Congress has approved a bill ordering the US Justice Department to release files on Jeffrey Epstein. The House passed it 427-1, and the Senate cleared it without debate. The move follows President Donald Trump’s sudden call to make the records public after backlash from his supporters. The bill requires Attorney General Pam Bondi to release all unclassified documents within 30 days, though sensitive details can be withheld. Lawmakers from both parties pushed for transparency. Survivors of Epstein’s abuse said the release is vital for justice. Trump denies any wrongdoing and says he cut ties with Epstein years ago. (PC: BBC)

Prashant Kishor, Jan Suraaj Party’s founder, told NDTV that his party’s poor performance in the Bihar Assembly elections was a “huge shock” and admitted he “has not slept properly” since the results came in. In his first interview after the defeat, he said despite the loss, Jan Suraaj succeeded in shifting the political conversation in Bihar from caste and religion to focus on employment and migration. Kishor insisted he’s not quitting: “You are not defeated till you quit,” he said, noting he is committed to a 10-year mission for Bihar’s welfare. (PC: NDTV)

Anmol Bishnoi, younger brother of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, has been deported from the United States and flown into New Delhi. He’s wanted for the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, the killing of Punjabi artist Sidhu Moosewala, and firing outside Salman Khan’s residence. The US Department of Homeland Security confirmed his removal on November 18, 2025. On arrival, India’s NIA is expected to take custody and push forward its probe. (PC: India Today)

A political fight broke out after a video of Red Fort bomber Dr Umar un Nabi defending suicide attacks went viral. BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar blamed the Congress and its allies for what he called “dangerous politics” that encourages radicalisation. He accused the Congress, CPM and groups in Kerala of creating space for extremist ideas. The Congress responded by urging restraint until the investigation is complete. The video, recorded months earlier, shows Nabi calling suicide bombing “martyrdom”. Investigators found the clip on a damaged phone recovered near his home. The November 10 blast outside the Red Fort killed at least 12 people. (PC: HT)

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to advise schools to move sports activities to months with safer air. The court said holding events in November and December, when pollution is at its worst, “amounts to putting schoolchildren in a gas chamber”. The direction came after the amicus told the bench that Delhi has planned inter-zonal sports competitions for under-14 and under-16 students during these months. The court said children should not be exposed to toxic air and asked authorities to act quickly to protect students’ health. (PC: India Today)

Eight years after Andhra woman Sasikala Narra and her six-year-old son Anish were found stabbed to death in their New Jersey apartment, US authorities have charged Indian national Nazeer Hameed. Police said DNA taken from Hameed’s company-issued laptop matched an unknown blood droplet from the crime scene. Hameed was a colleague of Sasikala’s husband, Hanu Narra, and lived near the family before returning to India months after the murders. Investigators say he earlier stalked Hanu and may have held a personal grudge. US officials are now seeking his extradition to face murder and related charges. (PC: NDTV)

A BBC investigation found that major AI chatbots — ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini and Perplexity — still misrepresent news 45% of the time, despite recent improvements. Google CEO Sundar Pichai, responding to these findings, acknowledged the tension between rapid AI development and safety measures, emphasizing the need to be both “bold and responsible.” He noted Google’s increased investment in AI security and highlighted new open-source tools to detect AI-generated images. Addressing Elon Musk’s past warnings about AI “dictatorship,” Pichai said no single company should control such powerful technology, but stressed that today’s AI ecosystem remains diverse.

Bangladesh’s interim government has urged India to hand over ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, both sentenced to death in absentia by Dhaka’s International Crimes Tribunal for “crimes against humanity” during last year’s student uprising. Dhaka says the request is mandatory under the India–Bangladesh extradition treaty and warns that protecting them would be “an unfriendly act.” India, however, responded cautiously: while noting the verdict, it said it will “engage constructively” with all parties for stability and democracy in Bangladesh. Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus hailed the ruling, declaring that “no one … is above the law” and calling the sentence “vital, if insufficient, justice.” (PC: India Today)

A joint operation by Andhra Pradesh’s police and elite Greyhounds in the Maredumilli forests (Alluri Sitarama Raju district) resulted in the death of six Maoists, including senior CPI (Maoist) commander Madvi Hidma and his wife. The exchange of fire occurred between 6:30 am and 7:00 am. Weapons recovered included AK-47 rifles, a pistol, and a revolver. Hidma, implicated in multiple high-profile Maoist attacks, carried a bounty of ₹1 crore. (PC: The Hindu)

Seven Maoists, including four men and three women, were killed on Wednesday in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitarama Raju district. Police said the encounter happened as the operation continued a day after top Maoist leader Madvi Hidma and five others were killed. ADGP Mahesh Chandra Laddha said the latest group may include members who escaped the earlier encounter. One of the dead was bomb expert Metturu Jogarao, wanted by the NIA. Police have also arrested 50 Maoists across multiple districts. Officers said the group was trying to regroup near the Andhra–Odisha border. Security has been increased for political leaders. (PC: X)