IIT Researchers Make Bioethanol From Wood Waste

(Source: PTI)

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati and the University of Lisbon, Portugal have studied the efficacy of a specific bacterial enzyme in breaking down woody biomatter into simple sugar that can be fermented efficiently to produce bioethanol - a promising renewable fuel that can replace petroleum-based fuel systems.

The research has been published in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules.

According to officials, the production of fuel from renewable biological sources has elicited significant scientific interest in recent years because of the problems of dwindling fossil fuel reserves and the environmental pollution associated with their generation and use.

"Of the many biofuels known, ethanol (or ethyl alcohol) is widely studied because of its positive impact on the environment. This intoxicating component of spirits and drinks that can also be used to fuel vehicles, is commonly produced by the fermentation of sugar and starch-containing raw materials -- grapes, barley, potato, among others," Arun Goyal, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Guwahati said.

However, there is interest in developing methods to extract bioethanol for fuel from agricultural and forestry residues and crops that are rich in carbohydrate polymers (lignocellulose) the plant dry matter that constitutes the woody part of plants.

For industrial production of bioethanol as fuel, the lignocellulose extracted from plants is deconstructed by using the biological catalysts (enzymes) called cellulases, and subsequently fermented. Endoglucanase is one such cellulase enzyme.

"The research has shown that multifunctional RfGH5_4 cellulase (enzyme) might be used for the efficient and cost-effective production of lignocellulosic bioethanol on an industrial scale. Thus, its ability to break down cellulose and hemicellulose makes it possibly useful in various other applications such as the textile, food and pulp industry, synthesis of prebiotics, and pharmaceuticals, among others," said Parmeshwar Gavande, PhD research scholar at IIT Guwahati.

"Agricultural residual biomasses are wasted or burned causing various environmental hazard, including global warming and climate change. Their deconstruction by RfGH5_4 might extend its usage in food medicine as well," he added.

Yatra Has Done Wonders, Translating Into Votes Next Challenge: Tharoor

(Source: PTI)

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday said while the party’s 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' led by Rahul Gandhi has evoked a massive response, “translating this into votes is the next challenge and doesn’t follow axiomatically”.

He also said the “government was shaken” by the success of the yatra and a letter written by it warning of the dangers posed by the Covid-19 strain which may have come in from China was “signalling that it was extremely concerned about its success.”

Tharoor, who recently unsuccessfully contested the post of the Congress president, also said his party will need to take other parties, especially regional players, along to mount a challenge in the 2024 general elections.

“My own impression is that the way he (Gandhi) has been personally received has done wonders for his image,'' he told PTI on the sidelines of an event organised as part of the Kolkata Literary Festival.

"Now translating this into votes is the next challenge, and that doesn’t follow axiomatically," the Congress leader said.

Questioned about Covid-19 posing a threat to the yatra, Tharoor pointed out that the walkathon will end less than a month later on January 26 and that till now the “messages coming” from experts were fairly reassuring.

“The variants that have been doing so much damage in China have already been identified in India in June-July and have not caused any major calamity,” he said, adding that the country still needed to be vigilant.

“The government is shaken … Writing to Rahul that the Covid made the yatra dangerous was a signal that it was extremely concerned about its success,” the political leader said.

Earlier this week, the Congress had charged that the BJP-led central government was using Covid as an excuse to stop the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'.

Tharoor also alluded to the Congress party’s earlier complaints that yatra participants were questioned by the Intelligence Bureau.

“I hope this will not be repeated as we carry on into Haryana, UP and Kashmir … my hope is that by allowing the yatra to come to its planned conclusion, the government will put the interests of Indian democracy ahead of narrow political interests of the ruling party,” he said.

Tharoor said though he believed the Congress would emerge as the largest single party from among opposition parties, it would still need to forge ties with other opposition parties ahead of the 2024 general elections.

He said, “Congress is bound to be the largest single opposition party in the next general elections,” but would still need “a willing coalition of opposition parties around it, especially regional parties.”

“Opposition unity is very desirable if we are to offer the country an alternative government next time,” said the former minister and UN bureaucrat-turned-author.

“Otherwise we will be stuck with the kind of majoritarian rule that all these parties are individually objecting to.”

He said this even as new fissures with opposition parties surfaced. Earlier on Thursday, a key opposition player, former UP chief minister and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said his party's ideology was different from that of the Congress and the BJP.

When asked if he was invited to join the yatra, Yadav said he did not receive an invitation.

Case Registered Against Pragya Thakur For 'Inflammatory Remarks' At Shivamogga Event

Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur (Image: PTI)

(Source: PTI)

Police on Wednesday registered a case against firebrand BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur for her alleged inflammatory speech at a convention organised in Karnataka recently by a pro-Hindu outfit.

The case has been registered at the Kote police station, based on a complaint by Shivamogga District Congress Committee president H S Sundaresh, officials said.

According to police, the case has been registered against the Bhopal MP under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs).

