TODAY NEWS ON January 13, 2025

News Headlines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants

Source: THE HINDU

National News

• Maha Kumbh set to begin in Prayagraj with Shahi Snan
• Bangladesh summons Indian High Commissioner over border tensions
• Centre’s wildlife panel clears oil and gas exploratory drilling in Assam sanctuary
• Declining fertility levels push up Kerala’s maternal mortality rate
• Silver Notice ‘more effective’ than MLATs for info on offshore illicit wealth: CBI director
• New State emblem for Tripura sparks row; replace it, says Opposition
• India-U.S. joint Sonobuoy production line expected to be ready by 2027
• Air India ‘bullish’ on long-haul travel
• Champions Trophy team selection deferred after BCCI’s missive to ICC
• At least three Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh encounter
• Devajit Saikia elected as BCCI secretary, Prabhtej Singh Bhatia is treasurer

International News

• Croatia President Milanovic wins another term after defeating ruling party candidate in runoff
• External Affairs Minister Jaishankar to represent India at Trump’s inauguration on January 20
• Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto set to grace Republic Day parade as chief guest

Headlines

Maha Kumbh set to begin in Prayagraj with Shahi Snan

Prayagraj is preparing for the 45-day Maha Kumbh, considered the biggest gathering of human beings in the world, starting on Monday with the ‘Shahi Snan’ on the occasion of Paush Purnima at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and mystical Saraswati rivers. Security measures have been strengthened at temples, at key sites in the Mahakumbh Nagar area, and across all the routes leading to Prayagraj. Intensive checking and frisking of vehicles is underway on seven major roadways connecting Prayagraj and districts along these routes. The event will conclude on February 26, with over 400 million people expected to visit the Maha Kumbh.

Bangladesh summons Indian High Commissioner over border tensions

The interim government of Bangladesh on Sunday (January 12, 2025) expressed “deep concern” about the prevailing situation along the India-Bangladesh borders. Dhaka’s message was conveyed by Foreign Secretary Md. Jashim Uddin to the Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma during a meeting which was held soon after the Adviser on Home Affairs, Jehangir Alam Chowdhury, informed the media that India has been erecting fences in five locations on the Indo-Bangladesh borders and alleged that Bangladesh authorities were not consulted before starting the construction work. He announced that the Indian envoy was being “summoned” to discuss the situation.

Centre’s wildlife panel clears oil and gas exploratory drilling in Assam sanctuary

The Centre’s wildlife panel has approved a proposal to carry out oil and gas exploration in the eco-sensitive zone of the Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam’s Jorhat district. The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), chaired by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, approved the proposal by Vedanta Group’s Cairn Oil and Gas during its meeting on December 21, according to the minutes of the meeting. Assam’s principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) and chief wildlife warden had recommended clearance for the project in August last year, citing “national interest”.

Croatia President Milanovic wins another term after defeating ruling party candidate in runoff

Croatia’s opposition-backed President Zoran Milanovic, a critic of the European Union and NATO, overwhelmingly won re-election for another five-year term on Sunday, defeating a candidate from the ruling conservative party in a runoff vote, official results showed. Mr. Milanovic won more than 74% of the vote compared to his challenger Dragan Primorac, who received nearly 26%, according to the results released by Croatia’s state election authorities after more than 99% of the ballots were counted.

Declining fertility levels push up Kerala’s maternal mortality rate

Kerala’s maternal mortality ratio, currently the lowest in the country at 19 per one lakh live births, is now climbing steadily, much to the consternation of the Health Department. And the reasons for the increase may be beyond the control of officials. Except during 2020-21, when Kerala lost many mothers to COVID, the State had consistently maintained a firm grip over maternal mortality. Ironically, the State’s MMR is showing a spike now, not because more mothers are dying in Kerala, but because there are fewer child births than ever in the State.

