Former US Representative Dr Dave Brat has alleged massive fraud in the H-1B visa system, claiming Chennai's consulate processed 220,000 visas exceeding the nationwide statutory cap of 85,000. Speaking on Steve Bannon's podcast, Brat stated 71 percent of H-1B visas originate from India, calling it "industrial-scale fraud." Former US diplomat Mahvash Siddiqui corroborated these claims, alleging 80-90 percent of Indian H-1B visas involved fake degrees or forged documents between 2005-2007. She identified Hyderabad's Ameerpet as a fraud hotspot where shops sold fake employment letters and certificates. Chennai consulate handles applications from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Telangana. Despite criticism, President Trump recently expressed support for H-1B visas, emphasizing America's need for global talent.

Britain's Business Secretary Peter Kyle has expressed concern over wealthy individuals, including Indian-origin billionaire Lakshmi N Mittal, leaving the UK due to Labour government's tax increases. Mittal's tax residency has shifted to Switzerland, with plans to relocate to Dubai amid growing tax burdens. Kyle acknowledged that Labour's taxation regime, particularly the closure of the non-dom tax loophole effective April 2025, is driving the exodus. Around half of wealthy UK non-dom residents have decided to leave since Chancellor Rachel Reeves scrapped the policy. The primary concern is inheritance tax, levied at 40 percent in the UK but absent in Dubai and Switzerland. Mittal, worth 15.4 billion pounds, joins other entrepreneurs like Herman Narula exiting Britain. (PC: NDTV) 

Smriti Mandhana's father Srinivas has been discharged from the hospital after suffering a heart attack on Sunday, with doctors confirming no blockages were found during angiography. The medical emergency forced cricketer Smriti Mandhana and groom Palash Muchhal to postpone their scheduled Sunday wedding indefinitely. Despite Srinivas's recovery, neither family has announced a revised wedding date, triggering speculation after Smriti deleted all pre-wedding pictures and videos from Instagram. Her teammates also reportedly removed related content. Adding to concerns, Palash has been admitted to Mumbai's SVR Hospital due to stress from continuous travel for concerts and wedding preparations. Fans await clarity on both the wedding plans and Palash's health condition.

A pulmonologist quit her £50,000 annual NHS job in the UK to accept a ₹36 lakh position in India, prioritizing quality of life over higher salary. Despite the pay cut, she saves ₹26 lakhs annually in India compared to ₹11.6 lakhs in the UK due to lower living costs. She gained a spacious 3BHK apartment versus a cramped 1BHK, home-cooked meals, household help, and proximity to family. However, she lost NHS pension benefits, career progression clarity, better work regulations, and cleaner air quality. The doctor acknowledged her privilege, including partner's income, supportive family, transferable skills, and no student loans, which facilitated her relocation decision. (PC: Vasant Kunj Medical Centre) 

The UK and 32 other countries have expressed serious concern over the International Paralympic Committee's decision to lift suspensions on Russia and Belarus. IPC President Andrew Parsons explained the reinstatement wasn't linked to the Ukraine war but to reduced evidence of using Paralympic sport for promoting the conflict. The initial 2023 suspension occurred because both nations promoted what Russia called the "special operation" through Paralympic sports. Parsons noted that banning countries for launching wars isn't a breach of IPC constitution, despite government beliefs otherwise. Russia and Belarus were banned from Beijing 2022 Paralympics after Ukraine's invasion. However, no Russian or Belarusian teams will compete at Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics due to ongoing federation bans. (PC: Reuters)

Nearly 20 years after India's "house of horrors" case shocked the nation, Surinder Koli has been acquitted, leaving victims' families devastated. The Supreme Court overturned his conviction in the final pending case, citing tortured confession after 60 days in custody. Originally, 19 women and children's bodies were found near a Noida bungalow in 2006. Businessman Moninder Singh Pandher was freed in 2023; now his servant Koli walks free too. The court criticized police for flawed investigation marked by negligence, saying they implicated "a poor servant" instead of finding the true offender. Victims' families from Nithari slums question "If they didn't kill our children, who did?" (PC: BBC) 

A Pakistani couple was intercepted by BSF personnel along Gujarat's Kutch border in the early hours of Monday, marking the second such incident in two months. The duo, identifying themselves as Popatkumar Nathu Bhil and Gauri Gulab Bhil, were spotted between border pillars 523 and 524 around 2:50 am and handed over to Balasar police station. They carried only 100 Pakistani Rupees and no formal identification, claiming to be from Tharparkar district in Sindh Province. The couple alleged their families opposed their relationship, prompting them to cross the border. They will be questioned by security agencies at Bhuj's Joint Interrogation Centre. Previously, another Pakistani couple was detained in October under similar circumstances. (PC: Osint TV)

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has publicly admitted that Islamabad's attempts to rebuild relations with Afghanistan's Taliban regime have completely failed. Speaking on Geo News, Asif revealed he personally welcomed the Taliban after their 2021 Kabul takeover and traveled to Afghanistan multiple times, but achieved no success. Pakistan expected the Taliban to remain dependent, but the situation reversed entirely. Asif stated Pakistan has "completely lost hope" and sees "no scope for positive change" from Kabul. He criticized the Taliban as a "ragtag group" lacking discipline, traditions, and proper conduct, contrasting them with Pakistan's military. Asif also questioned which Islamic law permits living in a neighbor's home for decades before violence. (PC: X)

Pema Wang Thongdok, an Arunachal Pradesh woman harassed at Shanghai airport, has responded to trolls emphasizing national unity. She was detained for 18 hours during a layover from London to Japan when Chinese officials refused to recognize her Indian passport, claiming Arunachal Pradesh was "part of China." In her post, Thongdok thanked supporters and clarified she works full-time in financial services with no time for trolls. She stressed that any Indian government action benefits all Indians and Arunachalis, not just her personally. Chinese officials confiscated her passport, denied boarding, and mocked her, suggesting she apply for a Chinese passport. India's Foreign Ministry reaffirmed Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India.

Israel is coordinating with Indian authorities to reschedule Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's postponed India visit, originally planned for December. The visit was delayed following the Delhi Red Fort blast that claimed 15 lives. Israel's PMO emphasized strong bilateral ties, stating they have "full confidence in India's security under PM Modi" and are already working on new dates. Netanyahu's last official visit to India was in January 2018. Recently, Union Minister Piyush Goyal concluded a successful three-day Israel visit, meeting Netanyahu and signing Terms of Reference to launch Free Trade Agreement negotiations. The meeting focused on strengthening innovation ties, combining Israel's hi-tech expertise with India's scale and talent across agriculture, water, defense, and technology sectors.(PC: Dawn & India Today)