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NO CHAOS COVID RETURNS INDIA IN COMMAND Actor Rakul Preet Singh says she can’t Beijing residents are asked to wear face masks Jasprit Bumrah-led bowling attack helps India hear the chaos of life due to her before going out of their houses as the take control of the second Test against Australia in Melbourne thick hair LEISURE | P2 city logs new cases INTERNATIONAL | P10 SPORTS | P12

VOLUME 10, ISSUE 265 | www.orissapost.com BHUBANESWAR | SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27 | 2020 12 PAGES + SUNDAY POST | `4.00 IRREGULAR by MANJUL Govt-farmers talks to resume Sixth round of talks Tuesday, repeal of 3 laws key demand by farmers

AGENCIES interest foregone on the land and ma- chinery owned by farmers. New Delhi, Dec 26: A group of 40 “But instead of solving these prob- farmer union leaders Saturday an- lems, the Modi government came up nounced that the government-farm- with the three ordinances and the EB ers dialogue will resume with the sixth 2020, which erodes all current bene- round of talks Tuesday. fits and securities and creates legal MP Cabinet clears I am here to seek The ongoing farmers’ agitation en- structure for control by corporates govt’s permission tered its 31st day Saturday. over farming processes, input sales, to fall in love The group reiterated that the repeal machinery, crop purchase, storage, of the three contentious farm Acts transport, processing and sale of food. anti-love jihad Bill and the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, This will indebt the farmers further, sui- The Bill will be introduced in the upcoming PARI MURDER CASE 2020 was their ‘first and foremost’ de- cides will rise, crops will become cheap mand followed by all other issues. while food will become costly and Assembly session, and once passed will The meeting will be held at 11 am at hoarding and black marketing will become a law Vigyan Bhavan in Central Delhi— the rise,” the AIKSCC said in a statement. LAB ‘FAILS’ TO same venue where previous rounds of The Working Group of AIKSCC clar- talks were held. Past five rounds of ifies that all farmer welfare schemes are DETERMINE talks have remained inconclusive with riddled with corruption and high non- the farmers adamant on the repeal of performance. the three farm laws and the government In the ODF for example, AIKSCC SEMEN STAINS saying it can amend the laws but with- Protest underway at Singhu border said, 90 per cent of toilets made under drawal is not possible. the scheme are incomplete and in dis- POST NEWS NETWORK The Union Agriculture Ministry in in the ‘Commission for the Air Quality After a meeting at Singhu border, the use and 95 per cent of all bank ac- an official letter also confirmed the Management in National Capital Region AIKSCC reiterated that the “first and counts created under Jan Dhan re- Nayagarh, Dec 26: The State resumption of talks mentioning a four- and Adjoining Areas Ordinance, 2020’ foremost demand of the farmers of main zero balance for most of the year. Forensic Laboratory, Bhubaneswar point agenda of the meeting that in- to exclude farmers from the penal pro- India is to repeal of three farm Acts and The group alleged that PMKISAN is has been unable to determine the cludes “modalities to be adopted for visions of the Ordinance; and changes the Electricity Bill, 2020, every other de- a pittance of `16.32 per day, worth 800 semen-stain found on the frock of the repeal of the three Central farm acts; to be made in the draft Electricity mand only follows this.” gms of wheat flour and that PMFBY is AGENCIES As per this anti-conver- slain five-year-old girl ‘Pari’ of mechanisms to be adopted to make re- (Amendment) Bill 2020 to protect the Farmers have been agitating for years, a surreptitious scheme for transfer of sion law, a provision has Jadupur village in Nayagarh munerative MSP (Minimum Support interests of farmers.” under AIKSCC for ‘MSP at C2+50% for farmers contribution and government Bhopal, Dec 26: The Shivraj been made that in violation district. Price) recommended by the National All the farmers’ associations under all crops and all farmers and waiver of farmer funds to district wise allocated Singh Chouhan Cabinet of the prescribed provisions, The authorities of the state Farmers’ Commission into a legally the banner of All India Kisan Sangharsh debts of all farmers and landless agri- insurance companies having provided Saturday approved the a person would be punished forensic laboratory conducted the guaranteed entitlement for all farmers Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) re- culture workers, adivasis’. Comprehensive with captive premium markets to earn. ‘Madhya Pradesh Religious with rigorous imprisonment chemical examination of the frock and all agricultural commodities; iterated that “they are and have al- Cost (C2) is the actual cost of produc- They earned `2500 crores in 2017-18 Freedom Bill-2020’ to check of one to five years and pay and a jute sack but failed to de- amendments to be made and notified ways been open to a sincere dialogue.” tion as it takes into account for rent and and up to `10,000 later. the rising cases of ‘love a fine of `25,000. At the same termine the group of the semen jihad’ in the state. time, for the forceful reli- and blood stains as it has been The Bill will be intro- gious conversion of a spoiled. This was stated in a report duced in the upcoming woman, minor, Scheduled submitted by the laboratory. Balaram scheme to Assembly session, and once Castes (SC) and Scheduled The report adds that blood and BJD’S FIGHT FOR WOMEN’S passed will become a law. Tribes (ST), a rigorous pun- semen stains could not be detected cover more farmers Under this law, there is a ishment ranging from two in the exhibits submitted before it provision of awarding a years up to 10 years and a fine for examination. The SFL report POST NEWS NETWORK maximum of 10 years im- of `50,000 would be imposed has led to the fear that it may not RESERVATION TO INTENSIFY prisonment and a penalty of on the accused. Along with be admitted as evidence in the Bhubaneswar, Dec 26: With a `1 lakh for forceful conver- this, there would be a fine of court. Legal experts claimed that The ruling party seeks 33 pc reservation for women in Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly view to including more number sion of any person under `50,000 and a jail sentence of such a report will help the ac- of landless farmers under the pretext of marriage. three to 10 years would be im- cused get acquitted from the court. POST NEWS NETWORK Balaram scheme, the state gov- According to official in- posed for indulging in reli- The local police had recovered ernment has revised the opera- formation, in the cabinet gious conversions secretly. skeletal remains, one frock and a Bhubaneswar, Dec 26: Biju Janata tional guidelines of the agri- meeting chaired by Chief As per the Bill passed in GI wire wrapped in a gunny bag Dal (BJD) president and Chief Minister cultural scheme. Minister, the ‘MP Religious the state cabinet, indulging from the backyard of the minor Naveen Patnaik Saturday said his party Now, the sharecroppers hav- Freedom Bill- 2020’ was in collective religious con- girl’s house, 10 days after she had will intensify its fight for 33 per cent ing marginal amount of land will passed by a voice vote. version of two or more peo- gone missing. The police had stored reservation for women in Lok Sabha and get the benefits of Balaram State Home Minister ple would amount to pun- the items for many days before Legislative Assembly. scheme. Narottam Mishra said no per- ishment with rigorous producing them in court. Addressing party workers here on the According to sources, if a son shall directly or otherwise imprisonment of five to 10 Now, questions are being raised occasion of BJD’s 24th foundation day, farmer has a small piece of farm- attempt to convert or convert to years and a fine of `1 lakh. as to how the Special Investigation Naveen said, “National parties re- land and s/he wants to cultivate another religion in the name of On the other hand, the of- Team (SIT), probing the murder member women’s empowerment dur- The BJD supremo, Naveen Patnaik (R), addresses party workers the lands of other owner, s/he inducement, threat, force, in- fence related to forceful re- case, will prove that the semen ing elections and commit in their man- will get credit under Balaram fluence, under the pretext of ligious conversions would belongs to Saroj Sethy who has ifestos only to conveniently forget after National parties erment of its women,” he said. scheme. Earlier, the government marriage or in any other fraud- be cognizable and non-bail- been arrested by the SIT in con- winning the elections. BJD will keep re- remember women’s The BJD president reminded that had decided to include only land- ulent manner. “No person would able; the cases of such re- nection with the case. The SIT minding the national parties about this empowerment during former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik less sharecroppers under the be able to indulge in abetment ligious conversions would started its probe in the case from forgotten promise.” Stating BJD will elections and commit in their in 1992 created history nationwide by scheme. MORE P3 or conspire to carry forceful be heard in the Sessions December 1. raise the issue at both national and manifestos only to conveniently enacting 33 per cent reservation for religious conversions.” Court only. state levels, he said, “From now on in forget after winning the women in the Panchayats, urban bod- every session of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha elections… ies and government jobs in the state. and the legislative Assembly, BJD will NAVEEN PATNAIK | CM & BJD PRESIDENT Notably, women have generously WEATHER raise the women’s reservation issue voted for the regional party in every elec- BHUB CTK and remind national parties.” the BJD has been giving importance to tion and the party is trying to consol- Naveen said the BJD has become a women and has reserved 50 per cent idate its vote bank further. MAX 27.7° 28.0° social movement and women are the soul seats for women in Panchayats and BJD general secretary (organisa-

TEMP MIN 13.8° 12.0° of this social movement. “We cannot de- Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). tion) Pranab Prakash Das said the gov- Forecast prive half of our population of their “Empowerment of women is the em- ernment has achieved so many goals at Humidity 80% 68% Fog/mist rights. They must have their rightful powerment of the nation. No household, national and international levels only Rainfall Nil Nil in the place in the political space of our coun- no society, no state, no country has due to the hard work and dedication of morning try,” he stated. The Chief Minister said ever moved forward without empow- Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Elephant deaths on the rise in Sambalpur APART FROM POACHING, TRAIN MISHAPS ARE ANOTHER BIG FACTOR FOR JUMBO DEATHS

POST NEWS NETWORK in Sambalpur, Rengali, Padiabahal one shot dead and three died cuted, two shot dead by poachers and four and Dhama ranges. Of them, 12 were of diseases. Jharsuguda died due to unknown reasons. Around Sambalpur, Dec 26: A number of fac- killed by poachers by laying live division reported 17 deaths 11 died due to diseases. In Hirakud di- tors like loss of habitat mainly con- electric wires. Two died in train ac- while six of them were vision, one elephant has died. tributed by deforestation, poaching, cident, four shot down and nine oth- due to electrocution, four On the other hand, their census re- man-animal conflicts, mishaps due to ers died of sun stroke and other rea- due to train collision and port is not encouraging. In 2010, there electrification and railway lines have sons. seven for other reasons. were 249 elephants in six forest divi- led to sharp fall in elephant population In the same period, 30 elephants In Rairakhol division, 20 sions, but their number continued to in Sambalpur. In the last ten years, died in Bamara elephant casualties were decline. In 2012, the number came 154 elephants have died in the district, division. Six got recorded in the same pe- down to 229. a report said. electrocuted, riod. Three got electro- As per the 2015 Census, their num- The number of jumbos has been three shot ber sharply came down to 137. However, dwindling while environmentalists down by the numbers increased to 192 in 2017. blame the Forest department for its fail- poach- It was said that 45 elephants were ure to protect the animals. In many ers 27 counted additionally in 2015 and 2017 cases, the department allegedly sup- while 21 elephants died between 2001 and Censuses. Due to Covid restrictions, presses the real causes of the casual- died of 2020 in Sambalpur, Rengali, Census has been stalled in 2020. However, ties to ward off the heat. In some cases, sun Padiabahal and Dhama ranges; of the office of the RCCF claimed that deaths are attributed to diseases or strokes, them, 12 were killed by poachers the number of elephants has increased. y natural deaths, sources said. diseases 154 by laying live electric wires There are also reasons emanating

According to official sources, the and other from a failure of agreement between

k y m jumbo deaths recorded c district has recorded deaths of 154 reasons. across six ranges in the dist ENVIRONMENTALISTS the Forest department and the Railways elephants in six ranges. In reality, the Bargarh di- during the last 10 yrs; in OBSERVE THAT POACHERS that eventually led to mishaps. Forest number of casualties is much higher, vision has reality, the number could be WENT DEEP INSIDE officials admit that caution had not sources added. recorded 11 ele- much higher FORESTS AND HUNTED been issued for the stretch where a train According to an official report, 27 phant deaths while ELEPHANTS FOR TUSKS hit the tusker on the track on 33-km elephants died between 2001 and 2020 seven got electrocuted, Jujumara-Haribari stretch. P2 KANYE WEST DROPS NEW EP VINCENT HAS TAKEN TO WRITING SUNDAY | DECEMBER 27 | 2020 | BHUBANESWAR AS CHRISTMAS GIFT TO FANS MUSICALS FOR HER FAMILY

Rapper Kanye West surprised fans by releasing his Singer-songwriter St Vincent, who misses new EP on Christmas. The Christian project, performing live, will feature her family in her Emmanuel, is a ‘celebration of the birth of Jesus version of A Christmas Carol. “I miss live shows so much. Now, I’ve taken to writing y Christ’ and features the rappers’ Sunday Service leisure musicals for my family,” she said.

choir group, reports thesun.co.uk.

k y m c FORTUNE FORECAST RAKUL SHARES HER Rajinikanth

ARIES If your work has any- YEAREND THOUGHTS progressing thing to do with money, today you will be busy counting your riches! If you've applied for a loan, it may get sanctioned today. Mumbai: Actress Rakul Preet #yearendthoughts,” she wrote Look for variety, says Ganesha, and Singh hits sultry mode in alongside the image. you may find your day filled with her new post on The actress had recently well: Docs smiles and what not. Instagram, and blame it tweeted on her verified ac- Hyderabad: Superstar Rajinikanth tors are not being allowed to on her hair that she is cut count that she has tested pos- who was Friday admitted to a hos- meet him,” it said. TAURUS off from all the chaos of itive for Covid-19, adding that pital here with severe fluctuations Rajinikanth’s daughter life. she had quarantined herself. in blood pressure, is progressing is with him in the hospi- You are likely to be men- In her new Insta pic, The actress had just started well, doctors said Saturday. tal. Family and doctors tally alert and watchful Rakul looks stunning in shooting for the film “Mr Rajinikanth who was ad- have requested all well- today, says Ganesha. Creativity will run through your veins no a sequined copper dress. Mayday. She stars along- mitted in the hospital yesterday is pro- wishers to avoid visit- matter what you attempt. You may dabble She sports smokey side Amitabh gressing well. He has had an event- ing the hospital. in performing arts, designing, graphics or eyes and has left Bachchan and Ajay ful night and his blood pressure is still The actor was shoot- special effects. Your charm will play Pied her hair open. Devgn in the thriller on the higher side although under bet- ing for Tamil film Piper to the opposite gender today. “Sorry I can’t drama. The film is ter control than yesterday," Apollo Annaatthe in Hyderabad hear the chaos directed and pro- Hospital said in a statement. for the last GEMINI over the vol- duced by Ajay According to the hospital, 10 days. ume of my Devgn. IANS the 70-year-old actor’s inves- IANS Your physical appearance hair tigations have not revealed and personal attitude will see a marked improve- anything alarming so far. ment today, predicts Ganesha. A well- He is scheduled for a groomed you will climb up the popularity further set of investi- chart among peers, friends and members gations on Saturday, re- of the opposite sex. ports which will be avail- able by the evening. “His blood pressure med- CANCER ications are being titrated Ananya turns floral beauty You will be firing all carefully and he will con- cylinders in the creativi- tinue to be under close mon- Mumbai: Actress Ananya Panday ty department, says itoring. He has been ad- turned into a floral beauty in a pic- Ganesha. Even your col- leagues may pitch in, and will give you vised complete rest ture she has posted on Instagram. new ideas to make your work better. in view of his The image captures a stun- Those looking for a new job will ace the labile blood ning Ananya in an aqua en- interview and clear the selection pressure semble with pink floral prints. process as easily as clearing the fog and She captioned the image from their glasses. visi- with flower emojis. Ananya's latest release on LEO OTT was the film Khaali Peeli. Karmic balance dictates She is now shooting Shakun an equitable distribu- Batra's untitled film, co-starring tion of joy and sorrow, Deepika Padukone and Siddhant says Ganesha. So if your Chaturvedi. day seems drab and depressing today, Ananya also has the action film Fighter rest assured, your evening shall be all the more refreshing and exciting. Surround coming up, alongside Vijay Deverakonda. yourself with family and friends, as you IANS will receive royal treatment from them.

VIRGO Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors is relevant but flawed Play dodge ball with prejudice today. Do t was billed as a courtroom ness, develops an aversion to her prove Anu's innocence. not let intolerance find thriller, but it ends up more Cast: mother to begin with. As Vikram Apurva Asrani's writing is hard- shelter in you today, Ilike a bleak prison drama. The Kirti Kulhari, Pankaj Tripathi, fights for his life in hospital, his hitting while laying bare the night- advises Ganesha. Instead, chances are second season of Criminal Justice Jisshu Sengupta, Deepti Naval, mother (Deepti Naval), an influ- mare that awaits Anu behind bars. you will seek to find love, affection and has its heart in the right place, Mita Vashisht, Ashish Vidyarthi ential figure, puts her weight be- However, despite those traits the goodwill among those around you. Stay Direction: away from negativity as it may bog you highlighting a relevant issue that hind the demand that Anu be storytelling fails to hold attention. down. Ganesha counsels you to have the often takes shape of an ugly truth Rohan Sippy and Arjun Mukerjee punished. Once the shock value of the jail courage to stand by your convictions. in homes across societal strata. That is when advocate Madhav scenes peters out, the narrative Yet the show falters in execution. with the crime in question estab- Mishra (Pankaj tends to get repetitive. Despite noble intentions, lished right at the outset. Vikram Tripathi) is roped Kirti Kulhari seizes an au- LIBRA Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Chandra (Jisshu Sengupta), a hot- in, to defend WEB thor-backed role to deliver Lights, camera, and Doors is no ‘Thappad’ on the face shot lawyer and seemingly the Anu Chandra a career best performance. action! Be prepared as of misogyny and marital rape, doting husband and father, is bru- in court. SERIES Pankaj Tripathi brings the limelight is focused the primary issues it brings to tally knifed in bed by his wife Madhav takes alive an interesting male on you on this very moti- focus. Anuradha (Kirti Kulhari). The is an act of extreme despair, within cessful face of the advocate com- the help of REVIEW prototype, too. Every actor is vating and inspiring day, enabling you to Rohan Sippy and Arjun reason is amply made clear. the framework of fiction she is munity. No lawyer is willing to young lawyer aptly cast, and succeeds in bring- attract excellent public praise. Today is an encouraging day to set in motion innova- Mukerjee’s eight-episode season Although the audience is witness instantly stamped a pariah. fight Anu’s case. Vikram and Anu’s Nikhat Hussain (Anupriya ing alive their respective roles tive projects, especially for those who starts off on a note of high drama, to the fact that Anuradha’s action Vikram was popular, and a suc- daughter, closest there is to a wit- Goenka) to set up his game plan to written with nuance. AGENCIES desire to be their own masters and embark upon fulfilling self-financed ideas.

