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The Morning Standard - December 19, 2025

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In this issue

December 19, 2025

'Right to dignity prevails over press freedom'

THE Delhi High Court held on Thursday that an individual's right to dignity and reputation overrides the freedom of press.

1 mins

TOLL PLAZA SHIFT IDEA HAS MCD WORRYING

QUESTIONS linger over the feasibility of the Supreme Court's suggestion to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to consider shutting the toll plazas during the peak pollution period to reduce vehicular congestion and increased emissions.

1 mins

Plea on enhancing quality of packaged drinking water: Luxury litigation, says SC

THE Supreme Court on Thursday declined to entertain a PIL seeking enforcement of global standards for packaged drinking water, terming it as a fit case of 'luxury litigation' in a country where a large populace lacks access to basic drinking water.

1 mins

Torn papers fly as Parliament approves the G-Ram-G bill replacing the Mahatma

PARLIAMENT on Thursday passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill amid chaotic scenes in the Lok Sabha, with the Opposition raising slogans, tearing copies of the legislation, and standing on tables while holding posters of Mahatma Gandhi aloft, despite repeated appeals for order by Speaker Om Birla.

1 mins

Another FTA in bag with duty-free Oman access to 99% exports

AT a time when the country is diversifying its export market amid steep, unilateral trade tariffs levied by the US, India and Oman on Thursday signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) under which 99% of Indian exports, by value, will have duty-free access to the Omani market.

1 mins

Rush at PUC centres amid strict vigil and challans after restrictions kick in

AUTHORITIES at fuel stations and border check posts have stepped up enforcement a day after the Supreme Court tightened restrictions on vehicles with engines below BS-IV standards, and the Delhi government directed petrol pumps to refuse fuel to cars without a valid pollution under control (PUC) certificate.

1 mins

WHEN THE HILLS SING WITH THE WORLD

Experience a musical journey celebrating the rich folk traditions of Northeast India, brought to life through English, Naga dialects, and Italian.

1 mins

30 flights cancelled at IGI Airport due to fog

AS many as 30 flights, including three international services, were cancelled at Indira Gandhi International Airport on Thursday amid dense fog, sources said.

1 mins

Men inhale more toxicity than women'

Delhi residents face extreme exposure

1 mins

BJP asks why AAP govt couldn't turn capital into Beijing

DELHI BJP president Virendra Sachdeva on Thursday said Aam Aadmi Party president Arvind Kejriwal indulged in lies and the politics of deception even when he was in power and is now attempting to spread confusion over the issue of pollution while sitting in the opposition.

1 mins

Kejriwal slams Delhi govt, Centre on pollution crisis

AS Delhi continues to choke under a blanket of toxic air, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said the national capital has been reduced to a gas chamber while those in positions of power remain unmoved, with the Prime Minister abroad in Oman and the Leader of the Opposition in Germany.

1 mins

Top court to speak with parents before deciding on euthanasia of youth

THE Supreme Court on Thursday clarified that before taking any decision on a plea seeking passive euthanasia for a 32-year-old man who has remained in a vegetative state for the past 12 years, it wishes to meet his parents in person.

1 mins

Curbs, cough and chaos: City capitulates to bad air

THE waking hour in many parts of Delhi on Thursday was not greeted by sunlight, but by a thick, blinding wall of grey.

2 mins

2 convicted for not revealing terror link

A person who comes in contact with a terrorist must share the information with security agencies, which will reflect their true and bona fide character, a Delhi court said on Thursday while convicting two persons in a terror case.

1 mins

NIA arrests ninth accused in Red Fort blast

THE National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested another allegedly radicalised accused in connection with the bomb blast that killed 11 persons and injured several others in the area around Delhi's historic Red Fort last month.

1 mins

SHO booked for bribe demand to pursue probe

THE Delhi Police has booked a station house officer (SHO) for demanding bribe to pursue an investigation in case, an official said on Thursday.

1 mins

US ‘dunki’ route case: ED conducts fresh raids in city, Punjab & Haryana

THE Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday raided 13 locations in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi as part of a money-laundering probe in connection with an illegal immigration racket.

1 mins

Man held for strangling landlady to death, making off with her jewellery

THE Delhi Police has arrested a 25-year-old man for strangling his 65-year-old landlady to death and decamping with her jewellery in Delhi's Budh Vihar two months ago after he was reportedly humiliated and slapped by the victim for failing to pay the rent, officials said on Thursday.

