The Evening Wrap: Biden promises to unify

The Hindu Newsletter - Here are the latest updates and the big news stories to follow today [The Hindu Logo]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Youtube]( [Linkedin]( [Instagram]( Sunday 08, November 2020 [alt_text]( The Evening Wrap [Here are the biggest news stories of the day]( [alt_text]( Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. We hope you are staying safe. In first speech as President-elect, Biden promises to unify United States President-elect Joe Biden, making his [first remarks on Sunday after several news outlets projected his win](, pledged to be a leader who will unite rather than divide. “I pledge to be a president who does not see red or blue states, but United States,” Biden told a crowd of cheering supporters. He added that it was time to stop treating political opponents as enemies and to lower the rhetoric. “This is the time to heal America. Let this grim era of demonisation in America begin to end, here and now.” Mr Biden added that his administration’s work will begin by putting together a plan to bring the coronavirus pandemic under control as the U.S. continues to post a record number of cases day on day. “On Monday, I will name a group of leading scientists and experts as transition advisors to help take the Biden-Harris Covid plan and convert it into an action blueprint that starts on January 20th, 2021,” Biden was quoted as saying by AP. Donald Trump, the sitting U.S. president for now, has so far refused to make a statement of concession and his campaign is still planning to file several legal cases challenging the validity of the election results. Political leaders across the spectrum congratulate Biden, Harris Congratulations for Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris poured in from across the world and [from across the political spectrum]( in India. BJP leaders on Sunday said Indo-U.S. relations are based on the principles of democracy, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Biden will take the ties forward to the next level. BJP leader Ram Madhav said the people of America have made their choice and now it is for the rest of the world to welcome their decision and congratulate their leadership. “The U.S. and India stand on a strong bipartisan bilateral relationship based on the principles of democracy, mutual benefits and global peace. I am sure under the new leadership of Biden-Harris, US-India ties will continue to progress as strong as they have been,” he said. [A man reads “The Hindu” on a street in Allahabad on November 8, 2020.]A man reads “The Hindu” on a street in Allahabad on November 8, 2020. Mr. Modi and Mr. Biden knew each other well from the days of the Obama administration, Mr. Madhav said, while pointing out that the latter was instrumental in holding an event of the prime minister at New York’s Madison Square on his first trip to the United States since being elected to the top post. “I am sure the two leaders will take this relationship forward,” he said. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, in a letter to Mr. Biden, said, “Like millions around the world, the Indian people have followed with great interest the course of the election during the last 12 months. We were greatly re-assured by your measured speeches, stress on healing divisions among the people, and promotion of gender and racial equality, global co-operation and sustainable development of all countries. The Indian people share these concerns and we are confident that India and the United States will continue to work together, as in the past decades, for the welfare of the people of both countries”. In a tweet, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami expressed joy over Ms. Harris becoming the first woman to be elected as Vice-President of the US following her “astounding victory.” “My heartfelt congratulations to @JoeBiden who has been elected as the 46th president of United States,” he said. “I’m extremely glad that @KamalaHarris is the first woman to be elected as the Vice President of US. She has made Tamil Nadu proud with this astounding victory. BidenHarris2020“,” he added. Kamala Harris may speak out on human rights issues in India: Uncle Kamala Harris will speak out on issues that are important to her, said the [maternal uncle of the Vice-President-elect of the United States](. Speaking to The Hindu, G. Balachandran, policy commentator and technology expert said that Ms. Harris was raised by her mother Shyamala Gopalan Harris who participated in the civil rights movement in the 1960s and she may choose to speak out on human rights related issues in India. Mr. Balachandran has worked in Chennai as The Hindu’s Development Correspondent, between 1978 and 1984. "She will speak out if she is moved by something. You may not want her to say that but she will say, 'I am sorry but I will have to say this'," said Mr. Balachandran. He pointed out that Ms. Harris would not keep quiet if she finds something happening in India that she disagrees with. The Biden-Harris campaign had maintained that India should restore civil and political rights in Kashmir and Ms. Harris had indicated her disapproval after August 5, 2019 decision on ending the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. When asked about the issue, Ms. Harris had said last year, "We are all watching". "Do not think that just because India has done something, she would keep quiet on that. She has spoken on issues like Kashmir earlier," Mr Balachander reminded. On fourth anniversary of demonetisation, PM lists benefits On the fourth anniversary of [demonetisation](, Prime Minister [Narendra Modi on Sunday said it has helped reduce black money, increase tax compliance and formalisation, and given a boost to transparency](. On November 8, 2016, Prime Minister [Modi announced the decision to ban all currency notes of higher denomination of ₹500 and ₹1,000 from midnight](. Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister Modi listed the beneficial outcomes of demonetisation. [Farmers wait in a queue in front of a State Bank of India branch to withdraw money at Kodamanchili, West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh on December 20, 2016. ]Farmers wait in a queue in front of a State Bank of India branch to withdraw money at Kodamanchili, West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh on December 20, 2016. “Demonetisation has helped reduce black money, increase tax compliance and formalisation and given a boost to transparency,” he tweeted. “These outcomes have been greatly beneficial towards national progress,” Mr. Modi said on Twitter using the hashtag ‘DeMolishingCorruption’ Along with his tweet, the Prime Minister also shared a graphic on how demonetisation has ensured better tax compliance, improved tax and GDP ratio, made India a lesser cash based economy and gave a boost to national security. My life is danger, please tell courts to help: Arnab Goswami Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami along with two of the co-accused in the case of abetment to suicide has been [shifted to Taloja Central Jail in Navi Mumbai](by jail officials citing security reasons. Mr. Goswami who was arrested on November 4 has been in judicial custody since then and was lodged in the Alibag jail-quarantine centre which is a school run by the Alibag Municipal Council. “The shifting decision was by jail authorities. On Monday, we have a hearing on our revision petition before Alibag sessions court and if we are granted police custody, he will have to be brought back,” Raigad Superintendent of Police Ashok Dudhe said. [A police van carrying Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami leaves for Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai on November 8, 2020. Photo: Special Arrangement]A police van carrying Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami leaves for Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai on November 8, 2020. Photo: Special Arrangement After reaching near Taloja jail when he saw media persons, Mr. Goswami started shouting, “I am not allowed to speak to my lawyers, my life is under threat. My life is in danger, please tell the courts to help me.” Groups of people against Mr. Goswami and in support of him had reached outside Taloja jail shouting slogans. No progress in India-China Corps Commander talks At the [eighth round of India-China Corps Commander talks]( on Friday the two sides had a “candid, in-depth and constructive exchange of views” on disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and agreed to continue the talks, a joint statement issued on Sunday said. With no breakthrough in talks, the standoff in its seventh month now is set to continue into the winter for which both sides have made preparations. “Both sides agreed to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, ensure their frontline troops to exercise restraint and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation,” the statement said. “Open” to SC to initiate suo motu contempt against Jagan: AG [Attorney General K.K. Venugopal has said]( it is “open” for the Supreme Court to initiate suo motu contempt proceedings against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy for his letter on October 6 to the Chief Justice of India containing allegations against sitting Supreme Court judge Justice N.V. Ramana. “The very crux of the alleged contempt lies in the contents of the letter written by Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to the Chief Justice of India, and thus it is open to the Supreme Court to take up the matter of contempt suo motu as provided by the Contempt of Courts Act, and the rules made there under,” Mr. Venugopal wrote to Supreme Court advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay on November 7. Mr. Venugopal was replying to Mr. Upadhyay’s request to reconsider his earlier refusal to permit contempt action against Mr. Reddy. The AG stood by his decision, reiterating that that the CJI was already “seized of the matter” and it would be inappropriate on his part to grant consent and “preclude the determination of the Chief Justice of India” in the issue. Covid watch: Numbers and Developments The [number of coronavirus cases reported from India]( stands at 85,39,128 at the time of writing this newsletter with the death toll at 1,26,542. In Brief: [Three soldiers and a BSF jawan and three militants were killed]( in an ongoing gunfight close to the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir’s Kupwara. “About 1 a.m., a BSF patrol noticed suspicious movement near the Anti-Infiltration Obstacle System (AIOS) near a fence, about 3.5 km away from the LoC. A firefight ensued in which one terrorist was killed. A BSF soldier was also killed in action,” an Army spokesman said. The firefight stopped at 4 a.m., as more troops were rushed to the area for sanitisation. 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