Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet have warned passengers of possible flight disruptions at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport due to dense fog, low visibility and high pollution levels affecting the region on Friday. The Delhi airport also issued advisories urging travelers to check flight status in advance as foggy conditions may slow departures and arrivals. Airlines said poor visibility might delay, revise or even cancel flights, and urged passengers to stay updated through airline apps or websites. Ground staff assistance and alternative arrangements are being offered for affected flyers. (PC: AFP)

Massive protests erupted across Bangladesh after the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a radical political leader and Inquilab Mancha spokesperson, who succumbed to injuries from a shooting earlier this month. Demonstrators in Dhaka and other cities marched, chanted slogans, and demanded justice, accusing authorities of failing to protect Hadi. Violence escalated as protesters vandalised and set fire to media offices like Daily Prothom Alo and Daily Star, and also targeted an Awami League office. Slogans against India and anti-government sentiments were voiced, including at the Indian Assistant High Commission in Chattogram. The interim government declared a day of mourning as security remained tight. 

Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent Bangladeshi youth and student movement leader, died in a Singapore hospital on December 18, 2025, from injuries sustained when he was shot in Dhaka a week earlier during his election campaign. Hadi was 32 and a key figure in last year’s uprising and outspoken critic of pro-government politics. After being critically wounded on December 12, he was airlifted to Singapore for treatment but succumbed despite intensive care. His death has ignited widespread protests and violence in Bangladesh, with demonstrators attacking media offices and demanding justice, highlighting deep political tensions ahead of national elections. (PC: NDTV)

A group of economists, scholars and policy experts wrote an open letter urging the Indian government to retain the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), one of the world’s largest legal employment-guarantee programmes. They warned that the government’s plan to repeal and replace it with the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025 would weaken the demand-driven employment right by centralising authority and shifting financial burdens to states, reducing rural work security. The letter calls for recommitment to MGNREGA’s legal employment guarantee and rural livelihood support. (PC: The Hindu)

Parliament passed the landmark SHANTI (Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India) Bill on Thursday, opening India's nuclear power sector to private players. Cleared by Lok Sabha Wednesday and introduced Monday by Union minister Jitendra Singh, the legislation permits private companies to construct, own, operate, or decommission nuclear plants after obtaining safety licenses. It removes controversial supplier liability clauses, rationalizes accident payout levels, and aims to achieve 100 GW nuclear capacity by 2047. PM Modi called it "transformational," enabling safe AI power and green manufacturing while creating private sector opportunities. The Bill repeals the 1962 Atomic Energy Act and 2010 CLND Act, amending patent laws for atomic energy applications. (PC: News18)

Indian-origin cab driver Simranjit Singh Sekhon, 35, was arrested for allegedly raping an unconscious 21-year-old passenger in California. Ventura County Sheriff's Office began investigating after November reports of assault in Camarillo. Sekhon picked up the intoxicated victim from a Thousand Oaks bar around 1:00 am on November 27. Despite marking the ride complete, investigators allege he continued driving the unconscious woman around Camarillo and sexually assaulted her. Arrested December 15, Sekhon was booked at pre-trial detention for rape with aggravating vulnerability factors. He pleaded not guilty; bail set at $500,000 with December 29 court date. Detectives suspect additional unreported victims. Police haven't disclosed his rideshare company affiliation. (PC: X)

Delhi's 'No PUC, No Fuel' campaign resulted in 3,746 vehicle challans and 568 vehicles turned back within 24 hours of launch, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced. Joint Delhi Traffic Police and Transport Department teams checked approximately 5,000 vehicles at key entry points. Additionally, 217 non-destined trucks were diverted via Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways. PUCC issuance surged to 61,912 certificates between December 17-18, indicating increased compliance. Sirsa emphasized strict enforcement and growing public cooperation reduced outside vehicle inflow. Authorities deployed smartplate-reader devices at intersections while conducting manual checks elsewhere. Fuel stations denied service to non-compliant vehicles. Sirsa warned enforcement continues during peak winter pollution, flagging private offices' incomplete work-from-home advisory compliance.

Ten asteroids will approach Earth between December 18-20, according to NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, though none poses impact threats. The closest, asteroid 2015 XX168, passes at 2.3 million kilometers on December 18, several times the Moon's distance. Sizes range from 7 meters (2025 XT4) to 160 meters (2025 XV), with speeds between 6-17 kilometers per second. Most have zero rarity scores, indicating common occurrences; only 2025 XV rates one due to larger size, not elevated risk. Scientists emphasize these flybys provide valuable research opportunities for studying asteroid behavior, refining orbital models, and improving planetary defense capabilities. Close approaches occur regularly, often weekly, with Earth safely monitored. (PC: Pinterest)

Sachin Tendulkar met the Indian Women’s Blind Cricket Team, newly crowned T20 Blind Cricket World Cup champions, at Mumbai’s MIG Cricket Club, celebrating their historic achievement. He spent nearly an hour with the players, praising their resilience, hard work and the crucial support of their families. Sachin reminded them that success brings greater responsibility and urged them to stay focused as their victory marks the beginning of a larger journey. The players described meeting him as overwhelming and deeply motivating. Captain Deepika TC called it a dream come true. CABI President Dr. G.K. Mahantesh said Sachin’s encouragement boosts confidence across India’s blind cricket ecosystem.

India and Oman signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement on December 18, 2025, granting India duty-free access on 98.08% of Omani tariff lines, covering 99.38% of Indian exports to Oman. India offered liberalized tariffs on 77.79% of its tariff lines, covering 94.81% of Omani imports. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Sultan Haitham bin Tarik in Muscat for bilateral discussions. India exported $4.06 billion to Oman in 2024-25 (0.93% of total exports) and imported $6.5 billion (0.91% of total imports). Beyond merchandise tariff removal, the agreement includes service sector concessions, particularly benefiting worker mobility. The deal strengthens India-Oman economic ties significantly. (PC: X)