India

BY VISHAL GULATI
Montreal, Dec 20 (IANS) In a first-of-its-kind unique initiative to bring action for biodiversity from sports worldwide, 23 sports organisations, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as a founding partner, and the Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, have signed the Sports for Nature Framework.


Signatories to the Framework pledge to adhere to four key principles that will safeguard nature and contribute to the new global goals for biodiversity, which were later adopted by 196 countries under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) at the 15th Conference of the Parties meeting (COP15) in Montreal.

Co-created by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), IOC, and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), in collaboration with the Secretariat of the CBD, the Sports for Nature Framework aims to deliver transformative action for nature across sports, by 2030 and beyond.

The Framework brings together sports federations, leagues, clubs and events in a commitment to protect and avoid damage to important species and habitats, restore key ecosystems, create sustainable supply chains, and educate and inspire the wider sporting community to take action for nature.

Signatories to the Framework commit to develop and implement action plans for each of the four principles, and report on their progress annually to an expert panel who will confirm that the actions undertaken are credible and effective.

On behalf of the founding partners, IUCN will lead on coordination with the signatories to the Framework and provide signatories with technical support, tools and training in partnership with Sails of Change Foundation, a foundation dedicated to the protection and regeneration of biodiversity.

"There is an urgent need to halt biodiversity loss by 2030 and everyone, including sports and recreation, must play a role. The Sports for Nature Framework is a step in the right direction. Thank you to the IOC, IUCN and UNEP for joining forces under the Convention on Biological Diversity in this ground-breaking initiative to bring action for biodiversity from sports worldwide," said the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Elizabeth Mrema.

"It is encouraging to see this level of commitment from sports federations, leagues, clubs, and events, and I challenge all sports organisations to follow suit by taking urgent action for biodiversity."

"The IOC believes everyone has a responsibility to care for the planet. As a founding partner of the Sport for Nature Framework, we want to help the sports community minimise any negative impacts on nature and inspire nature-positive action," said IOC member Tricia Smith, participating in the launch.

"This commitment builds on the success of the UN Sport for Climate Action Framework, and the IOC's own efforts to address the climate and biodiversity crises: reducing emissions by half by 2030, committing to a 'no-go' for any permanent Olympic construction within protected areas, setting high environmental standards for our food sourcing and creating an Olympic Forest to help restore degraded land in Mali and Senegal."

More than 100 representatives from international federations, national Olympic committees, regional and national associations, local teams and athletes, along with experts from academia, non-government organisations, science advisors and sports sustainability consultants, provided input on the Sports for Nature Framework.

This input was gathered during six formal consultations during November 2022, as well as through an online form and one-on-one consultations.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)

--IANS
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New Delhi, Dec 20 (IANS) During the last five years, the Directorate of Enforcement has taken up investigation in around 87 cases under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) against MPs, MLAs and MLCs (both former and sitting).

Minister of State, Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary on Tuesday in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha said that during the last five years 59 Prosecution Complaints (PCs) have been filed before the Special Court (PMLA) which are at various stages of trial.

The provisions of PMLA came into force with effect from July 1, 2005 and till date trial has been completed only in 36 cases by the Special Court, PMLA and the remaining 1,082 cases are at various stages of trial.

The reply further said that the trial of offence of money laundering has been completed only in 21 cases on merit out of 36 decided cases which resulted in the conviction of 31 accused in 20 cases.

In the remaining 15 cases, trial of offence of money laundering could not proceed further on merit due to quashing of predicate offence on the basis of charge sheet filed by predicate agency. However, in these cases appeal has been preferred before the high courts.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Dec 20 (IANS) As you write poems, essays or computer programmes via Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot called 'ChatGPT' created by for-profit research lab called OpenAI, cyber-security researchers on Tuesday warned of hackers potentially using the AI chatbot and Codex to execute targeted and efficient cyber-attacks.

Check Point Research (CPR) used ChatGPT and Codex (OpenAI's another AI-based system that translates natural language to code), to create malicious phishing emails and code, in order to warn of the potential dangers that the new AI technology can have on the cyber threat landscape.

The CPR team used 'ChatGPT' to produce malicious emails, code and a full infection chain capable of targeting people's computers.

The team chatted with ChatGPT to refine a phishing email to make infection chain easier

"Using Open AI's ChatGPT, CPR was able to create a phishing email, with an attached Excel document containing malicious code capable of downloading reverse shells," the researchers noted.

Reverse shell attacks aim to connect to a remote computer and redirect the input and output connections of the target system's shell so the attacker can access it remotely.

