Bank of India’s Q1 consolidated net profit surges to Rs 846 cr

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Bank of India’s Q1 consolidated net profit surges to Rs 846 cr

Bank of India on Monday reported over a five-fold increase in its consolidated net profit for the April-June quarter at Rs 845.78 crore.

During the corresponding period of the last fiscal (2019-20), the bank had reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 154.10 crore.

Total income of the bank during the period under review increased to Rs 12,022.48 crore from Rs 11,613.21 crore reported a year ago, Bank of India said in a regulatory filing.

The percentage of gross NPA of the banks declined to 13.86 percent during the quarter ended June of FY2020-21, from 16.44 percent in the same quarter last of last fiscal.

The filing said that Covid-19 continues to spread across many countries and in India and the same has resulted in significant volatility and decline in the global and local economic activities.

The situation continues to be uncertain and the bank is evaluating the situation on an ongoing basis. The major challenge for the bank would arise from volatility in cash flows, Bank of India said.

“Despite these events and conditions, there would not be any significant impact on banks’ results in future and on the going concern assumption,” it said.

In the current quarter ended June 30, 2020, as a matter of prudence the bank has made a provision of Rs 620.30 crore in SMA (special mention accounts) accounts wherein moratorium due to Covid-19 pandemic was extended.

The total provision of Rs 1,034.78 crore is held by the bank as of June 30, 2020. The provision made by the bank is higher than requirement as per the RBI guidelines dated April 17, 2020, it said.

“As per RBI circular dated June 7, 2019, on Prudential Framework for Resolution of Stressed Assets, as on June 30, 2020, the bank holds an additional provision of Rs 271.72 crore (for Current quarter NIL) in respect of four borrower accounts, where the viable Resolution Plan has not been implemented within 180 days of the review period,” it said.

In respect of RBI referred NCLT accounts, as, on June 30, it holds 100 percent provision of the outstanding value of Rs 3,840.22 crore.

Bajaj Auto reports 33% decline in July sales

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Bajaj Auto reports 33% decline in July sales

Covid-19 induced economic turbulence pulled down two-and three-wheeler manufacturer Bajaj Auto’s total sales in July by 33 percent on a year-on-year basis.

According to the company, its total sales during the month under review fell to 2,55,832 units from 3,81,530 units sold during the corresponding month of 2019.

Similarly, Bajaj Auto’s total domestic sales stood at 1,58,976 units — down 23 percent — from 2,05,470 units sold in July last year.

The two- and three-wheeler manufacturer’s overall exports declined by 45 percent to 96,856 units from 1,76,060 units shipped out during the like month of 2019.

In terms of two-wheelers, the company’s total sales fell 26 percent to 2,38,556 units from 3,22,210 units sold in July last year.

The company’s commercial vehicles’ sales during the month under review declined by 71 percent to 17,276 units from 59,320 units sold during the like period of last year.

Had turned down county contract to take part in Kargil war, claims Akhtar

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Had turned down county contract to take part in Kargil war, claims Akhtar

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has claimed that he had turned down a 175,000-pound county contract with Nottinghamshire to fight the 1999 war against India in Kargil.

Codenamed ‘Operation Vijay’, the Kargil war was fought at an altitude of around 16,000 feet wherein 1,042 Pakistani soldiers lost their lives and 527 Indian soldiers made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.

“People hardly know about this story. I had a 175,000-pound contract with Nottingham. Then in 2002, I had another big contract. I left both when Kargil happened,” Akhtar said in an interview with Pakistan’s ARY News.

“I stood on the outskirts of Lahore. A general asked me what I’m doing there. I said war is about to start and we’ll die together. I left county (cricket) twice like this and the counties were shocked. I wasn’t concerned about that. I called up my friends in Kashmir and told them I am ready to fight,” he added.

Akhtar has time and again spoken about how sports and politics should be kept on different pedestals and that while there was intense rivalry on the field when the two teams clashed, they have shared great friendship off it. In fact, he had even proposed hosting a series between India and Pakistan to fight the economic turmoil due to the coronavirus pandemic.

