Kerala: Gold smuggling may have link with ‘Financing terror’

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July 22, 2020

The Kerala state government has ordered to replace RT-PCR test with antigen test while discharging the covid-19 patients. The decision will enhance the discharging process and will lessen the burden on covid-19 treatment centres.

The new strategy of using antigen test instead of RT-PCR has been introduced after an analysis of epidemiology of patients in the state. “It is essential that the technical strategies and guideline are refind biased on the knowledge for control and prevention of disease as well as for efficient management of resources,” the order said.

The order was issued in the wake of new guidelines introduced by WHO and the government of India. “It is a good decision that will help offload the burden on covid-19 treatment facilities. As per ICMR recommendation, asymptomatic patients can be discharged after 10 days even without testing. In Kerala, we are testing patients as an additional precaution,” Times of India quoted Dr K P Aravindan, health expert, as saying.

“At the same time, collectors of some of the districts are instructing those who have completed 14 days of quarantine to continue the same for another fortnight. This will force the public to hide the details regarding their symptoms, travel history etc. Similarly, Thrissur district collector is leant to have plans to use asymptomatic health worker for setting up covid first line treatment centres. Government should intervene to stop such decisions of the district administration,” he added.

With the recovery rate falling in comparison to new cases recorded everyday, the government has decided to switch to antigen test. RT-PCR tests while can take up to two or three days, antigen tests can provide rapid results in 30 minutes. Moreover, antigen test is way cheaper than RT PCR.

For Antigen test, professionals collect a nasal swab, which is then immersed in a solution that deactiavtes the virus. A few drops of this solution are then put on a test striP. The whole process should be done withing a hour of immersion of the nasal swab in the solution. If a person is infected with coronavirus, the test lines will appear on the paper strips in 15 minutes.

However, antigen test has been reported to result in false negative reports many times, leaving the room for doubt.

Director Anubhav Sinha declared openly that he is quitting from Bollywood

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July 22, 2020

In a procession of tweets, director Anubhav Sinha declared openly that he is quitting from Bollywood. He then went on to add “Not Bollywood” to his Twitter name as well.

ENOUGH!!!
I hereby resign from Bollywood.
Whatever the fuck that means.
— Anubhav Sinha (Not Bollywood) (@anubhavsinha) July 21, 2020

The ‘Article 15’ director then referred to Sudhir Mishra’s tweets which said, “What’s Bollywood? I came to be a part of Cinema inspired by Satyajit Ray, Raj Kapoor, Guru Dutt, Ritwick Ghatak, Bimal Roy, Mrinal Sen, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, K Asif, Vijay Anand, Javed Akhtar, Tapan Sinha, Gulzar, Shekhar Kapur, Ketan Mehta, Bharatan n Aravindan etc. That’s where I’ll always be. And Saeed Mirza. How did I forget Saeed Mirza! The grace, the vision, the charisma.”

What's Bollywood?I came 2be partof Cinema inspired by Satyajit Ray ,Raj Kapoor,Guru Dutt,Ritwick Ghatak,Bimal Roy,Mrinal Sen , Hrishikesh Mukherjee,KAsif,Vijay Anand ,Javed Akhtar,Tapan Sinha, Gulzar ,Shekhar Kapur,Ketan Mehta , Bharatan n Aravindan etc.Thatswhere I'll always be.
— Sudhir Mishra (@IAmSudhirMishra) July 21, 2020

Sinha, who has garnered a lot of prominence and adulation directing “Mulk”, “Article 15” and “Thappad” in recent years, is known for his straightforward posts on social media.

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta responded: “”Chhor diya (left it) It never existed in the first place.”

छोड़ दिया… It never existed in the first place.
— Hansal Mehta #FancyLiberal/#UrbanNaxal/#Liberandu (@mehtahansal) July 21, 2020

Supreme court sents notice to Activist Lawyer Prashant Bhushan

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July 22, 2020

On Tuesday, the Supreme court initiated contempt proceeding against Advocate Prashant Bhushan. Activist Bhushan was allegedly involved in derogatory tweets against Indian judiciary.

The SC has also initiated contempt proceeding against Twitter India. Where Bhushan had posted comment in Twitter India.

The matter is scheduled to heard today.
The hearing will be headed by Justice Arun Mishra.

Bhushan is known for raising issues about Judiciary. And recently he criticized the top court about how they handled the matter of migrant workers.

