0   # E#. 0/2.. 5/.B8. $5/.B8.B VRGR '%&((!1#VCEB R BP A"'!#$#1!$"#0$"T ‰utqBVQWBu‚xy( 34!',(3-*5 1$ 1 2 31( ' *$1. 4 #21. 9>9 )>1(+ 7)9%>%D>9O>+(D9 + (@%A%(9 @A)9A"7+& ')+#%A')"'%@>&%( )@ (+" (@#A%7@"> &+O'@'"AA9@ &9A%A9 %9A@ (%7)9(%9#"( 7)%9 %() @)(%" )D@(%'%?9,%D&%% FA7 1,233#*  F%>/$@0%88/2 $  / % /%6                                              )*                 !R # $% & '(    @&@A)9       ! alling for a “reformed "     # $% /&   bid, arrest of two middlemen, Pilot feud reached Rajasthan them. The Rajasthan Police audio, attempting character CUnited Nations” and an @&@A)9B,%9#"(B "(" (% filing of FIRs , and ending with High Court, Gehlot accused also booked Union Minister assassination of leaders. improved UN for “human- a standoff between Rajasthan the BJP of attempting to de- Gajendra Shekhawat and BJP “What happened today was centric globalisation”, Prime t was a day of high drama in and Haryana Police in estabilise the State Government leader Sanjay Jain, accusing shameful for the politics of Minister Narendra Modi on IRajasthan politics, starting Gurugram where 18 MLAs of by poaching on MLAs. them of being involved in a Rajasthan that the Chief Friday said was in the with leaking of sensational the Sachin Pilot groups are The Congress suspended conspiracy to topple the 18- Minister’s residence is becom- world body at “an important tapes revealing alleged linkage camping in two luxurious its two MLAs — Bhanwar Lal month-old Congress ing a centre of fake audio and time” and seeks to get inte- of two BJP MLAs and a Union hotels under police protection. and Vishwendra Singh — and Government. attempting character assassi- grated with global economy Minister in “horse-trading” On a day when the Gehlot- got an FIR lodged against The FIRs were registered nation of leaders. Attempts with its own vision for “self- on the basis of the complaint have been made to drag central reliance” and resilience. filed by Mahesh Joshi, the ministers in the matter,” Poonia Addressing the United Congress chief whip of the said. Nations, Modi said Covid-19 Rajasthan Assembly, after the Urging the SOG to initiate tested resolve of all nations and audio tapes surfaced on a detailed probe, Surjewala India made the fight against the Thursday evening and went said a warrant should be issued coronavirus pandemic as peo- viral on social media amid the against Shekhawat and he ple’s movement where  !  %!  & '  (   political turmoil in State. should be arrested if it is sus- Government went hand-in-       %) $   They will now have to face pected that he could influence hand with the civil society. the Rajasthan SOG probe the investigation. The Prime Minister was our joint fight against Covid, Minister said India believed in which reached the venue they According to reports, virtually delivering his address we have extended medical and multilateralism but it is through are lodged for last one week. audio clips in which Bhanwar before the UN at the High- other assistance to over 150 a “reformed multilateralism” The police swung in action Lal, who belongs to the Pilot Level Segment of the UN countries.” He said India was that UN would be able to meet after Congress spokesman camp, purportedly conspires to Economic and Social Council the first to respond to the the aspirations of the world and Randeep Surjewala demanded topple Gehlot-led Rajasthan (ECOSOC), his first since India Covid-19 crisis and its grass- that an “improved” UN should an FIR be registered against Government under the influ- was overwhelmingly elected roots health system helped it be the epicentre of “human Shekhawat and Sanjay Jain, ence of Pilot. The suspended as a non-permanent member the “best recovery rate” adding centric globalisation”. accusing them of being MLA, however, refuted the of the powerful UN Security “other developing countries He said India is very much involved in a conspiracy to top- allegations and termed the Council, last month. can learn from India”. mindful of its responsibility ple the Ashok Gehlot-led viral audio as “fake”. Modi said as always during The PM said as the UN toward making a better world Congress Government . “The Officer on Special the natural or other calamities, was born amidst Second World and referred to India’s 38 mil- “It should also be probed Duty to Chief Minister, Lokesh India helped 150 nations with War, “the fury of pandemic lion tonne reduction of carbon as to who arranged the ‘black Sharma is trying to pressurise “speed” and created SAARC should lead to a second birth of emission, electricity in villages           !"   money’ to bribe MLAs & who MLAs by getting fake audios help fund to battle out Covid- the UN. He said India has been and deliverance of clean fuel to !  $   were given the bribe,” made as Chief Minister Gehlot 19 in the South Asia region and elected to UN in “important 18 million people. He said Surjewala, who is also one of is in despair,” Sharma stated in around. As in India, he said time” and provide full support India also aims to have 450 GB the Central Congress team his defence. Government reached home of to the world body to bring renewal energy by 2030. *"" member to resolve the Gehlot- Pilot who has not relented poor and invested three billion equity in the world. “With our deep commit- $& '   Pilot tug of war, stated. from his stand even after senior dollar to “bring economy back” Modi, however, reminded ment to maintaining global Reacting to Congress’ alle- party leaders Rahul Gandhi, on the track. that India has a vision of “self- harmony, to improving socio-   gations of trying to bring down Priyanka Gandhi, Ahmed Patel “Be it earthquakes, reliance” and “resilience” with economic equity, and to pre- the Rajasthan Government, asked him to come back cyclones, Ebola crisis or any which it seeks to be integrated serving nature’s balance, India   %(  &  Rajasthan unit BJP said the “home”, on Friday spoke to other natural or man-made in global economy. will play its role in full support Rajasthan CM residence is senior leader P Chidambaram. crisis, India has responded Addressing the UNSC on of the UN agenda”, said the !   becoming a centre of fake Continued on Page 2 with speed and solidarity. In its 75th anniversary, Prime Prime Minister.  ! )   @&@A)9   & the Speaker’s office, while *  ,        /  Harish Salve and Mukul nion Minister Gajendra     (&  + , Rohatgi, are pleading on USingh Shekhawat on  @&@A)9CA@) took place, Rajnath said the face-offs at the earliest “ but to between the two countries    behalf of the Pilot camp. Friday rubbished allegations ongoing negotiations with what extent it will be resolved came in the backdrop of con- !""# ./  -    The Pilot camp has that he was part of an alleged efence Minister Rajnath China at the military and diplo- I cannot guarantee.” tinuing differences between .$.0/..    .   argued that a party whip conspiracy to topple the Ashok DSingh on Friday favoured matic levels should help resolve His sceptic remarks came the two Armies on Depsang .0#../ applies only when the Gehlot Government in dialogue to defuse tension at the border dispute. He, how- a day after the Army and the and Pangong Tso. Though the 1$02  @&@A)9B,%9#"( Assembly is in session. In its Rajasthan. The Rajasthan the Line of Actual Control ever, said he could not guar- External Affairs Ministry said Chinese have withdrawn from .00  complaint to the Speaker, the Police on Friday filed an FIR (LAC) in Ladakh, but remained antee to what extent the issues on Thursday the disengage- nearly all the friction points, $2# 5 ebel Congress leader Congress had sought action against Sekhwat and two skeptical as to what extent the will be resolved. ment process is “ intricate” and the pace of pull back in RSachin Pilot and 18 other against Pilot and the other dis- Congress MLAs on the basis of ongoing talks will help resolve Addressing the troops at “ complex” and needs “ con- Depsang and Pangong is not  $ %  % Congress dissident MLAs on sidents under paragraph 2 an audio tape in which they are the differences. Lukung near Pangong Tso stant verification” . commensurate with the agree-  &   Friday got a four-day reprieve (1) (a) of the Tenth Schedule allegedly heard striking a deal He made this point during (lake), one of the four stand-off These observations after ment between the two com- &#"'!(6 %( from any action by the of the Constitution. to topple the State his visit to Leh hinting at the “ sites, the Defence Minister said the fourth round of Corps manders. '//$ Assembly Speaker on the dis- The provision disqualifies Government. complex” and “ intricate” talks were underway to end the Commander level talks Continued on Page 2 %'//. qualification notices served on MLAs if they “ voluntarily” Shekhawat said the voice in process of disengagement by 7.8. them after the Rajasthan High give up the membership of the the purported audio clips did the Armies of India and China. 2 ..85 Court extended its hearing on party which they represent in not belong to him and that he Sounding this note of cau- the issue to next week. the House. The Congress was ready for a probe. tion, Rajnath, without naming  ) & The division Bench, hear- claimed that this is the infer- “ It is not my voice. I don’t China, reaffirmed that India is   & ing the dissident MLA peti- ence that can be drawn from know which Sanjay Jain they not a weak country and no * *,-(699.0 tion against the Speaker’s the MLAs’ conduct. But the are talking about. I know many country in the world can touch /..$:99;/. notices, fixed the next hearing dissident camp said Pilot people by that name. If I had even an inch of its land. ./. for 10 am on Monday. The never indicated any inten- talked to someone, my number The tough statement came $$/   counsel for the Speaker tion to leave the party. should be there. You can con- against the backdrop of more .08//. assured the court that no Salve said the petitioner duct a probe. I am ready for an than eight-week stand-off .02.2. order shall be passed on the has only raised his voice investigation,” Shekhawat said. between the two Armies after .7.= 8/ ". notice till 5.30 pm on Tuesday. against the “ dictatorship” of BJP national spokesperson the Chinese intruded into India )((#.  Senior counsel Abhishek the Chief Minister and has Sambit Patra too rejected at four points.  .15 Manu Singhvi, who is also a nothing to break the party. claims made by the Congress. Touring Ladakh for the Congress leader, represented Continued on Page 2 Continued on Page 2 first time since the face-offs .   /0% . . /          * *,-(6 "# . .  R  0.>87.

         "##./02/  "            $$? 20       0/0./8  // &          000.)2   !     )  !    *  *      + "&$   /./5     "#        $       )D@(%'%      %#     ,  0   ,   # espite as many as 140  &'$       Demployees of the Tirumala (!       Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD),          -   " including 14 archakas, having )       tested positive for coronavirus '     1    # over the past one month, the #            ! temple management on Friday made it clear that it had no %      9>A%%'% “ The Consular Officers /&   +7)9 plans of stopping the general +      were not given unimpeded, public from the darshan of ,-      day after India termed the unhindered and uncondition- he Kerala gold smuggling Lord Venkateshwara. Asecond consular access to al access” to Jadhav, External Tracket took a curious turn TTD Trust Board chair- Kulbhushan Jadhav as “ neither Affairs Ministry spokesperson on Friday as Jayaghosh, the man YV Subba Reddy held a    +  2  ( )+ 1   meaningful nor credible,” Anurag Srivastava said in New gunman of UAE Consulate meeting with the archakas on Foreign Minister Shah Delhi on Thursday. attaché, tried to commit suicide Thursday to take stock of the Mahmood Qureshi has said Foreign Minister Qureshi, in his house. The racket situation and ensure the daily        $3 that Islamabad is willing to pro- however, said the Indian con- allegedly involving top “ kainkaryams” to Srivaru are Srinagar: Almost half of the inmates at a jail in vide a third meeting with the sular officers were provided Government officials and UAE not disrupted in case of any south Kashmir have tested positive for COVID- / 4   Indian death row prisoner, access to Jadhav as desired by attaché was busted by the cus- eventuality. 19, but their condition is stable, officials said on according to the Pakistani New Delhi. toms department. Reserve Camp of the Kerala “ So far, 140 employees, Friday, and stressed that spraying, fumigation Washington: After the US, which has carried media. Continued on Page 2 Jayaghosh was saved from Police, was on deputation to the including 14 archakas, potu and other steps to curb the spread of the virus out a record 42 million Covid-19 tests, India has Pakistan on Thursday pro- the jaws of death by the Kerala UAE Consulate in the capital workers and security staff, test- were carried out at a number of prisons. done the second largest number of 12 million vided a second consular access Police team which was investi- city where he worked as the ed positive for the virus. Of Superintendent of Anantnag District Jail coronavirus tests, the White House has said. to Jadhav, a 50-year-old retired gating the case following com- gunman to the attaché. them, 70 have recovered and Syroz Ahmad Bhat said, “ Of the 190 inmates More than 3.5 million people have tested pos- Indian Navy officer, who was plaints from his family mem- What makes the incident some of them returned to at the prison, 86 inmates have tested positive for itive with the coronavirus and 138,000 died in sentenced to death by a bers that he has been missing murky is the sudden exit of work. Only one employee is in the coronavirus infection.” the US. Globally, more than 13.6 million have Pakistani military court on since Thursday night. Rashed Alshemeili, the attaché, the ICU, and we are in touch “ Measures have been taken to contain the tested positive and over 586,000 have died. charges of espionage and ter- Jayaghosh tried to commit from India to UAE. Jayaghosh’s with the SVIMS authorities spread of the infection among other prisoners. “ With regard to (the coronavirus) testing, rorism in April 2017. suicide by cutting the veins in family members told media and monitoring the recovery. We have isolated these 86 prisoners. Forty-eight we’ve done more than 42 million tests. The sec- The Indian Government his hand and was seen bleed- persons that the former was in We have no plans to close the of them have been shifted to a nearby facility at ond-highest number is 12 million from India. said the second access was “ ing profusely when the cops a state of agitated mind since temple or stop darshan of the high ground, while the rest have been placed in We’re leading the world in testing,” White House neither meaningful nor credi- tracked him with the help of a the exit of Alshemeili on Lord,” Subba Reddy said. two separate blocks within the jail complex,” he Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters ble,” and Jadhav appeared vis- sniffer dog. Jayaghosh, a con- Sunday. Continued on Page 2 told PTI. at a news conference here on Thursday. ibly under stress. stable working with the Armed Continued on Page 2    !"#$#$  ! *&  "     # 3" )

Washington: India has con- more than 42 million tests. The number is India at 12 million,” and Prevention abruptly President led the world in test- date is showing promising encouraging Regeneron con- ducted the second largest num- second-highest number is 12 McEnany said. advised states to stop testing for ing; led the world in ventilators signs. They produced a posi- tract. A USD 450 million con- ber of coronavirus tests (12 mil- million from India. We're lead- Worldometers.info website the H1N1 flu and stopped -- redistributing ventilators for tive, neutral immune response tract for a monoclonal antibody lion) after the US (42 million), ing the world in testing,” White said the US leads the world in counting individual cases, she therapeutics; 13 vaccine can- among the 45 participants in cocktail. This is a bioengi- the White House has said, dif- House Press Secretary Kayleigh tests, Brazil is second and India said. didates -- one going into phase the study. neered version of convales- fering from rankings put out by McEnany told reporters at a is in third place. Ron Klain, Vice President three clinical trial. This This is comparable to what cent plasma, one of the sever- a widely tracked website. news conference on Thursday. ALSO READ: Coronavirus Biden's former Chief of Staff response has been extraordi- we see in recovered patients. al therapeutics available to More than 3.5 million peo- The White House was LIVE updates: India's case said this: It is purely a fortuity nary and historic. We didn't The bottom line is that, so far, treat Covid-19. It can be used ple have tested positive with the responding to questions relat- count crosses one million mark that (H1N1) isn't one of the pause testing; the Obama- we are seeing exactly what you for prophylaxis and treatment. coronavirus and 138,000 died ed to the coronavirus pan- This record testing, she great mass casualty events in Biden administration did, and would hope to see in a vaccine. They say they could have up to in the US. Globally, more than demic in the US. said, is in a very stark contrast American history. It had noth- that was a shameful decision, The Moderna vaccine in par- 70 to 300 thousand doses -- by 13.6 million have tested posi- “We have done more than than the previous administra- ing to do with us doing any- McEnany said. ticular is expected to reach the end of the summer or tive and over 586,000 have any country in the world on tion. thing right. This is former VP There has been encourag- phase three by late July, with early fall, she said. As such died. testing; there's no doubt about CBS is reporting that in Biden's Chief of Staff. It just had ing news on vaccines, the press 30,000 participants. there is encouraging news on “With regard to (the coro- that -- 42 million tests. The 2009 under Obama-Biden, the to do with luck, she said. secretary said. On the therapeutics front, the therapeutics front, navirus) testing, we've done country with the next highest Centers for Disease Control Contrary to that, this Moderna's vaccine candi- I just want to note: A very McEnany added. Agencies

   which led to the tarnishing of the He said that P K Krishnadas, one      +()!  ,-  CMO’s image. The Chief Minister of the BJP leaders, was heard    took effective measures immediate- demanding the dismissal of the CPI ..    @&@A)9 tinuing since Wednesday. Kejriwal said, “Many jhuggis Kejriwal also said that options will ly after he came across the reports. (M) led government. “ This shows After an inspection with offi- have been demolished here on the be explored after an in-depth study From Page 1 The CPI (M) is undertaking a house- how despair the BJP is in Kerala. The elhi Chief Minister Arvind cials, Kejriwal said detailed study of directions of the Delhi High Court. of the order of the Delhi High The day also saw the customs to-house campaign to convince the Congress and the Muslim League are DKejriwal has issued directions the order of the High Court will be I have directed the officials to Court. MLAs visiting the area have officials from Kochi taking into cus- people about the realities behind the hand in glove with terrorists and reli- to arrange temporary housing for done, and an appeal will be filed begin an in-depth study of the unanimously said that the demo- tody Abdul Hameed and Aboobacker scam,” said Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, gious extremists. They get the sup- people affected by EDMC demoli- after a careful analysis of the cir- order of the Delhi High Court, and lition should not happen because of Pazedath of Malappuram district in the party’s Kerala secretary while port of the BJP in creating lawless- tion in East Laxmi Nagar Market cumstances under which the demo- on how a court order for demoli- the Corona pandemic. They said connection with the gold smuggling briefing the media about the deci- ness in Kerala,” alleged Balakrishnan. area. lition orders were issued by the tion can be issued in the time of this the demolition by the EDMC is case. According to official sources the sions taken in the day-long meeting. He said the CPI (M) welcomed “Directions have been issued to Delhi High Court. pandemic. making people suffer at a time duo was the financiers of the gold Balakrishnan said the party took the Government of India’s decision arrange for immediate temporary Kejriwal reached the spot, After the analysis of the court when people are already affected by smuggling racket. strong objection to the comments to entrust the investigation of the shelters for affected people in tents where he was accompanied by order, we will explore all options Corona. The CPI (M) State Committee made by J P Nadda, the BJP nation- gold smuggling case to the National erected on nearby lands or in MLAs Rajendra Pal Gautam, Rakhi and try to find a permanent solu- The demolition drive was which met at Thiruvananthapuram al president that the gold in Kerala Investigating Agency. “ A compre- schools,” Kejriwal said after a meet- Birla, Kuldeep Kumar, and Ajay tion to the issue. We will also restarted on Monday in the light of on Friday to take stock of the situa- was red in colour. “ I would like to hensive probe by the NIA and the ing with the officials. Dutt. Taking stock of the situation, arrange temporary shelter for the the old directions of the Delhi High tion arising out of the gold smuggling remind him that the gold in Kerala Customs would bring the truth out,” He visited East Laxmi Nagar CM Kejriwal spoke to the residents people here by either erecting tents Court to remove encroachments on through diplomatic channel in which is and green in colour. It was said the CPI (M) secretary. Market area to the residents affect- of the area and assured them of on nearby land, or providing lodg- the service road, which is also the name of an official in the Chief a BMS leader who intervened in the Ramesh Chennithala, Leader of ed by the demolition of structures support. The CM also directed the ing facilities in schools, where all known as the Master Plan Road in Minister’s Office was figured case on behalf of the accused to get Opposition, said that the Congress built alongside the road as per East officials to ensure that the tempo- necessary arrangements such as the Laxmi Market area. Until now, expressed its full confidence in the the gold consignment released from would bring in a no-confidence Laxmi Market Master Plan. rary housing of the affected people food, water, lodging, and sanitation more than 60 structures have been leadership of Pinarayi Vijayan. the Customs officials. The gold was motion against the Government on All the buildings that are is completed immediately so that will be made.” demolished which served as hous- “ It was due to the waywardness smuggled by persons who are having July 27 when the House is having a being demolished are residential people, who are now shelterless Apart from assuring temporary es for the families in East Laxmi of M Sivsankar, the then principal close links with the Muslim League,” one-day session to pass the finance and the demolition has been con- have a roof over there head. shelter to the residents, CM Arvind Market area. secretary of the Chief Minister, said Balakrishnan. bill.

