Tag: REET

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.

NATIONAL NEWS 

Senior BJP leader and eight-time MLA Harbans Kapoor passes away in Uttarakhand.

The Senior leader of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Harbans Kapoor passed away on December 12, 2021, in Dehradun. He was a former Speaker of Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly and also an eight-time MLA. The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief over Kapoor’s demise and wished strength for his family members. The Chief Minister also said that soft-spoken Harbans Kapoor always lives life with simplicity. The popularity of Harbans Kapoor was proved by his win of assembly polls eight times. He was also always vocal about the development of his constituency.

Digital platform for Management of Complaints inaugurated

The Chairperson of Lokpal Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose has launched a digital platform for the management of complaints. The portal is called ‘LokpalOnline’ and it can be accessed easily by all the citizens of the country. Complaints on the portal can also be filed from anywhere and at any time. LokpalOnline is a web-based facility that will facilitate in quick disposal of complaints in a transparent, accountable, and efficient manner with benefits to all the stakeholders. While speaking on the occasion, Justice Ghose said that corruption in the country is a key element in the underperformance of the economy. It also undermines rule of law and democracy.

Prime Minister Modi’s account briefly hacked

The Twitter handle of Prime Minister Modi was briefly hacked early on December 12, 2021. A post claiming that India has officially adopted bitcoin as legal tender was tweeted from PM’s account. While Twitter took necessary steps to secure PM Modi’s account, it also added that as per the investigations done by the company the hack was not due to a compromise of its systems or service. PM Modi’s account was also hacked earlier in March 2020 with hackers trying to attempt to solicit cryptocurrency from Prime Minister Modi’s Twitter followers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has over 73.4 million followers on Twitter and he follows 2,367 accounts.

India’s Harnaaz Sandhu crowned Miss Universe 2021

India’s Harnaaz Sandhu brought home the Miss Universe crown after a gap of 21 years. Lara Dutta had won the prestigious beauty pageant back in 2000. The 21 years Sandhu is from Punjab, she represented India at the 70th Miss Universe 2021. Sushmita Sen had won the first Miss Universe crown for India in 1994.

Kashi Vishwanath Corridor inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi. 

Prime Minister Modi inaugurated phase 1 of Kashi Vishwanath Dham. Kashi Vishwanath Corridor has been constructed at a cost of around Rs 339 crores. PM Modi also earlier offered prayers to Lord Shiva at Kashi Vishwanath temple. The Corridor project connects the Kashi Vishwanath temple to the banks of River Ganga in Varanasi.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

G7 nations warn Russia to face consequences if Ukraine is invaded

The Group of 7 nations has warned Russia to face major consequences and pay costs of President of Russia Vladimir Putin decided to attack Ukraine. The meeting of G7 Foreign Ministers took place in Liverpool during which the delegates unitedly condemned Russia’s military build-up near Ukraine and called the country to de-escalate. The G7 ministers also reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. According to US intelligence agencies, Russia can be planning a multi-front offensive on Ukraine early in 2022 and can involve up to 1 lakh 75 thousand troops in the operations. However, Russia has denied any plans to invade Ukraine.

Virtual meeting between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping on December 15

The President of China Xi Jinping and President of Russia Vladimir Putin are scheduled to hold a virtual meeting on December 15, 2021. The news was shared by the Spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry. The Chinese diplomat did not provide any further details about the upcoming meeting between the two leaders. However, it will be significant as Russia and China will work to strengthen ties amid the escalating tensions with the West. On the foreign policy, both Russia and China share similar approaches to Syria, Iran, and Venezuela. They also recently revived a push to lift United Nations sanctions imposed on North Korea.

Dubai becomes first in the world to go 100% paperless

Dubai has become the world’s first government to turn 100% paperless. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Emirates, shared the news while also pointing at the savings of 1.3 million Dirham (USD 350 Million) and 14-million-man-hours. All forms of transactions and the procedures in the Dubai Government are now 100% digital.

