In a departure from past Malaysia has refrained from making any comments on Kashmir even as China and Turkey continuing with anti-India policy made remarks on the first anniversary of the removal of special status for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;

Under the leadership of former Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir bin Mohamad, Kaula Lumpur had taken an anti-India stance, making remarks on Kashmir. Malaysia under Mahathir was among the 3 countries--Other two being Turkey and China to raise Kashmir at UNGA meet last year.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/malaysias-former-pm-najib-razak-blames-god-for-abuse-of-power-316548">Malaysia's former PM Najib Razak blames God for abuse of power</a>

Under the new Malaysian govt led by PM Muhyiddin Yassin, both sides have been engaging with each other. India's External Affairs Minister Jaishankar spoke to new Malaysian foreign minister Hishammuddin Hussein immediately after new govt took charge in Kuala Lumpur.&nbsp;

Indian high commissioner to Malaysia Mridul Kumar has also met Malaysian foreign minister Hishammuddin many times. In fact, Indian high commissioner was the first envoy received by the Malaysian foreign minister on March 18, the day he took charge.&nbsp;

Both sides are strengthening commercial ties, with trade deficit reducing from $4.3 bn to $3.4 bn in 2019-20 compared to last year.&nbsp;

Increased rice and sugar, high-speed diesel import has taken place. Under India's mega repatriation plan the Vande Bharat mission--Vande Bharat Mission, 42 flights have taken from Malaysia bringing back 7000 Indian from Mid March till now.

New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur have also been cooperating under the current COVID pandemic with India allowing the export of HCQ and paracetamol to Malaysia.

In a departure from past Malaysia has refrained from making any comments on Kashmir even as China and Turkey continuing with anti-India policy made remarks on the first anniversary of the removal of special status for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

In a departure from past Malaysia has refrained from making any comments on Kashmir even as China and Turkey continuing with anti-India policy made remarks on the first anniversary of the removal of special status for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. Under the leadership of former Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir bin Mohamad, Kaula Lumpur had taken an anti-India stance, making remarks on Kashmir. Malaysia under Mahathir was among the 3 countries--Other two being Turkey and China to raise Kashmir at UNGA meet last year. Also read | Malaysia's former PM Najib Razak blames God for abuse of power Under the new Malaysian govt led by PM Muhyiddin Yassin, both sides have been engaging with each other. India's External Affairs Minister Jaishankar spoke to new Malaysian foreign minister Hishammuddin Hussein immediately after new govt took charge in Kuala Lumpur. Indian high commissioner to Malaysia Mridul Kumar has also met Malaysian foreign minister Hishammuddin many times. In fact, Indian high commissioner was the first envoy received by the Malaysian foreign minister on March 18, the day he took charge. Both sides are strengthening commercial ties, with trade deficit reducing from $4.3 bn to $3.4 bn in 2019-20 compared to last year. Increased rice and sugar, high-speed diesel import has taken place. Under India's mega repatriation plan the Vande Bharat mission--Vande Bharat Mission, 42 flights have taken from Malaysia bringing back 7000 Indian from Mid March till now. New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur have also been cooperating under the current COVID pandemic with India allowing the export of HCQ and paracetamol to Malaysia.

In a departure from past, Malaysia refrains from commenting on Kashmir as ties improve

The Indian Defence Ministry has acknowledged that Chinese troops intruded into India territory in May. A new document released by the Defence Ministry provides an assessment of the ground situation in eastern Ladakh. Watch report.

WION Dispatch: Chinese aggression on the rise since May, says MoD India

With a single-day spike of 56,282 new COVID-19 cases and 904 deaths in the last 24 hours, India`s COVID-19 tally reached 19,64,537 on Thursday.

With the increase of 904 deaths, the toll due to the disease now stands at 40,699 in the country, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/novavax-signs-covid-19-vaccine-supply-deal-with-indias-serum-institute-318452" hreflang="en">Novavax signs COVID-19 vaccine supply deal with India's Serum Institute</a>

The COVID-19 count includes 5,95,501 active cases and 13,28,337 cured/discharged/migrated patients.Meanwhile, as per the MoHFW, the percentage of discharged patients stands at 67.62, while the active cases are at 30.31 in the country as of today.

The deaths reported due to the infection are currently at a little above two per cent of the total confirmed cases in the country.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ahmedabad-covid-19-hospital-fire-leaves-eight-patients-dead-318500" hreflang="en">Ahmedabad COVID-19 hospital fire leaves eight patients dead</a>

Maharashtra with 1,46,268 active cases and 3,05,521 cured and discharged patients continues to be the worst affected. The state has also reported 16,476 deaths due to the infection.

