TIKTOK AND 58 OTHER CHINA APPS BANNED IN INDIA

In its exercise of coercive diplomacy with China amid the tense standoff in

Ladakh, the government has, for now, picked up a low-denomination item -

mobile apps, given their limited impact on Indian businesses but one that

has a disproportionately large presence in the mass consumer segment.

Banning 59 mobile apps that have Chinese overhang is both a statement of

intent and a strong signal.

This is probably the first big action that hits Chinese business interests

in India. Two months ago, in April, the Department for Promotion of Industry

and Internal Trade, made it mandatory for FDI from neighbouring countries

to take prior government approval. This was also aimed at curbing

opportunistic takeovers/ acquisitions of Indian companies during times of

the Covid-19 pandemic, when valuations were at new lows.

As against the strategy of stopping physical goods, which could be

challenged by China at the World Trade Organisation, this focus on the

technology sector is being seen as one that could be more effective from New

Delhi's perspective. A ban on physical goods will also adversely impact

India's business and economy while hardly making a dent on China's.

TikTok is currently the most downloaded mobile app in India, with more than

120 million active users, and that is seen as shaping a new youth culture,

especially in the country's hinterland. TikTok was in a clear expansion mode

in India, adding to its staff strength and regional push. While Google-owned

YouTube has more users in India than TikTok, analysts see TikTok as having

more potential in terms of personalisation of content and overall influence.

TikTok's relentless push into India's hinterland is evidenced by the fact

that the Chinese app supports over 15 Indian languages, enabling the app to

hone regional talent in a very personalised manner. According to SensorTower

data, India has been the biggest driver of TikTok installs, generating 611

million lifetime downloads to date, or 30.3 per cent of the total.

NEW GUIDELINES FOR UNLOCK 2; SCHOOLS TO REMAIN CLOSED TILL JULY 31

Schools and educational institutions will remain closed until July 31, the

Ministry of Home Affairs said on Monday in its new Unlock 2 guidelines.

The ministry's guidelines for easing lockdown restrictions said all

activities except for certain prohibited ones will be permitted outside

containment zones. Only essential activities will be permitted in

containment zones---areas that district authorities have been tasked with

demarcating. These zones will be notified on the websites of the district

administration and the state governments.

Metro rail services will remain suspended, as will swimming pools, cinemas

and gymnasiums. Dates for resuming these activities will be decided later.

The Home Ministry said the new guidelines will come into effect from July 1,

2020 and the process of phased re-opening of activities has been extended

further.

"As stipulated in the Unlock 1 order and guidelines issued on May 30 2020,

certain activities, including religious places and places of worship for

public; hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services; and shopping

malls; have already been permitted from June 8, 2020 outside the Containment

Zones.

Domestic flights and passenger trains have already begun,the guidelines say.

"Their operations will be further expanded in a calibrated manner," the

guidelines say.

Curfew hours have been reduced to 7 hours from earlier 8. It will now be in

force from 10 pm to 5 am.

States and UTs have the discretion to prohibit some activities or impose

outside the containment zones, but cannot stop interstate movement of people

and goods.

The guidelines say people over 65, those with co-morbidities, pregnant women

and children below 10 should stay home except for essential and health

purposes.

FIRST BATCH OF RAFALE LIKELY TO ARRIVE IN INDIA BY JULY 27

India is likely to receive the first batch of six Rafale fighter jets by

July 27. On June 2, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a telephonic

conversation with his French counterpart Florence Parly, during which she

conveyed that the Rafale jets would be delivered to India as scheduled

notwithstanding the COVID-19 pandemic in France.

Military officials, on the condition of anonymity, said the arrival of the

Rafale jets would significantly enhance the IAF's overall combat capability

and would send a clear message to India's "adversaries".

India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in September

2016 for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 58,000

crore.

GOVT RESORTING TO EXTORTION WITH FUEL PRICE HIKES: SONIA

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Monday led the party's "Speak up against

fuel hike" campaign accusing the government of extortion by way of fuel

price hikes.

Gandhi said since the lockdown on March 24 the government had raised petrol

and diesel prices 22 times, setting "a new example of extortion from the

people."

"They have increased diesel price by Rs 11 per litre and petrol by Rs 9.12 a

litre. They have provisioned for garnering lakhs of crores by hiking excise

duty on petrol and diesel in the last three months. All this at a time when

global crude oil prices are falling," she said.

She demanded the immediate rollback of hikes in prices as also of excise

duty on petrol and diesel since March this year.

PM MODI TO ADDRESS NATION TODAY

As the country moves into the second phase of the Unlock, and the standoff

with China in eastern Ladakh continues, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will

address the nation at 4 pm today.

