Author: LokMarg

A 31-year-old woman tested positive for Monkeypox in the national capital on Wednesday, taking India’s tally to nine.
This is the first case of the disease among women in India.

She is under treatment in one of the government hospitals in Delhi.

Earlier on Tuesday, another 35-year-old Nigerian man living in Delhi, with no recent travel history, tested positive for monkeypox.

The patient is admitted to Lok Nayak Jaiprakash hospital which comes under the government of Delhi.

India has reported 9 monkeypox cases so far, 5 from Kerala and 4 from Delhi.

In the wake of an increase in the number of Monkeypox cases in the country, isolation rooms have been made operational for the treatment of such infections in three central government hospitals, according to sources.

“The isolation rooms for the treatment of Monkeypox patients are operational in three major central government hospitals i.e Safdarjang hospital, RML hospital and Lady Hardinge hospital,” official sources told ANI.

The Delhi Government issued the official statement on Tuesday on the preparation of isolation rooms in government and private hospitals. The 20 isolation rooms at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital, while 10 isolation rooms have been set up in Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital (GTB) hospital and 10 at Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital.

Notably, the Delhi government has also directed private hospitals to create isolation rooms for patients with Monkeypox cases. These three hospitals are Kailash Deepak hospital, East Delhi; MD City Hospital, North Delhi and Batra Hospital and Research Centre, Tughlakabad in South Delhi.

India has so far reported 9 Monkeypox cases, of which 5 are from Kerala with a history of international travel and four from Delhi with no recent travel history.

On Monday, the Joint Secretary in the Union Health Ministry wrote to Dr Hussain Abdul Rahman, Executive Director and IHR focal point in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), requesting him to intensify screening to ensure that persons exhibiting symptoms suggestive of Monkeypox disease are not allowed to board the flight to minimize the risk of disease transmission.

In the wake of the rising cases of Monkeypox in the country, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday assured citizens not to panic and said that an awareness campaign is being run in collaboration with the state governments to prevent the spread of the infection.

Speaking in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday during the ongoing Monsoon session of the Parliament, the Union Minister said, “There is no need to be afraid of Monkeypox, an awareness campaign is being run in collaboration with the state governments: Public awareness is very necessary for the context of Monkeypox. We have also formed a task force under the chairmanship of a member of NITI Aayog on behalf of the Government of India.”

“On the basis of the observations of the task force, we will assess and study the further action to be taken. If the state government of Kerala needs any kind of help from the Central government, it will be given. Also, an expert team of the Central government is guiding the state government from time to time,” he said.

India has reported 9 Monkeypox cases and approximately 100 samples have been tested till August 2, said Dr Pragya Yadav Senior Scientist ICMR-NIV, Pune.

“Till now at ICMR NIV Pune and VRDL have tested samples approximate 100 cases as on 2nd August 2022,” she added.

Notably, NCDC, Delhi and AIIMS lab has also started testing for Monkeypox as ICMR-NIV is sharing reagents with National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and all over the country network of 15 laboratories has started testing.

“There are fifteen Virus research and diagnostic laboratories (VRDLs) trained to undertake the diagnostic testing with ICMR -NIV Pune We have shared reagents to NCDC, Delhi also for performing testing. ICMR-NIV, Pune is a nodal center for testing and coordination,” said Dr Yadav. (ANI)

War-torn Afghanistan is witnessing an economic crisis and is under huge debt since the Taliban took control of the country as now it owes Tajikistan USD 28 million for electricity.

Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) of Afghanistan owes Tajikistan USD 28 million for electricity, said Mohammad Omar Asuzada, the head of the national electricity company of Tajikistan, Barqi Tojik.

In a press conference held on August 1, the Tajik energy official said that transferring money from the DABS company to Barqi Tojik became quite challenging after the banks responsible for purchasing electricity encountered sanctions, Khaama Press reported.

“We have received USD 2 million in cash”, however, the outstanding balance remains at USD 28 million to be paid by DABS,” Asuzada said.

