RECIPROCAL ACCESS TO MILITARY BASES; INDIA, AUSTRALIA ELEVATE BILATERAL TIES

India and Australia signed a joint declaration to enhance bilateral

partnership on Thursday, which was accompanied by the parallel conclusion of

bilateral defence arrangements.

At their first-ever virtual summit, Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Scott

Morrison decided to elevate the bilateral Strategic Partnership concluded in

2009 to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP).

Conducting business amid light-hearted banter, both Premiers hoped that

these measures would bring Australia and India close in security and trade

partnerships besides breaking new ground in cyber-security partnership with

a new, four-year $12.7 million Australia-India Cyber and Critical Technology

Partnership.

The expanded Australia-India cooperation on maritime safety and security

will be marked by building stronger links between coast guards and civil

maritime agencies and by developing deeper navy-to-navy engagement. It will

be under-girded by an agreement to share logistics, giving the armed forces

of both countries easier access to each other's military bases. India

already has one such agreement with the US and is planning to sign another

with Japan.

To propel this security relationship further, the Foreign and Defence

Ministers will meet in a '2+2' format to discuss strategic issues at least

once every two years.

There was also a vital agreement to cooperate on rare mineral exports to

India, which officials had earlier said would be instrumental in reducing

the dependence on China as well as position India for 21st century

technologies.

CENTRE ISSUES SOPS FOR RELIGIOUS PLACES, MALLS, RESTAURANTS AND OFFICES

As India gears up for Unlock 1.0 starting June 8, the ministry of health and

family welfare has issued detailed guidelines for opening shopping malls,

restaurants, hotels, places of worship and offices. While following social

distancing measures, the ministry has asked all establishments to ensure

hand sanitiser dispensers at the entrance, marking out specific places where

people could queue up and ensure only asymptomatic individuals are allowed

inside. Apart from common directives in the guidelines issued, the ministry

gave specific all standard operating procedures (SOPs) to each type of

establishment.

In places of worship, the ministry has specified that individuals would be

asked to wash their hands and feet before entering and there would be no

distribution of prasad or sprinkling of holy water or touching of idols and

holy books. "In view of potential threat of spread of infection, as far as

feasible recorded devotional music/songs may be played and choir or singing

groups should not be allowed," the guidelines have specified.

Worshippers would be asked to carry their own prayer mats and no common mats

would be allowed for use.

For shopping malls, the ministry has specified maintaining an ambient air

conditioning temperature of 24 to 30 degrees and a humidity level between 40

and 70%. Restaurants should encourage takeaways and avoid dine-in as much as

possible, the guidelines have laid down. They should have disposable menus

and disposable napkins for dine-in. Though shopping malls would be

functional, gaming arcades, children's play areas, cinema halls inside malls

would remain shut.

The guidelines lay down that hotels should offer online forms, contactless

check-in and check-outs. Luggage should be disinfected before sending the

luggage to rooms, as per guidelines. Room service for guests should be

available but all interaction should be over mobiles and room phones.

CAN'T COERCE FIRMS TO PAY FULL WAGES, SAYS APEX COURT

The Supreme Court yesterday said no coercive action can be taken against

employers for violating the March 29 notification of the Ministry of Home

Affairs mandating payment of full wages to employees during the lockdown.

The petitioners, including Karnataka-based company Ficus Pax and Ludhiana

Hand Tools Manufacturers Association, have challenged the validity of

Section 10(2)(i) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. The provisions of

this Act cannot "impinge upon express provisions of the Industrial Disputes

Act, 1947, and take away the right to layoff workmen during times of natural

calamity," they said.

Terming the MHA order under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, as arbitrary,

they said the order violated the private companies' right to carry on any

occupation, trade or business guaranteed under Article 19(1)(g) of the

Constitution.

Attorney General KK Venugopal said the notification wasaimed at averting

mass migration by workers and preventing human suffering.

"But your notification compelled payment of 100 per cent of salaries... it

can be around 50 to 75 per cent. So the question is, do you have the power

to get them to pay 100 per cent, and on their failure to do so, prosecute

them?" the Bench sought to know.