His address will come two days after his monthly Mann ki Baat radio

programme, during which he had reiterated the country's commitment to

safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and had asked citizens

to not be negligent as the economy reopened.

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

(Indian data from covid19india / and World Data from

worldometers.info/coronavirus/ )

Total Cases 5,67,476 (+18,335) / 1,04,08,433 (+1,64,575)

Total Deaths 16,904 (+417) / 5,08,078 (+3,668)

Total Recovered 3,35,271 (+13,497) / 56,64,407 (+1,10,912)

Active Cases 2,15,301 (+4,421) / 42,35,948 (+49,995)

Serious / Critical Cases - N.A. / 57,530 (-140)

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

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

Cases

1 USA 26,81,811 / 1,28,783 /

11,17,177 / 14,35,851

2 Brazil 13,70,488 / 58,385 /

7,57,462 / 5,54,641

3 Russia 6,41,156 / 9,166 /

4,03,430 / 2,28,560

4 India 5,67,536 / 16,904 /

3,35,271 / 2,15,361

5 UK 3,11,965 / 43,575 / N/A

/ N/A

6 Spain 2,96,050 / 28,346 / N/A

/ N/A

7 Peru 2,82,365 / 9,504 /

1,71,159 / 1,01,702

8 Chile 2,75,999 / 5,575 /

2,36,154 / 34,270

9 Italy 2,40,436 / 34,744 /

1,89,196 / 16,496

10 Iran 2,25,205 / 10,670 /

1,86,180 / 28,355

11 Mexico 2,20,657 / 27,121 / 1,31,264

/ 62,272

12 Pakistan 2,06,512 / 4,167 /

95,407 / 1,06,938

18 Bangladesh 1,41,801 / 1,783 /

57,780 / 82,238

108 Sri Lanka 2,039 / 11 /

1,678 / 350

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

Deaths)

State / Confirmed Cases / Active Case / Recovered /

Deceased

Maharashtra 1,69,883 / 73,298 / 88,960 /

7,610

Tamil Nadu 86,224 / 37,334 / 47,749 /

1,141

Delhi 85,161 / 26,246 / 56,235 / 2,680

Gujarat 32,023 / 6,947 / 23,248 / 1,828

Uttar Pradesh 22,828 / 6,650 / 15,506 /

672

West Bengal 17,907 / 5,535 / 11,719 /

653

Rajasthan 17,660 / 3,334 / 13,921 /

405

Telangana 15,394 / 9,559 / 5,582 /

253

Karnataka 14,295 / 6,380 / 7,685 /

226

Haryana 14,210 / 4,476 / 9,502 /

232

Andhra Pradesh 13,891 / 7,479 / 6,232

/ 180

Madhya Pradesh 13,370 / 2,607 / 10,199 /

564

Bihar 9,618 / 2,181 / 7,374 / 63

Assam 7,795 / 2,447 / 5,334 / 11

Jammu and Kashmir 7,237 / 2,557 / 4,585 /

95

Odisha 6,859 / 1,883 / 4,946 / 30

Punjab 5,418 / 1,516 / 3,764 / 138

Kerala 4,312 / 2,057 / 2,229 / 24

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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

U.S. ENDS DEFENCE EXPORTS TO HONG KONG, CHINA WARNS OF VISA BANS

The United States began eliminating Hong Kong's special status under U.S.

law on Monday, halting defense exports and restricting the territory's

access to high technology products as China prepares new Hong Kong security

legislation.

"The Chinese Communist Party's decision to eviscerate Hong Kong's freedoms

has forced the Trump administration to re-evaluate its policies toward the

territory," U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.

He said the United States, effective Monday, was ending exports of defense

equipment to Hong Kong and will also take steps to end the export of

dual-use technologies to the territory. Dual-use technologies have both

commercial and military uses.

Meanwhile, China said on Monday it would retaliate by imposing visa

restrictions on Americans it considers to have "performed badly" on matters

regarding the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

11 KILLED AS MILITANTS ATTACK PAKISTAN STOCK EXCHANGE

Four heavily armed militants, believed to be from a banned Baloch terror

group, on Monday made a brazen attempt to take over the Pakistan Stock

Exchange building in Karachi, killing four security guards and a police

officer before being shot dead by security forces.

Armed with automatic machine guns, grenades and explosives, they tried to

enter into the compound leading to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX)

building through a parking lot but security forces foiled their attack

within the compound itself, Deputy Superintendent of Police (South) Jamil

Ahmed said.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) linked Majeed Brigade claimed

responsibility for the attack. The group is banned in Pakistan, the UK and

the US.

