Author: Samikhsya Bureau

Stage is set for yet another round of high-decibel debate and confrontation in the Lok Sabha on Thursday on the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill that seeks to put a ban on the practice of instant divorce among Muslims.

Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Wednesday said that the treasury bench would like to ensure the passage of the Bill in both Houses of Parliament.

“We are in favour of constructive debate. Opposing a draft law or staging a walkout is part of the democratic process, but I am confident the Bill will be passed as it seeks to ensure justice for Muslim women and is against ill practices,” Mr Naqvi told reporters.(UNI)

(UNI) As many as 10 lakh people are expected to join ‘Ayyappa Jyothi’ — lighting of lamp from Hosangadi to Parassala, in a 795-km stretch across Kerala — here on Wednesday evening.

Creating awareness among the people to protect the customs and traditions of Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala, the Sabarimala Karma Samithi organised confluences in 12 other states also.

Devotees will join the confluence from Hosangadi to Angamali at National Highway, and from Angamaly to Moovattupuzha at M.C. Road.

Swami Yogendra Saraswathy will hand over lamp in Hosangadi while actor-turned politician Suresh Gopi will do the same in Kaliyikkavila.

Devotees will line up on the roadside from 1630 hrs and lit the lamp at 1800 hrs. The Ayyappa Jyothi will end with ‘Saranam Ayyappa’ chants.

BJP State president P S Sreedharan Pillai will light the lamp in front of the State Secretariat here where party’s general secretary Sobha Surendran is staging a hunger strike which completed seven days.

Devotees will line up holding lamps from Kerala’s northern district Kasaragod to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, sources said.

Meanwhile, CPI (M)-led Left Government also called for the formation of a ‘Women Wall’ on January 1 as part of renaissance movement to protect the religious rights of women.

The campaign was followed by September 28 Supreme Court verdict allowing the entry for women of all ages into the world-famous Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala.

(UNI) VIVO Pro Kabaddi League has set the benchmark for the rise of home grown sporting leagues in India.
Giving fans an opportunity to play with their favourite kabaddi players, Star Sports and Decathlon are offering fans an opportunity to participate in the sport and stand a chance to win INR 1 lakh.
Season VI of India’s premier Kabaddi tournament, keeping in line with the league’s vision has continued to redefine the standards for modern sports consumption in India.
The encouraging response from fans of the sport is reflective of the love India shares for Kabaddi and the potential it has to grow as a truly global sport.

(UNI) Is the UN tackling its most ambitious and far-reaching project: The 2030 Agenda to “transform the world”?
Many of the topics discussed during the Committee session were relevant to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which included all aspects of sustainable development, from macro-economic policy, human settlements, the eradication of poverty, and the best use of communications technologies for development.
In recent years, the committee’s work has begun with a keynote address from Homi Kharas, the director of the Global Economy and Development program at the Brookings Institute.
Mr Kharas has an intimate knowledge of the 2030 Agenda, having led the High Level Panel in 2015 which decided what should replace the Millenium Development Goals.
The answer was the SDGs, which are grouped in five specific themes including people, planet, prosperity, peace and the partnerships that are necessary to make them happen.
In an interview with UN News, he explained that it soon became clear how connected various pieces of the economic agenda are, “all of these different pieces, whether it’s alleviating poverty ending hunger, girls’ education, environmental issues…what we realised was that they all had to be tackled as a seamless whole, and that’s why the committee’s work is really so all embracing.”
Mr Jorge Skinner-Klée, Guatemala’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and current Chair of the 2nd Committee and the career diplomat with over 30 years experience, who describes himself as a “specialist in generalities…everything from the bottom of the sea, to outer space and in-between.”
He told UN News that the legacy of the creation of the committees, over 70 years old, is one of the big challenges that he, and other Chairs have to deal with, “there are a lot of anachronisms…that have permeated the agenda and have been there for some time… so many resolutions, and the momentum, come from the past, and now we have to figure out how best to procure resolutions that come into action and play into the SDG agenda.”
In terms of getting the 193 countries to pull in the same direction, Mr Skinner-Klée said the skill of the Chair is not enough, “It takes political will. So that means reciprocal transactions. There are countries who have vested interests….and the mainstay of the committee is the negotiation that happens between the G77– which is 134 countries plus China and, on the other side, the European Union.”
Mr Skinner-Klée said that he is encouraged by the global community’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda over the last three years, but is concerned that the current geo-political climate, which he characterises as one of “atomisation, confrontation and polarisation,” will have an impact on his ability to make progress on the items on the Committee’s agenda.
For Homi Kharas as well, the world is carrying all the cards it needs to fulfill the 2030 Agenda, but for various reasons, the international community is moving too slowly, “I think that we have the understanding, the resources, and technology to do much more than is currently being done. But we’re also distracted by many factors, and on the international stage we now have far lower levels of international cooperation, including in scientific exchange, than we have had in some time.”
His fears echo those expressed by the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who has warned that “climate change is running faster than we are – and we are running out of time.” The message from the UN Chief is clear for the work of the 2nd Committee and the 2030 Agenda to succeed, world leaders need to show more leadership and greater ambition, and avoid “a fate that none of us wants – a fate that will resonate through generations in the damage done to humankind and life on earth.”