Thakur had, on December 25, said Hindus have the right to respond to those who attack them and their dignity as she spoke about the killing of Hindu activists.

Speaking at the Hindu Jagarana Vedike's southern region annual convention, she had also told the gathering to give a befitting reply to anyone who "infiltrates our house".

"Keep weapons in your homes. If nothing else, at least keep the knives used to cut vegetables sharp.... Don't know what situation will arise when.... Everyone has the right to self-protection. If someone infiltrates our house and attacks us, giving a befitting reply is our right," she said.

TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale and Tehseen Poonawalla, whose Twitter bio describes him as a venture capitalist and political analyst and consultant, on Tuesday had filed complaints against Thakur with Shivamogga MP G K Mithun Kumar for allegedly making "hate speech".

However, stating that the complaints were received through mail, the SP had asked them to appear before the jurisdictional police officer for the complaint to be registered. Following this, the local Congress leader on Wednesday lodged the complaint.

India-Backed Projects In Afghanistan, Myanmar Impacted Due To Prevailing Situation

 

India-backed projects have suffered setbacks in Afghanistan and faced numerous challenges in Myanmar due to the current political and security situation in these countries, the Ministry of External Affairs has informed a parliamentary panel.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs chaired by BJP MP P P Chaudhary noted that there has been a reduction in allocation in aid to Afghanistan.

In an action taken report tabled in Parliament last week, the Ministry of External Affairs said it has noted the parliamentary panel's observations and will work towards addressing them.

India's development partnership with Afghanistan includes more than 500 projects spread across each of its 34 provinces and in various sectors.

"Several proposals in this regard are already under process. Due to the political and security situation in Afghanistan, projects' implementation has suffered setbacks," the ministry said in the report.

Responding to the parliamentary committee's observations on allocations to Myanmar, the ministry said despite the ongoing political situation in the country, India has completed and handed over a capacity building institution each on information technology and agriculture research in March this year.

Talking about the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project, the ministry said its waterways component has been completed. While the construction work on its road component has been slow, "mainly due to the security situation on the Myanmar side and the delay caused due to COVID-19 pandemic."

"Given the current security and political situation in Myanmar, implementation and execution of the above projects have been met with numerous challenges," the ministry said.

US Embassy Sounds Red Alert; Prohibits Americans From Visiting Islamabad's Marriott Hotel

(Source: PTI)

The US embassy in Pakistan has warned about a possible terrorist attack against American citizens at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad -- the country's capital -- and prohibited American staff from visiting the five-star facility, an official statement said.  

The statement was issued by the embassy on Sunday, two days after a suicide bombing in Islamabad killed a policeman.

The US government is aware of information that unknown individuals are possibly plotting to attack Americans at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad sometime during the holidays, it said.

"Effective immediately, the Embassy in Islamabad is prohibiting all American staff from visiting Islamabad's Marriott Hotel," the statement said.

The embassy also directed that as Islamabad has been placed on a 'Red Alert' citing security concerns while banning all public gatherings, all mission personnel have been urged to refrain from non-essential and unofficial travel in the capital throughout the holiday season.  

It asked the US nationals to exercise vigilance at events and places of worship, and avoid locations with large crowds while reviewing personal security plans.  

The advisory comes after the latest attack in Islamabad and an uptick in countryside attacks by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terror group. 

The TTP has stepped up attacks on security forces since November, when they ended a months-long cease-fire with the Pakistan government.  

One police officer and two suspected militants, including a woman of the dreaded Pakistani Taliban outfit, were killed in the suicide attack in Islamabad on December 23, prompting authorities in Pakistan to issue a "red alert" across the federal capital. According to national data, Pakistan has recorded 420 terrorist attacks since August 2021 when the Taliban took over Afghanistan. In the last three months alone, the TTP has claimed responsibility for 141 attacks.

At least 54 people were killed and several others injured when a dumper truck laden with explosives was detonated in front of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad's red zone area on September 20, 2008.

National Archives Of India Has No Records Of 1962, 1965 And 1971 Wars

(Source: PTI)

The National Archives of India (NAI) does not have records of 1962, 1965, and 1971 wars and the green revolution as a number of Union ministries and departments have not shared their records with it, according to its Director General Chandan Sinha.

The NAI keeps and conserves records of the government of India and its organisations only. It does not receive classified documents.

Underlining that records management in government is an essential aspect of good governance, Sinha said there are several ministries that have not shared their records with the NAI since independence.

Speaking at the good governance workshop organised by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances on Friday, he noted that there are in all 151 ministries and departments, and the NAI has only records of 64 agencies, including 36 ministries and departments.

"What does it mean? It means we do not have any records in the National Archives of India of the Green Revolution, which we hail all the time, or the wars 1962 war, the 1965 war, and the 1971 war - the great victory. There are several such issues in certain such areas which I am very sad to share with you that we do not have any records. We are not holding history in trust. Indeed, the question that we must face is that are we losing a large part of our history since independence," Sinha said.

