The government plans to introduce Central Excise Amendment Bill, 2025 and Health Security and National Security Cess Bill, 2025 in parliament to replace the existing GST‑compensation cess on tobacco, cigarettes and pan masala. Currently, these “sin goods” carry 28% GST plus a compensation cess — a 2025 tax overhaul after most goods shifted to lower GST slabs. The new bills aim to maintain high tax incidence on tobacco and pan masala by replacing the cess with either excise duties or a special “health and security cess.” The revenue collected will help fund public‑health and national‑security expenditure while ensuring that prices of harmful products don’t drop after cess expiry. (PC: PTI)

A 20-year-old man, Saksham Tate, was brutally murdered in Nanded, Maharashtra — allegedly by his girlfriend Aanchal’s father and brothers over their inter-caste relationship. At his funeral, Aanchal applied turmeric to his body, put vermillion on her forehead, and symbolically “married” his corpse. She vowed to live in his house as his wife and demanded the death penalty for her family. Police have arrested six people in connection with the killing. 

From 28 November 2025, the DoT has mandated that messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Snapchat, and others can only be used on devices containing the active SIM linked to the registered mobile number — effectively banning use on devices without the original SIM. Web versions of these apps will now automatically log users out every six hours, requiring QR‑code re‑authentication. The rules aim to boost cybersecurity by closing loopholes exploited for fraud or fraud‑related misuse. App‑providers have 90 days to implement SIM‑binding and must submit compliance reports within 120 days, or face penalties under relevant telecom laws. (PC: AFP)

In a chilling incident in Coimbatore, Balamurugan allegedly killed his wife, Sri Priya, after suspecting she was having an affair. The couple had three children, but Sri Priya was living separately in a women’s hostel in Coimbatore for work. A confrontation escalated when she refused to leave with him, and he attacked her with a hidden sickle, fatally injuring her on the spot. Shockingly, after the murder, he sat beside her body, took a selfie with it, and uploaded it with the caption: “the payment for betrayal is death.” Rathnapuri Police have arrested him, and an investigation is underway. (PC: India Today)

Eight people were killed and twenty others injured after two state-run passenger buses collided head-on in Tamil Nadu’s Sivaganga district on Sunday. The accident occurred near Kummangudi, around 460 kilometres from Chennai. Police said both buses were travelling at considerable speed when the impact happened, causing severe damage and trapping several passengers inside. Local residents and rescue teams rushed to the spot and helped pull victims from the wreckage. The injured were taken to nearby hospitals for emergency treatment. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the collision and whether driver negligence or road conditions contributed. (PC: NDTV)

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has extended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) schedule by seven days in 12 states and Union Territories, citing administrative and logistical delays. The enumeration period now ends on 11 December 2025 (earlier 4 December), and the draft electoral rolls will be published on 16 December instead of 9. Claims and objections can be filed between 16 December 2025 and 15 January 2026, with the final electoral roll now set to be published on 14 February 2026. (PC: AFP)

Thirty-seven Maoist cadres, including 12 women, surrendered in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district, police said on Sunday. Of these, 27 were wanted with a combined bounty of ₹65 lakh. They laid down arms under the state’s “Poona Margem” initiative, aimed at rehabilitating ex-cadres into society. Key surrenderees include Kumali alias Anita Mandavi, Geeta alias Lakshmi Madkam, Ranjan alias Soma Mandavi, and Bhima alias Jahaj Kalmu, each with a ₹8 lakh reward on them. Under the government’s rehabilitation scheme, each will receive ₹50,000 immediately, along with skill-training and land assistance. Police also noted that over 508 Maoists in Dantewada and more than 2,200 across Chhattisgarh have surrendered in the past 23 months, signaling a weakening of the insurgency. (PC: The Hindu)

India is strengthening security along the Siliguri Corridor, the narrow link between the northeast and the rest of the country. Three new military bases are coming up at Dhubri, Kishanganj, and Chopra. These bases will host rapid deployment teams, intel units, and special forces. India is acting after Bangladesh’s political shift toward China and Pakistan. Reports say Bangladesh may buy Chinese J-10C jets and work with Beijing on drones. India fears this could raise risks along the sensitive border. With new bases, Rafale jets, BrahMos missiles, and stronger air defence, India aims to protect the corridor and keep it secure. (PC: India Today)

In the early hours of Sunday, a Mercedes G63 lost control near Delhi’s Vasant Kunj, crashed into three people waiting at an auto stand by Ambience Mall. A 23-year-old man, identified as Rohit from Uttarakhand, died on the spot, while two others were injured and rushed to hospital. The driver, 29-year-old Shivam from Karol Bagh, was detained; police say the vehicle veered off due to a road diversion. (PC: AFP)

A Class 8 student from Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh — and a national-level skater — leapt from his school’s third floor after repeatedly apologising. CCTV footage from his private school shows him saying “sorry” 52 times in four minutes, allegedly under threat from the principal, who told him his skating career could be ruined. The incident followed the discovery that he had brought his mobile phone to school and recorded a classroom video. He was rushed to a private hospital in critical condition, but his health has now stabilised. (PC: NDTV)