A jet from the United States Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team—an F-16C Fighting Falcon—crashed Wednesday morning near Trona Airport in Southern California’s Mojave Desert during a training flight. The pilot ejected safely around 10:45 a.m. local time and was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The aircraft erupted into flames on impact, sending a large plume of black smoke into the sky, and authorities confirmed the scene posed no immediate threat to nearby terrain. An investigation by the United States Air Force is underway to determine the cause. 

Meta has started removing Australian children under 16 from Instagram, Facebook, and Threads ahead of the country’s social media ban on 10 December. Around 500,000 accounts are expected to be affected. The law fines companies up to A$49.5 million for failing to block under-16s. Teens can download their posts or request age verification if wrongly identified. The ban aims to protect children from harmful content, cyberbullying, and online grooming. Other platforms like YouTube, TikTok, X, Snapchat, and Reddit are also included. Critics warn the move may isolate children or push them to less-regulated apps. (PC: X)

A record 74,000 Indian students left the UK in 2025, raising concerns about stricter visa and dependant rules. New policies, including limits on postgraduate dependants and uncertainty around post-study work visas, are driving students away. Experts say this trend could hurt universities heavily dependent on international fee revenue, with potential budget shortfalls and course closures. Countries like Australia, Dubai, and Germany are attracting Indian students with clearer pathways and longer work options. Education specialists urge the UK to stabilize the Graduate Route, revisit dependant rules, and offer transparent immigration policies to restore student confidence and maintain its global competitiveness. (PC: India Today)

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)

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)

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.

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.

The U.S. State Department has directed consular officers to review H-1B visa applicants’ employment histories and online activity, especially roles linked to content moderation or censorship of protected speech. A cable dated December 2 instructs officers to flag applicants — and accompanying family members — whose LinkedIn profiles or resumes suggest involvement in misinformation, fact-checking, or online safety operations that restricted free expression. The scrutiny applies to both new and returning applicants, reflecting broader moves under the Donald Trump administration to clamp down on visa access tied to speech-suppression concerns. (PC: India Today)

Israel says it will reopen the Rafah crossing with Egypt in the coming days to let Palestinians leave Gaza. The move will follow security checks by Israel and coordination with Egypt, with EU monitors supervising the process. Israel says this supports the current ceasefire with Hamas. But Egypt denies any deal, saying the crossing would only open both ways under President Trump’s peace plan. The Rafah crossing has been mostly shut since May 2024. Thousands of sick and injured Palestinians still wait to leave Gaza for treatment. Talks continue as delays remain linked to the return of hostage bodies. (PC: BBC)

Vladimir Putin has issued a stark warning to European nations, declaring that Russia is fully prepared for war if Europe initiates hostilities, while also accusing European powers of sabotaging a U.S.–led peace initiative on Ukraine. Meanwhile, five-hour talks in Moscow between a U.S. delegation (including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner) and the Kremlin ended without substantive progress, especially on territorial and military constraints for Ukraine. The combination of aggressive rhetoric and diplomatic stalemate raises fears of prolonged conflict and regional escalation.