OMICRON SCARE GROUNDS INDIA’S INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS RESUMPTION PLAN
The government on Wednesday decided not to resume scheduled international flights from December 15, less than a week after announcing the decision in the wake of rising concerns over the COVID variant Omicron.
Aviation watchdog DGCA said the effective date for resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services will be notified in due course. Scheduled international flights remain suspended since March 23, 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The latest move also comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 27 asked officials to review the plans for easing international travel restrictions amid concerns over Omicron.
THERE IS NO UPA, SAYS MAMATA BANERJEE
There is no United Progressive Alliance now, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday after her meeting Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar in Mumbai.
"What is UPA? There is no UPA," Banerjee, the chief of the Trinamool Congress who's on a three-day visit to Mumbai, said after a meeting with Pawar.
On his part, Pawar made a fresh pitch for the unity of opposition parties to fight the BJP. "All those opposed to the BJP are welcome to join us. There is no question of excluding anyone," Pawar told reporters when asked if an alliance without Congress was on the cards.
Mamata’s statement also comes hours after she claimed she’d suggested an advisory council comprising prominent personalities from civil society be set up to give a direction to the opposition to the Congress. “If all regional parties come together, it would be easy to defeat the BJP,” Banerjee said while interacting with some civil society members here.
Banerjee's visit comes amid strain in ties between the TMC and the Congress. After its landslide victory in West Bengal earlier this year, the TMC inducted several Congress leaders into its fold. Recently, 12 out of 17 Congress MLAs in Meghalaya defected to the TMC, making it the principal opposition party.
To a query on if she would lead the opposition alliance against the BJP, Banerjee said she is a "small worker" and wants to continue so. "Continuous endeavour is necessary in politics. You can't be abroad most of the time," she said in a veiled dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. "I had suggested to the Congress that there should be an advisory council comprising prominent personalities from the civil society to give a direction to the opposition, but in vain," she said.
Noted lyricist Javed Akhtar, social activist Medha Patkar, actor Richa Chadha, Swara Bhaskar and stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui were among those who participated in the interaction.
LOK SABHA CLEARS ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECH BILL, OPPN TERMS IT COLONIAL
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Bill, 2020, to regulate infertility services in the country and penalise those practising sex selection, sale of human embryos and gametes and those running agencies and rackets around the booming ART sector.
After Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya presented the Bill for consideration, the Congress called it “colonial” and questioned the exclusion of single men, same-sex couples and the LGBTQ community from the ambit of the law.
“Our epics are replete with instances of unconventional births. The Mahabharata has many such instances. This government says it draws inspiration from the Puranas. But this Bill is regressive and Victorian. Don’t say you are propagating Hindu liberal values. You are propagating regressive colonial values,” said Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, the first one to speak followed by Trinamool’s Kakoli Ghosh, BJP’s Heena Gavit and NCP’s Supriya Sule.
The Congress questioned the provision, which says a woman donating eggs should be married with a child of three years.
Karti also flagged concerns that the Bill permitted screening of embryos for pre-existing life-threatening diseases. “This amounts to selection,” he said, asking why when the surrogacy regulation Bill provides for records to be stored for 25 years, the ART Bill asks for storage up to 10 years only.
Meanwhile, the 12 suspended Rajya Sabha MPs yesterday sat in protest beside the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament complex with the Opposition lending them full support. The House remained disrupted for the third day yesterday. The Lok Sabha also saw serial disruptions till 2.35 pm when the House eventually assembled to take up the Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill.
SERUM INSTITUTE SEEKS DCGI'S APPROVAL FOR COVISHIELD AS BOOSTER DOSE
Serum Institute of India has sought from India’s drug regulator approval for Covishield as a booster dose citing adequate stock of the vaccine in the country and a demand for a booster shot due to the emergence of new coronavirus variants, official sources said.
In an application to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), Prakash Kumar Singh, the Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs at Serum Institute of India (SII) cited that the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has already approved the booster dose of AstraZeneca ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine, they said.
“You are aware that now there is no shortage of Covishield in our country and the demand for a booster dose is increasing day by day from the people who have already taken two doses in view of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and emergence of new strains.” It is the need of the hour and a matter of right to health of every individual that they should not be deprived of third dose/booster dose to protect themselves in this pandemic situation, Singh stated.
