ARMY CHIEF VISITS FORWARD AREAS, CDS RAWAT WARNS OF TWO-FRONT THREAT

On the day Army chief General MM Naravane reached forward areas in eastern

Ladakh to review operational preparedness, Chief of Defence Staff General

Bipin Rawat warned of the two-front threat from China and Pakistan, but said

Indian armed forces were fully prepared to deal with it.

Speaking at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) conclave

Thursday, General Rawat said China and Pakistan have been collaborating

militarily, economically and diplomatically. "Chinese economic cooperation

with Pakistan, in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, along with continued

military, economic and diplomatic support mandate high levels of preparation

by us," he said. "This also poses the threat of coordinated action along the

northern and western fronts, which we have to consider in our defence

planning".

"Should any threat develop along our northern borders," Gen Rawat said,

referring to China, "Pakistan could take advantage of that and create some

trouble on the Western front, and therefore we have taken adequate

precautions to ensure that any such misadventure by Pakistan is thwarted,

and they are not able to succeed in their mission. In fact, they may suffer

heavy losses should they attempt any misadventure".

Meanwhile, Army chief General Naravane inspected forward areas in eastern

Ladakh for an operational review.

RAJNATH LIKELY TO MEET CHINA DEF MINISTER IN MOSCOW, JAISHANKAR SAYS TALKS

ONLY OPTION

With Indian troops occupying heights in the Chushul sector for area

domination and New Delhi telling Beijing that negotiations can now be the

only way forward to resolve the border crisis in Ladakh, Chinese Defence

Minister Wei Fenghe has sought a meeting Friday with Defence Minister

Rajnath Singh on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

gathering of Defence Ministers in Moscow.

The Indian and Chinese embassies in Moscow are said to be in touch to

schedule the meeting Friday.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said yesterday: "I am totally

convinced that the solution to the situation (on the LAC) has to be found in

the domain of diplomacy. And I say that with responsibility."

Jaishankar, who also participated in a meeting of the G-20 Foreign Ministers

Thursday, will be meeting his BRICS counterparts via videoconference Friday.

He will head to Moscow for a meeting of the SCO Foreign Ministers on

September 9. At both meetings, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will also be

present.

"We have a long history, which is very good in many parts, very indifferent

in some parts and very difficult in some ways. The problem is the more

difficult parts are more recent. This is not the easiest of times in the

relationship," the External Affairs Minister said.

In Moscow, Rajnath Singh met Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and

conveyed appreciation for the "steadfast support" provided by Russia

"consistent with the defence and security needs of India". He noted the

"timely manner in which the Russians had responded to requests for

procurement of particular weapon systems," Singh's office tweeted.

PM MODI HARDSELLS YOUNG, DIVERSE, DEMOCRATIC INDIA

Speaking at the US India Strategic Partnership Forum virtually, Prime

Minister Narendra Modi yesterday said, "The pandemic has impacted several

things. But it has not impacted the aspirations and ambitions of 1.3 billion

Indians." He said that in the recent months, there have been "far-reaching

reforms" and these are making business easier, and red-tapism less.

Calling for more investments, he said, "The road further ahead is full of

opportunities. These opportunities are in the public and private sector.

They cover core economic sectors as well as the social sectors."

"For challenges in India, you have a government that believes in delivering

results. A government for which ease of living is as important as the ease

of doing business. You are looking at a young country with 65 per cent

population less than 35 years old. You are looking at an aspirational

country that has decided to take the nation to new heights. This at a time

when we mark 75 years of independence. You are looking at a country with

political stability and policy continuity. You are looking at a country with

commitment to democracy and diversity. Come, be a part of this journey with

us," he said.

He said that this pandemic has shown the world that the decision on

developing global supply chains should be based not only on costs. "They

should also be based on trust. Along with affordability of geography,

companies are now also looking for reliability and policy stability. India

is the location which has all of these qualities," he said.

INDIA PROPOSES G-20 PRINCIPLES ON CROSS-BORDER MOVEMENT

As Saudi Arabia hosted the G-20 foreign ministers' meeting with focus on

cross-border movement amid the pandemic, India on Thursday proposed

development of voluntary 'G-20 Principles on Coordinated Cross-Border

Movement of People'.