He also informed that the Defence Ministry had sent, till the beginning of this year, 476 files after independence. He said 20,000 files that go up to the year 1960 have been transferred this year, he said.

Sinha said rather than waiting for a special campaign for recording and weeding out of files for records, it is supposed to be done every quarter.

He asserted that there should be no unauthorised destruction of records. In fact, there is a one-year imprisonment for unauthorised destruction of records.

Sinha said an appraisal of records and reviewing and identifying them for transfer to the NAI is a very important aspect of governance. 

Kamal Haasan, Families Of Freedom Fighters To Join Bharat Jodo Yatra In Delhi Today

 

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan, family members of freedom fighters and top Congress leaders are expected to join Rahul Gandhi in the Delhi leg of his Bharat Jodo Yatra on Saturday, party sources said.

Delhi Congress president Anil Chaudhary said at least 40,000 to 50,000 yatris are expected to participate in the yatra in the national capital.

"Senior Congress leaders and parliamentarians, families of freedom fighters and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MKM) president Kamal Haasan are likely to join the Bharat Jodo Yatra in the national capital," a party source told PTI on Friday.

Addressing the MKM office-bearers last week, Haasan had said he has been invited by Rahul Gandhi and that he would participate in the Bharat Jodo Yatra on December 24 in the national capital.

"People from different fields will be joining the yatra that will enter Badarpur border at 6 am. We will then walk towards Ashram via Apollo hospital and thereafter, the yatris will have a lunch break and will rest for a while. We will resume our yatra at 1 pm from Ashram," Chaudhary said.

After the lunch break, the yatra will resume and head towards Nizamuddin and then to the India Gate Circle. Thereafter, Rahul Gandhi and some of the yatris will visit Rajghat, Veerbhumi and Shantivan by car and pay floral tributes.

After a short break beginning Saturday night, the yatra will resume from January 3 from Uttar Pradesh, then again head to Haryana in the second phase and then to Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari, has covered Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. It completed 100 days on December 16.

India Notes With Concern Taliban's Decision To Ban Women From Universities

(Source: PTI)

India on Thursday said it is concerned over reports that the Taliban have banned women from universities in Afghanistan, and renewed its call for setting up of an inclusive government in Kabul that ensures the equal rights of women and girls in all aspects of Afghan society. 

Several countries, including the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom, have strongly condemned the Taliban's decisions to ban women from universities.

In March, the Taliban barred girls from going to secondary schools.

"We have noted with concern the reports in this regard. India has consistently supported the cause of female education in Afghanistan," Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

He was replying to queries on the issue during a media briefing.

"We have emphasised the importance of the establishment of an inclusive and representative government that respects the rights of all Afghans and ensures the equal rights of women and girls to participate in all aspects of Afghan society, including access to higher education," Bagchi said.

The MEA spokesperson also referred to the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2593 on Afghanistan.

"I would also recall UN Security Council Resolution 2593, which reaffirms the importance of upholding human rights, including those of women, and also calls for full, equal and meaningful participation of women," he said.

The UNSC resolution, adopted on August 30 last year under India's presidency of the global body, talked about the need for upholding human rights in Afghanistan, and demanded that Afghan territory should not be used for terrorism and that a negotiated political settlement should be found to the crisis.

Hoax Social Media Bomb Threat At Delhi IGI Airport

(Source: PTI)

A social media chat about "bombing and eliminating" Delhi's IGI Airport led to a brief panic and triggered a counter-terrorist security drill at the country's largest civil aviation facility on Wednesday, official sources said.

The threat was categorised as "non specific" or hoax around 6:30 am after over an hour of conducting anti-sabotage checks at the facility even as normal passenger traffic continued, they said.

Airport security officials, sources told PTI, were informed about a social media post, in reply to another message, that the Indira Gandhi International Airport should be bombed.

The chat posts, whose creators are being traced by the police, also talked about "eliminating" the airport, the sources said.

A bomb threat assessment committee (BTAC), comprising security, intelligence and airport operators, was triggered into action soon after the chats were flashed at the IGI control room around 5:15 am.

The threat was declared a "hoax" and "not serious" after about an hour of anti-sabotage checks at the three IGI terminals by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the Delhi Police and airport authorities, they said.

The IGI airport in the national capital is designated as "hypersensitive" from the security point of view. Scores of passengers transit through its terminals everyday for domestic and international departures and arrivals. 

Naxal Violence Reduced By 77% In 11 Years: Govt Tells Lok Sabha

(Source: PTI)

The incidents of Naxal violence have reduced by 77 per cent from the high of 2,213 in 2010 to 509 in 2021, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Similarly, resultant deaths (civilians and security forces) have reduced by 85 per cent from the high of 1,005 in 2010 to 147 in 2021, Rai said, adding that the declining trend continues in 2022.

"Steadfast implementation of the national policy has resulted in consistent decline in violence in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas. Incidents of LWE violence have reduced by 77 pert cent from the high of 2,213 in 2010 to 509 in 2021," he said replying to a written question.

