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Thu, 30 July 2020
Deputy secy in PMO appointed as Modi's PS

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23:43   Deputy secy in PMO appointed as Modi's PS
Indian Administrative Service officer Hardik Satishchandra Shah has been appointed the private secretary (PS) to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a personnel ministry order issued on Thursday.

Shah, a 2010-batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre, is currently serving as a Deputy Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

He has been appointed as the PS to the prime minister on co-terminus basis, the order said.

Before moving to the PMO last year, he worked as the PS to Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Prakash Javadekar.   -- PTI
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23:14   Govt puts import restrictions on colour TV
The government on Thursday imposed restrictions on imports of colour television, a move aimed at promoting domestic manufacturing and cut inbound shipments of non-essential items from countries like China.    

"Import policy of colour television.....is amended from free to restricted," Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification.

Putting an item under a restricted category of imports means the importer of that commodity will have to seek licence from the commerce ministry's DGFT for imports.

China is the largest exporter of TV sets in India. It was followed by countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, and Germany.   -- PTI
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22:16   Record 11,147 Covid cases reported in Maha
Maharashtra reported a highest one-day spike of 11,147 new cases on Thursday which took the number of coronavirus cases in the state to 4,11,798.

266 coronavirus patients died in the state, taking the death toll due to the viral infection to14,729, a release from the Maharashtra health department said.

On the other hand, 8,860 patients were discharged from hospitals during the day, taking the total of recovered cases in the state to 2,48,615.

The recovery rate in the state is now 60.37 per cent while the case fatality rate is 3.58 per cent.

The number of people tested in the state so far is 20,70,128. There are 1,48,454 active cases.

Mumbai reported 1,208 cases on Thursday while the larger Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR -- Mumbai and surrounding areas) accounted for 3,499 cases.

Of 266 deaths during the day, 96 were reported from the MMR, including 53 from Mumbai. The financial capital of the country has recorded 1,13,199 coronavirus cases and 6,300 deaths so far.

The MMR has recorded 2,36,422 cases and 9,510 deaths.

Pune city recorded 1,889 new cases on Thursday while Pimpri-Chinchwad belt recorded 987 new cases.

There were 166 new coronavirus cases in Sangli-Miraj- Kupwad municipal corporation limits, Nagpur city reported 195 new cases, Amravati city 148 cases, Solapur city 97 cases, Nashik city 319, Ahmednagar city 210.

Maharashtra's coronavirus figures are as follows: Total cases 4,11,798, New cases 11,147, Deaths 14,729, Recoveries 2,48,615, Active cases 1,48,454, People tested so far 20,70,128.   --  PTI
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21:34   Sonia Gandhi admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital
Congress president Sonia Gandhi was admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on Thursday for routine tests, hospital authorities said.

She was admitted to the private facility here at 7 pm for 'routine tests and investigations', the hospital said in a health bulletin.

"Her condition is currently stable," Dr D S Rana, the chairman of the Board of Management of the hospital, was quoted as saying in the bulletin.   -- PTI
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20:59   Rhea's plea in SC: Bihar govt files caveat
Bihar government on Thursday filed a caveat in the Supreme Court seeking that it be heard before any order is passed on the plea of actor Rhea Chakraborty seeking transfer of a first information report lodged against her in Patna in connection with the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

The Bihar government moved the top court, hours after a similar caveat was moved by Rajput's father.

Caveat is a type of petition filed to pre-empt any ex parte order by the court on the plea filed by opposite side.

The caveat filed through Bihar government counsel Keshav Mohan seeks to be heard before any order is passed on the plea of Chakraborty, who has sought transfer of the FIR, lodged by Rajput's father in Patna to Mumbai.

Rajput, aged 34, was found hanging from the ceiling of his apartment in suburban Bandra in Mumbai on June 14 and since then the Mumbai police has been probing the case keeping in mind various angles.

Rhea moved the top court on Wednesday seeking transfer of an FIR from Patna to Mumbai, which is being investigated by the Bihar police on the allegations of Rajput's father that she abetted 'suicide' of his actor son.

"Let nothing be done in the above matter without prior notice to the undersigned" Rajput's father Krishna Kishore Singh said in his caveat filed through lawyer Nitin Saluja.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, who is the family lawyer of the late actor, had said on Wednesday that Bollywood actress Rhea Chakraborty's plea in the Supreme Court seeking transfer of an FIR from Patna indicates that 'somebody in Mumbai police was helping her'.   -- PTI
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20:47   Riot cases: L-G overturns Delhi Cabinet's decision on lawyers panel
Lt Governor (LG) Anil Baijal has overturned the Aam Aadmi Party government's decision to reject the Delhi Police's panel of lawyers to argue in the Supreme Court and the high court the cases related to the February riots in the city, an official statement said on Thursday.

The government said that according to the Constitution, it was bound to implement the lieutenant governor's order.

The L-G has directed the Home department to grant approval to the Delhi Police's proposed panel of lawyers, the statement said.

The L-G's office, however, did not react to the statement.

On Tuesday, the Delhi Cabinet, in its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, had rejected the panel of lawyers proposed by the Delhi Police, saying it would not help a 'free and fair' trial of the cases related to the riots in north-east Delhi.   -- PTI
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20:13   Disengagement at LAC not yet complete: MEA
India on Thursday said the process for disengagement of troops in eastern Ladakh has not yet been completed though some progress was made, an assertion that came two days after China claimed frontline troops of the two countries have 'completed' this exercise at most locations along their border. 

China had also said that the situation on the ground was easing.

"There has been some progress made towards this objective but the disengagement process has yet not been completed," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava told an online media briefing when asked about the Chinese claim on Tuesday.

He also said the senior commanders of the two militaries will be meeting in the 'near future' to work out steps to complete the process of disengagement.    

"As we have stated earlier, the maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas is the basis of our bilateral relationship," Srivastava said.    

"Therefore, we expect that the Chinese side will sincerely work with us for complete disengagement and de-escalation and full restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas at the earliest as agreed to by the Special Representatives," he added.   -- PTI
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19:50   Sushant case: Bihar cops visit Rhea's home
The visiting Bihar police team on Thursday started the process of scrutinising financial transactions and bank account details of actor Sushant Singh Rajput as part of their probe into his alleged suicide in Mumbai last month, a Mumbai police official said.

The Bihar police team, which arrived in Mumbai on Wednesday, visited several places, including the residence of Rajput's friend, actress Rhea Chakraborty, who is facing 'abetment to suicide' charge in a Patna first information report, but did not find her at home, said the Mumbai Crime Branch official.

According to the official, the Bihar police started looking into financial transactions of Rajput, who was found hanging in his suburban Bandra apartment on June 14.

As part of the process, the four-member team visited a Bandra-based bank where the 34-year-old actor had an account, he said.

The Bihar cops are also looking into evidence collected so far by the Mumbai police and statements recorded by them, he said.