(UNI) Reiterating his government’s commitment to boost the infrastructure sector of the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that a ‘New India’ would be before the world within a couple of years.

He also emphasized on importance of efficiency in the system, which had prompted his government to mark former PM late Atal Behari Vajpayee’s birthday today on Christmas Day as ‘Good Governance Day’.

“The seeds for a ‘New India’ were planted when late Atal Behari Vajpayee was in power. It may have been overlooked in between, but the results in the form of the ‘New India’ will be before the world soon,” Modi said, inaugurating the country’s longest 4.94 km Rail-cum-Road and Rail bridge, Bogibeel bridge, over the Brahmaputra river in Dibrugarh district of eastern Assam.

Underlining the importance of the Bogibeel bridge, he said, “This is not just a bridge, but a lifeline to connect lakhs of people. People’s lives will becomes easier. People will have easier access to better healthcare, education, opportunities for trade and commerce.”

(UNI)  It is well known that Sikkim is much cleaner than many other places in the nation.
Looking into the ways and means keeping both Urban and Rural areas clean, the State has taken
some interesting steps.
With his 26 years experience as the Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling led to introduce mandatory pre- condition to have toilets at home for anyone filing Panchayat election nomination! Not only this for any kind of Government benefit & granting possession of Toilet is mandatory,one is expected
to produce Certificate to that effect, while accessing any type of goods distributed free of cost ,including LPG Cylinders and Oven,Induction Cookers,Rice Cookers, House Upgradation, Corrugated Iron Sheets for replacing old roofs,particularly in the rural Sikkim.
Urban areas have different issues due to different life style. UNI came across the Mayor of Gangtok
Municipal Corporation. Distributing Dust Bins to Gangtokians, he was quite confident that the
beneficiaries would use brand new Dust Bins disposing of the old ones.
”We have to distribute 30 Thousnd Dust Bins. Some of the persons are yet to come and collect the Bins, the rest have taken. The Dust Bins of Blue colour are meant for dry and Green for wet.The families using those will have to segregate the waste at source”,said the Mayor GMC Shakti Singh Chowdhari.’
Far ahead of any State, Sikkim was conferred with Rashtriya Nirmal Gram Puruskar in 2008, But who
generates the public opinion, seeks public participation and much required awareness ?
Chief Minister Pawan Chamling has been taking personal interest leading the State to cleanliness and GMC Mayor is committed to realize the vision in the Capital.
The urban people not having big space for cultivation, depend on kitchen gardens.
Linking it to Swacch Bharat-Swachh Sikkim, he has motivated the public to use kitchen waste in the kitchen garden and terrace garden. 650 Smart Bins have been given out for converting the Kitchen waste into Organic Manure.What about rest of the garbage? ”We have a big landfill at Martam.The cleanliness and Greenery are the two components for non polluted Gangtok,” added Mayor.
Cleaning outdoors is done by ‘Gangtok Beautifiers’ they take pride in being named so, instead of being called Safai Karamcharis or Sweepers is done across rest of the country.
Mayor claims that street sweeping, is done twice a day, they walk with wheel barrows on the main market road to empty the big bins kept there for public strolling. Collection of Garbage is done in heavy vehicles by stopping at various points in the morning for households along the roadside to get their bins emptied.These vehicles are driven to Martam Landfill site, where the equipment is operated daily to dry up the whole filth.These vehicles have been funded by Asian Development Bank. 