While his former skipper Shahid Afridi had backed him, former India skipper Kapil Dev had made it clear that it wasn’t an option.

Yediyurappa’s 6 staffers test positive for coronavirus

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Yediyurappa’s 6 staffers test positive for coronavirus

Six persons, including a woman working at the official residence of Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa here, also tested positive for coronavirus, an official said on Monday.

“As Yediyurappa and his daughter Padmavati tested positive, all staffers and others at his official residence and home-office are being tested as primary and secondary contacts. Of the 6, including a gunman, cook, maid, driver, housekeeper and a policeman on security duty tested positive so far,” an official of the chief minister’s office told IANS.

Yediyurappa’s official residence ‘Cauvery’ and the adjacent home-office ‘Krishna’ are located on Kumara Krupa Road in the high-security area of the city center.

The asymptomatic chief minister and daughter are under treatment at the privately-run Manipal Hospital in the city’s eastern suburb.

“A team of doctors and nurses from the state-run hospital rushed to Yediyurappa’s residence and home office to test the staff and those frequenting the places on duty.

“A few officials of the state health department also rushed to the area with civic staff to trace contacts and sanitize the residence and home office,” said the official.

The infected staff was admitted to a nearby COVID care center, as they were asymptomatic.

“Yediyurappa’s personal residence ‘Dhavalagir’ at Dollars Colony in the city’s northern suburb was also fumigated and his staff members working there were tested. Their results are awaited.

Gold futures surge as international prices hit new high

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Gold futures surge as international prices hit new high

The bull run in domestic gold futures continued on Monday as prices in the international market surged to new highs.

The active October contract on the Multi-Commodity Exchange (MCX) touched a high of Rs 53,670 per 10 gram, while the August contract, which is due to end on Wednesday, touched a high of Rs 54,199 per 10 gram.

The October contract is currently trading at Rs 53,637, higher by Rs 192 or 0.36 percent from its previous close.

Spot gold in the international market touched an all-time high of $1,987.95 per ounce earlier in the day.

The safe-haven demand for gold refuses to die down as uncertainty over the global economic situation and the ongoing pandemic continues.

Anuj Gupta, DVP, Commodities, and Currencies Research, Angel Broking, said that it is more of an impact of the international trend which has been witnessed on the Indian futures market on Monday.

A recent report by the World Gold Council (WGC) showed that it is the record inflow into gold-backed ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) which has caused the rally in the prices of the yellow metal. The consumer demand, however, has hit rock-bottom amid the pandemic.

Inflows into gold-backed ETFs (gold ETFs) accelerated in Q2, taking H1 inflows to a record-breaking 734 tonne. The first half inflows surpassed the previous annual record from 2009 of 646 tonnes and lifted global holdings to 3,621 tonnes, the report said.

In line with the trend in gold futures, the September contract of silver on the MCX also touched a high of Rs 65,951 per kilogram. Currently, it is trading at Rs 65,820 per kg, higher by Rs 836.

Apart from the investment and industrial demand, the supply concerns for silver have lifted its prices. Peru, the world’s second-largest silver producer, saw its mine supply fall by one-third due to the COVID-induced lockdowns.

K’taka doctor cheers up Covid patients with birthday bash

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K’taka doctor cheers up Covid patients with birthday bash

A 28-year-old doctor from Karnataka’s Ballari district has celebrated his birthday with coronavirus patients to cheer them up as most of them are gloomy in isolation, said an official on Monday.

“With an intention to spread positive vibes among COVID patients, Dr. Sohail Saifuddin Inamdar celebrated his birthday at O P Jindal Centre, a dedicated COVID care facility, by distributing cake and biscuits,” said Ballari deputy commissioner S.S. Nakul to IANS.

The special birthday bash occurred at Torangallu in Ballari district’s Sandur Taluk, 316 km north of Bengaluru, where the Jindal steel plant and township is located.

Inamdar, an orthopedics medical student, had just completed his final year post-graduate course examination at Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) in Ballari.

