Morning Digest | All-in-one policy plan to spread insurance in India; China constructing model villages opposite the LAC, say sources, and more

Army vehicles moving towards the LAC in Leh in September 2020.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Sengol | Evidence thin on government’s claims about the sceptre

A day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a press conference in Delhi explaining the importance of the sceptre (sengol) to be installed in the new Parliament building, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed journalists in Chennai on May 25, explaining how it is a matter of pride for Tamil Nadu.

China constructing model villages opposite the LAC, say sources

China is continuing to expand the network of model villages or ‘Xiaokang’ (moderately prosperous) villages opposite the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Middle sector and Eastern sectors. In addition, new posts are also coming up about 6 or 7 km from the LAC in the Middle sector, according to official sources and, in some areas, the frequency of patrolling has gone up significantly.

SPG to be headed by ADG rank officer, says Home Ministry

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday notified fresh rules for the elite Special Protection Group (SPG) that as of date only protects the Prime Minister. 

New committee set up to oversee cheetah project

Following the death of three cheetah cubs this week, the Centre on May 25 appointed a new steering committee, comprising national and international experts, to oversee the implementation of Project Cheetah. The cubs were born to a translocated Namibian cheetah at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh in March 2023.

Will visit Manipur soon, says Amit Shah

Union Home Minister, Amit Shah on May 25 said he will soon visit strife-torn Manipur for three days to speak to various stakeholders for ensuring lasting peace. Speaking at a programme in Guwahati, Assam to lay the foundation stone of a National Forensic Science University (NFSU) in Assam, he lamented the violence “caused by a (Manipur) High Court judgement”. 

MiG-29K fighter makes maiden night landing on INS Vikrant; Navy terms it ‘historic milestone’

For the first time, the MiG-29K fighter aircraft undertook night landing on indigenously-built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, a feat described by the Indian Navy as a “historic milestone”.

Alwar court awards 7-year jail for four in 2018 Rakbar Khan lynching case

A sessions court in Rajasthan’s Alwar on Thursday sentenced four persons to seven years’ imprisonment for lynching a Muslim dairy farmer from Haryana, Rakbar Khan, on suspicion of smuggling cows near Lalawandi village in July 2018. The fifth accused was acquitted for lack of evidence.

Bournvita maker defends sugar content, says marketing is legal

Bournvita is a “scientifically formulated” drink mix with sugar levels under prescribed limits, the product’s manufacturer said in a letter to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). Its marketing is completely legal as per Indian regulations, the letter said.

Centre expects record production of rice, wheat

The Centre is estimating record production of rice, wheat, maize, soybean, rapeseed and mustard, and sugarcane, according to the “third advance estimates of production of major crops” released by the Union Agriculture Ministry here on Thursday.

Opposition welcomes U.S. visa policy as Sheikh Hasina faces a tough American challenge in election year

Election-bound Bangladesh’s chief Opposition party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has welcomed the latest U.S. announcement to deny American visas to those individuals who may place a hurdle in conducting free and fair poll in the country.

Man arrested after car collides with gates of Downing Street, where U.K. Prime Minister lives

A car collided on May 25 with the gates of Downing Street in central London, where the British Prime Minister’s home and offices are located, setting off a rapid security response in one of London’s most-fortified sites.

January 6 Capitol attack | Stewart Rhodes, founder of extremist group Oath Keepers, sentenced to 18 years for seditious conspiracy

The founder of the Oath Keepers extremist group was sentenced on May 25 to 18 years in prison for orchestrating a weekslong plot that culminated in his followers attacking the U.S. Capitol in a bid to keep President Joe Biden out of the White House after the 2020 election.

All-in-one policy plan to spread insurance in India

If India’s insurance regulator’s plans fructify, households across the country could soon be able to get an affordable single policy that covers health, life, property and accident, get their claims settled within hours, and even secure value-added services such as gym or yoga memberships at the time of buying a policy.