They are expected to question some people linked to Rajput, including his ex-girlfriend, actress Ankita Lokhande, the official said.

The Bihar Police team landed in Mumbai to probe an 'abetment to suicide' case registered against Chakraborty and others in connection with the death of Rajput.

Krishna Kumar Singh, 74, Rajput's father, lodged a complaint against Chakraborty, the deceased actor's friend, and six others, including her family members, for alleged abetment to suicide, in Patna on Tuesday.

The Mumbai police who are already investigating the alleged suicide have questioned several people from the film industry in connection with the case.

The Patna case was registered under various Indian Penal Code Sections including 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 380 (theft in dwelling house), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating) and 306 (abetment of suicide).

Singh accused Chakraborty, a budding TV and film actor, of having befriended his son in May 2019 with the intention of furthering her own career.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Minister of State for Home Shambhuraj Desai on Thursday said the Bihar police did not follow established protocols.

"The Mumbai police have registered a case... from day one we are investigating it," he said.

"Whenever a police team from a state visits another state for investigation, there are some protocols which are tobe followed.. these were not followed," Desai told a news channel in Mumbai.

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had on Wednesday ruled out a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the death of Rajput.

"The Mumbai police are investigating the case and there is no question of the case being handed over to the CBI," Deshmukh had said.   -- PTI
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19:14   Horsetrading 'rates' have increased: Gehlot
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday claimed that the 'rates of horse trading' in the state have increased after it was announced that the Assembly session would begin from August 14.

After the assembly session was announced last night, the rates of horse trading have increased.

Earlier, the first instalment was of Rs 10 crore and second was of Rs 15 crore.

Now it has become unlimited and all know who is doing horse trading, Gehlot told reporters.

Targeting Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati for her statements against him, Gehlot accused the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister of acting at the behest of the BJP.

Her complaining is not justified, Gehlot said.

The deadlock over convening the Rajasthan Assembly ended on Wednesday with Governor Kalraj Mishra agreeing to call a session from August 14.

The Raj Bhawan announcement came a couple of hours after the Ashok Gehlot Cabinet sent a fourth proposal to the Governor for summoning the Rajasthan Assembly, mentioning August 14 as the new date.   -- PTI
Rajasthan Speaker C P Joshi
Rajasthan Speaker C P Joshi
18:43   Now, HC notice to Raj Speaker, 6 ex-BSP MLAs
The Rajasthan high court on Thursday issued notices to the speaker and secretary of the state legislative assembly and six MLAs, who contested elections on Bahujan Samaj Party tickets and then defected to the Congress.

The court issued the notices while hearing the writ petitions filed by the BSP and Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Madan Dilawar against the six lawmakers defecting to the Congress.

"The notices have been issued to the speaker and secretary of the Assembly and six MLAs. They have to submit their replies by August 11," a counsel for Dilawar told reporters in Jaipur.

In his petition, Dilawar has also challenged the speaker's July 24 decision to reject his complaint filed in March against the BSP MLAs joining the Congress.

The bench of Justice Mahendra Kumar Goyal issued the notices while hearing the petitions.

Separate notices have been issued on the petitions.

The court heard the arguments on Wednesday, which remained inconclusive, and the hearing resumed on Thursday.

The next hearing in the matter is on August 11.

The merger of the BSP MLAs with the Congress was a boost for the Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan government as the tally of the ruling party increased to 107 in the 200-member House.   -- PTI
A 98-year-old patient recovers from Covid
A 98-year-old patient recovers from Covid
17:15   10L patients recovered from Covid in India: Govt
Update: Even as COVID-19 cases continue to surge in various parts of India, more than 1 million people have recovered and discharged till now, informed Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Ministry of Health, here on Thursday.

"More than 1 million people have recovered from COVID-19 in the country. This landmark recovery has been achieved because of the selfless work and dedication of our doctors, nurses and frontline workers," Bhushan said at a press conference.

Giving the number of cured persons, Bhushan said, "More than 1,020,000 patients have recovered. They have been discharged. It is a great achievement."

He said, "The recovery rate has shown positive trends. It was 7.85 per cent in April and today it is 64.4 per cent, which is another heartening news which tells us that whatever battle is put by the Union government in collaboration with state governments is showing results.

"Sixteen states of the country have a recovery rate that is more than the national average. Of these, Delhi has a recovery rate of 88 per cent, Ladakh 80 per cent, Haryana 78 per cent, Assam 76 per cent, Telangana 74 per cent, Tamil Nadu & Gujarat 73 per cent, Rajasthan 70 per cent, Madhya Pradesh 69 per cent and Goa 68 per cent," Bhushan said.
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17:06   'Covid vaccine has to be given on immense scale'
Union Health ministry updates: R Bhushan, Secretary, Ministry of Health holds the presser on the covid pandemic. "The case fatality rate in India today is 2.21% and it's among the lowest in the world. 24 States and Union Territories  have lesser fatality rate than that of the country.

Herd immunity in a country of the size and population of India can't be a strategic option. It can only be achieved through immunisation. Health Ministry thinks it's possible in future but for now we've to follow COVID appropriate behaviour.

Over 1,81,90,000 tests have been conducted in the country including RT-PCR and rapid antigen tests. There has been week on week increase in the average tests per day. India is conducting 324 tests per 10 lakh population per day.

"Three vaccine candidates are in phase 3 clinical trial. These 3 are in US, UK & China. In India, 2 indigenously developed vaccine candidates are in phase 1 & 2 clinical trials. Trial of 1st vaccine involves 1150 subjects at 8 sites, 2nd on 1000 subjects at 5 sites: 

"There are multiple stakeholders within and outside Govt and Ministry of Health has started actively engaging with such stakeholders," Health Ministry on 'has there been a discussion of prioritising how a vaccine would be distributed or administered if and when it becomes available.

"COVID19 vaccine, whenever it comes will have to be administered on a much larger scale compared to the existing vaccines. This is something on which there is near unanimity," he said.
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16:44   Delhi HC stays jail sentence to Jaya Jaitley
The Delhi High Court suspends the jail sentence awarded to Jaya Jaitley by a trail court in a 2000-01 corruption case. She had moved the HC earlier today after she was sentenced to four years in prison. 

The former Samata Party President Jaya Jaitley and two others were on Thursday sentenced to four years in prison by a special court in Delhi in connection with a corruption case related to a 2001 defence deal, a lawyer said.

Special CBI Judge Virender Bhat directed the three convicts -- Jaitley, her former party colleague Gopal Pacherwal and Major General (retired) SP Murgai -- to surrender before it by 5 pm today and also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each, said advocate Vikram Panwar, the lawyer for of one of the convicts.

