“SPORTS”

Ayush Mhatre Named India U19 Captain for ICC Men’s World Cup 2026

Ayush Mhatre has been named captain of India’s squad for the ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup 2026, scheduled in Zimbabwe and Namibia from January 15 to February 6. Mhatre and vice-captain Vihaan Malhotra will miss the pre-tournament South Africa tour (Jan 3–7) due to wrist injuries, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi leading the side in their absence.  The India U19 World Cup squad features five-time champions India in Group A alongside New Zealand, USA, and Bangladesh, with the team opening against the USA on January 15 at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo.

Surya Charishma Tamiri Clinches Women’s Singles Title at 87th Senior National Badminton Championships

Surya Charishma Tamiri won the Women’s Singles title at the 87th Senior National Badminton Championships in Vijayawada, staging a comeback to defeat Tanvi Patri 17-21, 21-12, 21-14. Rithvik Sanjeevi S clinched the Men’s Singles title defeating Bharat Raghav 21-16, 22-20, while A. Hariharan and Ruban Kumar won the Men’s Doubles 24-22, 21-17.

Magnus Carlsen and Aleksandra Goryachkina Clinch World Rapid Chess Championship

Magnus Carlsen and Aleksandra Goryachkina won the World Rapid Chess Championship, with Carlsen taking the open section and Goryachkina triumphing in the women’s section after tie-breaks. India’s Arjun Erigaisi and Koneru Humpy won bronze in the open and women’s sections, respectively, while other Indian players like B. Savitha Shri (4th), R. Vaishali (5th), and Divya Deshmukh (8th) also performed strongly.

Bhutan’s Sonam Yeshey Creates History with Record 8-Wicket Haul in Men’s T20 International

Bhutan spinner Sonam Yeshey created history by becoming the first bowler to take an eight-wicket haul in a men’s T20 International, setting a new world record. The 22-year-old left-arm spinner achieved the feat during the third T20I against Myanmar at Gelephu Mindfulness City, Bhutan, on December 26. Sonam Yeshey returned sensational figures of 8 wickets for just 7 runs, bowling Myanmar out for 45 while defending Bhutan’s total of 127/9.

“DEFENCE”

DRDO Successfully Tests Pralay Missile With Consecutive Salvo Launch

India has achieved another major milestone in strengthening its missile capabilities. The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) successfully conducted a salvo launch of two Pralay missiles in quick succession from a single launcher. The test validated the missile’s accuracy, reliability, and operational readiness which is marking a key step towards its induction into the Indian Armed Forces. 

“APPOINTMENTS”

Government Appoints Three Senior Advocates as Additional Solicitors General for Supreme Court

The Central Government has appointed three Senior Advocates as Additional Solicitors General (ASGs) to represent the Union of India before the Supreme Court of India. The appointees are Devinder Pal Singh, Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar, and Anil Kaushik, all seasoned legal professionals with extensive litigation experience. 

“NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL NEWS”

Google Now Lets Users Change Primary Gmail Address

Google has started rolling out a long awaited feature for Gmail users that makes account management more flexible. With this update users can change their primary Gmail address without creating a new Google account or losing existing data. Emails, photos, chats and subscriptions remain intact, while the old email ID is converted into an alias. This move is expected to help users who want a more professional or updated email address without the hassle of data migration.

Param Rudra Supercomputer Launched at IIT-Patna

IIT-Patna inaugurated the PARAM Rudra supercomputer, marking Bihar’s first high-performance computing facility installed under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM). The launch ceremony was presided over by Amitesh Kumar Sinha, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), highlighting the government’s push for advanced research infrastructure.

Hurun India Rich List 2025: Jayshree Ullal Emerges as Wealthiest Indian-Origin Tech Executive

Indian-origin billionaire Jayshree Ullal, CEO and President of Arista Networks, topped the list of wealthiest tech executives of Indian origin, surpassing Sundar Pichai and Satya Nadella. A British-born Indian-origin leader, Ullal has been heading Arista Networks since 2008; earlier, she worked with Cisco Systems, AMD, and Fairchild Semiconductor, and is based in Santa Clara, California.