The minister said geographical spread of the violence has also significantly reduced and only 191 police stations of 46 districts reported LWE related violence in 2021 as compared to a high of 465 police stations of 96 districts in 2010.

He said decline in geographical spread is also reflected in the reduced number of districts covered under Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme and the number of SRE districts reduced from 126 to 90 in April, 2018 and further to 70 in July, 2021.

Similarly, Rai said the number of districts contributing approximately 90 per cent of the LWE violence, categorised as most LWE affected districts, came down to 30 from 35 in 2018 and further to 25 in 2021.

Amber Heard To Pay $1 Million To Johnny Depp In Settlement Of Legal Battle

(Source: IANS)

Actress Amber Heard will pay Hollywood star and former husband Johnny Depp $1 million to settle their long-running legal battle, in which each accused the other of domestic violence.

The sum is a significant reduction from the $8.35 million she was ordered to pay after a six-week trial in Virginia earlier this year. The payment is expected to come from her insurance carrier, reports 'Variety'.

In a statement, Depp's attorneys said that he would donate the money to charity. His attorneys have previously said that the case was "never about the money" for Depp. In her own statement, Heard said she had "lost faith in the American legal system". She also said that the settlement spares her the ordeal of further litigation and allows her to finally "emancipate" herself from their marriage.

Depp originally filed a $50 million defamation claim against Heard in March 2019 after she published an op-ed in the Washington Post in which she described herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse".

At the trial, each actor testified for several days, revealing lurid details of drug abuse and screaming matches. Their testimony was streamed live on YouTube and remixed endlessly on TikTok and Facebook.

Heard alleged that Depp repeatedly assaulted her and choked her. She often broke down in sobs during her testimony.

Depp, meanwhile, alleged that Heard was the aggressor in the relationship, and that he would try to retreat whenever she became violent. The couple had made audio recordings of their arguments during their marriage, and each side played clips they had selected to try to corroborate their accounts.

The seven-person jury ruled in Depp's favour on three separate claims of defamation, awarding him $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. The latter sum was knocked down to $350,000 to comply with a statutory cap.  

Kashmir, Ladakh Continue To Reel Under Sub-Zero Temperatures

(Source: IANS)

Cold and dry weather with sub-zero temperatures continued in Kashmir and Ladakh during the last 24 hours as the Meteorological (MeT) office said on Monday that the same conditions were expected to continue.

"Cold dry weather with morning haze is expected to continue in J&K and Ladakh during the next 24 hours," an official of the MeT department said.

Srinagar had minus 3.1, Pahalgam minus 4.8 and Gulmarg minus 2.5 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature. In the Ladakh region, Leh had minus 10.8.

Jammu had 7.4, Katra 7.8, Batote 3.3, Banihal minus 0.4 and Bhaderwah 1.2 as the minimum temperature.

Names Of People Who Don't Link Aadhaar With Election Card Won't Be Struck Off Voters' List

(Source: PTI)

The names of people who do not share their Aadhaar number to link with the election identity card will not be struck off the voters' list, the government said on Friday, noting that the exercise is voluntary.

The Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021, allows electoral registration officers to require the existing or prospective elector to provide the Aadhaar number for the "purpose of establishing identity" on a "voluntary basis", Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said in Lok Sabha.

He was responding to a question on the linkage of Aadhaar with electoral rolls. The Election Commission has launched a programme to collect the Aadhaar number of existing and prospective electors on a voluntary basis from August 1 in all the states and UTs.

It is voluntary to link Aadhaar with a Voter ID and consent is obtained from the elector for Aadhaar authentication in Form 6B which was recently introduced, he said.

However, the minister made it clear that "there is no provision for withdrawing the consent" to share Aadhaar details. Asked whether the name of the voters whose voter IDs are not linked with Aadhaar will be struck off the voters' list, he replied in the negative.

The minister informed Rajya Sabha on Thursday that more than 54 crore of the nearly 95 crore total voters have opted to link their Aadhaar details with the voter list. He said linking of Aadhaar is "process driven" and "no targets have been given" for linking Aadhaar with election photo identity card.

Rijiju said the Unique Identification Authority of India (UlDAl), under the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 has made it compulsory for the centralised storage of all Aadhaar numbers in a different repository known as 'Aadhaar Data Vault'.

The Election Commission strictly follows the guidelines prescribed by UIDAI and "does not" store the Aadhaar numbers in its database. The Aadhaar number is used only for authentication purposes and EC does not retrieve any personal information from the UIDAI Aadhaar database, he underlined.

Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra Completes 100 Days On Road

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra, in Rajasthan's Sawai Madhopur district (PTI)

 

(Source: PTI)

The Bharat Jodo Yatra's biggest achievement is that it highlighted issues relevant to the people, senior Congress leader K C Venugopal said on Friday, as the Rahul Gandhi-led foot march completed 100 days on the road.