Tamil Nadu has 54,184 active cases while 2,14,815 patients have been discharged after treatment in the state. 4,461 deaths have been reported due to COVID-19 in the state.

Andhra Pradesh with 80,426 active cases is the third on the list. There are 1,04,354 cured and discharged patients and 1,681 deaths reported from the state.

The national capital's active cases tally once again crossed the 10-thousand mark with 175 new cases being reported. Delhi now has 10,072 active cases and 1,26,116 cured and discharged patients. 4,044 people have lost their lives due to the disease in the Union Territory so far.&nbsp;

With a single-day spike of 56,282 new COVID-19 cases and 904 deaths in the last 24 hours, India`s COVID-19 tally reached 19,64,537 on Thursday. With the increase of 904 deaths, the toll due to the disease now stands at 40,699 in the country, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

With a single-day spike of 56,282 new COVID-19 cases and 904 deaths in the last 24 hours, India`s COVID-19 tally reached 19,64,537 on Thursday. With the increase of 904 deaths, the toll due to the disease now stands at 40,699 in the country, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). Also read: Novavax signs COVID-19 vaccine supply deal with India's Serum Institute The COVID-19 count includes 5,95,501 active cases and 13,28,337 cured/discharged/migrated patients.Meanwhile, as per the MoHFW, the percentage of discharged patients stands at 67.62, while the active cases are at 30.31 in the country as of today. The deaths reported due to the infection are currently at a little above two per cent of the total confirmed cases in the country. Also read: Ahmedabad COVID-19 hospital fire leaves eight patients dead Maharashtra with 1,46,268 active cases and 3,05,521 cured and discharged patients continues to be the worst affected. The state has also reported 16,476 deaths due to the infection. Tamil Nadu has 54,184 active cases while 2,14,815 patients have been discharged after treatment in the state. 4,461 deaths have been reported due to COVID-19 in the state. Andhra Pradesh with 80,426 active cases is the third on the list. There are 1,04,354 cured and discharged patients and 1,681 deaths reported from the state. The national capital's active cases tally once again crossed the 10-thousand mark with 175 new cases being reported. Delhi now has 10,072 active cases and 1,26,116 cured and discharged patients. 4,044 people have lost their lives due to the disease in the Union Territory so far.

With spike of 56,282 cases, India's COVID-19 tally reaches 19,64,537

On August 5, 2019, India abrogated Article 370 in the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir. On the first anniversary of this historic decision. WION's Palki Sharma gets you a report on what has changed in Kashmir.

Gravitas: One year of Article 370 abrogation | What has changed?

India on Thursday slammed China for making another attempt to raise the Kashmir issue on Pakistan’s behest at the UN Security Council

'Stop meddling in our internal matters', India slams China for raising Kashmir issue at UNSC

On August 5, 2019, India abrogated the Article 370 in India’s northern-most erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

The former Article 370, in conjunction with Article 35A of the constitution gave Jammu and Kashmir multiple powers of autonomy across major fronts. The state was allowed to have its own constitution, and was free to make laws on matters they deemed fit.

When the provisions were suspended, Indian constitution and Parliament extended their jurisdiction in the state, as it is for the rest for the country. This made J&amp;K’s constitution obsolete.

What has changed?

Last year’s Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act heralded by the BJP-led central government sheds light on the changes made in the legal functioning of the state, and which laws have now been rendered unenforceable in the region.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/india-news/after-the-abrogation-of-article-370-jammu-and-kashmir-to-get-a-new-party-285043" hreflang="en">After the abrogation of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir to get a new party</a>

As part of this abrogation, many central laws have been extended to the territory, with the state being bifurcated into two union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

As of October 31, 2019, these are the changes that have been made in the state’s legal structure, based on the appendix to the Act:

<ul>
	<li>164 laws including 153 state laws and 11 Governor's Acts have been effectively repealed&nbsp;</li>
	<li>166 preexisting state laws have been retained&nbsp;</li>
	<li>7 state laws have been modified, but retained</li>
	<li>106 central laws have been made applicable&nbsp;in the region</li>
</ul>

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/india-news/If-we-had-worked-according-to-old%20ways-then-Article-370-would-never-have-been-abrogated-says-PM-Modi-in-Lok-Sabha" hreflang="en">If we had worked according to old ways, then Article 370 would never have been abrogated, says PM Modi in Lok Sabha</a>

Of the many laws that have been extended to the union territories, the major ones include the Right to Information Act (2005), and the Representation of People Act (1951).

In the pre-abrogation India, such laws were valid across the country, besides the state of J&amp;K. A caveat which prevented the implementation of such laws in the former state has been scrapped as part of the Reorganisation Act.

