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Nine US lawmakers have sent a letter to US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth seeking a ‘ban’ on 17 Chinese companies. In the letter, the lawmakers urged Pentagon (now Department of War) to add these companies to its 1260H list over alleged links to the Chinese military. List of companies that the letter includes are Chinese AI firm DeepSeek; smartphone maker Xiaomi, chip companies Hua Hong Semiconductor, Kingsemi and Shennan Circuit; display and imaging companies BOE Technology Group and Tianma Microelectronics; sensing, surveillance and robotics firms CloudMinds, LeiShen, Livox, RoboSense, Tiandy Technologies, Unitree Robotics and others.In the letter, the lawmakers said that the firms “represent the next logical tranche of military-civil fusion contributors whose designation under Section 1260H would directly support Congress’s intent that US taxpayer funds not underwrite PRC military-industrial and internal-security or intelligence capabilities”.
The letter is signed by: John Moolenaar, Chairman, Select Committee on China; Rick Scott, Chairman, Senate Special Committee on Aging; Eric A. “Rick” Crawford, Chairman, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; Andrew R. Garbarino, Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security; Rob Wittman, Chairman, House Armed Services Committee, Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee; Bill Huizenga, Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, South & Central Asia Subcommittee; Dusty Johnson, Chairman, Committee on Agriculture, Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development Subcommittee; Darin LaHood, Chairman, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Subcommittee on NSA and Cyber; Andy Ogles, Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee.
Pentagon’s 1260H list is a US Department of Defense roster of Chinese military-linked companies that are believed to support China’s defence or intelligence activities. It is required under Section 1260H of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. Companies on the list face increased scrutiny, restrictions on US government contracts, and potential sanctions. The list is used to warn US entities against doing business with firms tied to China’s military–civil fusion strategy.
The letter, dated December 18, 2025 reads:Dear Secretary Hegseth:We write to urge you to expand the Department’s list of Chinese military companies maintained pursuant to Section 1260H of the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act to include a set of Chinese firms that support “military-civil fusion” (MCF) and advance People’s Liberation Army (PLA) capabilities across various sectors, including: biotechnology and life sciences; sensing, surveillance, and robotics; consumer smart devices; large-scale AI models; displays and imaging; semiconductors and manufacturing equipment; and power batteries and energy storage.We applaud recent actions taken by the Department, including the addition of Tencent to the1260H list in January 2025 as well as reports that an October 7 letter from Deputy Secretary ofWar Stephen Feinberg informed the Armed Services Committees that Alibaba, Baidu, and BYDshould be added to the list of companies that aid the PRC’s military.The firms listed below represent military-civil fusion contributors central to PLA modernization,internal-security operations, and power-projection capabilities. Their designation under Section1260H would directly support Congress’ intent that U.S. taxpayer funds not underwrite PRCmilitary-industrial and internal-security or intelligence capabilities.
NEW DELHI: The Indian selectors on Saturday announced the squad for the T20 World Cup, dropping Shubman Gill from and recalling wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan along with Rinku Singh, while skipper Suryakumar Yadav, despite a recent dip in form, said he remains confident of rediscovering his best with the bat. PM Modi in Assam defended SIR and hit out at INDIA bloc for opposing it terming it as an attempt to protect infiltrators, calling them “ deshdhrois.” Meanwhile, Sonai Gandhi attacked PM Modi over the VB-G RAM G Bill, which she says undermines the rural employment guarantee scheme. The government has pushed back, calling the new law a reform measure, even as the bill’s passage sparked protests in Parliament. In Kerala, the killing of a Dalit migrant worker in Palakkad has triggered outrage, with police arresting five people as they probe a case of suspected mob violence that has raised concerns over migrant safety. Whereas, in the US questions were raised over transparency after the justice department released thousands of files linked to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, with many documents still redacted or withheld despite a congressional deadline.
