Morning Digest | RBI’s Central Board was ‘very much in the loop’ before demonetisation, says SC; Centre proposes policy on online gaming, and more
A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court amid pronouncement of its judgment on a batch of pleas challenging the Central Government’s 2016 decision to demonetise, in New Delhi on January 2, 2023
| Photo Credit: PTI
The majority judgment of the Supreme Court on January 2 details extensively the documents placed on record by the government to conclude that the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India was very much in the loop before recommending the demonetisation of ₹500 and ₹1,000 banknotes in November 2016.
Several locals reported militant sightings ahead of Dangri attack
Locals had reported militant sightings in Rajouri and the intelligence agencies had also raised an alarm about a likely ‘fidayeen’ attack days ahead of the Dangri attack, which left six civilians dead in the Pir Panjal Valley.
63 soldiers killed by Ukrainian strike in Donetsk region
Russia’s Defence Ministry said on January 2, 2023, that 63 Russian soldiers had been killed in a Ukrainian New Year’s Eve attack on their quarters in the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine’s Donetsk province.
Govt proposes policy on online gaming; wagering not allowed
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on Monday proposed an amendment to bring online gaming under the ambit of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The changes, released for public consultation, would require all online games to register with any self-regulatory body approved by the Ministry.
“The problem is not immigration; the problem is not migration. To be very clear, we want that. We need that. The problem is illegal immigration and here we are having a very common view that this is something we don’t want. We need immigration controlled by States and not by organised crime and human traffickers,” said Mr. Schallenberg, appreciating contribution of “tens and thousands of (resident) Indians” towards the Austrian society.
National Commission for Scheduled Tribes’ position on new Forest Conservation Rules ‘will be same’
In a sign of escalating conflict between the government and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes over the Forest (Conservation) Rules (FCR) 2022, NCST Chairperson Harsh Chouhan on Monday said that the ST body’s position on the new rules being violative of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 “will be the same” even as the Environment Ministry has dismissed these concerns.
China’s approach to India is like Russian approach to Ukraine, says Rahul Gandhi
China is following the same principle with India as Russia has done with Ukraine, Congress leader and Lok Sabha member from Wayanad, Rahul Gandhi, said in a one-on-one conversation with actor-politician Kamal Haasan, who had participated in the Delhi leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Tennis great Martina Navratilova diagnosed with throat and breast cancer
Former world number one tennis player Martina Navratilova said on Monday she has been diagnosed with throat and breast cancer. The Czech–American is considered among one the greatest players of all time, winning a total of 59 Grand Slam titles across singles and doubles.
Iran issues warning on mandatory headscarf in cars
Iranian police have resumed warnings that women must wear mandatory headscarves even in cars, media reported Monday, as unrest continues following the death of Mahsa Amini. Protests have gripped Iran since the September 16 death of Iranian-Kurdish Amini, 22, after her arrest in Tehran for an alleged breach of the Islamic republic’s strict dress code for women.
Gujarat’s first woman Chief Secretary passes away
Gujarat’s first woman Chief Secretary Dr. Manjula Subramaniam, a 1972 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Gujarat cadre, passed away after a brief illness on Sunday in Vadodara.
Sri Lanka freezes recruitment in fresh austerity drive
Sri Lanka began a fresh austerity drive on Monday, freezing government recruitment as new taxes and higher electricity prices kicked in with authorities trying to secure an IMF bailout. The Indian Ocean island nation needs to achieve debt sustainability as a precondition to a $2.9 billion bailout from the Washington-based lender after it defaulted in April as its economy went into crisis.
SP injured, church vandalised as violence over religious conversion hits Narayanpur again
Nearly half a dozen policemen, including a District Superintendent of Police, were injured and a church vandalised after a “protest meeting over purported religious conversions” called by tribal groups turned violent in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district on Monday.