(UNI) This year will be registered in the history of Indian Cinema, as the year marks the stardom of content.

In 2018 we saw the emergence of actors like Vicky Kaushal, Ayushmann Khurrana and Sohum Shah, Rajkummar Rao as a formidable draw at the box office.

And also movies like ‘Badhaai Ho’, ‘Stree’, ‘Raazi’ and ‘Tumbbad’ turning out to be big hits.

These actors have been around for a while and have been giving good performances but somehow always fell under the radar. However, this year things changed for this talented lot and they got the much-deserved acclaim, recognition and some of them even got the love of the audience as their films.

Ballari, Dec 25 (UNI) A teen-aged girl, who was attacked and dragged away by a leopard earlier in the day in Devalpur Village of Kampli taluk in the District, succumbed to injuries in the hospital on Tuesday.
Police said that the victim was identified as Jayasudha (13), native of the Devalpur village .
The girl was playing in front of Farm House when the man-haunter attacked and dragged to some distance. Workers raised alarm and chased away the animal and the girl was immediately shifted to hospital where she failed to respond to the treatment and died

The BJP on Sunday lashed out at the JD(S) leader and Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy for his reported instructions to the police to shoot and eliminate ‘killers’ of a Janata Dal (Secular) worker in Maddur in Mandya district of the state.

“Farmers died – No emotions, Govt officials killed – Doesn’t matter. Massive Corruption – That’s ok.

No development programs – I don’t print note. Dalits pushed to Slavery – hmmm. JD(S) Karyakartha murdered – Orders cops to immediately shoot……For Kumaraswamy all that matters is JD(S),” said a tweet from BJP’s Karnataka Twitter handle.

Karnataka Chief Minister Kumaraswamy courted controversy on Monday as he ordered police to shoot the killers of a D(S) worker at Maddur in Mandya district.

As soon as the news of his party leader’s murder reached him, Kumaraswamy, who was touring Koppal district, spoke to the Mandya SP over phone – which got recorded – asking the cops to arrest the killers. During his conversation, the Chief Minister was also heard saying – “shoot the killers”. (UNI)

(UNI) Trying to make some plain speaking, BJP leader and former Union Minister Subramanian Swamy has said that the recent defeat in three Hindi-heartland states will help the party emerge out of the ‘complacency’ and restart working for the all important win in 2019.
“I think that the Congress has won a battle and as a consequence will lose the war. Defeat of BJP in the recent Assembly elections has woken up the complacent in our party,” BJP leader tweeted.
He also wrote: “With defeat staring in our face, there is new determination to win the 2019
Lok Sabha election”.
The BJP’s election defeat in three crucial states of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh has left the party’s poll strategists concerned.
In some quarters the concern was all the more as closer scrutiny of figures suggest the saffron party’s vote share dropped in constituencies where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath campaigned.
However, some internal analysts say the ‘weakening’ of party in the three states only show that party’s dependence on ‘Modi factor’ is going to increase.