    whom he has accused of conspiring to enter a hotel in Manesar to interro- +,#   with the BJP and “making deals” to buy gate the MLAs named in the tape. *  ,     555 From Page 1 MLAs for a coup. The Rajasthan Police’s special Chidambaram claimed that dur- Gehlot was to address a Press con- operations group (SOG) ran into a   555 ing the phone call he reiterated that the ference but it was later decided that heavy deployment of Haryana police From Page 1 Valley clashes with Chinese pride, it won’t be tolerated... we leadership had publicly invited him for Surjewala will brief the media on personnel at the Manesar hotel. After The External Affairs troops on June 15. will give a befitting reply.” From Page 1 a meeting and all issues can be dis- audio tapes allegedly of rebel MLAs hours of arguments during which Ministry also reiterated that Accompanied by Chief of “ We are proud of our He said the Congress was taking help of “ cussed. ‘I advised him to seize the plotting against the Congress some Rajasthan cops were also man- any unilateral attempt to Defence Staff (CDS) General Army. I feel proud as I stand manufactured” audio clip to blame it while not opportunity,” Chidambaram said to a Government. handled, four SOG men were allowed change the status quo on the Bipin Rawat and Army Chief among our jawans. Our jawans being “ able” to keep its own house in order media agency. Top Congress sources said the to enter the hotel. The Rajasthan SOG LAC will not be accepted by General M M Naravane on a have laid their lives for the in the State. The Congress’s top leadership, the Gandhis are keen to retain Pilot, who team left Manesar Hotel late evening India. Given the complexities two-day visit to Ladakh and country. All 130 crore Indians “ The BJP rejects all the baseless allegations Gandhis, have reached out to the rebel was a part of his close circle of aides after issuing notice to the 18 rebel involved in resolving the LAC Jammu & Kashmir, the are saddened by the loss,” he being levelled against the BJP leaders by leader several times over the past few along with Jyotiraditya Scindia, who MLAs. dispute, the Corps Minister said, “ India is the added. Congress in Rajasthan. Actually, Congress is days but Pilot has been largely unre- quit the party in March and switched After the high drama to prevent Commanders are likely to only country in the world that Earlier, Rajnath witnessed frustrated as it couldn’t put its house in order,” sponsive. This is the first known to the BJP. Pilot though has maintained the Rajasthan police to enter the ITC meet for the fifth time next has given a message of peace para-dropping carried out by said Patra. instance of Pilot dialing any senior that he is not joining the BJP but a few Grand Bharat in Manesar by Haryana week, said sources, adding the to the world. We have never commandos and other mili- “ They want to blame the BJP for their fail- Congress leader. Pilot also spoke to Congress leaders including Gehlot Police, the Congress said can the BJP two sides are regularly verify- attacked a nation and have tary exercises at Stakna for- ures by using a manufactured audio clip,” he Congress leader Abhishek Manu suspects him and says he is buying time continue to deny their hand in the con- ing every 72 hours the disen- never staked claim to any ward post. “ Witnessed the fire said. Singhvi, who is on the opposing side to win over more MLAs to his camp. spiracy to topple the Congress gagement and pulling back by country’s land. India believes and fury of the Indian Army Pointing out to a petition filed by Sachin in the court between the 18 rebels rep- “We want to tell Pilot that if you Government in Rajasthan? “They either side. in the message - ‘Vasudhaiva during the paradropping and Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs against dis- resented by senior lawyers Harish don’t want to go to the BJP then don’t stand exposed but remain unapolo- Meanwhile, addressing Kutumbakam’ (the world is other military demonstrations qualification notices issued to them by Salve and Mukul Rohtagi and the accept Haryana’s hospitality. If you don’t getic,” senior Congress leader and for- the troops, Rajnath also said, one family).” at Stakna near Leh today. Also, Assembly Speaker CP Joshi, Patra said, “ Both Congress. want to go to the BJP, stop talking to mer Union Minister Anand Sharma “ We will not allow the sacri- He also said. “ We do not I got the opportunity to inter- the parties that are fighting in the High Court Surjewala again said “doors were any BJP leader or member,” Surjewala told The Pioneer. fice of soldiers to go in vain,” want unrest, we want peace. It act with them. I am proud of are from Congress. BJP is not involved in any open for whoever wanted to come reiterated. The climax of the day was Congress has repeatedly accused in an apparent reference to the has not been our nature to hurt these brave and courageous way in this matter. By levelling baseless alle- back”. Earlier Gehlot was asked by party a stand-off between Rajasthan and Pilot of being in cahoots with the BJP killing of 20 Indian Army per- any country’s pride. If any soldiers (sic),” Rajnath later gation they are trying to save their own chief Sonia Gandhi not to attack Pilot, Haryna police when the former tried to topple the State Government. sonnel during the Galwan attempt is made to hurt India’s tweeted. house,” Patra said.

the Speaker not to take any $& '555 action against the MLAs till .  R " ,  0 Tuesday. From Page 1 Earlier, Speaker CP Joshi    & He said this was his exer- had written to the court that    555 cise of the freedom of speech of the notices will not be acted From Page 1 legislators and will not amount upon till 5 pm on Friday. The    Qureshi said Pakistan was willing to pro- to “ defection” . counsel agreed to extend this to vide yet another consular access to India, The “ If there is an act outside 5 pm on Tuesday as the court From Page 1 Express Tribune reported.“ They had object- the Assembly, it will not come is yet to give an order on the The TTD Board chairman’s assertion comes ed over the presence of security officials dur- in the 10th schedule. If there is petition. even as the honorary chief priest, Ramana ing the meeting, we are willing even to a difference of opinion with the The petition had chal- Dikshitulu, too has raised concern over priests and remove those officials. If India wants anoth- CM or you speak against him, lenged the notices based on a employees testing positive. “ @ysjagan 15 out of 50 er access then our offer is open. If they then he will not fall in the cat- Congress complaint that the archakas carona +ve quarantined. Still 25 results (India) want to meet him tonight or tomor- egory of disqualification,” he MLAs should be disqualified awaited. TTD EO and row, we are ready,” the paper quoted said, adding, “ Acts outside the from the Rajasthan Assembly AEO refuse to stop darshans. Obediently fol- Qureshi as telling a news channel. House are not a violation of for defying a party whip. lowing anti hereditary archaka and anti brahmin pol- A Pakistan Foreign Office spokesper- anti-defection law.” The court of Chief Justice icy of TDP and CBN. Disaster if this continues. son said that New Delhi was informed about He said a party whip Indrajit Mahanty and Justice Please take action,” Ramana Dikshitulu tweeted, tag- the decision. applies only when the assem- Prakash Gupta also asked ging Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. “ Pakistan is awaiting India’s response,” bly is in session. He said the Congress chief whip Mahesh But the chairman said the honorary chief said the spokesperson. whip is not applicable to meet- Joshi, who had filed the com- priest should have given his suggestions to the TTD Earlier, Dunya TV reported that the “ ings in homes and hotels. plaint before the Speaker, to Board instead of putting them out on social media. Indian government has been officially Salve said, “ Registering an respond to the dissidents’ peti- Ramana Dikshitulu was removed as chief priest of informed about the third access” . FIR accusing the Deputy CM tion by Saturday. the temple in 2018 after he crossed the age for retire- Meanwhile, Chairman Pakistan People’s and MLAs of treason is an Pilot was sacked as deputy ment. He had also alleged the TTD of financial Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari lashed armed-twisting tactic.” Chief Minister and the presi- wrongdoings. at the government for promulgating an “ ille- “ Pilot has put forth his dent of the State unit of the However, Reddy reappointed him honorary gal and unconstitutional ordinance” to facil- point by telling the truth. It party after he rebelled against chief priest to serve the temple as an adviser after itate Jadhav. does not fall under the catego- Rajasthan Chief Minister his YSR Congress Party came to power in May 2019. “ Has he benefited from the relief given ry of disqualification,” Salve Ashok Gehlot. Reddy said most of those who got infected with to him or not?” Bilawal asked while address- said, adding, “ Pilot and others Hearing on the writ peti- coronavirus are from the Andhra Pradesh Police ing a press conference in Sukkur city of have put forwa tion moved by Pilot and others who have been working with the temple. “ Only one Sindh. rd their views in the party, challenging the Speaker’s of them is having severe India approached the International and have not resigned. Nothing notices was adjourned to July symptoms,” he said. Court of Justice against Pakistan for denial has been done against the 20. “ We have no plan to close Tirumala temple. of consular access to Jadhav and challeng- party’s reputation with any of The High Court directed Senior priests will not be put on duty. Priests and ing the death sentence. their activities. Our stay in the the Speaker not to take any employees have requested separate accommodation,” The Hague-based ICJ ruled in July last hotel is not a violation of party action in the matter till 5.30 pm Reddy said, adding a separate facility for making year that Pakistan must undertake an “ effec- rules.” on July 21. The High Court food for the employees will be set up. tive review and reconsideration” of the con- Former Attorney General also allowed Congress Chief The TTD chairman maintained that so far no viction and sentence of Jadhav and also to and senior counsel Mukul Whip Mahesh Joshi, who had devotee who arrived for darshan has tested positive grant consular access to India without fur- Rohatgi, also argued that this filed the plea for disqualifica- for coronavirus. ther delay. matter didn’t come under the tion before the Assembly “ None of the employees got the infection from The first consular access under the ambit of the 10th schedule. “ Speaker, to be impleaded as a devotees. It was mainly through their relatives and Vienna Convention on Consular Relations Pilot’s group did not revolt. party in the case and asked him people in their neighbourhood,” he said, adding that 1963 was earlier provided by Pakistan on Freedom of speech is the leg- to file his reply by Saturday. Srivari darshan for devotees will continue at September 2 last year. islators’ authority,” he said, The notices had asked the Tirumala with precautionary measures.” We are Though the Pakistan foreign ministry adding, “ The legislators, with- MLAs to respond by Friday to pooling young archakas from other local temples,” had assured India that the consular access in the party, raised their voice. the Congress move to disqual- Subba Reddysaid. on Thursday would be unimpeded, unhin- This cannot be brought under ify them from the State “ The safety of archakas is of paramount dered and unconditional, it turned out that the ambit of disqualification.” Assembly. importance. We made it clear that if the situation the arrangements of the meeting were not Singhvi said the petition of The notices were served gets worse, darshan for devotees will be stopped, but in accordance with the assurances made by Pilot and 18 other MLAs is pre- after the party complained to ‘kainkaryams’ will be done without any hindrance,” Islamabad, External Affairs Ministry mature and hence not main- the Speaker that the MLAs had he stated. Spokesperson Srivastava said. tainable. He said the petition defied a whip to attend two He added that the archakas suggested they be Pakistan claims that its security forces should be dismissed and the Congress Legislature Party given separate accommodation and meals so they arrested Jadhav from the restive Balochistan MLAs should be asked to raise meetings, on Monday and can stay in isolation. “ They also suggested that of province on March 3, 2016 after he report- the contentions before the Tuesday. The Pilot camp, how- the 40 archakas of the main temple, those who are edly entered from Iran. Speaker. ever, argued that a party whip aged above 60 years be sent to home quarantine or India maintains that Jadhav was kid- The Bench adjourned the applies only when the posted at Tirupati. We asked our officials to con- napped from Iran where he had business hearing till Monday and asked Assembly is in session. sider their suggestion,” Subba Reddy said. interests after retiring from the Navy. PTI

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While the environ- 2020, the Covid-19 global sent at the site. TCorporation (DMRC) on “The tunnel segments are ment department has planted pandemic threw an important To highlight that increase Friday commenced construc- being cast at the state of the art 50 thousands saplings, the revelation on the ecological of green cover and planting of tion work of the underground casting yard developed at Government has identified 13 function of forested habitats as trees is a duty of all citizens; all section of phase 4 on the Mundka. The casting yard will medicinal plant species spe- buffers to decrease the likeli- ministers of Delhi are a part of Janakpuri West – RK Ashram make 2,100 rings for the tun- cially for their immunity- hood of spread of animal the Vriskhropan Pakwada and Marg corridor. neling work,” he said. boosting properties against pathogens to human beings. ceremonial plantings and token A senior Delhi Metro offi- This Work was awarded in Covid-19 being distributed “This could not emphasize distribution of trees was done cial said that the work com- the month of December last free of cost from the various more the role of trees and by Manish Sisodia, Deputy menced for the construction of year on engineering, procure- nurseries of the forest depart- forests as the true guardians of Chief Minister July 13, Kailash Diaphragm Wall at the Krishna ment and construction basis. In ment spread across the state. life on earth. Hence it becomes Gehlot, Minister of Transport, Park Extension Metro station spite of all constraints like The medical plants are - even more imperative for gov- Law and Justice, and the tunnel segments shall shortage of labourers and - leaves, gooseberry, neem, ernments and citizens to join Administrative, Reforms, be used for tunneling with D walls are structural con- rials due to lock down, the mile bahera, jamun, guava, arjun, hands to protect the environ- Information Technology and ‘Tunnel Boring Machines’ crete walls constructed in deep stone could be achieved on sahjan, wood apple and lemon ment, forests and trees, gov- its conservation. July26 , 2020 to mark the Van Revenue on July 16 and (TBM) on a 1.4 kilometer excavation based projects. time. On the 24th of June, the “In a scenario where the ernment said. The Department of Mahotsav, 2020. Rajendra Pal Gautam, Minister stretch between Janakpuri West These walls are often used at casting work of u-girders for world was grappling with the Van Mahotsav has tradi- Environment and Forests, The fortnight was inaugu- of Social Welfare, SC & ST, and Keshopur. congested sites, close to exist- the same corridor was started. harsh realities of the climate tionally been an effective organized a Vriskhropan rated with a ceremonial plan- Gurudwara Elections, The Janakpuri West – RK ing structures, where there is The official said that under crises; the citizens and respec- means of involving citizens in Pakwada or Tree planting tation on the July 10 by Gopal Cooperative, Women and Ashram Marg Metro corridor restricted headroom, or where phase four, 61.679 kilometres of tive governments of Delhi had the greening of our earth and fortnight from the July 10 to Rai, the Honorable Minister Child on July 17. consists of a total of 7.74 kilo- the excavation is of a depth that new Metro lines shall be con- metres of underground lines, would otherwise require the structed across three different he said, adding that the 28.92 removal of much greater vol- corridors comprising 45 metro km corridor is an extension of umes of soil. stations. “These new sections    Magenta Line and will come up The excavated area is shall provide interconnectivity P+&+ with 22 stations. Construction secured by these walls and among the already operational work on this particular section then the construction work of sections of Delhi Metro. Out of ,   # had started in December last the underground station is this, 22.35 kilometres will be    *8  year. commenced. This technology underground,” he added. ..    @&@A)9 hended him. The injured were shifted to Tarak Hospital where ..    @&@A)9 Things (IOT) devices which &'  38-year-old man has been Shashi Bala (62), a resident of transmit machine operating   (("  Aarrested by Delhi Police for Rama Park, declared brought s a part of its boycott parameters including location allegedly killing his mother-in- dead. She received multiple stab AChinese goods campaign, in real time,” he said.     " law after his wife left to her par- injuries on her chest, arms and the Confederation of All India Bhartia said that if such  "  "  ent's house and did not return. abdomen,” said the DCP. Traders (CAIT) has sent a machines are used in strategi-      The incident occurred on “The other three injured communication to Union cally important locations of    )  Thursday. persons - - a man, his wife and Defence Minister Rajnath Construction work in border The accused has been iden- their 10-year-old son - - were Singh urging him to impose areas or any other sensitive area  *  tified as Ravi, a resident of later shifted to DDU hospital for ban on usage of Chinese con- which is of much importance     * Mohan Garden. Police said that the treatment. Interrogation struction machinery and for defence, all the data of the " " * the weapon used in crime, an ice revealed that in 2019, Ravi was equipments having Internet of machine as also their locations, #    prick, was also recovered from arrested in a rape case and Things (IOT) devices which are operating hours and other      the possession of the accused remained in jail for nine able to transmit sensitive infor- strategic details can be trans- and he is also found previously months,” the DCP said. mation to owners of the com- mitted to the servers owned by  "    involved in three criminal cases “Ravi’s wife and daughter pany in China. the owner of Chinese compa- )"    including attempt to murder, had shifted to his mother-in- CAIT national president B nies located in China.     )  cupalble homicde and rape. law's house and they were not C Bhartia in letter to Rajnath "we have been given to -  #  According to Anto willing to come back. He was Singh said that in various crit- understand two prominent Alphonse, the Deputy angry with this and believed that ical projects in border areas, companies using Chinese con- Commissioner of Police (DCP), his mother-in-law was behind security sensitive areas, high- struction equipment are es,” he said. Dwarka district, on Thursday it,” said the DCP. ways, infrastructure projects Putzmeister owned by SANY The CAIT has urged the around 12.30 am, police received “Ravi planned to kill his various machines supplied by China and Schwing stetter minister to take a note of the information that a person has mother-in-law and purchased an    0  *  +' +  China and its spare parts are India, owned by XCMG China" seriousness of the issue and attacked his mother-in-law with Ice prick. On Thursday when 12*  3 *   being used quite often. are involved in various such take necessary steps to impose an ice-prick in Mohan Garden the victim had come out of the  * %) 4565  +    “In many cases, Indian projects. Their machines are restrictions on using such area, house to see off her relatives, the )    $0. Companies doing such duly equipped with IOT machines particularly in border “He has also severely injured accused attacked her. When her Construction jobs are using devices as stated above and the and other sensitive areas in the the relatives of the woman who relatives came in her rescue, they Chinese machines which are data accrued by these machines larger interest of the security tried to intervene. Later, police were also attacked,” the DCP 8$8.8 installed with Internet of can be used for other purpos- and sovereignty of the country. rushed to the spot and appre- added. + #! % ** .8.0 * '- . /&' 2    ! "#  P"#%& '(  *"&& ..    @&@A)9 ..    @&@A)9 took away his bag containing cash and ran away in the TSR,” elhi Police has arrested a ..    @&@A)9 ith the arrest of three said the DCP. D37-year-old Nigerian for Waccused, the Delhi Police “The complainant further allegedly duping people on the elhi BJP on Friday started has busted a gang of robbers told police that the amount of pretext of making them busi- D"Bijli Jan Andolan" at power who allegedly used to target cash could be around Rs 50,000 ness partners in National offices of all 70 Assembly con- ‘cash collection agents’ in as the same was in sealed Capital. stituencies of Delhi against the National Capital. Police said packets given by different The accused, identified as “loot” in electricity bills due to that recently the accused had shopkeepers. A First Chidubem Gabril Okafor, from Delhi Government and power robbed off the bag containing Information Report under sec- Nigeria. Police said that he had companies collusion, party pres- cash from an Amazon employ- tion 392/34 of Indian Penal duped four to five people dur- ident Adesh Gupta said. ee in South Delhi’s Chattarpur Code (IPC) was registered at ing the coronavirus-induced Following social distancing, area. Saket police station and inves- lockdown. party president, leader of oppo- The accused have been tigation was taken up,” said the According to Atul Kumar sition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and identified as Kundan (19), Raja DCP. Thakur, the Deputy MP Meenakshi Lekhi, MLA (20) both residents of Sangam “The TSR was identified by Commissioner of Police Vijender Gupta, Ajay Mahawar Vihar area and Hafiz Alam the police team and on 16 July (DCP), South district, Okafor staged demonstration at DERC (19), a resident of Khanpur the TSR was stopped and used to pose as a trader and headquarters in Malviya Nagar. while the fourth accused iden- checked. The TSR was driven asked people to send him Gupta handed over the tified as Javed, a resident of by one Kundan and from his herbal seeds, oils, etc. from memorandum to the DERC Sangam Vihar, who was possession one country made India. Chairman regarding the prob- released on Parole in the Covid weapon was also recovered. On “The accused told them lems due to huge electricity bills Pandemic is still at large. his instance, Raja and Hafiz that they will be treated as to the people of Delhi. In the According to Atul Kumar were also nabbed,” said the partners and will get profit same sequence, national vice- Thakur, the Deputy DCP. share for each sale. Okafor, his president and MP Dushyant Commissioner of Police “During interrogation, the girlfriend Monica and their Gautam at Krishna Nagar, for- (DSCP), South district, on July accused revealed that they accomplice used to ask these mer MP Manoj Tiwari at 15, a complain was received along with another associate people to deposit money in Dilshad Garden, MP Ramesh from an Amazon cash collect- Javed, who was released on their bank accounts for ED Bidhuri at Kalkaji, MP Gautam ing employee where he stated Parole in the Covid pandemic clearance and excise duty,” said Gambhir at Laxmi Nagar power that he had collected cash from had robbed the complainant. the DCP. office participated in the various shops located in the The accused further told police “These bank accounts were demonstration. area of Devli and Dakshinpuri. that they had the information opened on the basis of fake BJP president said “It is a .!!              - *      “While he was on his way about the Cash Collection names and addresses. Acting matter of shame for Arvind   + * %) $  )    to office at Chattarpur and agent going towards Chatarpur on the specific inputs, police Kejriwal, who promised of reached MB Road near Lado with huge cash,” said the DCP. arrested Okafor in south Delhi Paani Maaf, Bijli Maaf if he charge, pension surcharge, sent to the trades, industries, consumers are being sent bills charges on the electricity bills, Sarai a TSR hit him from “Manhunt has been initi- on Wednesday evening and comes to power, but today fixed charge and other sur- shops and all establishments without subsidy,” he added. it is clear that Kejriwal is loot- behind and he fell down as well ated to nab the remaining recovered Rs 1,90,000, two when he is in power, he him- charges in collusion with dis- which were closed during the Gupta said that the power ing the people of Delhi with the as sustained injuries. accused and further, investiga- ATM cards and four mobile self sending huge bills by coms,” lockdown and electricity was companies which are already in collusion of the power Thereafter, three boys got down tion of the case is in progress,” phones from his possession,” imposing power purchase “These bills are also being not used there, even domestic profit need to impose sur- companies. and started beating him and said police. said the DCP.    " ##     P 

