- Khalida Zia passes away: Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister and BNP’s chairperson, passed away early on Tuesday at the age of 80. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his condolences over the death of the Bangladeshi leader.
- Putin’s residence ‘attacked’: PM Modi also expressed shock and concern over the reported targeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence. Russian foreign minister on Monday claimed that Ukraine fired drones at Vladimir Putin’s residence between Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
- Amit Shah vs Mamata Banerjee: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Union minister Amit Shah came heads-on to each other. Shah accused the Bengal CM of not allotting land for border fencing with Bangladesh, while Banerjee, steering away from his charges, claimed that people in Bengal will not allow the BJP to come to power in West Bengal.
- India’s GDP surpasses Japan: In a major feat in business, India has moved past Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy in nominal GDP terms, according to the government’s year-end economic review.
- Shreyas Iyer’s delayed return: India faces a major setback as ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer’s return to competitive cricket has been delayed after the batter failed to receive the required clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE).
Here are the top 5 stories for the evening:
Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia passes away at 80
Begum Khalida Zia, the key rival of Bangladesh’s ousted PM Sheikh Hasina took her last breath on Tuesday. The BNP chairperson was born in India’s Jalpaiguri. Zia had been in critical condition for months and was undergoing treatment when her situation began worsening on Tuesday morning.Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh’s leader of interim government Muhammed Yunus expressed their condolences.Read the full story
PM Modi reacts to reports of attack on Putin’s house
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday voiced concern over reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence was targeted, urging restraint and a renewed emphasis on diplomacy. Russia claimed that Ukraine launched a drone attack on Putin’s state residence between Moscow and St Petersburg. According to Reuters, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said 91 long-range drones were fired in the Novgorod region on December 28–29, all of which were intercepted by Russian air defences.Read the full story
Amit Shah and Mamata Banerjee launch attacks at each other
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday targeted West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, accusing her government of failing to allot land for border fencing along the Bangladesh border, which he said has enabled infiltration through the state’s eastern frontiers. Mamata Banerjee sidestepping Shah’s allegations and asserting that the people of West Bengal would not allow the BJP to come to power in the state.Read the full story
India overtakes Japan to become world’s fourth largest economy
India has overtaken Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy in nominal GDP terms, according to the government’s year-end economic review.With GDP estimated at $4.18 trillion, India now ranks behind only the US, China and Germany, and is projected to surpass Germany to become the third-largest economy in the next 2.5–3 years. Final confirmation will come after the IMF releases its 2025 data in the first half of 2026, the government said.Read the full story
Rapid weight loss delays Shreyas Iyer’s return to competitive cricket
ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer’s return to competitive cricket has been delayed after he failed to get clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE). He was expected to leave the facility on December 30 but will now stay at least another week to complete his Return to Play (RTP) process.While Iyer is batting without discomfort, rapid weight loss following an abdominal injury has reduced his strength below optimum levels. He has lost around 6 kg due to the injury and, despite regaining some weight, the drop in muscle mass remains a concern that will be closely addressed in the coming week.Read the full story