(UNI) Observing the national consumer day today, with a theme of “timely disposal of consumer complaints” the consumers and merchant organizations are looking forward for the impending law that is expected to revolutionarise the consumer rights in India.
Considered to be a milestone enactment, giving a lot more power to the consumers, the Consumer Protection Bill, 2018 was passed by the Lok Sabha on December 21 and is awaiting the nod of the Rajya Sabha, to become an Act.
The new Act will replace the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, which has been into near-oblivion for want of adequate tools that could protect the rights of the consumers in the changed market conditions.
The new law is expected to give more and sharper teeth for the consumers and consumer protection rights institutions.
The constitution of a Central Consumers Protection Authority, in lines with the consumer-friendly and highly acclaimed US Federal Trade Commission, is expected to be a game changer in consumer rights protection. That apart, inclusion of e-commerce, easing the formalities through e-filing and video-hearing and provisions against false or misleading advertisements would also go a long way in reinforcing the consumer right movement in India.

(UNI) The Central Government has decided to make all power meters smart prepaid in three years from April 1, 2019.
“This step is likely to bring revolution in power sector by way of reduction in AT&C losses, better health of DISCOMs, incentivisation of energy conservation, ease of bill payments and doing away with the paper bills,” stated the official release.
Move towards smart meters is a pro poor step as consumers need not pay the whole month’s bill in one go, instead they can pay as per their requirements. Manufacturing of smart prepaid meters will also generate skilled employment for the youth.
The State Governments had earlier signed the Power for All document and had agreed to supply 24*7 power supply to their consumers. Thus the distribution licensee shall provide 24*7 power to their consumers by 1st April, 2019 or earlier. However the appropriate Commission in exceptional circumstances for the reasons to be recorded in writing may grant extension in this time period.

Marking the first national security space mission for the United States, SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida’s Cape Canaveral on Sunday carrying a US military navigation satellite.

The rocket carries around $500 million GPS satellite built by Lockheed Martin Corp, as reported by AOL news.

The successful launch is a significant victory for SpaceX, which has spent years trying to break into the lucrative market for military space launches dominated by Lockheed and Boeing Co.

(UNI) The death toll of a terrorist attack against a government office in Kabul rose to 43 with an Afghan Public Health Ministry official said on Tuesday.

The siege lasted for about eight hours, leaving 43 dead and over 30 injured, Xinhua reported.

The attack occurred on Monday afternoon when a suicide bomber detonated a car bomb outside the targeted office, which provides service to family members of soldiers and ordinary people who lost their lives during the war or terrorist attacks.

The attack started with a car bomb explosion at 3:20 p.m. local time (1050 GMT) near the Ministry of Public Works and the National Authority for People with Disabilities and Martyrs’ Families in Kabul’s PD16 – near Makroyan-e-Kohna colony.

(UNI) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday announced the playing XI for the Melbourne Test against Australia, where they have inducted Rohit Sharma and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.

Rohit Sharma missed the Perth Test due to an injury, but was declared fit for the third Test, while ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has failed to recover from an abdominal strain.

Having won the first Test at Adelaide, the Indian team lost the second Test by a hefty margin of 146 runs. With the loss, the Indian team selection came under the scanner. More so, the Indian openers Murali Vijay and KL Rahul had to face the heat as yet again both of them failed to score runs for India.

However, the Indian team drafted Mayank Agarwal and Hardik Pandya into the squad for the rest of the series.

India’s Playing XI for the 3rd Test: Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane (VC), Mayank Agarwal, Hanuma Vihari, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah

(UNI) Internet of Things (IoT) market has the potential to reach two billion connections and unlock revenues of 11.1 billion dollars by 2022, an ASSOCHAM-EY joint report said.

About five new mobile connections per second are estimated to join the power of Internet in India by 2022, the report estimated.

The National Digital Communication Policy (NDCP) 2018 is a progressive policy that embeds broadband in the fabric of India’s digital economy and gives a roadmap for a digital future.

According to an ASSOCHAM-EY report — Propelling India to a trillion dollar digital economy — outlines immediate interventions and medium to long-term endeavours required to implement the vision and strategy of this transformative policy which has the potential to unlock a trillion dollar digital economy by 2022 and lead the Fourth Industrial revolution in India.

While potential is huge, India, however, currently lags behind the US, China and Korea in connectivity via optical fibre, stated the study. A meagre 25 per cent of telecom towers in India carry optical fiber whereas the share in the US, China and Korea is about 65-80 per cent.