Author: Shivali Varshney, Vidhyarthi Darpan

NATIONAL NEWS

Omicron cases doubling in 1.5 to 3 days in areas with local spread, says WHO 

The Omicron coronavirus variant has been reported in 89 countries and the number of cases is doubling in 1.5 to 3 days in areas with community transmission, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday.   Omicron is spreading rapidly in countries with high levels of population immunity, but it is unclear if this is due to the virus’ ability to evade immunity, its inherent increased transmissibility or a combination of both, the WHO said in an update.   The agency designated Omicron a variant of concern on November 26, soon after it was first detected, and much is still not known about it, including the severity of the illness it causes.   There are still limited data on the clinical severity of Omicron, the WHO said. More data are needed to understand the severity profile, and how severity is impacted by vaccination and pre-existing immunity. It added, There are still limited available data, and no peer-reviewed evidence, on vaccine efficacy or effectiveness to date for Omicron.  People queue to check-in for the Eurostar at St. Pancras international train station in London. Eurostar, which operates trains across the English Channel, sold out of tickets to France on Friday before new rules restricting travel to and from Britain took effect.   The WHO warned that with cases rising so rapidly, hospitals could be overwhelmed in some places. Hospitalisations in the U.K. and South Africa continue to rise, and given rapidly increasing case counts, it is possible that many healthcare systems may become quickly overwhelmed.   

U.P.+Yogi — bahut hain upyogi: Modi coins term to endorse Yogi model  Endorsing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s demolition of property of suspected criminals as part of his handling of law and order, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday came up with a new formulation U.P.Y.O.G.I — U.P. plus Yogi.  Upyogi means useful in Hindi, and by deploying the pun, the Prime Minister has once again thrown his weight behind Mr. Adityanath as the State inches closer to the 2022 Assembly elections.   Speaking at the foundation-laying ceremony of the Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur, Mr. Modi referring to the demolition of property of suspected criminals and mafia under the BJP Government in U.P.: When the bull dozer runs over the mafia… the bull dozer runs over the illegal building but the person who is nurturing it feels the pain. That is why the people of U.P. are saying, U.P. plus Yogi, bahut hain upyogi (U.P. plus Yogi is very much useful).   Reacting to Mr. Modi’s remarks, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav termed Mr. Adityanath unupyogi (useless), citing incidents of crimes against Dalits and women under his rule. Mr. Yadav said in a tweet, The daughter of Hathras, the farmers of Lakhimpur, the trader of Gorakhpur, women who are feeling insecure, unemployed youths, the Dalits, and the backward class (people) are saying for U.P., the current government is not useful, it is useless.    

Samajwadi Party alleges foul play after I-T raids on premises of party leaders in Uttar Pradesh  

Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party on Saturday alleged foul play as the Income Tax Department conducted searches at the residences of persons linked to its leadership in several districts of Uttar Pradesh, including that of party national secretary Rajeev Rai.   Teams of the I-T Department conducted searches at the residences of Mr. Rai in Mau; Jainendra Yadav, who is reportedly close to Mr. Akhilesh Yadav; and Manoj Yadav, a businessman in Mainpuri. The department did not reveal details, and only said that searches were on.   Mr. Rai is also a spokesperson of the SP. In 2014, he contested the Lok Sabha election from Ghosi in east U.P. but finished fourth. Talking to his supporters who had gathered outside his residence, Mr. Rai stated he had no criminal background or black money.   Mr. Akhilesh Yadav remarked that the I-T Department had arrived in U.P. to contest the 2022 Assembly elections, in a dig at the BJP-led Union Government. As the BJP sensed defeat, not only the I-T Department but also the ED and the CBI will arrive in U.P., apart from the conspiracies and rumours that will be spread, he said.   But despite all this, the ‘cycle’ and the rath will not slow down and the BJP is destined to be wiped out in U.P., he told reporters. Mr. Akhilesh Yadav asked why the I-T Department had arrived at Mr. Rai’s residence just before the election when they could have done this when he submitted his asset details.   

DRDO scientist arrested for ‘planting explosives to kill neighbour’ in Rohini court premises  

A senior DRDO scientist has been arrested for allegedly planting an improvised explosive device (IED) in a tiffin box with an intention to kill his neighbour in the Rohini district court in New Delhi earlier this month, police said on Saturday.   The IED that triggered a low-intensity explosion in courtroom number 102 on December 9 had left a person injured. The accused, Bharat Bhushan Kataria (47), was arrested on Friday, police said.   According to Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana, Mr. Kataria, who is a senior scientist at the Defence Research and Development Organisation, entered the court premises at 9.33 a.m. on the day of the incident with two bags and left one of those behind inside courtroom number 102. The accused left the court premises at 10.35 a.m.    Mr. Kataria had planted the IED in a tiffin box, and left the bag containing the tiffin box inside the courtroom as he wanted to kill his neighbour, who is a lawyer, police said. Both the parties had lodged several cases against each other. They live in the same building. Prima facie, it seems that Kataria had a grudge against the lawyer, a senior police officer said.   The lawyer lives on the ground floor of the building while the accused lives on the third floor. Five civil cases were filed by Mr. Kataria against the lawyer, while the latter had filed seven civil cases against the accused, police said.   Teams from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and the National Security Guard (NSG) had visited the site of the explosion, and it was found that the materials used in making the IED were easily available in the market. The IED was not properly assembled due to which only the detonator exploded, police said.   

