Budget 2022 should boost consumption via tax breaks, fuel tax cuts: Report

 In a pre-budget report, India Ratings said it expects the new budget to consolidate and strengthen the plan set out in the last budget

The forthcoming budget needs to delay fiscal consolidation, instead should focus more on supporting the pandemic battered-economy and boost consumption demand by offering income tax soaps and cutting fuel taxes, says a report.

In a pre-budget report, India Ratings said it expects the new budget to consolidate and strengthen the plan set out in the last budget, rather than trying out new things by continue with the revenue and capital expenditure pattern of FY’22 to provide stability and consolidation to the past/ongoing efforts, and to focus on boosting demand by generating employment opportunities in areas/sectors that have been impacted more by the pandemic.

The report therefore expects the finance minister to delay fiscal consolidation and make it to be a gradual and calibrated process, thus ensuring the necessary fiscal support that the economy needs is available till the recovery acquires its own momentum.Calling for tax reliefs to households to boost demand as the purchasing power of households was badly hit since the pandemic, the report said this could be done through some income tax reliefs and lowering taxes on oil products as higher fuel prices has been driving up inflation…Budget 2022

Three kids among 4 burnt alive at Jaipur material packaging unit

 Officials said the place was being used to pack thinner for painting works

Four persons including three children were killed on Sunday after a fire broke out in a small painting material packaging unit in Jamwaramgarh area of the district, officials said. “The fire broke out in a hall constructed on a farmland. In the incident, three children and one man were burnt alive,” Jamwaramgarh Circle officer Shiv Kumar said. Officials said the place was being used to pack thinner for painting works. The deceased children belonged to a labourer’s family working and residing on the premises. Station House Officer Jogendra Singh said the two injured people have been admitted to the SMS hospital where their condition is stable…

Second dose inoculation for 15-18 age group to begin in MP on Monday

 Administration of the second dose of anti-Covid-19 vaccines to eligible children in the 15-18 age group will begin from Monday in Madhya Pradesh, an official said

Administration of the second dose of anti-COVID-19 vaccines to eligible children in the 15-18 age group will begin from Monday in Madhya Pradesh, an official said on Sunday. Letters were written to all the district collectors in MP in this regard, National Health Mission director Priyanka Das said in an official statement. All the eligible persons from the 15-18 age group will be given the second dose of COVID-19 vaccines from Monday, it said.

Das said 36.42 lakh eligible children from this age group had received the first dose of vaccines against the target of 48 lakh. She said that sessions for the second jab for the eligible teens will be organised in the schools, where the first dose was administered. Das said that registration for the second dose will be held on the spot.

Winter session troubles may hit House again; FM to present Eco Survey today

 The Personal Data Protection Bill is eagerly awaited and may come up in the Budget session

If the winter session of Parliament was a washout, the prognosis for the upcoming Budget session that begins on January 31, with the Preside­nt’s address to both Houses of Parliament, is no better. As Opposition parties reached out to each other to fine-tune parliamentary strat­egy, the Narendra Modi government is expected to be in the Oppo­sition’s cross hairs on issues such as the new revelations on snooping by intelligence interception company Pegasus, farm distress, management of the third wave of Covid-19, the sale of national carrier Air India, and Chinese “incursions” into eastern Ladakh.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Economic Survey 2021-22 on Monday and the Union Budget on Tuesday. This is expected to go off with only sporadic interruption. But the Budget session is taking place amid a heated election campaign in five states – Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa, and Manipur – that go to polls in seven phases from February 10 to March 7.

As parties go head to head in the field, reverberations will hit Parliament as well. This is not all. Some Bills awaiting discussion and passage are also hotly contested. The Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2021, for instance, has been opposed vigorously by several Opposition-ruled states, inclu­ding Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Kerala…Union Budget 2022

Australia's Woodside Petroleum to exit Myanmar on human rights concerns

 The Australian gas producer will now begin formal procedure to exit the exploration assets it holds with state-owned Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise and other entities

Woodside Petroleum Ltd said on Thursday it will exit its Myanmar operations citing deteriorating human rights situation, nearly a year after a coup plunged the Southeast Asian nation into turmoil.\The Australian gas producer will now begin formal procedure to exit the exploration assets it holds with state-owned Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise and other entities including China National Petroleum Corp and Total, among others. Woodside said a non-cash expense associated with the withdrawal would hurt its fiscal 2021 net profit after tax by about $138 million, in addition to the $71 million exploration expense for one of the oil blocks in Myanmar it had flagged earlier.

