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Seoul, Jan 9 (IANS) Major global credit rating agencies agreed on Thursday that the political uncertainty in South Korea has had a limited impact on the economy so far, yet warned of potential challenges if the situation is prolonged, the finance ministry said.

Moody's Investors Service, Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor's Global Ratings shared the assessment during separate virtual meetings with acting President Choi Sang-mok, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

The agencies evaluated the immediate economic impact of the current political situation, stemming from President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief declaration of martial law on Dec. 3 and his subsequent impeachment, is minimal, reports Yonhap news agency.

However, they warned prolonged instability could deter foreign investment and influence corporate decision-making if the situation continues.

Choi assured the agencies that uncertainties will soon be resolved through the country's constitutional and legal systems.

He also emphasized the government's commitment to ensuring that major economic policies and legislative agendas are smoothly handled through a consultative body with the National Assembly.

Choi, who doubles as deputy prime minister for economic affairs, held similar meetings in early December before assuming interim leadership.

Meanwhile, President Yoon Suk Yeol's lawyers said they have filed for an injunction against a second warrant to detain him over his brief imposition of martial law.

Yun Gap-geun and other members of the impeached president's legal defense team made the remark during a meeting with foreign news outlets, saying the request was filed with the Constitutional Court, along with a request for adjudication on a competence dispute.

The Seoul Western District Court issued the warrant on Tuesday after investigators filed for an extension of their initial warrant that expired the previous day.

An attempt to execute the warrant last Friday failed after Yoon's bodyguards blocked investigators from entering the official presidential residence.

A second attempt is expected to be made in the coming days.

—IANS

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Jerusalem, Jan 8 (IANS) Israeli and Palestinian bioengineers developed two new metamaterials to create whole cuts of meat using injection molding, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) said in a statement on Wednesday.

In a new study published in Nature Communications, the team leveraged cutting-edge materials science to overcome the long-standing challenges of replicating the texture and structure of traditional meat while offering a scalable and cost-effective production method.

By adopting principles typically used in the aerospace industry, the team led by Mohammad Ghosheh and Yaakov Nahmias from Hebrew University, developed meat analogues that mimic the intricate architecture of muscle and fat.

Metamaterials are engineered composite materials whose properties arise from their structure rather than their composition.

The first metamaterial developed by the team is a low-temperature meat analog that replicates the fibrous texture of muscle tissue.

The second one is a proteoleogel, a plant-protein-stabilized oil gel that emulates the structural integrity and cooking behavior of animal fat, reported Xinhua news agency.

To create the new meat analogs with the new metamaterials, the team used injection molding, a high-capacity manufacturing process borrowed from the polymer industry.

HU noted that this marks the first time this technology has been applied to alternative meat production.

Together, these materials allow the creation of complex meat cuts, such as steaks, chops, and T-bones, with high precision and sensory fidelity.

According to the study, this method reduces costs to 9 US dollars per kilogramme at large-scale production, nearly a quarter of the cost of 3D printing, making sustainable meat alternatives more accessible to a broader audience.

Blind taste tests included in the study showed that participants couldn't tell the difference between steak analogs and real meat.

HU concluded that the study highlights metamaterials' potential to create scalable, sustainable protein alternatives, addressing the environmental impact and freshwater use in livestock farming and opening new possibilities for sustainable food products.

Tehran, Jan 8 (IANS) Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday that his country and Iraq have common concerns about the ongoing developments in Syria.

He made the remarks at a joint press conference with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani following their meeting in the Iranian capital Tehran earlier in the day, according to a statement published on the website of his office.

Pezeshkian said he had discussed recent developments in the West Asia region with the Iraqi prime minister, listing some of the two countries' common concerns over Syria as ensuring stability and calm, maintaining its territorial integrity, countering terrorist activities, making Israel leave the occupied Syrian territories and paying attention to religious sentiments, especially with regard to Shiite Muslims' sacred sites and holy shrines in Syria.

He added the two sides also exchanged views on the risks of terrorism and the possibility of the reactivation of terrorist cells in the region, which required further cooperation between Iran and Iraq and their greater vigilance.

Pezeshkian said Iran had always wanted peace, stability and development for its neighbours, adding the country attached great importance to Iraq's security and growth and the Iraqi people's welfare.

The Iraqi prime minister, for his part, said his visit to Iran was within the framework of promoting bilateral cooperation and relations, noting, "We will make efforts to expand cooperation between Iraq and Iran to help ensure security and stability in both countries and prosperity in their ties with each other," according to the official news agency IRNA.

The Iraqi News Agency INA said Al-Sudani affirmed Iraq's commitment to building balanced relations with all international and regional parties to serve mutual interests.

On the Syrian situation, he said restoring calm to Syria was the key to regional stability, calling on all sides to contribute to the achievement of a comprehensive political solution in the country, one that would preserve the Arab state's sovereignty and territorial integrity and stop foreign interference.

Al-Sudani expressed Iraq's readiness for cooperation with all parties in Syria for a peaceful transition of government in a way that all Syrian groups were included, Xinhua news agency reported.