'ChatGPT' is an AI chatbot system that OpenAI released last month for the public to ask it countless questions and get answers that are useful.

The researchers said that the expanding role of AI in the cyber world is full of opportunity, but also comes with risks.

"Multiple scripts can be generated easily, with slight variations using different wordings. Complicated attack processes can also be automated as well, using the Learning Management Systems (LLMs) APIs to generate other malicious artifacts," they wrote.

Defenders and threat hunters should be vigilant and cautious about adopting this technology quickly, otherwise, our community will be one step behind the attackers, said the report.

--IANS
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Srinagar, Dec 20 (IANS) Three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists were killed during a joint operation by the army and police in South Kashmir's Shopian district, officials said on Tuesday.

Based on specific inputs, a joint cordon and search operation was launched in the Munjh Marg area by the Army, J&K Police and CRPF, the military said.

"The security forces established the initial cordon and sealed the area. As the forces approached the target area, the hiding terrorists lobbed multiple grenades and started indiscriminate firing on the troops."

The military said the security forces, while ensuring no collateral damage, retaliated with precision and neutralised the terrorists.

"On detailed search, one AK series rifle, two pistols and other warlike stores were recovered from the encounter site," it added.

Among the three neutralised terrorists, two were identified as Lateef Lone of Shopian, who was involved in the killing of a Kashmiri Pandit Purana Krishna Bhat; and Umer Nazir of Anantnag, involved in killing of Till Bahadur Thapa of Nepal, the police said.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Dec 20 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday appointed Senior Advocate V. Giri as Amicus Curiae for examining the implementation of Article 15(2) and the wider issue of prevailing discriminatory practices in society in view of a plea filed by a Khasi tribe woman challenging the Delhi Golf Club's decision of asking her to leave the club due to her traditional attire.

On December 12, the court had granted time to the club to place on record the latest amended by-laws.

Referring to the by-laws submitted by the club, the woman's counsel Senior Advocate Vrinda Grover submitted that they have now entrenched the discrimination.

The bench listed the matter for further hearing on January 20.

Counsel for the club on December 5, had submitted that an apology has been given to the lady. Responding to that, Grover had contended that the affidavit submitted by them says that they have not apologised.

He had said that he has been engaged in the matter and will seek instructions as there are issues with maintainability as well.

However, on December 12, the Club's counsel submitted that one apology has already been given.

Grover contended that it is not an apology and they are saying that it is a mistake of an employee, but the employee has followed their by-laws, and it is written in there.

He had submitted that the bylaws have been amended in the year 2017.

--IANS
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Agra, Dec 20 (IANS) The Agra Municipal Corporation in Uttar Pradesh has sent notices to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) asking it to pay Rs 1.9 crore as water tax and Rs 1.5 lakh as property tax on the Taj Mahal, a protected monument.

The bills are for the financial year 2021-22 and 2022-23.

The ASI has been asked to clear the outstanding dues within 15 days, failing which the property (Taj Mahal) would be 'attached' if the tax was not cleared within the stipulated time.

Municipal commissioner Nikhil T. Funde, said, "I am not aware about the tax-related proceedings related to the Taj Mahal. Fresh notices are being issued based on the statewide geographic information system (GIS) survey conducted for the calculation of taxes. All premises, including government buildings and religious sites, have been issued notices based on dues pending on them. Rebate is provided following due process of law. In the case of notices issued to the ASI, required action will be taken on the basis of response received from them."

ASI superintending archaeologist Raj Kumar Patel meanwhile, said, "Property tax is not applicable on monuments. We are also not liable to pay taxes for water as there is no commercial use of it. Water is used to maintain greenery within the premises. Notices related to water and property tax for Taj Mahal have been received for the first time. It could have been sent by mistake."

Assistant municipal commissioner and in-charge of the Tajganj zone, Sarita Singh, said, "The matter related to notices issued for water and property tax on the Taj Mahal is being investigated. A private company has been tasked to realise tax on the basis of a GIS survey."

ASI officials said that the Taj Mahal had been declared a protected monument in 1920 and that even during the British regime, no house or water tax had been levied on the monument.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Dec 20 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday adjourned the bail plea of jailed Aam Aadmi Party Minister Satyendar Jain's bail plea for hearing on January 5, 2023.

Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma was expected to hear Jain and the two co-accused's (Ankush Jain & Vaibhav Jain) pleas challenging trial court's order denying them bail in a money laundering case. All three were denied bail on November 17 by Special Judge Vikas Dhull.

The High Court on December 1, had sought the response of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Jain's bail plea in the case. Justice Sharma had directed the ED to file its response within two weeks.