“Given the ongoing situation in Myanmar we can no longer contemplate Woodside’s participation in the development of the A-6 gas resources, nor other future activities in-country,” Woodside Chief Executive Meg O’Neill said on Thursday. “While Woodside had hoped to… deliver much-needed energy to the Myanmar people, there was no longer a viable option for Woodside to continue its activities.” In February last year, Woodside had said it was cutting its presence in Myanmar following a coup, bringing hundreds of thousands of protesters onto the streets and raising human rights concerns.

Pak Hindu lawmaker urges India to issue visas to delegation of pilgrims

 A prominent Hindu lawmaker from Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s ruling party urged India to issue visas to a delegation of pilgrims to visit the country

A prominent Hindu lawmaker from Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s ruling party on Wednesday urged India to issue visas to a delegation of pilgrims to visit the country as part of his faith tourism initiative between the two neighbouring countries.

Patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council and Member of National Assembly Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani said on Monday that he would lead a delegation of Pakistani pilgrims to India on January 29 on a special chartered flight of the Pakistan Airlines International (PIA). In a video message shared with PTI, he said that a group of 170 pilgrims who were ready to go to India by a special flight of the PIA were waiting for New Delhi’s approval.//

“I hope that approval will come from India by tomorrow. I have written a letter today to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. I have urged (India) to issue tomorrow, in one day, pilgrimage visas to 170 people or they should be given visas on arrival, he said. In New Delhi, there was no official word on the proposal from the Indian side. Vankwani said that the schedule of travel on January 29 should not be disturbed as all arrangements have been made, including chartered PIA planes. So there should not be any change in the plan, he urged.

What should the government do to address deepening inequality?

 A recent survey claimed that the annual income of the poorest 20% of Indian households dropped by 53% in 2020-21 from their levels in 2015-16. This report tries to delve into the reasons behind it

As the Budget session is drawing closer, calls to address the growing inequality is also becoming louder. For long, critics have been citing inequality numbers to bring home the point. However, this year, something has changed. For one, the numbers are staggering. They reflect how the Covid-19 pandemic has upended years of progress India had made in addressing this systemic problem.

In the latest round of the ICE 360 Survey 2022, conducted by the People Research on India’s Consumer Economy, it was found that the annual income of the poorest 20% of Indian households — which was constantly rising since 1995– plunged 53% in the pandemic year 2020-21 from their levels in 2015-16. In the same five-year period, the richest 20% saw their annual household income grow 39%. India’s K-shaped economic recovery is deepening societal fault lines along the lines of income and expenditure. Automakers are beefing up their SUV portfolio but sales of two-wheelers are at their lowest in nine years.

Uday Shankar, James Murdoch firm to pick up 39% stake in Viacom 18

 Lupa India, the investment company set up by Uday Shankar and James Murdoch, is in the final stages of picking up a 39 per cent stake in Viacom 18

Lupa India, the investment company set up by Uday Shankar and James Murdoch, is in the final stages of picking up a 39 per cent stake in Viacom 18, which runs television and digital entertainment channels and is entering the sports business, say sources.

Viacom18 is currently a joint venture in which TV18 controlled by Reliance Industries Ltd, has a 51 per cent stake, and Viacom CBS has a 49 per cent stake. The company runs Color channels, Nickelodeon, India, Comedy Central India, VH1 India, MTV India, History TV 18 besides Viacom 18 Studios (which makes movies and other content), and OTT channel Voot. The news business is run by Network 18 which is a listed company of which TV 18 is a subsidiary. While Reliance’s TV18 will maintain its majority stake of 51 per cent, Shankar-Murdoch will pick up a 39 per cent stake, thereby turning Viacom into a minority player with a 10 per cent share in the company.

Sources say that the Shankar-Murdoch investment arm has made it clear that it has no interest in the group’s news business, and will only invest in the step-down subsidiary. It is also believed that Shankar will play a key role in building the sports business for the JV. Uday Shankar was unavailable for comment. A spokesperson of Reliance Indistries said: “As a policy, we do not comment on media speculation or rumours, Our company evaluates various opportunities on an ongoing basis.”