Odisha woman sarpanch begs for a living 

The word sarpanch conjures up the image of rural authority, a person solving problems of villagers, and getting development works executed. But in a mockery of both the privilege and the grassroots governance system supposed to empower the disadvantaged, a sarpanch in Odisha’s Ganjam district has been found begging for her survival.   Hema Naik, the woman sarpanch of Badapalli panchayat under Khallikote block of Ganjam district, has been seen going from house to house seeking alms. Ms. Naik belongs to the Scheduled Caste community. She became sarpanch of Badapalli, a predominantly tribal panchayat, after the post was reserved for women Scheduled Caste candidates.  When contacted Block Development Officer of Khallikote, Mitali Patra, acknowledged receiving information about the woman sarpanch’s dire straits six months ago.   However, her election to the top post in the panchayat did not bring about any change in her financial status. According to villagers, she continued to remain dependent on begging. Her tenure as sarpanch will end early next year.   Though her husband works as peon in the panchayat office, and a son works as daily wager, their earnings are not adequate. Incidentally, Ms. Naik was present alongside Khallikote MLA Suryamani Baidya, who had gone to Badipalli to distribute the smart health cards under the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), a few days ago. A day after the event she returned to begging again.   When contacted, Block Development Officer of Khallikote, Mitali Patra, acknowledged receiving information about the woman sarpanch’s dire straits six months ago. Information about Badapalli sarpanch begging on street was forwarded to us from Chief Minister’s Grievance Cell about six months ago. Subsequently, we carried out an investigation to ascertain the fact. The sarpanch told us that she was not begging in the panchayat, said Ms. Patra.   

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Temple of Buddhist period discovered in Pakistan.

An evacuation team of Pakistani and Italian archaeologists discovered the Apsidal temple of the Buddhist period as well as a few other precious artefacts in Northwest Pakistan. The newly discovered temple is over 2,300 years old. The discovery has been made in the Bazira city of the Buddhist period in the Barikot tehsil of Swat district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. It has been described as the oldest temple in Pakistan of the Buddhist period. The archaeologists have also recovered over 2,700 years old artefacts of the Buddhist period which included rings, coins, pots. The recent discovery in the Bazira city of Pakistan has proven that Swat was a sacred place for six to seven religions.

US appoints Uzra Zeya as U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibet

US official Uzra Zeya has been appointed by the government as the new U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues. Uzra Zeya will hold her new position concurrently with her new role as the Under Secretary for the Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights. The role of the U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibet will involve promoting the substantive dialogue between the Government of China and the Dalai Lama. The coordinator will also promote the unique identity of Tibet, coordinate US Policy on Tibet, and will safeguard the human rights of Tibet. The position of US Special Coordinator for Tibet was established by the country’s Tibetan Policy Act (2002). It had been lying vacant for much of the Trump administration.

NATIONAL NEWS 

BJP announces alliance with Amarinder Singh’s party for Punjab polls 

The BJP formally announced on Friday that it will contest the upcoming Assembly elections in Punjab in alliance with Amarinder Singh’s Punjab Lok Congress.   Mr. Singh on Friday called on the BJP’s Punjab in-charge and Union Minister, Gajendra Shekhawat, at his residence in New Delhi. After the meeting, they officially announced the alliance between the two parties.   “Today, I want to make it clear that the BJP and Amarinder Singh will contest Assembly elections in Punjab together and we are working together,” Mr. Shekhawat told the media, Mr. Singh by his side. Mr. Shekhawat said the details of seat-sharing will be announced at an “appropriate time”.  Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and BJP’s Punjab in-charge and Union Minister Gajendra Shekhawat meet at the latter’s residence in New Delhi on December 17, 2021. Photo: Twitter/@capt_amarinder   Mr. Singh said, “The alliance will definitely, 101%, win the elections. And winnability will be the main criterion in finalising seats.”   Mr. Singh formed his own party, Punjab Lok Congress, days after he resigned as the Chief Minister, and quit the Congress. Earlier, the BJP had also broken its alliance with longstanding partner, Shiromani Akali Dal, over the issue of farm laws.   

