Top news headlines of today – 13 Dec 2025

Kolkata: Thousands braved the December chill and waited past midnight to give a rousing welcome to Argentine superstar footballer Lionel Messi as he arrived in Kolkata for his whirlwind three-day, four-city GOAT India Tour 2025.

The Barcelona legend's 2.26 am touchdown in the early hours of Saturday sent the city into an frenzy.

Gate 4 of the international arrivals turned into a roaring sea of chants, flags and flashing phones, with fans sprinting between gates for even a fleeting glimpse of their favourite sports star.

Children perched on shoulders and drums rolled as Messi was whisked out through the VIP gate under massive security.

A heavy convoy then escorted him to his hotel, where another huge crowd was waiting deep into the night.

Over the next 72 hours, he will zip across Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi, meeting chief ministers, corporate leaders, Bollywood celebrities and eventually Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.

Follow this page as we track big developments of the day...

Dec 13, 2025 18:59 IST
55% of Indians plan winter trips; Goa, Kerala lead demand, says report
Around 55 per cent of Indian travellers plan winter trips every year, and Goa and Kerala remain top choices for them during the travel season, according to an Airbnb report.
 
Indians are travelling in winter not just for holidays, but also to unwind and relax, the report said.
 
"This winter season, Goa, Kerala, Rajasthan and the Himalayan states dominate domestic travel interest on Airbnb, owing to their beaches, backwaters, heritage, winter weather and outdoor experiences," Airbnb Country Head, India and Southeast Asia, Amanpreet Bajaj said, quoting the report based on Airbnb internal data. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 18:33 IST
Messi arrives in Hyderabad for second leg of GOAT India Tour
Argentine football icon Lionel Messi arrived in Hyderabad for the second leg of his GOAT India Tour 2025 on Saturday evening, after a chaotic start to the much-anticipated event in Kolkata.
 
The evening in the City of Nizams will begin with an exhibition match at 7.50 p.m. Shortly after, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will make entry on to the pitch, followed by Messi, and then his Inter Miami teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez.



Dec 13, 2025 18:07 IST
NDA's win in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation watershed moment in Kerala politics: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday termed the mandate received by the BJP-led NDA in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation a "watershed moment" in Kerala's politics and expressed gratitude to the BJP workers for the "spectacular results".
 
The Left parties suffered a major setback in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, held by them for 45 years, as the BJP-led NDA surged ahead with a huge lead. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 18:04 IST
Lotus blooms in Kerala capital as BJP snatches Thiruvananthapuram Corporation from LDF
The lotus bloomed in the state capital as the BJP-led NDA achieved a resounding win in the polls for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, snatching it from the CPI(M)-led LDF and marking an end to 45 years of continuous Left rule in the local body.
 
The win in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation will act as a boost for the BJP in the 2026 assembly polls, especially in the state capital. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 17:49 IST
UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
 
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 17:42 IST
Union Minister Pankaj Chaudhary sole candidate in fray for UP BJP chief: Sources
Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary on Saturday filed his nomination papers for the post of the Uttar Pradesh BJP chief, and was the only candidate to do so, party sources said.
 
A party officebearer confirmed the development and told PTI that this paves the way for him to get elected unopposed. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 17:30 IST
Messi event chaos: Organiser detained, probe ordered as Mamata apologises to fans
Chaos at the Salt Lake stadium here during a Lionel Messi event on Saturday escalated into a major law-and-order episode with police detaining the prime organiser for alleged mismanagement, even as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered a high-level inquiry and apologised to fans who failed to see the football icon.
 
What was billed as a marquee sporting spectacle unravelled into disorder as thousands of spectators protested after being unable to get a clear glimpse of Messi, triggering vandalism inside the stadium and sharp political and administrative reactions later in the day. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 17:23 IST
Beauty of democracy: Tharoor congratulates BJP on civic body poll win in his constituency
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday, while lauding the win of the UDF in Kerala local bodies elections, also congratulated the BJP for its historic performance in his Thiruvananthapuram constituency, calling it the "beauty of democracy".
 
In a post on X, he said the people's verdict must be respected, whether for the UDF overall or for the BJP in his constituency. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 16:57 IST
India Football Federation expresses concerns after Messi event descends into chaos
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Saturday expressed concerns after the much-anticipated Lionel Messi event in Kolkata was marred by chaos due to poor crowd management and security lapses.
 
