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 "LIVE: India needs to break free from narrow views of past, says PM Modi")
2 min read Last Updated : Dec 26 2022 | 9:36 PM IST
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Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" was on Monday sworn in as the Prime Minister of Nepal for a third time, a day after President Bidya Devi Bhandari appointed him as the new premier.
The 68-year-old former guerrilla leader was appointed as the country's new prime minister after he submitted a letter to the president showing the support of 169 members in the 275-member House of Representatives. Prachanda took oath from President Bhandari at an official ceremony at Shital Niwas.
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Concerned over revival of Old Pension Scheme by certain opposition-ruled states, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) member Sanjeev Sanyal on Monday said unfunded pension schemes are ultimately attacks on future generations.
Sanyal further said given the current stress in the global economy and the repeated downgrades done to the world GDP growth numbers by international agencies, it is quite obvious that 2023 will also be a difficult period.
"It should be very clear that unfunded pension schemes are ultimately attacks on future generations. Therefore, one should be very, very careful to reverse pension reforms that have been done with great difficulty over the last couple of decades," he told PTI in an interview.
4:22 PM
The ruling Mahagathbandhan' in Bihar on Monday cried foul over reports of a corruption case being reopened against Lalu Prasad, the founding president of the RJD which helms the alliance.
The central agency which is often accused, by parties opposed to the BJP, of having become a political instrument in the hands of the party ruling the Centre, has reopened inquiry into a case against Prasad which it had closed last year.
Former state minister and senior RJD leader Vijay Prakash recalled the caged parrot remark of the Supreme Court, made long back while the Congress-led UPA was in power, to allege misuse of the agency by the government at the Centre. "We are sure that Lalu ji, who has been slapped with so many cases by the CBI, will be proven innocent in all matters, including the latest one," Prakash told PTI.
2:52 PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India needs to break free from the "narrow views" of the past to take the country to heights of success.
Speaking at the first 'Veer Bal Diwas' event, Modi paid tributes to Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, Guru Gobind Singh's sons who laid down their lives while defending their faith.
"On the one hand there was terrorism and on the other spiritualism. On one hand there was communal violence while on the other there was liberalism. On one hand there were forces of lakhs while on the other there were just Veer Sahibzaade who did not budge at all," he said referring to the two martyred children of the Guru.
"Aurangzeb and his people wanted to convert the religion of Guru Gobind Singh's children on the basis of sword that is why he decided to kill the two innocent children. Imagine that era when against the terror of Aurangzeb, against his plans to change India, Guru Gobind Singh ji stood like a mountain," he said.
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UK health authorities said on Monday that they will stop publishing their regular Covid-19 infections modelling data in the new year because it is seen as no longer necessary as the country moves to a phase of living with the virus with the help of vaccines and medicines.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it will continue to monitor Covid like other common viral illnesses such as seasonal flu. Since April this year, the data on the reproductive rate, or the R value speed at which the novel coronavirus infects people, has been published fortnightly as a monitoring tool.
During the pandemic, the R value and growth rate served as a useful and simple indicator to inform public health action and government decisions, said Dr Nick Watkins, chair of the UKHSA Epidemiology Modelling Review Group (EMRG).
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Chinese authorities are going door to door and paying people older than 60 to get vaccinated against Covid-19. But even as cases surge, 64-year-old Li Liansheng said his friends are alarmed by stories of fevers, blood clots and other side effects.
When people hear about such incidents, they may not be willing to take the vaccines, said Li, who had been vaccinated before he caught COVID-19. A few days after his 10-day bout with the virus, Li is nursing a sore throat and cough. He said it was like a normal cold with a mild fever.
China has joined other countries in treating cases instead of trying to stamp out virus transmission by dropping or easing rules on testing, quarantines and movement as it tries to reverse an economic slump. But the shift has flooded hospitals with feverish, wheezing patients.
The National Health Commission announced a campaign Nov. 29 to raise the vaccination rate among older Chinese, which health experts say is crucial to avoiding a health care crisis. It's also the biggest hurdle before the ruling Communist Party can lift the last of the world's most stringent antivirus restrictions.
2:07 PM
Intense cold and fog have hit normal life in several parts of north India. Many people are forced to remain inside their homes and keep themselves warm.
On Monday, sub-zero temperatures were recorded in Fatehpur area of Rajasthan's Sikar district. It recorded a minimum temperature of minus 0.5 degree Celsius, the coldest place in the state.
Fatehpur was followed by Churu and Pilani (Jhunjhunu) where the mercury settled at 0 degree Celsius and 0.2 degree Celsius, respectively, on Sunday night, according to the meteorological department.
1:47 PM
South Korea says it fired warning shots after North Korean drones violated the South's airspace,according to AP.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said several unmanned North Korean drones crossed the inter-Korean border and were detected in the South's territory on Monday. It's the first time for North Korean drones to enter South Korean airspace since 2017.
Monday's incident came three days after South Korea said North Korea test-launched two short-range ballistic missiles in its latest weapons tests.
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Five elephants have been brought to Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Madhya Pradesh from Karnataka for the protection of tigers.
The five elephants started their journey via road in trucks from Dubare Elephant Camp at Coorg in Karnataka on December 22 under the supervision of the Satpura Tiger Reserve's staff, PTR deputy director Rajneesh Singh said.
