Fireworks explode over the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, during the New Year’s celebration in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, January 1, 2025. | Photo Credit: Reuters
World welcomes 2025 with light shows, embraces and ice plunges
From Sydney to Vladivostok to Mumbai, communities around the world have begun welcoming 2025 with spectacular light shows, embraces and ice plunges. Auckland became the first major city to celebrate, as thousands thronged downtown or climbed the city’s ring of volcanic peaks for a fireworks vantage point. A light display recognized Indigenous people.
Quad vows to work vigorously towards free, stable Indo-Pacific
India and other Quad member-nations reaffirmed the grouping’s steadfast commitment to work towards a free, open and peaceful Indo-Pacific amid China’s increasing military muscle-flexing in the region. Foreign Ministers of the member nations of the grouping pledged in a joint statement commemorating the 20th anniversary of “Quad cooperation”.
Yemen death sentence for Kerala woman: India adopting a cautious route in conflict-hit Sanaa
India is handling the “sensitive” case of death sentence awarded to Nimisha Priya from Kerala in Yemen with great caution as New Delhi does not maintain any official contact with the Houthis, who control the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, sources here indicated on Tuesday (December 31, 2024). Ms. Nimisha received the death sentence after being convicted of killing her Yemeni business partner Talal Abdo Mahdi.
Court gives Punjab three more days to shift Dallewal
The Punjab government informed the Supreme Court on Tuesday (December 31, 2024) that protesting farmers had written to the Centre, saying their leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on a hunger strike for 35 days, would seek medical help only if the Centre invited them for talks. Mr. Dallewal has been on a hunger strike at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana boundary since November 26 to press the Centre to accept their demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops.
Delhi Police send teams to Assam, West Bengal to verify identities of ‘illegal’ Bangladeshi immigrants
Continuing its action against “illegal” Bangladeshi immigrants in the Capital, the Delhi Police sent multiple teams to districts in Assam and West Bengal to verify documents of individuals whose nationalities they are doubtful of. The move comes after the Delhi Lieutenant Governor (L-G) ordered an intensive drive against “illegal” Bangladeshi immigrants living in the Capital on December 11, and directed the Chief Secretary and the police chief to launch a two-month special drive to identify and take strict action against such persons.
NCP leader’s close aide surrenders in Beed sarpanch murder case, Opposition calls it staged
Walmik Karad, a close aide of Maharashtra Cabinet Minister and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde, surrendered before the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters in Pune on Tuesday (December 31, 2024) in connection with an alleged ₹2 crore extortion case linked to the murder of a village sarpanch.
Government websites down after outage at NIC data centre in Delhi
Several government websites went down on Tuesday (December 31, 2024) following a power outage at the National Informatics Centre’s (NIC) data centre in Shastri Park in Northeast Delhi, sources said. While the outage was resolved, the websites continued to be down until 7.30 p.m.
Jaishankar in Doha for talks, to prepare for Qatari Emir visit in February amidst West Asia outreach
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is in Doha for a 3-day visit over the New Year for a series of bilateral meetings, as well as to prepare for a visit by Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim ibn Hamad Al Thani to India, expected early next month, sources told The Hindu.
Iran security chief says ‘new resistance’ against Israel to emerge in Syria
Iran’s security chief Ali Akbar Ahmadian said a new group would emerge in Syria to fight Israel following the fall of president Bashar al-Assad, state media reported. “With the occupation of Syrian territories by the Zionist regime, a new resistance has been born that will manifest itself in the years to come,” said Ahmadian, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, IRNA news agency reported late Monday.
Russia advanced nearly 4,000 square km in Ukraine in 2024: AFP analysing ISW
Russian forces advanced by 3,985 square km (1,539 square miles) in Ukraine in 2024, seven times more than in 2023, according to an AFP analysis of data from the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Hockey India League: Hyderabad Toofans opens account with shootout win over Delhi Pipers
Two goals in a space of one minute capitalising on defensive blunders by Delhi SG Pipers and holding nerve in a tense sudden death helped Hyderabad Toofans get its first point after the teams were tied 2-2 at the end of regulation time in the Hockey India League at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela on Tuesday (December 31, 2024).
Published – January 01, 2025 07:03 am IST