Tag: REET

NATIONAL NEWS

Farmers agree to meet the govt with demands 

Five days  after the Government repealed the contentious farm laws, agitating farmers who had decided to continue with their year-long struggle under the banner of  Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) (SKM), on Saturday, formed a five-member panel for dialogue with the Government to push for their pending demands including legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP) , compensation to kin of farmers who died during the movement against the agriculture laws and withdrawal of cases against the protesters, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said in New Delhi. The SKM has also demanded that Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra step down.   Farmer leaders Balbir Singh Rajewal, Ashowerehawle, Shiv Kumar Kakka, Gurnam Singh Chaduni and Yudhvir Singh were named the members of the committee after a meeting was held here by the SKM.   Tikait said that the next meeting of the Morcha will take place on December 7 at 11 AM to decide the future course of the movement. SKM leaders, after the meeting, said they will not move from the Singhu Border here until cases filed against farmers are withdrawn and demanded an assurance in writing.  They said that the committee will decide on who will hold talks in various states from the farmers’ side.  Farmer leader and SKM member Ashok Dhawle said that the issues of compensation to be given for martyred farmers and the journalist who was mowed down by a vehicle belonging to the son of the MOS (Home), “false cases” lodged against farmers and Lakhimpur Kheri incident were discussed in the meeting. 

Four persons infected with Omicron in the country 

On the heels of a third person in the country in Gujarat confirmed with the infection of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, came the news of a fourth person who had come from Cape Town to Mumbai via Dubai, who has been confirmed carrying the same variant. The 72-year-old man from Jamnagar recently travelled to Zimbabwe. Officials confirmed to The Hindu that he had “mild symptoms” but his vaccination status couldn’t be confirmed. So far, two persons in Karnataka, one a South African national and another, an Indian doctor with no recent international travel history, have been confirmed this week with the Omicron variant. The State government is also investigating some of their primary and secondary contacts and though some have turned up positive, it isn’t confirmed if they too carry Omicron. The emergence of Omicron in the country is unsurprising as global travel to many countries has eased in recent months including in and out of India, though with the advent of Omicron, India has again imposed the restrictions, with strict screenings mandated for those travelling in from “at-risk” countries.  The Union Health Ministry on Saturday directed Mizoram, Odisha, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala to heighten surveillance in “light of the emergence of Omicron.” 

India will have nine nuclear reactors by 2024

The nation will have nine nuclear reactors by 2024 and a new nuclear project, the first in northern India, will come up 150 kms away from Delhi in Gorakhpur of Haryana, the government informed the Rajya Sabha. By 2024, India will have nine nuclear reactors plus 12 new additional ones which were approved during the Covid times with a capacity of 9000 MW.

 

Earth Station of Doordarshan Kendra inaugurated in Gorakhpur

Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated Earth Station of Doordarshan Kendra at Gorakhpur. Three FM stations of All India Radio were also inaugurated virtually on the occasion. This will be the second earth station of Doordarshan in Uttar Pradesh and it is being built at a cost of Rs.7 crore.

Ratan Tata to get Assam’s highest civilian award

On the occasion of Assam Divas, the state government of Assam has decided to accolade renowned industrialist Ratan Tata with the ‘Asom Bhaibav’ award, the highest civilian state award for his contribution to cancer care in the state. The awards that precede it are Asom Saurav, followed by Asom Gaurav. With healthcare as one of its top priorities, the Assam government is showing its appreciation towards Tata’s push to cancer care in the region.

Pradip Shah appointed as Chairman of National Asset Reconstruction Company

Pradip Shah, the founder of IndAsia Fund Advisors, has been appointed chairman of the National Asset Reconstruction Company (NARCL). Shah, an MBA from Harvard and chartered accountant, is credited for establishing India’s first and largest housing finance company, HDFC, and rating firm Crisil.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

International Day of Banks: 04 December

International Day of Banks is celebrated on December 4 to recognise the importance of multilateral and international development banks in financing sustainable developments. observes the day in recognition of the vital role of banking systems in Member State in contributing to the improvement of the standard of living.

World Cooperative Monitor report 2021: IFFCO ranks first

The Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) has been ranked ‘number one Cooperative’ among the top 300 cooperatives in the world. The ranking is based on the ratio of turnover over the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. It signifies that IFFCO is contributing significantly to the GDP and economic growth of the nation. The 2021 edition of the 10th Annual World Cooperative Monitor (WCM) report, withholding its position from the 2020 edition.

Ajaz Patel’s 10-wicket haul makes him the player in the world to achieve the feat 

New Zealand’s Ajaz Patel became the third player to take all 10 wickets in an innings on the second day of the second Test against India at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.  The other two international players are England’s Jim Laker and India’s Anil Kumble. Jim Laker achieved this feat against Australia in 1956. Jim Laker took 19 wickets in that Test match.  New Zealand’s Ajaz Patel celebrates during the second day of the second Test against India in Mumbai. He became the third international player to take all the 10 wickets in an innings.   In 1999, Anil Kumble took all the 10 wickets against Pakistan in New Delhi. Ajaz rattled the home team in the first session with wickets in successive balls to be on a hat-trick before overnight batsman Mayank Agarwal scored 150 to help India to a challenging total.  Ajaz sent back Agarwal, who started the day on 120 with India on 221-4, to break a 67-run stand involving Axar Patel, who made 52. The wily spinner soon got Axar lbw and wrapped up the Indian innings to be surrounded by jubilant Kiwi players.  Resuming the day at 221 for four, India scored 64 runs in the morning session with the loss of two wickets. They added another 40 runs for four wickets after lunch to end their first innings at 325.  India lost Wrridhiman Saha (27) and Ravichandran Ashwin off successive balls early in the morning session before Mayank Agarwal (150) and Axar Patel (52) took the score past 300-run mark.  

