1. 24 seats in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir reserved since it’s ours: Amit Shah
2. Karni Sena chief’s wife warns of violence as police rush to catch killers
3. BJP MPs who emerged victorious in state assembly polls resign from Parliament
4. Chief of US’s Federal Bureau of Investigation to visit India next week
5. India pushes to maintain military presence in ‘strategically imp’ Maldives

What Else

• India urged to put pressure on China to free the 11th Panchen Lama of Tibet
• India’s stock market hits $4 trillion milestone, gains surpass Hong Kong
• 80 UP madrassas under SIT lens for Rs 100cr foreign funding
• Govt bans over 100 websites running investment scams like cash-for-rating
• China Formally Accords Diplomatic Recognition to Taliban Govt in Afghanistan
• Italy formally pulls out of China’s Belt and Road Initiative
• China’s one of a kind next-gen nuclear reactor starts commercial operations
• China claims to have developed ‘most powerful’ microwave weapon for drones, can jam comms for miles
• Pakistan: LeT man who plotted attacks on CRPF, BSF convoys killed in Pakistan
• Canada: UKPNP raises concern over human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir
• Pakistan: PTM chief Manzoor Pashteen disappeared, allegedly picked up by Pakistan’s secret agencies

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24 seats in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir reserved since it’s ours: Amit Shah

• While speaking in Lok Sabha, Home Min Amit Shah on Wed stated that 24 seats in the J&K Assembly had been reserved for PoK as they belong to India
• While tabling the J&K Reorganisation Bill, 2023 in the House, Shah said that earlier, Jammu had 37 seats but now it has 43.
• He added that 24 seats have also been reserved for PoK.
• Shah tabled 2 bills related to J&K in the LS – the J&K Reorganisation Bill, 2023, and the J&K Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which were passed by LS. (here)
• Important Points: The strength of the Assembly increased from 83 to 90 out of which 43 were in Jammu and 47 in Kashmir.
• 7 seats are reserved for SC and 9 seats are reserved for STs.
• LG can nominate 1 person from PoK.
• LG must nominate 2 people from the Kashmiri migrant community and 1 of them should be a woman.
• People living in border areas declared socially and economically backward

Karni Sena chief’s wife warns of violence as police rush to catch killers

• A day, after he was shot dead at his Jaipur residence, the wife of SRRKS chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi, threatened that protests over his killing may turn violent.
• The 50-year-old was shot dead inside his residence by two men identified as Rohit Rathore and Nitin Fauji, who had reached his home through one Naveen Shekhawat.
• The assailants also gunned down Shekhawat.
• With protesters refusing to collect the body or allow postmortem, the Police have declared a Rs 5 lakh bounty on the 2 accused as well as a Rs 5 lakh for any information, apart from constituting a Special Investigation Team.
• By Wed, officials in Rajasthan appeared to be breakthrough with the protesters, after the admin held a meeting with leaders and assured them of fulfilling all their demands, including handing over the case to the NIA, Rs 11 crore, and a govt job to the kin.
• The administration and community leaders also signed an 11-point agreement in this regard.
• However, Gogamedi’s brother and wife rubbished this “agreement”.
• Meanwhile, a day after Rohit Godara, a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, claimed responsibility for the murder, Punjab Police sources said they had alerted Raj Police
• The input further revealed that Nehra had arranged an AK-47 to accomplish the task through his associates outside the jail. (here)

BJP MPs who emerged victorious in state assembly polls resign from Parliament

• Days after the BJP won 3 assembly elections, the 10 MPs who were fielded by the party in these elections and won their seat resigned from the Parliament.
• Two other MPs Baba Balaknath and Renuka Singh did not come to the house.
• BJP President J.P. Nadda led the delegation of these MPs during the meeting with PM Modi, LS Speaker Om Birla, and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar. (here)
• BJP yet to declare the CM name in 3 states.

Chief of US’s Federal Bureau of Investigation to visit India next week

• The Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray is expected to visit India next week, the US Ambassador to India confirmed on Wed.
• The visit comes amid the controversy over a bid to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil, for which the WH blamed India.
• Speaking about India-US relations at ‘Global Technology Summit’ held in New Delhi, Ambassador Eric Garcetti confirmed that the FBI director is here next week.
• The FBI Director’s visit, aimed at firming cooperation between the US and India on a range of law enforcement issues, comes days after US Dy NSA, Finer was in Delhi (here)
• ‘Will attack Parliament on or before Dec 13’: Pannun’s new threat over plot to kill him: Khalistani terrorist Pannun has released a video in which he said he would attack the Indian Parliament on or before Dec 13 following an alleged foiled plot to kill him.
• Notably, Dec 13 will mark the 22^nd anniversary of Parliament’s attack by terrorists in 2001, which was crafted from Pakistan.
• The video featured a poster of the 2001 attack convict Afzal Guru with the caption ‘Delhi Banega Khalistan’.
• He asserted he will respond by attacking the Parliament on or before Dec 13, in which the Winter Session is going on till Dec 22.
• (sources)- security agencies said the K-2 (Kashmir-Khalistan) desk of Pakistan’s ISI had given directions to Pannun to advance their agenda. (here)

