India

Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has busted a nationwide spurious drug racket, uncovering a fake manufacturing unit and seizing counterfeit Schedule-H medicines worth over Rs 2.3 crore. Two accused have been arrested, and further raids are underway

Security forces in Manipur arrested seven militants, including two women cadres linked to banned outfits UNLF and PREPAK, during coordinated operations across multiple districts. Arms, ammunition and drugs were also seized as security operations intensified statewide

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s values and governance vision continue to inspire India’s self-reliance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing infrastructure growth, welfare schemes, and digital transformation

A year-long autopsy-based study by AIIMS, New Delhi, has found no scientific evidence linking COVID-19 vaccination to sudden deaths among young adults, reaffirming vaccine safety and attributing most such deaths to known medical conditions, particularly cardiovascular diseases.

The Centre has introduced regulatory relaxations and enhanced credit access to support MSME growth. Measures include BIS exemptions under quality norms, RBI-mandated loan benchmarking, credit guarantees and collateral-free lending to ease compliance and boost expansion

Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav announced Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve will host cheetahs before next monsoon, joining Kuno and Gandhi Sagar reserves. The state is expanding wildlife conservation, including tiger protection, rhinoceros and snake translocation, alongside initiatives to boost farmers’ income

India has emerged as the world’s third most competitive country in artificial intelligence, according to Stanford University’s AI Vibrancy Tool, ranking behind the US and China but ahead of several advanced economies, driven by strong talent, research growth and a robust startup ecosystem.

Kashmir’s higher reaches saw overnight snowfall, raising night temperatures above freezing in Srinagar for the first time this December. Pulwama remained the coldest at –2.7°C, while fog enveloped the valley as the region approaches the 40-day ‘Chillai Kalan’ winter

Eight of India’s top-10 most valued firms lost a combined Rs 79,129.21 crore last week amid a bearish market, with Bajaj Finance and ICICI Bank hit hardest, while Reliance Industries and Larsen & Toubro gained

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held meetings with European, UK, and Egyptian counterparts, including Xavier Bettel, Radoslaw Sikorski, Baiba Braze, David Lammy, and Badr Abdelatty, on the sidelines of the Sir Bani Yas Forum 2025 in Abu Dhabi 

Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal announced his engagement to long-time partner Gabriella Demetriades during Rhea Chakraborty’s podcast. The couple, dating since 2018, has two sons, Arik and Arav, while Rampal was previously married to Mehr Jesia

IATA warns of rising GPS spoofing and jamming incidents affecting global aviation, including India, with reported cases nearly doubling since 2022. Pilots are urged to remain vigilant, while authorities emphasize better coordination and awareness to mitigate risks

Chaos and vandalism during Lionel Messi’s event at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium drew widespread international media attention, with major global outlets highlighting mismanagement and crowd unrest, raising concerns over the city’s global image and event-handling capabilities.

Former Karnataka MLA and doctor Anjali Nimbalkar saved an American passenger’s life by performing CPR during a Goa to New Delhi flight after the woman suffered a medical emergency mid air, earning praise from passengers, crew, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah 

About 4,300 MW of solar projects in Rajasthan face full daytime curtailment due to limited transmission capacity, threatening Rs 20,000 crore of investments. Industry urges short-term relief, dynamic line rating, and better evacuation mechanisms to prevent stranded renewable assets

Goa launched a crackdown on nightclubs ahead of Christmas and New Year after a deadly fire killed 25 people. Authorities inspected venues across North Goa, sealing establishments violating safety and licensing norms to prevent further tragedies

A parliamentary committee praised the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives in Ladakh for exemplary experiential education and urged the University Grants Commission to grant long pending recognition, while recommending replication of its model nationwide despite recent controversies involving founder Sonam Wangchuk

A parliamentary panel warned that India’s heavy dependence on crude oil imports exposes it to geopolitical risks and supply disruptions, urging diversification of sources, stronger strategic reserves, alternative routes, and institutionalised risk management to safeguard long term energy security

A fire early Sunday gutted a mobile phone shop in Gudivada, Krishna district, and spread to five nearby apparel stores, causing damage worth over Rs 1.2 crore. No injuries were reported, and police suspect a short circuit

The CBI filed a chargesheet against 17 individuals, including four Chinese nationals, and 58 companies for running a transnational cyber fraud network that used shell firms and digital scams to siphon over Rs 1,000 crore, officials said  

The Election Commission has cautioned West Bengal poll officials to treat any irregularity or security breach during hearings on claims and objections in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls seriously, directing strict corrective and disciplinary action where required.

A wildfire burning for three days in Nagaland Dzukou Valley spread toward Japfu range, prompting plans for aerial firefighting using an Indian Air Force helicopter, after strong winds worsened damage in the ecologically sensitive forest area near Kohima

Security forces in Manipur arrested six militants, including two women, linked to banned outfits for alleged extortion activities. The arrests across Imphal and Bishnupur districts led to the seizure of firearms and ammunition, police said 

The BJP termed the chaos at the Lionel Messi event in Kolkata as “shameful for West Bengal” and demanded Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee take responsibility. The unrest forced police action and led to Messi leaving early, prompting a judicial probe.