Air India peeing case LIVE: Court sends accused to 14-day judicial custody
A selected group of cities and harbors have been asked to send test samples of infected travelers for genome sequencing at the National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention
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After a year marred by disruptions from the war in Ukraine and extreme weather, global food prices ended 2022 roughly where they started. A United Nations’ index of food-commodity costs soared to a record in March, shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine crippled vital flows of grain and vegetable oils from the breadbasket nation. Prices then slid as a Black Sea crop-export deal and good harvests in other growers buffered supplies, before steadying toward year-end.
Air India passenger urinating case of Nov 26, 2022
Govt rebuts claims that statutory regulations were violated during GM mustard appraisal
The Union Environment Ministry on Saturday rebutted the claims made by activists that statutory regulations were violated during the appraisal and approval of GM mustard in India, saying the product was conditionally cleared only after stakeholder consultation.
The Coalition of GM-free India, a group of NGOs opposing genetically modified crops, had on Friday released a report alleging that no (independent) health expert ever participated in GM mustard appraisal.
In a response issued on Saturday, the ministry said: "The Assessment of Food and Environmental Safety (AFES) report prepared by the sub-committee in 2016 with regard to the biosafety dossier of GM mustard was uploaded on the ministry's website for inviting comments by the public for a period of 30 days (from September 5 to October 5, 2016).
"Further, the entire dossier was also made available for review by the public in the ministry's office for the same duration," it said.
TMC, BJP exchange barbs on Nandigram anniversary
The Trinamool Congress and BJP mourned the 2007 killing of 14 persons protesting a planned chemical hub here on Saturday by holding rival functions, exchanging political barbs.
Interestingly both programmes, held at a distance of barely 100 meters were held under the banner of Bhumi Uchhed Protirodh Committee (BUPC or Land Disposition Protest Committee), which supported by Mamata Banerjee had put up a stiff resistance to the government's plans to acquire fertile land near the sea for a proposed chemical hub by MNCs.
TMC state general secretary and spokesperson Kunal Ghosh chose to attack opposition BJP and its Nandigram lawmaker Suvendu Adhikari, an erstwhile TMC leader who defected to the saffron party ahead of the 2021 state election, while paying floral tributes at a memorial there.
Bharat Jodo Yatra is not to project Rahul Gandhi as PM candidate for 2024 polls: Jairam Ramesh
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' was not an exercise to project Rahul Gandhi as a prime ministerial candidate for the 2024 general elections.
"This Bharat Jodo Yatra is not to project Rahul Gandhi as a prime ministerial candidate. It is an ideological yatra of which the main face is Rahul Gandhi. It is not one individual's yatra," Ramesh, the Congress general secretary in-charge communications, said in response to a question here.
He asserted that the 'Kanyakumari to Kashmir' foot march, which is currently passing through Karnal in Haryana, is not an election yatra.
Flexible working hours can benefit productivity, work-life balance: ILO
Reduced working hours and more flexible working time arrangements, such as those used during the Covid-19 crisis, can bring benefits for economies, businesses and workers, such as greater productivity and improved work-life balance, a new report released by the International Labour Organization (ILO) released.
The report, titled 'Working Time and Work-Life Balance Around the World', is the first of its kind. It provides a comprehensive review of both main aspects of working time -- working hours and working time arrangements -- and their effects on workers' work-life balance, reports Xinhua news agency.
According to the report, a substantial portion of the global workforce is now working either long or short hours when compared to a standard eight-hour day or 40-hour working week.
China to monitor travellers at borders for new Covid-19 variant
Andaman BJP urges Rajnath Singh for 'Agniveer' training centre in Great Nicobar
The Andaman and Nicobar unit of the BJP requested Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to set up a training centre in Great Nicobar island for 'Agniveers' under the new recruitment scheme in the armed forces, a party functionary said on Saturday.
A delegation of leaders of the saffron party led by its Andaman unit vice president Sanjay Kumar Singh met the defence minister during his two-day visit to the archipelago from January 5, and requested him for a training unit for 'Agniveers' in the southernmost island of the union territory.
The BJP team apprised the minister of difficulties being faced by 'Agniveer' aspirants for travelling from remote islands to Port Blair to participate in the armed forces recruitment scheme due to non-availability of a regular sea transport system.
India looking at multilateral agreements that are fair, equitable for all sides: Goyal
Negotiations for bilateral free trade agreements with several countries are "well on track" and India is also looking at some multilateral pacts that are fair and equitable for all the member countries, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Saturday.
