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Mon, 07 September 2020
Will move SC if Rhea's plaint accepted: Lawyer
Timeline Refresh
22:13 Will move SC if Rhea's plaint accepted: Lawyer
Hours after actor Rhea Chakraborty filed a complaint against Sushant Singh's sister requesting the Mumbai police to register an FIR, Vikas Singh, lawyer of the family of Sushant Singh Rajput on Monday said that if the police accept Rhea's complaint, the matter will be taken to the Supreme Court.
"I have been given a complaint filed by Rhea Chakraborty in Bandra police station. It is an effort to keep jurisdiction of Mumbai police in this matter when SC said complaints with regard to the death of Sushant Singh Rajput will be investigated by CBI.
"So this is clear attempt to somehow keep the Mumbai Police active in this matter so that they can do some mischief and ensure that the family of Sushant does not get justice in this matter," Singh told a press conference.
"This is a clear attempt to divert the mind of the people and derail the probe. The family was not aware of this intensive drug angle. If Bandra Police accepts the complaint, it will be a violation of the order of Supreme Court and hence a contempt of the court.
"If Bandra Police proceeds with it, we will take the matter to the Supreme Court under contempt of court," he added.
Commenting upon the requests of Rhea Chakraborty to Mumbai police to register FIR under Telemedicine Practice Guidelines, Singh said, "The Telecommunication guidelines are of Medical Council of India (MCI) and there is no police jurisdiction in such a matter.
"MCI guidelines are not under the jurisdiction of the Police. Filing such a complaint and asking police to carry out an illegal probe too is a punishable offence under IPC.
"As far as the prescription is concerned, we are only dealing with the complaint but if this prescription comes at the stage of the trial, then we will see."
Singh said that Rhea should be arrested as soon as possible as 'it would unearth a lot more things'.
Actor Rhea Chakraborty has filed a complaint before Mumbai Police requesting that a First Information Report (FIR) be registered against Sushant Singh Rajput's sister Priyanka Singh, Dr Tarun Kumar of RML Hospital, Delhi and others under IPC, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines. -- ANI
22:08 Congress leader, Kannada actress call truce over moral policing
Congress leader Kavitha Reddy and Kannada film actress Samyuktha Hegde on Monday appeared to have buried their hatchet with the latter accepting the former's apology over alleged assault and abuse, over which police have registered a case against the politician.
A day after Reddy tendered the unconditional apology for her actions in questioning the actress doing hula-hooping workout at a park in Bengaluru wearing workout clothes, Hegde said she accepted it and expressed the hope of moving away from the incident.
On September 4, Reddy had allegedly assaulted Hegde in the park for not wearing 'decent' clothes with her outbursts seen as an act of moral policing.
The outraged actress had later posted a video of the incident on her Twitter handle and wrote: 'It is high time that society stops harassing women for what we wear, where we go and what we do.'
Based on a complaint from the actress that Reddy had outraged her modesty and assaulted her, a case has been registered against the Congress leader under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Police said on Monday.
Reddy in her apology on Sunday has said: 'No one has the right to tell a woman what to wear and how to behave.'
'I have always opposed Moral Policing. I realise that my actions were construed as such. An argument ended up in me reacting aggressively as well, it was a mistake,' she had tweeted, adding she would take down her social media posts about the incident.
Hegde was cautious in her response.
'Apologies accepted, Ms Kavitha Reddy. I hope we can all move forward from the incident and make women feel safe everywhere,' Hegde tweeted.
The actress, however, noted that Reddy has not taken down any of her posts about the event as quoted in her apology even after several hours. -- PTI
21:20 ED arrests Chanda Kochar's husband Deepak
Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Deepak Kochar, husband of former ICICI Bank MD and CEO Chanda Kochar in connection with the ICICI Bank-Videocon case, said officials on Monday.
Earlier in the day, ED had called Deepak Kochhar for questioning to its Delhi office.
The case pertains to the alleged misappropriation cited in loans given by the ICICI Bank to Videocon.
In January this year, the agency had provisionally attached movable and immovable assets consisting of flat, land, seized cash, plant and machinery, located in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, totalling Rs 78.15 crore in possession of former ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar, her husband Deepak Kochhar and the companies owned or controlled by him.
The assets were attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in ICICI Bank loan case.
ED initiated an investigation after registering a case under PMLA on the basis of FIR for illegal sanctioning loans amounting to Rs 1,875 crore to Videocon Group of companies.
"The investigation revealed that Rs 64 crore, out of loan of Rs 300 crore sanctioned by a committee headed by Chanda Kochhar to Videocon International Electronics Limited, was transferred to Nupower Renewables Pvt Ltd (NRPL, earlier known as NuPower Renewables Limited, a company of Deepak Kochhar, husband of Chanda Kochhar) by VIL on September 8, 2009, just one day after disbursement of loan by ICICI Bank.
"Further, net revenue of Rs 10.65 crore was generated by NRL from these tainted funds. Therefore, proceeds of crime amounting to Rs 74.65 crore were transferred to/generated in NRPL," ED had said. -- ANI
Varavara Rao
21:09 Varavara Rao's son-in-law gets NIA summons
Two sons-in-law of Telugu poet and writer Varavara Rao, who has been arrested in connection with the Elgar Parishad case, on Monday said they have been issued notices by theN IA seeking their appearance before the agency.
K Satyanarayana, professor at the Hyderabad-based English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU), and the other son-in-law, a journalist with a English business daily, said they received the notices sent by the National Investigation Agency,Mumbai, asking them to appear before it as witness on September 9.
Satyanarayana said he has no connection with the case. In August 2018, the Maharashtra police had raided the residence of the professor in Hyderabad.
Varavara Rao and nine other activists have been arrested by the Maharashtra police in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist link case which was initially probed by the Pune police and transferred to the NIA in January this year.
The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune in December 31,2017, which the police claimed triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial.
The NIA notices seek their (the professor and the journalist's) appearance/attendance as witness "for answering certain questions regarding the case along with supporting documents."
"It is a fact that I am related to Varavara Rao but I reiterate that I have no connection with the case," Satyanarayana said in a statement.
"NIA notice adds to our family distress at a time when Varavara Rao's health condition is not very good and the (Covid-19) pandemic is fast spreading in Mumbai. I was summoned to Mumbai in these terrible times," he said.
The Pune police also claimed that the conclave was organised by people with alleged Maoists links.
-- PTI
NCP chief Sharad Pawar
20:58 Sharad Pawar, Anil Deshmukh get threat calls
Even as the police are probing the threat call to blow up Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's private residence in Mumbai, an anonymous caller phoned Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh's Nagpur office, threatening him and NCP chief Sharad Pawar, a minister said.
The police have been informed and they are investigating,the state minister, who did not wish to be named, told reporters at Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai on Monday.
On Sunday, the Mumbai police had beefed up security outside Thackeray's residence Matoshree after an unidentified caller, claiming to be fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's aide, called the bungalow's landline number.
Maharashtra NCP unit president and Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil said "the threats to the chief minister and Sharad Pawar were a serious matter".
"Anti-social elements are trying to raise their heads again. The state home department will probe the matter," he told reporters.
Leader of Opposition in Assembly, Devendra Fadnavis, demanded a proper investigation into the matter.
"I think these threat calls need to be properly investigated," he said. "It needs to be checked whether these were serious threat calls or if somebody is doing it deliberately," he added.