Ahead of the T20 World Cup, the selectors have left out Shubman Gill. Ishan Kishan and Rinku Singh have been recalled to the squad, while skipper Suryakumar Yadav, despite a recent dip in form, said he remains confident of rediscovering his best with the bat. As the defending champions gear up for the tournament, the team will be banking on a strong turnaround from their captain to lead the title defence. Read full story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday defended SIR in Assam and hit out at INDIA bloc for opposing it terming it as an attempt to protect infiltrators. He also criticized the previous Congress government for neglecting Assam and the Northeast’s development. He said the Modi government is rectifying past mistakes and is committed to the region’s progress. Read full story
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has launched a sharp attack on PM Modi, alleging that the newly introduced VB-G RAM G Bill aimed at replacing MGNREGA will adversely impact the poor. The government, however, has defended the legislation, saying it seeks to strengthen and improve MGNREGA, which it claims was riddled with corruption. The bill’s passage in Parliament triggered protests from opposition parties. Read full story
A Dalit migrant worker from Chhattisgarh, Ramnarayan Baghel, was killed in a suspected case of mob violence in Kerala’s Palakkad district. Preliminary reports indicate he may have been wrongly identified as a Bangladeshi national and suspected of theft following a local incident. Police have arrested five people in connection with the case and are continuing their investigation. Read full story
The US department of justice has made public thousands of documents linked to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, though a large number of records have yet to be released. Congress had set a December 19 deadline for disclosure, and while some files are now available, many are either heavily redacted or were already in the public domain. The limited release has prompted criticism from lawmakers who say the disclosure falls short of expectations. Read full story
KOCHI: In another instance of police brutality, CCTV footage from Ernakulam North police station shows a pregnant woman being slapped by the station house officer on June 20, 2024. The footage surfaced on Thursday after the woman and her husband obtained it following a year-and-ahalf-long legal battle.The woman, N J Shaimol (43), who was three months’ pregnant at the time of the assault had visited the police station to question the alleged illegal arrest of her husband. The CCTV visuals, released following a Kerala high court order, show Shaimol entering the station carrying her infant twins.The footage shows inspector K G Prathapachandran, in plain clothes, slapping her moments after another woman — apparently a police officer also in plain clothes — took the babies from her.The inspector is now posted as the station house officer of Aroor police station. Police sources said departmental action, including suspension, is likely against Prathapachandran.Was reacting to woman’s sudden provocation, claims inspectorShaimol’s husband, Benjo, was arrested after he allegedly recorded visuals of police using force while arresting two youths near the tourist home he manages. Police were reportedly irked by his action and booked him in the case.“I clearly told the inspector, on seeing my wife entering the station, that she was pregnant. I do not know what to say about someone who would slap her despite being told that,” Benjo said. “My wife later delivered the baby, who is now one year old. We have been fighting to get this footage all this while, and today we finally received a copy.”Benjo said he still did not know why the police arrested the two youths who worked at a nearby restaurant. “I recorded the video because they were crying out loudly. I was booked for obstructing police and I spent five days in jail,” he said,alleging that he was beaten up in the station, in areas without CCTV coverage. Police had earlier denied Shaimol’s version of events and accused her of obstructing official duty and endangering her children. The CCTV visuals have contradicted thepolice claim. Police had also alleged that Shaimol had shattered the glass front door of the station. She maintained that these were false allegations and a case was foisted on her as well.On Thursday, inspector Prathapachandran told the media that Benjo was an accused in criminal cases, including one in which he helped accused in another case escape, and Shaimol threatened to kill her children if her husband was not released. He further claimed that she shoved him twice and his action was a reaction to the “sudden provocation.”Several incidents of police excesses at stations were exposed after the release of station CCTV visuals. In Sept, police suspended four officers who served at Kunnamkulam police station for assaulting Youth Congress local leader V S Sujith in 2023, after he obtained station CCTV visuals under the RTI Act after a long legal battle.