    & based beats have been taken. cops will be eight hours only. in any other duties. jurisdiction. "(" (% There are around 40 police These patrolling vehicles “This centralized program Across the district, the stations in the city, over 79 have been equipped with has been released only after mapping has been completed dopting a more scientific patrol vehicles and 123 riders wireless systems, GPS and crime mapping and through- and preventive measures, Aapproach to patrolling, to go around each jurisdiction Geo fencing with features of out study of Gurugram dis- including enhanced the Gurugram police have on shift basis. public address systems. trict. For this, the police have patrolling, are being put in started a crime hot-spotting All these patrolling vehi- Earlier, the policemen also gone through previous place. exercise in different parts of cles are directly connected to used to be deployed random- crime data (Theft, Robbery Meanwhile, residents say the city. the Police Control Room ly on patrol duty. "In a par- and Vehicle theft etc.) and crime happens during the day As part of the initiative, Gurugram. If any PCR or ticular area, if there are more information from the crimi- too and most offenders are PCRs and Riders have already Rider goes out of its jurisdic- number of crimes, we will nals caught were also studied,” well-dressed when they been deployed at different tion, its notification will be deploy more policemen dur- Rao said. approach victims. checkpoints across the city received through the Geo ing that time and with this ini- "After this it was seen “The district has around based on a centralized crime Fencing system to the Police tiative a response time will be that from which place, at what 40 police stations, the mapping mapping system. Control Room, on the basis of improved, people will be able time, day or night such inci- has been done and beat offi- The initiative is aimed at which its correct location can to get police help in less time,” dents are happening. Which cers are deployed on the basis creating a ‘crime map’ of the be obtained and that PCR or said KK Rao, Commissioner built-up area is causing more of the findings," Rao said. city that will show the police Riders can be contacted. of Gurugram police, adding incidents and what are the "At the crime prone areas, what to expect when and Apart from this a total that based on new inputs, the escape routes to avoid arrest the exercise has been com- where. This knowledge, the number of 2,500 policemen crime map would undergo by criminals,” he added. pleted. Hence, we have studied police say, will help them take have been deployed (24x7) in changes and so would the All area Deputy the trend and are fixing CCTV preventive steps. three shifts on these PCRs, patrolling. This would also Commissioners, Assistant cameras in important localities. Based on the crime map Riders and check points and save manpower considerably. Commissioners and Station Beat officers have asked all res- and centralized system, a deci- weekly holiday will be given The police chief further House officers have been idents to inform the local sion about the deployment of regularly to the policemen. In informed that these police asked to carry out the exercise police station if they are going manpower on jurisdiction- each shift the job hours of the personnel will not be indulged in areas that come under their out of station,” he added.    !"#$#$ .   7/0 

/(01&2(&3 2. ! P +& , /8 8./0 - "    0=0/6  P       "# ..>7 "    *. &   @&@A)9 when leaving post. “Those at 14. Budget up by 280%, road +88..8.$0  @&@A)9 Galwan on 15 June did so,” building by 32%, bridges by Jaishankar had tweeted after 99% and tunnels by 6 times. ormer Congress chief Rahul Rahul had criticised the Ask the jawans,” wrote .08..$/../> FGandhi on Friday renewed Government asking who had Jaishankar. his attack on the Modi ordered unarmed soldiers to go Jaishankar also pointed out  @&@A)9 Government saying the Prime to the stand-off point. to Rahul ‘skipping’ the topic of   /&  @&@A)9 situation. Minister’s constant blunders On Rahul’s latest attack, Pakistan and said Islamabad he police party escorting @7  Before the virtual meeting have fundamentally weakened Jaishankar said India’s major surely notes the difference Tgangster Vikas Dubey from mid a demand by the with the poll body, the oppo- India. xternal Affairs Minister S partnerships with United between Balakot and Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh to AOpposition, and also a rul- .8. sition parties in the State wrote Rahul also dissected into EJaishankar on Friday came States, Russia, Japan, Europe, Uri (the air and surgical strikes Kanpur had to “fire back in ing alliance partner, to defer the to Chief Election the reasons that, he claimed, out strongly yet again to hit out etc. are stronger and interna- against terror launch pads in self-defence” as he tried to impending Bihar Assembly Commissioner Sunil Arora prompted China to take such at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi tional standing higher. “India POK) on the one hand and escape and was killed, the Uttar polls, the Election Commission /8$ urging him to reassess an aggressive stance against for questioning the Modi engages China on more equal Sharm-el-Sheikh, Havana and Pradesh Government has said on Friday held a virtual meet- conducting the upcoming India over the past few months. Government’s foreign and eco- terms politically,” he said. 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in an affidavit filed in the ing with the non-National  @&@A)9 Bihar Assembly polls. The Gandhi scion who did a nomic policies saying India’s Jaishankar said India now on the other. Supreme Court. Democratic Alliance (NDA) Contending that the COVID- lecture series with few top partnerships with other nations speaks her mind more openly Further, he listed out The UP Government has parties, including the Congress, he Election Commission 19 situation in Bihar is “rapid- world experts on economic are stronger, the country’s on contentious issues like the India’s the Hambantota Port constituted a 3-member SIT, Rashtriya Janata (RJD), Tlater wrote to all national ly worsening”, the parties called and health fields, started a international standing is high- China-Pakistan Economic agreement between Sri Lanka headed by UP additional chief CPI (M), Hindustan Awam and regional political parties for an informed decision video campaign to highlight er than ever and New Delhi Corridor (CPEC) that violates and China that was concluded secretary Sanjay Bhoosreddy Morcha (HAM), CPI, CPI (M) seeking their "views and sug- regarding holding the elec- the failures of the NDA engages Beijing on more equal Indian sovereignty, on Beijing’s in 2008 (under UPA). on July 11, to look into the and CPI(ML) to discuss the gestions" on conduct of elec- tions. Government. terms politically. Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Colombo couldn’t pay back the crimes committed by the conduct of Assembly polls in tion campaign during the They requested the CEC to From India’s foreign poli- In a series of tweets, while on maritime debt owed to Beijing and had dreaded gangster and the the State. "pandemic period". In its one- evolve a mechanism that pro- cies to the economy and rela- Jaishankar came out with an disputes in the South China to lease out the strategically alleged collusion between Sources in EC said that the page letter, the commission tects the health of democracy tions with its neighbours, Rahul elaborate response to Rahul’s Sea, and on United Nations- located port to China for 99 Dubey, police and politicians, meeting was convened with sought their replies by July 31. as well as that of people. touched upon several aspects attack, he also advised the for- sanctioned years. “Ask those who dealt the affidavit said. political parties of Bihar to dis- According to them, there was that, he said, the Modi mer Congress chief to “ask the terrorists who are harboured in with it,” said Jaishankar even as Dubey was killed in the cuss the conduct of coming a possibility of Bihar having Government has destroyed analysts”. Pakistan. “Ask the media,” he he listed a series of shortcom- encounter on July 10. Assembly polls. “It’s a routine for safety and security in view more than a million novel over the past six years, result- A month ago, Jaishankar suggested Gandhi validate. ings of the erstwhile “The only option available process to discuss with all of the COVID-19 pandemic. coronavirus cases by October- ing in the Chinese action now. had asked Rahul to “get the He said the Government Congress-led UPA to the escort party, under the stakeholders including police, They questioned why the rul- November, when the election is “Since 2014, the PM’s con- facts straight” on the fact that has addressed the border infra- Government on dealing with circumstances was to fire back political parties, para military ing party wants to conduct the scheduled to take place. stant blunders and indiscre- all troops on border duty structure imbalance legacy. Maldives, and in self-defence,”Uttar Pradesh forces before taking the final polls when people are dying Pointing out that the tions have fundamentally always carry arms, especially “Compare 2014-20 with 2008- Bhutan. Director General of Police decision on the conduct of and elections will become the COVID-19 pandemic has weakened India and left us vul- Hitesh Chandra Awasthy, in the polls,” sources added. super spreader event in the affected Bihar badly, the nerable. Empty words don’t the past 6 years, India has Unemployment is highest in 40 bourhood, other than Pakistan, affidavit filed on behalf of the “Even though the poll body State. political parties highlighted suffice in the world of geopol- been disturbed and disrupted years. The economy is an was working with India and state, on a plea seeking a court- has already geared up its prepa- While the BJP has said the the existence of 89 containment itics,” Rahul stated. in each of these sectors. Earlier, absolute disaster,” he asserted. saw itself as being partnered monitored probe by the CBI or ration for the Bihar Assembly Opposition wants the election zones in Patna and lockdown In the video, Rahul asks, India could maneuver in He said the Chinese with India. Today, Nepal is the NIA into the encounter polls, they may find it difficult to be postponed as it’s scared of being re-imposed in 16 districts “What is it about India’s situa- geopolitics with the help of aggression along the Line of angry with us. If you go to killing. to hold elections in these test- losing. NDA ally in Bihar, Lok of the State. tion that has made China act in these relations but now India Actual Control can be attrib- Nepal and speak to the Nepali The top police officer ing times, till the infections Janshakti Party (LJP), also Currently, there are 21,764 such an aggressive way? What doesn’t enjoy these partner- uted to the “trouble” India has people, they are furious with denied that Dubey had sur- curve is flattened in the State. joined the Opposition chorus confirmed novel coronavirus is it about this moment in time ships anymore,” he said. with its foreign policy, econo- what has happened,” Rahul rendered at Ujjain and said that A large number of officials are and wants to postpone the cases in Bihar out of which that allowed China to take The Congress leader then my and the relationship with its said. “Sri Lankans have given a the accused who was on the required to hold elections, elections. 14,018 patients have been dis- such an aggressive stand went on to talk about India’s neighbours in the last six years. port to the Chinese... So we’ve run was identified at the which may also be a chal- Experts feel elections will charged while 197 fatalities against a country like India?” current relations with its neigh- He said India’s relationship disrupted our foreign part- Mahakaal Temple by the Samiti lenge,” said an officer of EC on become a super-spreader of have been reported. Moreover, Rahul has been tweeting bours and said that the Modi with other countries has ners, we’ve disrupted our authorities as well as the police- the condition of anonymity. coronavirus infections in the they claimed that there are regularly criticising the gov- government has managed to become “transactional”. We neighbourhood.” men at the temple premises. The Bihar Assembly will State and October-November many more infected people ernment over the deadly face- anger Nepal, Bhutan and even have a transactional relation- “So today, you have a coun- The DGP also dealt with complete its current term on will be the peak of Covid-19. who haven’t been tested. off with China in the Galwan Sri Lanka, who used to be ship with the US, and we have try which is economically in the question as to why Dubey November 29. After the expiry The Nitish Kumar Government The Opposition parties, Valley area, in which 20 Indian friends of the country earlier. disturbed our relationship with trouble, trouble as far as foreign was not handcuffed and said, of the term, the State will go has imposed complete lock- wondered how the poll panel soldiers were killed in the line He also talked about econom- the Russians. We have a trans- policy is concerned, in trouble “There were 15 police person- under President’s Rule if elec- down in the State till July 31 will ensure physical distancing of duty and 76 were injured. ic aspects. “Our economy was actional relationship with with its neighbours and that’s nel and 3 vehicles to escort the tions are not held on time. after a massive surge in coro- of at least two yards in a state “A country is protected by something that we could boast Europe,” he said. why the Chinese have decided accused directly to the court at The Opposition parties navirus infections. Taking note with a population of around 13 its foreign relationships, its about going to the world. We “Earlier, Nepal was a that this is possibly this time to Kanpur. He had to be produced have demanded that the of it, the Centre has decided to crore and electorate of 7.5 economy, neighbourhood and have seen the worst economic friend. Bhutan was a friend, Sri act. And that is why they have at Kanpur within 24 hours Assembly polls be postponed send a special team to assess the crore. the feeling people have. Over growth in 50 years. Lanka was a friend. Our neigh- acted,” the Congress MP said. before court” 9     ! * *9 !   ( = -P  @&@A)9 :4;<&   ''./   )   o ensure that all positive Tcases are brought to the .0//# 9(. authorities for isolation, quar-       @&@A)9 antine or treatment at the ear-  @&@A)9 liest, the Government has ith an aim to pave the 1!2  decided to keep a number of ,3!   he clinical trials of the Wway for a faster execution tests being done in the States. Tmuch-awaited Made in of the Char-Dham road project It has asked them to upload  @&@A)9 aggressive testing and timely India ‘Covaxin’, the Corona in the Himalayan region, the  (   rapid antigen testing data on diagnosis has resulted in early vaccine of Bharat Biotech, Union Environment Ministry the ICMR portal on real-time he Coronavirus caseload identification of the infected kicked off on Friday with three on Friday approved the Zonal  @&@A)9 said that the provisions in the basis. Tmay have zoomed past 10 persons. This has helped in volunteers being administered Master Plan (ZMP) of EIA draft suggests to overcome In a letter to all States and lakhs but those infected too early treatment too.” said the with the drug at the Post- Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone he CPI(M) on Friday the National Green Tribunal’s Union Territories, ICMR DG are also on the fast recovery Ministry. Graduate Institute (PGI) of from Gaumukh to Uttarkashi Turged the Government to (NGT) orders and even go to Balram Bhargava said that track with the Union Health The “Test, Track and Medical Sciences in Rohtak in covering an area of 4179.59 sq withdraw the notifications the extent of circumventing “with the use of rapid antigen Ministry saying that at least Treat” strategy of the Centre Haryana as part of the first km. regarding the Environment the orders of the Supreme tests, more and more tests are over 6.35 lakh patients have being implemented by the phase of clinical trial on the process at the institute. The ZMP is based on Impact Assessment (EIA) Court. “Most objectionable is being carried out and therefore, overcome the disease and are State/UT governments is prov- humans. Other sites are being Dr Chaudhry said the vac- watershed approach and 2020, alleging that the draft in the fact that in the entire doc- is absolutely necessary that all healthy now. ing to be an appropriate strat- finalised, said the company. cine had been tested success- includes governance in the this regard has several provi- ument the concerns of adiva- such testing data is uploaded The Ministry in a state- egy to deal with the Covid-19 Senior Professor and Head, fully on the animals for safety area of forest and wildlife, sions to support business sis who are going to be the on the ICMR database on real- ment said that the actual case- pandemic. India has seen a department of Pulmonary & and response and the process watershed management, irri- houses and circumvent judicial most affected community due time basis. load of Covid-19 cases in the steady increase in the number Critical Care Medicine, had not entered the first phase gation, energy, tourism, public findings. In a detailed letter to to the dilution of environment “It is expected that to pro- country is only 3,42,756, as on of patients recovering of Dhruva Chaudhry, also the co- of clinical trials on humans. He health and sanitation, road Environment Minister Prakash regulations do not form any vide safe healthcare services, all date. COVID, said the Ministry. principal investigator, said that said the process might take six infrastructure, etc, said Union Javadekar, CPI(M) polit part of the notification,” she government hospitals/labs as More than 6.35 lakhs While the strategy to deal the three volunteers were months and the final assess- Environment Minister Prakash bureau member Brinda Karat said. well as all private NABH/NABL (63.33%) of the total cases with the spread of infection short-listed out of the total ment on the safety and the Javedekar after a review meet- hospitals/labs may initiate anti- have recovered. The ministry remains focused on early eight after health checks to antibodies produced would be ing held here. to undertake developmental others. gen testing and also apply for also highlighted that India, detection with wide-spread ensure proper liver function made by the safety board. The Bhagirathi Eco- activities as permitted under The Chaar Dhaam Project obtaining login credentials for being the second-most popu- and easily accessible testing, and absence of infection and Covaxin has been in news Sensitive Zone notification ZMP,” said Javedekar. proposes to connect Yamnotri, data entry into the ICMR por- lous country in the world the intensive contact tracing is were administered the vac- since ICMR director-general issued way back in 2020 man- The ZMP was approved at Gangotri, Badrinath and tal.” with 1.35 billion people, has aimed at restricting the spread. cine, according to reports. Balram Bhargava shot off a let- dated the State Government of the review meeting of the Kedarnath which host Chaar Antigen test is a promising 727.4 cases per million. The Containment strate- “All three tolerated it well. ter on July 2 to 12 hospitals and Uttarakhand to prepare ZMP Chaar Dhaam road project in Dham Yatra in the State of tool for quick diagnosis of On the global scale, cases gy implemented across the There were no complaints. We research centres, asking them to be implemented Uttarakhand which was Uttarakhand. COVID-19. ICMR has advised per million population in Containment and Buffer observed them for two hours to enrol subjects for human tri- under the supervision of the chaired by Union Minister for The all-weather Chaar the use of this test for quick India are 4 to 8 times less than Zones stresses on house-to- before releasing them. The als of Covaxin, so that the vac- Monitoring Committee. Road Transport and Highways Dhaam Road has in all 53 pro- detection of COVID-19 some European countries. house survey and surveillance immediate component of aller- cine is ready for public use by “The approval of ZMP will Nitin Gadkari, Chief jects of 826 km length, involv- patients in containment zones “The case fatality rate at 18.6 of patients with focus on the gic reaction has been taken August 15. give a boost to conservation Minister of Uttarakhand ing an investment of  12,000 and hospitals. deaths/million of the country elderly and people with co- care of. We will now look for Later, the ICMR sought to and ecology of the area and also Trivendra Singh Rawat, among crore. In an effort to facilitate and is one of the lowest in the morbid conditions. any soreness at the local site clarify that the letter was writ- further liberalise testing, lCMR world. The collaborative This has ensured that the over the next 24-48 hours,” said ten with an aim to expedite the has generated five common efforts of all States/UTs for Covid cases are identified in a Dr Chaudhry, taking care of trial but in keeping with all the @=22 .// 88.2.. login credentials for each dis- house-to-house surveys, con- timely manner and treated as the clinical aspect of the safety norms. trict of each State/UT, which tact tracing, surveillance of per the severity of the symp-  @&@A)9 saving BJP leaders from the may be shared with all the containment and buffer zones, toms either at home or in hos- Starting from one diag- “The key strategy to save cases, the activists and retired Government and private facil- perimeter control activities, pitals, the Ministry said. nostic lab in Januray 2020, the lives and protect livelihoods any former bureaucrats officials accused the Delhi ities selected for antigen testing. country has 1244 labs today, remains ‘tests, track, treat’. Our Mand police officers, advo- Police of custodial torture of Dr with 880 labs in the govern- continuous endeavour is to cates, Left ideologists and social Muslims and of those who Bhargava pointed out that assays. of testing capacity has resulted ment sector and 364 in the pri- increase testing capacity and activists on Friday petitioned participated in the protests in this Covid-19 pandemic, to The ICMR has also asked in more than 3 lakh tests being vate sector, said the official. provide more and more access President Ram Nath Kovind crats Wajhat Habibullah, EAS against CAA-NRC. “A credible ensure that testing is further the states to ensure that all the conducted per day. In the last Bhargava said ICMR has to people for testing. ICMR demanding the institution of a Sarma, activist Aruna Roy and and unbiased probe is crucial enhanced and reporting of the antigen testing points are 24 hours, 3,33,228 samples been receiving multiple recently approved a point-of- Commission of Inquiry into lawyers like Prashant Bhushan to ensure public trust. The same is done seamlessly states appropriately linked with RT- have been tested while the requests from various public care rapid antigen test for diag- the Delhi riots, accusing par- were among the 72 signatories investigation cannot be allowed should identify all government PCR facility, where sympto- cumulative number of sector units, small private and nosis of COVID-19, in addition tiality in the ongoing probe by accusing total partiality on to become a fishing and roving and private facilities who would matic negatives will be tested. 1,30,72,718 samples tested has Government facilities, tem- to the already existing molec- the Delhi Police. basis of religion by Delhi Police expedition aimed at causing a be providing COVID-19 diag- The Union Health resulted in 9473 testing per mil- ples, etc for initiating rapid ular diagnostic tools,” the Retired police officers Julio in the riots-related cases. chilling effect on dissent and nosis through antigen-based Ministry said that ramping up lion for the country. antigen testing. ICMR head said in the letter. Riberio, Saleem Ali, ex-bureau- Apart from allegations of protest in the country. (4 "/ " ) P    #    