India has recently implemented a free trade agreement (FTA) with the UAE in May 2022 and on December 29, 2022 with Australia to boost bilateral trade and investments.
The country is negotiating FTAs with countries including Canada, European Union and the UK.
Punjab minister Fauja Singh Sarari resigns
Punjab minister Fauja Singh Sarari resigned from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's Cabinet on Saturday, months after an audio clip surfaced in which he was purportedly heard "fixing a deal to extort money".
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party's chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh said Sarari has resigned citing personal reasons.
Opposition parties in Punjab had been demanding that Sarari be sacked and arrested over the audio clip. Sarari, however, has rubbished allegations against him.
Sania Mirza to quit at Dubai meet next month
Veteran Indian tennis player Sania Mirza has decided to draw curtains on her illustrious career at next month's Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship.
The former doubles no.1 has made this announcement to WTA.
Sania initially intended to hang up her racquet at the end of last season, but an elbow injury ruled her out of the US Open and forced her to stop playing in 2022 as early as August.
The 36-year-old Sania, who is married to Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik, has been living in Dubai for more than a decade, and will look to bid adieu to the game at her home base.
Tech giants suffer heavy restrictions under CCP's authoritarian rule in China
The tech giants in China have been facing massive crackdown under the garb of transformation by the Chinese Communist Party of China (CCP) and its authoritarian rule in the form of a 'common prosperity' campaign emphasizes which not only imposes heavy restrictions on them but also impose fines to regulate 'excess' wealth, The European Times reported.
The "Red New Deal" agenda, which justifies the need for a crackdown, is discussed throughout the campaign. The idea of "red" emphasizes the actions of old-fashioned communist logic, i.e., businesses that get in the way of the government will suffer.
Although the government has received genuine support from the people for its pledge to reduce inequality and provide equal opportunity to ordinary people, the concept of "red" emphasizes the actions of old-fashioned communist logic.
India should strive to become hub of software products, focus on democratising govt data: President Murmu
After proving its poweress in the field of software, India should strive to become a hub for software products, President Droupadi Murmu said on Saturday.
While speaking at the 7th edition of Digital India Awards, Murmu said that there should focus on democratising government data to help technology enthusiasts in the country develop localised digital solutions.
"We should leverage the prevailing policies and avail the ecosystem to position the country as a global powerhouse of software and hardware products by building made in India technology," Murmu said.
She said India has emerged as an important country for use of technology for people-centric governance, especially during the pandemic, which has benefitted the rest of the world as well.
"Digital India is also playing an important role in enhancing the country's profile on the world stage. This becomes all the more relevant as India takes over the presidency of G20 which is a milestone event," Murmu said.
In a first, IAF woman fighter pilot to take part in wargames in Japan
For the first time, an Indian Air Force woman fighter pilot would be part of the Indian contingent for the aerial wargames to be held with outside the country.
The women officers have been participating in wargames with the foreign contingents coming to India including the French Air Force where two of the lady fighter pilots took part but this would be the first time they would be representing the country on foreign land.
India's one of the first three lady fighter pilots Squadron Squadron Leader Avni Chaturvedi will be leaving for Japan shortly for participating in the exercise. Squadron Leader Chaturvedi is a Su-30MKI pilot.
Air India issues show cause notices, de-rosters 4 cabin crew, 1 pilot
Acting on the urination incident onboard an Air India New York-Delhi flight last November, the flag carrier on Saturday issued show cause notices and de-rostered four cabin crew and a pilot pending investigation.
Air India has also initiated internal investigations into whether there were lapses by other staff on other aspects, including the service of alcohol on flight, incident handling, complaint registration and grievance handling.
In a statement, Campbell Wilson, the CEO and Managing Director of Air India, said: "Air India is deeply concerned about the in-flight instances where customers have suffered due to the condemnable acts of their co-passengers on our aircraft. We regret and are pained about these experiences.
Samsung confirms to launch Galaxy S23 series on Feb 1
Tech giant Samsung's Colombia website has revealed that the Galaxy S23 series will be launched on February 1 this year.
The website posted a page of the Unpacked event a bit early, confirming the Galaxy S23 launch date, reports 9To5Google.
Moreover, the teaser revealed the new camera design with pictures of leaves and lilacs in the corner, indicating at the names of the rumoured colours that recently leaked.
It is likely to come in three colours-- Cotton Flower, Mistly Lilac, Botanic Green, and Phantom Black, the report said.
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First Published: Jan 07 2023 | 8:22 AM IST
