The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday invited all citizens to download the ECINet App and give their suggestions to improve the App ahead of the platform’s formal launch is scheduled later this month.

Deputy Director P. Pawan issued a note seeking suggestions, adding that feedback can be given by using the 'Submit a Suggestion' tab on the App till January 10.

ECINet is one of the major initiatives of the Commission taken under the leadership of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Security personnel and devotees at the historic Sri Govindarajaswamy Temple in Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh were sent into a state of panic after an inebriated man climbed the temple's 100-foot 'Gopuram' (monumental entrance tower), causing a massive security scare, the police said on Saturday.

He has been detained and taken to the Tirupati police station for questioning.

Regular eating of fast foods, ranging from deep-fried snacks served as street food to quick-service restaurant chains, can cause serious damage to health, which can, in the long run, lead to several diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular conditions, contributing to death, said experts here on Saturday.

The doctors said this as social media was recently flooded with viral posts claiming that an 11th-grade student from Amroha district in Uttar Pradesh, admitted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi in December, died due to excessive consumption of junk food.

Bollywood actress Sara Alia Khan has shared glimpses from her recent trip.

On Saturday, the actress took to her Instagram, and shared a series of pictures from her vacation amidst the snow. The pictures also featured her sibling, Ibrahim Ali Khan.

She wrote in the caption, “Meri Mannat, hamesha naseeb ho aisi Jannat (My wish, I always get such a heaven)”.

As 2025 turned out to be historic for precious metals, with gold delivering returns of nearly 65 per cent and silver outperforming with gains of over 140 per cent, an expert said that the positive momentum likely to continue in 2026 as well.

Speaking to IANS, Nainesh Pachchigar, Gujarat President of the India Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA), said gold and silver rewarded investors handsomely in 2025, and given prevailing global conditions, the positive momentum could continue this year as well.

The year 2025 saw record foreign institutional investor (FII) selling in India but significant improvement in the country’s fundamentals is likely to attract net FII inflows in 2026, analysts said on Saturday.

In the month of December, FIIs sold equity worth Rs 30, 332 crore through the exchanges. This takes the total FII selling through the exchanges in 2025 to Rs 240,193 crore.

FIIs have bought or invested equity for Rs 73,909 crore through the primary market, taking the total net sell figure for 2025 to Rs 166,283 crore, as per NSDL data.

Short bursts of energetic activity for 10 minutes daily could not only increase your fitness levels, but also help fight bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, according to a study.

The study by researchers at Newcastle University showed that short and intense exercise activity can trigger rapid molecular changes in the bloodstream, shutting down bowel cancer growth and speeding up DNA damage repair.

 The impact of a western disturbance has led to a rise in temperatures across Kolkata and several south Bengal districts, offering brief relief after days of bone-chilling cold when the mercury had dipped to around 11 degrees Celsius.

On Saturday morning, the minimum temperature in Kolkata was recorded at 14.2 degrees Celsius, close to normal for this time of the year. On Friday, the city had

Gold and silver entered 2026 with elevated volatility after an exceptional 2025 rally, analysts said on Saturday, adding that the fundamental outlook for precious metals remains constructive.

Gold futures with February expiry eased moderately down 0.04 per cent, settling at Rs 1,35,752 on MCX on Friday. The price of 10 grams of 24-carat gold closed the week at Rs 1,34,782 up from Rs 1,33,195 at the year end, according to data published by the India Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA).

The West Bengal Health Department has scheduled a crucial meeting on January 9 to finalise the draft of the State Antibiotic Action Plan, aimed at curbing the rampant use of antibiotics and tackling antimicrobial resistance across the state.

A state secretariat official said on Saturday that representatives from various concerned departments will also be present at the meeting. Besides the health department, officials from the animal husbandry, fisheries, and environment departments will join the discussions to ensure a comprehensive approach. Areas with high mosquito breeding will be identified, and efforts will be made to introduce guppy fish breeding in these areas.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided that the voters from three "aboriginal tribes" or "primitive tribes" will be automatically enlisted in the final voters' list of West Bengal.

The voters from these three communities will not be required to furnish any document for that purpose.

Nearly 80-85 per cent of individuals suffering from psychiatric disorders do not receive timely or appropriate care due to stigma and lack of awareness, said mental experts here on Saturday.

