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20 years on, Jaya Jaitly, retired General get 4 years jail for graft

By
Jyoti B
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A Delhi court sentenced former Samata Party president Jaya Jaitley and two others to four years imprisonment in a corruption case in the 2000–01 alleged defense deal.

The matter caught fire after the sting ‘Operation West End’ by news portal ‘Tehelka’. However, the Delhi High Court on Thursday stayed the four-year imprisonment awarded to former Samata Party president Jaya Jaitley in a corruption case related to the alleged defense deal.

The court, in an in-camera proceeding, also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on all three convicts and had directed them to surrender before it by 5 pm on yesterday.

In the sting operation, Ms. Jaitly was shown to have accepted ₹2 lakh from Mathew Samuel, who represented a non-existing firm named Westend International. The retired Major General received ₹20,000.

Justice Suresh Kumar Kait also sought the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) response on Jaitly’s appeal challenging her conviction and sentence, advocate Abhijat said.

Special CBI judge Virender Bhat said the convicts had acted for “petty gains” and sought to assist an unknown, fictitious firm while awarding punishment on Thursday.

Jaya’s lawyer said the Delhi High Court stayed the sentence. Jaitley’s side in the court was represented by senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and PP Malhotra. He challenged the lower court’s July 21 order ordering Jaya Jaitley and his two aides to surrender by 5 pm on Thursday.

Michelle Bolsonaro, wife of Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro tested positive for the novel coronavirus

By
Jyoti B
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Michelle Bolsonaro, wife of Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro, and Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Marcos Pontes are the latest high-profile Brazilians to have tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), president’s office announced.

The news came five days after President Jair Bolsonaro said he was over his illness and had resumed his normal work routine.

Three of his close aides are now quarantined at home after testing positive, including Citizenship Minister Onyx Lorenzoni, Education Minister Milton Ribeiro and now Pontes.

Jair Bolsonaro 57-year-old is now in isolation. The presidency’s press office said in a statement later that Michelle Bolsonaro, 38, also tested positive.

Brazil reported 2.61 million confirmed Coronavirus cases. Out of which 8.3K is critical with 58.3K infected and 1188 dead in the last 24 hours. Out of these 1.82 million recovered and 91.4K died.

Coronavirus pandemic containment rate is 73%. The daily confirmed cases curve in Brazil is Flat ring at 2.33 %.

She was last seen on Wednesday where she looked after Jair Bolsonaro to a public event to talk about an initiative for women in rural areas and indigenous communities, according to local media reports. Although, she was wearing a face mask at this public gathering.

Donald Trump suggests delay in US presidential elections, Republicans disapprove

By
Shivani Negi
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US President Donald Trump has suggested November’s presidential elections postponed, saying postal voting could lead to less accurate results. Trump added that voting should be postponed until an environment that allows “properly, securely and safely” voting is achieved.

Top Republicans including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy both dismissed the idea.

Trump does not have the authority to postpone the election, as the delay can only be approved by Congress. The president does not have direct power over the two houses of Congress.

“Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???” the US President had tweeted on Thursday.

However, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo refused to consider Trump’s suggestion. When questioned by reporters on whether a president could delay an election, he said he would not “enter a legal judgement on the fly”.

“Never in the history of the country, through wars, depressions and the Civil War, have we ever not had a federally scheduled election on time,” he said in a TV interview.

However, in an evening conference, Trump has now refused that he backed the delay. “I don’t want a delay. I want to have the election,” he said.

“But I also don’t want to have to wait for three months and then find out that the ballots are all missing and the election doesn’t mean anything,” he added.

Trump, meanwhile, has always disapproved of mail-in voting, which he said would be inaccurate and susceptible to fraud

Taking to Twitter, he wrote, “universal mail-in voting” would make November’s vote the “most inaccurate and fraudulent election in history” and a “great embarrassment to the USA”.

“With Universal Mail-In voting With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???”