He completed a week’s duty at the COVID hospital treating moderate cases on oxygen support.

“What I felt was that the patients are very stressed out as they are isolated. There are not many caretakers also, they are feeling very lonely and left out,” said Dr. Inamdar.

So the young doctor felt like reducing their stress and cheering them up a little bit in the hospital.

“So I just wanted to reduce their stress a little bit by making them feel more involved. It was my birthday also, so I thought I will distribute cake and celebrate with them that they might feel involved and encouraged a little bit,” he said.

Wearing head-to-toe personal protective equipment (PPE), Inamdar and his colleagues distributed the birthday cake in paper plates to the COVID patients lying in beds.

A few patients sat up to receive the cake and also struck a conversation with the doctors in the isolated COVID ward.

Dr. Inamdar was overwhelmed by the positive response his celebratory gesture had generated in the 32 patients he was taking care of.

“I received a very positive response from the patients. I was very happy with that. In fact, one of the patients gifted me one of his apples. He was very happy and wished me ‘Happy Birthday Sir’ and said I wanted to gift you something, an apple,” added the doctor.

Another patient wished a long life for Dr. Inamdar and blessed him to become a centenarian.

“Even the old patients were very happy. Sir, you celebrated your birthday with us, may you live for 100 years,” Dr. Inamdar quoted them saying.

According to Dr. Inamdar, in this tough situation, not just physical health but patients’ mental health is also important.

“So if they are mentally sound, their vitals (health indicators) will also be more healthy. It was a small gesture so that patients might get more involved,” observed Dr Inamdar.

Incidentally, in early July, the Jindal steel plant and township saw a spike in COVID cases after which it was sealed.

Jindal Vijayanagar Steel Ltd (JVSL) was formed in 1994 and boasts a capacity of 12 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). It was merged with Jindal Iron and Steel Company (JISCO) in 2005.

On Sunday, Ballari witnessed 377 new infections, second to Bengaluru Urban’s 2,105, resulting in the district’s tally rising to 7,049, of which 3,749 are active.

Ballari has seen a COVID toll of 77 till Sunday.

Covid-19 toll crosses 200-mark in Odisha

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Covid-19 toll crosses 200-mark in Odisha

The Covid-19 death toll crossed the 200-mark in Odisha as 10 patients succumbed to the deadly virus in the last 24 hours, informed the health department on Monday.

The number of fatalities due to coronavirus rose to 217 in the state.

The fresh COVID deaths have been reported from Ganjam (3), Khurda (1), Gajapati (2), Rayagada (3), and Kalahandi (1).

The number of COVID-19 positive cases in the state rose to 36,297 as 1,384 more persons tested positive for the virus, said the department.

Of the new cases, 873 were detected in quarantine while 511 are local contact cases.

Corona hotspot Ganjam reported the highest 331 positive cases followed by Khurda (211), Koraput (97), Sambalpur (93), and Cuttack (89).

The number of active cases in the state rose to 14,095 while 21,954 persons have recovered so far.

BCCI invites bids for kit sponsor & official merchandising partner rights

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BCCI invites bids for kit sponsor & official merchandising partner rights

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has invited bids for the team kit sponsor and official merchandising partner rights through a tender process.

Under the Invitation to Tender (ITT), the winning bidder will be granted the right to be the kit sponsor and/or the official merchandising partner and various other associated rights (as defined in the ITT), said BCCI in a media release.

The terms and conditions governing the submission and evaluation of bids including eligibility requirements and performance obligations are contained in the ITT which have been made available from Monday on receipt of payment of the tender fee of Rs one lakh. The ITT will remain for purchase till August 26.

“The BCCI reserves the right at its discretion to cancel or amend the bidding process at any stage without providing any reason. Merely buying the ITT does not entitle the purchaser to bid, but to bid the purchaser must buy the ITT in the name of the person/entity desiring to bid,” stated the release.

Interested parties can email at marketing@bcci.tv in order to get further details for purchasing the ITT.

