Thomas Kirsch to Replace Barrett on Federal Appeals Court
The Senate has confirmed an Indiana prosecutor to replace Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett on a federal appeals court based in Chicago.
Thomas Kirsch, who currently serves as US Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, will replace Barrett as a judge on the US Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. Kirsch was confirmed on a 51-44 vote.
President Donald Trump named Kirsch as Barrett's replacement before she was confirmed to the High Court in October, and the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced his nomination. Kirsch graduated from Indiana University and earned his law degree from Harvard.
UK and US in Talks over Mini Trade Deal
The outgoing US administration is in talks with the UK to try to seal a mini-deal to reduce trade tariffs.
US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer told that he was hopeful for a deal that could see punitive tariffs on Scottish whisky lowered.
The UK recently said that it would drop tariffs against the US over subsidies for aerospace firms.
This was in a bid to reach a post-Brexit trade deal with Washington.
Mexico Lawmakers Restrict Foreign Law Enforcement Agents
Mexico's Chamber of Deputies has passed changes to a security law which tightens the rules governing foreign law enforcement agents.
Under the new regulations, the foreign agents have to share the information they gather with Mexican officials.
The changes have the backing of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who proposed them.
US Attorney General William Barr warned that its passing would make US-Mexico cooperation more difficult.
The UK based Liberty group has acquired the bankrupt 0.25 million tonne SBQ Steels, cumulating a three-year process in which the company was put into liquidation after initial efforts to sell it failed.
Liberty paid Rs 262.45 crore plus interest of Rs. 8 crore to take the Nellore based steel company, its second acquisition through the bankruptcy process after acquiring the bankrupt Adhunik Metaliks and its associate Zion Steel in February 2020 under the insolvency law in a Rs. 425 crore cash deal.
Liberty outbid Switzerland based IMR Metallurgical Resources to emerge the highest bidder during liquidation with a Rs. 262 crore offer in August. However, the company could not pay in three months stipulated.
UK and Singapore Funds Invest in Low-cost Housing Co Janaadhar
UK-based impact investor Reall and Singapore-based hedge fund Tree Line Asia Master Fund have invested Rs. 77 crore in a combination of equity and external commercial borrowing (ECB) in Bengaluru-based affordable housing developer Janaadhar India, showing confidence in the sector's ability to deliver sustainable financial returns in the long run.
Tree Line has invested Rs. 22.5 crore in equity raising its stake in the company with Reall putting Rs. 49.5 crore in debt. Other existing investors have put in another Rs. 5 crore between them.
The developer would use the fund to build low-cost dwelling units in Ahmedabad. The company kept the shareholding details under wraps.
This is Reall's first financing to an Indian developer in the affordable housing sector. Reall is backed by the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Swedish International Development Agency.
Cabinet Approves Next Round of Spectrum Auction
The Union Cabinet approved the next round of the telecom spectrum auction, I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar informed in a press briefing adding that the cabinet has approved relief for sugarcane farmers and improvement in electricity infrastructure in the north-eastern states.
Spectrum in 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz and 2500 MHz frequency bands would be auctioned for a validity period of 20 years. A total of 2251.25 MHz is being offered with total valuation of Rs. 3,92,332.70 crore (at reserve price).
Apart from the decision on spectrum auctions, the Cabinet also approved a subsidy of Rs 3,500 crore to sugar mills for the export of 60 lakh tonnes of sugar during the ongoing marketing year 2020-21 (October-September) in a bid to help them clear outstanding dues to sugarcane farmers.
Indian-American Raja Chari among 3 on SpaceX Mission
Indian-American US Air Force Colonel Raja Chari has been selected as the Commander of the SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) by NASA and the European Space Agency.
Chari will serve as the commander, while NASA's Tom Marshburn will be pilot and ESA's Matthias Maurer will serve as a mission specialist for the SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the ISS, which is expected to be launched next year.
China's Spacecraft Successfully Brings Home Moon Samples
China's Chang'e-5 probe successfully touched down on Earth, bringing home the first samples of the moon in over 40 years.
The spacecraft landed in Siziwang Banner in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Zhang Kejian, head of the CNSA, declared the Chang'e-5 mission a success.
It marks a successful conclusion of China's current three-step lunar exploration programme of orbiting and landing, and bringing back samples which began in 2004.
It is China's maiden attempt to retrieve materials from an extra-terrestrial body. The Chang'e-5 lunar probe was launched from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on November 24.
The Virat Kohli-led Indian side is all set to take on Tim Paine's Australia in the four-match Test series opener at the Adelaide Oval.
The match will be played under the lights and will be India's first pink-ball overseas Test. India has so far played just one day-night Test which they comfortably won against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens in 2019.
The Aussies have played seven day-night Tests and have never lost one.
Qatar to Host 2030 Asian Games, Saudi Arabia in 2034
The 2030 Asian Games were awarded to Doha and the 2034 event went to Riyadh after a deal was struck between the rival nations.
The Qatari capital of Doha beat Saudi Arabian counterpart Riyadh for the 2030 Games in the vote at the Olympic Council of Asia's general assembly.
Saudi Arabia is one of four countries which has imposed a trade and travel boycott on Qatar since 2017, though there have recently been indications the dispute could be resolved.
Zimbabwe to Host Qualifiers of 2023 ODI World Cup to be Held in India
Zimbabwe will host the qualifiers of the 2023 ODI World Cup between June 18 and July 9, according to a revised schedule announced by the ICC due to the postponements caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
India, the hosts of the rescheduled 2023 ODI World Cup, along with seven other top Super League teams will qualify directly for the tournament to be held in October-November.
