INDIA ACKNOWLEDGES: TALIBAN HOLD POSITIONS OF POWER, AUTHORITY

In its first clear and official reference to the Taliban as a state actor, India acknowledged in a joint statement with Australia Sunday that the group holds “positions of power and authority across Afghanistan”.

This reference is a step forward for the diplomatic establishment, but falls short of officially recognising the Taliban administration as the government of Afghanistan.

On Saturday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had described the Taliban as the “dispensation” in Kabul during his remarks after the 2+2 talks with Australia involving Foreign and Defence ministers.

Sunday’s joint statement said: “(The) Ministers also expressed deep concern about the situation in Afghanistan. Ministers called for the Taliban to guarantee safe passage for foreign nationals and Afghans wanting to leave the country.” It said: “They reiterated calls on those in positions of power and authority across Afghanistan to adhere to counterterrorism commitments and human rights, in accordance with UNSCR 2593.”

The statement also sought “a broad-based and inclusive government” for “long term peace and stability in Afghanistan”.

FIRST-TIME MLA BHUPENDRA PATEL TO BE SWORN-IN AS GUJARAT CM TODAY

Bhupendra Patel (59) was unanimously elected Gujarat BJP legislature party leader on Sunday. He will be sworn in as the chief minister today.

The proposal to elect him the legislature party leader was moved by CM Vijay Rupani, whose resignation on Saturday, over a year ahead of the state Assembly polls, surprised many political observers. Bhupendra Patel's name was not in the long list of probables being discussed in state political circles and he emerged as the dark horse.

A soft-spoken leader, Patel has had a meteoric rise in state politics, starting at the municipality level and on way to becoming the CM in his first term as an MLA. He contested his maiden Assembly election from Ghatlodia constituency in Ahmedabad in 2017 and won by over 1.17 lakh votes, the highest victory margin in the state during that election.

Talking to the media after his election as the BJP legislature party leader, Patel thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah and BJP president J P Nadda for placing their trust in him. On his mentor Anandiben Patel, Patel said he is glad to have her blessings.

‘G 23’ SHOULD BE CLOSED CHAPTER, SONIA IS TAKING INITIATIVES: MOILY

In a setback for the G 23 grouping in the Congress, former law minister M Veerappa Moily, who was a signatory to the letter the leaders had written to party chief Sonia Gandhi last year, on Sunday said he “hates” the word G 23 now and argued that some of the leaders are “misusing” the G 23 by “keeping it alive” through meetings and remarks in the media.

Moily said the 23 senior leaders, including him, had written to Gandhi to reform the party and not to weaken the party. He said the exercise has fructified as Gandhi has begun initiating reforms in the party and the G 23 should now be a “closed chapter” and not “institutionalised”.

Asked what reform measures Gandhi has taken, Moily said, “She has taken a number of measures…through AICC appointed some observers, appointed secretaries and also she is discussing with Prashant Kishor to reorganise the party and bring back real life into the party. That is why allow her… this is the time to strengthen her hands and not weaken her hands…..She has taken good initiative and definitely in a couple of months you will see the results.”

Asked what those initiatives are, he said, “I don’t want to narrate, re-state everything. I am happy, convinced that she is on the path of rejuvenating the party. This much I can say.”

OVER 74 CRORE COVID VACCINE JABS ADMINISTERED IN INDIA; ALL ADULTS IN SIX STATES, UTS GOT FIRST DOSE

All adult people in Sikkim, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Ladakh and Lakshadweep have received at least one dose of Covid vaccine as the cumulative jabs administered in the country crossed 74 crore on Sunday, the Union Health Ministry said.

“Congratulations to these states and Union Territories for administering the first Covid-19 vaccine dose to 100 per cent of the adult population. Special appreciation for the health workers in these regions for their diligence and commitment, the office of Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted.