-- PTI
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar
20:53 Party files plea in SC to put off Bihar polls
The Rashtravadi Janata Party has filed a petition in the Supreme Court to direct the Election Commission to postpone the Bihar assembly elections, due in October-November, in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The plea sought directions to hold the election sometime in March next year as the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic is still at its peak across the country.
The RJP, in its plea, said that at present Bihar is undergoing a flood situation and it will be better for the safety of the people to hold the election some time in March 2021 when the situation in the state is normalised, so that the citizens can participate and cast their votes safely and without there being any threat either of the pandemic or the floods.
"It is the duty of the government to provide safety to its citizen first and thereafter do any other activities. In the circumstances, the election in the State should be postponed and same can be held in the month of March, 2021 or at any time thereafter as and when the situation on account of the pandemic and the flood in the state is normalized," the plea said.
It stated that currently, most of the countries in the world are suffering from Covid-19 pandemic and India has almost become the epicentre of the pandemic.
"Further, on account of the heavy rain in most parts of the country including Bihar, rivers are over-flowing and causing a flood situation in the entire state, and consequently millions of peoples of the state have become homeless and they are also fighting for their bread and butter," the plea said.
"Therefore, under these extraordinary circumstances, the government should not take such a risk of giving them the burden of casting their votes in this dire situation," it added.
The petitioner also submitted that it gave a representation on June 30, 2020, to the Chief Election Commissioner to postpone the election but till date no decision on the representation has been taken.
Earlier, the top court had refused to entertain a plea seeking directions to the Election Commission to refrain from holding the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar "till the state is declared Covid-19 and flood free".
-- ANI
20:45 Nearly 5 cr Covid tests done till date: Govt
Nearly five crore COVID-19 tests have been conducted till date with 7.2 lakh of them carried out in the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Monday.
In a statement, the ministry said following the country-wide ramping up of testing for coronavirus, 1,33,33,904 tests were conducted in the last two weeks alone.
'India is one of the few countries that have reported very high numbers of daily testing. The daily testing capacity has crossed 11.70 lakh. India's cumulative tests are nearly 5 crore (4,95,51,507) as on date. 7,20,362 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours,' the statement said.
The ministry further said the Centre's policies are continuously evolving in the larger global context and on the heels of several measures to facilitate wider testing of people.
'Recently the government has issued the revised and updated advisory which provides for the first time 'testing on demand. The states/UTs have also been given wider flexibilities to simplify modalities to enable higher levels of testing,' the ministry noted.
The daily testing average had been on a continuous upward incline from around 7 lakh tests being conducted per day in the third week of August to 10 lakh tests per day in the first week of September, the ministry said.
'Higher testing enables early identification of confirmed cases, which in turn leads to timely initiation of effective treatment in supervised home/facility isolation or in hospitals.
'These measures aid faster and higher numbers of recovery, lower fatality and saving of more lives,' it added.
India's COVID-19 tally of cases went past 42 lakh on Monday with a record 90,802 people being infected in a day, according to the Union health ministry data.
The total number of coronavirus cases mounted to 42,04,613, while the death toll climbed to 71,642 with 1,016 fatalities being reported in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed. -- PTI
19:45 'Justice for Sushant' posters: RJD slams BJP
Rashtriya Janata Dal hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party after its Bihar unit released 'Justice for Sushant Singh Rajput' posters in the run-up to Assembly polls.
"Whom are you demanding justice from? Who are you fooling? You have a strong government at the Centre. Our leader Tejashwi Yadav demanded a CBI probe in the case. But we did not release a poster. People of Bihar are very aware," RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha told ANI.
He criticised the National Democratic Alliance government in Bihar over the COVID-19 crisis, flood situation, and unemployment in the state.
Commenting over issues between NDA partners -- Janata Dal-United and Lok Janshakti Party, Jha said, "A party can be in any alliance. But when the government is absent then is it 'gathbandhan dharma' to close the eyes? Tejashwi was asking questions from the government. Chirag Paswan also asked some questions so now he is being looked as an enemy."
Bihar Assembly elections for 243 seats are due in October-November and the tenure of the current Assembly is scheduled to end on November 29.
The Election Commission has not yet taken a final call on poll dates in Bihar due to the coronavirus pandemic and has sought suggestions from political parties.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered an FIR against actor Rhea Chakraborty and others in connection with the actor's death.
The Enforcement Directorate had on July 31 also registered an Enforcement Case Information Report in the late actor's death case after an FIR was filed by Rajput's father KK Singh against Chakraborty in Bihar on July 28.Rajput was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14. -- ANI
19:42 Pak violates ceasefire, shells forward areas along LoC
Pakistani troops on Monday violated ceasefire by resorting to firing and shelling on forward areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, a defence spokesman said.
The firing from small arms and shelling from mortars from across the border was 'unprovoked', he added.
The spokesman said the cross-border shelling started around 5 pm and was retaliated befittingly by the Indian Army.
There was no report of any casualty on the Indian side, he said, adding the exchange of firing between the two sides was going on when last reports were received. -- PTI
Tulsi Gabbard
19:04 So whos funding Tulsi Gabbards new legal defence fund?
What do an American Kremlin sympathiser, a doctor with ties to Hindu nationalists and George Clooney's neighbor have in common, asks Daniel Newhauser in civilbeat.org, and answer it in the next line: 'They're all bankrolling US. Rep Tulsi Gabbard's attempt to pay down her legal debt from an ill-fated lawsuit against Hillary Clinton.'
Gabbard dropped out of the US presidential race in March, Newhauser writes, 'but not before racking up tens of thousands of dollars in legal bills connected to the $50 million lawsuit she filed against Clinton in January, according to Federal Election Commission records.'
So who are the major donors bankrolling her legal fund? You can find out in Newhauser's report, here.
18:47 BJP doesn't support Kangana's remark: Fadnavis
Actor Kangana Ranaut had made a wrong statement, but it is the responsibility of the government to protect her in the land of law, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Devendra Fadnavis said in Mumbai on Monday.
He said even terrorists have to be provided security in the land of law to see they are not attacked, whereas Ranaut is still an artist.
The actress has been given Y-plus category security by the Union Home ministry after she spoke about drug use in Bollywood, following the death of fellow actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
Fadnavis, however, said the BJP did not support Ranaut's comments, in which the actress had likened Mumbai to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).
"It is the responsibility of the government to protect the life of an individual. Hence, though we are not supporting what Kangana Ranaut said, and nobody will support it, still it is the responsibility of the government (to protect her).
"Because we are not living in Banana republic," the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly told reporters outside Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai. -- PTI
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar
18:36 Jaishankar, Bangladeshi FM hold telephonic talks
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday held a telephonic conversation with his Bangladeshi counterpart A K Abdul Momen, covering various facets of ties between the two countries.
In a tweet, Jaishankar said it was agreed to hold a meeting of the joint consultative committee "very soon".
"Warm conversation with FM Dr A K Abdul Momen of Bangladesh. Agreed to hold our Joint Consultative Commission very soon. Will continue to work closely to reach the ambitious goals set by our leaders," he said.
Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla visited Dhaka last month during which both sides explored ways to further deepen ties in a range of areas.
The two sides have taken several initiatives in the recent weeks to boost connectivity and trade, including commencement of movement of Indian cargo from Agartala to Kolkata via Chattogram, expansion of the scope of the protocol that governs trade and transit on inland waterways.
-- PTI
18:00 BMC raided my Mumbai office, claims Kangana
Sharing a video of men seated in her Mumbai office, actor Kangana Ranaut on Monday claimed that officials of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had raided the office of her production company - Manikarnika Films.
