishnan delivered the judgment, making it clear that the spot on which the stone pillar Deepathoon is located belongs to the Lord Subramania Swamy Temple. The Bench said the lamp may be lit and the number of persons permitted can be fixed, subject to consultation with the Archaeological Survey of India.

BJP has welcomed the decision of the Madras High Court allowing the lighting of a lamp on the Thirupparankundram hill. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Union Minister and senior party leader Piyush Goyal said the decision has given justice to the devotees of the ancient temple at the Thirupparankundram hill, where Bhagwan Murugan resides.

Dense fog conditions have disrupted train services in several parts of the country, affecting the movement of several trains. According to Indian Railways, more than 70 Delhi-bound trains are running late due to low visibility conditions. Passengers have been advised to check the latest status of their trains before reaching the station to avoid inconvenience and delays.

Leading medical experts in the country have warned against the excessive use of antibiotics and the resulting problem of antimicrobial resistance. In his last month’s Mann Ki Baat programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the people to use antibiotics rationally with the proper advice of Doctors.