EGYPT'S PRESIDENT SISI TO BE CHIEF GUEST AT REPUBLIC DAY CELEBRATIONS

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations in January, the ministry of external affairs said on Sunday. "This is the first time that the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt will be the Chief Guest at our Republic Day," the MEA said in a statement.

Both countries are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year.

Egypt has been invited as a 'Guest Country' during India's Presidency of G-20 in 2022-23, the statement said.

"India and Egypt enjoy warm and friendly relations based on civilisational and deep-rooted people-to-people ties," the statement said.

GUJARAT CAMPAIGN: MODI, KHARGE, KEJRIWAL IN TOP GEAR

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched his sharpest offensive so far on rival Congress in poll-bound Gujarat, saying the erstwhile UPA govt at the Centre “would let off terrorists while the BJP govt in Gujarat would invest energy in nabbing them”.

Accusing the Congress and newer parties (read AAP) of practising politics of appeasement and viewing terrorism from the prism of vote bank, the Prime Minister said: “The ideology of terror has not disappeared. Dangers of terrorism will last as long as vote bank politics lasts. The country and Gujarat need to be cautious of parties practising vote bank politics.”

The Prime Minister said, “The Congress and other power-hungry parties that want shortcuts in politics view terrorism from the prism of vote bank and appeasement.” “Gujarat and the country must remain cautious of these parties,” PM Modi said, adding such parties did not condemn terror attacks and their sympathisers “defended terror accused”.

Congress president Malikarjun Kharge on Sunday called Modi a "jhoothon ka sardar" (chieftain of liars), and said the latter tries to gain sympathy by calling himself poor and claiming that people abuse him. Addressing a public rally at Dediapada in the tribal-dominated Narmada district of poll-bound Gujarat, Kharge said he himself comes from the "poorest of the poor and untouchable caste".

"Modiji and (Union Home Minister Amit) Shah ask what Congress did in 70 years? Had we not done anything in 70 years, you would not have got democracy. And people like you who always claim to be poor. I am also poor. I am from the poorest of the poor. I come from the untouchable caste. At least people drink your tea. People do not even drink my tea," he said.

"And then you say, I am poor, someone abused me, said something to me, asked what my status is. If you are trying to gain sympathy by saying such things, then (understand) people are now intelligent. They are not that foolish," he said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal yesterday promised that the AAP would implement the old pension scheme (OPS) for state employees in Gujarat if it formed the govt after the upcoming Assembly elections.

Kejriwal told the media in Surat that his predictions for the Delhi and Punjab Assembly elections came true, and it would come true for Gujarat as well. “Note down the prediction that the AAP is going to form govt in Gujarat. After 27 years of mis-governance, citizens of Gujarat will get relief from these people (BJP),” Kejriwal said, while writing down this on a piece of paper and showed it to the media.

The Assembly polls in Gujarat will be held in two phases - on December 1 and 5, while votes will be counted on December 8.

NO VIOLATION OF PRIVACY, PERSONAL DATA ACCESS IN EXCEPTIONAL CASES: GOVT

Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar yesterday said the govt would not be able to violate the privacy of citizens under the proposed data protection law as it would get access to personal data only in exceptional circumstances like national security, pandemic and natural disasters.

Speaking during an online discussion, he elaborated how the National Data Governance Framework Policy had the provision for handling data.

“Let’s say the govt wants to essentially violate the privacy of citizens with this law. Is it possible? The answer is no. The Bill lays out in very clear terms what are the exceptional circumstances under which the govt can have access to the personal data of Indian citizens.... national security, pandemic, healthcare, natural disaster.“These are exceptions. Just like freedom of speech is not absolute and is subject to reasonable restriction, so is the right to data protection,” Chandrasekhar said.

The draft Bill also bars individuals from sharing unverifiable and wrong information. Chandrasekhar said the proposed Data Protection Board, which would adjudicate matters related to data protection, would be independent and won’t have any govt officer on the board.

INDIA EYES SMALLER NUCLEAR REACTORS FOR CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION: MINISTER

India is taking steps for the development of small modular Reactors with up to 300 MW capacity to fulfil its commitment to transitioning towards clean energy, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said Sunday.