Omicron spreading fast across Europe, other parts of world; avoid non-essential travel, says government  

As many as 101 positive cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus have been detected across 11 States and Union Territories so far, the government said on Friday, advising people to keep new year celebrations at low intensity.   It said that although the daily COVID-19 case count had been under 10,000 for the past 20 days, there was a need to stay vigilant in view of the new variant and the rising number of cases in other countries. With the Omicron variant spreading very fast across Europe and other parts of the world, people needed to avoid non-essential travel, the government said, adding that mass gatherings must be avoided, and new year celebrations should be carried out at low intensity.  E-pass is also mandatory for domestic air travellers due to the Omicron precautionary measures at Chennai Airport, on December 17, 2021.   Giving details of the Omicron cases emerging in India, it said Maharashtra reported 32 cases of the variant, Delhi (22), Rajasthan (17), Karnataka (8), Telangana (8), Gujarat (5), Kerala (5), Andhra Pradesh (1), Chandigarh (1), Tamil Nadu (1) and West Bengal (1).   Citing the World Health Organization, it also said that the Omicron variant was spreading faster than the Delta variant in South Africa, where Delta circulation was low.   It was likely that Omicron’s spread would outpace the Delta variant where community transmission occurs, the government said, citing the WHO. It added that sufficient systematic and strategic sampling was being undertaken for detection of Omicron cases in India through genome sequencing.    

PM Modi meets BJP MPs from U.P.; Ajay Mishra not in group  Prime Minister Narendra Modi met BJP MPs from election-bound Uttar Pradesh over breakfast on Friday, his fourth such interaction during the winter session of Parliament with party MPs categorised Statewise.   Significantly, Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra Teni, in the eye of a political storm over the Uttar Pradesh Police Special Investigation Team report on the killing of eight people in Lakhimpur Kheri in October, was absent from the meeting.   At least 36 MPs from the State attended the breakfast meeting with Mr. Modi. The number was restricted to less than the total strength of the party in Parliament from Uttar Pradesh due to COVID-19 protocols, sources said.   The discussion was largely related to how MPs could foster better communication between constituents and themselves, and a common piece of advice that Mr. Modi seems to be telling all MPs who have met him so far is to organise sports tournaments in their areas to encourage both health and a sporting spirit. “He feels that sports encourages a positive motivation in the youth,” said a source present at the meeting. The upcoming poll in the State was not mentioned.    

BJP slams Karnataka Congress MLA’s ‘rape’ statement   

The BJP on Friday slammed the Congress for Karnataka MLA K.R. Ramesh Kumar’s comments on rape on the floor of the Assembly, but was left embarrassed when its spokesperson Aparajita Sarangi criticised Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, who is from the ruling party, for not objecting to Mr. Kumar’s remarks.   On December 16, when Mr. Kageri expressed helplessness about not being able to curtail the long speeches of members, Mr. Kumar had said, “There’s a saying…when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it. That is the situation you are in too.”   At a press conference held at the party headquarters in New Delhi, BJP Lok Sabha MP Ms. Sarangi questioned Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s silence over the issue, alleging that its leaders have a history of making such insulting comments about women.   Her next comment, however, was on Mr. Kageri, who had joined in the mirth over the remark. “What is sad is that the Speaker said nothing after such objectionable comments were made and even laughed,” she stated. Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, and another BJP spokesperson, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, however, defended the Speaker. Mr. Rathore said Mr. Kageri made no statement and things should not be implied. Mr. Chandrasekhar accused Mr. Kumar of trivialising crime against women.   Ms. Sarangi later clarified that she meant to refer to Mr. Kumar, as he is also a former Speaker. Even as Speaker, he had made such remarks by equating himself with a rape victim for being dragged to court over various issues, she noted.   Mr. Kumar apologised for his remarks on Friday. In a tweet, he said: “I would like to express my sincere apologies to everyone for the indifferent and negligent comment I made in today’s assembly about rape. My intention was not to trivialise or make light of the heinous crime, but an off-the-cuff remark! I will choose my words carefully henceforth!”   

Supreme Court stays proceedings of West Bengal’s Lokur panel probing Pegasus snooping allegations  

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed further proceedings of a Commission of Inquiry appointed by the West Bengal Government to look into allegations of snooping using the Pegasus software.   A Bench led by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana impleaded the commission, comprising former Supreme Court judge, Justice Madan B. Lokur, and retired Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court Jyotirmay Bhattacharya. The court issued notice to the panel to be served through its secretary. The order was passed after an NGO, Global Village Foundation Trust, made an urgent plea that the commission was going ahead with a ‘parallel inquiry’ into Pegasus allegations. The Supreme Court has already appointed a committee led by retired Supreme Court judge, Justice R.V. Raveendran in October to ‘expeditiously’ examine the Pegasus snooping reports.   The West Bengal Government’s move in July to appoint a Commission of Inquiry was first heard by the Supreme Court in August. At the time, the Supreme Court had only issued pre-admission notice to the Centre on August 17 on petitions seeking an independent inquiry into allegations that the Government used the Israeli-based spyware to snoop on journalists, activists, dissenters, parliamentarians, Ministers and other citizens. Mr. Singhvi said the State Government could not interfere in the working of the Commission of Inquiry, and it was now up to the Supreme Court to pass any formal orders for the commission. This led the court to implead the commission, issue notice and order the stay of further proceedings.   

