The Sports Ministry has approved the inclusion of four indigenous Games to be a part of Khelo India Youth Games 2021, scheduled to take place in Haryana. The games include, Gatka, Kalaripayattu, Thang-Ta and Mallakhamba.
 
Speaking about the decision, Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju said, India has a rich heritage of indigenous sports and it is  a priority for the Sports Ministry to preserve, promote and popularise these games. He said, there is no better platform than the Khelo India Games where athletes of these games can compete. The Minister said, the games have huge popularity and is telecast across the country by Star Sports. He expressed confidence that in the 2021 Khelo India Youth Games these four disciplines, along with Yogasana, will get their much deserved attention among sports enthusiasts and youth of the country. Mr Rijiju said, in the coming years we will be able to add more indigenous sports at the Khelo Games.
 
The four selected games represent different parts of the country. Kalaripayattu has its origin from Kerala and has practitioners all over the world. Mallakhamba has been well-known across India and Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have been the hotspots of this sport. Gatka originates from Punjab and this traditional fighting style of the Nihang Sikh Warriors is used both as self-defense as well as a sport. Thang-Ta, a Manipur marital art has passed into oblivion in the recent decades, but the sport will get national recognition again with the help of the Khelo India Youth Games 2021.

A number of European countries have imposed travel bans on the UK after it reported a more-infectious coronavirus variant. Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium have decided to halt flights. An European Union meeting today will discuss a more co-ordinated response to the new challenge. The new variant has spread quickly in London and south-east England.
 
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has introduced a new tier four level of restrictions for those areas, scrapping a planned relaxation of rules over the Christmas period. Top health officials said, the new variant is proving to be up to 70 percent more infectious. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said, the new strain is out of control and they have to get it under control.
 
Europe is expected to start a massive vaccination campaign after Christmas following the United States and Britain.

The country’s COVID-19 recovery rate has further improved to 95.53 per cent, as more than 25 thousand COVID patients have recovered during the last 24 hours. Health Ministry said, the total number of recoveries has gone up to over 96 lakh six thousand. The actual caseload currently comprises only 3.02 per cent of the total positive cases.
 
Presently, the total number of active cases in the country is around three lakh three thousand. India has one of the lowest Covid 19 deaths per million population globally, which stands at 105.
 
The Ministry said, focussed measures including targeted testing, early identification, timely isolation and prompt hospitalization and Standard Treatment Protocol have ensured that daily fatalities are under 400.
 
During the past 24 hours, 24 thousand 337 new cases were reported taking the total number of positive cases in the country to over one crore 55 thousand. The Ministry said, that effective implementation of the strategic and graded Test, Track and Treat approach has led to higher recoveries and lower fatality. Currently, India’s Case Fatality Rate is at 1.45 per cent, which is one of the lowest globally. During the last 24 hours, 333 deaths were reported taking the toll to one lakh 45 thousand 810.
 
According to Indian Council of Medical Research, more than nine lakh tests were conducted during the last 24 hours. The total number of samples tested so far has reached 16 crore 20 lakh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold Virtual Summit with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc today.
 
During the Summit, the two leaders will exchange views on wide-ranging bilateral, regional and global issues and provide guidance for the future development of India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
 
In 2020, both countries continued high-level exchanges. Vice-President of Vietnam Ms. Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh came to India in February this year on an official visit. Both Prime Ministers had a telephone conversation on 13th April this year to discuss the situation arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 17th edition of the Joint Commission Meeting virtually co-chaired by the two Foreign Ministers was held on 25th August 2020. Defence Minister held an online meeting with his counterpart on the 27th of last month.

The government has asked farmers to choose a date for next round of talks. In a letter to farmer Unions, joint secretary in the Agriculture Ministry Vivek Agrawal urged them for a dialogue to resolve the issue. He said the Centre is making all efforts to find an appropriate solution to resolve all the issues raised by the farmers with an open mind.
 
Mr Agarwal said, government intends to convene the next meeting at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi for resolving the issue. He also mentioned that the government-held meetings with several other farmers’ organisations and sought their suggestions on the matter.
 
The sixth round talk between farmers and government was cancelled after farmers’ leaders rejected the government’s draft proposal to amend certain provisions of the farm laws and declined to participate in the meeting.

Star Argentine footballer Lionel Messi has equalled Brazilian legend Pele’s record of 643 goals for a single club by scoring for Barcelona against Valencia. Messi has achieved the feat in a Spanish league match where both the teams ended in a 2-2 draw yesterday.

Football legend Pele scored 643 goals in 665 competitive games for Brazilian club Santos between 1956 and 1974 while Messi needed 748 matches from 2005 to 2020 to reach the tally.

PrimeMinister Narendra Modi today visited Gurudwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in New Delhiand paid tributes to the courageous Guru Teg Bahadur who made supreme sacrificefor a noble cause, a few centuries ago. 

In a tweet, Mr Modi said thathe prayed this morning at the historic Gurudwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in NewDelhi wherethe pious Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji’s mortal remains were cremated. 

Mr Modi said, he felt extremelyblessed as he and millions around the world are deeply inspired by the kindnessof Sri Guru Teg Bahadur.

He said, it is the Blessing ofthe Guru Sahib that the country will mark the special occasion of the 400thParkash Parv of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur during NDA Government’s tenure. Mr Modisaid, let us mark this blessed occasion in a historic manner and celebrate theideals of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji.

The sudden visit of the Mr Modicaught the Gurudwara authorities by surprise as the Prime Minister came at ashort notice. And his visit did not cause any inconvenience to devotees asthere were no police arrangements or traffic barriers.

