INDIA'S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM ENSURED ONE OF BEST COVID RECOVERY RATES IN THE

WORLD: PM MODI

Declaring that India has "one of the best Covid recovery rates in the

world", Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday credited grass-root health care

system in fighting the coronavirus crisis, which has so far infected over 10

lakh people and killed over 26,000 in the country.

Addressing the United Nations at the High-Level Segment of the UN Economic

and Social Council (ECOSOC), the PM said, "in the fight against Covid, our

grass-roots health system is helping India ensure one of the best recovery

rates in the world. We are also on track to remove TB by 2025."

"Be it earthquakes, cyclones, Ebola crisis or any other natural or man-made

crisis, India has responded with speed and solidarity. In our joint fight

against COVID, we have extended medical and other assistance to over 150

countries," he further said.

Asserting that only reformed multilateralism can meet the aspirations of

humanity, PM Modi said the United Nations was originally born from the

furies of the Second World War and the fury of the COVID-19 pandemic

provides the context for its "rebirth and reform."

"India firmly believes that the path to achieve sustainable peace and

prosperity is through multilateralism.However, multilateralism needs to

represent the reality of the contemporary world. Only reformed

multilateralism with a reformed United Nations at its centre can meet the

aspirations of humanity," Modi said.

"Our motto is 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas, Sabka Vishwas' - meaning

'Together, for everyone's growth, with everyone's trust'. This resonates

with the core SDG principle of leaving no one behind," the PM added.

He also called for enhancing the UN's relevance, its effectiveness, and to

make it the basis of a new type of human-centric globalisation.

RAJNATH: CAN'T GUARANTEE TALKS OUTCOME, NO POWER CAN TAKE INCH OF INDIA LAND

Sending a strong message to Beijing by visiting a forward post not very far

from the standoff point at Pangong Tso, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

Friday said the "progress made in talks" between the two countries "should

resolve the matter" but "I cannot guarantee" the extent to which it will be

resolved.

"Talks are currently underway to resolve the border dispute. The progress

made in talks so far should resolve the matter. To what extent it will be

resolved, I cannot guarantee that. But I want to assure you that no power in

the world can touch an inch of Indian territory or capture it," he said.

Singh told troops that India wants peace, but is capable of a befitting

reply if anyone tries to hurt its self-respect. "If a resolution can be

found through talks, nothing will be better than that. That process is on,

talks are going on at military and diplomatic levels."We do not want

disturbance (ashanti), we want peace. It is our character that we have never

tried to hurt any country's self-respect. But I want to make it clear that

if any power in the world tries to hurt India's self-respect, we will not

tolerate that. We are ready to give a befitting reply," he said.

JAISHANKAR-RAHUL CLASH ON SOCIAL MEDIA OVER INDIA'S FOREIGN POLICY

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on

Friday clashed on social media over the direction of India's foreign policy.

It all began earlier in the day when Rahul posted a three-minute video

alleging that India was courting economic and financial disaster under the

current government.

Jaishankar's riposte in a series of tweets was stylish and acidic where he

blamed the previous government of messing up ties with many countries in the

neighbourhood.

"India has been disturbed and disrupted," said Rahul, adding "empty words

don't suffice in the world of geopolitics. Today, our relationship has

become transactional."

Jaishankar opened his response by asserting that all of India's major

partnerships were stronger and India's international standing higher than

before. "Witness the regular summits and informal meetings with the US,

Russia, Europe and Japan. India engages China on more equal terms

politically," he claimed while ending his tweet with "Ask the analysts, ask

the Afghan street, ask Bhutan households". "We speak our mind more openly

now. On CPEC, on BRI, on the South China Sea, on UN-sanctioned terrorists,

etc," said Jaishankar. "Ask the media," he added.

Dealing with the neighbourhood, he said Rahul's criticism of India missing

out on Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka (which went to China) was misplaced as

the deal was concluded in 2008 (during the UPA era). The Foreign Minister

then blamed the previous government for the dip in ties with Maldives and

Bhutan.

On Pakistan, the Minister invited Rahul to note the difference between

Balakot and Uri on the one hand, and the Sharm-el-Sheikh and the Mumbai

attacks on the other.

EC SEEKS SUGGESTIONS OVER CAMPAIGNING DURING PANDEMIC

The Election Commission (EC) Friday sought views of national and state

political parties on campaigning for upcoming elections amid the Covid-19

pandemic.

The move comes hours after the Bihar opposition parties wrote to EC asking

it to ensure that campaigning and voting exercise don't become a "super

spreader event" of coronavirus.

