The Supreme Court directed the Union government to bring back Sunali Khatun, a pregnant woman, and her eight-year-old son from Bangladesh on humanitarian grounds. The court asked that she receive urgent medical care and be allowed to stay near her family in Birbhum, West Bengal. The Centre agreed, recording its undertaking in court. The bench emphasized humanity over technicalities and said the child would also receive necessary assistance. The order follows earlier High Court directions and concerns over her deportation without proper inquiry. The SC clarified the move is humanitarian and does not affect the Centre’s legal arguments. (PC: HT)

Union communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday denied claims that the Sanchar Saathi app could be used for snooping. Speaking in Lok Sabha, he said such use of the app was “not possible” and stressed that the government wants to empower people to protect themselves. His remarks came after criticism over a DoT order asking phone makers to pre-install the app on all devices. Scindia said the app is voluntary and can be deleted by users. The Sanchar Saathi platform helps people check mobile connections linked to their IDs, report fraud numbers and trace lost phones. (PC: India Today)

The Indian rupee hit an all-time low on Wednesday, slipping past 90 per US dollar for the first time, trading at 90.11 by 10 AM with no signs of stabilization. The slide, driven by weak foreign portfolio flows, US-India trade uncertainty, and global dollar strength, caught markets off guard despite building pressure for weeks. The Reserve Bank of India intervened to calm volatility but with limited success. A weaker rupee increases import costs for crude oil, electronics, and industrial goods, raises overseas loan repayment burdens, and impacts students and travelers. Analysts warn volatility will persist unless foreign flows stabilize, with markets watching whether RBI will defend the 90-level more forcefully. (PC: Reuters)

Air India said one of its aircraft flew without a valid airworthiness review certificate. The airline called the incident “regrettable” and said safety rules were not followed. The issue was reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation as soon as it was found. Air India said all staff involved in the decision to operate the aircraft have been suspended while a review is carried out. The airline added that it has begun a full internal probe and is working with the regulator. Air India said it remains committed to strict safety standards and full compliance with all rules. (PC: HT)

Sunali Khatun, pregnant and from Birbhum in West Bengal, was taken by Delhi police in June while working as a rag-picker, and later deported to Bangladesh under suspicion of illegal entry, though her family claims Indian citizenship documents. Her father says he is “waiting for her to walk through the door,” as she remains stranded in Bangladesh despite legal appeals and the Supreme Court of India asking the government to repatriate her and her family on humanitarian grounds. (PC: The Hindu)

The Sanchar Saathi app, which the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) directed to be pre-installed on all new smartphones and rolled out via update on existing ones, has sparked privacy and surveillance concerns due to mandatory registration and system-level permissions on Android. In response, Jyotiraditya Scindia clarified users may delete the app and are not required to register, making usage optional. Critics maintain that the app’s access to call logs, SMS, storage and other sensitive data remains a significant concern. (PC: The Indian EXPRESS)

Air India said its check-in systems are back to normal after a third-party technical glitch caused delays at several airports on Tuesday. The issue affected multiple airlines and led to long queues and late departures. IndiGo flights were delayed by 30 to 90 minutes across many airports. FlightRadar24 showed a high delay level at Delhi Airport during the disruption. Air India said teams worked to manage passengers and warned that some flights may still face short delays as systems stabilise. The glitch came weeks after a major ATC snag in Delhi that disrupted over 800 flights. (PC: India Today)

A 13-year-old boy shot and killed a man convicted of murdering 13 members of his family in Afghanistan’s Khost province. The execution took place in a packed stadium with nearly 80,000 people watching. The Taliban said the man, Mangal, was found guilty by all courts, including the Supreme Court, and the victim’s family refused to forgive him. The act was approved by Taliban chief Hibatullah Akhundzada. The UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan called the execution cruel and against international law. This was the Taliban’s 11th public execution since returning to power in 2021. (PC: India Today)

India faces its biggest privacy controversy after the government mandated pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones. The Department of Telecommunications' November 28 order requires manufacturers to preload the fraud-reporting app within 90 days and ensure features remain unrestricted. Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia claims users can delete it, but tech experts warn system-level embedding may prevent removal. Apple indicates non-compliance citing privacy concerns, while Samsung reviews the directive. Opposition leaders, including Congress's Mallikarjun Kharge and AAP's Manish Sisodia, call it unconstitutional surveillance, comparing it to the Pegasus scandal. The Internet Freedom Foundation warns mandatory state software poses serious privacy risks, though some experts support enhanced telecom security measures. (PC: X)

Air India announced Tuesday evening that a third-party system disruption causing check-in glitches and flight delays across multiple airports has been fully restored. The carrier confirmed operations returned to normal after the technical issue affected several airlines, including Air India. Airport teams worked to ensure smooth check-ins while the system was progressively restored. The airline had advised passengers to verify flight status before departure and arrive earlier than usual. This incident follows a similar disruption last month when over 400 flights were delayed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport due to an Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS) technical failure, forcing air traffic controllers to manually prepare flight plans and causing significant operational slowdowns. (PC: Hindustan Times & Getty Images)