COVID DASHBOARD – INDIA
As of 0800 IST 2/Dec
from mohfw.gov.in ,
New Cases on Wednesday 9,458
Active Cases 99,763 (+740)
Deaths 4,69,724 (+170)
Total Vaccination: 124.96 Crores (+80,35,261)
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
======================
WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY AGREES TO DRAFT GLOBAL PACT ON PANDEMICS
In a consensus decision aimed at protecting the world from future infectious diseases, the World Health Assembly (WHA) on Wednesday agreed to kick-start a global process to draft and negotiate a convention, an agreement or other international instrument under the Constitution of the WHO to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General, said WHA’s decision was historic and represented a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen the global health architecture against pandemics.
“Covid has shone a light on the many flaws in the global system to protect people from pandemics: the most vulnerable people going without vaccines, health workers without needed equipment to perform their life-saving work, and ‘me-first’ approaches that stymie the global solidarity needed to deal with a global threat,” said the WHO chief.
The Health Assembly met in a special session, the second-ever since World Health Organisation’s founding in 1948, and adopted a sole decision titled “The World Together.”
EU UNVEILS €300BN GLOBAL INFRA PLAN IN REPLY TO CHINA’S BRI
The European Commission unveiled on Wednesday a plan to invest €300 billion ($340 billion) globally by 2027 in infrastructure, digital and climate projects as a better alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The scheme, called Global Gateway, is to strengthen Europe’s supply chains, boost EU trade and help fight climate change, focusing on digitalisation, health, climate and energy and transport sectors, as well as education and research. China launched its Belt and Road project in 2013 to boost trade links with the rest of the world and has been spending heavily on the development of infrastructure in dozens of countries around the world.
But EU officials say financing offered by Beijing is often unfavourable, not transparent, and makes some poorer countries, especially in Africa, dependent on China through debt. Unlike China, the EU would ensure local communities benefited from the infrastructure projects under Global Gateway and would also bring with it the private sector, for which EU involvement meant the investment was less risky, European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said. “Indeed, countries... need better and different offers (to China’s initiative),” von der Leyen told a news conference, unveiling the EU scheme, which she called “a true alternative”.
THE REST
=========
CENTRE SAYS MAHARASHTRA ORDER ON INTERNATIONAL PASSENGERS IN DIVERGENCE WITH ITS GUIDELINES, ASKS STATE TO ALIGN
After the Maharashtra government revised the guidelines on quarantine for international passengers in view of concerns over the Omicron variant, the Centre on Wednesday asked the state to align its order with the SOPs issued by the Union Health Ministry.
Maharashtra has mandated seven-day institutional quarantine for travellers arriving in the state from ‘at-risk’ countries under the guidelines issued by the State Disaster Management Authority on Tuesday night.
Such passengers will also undergo-PCR test on the second, fourth and seventh day of arrival. If found to be Covid-19 positive, the passenger will be shifted to a hospital.
In case the test is negative, the passenger will still have to undergo seven-day home quarantine.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, in a letter, said that the order issued by the Maharashtra government is in divergence with the Covid-19 SoPs and guidelines issued by Union Health Ministry for international passengers. “I would, therefore, urge you to align the orders issued by the state with the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health, Government of India, so that uniform implementation of the guidelines may be ensured across all states and UTs.”
Under the new guidelines issued by the Union Health Ministry on November 28, passengers originating or transiting from at-risk countries will have to undergo-PCR testing post-arrival and will be required to wait for the results at the airport before leaving or taking a connecting flight.
Travellers from countries excluding those countries at risk will be allowed to leave the airport and shall self-monitor their health for 14 days post-arrival but five per cent of the total flight passengers shall undergo post-arrival testing at random at the airport on arrival.
However, according to the Maharashtra government guidelines, passengers from other than ‘at-risk’ countries will also have to undergo a compulsory-PCR test at the airport. Even if found negative, they will have to undergo 14-day home quarantine.
I DON’T SEE CONGRESS GETTING 300 SEATS IN 2024 ELECTION: AZAD
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday said he does not see his party getting 300 seats in the next Lok Sabha elections as things stand currently.
Justifying his silence on Article 370 in public, Azad said only Supreme Court, where the matter is pending, and the Centre can restore it. Since the BJP-led central government abrogated Article 370, it won’t restore it, he said at a rally in Poonch district’s Krishna Ghati area.
