Tag: REET

NATIONAL NEWS 

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Tests positive for COVID-19

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has tested positive for COVID-19. The Chief Minister informed the same on January 4, 2022 on Twitter. He said that he is experiencing mild symptoms and is isolating at home. He has asked all those who came in contact with him to isolate themselves and get tested for COVID-19.

PM Modi to dedicate development works in Manipur and Tripura today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Manipur and Tripura today and dedicate development works. He will be inaugurating 13 projects worth around Rs 1850 crore and lay foundation stone of projects worth around Rs 2950 crore in Manipur. 

Drone-maker Garuda Aerospace maps 1000 UP villages under Svamitva scheme

Garuda Aerospace recently completed mapping of over 1000 villages in Uttar Pradesh under centre’s ambitious Svamitva scheme. The scheme aims to establish clear ownership of property in rural inhabited areas. The company offers a variety of drone-related service.

PM Modi to visit Punjab on January 5

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Ferozepur in Punjab on January 5, 2022. He will lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects in the state worth over Rs 42,750 crore. The projects include Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, four laning of Amritsar- Una section, Mukerian- Talwara New Broad Gauge Railway line, PGI Satelite Centre at Ferozepur and two new medical projects at Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala.

Ranji Trophy to proceed as per schedule: BCCI President

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly confirmed on January 3, 2022 that the upcoming edition of Ranji Trophy will be conducted as per schedule. This came after there were rising speculations regarding the tournament’s fate over rising COVID-19 cases in the country. Ranji Trophy is scheduled to take place between January 13 and March 20, 2022. 

DGCI to examine Bharat Biotech’s proposal for booster dose today 

DGCI’s Subject Expert Committee ( SEC) will meet today to examine Bharat Biotech’s application for use of its intranasal Covid vaccine as a booster shot. 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Russia, US, France, China and Britain adopt prevention of Nuclear Weapons

 France, the US, China, Russia, and the United States have jointly agreed that further spread of nuclear war and arms must be avoided. As per the joint statement issued by five nuclear powers, the nations consider it their primary responsibility to avoid war between the nuclear states and reduction of statistical risks. The Chinese Vice Foreign Minister stated that the statement will help in increasing mutual trust and will replace the competition among major nuclear powers with cooperation and coordination. France also stated that the five powers will continue their bilateral and multilateral approaches to nuclear arms control. 

Israel to offer 4th dose of COVID-19 vaccine

Israel has announced that it will start offering the 4th dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to people aged 60 or above. It will become the first country in the world to widely disseminate the extra dose to fight off the Omicron variant. Prime Minister of Israel also informed that the fourth dose will be made available to the medical staff who had received their last jab at least 4 months ago. The vaccination campaigns in Israel have been ahead of the curve, with the country being the first to inoculate the majority of its population and also being the most aggressive in administering the booster dose.

 

NATIONAL NEWS 

Vaccination for 15-18 year olds begins today 

Covid-19 vaccination drive covering children between the age group of 15-18 years will be launched across India today, January 3, 2022. The key announcement was made by PM Modi in his address to the nation on December 25, 2021. The children will be administered Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin. 

PM Modi to visit Manipur and Tripura on January 4

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Manipur and Tripura on January 4, 2021. He will inaugurate 13 projects worth Rs 1850 crore and lay foundation of 9 projects worth Rs 2950 in Manipur. He will also inaugurate the new Integrated terminal building at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport and launch two developmental projects in Tripura. 

PM Modi lays foundation stone of Major Dhyan Chand Sports University

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Major Dhyan Chand Sports University in Meerut on January 2, 2022. The university will be established at Salawa and Kaili villages of Sardhana Town in Meerut at a cost of around Rs 700 crore. 

Education Minister launched nationwide 100 days reading campaign

The Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has launched a nationwide 100-day reading campaign called ‘Padhe Bharat’. The launched campaign is in alignment with the National Education Policy-2020 which emphasizes promoting the joyful reading culture for children by ensuring the availability of age-appropriate reading books. The nationwide campaign will mark an important step for improving the learning levels of the students as it develops critical thinking, creativity, and the ability to express both verbally and in writing. The campaign will also focus on the Indian languages. The day will be celebrated with the activity of ‘Kahani padho apni bhasa main’.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

US warns that it will respond decisively if Russia invaded Ukraine 

US President Joe Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in their phone call on January 2, 2022 that the US and its allies will respond decisively if Russia invaded Ukraine. The call comes days before US and Russian officials are scheduled to meet in person in Geneva on January 10.

