Times of India

An Australia-based NRI businessman was defrauded by a taxi driver at Mumbai airport. The driver charged Rs 2,800 for a 10-minute ride to Vile Parle using a fake app. The cheating was detected after the businessman reached his hotel. The taxi driver was later arrested by the police following a complaint from the victim.

US President-elect Donald Trump humorously suggested Wayne Gretzky run for Canadian Prime Minister, dubbing him "Governor of Canada." Despite Gretzky's refusal and a backlash over his association with Trump, the tongue-in-cheek proposal reignited Trump's mockery of Canada and criticism of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's policies.

Despite legal issues and controversies, 'Pushpa 2' directed by Sukumar keeps strong box office momentum, amassing ₹1109.85 crore within 21 days, with ₹716.65 crore from its Hindi version. The movie faced protests and legal actions following a tragic stampede at its premiere, but the mass entertainer still significantly performs.

In 2023-24, BJP garnered Rs 2,244 crore in contributions, three times more than in 2022-23, with Prudent Electoral Trust being the largest donor. Congress received Rs 288.9 crore. Electoral bond receipts were excluded as per rules.

Three years after a Gujarati family froze to death attempting to illegally cross the US-Canada border, an ED probe uncovers an international human trafficking syndicate involving Canadian colleges issuing student visas. Around 35,000 illegal migrants are sent abroad yearly by two agents in Mumbai and Nagpur.

NDA leaders convened at BJP president J P Nadda’s residence to mark the birth centenary of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and discuss political strategies, including the assembly election in Delhi and the 'one nation, one election' proposal. The gathering underscored achievements under PM Narendra Modi’s leadership.

Taylor Swift skipped attending the Kansas City Chiefs' away game against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to security concerns and only appears at the Chiefs' home games at Arrowhead Stadium, where security has been thoroughly reviewed. Previous security threats during her tour and a burglary at Travis Kelce's home have heightened her caution regarding public appearances.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar received a recommendation for the Bharat Ratna from BJP's Giriraj Singh, citing his impressive performance since rejoining the NDA. This unexpected praise highlights the notable improvements in Bihar's governance under Nitish, compared to previous administrations, according to Singh.

PM Narendra Modi criticized the Congress for not recognizing BR Ambedkar's contributions to India's water resource development while highlighting the Ken-Betwa river linking project's benefits, initiated 23 years ago by Atal Behari Vajpayee's government. The project aims to irrigate 8.11 lakh hectares in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, improving water supply and supporting Bundelkhand farmers.

A man with a criminal history allegedly filmed and raped an Anna University student, threatening her and her male friend with the footage. The suspect, arrested a day later, had previously been involved in multiple theft and robbery cases, raising concerns about campus security.

MT Vasudevan Nair, an iconic Malayalam writer known for his impactful novels and screenplays, passed away at 91. He blended lived experiences into his works, leaving a lasting legacy. He also significantly influenced Malayalam cinema and won prestigious awards, including the Jnanpith Award and Padma Bhushan.

The government announced new secretaries, with Arunish Chawla heading the revenue department and Vineet Joshi in charge of higher education. Rachna Shah will oversee the department of personnel and training. Other key appointments include Amit Agrawal as pharmaceuticals secretary and Neelam Shami Rao as textiles secretary. These changes come ahead of the upcoming Union Budget.

Police in Maharashtra arrested four men after a 17-year-old girl, who ran away due to academic pressure, alleged she was raped by them under the guise of offering help. The girl, a NEET aspirant, travelled to four different places where the incidents occurred. The Pocso Act has been invoked against the suspects.

Indermit Gill, World Bank chief economist, emphasizes India's potential to elevate its growth from 6% to 8% by enhancing efficiency and economic freedom, focusing on quality education, staying open to FDI and trade, and improving women's workforce participation. India's favourable demographics and balanced economy support these prospects.

46 civilians, mostly women and children, are reported killed in airstrikes by Pakistani jets in Afghanistan's Paktika province. The strikes targeted alleged TTP camps, with Kabul condemning them as barbaric aggression. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan are likely to worsen following the incident.