India

India face South Africa in the fifth and final T20I in Ahmedabad on Friday. With Gill injured and Suryakumar struggling for form, Samson may step in as India aim to finish the home series on a winning note

Ishan Kishan smashed a 49-ball 101 to lead Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title with a 69-run win over Haryana in Pune. Jharkhand posted 262/3 before bowling out Haryana for 193

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty defeated Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri 21-11, 16-21, 21-11 at the BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou, registering their second straight win to lead Group B and move closer to the semifinals

Aadarsh Malik claimed five for 37 as Haryana bowled out Hyderabad for 97 on the opening day of the Vijay Merchant Trophy under-16 league match at Mulapadu, Vijayawada. Haryana replied strongly, reaching 210 for six with Abhiraj Vashisht unbeaten on 67

Haryana’s Ketan Malik won the women’s 10m air pistol title at the 68th National Shooting Championships in Delhi, beating Meenu Pathak and Surbhi Rao. Vanshika Chaudhary and Lakshita Bishnoi topped junior and youth events, while Haryana dominated team competitions

Lok Sabha passed the G RAM G Bill replacing MGNREGA amid sharp opposition protests. The government cited corruption and focus on permanent rural assets, while the Congress termed it a “systematic murder” of the world’s largest employment scheme

India and Oman signed a historic Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, enhancing trade, investment, and strategic cooperation. PM Modi and Sultan Haitham discussed energy, agriculture, finance, and cultural ties, marking 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations

Deeper partnerships can help India mitigate geopolitical risks in the Indo-Pacific and reduce dependence on China

Government’s move to raise FDI limit in the insurance sector to 100 per cent is welcome, but it must address genuine concerns with openness and fairness

The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday passed India’s first anti-hate speech law, providing for imprisonment of up to seven years. While the government cited Supreme Court observations, the BJP opposed the move, alleging threats to free speech, the press, and political dissent

The NIA has arrested Yasir Ahmad Dar, the ninth accused in the Delhi Red Fort car bomb blast that killed 11 people last month. Investigators say he played an active role in the terror conspiracy and was in touch with other key accused

A transgender social activist cycling from Delhi to Manipur for peace safely crossed the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district under central forces’ security after a Kuki outfit issued a warning, highlighting the deep ethnic divide in violence-hit Manipur

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari highlighted a cashless treatment scheme for road accident victims, providing up to Rs 1.50 lakh per person for the first seven days. The programme ensures timely care, especially benefiting daily wage earners and economically weaker families.

The Telugu Desam Party has defended the renaming of MGNREGA as VB-G RAM G, saying rural employment schemes must evolve with changing economic realities. TDP MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu outlined reforms, accountability measures and implementation gaps during the Lok Sabha debate

Prolonged exposure to severe air pollution in Delhi is shortening life expectancy, increasing chronic illness and reducing productivity, experts warned. With AQI in the ‘very poor’ category, the crisis is straining healthcare systems and threatening long-term economic growth

Delhi Police busted two interstate cyberfraud rackets supplying mule bank accounts for online scams, arresting nine persons across four cities. The gangs used layered banking channels, social media and cryptocurrency to launder money cheated from victims nationwide

The Kerala High Court has extended interim protection from arrest to ousted Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil till January 7, when it will hear in detail a sexual assault case against him, amid multiple complaints and ongoing legal challenges

Parliament on Thursday extended the tenure of the Joint Parliamentary Committee examining Bills related to the removal of the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers, allowing it to submit its report by the last week of the Budget Session in 2026

The EPFO has launched the Employees’ Enrolment Scheme 2025, offering employers a six-month window to enrol workers left out of EPF coverage since 2017. The one-time initiative aims to expand coverage, regularise non-compliance and strengthen social security nationwide.

Ajay Gupta, co-owner of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa where 25 people died in a fire earlier this month, has applied for bail before a court in Mapusa. The court is expected to hear the plea later today

The Supreme Court adjourned till January the hearing on Chaitanya Baghel’s plea challenging his arrest in a Chhattisgarh liquor scam and provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The bench said the matter cannot be heard piecemeal, as multiple probes into scams allegedly during Bhupesh Baghel’s tenure continue

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Operation Sindoor demonstrated India’s ability to execute swift, high-impact air operations, asserting that the Indian Air Force has emerged as a technologically advanced and strategically confident force capable of meeting evolving security challenges

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said 21st century India takes bold and swift decisions, sets ambitious goals and delivers results within defined timelines, while addressing the Indian community in Muscat during his two-day visit to Oman.

Karan Johar’s production *Homebound*, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, has made it to the top 15 shortlist for the Best International Feature category at the Oscars. The film, featuring Ishaan Khatter and Janhavi Kapoor, explores childhood friendship across religious and caste lines and now aims for India’s first nomination in decades