Himachal Pradesh govt. sets up the General Category Commission (Samanya Varg Aayog).
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Friday announced formation of a Commission to address the grievances of the ‘general category’.
A Scheduled Caste Commission is already in operation in Himachal Pradesh and is chaired by former Shimla MP Virendra Kashyap.
Within minutes of the announcement made by Thakur in the state Assembly in Dharamsala, a notification was issued formalising the decision.
The one-page notification stated: “The Governor, Himachal Pradesh, is pleased to constitute a ‘Samanya Varg Aayog’.”
International Day of Neutrality observed by UN on Dec 12
Neutrality is defined as a legal status which arises when the state decides not to take part in any armed conflict. International Day of Neutrality lays emphasis on raising awareness levels in public about the value of neutrality in international relations. Article 2 of the UN charter also permits the member states to settle their disputes by peaceful means.
Resolution for this day was introduced by Turkmenistan, which has been a neutral state since December 12, 1995. Marking the most historic day ever, the UN General Assembly declared December 12 as the International Day of Neutrality on February 2, 2017. Many countries have maintained a neutral stand on war, thus providing a peaceful atmosphere to their citizens.
One of the examples of such a country is Switzerland. A beautiful country situated within the Alps, it has been in a state of neutrality since 1815 Congress of Vienna which led to an end to the Napoleonic wars. Switzerland adopted the strategy of armed neutrality to keep the country safe from Allied and Axis powers. Through this strategy, the country maintained a considerable amount of army to isolate itself within the borders of the state, also allowing them to have a defensive position against any foreign invasions.
SIGNIFICANCE
International Day of Neutrality allows for friendly relations between the countries, which will avoid a war like situation thus keeping the citizens safe and secure. The feeling of safety and security will help them in raising the quality of their living standards and increase their productivity. It also helps to keep good diplomatic relations between the countries.
International Universal Health Coverage Day celebrated on Dec 12, theme: ‘Leave No One’s Health Behind: Invest in Health Systems for All’.
Theme: “Leave No One’s Health Behind: Invest in Health Systems for All”
On 12 December 2012, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed a resolution urging countries to accelerate progress toward universal health coverage (UHC) – the idea that everyone, everywhere should have access to quality, affordable health care - as an essential priority for international development. On 12 December 2017, the United Nations proclaimed 12 December as International Universal Health Coverage Day (UHC Day) by resolution 72/138.
International Universal Health Coverage Day aims to raise awareness of the need for strong and resilient health systems and universal health coverage with multi-stakeholder partners. Each year on 12 December, UHC advocates raise their voices to share the stories of the millions of people still waiting for health, champion what we have achieved so far, call on leaders to make bigger and smarter investments in health, and encourage diverse groups to make commitments to help move the world closer to UHC by 2030.
South Pacific archipelago of New Caledonia chooses to stay with France; separatists boycott referendum
Voters in the French island territory of New Caledonia chose overwhelmingly Sunday to stay part of France, in a referendum boycotted by pro-independence forces and closely watched around the South Pacific.
French President Emmanuel Macron hailed the result as a resounding confirmation of France's role in the Indo-Pacific, and announced negotiations on the territory's future status. Separatist activists expressed disappointment or resignation.
They had urged a delay in the vote because of the pandemic, and were angry over what they said were French government efforts to sway the campaign. So, they called on their supporters to stay away from voting stations.
Naftali Bennett in UAE on historic first visit by an Israeli PM
The trip marks the first official visit by an Israeli PM after the two countries established diplomatic ties last year
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett arrived in the UAE on Sunday as part of an official visit.
The trip marks the first official visit by an Israeli PM after the two countries established diplomatic ties last year.
The UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, welcomed the PM at the Presidential Terminal at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
Mohamed Al Khaja, UAE ambassador to Israel, and Amir Hayek, Israel’s ambassador to the UAE were also present.
US author Anne Rice, known for the novel ‘Interview with the Vampire’ (1976), dies at 80
Anne Rice, the trailblazing writer of popular vampire fiction widely known for her best-selling novel "Interview With the Vampire," died late Saturday at age 80.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen wins season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and 2021 Formula One Drivers’ championship; Mercedes win Constructors’ championship.
The Red Bull Racing Honda star stands on top of the world, capping a brilliant season with an incredible last-gasp win in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Formula One world champion. Four words that separate the great from the merely very, very good in the highest-profile motorsport category on the planet. Four words that will act as a permanent prefix to Max Verstappen's name after the Red Bull Racing Honda driver secured the 2021 drivers' championship with a brilliant win at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix .
India returned from Asian Rowing Championship in Thailand with 6 medals (2 gold, 4 silver).
India drew curtains on the Asian Rowing Championship in Thailand with a total of six medals, including two gold and 4 silver medals.
On the final day today, Senior rower Arvind Singh bagged a gold in the lightweight Men's single sculls event while his compatriots won three silver medals.
India bagged silver medals in Men's Lightweight Double Sculls, Men's Quadrapul Sculls and in Men's Coxless Four.
Arvind Singh, who finished 11th at the Tokyo Olympics along with Arjun Lal Jat in the Men's Lightweight Double Sculls finished first in the field as he got the better of Uzbek and Chinese scullers for the gold medal.
In Lightweight Men's Double Sculls, India's Ashish Phugat and Sukhjinder Singh won the silver. In the Men's Quadruple Sculls, India's Bittu Singh, Jakar Khan, Manjeet Kumar and Sukhmeet Singh won silver in a photo-finish, losing the gold by 0.523 seconds.
In Men's Coxless Fours final, India's Jasveer Singh, Punit Kumar, Gurmeet Singh and Charanjeet Singh won the silver.
