LIVE! India rejects OIC's statement on J-K

LIVE

Thu, 05 August 2021

India rejects OIC's statement on J-K

Timeline Refresh

23:19 India rejects OIC's statement on J-K

India on Thursday strongly rejected a statement on Jammu and Kashmir by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and asked it to refrain from allowing vested interests to exploit its platform for comments on internal affairs of the country.

The strong comments by the ministry of external affairs came in response to the statement issued by the General Secretariat of the OIC on the second anniversary of the withdrawal of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

"We categorically reject yet another unacceptable reference to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir issued by the General Secretariat of OIC," external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

He was responding to media queries on the OIC statement.

"The OIC has no locus standi in matters relating to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India. It is reiterated that the OIC General Secretariat should refrain from allowing vested interests to exploit its platform for comments on internal affairs of India," Bagchi said.

On August 5, 2019, India announced the withdrawal of the special powers of Jammu and Kashmir and its decision to bifurcate the state into two union territories.

In the statement, the OIC General Secretariat reiterated its "call to revoke all these steps".

The OIC General Secretariat also reiterated its call on the international community to increase its efforts to resolve the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the "relevant UN Security Council resolutions".

The OIC is a grouping of Muslim-majority nations. -- PTI

23:09 Assam govt withdraws Mizoram travel advisory

The Assam government on Thursday withdrew its travel advisory asking people not to travel to Mizoram following violence along the interstate border, officials said.

An order issued by the Home and Political Department's Commissioner and Secretary M S Mannivannan said in view of the joint statement by the representatives of the governments of Assam and Mizoram, "the travel advisory issued on July 29 is withdrawn".

Earlier in the day, the Mizoram and Assam governments agreed to find a lasting solution to the century-old boundary dispute and take measures, including resuming interstate vehicular movement and keeping respective police forces off the conflict areas, to de-escalate tension.

Representatives of the two states held a meeting in Aizawl to bring back normalcy along the interstate border, where an uneasy calm prevails after six Assam Police personnel and one civilian were killed and 50 others injured in a clash between security forces on July 26.

After the meeting, Assam's Border Area Development Minister Atul Bora, who headed the state's delegation, told reporters that both sides have agreed to maintain peace along the boundary.

"Both the states have welcomed the deployment of neutral forces in the disputed areas and agreed not to send their respective police forces for patrolling, domination, enforcement or fresh deployment to any of the areas where confrontation and conflict have taken place between police forces of the two states in recent times," a joint statement issued by the two states said.

The statement was signed by Bora, his department's Commissioner and Secretary G D Tripathi, and Mizoram's Home Minister Lalchamliana and Home Secretary Vanlalngathsaka. -- PTI

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday promised to provide two billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the world this year and offered a USD 100 million donation to COVAX, the WHO-backed vaccine alliance, amidst a surge in coronavirus cases of the Delta variant in the country.

The number of active cases in China has crossed over 1,800, including 62 new locally-transmitted ones and 527 asymptomatic cases, the National Health Commission (NHC) said in a report, adding that 1,285 patients are undergoing treatment.

Several Chinese cities, including the central Wuhan where the coronavirus first emerged in December 2019, began mass testing following the emergence of fresh cases, a year after the city brought the contagion under control.

President Xi, in a written speech delivered at the first International Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine Cooperation, said that China will provide a total of two billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the world within the year to ensure accessibility and affordability of vaccines.

China will also donate USD 100 million to the COVAX global vaccine programme for the distribution of vaccines in developing countries, Xi said.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry recently said that China has so far provided 750 million vaccine doses to different countries, including 10 million to COVAX.

China has so far administered 1.72 billion vaccines to its people, according to the official media reports.

Xi's promise of two billion vaccines to the world came after US President Joe Biden said on August 3 that America has delivered 110 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to 65 countries, ranging from Afghanistan to Zambia.

The US donations prove that "democracies can deliver," Biden was quoted as saying by the US National Public Radio.

He also said that the US has acquired another 500 million Pfizer vaccines that will be donated to low- and middle-income countries by the end of the month. -- PTI

Nobel laureate economist Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee on Thursday apprehended that the impending third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic might adversely impact the GDP, and its growth rate might go down to 7 per cent, even below the IMF's recent projection of 9.5 per cent.

Banerjee, who heads West Bengal's Global Advisory Board and advises the state government on issues related to the pandemic, said that boosting the state's economy is directly related to the revival of the country's economy as it is under stress due to the ongoing pandemic situation.

"The economy is going slow due to the COVID situation. Earlier the IMF had said GDP growth would be 12.5 per cent. Now it is saying it would be 9.5 per cent. I apprehend it might go down to 7 per cent. Another wave will decrease it further. If the country's economy does not improve, the state will not be able to move forward alone," he said.

Last month, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) cut its economic growth forecast for India to 9.5 per cent for the fiscal year to March 31, 2022, as the onset of a severe second COVID-19 wave cut into recovery momentum.

This forecast for 2021-22 is lower than the 12.5 per cent growth in GDP that IMF had projected in April before the second wave took a grip. For 2022-23, IMF expects economic growth of 8.5 per cent, higher than the 6.9 per cent it had projected in April.

"The economy of Bengal is also connected with the country. If the country's economy does not improve, Bengal alone will not be able to do anything. If the economy of the whole country is active, it will have an impact.

"Many Bengalis work in other states. A lot of income comes from migrants. We cannot solve this problem alone. When the country's economy opens, that will pull us. The state government is certainly trying to help, but the problem will be solved only when the country's economy recovers," Banerjee said.

The noted economist that the Centre should be more into free-spending policies like other economies of Europe and the US rather than being more concerned about balancing the deficit and the budget.

"The (union) government has a fiscal problem, and it may have more faith in balancing the budget than free-spending policies. The government is trying to use the one instrument it has as other forms of tax collection are not necessarily keeping pace, given the economy is slow. It is using this to balance the budget," he said when asked to react to the Centre's decision to increase cess on various items, including fuel, from time to time in the last year.

But this is not the direction the government should not have taken, Banerjee said.

"I think the government should have been more open-handed with the spending. I have said this many, many times. I think the central government is too unwilling to do what US or European economies are doing - printing money and spending. And I think that would have been a better policy in the present context," the economist said.

Banerjee, however, praised the Centre for now moving in that direction.

"The inflation is already up due to the high fuel prices. I think there is a good case for being more open-handed. But to be fair, the central government has now moved towards that direction and have announced several relaxations. I think being less mindful of the deficit might be the right strategy," the Nobel laureate said. -- PTI

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha on Thursday said many political parties are participating in debates in Parliament on various bills but are not raising their demands, and warned them against taking "anti-people" positions.

"The SKM is taking note of the various political parties and their parliamentarians with regard to the 'peoples whip issued by it to the MPs. It is seeing that parties like BJD, TRS, YSRCP, AIADMK, TDP and JDU have been participating in debates on various Bills, or have acted against the 'peoples whip.

"The SKM warns them against anti-people positions, and reminds all parties about the 'peoples whip already issued," it said in a statement.

The SKM, the umbrella body of 40 farmers' unions spearheading the protest against the Centre's three agri laws, had on July 14 issued a 'peoples' whip', directing all MPs to raise the demands of the agitating farmers -- repeal of the three farm laws and a legal guarantee of receiving minimum support price (MSP) -- in Parliament.

Meanwhile, the farmers at the ongoing 'Kisan Sansad' at Jantar Mantar which completed its 11th day on Thursday, continued their deliberations on their demand of making remunerative Minimum Support Price a legal entitlement of all farmers and for all agricultural commodities.

It also passed a resolution directing the government to immediately table a bill that will fully address the current injustice in terms of "cost calculations, MSP formula and guaranteed MSP operationalisation".

