Trial by spin for Australia as India begin World Cup campaign in Chennai | Sledging Room, Ep 73

On this India Today special report, reporter Dipesh Tripathi provides live updates on the 'Long March' as thousands of farmers trek from Nashik to Mumbai. Highlighting the gravity of the protest, Tripathi notes, 'The most important demand is that land acquisition, that is, saath baara, the land on which they irrigate or agriculture takes place, that land should belong to them totally.' The Padyatra, which covered 35 kilometres from Ghatandevi to Khadvi on its third day, aims to reach Mantralaya to press for fair crop prices, water access, and forest rights. Despite talks with ministers and administrative requests to halt, the farmers remain resolute, citing unfulfilled promises from a similar protest three years ago. Tripathi reports that while police permission for the large-scale entry into Mumbai has not been granted, the Nashik Range IG is coordinating with protesters as the government attempts to find a resolution to the escalating situation.

On this Special Report, former University Grants Commission (UGC) member Yogendra Yadav weighs in on the intensifying controversy surrounding the new UGC equity norms. As protests erupt across India over claims that the rules risk dividing students along caste lines, Yadav offers a sharp critique of the government's role. He stated, 'This instance is an instance of manufactured dissent, how a regime is trying to cultivate dissent against its own decision so that it can be diluted.' Yadav argues that the anti-discrimination framework has existed since 2012 and that the current changes are merely a result of a 2019 Supreme Court mandate rather than a proactive step by the government. The discussion also highlights the demands from the Congress party for a caste census and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's assurance that the law will not be misused. The programme explores whether the backlash is a genuine student grievance or a calculated political move to reconsider social justice regulations.

Speaking to India Today Global, EU Vice President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas stressed the need to “build partnerships with those countries who believe in free trade,” underscoring the strategic message behind the newly concluded India–EU Free Trade Agreement.

This news report focuses on the massive winter storm currently sweeping across much of the United States of America. The severe weather conditions have led to significant disruptions in power supplies and air travel, prompting several states to declare emergencies. According to the report, 'Washington, D.C. was blanketed with over 20 centimeters of snow in nearly 20 hours of snowfall' as the region grapples with the intense winter system. The capital is expected to remain snowbound for an extended period as temperatures are projected to plunge to minus 10 degrees Celsius. The visuals highlight the scale of the snowfall and the resulting impact on infrastructure and daily life across the country. The bulletin emphasizes the severity of the plummeting temperatures and the ongoing challenges faced by residents in the affected regions as the storm continues to impact the United States.