India pushes to maintain military presence in ‘strategically imp’ Maldives

• BS (official)-India is pressing to keep its troops and military equipment in the Maldives, a strategically important island nation. 
• The two countries have set up a committee to discuss India’s deployment in the archipelago, the officials said, asking not to be identified because the discussions are private. 
• A Sun press release from the Maldivian president’s office said an agreement has already been reached to remove around 70 Indian troops.
• President Mohamed Muizzu, who was elected in Sept, heads a party that’s perceived to be close to Beijing and has welcomed Chinese investment.  (here)

India urged to put pressure on China to free the 11^th Panchen Lama of Tibet

• The Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in coordination with the India Tibet Coordination Office in New Delhi, launched the “Panchen Lama Awareness Initiative” at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi on Tue.
• Tibetans and Indian Tibet supporters urged New Delhi to put pressure on Beijing to release the 11^th  Panchen Lama of Tibet and raise concern about the dire human rights situation in Tibet with China.
• Indian MPs Sujeet Kumar, Sushil Kumar Modi, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, Aneel Prasad Hegde, and Chandeshwar Prasad, condemned the forced occupation of Tibet by the Chinese Communist regime and called for the immediate release of His Eminence the 11th Panchen Lama from Chinese captivity. (here)

India’s stock market hits $4 trillion milestone, gains surpass Hong Kong

• India’s stock market surpassed the $4 trillion market value for the first time on Tue, marking a significant accomplishment for the world’s 5^th-largest equity market, narrowing the gap with Hong Kong, which has experienced a notable decline. 
• The market capitalization of companies listed on India’s exchanges has surged by $1 trillion in less than 3 years, positioning the South Asian market as one of the top performers regionally and globally.
• India’s key stock benchmarks, already at all-time highs, have record a rise of more than 13% this year, indicating unprecedented gains for the 8^th consecutive year.
• In contrast, Hong Kong’s equity measure has fallen by 17%, with the market’s total value dropping to less than $4.7 trillion. (here)

80 UP madrassas under SIT lens for Rs 100cr foreign funding

• The 3-member Special Investigation Team, set up to look into the financial sources of madrassas in UP, has so far identified 80 of them which received nearly Rs 100 crore as donations from several countries over the past two years.
• Senior officials said the SIT was now trying to identify the head under which these funds were spent by the madrasas and if there were any irregularities thereon.
• Uttar Pradesh has around 24,000 madrassas, of which over 16,500 are recognized by the UP Board of Madrassa Education.
• The Yogi Adityanath govt last year directed district magistrates to survey unrecognized madrasas.
• During the two-month survey, 8,449 madrassas which were not recognised by the state madrassa education board were found to be functioning. (here)

Govt bans over 100 websites running investment scams like cash-for-rating

• New Delhi has banned more than 100 such investment scam websites that target vulnerable Indian citizens much like predatory loan apps, DD reported on Dec 6.
• As per a press release, MeitY invoking its power under the IT Act of 2000, blocked these websites.
• News18 on Dec 5, 1^st reported that the Home Ministry (MHA) had communicated to the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) to block these sites.
• The websites were found linked to multiple bank accounts and the money was transferred from one account to the other to confuse investigating agencies.
•  The money was eventually converted to cryptocurrency. (here)

 [NEIGHBORHOOD]

China Formally Accords Diplomatic Recognition to Taliban Govt in Afghanistan

• China has become the 1^st to confer diplomatic status to a Taliban-nominated official as Afghanistan’s Envoy to Beijing, thereby formally recognizing the Taliban-run administration as a legitimate govt in Kabul.
• As a long-standing friendly neighbor of Afghanistan, China believes that Afghanistan should not be excluded from the international community, Chinese FM Spox told the media on Tue when asked whether China recognized the Taliban.
• China along with Pakistan and Russia maintained its embassy in Kabul after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in Aug 2021 following the withdrawal of US troops.
• Significantly, China’s diplomatic recognition comes at a time when Pakistan, Beijing’s all-weather ally, is having serious problems with the Taliban which it once nurtured.
• Pakistan is now blaming the Taliban govt for recurring terrorist attacks in the country and criticized it for not cracking down hard on Pakistan Islamic militant groups, especially the Pakistani Taliban, operating from Afghanistan.
• In retaliation, Islamabad has ordered forceful evacuation of thousands of Afghan refugees living in the country for decades. (here)