Max Verstappen wins Formula One World Champion

Max Verstappen was crowned Formula One world champion. He overtook Lewis Hamilton who was heading for his 8th title, to win his first-ever Formula One title. Verstappen has become the first Dutch world champion. Hamilton’s Mercedes team protested against Verstappen’s win.

NATIONAL NEWS 

After 15 months, Farmers go home victorious 

Fifteen months after they arrived in large convoys of tractors to lodge a passive resistance against the passage of three contentious farm laws by the government, several protesting farmers who had picketed on the borders of the Capital and in their respective states, began returning to their home states triumphant. The farmers lifted blockades on highways at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders and took out a ‘Victory March’ to celebrate the repeal of the three laws and other demands, including constituting a committee for legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) for crops. They had also demanded the withdrawal of cases registered against them.  Emotions ran high as the farmers set off for their homes in different States, including Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, after a successful movement.  Farmers packing their belongings during the process of vacating the Ghazipur border on December 11   Tractors bedecked with colourful lights rolled out of the protest sites blaring songs of victory while the elderly flaunted their colourful turbans and danced with youngsters.  Thousands of farmers had been protesting at the borders of the national capital since November 26 last year to demand the repeal of the three farm laws.  On November 29, the Parliament passed the Bill to repeal the farm laws, one of the main demands of the farmers.However, the farmers refused to end their protest, demanding that the government fulfil their other demands that included legal guarantee on MSP and withdrawal of police cases against them.  As the Centre accepted the pending demands, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 40 farm unions spearheading the stir, on December 9 decided to call off their agitation and announced that farmers will go back home on December 11 from the protest sites at Delhi borders.  Farmer leaders said that they will again meet on January 15 to see if the government has fulfilled their demands. To recap, Parliament passed a bill on November 29 to repeal the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and the Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.   

India sends medicines to Afghanistan 

In a significant gesture, India on December 11, sent the first consignment of medicines as part of humanitarian assistance to help the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan deal with the deteriorating health situation in the country.  India has not recognised the Taliban administration in Afghanistan and has urged the international community to proceed cautiously in dealing with the Taliban in view of its rigid position on issues related to human rights.  The consignment was sent in a special Kam Air flight that brought 10 Indians and 94 Afghan minority community members here on  December 10, said the Ministry of External Affairs.  “The medicines will be handed over to the representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Kabul and will be administered at the Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital, Kabul,” a statement from the Ministry added.  This is the first time India has sent humanitarian aid to Afghanistan after the Taliban took over Kabul in August by dislodging the government of President Ashraf Ghani.  It is an important development and is likely to be followed by large-scale humanitarian assistance from India to Afghanistan, which will be given through a transit facility in Pakistan.

PM inaugurates the Saryu canal project; lashes out at those who didn’t complete Pakistan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Saryu Canal National Project which will provide assured water for irrigation to over 14 lakh hectares of land and benefit about 29 lakh farmers, mainly in eastern Uttar Pradesh and used the opportunity to criticise the “opposition” in the state for not working in farmers’ interest  in finishing the project earlier. Mr Modi’s political comments were made at a government event.  In an address laced with sarcasm, Mr Modi said some people only cut ribbons and then forget about completing the work.  With Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath by his side, the Prime Minister said, “When I started from Delhi, I was waiting since morning ki kab koi aayega aur kahega (when will somebody come and say) … we laid the foundation stone for this project. Some people do this out of habit, maybe they cut the ribbon for this project in their youth. Some people’s priority is ‘imagination’, our priority is execution.”  The project has been completed at a cost of over ₹9,800 crore, out of which more than ₹4,600 crore was provisioned in the last four years. Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya were among those present at the project inauguration programme.  The Saryu canal project also involves interlinking of five rivers — Ghaghara, Saryu, Rapti, Banganga and Rohini — to ensure optimum usage of water resources of the region.  Work on the project started in 1978 but due to lack of continuity of budgetary support, interdepartmental coordination and adequate monitoring, it got delayed and was not completed even after nearly four decades, according to an official statement.  Consequently in 2016, the project was brought under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana with the target to complete it in a time-bound manner. The renewed focus has resulted in the project being completed in only about four years, it said.  The project will provide assured water for irrigation to over 14 lakh hectares of land and benefit about 29 lakh farmers of more than 6,200 villages, the statement said. It will benefit nine districts of Eastern Uttar Pradesh, namely Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Gonda, Siddharthnagar, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Gorakhpur and Maharajganj, it said.  The farmers of the region, who were the worst sufferers of the inordinate delay in the project, will now immensely benefit from the upgraded irrigation potential, the statement said. They will now be able to grow crops on a larger scale and maximize the agri-potential of the region, it said.   

