China's Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui and Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Misri met in Beijing on Tuesday, sources said.

The meeting came in the backdrop of a violent face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in which both sides suffered casualties in Ladakh's Galwan Valley.

India said earlier in the day that a violent face-off happened on late evening and night of June 15 in Galwan Valley as a result of an attempt by the Chinese troops to "unilaterally change" the status quo during de-escalation and the situation could have been avoided if the agreement at the higher level been scrupulously followed by the Chinese side.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said both sides suffered casualties in the violent face-off and the Chinese side departed from the consensus to respect the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Galway Valley.

Srivastava said that given its responsible approach to border management, India is very clear that all its activities are always within the Indian side of the LAC. "We expect the same of the Chinese side," he said.

The spokesperson said that India remains firmly convinced of the need for maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas and the resolution of differences through dialogue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau on Tuesday emphasised the need to strengthen multilateral institutions, including the WHO, and agreed to work together at various international fora on health, social, economic and political issues.

  

During their telephonic conversation, the two also agreed that the India-Canada partnership can be a force for good in the post-COVID world, including for advancing humanitarian values in the global discourse.

According to an official statement, the leaders updated each other about the evolving situation related to the COVID-19 pandemic in their countries and discussed the possibilities of international collaboration to address the health and economic crisis.

"The leaders emphasised the need to strengthen multilateral institutions, including the WHO, and agreed to work closely together at various international fora, on health, social, economic and political issues," the statement said.

Prime Minister Modi appreciated the assistance extended by Canadian authorities in recent days to the Indian citizens there and for facilitating their repatriation to India.

Trudeau expressed happiness at the facilitation offered for the return of Canadian citizens from India.

The two leaders agreed to continue their mutual consultations in coming days.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, who was admitted to a hospital on Tuesday due to high-grade fever, will be tested again for COVID-19 on Wednesday, a senior official said.

 

The 55-year-old minister was brought to the Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (RGSSH) past midnight and was administered a test for novel coronavirus on Tuesday morning.

"He still has fever. The minister tested negative for COVID-19 today. We are going to repeat the test tomorrow after 24 hours of the first test," the senior official said.

Doctors at the hospital said his condition is "stable" and had been taken off oxygen supply.

Jain, earlier in the day, tweeted to inform that he was admitted to RGSSH, a dedicated COVID-19 facility under the Delhi government.

"Due to high grade fever and a sudden drop of my oxygen levels last night. I have been admitted to RGSSH. Will keep everyone updated," he tweeted.

The army also said that it is firmly committed to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the nation. 

Indian intercepts reveal that Chinese side suffered 43 casualties including dead and seriously injured in the violent face-off in Ladakh's Galwan valley, sources confirmed to ANI.

The violent face-off happened on late evening and night of June 15 in Ladakh's Galwan Valley as a result of an attempt by the Chinese troops to "unilaterally change" the status quo during de-escalation in Eastern Ladakh and the situation could have been avoided if the agreement at the higher level been scrupulously followed by the Chinese side, India said on Tuesday. 

At least 20 Indian soldiers were killed in the violent face-off, government sources said and added that the casualty numbers could rise.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said earlier in the day that both sides suffered casualties in the violent face-off and the Chinese side departed from the consensus to respect the Line of Actual Control in the Galwan Valley.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held two review meetings over developments in Eastern Ladakh during the day. 

Workers are preparing the Eiffel Tower to reopen next week after the coronavirus pandemic led to the iconic Paris landmark's longest closure since World War II.

  

But as France's tourism industry starts back up in earnest, the 324-metre-tall wrought-iron tower won't immediately welcome visitors in the way it did before the country's virus lockdown.

The number of people allowed in will be limited when the Eiffel Tower opens again on June 25. Elevators to the top will be out of service, and only the first and second floors accessible to the public. Individuals interested in combining sightseeing and workouts will be in luck.

At first, only visits by the stairs will be available, Victoria Klahr, the spokeswoman for the tower's management, said Tuesday.

Everyone over age 11 also will be required to wear face masks, while crowd control measures will be in place, according to the tower's management.

While official confirmation from the Indian Army is awaited, top sources have confirmed to PTI that at least 10 soldiers died in the clash with China in Galwan Valley on Monday night.

The ministry of external affairs has said that both China and India suffered causalities as Beijing tried to unilaterally change status quo and "departed from the consensus to respect the Line of Actual Control in the Galwan Valley".

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar earlier met Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the Indian Army's standoff with Chinese troops in Ladakh's Galwan Valley saw violent escalation. 

Earlier, Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat and Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane met defence minister Rajnath Singh.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has decided to drop out of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's interaction meeting with 36 chief ministers called over Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss measures to be taken to move ahead to combat the Corona pandemic, as the country moves beyond lockdown an semi-opening up of activities with inputs from the states.

The Bengal chief minister decided to give the meeting a miss as she has not been included among the list of speakers at the video conference with the prime minister and has viewed it as an affront to the state amid the rising cases of covid-19 across the country. 

AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday expressed condolences over the death of three Indian Army personnel, killed in violent clashes with Chinese in Ladakh's Galwan Valley.

"India stands with the 3 brave martyrs who were killed by China today in #Galwan. My thoughts are with families of Colonel and 2 brave soldiers. The commanding officer was leading from the front. The government must avenge these killings and ensure that their sacrifice was not in vain," Owaisi tweeted. 

The three Indian Army personnel were killed in a face-off with the Chinese in Ladakh's Galwan Valley on Monday night.

Army sources had said there has been disengagement between Indian and Chinese troops at more locations where they had been in standoff positions for the last many weeks now. 

The Shiv Sena on Tuesday demanded clarity on the violent face-off between Indian and Chinese soldiers in eastern Ladakh, saying the Union government needs to take the "elected opposition" into confidence.

Sena deputyleader Priyanka Chaturvedi also said, on Twitter, that the government should not feed "propaganda" to the media.

"Dear GOI, you have the best interest in mind but we need clarity. The nation stands with you in solidarity but they deserve to know," she tweeted.

"It isn't a good idea even strategically to not take the elected opposition in confidence. Lastly do not feed propaganda to the media. Just facts," she added.

"My tribute and salute to our brave men, who are at the forefront with all their courage and their heart full of love for the nation. Hope to see an urgent solution soon, for our nation's honour," the Sena leader said.

Releasing a statement on the latest developments on the India-China border, the MEA said, "On the late-evening and night of June 15, 2020, a violent face-off happened as a result of an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo there. Both sides suffered casualties that could have been avoided had the agreement at the higher level been scrupulously followed by the Chinese side."

While China claims Galwan Valley is its territory, India has resolutely reiterated that yesterday's faceoff took place in Indian territory and were a result of Chinese aggression.

"Given its responsible approach to border management, India is very clear that all its activities are always within the Indian side of the LAC. We expect the same of the Chinese side," said the MEA in a statement.

Sending a strong statement to China on the continued faceoff in Ladakh, the MEA said, "We remain firmly convinced of the need for the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas and the resolution of differences through dialogue. At the same time, we are also strongly committed to ensuring India's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

The Congress's Rahul Gandhi tweeted his condolences for the army officer and the men who died in Ladakh's Galwan Valley last night following what the army called a "violent face-off" in which both sides sustained casualty.

'Words cannot describe the pain I feel for the officers and men who sacrificed their lives for our country. My condolences to all their loved ones. We stand with you in this difficult time," Gandhi's tweet read.

Colonel B Santosh, who belonged to the 16 Bihar Regiment, and two soldiers -- Havildar Palani and Sepoy Ojha -- died last night when a clash broke out as the Chinese troops were getting ready to move away from a location as per an agreement between the two sides, sources said.

Gandhi's party, the Congress, has demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi share the ground situation at Ladakh with the nation, including how much of Indian territory is under Chinese control.

No new COVID-19-related death was reported in Mumbai's Dharavi area since previous evening though 21 new coronavirus patients were detected, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said on Tuesday.

The number of coronavirus cases in the area thus rose to 2,089 while the death toll due to the pandemic stood at 77.

Dharavi is known as the largest slum of Asia, spread over 2.5 square kilometres with a population of over 6.5 lakh.

Colonel Santosh Babu, who was Commanding Officer of the 16 Bihar Regiment, was one of the martyrs in the clashes with Chinese forces in Galwan Valley. 

On hearing of his death, his mother said, "I am proud of his sacrifice as a mother, but I am very much in pain for his demise as he was my only son."

While the exact nature of the violent confrontation is not known yet, sources said no firearms were used. 

"During the de-escalation process underway in the Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place yesterday night with casualties on both sides. The loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers. Senior military officials of the two sides are currently meeting at the venue to defuse the situation," the army said in a brief statement.

The violent face-off with the Chinese soldiers resulted in the martyrdom of a senior officer of the Indian Army hailing from Suryapet town of Telangana.

According to reports, Colonel Santosh Babu along with two soldiers attained martyrdom in the skirmish at Galwan Valley in Ladakh last night.

Colonel Santosh Babu and two soldiers were killed in a hand-to-hand combat on Indian territory, news agencies quoted defense sources.

Working in the border for the last 18 months, Col Santosh Babu is survived by wife Santoshi and two kids, a daughter and a son.

Son of a Physical Education Teacher, he was a resident of Vidya Nagar in Suryapet. He was an NDA student from the Korukonda Sainik School, Hyderabad.

Chinese army has said that Indian troops again crossed the LAC and attacked them on Tuesday, Chinese Daily Global Times has reported. 

"The PLA Western Theater Command spokesperson said Tuesday Indian troops again crossed the line of actual control in the Galwan Valley region and purposefully launched provocative attacks, leading to severe clashes and casualties," Global Times tweeted.

