India face South Africa in the first ODI in Ranchi on Sunday, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli back in the squad. KL Rahul leads the team as India look to recover from their Test series loss. Injuries to Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer give India a chance to try new players in key roles. Yashasvi Jaiswal will open with Rohit, while Kohli bats at No. 3. India will also test their young pace attack. South Africa arrive with a strong squad and will look to build on their recent success. Dew is expected, making chasing easier in Ranchi. (PC: India Today)

Cyclone Ditwah moved closer to the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts on Saturday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds. The IMD issued a red alert for several districts, warning of very heavy rain and possible flooding. Chennai and nearby areas faced major travel disruptions, with 54 flights cancelled on Saturday and 47 more scheduled for cancellation on Sunday. Tamil Nadu deployed disaster response teams and set up 6,000 relief camps. The storm is expected to move parallel to the coast and may cause a storm surge of up to one metre. Officials urged people to stay indoors and follow safety advice. (PC: X)

Venezuela has accused US President Donald Trump of making a “colonialist threat” after he claimed the airspace over the country should be treated as closed. Venezuela said the statement was illegal and aimed at creating fear. Trump’s post warned airlines, pilots, and others to avoid Venezuelan airspace. The US has no authority to close another nation’s airspace, but the warning may disrupt travel. Tensions are rising as the US increases its military presence near Venezuela, saying it is fighting drug trafficking. Venezuela says the real goal is to remove President Nicolás Maduro. US lawmakers from both parties have criticised Trump’s actions. (PC: BBC)

Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi have been charged with criminal conspiracy in the National Herald money laundering case. The Delhi Police Economic Offences Wing filed a new FIR based on an Enforcement Directorate complaint. The FIR names six people, including the Gandhis, Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey and Sunil Bhandari. It also lists three companies linked to the case. The FIR alleges a plan to wrongly take control of Associated Journals Limited, the parent company of the National Herald. The case dates back to 2012, when Subramanian Swamy accused Congress leaders of cheating and misuse of funds. A court decision is due on December 16. (PC: NDTV)

A child’s birthday party in Stockton, California, turned tragic when a gunman opened fire on Saturday night. Four people were killed and at least 14 were injured at a banquet hall on Lucile Avenue. Police said the suspect is still on the run and early signs suggest the shooting was a targeted attack. Some reports say the incident happened near a Dairy Queen. The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said the scene is active and details are still being confirmed. Stockton Vice Mayor Jason Lee said he was “devastated,” adding that families should never fear for their lives at a party. (PC: HT)

India is strengthening security along the Siliguri Corridor, the narrow link between the northeast and the rest of the country. Three new military bases are coming up at Dhubri, Kishanganj, and Chopra. These bases will host rapid deployment teams, intel units, and special forces. India is acting after Bangladesh’s political shift toward China and Pakistan. Reports say Bangladesh may buy Chinese J-10C jets and work with Beijing on drones. India fears this could raise risks along the sensitive border. With new bases, Rafale jets, BrahMos missiles, and stronger air defence, India aims to protect the corridor and keep it secure. (PC: India Today)

Severe monsoon-fuelled flooding and landslides have killed more than 350 people across Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia’s Sumatra and southern Thailand. In Sumatra, over 100 are still missing as rescue teams face blocked roads and limited access. Thailand’s southern provinces, including Songkhla, experienced up to 3 m of floodwater, overwhelming morgues, and prompting evacuations. Governments have launched cloud-seeding to curb rainfall and are mobilising relief and clean-up efforts amid mounting public criticism. (PC: EPA)

In the early hours of Sunday, a Mercedes G63 lost control near Delhi’s Vasant Kunj, crashed into three people waiting at an auto stand by Ambience Mall. A 23-year-old man, identified as Rohit from Uttarakhand, died on the spot, while two others were injured and rushed to hospital. The driver, 29-year-old Shivam from Karol Bagh, was detained; police say the vehicle veered off due to a road diversion. (PC: AFP)

Cyclone Ditwah, which devastated Sri Lanka, is now advancing toward the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast, bringing very heavy rainfall, gale-force winds and rough seas across the region. The system is forecast to run nearly parallel to the coast, making landfall unlikely, but causing major disruption in districts such as Nagapattinam, Cuddalore and the Puducherry–Karaikal region, all placed under red alert. Over 28 disaster-response teams from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been activated, and flights and trains in and out of Chennai have been cancelled or diverted. (PC: PTI)

A Class 8 student from Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh — and a national-level skater — leapt from his school’s third floor after repeatedly apologising. CCTV footage from his private school shows him saying “sorry” 52 times in four minutes, allegedly under threat from the principal, who told him his skating career could be ruined. The incident followed the discovery that he had brought his mobile phone to school and recorded a classroom video. He was rushed to a private hospital in critical condition, but his health has now stabilised. (PC: NDTV)