India clinched its maiden squash World Cup title with a commanding 3-0 victory over top-seeded Hong Kong at Chennai's Express Avenue Mall on Sunday. The historic triumph marks India's best-ever performance in the competition, surpassing its previous bronze medal finish in 2023. Playing before a vociferous home crowd, the Indian team delivered a clinical display to overwhelm their opponents in the first-ever final meeting between the two nations. Hong Kong also achieved their best finish at the event, improving from an eighth-place finish two years ago. The packed venue witnessed India's emphatic performance that showcased the host nation's growing dominance in international squash. (PC: X)

An NRI professional who returned to India with a Rs 100 crore ($12 million) net worth shared his post-retirement reflections on Reddit, describing early financial freedom as "bliss and a curse." Starting from a middle-class background, he worked in tech services before moving to the US, where strategic investments grew his portfolio significantly. Now living in a gated community, his daily routine includes three hours of sports and gym, reading, family time, and occasional boredom. Despite comfortable access to cooks, maids, and coaches, he admits feeling empty at times but refuses to return to corporate grinding. His post sparked debate about early retirement's psychological impact.

Lionel Messi's Delhi tour finale sparked a meme fest as the capital's dense smog and near-zero visibility greeted the football icon on Monday. With AQI hitting severe levels and temperatures dropping to 8.2°C, social media erupted with humorous takes. One viral meme read: "Your left leg is insured for $900 million, what about your lungs?" Another joked: "Messi has 896 career goals. Tomorrow Delhi's AQI will beat that." Fans shared blank images captioned as photos of Messi and Virat Kohli, implying they'd be invisible in pollution. The Delhi visit contrasts sharply with Mumbai's smooth December 14 event at Wankhede Stadium.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar extended India's deepest condolences to Australia following the Bondi Beach terror attack, speaking with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong to offer full support and assistance. One gunman, identified as 50-year-old Naveed Akram, called his mother hours before the attack, saying he'd been swimming at Jervis Bay with his 24-year-old son Sajid. The father was killed at the scene; his son remains hospitalized in critical condition. Jewish community members gathered at Bondi Beach, lighting candles at a large menorah among floral tributes, singing traditional songs and the Australian national anthem. Forty people remain hospitalized, with victims aged 10 to 87.

Delhi's toxic smog caused major travel disruptions on Monday, with 100 flights cancelled and over 300 delayed at Delhi Airport as visibility plummeted. The Air Quality Index hit 456 at 6 AM, the season's second-worst after Sunday's 461. Over 90 trains were delayed six to seven hours due to low visibility. The IMD issued an orange alert for dense fog, while areas like Akshardham recorded AQI of 493. Airlines urged passengers to allow extra travel time due to slower road traffic. CAQM invoked Stage IV GRAP measures, banning construction activities and mandating 50% work-from-home in offices, with schools conducting hybrid classes.

India and the European Union are finalizing their Free Trade Agreement, scheduled for signing on January 27 during an India-EU summit coinciding with Republic Day celebrations. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa will attend as chief guests on January 26. Of 23 negotiating chapters, 11 are closed, with ongoing discussions on car and steel market access, services, investment, and technical trade barriers. India's bilateral goods trade with the EU stands at $136 billion, making it Delhi's third-largest trading partner. Originally launched in 2007 and stalled in 2013, negotiations resumed in June 2022 with strong political commitment from both sides.(PC: Epthinktank)

Ranveer Singh's spy thriller Dhurandhar has crossed ₹500 crore worldwide in just 10 days, becoming the fourth-highest-grossing Indian film of 2025. Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film earned ₹59 crore net on its second Sunday, closing the weekend at ₹144.50 crore, a 40% increase from its opening weekend. With ₹351.75 crore net domestically and over $12 million overseas, its global haul stands at ₹530 crore. The film has surpassed lifetime collections of Coolie (₹518 crore), Dunki (₹470 crore), War (₹449 crore), and Pushpa: The Rise (₹365 crore). Co-starring Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, and Arjun Rampal, it's poised for the ₹600-crore mark.(PC: IMDb)

Lionel Messi couldn't contain his laughter as Mumbai schoolgirls showcased impressive footwork against Luis Suarez during his India GOAT tour at Wankhede Stadium on December 14. In a viral video, the girls from a local football team stunned Suarez by deftly passing the ball around him, with one player executing a nutmeg kicking the ball through his legs. Suarez appeared momentarily bewildered by their speed and skill, while Messi grinned widely from the sidelines. The Instagram video, captioned "Suarez shocked, girl rocked," sparked social media reactions, with one user joking, "I think he bit her," referencing Suarez's infamous 2014 World Cup biting incident.

Lionel Messi created a viral moment at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium by gifting his Argentina jersey to Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri, drawing massive cheers. During his India G.O.A.T tour stop, Messi exchanged gifts with cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, presenting him a replica football from Argentina's 2022 World Cup victory while receiving Tendulkar's 2011 World Cup-winning jersey. The gesture toward Chhetri, India's greatest footballer, particularly resonated with fans. Messi's tour, which started chaotically in Kolkata with poor management and vandalism, improved through Hyderabad before the successful Mumbai event. His tour concludes December 15 in Delhi, featuring meetings with PM Modi and Virat Kohli.

Dramatic video footage from Bondi Beach shows a heroic bystander tackling and disarming one of the gunmen during the mass shooting that killed 16 people. The clip captures the chaotic moment as the man wrestles a rifle from the attacker's hands and attempts to turn the weapon on him while others flee. Additional footage shows a second shooter firing from an elevated walkway as beachgoers scatter. The attack occurred during "Chanukah by the Sea," a Hanukkah celebration on Sunday evening around 6:40 PM. Nearly 40 people were injured, including two police officers. One gunman was killed; the second suspect remains in custody.