India rejects China claim on Detention
India on Tuesday firmly rejected China’s explanation for the detention of Pema Wang Thongdok, an Indian national from Arunachal Pradesh, at Shanghai airport. Thongdok alleged she was held for 18 hours on November 21 during a transit stop after Chinese immigration refused to recognise her passport because it listed Arunachal Pradesh as her birthplace. China dismissed the allegations, saying officials acted according to regulations and reiterated its territorial claim over the state. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal asserted that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India and said China’s denial cannot alter this fact. He added that India has strongly taken up the matter with Chinese authorities, who have yet to explain actions that violate international air-travel conventions and China’s own 24-hour visa-free transit rules. India has lodged a strong demarche in both Beijing and New Delhi. Thongdok reiterated online that officials deemed her passport “invalid.”
Telangana local polls announced
The Telangana State Election Commission has announced a three-phase schedule for gram panchayat elections to be held on December 11, 14, and 17. Seen as an indicator of political support for the ruling Congress, BJP, and BRS-even though the polls are non-party-based-the elections will cover 12,728 Sarpanch posts and 1,12,242 ward offices. Over 1.66 crore voters are eligible to participate, with polling conducted through ballot papers. Each phase includes separate timelines for issuing notices, nominations, scrutiny, withdrawals, polling, and counting. The phased schedule replaces an earlier five-phase plan for rural local body elections.
2026 T20WC schedule unveiled
India and Pakistan have been placed together in Group A for the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup and will face off in Colombo on February 15, the ICC announced on Tuesday. Despite India’s ban on bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan, the two nations will meet in this multinational event, with Pakistan playing all matches in Sri Lanka under a neutral-venue agreement until 2027. The 55-match tournament will be hosted across eight venues-five in India and three in Sri Lanka-with 20 teams, including debutants Italy, competing in four groups. India begin their title defence against the USA on February 7, followed by Namibia, Pakistan, and the Netherlands. Semifinals will be held in Kolkata or Colombo and Mumbai, with the final in Ahmedabad or Colombo.