As the pool of skilled tradespeople continues to shrink in the US, Walmart is moving to strengthen its in-house workforce to keep its vast operations running — from conveyor belts and refrigeration systems to electrical networks and basic infrastructure at stores and distribution centres, AP reported.The world’s largest retailer and biggest private employer has revamped its training programme over the past year to expand the pipeline of maintenance technicians, a category of jobs that has become increasingly difficult to fill amid a tightening labour market. These technicians handle tasks ranging from equipment repair to electrical and mechanical work across Walmart’s logistics hubs and retail outlets.The shortage has opened new career paths for workers such as Liz Cardenas, 24, who joined Walmart in May 2023 as an automation equipment operator at a distribution centre in Lancaster, Texas. Her initial role involved monitoring conveyor belts to ensure cartons moved smoothly. Today, she fixes conveyor systems and other machinery when they break down.Cardenas said her hourly pay has nearly doubled to $43.50, and she plans to undergo further training that could bring higher pay and responsibility. “I was able to move out of my parents’ house,” she said. “I have my own apartment. I was able to get a car, and I’m able to give more to my 401(k).”Analysts say labour shortages have been driven by a wave of retirements and a slowdown in immigration that began during the pandemic and has since intensified with President Donald Trump’s aggressive deportation push. In skilled trades, the problem is sharper. A McKinsey analysis of 12 trade categories — including welders, carpenters and maintenance technicians — projected an imbalance of 20 job openings for every one net new worker between 2022 and 2032.McKinsey warned that high churn could cost companies more than $5.3 billion annually in hiring and training expenses alone. The shortages are unfolding even as some firms cut jobs amid higher costs from tariffs, shifts in consumer spending and rising investments in artificial intelligence.In response, the Business Roundtable — a lobbying group representing chief executives of about 150 major US companies — launched a new initiative in June to address shortages in skilled trades. Co-led by home improvement retailer Lowe’s, the effort involves outreach to elementary, middle and high schools to raise awareness about trade careers.“While technology continues to evolve, it cannot replace plumbers, electricians, construction workers, maintenance and repair pros, or other tradespeople,” said Lowe’s chairman and CEO Marvin Ellison.Lowe’s began a 90-day online training programme in 2022 for employees interested in trades such as carpentry and utility maintenance. Its charitable arm has also invested $43 million since 2023 in 60 organisations, including technical colleges and non-profits, to recruit and train skilled workers.Mervin Jebaraj of the University of Arkansas’s Walton College of Business said such programmes may ease shortages but will not close the gap, especially given tighter immigration. “For as long as somebody physically needs to fix this, the shortage will persist,” he said. “We don’t have enough people.”Walmart chief executive Doug McMillon told AP that lack of awareness was a major factor. “Most Americans probably don’t know what a tech makes that helps take care of our stores and clubs,” he said.Walmart overhauled its tuition-free training initiative in spring 2024, initially in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and later expanded it to Vincennes, Indiana, and Jacksonville, Florida. The programme blends classroom learning with hands-on instruction in HVAC, electrical work and general maintenance.Nearly 400 employees had graduated as of mid-November, Walmart said. All 108 associates from the pilot batch secured technician roles, with average pay around $32 an hour. The company aims to train 4,000 workers by 2030.R.J. Zanes, vice-president of facility services for Walmart and Sam’s Club in the US, said maintenance roles are especially critical during the holiday season. A refrigeration failure at a single store can lead to losses of $300,000 to $400,000 in spoiled goods, he said.“We have to ensure that we’ve got the right skills there to do preventative maintenance,” Zanes said, “and when we do have a breakdown, get it back up as fast as possible to minimise downtime.”
The third Ashes Test between Australia and England ignited Adelaide Oval from December 17 to 21, 2025, with hosts Australia enforcing a daunting 435-run chase after posting 371 and 349 in their innings. England responded with 286 in their first dig, trailing by 85, before slumping to 194/6 on Day 4, needing 241 more on a wearing pitch. Travis Head‘s masterful 170 in the second innings propelled Australia, leaving England captain Ben Stokes‘ side on the brink in this pivotal series clash.
Nathan Lyon delivered a match-defining moment on Day 4, dismissing Stokes with a ripper at 51.6 overs to leave England reeling at 189 for 5. Round the wicket, Lyon drifted the off-break into middle stump before it straightened viciously, spinning past Stokes’ groping bat to clip the top of off. Stokes departed for a gritty 5 off 18 balls (1×4, SR 27.77), his frustration evident as Australia sensed victory. The veteran spinner’s figures read 13-1-57-2, his third strike underscoring Adelaide’s spin-friendly conditions. Earlier, Lyon removed Zak Crawley (85, stumped) and Harry Brook (30, bowled), exploiting the turn to dismantle England’s middle order. This “special delivery” echoed Lyon’s Adelaide mastery, where he has historically tormented England.
The ball from Nathan Layon to Ben Stokes. Absolute peach 🍑 #Ashes2025 pic.twitter.com/QhUe1fkkXN
— Kashif (@KashifNdmCric) December 20, 2025
Australia moved to the brink of a decisive victory in the Ashes 2025–26 as England slipped deeper into trouble under the lights, reaching 194/6 after 53.5 overs in their chase. Still needing 241 runs with only a minimum of 14.1 overs left, England found themselves suffocating under relentless pressure, reflected in a modest scoring rate of 3.60. Pat Cummins led from the front with a superb spell of 3 for 24 from 10 overs, ripping through the top order by removing Ben Duckett for 4, Ollie Pope for 17 and the prized wicket of Joe Root for 39. The final phase before stumps summed up England’s plight, as they managed just 43 runs while losing three wickets in the last 10 overs.