The parties including Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Hindustani Awam

Morcha, Rashtriya Lok Samta Party, and Loktantrik Janata Dal submitted a

memorandum to the poll panel drawing its attention to the coronavirus

situation in the state.

Wondering if the poll panel will ensure physical distancing of at least two

yards in a state with a population of around 13 crore and electorate of 7.5

crore, the parties sought "explicit clarity so that wholesome participation

of majority of voters is not adversely impacted".

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

(Indian data from covid19india / and World Data from

worldometers.info/coronavirus/ )

Total Cases 10,40,064 (+34,817) / 1,41,89,223 (+2,42,584)

Total Deaths 26,285 (+676) / 5,99,341 (+6,664)

Total Recovered 6,54,078 (+17,476) / 84,55,206 (+1,77,465)

Active Cases 3,59,701 (+16,665) / 51,34,676 (+58,455)

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

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

Cases

1 USA 37,70,012 / 1,42,064 /

17,41,233 / 18,86,715

2 Brazil 20,48,697 / 77,932 /

13,66,775 / 6,03,990

3 India 10,40,457 / 26,285 /

6,54,078 / 3,60,094

4 Russia 7,59,203 / 12,123 /

5,39,373 / 2,07,707

5 Peru 3,45,537 / 12,799 /

2,33,982 / 98,756

6 South Africa 3,37,594 / 4,804 /

1,78,183 / 1,54,607

7 Mexico 3,31,298 / 38,310 /

2,08,436 / 84,552

8 Chile 3,26,539 / 8,347 /

2,96,814 / 21,378

9 Spain 3,07,335 / 28,420 / N/A

/ N/A

10 UK 2,93,239 / 45,233 / N/A

/ N/A

11 Iran 2,69,440 / 13,791 /

2,32,873 / 22,776

12 Pakistan 2,59,999 / 5,475 /

1,83,737 / 70,787

17 Bangladesh 1,99,357 / 2,547 /

1,08,725 / 88,085

110 Sri Lanka 2,697 / 11 /

2,012 / 674

TOP IMPACTED INDIAN STATES SO FAR

State / Confirmed Cases / Active Case / Recovered /

Deceased

Maharashtra 2,92,589 / 1,20,480 /

1,60,357 / 11,452

Tamil Nadu 1,60,907 / 47,785 / 1,10,807

/ 2,315

Delhi 1,20,107 / 17,235 / 99,301 /

3,571

Karnataka 55,115 / 33,201 / 20,758 /

1,152

Gujarat 46,516 / 11,465 / 32,944 / 2,107

Uttar Pradesh 45,163 / 16,445 / 27,634 /

1,084

Telangana 42,496 / 13,388 / 28,705 /

403

Andhra Pradesh 40,646 / 19,814 / 20,298 /

534

West Bengal 38,011 / 14,709 / 22,253 /

1,049

Rajasthan 27,789 / 6,617 / 20,626 /

546

Haryana 24,797 / 5,752 / 18,718 /

327

Bihar 23,300 / 8,130 / 14,997 / 173

Assam 21,865 / 7,700 / 14,106 / 56

Madhya Pradesh 21,082 / 5,870 / 14,514 /

698

Odisha 16,110 / 4,671 / 11,330 / 109

Jammu and Kashmir 12,757 / 5,968 / 6,558 /

231

Kerala 11,067 / 6,030 / 4,994 / 39

Punjab 9,442 / 2,830 / 6,373 / 239

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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

'SLEPT ON THIS FOR TOO LONG', SAYS POMPEO; U.S. OFFICIALS HAVE 'LOST THEIR

MINDS, SAYS CHINA

The time has come for the world to push back against the challenge posed by

the Chinese Communist Party, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said as he

contended that the US "slept on this threat for too long." Pompeo also said

the Chinese government was aware of human-to-human transmission of the

coronavirus before they shared this information with the world.

"For democracies and freedom-loving people around the world, it is an

imperative that we push back against the challenge that the Chinese

Communist Party presents to us all," Pompeo said.

He said that for 40 years, successive US administrations just looked the

other way and allowed China to trample on America.

U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr added fuel to the fire on Thursday when he

accused Beijing of mounting an "economic blitzkrieg" to replace Washington

as the world's pre-eminent power and spread its political ideology around

the world.

ChinaForeign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Mr. Barr and other

American officials were criticising China to distract from domestic

political problems. "These people, for self-interest and political gain, do

not hesitate to hijack domestic public opinion... to the point where they

have lost their minds and gone mad," she said.

