BEATING RETREAT CEREMONY HELD AMID DOWNPOUR IN DELHI

Rains failed to dampen the spirit of Beating Retreat ceremony held at the historic Vijay Chowk in New Delhi on Sunday as Indian classical tunes played by bands of the armed forces filled the air, marking the end of Republic Day celebrations.

Foot-tapping music marked the beginning of the ceremony with the arrival of President Droupadi Murmu.

For the first time, a 3-D anamorphic projection was done on the facade of North Block and South Block.

As many as 29 Indian tunes were played by the music bands of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the State Police and the Central Armed Police Forces.

Never missing a step despite the wet ground, the bands began playing the Agniveer tune followed by the enthralling tunes like Almora, Kedar Nath, Sangam Dur, Queen of Satpura, Bhagirathi and Konkan Sundari.

The Air Force's band played Aprajey Arjun, Charkha, Vayu Shakti, Swadeshi, while fascinating Ekla Cholo Re, Hum Taiyyar Hai, and Jai Bharati were played by the band of the Navy.

The Army's band played Shankhnaad, Sher-e-Jawan, Bhupal, Agranee Bharat, Young India, Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja, Drummers Call, and Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon.

The event came to a close with the ever-popular tune Sare Jahan se Accha.

A drone show involving 3,500 indigenous drones was, however, cancelled due to bad weather, officials said. "Lot of preparations had gone into it," a senior official said.

RAHUL GANDHI UNFURLS TRICOLOUR AT SRINAGAR’S LAL CHOWK

While the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which began from Kanyakumari on September 7 last year, will officially end today, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi unfurled the national flag at Lal Chowk, in the heart of Srinagar, on Sunday, saying the “promise made to India” had been fulfilled.

Addressing a press conference later, Rahul spoke on a range of issues — from restoration of statehood and Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir to Chinese aggression on the LAC and Opposition unity.

But, notwithstanding the symbolic unfurling of the Tricolour and an iteration of his family’s links with Kashmir, Rahul was noncommittal on restoration of Article 370.

“By hoisting the Tricolour at Lal Chowk, the promise made to India was fulfilled today. Hate will lose, love will always win. There will be a new dawn of hope in India,” Rahul tweeted in Hindi.

While the walk ended Sunday, Rahul is scheduled to address a public rally at the Sher-i-Kashmir Cricket Stadium in Srinagar today, where Opposition leaders have been invited.

To a question on the promises made by Jawaharlal Nehru to the people of Kashmir, he said: “I am not happy with what I see in J&K. In fact, I have sadness when I walk through J&K. When I first entered Jammu, a strange idea came into my mind, which was that in some ways my family descended from J&K and went to Allahabad. And in some strange way, I was making the reverse journey that my ancestors made”.

On Article 370, he reiterated that the resolution of the Congress Working Committee was very clear. At its meeting on August 6, 2019, the CWC had attacked the government on the manner in which Article 370 was abrogated and J&K was divided, but shied away from demanding restoration of Article 370. When pointed out that the CWC resolution was not clear on whether the Congress would restore Article 370 if voted to power, Rahul said: “My position on 370 and the position taken by the CWC is very clear. I will hand you the document… you can read it. That is what our position is,” he said.

Asked whether the Congress, if voted to power, would restore the state laws which were scrapped after abrogation of Article 370, Rahul turned to Jairam Ramesh who was with him on the dais. “All the land rights and the job rights of the local population will be fully protected,” said Ramesh.

RAHUL COULD HOIST TIRANGA AT LAL CHOWK DUE TO MODI: BJP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has created such an atmosphere in Kashmir that any Indian can hoist the national flag with pride at Lal Chowk in Srinagar, the BJP said on Sunday and asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to thank him for the change in the Valley.

Rahul Gandhi must thank Modi ji after unfurling tiranga,' BJP spokesperson and former Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh said.

Echoing similar views, Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina said the credit for Gandhi unfurling the national flag goes to Modi who normalised the situation in the Valley with the abrogation of Article 370.

Raina said the Congress ruled the country for most part of the past seven decades but none of its leaders dared to unfurl the tricolour at Lal Chowk.