About 50,000 spectators, many of whom had paid Rs 4,000 to Rs 12,000 -- and in some cases up to Rs 20,000 in the black market -- watched helplessly as a swarm of politicians, VVIPs, security personnel, and assorted hangers more interested in selfies than crowd control surrounded Messi, leaving the fans at the Salt Lake Stadium angry. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 16:30 IST
Chaos at Salt Lake stadium over Messi event; Mamata orders probe, apologies to fans
Chaos erupted at the Salt Lake stadium here on Saturday as thousands of fans protested after failing to get a clear glimpse of Argentine football icon Lionel Messi during a much-hyped event, prompting police to baton-charge and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to order a high-level enquiry.
 
What was billed as a marquee football spectacle turned into anger and disorder as Messi’s brief and tightly ring-fenced appearance, his first at the venue since 2011, left large sections of the crowd frustrated despite many having paid hefty sums for tickets. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 16:14 IST
A GOAT trapped in a circus: Messi visit turns into indictment of Kolkata’s misrule
Lionel Messi's much-hyped visit to the Salt Lake Stadium here on Saturday lasted 22 minutes, just enough to underline everything that is wrong in Indian football and the state administration's mismanagement.
 
What was billed as a historic celebration of the game's greatest icon degenerated into a spectacular breakdown of planning, policing and priorities, as angry fans ran riot at the venue after failing to get even a glimpse of their favourite superstar from Argentina. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 15:58 IST
Organises Satadru Datta detained from Kolkata airport after mismanagement at Messi event
The police on Saturday detained Satadru Datta, the prime organiser of the Lionel Messi football event at Salt Lake stadium here, following widespread chaos at the venue, which prompted the Argentine World Cup-winning captain to leave the field early.
 
Datta was detained for alleged mismanagement of the event from the Kolkata airport where he had gone to see off Messi and his entourage on their way to Hyderabad. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 15:44 IST
Mandir-Masjid: How competitive faith politics recasting Bengal’s 2026 poll battle
As West Bengal heads into an election year, a spate of temple–mosque announcements, scripture spectacles and date-sensitive symbolism is pushing the state’s politics into unfamiliar territory, sharpening communal polarisation in a borderland shaped by partition memories, demographic anxieties, and a coexistence periodically tested by political mobilisation.
 
From bordering Murshidabad district to the planned township of Salt Lake, on the eastern fringes of Kolkata, faith has emerged as the most audible idiom of political mobilisation, often drowning out conversations on migration, jobs, prices and governance, as rival players test how far religious assertion can stretch Bengal’s electoral grammar ahead of the assembly polls. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 15:35 IST
GRAP Stage III curbs invoked in Delhi-NCR amid sharp dip in air quality
The Commission for Air Quality Management on Saturday invoked stricter GRAP Stage-III restrictions, including shifting schools to hybrid mode up to Class 5 and restrictions on construction and demolition work, in Delhi-NCR after pollution levels rose sharply amid unfavourable meteorological conditions.
 
The national capital’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 349 but jumped to 401 by 10 am on Saturday, "owing to slow wind speed, stable atmosphere, unfavourable weather parameters and meteorological conditions and lack of dispersal of pollutants", the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said in a statement. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 14:03 IST
Chaos at Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata as fans erupt after failing to see Messi
What was meant to be a once-in-a-lifetime football spectacle for Kolkata plunged into chaos on Saturday as thousands of fans protested inside the Salt Lake stadium here after failing to catch a clear glimpse of Argentine icon Lionel Messi, despite paying hefty sums for tickets.
 
Messi’s much-hyped visit to the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, his first appearance at the venue since 2011, turned into a disorderly affair marked by crowd breaches, vandalism and frantic police intervention, casting a shadow over an event billed as a celebration of one of football’s greatest global stars. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 13:59 IST
'Sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi': Mamata orders probe over mismanagement at Kolkata event
Stating that she was shocked and deeply disturbed by the "mismanagement" at the Lionel Messi event in Kolkata, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday announced the constitution of a high-level committee to probe the incident.
 
Banerjee said she was on the way to the Salt Lake stadium to attend the event, along with thousands of fans, who had gathered to catch a glimpse of the football icon. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 13:26 IST
IndiGo flight suffers tail strike while landing at Ranchi airport
An IndiGo flight suffered a tail strike while landing at the Ranchi airport, officials said on Saturday.
 
The incident happened around 7.30 pm on Friday when the Bhubaneswar-Ranchi flight was landing with around 70 passengers on board, they said. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 13:07 IST
Angry fans throw bottles and chairs after failing to see Messi at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata
Lionel Messi’s brief visit to Kolkata descended into chaos as angry fans broke security protocols after failing to catch even a glimpse of the world’s most popular footballer during his blink-and-miss 22-minute appearance at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday morning.
 