NATIONAL NEWS 

Govt seeks Parliament nod for ₹62,000 crore infusion in Air India Assets Holding Company 

The Government on Friday sought Parliament’s nod to infuse over ₹62,000 crore into the company that holds residual assets and liabilities of Air India after its privatisation, as part of over ₹3.73 lakh crore additional spending planned in the current financial year.  The extra spending would include ₹58,430 crore by way of additional fertiliser subsidy, ₹53,123 crore towards payment of pending export incentives, and ₹22,039 crore to rural development ministry for transfer to National Rural Employment Guarantee Fund.  Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary tabled the second batch of supplementary demands for grants tabled in Lok Sabha, envisaging a net cash outgo of over ₹2.99 lakh crore, and ₹74,517 crore extra expenditure would be matched by savings by different ministries.  As per the document, ₹62,057 crore would be given to the Civil Aviation Ministry for equity infusion in Air India Assets Holding Company (AIAHL) for re-payment of past government guaranteed borrowing and past dues/liabilities of Air India.  Besides, an additional ₹2,628 crore would be given towards loans and advances to Air India for recoupment of advance from Contingency Fund of India. The additional fertiliser subsidy include ₹43,430 crore on account of payment towards indigenous and imported Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) Subsidy and ₹15,000 crore towards urea subsidy scheme.  Besides, the Department of Food and Public Distribution would be given an additional ₹49,805 crore for meeting expenditure towards various schemes of food storage and warehousing.  The 2021-22 Budget had projected government’s total expenditure at ₹34.83 lakh crore. But this is expected to overshoot considering the two batches of supplementary demands for grants presented by the government so far. The government had in August received Parliament nod for net additional spending ₹23,675 crore in the first batch of supplementary demands for grants.   

No proposal for banning any group named ‘NSO Group’: Chandrasekhar 

 The government on Friday said there was no proposal to ban any group named ‘NSO Group’ and that it does not have any information on whether the US has blacklisted the group for providing Pegasus spyware.  Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar was responding to a written question in Rajya Sabha on the banning of NSO Group. On whether the U.S. has blacklisted NSO Group and Candiru for providing Pegasus spyware that was allegedly used to maliciously target journalists, embassy workers and activists, he said, “No such information is available in this ministry”.  To a question on whether the ministry has also banned the NSO Group in India, Chandrasekhar said, “There is no proposal for banning any group named ‘NSO Group.’”  Earlier this year, a row erupted over Israeli spyware Pegasus allegedly being used for targeted surveillance in India. In October, the Supreme Court set up a three-member independent expert panel to probe the alleged use of the spyware for targeted surveillance in India.  The apex court had also observed that the state cannot get a “free pass” every time the spectre of national security is raised and that its mere invocation cannot render the judiciary a “’mute spectator”.   

Protests over BJP MP’s Bill to amend Preamble  

A Bill to amend the Preamble to the Constitution to replace the word “socialist” with “equitable”, among other changes, being introduced by BJP MP K.J. Alphons led to protests by Opposition MPs on Friday.   The Preamble plaque at the Vidhana Soudha.    Alphons moved the motion to introduce the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in the Upper House to which Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Kumar Jha objected.  “Amendment to the Preamble is an attack on the very edifice of the Constitution,” Prof. Jha said, adding that the Bill had not got the President’s prior consent.  Deputy Chairman Harivansh, however, said the Bill did not require President’s consent to be introduced and that the House would decide on the matter. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V. Muraleedharan suggested that a ruling be given at a later date, leading Harivansh to say the decision had been “reserved”.  Alphons’ Bill, which was among the many private member’s Bills listed for introduction on Friday afternoon, sought to change the words in the Preamble “EQUALITY of status and of opportunity” to “EQUALITY of status and of opportunity to be born, to be fed, to be educated, to get a job and to be treated with dignity”. The Bill also proposed adding “access to information technology” and “happiness” as objectives.  Among the other private member’s Bills introduced in the House were the Women’s (Reservation in Workplace) Bill, 2021 by DMK MP Tiruchi Siva, K.T.S. Tulsi’s Bill to amend the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, setting a three-month limit on deciding matters of disqualification of members under the anti-defection law, and the Population Control Bill, 2021 by BJP MP Harnath Singh Yadav.   

Bills seeking to extend tenures of ED, CBI chiefs introduced in Lok Sabha  

The government introduced two Bills in the Lok Sabha on Friday that seek to extend the tenures of the directors of the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) up to a maximum of five years, amid protests from Opposition members, who said that the Bills were against the Supreme Court observations on the matter, and were being brought in to harass Opposition leaders from such agencies.  Minister of State for Personnel and Training Dr. Jitendra Singh introduced The Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2021 to replace ordinances that had been brought in the recess period.  Congress’s Shashi Tharoor raised objections to the two Bills, stating that it completely disregarded the Supreme Court’s observations that were clear in the view that extensions of tenure to superannuated officials should only be done in rare cases. The government’s move was mala fide.  Trinamool Congress member Saugata Roy opposed the move, contending that both the ED and CBI were used by the government to harass Opposition leaders. Congress members K. Suresh, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and RSP member N.K. Premachandran also opposed the introduction of the Bills. They said piecemeal extensions would lead to officers’ loyalty to the government.  Dr. Jitendra Singh, however, said the Bills were being brought in, as earlier laws only fixed a minimum limit on the tenures of the Directors of the CBI and the ED. “The earlier laws never put any limit on the tenures, we are limiting it to five years,” he noted.  The ordinances were necessitated as Parliament remained disrupted. Should the government stop working if the House didn’t work, he asked.  The CBI and ED chiefs enjoy a fixed tenure of two years from the date of their appointment in the wake of the directives of the Supreme Court in the famous Vineet Narain case. The ED Director is appointed by the government on the recommendation of a committee chaired by the Central Vigilance Commissioner and members comprising Vigilance Commissioners, the Home Secretary, Secretary DoPT and the Revenue Secretary. The CBI Director is selected on the basis of the recommendation of a committee consisting of the Prime Minister, the Chief of Justice of India and the Leader of Opposition.   

