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)

IndiGo said it is “profusely apologetic” and “deeply regrets” the widespread flight cancellation chaos that has stranded hundreds of thousands of passengers across India. The airline told DGCA the disruptions were caused by a “combination” of factors — including technical glitches, winter-schedule changes, weather, heavier air-traffic congestion, and the newly enforced crew rostering rules under Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms. While over 2,000 flights were cancelled last week, IndiGo says it’s now gradually restoring operations and working to compensate affected travellers. (PC: News 18)

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta recently said that “AQI is like a temperature,” claiming sprinkling water around pollution‑hotspots can reduce AQI levels. Her remarks triggered sharp backlash from Kejriwal. He accused her government of “hiding” pollution data by sprinkling water near air‑quality monitors to artificially lower readings. Kejriwal’s post on social media questioned when “this new science” started — implying that treating air quality like temperature is absurd. The controversy has reignited public scrutiny of official air‑quality claims in the capital amid serious pollution concerns. (PC: NDTV)

Late Monday, a powerful 7.6‑magnitude earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of Japan — near Aomori Prefecture in the Pacific Ocean, at a depth of about 50 km. The quake triggered tsunami warnings for coastal prefectures including Hokkaido, Aomori and Iwate Prefecture. Initial waves hit ports such as Kuji — the highest recorded wave so far is about 0.7 metres; elsewhere waves of 0.5 m were observed. Around 90,000 people were told to evacuate. Several injuries, widespread power outages, and evacuation orders are reported. Though tsunami warnings were later downgraded to advisories, authorities have mobilized emergency teams and begun damage assessment. (PC: AP)

Punjab Congress suspended Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of former cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, following her controversial claim that one needs a “₹500 crore suitcase” to become Chief Minister. The remark, made while discussing her husband’s political prospects, triggered a political storm, drawing criticism from opposition parties and Congress leaders alike. Congress described her statement as “undermining party discipline” and suspended her with immediate effect. Navjot Kaur defended herself, saying her words were misinterpreted and based on hearsay, not a personal allegation. The episode exposed internal tensions in Punjab Congress ahead of upcoming elections. (PC: PTI)

During a special Lok Sabha discussion marking 150 years of Vande Mataram, Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to the song’s composer, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, as “Bankim Da.” Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy immediately interrupted, insisting the formal “Bankim Babu” should be used out of respect for the literary figure. Modi responded graciously, correcting himself and acknowledging the proper title, which elicited smiles and lightened the proceedings. The brief exchange highlighted cultural sensitivity and the importance of honoring historical legacies while adding a moment of levity to the parliamentary discussion on India’s national song.

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)

A strong 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck off the northern coast of Japan, prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue a major tsunami warning for Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate prefectures. Authorities warned that waves could reach up to 3 metres, urging thousands of residents in coastal areas to evacuate immediately. Initial tsunami waves between 20–50 cm were recorded in several northern ports. The quake’s epicenter was around 80 km off Aomori, at a depth of 50 km. Emergency services are assessing damage, while residents remain on high alert for aftershocks and further tsunami activity.