Parliament security rules have been overhauled after the alarming breach on Wednesday when intruders released smoke in the Lok Sabha gallery and charged toward the Speaker's chair. The complex is now closed to visitors as protocols are strengthened, designating separate entrances for MPs, staff, press and future visitor batches. Additionally, the visitors' gallery will be enclosed in glass to prevent more chamber intrusions. New body scanners akin to airport checks will also be installed across the Parliament premises to bolster safety measures after the glaring security lapses that exposed grave vulnerabilities requiring an urgent response. The multi-pronged strategy aims to reinforce parliamentary access control and prevent repeat infiltrations.

Union Minister Smriti Irani stated in Parliament that menstruation is not a "handicap" necessitating mandatory paid leave policies for workplaces. Responding to questions on India's menstrual hygiene provisions, Irani said most menstrual difficulties are medically manageable without denying women equal opportunities. The government recently released a draft Menstrual Hygiene Policy advocating flexible work arrangements during periods to promote inclusivity. However, Irani emphasized such support systems should be available to all rather than perpetuate assumptions about productivity. Highlighting affordable sanitary napkin access and disposal protocols, she detailed awareness schemes like the NHM-backed Promotion of Menstrual Hygiene targeting adolescent girls.

Tropical Cyclone Jasper slammed into northeast Australia Wednesday with destructive 70mph winds, leaving coastal communities without power and facing "life-threatening" floods. The Category 2 storm made landfall near the Aboriginal settlement of Wujal, whipping dangerous gusts and torrential rain that could cause flash flooding for days. The popular tourist hubs of Cairns and Port Douglas are also imperiled. Around 15,000 homes lost electricity as Jasper neared, with damage expected to infrastructure unable to withstand the cyclone's onslaught. Residents were urged to brace property for the extreme conditions that already forced the risky evacuation of storm forecasters stationed offshore last week as Jasper intensified over the Coral Sea.

American comedian Tou Ger Xiong was stabbed to death in Colombia after being kidnapped when he went to meet a woman he connected with online. The 50-year-old Minnesota resident was vacationing in Medellin when a group of men abducted him on December 10th and demanded a $2,000 ransom from his family. After receiving no payment, Xiong's body was found the next day dumped in a ravine showing stab wounds and blunt trauma, indicating a possible botched escape attempt. Police discovered a mystery woman removing items from his apartment and now seek to identify if she was involved. The brutal murder has shocked Xiong's family and Minnesota elected officials as authorities pursue leads.

India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is discussing expanded cooperation with France's AFD development agency on small hydropower projects, which have less environmental impact than large dams. AFD India Director Lise Breuil said France has extensive small hydro experience that could aid India's promotion efforts in the 25MW-and-under category. Past AFD hydro collaborations include 80 million euros for Himachal Pradesh projects. Apart from clean energy financing, AFD also runs the Green Indian Financial System platform supporting India's green finance ecosystem. Solar remains another AFD priority via partnerships with SECI. Despite India's significant 145GW hydro potential, only 29% has been tapped so far, trailing utilization rates abroad.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor made a startling allegation that the two men who breached Lok Sabha security were "apparently sponsored by a sitting MP of the ruling party." Demanding answers after the audacious security lapse, Tharoor said the intruders "smuggled in smoke pistols," showing "a serious security lapse." He slammed the new Parliament building's safeguards compared to the old one. Noting the breach came on the 2001 attack anniversary, Tharoor said "the matter is serious enough that the Home Minister may want to explain." Earlier, reports emerged that Bharatiya Janata Party MP Pratap Simha had issued a visitor's pass to Sagar Sharma, one of the men. Visuals showed Sharma's pass was obtained through Simha's office, raising suspicions the trespassers faked intentions while seeking entry. 

India strongly condemned a statement by the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressing "concern" over a Supreme Court verdict upholding the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. The OIC, an influential grouping of Muslim majority nations, called the 2019 move to scrap Kashmir's autonomy "illegal" and demanded its restoration. Responding sharply, India's foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the country "rejects the statement" as "both ill-informed and ill-intended." In a veiled jab at rival Pakistan, Bagchi said the OIC's actions are at the "behest of a serial violator of human rights and an unrepentant promoter of cross border terrorism makes its action even more questionable.” He said such statements “undermine OIC’s credibility."

For the first time since India's heartbreaking loss in the Cricket World Cup final, skipper Rohit Sharma opened up about the "tough" defeat. "I had no idea how to come back from this. I had no clue what to do," Rohit said in a video post. He said his family kept his spirits up, but admitted "It was not easy to digest." Rohit felt the team "did everything we could," but made mistakes in the final vs Australia. "After that final, it was very hard to get back, and I wanted to move on," he shared. Though fans appreciated India's efforts, Rohit said the support made him emotional too: "Along with us, they were also dreaming of lifting the World Cup." Ultimately, Rohit said moving on from the loss "was not so easy."

Several members of parliament expressed concerns after a “terrible” security breach inside the Lok Sabha on the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attacks. "Does it prove that we failed to maintain a high level of security?...All the MPs fearlessly nabbed the two people but I want to know where were the security officials when all of this happened?” asked Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called it “a serious issue,” questioning how two people entered “despite such elaborate security.” TMC MP Sudip Bandopadhyay called it “a terrible experience,” wondering about their motive. Speaker Om Birla said a probe is underway, assuring “In the primary investigation, it has been found that it was just a smoke and there is no need to worry about the smoke.”

The two men who triggered a security breach in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday have been identified as Sagar Sharma and D Manoranjan. Sharma is the son of Shankarlal Sharma, while 35-year-old Manoranjan is the son of D Devaraj. The two detained outside Parliament are Neelam, a 42-year-old woman, and Amol Shinde, 25. Manoranjan is a computer science graduate from Mysuru. One detained outside is reportedly from Haryana's Hisar. All four have been arrested as Delhi Police anti-terror cell leads an investigation. At 1:02 pm, the men set off smoke canisters while one intruder jumped from the visitors' gallery into the chamber before being cornered. Furious opposition MPs questioned the breach, as the smoke could have been toxic. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has vowed a thorough probe into the incident.