Implement panel’s anti-pollution measures, SC tells Centre, Delhi Govt.  

The Supreme Court on Friday approved the measure taken by the Centre’s Air Quality Commission to create an ‘Enforcement Task Force’ and flying squads to prevent and penalise polluters in Delhi NCR.  Appearing before a Bench led by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for the Centre, said the task force was formed on December 2.  Mehta, reading out from an affidavit filed by the commission in court, informed the court that 17 flying squads were formed on Thursday and would be increased to 40 in the next 24 hours.  The flying squads have already conducted 25 surprise checks since December 2.  These squads would directly report to the task force.  The court directed the Centre and the Delhi Government to implement the anti-pollution measures introduced by the commission.  The affidavit said industrial operations in NCR where gas was not available and not running on PNG or clean fuel would be allowed to operate for eight hours during weekdays and remain closed in weekends.  Senior advocate Vikas Singh, for petitioner, suggested harnessing solar or electrical energy to power the plants. When Uttar Pradesh objected to the eight-hour work day, saying the sugarcane farmers would be hit at the peak of the ongoing crushing season, the court asked the State to approach the commission.  The court posted the case to December 10. “We will keep this matter pending,” Chief Justice Ramana said. The court, in a hearing on Thursday, had questioned the very purpose of having the Air Quality Commission with the pollution levels continuing to go up. It had given the Centre a 24-hour deadline to act.   

Cyclone Jawad: Heavy rains expected in A.P., Odisha, West Bengal, Assam and Meghalaya from December 3 to 6  

Mohapatra, Director General of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), at a press conference on Friday said that a storm in the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a cyclonic storm, Jawad, this afternoon.  “The current wind speed is about 60-70 kmph and it’s now 420 km south east of Vishakapatnam, and 650 km south east of Paradip, Odisha,” said Mohapatra.  The maximum impact is expected on North Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Maximum predicted wind speed is 90 kmph by evening of December 4.  Heavy rains are expected in AP, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam and Meghalaya from December 3 to 6. By noon of December 5, it will touch Puri coast and keep moving along the coast towards West Bengal.  Squally winds hitting 40-50 kmph will be felt from December 3. It will temporarily be a ‘severe cyclone’. By December 5, wind speeds are expected to touch a max of 90 kmph in some districts of Odisha. Fishing operations must be completely suspended.  Mohapatra said,  “This cyclone is expected to be much less intense than recent ones such as Titli, and nowhere near extreme ones such as Failin, Fani, Hudhud.”  Not all cyclones form an ‘eye’. Only severe and extreme ones do. Currently no eye has formed for Jawad, said IMD.  The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has earmarked 64 teams to tackle ‘Jawad’, which is expected to affect the states of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal, a senior officer said.  NDRF Director General (DG) Atul Karwal told reporters during a briefing here that while 46 teams have been deployed or pre-positioned in the vulnerable states, 18 teams have been kept in reserve.  

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

18 countries to celebrate ‘Maitri Diwas’ to commemorate India-Bangladesh friendship

‘Maitri Diwas’ will be marking the day that India recognized Bangladesh 10 days before its Liberation in 1971. Maitri Diwas will be celebrated in 18 countries all over the world. India was also one of the first countries in establishing bilateral diplomatic relations with the newly independent Bangladesh in 1971.

Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit India on December 6; to attend 21st India-Russia Annual Summit

The President of Russia Vladimir Putin will visit India on December 6, 2021. He will be in the country to attend the 21st India-Russia Annual Summit as well as the series of meetings that will take place between the two nations. The Summit will take place in the afternoon of December 6.

ADB approves $500-million loan to improve quality of school education

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $500 million loan to the Government of India to help improve the quality of the country’s school education and mitigate the impact of the Covid-19) pandemic on students’ learning. The loan supports the Integrated Scheme for School Education (Samagra Shiksha) and the new Exemplar School Initiative of the Ministry of Education (MOE) to improve education quality by focussing on inclusive and equitable learning outcomes.

Federal Bank launches an exclusive feature-rich scheme for women

Private sector lender, Federal Bank has launched a feature-rich savings bank product for women. The savings scheme is called Mahila Mitra Plus and provides a curated set of features, designed to make financial planning and investments easy for women.

 

NATIONAL NEWS 

Two samples from Bengaluru detected with Omicron variant 

Union Health Ministry has confirmed that two cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus have been detected in India for the first time. The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) that monitors the genomic variations of the pandemic causing virus too confirmed this.  Two persons — a 66-year-old South African national and another 46-year-old resident of Bommanahalli — in Bengaluru have been detected with the new variant.  According Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Commissioner Gaurav Gupta, the Indian has no travel history. His samples were collected on November 22, and tested positive for COVID-19. He was in home isolation and later shifted to a hospital.  Gupta said 13 of his primary and 205 secondary contacts have been tested, and three of the primary contacts and two of secondary ones have tested positive. They have been isolated, and their samples have been sent for sequencing.   The local resident with no travel history testing positive for Omcron is a matter of concern, he said. The person is clinically stable and under watch, he added. The South African national has left for Dubai on November 27 after testing negative, Gupta said. He came to India on November 20, and was quarantined in a hotel. As many as 24 of his primary, and 240 secondary contacts were tested, and found to be negative. They are still under watch. The Karnataka government is planning to set up dedicated facilities in hospitals with adequate infrastructure and required medicines to handle the possible outbreak of Omicron.   