The 'Queen' actor took to Twitter to share the video where a group of men are seen seated in her office premises.She alleged in tweets that officials were harassing her neighbours and that she has been informed that the property will be demolished on Tuesday.
"They have forcefully taken over my office measuring everything, also harassing my neighbours when they retorted @mybmcofficials used language like," vo jo madam hai uski kartoot ka parinaam sabko bharna hoga" (all will have to bear the consequences of actions of that madam). I am informed tomorrow they are demolishing my property," she said.
In a follow-up tweet, Kangana sought "structure plan" from BMC" to show the illegal construction with a notice.""I have all the papers, BMC permissions, nothing has been done illegal in my property. BMC should send a structure plan to show the illegal construction with a notice. Today they raided my place and without any notice, tomorrow they demolishing entire structure," she said.
The actor-turned-filmmaker had in January launched her production company - Manikarnika Films - with a new office in Mumbai's Pali Hill. -- ANI
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan
17:42 At 96.2%, Kerala India's most literate state
With 96.2 per cent literacy, Kerala has once again emerged as the most literate state in the country, while Andhra Pradesh featured at the bottom with a rate of 66.4 per cent, showed a report based on National Statistical Office survey.
The report on 'Household Social Consumption: Education in India as part of 75th round of National Sample Survey - from July 2017 to June 2018' provides for state-wise detail of literacy rate among the persons aged seven years and above.
According to the study, after Kerala, Delhi has the best literacy rate at 88.7 per cent, followed by Uttarkhand's 87.6 per cent, Himachal Pradesh's 86.6 per cent and Assam's at 85.9 per cent. On the other hand, Rajasthan is the second worst performer with literacy rate at 69.7 per cent, followed by Bihar at 70.9 per cent, Telangana at 72.8 per cent, Uttar Pradesh at 73 per cent and Madhya Pradesh at 73.7 per cent.
The study has pegged the overall literacy rate in the country at about 77.7 per cent. In rural areas, the literacy rate is 73.5 per cent compared to 87.7 per cent in urban areas of the country. At all-India level, the male literacy rate is higher at 84.7 per cent compared to 70.3 per cent among women. The survey showed that the male literacy rate is higher than female literacy rate among all states.
In Kerala, the male literacy rate is 97.4 per cent compared to 95.2 per cent among females. Similarly, the male literacy rate in Delhi stood a 93.7 per cent higher than 82.4 per cent among females.
Even in the worst performing states, there was a considerable gap in male and female literacy rate. In Andhra Pradesh, male literacy rate is 73.4 per cent, higher than 59.5 per cent among females (of the age of seven year or above). In Rajasthan, the gap was even wider as male literacy rate stood at 80.8 per cent compared to 57.6 per cent of females. In Bihar, the male literacy rate was also higher at 79.7 per cent compared to 60.5 per cent of females. -- PTI
17:39 Richard Nixon on the ugliness of Indian women
"On September 3, The New York Times published an extraordinary article that detailed Richard Nixon's loathing of Indians, especially Indian women. Its author, Gary Bass, who had earlier written The Blood Telegram, a book-length critique of US diplomacy during the 1971 war, based his piece on tapes recently declassified by Nixon's presidential archive. In them, Nixon is heard saying at various times that Indian women are the most unattractive women in the world, that they are sexless, that they turn him off and there's a particularly entertaining bit where he wonders how Indians reproduce at all, given how repulsive their women are. "
Read the Mukul Kesavan's column for the Telegraph, here
17:11 World economy won't recover before 2022: Report
With Covid-19 still dominating major developments globally, the world economy is not likely to re-attain pre-pandemic output levels before 2022, says a report. According to Dun & Bradstreet Country Risk and the Global Outlook, "nothing about the pandemic can be classified as over, despite recoveries in activity levels in some economies in Q3, as evident in PMIs (Purchasing Managers Indices), Google Mobility data and monthly economic data".
"Unemployment will keep rising above the pre-pandemic baseline as government programmes are phased out and cease to protect workers, while the pace of what recovery there is may yet weaken in Q4," said Arun Singh, Global Chief Economist, Dun & Bradstreet. Singh further said "we do not expect the world economy to re-attain pre-pandemic output levels before 2022. The biggest question mark is not over the depth of the recent shock but over its persistence."
According to Singh, "in India, the pace of economic revival will depend on how quickly the health concerns abate as India is yet to witness a peak, economic activity restarts with 'Unlock 4' and importantly the psychological impact of the Covid-19 ebbs away."
The steady rise in case-loads, even as India demonstrates one of the highest recovery rates, and the spillover effects of the strict lockdown measures undermines the growth impulses in Q2 and Q3 of the fiscal year, he added. India's economy suffered its worst slump on record in April-June, with the gross domestic product (GDP) contracting by 23.9 per cent as the coronavirus-related lockdowns weighed on the already-declining consumer demand and investment.
On the employment front, all countries that Dun & Bradstreet covers (with the exception of Serbia) are showing year-on-year declines, the report said. "Indeed, we believe that the road ahead will be one of further spikes and troughs in economic activity, with considerable regional variations. Even if all jobs were to be saved, the decline in 2020 corporate profits in most OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) economies would be at least 5 per cent," it said. -- PTI
17:03 'We do have two systems of justice in America': Kamala Harris
The US has two systems of justice for Black and White Americans, Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris has said, as the Indian-origin Senator rebuked President Donald Trump and his Attorney General for denying there is systemic racism in the country's justice system. The strong criticism from Harris, the first Black and Indian-American woman on a major party vice presidential ticket came less than two months before the US presidential election. Democratic Party's presidential candidate Joe Biden and his running mate Harris are challenging incumbent President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence of the Republican Party in the November 3 election.
Harris, 55, strongly criticised President Trump and Attorney General William Barr for denying there is systemic racism in the US justice system, saying they are "spending full time in a different reality."
"The reality of America today is what we have seen over generations and, frankly, since our inception, which is, we do have two systems of justice in America," Harris told CNN in an interview.
But she said she was optimistic that as a nation, Americans hold dear to an ideal that is inscribed in marble on the Supreme Court, which is that ideal of equal justice under law. "And so, while we have two systems of justice, we also fight for equal justice under law. And that means doing what Joe Biden and I are proposing, which is having a criminal justice system that, yes, bans choke holds and carotid holds, make sure that we're going to require accountability for police officers who break the rules and break the law." -- PTI
16:59 India must keep a lid on jingoism: China Daily editorial
"If there's anything certain and unequivocal in the defense ministers' remarks, this is it. Neither side wants things to escalate, though both insist the other is "responsible", and should do more. This is why, despite United States President Donald Trump's offer to mediate, neither country has shown any interest."
Read the editorial here
16:20 Rhea files police complaint against Sushant's sis
Rhea Chakraborty files a complaint before the Mumbai Police requesting that an FIR be registered against Priyanka Singh (Sushant Singh Rajput's sister), Dr Tarun Kumar (from RML Hospital, Delhi) and others under the IPC, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act & Telemedicine Practice Guidelines.
Rhea's complaint states that Priyanka had sent Sushant a prescription by Dr Tarun Kumar and he "appears to have prescribed medication controlled under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 to Sushant without any consultation as mandated by law.
Rhea's complaint further states that the "drugs prescribed by the doctor (Dr Tarun Kumar) were prohibited from being prescribed electronically under the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines, 2020."
