National News

Five family members, including a mother and her four daughters, were found murdered in a Lucknow hotel. The son, Arshad, has been arrested for the crime. He confessed, citing harassment by neighbors and community pressure as his motivation. Arshad and his father carried out the murders. The police are searching for the father, who is on the run.

An adventure junkie and wellness coach today, Jessy has skydived over the Palms in Dubai, parasailed and paraglided in Tenerife, and navigated the grade five waters of Ladakh and Zimbabwe on a white-water rafting expedition

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu extend New Year greetings for 2025, emphasizing opportunities, health and prosperity. Celebrations occur nationwide with parties, cultural events, and fireworks. Major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and tourist spots such as Manali see large gatherings and vibrant festivities.

Kevin Pietersen criticises the World Test Championship qualification process after South Africa reached the 2025 final with fewer matches. He blames structural flaws, highlighting discrepancies as England, despite winning more games, rank sixth. He urges the ICC Chairman to address this issue, calling for urgent reforms to ensure fair competition.

Harry Chandler, a Navy medic who bravely rescued sailors during the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, has died at 103. He was a Pearl Harbor survivor, remaining focused on saving lives amidst the chaos. Chandler's passing, along with two others, leaves just 15 Pearl Harbor survivors. He is survived by an extensive family.

From Anand becoming World Champion in 2000 to Gukesh doing the same in 2024, the city has produced top talent left, right and centre, tempting us to call it the New Moscow of chess. Robust support structures, notable academies, and the 2022 Chess Olympiad in Chennai contributed significantly to this growth, with Tamil Nadu producing multiple Grandmasters and emerging as the new epicenter of world chess.

India on Tuesday delayed the implementation of market share caps for popular digital payments methods by two years

The dissents of the U.S. Supreme Court are largely based on the political inclination of judges, who are direct appointees of the President, confirmed by the Senate. Indian judicial dissents have, however, varied from political, to social to purely intellectual disagreements

What was the Congress party’s demand with respect to the funeral and memorial of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh? Is there any rule regarding memorials for former PMs?

Delhi CM Atishi urged LG VK Saxena to halt demolitions of religious sites, citing decisions from the Delhi government's religious committee. The LG's office denied receiving any demolition files and accused Atishi of political diversion. BJP criticized Atishi for potentially disturbing communal harmony.

Rumors of retirement loom over Indian cricket stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli ahead of the final Sydney Test. With both players facing declining form, selectors may have tough decisions. Pressure mounts on Rohit, who has struggled significantly, while Kohli still shows flashes of brilliance despite performance issues. The outcomes of their careers hang in balance.

Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh of Massajog village was abducted and murdered by a group of men, causing widespread protests and unrest in Beed district. The crime is tied to a local dispute involving Avaada windmill company and has sparked political tensions, with various parties and politicians seizing the opportunity to make political gains.

A Ferrari stuck in the sand at Revdanda beach in Raigad was pulled out by a bullock cart on Dec 28. Police have filed a case of rash driving against the owner, Abhishek Jugal Kishore Tapadia. The incident sparked humorous reactions online, with users making amusing comments.

Sales of local calendars combining traditional Indian calendars are rising, but the expertise to draw them is dwindling.

Chennai police have broken a methamphetamine manufacturing and peddling cartel. They arrested 10 people, including a Class X dropout, and seized 17.815kg of methamphetamine. The contraband is valued at ₹22 crores. Police also attached assets worth ₹5 crores. The suspects were involved in manufacturing the drug using raw materials smuggled from Haryana and Myanmar.

The IDF confirmed the elimination of senior Hamas commander Abd al-Hadi Sabah in a targeted drone strike in southern Gaza. Sabah was involved in orchestrating the deadly October 7 Kibbutz Nir Oz attack. The IDF's operations have also led to the elimination of 14 Hamas militants, including six directly involved in the attack.