The Afghan company, DABS, “is working on the matter,” he further added.

Tajikistan provided Afghanistan with more than 734 million kWh of electricity during the first half of the year, Khaama Press reported citing a Barqi Tojik senior official.

Due to the destruction of Afghan transmission lines in recent years, Afghanistan occasionally experienced interruptions in the provision of electricity, however, comes as according to a statement from the Uzbek Energy Ministry, Afghanistan has paid off its substantial debt to Uzbekistan for electric power imports.

Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in mid-August, many electricity supply projects in the country have been halted and several have shut down as well. The main reason for halting these projects is the suspension of funds from the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and the United States development aid to Afghanistan.

Due to four decades of conflict, severe drought, and pandemics, Afghanistan’s economy was already collapsing.

After the Taliban seized power following the hasty withdrawal of US soldiers, the international community froze Afghanistan’s assets and withheld help.

Moreover, women work, and especially female breadwinners, have struggled to make ends meet since the Taliban took control. Female employees in government offices are currently housed in the majority of cases. (ANI)

Police in Manipur’s Imphal arrested a man accused of murdering his childhood friend in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

Earlier on July 27, a woman in Manipur complained to the police that her brother had been missing for the last two days. A dead body was found in Tukaram Gate, Hyderabad on the same day.

Priyajith Namasudra (21) was arrested in Imphal in connection with the murder. He had earlier fled Hyderabad with his wife after the crime.

The police found out that the deceased and accused were childhood friends. Biswas and his family migrated to Hyderabad four years ago and were living in the Addagutta area. Namasudra and his wife also came to Hyderabad after a while and started living in a nearby house. However, an extramarital relationship developed between Biswas and Namasudra’s wife, Shilpi.

Despite Namasudra’s warnings, Biswa did not change his behaviour and decided to kill the latter. On June 25, Namasudra and Biswas went to an under-construction house at Trimurthy Colony to consume liquor. While Biswas was inebriated, Namasudra hit him on his head with a wooden block, due to which he died on the spot.

After the commission of the offence, the accused along with his wife fled away to their native place by flight as planned. The city police apprehended him in Imphal, brought him to Hyderabad on a transit warrant, and presented him in court on Wednesday. (ANI)

Cheetahs, widely known as the planet’s fastest animal, could soon make a comeback in India. The centre is planning to import Cheetahs from South Africa for the reintroduction of the species in the country.

This announcement was made following Foreign Office Consultations between India and South Africa that saw a discussion on the entire spectrum of bilateral ties.

“Both sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations covering political exchanges, defence, economic and commercial issues, consular matters, cooperation in the field of agriculture, health, energy and minerals, human resource development, art, culture, sports and import of Cheetahs from South Africa for reintroduction in India,” said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a statement.

The 11th Session of India-South Africa Foreign Office Consultations was held today in New Delhi. The Consultations were co-chaired by Puneet R. Kundal, JS (East and Southern Africa), Ministry of External Affairs and Ntombizodwa Msutukazi Lallie, Acting Deputy Director-General Asia and Middle East, Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Republic of South Africa.

Besides import of Cheetahs, both sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations. The two sides also reviewed the status of MOUs/agreements under negotiation and agreed to expedite their finalization for the mutual benefit of both countries.

In light of the upcoming completion of 30 years of ties between the two countries, it was decided to celebrate the occasion suitably, both in India and South Africa, through cultural and sports events and other activities.

During the consultations, both sides expressed satisfaction over the growth in bilateral trade which touched USD 17 billion in 2021-22 and agreed on the importance of further diversifying their trade.

The two sides also exchanged views on regional and multilateral issues including cooperation at the UN, BRICS, IBSA and IORA. The South African side assured of their support for the upcoming India G20 Presidency while the Indian side expressed its support for South Africa’s BRICS Chairship in 2023. Both sides also discussed regional issues, global developments and issues of common interest including the situation in Ukraine.

