Chinese President Xi to visit Saudi capital Riyadh for 3-day visit, deepens alarm in Washington
China blasts US report reiterates ‘no 1st use’ nuke policy
Armed Forces Flag Day: 7 Dec, 2022, how to contribute, history, and significance
Comptroller and Auditor General of India (C&AG) plans to set up offices in every district
India Better Positioned to Navigate Global Headwinds than Other Major Emerging Economies: New World Bank Report
The report forecasts that the India economy will grow at slightly lower rate of 6.6 percent in the 2023-24 fiscal year. A challenging external environment will affect India’s economic outlook through different channels.
However, it argues that India’s economy is relatively insulated from global spillovers compared to other emerging markets. This is partly because India has a large domestic market and is relatively less exposed to international trade flows.
Policy reforms and prudent regulatory measures have also played a key role in developing resilience in the economy.
India’s external position has also improved considerably over the past decade.
Winter session of Parliament starts from December 7 to 29, having 17 sittings spread over 23 days, to discussions on Legislative Business & other items during the session
Ahead of the session, leaders from more than 30 parties attended a meeting convened by the central government to discuss the legislative agenda and the issues likely to be taken up during the session.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to interact with the media on Wednesday ahead of the first day of the Winter session of Parliament. The Lok Sabha will pay tributes to members who passed away during the inter-session period, on the first day.
While the government is planning to pass a number of bills during the upcoming session of Parliament, the Opposition will demand a discussion on the pressing matters. On the legislative agenda of the government would be 25 Bills – 16 of them new, seven pending ones and two finance Bills.
The Opposition parties have expressed concern about the limited time available for any meaningful debate on the proposed legislations.
Chinese surveillance vessel ‘Yuan Wang 5’ spotted again in Indian Ocean Region just before Indian long-range missile test planned between Dec 15-16
Chinese ‘Yuan Wang 5’ ship is capable of tracking satellites and intercontinental missiles.
In a similar incident last month, another vessel ‘Yuan Wang 6’ was spotted in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) coinciding with a planned Indian missile launch, but the launch was then deferred due to the incidence.
There had been a steady rise in the deployment of Chinese research vessels in the IOR.
Earlier the Yuan Wang 5, China’s missile and satellite tracking ship which had berthed at Hambantota port in Sri Lanka was departed on Monday, media reports said citing the Harbor Master.
Hambantota Port is located around 250 km from Colombo. It was built with high-interest Chinese loans. As the Sri Lankan government struggled to repay the debt they had taken from China, the port was handed over to the Chinese on a 99-year lease.
The Chinese presence in IOR began in 2008 under the garb of anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and has since maintained continuous presence in the region.
Chinese even deploying nuclear attack submarines (SSN), on occasions.
Since then China had set up a military base in Djibouti, developed several dual-use ports in the IOR in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Pakistan and among other countries as well.
Chinese President Xi to visit Saudi capital Riyadh for 3-day visit, deepens alarm in Washington
This visit will include a bilateral summit chaired by Saudi King Salman and attended by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Beijing is calling it a “milestone” first ever China-Arab summit to boost relations and already deep economic ties as China in 2020 replaced the European Union as the GCC’s largest trading partner with trade reaching $161 billion.
Xi will meet more than 30 heads of state and business leaders during his three-day visit to the Saudi capital, which is set to lead to a “strategic agreement” between the authoritarian powers. The trip is the culmination of decades of cooperation once based on oil sales, which has grown into bilateral trade of close to $90bn a year.
China blasts US report reiterates ‘no 1st use’ nuke policy
Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe said Tuesday in a scathing response to a US report alleging a major buildup in Beijing’s nuclear capabilities that China strictly adheres to its policy of no first use of nuclear weapons “at any time and under any circumstances.”
The Pentagon last week released an annual China security report that warned Beijing would likely have 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035, and that it has provided no clarity on how it plans to use them.
That report “distorts China’s national defense policy and military strategy, makes groundless speculation about China’s military development and grossly interferes in China’s internal affairs on the issue of Taiwan,” ministry spokesperson Tan Kefei said in a statement.
The Supreme Court on directed the Centre and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to put on record relevant records relating to the government’s 2016 decision to demonetize currency notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 denomination
The top court was hearing a batch of 58 petitions challenging the demonetization exercise announced by the Centre on November 8, 2016.