SCORPIO SUDOKU You are most likely to post To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, resent the dominating PEANUTS CROSSWORD and overbearing nature of column and box must contain the numbers your partner today. 0 to 9 and the letters A to E. Patience will probably go to the dumps in this case then. But Ganesha advises you to sit together and resolve all per- sonality clashes and quarrels in view of the larger scheme of things.

SAGITTARIUS The nerd in you will rise to the fore today. Religious literature will catch your fancy. Ganesha also sees you diving deep into pages of detective tomes, murder and science fiction. Au contraire, find some relief from the roller-coaster by listening to some soothing music. CALVIN AND HOBBES CAPRICORN You want to enhance your knowledge by exploring foreign shores, but luck hasn't favoured you yet. Ganesha predicts today to be a SOLUTIONS favourable day for you to try again for higher studies. If associated with the Stock Market or speculation, you are likely to make profits.

AQUARIUS The day is taxing. You may find that others have dumped their share of work on you. But you are BREVITY not one to admit defeat, and will CROSSWORD deal with the challenge squarely, says Ganesha.

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While your day is unlikely

k y m c to be very satisfactory, keeping your expectations low will help lessen your disappointment, says Ganesha. However, the evening is likely to be as refreshing as

your day was depressing, with all the CHECK FOR SOLUTIONS OF THE PUZZLES TOMORROW SUDOKU socialising in store for you. COVID-19 TRACKER P3 95-YEAR JOURNEY SUNDAY | DECEMBER 27 | 2020 | BHUBANESWAR INFECTED RECOVERED DEAD CPI leaders participate in an World 8,03,00,907 5,65,98,640 17,59,604 event at Bhagawati Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, Saturday, to India 1,01,69,818 97,39,382 1,47,379 observe completion of 95 downtown Odisha 3,28,201 3,23,749 1,857

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POST NEWS NETWORK Although 319 burglary cases were orating law and order situation. 1,092 cops to be CRIME GRAPH NORTHWARD reported till November 2020 as The city police booked 170 ha- Bhubaneswar, Dec 26: The Capital As many as 330 robbery cases against 337 cases in 2019, the num- bitual offenders in 2020 as promoted as ASIs city witnessed a rise in suicide and have been registered till ber may exceed the previous year’s compared to 113 in 2019. City sees snatching cases during 2020 as com- November end as against 266 figure till the end of December. There is a rise in suicides in 2020 POST NEWS NETWORK pared to the previous year. robbery cases were reported in Reporting of motor vehicle ac- as 229 persons have taken the ex- This was revealed during a crime 2019, 194 in 2018 and 193 in 2017 cident cases in the city has de- treme step till the end of November Cuttack, Dec 26: A total of 1,092 review meeting at Airfield police sta- creased significantly in 2020. In this year as compared to 220 in 2019. constables, lance naiks and hav- rise in tion here, Saturday. Bhubaneswar 40 murder cases have been 2019, as many as 650 road accident As many as 8,34,181 persons sought ildars of Odisha police would be DCP Umashankar Dash Saturday reported at various police sta- cases were registered in city while the help of city police through promoted to the rank of assistant released a comprehensive data on tions in the city till November the number of such accidents stands helpline number 100 in 2020. sub-inspectors (ASIs). end this year as against 39 mur- the crime scenario in the city. at 452 till November 2020. Meanwhile, 9,93,141 persons have DGP Abhay has recommended der incidents in 2019 suicides, As per the data, 40 murder cases The city recorded 149 rape cases called police by dialing 100 during necessary training for the policemen, have been reported at various po- There is a rise in suicides in 2020 as 229 persons have taken the extreme step till in 2019 while the same stood at 106 emergency in 2019. who have been selected for pro- lice stations in the city till November the end of November this year as compared to 220 in 2019 till November. The DCP stressed on the ways to motion to the rank of ASIs. As end this year as against 39 murder Meanwhile, the city police booked resolve property related crimes at many as 849 policemen from the robberies incidents in 2019. year in comparison with the pre- November end. However, 266 robbery more number of habitual offenders earliest. He also sought suggestions unreserved category and 243 from Similarly, the robbery incidents vious years. As many as 330 robbery cases were reported in 2019, 194 in this year as compared to the previous from mediapersons in order to bet- the ST category have been selected rose significantly during the current cases have been registered till 2018 and 193 in 2017. year in order to control the deteri- ter policing in the city. for the promotion, said a press note. Balaram to cover more farmers DISHES FOR LORD

POST NEWS NETWORK Krushak Sathi appointed for this purpose. Bhubaneswar, Dec 26: With a The state government in col- view to including more number of laboration with Nabard had landless farmers under Balaram launched the Balaram scheme to scheme, the state government has provide loans to landless farmers. revised the operational guidelines The Institute of Management & of the agricultural scheme. Now, the Advance Global Excellence sharecroppers having marginal (IMAGE) and Agricultural amount of land will get the bene- Technology Management Agency fits of Balaram scheme. (ATMA) were designated as the According to sources, if a farmer nodal agencies at the state and dis- has a small piece of farmland and trict levels for implementation of he wants to cultivate the lands of the scheme. other owner, he/she will get credit Credit facility will be provided to under Balaram scheme. Earlier, the landless farmers on the basis of the government had decided to in- 'social collateral' through joint lia- clude only landless sharecroppers CREDIT BOOST bility groups (JLGs). The rate of under the scheme. interest and interest subvention Similarly, the government has Sharecroppers f a farmer has a small piece of farmland and he would be as per the existing norms decided to give priority to short- having marginal Iwants to cultivate the lands of other owner, he/she of the state government. term crops and seasonal crops while amount of land will get credit under Balaram scheme Each bank has been asked to fi- long-term cropping activities will will get the nance at least 10 JLGs in a year. be avoided. benefits of anks can distribute the loan amount in a phased Loan to each group could be ex- Defining family, the government Balaram scheme Bmanner based on the progress of cropping activity tended up to Rs 1.60 lakh. said concept of nuclear family will A target was set to cover around be applicable and only one member Banks can distribute the loan ity. Before releasing the second 7 lakh landless cultivators through of a family can be included to avail amount in a phased manner based phase money, the bank will obtain 1.40 lakh JLGs within a period of Varieties of delicacies being offered to Lord Srikrishna on the occasion of Byanjan Dwadasi at Gaura Vihar ashram in benefits of the scheme. on the progress of cropping activ- utilisation certification from the two years. Puri, Saturday OP PHOTO Cong backs PM-Kisan, slams govt State govt vigilant on UK Odisha reports 334 new POST NEWS NETWORK Bhubaneswar, Dec 26: The Covid cases, 4 deaths Congress party Saturday criti- returnees: Health minister cised the state government for not The Cuttack administration has declared Nuasahi in supporting the Centre in rolling POST NEWS NETWORK THE MINISTER SAID to scrutinize the passengers who re- out of the benefits of the PM- turned from UK,” he said. Kantapada block a new containment zone after 14 Kisan scheme in the state. Bhubaneswar, Dec 26: The state THAT SUSPECTED He also said that all such people residents tested positive for the infection and one Party leader Suresh Routray government, Saturday, claimed that would be sent for RT-PCR test which said that the state government it is ready with all prophylactic PATIENTS COULD BE is made available at in the airports succumbed to the disease failed to furnish the list of farm- measures to avert any possibility KEPT IN ISOLATION of Odisha. “If needed, the persons ers to the Centre for which sev- of spread of Covid-19 and the new could be taken to isolation. Their PNN & AGENCIES eral farmers in the state failed to strain of the virus detected in the AND THEIR SAMPLES samples will also be sent to Pune for get the central aid. ernment is clueless of the list United Kingdom (UK). COULD BE SENT more scrutiny,” the minister added. Bhubaneswar, Dec 26: State’s “Under the PM-Kisan of people whom they are al- Health Minister Naba Kishore “I am sure that my department Covid-19 tally mounted to 3,28,201 scheme, the poor farmers of legedly helping. Many farmers Das Saturday said that all pre- TO NIV, PUNE will be tackling the issue with Saturday as 334 more people tested the state could have got Rs in the state are deprived of the ventive measures have been taken full vigour. However, it is tough positive for the infection, a senior 2,000. But due to the interfer- benefits while other states are get- by the Health department and the disease via UK returnees. The min- to predict anything when it comes Health and Family Welfare (H&FW) ence of the Naveen Patnaik ting it.” officials are on their toes to en- ister also said that suspected patients to Covid-19 but we are all set to department official said. government, many farmers are Routray also said that Union sure that all required checks on UK could be kept in isolation and their fight it to ensure it does not Four more people succumbed deprived of the benefits. This Minister Dharmendra Pradhan returnees are done. samples could be sent to National spread,” he said. to the infection, pushing the coastal FACT FILE is a good scheme and laudable,” is doing good works. “He recently The minister also said that all air- Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune. The development comes after state’s coronavirus death toll to he said. went to different parts of the ports have been alerted and spe- “Our government is alert on the government ordered manda- 1,857, said the official. Sundargarh reported the highest num- He also added, “However, under state and assisted the people of cial measures are at place in the air- fighting against Covid-19. We have tory RT-PCR test of all UK returnees As many as 194 new cases were ber of new cases at 40, followed by the KALIA scheme, the state gov- the state. He is doing a good job.” ports to check the spread of the issued instructions to all the airports to Odisha. reported in quarantine centres, Khurda (30) and Sambalpur (30) while 140 infections were de- The fresh fatalities were reported in tected during contact tracing, Khurda, Balasore, Mayurbhanj and D-brothers’ ceilings Mental care hosp opens the official said. Sundargarh districts Sundargarh district reported Khurda has so far reported the highest 7 places record below 10 degrees C the highest number of new cases leak guns & bullets at Choudwar Jail number of coronavirus fatalities at 319, at 40, followed by Khurda (30) followed by Ganjam (246) and POST NEWS NETWORK The places which recorded a tem- CHOUDWAR: Director General (DG), and Sambalpur (30), the official Sundargarh (164) 3 more guns, 175 bullets perature above 10 degrees and below Prisons, Santosh Kumar Upadhyay pointed out. and `16.5 lakh were seized Bhubaneswar, Dec 26: Cold-wave 15 degrees are: Balasore (13.1), Saturday inaugurated a mental care The fresh fatalities were reported The state has so far tested over 67.99 continued to grip many parts of Chandbali (13), Cuttack (12), hospital at Choudwar Circle Jail in Khurda, Balasore, Mayurbhanj lakh samples for Covid-19, including during the raid the state with seven places record- Bhubaneswar (13.8), Sambalpur here. The 80-bed hospital has been and Sundargarh districts, the official 29,848 Friday ing a minimum temperature below (11.2), Hirakud (12.1), Talcher (12), set up with an expenditure of Rs 1.5 said. As many as 53 coronavirus pa- Odisha's positivity rate stands at 4.83 POST NEWS NETWORK 10 degrees Celsius, Saturday. Bolangir (10.6), Titlagarh (11.5), crore, jail sources said. At present, tients have died due to comor- per cent As per a bulletin issued by Malkangiri (12), Sonepur (11), the jail has 924 inmates and of them bidities so far. Cuttack, Dec 26: The Bhubaneswar Meteorological Nayagarh (13) and Chatrapur (14.3). 74 are suffering from mental illness, Khurda district, under which Commissionerate Police Saturday Centre, the lowest temperature of The Met Centre said shallow to sources added. “Earlier, prisoners Bhubaneswar falls, has so far re- Meanwhile, the Cuttack district seized three more guns, five mag- 5.5 degrees Celsius was recorded at moderate fog is very likely to occur suffering from mental illness were ported the highest number of coro- administration has declared azines, 175 bullets and Rs 16.50 Phulbani while Daringbadi recorded at one or two places in Nayagarh, being taken to SCB Medical College navirus fatalities at 319, followed by Nuasahi village in Kantapada block lakh from the residence of noto- 6 degrees Celsius. Sonepur, Boudh, Malkangiri, and Hospital for better treatment. Ganjam (246) and Sundargarh (164), a new containment zone after 14 res- rious Dhalasamanta brothers at Koraput town in south Odisha Koraput, Kalahandi, Bolangir, Now, an expert is treating the the official said. idents tested positive for the in- CDA here. witnessed a minimum temper- FILE PHOTO Cuttack, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj prisoners on the jail premises,” said The state has so far tested over fection and one succumbed to the Police found the arms and am- ature of 8.2 degrees, Sundargarh during Sunday and early Monday. jail superintendent Shubhakant 67.99 lakh samples for Covid-19, in- disease, another official said. munition after demolishing the and Jharsuguda 8.5 degrees each, Baripada recorded a minimum Night temperature will remain al- Panda. Upadhyay also inspected a cluding 29,848 Friday, the official The containment measures will ceilings and other decorative struc- Bhawanipatna 9 degrees and temperature of 10 degrees most same in the state for next two- food processing unit on the jail said, adding that Odisha's positiv- remain in force till January 4, the tures at the residence of the gang- Keonjhar 9.8 degrees. Boudh and Celsius each. three days, it said. premises. ity rate stands at 4.83 per cent. official pointed out. ster brothers. “The gangster brothers were supplying firearms to several crim- inal elements in Cuttack and other places in the state. Aides of the two Srimandir reopens for Puri residents with Covid norms brothers were collecting extor- tion from liquor traders and lease- Biraja temple to welcome Rathore said that devotees will be The Biraja temple will shrine by producing the tokens is- holders of sand ghats,” said Deputy allowed entry to the temple between sued by the district administration Commissioner of Police Prateek devotees from Dec 29 6 am and 5 pm every day. remain closed from and their identity proofs. Besides, Singh at a presser here. “A standard operating procedure January 1-2 they had to undergo thermal screen- A few days ago, the police had PRESS TRUST OF INDIA (SOP) for strict compliance of Covid- ing as part of Covid-19 protocol is- raided the residence of the gang- 19 safety protocols will be issued very to avoid large sued by the administration. ster brothers and seized at least Jajpur/Puri, Dec 26: The Biraja soon for the visitors as well as the congregation of The officials of the district ad- eight guns, 24 magazines and 1,095 temple, one of the major ‘shakti temple servitors,” the Collector ministration took photographs of the bullets. They had also arrested peeths’ in Odisha, will reopen for said. The 13th century temple will devotees on New Year devotees and registered their names several aides of the gangsters and devotees from December 29 while the remain closed from January 1-2 to at the shrine entrance. seized seven guns from other places residents of Puri town were al- avoid large congregation of devo- of eight kiosks have been set up to “The administration has made

in state. Recently, police took the lowed inside Srimandir from tees on New Year, he said. assist devotees and 18 platoons of po- all arrangements to facilitate Puri

k y m c two brothers on remand and ex- Saturday, officials said. Meanwhile, the district admin- lice personnel deployed to moni- residents’ visit to Srimandir. There pedited probe into the illegal arms The Biraja temple will reopen istration of Puri implemented the tor the law and order situation. was no untoward incident on the trade. “Dhalasamanta brothers following a decline in the number second phase of entry to Srimandir The residents of ward no. 6,9, 12, first day,” said Puri Collector were controlling their crime em- of fresh Covid-19 cases in Jajpur, from Saturday morning for resi- 15, 11, 2 and 3 in the Holy City vis- Balwant Singh. pire from the jails,” said a source District Collector Chakravarti Singh dents of the Pilgrim town in strict officials said. In the first phase that tors and their family members were ited Srimandir in three phases The temple will also remain shut in the Commissionerate Police. Rathore said. compliance with health norms, the started December 23, only servi- allowed entry to the shrine. A total Saturday. The locals entered into the for two days from January 1. P4 SUNDAY | DECEMBER 27 | 2020 | BHUBANESWAR power post