On July 21, the court had convicted Jaitly, her erstwhile party colleague Gopal Pacherwal and retired Major General SP Murgai under charges of dealing with criminal conspiracy of the IPC and Section 9 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

The court noted that Jaitley received a sum of Rs 2 lakhs through accused Gopal Pacherwal from a prosecution witness as a motive reward for agreeing to accomplish the task given to her, which was to exert personal influence upon the concerned ministers and officers in pushing the product of the company of witness into the Indian Army.
Congress leader Saifuddin Soz. File pic
Congress leader Saifuddin Soz. File pic
16:41   Saifuddin Soz to sue J-K govt for 'unlawful house arrest'
Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Saifuddin Soz on Thursday said he would sue the government for his "unlawful house arrest" since August 5 last year, when the Centre revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, and termed the government's response in the Supreme Court that he was not under detention as "falsehood". 

"I take a strong exception to the government stand before the Supreme Court that I had neither been put under house arrest nor had any restrictions been imposed on me since August 5, 2019," Soz said in a statement. 

He said the government has resorted to "falsehood as it had unlawfully incarcerated me since August 5, 2019". "All this while, I was not allowed to move out of my premises. I left my premises twice, when I had to visit my ailing sister and I went to Delhi on 17th September, 2019 to 21st September, 2019 and 15th December, 2019 to 21st December, 2019 for seeking medical advice. Whenever I went out of my premises since August 5, 2019, I had to obtain permission from the government," he said. 

The former Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president added that he has decided to sue the government for his "unlawful" house arrest. 


"I have decided to sue the government for my unlawful house arrest since August 5, 2019. I will further sue the government for compensation for the incarceration and illegal suspension of civil liberties to which I am entitled under the Constitution," he said.

In an affidavit before the Supreme Court, the Jammu and Kashmir administration had said Soz was "never detained nor under house arrest" and there are "no restrictions on his movement subject to security clearance". 

The government's affidavit came in response to a petition by Soz's wife, seeking her husband's release from "illegal detention" and to be brought before the court. -- PTI
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File pic
16:25   Saffron cloth found tied to railing near Annadurai's statue
A saffron cloth was found tied in the railing surrounding the statue of Dravidian stalwart, the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C N Annadurai in this district on Thursday, prompting angry responses from political parties including the ruling AIADMK and DMK. Some litter was also reportedly found there. Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam slammed the "insult" and warned the government will take strict action against those desecrating statues of leaders.  

"I strongly condemn the insult to the statue of Anna by miscreants who had also tied a saffron cloth. The Amma government will take stringent action against those insulting leaders and affecting law and order and disrupting social harmony," Panneerselvam, also AIADMK Coordinator, said in a tweet.
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16:19   Delhi's Covid recovery rate 88%; highest in India
Union Health Ministry briefs the media in Delhi, over the Covid situation. "The recovery rate has shown positive trends. It was 7.85% in April and today it is 64.4%," says Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Ministry of Health. "More than 1 million people have recovered from Covid in the country. This landmark recovery has been achieved because of the selfless work and dedication of our doctors, nurses and frontline workers.

"16 states of the country have a recovery rate that is more than the national average. Of these, Delhi has recovery rate of 88%, Ladakh 80%, Haryana 78%, Assam 76%, Telangana 74%, Tamil Nadu & Gujarat 73%, Rajasthan 70%, MP 69% and Goa 68%."
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16:11   3 Assam Rifles personnel killed in Manipur
Three Assam Rifles personnel have been killed and six others injured in an attack by suspected militants in Manipur's Chandel district, Army sources said. The miscreants carried out an IED explosion and opened fire at the Assam Rifles personnel, when they were patrolling the Khongtal area in Chandel, near the India-Myanmar border, around 6.30 pm on Wednesday, official sources said. The bodies of three deceased jawans have been sent to Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) Hospital, Imphal, for post mortem. The injured have been shifted to a military hospital in Manipur's Kangpokpi district, the sources said. No outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack. Security forces, however, suspect the involvement of banned outfit People's Liberation Army in the attack. PTI
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15:50   Pak-trained terrorists may attack Ayodhya: Intel
After failing to target the public in Jammu and Kashmir on Eid-ul-Fitr in May, Taliban terrorists who were trained by Pakistan Army's Special Service Group in Jalalabad, Afghanistan are now planning attacks in some parts of India on the anniversary of abrogation of Article 370 on August 5 and the occasion of commencement of the construction of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya.

According to the latest intelligence input, which is a compilation of multiple information received in the last few weeks, terrorists have planned attacks on Independence Day (August 15) as well.

After the detailed advisory by the Intelligence agency, security in Ayodhya, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir have been tightened. Advisory says that "around 20 Taliban members were being trained by Pakistan Army, SSG in a location in Jalalabad, to undertake an attack in Jammu and Kashmir after Eid-ul-Fitr, possibly between May 26 and May 29, 2020, however, terrorists could not execute the attack due to adequate alertness of security forces.

"The input also says that Pakistan Army would facilitate the infiltration of 20-25 these trained cadres through International border/Line of Control (along J&K) and five to six such cadres through India-Nepal border.

Security agencies have assessed that the attack would coincide to mark the anniversary of abrogation of Article 370 on August 5 or during the Independence Day celebration on August 15. 

Terrorist attacks on the occasion of commencement of construction of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya on August 5 also cannot be ruled out, they said.

Terrorists are planning to carry out attacks on August 5 or 15, 2020 and keeping in view of sensitivity, troops have been asked to be more cautious and alert to thwart such incidents. -- ANI
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15:42   Gehlot tells MLAs to stay put at Jaipur hotel
CM Ashok Gehlot tells MLAs at the Congress Legislature Party meeting that they will have to stay at Hotel Fairmont in Jaipur till 14th August (start of the assembly session). Ministers can visit Secretariat to complete their work. 

A meeting of the Rajasthan Congress Legislature Party began at a hotel on the outskirts of Jaipur where party legislators and supporters are holed up, sources said. It was to start around 10 am but got delayed by three hours as the party's core group chalked out its strategy ahead of the CLP meeting, Congress sources said.

The meeting was called after Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra gave his consent to a proposal by the Ashok Gehlot Cabinet to call an assembly session from August 14. 

The governor had turned down three earlier proposals, saying if the government wanted the assembly summoned at a short notice it should state that it planned to hold a vote of confidence. Or, it should give 21 days' notice to call and assembly session, Mishra had said.
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15:38   Sushant's father files caveat in SC on Rhea's plea to transfer probe
The family of Sushant Singh Rajput on Thursday filed a caveat in the Supreme Court on Rhea Chakraborty's petition seeking transfer of the investigation in the actor's death case to Mumbai Police.

A caveat is a legal process, in which the party, which had filed it before the concerned court, shall have to be heard definitely before the court concerned will pass any order in future.

Let nothing to be done in the above mentioned matter without prior notice to the udersigned, said the caveat, filed by Rajput's father KK Singh in the apex court.

This comes a day after actor Rhea Chakraborty moved a petition in the top court seeking directions to transfer the investigation in the FIR filed by Rajput's family in Bihar to Mumbai Police.

