The Department of Telecommunications has ordered all phone makers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on every new device sold in India. The app must appear clearly during setup and cannot be hidden or removed. The rule aims to curb IMEI fraud, track stolen phones and improve telecom security. Companies have 90 days to follow the order. Phones already in stores must get the app through updates. The Congress has called the move unconstitutional and a threat to privacy. KC Venugopal said a mandatory app that cannot be removed is a “Big Brother” step. The government has not responded yet. (PC: India Today)

A Russian missile strike on the city of Dnipro killed four people and injured 40 on Monday. Local reports said a ballistic missile may have been used, and videos showed a major blast near a motorway. Several shops, cars and an office building were damaged. The attack came as global efforts to end the Ukraine war continued. US envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, after holding talks with Ukrainian officials in Florida. Both sides still disagree on key issues, including control of the Donbas region and Ukraine’s future security. Peace talks remain difficult.

A short video from the Ranchi ODI sparked talk that Virat Kohli ignored head coach Gautam Gambhir after India’s win over South Africa. The clip showed Kohli walking past Gambhir near the dressing room, leading to claims of a rift. A report also said Kohli and Rohit Sharma were uneasy with the coach. But another video later showed Kohli giving Gambhir a brief side-hug after the match. Fans said the first clip was misleading. The team is in a transition phase, and both senior players aim to extend their ODI careers as India looks ahead to future events. 

Delhi’s air quality slipped back to the ‘very poor’ zone on Monday with an AQI of 304, after showing minor relief on Sunday. The city had recorded a ‘poor’ AQI of 279 for the first time since November 5. Before that, Delhi saw 24 straight days of very polluted air. CPCB data showed rising pollution levels again through the day. Transport emissions made up about 20% of the pollution on Monday. November ended with an average AQI of 357, with no ‘good’ or ‘moderate’ days. Cold conditions also tightened, as the minimum temperature dipped to 5.7°C. (PC: NDTV)

The Indian Army has successfully test-fired a BrahMos missile, highlighting its long-range strike power. The test was carried out by a Southern Command BrahMos unit with support from the Andaman and Nicobar Command. Officials said the trial proved the missile’s high accuracy and strong guidance and control systems. The BrahMos is one of India’s key precision-strike weapons and can hit targets at long distances with great speed. The Army said the test adds to India’s readiness and strengthens its combat abilities. A video released by the Army shows the missile launching smoothly and hitting its target.

Pakistan has rebuilt and reactivated 72 terror launch pads along the Jammu frontier seven months after India's Operation Sindoor extensively damaged terror infrastructure, the Border Security Force announced Saturday. BSF Deputy Inspector General Vikram Kunwar revealed that despite Pakistan's stated policy shift moving facilities to depth areas, twelve launch pads resurfaced near the International Border in Sialkot and Zafarwal, while sixty emerged across the Line of Control. Operation Sindoor, launched May 6-7 retaliating against April's Pahalgam attack killing 26, destroyed 118 Pakistani posts and surveillance systems across Hiranagar, Samba, Jammu, Rajouri, and Poonch. Pakistani Rangers have returned to abandoned posts while BSF deploys counter-drone systems, ground surveillance radars, and modern technology to monitor border activity and evolving threats. (PC: NDTV & TOI)

US lawmakers are demanding answers after a report claimed the US military carried out a second strike to kill survivors of an earlier attack on a suspected Venezuelan drug boat. The Washington Post said Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth gave a directive to “kill everybody”, which he denies. President Trump said he believes Hegseth “100%”. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers say the claims must be reviewed, warning the action could be illegal if true. The Pentagon says the strikes were part of anti-drug operations. Venezuela has condemned the attacks and plans its own investigation. (PC: BBC)

Flights near Delhi and major Indian airports have experienced repeated GPS spoofing and GNSS interference, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu informed Parliament on Monday. Since mandatory reporting began in November 2023, authorities received regular interference reports from airports including Kolkata, Amritsar, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai. Aircraft approaching Delhi's Runway 10 encountered spoofed signals generating false positional data and misleading terrain warnings, particularly during severe November episodes within 60 nautical miles. While GPS interference typically occurs near Pakistan and Myanmar borders, capital incidents are unusual. India reported 465 border-region interference cases between November 2023-February 2025. New protocols require pilots reporting abnormal GPS behavior within ten minutes, with ground-based navigation backup systems ensuring operational continuity. (PC: The Telegraph)

Rajasthan's CID Intelligence arrested Punjab resident Prakash Singh alias Badal for allegedly spying for Pakistan's ISI under the Official Secrets Act, 1923. The 34-year-old Ferozepur man was detained near Ganganagar's Sadulwali military station after surveillance revealed his contact with Pakistani intelligence through social media since May. Officials allege Badal collected classified information about Indian Army vehicles, military installations, border geography, railways, bridges, and construction projects across Rajasthan, Punjab, and Gujarat. He reportedly helped Pakistani handlers create Indian WhatsApp accounts by obtaining OTPs from Indian mobile numbers, receiving payment for espionage activities. Technical analysis confirmed allegations after interrogation at Jaipur's central facility. This marks another espionage arrest following similar cases in Rajasthan and Haryana. (PC: India Filings)

India's telecom ministry has privately ordered major smartphone manufacturers to preload the government's 'Sanchar Saathi' cybersecurity app on all new devices within 90 days, making it non-deletable for users. The November 28 directive affects Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi, requiring existing devices receive the app via software updates. The government justifies the mandate as essential for combating telecom cyber threats from duplicate IMEI numbers enabling scams. Since launching in January, the app has recovered over 700,000 lost phones and blocked 3.7 million stolen devices across India's 1.2 billion subscriber market. Apple, which historically refuses government app pre-installations, faces a significant policy conflict given its 4.5% Indian smartphone market share. (PC: Reuters)