A total of 350 players are scheduled to participate in the IPL 2026 mini auction on December 16 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, as the BCCI disclosed the Player Auction list for the upcoming season on Tuesday.

Out of 1390 players who registered for the Player Auction, 350 players were chosen for consideration.

Among the 350 players selected, 240 are from India, and 110 are international players. The list features 224 uncapped Indian players and 14 uncapped overseas players, introducing significant new talent to this year’s auction lineup.

Franchises will vie for a total of 77 available positions, including 31 designated for overseas players.

A total of 40 players have set their base price at the maximum of Rs 2 crore, with only Venkatesh Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi being the two Indian players among them.

Previously, a total of 173 players were retained across different teams, including 49 overseas players. A combined budget of Rs 237.55 crore will be available at the auction for the 77 player positions.

South African wicketkeepers Quinton de Kock and George Linde, as well as Sri Lanka’s Dunith Wellalage, who were not part of the initial list, have now been added to the final roster.

As the auction approaches, the Kolkata Knight Riders hold the largest purse of Rs 64.3 crore among the franchises, allowing them to fill up to 13 slots, including six for overseas players. The Chennai Super Kings follow with the second-largest budget of Rs 43.4 crore, aiming to fill a maximum of nine available positions.

Australia’s Cameron Green is anticipated to become the highest-priced player at the forthcoming IPL auction, as both KKR and CSK, who possess the largest budgets, are likely to place aggressive bids for the allrounder.

India and Chile have reaffirmed their strong dedication to concluding the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) negotiations punctually, recognizing the strategic importance of further enhancing their economic relationship.

The fourth round of negotiations for the India–Chile CEPA was successfully wrapped up, with the five-day session featuring intensive and constructive discussions among the delegations from both countries, leading to significant advancements across the various chapters under negotiation, as stated by the Commerce Ministry.

During these discussions, Claudia Sanhueza, Treasury Undersecretary at the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held a meeting with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.

“They emphasized that the CEPA, once finalized, will be crucial in increasing bilateral trade, fostering economic collaboration, improving market access, and generating new opportunities for businesses in both nations,” the ministry reported.

Previously, the third round of negotiations for the India–Chile CEPA took place in Santiago, Chile, from October 27-30.

The discussions spanned a variety of chapters, including Trade in Goods and Services, Investment Promotion, Rules of Origin, Intellectual Property Rights, TBT/SPS measures, Economic Cooperation, and Critical Minerals.

Last month, India and Chile conducted their 9th round of Foreign Office Consultations in Santiago, where they agreed to enhance cooperation in key sectors like trade, investment, connectivity, health and pharmaceuticals, traditional medicine, science and technology, mining and mineral exploration, defense, civil nuclear technologies, education, space, agriculture, and people-to-people interactions.

India urged Chile to explore long-term agreements for the supply of mineral resources. During the meeting, officials from both countries agreed to expand their bilateral relations into new and relevant areas such as Digital Public Infrastructure, innovation, and green energy, according to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

India and Nepal are enhancing their economic collaboration with growing cooperation in trade, tourism, infrastructure connectivity, and energy, as reported by Nepalese media.

Tourism plays a crucial role, as both countries boast a rich cultural heritage and beautiful landscapes, making them attractive travel destinations for each other and global tourists. Therefore, the governments are prioritizing the development of tourism on a large scale, including in less conventional areas, according to an article on the Nepal Aaja digital news portal.

In November 2025, both nations modified the Treaty of Transit, a bilateral agreement designed to improve cross-border connectivity and trade, facilitating the rail transport of freight between Jogbani in India and Biratnagar in Nepal, including bulk goods.

Additionally, this liberalisation will apply to essential transit routes, which will not only strengthen multimodal trade connectivity between the two countries but also enhance Nepal’s trade with other nations. Such initiatives represent an effort to further solidify the economic and commercial relationship between the two nations, the article noted.

Both countries are embarking on new chapters of energy cooperation focused on improving regional connectivity and sustainable power development. Advancing their commitment to clean energy, New Delhi and Kathmandu achieved a significant milestone with the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) exporting Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to Nepal.

This development was made possible by the establishment of cryogenic storage and regasification facilities at Simara, Nepal. This initiative underscores the collaboration in promoting sustainability and efficiency through viable alternatives for industrial energy, as stated in the article.

The article also emphasizes the acclaimed Arun-3 Hydroelectric Project, which is being constructed by SJVN Limited, a public sector enterprise from India, tapping into Nepal’s vast water resources and hydropower potential to meet India’s growing energy demands.