A Ministry of External Affairs statement said, "External Affairs Minister S

Jaishankar proposed development of voluntary 'G20 Principles on Coordinated

Cross-Border Movement of People' with three elements: a) Standardisation of

testing procedures and universal acceptability of test results; b)

Standardisation of 'Quarantine procedures'; c) Standardisation of 'movement

and transit' protocols."

He also called on governments around the world to ensure that interests of

foreign students are protected and movement of stranded seafarers back to

their home country is facilitated.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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

DEMOCRATIC MAYORS SLAM TRUMP'S DEFUNDING THREAT

Four Democratic mayors on Thursday said President Donald Trump's threat to

pull federal funding from "lawless cities" was unlawful and their

communities were not his "political pawns."

The Republican president has threatened to revoke funding to several

Democratic cities over issues ranging from protection of undocumented

immigrants to their handling of civil unrest and protests against police

violence.

Trump, who has made law and order a theme of his re-election campaign, on

Wednesday issued a memo directing his administration to identify funds that

could be cut from cities that he said "permit anarchy, violence and

destruction," calling them "anarchist jurisdictions." All the cities cited

are Democratic.

His comments followed the shooting death Saturday of Trump supporter Aaron

Danielson in Portland, Oregon, which the president blamed on the "lawless"

state of the city under Democratic Mayor Ted Wheeler. Wheeler and the mayors

of New York, Seattle and Washington, D.C., on Thursday said any attempt to

withdraw federal money would be unconstitutional and defeated in court.

"Trump needs to wake up to the reality facing our cities - and our entire

country - and realize he is not above the law," the mayors said in a joint

statement.

The United States is experiencing escalating clashes between right-wing and

left-wing groups as police shootings of Black people spark protests and

counter-protests in the run-up to the Nov. 3 presidential election.

KREMLIN TELLS WEST NOT TO RUSH TO JUDGE IT ON NAVALNY

Russia said on Thursday that the West should not rush to judge it over the

poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and that there were no grounds to

accuse it of the crime, as talk in the West of punishing Moscow intensified.

The Kremlin was speaking a day after German Chancellor Angela Merkel said

Navalny had been poisoned with a Soviet-style Novichok nerve agent in an

attempt to murder him and that she would consult Nato allies about how to

respond.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow rejected any suggestion that

Russia had been behind the attack on Navalny and warned other countries

against jumping to conclusions without knowing the full facts. "There are no

grounds to accuse the Russian state. And we are not inclined to accept any

accusations in this respect," Peskov said.

The European Commission said the bloc could only slap new sanctions on

Russia after an investigation revealed who was responsible for poisoning.

Merkel said that any response would depend on whether Russia helped clear up

the case.

THE REST

========

LOADED VLCC ON FIRE OFF SRI LANKA COAST

Fire fighting assistance has been sought by the Sri Lankan Navy from the

Indian Coast Guard for fire and explosion on-board a Panama flag VLCC 'MT

New Diamond' 37 nautical miles east off Sri Lanka coast. ICG ships and

aircraft have been deployed for immediate assistance, the Indian Coast Guard

(ICG) said on Thursday.

Indian Navy ships mission deployed in the area also diverted to undertake

rescue operations and render assistance. "Operations being carried out in

close liaison with Sri Lanka Authorities," Navy said.

According to independent reports, the crude oil carrier has over 2,00,000

metric ton cargo.

A Sri Lankan Navy's spokesperson told local publications that the fire began

in the engine room of the vessel and the crew had been making attempts to

bring it under control.

The ship carrying crude oil from Kuwait was slated to reach Paradip in India

on September 5

A spokesmen for Sri Lanka navy said on Thursday that one of its 23 crew was

missing and another injured.

A statement released late on Thursday by the navy said that the vessel was

manned by 5 Greek and 18 Philippines nationals. Authorities "are taking

steps to mitigate and manage the risk of possible oil spills in future due

to this disaster," the statement said.

As per latest reports, the fire is extinguished.

LIVESTOCK CARRIER WITH 43 CREW FEARED LOST IN TYPHOON OFF JAPAN

A Panamanian-flagged livestock carrier with a crew of 43 is feared lost

southwest of Japan after encountering a typhoon moving across the region.

Japan's Coast Guard reported receiving a distress call and later finding one

seafarer in the ocean with a life jacket and an empty lifeboat. No

additional signals were received from the vessel after the first distress

call.

