AAP'S SANJAY SINGH 24TH MP TO BE SUSPENDED FROM PARL

Moments after Rajya Sabha adopted a motion on Wednesday to suspend AAP's Sanjay Singh for the remaining week making him the 24th MP in both Houses to be suspended for "unruly conduct", Opposition veterans petitioned RS chairman M Venkaiah Naidu to revoke the action.

Naidu, however, told the leaders that erring MPs would have to express regret for their suspensions to be revoked.

In Lok Sabha, too, where pre-lunch proceedings were washed out due to Opposition disruptions as in the Upper House, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi asked for a similar regret for the govt to bring a motion revoking suspensions of four Congress members.

Joshi's comments came after NCP, TMC and DMK urged revocation of the suspensions.

"What is the guarantee they (the erring MPs) will not storm the Well again and not flash placards at the chair," Joshi asked in Lok Sabha after NCP's Supriya Sule said the govt should bring a motion to revoke suspensions adding that the Opposition wanted the House to run.

In Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge and KC Venugopal of the Congress, Ram Gopal Yadav (SP), Derek O'Brien (TMC), Tiruchi Siva (DMK), Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena), Elamaram Kareem (CPM), Binoy Viswam (CPI), Suresh Reddy (TRS) and Vaiko (MDMK) met Naidu in his chamber after Sanjay Singh was suspended following the naming by Deputy Chairman Hari Vansh.

The leaders cited a large number of suspensions in Rajya Sabha (20 including Sanjay Singh) to seek the revocation and enable debate.

Naidu told leaders that naming and suspensions were the last resort to preserve dignity of the House. He also mentioned that 63 Lok Sabha MPs were suspended in 1989 and 25 in 2015 for "persistently violating rules and disrupting the proceedings."

The ongoing Monsoon session is headed for a washout without any major business being transacted. Yet, sources in the govt have indicated that the current stalemate “does not hurt” the treasury benches much as they do not have any crucial Bills pending and the pandemonium could, in fact, end up further damaging the image of the Opposition.

SC BACKS PMLA ALONG WITH ITS STRICT BAIL CONDIOTIONS

Making clear that the State has a compelling interest in imposing stringent bail conditions for economic offences, the Supreme Court Wednesday upheld the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, including its stringent bail conditions that impose a reverse burden of proof on the accused.

In upholding the reverse burden of proof condition for grant of bail, the Court also overruled its own order of November 2017 that had declared the bail criteria unconstitutional.

The ruling Wednesday by Justices A M Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and C T Ravikumar — Justice Khanwilkar will retire on July 29 — states that “declaration by the Parliament itself is testimony of compelling necessity to have stringent regime (enactment) for prevention and control of the menace of money-laundering”.

It also expounded the theory of “soft state” which the Court said is used to “describe a nation which is not capable of preventing the offence of money laundering”. The Court relied on Article 39 of the Constitution, part of the Directive Principles of State Policy that mandates the State to prevent concentration of wealth, to uphold the stringent bail conditions under PMLA.

“In view of the gravity of the fallout of money laundering activities having transnational impact, a special procedural law for prevention and regulation, including to prosecute the person involved, has been enacted, grouping the offenders involved in the process or activity connected with the proceeds of crime as a separate class from ordinary criminals. The offence of money-laundering has been regarded as an aggravated form of crime “world over”. It is, therefore, a separate class of offence requiring effective and stringent measures to combat the menace of money laundering,” the Court held.

ED QUIZZES SONIA FOR 3RD TIME AMID BJP-CONG SLUGFEST; CHARGESHEET SOON

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate for the third time in a week yesterday over her role in the National Herald newspaper-linked money laundering case, as the political slugfest between the BJP and the Congress continued over the agency action.

The Enforcement Directorate officials said Gandhi, 75, was quizzed for three hours after which they indicated that the recording of her statement had concluded.

The officials said the agency is likely to soon file a charge sheet in the case in which the statements of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders Pawan Bansal and Mallikarjun Kharge will be annexed.