16:03 Varavara Rao's sons-in-law summoned by NIA in Elgar Parishad case
Two sons-in-law of Telugu poet and writer Varavara Rao, who has been arrested in connection with the Elgar Parishad case, on Monday said they have been issued notices by the NIA seeking their appearance before the agency. K Satyanarayana, professor at the city-based English and Foreign Languages University and the other son-in-law, a journalist with a English business daily, said they received the notices sent by the National Investigation Agency, Mumbai, asking them to appear before it as witness on September 9. Satyanarayana said he has no connection with the case.
In August 2018, the Maharashtra Police had raided the residence of the professor.. Varavara Rao and nine other activists have been arrested by Maharashtra police in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist link case which was initially probed by the Pune police and transferred to the NIA in January this year.
16:00 Maha HM reacts to Kangana's security
Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh reacts to Kangana Ranaut being given Y Plus security today. "It is surprising and sad that those who insult Mumbai and Maharashtra, are being given 'Y' level security by centre. Maharashtra is not only of NCP, Shiv Sena or Congress but of BJP and the public too. People of all parties should condemn it if one insults Maharashtra."
15:56 Police bandobast outside Kangana's Manali home
Himachal Pradesh state police team has been deployed outside actor Kangana Ranaut's residence, in Manali. A team of health officials is also present at the actor's residence, to test her and her sister, Rangoli for Covid.
15:51 No one can crush a patriot: Kangana
Kangana Ranaut on Monday thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah for providing her with Y-plus category security after she spoke about drug use in Bollywood, following the death of fellow actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Taking to Twitter, Kangana said, "This shows that no one can crush a patriot in the country. I am thankful to Home Minister Amit Shah."
The move by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to accord security cover to Kangana comes amid a spat between her and Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut after she compared Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK).
"Had he (Amit Shah) wanted, he would have told me to visit Mumbai later but he respected India's daughter and acknowledged my self-respect. Jai Hind," Kangana tweeted. The Y-plus category central cover entails deployment of about 10 armed commandos with the protectee, an official said. PTI
15:49 Colour-coded e-pass to limit passengers in Kol metro
A colour-coded e-pass system using a mobile phone has been developed by a technology solutions company here for ensuring that a maximum of 400 passengers board a Metro Railway train in the city to maintain Covid-19 health safety protocol after it resumes service.
Sanjay Chatterjee, network and security solutions head of Ideation Technology, which was asked by the Metro authorities to develop the system, said that a bot-based (web robot) technology will be used to generate e-passes that will be colour-coded to ensure that only authorised passengers enter the stations at a given time in order to maintain the maximum passenger count.
"The main challenge was to come up with a solution which can be easily used by people - those who have smartphones and also those who have analogue phones; without installing any app," he told PTI.
"So we came up with a simple technology, we have developed a system similar to that of Whatsapp or Facebook Messenger, wherein one can start it by just clicking open a link," Chatterjee said.
He said that a bot is being used for the purpose wherein it will ask the intending passenger his or her name, the boarding station, destination and the preferred time slot. A passenger will be given a total of five questions, including one on language option, which he has to answer using the link in the mobile phone. Chatterjee said that the passengers will have three language options - Bengali, Hindi and English.
"The Metro authorities have told us that a maximum of 400 passengers can be carried in a train at any point of time, based on that either the chosen time slot will be given and if the number of passengers has already reached the threshold, a different time slot will be asked for from the intending passenger," he said, adding that the process will not take more than 10 to 12 seconds. -- PTI
15:38 Vice President suggests milk in mid-day meal scheme
The Vice President, M Venkaiah Naidu, today suggested that milk could be given either as part of breakfast or the mid-day meal in order to improve the nutritional levels of children. Naidu spoke to the Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani in this regard. The minister assured the Vice President that the central government would consider recommending to all the states to include milk in the mid-day meal scheme.
15:14 Sena respects women: Raut slams 'malicious people'
Taking a veiled dig at Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Monday said that some people with malicious intent are spreading misinformation that the party has insulted women.
Taking to Twitter, Raut said that those making these allegations should not forget that they have themselves insulted Mumbai and its deity Mumba Devi.
"Shiv Sena follows the ideology of great Hindutva icons Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the great Maharana Pratap. They have taught us to respect women. But some with malicious intent are spreading misinformation that Shiv Sena has insulted women," Raut posted on Twitter.
"But one should not forget the fact that those making these allegations have themselves insulted Mumbai and our deity Mumba Devi. Shiv Sena will continue to fight for the pride of women, this is what our great Shiv Sena supremo has taught us," it added.
The development comes amid an ongoing war of words between Raut and Ranaut following her remarks that she doesn't feel safe in Mumbai after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Earlier today, the Central government has approved "Y" level security for the Ranaut amid the ongoing controversy.
15:00 Ajmer Sharif Dargah reopens
Rajasthan's Ajmer Sharif Dargah opens for devotees today after being closed for months amid the Covid lockdown.
14:56 Tourism sector in dire straits due to Covid
Industry body IATO on Monday urged the government to provide immediate relief to the tourism sector, which has been severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the tour operators have been forced to lay off their staff, many have sent staff on furlough and those who are remaining are getting less than 30 per cent salary, the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) said in a statement.
In light of this, IATO has sought various relief measures from the government. This includes one-time financial grant of the gross salaries amount paid to the staff of tour operators on the basis of the balance sheet of fiscal year 2018-19 which is submitted with the government authorities,IATO said.
The industry body has also requested, "the government to raise duty drawback under the SEIS ( Service Export India Scheme ) from 7 per cent to 10 per cent.Such a measure would go a long way in alleviating the liquidity problem as the sector currently has zero billing and this would help tour operators to survive", it added. It has also sought amendment in rules regarding granting of loans to micro, small, and medium enterprises(MSMEs) as presently only those who have established relationships with banks are being offered loans, IATO said. -- PTI
JD-U MP Harivansh
14:53 RS Deputy chairperson polls on Sept 14
The elections for the post of deputy chairperson of the Rajya Sabha will be held at 3 pm, September 14, after the seat has fallen vacant. Harivansh, belonging to the Janata Dal (United), held the post from 2018 to present.
14:44 IIT-Delhi clarifies on dog handling row
A faux pas in a job advertisement for the position of a dog handler posted by the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi created quite a buzz on social media, prompting the institute to issue a clarification and cancel the recruitment. On August 26, IIT-Delhi had sought applications for the post of a dog handler, and the notice stated that the eligibility criteria was "B.A/B.Sc/B.Com/B.Tech or any equivalent undergraduate degree".
This led to a social media storm. In a statement issued on September 6, the institute said, "In reference to a job advertisement dated 26-08-2020 for a post titled 'Dog Handler' (on purely contract basis), IIT Delhi would like to clarify that the minimum qualification as mentioned in the advertisement got inadvertently copied from another job advertisement."
The qualification intended in the advertisement was 'Bachelor of Veterinary Science', it said, adding that the recruitment process was cancelled after the mistake was brought to the notice of the higher authorities.
"A fresh process in due course will be initiated to hire a Consultant (on purely contract basis) with suitable minimum qualification required for the job profile that involves proper care of a large number of stray dogs on the campus (providing them medical aid like vaccination, medicine, IV drip etc. and food), handling of issues and challenges relating to stray dogs, liaison with campus community- students, employees, construction workers etc., local government bodies and NGO," the statement said. PTI
14:41 Xi reportedly angered by Indian defiance at LAC
China has reacted angrily to successful Indian military action along the Line of Actual Control, with the People's Liberation Army caught napping when Indian troops moved to occupy hilltop features near Lake Spanguur on the night of August 29-30.
