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A merchant vessel with a crew of 23, that included an estimated 21 Indians, was hit by a suspected drone strike in the Arabian Sea off the Gujarat coast Saturday leading to an explosion and fire even as no casualty was reported
It’s not known who or what was behind the attack — no one has claimed responsibility — but the incident came amid a series of UAV and missile attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on commercial ships in the Red Sea region, especially those bound for Israel, since October when the Israel-Hamas war began.
The Indian Navy dispatched a P8I maritime patrol aircraft and a warship to assist the Liberian-flagged commercial ship Chem Pluto which is understood to have started its journey, carrying crude, from Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, on December 19. It was bound for New Mangalore where it was expected to arrive December 25.
Govt & Politics
Nepal pitches for Sita’s birthplace in Janakpur – an old Ayodhya link (Page no. 6)
(GS Paper 1, Culture)
With just a month to go for the inauguration of the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Nepal is buoyed at the tourism prospects the development might bring for them, collaterally.
With Nepal’s Janakpur believed to be the birthplace of Lord Ram’s consort Sita, they are hoping pilgrims from across the world, who visit Ram’s birthplace, will also make a trip to Sita’s birthplace.
Nepal’s Ambassador to India Shankar Prasad Sharma said that the two countries are working to establish a “sister city relationship” between Janakpur and Ayodhya. Sharma has been pitching Janakpur as an “indispensable” part of the Ramayana circuit”, ahead of the temple inauguration. Envisaged by the Indian government in 2014, the Ramayana circuit retraces the life of Lord Ram and includes major pilgrim sites related to the Ramayan, along with Janakpur in Nepal.
Govt says working with France as flight with 300 Indians grounded over human trafficking (Page no. 7)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
India on Saturday said it was working with the French government for an early resolution of the situation after a Nicaragua-bound flight carrying 303 people, mostly Indians, was detained by French authorities during a technical halt at an airport near Paris over suspected “human trafficking”.
The plane that took off from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates carrying 303 Indian passengers, including many minors, was grounded at the Chalons-Vatry airport in Marne.
French authorities informed us of a plane w/ 303 people, mostly Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport,” the Indian mission said in a post on ‘X’.
The embassy team has reached & obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring the well-being of passengers.
Express Network
Gujarat govt to issue cards to those who travel outside GIFT city after liquor consumption (Page no. 9)
(GS Paper 2, Governance)
To facilitate employees, owners and visitors exempted from the prohibition law, who travel outside GIFT City after consuming liquor, the Gujarat government will provide them “cards” as documentary proof to ensure that they do not face legal hassles, Minister for Law and Justice Rushikesh Patel said.
He was speaking to The Indian Express on the sidelines of the Rashtriya Raksha University convocation in Gandhinagar on Saturday.
When asked how it will be ensured that those availing the “wine and dine” facility at GIFT City would not face legal action under the prohibition law once they move out of its limits, Patel said: “They will be given cards and that will exempt them (from prosecution).”
Citing a “purpose to provide a global business ecosystem”, the state government had on Friday exempted GIFT City from prohibition.
While “liquor access permits” will be given to owners and employees of companies in GIFT City, these companies can “authorise” visitors with “temporary permits” to “drink in the presence of the permanent employees”.
World
Iran threatens Mediterranean closure amid intense Israeli strike in north Gaza (Page no. 14)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
An Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander said the Mediterranean Sea could be closed if the United States and its allies continued to commit "crimes" in Gaza, Iranian media reported on Saturday, without explaining how that would happen.
Iran backs Hamas against Israel and it accuses the United States of backing what it calls Israeli crimes in Gaza, where weeks of bombardment have killed thousands of people and driven most of the population from their homes.
They shall soon await the closure of the Mediterranean Sea, (the Strait of) Gibraltar and other waterways," Tasnim quoted Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi, coordinating commander of the Guards, as saying.
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group has over the past month attacked merchant vessels sailing through the Red Sea in retaliation for Israel's assault on Gaza, leading some shipping companies to switch routes.