BOOK MEGHALAYA GOVERNOR MALIK IF HE'S LYING, OTHERWISE APOLOGISE: CONGRESS TO PM MODI

Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik’s remarks quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in context of farmers and their year-long agitation against the three agricultural reform laws on Monday saw the opposition Congress mounting a major political offensive on the government, demanding PM’s apology if the remarks were true.

A video of an event Malik addressed in Haryana’s Dadri on Sunday has gone viral. “When I went to meet the PM on the farmers’ issue, we ended up fighting in five minutes. He was in tremendous arrogance. When I told him 500 people died, the PM asked me whether they had died for me. I told him yes the farmers died because of him because he had become king on the basis of their support. Then the PM told me to meet Home Minister Amit Shah. Shah said people had clouded his vision and power of reason. Shah asked me to keep my meetings going,” Malik says in the video.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge tweeted asking the PM if the remarks were true.

“Lodge an FIR and sack Governor Malik if he is lying. If not, PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah must come forward and apologise. Otherwise, the farmers and the souls of 700 deceased farmers and their families will never pardon you,” Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said. He said the entire nation was stunned and shocked with the text of the conversation between a “BJP-appointed Governor and the PM on the farmers’ agitation.”

“Never in the history of India has the PM dared to say about India’s toiling farmers—so what if 500 farmers have died, they have not died for Modi.” Surjewala asked if this was the language the PM should use for the farmers.

‘PAKISTAN READY TO HOST SAARC SUMMIT, INDIA CAN JOIN VIRTUALLY’

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Monday that his country was ready to host the 19th SAARC Summit and India can join it virtually if the leadership in New Delhi is not willing to visit Islamabad.

Qureshi accused India of making SAARC dysfunctional through its stubbornness by refusing to come to Islamabad for the Summit meeting. “I reiterate the invitation for the 19th SAARC summit. If India is not ready to come to Islamabad, it can join virtually… but it should not stop others from attending the moot,” he said.

The biennial summits of SAARC have not taken place since the last one in Kathmandu in 2014.

The 2016 SAARC Summit was originally planned to be held in Islamabad on November 15-19, 2016. But after a terror attack on an Indian Army camp in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir on September 18 that year, India expressed its inability to participate in the summit due to “prevailing circumstances”. The summit was called off after Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan also declined to participate in the Islamabad meet.

LAKHIMPUR KHERI VIOLENCE: SIT FILES 5,000-PAGE CHARGESHEET

The SIT probing the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on Monday filed a chargesheet against 14 people, including Union Minister Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish, who has been named the main accused. The charges include murder, attempt to murder and violations under the Arms Act.

The 5,000-page chargesheet does not have the name of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra - the complainant in the case, Jagjit Singh, had alleged in the FIR registered at the Tikonia police station that the Union minister and his son had “hatched the conspiracy” and they should be named in the FIR.

The incident had taken place on October 3. Eight people were killed, four of them farmers allegedly mowed down by an SUV in which some BJP workers were travelling.

Two BJP workers and their driver were lynched by angry farmers. A journalist also died.

21-YEAR-OLD ENGG STUDENT DETAINED IN BULLI BAI APP CASE; DCW COMES DOWN HARD ON DELHI POLICE

Mumbai Police Cyber Cell detained a 21-year-old engineering student from Bengaluru, in connection with the 'Bulli Bai' application case on Monday.

Mumbai Police has not revealed the identity of the suspect detained from Bengaluru yet, except for his age. Police have registered a case against unknown culprits under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act.

Earlier in the day, Mumbai Police had also filed a first information report against unknown persons based on complaints that doctored photographs of women were uploaded for auction on 'Bulli Bai' application hosted by GitHub platform.

After both the Delhi and Mumbai police lodged a first information report (FIR) in the matter under relevant sections, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a tweet on Sunday said, 'Government of India is working with police organizations in Delhi and Mumbai on this matter.'

Meanwhile, the Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) Monday issued summons to the cyber crime cell of the Delhi Police in the case, and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal also directed the Delhi Police to appear before it on 6 January with the complete case files of both cases – Bulli Bai App and now-defunct website called ‘Sulli Deals’ - saying that such cases are happening due to the “callous behaviour of the Delhi Police in matters related to cyber crime”.