After Mamata’s ‘no UPA’ comment, Kishor’s tweet, Congress hits out at Trinamool  

In an all-out attack on Trinamool Congress (TMC) a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s ‘there is no UPA’ comment in Mumbai on Wednesday, the Congress on Thursday pointed out that Banerjee had once described the BJP as a naturaly ally when the TMC was a part of the BJP-led National Democratic alliance.  Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala recalled that Banerjee was an ally of the BJP between 1999 and 2001, and again from 2003 to 2006-07, and had two stints as Cabinet Minister in the Vajpayee government.  Questioning the TMC’s expansion plans in States like Goa and Uttarakhand, where the Congress is the main challenger to the ruling BJP, Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala asked them to introspect whether the fascist forces are being strengthened by those pretending to be fighting them.  Surjewala’s sharp attack came moments after election strategist Prashant Kishor, who is advising Banerjee since the West Bengal Assembly elections, hit out at the Congress’s top leadership and stated that no one had a divine right to a leadership position.  Surjewala, however, insisted that as a political party, we would not comment on the views of a consultant, especially if the person doesn’t have any ideology and earlier advised Narendra Modi.  While the Congress and the Trinamool are engaged in a bitter war of words, senior Congress leaders, who have been a part of the group of 23 (G-23) seeking internal reforms, closed ranks, with Anand Sharma, Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha describing the Congress as the central pillar of a national effort to defeat the BJP. Congress, as principal national opposition party, remains a central pillar for a collective national effort, tweeted Mr. Sharma.  Another G-23 leader, Kapil Sibal, tweeted that without the Congress, the UPA would be a body without soul and asserted that it was time to show Opposition unity.   

Maharashtra Government suspends Param Bir Singh, initiates disciplinary proceedings

Maharashtra Government on Thursday suspended former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh and initiated disciplinary proceedings against him over certain irregularities and lapses, an official said.  The suspension order was approved the day Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was discharged from a private hospital in Mumbai after undergoing a spine surgery on November 12.  The lapses include unauthorised absence from duty, an official said. Singh did not show up in the past six months after being appointed Maharashtra Home Guard chief, sources said. The leave granted to him on health grounds was till August 29, but even after that he failed to join duty, they added.  Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh at the CID Office in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday, November 30.   Singh had in March levelled allegations of corruption and misuse of official position against then State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh after he was shunted from the post of the Mumbai police commissioner in the aftermath of Antilia bomb scare incident.  He had accused Deshmukh of asking police officers to collect ₹100 crore a month from restaurants and bars in Mumbai, a charge which the NCP leader denied. The inquiry commission looking into these allegations had directed Singh to appear to record his statement, but the IPS officer, who was virtually incommunicado since May, turned up before it only last month.  

 

Delhi pollution: SC gives Government 24 hours to find a way or make way for court to act  

Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana on December 2 asked the Government as a ‘layman’ the question that haunts the Capital, that is, why does pollution continue to smother Delhi despite orders from Supreme Court, action from Government and lawyers arguing so much.  The court gave the Government 24 hours to find a way or make way for the Supreme Court to act.  As a layman, I am asking you… It has been days since we have been hearing this case, yet pollution continues to remain high. The question came in the middle of yet another inconclusive hearing which ended with the court giving the Government a 24-hour deadline to take serious action to beat the smog enveloping the Capital.  The court decided to hear the case at 10 a.m. on December 3 a half hour before usual court timings to underscore the gravity of the issue. The court said it would be forced to pass directions on December 3 if the Government could not decide and act in time to save lives.  We are giving you 24 hours. Come with a decision, Chief Justice Ramana said.  Mehta said he had a plan and would discuss with the environment minister and come back on December 3.  We are not here as Opposition leaders. We are here to control pollution, the CJI emphasised.  Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, on the Special Bench, asked but where is the pollution coming from? Which are the identifiable sources of pollution? The Solicitor General said it was mostly from industries and vehicles.  If industries are closed, it cannot be from industries, right? Justice Chandrachud queried.  The court asked whether there was any check in place to stop polluting vehicles from entering the city. Wherever they could be impounded, they have been. Ten thousand vehicles have been diverted from Delhi borders except those carrying essential goods, Mehta replied.  The court asked whether there was any check at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh borders.  We are unable to contribute anything towards reducing the pollution… There are numerous members in your Air Quality Commission… More than all the departments of the Government of India… What is the commission doing? the CJI voiced the court’s exasperation.  

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

WTA suspends events in China over Peng Shuai concerns  

The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has taken the unprecedented step of immediately suspending all of its events in China, citing the failure of the authorities to take up Chinese star Peng Shuai’s allegations of sexual abuse by a former senior Communist Party leader.  WTA Chairman Steve Simon said he was announcing the immediate suspension of all WTA tournaments in China, including Hong Kong. In good conscience, I don’t see how I can ask our athletes to compete there when Peng Shuai is not allowed to communicate freely and has seemingly been pressured to contradict her allegation of sexual assault, he said. Given the current state of affairs, I am also greatly concerned about the risks that all of our players and staff could face if we were to hold events in China in 2022.  Peng had posted a message on November 2 on Chinese social media revealing she had been sexually assaulted by former Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli 10 years ago, when she was 25 and he was 65, and then subsequently began a years-long affair with him. The message was deleted by the censors within half an hour of being posted and was followed by an extensive censorship effort aimed at removing all information about the case.  The WTA and a number of stars expressed concerns about Peng’s whereabouts after she disappeared from public view for two weeks after the statement and had her account on Sina Weibo, a Chinese Twitter equivalent, blocked from public view.  Responding to the outpouring of concern, Chinese state media subsequently released videos showing the former women’s doubles world number one in Beijing, having dinner with friends and attending a youth tournament. The WTA responded saying the videos did not address questions about her safety or the allegations, adding that it had been unable to contact her.  

