Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy defended the police’s actions regarding the December 4 stampede at Hyderabad’s Sandhya theatre, which resulted in one death and a serious injury. Speaking at the Aaj Tak Agenda event, Reddy stated that the chaos occurred when Allu Arjun arrived at the theatre without prior notice to the management or police. He explained, “Allu Arjun didn’t simply watch the film and leave. He came out from the car’s sunroof, cheering and greeting fans, which caused the situation to get out of control.” The actor’s arrest has sparked criticism, but he was granted interim bail by the Telangana High Court.

The ICC has approved a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy 2025, with matches hosted in Pakistan and Dubai. The PCB agreed to the terms, ensuring that Pakistan's league-stage clash against India will take place in Colombo instead of India. However, the BCCI has rejected Pakistan's call for a similar hybrid hosting model for ICC events in India in 2026, citing no security threats. Scheduled from Feb 19 to Mar 9, 2025, the tournament will feature 8 teams in two groups, with semifinals and finals. Pakistan also secured hosting rights for an ICC Women’s tournament post-2027.

The EU has approved Bulgaria and Romania's full membership in the Schengen zone, effective January 2025, ending a 13-year wait. Austria lifted its veto after signing a border protection package, addressing concerns over illegal immigration. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis called the move a “strategic objective,” promising reduced border wait times and economic growth. Hungarian Interior Minister Sandor Pinter hailed it as a “historic moment.” Schengen now has 29 members, enabling free travel for over 400M people. The agreement includes joint border guards at Bulgaria's Turkish border and temporary land controls, ensuring enhanced migration management.

Russia launched its 12th major attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure this year, firing 93 missiles and deploying over 200 drones. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that 81 missiles were intercepted. Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, and Ternopil regions suffered severe energy facility damage, with rolling blackouts imposed nationwide. Ukrenergo has begun importing electricity from neighboring countries to address shortages. Moscow stated the strikes were retaliation for Ukraine's US-made missile attack on a Russian airbase. Amid escalating tensions, Donald Trump, in an interview, criticized US support for Ukraine’s strikes. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted Trump’s remarks aligned with Moscow's stance, impressing Russian officials.

Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced a 4.6% fare increase for the London Underground, Overground, and Elizabeth line starting March 2025, exceeding the UK's 2.3% inflation rate. Meanwhile, London bus fares, including Superloop services, will remain frozen at £1.75 for the second consecutive year, aiming to boost passenger numbers amidst growing traffic congestion. The Hopper fare, allowing free bus or tram transfers within 60 minutes, will continue. This fare hike is expected to generate £211M for Transport for London. The Emirates cable car fare will rise 14.3%, reaching £7 for adults. These changes align with government-mandated national rail fare adjustments.

The High Commission of India in London hosted a joyous Christmas reception on December 12, 2024, welcoming the Apostolic Nuncio to the UK, H.E. Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía, along with members of the UK Parliament, Lords, Councillors, business leaders, media personalities, and the Indian Diaspora. High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami and Archbishop Buendía lit the Christmas tree and cut the Christmas cake, marking the festive occasion. The evening was enhanced by a "Jazz and Carols" concert featuring renowned Indian tenor Anand Mukherjee and Bernardi Music, filling the celebration with soul-stirring melodies.

Actor Allu Arjun, arrested for a stampede at a Hyderabad theatre showing Pushpa 2, was granted interim bail. The Telangana High Court upheld his right to liberty, stating, "Just because he is an actor… he cannot be held like this." The December 3 stampede caused one death and injured a child. Police charged Arjun and others with negligence. The victim's husband withdrew his complaint, claiming Arjun wasn’t responsible. Arjun expressed grief and offered ₹25 lakh to the family, promising to cover medical expenses. The case raised questions about safety measures at celebrity events.

Indian chess prodigy Gukesh Dommaraju, 18, became the youngest world chess champion after defeating Ding Liren, surpassing Garry Kasparov's 1985 record. Former world champion Kasparov praised Gukesh's talent, preparation, and composure, calling his victory a proud moment for India. In a series of posts, Kasparov highlighted Gukesh’s ability to overcome challenges at a young age. He also celebrated India’s growing chess dominance, saying the nation is entering a golden era. Kasparov reflected on his own championship journey, noting the coincidence of Gukesh's triumph on the anniversary of his first victory over Anatoly Karpov in 1984.

largest deportation drive in US history, targeting 1.5 million undocumented individuals. Among them, nearly 18,000 Indians face deportation. The US has approximately 725,000 undocumented immigrants from India, the third-largest group after Mexico and El Salvador. ICE recently deported Indian nationals via chartered flights and criticized India for delays in confirming citizenship and issuing travel documents. India is among 15 countries labelled "uncooperative" by ICE. Many undocumented Indians struggle to legalise their status, with some waiting years for clearance. Trump's policy has sparked concerns about the fate of affected families and US-India relations.

India expressed sadness over the murder of three Indian students in Canada and called for a thorough investigation. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the killings as "terrible tragedies" and said Indian missions are working closely with Canadian authorities. The missions are also in touch with the victims' families and have offered condolences. India urged its nationals, especially students, to remain cautious due to rising violence in Canada. Relations between the two nations have worsened in recent months, with India accusing Canada of providing space to anti-India groups, further straining diplomatic ties.