"Such a statute should cover all agricultural commodities and all farmers. The 'Kisan Sansad' also directed the Government of India to ensure that any future arrangements made for MSP legalisation should not curtail or be lower than the best level of procurement in the past five years in each state respectively for various commodities," it noted.

The 'Kisan Sansad' is being organised by the agitating unions at a time the country's Parliament is holding its monsoon session.

As part of the 'Kisan Sansad' sessions, 200 farmers from the protest sites participate in the mock Parliament session during which issues concerning the farming community are discussed.

According to the SKM, contingents of farmers from different states, including Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka, have been coming to the national capital to join the protest, the latest being a group of farmers from Tamil Nadu. -- PTI

20:59 Nitish to discuss caste census with Modi

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said that he has sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the tricky issue of caste-based census which the Centre has proposed to hold only for SCs and STs, triggering protests in the state.

The Union government had informed the Parliament last month that a headcount of only the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was proposed. This has led to renewed demands that the population of all castes be ascertained afresh in course of the census.

"My letter to the PM has been dispatched. Once he gives an appointment we will take the matter forward", the chief minister told reporters in Patna.

Notably, the state legislature has on two occasions passed unanimous resolutions favouring a caste-based census. Moreover, leader of the opposition Tejashwi Yadav had met the chief minister last week with the suggestion that since unanimity prevailed among all political parties in Bihar over the issue of caste-based census, Kumar consider meeting the PM heading an all-party delegation.

The chief minister has also said that in the event of the Centre not agreeing to the request for covering all castes in the census, his government will "keep the option open" of conducting a state-specific exercise.

Kumar is the de facto leader of the Janata Dal-United, which has been alliance partner of the BJP for close to three decades.

He holds the view that a caste-based census will help better formulation and implementation of schemes aimed at targeted welfare of different social groups.

The last time a caste-based headcount was taken up in the country was in 1931.

The Bihar CM, who had recently caused a flutter by advocating an investigation into the Pegasus controversy, expressed satisfaction over the fact that the Supreme Court was seized of the matter and making needful intervention.

"Nobody should have a problem with this. If some people feel their privacy has been violated, what better thing than to have the Apex Court looking into the matter", said Kumar when asked about the phone-tapping with the help of Pegasus spyware.

The chief minister, who was talking to journalists upon returning to the city after conducting aerial survey for flood of four districts, laughed off a query about his arch rival Lalu Prasad, who is away in Delhi, becoming "politically active".

"Let us not talk about these things. Everybody has a right to act as per his wishes", said the JD-U leader as a parting remark. -- PTI

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that Rs 100 crore has been sanctioned to restore the roads affected by unprecedented rains in Konkan and Western Maharashtra.

The Road Transport and Highways Minister further said Vashishti Bridge near Chiplun on Mumbai-Goa Highway was badly damaged and it was restored within 72 hours for traffic.

"Immediate steps have been taken up to restore the roads affected by unprecedented rains in Konkan and Western Maharashtra. Rs 100 crore has been sanctioned in this regard.

"This includes 52 crore for temporary restoration and 48 crore for permanent restoration," he said in a tweet. -- PTI

20:36 Rupee gains for 4th straight session

he Indian rupee on Thursday further consolidated gains and settled at 74.17 to the US dollar, a level not seen in nearly seven weeks, amid sustained uptrend in domestic equities.

20:35 Indian hockey team at Olympics

A glance at Indian men's hockey team's performance at the Olympics

As coronavirus cases plateau, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said his government is considering resuming suburban train services in Mumbai for all commuters and a decision in this regard would be taken with responsibility.

Thackeray, speaking at the inauguration of a new municipal building in Mumbai, praised the city civic body, saying it has succeeded in curbing the spread of COVID-19 in the metropolis.

Mumbai has been reporting less than 500 coronavirus cases daily for the last three weeks.

The chief minister said resumption of suburban train services in Mumbai for all was under consideration and his government will take a decision on the issue with complete responsibility.

The suburban train services in the metropolis were suspended for general public in April this year due to the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. At present, only government employees and essential services staffers are allowed to travel in local trains.

He said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, ruled by the Shiv Sena, had succeeded to curbing the spread of COVID-19.

During the pandemic, the BMC did not falter in its responsibility of providing services to citizens, Thackeray said.

"Relaxation of coronavirus restrictions would be given whereever it is possible. The Mumbai model (of coronavirus management) was praised during the pandemic and a slum like Dharavi has defeated the virus," he said.

The CM urged people to continue to follow COVID-19 appropriate behaviour.

Earlier in the day, Minister of State for Railways Raosaheb Dave said local train services will be made available for common people in Mumbai once again if the state government submits a proposal to that effect. -- PTI

The ministry of external affairs on Thursday said the recent India-China military talks on the eastern Ladakh row were "constructive" and both sides agreed to resolve the remaining issues in an "expeditious manner".

According to a joint statement released by the Indian Army on Monday, two days after the 12th round of military talks, the two sides had a "candid and in-depth exchange" of views relating to disengagement and the meeting further enhanced the mutual understanding.

Asked about the talks at an online media briefing, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi pointed to the statement issued after the deliberations and highlighted that it was a joint press release.

"As was mentioned therein, the talks were candid and constructive. Both sides agreed to resolve the remaining issues in an expeditious manner in accordance with existing agreements and protocols, and maintain the momentum of dialogue and negotiations. We will share with you further updates once we have them," he said.

The border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5 last year following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control in the sensitive sector.

As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of the Pangong lake in February, in line with an agreement on disengagement. -- PTI

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said her government is weighing options for reopening schools and colleges on alternate days after the Durga Puja vacation in November.

Educational institutions have been closed in the state since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March last year.

"However, nothing has been finalised just yet," Banerjee told reporters following a meeting of the Global Advisory Board, headed by Nobel laureate Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee, at the state secretariat.

The economist is in West Bengal to discuss Covid strategies. -- PTI

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday hit out at the Congress over the continued disruption of Parliament proceedings due to the opposition protests on the Pegasus issue, and claimed there is no "prima facie evidence" to suggest that certain phone numbers were indeed tapped.

Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad likened the Congress to a private firm tied to the interests of one family and claimed at a press conference in New Delhi that his party is ready for a "meaningful" debate in Parliament be it on the Pegasus issue or those concerning farmers.

Prasad, however, added that the opposition could have sought clarification from IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw when he made a statement on the snooping controversy in Parliament which would have led to a debate but its members, he noted, instead tore the statement.

He alleged that it is not the Congress' ethos to respect Parliament, and the opposition party would allow it to function only so long as it "subserves" the interests of its ruling family.

A number of opposition parties, including Congress, TMC and DMK, have joined hands to stall Parliament demanding that the legislature debate the Pegasus issue first.

Attacking the Congress, Prasad said, "Having dominated Parliament for the longest time since 1947, it is ironic that the Congress has the least respect for parliamentary ethos and proceedings."

"The reason for that is the Congress functions more like a private firm compared to a political party, and its sole aim is to safeguard the interests of one dynasty," he said.

Prasad claimed that people who are "hostile" to the Modi government and has an obvious anti-Modi agenda are behind the Pegasus snooping controversy, and it was timed deliberately ahead of the beginning of Parliament's Monsoon session.

"Is there any prime facie evidence that (phone) numbers were indeed put under surveillance," Prasad asked, noting that Justice Arun Mishra, who retired from the Supreme Court in September 2020 and is now chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, has said a mobile number of his allegedly put under surveillance was surrendered by him way back in 2014.

The latest Pegasus story had named Mishra as among those who might have been targeted by the snooping spyware.

The fact is, Prasad said, the Congress has not been able to reconcile to Narendra Modi being the prime minister and that the BJP keeps winning under his leadership while the opposition party has been stumbling from one defeat to another. -- PTI

The government on Thursday introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha seeking to bury retrospective tax demands it had made on companies such as Cairn Energy Plc and Vodafone Group of UK.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced The Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in the Lok Sabha which seeks to withdraw tax demands made on indirect transfer of Indian assets prior to May 28, 2012.

