Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the second budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term on Saturday (Feb 1). This budget outlines key financial policies for the 2025–26 fiscal year.

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The Palestinian militant group Hamas on Saturday (Feb 1) released three Israeli hostages in exchange for 183 Palestinian prisoners. 

A mid-sized air ambulance aircraft carrying a sick child and five others crashed on Friday (Jan 31) night shortly after departing from Northeast Philadelphia Airport. The plane went down in a residential neighbourhood, sparking at least six house fires.

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Key takeaways from Union Budget 2025

 Union Budget 2025 | Key takeaways Photograph: (Reuters, Wion Web Team)

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the second budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term on Saturday (Feb 1). This budget outlines key financial policies for the 2025-26 fiscal year.

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Gaza ceasefire: Hamas releases three Israeli hostages in exchange for 183 Palestinian prisoners

 Yarden Bibas embraces his father Eli and his sister Ofri at an IDF facility near Re'im after 484 days in Hamas captivity Photograph: (Screengrab/IDF )

The Palestinian militant group Hamas on Saturday (Feb 1) released three Israeli hostages in exchange for 183 Palestinian prisoners. 

Philadelphia plane crash: Sick child, mother among dead | What we know so far

 Philadelphia plane crash: Sick child among six feared dead | What we know so far Photograph: (Reuters)

A mid-sized air ambulance aircraft carrying a sick child and five others crashed on Friday (Jan 31) night shortly after departing from Northeast Philadelphia Airport. The plane went down in a residential neighbourhood, sparking at least six house fires.

Union Budget 2025: India hikes foreign aid to Maldives, but THIS country tops the chart

 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu Photograph: (AFP)

As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her eighth consecutive budget on Saturday (Feb 1), her budget speech also highlighted India's foreign aid to different countries, increasing aid for some of the nations while reducing it for others. 

'Feels like a hostile takeover': Federal employees 'concerned' as Musk allies lock them out of key systems

 Musk, tasked by Trump with cutting down the civilian government workforce, which consists of 2.2 million employees, has wasted no time in appointing allies to key positions within the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Photograph: (Reuters)

Aides to Elon Musk, who have been put in charge of the US government's human resources agency, have reportedly blocked career civil servants from accessing computer systems containing the personal details of millions of federal employees, according to sources cited by Reuters.

Eight MLAs who quit AAP join BJP four days ahead of Delhi Assembly election

 Arvind Kejriwal Photograph: (PTI)

A day after eight Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs resigned from the party, they joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This comes just four days before the Delhi Assembly election. 

Union Budget 2025: Major sops for Bihar ahead of assembly polls. All you need to know

 Union Budget 2025  Photograph: (PTI/Wion Web team)

Ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections later in 2025, the Indian central government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), announced major sops for the politically significant state on Saturday (Feb 1) in the 2025 Union Budget.

How long was Nirmala Sitharaman's 2025 Union Budget speech? Here’s how it compares to her past records

 Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman  Photograph: (PTI)

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025 on Saturday (Feb 1), and her speech lasted for 77 minutes, which is shorter than the previous year's speech, which was for 85 minutes. 

Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar conferred with C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award

 Batting great Sachin Tendulkar conferred with C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award Photograph: (AFP)

Legendary India cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was conferred with the C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday (Feb 1). Having served Indian cricket for over two decades, Tendulkar received the honour in a special ceremony held in Mumbai. 

Delhi Crime: Season 3 of Netflix's true crime thriller adds Huma Qureshi

 Huma Qureshi Photograph: (X/humaqureshi)

In a new interview with Variety, Huma Qureshi confirmed that she will be playing the main antagonist in the third season of Netflix’s Delhi Crime, going head-to-head with Shefali Shah’s DCP Vartika Chaturvedi.