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Mon, 18 January 2021
Security will be scaled back at Trump Tower
Timeline Refresh
23:46 Security will be scaled back at Trump Tower
Once a fortress, security in and around Trump Tower on Manhattans Fifth Avenue will begin to loosen, possibly as early as this week.
According to a New York Police Department official, police presence will be scaled down once Trump leaves office Jan. 20.
Streets around the high rise that have been blocked since Trump became President will likely be reopened and barricades are expected to be removed, according to the official who spoke on the condition of anonymity as plans are still being coordinated with the US Secret Service, and other federal authorities.
A communications center inside Trump Tower will no longer be needed and dismantled, the official added.
Trump Tower has had an increased security presence since Trump won the Republican presidential nomination in the summer of 2016 as it served as the Presidents main office and residence, the official said.
Since the November 2020 election, its been the target of protests including in the aftermath of George Floyds killing, with Black Lives Matter activists and Trump supporters alike.
When asked about changes in security, NYPD spokesperson Detective Denise Moroney said that they will continue to have a "robust presence" at Trump-affiliated locations, including Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue. After the inauguration, the department will reevaluate its security presence, she said.
23:23 US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris formally submits her Senate resignation
US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Monday officially resigned from her Senate seat, according to a media report, ending her four-year innings in the upper chamber of the United States Congress.
The move comes two days before the 56-year-old would be sworn in on Wednesday along with President-elect Joe Biden, making history as the first female, first Black and first South Asian American vice president.
Harris,a Democrat, has formally submitted her letter of resignation to California Governor Gavin Newsom, CNN reported, quoting a Harris aide.
Harris won her seat in November 2016 and was sworn in January 2017. At the time, Harris was California's attorney general.
Newsom has already named Alex Padilla, California's secretary of state, to fill Harris' seat.
The incoming US vice president has spoken to Padilla before he comes into office, according to a person with knowledge of the discussion.
Harris made history throughout her career, becoming the first Black woman in California to serve as a senator.
In her November victory speech, she recognised the hard battle women faced to exercise their civic rights and break into the upper echelon of American politics.
-- PTI
22:50 Govt postpones talks with farmers to Jan 20
The meeting between farmer unions and the Central govt scheduled for Jan 19 has been postponed to Jan 20.
The talks will be the 10th round of discussions between the groups.
The talks have failed to yield any concrete results as the agitating unions have stuck to their main demand for repealing the agri laws and the government has ruled out any such step.
22:25 Modi named Somnath Temple trust chairman
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Monday appointed the new chairman of the trust which manages the world famous Somnath Temple at Prabhas Patan town in Gujarat's Gir-Somnath district, becoming the second PM to hold the post.
Modi, one of the trustees of the Shree Somnath Trust, was elected to the top post unanimously, an office-bearer of the shrine management body said.
After former PM Morarji Desai, Modi is the second PM who has been appointed the chairman of the temple trust.
As per trust records, Modi has become the eighth chairman of the trust. The post of the Somnath Trust's chairman fell vacant after the death of the incumbent, former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, in October last year.
Patel had served as the chairman for 16 years (2004-2020).
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is one of the trustees of the Somnath Temple trust, was appointed the new chairman during a virtual meeting of trustees held today," said Trustee-Secretary P K Laheri.
-- PTI
22:00 US Capitol briefly shut down over fire 2 days before Biden inauguration
The US Capitol was shut down temporarily on Monday out of an abundance of caution after a fire broke out near the complex, the Capitol Police said, underscoring security jitters days before President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration.
"There is no threat to the public," the US Secret Service said in a tweet.
The US Capitol Police said in a statement that members and staff were advised to shelter in place while the incident was being investigated.
All participants in the rehearsal for Biden's inauguration, were evacuated into the building, and participants were being held in the Capitol rotunda and other indoor areas, according to a Reuters witness. Biden will be sworn in on Wednesday.
21:29 Modi, Xi to participate in virtual Davos summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese premier Xi Jinping will be among the top world leaders who will participate in a five-day online Davos Agenda Summit of the World Economic Forum later this month.
Several union ministers including Narendra Singh Tomar, Nitin Gadkari, Smriti Irani, Piyush Goyal and Dharmendra Pradhan along with top business leaders such as Mukesh Ambani and Anand Mahindra will also participate in the event.
While the WEF will host its physical annual meeting in May in Singapore, as against the regular venue of Swiss ski resort town of Davos, the Geneva-based organisation is hosting an online event, named 'Davos Agenda' around the same time it generally hosts its yearly congregation of the rich and powerful of the world.
The online Davos Agenda Summit from January 25-29 will see several heads of state and government deliver special addresses and engage in dialogue with business leaders at the start of a "crucial year to rebuild trust".
In a statement, the WEF said the heads of state/ government who have confirmed their participation include Xi, Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, South Korea President Moon Jae-in, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore, the host of the World Economic Forum Special Annual Meeting 2021.
The WEF's Davos 2020 summit was the last major global event that took place before almost the entire world got locked down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 'Davos Agenda' will also mark the launch of WEF's "Great Reset Initiative'' and begin the preparation of the special Annual Meeting in the spring, said the Geneva-based entity, which describes itself as an international organisation for public-private cooperation.
-- PTI
21:09 Seers' body in Haridwar demands ban on Tandav web series
A prominent seers' body in Haridwar on Monday demanded a ban on 'Tandav', a web series streaming on Amazon Prime Video, for allegedly subjecting Hindu deities to ridicule.
It threatened to hit the streets if the web series is not immediately banned.
"Hindu deities have been insulted in 'Tandav'. The sant samaj will not tolerate it," said Shri Mahant Narendra Giri, president of Akhara Parishad, a representative body of saints and seers.
