Eight elephants died and one was injured after the Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express struck a herd crossing railway tracks in Assam's Hojai district around 2:17 AM on Saturday. The collision caused five coaches and the train's engine to derail, though no passengers were harmed. The incident occurred near Changjurai in the Jamunamukh-Kampur section under the Lumding Division of Northeast Frontier Railway. Senior railway officials rushed to the site, relocating affected passengers to vacant berths before the train resumed its journey to Guwahati around 6:15 AM. Rail traffic to Upper Assam and other northeastern regions was severely disrupted, with several trains cancelled or diverted. Forest and railway teams initiated restoration efforts immediately.

Tamil Nadu's electoral rolls saw 97 lakh voter names deleted following the Special Intensive Revision exercise, reducing the total from 6.41 crore to 5.43 crore voters. The Election Commission's December 19 draft identified 26.94 lakh deceased voters, 66.44 lakh shifted voters, and 3.39 lakh duplicate registrations. Chennai recorded the highest deletions at 14.25 lakh, dropping from 40.04 lakh to 25.79 lakh voters. Coimbatore lost 6.50 lakh, while Dindigul, Kanchipuram, and Karur saw significant reductions. Chief Election Officer Archana Patnaik dismissed allegations of selective community-based deletions, stating due procedure was followed. AIADMK's Edappadi K. Palaniswami claimed most deleted votes were fake, criticizing DMK's electoral practices. (PC: The Hindu)

The Delhi government announced it will install 10,000 air purifiers in government school classrooms to protect children from severe air pollution, starting with the first phase of implementation. Education Minister Ashish Sood said tenders have been issued and that the initiative aims to improve indoor air quality amid persistent high AQI levels in the capital. The plan is part of a broader pollution control effort, including clearing the Bhalswa landfill by 2026, reflecting long-term administrative measures rather than short-term fixes. Officials emphasized student health and clean breathing environments as priorities. (PC: India Today)

India’s Parliament has approved the landmark SHANTI Bill (Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India), heralding a major shift by allowing private companies to enter the previously state-controlled nuclear power sector. The legislation repeals parts of the old Atomic Energy Act and Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, enabling private firms to build, own, operate and decommission nuclear plants under licence. It also rationalises liability rules and aims to attract investment to help achieve a target of 100 GW nuclear capacity by 2047. Supporters call it transformational for clean energy growth, while critics raise safety and accountability concerns. (PC: ANI)

A 23-year-old female shooter was allegedly raped at a hotel in Faridabad, Haryana, while staying in the city for a shooting competition, police said. The victim, who had come with a female friend for the event, accused three people — including her friend and two men identified as Satendra and Gaurav — of assaulting her during a party at the hotel on Wednesday evening. According to her complaint, the attack occurred when her friend and one man stepped out, leaving her with the main accused. She locked the trio in the room and alerted police, who arrested them and produced them in court, sending them to judicial custody. 

Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet have warned passengers of possible flight disruptions at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport due to dense fog, low visibility and high pollution levels affecting the region on Friday. The Delhi airport also issued advisories urging travelers to check flight status in advance as foggy conditions may slow departures and arrivals. Airlines said poor visibility might delay, revise or even cancel flights, and urged passengers to stay updated through airline apps or websites. Ground staff assistance and alternative arrangements are being offered for affected flyers. (PC: AFP)

A group of economists, scholars and policy experts wrote an open letter urging the Indian government to retain the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), one of the world’s largest legal employment-guarantee programmes. They warned that the government’s plan to repeal and replace it with the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025 would weaken the demand-driven employment right by centralising authority and shifting financial burdens to states, reducing rural work security. The letter calls for recommitment to MGNREGA’s legal employment guarantee and rural livelihood support. (PC: The Hindu)

Parliament passed the landmark SHANTI (Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India) Bill on Thursday, opening India's nuclear power sector to private players. Cleared by Lok Sabha Wednesday and introduced Monday by Union minister Jitendra Singh, the legislation permits private companies to construct, own, operate, or decommission nuclear plants after obtaining safety licenses. It removes controversial supplier liability clauses, rationalizes accident payout levels, and aims to achieve 100 GW nuclear capacity by 2047. PM Modi called it "transformational," enabling safe AI power and green manufacturing while creating private sector opportunities. The Bill repeals the 1962 Atomic Energy Act and 2010 CLND Act, amending patent laws for atomic energy applications. (PC: News18)

A Delhi court on Thursday remanded Yasir Ahmad Dar, the ninth person arrested in the Red Fort blast terror case, to the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) custody until December 26 for further interrogation. Dar, a Jammu and Kashmir resident, is accused of playing an active role in the November 10 car bomb explosion near the historic Red Fort that killed at least 15 people and injured many others. Investigators say he was in close contact with other suspects, including the suspected suicide bomber, and had allegedly taken an oath to participate in extremist operations. The NIA continues to probe the wider terror network behind the attack. (PC: NDTV)

India’s Parliament has approved the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, a major reform to open the previously state-controlled nuclear power sector to private companies and investment. The legislation allows private firms to build, operate and decommission nuclear power plants under a licensed regime, aligns nuclear liability laws with global norms, and aims to help India achieve a target of 100 GW nuclear capacity by 2047. The bill was passed amid an opposition walkout and debate over safety and liability provisions, with the government assuring robust regulatory safeguards will remain.