KEY COVID NUMBERS

Current Active Cases Countrywide: 10,77,790

New Cases in last 24 hours: 84,656

Recovered in last 24 hours: 1,22,794

Change in no. of Active cases in last 24 hours: -42,138

No. of deaths in last 24 hours (Total Covid Deaths so far): 4,000 (3,67,097)

Daily Tests (Thursday): 20,44,131

Daily Positivity Rate (Proportion of Positives among total Tested): 4.5%

Percentage of Population Vaccinated (At Least One Dose / Two Doses): 14.9% / 3.6%

Most Affected States:

(S. No. / State / No. of Active Cases / New Cases in last 24 Hrs / Deaths in Last 24 Hrs)

1          Karnataka         2,03,769           /           8,249    /           159

2          Tamil Nadu       1,74,802           /           15,759  /           378

3          Maharashtra     1,61,704           /           11,766  /           2,619

4          Kerala  1,34,001           /           14,233  /           173

5          Andhra Pradesh            96,100  /           8,239    /           61

6          Odisha 57,710  /           5,235    /           43

7          Assam  45,477  /           3,666    /           29

8          Telangana        22,759  /           1,707    /           16

9          Jammu and Kashmir     17,585  /           906       /           17

10        Chhattisgarh     15,932  /           741       /           15

11        Punjab  15,306  /           1,201    /           68

12        West Bengal     15,192  /           4,883    /           89

13        Gujarat 12,711  /           NA       /           NA

14        Uttar Pradesh   11,127  /           596       /           70

15        Rajasthan         9,023    /           446       /           27

16        Manipur            8,922    /           687       /           19

17        Bihar    6,348    /           566       /           14

18        Puducherry       6,156    /           429       /           11

19        Tripura 5,881    /           641       /           5

20        Himachal Pradesh         5,879    /           505       /           7

21        Haryana           5,749    /           463       /           43

22        Madhya Pradesh           5,447    /           397       /           35

23        Uttarakhand      5,277    /           287       /           31

24        Goa      5,201    /           423       /           8

25        Meghalaya        4,993    /           514       /           10

26        Jharkhand        4,220    /           291       /           1

27        Delhi    3,922    /           238       /           24

28        Sikkim  3,908    /           147       /           2

29        Nagaland          3,777    /           116       /           4

30        Mizoram           3,324    /           210       /           NIL

31        Arunachal Pradesh        3,274    /           358       /           5

32        Lakshadweep    665       /           49        /           1

33        Chandigarh       564       /           70        /           3

MODI MEETS AMIT SHAH, JP NADDA AMID CABINET RESHUFFLE BUZZ

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held deliberations with Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda amid speculation about a reshuffle in the Union cabinet, an exercise Modi has not undertaken since forming the government for a second time in May 2019.

There is also a growing buzz about the Cabinet expansion in Uttar Pradesh after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met the BJP top brass during his two-day visit to the national capital.

Sources, however, added that Modi has been meeting Union ministers in different batches of late, and Nadda has also been present there.

The deliberations among the top BJP leaders at the prime minister’s residence came a day after Shah also met party allies from Uttar Pradesh, including Apna Dal’s Anupriya Patel who was a minister in the first Modi government but was not inducted in the next.

There has been no official word from the party on these deliberations.

STATES MUST IMPLEMENT 'ONE NATION, ONE RATION CARD' SCHEME: SUPREME COURT

The Supreme Court on Friday observed that all states must implement the "One Nation, One Ration Card" (ONORC) scheme. The observation came as the court was informed that West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Assam had not yet implemented the scheme.

The scheme allows migrant workers to get rations at the place of their work in other states as well where their ration cards are not registered.

The counsel appearing for the state of Bengal admitted that the scheme had not been implemented "due to problems with Aadhaar seeding technology". The Supreme Court, however, observed that "no excuse will be considered and that the state must implement ONORC scheme."

The court noted that the current existing schemes-- the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojna and the Atmanirbhar Bharat- for food distribution under the National Food Safety Act, cover only those workers who are registered and have ration cards.

The Centre also came under scanner of the Supreme Court over the delay in development of software meant to register workers from an unorganised sector to create a national database.

"You have said there is a scheme - National Database for Unorganised Workers-- budget was sanctioned in October 2020-- you have not said anything about how you would be doing the work," commented Justice Bhushan. The bench also noted that 314 crores had been sanctioned in the 2020 budget to develop the portal, but "nothing has been done yet."

