Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma answered doubts over their form with strong performances through 2025. Both struggled in Tests early in the year and later retired from the format. Their ODI future then came under review. They returned with key roles in India’s Champions Trophy win and later delivered match winning runs in Australia and at home. The duo also played the Vijay Hazare Trophy and scored centuries to show commitment. However, head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar have not given a clear view on whether the two seniors are part of plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup. The board is yet to confirm its roadmap. (PC: HT)

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet US President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday to discuss a revised peace plan for the war with Russia. The talks come after heavy Russian strikes on Kyiv over the weekend. Zelensky said the attacks show that Moscow “doesn’t want peace”. Ukrainian officials said a ten hour barrage of missiles and drones on Friday night killed two people and injured 32. Russia said it targeted energy facilities. Zelensky is expected to seek US security guarantees and discuss possible terms for eastern Ukraine. The new plan has 20 points and follows earlier drafts prepared by US envoys. The Kremlin has not responded to the latest proposal. (PC: BBC)

Varun Vummadi, co-founder and CEO of San Francisco based AI firm Giga, said his startup is facing an extortion attempt for three million dollars in cryptocurrency. In a post on X, he said a small group got access to internal company data and is using it to demand payment. He said the group has already shared false claims online and is threatening to release edited data if the money is not sent. Former staff have accused the firm of unethical conduct, which Vummadi has denied. He said the company has reported the case to law agencies and plans legal action. Giga was founded in 2023 by Vummadi and Esha Manideep. (PC: NDTV)

Bangladesh political platform Inqilab Moncho announced road blockades in all divisional cities from Sunday to demand justice for leader Sharif Osman Hadi. The group said the action would start at 11 am local time. Members have continued a sit in at Shahbagh in Dhaka since Friday. Local media reported similar protests in Sylhet, Chattogram and Kushtia on Saturday. Addressing supporters, member secretary Abdullah Al Jaber warned that protests could spread to Jamuna, parliament or the cantonment if the government did not act. Hadi was shot in Dhaka on December 12 and later died in Singapore. His death has led to unrest across parts of the country. (PC: HT)

Bangladesh police said two key suspects in the murder of political activist Osman Hadi have fled to India through the Meghalaya border. Dhaka Metropolitan Police Additional Commissioner SN Nazrul Islam said Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Sheikh crossed the Haluaghat border in Mymensingh with help from local contacts. He said the men were first received by a person named Purti and later taken by taxi to Tura city in Meghalaya. Bangladesh authorities are in contact with Indian officials through formal and informal channels to secure their arrest and extradition. Police said they have unconfirmed inputs that two people who helped the suspects may be in Indian custody. (PC: India Today)

New York woke up to its heaviest snowfall in nearly four years after a winter storm hit the north-east United States. Central Park recorded 4.3 inches of snow, the most since January 2022, the National Weather Service said. Some parts of the state saw up to 7.5 inches. Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency in more than half the counties before the storm. On Saturday, over 900 flights were cancelled in the New York area and more than 8,000 were delayed across the country. New Jersey and Connecticut also reported heavy snow. Authorities warned of black ice on roads and bridges. (PC: BBC)

US Congressman Ro Khanna has condemned the killing of Dipu Chandra Das, a 27-year-old Hindu garment worker who was lynched by a mob in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, earlier this month. In a post on X, Khanna described the death as “horrific” and said people must speak out against “vile acts of hatred and bigotry”. Das was killed during protests that followed the murder of student leader Osman Hadi. The incident triggered demonstrations in several Indian cities, including New Delhi, Kolkata and Agartala. Hindu groups also protested near Bangladeshi missions and sought protection for minorities. The case has strained India-Bangladesh ties, with both sides summoning envoys and raising concerns at diplomatic levels. (PC: HT)

A high school student in the United States has identified about 1.5 million new space objects using artificial intelligence and old Nasa data. Matteo Paz built a machine learning system to study records from the retired Neowise mission. His model reviewed around 200 billion infrared entries and flagged objects such as quasars and supernovas that were missed earlier. Paz worked with astrophysicist Davy Kirkpatrick through Caltech’s Planet Finder Academy. His findings were published in The Astronomical Journal and are now guiding future observations by the James Webb Space Telescope. Nasa chief Jared Isaacman praised the work and publicly invited Paz to apply for a job, adding a fighter jet ride as a personal offer. (PC: India Today)

Canadian journalist Daniel Bordman has raised concern over what he called a growing culture of “anti-India sentiment” after two Indians were killed in Canada within a week. Speaking to ANI, Bordman said the cases happened in different places and do not appear linked. He criticised Canadian police for slow updates and said the public knows few details about the latest shooting in Toronto. Bordman also questioned how such crimes are handled by law agencies. The deaths include 30-year-old Himanshi Khurana, whose partner is a suspect, and 20-year-old Shivank Avasthi, who was shot dead on December 23. Police said suspects fled before officers reached the scene. (PC: NDTV)

Israeli military action has continued in Gaza despite a ceasefire, with health officials saying more than 400 people were killed and about 1,000 injured since October 10. Aid agencies say many areas remain in ruins, while Israel does not allow reconstruction material or heavy machines to enter. The UN says about 85% of buildings are damaged and nearly two million people are displaced. Satellite images reviewed by Sky News show the Israeli control line moving hundreds of metres deeper into Gaza. The IDF said its forces remain inside the strip to stop threats. It confirmed shooting a 16-year-old it called a suspect but gave no proof of militant links. (PC: Sky News)