American Actress Betty White passes away at 99

The famous actress Betty White who starred in the popular sitcom ‘The Golden Girls’ and ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ has passed away. She was 99 years old. The Emmy-winning comedienne enjoyed one of the longest careers in showbiz history. Betty White started regularly appearing on the television in 1949 and also had a voice role in ‘Toy Story 4’ in 2019. White would have turned 100 in the next few days. In all, Betty White was one of the first woman producers, she won five Primetime Emmys, two daytime awards which also included one for Lifetime Achievement, and a regional Emmys in Los Angeles. Betty White was born in 1922 in the outskirts of Chicago. The family had moved to California during the Great Depression.

Sri Lanka to go bankrupt by 2022

Sri Lanka has been facing a deepening humanitarian and financial crisis as inflation rises to record levels, food prices rocket. Reportedly, the meltdown faced by the Sri Lankan government is in part caused by the immediate impact of the Coronavirus as well as the loss of tourism. The World Bank has estimated that 5,00,000 people in Sri Lanka have fallen below the poverty line since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic which is equivalent to the five years of progress in fighting poverty.

2 Women diplomats appointed by the US to represent Washington in Afghanistan

 The United States has appointed two women diplomats to the senior posts representing the country in Afghanistan. Rina Amiri has been appointed as a special envoy for Afghan women, girls, and human rights. She served under the former US President Barack Obama as a senior adviser to the US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan. Stephanie Foster will be the new senior adviser for women and girls to the US Operations for evacuating and resettling the Afghans at risk. The move by the United States has also come close on the heels of the Taliban imposing fresh restrictions on women in Afghanistan.

NATIONAL NEWS 

Yati Narsinghanand named in Haridwar hate speech case FIR

The Uttarakhand Police on Saturday added the names of two more persons in the FIR pertaining to the religious conclave in Haridwar organised between December 17-19, where calls were made for genocide and violence against Muslims.  One of the organisers of the event — Yati Narsinghanand — who faces criminal cases in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi as well, was named in the FIR on Saturday.  Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati in his office in Dasna.   The police also added Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code to the existing first information report (FIR). The Section prescribes a maximum of three years imprisonment for deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.  At the religious gathering, Mr. Narsinghanand had called on Hindu youth to become Prabhakaran and Bhindranwale and provoked Hindus to pick up arms against the Muslims, promising to give them ₹1 crore for it.  Another speaker at the event — Sagar Sindhu Maharaj, whose name was added — had asked Hindus to have more children and spare Muslims only if they converted to Hinduism.   

FCRA registration of 6,000 NGOs ceases to operate from January 1 

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) registration of nearly 6,000 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) has ceased to operate from January 1 as the Ministry of Home Affairs refused to renew their application or the NGOs did not apply for one.  An MHA official said on Saturday that it declined to renew the FCRA registration of 179 NGOs, while 5,789 associations did not apply for a renewal before the December 31 deadline.  The prominent names whose registration was not renewed include Oxfam India and Missionaries of Charity, a catholic religious congregation set up by Nobel laureate Mother Teresa.  A video grab taken from Oxfam India website.   Oxfam India that works for economic and gender justice among Adivasis, Dalits, Muslims, and women stands to lose access to over ₹62 crore in its designated bank account. The NGO that claims to have helped 10 lakh people in Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh in the past one year had also transferred over ₹4 crore to 140 small NGOs and educational institutions before September 2020.  The latest amendments to the FCRA brought in September 2020 bars NGOs to transfer foreign fund to other domestic NGOs. Some of its biggest donors are Oxfam, Australia (₹3.1 crore), Oxfam, Germany (₹2.8 crore), Oxfam, Great Britain (₹7 crore) and Stichting Oxfam International, Netherlands (₹7 crore).   

NIA to probe Sikhs for Justice operative’s Pakistan links 

The National Investigation Agency will probe the suspected involvement of Germany-based Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) operative Jaswinder Singh Multani in the use of drones for the smuggling of arms, ammunition, explosives and drugs into the Indian territory by Pakistan-based syndicates.  Based on inputs related to his alleged role in attempts to revive terrorism in Punjab, the agency has registered a case against him and his associates. Following an alert from Indian agencies, the police in Germany detained him a few days ago. Multani was released after he submitted an affidavit that he would cooperate with the authorities concerned, said an official.  We have evidence indicating that Multani has been in touch with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He also has links with smuggling syndicates in Pakistan and on the Indian side in Punjab. Through social media platforms and encrypted chat messengers, he radicalises gullible young men from Punjab and motivates them to indulge in such illegal activities, the official said.   