The commission also highlighted that the Delhi Police is yet to make any arrests in the Sulli Deals case, even when the FIR was filed in July last year. It also said non-arrest of culprits in such a serious matter is appalling and that this callous attitude of the law enforcement agency has emboldened the culprits and others “who are continuing to ‘sell’ women and girls online.”

COVID DASHBOARD – INDIA

As of 0800 IST 4/Jan

from mohfw.gov.in ,

New Cases on Monday 37,379

Active Cases 1,71,830 (+26,248)

Total Deaths (Deaths Yesterday) 4,82,017 (83)

Total Vaccination: 146.70 Crores (+99,27,797)

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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IRAN VOWS REVENGE FOR SULEIMANI KILLING IF TRUMP NOT PUT ON TRIAL

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, speaking on the second anniversary of the assassination of General Qassim Suleimani by the US, said that former US President Donald Trump must face trial for the killing or Tehran would take revenge. Iran and groups allied with it in Iraq have been holding events to honour Suleimani, the commander of the Quds Force, the overseas arm of the elite Revolutionary Guards. He was killed in Iraq in a drone strike on January 3, 2020, ordered by then President Trump. “If Trump and (former secretary of state Mike) Pompeo are not tried in a fair court for the criminal act of assassinating General Soleimani, Muslims will take our martyr’s revenge,” Raisi said in a speech on Monday.

Under Iran’s Islamic laws, a convicted murderer can be executed unless the family of the victim agree to take “blood money” through a reconciliation.

On Sunday, Iran urged the UN Security Council in a letter to hold the US and Israel, which Tehran says was also involved inthe killing, to account

Days after the assassination, the US told the UN that the killing was self-defence and vowed to take more action in the Middle East to protect US personnel and interests.

WORLD POWERS VOW TO STOP SPREAD OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

Five global nuclear powers pledged on Monday to prevent atomic weapons spreading and to avoid nuclear conflict, in a rare joint statement ahead of a review of a key nuclear treaty later this year.

“We believe strongly that the further spread of such weapons must be prevented,” said permanent UN Security Council members China, France, Russia, the U.K. and U.S., adding: “A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.”

The statement was issued after the latest review of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) — which first came into force in 1970 — was postponed from its scheduled date of January 4 to later in the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Putting aside current differences that have caused major tensions between both China and Russia and their Western partners, the five world powers said they saw “the avoidance of war between nuclear-weapon states and the reduction of strategic risks as our foremost responsibilities.”

THE REST

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DELHI: OMICRON IN 81 PER CENT OF LATEST SAMPLES TESTED FOR COVID

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Monday said the latest genome-sequencing report shows that Omicron was found in 81 per cent of the samples tested for COVID-19 in the City and the new variant of concern is the reason behind the surge in the number of coronavirus cases in the Capital.

Of the latest 187 Covid samples tested, 152 (81 per cent) had Omicron and 8.5 per cent had Delta, Jain told the Delhi Assembly.

“Till Sunday, there were around 8,000 active cases in Delhi and just 3.4 per cent of the total 9,024 Covid beds in the hospitals were occupied. There were around 1,500 to 2,000 patients in the hospitals when Delhi reported an equal number of active cases the last time,” Jain said.

He added that more restrictions will be imposed if the bed occupancy rate goes up.

The minister stressed that the home isolation policy is very effective in Omicron cases as most of the patients do not have any symptoms. A few of them have developed low-grade fever and cold but there has been no severe case due to Omicron.

SC ASKS CENTRE TO RESPOND TO INNER LINE PERMIT SYSTEM IN MANIPUR

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre and the Manipur Government to respond to a petition challenging the state’s Inner Line Permit (ILP) system that restricted entry and exit of non-permanent residents of the state.

Introduced by the Adaptation of Laws (Amendment) Order, 2019, which extended the 140-year-old “colonial legislation” Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations, 1873 (BEFR), the ILP system originally created a monopoly over tea plantations in Assam. It was aimed to protect British commercial interests in the hilly areas as the BEFR prohibited Indians from engaging in trade with the tribal people in the areas covered under it. In those days Assam was a part of Bengal.

