Morning Digest: India evacuates 75 nationals from Syria; Manipur’s Kuki-Zomi-Hmar MLAs protest in Delhi to expedite talks on separate administration, and more

Here is a select list of stories to start the day

India evacuates 75 nationals from Syria

India on Tuesday (December 10, 2024) evacuated 75 Indian nationals from Syria, two days after rebel forces overthrew President Bashar Assad’s authoritarian government. The evacuation, coordinated by the embassies of India in Damascus and Beirut, was put into effect following an assessment of the security situation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

Manipur’s Kuki-Zomi-Hmar MLAs protest in Delhi to expedite talks on separate administration

Manipur’s 10 Kuki-Zomi-Hmar MLAs on Tuesday (December 10, 2024) organised a silent sit-in protest in New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where they demanded expediting the dialogue for a separate administration and sought funds from the Central government for development projects. They submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Israel says it will impose ‘sterile defence zone’ in southern Syria

Israel has ordered its forces to create a “sterile defence zone” in southern Syria that would be enforced without a permanent Israeli presence as it tightens its hold along the line between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday (December 10, 2024). He gave no details but said the zone, would “prevent the establishment and organization of terror in Syria”.

Prosecution witnesses to complete testifying in R.G. Kar trial early next week, Supreme Court told

The Supreme Court was informed on Tuesday (December 10, 2024) that the prosecution expects to complete the examination of all 51 of its witnesses in the gruesome murder and rape of a trainee doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata early next week. The case prosecuted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Sealdah Special Court has already seen 43 witnesses testify on a day-to-day basis from Mondays to Thursdays at 2 p.m.

India-Russia friendship higher than highest mountain: Rajnath in meeting with Putin

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday (December 10, 2024) and the two leaders noted that the India-Russia partnership holds immense potential and combined efforts will pave the way for “remarkable outcomes”.

Repo Rate alone doesn’t impact growth: Shaktikanta Das

Taking on criticism linking the Reserve Bank of India’s ‘tight’ monetary policy leading to a growth ‘sacrifice’ in recent months, Governor Shaktikanta Das, on his last day at the helm of Mint Street, asserted that everybody is entitled to a viewpoint but growth is impacted by a “multiplicity of factors” not just the benchmark interest rate.

Budget allocated for minorities should not be diverted to other schemes: National Minority Commission member Syed Shahezadi

National Minority Commission member Syed Shahezadi has asserted that the budget allocated for minorities should be exclusively used for their welfare and should not be diverted to other schemes. She was speaking at a state-level meeting held at the A.P. Secretariat on Tuesday.

Supreme Court asks for list of ‘affluent persons’ benefiting from tree felling in Delhi Ridge

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (December 10, 2024) asked petitioners to prepare a list of the “affluent” persons who benefited from the illegal felling of trees in the protected ridge area for a road broadening project. Appearing before a Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, for the petitioners, said the road leading to the Central Armed Police Forces Institute of Medical Sciences (CAPFIMS) in Maidangarhi was “widened into the ridge and forests to save some farms of affluent people on the opposite side”.

BJP trying to remove voters’ names from electoral roll in AAP strongholds, alleges Sanjay Singh

Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh on Tuesday accused the BJP of submitting applications to the Election Commission (EC) to remove the names of 3,800 voters from the electoral roll in the R.K. Puram seat ahead of the Assembly poll due in February next year.

Never thought she would have such an unfortunate fate: Kurla accident victim’s son

The Kurla Bus accident claimed the lives of people, including primary earners, who were simply carrying out their routine activities. At least seven were killed and 42 injured after the BEST bus driver allegedly rammed into vehicles in Mumbai’s busiest suburban Kurla. The Hindu spoke to the victims and the deceased’s family.

Published - December 11, 2024 06:55 am IST