INDIA, US HOLD FOREIGN SECY-LEVEL TALKS; REVIEW REGIONAL, GLOBAL ISSUES

About two weeks after US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo made a quiet

call to External Affairs minister S Jaishankar after the June-15 Galwan

clash, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla met with his American

counterpart, Under Secretary of State (Political Affairs) David Hale,

Tuesday evening through a video call.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said that Foreign Secretary

Shringla and Under Secretary Hale exchanged views on a "number of regional

and global issues of shared interest" - in a reference to the border

stand-off. "They reaffirmed their commitment to work towards ensuring a

free, open, inclusive, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific," it said, in

what can be seen as a clear signal to Beijing.

The MEA statement also said that in the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic,

they agreed to further strengthen the bilateral health partnership,

including on pharmaceuticals and vaccine development.

While there is some disengagement taking place between the troops of both

sides in eastern Ladakh, the White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said

Tuesday that the US military "will continue to stand strong" in a conflict

between India and China or anywhere else. "The message is clear. We're not

going to stand by and let China or anyone else take the reins in terms of

being the most powerful, dominant force, whether it"s in that region or over

here," White House Chief of Staff Meadows told Fox News.

LADAKH LAC DISENGAGEMENT CONTINUES

Chinese military removed temporary infrastructure and continued gradual

withdrawal of troops from face-off sites in Hot Springs and Gogra in eastern

Ladakh for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, and the Indian Army is

keeping a strict vigil on their rearward movement, government sources said.

Gogra and Hot Springs are among the key friction points where the two armies

were in an eyeball-to-eyeball situation for the past eight weeks.

The sources said the mutual disengagement of troops at the two friction

points is likely to be completed within two days, and that there has been

"substantial" withdrawal of forces by Chinese military from the areas.

According to the decisions arrived at corps commander-level talks on June

30, the two sides would create a minimum buffer zone of three kilometre in

most of the areas where they were locked in a stand-off.

"DO YOU REMEMBER?" CONGRESS DIGS OUT PM MODI'S 2013 TWEET ON INDIA-CHINA

The Congress dug into the history books on Tuesday to take a swipe at Prime

Minister Narendra Modi over the mutual disengagement and withdrawal of

Indian and Chinese troops from contested areas along the LAC.

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala reminded the Prime Minister of a

2013 tweet, when he was still Chief Minister of Gujarat.

"Respected Prime Minister, do you remember your words? Do your words mean

anything? Will you tell us why our forces are retracting from our land? The

country seeks answers," he wrote.

In May 2013, Prime Minister Modi had tweeted: "China withdraws its forces

but I wonder why Indian forces are withdrawing from Indian territory? Why

did we retreat?"

'ECONOMIC MISMANAGEMENT' WILL DESTROY MILLIONS OF FAMILIES: RAHUL GANDHI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday again targeted the BJP government

over handling of the economy, saying its "mismanagement" will destroy

millions of families but asserted this will no longer be "accepted

silently". Along with his statement on Twitter, he tagged a report that

claimed that India's economic growth is likely to contract 4.5 per cent in

2020-21 due to COVID-19.

WHO ACKNOWLEDGES 'EVIDENCE EMERGING' OF AIRBORNE SPREAD OF VIRUS

The World Health Organization has acknowledged there is emerging evidence

that the coronavirus can be spread by tiny particles that could remain

suspended in the air for a long time.

The airborne transmission could not be ruled out in crowded, closed or

poorly ventilated settings, an official said. If the evidence is confirmed,

it may affect guidelines for indoor spaces.

An open letter from more than 200 scientists had accused the WHO of

underestimating the possibility of airborne transmission.

Benedetta Allegranzi, the WHO's technical lead for infection prevention and

control, said that evidence emerging of airborne transmission of the

coronavirus in "crowded, closed, poorly ventilated settings that have been

described, cannot be ruled out".

For months, the WHO has insisted that Covid-19 is transmitted via droplets

emitted when people cough or sneeze. Droplets that do not linger in the air,

but fall onto surfaces - that's why handwashing has been identified as a key

prevention measure.

But 239 scientists from 32 countries don't agree: they say there is strong

evidence to suggest the virus can also spread in the air: through much

tinier particles that float around for hours after people talk, or breathe

out.