   @&@A)9 other side of the international Maharashtra Police had shared hended him at 9 PM on which he had used to travel '") # “He was in a dehydrated Karachi, Pakistan on Facebook boundary between the two information with Gujarat Thursday. from his hometown and aban- state and revealed that he had and both of them were in con- he hopes of a 20-year-old countries. police regarding a missing His mobile location was doned it before leaving towards   "   gone unconscious for about tact with each other through Tboy from Osmanabad in The boy, Siddiqui complaint lodged by Zishan’s traced to be in and around the border area, a BSF   two hours in the Rann,” the Facebook and WhatsApp. He Maharashtra to meet his “girl- Mohammad Zishan, had parents at their native place in Dholavira (Kutch, Gujarat). spokesperson said here in a # " "4   spokesperson said. wanted to go to Pakistan and friend” in Shah Faisal, Karachi, befriended the Pakistani girl Osmanabad. During the search operation by statement. PAN Card/Adhar had used the Google map for dashed to the ground when he through Facebook and The Gujarat police in turn the BSF in the afternoon on On preliminary enquiry, he '  *5  " * Card/ATM CARD (UCO navigation. was apprehended by the alert WhatsApp and travelled from shared the information with the Thursday (July 16), a black was identified as Siddiqui # )  Bank) and mobile phone were The person has been hand- BSF just 1.5 km short of the Osmanabad to Rann of Kutch Border Security Force (BSF) colour Bajaj Pulsar bike Mohammad Zishan recovered from his possession. ed over to the police for further Indo-Pak border in the Rann of on a motorcycle using Google following which the troops of (Registration Number: MH 16 Mohammad Salimuddin, aged “He revealed that he fell in investigation and verification of Kutch in Gujarat before he map. the border guarding force were D 3702) was recovered near 20 years the BSF said. resident of Khwaja Nagar, love with a girl namely Samra the story given by him,” added could illegally cross over to the The crime branch of the alerted. The troops appre- Fossil Park in Kutch district The apprehended boy is a Osmanabad, Maharashtra. from Shah Faisal Town, the official.    !"#$#$ 6

 4&274   & 7.8 / " 77*78.  7  1    /  "'%9 second week of March this year In what has come as a silver lin- //. touched 1,58,140. The recovery rate ing in the cloud, Mumbai’s Dharavi 1,194 deaths in 120 days!!!.This in the state stood at 55.63 per cent. slum has been a success story. It was    " 4-545 1has been the tragic Covid-19 The mortality rate in the state is 3,94 this Asia’s largest slum that the H8/. saga that has unfolded in percent. The state health authorities Brihanumbai Municipal Corpoation Maharashtra, ever since the coron- has pegged the number of “active and the Maharashtra government Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh while two deaths each were avirus claimed first life in the State cases” in the state at 1,14,648. successfully adopted “chase the virus” has yet again reported an all- reported from Kadapa and $.67 on March 17, when a 63-year-old Of the 11,194 total deaths at Dharavi slum in north-central time single-day high of 2,602 Visakhapatnam. Vizianagaram man succumbed to the pandemic at reported in the state till Thursday Mumbai where the authorities have new coronavirus cases in the and Krishna districts reported /&   +7)9 the Kasurba Hospital in Mumbai. evening, Mumbai – which is the contained the spread of virus to that last 24-hour cycle ending 9 am one death each. With the total number of Covid- worst Covid-19 affected city in the extent that Asia’s largest slum report- on Friday, the third day in a As of Friday morning, 837 ituation in Kerala has gone out of control as a 19 triggered deaths having risen to state – has accounted for 5523 ed just one fresh case on April 10- row, taking the State's total tally persons were discharged from Srecord number of 791 persons were diagnosed with a staggering 11,194 on Friday deaths (49.33 per cent). In terms of 11. Being densely populated to 40,646. hospitals and Covid treatment Covid-19 on Friday, according to Chief Minister evening, an average of 93 (93.28) died infections, Mumbai with 97950 pos- (2,27,136 persons/ sq. km), Dharavi There are now 19,814 centres. Pinarayi Vijayan. Briefing the media at per day in the state during the last itive cases has accounted for 34.45 had 491 cases in April 2020 with a active cases since 20,298 coro- Only eight positive cases Thiruvananthapuram, the Chief Minister said com- 120 days. Initially restricted to major per cent of the total 2,84,281. 12% growth rate and a case doubling na patients have been cured were detected among returnees munity transmission has set in along the entire coastal urban areas, the pandemic has now Maharashtra has come a long period of 18 days. The proactive and discharged in Andhra from other states to Andhra region in the district. spread to 36 districts, including the way since invoked the Epidemic measures adopted by BMC reduced Pradesh. Pradesh. Of these, six were “An unprecedented serious situation is prevail- hinterland districts of Gadchiroli, Diseases Act, 1897 and framed 'The the COVID-19 growth rate to 4.3 per Health officials said that returnees from Telangana and ing in Kerala. Out of the 791 new additions to the Chandrapur and Gondia in eastern Maharashtra Covid-19Regulations, cent in May 2020 and further to eight districts recorded new two from Karnataka. list of Covid-19 pandemic, 532 got infected through Maharashtra. 2020' and March 13 March 14 1.02% in June. These measures also cases running into triple figures Till date, 2,461 corona social contacts while we are yet to find out how 42 In terms of deaths, Maharashtra respectively. During the first phase ensured an improved case doubling -- East Godavari's highest 643 cases have been reported persons got afflicted. There were two deaths in the with 11,194 deaths accounts for of lockdown i.e March 31, the state time to 43 days in May 2020 and 78 cases, Guntur 367 cases, among state returnees. The State. We have to declare a total lockdown along the 43.32 per cent of the total 25,602 recorded 10 deaths and 302 patients. days in June 2020. Chittoor 328 cases, Kurnool Wednesday. As per the latest active cases in this category are coastal region by tomorrow,” said the Chief Minister. deaths in the country. On the infec- Till the second lockdown, by Several challenges presented 315 cases, Anantapur 297 cases, update, the deaths occurred in 356, as 2,105 persons have He said there were 246 new Covid-19 patients in tion front, the state with 2,84,281 April 15, the state notched 187 themselves to BMC in Dharavi Srikakulam 149 cases, Nellore 12 of the 13 districts. recovered till date. Thiruvananthapuram district while Ernakulam district positive cases, accounts for 28.37 per deaths with 2,916 cases, comprising where 80% population depends on 127 cases, and West Godavari The death toll in Andhra Friday morning also saw came second with 115 new patients. As on Friday there cent of total 1,00,3832 infected cases Mumbai's 114 deaths and 1,896 community toilets. BMC adopted a 109 cases. Pradesh has now shot up to two new corona cases among are 11,066 active cases in the State and 285 hotspots. in the state. The mortality rate, patients. model of actively following four T’s Vizianagaram with 89 534, health officials said. overseas returnees -- one from The day also saw hospitalisation of 1,152 persons in which had at one stage on April 9 During the third phase of lock- – Tracing, Tracking, Testing and cases, Kadapa (55), Prakasam The day's high of six deaths Kuwait and second with trav- the State. There are 6,029 persons undergoing treat- touched 6.34 per cent that inciden- down till April 30, the state record- Treating. This approach included (53), Krishna (37), and were reported from Anantapur el history to South Korea. ment as on date across the State, said the CM. The Chief tally was the third highest in the ed 459 deaths with 10,498 patients. activities like proactive screening. Visakhapatnam (23) were low- district, and five each from The corona patients in this Minister said the testing too has been ramped up in country, has now come down to 3.94 By July 16 when the easing of While 47,500 people were covered by incidence districts. Chittoor, East Godavari, and category total 434, with 381 the State. “Till date we have tested 2.75 lakh persons per cent as against the country’s aver- lockdown was underway, Covid-19 doctors and private clinics in house- On Friday, the state report- Prakasam districts. persons cured and discharged. across the State,” he said. age of 2.55 per cent. had spread its deadly tentacles to all to-house screening, about 14,970 ed 42 deaths, slightly lower On the other hand, Guntur As of Friday, 53 patients in this Instances like health professionals and health With the total number of 36 districts in the state, but only one people were screened with the help compared with an all-time and West Godavari districts category are under treatment in workers getting afflicted/infected with the virus is also patients discharged from various district – Chandrapur – has of Mobile Vans, and 4,76,775 were high of 44 deaths on reported four deaths each, the State. IANS a cause of concern, said the CM. hospitals after full recovery since the remained ‘death-free’ so far. surveyed by BMC health workers. 186 9   0   ,     7 &"1 %>*<;6   #  P#1#Q /"0 &    ,%" cessful operation, Sector left. We are working round the the civilians to evacuate the *?@$  Commander 9 Rashtriya Rifles, clock to track down their house.  $   after a team of senior police offi- head of the beginning of Brigadier VS Thakur told whereabouts before launching “Two terrorists fired indis- +A%% cials descended at his house with /&   7)@%9 Athe annual Amarnath media personnel in South operations. criminately upon the forces to carry out search operation in the yatra, a joint team of security Kashmir’s Kulgam district, Sharing details of the joint with small arms and also JP MP from Barrackpore, premises. “I told them you cannot he Covid-19 pandemic claimed 79 lives in Tamil Nadu forces on Friday gunned down “Army has also received cred- operation,Brigadier VS Thakur lobbed grenades with an Under BArjun Singh has alleged that search the place on basis of infor- Ton Friday, the highest fatalities on a single day. The three terrorists including one of ible inputs that terrorists are told reporters, “soon after Barrel Grenade Launcher the Bengal Government was try- mation. You don’t have a warrant day also saw 4,538 new persons getting tested positive for the most wanted IED experts of intending to target Amarnath receiving the credible inputs (UBGL),” Brigadier Thakur ing to eliminate him in a police or any evidence. They said they coronavirus taking the number of active cases in the State Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) ter- Yatra somewhere along the from the Deputy Inspector said, adding that both were encounter. cannot show me proof officially to to 47, 782. ror outfit in Nagnad area of Jammu-Srinagar National General of Police, South killed without causing any “The police seem to have been which I said that they cannot Till date the State had traced 1.6 lakh persons afflict- South Kashmir's Kulgam dis- highway”. He, however, assured Kashmir about the presence of harm to civilians or the house attempting an encounter with me, search the house of an MP and ed with coronavirus, according to a release by the trict. the pilgrims,”Army is fully two to three terrorists hiding in they were hiding in. my son Pawan Singh — an MLA MLA just like that” Pawan Singh Government of Tamil Nadu. The slain terrorist, identi- ready to foil any misadventure the area a siege was laid at He said when civilians were from Bhatpara constituency, my later said adding the “they had The State administration is in a relentless fight with fied by the police as a Pakistani by these terrorists for smooth around 4:30 am in the morn- coming out, one remaining wife and other family members,” come with ulterior intentions.” the pandemic as it has ramped up the number of covid national Waleed, was elimi- conduct of Amarnath pilgrim- ing in Nagnad area of Kulgam”. terrorist who was wearing a Singh has alleged wondering “In Refuting Singh’s charges senior testing centres across the State. nated by the soldiers of 9 age. He said the operation was pheran (traditional Kashmiri fear of losing your seat how low Bengal Minister and the president On Friday Tamil Nadu had 109 fully equipped lab- Rashtriya Rifles in a close com- Interestingly, Shri full of challenges. “The first gown) with a weapon inside, will you stoop Didi (Mamata of TMC’s North 24 Parganas dis- oratories and the State tested 47, 539 persons on a single bat while he was attempting to Amarnath Shrine Board challenge was that there was a tried to move out with the civil- Banerjee)?” trict Jyotipriya Mullick said “He day. Till date the State has tested 1.75 million flee along with the civilians. authorities are yet to formally single road access to the house ians. Once a Trinamool Congress has been in the TMC for years and persons. So far, 14 terrorists have announce the final date of where these terrorists were “He was physically strongman, known for his close we know him very well. He can do Out of the 79 deaths reported during the last 24 hours, been neutralised in seven start of the yatra this year. The hiding and the closest base was stopped and when he tried to proximity to Chief Minister anything to stick to power and 78 were with co-morbidities, which underscores the counter terrorist operations in proposed date of launch of the 10 to 12 km’s away”. use his weapon, there was a Mamata Banerjee before switching money. He is running a goonda raj Government’s campaign that those suffering from seri- the month of July 2020. yatra was July 21. He said that the second hand to hand fight between sides to the saffron outfit before in Barrackpore and whatever he is ous ailments like diabetes, kidney failures and cancer According to intelligence In Srinagar, Inspector challenge was the safety of him and a soldier of 9 RR, who 2019 general elections when he saying is a part of perpetrating that should be vigilant against covid-19. inputs, “one of the most want- General of Police, Kashmir civilians of the house where ter- successfully shot the terrorist defeated Dinesh Trivedi the sitting goonda raj.” The stories from the districts too were not encour- ed terrorists killed in the oper- range, Vijay Kumar told rorists had taken refuge. down.He said, in the milee Trinamool MP, Singh has been Saying that the people of aging. While the capital city of Chennai showed a hike ation was tasked by their han- reporters, the slain terrorist “Our troops showed three army personnel also engaged in a fierce turf war with Bengal will not spare the BJP and (1,243 patients), the situation remained grim in the neigh- dlers in Pakistan to target the killed in the operation figured restraint and didn’t even resort received injuries and were the TMC for a control over those of Barrackpore will give bouring districts of Chengalpet (125), Kancheepuram Amarnath yatra this year along in the list of 12 most wanted to speculative fire at the target rushed to the nearby hospital, Barrackpore which has witnessed him a befitting reply Mullick said (110) and Thiruvallur (220). the Jammu-Srinagar National commanders. He said, so far house,” he said. He said as part where they were undergoing a number of shootouts in recent “not only the TMC but all other In Tamil Nadu , 17 out of the 38 districts have more Highway”. two of them have been gunned of the standard operating pro- treatment and were stated to be times. parties are afraid of Arjun Singh in than 100 Covid-19 patients. The day also saw 3,391 per- Sharing details of the suc- down and now 10 others are cedure, an appeal was made to stable. Singh’s comment came soon Barrackpore. sons getting discharged fully cured of the pandemic. <=$     :2 :2 !  #   )8.     ( ;  $288  $    ,%" total number of cases Friday reached 12757. Out of this 5,968 are still active /&   portraying the Kavacham ore than fifteen hundred cases of positive while a total number of 6,558        7)@%9 (Tamil for armour) as obscene Mcoronavirus have been detected patients have recovered. Around 84 and it was an act of blasphemy. in the Union Territory of Jammu & percent cases are active positive across Jammu: After the onset of militancy in J&K Development Act, 1970, to provide amil Nadu witnessed a L Murugan, state chief of the Kashmir in the last three days while 36 10 districts of Kashmir valley while 16 Jammu & Kashmir, for the first time the for special dispensation for carrying out Tnovel protest by Hindus on BJP staged a protest demon- patients have died due to covid-19 dur- percent cases of active positive patients administration has decided to notify construction activities in Strategic Thursday in true Gandhian stration in front of his own ing the same period. are spread across Jammu division. certain areas in the union territory as Areas”. style against attempts by those house along with other party On Friday, the total tally of coron- Srinagar district alone has so far “strategic areas”, to facilitate smooth con- According to a statement issued by owing allegiance to various leaders observing the Covid-19 avirus cases reached 12, 757 cases after reported 31 percent active positive struction for the requirements of Armed the Department of Information and Dravida movements to deni- guidelines. 601 fresh cases were detected while 9 cases while Jammu district has only 3 Forces. Public Relations,”The amendments pro- grate Lord Murugan and the But nowhere was the more patients died in J&k. So far, 231 percent active positive cases. Till now, various Cantonment posed by Housing & Urban famous hymn ‘Skanda Sashti demonstration as powerful as patients have died, 18 in Jammu divi- Srinagar district continues to boards were chiefly responsible for all Development Department will pave Kavacham’ composed by the one that took place in sion and 213 in Kashmir division. On record the highest number of positive the construction activities permitted way for notifying certain areas as Devaraya Swami (b;1820) in Thiruchendur, the town in July 15, 493 positive cases were report- cases in Kashmir valley. On Friday, 150 within the jurisdiction of various can- ‘strategic areas’ in terms of the require- praise of the Lord. Thoothukudi district, which is ed and on July 16, 490 cases were detect- cases were detected in Srinagar fol- tonments in J&K. ment of armed forces and in such areas, Black Alliance, a collective home to the famous seaside ed, sending alarm bells ringing among lowed by 82 cases from Shopian and On Friday, “The Administrative the regulation of construction activity by various Dravidian and evan- shrine of Lord Muruga. the health administrators working 62 from Baramulla. Council which met here under the shall be through a special dispensation. gelist groups had through their Thousands of residents in round the clock to control the situation In Jammu division, Ramban dis- chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor, The move is aimed at simplifying the social media video ‘Karuppar the coastal town came out of from slipping out of hands. trict recorded the highest number of G.C. Murmu, gave its nod to the pro- procedures and shall facilitate time- Koottam’ had portrayed their houses and recited the According to the media bulletin, 41 cases followed by 21 from Kathua posal of amending the Control of bound development of infrastructure of Skanda Sashti Kavacham as Kavacham in its typical with 601 fresh cases of coronavirus the and 16 from Jammu district. Building Operations Act, 1988, and the strategic importance,” it added. PNS Aabasa Puranam (Tamil for Ragamalika format incorpor- obscene epic). tating the eternal Abheri, For the Hindus in the State, Shubhapantuvarali. Skanda Sashti Kavacham is a Kalyanai and Thodi that 0!!&' !&' " %%# #' 6*;A6B*5<6  ! rare hymn that united all cut- make the listeners fold their ting across castes and tribes. It hands in reverence to Lord is also the most popular hymn Muruga. !# "# 1& 23     /  "'%9 Ahmednagar, 2 each in Kolhapur, sung in the State to invoke Lord Murugan had filed a police Latur, Amravati and Osmanabad Muruga for his blessings. complaint against Natarajan /&   about the decisions taken in place. The Government has he Covid-19 infections and one each in Ratnagiri, It was alleged by various and ‘Karuppar Koottam’ for +7)9 the day-long meeting. effectively handled the issue,” Tcrossed 8,000 mark for the Hingoli, Beed, Nagpur. There Hindu outfits ranging from humiliating the Hindu Gods Balakrishnan said the said the CPI(M) secretary. second consecutive day in was one more death -- from the BJP to Hindu Munnani that and for blasphemy. Natarajan he CPI(M) State party took strong objection to Balakrishnan said that P Maharashtra on Friday, as the another State. the anchor of the show alleged that the BJP leaders TCommittee, the powerful the comments made by JP K Krishnadas, one of the BJP state recorded 8,308 positive cases, With 71345 infected cases Surendra Natarajan maligned mistook him for DMK and body of the party in Kerala Nadda, the BJP national pres- leaders was heard demanding while a staggering 258 and 1964 deaths, Thane contin- the sanctity of Hindu Gods by hence foisted the case. which met at ident that the gold in Kerala the dismissal of the CPI(M) persons succumbed to the pan- ued to be the second worst hit dis- Thiruvananthapuram on was red in colour. “I would led government. “This shows demic. trict in Maharashtra. Friday to take stock of the sit- like to remind him that the how despair the BJP is in A day after recording 8,641 Pune, which has emerged as uation arising out of the gold gold in Kerala is saffron and Kerala. The Congress and Covid-19 infections and 266 more the third worst affected district in smuggling through diplo- green in colour. It was a BMS the Muslim League are hand deaths, Maharashtra witnessed terms of spread of the pandemic, matic channel in which the leader who intervened in the in glove with terrorists and 8308 infected cases taking the has recorded 49037 infections name of an official in the case on behalf of the accused religious extremists. They get total number of positive cases and 1282 deaths till now. Chief Minister’s office was fig- to get the gold consignment the support of the BJP in cre- inched close to 3 lakh-mark to Meanwhile, the total number ured, expressed its full confi- released from the Customs ating lawlessness in Kerala,” touch 2,92,589. of patients discharged from var- dence in the leadership of officials. The gold was smug- alleged Balakrishnan. With 258 fresh fatalities, the ious hospitals after full recovery Pinarayi Vijayan. gled by persons who are hav- He said the CPI(M) wel- total number of deaths in various since the second week of March “It was due to the way- ing close links with the comed the Government of parts of the state mounted to this year touched 1,60,357. wardness of M Sivsankar, the Muslim League,” said India’s decision to entrust the 11,452 on Friday evening. The recovery rate in the state then principal secretary of the Balakrishnan. investigation of the gold Of the 258 total deaths, stood at 54.81 per cent. The mor- Chief Minister that led to the He said the Party assert- smuggling case to the Mumbai accounted for 62 deaths, tality rate in the state is 3,91 per tarnishing of the CMO’s ed its trust and confidence in National Investigating which took the total number of cent. The State health image. The Chief Minister all the actions taken by Chief Agency. “A comprehensive deaths in the metropolis from authorities pegged the number of took effective measures Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. “It probe by the NIA and the 5523 to 5585, while the total “active cases” in the state at immediately after he came was the high handedness of Customs would bring the number of Covid-19 cases rose by 1,20,480. across the reports. The M Sivsankar, the then prin- truth out,” said the CPI(M) 1,214 to touch 99,164 now. Out of 14,84,630 samples CPI(M) is undertaking a cipal secretary in the Chief secretary. In addition to 62 deaths in sent to laboratories, 2,92,589 have house-to-house campaign to Minister’s Office that led to a Meanwhile two more Mumbai, there were 57 deaths in tested positive (19.70 per cent) for convince the people about the situation where the CMO’s persons were taken into cus- Thane, 45 deaths in Pune, 25 in Covid-19 until Friday realities behind the scam,” image came under scrutiny. tody by the Customs officials Nashik, 12 in Palghar, 9 in Currently, 7,24,602 people said Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, But Sivsankar was suspended from Malappuram in con- Solapur, 8 in Raigad, 6 in Nanded, are in home quarantine while the party’s Kerala secretary from office and new persons nection with gold 5 each in Satara and Aurangabad, 44,284 people are in institution- while briefing the media have been appointed in his smuggling. 4 each in Jalna and Jalgaon, 3 in al quarantine.    !"#$#$  9 9' "&"#910 0/2.. 5/.B8. E#. $5/.B8.B $$- 3 .) $** 1 $  1     !      #   &     #         S       "2//0. 0$./.88/. *0 $     >         !     (           2../..2/$8//$.2           "                                     (            7  S        %     (                 (         : /3'                 >  =  %  #                    ( Life is not the way it’s supposed to be…. The way you cope is what makes the        >       >  =  difference — Virginia Satir.  $             S     0  %          $           #  hen the famous US family therapist                %    ( Virginia Satir talked     7?$    !  0    >    about coping with  7             $          ( life’s adversities, she wasW unlikely to have had images of a                      pandemic like COVID-19 in mind.            %            But her words have a grim relevance     =<   $   7?$ #          . today as we learn to live with the unforeseen and unprecedented situa- = %   0 0    -*!          # >  tion caused by the Coronavirus. A       =< 7 < 0   @   0     recent telephone survey conducted by         $          $      the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER),              7?$       ( through its Data Innovation Centre,                 1       documents several insightful findings   %               (      about public behaviour and the health              # >=          and economic outcomes of both the virus and the lockdown imposed by                 $  =<  "( the Government to curb its transmis- early April, it was important to of livelihoods due to the closure week prior to the survey. them reporting suspension of                  sion. explore awareness levels about of offices and businesses. More worryingly, as high as activities during the lockdown in          >         $    The findings explain the surge as the disease and the possible pre- During DCVTS-2, an over- 61 per cent of the respondents May and June and 12 per cent most respondents, while adhering to vention measures among the whelming majority of the respon- above the age of 60 years had ven- shutting down completely.              7?$ #    ( safety protocols, admit that they took general public. A strange para- dents — 82 per cent —reported tured out of their homes despite Have welfare measures     % S         >    !  0 advantage of the “unlock” phase to step dox that emerged in the first loss of income or wages, especial- the advisory to elderly people to mitigated financial suffering? 0        %             ( out of the house when there was no round was the dissonance ly daily wage workers and remain indoors as they fall in the Apart from documenting the pressing need. At the same time, the between people’s perceptions employees in small businesses. high-risk category. Overall, there adverse impact on incomes and        #            ( economic trough has been gloomy about the dangers posed by the Further, among these, 72 per cent was a general adherence to the wages, the third round of    %      $        %   even after opening up with a high per- virus and the possibility they of casual workers complained precautionary measures specified DCVTS also focussed on the            7?$      centage of the workforce losing jobs or envisaged of getting infected that their incomes and wages had by the Government and health role of Government pro- facing salary cuts. This despite a themselves. suffered “very much”, indicating authorities, with 95 per cent of the grammes and measures to ame-    A  <      =<  $    majority going back to work in the While almost 95 per cent of that the brunt of the economic surveyed people affirming that liorate the suffering of the mar-          “unlock” phase. them averred that the virus was distress was borne by workers they were wearing masks or face ginalised sections. It was found # !      >          ( The survey, titled, The Delhi highly dangerous, as many as 65 from the informal sector. Even coverings while going out; 66 per that a large number of house- Coronavirus Telephone Survey per cent of them did not expect among the salaried class, 38 per cent reported frequent use of holds — 58 per cent of the total  "            "      (DCVTS), was undertaken in Delhi themselves or any of their house- cent of the workers either hand sanitisers; and only 0.8 per surveyed and 61 per cent in                     and the National Capital Region hold members to get infected. received truncated salaries or cent of the respondents claimed Delhi alone — were given extra              *       (NCR) in three rounds, between April This sense of confidence in the were relieved of their jobs. that they did not follow any pre- rations through the use of 3 and 6; April 23 and 26; and June 15 ability to sidestep the infection Interestingly, and perhaps as caution at all. Aadhaar cards and e-coupons.                          and 23 respectively. The most notable was obviously put to the test after a saving grace, farmers did not Economic repercussions About 35 per cent received cash                      finding during the first round of the the easing of the lockdown in seem to be overly affected. Only of COVID-19: In what could transfers from the Government  $                     survey was the successful communi- June, which has been followed by 34 per cent reported a drop in signify a gradual economic in May and June, taken togeth- cation by the Government of the a massive surge in positive cases incomes during the lockdown. revival post the lockdown, 78 er. While most of the fund %  1          *      % dangers associated with the virus and in Delhi and the adjoining areas. This because most of them were per cent of the households transfers were achieved through !  $       %             the consequent need for a stringent Immediate impact of the busy harvesting the Rabi crop reported that their members had Jan Dhan accounts, the     %               lockdown — nearly 87 per cent of the lockdown: With a complete and doing preparations for the resumed going to the workplace Government also used other respondents asserted their support for shutdown of all activities and Kharif crop during this period. in the second and third weeks of schemes like the Ujjwala Yojana                 0      the lockdown to be extended for two commercial establishments Focus on safety measures June. But the trajectory of loss of and PM Kisan programme to     !  $              more weeks beyond its original end starting March 25, the first during “unlock” Phase I: The livelihoods and incomes for offer financial relief to the affect-          # B #     date of April 14, notwithstanding the phase of the NCAER survey most conspicuous results of the daily wage workers and small ed households.       96  C6          hardships caused by it. indicated that 25 per cent of the NCAER’s DCVTS were businesses reported in the sec- So what does the future por- The study also throws light on rural and 33 per cent of the observed in the third round, ond round of the survey contin- tend? The results of three rounds                 *S  ( other aspects of dealing with COVID- urban residents suffered short- which virtually stood at the ued in the third round, too. of the NCAER survey could                     ( ( 19, including the level of awareness ages of essential items, including cusp between the lockdown Thus, DCVTS-III showed offer some insights to policy         S      "   #   among the people about the risks and food supplies, cooking fuel and and phased “unlocking.” that more than 70 per cent of the makers for negotiating the rough symptoms of the disease; their threat even medicines. Subsequently, Characterised by the opening up households relying on wage road ahead as we brace to meet  D6          2        "  0 perceptions in terms of the chances of however, while shortages of of a range of commercial activ- work and business as the main the persistent challenges of a        $  S  !        contracting the virus and their attitudes essential supplies somewhat ities and establishments, this source of income suffered exten- virus that refuses to go away. C6               B       !  relating to mandated safety protocols eased when the respondents period in early June was critical sive loss of earnings. A large sec- Until a viable vaccine is found, such as hand hygiene, social distanc- were interviewed during the to determine how far people tion of these households was also possibly by next year, turning to                       ing and the use of masks. In addition, second round of the survey in were adhering to safety mea- compelled to borrow money to Virginia Satir’s practical advice                   S   ( it highlights the impact of the lock- the third week of April, people’s sures against the disease. Some counter financial distress. In to find new ways of coping with     $             (    down on the incomes and livelihoods worries had now squarely shift- level of complacency was wit- fact, medium and small busi- the unexpected seems to be of all sections of society. ed to the economic impact of the nessed after the “unlocking” as nesses have literally withered our only recourse.           %          Pandemic makes inroads: With lockdown. The predominant 73 per cent of the respondents under the onslaught of the eco- (The writer is Consultant      7?$ #              E6E4  the virus making nascent inroads concern during this period was reported going out for some rea- nomic earthquake unleashed Editor at NCAER. Views 7?$      =    >        into the country during late March and the decline in incomes and loss son during the period of one by the virus, with 52 per cent of expressed are personal)    #             1  2 : (&'

