Former BJP MP and senior saint Dr Ram Vilas Das Vedanti (67), a prominent figure of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, passed away while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa district early on Monday.

Dr Vedanti had been admitted to Rewa’s Super Speciality Hospital for the past two days. On Sunday, Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla had planned to airlift him to AIIMS, Bhopal, for advanced treatment, but the air ambulance could not be deployed due to adverse weather conditions. His health deteriorated subsequently, and he passed away at 12.20 am on Monday.

Earlier, Dr Vedanti had travelled from Ayodhya to Delhi on December 7 and attended a meeting of the VHP’s Central Margdarshak Mandal on December 10. From Delhi, he reached Rewa, where a Ramkatha discourse by him was underway at Bhatwa village near Lalgaon. The programme had been scheduled to continue till December 17.

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, conducted India’s first clinical trial of a new and advanced stroke treatment device named the Supernova Stent.

AIIMS informed that Supernova is designed for the country’s diverse patient population, where strokes often strike patients younger than in the West.

AIIMS also underlined that this is the nation’s first stroke device cleared on the basis of a domestic clinical trial. It added that the device has already treated more than three hundred patients in Southeast Asia.

The medical institute further said that the Supernova Stent will now be manufactured in the country, offering hope to over 17 lakhs citizens who suffer strokes each year.

India on Monday opened the historic Cho La and Dok La passes in Sikkim, formally introducing “battlefield tourism” along the China border under the Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan initiative.

Doklam came into focus in 2017 following a border standoff between Indian and Chinese troops, while Cho La is among the sites where Indian and Chinese forces clashed in 1967. The Northeast has several such battlefields, particularly in Arunachal Pradesh.

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang flagged off 25 motorbikes and vehicles to mark the opening of the two passes.

Under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Government of Maharashtra inaugurated the state-level sports initiative ‘Project Mahadeva’ in Mumbai yesterday.

‘Project Mahadeva’ is being implemented with the participation of Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA), Village Social Transformation Foundation (VSTF), Western India Football Association (WIFA), CIDCO, and the Sports Department of the Government of Maharashtra.

The project was inaugurated at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai yesterday in the presence of Global football icon Lionel Messi, former Argentine players Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar, popular Indian footballer Sunil Chhetri, Indian football team captain Rahul Bheke, along with many other dignitaries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday welcomed the release of a commemorative postal stamp in honour of Emperor Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II, also known as Suvaran Maran.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister said, “Glad that the Vice President, Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji, released a stamp in honour of Emperor Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II (Suvaran Maran). He was a formidable administrator blessed with remarkable vision, foresight and strategic brilliance. He was known for his commitment to justice. He was a great patron of Tamil culture as well. I call upon more youngsters to read about his extraordinary life.”

The commemorative postage stamp was released on Saturday at the Vice-President’s Enclave in New Delhi. Speaking at the event, Vice-President Radhakrishnan appreciated the Union government’s efforts under the leadership of PM Modi to promote Tamil culture and language, and to recognise historical figures who had not received adequate acknowledgement in the past.

Retired IAS officer Raj Kumar Goyal was sworn in as the Chief Information Commissioner in the Central Information Commission on Monday.

President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Raj Kumar Goyal at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Vice President CP Radhakrishnan was also present at the occasion.

"President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Shri Raj Kumar Goyal, Chief Information Commissioner, at Rashtrapati Bhavan," the X handle of the President of India said.

Today is National Energy Conservation Day. This day is annually observed to raise awareness about the importance of energy conservation and to highlight the nation’s achievements in energy efficiency.

On the occasion, President Droupadi Murmu felicitated the winners of the National Energy Conservation Awards (NECA) 2025 and National Painting Competition on Energy Conservation 2025 in New Delhi.

Addressing the gathering, the President said that energy conservation is no longer just an option but a necessity of the present time. President Murmu emphasised that every unit of energy saved reflects a sense of responsibility towards nature and demonstrates care and sensitivity for future generations.

November helped offset the losses recorded in October, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said on Monday, as India’s merchandise trade deficit narrowed to a five-month low of $24.53bn on the back of a rebound in exports.

The country's merchandise imports stood at $62.66bn in November, while exports were at $38.13bn, according to government data. In this period, merchandise exports to the US, India's largest export market, also rose over 21% year-on-year to $6.98bn against $5.70bn last year.

"November has helped offset the losses recorded in October, and the overall trade position for the first eight months of the year appears to be on a steady footing," Agrawal notes while presenting the data.

The Kingdom of Bahrain is set to pause its usual government operations next week as it prepares to celebrate two of its most significant annual occasions. Citizens and residents will have the opportunity to honor the nation’s progress and leadership, as the government announces official public holidays for National Day and the Accession Day of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, issued a circular confirming that all ministries, government departments, and public institutions will be closed on Tuesday, December 16, and Wednesday, December 17, 2025. The announcement applies to every government agency, public authority, and institution across the Kingdom.

This circular formalizes the observance of the holidays, ensuring that both days are recognized nationwide for all government operations.

The Union Cabinet on Friday approved a major change in India’s insurance rules by allowing full foreign ownership in insurance companies. The decision aims to bring more capital, improve competition, and strengthen customer services across the sector.

The Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill 2025 is expected to be introduced in the ongoing Winter session of Parliament, which ends on December 19. A Lok Sabha bulletin lists it among the key legislative items planned for discussion.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had earlier proposed raising the foreign investment limit from 74% to 100% as part of wider reforms in the financial sector.