The match has largely followed Australia’s script from the outset. On Day 1, the hosts piled up 326 for 8, built around a fluent century from Alex Carey (106) and a composed 82 from Usman Khawaja. England responded on Day 2 with 213 for 8 at stumps, with Ben Stokes’ gritty 83 and Jofra Archer’s 51 providing resistance. Australia then tightened their grip on Day 3, cruising to 271 for 4 on the back of a dominant Head innings. Head later turned it into a commanding 170, striking 16 fours and two sixes, while Carey added 72 as Australia were bowled out for 349. Although Archer’s five-wicket haul in the first innings briefly lifted England’s hopes, Cummins’ incisive captaincy and bowling have left Australia just four wickets away from sealing the urn.
NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had joined hands with “anti-India forces” during his visit to Germany.Party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia asserted that the Congress MP was part of a larger conspiracy against the country. The BJP also linked Gandhi to US billionaire investor George Soros, repeating earlier allegations of foreign influence.Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, Bhatia alleged that Gandhi met individuals hostile to India while abroad.“If anyone meets anti-India forces and insults Bharat from foreign soil, it’s none other than Rahul,” Bhatia charged. He added, “George Soros and Rahul Gandhi are two bodies but one soul.”The BJP spokesperson displayed a purported photograph of Gandhi with Cornelia Woll, president of the Berlin-based Hertie School, claiming it as evidence of his interaction with “anti-India forces in Germany”. Bhatia alleged that Woll is a trustee of the Central European University, which he said is funded by Soros’s Open Society Foundation.Questioning Gandhi’s foreign visits during parliamentary sessions, Bhatia asked, “What kind of anti-India agenda is it that the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is hatching a conspiracy against Bharat by joining hands with such anti-India forces?” He further claimed that Gandhi frequently travels abroad during or ahead of Parliament sessions and meets people who are “jealous of India and attack its integrity”.Bhatia also alleged that this was not the first such instance, accusing Gandhi of defaming India during previous foreign visits.“This is not the first time Rahul Gandhi is indulging in such anti-national activities,” he said. “Rahul Gandhi has become Mir Zafar,” the party spokesperson asserted.The BJP reiterated its claim that Soros makes “anti-India statements” and provides funds to create unrest in the country. “George Soros is not an Indian; he is a foreigner. But Rahul Gandhi has taken the oath of protecting the Constitution,” Bhatia said. He added, “These snakelets within India need to be treated. People of the country are demanding it.”The BJP’s remarks come amid Rahul Gandhi’s ongoing visit to Germany, where he toured BMW’s headquarters in Munich. During the visit, Gandhi criticised the Centre over manufacturing, saying India needs to “produce more” and that manufacturing in the country was “declining”.In a video shared by the Congress, Gandhi said India needs to focus more on production-led growth. “Manufacturing is the backbone of strong economies. Sadly, in India, manufacturing is declining. For us to accelerate growth, we need to produce more—build meaningful manufacturing ecosystems and create high-quality jobs at scale,” he said.In another video clip from the visit, Gandhi remarked, “India needs to start producing. Production is the key for the success of any country. And our manufacturing is declining which actually should be going up.”The BJP strongly objected to Gandhi’s remarks, accusing him of running down the country from foreign soil at a time when Parliament was in session. BJP MP and party spokesperson Sambit Patra said the Leader of Opposition carries a “huge responsibility” and must act with restraint while travelling abroad. “The LoP has a huge responsibility. The LoP has to behave in a really responsible manner, especially when the LoP is on foreign soil. Parliament is in session here, several Bills are being discussed in the House and Rahul Gandhi is in Germany to address the Indian diaspora,” Patra said.Referring to Gandhi’s visit to the BMW plant, Patra alleged that the Congress leader praised German manufacturing while portraying India negatively. “Today, we saw Rahul Gandhi visiting the BMW factory in Munich and there, he appreciated their manufacturing and said that he is sad that manufacturing is poor in India,” he said, rejecting Gandhi’s claim and citing official data to assert that India’s manufacturing sector was on a growth path.The BJP’s latest attack also revives allegations made earlier this year, when party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia accused the Congress and Rahul Gandhi of working with foreign forces to destabilise India. In February, Bhatia had claimed that organisations linked to George Soros were involved in “anti-India activities” and alleged that funding to certain NGOs during the Congress-led UPA government was significantly higher than under the current BJP government.At the time, Bhatia had accused Gandhi of collaborating with foreign forces to weaken India, citing alleged links to Soros-funded organisations.