Who is a citizen now?

Before the article was scrapped, the former state’s residents enjoyed privileges. For starters, the state could define who is a permanent resident. Additionally, non-residents of the state could not apply for government jobs, could not buy land, and were ineligible for scholarships.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/india-news/supreme-court-declines-to-refer-the-petitions-challenging-government-move-on-article-370-to-a-larger-bench-283634" hreflang="en">Supreme Court declines to refer the petitions challenging government move on Article 370 to a larger bench</a>

As per the new domicile rules, non-Kashmiris can become become residents of the state, but on meeting certain conditions.

For starters, the person and their family would get Kashmiri domicile after serving as government officials, or after holding a public job for 10 years or more.

Additionally, anybody living in the region for 15 years can apply for domicile. If one has studied in the union territory for more than seven years, they may also become permanent residents. Appearing for standard 10 and 12 exams in the territory automatically guarantees domicile.

In the aftermath of the abrogation, over 4 lakh domicile certificates were issued in just a month!

Before the article was scrapped, section 144 was imposed in Srinagar, and many local leaders like former CMs Mehboob Mufti and Omar Abdullah were placed under house arrest.

Fearing uproar in the region in the aftermath of abrogation of 370, a&nbsp;blanket internet blackout was enforced in the area, which is partially still in place, one year in. 2G services were restored in March.

On August 5, 2019, India abrogated the Article 370 in India’s northern-most erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. The former Article 370, in conjunction with Article 35A of the constitution gave Jammu and Kashmir multiple powers of autonomy across major fronts.

On August 5, 2019, India abrogated the Article 370 in India’s northern-most erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. The former Article 370, in conjunction with Article 35A of the constitution gave Jammu and Kashmir multiple powers of autonomy across major fronts. The state was allowed to have its own constitution, and was free to make laws on matters they deemed fit. When the provisions were suspended, Indian constitution and Parliament extended their jurisdiction in the state, as it is for the rest for the country. This made J&K’s constitution obsolete. What has changed? Last year’s Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act heralded by the BJP-led central government sheds light on the changes made in the legal functioning of the state, and which laws have now been rendered unenforceable in the region. Also read: After the abrogation of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir to get a new party As part of this abrogation, many central laws have been extended to the territory, with the state being bifurcated into two union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. As of October 31, 2019, these are the changes that have been made in the state’s legal structure, based on the appendix to the Act: 164 laws including 153 state laws and 11 Governor's Acts have been effectively repealed 166 preexisting state laws have been retained 7 state laws have been modified, but retained 106 central laws have been made applicable in the region Also read: If we had worked according to old ways, then Article 370 would never have been abrogated, says PM Modi in Lok Sabha Of the many laws that have been extended to the union territories, the major ones include the Right to Information Act (2005), and the Representation of People Act (1951). In the pre-abrogation India, such laws were valid across the country, besides the state of J&K. A caveat which prevented the implementation of such laws in the former state has been scrapped as part of the Reorganisation Act. Who is a citizen now? Before the article was scrapped, the former state’s residents enjoyed privileges. For starters, the state could define who is a permanent resident. Additionally, non-residents of the state could not apply for government jobs, could not buy land, and were ineligible for scholarships. Also read: Supreme Court declines to refer the petitions challenging government move on Article 370 to a larger bench As per the new domicile rules, non-Kashmiris can become become residents of the state, but on meeting certain conditions. For starters, the person and their family would get Kashmiri domicile after serving as government officials, or after holding a public job for 10 years or more. Additionally, anybody living in the region for 15 years can apply for domicile. If one has studied in the union territory for more than seven years, they may also become permanent residents. Appearing for standard 10 and 12 exams in the territory automatically guarantees domicile. In the aftermath of the abrogation, over 4 lakh domicile certificates were issued in just a month! Before the article was scrapped, section 144 was imposed in Srinagar, and many local leaders like former CMs Mehboob Mufti and Omar Abdullah were placed under house arrest. Fearing uproar in the region in the aftermath of abrogation of 370, a blanket internet blackout was enforced in the area, which is partially still in place, one year in. 2G services were restored in March.

Today marks one year since Article 370 was scrapped in J&K: Here's what has changed!

Article 370, combined with Article 35A, accorded Jammu and Kashmir special status under the Constitution of India, allowing it to have a separate constitution and a separate penal code among other legal distinctions.

First anniversary of Article 370's abrogation | Jammu & Kashmir

Has China infiltrated Indian newspapers? In the last 6 months, a number of mainstream Indian dailies have provided editorial space to Chinese voices. WION's Palki Sharma gets you the names.

Gravitas: Has China infiltrated Indian newspapers?

