PM LAUNCHES PROJECTS IN KERALA, TAMIL NADU
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday dedicated the indigenously designed
and made main battle tank Arjun Mark 1A to the nation and launched a slew
of key infrastructure projects in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, placing emphasis on
a self-reliant India and growth.
After accepting a salute by the new war machine at the sprawling Nehru
Stadium in Chennai, he handed over a miniature tank model to Army Chief
General M M Naravane, marking the handover of the tank to the army. He said
the tank, manufactured in Tamil Nadu, symbolised Indias spirit of unity, a
glimpse of Bharats Ekta Darshan with the vehicle set to guard the countrys
northern borders.
At the same time,M the focus on making India Aatmanirbhar in the defence
sector moved with full speed, Modi noted.
In Tamil Nadu, he praised Tamil culture and the language, while in Kerala,
reached out to Keralites working in the Gulf countries and lauded them,
saying that the country is proud of them.
The PM said his govt has always taken care of the welfare of Sri Lankan
Tamils and consistently flagged the issue of their rights.
Assembly elections are likely in April or May in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
DISENGAGEMENT IN AREAS OF EASTERN LADAKH IS SURRENDER TO CHINA: ANTONY
Senior Congress leader and former defence minister A K Antony on Sunday
alleged that disengagement in both the Galwan Valley and Pangong Tso Lake
areas and the creation of a buffer zone was a surrender of Indias rights.
Addressing a press conference, he also said that at a time when India was
facing multiple challenges at the border and was facing a two-front war-like
situation, the increase in defence budget this year is meagre and
insignificant and was a betrayal of the country.
The govt had on Friday emphatically stated that India has not conceded any
territory following the disengagement agreement with China in Pangong lake
areas in eastern Ladakh.
Antony said he was sad that the Narendra Modi govt was not giving proper
priority to national security at a time when China was getting belligerent
and Pakistan continued to promote terrorism.
He said disengagement was good as it reduced tension but it should not be
done at the cost of national security. Both disengagements in Galwan and
Pangong Tso are a surrender, he alleged, adding that it amounted to
surrendering of areas traditionally controlled by India.
We want to know from this govt when there will be status quo ante as on
mid-April 2020 in the entire India-China border, he said, asking what was
the govts plan in this regard.
He said the govt always consulted leaders of all political parties before
taking such a decision .
To appease China, the govt sent a message by not increasing this defence
budget that we do not want to confront you. To appease China, we have agreed
to disengagement on Chinas terms, he alleged.
CONGRESS WONT ALLOW CAA IN ASSAM: RAHUL AT POLL RALLY
The Congress will not allow the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment
Act if elected to power in Assam, party leader Rahul Gandhi said Sunday at
an election rally in Sivasagar district, drawing on the popular sentiment in
the state against the controversial law.
Rahul and other senior state and national Congress leaders, including
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, appeared on stage with the
traditional Assamese gamusa (towel) on their shoulders with the letters CAA
crossed out. Whatever happens, we will not let the CAA be implemented,
said Rahul.
Assam is expected to go to polls in April. Sundays event was the first
big-ticket rally by the Congress. Several top BJP leaders, including Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, have already visited the
state multiple times since December.
On Sunday, Rahul also said the Congress will defend the Assam Accordthe
1985 agreement that set a cut-off of midnight of March 24, 1971 for
identifying foreigners, signed after a six-year-long anti-foreigner
movement. I want to assure you that the Congress will always defend and
protected the principles of the Assam Accord and not recede even an inch
on that, he said.
We want to save Assam we will not allow any power to divide Assam. If
anyone wants to even touch the Assam Accord, and wants to spread hatred
here, they will be taught a lesson jointly by the people of Assam and the
Congress party, he said.
Rahul also repeated his hum do humare do jibe at the Centre.
ALL CENTRAL GOVT EMPLOYEES TO ATTEND OFFICE ON WORKING DAYS
All central govt employees have been asked to attend office on all working
days, according to a Personnel Ministry order.
The decision comes amid a significant decline in the number of active
COVID-19 cases in the country.
In India, the total no. of Covid-19 cases identified since the start of
pandemic stands at over 10.91 million while the current active cases are at
around 1.37 lakhs. The total no. of deaths so far stands at a little over
1.56 lakhs
The last 7 days have seen an average of 11,050 new cases a day while the
recoveries have averaged at 12,287 a day. The deaths by Covid-19 have
averaged 93 a day over the last 7 days.