South Sudan promises to end Child Marriages by 2030

The Government of South Sudan has promised to end Child Marriages by the year 2030. The announcement is in line with African Union’s Campaign to end child marriages in continent. The Chiefs from three administrative areas and 10 regional states met in the Capital, Juba, for the second national conference to end child marriages. South Sudan in Africa is one of the 40 countries globally that has the highest rates of child marriages. As per a survey in 2010, 7% of girls marry before the age of 15 and 40% before the age of 18. The Gender Ministry of South Sudan says that only 6.2% of girls in the country complete primary school while one out of five drop out of secondary school due to pregnancies.

Olympic truce to be observed for Olympic and Paralympic Games Beijing 2022.

UNGA has adopted a resolution- Building a peaceful and better world through sport and Olympic ideal by consensus. The resolution calls for the observance of the Olympic truce for the Olympics and Paralympic Beijing 2022. It will be from 7 days before the start of the Olympic games, until 7 days after the end of the Paralympic games. The resolution adopted by UNGA underlines the significance of cooperation among the member states for collectively implementing the values of Olympic Truce all over the world. The Olympic Truce has a 3,000-year-old history of allowing participation in the games of all the athletes and the spectators.

Pakistan allows the use of Afghan trucks from Wagah Border to Torkham

Pakistan has confirmed that it will allow the use of Afghan trucks for transportation purposes from Wagah Border to Torkham. The decision was announced by the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan days after it permitted the transportation of 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat and life-saving medicines from India to Afghanistan via Wagah Border. Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan had earlier informed that they allowed the passage of 50,000 MT of wheat which was provided by India to Afghanistan as a humanitarian crisis. UNDP has recently said that the nominal GDP of Afghanistan is likely to contract by 20% within a year. It will go from USD 20 billion in 2020 to USD 16 billion.

 

NATIONAL NEWS 

Directorate General of Civil Aviation postpones resumption of international flights indefinitely 

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCI), on December 1, postponed indefinitely the date of resumption of international flights in view of the new variant of COVID-19 virus called Omicron.  In view of the evolving global scenario with the emergence of new variant of concern, the situation is being watched closely in consultation with all the stakeholders and an appropriate decision indicating the effective date of resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services shall be notified in due course, the DGCA said.  Last week, the authority had announced reopening of international flights from December 15 after a gap of 20 months. It said that countries not in the at risk list of the Health Ministry could revert to pre-COVID schedule of flights from December 15, while those in the list could revert to 50%-70% of their earlier schedule.  

Why should we apologise, ask 12 suspended MPs?  

The impasse between the Opposition and the government over the suspension of 12 MPs from the Rajya Sabha continued as neither side was willing to concede any space. The government wants the errant MPs to unconditionally apologise on the floor of the House. On the first day of the sit-in at the Mahatma Gandhi statue on Parliament premises, the MPs said it was for the government to apologise for undermining parliamentary democracy.  The Rajya Sabha saw four adjournments on Wednesday, each time after Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge sought to raise the suspension issue. The Opposition parties held another round of meeting at Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence in the evening to discuss the strategy ahead. According to sources, the suspended MPs would continue their protest at the Gandhi statue and simultaneously the issue would be raised in the House.  Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain said, What should we say sorry for? Parliament is meant to raise the issues concerning the people of the country. Parliament is meant for debate, discussion and dialogue. The government has scant respect for democratic traditions of our country. Do you think we need to apologise to the government for asking questions? He added that at least one dozen MPs every day moved notices to discuss important issues such as price hike, Indo-China crisis, the farm agitation and so on but none of these notices were admitted.  TMC’s Dola Sen said that the only reason the Opposition was forced to disrupt the proceedings was because they were not allowed to speak and debate the relevant issues in the House. Sen was suspended in September 2020 when the farm laws were passed in Parliament and then again in the monsoon session.  She said, The government claims we are habitual offenders, but they are the habitual offenders. Narendra Modi brought in demonetisation with the goal of unearthing black money. The black money didn’t come. Instead, 150 persons lost their lives. And then again, he imposed the farm laws against the wishes of people. In the agitation for over a year, 750 persons were martyred. So who is the habitual offender?  MPs suspended from the Rajya Sabha sit in a dharna near the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament on December 1, 2021.

Bhima-Koregaon case: Sudha Bharadwaj granted default bail by Bombay HC  

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted bail to human rights activist and trade unionist Sudha Bharadwaj in the Bhima Koregaon caste violence case. It, however, rejected the bail pleas of eight other accused — Rona Wilson, Varavara Rao, Sudhir Dhawale, Surendra Gadling, Shoma Sen, Mahesh Raut, Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira. They are all lodged at the Taloja Central Jail.  Bharadwaj was taken into custody by Pune police on October 27, 2018. She was produced before the Additional Sessions Judge, Pune, K.D. Vadane, who remanded her in police custody for 10 days. On November 22, the public prosecutor filed a report seeking extension of period for investigation. On November 26, she filed for bail under the Code of Criminal Procedure as the 90-day period from the date of her arrest and production before the magistrate had expired. Judge Vadane, however, extended the period of detention by 90 days.  Eventually, the chargesheet was filed and on February 21, 2019. Judge Vadane took cognisance of the offence and issued processes against Bharadwaj. Additional Sessions Judge Ravindra Pande and S.R. Navandar also rejected the default bail of all the accused.  Advocates Yug Chaudhry and Payoshi Roy appearing for Bharadwaj filed for default bail on the ground that Judge Vadane was not competent to extend the detention by 90 days and for taking cognisance of the offences as he was a designated special judge under the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act. The advocates argued that none of the judges was appointed special judges by the Central government. The second ground was that Bharadwaj had the right to be released on default bail and ought to have been released on January 25, 2019 as the chargesheet was filed only on February 21, 2019.  The other co-accused filed a common plea for quashing and setting aside the September 5, 2019 order by Additional Sessions Judge Ravindra Pande. They were represented by advocates Sudeep Pasbola and Barun Kumar, who contended that Judge Pande had no jurisdiction to take cognisance, since the case was not committed by a magistrate.  A division bench of Justices S.S. Shinde and N.J. Jamadar directed that Bharadwaj be produced before special NIA court on December 8 to pass an order on terms and conditions for default bail.  The 120-page judgment read, On the touchstone of the guarantee of personal liberty under Article 21 (Right to Life) of the Constitution, in our view, to deprive Ms. Bharadwaj of the indefeasible right on the premise that the application preferred on November 26, 2018 was premature, would be taking a too technical and formalistic view of the matter. In our view, all the requisite conditions to release Ms Bharadwaj on default bail stood fully satisfied.  

