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Evening news wrap: Suryakumar speaks about his form amid Gill’s omission from T20 WC squad; PM Modi defends SIR at Assam rally and more

Evening news wrap: Suryakumar speaks about his form amid Gill’s omission from T20 WC squad; PM Modi defends SIR at Assam rally and more

NEW DELHI: The Indian selectors on Saturday announced the squad for the T20 World Cup, dropping Shubman Gill from and recalling wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan along with Rinku Singh, while skipper Suryakumar Yadav, despite a recent dip in form, said he remains confident of rediscovering his best with the bat. PM Modi in Assam defended SIR and hit out at INDIA bloc for opposing it terming it as an attempt to protect infiltrators, calling them “ deshdhrois.” Meanwhile, Sonai Gandhi attacked PM Modi over the VB-G RAM G Bill, which she says undermines the rural employment guarantee scheme. The government has pushed back, calling the new law a reform measure, even as the bill’s passage sparked protests in Parliament. In Kerala, the killing of a Dalit migrant worker in Palakkad has triggered outrage, with police arresting five people as they probe a case of suspected mob violence that has raised concerns over migrant safety. Whereas, in the US questions were raised over transparency after the justice department released thousands of files linked to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, with many documents still redacted or withheld despite a congressional deadline.

Here are your top five stories of the evening:

T20 World Cup squad: Captain Suryakumar speaks up on his form after Gill’s omission

Ahead of the T20 World Cup, the selectors have left out Shubman Gill. Ishan Kishan and Rinku Singh have been recalled to the squad, while skipper Suryakumar Yadav, despite a recent dip in form, said he remains confident of rediscovering his best with the bat. As the defending champions gear up for the tournament, the team will be banking on a strong turnaround from their captain to lead the title defence. Read full story

‘Deshdrohis trying to protect infiltrators’: PM Modi defends SIR at Assam rally

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday defended SIR in Assam and hit out at INDIA bloc for opposing it terming it as an attempt to protect infiltrators. He also criticized the previous Congress government for neglecting Assam and the Northeast’s development. He said the Modi government is rectifying past mistakes and is committed to the region’s progress. Read full story

‘Attack on poor’: Sonia Gandhi slams PM Modi over VB-G RAM G Bill, criticises repealing of MGNREGA

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has launched a sharp attack on PM Modi, alleging that the newly introduced VB-G RAM G Bill aimed at replacing MGNREGA will adversely impact the poor. The government, however, has defended the legislation, saying it seeks to strengthen and improve MGNREGA, which it claims was riddled with corruption. The bill’s passage in Parliament triggered protests from opposition parties. Read full story

‘Mistaken for Bangladeshi national’: Dalit man beaten to death in Kerala

A Dalit migrant worker from Chhattisgarh, Ramnarayan Baghel, was killed in a suspected case of mob violence in Kerala’s Palakkad district. Preliminary reports indicate he may have been wrongly identified as a Bangladeshi national and suspected of theft following a local incident. Police have arrested five people in connection with the case and are continuing their investigation. Read full story

Epstein files opened: From steamy photos to call logs – What’s all in it

The US department of justice has made public thousands of documents linked to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, though a large number of records have yet to be released. Congress had set a December 19 deadline for disclosure, and while some files are now available, many are either heavily redacted or were already in the public domain. The limited release has prompted criticism from lawmakers who say the disclosure falls short of expectations. Read full story Go to Source

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