“And when will we have 300 MPs [to form government] on our own? So, I cannot promise to do it [restore Article 370] as we will have to get 300 MPs in 2024. Come what may. May God get us 300 [MPs], but at present I do not see it. That is why I will not make any false promise and avoid talking about Article 370,” he said.
Currently on a tour of Poonch and Rajouri, Azad had recently said in Kashmir that it was irrelevant to talk on Article 370, saying his main demands were restoration of statehood and holding of early assembly elections in J&K.
His statement had drawn criticism from NC vice-president Omar Abdullah, who said the senior Congress leader has accepted defeat even before the Supreme Court took up hearing in the matter.
SKM CONDEMNS GOVT’S RESPONSE IN PARLIAMENT ON COMPENSATION TO KIN OF FARMERS WHO DIED DURING PROTEST
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Wednesday condemned the Centre’s response in Parliament on compensation to the kin of farmers, who died during the protest against three agriculture laws, and reiterated its demand for financial assistance to the families of those deceased, an official statement said.
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar reportedly said the government has no information about farmers’ deaths during the protest and therefore, the question of financial assistance does not arise.
Criticising the Union government’s response, the SKM, an umbrella body of 40 farm unions, said through such remarks the Centre continues to “insult” the huge sacrifices made by protesting farmers. “The SKM reiterates its demand for compensation and rehabilitation of the kin of more than 689 martyrs in the ongoing agitation,” the statement said.
The farmers’ body also clarified that the agitation is still continuing and no one is leaving protest sites.
INDIA RECEIVED 645 HEAVY RAINS, 168 VERY HEAVY RAINS IN NOV: IMD
The country saw 645 events of heavy rainfall, 168 events of very heavy rainfall and 11 extremely heavy rainfall events in November, the highest in the month in five years, the India meteorological department said on Wednesday.
Peninsular India reported most of the extremely heavy to very heavy rainfall events.
To put things in perspective, the number of heavy rainfall events this November was more than the total such events in the last four years -- 247 in 2020; 116 in 2019; 135 in 2018 and 139 in 2017.
The met office also said peninsular India gauged 160 per cent more rainfall -- 232.7 mm against the average of 89.5 mm -- in November, the highest in the month since 1901. The country as a whole received 56.5 mm of rainfall against the normal of 30.5 mm -- an excess of 85.4 per cent -- in November.
COMEDIAN KUNAL KAMRA'S BENGALURU SHOWS CANCELLED FOLLOWING THREATS
Comedian Kunal Kamra on Wednesday said his upcoming stand-up shows, scheduled to be held in Bengaluru, have been cancelled after the organisers received threats. The cancellation of Kamra's shows come just days after another stand-up comedian Munnawar Faruqui was denied permission to perform in the city with the police calling him a "controversial figure".
Kamra, who has criticised the BJP led government over a number of issues in the past, posted a sarcastic statement on Twitter to inform his followers and detractors about the cancellations of his shows that were to be held in the city in the coming days.
"Hello Bangalore people. I'm happy to inform that my shows in Bangalore which were scheduled over the next 20 days have been cancelled. They've been cancelled for two reasons.
"Firstly, we didn't get special permission to seat 45 people in the venue that can seat more. Secondly, threats have been made to shut down the venue if I were to ever perform there. I guess this is also part of the Covid protocol & new guidelines. I suppose I am seen as a variant of the virus now," the comedian said.
Kamra said now that his shows have also been cancelled after Faruqui, it proves that the "ruling class" is at least trying to "oppress with equality".
LITTLE-KNOWN CHENNAI CO. GETS $8.5BN VALUATION
At a time when startup unicorns are the flavour of the season, a little known Chennai-based company dabbling in clean energy has bagged a valuation of around $8.5 billion after US based impact fund TFCC International announced the acquisition of a 46% stake for over $4.1 billion in privately held Ramcharan Group.
TFCC will be investing over five to seven years with the first round scheduled to close by January 2022. The transaction size makes it one of the largest deals in the sector. The 55-year-old Ramcharan Group had started out in the chemicals space, but has now ventured into other areas — including logistics, education and restaurants — in addition to clean energy.
Run by fourth-generation family members Divyesh and 47-year-old Kaushik Palicha, the group has developed products and processes that recycle hazardous and carcinogenic chemicals and convert the waste into energy. The technology used, both product and process, will convert all types of unsegregated waste into energy, with zero residue.
