LAC STANDOFF: FOURTH ROUND OF CONSULTATIONS HELD

India and China held the fourth round of Corps Commanders talks at Chushul

on Tuesday to work out details on the second phase of disengagement on the

Line of Actual Control (LAC). The talks were still on after 11 hours.

The talks began around 11 a.m. on Tuesday, a defence source said, adding

they would cover the entire eastern Ladakh. The focus of the talks is to

work out details of further disengagement from the standoff areas and also

withdraw the massive deployment by China of troops, tanks, artillery and air

defences along the LAC, including at the strategically important Depsang

Plains.

Like in previous rounds of talks, the Indian delegation was led by Lt. Gen.

Harinder Singh, commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps, and Chinese side by

Major General Liu Lin, commander of the South Xinjiang military region.

CONGRESS SACKS SACHIN PILOT AS RAJASTHAN STATE CHIEF, DEPUTY CM

Rajasthan Congress crisis took a dramatic turn on Tuesday with the party

sacking rebel Sachin Pilot as state unit chief and deputy chief minister

along with two state ministers Ramesh Meena and Vishvendra Singh.

The Congress drew a line saying the party leadership favoured Pilot

throughout his political journey and yet he "colluded with the BJP to

destabilise the Ashok Gehlot led Congress government in the state." "This is

unacceptable," Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said.

The sacking came amid Congress claims that top party leaders, including

Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra, spoke to Pilot several times Monday and

asked him to return and resolve internal differences internally.

"The Congress gave Sachin Pilot a lot of political heft even while he was

young. He was made a minister at the centre in his 30s, a state unit chief

and then the Deputy CM when he was just 40. Doors for him were always kept

open. The fact that he was repeatedly backed by the party meant he enjoyed

the affections of both top leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. But Sachin

Pilot and his supporters have preferred to fall into the trap laid by the

BJP," said Surjewala even as Gehlot met state governor yesterday to show he

had the numbers.

Hours after Sachin Pilot was sacked, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday

(July 14) called him the "best and brightest" in the party, adding that it

was sad to see him leave the party. "I am sad to see Sachin Pilot leave

Congress. I consider him one of our best and brightest, and wish it had not

come to this. Instead of parting, he should have joined the effort to make

the party a better and more effective instrument for his, and our, dreams,"

tweeted Tharoor.

The Congress yesterday suspended Sanjay Jha from the party membership after

he tweeted a sarcastic remark over sacking of Sachin Pilot. "For five years

Sachin Pilot gave his blood , tears, toil and sweat for the Congress party

between 2013-18. The Congress came back from a wretched 21 seats to 100. We

just gave him a performance bonus. We are so meritocratic. We are so

transparent," Jha had tweeted. Jha was earlier removed as the official

spokesperson of the party for writing some articles critical of the party.

In the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly, the Congress has 107 MLAs and it is

supported by two members each from Bharatiya Tribal Party and CPM, one MLA

from RLD, and 12 Independents (124). The BJP has 72 MLAs.

AHEAD OF INDIA SUMMIT, EU HOPE FOR PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF INDIA-CHINA BORDER

ROW

A peaceful resolution of the border row between India and China is crucial

for regional and global stability, senior officials of the European

Union(EU) said on Tuesday, a day ahead of a virtual summit between leaders

of India and the 27-nation grouping.

The officials said the EU has been keeping an eye on the border standoff

between the two "powerful" countries and hoped that both sides will continue

to have dialogue in order to find a peaceful solution to their differences.

The EU as a whole was India's largest trading partner in 2018. India's

bilateral trade with the EU in 2018-19 stood at USD 115.6 billion with

exports valued at USD 57.17 billion and imports worth USD 58.42 billion.

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

(Indian data from covid19india / and World Data from

worldometers.info/coronavirus/ )

Total Cases 9,37,173 (+29,912) / 1,34,57,458 (+2,21,698)

Total Deaths 24,315 (+588) / 5,81,221 (+5,696)

Total Recovered 5,93,088 (+20,976) / 78,47,226 (+1,50,845)

Active Cases 3,19,770 (+8,348) / 50,29,011 (+65,157)