On December 12, the High Court issued notice to the ED on bail pleas filed by Jain's co-accused Ankush Jain and Vaibhav Jain.

The ED filed a charge sheet before a court against Satyendar Jain and others in connection with the case on July 27. It was alleged that Jain, while holding the office as a Minister in the Delhi government, during the period from February 14, 2015, to May 31, 2017, had acquired assets that were disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Jain was placed under arrest on May 30, by the central agency under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.

The ED had initiated a money laundering investigation on the basis of the FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation in 2017 under Sections 13(2) read with 13(1)(e) of the PC Act, 1988 against the Minister, his wife Poonam Jain, and Ajit Prasad Jain, Sunil Kumar Jain, Vaibhav Jain, and Ankush Jain.

A charge sheet was filed by the CBI on December 3, 2018, against Jain, his wife Poonam Jain, and other accused.

Earlier, the ED had provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs 4.81 crore belonging to companies beneficially owned and controlled by Jain on March 31, 2022.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Dec 20 (IANS) Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha, Piyush Goyal demanded an apology from Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of Opposition, on his speech made in Rajasthan's Alwar.

Goyal backed by party members, who were raising slogans demanding an apology, said "He has no right to be in the house and should apologise to the BJP, which is the biggest party in the world."

He said, "That is why Gandhi ji wanted to wind up the Congress."

Responding to it, Kharge said, "I have spoken outside the house which is a political speech and I can repeat that... there is no role of the BJP in the freedom movement."

Kharge added that the Congress leaders have sacrificed their lives while the BJP leaders used to ask for pardon from the British government.

In Alwar on Monday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "Congress gave freedom to the country and Indira and Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed their lives for the unity of the country."

He added, "Congress party leaders gave their lives. What did you (BJP) do? Did any of your dogs die for the country? Has any family member made any sacrifice?"

--IANS
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New Delhi, Dec 20 (IANS) Lok Sabha MPs Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Gurjeet Singh Aujla and P.V. Midhun Reddy will issue a call attention notice in the House to Home Ministry on the problem of drug abuse in the country and steps taken by the Centre.

Meanwhile, the Standing Committee on Estimates will lay three reports on "Estimates and Policy Aspects of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region".

The committee on Public Undertakings will present in the lower house, a report on the "Operational Performance of NMDC Limited based on CAG Report No. 5 of 2019".

The Parliamentary Standing Committee for Welfare of SCs and STs will present two reports on "Reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Public Sector Oil Companies and Status of allotment of Petrol and Gas agencies (CNG, PNG, LPG etc) and other related agencies and units to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes".

Standing Committee on Energy will present a report on Demands for Grants (2022-23) of Power Ministry.

Committee on agriculture will present eight reports on evaluation of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

Standing Committee on labour will present three reports on demands for grants (2022-23) of the Labour Ministry.

Standing committee on transport, tourism and culture will present four reports on "Creation of Regulatory Framework for Protection of Historical Sites and Monuments".

Standing committee on housing and urban affairs will present a report on "Implementation of Metro Rail Projects - An Appraisal".

It will also present a report on "PM Street Vendor's Atma Nirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi)".

--IANS
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Bhopal, Dec 19 (IANS) The first day of the winter session in the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly witnessed verbal exchanges between the ruling and opposition leaders, with the former Chief Minister Kamal Nath saying that he has kept the opposition chair warm for CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Before the session began, Speaker Girish Gautam chaired the meeting of the business advisory committee.

Finding Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan absent during the question hour, state Congress president Kamal Nath said he has kept the chair of opposition warm for him.

"He (CM Chouhan) is not here, I want to tell him through you that I have kept this chair (opposition seat) warm for him," Kamal Nath said, referring to state Home Minister Minister Narottam Msihra.

Responding to that, Mishra, who is also the state Parliamentary Affairs Minister, said, "This is the day dream."

Notably, CM Chouhan left the House after the formal beginning of the session as he had to address the gathering of newly-elected municipal councillors, who had been called for a meeting by the state urban development ministry.

The verbal tussle between the ruling and the opposition continued. Mishra accused the opposition of not allowing the House to function properly and evading from the debates on public issues. Responding to that, Kamal Nath said, "You know who does not allow the House to function."

Earlier, Nath said that the Congress has decided to bring a no-confidence motion against the present BJP government in the state. "I hope it will be followed and accepted as per the rules. We always want the Assembly to run and the term should be extended."

Meanwhile, the House paid tribute to the departed leaders and distinguished people. After which the proceedings of the Assembly were adjourned till Tuesday.

--IANS
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