Accusing films and web series of constantly targeting Hindu gods and goddesses, Giri demanded an immediate ban on Tandav and warned of street protests by sadhus.
Avdhoot Mandal Ashram's Rupendra Prakash and Niranjani Akhada's Alok Giri also expressed similar views demanding an immediate ban on the series.
Amid the controversy, the makers of 'Tandav' on Monday apologised unconditionally and said they "did not have any intention to offend the sentiments" of any individual, caste, community, race or religion.
-- PTI
20:38 3,81,305 beneficiaries received COVID vaccine
A total of 3,81,305 beneficiaries have so far been vaccinated for coronavirus, even as 580 adverse events following immunization were reported in the country, the Union health ministry said on Monday.
Addressing a press briefing, Manohar Agnani, Additional Secretary in the ministry, said 1,48,266 beneficiaries were vaccinated across 25 states and Union territories till 5 pm on Monday.
"A total of 3,81,305 beneficiaries have so far been vaccinated (till 5 pm on Monday) as per provisional reports," he said.
Of the 1,48,266 beneficiaries who were administered the vaccine on Monday, 8,656 were from Bihar, 1,822 from Assam, 36,888 from Karnataka, 7,070 from Kerala, 6,665 from Madhya Pradesh, 7,628 from Tamil Nadu, 10,352 from Telangana, 11,588 from West Bengal and 3111 were from Delhi.
-- PTI
20:16 WHO chief lambasts vaccine profits, demands elderly go first
The World Health Organization chief lambasted drugmakers' profits and vaccine inequalities, saying it's "not right" that younger, healthier adults in wealthy countries get vaccinated against COVID-19 before older people or health care workers in poorer countries and charging that most vaccine makers have targeted locations where "profits are highest".
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus kicked off WHO's week-long executive board meeting -- virtually from its headquarters in Geneva -- by lamenting that one poor country received a mere 25 vaccine doses while over 39 million doses have been administered in nearly 50 richer nations.
"Just 25 doses have been given in one lowest income country -- not 25 million, not 25,000 -- just 25. I need to be blunt: The world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure," Tedros said. He did not specify the country, but a WHO spokeswoman identified it as Guinea.
"It's right that all governments want to prioritise vaccinating their own health workers and older people first," he said.
"But it's not right that younger, healthier adults in rich countries are vaccinated before health workers and older people in poorer countries. There will be enough vaccine for everyone," said Tedros.
19:57 SC panel on farm laws to hold 1st meet tomorrow
The Supreme Court-appointed committee on the three new farm laws is scheduled to hold its first meeting with members on Tuesday at Pusa campus here, its member Anil Ghanwat said.
"We are going to meet tomorrow. Only members will meet to discuss the terms of reference and decide the future course of action," said Ghanwat, president of Shetkari Sanghatana (Maharashtra), before boarding a flight to Delhi.
The Supreme Court had on January 11 stayed the implementation of the three laws, against which farmers are protesting at Delhi borders for over 50 days now, till further orders and appointed a four-member panel to resolve the impasse.
Bhartiya Kisan Union President Bhupinder Singh Mann, however, recused himself from the committee last week.
Apart from Ghanwat, agri-economists Ashok Gulati and Pramod Kumar Joshi are the other members of the panel.
The panel will hear views of farmers across the country, both who support and oppose the new farm laws, and submit a report within two months to the apex court.
-- PTI
19:27 Indian, French air forces to conduct 5-day joint military drill around Jodhpur from Wednesday
India and France will carry out a five-day mega air exercise near Jodhpur beginning Wednesday that is expected to see Rafale jets of the two countries engaging in complex maneuvers to enhance operational coordination, official sources said.
The exercise --'Ex-Desert Knight 21'-- is taking place at a time when the Indian Air Force has been keeping all its frontline bases across the country in a high-state of operational readiness in view of the Sino-India border row in eastern Ladakh.
"The aim of the exercise is to provide operational exposure and share best practices towards enhancing combat capability," said a source.
Both the air forces will deploy frontline fighter jets as well as transport, and tanker aircraft in the exercise.
The French and Indian air forces have been conducting the Garuda exercises for the last several years as part of efforts to boost operational cooperation.
The sources said the upcoming exercise is in addition to the 'Garuda' series and is indicative of the eagerness between the two sides to further enhance mutual cooperation,
They said the French forces are currently deployed in Asia as part of their 'Skyros Deployment', and will transit through India.
-- PTI
19:02 Makers of 'Tandav' apologise after complaint
The cast and crew of Amazon Prime Videos' "Tandav", against whom police complaints have been filed alleging that some scene of the web series had "insulted Hindu gods and goddesses", issued an apology Monday evening.
"The cast and crew did not have any intention to offend the sentiments of any individual, caste, community, race, religion or religious beliefs or insult or outrage any institution, political party or person, living or dead. The cast and crew of "Tandav" take cognizance of the concerns expressed by the people and unconditionally apologize if it has unintentionally hurt anybody's sentiments," a statement issued by them said.
Earlier today a key aide of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued an open warning to its makers and actors, after a complaint has been filed at Lucknow's Hazratganj police station.
On Sunday a BJP MLA from Maharashtra demanded that scenes he said mocked Lord Shiva be deleted and that Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, one of the actors in the series, apologise.
Maharashtra BJP MP Manoj Kotak also wrote to Mr Javadekar, asking for regulation of OTTs like Prime Video that he said were "full of sex, violence, drugs, abuse and hate (and) sometimes also hurt sentiments of Hindus..."
18:52 IMD extends cold wave warning till Jan 22
North India will continue to reel under the grip of an intense cold wave for few more days even as the dense fog will lift by Tuesday, a senior official at the Indian Meteorological Department said on Monday.