This 900 MW run-of-the-river hydropower project symbolizes the strong India-Nepal partnership in the hydropower sector, offering multiple benefits such as providing free electricity to Nepal, satisfying India’s rising energy needs, and generating local economic opportunities.

Nepal is expected to gain energy royalties, alongside rural electrification and infrastructural improvement. Thus, in their economic interdependence, India serves as a “ready and dynamic market for Nepal’s extensive hydropower resources.”

On the financial development side, there have been progressive steps including the establishment of interoperability between UPI (Unified Payments Interface) and FonePay QR in Nepal. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, when borders worldwide were closed, trade routes between India and Nepal remained open and robust, exemplifying their resilient economic relationship.

The mutually advantageous bilateral economic relations are evolving into a shared economic future for both nations, which share deep historical ties and a collective sense of heritage, the article concluded.

Aditya Dhar‘s latest achievement Dhurandhar goes beyond mere filmmaking; it is a unique experience, a landmark cinematic event of the year that distinctly stands out among Indian espionage thrillers.

Blending Indian essence with global standards, Dhar intricately crafts a narrative filled with human resonance and vitality, reaffirming his position among the few directors capable of envisioning grand stories that remain deeply rooted in character development.

Inspired by the hijacking of IC-814 and the events of the 2001 Parliament attack, this film sets its historic scene without delay.

Dhar adeptly broadens the plot to illustrate the political tremors that pushed the Indian intelligence agencies to their limits. Madhavan, portraying IB Chief Ajay Sanyal, serves as the steadfast foundation of the story.

His performance, marked by precision and depth, elicits enthusiastic reactions in every moment. The dialogue is sharp, the energy is contagious, and the immersion into this high-stakes environment is so vivid that it captivates from the very first frame.

Ranveer Singh arguably delivers the best performance of his career—raw, gritty, impactful, and explosively forceful. Hamza is filled with pain, anger, and unpredictability, yet possesses an irresistible charm.

His transformation from a rage-fueled youth to a cold, calculating underworld figure is accomplished with remarkable emotional depth. Ranveer does more than act; he practically “explodes” on screen, especially in the latter half, becoming almost synonymous with the narrative—a hardcore action avatar deserving of a perfect score.

The supporting cast harmonizes with this energy spectacularly. Akshaye Khanna, in the role of Rehman Dakait, brings an unsettling, captivating, and chilling presence—a villain whose expressions and timing render him unforgettable. Sanjay Dutt is explosive as SP Chaudhary Aslam, known as “The Jinn,” infusing every scene with raw power.

Arjun Rampal’s Major Iqbal commands the screen with his ominous presence, while Sara Arjun makes a strong impression in her debut role. Each actor is thoroughly immersed in their character, creating an intensely engaging atmosphere.

The film maintains a relentless pace, showcasing Aditya Dhar’s skillful control of tempo. Remarkably, despite its lengthy runtime of 214 minutes, the duration never becomes a distraction. Each scene is intentional, and every beat is spot-on, rendering the infiltration plan genuinely tense.

Violence is judiciously used—only three sequences are graphic, each with strong dramatic justification. The film’s true intensity arises from the emotional stakes, character arcs, and political drama.

Jyoti Deshpande, Lokesh Dhar, and Aditya Dhar, supported by B62 Studios and Jio Studios, leave no detail overlooked in crafting a universe that is expansive, authentic, and visually stunning.

Their steadfast support for grand sets, intense action, audacious storytelling, and an exceptional ensemble shines through in every frame, elevating Indian genre cinema to impressive new levels.

Dhurandhar stands as a genre-defining spectacle that merges fierce execution, meticulous craftsmanship, and unforgettable resonance.

With Aditya Dhar’s superior direction and Ranveer Singh’s standout performance, it presents a formidable argument for being one of the most daring and engaging thrillers of the year.

The stage is set, the pieces are in motion, and anticipation for Part Two runs high—fully justified by its high stakes, stunning performances, and impactful storytelling.

On Friday, users around the globe faced significant internet interruptions after Cloudflare, a provider of various online services for numerous websites, experienced yet another outage.

The event caused accessibility problems across several major platforms, including Canva and even Downdetector, a popular service for monitoring outages. Numerous Indian websites and services, along with news portals, were also affected.

This incident marks the second outage for Cloudflare in under a month. A similar technical glitch in November had temporarily disrupted a variety of services, including Spotify, ChatGPT, and former US President Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform.

So far, Cloudflare has not issued an official statement detailing the cause or scope of the latest outage.

The unexpected shutdown prompted frustrated users to flock to social media platform X, where various hashtags related to the outage quickly began trending. Many netizens voiced their displeasure over ongoing disruptions, emphasizing how the failures had interfered with their work, business functions, and online engagements.