Bhushan also said about the treatment out to jailed activitist like Varavara Rao and Sudha Bhardwaj . Both were accused in Bhima Karagoan.

Last month Mr Bhushan wrote: “When historians in future look back at the last 6 years to see how democracy has been destroyed in India even without a formal Emergency, they will particularly mark the role of the Supreme Court in this destruction, & more particularly the role of the last 4 CJIs”.

When historians in future look back at the last 6 years to see how democracy has been destroyed in India even without a formal Emergency, they will particularly mark the role of the Supreme Court in this destruction, & more particularly the role of the last 4 CJIs
— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) June 27, 2020

A three-judge bench of Justices Arun Mishra, BR Gavai and Krishna Murari will hear the case – via video conference because of the coronavirus lockdown .

Ghaziabad: Journalist Vikram Joshi passes away

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July 22, 2020

Journalist Vikram Joshi, who was shot at by unidentified miscreants near his housing in Vijay Nagar, Ghaziabad on June 20, died at a hospital, doctors said on Wednesday.

The incident happened on Monday, days after Vikram Joshi had filed a complaint with Vijay Nagar Police Station claiming that some men were oppressing his niece. Joshi has undergone a bullet injury on his head.

Joshi was shot in front of his two daughters aged 5 and 11 while he was returning home on a bike. The entire incident has been grabbed on CCTV.

CCTV visuals reveal one daughter screaming for help while the second one can be seen sitting beside the injured journalist.

Nine accused have been arrested; one man is still on run, officials said. Two policemen have been suspended. “Nine people have been arrested including two main accused – Ravi and Chotu.

A weapon was also abducted from their possession,” Kalanidhi Naithani, Senior Superintendent of Police, Ghaziabad, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Vikram’s nephew, while talking to ANI, alleged that the police is trying to save the main accused. He said that Kamal-ud-din’s son is the one who fired the shot in Vikram’s head.

Some boys including Kamal-ud-Din’s son used to eve-tease my sister. It was her b'day when incident occured. My uncle was coming home with her when Kamal-ud-Din’s son attacked him&shot him. We'll not accept my uncle's body till main accused is caught: Journalist Vikram's nephew pic.twitter.com/IdDhXC9qnt
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 22, 2020

He further added that they would not accept his body from the hospital unless the police arrest the main accused, Kamal-u-din’s son.

Ghaziabad: A group of journalists hold protest against the murder of Journalist Vikram Joshi.

Vikram Joshi passed away today. He was shot at in Vijay Nagar area on 20th July by unknown persons. 10 people have been arrested in the case so far. pic.twitter.com/TZjjiMqv00
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 22, 2020

Amarnath Yatra 2020 cancelled in the wake of coronavirus pandemic

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July 21, 2020

Amid the rising fear of coronavirus outbreak across the nation, the Jammu and Kashmir adminstarion on Tuesday announced that the Amarnath Yatra has been cancelled for this year. This decision was taken during the 39th meeting of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, owing to the safety concerns of the pilgrims.

Earlier, the board had mentioned that the Yatra will begin frim July 21 and will continue till August 3. In a virtual meeting, the board discueed the Supreme Court’s order wherein the court had dismissed the plea demandin ban on the Yatra and had left it to the Untion Territory administration to decide on the matter.

The board then assesed the situaion on the basis of ground relaities in the UT and has come to a decision that it would not be advisable to conduct the Amarnath Yatra this year in larger public interest.

“The Board is aware of and respects the sentiments of millions of devotees. To keep the religious sentiments alive, the Board shall continue live telecast/virtual darshan of the morning and evening aarti. Further, the traditional rituals shall be carried out as per past practice. Also, the Chhadi Mubarak shall be facilitated by the government,” the statement read.

“The health concerns are so serious that the strain on the health system, along with the diversion in resources to the Amarnath Yatra, will be immense. This would also unnecessarily put the Yatris at risk of catching the Covid-19,” the Board further said in the statement.

The coronavirus pandemic has put J & K’s health system at backfooot with a major surge in the coronavirus cases in July. The Amarnath Yatra will divert the much needed attention of entire medical, civil and police administaruion amid the crisis.

“The Board further deliberated the considered views of the government. The government made reasoned observations supported by facts which suggested that it would not be advisable to conduct the Amarnath Yatra this year and it would be advisable to cancel it in larger public interest.