The bottom five teams from the Super League will compete in the 2023 World Cup qualifier, joining the best three teams from League 2.
TMC Leader Suvendu Adhikari Resigns as MLA from West Bengal Assembly
Nearly three weeks after resigning as West Bengal Transport minister, rebel Trinamool Congress leader Suvendu Adhikari submitted his resignation as an MLA to the Assembly Speaker and subsequently met a few other rebel party leaders, one of whom said that the likes of them have no option but to join BJP.
Adhikari has a big support base in Medinipur area.
Adhikari represented Nandigram constituency in Purba Medinipur district and was the face of the Nandigram movement, which catapulted Mamata Bannerjee to power in 2011.
Kerala Local Body Elections
The ruling CPI(M)-led LDF in Kerala appeared to make a sweep of the local body elections in the state, while the BJP seemed to have made some gains, leading in Pandalam, the centre of protests against women's entry into Sabarimala, among others.
The Left Front was leading in 514 gram panchayats, five corporations and 11 district panchayats, prompting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to attribute the good show to the people of the state. The outcome of the polls is seen as an indicator of the public mood ahead of the 2021 assembly elections in the state. The Opposition Congress-led UDF was in the second spot, leading in over 400 local bodies.
Justice Pankaj Mithal Next CJ of Jammu and Kashmir HC
Justice Pankaj Mithal of the Allahabad High Court will be the next Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court.
The Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde has also recommended Calcutta High Court's Justice Sanjib Banerjee for appointment as Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia of the Uttarakhand High Court has been recommended for appointment as the new Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court.
In a major reshuffle, the Collegium in its December meeting also recommended transfer of Chief Justices of high courts of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Sikkim and Odisha.
DRDO to Build Six New 'Airborne Early Warning and Control Planes' on Air India Planes
India is going to make six new Airborne Early Warning and Control planes to be developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on aircraft from Air India to further improve Air Force's surveillance capabilities along borders with China and Pakistan.
The move is likely to give a major boost to the indigenous defence industry. The project has reportedly been planned in a way to promote Make in India in defence and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
As per the discussions on the AEW&C Block 2 aircraft to be developed by the DRDO under a Rs. 10,500 crore project, these aircraft would be acquired from the Air India fleet and modified to fly with a radar that will give 360-degree surveillance capability to the defence forces.
Siddharth Chatterjee Appointed United Nations Resident Coordinator in China
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed senior UN official Siddharth Chatterjee of India as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in China.
Resident Coordinators are the UN Secretary-General's representatives for development at the country level. They lead UN teams supporting countries to recover better from the COVID-19 pandemic through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Guterres appointed Chatterjee as the Resident Coordinator in China, with the host government's approval.
Most recently, Chatterjee served as United Nations Resident Coordinator in Kenya, after holding other leadership positions across the organization.
Shashi Shekhar Vempati New Vice President of Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union
Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati was elected as the vice president of Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, one of the largest broadcasting associations in the world.
The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union was formed in 1964 as a professional association of broadcasting organisations with over 286 members in 57 countries and regions, reaching the potential population of about three billion people.
Vempati has been elected to the office of the Vice President, ABU for three years with immediate effect.
Korean Lantern Festival Gets UNESCO Heritage Honours
South Koreas Lantern Festival has won the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status.
It's an annual festival that dates back centuries and it marks the birthday of Buddha. All across the country you find colourful lanterns decorating temples, houses and streets and there also are large parades with elaborate floats.
UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage status aims to protect traditions, knowledge and skills which are often inherited through generations, so they are not lost or forgotten as time moves on.
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani announced that a stringent anti-land grabbing law with a provision of a minimum of 10 years imprisonment, which can go up to 14 years, for violators has come into force across the state.
The Gujarat Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Act, passed in the last session of the state Assembly, has been framed to ensure time-bound and speedy disposal of complaints and protect the interests of farmers and common man.
Under the provisions of the Act, anyone who illegally grabs land, provides money for construction, threatens the owner, extorts rent, or helps in any such activity will fall under the definition of land grabber. A commercial company, a group of people or a religious or charity organisation can also be held as accused.
India Drops to 131 in UN's 2020 Human Development Index
According to a report released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), India dropped one spot to 131 among 189 countries in the 2020 human development index.
Human Development Index is the measure of a nation's health, education, and standards of living.
The life expectancy of Indians at birth in 2019 was 69.7 years while Bangladesh has a life expectancy of 72.6 years and Pakistan 67.3 years.
India (131), Bhutan (129), Bangladesh (133), Nepal (142), and Pakistan (154) were ranked among countries with medium human development.
Norway topped the index, followed by Ireland, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Iceland, the report showed.
Jamaica Seeks Five Million Guests Annually by 2025
Jamaica Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, has outlined plans to regain the exceptional growth seen in the sector before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The news came during a meeting with the Jamaica Tourist Board international sales and marketing teams.
The minister outlined a renewed five-year plan to achieve five million visitors, US$5 billion in earnings and employment of 200,000 Jamaicans in the tourism sector.
Jamaica welcomed nearly four million guests in 2019, but the figure could fall as low as one million this year.
The Government of India is to open a museum on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in January 2021. The museum has been set up in Red Fort. The museum is to be inaugurated on the 123rd birth anniversary of Netaji.
The new digitised museum is spread over three floors. The museum depicts the contributions of the legend since his childhood.
The museum has also documented the role of INA, battles fought, awakening it created and its popularity in the country. The museum highlights the role of the people of Indian origin, especially in South East Asia and their contributions to the Indian National Army.
It also depicts the secret operation of Colonel Amrik Singh Gill and four others who landed by submarine at Konark temple to establish their INA secret centres in India.
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