FOCUS REGION Let all circumstances, all

happenings in life be occasions,

k y m constantly renewed for learning c more and ever more THE MOTHER ASIA’S TECHNOLOGICAL RISE

sia is a technological force matics (STEM) graduates between to be reckoned with. Over 2016 and 2018. the last decade, the re- Vulnerability to the effects Listen to farmers Agion has accounted for 52 of climate change, from deadly per cent of global growth in tech- heatwaves to large-scale flood- he prime minister says he wants farmers to double their income but company revenues, 43 per cent of ing, is also driving progress in does not want the government to do it. He believes that his laws startup funding, 51 per cent of the region. Asia already has the Tfavouring corporates will expand the market for farmers but does not spending on research and devel- largest share of installed re- explain how this will happen. Corporates are not going to make Indians eat opment, and 87 per cent of patents newable capacity – 45 per cent more food than they already are at the moment. India is already a surplus Jonathan Woetzel filed, according to new research by – compared to 25 per cent in producer of grain and milk. The problem is that we do not consume enough, the McKinsey Global Institute Europe and 16 per cent in North because most Indians are poor and cannot afford more and better food. It is & Jeongmin Seong (MGI). How did Asia get here, and America. The International the Union government that must do that. But Narendra Modi has cut the amount what lessons does its success hold Energy Agency expects that share of money that the poor get as food subsidy. In the 2020 budget this was for the rest of the world? to rise to 56 per cent in 2040. With slashed from Rs 1.8 lakh crore to Rs 1.15 lakh crore. If half of India’s poor Of course, Asia is not a mono- the support of investments in gets this, it is less than Rs 150 per month. How will farmers’ incomes dou- OF COURSE, lith, and technology gaps within Asia’s rapid development as a global R&D and new infrastructure, Asia ble if the government does not feed our poor by purchasing more produce? ASIA IS NOT A the region remain significant. technological leader over the last decade is stands to make its mark on the So much for the local market. India, for example, has fewer large world with technological solu- Corporates are not in charge of how much of its agriculture and dairy MONOLITH, AND tech companies than other major a testament to the power of collaboration tions to climate risk. India can export. It is the government that will have to force other nations TECHNOLOGY economies. Still, four of the world’s Asia’s rapid development as a to open their markets to our farmers. But under Modi India’s agricultural top ten technology companies by ative resilience during the COVID- plication processors and develop global technological leader over the exports have actually declined. All nations seek to protect their farming com- GAPS WITHIN market capitalization are Asian. 19 crisis. The just-signed Regional new types of hardware. Last year, last decade is a testament to the munities and so agricultural exports are the toughest thing in trade nego- THE REGION China, home to 26 per cent of the Comprehensive Economic the Chinese company Royole re- power of collaboration. And yet, tiations but there is a way out. Vietnam has shown it by consistently increasing world’s unicorns (startups valued Partnership could foster even leased the world’s first flexible in much of the world, the tide is its export of value added goods. India has failed REMAIN at $1 billion or more), leads the closer intraregional ties. smartphone. Early this year, turning toward isolationism and under Modi to do even what it was doing before. way in tech entrepreneurship in Collaboration among countries Samsung went a step further, protectionism. Indeed, after years Agriculture exports fell from US$ 43 billion SIGNIFICANT. Asia, though it still relies on for- is only part of the equation. Asian launching the first foldable smart- of relative openness, rising trade in 2013, before Modi, to $38 billion last year. INDIA, FOR eign inputs in core technologies. governments have also worked phone with a foldable glass screen. barriers threaten to disrupt global Imports of agricultural commodities in 2016-17 By contrast, advanced Asian with local tech companies to ad- Similarly, Asian firms have cap- flows of technology and intellec- rose to $25 billion from $15 billion in 2013-14. Total EXAMPLE, HAS economies like Japan and South vance goals in domains like re- italized on the region’s well-de- tual property. agricultural trade around the world is over FEWER LARGE Korea have large tech firms and a newable energy and artificial in- veloped infrastructure to estab- This will sap potential in many $2000 billion meaning that India has not only significant knowledge base, but telligence. During the pandemic, lish themselves at the cutting edge frontier sectors. According to a tiny share of the market but an insignificant TECH relatively few unicorns. Asia’s such partnerships have been es- of 5G development and deploy- MGI’s simulation, $8-12 trillion of one. This in turn means that there is great op- COMPANIES emerging economies still invest sential to South Korea’s track-and- ment. Of the five companies that economic value could be at stake portunity for India to grow. relatively little in innovation, but trace strategy, and to national hold the majority of 5G patents, by 2040, depending on the quality However India, especially in the last seven THAN OTHER they do provide growing markets health QR-code programs in China four are Asian. Likewise, the re- and level of technology flows be- years under Modi, has failed to create a market for the goods and services pro- and Singapore. Asia is also de- gion's strong position in next-gen- tween China and the rest of the for its agricultural goods. We have no free trade Aakar Patel MAJOR duced by Asia's tech leaders. veloping new models for collabo- eration electric-vehicle batteries world. Many high-tech markets – agreements under which our farmers can send ECONOMIES. Against this background, Asian ration across digital ecosystems to – more than half the world’s patents including electric vehicles, bat- their output and the existing ones, such as These are the countries have had to make a help enterprises and societies for solid-state batteries were filed tery storage, and advanced dis- with Korea and Japan do not help them expand STILL, FOUR OF virtue out of collaborating to over- share resources and information in Asia– resulted from leveraging plays – depend on Asian investment their market. Modi is not good at implemen- people who know THE WORLD’S come fragmentation and close more effectively. its existing strengths. and market growth to achieve tation. He is not good at thinking through laws what they are doing technology gaps. And they have To be sure, Asian economies New opportunities are also open- global scale. and policies. His lockdown produced chaos TOP TEN made considerable progress in re- may find it difficult to catch up ing up for Asia. While the region’s Asia is likely to continue to and know what they and misery and didn’t stop Covid. His GST TECHNOLOGY cent years. Notably, they have in- and compete in some well-estab- consumer markets are expanding forge ahead with its technological finished off thousands of companies and re- want. They also vested heavily in regional tech lished technology sectors – such as and digitizing rapidly, there is still development. But to make the duced the amount of tax government collects know what is COMPANIES BY startups – about 70 per cent of semiconductor design or operating a great deal of room for growth and most of its progress – and the to such an extent that he cannot pay state gov- such investment comes from within system software – where others innovation in consumer-facing strides that have been made else- ernments any more. His demonetisation did not coming in case they MARKET Asia – and robust regional tech- have a commanding market posi- technologies. where – enhancing technological end black money, corruption or terrorism but do not act CAPITALIZATION nology supply chains. tion. But there is no denying Asia’s Similarly, Asia can expand its collaboration within, and among it wounded the economy so much that Indians While Asia’s technology sup- tremendous progress in new tech- role in the growing market for regions, remains a priority for were consuming and eating less in 2018 than ARE ASIAN ply chains continue to be recon- nologies, often facilitated by its digital information-technology Asia and the rest of the world. they were in 2013, according to the government’s own data. figured as they develop, the shifts existing strengths in manufac- services, such as big data and an- This is the record of our fine leader. Now he wants farmers to believe that have occurred largely within the turing and infrastructure. alytics, digital legacy modern- Jonathan Woetzel, a McKinsey his genius is sufficient for them to let go of their livelihoods and trust him. region. (For example, the region’s For example, more than 90 per ization, and “Internet of Things” senior partner, is Director of the He has offered no explanation or apology for putting hundreds of millions developed economies and China cent of the world’s smartphones system design. After all, the re- McKinsey Global Institute. of Indians through extreme trauma because of his half-baked ideas and im- have expanded investment in are made in Asia. So, the region’s gion has a huge pool of tech talent: Jeongmin Seong is a senior fellow plementation before. On what grounds does he assume that the farmers think emerging economies’ manufac- economies have focused signifi- India alone produced three-quar- at the McKinsey Global he knows more about agriculture than they do? They are aware that there turing sectors.) This went a long cant innovative capacity in this ters of the world’s science, tech- Institute in Shanghai. is neither a local market for their produce nor a foreign one because they way toward supporting Asia’s rel- area, such as to design mobile ap- nology, engineering, and mathe- ©PROJECT SYNDICATE have been producing this for generations. The only way out for them and for India’s poor is for the government to legally guarantee MSP for all crops. To procure what is surplus (more than 80 per cent of our farmers do not have any produce to sell at all, consuming all that they grow on their little patch), and to distribute it among the poor. If Modi has the ability, which I doubt, SPECTRUM PLANET to induce corporate India to invest heavily in food processing for export, this should be done before the Mandis and MSP are dismantled as the farmers fear that they will be. It is difficult to see how Modi’s laws will come out of this without being savaged or repealed. He has no defence of them other than to say that the Tipping point of irreversible degradation farmers are being misled. A cursory look at the farmers’ charter of de- mands, and listening to any of the farmers being interviewed by media tells oday’s growing world popu- lurium – to enable the renewable- tems’ secrets, and our under- fects of its untested technologies. you that this is not the case. These are people who know what they are lation and a privileged mi- energy transition and decarbonize standing of their complexity and Fortunately, solutions are at hand. doing and know what they want. They also know what is coming in case they Tnority’s rapidly rising living the global economy. But recent eco- functional relationships is still in Five years ago, governments adopted do not act. This is why it is hard to see the farmers’ movement either going standards are driving resource con- nomic analyses suggest that land- its infancy. the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable away or ending soon. Sabine Christiansen sumption and waste production at based mining can fill current gaps Moreover, scientific experiments Development and its 17 Sustainable & Sebastian Unger a rate requiring the capacities of in mineral supply, and even indicate indicate that habitats affected by Development Goals, with the aim of 1.7 Earths and fuels alarming lev- that surplus mineral production, commercial deep-seabed mining guiding humanity toward a future els of global warming. And the such as from the deep sea, may will not have recovered even after based on intact natural environ- WISDOM CORNER oceans are increasingly suffering the cause prices to collapse. So, who 30 years and will remain func- ments and successful action to limit SCIENTIFIC consequences – not only the well- will gain from mining the seafloor? tionally disrupted, with an in- climate change. COVID-19 is a dra- Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to known large-scale bleaching of trop- The mining of mineral-rich sub- evitable loss of biodiversity on an matic reminder that the way we pause and reflect. MARK TWAIN EXPERIMENTS ical corals caused by rising tem- strates will potentially affect the unknown scale. For example, every are interacting with the biosphere There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of INDICATE THAT peratures, but also the less visible largely untouched deep sea at depths manganese nodule mining opera- renders our societies less resilient. improving, and that's your own self. ALDOUS HUXLEY HABITATS risks of ocean-water acidification of 2,000-4,000 meters in some na- tion will plow through the upper 20 Preserving our common deep-sea Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate and temporal and spatial discrep- tional waters, as well as the inter- centimeters of 200-800 square kilo- heritage means taking responsi- cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. AFFECTED BY ancies in productivity patterns. national seabed, known legally as meters (77-309 square miles) of bility for the future, responding Earth, and especially the oceans, “the Area.” The 1982 United Nations seabed every year for 30 years, not cautiously to uncertain ongoing COMMERCIAL is thus approaching the tipping Convention on the Law of the Sea only extracting the basis of the changes that will likely continue for DEEP-SEABED point of irreversible degradation. (UNCLOS) declared the Area and local fauna but also polluting and a long time, and avoiding repetition WORDSWORTH That would be a tragedy, marked by its mineral resources to be the clouding an unknown amount of of past mistakes. Such a forward- MINING WILL NOT the oceans’ increasing inability to “common heritage of mankind,” the clearest water on the planet. looking vision, building on the phi- Whale of a time HAVE RECOVERED provide us and future generations and established the International The UNCLOS common-heritage losophy of the commons, should be with necessities such as healthy Seabed Authority (ISA) – a Jamaica- principle was intended to help pre- at the heart of the current negoti- f someone says they are having a whale of a time they mean they’re EVEN AFTER 30 food, the carbon cycle, nutrient re- based body that currently has 168 serve social equity for current and ations on the legal framework for Ienjoying themselves very much. It’s one instance of the more general generation, and mitigation of global member states – to manage them. future generations through fair- exploiting minerals in the Area. idiom a whale of a ..., an exceedingly great example — for good or bad — of a YEARS AND WILL warming. Fortunately, as numer- Since it came into existence in ness, redistribution, and knowl- Instead of rushing to mine the particular thing. Grammarians call this kind of usage an intensifier, since it REMAIN ous studies and assessments indi- 1994, the ISA has signed 30 min- edge transfer. But for deep-seabed seabed, we need to pause until we adds a superlative to what follows. The idea behind it, of course, is that cate, the world is rapidly chang- eral-exploration contracts with 21 mining to be commercially viable, can protect the biodiversity of the whales are big beasts. From the early years of the nineteenth century in the FUNCTIONALLY ing course in the face of this threat, entities – sponsored by 16 states operators needs the ISA to grant high seas and show that exploiting US — and also the UK — people were making the comparison in an idiomatic DISRUPTED, WITH and seeking to conserve and re- and one consortium. And industry favorable long-term contract con- what lies beneath them can yield usage of the related word whaler: They fib by equivocation — they don’t store marine ecosystems. But a pressure to start commercial ex- ditions, including very limited ben- long-term net benefits for come plump out, with a tremendous whaler of a fib, but seek to do it by AN INEVITABLE new risk is looming on the horizon: ploitation has increased in recent efit-sharing and restricted envi- sustainable development. equivocation and confusion of words and ideas, but, in any way, it is all commercial deep-seabed mining years. Recent research has revo- ronmental regulation. The risk is Sabine Christiansen fibbing. (The Day, Glasgow, 28 Mar. 1832) It may have originally been a LOSS OF for in-demand minerals. lutionized our view of the deep that, once the legal framework is in is a marine biologist. saying of the literal sort of whaler, as Maximilian Schele De Vere suggested BIODIVERSITY ON The prevailing narrative today is sea and revealed an extraordinary place, a newly emerging industry will Sebastian Unger is Research in his Americanisms in 1872: “That the huge size of a whale should have led that the world needs deep-sea min- diversity of small-scale habitats, life operate with (at least) 30-year con- Leader at the Institute sailors, and after their example others also, to speak of any man or event of AN UNKNOWN erals – including rare-earth ele- forms, and strategies. But we have tracts based on mere assumptions for Advanced unusual and imposing proportions as a whaler, seems natural enough.” SCALE ments, cobalt, manganese, and tel- yet to uncover most of these ecosys- regarding the environmental ef- Sustainability Studies. ©PROJECT SYNDICATE

LOL Way ahead for UK Deadlock persists At a grocery store we’ll be Sir, As the UK is no longer part of the European Union’s customs union and single market, trade won’t Sir, The tug of war between checking out.” flow as smoothly as before. In fact, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s post-Brexit trade deal will leave the Centre and the farmer man observed a woman in the When they got to the etters businesses facing more barriers to trade than they did while Britain was a member of the EU. As for unions shows no sign of Agrocery store with a three-year- checkout stand, the little businesses, the trade deal brings relief but it won’t serve as an adequate substitute for membership of getting resolved with both old girl in her basket. As they passed girl immediately began to clamour for the bloc. Companies will have to file new paperwork and their products could be held up at the border. sides sticking to their stand. the cookie section, the little girl asked gum and burst into a terrible tantrum TOL THE EDITOR Firms exporting to the EU will have to file customs declarations. Truckers who cross to the EU will While Prime Minister for cookies and her mother told her, upon discovering there’d be no gum Readers of Orissa POST need government-issued permit showing that they have the right paperwork. Border delays will ad- Narendra Modi blamed his “No.” The little girl immediately began purchased. The mother said serenely, are most welcome to contribute letters versely affect firms and manufacturers. Food could get rotted in the trucks lined up at the border. The political foes for churning to whine and fuss, and the mother “Monica, we’ll be through this (200 words), articles and new trade deal will badly affect trade in animal products. Designated border inspection posts and need out rumours, the farmers columns (between 750-1250 said quietly, “Now Monica, we just checkout stand in 5 minutes and words). Contributors are of export health certificates will have an impact on trade in animal products. Sectors that make up 80 stuck to their guns and de- have half of the aisles left to go then you can go home and requested to send their per cent of Britain’s economy such as auditing, architecture and consulting will be badly affected by manded a minimum sup- through – don’t be upset. have a nice nap.” contact numbers and full the new trade deal. In order to get the benefit of zero-tariff trade, companies will have to produce doc- port price for all crops.

It won’t be long now.” The man followed them out to the postal address/email ID. They may also uments proving the origin of their goods. Companies will have to conform to two separate product stan- Though the PM reiterated

k y m send in their valuable comments, opinion c Soon, they came to the candy aisle parking lot and stopped the woman to and suggestions, preferably by email, dards. In order to sell the products in both markets they need approvals from the UK and the EU bod- his offer of talks “in farm- and the little girl began to shout for compliment her. “I couldn’t help to: [email protected] ies. There are restrictions on visiting EU from Britain and for staying in the EU for a long time. The ers’ interest” there appears candy. When told she couldn’t have noticing how patient you were with new trade deal has an impact on immigration as well. Free movement between UK and EU will end. to be no light at end of any, she began to cry. The mother little Monica,” he began. Duty-free shopping in ports and airports will be allowed to British travellers visiting the EU while un- the tunnel. said, “There, there, Monica, don’t cry - The mother replied, “I’m Monica - my B-15, Rasulgarh Industrial Estate, limited quantities of alcohol and tobacco cannot be brought back from the EU. NJ Ravi Chander, only two more aisles to go and then little girl’s name is Tammy.” Bhubaneswar-751010 Venu GS, KOLLAM (KERALA) BANGALORE P5 SUNDAY | DECEMBER 27 | 2020 | BHUBANESWAR state