Meanwhile, military officials from India and China are meeting now to "defuse the situation" after a Colonel and two soldiers were killed in a "violent face off" at night in Ladakh on Indian territory. 

The Indian Army personnel were killed at Galwan Valley, high in the snow desert of Ladakh, marking a giant escalation of the tension that has been simmering at the border for weeks. 

A cheap and widely available drug called dexamethasone can help save the lives of patients who are seriously ill with coronavirus.

UK experts say the low-dose steroid treatment is a major breakthrough in the fight against the deadly virus.

It cut the risk of death by a third for patients on ventilators. For those on oxygen, it cut deaths by a fifth.

The drug is part of the world's biggest trial testing existing treatments to see if they also work for coronavirus.

Researchers estimate that if the drug had been used to treat patients in the UK from the start of the coronavirus pandemic up to 5,000 lives could have been saved. Because it is cheap, it could also be of huge benefit in poorer countries struggling with high numbers of Covid-19 patients.

BJP MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar came out strongly against the death of an Indian Army officer and two soldiers in a violent face-off with Chinese troops and appealed to people to support the armed forces.

 

In a series of tweets, Chandrasekhar, who is a former member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, hit out at China and the Communist Party of China over the incident.

       

The BJP Rajya Sabha member called upon people to "get behind the men and women in our armed forces and support them strongly, unitedly and patiently."

He also appealed to the people not to let politics or any other thing dilute Indian unity against China.

"I want to tell the CCP side - India has never clashed with any nation - but when violence is forced on it, it will respond fittingly and unitedly," he tweeted.

The army said India lost an officer and two soldiers during the violent face-off in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night, while there were casualties on the Chinese side as well.

       

The extent of casualties on the Chinese side was, however, not immediately clear.

In the first such move, the Delhi government has directed the 5-star Taj Man Singh hotel to isolate all its rooms and place them at the disposal of Sir Gangaram Hospital with immediate effect to accommodate Covid-19 patients.

The national capital is fast running out of hospital beds amid a surge in coronavirus cases and is struggling to contain the pandemic, after critics said it did too little to prepare and reopened shopping malls and temples too soon.

Some families of people infected with COVID-19 have complained about having to hunt for beds for their relatives after hospitals turned them away.

Less than a month ago, Kejriwal said the city's hospitals were well equipped to fight the virus as the lockdown had given authorities enough time to prepare. "Delhi will win, corona will lose," he said.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice K K Tated noted that the prayer sought by the petitioner was "preposterous" and said the decision taken by the government was proper. The court dismissed the petition and directed Jondhale to deposit Rs 5 lakh with the state government within a month. PTI

Thane Guardian Minister and senior Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde issued a release on Tuesday stating that Konkan division had been given Rs 109 crore while Aurangabad division got Rs 20 crore. The release said of the Rs 35 crore, Thane city gets Rs 5 crore, while Mira Bhayander, Kalyan and Navi Mumbai get Rs 10 crore each. Neighbouring Palghar has got Rs 4 crore, Raigad Rs 5 crore, BMC Rs 60 crore and Vasai-Virar Rs 5 crore, the release informed. -- PTI 

"To even think of stepping out without a mask or face cover is not right at present. 'Do gaj ki doori, hand-washing and use of sanitisers is of utmost importance. With markets opening and with people stepping out, these precautions are even more important. 

"When India's fight against COVID-19 will be analysed in future, this time will be remembered for how we worked together and served as an example of cooperative federalism.  Because of the efforts made in the last few weeks, green shoots have begun to be visible in our economy."

"The happening in the #Galwanvalley is a continuation of violations by China. It is time now that the country stands up to these incursions. Our soldiers are not fair game that every few days officers and men are being killed and injured defending our borders," Singh tweeted. "It is time now for the Govt of India to take some stringent measures. Each sign of weakness on our part makes the Chinese reaction more belligerent. I join the nation in paying tribute to our brave martyrs. The nation stands with you in your hour of grief," he said in another tweet.

Similarly, the NSE Nifty closed 100.30 points, or 1.02 per cent, up at 9,914. HDFC Bank was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, jumping around 4 per cent, followed by HDFC, ICICI Bank, Infosys, Kotak Bank and Hero MotoCorp.

On the other hand, IndusInd Bank, Tech Mahindra, Axis Bank and ITC were among the laggards. According to traders, Dalal Street was enthused by positive cues from global markets after US Federal Reserve launched a massive programme to support Main Street businesses hit by the virus lockdown. --PTI

The study, published in the journal The Lancet Global Health, noted that 1.7 billion people across the world, comprising 22 per cent of the global population, have at least one underlying condition that puts them at increased risk of severe COVID-19 if infected. These people range from less than 5 per cent of those younger than 20 years to greater than 66 per cent among those aged 70 years or older, the study noted. 