Speaking at the curtain raiser Event of the 77th Annual National Conference of the Indian Psychiatric Society, ANCIPS 2026 Delhi, the experts warned that despite advances in treatment and increasing awareness, the majority of people with mental illness continue to remain outside the formal healthcare system.

Around 40 people are believed to have died in a bar fire that broke out in southwestern Switzerland, with the number of injured rising to 119, police said at a news conference.

Among the injured, the identities of 113 people have been confirmed. But some European countries still reported missing nationals in the fire, which broke out overnight at "Le Constellation" bar in the Crans-Montana ski resort in Valais Canton.

Swiss authorities said the death toll is expected to rise in the coming days.

Delhi Police on Saturday arrested two accused allegedly involved in ATM fraud in the South-West District. The arrests were made by the staff of Kishangarh Police Station as part of intensified patrolling and surveillance to curb crime and ensure the safety and security of residents.

According to a statement released by the South-West District police, the arrested accused have been identified as Salman, son of Kabir, and Salman, son of Usman. With their arrest, the police recovered one country-made pistol (desi katta), two live cartridges, Rs 12,700 in cash, four ATM jamming devices, and one screwdriver allegedly used for breaking or opening ATM shutters.

Actress Bhumi Pednekkar welcomed 2026 on a warm and celebratory note, spending the special moment with people closest to her, along with plenty of hope and good food.

Taking to Instagram, Bhumi shared a series of pictures from her New Year celebration, giving a glimpse into her festive mood. In one of the slides, the actress was seen following a popular New Year ritual involving grapes, playfully captioning it, “Instagram made me do it.” Other images included the actress having a great time with her family and friends.

Two people died and 12 others were injured after a 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck southern Mexico, local authorities said.

A 50-year-old woman was killed after her home collapsed in the state of Guerrero on Friday, the epicenter of the earthquake, said Evelyn Salgado, the state's governor.

In addition, a man in his 60s died after stumbling and losing consciousness in Benito Juarez municipality, Mexico City, during an evacuation prompted by the earthquake, news agency reported.

Dense smog and fog enveloped large parts of the national Capital on Saturday morning, significantly reducing visibility and affecting daily life across the city.

Prominent landmarks such as Rashtrapati Bhawan and India Gate were shrouded in thick haze, while visibility on Kartavya Path dropped sharply, leading to traffic slowdowns and travel disruptions.

According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) accessed through the SAMEER app, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 235 on Saturday morning, placing it in the ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’ category. Authorities have advised residents, particularly children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions, to limit outdoor activities due to the deteriorating air quality.

Bollywood’s Greek God Hrithik Roshan shared a glimpse into his cultural roots as he proudly spoke about his “25 percent Bengali blood” shining through.

For the unversed, Hrithik has Bengali blood through his paternal grandmother Ira Roshan, who was a Bengali Brahmin. She was married to the legendary music director Roshanlal Nagrath.

Intense cold gripped Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday as the minimum temperature dropped below the freezing point throughout the Valley, with water taps and water puddles freezing.

Srinagar city recorded the minimum temperature at minus 1.5 degrees Celsius, Gulmarg (minus 6.5) and Pahalgam (minus 5.2).

Jammu city recorded 7.9 degrees Celsius, Katra town 6.6, Batote 4.2, Banihal 2.7 and Bhaderwah minus 1.5 as the night's lowest temperature.

The Indian equity benchmarks closed on a strong note this week, touching fresh all-time highs amid strong performance in the banking and auto sectors.

Nifty surged 1.05 per cent during the week and 0.70 per cent on the last trading day to 26,328. At close, Sensex was up 760 points or 0.67 per cent at 85,762. It surged 0.89 per cent during the week.

Bank Nifty also continued its outperformance and scaled fresh record highs above the 60,200 mark.

In clear signs of a pick-up in investment intentions in the country, the momentum strengthened in the first nine months of FY26, with Rs 26.62 lakh crore worth of new investment announcements, significantly higher than Rs 23.88 lakh crore in the same period last year, according to a new report.

This is on the back of a very positive policy package of the government which has focussed on capex, lowering of income tax rates and GST 2.0.