Todays top 15 news across the world for 31 December 2025 brings a detailed mix of national, state, international, business and sports developments, including the Prime Minister’s pre‑Budget meeting with economists, India’s new 6G‑ready spectrum framework, the Supreme Court’s fresh timelines for arguments, action against a Gurugram school by CBSE, dense fog disruptions in Noida and the ICC’s much‑awaited verdict on the India vs South Africa Test along with major geopolitical and economic shifts abroad.
🇮🇳 PM Modi Consults Economists Ahead of Union Budget 2026‑27
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held an extensive consultation with leading economists and sector experts on 30 December as part of preparations for the Union Budget 2026‑27, which Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to present in Parliament on 1 February. The meeting focused on strategies to sustain growth while keeping inflation under check, boost manufacturing and exports, generate quality jobs for youth and deepen investment in social welfare schemes so that India can maintain high‑single‑digit growth despite global headwinds.
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Leverage Edu – School Assembly News Headlines: 31 December 2025 (National section)
🇮🇳 Supreme Court Issues SOP to Fix Timelines for Lawyers’ Arguments
The Supreme Court of India introduced a new Standard Operating Procedure that sets clear timelines for oral arguments and submission of written notes by lawyers, a move Chief Justice Surya Kant said is aimed at improving case management and significantly speeding up hearings. By requiring counsels to adhere to pre‑allotted time slots and file concise written briefs in advance, the apex court hopes to reduce pendency, avoid repeated adjournments and ensure that more matters are disposed of each day without compromising the quality of justice.
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Leverage Edu – Supreme Court SOP for Faster Hearings
🇮🇳 India’s New 6G‑Ready NFAP 2025 Spectrum Policy Comes Into Effect
India’s National Frequency Allocation Plan 2025 formally came into effect, laying the legal and technical foundation for future 6G wireless services and emerging technologies by rationalising how spectrum is shared among mobile networks, satellite communications, defence, broadcasting, navigation and the Internet of Things. The policy aims to accommodate growing data demand from 5G rollouts while reserving appropriate bands for experimental 6G research, low‑earth‑orbit satellites and connected vehicles, thereby ensuring that India does not face spectrum bottlenecks as it works towards leadership in next‑generation telecom.
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India Today – School Assembly News Headlines, December 31 (6G policy item)
🇮🇳 CBSE Suspends G D Goenka High School Gurugram for Norm Violations
The Central Board of Secondary Education suspended the affiliation of G D Goenka High School in Gurugram after an inspection reportedly found serious violations of CBSE norms related to infrastructure, safety, fee regulation and adherence to academic guidelines. Parents and students have been advised that the school cannot admit new students or conduct board examinations under CBSE until it complies with directions and gets its affiliation restored, a step the board says is necessary to ensure that schools maintain minimum standards for children’s safety and academic quality.
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NDTV – School Assembly News Headlines (December 31): CBSE action on Gurugram school
🇮🇳 Noida Schools Closed Till 1 January Due to Dense Fog and Cold Wave
Taking note of intense cold conditions and very dense fog in the National Capital Region, the Gautam Buddh Nagar district administration ordered closure of all schools in Noida and Greater Noida up to Class 12 till 1 January 2026, shifting classes to online mode where possible. The decision followed IMD warnings of poor visibility on roads and reports of multiple accidents on the Yamuna Expressway and other highways, and authorities said the temporary shutdown is meant to safeguard children from health risks and dangerous travel conditions during early morning hours.
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NDTV – School Assembly News Headlines (December 31): Noida schools closed
🇮🇳 Centre Releases Guide to Make AI Tools Accessible to All Indians
The Government of India released a detailed guide aimed at making artificial‑intelligence tools more accessible and inclusive, especially for people with disabilities and those in rural and low‑income communities who often face barriers in using modern digital platforms. The framework recommends designing AI interfaces with multi‑language support, voice commands, screen‑reader compatibility and low‑bandwidth modes while also insisting on ethical safeguards to prevent bias, misinformation and misuse, signalling New Delhi’s intention to combine rapid AI adoption with strong user‑centric protections.
🇮🇳 Indian Government Welfare Review Continues to Tighten Delivery
Policy discussions around the Indian government welfare review continued through the year‑end, with officials focusing on how to better target subsidies and cash transfers under schemes such as food security, rural employment, pensions and health insurance by using updated socio‑economic data and Aadhaar‑linked direct benefit transfers. The review is examining ways to remove duplicate and ineligible beneficiaries, plug leakages at the local level and simplify documentation so that genuinely poor households receive timely assistance, while experts warn that safeguards are needed to ensure that strict verification does not inadvertently exclude vulnerable people lacking proper papers.