Researchers, including those from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in the UK, said 349 million people (about 4 per cent of the global population) are at high risk of severe COVID-19, and would require hospital admission if infected. They said as much as 6 per cent of males could be at high risk compared with 3 per cent of females. 

According to the researchers, the share of the population at increased risk was highest in countries with older populations, African countries with high HIV/AIDS prevalence, and small island nations with high diabetes prevalence.

This is Modi's sixth interaction with the chief ministers since the outbreak of the deadly virus. The two-day virtual meet comes as the country witnesses an unabated spike in coronavirus cases. India registered over 10,000 COVID-19 cases for the fifth day in a row pushing the tally to 3,43,091 on Tuesday, while the death toll rose to 9,900 with 380 new fatalities. 

The first Shramik Special train arrived in the state on May 10.

"Altogether, 3.75 lakh labourers and other people from Chhattisgarh who were stranded in various parts of the country have safely returned by trains, buses and other modes of transport, the official said. The state government has spent Rs 4.16 crore on the transportation of migrants by trains and buses, he said.

The government sanctioned Rs 75 crore to the health department and Rs 18.20 crore to the revenue and disaster management department for providing facilities to labourers, the official said. -- PTI

"If the Chinese shoot dead an Indian army colonel and two jawans during a 'de-escalation process' imagine how escalated the situation must be in the first place," Abdullah said in a tweet.  "This is what happens when the media propagates the government line that asking questions is anti-national," he added. When pointed out by a Twitter user that there was no firing at Galwan Valley, the National Conference leader said, "So they were beaten to death? That's even more horrific." -- PTI

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the current operational situation in eastern Ladakh along with Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and the three service chiefs. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was also present in the meeting.

"Double faced politics. Modi Ji use to accuse the UPA for not showing red eye to China when it crosses LAC. Modi ji, now why are you hesitating to show red-eye to China in Ladakh?," he tweeted. "And when Nepal is showing you red-eye then why do you now want to have a dialogue. Where is your 56-inch chest?"

A couple of days back, Rahul Gandhi also questioned the government over Chinese aggression in Ladakh and targeted the Prime Minister."The Chinese have walked in and taken our territory in Ladakh. 

Meanwhile. The PM is absolutely silent and has vanished from the scene," the Congress MP posted, tagging a news article that claimed China has taken a hard line during military-level talks on Saturday.

In a massive escalation of border tension, an Indian Army officer and two soldiers were killed during a violent confrontation with Chinese troops in the sensitive Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night, the army said.

The army said there were casualties on the Chinese side as well but the extent of it was not immediately clear.

Colonel Ajai Shukla, who writes in Business Standard on defence, tweets: 'Time for the govt to come clean and stop lying about "disengagement" and "mutual withdrawal". A national crisis is no time for deception.'

An Indian Army officer and two soldiers were killed in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night during a violent face off with the Chinese troops, the Army said. They said senior military officials of the two sides are holding a meeting in Galwan Valley to defuse tension. A large number of Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in an eyeball-to-eyeball situation in Galwan Valley for the last five weeks.

The 1967 clash between India and China is often remembered as the last shot fired on the India-China border.

China on Tuesday alleged that the Indian troops twice crossed the border line on June 15 for illegal activities and provoked and attacked Chinese personnel which led to serious physical conflict between the two sides, contesting the Indian Army's position that the violent face-off took place between the troops during the "de-escalation process" in the Galwan Valley. 

According to the Indian Army, an officer and two soldiers were killed in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday during the violent face off with the Chinese troops. "I am not aware of the information you provided," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in Beijing when asked about the reports of the Indian casualties at the contested borders.

"Our border troops had a high-level meeting and reached important consensus on easing the border situation but astonishingly on June 15 the Indian troops seriously violated our consensus and twice crossed the border line for illegal activities and provoked and attacked Chinese personnel which led to serious physical conflict between the two sides and China has lodged strong protest and representation with the Indian side," Zhao said.

"We once again solemnly ask the Indian side to follow our consensus, strictly regulate its front-line troops and do not cross the line, do not stir up troubles or make unilateral moves that may complicate matters," the spokesperson said. 

Zhao also added that both sides agree to resolve this issue through dialogue and consultation and make efforts for easing the situation and upholding the peace and security along the border area. The incident comes days after Indian Army Chief Gen MM Naravane said both sides have begun disengaging from the Galwan Valley.

The Indian and Chinese armies are engaged in a standoff in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in eastern Ladakh. 

 A sizeable number of Chinese Army personnel even transgressed into the Indian side of the de-facto border in several areas including Pangong Tso. The Indian Army has been fiercely objecting to the transgressions, and demanded their immediate withdrawal for restoration of peace and tranquillity in the area. Both sides held a series of talks in the last few days to resolve the row. --PTI

Update on the faceoff with China: Major Generals of India and China are talking to defuse the situation in the Galwan Valley, Ladakh and other areas after the violent face-off last night in which casualties have been suffered by both sides, Army sources, say.