KEY COVID NUMBERS

Current Active Cases Countrywide: 3,71,036

New Cases in last 24 hours: 31,370

Recovered in last 24 hours: 40,573

Change in no. of Active cases in last 24 hours: -9,422

No. of deaths in last 24 hours (Total Covid Deaths so far): 219 (4,42,907)

Daily Tests (Saturday): 16,08,840

Daily Positivity Rate (Proportion of Positives among total Tested): 1.9%

Percentage of Population Vaccinated (At Least One Dose / Two Doses): 42.1% / 13.3%

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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FBI RELEASES FIRST DECLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS OF 9/11 ATTACKS

The FBI on Saturday released a newly declassified document related to its investigation of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the US and allegations of Saudi government support for the hijackers, following an executive order by President Joe Biden. The partially redacted 16-page document released by the FBI on the 20th anniversary of the attacks detailed contacts between the hijackers and several Saudi officials, but it did not draw a definitive conclusion whether the government in Riyadh was complicit in the attacks.

Relatives of the victims have been pushing for years for more information about what the FBI discovered in its probe and have contended that the documents would show Saudi Arabian authorities supported the plot. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia.

The Kingdom has long said it had no role in the attacks. The Saudi embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment sent out of hours late on Saturday.

ABDUL HAQQANI: WOMEN CAN STUDY AT UNIV BUT NO MIXED CLASSES

Women in Afghanistan will be allowed to study in universities as the country seeks to rebuild after decades of war but gender segregation and Islamic dress code will be mandatory, the Taliban’s new higher education minister said on Sunday.

The minister, Abdul Baqi Haqqani, said the new Taliban government, named last week, would “start building the country on what exists today” and did not want to turn the clock back 20 years to when the movement was last in power. He said female students would be taught by women wherever possible and classrooms would remain separated, in accordance with the movement’s interpretation of Islamic sharia law.

All efforts will be made to find and provide women teachers for female students,” he told reporters.

He said that where no women teachers were available special measures would be adopted to ensure separation. “When there is really a need, men can also teach (women) but in accordance with sharia,” he said.

THE REST

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TMC RIDICULES BJP OVER USE OF KOLKATA FLYOVER’S IMAGE IN UP GOVT AD

The Trinamool Congress on Sunday ridiculed the Uttar Pradesh government for the use of a purported image of a Kolkata flyover in a full-page advertisement showcasing achievements of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, while giving it a backhanded compliment for acknowledging the "great work" done by Mamata Banerjee, his West Bengal counterpart.

The advertisement titled 'Transforming Uttar Pradesh under Yogi Adityanath' showed an image of a flyover painted in blue-and-white colours synonymous with the TMC government along with high-rises and industries juxtaposed below a large photograph of the UP chief minister. The advertisement features Kolkata's iconic yellow taxi on the flyover and a star hotel beside it, according to several Twitter users.

The Indian Express which carried the advertisement issued a corrigendum saying "A wrong image was inadvertently included in the cover collage of the advertorial on Uttar Pradesh produced by the marketing department of the newspaper. The error is deeply regretted and the image has been removed in all digital editions of the paper."

"The state government (of UP) has to be responsible, there is no passing the buck," TMC national spokesperson and leader of the party in the Rajya Sabha Derek O'Brien said, claiming that the newspaper concerned was put under pressure to release a statement taking the blame for the goof up. He said he has been with an advertising agency for several years and can vouch that the client has to approve any advertisement before being released in the media.

POLICE OFFICER SHOT DEAD BY MILITANT IN SRINAGAR, INCIDENT CAUGHT ON CAMERA

A police officer was shot dead from point-blank range by a militant in the Khanyar locality of the city on Sunday. The militant fired at the officer and injured him. He was rushed to SKIMS in Soura but succumbed to injuries.

The deceased officer has been identified as probationary sub-inspector Arshid Ahmad who was posted at police station Khanyar, the officials said.

The people behind the killing have been identified and will be brought to justice soon, DGP Dilbag Singh said.

Former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have strongly condemned the killing.

AAP, AKALI DAL LEADERS OBJECT TO ‘UNFAIR’ FARMERS’ APPEAL TO PUT PUNJAB POLL CAMPAIGN ON HOLD

Political parties in Punjab, especially those in Opposition, are in a quandary following an appeal by farmers’ unions to suspend campaigns for the upcoming state elections, till the polls are announced.