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 *      P  Q  /8(18&(8(34*9 :419 /*:9*4!91<4!4* .19"*985(!8:!>4!(8 )      -    ./  K(!>$ K8# K #.8. K>. $  .0         %                           ' '    ' 1 '' 3   :&'1  P  Q             (               (       has faced an inordinate delay in  Q       its completion. Take the exam-         "   ( ple of the Pancheshwar dam pro-  * *            Sir — The Supreme Court’s 0.. L.272M ject in Nepal, which has been          S ( order allowing people suffering :,;5)./ 99.. hanging fire since 1991, or the from disabilities the same ben- ...5'.'2! trilateral highway between India,     S  "   # P  Q efits of relaxation in public edu- 9  2  5 9  ..  /8./ 2 Myanmar and Thailand. New      P  Q     ( cation and employment as 8.$.M0.95728. Delhi must show the will to con-     *                  Scheduled Caste/Scheduled !.8.!/.09 9%0$ /.= front this challenge or be pre- Tribe (SC/ST) candidates is wel- /9O/.5$0 pared to pay the price.   $        *         * come. It is significant because 9O  ./ . (  7 % Kirti Wadhawan %   1        ( 2   /  S until now they used to get relax- 28$# 5%//.$. $ Kanpur P0  Q       #           ( ations on age limits but not in 9..8 = 0.8. marks and in competitive exams .N.$%0$2.5>/9                        1  like civil services. /.O00///%//.. $$ 7 /./.5 72  2        *S           They are often not able to get 9 /.$.. 9O8..# O7=.8                        the benefit of reservation in edu-  .5 .   .O  2 .0 / 8.59/..0 7 Sir — With Coronavirus infec- /.M/20./$.8./.85 9 .72 (          cation and employment because tions near one million, many they do not meet general stan- 1 9$$/..">. /.2/8/.09OLA.. $. States have imposed lockdown 0   P  Q                ( dards. They face multiple barri- .882$.0.95>/. 9.=7 @M8./5+$/9 once again in selected areas for      (        -        ers, not just social attitudes but ">=7..57 $.O$5$/./ ..  varying intervals. Earlier lock-                   (  barriers in infrastructure, infor- .88./O2. ">  . 8. 7 /.. .  9= downs being an example, neither mation, communication, admin- /M59 7$./85& # /.5+8$8.0$.8./0= could they yield any positive                      /   istration and the judicial system.  7/M$/..9. 8. .0/. 2.5 result nor could we enhance pre-  0     3 /                It is the duty of the Government 885 9!'-!=!9 paredness. Lockdowns can never  456               *   ( to enable a level-playing field 9 ./ $9..08.!/  be a permanent answer. It’s time where people with disabilities can we make peace with the virus             /         7  participate on an equal basis and start living with safeguards              7  898     S with others. Extending relax-     India. The Chabahar port itself is regional aspirations. India’s fail- in place. Sanitisers, masks and :     ;<=     P:    0 Q )    ( ations will have wide-ranging of immense strategic value. Not ure to build the rail link between social distancing should be the implications. This will see more only does it promise the develop- the Chabahar port and Zahedan sine qua non.                     ( disabled people being able to get Sir — This refers to the editori- ment of regional maritime tran- in the stipulated time proved Prathna                     into careers of their choice. The al, “Trouble in Chabahar” (July sit traffic between India, Iran, costly. Via email (        7               ( mind is still supreme. 16). Iran’s decision to drop India Afghanistan and Central Asia but But this isn’t the first time Ravi Teja Kathuripalli out of the Chabahar rail project is important from the business that an ambitious overseas infra-  + &,    Hyderabad has come as a major setback for point of view as it helps us fulfil structure development project ,*44*9341>(18**9?@"!(,2:1"    !"#$#$   ; 9' "&"#910 4&'1/2 && 1 #  "-  12'

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   '&<& . #  #      #  & &@  #     #          >A@*(FG         *    >   0   &   &    #            .%               (                     7            3 1                         (           )     (             7      F6666        F45C      ? FD          8E5G # 0          (                  %               /  0          0     + <          !        %         he high political theatre in Rajasthan and                  earlier in Madhya Pradesh has yet again    FE66                Tbrought to the fore the efficacy or other-                 !     ( wise of the anti-defection law enshrined in the Constitution by the 52nd Amendment, which was                 later further amended by the 91st Constitution   %        )        (Amendment) Act, in 2003. The sum and sub-          0       stance of these constitutional amendments is that  S             ( a member of the legislature, whether of the Union       or the State Legislature, shall be disqualified, if )  /  > H/>I       s/he is disqualified under the Tenth Schedule. The       S          ( precise grounds for disqualification of a legisla-                 ( tor, as per the Tenth Schedule are, if s/he has vol-    -   />            untarily given up his/her membership of such             #    political party, or if s/he votes or abstains from voting in the House contrary to the direction or           />    1    the whip issued by the political party s/he is a             /   @ =  member of.                 However, in the case of merger of not less than              (   0 two-thirds of the members of the legislative party  7            ( with another party, the anti-defection law will not )@A%&+1                 ( apply. The competent authority to decide the ques- @1@79+                  ( tion of disqualification is the presiding officer, the 9%&%D     >             ( Chairman/Speaker, which, after the judgment of the Supreme Court in the Kihoto Hollohan vs. 7%'@A9@@        0  #         +)@)(@@        "         Zachilhu and others, case in 1992, can be a sub- whether they promote democratic, col- MLAs loyal to him. This brought about Minister in 1996. He was elected to the ject of judicial review. #(979#A@>+1 legial or high command-centric leader- the fall of Kamal Nath and the reinstate- Rajya Sabha. In February 1995, Pranab                  The burning question is whether Sachin Pilot, 7(99%A ship — is their internal matter on which ment of Shivraj Singh Chouhan of the Mukherjee, not an MP then, was sworn =          0 ;  *  Congress MLA in the Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha, ,"(9>#("@7@ they flourish or perish in course of time. BJP as the Chief Minister. in as Minister and he briefly held the             ) has incurred disqualification under the Tenth &)97)(@P"9(@ In an all-India political party, inherent- Scindia later joined the BJP with his External Affairs portfolio but could not  0  7        F6       Schedule. He has been removed from the post &9@>>+1 ly, there will be internal struggle among supporters on March 11. But in a be elected to Parliament due to a certain    CFD      $    0 ; S of Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan and the   % the leaders for higher positions. brazen mockery of the Constitution, 14 tussle with the then redoubtable TN               post of Pradesh Congress Committee president,   9 Eventually, it is the survival of the fittest, MLAs of the 22 Scindia loyalists, who Seshan, the Chief Election                 for breaching party discipline. There were reports +(@(+ i.e. the leader who garners maximum had resigned from the Vidhan Sabha, Commissioner of India. Mukherjee    7            1  of the Rajasthan Congress legislative party hav- 7+>9"@% support within the party. Yet, such a were inducted into the Council of had to resign and he was later made the                  S ing issued showcause notices to Pilot and his loy- leader cannot last long if he is autocrat- Ministers in the second Cabinet expan- Deputy Chairman of the Planning alist legislators to explain why disciplinary action 7(99%A ic, exceedingly self-centred and under- sion. Of the 34 Ministers, including the Commission by Narasimha Rao. In the      "         />   +11@7@5                 should not be initiated against them for defying mines the dignity of his colleagues and Chief Minister, 14 are Scindia loyalists, same way, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, a the party. Pilot surprised everyone by moving @(@ party functionaries who gave their creating acrimony within the BJP. What career Indian Foreign Service officer, #    2        7?$ S   court and the Division Bench of the Rajasthan #(+'%'9A9D sweat and blood to build the matrix. is most intriguing is that these 14 was inducted into the Narendra Modi         0       >A@*( High Court has taken up the petition filed by him +1@1@79+ In Rajasthan, there is a political Scindia loyalist Ministers are not mem- Cabinet and later elected to the Rajya FG               ( and 18 MLAs against the disqualification notices 7%+'@% limbo for the moment and the ball is bers of the Vidhan Sabha. Articles Sabha.      #       >  issued to them by Assembly Speaker CP Joshi. The (+"1+( now in the court of Pilot. It is up to him 75(5) and 164(4), couched in almost But in Madhya Pradesh, this   1  "           court has not allowed any action against the leader 9>P"%A9197%9+ whether he resigns along with his fellow identical words, provide that “a Minister enabling mechanism was used whole-          #       ( and the MLAs till Tuesday. @Q7@#)%% MLAs from the Congress Party and the who for any period of six consecutive sale to promote a political rift, create a                  The fact remains that every party is empow- #+A997%A#%(D legislature and contests another election months is not a member of the split and engender the downfall of an *         *        ( ered under its constitution to enforce discipline by forming a new party or joins the Legislature of the State, shall at the expi- elected Government. Obviously, no dis- within its ranks for the larger objective of attain- 7%@Q#@A>"7) mainstream rival party, which of course ration of that period, cease to be a qualification was incurred, so to speak,             0       @'@(>       %   # >   0   ( ing its political goal. No doubt, without discipline, he has openly ruled out. Minister.” Now these 14 Ministers will on the ground of defection. But the political parties would be reduced to a mere horde 1(+)@ To acquire power “is a general have to get elected before the expiry of question is much larger, as it involves the             #    $  of power-hungry people without any sound polit- A@ 9>A%"(@ inclination of mankind, a perpetual, rest- six months from the date they were spirit of the anti-defection law. The $   /"        @    ( ical moorings and identity. The moot point is #%(D less desire that ceases only in death.” To sworn in. Constitution (52nd Amendment) was               0  whether the Congress Party can get Pilot and his nurture ambition is not prohibited by the The Constitution provides an enacted to curb the evil of defection,      (       loyalist legislators disqualified under the anti- anti-defection law which only seeks to enabling mechanism to induct talent in considering it a serious threat under- #                defection law. Apparently, Pilot and his fellow curb the evil of unprincipled defection. the Council of Ministers if it is not avail- mining the very foundations of democ-            #  MLAs have neither defected, nor voted or Interestingly, politics, being a river, able within the duly-elected legislature. racy and the lofty principles which sus-               abstained from voting against the party whip in is not always the same. In Madhya There have been many instances in the tain it.                "  the Vidhan Sabha. The law of defection, in a way, Pradesh, Congress Chief Minister Kamal past, especially at the Union level, when The manner in which the intent of              #   can be likened to the three principles of crimi- Nath had to resign when he saw the non-members were made Ministers the anti-defection law has been brazen-    %    (     "  ( nal jurisprudence which require twin tests of mens writing on the wall, which made it clear and later they were elected to the Lok ly thwarted calls for its review, includ- rea and actus reus in order to constitute a crim- that he had lost majority support in the Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. For instance, ing the need to debar anyone from   #             ( inal offence. Mere probability of defection can- Vidhan Sabha. What happened was PV Narasimha Rao was not a Member becoming a Minister without first get-   7  *    />  >   0     not be a ground for disqualification, except that inconceivable but its roots lay in the of Parliament (MP) when he was sworn ting elected to the legislature and debar-               7  a political party can expel such members from autocratic, exclusionary and factional in as the Prime Minister of the country. ring such members from contesting elec-      #        the legislature party. Such members can be politics of the Chief Minister. He later contested from Nandyal in tions for at least three years.       1         declared as “unattached” by the Speaker but can- Jyotiraditya Scindia, disgruntled Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh and (The writer is former Additional      7             not be disqualified in view of the clear legal pro- with the Congress Party, accused it of got elected to the Lok Sabha. Secretary Lok Sabha, an author and      vision. “rampant corruption” and resigned Similarly, Deve Gowda was not an writes on constitutional and parliamen- H               I How political parties govern themselves — from the Vidhan Sabha along with 22 MP when he was sworn in as the Prime tary matters.) ;         -    - 