COVID-19 DASHBOARD - (Nos. IN INDIA / Nos. WORLDWIDE)

(Indian data from covid19india / and World Data from

worldometers.info/coronavirus/ )

Total Cases 2,26,701 (+9,885) / 66,98,370 (+1,29,726)

Total Deaths 6,363 (+275) / 3,93,142 (+5,183)

Total Recovered 1,00,285 (+4,531) / 32,49,457 (+80,193)

Active Cases 1,11,888 (+5,231) / 30,55,771 (+44,350)

Serious / Critical Cases - N.A. / 55,460 (+1,260)

Top impacted nations so far: (And some of India's Neighbours)

Country, Total Cases / Total Deaths / Recovered Cases / Active

Cases

1 USA 19,24,051 / 1,10,173 /

7,12,252 / 11,01,626

2 Brazil 6,15,870 / 34,039 /

2,74,997 / 3,06,834

3 Russia 4,41,108 / 5,384 /

2,04,623 / 2,31,101

4 Spain 2,87,740 / 27,133 / N/A

/ N/A

5 UK 2,81,661 / 39,904 / N/A

/ N/A

6 Italy 2,34,013 / 33,689 /

1,61,895 / 38,429

7 India 2,26,713 / 6,363 /

1,08,450 / 1,11,900

8 Germany 1,84,923 / 8,736 /

1,67,800 / 8,387

9 Peru 1,83,198 / 5,031 /

76,228 / 1,01,939

10 Turkey 1,67,410 / 4,630 /

1,31,778 / 31,002

11 Iran 1,64,270 / 8,071 /

1,27,485 / 28,714

17 Pakistan 85,264 / 1,770 / 30,128

/ 53,366

21 Bangladesh 57,563 / 781 / 12,161

/ 44,621

99 Sri Lanka 1,797 / 11 / 839

/ 947

Top 18 impacted Indian States so far: (Total No. of Confirmed case / No. Of

Deaths)

State / Confirmed Cases / Active Case / Recovered /

Deceased

Maharashtra 77,793 / 41,402 / 33,681 /

2,710

Tamil Nadu 27,256 / 12,132 / 14,901 /

223

Delhi 25,004 / 14,447 / 9,898 / 659

Gujarat 18,609 / 4,787 / 12,667 / 1,155

Rajasthan 9,862 / 2,545 / 7,104 /

213

Uttar Pradesh 9,237 / 3,553 / 5,439 /

245

Madhya Pradesh 8,762 / 2,748 / 5,637

/ 377

West Bengal 6,876 / 3,753 / 2,768 /

355

Bihar 4,452 / 2,304 / 2,120 / 28

Karnataka 4,320 / 2,651 / 1,610 /

57

Andhra Pradesh 4,112 / 1,512 / 2,529

/ 71

Haryana 3,281 / 2,134 / 1,123 /

24

Telangana 3,147 / 1,455 / 1,587 /

105

Jammu and Kashmir 3,142 / 2,059 / 1,048 /

35

Odisha 2,478 / 988 / 1,481 / 9

Punjab 2,415 / 325 / 2,043 / 47

Assam 2,116 / 1,649 / 460 / 4

Kerala 1,589 / 884 / 690 / 15

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

======================

DEFENCE SECRETARY OPPOSES TRUMP MOVE ON TROOPS

US President Donald Trump's Pentagon chief shot down his idea of using

troops to quell protests across the United States Wednesday, then reversed

course on pulling part of the 82nd Airborne Division off standby in an

extraordinary clash between the US military and its commander in chief.

Both Trump and defense secretary Mark Esper also drew stinging, rare public

criticism from Trump's former defense secretary, Jim Mattis, in the most

public pushback of Trump's presidency from the men he put at the helm of the

world's most powerful military.

Mattis' rebuke followed Trump's threats to use the military to "dominate"

the streets where Americans are demonstrating following the death of George

Floyd, a black man who died when a white police officer pressed his knee

into his neck for several minutes.

Esper angered Trump early Wednesday when he said he opposed using military

troops for law enforcement, seemingly taking the teeth out of the

president's threat to use the Insurrection Act. Esper said the 1807 law

should be invoked in the United States "only in the most urgent and dire of

situations." He added, "We are not in one of those situations now."

NORTH KOREA LASHES OUT AT U.S., SAYING CHINA ECLIPSES IT

North Korea lashed out at each Seoul and Washington on Thursday, threatening

to scrap key components of agreements with South Korea and evaluating the

United States to a setting sun being eclipsed by China.

In a press release carried by state media, North Korea additionally

highlighted the unrest that has been consuming the U.S. over the loss of

life of George Floyd in police custody saying, "This is the reality in the

U.S. today. American liberalism and democracy put the cap of leftist on the

demonstrators and threaten to unleash even dogs for suppression."