The BLA has carried out several terrorist attacks in the past, including a

suicide attack in August 2018 that targeted Chinese engineers in

Balochistan, a November 2018 attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi, and

a May 2019 attack against Pearl Continental hotel in Gwadar, Balochistan.

CORONAVIRUS: EU TO ALLOW IN VISITORS FROM 14 'SAFE' COUNTRIES

The EU has named 14 countries whose citizens are deemed "safe" to be let in

from 1 July, despite the pandemic.

EU border controls have been lifted for EU citizens travelling inside the

bloc.

On the current "safe" list, still likely to be amended, are Algeria,

Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda,

Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay.

The EU is ready to add China if the Chinese government offers a reciprocal

deal for EU travellers, diplomats say.

THE REST

========

INDIA SLAMS PAK FOREIGN MINISTER'S 'ABSURD' REMARKS ON KARACHI ATTACK

India on Monday hit out at Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi

for his "absurd comments" linking India to the terror attack on the Pakistan

stock exchange building in Karachi.

In a strongly-worded response, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag

Srivastava said unlike Pakistan, India has no hesitation in condemning

terrorism anywhere in the world, including in Karachi.

He also reminded Qureshi how the Pakistan prime minister described a global

terrorist as a "martyr", a reference to Imran Khan's remarks in Pakistan

Parliament calling slain Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden a 'shaheed'.

Hours after gunmen attacked the Pakistani stock exchange in Karachi, Qureshi

alleged that the clues of strike are leading towards sleeper cells activated

by India.

AT LoC, 41 MILITANTS KILLED THIS MONTH IN STEPPED-UP J&K OPS

As tensions run high on the LAC with China, the other active border, the

Line of Control with Pakistan, has not seen any dip in intensity this year,

raising the spectre of two active military fronts at the same time.

Moreover, counter-militancy operations in Kashmir Valley continue at a tempo

much higher than previous years.

There have been 382 ceasefire violations (CFVs) recorded on the LoC in May

and 302 in June so far, rising sharply from 221 and 181 CFVs recorded during

these months last year. Meanwhile, security forces have been equally

committed in fighting militancy - 41 militants killed in the month of June

itself.

The number of CFVs had shot up after the government's decision last August

to abrogate Article 370 in J&K and carve out J&K and Ladakh as two separate

Union Territories.

JUDICIAL TEAM PROBING TORTURE 'HARASSED', HC ORDERS TAKEOVER OF TAMIL NADU

POLICE STATION

The magistrate appointed by the Madras High Court to probe the alleged

custodial deaths of a father and son at Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu has

written to the court saying officers of the police station concerned had

destroyed evidence, did not cooperate in the investigation, and had tried to

intimidate the judicial team.

Kovilpatti Judicial Magistrate Bharathidasan has told the court that the

hostility had eventually forced them to stop the inquiry mid-way on Sunday

night and leave the Sathankulam Police Station, where P Jeyaraj and son J

Bennix were allegedly tortured, leading to their deaths on June 22.

Following the complaint, the High Court Monday directed the district

collector to depute revenue officers to take control of the Sathankulam

station. The court also initiated criminal contempt action against ASP D

Kumar, DSP Prathapan and Constable Maharajan, named by Bharathidasan in his

complaint. On Monday evening, the Tamil Nadu government passed an order

transferring probe into the deaths of Jeyaraj and Bennix to the CBI.

HAWK GEELANI QUITS AS HURRIYAT FACTION CHIEF

In a sudden move Monday, separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani resigned as

chief of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference, complaining that

constituents of the amalgam failed to lead the people after abrogation of

Jammu and Kashmir's special status, "overstepped the limits", and tried to

"create a parallel structure".

He also took a swipe at the Hurriyat leadership in Pakistan and

Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, calling it "just a representative forum" with "no

power to take any decision" and using its influence to "get close to power

corridors" in Pakistan.

Even before the abrogation of J&K's special status last August, separatist

politics in the Valley had lost traction. With most leaders now under

detention, those free, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, have preferred

silence. Given this, Geelani's resignation doesn't mean much for separatist

politics. It may lead to disintegration of the Hurriyat, and propel a

younger, hardline leadership.

The ailing Geelani, who is 91, became life-time chief of the hardline

faction, floated after the split of the Hurriyat Conference in 2003.

MAHARASHTRA ROLLS OUT WORLD'S LARGEST PLASMA THERAPY TRIALS

Maharashtra on Monday launched 'Project Platina', the world's largest plasma

therapy trials, for treating the COVID-19 virus.