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

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

Cases

1 USA 35,45,077 / 1,39,143 /

16,00,195 / 18,05,739

2 Brazil 19,31,204 / 74,262 /

12,13,512 / 6,43,430

3 India 9,37,487 / 24,315 /

5,93,080 / 3,20,092

4 Russia 7,39,947 / 11,614 /

5,12,825 / 2,15,508

5 Peru 3,33,867 / 12,229 /

2,23,261 / 98,377

6 Chile 3,19,493 / 7,069 /

2,89,220 / 23,204

7 Mexico 3,11,486 / 36,327 /

1,93,976 / 81,183

8 Spain 3,03,699 / 28,409 / N/A

/ N/A

9 South Africa 2,98,292 / 4,346 /

1,46,279 / 1,47,667

10 UK 2,91,373 / 44,968 / N/A

/ N/A

11 Iran 2,62,173 / 13,211 /

2,25,270 / 23,692

12 Pakistan 2,53,604 / 5,320 /

1,70,656 / 77,628

17 Bangladesh 1,90,057 / 2,424 /

1,03,227 / 84,406

107 Sri Lanka 2,665 / 11 /

1,988 / 666

TOP IMPACTED INDIAN STATES SO FAR

State / Confirmed Cases / Active Case / Recovered /

Deceased

Maharashtra 2,67,665 / 1,07,665 /

1,49,007 / 10,695

Tamil Nadu 1,47,324 / 47,915 / 97,310

/ 2,099

Delhi 1,15,346 / 18,664 / 93,236 /

3,446

Karnataka 44,077 / 25,836 / 17,391 /

846

Gujarat 43,723 / 11,098 / 30,555 / 2,070

Uttar Pradesh 39,724 / 13,760 / 24,981 /

983

Telangana 37,745 / 12,530 / 24,840 /

375

Andhra Pradesh 33,019 / 15,144 / 17,467 /

408

West Bengal 32,838 / 11,927 / 19,931 /

980

Rajasthan 25,571 / 5,878 / 19,169 /

524

Haryana 22,628 / 5,226 / 17,090 /

312

Madhya Pradesh 19,005 / 4,757 / 13,575 /

673

Bihar 18,853 / 5,691 / 13,019 / 143

Assam 18,667 / 6,439 / 12,174 / 51

Odisha 14,280 / 4,320 / 9,864 / 96

Jammu and Kashmir 11,173 / 4,755 / 6,223 /

195

Kerala 8,931 / 4,454 / 4,438 / 35

Punjab 8,511 / 2,635 / 5,663 / 213

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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

US GOVT SCRAPS ORDER ASKING SOME FOREIGN STUDENTS TO LEAVE COUNTRY

The Trump administration has agreed to rescind its July 6 rule, which

temporarily bared international students from staying in the United States

unless they attend at least one in-person course, a federal district court

judge said on Tuesday.

The U-turn by the Trump administration comes following a nationwide outrage

against its July 6 order and a series of lawsuits seeking a permanent

injunctive relief to bar the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from enforcing the federal

guidelines barring international students attending colleges and

universities offering only online courses from staying in the country.

As many as 17 US states and the District of Columbia, along with top

American IT companies such as Google, Facebook and Microsoft, joined MIT and

Harvard in the US District Court in Massachusetts against the DHS and the

ICE in seeking an injunction to stop the entire rule from going into effect.

CHINA CLAIMS 1,000 YEARS SOVEREIGNTY OVER SOUTH CHINA SEA

Refuting US allegations of building a "maritime empire" in the disputed

South China Sea, China on Tuesday claimed its jurisdiction over the vast

ocean existed for more than 1,000 years and accused Washington of attempting

to sow discord between Beijing and the Southeast Asian countries.

In a major policy speech on Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said

the world will not allow China to treat the strategically important South

China Sea (SCS) as its "maritime empire" and vowed to support worried

Southeast Asian countries against Beijing's "campaign of bullying" to

control the resource-rich region.

Reacting to Pompeo's statement, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao

Lijian told a media briefing in Beijing that the secretary of state's

remarks neglected the history and facts about the SCS. His remarks also

breaches the US government's open commitment to not taking position on

sovereignty related issues of the SCS, Zhao said.

"The US says China announced a dotted line in the SCS in 2009. It is not

true. China's rights and sovereignty has a long history. Our effective

jurisdiction over the relevant islands reefs and waters in the SCS has been

there for over 1,000 years, Zhao claimed. "As early as 1948 China had

officially published the dotted line which is not questioned by any country

in the region," he said, adding that China's rights have legal and

historical basis.

TRUMP SAYS HE HAS ENDED PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT FOR HONG KONG

U.S. President Donald Trump, hardening his stance on China as he struggles

to contain the coronavirus, said on Tuesday he signed legislation and an

executive order to hold China accountable for the "oppressive" national

security law it imposed on Hong Kong.