As Congress leaders continued their protests in several states against Sonia's questioning, BJP President JP Nadda hit out at the opposition party, saying it thinks that one family is above the law.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur accused the Congress of trying to "mislead and pressure" central probe agencies through street protests.

The Congress alleged that the money-laundering law has been weaponised to target and humiliate people, and urged the Supreme Court to decide soon on the matter concerning the National Herald-Associated Journals Limited case.

The Congress also fielded its senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad in solidarity with Sonia Gandhi and said political opponents should not be treated as "enemies". Azad, a prominent member of the "Group of 23 (G-23)" that has been critical of the Congress leadership, said the ED should keep in mind the age and health of Sonia Gandhi before subjecting her to repeated

"Even in wars, kings used to give directions that women should not be attacked and those not keeping well should be spared," Azad said, urging the agencies not to be harsh on Sonia Gandhi.

COVID DASHBOARD – INDIA

As of 0800 IST / July 27

from mohfw.gov.in ,

New Cases on Tuesday  18,313

Active Cases 1,45,026 (-2,486)

Total Deaths (Deaths Yesterday) 5,26,167 (40)

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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CHINA WARNS US OVER PELOSI'S PROPOSED TAIWAN VISIT

China has once again warned the United States against going ahead with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan visit.

"Perhaps you missed our briefings in the past few days. We have repeatedly made clear our firm opposition to speaker Pelosi's potential visit to Taiwan," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said in a press conference on Wednesday.

"If the US side insists on making the visit and challenges China's red line, it will be met with resolute countermeasures. The US must assume full responsibility for any serious consequence arising thereof," he added.

Pelosi is reportedly planning to visit Taiwan in August, but the White House said her plans have not been locked in yet.

FED HIKES RATES BY 75 BASIS PTS TO TAME INFLATION

Federal Reserve officials raised interest rates by 75 basis points for the second straight month and Chair Jerome Powell left the same move again on the table for the next meeting in September, depending on how the data comes in.

Policy makers, facing the hottest cost pressures in 40 years, lifted the target for the federal funds rate on Wednesday to a range of 2.25% to 2.5%. That takes the cumulative June-July increase to 150 basis points -- the steepest since the price-fighting era of Paul Volcker in the early 1980s.

Wednesday’s hike was expected by many investors. “This was widely expected and encouraging that it was a unanimous decision,” said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer and founding partner at Cresset Capital. “It was well telegraphed and properly balanced against expectations.”

Investors are now watching to see if the Fed slows the pace of rate increases at its next meeting in September, or if strong price gains pressure the central bank to continue with super-sized hikes.

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A CHESS BUZZ HAS ENVELOPED CHENNAI

A week ago, a video anthem was released wherein A R Rahman and Chief Minister M K Stalin are walking along Napier Bridge, which is painted black and white to resemble the squares on a chess board. Both are clad in all-white, flanked by dancers in black, resembling the pieces on a board, humming the anthem and shyly jiving.

The former world champion and one of Chennai’s own, Viswanathan Anand, could not hide his excitement. “I have never seen the city so excited about chess. I was so happy to see the bridge painted black and white and I am sure that everyone in the city would know about the Chess Olympiad,” he said.

Into the melee dropped superstar Rajinikanth, when he invited fledgling chess stars R Praggnanandhaa and his sister R Vaishali as well as their parents to his house. If the confluence of the biggest politician in the state, the biggest actor and the biggest music composer does not strike a chord, perhaps nothing would. The ambitious Tamil Nadu govt, riding a wave of goodwill since the curbing of the pandemic, has pulled no shutters to celebrate the Olympiad.

This edition of the Olympiad, from July 28 to August 10, is the first the country will host.

Every pillar and post reminds you of the Olympiad. The faces of DMK luminaries, from the ruling party’s founder C N Anna Durai to former CM M Karunanidhi and now Stalin to the emerging Udhayanidhi Maran have been embossed onto a chess board. In every speech Stalin makes, there is a chess analogy or reference.

