CONG: GOVT MUST FLAG VISA CONCERNS WITH TRUMPThe Congress today said it hoped the upcoming visit of US President Donald Trump results in some tangible gains for India and doesn't get reduced to merely a transactional trip.Former minister and Congress deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharmareminded the government today to flag to the US President the matter that hehad withdrawn generalised system of preference (GSP) status from India;constricted the H1B visa space and also declared India a developed countryequating it with China."President Trump has declared India a developed country on the eve of hisvisit which means he has equated it with China for all practical purposeswhereas the Chinese GDP is five times that of India so is its per capitalannual income," Sharma said.He also asked the government to stop being hypocritical about the Trumpvisit to the Motera stadium in Ahmedabad being organised by some privatecommittee. The Congress leader said the scale of preparations for theAhmedabad event were beyond the remit and capacity of a private committeeand these had the government presence writ large."Why are you not being honest?" Sharma asked PM advising him to ensure thatthe journey of the President in India does not become an extension of hispresidential campaign back home to get the votes of the Indian disapora.US President Donald Trump could well become the first visiting US Presidentto give a meeting with the Congress chief a miss. The Congress on Fridayconfirmed it had not yet received any request from the Trump's office for ameeting with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.US, TALIBAN TO SEAL AFGHAN PEACE DEAL ON FEBRUARY 29, INDIA WARY OF FALLOUTIn a dramatic development with strategic, political and securityrepercussions for India, the United States and the Taliban said Friday thatthey will seal a political settlement on February 29 at the end of aweeklong period of "violence reduction" starting midnight in Afghanistan.The deal could become one of the major talking points during the bilateralmeeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trumpon February 24-25.US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the agreement, which will reduceUS presence in the region, will be signed upon the successful implementationof an understanding with the Taliban on a "significant" and nationwidereduction in violence.Reuters quoted a Taliban spokesperson as saying that "both parties agreed tosign the finalised accord in the presence of international observers". Bothsides would also make arrangements for the release of prisoners, the Talibansaid. Afghan, international and Taliban forces will observe the reducedviolence period.There has been no official word from New Delhi yet, but the deal is of someconcern to the Indian establishment. More so, because the return of theTaliban in Afghanistan carries harsh memories from the 1990s, especially ofthe IC-814 hijack crisis that ended with the release of Masood Azhar. Azharlater founded the Jaish-e-Mohammed, a terror outfit that has claimed severalIndian lives - from the Parliament attack in 2001 to the Pulwama attack in2019.While many Western observers believe the agreement could represent a chancefor peace in the region, New Delhi has been cautious on the issue as itgives strength to Pakistan, which has been a long-time benefactor of theTaliban.RUSSIA BOOSTING TRUMP'S CANDIDACY, CLAIMS US INTELRussia is interfering in the 2020 campaign to try to get Donald Trumpre-elected, US intelligence officials have warned lawmakers in a briefingthat infuriated the President, who then replaced his intelligence chief, USmedia reported.Trump erupted in anger at acting director of national intelligence (DNI)Joseph Maguire when he learned of the February 13 session with the HouseIntelligence Committee, The Washington Post and New York Times saidThursday.Maguire aide Shelby Pierson reportedly told lawmakers Russia was once againmeddling in the US election on Trump's behalf.Trump complained that the Democrats would use the information against him,the reports said.Trump announced on Wednesday he was replacing Maguire with Richard Grenell,53, the ambassador to Germany and his loyalist.Democratic congressman Bennie Thompson said that by firing Maguire over thebriefing "the President is not only refusing to defend against foreigninterference, he's inviting it."KARNATAKA'S GROWING LIST OF SEDITION CHARGESSlapping sedition charges on people for staging a play that allegedlyinsulted the prime