COVID RULES EASED FOR INTL ARRIVALS

Travellers arriving in India won't have to undergo a mandatory seven-day home quarantine or an RT-PCR test on the eighth day from February 14, according to revised guidelines for international arrivals issued on Thursday.

There will be random sampling of 2 per cent of International travellers from all countries on arrival. They can give their samples and will be allowed to leave the airport after that, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Twitter.

Instead of the seven-day home quarantine mandated earlier, all travellers will self-monitor their health for 14 days after their arrival, he said while detailing the relaxation in curbs for international arrivals.

Apart from uploading a negative RT-PCR report (taken 72 hours before the journey), there will be an option to upload certificates of the completion of full primary COVID vaccination schedule provided from countries on a reciprocal basis. The ministry provided a list of 82 such countries. These include the US, US, New Zealand, Switzerland , Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Bangladesh, Iran, Nepal, Mexico and the Netherlands.

The demarcation of countries 'at-risk' and other countries has been removed.

"Need for undertaking RT-PCR test on 8th day & uploading the same on Air Suvidha portal is dispensed with," Mandaviya tweeted.

Passengers found to be symptomatic during screening after arrival shall be immediately isolated and taken to a medical facility in accordance with health protocol. If tested positive, their contacts shall be identified and managed as per laid down protocol.

International travellers arriving through seaports/land ports will also have to undergo the same protocol as above, except that the facility for online registration is not available for such passengers currently.

Children under five years of age are exempted from both pre- and post-arrival testing.

MANIPUR ASSEMBLY POLLS RESCHEDULED; NOW ON FEB 28, MAR 5

The Election Commission on Thursday rescheduled the dates for the two-phase assembly polls in Manipur which will now be held on February 28 and March 5.

Earlier, the polls were to be held on February 27 and March 3.

In a statement, EC said the decision is based on inputs, representations, past precedent, logistics, ground situations and "all facts and circumstances in the matter".

RBI LEAVES BENCHMARK LENDING RATE UNCHANGED AT 4 PER CENT

The RBI yesterday kept the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 4 per cent and decided to continue with its accommodative stance in the backdrop of an elevated level of inflation.

This is the tenth time in a row that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) headed by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has maintained the status quo.

The RBI had last revised its policy repo rate or the short-term lending rate on May 22, 2020 in an off-policy cycle to perk up demand by cutting the interest rate to a historic low.

Das said the MPC voted unanimously for keeping interest rate unchanged and decided to continue with its accommodative stance as long as necessary to support growth and keep inflation within the target. The RBI retained its growth projection at 9.2 per cent and inflation at 5.3 per cent for the current financial year.

The policy statement came as a surprise, and brought relief to the markets. While the policy is in line with the govt’s push for capital investment this year, it may also support borrowing by corporates — in that sense, continuing low interest rates augurs well for both consumption demand and investment in the economy.

Savers and depositors, on the other hand, will find their interest income unchanged. After taking into account the 5.59% inflation in December, depositors are making a nominal loss on one-year term deposits. The State Bank of India offers 5.10% interest on one-year fixed deposits.

UP POLLS FIRST PHASE: OVER 60 PER CENT TURNOUT RECORDED

Over 60 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the first phase of polling held on Thursday across 58 assembly constituencies in 11 districts of Uttar Pradesh.

The day passed off peacefully with minor technical snags in EVMs at some places. Those EVMs were being replaced as the reports came in, election officials said.

During the 2017 assembly elections, 63.47 per cent polling was recorded in these constituencies.

In 2017, the BJP had bagged 53 of the 58 seats in the region, while the Samajwadi Party and the BSP had got two seats each. One seat had gone to the Rashtriya Lok Dal.

