Russian President Vladimir Putin has begun a two-day visit to Delhi for a summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The leaders will discuss new oil and defence deals as India faces pressure from the US to cut Russian crude imports. Washington has raised tariffs on Indian goods, pushing ties to a low point. Modi aims to protect India’s “strategic autonomy” by staying close to Moscow while keeping doors open to the West. India wants faster delivery of Russian weapons, including S-400 units, and more space for Indian products in Russia’s market. The visit will test India’s balance between security, trade and global politics. (PC: BBC)

India’s loss to South Africa in Raipur has again exposed the team’s weakness in the final overs. Despite centuries from Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad, India finished with 358, at least 20 to 30 runs short after a slow end. KL Rahul tried to lift the score with an unbeaten 66, but support from the lower order never came. Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja struggled to accelerate, scoring only 25 runs between them. South Africa chased 359 with confidence, showing better power-hitting in the death overs. The defeat has renewed calls for India to find a reliable ODI finisher. (PC: India Today)

A 25-year-old Pakistani-origin student in the US has been arrested for allegedly planning a mass shooting at the University of Delaware. The suspect, Luqmaan Khan, was caught on November 24 after police found him in a park after hours. A search of his truck revealed loaded guns, large magazines, body armour and a notebook with attack plans. The notes mentioned “kill all”, “martyrdom”, and the layout of a police station. The FBI later found more weapons, including an illegal machine gun, at his home. Khan has been charged with illegal gun possession and remains in custody as the investigation continues. (PC: NDTV)

Musician Anoushka Shankar has criticised Air India after her sitar was damaged during a recent flight. She said she was “devastated” as the airline had charged a handling fee but still failed to protect the instrument. In a video shared on Instagram, she showed cracks on her sitar and said this was the first such incident in more than 15 years of travel. Anoushka questioned how the airline could be so careless, especially with a traditional Indian instrument. Fans and artists, including Zakir Khan and Vishal Dadlani, expressed support. Anoushka recently received multiple Grammy nominations for her new album.

The Trump administration has ordered stricter checks for H-1B visa applicants. A new State Department cable asks US diplomats to review LinkedIn pages and resumes of applicants to see if they worked in areas like content moderation, fact-checking, misinformation tracking or online safety. Officers must check if any applicant took part in restricting speech protected under US law. If so, the visa can be denied. The rule covers all visa types but focuses on H-1B workers, many of whom come from India’s tech sector. Both new and repeat applicants will face this review. (PC: India Today)

India’s World Cup-winning cricketer Richa Ghosh has joined Bengal Police as an assistant commissioner. She reported for duty in her new uniform at Bhabani Bhavan on Wednesday and met state police chief Rajeev Kumar. Richa will serve in the Siliguri Police Commissionerate. She has been appointed as a deputy superintendent of police but given the post of assistant commissioner. The 22-year-old wicketkeeper played a key role in India’s title win, scoring 34 off 24 balls in the final. Bengal Police shared her joining picture on X, calling her a proud addition to the force. (PC: Instagram)

IndiGo has cancelled over 170 flights on December 4, 2025, with nearly 200 additional flights delayed or cancelled across major airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru. The disruption is primarily due to a severe shortage of pilots and crew following the implementation of stricter Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms on November 1, requiring longer rest periods and tighter rostering. Technical issues, winter schedule changes, airport congestion, and adverse weather have further compounded the situation. In November alone, IndiGo cancelled 1,232 flights, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and prompting DGCA to summon the airline for explanations. (PC: India Today)

House Oversight Committee Democrats have unveiled previously unseen photos and videos of Jeffrey Epstein’s Little Saint James estate in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The material, captured by authorities in 2020, depicts bedrooms, a dental-chair room with unsettling masks, a study featuring words like “power,” “deception,” and “truth,” and other interiors. The release is intended to increase transparency around Epstein’s operations and pressure the U.S. Department of Justice to publish comprehensive investigative files by the December 19 deadline. The documents highlight the chilling environment within Epstein’s private island estate.

The Indian rupee touched an all-time low of ₹90.41 per U.S. dollar on December 4, 2025, continuing its downward trend this year. Analysts cite three primary reasons for the 4 % decline in 2025: persistent foreign institutional investor (FII) outflows, a widening trade deficit driven by high imports—especially gold—and limited intervention by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Delays in a potential India–US trade deal have also contributed to reduced dollar inflows. The depreciation raises concerns about rising import costs, inflationary pressures, and economic uncertainty for businesses and consumers.

Ukraine has attacked the Druzhba pipeline in central Russia’s Tambov region, marking the fifth strike this year on the key route supplying Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia. The strike reportedly involved remote-controlled explosives, though operators in Hungary and Slovakia reported that oil flows remained normal as of Wednesday. Kyiv asserts that such attacks on energy infrastructure are intended to weaken Moscow’s war effort, in response to ongoing Russian strikes on Ukraine. The incident underscores escalating energy-security tensions in Europe amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.