Here's why Russia might invade Ukraine and why US is involved in conflict

 Russia has amassed an estimated 100,000 troops along its border with Ukraine over the past several months

U. S. President Joe Biden said on Jan. 19, 2022, that he thinks Russia will invade Ukraine, and cautioned Russian president Vladimir Putin that he “will regret having done it,” following months of building tension. Russia has amassed an estimated 100,000 troops along its border with Ukraine over the past several months. In mid-January, Russia began moving troops into Belarus, a country bordering both Russia and Ukraine, in preparation for joint military exercises in February.

Putin has issued various security demands to the U. S. before he draws his military forces back. Putin’s list includes a ban on Ukraine from entering NATO, and agreement that NATO will remove troops and weapons across much of Eastern Europe. There’s precedent for taking the threat seriously: Putin already annexed the Crimea portion of Ukraine in 2014. Ukraine’s layered history offers a window into the complex nation it is today — and why it is continuously under threat. As an Eastern Europe expert, I highlight five key points to keep in mind.

Israeli PM likely to visit India as 2 nations celebrate 30 years of ties

 Gilon launched the logo virtually along with his Indian counterpart in Tel Aviv, Ambassador Sanjeev Singla

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and other senior officials are likely to visit India this year as the two countries celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations, Israel’s Ambassador to India Naor Gilon said on Monday. In a Webinar held for the virtual launch of a special logo to set in motion the year-long celebrations to commemorate the occasion, Gilon said he feels very lucky to be Israel’s Ambassador in India when “relations are exceptional” and “beyond regular”, one of “partnership between ancient civilisations”.

To further deepen bilateral cooperation in diverse areas, Gilon said Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and other officials are likely to visit India as the two countries celebrate 30 years of establishment of diplomatic ties. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had extended an invitation to Bennett from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Israel last year.

“This is an important occasion to reflect on our mutual successes as well as a good opportunity to look ahead and shape the next 30 years of our relations. I am sure that our close existing cooperation in different fields will only continue to grow and flourish in the coming years, Gilon stressed. Gilon launched the logo virtually along with his Indian counterpart in Tel Aviv, Ambassador Sanjeev Singla…Read More

S Korea's daily Covid count tops 8,000 for first time amid Omicron spread

 The new record came amid the spread of the more transmissible but less deadly Omicron variant, which became dominant in the country last week

South Korea’s daily count of new coronavirus cases topped 8,000 for the first time on Tuesday, as the highly contagious Omicron variant spreads rapidly despite the recent extension of strict social-distancing rules to slow infection.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 8,571 cases for Monday, exceeding the previous peak posted in mid-December of 7,848. The new record came amid the spread of the more transmissible but less deadly Omicron variant, which became dominant in the country last week, and despite less testing over the weekend. South Korea reinstated tougher distancing curbs in December as record-breaking numbers of daily cases and critically ill patients threatened to saturate its medical system before the Omicron wave hit.

Daily tallies had almost halved to around 4,000 this month but began rebounding last week because of Omicron infections, logging their second-highest level on Saturday. The surge fuelled worries about a potentially bigger wave ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays, when tens of millions of Koreans usually travel across the country for family visits. Health officials said Omicron would likely account for more than 90% of new infections within two to three weeks, while daily numbers could reach 20,000 to 30,000 or even higher.

India lost 259 bn hours of labour annually because of global warming

 Productive hours lost to heat and humidity globally are about 400 billion hours greater than previous estimates, roughly the same as the amount of work hours lost during the Covid-19 pandemic

India lost around 259 billion hours of labour annually between 2001 and 2020 due to the impacts of humid heat, according to a study from researchers at Duke University. The loss of these productive hours cost India $624 billion (Rs 46 lakh crore)–equivalent to almost 7% of its 2017 gross domestic product (GDP). The authors use the term ‘humid heat’ to refer to conditions that are either hot and dry or hot and humid enough to cause decreases in labor productivity.