One of Sushant’s friends appears before Bihar police

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One of Sushant’s friends appears before Bihar police

One of the two friends of actor Sushant Singh Rajput appeared before Bihar Police while the other one has also contacted the police after they received notices under Section 160 of the CrPC.

Bihar Police had sent notices to Sushant’s friends — Dipesh and Siddharth Pathani — in connection with the actor’s alleged suicide case.

After this, Dipesh appeared before the police on Sunday night, while Siddharth has also made a contact.

Patna Range IGP Sanjay Singh told IANS on Monday that both were sent notices under section 160 of CrPC on Sunday and were asked to sit face-to-face and record the statement. Dipesh appeared before the police at night but Siddharth is yet to arrive.

He said that in any case, Siddharth will also have to come before the police, and if he does not come, further action will be taken.

It is said that Siddharth was the first to see Sushant’s dead body as he was living with the actor.

Meanwhile, in the case of forcibly quarantining IPS officer Vinay Tiwari, who has gone to Mumbai to investigate the case, Singh said that Bihar Police was also looking into these cases.

Tiwari reached Mumbai on Sunday afternoon. On reaching there, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officials quarantined Tiwari before he could take his first big step.

Bihar Police DGP Gupteshwar Pandey had disclosed late on Sunday on his Twitter handle that Tiwari has been quarantined forcibly.

Tiwari had said at the Mumbai airport that the investigation into the Sushant case was moving in the right direction. He then went to a guest house in Goregaon with four of his companions where he had a long chat with his colleagues. On Monday, he was to meet DCP Abhishek Trimukhe of Bandra Zone-9. Triumph is looking after the case related to Sushant’s suspicious death.

Now, Tiwari will remain in quarantine till August 15. The BMC, however, did not disclose the whereabouts of Tiwari.

The body of Sushant, who hails from Patna, was found on June 14 in his flat in Bandra, Mumbai. After this, the Mumbai police were investigating the matter.

After this Sushant’s father K.K. Singh lodged a case in Patna on July 25 against the actor’s friend Rhea Chakraborty and her family and six others for allegedly inciting their son to suicide. A team of Bihar Police is in Mumbai to investigate the matter.

Google helps people identify Black-owned businesses

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Google helps people identify Black-owned businesses

Google has started adding an icon in Google Maps and Search to help people identify Black-owned businesses.

The move, which comes amid a surge in online searches for Black-owned businesses, is part of the company’s commitment to supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs.

With the addition of the icon, people will be able to see a black heart over an orange three-striped background which will indicate a Black-owned business in Google Maps and Search.

Similar to other attributes, Google relies on business owners to self-identify as being Black-owned businesses.

It is not clear how Google will verify the authenticity of the claims.

But the company has a partnership with the US Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC) which has 145 Black Chambers of Commerce and 326,000 members across the country.

Google and USBC will provide training for Black-owned businesses to enhance their presence on Google through the use of digital tools like Google My Business and Google Analytics.

“Our hope is that by partnering with USBC, we can help more businesses connect with their community and customers,” Jewel Burks, Head of Google for Startups US, said in a blog post last week.

Karti Chidambaram tests Covid positive, in home quarantine

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Karti Chidambaram tests Covid positive, in home quarantine

Congress MP from Tamil Nadu, Karti Chidambaram is the latest political personality to be infected with Covid-19. The son of former union minister P. Chidambaram took to social media on Monday to announce that he has tested positive for the virus.

He stated that he is presently in-home quarantine as his symptoms are mild. He however advised people who had come in contact with him over the past few days to follow prescribed COVID protocols.

“I have just tested positive for #COVID. My symptoms are mild and as per medical advice, I am under home quarantine. I would urge all those who have recently been in contact with me to follow medical protocol.” he tweeted.

Karti Chidambaram represents the Sivaganga Lok Sabha constituency. He is the latest among political personalities to get infected with the coronavirus.

On Sunday, Union Home minister Amit Shah had announced that he had tested positive for Covid-19.