HARVESTING SEASON

k y m Distress sale hits cotton farmers c SANS MANDIS, MIDDLEMEN BUYING PRODUCE AT CHEAPER PRICE IN PARTS OF SONEPUR POST NEWS NETWORK Farmers had hoped for handsome earnings from this Sonepur, Dec 26: Farmers in farming, but their hopes are fading, causing a lot of Subarnapur district have got a resentment among the farmers bumper cotton harvest this year, but there are no takers for the pro- his year, cotton has been raised in 5000 hectares of land at duce. Some cotton farmers in the dis- T Tentulimahada, Anadapur, trict are resorting to distress sale Jatosingh, Bagbar, Mursundhi, in the absence of mandis, a report Kenjhariapalli, Bhalpadar, said. Khandahata, Durjantaila, Farmers had hoped for hand- Kalapatha, Jaelaye and Ullunda some earnings from this farming, but their hopes are fading, caus- ing a lot of resentment among the Cotton mandis are there in neibouring Bolangir. Farmers have to go to a CCI-run farmers. mandi at Bolangir. Owing to transportation cost for long distances, they are reluctant to go there. Farmers sell cotton for `3000 to `4000 per quintal Cotton, known as white diamond, is cultivated in majorly in to sell the cotton to middlemen, Anandapur, said that the Cotton Farmers like Kuber Mendalli Bairmaharajpur sub-division. As who take the produce at throwaway Corporation of India and millers and Birupakhya Barik said the re- cotton does not need much water, prices. As a result, cotton farmers have formed a nexus that creates gional office of the CCI is at farmers have been farming cotton have to face huge losses. conditions for distress sale. Rayagada. The CCI officials are not over last few years even in unirri- At many places, cotton has al- Although the government has coming to the district to buy cotton, gated areas like Sonepur and ready been harvested while at some fixed the price of Rs 5,400 per quin- despite repeated complaints. The CCI Tarabha blocks. Cotton mandis are other places, harvesting is under way. tal, farmers are being forced to sell and millers are not working in co- there in neibouring Bolangir. This year, cotton has been raised their produce at much cheaper operation, forcing farmers to sell cot- Farmers have to go to CCI mandi at in 5000 hectares of land at rates. “As the government agen- ton at cheaper prices, they observed. Bolangir. Owing to transportation Tentulimahada, Anadapur, cies are not buying our produce, On the other hand, the district ad- cost for long distances, they are re- Jatosingh, Bagbar, Mursundhi, we are forced to sell to the local ministration says, it has been hold- luctant to go there. Kenjhariapalli, Bhalpadar, traders,” said a cotton farmer. ing talks with CCI to buy cotton, but A cotton mandi has been built by Khandahata, Durjantaila, Kalapatha, Farmers produce cotton worth Rs in reality noting happens. The ad- Badakhamar regulated marketing Jaelaye and Ullunda. 60 to 70 crore alone in ministration explains that as the dis- committee in Birmaharajpur, but Farmers sell cotton for Rs 3000 to Birmaharajpur and Ullunda blocks. trict produces less cotton than other it has not been made operational. Rs 4000 per quintal. In totality, the district produces cot- districts, millers are unwilling to Farmers harvesting pumpkins at MV-79 village in Malkangiri district. As the harvesting season is in progress, traders In such a situation, they are forced Gadadhar Panda, a farmer of ton worth Rs 100 crore. come here. from various parts come to the doorstep of farmers to buy the produce OP PHOTO 4-YR-OLD BOY GOES No use of Covid curbs at 7-year-old raped by minor boy POST NEWS NETWORK up the survivor and allegedly raped her inside a toilet. The girl was MISSING IN JAJPUR Kashinagar, Dec 26: Police de- rescued by one of her family mem- Bhitarkanika National Park tained a minor boy on charge of rap- bers after she raised an alarm. ing a seven-year old girl at Later, the girl’s father lodged a POST NEWS NETWORK my return, I was shocked to not POST NEWS NETWORK Gandhinagar village under this complaint at Kashinagr police sta- find him. We had launched a fran- police limits in Gajapati district tion alleging rape of his daughter. Jajpur, Dec 26: A 4-year-old boy has tic search, but could not find him,” Rajnagar, Dec 26: Covid-19 guide- during Christmas celebrations, He alleged that Ramakant Karad been missing from near his house the mother of the missing child lines were flouted at Bhitarkanika Friday. had organised the function in vi- at Munda Sahi under Badachana said, crying all the while. National Park in Kendrapara dis- The incident occurred when peo- olation of Covid norms where peo- police limits in Jajpur district for She further added that some trict Friday. On the occasion of ple were participating in a song ple danced to the tune of music by over 24 hours. local people when asked said they Christmas, 1,852 visitors report- and dance programme organised consuming alcoholic drinks. Police He was last seen Thursday af- had seen a rag picker loitering at edly visited the park as against the for Christmas. The accused work- registered a case and detained the ternoon playing near his house. the place where the children were per day limit of 500 visitors set by ing in a sound and light firm picked minor in this connection. The family members alleged that playing. the BNP authorities. a rag picker abducted their son “They suspect he might have This has raised concerns among after luring him by offering some taken away our son,” she added in local residents who are worried snacks. a chocked voice. about the way the BNP authorities Minor girl kills granny in Bhadrak “It was around 4 pm Thursday. The family lodged a missing re- are handling the situation. “The My son was playing with other port at the Dhanmandal police out- New Year’s day is just around the POST NEWS NETWORK children near the house. I went post the same day. Police investi- corner. More visitors are expected into the house for some work. On gation is underway. on the occasion and thereafter. If the On Christmas day, 78 to normal, permission for night Bhadrak, Dec 26: A minor girl Christmas crowd could not be han- halting was allowed to tourists from beat her grandmother to death dled, how the authorities will han- visitors came to the October. Friday night. This shocking news dle the crowd on New Year’s day,” park in 11 boats from The forest department had is- was reported from Lapang village Sex racket busted, 8 held they asked. sued a notification that every day under Bhandaripokhari police lim- According to a source, the visi- the Chandbali boat 500 visitors would be allowed into its in Bhadrak district. POST NEWS NETWORK as Sudhanshu Sekhar Kurami, tors came to the park Friday through jetty, 535 came in 70 the park via the main entrance According to sources, the girl On getting information about 28, Mahavir Galechha, Subham different entry points. While 78 vis- from October 19. and the elderly woman entered the incident, a team from Malkangiri, Dec 26: Acting on a Biswas, 24, Ashok Kumar, 29, itors came to the park in 11 boats boats from Khola jetty. But this notification had been into a quarrel over some issues Bhandaripokhari police station tip-off, Malkangiri police arrested Sibananda Mandal, , 30 and from the Chandbali boat jetty, 535 Similarly, 195 visitors twisted on Christmas. Friday night. The scene turned reached the spot and recovered the eight persons including two women Manesh Kumar Kuldeep, 30. Sex came in 70 boats from Khola jetty. When asked, Bhitarkanika for- uglier when the girl lost her cool. body. They detained the minor girl on charge of their involvement in enhancing tablets, contraceptive Similarly, 195 visitors reached the reached the park in 21 est range officer Swati Mohanty She picked up the pestle of a grind- for interrogation. flesh trade running from various pills, condoms, mobile phones, park in 21 boats from Chandbali boats from Chandbali said, “The restriction regarding ing stone and started beating her While the exact reason behind locations in the town, Friday, motorcycles were seized during Gupti jetty. A maximum number of Gupti jetty the number of visitors is still in grandmother repeatedly. the murder is yet to be known, fam- The accused included the two the raids. 1,044 visitors entered the park place. We have requested the gov- By the time other family mem- ily feud is believed to be the rea- women masterminds and six cus- The two mastermind lures girls through the main gate. the park was closed for seven ernment to allow us to increase bers came to her rescue, the elderly son. A detailed investigation is tomers. This was stated here by and women from various parts of Owing to Covid-19 restrictions, months. As the situation returned the limit of per-day-visit.” woman had already died. underway. Malkangiri SDPO Abhilash at the the state and engaged them in district police headquarters here, flesh trade by housing them at dif- Saturday. The accused master- ferent places in the town. A minor Bear duo dies in minds were identified as Mamuni girl and two women from Kolkata Patnaik, 31 of Cuttack district and were rescued and sent for med- Differently-abled sells off goat for disability sop road mishap Seema Sarkar, 45, of MPV-1 village ical examination. A case was reg- in the district. istered in this connection and fur- POST NEWS NETWORK there was none to listen to him. Hari narrated his ordeal before POST NEWS NETWORK The customers were identified ther investigation on. He then decided to meet the Sarabu. Hearing everything, Sarbu Korukonda, Dec 26: There is no District Collector. But it was not allowed Hari to stay at his house Sambalpur, Dec 26: A mother dearth of poverty alleviation pro- possible for him to visit the dis- for a night. bear and its cub died in the wee grammes and the government never trict headquarters to meet the The next morning he took Hari hours of Saturday after a vehicle Protest over minor’s death stops claiming that people get im- Collector. With no options left, he sold along with him to Korukonda block hit them on Podabalanda-Badamal mense benefits from such pro- off his goat for Rs 2250 and set out. and came to know that the block of- road under Rairakhol forest di- POST NEWS NETWORK The deceased, identified as grammes. He first visited the block office at fice was closed for Christmas. vision in Sambalpur district. Srikant Rout, son of Subhakant But none has ever tried to un- Kudumuluguma. There he was told However, they somehow managed Aforest official said, the mother Angul, Dec 26: Tension gripped Rout, along with his friends was derstand the problems and diffi- Nakamamudi panchayat his vil- to meet social security officer Rajiv bear and its cub were crossing Chhendipada Forest Range office going towards a nullah to attend na- culties these poor people endure lage is coming under has been put Pujari. Sarabu narrated the suf- the road early in the morning in Angul district Saturday after ture’s call when they encountered to avail these benefits. under Korukonda block. Then he de- ferings of Hari before Rajiv. After when the vehicle ran over them. angry locals staged a protest over an elephant. His friends managed This single case from cided to meet the Collector. giving a patient hearing, Rajiv ac- Age of the mother bear is be- a 13-year-old boy being killed by a to flee, but the elephant attacked Ghisingibeda village of had to sell off his goat to get his dis- Reaching at the district head- cepted the application for disabil- lieved to be around 20 years and wild elephant Friday. Srikant and Chandan. Critically Nakamamudi panchayat under ability pension. quarters office December 24, he ity pension from Hari and assured that of the cub around 2 years, The family members of the de- injured duo was rescued by the Korukonda block in Malkangiri Hari stays with his family. He came to know that the Collector’s him that he would receive pension the forest official said. ceased and hundreds of co-villagers family members and rushed to a district is enough to show how lost vision in his left eye when he office was closed. Meanwhile nine from January, 2021. He also made Rairakhol forest division officials thronged the forest range office at hospital in Kanhia. As their con- the beneficiaries are running from was just three. Over this period all days passed since he left his home. arrangements for them to reach reached the spot and recovered around 9.00 am and staged a demon- ditions deteriorated, they were pillar to post to get the purported his attempts to get disability pen- So he decided to return to his vil- their villages safely. the carcasses. They were sent to stration, demanding compensation. shifted. Srikant was admitted to benefits. sion yielded nothing even as he has lage. On his way home, he came It is yet to be seen whether a nearby veterinary hospital for The demonstration was still going Angul DHH, but he succumed on A 53-year-old tribal resident of a disability certificate. He had done across Sarabu Bhatt, a resident of the assurance is translated into post-mortem. The officials have on at the time of filing this report. way to SCB Medical College. Ghisingibeda village, Hari Golpeda, many rounds of panchayat office but Alekhguda village. When asked, action or not. launched a probe in this connec- tion. A tusker was killed after it was run over by Puri-Surat Express GENDER ISSUES Bolangir boy, 7, youngest near Bhabanipali recently. Family robbed of 400gm ‘software developer’ in India gold at gunpoint POST NEWS NETWORK POST NEWS NETWORK enkat Raman Patnaik, 7, has Vobtained certificates in professional Bhawanipatna, Dec 26: In a Bolangir, Sec 26: Venkat Raman computer courses like Java, Python, bizarre incident late Friday night, Patnaik, 7, from Bolangir district JavaScript, HTML and CSS. He has armed dacoits robbed a family of has obtained certificates in pro- earned a 400gm gold, two mobile phones, a fessional computer courses like certificate as a ‘full stack web develop- bullet motorcycle and an LED TV Java, Python, JavaScript, HTML er’ from the software company KodNest at gunpoint, in Moter village under and CSS. Edtech in Bangalore. Koksara block in Kalahandi district. Venkat is said to be the youngest e has also developed several Five masked dacoits barged into qualified software developer in the Hbehavioural apps for children of his the house of Jajati Pattajoshi by country. He has earned a certifi- age group, besides a safety tool to stop breaking open the lock. Later, they cate as a ‘full stack web developer’ mishaps related to gas cylinders. took two children at gunpoint and from the software company KodNest looted the valuables. They locked Edtech in Bangalore. server software. Venkat has also ies in space science, computer pro- all adult members inside a room Venkat is the son of Kuldeep developed several behavioural apps gramming and robotics as well,” and decamped with the valuables,

Patnaik and D Pramila Kumari. for children of his age group, the Kuldeep said. the source added.

k y m c To his credit, he has developed over proud father expressed. Notably, the boy had been study- After the robbery, the family 150 apps for mobile phones in- “Venkat has developed a safety ing for about eight to ten hours somehow managed to contact co- cluding a number of robotic games tool to stop mishaps related to gas every day. After completing his pro- villagers who rushed to their res- over last six months. cylinders. This feat has earned him fessional courses, he also appeared cue. A team of police officials A full stack web developer is one a place in the India Book of Records. for MTA examination and cracked launched an investigation into Women and girls taking part in an awareness drive on gender issues in Korukonda area of Malkangiri OP PHOTO who can develop client as well as My son wants to pursue his stud- it to obtain a merit certificate. the incident.

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m c SUNDAY | DECEMBER 27 | 2020 | BHUBANESWAR A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER

A makeshift memorial for Li Wenliang, the doctor who issued an early warning about the coronavirus outbreak before it was officially recognised, is seen after Li died of the virus, at an entrance to the Central Hospital of Wuhan, February 7. REUTERS

A combo of portraits shot across India shows people using different ways to mask themselves during a nationwide (Left) Democratic US presidential nominee Joe Biden and his wife Jill, and vice lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. PTI PHOTO presidential nominee Kamala Harris and her husband Doug, react at their election rally after news The media announced that Biden won the 2020 presidential election over President Donald Trump, in Wilmington, Delaware, outgoing year was one that November 7. (Right) President Donald Trump departs after speaking about the 2020 US presidential election results in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, November 5. REUTERS none of us had ever witnessed and one could only wish that we never ever face anything like this. A pandemic of unprecedented scale locked down nations, devastated economies and had a great impact on our very psyche. The crisis taught us the importance of appreciating what we have rather than cribbing over what we don’t and highlighted that our real heroes are doctors, paramedics and other essential workers who were at the frontline of our war against the virus. The year also saw natural disasters from bushfires to cyclones ravaging regions. People protested against oppressive regimes, Medics and family members perform burial of a person who died of COVID-19 at ITO in New Delhi, April 14. PTI PHOTO countries fought wars and the world’s oldest democracy elected its new president. Orissa POST catches glimpses A combo of nine images showing deserted roads at 10am, a rare sight at Monday morning rush hour, during the from 2020 in a few frames nationwide lockdown imposed in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19, April 6. PTI PHOTO

A general view shows the damage at the site of the August 5 blast in Beirut's port area, Lebanon. Lebanese rescue teams pulled out bodies and hunted for missing in the wreckage of buildings as investigations blamed negligence for a massive warehouse explosion that sent a devastating blast wave across Beirut, killing at least 135 people and injuring more than 5,000. REUTERS

A physically challenged girl sits on a makeshift seat of a bicycle as she travels with her family to Uttar Pradesh, during the nationwide lockdown, in New Delhi, May 17. PTI PHOTO

Swarms of locust in the walled city of Jaipur, Rajasthan, May 25. More than half of Rajasthan’s 33 Flamingoes were seen in huge numbers behind NRI colony in Talawe wetland, Nerul, during nationwide districts were affected by invasion by these crop-munching insects. PTI PHOTO lockdown, at Eastern Express Highway in Mumbai, May 14, 2020. PTI PHOTO

Anurak Jeantawanich, 52, pushes against police officers during an anti-government protest Protesters react as they set fire to the entrance of a police station as demonstrations in Bangkok, Thailand, October 16. “I could sense danger coming,” said Jeantawanich. continue in the aftermath of the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in “I looked each of them in the eye and told them not to come any closer, that there were a lot

Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 28. REUTERS of young students and girls here.” REUTERS

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m c m c A fallen tree lies in an area of the Amazon jungle that was cleared by loggers and farmers near Porto Velho, Rondonia State, Brazil, August 14. REUTERS A koala licks rainwater off a road near Moree, New South Wales, Australia, January 16. REUTERS An unidentified man brandishes a gun during a protest against a new citizenship law outside A security person baton charges on a farmer as protestors cross Singhu border during Delhi the Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi, January 30. REUTERS Chalo protest march against the new farm laws, in New Delhi, November 27. PTI PHOTO An Ethiopian woman, who fled the fighting in Tigray region, carries her child near the Setit river on the Sudan-Ethiopia border in eastern Kassala state, Sudan, November 22. REUTERS P8 KASHMIR SHIVERS IN SUNDAY | DECEMBER 27 | 2020 | BHUBANESWAR FRIGID ‘CHILLAI-KALAN’ I personally know India’s position and I There was no let-up in cold wave personally request India to commit conditions in Kashmir Saturday as more to protect the free and open Indo the minimum temperature stayed Pacific region. We want a strong India. below the freezing point, while the India is Asia’s gravity point y valley is likely to receive light rain