COVID DASHBOARD – INDIA

As of 0800 IST /Feb 11

from mohfw.gov.in ,

New Cases on Thursday 58,077

Active Cases 6,97,802 (-92,987)

Total Deaths (Deaths Yesterday) 5,07,117 (504)

Total Vaccination: 171.79 Crores (+48,18,867)

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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WEST WARNS OF ‘DANGEROUS MOMENT’, RUSSIA HOLDS DRILLS

Britain said on Thursday the West could face the “most dangerous moment” in its standoff with Moscow in the next few days, as Russia held military exercises in Belarus and the Black Sea following its troop buildup near Ukraine. Tensions remained high, with Ukraine also staging war games, but leaders on all sides signalled they hoped diplomacy could still prevail in what UK PM Boris Johnson called Europe’s biggest security crisis for decades.

In a new round of diplomacy, UK foreign minister sparred publicly with Russia’s top diplomat at talks in Moscow, Johnson visited Nato headquarters in Brussels and officials from Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France were due to meet in Berlin to discuss the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

In a new point of friction, Ukraine criticised Russian naval exercises that it said made navigation in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov “virtually impossible”. Ukraine’s defence minister Oleksii Reznikov later urged the international community to take tough punitive measures on Russia, including port restrictions.

Visiting Moscow, UK foreign secretary Liz Truss was upbraided by Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov at a joint news conference in which he accused her of grandstanding and refusing to listen. “I’m honestly disappointed that what we have is a conversation between a dumb and a deaf person. . . Our most detailed explanations fell on unprepared soil,” the 71-year-old diplomat said. Truss challenged Lavrov directly over his assertion that Russia is not threatening anyone with its troop build-up. “I can’t see any other reason for having 1,00,000 troops stationed on border, apart from to threaten Ukraine”.

On Thursday, Britain published new legislation broadening the scope of those linked to Russia who could be sanctioned if Moscow invades Ukraine. Britain has not publicly disclosed the possible targets, but warned they would be imposed the moment any incursion takes place.

EUROPE FACING TRUCKER PROTESTS AFTER CANADA

Authorities in Paris and Belgium on Thursday banned road blockades threatened by groups organising online against Covid-19 restrictions, in part inspired by protesters in Canada. Citing “risks of trouble to public order”, the Paris police department banned protests aimed at “blocking the capital” from Friday through Monday. Blocking traffic can lead to two years in prison, €4,500 in fines and a suspended driver’s license, the police said. Online chat groups in France have been calling for drivers to converge on Paris starting Friday night. There have also been calls in Belgium for truckers to converge on the capital, which houses EU institutions. Authorities banned Monday’s threatened blockade and said they would prepare to keep a convoy from cutting off access to Brussels.

In Canada, PM Justin Trudeau lambasted trucker led protests that have strangled the capital and blocked a key bridge to the US, with police warning they will arrest those responsible. New Zealand police arrested 120 people after anti-vaxxers occupied a part of parliament grounds in a copycat “Freedom Convoy” protest. Similar stir is planned in Austria’s capital Vienna on Friday. Some online groups in Spain are also calling for gatherings.

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HIJAB ROW: HC ASKS STUDENTS NOT TO INSIST ON WEARING ‘RELIGIOUS THINGS’ TILL MATTER IS RESOLVED

The Karnataka High court hearing the Hijab issue on Thursday asked students not to insist on wearing ‘religious things’ on campuses of educational institutions which can instigate people, till the matter is resolved.

Posted the matter for Monday, the full court also said the educational institutions can resume classes for the students.

The three-judge full bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice J M Khazi and Justice Krishna S Dixit, which was formed on Wednesday, also said it wants the matter to be resolved at the earliest but till that time peace and tranquility is to be maintained. “Till the disposal of the matter, you people should not insist on wearing all these religious things,” CJ Awasthi said.

However, the petitioners’ lawyer Devadatt Kamat requested the court to consider his objection that such an order will amount to suspension of his client’s constitutional rights under article 25. “That will be a total affront to their rights,” Kamat contended.

In response, Chief Justice Awasthi said the arrangement is only for a few days till the matter is resolved and asked him to cooperate.

