TODAY NEWS ON December 25, 2024

News Headlines for CAT,CLAT and IPM aspirants

Source: The Hindu

National News

• Ajay Bhalla named new Manipur Governor; Arif Mohammed Khan shifted to Bihar
• Five soldiers killed as vehicle falls into gorge in Poonch; Army rules out terror angle
• Tungsten block: Centre tells Tamil Nadu to keep Letter of Intent to Hindustan Zinc on hold
• Invisible hand fuelling violence in Manipur, says former Chief Justice of Manipur High Court
• MHA constitutes tribunal to review ULFA's status as an unlawful association
• Mob justice replaces extrajudicial killings in Yunus-led interim govt in Bangladesh, stability hangs in balance
• ‘Misleading’, ‘baseless’, says EC, rejects Congress’s claims on Maharashtra voter lists
• Lokpal calls SEBI chief, complainants for ‘oral hearing’ over corruption charges
• Bareilly court summons AIMIM chief Owaisi over pro-Palestine slogan in Parliament
• Ladki Bahin scheme resumes in Maharashtra, Mahayuti plans to increase payout
• Snowfall in Himachal leads to closure of 177 roads, Shimla hotel room occupancy rises to 70%
• Illegal Bangladeshi immigration: Delhi Police arrest eleven; forged Aadhaar, voter ID cards seized
• BPSC chairman rules out cancellation of December 13 exam, show cause notice served to 34 candidates
• India to fund development projects worth ₹2,371 million in Sri Lanka’s eastern province
• Ind Women vs WI Women: Harleen’s century fuels 115-run win over West Indies; Hayley’s hundred in vain
• Champions Trophy 2025 schedule: India to face Pakistan on February 23 at Dubai

International News

Bethlehem marks a second subdued Christmas during the war in Gaza

Headlines in Detail

Ajay Bhalla named new Manipur Governor; Arif Mohammed Khan shifted to Bihar

Former Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla has been appointed as the new Governor of Manipur in the latest gubernatorial appointments and reshuffle by President Droupadi Murmu across five States. The other key appointment is that former Union Minister General V.K. Singh (retd.) being made the new Governor of Mizoram while Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has been moved to Bihar.

Five soldiers killed as vehicle falls into gorge in Poonch; Army rules out terror angle

Five soldiers were killed and five injured when the vehicle in which they were travelling skidded off the road in the Pir Panjal Valley of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir the Army said. A defence spokesperson said the cause of the accident was being ascertained but “possibly, the driver lost control at the turn of the road”.

Tungsten block: Centre tells Tamil Nadu to keep Letter of Intent to Hindustan Zinc on hold

The Union Ministry of Mines requested the Geological Survey of India (GSI) to re-examine the Nayakkarpatti tungsten block in Madurai, which comprises six villages, including Arittapatti, a notified biodiversity heritage site famous for archaeological monuments. It also suggested that the GSI explore the possibility of redefining the boundaries by excluding the biodiversity heritage site from the block, and requested the Tamil Nadu government to keep the process of issuing the Letter of Intent to the preferred bidder – Hindustan Zinc Limited – on hold for the time being.

Invisible hand fuelling violence in Manipur, says former Chief Justice of Manipur High Court

Former Chief Justice of Manipur High Court Siddharth Mridul said that there seems to be an “invisible hand” behind the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur. He said that whenever the situation appears to return to normalcy, someone injects a fresh dose of violence. He said he hoped that the Manipur violence is not part of a grand design to destabilise the Northeast region.

Bethlehem marks a second subdued Christmas during the war in Gaza

Bethlehem marked another somber Christmas Eve in the traditional birthplace of Jesus under the shadow of war in Gaza. The excitement and cheer that typically descends on the West Bank during Christmas week were nowhere to be found.

MHA constitutes tribunal to review ULFA's status as an unlawful association

The Ministry of Home Affairs has constituted an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal to determine whether there is sufficient cause to declare the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), including all its factions, wings, and front organisations, as an unlawful association. MHA decided to constitute the tribunal almost a month after it extended the ban on the ULFA for the next five years for its role in continuing to work to secede Assam from India and maintain links with other insurgent groups for extortion and violence.