By a 2019 order, the ILP system was made applicable to Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and districts of Nagaland notified from time to time.

The petitioner alleged that the 2019 order went against the fundamental rights of citizens guaranteed under Articles 14, 15, 19 and 21 (right to equality, right to non-discrimination, right to freely move across India and right to personal liberty) of the Indian Constitution as it gave unqualified powers to the state to restrict the entry and exit of non-indigenous persons.

LORD KRISHNA TELLS ME IN DREAMS THAT I WILL BRING RAM RAJYA, SAYS AKHILESH

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday claimed, in a lighter vein, that Hindu deity Krishna comes to his dreams every night to tell him that he will form the government in Uttar Pradesh and establish “Ram Rajya” in Uttar Pradesh after the upcoming Assembly elections.

“The way to Ram Rajya is through the path of Samajwad [socialism]. The day Samajwad is established, Ram Rajya will be set up in the state,” he said.

The SP chief claimed that the BJP felt the strongest “shock” when he promised that a government formed by his party would provide 300 units of free electricity to domestic consumers.

MORE TROUBLE FOR PUNJAB CONGRESS AS SIDHU SLAMS GOVT

A fresh bout of infighting has broken out in the ranks of the Punjab Congress, this time between Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu. Randhawa, who is also the state’s home minister, said Monday that he was ready to resign from his ministry if Sidhu wanted to run it.

Addressing a press conference Monday, Randhawa said his government was doing its best to catch Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA Bikram Singh Majithia, who appears to have gone underground since 22 December when the state police registered an FIR against him for his alleged involvement in a drug case.

Randhawa came under attack from Sidhu, who reportedly said during a rally in Batala on 26 December that “nothing will happen with the FIR”. “Unless he is arrested, Sidhu will not rest,” he was quoted as saying.

INDIA DIGITAL LOAN APPS BLAMED FOR MAFIA-LIKE COLLECTION TACTICS, SUICIDES

Digital lending has exploded across India and other developing economies - during the pandemic, apps promising quick cash have mushroomed. Many capitalize on borrowers’ lack of financial literacy, charging interest rates as high as 500% annualized and in some cases employing heavy-handed collection tactics that Indian activists have linked to a string of suicides.

Officials in China, Indonesia and Kenya have shut down scores of startups promising easy cash to the unbanked.

India, which has among the highest number of such apps in the world, has also taken action. A panel set up by the RBI found that more than half of about 1,100 digital loan providers were operating illegally. Millions of Indians rely on these apps, and there is often no clear-cut way for borrowers to discern the legal from the shoddy.

After flags were raised by Indian officials, Google reviewed hundreds of apps on the Play Store, according to a company spokesperson. Platforms must now prove that they have the appropriate lending licenses.

APPLE BECOMES FIRST COMPANY TO HIT $3 TRILLION MARKET VALUE

Combine Walmart, Disney, Netflix, Nike, Exxon Mobil, Coca-Cola, Comcast, Morgan Stanley, McDonald’s, AT&T, Goldman Sachs, Boeing, IBM and Ford.

Apple is still worth more. It’s worth about $3 trillion. It became the first publicly traded company to ever reach the figure on Monday, when its stock briefly eclipsed $182.86 a share before closing at $182.01.

In August 2018, Apple became the first American company ever to be worth $1 trillion, an achievement that took 42 years. It surged past $2 trillion two years later. Its next trillion took just 16 months and 15 days.

Another tech giant, Microsoft, could follow Apple into the $3 trillion club early this year.

By just about any measure, a $3 trillion valuation is striking. It is worth more than the value of all of the world’s cryptocurrencies. It is roughly equal to the gross domestic product of Britain or India. And it is equivalent to about six JPMorgan Chases, the biggest American bank, or 30 General Electrics.

SENSEX BEGINS NEW YEAR WITH A 929-PT BANG

The rising cases of Covid infections notwithstanding, the sensex on Monday rallied over 900 points (929), or 1. 6%, to start the new year on a strong note. The index closed the day at 59,183 points, a 6-week high. A reversal in strong selling by foreign funds that was witnessed during November and December also helped improve investor sentiment on Dalal Street.