‘UP CAN BECOME KASHMIR, KERALA, BENGAL IF BJP NOT VOTED BACK’, SAYS YOGI ADITYANATH; OPPN REACTS

Uttar Pradesh can become Kashmir, Kerala or Bengal if BJP is not voted back to power, State Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said hours before the first round of elections in UP on Thursday, evoking sharp reactions from opposition leaders, including from the three states, as they alleged that it was an attempt to polarise people in the state.

Reacting strongly to the UP CM’s comments, his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan said if the north Indian state develops like Kerala, people will enjoy the peace and better living conditions while Congress leader Shashi Tharoor took a dig at Yogi Adityanath, saying UP “should be so lucky” as Kashmir’s beauty, Bengal’s culture and Kerala’s education would do wonders for the place.

In a six-minute video message on Twitter, the UP chief minister said a vote for him will be a “guarantee of fear-free life”, asserting that the time for a big decision has come.

“Beware! If you miss this time, the five-year effort will be washed away. And it will take no time for UP to become Kashmir, Kerala or Bengal. This vote will be your guarantee to a life without fear,” Yogi Adityanath said in his appeal to voters.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah attacked Yogi Adityanath, saying, “He should be so lucky. J&K has less poverty, better human development indices, less crime & generally better standards of living than UP.” “What we lack is good governance over the last 3-4 years but that is a temporary phenomenon,” Abdullah tweeted.

Trinamool Congress’ Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen said that Adityanath is desperately trying to divide people, “which is an old game of the BJP when it finds the going tough”. “The BJP has sensed defeat in the upcoming UP elections, which is why it is now trying to sow discord among people of the northern state by portraying amity and peace in West Bengal in a negative light.

UNION MINISTER'S SON, PRIME ACCUSED IN LAKHIMPUR KHERI INCIDENT GETS BAIL

The Allahabad High Court on Thursday granted bail to Ashish Mishra, the son of Union minister Ajay Mishra, in the Lakhimpur incident in which eight people including four farmers were killed in October last year.

On Thursday, Justice Rajeev Singh granted him bail in the case.

The counsel appearing on behalf of the Union minister's son had told the court that his client was innocent and there was no evidence against him that he incited the driver of a vehicle to crush the farmers.

Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait dubbed the development as the “BJP’s petty politics” and said farmers would appeal against the decision to grant bail to Ashish Mishra in a higher court.

AMBANI, ADANI SHOULD BE WORSHIPPED AS THEY CREATE JOBS: BJP MP ALPHONS

Amid a raging debate on unemployment and war of words between the opposition parties and the govt, a BJP MP on Thursday told Rajya Sabha that industrialists like Ambani and Adani should be “worshipped” as they are creating jobs.

“You can accuse me of being a mouthpiece of the capitalists. The people who have created jobs in this country, let me name those people, because you have named them. Be it Reliance, be it Ambani, be it Adani, be it anybody, they must be worshipped. Yes, because they provide jobs… The people who invest money, Ambani, Adani, every industrialist who creates money in this country creates jobs. They have created jobs. They need to be respected,” BJP’s K J Alphons said while participating in the debate on the Union Budget.

A former Union minister, Alphons argued that “global inequalities are a fact”. He said the opposition has argued that the wealth of two people has gone up.

“Elon Musk’s wealth has gone up 1016 per cent. Are you aware of this? The wealth of the founder of Google, Larry Page, has gone up 126 per cent. The wealth of Bezos has gone up 67 per cent. The lowest among all these top 10 is Bill Gates. His wealth has gone up 30 per cent.

DROP LESS HEINOUS CASES? SC SEEKS EXPERTS’ ADVICE

A day after mooting the idea of dropping of pending criminal cases, involving less heinous offences and in which the accused have already spent substantial part of the sentence, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked the senior advocates including Sidharth Luthra and Mahesh Jethmalani to give their suggestion and assist the court on how the “innovative thinking” could be translated into action.

