TODAY NEWS ON January 31, 2025

News Headlines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants

National News

• Opposition demands debate on Maha Kumbh tragedy
• Canada says its inquiry commission did not acquit India on links to Nijjar killing
• INSV Tarini crosses Point Nemo, the Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility in South Pacific
• Expect restoration of Statehood in this Parliament session: National Conference
• Congo’s leader calls for massive military mobilization as Rwanda-backed rebels expand their control
• Election Commission asks Kejriwal not to mix increased ammonia levels with poisoning
• Business Advisory Committee to decide on issues to be discussed in Budget Session: Rijiju
• Waqf panel: Complete mockery of Parliamentary traditions; farce, says Jairam Ramesh
• Three killed, 16 injured as slab collapses at JK Cement unit in Panna

International News

• U.S. aircraft collides with chopper; 67 dead
• Trump blames diversity hires under Obama, Biden for lowering air safety standards
• Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in Syria, met by interim President Sharaa
• Hamas frees 8 more hostages but Israel puts prisoner release on hold after chaotic handover
• Iraqi man who carried out several Quran burnings in Sweden, shot dead
• Trump files formal notice of plan to appeal hush money conviction
• Japanese automaker Nissan says it plans job and production cuts in the U.S.

Headlines in detail

U.S. aircraft collides with chopper; 67 dead

U.S. President Donald Trump — speaking as the bodies of 67 people were pulled from Washington’s Potomac River — launched an extraordinary political attack Thursday (January 30, 2025) blaming diversity hires for the midair collision between an airliner and a military helicopter.

Opposition demands debate on Maha Kumbh tragedy

Opposition parties, criticising the government for withholding information on the stampede at the Maha Kumbh, and the U.P. government’s alleged focus on VIP visits to Prayagraj rather than crowd control, called for a discussion on the tragedy during the upcoming Budget session of Parliament, at the all-party meeting on Thursday (January 30, 2025).

Trump blames diversity hires under Obama, Biden for lowering air safety standards

U.S. President Donald Trump — speaking as the bodies of 67 people were pulled from Washington’s Potomac River — launched an extraordinary political attack Thursday (January 30, 2025) blaming diversity hires for the midair collision between an airliner and a military helicopter.

Canada says its inquiry commission did not acquit India on links to Nijjar killing

Canada on Thursday (January 30, 2025) rejected a news report, which claimed that an inquiry commission had found “no foreign link” in the killing of Khalistani activist Harjit Singh Nijjar, calling the reports incorrect. The inquiry commission, headed by a judge, Marie-Josée Hogue, was set up in September 2023, and was meant to look into allegations by the Justin Trudeau government of “disinformation” and “misinformation” by foreign powers that had in some way affected the outcome of Canada’s electoral processes.

INSV Tarini crosses Point Nemo, the Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility in South Pacific

In the ongoing voyage for global circumnavigation by two Indian Navy women officers under Navika Sagar Parikrama-II, the duo of Lt. Cdr. Dilna K. and Lt. Cdr. Roopa A., onboard sailing vessel INSV Tarini, successfully passed through Point Nemo at 12.30 a.m. IST on Thursday (January 30) during the leg of sailing from Lyttelton, New Zealand, to Port Stanley, Falkland Islands.

Expect restoration of Statehood in this Parliament session: National Conference

The National Conference (NC) on Thursday (January 30, 2025) expressed the hope that the upcoming Parliament session will see the restoration of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in Syria, met by interim President Sharaa

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani arrived in Damascus on Thursday (January 30, 2025) and was welcomed by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Qatari court said. The Emir is the first head of State to visit Syria since Bashar al-Assad’s ouster.

Congo’s leader calls for massive military mobilization as Rwanda-backed rebels expand their control

Congo’s leader called for a massive military mobilization to help fight Rwanda-backed rebels who were attempting to seize more territory in the country’s east, as a crucial meeting of neighbours asked the Congolese government to talk with the rebels. Rwanda’s leader also threatened to “deal” with any confrontation with South Africa regarding the conflict.

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Election Commission asks Kejriwal not to mix increased ammonia levels with poisoning

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday wrote to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, asking him to not mix the issue of increased Ammonia levels in Yamuna water with that of poisoning. The ECI also said that Mr. Kejriwal’s response to their previous letter on the charges does not specify any evidence regarding the poisoning of river Yamuna. The ECI also asked him to provide factual evidence with information on the type, quantity, nature and manner of poisoning of the Yamuna.

Business Advisory Committee to decide on issues to be discussed in Budget Session: Rijiju

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday urged all parties to ensure that the Budget Session of Parliament is productive and said that the Business Advisory Committee will decide on the issues that will be taken up for discussion. Asked about the opposition’s demand for a discussion on the stampede at the Maha Kumbh, which claimed 30 lives, the Minister said the decision will be taken by the committee.

Waqf panel: Complete mockery of Parliamentary traditions; farce, says Jairam Ramesh

The Opposition expressed strong protests at an all-party meeting against the functioning of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf Amendment Bill, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on Thursday, claiming that such panels have been reduced to a “farce”. The government convened a meeting of floor leaders of all political parties ahead of the Budget session of the Parliament. “It has made a complete mockery of all Parliamentary traditions and practices. Such Committees used to be a force to be reckoned with — now they have been reduced to be a farce to be reckoned with,” the Congress general secretary in-charge communications said.

Three killed, 16 injured as slab collapses at JK Cement unit in Panna

Three people were killed and 16 others were injured after a slab of an under-construction portion of JK Cement’s plant in Madhya Pradesh’s Panna district, a senior police officer said. The incident took place at the factory located near Amaanganj town around 12 noon and rescue operations were underway, said Panna Superintendent of Police Sai Krishna S. Thota.

Hamas frees 8 more hostages but Israel puts prisoner release on hold after chaotic handover

Hamas-led militants freed eight hostages on Thursday as part of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, but the chaotic handover of some of the captives, who masked militants shuttled through a rowdy crowd of thousands, drew an angry protest from Israel. Israel was supposed to release 110 Palestinian prisoners later in the day, including around 30 serving life sentences for deadly attacks against Israelis. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the move was put on hold until the “safe release” of hostages can be assured.

Iraqi man who carried out several Quran burnings in Sweden, shot dead

An Iraqi refugee and anti-Islam campaigner was shot dead in Sweden hours before he was due to receive a court verdict following a trial over burning the Quran, and five people were arrested over the shooting. The five were arrested in connection with the incident late on Wednesday (Jan. 29) and ordered detained by a prosecutor, Swedish police said on their website. They did not say if the shooter was among those detained.

Trump files formal notice of plan to appeal hush money conviction

U.S. President Donald Trump’s lawyers on Wednesday formally notified a New York state court of Trump’s intent to appeal his criminal conviction on charges stemming from hush money paid to a porn star. In the notice, Mr. Trump’s lawyers said they would appeal both the jury’s May 30, 2024, guilty verdict and Justice Juan Merchan’s January 10, 2025, sentence of unconditional discharge to a mid-level state appeals court.

Japanese automaker Nissan says it plans job and production cuts in the U.S.

Nissan is slashing production at its U.S. plants and offering buyouts to factory workers there as part of the Japanese automaker’s urgent efforts to return to profitability. The move is part of Nissan Motor Corp.’s plans, announced two months ago, to slash 9,000 jobs globally, including in China, after it racked up a quarterly loss due to sinking sales and ballooning inventory.