A HINT OF DE-ESCALATION: BEIJING SAYS MUSTN'T LET DIFFERENCES SHADOW TIES

China sought to dial down tensions yesterday on the Line of Actual Control

(LAC) and continued quiet diplomacy. The Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing

as well as Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidung underlined the need for

constant communication to resolve differences.

"Between the two countries, we have good border-related mechanism and

communication channels. We are capable of resolving the issues properly

though dialogue and consultation," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao

Lijian, while confirming quiet diplomacy, away from public glare, was on to

defuse the border tensions. "This includes communication between border

troops and between our diplomatic missions," he explained.

Meanwhile, there was a flutter in the strategic community when US President

Donald Trump sought to step in as the peacemaker days after Alice Wells, his

top diplomat for the region, did the opposite by accusing China of causing

problems from the land border with India to the South China Sea. "We have

informed both India and China that the United States is ready, willing and

able to mediate or arbitrate their now raging border dispute. Thank you!"

tweeted Trump. There was no response from the Indian and Chinese

governments.

In a different context, the Chinese Ambassador said India and China must

never let the differences shadow the overall situation of bilateral

cooperation. "We should adhere to the basic judgment that China and India

pose no threat to each other," he stresssed.

GOVT STEPS UP LOCUST CONTROL OPERATIONS

The government has stepped up efforts to control spread of swarms of locust,

a crop damaging migratory pests, in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab and Madhya

Pradesh, and plans to soon deploy drones for spraying pesticides, the Union

Agriculture Ministry said on Wednesday.

About 21 districts in Rajasthan, 18 districts in Madhya Pradesh, 2 districts

in Gujarat and 1 district in Punjab have undertaken locust control measures

till now, the ministry said in a statement. It has been controlled in 47,308

hectare areas so far in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh, it

said. The government has placed an order for buying 60 spraying machines

from UK-based company Micron, and two firms have been finalised for supply

of drones for aerial spraying of insecticides for effective control over

tall trees and inaccessible areas, it added.

"Usually, the locust swarms enter the scheduled desert area of India through

Pakistan for summer breeding in the month of June/July with the advent of

monsoon. "This year, however, incursions of locust hoppers and pink swarms

have been reported much earlier because of presence of residual population

of locust in Pakistan which they couldn't control last season," the

statement said.

NO MAP CHANGES FOR NOW: NEPAL

Nepal has put on hold a constitutional amendment to update its political map

to include three disputed areas in India. A week ago, Nepal was all set for

a cartographic confrontation with India when it unveiled a new political map

that placed Kalapani within its border.

An understanding to tackle the situation diplomatically instead of

belligerence was reached at an all-party meeting held at Baluwatar, the seat

of the Nepal Government, late on Tuesday evening.

While Nepal announced that it had started printing the new political maps,

the ruling party ran into problems when it sought to change the image of

Nepal's map on the coat-of-arms to incorporate the new changes. Such a step,

however, required more than an administrative decision and the ruling party

realised it was short of the required two-thirds majority to amend the

constitution to include Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani in the image of

the map on the coat of arms.

The pro-India Nepali Congress was ambiguous at the all-party meeting and

sought a meeting of its policymaking body to evaluate the issue. At least 35

members of Madhesh parties also sought their pound of flesh, forcing the

ruling party's managers to press the issue at some other opportune time.

India and Nepal re-opened their differences on a triangle of land bordering

China about six months ago when New Delhi published a political map to show

the change in countours of Jammu and Kashmir from a single state to two UTs

of J&K and Ladakh. Nepal felt the new map seemed to have included three

areas which were its territory.

The issue intensified again early this month when Defence Minister Rajnath

Singh inaugurated a blacktopped road to Lipulekh Pass that seemed to

traverse areas claimed by Nepal.

SC ASKS CENTRE TO IDENTIFY PRIVATE HOSPITALS FOR FREE COVID-19 TREATMENT

The Supreme Court has asked the government to identify private hospitals

which can treat Covid-19 patients for free or at a minimum cost.

The three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde, hearing the matter

via video-conferencing, observed that there are private hospitals which have

been given land either free or at nominal rates and they should treat

coronavirus infected patients for free. "These charitable hospitals should

treat patients for free," the bench said and posted the matter for hearing

after one week.

Private hospitals, however, are concerned that the move would put further

strain on their resources, arguing that it may not be a sustainable move.

