EID MUBARAK, DEAR READERS

ILLICIT LIQUOR BLAMED FOR 41 DEATHS IN 3 PUNJAB DISTRICTS, CM ORDERS PROBE

At least 41 people have died in three districts of Punjab's Majha region

allegedly after consuming spurious liquor in the last two days. As death

toll mounted on Friday, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh ordered a magisterial

probe into the deaths to be conducted by Divisional Commissioner, Jalandhar.

DGP Dinkar Gupta Friday said that the death toll could rise further as the

spurious liquor network was evidently spread across many areas.

Promising strict action against anyone found complicit in the case, the CM

directed police to launch a search operation to crack down on any spurious

liquor manufacturing unit operating in the state.

Opposition parties in Punjab lashed out against the Capt Amarinder Singh

government for the alleged lapses. "The Congress has been in power for 42

months but it has not been able to do anything about either drugs menace or

the illicit liquor menace. It is surprising that even after Cabinet

ministers targeted the then Chief Secretary over illegal liquor trade, the

government has not been able to do anything to stop the menace," said Tarun

Chugh, national secretary of BJP.

ASHOK GEHLOT SHIFTS MLAs TO A RESORT IN JAISALMER TO OUTWIT PILOT CAMP

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has moved MLAs pledging allegiance to

him to a luxury resort in Jaisalmer from Jaipur, where they have been

staying since July 13. They will be kept in Jaisalmer till the eve of the

Assembly session starting August 14.

So far, 54 MLAs have moved and the rest will also be shifted. Before

departing for Jaisalmer, Gehlot had convened a Legislature Party meeting in

Jaipur and told MLAs they would be given lucrative offers and that they

should ignore as this government will stay put.

ISRAELI TECH TO DETECT COVID-19 IN 30 SECONDS BEING TESTED IN DELHI

Four technologies to detect coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in 30 seconds

developed by scientists from Israel are being evaluated at Delhi's Dr Ram

Manohar Lohia hospital.

About 10,000 people will be tested twice; once using the gold standard

molecular RT-PCR test and then the four Israeli technologies to evaluate

whether these innovations will work in a field setting. Unlike the swab

sample collection method, for this test, people will have to blow into or

speak in front of a breathalyser sort of an instrument which will collect a

sample for testing.

If successful, these technologies can pave the way for the safe opening of

businesses and people will be able to coexist with the virus till a vaccine

is developed, researchers said.

India's manufacturing capacity, the Israeli ambassador to India Ron Malka

said, made India a natural fit for these trials. "We are a small country and

do not have the manufacturing capability like India. By combining advanced

Israeli and Indian technology and India's manufacturing prowess, we can find

a way to resume our lives and exist alongside the virus till a vaccine is

developed," he said.

SAJAD LONE FREED; MUFTI'S DETENTION EXTENDED

Days ahead of the first anniversary of the scrapping of the special status,

J&K administration has extended detention of former chief minister Mehbooba

Mufti under stringent Public Safety Act by another three months.

Mehbooba Mufti is now the only mainstream political leader who continues to

be under detention after the special status of J&K was scrapped and the

state was downgraded to two Union Territories almost a year ago.

Earlier yesterday, People's Conference chief and former minister Sajad Lone

was released from house detention. However, he has been told not to step out

or speak to the media.

As soon as his release was announced, Lone took to Twitter to say, "Finally

5 days short of a year I have been officially informed that I am a free man.

So much has changed. So have I. Jail was not a new experience. Earlier ones

were harsh with usual doses of physical torture. But this was

psychologically draining. Much to share hopefully soon."

Welcoming Lone's release, former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who was

released from detention in March, said, "I hope others under similar illegal

detention will also be released without delay."

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

(Indian data from covid19india / and World Data from

worldometers.info/coronavirus/ )

Total Cases 16,96,628 (+57,701) / 1,77,57,496 (+2,82,805)

Total Deaths 36,551 (+765) / 6,82,998 (+6,239)

Total Recovered 10,95,647 (+36,554) / 1,11,60,054 (+2,22,283)

Active Cases 5,64,430 (+20,382) / 59,14,444 (+54,283)