US TO RENEW EFFORTS TO REDUCE INDIA'S OIL, MILITARY 'DEPENDENCY' ON RUSSIA

The US will renew efforts by the West to wean India away from oil and arms dependency on Russia with a series of meetings in the coming days.

Notable among them is the interaction between NSAs Ajit Doval and Jake Sullivan this week on cutting-edge technologies besides a meeting in March between NATO and Ministries of External Affairs and Defence. Senior US diplomat Victoria Nuland, considered the original architect of the US policy on Ukraine, will also meet senior officials to help “India find alternatives to Russian military equipment”.

In India for foreign office consultations, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland told the Senate Foreign Relations committee that India had “60 years of entanglement” with Russia which needs to end. She was essentially reiterating the statement she made last May after visiting India.

Her visit follows that of Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu’s trip early this month.

Nearly in parallel, NSA Ajit Doval and his US counterpart Jake Sullivan will be in Washington for the first “Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies”. The initiative took shape after PM Narendra Modi underlined to US President Joe Biden the need to get the partnership on cutting-edge going when they met in Tokyo last year for the Quad Leaders’ Summit.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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UN SECURITY COUNCIL DOES NOT REFLECT TODAY'S REALITIES, IS PARALYSED: UNGA PRESIDENT

The UN Security Council does not reflect today's realities, is paralysed and unable to discharge its basic function of maintaining international peace and security when one of its permanent members has attacked its neighbour, UN General Assembly President Csaba Korosi has said.

“The Security Council which has been created back then” and given the primary responsibility of maintaining “international peace and security and preventing wars now is paralysed,” he told PTI ahead of his visit to India.

Korosi will arrive in India on Sunday on a three-day visit at the invitation of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. It is his first bilateral visit to any country since he assumed his role as President of the UN General Assembly in September 2022.

“The Security Council cannot discharge its basic function for a very simple reason. One of the permanent members of the Security Council attacked its neighbour. The Security Council should be the body to take action against the aggression. But because of the veto power, the Security Council cannot act,” he said, in a reference to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Korosi said this was a “very serious lesson learnt” for the future when talking about how to improve functioning of global organisations. He said that the issue of UNSC reform is both “burning” and “compelling” since the composition of the Security Council reflects “the outcome of the Second World War”.

NETANYAHU SEEKS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR CIVILIANS TO CARRY GUNS

Israeli police sealed off the Jerusalem family home of a Palestinian gunman two days after he killed seven people outside a synagogue, as fears grew of further escalation in the deadliest unrest for years in Jerusalem and the West Bank. PM Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans on Sunday to make it easier for Israelis to carry guns after the synagogue attack.

Netanyahu said making it easier for Israelis to get permits to carry guns would reduce violence: “We have seen, time and again . . . that heroic, armed and trained civilians save lives.”

Friday’s synagogue shooting presents a challenge to Netanyahu promising to make Israelis safer after Palestinian street attacks last year.

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ODISHA HEALTH MINISTER, SHOT BY POLICE OFFICER, DIES

Odisha's Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das died after battling bullet injuries for several hours after being shot by a policeman. A team of doctors operated on him after he was airlifted from Jharsugada to Bhubaneshwar.

Das, who was 60-years old, was shot through the heart at Brajrajnagar town around 1 pm when the minister was on his way to attend a programme in the district.

In a statement, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who was believed close to Das, said, "I am shocked and distressed over the very unfortunate demise of Minister Naba Kishore Das."

Das was shot by Assistant Sub-inspector of Police Gopal Das, who is believed to be suffering from mental disorder.

PM MODI ASKS MINISTERS TO REACH OUT TO MIDDLE CLASS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked Union ministers to reach out to the middle class with details of schemes which have benefitted it, sources said.

Chairing a meeting of the Union Council of Ministers here ahead of the presentation of the Union Budget on February 1, he said while government schemes have benefitted the poor and the marginalised, several initiatives have also been taken for the middle class that have made their life easier.

The prime minister wanted the Union ministers to carry facts while reaching out to the middle class with details of the initiatives which helped them in various ways. Hard copies of the presentations made during the meeting were given to the ministers to spread the message.

