A look at the headlines today:
1. Paramilitary forces, drones to be deployed to beef up security in UP ahead of Friday prayers
Security was beefed up and patrolling intensified in Uttar Pradesh to ensure peace ahead of the Friday prayers, keeping in mind the widespread violence that hit the state last week during protests against the amended citizenship law. As a precautionary measure, internet services, that were resumed after nearly a week, were suspended again in Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar and Shamli. In Agra, the services will remain suspended from 8am till 6pm today. To avoid a repeat of last Friday's violence in Gorakhpur, police staged a flag march in sensitive areas and held a meeting with peace committees in all circle and police station areas. Paramilitary force personnel and state police force will be deployed and drone cameras will be used to ensure security today, DM Vijyendra Pandiyan said. Meanwhile, the process to confiscate the property of those involved in damaging public assets during the protests gained momentum, with 372 people being served notices in different districts. A home department spokesperson on Thursday put the death toll at 19 in the violence last week, which left 288 policemen injured, including 61 who received firearm injury.
2. Tamil Nadu local body elections start today
The long-awaited elections to rural local bodies in Tamil Nadu will be held in two phases on December 27 and 30. The poll panel said elections to urban local bodies will be announced separately. DMK, which has approached the Supreme Court over the civic polls said it was amusing that polls have been announced only for rural civic bodies. "As regards Tamil Nadu, be it Lok Sabha, Assembly or local bodies, elections have been held in a single phase. However, now, they have announced polls for rural civic bodies alone...this is amusing," DMK chief M.K. Stalin told reporters at Puducherry. Days ago, Stalin had accused the ruling AIADMK of "creating confusion" on matters connected to civic elections. Legal experts will be consulted on the announcement and a decision will be taken, he said. Tamil Nadu State Election Commissioner R. Palaniswamy said direct elections will be held to 1,18,974 posts in rural local bodies including 12,524 village panchayat presidents and 99,324 village panchayat ward members, 655 district panchayat ward members and 6,471 panchayat union ward members.
3. Amit Shah to conduct rally in Shimla today
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will attend the Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government's second anniversary function in Shimla today. BJP's national working president Jagat Prakash Nadda will also attend the public rally being held at the historic Ridge Maidan where Thakur had been sworn in as the chief minister on December 27, two years ago, Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Shrikant Baldi said. A ground breaking ceremony of projects, which were signed with investors at the Global Investors' Meet held in the hill-state earlier this month, would be organised as part of the celebrations.
4. IAF's MiG-27 to take to skies one last time today
The MiG-27, which proved to be an "ace attacker" during the 1999 Kargil War, will roar through the skies for one last time today after serving the IAF for over three decades. The swing-wing fighter has been the backbone of ground-attack fleet of the Air Force for several decades and the IAF will bid adieu to its squadron of seven aircraft from Jodhpur Air Base, officials said. "The upgraded variant of this last swing-wing fleet has been the pride of IAF strike fleet since 2006. All other variants, such as MiG-23 BN and MiG-23 MF and the pure MiG-27 have already retired from IAF," the defence ministry said on Thursday. "The fleet earned its glory in the historic Kargil conflict when it delivered rockets and bombs with accuracy on enemy positions. The fleet also took active part in Operation Parakram," the ministry said. The Number 29 Squadron is the only unit in the IAF operating the MiG-27 upgrades, it said in a statement. The upgraded version, because of its survivability, has participated in numerous national and international exercises. The Squadron was raised on March 10, 1958, at Air Force Station Halwara with Ouragan (Toofani) aircraft. "Over the years, the Squadron has been equipped with numerous types of fighters such as MiG-21 Type 77, MiG-21 Type 96, MiG-27 ML and MiG-27 upgrade," the ministry said.
5. China, Iran, Russia to hold joint naval drills in Gulf of Oman from today
China, Russia and Iran will hold trilateral naval exercises in the Gulf of Oman from Friday, the first such move by the three countries in the volatile Middle East. The trilateral exercise will be held in the Gulf of Oman from today, China's Defence spokesman Col Wu Qian told a media briefing. The Chinese Navy has sent a guided missile destroyer to participate in the drills, he said, adding that the exercise aims to deepen the exchanges and cooperation between the navies of the three countries and demonstrating the goodwill and ability of the three parties to jointly maintain world peace and maritime security. The Gulf of Oman borders Iran and Pakistan on the north, Oman on the south, the United Arab Emirates on the west and faces the Gujarat coast. Wu declined to directly respond to a question whether the drills were anyway connected to recent tensions in the region and US naval drills. This joint maritime exercise is normal military arrangement of these countries. It is not relevant to the regional tensions," he said.
6. Australia vs New Zealand Second Test; South Africa vs England first Test
Master batsman Steve Smith ground out an unbeaten 77 Thursday as he zeroed in on yet another century, putting Australia in the driving seat after the opening day of the second Test against New Zealand on Thursday.
Quinton de Kock hit an aggressive half-century to lead a South African fightback on the first day of the first Test against England at SuperSport Park on Thursday. South Africa were 187 for five at tea. They were in deep trouble at 111 for five after being sent in before De Kock (64 not out) and new cap Dwaine Pretorius (25 not out) put on an unbeaten 76 for the sixth wicket. England were dominant when De Kock walked out at 97 for four, but the left-hander broke a spell of four successive maiden overs, which had included a wicket, when he took 14 runs off an over from Sam Curran, including three fours.
7. Odisha ready to reinvent against stuttering Jamshedpur in Kalinga battle
Odisha FC and Jamshedpur FC will be looking to put their indifferent run of form in the Hero Indian Super League to an end when they meet at the Kalinga Stadium today. It should make for a spectacle in Bhubaneswar as Odisha FC finally make their debut in their home city. Josep Gombau's side have had to play their previous home games of the season from Pune due to the unavailability of the Kalinga Stadium. The Spanish coach will hope that a change of setting will turn their fortunes around and give them an impetus in their push for the play-off spots. Odisha, placed seventh on the table (9 points), have won just one out of their last six games and are coming off a demoralising 3-0 defeat against FC Goa. "Yes, there is a chance (of reaching the playoffs). We have nine points and we have played nine games away. We are very excited to finally play at home," said a confident Gombau. Their opponents Jamshedpur FC are also in a rut. They are winless in the last four matches and are placed fourth on the table (13 points) only because of a strong start to the campaign. However, a win on Friday will see them go level on points with third-placed Bengaluru FC.
-Inputs from PTI