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

(Indian data from covid19india / and World Data from

worldometers.info/coronavirus/ )

Total Cases 7,43,381 (+23,131) / 1,19,50,105 (+2,10,005)

Total Deaths 20,653 (+479) / 5,46,626 (+5,949)

Total Recovered 4,57,058 (+16,908) / 68,95,546 (+2,52,775)

Active Cases 2,65,670 (+5,744) / 45,07,933 (-48,719)

TOP IMPACTED NATIONS SO FAR: (AND SOME OF INDIA'S NEIGHBOURS)

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

Cases

1 USA 30,97,084 / 1,33,972 /

13,54,863 / 16,08,249

2 Brazil 16,74,655 / 66,868 /

11,17,922 / 4,89,865

3 India 7,43,481 / 20,653 /

4,57,058 / 2,65,770

4 Russia 6,94,230 / 10,494 /

4,63,880 / 2,19,856

5 Peru 3,09,278 / 10,952 /

2,00,938 / 97,388

6 Chile 3,01,019 / 6,434 /

2,68,245 / 26,340

7 Spain 2,99,210 / 28,392 / N/A

/ N/A

8 UK 2,86,349 / 44,391 / N/A

/ N/A

9 Mexico 2,68,008 / 32,014 /

1,63,646 / 72,348

10 Iran 2,45,688 / 11,931 /

2,07,000 / 26,757

11 Italy 2,41,956 / 34,899 /

1,92,815 / 14,242

12 Pakistan 2,34,509 / 4,839 /

1,34,957 / 94,713

18 Bangladesh 1,68,645 / 2,151 /

78,102 / 88,392

109 Sri Lanka 2,081 / 11 /

1,955 / 115

TOP IMPACTED INDIAN STATES SO FAR

State / Confirmed Cases / Active Case / Recovered /

Deceased

Maharashtra 2,17,121 / 89,294 / 1,18,558

/ 9,250

Tamil Nadu 1,18,594 / 45,842 / 71,116

/ 1,636

Delhi 1,02,831 / 25,449 / 74,217 /

3,165

Gujarat 37,636 / 8,914 / 26,744 / 1,978

Uttar Pradesh 29,968 / 9,514 / 19,627 /

827

Telangana 27,612 / 11,012 / 16,287 /

313

Karnataka 26,815 / 15,294 / 11,100 /

417

West Bengal 23,837 / 7,243 / 15,790 /

804

Rajasthan 21,404 / 4,357 / 16,575 /

472

Andhra Pradesh 21,197 / 11,200 / 9,745 /

252

Haryana 17,999 / 4,075 / 13,645 /

279

Madhya Pradesh 15,627 / 3,237 / 11,768 /

622

Assam 13,337 / 4,988 / 8,330 / 16

Bihar 12,525 / 3,089 / 9,338 / 98

Odisha 10,097 / 3,340 / 6,703 / 54

Jammu and Kashmir 8,931 / 3,389 / 5,399 /

143

Punjab 6,749 / 2,020 / 4,554 / 175

Kerala 5,895 / 2,411 / 3,452 / 28

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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

TRUMPS PULLS OUT OF WHO BUT NEXT PREZ COULD REVERSE IT

The Trump administration has formally notified the United Nations of its

withdrawal from the World Health Organization, although the pullout won't

take effect until next year, meaning it could be rescinded under a new

administration of if circumstances change.

The withdrawal notification, delivered on Monday, makes good on President

Donald Trump's vow in late May to terminate U.S. participation in the WHO,

which he has harshly criticized for its response to the coronavirus pandemic

and accused of bowing to Chinese influence. The move was immediately

assailed by health officials and critics of the administration.

Under the terms of the withdrawal, the U.S. must meet its financial

obligations to the WHO before it can be finalized. The U.S., which is the

agency's largest donor and provides it with more than $400 million per year,

currently owes the WHO some $200 million in current and past dues.

BRAZIL PRESIDENT JAIR BOLSONARO TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday tested positive for Covid-19.

He confirmed the test results while wearing a mask and speaking to reporters

in capital Brasilia. "I'm well, normal. I even want to take a walk around

here, but I can't due to medical recommendations," Bolsonaro said.

According to a statement from the presidency, Bolsonaro took the test on

Monday evening. Local media had reported that he had symptoms of the

coronavirus, such as a fever.