Mr. Trump, acting on a Tuesday deadline, signed a bill approved by the U.S.

Congress to penalise banks doing business with Chinese officials who

implement Beijings new national security law on Hong Kong.

He said he also signed an executive order aimed at furthering punishing

China for what he called its "oppressive actions" against Hong Kong.

It will end the preferential trade treatment Hong Kong has received for

years - "no special privileges, no special economic treatment and no export

of sensitive technologies," Trump told a news conference. "Hong Kong will

now be treated the same as mainland China," he said.

According to a White House fact sheet, the executive order includes revoking

special treatment for Hong Kong passport holders.

THE REST

========

NEPAL CLARIFIES PM OLI'S AYODHYA STATEMENT

A day after Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli made controversial claims

about Lord Ram's birthplace, the country's foreign ministry Tuesday stated

that the comment was "not meant to debase the significance of Ayodhya and

the cultural value it bears".

Speaking at an event on Monday, Oli had said Ayodhya was an area west of

Birgunj, a town bordering Bihar. "We have been culturally deceived, as India

has distorted facts. Sita was not given in marriage to an Indian prince," he

said, insisting that Ayodhya in Faizabad district of UP was a later-day

creation of India, and not the real ancient kingdom of Ram.

In its three-point clarification, the Nepal Foreign Ministry said the

remarks made by Oli were "not linked to any political subject" and have no

intention at all to hurt the feeling and sentiment of anyone. "As there have

been several myths and references about Shri Ram and the places associated

with him, the Prime Minister was simply highlighting the importance of

further studies and research of the vast cultural geography the Ramayana

represents to obtain facts about Shri Ram, Ramayana and the various places

linked to this rich civilisation," the statement said.

"The remarks were not meant to debasing the significance of Ayodhya and the

cultural value it bears," it added.

Oli's remark has received backlash from Hindu organisations in India.

BIHAR ANNOUNCES TOTAL LOCKDOWN FROM JULY 16-31

There will be a total lockdown in Bihar from July 16-31 to contain the

spread of COVID-19, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi on Tuesday

announced.

On his official Twitter handle, Modi said the 15-day lockdown will remain in

force at all municipal, district, sub divisional and block headquarters

level and that guidelines were being prepared.

"The government has taken a decision to this effect... Corona has neither

any vaccine nor any medicine," Modi said in a virtual rally, details of

which were shared on his Twitter handle.

The move comes close on the heels of recent spike in positive cases which

had necessitated lockdowns, imposed by the local administrations, in several

districts.

Meanwhile, more than 20 people, including four senior office-bearers of the

BJP, have tested positive for COVID-19 at the party's headquarters, said its

Bihar unit chief Sanjay Jaiswal.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav took potshots at the saffron party, saying "their

office has become a corona hotspot and they are busy conducting virtual

rallies and spreading infections thereby". "I wonder to which jamaat (creed)

these BJP leaders belong," Yadav quipped, the pun alluding to the infamous

Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi.

However, Jaiswal rubbished the allegation and asserted that no crowds gather

at the party office during the virtual rallies. "All senior leaders address

these through Internet from their homes. Strict instructions have been in

place to follow social distancing norms and wearing of masks at the party

office," he added.

TRYING TO FAST-TRACK VACCINE WITHOUT COMPROMISING SCIENCE, QUALITY, ETHICS:

ICMR

Director General of ICMR Professor Balram Bhargava on Tuesday underlined

that the process of development of an indigenous vaccine for Covid-19 should

be fast-tracked but without "compromising on the science, quality and ethics

part of it".

His remarks come less than a fortnight after he wrote to all the principal

investigators to fast-track clinical trial approvals, saying it is

"envisaged" to launch the Covid-19 vaccine for public health use by August

15.

"India is considered the pharmacy of the world. Sixty per cent of the drugs

utilised in the US are of Indian origin. These are generics produced in

India, where the country has established itself over the years. An important

fact that is not known is that 60 per cent of vaccines supplied in the

world, whether it is Africa or Europe, is of Indian origin. India is

perceived as and is important for vaccine supply for the world. So any

vaccine candidate that is produced or developed in any part of the world

will ultimately have to be scaled up by India or China. Because these are

the two major producers of the vaccine in the world," Bhargava said.

"Every developed nation and everyone who is trying to develop a vaccine is

aware of, and therefore they are in communication with India for the vaccine

distribution, ultimately if it is developed, to the whole world," he added.