At a workshop on Small Modular Reactors (SMR) organized by NITI Aayog and the Department of Atomic Energy, he said the participation of the private sector and start-ups needs to be explored in the development of this critical technology within India.

SMRs with up to 300 MW capacity, by nature, are flexible in design and require a smaller footprint, Singh said, adding that being mobile and agile technology, SMRs can be factory-built, unlike the conventional nuclear reactors that are built on-site.

SMR is a promising technology in industrial de-carbonization, especially where there is a requirement for a reliable and continuous supply of power, the minister added.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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COVID LOCKDOWN PROTESTS SPREAD ACROSS CHINA; PEOPLE SHOUT 'STEP DOWN XI'

China's rare public protests opposing stringent COVID lockdowns turned political on Sunday with protestors shouting slogans against President Xi Jinping and the ruling Communist Party, as the demonstrations spread to the university campuses in Beijing and Nanjing.

Shanghai, where thousands of protestors converged at the Wulumuqi Road -- which is named after Xinjiang provincial capital Urumqi - on Saturday night, witnessed fresh demonstrations on Sunday despite the heavy presence of police.

According to videos posted on social media about the protests in Shanghai, people were heard openly shouting slogans such as "Xi Jinping, step down" and "Communist party, step down", says a BBC report.

Elsewhere protesters held blank white banners, while others lit candles and laid flowers for the victims in Urumqi, where 10 people were killed in a fire at a building reportedly under Covid lockdown on Thursday.

The anti-lockdown protests appear to be posing a major challenge for Xi, just over a month into his third term in power.

Political protests opposing the CPC and its leadership are very rare in China while the country witness sporadic agitations over various issues. As such criticism of the party and leadership could result in harsh penalties.

CUT TIES WITH CHILD-KILLING REGIME, KHAMENEI’S NIECE TELLS WORLD, HELD

Iranian authorities have arrested a niece of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after she recorded a video describing the authorities led by her uncle as a “murderous and child-killing regime”. Farideh Moradkhani comes from a branch of the family that has a record of opposition to Iran’s clerical leadership and has herself been jailed previously in the country.

Then on Saturday her brother posted a video on YouTube, with the link shared on Twitter, where she condemned the “clear and obvious oppression” Iranians have been subjected to, and criticised the international community’s inaction. “Free people, be with us! Tell your govts to stop supporting this murderous and child-killing regime,” she said. “This regime is not loyal to any of its religious principles and does not know any law or rule except force and maintaining its power in anyway possible. ” It was not clear when the video had been recorded. She complained that the sanctions imposed against the regime over its crackdown were “laughable” and said Iranians had been left “alone” in their fight for freedom.

RIOTS IN BRUSSELS AFTER MOROCCO'S WC WIN

Riots broke out in several Belgian cities after Morocco's 2-0 upset win over Belgium at the World Cup in Qatar on Sunday. Police detained about a dozen people after they deployed water cannons and fire tear gas to disperse crowds in Brussels. Dozens of rioters overturned and torched cars, set electric scooters on fire and pelted cars with bricks.

 Brussels mayor Philippe Close urged people to stay away from the city center and said authorities were doing their utmost to keep order in the streets. Even subway and tram traffic had to be interrupted on police orders.

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CONGRESS HINTS AT TOUGH DECISIONS IN RAJASTHAN

The Congress on Sunday sounded positive about its capacity to resolve the ongoing Rajasthan Congress crisis and said tough decisions would be taken to strengthen the party organisation in the state.

Commenting on the power tussle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot in the state that goes to the polls in late 2023, AICC general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said in Indore, “The organisation is most important for us. On the issue of Rajasthan, we will decide on a solution that will strengthen our organisation. For this, if we have to take tough decisions, we will take. If a compromise has to be made (between the factions of Gehlot and Pilot), then it will be done.”

Gehlot had recently called Sachin Pilot a “traitor” and said a “traitor cannot become the Chief Minister of the state”. Jairam had said the Congress needs both Gehlot and Pilot.

Jairam said Gehlot should not have used harsh words. He noted that “no time frame could be fixed for a solution, and that only the Congress leadership could decide the time frame for the same”.