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Covovax gets emergency use approval from WHO:

The World Health Organisation announced that it has given its approval for the emergency use of COVOVAX Coronavirus Vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine has been manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) under the license of the US company Novavax. The global health body, while announcing the emergency use of Covovax, stated that it issued the emergency use listing for Covovax, further expanding the basket of WHO-validated Covid vaccines against the Covid virus. The move of giving emergency use approval to Covovax will boost the ongoing efforts of vaccinating more people in lower-income countries. The emergency use approval from the World Health Organisation is a prerequisite for being on the Covax drug list as well as for the international procurement. Covovax by Serum Institute of India was assessed under the WHO Emergency Use Listing procedure. It was based on the review of data on the safety, quality, and efficacy, programmatic suitability, a risk management plan, and manufacturing site inspections carried out by the Drugs Control General of India (DCGI). The Technical Advisory Group for EUL which was convened by World Health Organisation and experts from around the world determined that the Covovax vaccine meets the global health body’s standards for the protection against Coronavirus. The group also came to the conclusion that the benefit of the Covovax vaccine far outweighs any risks and that the Serum Institute of India’s vaccine can be used globally.

Britain’s 7-times F1 Champion Lewis Hamilton received Knight Bachelor for Service to Motorsport.  

British racing driver Lewis Hamilton, who has won the Formula one(F1) Championship 7 times has been honoured with Britain’s Knight Bachelor, for Services to Motorsport. Lewis Hamilton received Knighthood from Charles, The Prince of Wales, in a ceremony at Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, England.  Hamilton is the 4th F1 driver to receive the knighthood, the honorary title Sir in Britain after Jack Brabham (Australian), Stirling Moss and Jackie Stewart.  He is the first and the only active racer to receive the honors.  Other active sportsmen to receive knighthood. Bradley Wiggins (Road and track racing cyclist) was knighted in 2013 Andy Murray, (Tennis) was knighted in 2016. Mo Farah (Track athlete) was knighted in 2017. Alastair Cook (Cricket) was knighted in 2019. Sir Lewis Hamilton, the first and the only black driver to race in the F1 series currently competes in the Fl representing Mercedes and he has previously represented McLaren from 2007 to 2012. He has tied with Michael Schumacher of Germany with 7 driver’s championships. He holds the record for Most wins in Formula 1 with 103 wins since his debl in 2007. He has the record of the Most consecutive race starts with 265.

NATIONAL NEWS 

Bill likely on increasing legal marriage age of women from 18 to 21 years: sources 

According to sources, the Central Government has decided to raise the legal age of marriage for women from 18 to 21, bringing on a par with that of men. The Union Cabinet cleared a proposal on Wednesday to bring in uniformity in the marriageable age of men and women, sources said.   The Central Government is likely to bring a Bill in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament to amend the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, they said. The proposed Bill may also seek to make consequential changes to various personal laws relating to marriage of various communities to ensure a uniform marriage age, the sources said. As of now, the legal age of women to get married is 18 while that for men is 21.    The decision came a year after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that the Government was deliberating on what should be the minimum age for marriage of women.   The decision is based on the recommendation of a four-member task force led by former Samata Party chief Jaya Jaitly.     

Akhilesh, uncle Shivpal join forces  

After months of uncertainty, the festering rift in the Samajwadi Party between party president Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Yadav has been resolved, forging political unity of the Yadav clan of Saifai ahead of the 2022 elections after three years of acrimony, bitterness and uncertainty.   The SP president on Thursday announced that an alliance had been forged between the two after calling on Mr. Shivpal Yadav, who had formed his own party — Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) — after breaking away from Mr. Akhilesh Yadav during 2016-17. Mr. Shivpal Yadav had been opposed to a merger with the SP, party sources said.   Had a meeting with the national president of PSP and fixed the matter of alliance, Mr. Akhilesh Yadav said, tweeting a picture with his uncle standing on a staircase while he had his feet on the floor below in what appeared to be a strategic move to showcase his respect for his elder relative.  Mr. Akhilesh Yadav said the SP was constantly strengthening the policy of taking along regional parties and marching towards a historic victory.   While Mr. Shivpal Yadav is the sole MLA from his party from Jaswant Nagar in the Yadav family bastion of Mainpuri, forging an alliance with him gives a boost to Mr. Akhilesh Yadav’s show of unity ahead of the 2022 elections. It also ensures that there is no division in the political expression of the Yadavs, the core support base of the SP especially in the Etawah-Mainpuri-Kannauj-Firozabad belt where a dissident faction led by Mr. Shivpal Yadav could have hurt the party.    

‘Leave it to the BCCI’, says Ganguly, declines to comment on Kohli’s press conference  

A day after India Test captain Virat Kohli triggered a storm by publicly contradicting him, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly refused to comment on the matter, saying the Board will deal with it.   No statements, no press conference. We will deal with it, leave it to (the) BCCI, Ganguly told the media on Thursday. Kohli, during his pre-departure press conference ahead of the tour of South Africa, said that he was never asked to stay on as T20 skipper when he made his intent clear on relinquishing the post.   When I left the T20 captaincy, I had first approached BCCI and intimated them of my decision and laid down my point of view in front of them (office bearers). I gave the reasons why I wanted to quit T20 captaincy and my view point was received very nicely. There was no offence, no hesitation and not for once was I told that ‘you should not leave T20 captaincy’, he had asserted.   This was in complete contrast to Ganguly’s assertion a few days back that Kohli had been requested to not quit the position.    There was talk of BCCI asking chairman of selectors Chetan Sharma to address the media after Kohli’s explosive press conference but the Board eventually refrained from making any counter statements.   Kohli’s comments on Wednesday brought to the fore the underlying tension in his equation with the administrators. Whatever was said about the communication that happened about the decision that was made was inaccurate, Kohli had said with obvious reference to Ganguly’s statement.   

