SC grants P Chidambaram interim protection from arrest by ED
The Supreme Court has granted interim protection to ex-Finance Minister P Chidambaram from arrest by Enforcement Directorate till August 26 in the INX Media case. On Thursday, a special CBI court sent Chidambaram to CBI custody till August 26 in the case which pertains to alleged irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board’s clearance to INX Media.
SC to review validity of Triple Talaq law, issues notice to Centre
The Supreme Court on Friday said it will review the validity of Triple Talaq law and has issued notice to the Centre. The notice was issued after the apex court heard three petitions challenging constitutional validity of the law. President Ram Nath Kovind had given assent to Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019, making it a law.
Pakistan put on FATF’s ‘enhanced blacklist’ over terror financing
The Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering has put Pakistan on its ‘enhanced blacklist’ over terror financing. Pakistan now faces being placed on FATF’s overall blacklist. The FATF had warned Pakistan to meet its commitment by October or face action after the country failed to complete its action plan on terror financing.
German city offers ₹8 crore to anyone who can prove it doesn’t exist
The German city of Bielefeld is offering a prize of €1 million (nearly ₹8 crore) to prove the conspiracy theory that it doesn’t exist. Organisers said only “incontrovertible” evidence will qualify for the prize. The conspiracy theory was first put forward in the 1990s by Achim Held who had joked that the city is not known for anything in particular.
Priyanka has right to speak in own capacity: UN after Pak’s criticism
Amid Pakistan’s criticism against UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra, UN chief António Guterres’s spokesperson said, “When…ambassadors speak in their personal capacity, they retain the right to speak about issues that interest or concern them.” Pakistan had urged the UN to remove Priyanka as the ambassador over her tweet cheering Indian military and alleged that she supports nuclear war.
Will tell Imran to settle Kashmir issue bilaterally: French Prez
Stating that he discussed the Kashmir issue with PM Narendra Modi at a meeting near Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said that India and Pakistan should resolve the issue bilaterally. Calling for the rights of people to be maintained, Macron stated that he would also convey to Pakistan PM Imran Khan that the issue should be resolved bilaterally.
Microsoft contractors hear chats mistakenly recorded via Xbox: Report
Third-party Microsoft contractors listened to Xbox users speaking in their homes in order to improve the console’s voice command features, Motherboard reported. The contractors alleged that the chats, supposed to be captured following a voice command, were sometimes recorded mistakenly. A former unnamed contractor claimed that most of the voices they heard were of children, the report added.
It’s time we recognise PM Modi’s work: Congress’ Jairam Ramesh
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has said that it is time we recognise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s work and what he did between 2014-2019 due to which he was voted back to power. PM Modi’s governance model is not a “complete negative story” and demonising him all the time is not going to help, Ramesh added.
TN on alert after warning on Lashkar terrorists entering state
The Tamil Nadu police on Thursday midnight launched a massive combing operation in search of a six-member Lashkar-e-Taiba group that is believed to have entered the state. Intelligence machinery has been activated in all districts, while the movement of ferries and boats is being monitored. Meanwhile, a senior officer said the input was specifically on Coimbatore city.
Ayodhya land dispute case trial judge is seeking police protection: SC
A trial judge in the Ayodhya land dispute case has appealed for police protection, the Supreme Court revealed on Friday. The top court has asked Uttar Pradesh government to examine the judge’s plea and give its response within two weeks. Meanwhile, the apex court is holding day-to-day hearings in the case after the mediation process to conclude the case failed.
Delhi Assembly passes resolution to rebuild Ravidas temple
After violent protests against demolition of Ravidas temple, Delhi Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution demanding to rebuild the temple at the same site. They also said that the Centre must immediately bring an ordinance to allot the land for the temple. CM Arvind Kejriwal said, “If DDA gives 4-acre land to Ravidas, we’ll give 100 acres to DDA.”
Unprecedented situation in 70 yrs: NITI Aayog on economic slowdown
NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar has described the current economic slowdown as an “unprecedented situation for the government of India”. “In the last 70 years, nobody had faced this sort of situation where the entire financial system is under threat and nobody is trusting anybody else,” he stated. Nobody is ready to lend in the private sector, Kumar added.
