THE HEADLINES:
- Free Trade Agreement between India and New Zealand expected to double bilateral trade in next five years; To also open new employment opportunities for Indian skilled workers.
- Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav says, Supreme Court ruling endorses Government’s sustained efforts to protect Aravalli Range through Green Wall Project.
- Cyber Fraud losses worth six hundred sixty crore rupees prevented in just 6 months with help of Financial Fraud Risk Indicator.
- A Delhi court reserves verdict in 1984 anti-Sikh riot case against former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar.
- Media organizations of Bangladesh hold rally in Dhaka to protest against violence and arson in two leading newspaper offices and subsequent government inaction.
- And, dense fog conditions likely to continue in most parts of Northern and North-East India till tomorrow.
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India and New Zealand have successfully concluded the historic and mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon held a telephonic conversation and made the announcement regarding the FTA today. In a social media post, Prime Minister Modi said, the agreement between India and New Zealand has set the stage for doubling bilateral trade in the coming five years. Mr Modi said, India welcomes investment worth over 20 billion dollars by New Zealand over the next 15 years across diverse sectors. Prime Minister Luxon, in a social media post, called it is landmark trade deal, reducing the tariff on 95 per cent of New Zealand’s direct exports to India.
Briefing media in New Delhi today, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal asserted, the agreement reflects the growing strategic importance of India in world geopolitics.
The FTA will also open skilled employment pathways through a new Temporary Employment Entry Visa for Indian professionals in skilled occupations, with a quota of five thousand visas and a stay of up to three years. The deal will ensure zero duty on 100 per cent of India’s exports. It will benefit farmers, MSMEs, workers, artisans, women-led enterprises, and youth, while providing immense opportunities for labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, apparel, leather, and footwear.
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Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav today emphasized that the Supreme Court’s ruling in Aravalli range matter recognises and endorses the Government’s sustained efforts to protect the range through Aravalli Green Wall Project. The Minister stated this while addressing a press conference in New Delhi today.
“Bhupender Yadav said no new mining leases will be issued until a detailed Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) is prepared by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education – ICFRE.
Regarding the definition of Aravalli Hills as any landform rising 100 metres or more above, the Minister said that such definition is only subjected to mining. Mr Yadav further emphasized the protection of four tiger reserves and 20 wildlife sanctuaries in the area, stating that the government is balancing ecology and economy together. He highlighted that the Court has also upheld the government’s green concerns. Adarsh for Akashvani News, Delhi.”
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The Government has prevented six hundred sixty Crore Cyber Fraud Losses in just 6 months with the help of the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI). The Ministry of Communication informed that more than one thousand banks, third-party application providers and Payment System Operators have onboarded the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) and started adopting FRI actively. FRI is driven by the active support of the Reserve Bank of India and the National Payments Corporation of India. The Ministry also appreciated the efforts of all vigilant citizens and Cyber Warriors who are actively leveraging the Sanchar Saathi platform to report suspected fraud communications.
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Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda today stressed that coordinated and synergistic efforts by the Centre and States are essential to enhance influenza preparedness and response across India. Mr Nadda said this while virtually addressing the inaugural session of the two-day Chintan Shivir organised under the theme “Strengthening Interministerial and Intersectoral Convergence for Influenza Preparedness and Response” in New Delhi. The Minister emphasized that it is vital to ensure preparedness and response activities, including surge capacities, are well aligned for the forthcoming influenza season.
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Union Minister of State for Health anda Family Welfare Anupriya Patel has said, the country has witnessed a profound transformation in its healthcare landscape in the past eleven years. The Minister made the remarks while addressing the 7th Convocation Ceremony of Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi today.
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India has reaffirmed its commitment to continued humanitarian assistance and healthcare cooperation with a focus on the long-term supply of medicines to Afghanistan.Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda reiterated this during a bilateral meeting with Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Health, Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali who was on a visit to India last week. The Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said that during the meeting a symbolic handover of cancer medicines and vaccines was made, reflecting India’s continued support to the medical needs of the Afghan people.
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A Delhi court today reserved its order in a case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in which former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar is an accused. Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh reserved the order for the 22nd of next month after the final arguments concluded in the case. Sajjan Kumar was produced before the court amid heavy security. In February 2015, a special investigation team registered two FIRs against Kumar based on complaints of violence in Delhi’s Janakpuri and Vikaspuri during the riots.
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The Delhi High Court today asked Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others to respond to a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the National Herald case. The ED has challenged the 16th of December’s order of the trial court that refused to take cognisance of its chargesheet against them in the case. The high court listed the matter for further hearing on 12th March next year. The ED has accused them of conspiracy and money laundering. It has been alleged that they acquired properties worth approximately two thousand crore rupees belonging to Associated Journals Limited, which publishes the National Herald newspaper.