On an overcast morning in Dandwal village in western India, a group of school children sit on a huge plastic sheet for their first class in months. However, their teacher is not physically in front of them. Instead the children are taught via loudspeaker.

With schools closed due to COVID-19, children gather for lessons over loudspeaker

India has dismissed the release of new map of Pakistan by Imran Khan government calling it&nbsp;"an exercise in political absurdity" and "ridiculous assertions" which neither have "legal validity nor international credibility".

Pakistan's Imran Khan government on the eve of one year anniversary of removal of special status of erstwhile state of Jammu &amp; Kashmir released a new "political map of Pakistan". The map showed Indian union territories of Jammu &amp; Kashmir, Ladakh, erstwhile princely state of Junagadh in Gujarat &amp; Sir Creek as Pakistani territories.

The ministry of external affairs in statement said,"We have seen a so-called “political map” of Pakistan that has been released by Prime Minister Imran Khan. This is an exercise in political absurdity, laying untenable claims to territories in the Indian State of Gujarat and our Union Territories of Jammu &amp; Kashmir and of Ladakh."

" These ridiculous assertions have neither legal validity nor international credibility. In fact, this new effort only confirms reality of Pakistan’s obsession with territorial aggrandisement supported by cross-border terrorism," MEA added.

While domestically Imran Khan govt might be hoping that it be seen as big political move, on paper same map was issue in 2012 by Pakistan govt. The only claim in the "new political map" is Sir Creek in Kutch region.

Imran Khan government has planned several moves ahead of the first anniversary of removal of spl status which includes renaming Kashmir high which to Srinagar highway in capital Islamabad.

The move by Pakistan comes months after Nepal's KP Sharma Oli govt announced a new map of nepal nepal showing Indian territories&nbsp;Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura.&nbsp;

India has dismissed the release of new map of Pakistan by Imran Khan government calling it "an exercise in political absurdity" and "ridiculous assertions" which neither have "legal validity nor international credibility".

India has dismissed the release of new map of Pakistan by Imran Khan government calling it "an exercise in political absurdity" and "ridiculous assertions" which neither have "legal validity nor international credibility". Pakistan's Imran Khan government on the eve of one year anniversary of removal of special status of erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir released a new "political map of Pakistan". The map showed Indian union territories of Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, erstwhile princely state of Junagadh in Gujarat & Sir Creek as Pakistani territories. The ministry of external affairs in statement said,"We have seen a so-called “political map” of Pakistan that has been released by Prime Minister Imran Khan. This is an exercise in political absurdity, laying untenable claims to territories in the Indian State of Gujarat and our Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and of Ladakh." " These ridiculous assertions have neither legal validity nor international credibility. In fact, this new effort only confirms reality of Pakistan’s obsession with territorial aggrandisement supported by cross-border terrorism," MEA added. While domestically Imran Khan govt might be hoping that it be seen as big political move, on paper same map was issue in 2012 by Pakistan govt. The only claim in the "new political map" is Sir Creek in Kutch region. Imran Khan government has planned several moves ahead of the first anniversary of removal of spl status which includes renaming Kashmir high which to Srinagar highway in capital Islamabad. The move by Pakistan comes months after Nepal's KP Sharma Oli govt announced a new map of nepal nepal showing Indian territories Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura.

India calls Pakistan's new map 'exercise in political absurdity' 

ICMR chief Dr Balram Bhargava said on Monday&nbsp;that it is difficult to predict whether or not India will see a second wave of COVID-19 infections and there will be smaller peaks at different times due to varied geography of the country.

Dr Bhargava said that the situation was rapidly evolving and there have been immense variations in spread of infection and mortality rates in different geographies and across different demographics around the world.

"SARS-CoV-2 is a novel virus. There is still a lot we don`t know about it. We have also seen immense variations in the spread of infection and mortality rates in different geographies and across different demographics around the world. So, it is difficult to predict whether or not India will see a second wave of infections. There is also a wide variation in disease distribution in specific states - so one size cannot fit all," he said.

The Director-General of India Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said apart from the scientific inputs, full participation of all citizens is essential to overcome the COVID-19 challenge.

"Due to the varied geography of our nation, there would be smaller peaks at different times. The situation is rapidly evolving, and we will continue to monitor it. However, it is pertinent that people follow preventive measures like social distancing, use of masks and hand hygiene. The right intervention approach, the scientific input and full participation of all citizens and communities is essential to overcome the COVID-19 challenge" he said.

Dr Bhargava, a key scientist involved in monitoring the COVID-19 situation in the country, said ICMR has been monitoring this disease since January 2020 and its lab at the National Institute of Virology is also amongst the first few in the world to completely isolate the virus to learn more about its characteristics and lay the groundwork for finding a potential cure.

