An Indian man has been awarded nearly £67,000 after a UK tribunal ruled he faced racial abuse and unfair dismissal at a KFC outlet in London. Madhesh Ravichandran, from Tamil Nadu, joined the West Wickham branch in January 2023. He said his manager denied him annual leave, made him work extra hours and referred to him as a “slave”. He resigned after raising the issue and said no proper inquiry followed. Judge Paul Abbott said the refusal of leave was influenced by race and that Ravichandran was humiliated. The tribunal found him to be a victim of racial harassment and wrongful dismissal. The firm was told to provide staff training on workplace discrimination.

Hundreds of Indian students at a university in Berlin are facing visa problems just months before graduation. The issue began after local authorities questioned whether the school’s hybrid courses meet study visa rules. Many students say the university had earlier assured them that the course format was valid. They are now stuck between the institution and immigration offices, with some told they could be asked to leave Germany. Students fear losing years of study and large fees already paid. Education groups say the case shows gaps in how Germany handles foreign students and course approvals. Officials have not given a clear timeline for resolving the matter, leaving students uncertain about their future.

Elon Musk criticised Canada’s public health system after a 44-year-old Indian-origin man died while waiting for treatment at a hospital in Edmonton. Prashant Sreekumar was taken to Grey Nuns Community Hospital on December 22 with chest pain, his family said. He remained in the waiting area for over eight hours and was given pain medicine despite rising blood pressure. When he was finally moved for treatment, he collapsed and could not be revived. His wife later shared a video describing the delay. Responding on X, Musk compared government run healthcare to the US motor vehicle department. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has urged Canada to take responsibility in the case. (PC: NDTV)

Indian technology professionals in the United States say they are facing growing hostility linked to tighter rules on the H-1B visa programme. Many report higher fees, closer vetting and public claims that foreign workers are taking jobs. Activists say the tone has hardened since Donald Trump returned to office, with online attacks now targeting Indian Americans beyond the tech sector. A report by a US research group said most high impact posts frame Indians as job thieves. Tech workers told India Today Digital that their future now feels tied to policy changes rather than work results. They added that uncertainty is creating stress and forcing families to rethink long term plans in the US. (PC: India Today)

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma answered doubts over their form with strong performances through 2025. Both struggled in Tests early in the year and later retired from the format. Their ODI future then came under review. They returned with key roles in India’s Champions Trophy win and later delivered match winning runs in Australia and at home. The duo also played the Vijay Hazare Trophy and scored centuries to show commitment. However, head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar have not given a clear view on whether the two seniors are part of plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup. The board is yet to confirm its roadmap. (PC: HT)

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet US President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday to discuss a revised peace plan for the war with Russia. The talks come after heavy Russian strikes on Kyiv over the weekend. Zelensky said the attacks show that Moscow “doesn’t want peace”. Ukrainian officials said a ten hour barrage of missiles and drones on Friday night killed two people and injured 32. Russia said it targeted energy facilities. Zelensky is expected to seek US security guarantees and discuss possible terms for eastern Ukraine. The new plan has 20 points and follows earlier drafts prepared by US envoys. The Kremlin has not responded to the latest proposal. (PC: BBC)

Varun Vummadi, co-founder and CEO of San Francisco based AI firm Giga, said his startup is facing an extortion attempt for three million dollars in cryptocurrency. In a post on X, he said a small group got access to internal company data and is using it to demand payment. He said the group has already shared false claims online and is threatening to release edited data if the money is not sent. Former staff have accused the firm of unethical conduct, which Vummadi has denied. He said the company has reported the case to law agencies and plans legal action. Giga was founded in 2023 by Vummadi and Esha Manideep. (PC: NDTV)

Bangladesh political platform Inqilab Moncho announced road blockades in all divisional cities from Sunday to demand justice for leader Sharif Osman Hadi. The group said the action would start at 11 am local time. Members have continued a sit in at Shahbagh in Dhaka since Friday. Local media reported similar protests in Sylhet, Chattogram and Kushtia on Saturday. Addressing supporters, member secretary Abdullah Al Jaber warned that protests could spread to Jamuna, parliament or the cantonment if the government did not act. Hadi was shot in Dhaka on December 12 and later died in Singapore. His death has led to unrest across parts of the country. (PC: HT)

Bangladesh police said two key suspects in the murder of political activist Osman Hadi have fled to India through the Meghalaya border. Dhaka Metropolitan Police Additional Commissioner SN Nazrul Islam said Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Sheikh crossed the Haluaghat border in Mymensingh with help from local contacts. He said the men were first received by a person named Purti and later taken by taxi to Tura city in Meghalaya. Bangladesh authorities are in contact with Indian officials through formal and informal channels to secure their arrest and extradition. Police said they have unconfirmed inputs that two people who helped the suspects may be in Indian custody. (PC: India Today)

New York woke up to its heaviest snowfall in nearly four years after a winter storm hit the north-east United States. Central Park recorded 4.3 inches of snow, the most since January 2022, the National Weather Service said. Some parts of the state saw up to 7.5 inches. Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency in more than half the counties before the storm. On Saturday, over 900 flights were cancelled in the New York area and more than 8,000 were delayed across the country. New Jersey and Connecticut also reported heavy snow. Authorities warned of black ice on roads and bridges. (PC: BBC)