Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta said the city’s pollution is a “legacy problem” and warned there is “no magic wand” to fix it quickly. Speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2025, she said, “We cannot do something like a lockdown in a city like Delhi.” Gupta added that her government is “doing everything” and taking steps each day to fight smog. She said past governments failed to act and claimed, “In 10 months, we have worked at high speed.” She listed measures like giving heaters to prevent open burning and using sprinklers. She said Yamuna cleaning is “ongoing.” (PC: HT)

The Centre has imposed strict fare caps on all domestic flights after ticket prices soared during the IndiGo crisis. Economy fares are now limited to Rs 7,500 for routes up to 500 km and up to Rs 18,000 for distances above 1,500 km. These limits apply across all booking platforms. The government said the order aims to prevent “opportunistic pricing” as IndiGo cancelled over 1,000 flights in recent days due to crew shortages and new duty rules. Many routes saw fares jump up to four times the normal rate. Airlines have been told to add capacity and keep all fare buckets open. (PC: India Today)

IndiGo’s ongoing flight cancellations left passengers stranded and emotional, especially at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, where 7 arrivals and 12 departures were axed between midnight and 6 a.m. Among the affected was a team heading to the Smart India Hackathon 2025, whose 6-month hard work went in vain. Others, like Ikhlaq Hussain, said they’ve been stuck for two days with no clear communication from IndiGo. Meanwhile, the DGCA has suspended certain flight duty time rules to help stabilise the airline’s operations. (PC: NDTV)

The Centre has issued a directive to all airlines to strictly comply with newly imposed fare caps after airfares soared in the wake of widespread IndiGo flight cancellations. The Civil Aviation Ministry warned that any airline charging above the cap would face immediate corrective action for “opportunistic pricing.” These fare restrictions will remain in effect until flight operations stabilise. The move is aimed especially at protecting vulnerable travellers, including senior citizens, patients, and students. (PC: India Today)

India’s civil-aviation ministry has issued a directive mandating strict adherence to fare caps across all airlines amid a major crisis at IndiGo, where more than 400 flights were cancelled on Friday, disrupting travel for thousands. The caps aim to prevent opportunistic price hikes during the unsettled period of airline operations. The cancellations stem from IndiGo’s failure to fully adjust to new pilot duty and rest regulations, causing widespread roster and scheduling breakdowns. (PC: The Hindu)

Simone Tata passed away at 95 on Friday at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital after a brief illness. Born in Geneva in 1930, she moved to India in 1955 and soon joined Lakmé’s board. As chairperson from the early 1980s, she transformed Lakmé into a leading Indian cosmetics brand. After selling Lakmé to Hindustan Unilever, she founded the Trent company, launching the now-famed Westside retail chain. She was also active in philanthropy, guiding institutions like the Sir Ratan Tata Institute. (PC: ITG)

At Mumbai Airport, a foreign passenger lost her temper over IndiGo’s flight cancellations and climbed barefoot atop a counter, demanding answers. With all her belongings packed and no extra clothes, she also requested food, visibly frustrated at being stranded along with thousands of other passengers across India. Similar scenes played out nationwide, with travellers missing work, events, and personal commitments due to abrupt cancellations. Over 100 flights were cancelled at Delhi and Mumbai airports, caused by pilot and crew shortages under new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules. The government has put FDTL on hold and ordered a high-level inquiry to restore normal operations.

At HTLS 2025, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasized that for a country like India, it is crucial to maintain major international relationships in good standing. Speaking during Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi, he stressed India’s need to preserve “freedom of choice” in foreign policy, ensuring it can cooperate with multiple global players without external vetoes. Jaishankar highlighted the importance of balancing strategic partnerships while protecting national interests, underlining India’s growing role on the world stage and the need for stable, mutually beneficial diplomatic ties. (PC: X)

During a high-level summit in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin prioritized strengthening economic and energy cooperation, deliberately avoiding public discussion on defence deals or Russian oil imports. Both leaders outlined a “Vision 2030” roadmap aiming to boost bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030, with collaboration across energy, technology, civil nuclear power, and critical minerals. Russia reaffirmed its commitment to uninterrupted fuel shipments to India. Analysts view the summit as a strategic move to deepen economic engagement while navigating global geopolitical pressures, signaling a pragmatic approach to India-Russia relations. (PC: X)

Pregnant Sunali Khatun and her eight‑year‑old son returned to India 162 days after being pushed back to Bangladesh as alleged illegal immigrants. Their repatriation followed a December 1 bail order from a Bangladesh court. On Wednesday evening, the duo crossed into India at the Mahadipur border in Malda after coordination between the Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). While Sunali and her son were brought back, four others — including her husband — remain in Bangladesh. Social workers hailed their return as a historic moment, highlighting the struggles of migrant families wrongly labelled illegal. (PC: X)