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India’s agricultural sector produces child stunting, micronutrient malnu- affordable for impoverished people. accessible and affordable, it will also tural policies. Additionally, food more than enough foodgrain but fails trition is endemic. The needle on To achieve this goal, continued high- increase farmers’ incomes, empower- assistance programmes should be to meet demand for vegetables, puls- progress in the reduction of child level investments in agricultural ing households to devote more reformed to offer more nutritious es and other nutrient-rich foods. stunting has hardly budged over the infrastructure and research are need- resources to nutritious foods. foods. Household diet preferences If the country is to make good on decades, with 43.3 million stunted ed to sustain past gains in productiv- Farmers with small holdings also suggest a move away from staple its commitment under the United children in the country. Even as the ity growth and exploit new opportu- need support to overcome steep grains but the Public Distribution %7(9>9>9 Nations’ second Sustainable nation struggles to tackle these prob- nities for growth, such as the renewed transaction costs due to low System (PDS) is still limited to wheat Development Goal (SDG) to achieve lems, it faces an emerging threat in the interest in millet and pulses. India economies of scale, poor market and rice. By building the market infra- )@%9  : &2& zero hunger and provide access to rapidly rising number of adults who must re-orient agricultural policy connectivity, low bargaining power, structure to support the production .!.80 nutritious food for all, India must are overweight or obese, and conse- away from its traditional focus on sta- and inadequate information about and procurement of non-staples, the #'. o successful have India’s food abandon policies that prioritise sta- quently, in the prevalence of non- ples and towards enhancing the pro- prices and quality standards. Government can diversify the PDS to ,..>/. policies been that the country has ple foodgrains above all other crops. communicable diseases (NCDs). ductivity and supply of coarse cere- This is particularly true for per- include nutritious foods like coarse Sregular bumper crops of wheat It must diversify its food systems and Much of the disparity in nutri- als, pulses, fruits, vegetables and live- ishable products like fruits and veg- grains and pulses. /./.' and rice. For instance, the nation’s focus not on the quantity it produces, tional outcomes in India can be stock products. etables, which are among the most The zero-hunger challenge is a / foodgrain production is estimated to but the quality. traced back to different levels and A successful re-orientation of nutrient-rich. By investing in rural multi-sectoral task and requires $5 have touched a record 295.67 million This is the conclusion of a newly- rates of development among the the agricultural policy on the nation- market infrastructure, enacting mar- explicit strategies for convergence of  .. tonne in the 2019-20 crop year (June- published study, the 2020 Food, States. In the underdeveloped, agri- al level will require solutions at the ket reforms and supporting policies and programmes across 2./.. July) — the fourth-consecutive year Agriculture and Nutrition in India, culturally-unproductive States of cen- local level. Localised cropping systems farmer aggregation, India can enable Ministries at the Central, State and that the country has witnessed record that provides a detailed analysis of the tral and eastern India, cereal grains across the country must be rethought its small-holding farmers to local government levels. Breaking out />/. production — buoyed by good rains, state of hunger and malnutrition in dominate diets and rates of undernu- to boost productivity and increase improve their livelihoods while pro- of disciplinary and organisational silos  . according to Agriculture Ministry’s the nation. Using district-level data trition and micronutrient deficiencies crop diversity while prioritising sus- ducing more diverse agricultural is crucial for ensuring success. ./.  latest data. This is up by 10.46 mil- and maps, the report highlights stark are high. States in the north and south tainability. For example, in eastern products. Achieving zero hunger in India is @$.2/  lion tonnes from the previous year. geographical differences in the extent of the country, with developed agri- India, where staple agriculture is less Research also shows that empow- a significant challenge but can be met Yet despite this major success in of the hunger problem and identifies cultural sectors and thriving manu- productive on account of poor infra- ering women to play a greater role in if the country re-orients its policies to $5)... producing India’s staple foodgrain, potential paths forward. facturing and services industries, structure and agro-climatic condi- agriculture and household decision- unleash the full, untapped potential 2/.. and in part because of it, nearly 210 Over the last four decades, the have lower rates of undernutrition, tions, less water-intensive crops, such making improves nutrition outcomes. of the agricultural sector, with an .2. " 2 million Indians remain under-nour- country has made significant progress but high rates of obesity. as pulses, coarse cereals and oilseeds, Likewise, improving infrastructure for emphasis on producing nutritious, .$ ished, and many more suffer from in reducing hunger, at least in terms Addressing both ends of the should be adopted. clean water and sanitation leads to non-staple crops. $0..$ other forms of malnutrition, like of meeting the minimum calorie malnutrition spectrum requires Not only will such changes better health and nutrition results. (The writer is Founding Director, micronutrient deficiencies and obe- requirements. However, as evidenced enhanced availability and access to increase India’s supply of nutrient-rich These strategies should be pursued in Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture /.0..5 sity. The crux of the problem is that most clearly in the high prevalence of diverse and nutritious foods that are foods, helping to make them more conjunction with changes in agricul- and Nutrition) :  .;    !"#$#$  =

  %# "   R      *&  R   .  R  & Beijing: China isn’t seeking to universities and businesses to confront or replace the United steal research related to coro-     States as the world’s top tech- navirus vaccine development, 9    ,  nological power, but will fight leveling the allegation against back against “malicious slan- Beijing hours after Western Beijing: US officials have “lost Barr added fuel to the fire on public opinion... to the point Atlanta: Georgia Gov. Brian der” and attacks from agencies made similar claims their minds and gone mad” in Thursday when he accused where they have lost their Kemp sued the city of Atlanta Washington, a foreign ministry against Russia. their dealings with Beijing, Beijing of mounting an “eco- minds and gone mad,” she over its face-mask requirement spokesperson said Friday, “The People’s Republic of China’s foreign ministry said nomic blitzkrieg” to replace said. just after President Donald responding to a litany of recent China is now engaged in an Friday, in the latest verbal salvo Washington as the world’s pre- Hua added that China had Trump arrived in the city with- accusations from the Trump economic blitzkrieg — an between the two superpowers. eminent power and spread its no intention of challenging or out wearing a mask, Mayor administration. aggressive, orchestrated, whole- Tensions between political ideology around the replacing the US and said she Keisha Lance Bottoms said Hua Chunying said China’s of-government (indeed, whole- Washington and Beijing have world. hoped that Washington could Friday. chief concern was improving of-society) campaign to seize run high this year and some of But foreign ministry “return to rationality” in its In an interview on CBS the livelihoods of its citizens the commanding heights of the the most outspoken critics of spokeswoman Hua Chunying China policy. “This Morning,” Bottoms ques- and maintaining global peace global economy and to surpass China in American congress said Barr and other American “A sparrow cannot under- tioned the timing of the lawsuit and stability, despite what crit- work, to refuse any bullying asserted that China at the the United States as the world’s were this week hit with sanc- officials were criticising China stand the ambition of a swan,” filed shortly after Trump’s ics say is an increasingly aggres- and injustice against China, beginning of the coronavirus preeminent technological tions, days after the US to distract from domestic polit- she said. Wednesday visit to the city, sive foreign policy that looks to and to fight back against mali- pandemic had not only domi- superpower,” Barr said. imposed visa bans and asset ical problems. “This is a serious mis- calling the litigation “really odd.” expand Chinese influence in cious slander and attacks by the nated the market on protective Numerous Trump allies freezes on several Chinese offi- “These people, for self- judgement and misunder- “I pointed out that Donald the military, technology, eco- US against China,” Hua told gear, exposing American have issued strongly worded cials. interest and political gain, do standing of China’s strategic Trump violated that order when nomic and other spheres. reporters at a daily briefing. dependence on Beijing, but messages over China in recent US Attorney General Bill not hesitate to hijack domestic intent.” AFP he landed at our airport and did “As an independent sover- Her comments came in had also hoarded supplies and days, coming at a time when not wear a mask,” she said. eign state, China has the right response to a speech Thursday blocked producers from bilateral relations have fallen to sations of cybertheft related to avirus vaccines, we have first- moved swiftly to develop a She said Kemp “is a Trump to safeguard its own sover- by Attorney General William exporting them to countries in their lowest point in decades vaccine development as class scientific research per- coronavirus vaccine, as coun- loyalist and he seems to work eignty, security and develop- Barr in which he cautioned need. over issues from accusations of “absurd.” “Because everyone sonnel, and we do not need to tries compete for the prestige very hard to please the president ment interests, to defend the American business leaders Barr also accused hackers technology theft to China’s knows that China is in a lead- gain a leading position with and profits that would come of the United States, and that is achievements made by the against promoting policies linked to the Chinese govern- claims in the South China Sea. ing position in the research and theft,” Hua said. with being the first to bring often at the expense of the peo- Chinese people with hard favourable to Beijing. He ment of targeting American Hua dismissed Barr’s accu- development of new coron- Chinese companies have such a product to market. AP ple in our state.” Asked whether she thinks Trump encouraged Kemp to file the lawsuit, she said she could- % P      . & , &   9%+ & & + n’t speak about whatever con- versations they had. &  But she added that Trump  9    , # 2& “was violating the rules of our   P city in just a blatant disregard for  '     the science.” Kemp defended the Islamabad: In one of the most Hibatullah Akhunzada is might be strictly necessary for United Nations: The Tehrik-e- in conjunction with, under the lawsuit during a press confer- significant shake-ups in years, meant to tighten his control the opening stages of talks,” Taliban Pakistan terror group’s name of, on behalf of, or in sup- ence Friday morning, accusing Kathmandu: Nepal’s ruling According to Prime the Taliban put the son of the over the movement’s military said Andrew Wilder, vice pres- leader Noor Wali Mehsud port of” entities associated Atlanta officials of playing pol- communist party on Friday Minister’s press secretary Surya movement’s feared founder in and political arms, the officials ident of the Asia Program at the has been designated as a with al-Qaeda. itics and not enforcing State decided to convene a meeting Thapa, the NCP has called a charge of its military wing and said on condition of anonymi- Washington-based US Institute global terrorist by the UN for In June 2018, Mehsud was orders already in effect. of its top decision-making body secretariat meeting after the two added powerful figures to its ty because they were not autho- of Peace. participating in the financing, named the leader of Tehrik-e- Kemp said the lawsuit was on Saturday to try and end the top leaders have agreed to call negotiating team ahead of rized to discuss the inner work- “If you want to see the planning and perpetrating Taliban Pakistan (TTP), fol- filed “on behalf of business tussle for power between belea- a conclave of the highest body expected talks aimed at ending ings of the movement. glass as half full this strength- acts on behalf of and in lowing the death of former owners, their employees and guered Prime Minister and for- of the party ahead of the 45- Afghanistan’s decades of war, Analysts say the shake-up ened Taliban delegation could support of entities associated TTP leader Maulana Fazlullah. hardworking Georgians mer premier Pushpa Kamal member Standing Committee Taliban officials say.As head of could be good news for nego- be interpreted as a sign that with al-Qaeda. The TTP was blacklisted by throughout the region who con- Dahal ‘Prachanda’ that has meeting on Sunday in a bid to a newly united military wing, tiations with Afghanistan’s the group is planning to The UN Security Council’s the UN on July 29, 2011 for its tinue to struggle to make ends divided the party. strike a power-sharing deal by 30-year-old Mullah political leadership in Kabul, engage in serious discussions,” 1267 ISIL and Al-Qaida association with al-Qaeda. meet.” “Mayor Bottoms mask The decision to hold a sorting out their differences. Mohammad Yaqoob, brings and a sign of just how serious he said. Sanctions Committee added “Under Noor Wali’s lead- mandate cannot be enforced, but meeting of the 9-member During previous meetings, his father’s fiercely uncompro- the Taliban are taking this sec- When the US signed the Mehsud, 42, to the ISIL (Da’esh) ership, TTP has claimed her decision to shutter busi- Central Secretariat was taken Oli has refused to resign or give mising reputation to the bat- ond — and perhaps most crit- deal with the Taliban on and Al-Qaida Sanctions List on responsibility for numerous nesses and undermine eco- hours after the party post- up his position as chairman of tlefield. ical — step in a deal February 29, after more than a Thursday, subjecting the deadly terrorist attacks across nomic growth is devastating,” poned for the fifth time the the NCP as demanded by the Equally significant is the Washington signed with the year and a half of negotiations, Pakistani national to an assets Pakistan, including an attack the Republican governor added. Standing Committee meeting faction led by Prachanda. addition of four members of insurgents in February. it was touted as Afghanistan’s freeze, travel ban and arms targeting Pakistani security Kemp and Georgia Attorney till Sunday to give more time to The party has also decided the insurgent group’s leadership “I’d say it appears to be a best chance at peace in four embargo. forces in North Waziristan in General Chris Carr, in a state Oli and the rival faction led by to hold a crucial meeting of its council to the 20-member positive development because decades of war. The Sanctions Committee July 2019 and a bomb attack court suit filed late Thursday, Prachanda, the executive chair- 441-member Central Working negotiating team, Taliban offi- the Taliban are creating a del- It was also seen as a road said that Mehsud was listed for against Pakistani soldiers in argued that Bottoms has over- man of the Nepal Communist Committee (CWC), Ganesh cials told The Associated Press. egation that seems more senior map for the withdrawal of US “participating in the financing, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in stepped her authority and must Party (NCP) to have more Shah, a Standing Committee The shuffle overseen by and more broad-based than troops from Afghanistan, end- planning, facilitating, or per- August 2019,” the Sanctions obey Kemp’s executive orders talks. member, told PTI. PTI Taliban leader Mullah they’ve used to date, or than ing America’s longest war. AP petrating of acts or activities by, Committee said. PTI under state law. AP R  A@        *                  #        #   Berlin: The United Nations is economies and societies.” Beijing: Engorged with more The official Xinhua News evacuations of around 1.8 mil- increasing to $10.3 billion its At the beginning of the Washington: The US govern-  $3    heavy rains, China’s mighty Agency said the rate of flow in lion people in 24 provinces, appeal for humanitarian aid year, humanitarian agencies ment’s top official in charge of Yangtze River is cresting again, the reservoir behind the dam mainly in southern China. funding to handle the fallout targeted around 110 million coronavirus testing is urging bringing fears of further would hit a record for the year Direct losses attributed to from the coronavirus crisis people, he said. They now Americans not to get retested Dhaka: The owner of a hospi- supposed to provide free treat- destruction. The seasonal on Friday night, at 55,000 flooding are estimated at more around the world. need to reach 250 million in 63 for COVID-19 to confirm tal chain in Bangladesh that ment for COVID-19. They floods that already have left square meters (almost 600,000 than 49 billion yuan ($7 bil- Jens Laerke, a spokesman countries. Laerke said the U.N. they’ve recovered. swindled money from thou- later billed Tk 19.6 million 141 people dead or missing square feet) per second. lion), according to the for the U.N. Office for the Initially asked for $2 billlion in Assistant Secretary for sands of patients by issuing fake (USD 231,231) to the health have grown in force since last Rivers in the Yangtze sys- Ministry of Emergency Coordination of Humanitarian late March for the immediate Health Admiral Brett Giroir coronavirus test reports has directorate. month. tem have broken their banks in Management. Affairs, said in Geneva on Friday response. That was increased to said Thursday that repeat test- been arrested in a border area According to reports, The heavy rains are places, and in Hubei, a heli- Flood waters reached as that “the number of people in $6.7 billion in May. He said the ing is not necessary for most while he was trying to flee to Shahed belongs to the govern- putting renewed pressure on copter was used to drop stones high as 1.4 meters (almost 5 the world who need humani- appeal does cover basic health people who are infected but India, according to media ing Awami League party head- the massive Three Gorges into the breach to block the feet) in Linshui county in the tarian assistance has more than services but the bulk of it is remain at home. He said such reports. ed by Prime Minister Sheikh Dam that straddles the river inrushing waters. southwestern province of doubled because of the COVID- related to non-health needs, testing is “clogging up the sys- The Rapid Action Battalion Hasina and is a member of its upstream of the city of Wuhan Flooding since the begin- Sichuan, the ministry’s rescue 19 pandemic and the effects of such as food, water, sanitation tem.” (RAB) arrested Regent Hospital foreign affairs subcommittee. in Hubei province. ning of the month has forced department reported. AP the global lockdown of and shelter. AP US health officials will soon Chairman Mohammad Shahed Shahed has 56 cases against issue guidelines explicitly rec- from Satkhira village bordering him and was absconding since ommending against the prac- India on Wednesday and air- the RAB raided his hospitals. tice, except for patients in the lifted him to Dhaka before Another doctor and her hus- most severe cases. handing him over to the police. band were also arrested recent- Americans in many states The RAB sealed off the ly on similar charges of falsi- continue to face long lines at headquarters and two branch- fying test results. testing sites and lag times es of Regent Hospital in Dhaka JKG Health Care obtaining their results. The after it emerged that the hos- Chairman Sabrina Sharmeen problems are due to a combi- pital authorities had swindled Husain, a government cardiac nation of pressures, including thousands of unsuspecting surgeon and the wife of the increased testing demand, sup- patients out of millions of takas hospital’s CEO Ariful ply shortages and bottlenecks at on the pretext of coronavirus Chaudhury, was arrested for laboratories processing the tests. treatment, the bdnews report- providing false reports without US officials are aiming to ed. testing the swabs collected increase the use of rapid tests to It also initiated a case from the people for COVID-19 shorten turnaround times. against 17 people, including tests. Those tests can usually be Shahed, on charges of issuing The National Revenue developed in 15 minutes or less fake COVID-19 test reports Board on Friday instructed and can be performed at test- and other irregularities. banks to freeze the accounts ing sites, doctor’s offices and The case alleges that the held by Shahed and Sabrina, clinics. hospital authorities duped the daily reported. The apex tax They tend to be less accu- nearly 6,000 patients out of Tk administration authority has rate than the tests that need to 20.1 million (USD 237,129) by written to the central on the be developed at clinical labo- issuing fake coronavirus tests issue, according to a top NBR ratories. AP reports even though it was official. PTI *      -      (  B  !"   Kathmandu: The Nepal ed 17,445 COVID-19 cases. Government is planning to The COVID-19 death toll resume domestic and interna- rose to 40 on Friday after a 73- Tehran: Iran’s state-run IRNA tional flight operations from year-old man’s death due to news agency is reporting that next month with the country coronavirus complications was the United Arab Emirates flag making steady progress in its confirmed. The deceased was a carrier airline has resumed fight against the coronavirus diabetic and suffered from a flights to Tehran after five outbreak. heart condition. months. The Tourism Ministry is The Tourism Ministry will The Friday report said an working on a tentative plan to recommend the COVID–19 Emirates Airline flight landed start domestic flights from Crisis Management Centre — in Tehran’s Imam Khomeini August 5 and international headed by Deputy Prime international airport. It was flights from August 17, an Minister Ishwor Pokharel — to the first flight since late official close to Minister resume flight operations from February when the airliner Yogesh Bhattarai told PTI. The next month, the official said. stopped its flight after Emirati first round of flights will be to A cabinet decision is authorities found two Iranians and from capital Kathmandu, required to resume the flight who were infected with the he said. services. The Nepal govern- coronavirus. The number of active ment had suspended air travel Emirates planned to have coronavirus cases in Nepal in the third week of March to one flight per day to Tehran- dropped to about 6,000 this contain the spread of the virus. Dubai-Tehran with a Boeing week, while the recovery rate However, charter flights 777 jetliner. The outbreak in remains impressive at 66.12 were operated to deliver med- Iran has killed at least 13,400 per cent. In total, the ical equipment and for repatri- people amid 264,561 con- Himalayan nation has report- ation. PTI firmed cases. AP    !"#$#$  8

