Virat Kohli’s push to regain the top ODI batter spot received a boost as he moved up to second place in the latest ICC rankings released on Wednesday (December 10, 2025).

Kohli hasn't held the No.1 position for ODI batters since he was displaced by Pakistan's Babar Azam in April 2021.

But the right-hander is closing in on the top spot following his superb recent efforts for India in the three-match ODI series against South Africa.

Mr. Babis, who was previously Prime Minister from 2017 to 2021, promised Czechs that he “will fight for their interests at home and anywhere in the world” and will do his utmost for the Czech Republic to become “the best place for life on earth”. President Petr Pavel swore in Mr. Babis as Prime Minister.

Mr. Pavel had asked him to form a new Government after his ANO or YES movement won big in the October 3 and 4 ballot and agreed to form a majority coalition government with two other small political groups, the Freedom and Direct Democracy anti-migrant party and the right-wing Motorists for Themselves.

The parties have agreed to create a 16-member Cabinet, with ANO holding eight posts and the Prime Minister's office. The Motorists would have four and the Freedom Party three.

IIT Bombay’s Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE) today launched India’s first incubator-linked deep tech venture capital fund. Called the Y-Point Venture Capital Fund, it has a total corpus of 250 crore rupees and aims to support India’s deep tech startups by providing crucial risk capital at an early stage of their journey. The fund will invest in pre-seed and seed-stage companies emerging from IIT Bombay and other leading research institutions.

About 25 to 30 startups will be supported, with investments of up to 15 crore rupees each. The initiative will focus on high-impact areas such as AI, advanced computing, manufacturing, materials, space and defence technology, nuclear technology, climate tech, and healthcare.

Minister of State for Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol has said that the Central Government has launched the world’s largest grain storage initiative in the cooperative sector to enhance the nation’s grain storage capacity.

Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Mr. Mohol said that, as part of the pilot project, eleven godowns have been constructed across eleven states. He said, more than five hundred Primary Agricultural Credit Societies have been identified for the construction of these godowns.

The Minister said, for the first time in the country, grain storage infrastructure is being developed through cooperative societies. He noted that adequate storage facilities will help reduce crop losses, benefit farmers, and ultimately increase their incomes.

The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), which has successfully bred more than 800 vultures in its conservation breeding centres across India, is now preparing to release six vultures in Assam in January 2026.

BNHS scientists on Thursday (December 4, 2025) said they are finalising the dates to release three male and as many female slender-billed and white-rumped vultures, aged between two and three years, in Assam’s Kamrup and Biswanath districts. They were bred at BNHS Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre in Rani, Kamrup district.

How did the near-extinction of vultures in India contribute to thousands of additional human deaths? | In Focus podcast

About the selection of Kamrup and Biswanath districts as the location to release the vultures, BNHA Senior Scientist and Assistant Director Dr. Sachin Ranade explained, “These locations fall within the natural range of vultures where there are already a small flock of them and Biswanath is closer to Kaziranga National Park.”

Abu Dhabi is hosting the Global AI Show 2025, held under the theme “AI: 2031 – Accelerating Intelligent Futures.” The event brings together technology leaders, researchers, policymakers and major industry players, as the region strengthens its profile as a centre for digital transformation and smart innovation.

Speakers examined how artificial intelligence is reshaping global innovation. With new, accessible coding tools, even those without technical backgrounds can now create applications, allowing ideas to emerge from anywhere. Traditional development models were described as outdated, and experts noted that the region now has the capital, talent and education needed to push forward its innovation goals. There is growing confidence that the next two years could see unprecedented global-scale innovation emerging from West Asia.

In an effort to revive and conserve the nearly defunct Royal Bird Sanctuary at Majuli—the world’s largest river island—the Charaichung Festival has been organised in the island district for the second time.

The festival commemorates the 392-year-old legacy of Asia’s first protected Royal Bird Sanctuary, ‘Charaichung’, established in 1633 AD by Ahom king Swargadeu Pratap Singha. The four-day festival, being held from December 7 to 10, has been organised under the initiative of Majuli Sahitya and locals, with the aim of placing Charaichung on the global map and rejuvenating its bird habitat.

The festival also features a special exhibition highlighting forest conservation efforts. The display sheds light on ongoing initiatives to protect Majuli’s biodiversity and reflects the collective commitment to safeguarding the island’s natural heritage.

Bitcoin MENA 2025, the Middle East’s premier annual conference dedicated to advancing Bitcoin understanding, adoption, and innovation, concluded today at the ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi after two days of intensive discussions on digital finance transformation in the region.

The conference brought together more than 12,000 attendees from over 100 countries for panel discussions, keynote sessions, and fireside chats across four stages, featuring industry leaders addressing topics ranging from corporate Bitcoin adoption and mining infrastructure to regulatory frameworks and institutional investment strategies. The final day explored emerging trends in the region’s rapidly expanding crypto ecosystem.

The United Arab Emirates has established itself as a key player in the global digital asset landscape, with a crypto ownership rate exceeding 30 percent of its population and inflows of USD 34 billion between July 2023 and June 2024. This growth is supported by the nation’s zero-tax policy on personal crypto gains and clear regulatory frameworks provided by the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority and the Securities and Commodities Authority.

On December 10, the world observes Human Rights Day to commemorate the anniversary of the United Nations' adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a significant document.

The UN advocates for freedom, equality, and respect for all people on Human Rights Day. On this day, numerous humanitarian initiatives, events, talks, and campaigns are held worldwide to promote awareness of the importance of collective action in protecting human rights.

Human Rights Day 2025 Theme

This year's theme, "Human Rights, Our Everyday Essentials," emphasises the significance of human rights in our day-to-day existence. It falls on Wednesday, December 10, in 2025. On this day, we are reminded to speak out against hate, false information, and lies and to take concrete action to defend human rights.

India will host the Squash World Cup for the third consecutive time, with the tournament taking place at SDAT Stadium in Chennai from tomorrow till the 14th of this month.

Twelve nations will compete, including hosts India, defending champions Egypt, and 2023 runners-up Malaysia. Each team has two men and two women, and matches follow the format introduced in the 2023 games to seven points with sudden-death tiebreaks at 6-6.

India has announced its squad, blending experience and young talent. In the men’s category, No.1 Abhay Singh will team up with Velavan Senthilkumar. Former World No.10 Joshna Chinappa returns, aiming to improve on India’s third-place finish in 2023. On the women’s side, No.1 Anahat Singh will make her World Cup debut.