TODAY NEWS ON January 27, 2025
News Headlines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants

Source: THE HINDU

National News

• Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in Beijing for talks with Chinese officials
• Republic Day 2025 tableaux: Cheetahs from Kuno, Statue of Unity, Mahakumbh, and more decorate Kartavya Path
• 77,000 witness Republic Day parade; Delhi covered in thick security blanket
• Missile systems at Republic Day parade capture evolving long-range tactical strike options of the military
• MGNREGS stares at fund crunch; no additional allocation forthcoming 
• CBI to step up crackdown on cybercrime syndicates by coordinating with international agencies
• One Nation, One time: Government drafts rules for mandatory adoption of Indian Standard Time across all official, commercial platforms
• Disapproving marriage does not amount to abetment of suicide: Supreme Court
• Four militants held in separate operations in Manipur
• Gukesh crushes Harikrishna, among leaders now

International News

• Trump orders tariffs, visa restrictions on Colombia over rejection of deportation flights
• President Donald Trump says he believes U.S. will get Greenland
• South Korean prosecutors indict impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law
• Israel says it won't complete its withdrawal from Lebanon by January 26
• Around 70 people killed in attack on hospital in Sudan’s Darfur region, WHO chief says
• Southern California rain helps firefighters but creates risk of toxic ash runoff

Headlines in detail
 

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in Beijing for talks with Chinese officials

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri arrived in Beijing on Sunday (January 26, 2025) for a two-day visit during which he will hold talks with Chinese officials, in the second such high-profile visit from India to China in less than one-and-a-half months.

Republic Day 2025 tableaux: Cheetahs from Kuno, Statue of Unity, Mahakumbh, and more decorate Kartavya Path

The 76th Republic Day parade began on the Kartavya Path on Sunday (January 26, 2025) with President Droupadi Murmu taking the salute. New Delhi’s Kartavya Path is graced by the presence of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto who is the chief guest on the occasion for the ceremonial parade. This January 26 carries extra significance as India’s Constitution, which came into effect on this historic day in 1950, completes 75 years. Sixteen tableaux from across States and Union territories and 15 from central Ministries, departments and organisations rolled down the ceremonial boulevard on Sunday (January 26, 2025). The nation showcased its military prowess and rich cultural heritage and displayed a symbolic confluence of “virasat” and “vikas” on Kartavya Path in New Delhi to mark the 76th Republic Day.

77,000 witness Republic Day parade; Delhi covered in thick security blanket

Drawing thousands of people from across the country, the 76th Republic Day celebrations witnessed loud cheers, a sense of pride from parade goers and a thick layer of security in the national capital on Sunday (January 26, 2025). The buzz for the parade on the Kartavya Path began early in the morning as queues started as early as 4 a.m. The Ministry of Defence had issued more than 77,000 passes, including 32,000 passes that were sold and 10,000 special invitees.

Missile systems at Republic Day parade capture evolving long-range tactical strike options of the military

The missile systems showcased on Kartavya Path during this year’s Republic Day parade capture the evolving long-range tactical strike options for the Indian military, especially the Army, the need for which is one of the key lessons from the war in Ukraine.

MGNREGS stares at fund crunch; no additional allocation forthcoming 

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has not received an additional budget for financial year 2024-25, resulting in delay in disbursal wages to workers. As per sources, the Union Rural Development Ministry is falling short of ₹4,315 crore for the wages for which Fund Transfer Order (FTO) has been generated.

CBI to step up crackdown on cybercrime syndicates by coordinating with international agencies

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, will this year further intensify action against cybercriminals operating as syndicates with links in multiple countries. In many cases, “lone wolf” perpetrators have also been found indulging in online frauds using various modus operandi.

One Nation, One time: Government drafts rules for mandatory adoption of Indian Standard Time across all official, commercial platforms

In a move to standardise timekeeping, the government has drafted comprehensive rules mandating the exclusive use of Indian Standard Time (IST) across all official and commercial platforms, with the Consumer Affairs Ministry seeking public feedback by February 14, 2025.
Disapproving marriage does not amount to abetment of suicide: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has said expressing disapproval for marriage does not amount to abetment of suicide under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). A Bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma made the observation while quashing a charge sheet against a woman who was accused of abetting the suicide of another woman who was allegedly in love with her son. The allegations were based on disputes between the deceased and the appellant’s son, who had refused to marry her. The appellant was accused of opposing the marriage and making disparaging remarks against the deceased. The court said even if all evidence on record, including the charge sheet and witness statements, are taken to be correct, there is not an iota of evidence against the appellant.