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit has also tested positive for Covid-19 and is in-home quarantine.

Apple TV+ now available on American Airlines flights for free

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Apple TV+ now available on American Airlines flights for free

Apple has partnered with American Airlines to offer free Apple TV+ streaming service as an in-flight entertainment option

Presently, only select Apple TV+ shows like “The Morning Show”, “Dickinson” and “Defending Jacob” are available for in-flight viewing. However, the airline will rotate content available from Apple TV+ each month, reports AppleInsider.

The new streaming option is available to every flyer with a Wi-Fi capable device on flights that feature internet access.

Last year, Apple partnered with American Airlines to offer “Apple Music” streaming on any American Airlines flight in the US equipped with Viasat satellite technology with no Wi-Fi purchase required.

For TV+, the shows will simply be included in the onboard entertainment systems of the planes and available for anyone to watch, no subscription or account required.

The service is available on the TV app on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac, along with other devices like Smart TVs, Roku, Amazon Fire TV sticks, and the web at tv.apple.com.

It is available in more than 100 countries around the world and the content is subtitled or dubbed in close to 40 languages.

Indian engineer falls to death in Sharjah

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Indian engineer falls to death in Sharjah

A 24-year-old Indian engineer fell to his death from the sixth floor of a building in Sharjah, a media report said on Monday.

The victim Sumesh, who hailed from Kerala, resided in the building in Al Dhaid, from where he fell to his death on July 31, the Khaleej Times report said.

Sumesh, who came to the United Arab Emirates a year ago, was an electrical engineer working as a designer in Sharjah’s Muwaileh area.

His roommates said that he had some “personal issues” that had been “bothering him for some time”.

Dileep Kumar, a roommate, said: “It was Eid-Al-Adha and our cook had made biryani for us. We were all cracking jokes and having a good time. In fact, even Cuckoo (Sumesh) was also laughing with us. He seemed happy. Nobody had anticipated this.

“I did sense a few times that something was troubling him and I even asked him about it, but he brushed it off.”

Another roommate said Sumesh was to travel to India for his annual leave but couldn’t because of the COVID-19 situation.

The police have launched an investigation into the incident.

Happy to see GC carry forward my effort; hope to see women’s IPL soon: Edulji

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Happy to see GC carry forward my effort; hope to see women’s IPL soon: Edulji

Former India cricketer Diana Edulji during her time as a member of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) had given wings to the dreams of many women cricketers in the country by starting the Women’s T20 Challenge in 2018. And on Sunday, the Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council continued with her vision as they confirmed that four women T20 games will be played during the playoffs in UAE this year.

Speaking to IANS, Edulji thanked the Governing Council for continuing with her vision of the women’s T20 matches on the sidelines of the IPL.

“I am thankful to the GC for continuing to promote women’s cricket. I am happy that an effort I started during my time in the BCCI as a CoA member is being carried forward and hopefully we will see a women’s IPL soon. Good luck to the women cricketers for the upcoming season,” she said.

There were reports on Sunday morning that a women’s IPL will be played this year. But a full-fledged T20 competition for the women cricketers will have to wait.

In fact, with the IPL GC announcing on Sunday evening that it will be the continuation of the ‘three teams with four matches’ format, some of the enthusiasts who had taken to social media to congratulate BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly on the initiative, wore a sad face. Some fans even made their displeasure known on social media.

But a BCCI functionary in the know of developments said that it was not at all a case of the BCCI chief trying to take credit and Ganguly only wanted to highlight that the process of having women matches on the sidelines of the IPL playoffs will continue.

“To be fair those were not Ganguly’s words. So, it’s unfair to say that he was seeking any credit or publicity. This is now a part of the regular IPL process for the last two-three years and is a part and parcel of the IPL. Why someone would try to package this as some new pathbreaking thing is completely beyond me. This comes within the jurisdiction of the IPL Governing Council and Ganguly isn’t a part of that and only attends as an invitee with no vote,” the functionary said.

