Morning Filter: Modi to inaugurate Indian Science Congress

1. Modi to inaugurate Indian Science Congress virtually today Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate through video conferencing the 108th edition of the Indian Science Congress which is meeting on Tuesday after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The five-day 108th session of ISC will take place at Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, which is celebrating its centenary this year. This is perhaps the first time in nearly two decades that the Prime Minister will not be physically present at the gathering of top scientists from across the spectrum, apparently due to his packed schedule. 2. Microsoft-Activision acquisition case pre-trial hearing set for Jan. 3 A judge has set Jan.3 for the first pre-trial hearing in the Biden administration’s case against Microsoft’s $69 billion bid to take over Activision Blizzard, the maker of the popular game, “Call of Duty”. Earlier this month, the Federal Trade Commission, which enforces antitrust law, asked a judge to block the transaction arguing that it would allow Microsoft’s Xbox to get exclusive access to Activision games leaving consoles from Sony and Nintendo without access to popular titles like “Call of Duty”. 3. Indian Bank hikes lending rates by up to 25 bps State-owned Indian Bank on Monday increased lending rates, including the marginal cost of funds-based lending rates (MCLR), by up to 25 basis points. The new rates are effective from January 3, Indian Bank said in a regulatory filing. 4. Pelé funeral: Fans line up to mourn Brazilian soccer great Fans lined up early on Monday outside the Vila Belmiro Stadium ahead of Pelé’s funeral in his hometown of Santos. The Brazilian soccer great died Thursday after a battle with cancer. He was 82. Pelé scored scored some of the best goals of his career at the 16,000-seat stadium outside Sao Paulo. His funeral is scheduled start at 10 am local time, and the burial will take place in a vertical cemetery on Tuesday. 5. President Murmu to visit Rajasthan from Jan 3-4 President Droupadi Murmu will be on a two-day visit to Rajasthan from Tuesday where she will inaugurate a constitution park at Raj Bhavan and will also meet members of tribal communities. The president will inaugurate Samvidhan Udyan at Raj Bhavan, Jaipur on Tuesday, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a statement on Monday. She will also virtually inaugurate the transmission system for solar energy zones in Rajasthan and lay the foundation stone for 1,000 MW Bikaner solar power project. 6. China’s approach to India same as Russia’s to Ukraine: Rahul Gandhi Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said China is adopting the same principle with India as Russia is with Ukraine, as it is threatening to alter India’s boundaries. He also claimed that the Sino-Indian border conflict has a link with a weak economy, a confused nation without any vision, hatred, anger and the Chinese sitting in Indian territory. 7. Bharat Jodo Yatra: Delhi to face heavy traffic on Tuesday, police issue advisory Delhi Police on Monday issued a traffic advisory for Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra which will start from the central part of the city and enter Uttar Pradesh crossing the Loni border. According to the advisory, the Congress Yatra will resume around 10 am on Tuesday from Marghat Wale Baba, Hanuman Mandir, near Red Fort and reach Loni Border around 12 pm. The Yatra will travel via the Iron Bridge-Shastri Park Metro Station, Old GT Road, Furniture Market, Ansari Road, Maujpur, Babarpur, Wazirabad Road, and Gokulpuri Police Station to reach the Loni roundabout. 8. SC refuses to entertain plea seeking SOP for ensuring safety of Indians travelling to foreign countries The Supreme Court refused to entertain a plea of a man, who was earlier detained “illegally” in the UAE over mistaken identity, seeking framing of guidelines to ensure the safety of Indians in foreign countries. Refusing to lay down standard operating procedures for Indians’ safety in offshore nations, a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha, however, acknowledged the ordeal of detention faced by Noida-based businessman Praveen Kumar. 9. Mission 2024: Indian T20 team under new skipper Hardik prepares for life without ‘big three’ Hardik Pandya will be expected to begin his full-time T20 captaincy tenure on a bold note as the Indian T20 team prepares to start its life beyond Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul with the three match series against Sri Lanka, beginning on Tuesday. The followers of Indian cricket got more than glimpse of Hardik’s vision for the team when led the team to victory in the rain-hit T20 series in New Zealand. [logo] The Morning Filter 03 JANUARY 2023 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Morning Filter newsletter, your guide from The Hindu on the major news stories and events to follow today. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Here are the latest updates and the big news stories to follow today 1. Modi to inaugurate Indian Science Congress virtually today Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate through video conferencing the [108th edition of the Indian Science Congress]( which is meeting on Tuesday after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The five-day 108th session of ISC will take place at Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, which is celebrating its centenary this year. This is perhaps the first time in nearly two decades that the Prime Minister will not be physically present at the gathering of top scientists from across the spectrum, apparently due to his packed schedule. 2. Microsoft-Activision acquisition case pre-trial hearing set for Jan. 3 A judge has set Jan.3 for the first pre-trial hearing in the Biden administration’s case against [Microsoft’s $69 billion bid]( take over Activision Blizzard, the maker of the popular game, “Call of Duty”. Earlier this month, the Federal Trade Commission, which enforces antitrust law, asked a judge to block the transaction arguing that it would allow Microsoft’s Xbox to get exclusive access to Activision games leaving consoles from Sony and Nintendo without access to popular titles like “Call of Duty”. 3. Indian Bank hikes lending rates by up to 25 bps State-owned Indian Bank on Monday increased lending rates, including the marginal cost of funds-based lending rates (MCLR), by up to 25 basis points. The new rates are effective from January 3, Indian Bank said in a regulatory filing. 4. Pelé funeral: Fans line up to mourn Brazilian soccer great Fans lined up early on Monday outside the Vila Belmiro Stadium ahead of [Pelé’s funeral]( in his hometown of Santos. The Brazilian soccer great died Thursday after a battle with cancer. He was 82. Pelé scored scored some of the best goals of his career at the 16,000-seat stadium outside Sao Paulo. His funeral is scheduled start at 10 am local time, and the burial will take place in a vertical cemetery on Tuesday. 5. President Murmu to visit Rajasthan from Jan 3-4 President Droupadi Murmu will be on a two-day visit to Rajasthan from Tuesday where she will inaugurate a constitution park at Raj Bhavan and will also meet members of tribal communities. The president will inaugurate Samvidhan Udyan at Raj Bhavan, Jaipur on Tuesday, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a statement on Monday. She will also virtually inaugurate the transmission system for solar energy zones in Rajasthan and lay the foundation stone for 1,000 MW Bikaner solar power project. 6. China’s approach to India same as Russia’s to Ukraine: Rahul Gandhi [Congress leader Rahul Gandhi] Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said China is adopting the same principle with India as Russia is with Ukraine, as it is threatening to alter India’s boundaries. He also claimed that the Sino-Indian border conflict has a link with a weak economy, a confused nation without any vision, hatred, anger and the Chinese sitting in Indian territory. 7. Bharat Jodo Yatra: Delhi to face heavy traffic on Tuesday, police issue advisory [Congress leader Rahul Gandhi] Delhi Police on Monday issued a traffic advisory for [Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra]( which will start from the central part of the city and enter Uttar Pradesh crossing the Loni border. According to the advisory, the Congress Yatra will resume around 10 am on Tuesday from Marghat Wale Baba, Hanuman Mandir, near Red Fort and reach Loni Border around 12 pm. The Yatra will travel via the Iron Bridge-Shastri Park Metro Station, Old GT Road, Furniture Market, Ansari Road, Maujpur, Babarpur, Wazirabad Road, and Gokulpuri Police Station to reach the Loni roundabout. 8. SC refuses to entertain plea seeking SOP for ensuring safety of Indians travelling to foreign countries The Supreme Court refused to entertain a plea of a man, who was earlier detained “illegally” in the UAE over mistaken identity, seeking framing of guidelines to ensure the safety of Indians in foreign countries. Refusing to lay down standard operating procedures for Indians’ safety in offshore nations, a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha, however, acknowledged the ordeal of detention faced by Noida-based businessman Praveen Kumar. 9. Mission 2024: Indian T20 team under new skipper Hardik prepares for life without ‘big three’ Hardik Pandya will be expected to begin his full-time T20 captaincy tenure on a bold note as the Indian T20 team prepares to start its life beyond Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul with the three match series against Sri Lanka, beginning on Tuesday. The followers of Indian cricket got more than glimpse of Hardik’s vision for the team when led the team to victory in the rain-hit T20 series in New Zealand. Interested in Science? Our "Science For All" weekly newsletter takes the jargon out of science and puts the fun in! 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