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Saturday announced that it will contest the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections alone, a decision confirmed by party leader Ramesh Chennithala while speaking to ANI news agency.“We are all ready for the BMC elections. I have come to attend the meeting… Congress has taken a decision to contest the elections alone,” Chennithala said.The announcement comes amid one of the most striking political developments in Mumbai ahead of the polls, the growing proximity between Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena supremo Raj Thackeray.Once bitter rivals, the cousins now appear aligned in their belief that losing Mumbai would significantly weaken the broader Thackeray political legacy.For Uddhav Thackeray, winning control of the BMC may be the last major opportunity to reassert political relevance after the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena. For Raj Thackeray, the election is being framed as a battle to safeguard Marathi identity, with the MNS presenting itself as the custodian of Maharashtra’s linguistic and cultural character.While no formal announcement has been made yet, the Sena (UBT) and MNS are expected to declare their alliance for the BMC polls next week.Notably, the Congress is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra, alongside Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP – SP).In the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the MVA suffered a major setback, losing heavily to the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, which secured a landslide victory.Polling for BMC’s 29 municipal corporations, 32 zilla parishads and 336 panchayat samitis will be held on January 15, with results to be declared the following day on January 16.
NEW DELHI: The Indian selectors on Saturday made a clear statement of intent ahead of the T20 World Cup, dropping Shubman Gill from the squad and recalling wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan along with Rinku Singh. The move underlined the team management’s preference for impact-driven roles over reputation, especially at the top of the order in the shortest format.Gill’s exclusion was the key call taken at the selection meeting in Mumbai. Given his recent returns, the decision did not come as a surprise.
While Gill has been consistent in Tests and ODIs, he has struggled to secure a defined role in T20Is, especially as an opener, where the team management is looking for quick starts instead of run accumulation. His powerplay strike rate and the rise of more aggressive options appear to have worked against him. Against South Africa, he scored 4, 0 and 28 in three matches.“Shubman Gill is short of runs at the moment and missed the last WC too,” chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar said at the press conference.“It’s not about Gill’s form. We wanted to have a keeper at the top,” skipper Suryakumar said on Gill’s omission.Questions, however, remain around Suryakumar’s own batting form. He ended the 2025 calendar year without a fifty in T20 Internationals.In the recent T20 series against South Africa, which India won 3-1, Suryakumar scored 12, 5, 12 and 5.“I know what to do and I will do it. You will see Surya the batter. Everyone has gone through such a phase, just that mine has gone a bit longer,” Surya said after the squad announcement on Saturday.Suryakumar finished 2025 with 218 runs from 19 T20I innings, averaging 13.62 at a strike rate of 123.16, without a half-century.As India prepare to defend their T20 World Cup title, stronger batting returns from the captain will be required.
NEW DELHI: Bihar governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Saturday defended chief minister Nitish Kumar, who is facing criticism for removing a woman doctor’s “hijab” (veil), saying Kumar considers female students as his own “daughters.”Also Read | CM Nitish Kumar pulls down woman’s hijab at event; Cong, RJD slam ‘vile act’“This man (Nitish) considers female students as his daughters. It pains me to hear the word ‘dispute’ in this case. Can there be any row between a father and a daughter?” Khan asked.The governor also expressed his “pain” that the incident had turned into a controversy and blamed the media for it.“What have you people made out of it?” he asked reporters.Khan was referring to a video clip which sparked a major political row. The incident took place on Monday in Patna at the chief minister’s secretariat, where Ayush doctors had gathered to receive their letters of appointment. When the woman came up for her letter, Kumar saw her veil, asked “what is this” and then removed the veil.Will the woman doctor report for duty?Meanwhile, Mahfoozur Rahman, principal of Patna’s Government Tibbi College and Hospital, said the doctor’s family wanted to avoid “media attention” and that she would “reconsider” whether to join.Also Read | Nitish Kumar hijab row: SP neta files complaint against Bihar CM, UP ministerAlthough Saturday is the last date for joining, he noted that the government and the department may consider extending the deadline, calling it a “special case.”“Ultimately, it is up to her,” Rahman said, adding that she could also opt for higher studies instead of taking up the posting.According to the principal, the doctor’s family maintained that if she joins, she would do so with her “privacy intact.”“Her husband told us the family is disappointed by the row peddled by the media and has denounced reports of their travel to Kolkata as false,” he stated.He added that the family is “not angry” with Nitish Kumar or the Bihar government.(With PTI inputs)