The financial details of the company too are unknown and kept under wraps.
TFCC chairman Chris Curtis said the fund saw huge potential in Ramcharan’s products in the wasteto-energy field and new generation of energy storage devices to resolve waste management issues globally and the valuation takes into account the profitability of the business and the expected cash flows.
'IF KL RAHUL HAS BEEN APPROACHED BY NEW TEAMS, IT IS AGAINST BCCI GUIDELINES'
IPL franchise Punjab Kings is unhappy about KL Rahul leaving the team despite getting 'all the freedom' as the captain over the past two seasons and says it would be unethical if he has already been approached by a new franchise.
Rahul had replaced Ravichandran Ashwin as captain ahead of the 2020 season and though he did excel with the bat, he failed to take the team to play-offs. He is now linked to new franchise Lucknow and it has been reported that he is set to lead the team owned by the RPSG Group.
"We wanted to retain Rahul but he wanted to go back into the auction. If he has been approached by another franchise before that, it would be unethical," Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia said.
When asked about reports on Rahul being lured by Lucknow, Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia said. "I hope not because that is against the guidelines set by the BCCI."
In 2010, Ravindra Jadeja had copped a one-year suspension for trying to negotiate a deal with other teams even before he had been released by his then team Rajasthan Royals.
New teams Lucknow and Ahmedabad have time till December 25 to pick three available players, who were released on Tuesday. Rahul was among the big names to be released alongside Ashwin, Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan and Yuzvendra Chahal.
INDICATORS
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GBP 0.75 /US$, Euro 0.88 /US$, Jap.Yen 113.17 /US$, Aus$ 1.40 /US$, Sing 1.36 /US$, Bang Taka 84.24 /US$, Can$ 1.27 /US$, Mal Ring 4.20 /US$,
Pak Re 174.89 /US$, Phil Peso 50.33 /US$, Russian Rouble 74.00 /US$, NZ$ 1.46 /US$, Thai Baht 33.66 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 27.02 /US$
Bitcoin - USD 55,962
Dollar Index 95.94 Brent Crude 69.38 BDI 3,047
Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,780 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4,812 / 4,712, Silver (Rs. Per KG) 66,300
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Besides learning to see, there is another art to be learned - not to see what is not. - Maria Mitchell
OFF TRACK
5 years old boy; I Love u Mom.
Mom: Awww baby! I Love u Too..
16 years Old Boy: I Love u Mom.
Mom: Sorry ! I Have No Money...
25 years Old Boy :- I Love u Mom.
Mom: Kaun hai? Kahan rehti hai? Kya karti hai?
35 yr old man : I Love u Mom.
Mom: maine to pehle hi kaha tha us chudail se shadi mat kar....
OMICRON SCARE GROUNDS INDIA’S INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS RESUMPTION PLAN
The government on Wednesday decided not to resume scheduled international flights from December 15, less than a week after announcing the decision in the wake of rising concerns over the COVID variant Omicron.
Aviation watchdog DGCA said the effective date for resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services will be notified in due course. Scheduled international flights remain suspended since March 23, 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The latest move also comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 27 asked officials to review the plans for easing international travel restrictions amid concerns over Omicron.
THERE IS NO UPA, SAYS MAMATA BANERJEE
There is no United Progressive Alliance now, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday after her meeting Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar in Mumbai.
"What is UPA? There is no UPA," Banerjee, the chief of the Trinamool Congress who's on a three-day visit to Mumbai, said after a meeting with Pawar.
On his part, Pawar made a fresh pitch for the unity of opposition parties to fight the BJP. "All those opposed to the BJP are welcome to join us. There is no question of excluding anyone," Pawar told reporters when asked if an alliance without Congress was on the cards.
Mamata’s statement also comes hours after she claimed she’d suggested an advisory council comprising prominent personalities from civil society be set up to give a direction to the opposition to the Congress. “If all regional parties come together, it would be easy to defeat the BJP,” Banerjee said while interacting with some civil society members here.
Banerjee's visit comes amid strain in ties between the TMC and the Congress. After its landslide victory in West Bengal earlier this year, the TMC inducted several Congress leaders into its fold. Recently, 12 out of 17 Congress MLAs in Meghalaya defected to the TMC, making it the principal opposition party.