Heading a delegation, al-Sudani arrived in Tehran on Wednesday on a one-day trip for talks on bilateral ties as well as regional and international issues of common concern.

--IANS

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Bengaluru, Dec 18 (IANS) Amid rumours of change in leadership, Karnataka BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday at his office in New Delhi and sought his blessings on the occasion of completion of one term in office.

After the meeting, Vijayendra stated, “I met the Honourable Prime Minister to seek his blessings on completing one year of taking charge as state President. The invaluable moments spent with Prime Minister Modi today have given us rays of inspiration for strengthening the party and contributing to the nation's progress.”

“The guidance and blessings received from him have filled us with boundless enthusiasm to strengthen the party in the state. His words during today’s meeting inspired us to design programmes that encourage greater youth participation, not only strengthening the organisation but also contributing to the nation-building process,” Vijayendra stated.

“Our esteemed Prime Minister, who has dedicated himself to building a Viksit Bharat (Developed India) with a great resolve and the dedication of a selfless achiever, serves as a constant source of inspiration for workers like us. His work ethic continuously energizes us,” he stated.

The meeting has assumed importance in the backdrop of a section of leadership in the BJP claiming that Vijayendra would be replaced in January.

Senior BJP leader and MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, senior MLAs Ramesh Jarkiholi, Arvind Bellad, MLC C.T. Ravi, Union Ministers of State Shobha Karandlaje and V. Somanna and other senior leaders are miffed with the functioning of Vijayendra, according to sources.

One of the senior RSS functionaries who is kept out of state politics following the insistence of former CM B.S. Yediyurappa is also working against Vijayendra.

Former Chief Ministers and BJP MPs Basavaraj Bommai and Jagadish Shettar are also not keen on Vijayendra overtaking them, sources in the BJP stated.

All opponents are using MLA Yatnal to challenge and issue humiliating statements against Vijayendra and his father Yediyurappa.

Despite the warning from the party high command, MLA Yatnal had launched fresh attacks on Vijayendra and Yediyurappa on Tuesday.

Following the defeat in the recently-concluded bye-elections for three Assembly constituencies, MLA Yatnal had attacked that father and son (Yediyurappa and Vijayendra) should take the responsibility.

However, supporters of Vijayendra claim that he is emerging steadily as the mass leader who can deliver results for the party in the state and if the party fails to groom him, it will suffer.

The party has not been able to produce a mass leader after Yediyurappa who could match the stature of opponents like Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS) The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) on Wednesday gave a final opportunity till January 31, 2025 to employers to upload wage details regarding over 3.1 lakh pending applications for Pension on Higher Wages.

Employers have also been requested to submit replies or update the information in 4.66 lakh cases by January 15, 2025 where clarification has been sought by the EPFO.

The EPFO said that the final opportunity is being given as, in spite of so many extensions, it has been observed that more than 3.1 lakh Applications for Validation of Options/Joint Options are still pending with employers.

Many representations have also been received from employers and employers’ associations wherein requests have been made to extend further the time period for uploading wage details of applicant pensioners/members.

“In view of the representations received from employers and associations the employers were given multiple opportunities to submit wage details etc. online till 30.09.2023, again till 31.12.2023 and thereafter till 31.05.2024 to ensure that employers are able to process the applications,” the EPFO said.

The online facility was made available by EPFO for submitting Applications for Validation of Options/Joint Options for pension on higher wages.

The facility was for eligible pensioners/members in compliance with the Supreme Court order dated April 4, 2022.

The facility was launched on February 26, 2023 and was to remain available only till May 3, 2023.

However, considering the representations of the employees, the time limit was extended to June 26, 2023 in order to provide four months’ time to eligible pensioners/members for filing applications.

A last opportunity of 15 days was further given to remove any difficulty faced by the eligible pensioners/members.

“Accordingly, the last date for submission of Applications for Validation of Option/Joint Options by employees was extended to 11.07.2023 and a total of 17.49 lakh Applications for Validation of Option/Joint Options were received from pensioners/members till 11.07.2023,” the statement said.

–IANS

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Hyderabad, Dec 13 (IANS) Telangana government suspended Sangareddy Central Jail Superintendent Sanjeeva Reddy for taking a farmer in handcuffs to a hospital for treatment.

The suspension was announced after an inquiry into the incident on the orders of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.

Inspector General of Police Satyanarayana conducted an inquiry in the jail along with the Sangareddy district Superintendent of Police.

The IG and other officials questioned the jail staff for four hours. They found that the jail authorities were responsible for handcuffing Heerya Naik while being taken to a hospital in Sangareddy after he complained of chest pain.

The officials also found that the jail authorities did not inform the Vikarabad district police but gave information to the Cyberabad police.

The IG clarified that Naik was not an accused in the case relating to the attack on officials during a public hearing on land acquisition for a pharma cluster in Lagacharla village of Vikarabad district. He said Naik was accused in some other case registered in Balanagar

Earlier, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy took serious note of the incident and ordered an inquiry.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the Chief Minister enquired about the incident from officials. He expressed his anger and asked what was the need for handcuffing the farmer.