The vessel lost power as it traversed choppy seas off the coast of Japan.

Then a wave flooded its deck in the dark of night, according to the

survivor, forcing the vessel to list at a precarious angle.

The vessel had a cargo of nearly 6,000 cows, on their way from New Zealand

to China.

After the ship sent a distress signal in the small hours of Wednesday

morning, Japan scrambled three patrol planes and four Coast Guard boats. But

it would be nearly 24 hours before rescuers found Sarena Edvardo, 45,

bobbing in the East China Sea.

Rescue efforts continued on Thursday as Typhoon Maysak lashed parts of South

Korea, north of where Edvardo was found, with heavy rain and gusts of up to

90 miles per hour, leaving hundreds of thousands of homes without power.

FACEBOOK BANS BJP MLA RAJA SINGH FOR VIOLATING HATE SPEECH POLICY

Nearly three weeks after The Wall Street Journal reported that Facebook

India's Public Policy Director Ankhi Das had objected to applying hate

speech rules to BJP MLA T Raja Singh and at least three other "Hindu

nationalist individuals and groups", the company has decided to ban the MLA

from the social media platform.

"We have banned Raja Singh from Facebook for violating our policy

prohibiting those that promote or engage in violence and hate from having a

presence on our platform. The process for evaluating potential violators is

extensive and it is what led us to this decision," a Facebook spokesperson

said.

DOING EVERYTHING FOR JADHAV'S RELEASE: INDIA

The Ministry of External Affairs has said it is in touch with Pakistan

through diplomatic channels and is doing everything to secure his release

after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) gave India more time to appoint a

lawyer for Kulbhushan Jadhav.

The directive was a repeat of the August 3 order by a two-judge Bench that

directed the government to make another offer to India and Jadhav for

appointing the lawyer. The court had also heard the Pakistan broadcasting

regulator that was implementing its directive of exercising caution while

reporting on the subject.

Pakistan is legally bound to permit legal representation for Kulbhushan

Jadhav but India has sought sharing of documents and unimpeded access to him

besides appointing its citizen as the lawyer.

AT 18%, TELANGANA RECORDS HIGHEST POSITIVITY RATE AMONG HEALTH STAFF

Telangana has reported 18 per cent coronavirus positivity rate among health

workers-the highest in the country. Maharashtra has the second highest rate

at 16 per cent.

On Thursday, the Centre pulled up states with a high positivity rate of

Covid-19 among health workers-such as doctors, nurses, staffers and hospital

cleaners-and asked them to evaluate the situation. The other states and

Union Territories with a high Covid-19 positivity rate are Delhi (14 per

cent), Karnataka (13 per cent), Puducherry (12 per cent) and Punjab (11 per

cent).

"We have drawn the attention of these states through the Ministry of Home

Affairs. The issue highlights hospital infection practises. After all, we

must raise the question how healthcare workers are getting infected. Is it

the hospital, because that could be one reason, and if standard protection

control is being followed or not," Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, said

Thursday.

DON'T DECLARE ACCOUNTS NPA TILL FURTHER ORDERS, SAYS SUPREME COURT

In a respite to stressed borrowers, the Supreme Court on Thursday directed

that accounts not declared non-performing assets (NPAs) as of August 31

should not be classified as such until further orders.

A three-judge Bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan was hearing a batch of

petitions challenging the levy of interest on loans during the moratorium

period. The Bench will hear the case next on September 10.

The Bench said while the RBI's expertise in regulating the financial sector

was not in question, not everything could be left to banks, and more

solutions were needed to alleviate the hardships of small businesses and

borrowers.

PDP CANCELS ITS FIRST POST-370 MEET, SAYS LEADERS NOT ALLOWED TO GO OUT

Despite the government's assertion that mainstream political leaders in the

Kashmir Valley are not under house detention and are free to step out,

senior leaders of the PDP said Thursday that they had to cancel a party

meeting because police did not let them leave their homes.

The meeting, scheduled to be held at the PDP office in Srinagar, was to be

the party's first official gathering since the abrogation of Article 370

last year. "We have cancelled the meeting. The leaders weren't allowed to

move out of their houses. I was not allowed to move out," PDP general

secretary Ghulam Nabi Lone, who had called the meeting, said.