"We can't leave people helpless. Cannot leave it to the bureaucracy that some director or secretary does not have time to approve the portal. The concern is that after the portal is created, you have to get data from states. That will also take time," the bench observed.

MAMATA'S FRIEND-TURNED-FOE MUKUL ROY RETURNS TO TRINAMOOL

In a blow to the BJP, it's national Vice President Mukul Roy along with son Subhranshu, rejoined Trinamool Congress on Friday, with Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other leaders of the state's ruling party welcoming the prodigal back to their fold.

Roy, who was closeted with Banerjee in Trinamool Bhavan before his formal re-induction in the party he helped set up, said he was 'happy to see all known faces again'.

Addressing a press meet after the re-joining ceremony, Banerjee said Roy was threatened and tortured in the BJP, and that, in turn, affected his health. "Mukul's return proves that the BJP does not let anyone live in peace and puts undue pressure on everyone," the CM said.

At the rejoining ceremony, Roy was seated on Banerjees left hand, with Abhishek seated after him, while Partha Chatterjee, another top TMC leader sat on her right, indicative according to TMC sources, of the party's possible future pecking order.

"Whatever role he (Roy) played earlier, he will play the same," Banerjee said, adding that the exact role will be decided later.

The TMC had swept the recently held assembly polls winning 213 seats against BJPs 77 seats.

Significantly, Mamata said the party will consider the case of those who had left the TMC with Mukul for the BJP and want to come back. But she clarified that the TMC politicians and workers who left to join the BJP just ahead of the April-May assembly elections will not be taken back.

Speculation had been rife for some time on a possible home coming by Mukul Roy who had crossed over to BJP in 2017 after being charged in the Narada tape sting, ever since Banerjee's nephew Abhishek visited his wife at a city hospital earlier this month.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had after Abhishek's visit, rung up to enquire about Roy's wife's health. A move seen by political observers as an attempt to retain Roy within the BJP-fold.

Interestingly, at Fridays re-joining ceremony, both Banerjee and Roy claimed that they never had any differences.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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G-7 NATIONS GATHER TO PLEDGE 1B VACCINE DOSES FOR WORLD

World leaders from the Group of Seven industrialized nations are set to commit at their summit to share at least 1 billion coronavirus shots with struggling countries around the world half the doses coming from the US and 100 million from the UK.

Vaccine sharing commitments from President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson set the stage for the G-7 leaders’ meeting in southwest England. “We’re going to help lead the world out of this pandemic working alongside our global partners,” Biden said, adding that the G-7 nations would join the US in outlining their vaccine donation commitments at the three-day summit. The G-7 also includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.

The leaders meeting in the resort of Carbis Bay hope to energize the global economy as well.

CHINA CALLS WUHAN LAB LEAK THEORY ‘ABSURD’, RESISTS US PRESSURE

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pressed his Chinese counterpart in a phone call Friday to allow a new expert-led study into the origins of Covid-19, but China’s top diplomat called theories that the virus leaked from a Wuhan lab an absurd story, according to readouts from both sides.

In the call with Politburo member Yang Jiechi, Blinken “stressed the importance of cooperation and transparency regarding the origin of the virus, including the need for WHO Phase 2 expert-led studies in China.” Yang said China supports cooperation but won’t tolerate what he said were attempts to smear China.

The call was the first time the two top diplomats had spoken since an in-person meeting in Alaska in March that got off to a rocky start, with each side criticizing the other in front of television cameras.

During the phone call. Yang urged the U.S. to get bilateral relations back on track.

Blinken “underscored U.S. concern over the deterioration of democratic norms in Hong Kong and the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity against predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang,” the State Department said.

THE REST

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MUMBAI CLOCKS IN AVERAGE MONTHLY RAINFALL IN 11 DAYS; MORE TO COME

Mumbai received 107mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 8:30 am on Friday, according to the automatic weather station at Santacruz.

Till Tuesday, an orange alert continued to be in force in the city and the Konkan region, indicating heavy to very heavy rain at a few places.

Following torrential rainfall over the last three days, Mumbai has clocked in 565.2 mm rain, more than the monthly average rainfall of 505 mm, in just the first 11 days of monsoon.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert (take action) for Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Ratnagiri for Sunday with a forecast of extremely heavy rain at isolated places. i.e., above 204.5 mm rain in 24 hours.