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

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

Cases

1 USA 47,05,889 / 1,56,747 /

23,27,572 / 22,21,570

2 Brazil 26,66,298 / 92,568 /

18,84,051 / 6,89,679

3 India 16,97,054 / 36,551 /

10,95,647 / 5,64,856

4 Russia 8,39,981 / 13,963 /

6,38,410 / 1,87,608

5 South Africa 4,93,183 / 8,005 /

3,26,171 / 1,59,007

6 Mexico 4,24,637 / 46,688 /

2,78,618 / 99,331

7 Peru 4,07,492 / 19,021 /

2,83,915 / 1,04,556

8 Chile 3,55,667 / 9,457 /

3,28,327 / 17,883

9 Spain 3,35,602 / 28,445 / N/A

/ N/A

10 Iran 3,04,204 / 16,766 /

2,63,519 / 23,919

11 UK 3,03,181 / 46,119 / N/A

/ N/A

13 Pakistan 2,78,305 / 5,951 /

2,47,177 / 25,177

16 Bangladesh 2,37,661 / 3,111 /

1,35,136 / 99,414

115 Sri Lanka 2,815 / 11 /

2,391 / 413

TOP IMPACTED INDIAN STATES SO FAR

State / Confirmed Cases / Active Case / Recovered /

Deceased

Maharashtra 4,22,118 / 1,50,662 /

2,56,158 / 14,994

Tamil Nadu 2,45,859 / 57,968 / 1,83,956

/ 3,935

Andhra Pradesh 1,40,933 / 75,720 /

63,864 / 1,349

Delhi 1,35,598 / 10,705 / 1,20,930

/ 3,963

Karnataka 1,24,115 / 72,004 / 49,788

/ 2,314

Uttar Pradesh 85,461 / 34,968 / 48,863 /

1,630

West Bengal 70,188 / 20,233 / 48,374 /

1,581

Telangana 62,703 / 16,796 / 45,388 /

519

Gujarat 61,438 / 13,993 / 45,009 / 2,436

Bihar 50,987 / 17,038 / 33,650 / 298

Rajasthan 42,083 / 11,558 / 29,845 /

680

Assam 40,270 / 9,811 / 30,358 / 98

Haryana 34,965 / 6,317 / 28,227 /

421

Odisha 31,877 / 11,145 / 20,518 / 214

Madhya Pradesh 31,806 / 8,668 / 22,271 /

867

Kerala 23,614 / 10,495 / 13,023 / 74

Jammu and Kashmir 20,359 / 7,765 / 12,217 /

377

Punjab 16,119 / 4,999 / 10,734 / 386

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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

NO INTENTION TO POSTPONE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: TRUMP

US President Donald Trump has quickly taken back his suggestion to delay

November's presidential election over alleged fraud concerns after he failed

to garner support from top Republicans.

Seeking a second consecutive term, Trump is facing a formidable challenge

from Democratic nominee and former vice president Joe Biden, who, according

to major national opinion polls, has double digit lead over the Republican

president.

The presidential election date in the US statutorily is set as "the Tuesday

next after the first Monday in the month of November" equalling "the first

Tuesday after November 1".

IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER SAYS HE WON'T NEGOTIATE WITH U.S.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Friday that his country

will not negotiate with the United States because America would only use

talks for propaganda purposes.

The Trump administration has said it is willing to talk with Iran "with no

preconditions," but that the U.S. will continue its campaign of pressure

against the Islamic Republic.

In a televised speech marking the Eid al-Adha holiday, Khamenei said

President Donald Trump would benefit from talks, saying Trump wants to "use

negotiations with us for propaganda like negotiations with North Korea."

Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the nuclear accord between Iran and

Western powers in May 2018. Iran later responded by slowly abandoning nearly

every aspect of the agreement, though it still allows U.N. inspectors access

to its nuclear sites.

THE REST

========

CONGRESS NATIONAL SPOKESPERSON WELCOMES NEP

Congress national spokesperson Khushbu Sundar has welcomed the Centre's new

National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and apologised to party leader Rahul

Gandhi for her differing stand from that of the party, with her statement

setting off a Twitter buzz.

With the actor-politician insisting she "rather speak the fact than be a

head-nodding robot or a puppet", Congress' state unit hit out at her for

airing her views in the open, saying it was "indiscipline" and that the

grand old party was ready to discuss "any controversial" matters in its

forums.

As speculation mounted that the actor could quit Congress and join its

arch-rival BJP following her welcoming NEP 2020, Sundar clarified "I am not

moving" to the saffron party.

But her assertion on the NEP surprised many of her followers, who are used

to her critical comments against the ruling NDA on various issues.

AND 10 DIE AFTER CONSUMING SANITISER IN ANDHRA PRADESH

Unable to get liquor due to the Covid induced lockdown in place, ten people

died after consuming sanitiser in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh,

police said on Friday.

While three people died on Thursday, seven succumbed on Friday. The incident

occurred in Kurichedu mandal headquarters in Prakasam district.