The PDP leaders later released several videos purportedly showing policemen

not allowing them to leave. In one of the videos, policemen could be heard

saying that they "don't have the permission" to let the leaders move out.

"Why are we the only party that is not being allowed to meet? Why are only

our leaders under house detention? Why has the PSA been extended only

against our leader Mehbooba (Mufti) ji? It seems the government is afraid of

us," he said.

Over the last two weeks, the government has allowed meetings of the National

Conference, including that of its Political Affairs Committee (PAC), while

the BJP and the Centre-backed Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party have continued to

engage in political activities.

ANTI-DRUG TEAMS SEARCH HOMES OF RHEA CHAKRABORTY, SUSHANT RAJPUT AIDE

A team of the Narcotics Control Bureau reached actor Rhea Chakraborty's

Mumbai house this morning to carry out searches, days after the probe agency

began investigating the drugs angle into the Sushant Singh Rajput death

case. The NCB has drawn links between Rhea's brother, Showik, and alleged

drug dealer Zaid Vilatra, who has been arrested.

Rhea, her family and others are being investigated by the CBI, the

Enforcement Directorate and the NCB over Rajput's family's allegations that

she had a role in his death.

Two psychiatrists who treated Sushant Singh Rajput in his last few months

separately diagnosed the actor as suffering from severe depression, anxiety,

an existential crisis and bipolar disorder, according to statements recorded

by the Mumbai Police. Both revealed the actor had stopped taking his

medicines, which exacerbated his condition and made it very difficult to

treat him.

Yesterday, the CBI termed media reports attributed to it on its probe as

"speculative and not based on facts", in the first official statement from

the agency. "CBI spokesperson or any team member has not shared any details

of investigation with media. The details being reported and attributed to

CBI are not credible," it said.

US OPEN: SUMIT NAGAL OUT AFTER STRAIGHT-SETS LOSS IN ROUND 2

Nagal had become the first Indian in seven years, since Somdev Devvarman at

the US Open in 2013, to win a singles match at a Grand Slam when he defeated

American Bradley Klahn in the first round. On Thursday, though, the

23-year-old struggled to mount a real challenge for Austria's Thiem, who was

celebrating his 27th birthday.

World No 124 Nagal, who made his Grand Slam debut as a qualifier at the US

Open last year, earned a direct entry into the draw this year.

Although not many would have bet in favour of an upset on Thursday, Nagal

would be slightly disappointed for going down in straight sets - 3-6, 3-6,

2-6 - against three-time Grand Slam finalist Thiem.

INDICATORS

Sensex 38,991 (-95), Nifty 11,527 (-7), Trading Value NSE ,(Rs.crores)

49307.24

Nasdaq 11,458 (-598) Dow 28,293 (-807), S&P 3,455 (-126)

US$-Rs. 73.25 GBP-Rs. 97.34, Euro-Rs. 86.66, UAE Dhm-Rs.19.98, Can$-Rs.

55.91, Aus$- Rs. 53.43

GBP 0.75 /US$, Euro 0.84 /US$, Jap.Yen 106.23 /US$, Aus$ 1.37 /US$, Sing

1.36 /US$, Bang Taka 83.35 /US$, Can$ 1.30 /US$, Mal Ring 4.14 /US$,

Pak Re 165.46 /US$, Phil Peso 48.56 /US$, Russian Rouble 75.31 /US$, NZ$

1.48 /US$, Thai Baht 31.34 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 27.47 /US$, Norway NOK 8.89

/US$

Bitcoin - USD 10,214

Dollar Index 92.73 Brent Crude 43.78 BDI 1,445

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,941 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 5,034 / 4,934

Silver (Rs. Per KG) 65,800

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

A belief is not merely an idea the mind possesses. It is an idea that

possesses the mind. - Robert Oxton Bolton

OFF TRACK

Some interesting Corona Virus quotes:

"When this virus thing is over with, I still want some of you to stay away

from me."

"If these last months have taught us anything, it's that stupidity travels

faster than any virus on the planet."

"If you believe all this will end and we will get back to normal just

because we reopen everything, raise your hand. Now slap yourself with it."

"Another Saturday night in the house and I just realized the trash goes out

more than me."

"Did a big load of pajamas so I would have enough clean work clothes for

this week."

"The spread of Covid-19 is based on two factors: 1. How dense the population

is and 2. How dense the population is."