Manu Bhaker, Gukesh among four athletes to get Khel Ratna award; record 17 para-athletes to receive Arjuna

Double Olympic-medallist Manu Bhaker and chess world champion D Gukesh were among four winners of the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award announced by the Sports Ministry, which also named an unprecedented 17 para-athletes in the list of 32 Arjuna awardees to honour their resounding success at the Paris Paralympics.

IT Ministry orders X to ‘audit’ and cease morphed pictures of women in Grok chatbot

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology directed social media platform X to undertake a “comprehensive technical, procedural and governance-level review” of its Grok chatbot, which allegedly has been responding to user requests to undress or alter clothing in women’s photos. Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi had raised an alarm over the issue in a letter to IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw earlier in the day.

Tourist access to Kashmir’s Margan Top, Chauhar Nag, Sinthan Top banned over security

Popular trekking spots in Anantnag, Kashmir were placed out of bounds, following inputs from security agencies’. On the banned list are Margan Top, Chauhar Nag, and Sinthan Top. These areas are at an altitude of around 3,696 meters and have traditionally attracted adventure lovers to the high-altitude meadows and glacier lakes they are known for.

Actor Shah Rukh Khan buying Bangladeshi cricketer sparks controversy

The inclusion of Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman in the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, co-owned by actor Shah Rukh Khan, has sparked controversy in Maharashtra as politicians and spiritual leaders slammed the actor. Hindu spiritual leader Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya called Shah Rukh Khan a “traitor” for hiring the Bangladeshi player. This also comes after another Hindu spiritual leader, Devkinandan Thakur, slammed Shah Rukh Khan for his actions, given the targeted atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh. He also demanded that the cricketer’s appointment be revoked and that ₹9.2 crore in fees be paid to the families of the Hindu children who were murdered.

CAQM revokes GRAP-3 curbs in Delhi-NCR as air quality improves

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and Adjoining Areas on Friday (January 2, 2026) revoked curbs imposed under GRAP 3 following improvement in air quality, officials said. “The AQI of Delhi, which was recorded as 380 on Thursday (January 1, 2026), has significantly improved and recorded 236 at 4 pm on Friday, exhibiting a trend. Keeping in view the prevailing trend of air quality, the CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP decides to revoke all actions as envisaged under Stage-3 of the extant GRAP, with immediate effect, in the entire NCR,” an official said.

Karnataka likely to start movement against VB-G RAM G Act, start its own schemes

The Congress government in Karnataka is likely to start a movement against the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025, and is expected to bring out scheme/ legislation to sustain rural livelihood and employment guarantee. The Cabinet condemned the repealing of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is expected to spell out the State government’s move on Saturday.

Manufacturing PMI at 2-year low in December 2025 on easing new orders, output and employment

Expansion in India’s manufacturing performance slowed to a two-year low in December 2025, with the rate of new business orders, production, and employment growth all slowing, according to a private sector survey. The seasonally adjusted HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index fell from 56.6 in November to 55.0 in December. The last time it was lower was in December 2023, when the index value had touched 54.9.

Eight U.S. lawmakers pen letter in support of Umar Khalid; urge India to grant bail, fair trial ‘as per international law’

Eight lawmakers from the United States have penned a letter to Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra, urging India to grant bail and a free trial “in accordance to international law” to Umar Khalid, an accused in a larger conspiracy case related to the 2020 North East Delhi riots. In the letter dated December 30, 2025, the U.S. lawmakers pledged support to the jailed student activist and sought the government to “share the steps being taken to ensure that the judicial proceedings against Umar Khalid and those of his co-accused who remain in detention comport with international standards’.

Sri Lankan Navy arrests 11 Karaikal fishermen

Eleven fishermen from Karaikal were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) while fishing near the southeast of Kodiyakkarai. According to official sources, the fishermen had ventured into the sea from the Karaikal fishing harbour on December 29. Their mechanised fishing vessel was reportedly surrounded by Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the early hours of Friday near Mullaitheevu, following which all 11 fishermen were detained and the boat was seized.

Swiss investigators believe sparkling flares atop wine bottles ignited fatal bar fire

Swiss investigators said that they believe sparkling flares atop Champagne bottles ignited the fatal fire at a ski resort when they came too close to a crowded bar’s ceiling. Forty people were killed, and another 119 were injured in the blaze as it ripped through the busy Le Constellation bar at the ski resort of Crans-Montana while revelers were celebrating New Year’s Eve, authorities said.

Seven killed as Saudi coalition strikes UAE-backed forces in Yemen

Air strikes killed seven separatist fighters in Yemen, according to an official with the group, as a Saudi-led coalition hit back against a sweeping advance by the UAE-backed Southern Transition Council, threatening a major confrontation. The deaths are the first from coalition fire since the secessionist STC seized swathes of Hadramawt and Mahra provinces last month.

Chinmoy Krishna Das bail hearing: Chattogram court rejects bail plea of Bangladesh spiritual leader

A court in Chattogram has refused to grant bail to Chinmoy Krishna Das, the former ISKCON leader, following a hearing held with heightened security on (January 2, 2025), The Daily Star reported.

Madras High Court confirms S.Ve. Shekher’s prison sentence for sharing derogatory post about women journalists

The Madras High Court on Thursday (January 2, 2025) refused to interfere with the conviction and one-month simple imprisonment imposed by a trial court in February 2024 against actor S.Ve. Shekher in a case booked in 2018 for having shared a Facebook post containing derogatory remarks against women journalists.

SC blames Punjab officials, some farmer leaders for false impression on breaking Dallewal’s fast

The Supreme Court on Thursday (January 2, 2025) pulled up the Punjab government and said its officials and some farmer leaders are creating a false impression in media that attempts are being made to break farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal's fast.

Tesla Cybertruck explodes outside Trump hotel in Las Vegas, killing one

At least one person was killed and seven wounded when a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside a hotel belonging to US President-elect Donald Trump in Las Vegas, police said Wednesday (January 1, 2025).