"It is also proposed to refund the amount paid in these cases without any interest thereon," the bill said.

This bill impacts retro tax cases of at least two big companies -- Cairn Energy Plc and Vodafone Group of UK.

Both firms had won international arbitrations against levy of retrospective taxes on them. -- PTI

India on Thursday summoned the Pakistani charge d'affaires and lodged a firm protest over the ransacking of a Hindu temple in Rahim Yar Khan of Pakistan's Punjab province.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India also conveyed its grave concerns to the Pakistani diplomat over continued attacks on the freedom of religion of the minority communities in Pakistan.

"The Pakistani charge d'affaires here was summoned today afternoon and a firm protest was lodged expressing our grave concerns at this reprehensible incident and the continued attacks on the freedom of religion of the minority communities and their places of religious worship in Pakistan," Bagchi said at a media briefing. -- PTI

The government regularly interacts with social media companies on matters including accountability of such platforms and safety of users, and there are no plans at present to block any social media platform in the country, Parliament was informed on Thursday.

While some users do misuse social media platforms to create hate and ill-will among people of the country, no social media platform or any other intermediary can destroy India's democracy, Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

"At present, the government has no plan to block any social media platform in the country," he added.

The minister said the government receives various grievances from users about hate content on social media platforms and responds to them in an appropriate way.

The government regularly interacts with social media intermediaries on various issues, including issuing advisories to make these intermediaries safe and accountable to users, he added.

"Indian democracy has its bedrock in its Constitution and constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights for every citizen. No social media platform or any other intermediary can destroy our democracy," Chandrasekhar emphasised.

He stated that under the provision of Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, the government blocks malicious online content, in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign states or public order.

In response to a question on whether the government proposes to regularise social media in the country, Chandrasekhar said policies are aimed at ensuring a fair, open and trusted internet.

"Government policies are aimed to ensure free, fair, open and trusted Internet and intermediaries are allowed to operate in the country as long as they follow applicable laws including Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, and Rules," he said.

Chandrasekhar said the electronics and IT ministry has invoked the provisions of Section 69A of the IT Act to block certain apps following the due process specified in the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rule, 2009.

It has been the endeavour of the government to put in place an enabling and investor-friendly policy environment in the country, he further said. -- PTI

Afghanistan's renowned poet and historian Abdullah Atifi was killed by Taliban out of his residence in Uruzgan province's Chora district on Wednesday night, Tolo news quoted provincial Governor Mohammad Omar Shirzad as saying.

The governor added that the poet was killed out of his residence by the Taliban's gunmen. However, the Taliban hasn't commented on the incident yet. Taliban's aggressive advances haven't left even the renowned persons in societies.

Wrestler Deepak Punia's father Subhash Punia in Chhara village on missing out on the bronze medal. "I only want to say that there is no need to worry. He (Deepak Punia) is playing at a very young age and many more chances will come in future," his father said.

PM Modi said earlier that new India is gaining global recognition not through ranks, but by winning medals. "It has been proved that one's progress is decided by hard work, not family. Indian youth is moving forward, it's progressing," Modi said.

Family matters, Mr PM.

Manjhi the mountain man 2.0, but the ending is better.

Harihar Behera from Tulubi village, Nayagarh in Odisha has carved a road through forest land in 30 years.

"There was no road here. When we demanded a road, local MLA told us that it can never be built here. Since that day, Behera took it upon himself to build road," says a local.

"Our relatives would find it difficult to travel here due to the muddy path. They would forget the route. It was becoming difficult to do without a road, which is when my brother and I began road construction on our own. Road has become a reality now," Harihar says.

"About 30 years ago, Behera and his brother began building a road through forest land to their inaccessible village. It's an inspiring piece of work. Subsequently after due permission from forest officials, a road has been constructed, village is now fully accessible," BC Ray, ADM.

Around 140 terrorists are waiting at launch pads to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir and the terror infrastructure across the Line of Control (LoC) remains in place even though India and Pakistan agreed in February to a ceasefire, a senior security official said on Thursday.

Contending that the ceasefire agreement was more important for Pakistan as it is desperately trying to come out of the "grey list" of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the sincerity of Islamabad could have been gauged if they had dismantled the terror infrastructure.

The official at the same time said the Army has been noticing continued presence of around 140 terrorists at the launch pads across the LoC, likely waiting to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir, but the robust counter-infiltration grid has so far desisted them from making any such attempts. "They tried in the past but had to return after alert jawans foiled all their nefarious designs," the official said.

The official said Pakistan is using the ceasefire window to strengthen its infrastructure along the LoC that was damaged in cross-border shelling last year in response to their troops' firing at civilian areas on the Indian side of the LoC.

Commenting on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir since the Centre abrogated its special status two years ago, the official said foreign terrorists have suddenly disappeared from the scene and got themselves locked in either some hideouts in densely populated areas or mountainous heights having natural caves. -- PTI

16:42 Top gainers in the markets

Equity benchmark indices witnessed profit taking in the last hour of trade on Thursday but closed mildly higher after a volatile session.

16:26 Mamata asks Modi for 14 cr vaccine doses

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing apprehension that the Covid situation might turn grim if the vaccine supply in the state is not augmented.

She also alleged that the state is getting a "much lower number of doses" of vaccines despite having a very high population density, and urged him to ramp up the supply of vials. The state would require around 14 crore doses of Covid vaccines to cover all the eligible people, she said.

"Presently, we are administering four lakh doses per day and are capable of administer 11 lakh doses per day. Yet, we are getting much lower number of doses despite having a very high population density and a higher rate of urbanisation," Banerjee wrote in the letter.

She also alleged that several letters sent to the PM on the same matter earlier have "not received due attention" at the Centre. "I am sorry to say the central government is providing a larger number of vaccine doses to other states. I have no problem if any other state receives higher number of vaccine doses, but I cannot remain a mute spectator to see Bengal deprived," she said.

The CM claimed that the positivity rate of Covid-19 has come down to 1.57 per cent due to the state's sustained efforts.

"So, my earnest appeal to you is to see that Bengal receives adequate vaccine doses as per its requirement," she said in the letter. Till Wednesday, over 3.09 crore people have been inoculated in Bengal, health department sources said. PTI

16:17 Sensex, Nifty scale fresh lifetime highs

Extending its winning streak to the fourth straight session, equity benchmark Sensex ended 123.07 points higher at a fresh record on Thursday amid gains in index majors Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank and ITC. After scaling its lifetime peak of 54,717.24 during the day, the 30-share index settled 123.07 points or 0.23 per cent higher at its record high of 54,492.84.

In a similar movement, the broader NSE Nifty rose 35.80 points or 0.22 per cent to an all-time peak of 16,294.60. It touched an intra-day record of 16,349.45. Bharti Airtel was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, surging around 4 per cent, followed by ITC, Tech Mahindra, Tata Steel and HCL Tech. On the other hand, SBI, IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Finance and ICICI Bank were among the laggards. -- PTI

IIT Kanpur and IIT Hyderabad have predicted the third wave of COVID-19 in mid-August that will see a rise in cases in October, but top microbiologist and virologist, Dr Gagandeep Kang said that this will depend on the type of variants, and added that if they are more infectious then cases can increase at the same pace as the first wave.

According to Dr Kang, who is the vice-chair for the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Board, "The third wave depends on type variants or strains, and if driven by variant, it becomes very difficult to predict the numbers."

"I think a lot depends on whether the wave is driven by variants, or driven by strains. If it's driven by variants then it becomes very difficult to predict what the numbers are likely to be," she further said.

