NATIONAL NEWS
Vikram Misri appointed as Deputy NSA
Vikram Misri was appointed as India’s deputy National Security Adviser on December 27, 2021. He formerly served as India’s envoy to China. He is a 1989 batch Indian Foreign Service officer. He was appointed as India’s Ambassador to China in 2019. The External Affairs Minister had recently appointed Pradeep Kumar Rawat as the next ambassador to China.
India to chair Counterterrorism Committee of UNSC in January 2022
India will chair the Counterterrorism Committee of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in January 2022. This Committee was formed in September 2001 soon after the tragic 9/11 terrorist attack. India had chaired this Committee in the Security Council in 2011-12. India had been asked to Chair three important Committees of the Security Council earlier this year including the Taliban Sanctions Committee, Counterterrorism Committee and the Libyan Sanctions Committee.
Haryana Cabinet Expansion to take place today
Haryana Cabinet is likely to be expanded today with new Ministers taking oath at Raj Bhawan. One MLA each from BJP and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) are likely to be inducted as ministers. The expansion may also see shuffling of portfolios. The Haryana Council of ministers has 12 members currently including Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
PM Narendra Modi to inaugurate completed section of Kanpur Metro Rail Project
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the completed section of the Kanpur Metro Rail Project today, December 28, 2021. The completed section of Kanpur Metro Rail Project stretches for 9 km long from IIT Kanpur to Moti Jheel. The Prime Minister will also inspect the Metro Rail Project and undertake a metro ride from the IIT metro station to Geeta Nagar.
Resident Doctors’ Body calls for complete withdrawal of healthcare services across country from December 29
The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has called for complete withdrawal from all healthcare services across the country from 8 am on December 29. The call has been taken “in protest against brute force by Delhi Police against doctors.” FAIMA said that the resident doctors were protesting peacefully and alleged that female doctors were brutally thrashed and lathi charged by male police personnel during a demonstration in Delhi on December 27, 2021 over the delay in NEET-PG 2021 counselling.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Singapore makes COVID vaccination mandatory from February 2022
Singapore has announced that COVID vaccination will be a mandatory condition for the approval of new applications for long-term passes, work passes, and permanent residence in the country from February 2022. The new rule will be implemented from February 1, 2022. The new order in Singapore, however, will not be applied to children below the age of 12 or those who are medically eligible to receive the vaccination. Those who are required to renew the work passes will have to be vaccinated. At the point of application, the employers will also have to make a declaration that their dependents are fully vaccinated upon arrival in Singapore. The new measures announced by Singapore are a part of the country’s adjustments to deal with the infectious Omicron variant.
Barbados to hold snap election on January 19
Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has called for snap general election on January 19, 2022. This comes just weeks after the country bid adieu to British Monarchy and chose to become a republic. Mia Mottley is the leader of the Barbados Labour Party and had become the first female prime minister of the country in May 2018 for a five-year term.