The Women’s T20 Challenge was started in 2018 with IPL Trailblazers taking on IPL Supernovas in a one-off game. The 2019 edition saw the addition of another team in IPL Velocity and it was the start of a tournament. This year too, it will be these three teams who will be fighting it out for the crown.

BCCI to hand 2-yr ban to players committing age, domicile fraud

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BCCI to hand 2-yr ban to players committing age, domicile fraud

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has adopted new measures to counter the menace of age and domicile fraud in cricket in the country.

The additional measures, adopted by the sport’s governing body in India, will be applicable to all cricketers participating in the BCCI age-group tournaments, from season 2020-21 onwards. They are:

1. Voluntary Disclosure Scheme for players who are already registered

Under this scheme, players who voluntarily declare that they have manipulated their date of birth by submitting fake/tampered documents in the past will not be suspended and allowed to participate in the appropriate age group level if they disclose their actual date of birth (DOB).

Players have to submit a signed letter/email along with supporting documents to the BCCI Age Verification Dept. revealing their actual DOB before September 15.

However, if registered players do not disclose the facts and are found to have submitted fake/tampered DOB proof documents by BCCI, then they will be banned for two years, and after completion of a two-year suspension, they will not be allowed to participate in age group tournaments of BCCI, as well as, age-group tournaments organized by the state units.

2. Season 2020-21 onwards, any player submitting fake/tampered birth certificate will be banned for two years from all cricket matches under the aegis of BCCI & state units. After completion of a two-year suspension, such players will not be allowed to participate in age group tournaments of BCCI, as well as, age-group tournaments organized by state units.

3. All cricketers committing domicile fraud, including senior men & women, will be banned for two years. Voluntary Disclosure Scheme does not apply for cricketers who have committed domicile fraud.

4. For the BCCI Under-16 age-group tournament, only players who are between 14-16 years old will be permitted to register.

5. In the Under-19 age group, if a player’s birth is found to be registered more than two years after birth, as mentioned in the birth certificate, then there will be restrictions on the number of years allowed to participate in the BCCI Under-19 tournaments.

The board further said that in order to report age fraud, a dedicated 24X7 helpline (9820556566/9136694499) has been put in place.

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly said: “We are committed to providing a level-playing field across all age groups. The BCCI has been taking steps to counter age fraud and are now introducing even stricter measures from the upcoming domestic season. Those who do not voluntarily disclose their misdemeanor will be punished heavily and will be banned for two years.”

BCCI Secretary Jay Shah said: “BCCI has a zero-tolerance approach towards age fraud in cricket. Not only have we dedicated a 24/7 helpline to counter this menace, but the board also has a system in place that thoroughly examines, and cross-verifies documents submitted by its registered players. The Voluntary Disclosure Scheme will provide those who have committed the fraud a chance to come forward and admit their offense.”

Arun Singh Dhumal, BCCI Treasurer said: “It has been BCCI’s constant endeavor to take stringent measures to eradicate age fraud. We believe these additional methods taken by the BCCI will help in tackling the issue of age and domicile fraud.”

Rahul Dravid, Head Cricket, NCA: “Age fraud is a serious matter and is detrimental to the health of the sport. Many youngsters who are supposed to be playing in a particular age group fail to make it owing to age fraud. With the BCCI taking stern actions to curb this, it is only advisable for the players to come forward and abide by the directives issued by the board.”

SpaceX Crew Dragon returns with 2 NASA astronauts (Ld)

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SpaceX Crew Dragon returns with 2 NASA astronauts (Ld)

Two NASA astronauts have safely returned to Earth from the International Space Station on board a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, marking the completion of a historic flight called demonstration (Demo-2) mission.

The Demo-2 test flight for NASA’s Commercial Crew Programme has become the first to deliver astronauts to the space station and return them safely to Earth onboard a commercially built and operated spacecraft.

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, carrying Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley, splashed down under parachutes in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida at 2.48 pm EDT on Sunday and was successfully recovered by SpaceX.

“Welcome home, Bob and Doug! Congratulations to the NASA and SpaceX teams for the incredible work to make this test flight possible,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.