An FIR had been registered against Chakraborty by Rajput's father at Rajiv Nagar police station in Patna under various sections, including abetment to suicide. Earlier, Chakraborty had demanded a CBI probe in the case.

In another development, the Supreme Court today refused to hear a petition filed by one Alka Priya seeking to transfer the case related to the death of Sushant Singh Rajput to the Central Bureau of Investigation. Rajput was found dead in his Mumbai residence on June 14.
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15:34   India's development cooperation does not come with any conditions: PM
India's development cooperation with other nations does not come with any conditions and is not influenced by political or commercial considerations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Thursday. He also said that India's approach to development is mainly human-centric and it wants to work for the welfare of humanity. 


"Our development partnerships reflect the development priorities of our partner nations," he said. The prime minister was addressing a virtual event of the inauguration of a new Supreme Court building of Mauritius. Modi and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth jointly inaugurated the new Supreme Court building at Port Louis. The new building in Port Louis is a symbol of our cooperation and shared values, Modi said. 


"Both India and Mauritius respect our independent judiciaries as important pillars of our democratic systems," the prime minister observed. Modi said history has taught us that in the name of development partnerships, nations were forced into "dependence partnerships". "It gave rise to colonial and imperial rule.It gave rise to global power blocks and humanity suffered," he said.
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15:25   Gehlot tells MLAs to stay put at Jaipur hotel
CM Ashok Gehlot tells MLAs at the Congress Legislature Party meeting that they will have to stay at Hotel Fairmont in Jaipur till 14th August (start of the assembly session). Ministers can visit Secretariat to complete their work. 

A meeting of the Rajasthan Congress Legislature Party began at a hotel on the outskirts of Jaipur where party legislators and supporters are holed up, sources said. It was to start around 10 am but got delayed by three hours as the party's core group chalked out its strategy ahead of the CLP meeting, Congress sources said.

The meeting was called after Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra gave his consent to a proposal by the Ashok Gehlot Cabinet to call an assembly session from August 14. 

The governor had turned down three earlier proposals, saying if the government wanted the assembly summoned at a short notice it should state that it planned to hold a vote of confidence. Or, it should give 21 days' notice to call and assembly session, Mishra had said.
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15:07   HDFC profit falls 4.7% to Rs 3,052 cr
Home loan lender Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) on Thursday reported 4.7 per cent degrowth in its net profit during the quarter ended June at Rs 3,052 crore against Rs 3,203 crore in the year-ago period.

The revenue went up marginally to Rs 13,018 crore in Q1 FY21 against Rs 12,990 crore in Q1 FY20. But total expenses went up from Rs 9,011 crore to Rs 9,412 crore in the same period.

During the quarter, HDFC sold 2.6 crore equity shares of HDFC Life, resulting in a pre-tax gain of Rs 1,241 crore, the company said in a statement.


At the same time, the company made provisioning for the impact of COVID-19 of Rs 1,199 crore. Total provisions as on June 30 were at Rs 12,285 crore.

However, net interest income for the April to June quarter rose by 10 per cent from Rs 3,079 to Rs 3,392 crore.Assets under management stood at Rs 5.31 lakh crore as on June 30 as compared to Rs 4.75 lakh crore last year. Individual loans comprised 74 per cent of the assets under management.

HDFC said gross non-performing loans at Q1-end stood at Rs 8,631 crore as compared to Rs 8,908 crore last year. -- ANI
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14:59   Sushant Singh's family files caveat in SC
Sushant Singh Rajput's family files caveat before Supreme Court seeking to be heard in Rhea Chakraborty's petition in the top court, for the transfer of investigation to Mumbai.
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14:57   Sonu Sood announces 3 lakh jobs for migrants
On his 47th birthday on Thursday, actor Sonu Sood announced three lakh jobs for migrant labourers on the job portal 'Pravasi Rojgar' that he had launched earlier this month. 

The 'Dabangg' actor who has launched several initiatives for helping migrant labourers of the country made the announcement about the additional three lakh jobs on his Instagram account.


Sood posted two flyers of the employment application and shared that the jobs came with additional benefits like PF and ESI.


"On my birthday a small initiative from my side...3 lakh jobs tied up for Pravasirojgar.com. All these will provide good wages, PF, ESI, and other benefits," he wrote in the caption.


He further went on to thank the organisations that had partnered with him for the initiative.

"Thank you AEPC, CITI, Trident, Quesscorp, Amazon, Sodex, Urban Co, Portea, and all others for creating these opportunities with me. #AbIndiaBanegaKamyaab @pravasirojgar," he wrote.

Hailed as the 'messiah' of migrant labourers, Sood has helped hundreds of thousands of migrants to reach their native places amid the coronavirus induced lockdown when many like them were walking back to their homes.

Besides labourers, he has also helped students and other people stranded in different parts of the country amid the lockdown. ANI


Also read our interview with Sonu Sood:'It's my responsibility and I'm more than up for it'

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14:45   Dear Ms Sherawat, you forgot your mask
Starlet Mallika Sherawat tweets this picture saying, "Out & about in aamchi Mumbai :)"  Pretty... irresponsible to get "out and about" in public spaces without a face cover, isn't it?
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14:27   Delhi announces major cut in VAT on diesel
The Delhi government reduced the Value-Added Tax on diesel by almost half on Thursday, which will result in a relief of Rs 8.36 a litre to consumers, saying the move will help the city's economy recover from the pressures of the coronavirus pandemic. 


Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced the reduction in VAT from 30 per cent to 16.75 per cent during a virtual press briefing and said traders and industrialists had demanded it. The diesel price will now come down from Rs 82 to Rs 73.64 in Delhi, he added.


In May, the government had increased VAT on petrol and diesel to 30 per cent each, leading to an increase of Rs 1.67 and Rs 7.10 in the prices of the two fuels, respectively. Kejriwal said reviving the economy is a serious challenge but it will be achieved together with the two crore people of Delhi, like they have helped in bringing the virus under control.


"The traders, industrialists and people had demanded that VAT on diesel be lowered as it was causing distress to them. I think this decision will help in giving a push to Delhi's economy. I appeal the traders, shopkeepers and industrialists to open their establishments but maintain precaution. Together we will bring Delhi's economy back on tracks," he said.


The chief minister said he will virtually interact with industrialists and traders in the coming days to understand their problems so that additional efforts are made to solve them.


The Delhi government in the past one week took several steps, like allowing street vendors and hawkers and launched a jobs portal, to revive the economy of the city, he said. The jobs portal has received a massive response and 7,577 employers have registered on it to offer over two lakh jobs, Kejriwal said. More than 3.20 lakh job-seekers have also registered on the portal, he added. -- PTI
Jaya Jaitley. Pic courtesy: Twitter
Jaya Jaitley. Pic courtesy: Twitter
14:21   Operation Westend: 4-yr jail for Jaya Jaitley
A Delhi court Thursday awarded a 4-year jail term to ex-Samata Party President Jaya Jaitley and two others for corruption in a 2000-01 case related to a purported defence deal, a lawyer said. Special CBI judge Virender Bhat also awarded 4-year jail term to Jaitley's former party colleague Gopal Pacherwal and Major General (rtd) S P Murgai in the case, Murgai's advocate Vikram Panwar said.

