Top 20 Global Stories for December 5, 2025: A Comprehensive Daily News Digest Your essential roundup of yesterday's most critical stories spanning politics, technology, business, sports, entertainment, crime, health, and environmental developments from around the world. Headline-1: Putin Begins Historic State Visit to India Amid Global Tensions (National) Summary: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi on December 5 for a pivotal two-day state visit, his first since the Ukraine war began. The bilateral meetings with PM Modi focus on strengthening defense ties, energy cooperation, and geopolitical alignment amid US sanctions and global power shifts. Russia's President Vladimir Putin and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi walk ahead of their talks in New Delhi, India, December 5, 2025. Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/Pool via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights Detailed Explanation: Putin's arrival in New Delhi marks a significant moment in India-Russia relations as Moscow faces Western isolation. The visit centers on a wide spectrum of bilateral cooperation, including defense procurement (MiG-29, S-400 systems), trade expansion targeting $100 billion by 2030, and strategic coordination on global issues. PM Modi reiterated India's position as "on the side of peace," calling for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the Ukraine conflict. Putin assured India of "uninterrupted fuel supplies" despite US sanctions. Both nations are expected to sign agreements across defense, hi-tech aircraft, economy, space exploration, and artificial intelligence sectors. The summit reflects deepening India-Russia ties amid broader geopolitical realignment and demonstrates that Western efforts to isolate Russia have faced limited success. Source: Al Jazeera, The Guardian, India Today Headline-2: Cyclone Ditwah Triggers Sri Lanka's Worst Flooding in Two Decades (International) Summary: Cyclone Ditwah devastated Sri Lanka on November 28, triggering catastrophic flooding and landslides that have claimed over 479 lives with 350 still missing. More than 1.6 million people across all 25 districts have been affected, with over 452,700 residences damaged. Detailed Explanation: The cyclonic storm brought the most severe flooding Sri Lanka has experienced in over two decades. The hardest-hit districts include Colombo, Gampaha, Mannar, Trincomalee, and Kurunegala, which account for approximately 66% of those affected. By December 3, authorities had displaced 188,000 individuals to 1,374 government-operated emergency shelters. The disaster caused widespread infrastructure damage, with 95 roads rendered impassable and 20 bridges destroyed. Landslides in central hill country regions including Kandy, Badulla, and Matale have compounded the humanitarian crisis. Additional rainfall and the onset of Sri Lanka's second monsoon season pose ongoing threats of further flooding and landslides, hampering rescue operations and aid distribution. The cyclone later re-intensified in the Bay of Bengal before affecting the Indian coastline. Source: UN News, Relief Web, Al Jazeera Headline-3: RBI Cuts Repo Rate by 25 Basis Points to Boost Economy (National) Summary: The Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee, led by Governor Sanjay Malhotra, reduced the policy repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25% on December 5. The decision comes as India posted record-low retail inflation of 0.25% and GDP growth of 8% in Q2 FY26. The three-day monetary policy committee (MPC) meeting of the x Detailed Explanation: The repo rate cut, anticipated by markets ahead of the December 6 MPC decision, reflects the RBI's confidence in inflation control and economic resilience. Real GDP growth projections for Q1 FY27 stand at 6.7% and Q2 FY27 at 6.8%, with risks assessed as evenly balanced. The decision provides stimulus to rate-sensitive sectors including banking, automobile, real estate, and financial services. The Indian equity market responded positively, with Nifty50 climbing past 26,100 and BSE Sensex approaching 85,500. The RBI's moves support India's economic expansion while managing inflation concerns in the context of global monetary policy shifts and ongoing discussions around US Federal Reserve rate cuts. Source: Business Standard, Times of India, NDTV Headline-4: India Considers Mandatory Always-On Location Tracking Despite Tech Giant Opposition (National) Summary: India's government is reviewing a controversial proposal to force smartphone makers to keep satellite-based location tracking permanently activated with no user option to disable it. Apple, Google, and Samsung have strongly opposed the measure, citing privacy concerns. PAJ GPS real time GPS Tracker with live location in USA paj-gps Detailed Explanation: The telecom industry proposal would require A-GPS (Assisted Global Positioning System) technology to remain continuously active on all smartphones sold in India, enabling tracking accurate to within one meter. This unprecedented surve