After Munawar Faruqui, now Kunal Kamra’s shows in Bengaluru cancelled  

Multiple shows of stand-up comic Kunal Kamra from December 1-19 in Bengaluru have been cancelled over ‘threats to close down the venue’ if the shows were held, Kamra said in a statement on Twitter. Kamra, who was in Bengaluru for the shows, has left the city, sources said.  This comes days after Bengaluru police advised organisers of Munawar Faruqui’s show that they ‘should cancel the show’ following threats of protests by Hindutva groups.  However, in the case of Kamra’s shows, the jurisdictional J.P. Nagar police have not issued any letter to either the venue or the organisers of the show, and there is no clarity as to why the shows were cancelled.  On November 30, a group of ‘local residents’ held a protest in front of the venue – Artkhoj in J.P. Nagar – objecting to Mr. Kamra performing there. Police rushed to the spot and dispersed the crowd, said Srinath Mahadev Joshi, DCP (South). The venue has cancelled the shows, and we had nothing to do with it. Since it is an indoors programme, they need not take our permission, he said.  Illustration: R. Rajesh   Owners of Artkhoj refused to comment on the issue, only confirming that the shows had been cancelled. We are not in a position to comment on the matter, a representative of Artkhoj told The Hindu.  They have been cancelled for two reasons. Firstly, we didn’t get special permission to seat 45 people in a venue that can seat more. Secondly, threats have been made to shut down the venue if I were to perform there. I guess this is also part of the COVID-19 protocol and new guidelines. I suppose I am seen as a new variant of the virus now, Kamra posted on Twitter.  

Don’t try to divide Samyukt Kisan Morcha: Rakesh Tikait  

Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday said farmers would not return to villages until law on guaranteed Minimum Support Price (MSP) was enacted. He urged the government not to spread rumours and try to divide the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM).  It seemed the government wanted the agitation to end without talking to farmers across the table. The government should make it clear if Delhi’s doors are closed for farmers. If that is the case, can farmers shut their doors on the government? he asked.  The last card in the hand of the government was to break the unity of the umbrella body of farmers’ unions. In 2011, a committee was formed and the present Prime Minister was a member of it as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. The committee said in its report a legal guarantee on MSP should be given. We appeal to the Prime Minister to implement the committee’s report. There is no need to form a new one, he said in a video message. A committee will be required when the MSP law is enacted, in order to ensure its implementation. Don’t try to confuse us.  Questions on the prospective Seed Bill, Pesticide Bill, and Kisan Credit Card remained and they could be addressed by a committee proposed by the Prime Minister. 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal to receive $1 million annual salary  

Parag Agrawal, who has recently been named as the CEO of microblogging platform Twitter, will receive an annual salary of $1 million along with other perks and bonuses.  The India-born executive, who succeeds Jack Dorsey in this role, served as Twitter’s Chief Technology Officer since 2017, and has been responsible for the company’s technical strategy.  He joined the company in 2011 as a software engineer, leading efforts on scaling Twitter Ads systems, as well as reaccelerating audience growth by improving Home timeline relevance. Agrawal will receive an annual salary of USD1,000,000 and will continue to be a participant in the company’s executive bonus plan with a new target bonus of 150% of his annual base salary. Under the terms of the Offer Letter, in December 2021, the Board will grant to Mr. Agrawal restricted stock units (RSUs) with a grant date face value of USD12,500,000, a regulatory filing by Twitter to the U.S. SEC, said.  The filing added that the RSUs will vest in 16 equal quarterly increments (each being 6.25% of the grant) starting February 1, 2022, subject in each case to Agrawal remaining an employee of Twitter through the applicable vesting date.  In April 2022, the Board will grant Agrawal performance-based RSUs (PRSUs) with a grant date face value of $12.5 million. The performance goals for those PRSUs will be determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board on or before the grant date.  

Afghanistan’s nominal GDP likely to contract by 20 percent within 1 year

Afghanistan’s nominal GDP is likely to contract by 20 per cent within just one year, as per United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on December 1, 2021. The nation’s GDP is expected to contract from USD 20 billion in 2020 to USD 16 billion. The decline may reach 30 per cent in the following years if urgent correct measures are not taken, according to a new socio-economic report. The nation’s annual per capita income has already declined from USD 650 in 2012 to USD 500 in 2020.

WHO Chief confirms presence of Omicron variant in 23 countries

The new Omicron Covid variant has been detected in 23 countries, informed World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on December 1, 2021. WHO Chief said that the emergence of the Omicron variant has captured global attention and at least 23 countries from five of six WHO regions have reported cases of Omicron. He said that they expect the number to grow. The United States has reported its first case of the ‘Omicron’ variant of COVID-19. The case was detected in the US state of California.

