IndiGo announced refunds for flights cancelled between December 3-15 with full waivers on change and cancellation requests, preponing the refund date by 48 hours amid mounting pressure. The airline has refunded over 9.5 lakh tickets worth Rs 827 crore, with six lakh tickets (Rs 569 crore) covering December 1-7's peak crisis. Aviation Minister Rammonan Naidu warned of tough action to "set an example." The chaos stems from two-year-old flight safety rules addressing pilot fatigue by increasing downtime, requiring more crew recruitment. IndiGo, operating 2,200 daily flights, fell short on pilots when rules kicked in, causing hundreds of cancellations. DGCA temporarily relaxed norms while opposition flagged the sector's duopolistic nature.

Indian opener Abhishek Sharma emerged as Pakistan's most-searched athlete in 2025, surpassing even Pakistani cricketers and generating more searches there than in India. Hassan Nawaz, Irfan Khan Niazi, Sahibzada Farhan, and Muhammad Abbas followed him. His popularity stems from stellar Asia Cup performances against Pakistan, scoring 31 off 13 in the group stage and 74 off 39 in Super-Four. In India, he ranked third in searches behind teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Priyansh Arya. The top-10 included women's stars Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues, plus three uncapped CSK players. IPL dominated overall Indian searches, with cricket tournaments occupying four of five top sports searches alongside Pro Kabaddi League. (PC: News18)

During the Lok Sabha debate on December 8, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Vande Mataram as a unifying national symbol and criticized the Congress for allegedly diluting its sanctity under historical pressures. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra sharply contested his claims, calling the speech “weak on facts” and accusing the government of politicizing the national song ahead of West Bengal elections. She read out Subhas Chandra Bose’s letter highlighting selective historical representation, arguing the debate misrepresented events from 1937. Priyanka questioned the necessity of revisiting Vande Mataram decades after independence, labeling it an unnecessary politicization of a cherished national symbol. (PC: India Today)

Indian women’s cricket vice-captain Smriti Mandhana returned to training just a day after announcing the cancellation of her wedding to composer Palash Muchhal. Her brother Shravan shared a photo of her batting in the nets, which quickly went viral, with fans praising her resilience and professionalism, noting that “most people would take months” to recover emotionally. Mandhana has stated that her priority remains cricket, especially with the upcoming five-match T20I series against Sri Lanka later this month. Her quick return to preparation reflects her strong commitment to the national team and her mental strength in difficult times. (PC: X)

As Vladimir Putin’s high-profile state visit to India concludes, New Delhi is actively working to finalise a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, potentially as early as January 2026. The move underscores India’s careful “tightrope” strategy of engaging both Moscow and Kyiv. Officials say the timing depends on factors such as former US President Trump’s peace plan and Ukraine’s internal political situation. (PC: AFP)

Thailand’s military initiated airstrikes along its disputed border with Cambodia after a clash that killed one Thai soldier and wounded three Cambodian civilians. Major-General Winthai Suvari said the strikes were meant to “suppress” further Cambodian attacks. Cambodia denied provoking the incident, claiming Thailand fired first and calling Bangkok’s military operations aggressive. The outbreak ends a fragile truce signed in October, triggering evacuations of tens of thousands on both sides. (PC: AFP)

Shahriar Tajbakhsh, co-founder and CTO of Metaview AI, said in a social-media post that even if the fee for an H‑1B visa rose to $100,000 per day, his company would still sponsor it — arguing that the value of skilled workers outweighs any cost. Metaview AI had posted a campaign in India declaring “Yes, we still sponsor H-1Bs” amid a backdrop of tightening U.S. visa norms under Donald Trump. Tajbakhsh emphasised that building transformative products requires world-class talent — “$100,000 just doesn’t matter” in that context. (PC: Linkdin)

A 29-year-old Chinese national, Hu Congtai, was detained after traveling in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh without authorisation, officials said. He entered India on a tourist visa valid only for Buddhist sites, but flew to Leh, skipped Foreigners Regional Registration Office checks, and toured Zanskar. In Srinagar, he stayed in an unregistered guest house and visited sites such as Harwan, Awantipura ruins, Shankaracharya Hills, and Mughal Gardens. His phone history revealed searches about CRPF deployments and Article 370. He holds a physics degree from Boston University, claims to be a travel enthusiast, and may face deportation for visa violations. (PC: The Hindu)

Saurabh Luthra, owner of Goa’s Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, expressed grief after a fire killed 25 people, including staff and tourists. In an Instagram post, he said the management is “deeply shaken” and offered full support to the victims’ families. Eyewitnesses reported the blaze started during a belly dance performance using cold pyro sticks, which ignited the bamboo and straw ceiling. Police have arrested four management staff, including the chief general manager and bar manager. Luthra, a restaurateur and engineer, described the incident as tragic and assured cooperation with authorities as investigations continue. (PC: HT)

India women’s cricket star Smriti Mandhana confirmed that her wedding to music composer Palash Muchhal has been called off. The couple was originally set to marry on November 23, but family health emergencies caused delays. Mandhana asked for privacy and urged fans to respect both families. Throughout this period, teammate Jemimah Rodrigues has stood by her, leaving her Women’s Big Bash League campaign to support Mandhana. Rodrigues posted an Instagram story featuring the song Man I Need, signaling her emotional support. Mandhana emphasized that cricket remains her focus and expressed determination to continue representing India at the highest level. (PC: X)