Four militants held in separate operations in Manipur

Four militants were arrested in separate operations in Manipur’s Imphal West and Churachandpur districts, police said on Sunday (January 26, 2025). Two active members of the proscribed PREPAK (Progressive) were arrested from Langol Type II in Imphal West district on Saturday. They were identified as Sairem Rishikumar Singh (24) and Longjam Nganthoiba Meitei alias Lamngakpa (22). “They were allegedly involved in extortions in Imphal and Thoubal,” police said. Six mobile phones, two .32 pistols along with magazines, five .32 live rounds, five extortion letters, and a four-wheeler were seized from their possession.

Gukesh crushes Harikrishna, among leaders now

World Champion D. Gukesh grabbed the joint lead at Tata Steel masters, outplaying his world championship second P. Harikrishna in the seventh round in Wijk Aan Zee. It was Gukesh’s third victory in the event that put him on course for his maiden title here as he now shares the lead with fellow Indian R Praggnanandhaa and Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan on five points. Praggnanandhaa could not break the defenses of Jorden van Foreest while Anish Giri drew his sixth game on the trot with Abdusattorov.

Trump orders tariffs, visa restrictions on Colombia over rejection of deportation flights

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday (January 26, 2025) that he was ordering tariffs, visa restrictions and other retaliatory measures to be taken against Colombia after its government rejected two flights carrying migrants. Mr. Trump said the measures were necessary, because the decision of Colombian President Gustavo Petro “jeopardized” national security in the U.S.

Russia says captured east Ukrainian town of Velyka Novosilka

Russia on Sunday (January 26, 2025) said its forces had captured the east Ukrainian town of Velyka Novosilka in the embattled Donetsk region, almost three years into their offensive. Russia has made steady advances on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine for months.

President Donald Trump says he believes U.S. will get Greenland

Insisting that Greenland needs to be part of the U.S., President Donald Trump has said that it would be an “unfriendly act” on the part of Denmark if they did not let this happen. Greenland, which is under the control of Denmark, is the world’s largest island. “I think we’re going to have it (Greenland). I think the people want to be with us. As you know, there’s 55,000 people there. They want to be with us,” Mr. Trump told reporters. Mr. Trump's comments come after reports that Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen insisted Greenland was not for sale in a fiery phone call with the U.S. President last week.

South Korean prosecutors indict impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law

South Korean prosecutors on Sunday (January 26, 2025) indicted the impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his imposition of martial law last month, news reports said. Yonhap news agency reported that the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Yoon over rebellion in connection with his December 3 decree that plunged the country into massive political turmoil. Other South Korean media outlets have carried similar reports. Mr. Yoon was earlier impeached and arrested over the martial law decree. The Constitutional Court is separately deliberating whether to formally dismiss Yoon as president or reinstate him.

Israel says it won't complete its withdrawal from Lebanon by January 26

Israel’s military says it won’t complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Sunday (January 26, 2025) as outlined in its ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah militants. The confirmation came Saturday (January 25, 2025) while another fragile ceasefire — between Israel and the Hamas militant group — saw a second release of hostages from Gaza and Palestinian prisoners from Israeli custody. The ceasefire deal for Lebanon gave both sides 60 days to remove their forces from southern Lebanon and for the Lebanese army to move in and secure the area. Israel says Hezbollah and the Lebanese army haven’t met their obligations, while Lebanon accuses the Israeli army of hindering the Lebanese military from taking over.

Around 70 people killed in attack on hospital in Sudan’s Darfur region, WHO chief says

Around 70 people were killed in an attack on the only functional hospital in the besieged city of El Fasher in Sudan, the chief of the World Health Organization said on Sunday (January 26, 2025), part of a series of attacks coming as the African nation’s civil war escalated in recent days. The attack on the Saudi Teaching Maternal Hospital, which local officials blamed on the rebel Rapid Support Forces, came as the group has seen apparent battlefield losses to the Sudanese military and allied forces under the command of army chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan. That includes Burhan appearing near a burning oil refinery north of Khartoum on Saturday that his forces said they seized from the RSF.

Southern California rain helps firefighters but creates risk of toxic ash runoff

After weeks of windy and dry weather, rain has fallen in parched Southern California and is expected to aid firefighters who are mopping up multiple wildfires. But potentially heavy downpours on charred hillsides could bring new troubles such as toxic ash runoff. Los Angeles County crews spent much of the past week removing vegetation, shoring up slopes and reinforcing roads in devastated areas of the Palisades and Eaton fires, which reduced entire neighborhoods to rubble and ash after breaking out during powerful winds January 7. Most of the region was forecast to get around an inch (about 2.5 centimeters) of precipitation over several days, but “the threat is high enough to prepare for the worst-case scenario” of localized cloudbursts causing mud and debris to flow down hills, the National Weather Service said on social media.