  !   / (  %  $$ 3&'(0&2:&(2 2   '    ,  "!  # , . ?D*55@  5D45> &       @&@A)9 &  here has been no impact of  @&@A)9 (1CD( #     TCOVID-19 pandemic on New Delhi: The Income Tax kharif (summer) sowing as the Department has issued refunds ith India banning 59  E===      total area planted to rice and worth 71,229 crore to over 21 WChinese apps on June 29 other crops has increased by lakh taxpayers during April 8 amid border tensions with the       21.20 per cent to 691.86 lakh to July 11.This includes per- neighbouring country, the hectare so far in the current sonal income tax (PIT) refunds affected companies have begun        season, the Agriculture of  24,603 crore issued to 19.79 reducing their workforce in the Ministry said on Friday. The lakh individuals and corporate country as they stare at huge country has so far received tax refunds amounting to  losses. 10th of July, 2020,” said the by Chinese unicorn ByteDance, good rainfall and water level in 46,626 crore to over 1.45 lakh Alibaba subsidiary statement. might take the biggest hit by the 123 reservoirs across the coun- taxpayers during this period. UCWeb, the company behind “After that date, your data ban as its largest user base try is in good position, it said “It is further emphasised the apps UC Browser and UC will no longer be accessible, as (nearly 120 million before the in the latest sowing data. that all the refund related News which feature in the list services will be under review,” ban came into force) is in Sowing of kharif crops begins cleaning up of the tax demands of apps banned by India, has it added. India. with the onset of southwest is being taken up on priority already stopped service in the Meanwhile, e-commerce ByteDance is expecting a monsoon from June, while and is likely to be completed by country, leading to job cuts at player Club Factory, which is loss of $6 billion after three of harvesting starts from October. August 31, 2020,” an official its Gurugram and Mumbai also banned by India, sent an its apps were featured in the list Rice is the main kharif crop, statement said. offices. email to sellers to inform them of 59 banned apps in India, besides bajra, arhar, urad, It said that the government “We have complied with about suspension of settlement according to a report in China’s moong, groundnut and soy- has laid great emphasis on the government’s recent direc- of their pending dues until the state-run Global Times. abean. providing tax related services to tive concerning 59 apps and ban was lifted, All India Online TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer “As on July 17, total kharif the taxpayers without any has- stopped the service,” a UC Vendor Association (AIOVA) earlier, however, reportedly crops have been sown on sles and is aware that during spokesperson said in a state- said in a legal notice on assured ByteDance employees 691.86 lakh hectare area against these difficult times of COVID- ment. Thursday. that India’s move to ban the app 570.86 lakh hectare area during 19 pandemic, many of the tax- Earlier, in a statement on AIOVA, which represents would not lead to salary cuts the corresponding period of payers are waiting to see that July 7, UC Browser warned its more than 2,000 sellers across and layoffs in the country. last year, thus increase in area their tax demands and refunds India users that their data will the country, demanded imme- A Global Times report last coverage by 21.20 per cent,” the reach finality as quickly as not be accessible after July 10. diate settlement of dues to week quoted an industry expert ministry said. So, there is no possible, the statement added. “We are in the process of sellers. who said that a large number impact of COVID-19 on as on July 17 from 142.06 lakh Pulses area has gone up by 110.09 lakh hectare in the said The Central Board of complying with a recent gov- Not settling dues of sellers of Chinese companies may progress of area coverage under hectare in the year-ago period. 32.35% to 81.66 lakh hectare, period. Area planted to coarse Direct Taxes further asked tax- ernment directive... As our who delivered goods to con- shut their India offices and let kharif crops as on date, it said. There has been significant from 61.70 lakh hectare, while cereals has increased by 12.23 payers to provide immediate services may be affected, please sumers is a clear violation of go of their local staff.Experts Among kharif crops, area increase in the planting of that of oilseeds acreage has % to 115.60 lakh hectare so far response to emails of the back up all data you deem Reserve Bank of India guide- expect a wave of job layoffs due planted to rice has increased by oilseeds and pulses so far dur- increased by 40.75% to 154.95 as against 103 lakh hectare a department for quick process- important from the UC app to lines, the notice said. to the ban on Chinese apps, 18.59% to 168.47 lakh hectare ing the ongoing kharif season. lakh hectare compared to year ago. ing of their refunds. PTI your device no later than the However, TikTok, owned said the report. +9   B7%       ,    #,   18./.2

 "'%9 per cent. brought about renewed confi- Meanwhile, with a ..88./.. ONGC was the top gain- dence in D-Street which was record single-day surge of arkets darted up for the er in the Sensex pack on Friday, supposed to (witness) a 34,956 cases, India’s COVID-19 7.= 6('9@ Mthird straight session on rallying 5.52 per cent, followed ‘washout quarter’. tally zoomed past ten lakh on Friday as robust corporate by Titan, Reliance Industries, “Going forward it is Friday, just three days after it results gave fresh impetus to HDFC Bank, M&M and Bajaj expected that such perfor- crossed the nine-lakh mark,  @&@A)9 that the markets continue to investor bullishness, even as the Finance. mances will be largely dis- according to the Union Health function and ensure solvency country’s COVID-19 case Only five Sensex con- counted with a kneejerk reac- Ministry data. uture economic policies in the financial sector. count breached the 10-lakh stituents closed in the red -- tion without significant price Global markets were Fneed to be tailored towards Several measures, includ- mark. TCS, Nestle India, Infosys, movements,” said Jimeet Modi, mixed ahead of a crucial supporting the economy, ing reduction in Cash Reserve After trading on a pos- HCL Tech and Axis Bank, Founder & CEO Samco Group. European Union meeting over depending on how effects of Ratio, special finance facility, itive note through the day, the shedding up to 1.45 per cent. IT firm HCL Technologies on the Euro 750-billion recovery pandemic play out, RBI exec- Long Term Repo Operations 30-share BSE Sensex witnessed According to traders, Friday posted a 31.7 per cent fund, while spiking coron- utive director M Rajeshwar (LTRO) and Targeted Long a burst of buying towards the stock-specific buying driven rise in consolidated net profit avirus cases in the US and other Rao said on Friday. Term Repo Operations end of the session to close at by earnings boosted the mar- at Rs 2,925 crore for the June countries weighed on senti- He said the first set of (TLTRO) were announced, he 37,020.14, up 548.46 points, or kets, while a strengthening 2020 quarter. ment. responses from the Reserve said at a webinar organised by 1.50 per cent. rupee also added to the buying BSE oil and gas, ener- Bourses in Shanghai, Bank of India was to ensure Assocham. Similarly, the wider NSE momentum. gy, consumer durables, finance, Hong Kong and Seoul ended in Nifty surged 161.75 points, or “IT companies like Infosys, bankex and auto indices rallied the green, while Tokyo closed 1.51 per cent, to close at Wipro are amongst a few who up to 5.05 per cent, while IT lower. 10,901.70. witnessed stock frenzy this and teck ended in the red. In Europe, stock During the week, the week and gave an impression of Broader BSE mid-cap exchanges in Germany and International oil benchmark In the forex market, the Sensex advanced 425.81 points a good head start to the earn- and small-cap indices jumped the UK were trading with Brent crude futures slipped rupee appreciated by 16 paise or 1.16 per cent, while the Nifty ings season...The earnings per- up to 1.55 per cent in line with gains, while those in France 0.97 per cent to USD 42.95 per to close at 75.02 against the US gained 133.65 points or 1.24 formance by IT players has the benchmarks. witnessed losses in early deals. barrel. dollar. #>'/.  /. &  P#  ..>@2  ) ?!) 

/$/  "'%9 lion from $513.254 billion reported for the week ended ndia’s foreign exchange July 3.India’s forex reserves  @&@A)9 crore as of July 15 to entities Ireserves increased by $3.108 comprise foreign currency belonging to micro, small and billion during the week ended assets (FCAs), gold reserves, he Finance Ministry on medium enterprise (MSME) July 10.According to the special drawing rights (SDRs), % ,%*  (   *%   TFriday said public sector sector, hit hard by the COVID- Reserve Bank of India’s week- and the country’s reserve posi- )    & &  *     * banks have sanctioned Rs 19 crisis. ly statistical supplement, the tion with the International &    &  *   +*    * 19,668.87 crore to 71 MSME The scheme is the biggest reserves grew to $516.362 bil- Monetary Fund (IMF). +     % +9 hubs across the country under fiscal component of the Rs 20- &4          *      the Rs 3-lakh crore Emergency lakh crore Aatmanirbhar   %)(        4 Credit Line Guarantee Scheme Bharat Abhiyan package (ECLGS). announced by Finance Disbursement in these Minister Nirmala Sitharaman @. 1++    clusters stood at Rs 12,871.50 last month. . #,   9O   2..   4#3*34*:-81,1@ 413:(*84(<(:!,,"*!3#9* 4-*1#4:1"*1<:,*!8(8@

New Delhi: As office workers %    5;*  are not sure whether the work- % * + 1$ 2 station is safe during Covid-19 times, global workplace expe-   $  )%N9%'% rience and facility manage- ment company ISS has ow the corona warrior launched a new disinfection NPPE kit and mask quality and hygiene solution named will be tested in Ghaziabad Pure Space. itself. National Accreditation It uses ATP technology to sci- Board for Testing and entifically measure the out- Calibration Laboratories come of cleaning. ATP stands (NABL) approved laboratory of for Adenosine triphosphate, a PPE Kit and Mask has been molecule found only in and commissioned by Northern around living cells, and can India Textile Research therefore be used to measure Association (Nitra), attached to the concentration of microor- Ministry of Textiles, ganisms and the level of Government of India. The spe- hygiene. cial thing is that Sanjay Nagar, This factual, evidence-based Sector 23 is also approved by method helps dispel any doubts Bureau of Indian Standards. It that an area is clean and ready is a specialized testing school of for working.”ISS has a respon- its kind in North India. sibility to help society break the Director General of Nitra, Dr. chain of infection. To do that, Sri Arindam Vasu stated that we have developed Pure Space only PPE kits and masks of with our scientific knowledge high quality will help in pro- of large-scale cleaning, disin- tecting Corona warriors and fection and workplace experi- the general public from the ence,” says ISS Group COO, infection of Corona. TroelsBjerg.    &!' ( ) 7    !"#$#$

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emember how your mother would and proven, it is going to be handed down. stuff your mouth and blazer pockets For example, are easy to consume,  In your book, The Perils of Being Rwith soaked almonds while you were store and have a long shelf life. When the Moderately Famous, you have talked headed to school for your exam or a job lockdown was announced, I actually stocked about how certain rules and regulations interview? Yes, even when you were getting almonds first. And if you keep them in the come with being born in a royal family. So late, she would insist, “Zarur kha lena, isse right temperature in the right way, then they how have your growing up years influ- buddhi chalegi.” Well, such nuskhas (home- last for up to two years. So it’s a very good enced your health habits? made remedies) of an Indian mother might food to have in the house. Yes, upbringing always shapes you. seem a little too much to follow at times, but Especially when you become a parent, you they’ve certainly worked, time and again.  For many, consuming the same food tend to adopt the same style of parenting that And yes, not just mothers, but science agrees everyday might become boring. But that’s your parents had around you. And coming too — almonds boost memory. what the lockdown has given us — the back to physical exercise, we were quite a Actor and writer Soha Ali Khan, who same routine everyday. How do you sporty family. My father loved and played has been quite cautious about her food habits ensure variety? sports. We, as kids, were always playing bad- and exercise, shares her story of how she Of course, there could be a sense of minton or cricket or tennis. We used to be began consuming almonds and continues boredom at home, especially for those who constantly active, running around, going for to find them as essential ingredients for travel often. Nowadays, every meal is campaigns. We were very physically active health. cooked at home and you might get a little as a family. Even in Delhi, playing pithu and Excerpts of our ‘Badam pe Charcha’ with restless with that. But all of us, including all outdoor games were our hobbies. It was her: (daughter) Inaaya (laughs), have tried our all about group sports. These days though hands at cooking something new. Inaaya it is about individual regimen.  How relevant do you think a conversa- loves to bake. We have to even control it at Also, I have learnt about getting the right tion about everyday kitchen ingredients times. We give her the ingredients and she nutrition from my parents. Even the whole is during this time of pandemic when peo- actually mixes them in a bowl. She is try- almonds theory came from my mother. She ple are becoming really health conscious? ing to learn about quantities, maths and used to soak them overnight and give them Of course, the lockdown and the chemistry of different things. Even Kunal to us in the morning before we went to Coronavirus pandemic have been hugely (Kemmu, actor and husband) has learnt to school. This is how I have seen the benefits challenging and worrying in so many ways. make some new dishes. He recently tried his of almonds from a young age. Hence, I have But we have to look at the positive side hand at making dum aaloo for the also habituated my child to it and make sure of everything. The idea is to see first time. It’s a Kashmiri she doesn’t miss it a single day. what we can learn and how we dish that his mother spe- A ‘royal family’ is just a tag or a name! can use this time as fruitful- cialised in. Well, now, It’s just an usual family growing up which ly as we can. We have been it’s empowering for has traditions and routines of their own just locked down for three to him that he can cook like every other family has. four months now and we are it for himself too. still unsure until when this When everyone  How difficult is it to write a book about will continue. We need to try at home cooks some- yourself, laying your life bare in front of and get some more control thing in their own people that you didn’t even know or those over certain things. style, it changes the who knew you? People have wanted to learn monotony a little bit. Well, while writing the book, I felt that mythology, new diet patterns and And now, due to social I needed to be honest because otherwise, it what not. This is the time when you media and YouTube, everyone isn’t fair to the readers who pay for a book can kick start that. I would say being healthy has found a little chef in themselves. They and don’t even find its content worth it. Why should always be the priority for everyone. are coming up with new recipes. Adaptive then write a book at all? I would say I have And now because you are not eating out at learning is a wonderful part about human the ability to laugh at myself and not take restaurants, you are not attending parties, nature. myself very seriously, which is why I am you can have a control over what you eat and happy to share a lot of things that have hap- this is the time to be mindful. Everybody  Before the pandemic, there used to be pened in my life. I’ve always felt that some- knows that Indian food is so good for health. various kind of routines and diet mantras where somebody relates to you. It has got all the right spices and ingredients. that people followed. But now that we are Also, it was to debunk myths people If you cook it properly, it actually address- indoors, 24x7, what do you think is going have about you coming from the royal fam- es a lot of your medicinal and nutritional to be the new normal for fitness? ily of Pataudis, being an actor, or living a life concerns. Besides our nuts and grain her- Yes, outdoor activities are going to be that they can’t imagine. Ultimately, when you itage could help us develop healthy snacks. shut for some time now. And gyms and write these things down, it strikes a chord For example, almonds are superfoods parks will be closed. However, like I said, within lot of people — young women, stu- because of all the incredible minerals in finding a positive side to things are impor- dents, travellers, people who enjoy cricket them like zinc, copper, healthy fats and tant. So, anyway it’s monsoon time. In cities and other things associated — and they build dietary fibre. A handful of almonds every- like Mumbai, it gets difficult to be outside a connection. It’s about just that at the end day can really help you curb your hunger, at this time. Hence, for workout, I have of the day. gain energy and grow physically and men- adapted to yoga because for it, you don’t tally stronger. need to be in a gym or need equipment or  What would you say is your fitness be outdoors. All you require is a mat or even mantra?  How do you think nutrition tricks and a towel. It’s the best form of exercise, which I personally love yoga. It’s the best for parenting remain the same even as gen- can be done at any age. The best part about one’s mental, physical and emotional well- erations evolve? exercising at home — you don’t even have being. For others, I would say doing any- There are certain things that will con- to pay for them. There are also a lot of other thing that gets your heart rate elevated for tinue because they are timeless. Just like a online workouts. There are stairs, too. Just at least half an hour or an hour per day, good advice! As long as every generation’s walking up and down the stairs is quite an whether it’s through dance, Zumba or experience about a certain thing is the same amazing form of exercise. Pilates. / /&/ 0&/ / 89    / + 10' t has been a time of double treat nomenal performances on-screen Ifor actor Sanya Malhotra who and her latest one being, Shakuntala had back to back reasons to cel- Devi is where one will be witness- * & ebrate. ing her play the real life character Recently, the trailer of her of Anupama Banerji, daughter of next, Shakuntala Devi was Shakuntala Devi.  % released and she has been garner- Sanya has been getting F9%% .!( ing wide appreciation ever since. immense appreciation from the Now, her film Ludo’s announce- audience and critics, alike for her !90  ment came in and she is super screen presence. The actor also did thrilled. a little dance recently to celebrate    Sharing her excitement on the the trailer release.    forthcoming line up with various Sanya’s bold and never seen reasons to celebrate, Sanya shares, before avatar also won over us with  &  “This is a very exciting time for the glimpse of Ludo that recently me, first the trailer of Shakuntala was announced to be releasing on     Such is the world of on the joke being said. Murray vs Joker Battles, Quinn said. “It Devi was released and then Ludo’s OTT platform. The fans are eager-    & Impractical Jokers as Brian has the ability to make one depends on the moment; it release on Netflix was announced. ly waiting and how. Quinn, James Murray, Joe Sal word funny, none of the other depends on what we are doing. And the response that I’m getting The efforts that Sanya has put     & indulge in hilarious antics that guys have that. He says the Sal is useless at a lot of situa- for the trailer as well as Ludo’s in her character are truly visible and leave the audience teary eyed word ‘No’ in a way, it never isn’t tions but then I am useless too announcement is overwhelming. it looks extremely promising. It’s veryone feels they could as they simply cannot control funny to me. Nobody else in certain situations. It is always I’ve been flooded with congratu- not just her looks, the body lan- Emake a fortune filming their laughter. could do that but Murray.” He shifting.” To which Murray latory calls from family and guage and dialogue delivery but themselves with their best Talking about the latest then replied, “We all have added, “I would say my least friends since yesterday and I’m also everything looks extremely friends challenging one anoth- season of Impractical Jokers, moments when we shine favorite is Sal, he throws me happy with how both announce- polished. er to outrageous public dares, Quinn and Murray recently exceptionally, we also have under the bus. I feel like Quinn ments lined up together. With With a promising line-up of but what happens when four revealed who is the funniest moments when we fail excep- is my favorite in Joker vs Joker. back to back good news, it’s films, Sanya has many reasons to childhood friends actually do? amongst the four of them and tionally. Quinn, Jo and Sal are He and I have a good rapport always more the merrier, special- celebrate. Shakuntala Devi is all set Well, the result is a blockbuster also whom would they team up the funniest guys in the groups together.” To which Quinn ly while we are stuck on lock- to release on July 30 on Amazon family entertainer that will with for a Joker vs Joker battle. to me.” replied, “I agree with that, we down.” Prime Video. Her next project, leave you and your loved ones Quinn mentioned, “The Speaking on who they balance each other out in those The actor has time and again, Anurag Basu’s Ludo is along with in splits. funniest in the group depends would pick for the heated Joker situations.” treated the audience with her phe- Guneet Monga’s Pagglait.    !"#$#$    &!' ( )77