Bolsonaro has repeatedly played down the impact of the virus, even as Brazil

has suffered one of the world's worst outbreaks, with more than 1.6 million

confirmed cases and 65,000 related deaths, according to official data on

Monday. He has also repeatedly said that there is no way to prevent 70 per

cent of the population falling ill with COVID-19, and that local

authorities' measures to shut down economic activity would ultimately cause

more hardship than allowing the virus to run its course.

Over the weekend, the Brazilian leader celebrated the US Independence Day

with the nation's ambassador to Brazil, then shared pictures on social media

showing him with his arm around the ambassador alongside several ministers

and aides. None wore masks, despite being in close quarters.

DECISION ON FOREIGN STUDENTS' VISA MISGUIDED, SAY US INSTITUTES, LAWMAKERS

Several Congressman and top educational institutions decried the policy

change that will require international students who are in the United States

with an F-1 visa to take at least one in-person course or else face the

prospect of being deported.

The Trump administration has yet again announced a new policy that will

damage the economy, harm US institutions, and do nothing to improve

America's safety or security, said Congressman Bennie Thompson, chairman of

the Committee on Homeland Security, and Congresswoman Kathleen Rice,

chairwoman of the Border Security, Facilitation, and Operations Subcommittee

in a joint statement.

"There is no apparent legitimate reason for the administration's

inflexibility toward international students attending colleges and

universities that adopt 'online-only' policies - the Administration seems to

just want them to leave," the two lawmakers said.

International students contribute billions of dollars to the US economy and

barring them from our country will deprive Americans of badly needed income.

THE REST

========

DELHI: OCCUPANCY BELOW 5K FIRST TIME IN MONTH

Occupancy of Covid-19 beds in Delhi fell below the 5,000-mark on Tuesday

evening, for the first time in close to a month, official data shows.

While the number of ICU and ventilator beds in city hospitals has gone up

over the past two weeks, the number of patients being admitted has also

dipped. On Tuesday, a total of 4,885 people remained admitted in hospitals,

while 10,201 beds were unoccupied. Of these, close to 1,800 are admitted in

government facilities while others are in private hospitals.

An assessment of occupancy carried out by the Delhi government shows that

the weekly new bed occupancy rate - the difference between number of

patients admitted and discharged - has been dipping for the past five weeks,

after peaking in the first week of June.

MUMBAI OPENS COVID TESTS FOR ALL, NO PRESCRIPTION NEEDED

In a bid to make the Covid-19 test "seamless and accessible" to all in

Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will from Wednesday

allow testing for all, irrespective of whether they have symptoms or not,

and without a doctor's prescription or self declaration.

This is the ninth time that BMC has changed its testing protocol, mostly in

conformity with central guidelines. The latest change also came after the

Union Health Ministry instructed states to increase their testing capacity.

The BMC said on Tuesday that all laboratories, including private ones, were

free to conduct RT-PCR (real-time polymerase chain reaction) tests on any

individual in accordance with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

guidelines without prescription from a doctor, including for home testing.

Charges for a test at a laboratory have been fixed at Rs 2,500, for home

testing, one will have to shell out Rs 2,800. There are 17 private labs in

Mumbai that are conducting RT-PCR tests.

Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal called the revised guidelines "the

most liberal Covid-19 testing policy anywhere in India". It will be

implemented by BMC with immediate effect, he said. As of Tuesday, Mumbai has

reported 86,132 cases and 4,999 deaths.

On an average, BMC conducts 4,500 to 5,000 tests per day, which is lower

than the full capacity of its labs. The ICMR, in a letter to all states and

union territories, had instructed all to conduct tests as per the full

capacity of their labs.

So far, BMC has conducted 3.63 lakh tests - 27,916 per million - with a

positivity rate of 23.49 per cent.

SURGE IN VENTILATORS CAUSES GLUT

Four months into the pandemic, Indian medical manufacturers catering to the

swelling Covid industry are facing a unique dilemma over the use of a

life-saving device at the heart of every ICU: ventilators.

In March, ventilators were considered vital to treat serious Covid cases,

and with the countrywide inventory at an estimated 47,000, manufacturers

raced to ramp up production. But now, with health experts pointing to a

shift in treatment to non-invasive oxygenation, these manufacturers are

staring at excess stocks and hoping for export channels to be opened.