In a massive escalation of border tension, an Indian Army officer and two soldiers were killed during a violent confrontation with Chinese troops in the sensitive Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night, the army said.

China's Global Times quoted their Foreign Minister as saying that Indian troops on Monday seriously violated consensus of the two sides by illegally crossing the border twice and carrying out provocative attacks on Chinese soldiers, resulting in serious physical clashes.

 

China has lodged solemn representations with the Indian side and urged it to strictly restrain its frontline troops from crossing the border or taking any unilateral action that may complicate the border situation, China's Global Times said. 

-- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting with Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, the three service chiefs and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar. Recent developments in Eastern Ladakh were discussed. 

-- Beijing accuses India of crossing border, 'attacking Chinese personnel',  news agency ANI reports quoting AFP.

An Indian Army officer and two soldiers were killed in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night during a violent face off with the Chinese troops, the Army said. They said senior military officials of the two sides are holding a meeting in Galwan Valley to defuse tension. 

"During the de-escalation process underway in the Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place on Monday night with casualties. The loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers," the Army said in a brief statement. 

A large number of Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in an eyeball-to-eyeball situation in Galwan Valley for the last five weeks. The incident comes days after Indian Army Chief Gen MM Naravane said both sides have begun disengaging from Galwan Valley.

Journalist Shiv Aroor tweets: Casualties on both sides (unclear what nature/numbers on Chinese side). No bullets fired, clash was with stones and clubs. Several injured. 

Journalist Manu Pubby tweets: These are the the first killings on the India China border since 1975, when four Assam Rifles troopers were shot dead. No firing took place, so this means that our soldiers were beaten to death by the Chinese on Indian territory.

A Ladakhi himself, Professor Stobdan -- scholar and author of The Great Game in the Buddhist Himalayas: India and China's Quest for Strategic Dominance -- is also a diplomat who served as India's ambassador to Kyrgyzstan.

To understand why India should be very worried about the situation in Ladakh, read Archana Masih's interview about China's past, present and future designs in India. The first part in a multi-part interview. 

"During the de-escalation process in the Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place last night with casualties. The loss of lives on Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers. Senior military officials of the two sides are currently meeting at the venue to defuse the situation," the Army said. 

The loss of lives on Indian side includes an officer & 2 soldiers. 

Senior military officials of the two sides are currently meeting at the venue to defuse the situation: Army

According to a police official, Mumbai Police found out during the probe that the actor was under medication for depression. 

"Dark days these... So much has been happening - mind has come to a point of stillness... Or rather numbness. Today I feel like sharing a poem I wrote back in the years when I was fighting depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts - Yes, fighting... and like how," Naval wrote. 

The 68-year-old actor made her debut with Shyam Benegal's 1978 "Junoon" and went on to feature in films like "Chashme Buddoor", "Ankahee", "Mirch Masala", "Saath Saath' among others in the 80s. Naval's poem, titled "Black Wind", begins by describing how anxiety engulfs a person. "Anxiety grips me with both hands, spiked claws dig deep into my soul I gasp for breath and stagger around sharp corners of my single bed.."

In the poem, Naval talks about fighting suicidal thoughts and depression, describing it as a "ghoulish lust" she won't succumb to. "The telephone rings... no, it stops...God damn! Why don't anyone speak? A voice, Just a human voice In this shameless, pitiless Abyss of the night - gloom deepens into darkness, turns purple I feel dark inside." 

The actor ends by writing that she will survive the night, its "deathly design" and fight. "The world's a snake pit, so let it be! I dare the devil to get the better of me! Deepti Naval, Night of July 28, 1991." In an interview with PTI last year, Naval had mentioned how acting assignments started to thin in the late 90s and as a "serious actor" it was "devastating" to be ignored. PTI 

"A two-day workshop to be conducted for MLAs ahead of voting for Rajya Sabha polls. For this, the MLAs will be shifted to Jaipur's Crown Plaza hotel. Discussions will also be held on their performance in their respective constituencies," Poonia told ANI. 

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had days ago slammed the BJP for "indulging in horse-trading".

He said that the Rajya Sabha elections could have been conducted two months back, however, they were postponed for "no reason because BJP's horse-trading was not complete".

Congress Chief Whip in the state Assembly Mahesh Joshi had written to the Director General of Anti-Corruption Bureau alleging that attempts were being made to destabilise the State Government by luring away his party's MLAs and independent MLAs who support the Government.Elections to fill the vacant 18 Rajya Sabha seats from seven states are scheduled to be held on June 19. -- PTI

On Sunday, the Uttar Pradesh Police's special task force had busted a tender racket and arrested four persons, including two senior government officials, for allegedly duping a man to the tune of Rs 9.72 crore. Those arrested were identified as Rajnish Dixit, chief personal secretary to the minister of state for animal husbandry, fisheries and dairy development; Dheeraj Kumar, private secretary to the minister; AK Rajiv, alias Akhilesh Kumar, who claims to be a journalist; and Ashish Rai, the UP Police had said in a statement. 