She also said that if the wave is driven by strains then the number of COVID-19 cases is likely to be low.

"If it's driven by strains then we know numbers are likely to be low. I am actually not very sure about the timing of the third wave or whether we will have a third wave in August or September at all. We know that this is a virus that is dependent on the environment and I think what we are seeing from certain other parts of the world is that there may be some seasonal elements to this virus. We have to get through another winter and see that how that plays out, in determining how much we see and when."

Responding to a question on the US reporting a higher number of cases and whether India can face a similar spike in COVID-19 cases, she said, "Of course, I think as long as virus replication continues to happen, the chances of a new variant emerging are very very high and the most urgent thing that we can do is to protect ourselves from virus replication as much as possible. That only happens when we make sure that people do not get infected."

"One thing is preventing people from getting sick so that the healthcare system does not get overburdened. But if we want to prevent the emergence of a new variant, we also have to prevent transmission of the disease because any amount of replication will continue to be a threat. That is what we are seeing with delta. Newer variants are able to infect people who have been vaccinated," said Dr Kang.

She stressed that it's important for both the vaccinated as well as unvaccinated people to take precautionary measures and protect themselves from the disease.

"It's very important for us to continue to study this virus and make sure that we can limit infections both in the vaccinated and unvaccinated," said Dr Kang.

Also read: Our March 2021 interview with Dr Gangandeep Kang.

16:03 Kajol's top 10 glam looks

From slaying the sari look to perfection to rocking red carpet outfits, Kajol's style quotient has always been on point. As the talented actress celebrates her 47th birthday on August 5, Namrata Thakker brings you some of her best fashionable appearances. Take a look.

A man was arrested from the Roshnabad area of Uttarakhand's Haridwar district for allegedly making a mockery of and passing casteist remarks against the family of Vandana Katariya who was part of India's women's hockey team which lost to Argentina in a semifinal match at the Tokyo Olympics, police said on Thursday.

Soon after the team went down to Argentina, two men allegedly danced and burst firecrackers outside Vandana's house in the Roshnabad area in a gesture of mockery on Wednesday evening, an official at SIDCUL police station said.

When some members of Vandana's family came out hearing the noise outside their house, the two men also passed casteist remarks against the family, saying the team had lost because it had too many Dalit players in it, he said. A heated argument also took place between members of the family and the two men involved in the incident, following which a complaint was lodged by Vandana's brother, the official said.

A man, identified as Vijay Pal, has been arrested and booked in connection with the incident under section 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the Indian Penal Code and the SC-ST Act, the official said. The other man involved in the incident has not been arrested yet, he said. PTI

Against the backdrop of the Tokyo Olympic Games, Japan set a new record of over 15,000 daily COVID-19 infections, breaking the previous record of 14,200 cases that was registered just one day earlier, NHK broadcaster reported on Thursday.

Due to the surge in new infections, the Japanese government introduced a regime of enhanced anti-coronavirus measures in Hokkaido, Ishikawa, Hyogo, Kyoto and Fukuoka for the period between August 2-31, and also declared a state of emergency in Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa and Osaka. In addition, pre-emergency measures were expanded to cover the prefectures of Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Shizuoka, Aichi, Shiga and Kumamoto for the period between August 8-31.

The Bombay High Court on Thursday asked the Maharashtra government to think about identifying and separating those who have taken both doses of COVID-19 vaccine from the rest, and provide a "common card" to the fully inoculated people to allow them unrestricted travel and work.

The court said the state government should consider allowing people who have received both doses of the anti-COVID-19 vaccine to travel by local trains, and carry on with activities that were permitted before the pandemic.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni also said the state and the Union government must consider issuing a "common card" that identifies a citizen as fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and permits him or her to travel and work unrestrained.

The bench was presiding over a bunch of public interest litigations seeking permission for lawyers, judicial clerks and staff, journalists, and other fully vaccinated people to travel in local trains in Mumbai.

Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, who appeared for the Maharashtra government, told the HC that a letter from the State Disaster Management Authority will be issued for lawyers and registered judicial clerks, based on which the Railways will issue them passes permitting local train travel.

The bench then referred to an interview with Maharashtra COVID-19 task force member Dr Shashank Joshi, published in a newspaper in the morning. Dr Joshi said in the interview that the state was yet to achieve the target of fully vaccinating at least 70 per cent of its population.

He said one-third of Maharashtra's population was still highly susceptible to getting infected by the coronavirus, and unrestricted local train travel, even for the fully vaccinated, could not be permitted yet as identifying the fully vaccinated was cumbersome, according to the HC.

"If Dr Joshi says it can be done (train travel) subject to identification, it is for the state and the Centre to identify the fully vaccinated (people)," the HC said. "One-third of the population is still susceptible to the virus. Then, this one-third population should be separated from the two-third, or from the fully vaccinated. At least provide them with a card identifying them as fully vaccinated," the HC said.

The court said in some western nations, people used such cards for access to public transport. "You can have a common card that can be used as an ID for everything allowed for the fully vaccinated, even foreign travel," the HC said. -- PTI

They have already surpassed all expectations and the Indian women's hockey team will now look to go a little further and notch up its maiden podium finish at the Olympics when it takes on Great Britain in the bronze medal play-off here on Friday.

The men's team rewrote history on Thursday as it claimed an Olympic medal after 41 years, defeating Germany 5-4 to win the bronze in an edge-of-the-seat play-off match. And having already recorded their best-ever Olympic performance, the Indian women would look to double the nation's joy on Friday. But it would be easier said than done for the Indians as they were thrashed 1-4 by Great Britain, who were the defending champions, in the pool stages.

Having failed to emulate their gold-winning performance in Rio five years back, Great Britain would be desperate to at least sign off their campaign with a podium finish from Tokyo. But India can take heart from the fact that contrary to the final score-line, it was a close match against Great Britain in the pool stages.

The Indian women's hockey team wasted several chances in that match and could have made a closer match of it had they showed better finishing skills. The difference between the two teams was that India had the better share of chances but Great Britain utilised more opportunities that came their way. India secured as many as eight penalty corners in the match but converted just one. Great Britain too didn't have great success rate from set pieces as they found the net just once from the six they earned.

The Indians would take a lot of confidence from their spirited performance against world no.2 Argentina in the semifinals even though they lost match 1-2. The Indians fought valiantly and gave Argentina a run for their money but were guilty of conceding penalty corners at crucial junctures of the match which eventually proved costly. With nothing to lose from here on, world no.7 India would fancy their chances against world no.4 Great Britain.

There is no pressure on them as the 18 fearless and determined women had already done the unthinkable when they stunned three-time champions Australia 1-0 to enter the Olympic semifinals for the first time.

Union Minister of State for Railways Raosaheb Dave on Thursday said that local train services will be made available for common people in Mumbai once again if the state government submits a proposal to that effect.

The suburban train services in the metropolis were suspended for general public in April this year due to the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

At present, only government employees and those working in essential services are allowed to travel in local trains.

"The Ministry of Railways will approve the proposal of allowing common people to travel by local trains in Mumbai. However, we have not received any such communication from the state government so far. The railway administration is not against commencing local train services for common people," Danve told a regional news channel in New Delhi.

Several passenger associations have been saying that local trains should be resumed for the general public. The BJP and the MNS have also been mounting pressure on the government to allow at least the fully vaccinated passengers to travel by the suburban trains.

The Maharashtra government on Monday evening announced further relaxations of coronavirus curbs in 25 districts showing a low positivity rate of the infection, extending the existing business timings of shops and allowing shopping malls to operate in these districts.

