India

Equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty slipped in early trade after a two-day rally, dragged by IT stocks. Weak volumes amid a holiday-shortened week and FII selling weighed on sentiment, despite firm Asian markets and continued DII buying

Two passengers were seriously injured after a private travel bus skidded off NH-65 near Kohir in Sangareddy district while overtaking another vehicle. The bus, heading to Hyderabad from Karnataka, overturned on the roadside, with passengers escaping through the emergency exit

Rashmika Mandanna praised Vijay Deverakonda’s intense first look from his upcoming film ‘Rowdy Janardhana’, calling him a powerful actor. Vijay unveiled a blood-soaked promo revealing his role as a feared rowdy, while relationship rumours between the two continue to swirl

Indian-American New York Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar condemned the lynching of 25-year-old Hindu man Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh, warning of a wider pattern of violence against religious minorities and urging global solidarity for human rights and religious freedom

Aishwarya Rai shared an unseen and heartwarming photo of daughter Aaradhya with her grandparents while wishing her parents on their wedding anniversary. The actress also reflected on family moments and recent appearances, while continuing to receive praise for her last film role.

India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav and all-rounder Shivam Dube will play two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches for Mumbai on January 6 and 8. Rohit Sharma is also set to feature, as BCCI pushes for greater domestic participation

Krishnappa Gowtham, former India all-rounder, has retired from all formats of cricket at 37. He played one ODI for India, featured in 36 IPL matches, and delivered a memorable all-round performance in the 2019 Karnataka Premier League

Canada, US, UK, Australia and Germany are the top higher education destinations for Indian students, with over 13.35 lakh Indians studying abroad in 2024, highlighting persistent brain drain, a NITI Aayog report said

Punjab named Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma and Arshdeep Singh in their 18-man Vijay Hazare Trophy squad. Quarterfinalists last season, Punjab begin against Maharashtra on December 24 in Jaipur. Gill’s availability remains uncertain due to India’s upcoming ODI and T20I series

India will face Sri Lanka in the second WT20I in Visakhapatnam after an eight-wicket win in the opener. Harmanpreet Kaur stressed on improving fielding, while Jemimah Rodrigues and Vaishnavi Sharma impressed as India aim to continue their dominance

Ganges Grandmasters defeated Fyers American Gambits 12-3 in the Global Chess League, keeping their final hopes alive. Anand drew with Nakamura, while Keymer, Sadhwani and Tsolakidou won their games. Mumba Masters lost 10-9 to Continental Kings and exited the race

India and New Zealand have concluded talks on a Free Trade Agreement providing duty-free access to key goods, a $20 billion investment commitment over 15 years, and a new visa pathway for Indian professionals, with trade expected to double in five years

Fundamental rights of citizens cannot be eclipsed by social disapproval or hollowed out by stigma

The Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Telangana government, securing 102 acres of forest land in Sahebnagar Kalan. Retired officer K Buchi Rami Reddy and others were praised for exposing fabricated documents and helping the forest department win the prolonged legal battle

West Bengal MLA Humayun Kabir, recently suspended by the TMC, launched a new political party, Janata Unnayan Party, ahead of the 2026 assembly elections. He named candidates, unveiled the party flag, and challenged Mamata Banerjee, prompting reactions from BJP and TMC.

Former IPS officer Amar Singh Chahal, accused in the 2015 Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura firing cases, allegedly shot himself on Monday. A note reportedly cites financial fraud. Chahal is critical in hospital as police investigate the incident.

A 50-year-old man was arrested in Navi Mumbai for allegedly pushing an 18-year-old student from a moving local train after she objected to his unauthorised entry into a ladies’ coach. The student survived and is recovering in hospital.

Around 62 per cent of Indians use GenAI at work regularly, with employers and employees widely crediting AI for improving productivity, decision-making and work quality. India leads global AI adoption and tops the ‘AI Advantage’ score, an EY survey said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will visit Sri Lanka as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Special Envoy to hold talks with top leaders. The visit comes amid India’s ongoing humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka following Cyclone Ditwah.

Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL) will debut the Taj brand in Egypt with a 300-key Taj Cairo at Opera Square, featuring dining, wellness, and event facilities. The project, in partnership with state-owned EGOTH, aligns with IHCL’s global expansion strategy

Deccan Gold Mines Ltd has begun pre-commissioning trials at its Altyn Tor Gold Project in Kyrgyzstan, processing 20,000–30,000 tonnes of ore. The trials aim to validate gold recovery methods ahead of full-scale production, strengthening India’s global mining footprint

“Drishyam 3,” starring Ajay Devgn as Vijay Salgaonkar, is set for theatrical release on October 2, 2026. Directed by Abhishek Pathak, the film continues the story of a father crafting an elaborate alibi to protect his family

A 20-year-old BTech student, Princy Kumari, was found dead in her hostel room at OP Jindal University, Raigarh. She allegedly died by suicide, leaving a note expressing regret over disappointing her parents. Police are investigating the case