Delhi-NCR came under the strictest pollution curbs on Saturday after air quality slipped into the severe+ category. Authorities imposed Stage-IV of the Graded Action Response Plan across the region. The Air Quality Index rose from 431 in the afternoon to 441 by evening. Under GRAP-IV, all construction and demolition work has been banned. Stone crushers and mining activities have been shut. Offices will work at 50 per cent capacity, with the rest working from home. Schools up to Class 5 will run in hybrid mode. Restrictions were also placed on older petrol and diesel vehicles across the NCR.

Lionel Messi met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy in Hyderabad on Saturday. The event was part of Messi’s GOAT India Tour 2025. Messi presented a signed jersey to Rahul Gandhi and thanked fans for their love. On the field, he played a light football session with CM Reddy before meeting Gandhi. Fans also enjoyed Messi interacting with children and watching a 7v7 exhibition match. The Hyderabad event was smooth and peaceful, unlike the earlier chaos in Kolkata. The tour moves to Mumbai on Sunday, with a charity match and fashion event, followed by New Delhi to meet PM Modi. (PC: X)

Lionel Messi visited Hyderabad on Saturday as part of his G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025. He was joined by Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul. The trio met fans at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. Messi watched a 7v7 exhibition match and later played short rondos with children. Fans cheered as Messi, Suarez and De Paul showed their skills. The players also took photos and spoke to fans. Messi was handed a trophy as a token of appreciation. The event was peaceful, unlike the earlier chaos in Kolkata. Fans left happy and excited for upcoming stops in Mumbai and New Delhi.

More than one million households in Ukraine are without electricity after overnight Russian strikes targeted energy and industrial sites. At least five people were injured, and fires are being extinguished, officials said. The attacks hit Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Odesa, and Chernihiv regions, with weapons including hypersonic Kinzhal missiles. Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant temporarily lost all offsite power but is now reconnected. The strikes come as US envoy Steve Witkoff prepares to meet Zelensky and European leaders in Berlin to discuss a peace plan. Russia’s intensified attacks raise concerns as winter approaches, while Ukraine seeks international support and funding. (PC: BBC)

Jemima Goldsmith, ex-wife of jailed former Pakistani PM Imran Khan, has appealed to Elon Musk, saying, “You promised free speech, not speech but no one hears it.” She claims her posts on X about Khan’s detention, solitary confinement, and lack of access for their sons have been secretly suppressed, with visibility dropping nearly 97% in 2025 despite millions of followers. Khan has been held since August 2023 following convictions after his removal from office. Protests continue outside Adiala Jail over his treatment, and international observers and journalists like Piers Morgan have criticised the suppression and called for action. (PC: India Today)

A California jury has ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $40 million to two women in a baby powder cancer case. The jury said the company failed to warn users about risks linked to talc products. Monica Kent received $18 million, while Deborah Schultz and her husband were awarded $22 million. Both women said long-term use of the powder caused ovarian cancer. Johnson & Johnson said it will appeal the verdict. The company maintains its products are safe. The ruling comes as J&J faces tens of thousands of similar lawsuits across the United States.

US lawmakers have released new photos from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein, showing several powerful figures. The images include US President Donald Trump, Britain’s Prince Andrew, and former US President Bill Clinton. The photos were shared by Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee. Lawmakers said the images do not prove wrongdoing. The release is part of a wider probe into Epstein’s links with influential people. The White House called the move a political attack on Trump. The Justice Department is expected to release all Epstein-related files by December 19, following pressure for greater transparency. (PC: BBC)

Pakistan’s Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) has reintroduced Sanskrit through a four-credit course, marking a rare classical language initiative in the country. The program exposes students to Sanskrit literature and includes the Urdu translation of Mahabharata’s theme song, “Hai Katha Sangram Ki”. Dr. Shahid Rasheed of Forman Christian College, who has studied Sanskrit extensively, emphasized its cultural significance and potential to unite South Asian communities. LUMS officials indicate that in the coming years, Pakistan may develop its own scholars in Sanskrit classics, including the Bhagavad Gita and Mahabharata. (PC: NDTV)

A coalition of 19 U.S. states, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, has filed a lawsuit in federal court to block President Donald Trump’s new $100,000 fee on H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers, arguing it exceeds the executive’s authority and violates federal law by far exceeding administrative cost limits. The states say the fee would place heavy burdens on employers in tech, education, healthcare and public services that rely on foreign talent, worsening labour shortages and impeding innovation. Earlier legal challenges have been filed by business groups and unions opposing the fee’s legality. The White House defends the policy as lawful and designed to protect U.S. workers. (PC: The Hindu)

US President Donald Trump said Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to restart a ceasefire following renewed violence along their disputed border. In a statement shared publicly, Trump claimed leaders from both countries committed to halting hostilities and returning to the terms of an earlier truce brokered with US involvement. The ceasefire had previously reduced tensions but collapsed after fresh clashes resulted in casualties and displacement. While Trump described the agreement as a positive step toward stability, officials in Bangkok and Phnom Penh have offered limited public confirmation, and reports indicate sporadic fighting continues. The situation remains fragile as diplomatic efforts to enforce the ceasefire continue.(PC: EPA)