Opposition likely to hold mock Parliament  

The Opposition parties are likely to hold a mock parliament session under the Mahatma Gandhi statue where 12 suspended MPs have been staging a protest for the last 16 days.   Many of the Opposition MPs will play the role of the ruling party, sources say. CPI(M) leader Elamaram Kareem will step into the shoes of Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu while RJD leader Manoj K Jha will be Leader of the House Piyush Goyal.   The idea was mooted by Congress Rajya Sabha member Rajamani Patel, who is among the 12 suspended MPs. Our responsibility as a lawmaker does not end just because they have forced us outside the House. Since we are not allowed to do our duty within the House, we will do it outside, he said.   At a morning meeting on Thursday, the Opposition leaders decided that instead of raising the issue of suspension in the Upper House, their agitation will be centred around the Government’s reluctance to expel Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra for his alleged involvement in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. At Lakhimpur Kheri, Mr. Ajay Mishra’s son, Ashish Mishra, allegedly drove his SUV into protesting farmers, killing six of them.    

No death due to lack of oxygen during COVID-19 second wave: U.P. Government 

The Uttar Pradesh Government on Thursday told the legislative council that no death due to lack of oxygen was reported in the State during the second wave of COVID-19, a claim rejected by the Opposition.  The Government said the death certificates made no mention of ‘death due to lack of oxygen’ in any of the 22,915 patients that died due to the pandemic.  Replying to Congress member Deepak Singh during Question Hour, U.P. Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh said, No death has been reported in the State due to lack of oxygen during the second wave. Raising a supplementary question, Mr. Singh asked whether the Government had details on similar cases that were flagged by its own Ministers.  Earlier the Union Health Ministry had also said in the Rajya Sabha that no death in the country had specifically been reported due to medical oxygen shortage in hospitals. No deaths due to the lack of oxygen have been specifically reported by States and Union Territories, the Union  Health Ministry had said.  During the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, which hit India in March this year and reached its peak in May, shortage of medical oxygen was reported from various parts of the country, including Delhi.  Several people were also seen crowding outside hospitals to arrange oxygen cylinders for their family members who were suffering from the viral disease.  

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Foreign Minister of Tajikistan to visit India from December 18 to 20 December 2021

Sirojiddin Muhriddin, the Foreign Minister of Tajikistan will be on an official visit to India from 18th to 20 December 2021. During his visit, the foreign minister will also meet the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The officials are scheduled to discuss the bilateral, international and regional issues of mutual interest and will also undertake a comprehensive review of the bilateral cooperation. India and Tajikistan have maintained an active exchange of visits. EAM S Jaishankar had visited Tajikistan in 2021 including for a bilateral visit and the participation in the Heart of Asia Conference in March 2021. The upcoming visit will sustain the momentum of high-level exchanges and will further strengthen strategic partnerships between the two nations.

North Korea bans drinking, laughing and grocery shopping for 11 days

In a bizarre move, North Korea has banned its citizens from laughing, drinking, and going grocery shopping for the next 11 days starting from December 17, 2021. Reportedly, the North Korean government authorities have ordered the citizens of the country to not show any signs of happiness. A North Korean from the northeastern border city of Sinuiju stated that in these 11 days in North Korea, the citizens must not drink alcohol, laugh or even engage in leisure activities. As North Korea enters 11 days mourning period from December 17, 2021, to mark the 10th death anniversary of the former North Korean leader, all leisure activities have been banned in the country. North Korean residents are not allowed to go grocery shopping and the offenders will be arrested. Even if a family member passes away during this time period, people will not be allowed to cry out loud and the body must be taken out after it is over. The citizens are also not permitted to celebrate their own birthdays if they fall within these 11 days of mourning. Any violation of ban during the mourning period in North Korea in these 11 days will result in significant consequences. The offenders will be arrested, as happens every year. Reportedly, in the past as well, many people in North Korea who were caught drinking during the mourning period were jailed and were treated as ideological criminals. The people were never seen again. Every year since Kim Jin-Un’s father’s death, he pays his tribute at his father’s memorial. However, this year, the state media did not immediately disclose any form of public activity by the North Korean leader on the morning of December 17, 2021.

NATIONAL NEWS

Govt releases report on State of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy

The Economic Advisory Council to PM of India recently released a report on the State of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy in the country. The elaborate report has been prepared by the Institute for Competitiveness. As per the report released by the Economic Advisory Council, access to education demands appropriate action on the part of the states as the performance of the larger states such as Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Bihar are below average while the North-Eastern states have the highest score. The report further explained that the states have performed poorly in the Governance pillar and also added that some of the states might serve as role models for others. The Foundational Literacy and Numeracy skills refer to the basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills. Falling behind in the years of foundational learning will further make children more vulnerable.