"If the government can take care of our costs, we are happy to treat

patients for free...Hospitals are already under stress and they are not

making money in Covid... We have to pay salaries, buy protective

equipment... At this rate, it will be hard for the healthcare sector to

survive," said Alok Roy, chair-Ficci Health Services Committee and chairman,

Medica Group of Hospitals.

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

(Indian data from covid19india / and World Data from

worldometers.info/coronavirus/ )

Total Cases 1,58,075 (+7,293) / 57,89,571 (+1,04,776)

Total Deaths 4,534 (+190) / 3,57,432 (+5,207)

Total Recovered 67,749 (+3,472) / 24,97,618 (+67,025)

Active Cases 85,792 (+3,631) / 29,34,521 (+32,544)

Serious / Critical Cases (See below) / 52,974 (-126)

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

Country, Total Cases / Total Deaths / Active Cases /

Serious-Critical Case

1 USA 17,45,803 / 1,02,107 /

11,53,566 / 17,166

2 Brazil 4,14,661 / 25,697 /

2,22,317 / 8,318

3 Russia 3,70,680 / 3,968 /

2,24,504 / 2,300

4 Spain 2,83,849 / 27,118 /

59,773 / 854

5 UK 2,67,240 / 37,460 / N/A

/ 1,559

6 Italy 2,31,139 / 33,072 /

50,966 / 505

7 France 1,82,913 / 28,596 / 87,733

/ 1,501

8 Germany 1,81,895 / 8,533 /

10,562 / 763

9 Turkey 1,59,797 / 4,431 / 32,573

/ 723

10 India 1,58,086 / 4,534 /

85,803 / 8,944

11 Iran 1,41,591 / 7,564 /

22,851 / 2,551

18 Pakistan 59,151 / 1,225 / 38,784

/ 111

23 Bangladesh 38,292 / 544 / 29,823

/ 1

99 Sri Lanka 1,469 / 10 / 727

/ 1

Top 17 impacted Indian States so far: (Total No. of Confirmed case / No. Of

Deaths)

State / Confirmed Cases / Active Case / Recovered /

Deceased

Maharashtra 56,948 / 37,133 / 17,918 /

1,897

Tamil Nadu 18,545 / 8,500 / 9,909 /

136

Delhi 15,257 / 7,690 / 7,264 / 303

Gujarat 15,205 / 6,718 / 7,549 / 938

Rajasthan 7,816 / 3,082 / 4,562 /

172

Madhya Pradesh 7,261 / 3,021 / 3,927

/ 313

Uttar Pradesh 6,991 / 2,818 / 3,991 /

182

West Bengal 4,192 / 2,325 / 1,578 /

289

Andhra Pradesh 3,117 / 994 / 2,065

/ 58

Bihar 3,036 / 2,103 / 918 / 15

Karnataka 2,418 / 1,604 / 765 /

47

Punjab 2,139 / 181 / 1,918 / 40

Telangana 2,098 / 714 / 1,321 /

63

Jammu and Kashmir 1,921 / 1,041 / 854 /

26

Odisha 1,593 / 774 / 812 / 7

Haryana 1,381 / 525 / 838 /

18

Kerala 1,004 / 445 / 552 / 7

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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

DONALD TRUMP THREATENS TO SHUT SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES AFTER TWITTER FACT

CHECK

President Donald Trump threatened to regulate or shutter social media

companies - a warning apparently aimed at Twitter Inc. after it began

fact-checking his tweets.

In a pair of tweets issued Wednesday morning from his iPhone, Trump said

that social media sites are trying to silence conservative voices, and need

to change course or face action.

"Republicans feel that Social Media Platforms totally silence conservatives

voices. We will strongly regulate, or close them down, before we can ever

allow this to happen," he said Wednesday. In a second tweet, he added: "Just

like we can't let large scale Mail-In Ballots take root in our Country."

He didn't cite any platforms by name, but it was plainly a response after

Twitter added a fact-check label to earlier Trump tweets that made

unsubstantiated claims about mail-in voting. It's the first time Twitter has

taken action on Trump's posts for being misleading.

Trump has little authority to shut the businesses, which are also central to

his re-election campaign and communications strategy with the public. But

they already face a range of potential regulations.

White House adviser Kellyanne Conway, speaking to reporters at the White

House on Wednesday, side-stepped questions of what measures in particular

Trump may take. "The president's saying please stop suppressing conservative

voices," she said, before criticizing Twitter's fact check. "I thought using

outlets that are decisively and proudly anti-Trump to fact-check the

president was maybe the richest piece of the whole thing."