RK Jenamani, the senior scientist, IMD, said that the warning for the cold wave in North India has been extended till January 22. Earlier, the IMD had issued a cold wave warning for January 13-15 and then extended it till January 18.
However, RK Jenamani said that the dense fog spread across northern plains in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand will begin lifting from Tuesday.
The weatherman said that this will lead to hotter days and colder nights.
18:29 Bhawana Kanth to take part in R-Day flypast, first woman fighter pilot to do so
Flight lieutenant Bhawana Kanth will be a part of the Republic Day flypast this year to become the first woman fighter pilot to take part in India's biggest ceremonial event on January 26, officials said on Monday. Kanth is also one of the first women fighter pilots in the Indian Air Force.
She, along with Avani Chaturvedi and Mohana Singh, was inducted into the IAF as the first women fighter pilots in 2016.
This year, Rafale fighter jet will also take part in the Republic Day parade for the first time. The Indian Air Force has inducted 11 of the 36 Rafale jets ordered by New Delhi at a cost of ₹59,000 crore.
18:09 Will defeat Mamata or quit: Suvendu Adhikari
Newest BJP entrant Suvendu Adhikari has hit back at Mamata Banerjee's wish to contest elections from his bastion Nandigram and confirmed he will be facing off against his former political boss in the upcoming 2021 West Bengal elections.
Speaking at a rally in Kolkata, Suvendu Adhikari bellowed, "If I do not defeat her [Mamata] with half lakh votes in Nandigram I will quit politics!"
Adhikari's declaration came hours after Mamata Banerjee on Monday declared she will contest the upcoming West Bengal assembly election from his stronghold Nandigram.
Hitting out at the TMC, Suvendu Adhikari said, "The TMC is no more a party, it is a private limited company."
Questioning Mamata Banerjee's political acumen, the BJP leader added that the fact that the TMC had to hire a political strategist from Bihar (Prashant Kishore), proves that the BJP has the edge in West Bengal.
17:56 Tension in south Kolkata after stones hurled at BJP activists during roadshow
Tension prevailed in south Kolkata on Monday evening after unidentified miscreants, carrying TMC flags, hurled bricks and stones at BJP activists
when they were conducting a mega roadshow near Rashbehari Avenue and Charu Market area.
The roadshow, which commenced at Tollygunge tram depot, was set to culminate at Rashbehari Avenue -- often referred to as the backyard of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
According to police sources, as the rally, led by state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh and senior leader Suvendu Adhikari, proceeded toward Charu Market, miscreants threw bricks and stones at the entourage, injuring some of the saffron party activists.
Infuriated over the attack, BJP workers chased the miscreants, who by then had fled to nearby bylanes, the officer said.
-- PTI
17:41 Winter vigil
"Punjab and Haryana, the homes of the Green Revolution, were the two states whose farmers were most affected by the Central government's agriculture laws. Like the Muslim women at Shaheen Bagh, the farmers demonstrating at Singhu and Tikri are defending themselves and, at the same time, making a larger argument about the proper relationship between government policy and the economic future of farming communities. The initiative was taken by farmers' unions, not by political parties. They were joined by farmers from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and other states who were not Sikhs but it is important to notice here that, as in Shaheen Bagh, the defence of the larger cause -- citizenship on the one hand and a vision of rural livelihood on the other -- was pioneered by religious minorities standing up for themselves. "
Read Mukul Kesavan's piece here
KBK Graphics
17:22 ONGC top loser in Sensex pack
After a choppy session, the 30-share BSE index ended 470.40 points or 0.96 per cent lower at 48,564.27. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty tumbled 152.40 points or 1.06 per cent to 14,281.30. ONGC was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding around 5 per cent, followed by Sun Pharma, PowerGrid, Bajaj Finance, IndusInd Bank, Dr Reddy's and Maruti. On the other hand, Reliance Industries, Titan, HDFC Bank and ITC were the gainers. Domestic equities witnessed pullback for the second consecutive day as weak global cues continued to weigh on investors' sentiments, said Binod Modi, Head-Strategy at Reliance Securities.
17:20 India ups infra along Arunachal border
"We have seen recent reports on China undertaking construction work along the border areas with India. China has undertaken such infrastructure construction activity in the past several years," MEA on media reports saying that China has built a village in Arunachal Pradesh.
"Government keeps a constant watch on all developments having a bearing on India's security and takes all the necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
"Government remains committed to the objective of creating infrastructure along the border areas for the improvement of livelihood of its citizens, including in Arunachal Pradesh.
"In response, our government too has stepped up border infrastructure including the construction of roads, bridges etc, which has provided much-needed connectivity to the local population along the border."
17:06 Rafale to feature in R-Day parade for 1st time
The newly inducted Rafale fighter aircraft will feature in India's Republic Day parade on January 26 and culminate the flypast by carrying out the 'Vertical Charlie' formation, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said on Monday. In the 'Vertical Charlie' formation, the aircraft flies at low altitude, pulls up vertically and conducts rolls before stabilising at higher altitude.
"The flypast will culminate with a single Rafale aircraft carrying out a 'Vertical Charlie' formation," said Wing Commander Indranil Nandi. A total of 38 IAF aircraft and four planes of the Indian Army will participate in the flypast on January 26, he said. -- PTI
16:56 In lockdown yr, 11K+ road accident deaths in Maha
With 11,452 deaths in 2020, Maharashtra figured among top three states that have reported the highest number of deaths in road accidents in the country, state Transport Minister Anil Parab said on Monday.
Expressing concern, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said these figures are serious, as he launched the 32nd Road Safety Week 2021. "In 2020, Maharashtra witnessed 25,456 road accidents and 11,452 road fatalities.
