| GOAT Tour: Messi's visit shows India loves football icons — just not Indian Football Dec 19th 2025, 11:51 by TANUJ LAKHINA Lionel Messi's India tour exposed a stark paradox: Indians passionately celebrate global football icons but neglect their own game. While crores were spent on celebrity appearances, Indian football leagues struggle for survival, sponsors, and audiences. The frenzy highlighted misplaced priorities, where social media clout outweighs sustaining domestic football, leaving Indian players, clubs, and the sport itself at a crossroads. | | GM at 13, India's Raunak still struggles to have full-time coach — Exclusive Dec 19th 2025, 10:53 by JYOTIRMOY HALDER Raunak Sadhwani became a chess Grandmaster in 2019 at just 13, among India's youngest to do so. Now 19 and ranked eighth among juniors, he reflects on the high cost of professional chess. Despite lacking a full-time coach, Raunak is competing at the top level as he prepares for the upcoming World Rapid and Blitz Championships. | | Decoding Noam Chomsky's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein Dec 19th 2025, 10:45 by TOI WORLD DESK This is not a story about crimes. There is no evidence linking Noam Chomsky to Jeffrey Epstein's sexual offences. That boundary should not be blurred. But this is very much a story about power, judgement, and proximity. About how elite worlds function. About how influence circulates. And about how even those who devote their lives to critiquing systems of domination can misread them when they arrive dressed as conversation. | | Travis Kelce sparks childhood nostalgia with reveal of original Pokémon cards Dec 19th 2025, 10:45 by DR. ARATI KULKARNI SRIVASTAVA In a New Heights podcast promo, Travis Kelce excitedly opened a Pokémon Gold Pack, sparking a playful debate with his brother Jason about their childhood fandom. Travis's childlike wonder and humorous comment about a "Medicham" card having a "BBL" had fans in stitches, with many requesting the segment return weekly. | | 'Might appoint Pandya': Gill not to be vice-captain for T20 WC? Dec 19th 2025, 10:15 by TOI SPORTS DESK Aakash Chopra believes Shubman Gill will likely continue as vice-captain for the T20 World Cup 2026, despite recent form concerns. However, he acknowledges that the team management might keep the position open or consider Hardik Pandya. Chopra also revealed his India squad, highlighting Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakaravarthy as potential top performers. | | On This Day: India's horror show at Adelaide Oval — bowled out for lowest-ever Test total Dec 19th 2025, 09:59 by TOI SPORTS DESK Five years ago, India suffered their lowest Test score, 36 all out, against Australia in Adelaide. Despite a first-innings lead, a dramatic collapse saw them set a meager target. However, the team, led by Ajinkya Rahane after Virat Kohli's departure, staged a remarkable comeback, winning the series 2-1 in Australia. | | Winter Session ends: Decoding 19 days of chaos; key bills passed, debates missed Dec 19th 2025, 09:40 by TOI NEWS DESK The Lok Sabha's Winter Session concluded after 19 days, marked by disruptions and sharp political clashes. Despite passing eight key bills, including those on insurance FDI and nuclear energy, crucial debates on air pollution and electoral reforms were overshadowed. The session ended with both Houses adjourned sine die, leaving significant issues unresolved. | | Hindu man lynched in B'desh: Yunus govt firefights; vows to punish perpetrators Dec 19th 2025, 09:32 by TOI WORLD DESK Bangladesh's interim government condemned the lynching of a Hindu man and widespread violence following the assassination of poll contender Sharif Osman bin Hadi. Urging citizens to resist mob violence, the Yunus-led government vowed perpetrators would not be spared, emphasizing the upcoming elections as a national commitment and supporting targeted journalists. | | Google cofounder's vision: Larry Page predicted AI revolution in 2000; here's what he said Dec 19th 2025, 09:24 by TOI TECH DESK A resurfaced 2000 video shows Google co-founder Larry Page accurately predicting the future of AI-driven search. He envisioned an "ultimate search engine" that would understand user intent and provide direct answers, a capability now realized by Gemini models. Page acknowledged the company was far from this goal then but was committed to incremental progress, leveraging vast data and computational resources. | | 'Apple chose poorly': Epic Games CEO angry at Apple; App Store rules change in Japan Dec 19th 2025, 08:26 by TOI TECH DESK Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has slammed Apple's response to Japan's new app store laws, calling it a "travesty of obstruction." Despite Japan's move to break Apple's commission monopoly, Sweeney claims Apple is imposing "junk fees" and misleading warning screens, preventing Fortnite's return to iOS in Japan. Epic Games plans to file complaints with the Japanese Fair Trade Commission. | | Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill: New institutional architecture of higher education Dec 19th 2025, 08:00 by DR. AMIT KUMAR SHRIVASTAVA India's higher education system has expanded fast, but regulation has stayed cluttered and uneven. This column explains how the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025 tries to fix that by creating one apex body and three linked councils for regulation, accreditation, and standards, with outcomes and public transparency at the centre. The promise is graded autonomy with accountability. | | Why Trump told feds to go easy on marijuana users Dec 19th 2025, 04:37 by TOI WORLD DESK There is also a financial angle. Cannabis companies have long been denied standard tax deductions because the federal government technically treats them as drug traffickers. Reclassification would allow them to deduct business expenses, offering major relief to an industry that is legal in many states but punished at the federal level. | | Live-in relationships not illegal, says Allahabad HC; grants police protection to 12 couples Dec 18th 2025, 19:45 by RAJESH KUMAR PANDEY The Allahabad High Court ruled that live-in relationships are not illegal, granting protection to 12 couples facing threats. Justice Vivek Kumar Singh emphasized that adults in such relationships are entitled to life and liberty, directing police to provide immediate security after verifying age and voluntary cohabitation. | |