This would enable the health, civil and police administrations to focus on the immediate challenges facing them, rather than diverting resources, manpower and attention to the conduct of the Yatra,” the board added.

Kulbhushan Jadhav: Pakistan’s deadline for filing a review petition, terminated on Monday.

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July 21, 2020

Pakistan’s deadline for filing a review petition in the high court against Jadhav’s sentencing terminated on Monday. India thinks that there is no need to respond to
Pakistan’s continuously altering position, and also deadlines, in the case.

Islamabad had promulgated an ordinance on May 20 asserting to ensure through it an effective review and reconsideration of Jadhav’s case, as pleaded by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) last year.

As per the ordinance, the review petition had to be filed in 60 days. Nonetheless, with Pakistan refusing to provide consular access in private, India has not been able to confront Jadhav on his legal rights.

After, the Opposition in Pakistan condemned the Imran Khan government of providing Kulbhushan Jadhav a way out, the country’s Ministry of Law and Justice on Sunday denied the allegations calling them “baseless”.

Earlier, Islamabad, Pakistan said that Indian prisoner on death row Kulbhushan Jadhav has denied to file an appeal in the Islamabad High Court against his conviction by a military court despite Pakistani authorities” offer to do so, a claim dismissed by India as “farce”.

Cash from Cow dung|CM Bhupesh Baghel, launched Godhana Nyay Yojana

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July 21, 2020

The Chhattisgarh government’s Godhan Nyay Yojana, under which cow dung will be procured from cattle rearers for production of organic fertiliser, was inaugurated on Monday.

The scheme is intended for promoting cattle rearing, assuring the safety of livestock and boosting the rural economy.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel inaugurated the scheme on Hareli — Chhattisgarh’s most significant agriculture festival celebrated on the day of the new moon in the month of Saavan.

गत दिवस हरेली तिहार के आयोजन एवं "गोधन न्याय योजना" के शुभारंभ अवसर की कुछ झलकियां आप सभी के साथ साझा कर रहा हूँ।

इस जनहितकारी योजना के शुभारंभ में आप सभी के सहयोग एवं सहभागिता हेतु मैं सभी प्रदेशवासियों का आभार व्यक्त करता हूँ।#छत्तीसगढ़_गोधन_न्याय_योजना #NavaCGHareli2020 pic.twitter.com/0O70pYsxL0
— Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) July 21, 2020

Under the scheme, the government will procure cow dung at Rs 2 per kilogram from livestock owners and use it to prepare organic fertilizers.

The CM purchased 48kg cow dung from four farmers and paid them Rs 96 to mark the first procurement. Under the scheme, the government will procure cow dung at Rs 2 per kilogram, including the cost of transportation.

“With the implementation of this scheme, major positive changes are expected in terms of the environment as well as the rural economy. Godhan Nyay Yojana will create employment opportunities on a large scale,” the government release stated.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders in Chhattisgarh have extended support to the Congress government on its new cow dung scheme to boost the rural economy, days after they applauded Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel for introducing the Godhan Nyay Yojana.

Former minister Ajay Chandrakar mocked the project in his tweet. Posting a parody song, Chandrakar said that the youth should shun studies as the state government has decided to ask them to collect cow-dung.

India Floods: Assam, Bihar and West Bengal under constant threat as monsoon rains continue

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July 21, 2020

Heavy monsoon rain in Bihar, Assam and West Bengal made many rives and stream swell, leaving a number of areas completely swamped.

Assam Floods: The situation in the state continues to worsen due to heavy rainfalls for the last four days. The floods in the state have affected over 24 lakh people, Assam State Disaster Management Authority(ASDMA) reported.

Among the rivers that keep overflowing are Brahamputra and its tributary Krishna with many villages severely affected. Crops in 1,09, 600 hectares in 24 districts have been adversely affected, too.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday visited the flood-affected district — Barpeta and announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh, within 48 hours, for the families of those whose lives have been claimed by the floods.

“This is the third wave of flood in Assam. This is a recurring problem in the state. People are fighting several problems. On one hand, there is COVID-19, and on the other there are floods and landslides,” Mr Sonowal said.

As many as 85 people have lost their lives due to floods in Assam.

Bihar Floods: Bihar saw major rise in water level as several rivers of the state continued to flow above the danger levels. Kosi, Ganga, Burhi Gandak and Bangmati are among the rivers that witnessed major overflow.