Racial profiling in Arunachal 

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has registered a complaint filed by the Chakma Development Foundation of India (CDFI) on December 2 against racial profiling of Chakmas and Hajongs in Arunachal Pradesh through an exclusive census of both the communities from December 11-31.  The Deputy Commissioner of Arunachal Pradesh’s Changlang district had on November 26 notified the “census of Chakmas and Hajongs 2021”, which the CDFI said was in clear violation of their right to life, including the right to privacy and the right to equality. The Deputy Commissioner has denied such a notification. The PMO wrote to the State’s Chief Secretary on December 7 seeking appropriate action on the complaint and informing it on the matter.  There are about 65,000 Chakmas and Hajongs in the State; about 4,500 are migrants from 1964 to 1969. The rest are descendants and citizens by birth under Section 3 of the Citizenship Act of 1955, the CDFI said.  The migrants were primarily displaced by the Kaptai dam in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of present-day Bangladesh, then called East Pakistan.  The CDFI had termed the exclusive Chakma-Hajong census in the State as an act of racial profiling “because there is no census on the illegal immigrants from Myanmar and China, the illegal immigrants who had entered through Assam as well as thousands of people who had entered Arunachal Pradesh without inner line permit (ILP)”.  “On the contrary, the Chakmas and Hajongs were settled by the Union of India from 1964 to 1969 to permanently settle them in the State and they do not require ILP,” the CDFI said.  ILP is a temporary travel permit required for Indian citizens to enter Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland besides Arunachal Pradesh. The Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation of 1873 necessitates this permit.  Many indigenous groups see the Chakmas and Hajongs as outsiders and have been demanding their “deportation” besides denial of voting rights and access to government schemes.  

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Powerful tornadoes kill at least 78 in five U.S. states.

Dozens of devastating tornadoes ripped through five US states overnight, leaving more than 70 people dead Saturday in Kentucky — many of the workers at a candle factory — and inflicting deadly damage at a sprawling Amazon warehouse in Illinois. The western Kentucky town of Mayfield was “ground zero” of the storm — a scene of “massive devastation,” one official said early Saturday.

Vizag-born professor named president of Penn State varsity.

A professor of Indian origin, Neeli Bendapudi, is the first woman and person of color to be named as president of America’s prestigious Pennsylvania State University. This was announced by the educational institution on Thursday. Ms. Bendapudi was born in Visakhapatnam and had gone to the U.S. in 1986 for pursuing her higher studies. She is at present serving as president and professor of marketing at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. “She has been unanimously named as Penn State’s next president by the Penn State Board of Trustees on December 9,” the university disclosed in a statement on its website. Ms. Bendapudi is the 18th president of the University of Louisville and is a recognized leader in higher education, who specializes in marketing and consumer behavior. In a career spanning nearly 30 years, she has taught marketing and has served in a variety of administrative roles, including provost and executive vice-chancellor at the University of Kansas, Dean of the School of Business at the University of Kansas, and founding-director of the Initiative for Managing Services at Ohio State University.