To a query on if she would lead the opposition alliance against the BJP, Banerjee said she is a "small worker" and wants to continue so. "Continuous endeavour is necessary in politics. You can't be abroad most of the time," she said in a veiled dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. "I had suggested to the Congress that there should be an advisory council comprising prominent personalities from the civil society to give a direction to the opposition, but in vain," she said.
Noted lyricist Javed Akhtar, social activist Medha Patkar, actor Richa Chadha, Swara Bhaskar and stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui were among those who participated in the interaction.
LOK SABHA CLEARS ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECH BILL, OPPN TERMS IT COLONIAL
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Bill, 2020, to regulate infertility services in the country and penalise those practising sex selection, sale of human embryos and gametes and those running agencies and rackets around the booming ART sector.
After Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya presented the Bill for consideration, the Congress called it “colonial” and questioned the exclusion of single men, same-sex couples and the LGBTQ community from the ambit of the law.
“Our epics are replete with instances of unconventional births. The Mahabharata has many such instances. This government says it draws inspiration from the Puranas. But this Bill is regressive and Victorian. Don’t say you are propagating Hindu liberal values. You are propagating regressive colonial values,” said Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, the first one to speak followed by Trinamool’s Kakoli Ghosh, BJP’s Heena Gavit and NCP’s Supriya Sule.
The Congress questioned the provision, which says a woman donating eggs should be married with a child of three years.
Karti also flagged concerns that the Bill permitted screening of embryos for pre-existing life-threatening diseases. “This amounts to selection,” he said, asking why when the surrogacy regulation Bill provides for records to be stored for 25 years, the ART Bill asks for storage up to 10 years only.
Meanwhile, the 12 suspended Rajya Sabha MPs yesterday sat in protest beside the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament complex with the Opposition lending them full support. The House remained disrupted for the third day yesterday. The Lok Sabha also saw serial disruptions till 2.35 pm when the House eventually assembled to take up the Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill.
SERUM INSTITUTE SEEKS DCGI'S APPROVAL FOR COVISHIELD AS BOOSTER DOSE
Serum Institute of India has sought from India’s drug regulator approval for Covishield as a booster dose citing adequate stock of the vaccine in the country and a demand for a booster shot due to the emergence of new coronavirus variants, official sources said.
In an application to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), Prakash Kumar Singh, the Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs at Serum Institute of India (SII) cited that the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has already approved the booster dose of AstraZeneca ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine, they said.
“You are aware that now there is no shortage of Covishield in our country and the demand for a booster dose is increasing day by day from the people who have already taken two doses in view of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and emergence of new strains.” It is the need of the hour and a matter of right to health of every individual that they should not be deprived of third dose/booster dose to protect themselves in this pandemic situation, Singh stated.
COVID DASHBOARD – INDIA
As of 0800 IST 2/Dec
from mohfw.gov.in ,
New Cases on Wednesday 9,458
Active Cases 99,763 (+740)
Deaths 4,69,724 (+170)
Total Vaccination: 124.96 Crores (+80,35,261)
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
======================
WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY AGREES TO DRAFT GLOBAL PACT ON PANDEMICS
In a consensus decision aimed at protecting the world from future infectious diseases, the World Health Assembly (WHA) on Wednesday agreed to kick-start a global process to draft and negotiate a convention, an agreement or other international instrument under the Constitution of the WHO to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General, said WHA’s decision was historic and represented a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen the global health architecture against pandemics.
“Covid has shone a light on the many flaws in the global system to protect people from pandemics: the most vulnerable people going without vaccines, health workers without needed equipment to perform their life-saving work, and ‘me-first’ approaches that stymie the global solidarity needed to deal with a global threat,” said the WHO chief.
The Health Assembly met in a special session, the second-ever since World Health Organisation’s founding in 1948, and adopted a sole decision titled “The World Together.”
EU UNVEILS €300BN GLOBAL INFRA PLAN IN REPLY TO CHINA’S BRI
The European Commission unveiled on Wednesday a plan to invest €300 billion ($340 billion) globally by 2027 in infrastructure, digital and climate projects as a better alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The scheme, called Global Gateway, is to strengthen Europe’s supply chains, boost EU trade and help fight climate change, focusing on digitalisation, health, climate and energy and transport sectors, as well as education and research. China launched its Belt and Road project in 2013 to boost trade links with the rest of the world and has been spending heavily on the development of infrastructure in dozens of countries around the world.