India continues to carry out about 7 lakh Covid tests a day, with a
positivity rate of about 1.60% over the last 7 days.
The total no. of cases identified world-wide since the start of pandemic
stands close to 109.38 million while the current active cases are at a
little over 25 million. The total no. of deaths so far stands at about 2.41
million. The last 7 days have seen an average of about 3.86 lakhs new cases
a day while the recoveries have averaged at about 4.42 lakhs a day. The
deaths by Covid-19 have averaged 12,026 a day over the last 7 days.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
======================
ARMOURED VEHICLES IN MYANMAR CITIES
Security forces in Myanmar opened fire to disperse protesters at a power
plant on Sunday and armoured vehicles rolled into major cities as the new
army rulers faced a ninth day of anti-coup demonstrations that saw thousands
on the streets. As well as mass protests, the military rulers were facing a
strike by govt workers, part of a civil disobedience movement against the
coup. Soldiers were deployed to power plants in the northern state of
Kachin, leading to a confrontation with demonstrators, some of whom said
they believed the army intended to cut off the electricity.
The security forces fired to disperse protesters outside one plant in
Kachins state capital Myitkyina, footage broadcast live on Facebook showed,
although it was not clear if they were using rubber bullets or live fire.
Two journalists from 74 Media, which was broadcasting live from the site of
the confrontation, were arrested along with three other journalists, the
news outlet said.
As evening fell, armoured vehicles appeared in the commercial capital of
Yangon, Myitkyina and Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine state, live footage
broadcast online by local media showed, the first large-scale rollout of
such vehicles since the coup.
Western embassies from the European Union, the US, Canada and 11 other
nations issued a statement calling on security forces to refrain from
violence against demonstrators and civilians, who are protesting the
overthrow of their legitimate govt.
WHO'S WUHAN PROBE FOUND SIGNS OF MUCH WIDER COVID-19 OUTBREAK IN 2019
The team of experts sent to China's Wuhan to probe the origin of the
coronavirus disease (Covid-19) reportedly discovered several signs of a much
wider outbreak in December 2019 than it was reported earlier. In an
interview with CNN, WHO expert Peter Ben Embarek said that the investigators
are seeking access to hundreds of thousands of blood samples from the
Chinese city that Beijing has not allowed them to examine.
According to Embarek, the team also established that there were already over
a dozen strains of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, circulating in
December. "The virus was circulating widely in Wuhan in December, which is a
new finding," the head of the WHO-led team was quoted by the US media
network as saying.
In December 2019, the UN health agency had picked up a media report about a
cluster of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause emerging in China's Wuhan.
During the interview, Embarek noted that broadening the type of genetic
samples from early Covid-19 cases allowed them to examine partial genetic
samples as well, instead of only the complete ones. He said that the
scientists gathered 13 different genetic sequences of SARS-CoV-2 from
December 2019, which could provide significant clues about the origin and
scale of the outbreak if they are able to examine it along with wider
patient data from 2019.
"Some of them are from the markets...some of them are not linked to the
markets," the expert was quoted as saying by CNN.
THE REST
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COAST GUARD RECOVERS 3 BODIES FROM GREATSHIP ROHINI ENGINE ROOM
The Indian Coast Guard on Sunday recovered bodies of three crew members a
day after fire broke out in the engine room of offshore vessel Greatship
Rohini near the Mumbai High oilfield.
The bodies were discovered on Sunday during a search operation conducted
jointly by eight crew members of Greatship Rohini and 11 Coast Guard
personnel.
The deceased have been identified as Anit Anthony, 31, 4th engineer; Akshay
Nikam, 55, who was working as fitter; and Ranjit Sawant, 51, who was working
as oiler.
"Though the fire was doused at 4 pm on Saturday, rescue teams were unable to
enter the engine room due to heavy smoke and severe heat," the Coast Guard
said in a statement.
JAMMU TERROR PLOT FOILED, SAY POLICE
A nursing student in a Chandigarh college, the chief of a recently floated
terror outfit, and a law student and wife of a militant commander from
Shopian are among key arrests made over the last five days after a major
terror plot to target Jammu on the second anniversary of the Pulwama attack
was foiled, J&K Police said.