The two sides agreed to continue high-level exchanges and regular meetings of the institutional mechanisms such as the Joint Commission and various Joint Working Groups to keep up the momentum in bilateral relations. The Indian side also reiterated an invitation to South Africa to join International Solar Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.

The talks were held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere. Both sides agreed to hold the next round of Consultations at mutually convenient dates in Pretoria. (ANI)

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday suspended the sentence of former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala till the pendency of the appeal in a disproportionate assets (DA) case. Chautala recently had moved an appeal challenging the trial court order which had sentenced him to four years of imprisonment.

Justice Yogesh Khanna on Wednesday released the order copy stated that “considering the age of the appellant being 88 years and that in any case, admittedly, he has spent about one year and six months in custody as per nominal roll dated July 21, 2022, and further that in any case, he remained in custody even after his bail bonds were accepted in the present matter”.
“Thus as the appeal may take some time to come on board for hearing, hence keeping the question of benefit under Section 428 Cr.P.C. to be decided along with the appeal, the sentence of the appellant/applicant is suspended till the pendency of the present appeal”, said the Court

On Monday, the court had kept the order reserved and said will the appropriate order. Senior Advocate N Hariharan and Senior Advocate Sunil Dalal appeared for the OP Chautala on Monday. Advocate Anupam Sharma appeared for CBI in the case and opposed the suspension of sentence plea moved by OP Chautala.

Earlier OP Chautala had filed a writ petition before Delhi High Court through Advocate Amit Sahni submitting that his custody is already over and that his further custody is unlawful. Division Bench of Delhi High Court had directed the counsel of Chautala to file additional documents before the Single Bench, where his appeal is pending adjudication.

On May 27, 2022, the Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi ordered four years imprisonment to Om Prakash Chautala, also ordered to confiscate 4 properties of him and also imposed a fine of Rupees 50 lakh.

According to the CBI’s FIR accused Om Prakash Chautala, while functioning as Chief Minister of Haryana during the period from July 24, 1999, to March 5, 2005, in collusion with his family members and others, accumulated assets, immovable and movable, disproportionate to his known lawful sources of income, in his name, in the names of his family members and others to the extent of Rs.1,467 crores.

FIR further stated that the accused accumulated enormous wealth and invested the same throughout the country in the shape of thousands of acres of land, multi complexes, palatial residential houses, hotels, farmhouses, business agencies, petrol pumps and other investments apart from investments in foreign countries.

FIR also stated that 43 immovable properties in all, apart from cash and jewellery were accumulated. Apart from 43 alleged properties listed in the FIR, additional properties were also suspected to be of the accused family.

An investigation with regard to additional properties was also conducted for ascertaining the link of the accused family with the said properties.

The chargesheet filed in the matter after the conclusion of the investigation stated that accused OP Chautala had acquired assets, both immovable and movable, which were disproportionate to his known source of income.

The disproportionate assets were calculated to be Rs 6,09,79,026 (Rupees Six Crores Nine Lacs Seventy Nine Thousand and Twenty Six only) and the percentage of DA (Disproportionate Assets) was 189.11 per cent of his known sources of income.

Accordingly, CBI had chargesheeted the accused for the offence under Section 13(1)(e) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Apart from the charge sheet filed against the accused OP Chautala, the CBI had filed two more charge sheets arising out of the present FIR, against the sons of the accused i.e. Abhay Singh Chautala and Ajay Singh Chautala and others, which are being tried separately.

Om Prakash Chautala is a former Chief Minister of Haryana from the Indian National Lok Dal and son of sixth Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhary Devi Lal. (ANI)

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the National Anti-Doping Bill, 2021 unanimously by a voice vote.

Opposition parties also took part in the discussion on the bill which seeks to provide a statutory framework for functioning of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and the National Dope Testing Laboratory in sports.
The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on July 27.