Metro Man E Sreedharan quits active politics

Metro Man E Sreedharan announced on December 16, 2021, that he has decided to quit active politics. He had contested assembly elections from the Palakkad constituency as a BJP candidate. However, he lost the election. E Sreedharan announced the decision of quitting active politics at a press conference in Malappuram. While addressing the conference he also said his advanced age has been preventing him from engaging in active politics. E Sreedharan also termed Kerala Government’s recently proposed semi-speed Silverline rail project as ill-conceived and badly planned. Metro Man argued that it will further burden Kerala Govt’s exchequer which is already under huge budget. He added that its environmental impact will also be enormous.

Road Transport Ministry directs for removal of accident spots on National Highways

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued letters to the Chief Secretaries of all the States for the removal of accident spots on the National Highways. The Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, while replying to a question in Lok Sabha, said that in order to prevent road accidents the ministry has decided to take proactive action by studying the reasons for accidents for all such locations. The Union Minister also informed that in case there are non-engineering reasons for the accidents that need attention, the analysis will be sent to the concerned district magistrate for necessary action.

ISRO signs 6 agreements with 4 nations to launch foreign satellites

The Union Minister of State for Atomic Energy and Space Dr. Jitendra Singh informed that the Indian Space Research Organisation signed 6 agreements with four nations for the launch of foreign satellites during the time period of 2021-23. The Union Minister also said that about 132 million euros will be earned through the launch of these foreign satellites on a commercial basis. Starting from the year 1999, India has successfully launched a total of 342 foreign satellites belonging to 34 nations on a commercial basis.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Letter of Intent to establish partnership in Digital Media signed between India and Vietnam

A letter of intent for establishing a partnership in Digital Media was signed between India and Vietnam. The document envisages sharing of experiences and information in establishing the policies and regulatory framework on the digital media and social networks. As per Union Minister Anurag Thakur, the meeting between India and Vietnam shaped the bilateral cooperation in the field of new technologies which all the countries were grappling with during pandemic. The agreement will also facilitate conducting capacity building and training programs for media professions in India and Vietnam.

French defence minister Florence Parly to arrive in India today, will hold talks with Rajnath Singh

French defence minister Florence Parly is scheduled to arrive in India on Thursday on a two-day visit that is aimed at further strengthening the already close bilateral strategic ties, people familiar with the developments said. Parly will hold wide-ranging talks with her Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh on Friday to enhance defence and security ties between the two countries besides delving into pressing regional issues, they said. The recent developments in Afghanistan and the situation in the Indo-Pacific region are likely to figure in the talks. It will be Parly’s fourth visit to India since 2017. She had visited India in September last year primarily to attend a ceremony in Ambala that was held to induct the first batch of five Rafale jets into the Indian Air Force. In 2016, India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 of the aircraft for ₹59,000 crore. The ties between India and France are on an upswing in the last few years with cooperation witnessing a significant expansion in key areas. The areas of defence and security, civil nuclear cooperation and trade and investment constitute the principal pillars of the Indo-French strategic partnership. In addition, India and France are increasingly engaged in new areas of cooperation such as in the Indian Ocean region, climate change and sustainable growth and development. The two countries share a close degree of convergence on a range of regional and global issues as well including ways to deal with terrorism and eextremism

Kim Jong Un’s policy of a complete but isolated 10-yr-rule in North Korea 

Since assuming power 10 years ago, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ruled the isolated country with absolute power, significantly expanded its nuclear arsenal and become the North’s first ruler to hold a summit with a sitting US president. But now, he’s hunkering down and struggling to revive a dilapidated economy battered hard by pandemic-related border shutdowns, toughened UN sanctions and mismanagement. When he inherited power upon the death of his father and longtime ruler Kim Jong Il, there were questions about the future of North Korea. Little was known about the then-27-year-old son who was taking his family’s dynastic rule into a third generation. But Kim Jong Un quickly consolidated his power by orchestrating a spate of brutal purges and executions that removed his potential rivals including his own powerful uncle. With a firm grip on power, Kim has carried on his family’s nuclear ambitions and diverted much of his country’s scarce resources toward programs to build nuclear-tipped missiles capable of reaching the US mainland. His provocative run of nuclear and missile tests in 2016-17 placed North Korea a step closer to its goal of possessing such functioning intercontinental ballistic missiles, but they also led North Korea to face stricter UN sanctions and deepened international isolation.

NATIONAL NEWS 

Treaty between India and Poland on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters approved

The Union Cabinet has approved a treaty between India and Poland on the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters. The approved treaty between the two nations will further enhance the capability and effectiveness of both India and Poland in the investigation and prosecution of crimes, including the crimes that are related to terrorism. The treaty aims at enhancing the effectiveness of India and Poland in the investigation and prosecution of crimes, through mutual legal assistance and cooperation in criminal matters. The proposed treaty between India and Poland will provide a broad legal framework for the bilateral cooperation with Poland in prosecution and investigation of crime as well as in restraining, tracing and the confiscating of instruments of crime.

