THE WORLD IS CHANGING, IT CAN’T BE BUSINESS AS USUAL: JAISHANKAR AT UNSC

Multilateral platforms are being misused to justify and protect perpetrators of terrorism, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday during an open debate at the United Nations Security Council, in a veiled attack on China and its close ally Pakistan.

Presiding over the UN Security Council open debate on ‘Maintenance of International Peace and Security: New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism', Jaishankar also said the knock on effects of conflict situations have made a strong case that it cannot be "business as usual" in the multilateral domain.

"On the challenge of terrorism, even as the world is coming together with a more collective response, multilateral platforms are being misused to justify and protect perpetrators," he said.

His remarks appeared to be a reference to repeated holds and blocks on proposals to blacklist terrorists, particularly those based on Pakistani soil like Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, in the UN Security Council's sanctions committee by veto-wielding permanent members such as China.

Addressing the powerful 15-nation Council, Jaishankar said that reform is the need of the day. "And I am confident that the Global South especially shares India's determination to persevere,” he said.

"All of us are aware that the 'Question of Equitable Representation and Increase in the Membership of the Security Council' has been on the UNGA agenda for well over the last three decades. While the debate on reforms has meandered aimlessly, the real world meantime has changed dramatically,” he said.

Jaishankar said, "we have convened here today for an honest conversation about the effectiveness of multilateral institutions created more than 75 years ago. The question before us is how best they can be reformed, particularly as the need to reform is less deniable with each passing year."

"Recent concerns over food, fertilizer and fuel security were not adequately articulated in the highest councils of decision making. Much of the world was therefore led to believe that their interests did not matter. We cannot let that happen again,” he said, an apparent reference to the Ukraine conflict and its impact on food and fuel security across the world.

"When it comes to climate action and climate justice, the state of affairs is no better. Instead of addressing the relevant issues in the appropriate forum, we have seen attempts at distraction and diversion,” he said.

During the COVID pandemic, he said, many vulnerable nations of the Global South got their first vaccines from beyond their traditional sources. "Indeed, the diversification of the global production was itself a recognition of how much the old order had changed," he said.

Underscoring that each one of these examples makes a strong case why it should not be business as usual in the multilateral domain, Jaishankar said.

17 OPPN PARTIES FORM STRATEGY TO CORNER GOVT ON INDIA-CHINA BORDER ISSUE

Leaders of 17 Opposition parties met in Parliament House complex on Wednesday and decided to evolve a joint strategy to corner the government on the India-China border issue.

The meeting was held after the Opposition MPs walked out of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha for the second consecutive day as their demand for a discussion on the clash near Tawang in Arunachal was not allowed.

The Opposition leaders—from the Congress, Samajwadi Party, RJD, NCP, National Conference, DMK, Shiv Sena (Thackeray), CPI(M), CPI, JD(U), VCK, KCM, IUML, Kerala Congress, AIUDF, MDMK and RLD—met in the chamber of Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge. The Trinamool Congress didn’t attend the meeting, but conveyed “it would go by whatever decision was taken”.

As the House proceedings commenced, Opposition MPs rose up in both Houses demanding a discussion on China issue. But neither Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla nor Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh conceded to the demand. Birla rejected an adjournment notice by the Congress saying the Business Advisory Committee would decide on it. Protesting Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the then PM Jawaharlal Nehru had allowed 165 members to participate in a discussion in the House on the 1962 India-China war and only after that he took the decision on what to do.

Referring to the statement by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Parliament on Tuesday, Congress MP Manish Tewari said, “There are crucial questions that need to be asked. Why are these clashes happening, first Galwan and now Yangtse? What do the Chinese want? Is the government aware of Chinese intentions? Have we lost any territory?”

AMIT SHAH ASKS CM SHINDE, BOMMAI TO ADDRESS KARNATAKA-MAHARASHTRA BORDER ISSUE

Days after violence at Belagavi and Pune over inter-state border row between Karnataka and Maharashtra, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday asked the chief ministers of the two states to form a six-member team comprising three ministers from each side to address all boundary issues.

At a meeting with Maharashtra Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and his Karnataka counterpart Basavaraj Bommai, Shah said the two states will not make any claim until the Supreme Court decides the issue. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra were also present at the meeting.

“Until the Supreme Court gives a decision on the matter, none of the two states will make any claim. Three ministers from each side will meet and discuss the issue in detail. The ministers will also resolve other issues pending between the two sides,” Shah said, adding that both chief ministers agreed that the issue can be settled only through constitutional means and not on the road.

PROBE TRACES AIIMS CYBERATTACK TO CHINA, PATIENT DATA RESTORED

The probe into the cyberattack on some servers at AIIMS in the national capital has found that the IP addresses of two emails, which were identified from the headers of files that were encrypted by the hackers, originated from Hong Kong and China’s Henan province.

Multiple agencies, including the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), are investigating the cyberattack that is feared to have compromised the records of nearly 3-4 crore patients, including high-profile political personalities.