1 mins

Jamia’s notice to students who gathered against anti-CAA police action

SEVERAL students of Jamia Millia Islamia have been served show-cause notices by the university administration for taking part in a protest on December 15 to mark the anniversary of the 2019 police action on the campus during demonstrations against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

1 mins

Dhaula Kuan-Dharuhera e-bus service flagged off

DELHI Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday inaugurated 100 new electric buses into the DTC fleet at ISBT, Kashmere Gate, taking the total number of electric buses in operation across the city to over 3,500.

1 mins

Only 46 out of 79 entities followed fire safety norms

24 told to rectify shortcomings, nine found shut during inspections

1 mins

HIV+ person falls under PwD category: HC

THE Delhi HC has held that an HIV positive person falls within the definition of \"person with disability\" and is entitled to protection against discrimination in employment.

1 mins

Uzbek woman shot at for refusing to go on drive with acquaintance, aide

A 34-year-old Uzbek woman was allegedly shot at by an acquaintance in Ludhiana after she refused to accompany him and his friend on a drive.

1 mins

Red waves at Vizag beach go viral on social media

RED-TINGED waves were sighted along the RK Beach coast near the Kursura Submarine Museum this week, prompting curiosity among denizens.

1 mins

US tariffs have crippled TN's textile sectors: Stalin to Modi

WARNING of a looming humanitarian and economic crisis due to the impact of the 50% tariff on Indian exports imposed by the United States, CM MK Stalin has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his urgent intervention to resolve the issue.

1 mins

Assembly clears hate speech bill

K'taka legislation could bring substantial changes & help in preventing hate crimes: Minister

2 mins

Over 37,000 voters untraced in Wayanad

DISTRICT Collector D R Meghasree said that 37,368 people in the district could not be traced during the voter list revision exercise.

1 mins

Probe into Odisha student death ordered

TROUBLE mounted for the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) after the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) ordered a detailed investigation into the alleged murder of a Class IX tribal student, while the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) accused doctor of a private medical college of furnishing an incorrect death report.

1 mins

Jeddah-Calicut AI Exp flight makes emergency landing at Kochi airport

IT was a miraculous escape for 160 passengers and crew of the Air India Express flight from Jeddah to Calicut, after the pilots realized midair that the landing gear developed a technical glitch, caused by multiple tyre bursts.

1 mins

Laptop distribution scheme in TN likely to be launched on January 5

THE Tamil Nadu government's free laptop distribution scheme is likely to be launched on January 5, with beneficiaries already identified for the first phase of implementation.

1 mins

People peeved, BJP MLAs urge CM to roll back salary hike

MOUNTING public backlash and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's displeasure over the threefold hike in legislators' salary and perks is likely to force a rollback of the decision.

1 mins

ELOQUENT SILENCE OF CONSTITUTIONS

LUDWIG Wittgenstein famously concluded his Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus with the injunction: \"Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.\"

3 mins

A BEACON ON THE SHORE OF A STORMY SEA

The New Yorker's obsession with fact-checking sets a global standard. As the magazine celebrates its centenary, its transformation is also instructive. The lives of 3 Indians bring the experience closer ashore

4 mins

BENGALURU MUST SUSTAIN ITS CLEANLINESS DRIVE

THE country's IT capital seems to be finally sloughing off its embarrassing title of 'Garbage City' with a multipronged strategy.

1 mins

NITISH'S IMPROPRIETY DESERVES CLEAR APOLOGY, NOT WEAK JUSTIFICATION

NITISH Kumar, who took oath as chief minister of Bihar for a record 10th time just a month ago, has put himself in the eye of a storm by his recent act of yanking down the veil covering a Muslim woman's face during a government function in which she was receiving an appointment order as an AYUSH doctor.

1 mins

Opposition flags 'oligarchisation' of nuclear sector

OPPOSITION members warned that the proposed law would lead to the \"oligarchisation\" of India's nuclear energy sector by opening it to private players without adequate safeguards on safety and liability.

1 mins

Names of 16L MGNREGS workers out

ABOUT a month before the Centre introduced the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), official data shows that more than 16.3 lakh workers were removed from the scheme rolls in the preceding 36 days.

1 mins

House clears nuclear energy bill

Centre's push to privatise nuclear energy without 'adequate safeguards' sparks huge uproar

1 mins

India says will help Afghanistan with vax, med

INDIA has again reaffirmed its strong commitment to humanitarian assistance and healthcare cooperation with Afghanistan, Union Health Minister JP Nadda said.

2 mins

Chouhan tears into Oppn over din in LS, calls 'conduct' by INDIA MPs a blot

UNION Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday flayed the Congress and other INDIA bloc parties for disrupting the Lok Sabha during the introduction of the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill.

1 mins

THAROOR SAYS DON'T CHEAT CRICKET FANS

CONGRESS MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday urged authorities to avoid scheduling international matches in North India between mid-December and mid-January, citing persistent fog and poor visibility during the winter months.