Maharashtra is one of the three states that have reported the highest number of deaths in road accidents," Parab said at the function. Thackeray said, ideally, Maharashtra should not figure in the list of the states which have reported deaths in road accidents.
"These figures are serious. Rather than being in top ranks, Maharashtra should not ideally figure in the list of states with road accident fatalities," he said. The chief minister said a road safety drive should not be limited to a period of a week, fortnight, month or a year, but it should be conducted on a regular basis.
"Booster doses of road safety rules should be given at regular intervals," he said. Thackeray further appealed to motorists to follow the "Niyam" (rules) and maintain "Sanyam" (restraint) to keep "Yam" (God of death) away.
"I have heard about a new technology which alerts drivers if they fall asleep while driving due to fatigue. I would like to examine such vehicle, if available," the chief minister said. Thackeray said it was important to provide facilities to the public instead of only creating awareness. -- PTI
16:29 Sensex sinks 470 points on profit booking
Equity benchmark indices closed one per cent lower on Monday as traders booked profits during second half of the session across all sectors. The BSE S&P Sensex was down by 470 points or 0.96 per cent at 48,564 while the Nifty 50 slipped by 152 points or 1.06 per cent to 14,281.
All sectoral indices at the National Stock Exchange were in the red zone with Nifty metal dipping by 4 per cent, pharma by 2.7 per cent, PSU bank by 2.4 per cent and realty by 2 per cent.
Among stocks, Tata Motors was the top loser with a fall of 6 per cent to close at Rs 244.50 per share.
Tata Steel dropped by 5.8 per cent to Rs 665 per share while Hindalco and JSW Steel cracked by 4.2 per cent each.The other prominent losers were ONGC, IndusInd Bank, Sun Pharma, Power Grid Corporation, Bajaj Finance and State Bank of India. -- ANI
16:09 Sitharaman holds pre-Budget meet with state FMs
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman holds a pre-Budget meeting for the upcoming Budget 2021-22 with finance ministers of all states and union territories (with legislature) through video conferencing in New Delhi today.
16:04 Cold war at Attari continues, no parade with Pak
This year, there will be no joint or coordinated parade at the Attari border on Republic Day. Earlier, Pakistan and India used to do a joint parade, which spectators used to watch from both the side.
"No joint or coordinated parade this year at Attari border on Republic Day. No public will be allowed due to COVID-19 restrictions. India will conduct flag-lowering as per daily schedule," a Border Security Force (BSF) senior official said.
Since March 7 public was not allowed at the Attari border due to COVID-19 restrictions. According to sources, Pakistan since the last few weeks have allowed public as they are seen from the Indian side.
Also, India is not offering sweets to Pakistan on various occasions due to the tense relationship with Pakistan, sources said. BSF sources have also claimed that a meeting is scheduled this week to decide what can be done on Republic day. -- ANI
15:48 Media trial hinders justice: HC on Sushant death
The Bombay High Court on Monday asked media houses to exercise restraint when reporting on suicide cases, saying "media trial leads to interference and obstruction to administration of justice".
A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni said some reportage by Republic TV and Times Now in the aftermath of the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput were "contemptuous". The bench further said that it had, however, decided against taking any action against the channels.
The HC said such reportage by any media organisation, that obstructs an ongoing investigation or administration of justice in a case, will amount to contempt of court.
"Media trial leads to interference and obstruction to administration of justice and violates programme code under the Cable TV Network Regulation Act," it observed.
"Any reportage has to be in accordance with the norms of journalistic standards and ethics, else media houses stand to face contempt action," it said. The HC also issued a slew of guidelines for media houses to follow when reporting in cases of suicide. -- PTI
14:49 Mamata to contest from Nandigram
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee kicked off the Trinamool Congress's campaign for the assembly elections on Monday, announcing that she will contest the polls from Nandigram -- a political gambit aimed at the BJP's Suvendu Adhikari who won the seat in 2016 as a TMC candidate, while also retroceding to the land movement that catapulted her to power.
Addressing a rally in Nandigarm, Banerjee said she is not worried about those jumping to other parties as when TMC was formed none of them were there, in a reference to the party leaders, including Adhikari, who have joined the BJP. Banerjee said these leaders left the party to protect the money "they have looted" in the last few years.
"I have always started my campaign for the assembly polls from Nandigram. It is a lucky place for me. So this time, I feel that I should contest the assembly polls from here. I would request our state party president Subrata Bakshi to approve my name from this seat," Banerjee said. Bakshi, who was on the podium, swiftly accepted the request.
The agitation in Nandigram in the Purba Medinipur district over land acquisition in the late 2000s catapulted Banerjee to power in 2011, ending the 34 years of Left rule.
However, Adhikari after switching over to the BJP has been alleging that the chief minister has forgotten the people of the area that helped her get to the top post. Banerjee is at present the MLA from Bhawanipore in south Kolkata. "If possible, I will contest from both Bhawanipore and Nandigram. In case, I am unable to contest from Bhawanipore, someone else would contest," she said. Banerjee said she would never allow "some people" to sell out Bengal to the BJP.
"Those who have left the part, have my best wishes. Let them become president and vice president of the country. But don't you dare to sell out Bengal to the BJP. As long as I am alive, I won't allow them to sell out my state to the BJP," she said. The assembly elections in the state are likely in April-May. PTI
14:44
Sushant Singh Rajput death case: Bombay High Court rules that media trial during an ongoing investigation of any case, does impact the investigation.
14:38 Our right to go on tractor rally: Farmers' union
Protesting union leaders on Monday said that farmers have a constitutional right to take out their tractor rally peacefully and asserted that thousands of people will participate in the proposed event on January 26.