The court, in a proceeding held in camera, also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on all three convicts and directed them to surrender before it till 5 pm today.

The three were held guilty of corruption and criminal conspiracy in the purported purchase of hand-held thermal imagers. The case stemmed from a sting, 'Operation Westend' aired by news portal Tehelka in January 2001. -- PTI
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14:06   Names of soldiers killed in Galwan clash to be inscribed on National War Memorial
The names of 20 Indian Army personnel, who were killed after valiantly fighting Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on June 15, will be inscribed on the National War Memorial here, officials said on Thursday.
  
They said the process for inscribing the names of the army personnel on the memorial may take a few months.

Chinese and Indian troops clashed in Galwan Valley for several hours on the night of June 15 in their deadliest brawl in the last five decades.

Colonel B Santosh Babu, the commanding officer of the 16 Bihar regiment, was among the Indian Army personnel killed in the clash

The incident significantly escalated the border tension in eastern Ladakh with India calling it "a premeditated and planned action by China"

The Chinese soldiers used stones, nail-studded sticks, iron rods and clubs in carrying out brutal attacks on Indian soldiers after they protested the erection of a surveillance post by China around patrolling point 14 in Galwan Valley.

China has not disclosed the number of casualties its troops suffered. According to an American intelligence report, the number of casualties on the Chinese side was 35.

-- PTI
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13:30   Rajasthan CLP meet begins at Jaipur hotel
A meeting of the Rajasthan Congress Legislature Party has started at a hotel on the outskirts of Jaipur where party legislators and supporters are holed up, sources said. It was to start around 10 am but got delayed by three hours as the party's core group chalked out its strategy ahead of the CLP meeting, Congress sources said.

The meeting was called after Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra gave his consent to a proposal by the Ashok Gehlot Cabinet to call an assembly session from August 14. 

The governor had turned down three earlier proposals, saying if the government wanted the assembly summoned at a short notice it should state that it planned to hold a vote of confidence. Or, it should give 21 days' notice to call and assembly session, Mishra had said.

Gehlot is caught in a tussle for power with his now-sacked deputy Sachin Pilot, who leads a group of 18 other dissident Congress MLAs. On July 12, Pilot declared open rebellion against Gehlot by claiming that his government was in a minority and he has the support of 30 Congress MLAs. And on July 13, Congress legislators and supporters were huddled into the hotel. They have been camping there since then. PTI
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13:19   China sees over 100 new cases for 2nd consecutive day
China's COVID-19 cases have crossed the 100-mark for the second consecutive day, belying the hopes that the country managed to contain the deadly contagion. The National Health Commission on Thursday said that 105 new coronavirus cases, including 102 domestically transmitted ones, were registered in the country on Wednesday, mainly in the Muslim Uygur majority Xinjiang province which reported a sudden spike in cases. 

The NHC on Wednesday said that 102 cases were reported on Tuesday, crossing the 100 mark for the first time in three months after it was controlled in Wuhan where the virus first emerged in December last year, sparking fears of a second wave of the COVID-19 attack in the country. 

It said on Thursday that 96 of the 102 domestically transmitted cases were reported in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, five in Liaoning province and one in Beijing municipality. Also on Wednesday, 21 new asymptomatic cases, including one from outside the mainland, were reported and 12 asymptomatic cases were re-categorised as confirmed ones. The commission said that 280 asymptomatic cases, including 90 from outside the mainland, were still under medical observation. 

Asymptomatic patients, also known as silent spreaders, pose a problem as they are tested COVID-19 positive but develop no symptoms such as fever, cough or sore throat. However, they pose a risk of spreading the disease to others. No deaths related to the disease were reported on Wednesday.
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13:16   Modi's policies were disastrous for India: Raj CM
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday hit out at the Centre over its "wrong" policies, alleging that they have proved "disastrous" for the nation. He shared on Twitter a post by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacking the Narendra Modi government over issues like demonetisation and GST. 


"PM Modi ji's wrong policies have proved disastrous for the nation. As Rahul Gandhi ji pointed out, be it note ban, GST implementation, mismanagement during corona or sinking economy and as a result job loss, there is overall gloom. Fear of 10 crore job losses is shocking," Gehlot tweeted. -- PTI
Sports minister Kiren Rijiju
Sports minister Kiren Rijiju
13:12   Rijiju sanctions Rs 5L to financially distressed Wushu player
Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju, has sanctioned a sum of Rs 5 lakhs to Shiksha, a national Wushu champion from Haryana, who came under severe financial distress due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

The 22-year-old athlete had to quit her training and take up a job as a farm labourer to support her family.

Shiksha, who has won 24 gold medals at the state Wushu Championship, was sanctioned the money through the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons.

Shiksha said that she is grateful for the intervention of the Sports Minister and is hoping to return to training as soon as possible."I don't have words to thank the Sports Minister for his noble gesture and sending across Rs. 5 lakhs at a time like this. I am absolutely determined to get back to my training at the earliest and it's so good to see such a proactive minister who cares for the athletes. I promise everyone that within a year, I will win a gold medal for the country," Shiksha, who is also pursuing her BSc in sports science, said in a statement.

She further stated that winning a gold medal for the country is her ultimate aim. - ANI
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13:11   Tamil Nadu extends lockdown till August 31
Tamil Nadu extends Covid-19 lockdown across the state till August 31 midnight, with certain relaxations. Complete lockdown on Sundays. 
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12:57   Ram Temple bhoomi puja priest Covid +ve: Reports
The priest of Ram Janmabhoomi groundbreaking ceremony tests corona positive. 16 cops engaged in the protection of Janmabhoomi also test positive, reports CNN IBN. PM Modi will be in Ayodhya on August 5 for the Bhoomi Pujan.

Preparations have begun in full swing. Buildings on both sides of the roads that the Prime Minister's convoy will take from the helipad at the Saket College in the city to reach the Ram Janmabhoomi site is being given a fresh coat of yellow paint with plans to depict various characters of the Ramayana on them.

The work to paint the buildings on both sides of the three-km stretch of the road and draw sketches of the Ramayana characters on them has been given to Ayodhya Nagar Nigam, said Ayodhya Information Deputy Director Murli Dhar Singh.

While life-size sketches of both Lord Ram and Sita will adorn the helipad at Saket College, sketches and drawings of Ramayana characters will adorn the building walls on both sides of the roads, he said.