1 mins

'Land Acquisition Act needs strict implementation'

A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj has urged the strict implementation of the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (RFCTLARR) in its entirety and true spirit, especially in scheduled areas.

1 mins

CCI will launch probe into IndiGo for 'abusing its dominant position'

THE Competition Commission of India (CCI), a regulatory body under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, will probe the practices of India's largest domestic airline, IndiGo, to assess whether it has abused its dominant position in the aviation sector.

1 mins

India keeps close watch on China footprint in B'desh

INDIA is closely monitoring China's expanding presence in Bangladesh, particularly in strategic infrastructure, ports and defence-related projects, while maintaining that New Delhi's ties with Dhaka remain independent of thirdcountry relationships, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has told a parliamentary committee, according to a report on the future of India-Bangladesh relations tabled in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

1 mins

Ace sculptor Ram V Sutar passes away at 100

RENOWNED sculptor Ram Vanji Sutar, best known for designing the Statue of Unity -- world's tallest statue -- in Gujarat, passed away at his Noida residence late on Wednesday night.

1 mins

Abhishek asked for logo on Messi day jersey

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee's Diamond Harbour Football Club (DHFC) had on November 10 approved use of DHFC logo by sports organiser Satadru Dutta on jerseys with photos of football legend Lionel Messi in a charity match between Mohun Bagan All Star and Diamond Harbour All Star during Messi's event at Salt Lake Stadium on December 13.

1 mins

Live-in relationship not illegal, state’s duty to protect every citizen, says HC

THE Allahabad High Court came to the rescue of 12 women, who were in live-in relationships and had petitioned the court seeking protection, fearing a threat to their lives.

1 mins

U’khand youth forced to join Russia war, dies

A 30-year-old Uttarakhand man, who went to Russia on a student visa for higher studies, died after he was allegedly forced to join the Russian army for Ukraine war.

1 mins

Muslim outreach tops agenda of Bhagwat visit

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's four-day visit to West Bengal on Thursday adds a sharp political edge to the state's already charged atmosphere ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled next year, which are widely expected to be highly polarised.

1 mins

15 declared ‘foreigners’, told to leave in 24 hours

Lodged at Goalpara dist camp, Nagaon cops to execute expulsion

1 mins

No action against men who got ₹10K under women yojna

THE Bihar government on Thursday clarified that it would not take 'coercive action' against the 470 differently abled men who received ₹10,000 each under Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojna ahead of the Bihar assembly elections.

1 mins

Mamata to rename her govt-funded job scheme after Mahatma Gandhi

WEST Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that her government would rename a state-funded job guarantee scheme after Mahatma Gandhi, a statement made amid the ongoing row over the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill (G RAM G Bill 2025).

1 mins

Beijing wakes up to rare 'very unhealthy' smog

DESPITE YEARS OF CLEAN -UP

1 mins

Belgium sets terms on use of Russian assets; Kremlin sends envoy to Florida

Zelenskyy urges to set aside fears, back Ukraine

1 mins

Vietnam war reporter, Pulitzer winner Peter Arnett dies at 91

PETER Arnett, the Pulitzer Prizewinning reporter who spent decades dodging bullets and bombs to bring the world eyewitness accounts of war from the rice paddies of Vietnam to the deserts of Iraq, has died.

1 mins

Israel OKs record $35 bn gas export deal with Egypt amid Gaza war fallout

ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that he has approved a $35 billion natural gas export deal to Egypt, the biggest gas deal in Israeli history.

1 mins

OUSTED PM Oli re-elected as CPN-UML chairman for third term

OUSTED Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli was on Thursday elected as the CPN-UML's chairman for the third consecutive term with a two-thirds majority.

1 mins

US announces $10 billion arms sales to Taiwan, including missiles, drones

THE Trump administration has announced a massive package of arms sales to Taiwan valued at more than USD 10 billion that includes mediumrange missiles, howitzers and drones, drawing an angry response from China.

1 mins

Aus PM vows hate speech crackdown after Bondi attack

Man of Indian orgin too helped disarm an assailant during the Sydney beach massacre

2 mins

Shashwat Sharma appointed Airtel India MD, CEO

BHARTI AIRTEL, country's second-largest telecom service provider, is undergoing an organisational change with the appointment of Shashwat Sharma as managing director and CEO of Bharti Airtel India, effective January 2026.

1 mins

FM tables Securities Markets Code Bill in LS

FINANCE Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Securities Markets Code (SMC) Bill in Lok Sabha on Thursday.