The only unhappy faces, so far, are in the city’s BJP unit, which has been demanding that photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi be added to the hoardings.

Besides there are special buses painted black and white, with a beaming mascot Thambi that ply between Mahabalipuram and the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus. Thambi also peers down from most buses and metro trains, as well as the entrances of important govt offices.

NIV ISOLATES MONKEYPOX VIRUS, PAVES WAY FOR VACCINE, DIAGNOSTIC KIT

The National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune under the ICMR has isolated the monkeypox virus from the clinical specimen of a patient, which can pave the way for development of diagnostic kits and vaccines against the disease, officials said on Wednesday.

With India isolating the virus, the ICMR has also invited expressions of interest (EOI) from experienced vaccine manufacturers, pharma companies, research and development institutions and in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) kit manufacturers for joint collaboration in the development of a vaccine candidate against monkeypox and diagnostic kits for the infection.

The virus isolation enhances India's capacity to do research and development in many other directions, Dr Pragya Yadav, a senior scientist at NIV, said.

BENGAL SCHOOL JOBS SCAM: ED FINDS ANOTHER 29 CRORE WORTH OF CASH

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) said on Wednesday that it has found cash totalling Rs 20 crore and jewellery from premises in Kolkata allegedly linked to Arpita Mukherjee, the associate of West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee who has been arrested in connection with a schools recruitment scam. The recovery came five days after the ED said it had seized Rs 28 crore in cash from another location in the city linked to Mukherjee.

Besides cash, gold bars, jewellery and other documents have also been recovered,” said an ED official.

Directed by the Calcutta High Court, CBI is probing alleged irregularities in the recruitment of Group C and D staff as well as teachers in govt-sponsored and aided schools when Chatterjee was the Education Minister. The ED is tracking the money trail in the case.

TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said the party will not defend anyone who is found guilty. “There is no word to condemn such a crime. The party will not defend anyone who is involved in this. If found guilty, the persons involved must be brought to justice,” said Ghosh.

Meanwhile, addressing a function in Kolkata, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hit out at what she called a “media trial” in the case.

OVER 35.5% KIDS STUNTED, GOVT RELEASES TARGET TO CURB MALNUTRITION

Releasing targets for curbing malnutrition in the country, specifically among children, Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday said in a written statement tabled in Rajya Sabha said that it aims at reducing stunting and under-nutrition (underweight prevalence) among children under 6 years by 2% per annum.

The ministry stated that it aims to reduce low birth weight by 2% per annum, and anaemia among children between six and 59 months, as well as women and adolescent girls from 15 to 49 years, by 3% per annum.

According to findings of the 2019-21 National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), nutrition indicators for children under 5 have improved over NFHS-4 (2015-16).

Stunting has reduced from 38.4% to 35.5%, wasting from 21.0% to 19.3% and underweight prevalence is down from 35.8% to 32.1%, according to the data. Women (15-49 years) whose BMI is below normal has reduced from 22.9% in NFHS-4 to 18.7% in NFHS-5. Despite the decrease, nutrition experts have said that India has one of the highest burdens of malnutrition in the world.

BANKS OFFER HIGHER RATES ON NRE DEPOSITS, BUT ONLY TO HNIs

After India’s largest private lender HDFC Bank set up a two-day window for non-resident external rupee (NRE) deposits offering significantly higher interest rate than those currently available, more banks are likely to come up with such offers, bankers said.

The window offered by HDFC Bank, which is available on July 27 and 28, offers an annual interest rate of 6.8 per cent on NRE deposits worth Rs 2 crore to less than Rs 150 crore for tenures ranging From 12 months to 15 months.

Earlier this month, Axis Bank announced interest rates in the range of 6.30-6.65 per cent for such deposits worth Rs 5 crore to Rs 100 crore and above maturing in 12 months to 15 months.

The steps on NRE deposits taken by the two private lenders comes after the RBI earlier this month temporarily exempted banks from adhering to a regulation that prevented interest rates on NRE deposits outstripping those on comparable domestic term deposits.

