NEWS AN LIVE

President Droupadi Murmu extended New Year's Eve greetings, urging citizens to work towards unity and excellence. Highlighting the new year as a time for fresh hopes and aspirations, she encouraged everyone to move forward with renewed energy to achieve their goals. She emphasized celebrating with joy and enthusiasm to advance the nation and society.

Nutty Village, a startup in Unnao, will introduce coffee and barbeque flavored peanut butters to honor late US President Jimmy Carter's support of peanut farming and rural development. The company works with local farmers and women's self-help groups to improve livelihoods.

A pan-India home buyers organization has called on the consumer affairs department to establish guidelines for real estate advertising. It flagged that 34% of real estate ads examined by ASCI were misleading, with Maharashtra RERA's average penalty of Rs 14,000-15,000 insufficient to deter violators.

Reflecting on significant global events of 2024: a devastating tsunami hit Japan, the EU approved an AI regulation, Narendra Modi secured a third term, Donald Trump returned to the White House despite assassination attempts, Syrian rebels ended Bashar al-Assad's rule, and the UK saw Labour topple Conservatives.

The government's new ropeway projects to Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib face scrutiny as current protests by stakeholders at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine highlight the risk to local livelihoods. An inter-ministerial panel is likely to review these projects, with potential inclusion of relief and rehabilitation measures for affected individuals.

Gah, an obscure village in Pakistan, gained recognition in 2004 due to its native Dr Manmohan Singh becoming India’s PM. Singh’s connection to Gah catalyzed development and fostered cross-border relations. Despite enduring painful memories of Partition, Singh's efforts brought significant enhancements to the village infrastructure.

The road transport ministry mandates road agencies to paint speed limits and vehicle logos on pavements every 10 km to guide drivers on expressways and highways. New guidelines coming into force in February 2025 also require larger signs at frequent intervals, highlighting speed limits, exit points, no parking areas, and lane information for safer driving.

The Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed that the government will allocate space for a memorial for former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Union Minister Amit Shah communicated this decision to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Singh's family. This response followed criticism from Congress regarding the planned cremation at Nigambodh Ghat, describing it as an insult to Singh's legacy.

Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed her condolences on X for former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, praising his honesty, egalitarianism, and dedication to serving India amidst personal attacks. Singh, known for his role in India's economic reforms, passed away at AIIMS Delhi at age 92 after age-related health issues.

In the Anna University sexual assault case, Gnanasekaran allegedly intimidated and threatened his victim. The NCW has condemned the incident and demanded strict action, citing his habitual offences. Political parties criticized the police for disclosing the victim's identity, while Tamil Nadu lawmakers assured swift action against the accused, disassociating him from the DMK.

Mani Shankar Aiyar reveals in his book how Dr. Manmohan Singh, after undergoing multiple coronary bypasses in 2012, never fully recovered, affecting his governance. Aiyar suggests that Pranab Mukherjee should have taken over as PM, with Singh elevated to President in 2012. Singh's key achievements include MGNREGA, RTI Act, and National Food Security Act.

The Election Commission has refuted Congress's concerns over the voter turnout increase in Maharashtra by providing detailed clarifications. It explained that interim data might not reflect the final voter count, emphasized the statutory process, and addressed allegations regarding electoral roll additions and deletions.

Home Minister Amit Shah emphasised using technology in implementing new criminal laws, focusing on generating alerts for criminal cases stages, aiding victims and complainants. He highlighted integrating software and databases, adopting biometric tech, and continuous monitoring for effective law enforcement.

The road transport and highways ministry plans to directly manage the construction and maintenance of national highways instead of relying on state PWDs to speed up the process. Initially, states like Karnataka and Punjab might be included. However, this move may face challenges due to states' roles in land acquisition and forest clearances.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal criticised the central government for excluding Delhi's tableau from the Republic Day parade, alleging political motivations. He questioned the BJP's vision for Delhi's upcoming assembly elections, highlighting their focus on attacking him instead of presenting a constructive narrative. Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva countered, accusing Kejriwal of politicizing national events and deflecting from real issues.

Jammu and Kashmir Police attached a property belonging to Zia ul Rehman, a Pakistan-based terrorist handler, in Rajouri district. The attached land, measuring over 19 marlas, was connected to a 2021 case. This action reflects the ongoing crackdown on terrorism and its financial networks operating from across the border.

A car attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, left five dead and over 60 injured, including nearly seven Indian nationals. Three of the injured Indians have been discharged. A 50-year-old Saudi doctor is under investigation. Saudi Arabia expressed solidarity with Germany and condemned the violence.