The Supreme Court said on Monday that the Delhi Police is the first authority to decide the entry of protesting farmers into the national capital. Bhartiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) Punjab general secretary Paramjit Singh said that farmers are not going to hold their rally on Rajpath and in other high-security areas, adding that they would only take out it on the Outer Ring Road in Delhi and that there will be no disruption in the official Republic Day parade.
"We are stuck at the Delhi borders. We have not decided to sit at these borders ourselves, we have been stopped from entering Delhi. We will take out the rally peacefully without disrupting any law and order. We will exercise our constitutional right and we will definitely enter Delhi," Singh told PTI.
Another farmer leader Lakhbir Singh, who is vice president (Punjab) of All India Kisan Sabha, said that farmers will return to protest sites after taking out the tractor rally on the Outer Ring Road on January 26.
"We will not go to any place where there might be a government gathering, and all our tractors will have a national flag and the flags of our farmer unions," Lakhbir said.
Asked about their stand in case the Delhi Police does not give them permission for the tractor parade, BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan said that farmers have constitutional rights to hold the tractor rally peacefully.
"If the Delhi Police has some issues over law and order on Republic Day, they can sit with Sankyukt Kisan Morcha and tell about alternatives routes for the tractor rally. Thereafter, our farmers' committee will decide the same. But, it is very clear that their tractor rally will be taken out in the national capital on January 26," Ugrahan told PTI.
Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, have been camping at several Delhi borders since November 28, demanding a repeal of farm laws and legal guarantee on minimum support price for their crops. -- PTI
14:31 Ramani ignited flame to harm my reputation, Akbar tells court
Former Union minister M J Akbar told a Delhi court on Monday that harm to his reputation was done by journalist Priya Ramani as she instigated and ignited the flame first when she accused him of sexual misconduct that allegedly took place decades ago. Akbar was replying to Ramani's argument that she was not alone but many women journalists have accused him of sexual miscount but he filed a defamation complaint only against her.
Akbar made the submission before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar through senior advocate Geeta Luthra during the final hearing in a criminal complaint filed by him against Ramani for allegedly defaming him by accusing him of sexual misconduct, when he was a journalist more than 20 years ago.
Ramani had made allegation of sexual misconduct against Akbar in the wake of #MeToo movement in 2018. It doesn't matter what people say post facto. Harm is done by the man who instigates and ignites the flame first, Luthra told the court.
She said there was no public interest in Ramani's allegation. "There is no public interest. There is no good faith. There is just some other motive. It is not for me to state it," she said. She added that it is vindictive and actuated out of malice. The fact is your can just spoil a person's reputation. The court will further hear the matter on January 23.
Jill Biden with the two 'first doggos'
13:59 Biden's German Shepherd Major honoured at 'indoguration'
With President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration just two days away, major 'pawlicy' changes were underway as the Delaware Humane Association, on Sunday (local time), held an 'indoguration' for First Dog-elect Major Biden.
Major, a German Shephard, who was adopted by the Bidens in 2018 from the Delaware Humane Associaton would become the first dog from a shelter to live at the White House. Champ, Biden's second dog who is also a German Shepherd has been a member of the Biden family since 2008.
Biden's inauguration on January 20 would be the first time in four years that the White House would have dogs.
Singer Josh Groban closed the ceremony with the rewrite of (How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window" by Patti Page, changing the lyrics to "I'm adopting that doggie in the window."
According to Entertainment Weekly, the 39-year-old singer-songwriter landed the gig after pleading to the former shelter dog's dad, who is to be inaugurated himself on January 20 as the 46th President of the United States.
The event was hosted by 'Today's' Jill Martin. The proceeds of this virtual event will be benefitting shelter animals like Major.
13:55 Won't give an inch of land to Maharashtra: Yeddy
"It's unfortunate, I condemn the statement. We're not going to give even an inch of land from this side," Karnataka CM on Maharashtra CM's statement that his govt is committed towards incorporating into the state, the areas of Karnataka where Marathi-speaking people are in majority.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said his government is committed towards incorporating into the state the areas of Karnataka where Marathi-speaking people are in majority.
"This will be the "true tribute" to martyrs of the cause," the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in a tweet. Maharashtra claims Belgaum and some other areas, part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency but currently in Karnataka, on linguistic grounds.
13:33 Not going to tell you what to do: SC to Centre on tractor rally
Update: The Supreme Court told the Centre on Monday that the proposed tractor rally on the Republic Day by farmers protesting against the new farm laws is a law and order matter and Delhi Police is the first authority to decide who should be allowed to enter the national capital.
A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde, while hearing the Centre's application seeking an injunction against the proposed tractor or trolley march or any other kind of protest which seeks to disrupt the gathering and celebrations on January 26, said that police has all the authority to deal with the matter.
"Does the Supreme Court say as to what are the powers of police and how they will exercise them? We are not going to tell you what to do," said the bench, also comprising Justices L N Rao and Vineet Saran.
The apex court told Attorney General K K Venugopal that it will take up the matter for hearing on Wednesday, January 20. The question of entering into Delhi is a law and order matter and will be determined by the police, the bench said, adding, "Mr Attorney General, we are adjourning the matter and you have all the authority to deal with this matter."
The Centre, in an application filed through Delhi Police, has said that any proposed march or protest which seeks to disrupt and disturb the Republic Day celebrations will cause an embarrassment to the nation. During the hearing conducted through video-conferencing, the bench said who should be allowed to enter Delhi and who should not be allowed has to be dealt with by the police as the court is not the first authority. The bench told Venugopal that the apex court is seized of the issue of farm laws and we have not said anything on police powers. -- PTI
A healthcare worker is administered the Covid vaccine
13:16 Health worker in UP dies a day after Covid jab
A 46-year-old government hospital employee in Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad died on Sunday evening, 24 hours after receiving a Covid vaccine shot, reports NDTV. The district's Chief Medical Officer has said the death is unrelated to vaccination.
