World

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

Amid ongoing unrest in Bangladesh following the killing of student leader Osman Haidi, another NCP student leader, Muhammad Motaleb Shikder, was shot in the head in Khulna. The incident comes months ahead of the country’s February 2026 elections.

Thailand and Cambodia will resume border talks this week to establish a lasting ceasefire after recent deadly clashes. Previous agreements lacked detail, and both nations accuse each other of violations, including new landmine placements, amid rising regional and international concern

Japan’s H3 rocket failed to deploy the Michibiki 5 navigation satellite into its planned orbit, marking the second failure for the new flagship rocket. JAXA is investigating, with implications for Japan’s independent geolocation and commercial space ambitions

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

Muhammad Motaleb Sikdar, Khulna Division head of Bangladesh’s NCP, was critically shot in the head by unidentified gunmen, days after the killing of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi. He was hospitalized as authorities continue investigating political violence

Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, was awarded Saudi Arabia’s highest civilian honour, the King Abdulaziz Medal of Excellence, during his official visit. The accolade recognizes his role in strengthening Pakistan-Saudi strategic and defence ties

Russian Lt Gen Fanil Sarvarov was killed when an explosive device detonated under his car in southern Moscow. Investigators are exploring multiple leads, including the possibility that Ukrainian intelligence orchestrated the attack, according to the Russian Investigative Committee 

NATO intelligence warns Russia may be developing an anti-satellite “zone-effect” weapon targeting Starlink satellites with orbiting pellets. Experts say it could cause uncontrollable space debris, endanger other satellites, and serve more as a psychological deterrent than a deployable system

Human rights groups wrote to the Norwegian Nobel Committee accusing Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh’s interim government chief advisor, of remaining silent amid escalating violence and rights abuses in the country, urging moral leadership and accountability to uphold the Nobel Peace Prize’s ethical authority

Australian police allege a 24-year-old accused of killing 15 people at Sydney’s Bondi Beach trained with firearms alongside his father and recorded a video justifying the attack. The father was shot dead, while the son faces multiple murder and terrorism charges

A 26-year-old Indian-origin Singaporean man was charged for staging a fake explosive threat at a church, leading to the cancellation of services. Police said the act was not terror-related. He was remanded for psychiatric evaluation and faces severe penalties if convicted.

Authorities say at least 15 passengers were killed when a bus on its way to Yogyakarta from Jakarta hit a concrete barrier and rolled onto its side

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Thai forces have secured control over most targeted border areas and are pushing Cambodian troops back. While clashes have eased and civilians are returning home, sporadic shelling and landmine incidents continue to raise tensions.

The United States is pursuing a third oil tanker linked to Venezuela in international waters, accusing it of sanctions evasion. The move follows recent tanker seizures and a US-ordered blockade, escalating tensions as Venezuela condemns the actions as piracy.

Starbucks has appointed Indian-origin technology executive Anand Varadarajan as Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. A former Amazon leader with nearly 19 years of experience, he will join the company’s leadership team in January to strengthen global digital and technology initiatives.

Joshna Chinappa and Veer Chotrani clinched the women’s and men’s singles titles at the 80th CCI Western India Squash Tournament in Mumbai. Chinappa staged a comeback to beat Sanya Vats, while Chotrani dominated Suraj Chand in a one-sided final

Devon Conway and Tom Latham’s centuries powered New Zealand to a 462-run target against West Indies in the third Test at Mount Maunganui. Conway created history with a double-century and century in the same match as Windies chase 418 on Day 5

Australia defeated England by 82 runs in the Adelaide Test to retain the Ashes with a 3-0 lead. Starc, Cummins, and Lyon starred with the ball, while Travis Head’s 170 powered Australia’s dominance. England’s lower order resistance fell short

Sameer Minhas smashed 172 off 113 balls to power Pakistan to a 191-run win over India in the U19 Asia Cup final at Dubai. India, unbeaten until then, suffered its heaviest Youth ODI defeat as Pakistan lifted the trophy

Hou Yifan’s two wins with black pieces lifted Alpine SG Pipers to second spot in the Global Chess League. Defending champions Continental Kings sealed a final berth, while Mumba Masters and Ganges Grandmasters face uphill battles to stay in contention