“It’s a testament to what we can accomplish when we work together to do something once thought impossible. Partners are key to how we go farther than ever before and take the next steps on daring missions to the Moon and Mars.”

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk appeared super excited at the completion of the test flight as he congratulated both NASA and SpaceX on the accomplishment that marked the beginning of a new era in human spaceflight.

“When space travel becomes as common as air travel, the future of civilization will be assured,” Musk said in a tweet soon after the splashdown.

Behnken and Hurley’s return was the first splashdown for American astronauts since Thomas Stafford, Vance Brand, and Donald “Deka Slayton landed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii on July 24, 1975, at the end of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.

NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 test flight launched May 30 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

It was the first time that astronauts were sent into space from the US soil since 2011.

After reaching orbit, Behnken and Hurley named their Crew Dragon spacecraft “Endeavour” as a tribute to the first space shuttle each astronaut had flown aboard.

Nearly 19 hours later, Crew Dragon docked to the forward port of the International Space Station’s Harmony module on May 31.

Behnken and Hurley participated in a number of scientific experiments, spacewalks, and public engagement events during their 62 days aboard the station.

Overall, the astronaut duo spent 64 days in orbit, completed 1,024 orbits around Earth, and traveled 27,147,284 statute miles.

The astronauts contributed more than 100 hours of time to supporting the orbiting laboratory’s investigations.

The Demo-2 test flight is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which has worked with the US aerospace industry to launch astronauts on American rockets and spacecraft.

The goal of the program is safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the space station.

The completion of Demo-2 and the review of the mission and spacecraft pave the way for NASA to certify SpaceX’s crew transportation system for regular flights carrying astronauts to and from the space station.

SpaceX is readying the hardware for the first rotational mission, called Crew-1, later this year.

This mission would occur after NASA certification, which is expected to take about six weeks.

Daily Covid count in Telangana falls below 1K-mark

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Daily Covid count in Telangana falls below 1K-mark

For the first time in more than a month, the daily count of Covid-19 cases in Telangana came down below 1,000-mark as the state reported 983 new cases on Monday.

With this, the Covid-19 tally in the state rose to 67,660. Eleven fresh fatalities pushed the cumulative death toll to 551.

The state had last reported below 1,000 cases on June 30 when 945 people had tested positive. Since then there has been a spike in new infections.

According to a medical bulletin issued by the health department on Monday, 983 people tested positive during the last 24 hours, ending 8 p.m. on Sunday.

In fact, more people recovered than the new positive cases in a day. Officials said 1,019 people recovered from Covid-19, taking the total number of recoveries to 48,609.

The number of tests, however, has also come down. Only 9,443 tests were conducted against over 20,000 per day during the last few days.

Officials claim that the number is still much higher than the target of 5,600 per day as per the World Health Organisation (WHO) benchmark.

The state has so far conducted 4,87,238 tests. Test results of 1,414 samples were awaited.

According to the director of public health and family welfare, 16 government and 23 private laboratories conducted RT-PCR, CBNAAT, and TRUENAT types of tests while there are 320 centers doing rapid antigen tests.

It was only last month that the state started revealing the number of daily tests. From 3,000-4,000 tests per day, the authorities ramped up the testing to over 20,000 per day. The media bulletin, however, provides no break-up of the types of tests.

The number of daily new cases in Greater Hyderabad slumped to 273. The new infections registered in 32 districts were in double or single digits. Rangareddy and Medchal Malkajgiri districts, bordering Greater Hyderabad, reported 73 and 48 new cases respectively.

On August 1, the state saw the highest-ever spike of 2,083 in daily Covid-19 cases but the number of tests conducted was 21,011. These numbers came down to 1,891 and 19,202 respectively on August 2.

On the fatality rate, the officials said at 0.81 percent it was far below the national average of 2.13 percent. The state also has a high recovery rate of 71.8 percent against 65.44 percent at the national level.

