🗓️ DAILY -World News 15 — 16 December 2025

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1. PM Modi’s High-Stakes Three‑Nation West Asia Tour

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has embarked on a three‑nation West Asia tour beginning in Jordan, where he is holding talks on defence, energy and regional security cooperation with King Abdullah II and senior officials. The visit is being projected as an opportunity to deepen India’s strategic footprint in the region by pushing big-ticket investments, new long‑term energy partnerships and collaboration on digital payments and infrastructure connectivity projects. It also comes at a delicate moment for the wider neighbourhood, with conflicts from Gaza to the Red Sea shipping lanes threatening economic stability, so New Delhi is positioning itself as a partner that can talk to all sides while still protecting Indian diaspora interests and trade routes.
Source: The Indian Express

2. Big Overhaul Planned For India’s Rural Jobs Scheme

The Centre is preparing a major redesign of India’s flagship rural employment guarantee programme, moving towards a “Viksit Bharat”‑style scheme that would expand the number of guaranteed workdays and tweak how funds are shared between the Union and states. Supporters inside the government argue that giving poor households close to four months of assured work will strengthen rural consumption, help families cope with climate‑related crop losses and allow local bodies to build better assets like roads and ponds. Opposition parties and labour activists, however, warn that if transparency safeguards or wage indexation are diluted in the new law, it could weaken one of India’s most important safety nets and spark fresh political battles in Parliament and in villages that rely heavily on the programme.
Source: Leverage Edu – School Assembly Headlines

3. India’s Trade Deficit Narrows As Exports To US Jump

India’s merchandise trade deficit has fallen to a five‑month low of about 24.5 billion dollars in November 2025 as imports of gold, oil and coal cooled while demand from the United States for Indian goods picked up sharply. Exporters report strong orders in sectors such as electronics, textiles, pharmaceuticals and speciality chemicals as American buyers diversify away from China and lock in supplies ahead of the New Year retail season. The healthier numbers are giving policymakers some breathing space on the current account and the rupee, and traders are closely watching whether the trend can be sustained into early 2026 amid global growth worries and possible interest‑rate changes in major economies.
Source: Leverage Edu – School Assembly Headlines

4. India Ranked 3rd In Global AI Vibrancy Index

India has been ranked third globally in Stanford University’s 2025 Global AI Vibrancy Index, reflecting the country’s rapidly expanding ecosystem of artificial intelligence research, startups and skilled developers. The report highlights how Indian institutes and companies are publishing an increasing share of AI papers, building products in areas like generative AI, fintech and healthcare, and attracting significant venture capital interest. Policymakers are celebrating the recognition as validation of India’s “AI for All” vision, but experts caution that the next big challenge will be investing heavily in computing infrastructure, trustworthy data and strong regulations to manage deepfakes, bias and privacy risks as adoption explodes.
Source: The Economic Times

5. NIA Exposes Pakistan Link In Pahalgam Terror Attack

India’s National Investigation Agency has filed a detailed 1,597‑page chargesheet into the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, naming Pakistan‑based Lashkar‑e‑Taiba commander Sajid Jatt as the key mastermind behind the killing of 26 civilians. Investigators say the assault was coordinated from across the border using satellite phones, encrypted chats, local overground workers and hawala funding channels, and that the so‑called Falcon Squad of militants was specifically instructed to target Hindu pilgrims. The revelations have prompted New Delhi to renew its push at global forums to spotlight Pakistan‑linked terrorism, even as security agencies highlight follow‑up operations in which several conspirators and gunmen connected to the plot have been tracked down and neutralised in Jammu and Kashmir.
Source: The Logical Indian

6. Pakistan Polio Worker Convoy Attacked By Militants

In Pakistan’s Bajaur district, gunmen opened fire on a police officer guarding a convoy of polio vaccination workers, killing the officer and a passer‑by before fleeing, in yet another attack on the country’s anti‑polio drive. Authorities say the incident will not derail the current campaign, which aims to vaccinate around 45 million children in one of only two countries where the virus remains endemic, but have ordered tighter security and intelligence‑led crackdowns on militant cells. Public‑health officials stress that despite periodic violence and persistent conspiracy theories, Pakistan has made major progress towards eradication, and that protecting vaccinators on the ground is critical to finally wiping out the disease.
Source: ABC News

7. India Reaffirms ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ At UN Forum

At the 11th United Nations Alliance of Civilizations forum in Riyadh, India reiterated its civilisational idea of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” – the world as one family – while calling for zero tolerance for terrorism, hate speech and religious extremism. Indian representatives argued that the country’s plural democracy and experience of coexistence equip it to act as a bridge between cultures, especially as conflicts and online polarisation fuel mistrust around the globe. They also showcased India’s digital public infrastructure and inclusive development schemes as examples of how technology and welfare can reduce the inequality and alienation often exploited by radical groups.
Source: JagranJosh