What was meant to be a red-letter day for football fans in the City of Joy turned into a virtual nightmare, with “less of Messi” and more of what many described as a “royal mess”, as disorder prevailed inside the stadium. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 13:03 IST
Chaos at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium as fans protest after failing to see Messi
Chaos erupted at the Salt Lake Stadium here on Saturday as spectators, who had paid hefty amounts for tickets to see Argentine football icon Lionel Messi, protested after being unable to catch a clear glimpse of the soccer player.
 
Messi arrived at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan around 11.30 am along with long-time strike partner Luis Suárez and Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul, and was the first to take the ground. He briefly moved around and waved at the crowd. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 12:49 IST
3rd T20I: A three-match ''audition'' starts for Gill to find his game back
The countdown to save his place in the playing XI begins for a beleaguered Shubman Gill, who is likely to get three matches against South Africa to prove his worth before the Indian team management switches to a ‘Plan B’ ahead of the T20 World Cup, starting in six weeks.
 
As India gear up to play the third T20I against the Proteas on Sunday in sub-10-degree temperatures in the lap of the ice-clad Dhauladhar range, things are suddenly heating up in the Indian dressing room, with the prolonged poor form of skipper Suryakumar Yadav coming under the scanner. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 12:11 IST
Waves OTT accused of skipping Messi’s Hyderabad leg as Rahul Gandhi set to attend event
Waves OTT, Prasar Bharati’s streaming platform, on Saturday announced live and free coverage of Lionel Messi’s “GOAT India Tour” across Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi, but it did not include the Hyderabad leg in its stated livestream schedule, triggering political allegations in Telangana.
 
The Waves OTT communication brands the broadcast as a “three cities, three nights” plan, with streams scheduled for December 13 (Kolkata), December 14 (Mumbai) and December 15 (Delhi). READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 12:10 IST
2001 Parliament attack anniversary: Vice Prez, PM Modi, MPs pay tributes to fallen heroes
Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Saturday led Parliamentarians in paying floral tributes to those who died fending off terrorists who attacked the Parliament House in 2001.
 
On the 24th anniversary of the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Radhakrishnan, who is also the Rajya Sabha Chair, were among the first to offer tributes.
 
A brief function is held outside the now old Parliament building (Samvidhan Sadan) every December 13 to mark the day. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 11:18 IST
Three influential US lawmakers introduce resolution to end 50% tariffs imposed by Trump on India
Three influential US lawmakers have introduced a resolution in Congress aimed at ending the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on India, saying the “irresponsible tariff strategy” toward Delhi is a counterproductive approach that "weakens a critical partnership".
 
Representatives Deborah Ross of North Carolina, Marc Veasey of Texas and Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois introduced the resolution on Friday in the House of Representatives to terminate Trump’s national emergency authorising tariffs of up to 50 per cent on imports from India, helping to restore Congress’ constitutional authority over trade. READ MORE



Dec 13, 2025 10:12 IST
Rahul Gandhi to attend friendly football match between Messi, Revanth Reddy in Hyderabad
Hyderabad: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, will attend the GOAT India Tour event featuring football legend Lionel Messi at the RGI Cricket Stadium here on Saturday evening, Telangana Congress sources said.
 
Read more...



Dec 13, 2025 10:11 IST
Delhi chokes as AQI nears 'severe' level at 397
New Delhi: A thick blanket of smog shrouded the national capital on Saturday morning with an air quality index (AQI) of 397, on the brinks of the 'severe' category.
 
Read more...



Dec 13, 2025 10:10 IST
Kerala Civic polls: LDF leads in grama panchayats, UDF ahead in municipalities, corporations
Thiruvananthapuram: After the first hour of counting of votes, which began at 8 am, for the 1,199 local bodies in Kerala, SEC data indicated that the LDF was leading in more grama and block panchayats than the UDF, but the opposition was ahead in municipalities and corporations.
 
Read more...



Dec 13, 2025 10:08 IST
'Hefty' price for Messi Kolkata event ticket; Guv seeks report from govt
Kolkata: West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has written to the state government, seeking an elaborate report on the arrangements for Argentine superstar footballer Lionel Messi's programme in Kolkata on Saturday, a Lok Bhavan official said.
 
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Dec 13, 2025 08:36 IST
SBI passes RBI rate cut benefit to borrowers, reduces lending rate by 25 bps
New Delhi: The country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) has reduced its lending rate by 25 basis points, following the Reserve Bank's policy rate cut, making loans cheaper for existing and new borrowers.
 
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Dec 13, 2025 08:35 IST
India 'very optimistic' of sealing trade deal with Oman during PM Modi's visit
New Delhi: India on Friday said it is "very optimistic" about finalising an ambitious trade deal with Oman during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Gulf nation next week.
 
Modi will undertake a four-day visit to Jordan, Ethiopia and Oman beginning Monday to shore up bilateral ties with the three countries, especially in areas of trade and defence.
 
Read more...