national YASUHIDE NAKAYAMA | JAPANESE DY MINISTER OF DEFENCE

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of the day uote OXFORD VACCINE LIKELY TO CBI searches 19 locations Neither MSP will end, nor INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE through banking channels, and can anyone During searches the the remaining amount was snatch your land. I agency sleuths want to tell farmers New Delhi, Dec 26: The Central siphoned off. GET APPROVAL IN INDIA FIRST Bureau of Investigation (CBI) The official said that during that as long as recovered several of Narendra Modi is Saturday said that it registered incriminating documents searches the agency sleuths re- the Prime Minister, no corporate PRESS TRUST OF INDIA Once the UK drug two separate cases over allegations covered several of incriminating can snatch away your land, this is regulator gives its of bank fraud to the tune of `67.07 documents. BJP’s promise to you New Delhi, Dec 26: With prepa- approval to the Oxford crore by an Ahmedabad-based com- The official said that it was al- He said that second case was rations underway for a possible pany and `64.78 crore by a Delhi- leged that the company was en- registered on a complaint from AMIT SHAH | UNION HOME MINISTER vaccine, the expert vaccine-rollout by January, the committee on Covid-19 based company, and carried out gaged in manufacturing of cotton Punjab & Sind Bank against Delhi Indian drug regulator is looking will hold its meeting searches at 19 locations in Mumbai yarn, knitted grey fabric and fin- and Noida-based Alpine Realtech at the UK, which sources believe and review the safety and Delhi-NCR. ished garments. Pvt Ltd and others including its Leave Madhya may give its nod to the Oxford and immunogenicity A CBI official here said that it car- “During the period 2011 directors, two other pri- Pradesh, Covid-19 vaccine next week, before data from the clinical ried out searches at 10 locations to 2015, the accused en- vate companies, un- otherwise I deciding on giving emergency use evaluations in Mumbai and Silvassa on the of- tered into a conspir- BANK FRAUD known public ser- will bury you (the authorisation to the Serum Institute fice and residential premises of acy to cheat SBI by way mafia) 10 feet deep CASES vants and others on that is manufacturing the shots. The process of granting emergency The application by the Indian arm Krishna Knitwear Technology Ltd of forgery/falsification the allegations that into the ground and use approval for Bharat Biotech’s of US pharmaceutical firm Pfizer your whereabouts Once the UK drug regulator gives and its directors. of accounts and diversion of funds. they cheated the bank to the tune its approval to the Oxford vaccine, Covid-19 vaccine ‘Covaxin’ may take was not taken up for deliberation The CBI has registered a case on The company allegedly availed of `64.78 crore by way of diver- will not be known time as its Phase 3 trials are still the expert committee on Covid-19 as the company had sought more the complaint of State Bank of Fund-Based Working Capital sion or siphoning off bank funds, underway, while Pfizer is yet to time for making a presentation SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN | MADHYA at the Central Drugs Standard India against Krishna Knitwear (FBWC) with SBI, MCB, Vapi misappropriation, cheating etc. make a presentation before the committee PRADESH CM Control Organisation (CDSCO) will Technology Ltd, its directors, un- Branch,” the official said. The agency officials carried out hold its meeting and thoroughly known public servants and un- It was further alleged that only searches at nine locations in Delhi- review the safety and immuno- the UK, government officials re- eration as the company had sought known others on the allegations of around 20 per cent of its receipts NCR at the office and residential There are genicity data from the clinical eval- cently said that it will have no im- more time for making a presenta- cheating State Bank of India to and payments from its debtors and premises of accused, including the 18,556 villages uations conducted abroad and in pact on the potential of emerging tion before the committee. the tune of `67.07 crore. creditors respectively were routed borrower company. in Gujarat and India before granting any emer- vaccines that are being developed As for Hyderabad-based Bharat we will cover each gency authorisation for the vac- one of them. Our in India and other countries. Biotech, "after detailed delibera- volunteers will cine here, official sources said. Bharat Biotech, Serum Institute tion, the committee recommended contact every Hindu The process of granting emer- of India (SII) and Pfizer had ap- that the firm should present the Post DDC polls, 75 Kashmiri politicians held as part of the fund-raising drive for gency use approval for Bharat plied to the Drugs Controller General safety and efficacy data from the on- the Ram temple Biotech's Covid-19 vaccine 'Covaxin" of India (DCGI) seeking emergency going phase 3 clinical trial in the AGENCIES status of J&K. New Delhi then key member of the alliance. may take time as its Phase 3 trials use authorisation for their COVID- country for further consideration", cracked down on the opposition and The alliance’s victory shows that SURENDRA JAIN | VHP JOINT GENERAL are still underway, while Pfizer is 19 vaccines early this month. the SEC had said. Srinagar, Dec 26: At least 75 rounded up hundreds of people to Kashmiris have not accepted Modi’s SECRETARY yet to make a presentation. The subject expert committee The Pune-based SII, the world’s Kashmiri political leaders and ac- preempt protests and violence. decision to end Kashmir’s special "Going by this, Oxford vaccine (SEC) on Covid-19 of the Central largest vaccine manufacturer, has tivists have been detained to forestall The new detentions, including sep- status, said Omar Abdullah, a for- 'Covishield' is likely to be the first Drugs Standard Control collaborated with the University political unrest after an alliance of aratist leaders and members of the mer Chief Minister and head of SHORT TAKES to be rolled out in India," a source Organisation (CDSCO) December of Oxford and AstraZeneca to man- Kashmir’s regional political par- banned Jamat-e-Islami group, were the National Conference. said. Serum Institute of India (SII) 9 had sought additional safety and ufacture the vaccine. ties won a local election, leaders for preventive custody, said a senior After their release from lengthy last week also had submitted some efficacy data for Covid-19 vaccines The SII has already manufac- and a police official said Saturday. police official, who asked not to be iden- detention, Abdullah and Mehbooba 2 militants killed additional data required by the of SII and Bharat Biotech after de- tured 40 million doses of the vac- The District Council election, tified in line with official policy. Mufti, chief of the Jammu and Drug Controller General of India liberating upon their applications. cine, under the at-risk manufac- concluded early this week, was the The detentions undermine the Kashmir People’s Democratic Party, in encounter (DCGI), the sources said. The application by the Indian turing and stockpiling licence from first such exercise since Prime verdict of the people, said Imran announced the alliance in October Srinagar: Two unidentified Amid fears about the mutated arm of US pharmaceutical firm the DCGI, officials recently Minister Narendra Modi’s govern- Nabi Dar, spokesman for the National to seek a peaceful restoration of terrorists have been killed in variant of SARS-CoV-2 detected in Pfizer was not taken up for delib- had said. ment last year revoked the special Conference, a regional party and a Kashmir’s autonomy. an overnight encounter with the security forces in South Kashmir’s Shopian district, officials said Saturday. On Friday the gun battle began Woman transfused with HIV-infected ILLUMINATED PATH after security forces cordoned off the Kanigam blood, court orders compensation area and launched a search operation on the basis of AGENCIES quate compensation to the poor specific information about victim. Hearing the case, the militant presence. As the Chennai, Dec 26: In 2018, in a Court ordered the government security forces zeroed in on ` the hideout, they came under shocking incident, a pregnant to pay a compensation of 25 lakh a heavy volume of firing that woman was infected with HIV to the victim and also build a triggered the encounter. after a wrong blood transfusion. house for her. The woman from Sattur in The victim appeared before Virudhunagar district of Tamil the Justices N Kirubakaran and Nadu was anemic and had to un- B Pugalendhi bench and sought 5 dead in T’gana dergo a blood transfusion. more assistance from the au- road accident Unfortunately, during the trans- thorities. The woman said that she fusion process, the woman be- has been advised by her doctor to Hyderabad: Five people died came HIV positive but fortunately have nutritious food and fruits after the stationary auto- her baby tested negative for the but unfortunately she could not rickshaw in which they were virus in July 2019. Following this afford it. The court hearing the ap- sitting was hit by a lorry at a incident, several people moved peal has now ordered the gov- village in Vikarabad district the court asking directions for ernment to give the woman a of Telangana Saturday, police the government to provide ade- monthly assistance of `7,500.. said. The five people, including four women and a ILongest rail-cum-road bridge over the Brahmaputra river at Bogibeel in Dibrugarh illuminated on the occasion of Christmas PTI PHOTO man, boarded the auto- rickshaw Saturday morning to proceed to a cotton field for agricultural work, they Shah blows election bugle in Assam said. The auto driver BJP ally RLP quits NDA allegedly parked the vehicle at a wrong place and left for PRESS TRUST OF INDIA towards Delhi in support of the PRESS TRUST OF INDIA tural and religious history of Assam. his home, situated nearby, to farmers’ agitation that has been (He) had not only reformed the en- get breakfast. However, a New Delhi, Dec 26: Unhappy with on for the past one month. Guwahati, Dec 26: Union Home tire Assamese Society but also laid speeding lorry hit the auto, the Narendra Modi government's Earlier in the day, Beniwal led Minister Amit Shah Saturday the foundation of Assamese cul- resulting in the death of four stand on the new farm laws and farmers’ movement from Jaipur, launched a project in poll-bound ture with his contributions in the on the spot, they said. its handling of the ongoing farm- Nagaur, Barmer, Jodhpur and other Assam to beautify the birthplace of field of literature, dance, drama, ers’ protest, BJP ally Rashtriya parts of Rajasthan into Kotputli Srimanta Sankardeva, the 15th cen- music, painting etc. Loktantrik Party (RLP) today an- on the way to Shahjahanpur after tury cultural and religious icon of ‘"His literary and artistic con- 4 of family killed nounced it is leaving the BJP-led RLD chief Hanuman Beniwal earlier announcing that he will the state, and another programme tributions are living traditions in National Democratic Alliance (NDA) lead the agitation into Delhi in op- to extend financial assistance to Health Minister Himanta Biswa Assam today. The sect of religion in UP house fire over issues concerning the new leave the NDA, Hanuman Beniwal position to the three farm laws 8,000 “naamghars”, traditional Sarma and others. he preached is practised by a large Banda (UP): Four members of farm laws. alleged that his Covid-19 test re- brought by the Centre. Vaishnavite monasteries that are Shah launched the develop- population and Sattras (monas- a family, including three Declaring the move, RLP chief port was “fudged” to keep him out “Decision on staying in or leav- more than 50 years old. ment and beautification project teries) that he and his followers es- children, died after their Hanuman Beniwal said, “I have of Parliament during the Monsoon ing the NDA will be taken after the During his visit to the state, Shah of Batadrava ‘Than’ at Borduwa tablished continue to flourish and house caught fire in Duben ka left the NDA in protest against the Session when the farm laws were meeting today in Shahjahanpur,” also laid foundation stone of a med- in Nagaon district, the birthplace sustain his legacy," a website of Purva village in this Uttar three farm laws. These laws are enacted. “The farm laws were Beniwal told this news agency. ical college in Guwahati and nine Srimanta Sankardeva, at an es- the state government said. Pradesh district, police said anti-farmer. I have left NDA but brought in my absence. If I was Talking to the media, he said, law institutes across the state. timated cost of `188 crore, officials ‘Shah also launched the third Saturday. The villagers saw won’t forge alliance with the present in the Lok Sabha when the “Despite the farmers' protests, the All the four projects were said. phase of the "Asom Darshan" smoke emanating from the Congress.” farm laws were brought, I would Narendra Modi government is not launched centrally from the Kumar ‘The 'Than' or Vaishnav scheme to protect places of wor- house of Sangeeta Yadav (28) The Rashtriya Loktantrik Party have torn them apart and thrown withdrawing farm laws because it Bhaskar Barman Kshetra at monastery will be developed as a ship of different faiths. In this in the morning. is the second BJP ally after the them away,” Beniwal said. has 303 MPs. Farmers from 1,200 Amingaon here in the presence of centre of art, culture, research and phase, 8,000 'Naamghars' (Vaishnav Subsequently, the charred Akali Dal to leave the NDA over Beniwal, the Lok Sabha MP from kilometres away in Rajasthan are Assam Chief Minister Sarabananda spirituality, officials said. prayer and community halls) which bodies of Yadav, her two the new farm laws. Rajasthan's Nagaur, had given a moving towards Delhi to be a part Sonowal, Union Minister for Food ‘Srimanta Sankaradeva (1449- are over 50 years old will be given daughters aged two and Speaking about his decision to call for two lakh farmers to move of the agitation.” Processing Rameshwar Teli, state 1568) "is a colossal figure in the cul- `2.5 lakh each, they said. eight years and a six-year-old son were recovered. The house caught fire during the night, he said, adding that the cause of the blaze was not immediately known. FB, Twitter stir up hornet’s nest in India in 2020

Rajinikanth THE BIG TECH FIRMS HAD THEIR OWN IOTA OF CONTROVERSIES IN INDIA IN 2020, GENERATING ENOUGH POLITICAL HEAT IN THE PROCESS progressing well INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE for the country, Ankhi Das. called on Facebook to respond to al- said that as a transnational digital cial media giant on data safety. WSJ report this month alleged that Hyderabad/Chennai: The report alleged that the top legations of ignoring hate speech platform, Facebook must not only The Facebook executives were Facebook discussed banning Superstar Rajinikanth, who New Delhi, Dec 26: As we gloat over leadership at Facebook's India of- in favour of the ruling party. be fair and neutral, but also "visi- also questioned on the quantum Bajrang Dal and termed it a dan- was admitted to the Apollo reports how the US and European fice refused to apply the company's Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar bly seen to be so, to users of di- of its revenue as well as the profit gerous organisation but did not Hospitals in Hyderabad for countries have started to tame the own rules to politicians from the rul- Prasad also wrote a hard-hitting verse beliefs and ideologies". they are making in India. act considering the safety of the em- severe blood pressure social media platforms in regard ing party, despite clear violations letter to Facebook CEO Mark Later, deposing before the Joint A coalition of 41 civil rights ployees. Congress leader Rahul fluctuations, is progressing to anti-trust market practices, users of Facebook's policies against in- Zuckerberg, blaming the Facebook Parliamentary groups also demanded that Gandhi took to Twitter and said: well, the hospital said privacy and the spread of fake news, citement to violence, hate speech and Saturday. Tamil Nadu Chief India management of alleged bias Committee (JPC) on Facebook India should immedi- “Further confirmation that BJP-RSS

Minister K Palaniswami Big Tech firms had their own iota misinformation. against people personal data ately place its public policy head control Facebook in India.” y spoke to the actor over of controversies in India in 2020, Following the report, the support- protection Bill Ankhi Das on a leave of absence However, no stern action was

generating enough political heat in Congress raised the issue of what ing the 2019, Das was pending a full audit of the com- taken on Facebook.

k y m phone and enquired about c his health, an official release the process. it calls “zunholy nexus” of the rul- right- asked how pany and an investigation into her Micro-blogging platform Twitter here said, adding he prayed The biggest controversy came ing BJP with Facebook and of-cen- much statements as reported in The Wall stirred a major controversy in the for the star's speedy in August when the Wall Street WhatsApp. tre ide- funds Street Journal. The political heat second half of the year when it recovery. The hospital said Journal reported on the blatant bi- Shashi Tharoor, the head of the ology. are resulted in Das quitting the com- showed Ladakh as part of China. the actor's blood pressure ases of Facebook India's team, Parliamentary Standing Committee The spent pany in October “to pursue her in- Twitter had to apologise to a par- was still on the higher side. headed by their public policy chief on Information Technology (IT), minister by the so- terest in public service”. Another liamentary panel in a letter. P9 I feel really ALDABRA GIANT TORTOISE GOES SUNDAY | DECEMBER 27 | 2020 | BHUBANESWAR ashamed that I was part of that political party MISSING FROM CHENNAI PARK (Trinamool Congress) for 21 An Aldabra giant tortoise, one of the long years. It follows no largest tortoises in the world, has gone discipline at all. It has missing from The Madras Crocodile Bank become like a company Trust in Tamil Nadu. A case has been y filed with Mamallapuram police under

national SUVENDU ADHIKARI |

k y m FORMER WEST BENGAL MINISTER Section 379 of IPC c

of the day uote IN MEMORIAM 35,000 cops to man Mumbai streets on The decline of Centre to revamp JD (U) is now New Year’s Eve certain. It has begun in Arunachal PRESS TRUST OF INDIA Pradesh and soon it will disintegrate in Mumbai, Dec 26: Around 35,000 Bihar as well anti-drug agency police personnel will be deployed on the streets of Mumbai to main- TEJ PRATAP YADAV | tain law and order and prevent RASHTRIYA JANATA DAL LEADER The govt plans to creation of 3,689 new posts, canine any untoward incidents on New squads, cyber and intelligence units and creation of a Year’s Eve, an official said Saturday. The Maharashtra government There is “no dedicated prosecution wing for the organization has already placed restrictions in confidence” in light of the COVID-19 pandemic the words of BJP-led government Psychotropic Substances Act, a and imposed a night curfew from concerning talks on Canine Wing to identify drugs and 11 pm to 6 am till January 5. farm laws Drug Intelligence Unit. Around 35,000 personnel of Setting up of a Cyber Technical Mumbai police will be on the SITARAM YECHURI | CPM Cell is also planned to tackle the streets to maintain strict vigil on GENERAL SECRETARY challenges arising out of modern New Year's Eve, joint commis- technological methods used by sioner of police (Law and Order) drug traffickers. Vishwas Nangre Patil said. The police and The decision to revamp was the taken after government found that administration the drug traffickers are increas- in Jammu and Kashmir of ingly using the Dark Net for traf- facilitating horse- ficking and crypto-currencies for trading and payment. defections following the INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE This was disclosed in a report of People pay tribute to the victims of 2004 Tsunami to mark its 16th anniversary in Kanyakumari, Saturday PTI PHOTO announcement of DDC election the Parliamentary Standing results New Delhi, Dec 26: The Centre is Committee on Home Affairs headed planning to revamp its federal drug by Congress Deputy Leader in OMAR ABDULLAH | NATIONAL CONFERENCE law enforcement and intelligence Rajya Sabha, Anand Sharma, on the PRESIDENT agency - Narcotics Control Bureau Demands for Grants of Ministry of Lowest Covid-19 deaths in a day In view of the night curfew, (NCB) – with the creation of 3,689 Home Affairs placed in Parliament New Year celebrations can be held SHORT TAKES new posts, canine squads, cyber December 21. before 11 pm, but after that strict and intelligence units and creation The report stated: “The drug action will be taken against peo- of a dedicated prosecution wing traffickers are increasingly using since June 8, recovery up to 98% ple who violate the prohibitory One dead in for the organisation. the Dark Net for trafficking in orders, the official said. The proposal aims at redesign- drugs. The medium offers com- INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE Hotels, restaurants and other Delhi factory fire ing the governance architecture plete anonymity because of the India now recreational establishments have New Delhi: A 45-year-old man of NCB, its capacity of investiga- use of onion routing, use of Crypto New Delhi, Dec 26: India Saturday accounts for 1.28% been asked to down their shut- died in a mask-making tion and intelligence and making Currency for payment and Pretty reported a net reduction of 252 to ters at 11 pm sharp and action factory in Delhi early it more professional and effective. Good Privacy (PGP) encryption.” bring its count of active coron- of all active cases will be taken against owners who Saturday while two others The bureau comes under Ministry The committee stressed upon that avirus cases down to 281,667, the low- violate the norm, he said. remained injured, police of Home Affairs and is currently NCB's expertise and capacity to deal est since July 10 and 72.32 per cent globally, and "As per the night curfew or- said. “The Fire Department headed by 1984-batch IPS officer with this “need to be augmented”. lower than the September 18 peak 8.38% of all deaths ders, gathering of more than five received a call at around 3.54 Rakesh Asthana. “Nonetheless, with available re- of 1,017,754. With a continuous persons is prohibited. We don't a.m. and six fire tenders The government has planned to sources the NCB arrested a Dark trend of daily reductions, India’s (one in every have any problem if people step out were rushed to the spot,” create 3,689 posts in various grades Net vendor who was operating as share of global active coronavirus 12 deaths) with their families or in groups of said Atul Garg, director of up to level-15, thereby raising the an active vendor of Psychotropic cases is down at 1.28 per cent (one four or less," Nangre Patil said. the Delhi Fire Service. The strength of NCB from existing 1,107 Drugs in Dark Net markets. This in 78). The country added 22,273 Despite these restrictions, peo- machines and raw materials to 4,751. There is also plan to cre- network had international link- cases to take its total caseload to 147,343, with 251 fatalities in a day. compared with 1930 on Thursday. ple may gather at Gateway of India, on the third floor in mask ate four new regional offices, thus ages spread across India, Singapore 10,169,118. And with 251 new fatal- The ninth-most-affected country The states that have reported the Marine Drive, Girgaum Chowpatty, manufacturing factory had raising the number of regional of- and USA. During the operation, ities, its Covid-19 death toll reached by active cases, third by fatality, highest net increase in active cases Juhu, Gorai and Madh Island areas caught fire. Three persons 147,343, or 1.45 per cent of total con- rescued by the DFS staff fices from existing three to seven. approximately 135 kgs of differ- and second by total and recovered include Maharashtra (1933), Kerala in small groups of less than four were rushed to the hospital, Creation of 17 new zonal offices ent psychotropic tablets were seized firmed infections. cases, India has added 164,519 cases (875), Uttarakhand (179), Bihar (70), persons from evening onwards, where Jugal Kishore and upgrading all existing 12 sub- and four persons were arrested,” The count of recovered coron- in the past 7 days. and Uttar Pradesh (60). but the police will not allow crowd- succumbed. zonal offices into zonal offices thereby the report stated. avirus cases across India now stands India now accounts for 1.28% of With 22,274 new daily recoveries, ing at these places, he said. raising the number of field offices Keeping in view the constant at 9,740,108 – or 95.78 per cent of all active cases globally (one in India’s recovery rate has improved Adequate police security will be to 42, including 13 existing regional changing pattern of drug traffick- total caseload – with 22,274 new every 78 active cases), and 8.38% of to 95.78%; the fatality rate remains in place at these locations, he said, offices, has also been planned. ing and the need to develop skills of cured cases being reported Saturday. all deaths (one in every 12 deaths). unchanged at 1.45%. adding that parties on boats and Pak violates There are plans to set up a ded- officers to respond to the challenges With a daily increase of 22,273 in Backwards from here, the last 1 The Indian states and UTs with terraces are also not permitted. ceasefire again icated prosecution wing to provide arising out of the same, the Ministry total cases, India’s tally of coron- million cases for India have come the worst case fatality rates at pres- Moreover, anti-eve teasing for in-house expertise for legal ad- of Home Affairs has, in December, avirus cases has risen 10,146,845 in 33 days. ent are Punjab (3.20%), Maharashtra squads will be present at various Jammu: Pakistani Rangers vice and taking up all cases filed 2019 set up a Training Centre on on Friday to 10,169,118 – an increase The count of active cases across (2.57%), and Gujarat (2.20%). the na- locations to prevent incidents of ha- violated the ceasefire by under Narcotic Drugs and drug law enforcement. of 0.2%. Death toll has reached India has seen a net decline of 252, tional average. rassment, the official said. resorting to unprovoked firing at forward posts along the International Border (IB) in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said Saturday. Firing from across Ban on high-speed mobile the IB in the Satpal Border 21-YEAR-OLD LIKELY TO BE NEXT Outpost area of Hiranagar sector started around 9.35 pm on Friday, prompting MAYOR OF KERALA CAPITAL strong retaliation by the Internet extended in J&K Border Security Force (BSF), PRESS TRUST OF INDIA Thiruvanathapuram they said. AGENCIES cently held Panchayat elections that saw participation by political Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 26: district secretariat Srinagar (J&K), Dec 26: The ban parties, and said that it had gone Twenty one-year-old Arya of CPI(M) recommended 22-year-old woman on 4G Internet in Jammu and down well with the “elements in- Rajendran, who successfully con- Kashmir has been extended till imical to public peace and tran- tested the recent civic polls, is her name for the post self-immolates January 8, said an order issued by quillity”. likely to become the next Mayor the Union Territory’s administration. “The successful conduct of the of Thiruvananthapuram, CPI(M) Kaushambi (UP): A 22-year- “The Internet speed shall be con- recently concluded election, which sources said Friday. An activist of the Students old woman has died after allegedly dousing herself tinued to be restricted to 2G, ex- witnessed participation of political The Thiruvanathapuram dis- Federation of India (SFI), she is with kerosene in a township cept the districts of Ganderbal and parties across the spectrum and trict secretariat of the Marxist also the state president of here and setting herself Udhampur, where mobile internet large scale voter turnout, has not party, recommended her name Balasangam, the children’s wing alight, with her family connectivity shall be continued to gone down well with the elements for the post at its meet. The rec- Arya Rajendran of the Left party. When contacted claiming she was upset as be made available without any inimical to public peace and tran- ommendation has to be ratified by by the media about the recom- the man she was in a speed-related restrictions,” said a quillity, as apparent from the mul- the party state secretariat, which Arya, a BSc Maths second year mendation, she said the party relationship with had statement issued by the Government There were credible inputs that tiple incidents of hurling of will be meeting in the city student at the All Saints College will take the right decision and refused to marry her. Police of Jammu and Kashmir. a large number of terrorists were grenades by terrorists since the Saturday. here, had won from the that she had not been informed said the incident took place “The aforesaid directions shall trying to infiltrate from across the conclusion of the election process, The state secretariat will soon Mudavanmughal ward of the by anyone other than reporters. in the Sirathu township be effective December 26, 2020, and border, the order said while adding targeting civilians/police person- make the announcements on five city corporation, bagging 2,872 Thiruvananthapuram Mayor under the Saini police remain in force till January 8, 2021, that curbs on high-speed internet nel/security forces and the en- of the total six corporations, the votes, 549 more than the rival K Sreekumar (CPI-M), had suf- station area Tuesday, and unless modified earlier,” it fur- had obstructed the attempts. counter with security forces,” the sources said. Congress candidate. fered a shock defeat in the polls. added that the couple were ther said. The administration cited the re- order stated. from different communities. The woman was initially rushed to the district hospital, and from there, referred to the SRN Hospital 35 arrests, dozen FIRs as UP ‘love jihad’ law completes one month in Allahabad where she succumbed to injuries on Friday night, the police said. THE FIRST CASE WAS REGISTERED IN BAREILLY JUST A DAY AFTER THE LEGISLATION CAME INTO FORCE