Gandhi, Venugopal, former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and other senior leaders of the party began the morning leg of the yatra from the Meena High Court here.

"Bharat Jodo Yatra's biggest achievement is that issues of the common people of the country have been highlighted through it," Venugopal told PTI while walking in the yatra.

"The BJP's attempt of demolishing his (Gandhi's) image has also been destroyed by us," he added.

The Congress general secretary (organisation) also stressed that the message of the yatra will be spread through a follow-up campaign to be undertaken by the party from January 26.

The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari has traversed eight states -- Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and now, Rajasthan.

With over 2,800 kilometres under his belt, Gandhi has managed to catch the attention of his supporters as well as detractors.

Controversies have also been part and parcel of the yatra, with the Congress and the BJP trading barbs on several occasions.

The yatra will enter Delhi on December 24, and after a break of about eight days, move on to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and finally, Jammu and Kashmir.

It has seen participation from a cross-section of society, including film and TV celebrities such as Pooja Bhatt, Riya Sen, Sushant Singh, Swara Bhasker, Rashami Desai, Akanksha Puri and Amol Palekar.

Besides participation from tinsel town celebrities, writers, military veterans, including former Navy chief admiral L Ramdas, Opposition leaders such as Shiv Sena's Aaditya Thackeray and the NCP's Supriya Sule, and former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, have also joined the march at various points. 

Raghuram Rajan Joins Bharat Jodo Yatra

 

Raghuram Rajan with Rahul Gandhi

(Source: PTI)

Reserve Bank of India's former governor Raghuram Rajan on Wednesday joined Rahul Gandhi during the Congress-led Bharat Jodo Yatra in Rajasthan.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7, is passing through Rajasthan. The yatra will complete 100 days on Friday.

The yatra resumed from the Bhadoti area of Sawai Madhopur on Wednesday and reached Badhshapura for a morning break.

Rajan walked with Gandhi during this leg of the yatra on Wednesday.

"#BharatJodoYatra Shri Raghuram Rajan, former Governor of RBI, shaking steps with @RahulGandhi ji... The increasing number of people standing up to unite the country against hatred shows that we will be successful," The Indian National Congress tweeted along with a picture of Rajan walking with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Dr Raghuram Rajan was the 23rd Governor of the Reserve Bank of India between September 2013 and September 2016.

Between 2003 and 2006, he was the Chief Economist and Director of Research at the International Monetary Fund.

The yatra will resume at 3.30 pm and the evening break will be in Bagdi village of Dausa at 6.30 pm.

Arrive Early, Carry Just One Hand Baggage: Airlines To Passengers

(Source: PTI)

With passengers continuing to experience long waiting hours at Delhi and other airports, airlines have asked them to reach early, do web check-in and carry only one piece of hand baggage for faster movement.

The country's largest airline IndiGo has asked passengers to reach Delhi airport at least 3.5 hours prior to domestic departures.

In recent weeks, the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the national capital has been witnessing long queues and crowds amid rising air traffic.

Authorities have put in place an action plan, including reducing the number of flights during peak hours, to deal with the situation. Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia also inspected the arrangements at the airport in New Delhi on Monday.

Amid congestion, Vistara is asking its passengers to arrive at the airport at least three hours prior to domestic as well as international flights.

Delhi airport is experiencing high footfalls and the check-in and boarding time is expected to be longer than usual, as per the advisory tweeted by IndiGo.

"Passengers are requested to reach the airport at least 3.5 hrs prior to domestic departures, and to carry only 01 piece of hand baggage weighing 7 kgs for a smooth security check. Please ensure that you complete your web check-in for added convenience," it said.

Citing high footfalls at airport terminals, SpiceJet has issued an advisory to passengers asking them to reach early and carry not more than one hand baggage of up to 7 kilograms only.

About Delhi airport, the carrier said due to high footfalls, check-in and boarding is expected to take much longer than usual.

Regarding Mumbai airport, SpiceJet has advised passengers of domestic flights to reach "2.5 hours prior to flight departure time and 3.5 hours prior for international travel".

Passengers have also been asked to complete web check-in and keep the boarding pass, along with identification proof in hand for a faster and seamless experience.

On Tuesday too, many passengers took to social media to complain about chaos and long waiting hours at the Delhi airport.

Indian-Origin Sikh Youth Shot Dead In Canada

(Source: PTI)

A 24-year-old Indian-origin Sikh man has died of gunshot wounds in the Canadian province of Alberta, with police citing homicide as the reason for his death, the second such incident this month in that country.

The victim, identified as Sanraj Singh, was located by the police in Edmonton city when they responded to a gunshot report on December 3 night, an Edmonton police news release said.

Singh was found sitting in a vehicle in medical distress. The police performed CPR, a life-saving technique, until the Emergency Medical Services arrived and declared him dead.

The autopsy report revealed homicide to be the manner of death, the press release said.

