West Bengal Chief Minister **Mamata Banerjee has announced a protest rally in Kolkata on Friday in response to Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids at the I-PAC office and the home of its chief, Pratik Jain, as part of a money-laundering investigation linked to a coal pilferage case. Mamata has described the raids as politically motivated ahead of upcoming elections, alleging attempts to confiscate Trinamool Congress internal documents, hard disks and data. She has vowed demonstrations across the city and across state party units, framing the issue as misuse of central agencies for political ends. (PC: The Hindu)

The family of I-PAC chief Pratik Jain has filed a police complaint in Kolkata, alleging that important documents were stolen during an Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid at their Loudon Street residence. The raid, conducted in connection with a money-laundering investigation linked to the coal pilferage case, reportedly began early morning and continued for nearly nine hours. Jain’s wife approached the Shakespeare Sarani police station, claiming personal and official papers went missing during the search. The police have confirmed receipt of the complaint and said the matter is under verification and inquiry. The ED also searched I-PAC offices, sparking political controversy.

A Bengaluru-based entrepreneur, Suraj Biswas, founder and CEO of deep-tech startup Assessli, has publicly defended Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal, drawing on his own experience as a former Zomato delivery partner in 2020–21. In a LinkedIn post, Biswas said his time delivering food helped him pay college fees, support his early team and stay financially independent, with monthly earnings of around ₹40,000, and he knew riders earning up to ₹90,000. He described gig work as offering independence, dignity and opportunity, and rejected calls to ban ultra-fast delivery models, arguing that flexibility and tech-led platforms create economic mobility. (PC: LinkedIn)

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence said it detected 77 Chinese military aircraft and 17 naval vessels operating around the island as of 6 a.m. local time, during large-scale drills by China’s People’s Liberation Army. Of the aircraft, 35 crossed the median line into Taiwan’s Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ), the ministry added, and it monitored and responded to the activity. The exercises, dubbed “Justice Mission 2025,” involve joint Army, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force units and have raised concerns about regional stability and risks to civilian air and sea traffic. 

Actor and politician Divya Spandana, known as Ramya, reacted on social media to a remark made by the Supreme Court during a hearing on stray dog attacks. The court said it is hard to judge “what mood a dog is in the morning” and that this creates a risk of attacks. Referring to the comment, Ramya wrote, “Put all men in jail?” to question how fear should be applied in public policy. Her post was widely shared online. The hearing is part of a case on how states handle rising cases of stray dog bites and the safety of people in public places, especially children and the elderly. (PC: HT)

A male hippopotamus at Alipore Zoo in Kolkata has stayed in its water enclosure for the past 14 days during a cold wave. Zoo officials said the young hippo stopped leaving the pool around Christmas and is eating very little. Vets have tried to draw it out with food, but it returns to the water after feeding. The animal usually comes out before dusk. The hippo arrived from Odisha’s Nandankanan Zoo in September 2024 with a mate, which died days later. Officials are checking if illness or stress after the loss is causing the behaviour. The enclosure is now closed to visitors. (PC: BBC)

Police in Faridabad have registered a case after a 17-year-old national-level shooter accused her coach of sexual assault and threats. The FIR was filed on a complaint from the girl’s mother. The incident is alleged to have taken place on December 16 after a shooting event in south Delhi. The coach had asked the athlete to meet him at a hotel in Surajkund to review her performance. Police said she was pressured to go to his room, where the assault allegedly occurred. The case has been filed under the POCSO Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Teams are collecting CCTV footage and recording witness statements. (PC: HT)

An encounter has broken out between security forces and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district, officials said on Wednesday. Security personnel launched a search operation in the Billawar area after receiving intelligence about the presence of militants. Three terrorists linked to the banned group Jaish-e-Mohammed are believed to be hiding and are currently engaged with forces in the forests of Kamadh Nullah. Fire was exchanged after the militants opened fire on the search team, prompting retaliation by the troops. Reinforcements have been sent to the site as the operation continues. (PC: HT)

Security forces have come into contact with militants linked to the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed in the forest near Kamadh Nullah in Kathua district, officials said. The encounter began on Wednesday evening in Kahog village after security teams received information about the presence of two to three suspected militants. Forces from the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Kathua have been searching the area and are engaged with the hiding suspects. Reinforcements have been sent to the scene to support the ongoing operation. Police and army units continue to tighten the cordon around the area. No casualties have been confirmed so far. (PC: HT)

The Election Commission (EC) has explained that a Status Information Report (SIR) hearing notice linked to Nobel laureate Amartya Sen’s voter registration in West Bengal resulted from a technical discrepancy—a reported age mismatch in his enumeration form during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Officials stressed that all voters are equal and that senior citizens over 85 like Sen will not be required to physically attend hearings; corrections can be made at their residence. The notice triggered political backlash, with the Trinamool Congress calling it a “shameful farce,” a claim the EC has rejected. (PC: The Telegraph)