Asked how ICMR will tackle any future threat of virus, Dr Bhargava said that even before COVID-19 struck, ICMR had set up a platform with other 10 South East Asian countries to conduct collaborative research on emerging diseases.

"We have been at the forefront of tackling diseases like Nipah, Zika and other emerging infections," he said.

The scientist said that "three Ds - Data, Development and Delivery" are at the core of tackling any public health crisis.

"Data is important to make evidence-based decisions for interventions and in policymaking. Development of innovative tools that can drive innovation in the public health space is also critical. For instance, the indigenously developed, rapid and highly accurate ELISA test is helping the country to detect the extent of coronavirus spread in the country. Finally, delivery needs to be strengthened to ensure that these interventions reach the beneficiary," he said.

Dr Bhargava said ICMR has been continually ramping up testing capacity since the beginning of the pandemic.

"We started with less than 100 tests per day near the beginning of the pandemic and today we have the capacity of testing over 5 lakh samples a day with labs set up even at 18,000 feet in Ladakh. ICMR has crossed the milestone of 2,02,02,858 tests and we are now the country with 4th highest number of tests conducted globally," he said.

ICMR has also written to private and government medical colleges to increase testing for the virus and it will support these institutions to get the required infrastructure and training for testing, he said.

ICMR recently set up three new state-of-the-art testing facilities in Noida, Mumbai and Kolkata, which can increase testing capacity, reduce risk of exposure for lab technicians and decrease turn-around time."Over time, once the pandemic is controlled, these facilities can also be used for the testing of other diseases such as tuberculosis, Hepatitis B and C, HIV etc," Dr Bhargava said.&nbsp;

ICMR chief Dr Balram Bhargava said on Monday that it is difficult to predict whether or not India will see a second wave of COVID-19 infections and there will be smaller peaks at different times due to varied geography of the country.

ICMR chief Dr Balram Bhargava said on Monday that it is difficult to predict whether or not India will see a second wave of COVID-19 infections and there will be smaller peaks at different times due to varied geography of the country. Dr Bhargava said that the situation was rapidly evolving and there have been immense variations in spread of infection and mortality rates in different geographies and across different demographics around the world. "SARS-CoV-2 is a novel virus. There is still a lot we don`t know about it. We have also seen immense variations in the spread of infection and mortality rates in different geographies and across different demographics around the world. So, it is difficult to predict whether or not India will see a second wave of infections. There is also a wide variation in disease distribution in specific states - so one size cannot fit all," he said. The Director-General of India Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said apart from the scientific inputs, full participation of all citizens is essential to overcome the COVID-19 challenge. "Due to the varied geography of our nation, there would be smaller peaks at different times. The situation is rapidly evolving, and we will continue to monitor it. However, it is pertinent that people follow preventive measures like social distancing, use of masks and hand hygiene. The right intervention approach, the scientific input and full participation of all citizens and communities is essential to overcome the COVID-19 challenge" he said. Dr Bhargava, a key scientist involved in monitoring the COVID-19 situation in the country, said ICMR has been monitoring this disease since January 2020 and its lab at the National Institute of Virology is also amongst the first few in the world to completely isolate the virus to learn more about its characteristics and lay the groundwork for finding a potential cure. Asked how ICMR will tackle any future threat of virus, Dr Bhargava said that even before COVID-19 struck, ICMR had set up a platform with other 10 South East Asian countries to conduct collaborative research on emerging diseases. "We have been at the forefront of tackling diseases like Nipah, Zika and other emerging infections," he said. The scientist said that "three Ds - Data, Development and Delivery" are at the core of tackling any public health crisis. "Data is important to make evidence-based decisions for interventions and in policymaking. Development of innovative tools that can drive innovation in the public health space is also critical. For instance, the indigenously developed, rapid and highly accurate ELISA test is helping the country to detect the extent of coronavirus spread in the country. Finally, delivery needs to be strengthened to ensure that these interventions reach the beneficiary," he said. Dr Bhargava said ICMR has been continually ramping up testing capacity since the beginning of the pandemic. "We started with less than 100 tests per day near the beginning of the pandemic and today we have the capacity of testing over 5 lakh samples a day with labs set up even at 18,000 feet in Ladakh. ICMR has crossed the milestone of 2,02,02,858 tests and we are now the country with 4th highest number of tests conducted globally," he said. ICMR has also written to private and government medical colleges to increase testing for the virus and it will support these institutions to get the required infrastructure and training for testing, he said. ICMR recently set up three new state-of-the-art testing facilities in Noida, Mumbai and Kolkata, which can increase testing capacity, reduce risk of exposure for lab technicians and decrease turn-around time."Over time, once the pandemic is controlled, these facilities can also be used for the testing of other diseases such as tuberculosis, Hepatitis B and C, HIV etc," Dr Bhargava said.

