The Assam Rifles have seized highly addictive methamphetamine tablets valued at over Rs 16.65 crore in Mizoram's bordering Champhai district and arrested a woman drug peddler, officials said on Wednesday.

A defence spokesman said that, acting on credible intelligence inputs related to narcotics trafficking near the India-Myanmar border, Assam Rifles conducted an operation at Venglai areas in Champhai district on Tuesday night.

During the operation, unusual movement was detected in the Venglai area. A swift and thorough search resulted in the recovery of 5.55 kg of methamphetamine tablets, a psychotropic substance, with an estimated international market value of Rs 16.65 crore.

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Article IV annual assessment of India’s economic framework released last week states that the country’s strong economic performance has benefitted from sound macroeconomic policies and earlier structural reforms. It further states that despite external headwinds, growth is expected to remain resilient, with inflation remaining subdued.

However, oddly enough at the same time, it has given India’s national accounts statistics, which includes key figures such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Gross Value Added (GVA), a C grade. Yet overall, across all data categories, India has received a sound B grade. There are four grades in total: A, B, C and D.

Widespread rain continued to batter coastal Tamil Nadu and several interior districts on Wednesday as the depression over the Bay of Bengal further weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area.

For Chennai and its neighbouring districts -- Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, and Kancheepuram -- the day brought yet another round of relentless showers. The downpour triggered sudden inundation across residential localities, arterial roads, and low-lying pockets, disrupting traffic and slowing down public movement.

Wednesday marked the third straight wet day of the week, following nearly a week of intermittent rain that has already affected small traders and daily-wage earners, who struggled to carry out routine business amid the persistent weather disturbance.

Over 5,000 Afghan refugees were forcibly repatriated from Pakistan and Iran in a single day, local media reported, quoting a Taliban official on Wednesday.

Sharing a report from the High Commission for Addressing Migrants' Issues on X, Taliban deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat stated that 689 families, comprising 5,496 people, returned to Afghanistan on Tuesday, Pajhwok Afghan News reported.

Afghan refugees returned home through Bahramcha in Helmand, Torkham crossing in Nangarhar, Islam Qala crossing in Herat, Pul-i-Abresham in Nimroz and Spin Boldak in Kandahar.

The celebrations and exuberance in the BJP camp over a thumping poll victory in 7 out of 12 wards of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Wednesday, got marred by allegations of electoral fraud, levelled by the rival Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The AAP’s Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that his party’s candidate Seema Goyal was first declared as the ‘winner’ on the Election Commission (EC) portal but then the results were “reversed” during recounting, making the BJP nominee victorious.

At least two people were killed and three others suffered injuries in a road accident on Wednesday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district.

Police said that a vehicle collided with a roadside parapet near Chingus in the Rajouri district in the morning.

“A car (JK12D 7568) was on its way from Jammu towards Rajouri rammed into a parapet near Chingus at around 4.30 a.m. today. Two passengers were killed while three others sustained injuries," the police said.

India’s fast-rising incomes have made buying a home far more affordable over the past decade and a half, with the country’s price-to-income ratio dropping sharply from 88.5 in 2010 to 45.3 in 2025, a new report said on Wednesday.

As average income levels have grown more than fourfold -- rising at around 10 per cent annually -- housing prices have increased at a much slower pace of 5–7 per cent a year, data compiled by Colliers India showed.

This widening gap has significantly improved the ability of Indian families to purchase homes across major cities.

Three people, including a boy, were killed and another critically injured in a road accident in Telangana's Khammam district on Wednesday.

A speeding car rammed into a road divider on the national highway at Kishtaram in Sattupalli mandal.

Three occupants of the car died on the spot, while another person was injured.

The deceased have been identified as S. K. Sajid (25), Siddhi Sijoy (18) and Markatla Shashi (11).

Comedy queen Bharti Singh celebrated 8 years of marital bliss with husband Haarsh Limbachiyaa with a special post.

The host of "Laughter Chefs' dropped a video compilation of two pictures posing with Harsh and their son Golla.

While Harsh and Golla were seen twinning in matching attire in these family photos, Bharti flaunted her pregnancy glow in a brown off-shoulder dress.

 A liquor smuggler was arrested in Bihar's Chhapra district after an encounter with the state police.

With the formation of the new government in Bihar, police action against criminals has intensified, and consistent crackdowns are underway across the state.

The encounter occurred late Tuesday night at Durga Ghat under the Manjhi police station area of Saran district.

The accused was identified as liquor smuggler Ajay Rai.

When asked to surrender, the accused opened fire at the police.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Wednesday that society must reaffirm its commitment to removing barriers, promoting equal opportunities to make the society accessible to everyone, including persons with disabilities.

L-G Manoj Sinha said on the social media platform X, "On International Day of Persons with Disabilities, let us reaffirm our commitment to remove barriers, promote equal opportunities and contribute to an inclusive, accessible society, ensuring dignity and full participation for everyone, in our journey towards a Viksit Bharat."

The message by Manoj Sinha comes on a day the World is observing the International Day for Persons with Disabilities.