This anger allegedly ascends all the way to the top of China's military hierarchy, Chairman Xi Jinping.
China has for a long time relied on India behaving reactively rather than preemptively, as it manufactured seizures of territory along the troublesome un-demarcated border.
This time the PLA has been on the receiving end, and Chinese Communist Party leadership is not happy.
Some media reports alleged that the CCP leadership was "enraged" that a PLA commander withdrew forces to avoid physical conflict at Spanguur, though evidence to substantiate this is yet to emerge.
This latest embarrassment came on top of the bloody fracas in the Galwan Valley on 15 June, which occurred on none other than the auspicious occasion of Xi's 67th birthday.
Losing casualties, with Chinese numbers still a state secret, represented a severe loss of face to Xi on his birthday.
Dissatisfied with their level of CCP and personal loyalty, it is also rumoured Xi is on the brink of a "brutal purge" of the PLA and regular law enforcement agencies.
China's authoritarian leader has always sought to consolidate military power, something his immediate predecessors could not achieve, and he is becoming even more paranoid about political loyalty and social unrest within China.
This explains why, on August 26, the Chinese police apparatus (including the Ministries of Public Security and State Security) swore fealty to the CCP and was removed from the State Council's chain of command.
A ceremony saw Xi pompously conferring a new flag on the police, one bearing the red colour of the party. Xi "ordered the police to be loyal to the party, serve the people and be impartial in law enforcement and strict in discipline".
Law enforcement forces have now followed suit as the People's Armed Police, which Xi placed under his immediate leadership in the Central Military Commission (CMC) in January 2018. In any popular uprising such as the one that happened in Tiananmen Square in 1989, the PAP would be called upon to put down any unrest.
Xi has repeatedly called for personal loyalty, and issued warnings about "two-faced" people, a phrase referring to someone who pledges obedience but actually secretly resists.
Xi wants to get rid of all such people from positions of influence.
Furthermore, a political study campaign is being prosecuted across political and legal forces to promote a "spirit of rectification", which harks back to Mao's destructive purges.
Three deputy minister-level public security officials have already been detained in 2020, and Xi's paranoia seems to be rising to hysterical levels. -- ANI
13:56 Fall in India's GDP alarming, warns Raghuram Rajan
Terming the 23.9 per cent fall in economic growth in June quarter alarming, former Reserve Bank Governor Raghuram Rajan has said bureaucracy should come out of complacency and take meaningful action. The current crisis requires a more thoughtful and active government, he said, adding unfortunately, after an initial burst of activity, it seems to have retreated into a shell.
"The sharp decline in economic growth should alarm us all. The 23.9 per cent contraction in India (and the numbers will probably be worse when we get estimates of the damage in the informal sector) compares with a drop of 12.4 per cent in Italy and 9.5 per cent in the United States, two of the most Covid-19-affected advanced countries," Rajan wrote in a post on his LinkedIn page.
"If there is a silver lining in the awful GDP numbers, hopefully it is that''. Rajan,currently a professor at the University of Chicago, said the COVID-19 pandemic is still raging in India, so discretionary spending, especially on high-contact services like restaurants, and the associated employment, will stay low until the virus is contained. The eminent economist pointed out that the government's reluctance to do more today seems partly because it wants to conserve resources for a possible future stimulus. "This strategy is self-defeating," he opined.
Citing an example, Rajan said if one thinks of the economy as a patient, relief is the sustenance the patient needs while on the sickbed and fighting the disease.
"Without relief, households skip meals, pull their children out of school and send them to work or beg, pledge their gold to borrow, let EMIs and rent arrears pile up Essentially, the patient atrophies, so by the time the disease is contained, the patient has become a shell of herself," he noted.
The former RBI Governor further said now think of economic stimulus as a tonic. "When the disease is vanquished, it can help the patient get out of her sickbed faster. But if the patient has atrophied, stimulus will have little effect," he said.
Rajan stressed that the recent pick-up in sectors like auto is not an evidence of the much awaited V-shaped recovery.
"It reflects pent-up demand, which will fade as we go down to the true level of demand in the damaged, partially-functioning, economy," he noted. Rajan pointed out that because of the pre-pandemic growth slowdown and the government's strained fiscal condition, officials believe it cannot spend on both relief and stimulus.
"This mindset is too pessimistic, but the government will have to expand the resource envelope in every way possible, and spend as cleverly as possible," he said adding it also has to take every action that can move the economy forward without additional spending.
"All this requires a more thoughtful and active government. Unfortunately, after an initial burst of activity, it seems to have retreated into a shell," the former RBI Governor added.
Noting that India needs strong growth, not just to satisfy the aspirations of country's youth but to keep its unfriendly neighbours at bay, Rajan said temporary half-baked reforms, such as the recent suspension of labour protection laws in a number of states, will do little to enthuse industry or workers, and give reforms a bad name. He also suggested that reforms can be a form of stimulus, and even if not carried out immediately, a timeline to undertake them can boost current investor sentiment.
"The world will recover earlier than India, so exports can be a way for India to grow," he said. The government in May announced nearly Rs 21 lakh crore stimulus package to help the nation tide over the economic crisis induced by the coronavirus and subsequent lockdown. -- PTI
13:38 Metro opens: Commuters wary, but convenience wins
As Delhi Metro resumed operations on Monday after a very long hiatus due to Covid-19, a very small number of commuters chose to avail the facility while mentally juggling concerns over health and urgency to reach work. On day one, mostly office-goers boarded the sanitised train coaches of the rapid transit system.
The trains will operate in batches of four-hour each from 7-11 am in the morning and 4-8 pm in the evening. The Delhi Metro was closed on March 22 to contain the spread of the coronavirus, and after 169 days, it resumed services in a curtailed manner while adhering to strict safety and social distancing norms.
At Rajiv Chowk metro station, the busiest station of the network which serves as an interchange facility between the Yellow Line and the Blue Line, an unusually thin crowd was witnessed.
Earlier, it mostly used to be packed with people jostling for space and vying to enter or exit train coaches. Sumitra Devi (45), a government employee, who works at Connaught Place adjoining the Rajiv Chowk metro station, said ever since the lockdown was lifted, she faced a lot of difficulties commuting to work and had to take buses which were rare to get.
A resident of Maidan Garhi, she said she often had to wait for hours to board a bus due to restrictions over the number of passengers in a vehicle. With metro services resuming, she said she can now save time and reach her workplace faster without any hassles.
Asked how safe her ride was, Devi said it was "definitely different but safe". "Of course, I was quite sceptical but then if not today, we will have to eventually take metro rides. How long can we avoid it? I hardly saw less than 10 passengers in my compartment but it was smooth," she added. After being closed for over five months due to the pandemic, Delhi Metro resumed services with curtailed operations on the Yellow Line, even as both the DMRC and the commuters trod with caution amid the new normal in the rapid transport system.
As the day began, some riders wearing protective masks were seen entering the premises of key stations like Kashmere Gate, Central Secretariat, Hauz Khas on the Yellow Line which connects Samyapur Badli in Delhi to HUDA City Centre in Gurgaon. Inside the stations, passengers were allowed entry to the concourse only after checking body temperatures with thermal guns and sanitisation of hands. -- PTI
13:11 Sushant's viscera being tested
AIIMS Forensic Board is conducting viscera test in Sushant Singh Rajput case to check for poisoning. The result is expected within 10 days, says Prof Dr Sudhir Gupta, Head of Forensic Dept at AIIMS and Chairman of Medical board formed in the case.