minister, raising slogans and statements shows adeliberate misinterpretation of the law with the intent to curb dissent.The Karnataka police seems to be taking disturbingly frequent recourse tothe sedition law in the wake of protests against the new citizenship law. OnThursday, it slapped sedition charges on Amulya Leona Noronha, a 19-year-oldstudent from Chikkamagaluru, for the slogan "Pakistan Zindabad" at ananti-CAA protest meeting. Also recently, a university student from Mysuru,the headmistress of a school in Bidar and the parent of a nine-year-oldstudying in the same school, and three Kashmiri students of a college inHubbali/Dharwad have been booked on sedition charges and jailed. On Tuesday,the police arrested journalist and poet Siraj Bisaralli and Rajabaxi H V,the editor of a website where a video of Bisaralli's rendition of ananti-CAA poem at a literary meet was uploaded - both were fortunate, though,to escape sedition charges.Many of these cases follow a pattern. Workers and affiliates of the rulingBJP file a case claiming sedition, the police make arrests under thesecharges, and the matter moves to the court. In some instances, locallawyers' bodies have passed resolutions barring members from representingthe accused. This pattern continues to replicate itself even though thesepolice excesses have been called out by the courts, which have spoken up forthe citizen's right to express dissent and warned the police againstattempts to stifle rights protected under Article 19 of the Constitution.As early as in 1962, the Supreme Court had re-interpreted this colonial-eralegislation and said that mere criticism of the state does not constitutesedition. Since then, the apex court has reiterated this position in caseafter case.GOLD RESERVES FOUND IN NAXAL-HIT UP DISTOne of the most backward districts of the country, Sonbhadra is reinventingitself as one of the most resource-rich places. As per reports of theGeological Survey of India and state's Directorate of Geology and Mining,the estimated gold at Son Pahadi and in Hardi village area of the districtis said to be around 3,500 tonne.In a windfall of sorts, the Uttar Pradesh Government is preparing to soonauction a large amount of gold reserve found in the backward Naxal-hitdistrict.The government has constituted a seven-member team for the auctioning ofthese blocks through the e-tendering process. The team will soon geo-tag theentire region and submit its report to the Directorate of Geology andMining, Lucknow.As per the official letter of the Directorate, 2,943.26 tonne gold reserveis said to be at Son Pahadi, while 646.15-kg gold is in Hardi block. As perthe World Gold Council, India currently has 626 tonne gold reserves.The work for finding gold reserves in Sonbhadra started in 1992-93 after theCentral Geological Survey of India took over.WOMEN'S T20I WORLD CUP: INDA START WITH A WIN OVER AUSLeg-spinner Poonam Yadav bowled a magical spell to steer India to acomfortable 17-run win over defending champions Australia in their openingmatch of the Women's T20 World Cup, in Sydney yesterday.Put in to bat, India struggled to 132 before Poonam (4/19) foxed the Aussieswith her googlies, turning the match decisively in her team's favour.Australia were all out for 115 in 19.5 overs.WELLINGTON TEST (AT TEA ON DAY 2): NZ ON TOPOn day one, yesterday, the rain ensured there was no play after Tea. Put into bat first, India were 122/5 then.This morning, on day 2, India lasted barely an hour, adding 43 runs for theloss of last 5 wickets.New Zealand in turn are going strong on their home turf - at tea on day 2,they're at 116/2 in 39 overs,.INDICATORS(Indian Stock Markets were closed yesterday, on account of Mahashivaratri)Nasdaq 9,577 (-174) Dow 28,992 (-228), S&P 3338 (-35)US$-Rs. 71.85 GBP-Rs. 92.87, Euro-Rs. 77.73, UAE Dhm-Rs.19.55, Can$-Rs.54.25, Aus$- Rs. 47.50GBP 0.77 /US$, Euro 0.92 /US$, Jap.Yen 111.79 /US$, Aus$ 1.51sgd /US$, Sing1.39 /US$, Bang Taka 83.31 /US$, Can$ 1.32 /US$, Mal Ring 4.19 /US$,Pak Re 153.77 /US$, Phil Peso 50.81 /US$, Russian Rouble 64.17 /US$, NZ$1.57 /US$, Thai Baht 31.54 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 24.20 /US$, Norway NOK 9.30/US$Bitcoin - USD 9.692Dollar Index 99.26 Brent Crude 58.50 BDI 480Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,644 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4136 / 4036,Silver (Rs. Per KG) 52,300THOUGHT FOR THE DAYIt is the ability to take a joke, not make one, that proves you have a senseof humor. - Max Forrester Eastman