The stretch is also being cleared of the roadside vendors and shopkeepers to give the prime minister's convoy free and clear access, he said
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12:46   Security tightened in UP districts ahead of PM's visit to Ayodhya
Uttar Pradesh police and Sashastra Seema Bal have been put on high alert in the districts bordering Nepal ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Ayodhya, Independence Day and the coming festival season, a senior official has said. The forces have stepped up vigil along the border in Maharajganj, Siddharthanagar, Shrawasti and Bahraich, Additional Director General of Gorakhpur Zone Dawa Sherpa said. They have been asked to ascertain the identity of people before allowing them through the open and porous border, he said. 


The ADG referred to "some intelligence inputs" but did not elaborate. Prime Minister Modi is to visit Ayodhya on August 5 for the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Ram temple. "Cameras have been put on SSB posts besides the main roads. The dog squad and one platoon of women wing have also been deployed. Metal detectors have been installed at Sonauli and Tutibari outposts on Indo-Nepal border (in Maharajganj)," Sherpa said. 


Orders have been issued to other security agencies such as Indo-Nepal Border Police, Local Intelligence Unit and other intelligence agencies to be on alert, and patrolling of public places such as hotels, rail and bus stations has also been intensified, Sherpa added. He said the porous border with Nepal is a great challenge for security forces. PTI
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12:39   Bypolls to two RS seats on August 24
Bypolls to two Rajya Sabha seats -- one each in Uttar Pradesh and Kerala -- will be held on August 24, the Election Commission announcedon Thursday. The bypolls were necessitated following the death of Beni Prasad Verma from UP and M P Veerendra Kumar from Kerala earlier this year. While the term of Verma wastill July, 2022, Kumar's term was to end in April, 2022. The notification for the bypolls will be issued on August 6 and the election will be held on August 24. As per established practice, the counting of votes will be held on the same evening.--  PTI
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12:31   PM, Mauritian PM inaugurate SC bldg in PorLouis
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mauritian PM Pravind Jugnauth jointly inaugurate the new Supreme Court building of Mauritius through video conferencing. "I heartily thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for demonstrating once again that Mauritius is very close to his heart. I seize this opportunity to convey our solidarity to you, government and people of India in these trying times," Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth.

PM Modi said, "First of all, I congratulate the Government and people of Mauritius for effective management of the #COVID19 global pandemic. I am happy that India was able to support this effort through timely supplies of medicines and sharing of experiences.

"Both India and Mauritius respect our independent judiciaries as important pillars of our democratic systems. This impressive new building, with its modern design and construction, is a mark of this respect.

"It was in Mauritius that I had first spoken about India's vision of 'SAGAR -- Security and Growth for All in the Region'. This is because Mauritius is at the heart of India's approach to the Indian Ocean region."
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12:02   Himachal Pradesh cabinet expanded
The Jai Ram Thakur-led Himachal Pradesh cabinet was expanded on Thursday, with the induction of three ministers. Those inducted as cabinet ministers are Paonta Sahib MLA Sukh Ram Chaudhary, Nurpur MLA Rakesh Pathania and Ghumarwin MLA Rajinder Garg. Governor Bandaru Dattatreya administered the oath of office to the new ministers at a function in the Raj Bhawan. COVID-19 protocols were followed at the event. Sukh Ram and Rajinder Garg took oath in Hindi, while Pathania in English. -- PTI
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11:59   Gyms to open from August 5
Gymnasiums to reopen in the country from August 5 following Unlock 3 guidelines issued by Centre. A gym owner says, "We welcome govt's decision as gyms are a source of income for us and our trainers. We will take precautions in order to curb the spread of Covid."
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11:37   Ram Temple groundbreaking ceremony to be beamed at Times Square
Images of Lord Ram and 3D portraits of the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya will be beamed across the giant billboards in the iconic Times Square in New York on August 5 to celebrate the temple's groundbreaking ceremony, with organisers describing the commemoration as a one-of-a-kind and historic event. 

Prominent community leader and President of the American India Public Affairs Committee Jagdish Sewhani on Wednesday said that arrangements are being made to celebrate the historic moment in New York on August 5, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Sewhani told PTI that among the prominent billboards that are being leased for the occasion are the giant Nasdaq screen and the 17,000-square-foot wrap-around LED display screen, considered among the largest continuous exterior displays in the world and the highest-resolution exterior LED screen in Times Square. 

Beginning from 8 am on August 5 till 10 pm, images of the words Jai Shri Ram' in Hindi and English, Lord Ram's portraits and videos, 3D portraits of the temple's design and architecture as well as pictures of the laying of the foundation stone by Modi will be displayed across several billboards, which are among the most striking and popular features of Times Square, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Sewhani said that members of the Indian community will also gather at Times Square on August 5 to mark the celebration and distribute sweets. 

"This is not a once in a lifetime or a once in a century event. This is an event that comes once in the life of mankind. We had to give it a befitting celebration and what better place than the iconic Times Square to commemorate the Ram Janma Bhoomi shilanyas' (groundbreaking ceremony)," he said.
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11:32   Delhi Cabinet meet today, CM's presser to follow
A meeting of the Delhi Cabinet will be held on Thursday. The meeting will be chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.The Chief Minister is scheduled to hold a press conference following the meeting.

Yesterday, Kejriwal directed city officials to strictly follow the government's guideline about doing a RT-PCR (real-time polymerase chain reaction) test on patients whose COVID-19 reports are negative despite showing symptoms.

The Delhi government also delinked the hotels that had tie-ups with hospitals to increase the COVID-19 beds in the national capital. The decision was taken in light of reducing numbers of COVID-19 patients in the Union Territory. -- ANI
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11:08   Sushant death case should be investigated by CBI: Mayawati
Now, BSP chief Mayawati, weighs in on the Sushant Singh Rajput death case. Mayawati said the case should be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the wake of new facts emerging in this regard every day.

"The case of the death of young Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, hailing from Bihar, is getting deeper every day due to new facts being exposed and his father registering an FIR with Patna Police. Now, it is better to investigate the case by the CBI than by the Maharashtra and Bihar Police," the BSP supremo tweeted (translated from Hindi).

Mayawati also attacked the Congress of indulging in politics for their own interest in this matter and urged the Maharashtra government to be serious regarding the case.

"Also, the different attitude of the Congress leaders of Maharashtra and Bihar in Sushant Singh Rajput case manifests that their real purpose is to fulfil their political interests first and provide justice to the victim's family later. This is not appropriate. Maharashtra government should be serious," she added.

Earlier, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said Mumbai Police are investigating the case and it will not be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
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11:04   Sonia holds virtual meet with Cong RS MPs
Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi holds meeting via video conferencing with Rajya Sabha MPs of the party over  COVID-19 and the  political situation in the country.