A five-judge Constitution Bench, comprising Justices S Abdul Nazeer, B R Gavai, A S Bopanna, V Ramasubramanian and B V Nagarathna, heard the submissions from Attorney-General R. Venkataramani , who appeared as RBI’s counsel, and the petitioners’ lawyers, including senior advocates P. Chidambaram and Shyam Divan and reserved its order after hearing extensive arguments over several days on different aspects of the 2016 decision including the deadline to exchange old currency notes.
The Attorney General R Venkataramani submitted before the bench that he will submit relevant records in a sealed cover.
The Supreme court on Tuesday had said that limited scope of a judicial review in economic policy matters does not mean that the court will fold its hands and sit back, observing that the manner in which a decision is taken by the government can always be examined.
India-Central NSA level conference held in Delhi on Tuesday, for the first time, India was hosting a conference of top security officials from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan wherein the emerging security situation in Afghanistan and ways to deal with the threat of terrorism emanating from it were discussed
India’s National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval in a conference termed the existence of terrorist networks in Afghanistan as a matter of concern.
Addressing the occasion NSA Doval said that Curbing terrorism and terrorist financing in Afghanistan, and the use of trade and connectivity routes via Iran are key to regional security.
Earlier a daylong meeting, which was the outcome of the India-Central Asia virtual summit held in January this year, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and agreed to have security chiefs meet on a regular basis to discuss India’s “extended neighborhood”. “The [Security Advisers] discussed the current situation in Afghanistan and it’s impact on the security and stability of the region, reiterating strong support for a peaceful, stable and secure Afghanistan, emphasizing respect for its sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and urging non-interference in its internal affairs,” said a joint communiqué at the end of the meeting, adding that all the countries present had concerns about the “current deteriorating humanitarian situation” in Afghanistan and the need to ensure that terrorist groups don’t find safe haven there.
Armed Forces Flag Day: 7 Dec, 2022, how to contribute, history, and significance
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh’s tweet:
“The Armed Forces Flag Day is a day to remember the bravery, courage and sacrifice of our armed forces. I appeal to everyone to contribute in the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund for the welfare of India’s breavehearts.”
How to contribute to the Armed Forces Flag Fund:
To contribute to the Armed Forces on Flag Day, you can either contribute online or through a cheque or deposit directly to the bank. Apart from that, you can also contribute online at:
https://ksb.gov.in/DonateAFFDF.htm
History:
To honor the martyrs and men in uniform who valiantly fought and continue to fight for our country’s honor, December 7th has been observed throughout the country as Armed Forces Flag Day since 1949.
On August 28, 1949, a committee was set up under the then Defense Minister of India and decided to observe a Flag Day annually on December 7.
Significance:
This day is observed to encourage public engagement and support across the country for the following goals:
Provide rehabilitative assistance to the relatives of war victims.
Take initiatives to safeguard the well-being of service members and their families.
Assist former service veterans and their families with their welfare and resettlement.
The Annual Conference of the Fertilizer Association of India is being organized in New Delhi from 7 to 9 December 2022 with theme “Fertilizer Sector by 2030”. In the inaugural session, researchers, agricultural scientists, and industry personnel will be awarded for their distinguished work
In inaugural address at the annual conference of the Fertilizer Association of India (FAI), India’s Fertilizer Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, criticized global fertilizer companies’ approach of profiteering at a time of crisis, particularly after the Russia-Ukraine war disrupted supplies.
About 1,000 delegates from India and abroad will participate in this international conference. The participants include representatives of fertilizer companies, senior officials of central and state governments, and agricultural scientists. An exhibition will be organized in this 3-day program. Companies will display their products and technology related to fertilizers and agriculture in the exhibition.
India’s thermal power generation registered a growth of 16.28 % at 87,687 MU Million Units in Nov 2022 as compared to 75,412 MU generated in the corresponding month of previous fiscal
The overall power generation in the country also increased by 14.63 % from 1,02,968 MU to 1,18,029 MU in the reporting month year-on-year.
Meanwhile India’s total coal output went up by 11.66 % to 75.87 MT last month over 67.94 MT in November last fiscal.
While Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi said in a written reply to Lok Sabha that Coal import by power sector rose to 39 MT in Apr-Oct FY23.