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA lation came into force. record Rashid's marriage to a FIR with Shahabad police station The police cracked the whip fol- Hindu woman whose family had in Hardoi district on December 11 JCO, soldier killed Lucknow, Dec 26: Going full steam, lowing a complaint of Tikaram filed the complaint. alleging that she was raped on in wall collapse the Uttar Pradesh police have made Rathore, the father of a 20-year-girl Shabab Khan, aka Rahul (38), the pretext of marriage and also more than one arrest a day since the and resident of Sharif Nagar village who is married, was picked up in pressured to convert by one Kathua (J&K): Two Army controversial anti-conversion or- in Bareilly. He alleged that Uwaish Mau district December 3 and 13 of Mohammed Azad. She also al- personnel, including a junior dinance came into effect a month Ahmad (22) had become friends his accomplices booked for al- leged that she was being sold by commissioned officer (JCO), ago, having apprehended about 35 with his daughter and was trying legedly abducting a 27-year-old Azad in Delhi. were killed and another was people so far. to “coax, coerce and lure” her to woman on the eve of her wedding Azad was booked for rape, for injured when a wall of their Nearly a dozen FIRs have been convert. November 30 with an intent to flouting UP Prohibition of Unlawful barrack collapsed in Kathua lodged since the Prohibition of An FIR was lodged at Deorania change her religion. Conversion of Religion Law, 2020 and district of Jammu and Unlawful Conversion of Religion police station in Bareilly district An FIR was lodged at Tambor for human trafficking. He was ar- Kashmir, officials said Ordinance, 2020, was notified Saturday. A wall of the and the accused was arrested police station in Sitapur district rested on December 16. barrack collapsed in November 27. December 3. and 22-year-old Zubrail along with Rashid Ali (22) and Saleem Ali Machhedi camp in Billawar Eight arrests were made from Acting swiftly after being tipped five of his family members and two (25) were arrested under the new

area Friday evening, Etah, seven from Sitapur, four from off about interfaith marriages, the locals was accused of kidnapping law in Moradabad district on sim- y trapping three soldiers Greater Noida, three each from Lucknow Police stopped a cere- a 19-year-old girl and converting ilar charges.

Shahjahanpur and Azamgarh, two mony in the state capital, asking the her. All, barring Zubrail, were ar- A man was sent to jail in Bijnor

k y m under the debris, they said. c Two of them, JCO S N Singh each from Moradabad, couple to meet the legal require- woman to convert. brothers, arrested earlier this month rested on December 5. December 16 for ‘love jihad’, a (45) of Sonipat in Haryana Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor and Kannauj ments first. Nadeem, however, got reprieve under the anti-conversion law, were In Bijnor, 22-year-old labourer term coined by BJP leaders and and Naik Pervez Kumar (39) and one each from Bareilly and In Muzaffarnagar district, one when the Allahabad High Court di- released on an order of a CJM court. Afzal was arrested December 13 right-wing activists to describe of Samba in Jammu and Hardoi, officials said here. Nadeem and an accomplice were rected the police not to take any Rashid and Salim were arrested for allegedly kidnapping a girl from the crime against which Chief Kashmir, were declared The first case was registered in arrested December 6 for allegedly coercive action against him. December 4 after they visited the her home. Minister Yogi Adityanath has also brought dead, they said. Bareilly just a day after the legis- trying to force a married Hindu Likewise, in Moradabad, two registrar's office in Moradabad to A 19-year-old woman lodged an spoken out. Turkey will JUDGE DELAYS EXECUTION P10 bring in SUNDAY | DECEMBER 27 | 2020 | BHUBANESWAR structural reforms to A federal judge in the US said the Justice break the “triangle Department unlawfully rescheduled the of evil” of interest execution of the only woman on federal rates, inflation and death row, potentially setting up the exchange rates Trump administration to schedule the TAYYIP ERDOGAN | execution after president-elect Joe

international PRESIDENT, TURKEY Biden takes office

k y m c of the day uote Series of explosions target police in Kabul, China ramps up measures Iraq has Millions lose jobless benefits become a at least four dead to control new Covid cases victim to the US-Iranian conflict AGENCIES and has been greatly affected as if as Trump refuses to sign aid Bill Kabul, Dec 26: A series of explo- it is an arena for sions hit the Afghan capital their conflicts Saturday morning, killing at least REUTERS four people including two police of- MUQTADA AL-SAYYID MUHAMMAD AL-SADR n Trump refused to sign into law a ficers, officials said. The deaths | IRAQI SHIA CLERIC $2.3 trillion pandemic aid and Washington, Dec 26: Millions of spending package, stunning were caused by a sticky bomb at- Americans saw their jobless benefits Republicans and Democrats alike tached to a police vehicle detonated expire Saturday after US President in western Kabul, police spokesman We know that Donald Trump refused to sign into n Without Trump’s signature, about Ferdaws Faramarz said. The ex- the antibody law a $2.3 trillion pandemic aid plosion wounded two civilians. combination 14 million people could lose those Health officials are and spending package, protesting extra benefits, according to Labor Two other police officers were can neutralise the Department data ramping up measures virus, so we hope to that it did not do enough to help wounded when a bomb attached find that giving this everyday people. to their car exploded earlier AGENCIES ahead of the upcoming n Democratic President-elect Joe treatment via Trump stunned Republicans and Saturday in southern Kabul, Biden January 20, did not object to Spring Festival injection can lead to immediate Democrats alike when he said this Faramarz said. Beijing, Dec 26: Beijing residents terms of the deal before Congress protection against the development week he was unhappy with the Maooma Jafari, deputy spokes- were Saturday asked to wear face voted it through Monday night of Covid-19 in people who have massive Bill, which provides $892 woman for the health ministry, masks before going out of their Commission (NHC) said Saturday. been exposed billion in badly needed coronavirus said that four corpses and four houses and advised not to travel out Six of the locally transmitted relief, including extending special to terms of the deal before Congress ate support is still welcome and wounded people were taken to of the capital as the city has re- cases were reported in northeast CATHERINE HOULIHAN | VIROLOGIST, UCLH unemployment benefits expiring voted it through Monday night. necessary. hospital following the two explo- ported new COVID-19 cases while China's Liaoning province, while two December 26, and $1.4 trillion for nor- But since then he has complained A source familiar with the situ- sions. A third sticky bomb deto- the Chinese port city of Dalian were reported in Beijing, the com- mal government spending. that the bill gives too much money ation said Trump’s objection to the nated in eastern Kabul but caused went into a war-time mode to deal mission said in its daily report. Diligently Without Trump’s signature, about to special interests, cultural projects bill caught many White House of- no casualties, he said. with the new cases. Meanwhile, an official of Beijing's following 14 million people could lose those and foreign aid, while its one-time ficials by surprise. While the out- There were reports of at least Health officials are ramping up health authority has advised the res- good public extra benefits, according to Labor $600 stimulus checks to millions going president’s strategy for the bill two other blasts elsewhere in the measures ahead of the upcoming idents to stay in the city before health practices can Department data. A partial gov- of struggling Americans were too remains unclear, he has not vetoed city but police had no immediate Spring Festival and Chinese New they get Nucleic Acid Test (NAT) prevent a spike of ernment shutdown will begin on details. In a separate report form Year holidays following the emer- results and not to travel outside Covid-19 cases in small. He has demanded that be it and could still sign it in coming the next two months Tuesday unless Congress can agree raised to $2,000. days. northern Balkh province, a senior gence of new cases, official media Beijing or China if not necessary. in the African continent a stop-gap government funding bill “Why would politicians not want On Saturday, he was scheduled army officer was killed when his reports said. China has controlled Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of before then. to give people $2,000, rather than only to remain in Mar-a-Lago, where vehicle hit a roadside bomb, said the pandemic after it emerged in the Beijing Centre for Disease JOHN NKENGASONG | DIRECTOR, CDC, AFRICA After months of wrangling, $600?...Give our people the money!” the bill has been sent and awaits his Arif Iqbali, a Sholgara district Wuhan in December last year but Prevention and Control, said that res- Republicans and Democrats agreed the billionaire president tweeted decision. Biden, whose November police chief. new cases continued. idents should wear masks while going to the package last weekend, with on Christmas Day, much of which 3 electoral victory Trump refuses Iqbali said that Mohammad The Chinese mainland Friday re- out and practice social distancing. the support of the White House. he spent golfing at his Mar-a-Lago to acknowledge, is spending the Tareq, the garrison commander of ported 20 newly confirmed COVID- In May this year, Beijing health SHORT TAKES Trump, who hands over power to resort in Palm Beach, Florida. holiday in his home state of the army brigade in Balkh was 19 cases, including eight locally trans- officials said that there is no need Democratic President-elect Joe Many economists agree the bill’s Delaware and had no public events the apparent target who was killed mitted ones and 12 arriving from to wear masks as the virus has Ethiopia death Biden January 20, did not object aid is too low but say the immedi- scheduled for Saturday. in the attack. outside China, the National Health been brought under control. toll climbs to 207 Addis Ababa: The death toll SL postpones airspace from a recent armed attack in GIVING FINAL TOUCHES Ethiopia's Benishangul- You’re not alone, reopening for Gumuz regional state has risen to 207, the country's commercial flights federal rights group has confirmed. Among the says UK Queen in AGENCIES victims were 133 adult men, 35 adult women, some 20 Colombo, Dec 26: Sri Lanka has elderly persons as well as 17 postponed the reopening of its children, one of them a six- airspace for commercial flights, month-old baby, the Ethiopian Xmas message scheduled for Saturday, to prevent Human Rights Commission the spread of a new variant of the said in a statement late AGENCIES as they would wish for their festi- coronavirus, officials said. The Friday. The bloodshed took vals", she highlighted last month's next date for resumption of flights place on Tuesday night and London, Dec 26: In her message will be announced later. was carried out by armed Diwali celebrations in Windsor as men who set fire and shot at to the nation on Christmas Day, an example of "joyous moments The Civil Aviation Authority residents while they were the UK’s Queen Elizabeth II reas- of hope and unity despite social dis- of Sri Lanka (CAASL) had an- asleep. sured anyone struggling without tancing". nounced last week that it will re- friends and family this year during "Of course for many, this time of sume international flights oper- the festivities due to the Covid-19 year will be tinged with sadness - ations from December 26, eight 3 UN peacekeepers pandemic that they "are not alone". some mourning the loss of those months after they were closed in The 94-year-old monarch's video dear to them and others missing view of the COVID-19 outbreak. killed in CAR message, recorded in mid-December friends and family members dis- The decision to postpone the with a pared-back film crew and in tanced for safety, when all they re- resumption of flights was taken in Bangui: Three peacekeepers from Burundi were killed and accordance with government guid- ally want for Christmas is a simple the wake of the new coronavirus two others wounded in ance, was broadcast Friday, the hug or a squeeze of the hand. strain, which is spreading fast in Central African Republic BBC reported. "If you are among them, you are the UK, said GA Chandrasiri, (CAR) in attacks by armed "Remarkably, a year that has not alone, and let me assure you of Workers place an ice block onto an ice structure at the site of the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival before Chairman of Airport and Aviation combatants, a spokesman for its opening in Harbin, China REUTERS Services, Saturday. the United Nations secretary- general said. Secretary- The 94-year-old General Antonio Guterres monarch's video condemned the attacks in Dekoua, Kemo Prefecture and message, recorded Bakouma ahead of Sunday's in mid-December British double agent George presidential and legislative elections, according to a with a pared-back statement from spokesman film crew and in Stephane Dujarric. Attacks Blake dies in Russia aged 98 According to Rajeeva against peacekeepers may accordance with Suriyarachchi, another senior air- constitute a war crime, the AGENCIES In a statement issued in 2017 port official, due to the postpone- statement said, calling on government guidance through SVR, Blake emphasised ment, the flight carrying Russian authorities in CAR to investigate the "heinous Moscow, Dec 26: George Blake, a that he decided to switch sides after tourists which was scheduled to attacks". necessarily kept people apart has, my thoughts and prayers," the BBC former British intelligence officer seeing civilians massacred by the arrive in Lanka on Sunday has in many ways, brought us closer," quoted the monarch as saying in the who worked as a double agent for “American military machine.” been cancelled. the Queen said, adding that "even video. the Soviet Union, has died in Russia. "I realised back then that such The flight was a part of the gov- on the darkest nights there is hope The Queen acknowledged front- He was 98. Russia’s Foreign conflicts are deadly dangerous for ernment's efforts to reopen the is- Spain receives 1st in the new dawn". line workers, and "good Samaritans Intelligence Service, known as SVR, the entire humankind and made land nation to foreign tourists batch of vaccine She said that Royal Family has (who) have emerged across soci- announced his death Saturday in the most important decision in my amid the COVID-19 pandemic. been "inspired" by people volun- ety, showing care and respect for all". a statement, which didn't give any Born in the Netherlands, Blake life — to cooperate with Soviet in- However, a flight with a group Madrid: Spanish authorities teering in their communities. "Let the light of Christmas, the circumstances of his death. joined British intelligence during telligence voluntarily and for free of tourists from Ukraine will ar- say the first batch of the "In the UK and around the world, spirit of selflessness, love and above Russian President Vladimir Putin World War II. to help protect peace in the world,” rive in Lanka Monday as sched- coronavirus vaccine to reach people have risen magnificently all, hope, guide us in the times expressed condolences, hailing He was posted to Korea when Blake said. uled, Suriyarachchi said. the country has arrived. The to the challenges of the year, and ahead." Blake as a “brilliant professional” the war there erupted in 1950 and As a double agent, Blake passed Several countries across the government said Saturday I am so proud and moved by this The Queen and her husband, and a man of “remarkable courage.” was detained by the Communist some of the most coveted British se- world have already closed their morning that a truck quiet, indomitable spirit." Prince Philip, have been living at Blake has lived in Russia since his north. He said he volunteered to crets to the Soviet Union, includ- land and sea borders and sus- transporting the vaccine While lamenting that "people of Windsor Castle during the pan- daring escape from a British prison work for the Soviet Union after wit- ing a Western plan to eavesdrop on pended commercial flights over produced by Pfizer arrived at in 1966 and was given the rank of nessing relentless US Bombing of a company warehouse in the all faiths have been unable to gather demic with a small household staff. Soviet communications from an un- fears about the new coronavirus central city of Guadalajara Russian intelligence colonel. North Korea. derground tunnel into East Berlin. strain. after making the trip from Belgium. It is the first part of what the government says CHRISTMAS will be weekly shipments of an average of 350,000 doses. AMID PANDEMIC Services move online, people stay indoors ASSOCIATED PRESS “This year Christmas love is ex- The closure of Israel’s Francis said the development of cases last week. Two new asymp- Israeli jets pressed at the door,” she said. “I'm COVID-19 vaccines shines “lights of tomatic cases were reported Friday. Rome, Dec 26: Families that usu- glad that people will probably be with international airport to hope” on the world. In a passionate With economies reeling around strike Gaza ally reunite on Christmas over a us next year with the vaccines. I appeal to leaders, businesses and in- the world, it wasn't a year of lavish hearty, lingering meal celebrated can give up anything for that.” foreign tourists, along ternational organizations, he said gifts. Robin Sypniewski of Middlesex Gaza City: Israeli aircraft apart Friday, services shifted on- With a child due in February, with Palestinian they must ensure that the most vul- County, New Jersey, was furloughed struck several sites in the line, and gift exchanges were low- Song Ju-hyeon of Paju, South Korea, nerable and needy in the pandemic twice from her job serving school Gaza Strip early Saturday key in one of the most unusual and near Seoul, said home is the only restrictions banning be first in line to receive the vaccine. lunches and is now on reduced after Palestinian militants fired two rockets toward subdued holiday seasons in decades. place she feels safe. The govern- intercity travel in the areas Bells rang out around Bethlehem hours as her husband retires next southern Israel. The airstrike The coronavirus left almost no one ment reported 1,241 new cases Friday, they administer in the as the traditional birthplace of week as a trash collector and her targets included rocket unaffected. a new daily record for the country. Jesus celebrated. But the closure of daughter wrestles with student manufacturing facility and Patricia Hager, 60, delivered home- “It doesn't feel like Christmas Israeli-occupied West Israel's international airport to for- debt. training and military posts made caramel rolls for breakfast anyway, there's no carols being Bank, kept visitors away eign tourists, along with Palestinian Sypniewski, 58, bought her daugh- belonging to Hamas, the to family and friends in Bismarck, played on the streets,” she said. "It's restrictions banning intercity travel ter pajamas, compared to a dia-