The latest action, which also includes the seizure of a powerful IED,
follows the arrest on February 6 of Lashkar-e-Mustafa chief Hidyatullah
Malik in Jammu, police said. DGP Dilbagh Singh said Malik had conducted a
recce of the office in Delhi of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and
sent the video to his handlers in Pakistan.
According to police, those arrested since Friday include Maliks wife Seeba,
an LLM student of Kashmir University; TRF chief Zahoor Rather who is
allegedly behind the killing of three BJP workers in Kulgam and a policeman
in Kokernag; Al Badr supporter and nursing student Suhail Bashir Shah, who
hails from Pulwama; and another Chandigarh student from Pulwama, Qazi Wasim.
In a separate operation, police on Saturday night also seized six pistols
and 15 small IEDs from Ramgarh, in Samba district, near the Pakistan
border.
UTTARAKHAND GLACIER BURST: 12 MORE BODIES RECOVERED; TOLL RISES TO 50
A week after a flash flood struck Chamoli district of Uttarakhand and choked
the intake tunnel of NTPCs hydro power project in Tapovan after washing
away another power project establishment upstream, rescue teams Sunday
recovered five bodies from the tunnel.
A total of 12 bodies were recovered on Sunday five from the tunnel, six
from the power project site 5 km upstream in Raini village, and one from the
Alaknanda river, downstream in Rudraprayag.
With this, the total confirmed casualties in the flash flood climbed to 50.
Over 150 people continue to be missing.
Teams of engineers from NTPC and other rescue personnel had successfully
drilled into the Silt Filtration Tunnel (SFT), which is 12 metres below the
intake tunnel, at the Tapovan site and had developed a 30 centimetre
diameter bore-well Saturday night. The camera, however, could not be lowered
due to the high pressure of muck inside.
NEW MODEL OF DEMOCRACY: OMAR ABDULLAH CLAIMS HE, HIS FAMILY PUT UNDER
HOUSE ARREST
National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah Sunday claimed he and his
family, including his father and Member of Parliament Farooq Abdullah, have
been put under house arrest by authorities. The Srinagar Police, however,
claimed that the movement of VIPs and Protected Persons has been
discouraged due to the anniversary of the 2019 Pulwama attack.
This is the naya/new J&K after Aug 2019. We get locked up in our homes
with no explanation. Its bad enough theyve locked my father (a sitting MP)
& me in our home, theyve locked my sister & her kids in their home as
well, Omar wrote on Twitter.
Chalo, your new model of democracy means that we are kept in our homes
without explanation but on top of that the staff that works in the house
arent being allowed in and then you are surprised that Im still angry &
bitter, he said in another tweet.
21-YEAR-OLD CLIMATE ACTIVIST ARRESTED FOR SHARING THUNBERGS TOOLKIT
A Delhi court on Sunday sent a 21-year-old climate activist to five days
police custody in connection with allegedly being involved in sharing a
toolkit on social media related to the farmers protest.
Disha Ravi, arrested by a Cyber Cell team of the Delhi Police from Bengaluru
on Saturday, was produced before a court here and police sought her seven
days custody.
A toolkit is a document created to explain any issue. It also provides
information on what one needs to do to address the issue. This might include
information about petitions, details about protests and mass movements.
The police said her custody was required to probe an alleged larger
conspiracy against the govt of India and to ascertain her alleged role
relating to the Khalistan movement.
During the hearing, Ravi broke down inside the courtroom and told the judge
that she had edited only two lines and that she wanted to support the
farmers protest.
Duty Magistrate Dev Saroha allowed the Delhi Police to quiz Ravi for five
days.
While seeking her custody, the police told the court that the activist had
allegedly edited the toolkit on February 3 and many other people are
involved in the matter.
A SEVERE INDICTMENT OF JUDICIARY, BY EX-CJI RANJAN GOGOI
Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi called the judiciary of the
country 'ramshackled' and went to the extent of suggesting that even he
won't go to the courts.
"Who goes to the court? You go to the court and regret", Gogoi said adding
that it is those who can afford to take chances, like the big corporates,
who approach the courts.
Gogoi, who was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in March 2020 after his
retirement as the CJI in November 2019, was speaking at an event organized
by the India Today channel.
