Tag: CLAT

NATIONAL NEWS 

India deploys first S-400 air defence system in Punjab sector 

Indian Air Force (IAF) is deploying the first squadron of the S-400 air defence missile system in the Punjab sector. The squadron has been deployed to take care of aerial threats from both China and Pakistan. The parts of the Russian missile system had started reaching India earlier this month. India had signed a deal worth around Rs 35,000 crore with Russia for the procurement of the defence system and five squadrons would be provided to India for tackling air threats from up to 400 km.

Rafael Nadal tests positive for COVID-19 

Former world number one, Rafael Nadal has tested positive for COVID-19. He tested positive upon his arrival in Spain after participating in the World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi. The 21-time Grand Slam champion himself tweeted confirming the news. He informed that he tested positive in the PCR test conducted when he reached Spain. He said that he had passed controls every two days in Kuwait and Abu Dhabi. The tennis star is scheduled to feature at ATP 250 in Melbourne, which will begin on January 4. 

Rajya Sabha passes Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021 The Rajya Sabha on December 20, 2021 passed the ‘Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021’ to rectify a drafting “anomaly” created by a 2014 amendment to the parent legislation. The bill was passed by a voice vote. The opposition parties had not taken part in the debate. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the NDPS (Amendment) Bill, 2021 seeks amendment to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.The drafting “anomaly” reportedly crept in when the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was amended in 2014 to allow better medical access to narcotic drugs and removing state barriers in transporting and licensing of essential narcotic drugs.

Bharat Biotech seeks DGCI approval for clinical trials of its intranasal COVID-19 booster dose Bharat Biotech has submitted an application seeking approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for the phase 3 clinical trial of its intranasal COVID-19 booster dose named ‘BBV154’. An intranasal vaccine as will be easier to administer as a booster dose. The intranasal vaccines have the potential to prevent against transmission.”

Govt appoints Pradeep Rawat as new Indian Ambassador to China

Diplomat Pradeep Kumar Rawat has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to China. Currently, he is the Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Rawat as India’s next envoy in China will take charge amid the worst phase in relations between the two nations. He has spent the majority of his diplomatic career handling Beijing from New Delhi.

Parliament passes Election Laws (Amendment Bill) 2021

Parliament passed the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 after it was given a go-ahead in the Rajya Sabha. The bill which was passed in the Lok Sabha seeks to make amendments to the Representation of the People Act and also allows electoral registration officers to seek the Aadhaar number of those who want to register as voters to establish their entity.

Annual meeting of World Economic Forum postponed

The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum 2022 will be postponed due to the continued uncertainty over the Omicron outbreak. It was scheduled to take place in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland in January 2022. The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum is now likely to take place during early summer.

Nagaland adopts resolution to repeal AFSPA

Nagaland Assembly unanimously passed a resolution demanding the repeal of AFSPA in the Northeast state. The state government has declared on many occasions clearly that the state must be free from the AFSPA act that gives soldiers sweeping powers to arrest without warrants or even shoot to kill in certain situations.

Govt bans 20 YouTube channels

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has ordered the blocking of 20 YouTube channels as well as 2 websites for spreading anti-India propaganda and fake news content on the internet. The banned channels were used to post the divisive content in a coordinated manner on various significant topics such as the Indian Army, Kashmir, CDS General Bipin Rawat, among others.

PM Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin hold telephone conversation

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 20, 2021. Both leaders expressed mutual intent for further development of a special and privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India. Putin thanked PM Modi for the hospitality extended to the Russian delegation during the high-level visit to New Delhi on December 6. The two leaders also discussed practical aspects of the implementation of the agreements signed during the talks.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

India vs South Africa ODI, Test series to be played without spectators

Cricket South Africa (CSA) informed on December 20, 2021 that CSA along with the BCCI have taken a joint decision to protect the players by not allowing spectators in the stands owing to increasing COVID-19 cases around the world and the fourth wave locally. The two cricket boards have decided to not make tickets available for India vs South Africa series. India will be playing three tests and three ODIs. The first test will be boxing day test, which will be played in Centurion starting from December 26. 

Moderna says its booster dose is effective against Omicron.