However, the state government did not take any decision on allowing common people to travel by suburban trains in the state capital. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had said that day that allowing all segments of the society in Mumbai local trains would be difficult "in the first phase" as the easing of curbs is being done slowly. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, both the Central Railway and Western Railway used to ferry over 75 lakh commuters a day in over 3,000 suburban train services. PTI

The Taliban offensive in Afghanistan has intensified

14:57 India not invited to Russia's meet on Afghanistan

India has not been invited to a crucial meeting being convened by Russia on the fast-evolving situation in Afghanistan that is expected to see the participation of Pakistan, China and the US, people familiar with the development said on Thursday.

As the Taliban continues its offensive in Afghanistan, Russia has stepped up efforts to reach out to all key stakeholders in the war-torn country to stop the violence and push the Afghan peace process.

The 'extended Troika' meeting is scheduled to be held in Qatar on August 11. Talks under the format had earlier taken place on March 18 and April 30. Russia has also been holding the 'Moscow Format' of talks to bring peace and creating conditions for the process of national reconciliation in Afghanistan.

Last month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in Tashkent that Russia will continue to work with India and other countries which can influence the situation in Afghanistan.

Following the comments, there was speculation that India may be included in the upcoming 'extended Trioka' meeting. "We will continue working with the Americans in the extended Troika format as well as with all other countries that can influence the situation in Afghanistan, including our partners from Central Asia, India, Iran and the US," he had told reporters.

"We have a Moscow format that includes all the main players," Lavrov had said. Though Russia has differences with the US on various dimensions of the Afghan conflict, both countries are now pushing for the intra-Afghan talks and to put an end to the widespread violence being perpetrated by the Taliban.

India is yet to comment on the upcoming extended Troika meeting.

An expat working in Saudi Arabia submitted a petition in the Kerala High Court seeking permission to get re-vaccinated with Covishield after being fully vaccinated with Covaxin. The court sought the Central government's view on this and adjourned the matter to August 9.

A Kannur native, Girikumar Thekkan Kunnumpurath (50), submitted the petition stating that Covaxin is not recognised in Saudi Arabia and as per his visa stipulation, he has to return to Saudi Arabia before August 30 or he would lose his job.

According to the petition, he returned to India due to the COVID second wave in Saudi Arabia in January and when the Centre provided vaccines for people aged above 45, he registered on the Cowin portal using his passport details.

"He got the first Covaxin dose on April 17, and the second a month later. It was only after receiving Covaxin that he came to know that it is not approved by the Saudi government. Had the authorities informed the public about the non-recognition of Covaxin earlier, he would not have taken it. He never knew his decision would put his job abroad in jeopardy," read the petition. -- ANI

Assam and Mizoram are meeting for the first time on Thursday regarding the border dispute between both states after an incident on July 26 claimed the lives of six Assam police personnel.

The meeting, being held in Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram, is attended by two ministers from Assam, Ashok Singhal and Atul Bora. The Mizoram side is represented by home minister Lalchamliana, revenue minister Lalruatkima and home secretary Vanlalngaihsaka.

The meeting started at 11.30 am at Aizawl Club. Ministers from Assam, along with other officials, reached Aizawl on Wednesday at 10.00 pm. Considering the sensitivity of the issue, there was no official statement from either side before the meeting. Officials from Mizoram said that a joint statement will be issued by both Assam and Mizoram after the meeting.

Police forces of both states clashed at the Assam-Mizoram border due to an interstate border dispute on July 26. Both chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as well Zoramthanga took to Twitter blaming each others state police forces for the violence. Six policemen from Assam were killed. Forty-three policemen were injured and admitted to Silchar Medical College and Hospital for treatment.

14:21 'I see my dreams vanishing'

"My father has invested a lot in me ... He has given me deadline to finish my PhD and start working. I find it difficult to explain to him that I have lost half of my year because of no internet."

Kashmiri researchers on the internet blockade: Read the story here.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said he has held a meeting with Dr Reddy's Laboratories Chairman Satish Reddy regarding the production and supply of COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V.

Dr Reddy's, which has tied up with Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) for Sputnik V in India, soft launched the vaccine in India in May 2021, after receiving Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in April 2021.

In September 2020, the company partnered with RDIF to conduct the clinical trials of Sputnik V and distribute the vaccine in India. The Hyderabad-based drug major has already stated that the locally manufactured Sputnik V will be available from September-October period.

"Held a meeting with Dr Satish Reddy, Chairman of Dr Reddy's Lab. Had a discussion on the production of the Sputnik V #COVID19 vaccine and its supply," Mandaviya tweeted. RDIF has tied up with six Indian drug makers, including Dr Reddy's, to manufacture Sputnik V.

Dr Reddy's is in a pact with RDIF to sell 250 million vials of Sputnik V in India. The first consignment of imported doses of Sputnik V landed in India on May 1, and received regulatory clearance from the Central Drugs Laboratory, Kasauli, on May 13.

Sputnik V uses two different vectors for the two shots in a course of vaccination. Its efficacy was determined to be 91.6 per cent as per an article published in the medical journal Lancet. PTI

Indian Medical Association (IMA) president J A Jayalal has called the civil suit filed against him for alleged derogatory remarks against Ayurveda an elaborate design to harass the allopathic doctors.

He said the plea, which sought a public apology for hurting the sentiments of Ayurvedic believers, prevents him from exercising the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under the Constitution.

The plaint is part of an elaborate design on the part of the certain section of people to seek to harass allopathic doctors and restrain them from exercising their fundamental rights, Jayalal, along with IMA and its general secretary Jayesh Lele, stated in a 212-page reply to the suit.

The medical association in its July 30 reply has also called the allegations bald, unsubstantiated, and not maintainable in law, adding that the application deserves to be rejected by the court with a cost. Jayalal, IMA, Lele, the National Medical Association, and the Bureau of Indian Standards are the defendants in the case. -- PTI

File pic

13:19 Art 370 anniversary: Shops shut, Valley peaceful

Most shops were shut in parts of Srinagar on Thursday on the second anniversary of the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status, even as the situation remained peaceful, officials said.

While shops in several areas of the city, including the Lal Chowk city centre, were closed, those in other areas such as in south Kashmir's Anantnag district and parts of Budgam, Ganderbal and Kupwara were open. However, shopkeepers in many areas, including Lal Chowk, alleged that police were forcing them to keep their establishments open.

Many of them claimed police broke open the locks of their shops. The officials said public transport remained off the roads in several areas of the city.

While no strike call was given by any separatist group, many areas witnessed a spontaneous shutdown. The police termed a letter in the name of hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who is under house-detention, calling for a shutdown "fake".

They added that action was being taken against those uploading or sharing the letter. The officials said the situation across the Valley was peaceful so far. PTI

13:04 Mapped: Telecom sector

Telecom sector grew almost 3% in a year.

Serum Institute of India CEO and owner Adar Poonawalla on Thursday said that he has set aside Rs 10 crore to support students travelling abroad for studies, as a few countries are yet to approve Covishield as an acceptable vaccine for entry without quarantine.

"Dear students travelling abroad, as a few countries are yet to approve Covishield as an acceptable vaccine for travel without quarantine, you may have to incur some costs. I have set aside Rs 10 crore for this...," Poonawalla said in a tweet. He also shared a link for students to apply for financial support, if needed.

Earlier in July, he had lauded 16 European countries for recognising Covishield as an acceptable vaccine for entry. "It is indeed good news for travellers, as we see sixteen European countries recognising Covishield as an acceptable vaccine for entry. However, despite being vaccinated, entry guidelines might vary from country to country, so do read up before you travel," Poonawalla had said in a tweet. PTI

12:44 Tharoor makes a point

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor observes, "Assailed by journalists on the steps of Parliament this morning. A lot of the press corps work on mobile phones these days, rather than lugging bulky video cameras around. Makes journalism more sprightly, no doubt, but can easily trap the unwary into an unguarded response!"