Meanwhile, all back-up data directly linked to the patient details has been repopulated to the main system. “All previous patient records are back on the system,” they said.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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XMAS CEASEFIRE NOT ON AGENDA: KREMLIN

Ukrainian forces shot down 13 drones on Wednesday, officials said, as Russia launched its first major drone attack on the capital Kyiv in weeks and the US considered sending its advanced Patriot air defence system to help Ukraine. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said explosions had rocked the city’s central Shevchenkivskyi district and that two administrative buildings had been damaged.

Ukrainian air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said the attack was deliberately timed for when it was dark to make it harder to shoot the drones down. “The air defences worked well,” he said. “Thirteen (drones) were shot down. ” “Well done, I am proud,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video message, praising the air defence systems. In the past 24 hours, it said, in the regions of Kharkiv, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia “the enemy launched 1 air and 11 missile strikes, 3 of them on civilian infrastructure. . . (and) launched over 60 attacks from multiple rocket launchers”. Russian shells hit the regional administration building on the central square of the recently liberated city of Kherson, the deputy head of Ukraine’s presidential office said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Russia this week to start withdrawing its troops by Christmas as the first step towards a peace deal after nearly 10 months of war. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “No, no such offers have been received from anybody. This topic is not on the agenda”.

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21 DIE IN BIHAR HOOCH TRAGEDY; TRIGGERS POLITICAL SLUGFEST

In yet another suspected hooch tragedy in dry Bihar, 21 deaths were reported from Saran district on Wednesday, triggering a slugfest in the state assembly where the ruling ‘Mahagathbandhan' led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and opposition BJP traded charges.

According to Sunil Kumar, the state's minister for prohibition, the deaths have been reported from Mashrak and Isuapur police station areas of Saran.

Sale and consumption of alcohol was completely banned in Bihar by the Nitish Kumar government in April, 2016.

The issue rocked the Bihar assembly, where BJP MLAs entered the well, raising slogans against the government and demanding compensation to family members of those who lost their lives in Saran.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, to whom prohibition is very close to his heart, rose in his chair angrily and stood admonishing the BJP legislators, waving fingers at them.

BJP members demanded an apology from the chief minister.

Outside the House, Leader of the Opposition Vijay Kumar Sinha told reporters, “The CM owes his current term in office to us (BJP) but he ditched us and joined those he had been accusing of jungle raj (RJD). In their company, he has picked up their ways, which is evident from the intimidating and insulting language he used against us on the floor of the House”.

Tejashwi Yadav, replying to queries of journalists, said the BJP should remember that Bihar has witnessed many hooch deaths while it was in power. “Many of its own leaders have also been accused of involvement in illicit liquor trade. It should not make hypocritical noises but cooperate with the government which is making honest efforts to curb liquor consumption,” he said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said the BJP members should understand that consuming liquor in Bihar is a crime, and thus, deaths caused cannot be compensated for. “It will be tantamount to supporting liquor consumption."

Meanwhile, RJD MLA and former minister Sudhaker Singh said that the saffron party, having shared power with Nitish Kumar, had no moral right to raise a hue and cry on the matter, but he seconded the view that prohibition was “a complete failure” in Bihar.

EVEN AS BORDER CHILL DEEPENS, RECORD SURGE IN IMPORTS FROM CHINA

China’s latest transgression on the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh led to calls Wednesday for snapping trade ties to teach Beijing a “lesson”, but official data show that India’s imports from the country have jumped to a record high over the last 30 months.

Leading the demand to suspend trade with China, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in a Twitter post, said, “Why don’t we stop our trade with China? Most of the goods imported from China are made in India. China will get a lesson from this and employment will be created in India.”

Yet data available with the Department of Commerce show that India’s trade with China crossed the $100-billion mark and reached an all-time high of $115.83 billion in 2021-2022 – 34.06 per cent higher than the $86.39 billion in 2020-2021.

The figure of average monthly imports from China increased from $5.43 billion in 2020-2021 to $7.88 billion in 2021-2022. In the first seven months (April-October) of 2022-23, the figure reached $8.61 billion.

In pre-Covid times of 2019-2020, the average monthly import figure stood at $5.43 billion.

PENDENCY HIGH, SC SHOULD NOT HAVE TO TAKE UP BAIL PLEAS ETC: KIREN RIJIJU

Speaking on the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (Amendment) Bill-2022 on Wednesday, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju told Rajya Sabha that a constitutional body like Supreme Court should not be hearing “bail applications and frivolous PILs’’ at a time when pendency of cases is so high.

Rijiju introduced the Bill to rename the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre as the India International Arbitration Centre in the Upper House on Wednesday and it was passed by voice vote.

The Lok Sabha had passed the Bill in August 2022, which expands this to include the conduct of other forms of alternative dispute resolution, besides arbitration.

Responding to allegations made by various Opposition members that the Bill was being introduced because of pressure from the World Bank, Rijiju said, “…it is not under any international pressure but it is the situation, the emergent situation, which compelled the government to take a decision. Therefore, it is a sovereign decision by the government of India.”