Meanwhile, Gehlot has opened Budget discussions in the state ahead of scheduled time in signs that he had dug in his heels even as the Pilot camp continues to seek the latter’s installation as the Chief Minister.

PRO-PAK SLOGAN IN RAHUL'S YATRA VIDEO: MP COPS BOOK CONG IT HEAD, JOURNALIST

A case was registered against Madhya Pradesh Congress IT department head Abhay Tiwari and journalist Piyush Babele on Sunday in connection with alleged 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans raised during the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, an official said.

The issue has led to a slugfest between the ruling BJP and the Congress, with the latter calling the video of the incident as doctored in order to defame the nationwide march.

The video was posted by the BJP's IT cell, which the Congress claimed was a part of the tactics of the ruling party's "dirty tricks" department. The video showed Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and state unit chief Kamal Nath walking during the yatra and a voice shouting 'Pakistan Zindabad' towards the end of the 21-second clip.

The rally was passing through Bhanbarad in the state's Khargone district at the time.

MP Congress media department chairperson KK Mishra said Babele was a journalist and is not a member of his party. Congress insiders claimed Babele was a press aide of Kamal Nath.

The Congress' media department chief KK Mishra said his party will not be bogged down by what he claimed were fake complaints. "We are going to stand like a rock behind Tiwari and Babele. The BJP govt in MP can prevail over is by registering such fake and baseless cases," Mishra asserted. Earlier in the day, Mishra said the BJP was afraid of the massive response the Bharat Jodo Yatra was getting.

ADANI KERALA SEAPORT: COPS BOOK PRIESTS, POLICE STATION ATTACKED

Fishermen protesting against Adani Group’s Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited attacked a local police station Sunday night demanding the release of five men who were taken into custody in connection with  violence a day earlier.

Around 30 policemen were injured, several vehicles damaged in the attack as tension prevailed in the Vizhinjam region.

Earlier in the day, the police booked Thiruvananthapuram Archbishop Thomas Netto, auxiliary bishop R Kristudas, and several priests of the archdiocese, in connection with Saturday’s violence during the fishermen protest.

During Saturday’s violence, fishermen came face to face with local Hindu groups, which have been demanding completion of the Rs 7,500-crore seaport, under construction since 2015.

AIRING OF ‘NATIONAL INTEREST’ CONTENT FOR TV MAY COME INTO EFFECT ON JAN 1

Come January 1, 2023, it may become binding for Indian television channels to air “national interest” content for 30 minutes every day. Earlier this month, the Union Cabinet approved the ‘Guidelines for Uplinking and Downlinking of Television Channels in India, 2022’, under which it became obligatory for channels to telecast content in national and public interest.

As per the guidelines, at least 30 minutes are to be given every day to telecast content pertaining to “public service and national interest”, for which eight themes were given to channels for creation of content. The rationale behind the move, as per the govt, is that airwaves are public property and need to be used in the best interest of society.

The themes given to the channels include (i) education and spread of literacy; (ii) agriculture and rural development; (iii) health and family welfare; (iv) science and technology; (v) welfare of women; (vi) welfare of the weaker sections of the society; (vii) protection of environment and of cultural heritage; and (7 (viii) national integration.

SMALL IS GOOD: MUDRA LOAN NPAs FAIRLY LOW

Non-performing assets of banks for Mudra loans – including those extended during the Covid-19 pandemic when small enterprises were the worst hit – are lower than the average NPAs of the sector as a whole, data obtained under the Right to Information Act reveals.

Bad loans under the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana for all banks (public, private, foreign, state cooperative, regional rural and small finance) since the launch of the scheme on April 8, 2015, added up to Rs 46,053.39 crore as on June 30, 2022. This is just 3.38 per cent of the total disbursements of Rs 13.64 lakh crore under the scheme during the period, almost half of the banking sector as a whole which stood at 5.97 per cent for the year-ending March 31, 2022.

The gross NPAs of the banking sector in the previous six years was much higher than in 2021-22; it was 7.3 per cent in 2020-21, 8.2 per cent in 2019-20, 9.1 per cent in 2018-19, 11.2 per cent in 2017-18 and 9.3 per cent in 2016-17 and 7.5 per cent in 2015-16).