Moderna has said that a booster dose of its Coronavirus vaccine appears to be protective against the Omicron variant in laboratory testing. It also added that the current version of its vaccine will continue to be its first line of defence against Omicron. The company further explained that a two-dose course of its Covid-19 vaccine generated the low neutralizing antibodies against the Omicron variant, however, a 50-microgram booster dose increased the neutralizing antibodies against Omicron. Moderna has also tested the effectiveness of the vaccine in comparison to its prototype boosters that targeted the previous Variant of Concerns. The results were similar.

NATIONAL NEWS

Omicron cases doubling in 1.5 to 3 days in areas with local spread, says WHO 

The Omicron coronavirus variant has been reported in 89 countries and the number of cases is doubling in 1.5 to 3 days in areas with community transmission, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday.   Omicron is spreading rapidly in countries with high levels of population immunity, but it is unclear if this is due to the virus’ ability to evade immunity, its inherent increased transmissibility or a combination of both, the WHO said in an update.   The agency designated Omicron a variant of concern on November 26, soon after it was first detected, and much is still not known about it, including the severity of the illness it causes.   There are still limited data on the clinical severity of Omicron, the WHO said. More data are needed to understand the severity profile, and how severity is impacted by vaccination and pre-existing immunity. It added, There are still limited available data, and no peer-reviewed evidence, on vaccine efficacy or effectiveness to date for Omicron.  People queue to check-in for the Eurostar at St. Pancras international train station in London. Eurostar, which operates trains across the English Channel, sold out of tickets to France on Friday before new rules restricting travel to and from Britain took effect.   The WHO warned that with cases rising so rapidly, hospitals could be overwhelmed in some places. Hospitalisations in the U.K. and South Africa continue to rise, and given rapidly increasing case counts, it is possible that many healthcare systems may become quickly overwhelmed.   

U.P.+Yogi — bahut hain upyogi: Modi coins term to endorse Yogi model  Endorsing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s demolition of property of suspected criminals as part of his handling of law and order, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday came up with a new formulation U.P.Y.O.G.I — U.P. plus Yogi.  Upyogi means useful in Hindi, and by deploying the pun, the Prime Minister has once again thrown his weight behind Mr. Adityanath as the State inches closer to the 2022 Assembly elections.   Speaking at the foundation-laying ceremony of the Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur, Mr. Modi referring to the demolition of property of suspected criminals and mafia under the BJP Government in U.P.: When the bull dozer runs over the mafia… the bull dozer runs over the illegal building but the person who is nurturing it feels the pain. That is why the people of U.P. are saying, U.P. plus Yogi, bahut hain upyogi (U.P. plus Yogi is very much useful).   Reacting to Mr. Modi’s remarks, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav termed Mr. Adityanath unupyogi (useless), citing incidents of crimes against Dalits and women under his rule. Mr. Yadav said in a tweet, The daughter of Hathras, the farmers of Lakhimpur, the trader of Gorakhpur, women who are feeling insecure, unemployed youths, the Dalits, and the backward class (people) are saying for U.P., the current government is not useful, it is useless.    

Samajwadi Party alleges foul play after I-T raids on premises of party leaders in Uttar Pradesh  

Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party on Saturday alleged foul play as the Income Tax Department conducted searches at the residences of persons linked to its leadership in several districts of Uttar Pradesh, including that of party national secretary Rajeev Rai.   Teams of the I-T Department conducted searches at the residences of Mr. Rai in Mau; Jainendra Yadav, who is reportedly close to Mr. Akhilesh Yadav; and Manoj Yadav, a businessman in Mainpuri. The department did not reveal details, and only said that searches were on.   Mr. Rai is also a spokesperson of the SP. In 2014, he contested the Lok Sabha election from Ghosi in east U.P. but finished fourth. Talking to his supporters who had gathered outside his residence, Mr. Rai stated he had no criminal background or black money.   Mr. Akhilesh Yadav remarked that the I-T Department had arrived in U.P. to contest the 2022 Assembly elections, in a dig at the BJP-led Union Government. As the BJP sensed defeat, not only the I-T Department but also the ED and the CBI will arrive in U.P., apart from the conspiracies and rumours that will be spread, he said.   But despite all this, the ‘cycle’ and the rath will not slow down and the BJP is destined to be wiped out in U.P., he told reporters. Mr. Akhilesh Yadav asked why the I-T Department had arrived at Mr. Rai’s residence just before the election when they could have done this when he submitted his asset details.   