According to the police, a suspect vehicle was seen leaving the area, and photos of the same were released by homicide investigators. Residents were also asked to check their CCTV cameras or dashcam footage for any suspicious activity.

A 21-year-old Sikh woman, Pawanpreet Kaur, was shot to death in a 'targeted' attack on December 3 in the Ontario province. In November, an 18-year-old Indian-origin teenager, Mehakpreet Sethi was stabbed to death at a high school parking lot in the British Columbia province.

Second Iranian Detainee Executed Over Alleged Protest Crime

(Source: AP)

Iran said Monday it executed its second prisoner detained amid the nationwide protests now challenging the country's theocracy, airing footage on state television it claimed showed him stabbing a man to death and running away.

The execution of Majidreza Rahnavard, less than a month after he allegedly carried out the fatal stabbings of two security officials, shows the speed at which Iran now carries out death sentences for those detained in the demonstrations the government hopes to put down.

Activists warn that at least a dozen people already have been sentenced to death in closed-door hearings. At least 488 people have been killed since the demonstrations began in mid-September, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, a group that's been monitoring the protests. Another 18,200 people have been detained by authorities.

Iran's Mizan news agency, under the country's judiciary, alleged Rahnavard stabbed two security force members to death November 17 in Mashhad and wounded four others.

Footage aired on state TV showed a man chasing another around a street corner, then standing over him and stabbing him after he fell against a parked motorbike. The assailant, which state TV alleged was Rahnavard, then fled.

The Mizan report identified the dead as "student" Basij, paramilitary volunteers under Iran's Revolutionary Guard. The Basij (ba-SEEJ') have deployed in major cities, attacking and detaining protesters, who in many cases have fought back.

The Mizan report offered no motive for Rahnavard's alleged attack. The report accused Rahnavard of trying to flee to a foreign country when he was arrested.

Mashhad, a Shiite holy city, sits some 740 kilometres (460 miles) east of the Iranian capital, Tehran. Activists say Mashhad has seen strikes, shops closed and demonstrations amid the unrest that began over the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who had been detained by Iran's morality police.

Mizan said Rahnavard had been convicted in Mashhad's Revolutionary Court. The tribunals have been internationally criticised for not allowing those on trial to pick their own lawyers or even see the evidence against them.

Rahnavard had been convicted on the charge of 'moharebeh', a Farsi word meaning waging war against God. That charge has been levied against others in the decades since 1979 and carries the death penalty.

Iran executed the first prisoner detained during demonstrations Thursday. Amid the unrest, Iran has seen its rial currency drop to new lows against the US dollar.

Iran is one of the world's top executioners. It typically executes prisoners by hanging. Already, Amnesty International said it obtained a document signed by one senior Iranian police commander asking an execution for one prisoner be completed in the shortest possible time 'and that his death sentence be carried out in public as a heart-warming gesture towards the security forces'. (AP)

Govt Reports Shortage Of 1.35 Lakh Personnel Across Three Forces

(Source: PTI)

The three services are reeling under a shortage of 1.35 lakh personnel with the maximum number of vacancies of 1.18 lakh in the Army, according to details provided by the government in Lok Sabha on Friday.

The total shortage in the Indian Navy (sailors) was estimated at 11,587 till September 30, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said in reply to a question.

He said the number of vacant posts in the Indian Air Force (Airmen and Non-Combatant) as on November 1 this year was 5,819.

The number in the Army was till July 1 and it included junior commissioned officers and other ranks.

"A total of 40,000 vacancies have been advertised for JCOs/OR in the Indian Army. A total of 3,000 vacancies have been advertised for Agniveers in the year 2022 in the Indian Navy. 3,000 vacancies have been advertised in the Indian Air Force as Agniveer-vayu in the year 2022," Bhatt said.

He said all the recruitments at the level of jawans are being done under the Agnipath scheme.

Noting that on average, 60,000 vacancies occur in all three services every year, out of which approximately 50,000 vacancies are for the Army, the minister said due to the suspension of recruitment rallies in the last two years because of the COVID-19 situation, there was a shortfall of 1,08,685 jawans in the Indian Army at present.

With the improvement in the COVID-19 situation and the start of the recruitment, these vacancies are expected to come down in coming years, he added.

To a separate question, he said approximately 45,906 acres of defence land under the management of different services and organisations of the defence ministry is presently lying vacant.

In response to another question, Bhatt said the government has undertaken the modernisation of the defence airfield infrastructure in two phases.

The budgetary allocation made for modernising airfields under phase-I was Rs 1,215.35 crore and phase II is Rs 1,187.17 crore, he said.

The Modernisation of Air Field Infrastructure (MAFI) (phase-I) was for 30 Indian Air Force airfields and the project has already been completed, Bhatt noted.

The MAFI (phase-II) for the modernisation of another 37 airfields is under progress, he said.

Covid Disruption Resulted In 63,000 More Malaria Deaths: WHO

(Source: PTI)

The coronavirus pandemic interrupted efforts to control malaria, resulting in 63,000 additional deaths and 13 million more infections globally over two years, according to a report from the World Health Organisation published on Thursday.