INDIAN DIASPORA IN UK PROTESTS AGAINST BBC DOCUMENTARY ON MODI

Large crowds of the Indian diaspora in Britain held protests outside the BBC HQ in London and its regional offices on Sunday against the broadcaster’s controversial two-part documentary on PM Narendra Modi that the Indian government has blocked and banned people from screening it or sharing clips on social media.

The protesters asked BBC to stop broadcasting the documentary “India: The Modi Question” in the UK. They held placards carrying slogans like “Boycott BBC”, “British Bias Corporation” and “BBC: you don’t deserve public money”. They waved the Indian flag and were heard shouting slogans — outside the Oxford Circus BBC HQ — like “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Shame on BBC”.

ADANI GROUP REFUTES HINDENBURG ALLEGATIONS, CALLS IT "ATTACK ON INDIA"

Terming Hindenburg Research's conduct a “securities fraud”, the Adani group on Sunday night said it was shocked and deeply disturbed to read the report published by the “Madoffs of Manhattan”. It further said the report by Hindenburg Research was nothing but a lie.

In a 413-page document, Adani retaliated against the American short-seller, saying the document was a “malicious combination of selective misinformation and concealed facts relating to baseless and discredited allegations to drive an ulterior motive”.

“This is rife with conflict of interest and intended only to create a false market in securities to enable Hindenburg, an admitted short seller, to book massive financial gain through wrongful means at the cost of countless investors. It is tremendously concerning that the statements of an entity sitting thousands of miles away, with no credibility or ethics has caused a serious and unprecedented adverse impact on our investors,” the Adani group statement said.

The mala fide intention underlying the report were apparent given its timing when Adani Enterprises Limited is undertaking one of the largest ever further public offerings (FPO) of equity shares in India, the group said. "This is not merely an unwarranted attack on any specific company but a calculated attack on India, the independence, integrity and quality of Indian institutions, and the growth story and ambition of India," it said.

All eyes would be on Adani group shares when the markets open on Monday.

BANKS REVIEWING ADANI EXPOSURE, SBI SAYS NO DEVOLVEMENT WORRY

Lenders to the Adani Group have started assessing their exposure of over Rs 2 lakh crore to the different businesses of the group in order to take necessary steps, if required. According to the SBI, the country’s largest lender, as the bank’s exposure to the Adani Group is well below the Large Exposure Framework (LEF) of the RBI and is secured by cash generating assets with adequate TRA (trust and retention account)/ escrow mechanism in place, debt service will not be a challenge.

According to a report by investment firm CLSA, the top-five Adani Group companies – Adani Enterprises, Adani Ports, Adani Power, Adani Green and Adani Transmission – have a consolidated debt of Rs 2.1 lakh crore. Indian banks’ exposure is less than 40 per cent of the total group debt. Within this, private banks’ exposure is below 10 per cent of the total group debt.

The CLSA report estimates that banking exposure to Adani Group is 0.55 per cent of system loans, as bank debt stands at less than 40 per cent of total group borrowing. Within this, PSU banks’ exposure as a share of their loans is 0.7 per cent, with the figures for some banks potentially at more than 1 per cent of loans, while for private banks the exposure is 0.3 per cent of loans, CLSA said.

'PATHAAN' CROSSES RS 400 CRORE MARK IN FOUR DAYS

Shah Rukh Khan's "Pathaan" continued its record-breaking spree at the box office as it collected Rs 429 crore gross worldwide in four days, said production banner Yash Raj Films (YRF) on Sunday.

"Pathaan", which is Shah Rukh's first big screen release as a lead in over four years, had raised Rs 106 crore globally on its opening day, followed by Rs 113.6 crore on day two and Rs 90 crore on day three. "'Pathaan hit another 100 crore+ day on its 4th day, Saturday.

DJOKOVIC EQUALS NADAL’S 22 GRAND SLAM TITLES

A ruthless Novak Djokovic resumed his reign over Melbourne Park by winning a record-extending 10th Australian Open title on Sunday and crushing the Grand Slam dream of Greek trailblazer Stefanos Tsitsipas in a one-sided final.

In a rematch of the 2021 French Open decider, Djokovic swept to a 6-3, 7-6(4), 7-6(5) victory at Rod Laver Arena to reclaim the world number one ranking and again deny Tsitsipas a maiden major title.