DRDO scientist arrested for ‘planting explosives to kill neighbour’ in Rohini court premises  

A senior DRDO scientist has been arrested for allegedly planting an improvised explosive device (IED) in a tiffin box with an intention to kill his neighbour in the Rohini district court in New Delhi earlier this month, police said on Saturday.   The IED that triggered a low-intensity explosion in courtroom number 102 on December 9 had left a person injured. The accused, Bharat Bhushan Kataria (47), was arrested on Friday, police said.   According to Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana, Mr. Kataria, who is a senior scientist at the Defence Research and Development Organisation, entered the court premises at 9.33 a.m. on the day of the incident with two bags and left one of those behind inside courtroom number 102. The accused left the court premises at 10.35 a.m.    Mr. Kataria had planted the IED in a tiffin box, and left the bag containing the tiffin box inside the courtroom as he wanted to kill his neighbour, who is a lawyer, police said. Both the parties had lodged several cases against each other. They live in the same building. Prima facie, it seems that Kataria had a grudge against the lawyer, a senior police officer said.   The lawyer lives on the ground floor of the building while the accused lives on the third floor. Five civil cases were filed by Mr. Kataria against the lawyer, while the latter had filed seven civil cases against the accused, police said.   Teams from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and the National Security Guard (NSG) had visited the site of the explosion, and it was found that the materials used in making the IED were easily available in the market. The IED was not properly assembled due to which only the detonator exploded, police said.   

Odisha woman sarpanch begs for a living 

The word sarpanch conjures up the image of rural authority, a person solving problems of villagers, and getting development works executed. But in a mockery of both the privilege and the grassroots governance system supposed to empower the disadvantaged, a sarpanch in Odisha’s Ganjam district has been found begging for her survival.   Hema Naik, the woman sarpanch of Badapalli panchayat under Khallikote block of Ganjam district, has been seen going from house to house seeking alms. Ms. Naik belongs to the Scheduled Caste community. She became sarpanch of Badapalli, a predominantly tribal panchayat, after the post was reserved for women Scheduled Caste candidates.  When contacted Block Development Officer of Khallikote, Mitali Patra, acknowledged receiving information about the woman sarpanch’s dire straits six months ago.   However, her election to the top post in the panchayat did not bring about any change in her financial status. According to villagers, she continued to remain dependent on begging. Her tenure as sarpanch will end early next year.   Though her husband works as peon in the panchayat office, and a son works as daily wager, their earnings are not adequate. Incidentally, Ms. Naik was present alongside Khallikote MLA Suryamani Baidya, who had gone to Badipalli to distribute the smart health cards under the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), a few days ago. A day after the event she returned to begging again.   When contacted, Block Development Officer of Khallikote, Mitali Patra, acknowledged receiving information about the woman sarpanch’s dire straits six months ago. Information about Badapalli sarpanch begging on street was forwarded to us from Chief Minister’s Grievance Cell about six months ago. Subsequently, we carried out an investigation to ascertain the fact. The sarpanch told us that she was not begging in the panchayat, said Ms. Patra.   

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Temple of Buddhist period discovered in Pakistan.

An evacuation team of Pakistani and Italian archaeologists discovered the Apsidal temple of the Buddhist period as well as a few other precious artefacts in Northwest Pakistan. The newly discovered temple is over 2,300 years old. The discovery has been made in the Bazira city of the Buddhist period in the Barikot tehsil of Swat district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. It has been described as the oldest temple in Pakistan of the Buddhist period. The archaeologists have also recovered over 2,700 years old artefacts of the Buddhist period which included rings, coins, pots. The recent discovery in the Bazira city of Pakistan has proven that Swat was a sacred place for six to seven religions.

US appoints Uzra Zeya as U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibet

US official Uzra Zeya has been appointed by the government as the new U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues. Uzra Zeya will hold her new position concurrently with her new role as the Under Secretary for the Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights. The role of the U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibet will involve promoting the substantive dialogue between the Government of China and the Dalai Lama. The coordinator will also promote the unique identity of Tibet, coordinate US Policy on Tibet, and will safeguard the human rights of Tibet. The position of US Special Coordinator for Tibet was established by the country’s Tibetan Policy Act (2002). It had been lying vacant for much of the Trump administration.