North Korea additionally fumed over one other improvement: the current

launch of anti-North Korean leaflets by defectors from the North, who used

balloons to ship them throughout the inter-Korean border.

In one other assertion Kim Yo Jong, the N Korean supremo's sister and his de

facto spokeswoman said, If South Korea doesn't cease the leaflets, North

Korea may scrap an settlement between Kim Jong-un and South Korea's

President, Moon Jae-in, to function a joint liaison workplace and stop all

hostile navy acts alongside the border.

THE REST

========

KERALA ELEPHANT DEATH: CM PINARAYI CALLS OUT HATE CAMPAIGN, BIGOTRY

Amid furore over the tragic death of a pregnant elephant in Kerala, a

political blame game has also ensued after senior BJP leader and animal

rights activist Maneka Gandhi termed Malappuram, a district with Muslim

majority, "India's most violent district".

The BJP is now being accused of "communalising" and using the incident, the

genesis of which, many say, is essentially man-animal conflict, for

"political gains".

The elephant died in Velliyar river, which borders Palakkad and Malappuram

districts, its detractors say.

Meanwhile, according to forest officials, no one would have fed

firecracker-filled pineapple to the elephant. It must have found it lying

somewhere. "Pineapples and other fruits filled with firecrackers are used as

a snare to catch wild boars that destroy crops. It is cruel, wrong and

illegal but such incidents do happen at places where wild animals create

problems for farmers. The legal way to get rid of wild boars is long and

tortuous," they say.

Several BJP leaders used Maneka Gandhi's statement to target Pinarayi

Vijayan-led government in Kerala where the party is trying to make inroads.

"It is a murder. Malappuram is very famous for incidents like this. It is

the most violent district in the whole of India. For instance, they throw

poison on roads so that 300-400 birds and dogs die at one time. Kerala

Government has not taken any action in Malappuram," Maneka Gandhi said.

Calling out attempts to give a communal colour to the incident, the CM said

there are some who have used the tragedy to "unleash a hate campaign" and

'importing bigotry". "In a tragic incident in Palakkad dist, a pregnant

elephant has lost its life. Many of you have reached out to us. We want to

assure you that your concerns will not go in vain. Justice will prevail.

Having said that, we are saddened by the fact some have used this tragedy to

unleash a hate campaign. Lies built upon inaccurate descriptions and half

truths were employed to obliterate the truth. Some even tried to import

bigotry into the narrative. Wrong priorities," Vijayan tweeted.

GUJARAT CONGRESS MLAs RESIGN, RACE WIDE OPEN FOR FOURTH RAJYA SABHA SEAT

Ahead of Rajya Sabha elections on June 19, the Congress yesterday suffered a

jolt in Gujarat after at least two of its MLAs resigned and a third one is

said to be on the way out.

Congress leaders got a wind of the trouble Wednesday night itself but

despite frantic attempts by leaders, the party could not reach the MLAs.

The Congress had suffered a jolt in March when five of its MLAs resigned,

bringing down its tally to 68. The latest developments have left the

Congress dismayed as it has injected an element of uncertainty in its plans

to win two of the four Rajya Sabha seats.

"India is in the midst of its independent history's biggest health, economic

and humanitarian crises. BJP, though, cannot think beyond putting all its

energies in poaching legislators for RS polls, people be damned!," AICC in

charge of Gujarat Rajeev Satav had tweeted.

SC DISMISSES CBI'S REVIEW PLEA AGAINST BAIL GRANTED TO P CHIDAMABARAM

The Supreme Court Thursday dismissed a petition by the CBI seeking a review

of its order granting bail to former finance minister P Chidambaram in

connection with the INX Media case.

"We have perused the review petition and the connected papers carefully and

are convinced that the order of which the review has been sought does not

suffer from any error apparent warranting reconsideration. The review

petition is accordingly dismissed," said a bench comprising Justices R

Banumathi, A S Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy.

UK SAYS 'CONFIDENTIAL' LEGAL ISSUE NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED BEFORE VIJAY

MALLYA'S EXTRADITION

Fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya is unlikely to be brought back to India

soon as the UK government Thursday said there was a "confidential legal

issue" that required to be resolved before the extradition could be

arranged.