13:08 2 members of Babbar Khalsa held in Delhi
Two suspected members of banned terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International have been arrested following a brief exchange of fire in northwest Delhi, police said on Monday. The accused have been identified as Bhupender alias Dilawar Singh and Kulwant Singh, both residents of Ludhiana, the police said, adding that they were also wanted in some cases in Punjab. The special cell of Delhi Police nabbed the two on Saturday night, they said. Six pistols and 40 cartridges have been recovered from them, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said. -- PTI
File pic
13:04 Malaika Arora tests positive for Covid
Actor-host Malaika Arora has announced that she has tested positive for Covid-19 and is quarantining at her home. The Bollywood diva said she is asymptomatic and following all the required protocols. "Today I have tested positive for coronavirus but I want to inform you all that I am feeling fine," Malaika wrote in a statement posted on Instagram. "I am asymptomatic and following all the required protocols and will be quarantined at home as instructed by my doctor and authorities. I request you all to stay calm and safe. Thank you for all your support," she added.
Yesterday, her beau, Arjun Kapoor tested positive for Covid-19.
The 46-year-old fashionista is best known for her performance in popular Bollywood songs such as Chaiyya Chaiyya, Maahi Ve, Kaal Dhamaal and Munni Badnaam Hui . Malaika, who started her showbiz journey as video jockey and model, has also served as a judge on reality TV shows such as Nach Baliye, Jhalaak Dikhhla Jaa and India's Got Talent.
12:57 K'taka woman re-infected with Covid in few months
A 27-year-old woman has been re-infected with Covid-19 within a couple of months after she had recovered in Karnataka, one of many cases in the country.
India's Covid-19 tally of cases went past 42 lakh with a record 90,802 people being infected in a day, while 32,50,429 people have recuperated so far, pushing the national recovery rate to 77.30 per cent on Monday, according to the Union Health Ministry data.
The total number of coronavirus cases mounted to 42,04,613, while the death toll climbed to 71,642 with 1,016 fatalities being reported in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed. The COVID-19 case fatality rate has further declined to 1.70 per cent.
12:54 What are you doing about elderly during Covid, SC asks states
The Supreme Court on Monday directed all the States to file a detailed affidavit specifying the steps taken by them in connection with a petition seeking directions to provide adequate facilities for the elderly during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
A bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan, asked all the States to file a detailed affidavit within a period of four weeks and posted the matter for further hearing after four weeks.Former Law Minister and senior advocate Ashwini Kumar, the petitioner in the matter, submitted that the States have only filed reports, which he said is not sufficient for the matter.
"Details for measures is necessary to be filed in the case," Kumar said highlighting that there are incidents wherein elderly people were maltreated.
"States have to file a better affidavit in the case," the bench said and posted the matter for further hearing after four weeks.The top court was hearing a petition filed by Ashwini Kumar seeking appropriate directions for the welfare of senior citizens and taking measures to provide them with adequate facilities during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. -- ANI
12:36 Masks, distancing mark Maha assembly session
The two-day monsoon session of the Maharashtra Assembly began on Monday with Deputy Speaker Narhari Zhirwal asking members to observe physical distancing and wear face masks in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
As part of the physical distancing protocols, Zhirwal asked members not to sit on chairs having a 'cross' sign. Only one member was seated in the seating area for two. Members were also seated in the students and visitors gallery to ensure physical distancing among them. The deputy speaker also asked members to keep their masks on while speaking in the House. He presided over the House proceedings since Speaker Nana Patole is indisposed as he tested positive for coronavirus last week. After the session began, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar tabled ordinances related to amendments to GST and contingency fund.
Ordinances pertaining to rural development and urban development departments for postponement of elections to local bodies and mayoral posts due to the pandemic were also tabled along with other bills and papers. Pawar tabled the supplementary demands for 2020-21. The debate on these demands will be taken up on Tuesday before their passage.
12:10 Parents delay kids vaccination for fear of getting Covid
Parents are delaying vaccination for kids by avoiding hospital visits to prevent their exposure to coronavirus, even as pediatricians call it a disturbing trend as skipping timely administration of vaccines can have long-term impact on children's health.
The experts said parents should take their children for timely vaccination, especially in the first year of a child's life.
"I had a patient yesterday who came to me after three months for vaccinating their child for polio. There are certain vaccines that you cannot catch up. For instance, the rotavirus vaccine is limited to a specific time. The last dose can be given by seven months. The vaccines act best when they are administered on time," Rahul Nagpal, Director, Pediatrics, Fortis Hospital Vasant Kunj said on Sunday.
Vineet Kwatra, Head and Senior Consultant, Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Medeor Hospital said there were few patients in the first three to four months of the pandemic outbreak due to the lockdown, fear of contracting the infection and lesser number of clinics which were functional.
"Parents are still very hesitant and are unnecessarily delaying vaccination. There are vaccines which are administered at six weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks, and they should not be missed. They can wait for a month or so but not beyond that.
"Under normal circumstances, a vaccine can be delayed by seven days. In the second year of a child's life, vaccines can be delayed by one or two months but not beyond that," Kwatra explained.
12:04 Maharashtra monsoon session begins
The two-day monsoon session of the Maharashtra Assembly gets underway.
11:56 Collective responsibility to implement NEP: PM
The new National Education Policy policy focuses on learning instead of studying and goes beyond curriculum to focus on critical thinking, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday asserting that it is a collective responsibility of all stakeholders to implement the policy in letter and spirit.
In the NEP, first since 1986, the pressure on students for taking specific streams have been removed, he said. "Our youth will now be able to learn according to their interests," he said while addressing the inaugural session at the 'Governors' conference on the Role of NEP in Transforming Higher Education'.
Earlier, students used to pick a stream beyond their aptitude and they would realise it much later, and these problems have been addresses in the NEP, the prime minister said.
With vocational exposure right from early age, our youth will get better prepared for life, he said, adding that their participation in the global job market and employability in India will increase with practical learning.
The prime minister said that the education policy like defence and foreign policies is not of the government but of the country. India has been ancient centre of learning, and the government is working to make it hub of knowledge economy in the 21st century, he said.
"It is our collective responsibility that the policy is implemented in letter and spirit. The more teachers, parents, students are associated with education policy, the more relevant and broadbased it will be," the PM added. The prime minister said that new policy has paved way for international institutions to set up their campuses in India.
The NEP approved by the Union Cabinet in July replaces the 34-year-old National Policy on Education framed in 1986 and is aimed at paving the way for transformational reforms in school and higher education systems to make India a global knowledge superpower. -- PTI
11:44 After dry spell, Mumbai witnesses moderate to heavy rain
Moderate to heavy rain accompanied with thunderstorm and lightning hit parts of Mumbai and neighbouring areas overnight and early Monday morning, officials said. The city had been witnessing dry spell for the last few days, leading to a rise in temperature and humidity.
According to a civic official, Mumbai city recorded 31.21 mm rain in the 24-hour period ending at 8 am on Wednesday, while the eastern and western suburbs received 10.58 mm and 4.35 mm downpour, respectively. Local train and bus services were not affected and there was no waterlogging anywhere in the city, he said.
The city and its suburbs will have partially cloudy sky with possibility of light rain or thundershowers towards the evening or night, the official said quoting forecast of the India Meteorological Department.