12 killed, 15 injured in stampede at Vaishno Devi shrine in J&K

At least 12 devotees were killed and 15 others injured in a major stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra in Jammu’s Reasi district on Saturday.  The incident took place at around 2.45 a.m., when a large number of devotees was queuing up for darshan at the sanctum sanctorum inside the cave shrine on Trikuta hills on the first day of the new year.  Preliminary reports suggested that an argument broke out [between devotees] which resulted in people pushing each other, followed by a stampede, Jammu & Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh said.  A sudden rush of devotees at the shrine triggered, some of the survivors said, blaming mismanagement for the tragedy. Nothing but mismanagement was the cause for this tragic accident. They were aware about the possible rush but allowed the people in unhindered, a pilgrim from Ghaziabad said while waiting outside a mortuary to identify a body.  The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, however, denied the charge, saying all necessary arrangements were made in view of the expected rush.  

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Ahead of Geneva talks, U.S. and Russia have Ukraine crisis and NATO expansion to sort out

U.S. President Joe Biden holds virtual talks with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in Washington, U.S. on December 7, 2021. With less than two weeks to go before senior U.S. and Russian officials are to meet in Geneva, the chasm is deep and the prospect of finding an exit to the crisis faces no shortage of complications. Mr. Biden on Friday told reporters that he advised Mr. Putin when they spoke by phone a day earlier that the upcoming talks could only work if the Russian leader deescalated, not escalated, the situation in the days ahead.

Hindus from India, US, UAE pray at 100-year-old Maharaja Paramhans Ji mandir in Pakistan

The programme has been organised by the Pakistani Hindu Council in collaboration with Pakistan International Airlines. The rituals will go on through the night till afternoon of Sunday, Hindu Council officials said.

 

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin tests COVID-19 positive for COVID-19

The Defense Secretary of the United States Lloyd Austin announced on January 2, 2022, that he has contracted Coronavirus. The news came as the highly infectious Omicron variant sweeps across the country. As per the statement by Pentagon Chief, Austin’s symptoms were mild, and that he will quarantine at home for the next five days. Lloyd Austin also informed that he is fully vaccinated as well as boosted, which had rendered the infection much milder than it would otherwise have been. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that he was last in contact with President Joe Biden on December 21, 2021, more than a week before a started to experience the COVID symptoms.

Lionel Messi tests positive for Covid-19 

Football star Lionel Messi has tested positive for COVID-19 along with 3 other Paris-Saint-Germaine footballers. The club announced this on January 2, 2022.The three other players who tested positive for COVID-19 include Nathan Bitumazala, Sergio Rico and Juan Bernat. All players are currently under isolation. The PSG has a match against Vannes in the French Cup round of 32 on January 4, 2022. 

NATIONAL NEWS

Winners of Sahitya Akademi Awards 2021

Punjabi writer Khalid Hussain, Eminent author Namita Gokhale, and TMC MLA Bratya Basu are among the winners of the Sahitya Akademi Award 2021. Sahitya Akademi Award by Sahitya Akademi is a literary honour in India that is conferred on the writers of the most outstanding books.

Income Tax department detects irregularities in two Chinese mobile manufacturing firms 

The Income Tax Department on Friday claimed to have detected multiple irregularities on the part of two companies into manufacturing Chinese mobile phones, during the pan-India searches initiated on December 21.  In the case of certain foreign-controlled mobile communication and mobile phone manufacturing companies and their associated entities, the searches were carried out in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Assam, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, Rajasthan, Delhi and its neighbouring cities.  “The search has revealed that two major companies have made remittance in the nature of royalty, to and on behalf of its group companies located abroad, which aggregates to more than ₹5,500 crore. The claim of such expenses does not seem to be appropriate in the light of the facts and evidence gathered…,” said the agency.  According to the agency, both the companies had not complied with the regulatory mandate under the Income Tax Act, for disclosure of transactions with associated enterprises. “Such a lapse makes them liable for penal action under the Income Tax Act, the quantum of which could be in the range of more than ₹1,000 crore,” it said.   