Cases of the parasitic disease went up in 2020 and continued to climb in 2021, though at a slower pace, the UN health agency said on Thursday.

About 95 per cent of the world's 247 million malaria infections and 6,19,000 deaths last year were in Africa.

"We were off track before the pandemic and the pandemic has now made things worse," said Abdisalan Noor, a senior official in WHO's malaria department.

Alister Craig, dean of biological sciences at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, noted that progress in reducing malaria deaths had stalled even before Covid-19.

"It is almost as if we have reached a limit of effectiveness for the tools we have now," said Lister, who was not linked to the WHO report.

Noor said he expected the wider rollout of the world's first authorised malaria vaccine next year to have a considerable impact on reducing the number of severe illnesses and deaths if enough children get immunised, adding that more than 20 countries have applied to vaccines alliance Gavi for help in securing the shot.

Still, the vaccine is only about 30 per cent effective and requires four doses. Bed nets can protect people from being bitten by the mosquitoes that spread malaria.

The WHO report found that about three-quarters of nets provided by donors have been distributed, but there are major gaps in some of the worst-hit countries.

Authorities in Nigeria, for example, gave out just over half their nets, while Congo distributed about 42 per cent of theirs.

Officials also raised concerns about a new invasive mosquito species that thrives in cities, is resistant to many pesticides and which could undo years of progress against malaria.

"The invasive species has not yet significantly contributed to the continent's overall malaria burden, but the insects are likely responsible for a recent spike in parts of the horn of Africa," Noor said.

David Schellenberg, a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said there were promising new tools and strategies to tackle malaria, but that the elephant in the room is the level of funding. WHO estimated the total investment into malaria -- about USD 3.5 billion -- was less than half of what was needed to dramatically reduce its impact.

US Asks India To Carry Out Its Commitment To Religious Freedom

India is home to a great diversity of faiths and the Biden administration will continue to encourage it to uphold its commitments to protect religious freedom for all, a top US official has said, days after America designated 12 countries, including China and Pakistan as “countries of particular concern”.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday designated 12 countries, including China, Pakistan and Myanmar, as “countries of particular concern” for the current status of religious freedom in these nations. He said around the world, governments and non-state actors harass, threaten, jail, and even kill individuals on account of their beliefs.

Responding to a question on why India was not designated by the US government as a Country of Particular Concern on the issue of human rights, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said that India was the world’s largest democracy and home to a great diversity of faiths.

“Our annual report on international religious freedom outlines some of the concerns we’ve taken note of when it comes to India. We continue to carefully monitor the religious freedom situation in all countries and that includes India,” Price told reporters here on Tuesday.

The Biden administration will continue to encourage the Indian government to uphold its commitments to protect religious freedom for all, he said.

“We engage officials regularly on steps they can take to advance religious freedom. As the world’s two largest democracies, the United States and India, are also committed to an enduring project,” he said.

This is the project that Secretary Blinken spoke to previously. The project that as our founders put it, of striving to form a more perfect union. This is a project for both of our countries, Price said.

“We have worked together, and we can work together to show that our democracies can meet our peoples’ needs. We must continue to hold ourselves to our core values including respect for human rights like freedom of religion and freedom of belief or expression,” he said in response to a question.

“That, in turn, makes our respective democracies even stronger. Secretary Blinken, given the totality of the facts and the circumstances, determined that religious freedom concerns in India do not warrant a country of particular concern designation or placement on the special watch list. But, these are conversations that we continue to have with our Indian partners and with partners around the world,” Price said.

India has previously rejected criticism by foreign governments and human rights groups on allegations that civil liberties have eroded in the country.

The Indian government has asserted that India has well-established democratic practices and robust institutions to safeguard the rights of all.

The government has emphasised that the Indian Constitution provides for adequate safeguards under various statutes for ensuring the protection of human rights.

Ahead of the announcement of the annual designation by the State Department, there were massive lobbying efforts by groups like Indian American Muslim Council and pressures from organisations like the US Commission for International Religious Freedom to designate India as a Country of Concern.

In the US State Department 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom, the India section of the report mentioned incidents of attacks on religious minorities.

India in June this year rejected its criticism in the US State Department report on religious freedom, saying it is unfortunate that “vote bank politics is being practised in international relations”.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the observation on India in the report is based on “motivated inputs and biased views”.

“We have noted the release of the US State Department 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom, and ill-informed comments by senior US officials,” Bagchi said.

“It is unfortunate that vote bank politics is being practised in international relations. We would urge that assessments based on motivated inputs and biased views be avoided,” he had said.

Rijiju Expresses Concern Over Number Of Pending Cases Across Courts

 

Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, on Tuesday, said the number of pending cases across various courts could touch the five crore mark in a couple of months.

Expressing concern over the issue of pendency, he said while such cases are likely to come down in the Supreme Court and high courts, the "real challenge" is in the lower courts.