‘SHE MAY’VE SPOKEN TO SACHIN TENDULKAR’

“She might have spoken to Sachin Tendulkar”, said former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot on Friday while refuting BJP MP Rita Bahuguna Joshi’s claim that she spoke to him over phone about joining BJP.

“I heard her claim that she spoke to Sachin. She might have spoken to Sachin Tendulkar. She doesn’t have the guts to speak to me,” Pilot told reporters during a Congress protest in Jaipur against fuel price hike.

US DECLINE EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION TO BHARAT BIOTECH’S COVAXIN

The United States has decided not to give emergency use authorisation (EUA) to Covaxin, the inactivated whole virus vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech. The decision was communicated to the company’s American partner, Ocugen, even before it submitted an EUA application for the vaccine.

The US is no longer in a situation where it needs to fast-track approvals of Covid-19 vaccines for increased supplies to immunise its people.

The US FDA has instead recommended that Ocugen now apply for a full authorisation for the vaccine instead of an emergency approval. This means that the US FDA will now need “additional information and data”, likely from more human clinical trials, to be convinced that the vaccine is safe, prompts an immune response in its population and has an acceptable efficacy.

INDIA’S ASPIRATIONAL DISTRICT PLAN A BEST PRACTICE FOR OTHER NATIONS: UNDP

An independent appraisal by UNDP has shown significant improvements in India’s 112 aspirational districts across health, education, and financial inclusion sectors as compared to the rest of the districts.

The report lauds the plan as a very successful model of local area development, and one “that should serve as a best practice for several other countries where regional disparities in development status persist.”

The plan has been in operation since 2018.

UNDP’s analysis across the five key sectors of the ADP—health and nutrition; education; agriculture and water resources; basic infrastructure; and skill development and financial inclusion—found that the programme had acted as a catalyst for expediting development in these districts.

The review concluded that the best performing five ADs in India are Ranchi, Chandauli, Simdega, Sonbhadra, and Rajgarh.

SHOCKING, YOU DON’T HAVE FAITH IN POLICE: SC TO MUMBAI EX-TOP COP

Saying it was “shocking” that former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, who has “served the state” for over 30 years, didn’t “trust the functioning of (his) own state”, the Supreme Court on Friday allowed him to withdraw his plea seeking transfer of all inquiries against him to an independent agency outside Maharashtra.

“You have been a part of the force for 30-plus years. You cannot have doubt against your own,” said Justices Hemant Gupta who along with Justice V Ramasubramanian was hearing the case.

Singh advocate Mahesh Jethmalani said while he did not doubt the police, the probe officer, a DGP-rank officer, had asked Singh to withdraw his letter to the Chief Minister alleging extortion by former state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, failing which other criminal cases would be initiated against him.

Expressing disbelief, Justice Gupta told him that if a DGP-rank officer could give in to pressure, then there would be nobody who could withstand pressure.

A LAKSHADWEEP FILMMAKER FACING SEDITION CHARGES

A case of sedition was filed by the Lakshadweep police on Thursday against local resident, activist and filmmaker Aisha Sultana for calling the Union Territory’s administrator Praful K Patel a “bioweapon”. The case was filed based on a complaint raised by the BJP Lakshadweep president C Abdul Khader Haji, who alleged that Sultana criticised the Centre and Patel during a debate on a Malayalam news channel about the ongoing political crisis in Lakshadweep.

Justifying her statement in a recent Facebook post, Sultana wrote, “I had used the word bio-weapon in the TV channel debate. I have felt Patel as well as his policies [have acted] as a bio-weapon. It was through Patel and his entourage that Covid-19 spread in Lakshadweep. I have compared Patel as a bioweapon, not the government or the country…. You should understand. What else should I call him…”

Sultana has been at the forefront of the recent campaign against the recently proposed legislation and controversial reform measures that have triggered widespread anger amongst locals.

JUHI CHAWLA SAYS SHE IS NOT AGAINST 5G: ‘ALL WE ARE ASKING IS IF 5G IS SAFE’

Actor Juhi Chawla has cleared the air about her suit against the introduction of 5G technology in India. In a video posted recently on social media, Juhi clarified that she isn’t against 5G, but wants assurance from authorities that the technology is safe for everyone, including kids and senior citizens.

The Delhi High Court had last week, dismissed the suit filed by Juhi Chawla against introduction of 5G technology in India and imposed a fine of Rs 20 lakh on her and two other appellants.