Ward Boy Mahipal Singh died after complaining of chest congestion and breathlessness. According to his family, he had been unwell before the jab.
"He was vaccinated on Saturday around noon. On Sunday he felt breathless and complained of chest congestion. We are inquiring into the reasons of the death. We will get a post mortem done. It does not seem to be a reaction to vaccination. He did night duty on Saturday too and there were no problems," MC Garg, Moradabad's chief medical officer, told reporters late last night.
The post mortem report reveals the immediate cause of death as "cardiogenic shock/septicemic shock" due to "cardio-pulmonary disease", according to the Uttar Pradesh government. -- NDTV
13:05 WhatsApp policy changes to discussed by Parl panel today
Change in WhatsApp privacy policy will be among other issues which will be discussed in the meeting between officials of Facebook and Twitter and the Parliamentary standing committee on Information Technology (IT) on January 21, sources said.
"Parliamentary standing committee on IT has summoned Facebook and Twitter officials on January 21, change in WhatsApp privacy policy also to be discussed," sources said.
According to Lok Sabha Secretariat notice, the agenda of the next sittings of the panel will be "Evidence of representatives of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and to hear the views of the representatives of Facebook and Twitter on the subject 'Safeguarding citizens' rights and prevention of misuse of social/online news media platforms including special emphasis on women security in the digital space." The sitting will be held from 4 pm onwards on January 21.
The 31 members Parliamentary standing committee on IT is headed by Dr Shashi Tharoor, Lok Sabha MP from Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram constituency.
WhatsApp recently announced that it has postponed its planned privacy update, which will give users more time to review the policy and accept the terms of the Facebook-owned messaging app. -- PTI
13:01 FIR against makers of web series 'Tandav'
An FIR has been lodged here against the makers of web series Tandav and Amazon's India head of original content for allegedly depicting Hindu gods in a manner hurtful to religious sentiments of the people.
The FIR against Aparna Purohit, the head of Amazon's India head of original content, director of the series Ali Abbas, producer Himanshu Krishna Mehra, writer Gaurav Solanki, and an unknown person was lodged late on Sunday night by senior Sub Inspector Amar Nath Yadav at the Hazratganj Kotwali police station here.
The film starring Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Sunil Grover, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Dino Morea, Kumud Mishra, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, Gauhar Khan and Kritika Kamra, premiered on the streaming platform on Friday.
According to the FIR, following public outrage expressed on social media platforms, the web series was viewed and it was found in the 17th minute of the first episode of the series that Hindu gods and goddesses have been presented in an "undignified manner' and shown using language which is hurtful to religious sentiments.
Dialogues in the web series can incite caste anger, the FIR alleged.
It also alleged that the person occupying the high post of Prime Minister of India has been portrayed in a very belittling manner besides there are scenes in which castes have been presented as low and high and women in an insulting manner.
The FIR further alleged that intent of the web series is to incite religious sentiments of a particular community and create enmity among classes.This act of the producer-director has hurt and incited religious and caste sentiments of the people, the FIR added.
Taking cognizance of complaints that Hindu gods and goddesses have been ridiculed in the web series, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had on Sunday sought an explanation from streaming platform Amazon Prime Video on the issue, sources had said.
The development came after BJP MP Manoj Kotak on Sunday said he has written to Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar seeking a ban on Amazon Prime Video's series Tandav for ridiculing Hindu deities.
"The ministry has taken cognizance of the matter (complaints) and asked Amazon Prime Video to explain," a source in the ministry had said. -- PTI
12:02 How we were turned into a nation of elated suckers
Chats suggest that Pulwama massacre made Mr Righteous Indignation of TV whoop 'this attack we have won like crazy', and the government smelt a chance to make Indians feel 'elated' before the polls. Read the column here
11:57 Farmers' tractor rally: SC says cops to decide
Supreme Court says the question of entry into Delhi is a law and order situation that is to be determined by police.
Supreme Court starts hearing the farmers' rally issue. Court will hear the application filed by Delhi Police seeking a direction to put an injunction on the proposed tractor rally on Republic Day. Court had already issued notice on this matter on January 12th.
Farmer unions protesting against the Centre's agri laws said on Sunday that they will go ahead with their proposed tractor parade in Delhi on Republic Day.
Attorney General KK Venugopal, appearing for Centre, says that tractor rally by farmers will be illegal and there will likely be an entry of 5000 people in Delhi. Hearing in the application filed by Delhi Police seeking a direction to put an injunction on the proposed tractor rally on Republic Day.
Supreme Court says that they will hear the matter day after tomorrow.
11:42 PM plays politics at Ahd-Surat metro bhoomi puja
Prime Minister Narendra performs ground-breaking ceremony for Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project Phase-II and Surat Metro Rail Project via video-conferencing.
"Ahmedabad and Surat are receiving very important gifts today. Metro will further strengthen the connectivity in two major business centres of the country - Ahmedabad and Surat.
"Best example to see difference between approach of previous govts and work of current govt is the expansion of metro rail network across country. Before 2014, only 225 kms of metro line became operational in 10-12 years.
"In last 6 years, over 450 kms of metro network became operational. We're developing cities' transport system like integrated system-it means that bus, metro, rail won't ply as per their own design but work as collective system, complementary to each other.
"Work is underway on over 1000 kms of metro network in 27 cities across the nation, as of now. There was a time when there was no modern thinking in nation, regarding metro network. There was no metro policy. As a result, there were different kinds of metro in different cities."