Under Project Platina, trials of Convalescent Plasma Therapy (CPT) will be

rolled out in four hospitals run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation

in Mumbai and 17 other hospitals across the state.

"Around 500 participants will take part in these trials across Maharashtra,"

a health department official said.

The Chief Minister added the plasma trials being conducted in Maharashtra

will create an infrastructure of plasmapheresis in all medical colleges

which will help in the treatment of dengue, snakebites, etc.

'CJI DIDN'T RIDE BIKE; WAS JUST HAVING FEEL OF IT'

A day after Chief Justice S A Bobde's picture showing him riding a luxurious

bike in Nagpur went viral on social media, it has turned out that he didn't

actually ride it.

Sources privy to the incident said the CJI didn't ride Harley Davidson bike

and just sat on it to have a feel of the machine. He didn't even know who

its owner was, they said.

As the CJI's picture sitting on a "Limited Edition CVO 2020" Harley Davidson

went viral on social media, advocate Prashant Bhushan questioned him, saying

he was neither wearing a mask nor a helmet.

"CJI rides a 50 Lakh motorcycle belonging to a BJP leader at Raj Bhavan

Nagpur, without a mask or helmet, at a time when he keeps the SC in Lockdown

mode denying citizens their fundamental right to access Justice," Bhushan

tweeted.

FIRST INDIAN COVID-19 VACCINE GETS HUMAN TRIALS NOD

India's drug controller has given approval for human clinical trials of the

country's first coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine candidate, which has

been developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the ICMR and National

Institute of Virology (NIV), the vaccine maker said on Monday.

The trials for the vaccine, named Covaxin, are likely to begin next month,

the firm said. The strains of Sars-CoV-2 that causes Covid-19 was isolated

by ICMR-NIV and transferred to Bharat Biotech in May. Scientists have

managed to isolate and culture 11 strains that can be used to develop

vaccines and aid research.

The indigenous and inactivated vaccine candidate was developed and

manufactured at Bharat Biotech's facility located in Genome Valley,

Hyderabad.

SEVERAL MOVIES HEADED FOR OTT RELEASE

Akshay Kumar's "Laxxmi Bomb", "Sadak 2", featuring Alia Bhatt and Ajay

Devgn's "Bhuj: The Pride of India" are among the Bollywood films that are

headed for a direct release on streamer Disney+Hotstar as theatres remain

close due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first movie of Disney+Hotstar Multiplex will be Sushant Singh Rajput's

last movie "Dil Bechara", will start streaming from July 24.

Other titles getting a direct release on the digital platform include

Abhishek Bachchan-starrer "The Big Bull", Vidyut Jammwal's "Khuda Haafiz"

and "Lootcase", featuring Kunal Kemmu and Rasika Dugal.

Amazon Prime is set to release Vidya Balan's Shakuntala Devi biopic.

Theatre chains such as PVR and INOX had expressed their disappointment at

the decision at the time of the release of "Gulabo Sitabo".

INDICATORS

Sensex 34,961 (-210), Nifty 10,312 (-71), Trading Value NSE ,(Rs.crores)

49,139

Nasdaq 9,874 (+117) Dow 25,596 (+580), S&P 3,053 (+44)

US$-Rs. 75.23 GBP-Rs. 92.70, Euro-Rs. 84.61, UAE Dhm-Rs.20.47, Can$-Rs.

55.03, Aus$- Rs. 51.66

GBP 0.81 /US$, Euro 0.88 /US$, Jap.Yen 107.39 /US$, Aus$ 1.45 /US$, Sing

1.39 /US$, Bang Taka 83.27 /US$, Can$ 1.36 /US$, Mal Ring 4.28 /US$,

Pak Re 167.24 /US$, Phil Peso 49.78 /US$, Russian Rouble 69.98 /US$, NZ$

1.55 /US$, Thai Baht 30.85 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 26.48 /US$, Norway NOK 9.68

/US$

Bitcoin - USD 9,167

Dollar Index 97.43 Brent Crude 41.56 BDI 1,749

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,771 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4,831 / 4,731

Silver (Rs. Per KG) 48,120

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

If I had to select one quality, one personal characteristic that I regard as

being most highly correlated with success, whatever the field, I would pick

the trait of persistence. - Richard M. Devos

OFF TRACK

On a recent flight, an elderly passenger kept peering out the window. Since

it was totally dark, all she could see was the blinking wing-tip light.

Finally, she rang for the flight attendant.

"I'm sorry to bother you," she said, "but I think you should inform the

pilot that his left-turn indicator is on and has been for some time."