| 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. Government invites farmers for talks again A day after farmer unions rejected the government's talks offer, the Union government on Thursday reiterated its commitment to finding a solution to all the issues raised by the agitating farmers and invited them again for talks. Agriculture Ministry Joint Secretary and CEO of PM-KISAN Vivek Aggarwal, in a three-page letter to the unions, said the government was always ready to discuss the issues with an open-mind. Seeking a new date for talks, the letter demanded to know the details of the issues the unions wanted to discuss. "The government of India again wants to repeat its commitment that it is eager to discuss and find solution to all the issues raised by the farmer unions," read the letter. PM's charge a travesty of truth: Opposition Opposition parties today issued a joint statement describing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's allegations against them of "spreading lies" on the farm laws as a "travesty of truth". They also said that the Opposition parties had no role in the protests and the protesters have come together on their own. The signatories to a joint statement included former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar, chairperson of People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration Farooq Abdullah, DMK leader T.R. Baalu, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general secretary D. Raja, CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, All India Forward Bloc leader Debabrata Biswas, and Revolutionary Socialist Party leader Manoj Bhattacharya. The Opposition parties said that they have only expressed solidarity with the protesting farmers and that the call for this ongoing historic struggle was given by more than 500 kisan organisations from all over the country under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha [SKM]. The parties said the "unity, grit and determination" shown by lakhs of farmers in the midst of a severe cold wave was a testimony to the fact that farmers across the country had risen in opposition to the farm laws. So far, 32 farmers have lost their lives in this agitation, the parties stated. "Amongst the many unsubstantiated accusations made, one of them is that those who spoke of agrarian reforms in election manifestos earlier are now opposing. Yes, we are for reforms, but what sort of reforms? Opposition parties seek reforms to strengthen Indian agriculture; enhance the prosperity of our farmers; and ensure continued food security for our people and the country. The present farm laws undermine these very objectives," the statement said. No democracy in India, says Rahul Gandhi Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that there was "no democracy" in India, after a delegation of Congress leaders were stopped from going to the Rashtrapati Bhavan and handing over a memorandum seeking repeal of the three farm laws. Only a three-member delegation, comprising Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress Leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and Gandhi were allowed to submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind.  Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addresses the media after the party's delegation met President Ram Nath Kovind, in New Delhi on December 24, 2020. Other leaders, including party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were detained and taken to the Mandir Marg police station. Speaking to reporters after submitting the memorandum, Gandhi asked for a joint session of Parliament to repeal the laws and asserted that farmers won't go back until their demands are met. "I want to tell the Prime Minister that these farmers will not move. The Prime Minister shouldn't think that these farmers would go back home. They won't until their demands are met. Call a joint session and take back the laws," he said. All the Opposition parties were firmly behind farmers, he added. Kejriwal in contempt of Rajya Sabha over farm laws speech: Sonal Mansingh Rajya Sabha MP Sonal Mansingh has moved a motion of privilege against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, alleging that he had breached the privilege of the Upper House and Chairperson M. Venkaiah Naidu by claiming in his speech in the Delhi Assembly that the farm laws were cleared by the Rajya Sabha without voting. Sources in Rajya Sabha said the notice was sent on Wednesday. While on the whole it is assumed that speech inside a House of Legislature is protected, sources in the Upper House said it may not always be so. Sources cited a decision made during a conference of Speakers and presiding officers in 1955, that "a motion of breach of privilege can be moved against another House." India challenges Vodafone arbitration award in Singapore India has challenged in Singapore an international arbitration court's verdict against it over a $2 billion tax claim involving Vodafone Group Plc, a senior government official has told Reuters. Vodafone had in September won the case against India, ending one of the most high-profile disputes in the country, and causing concern among investors over retrospective tax claims on companies. An international arbitration tribunal in The Hague had ruled that India's imposition of a tax liability on Vodafone was in breach of an investment treaty agreement between India and the Netherlands. India had 90 days to appeal the ruling. India lost another international arbitration case this week against Cairn Energy, over a tax dispute. It has been ordered to pay the UK-listed company over $1.2 billion in damages and costs. India is expected to challenge this ruling too, given the size of the award, said the senior government official. Pak court orders man charged in Daniel Pearl killing to be freed A provincial court in Pakistan on Thursday ordered the man charged in the 2002 murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl freed, his defense lawyer said. The Sindh High Court's order overturns a Supreme Court decision that Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh should remain in custody while an appeal against his acquittal is heard, said Mehmood A. Sheikh, his lawyer. He called for Sheikh, who is no relation, to be released immediately.  Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the alleged mastermind behind Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl's abduction. File The Sindh High Court earlier this year had overturned the murder charge and ordered Sheikh freed. Pearl's family has appealed the acquittal, as has the Pakistan government. The Supreme Court is hearing the appeal and will resume its hearing on January 5. BCCI governing body approves 10 teams for 2022 IPL The BCCI's governing body, during its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Ahmedabad on Thursday ratified the entry of two new franchises in the IPL to make it a 10-team affair from 2022. In another major development, the Board, in principle, decided to back the ICC's bid for the inclusion of cricket, in the T20 format, in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics "after getting some clarifications from the International Olympic Committee". Also, it was decided that all first-class players, both men and women, will be suitably compensated for the curtailed domestic season. The domestic season had to be curtailed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. After several months' delay, the BCCI plans to get the domestic season underway in January with the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 championship. It was also learnt that the general body decided in favour of Sourav Ganguly continuing as a director in the ICC Board. Secretary Jay Shah will be the alternate director as well as India's representative at the Chief Executive Committee meets of the global body. Covid Watch: Numbers and Developments The number of reported coronavirus cases from India stood at 1,01,40,086 at the time of publishing this newsletter, with the death toll at 1,46,781. In a U-turn, the Karnataka government on Thursday evening announced the withdrawal of its earlier order imposing night curfew between December 24 and January 1 amid fears of a mutated strain of coronavirus. Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa said that the decision to withdraw the order was taken following public opinion that night curfew was unwarranted. He urged everyone to follow Covid-19-related rules and protocols strictly. Meanwhile, in the wake of the detection of a new Covid-19 variant in the U.K., Goa health authorities are trying to track down 602 people who had arrived in the state from Britain and the UAE post-December 9, an official said. Most of the people who arrived from these two places are thought to be in the Cansualim area of South Goa district, predominantly a beach destination.  Representational image In another development, a parliamentary panel has recommended that athletes going for Olympics 2021 and their support staff, including the coaches, should be put in the priority group for Covid-19 vaccination. The Standing Committee on "Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports", headed by BJP MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, in its report on "Preparation of Olympic-2021" submitted to Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday also recommended bio-bubbles for the teams going to the Olympics. The committee noted that the extended lockdown and travel restrictions had meant that sportspersons had lost international and even national competition exposure. "The Department and National Sports Federations must ensure that players get an opportunity to play maximum international tournaments before the 2021 Olympic Games," it stated. In Brief: Days after Governor Arif Mohammed Khan refused to allow a special Assembly session, the Kerala cabinet today decided to recommend to him once more to convene a one-day session to discuss so that it could pass a resolution against the three central agricultural laws, PTI reported. Instead of the special session earlier, the cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, decided to recommend to the Governor to convene the 21st session of the 14th Kerala Legislative Assembly on December 31 to discuss the farmers' issue. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. | 
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