IPL will help the cricketers to groom themselves and get in the zone

By
Harshit
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English captain, Eoin Morgan revealed the importance of overseas players who are taking part in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as according to him.
English captain, Eoin Morgan revealed the importance of overseas players who are taking part in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as according to him.

English captain, Eoin Morgan revealed the importance of overseas players who are taking part in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as according to him. IPL helps cricketers deal with the pressure of playing on the big stage.

“I pushed him (Strauss)…not that he needed a lot of pushing…but I pushed him to make that call because international 50-over bilateral series…it’s so difficult to replicate that pressure that comes with it. Two, if you play in India in the IPL, there is a different level of pressure. Sometimes you can’t get away from it. It takes you out of your comfort zone, that’s good for any player” Morgan told cricbuzz.

“He asked me ‘what’s different’ and I said one you are playing as an overseas player, so there is huge amount of expectations. You are playing for less number of spots in the XI.

“Strauss agreed with me. He thought making guys available has resulted in guys going there and performing well. That was a big mindset shift for us,” Morgan said.

The English captain also stated that IPL will help the cricketers to groom themselves and get in the zone.

 “And I hope Indian cricket is alright with us because we are using IPL as a vehicle to try and grow players,” he added.

Deadline for filing Income Tax Return 2018-19 extended to September 30

By
Harshit
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This is the third time the central government extends the dates for filing the income tax dues for FY 2018-19 (AY 2019-20).
This is the third time the central government extends the dates for filing the income tax dues for FY 2018-19 (AY 2019-20).

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) extended income tax returns dates for 2018-2019 till September 30 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This is the third time the central government extends the dates for filing the income tax dues for FY 2018-19 (AY 2019-20).

The due date was first extended from March 31 to June 30 and then till July 31 amid COVID-19 and now the third extension till September 30 helped the taxpayers a lot.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) tweeted on Thursday about this extension.

“In view of constraints due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to further ease compliance for taxpayers, CBDT extends the due date for filing of Income Tax Return for FY 2018-19(AY 2019-20) from 31st July 2020 to 30th September 2020, vide Notification in S.O. 2512(E) dt 29th July 2020,” Central Board of Direct Taxes tweeted.

Therefore, the return of income for FY 2018-19, which was due by July 31, can now be filed by September 30.

Happy Birthday Sonu Sood: Wishes pour in for the real-life-superhero on his special day

By
Shivani Negi
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Bollywood actor Sonu Sood turned a year older on Thursday. The reel life villain has emerged as a ‘real life hero’ amid the coronavirus pandemic. From sending stranded workers home to airlifting students struck away from home, Sonu has left no stone unturned to help fellow countrymen in the time of crisis. Even now, the actor continues to arrange special buses, trains and flights to help people reah their homes.

As the actor celebrates his birthday today, friends and fans have taken to social media to wish the actor on his special day.

Union Minister Smriti Irani also took to Instagram to wish her friend Sonu Soon on his special day and it is all sort of hilarious.

“Happy ka Sonu, Sonu Sood,” she wrote on the image. But that’s not all. She also mentioned that she is being a “phakkad friend” for not sending him cake or flowers, and just wishing him on Instagram.

Filmmaker and choreographer Farah Khan, who is good friends with Sonu, took to her Instagram to wish him. “Happiest birthday to my friend n brother, Doing extraordinary deeds in the Simplest of manner. @sonu_sood love you ♥️ may u keep making us proud,” she wrote.

Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh wished the actor and wrote, “Warm wishes to@SonuSood on his birthday. Please keep up the good work and continue helping people in need like you do. May God bless you with a long and healthy life.”

“I extend my Warm Birthday Wishes to real hero@sonusood Ji who is doing selfless service to the needy during these testing #Covid_19 times. May God’s strength be with him in everything he does in the future,” N Chandrababu Naidu wrote as he extended wishes for Sonu .

