Storm Bram is bringing dangerous weather to parts of the UK, with strong winds and heavy rain expected through today and tomorrow morning. The Met Office has issued amber alerts for Scotland, South Wales, and southwest England. Northwest Scotland will face the worst winds, possibly reaching 90mph. Experts warn of fallen trees, damage to homes, flooding, and power cuts. Travel may be disrupted on roads, rail lines, bridges, and flights. Rainfall of up to 100mm is possible on already soaked ground. People in the alert areas are advised to secure loose items and check travel updates before leaving home. (PC: Sky News)

Ukraine is working on a new peace plan for the US after President Volodymyr Zelensky again said he will not give up any land to Russia. He said Ukrainian law, international law, and basic morals do not allow him to surrender territory. His comments came during meetings with leaders from the UK, France, and Germany, who backed Ukraine against US pressure for concessions. Ukraine and the US held long talks over the weekend but reached no agreement. Russian drones also hit power sites in Sumy, causing a blackout. Zelensky may send the new proposal to Washington as early as Tuesday. (PC: BBC)

Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, once known for their fast-growing cafes and clubs, are now fugitives after a fire at their Goa nightclub killed 25 people. The brothers built a large hospitality brand over nine years, starting with their first outlet in Delhi in 2016. Their success collapsed when a blaze at “Birch By Romeo Lane” exposed major safety violations, including flammable decor and missing fire equipment. A narrow exit and delayed rescue made the situation worse. Hours after the incident, the brothers left India for Thailand. Police have filed a case, and a hunt is underway to bring them back. (PC: NDTV)

Opposition MPs walked out of the Lok Sabha on Tuesday after the Speaker refused their demand for a full debate on the IndiGo crisis. Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu said aviation safety is “non-negotiable” and blamed internal rostering problems for the flight cancellations. In the Rajya Sabha, Congress MP Ashok Singh accused the government of ignoring passenger troubles and called the DGCA a “rubber stamp”. The Houses also prepared for a long discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Rahul Gandhi will open the debate, while the government says it is ready to counter false claims made by the opposition. (PC: HT)

Pakistan’s federal government has revived the long-debated plan to create smaller provinces, with Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan declaring division “inevitable” to improve governance. The proposal suggests carving three provinces each out of Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. While coalition partners like MQM-P support the move, the PPP strongly opposes dividing Sindh. Experts warn restructuring could worsen instability, citing Pakistan’s history of failed governance experiments and weak institutions. Veteran bureaucrat Syed Akhtar Ali Shah and think-tank leader Ahmed Bilal Mehboob argue that multiplying provinces won’t fix systemic gaps in law enforcement, accountability, or local governance, and may deepen grievances instead. (PC: Nations Online Project)

Hina Mir, a Labour Party councillor and solicitor from west London, has been fined £40,000 after losing an appeal over breaching immigration law by hiring Indian student Himanshi Gongley as a nanny illegally. Gongley, 22, was paid £1,200 monthly in cash despite lacking UK work rights. Reports revealed she worked “24 hours a day, six days a week” caring for Mir’s children. The student, distressed, flagged down police in August 2024, later claiming abuse and suicidal feelings. Mir denied wrongdoing, calling her a “social visitor.” Judge Stephen Hellman found Mir’s evidence inconsistent. Alongside £3,620 court costs, opposition councillors demand her resignation, citing serious breach of public trust. (PC: NDTV)

The IPL 2026 auction, scheduled December 16 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, will feature 350 players after BCCI pruned the initial 1355 registrations. Thirty-five new names were added, notably South Africa's Quinton de Kock, who recently ended international retirement and smashed a century against India. De Kock halved his base price to Rs 1 crore after Kolkata Knight Riders released him following an underwhelming season where he was bought for Rs 2 crore. Cameron Green registered as a batter instead of all-rounder. The auction commences at 2:30 PM IST with capped players by specialism like batters, all-rounders, wicketkeeper-batters, fast bowlers, spin bowlers followed by uncapped players. (PC: Google Play)

At least 33 people were injured after a powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck northern Japan's Aomori prefecture at 11:15 PM local time Monday, with depth of 50 km. Shaking intensity reached upper 6 on Japan's 7-point scale, felt even in Tokyo, 550 km away. Tsunami waves reached 70 centimeters high along Pacific coasts. Japan's Meteorological Agency issued a 'megaquake' alert, warning potential massive tremors could trigger tsunamis from Hokkaido to Chiba Prefecture. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi formed an emergency task force, pledging government's "utmost effort" while urging citizens to protect themselves. Around 90,000 residents evacuated homes. All tsunami warnings were later lifted; water leaked from a nuclear reprocessing plant.

President Trump signaled readiness to impose fresh tariffs on Indian rice and Canadian fertilizer after US farmers complained about cheap foreign imports undercutting domestic producers. During a White House roundtable unveiling a $12 billion farmer bailout, Louisiana's Kennedy Rice Mill CEO Meryl Kennedy identified India, Thailand, and China as "main culprits" dumping subsidized rice. Trump directed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to list offending countries, promising to "take care" of the issue quickly. A senior US Trade Representative delegation led by Deputy USTR Rick Switzer visits India December 10-11 for Bilateral Trade Agreement discussions. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal leads India's negotiating team, optimistically targeting year-end agreement despite Trump's previous 50% tariffs on Indian goods imposed last August.

Chinese national Congtai Hu, 29, was detained in Jammu and Kashmir for visa violations after traveling to restricted areas in Ladakh and Srinagar. Arriving November 19 claiming to be an investor, his visa permitted only Buddhist sites in Varanasi, Agra, Delhi, Jaipur, Sarnath, Gaya, and Kushinagar. Leh Police stopped him December 1 near Chang La Pass; he subsequently traveled to Srinagar, checking into an unregistered homestay, overstaying by two days. His phone, sent for forensic examination, contained browsing history on CRPF deployments and Article 370. He visited strategic locations including Zanskar, Harwan Buddhist Monastery, and Awantipur ruins near Army headquarters. Hu claimed unawareness of visa restrictions, alleging nine years' US residence and Boston University physics studies. (PC: X)