FirstUp: Thailand's e-visa system to roll out in India, Russia to halt gas supplies to Moldova... The big headlines today

It will be a busy day with several events lined up.

Firstly, Thailand’s e-Visa system in India will be effective from today while Russia is set to halt gas supplies to neighbour Moldova.

Meanwhile, Pakistan is set to sit at the United Nations Security Council for a two-year term as an elected non-permanent member. Same-sex marriages will come into effect in German-speaking Liechtenstein from today.

In India, an FIR will be lodged against people giving alms to beggars in Indore beginning today.

Here is all that is set to take place today.

Thailand’s e-Visa system in India to be effective

Thailand will roll out the Electronic Visa (e-Visa) system in India from January 1. The system is aimed at streamlining the visa application process. It will also include an offline payment option while offering added convenience to applicants.

While announcing the rollout earlier in the month, the Royal Thai Embassy in Delhi clarified “Each application can be applied by the applicants themselves, or by other representatives.” However, it warned that it “shall not bear responsibility if any application submitted by a representative is incomplete.” Applicants can find a detailed guide on the application process on the same website.

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Russia set to halt gas supplies to Moldova

Russia’s state-owned energy company, Gazprom, announced on Saturday that it will cease gas supplies to Moldova starting January 1, citing claims of unpaid debt by the European Union candidate country, reported news agency Associated Press. In response, Moldova has implemented emergency measures to prepare for potential power outages.

In an online statement, Gazprom asserted its right to take additional measures, including terminating its contract with Moldovagaz, Moldova’s primary gas operator, where the Russian company holds a majority stake, the AP further reported. The suspension of gas supplies will also affect the Cuciurgan power plant, Moldova’s largest, located in the pro-Russian separatist region of Transnistria.

Pakistan set to begin two-year term as UNSC non-permanent member

Pakistan is set to assume a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for a two-year term, beginning January 1. Ambassador Munir Akram has pledged that Pakistan’s delegation will actively engage in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges.

Somalia, Denmark, Greece and Panama are some of the other nations that have been elected as non-permanent members.

Elected for the eighth time as a non-permanent member, Pakistan said it “looks forward to working closely with the other members of the UN Security Council and with the broader UN Membership for upholding UN Charter and pursuing the vision of preventing war and promoting peace; fostering International cooperation for global prosperity and promoting universal respect for human rights,” stated a TOI article quoting PTI.

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Same-sex marriages to come into effect in Liechtenstein

Same-sex marriages will come into effect in German-speaking Liechtenstein from today. This will make it the last country in Europe to take this step.

Daniel Seger, parliamentary group spokesperson for the conservative Progressive Citizens’ Party in Liechtenstein, described the passage of the marriage law amendment as a “big relief” after its second reading.

Liechtenstein first legalised registered partnerships for same-sex couples in 2011, giving them some of the same rights as married heterosexual couples.

FIRs to be lodged against people giving alms to beggars in Indore

District authorities in Madhya Pradesh will begin registering FIRs against those people who give alms to beggars. The move is a step taken to make the state beggar-free, reported news agency PTI.

“Our awareness campaign against begging will go on in the city till the end of this month (December). If any person is found giving alms from January 1, a First Information Report (FIR) will also be registered against him/her,” district collector Ashish Singh said.

The administration has in recent months exposed different gangs that make people beg and many of those involved in begging have also been rehabilitated, reported PTI.

On this day…

• Global Family Day

• Birth anniversary of actress Vidya Balan

• Birth anniversary of actor Nana Patekar

• Birth anniversary of author EM Forster

• Birth anniversary of mathematician Satyendra Nath Bose

• Birth anniversary of author JD Salinger

• Birth anniversary of politician Jyotiraditya Scindia

• The first traveller’s cheques, which could be used in 90 European cities, went on sale in London, England in 1772

• Queen Victoria of the UK was proclaimed Empress of India in 1877

• In 1959, Fidel Castro led Cuban revolutionaries to victory over Fulgencio Batista

• Air India Flight 855 Boeing 747 crashed into the sea, off the coast of Bombay, killing 213 in 1978

• The Internet’s domain name system was created

With inputs from agencies