The death of Prashant Sreekumar, an Indian-origin father of three, after an eight-hour wait in an Edmonton emergency room has renewed focus on problems in Canada’s health system. He arrived with chest pain and rising blood pressure but was given only pain relief before he collapsed and died. Reports say many patients now wait up to 16 hours in emergency rooms. Experts point to staff shortages, lack of family doctors and rising patient numbers. About one in five Canadians does not have a primary care provider. Overcrowded emergency rooms now handle many cases that clinics should treat. This has led to long waits, delayed care and growing public concern. (PC: India Today)

Three people have died in Sweden after Storm Johannes hit parts of the Nordic region with strong winds and heavy snow. A man in his 50s was killed by a falling tree at Kungsberget ski resort. A utility worker also died in the north while on duty. Police said a man in his 60s later died in hospital after being hit by a tree in Hofors. The storm caused wide power cuts and travel delays. Over 40,000 homes in Sweden lost power. Norway’s Nordland region reported more than 200 weather calls and about 23,000 homes without power. In Finland, over 60,000 homes were affected.

Bangladesh has rejected India’s concern over what New Delhi called “unremitting hostilities” against minorities. Dhaka said the remarks did not reflect reality and described recent incidents as isolated criminal acts. The response came after India condemned the lynching of Hindu youth Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh on December 18. Bangladesh’s foreign ministry said portraying the killing as a minority issue was misleading and claimed such cases were being used in India to fuel anti-Bangladesh views. India’s Ministry of External Affairs said more than 2,900 attacks on minorities, including killings, arson and land grabs, were reported since the interim government took charge after Sheikh Hasina’s resignation.

A 30-year-old Bengaluru resident, Suraj Shivanna, died by suicide in a Nagpur hotel after traveling over 1,000 km with his family following the death of his newly-wed wife, Ganavi. Ganavi had allegedly died by suicide at their Bengaluru home, leading her parents to file a dowry harassment and abetment of suicide case against Suraj. Fearing arrest and threats, Suraj, his mother Jayanti, and brother fled first to Hyderabad and later to Nagpur, where Suraj was found hanging in his hotel room late Friday. His mother also attempted suicide but survived and is hospitalized. Police are investigating and coordinating with Bengaluru authorities. (PC: India Today)

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh sparked controversy by posting praise for the organisational strength of the RSS and BJP, sharing a throwback photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rise through their ranks — triggering debate about unity within the party. Singh later clarified he opposes RSS-BJP ideology, saying his comments were about organisational lessons, not endorsement. The remarks exposed divided views among Congress leaders, with some defending his call for reform and others stressing there is nothing to learn from RSS, citing historical ideological conflicts. Party leaders stressed overall unity despite differing opinions. 

Ten Indian youths who went abroad for work and later joined the Russian army amid the Russia-Ukraine war have been confirmed dead, with four more missing, according to documents presented to Indian officials. Three of the deceased were from Punjab, and the rest were from Uttar Pradesh and Jammu. A man named Jagdeep Singh travelled to Moscow trying to locate them and submitted proof to Rajya Sabha MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, who is helping families seek the repatriation of bodies and urging action against deceptive recruitment agents. Families had long awaited news of their loved ones. 

Meghalaya Police and the Border Security Force (BSF) have dismissed reports from some Bangladesh media and police that two suspects in the murder of Bangladeshi student leader Sharif Osman Hadi fled into India via the Haluaghat border and entered Meghalaya. According to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, the suspects — Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Sheikh — allegedly crossed the border with help from locals and reached Tura in Meghalaya. However, Indian authorities say no evidence, arrests, or verified reports support this claim, calling it a false and fabricated narrative. Both agencies stressed the need for verified information through formal channels and increased border vigilance. (PC: HT)

Bangladesh has rejected India’s allegations of widespread persecution of Hindus, calling recent attacks “isolated criminal acts” and not indicative of systemic discrimination. The Foreign Ministry in Dhaka said India’s statements were inaccurate and exaggerated, arguing that some incidents were being selectively amplified to fuel anti-Bangladesh sentiment and harm bilateral ties. New Delhi had raised concerns over violence against minority communities, including the lynching of Hindu worker Dipu Chandra Das, urging justice and better protection. Bangladesh insisted it remained committed to communal harmony and urged restraint in spreading misleading narratives. (PC: India Today)

The Election Commission (EC) has halted hearings for voters marked as “unmapped” in West Bengal after identifying a technical issue linked to the 2002 electoral rolls. Officials said problems arose during the digitisation of old PDF records, which led to mismatches in the Booth Level Officer (BLO) app and triggered erroneous notices to legitimate electors. The EC has directed officials not to proceed with such hearings and instead rely on physical verification of documents using hard copies of legacy rolls. Once verification is completed, affected voters will be correctly mapped and included in the updated electoral rolls, ensuring eligible electors are not wrongly excluded. (PC: PTI)

Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano on Sicily’s east coast, erupted on 27 December 2025, casting dramatic plumes of lava, ash and smoke into the winter sky against a backdrop of snow-capped slopes. Scientists issued a red Volcano Observatory notice warning aviation authorities of potential air travel risks, though Catania-Fontanarossa Airport remained open with no immediate disruptions reported. Volcanic ash has been carried by winds over nearby towns and ski resorts, creating striking contrasts between fiery eruptions and snowy terrain while drawing attention from residents and visitors alike.