Actor and filmmaker Sohail Khan used social media to provide a fun glimpse into his breakfast routine with his pet son Thor.

The clip posted on IG opens with Sohail asking for a kiss from his fur baby.

"Give me kissi, give me kissi," the 'Tubelight' actor was heard saying.

As Thor lovingly licks Sohail's face, in a gesture of affection, he immediately rewards him with a treat.

India’s services PMI Business Activity Index rose from 58.9 in October to 59.8 in November, driven by robust new business intakes that fuelled output growth, according to the HSBC India Services Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) survey by S&P Global released on Wednesday.

The seasonally adjusted index rose to 59.8 in November, signalling a “historically sharp” expansion in output that was faster than in the previous month, according to the report.

“Employment growth remained modest with most companies reporting no change in payroll numbers. Meanwhile, India's composite PMI remained strong, though it softened slightly to 59.7 in November, reflecting a slowdown in growth of factory production,” said Pranjul Bhandari, Chief India Economist at HSBC.

Trinamool Congress will start mobilising public opinion from Wednesday against the proposal from the Election Commission of India (ECI) to set up new polling booths within private housing complexes having multiple high-rise towers.

West Bengal Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Mayor Firhad Hakim will hold a meeting with the officer bearers of various housing complex associations in and around Kolkata in the second half of Wednesday.

Sources in the Trinamool Congress said that first Hakim will listen to the opinions expressed by the office bearers on the ECI's proposal for setting up new polling booths within private housing complexes, which have multiple high-rise towers.

 Gold prices on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) jumped on Wednesday, supported by gains in the global bullion market and the sharp fall in the Indian rupee, which touched a record low against the US dollar.

MCX gold opened 0.6 per cent higher at Rs 1,30,550 per 10 grams, compared with its previous close of Rs 1,29,759.

"A clean and sustained close above Rs 1,32,300 can propel prices toward Rs 1,34,400– Rs 1,35,500. Immediate support lies near Rs 1,30,000, while the stronger base remains positioned around Rs 1,28,400," analysts stated.

Goals by Raphinha, Olmo and Ferran help FC Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 3-1 to move four points clear at the top of La Liga.

Raphinha cancelled out the opener before halftime, and Dani Olmo put Barcelona ahead in the 65th minute. Ferran Torres added a late third to seal the points.

Barcelona finished with injury concerns after Olmo appeared to suffer a shoulder problem and Pedri also limped off.

The much-anticipated Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting is set to begin from Wednesday, with the outcome on the key policy rate on Friday.

The three-day MPC meeting comes at a time when inflation is at an all-time low and GDP growth on a high trajectory path. The real GDP, adjusted for inflation, grew at 8.2 per cent in Q2 of FY 2025-26, against the growth rate of 5.6 per cent during Q2 of FY 2024-25.

Notably, inflation trajectory in October reflected a remarkable softening, underscoring the economy’s robust fundamentals and effective price management measures.

Economists and market experts say that it would be a close call on the repo rate at the RBI MPC.

The Indian rupee fell sharply on Wednesday, slipping past the crucial 90-per-dollar level for the first time ever.

The currency dropped to a new record low of 90.13 against the US dollar, breaking its previous all-time low of 89.9475 touched just a day earlier.

The decline in the rupee came amid weak trade and portfolio flows, along with growing uncertainty over the India-US trade deal.

These factors kept the currency under continuous pressure throughout the session.

Over 46 lakh names in West Bengal have already been identified for exclusion in the voters’ list as per the latest trend available during the digitisation of the enumeration forms in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) by the Election Commission of India (ECI) that started from November 4.

The total number of names found eligible for exclusion from the voters' list currently stands at 46.30 lakh, and this is as per the trend of the digitisation of the enumeration forms completed till Tuesday evening.

The same figure was 43.50 lakh as per the trend of digitisation completed till Monday evening. This means that a total of 2.70 lakh names have been included in the list of names eligible for exclusion from the voters' list within 24 hours.

Delhi’s air quality continued to worsen on Wednesday morning, with several locations recording ‘severe’ pollution levels. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data from 40 monitoring stations, at least 14 stations showed an Air Quality Index (AQI) above 401 at 7.05 a.m., placing them in the ‘severe’ category.

As per CPCB’s Sameer app, Delhi’s overall AQI stood at 376 around 7 a.m., inching close to the ‘severe’ threshold and showing a slight increase from Tuesday’s average of 372. The reading currently places the national capital’s air quality in the ‘very poor’ category, bordering the hazardous zone.

The Indian stock market opened on a quiet note on Wednesday, with both benchmark indices showing minimal movement in early trade.

The Sensex inched up by just 12 points to 85,151, while the Nifty slipped 18 points to 26,014.

Most of the major Sensex stocks were trading in the red, dragging the indices sideways. Shares of HUL, Titan, Tata Motors PV, NTPC, BEL, Trent, Bajaj Finserv, Kotak Bank, Ultratech Cement, Maruti Suzuki, L&T, Power Grid, and ITC were among the top losers in the morning session.