JP NADDA ELECTED BJP PRESIDENTJagat Prakash Nadda was elected unopposed as the BJP's national president onMonday, taking over the reins from Amit Shah whose tenure of five-and-a-halfyears saw the party turning into a formidable election-winning machinerydespite occasional setbacks.The 59-year-old leader from Himachal Pradesh is seen as an affable andlow-key politician who enjoys the trust of Prime Minister Narendra Modi andthe RSS. He is largely expected to continue with the course it took underShah, with Modi laying out the broader agenda.The Delhi Assembly election is the first challenge for Nadda.Nadda's elevation was on expected lines since his appointment as the BJPworking president last June after Shah joined the Modi government as thehome minister. The BJP has traditionally abided by the norm of 'one partyone post'.Modi later arrived at the party headquarters to felicitate the newly-electedpresident. In his speech, Modi hit out at opposition parties, saying thoserejected by people in elections have been left with few weapons and werespreading confusion and lies.Asserting that despite attempts by the Opposition to spread confusion andlies, people's faith in the BJP and his government have remained "unshaken",he said the party returned to power with a bigger mandate in the 2019 LokSabha polls despite its rivals fighting with their full strength.Modi also said he was sure that the party will scale newer heights duringNadda's presidency.IMF LOWERS INDIA GROWTH TO 4.8%, CALLS IT DRAG ON WORLD ECONOMYCiting a sharp economic slowdown in India and other emerging markets, theIMF on Monday lowered growth estimate for the world economy to 2.9 per centfor 2019. Besides, the IMF also trimmed India's growth estimate to 4.8 percent for 2019, citing stress in the non-banking financial sector and weakrural income growth."The downward revision primarily reflects negative surprises to economicactivity in a few emerging market economies, notably India, which led to areassessment of growth prospects over the next two years. In a few cases,this reassessment also reflects the impact of increased social unrest," theIMF said.Presenting the numbers ahead of the start of the World Economic Forum (WEF)annual summit, the IMF said it expected growth in India to be 5.8 per centin 2020 and rise to 6.5 per cent in 2021 supported by a monetary and fiscalstimulus as well as subdued oil prices.AP ASSEMBLY PASSES BILL TO ESTABLISH THREE CAPITALS, CHANDRABABU NAIDUDETAINEDAmid protests from the Opposition, the Andhra Pradesh Assembly passed the APDecentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020 lateMonday night that intends to create three state capitals - Visakhapatnam,Kurnool, and Amravati - to help decentralised development.The bill provides for dividing the state into various zones and establishingzonal planning and development boards. The village and (municipal) wardsecretariats system that the government brought in October last year nowgets statutory backing as it has been made part of the new bill.The state Assembly witnessed high drama on Monday as Opposition leader andformer Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was detained by the police afterhe led TDP legislators on a foot march a few metres from the main entrancegate into the Assembly. He staged a sit-in protest outside the gate of theAssembly after 17 TDP MLAs were suspended from the Assembly for disruptingthe speech of Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy."Nowhere in the world for one state there are 3 capitals. Today is a blackday, we wanted to save Amaravati and Andhra Pradesh. Not only me, throughoutthe state people are fighting and coming on roads. Govt is arrestingeveryone. It's bad for democracy," Naidu said while staging a sit-in protestoutside the Assembly gate. Police took him and others in a police van anddropped them at his residence.SC REFUSES TO GRANT INTERIM STAY ON ELECTORAL BOND SCHEMEThe Supreme Court on Monday sought response of the Centre and the ElectionCommission on a plea seeking stay on the electoral bond scheme meant forfunding political parties.The top court, however, refused to grant an interim stay on the electoralbond scheme.A bench comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and justices B R Gavai and SuryaKant asked the Centre and the Election Commission to file their responseswithin two weeks on the interim application filed by NGO 'Association forDemocratic Reforms' for staying the scheme.Lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, alleged that the scheme is ameans for channelising unaccounted black money in favour of the rulingparty.Bhushan also referred to a document of the RBI while seeking stay of thescheme."We will see that. We are listing it after two weeks, the bench said.INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS======================TRUMP IMPEACHMENT: PRESIDENT'S LAWYERS DEMAND IMMEDIATE ACQUITTALPresident Donald Trump's legal team, representing him at his impeachmenttrial, has demanded that he is immediately acquitted by the Senate. In abrief submitted on Monday, they called the impeachment "a dangerousperversion" of the constitution.Meanwhile House impeachment managers submitted their own brief, saying MrTrump engaged in "corrupt conduct... to cheat in the next election".During the course of the trial, Senators will hear arguments for six hours aday, six days a week. It will be presided over by the US chief justice, JohnRoberts.The trial could, in theory, lead to Trump being removed from office. But asa two-thirds majority of 67 votes in the 100-seat Senate is required toconvict and oust Mr Trump, and there are only 47 Democrats in the Senate,the president is widely expected to be cleared.Trump will be at the economic forum in Davos, Switzerland, when his trialopens.IRAN TO QUIT GLOBAL NUCLEAR TREATY IF CASE GOES TO UNIran yesterday