"If you go to the Court, you would be washing your dirty linen in the Court.
You will not get a verdict", the ex-CJI said in reply to a question by the
anchor whether he would take legal action against Mahua Moitra MP over her
statements in the Lok Sabha that Gogoi discredited the judiciary by deciding
the sexual harassment allegations against him.
"You want a 5 trillion dollar economy but you have a ramshackled judiciary",
he commented. When the productivity of all institutions and organizations
went down in 2020 due to the pandemic, the judiciary "succeeded" in adding
its case arrears, he said with a tone of sarcasm. According to him, 60 lakh
cases were added at the subordinate level, 3 lakhs in High Court and nearly
seven thousand in the Supreme Court in the pandemic affected year.
STRANDED CREW OF MV ANASTASIA ARRIVE IN MUMBAI
The 16 Indian seafarers of MV Anastasia, which was stuck at a Chinese port
for more than six months, arrived in Mumbai on Sunday. Despite several
requests from the Indian govt, China had cited Covid-19-related restrictions
and did not allow the ships to either dock or go for a crew change for
months.
NOW ON, FASTAG OR PAY TWICE THE SUM AT NH TOLL PLAZAS
FASTag will be mandatory from February 15 midnight and any vehicle not
fitted with it will be charged double the toll at toll plazas. A govt order
said all lanes at electronic toll plazas on national highways will be
declared FASTag lanes with effect from February 15 midnight.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said the aim was to promote fee
payment through digital mode, reduce waiting time and fuel consumption and
provide for a seamless passage.
DJOKOVIC ANSWERS FITNESS DOUBTS WITH 4-SET VICTORY
Defending Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic battled through discomfort
from a side injury to win his 300th Grand Slam match in a 7-6(4) 4-6 6-1 6-4
victory over Canadas Milos Raonic.
Djokovic had not hit a tennis ball since his five-set epic against Taylor
Fritz two days ago, skipping practice to recover to play Raonic and the Serb
kept his bid for a record-extending ninth title in Melbourne alive. If its
any other tournament than a Grand Slam, I would withdraw from the event, for
sure, Djokovic said. I didnt know before I finished my warm-up whether
Im going to play or not.
Djokovic faces Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals after the German
advanced with a clinical 6-4 7-6(5) 6-3 victory over Dusan Lajovic.
The last-eight proved a step too far for Dominic Thiem, however, after the
third seed was dumped in straight sets (6-4 6-4 6-0) by Bulgarian Grigor
Dimitrov.
Simona Halep took revenge for her French Open loss to Iga Swiatek last year
by beating the Polish teenager 3-6 6-1 6-4 to set up a clash with Serena
Williams who ousted seventh seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-4 2-6 6-4.
US Open champion Naomi Osaka teetered on the brink of elimination but the
third seed saved two match points to see off Garbine Muguruza 4-6 6-4 7-5.
2ND CHENNAI TEST, DAY2: INDIA TIGHTEN SCREWS
On a day of exhilarating action when 15 wickets fell, India took command of
the second Test against England, with star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin
taking his 29th five-wicket haul to ensure a huge lead for India on Day 2.
At stumps, India were 54/1, for an overall lead of 249.
Resuming the day at 300/6, India lost their last four wickets for 29 runs,
25 of them coming from the bat of Rishabh Pant, who remained unbeaten on 58.
When England batted, Ashwin took 5/43 while Axar Patel chipped in with two
wickets, including the vital one of Joe Root (6), and Ishant Sharma ended up
with 2/22 as England were routed for 134 in 59.5 overs.
The one England batsman who displayed tenacity and eschewed adventurism, Ben
Foakes, could not be dislodged by India. He remained unbeaten on 42 off 107
balls. The other England batsmen, however, had no answers to the challenge
posed by the Indian bowlers. The sweep shot, which proved so productive for
them in the first Test, proved to be the downfall of three batsmen,
including Joe Root.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Life has a funny way of becoming ordinary as soon as it can. - Colm Tóibín
OFF TRACK
While making rounds, a doctor points out an X-ray to a group of medical
students.
"As you can see," he says, "the patient limps because his left fibula and
tibia are radically arched. Michael, what would you do in a case like this?"
"Well," ponders the student, "I suppose I'd limp too."
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