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Saudi Arabia has quietly expanded alcohol sales at its sole store, allowing non-Muslim foreigners with Premium Residency to purchase. The move reflects the kingdom’s cautious liberalisation, while general alcohol consumption remains banned and highly regulated under strict Sharia law
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A parliamentary panel urged India to strengthen IREL with targeted budgetary support to boost rare earth element exploration and mining. Recommendations include domestic supply strategies, international collaborations, and leveraging GSI projects to reduce import dependence for critical minerals
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Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan and wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 17 years in jail in the Toshakhana 2 corruption case. Khan urged nationwide protests, condemned the verdict as unfair, and called for legal and public action for justice
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Using 11 years of spectroscopic data from Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, Indian researchers mapped Sun’s magnetic activity across latitudes, revealing hemispheric asymmetries and sunspot correlations. The findings refine solar dynamo models, aid space-weather forecasting, and may support climate research
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Security forces launched a search operation in Chore Motu, Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, after terrorists reportedly took food from a local house and fled into nearby forests. The area, linked to a recent encounter that killed a policeman, was cordoned off
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Andhra Pradesh conducted its Pulse Polio programme on Sunday, administering polio drops to over 54 lakh children under five at nearly 39,000 booths. Door-to-door and mobile teams will cover missed children to maintain India’s polio-free status
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Two workers were trapped after a mine wall collapsed on a coal-loading truck at a CCL opencast mine in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district late Saturday night. Rescue operations are underway, while one injured worker has been hospitalised and mining activities suspended
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Shooting has begun for 'Maa Vande,' a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi starring Malayalam actor Unni Mukundan. Announced on Modi’s birthday, the film explores his personal and political journey and is directed by Kranthi Kumar CH under Silver Cast Creations
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BRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao is set to return to active political mobilisation at a joint party meeting in Hyderabad, with focus on irrigation, water rights and farmers’ issues, while launching a sharp offensive against the Congress government and targeting BJP’s role in Telangana
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ISRO’s LVM3 M6 mission, scheduled for December 24 from Sriharikota, will launch AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird Block-2 satellite under a commercial agreement. The next-generation spacecraft aims to deliver direct-to-smartphone 4G and 5G broadband globally
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Several Jeffrey Epstein-related files, including an image showing Donald Trump, disappeared from a US Justice Department webpage shortly after release, fuelling transparency concerns. Lawmakers and survivors criticised gaps, delays and heavy redactions in the long-awaited document disclosures
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Snowfall in higher reaches and rain in the plains of Kashmir on Sunday marked the start of Chillai-Kalan, ending a prolonged dry spell. Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Sadhna Top received fresh snow, bringing relief to residents and boosting hopes for winter tourism
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A couple running a cloth shop in Bejjanki, Siddipet district, allegedly died by suicide due to family disputes and financial difficulties. Found unconscious at home on Sunday. Police await further details
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A deaf and mute woman’s delayed complaint of a 2009 sexual assault in Mumbai has exposed an alleged serial predator who targeted hearing- and speech-impaired women through drugging, rape, blackmail and extortion. Police say at least seven survivors have been identified so far
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Daily Horoscope: Your stars are bringing good tidings for you. Check out your astrological predictions for December 21, 2025. May the day bring you happiness
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi began Pariksha Pe Charcha in Guwahati by cruising the Brahmaputra, interacting with 25 Assam students aboard MV Charaidew 2. Heightened security, suspended ferries, and hopes of boosting river tourism marked his visit on Sunday morning today
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The Trump administration plans to significantly increase denaturalisation of US citizens, targeting fraud, criminal links, and other categories. USCIS guidance sets quotas of 100–200 cases per month, raising concerns over fear, politicisation, and impact on law-abiding naturalised Americans
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President Donald Trump suspended the US green card lottery following the Brown University and MIT shootings by Portuguese national Claudio Neves Valente. The move affects the Diversity Visa program, provoking likely legal challenges amid broader immigration policy debates
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Security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur neutralised Maoist leader Fagnu Madvi during an early morning gun battle, seizing arms and equipment. The operation marks a major blow to insurgency, part of intensified anti-Naxal campaigns across Bastar and Bijapur districts
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The Supreme Court sought responses from the Centre and Uttar Pradesh on a plea by a woman advocate alleging illegal detention, custodial sexual assault, and CCTV tampering at Noida’s Sector 126 police station, directing preservation of relevant footage
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A leopard entered a residential society in Thane, Maharashtra, injuring two to three people. Forest Department and Sanjay Gandhi National Park teams launched a rescue operation, monitoring the animal closely and urging residents to stay indoors and avoid crowding
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Flipkart has acquired a majority stake in Minivet AI, an AI/ML solutions provider, to enhance generative AI capabilities for e-commerce. The move aims to create interactive, immersive shopping experiences with AI-driven video and advanced product discovery
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The Enforcement Directorate attached assets worth Rs 8 crore of former Karnataka minister B Nagendra in the alleged Valmiki scam linked to money laundering. The properties include lands and a building, with proceeds traced under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act
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A Visakhapatnam-bound Air India Express flight from Vijayawada was cancelled on December 18 due to a technical snag detected before take-off. Passengers, including M Venkaiah Naidu and Andhra Pradesh ministers, were provided accommodation, refunds, and rescheduling options