She had earlier called a meeting of Lok Sabha MPs to discuss these issues, interestingly MPs present in the meeting urged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to take on the leadership of the party.
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10:43   Rs 70-cr income from Ganeshotsav in Mum in peril
With the Maharashtra government calling for low-key Ganpati celebration this year in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, livelihood of people associated with the festivities, which generate a turnover of more than Rs 70 crore every year in Mumbai, has been adversely affected. There are some 12,000 Sarvajanik Ganesh mandals here. Besides, nearly two lakh idols are installed by citizens at their homes every year, Naresh Dahibavkar, president of the Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, an umbrella body coordinating between the civic body, government and Ganesh mandals, told PTI. 


"There is a small industry which works during the festival involving flower vendors, electricians, those selling items like bamboo for setting up mandaps, those providing transportation facilities, artisans and many more," he said. 

"The business turnover during the festivities here is over Rs 70 crore and the government also gets taxes," he said, adding that the livelihood of those involved in the celebration-related works would be affected this year. Ganeshotsav is the most popular festival in Maharashtra. 

The pandals set up by various mandals in Mumbai and other places in the state attract thousands of devotees during the 10-day festival, which begins on 'Ganesh Chaturthi'. This year, 'Ganesh Chaturthi' falls on August 22. -- PTI
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10:39   Rahul condoles Bengal Cong chief Somen Mira's death
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday condoled the passing away of party's West Bengal unit president Somen Mitra and said that he will be remembered with "love, fondness and respect". Mitra passed away at a Kolkata hospital early Thursday. He was 78. 

"All my love and support to family and friends of Somen Mitra at this difficult time. We will remember him with love, fondness and respect," Gandhi said in a tweet. Mitra passed away around 1.30 am following a cardiac arrest, the hospital sources said, adding that he had tested negative for COVID-19. 

He is survived by his wife and son. A three-time president of the Congress West Bengal unit from 1992-1996, 1996-1998 and then again from September 2018, Mitra was a seven-term MLA from the Sealdah assembly constituency. PTI
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10:36   CBI case against 4 Navy officials, 14 others for submitting 'fake bills'
The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a case against four Navy officials and 14 others for allegedly submitting fake bills in the name of supplying IT hardware.

The accused had allegedly submitted fake bills worth Rs 6.76 crore in the name of supplying IT hardware to the Western Naval Command.Officials said on Wednesday that the investigating agency has registered a case against Captain Atul Kulkarni, Commander Mandar Godbole and RP Sharma and Petty Officer LOG (F and A) Kuldeep Singh Baghel in the case. -- ANI
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10:18   India tested 1.81 crore samples for Covid
A total of 1,81,90,382 samples for COVID-19 were tested across the country as of Wednesday, said the Indian Council of Medical Research.

"The total number of COVID-19 samples tested up to July 29 is 1,81,90,382 including 4,46,642 samples tested yesterday," said the ICMR in a bulletin shared on Twitter.

India witnessed a single-day spike of 52,123 COVID-19 positive cases as the total cases in the country reached 15,83,792, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Thursday.

The including 5,28,242 active cases and 10,20,582 cured/discharged cases, the Health Ministry added. A total of 775 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours taking the death toll to 34,968. -- ANI
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10:13   Yes Bank takes possession of Anil Ambani's HQ
Yes Bank has taken over the headquarter of Anil Ambani's group in surburban Santacruz for failure to repay dues worth Rs 2,892 crore. The private sector lender has also taken possession of two flats in South Mumbai for the non-payment of dues by Reliance Infrastructure, according to a notice published by Yes Bank in a newspaper on Wednesday. 

Nearly all the major companies in Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) were operating out of the Santacruz office called 'Reliance Centre'. However, in the last few years, the fortunes of the group have gone south with the companies meeting various fates, including bankruptcies and stake sales. 

Yes Bank said it had sought to recover dues of Rs 2,892.44 crore from Reliance Infrastructure on May 6 and took possession of the three properties on July 22 after a failure to repay even after 60 days of the notice. It cautioned the general public not to deal with the properties, adding that any dealing with the properties will be subject to a charge of Yes Bank for an amount of Rs 2,892 crore. 

Last year, the group was looking to lease out the same headquarters -- which admeasures 21,432 square metres as per the Yes Bank notice -- in an attempt to raise resources to pay off debts. The other two properties are spread over two different floors in South Mumbai's Nagin Mahal, admeasuring 1,717 sq ft and 4,936 sq ft. It can be noted that exposure to ADAG firms is blamed as among the key reasons for the high amount of bad debt piled up by Yes Bank. 

Due to the high amount of non-performing assets, the lender had to be bailed out by a SBI-led consortium of lenders for Rs 10,000 crore. Before the bail-out, the government and the RBI superseded the Yes Bank board in March and installed a new chief executive and board. 

On June 23, Anil Ambani had claimed that R-Infra, which has loans outstanding of Rs 6,000 crore, will be completely debt-free this fiscal year. In 2018, the company sold its Mumbai energy business to Adani Transmission for nearly Rs 18,800 crore, which helped reduce the debt to nearly Rs 7,500 crore. PTI
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09:59   Sensex surges over 200 pts in early trade; Nifty tops 11,250
Domestic equity benchmark Sensex jumped over 200 points in opening session on Thursday tracking positive global equities after the US Fed left key interest rate near zero to support the economy reeling under the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Most Asian markets started on a positive note, cheering the announcement, traders said. The BSE Sensex was trading 207.12 points or 0.54 per cent higher at 38,278.25; while the NSE Nifty was up 71.35 points or 0.64 per cent at 11,274.20. 

In the previous session, the 30-share Sensex ended 421.82 points or 1.10 per cent lower at 38,071.13, while the NSE Nifty tumbled 97.70 points or 0.86 per cent to 11,202.85. 

Exchange data showed that foreign institutional investors sold equities worth Rs 352.62 crore on a net basis on Wednesday. TCS was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rising around 3 per cent, followed by HCL Tech, Asian Paints, Tech Mahindra, Titan, Infosys and Bharti Airtel. -- PTI
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09:56   Mom kills naughty toddler
Lockdown effect? A woman has been arrested for killing her 4-year old daughter in Pimpri Chinchwad, Pune on 27th July. The accused informed her husband that as the child was mischievous and giving her trouble, she banged her head on a wall and strangulated her, the police said. 
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09:54   India's Covid tally inches close to 16 lakh
The total number of COVID-19 cases in India is now 15,83,792. There have been 775 deaths in the last 24 hours and a single-day spike of 52,123 positive cases. There are 5,28,242 active cases, 10,20,582 cured/discharged and 34,968 deaths: Health Ministry
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09:25   India gears up for I-Day amid Covid-19 crisis
The Covid-19 pandemic has been the biggest spoiler of the year, affecting economies, crores of industries and businesses along with dampening spirits. 

The crisis is likely to affect this years Independence Day celebrations as well. The ramparts of the Red Fort will not be the same as on August 15 every year.

The government has made many amends to this years celebrations and plans to make arrangements keeping preventive measures in mind in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The number of guests attending the ceremony will be limited this year while children, who are the centre of attraction of Independence Day celebrations every year, will also be absent.