Globally, humid heat caused 677 billion hours of lost labour each year, worth $2.1 trillion (Rs 156 lakh crore). Climate change is worsening these losses. “Even fractions of a degree of global climate change can have large-scale implications for labour,” the study said. Without rapid emissions cuts, climate change is set to further increase losses in already hot countries, and historically cooler countries will start to see more significant labour losses, according to a briefing by Climate Trends, a Delhi-based climate research firm.

In the first 20 years of this century, India lost 25 billion more hours annually compared to the previous 20 years, the paper, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, found. “Over the last four decades, heat-related labour losses globally have increased by at least 9% (>60 billion hours annually),” the study said, as global average temperatures rose about 0.4 degrees Celsius because of human activities, per the Climate Trends briefing.

UK warns Russia of severe sanctions if it puts 'puppet regime' in Ukraine

 Britain made the accusation late on Saturday, also saying Russian intelligence officers had been in contact with a number of former Ukrainian politicians as part of plans for an invasion

Russia will face severe economic sanctions if it installs a puppet regime in Ukraine, a senior British minister said on Sunday after the UK accused the Kremlin of seeking to install a pro-Russian leader there. “There’ll be very serious consequences if Russia takes this move to try and invade but also install a puppet regime,” British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab told Sky News.

Britain made the accusation late on Saturday, also saying Russian intelligence officers had been in contact with a number of former Ukrainian politicians as part of plans for an invasion. The Russian Foreign Ministry dismissed the British allegation as “disinformation,” accusing NATO of “escalating tensions” over Ukraine. The British claims came after the top U.S. and Russian diplomats failed on Friday to make a major breakthrough in talks to resolve the crisis over Ukraine, which was sparked when Russia began massing troops near its border with the country.

Officials in Moscow have insisted they have no plans to invade, and both they and their American counterparts have agreed to keep talking. But tension remains high. In Washington, the U.S. State Department announced it was ordering the departure of eligible family members from Embassy Kyiv due to the threat of Russian military action.

Aus PM Morrison loses control of WeChat Chinese account as election looms

 Australia’s two major political parties have used the social media platform to communicate with Australian voters of Chinese ethnicity in tightly fought electorates since 2019

Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison‘s Liberal Party lost access to his official WeChat social media account months ago, politicians said on Monday, issuing claims of censorship, while the still-active account being run by an unidentified controller now promotes Chinese life in Australia.

Amid growing diplomatic tensions with China, Australia’s two major political parties have used the social media platform, owned by Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings Ltd, to communicate with Australian voters of Chinese ethnicity in tightly fought electorates since 2019. With a national election due by May, the government would have aimed to use the Morrison account to promote its policies during the Chinese New Year celebrations starting Feb. 1. The prime minister’s office has made multiple fruitless requests to WeChat to regain access to the account, most recently on Jan 10, said a person with knowledge of the matter, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.

PM to interact with Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar awardees

 According to a press release by the Prime Minister’s Office, digital certificates will be conferred on PMRBP awardees for the years 2022 and 2021 using Blockchain Technology

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) awardees today at 12 noon via video conferencing. According to a press release by the Prime Minister’s Office, digital certificates will be conferred on PMRBP awardees for the years 2022 and 2021 using Blockchain Technology.

Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar is given as recognition to children residing in India, above the age of 5 years and not exceeding 18 years (as on August 31 of respective year) with exceptional abilities and outstanding achievement in 6 fields of innovation, scholastic achievements, sports, arts and culture, social service and bravery, which deserve recognition.

“This year, 29 children from across the country, under different categories of Bal Shakti Puraskar, have been selected for PMRBP-2022. The awardees also take part in the Republic day parade every year. Each awardee of PMRBP is given a medal, a cash prize of Rs 1 Lakh and a certificate. The cash prize will be transferred to the respective accounts of PMRBP 2022 winners,” said the press release..

WhatsApp to bring 2-step verification to desktop, web versions

 WhatsApp is also reportedly testing the possibility of allowing users to migrate chats from their Android device to an iPhone.

Meta-owned WhatsApp is reportedly developing the ability to add two-step verification to its desktop app and web version. According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp plans to bring the two-step verification feature to desktop and web versions in a future update. A screenshot provided by WABetaInfo shows that the two-step verification feature can be enabled or disabled on the web and desktop version.

