A US District Court has upheld the Trump administration’s $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications. The US Chamber of Commerce has filed an appeal against the ruling. The fee was announced in September through a presidential order and aims to limit misuse of the visa system. The H-1B programme allows US firms to hire skilled foreign workers. Judge Beryl Howell of the District of Columbia court ruled on December 23 that the president acted within legal authority. The Chamber says the sharp hike breaks immigration law. Similar lawsuits have been filed by states, unions, and staffing firms. The case may reach the US Supreme Court. (PC: India Today)

Gelsenkirchen are hunting thieves who drilled into the underground vault of a Sparkasse bank branch and stole about €30 million in cash and valuables. The crime was found early Monday after a fire alarm went off. Officers say the suspects broke into more than 3,000 safe deposit boxes. They likely entered and escaped through a nearby parking garage during the quiet Christmas days. Witnesses saw several men carrying large bags in the garage stairwell. Video shows a black Audi RS6 leaving the area. No arrests have been made. The branch remains closed and customers were told to contact the bank. (PC: BBC)

A Ranchi court has acquitted Indrajit Rai in a major narcotics case after police said 200 kg of seized ganja was destroyed by rats. The drugs were seized in 2022 after police stopped a Bolero on a highway and arrested Rai, while two others fled. During trial, officers told the court the contraband stored at Ormanjhi police station was no longer available. A 2024 station diary entry claimed rats had eaten it. The court noted gaps in witness accounts and a broken chain of custody. It said the seizure, storage and sampling process was unreliable and gave the benefit of doubt to the accused. (PC: ai)

Israel will revoke the licences of 37 aid groups working in Gaza and the West Bank from January 1, ending their operations within 60 days. The list includes ActionAid, the International Rescue Committee and the Norwegian Refugee Council. Israel said the groups failed to meet new registration rules, including sharing full staff details. Ten foreign ministers, including from the UK and France, said the move would harm access to health care and other basic services. Israel said aid would continue through approved channels and denied that assistance would be disrupted. UN-linked groups warned the rules threaten vital humanitarian work across Gaza. (PC: BBC)

India has rejected China’s claim that it helped broker a truce with Pakistan after the May military clash. Government sources said there was no third-party role in ending the conflict. “India’s position on mediation has always been clear. There was no mediation after Operation Sindoor,” sources said. They added that Pakistan had requested a ceasefire through a direct call between the two sides’ DGMOs. The response came after Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said Beijing mediated peace between India and Pakistan. New Delhi said the date, time and wording of the ceasefire were settled only in talks between the two armies on May 10. (PC: NDTV)

Food and grocery deliveries may face delays on New Year’s Eve as gig workers plan a nationwide strike on December 31. The action involves workers linked to Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit, Zepto, Amazon and Flipkart. Unions say delivery partners are being forced to work longer hours while their income keeps falling. They also cite unsafe targets, lack of social security and sudden account blocks. The Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers said a flash strike on December 25 had cut services by up to 60% in some cities. Workers want fair pay, job safety and talks with the government and platforms. (PC: ai)

The death of Anjel Chakma, a student from Tripura studying in Dehradun, has triggered claims of racial abuse by his family. Police say there is no evidence so far to support this. Chakma was injured in a clash on December 9 and died on December 26 during treatment. His family says the attackers used slurs such as “Chinese momo” before stabbing him. The Dehradun SSP said the fight began after the victim objected to banter at a party and that the FIR mentions no racial angle. Five of six accused are in custody. One accused is absconding. (PC: HT)

Eurostar disruption entered a second day after a power fault in the Channel Tunnel forced major delays and cancellations. Some passengers were stranded on trains for more than six hours overnight. A traveller on a 19:01 London-Paris service said the train was still waiting near the tunnel at 03:00 GMT. Getlink, the tunnel operator, said engineers worked through the night to fix damaged overhead cables. Only one tunnel line was open for part of Tuesday. Eurostar said it plans to run all services on Wednesday but warned of delays and last-minute cancellations. At least a dozen trains were cancelled on Tuesday. (PC: BBC)

Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir hosted a low-profile wedding for his third daughter, Mahnoor, on December 26 at the Pakistan Army Headquarters in Rawalpindi, marrying her to his nephew, Abdul Rehman, the son of his brother, according to multiple reports. The ceremony was attended by top political and military figures, including President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy PM Ishaq Dar, the ISI chief and senior army officials, but no official photos were released due to security. Abdul Rehman is a former army captain now serving as an assistant commissioner through a military quota, and about 400 guests were present at the event, which was kept discreet amid tight security. (PC: Reuters)

Israel has announced it will bar more than two dozen international humanitarian organisations, including Médecins Sans Frontières, ActionAid, and the International Rescue Committee, from operating in Gaza for failing to meet new registration rules demanding detailed staff information — seen by Israel as a security measure. Foreign ministers of 10 countries including the UK, Canada and France warned the move risks worsening an already “catastrophic” humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where winter conditions and damaged infrastructure leave millions in urgent need of shelter, healthcare, and basic supplies. Critics say the bans will hamper aid delivery and deepen civilian suffering. (PC: AP)