THE HEADLINES:
- Nation today pays tributes to security personnel and victims of terrorist attack on Parliament on 13th December 2001; Vice President C P Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Ministers pay floral tributes to Martyrs at Parliament House.
- Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan asserts Indian Defence forces are committed to adapting to changing environment and imbibing reforms to remain ready and relevant.
- In Kerala local body elections, opposition United Democratic Front and ruling Left Democratic Front lead in most of the districts; BJP led NDA takes significant lead in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
- Three members of the US House of Representatives introduce a resolution to overturn President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration, enabling tariffs of up to 50 percent, on imports from India.
- And in Squash World Cup, India to take on Egypt in semifinals in Chennai this afternoon.
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The nation today pays tribute to the security personnel and victims who lost their lives while defending the Parliament during terrorist attack 24 years ago on 13th December 2001.
Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Jitendra Singh, Kiren Rijiju, Arjun Ram Meghwal paid floral tributes to the Martyrs at the Parliament House. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Senior Congress Leader Sonia Gandhi and other Members of the Parliament also paid floral tributes to the Martyrs.
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In a social media post, the President Droupadi Murmu said the nation salutes the courage, valour and sacrifice of the heroes whose devotion to duty continues to guide India’s national spirit. She added that the country remains forever indebted to the martyrs and their families. The President also reaffirmed India’s firm resolve to fight terrorism in all its forms.
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Dr L Murugan paid homage to the brave security personnel who laid down their lives while protecting Parliament during the terrorist attack on this day in 2001. In a social media post, Mr Shah remembered the indomitable valour and courage of the security forces at that time. He added that the nation will forever remain indebted to the sacrifice and martyrdom of the heroic warriors.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted how the brave security personnel stood as an unbreakable shield during the cowardly terror attack on Parliament House. He said that their courage, supreme sacrifice and unwavering sense of duty will forever live in the nation’s conscience and inspire the country’s resolve.
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said that their bravery reinforces the nation’s determination to eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr L. Murugan also said that the supreme sacrifice of soldiers in the line of duty has protected the sanctity of the country’s democracy and upheld the nation’s sovereignty.
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Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan has asserted that the Indian Defence forces are committed to adapting to changing environment and imbibing reforms to remain ready and relevant. General Anil Chauhan said war and warfare is at the tip of a major revolution. Addressing the Combined Graduation Parade (CGP) of 216th Course held at the Air Force Academy at Dundigal near Hyderabad today, the CDS said India’s strength rests on robust institutions, democratic stability, and unwavering professionalism of the Armed Forces. General Chouhan said the intensity of operations may have subsided, but Operation Sindoor continues.
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The Indian Army has been strengthened with 491 new young officers today. A grand Passing Out Parade was held at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. More details from our correspondent:
“The parade was held in front of the historic Chetwode Building at the Indian Military Academy, where a total of 525 Gentleman Cadets took the ‘Antim Pag’ to become commissioned officers of the Army. Among them were 34 cadets from friendly foreign countries, who will now join the armed forces of their respective nations after completing their training. The parade was reviewed by the Chief of the Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi, as the Reviewing Officer. On this occasion, the young cadets displayed exemplary discipline, dedication, and military pride. Set against the backdrop of rich military traditions and heritage, the ceremony was filled with a strong spirit of patriotism. For overall excellence during training, the prestigious Sword of Honour was awarded to Nishkal Dwivedi. Officer Cadet Nishkal Dwivedi also secured first position in the Order of Merit and received the Gold Medal. Badal Yadav stood second, while Kamaljeet Singh secured third place and was awarded the Bronze Medal. Sakshi Singh, Akashvani News, Dehradun.”
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The joint military exercise Harimau Shakti 2025 between India and Malaysia is underway at the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan and will continue until December 18. According to the Indian Army, troops from both sides are conducting intensive joint training to enhance interoperability and operational readiness. Key activities include counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism drills, joint patrolling, ambush techniques, heliborne operations, and slithering from MI-17 helicopters.
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In Kerala local body elections, opposition United Democratic Front and ruling Left Democratic Front are leading in most of the districts. While, BJP led NDA has made significant lead in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. The election results, which are still unfolding, indicate a highly competitive race between the LDF and UDF, while the NDA has also made its strong presence felt in certain regions.
In the six city corporations, ruling LDF is trailing in all Corporations except Kozhikode. NDA is leading in Thiruvannathapuram as NDA has emerged as a notable contender, showing gains in the city, suggesting a shift in political dynamics.
Across the 36 municipalities, the UDF is leading in 14 as per the latest information.
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BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda today laid the foundation stone of the party’s new state office, near Shimla. Upon his arrival at the foundation stone laying site, party workers accorded him a grand welcome. Mr Nadda participated in the traditional foundation stone laying ceremony, which lasted for about 45 minutes, and thereafter unveiled the foundation stone plaque. The programme was conducted with Vedic chanting by five priests.
