SC steps in before U.P. Lokayukta takes over – (Indian Polity)
- In a dramatic twist 24 hours before Justice (retired) Virendra Singh is scheduled to swear in for an eight-year term as the Uttar Pradesh Lokayukta, the controversy over his candidature refused to die down.
- The court asked the State on Saturday to defer his formal oath-taking ceremony till January 6.
History of warfare bears testimony to decisive role of technology: Pranab – (Defence)
- President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday called upon engineers, newly inducted into the Indian Army, to harness the latest defence technologies, given the fast pace of transition with new concepts being introduced and research opening new vistas.
- “The change being driven by path-breaking research is both exhilarating and mesmerising,” Mr Mukherjee pointed out, presiding over the 88{+t}{+h}convocation ceremony of the 96{+t}{+h}degree engineering and 24th technical entry scheme courses at the Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering (MCEME) in Secunderabad
‘A long way to go for HAL’s new aircraft engine’ – (Defence)
- The latest milestone in aircraft engine development that Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd unveiled, counted with its other helicopter engines project, may be two new tiny steps which, however, may be no match for the giant gap that exists for indigenous aero engines, experts in the field say.
- The projects that the premier military aircraft maker has embarked on will be respectively for small jets and trainer planes; and light helicopter projects.
Evidence of Buddhist monastery found – (Indian Culture)
- A treasure trove of historical evidence of immense heritage value has been by found by archaeologists at the Vommili village of V. Madugula mandal in the district recently.
- The objects retrieved from a trial excavation on the surface include a standing image of the Vajrayana deity ‘Heruka’, a terracotta elephant head, conical mud bowls, thumb and finger print designs on pots, polished black ware, dull chocolate-coloured slipware and herringbone patterns.
‘Malabar’ exercise should not upset peace: China – (International Relation)
- India’s trilateral naval exercise with Japan and the United States, named “Malabar”, should not destabilise China’s maritime neighbourhood, said China’s Ambassador to India Le Yucheng to The Hindu on Saturday.
- “India should ensure that initiatives like the trilateral maritime arrangement or defence ties with other countries are conducive for peaceful and stable Asia-Pacific region,” Mr Le said on the sidelines of a media event in New Delhi on Saturday.
Enclave dwellers now harried by land issues – (International Relation)
- Citizens of erstwhile Bangladeshi enclaves that became part of India on August 1 have decided to launch a non-cooperation movement against the Cooch Behar district administration seeking to settle land issues pertaining to the added territory.
- A memorandum the Citizen Rights Co-ordination Committee submitted to the District Magistrate of Cooch Behar district states that if the issues related to land records are not taken care of by December 31, the members would resort to a “non-cooperation movement”.
UN Security Council agrees on Syria plan – (International Relation)
- For the first time since thenearly five-year-old Syrian civil war began, world powers agreed on Friday at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to embrace a plan for a ceasefire and a peace process that holds the distant prospect of ending the conflict.
- A resolution adopted unanimously by the Security Council reflected a months-long effort by American and Russian officials, who have long been at odds over the future of Syria, to find common national interests to stop the killing, even if they cannot yet agree on Syria’s ultimate future.
Entry of B-52 bombers in South China Sea a provocation: Beijing – (International Relation)
- Two U.S. B-52 bombers flew close to islands in the flashpoint South China Sea this month in a “serious military provocation”, Beijing said on Saturday, as tensions simmer in the disputed waterway.
- China insists it has sovereignty over virtually all of the resource-rich sea, conflicting with the various claims of several neighbouring nations, and U.S. activity in the area has provoked Beijing’s ire several times in recent months.
Government to push for bankruptcy law in 3 days – (Economics)
- Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, said he would push for bankruptcy law in the remaining three days of the ongoing winter session of the Parliament.
- “The next three days in Parliament are extremely crucial… I am going to be pushing for the insolvency and bankruptcy law before Parliament in the next three days,” Mr. Jaitley said while speaking at the FICCI AGM here.
India rues WTO Nairobi outcome skirting Doha – (Economics)
- India on Saturday expressed its ‘thorough’ disappointment over non-reaffirmation to conclude 14-year-old Doha Round pacts, even as the five-day WTO meeting here managed to win a commitment to allow developing nations to use special safeguards to protect farmers against import surges.
- After hectic negotiations for five consecutive days here — exceeding the scheduled closing by almost 24 hours — the WTO Trade Ministers concluded their talks without any commitment on rich countries being asked to check their domestic subsidies.