Compounding users’ frustrations, even Downdetector, a site where people typically turn to verify outages, was affected, leaving many uncertain about the magnitude of the disruption.

As the frequency of outages has raised concerns, users are demanding prompt action and clearer communication from Cloudflare to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

Last month, Cloudflare experienced a significant global outage due to an internal configuration error. Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince had dismissed the idea of cyberattacks.

The outage impacted a myriad of major platforms, including X, ChatGPT, Canva, Discord, and many other websites and applications worldwide. In a follow-up analysis, Prince clarified that the issue arose from a change made to permissions on a ClickHouse database cluster.

The update aimed to enhance data access; however, a faulty query caused the system to retrieve much more information than intended. This mistake resulted in a crucial “feature file” used by Cloudflare’s Bot Management system expanding beyond its limits.

Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s trip to India today is anticipated to result in a “very, very significant meeting” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which could enhance stability and play a role in shaping the emerging global landscape, stated Dr. Ranjeet Mehta, CEO & Secretary General of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) on Thursday.

Dr. Mehta remarked that this forthcoming dialogue holds considerable importance for both countries and might provide a fresh impetus to India–Russia economic collaboration.

He underscored that the meeting has the capacity to boost bilateral trade and investment while reinforcing the enduring strategic alliance between the two nations.

“The discourse between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Putin will fortify stability and the new global framework,” he told.

“There are three primary factors that highlight the significance of this meeting. Firstly, the investment prospects for both industries. Secondly, India and Russia possess a robust and well-established strategic partnership,” Mehta elaborated.

He noted that this visit presents a chance to broaden cooperation beyond conventional sectors.

As per him, industries in both nations could discover new pathways for collaboration while looking to diversify their economic interactions.

“This meeting provides a platform to expand into a variety of other areas. It also allows for the alignment of economic priorities between these two countries and opens up avenues for new opportunities, particularly in the domains of defense, hydrocarbons, energy security, and pharmaceuticals,” Mehta elaborated.

Looking forward, Dr. Mehta mentioned that Russia might consider increasing its imports from India, especially in the pharmaceutical sector.

He highlighted that India, being one of the world’s foremost generic drug producers and a vital center for pharmaceuticals, has significant potential to enhance its footprint in the Russian market.

“India and Russia have a relationship founded not only on stability but also on deep historical shared interests,” he remarked.

“Enhanced trade connections and deeper energy collaboration will foster growth for both economies in a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape,” Mehta concluded.

India is in an advantageous position to address digital inequality and foster an inclusive transition in Artificial Intelligence (AI) globally, according to a new report from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) released on Tuesday.

While AI is progressing at an unprecedented rate, discrepancies in digital ecosystems among different nations—alongside limited access to connectivity, skills, and infrastructure—are increasing these gaps.

The report, which focuses on the Asia Pacific region, cautioned that without intentional measures, AI risks exacerbating disparities in income, opportunity, and governance, potentially reversing years of advancements in reducing global inequality.

Nevertheless, it emphasized that India’s digital public infrastructure, its growing AI research community, and its vast technology workforce create a robust foundation for leveraging AI for the greater public good.

“India’s digital advantages provide it with a head start in creating an AI future that is beneficial for all. AI is already enhancing public health, bolstering climate resilience, and improving service delivery. The critical challenge lies in ensuring these benefits permeate every community,” stated Dr. Angela Lusigi, Resident Representative, UNDP India.

“The decisions we make today will influence whether AI reduces disparities or exacerbates them. India has the opportunity to lead by ensuring its advantages benefit rural populations, women, and youth, rather than just those who are already well-connected,” she noted.

The report pointed to India as a model for how AI can be safely and inclusively scaled.

India is already utilizing AI to enhance significant public systems. Aadhaar, the largest biometric identification system globally, catering to over 1.3 billion individuals, stands as a prime example.

It has been increasingly integrated with AI to minimize fraud, enhance targeting, and guarantee that benefits reach the appropriate households.

AI’s integration into the health sector is also becoming more pronounced, particularly in interpreting chest X-rays for tuberculosis screening, as well as in efforts to address climate change by predicting floods and other weather-related conditions.

In India’s agriculture sector, AI is being employed to assist authorities in pinpointing districts vulnerable to climate change and to promote climate-smart agricultural practices, along with supporting biodiversity through AI-powered species identification and immediate alerts.

The lasting effects of AI will hinge on the decisions made today—particularly regarding investments in digital governance, inclusion, and protective measures, as noted in the report.