North Dakota, a state that didn’t Christmask,” the Daily Nation news- in the areas they administer in the mond bracelet last Christmas. Her

k y m militant group ruling Gaza, c according to the military. get hit until later in the pandemic paper declared in Kenya, where a Pope Francis delivered his in Italy has virtually vanished and Israeli-occupied West Bank, kept husband got a $20 plaque describ- Palestinian media reported but was struck hard. It seemed surge in cases led to doctors ending Christmas blessing from inside the the government's coronavirus re- visitors away. ing his Polish heritage, compared the airstrikes shattered every time she opened her door a brief strike Christmas Eve. Vatican, breaking with his tradi- strictions for the holidays foiled In Beijing, official churches to a tablet computer last year. windows in east Gaza City. this holiday season, someone had Celebrations were muted in the tional speech from the balcony of St. any plans by locals to flock to the abruptly canceled Mass after China's “The bills have to be paid this There were no reports of left smoked salmon, baskets of nuts East African hub as a curfew pre- Peter’s Basilica to tens of thou- square. capital was put on high alert fol- month and next month. With the re- casualties. or cookies. vented overnight church vigils. sands in St. Peter’s Square. Tourism Citing a cause for optimism, lowing two confirmed COVID-19 duced hours, it's tough,” she said. Shipping FOREX RESERVES SWELL BY $2.56BN P11 freight rates SUNDAY | DECEMBER 27 | 2020 | BHUBANESWAR have surged since July India’s foreign exchange reserves rose by and companies are now $2.563 billion during the week ended finding it almost December 18. According to the RBI’s impossible to sustain weekly statistical supplement, the normal trade operations reserves increased to $581.131 billion RAJESH MENON | DIRECTOR from $578.568 billion reported for the

business GENERAL, SIAM

k y m week ended December 11 c of the day uote ‘China's ban on China to become world’s biggest economy in 2028 Australian coking UAE’s assistance to coal to benefit India’ India comes in THE UK-BASED THINK TANK FORECAST THAT INDIA WILL BECOME 5TH LARGEST ECONOMY IN 2025 recognition of the profound and PRESS TRUST OF INDIA this year’s forecasts and stays ahead viously estimated due to the con- "Slowing growth has been a con- brotherly ties our till 2024 before India takes over trasting recoveries of the two coun- sequence of a confluence of fac- two countries have New Delhi, Dec 26: India, which again," the Centre for Economics and tries from the COVID-19 pandemic. tors including fragility in the bank- shared throughout the years appears to have been pushed back Business Research (CEBR) said in Japan would remain the world's ing system, adjustment to reforms to being the world's sixth biggest an annual report published Saturday. third-biggest economy, in dollar and a deceleration of global trade," AHMED ABDUL RAHMAN ALBANNA | UAE'S economy in 2020, will again overtake The UK appears to have over- terms, until the early 2030s when it said. AMBASSADOR TO INDIA the UK to become the fifth largest taken India again during 2020 as a it would be overtaken by India, The COVID-19 pandemic, the in 2025 and race to the third spot by result of the weakness of the rupee, pushing Germany down from think tank said, has been a human AGENCIES When your 2030, a think tank said Saturday. it said. The CEBR forecasts that fourth to fifth. and an economic catastrophe for shopping is India had overtaken the UK in the Indian economy will expand The CEBR said India's economy India, with more than 140,000 deaths New Delhi, Dec 26: The produc- 100% online, 2019 to become the fifth largest by 9% in 2021 and by 7% in 2022. had been losing momentum even recorded as of the middle of tion cost of India’s steel producers you’re probably economy in the world but has been "Growth will naturally slow as ahead of the shock delivered by December. using the blast furnace route would ordering a couple relegated to 6th spot in 2020. India becomes more economically de- ing the UK in 2025, Germany in the COVID-19 crisis. While this is the highest death toll remain contained in the near term extra (items) with "India has been knocked off veloped, with the annual GDP growth 2027 and Japan in 2030," it said. The rate of GDP growth sank to outside of the US in absolute terms, due to China's ban on Australian the intent of course somewhat through the im- expected to sink to 5.8% in 2035." The UK-based think tank forecast a more than ten-year low of 4.2% in it equates to around 10 deaths per coking coal, India Ratings and returning pact of the pandemic. As a result, "This growth trajectory will see that China will in 2028 overtake the 2019, down from 6.1% the previous 1,00,000, which is a significantly Research (Ind-Ra) said. SRIRAM SRIDHAR | CEO, LATESHIPMENT.COM after overtaking the UK in 2019, India become the world's third US to become the world's biggest year and around half the 8.3% lower figure than has been seen in Accordingly, the Chinese move the UK overtakes India again in largest economy by 2030, overtak- economy, five years earlier than pre- growth rate recorded in 2016. much of Europe and the Americas. will lead to softer coking coal prices which shall directly support The EBITDA per tonne accretion of (Japanese) around `2,600 over FY21 for com- government panies using the blast furnace route. has set up Payment of 1% GST in cash only EU, UK UNVEIL "Such companies are likely to ambitious targets to have reduced cost of steel pro- achieve a carbon duction by around `1,800 per tonne neutral society in Y-o-Y in 2HFY21, supported by the 2050 VAST TRADE PACT reduced cost of coking coal per YUKARI TAKAMURA | PROFESSOR, for 45K taxpayers: DoR sources tonne of around `7,300," Ind-Ra UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO AGENCIES said in a report. As per Ind-Ra, AGENCIES China's ban has led to negative Brussels, Dec 26: The European bias on coking coal prices. SHORT TAKES New Delhi, Dec 26: The govern- Union (EU) and the United Kingdom It expects Australia premium ment’s decision on mandatory pay- (UK) made public Saturday the hard coking coal (HCC) CNF prices ment of at least 1% of GST tax li- vast agreement that is likely to would be around $120 per tonne Krishnamurthy ability in cash will impact only govern future trade and coopera- over remaining FY21, except for around 40,000 to 45,000 taxpayers but tion between them from January any weather-related supply dis- appointed observer help the entire system curb the 1, setting the 27-nation bloc’s rela- ruptions in Australia. New Delhi: Markets regulator menace of fake ITC availment and tions with its former member coun- "Despite China's healthy steel Sebi Saturday said it had operation of fly-by-night operators, try and neighbour on a new but Despite the deal, production growth of 7% Y-o-Y December 18 appointed sources in the finance ministry far more distant footing. in the first 7MFY21, its coking Taruvai Subayya said Saturday. EU ambassadors and lawmakers unanswered questions coal imports have significantly Krishnamurthy as an observer Based on the recommendations on both sides of the English Channel linger in many areas, reduced by 12% as against an in- to oversee the e-voting process of the GST Law Committee, the will now pore over the “EU-UK crease of 14% Y-o-Y in FY20, re- for winding up of Franklin government has notified new in- Trade and Cooperation Agreement,” including security flecting the country’s increased Templeton's six mutual fund direct tax rules that make cash pay- cash. Moreover, the rule is clearly which contains over 1,240 pages of cooperation, with the UK reliance on domestic coking coal. schemes. On Friday, Chennai ment of 1% of GST tax liability he government has notified for businesses whose taxable text. EU envoys are expected to Financial Markets and mandatory for businesses whose Tnew indirect tax rules that value of supply exceeds `50 lakh, meet Monday to discuss the docu- set to lose access to Accountability (CFMA) said it taxable supply value exceeds `50 make cash payment of 1% of so the measure would not affect ment, drawn up over nine intense real-time information Govt procures paddy has filed an application in the lakh. This change will come into ef- GST tax liability mandatory for small businesses or increase their months of talks. Supreme Court alleging that fect from January 1, 2021. businesses whose taxable working capital requirement," Businesses, so long left in the in some EU law despite the apex court's ` worth `85K cr this Sources in department of rev- supply value exceeds 50 lakh sources said. dark about what is in store for December 9 order, “no enforcement databases enue (DoR) said data indicated out Under the new rule cash pay- them, will also be trying to un- apparent steps” have been ased on the Kharif season so far taken by Sebi to appoint an of the total GST tax base of 1.2 Brecommendations of the ment of 1% is to be calculated on derstand its implications. observer in the matter. crore taxpayers only around 4 lakh GST Law Committee, the the tax liability in a month and not Most importantly, the deal as it They range from access to fish- taxpayers have supply value greater government has notified new turnover of the month. For exam- stands ensures that Britain can ing waters to energy markets, and than `50 lakh, and only around 1.5 indirect tax rules ple, if the turnover of taxable continue to trade in goods with include everyday ties so important lakh out of these 4 lakh taxpayers supplies of a taxpayer is `100 in the world's biggest trading bloc to citizens like travel arrangements Rajasthan to pay less than 1% tax in cash. So, the nder the new rule cash a month and he is required to pay without tariffs or quotas after the and education exchanges. ` changes would include only a small payment of 1% is to be GST of 12% on his output taxable UK Breaks fully free of the EU. EU member countries are ex- borrow 2,731cr calculatedU on the tax liability section of taxpayers. supplies, then he will be required It ceased to be an official mem- pected to endorse the agreement in a month and not turnover of New Delhi: The Finance Moreover, the DoR sources said ` ` the month to pay 1% of 12, i.e., 0.12 (12 paisa) ber January 31 this year and is over the course of next week. British Ministry Saturday said it has with exclusions around 1.05 lakh tax- only in the month through cash days away from the end of an exit legislators could vote on it on AGENCIES permitted Rajasthan to payers get further excluded from under this rule. transition period. Wednesday. But even if they do ap- ` borrow an additional 2,731 these 4 lakh. Thus, the rule would 1.2 crore taxpayers. Therefore, the net requirement But other barriers will be raised, prove it, the text would only enter New Delhi, Dec 26: Paddy pro- crore after the state apply only to about 40,000 to 45,000 "The data clearly indicates that of cash payment will be only 0.12% as the UK loses the kind of access force provisionally on New Year's curement has increased by 25% in successfully undertook ease taxpayers. This would be around a small fraction of taxpayers would of the turnover in such a case, to a huge market that only mem- Day as the European Parliament this Kharif marketing season so of doing business reforms. 0.37% of the total GST tax base of need to pay 1% of GST liability in Finance Ministry sources said. bership can guarantee. must also have its say. far to 449.83 lakh tonnes at the Rajasthan has now joined the minimum support price (MSP), five other states namely, ` Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, valued at 84,928.10 crore. Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu "In the ongoing Kharif and Telangana, which have DLF rental arm to buy 52% Marketing Season (KMS) 2020-21, completed the reform Coal India set to diversify into Government continues to procure facilitating ease of doing ` Kharif 2020-21 crops at its MSP business to be eligible for stake of Hines for 780cr from farmers as per its existing additional borrowing. These MSP Schemes," an official state- six states have been granted PRESS TRUST OF INDIA firm of DLF and Singapore's sov- non-coal mining areas in 2021 ment said. additional borrowing ereign wealth fund GIC. DLF holds Food Corporation of India (FCI) permission of `19,459 crore. New Delhi, Dec 26: Realty major 66.66% stake in the DCCDL while PRESS TRUST OF INDIA CIL is also likely to go ahead and other state agencies have pro- DLF’s rental arm DCCDL has GIC has the rest. with its agenda of achieving one cured 449.83 lakh tonnes of paddy agreed to acquire the entire 52% "The purchase consideration for New Delhi/Kolkata, Dec 26: State- billion tonnes of production target till December 25 as against 360.09 Govt to provide stake of US-based Hines in a pre- this acquisition is approximately owned Coal India Ltd (CIL) is set to by 2023-24. lakh tonnes in the corresponding mium commer- `780 crore, sub- diversify into non-coal mining areas CIL may also "go ahead with one period of the previous year. 50 lakh jobs cial project in ject to customary as well as make major investments billion tonnes agenda. It is getting "About 55.49 lakh farmers have Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Gurugram for closing adjust- in clean technology in 2021 after approvals. It is gearing up to keep already been benefited from the ` government's special 780 crore. ments," DLF said. demand for the dry fuel remained enhancing its production which ongoing KMS procurement campaign "Mission Rojgar" In a regulatory Hines has muted for most of this year amid was 603 million tonnes last year. It Operations with MSP value of launched on December 5, that filing late last nearly 52% stake the coronavirus pandemic im- "In 2021, we will try to get Coal is taking upon itself bigger and `84,928.10 crore," the statement said. aims at providing jobs to 50 night, DLF in- in the One pacting economic activities. India Ltd (CIL) to diversify into bigger target. It will be able to Of the total purchase of 449.83 lakh youth by March 2021, formed that its Horizon Centre Against all odds, including the non-coal mining-related areas. It achieve one billion tonnes (pro- lakh tonnes, Punjab has con- has so far employed 21,75,443 joint venture firm while the rest is slump in coal demand, the gov- (CIL) will make major investments duction target) in 2023-24," he said. tributed 202.77 lakh tonnes. youth in the state. The DLF Cyber City with the DCCDL. ernment opened up the country's in sectors other than coal mining Noting that CIL has taken upon Paddy procurement for Kharif campaign ranges from Developers Ltd (DCCDL) has "en- DCCDL exercised the first right of mining sector for private players by so that it is well prepared to make itself an investment plan of `2.5 2020-21 is continuing smoothly in regular appointments to tered into a securities purchase refusal to acquire Hines' stake. auctioning 19 blocks. the transition away from fossil fuel. lakh crore, Jain said that out of the Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, outsourcing, contracting, skill agreement with funds managed The commercial tower 'One Coal demand across the world "So, it (CIL) will make invest- proposed outlay, a significant chunk Telangana, Uttarakhand, Tamil training, self-employment by Hines for acquisition of their Horizon Center' has a leasable is projected to fall by around five per ments in renewable energy, get into would be spend on clean coal tech- Nadu, Chandigarh, Jammu & and creation of man-days. stake in Fairleaf Real Estate, which area of about 8,13,000 square feet, cent this year compared to 2019 aluminium and clean coal tech- nologies and diversification. Kashmir, Kerala, Gujarat, Andhra owns and operates 'One Horizon mainly high-end Grade A office while various sectoral challenges nology and will do a lot," Coal "The rest of it (the investment will Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Odisha, Center'." spaces along with complementary are expected to persist in 2021, an- Secretary Anil Kumar Jain said. be) to increase coal production," Madhya Pardesh, Maharashtra, I-T department The DCCDL is a joint venture retail space. alysts said. In the coming year, Jain said he noted. Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. unearth `100cr New Delhi: The Income Tax Department’s search and survey action against three Market Outlook: Mutant Covid, thin volumes to dent equities leading contractors of north- eastern India has led to the INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE global anxiety with several countries in UK may limit upside." of Research at Geojit Financial alleged unearthing of suspending flight services to the In terms of macro-data, investors Services. undisclosed income of nearly Mumbai, Dec 26: An expected UK, where it was discovered. will look forward to the release "Investors should stay focused `100 crore so far. One of the slowdown in foreign fund inflows Nevertheless, the Brexit trade of figures on Eight Core on quality sectors and counters groups is into hospitality along with expensive propositions deal announced late Thursday night Going Industries, Fiscal Deficit, and also watch at the trend of FII business. and upcoming macro-economic and progressive rollout of anti- ahead, market is Current Account and inflows, which is the main factors data are likely to dent equities dur- Covid vaccine is likely to arrest likely maintain its External Debt. of the recent rally." ing the trade week ahead. any major downslide. positive momentum on Additionally, au- In addition, agriculture and allied No change in Lately, FIIs inflows have powered "Institutional participation will the back of abundant tomobile sales data industries' stocks are expected to at- the equities' rally and gave an ap- be lower in the coming week due to liquidity, declining Covid and PMI tract investors after announcement fuel prices preciation push to the rupee. FIIs year-end and Christmas considera- cases in India and effective (Purchasing of a new tranche of rural stimulus. New Delhi: State-run OMCs have so far this month invested tions. Nifty has closed almost at the vaccine rollout Managers' Index) "During the coming week we are over $6 billion in equities and $594 intra-day and intra-week high rais- numbers, may give hoping to see rural stocks gain trac- kept the petrol and diesel SIDDHARTHA KHEMKA I HEAD, rates unchanged for the 18th million in the debt segment. ing hopes of a better opening Monday," RETAIL RESEARCH, MOTILAL directional cues to tion after the sops announced dur- straight day Saturday, However, the ongoing holiday said Deepak Jasani, Head of Retail OSWAL FINANCIAL investors during ing the weekend," said LKP

season is expected to lower the in- Research at HDFC Securities. SERVICES the upcoming Securities' Head of Research S

k y m December 26. In the national c capital, the price of petrol flow volumes during the upcom- "However, it could run into profit week. Ranganathan. remained unchanged at `83.71 ing week. Besides, the new mutant taking later in the week. After seven "Going ahead, market is likely Siddhartha Khemka, Head, "For the week ahead, con- "Being the last week of the per litre, and diesel also strain of Covid-19 combined with weeks of gain, Nifty has closed flat." maintain its positive momentum Retail Research, Motilal Oswal cerns regarding the fresh cases of Calendar Year 2020, one cannot but remained constant at `73.87 high valuations might trigger bouts Furthermore, the upcoming on the back of abundant liquidity, Financial Services. the virus will remain in the lime- mention the fact that the FPIs have per litre — the same level as of profit bookings. monthly F&O expiry next week declining Covid cases in India and "However, emerging risk per- light along with development on reposed faith in India by investing Friday, according to IOC. The new Covid strain has caused could add to the volatility. effective vaccine rollout," said taining to new coronavirus strain Brexit deal," said Vinod Nair, Head over $22 billion during CY2020." P12