File pic: TMC MP Arpita Ghosh

12:34 Suspended TMC MP breaks glass pane in RS

A Parliament Security Services (PSS) officer suffered minor injuries on Wednesday when Arpita Ghosh, one of the suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs, broke the glass pane of a wooden door of the Rajya Sabha by smashing her mobile phone in a bid to forcibly enter the Upper House of Parliament.

The incident took place when the six suspended TMC MPs tried to forcibly enter the Rajya Sabha chamber after the House was adjourned at 3:15 p.m. According to a statement issued by the Parliament Security Service of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, the six TMC MPs, who were suspended on Wednesday including Bola Sen, Md. Nadimul Haque, Abir Ranjan Biswas, Shanta Chhetri, Arpita Ghosh and Mausam Noor, continued to raise anti-government slogans standing outside the Rajya Sabha chamber surrounded by the security personnel who were preventing them from entering the House.

The statement read, "When the Rajya Sabha House resumed at 2 pm, the afore-mentioned members gathered at the Snacks Counter near 30 Lobby of Rajya Sabha and tried to enter into the Rajya Sabha Chamber. Accordingly, when the PSS officials tried to stop them from entering the lobby of the Rajya Sabha, they started shouting slogans and kept themselves positioned at the Snacks counter during the remaining proceedings of the House."

It further stated that after the adjournment of the House for the day, they immediately tried to enter into the Rajya Sabha Chamber.

As per laid down procedures PSS was waiting for the members to vacate the Chamber so that requisite security checks of the Chamber could be done before allowing Sanitation staff to clean up the Chamber and sanitise the premises.

As a result, there was a heavy rush of the dispersing Members at the Lobby Gates, it said.

The statement mentioned that when the PSS officials tried to restrict them to enter the Chamber, the Members started creating ruckus and forcefully tried to enter into the Rajya Sabha Chamber.

It read, "While trying to gain forceful entry inside the Chamber, Arpita Ghosh, Hon'ble Member, broke the glass pane of the wooden door of Inner lobby (3rd Gate) of Rajya Sabha by smashing her mobile phone causing minor bruises/abrasions to Chander Kala, Assistant Section Officer (ASO)."

The city civic body informed the Bombay High Court on Thursday that 4,715 bed-ridden people here have so far registered for home vaccination against COVID-19 and out of them, 602 people have been administered the jabs at their residences. The only hurdle that the people are facing is the requirement of a fitness certificate from a medical expert, Anil Sakhare, the counsel for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) told a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni.

The BMC started the home vaccination drive for bed-ridden people on July 30. Sakhare told the court that till August 4, the civic body received applications from 4,715 bed-ridden people for registering themselves for the home vaccination.

Till Wednesday, 602 bed-ridden people have been vaccinated at their homes. A two-member team comprising a doctor and a nurse visits the homes of the registered people along with an ambulance and the vaccine is administered, he said.

Sakhare said the only hurdle people are facing is the requirement of a fitness certificate from a doctor stating the person who has to be vaccinated shall remain bed-ridden or immobile for the next six months and that the person is fit to receive the jab.

Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, appearing for the state government, submitted to the court the government's policy for 'COVID-19 vaccination for the bed-ridden and immobile persons'.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by advocates Dhruti Kapadia and Kunal Tiwari, seeking a direction to the Union and the state governments to start door-to-door vaccination drive for senior citizens above the age of 75 years, specially-abled people and those who are bed-ridden or wheelchair-bound.

The petition said these people would not be in a position to go to the vaccination centres. The Centre had said it would not be in a position to start the drive, but the state government later agreed to initiate the home vaccination campaign in Mumbai from August 1. -- PTI

The case of the minor girl who was allegedly raped, murdered and cremated without her parents' consent in Delhi's Old Nangal crematorium has been transferred to the crime branch for speedy investigation.Police Commissioner of Delhi, Rakesh Asthana gave the direction for the transfer of the case.

On Wednesday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met the family members of the minor girl who was allegedly raped and murdered and announced an ex-gratia of rupees ten lakh.

"I met her parents. Her loss can't be compensated for but Delhi govt will provide them Rs. 10 lakhs ex-gratia," said Kejriwal after meeting the parents of the girl.

"We'll order magisterial inquiry & appoint top lawyers so that culprits get strict punishment," the Chief Minister added.

12:07 India's hockey medals in Olympics

The bronze in the ongoing Olympics was India's 12th hockey medal overall at the Games. Here is a list of all the podium finishes in hockey that India have achieved so far in the quadrennial showpiece. The country is the most successful team in the Olympics.

1928, Amsterdam GOLD

1932, Los Angeles GOLD

1936, Berlin GOLD

1948, London GOLD

1952, Helsinki GOLD

1956, Melbourne GOLD

1960, Rome SILVER

1964, Tokyo BRONZE

1968, Mexico City BRONZE

1972, Munich BRONZE

1980, Moscow GOLD

2021, Tokyo BRONZE.

The allegations of Pegasus spyware being used to target opposition leaders, journalists and others are "serious if newspaper reports are correct", the Supreme Court said today as it heard a batch of petitions seeking a special probe into the scandal.

A two-member bench, headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana, is hearing the petitions. Justice Surya Kant is the second judge on the bench.

The Editors' Guild of India, in its petition filed two days ago, requested the Supreme Court to seek details from the government on the spyware contract and a list of those targetted.

"I am not going into facts of each case, some people claim phones intercepted. There is Telegraph Act for complaints," the CJI said.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal appearing for N Ram and others says this spyware is only sold to government agencies and can't be sold to private entities. NSO technology is involved in the international arena.

Senior lawyer Shyam Divan, appearing for academician Jagdeep Chhodkar, says the magnitude of the present case is huge, and asks the bench to consider an independent probe in the case. It has to be the highest level bureaucrat who replies to this preferably Cabinet Secretary.

11:38 Seeking Truth with Tagore

There was a time when Tagore was a global phenomenon, whose aura and impact were felt in places like Iran, South America, China, Japan, Vietnam, Germany, Poland and many more. Shashi Tharoor on the uses of Tagore's ideas on the eve of his 80th death anniversary. Read more here.

File pic

11:34 Terrorists open fire at police party in J-K's Baramulla

Terrorists on Thursday attacked a police party in the Sopore area of Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district, but no loss of life or injury was reported, officials said. The police party came under fire around 10.20 am at Batpora in the north Kashmir district, they said. There was, however, no reports of any loss of life or injury, officials added. PTI

11:31 ED slaps Rs 10,600-cr FEMA notice on Flipkart

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a show cause notice of about Rs 10,600 crore to e-commerce major Flipkart and its promoters for alleged violation of the foreign exchange law, official sources said on Thursday. They said the notice under various sections of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) was issued to 10 people last month that includes Flipkart, its founders Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal, among others.

Sources said the notice was issued after completion of investigation and the charges include violation of the foreign direct investment (FDI) rules and those that regulate multi-brand retail.

They said the Walmart-owned company and its executives will now undergo adjudication that will be conducted by a Special Director-rank officer of the agency based in Chennai.

Proceedings under the FEMA are civil in nature and the final penalty, post adjudication, can be at least three times the amount contravened under the law. Flipkart said it was cooperating with the ED in this investigation.

11:27 Global Covid cases may exceed 200mn: WHO

The highly-transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19 has now been reported in 135 countries, according to the World Health Organization which said the cumulative number of coronavirus cases reported globally could exceed 200 million by next week.

The COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update dated August 3, released by WHO, said globally 132 countries have reported cases of the Beta variant and 81 countries of the Gamma variant.

It said the cases of Alpha variant have been reported in 182 countries, territories or areas, while 135 countries have reported cases of the Delta variant, which was first identified in India.

The global number of new cases has been increasing for more than a month, with over 4 million cases reported in the past week - July 26 to August 1, the update said.

This increasing trend is largely attributed to substantial increases in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Western Pacific Regions which reported 37 per cent and 33 per cent increases respectively as compared to the previous week, while the South-East Asia Region reported a 9 per cent increase, it said.