But EU officials say financing offered by Beijing is often unfavourable, not transparent, and makes some poorer countries, especially in Africa, dependent on China through debt. Unlike China, the EU would ensure local communities benefited from the infrastructure projects under Global Gateway and would also bring with it the private sector, for which EU involvement meant the investment was less risky, European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said. “Indeed, countries... need better and different offers (to China’s initiative),” von der Leyen told a news conference, unveiling the EU scheme, which she called “a true alternative”.
THE REST
=========
CENTRE SAYS MAHARASHTRA ORDER ON INTERNATIONAL PASSENGERS IN DIVERGENCE WITH ITS GUIDELINES, ASKS STATE TO ALIGN
After the Maharashtra government revised the guidelines on quarantine for international passengers in view of concerns over the Omicron variant, the Centre on Wednesday asked the state to align its order with the SOPs issued by the Union Health Ministry.
Maharashtra has mandated seven-day institutional quarantine for travellers arriving in the state from ‘at-risk’ countries under the guidelines issued by the State Disaster Management Authority on Tuesday night.
Such passengers will also undergo-PCR test on the second, fourth and seventh day of arrival. If found to be Covid-19 positive, the passenger will be shifted to a hospital.
In case the test is negative, the passenger will still have to undergo seven-day home quarantine.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, in a letter, said that the order issued by the Maharashtra government is in divergence with the Covid-19 SoPs and guidelines issued by Union Health Ministry for international passengers. “I would, therefore, urge you to align the orders issued by the state with the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health, Government of India, so that uniform implementation of the guidelines may be ensured across all states and UTs.”
Under the new guidelines issued by the Union Health Ministry on November 28, passengers originating or transiting from at-risk countries will have to undergo-PCR testing post-arrival and will be required to wait for the results at the airport before leaving or taking a connecting flight.
Travellers from countries excluding those countries at risk will be allowed to leave the airport and shall self-monitor their health for 14 days post-arrival but five per cent of the total flight passengers shall undergo post-arrival testing at random at the airport on arrival.
However, according to the Maharashtra government guidelines, passengers from other than ‘at-risk’ countries will also have to undergo a compulsory-PCR test at the airport. Even if found negative, they will have to undergo 14-day home quarantine.
I DON’T SEE CONGRESS GETTING 300 SEATS IN 2024 ELECTION: AZAD
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday said he does not see his party getting 300 seats in the next Lok Sabha elections as things stand currently.
Justifying his silence on Article 370 in public, Azad said only Supreme Court, where the matter is pending, and the Centre can restore it. Since the BJP-led central government abrogated Article 370, it won’t restore it, he said at a rally in Poonch district’s Krishna Ghati area.
“And when will we have 300 MPs [to form government] on our own? So, I cannot promise to do it [restore Article 370] as we will have to get 300 MPs in 2024. Come what may. May God get us 300 [MPs], but at present I do not see it. That is why I will not make any false promise and avoid talking about Article 370,” he said.
Currently on a tour of Poonch and Rajouri, Azad had recently said in Kashmir that it was irrelevant to talk on Article 370, saying his main demands were restoration of statehood and holding of early assembly elections in J&K.
His statement had drawn criticism from NC vice-president Omar Abdullah, who said the senior Congress leader has accepted defeat even before the Supreme Court took up hearing in the matter.
SKM CONDEMNS GOVT’S RESPONSE IN PARLIAMENT ON COMPENSATION TO KIN OF FARMERS WHO DIED DURING PROTEST
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Wednesday condemned the Centre’s response in Parliament on compensation to the kin of farmers, who died during the protest against three agriculture laws, and reiterated its demand for financial assistance to the families of those deceased, an official statement said.
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar reportedly said the government has no information about farmers’ deaths during the protest and therefore, the question of financial assistance does not arise.
Criticising the Union government’s response, the SKM, an umbrella body of 40 farm unions, said through such remarks the Centre continues to “insult” the huge sacrifices made by protesting farmers. “The SKM reiterates its demand for compensation and rehabilitation of the kin of more than 689 martyrs in the ongoing agitation,” the statement said.
The farmers’ body also clarified that the agitation is still continuing and no one is leaving protest sites.
