LIVE: India needs to break free from narrow views of past, says PM Modi

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Pope Francis appeals to call off senseless Ukraine war, express solidarity

Pope Francis during his traditional Christmas message on Sunday appealed to put an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine and said that it is time to express solidarity and assist all those who are suffering.

Describing the war as "senseless", the head of the Roman Catholic Church urged to put an immediate end to the ongoing aggression that took uncountable lives. The Pope delivered his message from St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.

IB interrogating people who interacted with Rahul Gandhi: Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday alleged that those who interacted with Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra are being questioned by the Intelligence Bureau.

Denying any secrecy pertaining to the Yatra, the Congress leader also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah alleging that the two leaders are "nervous".

"IB is questioning many people who during #BharatJodoYatra had a conversation with @RahulGandhi. The detectives are asking all kinds of questions and want copies of the memorandum submitted to them. Nothing is secret about the yatra but clearly, Modi and Shah are nervous" Ramesh tweeted, roughly translated from Hindi.

Gujarat victory will have 'positive impact' on 2024 Lok Sabha polls: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday noted that the BJP's massive victory in the recently concluded Gujarat Assembly polls will change the "entire political picture", while also confiding that it will have a "positive impact" on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Citing the historic win of the BJP in 2022 in which the party bagged the most number of seats breaking its own and state's best record, Shah said that the results were a testimony of Gujarat being a "stronghold" of the party.

The Home Minister's remarks came while addressing the felicitation program of newly-elected MLAs organized by Surat City and District BJP virtually on Sunday.

9:36 PM

Drone shot down over bomber base in Russia

Moscow said on Monday its forces had shot down a Ukrainian drone close to a long-range bomber base deep inside Russia, while Ukraine said Russian artillery had unleashed heavy barrages on its cities in the past 24 hours.

 

8:19 PM

Zelenskyy dials PM Modi, seeks help with ‘peace formula’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday dialed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought India’s help with implementing a “peace formula”.  He also wished PM Modi for ‘India’s successful G20 presidency’.

 

6:57 PM

Mock drill will be conducted throughout country at all Covid hospitals on Dec 27: Union Health Minister

5:53 PM

Union Health Minister holds a virtual meeting with IMA regarding Covid situation and preparedness

Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya holds a virtual meeting with Indian Medical Association regarding Covid-19 situation and preparedness.

5:18 PM

Testing has started because of rising cases of COVID worldwide

"Random COVID-19 testing has started at various airports across the country in the wake of rising cases of #COVID globally," tweets Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya.

 

4:25 PM

Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' takes oath as Nepal's new prime minister

Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" was on Monday sworn in as the Prime Minister of Nepal for a third time, a day after President Bidya Devi Bhandari appointed him as the new premier.

The 68-year-old former guerrilla leader was appointed as the country's new prime minister after he submitted a letter to the president showing the support of 169 members in the 275-member House of Representatives. Prachanda took oath from President Bhandari at an official ceremony at Shital Niwas.

4:24 PM

Unfunded pension schemes are attack on future generations: EAC-PM member Sanyal on OPS revival

Concerned over revival of Old Pension Scheme by certain opposition-ruled states, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) member Sanjeev Sanyal on Monday said unfunded pension schemes are ultimately attacks on future generations.

Sanyal further said given the current stress in the global economy and the repeated downgrades done to the world GDP growth numbers by international agencies, it is quite obvious that 2023 will also be a difficult period.

"It should be very clear that unfunded pension schemes are ultimately attacks on future generations. Therefore, one should be very, very careful to reverse pension reforms that have been done with great difficulty over the last couple of decades," he told PTI in an interview.

 

4:22 PM

Mahagathbandhan' cries foul over CBI reopening case against Lalu

The ruling Mahagathbandhan' in Bihar on Monday cried foul over reports of a corruption case being reopened against Lalu Prasad, the founding president of the RJD which helms the alliance.

The central agency which is often accused, by parties opposed to the BJP, of having become a political instrument in the hands of the party ruling the Centre, has reopened inquiry into a case against Prasad which it had closed last year.

Former state minister and senior RJD leader Vijay Prakash recalled the caged parrot remark of the Supreme Court, made long back while the Congress-led UPA was in power, to allege misuse of the agency by the government at the Centre. "We are sure that Lalu ji, who has been slapped with so many cases by the CBI, will be proven innocent in all matters, including the latest one," Prakash told PTI.

 

2:52 PM

India needs to break free from narrow views of past to achieve heights of success: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India needs to break free from the "narrow views" of the past to take the country to heights of success.

