Morning Digest: Israel-Hamas reach Gaza ceasefire deal; Three Indian nuclear entities no more on U.S. restrictions list, and more

The Hindu Morning Digest gives a select list of stories to start the day. Read the top news today on January 16, 2025

Qatari PM says Gaza ceasefire goes into effect on January 19

Qatar’s prime minister on Wednesday announced a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that will pause the devastating 15-month war in Gaza and clear the way for dozens of Israeli hostages to go home. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani announced the agreement in the Qatari capital of Doha, the site of weeks of painstaking negotiations. He said the deal would go into effect on Sunday.

Short-seller Hindenburg Research to be disbanded: founder

U.S. investment group Hindenburg Research will be disbanded, its founder Nate Anderson said Wednesday, adding that it has completed the projects it was handling. Founded in 2017 as a kind of corporate muckraker, the short-seller with around 10 employees has pushed several companies to admit accounting errors or misrepresentations.

Three Indian nuclear entities no more on U.S. restrictions list

In a significant move, the United States on Wednesday removed restrictions on three Indian nuclear entities, over a week after National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan announced that Washington was finalising steps to “remove” hurdles for civil nuclear partnership between Indian and American firms. The three entities are Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Indira Gandhi Atomic Research Centre (IGCAR) and the Indian Rare Earths (IRE), according to the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS).

Easy access to clean toilets a basic right, essential for human dignity, says Supreme Court judgment