The Congress leader also alleged that the executive in Uttar Pradesh government is seeped in corruption. "The UP secretariat, the largest office in the state, has become the den of corruption under the BJP government. The Animal Husbandry department scam has exposed the endemic corruption in the system. The UP government executive is seeped in corruption," she alleged in a tweet in Hindi.

"Do the ministers and the chief minister have any clue about it? If it is so, the facts are shocking. This puts a question mark on the working of the Uttar Pradesh government," she asked. The Congress leader has been targeting the government recently over alleged scams in various departments including the recruitment of teachers. -- PTI 

Two Indian staffers who are working as drivers in the Indian High Commission were picked up by around 15 to 16 armed persons at around 8:30-45 hours from a petrol station close to the High Commission, according to sources. They were then blindfolded with a rucksack thrown over their heads and handcuffed.

Sources revealed how the two Indian drivers were picked up at around 8.30-45 hours on Sunday from a petrol station close to the High Commission by around 15 to 16 armed persons who came in around 5 to 6 vehicles.

The armed men took the Indian High Commission staffers to an unknown destination.

"The abductors made multiple videos in which the High Commission officials were forced to confess under duress that they had committed an accident. Armed men also forced the Indian staffers to confess that alleged Intelligence officials in the High Commission compel them to bring people from outside in their cars for meetings inside the High Commission," said Sources.

"They were interrogated till around 1400 hours, during which period they were repeatedly beaten with rods/wooden sticks, punches, and made to drink filthy water etc. They were interrogated regarding the specific role and function of all High Commission officials down to the lowest staff," said sources.

During the interrogation, they were repeatedly threatened that this is how the other members of the High Commission would be treated as well in future.

Following the investigation, the drivers were then taken for a medical checkup where they were also injected with what was claimed to be a tetanus shot.

On Monday, at around 2100 hours they were handed back to the High Commission. Though they were able to walk, they carried extensive injury marks to their neck, face, thighs and rear, indicating extensive manhandling.

No life-threatening injuries have been detected so far, said sources

Twenty-seven new cases were reported in the last 22 hours, Beijing city spokesman Xu Hejian said, adding that strict measures have been implemented to stem the spread of the deadly virus. Since the outbreak at the Xinfadi wholesale market in the last five days, the total confirmed new cases have reached 106, he said. The official, who is also deputy minister of the Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department, said the epidemic situation in Beijing remained "extremely severe". 

"This is our top priority. We have to strictly implement all the measures and seize every minute," he said. Earlier, China's National Health Commission (NHC) reported 46 new coronavirus cases including 27 in Beijing, which is currently testing thousands of people and lockdown many residential areas following a sudden spurt of a cluster of cases from a local wholesale market. The NHC on Tuesday reported 40 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Monday of which 27 were reported in Beijing, four in Hebei Province, and one in Sichuan Province. Also on Monday, six new asymptomatic cases were reported.

As on Monday 110 asymptomatic cases were under quarantine, NHC said. Officials said Beijing was facing "explosive outbreak" of the coronavirus. Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist with the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, told the Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily on Monday afternoon that the situation was very serious. -- ANI

The 'Dabangg' director wrote, "My experience is no different. I have experienced exploitation and bullying first hand." He further said, "Arbaaz Khan on Dabangg and ever since. So here is my story 10 years after Dabangg. The reason I moved out of making Dabangg 2 ten years ago is that Arbaaz Khan in collusion with Sohail Khan and family was trying to take control of my career by bullying me. because Arbaaz Khan sabotaged my second project with Shree Ashtavinayak Films that I was signed up with by personally calling their head Mr. Raj Mehta and threatening him with dire consequences if they made a film with me. I had to return the signing money to Shree Ashtavinayak films and moved to Viacom Pictures. They did the same thing. Only this time the sabotager was Sohail Khan and he intimidated the then Viacom CEO Vikram Malhotra. My project was sabotaged and I was made to return my signing fee of Rupees 7 Crores plus interest of Ninety odd lacs. Its only then that Reliance Entertainment came to my rescue and we forged an enduring partnership for my film Besharam.

"The 'Yuva' director added, "But to behold... Mr Salman Khan and family sabotaged the release of the film and got their PROs to run a sustained negative smear campaign against me and my film Besharam before release. This scared the distributors from buying my film. Reliance Entertainment and I were capable and courageous enough to release the film ourselves but the battle had just begun. My enemies, which there were many ran a sustained negative Trolling and badmouthing campaign against the film till the Box Office of my film collapsed. But to their horror, Besharam had still netted 58 crores before it went out of theatres.""So they fought on... They sabotaged the Satellite release of the film that was pre-sold to Mr Jayanti Lal Gada who was the main agregator for Zee Telefilms those days. With Reliance's goodwill, they were able to re-negotiate the satellite rights sale with Gada for a much lesser price," he further said.