Overall, the number of deaths reported this week decreased by 8 per cent as compared to the previous week, with over 64,000 deaths reported. However, the Western Pacific and Eastern Mediterranean Regions showed a sharp increase in new deaths as compared to the previous week, reporting 48 per cent and 31 per cent increases, respectively.

The cumulative number of cases reported globally is now nearly 197 million and the number of cumulative deaths is 4.2 million. If these trends continue, the cumulative number of cases reported globally could exceed 200 million by next week, the update said.

11:23 Pretty proud of these legends: Hockey coach

The Indian men's hockey team's Australian coach Graham Reid on Thursday said he feels "privileged" to be a part of the game's revival in India after the side clinched its first Olympic medal in 41 years by beating Germany in the bronze play-off in Tokyo.

The 57-year-old, who was a part of Australia's silver-winning team in the 1992 Barcelona Games, took over as India coach in 2019 and has obsessively talked about pursuing a process and investing in youth to get the results at a big stage like the Olympics.

"It is a fantastic feeling, it has come after a lot of sacrifices that the whole group has made," Reid said referring to the time the players spent away from their families and in some cases, battling COVID-19 as well.

"It takes a long time to get where these athletes have gotten. All the sacrifices that go unseen," he added with skipper Manpreet Singh sitting by his side after the 5-4 triumph over Germany here.

"...I know that apart from the country, this group has been waiting for a medal for a fairly long time and I know how much hockey means to India and I am privileged to help play a part in that."

India were 1-3 down in the match and Reid said one of the things that has been worked on during his stint was to never lose hope of a comeback. "Before the game I asked the guys to make sure they bring the next level if something happens, for example, if you are down, you need to bring the next level of play and they did that very well," Reid explained.

"(It is) never over until it is over. It's always easy to say you should be doing this or that but there are lots of things that go on," he added when asked about the penalty corner that India conceded just six seconds from the final hooter.

"It has been one of the signatures of this team, which we have tried to develop and make sure that we can always come back and I think we did that."

Reid was effusive in his praise for veteran custodian P R Sreejesh, who stood like a wall in the face of unrelenting German attacks. "Having someone like Sreejesh in the goal is nice, glad that we didn't have to go into a shootout. He is a stalwart of Indian hockey. He has done a lot of work in the background to get to where he is," he said.

The seasoned coach also lauded the efforts made by the sports ministry and the Sports of Authority of India. "The funding is there, it is just a matter of keeping these things going. It used to be the national game. All involved with hockey want to see it back," he said. "We worked on our mentality, I told them we can change the future and we did that today," he added. PTI

Image: Hockey Coach Graham Reid tweeted, "Pretty proud of these legends."

Sixteen species of owls have been identified that are commonly trafficked in illegal wildlife trade in India, WWF India has said highlighting that the birds are victims of superstitious beliefs and rituals. To raise awareness about these owl species and help with their identification, TRAFFIC and WWF-India have created an informative poster called 'Imperiled by illegal wildlife trade: Owls of India'.

TRAFFIC, an organisation that works to ensure wildlife trade is not a threat to the conservation of nature, has identified 16 species of owls that are commonly trafficked in the illegal wildlife trade in India.

"The poaching and trafficking of owls in India have become a lucrative illicit trade resting on the wings of superstition," said Dr Saket Badola, Head of TRAFFIC's India Office.

He said, "Lack of awareness about owls in the illegal wildlife trade and the limited capacity of enforcement agencies to identify them has made this illegal activity difficult to detect or curb. We are hopeful that our new identification poster will help to bridge this enforcement gap."

"Owls in India are victims of superstitious beliefs and rituals often promoted amongst the unsuspecting public by local mystic practitioners," the organisations was quoted as saying in an official statement.

Fighting between Taliban, Afghan forces have intensified

10:56 UNSC to meet under India to discuss Afghanistan

The UN Security Council, under the Presidency of India, will meet on Friday to discuss the worsening security situation in Afghanistan. The decision to hold the open UNSC briefing on Afghanistan comes just a day after Afghanistan Foreign Minister Mohammed Haneef Atmar spoke with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar "to discuss convening an emergency UN Security Council Session on Afghanistan. UN #SecurityCouncil will meet on Friday, 6th August, under Indian Presidency to discuss and take stock of the situation in #Afghanistan," India's Permanent Representative to UN and Security Council President for the month of August," Ambassador T S Tirumurti tweeted late on Wednesday.

Atmar said the UN and the international community must play a greater role to stop the unfolding tragedy in Afghanistan due to Taliban violence and atrocities. "Appreciate the lead role of as current UNSC President," Atmar had tweeted.

The fighting between the Taliban and Afghanistan's government forces has intensified over the past few months as US and NATO troops complete their pullout from the war-torn country. A meeting on Afghanistan had not been scheduled during the month as per the Council's Programme of Work for the month adopted on Monday. -- PTI

10:32 Abrogation of Art 370 brought peace to J-K: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that since the abrogation of Article 370 two years ago there has been unprecedented peace and progress in Jammu and Kashmir.

On the second anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, which gave Jammu and Kashmir its special status, and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union territories, PM Modi said two years ago on this day the first big step towards a new Jammu and Kashmir was taken.

"A historic day. Two years ago, on this day, the first big step towards a #NewJammuKashmir was taken. Since then, there has been unprecedented peace & progress in the region. Head to Your Voice section of Volunteer module on NaMo App for informative content, graphics and more!" tweeted the official account of Narendra Modi's personal website.

The Centre had abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories in August 2019. -- ANI

SRK as the hockey coach in Chak De! India

10:24 Film stars hail Indian men's hockey team for winning Olympic medal

Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar and Taapsee Pannu on Thursday celebrated the Indian men's hockey team's bronze medal win at the Tokyo Olympics, saying that they have made the country proud. The Indian men's hockey team rewrote history as it claimed the Olympic medal after 41 years, beating a plucky Germany 5-4 to claim the bronze in an edge-of-the-seat play-off match at the ongoing Games at Tokyo.

Congratulating the Indian men's hockey Team, Khan hailed their resilience and skill. "Wow!! Indian Men's Hockey Team Congratulations. Resilience and skill at its peak. What an exciting match," the "Chak De! India" star wrote. Kumar applauded the team for making one of the most memorable comebacks in the history of the game as they turned the match in their favour after being 1-3 down initially. "Congratulations Team India on rewriting history! An Olympic medal after 41 years! What a match, what a comeback! #Tokyo2020," he said in a tweet.

Sharing a news report about the team's win at the Olympics, Pannu simply wrote, "And it's a bronze !!!!!!!" Actor Anil Kapoor also lauded the team's "historic" win, saying that he wished his late producer father Surinder Kapoor was alive to see the moment. "Phenomenal win... wish my dad was alive to see this historic day will be happy up there... Thank you so much men's hockey team... Congratulations !!!," he said.

Actor Rahul Bose took to Instagram and shared a video from the match after it ended with India's win. "India, you beauty. #menshockeyteam #OlympicBronze Congratulations @sports_odisha for your support and belief," he wrote.

Actor Tamannaah Bhatia said this moment will go down in history. "A win that will go down in history! What a phenomenal performance by our men's hockey team. Bringing home the bronze after 41 years! Congratulations Team India #Olympics #Cheer4India #BackTheBlue," she said. South actor Nivin Pauly said the men in blue have made everyone proud.

"From 1-3 to finish at 5-4! What a fight! The Men in Blue have made us proud bringing a medal after 41 years. Congratulations #TeamIndia #Tokyo2020 #Olympics #Cheer4India #Hockey," he tweeted. Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar said "Congratulations to Indian Mens hockey team for Bronze medal Sports medal in Olympics 2020.#TeamIndia #Nationalpride #Tokyo2020."