Widespread rain and inflow from barrages have worsened the situation in the state, Thousands of villagers have been relocated as the fear continues to outgrow. Local administration along with disaster management authorities of the state are on high alert since past few days.

West Bengal: On Monday, the state witnessed lightening strikes in the Jhargram districts, leaving five people dead and 27 injured, news agency PTI reported.

In Malda district, around 300 people were shifted to safer place as their homes were flooded with the rising level of water at the banks of Mahananda. The water level reached above danger level in Ganga and Fulhar, too, causing panic among some 100 families located at the bank of these rivers.

The state irrigation department has issued a yellow alert in the unprotected areas.

Rajasthan: Ashok Gehlot describe Sachin Pilot as ‘worthless person’

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July 21, 2020

RajasthanElectionsAshokGehlotSachinPilot-569903768 — During Rajasthan election

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot attacks on his former deputy Sachin Pilot, describing him as a “worthless person”, who was making plans for the last few months to fall down State government despite the Congress promoting him at his young age. Ashok Gehlot describe Sachin Pilot as ‘worthless person’.

“In a game lasting 10 to 12 years, he has achieved everything in the party.But he back stabbed the Congress… He wanted to form a third front in Rajasthan,” Gehlot said.

Gehlot said the Congress leaders knew that Mr. Pilot was nikamma (worthless) and naakaara (good for nothing) and was only putting the people against each other. “He used to tell people: I have not come here to sell brinjals. I am here to become the CM. You decide you are with whom,” he further adds.

“I will be taking appropriate and strictest possible legal action against the MLA who was made to make these accusations… I shall be unfettered and remain firm in my beliefs and convictions,” former Deputy CM said.

While the Rajasthan High court will resume the hearing of petition filed by Sachin Pilot and 18 other MLA’s.The petition challenging the disqualification letter issued by the Assembly speaker to them.

Amid the ongoing political tension in Rajasthan, a meeting of CLP ( Congress legislature party) will held today.
According to times of India – ‘The meeting began at around 11 am after about a two-hour delay at a hotel on the outskirts of Jaipur where Congress legislators supporting the Ashok Gehlot government are camping. The agenda of the meeting is not clear yet, the sources said. However, it is likely that the party will decide on its future strategy as the court’s decision on disqualification notice given by the Assembly Speaker C P Joshi is likely to be delivered on Tuesday, party sources said’.

In last one week this is the third party meeting.

Senior Congress leaders including national general secretary and Rajasthan in-charge Avinash Pande, K C Venugopal, Ajay Maken, Randeep Surjewala, Vivek Bansal along with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot are present at the meeting.

Vikash Dubey: Supreme court asks UP to consider Ex-Judge in inquiry committee

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July 21, 2020

On Monday Supreme court ordered UP government to expand the committee probing the Vikas Dubey encounter to include former judge.

Supreme court of UP government to include former judge of the court and retired DGP ( Director General of Police).
SC also reminded UP CM Yogi about responsibility of the arrest. And directed UP government to give fair trial to an accused in a court law.
“You must understand that as a State government, you should be capable of arresting, detention and trial of an accused till he is found innocent or guilty”, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sharad A. Bobde addressed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for U.P.

Presently the inquiry panel has a retired Allahabad High court judge.
The court has directed the state to give draft notification with mentioning name’s of former apex court judge and police.
Senior advocate Sanjay Parikh, for NGO People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), mentioned
“as many as 6,126 police encounters in which 122 persons have killed” .

“There is substance in what Parikh is saying… What is at stake is not one incident [of Dubey] in Uttar Pradesh, what is at stake is the whole system”, the CJI stressed.

The UP Police affidavit said, ”The death of Uttar Pradesh gangster Vikas Dubey, while he was in the custody of the state police, was not a fake encounter.”

Coronavirus vaccine: Oxford University shows positive outcome

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July 21, 2020

It’s almost 7 months that the world first faced deadly coronavirus.
Coronavirus has infected more than 13 million people and cause lacs of fatalities.

Almost all the developed and developing countries are in rush to make Corona vaccine.

Now Oxford University Researchers may now be first company to claim the positive outcome from phase 1 and 2.

Yesterday the news of vaccine phase 1 and 2 wave released. Now after a lot of casualties, one positive news comes that the antibodies spiking up vaccine, gives of positive hopes to everyone around the world.

Studies say that the vaccine, AZD1222 was able to produce a dual response in volunteers aged between 18-55.

