Top news of the day: December 17, 2022 – The Hindu

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December 17, 2022 06:59 pm | Updated 06:59 pm IST
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Bilkis Bano argued that the early release of the convicts amounted to a violation of her fundamental right to life. File
Supreme Court rejects Bilkis Bano’s plea to review its May verdict on Gujarat’s choice of remission policy
The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea by Bilkis Bano to review its May judgment which allowed the Gujarat government to consider and release prematurely 11 convicts serving life sentence for gangraping her during the 2002 riots. A Bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and Vikram Nath dismissed Ms. Bano’s review petition by circulation in the chambers. Her petition had wanted the court to reconsider its judgment which permitted the Gujarat government to apply the State’s Premature Release Policy of 1992 while deciding pleas made by the 11 convicts for early release.
Where will people go if they do not get justice from Supreme Court: DCW chief on dismissal of Bilkis Bano’s review plea
“Supreme Court rejected Bilkis Bano’s plea. Bilkis Bano was gang-raped when she was 21 years old, and her three-year-old son and six family members were murdered but Gujarat government freed all the rapists. If justice won’t come from Supreme Court, where will people go,” Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal tweeted.
Pakistan rejects India’s criticism of Bilawal’s remarks on PM Modi
Pakistan on December 17 rejected India’s criticism of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s “uncivilised” outburst against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that it showed New Delhi’s “growing frustration”. On December 16, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in New Delhi said that Mr. Bilawal’s “uncivilised outburst” seemed to be a result of Pakistan’s increasing inability to use terrorists and their “proxies”. On December 17, the Foreign Office in Islamabad issued a statement in response to the media queries regarding the External Affairs Ministry’s comments on Bilawal. The MEA statement is “a reflection of India’s growing frustration over its failure in maligning and isolating Pakistan,” the Foreign Office alleged.
Hooch tragedy | Eight more die in two other Bihar districts
Close on the heels of the hooch tragedy in dry Bihar that left 30 people dead in Saran district, eight more died allegedly after consuming some spurious liquor in two other districts, officials said on December 17. Six people died in Siwan district adjoining Saran, while Begusarai witnessed two other deaths. The official toll of 30 there is the biggest since Bihar went dry more than six years ago.
Bravery, valour displayed by Indian armed forces in Galwan, Tawang commendable: Rajnath
The bravery and valour displayed by the Indian armed forces during the Galwan valley clash and a recent face-off in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh are commendable and any amount of praise for them is not enough, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on December 17. “Any amount of praise is not enough for the armed forces for the way they displayed bravery and valour, be it in Galwan or Tawang,” Mr. Singh said.
Mehrauli killing | Court posts hearing on Aftab’s bail plea to December 22
Saket court will now hear the bail petition of Aftab Poonawala, accused of murdering his live-in partner Shraddha Walker, on December 22 after the court was informed that he was unaware his lawyer had filed an application on his behalf. In the bail petition, Poonawala’s lawyer had asked the court to release him on bail as his career is at stake. The accused appeared before Additional Sessions Judge Vrinda Kumari through video-conferencing.
MVA allies take out protest march against Maha Govt, demand Governor’s removal for ‘insulting’ icons
In a show of strength, the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi constituents in Maharashtra took out a ‘Halla Bol’ protest march in Mumbai on Saturday against the Eknath Shinde-BJP government in the State, and emphatically demanded removal of Governor B.S. Koshyari for passing “insulting” remarks against iconic personalities, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Senior leaders of the three MVA allies — Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress — shared the stage after the protest march, where NCP chief Sharad Pawar said if the Governor was not removed, a “lesson” would be taught, while Uddhav Thackeray warned that there can be no compromise on the State’s self respect and pride.
Global target for pesticide reduction unnecessary: Bhupender Yadav at COP15
A numerical global target for pesticide reduction in the agriculture sector is unnecessary and must be left for countries to decide, India has said at the U.N. biodiversity conference in Montreal, Canada. Speaking during a high-level segment of the 15th Conference of Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said that the agriculture sector in India, like other developing countries, is the source of “life, livelihoods, and culture for hundreds of millions,” and support to it cannot be targeted for elimination.
Death toll from Malaysia campsite landslip rises to 24, nine missing
Rescue teams searching for survivors from a landslip that tore though a campsite in Malaysia recovered the bodies of a woman and two children on December 17, officials said, raising the death toll to 24. The landslip in Batang Kali, a popular hilly area about 50 km (30 miles) north of Kuala Lumpur, flattened the unlicensed campsite early on Friday while people slept in their tents. Those killed included seven children. Of the 94 people caught in the slide, 61 were safe and nine still missing, according to the Selangor state fire and rescue department.
Putin sounds out military commanders on Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought proposals from his armed forces commanders on how they think Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine should proceed during a visit to the operation’s headquarters, the Kremlin said on December 17. In video footage released by the Kremlin, Mr. Putin presided at a meeting of around a dozen people at a circular table, flanked by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and military Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov. Mr. Putin was then shown at the head of another conference table at the joint task force headquarters, inviting suggestions from a number of military commanders.
In COVID-hit Beijing, funeral homes with sick workers struggle to keep up
Funeral homes across China’s COVID-hit capital Beijing, a city of 22 million, scrambled on December 17 to keep up with calls for funeral and cremation services as workers and drivers testing positive for the novel coronavirus called in sick. After declaring that the Omicron strain has weakened, and unprecedented public protests against a zero-COVID policy championed by President Xi Jinping, China abruptly shifted its COVID-19 management protocols more than a week ago.
Elon Musk restores Twitter accounts of journalists after suspensions draw backlash
Elon Musk reinstated the Twitter accounts of several journalists that were suspended for a day over a controversy on publishing public data about the billionaire’s plane. The reinstatements came after the unprecedented suspensions evoked stinging criticism from government officials, advocacy groups and journalism organisations from several parts of the globe on Friday, with some saying the microblogging platform was jeopardizing press freedom.
48th GST Council meeting | No tax increase on any item; nod to decriminalise certain offences: Nirmala Sitharaman
The 48th GST Council meeting was held under the leadership of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on December 17. At the conclusion of the meeting Ms. Sitharaman said “In this GST Council meeting, there has not been any tax increase on any item. Everything that has been done is to issue clarifications where ambiguity of interpretations prevails.”
FIFA World Cup 2022 | France sweat on player fitness after virus outbreak on eve of finals against Argentina
France coach Didier Deschamps was sweating on the fitness of several key players on December 17 as his team battled a mystery virus on the eve of the World Cup final against Argentina. With little more than 24 hours to go before the world champions face Lionel Messi and Argentina at Doha’s Lusail Stadium on December 18 France have been left reeling by a viral outbreak that is believed to have affected five players so far. Central defenders Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konate, and winger Kingsley Coman were the latest players to be laid low by the illness, forced to miss a training session on December 16.
Ind vs Ban, 1st Test | Axar takes India closer towards victory in first Test
Seasoned Axar Patel upped the ante with a triple strike just when it mattered as Indian bowlers compensated for an insipid first session by reducing Bangladesh to 272 for 6, closing in on a big victory, on the fourth day of the opening Test in Chattogram on December 17. Debutant Zakir Hasan (100 off 224 balls) showed a lot of character, scoring a patient hundred but saving the Test match by batting out for nearly 180 overs in two days was always going to be an uphill task, as also chasing a target of 513. Bangladesh need another 241 runs on the final day on Sunday but skipper Shakib Al Hasan (40 batting) could be more keen on delaying the inevitable.
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