Current Affairs in Short: 14 December 2021

Bill to ‘extend tenure of CBI director’ up to maximum of 5 years

• Rajya Sabha has passed the bill to extend the tenure of the CBI director up to a maximum of 5 years from the present two years. The bill was moved in the Upper House by Union Minister Jitendra Singh who also said that it was necessary to curb corruption-based cases.

• The bill was passed in the upper house with a voice vote as the entire Opposition walked out of the House seeking revocation of the suspension of 12 suspended MPs. The bill was earlier passed in Lok Sabha on December 9, 2021.

• The Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2021 aims for the amendment in the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946.

• The bill also further replaces the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 which was promulgated earlier on November 14, 2021.

4 new Omicron cases detected in New Delhi, the total number goes to 6

• Satyendra Singh, Delhi Health Minister informed that 4 new cases of Omicron have been detected in the National Capital. The total number of Omicron cases in Delhi is now 6.

• While giving an update on the health of Omicron patients, the minister also stated that of the 6 cases, one patient has already been discharged from the hospital. The other 5 are still admitted and are stable.

• Currently, in Delhi, 35 Coronavirus positive patients and 3 suspected cases of COVID-19 have been admitted to the Lok Nayak Jan Prakash Hospital. As per the State Government, the Omicron situation in Delhi is under control.

• All the Omicron cases in Delhi are from the airport and none of them has come from the community so far.

COVID-19 vaccine for children in India in 6 months

• The CEO of Serum Institute of India Adar Poonawalla informed that the institute plans on launching the NOVAVAX COVID-19 vaccine for children in India in the next 6 months.

• The NOVAVAX shots showed good results in the trials in children aged 3 years or older. Poonawalla also said that the vaccine is still under trial and has shown excellent data so far for the age group of 3.

• The monthly output of AstraZeneca by SII has nearly quadrupled since April 2021 to 250 million doses. The institute also recently announced to temporarily halve the production of vaccines due to weak demand.

United Nations recognize new Arctic temperature record of 38 degrees

• The United Nations has officially recognized 38 degrees Celsius as a new record high for the Arctic. The temperature was measured in Siberia in 2020. The move has come as an alarm over climate change.

• The World Meteorological Organisation said that the sweltering heat which is equivalent to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit was seen in 2020 marking the highest temperature ever recorded above the Arctic Circle.

• This is also the first time that the World Meteorological organization has added the record heat in the Arctic to its archive of extreme weather reports.

• The lowest temperature that was ever measured above the Arctic Circle was -69.6C and it was recorded on December 22, 1991, on Greenland.

South Korea and Australia sign major defence deal

• Australia and South Korea have signed a major defence deal of $720 million. The deal was signed as the President of South Korea Moon Jae-in became the first foreign leader to visit Australia since the pandemic started.

• The defence deal is also the largest defence contract that has been signed between Australia and Asian Nation. As per the deal, Australia will be provided with supply vehicles, artillery weapons and radars.

• The two leaders also agreed upon upgrading the formal ties between the two countries. They formed a consensus to work together on the development of clean energy technologies and facilitating the supply of critical materials.

• The defence deal between South Korea and Australia has come at a time of heightened tensions between China and Australia. Recently, Australia announced a deal to build nuclear-powered submarines with Britain and US.