Both the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) — the main Opposition parties in the state — have voiced support for the ongoing farmers’ agitation against the controversial farm laws introduced by the Modi government in September 2020, but are reluctant to give in to the appeal made by the famers’ unions on poll campaigning.

While a formal decision on the matter is yet to be taken, individual leaders have voiced objection to the appeal, calling it “unfair”.

Elections are scheduled to be held in Punjab in February next year — though the Election Commission is yet to make a formal announcement — and political parties are expected to intensify campaigning next month.

Leaders of 32 farmers unions of Punjab held a meeting with representatives of political parties in Chandigarh Friday, during which the appeal to not hold campaigns till elections are announced was made. The reason for the appeal forwarded by the farmers union is that campaigning would jeopardise, or take attention away from, the agitation at the Delhi borders.

BJP URGES CENTRE TO BRING A LAW TO DEAL WITH ‘NARCO-TERRORISM’, ‘LOVE JIHAD’

With a Kerala Catholic bishop’s claim of “narcotics jihad” becoming a political flashpoint, the BJP on Sunday said the allegation echoed the voice of the Christian community in the state and sought the intervention of the Centre to bring in a law to deal with “narco-terrorism and love jihad”.

Meanwhile, the Kerala unit of the BJP has written to Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking Central intervention “to prevent jihadi activities and protection to Palai bishop Joseph Kallarangatt and Christian community”.

BJP spokesperson Tom Vadakkan alleged that the Kerala government has not taken cognizance of narco-terrorism and love jihad despite inputs from investigative agencies. He claimed that the bishop council has raised the issue following inputs from devotees of different churches, alleging that young girls are being lured and fall prey to “love jihad” and “later end up in foreign jails”. He said: “This has to be accounted as human trafficking.”

YOGI ADITYANATH'S COARSE SWIPE AT "PEOPLE WHO SAY 'ABBA JAAN'"

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath set the tone for next year's state elections, raging at "people who say 'Abba Jaan'" in a double-edged barb that was seen grazing the minority Muslim community as well as his predecessor Akhilesh Yadav.

"Under PM Modi's leadership, there is no place for appeasement politics... Before 2017 was everyone able to get ration? Only those who used to say 'Abba Jaan' were digesting the ration," Adityanath said at an event in the state's Kushinagar.

Last month, Yogi Adityanath, while speaking in the UP assembly, had hit out at what he called the promotion of vaccine hesitancy by the opposition, saying some only took the jab after their 'Abba Jaan' did, in a comment that came just days after Mulayam Singh Yadav got his jab.

The statement's communal undertone was called out by many on social media including former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who tweeted thus: "I've always maintained the BJP has no intention of fighting any election with an agenda other than blatant communalism & hatred with all the venom directed towards Muslims. Here is a CM seeking re-election claiming that Muslims ate up all the rations meant for Hindus."

AMID SC CONCERN OVER TRIBUNAL VACANCIES, GOVT APPOINTS 31 MEMBERS AT NCLT, ITAT

The government has appointed 31 people as judicial, technical and accountant members at the NCLT and the ITAT, amid the Supreme Court flagging concerns about vacancies at various tribunals.

The appointments come at a time when the Supreme Court has flagged concerns, saying the Centre was “emasculating” tribunals by not appointing officials to the quasi-judicial bodies that are facing staff crunch.

INDIA TO GET 3RD SET OF SWISS BANK DETAILS, INFO ON REAL ESTATE THIS MONTH

India will get this month the third set of Swiss bank account details of its nationals under an automatic exchange of information pact with Switzerland and this will include for the first time the data about real estate properties owned by Indians there, officials said on Sunday.

While the Swiss government has agreed to share details of real estate assets, the information about contributions to non-profit organisations and other such foundations, as also details on investments in digital currencies still remain out of bounds from the automatic exchange of information framework, officials said.