1 mins

Nissan to launch 3 SUVs, expand footprint in India

JAPANESE carmaker Nissan on Thursday unveiled a seven seater multipurpose vehicle (MPV) GRAVITE, which will be launched in early 2026.

1 mins

Aggarwal sells more stake in Ola Electric

BHAVISH AGGARWAL, founder of Ola Electric Mobility, sold shares in his company for the third consecutive day on Thursday.

1 mins

RCPL takes over TN food brand Udhaiyams

RELIANCE Consumer Products Ltd (RCPL), FMCG arm of Reliance Industries, on Thursday said it has acquired a majority stake in Tamil Nadu-based Udhaiyams Agro Foods.

1 mins

Govt eases visa rules for Chinese professionals

DPIIT's digital platform enables firms to generate sponsorship letters

1 mins

Vodafone Idea arm raises ₹3,300 cr through NCDs

TELECOM service provider Vodafone Idea (Vi) on Thursday announced it has raised ₹3,300 crore through issuance of unlisted, unrated, secured nonconvertible debentures (NCDs) by its subsidiary Vodafone Idea Telecom Infrastructure (VITIL).

1 mins

FDI cap not only deterrent for foreign investments in insurance sector

DESPITE the government's push to allow 100% foreign investments in insurance sector through the Insurance Bill, 2025, experts caution that foreign capital may not flow in easily unless longstanding concerns around governance control, residency norms and regulatory hurdles are addressed.

1 mins

Japan's Mitsubishi UFJ set to acquire 20% stake in Shriram Finance

JAPAN'S Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) is set to acquire 20% stake through a fresh equity capital infusion in Shriram Finance, country's largest vehicle financing nonbanking firm, for an estimated valuation of $4 billion or nearly ₹40,000 crore, making it the largest-ever transaction in the domestic financial services space.

1 mins

Cherki wonder goal in Man City win

RAYAN Cherki recreated teammate Erling Haaland's goal celebrations after curling an exquisite shot into the top corner in Manchester City's 2-0 win over Brentford in the English League Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday.

1 mins

SatChi win again to edge closer to knockouts

SATWIKSAIRAJ Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty maintained their winning touch and are now in pole position to enter the last-four stage of the ongoing BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou, China.

1 mins

Mangesh gains Crore strength

From playing with mom in backyard to being bought by RCB for ₹5.20 cr: All-rounder's tale

3 mins

Australia rip through England on another bad day for Snicko

A PUMPED-UP Australia ripped through England's fragile batting on Thursday to leave the tourists staring down the barrel of a third Test defeat with their Ashes campaign on the brink, barring a miracle.

1 mins

Nagal & Badosa shine as Eagles take down Kites

INDIA'S Sumit Nagal used his experience to beat Dhakshineswar Suresh of Kites, to keep his team, the Eagles in contention for the finals of the World Tennis League.

1 mins

Kishan's statement ton helps Jharkhand lift title

OUT-OF-FAVOUR India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan made a compelling case for a T20I recall with a belligerent hundred to power Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title with a 69-run victory over Haryana on Thursday.

1 mins

'Being No 1 in the world bigger than any titles'

IN a parallel universe, Alireza Firouzja would have topped the 2022 edition of the Candidates and tempted Magnus Carlsen into a title match in 2023.

2 mins

IT'S NOT A FIELD DAY

CITIES are like wounds on the earth,\" says artist PR Satheesh, speaking about Delhi, where his exhibition \"The Restless Field' opens this week.

3 mins

Before Jaipur Turns the Page

Setting the stage for the 19th Jaipur Literature Festival, the Delhi preview laid out its vision, values and the stories it hopes to amplify

1 mins

W. Leavitt debuts in All for Love

ONE of the breakout stars of Hulu's The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Whitney Leavitt will make her feature debut in All for Love, in which she will also serve as executive producer.

1 mins

RESTORE INNER BALANCE

The invisible acid overload behind fatigue, weight gain, migraines, and lifestyle disease

2 mins

Read all Stories from The Morning Standard

The Morning Standard Description:

Publisher: Express-Network-Private-Limited

Category: Newspaper

Language: English

Frequency: Daily

The Morning Standard is an English-language newspaper published by Express Network Private Limited in India. The newspaper is published in six Indian cities: New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad.

The Morning Standard covers a wide range of news and topics, including:

* National and international news: The newspaper covers the latest news from India and around the world, including politics, business, sports, and entertainment.

* Opinion and analysis: The newspaper features opinion pieces and analysis from leading experts on a variety of topics.

* Features: The newspaper also features features on a variety of topics, such as lifestyle, culture, and travel.

The Morning Standard is known for its in-depth reporting and insightful analysis. It is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to stay informed about the latest news and events from India and around the world.