Difficult to predict if India will see second wave of COVID-19: ICMR chief

Indian and Chinese military commanders are scheduled to hold a fresh round of negotiations on Sunday to finalise modalities for taking forward the disengagement process on friction points like Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh.

The meeting will be held&nbsp;at a designated meeting point in Moldo on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control.

The key focus of the fifth round of corps commander-level talks is expected to be finalising a framework for total disengagement of troops from friction points besides withdrawal of forces and weapons from the rear bases of the two militaries in a time-bound manner, the sources said.

Meanwhile, China has reportedly moved a battalion strength of People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers near Uttarakhand's Lipulekh Pass, one of the locations along the Line of Actual Control that have witnessed movement of their troops over the last few weeks.

The formal process of disengagement of troops began on July 6, a day after a nearly two-hour telephonic conversation between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on ways to bring down tension in the area.

The Chinese military has already pulled back from the Galwan Valley and certain other friction points but the withdrawal of troops has not moved forward from Finger areas in Pangong Tso as demanded by India.

India has been insisting that China must withdraw its forces from areas between Finger Four and Eight. The mountain spurs in the area are referred to as Fingers.

On July 24, the two sides held another round of diplomatic talks on the border issue.

After the talks, the Ministry of External Affairs said both sides agreed that an early and complete disengagement of the troops along the LAC in accordance with bilateral agreement and protocols was essential for overall development of bilateral relations.

The sources said India conveyed a firm message to the Chinese side that it has to implement the disengagement process as agreed to during the four rounds of corps commander-level talks between the two militaries.

(with inputs from agencies)

Indian and Chinese military commanders are scheduled to hold a fresh round of negotiations on Sunday to finalise modalities for taking forward the disengagement process on friction points like Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh.

Indian and Chinese military commanders are scheduled to hold a fresh round of negotiations on Sunday to finalise modalities for taking forward the disengagement process on friction points like Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh. The meeting will be held at a designated meeting point in Moldo on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control. The key focus of the fifth round of corps commander-level talks is expected to be finalising a framework for total disengagement of troops from friction points besides withdrawal of forces and weapons from the rear bases of the two militaries in a time-bound manner, the sources said. Meanwhile, China has reportedly moved a battalion strength of People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers near Uttarakhand's Lipulekh Pass, one of the locations along the Line of Actual Control that have witnessed movement of their troops over the last few weeks. The formal process of disengagement of troops began on July 6, a day after a nearly two-hour telephonic conversation between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on ways to bring down tension in the area. The Chinese military has already pulled back from the Galwan Valley and certain other friction points but the withdrawal of troops has not moved forward from Finger areas in Pangong Tso as demanded by India. India has been insisting that China must withdraw its forces from areas between Finger Four and Eight. The mountain spurs in the area are referred to as Fingers. On July 24, the two sides held another round of diplomatic talks on the border issue. After the talks, the Ministry of External Affairs said both sides agreed that an early and complete disengagement of the troops along the LAC in accordance with bilateral agreement and protocols was essential for overall development of bilateral relations. The sources said India conveyed a firm message to the Chinese side that it has to implement the disengagement process as agreed to during the four rounds of corps commander-level talks between the two militaries. (with inputs from agencies)

India, China to hold talks on Sunday on further disengagement in eastern Ladakh

India coronavirus cases have surpassed 1,6 million with more than 55,000 recorded in the last 24-hours. Watch report.

55,000 positive daily cases for the first time | India | COVID-19 pandemic

The allegations, made by an ‘expert’ in the Chinese Communist Party’s tabloid Global Times, said that the Rafale was only superior to the IAF’s Sukhoi-30 MKI jets but a generation below Chinese PLA’s J-20 fighter. However, Former Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa has dismissed the claim. Watch report.

Rafale jets unsettle China: Rafales no match for J-20s, says Global times

How can India counter China's moves to expand its influence in Sri Lanka? What can India do to secure its Indian Ocean partner? WION's Palki Sharma tells you about New Delhi's options.

Gravitas: Countering China in Sri Lanka | India's options

India's Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan keynote address on India's COVID-19 strategy. He said that India is the biggest manufacturer of vaccines in terms of volume. It is therefore certain that India will be a production hub for COVID-19 vaccines.

WION Health Summit |  Dr. Harsh Vardhan's keynote address on India's COVID-19 strategy

China has denied involvement in Indo-Nepal conflict. Watch this video to know more.