SUNDAY | DECEMBER 27 | 2020 | BHUBANESWAR sports

y

k k y y m m c BOWLERS PUT INDIA IN CONTROL c Rahane’s captaincy, bowlers’ combined effort end Australian essay for 195; visitors DAY 1 PLAY’S REACTIONS reach 36/1 at stumps on the opening day of second Test in Melbourne JASPRIT BUMRAH Batting approach: We are looking at one session at a time. We don’t want to be PRESS TRUST OF INDIA conservative in our mindset and be positive. Control the controllables. Not being reckless but playing with confidence will be the motive going forward. Melbourne, Dec 26: Jasprit SCORECARD Ashwin’s early introduction: When we were bowling in the morning there was Bumrah’s menace was matched by AUSTRALIA 1ST INNINGS some moisture on the wicket, so you saw Ashwin and Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja) got some spin. Because we wanted to make the most of the moisture, we were trying Ravichandran Ashwin’s guile as Joe Burns c Pant b Bumrah 0, to use them, he (Ashwin) was getting good bounce. an inspired India led by Ajinkya Matthew Wade c Jadeja b Rahane shot out Australia for a Ashwin 30, Marnus Labuschagne Field placements: There were constant discussions going on between bowlers and sub-par 195 to dominate the open- c Gill b Siraj 48, Steve Smith c the captain (Rahane). The wicket changed after the first session. It got better to ing day of the second Test here Pujara b Ashwin 0, Travis Head c bat on in the second session and moisture went away. We were just trying to com- Saturday. Rahane b Bumrah 38, Cameron municate what kind of lines we wanted to bowl so that we can set the field India then lost an out-of-form Green lbw b Siraj 12, Tim Paine c accordingly. When there was less help, we tried to change the line accordingly. Mayank Agarwal (0) to Mitchell Starc Vihari b Ashwin 13, Mitchell Siraj’s performance: He has worked really hard and come up the ranks. He was but debutant Shubman Gill (28 batting) Starc c Siraj b Bumrah 9, Pat eager to bowl in the first session itself. There wasn’t a lot happening after lunch survived a hostile spell to hit some de- Cummins c Siraj b Jadeja 7, and he (Siraj) bowled with a lot of control. Suddenly he started getting some lectable boundaries in the day end Nathan Lyon lbw b Bumrah 20, movement and wanted to make the best of it. Playing his first Test match, he score of 36 for one in 11 overs. Josh Hazlewood not out 4; bowled really well and had confidence of using all his skills. It’s a heartening sign Giving him company was the Extras: 14 (b-10, nb-3, w-1); for us and hopefully he will continue doing that. seasoned Cheteshwar Pujara (7 bat- Total: 195 all out (72.3 overs). Controversial call by umpire: Look, these (call for neutral umpires) are the things ting). The line-up would look to ex- Fall: 1/10 (Burns), 2/35 (Wade), that we can’t control, I understand that the situations are difficult and all of these orcise the ghosts of the opening 3/38 (Smith), 4/124 (Head), 5/134 things are out of our hands, so I try not to focus on those things that we can’t control. (Labuschagne), 6/155 (Green), Adelaide game last week when India Yeah, it is unfortunate that the umpires are not able to travel, but it is something that 7/155 (Paine), 8/164 (Starc), I don’t have any power of changing, so we try to focus on the things we can were shot out for their lowest ever 9/191 (Lyon), 10/195 (Cummins). Test score of 36. Bowling: Jasprit Bumrah 16-4-56- MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE As much as the day belonged to 4, Umesh Yadav 12-2-39-0, the Indian bowling unit for another Batting show: Certainly, we could have done better. We probably had three dis- Ravichandran Ashwin 24-7-35-3, missals we did not probably need to. They (Indians) were bowling straight and fired-up show, new captain Rahane Ravindra Jadeja 5.3-1-15-1, (we are) not getting many runs on the off-side. Bowlers come up with new ideas deserved equal credit for mar- Mohammed Siraj 15-4-40-2. to stop scoring, built pressure as they did today. I faced 130 balls (or) something shalling his resources to perfec- (like that). That is the challenge we face as a batting group and we love it. tion during the 72.3 overs that INDIA 1ST INNINGS Australia batted. Mayank Agarwal lbw b Starc 0, Hoping for better batting show: It is not necessary that six batsmen (get run) Bumrah (4/56) and Ashwin (3/35) Shubman Gill batting 28, every innings, sometimes it is one or two. It is a big job for the batting unit whoev- er is in the day, it may be myself or anyone else in the top order, he will have to were the stars but debutant Cheteshwar Pujara batting 7; ensure big scores. Mohammed Siraj (2/40) also did Extras: 1 (nb-1); his bit repaying the faith shown in Total: 36/1 (11 overs). Battle with Ashwin: People are coming up with new ways like leg side field, him with wickets of Marnus Fall: 1/0 (Agarwal). bowled straight. (We) are just understanding and learning what he is doing. That Labuschagne (48) and Cameron Bowling: Mitchell Starc 4-2-14-1, is the key. We always do that as a batting group and keep better from learning. Green (12) with the old ball. Pat Cummins 4-1-14-0, Josh On Siraj: He is more of a swing bowler than a seam bowler. He is nearly six feet, Hazlewood 2-0-2-0, Nathan Lyon However, the Test series is in- swings away from lefties. He certainly has skills. We have to make sure we under- 1-0-6-0. stand what they are trying to do and come back strong. creasingly looking like Ashwin’s ON A ROLL: Jasprit Bumrah appeals for the dismissal of Australian opener Joe Burns, Saturday PICS: ESPNCRICINFO paradise as he once again made the opposition’s best batsman Steve Siraj initially bowled a bit short Smith (0) look ordinary, exploiting at Labuschagne and Travis Head (38) the turn and bounce that the first as they added 86 runs for the fourth day of the MCG track offered. wicket. It was Bumrah, who pro- It was business as usual for vided the post lunch breakthrough Bumrah as he beat the bat and got with a delivery that held its line It was my (late) When I got the those breakthroughs just when it and the left-hander’s thick edge father's dream that cap, I felt it was mattered on a pitch that had re- was taken by Rahane at gully. Siraj should the biggest tained moisture. As it turned out, Siraj’s maiden wicket was a lucky represent India in achievement of Rahane didn’t lose a bad toss. one as the ball was drifting down the Tests ... He always my life. I gained a The Indian team looked way more leg-side which Labuschagne tried wanted to see him lot of confidence galvanised despite being without reg- to whip but Gill, stationed at back- (Siraj) in blue and speaking with Ajju ular skipper Virat Kohli, who is on ward square leg, snapped it inches white jersey to bhai (Ajinkya paternity leave. Some great catches off the ground. represent the nation, Rahane) and Jassi were taken and the intent was way The Hyderabad pacer’s second so our dream got bhai (Jasprit more visible. Rahane’s first punt wicket was a much fuller ball with fulfilled today Bumrah) was introducing Ashwin inside the a hint of inward movement that (Saturday) MOHAMMED SIRAJ caught Green plumb in-front. first hour of play after Bumrah ISMAIL, SIRAJ’S BROTHER had forced Joe Burns (0) to nick Skipper Tim Paine (13) couldn’t one to Rishabh Pant. script a rescue act like Adelaide as Ashwin, who varied the pace of a classical off-break saw him guide Ravichandran Ashwin his deliveries cleverly, got some one straight into the hands of is ecstatic after getting Mohammed Siraj turn and bounce straightaway as he Hanuma Vihari at backward square rid of Steve Smith rejoices his maiden drew Matthew Wade into coming leg. Bumrah didn’t take much time Test wicket on debut down the track and skying one for after that as he and Ravindra Jadeja India’s best fielder Ravindra Jadeja (1/15) polished off the tail in a jiffy. to take a well-judged catch running During the final hour of the day, Gill SUNIL GAVASKAR: Let’s not jump into conclusions the bowlers delivered. Ashwin, (Jasprit) Bumrah, Siraj a set plan. Joe Burns’ dismissal would have been were absolutely brilliant. Great effort to get Australia all exactly how they wanted it. backwards. After bowling one that showed what the Indian cricket can too quickly. If I say that his captaincy is outstanding, then again, I will be accused of backing a Mumbai boy out for 195 on the first day. Now for the batters to get a jumped and turned beating Smith expect of him in the new decade. He SHANE WARNE: What a terrific day of cricket at the and all kinds of things will happen. So I don’t want to get good first innings lead. and Pant, Ashwin kept the next a displayed positive intent and some MCG today. Congrats to the ground staff on preparing into that because these are early days. From what I have RICKY PONTING: (Rahane’s captaincy) has been the best wicket at the MCG for a long time. More of tad straighter and the former dazzling strokes that would certainly seen in the last 2 Tests he captained and the one-day brilliant so far. We were all a bit worried about how these type of pitches please! The Indian bowlers were Australian skipper’s glance was leave fans yearning for more in the matches he captained, he has got a great sense of they were going to pick themselves up after Adelaide. outstanding too & very well lead (sic) by pouched by Pujara at leg gully. All coming days. An off-drive off Pat where the fielders should be kept. Having said that, it’s I think they looked potentially better today. Rahane’s @ajinkyarahane88! Can India bat all day? this while, Bumrah was beating Cummins, a punch through covers very important for the bowlers to bowl to their field. If field placements, bowling changes have all been VVS Laxman: Excellent day’s play for India. Bowlers the bat at the other hand. and a flick off Starc were exhilarat- the bowlers bowl to the field, as they did today, then the pretty much spot on. With captaincy, making bowling were once again sensational, both the debutants looked Interestingly, Rahane didn’t give ing. The cover drive off Nathan Lyon captain looks very good. the debutant a single over before had class written all over it. changes and changing the field, you need guys to be confident, Rahane captained the side really well but lunch break as he knew that Siraj’s India trail 0-1 in the series after VIRENDER SEHWAG: Outstanding bowling changes able to execute well. Some of the wickets they got most importantly they didn’t carry the baggage of the and really smart fielding placements from Rahane. And today, even Smith at leg slip early on, I think that was loss from Adelaide.

strength is generating pace and move- going down by eight wickets in the CAPTAINCY FOR

ment with semi-new and old ball. opening day-night Test in Adelaide. RAHANE PRAISED Sahoo, Barman MGM OCL T20 League begins today Matti saves SCEB the blushes battle for crown The goal destroyed whatever mo- POST NEWS NETWORK been created. All the players, officials of this league will play against the mentum SCEB had built up. But POST NEWS NETWORK have gone through the RT-PCR test third-placed side while the second they slowly started creating chances Bhubaneswar, Dec 26: The MGM and only COVID-19 negative will be semifinal will be played between sec- again as the game neared halftime. Bhubaneswar, Dec 26: Debasis OCL T-20 League will begin Sunday allowed to participate in this event. ond-placed and fourth-placed teams. Around the half-hour mark Jacques Sahoo and Subhranil Barman will at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. A total of 93 players, selected The Panthers will take on the Maghoma found himself through on face each other in the final of U-15 Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) from the recently-concluded Senior Pumas in the tournament-opener goal with Deepak Tangri trying to final of the Gurukul U-15 & U-19 is conducting the event, in associ- Men Inter-District T20 League fol- while the opening day will also see tussle him off the ball, but Boys’ Tennis Championships in ation with TCM. lowing their performances, have the contest between Tigers and Chennaiyin keeper Vishal Kaith Mendhashal, Sunday. In the semi- The TCM is a major sports man- been divided in six teams – Odisha Cheetas. The league matches will came out and got to it first. He briefly finals, Debasis beat Ronik Meher 9- agement company of India. They Panthers, Odisha Pumas, Odisha be played from December 27 to lost control of the ball after Tangri 1, while second seed Subhranil de- have been a part and parcel of major Tigers, Odisha Cheetas, Odisha January 10, with two matches-a- clashed into him, but regained it feated Krushna Chandra Behera 9-4. BCCI events and they have been Lions and Odisha Jaguars. Each day. The semifinals will be played before any damage was done. In the U-19 quarterfinals, also involved in major events like team have two support staffs, one January 12, while the final is slated Seven minutes later, Mohammed Sangram Kumar Patra blanked IPL, ISL, Khelo India etc. The MGM coach and a manager. for January 13. Rafique wasted a golden opportu- Anusman Babu 9-0, Debasis out- Company has obtained the title The teams will play matches in A total of 11 umpires will officiate nity to pull SCEB level. A long-ball played Biranchi Behera 9-1, Aditya sponsorship for this event. double leg basis, as such there will the matches. Eight scorers have been from midfield found Rafique with Mohapatra defeated Krushna 9-4 This event is being organised in be 30 matches and the top four po- appointed for conducting this pres- only Kaith to beat. But the touch that and Balabhadra Behera over- accordance to the government per- sition holders will qualify to the tigious event. All the matches will be he took to divert the ball past the whelmed third seed Subhranil 9-4. mission and a Bio Secure Bubble has semifinals. The top position holder live streamed in an app ‘FAN CODE’. keeper was too heavy and it al- lowed Tangri the time to slide in and put the ball out for a corner. The game caught fire around the Vardy saves Foxes’ day as they hold Man Utd hour mark with three goals coming Matti Steinmann (No.6) celebrates one of his goals with his teammates in less than ten minutes. In the 59th minute, Steinmann powered a AGENCIES Rashford broke the deadlock in POST NEWS NETWORK on a more aggressive note, winning header past Kaith off a corner to the 23rd minute, though, coolly slot- a couple of corners in the first ten drag SCEB back on level terms. But London, Dec 26: Jamie Vardy help ting home his 50th Premier League Goa, Dec 26: German midfielder minutes. But an early goal for their five minutes later, Chennaiyin struck Leicester City steal a point from goal from 12 yards after Fernandes Matti Steinmann emerged as the opponents pegged them back. again. A defensive mistake from Manchester United as the Foxes ended had diverted Daniel James’ pass unlikely source of goals for SC East Slovak striker Jakub Sylvestr did Bikash Jairu allowed Ali to score his the Red Devils’ 10-game winning into his path. Bengal (SCEB) as the Kolkata side the initial groundwork, recovering second goal in as many matches. streak away from home in the Premier Leicester restored parity eight rallied to draw 2-2 with Chennaiyin the ball and diverting it into the Chennaiyin nearly increased League with a 2-2 draw, Saturday. minutes later, Barnes lashing past FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) path of Chhangte with a deft touch. their lead a couple of minutes later United looked like they would De Gea from outside the penalty at the Tilak Maidan here Saturday. But from there, it was all Chhangte when Enes Sipovic directed a header equal Chelsea and Manchester City’s area after Fernandes had given pos- y Chennaiyin took the lead twice, as he used his pace to stay ahead of on to the crossbar off a corner. But record of 11 consecutive victories session away cheaply.

through Lallianzuala Chhangte the defenders in pursuit. instead, it was SCEB who drew when Bruno Fernandes put them United forged ahead in the 79th

k k y y m m c c (13th minute) and Rahim Ali (64th). So often this season, Chhangte has parity again with Steinmann scor- ahead 11 minutes from time after minute, Fernandes sliding past However, a brace from Matti been guilty of getting into good po- ing his second of the night. Kaith’s Harvey Barnes had earlier can- JAMIE VARDY (C) Schmeichel after being played in by Steinmann (59th & 68th) saw Robbie sitions and wasting them. But this punch off a header from Daniel celled out Marcus Rashford’s opener. substitute Edinson Cavani. Vardy Fowler’s side split honours in an ex- time, his shot went under the on- Fox’s header was weak and took Vardy ensured a share of the flection off substitute Axel United remain one point behind had the final say, however, bundling citing encounter. rushing Debjit Majumder and crept the ball straight to Steinmann, spoils five minutes from time, Tuanzebe, who was later credited second-placed Leicester and four home via Tuanzebe after he had been It was SCEB who started the game into goal. whose shot bulged the net. though, turning home via a de- with the own goal. behind leaders Liverpool. picked out in the area by Ayoze Perez.

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