INDIA RECEIVED 645 HEAVY RAINS, 168 VERY HEAVY RAINS IN NOV: IMD
The country saw 645 events of heavy rainfall, 168 events of very heavy rainfall and 11 extremely heavy rainfall events in November, the highest in the month in five years, the India meteorological department said on Wednesday.
Peninsular India reported most of the extremely heavy to very heavy rainfall events.
To put things in perspective, the number of heavy rainfall events this November was more than the total such events in the last four years -- 247 in 2020; 116 in 2019; 135 in 2018 and 139 in 2017.
The met office also said peninsular India gauged 160 per cent more rainfall -- 232.7 mm against the average of 89.5 mm -- in November, the highest in the month since 1901. The country as a whole received 56.5 mm of rainfall against the normal of 30.5 mm -- an excess of 85.4 per cent -- in November.
COMEDIAN KUNAL KAMRA'S BENGALURU SHOWS CANCELLED FOLLOWING THREATS
Comedian Kunal Kamra on Wednesday said his upcoming stand-up shows, scheduled to be held in Bengaluru, have been cancelled after the organisers received threats. The cancellation of Kamra's shows come just days after another stand-up comedian Munnawar Faruqui was denied permission to perform in the city with the police calling him a "controversial figure".
Kamra, who has criticised the BJP led government over a number of issues in the past, posted a sarcastic statement on Twitter to inform his followers and detractors about the cancellations of his shows that were to be held in the city in the coming days.
"Hello Bangalore people. I'm happy to inform that my shows in Bangalore which were scheduled over the next 20 days have been cancelled. They've been cancelled for two reasons.
"Firstly, we didn't get special permission to seat 45 people in the venue that can seat more. Secondly, threats have been made to shut down the venue if I were to ever perform there. I guess this is also part of the Covid protocol & new guidelines. I suppose I am seen as a variant of the virus now," the comedian said.
Kamra said now that his shows have also been cancelled after Faruqui, it proves that the "ruling class" is at least trying to "oppress with equality".
LITTLE-KNOWN CHENNAI CO. GETS $8.5BN VALUATION
At a time when startup unicorns are the flavour of the season, a little known Chennai-based company dabbling in clean energy has bagged a valuation of around $8.5 billion after US based impact fund TFCC International announced the acquisition of a 46% stake for over $4.1 billion in privately held Ramcharan Group.
TFCC will be investing over five to seven years with the first round scheduled to close by January 2022. The transaction size makes it one of the largest deals in the sector. The 55-year-old Ramcharan Group had started out in the chemicals space, but has now ventured into other areas — including logistics, education and restaurants — in addition to clean energy.
Run by fourth-generation family members Divyesh and 47-year-old Kaushik Palicha, the group has developed products and processes that recycle hazardous and carcinogenic chemicals and convert the waste into energy. The technology used, both product and process, will convert all types of unsegregated waste into energy, with zero residue.
The financial details of the company too are unknown and kept under wraps.
TFCC chairman Chris Curtis said the fund saw huge potential in Ramcharan’s products in the wasteto-energy field and new generation of energy storage devices to resolve waste management issues globally and the valuation takes into account the profitability of the business and the expected cash flows.
'IF KL RAHUL HAS BEEN APPROACHED BY NEW TEAMS, IT IS AGAINST BCCI GUIDELINES'
IPL franchise Punjab Kings is unhappy about KL Rahul leaving the team despite getting 'all the freedom' as the captain over the past two seasons and says it would be unethical if he has already been approached by a new franchise.
Rahul had replaced Ravichandran Ashwin as captain ahead of the 2020 season and though he did excel with the bat, he failed to take the team to play-offs. He is now linked to new franchise Lucknow and it has been reported that he is set to lead the team owned by the RPSG Group.
"We wanted to retain Rahul but he wanted to go back into the auction. If he has been approached by another franchise before that, it would be unethical," Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia said.
When asked about reports on Rahul being lured by Lucknow, Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia said. "I hope not because that is against the guidelines set by the BCCI."
In 2010, Ravindra Jadeja had copped a one-year suspension for trying to negotiate a deal with other teams even before he had been released by his then team Rajasthan Royals.
New teams Lucknow and Ahmedabad have time till December 25 to pick three available players, who were released on Tuesday. Rahul was among the big names to be released alongside Ashwin, Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan and Yuzvendra Chahal.
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Besides learning to see, there is another art to be learned - not to see what is not. - Maria Mitchell
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