Replying to the debate on the bill, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur said India will now join the league of nations like the US, China, France or Australia, Japan, S Korea to have a law and dope test laboratory.

The bill provides for planning, implementing, and monitoring anti-doping activities as well as investigating anti-doping rule violations.

It also seeks to give effect to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation International Convention against doping in sports and compliance with such other obligations and commitments. The legislation prohibits athletes, athlete support personnel, and other persons from engaging in doping in sports.

The violation of anti-doping rules may result in disqualification of results including forfeiture of medals, points, and prizes, ineligibility to participate in a competition or event for a prescribed period, and financial sanctions.

The Bill proposes to establish the National Board for Anti-Doping in Sports with a view to make recommendations to the government on anti-doping regulations and compliance with international commitments on anti-doping. The board will oversee the activities of NADA and issue directions to it.

Participating in the discussion, Biju Janata Dal’s Amar Patnaik said many Indian athletes take Ayurvedic and homoeopathic medicines without knowing they might include banned substances. “Our realities are different and that has to be factored into this Bill,” Patnaik said.

In her maiden speech, nominated Rajya Sabha member PT Usha said a high number of doping cases in India is a serious concern and this needs to be addressed.

“We are yet to open our eyes to doping abuse in our country. What was once confined only to the senior national levels has now reached junior, college, and school levels too,” she said.

CPI (M) MP John Brittas said budgetary allocation for sports should be increased.

“You should be using your political clout to increase the budgetary allocation to sports in India,” he said, addressing Thakur.

He also suggested that the ministry should consult PT Usha to understand the resources required by sportspersons. (ANI)

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday posted a video of herself riding a scooty on social media and said she had a great time dropping a fellow minister Bharati Pawar to office.

Taking to Instagram, Irani posted the video and wrote, “Dropping @dr.bharatippawar Tai, MoS Health to office after a great start to the day with Tiranga Yatra”.

In the video, Irani, who was all smiles, was seen wearing a beautiful floral red saree. She was seen wearing a helmet and glasses while minister of state for health Pawar held the national flag.

The central government and the BJP are celebrating 75 years of Independence by running a ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign.

Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu along with Union ministers Pralhad Joshi and Piyush Goyal flagged off a Tiranga Bike Rally for MPs from Red Fort on Tuesday.

During the rally Irani said “Every citizen of the country is celebrating as India is completing 75 years of Independence. PM Narendra Modi’s resolve is that the next 25 years should be full of resolutions, full of duties and every Indian should live up to the expectations.”

“The power of the Tricolour is to unite 130 crore Indians. Today you can see that all have joined the Tiranga Yatra unitedly. Many Union Ministers, MPs and leaders of different parties have participated in this campaign. I wanted that the opposition parties should also join Tiranga yatra in large numbers but they didn’t. We are trying to send out a message to the coming generations that we will all keep India united, take India forward and make India stronger,” said Union Minister Anurag Thakur.

“It is a special 2nd August today! At a time when we are marking Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, our nation is all set for #HarGharTiranga, a collective movement to celebrate our Tricolour. I have changed the DP on my social media pages and urge you all to do the same,” tweeted PM Modi today.

PM Modi on Sunday called upon all citizens to turn the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign into a mass movement by hoisting or displaying the national flag at their homes and using the ‘Tiranga’ as a display picture on their social media accounts between August 2 and August 15 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence.

“Under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, from the 13th to the 15th of August, a special movement – ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ is being organized. Let us further this movement by hoisting the National Flag at our homes,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday while addressing the monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’.

‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ is a campaign under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to encourage people to bring the Tiranga home and to hoist it to mark the 75th year of India’s independence.

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of independence and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements. (ANI)

The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to list next week another petition challenging Talaq-e-Hasan and other forms of unilateral extra-judicial talaq.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana agreed to list next week after the plea was orally mentioned by Senior Advocate Gaurav Bhatia seeking an early hearing.
Another plea has been moved in the Supreme Court seeking direction to declare the practice of “Talaq-e-Hasan and all other forms of unilateral extra-judicial talaq” as unconstitutional.