Pic: ANI
11:16 Cricketer Chandrasekhar recovering from stroke
Former India cricketer B S Chandrasekhar, who has been admitted at a city hospital, is recovering well, his family said on Monday. "Chandra is recovering very well, and he will be back home on Wednesday or Thursday," his wife Sandhya Chandrasekhar Bhagwath told PTI.
The 75-year old legendary leg-spinner complained of "tiredness and fatigue" on Friday evening and his speech became a "little bit cluttered", according to her. On advice of doctors that he needed neurological treatment, Mysuru-born Chandrasekhar, who lives in Bengaluru, was admitted in Aster RV Hospital, where he was kept in the emergency care unit for medical observation. Sandhya informed that Chandra has now been shifted to regular ward and is now under physiotherapy.
"There is some kind of blockage in the brain. It's a very, very minutest stroke", she said, adding, with medication he will probably be alright in a week or two. "There is no problem. It's not a life-threatening thing. Please convey to fans that Chandra is very much stable. He has a very strong willpower", Sandhya said.
In his 16-year career, Chandrasekhar played 58 Test matches capturing 242 wickets. -- PTI
11:05 Free to contest polls, says Rajinikanth fan club
The Rajini Makkal Mandram, the Tamil superstar's fans' club, has put out a notice saying that those members who wish to contest elections may do so after resigning from the RMM membership. However, even if they were to leave, they must remember that they will always remain the Thalaivar's dear fans, the announcement by RMM manager V M Sudhakar said.
11:03 Mir of the Metaphor
When Suvendu Adhikari crossed over to the BJP, it was said there's no reason to fuss over the desertion of Mir Jafars. Now actor Rudranil Ghosh has earned the sobriquet of Mir Jafar 2.0. But what is it to be the progeny of a man-turned-pejorative? Read the column here
10:48 Delhi govt schools reopen
Delhi Deputy CM and Education Minister Manish Sisodia visits Kautilya Govt Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya. Govt, govt-aided/unaided schools re-opened for Std 10th and 12th in the national capital today, months after they were closed in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
10:31 145 Covid deaths in 24 hrs, lowest in 8 months
The daily coronavirus infections fell below 14,000 for the second time this month taking India's COVID-19 caseload to 1,05,71,773, while 145 new fatalities were recorded, the lowest in around eight months, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.
A total of 13,788 infections have been reported in a day. The country's death toll increased to1,52,419 with 145 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed. The recoveries have crossed 1.02 crore. The daily COVID-19 infections were 12,548 on January 12.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,02,11,342 pushing the national COVID-19 recovery rate of 96.59 percent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.44 per cent. The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 3 lakh. There are 2,08,012 active cases of coronavirus infections in the country which comprises1.97per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.
India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. According to the ICMR,18,70,93,036 samples have been tested up to January 17 with 5,48,168 samples being tested on Sunday.
-- PTI
10:11 Sensex drops over 200 points in early trade
Equity benchmark Sensex dropped over 200 points in early trade on Monday tracking losses in index majors Infosys, HDFC and TCS amid a mixed trend in global markets.
In a highly volatile opening session, the 30-share BSE index was trading 203.52 points or 0.42 per cent lower at 48,831.15. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty fell 70.60 points or 0.49 per cent to 14,363.10. IndusInd Bank was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding around 3 per cent, followed by PowerGrid, Maruti, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv and ONGC. On the other hand, HDFC Bank, HCL Tech, SBI, Tech Mahindra and ICICI Bank were among the gainers.
In the previous session, Sensex slumped 549.49 points or 1.11 per cent to finish at 49,034.67. The broader NSE Nifty tumbled 161.90 points or 1.11 per cent to 14,433.70. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) were net buyers in the capital market as they purchased shares worth Rs 971.06 crore on Friday, as per exchange data. -- PTI
10:01 Two bogies of train derail in Lucknow
Two bogies of a train which was on its way to Jaynagar from Amritsar derailed in Lucknow on Monday morning, a railway official said. No casualty has been reported in the incident and the 4674 Shahid Express has left for its onward journey, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Jagtosh Shukla said. The incident took place around 8 am when the train left the platform at the Charbagh railway station and two of its bogies derailed, he said.
The passengers of the derailed bogies were shifted to other compartments, Shukla added. According to railway sources, there was some commotion in the derailed bogies with the passengers raising an alarm but senior officers reached the spot and the situation was controlled. PTI
09:45 India's Covid tally 13,788, 145 deaths in 24 hours
India's Covid cases still above the 10000 mark. The country reports 13,788 new COVID-19 cases, 14,457 discharges and 145 deaths in last 24 hours, as per the Union Health Ministry Total cases: 1,05,71,773 Active cases: 2,08,012, Total discharges: 1,02,11,342, Death toll: 1,52,419.
09:42 For China haters: lowest economic growth in 45 years
China has recorded the lowest economic growth in four decades as it grew by 2.3 per cent according to the latest data provided by the National Bureau of Statistics on Monday.
The statistics bureau cited that the reason behind a slow economic growth was due to the coronavirus pandemic. South China Morning Post reported that the country's growth rate last year was the lowest since the nation's economy "shrank by" 1.6 per cent in 1976.
"According to preliminary estimates, China's GDP in annual terms in 2020 amounted to 101.598 trillion yuan [about $15.68 trillion], an increase of 2.3% over the same period last year," the NBS report says as quoted by Sputnik.
According to the statistics bureau, the Chinese economy grew only 0.7 per cent in the first three quarters of 2020 (decreasing 6.8 per cent in the first quarter and growing 3.2 per cent in the second quarter and 4.9 per cent in the third quarter). -- ANI
09:31 Harvest festival celebrated in Tripura
People gathered at Kapali Para in Lankamura village to attend the 'Poush Parban 2021' that concluded yesterday in Tripura. Locals had set up makeshift stalls of traditional Bengali rice-cake at the event. The white roll-like thing is called patishapta, which is rice flour pancakes stuffed with a mix of coconut and kheer that oozes out when you bite into it, top of the picture is chitalpitha which is rice flour dumpling stuffed with coconut sweetened with patali gur. This is the season for patali gur and all things awesome in Bengal.