Italy formally pulls out of China’s Belt and Road Initiative

• Italy has officially informed Beijing of its decision to withdraw from President Xi Jinping’s BRI, ending months of speculation over a relationship that had irritated Rome’s Western allies.
• The formal decision comes three months after PM Giorgia Meloni — who in the past had called Rome’s participation in the BRI a “mistake” — publicly confirmed while affirming her determination to maintain “mutually beneficial” relations with Beijing. 
• An official confirmed on Wed that Rome had formally notified Beijing of its intent to withdraw from the deal.
• Meloni’s office declined to comment.
• The Italian government had been eager to find a way to withdraw gracefully from the scheme without provoking harsh retaliation from Beijing. (here)

China’s one of a kind next-gen nuclear reactor starts commercial operations

• China’s new generation nuclear reactor, the first of its kind worldwide, has begun conducting commercial operations, official media reported on Wed.
• As China turns to nuclear power to try and meet carbon emissions goals, the 4^th Gen plant in the northern Shandong province of China is designed to use fuel more efficiently and improve its economics, safety, and environmental footprint.
• Xinhua news agency also said the 200 MW high-temperature, gas-cooled reactor HTGCR plant developed jointly by state-run utility Huaneng, Tsinghua University, and China National Nuclear Corporation, uses a modular design.
• Modular plants refer to those of less than 300MW that can be constructed off-site.
• Proponents say they can operate in remote locations and power traditionally hard-to-abate heavy industry sectors, but critics say they are too expensive. (here)

China claims to have developed ‘most powerful’ microwave weapon for drones, can jam comms for miles

• Just days after the US showcased one of their most powerful microwave weapons that can jam signals over a large area, Chinese technocrats claim to have developed a microwave source for drones that surpasses anything currently available worldwide, potentially altering the balance of military power permanently.
• The breakthrough, detailed in a peer-reviewed paper published in the High Power Laser and Particle Beams journal, involves a powerful yet compact microwave weapon designed to fit various drone models.
• The researchers claim that the drone-mounted microwave source can perform multiple functions, including radar operation, target monitoring on the ground, in water, or the sky, and electronic jamming. (here)

Pakistan: LeT man who plotted attacks on CRPF, BSF convoys killed in Pakistan

• Unidentified men gunned down Adnan Ahmed aka Abu Hanzala, a top-ranking LeT commander and plotter of a series of attacks on security convoys in the Valley over the years, in Karachi 3 days ago.
• Hanzala was shot multiple times in the head, chest, and stomach at point-blank range by assailants who audaciously managed to break his 2-tier security ring provided by ISI
• Law enforcement agencies termed it a terror attack.
• Hanzala shifted base from Rawalpindi to Karachi in ’20
• Hanzala had coordinated the terrorist attack on a CRPF convoy in Pampore (J&K) on June 25, 2016, resulting in eight casualties and injuries to 22.
• The killing of yet another terrorist on India’s ‘wanted list’ stood out for two reasons.
• Unlike others wanted by India for involvement in terrorism and who was killed in Pakistan, Hanzala was guarded by 24×7 multiple-layer security.
• Second, in his instance, the determination that he was eliminated in a “terrorist attack” came fast. (here)

Canada: UKPNP raises concern over human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir

• Kashmiri political activists have raised concern over the gross human rights violations in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in a recently held seminar in Calgary.
• The event organized by the United Kashmir People’s National Party North America announced massive demonstrations across PoK and other parts of the world in support of the Awami Action Committee.
• The event featured addresses from key leaders, including UKPNP’s Canada President Sardar Riaz Khan, and Alberta President Sardar Niaz Ahmed.
• They highlighted the party’s objectives and expressed gratitude for the support received.
• The outfit’s General Secretary of North America Sardar Tahir Aziz outlined the party’s manifesto, rules, and regulations, addressing challenges faced by workers in PoK (here)

PTM chief Manzoor Pashteen disappeared, allegedly picked up by Pakistan’s secret agencies

• Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) chief Manzoor Pashteen has still not been produced in court after being arrested on Mon and it is alleged that he was forcibly disappeared by Pakistan’s secret agencies.
• Former Member of Pakistan National Assembly Mohsin Dawar said: “.. He remains forcibly disappeared. The state is violating the law openly and brazenly. We demand the immediate production of Manzoor in court.”
• The PTM leader was arrested after the police were fired at from his vehicle, Chaman Deputy Commissioner said on Mon, as per Pakistan-based Dawn newspaper. (here)