said it would quit the global nuclear Non-ProliferationTreaty (NPT) if European countries refer it to the UN Security Council overa nuclear agreement, a move that would overturn diplomacy in itsconfrontation with the West. The 1968 NPT has been the foundation of globalnuclear arms control since the Cold War, including a 2015 deal Iran signedwith world powers that offered it access to global trade in return foraccepting curbs to its atomic programme.Britain, France and Germany declared Iran in violation of the 2015 pact lastweek and have launched a dispute mechanism that could eventually see thematter referred back to the Security Council and the reimposition of UNsanctions. "If the Europeans continue their improper behaviour or sendIran's file to the Security Council, we will withdraw from the NPT," IranianForeign Minister Javad Zarif said.THE REST========BJP ALLY SAD DIFFERS OVER CAA, NRC, STAYS AWAY FROM DELHI POLLSSignaling a rift with its NDA ally BJP, the Shiromani Akai Dal (SAD)announced on Monday that it would not contest the February 8 Delhi Assemblyelections after it was asked by the saffron party to change its stance onthe Citizenship law.Addressing a press conference, SAD leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa said theparty was asked to consider its stand on CAA during three poll-relatedmeetings with the BJP. "During our meeting with the BJP, we were asked toreconsider our stand on CAA but we declined to do so. SAD is of the firmstand that Muslims cannot be left out of CAA," Sirsa said.Sirsa, who contested on a BJP ticket from Rajouri Garden in the 2017bypolls, said the party was also against a nationwide National Register ofCitizens (NRC)."We welcome CAA but we never demanded any religion be excluded. We are alsostrongly against the National Register of Citizens," he said.KERALA GOVERNOR REJECTS GOVERNMENT'S EXPLANATION ON CAA SUITKerala governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Monday rejected the Left frontgovernment's explanation over moving the Supreme Court against CAA withoutinforming him and said it was 'unlawful'."No explanation can satisfy me", he told reporters a day after he said thathe would not remain a "mute spectator" as he sought a report from the Keralagovernment.Earlier in the day, Kerala Chief Secretary Tom Jose on Monday met GovernorArif Mohammad Khan, a day after the latter sought a report from the stategovernment for filing a petition in the Supreme Court against theimplementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) without informing him.The Chief Secretary is understood to have informed the Governor that thegovernment had not willfully violated any rules.J&K DGP ECHOES RAWAT: 'DE-RADICALISATION CENTRES IN KASHMIR WILL BE A GOODMOVE'Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh Monday said terror organisation HizbulMujahideen was on the verge of being wiped out from the south Kashmirregion. He added that if de-radicalisation camps do come up in Kashmir, itwill be a "good sign", as it will help people who have "gone astray".On Thursday, Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat had said that "girls andboys as young as 10 and 12 are now being radicalised" in Kashmir, and thatthose who are "completely radicalised" need to be "taken out separately" andput in de-radicalisation camps"."If some sensible kind of arrangement is made where good people from thecivil society and experts who deal with the subject and relevant aspects ofreligion and other things. I think that will be a good development. Thatkind of thing should be welcomed," Singh said.Addressing the media about an encounter that took place in Shopian earlierin the day, Singh said Hizbul Mujahideen was on the verge of being wiped outfrom south Kashmir.PM MODI'S PARIKSHA PE CHARCHAPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday donned a mentor's hat for schoolstudents and their guardians, cautioning Indian families against becomingslaves of technology.Addressing the third edition of "Pariksha pe charcha" event organised by theHRD Ministry, the PM asked parents and children to reserve one gadget-freehour in their days and also reserve one gadget-free room in every home."Can we do these two things? Can families keep one room in their houses freeof gadgets? Can students reserve one hour in a day as a mandatorygadget-free hour? I am all for using technology to advance our lives butlet's not allow ourselves to be enslaved by technology," the PM said, as heanswered a range of queries from school students across India on how to beatexam stress, how to balance academic activity with co-curricular, how toovercome failure.SHAHEEN BAGH ANTI-CAA PROTESTS: PETITION FILED IN SC OVER TRAFFIC BLOCKADEAs Delhi's Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch continues to be blocked byanti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protesters, a lawyer has moved the SupremeCourt challenging the Delhi High Court's verdict that did not order theremoval of traffic restrictions.Several men, women and children are sitting on an indefinite protest atShaheen Bagh against the CAA for more than a month disrupting traffic flowon Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch - a major road link between South Delhiand Noida."No one can be permitted to occupy a public road for any reason whatsoeverunder pretext of peaceful protest and that too for indefinite period to makeothers suffer for the same. The protests at public road cannot be permittedto continue as the same would set a wrong precedent and the same hasinspired Shaheen Bagh-style protests in Prayagraj, Gaya, Nagpur, Kolkata,Hyderabad, Lucknow and Kota," petitioner Amit Sahni submitted.While refusing to issue an order for forthwith removal of trafficrestrictions, the high court had on Jan 14 said that no direction can beissued on how to handle an agitation or the place