TRUMP VOWS NOT TO ORDER AMERICANS TO WEAR MASKS

US President Donald Trump has vowed not to order Americans to wear masks to

contain the spread of coronavirus.

His comments came after the country's top infectious disease expert, Dr

Anthony Fauci, urged state and local leaders to be "as forceful as possible"

in getting people to wear masks.

Wearing face coverings, Dr Fauci added, is "really important" and "we should

be using them, everyone".

The wearing of face coverings has become highly politicised in the US.

President Trump, who had previously resisted wearing a face covering

himself, wore a mask in public for the first time last Saturday.

But speaking to Fox News on Friday, Mr Trump said he didn't agree with a

national mask mandate, saying people should have a "certain freedom".

THE REST

========

NO ACTION BY SPEAKER AGAINST SACHIN PILOT, OTHER CONG REBEL MLAs TILL

TUESDAY, SAYS HC

In what is a four-day reprieve to Sachin Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs,

the Rajasthan High Court Friday directed the Assembly Speaker to not take

any action against them till Tuesday. The court will resume the hearing on

the petitions challenging the disqualification notices of Pilot and others

Monday.

The court was hearing the petitions challenging the notices that were served

by the Speaker based on a complaint by the ruling party that the rebel MLAs

had defied a party whip to attend two Congress Legislature Party meetings,

on Monday and Tuesday.

During Friday's hearing, advocate Harish Salve, who is representing the

Pilot camp, said the petitioner (Pilot) raised his voice against the

"dictatorship" of CM Gehlot and placed the matter before the central

governing body of the party. This was in exercise of freedom of speech of

legislators and did not amount to 'defection', he added. Salve said the

disqualification notices were an attempt to stifle 'freedom of speech' and

internal discussions. "Whip is not applicable to meetings at homes and

hotels; only applies to proceedings within House," Salve said. The acts

outside the House are not violation of anti-defection law, Congress

dissident MLAs' advocate Harish Salve said in the court.

ONLY 0.35% COVID PATIENTS ON VENTILATOR: GOVT

The actual caseload of COVID-19 in the country is only 3,42,756, said the

ministry of health and family welfare on Friday adding that only 1.94 per

cent of the cases are in intensive care units, 0.35 per cent cases are on

ventilators and 2.81 per cent cases are on oxygen beds.

The total positive cases stand at 10,03,832 including 3,42,473 active cases,

6,35,757 cured/discharged/migrated and 25,602 deaths, the ministry stated.

Translating these percentages into numbers looks like this:

Deaths so far 26000

ICU Patients Currently 6,649

Patients on Oxygen Currently 9,631

Patients on Ventilator Currently 1,200

Total seriously affected 43,481

Rest of the people out of the count of about one million have either

recovered or have mild or no symptoms.

KOLKATA EXTENDS BAN ON FLIGHTS FROM 6 CITIES, TILL JULY 31

No passenger flights will operate to Kolkata from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai,

Pune, Nagpur and Ahmedabad between until July 31, the Kolkata airport said

as it extended its ban on flights from above-mentioned cities on Friday.

NHRC ISSUES NOTICE TO MAHARASHTRA GOVT OVER VARAVARA RAO'S HEALTH

The National Human Rights Commission on Friday issued a notice to the

Maharashtra government on jailed Telugu poet P Varvara Rao's health,

following outrage over the conditions in which he was kept at a state-run

hospital in Mumbai, reports said.

Eighty-year-old Rao, who tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday, was

found lying in a "urine-soaked bed" and unattended at the state-run JJ

Hospital in Mumbai, according to media reports which quoted family members

of the jailed activist as saying

He has been in jail for about 22 months - he and nine other activists have

been arrested in relation to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar

Parishad conclave held in Pune on 31 December, 2017, which the police

claimed triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war

memorial.

Rao has denied all the charges.

INDIA REGISTERS A STEEP DECLINE IN MATERNAL MORTALITY RATIO

The Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in India has declined to 113 in 2016-18

from 122 in 2015-17 and 130 in 2014-2016, according to the special bulletin

on Maternal Mortality in India 2016-18, released by the Office of the

Registrar General's Sample Registration System (SRS).

One of the key indicators of maternal mortality is the MMR, defined as the

number of maternal deaths per 1,00,000 live births. The target 3.1 of

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) set by the United Nations aims to reduce

the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 1,00,000 live

births.

The MMR of various States according to the bulletin includes Assam (215),

Bihar (149), Madhya Pradesh (173), Chhattisgarh (159), Odisha (150),

Rajasthan (164), Uttar Pradesh (197) and Uttarakhand (99). The southern

States registered a lower MMR - Andhra Pradesh (65), Telangana (63),

Karnataka (92), Kerala (43) and Tamil Nadu (60).