"Lightnings increased in the early morning hours with rolling sounds. Entire Konkan region is seen with dense clouds. Activity is likely to continue for the next 3-4 hours over the coast," IMD Mumbai centre's deputy director general K S Hosalikar tweeted. -- PTI
11:28 Kangana gets 'Y' level security from Centre
Centre approves 'Y' level security for actor Kangana Ranaut, reports news agency ANI. Y category is a security detail of 11 personnel, including 1 or 2 commandos and police personnel.
This comes a day after the Himachal Pradesh government decided to provide security to Ranaut in the state and is also considering to extend it during her upcoming visit to Mumbai.The chief minister disclosed it while talking to reporters after a BJP legislature party meet in Shimla.
"This is our duty to provide her security as she is a daughter of Himachal Pradesh and a celebrity," he added.
Earlier on Sunday, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut demanded that the actor apologise for her comments against Mumbai and Maharashtra.
Ranaut in a tweet recently had compared Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir..
"Why is Mumbai feeling like Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir?" Ranaut had asked recently in a tweet, tagging with it a September 1 news report where Raut purportedly had said she should not come back to Mumbai if she was afraid of the city police.
11:10 Sushant case: NCB to quiz Rhea for 2nd day
Actress Rhea Chakraborty on Monday appeared before the NCB for questioning for the second straight day in the drugs case linked to the death of her live-in partner and actor Sushant Singh Rajput. She was questioned for about six hours by the agency for the first time in this case on Sunday.
The 28-year-old arrived at the agency's office in the Ballard Estate area around 9:30 am. She was escorted by police personnel and was seen carrying a bag. The agency has said that it wants to question Rhea and confront her with her younger brother Showik Chakraborty (24), Rajput's house manager Samuel Miranda (33) and his house staffer Dipesh Sawant to ascertain their roles in this alleged drug racket after it obtained mobile phone chat records and other electronic data that suggested some banned drugs were allegedly procured by these people.
The NCB, over the last few days, has arrested these three men in this case. Officials said the actor was questioned on these lines on Sunday. She was earlier questioned by the ED and the CBI. Rhea, in interviews given to multiple TV news channels, has said that she has never consumed drugs herself. She had, however, claimed that the late actor used to consume marijuana. It is claimed that Miranda told NCB investigators that he used to procure bud or curated marijuana for the late actor's household. A total of eight people have been arrested till now by the NCB with six being directly linked to this probe while two were arrested by it when the investigation was launched under criminal sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
When the probe in the case began, the agency had arrested two men, Abbas Lakhani and Karan Arora, for alleged drug peddling and officials have claimed that through them they reached Zaid Vilatra and Abdel Basit Parihar who are allegedly linked to this drugs case as they were in touch with Miranda. Miranda, they had said, used to allegedly procure drugs from them on the purported instructions of Showik, agency officials said.
Both Lakhani and Arora have been granted bail. The NCB had said it recovered 59 grams of cannabis from them. The NCB, while seeking remand of one of the accused in this case last week, had told a local court that it was looking into "the drug citadel in Mumbai, and especially Bollywood" in this probe. -- PTI
10:52 '... na bhuNa bhulenge na bhulne denge' :BJP releases SSR stickers in Bihar
Stickers and masks bearing photos of Sushant Singh Rajput can be seen in various places in Bihar, where the BJP has launched a campaign seeing justice for the late actor.
The BJP's cultural cell- Kala Sanskriti Manch- has released stickers and masks with the photo of Rajput and the message Na bhoole hain, na bhulne denge (we have neither forgotten nor will we let anyone forget).
Varun Kumar Singh, State coordinator, BJP Kala Sanskriti Manch said that they have so far printed 30,000 stickers and posters and 30,000 face masks.
"We have been using these as a sign of a movement to seek justice for the late actor who died in Mumbai," said Singh.With the Bihar assembly elections approaching, there have been allegations that the Party has been attempting to give the matter a political angle. -- PTI
10:34 UNICEF to lead supply of Covid vaccine
In what could possibly be the world's largest and fastest ever operation of its kind, UNICEF has announced that it will be leading the procurement and supply of coronavirus vaccines to ensure that all countries have safe, fast and equitable access to initial doses when they are available.
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is the world's largest single vaccine buyer, procuring more than 2 billion doses of various vaccines annually for routine immunisation and outbreak response on behalf of nearly 100 countries.
With several vaccine candidates showing promise, the UN agency, in collaboration with the Revolving Fund of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), will lead efforts to procure and supply doses of COVID-19 vaccines on behalf of the COVAX Global Vaccines Facility for 92 low and lower middle-income countries, whose vaccine purchases will be supported by the mechanism.
UNICEF will also serve as procurement coordinator to support purchases by 80 higher-income economies, which have expressed their intent to participate in the COVAX Facility and would finance the vaccines from their own budgets, it said. The vaccine procurement and distribution effort, involving over 170 economies, has the potential to become the world's largest and fastest ever operation of its kind.
"This is an all-hands on deck partnership between governments, manufacturers and multilateral partners to continue the high-stakes fight against the COVID-19 pandemic," UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore said. "In our collective pursuit of a vaccine, UNICEF is leveraging its unique strengths in vaccine supply to make sure that all countries have safe, fast and equitable access to the initial doses when they are available," she said.
UNICEF will undertake these efforts in close collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), PAHO, the World Bank, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and other partners. The COVAX Facility is open to all countries to ensure that no country is left without access to a future COVID-19 vaccine.
About 28 manufacturers have shared their annual production plans for COVID-19 vaccines - through 2023 - with UNICEF, which said in a market assessment that the drug makers were willing to collectively produce "unprecedented quantities" of vaccines over the coming 1-2 years. -- PTI
10:30 Sensex drops 100 pts in early trade; Nifty tests 11,300
Domestic equity benchmark Sensex dropped over 100 points in early trade on Monday tracking tepid cues from global equities. After opening on a volatile note, the 30-share BSE index was trading 101.60 points or 0.26 per cent lower at 38,255.58; while the NSE Nifty slipped 25.80 points or 0.23 per cent at 11,308.05. M&M was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding around 2 per cent, followed by Bajaj Auto, Kotak Bank, HDFC Bank, HCL Tech, Bajaj Finance, Bharti Airtel, ITC and UltraTech Cement. On the other hand, Tata Steel, Maruti, Axis Bank, Asian Paints, Titan and Sun Pharma were among the gainers. In the previous session, Sensex ended 633.76 points or 1.63 per cent lower at 38,357.18, while Nifty plunged 193.60 points or 1.68 per cent to close at 11,333.85. -- PTI
10:09 Maha: Mild earthquake hits Palghar, no casualty
An earthquake of 3.5 magnitude hit Maharashtra's Palghar district on Monday morning but there was no report of any casualty or damage to property, an official said.
The earthquake was experienced at 8.07 am in Paraswadi area of Dahanu taluka, district disaster control cell chief Vivekanand Kadam said.
Last week, four mild earthquakes were recorded in the district on Friday and Saturday.
Palghar district, especially its Dahanu and Talasari tehsils, has been witnessing low to moderate intensity earthquakes since November 2018. -- PTI
10:05 Chirag Paswan slams Nitish ahead of key LJP meet
The Lok Janshakti Party will hold a crucial meeting of its Bihar leaders on Monday to decide whether to fight against the Janata Dal-United in the upcoming state assembly polls amid worsening ties between the two members of the ruling National Democratic Alliance.