China denies involvement in Indo-Nepal conflict

A 9th century Shiva stolen statue is now being returned to India from the United Kingdom. The statue was stolen from a Ghateshwar temple, Baroli in Rajasthan will be handed over to Archaeological Survey of India.

9th century stolen Shiva statue on its way back to India

The number of recovered coronavirus patients crossed the 10-lakh mark on Thursday and is now 1.9 times the total active cases while the fatality rate has dropped to 2.21 per cent, the Union Health Ministry said.

Addressing a press briefing, Officer on Special Duty in the Health Ministry Rajesh Bhushan said 21 states and Union Territories have case positivity rate less than 10 per cent, while in four it is less than five per cent.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/daily-coronavirus-cases-in-india-top-50000-for-first-time-316963">Daily coronavirus cases in India top 50,000 for first time</a>

The COVID-19 positivity rate in Rajasthan is 3.5 per cent, Punjab 3.9 per cent, Madhya Pradesh 4 per cent, and Jammu and Kashmir 4.7 per cent, he said.

While 32,553 patients have been discharged in a span of 24 hours across the country, the total recoveries have jumped to 10,20,582 and stand at 64.44 per cent amongst COVID-19 patients, he said.

There are 5,28,242 active cases of coronavirus infection at present in the country and all are under medical supervision, the official said.

"India has achieved the landmark of more than 10 lakh recoveries from COVID-19. This is a testament to the sheer dedication to duty and selfless sacrifice of doctors, nurses and all frontline healthcare workers which has made such a tremendous recovery of COVID-19 patients a reality.This is an occasion when we must stand up and applaud their contribution," Bhushan said as he rose from his chair and clapped for them.

Coordinated implementation of COVID-19 management strategy by the Union, state and UT governments has ensured that the recoveries are continuously on the rise with 1 lakh recoveries at the start of June to more than 10 lakh as on Thursday, he said.

"The successful implementation of effective containment strategy, aggressive testing and standardized clinical management protocols based on a holistic standard of care approach have in a seamless manner resulted in a consistent trend of more than 30,000 recoveries/day for the seventh day in a row," the ministry said in a statement.

"There has been a continued increase in the average daily recoveries from around 15,000 in the first week of July to around 35,000 in the last week," it said.

Bhushan said 16 states and UTs including Delhi (88.99 pc), Assam (76.68 pc), Telangana (74.27 pc), Tamil Nadu (73.85 pc), Gujarat (73.06 pc), Rajasthan (70.76 pc) and Madhya Pradesh (69.47 pc) have recovery rates better than the national average.

The OSD also stressed that effective clinical management has led to a decline in COVID-19 case fatality rate from 3.33 per cent on June 18 to 2.21 per cent on July 30.

"India's case fatality rate is 2.21 pc, as against 4 pc globally, and is amongst the lowest in the world. Case Fatality Rate in Mexico and the UK are five and seven times higher, respectively, as compared to India," Bhushan said.

Also, 24 states and UTs&nbsp;including Assam (0.25 pc), Bihar (0.60 pc), Andhra Pradesh (1.01 pc), Tamil Nadu (1.60 pc), Rajasthan (1.67 pc), Karnataka (1.91 pc), Uttar Pradesh (1.98 pc) have lower case fatality rate than national average, he said.

Bhushan said the 'test, track and treat' strategy has shown good results in terms of managing the situation by curbing the spread of infections and keeping the mortality low.

Guidelines on effective surveillance and tracking of close contacts of positive cases are available.

"We have repeatedly told state governments that in 80 pc of the new positive cases it is possible to track their close contacts within the first 72 hours. Delhi government has shown that it can be done and other states should emulate that," he said.

The combined and focused efforts of Union and state and UT governments have resulted in ramped up testing across the country to ensure early detection and isolation of COVID-19 positive cases, the ministry said in the statement as the number of tests for detection of coronavirus infection in India crossed 18 million.

The average daily tests (on a rolling week on week basis) have increased from 2.4 lakh in the first week of July to more than 4.68 lakh in the last week of July.

The enhanced testing infrastructure has led to a sharp increase in the cumulative testing from 88 lakh total tests till July 1 to nearly 1.82 crore till July 30, he said, adding that the Tests Per Million (TPM) rate has subsequently increased to 13,181.

The testing lab network in the country has been strengthened with 1,321 labs in the country as on date with 907 labs in the government sector and 414 private labs, the official said.

As many as 31 states and UTs are performing more than 140 tests per day per million population.

India saw a record single-day increase of 52,123 infections pushing India's COVID-19 tally to 15,83,792, while the death-toll climbed to 34,968 with 775 people succumbing to the disease in a day, the health ministry's data update&nbsp;at 8 am showed.

