December 18, 2025 – India Headlines

Story gist: A Delhi minister accused the AAP government of burning waste to increase air pollution and requested Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to act. Delhi’s air quality remains very poor, likely to turn severe by end of December.

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets emphasize pollution’s economic toll on Delhi markets and traders’ calls for Centre-led action, implying AAP governance failures. Center outlets report neutral air quality updates and forecasts without assigning blame. Right-leaning coverage absent, missing potential focus on AAP mismanagement or pollution sources.

Story gist: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ethiopia and addressed its Parliament. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali welcomed him and drove him to the airport.

Bias summary: Left-leaning NDTV emphasizes Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed Ali driving Modi to the airport ‘again,’ highlighting personal rapport. Center Times of India focuses on the rousing welcome feeling ‘like home’ and key Parliament quotes, portraying diplomatic warmth. Right-leaning coverage absent, omitting nationalist framing of Modi’s global stature.

Story gist: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge demanded resignations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah after a Delhi court declined to take cognizance of an Enforcement Directorate case linked to National Herald. BJP accused the Gandhi family of deceit and stated the matter remains in court.

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets like The Hindu frame the story around Kharge’s demand for Modi and Shah’s resignation post-court rejection of ED case, emphasizing opposition victory. Center outlets like Times of India focus on BJP’s accusations of Gandhi family deceit and note the case is ongoing. Right-leaning coverage absent, omitting BJP defenses or Congress criticisms.

Story gist: Police identified the Bondi Beach gunman as Naveed Akram, originally from India. He faces 15 counts of murder charges over the shooting.

Bias summary: Left-leaning CNN frames the Bondi attack within the Philippines’ long battle against Islamist extremism, emphasizing broader geopolitical context and using spotlight imagery. Center BBC delivers neutral facts on charges against Naveed Akram. Right-leaning coverage absent, omitting potential focus on immigration, security failures, or perpetrator’s background.

Story gist: West Bengal published a draft voters list under SIR 2026. Voters reported errors including individuals marked as dead, spelling mistakes, and incorrect ages.

Bias summary: Left-leaning NDTV highlights sensational errors listing a daily wage couple and Trinamool councillor as dead, implying government incompetence. Center TOI emphasizes public anxiety through calls to BLOs over spelling and age errors. Right-leaning News On AIR neutrally announces the list’s publication, omitting errors and voter reactions entirely.