As the liquor shops in town and surrounding villages were closed for the

last 10 days due to lockdown, the habitual drinkers had started consuming

sanitiser used for hand hygiene.

Police were trying to ascertain if the victims were using only sanitisers or

mixing it with some other chemicals.

FAITHFUL TO OBSERVE COVID-SAFE EID-UL-ZUHA FESTIVITIES

With a majority of the lockdown restrictions eased in the last few weeks,

several mosques across the capital-including Jama Masjid and Fatehpuri

Masjid - are holding prayers for Eid-ul-Adha today.

Sabiullah Khan, the public relations officer of Jama Masjid, said, "We will

be following all the government guidelines for the congregation. Visitors

without masks will not be allowed. They will have to carry their own prayer

mats and sanitise themselves before entering the premises.

Due to the Covid-19 lockdown and the subsequent closure of religious places,

Muslim devotees were unable to pray in mosques on Eid-ul-Fitr in May.

However, as per Unlock 1 guidelines, the Centre had allowed religious places

to reopen from June 8 while maintaining social distancing norms. According

to Unlock 3 guidelines, religious functions and other large congregations

continue to be prohibited.

Several mosques in pockets of Okhla, old Delhi, and north-east Delhi will

also hold Eid prayers while maintaining social distancing norms.

Mosque-goers see this as a ray of hope.

IN POLL BOUND BIHAR, PARTIES LATCH ON TO SUSHANT SINGH RAJPUT'S CASE

Actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death is turning into a big political issue

among political parties, including NDA allies, in Bihar, where elections are

due later this year.

NDA ally LJP on Friday questioned why CM and JD-U leader Nitish Kumar was

silent and had not yet talked to his Maharashtra counterpart Uddhav

Thackeray for a CBI probe into Rajput's death.

LJP even questioned the motives of minister Maheshwar Hazari, who on Friday

made shocking claims regarding Rajput's "girlfriend" Rhea Chakraborty and

demanded an investigation by the top central agency.

Hazari called Chakraborty a "contract killer" as well as a "venomous snake

woman". Hazari was also quoted as saying: "Looks like this is a part of a

big game. Sushant was killed and a huge gang is involved in it, therefore a

proper detailed investigation must be done."

The RJD also has been at the forefront of the issue related to Rajput, who

belongs to Bihar.

LJP patriarch and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said there had been a

confrontation between the two states and no FIR had yet been registered yet

in Maharashtra.

"Chirag (Paswan) had spoken to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray

that there should be a CBI probe. All political leaders are demanding for

it. It (the case related to the death of Sushant Singh Rajput) should be

handed over to the CBI," said the senior leader from Bihar and a member of

the Narendra Modi Cabinet.

IT WOULD BE SUICIDAL TO GO BACK TO OLD ECONOMIC ORDER: MOHD YUNUS

Leading economist and Nobel Prize winner Mohammad Yunus on Friday said Covid

had afforded the world a unique opportunity to rethink the economic order

and it would be suicidal to go back to things as they were in the

pre-pandemic era.

In a half-hour conversation with Congress leader Rahul Gadhi, Yunus advised

governments across the world to uplift informal and rural economies and

create mechanisms whereby people can live and prosper where they are.

"COVID has suddenly stopped the economic machine. Now the focus is on

recovery. What is the hurry to go back? Should we go back at all? That world

was a horrible world. It was creating global warming. Why do we have to go

back to that world, a world with global warming, to a world where Artificial

Intelligence is taking away jobs? Going back will be suicidal. COVID has

given us an opportunity to think anew. This is the time to take outrageously

bold decisions, not to quietly go back to where we were," Yunus said in the

conversation.

The leading micro credit finance specialist who founded the Grameen Bank in

Bangladesh to lend collateral free loans to the poor entrepreneurs, Yunus

said financial systems worldwide are designed in wrong ways. He said we

follow the western model of economics even when we have tremendous capacity

to make things happen.

"In the western model, urban economy is the hub and rural economy is the

supplier of labour. Why can't we build an autonomous economy? Yunus asked

saying today we have the technology, infrastructure and communications to

ensure thriving economies in villages. Why can't we create an economy where

people work where they live? he asked stressing the need to trust micro

entrepreneurs.

Grameen Bank, he said, is the sole bank in the world which is lawyer free

and which gives collateral free loans to the poor and the money comes back

with interest. He said this becomes possible when people trust each other

and their capacities.

GOVT EXTENDS SUSPENSION OF INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS TILL AUG 31

Aviation regulator DGCA on Friday said the suspension of scheduled

international flights to and from the country has been extended till August

31 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The suspension of scheduled international commercial services was till July

31. In the wake of the pandemic, overseas flights were suspended in late

March, while cargo flights and those approved by the DGCA have been

permitted to operate.