India, Russia to sign deal on AK-203 rifles during Putin’s visit 

India and Russia are scheduled to sign a deal on supplying 7.5 lakh AK-203 assault rifles on December 6, 2021, during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India. The deal would provide a major boost to India and Russia military ties. All the necessary approvals have already been accorded to the deal including a final go-ahead from the Cabinet Committee on Security.

NATIONAL NEWS 

Say sorry if you want to return to Rajya Sabha, Piyush Goyal tells 12 Opposition MPs 

Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday that if the 12 suspended members were to apologise, they could return to the House. Earlier in the day, the Opposition staged a walkout and stayed away from the proceedings. The suspended MPs will hold a sit-in at the Gandhi statue on the Parliament premises till the end of the winter session.  The government, striking a conciliatory note, did not take up the listed legislative business of the Dam Safety Bill in the absence of the Opposition. Soon after the House was convened for the day, Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge pointed out that on technical grounds the suspension was illegal. The members were suspended for their alleged misconduct on August 11 in the monsoon session, under Rule 256 of the House. Kharge stated that the two parameters essential under the rules were ignored. First, the Chairman had to name a member, if he was of the view that the member had disregarded the authority of the Chair or abused the rules of the Council by persistently and willfully obstructing the business of the House. Only after the member is named, can a motion be made to suspend them. More importantly, this procedure is relevant only on the date of occurrence of the alleged disregard or disorderly conduct of a member, he observed.  Bringing forward a motion to suspend the members months after the day of occurrence of alleged disorderly conduct is not in order. This unprecedented and undemocratic act is a blatant violation of the rules, he said. He requested Chairman Venkaiah Naidu to revoke the suspension, which the latter rejected outright.  

Omicron doesn’t escape RTPCR, RAT, says Health Ministry  

COVID-19 variant Omicron doesn’t escape RTPCR (reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction) test and Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday. It instructed the States to ramp up testing for prompt and early identification of any cases.  States are advised for target/prioritised testing of passengers from the not at-risk countries also as part of the ramped up testing by the states, said a Ministry release.  The instructions followed Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan’s virtual meeting with the States/UTs to review COVID-19 public health response measures and preparedness amid reports of Omicron cases across various countries.  The Ministry pointed to the critical role of vaccination as a powerful defence against COVID-19, the extension of the Har Ghar Dastak campaign till December 31 with focus on 100% first dose coverage, and the completion of backlog of second dose. The States have been advised to ramp up the pace and coverage of vaccination.  Meanwhile, Union Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed Parliament on Tuesday that the Omicron variant has not been reported in India yet, He said that while the variant has been found in 14 countries so far there is no case in India. Students of Gurukul Art school paint posters in the wake of rising Omicron variant of coronavirus at Lalbaug, Maharashtra on November 29, 2021.   The Minister also noted that the Central Government has issued an advisory based on global developments related to the new variant and is keeping a keen watch on all entry points.  Speaking during the Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha, the Minister added that studies are being conducted on the Omicron and said that all precautionary measures have been put in place in India.  

India’s GDP growth at 8.4 % in July-Sept  

India’s economic growth slowed to 8.4 % in the second quarter of 2021-22, mainly due to waning low base effect, official data showed on Tuesday. The GDP growth in April-June quarter this fiscal stood at 20.1 %. The Indian economy had contracted by 24.4 % in April-June last year.  The gross domestic product (GDP) had contracted by 7.4 % in the corresponding July-September quarter of 2020-21, according to data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO).  GDP at Constant (2011-12) Prices in April-September 2021-22 (H1 2021-22) is estimated at ₹ 68.11 lakh crore as against ₹ 59.92 lakh crore during the corresponding period of previous year, showing a growth of 13.7 % in H1 2021-22 as against a contraction of 15.9 % during the same period last year, it stated.  The government had imposed a nationwide lockdown at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic last year. China has recorded a growth of 4.9 % in the July-September period of 2021.  

Mayawati rules out talks with Bhim Army  

There was no question of talks with Bhim Army leader Chandrashekhar Azad for the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, BSP chief Mayawati asserted on Tuesday.  Responding to questions, she reiterated that the BSP would contest all 403 seats alone.  Asked by a journalist what she thought of Azad’s visit to Lucknow where he stated that he would try and talk to leaders of other parties, including her, for possible alliances, Mayawati sounded dismissive.  When I have told you that BSP will fight alone on its own strength, then such a question does not arise, Mayawati said at a press conference.  Azad, who belongs to the same Dalit sub-caste as Mayawati, Jatav, has shown interest in next year’s Assembly election, sparking speculation on the likely impact on the already depleted BSP.  Mayawati also said that if voted to power for the fifth time, her government would take care of the interests and welfare of Jats, Muslims and the most-backward communities. She accused the BJP government of bringing in new rules and laws, and often taking the support of courts, to make the provisions of reservation ineffective.  The BSP chief said Muslims were being harassed by the BJP government through false cases and that terror was being created among the community through new rules and laws.  At all levels, Muslims are despondent and their progress has come to a halt, she said after holding a meeting of party office-bearers belonging to the Jat, Muslim and MBC communities.  

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

British Tennis Player Johanna Konta announced retirement

Tennis player Johanna Konta from Britain has announced her retirement saying that her career has come to an end. The former World No. 4 further said that she was fortunate to live her dream of playing professional tennis. As per the Women’s Tennis Association, Johanna Konta was a four-time WTA Champion. Her biggest title came at the Miami Open in 2017, where she defeated Venus Williams, Simona Halep, and Caroline Wozniacki. The talented player also lifted the trophies at Stanford 2016, Sydney 2017, and Nottingham 2021.  Johanna Konta was twice a WTA 1000 runner-up, at Beijing 2016 and Rome 2019.