Chinese embassy writes to MPs against supporting Tibetan cause 

The Embassy of China has written to a group of parliamentarians asking them to “refrain” from supporting the cause of Tibetan independence. The move, which is being interpreted as a rare and undiplomatic interference, came after six MPs from the All-Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet attended a meeting at a Delhi hotel.  “As is known to all, the so-called ‘Tibetan Government-in-Exile’ is an out-and-out separatist political group and an illegal organisation completely in violation of China’s Constitution and laws. It is not recognised by any country in the world,” wrote Zhou Yongsheng, Political Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in India.  The meeting was attended by Congress MPs Jairam Ramesh and Manish Tewari, BJD’s Sujeet kumar, BJP’s Maneka Gandhi and K.C. Ramamurthy and Union Minister of State for Skill Development, Electronics & Technology Rajeev Chandrashekhar.  

Delhi resident doctors strike called off, resume services 

Resident doctors in Delhi, who have been protesting over the delay in NEET-PG counselling for two weeks, on Friday called off their strike and resumed services after receiving assurances from the government that their demands would be looked into, their federation said.  The stir by the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) was called off at 12 noon, it said in a statement.  Doctors Association Members address the media to announce the withdrawl of their protest demonstration demanding to Expedite NEET 2021 – Counselling Process at Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi on December 31, 2021.   FORDA president Dr. Manish Nigam said the agitation was carried out by “overworked and exhausted” doctors, and after getting some assurances from the central government, the strike was called off and doctors resumed work at their respective hospitals.  

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

South Africa’s Quinton de Kock announces retirement

Quinton de Kock, the former South African captain has announced sudden retirement from Test cricket. The wicket-keeper batsman announced his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect, citing his intentions to spend more time with his growing family.

Omicron crashes global New Year party but South Africa offers hope 

The year 2021 was slinking off with farewell celebrations mostly muffled by the pandemic. But good news from South Africa — the first country to pronounce itself past its Omicron wave — brought new hope for a joyous New Year.  As the New Year moved from East to West, with New Zealand already into 2022 without the official fireworks in Auckland, thousands of fireworks lit up the sky over Sydney’s Harbour Bridge and Opera House at midnight in a spectacular display. Fireworks were called off over Paris’s Arc de Triomphe, London’s Big Ben and the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur.  Fireworks explode over the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge as New Year’s Eve celebrations begin in Sydney.   The golden ball was due to drop at New York’s Times Square, but the crowd shouting out the countdown of the year’s exit would be a quarter the usual size, masked up, socially distanced and with vaccine papers in hand.  South Africa, which first raised the alarm about the new fast-spreading coronavirus variant, gave the world one of the last big good surprises of the year, announcing that the Omicron wave had crested without a huge surge in deaths. It lifted a night time curfew, unexpectedly allowing celebrations to ring in 2022.  

 

NATIONAL NEWS 

FM Nirmala Sitharaman to chair 46th GST Council meeting today

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will chair the 46th meeting of the GST Council in New Delhi on December 31, 2021. The meeting is important as it comes ahead of Union Budget, which will be presented on February 1, 2022. Union Ministers of State in Finance Ministry Pankaj Chaudhary and Dr. Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad will also attend the meeting.

Covaxin safe, immunogenic in 2-18 age group: Bharat Biotech

Bharat Biotech said on December 30, 2021, that its COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin was found to be “safe, well-tolerated, and immunogenic” in the age group of 2-18 years in phase II/III study. Bharat Biotech had conducted phase II/III clinical trials to evaluate the safety, reactogenicity, and immunogenicity of COVAXIN in healthy children and adolescents. This comes as the vaccine has been approved for 15–18-year-olds. 

SBI authorized to issue electoral bonds 

The State Bank of India (SBI) has been authorized to issue Electoral Bonds through its select 29 branches during January 1-10, 2022. This was informed by the Finance Ministry on December 30, 2021. The Electoral Bonds shall be valid for 15 days from the date of issuance and no payment shall be made to any payee Political Party if the Electoral Bond is deposited after expiry of the validity period. The Electoral Bond deposited by an eligible Political Party in its account shall be credited on the same day.

Post-COVID-19 infection immunity persists for 9 months: ICMR DG Dr. Balram Bhargava

The immunity after COVID-19 infection persists for at least 9 months, as per evidence-based studies from different countries informed Dr. Balram Bhargava, Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on December 30, 2021. He stated that if you get the infection then for 9 months you are generally protected. 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

South Africa’s Quinton de Kock announces sudden retirement from Tests

Former South Afican captain and wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock announced sudden retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect on December 30, 2021. The announcement comes one day after the first test between India and South Africa in Centurion, where India won by 113 runs. Quinton de Kock said that he wanted to spend more time with his family.