Talking about his projects and how they were affected, Kashyap added, "Over the next few years, all my projects and creative endeavours have been sabotaged and I have been repeatedly threatened with life and rape threats given to/for the female members of my family. The sustained gaslighting and bullying destroyed my mental health and that of my family and led to my divorce and breaking up of my family in 2017. They erred and sent some of these threats as texts, sent to me as sms from several numbers. Armed with evidence, I went to the police in 2017 to file an FIR which they refused to register but registered a non-cognizable complaint. When the threats continued, I forced the police to trace the numbers but they couldn't be traced back to Sohail Khan (the suspected sender). My complaint remains open to date and I still have all the evidence."

The director further wrote, "My enemies are sharp, cunning and always attack me from the back and stay Hidden. But the best part is after 10 Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan years, I know who my enemies are. Let it be known that they are Salim Khan, Salman Khan, Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan for. There are many other small fry's but Salman Khan family is the head of this venomous serpent. They use a clever mix of their ill-gotten money, political clout and connections with the underworld to intimidate anyone and everyone. Unfortunately truth is on my side and I am not going to give up like Sushant Singh Rajput.

"I refuse to cow down and will fight on till I see the end of either them or me. Enough tolerance. It's time to fight back."The 'Dabangg' director wrote, "The suicide of Sushant Singh Rajput brings to the forefront a much bigger problem of what many of us have been dealing with. Exactly what might compel a person to commit suicide?? I fear his death is just the tip of the iceberg just like the #metoo movement was for a much bigger malaise in Bollywood."

Kashyap also made allegations that talent management agencies ruin the career and life of an actor, "The death of Sushant Singh Rajput brings under scanner the role YRF talent Management Agency might have played in pushing him towards his suicide but that is for the authorities to investigate. These people don't make careers. They ruin your career and life. Having suffered personally for a decade, I can confidently say every Talent Manager and all Talent Management Agencies of Bollywood are a potential death Trap for Artists. They are all basically white collared Dalaals and everyone is involved. They all have an unspoken code of conduct they adhere to. Their one simple mantra is, 'Hamaam me sab nange aur jo nange nahin hain, unko nanga karo kyonki agar ek bhi pakda gaya to sab pakde jayenge'. Following is mostly their modus Operandi'."

The director shared how the agencies find talented people and get them to sign a contract, "First the talent scout (Casting Directors, etc.) working on a cut/commission spots a needy wild talent from out of Mumbai with little connections or property. The talent is then lured with free invites to Bollywood parties and random Restaurant launches on the pretext of introducing them to celebrities. The Blinding glamour of celebs and lure of easy money is unleashed on the unsuspecting. Mind you they are all ignored and treated very badly at these parties so they feel demoralized and their self-confidence breaks."

He added, "Once the confidence is broken, the scouts offer them a multi-year exclusivity contracts and pressure them to sign-up for it by promising to protect them from predators or offering a pittance. Mind you, breaking these legal contracts means heavy penalties for these budding talents but the scout makes sure through bullying and coercion that there is very little option for the talent but to sign up. Once the talent is signed up with the Talent management agency, they give up their right to exercise free choice and their discretion in any matter concerning career and they are made to work as bonded labor with very little money. Even if they are brave and manage to escape the clutches of their Talent Management agency somehow, they are systematically boycotted and their name smeared till they jump ship to another Agency in the hope of a better tomorrow."

Talking further about the struggle of an actor, Kashyap said, "But that tomorrow never comes. Their new agency turns out to be the same. Over a period of few years, mostly the prime of any actor, the talent is repeatedly broken till they either commit suicide or they succumb to Prostitution and escort services (Yes male escorts also) to feed the ego and sexual appetite of the rich and powerful, not just in Bollywood but also in Corporate world and politics."

He concluded by writing, "So this is not a threat, it's an open challenge. Sushant Singh Rajput has moved on and I hope he is happier wherever he is but I will make sure that no more innocent will kill himself over lack of work with dignity in Bollywood. I hope suffering actors and creative artists will share my post on various social media platforms as will the media and people who patronize the entertainment industry." -- ANI

Raut also downplayed the editorial published today by saying, "There is no jibe on Congress. It is the writing style of Saamna." "The coordination in the government is present, all the issues will be resolved after they meet the Chief Minister, such issues happen at times. Some Congress ministers, especially Ashok Chavan, have said that the officers do not listen to them, they will talk to the Chief Minister," Raut said.

He, however, denied that the Congress was not being given a say in the decision-making process in the MVA government by saying, "We have not taken any big decision in the six months that we have been in power.""Nobody is angry, all ministers stay present during Cabinet meets. Balasaheb Thorat is the state Congress President, Ashok Chavan is a Minister and also a former Chief Minister, talks are held with them. The Chief Minister coordinates well with all ministers in the Cabinet," he added.Sena said that Congress leaders, Balasaheb Thorat and Ashok Chavan had raised issues in the recent days and the latter, especially, had blamed bureaucrats for the "issues" within the tri-party coalition government in the state.