The number of active cases stands at 18,500. This includes 11,911 who were in-home/institutional isolation. More than 84 percent of those who are under home isolation are asymptomatic.

Pak’s Punjab province lifts COVID-19 lockdown

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Pak’s Punjab province lifts COVID-19 lockdown

Pakistan’s Punjab province, the second worst-hit in the country due to the coronavirus pandemic, has lifted a lockdown amid a continued fall in the number of positive cases, it was reported on Monday.

The lockdown was imposed till August 5 across the province ahead of Eid-ul-Adha in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, reports The Express Tribune.

But it was lifted on Sunday, a day ahead of the given date.

In a notification, the provincial health department said all business except those which fall in “negative list” will be allowed to operate from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to Friday

The new directives came into effect on Monday.

Punjab has reported 24 new cases of the coronavirus and four more fatalities, according to the government’s COVID-19 portal.

This has taken the total cases in the province to 93,197 while the death toll has risen to 2,148.

More than 82,000 people have recovered from the virus in the province so far.

Pakistan has so far recorded a total of 279,966 cases, with 5,982 deaths.

Afridi used Tendulkar’s bat to score 37-ball ton, reveals Mahmood

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Afridi used Tendulkar’s bat to score 37-ball ton, reveals Mahmood

Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood recently jogged the down memory lane and recalled how Shahid Afridi took the world by storm in just his second match on the international arena.

Mahmood revealed the luck factor that saw Afridi being included in the Pakistan squad for the four-team tournament following an injury to their star spinner Mushtaq Ahmed.

“Shahid Afridi had debuted in Nairobi in 1996 after the Sahara Cup, where I made my debut,” Mahmood said on Wisden’s The Greatest Rivalry podcast. “So Mushi (Mushtaq Ahmed) got injured in that series and Shahid Afridi was touring with the Pakistan A team to West Indies and he replaced Mushi in that tournament.

Mahmood was talking about the 1996 KCA Centenary Tournament that saw Sri Lanka, Pakistan, South Africa, and Kenya play all their matches in Nairobi. He recalled Afridi’s blitzkrieg in just his second ODI as he struck a majestic 40-ball 102 against Sri Lanka in the sixth match of the series.

Afridi crossed the 100-run mark off just 37 deliveries and it remained the fastest ODI century till Corey Anderson (36 balls) broke the record in 2014 and AB de Villiers (31 balls) bettered it in 2015. Mahmood revealed Afridi used Sachin Tendulkar’s bat to score that incredible inning.

“In those days, the two Sri Lankan openers, Jayasuriya and wicketkeeper Kaluwitharana, they used to attack upfront. So we thought we need someone who can bat at No.3. Afridi and I – Wasim said you guys go and try to slog (in the nets). I was slogging sensibly and Afridi went against the spinners, murdering everyone in the nets,” Mahmood recalled.

“Next day, we got the game against Sri Lanka and they said he (Afridi) is batting at number three. I think Waqar (Younis) got a bat from Sachin (Tendulkar), he used the great Sachin’s bat and managed to get a hundred and after that, he became a batsman. Mainly he was a bowler who can hit the ball, but in the end, he had a wonderful career,” he added.

What happened to our officer in Mumbai is not right: Bihar CM

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What happened to our officer in Mumbai is not right: Bihar CM

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has expressed his displeasure over the way Bihar Police IPS officer Vinay Tiwari, who is in Mumbai to probe Sushant Singh’s death case, was treated by the Mumbai Police. Tiwari was forcibly quarantined upon arrival in Mumbai by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officials. The Chief Minister said whatever happened with Tiwari in Mumbai is not right.

Talking to media persons in Patna, Kumar said, “What happened to the IPS officer who went to Mumbai to investigate the Sushant case was not right. He was carrying out his duty.”

Kumar further said that the Director-General of Bihar Police will talk to the officials of Maharashtra about the alleged mistreatment of Tiwari.

Kumar, however, did not talk about the CBI probe in the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

Rajput was found dead in his apartment in Mumbai on June 14, in what the Maharashtra Police said was a case of suicide.

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