Biden-Putin phone call

US President Joe Biden in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Russia to de escalate the tensions with Ukraine. The US President in a 50-minute phone with Putin made clear that the US, its allies, and partners will respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine. During a phone call, President Biden also expressed his support for the diplomacy, starting from 2022 with the bilateral strategic stability dialogue, at NATO through the NATO-Russia Council, and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. This is the second call in a month between the two leaders amid the escalating tension in Ukraine as the United States continues to pressure Russia to draw down its military presence near Ukraine’s borders.

South Korea to develop technology for artificial sun

South Korean Government has been planning to develop a technology for the country’s first artificial sun ‘KSTAR’. The technology will maintain 100 million degrees for 300 seconds by 2026. The 300 seconds is the minimum time which is required for the commercialization of nuclear fusion technology. Nuclear fusion is the basic principle that the artificial sun generates heat and light. In 2018, the Korean Research team had first successfully maintained KSTAR at 100 million degrees for 1.5 seconds. The team was also successful in maintaining 100 million degrees for 20 seconds in 2020 and 30 seconds in 2021. Following last year, South Korea has set the longest record of maintaining 100 million degrees in the world in 2021.

NATIONAL NEWS

Sourav Ganguly remains hemodynamically stable

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly is hemodynamically stable after testing positive for COVID-19, informed Woodlands Hospital MD & CEO Dr. Rupali Basu. The MD further informed that the former cricketer’s oxygen saturation was maintained at 99 percent on room air. Ganguly had been admitted to the hospital late evening on December 26,2021 when he tested positive for COVID. 

PM Modi to release 10th installment under PM-KISAN scheme on January 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the 10th installment of financial benefit under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme on January 1, 2022. The Prime Minister will transfer an amount worth Rs 20,000 crore through video conferencing to more than 10 crore beneficiary farmer families. The fund will be directly transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. 

Assam Rifles veteran who escorted 14th Dalai Lama on his arrival in India passes away

Chandra Das, the Assam Rifles veteran, who had received and escorted the 14th Dalai Lama on his arrival in India in 1959 passed away on December 28, 2021. He was 83. Dalai Lama had fled Tibet in 1959 at the age of 22 and crossed the border on March 30, 1959 with the help of the CIA’s Special Activities Division. He had arrived at Tezpur in Assam. He was escorted into India by a seven-member Assam Rifles team, which comprised 23-year-old Naren Chandra Das. 

PM Modi to lay foundation stone of 23 projects in Uttarakhand today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Haldwani in Uttarakhand today to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of 23 projects that will worth almost Rs 17,500 crore. The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of around 17 projects, which will be worth around Rs 14, 100 crore.

Congress to get new President in September 2022?

According to Congress Central Election Authority President Madhusudan Mistry, the Congress party will get its new national president by the end of September 2022. The Congress is currently being led by interim President Sonia Gandhi, who took over after Rahul Gandhi resigned from the post in July 2019 after the party’s massive defeat in 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. 

Vaccines still effective against Omicron: WHO Chief Scientist According to WHO Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, vaccines are still proving to be effective against Omicron as even though the number of Covid cases are rising sharply across the globe, the severity of the disease has not risen. The WHO scientist said that the T cell immunity is holding up better against the Omicron Coviod variant. She urged all those who have not yet received their vaccine to get vaccinated at the earliest. 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

China and Japan agreed to launch military hotline

China and Japan have agreed to establish a military hotline in 2022. It will be done to put in place a system that can defuse the potential crisis over the disputed islands and Taiwan strait. The Defence Ministry of Japan informed that the two governments have agreed to set up the link by the end of 2022. On the other hand, the Defence Ministry of China stated that there has been a need for strengthening liaison and communication between the defence ministries of both Japan and China.

Pakistan approves ‘National Security Policy’

The top security panel of Pakistan has given its approval to its ‘National Security Policy’ for 2022-26. The policy places ‘economic security at the core’ to ensure a citizen-centric approach to security. This is also the first time that a National Security Policy has been approved in Pakistan. The NSP puts economic security at the core and a stronger economy will create additional resources to bolster human and economic security. The policy has been created through a whole-of-government effort over the last 7 years and also included extensive consultations among the federal government institutions. The National Security Policy in Pakistan will now be presented to the Cabinet before being officially adopted by the Government.