300 ARRESTED IN HONG KONG OVER PROTESTS AGAINST PROPOSED LAW

Almost a year after Hong Kong witnessed widespread protests against an

extradition bill proposed by China, the autonomous island is embroiled in

yet another one against the Chinese mainland's proposal for another

legislation - the national security bill.

The Associated Press reported that an estimated 300 people were arrested on

Wednesday as protests raged against the national security law as well as an

'Anthem Bill' that would make it illegal to insult or abuse the Chinese

national anthem in the semi-autonomous city.

The People's Republic of China has submitted a draft resolution that would

criminalise any attempt to break away from the country, any attempt to

undermine the power or authority of the central government, using violence

or intimidation against people and activities by foreign forces that

allegedly interfere in Hong Kong's affairs.

Hong Kong activists say that the law effectively abolishes the basic

freedoms enjoyed in the financial hub.

Asked about possible US retaliation over the security legislation, Chinese

foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told AP in Beijing that China

would take necessary steps to fight back against what he called 'erroneous

foreign interference' in Hong Kong's affairs.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared on Wednesday that Hong Kong no

longer enjoys the autonomy promised by Beijing, and stripped the financial

hub of its special status under U.S. law.

THE REST

========

STOP SHRAMIK TRAINS TO WEST BENGAL: MAMATA URGES PM

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today sought PM Narendra Modi's intervention

to stop Shramik Special trains to West Bengal as the state was grappling

with the devastation caused by the "Super Cyclone".

Addressing a press conference, Banerjee said a political game was being

played by sending trainloads of migrant workers to the state at a time when

the government was busy in relief and rehabilitation work. "Where will we

keep these migrant labourers for institutional quarantine? We are facing a

very tough situation and we need time to tackle it," she said.

HIMACHAL BJP CHIEF RESIGNS AMID COVID 'BRIBE' PROBE

Leaving the ruling BJP red-faced in Himachal Pradesh, the party's state

president, Dr Rajeev Bindal, resigned from the post Wednesday, "on the basis

of high moral grounds", amid a corruption probe into the procurement of

medical supplies by the government for the Covid pandemic.

Bindal, 65, was Speaker of the State Assembly until January, when he was

picked by BJP national president J P Nadda to head the party in the state.

His resignation comes a week after the vigilance and anti-corruption bureau

arrested the director of health services, Dr A K Gupta, following a probe

into an audio clip in which two men are purportedly heard discussing the

handover of Rs 5 lakh.

The 43-second clip had led the Opposition Congress to target the government,

with the party's state in-charge Rajni Patil alleging that the person heard

"offering the bribe" is a "ruling party leader".

Former BJP CM Shanta Kumar said the alleged scam made him want to "bow one's

head in shame".

Bindal, however, denied any link to the case, and said that he had resigned

so that the probe is "not influenced in any way".

RESPOND TO PIL AGAINST DEMONISING MUSLIMS: SC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre and the Press Council of

India (PCI) to respond to a petition by Jamiat-Ulma-i-Hind seeking

directions to the media and the authorities not to demonise entire Muslim

community over spread of Covid-19 due to Nizamuddin Markaz congregation of

Tablighi Jamaat.

"Don't let people instigate... and create law and order issues. These are

things that later become problems," a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India

SA Bobde told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who represented the Centre.

The Bench, which specifically wanted to know about alleged violation of the

Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act by news channels, gave two weeks

to the Centre and the PCI to respond to the PIL.

As senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing in a connected matter, said the

issue should be taken seriously, the CJI said, "We take all matters

seriously. Don't say repeatedly that take these matters seriously."

Dave said there were lots of fake news on Markaz incident, which had

"damaged" the secular fabric of India. "Why is the government silent?" Dave

asked.

HOURS BEFORE TAKING UP MIGRANT WORKERS ISSUE, SUPREME COURT GOT STINGING

LETTER FROM SENIOR LAWYERS

Hours before taking suo motu cognisance of "certain lapses" in government

measures dealing with migrant workers, the Supreme Court received a stinging

letter from 10 senior lawyers each from Delhi and Mumbai that was critical

of its "self-effacing deference" to the government, "unwillingness" and

"apparent indifference" in the face of the "enormous humanitarian crisis".

The senior lawyers, who include P. Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal, Prashant

Bhushan, Indira Jaising, Vikas Singh, Iqbal Chavla, Navroz Seervai, said the

way the Supreme Court chose to trust the "bland assertions and patently

incorrect statements" made by the Centre reminded them of how it functioned

during the Emergency era "when detenues were left to the tender mercy of the

executive with 'Diamond bright, Diamond hard hope" that something would be

done".

