India

The US condemned the killing of Hindu garment worker Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh, urging protection of minorities. Lawmakers and advocacy groups expressed concern over rising religious violence, while Washington reiterated its commitment to religious freedom and minority rights.

Outnumbered and outgunned, the battalion gave a bloody nose to a full Pakistani brigade, turning a quiet Ferozepur enclave into one of the 1971 war’s fiercest defensive victories

Bengaluru’s Hemanth Muddappa won two titles and a podium at the Indian National Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship in Chennai. He leads the standings with 75 points, while Syed Imran, Mujahid Pasha and Lapis Lazuli also impressed in their respective categories

A khap panchayat in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, has banned children from using smartphones and wearing half pants in public, urging boys to wear kurta-pyjamas and girls salwar-kurtas. The panchayat also opposed weddings in marriage halls, insisting they be held in villages and homes to preserve family ties.

India, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, aim for a fourth straight win in the Women’s T20I series against Sri Lanka. With bowlers Deepti Sharma and Renuka Singh starring, India lead 3-0 and look set for a clean sweep

Arjun Erigaisi and D Gukesh joined Magnus Carlsen at the top after five rounds of the FIDE World Rapid Championships in Doha. Zhu Jiner leads the women’s section with a perfect score, while Koneru Humpy and Ju Wenjun trail with three points

BCCI is weighing Gautam Gambhir’s future as India’s Test coach after the South Africa series defeat. An informal approach was made to VVS Laxman, who declined. Gambhir’s contract runs till 2027, but split coaching could be considered after the T20 World Cup

The Supreme Court will hear on December 29 a plea filed by the CBI challenging the Delhi High Court’s suspension of the life sentence awarded to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case. The case, transferred to Delhi in 2019, continues to draw national attention.

Hyderabad’s Aaron George has been selected in India’s U19 World Cup squad for Zimbabwe and Namibia. India, five-time champions, are in Group B with New Zealand, USA and Bangladesh

Telangana’s Shivani Karra won gold in the under-14 girls 200m freestyle and 100m backstroke at the South Zone aquatics championship in Hyderabad. Dakshinya Harini Gidijala added gold in the 200m breaststroke as swimmers from Karnataka and Telangana shared honours

The mixed doubles pre-quarterfinals at the AAI 52nd Institutional Table Tennis Championships in Indore saw PSPB, RBI, Railways and Tamil Nadu pairs advance. Matches featured thrillers, straight-game wins and deciders, underlining the competitive depth at Abhay Prashal

Para athletes Shivani from Andhra Pradesh and Jyoti from Haryana were honoured with the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar by President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi. Both were trained by the Aditya Mehta Foundation and recognised for their sporting excellence

Tilottama Sen won gold in the women’s 50m rifle 3P final at the 68th National Shooting Championship in Bhopal. Vidarsa Vinod took silver and Ayonika Paul bronze. Rituparna Deshmukh claimed junior gold, while Rajasthan and Karnataka won team titles

A tragic accident in Vadodara claimed the life of Vipulsinh Zala, who slipped into a 15–30-foot open manhole near the Manjalpur Sports Complex while out for dinner with his family. His relatives discovered his boots floating inside the pit during a search after he failed to return. Fire department personnel pulled him out, but doctors declared him dead at the hospital.

CPI(M)-affiliated Telangana Rythu Sangham staged protests in Khammam district demanding the withdrawal of the Congress government’s decision to nominate political leaders to PACS and DCCBs. District secretary Bonthu Rambabu insisted that elections should be held to elect farmer representatives, warning that political nominations would undermine the cooperative system.

Ujjain religious leaders have given strict warning to disrupt Indian Premier League (IPL) matches if Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur is allowed to participate. Mustafizur Rahman is the only Bangladesh player picked in the recent IPL auction.

Producer Kumar Mangat Pathak issued a legal notice to Akshaye Khanna for allegedly breaching his agreement for “Drishyam 3” after refusing participation via text. The team signed Jaideep Ahlawat as Khanna’s replacement, citing financial and scheduling losses

The Indian Army and Assam Rifles conducted a joint helicopter-borne exercise in Vijaynagar, Arunachal Pradesh, testing rapid troop deployment, operational preparedness, and coordination in challenging terrain. The drill enhanced combat readiness, professionalism, and interoperability in strategically sensitive areas

Protesters in Jammu, led by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti, set ablaze an effigy of Lt Governor Manoj Sinha demanding Hindu-only MBBS seat reservations at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute, blocking roads and causing traffic disruptions

Rajasthan experienced cold and dry weather with isolated fog in Udaipur and Kota divisions. Karauli was the coldest at 3.1°C, while Barmer recorded 29°C. The Meteorological Centre forecasts continued cold and dry conditions across the state in the coming days

Congress leader N Subarahmanian was arrested in Kozhikode for sharing a photograph allegedly showing CM Pinarayi Vijayan with Sabarimala gold case accused Unnikrishnan Potty. The police cited provocation and annoyance charges, while Congress condemned the action as an attack on free speech

The Delhi High Court restored the honour of a 72-year-old ex-CISF officer, compulsorily retired 20 years ago over alleged sexual harassment, ruling the complaint appeared motivated. The court quashed the retirement order and revised his pension accordingly

In Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, a seven-year-old girl walked nearly 5 km away after being scolded for watching cartoons. Police traced her via CCTV and rescued her within four hours, reuniting her safely with her relieved parents

Janshakti Janta Dal chief Tej Pratap Yadav filed a police complaint alleging threats to his life from expelled party spokesperson Santosh Renu Yadav. An FIR has been registered, and enhanced security has been requested as the matter is under investigation