During the suspension period, more than 2,500 repatriation flights by

foreign carriers to uplift stranded passengers to/ from India have been

approved, the statement said.

Under the Vande Bharat Mission, Air India and Air India Express have

uplifted 2,67,436 stranded passengers, and other charters have uplifted

4,86,811 stranded passengers from May 6 to July 30 period, it added.

As part of allowing gradual movement of passenger traffic amid the pandemic

situation, 'Transport Bubble' agreements have been signed with the US,

France, and Germany.

"Recently, 'Transport Bubble' agreement has also been signed with Kuwait to

uplift stranded passenger both to/ from India. More similar arrangements are

likely to fructify and ease passenger movements from different countries,"

the statement said. Such bilateral agreements allow operation of flights

between the two countries subject to a set of regulations.

NOC REQUIREMENT FOR ARMY THEME CONTENT

Taking strong objection to the depiction of armed forces personnel in some

web series, the Defence Ministry has written to the Central Board of Film

Certification, urging that production houses may be advised to obtain a

no-objection certificate from the ministry before telecasting any film,

documentary or web series on an Army theme.

The Defence Ministry had received some complaints raising strong objections

about the portrayal of Indian Army personnel and the military uniform in an

"insulting manner", they said. In some web series streamed recently, the

scenes related to the Army are far from reality and present a distorted

image of the armed forces.

The Defence Ministry has now formally written to the Central Board of Film

Certification (CBFC) urging that production houses may be advised to obtain

a NOC from it before the telecast of any film, documentary or web series on

Army theme in the public domain.

NIKE'S NEW AD IS AN EDITING MARVEL AND IT'S BREAKING THE INTERNET

Amid the uncertainty of Covid-19 pandemic, with no clue when normalcy will

return, Nike has created an ad that has left many inspired with the thought

that "Nothing can stop what we can do together".

With a tagline "You can't stop sport. Because you can't stop us," the video

is giving hope to people in such trying times, especially when there has

been cancellation and postponement of sporting events.

The ad highlights the power of sport and how it has the ability to bring us

together and become agents of change. With a powerful narration and with an

equally stunning voiceover delivered by Megan Rapinoe, the ad has

transcended all boundaries and achieved what it aimed to do - bringing

everyone together.

From fighting against everything that is unfair to taking responsibility to

make the world a better place, the poignant 1-minute-30-second ad touches

all the right notes.

The advertisement created by Wieden + Kennedy Portland's team put 72 sports

action together in 36 split-screen slides, merging actions in each pair of

slides in a brilliant editing, and the results are outstanding. The agency

had to comb through 4,000 sports action sequences of archival videos to

juxtapose it perfectly in sync to create the marvelous output.

The video garnered 17 million views on Twitter, earning plaudits from all

quarters.

INDICATORS

Sensex 37,607 (-129), Nifty 11,073 (-29), Trading Value NSE ,(Rs.crores)

62,089

Nasdaq 10,745 (+157) Dow 26,428 (+115), S&P 3,271 (+25)

US$-Rs. 74.62 GBP-Rs. 97.89, Euro-Rs. 88.32, UAE Dhm-Rs.20.31, Can$-Rs.

55.62, Aus$- Rs. 53.56

GBP 0.76 /US$, Euro 0.84 /US$, Jap.Yen 105.09 /US$, Aus$ 1.39 /US$, Sing

1.37 /US$, Bang Taka 83.03 /US$, Can$ 1.34 /US$, Mal Ring 4.23 /US$,

Pak Re 166.5008:42 01-08-2020 /US$, Phil Peso 49.04 /US$, Russian Rouble

73.83 /US$, NZ$ 1.49 /US$, Thai Baht 31.19 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 27.51 /US$,

Norway NOK 9.06 /US$

Bitcoin - USD 11,342

Dollar Index 93.43 Brent Crude 43.52 BDI 1,350

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,976 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 5,291 / 5,191

Silver (Rs. Per KG) 63,010

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

No man, however strong, can serve ten years as schoolmaster, priest, or

Senator, and remain fit for anything else. - Scott Adams

OFF TRACK

One day, Bill and Tom went to a restaurant for dinner. As soon as the waiter

took out two steaks, Bill quickly picked out the bigger steak for himself.

Tom wasn't happy about that, "When are you going to learn to be polite?"

Bill, "If you had the chance to pick first, which one would you pick?"

Tom, "The smaller piece, of course."

Bil, "What are you whining about then? The smaller piece is what you want,

right?"