Don’t have the resources to fight fires in Amazon: Brazil President
Amid growing international criticism over the wildfires raging through the Amazon, Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro said, “Amazon is bigger than Europe, how will you fight criminal fires in such an area? We don’t have the resources for that.” Fires in the Amazon have surged 83% so far this year compared with the same period a year earlier, government figures show.
I don’t get bothered when compared to Janhvi Kapoor: Sara
When asked how she feels about being compared to actress Janhvi Kapoor, actress Sara Ali Khan said that it doesn’t bother her as “comparison and competition is part and parcel” of their profession. “Nothing works more than individualism,” she added. Sara further said that she and Janhvi had more in common with each other than they had with other people.
Kapil accused of regional bias for appeal on Punjab floods
Comedian Kapil Sharma, who shared a video on Thursday asking people to help Punjab flood victims, was accused of regional bias for not appealing for other flood-hit states. A user commented, “You’re living in Maharashtra, why you haven’t appealed for flood in Maharashtra?” An hour later, Kapil posted another video urging people to help Maharashtra flood victims as well.
Yardley is India’s most trusted perfumes & soap brand: IBC report
Yardley has been declared “India’s Most Trusted Perfumes & Soaps Brand” by International Brand Consulting Corporation, USA in its Brand Research Report 2019. The House of Yardley prides itself in crafting authentic, rich and iconic fragrances, with Lavender being its signature scent. It seeks to contemporise and adapt to changing times with new fragrances every year.
Outraged by stupidity: French zoo after visitors scratch names on rhino
The Zoo de La Palmyre of France released a statement on Wednesday after some visitors scratched their names ‘Camille’ and ‘Julien’ on the back of a 35-year-old female rhinoceros. The zoo said its management was “outraged by the stupidity and disrespect” of the visitors. The visitors reportedly scratched their names on the rhino’s skin with their fingernails.
Rahane hits 81 as India end rain-curtailed Day 1 against WI at 203/6
India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane smashed 81(163), his 18th fifty in Test cricket, as India ended the first day of the first Test against West Indies in Antigua at 203/6. Only 68.5 overs were possible in the day due to rain. Prior to this match, Rahane had an average of 24.26 in Test cricket in last two years.
Russia sends its 1st, life-sized humanoid robot Fedor to space
The Russian space agency Roscosmos on Thursday sent an unmanned rocket carrying a life-size humanoid robot Fedor (Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research) to space. The robot is scheduled to spend 10 days learning to assist astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS). It repeated the first man to space, Yuri Gagarin’s launch phrase, “Let’s go! Let’s go!” on being launched.
Trump to discuss Kashmir, human rights with PM Modi at G7
US President Donald Trump will discuss Kashmir, the Indo-US partnership, defence, human rights, counterterrorism and trade with PM Narendra Modi at the G7 summit in France’s Biarritz. “We do expect the issue of India-Pakistan relations to come up. The President will likely want to hear from PM Modi on how he plans to reduce regional tensions,” a US official said.
Pak claims SL Prez supports it on Kashmir; SL Prez rejects claim
Pakistan’s envoy to Sri Lanka Shahid Hashmat in a press release claimed that Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena supports Pakistan on Kashmir and that he offered to mediate through SAARC. However, Sirisena rejected Hashmat’s claim saying he did not make any comment on issues pertaining to India and Pakistan. Sirisena added he was briefed about India’s revocation of Article 370.
Fuel supply to Air India stopped at six domestic airports
Indian Oil has stopped jet fuel supply to national carrier Air India at six domestic airports because of unpaid dues. The airports where fuel supply has been halted since Thursday evening are Mohali, Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Pune, Ranchi and Patna. “In the absence of equity support Air India cannot handle the huge debt service liabilities,” the airline said in a statement.
SEBI permits credit rating agencies to collect clients’ debt info
SEBI on Wednesday allowed credit rating agencies to obtain details of clients’ existing and future debt. The move aims at enabling rating agencies to have timely information on the default of an entity. Rating agencies have come under scanner after numerous loan defaults, including IL&FS case, but they often cite lack of information as a reason for their delayed response.
Amazon’s largest campus in Hyderabad got govt clearances in 11 days
Clearances for Amazon’s largest campus in Hyderabad were given by the government in only 11 days, Telangana Principal Secretary Jayesh Ranjan said. This was possible with the Telangana State Industrial Project and Self-Certification System (TS-iPASS). Ranjan added that clearance for Amazon’s complicated building structure would have taken at least one year without TS-iPASS.