“It will be possible to enable or disable the two-step verification on the web/desktop client. This is very important especially when you lose your phone and you do not remember your PIN. You can restore it by requesting a reset link, but if you are temporarily unable to log into your mail account,” adds WABetaInfo. Two-step verification is already available on the mobile app version where a personal PIN must be entered when registering your phone number with WhatsApp. WhatsApp is also reportedly testing the possibility of allowing users to migrate chats from their Android device to an iPhone…Read More

3 drowned, 10 others missing after boat capsizes in Bihar's West Champaran

 At least three persons were drowned and 10 others were missing after an overloaded boat capsized on the Gandak river in Bihar’s West Champaran district

At least three persons were drowned and 10 others were missing after an overloaded boat, on which a tractor was also taken, capsized on the Gandak river in Bihar’s West Champaran district on Wednesday, police said. Police said there were around 20 people, mainly farmers, on the boat, as well as tractor. Nautan police station SHO Kundan Singh said that the accident occurred near Bhagwanpur village around 10 a.m.

“We have rescued around 10 persons from the Gandak river and recovered three dead bodies. State Disaster Response Team personnel are doing search operations in the area,” he said. Majority of the victims were from Nautan, while some of them were also from Vishambharpur and Kuchaikot in Gopalganj district. “The injured persons were admitted to health centres in Nautan,” he said…

Bomb threat call from CRPF headquarters in Delhi; declared hoax

 A bomb threat call was reported from the CRPF headquarters in Delhi evening which was later declared a hoax, officials said.

A bomb threat call was reported from the Central Reserve Police Force CRPF headquarters in Delhi on Wednesday evening which was later declared a hoax, officials said. They said a call was received at the police control room at 6:36 PM from the paramilitary force which stated that a “bomb has been planted” in the five-storey building located inside the Central Government Offices (CGO) complex on Lodhi Road in the national capital.

Personnel from the Lodhi Colony police station, an ambulance and two fire tenders soon reached the headquarters of the country’s largest paramilitary force, they said. Some senior officers were present at the headquarters when the alert was sounded, officials said. “A joint bomb detection team of the CRPF, CISF and Delhi Police was constituted and a thorough search was conducted along with the dog squad.

“Nothing was found in the premises of CRPF headquarters building and the surrounding area. The call was then declared a hoax,” a senior police officer said. He said CRPF officials informed the police after a person from Gorrekunta in Warangal (Telangana) called on a landline number operational at the paramilitary force’s head office informing about the bomb…Read More

Kaziranga National Park records over 860 swamp deer, over 40,000 birds

 A census in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve has found that the national park has at least 868 swamp deer including 173 male, 557 female and 138 yearlings.

A census in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve has found that the national park has at least 868 swamp deer including 173 male, 557 female and 138 yearlings. However, there was a slight decrease in the deer population in comparison to 907 counted in 2018. “This is mainly due to two high floods in the intervening period of 2019 and 2020,” said the park authority.

Territory-wise, 786 under Eastern Assam Division, 62 under Biswanath Wildlife Division and 20 under Nagaon Wildlife Division have been recorded by experienced and trained wildlife experts from outside the forest department. In the process, 29 enumerators, 112 forest personnel was directly involved in the exercise. At the same time, counting of wetland birds was also conducted from December 21 to December 27 encompassing the whole Kaziranga Tiger Reserve. Total 66,776 numbers of birds of 126 species were enumerated using the Point Count method.

Out of this, 42,205 numbers of birds were counted in the Kaziranga National Park area while 24,571 numbers of birds were counted in Laokhowa and Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuaries. Birds were counted in 211 different points in 157 waterbodies involving 35 enumeration teams including volunteers from local educational institutes, NGOs and along with officers and frontline staff of the Forest Department.

Assam CM Sarma launches programs to curb wildlife poaching in state

 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday launched programs to curb the poaching of animals in the state.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday launched programs to curb the poaching of animals in the state. The Chief Minister recalled that they had destroyed a stockpile of Rhino horns on World Rhino Day last year to send a stern message to poachers and syndicates.