Mallya, who has been based in the UK since March 2016, had lost his appeal

in the UK Supreme Court last month against his extradition to India to face

charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy, money laundering and diversion of

loan funds.

A spokesperson for the UK High Commission said there was still a legal issue

of "confidential" nature that needs to be resolved before the businessman

could be sent back to India, adding that "we cannot estimate how long this

issue will take to resolve."

US BEGINS PROBE INTO DIGITAL SERVICES TAX

India will have to take another setback in its stride when it attempts to

sign a limited trade deal with the US, as indicated by Indian Ambassador to

the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

After the US scrapped zero duty preference on some Indian imports and

arm-twisted India into purchasing shale oil, Washington has now started a

probe into digital services taxes, either adopted or being considered by 10

countries, including India.

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) is against the latest Indian

Budget expanding the scope of the equalisation levy to revenues generated by

non-resident e-commerce firms operating in India.

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) will conduct the probe under

Section 301 of the Trade Act.

India, however, will get the opportunity to defend the tax. India is no

stranger to USTR investigations, having been probed several times on various

grounds.

ABU DHABI'S FUND TO BUY 1.85% STAKE IN JIO PLATFORMS FOR 90900 CRORE

Reliance Industries Ltd has said that Abu Dhabi state fund Mubadala

Investment Co will buy a 1.85 per cent stake in its digital unit, Jio

Platforms, for Rs 9,093.6 crore.

Reliance has now sold a combined 19% interest in Jio Platforms, which houses

movie, music apps and telecoms venture Jio Infocomm, in six fundraising

deals including a 9.99% stake sale to Facebook Inc for $5.7 billion.

The interest in Jio Platforms highlights its potential to become the

dominant player in India's digital economy. The telecoms unit has already

decimated several rivals with cut-throat pricing and is counting on

Reliance's retail network to expand into e-commerce.

TOP TWO MEDICAL JOURNALS RETRACT RESPECTIVE STUDIES AFTER UNDERLYING DATA IS

FOUND SUSPECT

The Lancet, one of the world's top medical journals, on Thursday retracted

an influential study that raised alarms about the safety of the experimental

Covid-19 treatments chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine amid scrutiny of the

data underlying the paper.

Just over an hour later, the New England Journal of Medicine retracted a

separate study, focused on blood pressure medications in Covid-19, that

relied on data from the same company.

The retractions came at the request of the authors of the studies, published

last month, who were not directly involved with the data collection and

sources, the journals said.

The Lancet study, which was purportedly based on patient data from 671

hospitals on six continents, reported the drugs also corresponded to higher

mortality.

The findings led to the pause of some global clinical trials studying

hydroxychloroquine so researchers could check for any safety concerns.

Outside experts, however, quickly raised concerns after noticing

inconsistencies in the data. They asked the company that compiled and

analyzed the data, Surgisphere, to explain how it sourced its data.

Reports suggest that Surgisphere neither had the resouces nor competence to

collate this data.

BASU CHATTERJEE PASSES AWAY

The man who made middle-class love stories endearing and enigmatic at the

same time through the '70s and '80s in India is no more. Basu Chatterjee,

the director behind cult films like 'Rajnigandha' and 'Chitchor', passed

away on Thursday due to age-related ailments. He was 93.

The veteran film-maker and screenwriter's last rites will be performed later

this afternoon at the Santacruz crematorium.

Chatterjee's long career included critically-acclaimed films like 'Chhoti Si

Baat', 'Baaton Baaton Mein' and 'Ek Ruka Hua Faisla' among others.

Along with his namesake Basu Bhattacharya and Hrishikesh Mukherjee, he was

responsible for crafting an alternate cinema universe that was starkly

different from the drama of Raj Kapoor and the action films channeled by the

'angry, young man' of the '70s. He, along with the others, carved a

middle-of-the-road cinema that resonated strongly with middle-class India of

the time which had only films as a refuge from reality.

Actor Anil Kapoor who starred in the director's 'Chameli Ki Shaadi',

tweeted, "A director who was always ahead of his time.. Basu Chatterjee will

be truly missed. He was an effortless genius and an amazing human being. May

he rest in peace. "

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

How much time he saves who does not look to see what his neighbor says or

does or thinks. - Marcus Aurelius

OFF TRACK

From an Airline to all passengers of the flight that recently hard landed:

All boxes in the plane didn't belong to you.

Please bring back the Orange colour "Black Box" you took from the aircraft.