(UNI) The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Bill which permits surrogacy only for couples who cannot conceive a child whereby prohibiting commercial surrogacy, and allowing altruistic surrogacy.

Congratulating members for supporting the Bill, Health Minister J P Nadda said despite the ruckus, a quality debate had taken place and this shows the concern of the members.

Despite the din, among others Supriya Sule (NCP), B Mahtab (BJD) , Kakoli Ghosh Dastidaar (Trinamool Congress), Nishikant Dubey (BJP) and N K Premachandran (RSP) debated the Bill and shared their views.

The Minister said, ‘The Bill protects the dignity of women and children. It rejects commercial surrogacy totally and at the same time , the intention is to save the family.’

The Bill has been brought to regulate the surrogacy process so that couples without children can use medical science and extend family, he said.

(UNI) A bust of Mahatma Gandhi has been unveiled at the Auguste-Viktoria-Gymansium, one of the oldest schools in the German city of Trier, as part of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi.
Ambassador of India to Germany, Mukta Dutta Tomar, who unveiled the bust with Lord Mayor of Trier, Wolfram Leibe last week, highlighted the significance and relevance of the principle of non-violence to achieve peace, tolerance and understanding in the contemporary world.
She reminded about the continuing relevance of Gandhian thoughts on sustainable living and appreciation for natural resources and his teaching that “The earth, the air, the land and the water are not an inheritance from our fore fathers but on loan from our children. So we have to handover to them at least as it was handed over to us.”

(UNI) An adolescent star in the midst of a dramatic growth phase has been observed with the help of two NASA space telescopes.
The youngster belongs to a class of stars that gain mass when matter swirling around the star falls onto its surface, NASA said in an official statement on Wednesday.
The star belongs to a class of fitful stars known as FU Ori’s, named after the original member of the group, FU Orionis (the capital letters represent a naming scheme for variable stars, and Orionis refers to its location in the Orion constellation).
The in-falling matter causes the star to appear about 100 times brighter.
Typically, these stars, which are less than a few million years old, are hidden behind thick clouds of dust and hard to observe. This new object is only the 25th member of this class found to date and one of only about a dozen caught in the act of an outburst.
The new findings shed light on some long-standing mysteries surrounding the evolution of young stars, including how they acquire all of their mass. This rarely observed outbursting behavior could be common but might typically be hidden from our view by thick clouds of dust.

ISRO Scientists at the Mission Control Centre, including its
Chairman Dr K Sivan, were watching the course of the flight
with bated breath. About 19 minutes after lift off, the 2,250 kg GSAT-7A would
get separated from the launch vehicle and injected into the
orbit. This was a record seventh mission for ISRO in 2018.
This is the seventh flight of the GSLV Mk-II with indigenous
cryogenic stage and the third successive successful GSLV
mission this year.

Each new stage of London’s hysteria over alleged threat coming from Russia coincides with aggravation in the Brexit process, Alexander Venediktov, an aide to the Russian Security Council secretary, said in an interview with Sputnik.
“The UK-related example is an illustrative one. Each new stage of hysteria over alleged Russian threat coincides with aggravation of crisis related to the painful Brexit process. This is already a system, a smoothly running and predictable one,” Venediktov said.
The United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in a referendum in June 2016 and is expected to do so by late March 2019.
On December 11, UK Prime Minister Theresa May postponed the vote on her Brexit deal with the European Union, which led to a vote of no confidence against May later in the week. Though she won the vote 200 to 117, the future of Brexit deal is not yet decided and no-deal Brexit also remains possible.

(UNI) Amid the differing voices in the opposition over DMK president M K Stalin proposing Congress president Rahul Gandhi as the PM candidate for the 2019 elections, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday said the decision on the top post would be taken by the UPA after the elections.
He, however, added that Mr Gandhi is “100 per cent” ready to be India’s prime minister”.
Speaking at the ‘Agenda Aaj tak 2018’, Scindia said,’’Rahul is 100 per cent ready to be PM. However, it is the UPA that will choose PM candidate.’’
When asked whether he was unhappy on not being chosen as Chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Scindia, who was one of the contenders for the post, said he never wanted the post, and that he just wanted the Congress to win.
‘’I did not want the post of MP Chief minister . Just wanted Congress to win,’’Mr Scindia said.
The Guna MP said the Congress’ surge in the Hindi heartland in the assembly elections marks Rahul Gandhi’s first major success as party president. 

(UNI) The Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has filed a Sou Moto case against the Meghalaya government for compensation of 14 miners trapped in the illegal coal mine in East Jaintia Hills district, an official said on Wednesday.