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Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah will attend the closing ceremony of the Bastar Olympics in Chhattisgarh today. The event will be held this afternoon in Jagdalpur, the divisional headquarters of Bastar. This marks the second edition of the Bastar Olympics. Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Raipur last night. More details from our correspondent.
h, more than three lakh ninety-one thousand players had registered this year. The competitions were organised in three phases, with athletes from all seven districts of Bastar division participating. Nearly three thousand five hundred players are taking part in the divisional-level events being held in the final phase, including surrendered Naxalites and sportspersons affected by Naxal violence. This Olympic event shows the positive changes taking place in Bastar as the region moving towards becoming free from Naxal problem. It is also emerging as an excellent platform for the young players of this tribal area, helping them get recognition at the state and national levels. Vikalp Shukla, Akashvani News, Raipur.”
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a bilateral visit to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan from December 15 to 16 at the invitation of His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein. The visit, Prime Minister Modi’s first full-fledged bilateral engagement with Jordan, coincides with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and comes amid sustained high-level political engagement between New Delhi and Amman. A report:
India and Jordan have consistently aligned their positions against extremism, terrorism and radicalisation in all forms and manifestations. Both countries have been victims of terrorism and have underlined the need for collective action and zero tolerance towards violent extremism. King Abdullah II’s Amman Message, which rejects Takfiri ideology and misuse of religion to justify violence, resonates with India’s long-standing policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism. During King Abdullah II’s visit to India in 2018, when Jordan was at the forefront of the fight against ISIS, Prime Minister Modi and the Jordanian King jointly addressed a major conference on “Islamic Heritage: Promoting Understanding and Moderation” at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The initiative was widely seen as a significant step in reinforcing the shared commitment of India and Jordan to counter extremist narratives. This is Vinod Kumar, for Akashvani News from Amman.
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Three members of the US House of Representatives have introduced a resolution to overturn President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration that enabled tariffs of up to 50 percent, on imports from India. The resolution called the measures illegal and harmful to American workers, consumers, and bilateral ties. Lawmakers Deborah Ross, Marc Veasey, and Raja Krishnamoorthi said the duties imposed under emergency powers in August are illegal, damage US-India ties, and raise costs for American consumers. The resolution aims to cancel the additional 25 percent secondary tariffs placed on Indian goods on 27th of August, which came on top of an earlier 25 percent levy.
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In West Bengal, during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, massive irregularities have been detected in the 2002 voter list during progeny-mapping or identification of new voters based on the names of parents or relatives. Although the first phase of the SIR has ended, the Election Commission continues to cross-check and repeatedly scrutinize the submitted forms. During this process, information about these “logical discrepancies” has come to light, according to data released by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer of the state.
It has been found that the names of fathers of 85 lakhs 1thousand and 486 voters are incorrect or mismatched, which accounts for 11.09 per cent of the total voters.
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Football star Lionel Messi’s brief visit to Kolkata ended in chaos after angry fans breached security at the Salt Lake Stadium today. Messi appeared for barely 22 minutes, leaving thousands of spectators disappointed after failing to get a clear view of the football icon.
Disorder broke out soon after his arrival, forcing organisers and security personnel to cut short the programme and escort Messi out of the stadium. The event was abandoned amid security lapses and crowd unrest. Fans who had paid premium prices for tickets, protested by damaging property and hurling objects, prompting police intervention.
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Second seed India will take on defending champions Egypt in the semifinals of Squash World Cup in Chennai today. Top seeds Hong Kong will face Japan in the other semifinal. India stormed into the last four with a commanding 3-Nil victory over seventh seeds South Africa while Egypt eased past Australia 3-Nil in the quarterfinals yesterday.
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Amid deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has invoked stage three of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) with immediate effect. The decision was taken after the Air Quality Index in the city crossed the severe category mark this morning. This is in addition to the actions under Stages I and II of extant GRAP already in-force in the region.
The restrictions include a complete ban on non-essential construction and demolition activities including earthwork, piling, trenching, and Road construction activities and major repairs. Furthermore, BS-4 diesel operated Light Commercial Vehicles registered outside Delhi are not allowed to enter the capital except those carrying essential commodities or providing essential services.
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The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast severe cold wave conditions over North Interior Karnataka till tomorrow. Cold wave conditions are likely to prevail over Chhattisgarh, Telangana, South Interior Karnataka and Odisha for today. According to IMD, dense fog conditions are expected in Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and North Eastern Parts of the country for today. The Met Department has also predicted thunderstorms accompanied with lightning and gusty winds in Andaman and Nicobar Islands till tomorrow.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:
- Nation today pays tributes to security personnel and victims of terrorist attack on Parliament on 13th December 2001; Vice President C P Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Ministers pay floral tributes to Martyrs at Parliament House.
- Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan asserts Indian Defence forces are committed to adapting to changing environment and imbibing reforms to remain ready and relevant.
- In Kerala local body elections, opposition United Democratic Front and ruling Left Democratic Front lead in most of the districts; BJP led NDA takes significant lead in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
- Three members of the US House of Representatives introduce a resolution to overturn President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration, enabling tariffs of up to 50 percent, on imports from India.
- And in Squash World Cup, India to take on Egypt in semifinals in Chennai this afternoon.
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