Agreeing with many of the suggestions and criticism from MPs on the state of arbitration in the country, the Law Minister said, “I, personally, agree with the suggestions which have come today.

RAGHURAM RAJAN AT BHARAT JODO, BJP HITS OUT AT HIM

Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan on Wednesday joined the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra. While the Congress celebrated the support of a “fearless economist” who has often criticised the government’s policies, the BJP lashed out at Rajan.

Taking a dig at the former RBI governor, BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya tweeted, “He fancies himself as the next Manmohan Singh.” Malviya said Rajan’s presence at the Yatra did not come as a surprise. “His commentary on India’s economy should be discarded with disdain. It is coloured and opportunistic,” the spokesperson tweeted.

The IT head for BJP’s Delhi unit, Punit Agarwal, shared news clippings of Rajan’s statements criticising the Indian economy or the Centre’s schemes. Agarwal captioned the image, “Yeah, now it all makes sense Mr Raghuram Rajan.”

Sharing an image with Rajan, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “We walk for unity and to secure India’s future.”

Supriya Shrinate, the Congress’s social media head, hailed Rajan as a “fine economist, a man of high integrity, a man whose heart beats for an inclusive India and above all one of the most fearless people I know”.

SUPREME COURT NOTICE TO CENTRE ON PLEA FOR LEGAL NOD TO SAME-SEX UNION

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice on a plea by a gay couple seeking legal recognition of their marriage in India.

A bench presided by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud issued notice on the plea by a 46-year-old Indian national, who said he had got married to a US citizen in September 2010 in the US and registered their marriage in Pennsylvania, USA, in June 2014.

The duo, residents of Pune, said their attempts to get their marriage registered under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, came to a naught as the Registrar of Marriages refused to grant their request.

They said they subsequently wrote to the Indian embassy in Washington DC, seeking to register the marriage under Foreign Marriage Act, 1969, but that request was also turned down.

The plea before SC, filed through advocate Nupur Kumar, contended that this amounted to violating the petitioners’ rights under Articles 14, 15, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India, which the Supreme Court had held are “guaranteed to LGBT and non-LGBT Indians with equal force” in Navtej Shingh Johar v Union of India case, wherein the court decriminalised same-sex relations.

FOOTBALL WORLD CUP: FRANCE DOWN MOROCCO 2-0, SET UP ARGENTINA FINAL

France will take on Argentina in the World Cup final after beating Morocco 2-0 in an absorbing semi-final on Wednesday to stay on course for a successful title defence and end the fairytale run of the north Africans in Qatar.

Theo Hernandez scored in the 5th minute in a perfect start for the holders, who would have been looking for an early strike to silence the rowdy Moroccan support at the Al Bayt Stadium and dent the confidence of their team.

But it still proved a close-run clash as Morocco overcame injury blows and showed no deference to France’s reputation, taking the game to them in a gallant effort that added to the glowing reputation they have earned at the tournament.

France settled the outcome with a second goal 11 minutes from time as substitute Randal Kolo Muani, with a first touch after coming on, tucked in a shot at the back post.

The north Africans were hit hard by injuries to their key centre backs with the gamble of naming Nayef Aguerd in the starting line up failing to come off as he hurt his hamstring in the warm-up and skipper Romain Saiss having to go off after 20 minutes.

Replacement centre back Jawad El Yamiq was, however, closest to an equaliser with a spectacular bicycle kick on the stroke of halftime, from a poorly cleared corner by the French.

France’s victory set up the tantalising prospect of a decisive clash between Argentina maestro Lionel Messi, at the end of his international career, and France’s Mbappe, emerging as the next superstar of the world game.

CHATTOGRAM TEST: PUJARA, IYER, PANT LEAD INDIA FIGHTBACK VS B'DESH

Cheteshwar Pujara injected a fresh lease of life into his uncertain international future with a dogged 90 while Shreyas Iyer enjoyed a reprieve to remain unbeaten on 82 in India's underwhelming opening day score of 278/6 against Bangladesh in the first Test.

Pujara missed out on a Test hundred as he was bowled by a beauty from left-arm spinner Taijul Islam (3/84) but not before seeing India out of danger with a 149-run fifth-wicket stand with Iyer.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz (2/71) dismissed Axar Patel off the last delivery of the day to wrest the initiative back for the hosts.

Credit should also be given to Rishabh Pant (46 off 45 balls) whose counter-attacking knock was of immense value as he was the first one to hold the opposition by the scruff of its neck after skipper KL Rahul (22), Shubman Gill (20) and Virat Kohli (1) were dismissed cheaply within the first 90 minutes of play.

Till Pant was at the crease, it seemed like he was batting on a different track.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Medicine, law, business, engineering - these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love - these are what we stay alive for. - Dead Poet's Society

OFF TRACK

I couldn't find my luggage at the airport baggage area. I went to the lost luggage office and told the woman there that my bags never showed up. 

She smiled and told me not to worry because she was a trained professional and I was in good hands. "Now," she asked me, "has your plane arrived yet?"