On the other hand, the fate of 14 miners, who were trapped inside the 370 feet deep coal mine now for the last one week, remains unknown, even as rescuers from National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force are making all efforts to evacuate the trapped miners.

‘The State Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary Y Tsering to cause an effective enquiry to be conducted into the entire matter and submit the detailed report thereof so as to reach the same before the State Commission within 30 of receipt of this notice,” MHRC Secretary, Aldous Mawlong said.

(UNI) Mumbai resident Hamid Nihal Ansari, who returned to Pakistan Tuesday, met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj here along with his mother.

“Welcome home, son! Indian national, Hamid Ansari returns home after six years of incarceration in Pakistan. EAM Sushma Swaraj warmly welcomed him in Delhi today,” MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar tweeted on Wednesday.

Ansari, who was jailed in Pakistan, was released on Tuesday by Pakistan and allowed to cross the Wagah border to reunite with his family.

His mother got emotional on the occasion and said: “Mera Bharat Mahan…”.

She also thanked Ms Swaraj and said “madam ney hi sab kiya hae (It is you who has helped his return)”.

Ansari also turned sentimental and looked on the two with his moist eyes.

Taking a jibe at the Assam and Gujarat governments for announcing waiver of farm loans and rural electricity bills respectively, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said his party had managed to wake up these state governments from their slumber.

In a post on social media, Mr Gandhi, claiming that the decision of the two state governments was a fallout of the newly elected Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh governments announcing farm loans waiver, said the Congress would wake up the Prime Minister too.

‘The Congress party has managed to wake the CMs of Assam & Gujarat from their deep slumber. PM is still asleep. We will wake him up too,’ he tweeted.

(UNI) QYOU Media today announced that it has partnered with Airtel Digital TV, the DTH arm of Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”), to bring ‘The Q India’s 24/7 linear stream of digital first content to Indian homes’.
Airtel Digital TV customers can now enjoy The Q India’s exciting content that has been curated from top creators in the region, as part of their monthly DTH pack.

With the average Indian consumer increasingly watching short-form video content on social media platforms like YouTube and Facebook each month, there is growing opportunity to engage customers with short form content on a regular basis. Airtel Digital TV, which reaches over 14 million homes across India, is bringing The Q India to its platform to leverage this trend. The Q India will be available on channel number#125 on Airtel digital TV and will be broadcast in Hindi.
With this partnership, The Q India will continue to expand the viewership reach for its premium content coming from India’s leading digital content creators. The Q India is a 24/7 linear service stream of premium curated content that launched in December 2017 and is aimed at Young Indians (20-30 years).

(UNI) ZEE5 on Wednesday launched Rangbaaz, an action-packed show with a stellar cast Saqib Saleem, Aahana Kumra, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Ranvir Shorey and Ravi Kishan.
Directed by Bhav Dhulia,written by Siddharth Mishra and produced byJAR Pictures, Rangbaaz premieres globally across 190+ countries on December 22 on ZEE5.
Inspired by real-life events, the nine-episode web series shows the journey of one of the most feared gangsters from Uttar Pradesh in the 90s.

Set against the rustic background of India’s heartland, the UP of the 90s, Rangbaaz revolves around the story of Shiv Prakash Shukla, played by Saqib Saleem. It revolves around a man engaging in the dark and dirty world of crime and shows the human side of one of the most feared gangsters of the region from the ’90s.
Tarun Katial, CEO, ZEE5 India said, ”After a phenomenal year, we are now closing on a high with the launch of Rangbaaz, an action-packed series. Our ongoing research has indicated huge interest among our audience for series inspired or based on true life incidents. While this show is based on characters in North India, it is essentially a universal story and would resonate with our audiences across the country. Rangbaaz has a mix of strong and relatable characters played by class actors, and we are confident that it will get us a phenomenal response from across the nation.

(UNI) Veteran actress and wife of Dilip Kumar, Saira Banu, has expressed hope that Prime Minister will look into the matter and help save her husband’s bunglow from the land mafia.

In a tweet post by Banu via Kumar’s Twitter account on Tuesday, the veteran actress requested for an appointment with PM Modi after slamming Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for not doing
anything in the matter despite assurances.

She further writes that she ‘begged’ the Prime Minister to protect their ‘only house’ from land mafia Samir Bhojwani.
Meanwhile, ‘Prime Minister’s Office has taken note of veteran actor Dilip Kumar’s tweet alleging threat from one builder (Samir Bhojwani)’, an official from the CM’s office said.

