Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan made his third pilgrimage within a year to the holy Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu ahead of his upcoming film "Dunki's" release on December 21. The actor took the trek incognito dressed in all-black with his face obscured, accompanied by his manager Pooja Dadlani and bodyguards. Khan previously visited the popular Hindu site before the launches of "Pathaan" and "Jawan" earlier this year, both which became box office smashes collecting over ₹1000 crore each. With the track record of success following his trips to pay obeisance at the temple, he seems to have made it a ritual before his movie releases, hoping to add another ₹1000 crore to "Dunki's" box office bank as well.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan alleges Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's involvement in a plot to harm him, following an incident where his convoy was reportedly attacked by Students Federation of India (SFI) members. The governor claims a deliberate act targeting him, criticizing the alleged involvement of Chief Minister Vijayan. Governor Khan emphasizes the deteriorating state of democracy in Kerala and condemns political disagreement turning into violence. Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar criticizes Vijayan, linking the incident to the state's law and order situation, advocating for a prosperous Kerala without the influence of Congress and Left parties. Seven SFI activists have been arrested in connection with the incident.

Israel continued heavy aerial bombardment of the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, with officials stating that militant group Hamas is nearing "dissolution" after extensive damage from over two months of strikes. At least 12 more Palestinians were killed in raids on Rafah city near Egypt. Over 1.9 million Gazans have now been displaced in the territory of 2.4 million, with limited safe zones available. Survivors flooded Al-Aqsa hospital in Deir Balah following a strike on a refugee camp. With infrastructure in ruins and supplies dwindling, humanitarians warn Gaza risks collapse into disease and starvation without improved civilian protections. Diplomatic pressure on Israel is mounting to contain the crisis.

Licypriya Kangujam, a 12-year-old climate justice advocate from India, made a bold statement at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai. Rushing onto the stage with a sign proclaiming "End fossil fuels. Save our planet and our future," she was later escorted away as the audience applauded. Sharing the protest video on social media, Kangujam expressed being detained for over 30 minutes and subsequently ousted from COP28. In a powerful statement, she urged governments to phase out fossil fuels, emphasizing the impact on children. COP28 director-general applauded her enthusiasm, highlighting the limited public protests allowed at the UN talks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proclaimed a turning point in the conflict with Hamas, urging surrender from the Palestinian group. Netanyahu asserted, "The war is still ongoing but it is the beginning of the end of Hamas." Notably, dozens of Hamas operatives have reportedly surrendered, though Israel has not provided proof, and Hamas denies such claims. The conflict ignited on October 7 when Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel, resulting in widespread devastation in Gaza. The relentless Israeli offensive has claimed over 17,997 lives, predominantly women and children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The situation remains tense as the region grapples with the aftermath of the prolonged conflict.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the Supreme Court's decision upholding the central government's revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status through Article 370. In an article for The Hindu, PM Modi emphasized that the judgment strengthens the spirit of "Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat," highlighting unity and a shared commitment to good governance. The Supreme Court's Constitution Bench validated the 2019 decision, asserting the sovereignty and integrity of India. PM Modi expressed regret over historical confusion and affirmed positive changes in Jammu and Kashmir since 2019, promoting development, democracy, and dignity.            

The BJP is set to announce Rajasthan's next Chief Minister on Tuesday after summoning all party MLAs for a meeting in Jaipur. Observers Rajnath Singh, Saroj Pandey, and Vinod Tawde will oversee the proceedings. There is speculation that two-time CM Vasundhara Raje may be sidelined like in Chhattisgarh and MP. Several MLAs have openly supported Raje for CM though BJP contested polls on collective leadership. The delay has heightened anticipation of a new CM face as BJP considers options to appeal to its core vote bank. After legislative party leader is selected, the swearing-in with over 10 ministers is likely on December 15.

Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has gone missing from the penal colony where he was imprisoned east of Moscow, his allies claimed. Navalny's lawyer was told by the IK-6 facility staff that he is no longer among its inmates, his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said, adding that his current location is unknown. The disappearance comes ahead of Vladimir Putin's re-election bid when Navalny's voice poses the main threat. Aide Leonid Volkov alleged it's a manual Kremlin effort to silence Putin's chief rival ahead of "sham elections". Meanwhile, Navalny often attacked the regime over Ukraine through lawyers before three were arrested recently over extremism claims.

The Narendra Modi-led government has greenlit the introduction of criminal law amendment bills to replace their pre-colonial predecessors. However the Cabinet reportedly disagreed with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on two points pertaining to adultery and homosexuality. The recommendations went against Supreme Court judgments striking down Section 377 on consensual adult gay sex and adultery over privacy, autonomy and gender bias concerns. However, the panel wanted adultery to safeguard marriage's sanctity and 377 to cover non-consensual LGBTQ acts. But the government sided with the SC verdicts, effecting key changes in bringing the criminal code in line with 21st century sensibilities on gender and sexuality.

The fourth meeting of the INDIA opposition bloc will be held on December 19th in Delhi to chart out seat sharing and finalize joint campaign plans for the 2024 polls. Sources said the parties intend to put forth an alternative, positive agenda while projecting unity with the motto "main nahin, hum" (not I, but us). The slogan earlier created controversy for its use in Congress' 2014 campaign after claims it was first coined by PM Modi. The meeting comes after Congress' poll routs, posing a challenge to formulate an Opposition agenda. The bloc would also give shape to common programmes to take on the BJP as they aim to showcase collective leadership rather than personality-driven politics.