1. Rajnath Singh dedicates 28 BRO infrastructure projects worth ₹724 crore
2. Modi, Charles discuss India’s G20 presidency in phone call
3. In field of science, India found place among top 10 nations: PM at key event
4. EAM Jaishankar concluded his two-nation Visit
5. Night curfew imposed along Indo-Pak border in Samba for 2 months

What Else

6. Another Russian found dead on a ship in India, third incident in a fortnight
7. Joe Biden to renominate Eric Garcetti as his ambassador to India
8. India govt to take final call on selling wheat in open market in 10 days – sources
9. SC rules against additional curbson lawmakers’ freedom of speech
10. BJP national executive meeting on Jan 16, 17; Nadda’s tenure extension on cards
11. China sends Covid data to international database ahead of World Health Organization meeting
12. 2 CTD officials shot dead in Khanewal; Sanaullah concerned over Punjab law and order
13. In Gwadar Protests: Another case register against Rehman and others
14. Power Crisis, frequent load shedding continues to trigger protests in Gilgit Baltistan
15. Three Nepali women escape their coercive Chinese employers in Laos.

Rajnath Singh dedicates 28 BRO infrastructure projects worth ₹724 crore

• Within a month of the Yangtze face-off, Def Min on Tue said India will fight out any aggression and that India’s stand not to grab any country’s land should not be taken for granted.
• This came during his trip to the Siyom Bridge on the Along-Yinkiong Road in Arunachal, where he inaugurated 28 infrastructure projects of the BRO, worth ₹724 cr.
• We do not believe in war, but if it is forced upon us, we will fight.
• We are ensuring that the nation is protected from all threats.
• Our Armed Forces are ready, and it is heartening to see that the BRO is walking shoulder-to-shoulder with them,” Singh said while inaugurating a bridge.
• Capacity enhancement: 22 bridges, including the Siyom bridge; 3 roads; and 3 other projects in 7 bordering States and UT of the northern and northeastern regions.
• 8 of these projects are in Ladakh; 5 are in Arunachal; 4 are in J&K; 3 each are in Sikkim, Punjab, and Uttarakhand; and 2 are in Rajasthan.
• Also, 3 telemedicine nodes—2 in Ladakh and 1 in Mizoram—were inaugurated (here)

Modi, Charles discuss India’s G20 presidency in phone call

• PM Modi on Tue spoke with King Charles III of the UK and the two discussed several issues, including climate action and India’s priorities for its G20 presidency.
• In the first telephone conversation with the king since he assumed the office, the PM also conveyed his best wishes for a “very successful reign”, the MEA said in a readout.
• PM Modi briefed King Charles on India’s priorities for its G20 presidency, including the propagation of digital public goods, and explained the relevance of “Mission LiFE”.
• The leaders exchanged views on the Commonwealth and how to further strengthen its functioning, the readout said. (here)

In field of science, India found place among top 10 nations: PM at key event

• PM Modi on Tue addressed the 108^th Indian Science Congress via video-conferencing.
• During his address, PM Modi lauded the increasing participation of women in Extramural Research and Development.
• According to the PM, the “efforts of science can turn into significant achievements only when they reach from ‘lab to land’”.
• Extramural research refers to research that is funded by a source other than the university, such as by federal grants.
• The 5-day session is taking place at Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University in Maharashtra, which is celebrating its centenary this year.
• The theme of this year’s ISC is “Science and Technology for Sustainable Development with Women’s Empowerment.” (here)

EAM Jaishankar concluded his two-nation Visit

• External affairs minister has spoken out against the behavior of both, saying there is evidence the Chinese were the first to violate bilateral agreements, while Pakistan continues to send terrorists across the border.
• Jaishankar made the remarks during an interview on Tue with Austrian public broadcaster ORF after a two-nation tour to Cyprus and Austria.
• China cannot say India didn’t adhere to bilateral agreements on border management because the Chinese side was the first to move troops to the LAC, he asserted.
• Asked by the interviewer whether his characterization of Pakistan as the “epicenter of terrorism” was diplomatic, Jaishankar said: “I could use much harsher words”.
• On a question on whether the world should be concerned about a war with Pak, he said: “I think the world has to be concerned that there is terrorism going on and the world often looks away.”
• The world should address the challenge of terrorism and not its consequences, he added. (here)

