World

India vice-captain Rishabh Pant apologised for the team’s 0-2 Test series loss to South Africa, saying players will regroup and refocus to come back stronger. The defeat has intensified scrutiny on coach Gautam Gambhir’s strategy of relying on all-rounders

Sunil Gavaskar defended India head coach Gautam Gambhir after the Test series loss to South Africa, saying coaches can only prepare teams but players must deliver. R Ashwin also backed Gambhir, stressing players should take responsibility instead of blaming the coach

Kylian Mbappé scored four goals, including the second-fastest hat trick in Champions League history, as PSG and Arsenal recorded big wins. Teenagers Viktor Dadason and Geovany Quenda impressed, while veteran David Luiz became the second-oldest scorer in the competition

India’s Test selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar, may turn to seasoned domestic stars like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rajat Patidar and Rinku Singh after the South Africa whitewash. Experts stress the need for specialists over all-rounders to strengthen the batting line-up

Tanvi Sharma, 16, stunned former World No 1 Nozomi Okuhara in a thrilling three-game battle at the Syed Modi International 2025. The World Juniors silver medallist rallied to win 13-21, 21-16, 21-19, advancing to the quarterfinals

A huge fire swept through Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court, killing 55 people and injuring many others. Over 200 remain missing. The blaze spread quickly due to renovation materials, and rescue teams are still working to control the fire and find survivors

A Dhaka court sentenced former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to 21 years in jail and her two children to five years each for alleged corruption in a government housing project. The ruling follows political upheaval and earlier serious charges against her

Adiala jail authorities refuted rumours claiming former Pakistan PM Imran Khan had died in custody, saying he is “fully healthy” and has not been shifted from the prison. The clarification came as PTI and Khan’s sisters demanded proof of his well-being and access to meet him.

A Dhaka court sentenced former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina to 21 years in prison in three corruption cases linked to the Purbachal New City Project. The verdict follows an earlier ICT ruling sentencing her to death, which she termed politically motivated.

US President Donald Trump said South Africa will not be invited to the 2026 G20 Summit in Miami, accusing Pretoria of human rights abuses and failing to hand over the G20 Presidency properly. South Africa rejected the claims as “misinformation” and defended its G20 role.

A Peruvian court sentenced former President Martin Vizcarra to 14 years in prison for accepting nearly $700,000 in bribes while serving as Moquegua governor. Vizcarra, who denies wrongdoing and calls the case “revenge”, is also barred from holding public office for nine years.

US President Donald Trump condemned the shooting of two National Guardsmen near the White House as an “act of terror” and ordered an additional 500 troops to Washington. The Afghan-origin suspect is in custody, while the injured Guardsmen remain in critical condition.

At least 44 people died and 45 were injured after a massive fire swept through multiple residential towers at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong’s Tai Po. Three men were arrested for suspected manslaughter as rescue efforts continued through the night.

The 19-year-old defeated Wei in the second Rapid Game in the tiebreak with black pieces to become the first Uzbek chess player to win the World Cup

A Pakistani woman lost at age 10 was reunited with her family after 17 years, thanks to AI facial recognition used by the Safe City Project. Kiran, raised at the Edhi shelter in Karachi, was finally traced to her father through an old police report

Torrential monsoon rains triggered flash floods and landslides across North Sumatra, killing 17 people and leaving six missing. Thousands were displaced, homes destroyed and access roads cut off, as rescuers struggled against bad weather and dangerous conditions to reach affected areas

A major fire broke out in a high-rise housing complex in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, killing four people and injuring three. The blaze spread quickly through bamboo scaffolding, trapping residents as firefighters worked to control the intense flames

The IMF says Pakistan’s economic problems come mainly from corruption, weak institutions and powerful groups controlling the system. Everyday people suffer while elites benefit. The report warns that without honest accountability and major reforms, the country will stay in crisis

President Donald Trump said his Ukraine peace proposal has been “fine-tuned” and that envoys will soon meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian officials. His plan, criticised for favouring Russia, remains under negotiation as Europe seeks stronger guarantees and fresh Russian attacks intensify pressure on talks.

India ended Day 4 at 27/2 chasing 549 against South Africa in the second Test at Guwahati. Tristan Stubbs scored 94 before the visitors declared at 260/5. Ravindra Jadeja took four wickets, but India face a daunting task

India will face Pakistan on February 15 in Colombo during the 2026 T20 World Cup, which begins on February 7 in Mumbai. The 20-team tournament will feature 55 matches across India and Sri Lanka, with Rohit Sharma named brand ambassador

A high-level review meeting was held at the ACA–VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam to discuss arrangements for the India–South Africa ODI on December 6. Officials focused on security, sanitation, traffic and beautification works to ensure smooth conduct of the match

GM Andrey Esipenko defeated Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Yakubboev in the third-place play-off at the FIDE World Cup Goa 2025, securing his place in the Candidates. The final between Wei Yi and Javokhir Sindarov heads to a tiebreak after two draws

Indian shooters won 16 medals, including seven gold, six silver and three bronze, at the Tokyo Deaflympics. Rifle shooter Mahit Sandhu led with four medals, while Abhinav Deshwal, Pranjali Dhumal and Dhanush Srikanth also starred in India’s dominant campaign