During the 23rd Special Representatives meeting (SRs) of India-China, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs. The meeting was held in Beijing on Wednesday (December 16). It is viewed as a major move towards bilateral talks between the two nations. The meeting followed after a five-year hiatus focused to rebuild political trust and address the long standing boundary dispute, resurfacing by the four-year long military standoff at the LAC. With 2024 marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between India-China,…
Author: Abhiruchi Saran
Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement on Wednesday (December 18) from international cricket following the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Brisbane. The announcement came during a post-match press conference, where Ashwin addressed the media alongside Indian skipper Rohit Sharma after the game ended in a draw. He played in the second Test of the ongoing five-match series in Australia, but was replaced by fellow spinner Ravindra Jadeja for the third Test in Brisbane. In a glittering career spanning 14 years, Ashwin has taken 775 wickets, making him the second-highest wicket-taker for India, behind only Anil Kumble (953…
New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee bid goodbye from international cricket on Tuesday, bringing an end to a distinguished career that spanned over 17 years. The 35-year-old’s emotional farewell came after playing a pivotal role in New Zealand’s 423-run win in the third and final Test of a home series against England at Seddon Park in Hamilton. Southee brought an end to his career with 391 Test wickets in 203 innings, finishing second only to Hadlee, who has 431 wickets at the top of the all-time wicket-takers list for New Zealand. In his final innings, Southee picked two wickets, which…
India and Bangladesh commemorated the 53rd anniversary of the Vijay Diwas jointly on Monday (December 16). Vijay Diwas is celebrated, marking the day when India attained a decisive victory over Pakistan in 1971, resulting in the liberation of Bangladesh. The Diwas is annually observed with the exchange of greetings between war veterans and serving officers. This historic victory not only secured India’s victory over Pakistan but also paved the way for the birth of Bangladesh as an independent nation. India’s role encompassed military intervention, training of the Mukti Bahini (Bangladeshi freedom fighters), and direct support, culminating in the surrender of…
The Lok Sabha on Thursday (December 13) passed the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill 2024, amidst winter session chaos in both the houses of Parliament, over various issues ranging from Adani bribery case to the no-confidence motion against Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, . The amendment bill seeks to strengthen the efficiency of India’s disaster management framework. The proposed legislation empowers the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMA), instead of the National Executive Committee and State Executive Committee, to formulate and execute disaster preparedness and response strategies. Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill 2024 Introduced on August 1, 2024 in…
A special bench of the Supreme Court is hearing an array of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of certain provisions of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. On Thursday (December 12), a three-bench judge comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K.V. Viswanathan heard the matter. The court was informed that 18 suits are currently pending across the country against 10 mosques or shrines. Supreme Court’s direction The Supreme Court directed all the trial courts in the country barring them from issuing any interim or final orders, including those permitting surveys, in ongoing…
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announced nine major infrastructure projects worth Rs 30,000 crore at the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit 2024 in Jaipur on Tuesday (December 10). Road infrastructure projects Addressing a session on the second day of the Summit, Minister Gadkari urged Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma to allocate 40 percent of the developed land adjacent to the proposed North Jaipur bypass to farmers, a move that would would significantly enhance them financially.Gadkari emphasized on the role of robust road infrastructure in boosting Rajasthan’s tourism sector. Elaborating on the nine projects, the minister…
Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Union Minister SM Krishna passed away on Tuesday (December 10) morning at his residence in Sadashivnagar, at the age of 92. The Karnataka government has declared a three-day state mourning, from December 10 to 12, following his demise. According to the notification, schools, colleges and government offices will remain closed tomorrow. Krishna had been suffering from a prolonged illness and was earlier hospitalized in August. His mortal remains will be kept at his residence all day for public darshan and the funeral will take place at 4pm, with full state honours on Wednesday (December 11),…
Over 25 lakh senior citizens have enrolled for the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card, in less than a span of two months since its launch, marking a significant milestone. The card is launched by the government of India under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) health scheme. According to the official press release, treatments worth more than Rs 40 crore have been availed since the card was launched, which has benefitted more than 22,000 senior citizens aged 70 years and above. This entailed treatments of multiple conditions including coronary angioplasty and cataract surgery among others. What is…
Delhi experienced its coldest night of the season on Thursday as it witnessed a significant drop in mercury levels with the minimum temperature recorded at 8.5°C. The temperature held steady on the subsequent morning at 8:30 AM on Friday, signaling the commencement of the winter season. The figure represents a decline of nearly four degrees compared to Wednesday night, when the minimum temperature was recorded at 12.5 degrees Celsius, attributing it to the prevailing cold north westerly winds across the region. A shallow fog enveloped the city, intensifying the chill. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a forecast indicating that…