NATIONAL NEWS 

BJP announces alliance with Amarinder Singh’s party for Punjab polls 

The BJP formally announced on Friday that it will contest the upcoming Assembly elections in Punjab in alliance with Amarinder Singh’s Punjab Lok Congress.   Mr. Singh on Friday called on the BJP’s Punjab in-charge and Union Minister, Gajendra Shekhawat, at his residence in New Delhi. After the meeting, they officially announced the alliance between the two parties.   “Today, I want to make it clear that the BJP and Amarinder Singh will contest Assembly elections in Punjab together and we are working together,” Mr. Shekhawat told the media, Mr. Singh by his side. Mr. Shekhawat said the details of seat-sharing will be announced at an “appropriate time”.  Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and BJP’s Punjab in-charge and Union Minister Gajendra Shekhawat meet at the latter’s residence in New Delhi on December 17, 2021. Photo: Twitter/@capt_amarinder   Mr. Singh said, “The alliance will definitely, 101%, win the elections. And winnability will be the main criterion in finalising seats.”   Mr. Singh formed his own party, Punjab Lok Congress, days after he resigned as the Chief Minister, and quit the Congress. Earlier, the BJP had also broken its alliance with longstanding partner, Shiromani Akali Dal, over the issue of farm laws.   

Omicron spreading fast across Europe, other parts of world; avoid non-essential travel, says government  

As many as 101 positive cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus have been detected across 11 States and Union Territories so far, the government said on Friday, advising people to keep new year celebrations at low intensity.   It said that although the daily COVID-19 case count had been under 10,000 for the past 20 days, there was a need to stay vigilant in view of the new variant and the rising number of cases in other countries. With the Omicron variant spreading very fast across Europe and other parts of the world, people needed to avoid non-essential travel, the government said, adding that mass gatherings must be avoided, and new year celebrations should be carried out at low intensity.  E-pass is also mandatory for domestic air travellers due to the Omicron precautionary measures at Chennai Airport, on December 17, 2021.   Giving details of the Omicron cases emerging in India, it said Maharashtra reported 32 cases of the variant, Delhi (22), Rajasthan (17), Karnataka (8), Telangana (8), Gujarat (5), Kerala (5), Andhra Pradesh (1), Chandigarh (1), Tamil Nadu (1) and West Bengal (1).   Citing the World Health Organization, it also said that the Omicron variant was spreading faster than the Delta variant in South Africa, where Delta circulation was low.   It was likely that Omicron’s spread would outpace the Delta variant where community transmission occurs, the government said, citing the WHO. It added that sufficient systematic and strategic sampling was being undertaken for detection of Omicron cases in India through genome sequencing.    

PM Modi meets BJP MPs from U.P.; Ajay Mishra not in group  Prime Minister Narendra Modi met BJP MPs from election-bound Uttar Pradesh over breakfast on Friday, his fourth such interaction during the winter session of Parliament with party MPs categorised Statewise.   Significantly, Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra Teni, in the eye of a political storm over the Uttar Pradesh Police Special Investigation Team report on the killing of eight people in Lakhimpur Kheri in October, was absent from the meeting.   At least 36 MPs from the State attended the breakfast meeting with Mr. Modi. The number was restricted to less than the total strength of the party in Parliament from Uttar Pradesh due to COVID-19 protocols, sources said.   The discussion was largely related to how MPs could foster better communication between constituents and themselves, and a common piece of advice that Mr. Modi seems to be telling all MPs who have met him so far is to organise sports tournaments in their areas to encourage both health and a sporting spirit. “He feels that sports encourages a positive motivation in the youth,” said a source present at the meeting. The upcoming poll in the State was not mentioned.    

BJP slams Karnataka Congress MLA’s ‘rape’ statement   

The BJP on Friday slammed the Congress for Karnataka MLA K.R. Ramesh Kumar’s comments on rape on the floor of the Assembly, but was left embarrassed when its spokesperson Aparajita Sarangi criticised Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, who is from the ruling party, for not objecting to Mr. Kumar’s remarks.   On December 16, when Mr. Kageri expressed helplessness about not being able to curtail the long speeches of members, Mr. Kumar had said, “There’s a saying…when rape is inevitable, lie down and enjoy it. That is the situation you are in too.”   At a press conference held at the party headquarters in New Delhi, BJP Lok Sabha MP Ms. Sarangi questioned Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s silence over the issue, alleging that its leaders have a history of making such insulting comments about women.   Her next comment, however, was on Mr. Kageri, who had joined in the mirth over the remark. “What is sad is that the Speaker said nothing after such objectionable comments were made and even laughed,” she stated. Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, and another BJP spokesperson, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, however, defended the Speaker. Mr. Rathore said Mr. Kageri made no statement and things should not be implied. Mr. Chandrasekhar accused Mr. Kumar of trivialising crime against women.   Ms. Sarangi later clarified that she meant to refer to Mr. Kumar, as he is also a former Speaker. Even as Speaker, he had made such remarks by equating himself with a rape victim for being dragged to court over various issues, she noted.   Mr. Kumar apologised for his remarks on Friday. In a tweet, he said: “I would like to express my sincere apologies to everyone for the indifferent and negligent comment I made in today’s assembly about rape. My intention was not to trivialise or make light of the heinous crime, but an off-the-cuff remark! I will choose my words carefully henceforth!”   