Sonu Sood started his acting career with Tamil film ‘Kallazhagar’. He has been a part of many critically acclaimed films in regional cinema, However, he didn’t receive due recognition in the Hindi film industry until his role as Chhedi Singh in blockbuster Dabangg. The role got him several awards including an IIFA for the Best Actor in a Negative Role.

On the film front, he was last see in Telugu film Sita. Up next he will be seen in Prithiviraj which also stars Akshay Kumar and marks the debut of former Miss World Manushi Chillar in Bollywood.

England named 14 men unchanged squad for the Pakistan series

By
Harshit
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England named unchanged side for the Pakistan series
England named unchanged side for the Pakistan series.

England named an unchanged 14 man squad for the first Test against Pakistan, which will begin on Wednesday at Old Trafford.

All six bowlers who were the part of the series victory against the West Indies but his selection was unexpected as the spinner didn’t performed in the previous series.

England Test Squad: Joe Root (captain), James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Dominic Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Ollie Pope, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

Joe Denly was dropped from the English side after the first test match against the West Indies and he wasn’t chosen in the series further. The English middle order batsmen didn’t find his spot in this series as well.

Four reserve players are also selected in the English squad

There are also four players who are kept in the reserve category and they will also stay in the bio-secure protocol along with rest of the team.

Reserve players: James Bracey, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach, Dan Lawrence

The all-together squad of 18 players will be allowed to head home for few days to spend some time with their families. They will assemble at Old Trafford on Sunday ahead of the three-Test match series against the Pakistan.

England national selector Ed Smith, said: “After three Tests in quick succession against West Indies, we now turn to an equally condensed Test series against Pakistan, with 15 days of Test cricket scheduled in a three-week period. Our 14-man squad is unchanged.”

NASA launches Mars rover Perseverance to look for clue of ancient life

By
Neha Kumari
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The car-size Perseverance rover launched atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station today at 7:50 a.m.

After touching down inside the 28-mile-wide (45 kilometers) Jezero Crater in February 2021, Perseverance will do things no Mars rover has ever done — hunt for signs of life it will also collect samples for future return to Earth and deploy a miniature helicopter.

“These are very, very exciting times,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said during a news conference on Monday (July 27).

Perseverance is a “very important mission for the United States of America, and, of course, a very, very important mission for the world.” 

Matt Wallace, the mission’s deputy project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, said the rover has already lived up to its name, as engineers persevered through the pandemic to ready the spacecraft for its much-anticipated launch.

“Nothing prepared us for what we had to deal with in the middle of March as the pandemic struck — not just our team, but communities across the country and the world,” Wallace said. “At that point in the mission, we were in our final assembly activities.

This launch marked NASA’s ninth journey to the Mars surface.

 

Perseverance is due to land at the base of an 820-foot-deep (250 meters) crater called Jezero. Even a former lake from 3.5 billion years ago that scientists suspect could bear evidence of potential past microbial life on Mars.

Meanwhile scientists have long debated whether Mars – once a much more hospitable place than it is today – ever harbored life. Water is considered a key ingredient for life and Mars had lots of it.

Hardik Pandya and Natasha Blessed With Baby Boy

By
Neha Kumari
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Hardik Pandya, the Indian all-rounder India cricketer, posted on social media to share that his partner Natasa Stankovic has given birth to a baby boy. “We are blessed with our baby boy,”.

https://twitter.com/hardikpandya7/status/1288778836872634368?s=20

Hardik Pandya captioned the picture of his new-born son. Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic, had announced their engagement on 1st January. And they revealed in May that they were expecting a baby.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CA2khRLFsAz/

Since after their announcement, couple has been sharing loved-up posts on social media. Recently they have even shared the pictures of their maternity shoot.

The couple had announced in May that they were expecting a child. Hardik announced the news on his Instagram profile, writing, “Natasa and I had a great journey together and it is just about to get better. Together we are excited to welcome a new life into our lives very soon. We’re thrilled for this new phase of our life and seek your blessings and wishes.”

Meanwhile, just after annoucement wishes started pouring. 

