TODAY NEWS ON December 19, 2024

News Headlines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants

Source: THE HINDU

National News

• Positive signals emerge from India-China talks
• Mumbai boat accident: 13 killed after Navy boat crashes into ferry near Gateway of India
• After India visit, Dissanayake discusses maritime research and development with China
• Congress holds protests in J&K, demands Statehood
• All 17,130 police stations in the country linked through centralised online platform
• Congress, leaders receive notice from X over sharing video clips of Amit Shah’s Rajya Sabha speech
• Ravichandran Ashwin announces retirement from international cricket
• Simultaneous polls: Priyanka Gandhi, Shrikant Shinde likely to be on joint committee of Parliament
• Delhi AQI in ‘severe’ category; remains India’s most polluted city for third day in a row
• Farmers protest: Supreme Court says Court doors always open and suggestion, demand charter can be brought for discussion
• Satellite beams turned off over India: Elon Musk rejects claim Starlink being used in Manipur
• Doval holds talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on peace at borders, restoration of ties
• India charges lot of tariff: Donald Trump threatens to impose reciprocal tax
• J&K: Arms, ammunition recovered from forest area in Kupwara
• U.S. Federal Reserve cuts its key rate by a quarter-point but envisions fewer reductions next year

Headlines in detail

Positive signals emerge from India-China talks

India and China “positively affirmed” the outcome of their disengagement agreement at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), as National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on Wednesday for the first boundary talks between the Special Representatives (SR) since 2019.

Mumbai boat accident: 13 killed after Navy boat crashes into ferry near Gateway of India

Thirteen persons, including four women and two children, were killed after a Navy boat crashed into a ferry off the Mumbai coast on Wednesday (December 18, 2024), the Navy said. At least 101 persons were rescued.

After India visit, Dissanayake discusses maritime research and development with China

A day after returning from India following a three-day visit, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake discussed Chinese development partnership, investments and a possible resumption of maritime research with a visiting member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Congress holds protests in J&K, demands Statehood

The Congress party organised street protests in Srinagar and Jammu on Wednesday (December 18, 2024) to press for the restoration of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, and register protest over other national issues, including the unrest in Manipur, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent remarks on the late Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

All 17,130 police stations in the country linked through centralised online platform

Nearly 15 years after it was launched, all 17,130 police stations in the country have been linked through the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), a centralised online platform to file first information reports (FIRs), chargesheets, and investigation reports.

Congress, leaders receive notice from X over sharing video clips of Amit Shah’s Rajya Sabha speech

The Congress party and some of its leaders on Wednesday (December 18, 2024) received notices from social media platform X for sharing certain video clips of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on their handles.

U.S. Federal Reserve cuts its key rate by a quarter-point but envisions fewer reductions next year

The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate on Wednesday (December 18, 2024) by a quarter-point — its third cut this year — but also signaled that it expects to reduce rates more slowly next year than it previously envisioned, largely because of still-elevated inflation.

Ravichandran Ashwin announces retirement from international cricket

India’s ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket after the end of the third Test match against Australia in Brisbane. The announcement was made during the post-match press conference after the Gabba Test. The spin-master ends his Test career with 537 wickets at an average of 24 in 106 Test matches, the second-highest wicket-taker from India.

Simultaneous polls: Priyanka Gandhi, Shrikant Shinde likely to be on joint committee of Parliament

The BJP is considering the names of its seasoned MPs Ravi Shankar Prasad and Nishikant Dubey as nominees for the parliamentary panel that will scrutinise simultaneous poll bills, while Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Manish Tewari are set to be among the Congress representatives, sources said. Congress MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Manish Tewari and Randeep Surjewala are the party’s members for the joint committee of Parliament on simultaneous elections. Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat from Jharkhand is the fourth nominee.

Delhi AQI in ‘severe’ category; remains India’s most polluted city for third day in a row

Delhi continued to be the most polluted place in India – for the third consecutive day – with the overall air quality of the national capital continuing to be in the “severe” category, according to official data. Delhi’s overall 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) was 441 (severe) at 9 a.m. on Wednesday (December 18, 2024), as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

Farmers protest: Supreme Court says Court doors always open and suggestion, demand charter can be brought for discussion

The Supreme Court said that its “doors are open” for farmers protesting at the Delhi borders and asked them to either come directly or through their representatives to present their issues. Continuous meeting were held with Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on a fast-unto-death protest at Khanauri border, the Punjab Government informed the Supreme Court.

Satellite beams turned off over India: Elon Musk rejects claim Starlink being used in Manipur

SpaceX founder Elon Musk said Starlink satellite beams were turned off over India, reacting to claims that its device was being used in restive Manipur. The security forces recently seized some internet devices along with arms and ammunition during a raid in Keirao Khunou in Imphal East district. Mr. Musk’s Starlink, which provides satellite internet services, does not have a licence to operate in India.

India charges lot of tariff: Donald Trump threatens to impose reciprocal tax

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has reiterated his intention to impose reciprocal tariffs in retaliation for the high tariff imposed by India on import of certain American products. Mr. Trump made these remarks on Tuesday and also said that India and Brazil were among countries that impose high tariffs on certain U.S. products. He made the remarks while responding to a question on a potential trade agreement with China.

Formulate policy to manage sacred groves, Supreme Court tells Centre

In a judgment, the Supreme Court told the Union government to create a comprehensive policy for the management of sacred groves across the country. The recommendation by a Special Bench of Justices BR Gavai, SVN Bhatti and Sandeep Mehta was based on a plea highlighting the vanishing groves of Rajasthan.

J&K: Arms, ammunition recovered from forest area in Kupwara

Security forces have recovered a cache of arms, ammunition and narcotics from a forest area near the Line of Control in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, the Army said on Wednesday (December 18, 2024). Acting on a specific intelligence input, the army and police launched a joint search operation in Amrohi area of Tangdhar near the LoC on Tuesday (December 17, 2024).

Border Gavaskar Trophy: ‘The runs and partnership in the first innings were good signs’: Pat Cummins

A gripping but weather-beaten Test that wound to a draw was nearly relegated to the background once R. Ashwin announced his retirement. Just as stunned cricket writers grappled with their thoughts, Pat Cummins strode into the press conference hall at the Gabba in Brisbane on Wednesday (December 18, 2024) evening. Pat Cummins admitted to being surprised while reacting to R. Ashwin’s retirement from international cricket.