President Trump signaled readiness to impose fresh tariffs on Indian rice and Canadian fertilizer after US farmers complained about cheap foreign imports undercutting domestic producers. During a White House roundtable unveiling a $12 billion farmer bailout, Louisiana's Kennedy Rice Mill CEO Meryl Kennedy identified India, Thailand, and China as "main culprits" dumping subsidized rice. Trump directed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to list offending countries, promising to "take care" of the issue quickly. A senior US Trade Representative delegation led by Deputy USTR Rick Switzer visits India December 10-11 for Bilateral Trade Agreement discussions. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal leads India's negotiating team, optimistically targeting year-end agreement despite Trump's previous 50% tariffs on Indian goods imposed last August.

Chinese national Congtai Hu, 29, was detained in Jammu and Kashmir for visa violations after traveling to restricted areas in Ladakh and Srinagar. Arriving November 19 claiming to be an investor, his visa permitted only Buddhist sites in Varanasi, Agra, Delhi, Jaipur, Sarnath, Gaya, and Kushinagar. Leh Police stopped him December 1 near Chang La Pass; he subsequently traveled to Srinagar, checking into an unregistered homestay, overstaying by two days. His phone, sent for forensic examination, contained browsing history on CRPF deployments and Article 370. He visited strategic locations including Zanskar, Harwan Buddhist Monastery, and Awantipur ruins near Army headquarters. Hu claimed unawareness of visa restrictions, alleging nine years' US residence and Boston University physics studies. (PC: X)

Goa nightclub 'Birch by Romeo Lane' owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra fled to Thailand via flight 6E 1073 to Phuket on December 7 after a fire tragedy killed 25 people. The brothers departed from Delhi's IGI Airport at 5:30 AM, prompting police to issue a Look Out Circular and seek Interpol's assistance. Four staff members named as Chief General Manager Rajiv Modak, General Manager Vivek Singh, Bar Manager Rajiv Singhania, and Gate Manager Riyanshu Thakur have been arrested, along with management member Bharat Kohli. Goa government formed a four-member magisterial inquiry committee led by North Goa District Collector Ankit Yadav. Fireworks emerged as the likely cause; the club lacked fire NOC and proper documentation. (PC: X)

Starlink Vice President Lauren Dreyer clarified that the company has not launched its India website or announced official pricing, despite screenshots of apparent subscription rates circulating online. She explained that a technical configuration glitch briefly exposed dummy test data meant solely for internal use, causing confusion among potential customers. Dreyer confirmed that Starlink is not accepting orders in India yet and is still awaiting final regulatory approvals. She emphasized the company’s commitment to bringing high-speed satellite internet to India and assured that authentic pricing and service details will be released only once the website officially goes live. (PC: HT)

The Kremlin said on Monday that India will continue purchasing oil from Russia as long as it is “profitable,” emphasizing New Delhi’s sovereign right to choose energy suppliers. This comes after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods, citing its continued Russian oil imports. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that India’s energy decisions are driven by its economic interests, and that in recent talks, Moscow reiterated it can guarantee “uninterrupted” oil supplies. (PC: Reuters)

Indian chef Vijay Kumar received the 'Talent Of The Year' award from France-based La Liste 2026, joining only six "promising chefs" globally honored with this accolade. Hailing from a small Tamil Nadu village, Kumar leads Semma, a Michelin-starred New York restaurant serving authentic South Indian cuisine with uncompromised bold flavors. Under his leadership, Semma earned its first Michelin star in 2022 and has retained it since. Earlier this year, The New York Times ranked it the No.1 restaurant in New York. Kumar was also named Best Chef in New York State for 2025 by the James Beard Awards, one of America's most prestigious culinary honors, cementing his status among global culinary elite.

As Vladimir Putin’s high-profile state visit to India concludes, New Delhi is actively working to finalise a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, potentially as early as January 2026. The move underscores India’s careful “tightrope” strategy of engaging both Moscow and Kyiv. Officials say the timing depends on factors such as former US President Trump’s peace plan and Ukraine’s internal political situation. (PC: AFP)

Telangana government announced plans to rename the road along US Consulate General in Hyderabad as 'Donald Trump Avenue'. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will notify the Union Ministry of External Affairs and US Embassy about this decision. The move is part of broader plans to name multiple roads after prominent personalities and corporations. A greenfield radial road will honor late industrialist Ratan Tata, while another stretch becomes 'Google Street' near Google's upcoming largest campus outside the US. Microsoft Road and Wipro Junction are also planned. These announcements precede the Telangana Rising Global Summit at Bharat Future City, aimed at showcasing investment opportunities.(PC: Sambad English & AP74M)

A Karachi-based woman, Nikita Nagdev, has made a public plea to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing her husband, Vikram Nagdev, of abandoning her in Pakistan and quietly planning a second marriage in Delhi. Nikita says they married in Karachi in January 2020 under Hindu customs, and Vikram brought her to India soon after. She alleges he later left her at the Attari border under the pretext of visa issues, forcing her return to Pakistan. She filed a complaint in January 2025 after learning about his alleged engagement in Delhi. The Sindhi Panch Mediation Centre, under the MP High Court, reviewed the case and recommended his deportation, citing lack of Indian citizenship for both. (PC: NDTV)

Former Pentagon official Michael Rubin said US–India ties have weakened because of President Donald Trump’s “gross incompetence”. He claimed Trump was influenced by Pakistan’s “flattery” or even “bribery”. Rubin said Americans are shocked to see India moving closer to Russia as a result. He also called the US “hypocritical” for criticising India’s purchase of Russian oil while America also trades with Moscow. Rubin said India needs energy to grow and must protect its own interests. He added that instead of lecturing India, the US should offer cheaper fuel. Rubin made these remarks as President Putin ended his visit to India. (PC: AFP)