Stay updated with the biggest headlines for Wednesday, 24 December—politics, crime, sports, and more—all summarized for quick reading. Get instant access to breaking news, major developments, and trending stories in just one click. Perfect for busy readers who want news on the go.
Top news of the day
Since the beginning of 2025, one name has been consistently making headlines in Bollywood - Akshaye Khanna. First with 'Chhava' and now with the Rs 870 crore-grossing film 'Dhurandhar', his portrayal of the dacoit Rehman has propelled him back into the ranks of the industry's top actors. His powerful acting and screen presence have impressed both audiences and filmmakers.
Following the record-breaking success of 'Dhurandhar', Akshaye Khanna's demand has suddenly skyrocketed. Reports suggest that he has significantly increased his fees. This is believed to be the reason why he has become very selective about his projects and is no longer accepting the same terms for every film as he did before.
Indian young cricketer Vaibhav Suryavanshi delivered a sensational performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy while playing for Bihar. He scored a century in just 36 balls against Arunachal Pradesh, achieving the second-fastest century by an Indian batsman in List A cricket. Vaibhav's innings grabbed headlines even amidst the return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
In the match played in Ranchi, Bihar won the toss and elected to bat first. Vaibhav Suryavanshi displayed aggressive batting from the start. He scored 190 runs off just 84 balls, including 16 fours and 15 sixes. His strike rate was 226.19, which helped the team overcome an early setback.
A major political shift has occurred in Mumbai ahead of the BMC elections. After 20 years of estrangement, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray will be contesting the elections together. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut announced this historic alliance, stating that it is a moment of joy for Maharashtra and the Marathi people.
Sanjay Raut explained that the main objective of this alliance is to teach the BJP a lesson and stop the ongoing corruption in Mumbai. He said, "The Thackeray brothers were separated for 20 years, and Maharashtra suffered greatly because of it. Now, both will unite and fight the elections against the BJP."
Facing an economic crisis, Pakistan has handed over its national airline, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), to private hands. The Shehbaz Sharif government completed the privatization process of the loss-making airline on Tuesday. The Arif Habib Group acquired it with a bid of 135 billion rupees. The auction was broadcast live on television to ensure transparency.
In the auction held in Islamabad, Lucky Cement and private airline Airblue also placed bids. The government had set the initial price of PIA at 100 billion rupees. However, the Arif Habib Group's bid of 135 billion rupees was the highest and went unchallenged.
The Indian stock market opened higher in early trading on Wednesday. The Sensex rose by 115.8 points to 85,640.64 and the Nifty climbed 40.7 points to 26,217.85. Positive trends in global markets and continuous buying by domestic institutional investors helped boost the market. Although early trading opened in the red, a surge was seen later.
Among the 30 Sensex companies, Bajaj Finance, NTPC, Trent, Bharat Electronics, Adani Ports, and Eternal were among the top gainers. Meanwhile, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, HCL Tech, and Sun Pharma were among the laggards. Investors bought shares of these companies considering their strong performance reports and positive economic indicators.
Violence erupted in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district following escalating tensions over land rights in protected grazing reserve areas. The clashes have left at least two people dead and over 45 injured, including 38 police and security personnel, prompting authorities to suspend internet services and impose strict movement restrictions.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) made history in its final mission of the year. ISRO successfully launched and placed the largest communication satellite, BlueBird Block-2, into low Earth orbit. This mission was entirely commercial and part of a contract to deploy a satellite for the American company AST SpaceMobile.
ISRO used the LVM3 rocket for this mission. This launch vehicle was on its sixth flight and was used for a commercial mission for the third time. It has already been nicknamed 'Bahubali' (the strong one) due to its capabilities. This success will further strengthen India's commercial space sector.
Just one day before Christmas, gold and silver prices in the country have seen a sharp increase. Gold prices have risen for the third consecutive day. After two days of stability, gold prices have picked up pace again today. In the capital Delhi, 24-karat and 22-karat gold have become ₹10 more expensive per 10 grams.
In the last three days, the price of 24-karat gold has increased by up to ₹4,380 per 10 grams, while 22-karat gold has become ₹4,010 more expensive. Strong demand for gold continues due to the festive season and positive signals from global markets.
The cold wave and dense fog continue to wreak havoc in Uttar Pradesh. More than 35 districts of the state, including Lucknow, are currently under the grip of dense fog. The cold has become so intense that people are having to rely on bonfires and heaters. The Meteorological Department says that the cold wave will intensify in the coming days, which may lead to a further drop in minimum temperatures.
The Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for several districts, including Lakhimpur Kheri, Bareilly, and Moradabad. Zero visibility conditions are possible in many parts of the state on December 24 and 25. Due to the dense fog, road and rail traffic are likely to be affected, and people have been advised to be extremely cautious.
A major plane crash occurred in Turkey on Tuesday evening, raising international concerns. The accident killed a total of eight people, including Libya's top military chief, Muhammad Ali Ahmed al-Haddad. The incident happened as the Libyan delegation was returning home after completing an official visit to Ankara, the capital of Turkey. The crash has caused a wave of grief in both Turkey and Libya.
Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh confirmed the accident, describing it as a "deeply tragic and irreparable loss." He said the crash was a major blow to Libya, not only in human terms but also strategically. The private jet involved in the accident was a Falcon 50 aircraft, carrying the Libyan military chief, four other senior officers, and three crew members.
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