As the batch of senior advocates including Siddharth Agrawal and Siddhartha Dave — known for their expertise in criminal laws — appeared together in one of the cases before a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M M Sundresh, the court told them about the idea propounded by it on Wednesday on dropping of cases as a one time measure to unburden the judicial system and sought their suggestions on how can it be implemented.

The SC on Wednesday proposed that dropping of cases could be done to streamline the criminal justice delivery system and to ensure that courts devote more time on matters involving heinous offences.

TESLA IS WELCOME, BUT MAKING IN CHINA AND SELLING IN INDIA NOT A DIGESTIBLE CONCEPT, NITIN GADKARI

Tesla is welcome in India, but manufacturing in China and selling in India is “not a digestible concept”, Union Roads & Highways Minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari told News18 in an interview.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s tweet last month about facing problems in Tesla entering the Indian market had created a stir, making many states openly invite Musk to come set shop. “Tesla is welcome in India, we don’t have any problem. The Indian market is a huge market. The Indian automobile industry’s turnover is Rs 7.5 lakh crore. And all the reputed brands in the whole world — BMW, Mercedes, Hyundai, Toyota, Volvo, Honda — all are here. So there is a huge market,” said Gadkari. “We request him (Elon Musk) that you can start your own plant here. We have all ancillaries available here, you can get quality production here and you can get good sale here. So if you start here, you are welcome, no problem. But manufacturing in China and selling in India is not a digestible concept to all of us,” he said.

RIL SETS ITS DRONE BIZ PLAN IN MOTION, LOOKS TO BECOME A KEY PLAYER

Reliance Industries has put together an aggressive plan to build its drone business which includes expanding manufacturing capacity five-fold, participating in the new drone production linked incentive scheme, and experimenting with limited logistics payloads to deliver goods.

The target is to become a key player in the expected $5 billion market in India by the end of the decade.

The drone business is being carried out through a Bangalore-based start up, Asteria Aerospace, in which Reliance has taken a majority stake. Asteria is a subsidiary of Jio Platforms Ltd.

Asteria estimates that there will be over 50,000-60,000 commercial drones in the skies in two years in India and the company will invest to expand its capacity in the Bangalore plant from 2,000 per annum to 10,000 drones very soon.

SOMEONE ELSE TOOK CREDIT FOR DECISIONS I TOOK IN AUSTRALIA: AJINKYA RAHANE

He was a central figure in India’s epic turnaround during the 2020-21 tour of Australia but stand-in captain of that series Ajinkya Rahane says "someone else took the credit" for decisions he made to resurrect the team after the nightmarish 36 all out in the Adelaide Test.

As regular captain Virat Kohli flew out of Australia, leaving in his wake the disappointment of the humiliating loss in the opener at Adelaide, Rahane took over the reins in the most difficult of circumstances.

What followed was one of the most incredible turnarounds seen in Test history as India rebounded to win the second match at the Melbourne by eight wickets, with Rahane leading the fightback with a magnificent hundred.

"I know what I've done there. I don't need to tell anyone. That's not my nature to go and take credit. Yes, there were some things that I took the decisions on the field or in the dressing room but someone else took the credit for it," Rahane said in an episode of 'Backstage With Boria'. "(What was) important for me was that we won the series. That was a historical series and for me, that was really special."

Rahane did not take any names but his comments could well be a veiled attack on the then head coach Ravi Shastri, who was widely acclaimed for the team's performance and dominated the media space for being the architect of the turnaround given that the dressing room resembled a hospital ward at one point.

India missed three frontline players at MCG, and continued to lose key players through the series to injuries but still won the 4-Test series 2-1.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Who of us is mature enough for offspring before the offspring themselves arrive? The value of marriage is not that adults produce children but that children produce adults. – Peter De Vries

OFF TRACK

How many lawyers does it take to screw in a light bulb?

A: Four: one to climb the ladder, one to hold the ladder, one to shake the ladder and one to sue the ladder company.