CDS: Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat has issued directions to prepare a roadmap by June 30 to create an air defence command to enhance the security of India’s skies. He also set out priorities for the execution of various initiatives by December 31 to achieve synergy among the three forces.
Hatemonger arrested: Tamil small-time writer Nellai Kannan was arrested over “Kill them” remarks on PM Modi, Shah, days after an FIR was registered against him for his speech during an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protest. The Tirunelveli Police had registered the FIR under Sections 504, 505(1) and 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code.
Kota infant death: After 100 infants died at Kota’s JK Lon Hospital, BSP supremo Mayawati questioned the silence of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, saying if she does not meet mothers of the deceased children, then her meeting with the kin of the victims of violence during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests in Uttar Pradesh will be “construed as pure theatrics”. On December 29, it was reported that 77 infants died in the first 24 days of December at the hospital. Ten of the deaths happened in a span of 48 hours between December 23 and 24.
Helpline for Railways: Railways have introduced a single three-digit helpline number for making all inquiries and lodging grievances during travel. The new helpline number 139 will take over all the existing helpline numbers (except 182), making it easy for the passengers to remember this number and connect with the Railways. Other numbers have been discontinued
Bangladeshi arrested: Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) has intercepted 445 people returning to the country from India in the last two months, Major General Shafeenul Islam who heads the country’s border guarding force told reporters on Thursday, in Dhaka. Maj Gen Islam told reporters that the BGB had detained nearly 1,000 people through 2019.
US advisory: The US aviation regulator Federal Aviation Administration has issued an advisory to all air carriers and commercial operators against flying into or crossing the Pakistan airspace citing “extremist/militant activity”. “There continues to be a risk to US civil aviation from attacks against airports and aircraft, particularly for aircraft on the ground and aircraft operating at low altitudes, including during the arrival and departure phases of the flight,” reads the advisory.
Pakistan: Five witnesses testified against Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and his close aide Zafar Iqbal on Thursday for their involvement in terror financing before an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan. The anti-terrorism court Lahore indicted Saeed and his close aides – Hafiz Abdul Salam, Muhammad Ashraf and Iqbal – on terror financing charges on December 11.
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Tata sons: In its petition to the Supreme Court, Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata group, has said the Mistry camp had at no point sought any prayer regarding the quashing of the appointment of present Tata group chairman, N Chandrasekaran as the Executive Chairman of Tata Sons and yet, the NCLAT has declared Chandra’s appointment as illegal. This NCLAT order, Tata Sons appeal says, needs to be reversed and set aside.
DRDO: On Thursday, in Bengaluru, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 5 new scientific laboratories, which will employ only scientists under the age of 35 to develop cutting-edge and futuristic technologies for military weaponry.