Silver Notice ‘more effective’ than MLATs for info on offshore illicit wealth: CBI director

Terming the recently introduced Interpol ‘Silver Notice‘ a “more effective” tool than the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs) for gathering information on illicit assets parked offshore, CBI director Praveen Sood has said it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s idea, which has now been realised. In an exclusive interaction with PTI, he said Mr. Modi had proposed in 2015 a system under Interpol to trace money laundered offshore, and it has now taken shape as the Silver Notice. The notice, aimed at locating illicit assets laundered across borders, is the newest addition to Interpol’s suite of eight colour-coded Notices and Diffusions, which enable countries to share alerts and requests for information worldwide.

New State emblem for Tripura sparks row; replace it, says Opposition

Leader of the Opposition in the Tripura Assembly Jitendra Chaudhury on Sunday said the State emblem, which was approved by the Centre three days ago, does not reflect the State’s “nature, culture, and landscape”. Chief Minister Manik Saha had on January 9 had announced that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs granted approval to the newly designed State emblem. He had termed the development a “significant milestone”. Mr. Chaudhury claimed that there were murmurs of dissent regarding the design of the emblem within the ruling BJP as well.

India-U.S. joint Sonobuoy production line expected to be ready by 2027

The final assembly of sonobuoys from the U.S., meant for detecting submarines underwater, will be done in India and an operational production line is expected to be ready in 2027, according to the U.S. company Ultra Maritime (UM). The systems will be co-produced in India in partnership with defence public sector undertaking Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). In a significant development, India and the U.S. last week announced the “first-of-its-kind partnership on co-production” of U.S. sonobuoys for Undersea Domain Awareness for the Indian Navy, a high-end technology that allows tracking of submarines in the deep seas and oceans.

Air India ‘bullish’ on long-haul travel

Air India Group, which completes three years of privatisation this month, has recorded the fastest growth in market share on far-flung international destinations such as the U.S., Europe and Australia. The airline’s passenger shares on routes to North America, Europe, U.K., Australia, Far East Asia and Africa stood at 16% at the time the Tata Group took over the reins of the airline from the government in January 2022. This share has risen to 21% of the total market share, where it is the only Indian player to provide non-stop connectivity since Jet Airways shut down in 2019. Air India, the full-service carrier in the group, has added nine routes to these destinations taking the total long-haul routes served to 37.

Champions Trophy team selection deferred after BCCI’s missive to ICC

India’s squad for the Champions Trophy will be picked on January 19, a day after the Vijay Hazare Trophy final. This development came about after the BCCI asked the ICC for the squad submission deadline to be deferred by a week for the Indian team. “We are waiting for some domestic matches that are going on, so, maybe, some good performance in the ongoing domestic matches will also be considered,” Devajit Saikia, the newly elected BCCI secretary, told reporters here on Sunday. Despite Saikia’s emphasis on the Vijay Hazare Trophy, The Hindu understands that the primary reason for the BCCI seeking extension is the fitness status of pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami.

At least three Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh encounter

Three Maoists were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Sunday (January 12, 2025), police said. The gunfight broke out in the morning at a forest in the Indravati National Park area when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxalite operation, Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj P. said.

Devajit Saikia elected as BCCI secretary, Prabhtej Singh Bhatia is treasurer

Devajit Saikia’s and Prabhtej Singh Bhatia’s uncontested election as the secretary and treasurer, respectively, of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was formalised during the BCCI’s Special General Meeting (SGM) on Sunday (January 12, 2025). With Saikia, the incumbent joint-secretary, and Bhatia, who has earlier served as a councillor, being lone candidates in their respective categories, there was no need for a ballot vote. Election officer A.K. Joti formally appointed the duo as office-bearers in the SGM that lasted 10 minutes.

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar to represent India at Trump’s inauguration on January 20

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar will represent the Government of India at the swearing-in ceremony of the U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on January 20. President-elect Trump has invited several heads of government and heads of state to be present at the event and the subsequent celebrations that are to be held in Washington DC.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto set to grace Republic Day parade as chief guest

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is set to grace the upcoming Republic Day celebration in the national capital as the Chief Guest, people familiar with the matter said. It is learnt that Mr. Subianto is unlikely to travel to Pakistan immediately after concluding his trip to India after New Delhi raised the issue. Jakarta planned a trip to Pakistan by the Indonesian President after his visit to New Delhi, Pakistan media had reported.