The relaxations started July 7 and will be effective till October 31, 2022, the RBI said.

‘GANG WAR BETWEEN SCHOOL STUDENTS’ BEHIND BOMB ATTACKS IN PRAYAGRAJ

A series of at least six mysterious crude bomb blasts in different areas of UP’s Prayagraj over the past three months is the result of an alleged turf war between two gangs of students from reputed schools in the city.

The students, mostly minor boys aged between 15 and 17 “from well-off families”, were allegedly engaged in “criminal activities” over the past year for two gangs called Immortals and Tandav, the officer said. The police cracked the case with the help of surveillance and CCTV footage, said a senior police officer

“Eleven of these students were caught on Tuesday. They have confessed to their involvement in six cases in the past three months. In all the six incidents, the students were involved in physical assault and hurling bombs at their opponents before escaping from the spot on two-wheelers.

According to the district police, initial investigations have revealed that the gang members allegedly extorted money from other students and also made money by sharing passwords of online games similar to PUBG.

AFTER SNAGS, DGCA CURTAILS SPICEJET FLIGHTS TO 50%

Aviation regulator DGCA has ordered budget carrier SpiceJet to operate a maximum of 50 per cent of its flights for eight weeks after several of its planes reported technical malfunction recently.

During these eight weeks, SpiceJet will be subjected to “enhanced surveillance” by the DGCA. The airline, however, said there would be no flight cancellations because of the regulator’s order as it was already operating limited services “due to the current lean travel season”.

GOOGLE GETS STREET VIEW BACK TO INDIA AFTER 6 YEARS

Google on Wednesday relaunched Street View in India, after having been compelled by the govt to discontinue it six years ago for security reasons. This time, the launch is in partnership with Indian technology companies Genesys and Tech Mahindra. The govt had announced a mapping policy last year that allowed Indian entities to freely acquire, digitise and create geospatial data. Foreign companies and foreign-controlled Indian companies can license such maps to serve Indian customers. But even then, the data has to reside with the Indian entities and cannot be allowed to be passed through the licensee or its servers.

Genesys and Tech Mahindra together have used vehicles to take pictures and videos covering over 150,000km spanning 10 cities in India, including Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Pune. Miriam Karthika Daniel, VP for maps experiences at Google, said the plan is to expand this to more than 50 cities by the end of 2022, and many more next year.

INDIA ROUT WI TO COMPLETE SERIES SWEEP AGAINST WEST INDIES

Shubman Gill was unlucky to miss out on a maiden century but India rode on his sublime 98 to outclass West Indies by 119 runs and complete a 3-0 rout in the ODI series at Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad on Wednesday.

In the rain-affected third and final ODI, India scored 225/3 in 36 overs, courtesy of Gill and skipper Shikhar Dhawan's steady knock of 58 off 74 balls.

The revised Duckworth-Lewis target of 257 from 35 overs was a tricky one and West Indies were all out for 137 in 26 overs.

Mohammed Siraj's (2/14 in 3 overs), Yuzvendra Chahal (4/17 in 4 overs), Axar Patel (1/38 in 6 overs) and Shardul Thakur (2/17 in 5 overs) performed their role admirably on a slowish surface as only Brandon King (42 off 37 balls) and Nicholas Pooran (42 off 32 balls) could make an impression with the bat for the hosts.

INDICATORS

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

It is one of the severest tests of friendship to tell your friend his faults. So to love a man that you cannot bear to see a stain upon him, and to speak painful truth through loving words, that is friendship. - Henry Ward Beecher

OFF TRACK

Never make a woman cry!!! There is nothing more expensive than a female tear...

When a single drop of tear comes out, it first mixes with "Loreal" eye liner & Dior mascara.

Then when it rolls down the cheek, it mixes with D&G blusher.

And finally when it touches the lips, it gets mixed with "Maybellene" lipstick.

This means that a single drop is ruining Rs.6000 !!!!