Indian cricket star Smriti Mandhana has confirmed that her wedding with music composer Palash Muchhal has been called off. Posting on Instagram, she said, “Over the past weeks, there has been plenty of speculation. I feel it is important to speak out. The wedding is called off.” The ceremony was postponed in November after her father faced a medical emergency and reports surfaced of Muchhal’s stress-related hospitalisation. Mandhana added, “I would like to close this matter here and request privacy for both families.” She stressed her focus remains on cricket, saying, “Representing my country is my highest priority.” (PC: NDTV)

In Bankura, West Bengal, 79 tribal residents of Muchikata and Veduashol villages refused to register for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters. They said they are loyal to the Samajwad Inter-State Majhi Sarkar and have identity cards from the group. Officials, including the block BDO and SDPO, tried to convince them about the importance of voter registration, but the residents remained firm. Authorities plan to revisit the villages and continue awareness campaigns. The SIR process, which updates electoral rolls, starts on December 11 and ends with the final roll on February 14, ahead of next year’s state elections. (PC: India Today)

Iran has arrested two organisers of a marathon on Kish Island after some women ran without wearing the hijab. Photos shared online showed several women competing without head coverings. About 2,000 women and 3,000 men took part in separate races. Supporters of change praised the images, saying they showed women rejecting strict dress rules. But Iranian officials called it a violation of public decency. The judiciary quickly acted, saying the event itself broke rules. The hijab issue remains central in Iran, especially after the 2022 protests following Mahsa Amini’s death. Authorities have recently increased action against women not wearing the hijab. (PC: BBC)

A Muslim group in Hyderabad said it will build a Babri Masjid memorial in Greater Hyderabad. The announcement was made by Tahreek Muslim Shabban chief Mushtaq Malik during a public meeting on the 33rd anniversary of the mosque’s demolition. Malik said the memorial will also include welfare services, and details will be shared soon. The move comes days after a Babri Masjid-style structure was announced in West Bengal by a suspended TMC MLA. The issue has triggered political reactions. BJP leaders criticised the decision, while the MLA said he has the right to build a mosque. (PC: HT)

An eyewitness said about 100 people were on the dancefloor when flames broke out at Birch by Romeo Lane in Goa. The fire started suddenly, and people began to run as smoke filled the room. Many shouted for help while staff tried to guide guests to the exits. Some people fell in the rush to escape. Fire crews reached the club quickly and worked to control the blaze. Several people were taken to hospital with burns and breathing problems. Police are checking what caused the fire. The state government has ordered a safety review of the nightclub. (PC: India Today)

The UN’s nuclear watchdog says the protective shield at the Chernobyl site can no longer safely contain radiation after a drone strike in February. The New Safe Confinement structure was badly damaged, losing its main safety functions. Ukraine blames Russia for the attack, but Moscow denies it. The strike caused a fire and broke parts of the outer cover. The IAEA says only small temporary repairs have been made and major work is needed soon. The steel shield was built to last 100 years and protect the site of the 1986 disaster. The agency says radiation levels remain under control. (PC: CNN)

A 24-year-old Indian student, Sahaja Reddy Udumala from Telangana, died in a house fire in Albany, New York, on Thursday. The fire began in a nearby building and quickly spread to her home while she was asleep. Sahaja moved to the US in 2021 for higher studies. The Indian Consulate in New York said it was deeply saddened and is helping her family. Her parents in Telangana are devastated and have requested government support to bring her body back home. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with funeral costs, repatriation and other urgent expenses. (PC: India Today)

Delhi’s air quality saw a slight improvement on Sunday but remained in the ‘very poor’ category with an AQI of 305. Dense smog covered the city as temperatures stayed low. Mundka recorded the worst AQI at 365. Out of 39 monitoring stations, 26 showed ‘very poor’ air and 13 showed ‘poor’ levels. Key areas like RK Puram, Punjabi Bagh, Chandni Chowk and Rohini also reported very poor readings. Transport was the biggest local pollution source. The IMD forecast a minimum temperature of 9°C and shallow fog in the morning. Cold conditions continued with high humidity across the day. (PC: India Today)

A fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa’s Arpora killed at least 25 people after midnight on Sunday. Witnesses said the blaze spread fast and escape routes were narrow and confusing. Some people ran into the kitchen and were trapped. Police first said a cylinder blast caused the fire, but several eyewitnesses disagree. The club was allegedly built without proper permits and had a pending demolition notice. Fire trucks struggled to reach the site due to a narrow road. Goa’s chief minister has ordered an inquiry into construction, safety lapses, and the cause of the fire. (PC: HT)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had a “very constructive” call with US peace envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. They spoke about ways to make Russia follow any deal to end the war. Ukrainian officials are in Miami for a third day of talks on a US-backed peace plan. Russia has not made concessions and continues heavy strikes across Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron offered support and will join leaders from the UK and Germany for talks in London on Monday. US and Ukrainian teams say the next steps depend on Russia showing real intent to ease the conflict. (PC: BBC)