Two coaches of the Tatanagar–Ernakulam Express (Train No. 18189) caught fire in the early hours of December 29, 2025, near Yalamanchili/Elamanchili in Anakapalli district, Andhra Pradesh, while en route from Tatanagar to Ernakulam. Flames broke out around 12:45–1:30 am, leading to a swift halt and evacuation of passengers. About 158 people were aboard the affected B1 and adjacent coach when the fire engulfed them. One man, identified as Chandrasekhar Sundar (70), was found dead in the B1 coach. The remaining passengers escaped safely. The damaged coaches were detached, and an investigation into the cause is underway.

Anjel Chakma, a 24-year-old MBA student from Tripura, died on December 26, 2025, after a racially motivated attack in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The assault began on December 9 when a group of six men allegedly hurled racial slurs at Anjel and his brother in the Selaqui area. When they protested, the attackers hit Michael with a metal kada and stabbed Anjel with knives and other sharp objects, causing severe head and spinal injuries. He fought for life in hospital for 17 days before succumbing to wounds. Five suspects are in custody while the main accused remains at large, prompting a police search. (PC: X)

A Sydney shop owner who disarmed a shooter during the Bondi Beach attack has spoken about his actions. Ahmed al Ahmed told US media he tackled one gunman from behind and pulled away a long weapon. He said he warned the man to drop the gun. Mr Ahmed was later shot several times by the second attacker and needed surgery. The attack at a Hanukkah event on December 14 killed 15 people and injured 40. Police have called it a terrorist act aimed at the Jewish community. One gunman was killed by police. The other has been charged with murder and terrorism offences. Mr Ahmed said he only wanted to stop the killing. (PC: BBC)

Tamil Nadu Police have detained four teenagers for attacking a migrant worker on a suburban train near Chennai. The boys, all aged 17, were seen in viral videos hitting the victim with machetes and later posing with a “victory” sign. One clip was shared as an Instagram reel with music. The injured man, from Maharashtra, is being treated at Thiruvallur Government Hospital. The attack happened on a train heading to Thiruthani. Police sent three of the accused to a juvenile home in Chengalpattu. A court released the fourth on bail, citing his studies. The case is under investigation. (PC:  NDTV)

At least five houses of a Hindu family were set on fire in Dumritala village in Bangladesh’s Pirojpur district on December 28. Police said the exact cause is not yet known and an investigation is under way. Most family members were away at the time. An elderly relative raised the alarm, but the fire spread fast. No one was hurt, but documents, cash, furniture and certificates were destroyed. A video showed locals trying to control the blaze. A minority rights group said it recorded at least 71 cases linked to blasphemy claims against Hindus from June to December across more than 30 districts. (PC: India Today)

The Supreme Court on Monday paused the bail granted to former Uttar Pradesh MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the Unnao rape case. The court said Sengar cannot be released as he is already serving a jail term in another criminal case. A bench said the order giving him bail raises serious legal issues that need full hearing. The judges noted that the lower court may have ignored key facts while granting relief. The apex court will now examine whether a convict in one case can get bail in another matter while still in prison. Sengar is serving life sentence for the 2017 Unnao rape. (PC: India Today)

A UK employment tribunal has awarded nearly £67,000 to an Indian man who accused his KFC manager of race bias and wrongful dismissal. Madhesh Ravichandran from Tamil Nadu worked at the West Wickham outlet in south-east London from January 2023. He told the tribunal that his Sri Lankan Tamil manager called him a “slave” and said “Indians are fraudsters”. The judge said his holiday requests were denied because of his race and that he was pressured to work long hours. Ravichandran later resigned and was dismissed without notice. The tribunal ruled that the abuse violated his dignity and ordered the company to pay damages and introduce staff training on workplace discrimination. (PC: NDTV)

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met for over two hours in Florida and later described the talks as “great”. Both leaders spoke of progress, but offered few clear details on how the war could end. Key issues such as possible territorial concessions by Ukraine remain unresolved. Zelensky said any deal may need public approval through a referendum. There was also no clear outline of the security guarantees Ukraine would receive. Russia has already rejected ideas such as a ceasefire and foreign monitoring forces. Trump has said Russian President Vladimir Putin is “serious” about peace. For now, there is no confirmed agreement accepted by all sides. (PC: BBC)

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has criticised Canada’s healthcare system after the death of an Indian-origin man at a hospital in Edmonton. The 44-year-old, Prashant Sreekumar, reportedly waited for nearly eight hours for care while suffering chest pain and later went into cardiac arrest. A video posted by his wife accused hospital staff of neglect. Reacting on X, Musk said, “When the government does medical care, it is about as good as the DMV.” The case has sparked debate online and drawn the attention of Indian authorities. The incident took place at Grey Nuns Community Hospital, where the man was in the waiting area before he collapsed. (PC: India Today)

Dense fog disrupted air travel in Delhi-NCR on Monday as visibility dropped sharply at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. Officials said 128 flights were cancelled, eight were diverted, and more than 200 were delayed during the morning hours. IndiGo warned that delays could continue till noon as visibility was still poor at several north India airports. Delhi airport later said runway visibility was improving but some operations may remain affected. The India Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for Delhi and said dense to very dense fog will persist in parts of north India over the next few days. Passengers were advised to check flight status with airlines before travel. (PC: X)