Says Dr V K Paul, the NITI Aayog member who heads the Centre's Covid task

force: "The lockdown gave us time to reassess the ventilator situation and

we are in a comfort zone now. While we were largely relying on imports,

India has shown that large volumes of ventilators can be manufactured

indigenously within a short period and excess capacities can surely be

exported later."

Other experts admit that the need for largescale manufacture of ventilators

may soon be over. Dr R N Das, Medical Superintendent, Delhi Government

Health Services, says the need for ventilators is "exaggerated since

high-flow oxygen support is what hospitalised Covid patients mostly need".

"This is why in the new package for private hospitals, the Delhi Government

has fixed the same rate for use of HFNO (High-flow Nasal Oxygen Therapy) and

ventilators, so no doctor or hospital should be tempted to use more of the

latter," he says.

CBSE REDUCES 30% SYLLABUS FOR CLASSES 9 TO 12

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has been asked by the HRD

Ministry to reduce the syllabus for classes 9 to 12 by 30 per cent. The

decision has been taken after asking for suggestions from stakeholders on

the same. Through a tweet, the HRD Minister had informed that he received

over 1,500 suggestions from different stakeholders.

"Considering the importance of learning achievement, it has been decided to

rationalize syllabus up to 30 per cent by retaining the core concepts," the

HRD minister wrote in a tweet. "Looking at the extraordinary situation

prevailing in the country and the world, #CBSE was advised to revise the

curriculum and reduce course load for the students of Class 9th to 12th," he

added.

In an official statement, the CBSE said, "The Heads of Schools and Teachers

may ensure that the topics that have been reduced are also explained to the

students to the extent required to connect different topics. However, the

reduced syllabus will not be part of the topics for Internal Assessment and

year-end Board Examination."

Further, for Classes 8 and below, CBSE-affiliated schools will have the

freedom to rationalise the syllabus on their own.

Recently, the other central board - Council for the Indian School

Certificate Examinations (CISCE) - had announced to reduce their syllabus

for class 10 and 12 by 25 per cent to "make up for the loss in instructional

hours during the current session 2020-21".

ENGLAND VS WEST INDIES: A NEW ERA AS INTERNATIONAL CRICKET RETURNS

It will be more than just a game when international cricket makes its return

today at the Ageas Bowl when England plays the West Indies in the world's

first Test match since the start of March because of the coronavirus

pandemic.

Much of the talk before the Test has been around the bio-bubble which has

been created to serve as a safe environment for the stakeholders and also a

lay the blueprint for future matches and tours.

TV viewers will have the choice of adding a so-called "Lord's hum" during

coverage, but there will be no artificial crowd noise in the ground or music

between overs, ensuring an eerie silence once the match begins except for

selective announcements over the public address system about things such as

milestones or bowling changes.

The big screens around the venue will show key highlights, DRS and sponsor

messages.

There's also a message both the teams are willing to send about equality in

the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement. A BLM logo will be on the

collar of the test shirts worn by players from both teams and there is set

to be a "gesture" made by the teams before the game.

Cricket's oldest format kicks off a very new era for the sport. One where

there are no spectators at matches, one-way systems inside venues to

maintain distancing, twice-weekly testing for coronavirus, and players not

allowed out of their hotels.

England and West Indies have played 157 Tests against each other. West

Indies have won 57 of them and England have won 49, while 51 Tests have

ended in a draw.

The West Indies has not won a Test series in England since 1988 but the team

is the holder of the Wisden Trophy after a 2-1 victory in the Caribbean last

year.

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Silver (Rs. Per KG) 49,610

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Collective judgment of new ideas is so often wrong that it is arguable that

progress depends on individuals being free to back their own judgment

despite collective disapproval. - W.A. Lewis

OFF TRACK

A lawyer named Strange died, and his friend asked the tombstone maker to

inscribe on his tombstone, "Here lies Strange, an honest man, and a lawyer."

The inscriber insisted that such an inscription would be confusing, for

passers-by would tend to think that three men were buried under the stone.

However he suggested an alternative: He would inscribe, "Here lies a man who

was both honest and a lawyer. That way, whenever anyone walked by the

tombstone and read it, they would be certain to remark: "That's Strange!"