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A Goa court today extended by five days the police custody of owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, where a devastating fire on the 6th of this month resulted in 25 deaths. The siblings had fled to Thailand after the incident and were deported to India on the 17th of December. The Anjuna police has registered a case against them for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other offences.
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In Assam, an ongoing protest in the West Karbi Anglong district turned violent today, prompting police to resort to firing to control and disperse demonstrators. Tensions escalated following an arson attack on the residence of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council Chief Executive Member, Tuliram Ronghang at Dongkamokam. According to reports, at least three civilians and one paramilitary personnel were injured in the firing and were rushed to the hospital for treatment.
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A joint protest rally was held in Dhaka by the Editors’ Council and the Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh over violence and arson in two leading newspaper offices last week and subsequent inaction by Mohammad Yunus led interim government.
Speaking on a talk show last night, President of the Editors’ Council of Bangladesh and New Age editor Nurul Kabir alleged that either a section of the interim government or the government as a whole, allowed the coordinated attacks and arson at the newspaper offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star on the night of the 18th of this month. Echoing similar concerns, The Daily Star editor Mahfuz Anam said the attacks were “murderous” in intent, citing videos in which assailants threatened to kill journalists.
Meanwhile, leaders of minority organisations formed a human chain in Dhaka, accusing the interim government of failing to stop violence, killings and persecution, targeting religious and ethnic minorities. Protesters demanded a proper investigation into the killing of a hindu garment worker Dipu Chandra Das and accountability for those responsible.
In a separate incident, a leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP) in the country was shot at by unidentified assailants in Khulna today. The BJP today organized a protest march in Kolkata to condemn the killing of Dipu Das in Bangladesh.
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said, dense fog conditions are expected in most parts of Northern and North-East India till tomorrow. These include Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. The weather agency has further predicted dense to very dense fog over Punjab till the 27th of this month. Our correspondent reports that dense fog conditions have disrupted normal life in the region.
“In the National Capital Region, dense fog led to disruptions in air and rail traffic today. Talking to Akashvani News, an official from Delhi Airport said that around 14 flights were cancelled due to low visibility at Indira Gandhi International Airport. Railways informed that the movement of several Delhi-bound trains was impacted, with over 35 trains delayed by more than three hours. Meanwhile, the air quality in Delhi-NCR continues to remain in the Very Poor category. The government has said to curb air pollution no waiver will be given on Pollution Under Control certificates. With Ishani Yadav, Ankit Kumar, Akashvani, News Delhi”
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The US State Department has expanded its online and social media screening for H-1B and H-4 visa applicants worldwide, effective from the 15th of this month. The move is likely to slow down visa processing and lead to delays worldwide as expanded vetting now requires additional checks on applicants’ social media profiles and online presence before their visas can be approved.
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The combined Index of Eight Core Industries increased by 1.8 per cent in November this year as compared to the same month last year. The Commerce and Industry Ministry said, the production of Cement, Steel, Fertilizer and Coal recorded positive growth in November.
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Benchmark domestic equity indices, the Sensex and the Nifty, ended the first trading day of the week on a bullish note. The Sensex surged 638 points to close at 85 thousand 567 while the Nifty added 206 points to settle at 26 thousand 172.
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Navy’s Kiran Ankush Jadhav clinched the gold medal in the final of 10 metre Air Rifle Men event at the 68th National Shooting Championship in Bhopal today. Olympian Arjun Babuta secured a silver medal while Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar won the bronze. In the 10 metre Air Rifle Men Junior final, Gujarat’s Mohammed Murtaza Vania won the gold medal. In the 10 metre Air Rifle Men Youth final, Onkar Vikas Waghamare took the yellow metal.
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In Women’s Cricket, second T20 of the five-match series between India and Sri Lanka will be played in Visakhapatnam tomorrow. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 pm Indian Standard Time.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:
- Free Trade Agreement between India and New Zealand expected to double bilateral trade in next five years; To also open new employment opportunities for Indian skilled workers.
- Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav says, Supreme Court ruling endorses Government’s sustained efforts to protect Aravalli Range through Green Wall Project.
- Cyber Fraud losses worth six hundred sixty crore rupees prevented in just 6 months with help of Financial Fraud Risk Indicator.
- A Delhi court reserves verdict in 1984 anti-Sikh riot case against former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar.
- Media organizations of Bangladesh hold rally in Dhaka to protest against violence and arson in two leading newspaper offices and subsequent government inaction.
- And, dense fog conditions likely to continue in most parts of Northern and North-East India till tomorrow.
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