Actor Amyra Dastur tweeted, "This is so cute! A big congrats to #Teamindia for their bronze in Hockey after almost half a decade!!! Way to go boys."

Eight-time former gold-winners India, who battled a heartbreaking slump in the last four decades, made the resurgence of the last couple of years count in the best way possible with an Olympic medal. It is India's third hockey bronze medal in the history of the Olympics. The other two came in 1968 Mexico City and the 1972 Munich Games.

10:16 Frenzied mob vandalises temple in Pakistan

A frenetic mob attacked a Hindu temple in Bhong city in Rahim Yar Khan district of Pakistan on Wednesday.

Pakistani lawmaker and Hindu community leader Ramesh Kumar Vankwani shared videos of the incident. In one of the videos, the mob can be seen destroying the infrastructure of the temple. The mob vandalised the temple and broke idols and temple structures.

In another video, the frenzied mob was seen running on the road adjacent to the temple carrying sticks and rods.

According to reports, the mob briefly blocked a key road nearby after attacking the temple.

Ramesh Kumar later said in a video posting on Twitter that the situation has been brought under control. He said the initial slow response from the police had made the situation and the damage to the temple worse.

In recent years, there has been a surge in attacks on the place of worship of religious minorities in Pakistan. The country has been repeatedly slammed by the international community for not safeguarding the interest of its minorities.

10:13 Sensex opens at fresh peak, but sheds gains

Equity benchmark Sensex opened over 200 points higher on Thursday, but soon pared its initial gains on profit-booking and was trading in the negative territory amid a mixed trend in global markets. After opening at its lifetime peak of 54,576.64, the 30-share index turned flat, slipping 8.33 points or 0.02 per cent to 54,361.44.

In similar movement, the broader NSE Nifty inched 8.95 points or 0.06 per cent lower to 16,249.85 in early trade. IndusInd Bank was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding around 2 per cent, followed by Titan, Tata Steel, M&M, Bajaj Finance and SBI. On the other hand, Bharti Airtel, HCL Tech, Tech Mahindra and Kotak Bank were among the gainers.

India reports 42,982 new Covid-19 cases, 41,726 recoveries and 533 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per the Union Health Ministry.

Total cases: 3,18,12,114

Active cases: 4,11,076

Total recoveries: 3,09,74,748

Death toll: 4,26,290

Total vaccination: 48,93,42,295

09:53 PK resigns as principal adviser to Punjab CM

Poll strategist Prashant Kishor has resigned as Principal Adviser to Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh citing his decision to "take a temporary break from active role in public life".

In a letter to Amarinder Singh, Prashant Kishor also says he is yet to decide on his next move.

"As you are aware, in view of my decision to take a temporary break from active role in public life, I have not been able to take over the responsibilities as your Principal Advisor. Since I am yet to decide on my future course of action, I write to request you to kindly relieve me from this responsibility," Kishor says in the letter.

09:12 Rahul to visit Srinagar on Aug 9, meet leaders

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will visit Srinagar on August 9 and will meet party leaders and workers there, said sources on Wednesday.

This will be his first visit to Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370. The Congress leader will also attend the wedding reception of Jammu and Kashmir party unit president Ghulam Ahmed Mir's son.

The sources said the Congress leaders may also visit Mata Vaishno Devi in Jammu on August 8 but it is yet to be finalised and will meet party leaders and other people in Jammu as well.

He may also visit Kheer Bhawani and Hazratbal in Srinagar, said sources while adding that this is not finalised yet.

The Centre had abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories in August 2019.

-- ANI

09:04 'Historic': PM on men's hockey win

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the men's hockey team for winning a bronze medal at the Olympics.

He tweeted, "Historic! A day that will be etched in the memory of every Indian. Congratulations to our Mens Hockey Team for bringing home the Bronze. With this feat, they have captured the imagination of the entire nation, especially our youth. India is proud of our Hockey team."

Indian men's team defeated Germany 5-4 in the bronze medal match to end 41-year wait for an Olympic medal in hockey. The last time India had won a medal a medal in hockey was during the 1980 Moscow Games where they got the gold. Simranjeet Singh scored a brace while Hardik Singh, Harmanpreet Singh and Rupinder Pal Singh also got their names on the scoresheet.

08:37 Mumbai court rejects Raj Kundra's bail plea

The metropolitan magistrate court rejected the bail plea of actor Shilpa Shetty's husband and businessman Raj Kundra and his associate Ryan Thorpe in the pornography case, stating that release of the accused will 'hamper the investigation' and the alleged offence is 'detrimental to the health of the society'.

The court in its order has said, "One of the considerations for refusing or granting the bail is the nature of offence and gravity of the offence. The effect of the alleged offence is having nexus with the public at large. The alleged offence is also detrimental to the health of our society."

"In such circumstances, societal interest in the prosecution of a crime that has a wider social dimension cannot be overlooked. At present investigation is in progress. In such circumstances, at this stage release of the accused will definitely hamper the investigation. So considering the facts and circumstances, both the bail applications are rejected," said the court.

Court also considered the prosecution's argument that the accused have deleted the evidence.

Strongly objecting to the bail plea of the accused, the court stated that the investigation is still going on and the offence is of serious nature, adding that if the accused are released on bail, then they will abscond and the possibility of tampering with the evidence cannot be ruled out.

-- ANI

Fully vaccinated Indian passengers flying to the United Kingdom will no longer be put through a mandatory 10-day hotel quarantine as the UK moved the country from its "red" to "amber" list.

The shift in lists will directly impact thousands of India families, students looking to travel to the UK.

Indian nationals can now quarantine at a location of their choice for 10 days post their arrival in the UK. They will retain the option to "test to release" after five days of their quarantine period.

Under Britain's traffic light system for international travel, returning from amber list countries means a 10-day quarantining at home.

The change, announced by the Department for Transport, comes into effect from 4 am local time on Sunday.

"The UAE, Qatar, India and Bahrain will be moved from the red list to the amber list. All changes come into effect Sun 8th August at 4am (sic)," UK Transport Secretary tweeted.

"While it's right we continue our cautious approach, it's great news to open more destinations for people wanting to connect with families, friends and businesses across the globe, all thanks to our successful domestic vaccination programme," he said.

The decision has come as a relief for the Indians in the UK, who had been demanding the easing of travel norms between India and Britain.

Under the legal rules for countries on the amber list, passengers must take a Covid test three days before departure and book in advance for two Covid tests to be taken upon arrival in England as well as complete a passenger locator form on arrival.

On arrival in England, passengers must quarantine at home or in the place they have confirmed as their location for 10 days and take a COVID-19 test on or before day two and on or after day eight.

Under-18 and those fully vaccinated in the UK are exempt from the home quarantine, as well as those who have received two doses of Covid vaccine in the EU and US.

Also exempt are those "fully vaccinated in the UK or under the UK vaccine programme overseas; under 18 on the day you arrive in England and resident in the UK or in a country with a vaccination programme approved by the UK and part of a UK-approved vaccine trial".

The Delhi Police has seized a drone that was flying near Vijay Ghat, the backside of the Red Fort, in the national capital, officials said on Wednesday.

According to a senior police officer, the Jaguar highway patrolling team of north district was patrolling in the area on Monday when it saw a drone near Vijay Ghat.

A web series was being shot at Vijay Ghat during that time.

The police officer said permission was given to shoot the web series but no sanction was given to fly a drone in the area.

A case was registered under relevant sections at Kotwali police station and the drone was seized, the police said.

In July, the Delhi Police commissioner had issued orders, prohibiting the flying of aerial objects like drones, paragliders, and hot air balloons, ahead of Independence Day celebrations.

The order will remain in force in the national capital till August 16 for security reasons. -- PTI

Timeline Refresh

TOP STORIES