India captain Virat Kohli wrote responding to the photo of Hardik’s baby boy “Congratulations to you both,”. 

Yuzvendra Chahal also congratulate him on becoming a father. 

“Congratulations my brother @hardikpandya7 on the birth of your son! Lots of love to Natasa, the beautiful boy and you. Hope everyone is healthy,” Opener Shikhar Dhawan wrote.

Navy steps up Indian Ocean operations

By
Jyoti B
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A decisive message has been sent to China with the deployment of Indian Navy in strength in the Indian Ocean Region, with prime sources saying there is no rationale for concern as far as PLA presence is concerned and the strategic Malacca strait is being kept under strict observation.

The Indian Navy deployed a range of its front-line warships and submarines in the IOR when the border tension escalated after the Galwan Valley clashes on June 15 in which 20 Indian army personnel were killed.

Also, the move suggests that India is tightening its grip on the Malacca Strait, a development that will clearly set off alarm bells in Beijing.

Sources in the defence and security establishment said that the “message has been registered” by China, ThePrint reported.

Jammu-Kashmir Reports 540 New COVID-19 Cases

By
Neha Kumari
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The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded 540 fresh positive cases of Coronavirus, by this the total number of positive cases rises to 19,419. AIR reports that 11 more deaths were reported due to COVID-19, thus taking the number of people who died of the infection is 352 including 327 from Kashmir and 25 from Jammu division.

India is currently around five lakh Covid-19 tests every day and the plan is to double the number in next one-two months, Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Thursday.

During the launch of a compendium on ‘Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Technologies for Covid-19 Mitigation’, Vardhan said the country’s recovery rate of over 64 per cent is the best in the world while the fatality rate is nearly 2.2 per cent.

India has recorded 15,83,792 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 34,193 deaths.

Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Gujarat have reported the highest number of cases today. However, infections are rising rapidly in states like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.While India’s recovery rate continues to rise and now stands at 64.4 percent.

Globally, there have been over 1.69 crore confirmed cases of COVID-19. More than 6.63 lakh people have died so far. 

Unlock phase 3 guidelines: Gyms to resume; schools, colleges to remain shut till 31 August

By
Shivani Negi
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The Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday issued fresh guidelines for phase 3 of unlock, relaxing the lockdown restrictions in areas outside containment zones amid the coronavirus outbreak. Unlock 3 guidelines will come into effect from August 1. the guidelines have been decided after balanced discussion with all the state governments, UTs, and central ministers.

What’s allowed?

Gymnaisum and Yoga centres will be allowed to open from August 5. However, a standard operating procedure for their opening will be issued by Minister of Health and Family Welfare.

NighUnder the new guidelines, government announced that night curfews imposed in the country to curb the virus will now be revoked. People can now freely move at night, and shops and commercial establishments will also be allowed to open till late in the night.

There shall be no restrictions of intra-state or inter-state of people or goods across the country and no additional pass or e-permit will be required for such movement, the order stated.

Here are the things that are not allowed:

Operations of Metro rail, cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditorium, assembly halls, and similar places shall continue to prohibited, the Ministry of Home Affairs ordered.o

“Social/ political/ sports/ entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ religious functions and other large congregations” shall also not be allowed.

Schools, colleges and coaching centres will also remain shut till August 31.

International air travel will continue to remain suspended until further notice. However, Vande Bharat Services will continue to be available for passengers.

According to the order, all other activities except the ones listed under prohibition shall be permitted outside the containment zones. Lockdown in containment zones will stay imposed till August 31, 2020. Within the premises of containement zones, strict socilal distancing and other norms shall be followed, the order said.

Meanwhile, India recorded the biggest surge in fresh Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, breaching the 52,000-mark for the first time, taking the total cases to 15,83,792. Government data shows 775 have died in the last 24 hours; the total casualties are now 34,968.