Supreme Court stays proceedings of West Bengal’s Lokur panel probing Pegasus snooping allegations  

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed further proceedings of a Commission of Inquiry appointed by the West Bengal Government to look into allegations of snooping using the Pegasus software.   A Bench led by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana impleaded the commission, comprising former Supreme Court judge, Justice Madan B. Lokur, and retired Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court Jyotirmay Bhattacharya. The court issued notice to the panel to be served through its secretary. The order was passed after an NGO, Global Village Foundation Trust, made an urgent plea that the commission was going ahead with a ‘parallel inquiry’ into Pegasus allegations. The Supreme Court has already appointed a committee led by retired Supreme Court judge, Justice R.V. Raveendran in October to ‘expeditiously’ examine the Pegasus snooping reports.   The West Bengal Government’s move in July to appoint a Commission of Inquiry was first heard by the Supreme Court in August. At the time, the Supreme Court had only issued pre-admission notice to the Centre on August 17 on petitions seeking an independent inquiry into allegations that the Government used the Israeli-based spyware to snoop on journalists, activists, dissenters, parliamentarians, Ministers and other citizens. Mr. Singhvi said the State Government could not interfere in the working of the Commission of Inquiry, and it was now up to the Supreme Court to pass any formal orders for the commission. This led the court to implead the commission, issue notice and order the stay of further proceedings.   

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Covovax gets emergency use approval from WHO:

The World Health Organisation announced that it has given its approval for the emergency use of COVOVAX Coronavirus Vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine has been manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) under the license of the US company Novavax. The global health body, while announcing the emergency use of Covovax, stated that it issued the emergency use listing for Covovax, further expanding the basket of WHO-validated Covid vaccines against the Covid virus. The move of giving emergency use approval to Covovax will boost the ongoing efforts of vaccinating more people in lower-income countries. The emergency use approval from the World Health Organisation is a prerequisite for being on the Covax drug list as well as for the international procurement. Covovax by Serum Institute of India was assessed under the WHO Emergency Use Listing procedure. It was based on the review of data on the safety, quality, and efficacy, programmatic suitability, a risk management plan, and manufacturing site inspections carried out by the Drugs Control General of India (DCGI). The Technical Advisory Group for EUL which was convened by World Health Organisation and experts from around the world determined that the Covovax vaccine meets the global health body’s standards for the protection against Coronavirus. The group also came to the conclusion that the benefit of the Covovax vaccine far outweighs any risks and that the Serum Institute of India’s vaccine can be used globally.

Britain’s 7-times F1 Champion Lewis Hamilton received Knight Bachelor for Service to Motorsport.  

British racing driver Lewis Hamilton, who has won the Formula one(F1) Championship 7 times has been honoured with Britain’s Knight Bachelor, for Services to Motorsport. Lewis Hamilton received Knighthood from Charles, The Prince of Wales, in a ceremony at Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, England.  Hamilton is the 4th F1 driver to receive the knighthood, the honorary title Sir in Britain after Jack Brabham (Australian), Stirling Moss and Jackie Stewart.  He is the first and the only active racer to receive the honors.  Other active sportsmen to receive knighthood. Bradley Wiggins (Road and track racing cyclist) was knighted in 2013 Andy Murray, (Tennis) was knighted in 2016. Mo Farah (Track athlete) was knighted in 2017. Alastair Cook (Cricket) was knighted in 2019. Sir Lewis Hamilton, the first and the only black driver to race in the F1 series currently competes in the Fl representing Mercedes and he has previously represented McLaren from 2007 to 2012. He has tied with Michael Schumacher of Germany with 7 driver’s championships. He holds the record for Most wins in Formula 1 with 103 wins since his debl in 2007. He has the record of the Most consecutive race starts with 265.

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.