The atmosphere was electric and the crowd often unruly as Serbian and Greek fans bayed in the terraces as if roaring on football teams. But at the finish chants of "Nole! Nole" won out as Djokovic stormed to a 5-0 lead in the final tiebreak and closed out the match with a thumping forehand down the line that Tsitsipas could only hit long.

The 35-year-old Serb tapped his temple then his heart as he walked forward to shake hands with Tsitsipas before jumping into his players box. Unleashing a roar, Djokovic pumped his fists then cried as he hugged his mum.

Djokovic's 22nd Grand Slam triumph, now matching Rafael Nadal, was the ultimate redemption a year on from his sensational deportation from Australia on the eve of the Grand Slam due to his lack of COVID-19 vaccination. That dark episode seemed like ancient history on Sunday as he soaked up the cheers from his army of Serbian supporters.

Despite saying repeatedly he bore no grudges over his deportation, Djokovic left none in doubt that the events of last year would be fuel for his success. He has had plenty of other spurs at this tournament, with heckling fans, snide commentary about the severity of his hamstring injury and calls for his father Srdjan to be barred from Melbourne Park for mixing with Putin supporters bearing banned Russian flags.

"I have to say this has been the most challenging tournament I have played in my life," Djokovic said as he cradled the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup.

GERMANY STUN BELGIUM FOR THIRD HOCKEY WORD CUP CROWN

Germany ended Belgium's dominance in global hockey in the last five years after yet another stunning comeback from two-goal deficit to beat the defending champions in the penalty shoot-out to win the FIH Hockey men's World Cup for the third time, in Bhubaneswar, on Sunday.

The teams were locked 3-3 at the end of regulation time in the thrilling final before Germany eventually won 5-4 in sudden-death in front of a packed Kalinga Stadium.

This was the third time in the tournament that Germany won after trailing 0-2. Their mental strength and never-say-die attitude came to the fore again as they prevented the Belgians from defending their crown.

The earlier two comeback matches were against England, in the quarter-finals, and Australia, in the semi-finals.

Earlier, captain Thierry Brinkman struck twice as the Netherlands dished out a superb show of attacking hockey to beat world No. 1 Australia 3-1 and clinch the bronze medal.

INDIA WIN WOMEN'S ICC UNDER-19 WORLD CUP

India won the ICC women's Under-19 T20 World Cup, trouncing England by seven wickets in the final, in Potchefstroom, South Africa, on Sunday.

Chasing a paltry 69 for victory, the Shafali Verma-led side hit up the runs for the loss of just three wickets.

The Indian women's cricket team had never won a World Cup at any level. The seniors reached the World Cup final on three occasions across formats but failed to go the distance.

INDIA WIN IN A LOW SCORING THRILLER TO LEVEL NEW ZEALAND T20I SERIES

India’s spinners revelled on a turning track before their batters made heavy weather of a small target to register a scrappy series-levelling victory over New Zealand in the second T20 International, in Lucknow, on Sunday.

The trio of Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav impressed on a helping surface to limit a self-destructing New Zealand to 99 for 8, their lowest total against India in the shortest format.

It should have been a straight-forward run chase but the top-order, comprising Ishan Kishan (19 off 32 balls), Shubman Gill (11 off 9) and Rahul Tripathi (13 off 18) had a tough time negotiating the Kiwis bowlers.

In the end, Hardik Pandya (15 not out off 20 balls) and Suryakumar Yadav (26 not out off 31) took the team over the line with a ball to spare and six wickets in hand.

The series decider will be played in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Freedom is not merely the opportunity to do as one pleases; neither is it merely the opportunity to choose between set alternatives. Freedom is, first of all, the chance to formulate the available choices, to argue over them -- and then, the opportunity to choose. - C. Wright Mills

OFF TRACK

Conducting a study on relationships, a researcher lands up at an old man’s house.

“Can you tell me when you last made love”, he asks.

“Nineteen fifty nine”, the man answers

The researcher is taken aback. “That’s an awfully long time”, he says.

“I suppose”, says the wizened old man, glancing at his watch, “But it’s only twenty-one fifteen now”