“Thanks for the acknowledgment @KP24. Inspired by Our PM @narendramodi we’ve launched aggressive programs to curb poaching. We’re proud to have burnt and destroyed a stockpile of Rhino horns, largest ever in the world, on World Rhino Day to send a stern message to poachers and syndicate,” tweeted the Chief Minister. This tweet by the Chief Minister on Wednesday came in response to a tweet by popular cricketer Kevin Pietersen…Read More

PM Modi to host first India-Central Asia Summit virtually on January 27

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host the first India-Central Asia Summit in a virtual format on January 27, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host the first India-Central Asia Summit in a virtual format on January 27, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Wednesday. The summit will be held with the participation of the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, the MEA said in a statement.

This will be the first engagement of its kind between India and the Central Asian countries at the level of leaders, it said.The first India-Central Asia Summit is a reflection of India’s growing engagement with the Central Asian countries, which are a part of India’s “extended neighbourhood, the MEA said.

Crypto-native social platform Sahicoin raises $1.75 mn in seed round

 Founded by IIT Kanpur alumni, Amit Nayak, Ankush Rajput, and Melbin Thomas, the platform aims to empower the next billion crypto enthusiasts to make faster and better investing decisions

Sahicoin, a crypto-native social platform, has raised $1.75 million in the latest seed round led by Alameda Ventures (FTX), Better Capital Ventures, and other institutional investors. The fresh round of funding will be deployed to scale the team across engineering & product, and grow the platform.

Founded by IIT Kanpur alumni, Amit Nayak, Ankush Rajput, and Melbin Thomas, the platform aims to empower the next billion crypto enthusiasts to make faster and better investing decisions. Sahicoin brings together crypto experts and new investors to share crypto updates, trends, knowledge, and intelligent signals. Amit Nayak, co-founder & CEO of Sahicoin, said, “Since crypto is global by nature, our growth too, is not just limited to India. We plan to partner with key exchanges, DeFi, and NFT players, which will expedite the onboarding of the next billion users onto the crypto ecosystem.”

Reliance Jio pays Rs 30,791 crore to clear bulk of spectrum dues

 The company estimates that the above prepayments will result in interest cost savings of around Rs 1,200 crore

Reliance Jio on Wednesday said it has paid its entire deferred liabilities pertaining to spectrum acquisition prior to March 2021. The company has paid Rs 30,791 crore (including accrued interest) to the Department of Telecom towards prepayment of the entire deferred liabilities pertaining to spectrum acquired in auctions of year 2014, 2015, 2016 and the spectrum acquired in year 2021 through trading of the right to use with Bharti Airtel Limited. These liabilities were due in annual instalments from FY 2022-23 to 2034-35 and carried interest rate between 9.30 per cent to 10 per cent with an average residual period of more than 7 years. The company estimates that the above prepayments will result in interest cost savings of around Rs 1,200 crore annually, at the current interest rates, it said in a statement.

Covid: India extends ban on international commercial flights till Feb 28

 India had banned the operation of scheduled international flights on March 23, 2020 to contain and control the spread of Covid

India’s civil aviation regulator, the DGCA, on Wednesday extended the ban on scheduled international commercial flights till February 28, 2022. At present, India suffers from a third Covid wave, which is said to be driven by the Omicron variant.

In a notification, the DGCA extended the ban on scheduled international commercial flights till February 28, 2022. “This restriction shall not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by the DGCA. However, flights under Air Bubble agreement will not be affected,” stated the notification. Last month, the civil aviation regulator, had extended the ban on scheduled international commercial flights till January 31, 2022.

Earlier, India had announced plans to allow resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services from December 15, 2021 with certain conditions. However, on December 1, 2021, DGCA had said it is “closely monitoring” the situation emerging out of the Covid-19’s Omicron variant and the final decision on the resumption of near normal international flight operations will be taken after consultation with stakeholders. India had banned the operation of international flights on March 23, 2020 to contain and control the spread of Covid-19.

'Decommissioned' INS Khukri reaches Diu, will be up for public viewing soon

 INS Khukri, the first indigenously built missile corvette that was decommissioned after 32 years of service in December last year, reached Diu on Sunday.

INS Khukri, the first indigenously built missile corvette that was decommissioned after 32 years of service in December last year, reached Diu on Sunday. Collector, Diu, Saloni Rai told ANI, “INS Khukri, first indigenously built missile corvette that was decommissioned after 32 years of service in December 2021, reached Diu. Diu administration will get it formally on January 26 and will be available for public viewing.”