The petition filed by a Muslim woman sought appropriate direction to the Centre to frame guidelines for “Gender Neutral Religion Neutral Uniform Grounds of Divorce and Uniform Procedure of Divorce for all citizens”.

The plea filed by advocate Ashutosh Dubey sought to issue direction to declare the practice of “Talaq-e-Hasan and all other forms of unilateral extra-judicial talaq” as void and unconstitutional for being arbitrary, irrational and violative of Articles 14, 15, 21, 25.

The petitioner, who is a Mumbai resident w claimed herself a victim of unilateral Extra-Judicial Talaq-E-Hasan and said that she is filing this public interest litigation for the development of socially-economically downtrodden and marginalized women of the society, who are mostly humiliated by their husbands through illegal, arbitrary and unjust forms of Talaq, widely practised by the Muslim men to harass and torture their wives for one or another reason.

The plea also sought to declare Section 2 of the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937 is void and unconstitutional for being violative of Articles 14, 15, 21, 25, in so far as it validates the practice of “Talaq-E-Hasan and other forms of unilateral extra-judicial talaq.

The plea also sought to declare the Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act, 1939, is void and unconstitutional for being violative of Articles 14, 15, 21, 25 in so far as it fails to secure for Muslim women the protection from “Talaq-e-Hasan and other forms of unilateral extra-judicial talaq.

The fresh petition also sought to direct and declare Nikah halala (tahleel marriage) void and unconstitutional for being violative of Articles 14, 15, 21, 25 of the Constitution of India; e) direct the Centre to frame guidelines for Gender Neutral Religion Neutral Uniform Grounds of Divorce and Uniform Procedure of Divorce for all.

Earlier a plea was filed in the Supreme Court by a Muslim woman seeking to declare that “Talaq-e-Hasan and all other forms of Unilateral Extra-Judicial Talaq” as unconstitutional and sought to issue direction to the Centre to frame guidelines for Gender Neutral Religion Neutral Uniform Grounds of Divorce and Uniform Procedure of Divorce for all. That petition has been filed by one Muslim woman, who claimed to be a journalist as well as a victim of Unilateral Extra-Judicial Talaq-e-Hasan. (ANI)

Singer-turned politician Babul Supriyo, who crossed over from the BJP to the TMC, was among nine leaders sworn in as ministers in the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government on Wednesday.

Apart from Supriyo, Snehasis Chakraborty, Partha Bhowmick, Udayan Guha, Pradip Mazumder, Tajmul Hossain, and Satyajit Barman took oath as Cabinet ministers. Birbaha Hansda and Biplab Roy Chowdhury were sworn in as state Ministers with independent charge.
Supriyo earlier has been a union minister in the Narendra Modi-led central government. However, he left the BJP to join the TMC.

This was the first cabinet reshuffle since Mamata Banerjee again stormed to power in the West Bengal after the 2021 assembly polls.

The reshuffle also comes in the backdrop of the removal of senior TMC leader Partha Chatterjee from the cabinet. Chatterjee was relieved of ministerial duties after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the masssive SSC recruitment scam case.

Chatterjee was minister-in-charge of the departments of industry, commerce and enterprises, IT and electronics, parliamentary affairs and public enterprises, and industrial reconstruction. CM Banerjee had taken charge of the departments held by Chatterjee last week.

Chief Minister Banerjee had earlier said that there will be 4-5 new faces. She had also said that she alone could not take care of so many departments.

The reshuffle also comes at a time when the state BJP has been attacking the ruling TMC accusing it of massive corruption in the school teacher recruitment scam.

West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar, while referring to the arrest of Chatterjee, had alleged that Banerjee’s cabinet reshuffle was an attempt to divert the media’s attention from the corruption cases in West Bengal.