The Micro Units Development & Refinance Agency (MUDRA) was launched on April 8, 2015, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide loans up to Rs 10 lakh to non-corporate, non-farm, small and micro enterprises. Called the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, loans are given under three categories: Shishu up to Rs 50,000, Kishore Rs 50,001 to Rs 5 lakh, and Tarun from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. Mudra loans do not require any collateral/ security, and hence were perceived to be very risky.

Within the three categories, the NPAs for Shishu loans were the lowest at 2.25 per cent of disbursements and the highest for Kishore loans at 4.49 per cent. For Tarun loans, bad loans were 2.29 per cent of disbursements.

FOOTBALL WORLD CUP

Japan 0-1 Costa Rica (Group E) (Japan 3 Points, Costa Rica 3)

Belgium 0-2 Morocco (Group F) (Belgium 3 Points, Morocco 4)

Croatia 4-1 Canada (Group F) (Croatia 4 Points, Canada 0)

Spain 1-1 Germany (Group E) (Spain 4 Points, Germany 1)

COSTA RICA STUN JAPAN WITH A LATE GOAL

Costa Rica put a huge dent in Japan's hopes of reaching the World Cup last 16 as they recovered from their 7-0 hammering by Spain to claim a surprise 1-0 victory in Group E on Sunday.

The door was wide open for Japan to seal their place in the knockout round after their historic opening win over Germany.

But Keysher Fuller's curling 81st-minute effort, Costa Rica's first shot on target in the entire tournament, rocked Japan and put their hopes of progression in peril.

When Fuller's left-footer crept into the top of the net despite Japan's keeper Shuichi Gonda's doomed attempt to keep it out, Costa Rica's players and fans were in delirium.

There may also have been cheers of relief in the Germany camp because if Japan had won, Germany would have been under intense pressure to beat Spain in the group's later game.

MOROCCO STUN BELGIUM

Substitutes Abdelhamid Sabiri and Zakaria Aboukhlal earned Morocco their first World Cup victory in 24 years as they upset a hugely disappointing Belgium side 2-0 in World Cup Group F on Sunday.

It was Morocco's first win at a World Cup since they beat Scotland in 1998. They left the 2018 tournament with a single point.

Belgium, who had scraped a 1-0 win over Canada in their opening game, again looked a pale shadow of the team who finished third in 2018 and climbed to second in the world rankings. They must now battle for a last-16 spot against Croatia.

CROATIA EFFICIENTLY DISMANTLE CANADA

Croatia absorbed an early blow before revving into gear at the World Cup with two goals from Andrej Kramaric securing a 4-1 victory over Canada on Sunday that moved them a point away from the last 16 and dashed their opponents' knockout-stage hopes.

SPAIN, GERMANY PLAY OUT A 1-1 DRAW

It's not all over for Germany at the FIFA World Cup 2022 as they remained in the race for a Round of 16 spot after a 1-1 draw with Spain on Monday. The result gave the four-time champions a much needed one point to stay alive in Qatar, while Spain consolidated their top position in the Group E standings with four points. In the last 2 GROUP E matches, Germany will play Costa Rica, while Japan take on Spain.

RAIN WASHES OUT NZ VS INDIA 2ND ODI IN HAMILTON

The second ODI between India and New Zealand in Hamilton on Sunday was abandoned because of heavy rain. Put into bat, India were 89/1 in 12.5 overs before heavy rain forced the umpires to call off the match. Captain Shikhar Dhawan perished for 3, before Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill treated the fans at Seddon Park with superb strokeplay in the few overs they batted together.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Character is the result of two things: Mental attitude and the way we spend our time. - Hubbard, Elbert

OFF TRACK

After being away on business, Tim thought it would be nice to bring his wife a little gift. "How about some perfume?" he asked the cosmetics clerk.

She showed him a bottle costing $50.00. 

"That's a bit much," said Tim, so she returned with a smaller bottle for $30.00.

"That's still quite a bit," Tim complained. Growing annoyed, she brought out a tiny $15.00 bottle. 

"What I mean," said Tim, "is I'd like to see something really cheap." 

The clerk handed him a mirror.