Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has welcomed the arrest of Nicolás Maduro by US forces, calling it “a huge step for humanity, for freedom and human dignity”. She spoke to Fox News hours after Maduro appeared before a court in New York. Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were seized from their Caracas residence on Saturday and flown to the United States in a special forces mission. Machado said she was grateful to President Donald Trump for the action. She left Venezuela last month to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. In court on Monday, Maduro said, “I am still president,” and pleaded not guilty to drug and other charges. (PC: BBC)

Dense fog delayed four Vijay Hazare Trophy matches in Jaipur on Tuesday. Poor visibility made it unsafe to start play in the morning. Punjab, led by Shubman Gill, were set to face Goa, while Shreyas Iyer’s Mumbai were scheduled to play Himachal Pradesh. Tosses planned for 9 am were pushed back as fog covered the city. Ground staff waited for conditions to improve. Gill was set to return after illness, while Iyer was making a comeback after injury. Both players are part of India’s ODI squad for the New Zealand series starting January 11. (PC: PTI)

Pakistan sharply increased its lobbying efforts in the United States during India’s Operation Sindoor in 2025, official records show. US filings reveal Pakistani officials sought dozens of meetings with American lawmakers, defence officials and media figures. The aim was to press Washington to intervene and stop India’s military action after the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. The outreach covered issues like Kashmir and regional security. Reports also show Pakistan spent millions of dollars on US lobbying firms during this period. The documents suggest Islamabad turned to Washington under heavy military and diplomatic pressure.

The murder of Hyderabad native Nikitha Godishala in the US has taken a new turn. Her family claims she was killed over a money dispute with her ex-boyfriend, Arjun Sharma. Nikitha, 27, was found dead in Maryland after being reported missing on New Year’s Eve. Police have charged Sharma with first- and second-degree murder. Her cousin said Sharma had borrowed money and failed to return $1,000. Nikitha was following up with him for repayment. Her father said Sharma often borrowed money from many people. Nikitha had moved to the US in 2021 for studies and later worked there. (PC: Instagram/@_iamnikkig_)

Ambala police arrested 31-year-old Sunil from Sabga village for allegedly sharing sensitive Indian Army and Air Force information with Pakistan's ISI after being honeytrapped through social media. The accused, employed as construction supervisor at Air Force Station through a private contractor, had six-to-seven months contact with Pakistani handlers via fake female Facebook profile. Investigators allege he was trapped through emotional manipulation, inducement, and blackmail, then shared confidential details on military unit locations, troop movements, and deployment. Police recovered WhatsApp chats and voice call records linking him to Pakistani handlers. His bank account is under examination for suspicious financial transactions. The arrest occurred near Ambala Cantonment bus stand. (PC: News 18)

Nikitha Godishala's sister, Saraswati, filed a complaint with the Indian Embassy alleging accused Arjun Sharma made unauthorized transactions totaling USD 3,500 (Rs 3.16 lakh) from the victim's bank account before fleeing the United States. According to the complaint, Arjun owed Nikitha's family USD 4,500 (Rs 4.05 lakh) total in the days leading to her murder. The Telugu woman was allegedly killed by her ex-boyfriend in the US. Arjun Sharma was arrested by Interpol in Tamil Nadu on Monday following coordination between US federal agencies and Indian authorities who tracked him after he departed America. The sister detailed the financial exploitation in her formal complaint to authorities. (PC: X)

Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam stated the board doesn't feel secure sending their national team to India for the T20 World Cup amid current circumstances. The statement follows BCB's formal request to the International Cricket Council to shift Bangladesh's T20 World Cup matches out of India. Bangladesh was scheduled to play three matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai. This strong move was triggered by BCCI instructing Kolkata Knight Riders to release pacer Mustafizur Rahman from his IPL contract. Aminul told reporters the next steps depend on ICC's response to their venue change request, marking an unprecedented escalation in cricket relations between India and Bangladesh. (PC: PTI)

The Border Security Force installed newly designed 12-feet-high fencing across 75% of the strategically vital Chicken's Neck (Siliguri corridor) region amid Bangladesh civil unrest. The upgraded border security system, difficult to cut or climb, is backed by pan-tilt-zoom cameras providing live feeds for rapid response, creating a "smart border." Enhanced area domination plans now target cattle collection points several kilometers inside Indian territory. BSF launched community-centered initiatives discouraging villagers from border crimes through confidence-building measures with families of suspected smugglers. Since January 2025, BSF seized contraband worth Rs 8.5 crore, apprehending 440 Bangladeshis and 152 Indians. After thorough background checks, 187 Bangladeshis were returned to Border Guard Bangladesh with fingerprint verification. (PC: PTI)

Reliance Industries Limited strongly denied Bloomberg's report claiming three Russian oil tankers were heading to its Jamnagar refinery. RIL clarified it received no Russian oil cargo in approximately three weeks and expects no deliveries in January. The company expressed deep displeasure that Bloomberg published the report despite RIL's denial, accusing the publication of ignoring its clarification and tarnishing its image. Bloomberg had reported three vessels carrying 2.2 million barrels of Urals crude were signaling Jamnagar as their destination for early January delivery. The world's largest oil refining complex in Gujarat faces heightened scrutiny following US sanctions on Russian oil producers Rosneft and Lukoil since October 2025. (PC: Times Now)

Indian entrepreneur Meghna left her high-flying media career to move to Denmark with her husband five years ago. Despite initial warnings about job difficulties for spouses, she secured a role at a reputable Danish organization, though with reduced seniority. After experiencing 2023 layoffs, she founded Pillion Expats consultancy. Meghna revealed that despite being in India's top 1% income bracket, their purchasing power felt limited, with most income going to rent and investments. In Denmark, earning average salaries with double income enabled them to buy an apartment and travel frequently. She highlights Denmark's safety and freedom for women, though notes quick-commerce services are absent and finding jobs remains challenging for Global South immigrants. (PC: HT)