India celebrated its 76th Republic Day with a grand parade showcasing military strength and cultural heritage in New Delhi. Highlights included a focus on women's empowerment, an Indonesian contingent, and debut displays of the Pralay missile and SANJAY battlefield surveillance system.
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The central panel in Delhi-NCR revoked Stage-III air quality restrictions amid improved pollution levels and favorable weather conditions. Institutions are urged to adhere to Stage-I and II protocols to prevent deterioration of air quality. Citizens are advised to follow guidelines, with further potential weather disruptions expected around mid-January 2025.
S Prabakaran has been re-elected as vice-chairman of the Bar Council of India for a five-year term. This marks his third consecutive term in the role. With 35 years of bar experience, Prabakaran aims to further the initiatives and policies for bettering the legal profession and education in India.
In 2024, the Border Security Force (BSF) seized 294 drones in Punjab, as stated by junior home minister Nityanand Rai. In efforts to curb narco-smuggling via drones along the Indo-Pakistan border, anti-drone systems have been deployed. Information sharing and close coordination with various security agencies have been reinforced to track and intercept these devices.
A family of five, including a mason, his wife, and three daughters, were brutally murdered in their rented house in Meerut. The bodies were found tied and stuffed in a bed box. The police suspect property disputes and involvement of stepbrothers. They have detained two suspects, while one remains absconding.
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated 19 development initiatives worth Rs 110.56 crore in Kashipur, including road projects, municipal buildings, and a sewage treatment plant. He also emphasized support for infrastructure improvement, economic growth, self-employment schemes, and highlighted government's accomplishments in various sectors.
A 55-year-old woman stole a designer bag from a Pune airport store and was intercepted at Delhi airport after CISF personnel coordinated efforts. She admitted to shoplifting and paid for the bag, avoiding a police complaint. This swift action saved the store representative's job and highlighted the consequences of shoplifting at airports.
L&T chairman SN Subrahmanyan's suggestion of a 90-hour work week and mandatory Sunday work sparked a social media backlash, with netizens and corporate bosses criticizing the idea. His comments on reducing home time in favor of workplace presence stirred significant debate, highlighting the ongoing discussion around work-life balance.
Delhi Police identified a juvenile responsible for sending hoax bomb threats to schools last year. His parent is connected to an NGO with links to a political party. The NGO had earlier questioned the legitimacy of terrorist Afzal Guru's hanging. The investigation is ongoing, and there have been at least seven confirmed instances of hoax emails.
Supreme Court dismissed a PIL questioning repeated temporary releases of rape convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh between 2022 and 2024. The plea, filed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee in 2025, accused the Haryana government of misusing its powers to grant him temporary releases under Section 11 of the Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners Act, 2022.
The J&K and Ladakh High Court has ordered the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to collect only 20% of the toll on the Pathankot-Udhampur stretch due to ongoing construction activities. The court emphasized that toll should only be charged when highways are in good condition, and directed the removal of plazas established within 60 km of NH-44.