However, much of the rise in import has gone to feed domestic coal-based plants.
The restoration of power generation by imported coal-based plants to its potential level has remained slow.
AAP wins Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) with 134 seats, ending 15 years rule of BJP. Kejriwal promises to make MCD ‘corruption-free’
Out of total 250 wards BJP got 104 seats. Congress was left far behind in vote share terms, while only 3% points separated AAP and BJP.
Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal thanked the people for the victory and sought the cooperation of the BJP and the Congress as well as the “blessings” of the Centre and PM Modi to improve civic amenities here. Addressing party workers at the headquarters, Kejriwal said, “Will try to live up to expectations of people, urge parties to come together to improve Delhi.”
Buses between Karnataka and Maharashtra stopped, Protests in Belagavi (Karnataka) and Kolhapur (Maharashtra) due to ongoing Maharashtra-Karnataka Border row over dispute
Karnataka suspends bus services to Maharashtra amid border tensions
The Karnataka CM Basavaraj S Bommai said that the border issue will be resolved legally in the Supreme Court and Karnataka will win the legal battle with Maharashtra over the border issue between the two states.
Bommai and Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde discussed the issue over a call on Tuesday and agreed that both states should maintain peace, law and order.
In Winter Session of the Parliament, NCP MP Supriya Sule asked Home Minister Amit Shah to speak on the issue of Maharashtra people being thrashed at Karnataka border while entering the state.
Maharashtra deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis briefs Amit Shah on Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary dispute.
India achieves National Health Policy (NHP) Target for Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR), 8 States achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target for MMR
Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya tweet:
“Significant Decline in the MMR from 130 in 2014-16 to 97 per lakh live births in 2018-20”
As per the Special Bulletin on MMR released by the Registrar General of India (RGI), MMR of India has improved further by a spectacular 6 points and now stands at 97 per one lakh live births. MMR is defined as the number of maternal deaths during a given time period per 100,000 live births.
Comptroller and Auditor General of India (C&AG) plans to set up offices in every district
In February 2000, instructions were issued from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (C&AG) office to all the field audit offices to take up at least one district in their State for complete audit. This audit would cover the entire expenditure incurred at the district level by all the agencies like DRDAs and Panchayati Raj Institutions.
It would include all the schemes sponsored by both State and Centre. One of the objectives of this audit was to see the extent of duplication of various development schemes and examine whether a convergence would be possible for a more efficient and effective implementation of the programmers.
Pursuant to these instructions, AG, Madhya Pradesh had conducted a comprehensive audit of Bastar District. Subsequently, on the formation of a separate Chhattisgarh State, this report was discussed by the PAC of Chhattisgarh Assembly which gave its detailed recommendations.
Mumbai court declares Indian genetic parents based in Australia as legal parents of surrogate child after 3 years, allowing couple to take bay to Australia
The couple alleged that the surrogate mother did not cooperate in completing the paperwork needed to comply with the visa process to enable them to take the child to Australia.
The civil court said while there was no specific legislation/law in which the parents could seek a declaration regarding the surrogacy process in India. However, there are the guidelines of the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Academy of Medical Sciences. According to the national guidelines for accreditation/supervision of ART Clinics, 2005 by ICMR / NAMS, the surrogate mother is not considered to be the legal mother.”
Want to know about what is meant by Genetic Parents? What is Surrogacy, Surrogacy in India? Click on the link below:
Dr. Nishi IVF Specialist on Surrogacy
Delhi high court allows woman to terminate 33-week pregnancy due to abnormalities in her fetus, considering possibility of dignified and self-sustaining life of the unborn child, based on medical reports
Justice Prathiba M Singh observed that while the right of a pregnant woman to terminate her pregnancy has been the subject matter of debate across the world, India recognizes the choice of a woman in its law.
The judge, while permitting the woman to immediately undergo medical termination of pregnancy, noted that the medical board unfortunately did not give a “categorical opinion” on the degree of handicap or the quality of the life of the fetus after birth and thus opined that “such unpredictability ought to weigh in favor of the woman seeking termination of pregnancy”.
The court observed that, the emergence of modern technology to detect abnormalities in an unborn child, the issues surrounding termination and abortion are bound to become more and more complex. Such technology coupled with unpredictability of degree of abnormality even by medical practitioners throw challenges to the manner in which a society may grow in the future.
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