Mob justice replaces extrajudicial killings in Yunus-led interim govt in Bangladesh, stability hangs in balance

After the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year regime on August 5, a tenure marked by allegations of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, Bangladesh has experienced a sharp rise in mob violence, fabricated cases, robbery, mugging and extortions. The instability persists, with the nation still struggling to restore law and order, even after four months under the interim government led by Nobel Laureate Prof. Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

‘Misleading’, ‘baseless’, says EC, rejects Congress’s claims on Maharashtra voter lists

The Election Commission of India (EC) rejected as “factually incorrect and misleading” the Congress’s claims of “arbitrary deletion” and “subsequent addition” in electoral rolls and ruled out discrepancies in voter turnout data in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. The EC’s response came following a complaint filed by the Congress with the poll panel in November in which the party had said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had won 47 of the 50 Assembly seats where there was an “unprecedented increase” in the number of voters by around 50,000 after an “arbitrary” deletion of names from voter lists

Lokpal calls SEBI chief, complainants for ‘oral hearing’ over corruption charges

Anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal has called SEBI chief Madhabi Puri Buch and also complainants, including Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, for an "oral hearing" next month in connection with corruption complaints being heard by it, alleging impropriety and conflict of interest on the basis of a Hindenburg Research report, according to an official order.

Bareilly court summons AIMIM chief Owaisi over pro-Palestine slogan in Parliament

A local Court has directed AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi to appear before it over a plea that claimed he had violated the Constitution by raising a slogan hailing Palestine in Parliament. Lawyer Virendra Gupta filed a petition against Mr. Owaisi over the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader voicing support for Palestine during his oath-taking ceremony in Parliament.

Ladki Bahin scheme resumes in Maharashtra, Mahayuti plans to increase payout

The Ladki Bahin Yojana in Maharashtra resumed and beneficiaries will receive December’s payout in the next four days, the State’s Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare said. The scheme was halted due to the Model Code of Conduct for the Assembly elections.

Snowfall in Himachal leads to closure of 177 roads, Shimla hotel room occupancy rises to 70%

At least 177 roads, including three national highways, were closed in Himachal Pradesh following snowfall in several districts, officials said. Snowfall was recorded in the Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti and the higher reaches of Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Chamba and Sirmaur districts.

Illegal Bangladeshi immigration: Delhi Police arrest eleven; forged Aadhaar, voter ID cards seized

With the arrest of 11 people, Delhi Police on Tuesday (December 24, 2024) claimed to have unearthed a gang involved in the illegal immigration of Bangladeshi nationals. Among those arrested, four are Bangladeshi citizens and the rest were alleg olved in making forged documents, an official said.

BPSC chairman rules out cancellation of December 13 exam, show cause notice served to 34 candidates

Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) Chairman Parmar Ravi Manubhai on Tuesday (December 24, 2024) ruled out cancellation of the 70th Integrated Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024 held earlier this month which got mired in allegations of question paper leak.

India to fund development projects worth ₹2,371 million in Sri Lanka’s eastern province

India is to provide ₹2,371 million to Sri Lanka for 33 development projects in education, health and agriculture sectors in the eastern province, it was announced on Tuesday (December 24, 2024). The Cabinet has approved a proposal to sign an MoU to boost socio-economic development and bilateral ties between the two countries, cabinet spokesman and the Health Minister Nalinda Jayathissa told reporters here.

Ind Women vs WI Women: Harleen’s century fuels 115-run win over West Indies; Hayley’s hundred in vain

Harleen Deol underscored her growing maturity with an impressive maiden hundred, the foundation of India’s 115-run win over the West Indies in the second Women’s ODI in Vadodara. The victory also propelled India to an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Champions Trophy 2025 schedule: India to face Pakistan on February 23 at Dubai

India will play all their league games of the Champions Trophy in Dubai with the marquee clash against arch-rivals Pakistan scheduled on February 23, the International Cricket Council announced on Tuesday (December 24, 2024). India will play all their matches in Dubai including the semifinal and final if they qualify.