Addressing an event at the Delhi High Court in the presence of Chief Justice of India D. Y. Chandrachud, the minister said the number of pending cases is inching towards the five crore mark and flagged the issue of inadequate infrastructure in lower courts.

Till a few months back, the pending cases were estimated at 4.83 crores.

"I try to analyse about the bottleneck when we take the numbers. It is inching towards the five crore pendency. It is a matter of great concern," he said.

Rijiju said he has to reply on the pendency issue in Parliament and elsewhere.

"It is really difficult for me to answer ... it is about to reach five crore. At the present rate, maybe it will take another couple of months to reach the five crore figure, which does not sound nice," he said.

The majority of the cases are pending with the subordinate judiciary.

"I feel the pendency in the SC and the HCs will come down, but the real challenge is in the lower courts. The infrastructure in the lower courts is a real challenge for me and that is the responsibility of the central government and the state governments together," he said.

Rijiju said he clearly sees that in the very near future, the Indian judiciary will go paperless.

A digital judiciary will have a huge impact on the justice delivery mechanism, he underlined.

He said the judicial process is time-consuming. However, once all documents are available at the click of a button, things will become faster.

Forced Religious Conversion Against Constitution: SC

Reaffirming that forced religious conversion is a “serious issue”, the Supreme Court said on Monday it is against the Constitution.

The court was hearing a plea filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking direction to the Centre and states to take stringent steps to control fraudulent religious conversion by “intimidation, threatening, deceivingly luring through gifts and monetary benefits”.

The Centre told the court it is collecting information from states on religious conversion through such means.

Appearing before a bench of Justices M R Shah and C T Ravikumar, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought time to furnish detailed information on the issue.

“We are gathering information from the states. Give us a week’s time,” Mehta said.

He said statutory the regime will determine whether a person is converting due to some change in belief.

The top court acknowledged forced religious conversion is a very serious matter.

When a lawyer questioned the maintainability of the plea, the bench said, "Do not be so technical. We are here to find a solution. We are here for a cause. We are here to set things right. If the purpose of the charity is good then it is welcome but what is required to be considered is the intention."

“Do not take it as adversarial. It is a very serious issue. Ultimately it is against our Constitution. When everyone stays in India, they have to act per the culture of India,” the bench observed.

The apex court will now take up the matter on December 12.

Forced religious conversion may pose a danger to national security and impinge on religious freedom of citizens, the top court had said recently, and asked the Centre to step in and make sincere efforts to tackle the “very serious” issue.

Giving Tickets To Women Is Against Islam: Muslim Cleric

(Source: PTI)

The Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid in Ahmedabad, on Sunday, said allotting tickets to women in elections is a rebellion against Islam and weakens the religion.

Talking to reporters in Ahmedabad on the eve of the second and final phase of polling for the Gujarat Assembly elections, the Shahi Imam, Shabbir Ahmed Siddiqui, said women are not allowed to offer Namaz (prayer performed by Muslims) because they have a certain position in Islam.

"If you talk about Islam...Do you see even a single woman offering Namaz? Namaz has great importance in Islam. Had it been justified in Islam for women to come before people, they (women) would not have been stopped (from entering) the mosque. Women are stopped from visiting mosques because they have a certain status in Islam. Whoever (whichever party) gives tickets to (Muslim) women rebels against Islam. Don't you have men (candidates) that you are bringing in women? This will weaken our religion," the Shahi Imam said.

Voting for 93 out of 182 assembly seats will be held across 14 central and northern districts of Gujarat on Monday.

The first phase of voting for 89 seats in Saurashtra, Kutch and south Gujarat regions was held on December 1, when an average voter turnout of 63.31 per cent was recorded. The counting of votes will be taken up on December 8.

 

Bharat Jodo Yatra To Enter Rajasthan On Monday

The Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resumed in Agar Malwa district of Madhya Pradesh on the 11th day of its passage through the state on Saturday.

After a night halt, the foot march began from the bus stop in Mahudiya village in Agar Malwa around 6 am.

This is the 87th day of the yatra since it started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7.

Noted music composer of southern India T M Krishna will take part in the Bharat Jodo Yatra on Saturday, party sources said.

The yatra will take a halt at Amla village in the district around 10 am. Following the afternoon break, it will resume at 3.30 pm from Jain Mandir, Susner town and reach Mangeshpur Chowraha in Agar Malwa. The yatra participants will make an overnight stay at Lala Khedi village, they said.

As per the schedule announced earlier by the Congress, the foot march will cover a distance of 380 kms in Malwa-Nimar region of western Madhya Pradesh within 12 days before entering Rajasthan on December 4.

The march led by Gandhi entered Madhya Pradesh on November 23 in Burhanpur district from neighbouring Maharashtra. It has so far passed through Burhanpur, Khandwa, Khargone, Indore and Ujjain districts in the state and is currently moving through Agar Malwa, where it reached on Friday.