War memorial-Soldiers Martyred in Galwan clash will be honoured at war memorial

By
Neha Kumari
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The names of the 20 Indian soldiers martyred in the deadly Galwan Valley clash with Chinese troops in Ladakh on June 15 will be inscribed on the National War Memorial in Delhi, officials said on Wednesday.

The soldiers face-off numerically superior Chinese troops in the remote sector.

Colonel B Santosh Babu and the commanding officer of 16 Bihar, was among the 20 soldiers martyred in the seven-hour conflict near Patrolling Point 14 in Galwan Valley. Also Indian troops inflicted heavy casualties on the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

The names of all battle soldiers are inscribed on the memorial, the officials said.

Among the 20 Indian soldiers martyred in the incident, Col B Santosh Babu, the commanding officer of 16 Bihar was also the one to be martyred clash.

The War Memorial has been built to give tribute to the soldiers killed during the Indo-China War in 1962, the Indo-Pak Wars in 1947, 1965 and 1971, the Kargil Conflict in 1999, and the Indian Peace Keeping Force Operations in Sri Lanka.

Assembling of World’s Largest Fusion Reactor starts in French

By
Jyoti B
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The truly huge International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) has arrived its years-long assembly phase. The fusion reactor has millions of distinctive parts that will eventually form the world’s largest tokamak, a plasma reactor was extremely hot, charged plasma creates the conditions necessary for atoms to fuse and release considerable amounts of energy.

The groundbreaking multinational experiment, known as the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), has seen components arrive in the tiny commune of Saint-Paul-Les-Durance from production sites worldwide in recent months.

French President Emmanuel Macron, in a recorded address, spoke on Tuesday of the project’s potential.

“Imagine, if the experience works, if it can find industrial applications, we will have developed a non-polluting, carbon-free, safe and almost waste-free energy, that will simultaneously meet the needs of all areas of the globe and meet the climate challenge and preserve natural resources,” he said. 

The project involves international collaboration, which PM said it is a perfect symbol of Indian belief ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ which means the world is one family. The project is located in Saint-Paul-lès-Durance, Provence, southern France.

Nuclear fusion occurs when two atoms combine to form a new atom and a neutron

The atoms are fired into a plasma where extreme temperatures overcome their repulsion and force them together

The fusion releases about four times the energy produced in atom-splitting nuclear fission, per gramme of fuel.

Jammu & Kashmir extends ban on 3G, 4G internet services till August 19

By
Shivani Negi
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The Jamu and Kashmir governement on Wednesday extended ban on high sped internet data in the union territory till August 19,2020. Internet remains restricted to 2G speed for post-paid sim cards and verified pre-paid sim cards. This decision came after anti-national activities witness rise over the coming weeks events inlcuding Article one year anniversaty of scrapping of article 370 and Independece Day.

Internet access across the Union Territory of J&K shall be made available; however, internet speed shall be restricted to 2G only and post-paid sim card holders shall be provided with access to internet: Jammu & Kashmir Government, ” ANI reported.


Earlier, centre had told Supreme Court that it would verify media reports quoting J&K Lieutenant-Governor G.C. Murmu saying 4G Internet speed shout be restored in the UT. It also sought time to file a reply to the rejoinder affidavit filed by an NGO. A bench of justices N V Ramana, R Subhash Reddy and B R Gavai adjourned the hearing for August 7.

The ban on high speed internet would complete one year on August 5 as the centre revoked special status of the former state under Article 370 and downgraded it two UTs – J&K and Ladakh last year.

The Principal Secretary Home Department Shaleen Kabra in an order said that 2G speed across the J&K would be made available with certain condition till August 19.


The order said “restrictions on access to internet through mobile data services have been necessitated” in view of its “misuse in planning and executing terror acts, including attacks on security forces, political workers and innocent civilians, propagation of ideologies inimical to the interests of the country, misguiding the youth to join terrorist ranks, communicating and coordinating with handlers across the border to facilitate infiltration”.

Wednesday’s order has come at a time when expectations were high that 4G high speed internet access would be restored in the UT shortly.

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