Night curfew imposed along Indo-Pak border in Samba for 2 months

• Night curfew has been imposed around a 1km radius of the IB in Samba J&K to ensure better area domination by BSF men, an official order by the district magistrate on Tue.
• The step was taken given the threat of cross-border infiltration and smuggling of weapons through drones in the present foggy weather.
• As per the order, the movement of civilians has been banned from 9 pm to 6 am in the area up to 1km.
• During a meeting of the district-level standing committee, authorities of the Border Security Force took up the issue of imposition of a night curfew to perform their duties.
• DM said in the case, movement is necessary, the person or persons are required to produce their respective ID cards to BSF and police authorities. (here)
• Cattle smuggling bids foiled in J&K’s Ramban; police rescue 343 bovines: The J&K police have rescued 343 bovines and registered 16 FIRs against alleged smugglers in Ramban district, PTI reported

Another Russian found dead on a ship in India, third incident in a fortnight

• Another Russian has been found dead in Odisha, making it the 3^rd such incident in a fortnight, police said.
• The man has been identified as Milyakov Sergey, chief engineer of the ship, and was found dead at 4:30 am in his chamber in a ship anchored at Paradip Port.
• MB Aldnah, the vessel in which the 51-year-old man was found dead, was on its way to Mumbai from Chittagong Port in Bangladesh via Paradip.
• Police could not immediately ascertain the cause of the death.
• Earlier, two Russian tourists, including a lawmaker, were found dead under mysterious circumstances in Rayagada town in southern Odisha in the latter half of Dec.
• Eventually, he had to retract his statement after coming under immense pressure. Western media reported that he issued a “groveling apology”. (here)

Joe Biden to renominate Eric Garcetti as his ambassador to India

• President Joe Biden still wants former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who has been shadowed by controversy over sexual harassment, to serve as his ambassador to India.
• He plans to renominate Garcetti as the new congressional session begins, according to a WH who spoke on condition of anonymity to preview the upcoming announcement.
• Garcetti was originally nominated several months after Biden took office, but he never received a vote of the full Senate.
• He’s faced accusations of turning a blind eye to misconduct by a top aide in his mayor’s office. Garcetti has repeatedly denied being aware of the allegations.
• Amid allegations, Garcetti’s struggles to get confirmed, the WH publicly defended him and noted that the nomination cleared the Senate Committee unanimously.
• “We see this as a very important nomination,” WH said Tuesday. “We’re hopeful that the full Senate will confirm him promptly.” (here)
• [same words were coming from the WH repeatedly, no US ambassador in India for 2 years]

India govt to take final call on selling wheat in open market in 10 days – sources

• Reuters (official)-New Delhi is considering selling 2.1 million tonnes of wheat in the open market to control food inflation and a decision will be taken in the next 10 days.
• The intervention is being planned by the govt via its open market sale program, which it uses to sell grains at a pre-determined price.
• The govt has about 2.1 mn tonnes of surplus wheat above the mandated buffer after it discontinue the free foodgrain distribution program that was operational for 28 months.
• Until Apr, the govt will have 3 million tonnes of surplus wheat for intervention, which would be enough to control prices, the official added.
• A spokesperson for India’s food ministry did not immediately comment.
• Food prices are key to controlling retail inflation in India as it accounted for nearly 40% of the consumer price inflation basket.
• Food price inflation eased to 4.67% in Nov from 7.01% in Oct.
• India has also banned the export of wheat since May 2022 to control prices. (here)

SC rules against additional curbson lawmakers’ freedom of speech

• A govt cannot be secure with vicarious liability and dragged to a court for the controversial statements issued by its ministers, a Constitution bench of the Supreme Court ruled by a 4-1 verdict.
• SC underlined that restrictions beyond constitutional provisions cannot be imposed on the right to free speech of lawmakers and public functionaries holding high office.
• “The PM or the CM does not have disciplinary control over the members of the council of ministers,” the verdict said.
• This came on 2 petitions in the SC ruling on the prime question, of additional accountability and thus, a legal obligation can be cast upon lawmakers. (here)