Two alleged drug traffickers, Jaswinder Singh and Jarnial Singh, were apprehended in Bishnah, Jammu, with 265 grams of a heroin-like substance, a pistol, and ammunition. Police intercepted their vehicle at a checkpoint acting on a tip-off. Both men have prior criminal records, with multiple FIRs lodged against them in various Jammu police stations. An investigation is underway.

A Coimbatore resident paid ₹80,000 in ₹1 and ₹2 coins towards interim alimony ordered by the additional family court. The court directed him to pay the amount in notes. He complied the next day and was further directed to pay the remaining ₹1.2 lakh soon.

Vijay Mallya, on his 69th birthday, criticized the Indian government for recovering over double his debt of ₹6,203 crores. He questioned the recovery of ₹14,131.6 crores and demanded relief. Mallya also denied criminal charges related to IDBI Bank loans, claiming full repayment. He found support from Lalit Modi, who wished him a happy birthday.

Tragedy struck Mumbai Harbour as an Indian Navy speedboat collided with a civilian ferry, resulting in 13 fatalities. The Navy vessel, undergoing engine trials, reportedly suffered a technical malfunction, leading to the collision with the Neel Kamal ferry near Karanja. Swift rescue operations involving Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Police saved 99 passengers.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah's Rajya Sabha address on the Constitution's 75th anniversary sparked a strong reaction from Congress. They labeled his speech as "full of lies," accusing him of praising PM Modi and attacking Congress. Party leaders Kharge, Ramesh, and Singh challenged Shah's claims, citing inaccuracies regarding Ambedkar's statue, Nehru's policies, and the situation in J&K.

The Allahabad high court granted anticipatory bail to Sushil Singhania, uncle of Nikita Singhania, in the suicide case of AI engineer Atul Subhash. Nikita, her mother, and brother were arrested for alleged abetment. Singhania's lawyer argued his client's poor health and that allegations pointed to harassment, not abetment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged state chief secretaries to lead business reforms, reduce bureaucracy, and attract overseas investment. He emphasized developing tier-2 and tier-3 cities, leveraging their unique strengths to create employment opportunities through increased investment.

During a Lok Sabha debate commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Indian Constitution, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the Congress party's slogan "Garibi Hatao" (Eradicate Poverty) as the "biggest jumla" (false promise) in Indian history. He argued that while the slogan benefited the Congress politically, it failed to uplift the poor, contrasting it with his government's poverty alleviation initiatives.

The NIA filed charges against Hakam Khan for his involvement in the June 9 Reasi bus attack that killed nine and injured 41. Khan allegedly provided logistical support, including food and shelter, to three terrorists and helped them choose the attack location. Two Pakistan-based LeT commanders are suspected of orchestrating the attack.

A Lucknow court summoned Rahul Gandhi for trial on January 10, 2025, following a complaint about his remarks on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. Gandhi allegedly called Savarkar a "British servant" during a press conference in 2022, distributing pamphlets that allegedly tarnished Savarkar's image. The court found sufficient grounds to proceed with the trial for promoting enmity and public mischief.

A Delhi court will decide on December 19 whether to transfer the terror-funding case against newly elected MP Engineer Rashid to a special court. Rashid, jailed since 2019, won the Baramulla seat in the 2024 elections. The NIA alleges Rashid's involvement with Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin in a conspiracy to wage war against India and create unrest in Kashmir.

The Supreme Court urged the Delhi High Court Bar Association to find solutions for women's reservation in its elections, suggesting it could be a model for other bar bodies. The court will review proposed solutions next week, while concerns were raised about potential delays to other bar association elections due to the reservation issue.

Maharashtra's opposition INDIA bloc will challenge the recent assembly election results in the Supreme Court, alleging EVM manipulation. Following a meeting with Arvind Kejriwal and Abhishek Singhvi, NCP leader Prashant Jagtap announced the decision. This comes after over 20 losing opposition candidates questioned the EVMs' integrity, citing discrepancies between polled votes and declared results.

An 18-year-old intermediate student in Eluru secretly gave birth to a baby boy in her hostel room and allegedly threw the infant from the upper floor. The baby was found dead in a neighboring house. Police are investigating whether the baby was stillborn or died after the fall, and how the girl concealed her pregnancy.

INDIA bloc parties are preparing to submit a resolution to remove Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, alleging bias and disruption of proceedings. This unprecedented move follows repeated clashes over discussion topics and allegations of the chairman silencing opposition voices. While unlikely to succeed due to lack of numbers, the opposition aims to highlight their concerns about parliamentary procedures.