In Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa has been sworn in as the new Prime minister. He was sworn in by President Gotabaya Rajapksa, his younger brother after Ranil Wickremsinghe resigned from his post today.

A 15-member cabinet is also expected to be sworn in by tomorrow.

The changes followed victory of Gotabaya Rajapksa at Saturday’s elections. Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa served as two-term President during 2005 to 2015 and was barred from contesting Presidential elections because of two-term limit. Earlier, Mr. Wickremsinghe said that while his government still has the majority in Parliament, it was decided to respect the mandate given to Gotabaya Rajapaksa and step down.

Kohli’s efforts to improve conditions for animals include sending a letter on PETA India’s behalf to officials calling for the release of Malti, an elephant used for rides at Amer Fort, who was reportedly violently beaten by eight men.

India captain Virat Kohli was on Wednesday named People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India’s ‘Person of the Year for 2019’ for his animal advocacy efforts.

Now a vegetarian, Kohli’s efforts to improve conditions for animals include sending a letter on PETA India’s behalf to officials calling for the release of Malti, an elephant used for rides at Amer Fort, who was reportedly violently beaten by eight men, a PETA India statement said.

In shooting, India's Manu Bhaker and Elavenil Valarivan won gold medals in the ISSF World Cup Finals at Putian in China today. 

Manu shot 244.7 to win the gold with a junior world record in the women's 10m air pistol event, while Elavenil claimed the top honours in the women's 10 meter air rifle competition. In the same event Manu's compatriot, Yashaswini Singh Deswal finished sixth in the final.

In the men's 10 meter air pistol event, Abhishek Verma and Saurabh Chaudhary qualified for the final but couldn't claim medals. 

The Union Cabinet yesterday approved the establishment of the National Institute for Sowa-Rigpa (NISR) in Leh as an autonomous organization under the Ministry of AYUSH at an estimated cost of Rs. 47.25 crore.

It also approved creation of the post of director in Level-14 to oversee implementation of the project from the construction stage itself.
Consequent to the formation of Ladakh as Union Territory and for the promotion of native culture of Ladakh, it has been decided by the Government of India to promote Sowa-Rigpa system of medicine by establishing a National Institute for Sowa-Rigpa(NISR) at Leh, Union Territory of Ladakh.  

Union Home minister Amit Shah launched a special winter grade diesel for the citizen of Ladakh through video conferencing in New Delhi on Sunday. He said under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, this will lead to the development of Leh and Ladakh.

The Home Minister also expressed gratitude and thanked Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for having maintained their fluidity even in 33 degrees, have succeeded in getting such special grade diesel there. This will help people to get relief from winter troubles.

Amit Shah said the initiative will give a new beginning to the people of Leh-Ladakh and there will be traffic facility for the tourists which was not there earlier. This will give a lot of boost to the tourism and economy sector in the region.

In Jammu, the Directorate of School Education (DSEJ) has launched a special enrollment drive under the banner 'Aao School Chalein' for increasing the enrollment in government schools.

As per the Directorate of School Education, the special enrollment drive would be conducted across all the villages and catchment areas of the government schools, under the supervision of chief education officers of all the districts of Jammu Division.

Apart from increasing the enrollment in the Government schools, the prime focus of the drive is on the strengthening of pre-schooling of children in the age group of 3 to 5 years.

India's biggest cinematic event International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will open in Goa today. The Opening ceremony of the 50th edition of IFFI will begin at 3:30 PM at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium in Panjim.

The Governor of Goa Satyapal Malik, Union Ministers Prakash Javadekar and Shripad Naik will grace the occasion. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and other state officials will be representing the host state.

AIR correspondent reports that Asia's biggest film festival, IFFI is geared up to woo audiences and critics alike in its Golden Jubilee edition in Goa. A virtual who's who of the Indian film industry, as well as world cinema's greatest, are all set to walk the red carpet tonight. Superstars Rajnikant and Amitabh Bachhan are special invitees.

India has announced a slew of exemptions for foreigners seeking medical treatment in India following the implementation of liberalised medical visa policy.

According to a statement released by the Consulate General of India in Dubai, exemption has been given to foreigners from getting their primary visa converted into medical visa. It will be applicable for obtaining indoor treatment up to 180 days for seeking admission in a hospital owing to illness.

Treatment of diseases which require organ transplant shall, however, be permitted only on a Medical Visa.

In an unique initiative to check child marriage, Assam Govt approves Arundhati scheme to provide 1 Tola Gold to Brides free of cost. In a cabinet meeting held in Guwahati yesterday evening on 19 th November chaired by Chief Minister Sarbananda  Sonowal approved this scheme to give 1 tola Gold (11.66 grams ) to brides parents belonging to the economically weaker sections of the society.

With the aim to reduce child marriage under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act that a girl in India cant get married before the age of 18, and a boy cant get married before 21 years of age, this scheme can be availed by formal registration of the marriage under the Special  Marriage (Assam) Rules, 1954 at the time of marriage.

The Indian Railway Catering And Tourism Corporation, IRCTC, will operate and manage luxury train, Golden Chariot from March next year.

An agreement in this regard was signed between Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation, KSTDC, and IRCTC in New Delhi today, in the presence of Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi and Karnataka Tourism Minister CT Ravi.  

Earlier, the train was operated under a joint venture between KSTDC and the Ministry of Railways.