Many agencies are involved in the preparation of the Independence Day event at Red Fort, including the Archaeological Survey of India, Jal Board, Municipal Corporation, Public Works Department, Delhi Police, among others.

As per a report, the following are some of the measures taken to ensure that this years Independence Day celebrations take place keeping the coronavirus situation in mind.

Social distancing will be the most important aspect kept in mind while organising the event. A minimum distance of six-feet will be kept while making seating arrangements for the guests.

The guests will not be seated where the Tricolor flag is hoisted from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Arrangements are being made for guests to sit at the lower level of the ramparts with limited seats. It is likely that the authorities give a miss to childrens participation during this years Independence Day celebrations in the national capital.

Nations corona warriors, from healthcare professionals like nurses, doctors, paramedical staff to policemen, among others, are likely to be invited to the Red Fort ceremony in limited numbers.

Apart from this, the guests may also be able to watch the ceremony on an LED screen.
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09:12   Over 1.8 crore samples tested in India so far: ICMR
The Indian Council of Medical Research said that India has tested 1,81,90,382 samples for coronavirus so far. 

It said nearly 4.5 lakh samples were tested on Wednesday.
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08:35   Raj Cong Legislature Party meet to be held today
Amid an ongoing political crisis in the Rajasthan, Congress Legislature Party is set to meet under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday at Hotel Fairmont.

Earlier yesterday, Governor Kalraj Mishra issued an order to convene the Assembly session from August 14. The Governor, in his order, has also directed that all measures should be taken during the session, as per the guidelines issued to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The order for convening the Assembly was issued after repeated requests by cheif minister Gehlot whose government is facing a crisis due to differences in the ruling Congress.

The political crisis in Rajasthan triggered by simmering differences between Gehlot and his sacked deputy Sachin Pilot that surfaced. Pilot was removed as the Deputy Chief Minister and the state unit chief of Congress.

The Congress has accused the BJP of indulging in horse-trading to bring down the Gehlot government. The BJP has rejected the allegations.

-- ANI
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08:25   ICMR plans national registry of Covid patients to help improve treatment
The Indian Council of Medical Research, in collaboration with the Health Ministry and All India Institute of Medical Sciences, plans to roll out a project to create a rigorous database of Covid-19 patients admitted in hospitals across the country in an effort to understand how treatment can be improved.

The project, a national clinical registry, will also serve as a crucial platform to conduct clinical trials to study the effectiveness of newer therapies being used as part of treatment for this disease.

Around 15 institutions are expected to help create this network and get hospitals and medical colleges on board as part of the exercise, which is awaiting clearances from a common ethics committee of the ICMR.

The registry will be actively rolled out as a priority, said NITI Aayog member Dr V K Paul, who is also the chair of the Covid-19 National Task Force that first recommended this registry as part of its goal to promote research.
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07:57   COVID-19 death toll in US surpasses 1,50,000
US has passed the grim record of 1,50,000 coronavirus fatalities even as the total number of cases neared 4.4 million.

According to latest data from Johns Hopkins University, the total number of coronavirus cases registered in the country stand at 4,401,599 while the death toll has risen to 150,159. 

Worldwide, the number of coronavirus cases stand at 16,849,365 while the death toll stands 662,738.

According to a CNN reort, the first death in the US was reported on February 29. The country reached 50,000 deaths 54 days later on April 23 and 34 days later on May 27 crossed 100,000 deaths. It has taken 63 days to add another 50,000 to reach the 150,000 mark. 

-- ANI
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00:30   India asks Nepal to stop 'illegal' movement in Kalapani
India has asked Nepal to prevent its citizens from "illegally" visiting the Indian territories of Kalapani, Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Gunji, according to local media reports in Kathmandu.
In a letter to the Nepali administration, an Indian official earlier this month said that Nepalese people in groups wanting to illegally enter into these Indian regions would create problems for both the countries.
The Deputy District Commissioner, Dharchula, Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand, Anil Shukla, in his letter dated July 14 also urged the Nepali authorities to share information with the Indian authorities about 

such activities, the Himalayan Times reported.
"We have received a letter and phone call regarding India's decision to prohibit Nepalis from crossing into the territories, Sharad Kumar Pokhrel, Chief District Officer of Darchula, Nepal, was quoted as saying 

by the paper.
However, local people have informed that they have not been stopped while crossing to the aforementioned areas, Pokhrel said.
In its reply, the Nepalese authorities said that the movement of its citizens in Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Gunji areas is "natural" as the regions belong to the country, the paper said.
"The movement of Nepalese nationals in these areas are natural," said the letter signed by Tek Singh Kunwar, Assistant District Administrator of Darchula, Nepal, according to Kantipur daily.
The letter was sent to the Indian official following instructions from the Nepalese Home Ministry, Pokharel was quoted as saying by Rising Nepal daily.
Nepal last month completed the process of redrawing the country's political map through a Constitutional amendment, incorporating strategically important Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura areas which India 

maintains belong to it.
India has termed as "untenable" the "artificial enlargement" of the territorial claims by Nepal.
The India-Nepal bilateral ties came under strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8.
Nepal reacted to the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through Nepalese territory. India rejected the claim asserting that the road lies completely within its territory. -- PTI 
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00:24   'Modinomics' destroyed banking sector: Cong
The Congress on Wednesday accused the Narendra Modi government of having "destroyed" the banking sector and financial institutions of the country, and said the way forward was to "restore the autonomy of the RBI" and reinstitute the confidence of the banks by allowing them to lend prudently.
 
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that "Modinomincs has messed up" the USD 2 trillion banking sector.
"The Modi government has destroyed public sector banks and financial institutions. 'Delivery' and not 'televised dialogues' is the way forward," he said in a statement.
Surjewala also alleged that the Modi government's response of Rs 20 lakh crore-package towards the coronavirus pandemic was a "hogwash", which turned into an "empty formality".
"Non-food credit growth is almost zero and bank credit growth is reducing from four per cent to the baseline 'zero'. Banks are just redepositing the money back with the RBI."
"The way forward is to restore the 'autonomy of RBI' allowing them to go after bank defaulters, restore confidence in banks through a promise of 'no witch-hunting' and allowing them to lend prudentially as per their 'risk norms' and expand credit guarantee programme for MSMEs to stimulate credit offtake and propel investment," he said.
Referring to the prime minister's meeting with heads of banks and non-banking financial companies on Wednesday, Surjewala said, "We hope they had the gumption to tell the PM how his government has destroyed the banking sector and financial institutions."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with top bankers and impressed upon them the need to push lending towards the productive sectors for the revival of the economy hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Surjewala said, "Even if they maintained a studied silence in the face of the prime minister's aversion to hearing the honest uncomfortable truth, there were three important events in the last one week, that reflect the state of India's financial system and the banking sector."
The RBI in its financial stability report for July 2020 has warned that bad loans of the banking sector can reach a 20-year high, he said. -- PTI

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