Government asks travellers coming from ‘at-risk’ countries to pre-book RT-PCR test

The Airport Authority of India has announced that all the international travellers who will be coming from ‘at-risk’ countries will be required to compulsorily pre-book the RTPCR test. The test of the travellers will be conducted as per the guidelines of the Health Ministry. The arrangement will start from December 20, 2021, at 6 airports of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad. Air Suvidha Portal of the government will be modified to mandatorily pre-book the RT-PCR test, if the passengers are coming from at-risk countries or have visited the at-risk countries in the last 4 days. Link to the concerned airport website will also be provided in Air Suvidha Platform and will be displayed to passengers while filing the self-declaration forms.

Implementation of Pradhan Mantri Kriti Sinchayee Yojana approved for 2021-26

The Union Cabinet has given its approval to the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Kriti Sinchayee Yojana approved for 2021-26. The decision of implementing the scheme will also bring positive change to lakhs of families. It will benefit about 22 lakh farmers and over Rs. 93,000 crores will be spent. Out of Rs. 93,000 crores, Rs. 37,000 crores under the scheme will be central assistance to the states. The Central Funding of 90% of the water component for the two national projects has also been provisioned.

Indian-Origin Leena Nair is the new Ceprovisioned

Indian-origin Leena Nair has become the new CEO of Chanel, a French Luxury Brand. Leena Nair was the Chief Human Resources Officer of Unilever. She will step down from the position in January 2022 and will join the globally famous French-Luxury brand- Chanel. Nair commenced her career at Hindustan Unilever as a management trainee 30 years ago.

Group Captain Varun Singh, lone survivor of IAF chopper crash passes away

Group Captain Varun Singh, the only survivor of the Tamil Nadu Chopper Crash, succumbed to his injuries and passed away on December 15, 2021. Varun Singh was rescued after the IAF chopper crash in Tamil Nadu on December 8 that killed CDS Bipin Rawat along with 12 other officials including his wife Madhulika Rawat. Varun Singh was recently promoted to the Group Captain of the Indian Air Force. 

India’s Neena Gupta wins Ramanujan Prize 2021

Neena Gupta, an Indian Mathematician, has been awarded the 2021 Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians from developing countries. Neena Gupta has become the fourth Indian mathematician and third woman to win the coveted award. She is a mathematician at the Indian Statistical Institute in Kolkata. 

President Ram Nath Kovind visits Bapandemic

President of India Ram Nath Kovind has embarked on his three-day state visit to Bangladesh. He will participate in Bangladesh’s 50th Victory Day celebrations in Dhaka. The President is on a two-day visit from December 15 to 17, 2021. This is also President Kovind’s first foreign trip since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Nepal Prime Minister Deuba secures second tenure as party president

The Prime Minister of Nepal Sher Bahadur Deuba secured a majority for the post of party president for the second consecutive term. He secured the position after the second round of voting in the ongoing General Convention of ruling Nepali Congress. The 75-years old Deuba who has become the Prime Minister of Nepal five times was able to secure 2,733 votes. He left his contender, Dr Shekhar Koirala, behind with 1855 votes. In the elections in 1991, Sher Bahadur Deuba was elected to the House of Representatives from Dadeldhura. He was again elected from the same constituency in mid-term elections in 1994 and was elected as the Parliamentary party leader of the Nepali Congress. Deuba has been the President of the Nepali Congress since 2016 and he first became the Prime Minister of Nepal in 1995.

United Kingdom to remove all countries from COVID-19 red travel list

The United Kingdom will remove all the 11 countries from its COVID-19 travel red list from December 15, 2021, as there is now community transmission Omicron. The UK Government had added the Southern African countries to its travel red list in late November 2021. It meant that entry was only allowed to UK citizens or residents who were then required to quarantine in a hotel. As per the UK government, since there is now a community transmission of Omicron in the country and the new variant has spread across the world, the travel red list is now very less effective in slowing the spread. The 11 nations which will be removed from the UK’s travel red list are Botswana, Angola, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Malawi, Nigeria, Namibia, Zambia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

NASA’s spacecraft touches solar atmosphere for the very first time

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe on April 28 successfully entered the Corona of the Sun. It is an extreme environment that’s roughly 2 million degrees Fahrenheit. The goal of the mission is to learn how the Sun works and as per the scientists it can be accomplished by flying into the solar atmosphere. Corona is the outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere.

NATIONAL NEWS 

Bill to ‘extend tenure of CBI director’ up to maximum of 5 years

Rajya Sabha has passed the bill to extend the tenure of the CBI director up to a maximum of 5 years from the present two years. The bill was moved in the Upper House by Union Minister Jitendra Singh who also said that it was necessary to curb corruption-based cases. The bill was passed in the upper house with a voice vote as the entire Opposition walked out of the House seeking revocation of the suspension of 12 suspended MPs. The bill was earlier passed in Lok Sabha on December 9, 2021. The Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2021 aims for the amendment in the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946. The bill also further replaces the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 which was promulgated earlier on November 14, 2021.