He directed senior officials to conduct an inquiry and submit a comprehensive report. He warned the officials that the people's government would not tolerate such incidents.

The farmer was taken to hospital after he complained of chest pain. He was later shifted to a hospital in Hyderabad.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), the working president, has also condemned the farmer's handcuffing.

“Absolutely heartless, insensitive and shameful of Telangana Government. You handcuff a farmer who’s suffered a stroke. Lagacharla farmers have been in jail for over a month now. Their only mistake was they didn’t yield to the Revanth Government’s diktats to part with their agricultural land,” Rama Rao said in a post on ‘X’.

--IANS

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Bhopal, Dec 12 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh’s Women and Child Development Department on Thursday claimed to have rescued a woman beggar near a temple in Indore with cash amount more than Rs 75, 000.

The administration claimed, that the woman, who has been shifted to a rescue centre run by the Women and Child Development Department, has confessed to earning the money within one month from begging in the area.

Project Officer of the Child Development Department in Indore city, Dinesh Mishra said, "During the interrogation woman said she had earned this money in the past month. She has been involved in begging for the last several years."

The state government has revived the beggar-free campaign which was initially planned in September 2023 by the then Indore District Collector Ilayaraja T.

Ilayaraja T is now serving as Additional Secretary of the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department while new Indore District Collector Ashish Singh has taken forward the implementation of the scheme.

The district administration has said that the campaign has been launched so that the children and women engaged in begging at crossroads could be rescued.

An official said that a committee under the supervision of the Indore District administration, along with the concerned departments must identify sectors (hotspots) where there are cases of disguised begging.

The rescued child labourers cum beggars are being given proper counselling followed by education and training so that they are properly rehabilitated and do not go back on the streets.

"Rescued persons are counselled in three phases and if they are still found on the streets, then there is also a procedure for legal action against them," Dinesh Mishra said.

Indore district administration has deployed a dedicated team that looks after the issue along with the other departments to introduce a grassroots campaign for this purpose.

--IANS

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Karnataka, Dec 12 (IANS) Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana registered big wins on Day 4 of the ongoing 7th edition of the Men's National T20 Cricket Tournament for the Blind 2024-25, popularly known as the Nagesh Trophy. The 7th edition of Nagesh Trophy Group A & Group B league matches began on Monday. A total of five teams from Group A & five teams from Group B will be battling for glory at the ongoing Nagesh Trophy respectively.

In Bengaluru, Karnataka secured a dominant win over Tamil Nadu. Put to bat first, Tamil Nadu scored a total of 117/9 in their 20 overs, while Karnataka defeated Tamil Nadu with a score of 87/5 in 8.5 overs.

Karnataka won by 5 wickets through the DLS method where the match was reduced to 13.0 overs with a target of 85 runs. Sunil Ramesh from the Karnataka team was adjudged as the player of the match.

In the second clash, between Delhi and Himachal, the match was abandoned due to the prevailing weather conditions in Bengaluru.

Group B action at JK Pavilion Ground saw Andhra Pradesh and Pondicherry facing each other. Having to put to bat first, Pondicherry scored 142/7 in their 20 overs. Andhra Pradesh won the match by scoring 143/5 in 16.1 overs.

Gopalachary from Andhra Pradesh was adjudged the player of the match for his brilliant knock of 50 off 34 balls.

In the second game between Haryana and Bihar, Haryana having batted first managed to score a victory by scoring 192/6 in 20 overs. Bihar managed to score 162/8 in 20 overs. Deepak Malik from Haryana was adjudged the player of the match for his brilliant knock of 127 of 61 balls.

This year’s league matches are hosted across six venues, culminating in the Super 8 stage in February 2025. A total of 28 teams, including state and union territory squads and an Indian Railways team, are vying for the championship.

--IANS

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Kandy (Sri Lanka), Dec 12 (IANS) Jaffna Titans registered a comprehensive win against Colombo Jaguars by 40 runs to add two more points to the tally in the Lanka T10 Super League at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on a rain-marred second day.

Jaffna rode on spectacular batting by opener Kusal Mendis and his Sri Lankan teammate Charith Asalanka to post a mammoth 138/6 in 10 overs on the board. While Mendis struck 37 off just 19 deliveries, Asalanka notched up 56 off 24 with the help of five maximums and as many fours. For the Jaguars, skipper Angelo Mathews and Ali Khan picked up two wickets each.

Later, bowlers especially youngster Treveen Mathew who has been gathering praise from everyone for his spin bowling did the job for the Titans and restricted the opposition to 98/6. The Colombo Jaguars never really got the start they needed and lost wickets at regular intervals. Treveen Mathew once again showed his skills and returned with bowling figures of 3/18 in 20 overs.

Earlier, the first match on Day 2 between Kandy Bolts and Nuwara Eliya Kings was called off due to rain after just 3.3 overs.

Kandy Bolts who were batting first had put up 38/1 with Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka being not out at 26 off 11 when rain arrived. The second fixture between Galle Marvels and Hambantota Bangla Tigers was abandoned without a toss.

--IANS

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