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.