China to hold 2022 Winter Olympics despite Omicron concerns

 China has announced that it will successfully hold the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 on schedule despite the worldwide concern of the Omicron Covid variant. The Winter Olympics 2022 is scheduled for February 4-20, 2022. The Foreign Ministry Spokesperson of China Zhao Lijian said that China is experienced in preventing and spread of COVID-19 and the winter Olympics will be held. The new COVID-19 variant Omicron has been named the ‘Variant of Concern’ by the World Health Organisation. The virus was first detected in South Africa. The global health body has also warned against the virus. WHO has also urged the member states to increase the surveillance to understand various variants and to increase the community testing.

World’s most expensive cities list: Tel Aviv ranked world’s costliest city.

World’s most expensive city: Tel Aviv has become the world’s most expensive city to live in, surpassing Paris and Singapore as per the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Worldwide Cost of Living Index 2021. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Tel Aviv climbed from 5th place to the top in 2021 due to the rising value of the Israeli currency shekel against US Dollar and the increase in the price of grocery and transport. While Tel Aviv has topped the Cost of Living Index 2021, Paris and Singapore are jointly ranked second, followed by Zurich and Hong Kong at the fourth and fifth spots. Syria’s Damascus was ranked as the world’s cheapest city. The Worldwide Cost of Living Index examines the cost of living in 173 cities and measures against impactful global events. The cost of living index reported that the prices for goods and services on average have risen by 3.5% year-on-year, which is the highest inflation rate seen in the last five years.  The Cost of Living 2021 Index has ranked Israel’s Tel Aviv at the top for the first time, making it the world’s most expensive city to live in. Tel Aviv has pushed Paris down to jointly share second place with Singapore. Paris, Zurich and Hong Kong were ranked at the top of Cost of Living Index last year. The cost of the living study is conducted twice a year by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

 

NATIONAL NEWS 

Delhi CM holds meeting with officials on Omicron variant

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held a meeting with the officials on the Omicron variant on November 30, 2021. He informed after the meeting that while they hope Omicron doesn’t come to India, but they need to be prepared as responsible governments. The Chief Minister informed that as far as the beds are concerned, the state has prepared around 30,000 oxygen beds, which include 10,000 ICU beds. He also informed that by combining all hospitals in Delhi, Delhi has around 750 MT oxygen capacity. He said that an extra storage capacity of 442 MT is also being prepared. 

Noted Telugu lyricist Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry passes away Noted Telugu lyricist Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry passed away on November 30, 2021. He was undergoing treatment for lung cancer. He was 66. The hospital authorities revealed in a statement that the veteran lyricist, aged 66, passed away due to lung cancer-related complications. The Padma Shri awardee had been hospitalized for lung-related ailments on November 24th at KIMS Hospital Secunderabad. Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry has written lyrics for over 3,000 songs till 2020. He had received the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, for his contributions in the field of arts and aesthetics.

PM Modi to inaugurate FinTech leadership forum on December 3

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate a leadership Forum on Financial Technology (FinTech) on December 3, 2021. The forum will focus on the theme of ‘Beyond’; with various sub-themes. The forum aims to bring together leading minds of the world in business, policy, and technology to discuss and come up with innovative ideas that can be leveraged by the FinTech industry for inclusive growth. The forum will witness participation by almost 70 countries and leading industrial figures including Reliance Industries Mukesh Ambani and Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group Corp. Masayoshi Son.  

Home Affairs Ministry extends Covid containment measures till December 31st

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on November 30, 2021, extended the validity of Covid containment measures till December 31, 2021, in view of the emergence of the new COVID-19 variant- Omicron. The Home Minister has directed the state governments to take proactive containment measures. The MHA order was issued by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla to all states and union territories. The MHA order has been sent to the chief secretaries of all states and it directs the states to ensure rigorous screening and testing at all international arrivals. The contacts will also be closely tracked and tested.

Advanced Israeli Heron drones received by the Indian Army

Israeli Heron drones have been received by the Indian Army after a delay of a few months because of the Coronavirus pandemic. The new Heron drones from Israel are far more advanced than the Heron drones that the Indian Army already has. They have also been operational in the Ladakh region.

Vice Admiral Hari Kumar takes charge as Chief of Naval Staff

Vice Admiral Hari Kumar has taken the charge as the Chief of Naval Staff, he also received Guard of Honour. The Defence Ministry had earlier announced on November 9 that Hari Kumar will be the new Chief of the Indian Navy. He replaced Admiral Karambir Singh who has retired.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

World AIDS Day to be observed on December 1st

World AIDS Day is observed every year on December 1st to raise awareness on HIV/AIDS. The day has become one of the most widely recognized international health days. World AIDS Day aims to raise awareness about the disease and commemorate those who have passed away due to it and celebrate victories in the field such as increased access to treatment and prevention services. The day aims to spread correct information such as the fact that Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a contagious virus that leads to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Many people confuse the terms and consider both as synonymous but they are not. AIDS is the last stage of the HIV virus. HIV patients can prevent AIDS by taking HIV medication regularly. The day also throws emphasis on the fact that HIV cannot be spread by touch, cough or handshake or sharing food with the HIV-infected person. It can only spread through unprotected sexual contact with a person or infected needles and infected blood.

Lionel Messi wins Ballon d’Or Award 2021

Men’s Ballon d’Or award 2021 has been won by Lionel Messi for the record 7th time. Alexis Putellas from Spain has won the Ballon d’Or award for women for the first time. The 34-years old Argentinian footballer player Messi has won over another favourite Robert Lewandowski. The award is one of the most prestigious individual awards in football.

Barbados declared Republic after 400 years

Caribbean Nation, Barbados has formed a Republic by ditching Queen Elizabeth of Britain as the Head of the State. With this move, the island nation has severed the last-remaining colonial bonds with Britain. The country has transitioned to the Parliamentary Republic with President as Head of the State.