INS Khukri, the first of the indigenously built Missile Corvettes, was decommissioned after 32 years of glorious service on December 23, 2021. The corvette was built by the Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders on August 23, 1989 and had the distinction of being part of both the Western and Eastern Fleets. The ship was commissioned in Mumbai by Krishna Chandra Pant, the then Defence Minister and Sudha Mulla, wife of late Captain Mahendra Nath Mulla, MVC with Commander (now Vice Admiral Retired) Sanjeev Bhasin as her first Commanding Officer.

Novak Djokovic's departure makes way for tennis as Australian Open begins

 The uproar surrounding the tennis star was a major distraction from the build up to the Australian Open that began Monday

In the wake of Novak Djokovic’s departure from Melbourne on a wave of controversy and drama, the city is hoping the world’s attention will refocus on what he actually came for: the first grand slam of 2022. The uproar surrounding the tennis star was a major distraction from the build up to the Australian Open that began Monday, including the potential comeback of Andy Murray or the chance world womens’ no. 1 Ash Barty will be the first local to win her home tournament in 44 years.

For host city Melbourne, the event should be a welcome boost to morale and businesses as Covid restrictions continue and cases keep rising. “As the players have said themselves, they want the focus to be on the tennis and the tournament,” Victoria state deputy premier James Merlino told reporters on Monday. “This is the biggest global sporting event for the month of January, and we’re going to celebrate it for the next two weeks and hopefully see Ash Barty hold up a trophy.”…Read More

Pandit Birju Maharaj, legendary Kathak dancer, dies of heart attack at 83

 Legendary Kathak dancer Birju Maharaj has passed away, news agency ANI reported on Monday. He was 83.

Legendary Kathak dancer Birju Maharaj passed away late Sunday night, news agency ANI reported on Monday. He was 83. A recipient of the country’s second-highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan, he was fondly called Pandit-ji or Maharaj-ji by his disciples and legions of followers, and was one of India’s best known artistes. Birju Maharaj was a descendant of the Maharaj family of Kathak dancers, which includes his two uncles, Shambhu Maharaj and Lachhu Maharaj, and his father and guru, Acchan Maharaj.

Maharaj started teaching the dance form at the age of thirteen, at the Sangeet Bharti in New Delhi. He also taught at the Bharatiya Kala Kendra in Delhi, and at the Kathak Kendra where he was Head of Faculty, and director. He composed the music, and sang, for dance sequences in the Satyajit Ray’s Shatranj ke Khilari, and choreographed the song Kaahe Chhed Mohe from the 2002 film version of Devdas.

PM Modi to deliver 'State of the World' special address at WEF today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver the ‘State of the World’ special address at the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Davos Agenda today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver the ‘State of the World’ special address at the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Davos Agenda on Monday According to Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), PM Modi will address the WEF at 8:30 pm IST via video conference on Tuesday, the office said in a press release. The virtual event will be held from January 17-21.

Several heads of state will address the event including Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and EU Commission’s chief Ursua von der Leyen. The event will also witness the participation of top industry leaders, international organisations and civil society, who will deliberate on critical challenges being faced by the world today and discuss how to address them.

Can signboards in Marathi give jobs to Maharashtra youths? asks MP Jaleel

 The Lok Sabha MP from Aurangabad said emotive issues are raised only when elections are just around the corner

AIMIM Maharashtra unit president and MP Imtiaz Jaleel on Thursday appeared critical of the state government decision to make it mandatory for shops with fewer than 10 employees to use Marathi signboards, and wondered if the move will create more jobs for Marathi youths.

The Lok Sabha MP from Aurangabad said emotive issues are raised only when elections are just around the corner and termed the Maha Vikas Aghadi government’s decision as a gimmick. Jaleel tweeted, “when elections come closer then you remember Marathi boards, border dispute with Karnataka, Marathi pride. People are not fool and they understand this gimmick.

Will Marathi boards will give jobs to Marathi youth, is a million dollar question. ” The decision to make it mandatory for shops with fewer than 10 employees to use Marathi signboards was taken by the state cabinet at its meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday. The Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act will be amended for this, Industries Minister Subhash Desai had told reporters after the meeting. The objective was to close a legal loophole which owners of small shops exploit to avoid putting up Marathi signboards (already required for bigger establishments), the minister said.