09:09 Ayodhya mosque project to formally begin on Jan 26
The Dhannipur mosque project, which includes a hospital, a museum, a library, a community kitchen, the Indo-Islamic Cultural Research Centre, a publication house, besides a mosque, will formally begin in Ayodhya on January 26.
The mosque is coming up in the Uttar Pradesh district pursuant to the Supreme Court verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi case.
"At a meeting of the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation, it was decided that Republic Day will be celebrated with the start of the Dhannipur Mosque Project, which includes a hospital, a museum, a library, a community kitchen, the Indo-Islamic Cultural Research Centre, a publication house and a mosque, secretary and spokesperson of the trust Athar Hussain said in a statement on Sunday.
He said at 8.30 am on January 26, the national flag will be hoisted on the five-acre plot of the project, which will be followed by plantation of tree saplings by the chief trustee and the member trustees of the IICF.
At a virtual meet chaired by IICF president Zufar Ahmad Farooqi and attended by all the nine trustees, the progress of the trust activities, especially the procedural delay in getting the 12-A/80-G clearances under the Income-Tax Act and the proceedings for the opening of an FCRA account, was discussed, the statement said.
"It was decided to make a formal beginning of the project by applying for the plan clearance from the Ayodhya District Board and start the soil testing process at the five-acre plot," it added.
As the focus of the project is to give community service in the area with a determined effort to create awareness on climate change, Hussain proposed that the formal start of the project should be made by planting tree saplings on the five-acre plot of land.
As envisaged in the project, a green area, which will have plants from all over the world -- from the Amazon rainforest to areas in Australia that report bushfires -- and from all different geographical regions of India will be developed to create awareness on the imminent threat posed by climate change.
Earlier, Hussain had said a mosque measuring 15,000 square feet will be built in Ayodhya's Dhannipur village. It will be of the same size as that of the Babri mosque. The shape of the mosque may be completely different from that of other mosques. It may be square-shaped like the Kaaba Sharif in Mecca, as hinted by the architect, SM Akhtar.
The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board has formed the IICF, a trust, for the construction of the mosque on the five-acre plot.
The state government has allotted the plot in Dhannipur for the construction of the mosque on the directions of the Supreme Court. -- PTI
08:37 Akshay Kumar donates for Ram Temple construction
Actor Akshay Kumar on Sunday urged his fans to contribute towards the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, after the nationwide drive to collect donations kicked off on Friday.
Kumar took to Twitter and shared a video, writing that he has donated his share for the construction.
"It is a matter of great pleasure that the construction of our grand temple of Shri Ram has begun in Ayodhya... Now it is our turn to contribute. I have started, hope you will join too. Jai Siyaram," the actor wrote.
In the video, the 53-year-old actor said people should contribute what they feel comfortable with and take part in building the "historic , grand temple."
"I have started, now I am sure you will join me too. So that the coming generations keep getting inspired to follow the life, path and message of lord Ram," he added.
On Diwali of 2020, Kumar announced his film, Ram Setu. The film, directed by Abhishek Sharma, aims to chronicle the story of the Ram Setu bridge.
In December last year, Kumar also met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during his visit to Mumbai and discussed Ram Setu. -- PTI
08:14 Govt seeks Amazon Prime's reply on 'Tandav' row
Taking cognizance of complaints that Hindu gods and goddesses have been ridiculed in web series 'Tandav', the ministry of information and broadcasting on Sunday sought an explanation from streaming platform Amazon Prime Video on the issue, sources said.
The development came after Bharatiya Janata Party MP Manoj Kotak on Sunday said he has written to information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar seeking a ban on Amazon Prime Video's series 'Tandav' for ridiculing Hindu deities.
'Tandav', starring actors Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Sunil Grover, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Dino Morea, Kumud Mishra, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, Gauhar Khan and Kritika Kamra, premiered on the streaming platform on Friday.
Filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar has created, directed and produced the political drama with Himanshu Kishan Mehra and it is written by Gaurav Solanki, best known for 'Article 15'.
"The ministry has taken cognizance of the matter (complaints) and asked Amazon Prime Video to explain," a source in the ministry said.
Kotak, the MP from Mumbai North-East, alleged that attempts are often made on such platforms to not show Hindu deities in good light.
He said different organisations and individuals have complained that Hindu gods and goddesses have been ridiculed in 'Tandav' web series.
"Hence, we have made a demand to Javadekar ji and have written to him to ban the web series immediately. The actors, producers and directors should apologise for hurting sentiments," he added.
Sharing the picture of his letter to Javadekar on Twitter, Kotak said as there is no law or autonomous body governing digital content and films on such platforms are full of sex, violence, drugs, abuse, hate and vulgarity.
"Sometimes, they also hurt religious sentiments," he added.
It seems that makers of 'Tandav' have deliberately mocked Hindu gods and disrespected Hindu religious sentiments, he said in the letter dated January 16.
Another politician, Ram Kadam, a BJP MLA from Ghatkopar West, also asked the director to remove the portion of the web series in which Lord Shiva is allegedly ridiculed.
The legislator said he has filed a complaint in this connection at the suburban Ghatkopar police station.
When contacted about the complaints, Amazon Prime Video PR said the platform "won't be responding" on the matter.
The government recently brought OTT platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ Hotstar, besides other online news and current affairs content, under the ambit of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, giving it powers to regulate policies and rules for the digital space. -- PTI
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