On the eve of the meeting, LJP president Chirag Paswan fired yet another salvo at JD-U president and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, saying his decision to provide government jobs to kin of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes community members who were killed is "nothing but an election-related announcement".
In a letter to the Bihar chief minister, he accused Kumar of not fulfilling earlier promises made to SCs and STs, including giving them three dismil of land.
The LJP president said that "if the Nitish Kumar government was sincere", it should give jobs to a family member of all those from the communities who were killed during its 15-year rule.
The LJP, whose main face is Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, and the JD-U have been sniping at each other for months.
Kumar's decision to join hands with former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, a Dalit leader like the Paswans with a history of targeting the LJP, has further soured their ties.
While aiming at Kumar, Chirag Paswan has refrained from attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party and has even been lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
One of the options that Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan's party, now headed by his son Chirag Paswan, may consider is to remain a part of the BJP-led NDA at the Centre but to fight outside the coalition's fold in the state, while not contesting against the saffron party, sources said.
It may be noted that the LJP had in February 2005 fought against the Rashtriya Janata Dal in the Bihar assembly polls, even though both regional parties were part of the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre.
The LJP put up candidates against the RJD while maintaining its ties with the Congress.
This had led to the formation of a hung assembly in the state, ending Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD's 15-year rule, and another assembly poll held a few months later saw the Nitish Kumar-led JD-U and BJP alliance storming to power with their maiden majority.
While BJP leaders, including its national president J P Nadda, have been insisting that all three NDA parties will fight the upcoming polls together, sources said a sense of unease has crept in, with Kumar working to strengthen his position by actively wooing leaders from the RJD and tying up with Manjhi.
The JD-U has also made it clear that it will not hold any seat-sharing talks with the LJP, as its ties have been traditionally with the BJP.
The Election Commission is likely to announce the schedule for the Bihar polls sometime this month.
Polls to the 243-seat assembly are likely to be held in October-November. -- PTI
10:00 India overtakes Brazil, has 2nd highest COVID-19 cases
India has surpassed Brazil to take the second spot in the list of nations worst-hit by the coronavirus pandemic after a record spike of 90,802 fresh cases in the last 24 hours, the Union health ministry data showed.
The total coronavirus tally stands at 42,04,614 including 8,82,542 active cases.
With new 1,016 deaths, the total toll rises to 71,642.
Total 32,50,429 people have recovered so far, according to the health ministry data.
09:38 HP govt may give security to Kangana in Mumbai
The Himachal Pradesh government has decided to provide security to Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut in the state and is also considering to extend it during her upcoming visit to Mumbai, chief minister Jairam Thakur said here on Sunday.
The chief minister disclosed it while talking to reporters after a BJP legislature party meet in Shimla.
This is our duty to provide her security as she is a daughter of Himachal Pradesh and a celebrity, he added.
Responding to reporters' queries, Thakur said that both Kangana Ranaut's sister and her father have approached the government seeking security for the actor.
"Her sister telephoned me yesterday and talked to me. Her father too had written to the state police seeking the security. So I have asked DGP to give her security in the state," said Thakur.
The actor has also a programme to visit Mumbai on September 9 for which the government is considering to provide her security during the visit also, he added.
The chief minister, however, refused to say anything on Kangana Ranaut's recent remarks on actor Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide case, stating that the matter is being investigated.
He also avoided answering questions on the alleged threats given by Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut to the actor.
Earlier on Sunday, Raut demanded that the actor Ranaut apologise for her comments against Mumbai and Maharashtra.
Ranaut in a tweet recently had compared Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
"Why is Mumbai feeling like Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir?" Ranaut had asked recently in a tweet, tagging with it a September 1 news report where Raut purportedly had said she should not come back to Mumbai if she was afraid of the city police. -- PTI
09:26 Only 21% Americans would agree to get vaccinated against COVID-19
Only about one-fifth of Americans would want to get a coronavirus vaccine as soon as possible if it became available, a new YouGov poll conducted for CBS shows.
If a coronavirus vaccine became available in the US at no cost, 58 per cent of respondents say they would consider it but would wait to see what happens to others first before getting one, the poll data, released on Sunday, shows. This is seven per cent more than in July.
Just 21 per cent of voters nationwide say they would get a vaccine as soon as possible if one became available, down from 32 per cent in late July.
Another 21 per cent say they would not get a coronavirus vaccine at all, as compared to 17 per cent in July.
More than 60 per cent of respondents say they would think the vaccine was rushed through if it were released this year.
More Republicans (52 per cent) think if a vaccine becomes available this year, they would consider it a scientific achievement to find one that fasts, as compared to 23 per cent of Democrats.
More than 70 per cent of Democrats would think it was rushed through (compared to 48 per cent of Republicans).
Only 54 per cent of Americans say they trust the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for accurate information on the coronavirus.
Back in March, this figure was 86 per cent.
The New York Times reported earlier this month that CDC had alerted public health officials across the United States in all 50 states and five major cities that they should be ready to start distributing a new COVID-19 vaccine by late October or early November. -- ANI
09:02 Army takes up with PLA on abduction of 5 Indians
The Indian Army has taken up with the Chinese military the reports of abduction of five people from Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh by the PLA troops, military sources said on Sunday.
The commander of the Army unit deployed in the area sent hotline messages to the PLA unit concerned about the reported abduction, the sources said.
The reports of abduction of the five men came at a time Indian Army has enhanced its deployment along the 3,400 km-long Line of Actual Control in view of the border row between the two countries in eastern Ladakh.
A senior official of the Arunachal Pradesh government said on Saturday that the local police has launched a probe into the matter. -- PTI
08:51 You are not Maharashtra: Kangana to Raut
The war of words between Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut and Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut took a fresh turn with the latter stating that the leader doesn't represent entire Maharashtra while confirming that she will return to Mumbai on September 9.
Accusing Raut of "empowering those who exploit women" in the country, the Bollywood actor said that the daughters of India will never forgive him for his alleged abusive statement.
"Sanjay Raut ji, you called me 'haramkhor.' It shows your mindset...If I criticise Mumbai Police or if I criticise you, then you can't say I am insulting Maharashtra. You are not Maharashtra. Your people are threatening me, still I will come to Mumbai on September 9," Ranaut says in the video she put out on her official Twitter handle.
"Your people are saying they will break my jaw, they will kill me. Kill me, but this country's soil is enriched with the blood of those who sacrificed for its dignity and we too will do the same," she added.
Ranaut also raised the issue of "inaction" by Mumbai Police during the Palghar lynching, and it refusing to register a case on the request of the father of actor Sushant Singh Rajput's in connection with his death, to state why she had turned out to be its critic.
08:13 Delhi Metro resumes after 169-day Covid hiatus
The Delhi Metro resumed services with curtailed operation of the Yellow Line on Monday after being closed for over five months due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The Yellow Line connects Samaypur Badli in Delhi to the HUDA City Centre in Gurgaon.
The home ministry had recently issued guidelines allowing metro services in the country to resume operations in a graded manner, following which the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation said it would be done in three stages from September 7-12.
Under stage one, Yellow Line or Line 2 and Rapid Metro were made operational with restricted service hours, a DMRC official said.
Trains will operate in batches of four-hour each from 7-11 am in the morning and 4-8 pm in the evening in the first stage, officials said.
Metro services in the National Capital Region was closed since March 22 due to the pandemic.
The DMRC has appealed to people to use the rapid transport only if urgently needed. -- PTI
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