4 new Omicron cases detected in New Delhi, the total number goes to 6

Satyendra Singh, Delhi Health Minister informed that 4 new cases of Omicron have been detected in the National Capital. The total number of Omicron cases in Delhi is now 6. While giving an update on the health of Omicron patients, the minister also stated that of the 6 cases, one patient has already been discharged from the hospital. The other 5 are still admitted and are stable. Currently, in Delhi, 35 Coronavirus positive patients and 3 suspected cases of COVID-19 have been admitted to the Lok Nayak Jan Prakash Hospital. As per the State Government, the Omicron situation in Delhi is under control. All the Omicron cases in Delhi are from the airport and none of them has come from the community so far.

COVID-19 vaccine for children in India in 6 months

The CEO of Serum Institute of India Adar Poonawalla informed that the institute plans on launching the NOVAVAX COVID-19 vaccine for children in India in the next 6 months. The NOVAVAX shots showed good results in the trials in children aged 3 years or older. Poonawalla also said that the vaccine is still under trial and has shown excellent data so far for the age group of 3. The monthly output of AstraZeneca by SII has nearly quadrupled since April 2021 to 250 million doses. The institute also recently announced to temporarily halve the production of vaccines due to weak demand.

Widening of Char Dham road permitted by Supremedemand

The Supreme Court of India has given approval to the Central Government for double lane widening of the roads for the Char Dham Project in light of the National security concerns. Char dham project in Uttarakhand aims at providing all weather-connectivity to four holy towns in the state- Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath, and Kedarnath.

TOPS athletes list for Para Olympics 2024

The very first list of TOPS athletes for the Paris Olympics in 2024 was finalized during a meeting of the Mission Olympic Cell. The list by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports includes 148 athletes including 20 new names from seven Olympic disciplines and six Paralympic disciplines. The meeting of the Mission Olympic Cell also marked the formal beginning of planning for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Priyank Panchal replaces injured Rohit Sharma in India squad for SA series

Vice-captain Rohit Sharma has been replaced by Priyank Panchal in India’s Test squad for the South Africa tour. The replacement came in the light of Rohit Sharma’s left hamstring injury during his training session in Mumbai. Panchal is known as one of the best opening batsmen in domestic cricket and has played over 100 First-class cricket matches. He scored over 7000 runs, which includes 24 centuries and 25 fifties. 

Launch of second edition of water innovation chaskills

The second edition of water innovation challenges has been jointly launched by NITI Aayog, Atal Innovation Mission, and Denmark Royal Embassy in India. The initiative aims to identify innovative and next-gen solutions to solve proposed challenges in collaboration with corporate and public partners. It will also engage young talents from leading universities across the nation and will support them in building their skills.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

United Nations recognize new Arctic temperature record of 38 degrees

The United Nations has officially recognized 38 degrees Celsius as a new record high for the Arctic. The temperature was measured in Siberia in 2020. The move has come as an alarm over climate change. The World Meteorological Organisation said that the sweltering heat which is equivalent to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit was seen in 2020 marking the highest temperature ever recorded above the Arctic Circle. This is also the first time that the World Meteorological organization has added the record heat in the Arctic to its archive of extreme weather reports. The lowest temperature that was ever measured above the Arctic Circle was -69.6C and it was recorded on December 22, 1991, on Greenland.

South Korea and Australia sign major defence deal

Australia and South Korea have signed a major defence deal of $720 million. The deal was signed as the President of South Korea Moon Jae-in became the first foreign leader to visit Australia since the pandemic started. The defence deal is also the largest defence contract that has been signed between Australia and Asian Nation. As per the deal, Australia will be provided with supply vehicles, artillery weapons and radars. The two leaders also agreed upon upgrading the formal ties between the two countries. They formed a consensus to work together on the development of clean energy technologies and facilitating the supply of critical materials. The defence deal between South Korea and Australia has come at a time of heightened tensions between China and Australia. Recently, Australia announced a deal to build nuclear-powered submarines with Britain and US.

UK High Court to hear Nirav Modi’s UK extradition appeal today

The UK High Court will hear fugitive economic offender Nirav Modi’s extradition appeal today, December 14th. Nirav Modi, who is currently lodged at Wandsworth Prison in south-west London since his arrest in March 2019, was given permission to appeal against the Westminster Magistrates’ Court extradition order on the grounds of mental health and human rights. Modi’s legal team had presented arguments concerning his severe depression and high risk of suicide. 

148 athletes including 20 new inducted in first list of TOPS athletes for 2024 Paris Olympics

A total of 148 athletes, including 20 new inductees in 7 Olympic disciplines and 6 Paralympic disciplines, have been included in the first list of Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) for 2024 Paris Olympics. This was decided at a meeting of the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on December 13, 2021. 

Earthquake in Indonesia

Indonesia was struck by an earthquake of magnitude 7.6 on the Richter scale. The country issued a Tsunami warning after the Earthquake. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center also gave the warning that hazardous waves are possible for the coasts located within 1000 km of the Earthquake epicenter.