In the video, Juhi says: “From the past 10 years, I have been talking about safe cellphone use, radiation and I have raised awareness about these things. Why did I do that? Our phones work on radio waves, which are only increasing in our environment. Now, 4G to 5G is a very big leap. Radiation will increase exponentially. Everything in moderation is fine, but when in excess, then we get to know its consequence. You feel the ill effects of it. These radiations, which have been spread over us for last 20-25 years, has anyone researched about them? Read about it a little more and I hope you are convinced and you join me.”

PULITZER SPECIAL CITATION TO TEEN WHO RECORDED GEORGE FLOYD KILLING

The Pulitzer Prizes in journalism and the arts were announced Friday recognising the best work in a year in which people isolated themselves because of a deadly pandemic and took to the streets over racial injustice.

Pulitzer Prizes awarded special citation to Darnella Frazier, the teenager who recorded the killing of George Floyd.

The Star Tribune, of Minneapolis, won a Pulitzer Prize for breaking news for its coverage of the May 25, 2020, killing of Floyd and the resulting civil unrest that tore through the city.

Floyd, a Black man, died as he was being pinned to the ground by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

The Pulitzer Prizes in journalism were first awarded in 1917 and are considered the field’s most prestigious honor in the United States.

MAMATA BANERJEE TO MARRY SOCIALISM IN TAMIL NADU ON JUNE 13

Mamata Banerjee is all set to marry Socialism on June 13 this year. No, this isn't the beginning of a political joke.

What it is in fact is a wedding invitation that's left many scratching their heads. A wedding invitation that was published in Tamil newspaper 'Jan Shakti', the mouthpiece of CPI on Monday, and has since gone viral says P Mamata Banerjee will marry AM Socialism.

The invite also mentions the names of the groom's elder siblings—AM Communism and AM Leninism.

CPI sources said Socialism is the son of party's Salem secretary A Mohan alias Stalin Mohan and the bride is the granddaughter of a Congressman, who named her after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after being inspired by her actions and style of functioning.

DJOKOVIC STUNS NADAL, SETS UP FINAL AGAINST TSITSIPASSES

Novak Djokovic handed 13-time champion Rafael Nadal only his third defeat in 16 years and 108 matches at the French Open on Friday to reach his sixth Roland Garros final in an epic showdown which even beat the country's Covid-19 curfew.

In their 58th career clash, Djokovic triumphed 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 and stays on course to capture a 19th major and become the first man in over 50 years to win all four Slams twice. Djokovic will face Stefanos Tsitsipas in Sunday's final in what will be his 29th championship match at the Slams.

Tsitsipas had earlier become the first Greek to reach a Grand Slam final with a 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Germany's Alexander Zverev.

Nadal, 35, who would have been the oldest finalist at the French Open in the modern era, remains tied on 20 majors with Roger Federer.

INDICATORS

Sensex 52,475 (+174), Nifty 15,799 (+62), Trading Value NSE (Rs.crores) 71,751

Nasdaq 14,069 (+49) Dow 34,480 (+13), S&P 4,247 (+8)

US$-Rs. 72.98 GBP-Rs. 103.20, Euro-Rs. 88.61, UAE Dhm-Rs.19.86, Can$-Rs. 60.20, Aus$- Rs. 56.41

GBP 0.70 /US$, Euro 0.82 /US$, Jap.Yen 109.56 /US$, Aus$ 1.29 /US$, Sing 1.32 /US$, Bang Taka 83.29 /US$, Can$ 1.21 /US$, Mal Ring 4.11 /US$,

Pak Re 155.45 /US$, Phil Peso 47.71 /US$, Russian Rouble 71.84 /US$, NZ$ 1.39 /US$, Thai Baht 31.03 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 26.82 /US$

Bitcoin - USD 36,415

Dollar Index 90.50 Brent Crude 72.69  BDI 2,857

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,877 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4,876 / 4,776, Silver (Rs. Per KG) 76,800

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't. - Henry Ward Beecher

OFF TRACK

A man asked his wife what she'd like for her birthday. "I'd love to be six again," she replied.      

On the morning of her birthday, he got her up bright and early and off they went to a local theme park. What a day! He put her on every ride in the park.

Then, right to McDonald's they went, where her husband ordered her a Big Mac along with extra fries and a refreshing chocolate shake.

Then it was off to a movie - the latest Star Wars epic, and hot dogs, popcorn, Pepsi Cola, and MandMs. Finally she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed into bed.

He leaned over and lovingly asked, "Well, dear, what was it like being six again?"

One eye opened. The wife said, "You idiot, I meant my dress size!"