"Congress is doing good in the state. But every once in a while the old cot (Congress) makes noises.... It has now been decided that the two ministers will meet the Chief Minister and raise their points. Chief Minister will meet them and make a decision. But what does Congress want to say? Why is the old cot (Congress) making a noise?" the editorial said (roughly translated from Hindi).

The Saamna article came in response to an interview published in an English daily in which Chavan had been quoted blaming bureaucrats for creating a rift among MVA and added that Congress will soon take up the matter with Sena chief and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. -- ANI

Jain has been in the forefront in Delhi's battle against Covid. 

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal tweeted to say he has been working 24 hours to serve the people without paying heed to his own health. Kejriwal also wished him a quick recovery. 

Doctors first give the volunteers experimental vaccine, thereafter they are exposed to the deadly pathogen. If the dose works and prevents healthy volunteers from getting ill, then the study can move forward, The Washington Post reported. Similar methods were used to work up malaria and cholera vaccines which are now being used to produce the coronavirus vaccine. Although similar methods are being employed to produce the COVID-19, there some doctors who don't agree with the approach as it raises some ethical points.

Question being asked is how right is the process to inject a person with a virus that killed over 435,000 people worldwide, with no cure available. Even in the past, trials were usually permitted only for an illness that isn't fatal or that have treatments available.

According to the US daily, large-scale trials of coronavirus vaccine candidates are scheduled to start this summer and fall with more conventional methods.

Lehua Gray, a 32-year-old product manager in Austin, who wants to be a volunteer said her interest in participating in a challenge trial, "it starts out being a conversation about FDA processes and ends up being a conversation about how I'm about to risk my life," she said.

Despite several risks, Gray is among 28,000 other volunteers, who have signed up for an online organization, 1Day Sooner, with the aim to combat the virus by placing themselves in the path of the deadly contagion. -- ANI

Similarly, NSE Nifty surged 201.10 points, or 2.05 per cent, to 10,014.80. All Sensex components were trading in the positive territory with Tata Steel as the top gainer in the pack, jumping around 5 per cent. 

ICICI Bank, HDFC, Bajaj Finance, IndusInd Bank, HDFC Bank, Infosys, Kotak Bank and SBI were also among the gainers. In the previous session, the BSE barometer settled 552.09 points, or 1.63 per cent, lower at 33,228.80, while the broader Nifty tumbled 159.20 points, or 1.60 per cent, to close at 9,813.70. -- PTI

Rates were hiked by a record 56.5 per cent (Rs 12,126.75 per kl) on June 1. Simultaneously, petrol and diesel prices were hiked for the 10th day in a row. Petrol price in Delhi was hiked to Rs 76.73 per litre from Rs 76.26, while diesel rates were increased to Rs 75.19 a litre from Rs 74.26, the price notification said. In 10 hikes, petrol price has gone up by Rs 5.47 per litre and diesel by Rs 5.8 a litre.

Rates have been increased across the country and vary from state to state depending on the incidence of local sales tax or VAT. The hike in diesel rates is the highest daily increase since the state-owned fuel retailers started daily revision in rates in May 2017. 

Tuesday's increase in petrol and diesel price marks the 10th straight day of rise in rates since oil companies on June 7 restarted revising prices in line with costs, after ending an 82-day hiatus. The freeze in rates was imposed in mid-March soon after the government hiked excise duty on petrol and diesel to shore up additional finances. 

India on Monday reported 11,502 new cases and 325 deaths, taking the nations tally to 3,32,424. The overall toll is 9,520.

An earthquake of magnitude 5.8 hit Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours of Tuesday, officials said, the third to hit the union territory in three days.

 

However, there were no reports of any damage, they said.

The earthquake occurred at 7 AM and its epicenter was is Tajikistan, according to the officials.

Strong tremors were felt in most parts of the Kashmir Valley, including Srinagar, Kishtwar and Doda districts. Tremors were also felt in Jammu, they said. -- PTI 

Police and security forces are on the job, Kashmir zone police said.

Further search is underway and details are awaited. -- ANI

New York's death toll and total number of people sent to hospital due to Covid-19 have both fallen to the lowest points since the crisis began.

On Monday, Governor Andrew Cuomo said this weekend had the fewest deaths on a three-day average since March. The number of positive tests has also continued to decline.

Twenty-five people died of the virus on Sunday and there were just over 1,600 residents requiring hospital treatment for Covid-19 over the weekend.

"The facts are that new York is on the right track," he said, though noted it was unlikely the numbers would hit zero. "It's coming down to what the doctor certifies as the cause of death, many people who pass away because of Covid have other underlying conditions."

The report comes as parts of the state enter the third phase of reopening; gatherings of up to 25 people will be allowed, up from 10, and many businesses are back open.

But the governor also called out businesses and residents ignoring social distancing measures, saying the state had received 25,000 complaints of violations.