Kartik Aaryan initially said no to the 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa' franchise.

Addressing one of the sessions of the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia, Kartik shared that he had said no to the 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa' franchise. He revealed that when he was approached for the project, there was no particular story, just an idea for a sequel.

The first phase of Kerala's local body elections witnessed brisk polling across seven districts on Tuesday, with long queues of voters seen at booths from early morning.

Polling began at 7 a.m. after mock polling and will continue till 6 p.m.

By noon, the overall turnout had crossed 47 per cent across the seven districts voting in the first phase, reflecting strong voter participation.

Security forces in Manipur have arrested five militants of two banned extremist outfits from Imphal West district and recovered some arms and ammunition, officials said on Tuesday.

A police official said that the five militants belonging to the outlawed United National Liberation Front (UNLF) and Socialist Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (SOREPA) were arrested from different locations in Imphal West district during the past 24 hours.

 Actress Kareena Kapoor compiled a beautiful birthday post for Dia Mirza as she turned a year older on Tuesday.

Taking to the Stories section of her official Instagram handle, Bebo wrote, "Happy birthday dearest Dia (red heart emoji). Sending love, joy, and happiness to you...Always! (Rainbow emoji) @diamirzaofficial.(sic)."

Singer Arijit Singh is back with a soulful new release, “Fitratein,” a romantic track that beautifully captures the nuances of love, longing, and quiet hope.

Released on Tuesday, under Times Music, the song sees Arijit Singh in classic form, delivering a performance brimming with warmth and emotional depth. Composed by Ronak Phukan and penned by Syed Amir Hussain and Soham Majumdar, “Fitratein” stars Sanam Johar and Kanikka Kapur.

Speaking about the song, Sanam said, “Being part of an Arijit Singh song is always a huge moment. His voice transforms even a simple emotion into something unforgettable. Fitratein is built on pure romance, and having Arijit sing it makes it even more magical. I am glad to collaborate with Times Music again on something this special.”

Rajasthan is bracing for a harsher winter as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for cold wave conditions in five districts, including Sikar, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Didwana-Kuchaman, and Nagaur.

Cold conditions were already being felt across the state, and the weather office has warned that the next 48 hours may bring an even sharper dip in temperatures.

In the last 24 hours, Fatehpur shivered at 3.7 degrees Celsius, becoming one of the coldest spots in eastern Rajasthan, while Nagaur touched 4.3 degrees Celsius in the west.

In a shocking incident, at least three employees of a resort in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh died due to food poisoning after taking a meal.

Soon after having the meal, they complained of stomachache and uneasiness, sources said.

While five others, who were earlier admitted at Chhatarpur district hospital, have been referred to Gwalior district hospital due to their critical health. The incident occurred at a resort late on Monday night, as per the initial information.

 India's financial sector outperformed major global peers with broadly positive outcomes amid geopolitical tensions, tariff wars and supply‑chain disruptions, showcasing resilience and stability, a report said on Tuesday.

Financial services sector recorded mixed year marked by growth, regulatory shifts, and sustained digitisation efforts across the ecosystem, said the report from Grant Thornton summarising how the sector fared in CY25.

Actor Suniel Shetty couldn’t contain his pride after the makers unveiled Ahan Shetty’s powerful first look from “Border 2” on social media.

The proud father reacted to the post his son Ahan shared, expressing his support and excitement for his upcoming film. On Tuesday, Ahan Shetty took to his Instagram handle to drop his first look from the actioner and captioned it, “Sarhad ho ya Samandar… Dharti Maa ka har beta ek hi kasam nibhaata hai #Border2 in cinemas 23rd January, 2026.” Reacting to this, Suniel took to the comments section and dropped a red heart emoji. Singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh commented, “Fire.”

Bihar is reeling under an intense cold wave with icy winds sweeping across the state.

According to meteorologists, complex atmospheric conditions are pushing cold winds toward Bihar, drastically lowering temperatures and disrupting daily life.

The Bihar Meteorological Centre has reported severe cold conditions in several districts, including Patna, Gaya, Saharsa, and Katihar.

For the past several days, the minimum temperature has remained below 10 degrees Celsius, while in the last two nights, it dipped to around 5 degrees Celsius, significantly below normal for this time of year.

Shares of leading Indian rice companies fell sharply on Tuesday, after US President Donald Trump hinted that he may impose fresh tariffs on agricultural imports, specifically targeting Indian rice and Canadian fertilisers.

The statement triggered immediate selling in stocks linked to the rice trade. LT Foods was the biggest loser, with its share price slipping 6.85 per cent to Rs 366.55.

Shares of KRBL also declined, falling 1.14 per cent, while GRM Overseas dropped 4.46 per cent.

Gold prices were steady in early trade on Tuesday, as investors stayed cautious ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision.

On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold February contracts were unchanged at Rs 1,29,978 per 10 grams during early trade.

"In the domestic market, MCX Gold (Feb) is trading near Rs 1,29,952, closely tracking the global uptrend while also receiving support from rupee weakness," market experts said.

At least 30 people were injured after a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck Japan, triggering tsunami waves that reached heights of up to 70 centimetres along the Pacific coast, local media reported on Tuesday, quoting the government.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake struck at 11:15 p.m. local time on Monday off the eastern coast of Aomori Prefecture at a depth of 54 kilometres.

The residents of Delhi-NCR experienced some relief on Tuesday morning after days of highly polluted air. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), surface winds blowing at speeds between 15 and 25 km per hour have helped reduce air pollution levels slightly.

The increased wind speed has allowed suspended pollutant particles to disperse into the upper atmosphere, directly impacting the Air Quality Index (AQI). Pollution levels in the city have consistently been recorded in the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ category, but several monitoring stations reported readings below 300.

Indian stock markets opened sharply lower on Tuesday as investors booked profits after the recent rally.

Sentiment weakened further after reports suggested that US President Donald Trump may consider imposing new tariffs on Indian rice, raising fresh worries about unresolved trade issues between Washington and New Delhi.

The Sensex slipped 380 points, or 0.45 per cent, to 84,723 in early trade. The Nifty also moved in the same direction, falling 124 points, or 0.48 per cent, to 25,837.