An Indian-American doctor has filed a lawsuit here against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, and business tycoon Gautam Adani on a host of issues, including corruption and Pegasus spyware.

The US District Court for the District of Columbia has issued summons to all these leaders, along with several others, which were served on them in India earlier this year.

Eminent Indian-American attorney from New York Ravi Batra has termed it a "dead on arrival lawsuit".

The lawsuit against Modi, Reddy and Adani has been filed by Richmond-based gastroenterologist Dr Lokesh Vuyurru.

Among others named in the lawsuit is Professor Klaus Schwab, founder and chairman of the World Economic forum.

Without any documentary evidence, the Indian-American physician, who comes from Andhra Pradesh, alleged that Modi, Reddy and Adani, along with others, are engaged in corruption, including massive cash transfers to the US and use of Pegasus spyware against political opponents.

The lawsuit was filed on May 24, following which the court issued the summons on July 22. The summons were served on them in India on August 4 and to Schwab in Switzerland on August 2.

The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in urban areas has increased marginally to 47.5% during April-June 2022, as compared to 46.8% in the same period a year ago, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) report by  National Statistical Office released on Aug 31.

While male participation has increased to 73.5% in the June quarter as compared to 73.1% in the year-ago period, female participation has increased from 46.8% to 47.5% during the concerned period.

LFPR is defined as the percentage of persons in the labour force (i.e. working or seeking or available for work) in the population.

On the other hand, WPR is defined as the percentage of employed persons in the population and the unemployment rate is defined as the percentage of persons unemployed among the persons in the labour force. WPR has also increased for all persons of age 15 years and above to 43.9% in the April-June period, 2022 as against 40.9% in the corresponding period a year ago. WPR has increased for males to 68.3% and for females to 18.9% in the quarter under review.

As for the unemployment rate, it has dropped from 12.6% in the June quarter last year to 7.6% in the same quarter this year.  While male unemployment dropped to 7.1%, from 7.7% in the previous quarter, female unemployment was at 9.5%, compared to 10.1% in the previous quarter. 

Rajeev Misra has stepped down from his roles as a corporate officer and executive vice-president of SoftBank Group, effective from August 31, 2022. His exit comes amid a fall in technology stocks worldwide, resulting in a record loss for the Japanese investment group.

Misra will continue to serve as CEO of SB Investment Advisers, which manages SoftBank Vision Fund 1. Misra was one of the key persons who closely with Masayoshi Son, founder of SoftBank, in setting up Vision Fund I with a total corpus of $100 billion. It is reported that he would soon announce his own fund, for which he has raised $6 billion so far.

The unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years and above in urban areas dipped to 7.6 per cent during April-June 2022 from 12.6 per cent a year ago, the National Statistical Office (NSO) said on Aug 31.

Joblessness or unemployment rate is defined as the percentage of unemployed persons among the labour force.

Joblessness was high in April-June 2021 mainly due to the staggering impact of Covid-related restrictions in the country.

The latest data based on a periodic labour force survey, underlining a decline in unemployment rate amid improved labour force participation ratio, point towards a sustained economic recovery from the shadow of the pandemic.

The unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years and above in January-March 2022 was 8.2 per cent in urban areas, the 15th Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) showed.

It also showed that the unemployment rate among females (aged 15 years and above) in urban areas declined to 9.5 per cent in April-June, 2022 from 14.3 per cent a year ago.

It was 10.1 per cent in January-March, 2022.

Among males, the unemployment rate in urban areas dipped to 7.1 per cent in April-June 2022 compared to 12.2 per cent a year ago.

It was 7.7 per cent in January-March 2022.

Labour force participation rate in CWS (Current Weekly Status) in urban areas for persons aged 15 years and above increased to 47.5 per cent in the April-June quarter of 2022, from 46.8 per cent in the same period a year ago.

It was 47.3 per cent in January-March 2022.

Labour force refers to the part of the population which supplies or offers to supply labour for pursuing economic activities for the production of goods and services and, therefore, includes both employed and unemployed persons.

NSO launched PLFS in April 2017.

On the basis of PLFS, a quarterly bulletin is brought out giving estimates of labour force indicators namely unemployment rate, Worker Population Ratio (WPR), Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), distribution of workers by broad status in employment and industry of work in CWS.

Loss-making state-owned telecom firm MTNL has defaulted on an interest payment of Rs 35.15 crore to Union Bank of India, which was due to be paid in July, the company said in a regulatory filing.