They reached the Kurai Mowgli Sanctuary of PTR on Sunday after travelling via Nagpur. Their food items were also transported in a truck, the official said.
1:10 PM
Former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray says the Centre should declare "Karnataka-occupied Maharashtra" areas as Union territory.
Speaking in the in the legislative council on the raging boundary dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said it is not just a case of language and border but of "humanity". He said the Marathi-speaking people have been living in the border villages for generations. Their daily life, language and lifestyle is Marathi, he added.
Till the issue is pending before the Supreme Court, the "Karnataka-occupied Maharashtra should be declared a Union territory by the central government," he said.
1:05 PM
US embassy in Pakistan has warned American citizens about a possible terrorist attack at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad. It has prohibited American staff from visiting the five-star facility.
In a statement on Sunday, the embassy said the US government is aware of information that unknown individuals are possibly plotting to attack Americans at the Marriott Hotel sometime during the holidays. Effective immediately, the embassy is prohibiting all American staff from visiting Islamabad's Marriott Hotel, it added.
12:58 PM
Five foreign nationals, four of them from Thailand and one from Myanmar, have tested positive for Covid-19 upon arrival in Bihar on a pilgrimage, says an official.
According to Dr Ranjan Kumar Singh, the medical officer in charge of Gaya district, the foreigners were tested at the international airport in Gaya as part of a drill being followed for those visiting Bodh Gaya to attend the Dalai Lama's discourses scheduled later this week.
Altogether 33 foreigners were tested over the weekend. Of them, five, including four females, have tested positive, said Singh.
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Nearly 23.8 million people over the age of 60 in China are yet to receive their first shot of Covid-19 vaccine as the country goes through a massive surge in infections, the media reported on Monday.
According to the South China Morning Post, as China eased its zero-Covid policy, the country doubled down on vaccination drives but the vaccination rate for the elderly is worryingly low.
The vaccination figure fell to "just 42.4 per cent for those aged 80 and over", the report mentioned.
The elderly, most of whom have other ailments, are most concerned about the effectiveness and safety of the vaccines.
12:32 PM
Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new feature which will provide users the ability to report status updates on desktop beta.
The new feature will allow users to report a status update right within a new menu in the status section, reports WABetaInfo.
If users see any suspicious status update that might violate the Terms of Service, they will be able to report it to the moderation team with the new option.
12:13 PM
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is scheduled to hold a virtual meeting with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Monday.
The IMA informed that Mandaviya will hold the meeting via video conferencing at 4 pm regarding the Covid-19 situation and preparedness.
On Saturday, Mandaviya said that the government has been working to control the spread of Covid-19 and urged the people to wear masks and follow covid appropriate behaviour.
12:00 PM
Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" will be sworn in for the third time as the Prime Minister of Nepal on Monday, a day after President Bidya Devi Bhandari appointed him as the new premier and ended the protracted political uncertainty in the Himalayan nation.
President Bhandari on Sunday appointed 68-year-old Prachanda as the country's new prime minister as per Article 76 (2) of the Constitution after receiving the CPN-Maoist Centre chairman's claim to the seat, backed by as many as 169 Members of the House of Representatives.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid tributes to Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, Guru Gobind Singh's sons who laid down their lives while defending their faith.
Their martyrdom day is observed as 'Veer Baal Diwas'.
Modi tweeted, "On Veer Baal Diwas, we recall the courage of the Sahibzades and Mata Gujri Ji. We also remember the courage of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji."
10:48 AM
India logged 196 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases marginally increased to 3,428, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.
The Covid case tally was recorded at 4.46 crore (4,46,77,302).
The death toll stands at 5,30,695 with two fatalities reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.56 per cent, while the weekly positivity was pegged at 0.16 per cent, the ministry said.
10:30 AM
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi visited the memorials of Mahatma Gandhi and several former prime ministers here on Monday morning.
He visited Veer Bhumi, Shakti Sthal and Shanti Van, the memorials of former prime ministers Rajiv Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.
Rahul Gandhi also visited Rajghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, and Vijay Ghat, the memorial of former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.
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The central government has pumped in Rs 30,000 crore for the development of Andaman and Nicobar Islands over the last eight years, and investments of over Rs 10,000 crore are in the pipeline, Union Minister L Murugan said.
He said a trans-shipment hub, a greenfield international airport, a township and a diesel/solar power plant have been planned as part of the proposed mega infrastructure project on the Great Nicobar Island.
9:57 AM
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Sunday took a sharp dig at the ruling coalition regarding the early polls in the country and said that he would instead choose the opposition benches rather than forming a weak government this time, ARY News reported.
In an interview with a private news channel, Imran Khan conceded that forming a weak government was his mistake.
The PTI chief stated that a weak government will not be tolerated this time. He explained that a political party with a clear majority in parliament might modify the legislation.
9:44 AM
South Korea's new Covid-19 cases fell below 30,000 on Monday due to fewer tests during the Christmas weekend.
The country confirmed 25,545 new coronavirus infections, including 67 from overseas, bringing the total to 28,684,600, Yonhap news agency reported, citing the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
The tally on Monday, which tends to be lower due to fewer tests over the weekend, is down by around 1,000 from a week ago. It is also slightly lower than the 25,657 reported two weeks ago.
Topics :Amit ShahPope FrancisRussia Ukraine ConflictGujaratRahul GandhiJairam Ramesh
First Published: Dec 26 2022 | 7:52 AM IST