BJP national executive meeting on Jan 16, 17; Nadda’s tenure extension on cards

• Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) national executive meeting will be held in the national capital on Jan 16 and 17, said sources on Tue.
• The party is expected to deliberate on the upcoming Assembly elections and 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
• BJP national president JP Nadda’s tenure may be extended at the executive meeting.
• Nadda’s 3-year term as the party president will end later this month.
• Apart from this, many organizational decisions will be taken.
• The ruling party has increased the number of Lok Sabha seats which it considers difficult to win in 2024 from 144 to 160 now. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

China sends Covid data to international database ahead of World Health Organization meeting

• China has submitted genome sequence data from 100s of recently sampled Covid-19 cases to the international database GISAID ahead of a meeting with the WHO.
• An increasing number of countries have imposed traveler bans from China as a result of their concerns over new variants will emerge as a result.
• The WHO said on Fri that it had invited scientists to present detailed data on viral sequencing ahead of a meeting of a technical advisory group on the evolution of the virus on Tue.
• The data – collected from different areas of the country, including Beijing, Shanghai, etc – was submitted over the new year holiday period. (here)

2 CTD officials shot dead in Khanewal; Sanaullah concerned over Punjab law and order

• Interior Min Sanaullah expressed concern over the law and order situation in Punjab as 2 officials from the Counter-Terrorism were gunned down on Tue in Khanewal.
• The official words said Additional Inspector General Sahibzada Shahzad Sultan had departed for the crime scene after receiving information about the incident.
• The perpetrators will be brought to justice, the spokesperson said, adding that further facts would be brought to light after the matter was investigated.
• Punjab CM Parvez Elahi took notice of the incident and paid tribute to the slain officials while extending his condolences to their families.
• Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, meanwhile, said that he had summoned a report from the Punjab inspector general and the chief secretary. (here)

In Gwadar Protests: Another case register against Rehman and others

• A case was registered against 10 people including Maulana Hidayat Rehman, the head of “Give Rights to Gwadar Movement”.
• A case has also been registered against Rahman for the murder of police who was killed during the protest, other are terrorism, Explosives Act, and interference in govt work.
• Amir Jamaat-e-Islami (Balochistan) Maulana Abdul Haq Hashmi said that instead of arrests and prosecutions in Gwadar & Pisin, there should be purposeful negotiations.
• Arrests, torture, and lawsuits cannot stop the way of protests and sit-ins.
• If the rulers arrested the workers, the cases were not dropped, and the demands were not accepted, in that case, the people will put up a tougher stand this time.
• Hashmi further said that jailing the brother and nephew of Rehman, journalists, and other innocent activists is a conspiracy to worsen the situation.
• Balochistan has become a volcano due to security forces, powerful classes, and a powerless govt. (Jasarat)
• The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has said that govt should pay attention to the right and justified demands of the protestors in Gwadar.
• HRCP said that now is the time that the govt should stop considering Balochistan inferior to other provinces. (Intekhab Daily)

Power Crisis, frequent load shedding continues to trigger protests in Gilgit Baltistan

• Gilgit Baltistan Youth Committee organized a protest in the PoK’s Gilgit Baltistan against the electricity bills and load shedding in the region, as per local media.
• On Dec 31 to Jan 1, GBYC organized the protest as the people of Gilgit-Baltistan have been facing a severe power crisis for up to 21 hours, causing problems for all businesses.
• On normal days, the residents of GB are experiencing an average of 10 hours of load shedding each day.
• Despite the chilling weather, thousands of furious residents took to the streets against the establishment and raised anti-Pakistan slogans.
• The shops and markets were shut down by the locals despite the New Year and the holiday season. (here)

Three Nepali women escape their coercive Chinese employers in Laos. They still feel unsafe back home

• Lalita’s husband, Rajan, doesn’t have free time to think these days. His brain is occupied by a loan of Rs 290,000, which he paid to a Chinese agent two months ago to enable his sick wife to return from a Laos-based call center.
• Before leaving for Laos on Sept 2, Lalita used to work as a part-time Chinese translator in Bauddha and her life was fine.
• That was before one of her friends, Juna, 28, who is also a seasonal Chinese translator in the area, came up with a lucrative job offer of $1,500/month, at a call center in China.
• Then there was Rojita, 33, a mother of two children aged five and seven. Upon learning of a lucrative job opportunity amid the Covid pandemic, she was also tempted. (here)