It urged “India to persist in championing people-centric AI, prioritizing transparency, equal access, and the involvement of marginalized groups in the development of AI systems.”

“With appropriate policies, India can guide the region away from entering a new phase of inequality and toward an inclusive AI-driven future that supports the Sustainable Development Goals,” it concluded

The government is currently not considering any proposals regarding the merger or disinvestment of public sector banks (PSBs), as stated in Parliament on Tuesday.

In response to a query in the Rajya Sabha about the government’s intentions to disinvest four PSBs or merge them with larger banks by 2026, Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary, remarked, “At this moment, no plans for the merger or disinvestment of Public Sector Banks (PSBs) are being contemplated by the Government.”

There have been reports suggesting that the government is formulating a plan for consolidating PSBs, which might reduce the number of state-owned banks from 12 to merely four by FY27. This proposal is said to aim at enhancing balance sheets, increasing operational efficiency, and establishing competitive global banking institutions.

Chaudhary also informed the house that the gross non-performing assets (NPAs) ratio in public sector banks (PSBs) has decreased from 9.27 percent in March 2016 to 2.58 percent in March 2025, and further to 2.51 percent in June 2025.

In the same vein, the slippage ratio, which indicates the fresh addition of NPAs as a percentage of standard advances, has fallen from 7.5 percent in March 2016 to 1.0 percent in March 2025, and subsequently to 0.9 percent in June 2025, he added.

Moreover, the recovery of written-off loans is a continuous process, and banks are actively engaging in their recovery efforts against borrowers through various available recovery mechanisms.

The minister also mentioned that the RBI has instructed lenders to provide the list of wilful defaulters to all Credit Information Companies (CICs) monthly, and these CICs are obligated to showcase the information on their websites.

The records of wilful defaulters with dues of Rs 25 lakh and above are publicly accessible at the URLs of credit information companies accredited and regulated by the RBI.

In order to protect citizens from purchasing counterfeit products, the Centre announced on Monday that it has requested mobile phone manufacturers and importers to ensure that the ‘Sanchar Saathi‘ mobile application is pre-installed on all new mobile phones made or imported for use in India.

This will facilitate the easy reporting of suspected telecom resource misuse and enhance the effectiveness of the ‘Sanchar Saathi’ program.

According to the guidelines released on November 28, mobile manufacturers and importers are required to make the pre-installed Sanchar Saathi application easily visible and accessible to users during the initial setup or first use of the device, ensuring that its functionalities remain enabled and unrestricted.

Moreover, for devices that have already been produced and are currently available for sale in India, manufacturers and importers of mobile phones should strive to push the application through software updates.

The companies need to accomplish this implementation within 90 days and submit a progress report within 120 days.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is carrying out the Sanchar Saathi initiative to combat the misuse of telecom resources in cyber fraud and to enhance telecom cybersecurity.

The department has established the Sanchar Saathi portal and app, which allows citizens to verify the authenticity of a mobile phone using the IMEI number, as well as other services like reporting fraudulent communications, lost or stolen devices, verifying mobile connections registered in their name, and accessing contact information for banks and financial institutions.

In a different statement, the DoT indicated that it has noted some app-based communication services using Indian mobile numbers for customer identification or service delivery enable users to utilize their offerings without having the corresponding Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) active in the device where the app-based services operate.

This functionality is being exploited for cyber fraud, particularly by those operating from outside the country.

The matter of SIM binding in messaging applications and its improper use has been brought up by various government bodies and agencies, along with an inter-ministerial group.

On this topic, the DoT has held several discussions with leading app-based communication services regarding feasibility and significance. This includes platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Snapchat, Arattai, Sharechat, Josh, Jiochat, and Signal.

“In light of the severity of the issue, the DoT issued Directions to major App-Based Communication Services on November 28 under the amended Telecom Cyber Security (TCS) Rules, 2024 to prevent the misuse of telecommunication identifiers and ensure the integrity and security of the telecom ecosystem,” it stated.

“The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has communicated its directives on November 28 in this context,” the DoT noted in a statement.

India overcame a challenging situation and secured a 17-run win against South Africa in a tightly contested match, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi.

The match showcased a fierce competition between the batting lineups of both teams, providing several valuable lessons.

India set an impressive total in their first innings, bolstered by a remarkable century from Virat Kohli and important half-centuries from Rohit Sharma and K.L. Rahul.

After being invited to bat, India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal early due to Nandre Burger’s bowling, but Rohit and Kohli quickly took charge.