higher education and interacted with peo- or Roshewalla, I have done that. I am always ple from different states, people started experimenting with visual storytelling in my stereotyping her and asking cliché questions. music videos as that is a part of the process “A few years ago when I went to that excites me as an artist. Kashmir after having lived in a ‘normal’ city like Bengaluru, I went as somebody who had  How did you manage to focus on seen both sides of the story. When we vis- Kashmiri culture and traditions with ited our home, the one my father built with Jaipur as the backdrop? his sweat, blood and tears, a lot of memo- I think the idea was to bring out a fun ries came alive. It was a bit surreal that some- contrast, which has actually come out in the body else lives there now — a kind of a bit- video and people are enjoying it. I was real- ter sweet experience. Along with that, I also ly trying to do something different and push realised that the place has some sort of pain the envelope a little; the marriage has worked looming in the environment. I interacted out pretty well in its own unique way. with a lot of people there and realised that the pain was a common denominator for all  The rustic folk of Kashmir and of us. We all suffered in our own ways and Rajasthani folk-rock ensemble are two dif- everything was so beautiful, yet painful,” she ferent genres. How challenging was it to tells us. combine the two and create something This inspired her to create art that would rooted? possibly change the dialogue on Kashmir Yes, they are completely two different and also bring her a few steps closer to the genres. Honestly, combining them was not roots. The idea for her first album, Sounds challenging as we knew we wanted some- Of Kashmir, was born then. “I believe that thing very different. As an independent when your roots are cut in front of you, you artiste, one’s endeavour is to do something try harder to grow them back. This album that is beyond the ordinary and that is what is thus my little love letter to Kashmir. It’s I always try to do. I approach music with the "   :  && something I’ve created with hope and love idea of blending cultures. And this was an in my heart for the Valley’s sound to travel effort in the same direction. It was appre-     /  / %"%/ "#!&- outside Kashmir. Hopefully, it resonates all ciated all over as a lot of people from dif- over the world,” adds she. Recently, she has ferent parts of the world could relate to this  %0 / &*0  come out with her fifth single from this in their own way, so I guess that’s what we    " * & /  " album — Nundbane. Excerpts: tried to achieve.  What is the meaning and significance  Given the political unrest in Kashmir, #! "# /  &&9 /" " / of Nundbane? Whom would you attribute how do you think such songs and lyrics are it to? important for people to keep their spirits 0  1##1 "/ /  Nundbane literally means the apple of high? my eye or my beautiful one. This is a sweet Yes, there is political unrest in Kashmir. #' & "  / %&<& / romantic song about love that is sung in the Also, we all are pulled down in our own ways valleys of Kashmir. It was written by this poet in the post-pandemic world. I think the job !  "/ called Mehmood Gami and is an ultimate of an artiste is to create songs about hope ode to love. It is attributed to everybody so that people can resonate with their music. whom I love — my partner, parents, fami- Nundbane is a happy bright song, about a ly and friends. During these tough times of universal emotion, so I hope it brings a smile crisis, all of us have realised the value of love on people’s faces and cheers them up. a bit more than we used to earlier. I feel we have come closer to our loved ones. So this  How smooth or difficult it is to create is a song which you can essentially dedicate music on something so relatable and to anybody you love, even if you are far away, personal? just like I am to Kashmir. Sometimes it’s smooth and sometimes very difficult as you have to detach yourself  The song is the fifth single from your from the past experiences to give a fresh nar- forthcoming album, Sound of Kashmir. rative. As a songwriter, you have to let go What does the album aim to achieve? of some perspectives, which is not easy The album aims to pay tribute to because it is too personal. This is a difficult Kashmir’s folklore. It also aims to stir a new battle altogether, but this is the only way I dialogue about the land and bring people can do things which are organic and real. I closer to its rich culture, language and music. have to keep my music authentic. So I have I hope to take that mountain sound to the tried to keep that part of the process world stage, and hopefully, people will enjoy smooth. music and always remember it. now-capped mountains fronted by  Do you want to use your art to tell the chinar trees, saffron fields, Kahwah ,  Recently, in an interview, you had said story of Kashmir aloud that can have a far Smirror-still lakes and a sumptuous that the song was shot in Jaipur as it is cul- reaching impact? autumn season, Kashmir is a blessed land. turally vibrant and it has that ‘khushboo’ Chalo Chinaro Ke Gharo is a song that One that some had to leave and could never of Indian folk. But the song primarily deals tells the story of thousands of Kashmiris, return to. This angst birthed the artiste in with the love and romance of Kashmir... including mine. It is told in a way that you Aabha Hanjura. Well, the whole song has been created see the story of separation and reunion, all Says she, “When I did visit my sonically in a folk fusion style, engulfed in this magical world of a fairy tale. home in Kashmir, I got a new O& which marries elements This is the way I want to tell these stories perspective on life. I grew up )  " of Indian folk like dho- but the whole thing has to be very organic in Jammu, which was "     lak and tabla, along and real. I don’t run away from telling a polit- unstable in its own way. with electric and ical story. I come from a conflict-ridden state There were curfews,   #  # *  acoustic guitar. (now UT) and some of those influences will bandhs, bomb blasts "    " All these are the naturally creep into my art and music and a policed regime. ) '" )  " very contem- because this is what I am. But I always stick My family was porary ele- to things flowing naturally and never do it forced to flee like  )  5 " & P ments and on just for the sake of doing it. thousand others in   " &P  " top of it, there 1990. But even then it "    "  is rustic  What are your future projects? Do you was not as intense as #  "A P   Kashmiri saaz have a similar approach to any of your Kashmir. I was too like Rubab, other works too? young to understand the      Tumbaknari and The idea is to finish this album and circumstances, so I grew up  " P Santoor. So, the whole move on to some new projects. There are oblivious to the political and sonic identity of the song some interesting collaborations in the emotional realities of the situation. borrows from the Indian pipeline and varied directions that I am tak- The pain was felt strongly by my parents, folk vibe. When I heard the song, it ing with my music. I sing in different lan- grandparents and those who were of an took me to a space which had to be rich. So guages, so I am excited about exploring all impressionable age to process the situation. I tried staying away from the obvious choice that. I also sing in Punjabi, Dogri and Hindi. I saw pain in my grandmother’s and father’s of Kashmir, which I would have loved to, but There is a lot of music waiting, I don’t try eyes who used to miss Kashmir a lot. But then there would have been no contrast. I to limit myself as an artiste or put myself in they never stopped rebuilding from scratch.” also love doing visual storytelling in the a box. I will keep on doing music in as many When Aabha moved out to pursue songs. Even if you see my song, Hukus Bukus ways and expressions as they come.    !"#$#$   7

L8 2$ 7/  # % / / 8 2 07 ,  +  .8. $5&. *<#  1 = ..08./.O .5&2 @R  &    $=F$= '     07 ' '   /.M Barcelona: Lionel Messi has rarely been known for speaking L & out but he could not help himself when analysing what has been a disastrous season finale for Barcelona and did not hold back . %(9 L8.8 after Thursday’s limp 2-1 La Liga defeat at home by Osasuna. . Calling his side “weak”, “inconsistent” and “very easy to score eal Madrid were crowned 88  against”, the club captain called for urgent changes after surren- La Liga champions for .. 29O dering the league title to Real Madrid, saying it was no good Rthe 34th time on 888. to use their rivals’ relentless form as an excuse. Thursday after Karim Benzema .. “Messi explodes”, ran the cover of newspaper Mundo scored twice in a 2-1 victory over $.5 . Deportivo. Villarreal which clinched the title .0.88.M Barca’s attentions now turn to the Champions League, a tro- with one game to spare. L F F  phy they have somehow failed to win since 2015 despite most- Benzema’s double included ly reigning supreme in Spain in that period. a second-half penalty at the L@$ But few would back them to win the mini-tournament empty Alfredo di Stefano N./ in Lisbon in August, least of all Messi, who does not even Stadium as Madrid moved seven .$.5 fancy their chances of hurdling their last-16 tie with Napoli, points clear to end Barcelona’s &2 which is poised at 1-1 ahead of the second leg at the Camp two-year hold on the trophy.  Nou on August 8. Barca had to prevail against . 5)O. “I said a while ago that it would be very hard to win the Osasuna at home and hope .. 00/M Champions League if we kept playing like this and it turned out Madrid slipped up but their fad- L   & it wasn’t even good enough to win the league,” he said. ing challenge ended with a 2-1 “If we want to win the Champions League we need to defeat at Camp Nou, despite a L& change many things, otherwise we will lose brilliant Lionel Messi free-kick. .$ to Napoli too. It means Madrid claim  “We need to clear our heads, their third La Liga title in 12  this break should give us the years, after a relentless run of .5N opportunity to take some air form since Spanish football //.05 as things have been very resumed on June 11 following !   + ""   +J  !$K  )2$0.M bad from January to the coronavirus pandemic. L .  F now.” Zinedine Zidane’s side have Madrid have also been SETIEN UNDER PRESSURE added: “We have to be self-crit- tee up Benzema backfired when Messi’s words won 10 games out 10 since the awarded five penalties during After three months away, ical, starting with the players, but his teammate encroached too L.0 were a particular- restart. They have conceded the run-in, some of them con- Barcelona had returned sitting across the whole club.” early. Benzema converted the re- 8$ ly scathing state- four goals in that time and troversially, and this one caused top of the table but draws with Yet few could argue Madrid take. Iborra headed in Mario ../  ment of the reign never been behind in a match. a stir too as Sergio Ramos tried Sevilla, struggling Celta Vigo deserve the title and it was fit- Gaspar’s cross to set up a nervy ... of coach Quique “For me this is one of the best to roll the ball to Benzema, who and Atletico Madrid allowed ting that Benzema delivered it, finish but Barcelona were still / Setien, who was appointed in days in my professional career,” finished, but had entered the Madrid to take charge. Barca his double taking his tally for the being held by Osasuna. ./2 29 January after the club sacked said Zidane. “After lockdown area too early. were also in first place when they season to 26 in all competitions. Messi’s curling free-kick 2 Ernesto Valverde when they were and everything, it’s astonish- Much to Villarreal’s irrita- sacked Ernesto Valverde in His first came after 28 minutes into the top corner had cancelled /.M top of the table on goal difference. ing.” tion, Madrid were allowed to January and while the club’s when Casemiro stole possession out Osasuna’s opener from Jose L  0/ /  Setien, meanwhile, did not Asked if it trumps the retake and this time Benzema problems go deeper than their in midfield and freed Luka Arnaiz, once of Barca B. But give exactly give himself a vote of Champions League titles made no mistake, before coach, Quique Setien’s position Modric. He slid through Osasuna had a final trick up confidence, admitting he was Madrid won in his first spell as Vicente Iborra headed in what will come under scrutiny. Benzema, who fired through the their sleeve as Roberto Torres L%. uncertain if the club would keep manager, Zidane said: “This is proved a late consolation. “Things have to change,” legs of Sergio Asenjo. finished at the back post to wrap 2$5( faith in him for the Champions better than anything. It takes a “It’s a prize for all the work said Messi. “Everyone here in the Ramos had scored five goals up Barca’s miserable night at the / League campaign. “I hope so, but tremendous effort to win La we’ve done, this is the reward,” club will be feeling very angry himself since the restart and end of a turbulent season. Real .$ I don’t know. I agree with Messi Liga. After 38 matches, you said Ramos. “We have one about what has happened this could have had a sixth after he Mallorca’s hopes of survival are $.$ on some things and that we have more points than anyone more match and we want to season and that’s normal. The was tripped by the dangling leg over after they lost 2-1 at home 57.$.SM need to take a hard look at our- else. It’s bloody fantastic.” win 11 out of 11.” players feel like that too.” Messi of Sofian Chakla. But his ploy to to Granada. L    & selves,” he said. AFP

> # &&' * 1< . A++ went down after contact from Victor &   Lindelof. "# #!&" /  anchester United beat Crystal .1$ < - * 1 Referee Graham Scott waved >/2..O0.8 MPalace 2-0 to keep the pressure away their appeals and VAR didn’t on Leicester after their top-four rivals " A/.$0=... change the decision, with replays lenge. %0 # < defeated Sheffield United as the bat- showing Lindelof got a slight touch on “He is a rediscovered foot- tle for Champions League qualifica- the ball. Palace were denied again in baller, with the right hunger,”  Spectators will be allowed back into tion heated up on Thursday. the second half when Jordan Ayew’s said Conte. “He suffered a lot, some sports events in England from next Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side had goal was ruled out for offside by VAR. he is now well, he is an extra week as coronavirus prevention measures no margin for error after Martial killed off Palace in the weapon for us.” are tested ahead of a planned wider reopen- Leicester’s 2-0 victory 78th minute with a clinical finish after Conte’s side revived their ing of stadiums in October. earlier in the day and good work by Rashford. title challenge, taking advan- Domestic cricket on July 26-27 is set to they responded thanks At the King Power Stadium, tage of defending champions be the first sport that fans are allowed to to goals from Marcus Leicester earned their first win in three Juventus’ draw with Sassuolo on watch in person since March. Some spec- Rashford and Anthony games thanks to goals from Ayoze Wednesday, with Atalanta a fur- tators will also be allowed into the world Martial. United’s fifth Perez and Demarai Gray. Thrashed 4- ther point adrift in third with snooker championship in Sheffield from July win in their last six 1 by Bournemouth on Sunday, five games left to play. 31 and the Glorious Goodwood horse rac- league games leaves them in fifth place Brendan Rodgers’ team took the lead & Antonio Conte hailed in- Former Manchester United ing festival on August 1 is also part of a in the Premier League. in the 29th minute with Perez’s first form Alexis Sanchez as an “extra and Arsenal forward Sanchez Government scheme piloting the return of They are level on points with goal since January. Gray’s deft finish weapon” as the Chilean inspired teed up Antonio Candreva for fans. fourth-placed Leicester, trailing them sealed the points from Jamie Vardy’s Inter Milan to a 4-0 win over the opener eight minutes before “From October we intend to bring back on goal difference, and one point !9 H!  *  *          pass in the 79th minute. lowly SPAL to move second in the break in Emilia-Romagna. audiences in stadia ... In a Covid-secure way behind third-placed Chelsea. Leicester’s next match is at Serie A, six points behind lead- Cristiano Biraghi added a subject to the successful outcome of pilots,” With the financial implications of Ham on Wednesday before a decisive first-half stoppage-time when the Tottenham on Sunday before the ers Juventus. second on 55 minutes and then British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said failing to reach the Champions League showdown at Leicester on July 26. England forward cleverly deceived two Manchester United clash on the last Sanchez’s Inter career start- crossed for Sanchez to head in in Downing Street on Friday. certain to be painful for United, United could also qualify for the Palace defenders with a drag-back and day of the season. ed off badly, with injuries hold- on the hour mark. Ashley Young Stadium capacities will still be restrict- Solskjaer’s men will be under intense Champions League if they win the slotted home from close range. Palace At Goodison Park, Aston Villa’s ing him back, but the on-loan picked out Roberto Gagliardini ed and staggered entry times, social distanc- pressure in their final two league Europa League, which is set to resume complained vehemently that they hopes of avoiding relegation were seri- forward is now proving to be a to tap in a fourth with 16 min- ing measures and one-way systems will be games. After Sunday’s FA Cup semi- in August. should have been given a penalty ously damaged by their 1-1 draw key player in Inter’s title chal- utes to go. AFP required. AP final against Chelsea, United host West Rashford broke the deadlock in moments earlier when Wilfried Zaha against Everton. * ,(-* LEEDS UNITED BACK IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE <   #!& #' '0"#    @ Birmingham: 78.8  A "  .00/ 2 8.. 2/  .  #   %7)@>@( A$ 0   . 1  /.=8/ ious 81-3 on Thursday after- Africa in Cape Town in January. Curran 17, giving Chase a fifth &'..888.$)05 noon and the West Indies attack He hit only five boundaries in wicket, though Roach bowled ltra-careful centuries by was finally focused, but Sibley, more than nine hours at the more impressively to return 2- THIAGO CLOSE TO JOINING LIVERPOOL: REPORTS UBen Stokes and Dom Sibley the opener, and the mercurial crease. 58 from 33 overs. Liverpool: $.%/.$.0!.$ allowed England to declare Stokes hunkered down. 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He the first Test, opened the %. >5 after wasting the initiative on tests. faced 356 balls, and hit two sixes England attack but a wicket was- Thursday. Sibley’s innings ended when and 17 fours. n’t taken until medium-pacer SERENA TO RETURN TO ACTION IN KENTUCKY Its morale was hammered he tried to up the run rate. He Roach earned his first wick- Sam Curran replaced Woakes Lexington: >& . on Friday as Stokes made 176 smashed spinner Roston Chase et since September, 71 overs into and trapped Campbell after a &% .    /. .  /   and Sibley 120 in a laborious to Kemar Roach as he ran this series. Then he got anoth- review. %$5.8>+8.$ = stand worth 260, England’s round from midwicket. Sibley er off the next delivery, when Fellow opener Kraigg M H ++ & N   >/8.>- ">+8>. biggest at home in nine years. faced 372 balls for his second Chris Woakes edged his first ball Brathwaite was 6 not out, and   $$   $$ *    >82082$.%$5 The batsmen came togeth- highest test score, behind only to gully. nightwatchman Alzarri Joseph            $$H   FIFA LIFT PUNJAB FC'S TRANSFER BAN er when England was a precar-  & +  the 133 he made against South Buttler added 40 and Sam was 14 not out. Chandigarh: 1.9=A$/8.#!217H =.020..=8.0. . /. 0..2 )!  .   9(  "*      98..2 !. .6>! 2 0 2  8.H $.2 2. 191%   /2 ./.159=A$/2 $  6  @&@A)9 =.022191%H8(.. The United Arab Emirates “If the IPL is held in the UAE, then 72:(7;00./ . H5 has emerged as the top contender to it only makes sense the Indian crick-        = host India’s training camp along with eters train there before the tourna- aving encountered both VETTEL FASTEST IN HUNGARY 2ND PRACTICE Ahmedabad and Dharamsala being ment. They have a good infrastructure Hsuccess and failure from $  Desperate to end its Australia on July 25, followed Budapest: 1.=1.+/8.>2 the other options discussed at the in place. UAE is the most likely close quarters in a career span- four decade medal jinx, the by matches against Spain (July ?8.00.1=.  BCCI Apex Council meeting. choice for the IPL with India getting ning 14 years, national team Indian men’s hockey team will 27),Argentina (July 29) and /.8//0.)$ #.15 With India’s Covid-19 case load increasingly unsafe (due to Covid-19),” goalkeeper PR Sreejesh believes open its campaign against New Japan (July 30). )5  /..0/? exceeding a million mark, UAE is a BCCI official said. a “much-improved” India has Zealand at the Tokyo Olympics After their Games opener '.  5  / .0 /AH 7. > ,5 favourite to host this edition of IPL “The other likely options are the potential to break its on July 24 next year. against Netherlands on July 24, 0$ 1 /8. A ).  .  which is scheduled to be held betwen training camp in either Dharamsala or Olympic medal jinx in Tokyo The women’s side will be Indian Eves will play Germany 0   0 8// 0. /   . .0 end September and mid-November. Ahmedabad (at the renovated Motera next year. up against Netherlands in their (July 26), Great Britain (July ..8./..5 Indian cricketers, who have not stadium) with a bio-bubble in place. India’s last success at the first match on the same day. 28), Argentina (July 29) and played since March due to the Covid- But the cases continue to increase in quadrennial sporting extrava- Men’s team will next Japan (July 30). PNS ITALY LOOKING TO ALLOW FANS RETURN IN SEPT 19 pandemic, could well resume their India, so UAE will be the safest ganza, though, came 40 years Kuala Lumpur: 9  . 2 .. $ . .  training in Dubai, the likelihood of option,” the official added. ago in the 1980 Moscow just beat, but also dominate it is going to be a huge year for  .0 0 .   0. 0..2 / which will increase significantly if the The BCCI has zeroed in on Olympics, where they won the them with our style of play. Indian hockey,” he said. 20. >82   /.H >8.  UAE gets to host the cash-rich league. September-early November window last of their eight Gold medals. “With one year left for our “We can really bring that ?/. >80.  5 >80.    The issue was discussed in the vir- for the T20 extravaganza but for that, However, Sreejesh feels that much of a difference now, we preparations, I think it (Tokyo elusive Olympic medal back to .. $19 7$.00/. tual Apex Council meeting on Friday the ICC needs to announced the Indian hockey has progressed by have shown that in our FIH Pro Olympics) is going to be the our country if we perform to our .=.00.0. but the final call will be taken by the cancellation of the T20 World Cup, leaps and bounds in recent League matches earlier this year, biggest tournament for me as potential in Tokyo next year,” .0  B .5    IPL Governing Council. scheduled in Australia. PTI times. “I feel like there is not that we can beat anyone, and not well, and something tells me that Sreejesh said.