The company is reeling under a total debt of Rs 27,330 crore.

The company shared a chart that shows it has defaulted Rs 35.15 crore interest payment on July 31, 2022.

MTNL has a total outstanding loan of 5,849.71 crore to be paid to Union Bank of India (UBI).

The loan was raised from Union Bank of India, Andhra Bank and Corporation Bank.

Andhra Bank and Corporation Bank have now merged with UBI.

The company owes a total of Rs 16,930 crore to other banks and financial institutions.

India and Pakistan have been fined 40 per cent of their match fees for maintaining a slow over-rate in their opening Group A match of the Asia Cup.

Jeff Crowe of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanctions after Rohit Sharma and Babar Azam's sides were ruled to be two overs short of their respective targets after time allowances were taken into consideration.

On-field umpires Masudur Rahman and Ruchira Pilliyaguruge, third umpire Raveendra Wimalasiri and fourth umpire Gazi Sohel levelled the charges.

India had won the high-profile game by five wickets, courtesy of an all-round effort from Hardik Pandya.

Pakistan had to keep an extra fielder inside the circle towards the end of India's run chase due to the slow over rate.

Q1. Name the railway station where Prime Minister Narendra Modi once sold tea along with his father in his childhood and which has been redeveloped by the railway ?

1. Vadnagar
2. Mehsana
3. Varetha
4. Gandhinagar
5. None of These

Q2. Name the RJD minister  who has resigned from the cabinet after the Opposition started targeting chief minister Nitish Kumar over his induction and law department allotted to him ?

1. Ashok Chaudhary
2. Kartikeya Singh 
3. Surendra Prasad Yadav
4. Ashok Chaudhary
5. None of These

Q3. Name the person who has been  stepped down from his roles as a corporate officer and executive vice-president of SoftBank Group, effective from August 31, 2022 ?

1. Paresh Sukthankar
2. Naina Lal Kidwai
3. Rajeev Misra
4. Rana Kapoor
5. None of These

Q4.  The loss-making state-owned telecom firm MTNL has defaulted on an interest payment of Rs 35.15 crore to

1. Bank of Baroda
2. Bank of India
3. Bank of Maharashtra
4. Union Bank of India
5. None of These

Q5. The SoftBank Group Corp is a  multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in

1. Tokyo
2. Buenos Aires
3. Seoul
4. Frankfurt
5. None of These

Answers

1---------------1   Vadnagar

2-------------------2    Kartikeya Singh 

3------------------3   Rajeev Misra

4----------------4   Union Bank of India

5------------------1 Tokyo

The Supreme Court on  Aug 30 closed all the proceedings related to 2002 Gujarat riots in which it had appointed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for conducting investigation and prosecution in nine major cases. 

Noting that the trial in eight out of nine cases was over and final arguments were going on in trial court in Naroda Gaon, the bench of CJI UU Lalit, S R Bhat and JB Pardiwala disposed the cases as infructuous.

It also directed for concluding the trial pending in Naroda Gaon in accordance with law. The SC’s order had come in petitions filed by National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) post-Godhra riots wherein they had sought for an independent probe. Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi informed the bench that the trial in only one matter was pending and all the other matters were at appellate stage either before the SC or HC.

Advocate Aparna Bhat also the SC that there was nothing left to be decided in the cases now. Bhat however added that Teesta Setalvad whose NGO had moved an application before the SC for probe into the cases seeking protection was pending.

Also in top court

Court folds babri case proceedings

The Supreme Court ordered for closure of all the contempt proceedings initiated by Mohammad Aslam Bhure (now passed away) against UP govt officials and leadres like Uma Bharti, M M Joshi, Sadhvi Ritambara, Vinay Katiyar and others.

Halala, polygamy trial begins

The 5-judge bench of SC began hearing petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Muslim Personal Law practices of polygamy and nikah halala and issued notices to NCW, NCM & NHRC.

Bhushan contempt case closed

The SC closed a contempt case initiated against advocate Prashant Bhushan and former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal related to a 2009 interview where he had said half of the past 16 CJIs were corrupt.

Simi ban: cente to file reply in 4 weeks

The SC  has granted the Central government last opportunity to file its response in a plea related to review of periodic ban on Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) for terror activities. The bench asked Centre to respond within 4 weeks.