The lawyers also include Anand Grover, Mohan Katarki, Siddharth Luthra,

Santosh Paul, Mahalaxmi Pavani, C.U. Singh, Aspi Chinoy, Mihir Desai, Janak

Dwarkadas, Rajani Iyer, Yusuf Muchhala, Rajiv Patil, Gayatri Singh and

Sanjay Singhvi.

The Supreme Court received the letter late on Monday. The decision to take

suo motu cognisance of the "miseries and problems" of migrant workers during

the lockdown was made on Tuesday. The court order admitted there were

"inadequacies and certain lapses" in government measures.

The lawyers' letter referred to how the Supreme Court on March 31 "expressed

satisfaction" immediately after the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta made a

statement that "no migrant person was walking on the roads in an attempt to

reach his/her hometown/village". The court had even gone to the extent of

saying that the migrants' exodus was due to panic created by fake news.

"The migrant workers' issues are not a 'policy issue'. They raise

constitutional issues... This Court has the power under Article 142 to

undertake any measure to do complete justice. The show of helplessness does

not do justice to the court's motto of 'Yato dharmastato Jaya'," the letter

said.

SEVAGRAM ASHRAM CHIEF REMOVED OVER ALLEGATIONS OF BEING 'GODSEWADI'

A controversy has erupted in Mahatma Gandhi's Sevagram Ashram at Wardha with

the unceremoniously removal of Ashram president T R N Prabhu for, among

other reasons, allegedly being a "Godsewadi".

Prabhu, 73, was "removed" by president of Sarva Seva Sangh, Mahadev Vidrohi,

on March 18, barely two years after he himself had appointed Prabhu to the

post in his capacity as the chief of the Sangh, which is the apex body of

all Gandhian institutions.

This is the first time in the Ashram's history that its president was

"removed" before he could complete the five-year term.

Prabhu, however, decided to "resign" and put in his papers on May 22. He

also released a press note rebutting the allegations against him and

expressed his anguish at being "ill-treated, insulted, removed without

giving any chance to defend myself, against principles of natural justice

and against the constitution of the Ashram.".

Vidrohi cited denial of permission by Prabhu in October 2018 to the Congress

Working Committee to hold its meeting in the Ashram premises, and not

issuing a statement against shooting of Gandhi's portrait by some Hindu

fanatics in Uttar Pradesh, as some of the reasons for his removal.

Prabhu's removal, however, has split Gandhians, with many criticising the

manner of his removal and others supporting it.

PRIVATE COVID TEST TO COST LESS AS GOVT DOES AWAY WITH CAPPING

Decks have been cleared for lowering the cost of private testing for

Covid-19 with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) today scrapping

the Rs 4,500 upper price ceiling earlier fixed for the private lab testing.

In a letter to all state chief secretaries, ICMR Director General Balram

Bhargava has advised each one to renegotiate the prices of private lab

testing following a huge potential for cost reduction due to development of

local testing capacities.

"At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic there was a global crisis of

testing kits and reagents, as India was heavily reliant on imported

products.. the situation has changed and there is now a lot of competition

available locally that would drive down the cost of private tests," Bhargava

said.

INDICATORS

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52,449

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US$-Rs. 75.26 GBP-Rs. 92.45, Euro-Rs. 82.67, UAE Dhm-Rs.20.48, Can$-Rs.

54.64, Aus$- Rs. 49.88

GBP 0.81 /US$, Euro 0.91 /US$, Jap.Yen 107.65 /US$, Aus$ 1.50 /US$, Sing

1.41 /US$, Bang Taka 83.37 /US$, Can$ 1.37 /US$, Mal Ring 4.35 /US$,

Pak Re 160.41 /US$, Phil Peso 50.60 /US$, Russian Rouble 70.93 /US$, NZ$

1.61 /US$, Thai Baht 31.85 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 26.66 /US$, Norway NOK 9,94

/US$

Bitcoin - USD 9,192

Dollar Index 98.88 Brent Crude 33.99 BDI 506

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,713 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4,685 / 4,585

Silver (Rs. Per KG) 48,700

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Every society honors its live conformists and its dead troublemakers. -

Mignon McLaughlin

OFF TRACK

Will the father be present during the birth?" asked the obstetrician.

"Nah," replied the mother-to-be. "He and my husband don't get along."