of protest and the trafficas it depended on ground reality and wisdom of police. It had asked thepolice to look into the issue while keeping in mind that law and order wasmaintained.Kashmiri Pandits had also descended on the anti-CAA protest site in ShaheenBagh on Sunday to highlight their own plight after forcible ouster from theValley as well as seek support for their cause.To show solidarity with Kashmiri Pandits on the day, organised to mark theirexodus from the Valley, anti-CAA activists observed two-minute silence atShaheen Bagh."We support the CAA, but the PM should first think about rehabilitation ofdisplaced Kashmiris and then about others from outside Kashmir," said arepresentative of Kashmiri Pandits.INDIA RANKS LOW AT 76TH PLACE ON GLOBAL SOCIAL MOBILITY INDEXIndia has been ranked very low at 76th place out of 82 countries on a newSocial Mobility Index compiled by the World Economic Forum, while Denmarkhas topped the charts.The report, released ahead of the 50th Annual Meeting of the WEF, also listsIndia among the five countries that stand to gain the most from a bettersocial mobility score that seeks to measure parameters necessary forcreating societies where every person has the same opportunity to fulfil hispotential in life irrespective of socioeconomic background.Measuring countries across five key dimensions distributed over 10 pillars -health; education (access, quality and equity); technology; work(opportunities, wages, conditions); and protections and institutions (socialprotection and inclusive institutions) - shows that fair wages, socialprotection and lifelong learning are the biggest drags on social mobilityglobally.In the case of India, it ranks 76th out of 82 economies. It ranks 41st inlifelong learning and 53rd in working conditions. The Areas of improvementfor India include social protection (76th) and fair wage distribution(79th).AGR DUES: AIRTEL, VODAFONE IDEA MOVE SC AGAIN, SEEK NOD TO NEGOTIATE WITHDOTAt least two telecom service providers - Sunil Bharti Mittal-led BhartiAirtel and its rival Vodafone Idea - on Monday approached the Supreme Courtseeking its permission to "work out feasible terms mutually with DoT(Department of Telecommunications)" to ensure that they remain a "goingconcern".In separate but similar pleas, both telcos have sought modification in thesupplementary order in which the apex court had asked all companies to payadjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues within three months from October 24, 2019and file a compliance report.In its plea, Vodafone Idea said it was "facing a huge financial stress andis not in a position to make either up front payment of the amounts due orprovide any financial bank guarantees to securitise the amounts due".The apex court had on October 24 last agreed with the DoT's definition ofAGR, and said that the companies, both telecom and non-telecom, must pay alldues they owe to the government along with interest and penalty. Thecompanies then moved the apex court with a review of the October 24judgment. The review petition, which was junked by the court last week, didnot give any extension on the deadline for paying AGR dues either.DIRECT TAX COLLECTIONS FROM MUMBAI DIP 13%, A DOUBLE-DIGIT FALL IN 10 YEARSDirect tax collections from India's commercial capital, Mumbai, slippedagain after witnessing a decline in December, prompting tax officials tocall the development rare as a double-digit fall has happened for the firsttime in the past decade.Mumbai's direct tax collections fell by about 13 per cent by mid-January. Ithad declined by slightly over 4 per cent in December. The city contributes37 per cent to the total direct tax revenues.Sources said the total direct tax collection figures have not even touchedthe Rs 9-trillion-mark, leaving a gap of Rs 5 trillion to be achieved inanother two months if Budget targets are to be achieved for 2019-20. If thetrend continues, it could affect the Budget Estimates of Rs 13 trillion forthe current fiscal year, a tax official said.Looking at the steep fall, the CBDT has called an urgent meeting on Tuesday.UBER SELLS ITS INDIA FOOD DELIVERY BUSINESS TO ZOMATO IN ALL-STOCK DEALUber on Tuesday announced the sale of its food delivery business in India toZomato in an all-stock deal. Uber will get a 9.9 per cent stake in Zomato aspart of the deal whose size has not been disclosed. The deal is applicableonly in India and Uber Eats will continue to operate in Bangladesh and SriLanka. According to sources the deal value is around $300- 350 million.The move is expected to push Zomato to the top slot in this space, pushingdown Swiggy.Uber is concentrating on making its cab hailing business in India profitableand will expand of its network within the country from 50 cities to 200cities this year.AUSTRALIAN OPEN: NO SURPRISES ON DAY 1Roger Federer showed no sign of rust despite a lack of match practice aheadof the Australian Open as he launched his bid for a record-extending 21stGrand Slam title by hammering Steve Johnson 6-3 6-2 6-2 in the first roundon Monday.Playing his first competitive match since losing to Greek Stefanos Tsitsipasin the ATP Finals in November, the 38-year-old broke his opponent's serveearly in each of the three sets and closed out the match when Johnson hit areturn long.In his pre-tournament news conference on Saturday, Federer talked about theimportance of getting off to a fast start and he did that against theAmerican, who has not won a set in his three meetings against the Swiss.Defending champion, second seed Novak Djokovic was forced to work hard byunwavering German Jan-Lennard Struff in his first match of the AustralianOpen on Monday beforeNaomi Osaka won the tournament's opening match for her dad at the AustralianOpen. Serena Williams won hers for her daughter. Meanwhile, Ashleigh Bartymade a stuttering start to the year's first Grand Slam.