India

Suresh Kalmadi, former IOA President and towering Indian sports administrator, passed away in Pune. A former Air Force officer and politician, he organised major events like the 2010 Commonwealth Games and revived the National Games. His legacy blends sporting achievements with the controversy of CWG corruption allegations

Rajasthan is experiencing severe cold, with night temperatures dipping below 10°C and four locations recording below 5°C. Schools in over a dozen districts, including Jaipur and Ganganagar, extended winter vacations. Dense fog, cold day conditions, bonfires, and night shelters are reported across the state

In Dhaka, Sharif Osman Hadi’s party staged a day-long “March for Justice,” demanding the trial of his killers and repatriation of alleged culprits reportedly in India. Bangladesh’s claims of Indian involvement were denied by New Delhi, while local investigations found no evidence of border crossings by the suspects

Reliance Industries confirmed it has not received Russian crude for nearly three weeks and expects none in January, halting imports at its SEZ refinery to comply with EU sanctions, amid reports linking three tankers to its Jamnagar complex

A bomb threat on the Kashi Express at Mau railway junction triggered panic and evacuation on Tuesday. Security teams, including police, GRP, and RPF, conducted thorough checks, finding no explosives. Authorities are investigating the hoax call’s origin

The Supreme Court granted bail to former Amtek Group chairperson Arvind Dham in a Rs 27,000 crore bank fraud and money laundering case, overturning the Delhi High Court’s denial, while ED investigations revealed large-scale diversion of public funds and attached assets worth over Rs 5,115 crore

Cricketer Mohammed Shami and his brother were asked to appear for SIR verification in Kolkata due to errors in their voter forms. Shami, representing Bengal in Rajkot, has requested new dates, rescheduled between January 9–11 by the Election Commission

A 15-year-old boy in Pathankot, Punjab, was arrested for allegedly sharing sensitive security information with Pakistani handlers after being radicalized online. Police said the tech-savvy minor’s mobile was cloned, and he had recorded key locations, posing potential national security risks

The Madras High Court, Madurai Bench, upheld a single judge’s order permitting lighting of a lamp on the ‘Deepathoon’ stone pillar at Thirupparankundram hill, affirming the site belongs to the Lord Subramania Swamy Temple, hailed as a victory by devotees

Three children aged three to six died in a Varanasi village after allegedly consuming poisonous kaner fruit while playing. Police said the incident appears accidental, with no foul play suspected, and precautionary medical checks conducted for other children present

Scientists from Mizoram and international collaborators have discovered a new non-venomous reed snake species, *Calamaria mizoramensis*, endemic to the state. Published in *Zootaxa*, the finding corrects a long-standing misidentification and highlights Northeast India’s rich but underexplored biodiversity

Equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty fell sharply in early trade amid heavy selling in Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank and others, as investor sentiment weakened following fresh US tariff warnings against India, persistent volatility, and continued foreign fund outflows despite stable domestic fundamentals

Rupee strengthened 18 paise to 90.12 per dollar in early trade, aided by weaker dollar and lower crude prices. Gains were capped by tariff threats from Donald Trump, FII outflows, geopolitical tensions and weak domestic equity markets; sentiment persists Tuesday

A wild elephant killed a man and his two children in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district after attacking their forest hut. Another daughter was critically injured, intensifying panic as elephant attacks have claimed seven lives recently.

Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Suresh Kalmadi died in Pune at 81 after a prolonged illness. A veteran politician and former IOA chief, he played a significant role in Indian politics and sports administration

Adivi Sesh has included the iconic 90s song Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast in his upcoming film Dacoit, calling it a deeply personal choice rooted in childhood memories and nostalgia, with the film gearing up for a pan-India release.

Shreyas Iyer has been named captain of Mumbai for the remainder of their Vijay Hazare Trophy Group C matches, replacing injured skipper Shardul Thakur. Iyer’s fitness will also determine his participation in India’s ODI series against New Zealand

India’s Anahat Singh advanced to the semifinals of the British Junior U-19 Open squash in Birmingham after beating Egypt’s Barb Sameh. Aryaveer Dewan also reached the boys’ U-17 semifinals. Anahat’s strong 2025 season highlights her rise as a global squash talent

Stasya Pandya and Taarini Lodha delivered standout performances at the Junior National Equestrian Championship in Bengaluru. Stasya’s team won silver, while Taarini’s team secured bronze. Both riders, trained at the Amateur Riders’ Club under Bobin Tshering, showcased skill and teamwork

The Indian government must allay growing fears that the Seeds Bills will increase corporate control and marginalise farmers

Teen racers Arjun Chheda, Ishaan Madesh and Sai Shiva Sankaran starred in the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship 2025 at Chennai. Sankaran won three races in Formula 1600, while Chheda and Madesh triumphed in Formula 2000

Kane Russell scored a hat-trick, including a last-minute penalty corner, to power HIL GC to a thrilling 3-2 win over SG Pipers in their opening Men’s Hockey India League 2025-26 match in Chennai. Ky Willott and Dilraj Singh scored for Pipers

World champion Minakshi, two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen and Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain began their campaigns with easy wins at the Elite Men and Women National Boxing Championships in Greater Noida. Several male boxers also registered dominant victories in their categories

Mumbai Indians launched its Women’s Team campaign for the 2026 season, Aali Re… Hi Pori Mumbaichi, celebrating Mumbai’s daughters and their resilience. Rooted in city culture and a reimagined folk anthem, the film honours fearless young women who play with pride