The tweet read “Padma Vibhushit betrayed, threatened by money and muscle power. Request meeting with you in #Mumbai,”.
Interacting with the electronic media, Saira Banu had sought audience with Modi, who was here on Tuesday, to discuss the issue following the builder’s release from jail.
Bhojwani had falsely claimed ownership of the two plots in upscale Pali Hill area of suburban Bandra on which the ailing 96-year-old actor’s bungalow is located.
Later, Mr Fadnavis said that he would speak to the couple and try sort out the issue.

“For the last three months, the CM has been promising me that he will talk to Bhojwani and resolve the issue. I hope he will stick to his words and do the needful,” she added.

Giving details about the dispute, “This man (Samir Bhojwani) is an expert at land grabbing, forgery and fraudulent cases. He is doing these things because he has muscle power and money. He has big
political connections, and therefore, no one is willing to take action against him.”
She also stated that Bhojwani has violated BMC guidelines but they have not taken any action against him.

Saira Banu said, “We have been facing this court dispute and harassment by Samir Bhojwani for the last 10-12 years.

(UNI) Amid heightened politics over farm loan waiver, former Vice Chairman of

NITI Aayog Arvind Panagariya has said that such “sad race to the bottom” was no panacea to the farmers’ distress and suggested that there is need to look for ‘different solutions’ to farmers woes.

“‏A sad race to the bottom has begun. If loan waivers would fundamentally alleviate farmers’

plight, waivers would be a welcome step. But if after 70 years of Independence, farmers remain in distress, we need to seek different solutions,” tweeted Mr Panagariya, who had resigned in August 2017 as the NITI Aaoyg Vice Chairman.

Mr Panagariya is at present a professor at Columbia University.

In his Tweet, Mr Panagariya also attached a news item that shows Congress President Rahul Gandhi has dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to waive all farm loans in the country.

The promise of farm loan waive is said to have contributed chiefly to the victory of Congress in three heartland states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan also has lately said that farm loan waiver should not form

part of the election manifesto or promise during elections and that he has already written

Newly formed Bhupesh Government in Chhattisgarh has approved farm loan waiver of Rs 6100 crore for farmers within a few hours after it was sworn-in.
In a cabinet meeting,  Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday night, it was decided to waive off short-term farm loan of Rs 6100 crore in cooperative banks and Chhattisgarh Gramin Bank as on November 30, 2018. More than 16 lakh 65 thousand farmers will get benefit.

Kangna Ranaut directed Manikarnika’s trailer is out. Featuring in a titular role in her maiden directorial venture Kangna ‘s film will be released on Januray 25. Doing the role of Rani Jhansi the 3 minutes 20 second trailer provide a glimpse of the era into Rani Jhansi revealing the warrior skills of Manikarnika and her expertise with the sword.

(UNI) The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) on Tuesday hosted a roundtable discussion on “Piracy Prevention: New Media, New Challenges” in partnership with the Government of India’s Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) under the Department of Industrial Promotion & Policy (DIPP).
The roundtable brought diverse stakeholders from the Indian and U.S. governments, along with private sector and civil society, to discuss global best practices and respective roles and responsibilities towards combating piracy in India.

The EU countries agreed to prolong the Operation Sophia, formally European Union Naval Force Mediterranean (EU NAVFOR Med), aimed at rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean Sea as well as countering human trafficking, for three months until March 2019, the EU Political and Security Committee (PSC) said.
The mission was prolonged for three months instead of a year, as it has been done before, because of Italy’s wish to change the mission’s regulations in order to avoid accepting migrants rescued in the central Mediterranean route.
“The PSC agreed to prolong the mandate of the EU NAVFOR Med (Sophia) operation for three months,” the committee said, as quoted by Welt.

An FIR was registered here against five people, including the security guards of PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, in connection with the assault on Samaa TV cameraman a day earlier.

On Monday, a TV footage had surfaced showing the cameraman Syed Wajid Ali lying on the ground outside the parliament building after being violently assaulted by a security guard for coming in the way of the PML-N supreme leader while recording him, a report in Dawn said.
He was then seen being joined another guard who kicks the cameraman on his face. The guard, as per the footage, then escapes the scene in one of the vehicles of the protocol.
The injured cameraman was admitted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) where the doctors administered three stitches on his lips, and on his head.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Monday announced shortlists in consideration for the 91st Academy Awards in nine categories, including foreign language films, documentaries, music, visual effects and shorts.
It is the first time for the organization to release those shortlists in consideration for Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, on the same day.
Nine films will advance to the next round of voting in the Foreign Language Film category. A total of 87 films, including three Chinese-language films, had originally been considered in the category.
According to the Academy, Los Angeles-based Academy members from all branches screened the original submissions in the category between mid-October and Dec 10. The group’s top six choices, augmented by three additional selections voted by the Academy’s Foreign Language Film Award Executive Committee, constitute the shortlist.