PM Modi had also paid tributesto Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji on his Shaheedi Diwas in a tweet yesterday. He wrotethat Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji’s life epitomised courage and compassion. And Onhis Shaheedi Diwas, he bows to the great Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji and recallhis vision for a just and inclusive society.

Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninthguru, was born in 1621 and was martyred in 1675 in Delhi. Sikh tradition statesthat the Guru stood up for the rights of Kashmiri Pandits who approached him tointercede on their behalf with the emperor Aurangzeb and ask him to revoke arecently imposed tax. He was publicly executed in 1675 on the ordersof  emperor in Delhi for defying Mughal rulers. 

In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has imposed tighter coronavirus curbs and largely reversed plans to ease restrictions over Christmas as the country battles a new more infectious strain of the Corona virus. The number of cases in England has soared in the last two weeks because of a variant of the virus that scientists said is up to 70% more transmissible.

British Prime minister tore up plans to allow three households to mix indoors for five days over the festive period and said London and southeast England would now be placed in a new Tier 4 level. People in Tier 4 will be required to stay at home except for essential reasons. The new rules will come into effect from tonight.

The country’s COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 95.46 per cent as more than 29 thousand COVID patients have recovered during the last 24 hours.

The Health Ministry said, the total number of recoveries has gone up to over 95 lakh 50 thousand. India’s COVID recoveries have witnessed a steep exponential rise from 50 thousand in May to over 95 lakh in December.

Currently, India’s Case Fatality Rate is at 1.45 per cent, which is one of the lowest globally. India’s cumulative tests for detection of COVID-19 have crossed the 16 crore mark today. 

Enforcement Directorate has attached assets worth 11.86 crore rupees belonging to former chief minister Farooq Abdullah and some others in connection with Jammu Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) scam. While the book value of these attached properties is 11.86 crore rupees, their market value is about 60 to 70 crore rupees.

The ED issued provisional attachment order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and the attached properties are located in Jammu and Srinagar. Two immovable assets are residential, one is a commercial property while three other plots of land have also been attached by the Enforcement Directorate.

Mr Abdullah is being investigated over allegations of misappropriating 113 crore rupees that was sent to the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The allegations pertain to a time when he was president of the JKCA. Mr Abdullah has been questioned by the ED in this case a number of times, the last being in October at Srinagar. 

Election Commission of India has issued advisory to Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry for transfer and posting of officers connected with conduct of assembly elections to be held next year. ECI has advised that government officers directly connected with the conduct of elections must not be posted in her or his home district.

It said officers against whom the Commission had recommended disciplinary action in past and which is pending or which has resulted in a penalty or the officers who have been charged for any lapse in any election or election related work in the past, should not be assigned any election related duty. Further, any officer, who is due to retire within the coming six months, should not be associated with any election related duty. It also said the officers posted on recommendation of the Commission during 2019 Lok Sabha elections may be exempted from the transfer policy.

The Prime Minister said even during the pandemic, when the whole world is troubled for investment, record FDI and FPI have come to India as the world trusts the Indian economy now. He gave a call for the industry to increase the domestic investment drastically in line with the increased confidence of the world.
 
Delivering the keynote address  virtually at ASSOCHAM Foundation Week 2020 on saturday, the Prime Minister asked the Indian industry to increase their investments in Research and Development especially in sectors like agriculture, defence, space, energy, construction, pharma and transport.
 
 
Mr Modi also urged  all the companies to earmark a certain amount for Research and Development in every sector. He said, the world is moving rapidly towards the fourth industrial revolution. He said, challenges will come in the form of new technology and many solutions will also come.
 
The Prime Minister said this is the time to show Capability, Commitment and Courage of Indian industry to the world. He called upon industries and businesses to put all their energies in the coming years to establish a self-reliant India. He said, in 27 years the country will be celebrating its centenary of Independence and what the country is going to deliver in the coming 27 years will not only determine India’s global role, but will also test both the dreams and dedication of Indians.
 
The Prime Minister said, from corporate governance to profit-sharing, the best policies of the world must be adopted as early as possible and a profit-centric approach should be made purpose-oriented and more integrated with the society.
 
Mr Modi said, the country stands beside enterprises and wealth-creators that will give India’s youth a lot of opportunities. He said, India’s youth is making its name in innovation and the start-up sector.
 
The Prime Minister said, the Government is constantly doing reforms to promote manufacturing in India and more than 10 sectors have been brought under production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme. He said, positive results have been witnessed in a very short period. Mr Modi said, the reforms in the country have influenced in changing the sentiment of the industry from ‘Why India’ to ‘Why not India’ in investing.
 
Mr Modi stressed on the need to have an effective mechanism for how India will meet any sudden demand in the global supply chain. The Prime Minister said, India is also capable of helping the world while meeting its needs.
 
The Prime Minister said that the Government is engaged in providing broadband connectivity to every village in the country so that the reach of the village farmer is also up to Digitally Global Markets.
 
On the occasion, the Prime Minister presented the ASSOCHAM Enterprise of the Century Award to Industrialist Ratan Tata, who received the award on behalf of the TATA Group.
 
The Prime Minister said, for the past 100 years, ASSOCHAM and TATA Group have been involved in improving the economy of the country and the lives of crores of Indians.
 
ASSOCHAM was established in 1920 by promoter Chambers representing all regions of India. Having in its fold over 400 Chambers and Trade Associations, and serving over 4.5 lakh members across India, ASSOCHAM has emerged as the fountainhead of knowledge for Indian industry.