“Due to the corruption cases that are coming to the fore in West Bengal, the people of Bengal have understood that the entire government is a thief. The thief will go and another new thief will come and he will start stealing again with his new energy, nothing much is going to change,” he claimed while speaking to ANI.

The TMC has also hit out at the BJP claiming efforts were being made to tarnish the state government’s image. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated weightlifter Lovepreet Singh after he clinched a Bronze medal for India in the Men’s 109 kg final at the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham on Wednesday.

Indian weightlifter Lovepreet Singh added another medal to India’s tally after capturing a Bronze medal in the final of the Men’s 109 kg category at the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham on Wednesday.
“Congratulations to the talented Lovepreet Singh for winning the Bronze medal in Men’s 109kg weightlifting. The young and dynamic Lovepreet has impressed everyone with his calm temperament and dedication to sports. Wishing him the very best for all future endeavours,” tweeted PM Modi.

President Droupadi Murmu also lauded the weightlifter for his medal win.

“Indian weightlifters continue to excel and bring glory for the nation. Congratulations to Lovepreet Singh for winning bronze medal in weightlifting at #CommonwealthGames. My best wishes to him for success in future events,” tweeted the President.

Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur also congratulated the weightlifter on his Bronze medal win.

“It took Lovepreet Singh 7 years of hardwork to make his place in the national camp at NSNIS Patiala, since then there has been no looking back for him! Congratulations on your medal at #CWG2022. Champ, wish you the best for your future. #Cheer4India,” tweeted Thakur.

Lovepreet finished with a combined lift of 355 kg. It consisted of 163 kg in his final Snatch attempt and a best of 192 kg in the Clean and Jerk category.

Cameroon’s Junior Periclex Ngadja Nyabeyeu took home the Gold with a combined lift of 361 kg, which consisted of the best lift of 160 kg in the Snatch category and the best of 201 kg in the C&J category.

The silver medal went to Samoa’s Jack Hitila Opeloge who had a combined lift of 358 kg. It consisted of the best lift of 164 kg in the Snatch category and 194 in the C&J category.

Lovepreet Singh was off to a great start. He lifted a solid 157 kg in the first Snatch attempt and he took the lead after this.

His other opponents outdid him and he was dethroned from the first spot. His second Snatch attempt was an impressive 161 kg, which once again placed him at the top.

However, in his final attempt, Canada’s Pierre-Alexandre Bessette lifted an impressive 163 kg, which pushed him to number one and Lovepreet was thrown at number two. Lovepreet responded with an amazing 163 kg lift in his final Snatch attempt.

He finished the Snatch event tied with Bessette for the second position. At the first position was Samoa’s Jack Hitila Opeloge, who lifted a fantastic 164 kg in his final attempt. Cameroon’s Junior Periclex Ngadja Nyabeyeu was at the third spot with a lift of 160 kg.

With the Indian in medal contention, things moved to the Clean and Jerk event.

Lovepreet lifted an impressive 185 kg in his first attempt in C&J, which strengthened his top position chances.

He followed this with an even better lift of 189 kg in his second attempt, which improved his combined lift from 348 kg to 352 kg.

Lovepreet’s final C&J attempt was a monstrous lift of 192 kg, which pushed his combined lift to 355 kg. The closest to him was Bessette with a combined lift of 349 kg, followed by Andy Griffiths of England, who had a combined lift of 346 kg.

However, some contestants were yet to complete their C&J attempts and Lovepreet had to wait to see if he could finish at a podium position, preferably the topmost one which he had occupied.

Samoa’s Opeloge lifted a massive 194 kg in his first attempt at C&J and Cameroon’s Junior Periclex Ngadja Nyabeyeu also lifted 196 kg in his first attempt. Both were in the first and second position with a combined lift of 358 kg and 356 kg respectively. Lovepreet was pushed down to third.

In the end, Lovepreet had to stay content with a bronze medal as he finished with a combined lift of 355 kg. (ANI)