8. US To Screen Social Media Of H‑1B Visa Applicants

The United States is set to introduce broader social‑media screening for H‑1B and H‑4 visa applicants, a move that could affect thousands of Indian tech professionals and their families seeking to work in America. Officials argue that reviewing applicants’ online activity will help identify potential security risks, fraud or misrepresentation, but immigration lawyers warn it may slow processing times and raise concerns over context, privacy and freedom of expression. For Indian IT firms and skilled workers, the proposed checks add yet another layer of uncertainty on top of tight H‑1B lotteries, changing wage rules and shifting political attitudes towards high‑skilled migration.
Source: JagranJosh

9. US Floats Nato‑Style Security Guarantees For Ukraine

Washington has presented a plan for Nato‑style security guarantees for Ukraine, including long‑term military aid, joint planning and a possible multinational force, as part of a broader push to frame a potential peace deal with Russia. US officials say the proposed guarantees are meant to deter any future aggression by Moscow and reassure Kyiv that it will not be left vulnerable if it accepts compromises on issues like territory or Nato membership. European leaders have broadly welcomed the idea but insist that any agreement must be backed by strong enforcement mechanisms, warning that history is full of weak peace deals which collapsed and led to even more destructive wars.
Source: The Guardian

10. Ukraine Says It Hit Russian Submarine In Black Sea First

Ukraine has claimed a dramatic wartime first by saying its forces struck a Russian submarine in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk using naval drones, damaging a vessel that Moscow had considered relatively safe in its rear area. Military analysts note that if confirmed, the attack would mark a significant expansion of Kyiv’s ability to threaten Russian naval assets after earlier strikes forced much of the Black Sea fleet to retreat from occupied Crimea. The operation underscores how cheap, long‑range drones and clever tactics are eroding Russia’s traditional advantage at sea, complicating its logistics and adding psychological pressure on commanders who must now defend targets far from the front lines.
Source: The Moscow Times

11. Experts Warn Ukraine Ceasefire Deal Still ‘Far Away’

Discussion of a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine has intensified as talk of security guarantees and territorial compromises circulates in European capitals, but diplomats and analysts caution that a durable agreement remains distant. Detailed assessments point out that Kyiv still demands strong, legally backed guarantees against future attacks, while Moscow seeks recognition of control over parts of eastern Ukraine, leaving core issues unresolved at the negotiating table. For millions of civilians displaced or living near the front lines, this uncertainty means continued disruption of daily life, vulnerable infrastructure and the constant risk that any temporary lull in fighting could quickly give way to renewed violence.
Source: Al Jazeera

12. Pakistan Vows To Crush Terror As APS Anniversary Marked

On the 11th anniversary of the 2014 Army Public School massacre in Peshawar, Pakistan’s political and military leadership has again pledged to eradicate terrorism, calling the attack a searing reminder of the price the country has paid. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari honoured the 144 victims, mostly children, and said there would be “no leniency” for militants or those who finance, shelter or justify them. Officials framed December 16 not only as a day of mourning but also as a day of renewed resolve, promising to keep pursuing every terrorist and supporter while highlighting Pakistan’s role as a bulwark against extremism in the region.
Source: Dawn

13. Australia Declares Bondi Beach Mass Shooting A Terror Act

Australian authorities have officially classified the shocking mass shooting near Sydney’s Bondi Beach, which left at least 15 people dead, as a terrorist incident after examining the attacker’s ideology and online activity. The designation unlocks expanded investigative powers for security agencies and is fuelling a public debate over how quickly authorities should intervene when individuals display extremist content or violent intent on social media. For many Australians, the decision underscores that even iconic leisure spots are now part of the global conversation about protecting “soft targets,” balancing civil liberties and addressing mental‑health issues that can intersect with radicalisation.
Source: JagranJosh

14. Messi’s India Tour Steals Hearts With Viral Nutmeg Moment

Lionel Messi’s “GOAT India Tour 2025” has produced a viral moment after teammate Luis Suárez cheekily nutmegged 13‑year‑old footballer Tanishka during a light‑hearted interaction in New Delhi, sending fans and social media into a frenzy. The clip shows Messi and Suárez laughing with schoolchildren on the pitch, capturing the joy and accessibility that global superstars can bring when they engage with young players rather than just appearing at stadium events. Coaches say the tour, which has already drawn huge crowds in Mumbai and other cities, is inspiring a fresh wave of kids to join academies and giving a tangible boost to grassroots football in a cricket‑mad country.
Source: The Indian Express

15. Google Trends Highlight YouTube And Sports As Search Favourites

Fresh analysis of global Google search data shows that queries for major platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Amazon and Gmail continue to dominate the top spots, underlining how people use search as a quick gateway to the apps and services they already love. Sports, gaming, cryptocurrency and big entertainment events also rank highly, with spikes appearing around World Cups, major fights, blockbuster film releases and viral internet challenges. For brands and creators, the picture is clear: winning attention in 2025 increasingly means aligning content and campaigns with these search‑driven moments, from short‑form video trends to live match discussions that users are constantly looking up.
Source: Exploding Topics – Top Google Searches

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