With just a week left for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, India skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are closing in on the top spot in the ICC men’s ODI player rankings.

The latest rankings update saw Pakistan captain Babar Azam maintaining his position at No. 1, but the Indian duo are closing in following good efforts during the ODI series against England.

Gill gained one place to move to second on the latest ODI batter rankings and is just five rating points adrift of Babar after back-to-back half-centuries against England, while Rohit, sitting third, is within 13 rating points of the Pakistan right-hander following his splendid century in Cuttack.

Several other prominent batters have re-entered the ODI rankings as teams prepare for the marquee ICC event. Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman is ranked 13th, while New Zealand’s Kane Williamson (29th), England's Jos Buttler (38th), Devon Conway (40th), and Joe Root (51st) have also made their way back into the standings after their return to 50-over cricket.

A 43-year-old private school teacher was arrested on the charges of sexually assaulting a Class 9 boy in Ashok Nagar, Chennai.

The accused, identified as Sudhakar (43), was a Tamil teacher at the school.

He was arrested after a case was registered against him under three sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The incident came to light when the boy developed health complications.

Concerned about the boy's condition, his parents enquired, and the child alleged that Sudhakar had sexually harassed him.

The comprehensive three-day training program is being conducted in 07 batches for 150 Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) from 69 Government-Owned Anganwadi cum Creche buildings, running from 10th February, 2025, to 7th March, 2025, in clusters of 25 Anganwadi Workers. This initiative aims to enhance Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) practices, ensuring better learning outcomes and holistic development for children in the 3-6 year age group.

The training, organized in collaboration with Kachi SadakFoundation, focuses on empowering Anganwadi workers at the Model Anganwadi-cum-Creche, Dadumajra, to replicate transformative, pedagogically innovative learning environments in pre-primary settings. It aligns with the New Education Policy 2020 through highly engaging, playful, and self-learning-focused activities.

On Tuesday, during the Rajya Sabha budget discussion, Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha launched a strong attack on the government’s policies and openly highlighted the issues faced by the middle class, railways, and Indian expatriates. He asserted that the government treats the middle class as a soulless structure—exploiting its very bones—to build a five‐billion‑dollar economy.

In his speech, MP Raghav Chadha said, “The poor receive subsidies and schemes, the rich have their debts forgiven, but the middle class gets nothing. The government thinks the middle class has no dreams or aspirations. It is regarded as a hen that lays golden eggs, which are repeatedly squeezed.”

He explained that while the economy may be growing and demand is increasing, this demand comes solely from the middle class—whose pockets remain empty. Census data and surveys confirm that the middle class has its own dreams and aspirations and that their children harbor limitless ambitions. He even quipped, “In 1989, the movie ‘Honey, I Shrunk the Kids’ was released in America, and in 2025, India will see a film titled ‘Honey, I Shrunk India’s Middle Class.’”

In anticipation of the upcoming Magh Purnima bath on February 12, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government has implemented comprehensive measures to ensure the safety and health of the anticipated influx of devotees. All hospitals within the city, division, and the Maha Kumbh area have been placed on high alert as per the Chief Minister’s directives.

To provide immediate assistance during emergencies, a total of 133 ambulances have been strategically deployed. Under which 125 road ambulances, seven river ambulances, and one air ambulance have been specially deployed.

State-of-the-art medical services have been arranged throughout the Mahakumbh area, offering facilities for procedures ranging from minor operations to major surgeries. Dr Gaurav Dubey, Nodal Medical Officer of the Mahakumbh Mela, said that the emergency services of the Yogi government are playing an important role, especially the ambulance service. Over 2,000 medical personnel have been deployed within the Mahakumbh area, with an additional 700 staff members on high alert at Swaroop Rani Nehru (SRN) Hospital.

On Tuesday, during the Rajya Sabha budget discussion, Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha launched a strong attack on the government’s policies and openly highlighted the issues faced by the middle class, railways, and Indian expatriates. He asserted that the government treats the middle class as a soulless structure—exploiting its very bones—to build a five‐billion‑dollar economy.

Neglect of the Middle Class, Debt Forgiveness for the Rich

In his speech, MP Chadha said, “The poor receive subsidies and schemes, the rich have their debts forgiven, but the middle class gets nothing. The government thinks the middle class has no dreams or aspirations. It is regarded as a hen that lays golden eggs, which is repeatedly squeezed.”

He explained that while the economy may be growing and demand is increasing, this demand comes solely from the middle class—whose pockets remain empty. Census data and surveys confirm that the middle class has its own dreams and aspirations and that their children harbor limitless ambitions. He even quipped, “In 1989, the movie ‘Honey, I Shrunk the Kids’ was released in America, and in 2025, India will see a film titled ‘Honey, I Shrunk India’s Middle Class.’”

Pakistan's Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Naveed Ashraf visited SLNS Vijaybahu, an advanced offshore patrol vessel of the Sri Lankan Navy, during the ongoing multinational maritime exercise Aman 2025 being held in Karachi, Lankan media reported on Tuesday.

Ashraf was welcomed by Commander of the Northern Naval area Rear Admiral Thushara Karunathunga and several other officers, including Sri Lanka's Defence Attache to Pakistan, as he boarded the ship.

A crew of over 100 naval officers has travelled from Colombo to Pakistan to participate in the maritime exercise, reported Daily Mirror.

"Aman means peace, but this is more than just an exercise. With the Sri Lankan Navy and other navies, this is an opportunity to show our collective resolve and our commitment to work together and make the seas secure for our future generations," Ashraf told the leading Lankan daily.

A former chief manager of a public sector bank in Ahmedabad was sentenced to three years' imprisonment by a Special CBI court with a fine of Rs 1.5 lakh in a fraud case involving the sanctioning of loans worth Rs 80 lakh based on forged documents.

Special CBI Court, Ahmedabad, sentenced Jeevangine Srinivasa Rao, then Chief Manager, Bank of India, S.M. Road Branch, Ahmedabad, after the CBI probed the matter and presented crucial evidence proving him guilty.

The CBI had registered a case on October 30, 2003, against the then bank Chief Manager and others on allegations of cheating, using forged documents as genuine for availing credit facility/loan, forgery of valuable security and criminal misconduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act.