Experts and those engaged in the business of attracting investments to Switzerland said the move would help clear misconceptions about all fund inflows into Swiss assets being illicit and would go a long way in establishing Switzerland as a preferred investment destination, including for real estate properties.

ECB HAS WRITTEN TO ICC ON OUTCOME OF CANCELLED FIFTH TEST AGAINST INDIA: SPOKESPERSON

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has officially written to the ICC to decide the fate of the cancelled fifth Test against India at Old Trafford, indicating that the two boards are far from reaching a settlement.

The series-deciding fifth and final Test in Manchester was called off after a COVID-19 outbreak in the Indian camp forced its senior players to express their apprehensions to both the BCCI and ECB on going ahead with the match.

The ECB wants the ICC's Dispute Resolution Committee to address the issue and expect that forfeiture would be granted so that they can claim insurance as they are going to lose 40 million pound if the match is declared abandoned due to Covid.

Covid is an acceptable non compliance and the Indian camp has stated that it was unable to field a team for the match.

However, the ECB's contention could be that the Indian players returned two negative RT-PCR results and were still reluctant to play. Seniors such as skipper Virat Kohli didn't budge from their stance that there was risk involved during the incubation period, which overlapped with Test dates as most players were treated by physio Yogesh Parmar, who is in isolation after contracting the virus.

If the ICC rules the Test as abandoned, then India will win the series 2-1 but if England get forfeiture as per the DRC ruling, it will be a 2-2 verdict and the host nation can also claim insurance.

The ECB going to the ICC proves that there hasn't been an amicable settlement yet on the issue as the host board stares at losses. If it is ruled in favour of India, ECB stands to incur huge losses as most of the 40 million pound is not covered under COVID-19 insurance.

The Indian cricketers have already left UK and most of them have touched base in the UAE with their respective IPL franchises. It goes without saying that the BCCI's apprehension was the IPL schedule going haywire in case any of the top players tested positive during the course of the now-cancelled Test.

US OPEN FINAL: DANIIL MEDVEDEV STUNS NOVAK DJOKOVIC IN STRAIGHT SETS

Daniil Medvedev shattered Novak Djokovic's Grand Slam dream with a straight sets victory in the US Open final here Sunday, denying the world number one a record-breaking 21st major men's singles title. Russia's second-ranked Medvedev dominated Djokovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to prevent the first calendar-year Grand Slam since 1969 and keep Djokovic level with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal atop the career Slam title list. "Sorry for you fans and Novak because we all know what he was going for," Medvedev said.

"What you have accomplished in your career... for me, you are the greatest tennis player in history."

Medvedev, the 2019 US Open runner-up, captured his first Grand Slam title in his third Slam final, a rematch of February's Australian Open final, won in straight sets by the 34-year-old Serbian to launch his Slam quest.

Such was Medvedev's domination that the only tiny bit of drama came late in the third set when the Russian was suddenly hit by a bout of nerves trying to close out the match. Serving at 5-2 Medvedev double faulted on match point, allowing Djokovic to secure his one and only break.

After Djokovic held serve to trim the deficit to 5-4 Medvedev again had match point and again double faulted. But the 25-year-old did not squander a third chance, gathering himself to clinch the title on his third attempt.

"Congratulations to Daniil. Amazing match," Djokovic said. "If there's anyone that deserves a Grand Slam title right now, it's you."

Djokovic missed out on his fourth US Open title and will enter 2022 tied with "Big Three" rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, both absent with injuries, on an all-time record 20 men's Slam titles.

A tearful Djokovic paid tribute to the crowd that roared support for him even when all seemed lost down two sets and two breaks. "Even though I have not won the match, my heart is filled with joy and I'm the happiest man alive because you guys have made me feel special on the court," Djokovic said. "You guys touch my soul. I've never felt like this in New York."

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information. - T. S. Eliot

OFF TRACK

There were three restaurants on the same block. One day one of them put up a sign which said "The Best Restaurant in the City."

The next day, the largest restaurant on the block put up a larger sign which said "The Best Restaurant in the World."

On the third day, the smallest restaurant put up a small sign which said "The Best Restaurant on this Block."