The seasoned duo constructed a fluent partnership of 136 runs, relieving the pressure following the initial setback. Rohit scored a brisk 57 off 51 deliveries and surpassed Shahid Afridi’s long-standing record for the most sixes in ODIs before Marco Jansen dismissed him lbw.

Rahul lent solid support, scoring a well-calibrated 60, and the duo added 76 crucial runs together. After Kohli was dismissed for 135, Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja propelled India towards a strong finish with a partnership of 65 runs.

However, a late collapse, including wickets to Jansen and Corbin Bosch, limited India to 349/8, still a challenging target for the South Africans.

As South Africa chased down the daunting target of 350 runs, they were quickly unsettled as India’s bowlers came out aggressively. Harshit Rana, bowling the second over, instantly made an impact on his very first legitimate ball.

After starting with a wide, the pacer found his rhythm immediately, sending a sharp, good-length delivery that jagged back into Ryan Rickelton. The South African opener nonchalantly pushed defensively, only to have his stumps shattered, giving India the breakthrough they sought.

The pressure escalated further. In the fifth over, Arshdeep Singh bolstered India’s supremacy with a beautifully angled delivery directed at skipper Aiden Markram. Fishing for a ball that moved away from him, Markram only managed a thick edge, resulting in Rahul taking another slick catch.

The captain was dismissed for seven runs off 15 balls, leaving South Africa three wickets down and in serious trouble within the first few overs.

With their top order decimated and the required run rate climbing, South Africa’s chase faltered significantly as India’s bowlers maintained firm control during the initial Power-play. Strategic bowling from Prasidh Krishna as he concluded the 10th over gave the hosts an early advantage in the match.

Matthew Breetzke and Tony de Zorzi steadied the innings admirably after the Indian bowlers dismantled the Protea top order, sharing a partnership of 66 runs for the fourth wicket, but the latter’s innings ended when Kuldeep Yadav trapped him lbw.

Dewald Brevis displayed composure and took on the bowlers effectively as he teamed up with Breetzke to accumulate runs. Although the Indian bowlers faced challenges from South Africa’s middle-order batsmen, they managed to break partnerships at crucial moments, with the stand between Brivis and Breetzke lasting 53 runs.

Jansen’s innings, however, caught the Men in Blue off guard and rattled them as the tall all-rounder played an explosive knock to bring his team closer to victory. Breetzke played a supporting role while Jansen took on the opposition bowlers with confidence to help reduce the target.

Just then, in the 34th over, a change in bowling and the decision to bring Kuldeep Yadav back into the attack proved beneficial for India as the spinner claimed the wickets of the in-form Jansen and Breetzke in just three deliveries, providing the Men in Blue a moment of relief.

Prenelan Subrayen and Bosch offered some relief to their teammates in the dugout, but Kuldeep clinched his fourth wicket of the day by sending the former packing in the final over of his spell.

Bosch and Burger maximized their efforts, but Arshdeep’s breakthrough late in the 46th over to dismiss the latter kept the match finely balanced.

With India needing just one more wicket for victory, Bosch kept everyone on their toes and gradually reached his half-century as the visitors aimed to chase down the target. It all came down to the final over, with the Proteas requiring 19 runs off the last six balls.

However, the visitors’ resistance ultimately ended when a mis-hit from Bosch resulted in Rohit taking a brilliant catch, securing India’s victory.

With Prasidh Krishna delivering the final blow, India secured a narrow 17-run win, thereby taking a 1-0 lead in the series.

Virat Kohli mentioned that he does not believe in excessive preparation before a series. He stated that visualizing the game has been beneficial in getting him ready for the first ODI after an extended break.

“I’ve never been one to focus on extensive preparation. Most of my cricket is mental. I train hard physically; as long as I keep my fitness levels up, visualizing my batting and fielding keeps me prepared. I wanted to acclimate to the conditions in Ranchi. I visualize the game frequently. When I picture myself being intense and focused, I know I can relax and perform out there. Having played around 300 ODIs and so much cricket, being in touch with the game and having the opportunity to hit balls in practice is key; an hour or two in the nets can confirm you’re in good form. If you’re struggling, you tend to spend more time in the nets. Ultimately, it’s about being mentally prepared and enjoying the game,” Kohli expressed.

Brief scores:

India 349/8 in 50 overs (Virat Kohli 135, K.L. Rahul 60; Ottneil Baartman 2-60, Nandre Burger 2-65) beat

South Africa 332 all out in 49.2 overs (Matthew Breetzke 72, Marco Jansen 70, Corbin Bosch 67, Tony de Zorzi 39. Dewald Brevis 37; Kuldeep Yadav 4-68, Harshit Rana 3-65, Arshdeep Singh 2-64) by 17 runs