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Moneycontrol – School Assembly News Headlines, 31 December 2025 (welfare and economic policy notes)
🇮🇳 J&K on Maximum Alert Ahead of New Year Celebrations
Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir were placed on maximum alert ahead of New Year celebrations, with intensified checking at highways, party venues and key public places following intelligence inputs about possible attempts to disturb peace. Police and paramilitary units increased night patrolling, enhanced frisking at checkpoints and used drones for aerial surveillance, while a special operations group recovered an unidentified drone in the Mendhar sector of Poonch district, underlining the continuing threat of cross‑border infiltration and terror support from across the Line of Control.
🌍 PM Modi Calls for Peace After Reported Attack Linked to Putin Residence
Responding to reports about an alleged Ukraine‑linked attack near Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated that India remains deeply concerned about any escalation in the Russia‑Ukraine conflict and urged all parties to choose diplomacy and dialogue over military confrontation. He emphasised that sustained ceasefire efforts, humanitarian access and a negotiated security framework are essential to prevent further loss of life and to protect global economic stability that is already under strain from prolonged war and energy market volatility.
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Leverage Edu – PM Modi’s Remarks on Developments Linked to Putin Residence
🇷🇺 Russian Military Deploys Nuclear‑Capable Missiles in Belarus
International news updates reported that Russia has deployed additional nuclear‑capable missiles in neighbouring Belarus as part of what Moscow describes as a deterrent posture against NATO activity near its borders, raising fresh concerns in European capitals about strategic stability. Western analysts warn that the move complicates arms‑control efforts and shortens warning times in the event of miscalculation, even as Russia insists that the systems are under its direct control and are meant purely to signal strength rather than escalate to actual nuclear use.
🛢️ Russian Crude Oil Supplies to India Fall to Three‑Year Low
Business headlines noted that Russian crude oil shipments to India have dropped to a three‑year low despite some private refiners resuming purchases, with traders citing shifting discounts, shipping constraints and diversification towards Middle Eastern and Latin American suppliers. While Russia remains an important energy partner, analysts say the decline reflects India’s strategy of avoiding over‑dependence on any single source and taking advantage of competitive offers elsewhere in a volatile global crude market shaped by sanctions and changing demand patterns.
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Leverage Edu – Business News: Russian Oil Supplies to India
🏏 ICC Delivers Verdict on India vs South Africa Test Pitch
The International Cricket Council delivered its verdict on the pitch used for the recent India vs South Africa Test match after widespread debate over excessive seam and variable bounce, rating the surface below average and adding a demerit point to the venue’s record but stopping short of imposing a harsher sanction. The decision means the ground will have to maintain better balance between bat and ball in upcoming fixtures, yet it also acknowledges that challenging conditions are part of Test cricket, giving both boards clarity while allowing fans to look ahead to the next high‑profile series.
🏏 Shafali Verma Jumps to 6th in ICC Women’s T20I Batting Rankings
Young Indian opener Shafali Verma climbed to sixth place in the ICC Women’s T20I batting rankings after scoring three consecutive match‑winning fifties in the home series, underlining her evolution from a power‑hitting prodigy into a more consistent top‑order batter. Her surge in the rankings comes at a time when India is preparing its core squad for upcoming global tournaments, and selectors see her current form as crucial for giving the team aggressive starts against top bowling line‑ups.
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Leverage Edu – Sports News: Shafali Verma ICC Rankings
🏑 Shrachi Bengal Tigers Win Opening Match of Women’s HIL 2025‑26
In domestic hockey, the Shrachi Bengal Tigers started the Women’s Hockey India League 2025‑26 campaign on a winning note by defeating JSW Soorma Hockey Club 1‑0 in Ranchi, thanks to a tightly contested encounter decided by a third‑quarter field goal. Coaches praised the league for offering a strong professional platform to women players from different states, improving match fitness and tactical exposure ahead of national team selections for the Asian and Olympic qualifying events.
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Leverage Edu – Women’s HIL 2025‑26 Opening Match Report
📊 India Plans CPI Methodology Rejig & Monetary Policy Review in 2026
Economic news segments highlighted that India is planning a revision of its Consumer Price Index methodology and a review of monetary‑policy parameters in 2026, moves that could better capture changing consumption patterns and improve how interest‑rate decisions respond to inflation realities on the ground. Officials and economists are discussing updates to the CPI basket weights, greater urban‑rural balance and more granular service‑sector coverage, while the Reserve Bank of India evaluates whether the current inflation target band remains optimal in a post‑pandemic, high‑debt global environment.
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Leverage Edu – Business News: CPI Methodology & Monetary Policy Review