Banking, financial and metal stocks led the day’s rally while healthcare stocks witnessed some selling. At close of session, gainers on BSE outnumbered laggards by a 3:1 ratio with 2,672 advances to 894 declines.

JO’BURG TEST, DAY 1: HARSH SPOTLIGHT ON PUJARI, RAHANE AS INDIA OUT FOR 202

Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane's saga of failure compounded a shoddy batting performance by India even as stand-in skipper K L Rahul impressed with a defiant show amid the ruins on the opening day of the second Test against South Africa, in Johannesburg, on Monday. Rahul won the toss and chose to bat first.

Rahul's patient 50-run knock, on a day when India missed Virat Kohli, who was ruled out of the match due to back spasms, and Ravichandran Ashwin's cavalier 46 at the rear-end of their first innings enabled the visitors post 202 on a bouncy Wanderers track.

In reply, South Africa were 35/1 at stumps.

It could have been two down had Rishabh Pant snapped Peterson off Jasprit Bumrah, the catch seeming a regulation one.

Worse, Mohammed Siraj hobbled off with what looked like a hamstring strain. If it's bad news, then India would be left with four bowlers.

However, a lot of blame should go on India's batters, as some, like Pujara (3 off 33), did not show intent to score while others, like Rahane (0 off 1), seemed completely short on confidence. It prompted the legendary Sunil Gavaskar to say it as it is on air, "I think the next innings will be their last chance."

NOW, BACK SPASM SWELLS VIRAT KOHLI'S WOES

India’s skipper Virat Kohli missed out on what would have been his 99th Test on the morning of the second match of the series against South Africa in Johannesburg, adding to an intriguing drama that is unfolding around him on an almost daily basis now.

This was after the skipper had a good net session at the Wanderers on Sunday afternoon and coach Rahul Dravid, as is his wont, didn't drop the slightest hint that the skipper has niggling back issues which have resurfaced after nearly three and half years. In 2018, he was suffering from a condition called 'herniated disc' (slipped disc) and advised by the doctor to not play county cricket for Surrey if he wanted to be part of the Test series after that.

Kohli was seen somberly ambling around the Bull Ring before the start of the game and looked visibly disappointed on having to miss the game.

If runs have dried up on the field, his off-the field relationship with the BCCI hasn't exactly made matters easy for him, as the establishment's poster boy isn't now on very good terms with the big wigs of the board. So much so that someone like Dravid, who always likes a healthy distance from controversies, acknowledged on match eve that Kohli is being "phenomenal" around the group in spite of all the "noise" around him.

It was an admission that India’s feisty Test captain is under pressure and perhaps a series win, and at least one three-figure score or something close to it, will remove a huge load off his chest.

INDICATORS

Sensex 59,183 (+929), Nifty 17,626 (+272), Trading Value NSE (Rs.crores) 47,115

Nasdaq 15,833 (+188) Dow 36,585 (+247), S&P 4,797 (+30)

US$-Rs. 74.25 GBP-Rs. 100.19, Euro-Rs. 84.11, UAE Dhm-Rs.20.21, Can$-Rs. 58.42, Aus$- Rs. 53.66

GBP 0.74 /US$, Euro 0.88 /US$, Jap.Yen 115.24 /US$, Aus$ 1.38 /US$, Sing 1.35 /US$, Bang Taka 84.09 /US$, Can$ 1.27 /US$, Mal Ring 4.16 /US$,

Pak Re 175.74 /US$, Phil Peso 51.02 /US$, Russian Rouble 74.62 /US$, NZ$ 1.46 /US$, Thai Baht 33.19 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 27.07 /US$

Bitcoin - USD 46,051

Dollar Index 96.25 Brent Crude 78.84

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,804 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4,925 / 4,725, Silver (Rs. Per KG) 66,200

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

A true test of character isn't how you are on your best days, but how you act on your worst days. – Unknown

OFF TRACK

A patient was seen fleeing down the hall of the hospital just before his operation.  A nurse stopped him and asked, "What's the matter?"

He answered, "I heard a nurse say, 'It's a very simple operation, don't worry, I'm sure it will be all right.'"

Confused the nurse asked, "So why are you running away like this?"

The patient said, "She wasn't talking to me. She was talking to the doctor!"