Police in Rajasthan’s Tonk district arrested two men and seized about 150 kg of explosive material from their car on New Year’s Eve. The action followed a tip-off received by the District Special Team. The suspects were stopped in the Baroni police station area. Officers found ammonium nitrate hidden in sacks marked as urea fertiliser. Police also recovered 200 cartridges and around 1,100 metres of safety fuse wire. The car used to carry the material was seized. The accused, both from Bundi district, were allegedly taking the consignment to Tonk for supply. Police are questioning them to find the source and purpose of the material.

A US District Court has upheld the Trump administration’s $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications. The US Chamber of Commerce has filed an appeal against the ruling. The fee was announced in September through a presidential order and aims to limit misuse of the visa system. The H-1B programme allows US firms to hire skilled foreign workers. Judge Beryl Howell of the District of Columbia court ruled on December 23 that the president acted within legal authority. The Chamber says the sharp hike breaks immigration law. Similar lawsuits have been filed by states, unions, and staffing firms. The case may reach the US Supreme Court. (PC: India Today)

Gelsenkirchen are hunting thieves who drilled into the underground vault of a Sparkasse bank branch and stole about €30 million in cash and valuables. The crime was found early Monday after a fire alarm went off. Officers say the suspects broke into more than 3,000 safe deposit boxes. They likely entered and escaped through a nearby parking garage during the quiet Christmas days. Witnesses saw several men carrying large bags in the garage stairwell. Video shows a black Audi RS6 leaving the area. No arrests have been made. The branch remains closed and customers were told to contact the bank. (PC: BBC)

Israel will revoke the licences of 37 aid groups working in Gaza and the West Bank from January 1, ending their operations within 60 days. The list includes ActionAid, the International Rescue Committee and the Norwegian Refugee Council. Israel said the groups failed to meet new registration rules, including sharing full staff details. Ten foreign ministers, including from the UK and France, said the move would harm access to health care and other basic services. Israel said aid would continue through approved channels and denied that assistance would be disrupted. UN-linked groups warned the rules threaten vital humanitarian work across Gaza. (PC: BBC)

Eurostar disruption entered a second day after a power fault in the Channel Tunnel forced major delays and cancellations. Some passengers were stranded on trains for more than six hours overnight. A traveller on a 19:01 London-Paris service said the train was still waiting near the tunnel at 03:00 GMT. Getlink, the tunnel operator, said engineers worked through the night to fix damaged overhead cables. Only one tunnel line was open for part of Tuesday. Eurostar said it plans to run all services on Wednesday but warned of delays and last-minute cancellations. At least a dozen trains were cancelled on Tuesday. (PC: BBC)

Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir hosted a low-profile wedding for his third daughter, Mahnoor, on December 26 at the Pakistan Army Headquarters in Rawalpindi, marrying her to his nephew, Abdul Rehman, the son of his brother, according to multiple reports. The ceremony was attended by top political and military figures, including President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy PM Ishaq Dar, the ISI chief and senior army officials, but no official photos were released due to security. Abdul Rehman is a former army captain now serving as an assistant commissioner through a military quota, and about 400 guests were present at the event, which was kept discreet amid tight security. (PC: Reuters)

Israel has announced it will bar more than two dozen international humanitarian organisations, including Médecins Sans Frontières, ActionAid, and the International Rescue Committee, from operating in Gaza for failing to meet new registration rules demanding detailed staff information — seen by Israel as a security measure. Foreign ministers of 10 countries including the UK, Canada and France warned the move risks worsening an already “catastrophic” humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where winter conditions and damaged infrastructure leave millions in urgent need of shelter, healthcare, and basic supplies. Critics say the bans will hamper aid delivery and deepen civilian suffering. (PC: AP)

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi claimed Beijing helped mediate the May India-Pakistan military standoff, asserting China’s “objective and just stance” in resolving global conflicts, including tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad. He listed several crises China engaged in, framing Beijing as a peace builder. India firmly rejected any third-party role, saying the four-day confrontation ended through direct military-to-military talks and that it opposes external intervention. The remarks echo similar U.S. claims by former President Donald Trump that Washington mediated a ceasefire, which India also denies. (PC: AP)

The Saudi-led coalition conducted a limited airstrike on Yemen’s Mukalla port after two vessels from the UAE’s Fujairah port entered without approval and unloaded unauthorised weapons and combat vehicles, allegedly for the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council separatists. Saudi and Yemeni authorities said the operation targeted the military cargo and posed no collateral damage, insisting it defended security and de-escalation efforts. Yemen’s presidential council declared a state of emergency, canceled its defense pact with the UAE, and ordered Emirati forces to leave within 24 hours, deepening the rift between long-time Gulf allies. (PC: Reuters)

The funeral of former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia will be held in Dhaka on Wednesday after Zohr prayers, officials said. Zia died on Tuesday morning at the age of 80 after a long illness. Her body will be taken from Evercare Hospital to her Gulshan home, Feroza, on Wednesday morning, and then to the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad. Funeral prayers are set for 2 pm at the South Plaza and Manik Mia Avenue. She will be buried beside her husband, former president Ziaur Rahman, at Zia Udyan. India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar will attend. Bangladesh has announced three days of state mourning. ( PC: HT)