Morning Digest | Pakistan sends India a plea by Hindu body for air pilgrimage; Houses of Parliament to work in shifts, and more

A select list of stories to read before you start your day

AJ-16 fighter jet prepares for takeoff at a training base in Ningbo. AP

Houses of Parliament to work in shifts

During the upcoming Budget Session, Parliament will function in two shifts, with Rajya Sabha functioning from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Lok Sabha from 4 p.m. till 9 p.m. At least two Parliament sessions in last two years have been held this way as part of the COVID-19 protocol.

26 tunes in Beating Retreat this year, no Bollywood numbers

There are 26 tunes that will be played at Beating Retreat this year on January 29, the same as last year but with some changes and with all tunes being Indian this time coinciding with 75 years of independence. However, there are no Bollywood numbers in the Republic Day parade of BTR, officials clarified after a video put out by the MyGovIndia handle on Twitter two days, of a practice session, created quite a stir.

China sends 52 aircraft towards Taiwan zone

China’s Air Force sent 52 aircraft towards Taiwan on Sunday and Monday in its latest show of force aimed at the island, prompting jets to be scrambled in response. Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said 39 PLA aircraft had entered Taiwan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ) on Sunday, while 13 more aircraft did so on Monday.

In a first, Pakistani Hindu leader proposes flights for pilgrims to India instead of Wagah road route

According to sources, the proposal was sent to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) from the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi on behalf of the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) chief patron Ramesh Vankwani, asking that two chartered flights of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) carrying pilgrims be allowed to fly from Lahore and Karachi to destinations in India this Saturday.

Over 100 terrorists waiting across border, says BSF

The Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday said more than 100 terrorists were present at launch pads across the border, waiting to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir.

However, it added that the overall situation along the Line of Control has been peaceful since the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan in 2021.

Marital rape can’t be looked at from microscopic angle: Centre seeks time in Delhi HC

The Centre on Monday told the Delhi High Court that the issue of criminalisation of marital rape involves “family issues” and the dignity of a woman and cannot be looked at from a “microscopic angle”. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, urged the High Court to allow a “reasonable time” to place the position of the government after consultation with the stakeholders.

U.P. Assembly elections | G-23 leaders among Congress star campaigners

Releasing its list of 30 star campaigners for the first phase of the Assembly election in Utar Pradesh, the Congress on Monday named former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, new entrant Kanhaiya Kumar and some of the G-23 leaders.

Amid Ukraine crisis, NATO sends planes, ships to eastern Europe

NATO allies have put forces on standby and sent ships and fighter jets to bolster Europe’s eastern defences as tensions soar over Russia’s military buildup around Ukraine, the alliance said Monday. The U.S., Britain and Australia ordered diplomats’ families to leave Kiev, while France told its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Ukraine.

Facebook parent Meta creates powerful AI supercomputer

Facebook’s parent company Meta on Monday said it has created what it believes is among the fastest artificial intelligence supercomputers running today.

The social media giant said it hopes the machine will help lay the groundwork for its building of the metaverse, a virtual reality construct intended to supplant the internet as we know it today.

Burkina Faso President held by mutinous soldiers: reports

Mutinous troops in restive Burkina Faso arrested President Roch Marc Christian Kabore on Monday and detained him in army barracks a day after staging an uprising, security sources said. Soldiers at several army bases across the country rebelled on Sunday, demanding the sacking of the military top brass and more resources to fight a bloody jihadist insurgency.

Why are oil prices high, and any relief in sight?

Anyone who’s bought food, paid rent or looked for a used car recently has come up against the billowing inflation that has engulfed the U.S. economy.

Energy costs have been one of the main drivers of what’s become the highest inflation in a generation. In recent days, the price of a barrel of U.S. benchmark crude oil hit a seven-year high — $87 a barrel, a dizzying jump of about 36% since Dec. 1.

Swiggy raises $700 million in Invesco-led funding

Swiggy on Monday said it has raised $700 million in new funding led by Invesco. The round also saw participation from new investors such as Baron Capital Group, Sumeru Venture, IIFL AMC Late Stage Tech Fund, Kotak, Axis Growth Avenues AIF- I, Sixteenth Street Capital, Ghisallo, Smile Group and Segantii Capital.

Lucknow IPL team to be called Lucknow Super Giants

The Lucknow franchise of the Indian Premier League will be called Lucknow Super Giants after its owners announced the name chosen by its fans.

The official IPL team of Lucknow, owned by RPSG Group, decided to take public opinions from its fans and the name was shared by owner Sanjiv Goenka in a video message on Monday.