The Hindu Morning Digest, January 6, 2024

Representational image of Indian Air Force’s Rafale fighter jets
| Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar

With PM Modi expected to visit Paris in February, deals to buy Rafale fighter jets, Scorpene subs for Navy reach final stage

Two large defence deals in the pipeline between India and France are being finalised, amid expectations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Paris in February for the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit to be hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar reiterates he made a mistake twice going with RJD

Days after Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad said INDIA bloc is ready to welcome him in its fold, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday (January 5, 2025) said he made a mistake twice going with the RJD and will not repeat it. The Janata Dal (United) chief was interacting with reporters during his ongoing Pragati Yatra in Muzaffarpur.

Hezbollah leader Nasrallah was killed last year inside war operations room, aide says

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike last year while inside the militant group’s war operations room, according to new details Sunday (January 5, 2025) disclosed by a senior Hezbollah official.

In Dallewal’s case, Supreme Court balances his right to expression and the state’s duty to save his life

The Supreme Court, in the case of farmers’ leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal who is fasting unto death, treads a fine line between protecting his freedom of expression and ensuring the state’s duty to preserve his life.

GRAP 3 curbs revoked in Delhi-NCR amid dip in air pollution levels

The Centre’s panel on Delhi-NCR’s air quality on Sunday (January 5, 2025) revoked stage 3 curbs under the Graded Response Action Plan after witnessing a dip in air pollution levels owing to favourable meteorological conditions, especially improved wind speed, according to an official order.

Chinese annexation of Indian territory occurred during Nehru’s term: BJP hits back at Congress

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday (January 5, 2024) flayed the Congress for alleging Chinese occupation of the Indian territory during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s term and said the grand old party cannot get away with “such lies” as all of it occurred during Jawaharlal Nehru’s tenure.

Farm outfits seek Modi’s intervention to save Dallewal’s life

After separate Kisan Mahapanchayats in Punjab and Haryana, both the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and the Samyukt Kisan Morcha – Non-Political (SKM-NP) have decided to strengthen protests against the Centre’s policies. The outfits have also been trying to gather public support to the hunger strike being held by SKM-NP leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal.

‘Disaster’ of AAP will be removed from Delhi, says PM Modi at Parivartan rally; Kejriwal hits back

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (January 5, 2025) made the “We will not tolerate disaster, will bring change” pitch against the Aam Aadmi Party as he addressed a gathering of thousands at Japanese Park in Sector – 10, Rohini, ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections due this year. Multiple leaders and MPs shared the grand stage with Mr. Modi at the BJP’s Parivartan rally.

Quarantine animals infected by bird flu, Centre tells States after tiger, leopard deaths in Nagpur

With Maharashtra reporting India’s first case of avian influenza among animals, the Union Animal Husbandry Ministry sent a circular to all States on Sunday (January 5, 2025), urging them to quarantine infected or symptomatic tigers and other feline species to prevent transmission of the disease to other animals or humans.

P.V. Anvar arrested after day-long standoff over tribal youth’s death in elephant attack

P.V. Anvar, Independent MLA representing the Nilambur constituency who recently broke away from the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), was arrested on Sunday (January 5, 2025) night following his alleged involvement in an attack on the Divisional Forest Office (North) at Nilambur during the day.