"Recently, Russia has fast-tracked, which has been successful in its early

phase; China has fast-tracked its vaccine programme and the studies; the US,

as we read today, has fast-tracked two of its vaccine candidates. The UK

also is looking at how it can fast-track Oxford vaccine candidate for human

use," he added.

WON'T REGULATE COST OF COVID-19 TREATMENT, SAYS SC

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it won't regulate cost of Covid-19

treatment as facts vary from state to state though it asked the Health

Ministry to consider if some guidelines could be issued.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde asked Health Ministry

officials to have a meeting with PIL petitioner advocate Sachin Jain and

consider if some guidelines could be formulated.

While sharing the petitioner's concern, the CJI said, "We don't think the

Union (of India) should regulate the cost of treatment. But this is not to

say the Union Government should do nothing."

ABIDE BY ARMY'S MANDATE, DELETE YOUR FB ACCOUNT: HC TO LT COL

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday declined to grant any interim relief to a

senior army officer, who has challenged the Indian Army's recent policy

banning armed forces personnel from using social networking platforms like

Facebook and Instagram, saying he has to either abide by the mandate of the

organisation or put in his papers.

The high court said he has a choice to make and asked him to delete his FB

account as the policy to ban the use of social networking platforms for army

personnel was taken keeping in view the security of the nation.

It said he can create a new social media account later.

A bench of Justices Rajiv Sahai Endlaw and Asha Menon said that when it has

not even found a reason yet to entertain the plea, "the question of granting

any interim relief does not arise.

"Especially when the matter has the potential of concerning the safety and

security of the country," the bench said.

Lieutenant Colonel P K Choudhary contended that once deleted all the data,

contacts and friends in his FB account would be "irretrievably lost" and the

loss would be "irreversible".

JIO SETS OFF NEW TELECOM WAR WITH VODA IDEA, OVER PREMIUM PLAN

Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea are set for a legal battle which will

determine the future of lucrative data plans. On Tuesday, the Mukesh

Ambani-controlled company appealed to the Telecom Disputes Settlement and

Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) to hear its side before passing any order on

Vodafone Idea's petition against the regulatory curbs on premium plans,

triggering a new faceoff in the financially stressed industry.

Premium plans are important contributors to average revenue per user (ARPU)

of the two telcos Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea. They are already

grappling with the issue of pending dues linked to AGR (adjusted gross

revenue) in the Supreme Court.

The latest dispute is primarily over Vodafone's RedX plan launched last

November. Customers were offered unlimited local and STD calls, unlimited

data, up to 50 per cent higher data speed, premier customer service and

Netflix subscription. The scheme was amended in May. As of June, RedX had

notched up 127,000 subscribers. While Jio - for long the disruptor in the

telecom industry- has termed the premium data plan discriminatory, Vodafone

has called the complaint unsubstantiated and vague.

INDICATORS

Sensex 36,033 (-661), Nifty 10,607 (-195), Trading Value NSE ,(Rs.crores)

54,108

Nasdaq 10,489 (+98) Dow 26,643 (+557), S&P 3,198 (+42)

US$-Rs. 75.13 GBP-Rs. 94.21, Euro-Rs. 85.43, UAE Dhm-Rs.20.45, Can$-Rs.

55.16, Aus$- Rs. 52.25

GBP 0.79 /US$, Euro 0.87 /US$, Jap.Yen 107.26 /US$, Aus$ 1.43 /US$, Sing

1.39 /US$, Bang Taka 83.18 /US$, Can$ 1.36 /US$, Mal Ring 4.26 /US$,

Pak Re 166.46 /US$, Phil Peso 49.46 /US$, Russian Rouble 71.00 /US$, NZ$

1.53 /US$, Thai Baht 31.49 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 26.81 /US$, Norway NOK 9.42

/US$

Bitcoin - USD 9,243

Dollar Index 96.16 Brent Crude 43.14 BDI 1,742

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,810 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4,893 / 4,793

Silver (Rs. Per KG) 52,220

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

You shall be free indeed when your days are not without a care nor your

nights without a want and a grief. But rather when these things girdle your

life and yet you rise above them naked and unbound. - Kahlil Gibran

OFF TRACK

A friend of ours was driving.... when she saw the flash of a traffic camera.

She figured that her picture had been taken for exceeding the speed limit

even though she knew that she was not over speeding.

Just to be sure, she took a U-turn and passed the same spot, driving even

more slowly, but again the camera flashed.

Now she began to think that this was quite funny, so she drove even slower

as she passed the area once more, but the traffic camera again flashed.

Two weeks later, she got three challans for driving without a seat belt.