Speaking at the first 'Veer Bal Diwas' event, Modi paid tributes to Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, Guru Gobind Singh's sons who laid down their lives while defending their faith.

"On the one hand there was terrorism and on the other spiritualism. On one hand there was communal violence while on the other there was liberalism. On one hand there were forces of lakhs while on the other there were just Veer Sahibzaade who did not budge at all," he said referring to the two martyred children of the Guru.

"Aurangzeb and his people wanted to convert the religion of Guru Gobind Singh's children on the basis of sword that is why he decided to kill the two innocent children. Imagine that era when against the terror of Aurangzeb, against his plans to change India, Guru Gobind Singh ji stood like a mountain," he said.

 

2:32 PM

UK to stop publishing infections data in new year for 'living with COVID' phase

UK health authorities said on Monday that they will stop publishing their regular Covid-19 infections modelling data in the new year because it is seen as no longer necessary as the country moves to a phase of living with the virus with the help of vaccines and medicines.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it will continue to monitor Covid like other common viral illnesses such as seasonal flu. Since April this year, the data on the reproductive rate, or the R value speed at which the novel coronavirus infects people, has been published fortnightly as a monitoring tool.

During the pandemic, the R value and growth rate served as a useful and simple indicator to inform public health action and government decisions, said Dr Nick Watkins, chair of the UKHSA Epidemiology Modelling Review Group (EMRG).

 

2:19 PM

Chinese authorities racing to vaccinate elderly, but many appear reluctant

Chinese authorities are going door to door and paying people older than 60 to get vaccinated against Covid-19. But even as cases surge, 64-year-old Li Liansheng said his friends are alarmed by stories of fevers, blood clots and other side effects.

When people hear about such incidents, they may not be willing to take the vaccines, said Li, who had been vaccinated before he caught COVID-19. A few days after his 10-day bout with the virus, Li is nursing a sore throat and cough. He said it was like a normal cold with a mild fever.

China has joined other countries in treating cases instead of trying to stamp out virus transmission by dropping or easing rules on testing, quarantines and movement as it tries to reverse an economic slump. But the shift has flooded hospitals with feverish, wheezing patients.

The National Health Commission announced a campaign Nov. 29 to raise the vaccination rate among older Chinese, which health experts say is crucial to avoiding a health care crisis. It's also the biggest hurdle before the ruling Communist Party can lift the last of the world's most stringent antivirus restrictions.

(Source: AP)

 

2:07 PM

Intense cold, fog hit normal life in many parts of north India

Intense cold and fog have hit normal life in several parts of north India. Many people are forced to remain inside their homes and keep themselves warm. 

On Monday, sub-zero temperatures were recorded in Fatehpur area of Rajasthan's Sikar district. It recorded a minimum temperature of minus 0.5 degree Celsius, the coldest place in the state.

Fatehpur was followed by Churu and Pilani (Jhunjhunu) where the mercury settled at 0 degree Celsius and 0.2 degree Celsius, respectively, on Sunday night, according to the meteorological department.

 

 

1:47 PM

South Korea fires warning shots after North drones cross border

South Korea says it fired warning shots after North Korean drones violated the South's airspace,according to AP.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said several unmanned North Korean drones crossed the inter-Korean border and were detected in the South's territory on Monday. It's the first time for North Korean drones to enter South Korean airspace since 2017.

Monday's incident came three days after South Korea said North Korea test-launched two short-range ballistic missiles in its latest weapons tests.

1:45 PM

Five elephants brought to MP's Pench Reserve from K'taka to guard tigers

Five elephants have been brought to Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Madhya Pradesh from Karnataka for the protection of tigers.

The five elephants started their journey via road in trucks from Dubare Elephant Camp at Coorg in Karnataka on December 22 under the supervision of the Satpura Tiger Reserve's staff, PTR deputy director Rajneesh Singh said.

They reached the Kurai Mowgli Sanctuary of PTR on Sunday after travelling via Nagpur. Their food items were also transported in a truck, the official said.

 

1:10 PM

Centre should declare 'Karnataka-occupied Maharashtra' as Union Territory: Uddhav Thackeray

Former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray says the Centre should declare "Karnataka-occupied Maharashtra" areas as Union territory.

Speaking in the in the legislative council on the raging boundary dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said it is not just a case of language and border but of "humanity". He said the Marathi-speaking people have been living in the border villages for generations. Their daily life, language and lifestyle is Marathi, he added.

Till the issue is pending before the Supreme Court, the "Karnataka-occupied Maharashtra should be declared a Union territory by the central government," he said.