“Now what this vaccine does particularly well is triggered both arms of the immune system in addition to neutralizing antibodies which other vaccines do, we also see a very strong T-cell response,” says Professor Adrian Hill, Director of the Jenner Institute, Oxford University.

Richard Horton, the editor of the UK-based science journal ‘The Lancet’ also noted that “the vaccine is safe, well-tolerated, and immunogenic.”

The researchers are still proceeding with phase three of trials.

In collaboration with Oxford University, Astrazeneca and British Swedish pharma has struck deal with private vaccine manufacturer, Serum Institute of India to produce 20 million of dose.

Astrazeneca is also going to start human trials by August.

So by this Oxford University clinical trials positive result is good news for India.

In a statement, Serum Institue of India CEO Adar Poonawalla said:

“The trials have shown promising results… We will be applying for the licensure trials to the Indian regulator in a week’s time. In addition, we will soon start manufacturing the vaccine in large volumes, the institute will manufacture and supply one billion doses of the vaccine. “

UK suspends extradition treaty with Hong Kong over China’s new security law

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July 21, 2020

As a result of rising tension with China over the controversial National Securtiy Law introduced by the country, Britain on Monday decided to suspend extradition treaty with Hong Kong. The law gives China sweeping powers and has been perceived as a threat to basic freedom of the former British colony.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, annonced on Monday that the National Security Law has changed the basic foundation of the extradition treaty arragements with the Hong Kong. He mentioned that the UK is concerned abour Articles 55 to 59 which has caused fears that anyone extradited to Hong Kong from Britain could be sent on to mainland China with ease.

“The National Security Law does not provide legal or judicial safeguards in such cases, and I am also concerned about the potential reach of the extra-territorial provisions. So I have consulted with the Home Secretary, the Justice Secretary and the Attorney General, and the government has decided to suspend the extradition treaty immediately and indefinitely,” said Raab in his parliamentary statement.

“I should also tell the House that we would not consider re-activating those arrangements, unless, and until clear and robust safeguards which are able to prevent extradition from the UK being misused under the national security legislation,” he added.

Unaware of the nature of new law and “considerable uncertainity” about the way in which it will enforced, the minister issued a precautionary warning, saying, ” The Untied Kingdom is watching. And the whole world is watching.”

The extradition treaty means that, if someone in Hong Kong is supected of a crime in the UK, then the British authorities has the right to ask Hong Kong to hand them over — and vice versa.

Meanwhile, in their recent move, Prime Minister Boris Johnson had offered residency rights to 350,000 UK passport holders and 2.6 million other eligible citizens of Hong Kong to come to the UK for five years. He also added that after a further year, they will be able to apply for citizenship.

Scrapping of Article 370 gets mention in NCERT textbook of Class 12

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July 21, 2020

The historic decision of invalidating the provisions of Article 370 has found a brief mention in the revised Class XII political science book of National Council for Educational Research and Training(NCERT) for the academic session 2020-21.

The revised textbook, Politics of India since Independence, has addressed the withdrawal of Article 370 in the chapter, ‘Regional Aspirations’.

The chapter says “Jammu and Kashmir had a special status under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. However, in spite of it, the region witnessed violence, cross-border terrorism and political instability with internal and external ramifications”.

“The Article resulted in the loss of many lives, including that of innocent civilians, security personnel and militants. Besides, there was also a large scale displacement of Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir valley,” it read.

Highlighting the landmark decision, a sentence of the chapter reads: ‘On 5 August 2019, Article 370 was abolished by the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019 and the state was constituted into two Union Territories, viz, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.”

The revised chapter talks about the development in the state that took place from 2002 onward. It also deals with the internal problems and the roots of problem that existed in the state during insurgency period.

The book also talks about the President’s Rule imposed in the state in June 2018.The Governor’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir was imposed on June 20, 2018 and the State Assembly was kept suspended after the state faced a political crisis when BJP withdrew support to Mehbooba Mufti-led government.

The chapter also features two front-page newspaper stories — ‘Kashmir Accedes to India’ and ‘Sheikh Abdullah Arrested.”

Earlier this month, CBSE announced a reduction of 30 percent syllabus for class 9 to 12 due to the Covid-19 situation in the country. The decision received much flak as opposition alleged centre of dropping many important topics including ‘Democracy’ to propagate their ideology.

JNU acquired a record, 22% increase in admission application, higher than the last year

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