CLASS 12 MARKS RULE DROPPED FOR ADMISSION TO IIT THIS YEAR

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) have decided to relax admission

criterion this year in view of partial cancellation of class 12 exams by

various boards, Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' announced

Friday. However, a student will still have to pass their class 12th.

As per the norm, a student needs to have at least 75 per cent or figure in

the top 20 percentile of his/her class 12 board results along with clearing

the IIT-JEE Advanced to be selected for admission to IITs.

This year, the IIT-Delhi is conducting the JEE Advanced. After being

postponed twice, the exam will now be held on September 27.

FMCG RECOVERY IN JUNE TO PRE-COVID LEVEL

India's Rs 4.3-trillion fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) market rebounded

in June to pre-Covid-19 sales levels, but a big surprise was that the

revival was led by the beauty category.

The data shared by market research agency Nielsen on Friday showed that the

category saw a sharp recovery in June versus other contributors to growth,

including food, hygiene and rural.

On an index of 100, non-foods, led by beauty, stood at 104 in June as

against 72 in May, Nielsen said. In foods, the index was 94 in June versus

78 in May. And in rural, it was 109 in June versus 84 in May.

Overall, the domestic FMCG market bounced back to levels of 98 in June

compared with 75 in May and 101 in March before the nationwide lockdown was

announced. The pre-Covid March index for foods was 103, and for non-foods,

it was 99.

Within hygiene, toilet soaps, a large category, rebounded to levels of 114

in June versus 96 in May. It was constant at 100 in March. Floor cleaners

revived to levels of 118 in June versus 86 in May and 111 in March, said

Nielsen.

VODAFONE IDEA GETS TDSAT RELIEF, ALLOWED TO OFFER PREMIUM TARIFF PLANS

In a breather to Vodafone Idea, the Telecom Disputes Settlement and

Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) on Friday allowed the telco to get new customers

for its premium tariff plans. The TDSAT, while posting the matter for August

17, said the direction issued by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India

(Trai) to suspend the premium plans lacked prima facie reasons.

Vodafone Idea had moved the TDSAT after Trai put on hold the premium plans

offered by telcos. Through a communication last weekend, the regulator had

asked Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel to stop offering the plans, citing

discrimination to other customers. The Trai action followed a complaint by

Reliance Jio against the premium plans.

The regulator had asked Vodafone Idea to freeze its RedX plan for high-end

post-paid customers. Launched last November, RedX offered customers

unlimited local and STD calls, unlimited data, up to 50 per cent higher data

speed, premier customer service and Netflix subscription. As of June, it had

127,000 subscribers.

SHIV NADAR STEPS DOWN AS HCL TECH CHAIRMAN, DAUGHTER ROSHNI TAKES OVER

HCL Technologies, the third-largest IT services company in India, said

Friday that its co-founder Shiv Nadar had stepped down as chairman of the

board of directors and handed over the baton to his daughter Roshni Nadar

Malhotra.

Nadar, 75, will continue as the company's managing director, with the

designation of chief strategy officer, the Noida-headquartered company said

in a statement.

The groundwork for Malhotra's elevation as chairman has been in the making

since the Kellogg Graduate School of Management alumna joined HCLT's board

in 2013 as a non-executive director. In October 2018, she became

vice-chairman of the board, paving the way for her succession to the top

job.

INDICATORS

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55.06, Aus$- Rs. 52.25

GBP 0.79 /US$, Euro 0.87 /US$, Jap.Yen 107.13 /US$, Aus$ 1.43 /US$, Sing

1.39 /US$, Bang Taka 83.22 /US$, Can$ 1.35 /US$, Mal Ring 4.26 /US$,

Pak Re 166.44 /US$, Phil Peso 49.40 /US$, Russian Rouble 71.72 /US$, NZ$

1.52 /US$, Thai Baht 31.65 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 27.22 /US$, Norway NOK 9.28

/US$

Bitcoin - USD 9,142

Dollar Index 95.96 Brent Crude 43.14 BDI 1,810

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,798 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4,846 / 4,740

Silver (Rs. Per KG) 52,810

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past. -

Patrick Henry

OFF TRACK

A drunk phoned police to report that thieves had been in his car. "They've

stolen the dashboard, the steering wheel, the brake pedal, the radio, and

even the accelerator," he cried out.

However, before the police investigation could start, the phone rang a

second time and the same voice came over the line. "Never mind," he said

with a hiccup, "I got in the back seat by mistake."