Myanmar conflict to feature in India-Indonesia talks; Putin says Ukraine conflict could have been avoided if Trump had been in office, and more

Myanmar conflict to feature in India-Indonesia talks; Putin says Ukraine conflict could have been avoided if Trump had been in office, and moreHere is a select list of stories to start the day.

Putin says Ukraine conflict could have been avoided had Trump been in office

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday (January 24, 2025) echoed U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim the conflict in Ukraine could have been prevented had he been in the White House in 2022. He also said Moscow is ready for talks with the U.S. on a broad range of issues.

YSRCP leader and Rajya Sabha member Vijayasai Reddy quits politics

YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) suffered a severe blow as its national general secretary and Rajya Sabha member Venumbaka Vijayasai Reddy has decided to quit politics and announced to resign as MP on Saturday (January 25, 2025). Another YSRCP leader Alla Ayodhya Rami Reddy also announced to file resignation on the same day.

U.P. temple gets FCRA nod without request

The Union Home Ministry has granted registration under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010 to the famous Banke Bihari temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Vrindavan, enabling it to receive donations from foreign countries for “religious” activity. The temple’s priests, however, said they had never applied for the registration.

Hindu families must have 3 children: VHP

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), an off-shoot of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), on Friday (January 24, 2025) claimed that the main reason for the decreasing birth rate of Hindu society is the imbalance in the population of the community. The organisation asked Hindu families to raise at least three children “as it is an important responsibility to protect the existence of Hindu society”.

Eight dead, five injured in Bhandara ordnance factory blast; SIT formed

A massive explosion ripped through an ordnance factory in Maharashtra’s Bhandara district on Friday (January 24, 2025) morning, leaving eight people dead and five injured. A Special Investigation Team has been set up by the Bhandara district administration and the Superintendent of Police, to ascertain the cause of the blast, and the factory has also set up an inquiry committee.

Tribal woman killed in tiger attack in Wayanad; residents stage protest

Intense protests erupted at Mananthavady in Wayanad district of Kerala after a tribal woman was mauled to death by a tiger on Friday (January 24, 2025) morning.

Radha, 47 wife of Achappan, a temporary forest watchman, was attacked by the tiger at the Priyadarshini Estate in Pancharakolly village as she was plucking coffee cherries. Her body was discovered by the Thunderbolt commandos who were combing the area for Maoists around 11.30 a.m. They found the mutilated body as they followed the pug marks of the tiger that had dragged the body into the nearby forest. Her body was shifted to the Government Medical College at Mananthavady.

Next Indian envoy to Israel is MEA’s point-person for Iran, Pakistan, special envoy to Afghanistan

India has named Jitendra Pal Singh — currently the point-person for Iran and Pakistan as well as the Special Envoy to Afghanistan — as its next Ambassador to Israel.

Bihar CM felicitates Olympians, Paralympic athletes

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar felicitated athletes and para-athletes for their achievements and contributions to their respective sporting disciplines, during the Sportstar Focus Bihar Conclave held at the Taj City Centre in Patna on Friday (January 24, 2025).

10 Opposition members of Parliamentary panel on Waqf Bill suspended for protest

Ten Opposition members of the Parliament’s Joint Committee on Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, who protested against the last-minute change in the agenda of the meeting by Chairman and BJP leader Jagambika Pal, were suspended. Hours later, in a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the members complained that the “sudden and surprising” suspension came after Mr. Pal spoke to “somebody” over the phone during the meeting.

Sharad Pawar did not do anything for cooperatives: Union Minister Amit Shah

Sharad Pawar did nothing for the development of cooperative mills in Maharashtra during his time in office, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah said at the Cooperatives conference at Nashik on Friday.

Haryana former MLA’s plea on EVMs to be heard by CJI

A petition filed by five-time former MLA Karan Singh Dalal, who contested the Haryana Assembly election in 2024, seeking directions to the Election Commission of India to lay down a policy for verifying the original burnt memory/microcontroller of electronic voting machines will be heard by a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna.

Pralay, India’s first ballistic missile for conventional strikes, to be showcased at Republic Day parade

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is set to showcase the indigenous short-range quasi-ballistic missile Pralay at this year’s Republic Day parade. The missile, which is meant for the Army and Air Force, will be the first ballistic missile in India’s missile arsenal meant for conventional strikes. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday flagged off the Battlefield Surveillance System ‘Sanjay’, which marked the handing over of the system to the Army and will also be see on Kartavya Path on Sunday.

Farmers’ body to step up protests against draft agri marketing policy

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha has rejected the Union Agriculture Ministry’s draft National Policy Framework for Agricultural Marketing (NPFAM) and decided to hold maha panchayats, or massive gatherings of farmers in every State, to protest the policy. They will also hold mass protests in front of MPs’ offices and residences on February 8 and 9 to request them to stand with farmers. The decision was taken at a general body meeting of the SKM in New Delhi on Friday (January 24, 2025).

M.P. bans liquor in 17 religious places; CM says move to be implemented across State gradually

The Madhya Pradesh government on Friday (January 25, 2025) decided to ban liquor in 17 cities, towns and villages of religious significance across the State, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced after a Cabinet meeting held in Khargone district’s Maheshwar.

Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Goa among top-performing States in NITI Aayog’s fiscal health index

Mineral-rich Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Goa and Jharkhand have emerged as top-performing ‘achievers’ among the States listed in NITI Aayog’s first Fiscal Health Index (FHI) report released on Friday