The number of recovered coronavirus patients crossed the 10-lakh mark on Thursday and is now 1.9 times the total active cases while the fatality rate has dropped to 2.

The number of recovered coronavirus patients crossed the 10-lakh mark on Thursday and is now 1.9 times the total active cases while the fatality rate has dropped to 2.21 per cent, the Union Health Ministry said. Addressing a press briefing, Officer on Special Duty in the Health Ministry Rajesh Bhushan said 21 states and Union Territories have case positivity rate less than 10 per cent, while in four it is less than five per cent. Also read | Daily coronavirus cases in India top 50,000 for first time The COVID-19 positivity rate in Rajasthan is 3.5 per cent, Punjab 3.9 per cent, Madhya Pradesh 4 per cent, and Jammu and Kashmir 4.7 per cent, he said. While 32,553 patients have been discharged in a span of 24 hours across the country, the total recoveries have jumped to 10,20,582 and stand at 64.44 per cent amongst COVID-19 patients, he said. There are 5,28,242 active cases of coronavirus infection at present in the country and all are under medical supervision, the official said. "India has achieved the landmark of more than 10 lakh recoveries from COVID-19. This is a testament to the sheer dedication to duty and selfless sacrifice of doctors, nurses and all frontline healthcare workers which has made such a tremendous recovery of COVID-19 patients a reality.This is an occasion when we must stand up and applaud their contribution," Bhushan said as he rose from his chair and clapped for them. Coordinated implementation of COVID-19 management strategy by the Union, state and UT governments has ensured that the recoveries are continuously on the rise with 1 lakh recoveries at the start of June to more than 10 lakh as on Thursday, he said. "The successful implementation of effective containment strategy, aggressive testing and standardized clinical management protocols based on a holistic standard of care approach have in a seamless manner resulted in a consistent trend of more than 30,000 recoveries/day for the seventh day in a row," the ministry said in a statement. "There has been a continued increase in the average daily recoveries from around 15,000 in the first week of July to around 35,000 in the last week," it said. Bhushan said 16 states and UTs including Delhi (88.99 pc), Assam (76.68 pc), Telangana (74.27 pc), Tamil Nadu (73.85 pc), Gujarat (73.06 pc), Rajasthan (70.76 pc) and Madhya Pradesh (69.47 pc) have recovery rates better than the national average. The OSD also stressed that effective clinical management has led to a decline in COVID-19 case fatality rate from 3.33 per cent on June 18 to 2.21 per cent on July 30. "India's case fatality rate is 2.21 pc, as against 4 pc globally, and is amongst the lowest in the world. Case Fatality Rate in Mexico and the UK are five and seven times higher, respectively, as compared to India," Bhushan said. Also, 24 states and UTs including Assam (0.25 pc), Bihar (0.60 pc), Andhra Pradesh (1.01 pc), Tamil Nadu (1.60 pc), Rajasthan (1.67 pc), Karnataka (1.91 pc), Uttar Pradesh (1.98 pc) have lower case fatality rate than national average, he said. Bhushan said the 'test, track and treat' strategy has shown good results in terms of managing the situation by curbing the spread of infections and keeping the mortality low. Guidelines on effective surveillance and tracking of close contacts of positive cases are available. "We have repeatedly told state governments that in 80 pc of the new positive cases it is possible to track their close contacts within the first 72 hours. Delhi government has shown that it can be done and other states should emulate that," he said. The combined and focused efforts of Union and state and UT governments have resulted in ramped up testing across the country to ensure early detection and isolation of COVID-19 positive cases, the ministry said in the statement as the number of tests for detection of coronavirus infection in India crossed 18 million. The average daily tests (on a rolling week on week basis) have increased from 2.4 lakh in the first week of July to more than 4.68 lakh in the last week of July. The enhanced testing infrastructure has led to a sharp increase in the cumulative testing from 88 lakh total tests till July 1 to nearly 1.82 crore till July 30, he said, adding that the Tests Per Million (TPM) rate has subsequently increased to 13,181. The testing lab network in the country has been strengthened with 1,321 labs in the country as on date with 907 labs in the government sector and 414 private labs, the official said. As many as 31 states and UTs are performing more than 140 tests per day per million population. India saw a record single-day increase of 52,123 infections pushing India's COVID-19 tally to 15,83,792, while the death-toll climbed to 34,968 with 775 people succumbing to the disease in a day, the health ministry's data update at 8 am showed.

Over 1 million recovered in India from coronavirus: Health ministry

Over 8.78 lakh Indians have returned from abroad after the government launched the "Vande Bharat" evacuation mission on May 7 in view of the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.

Under the Phase 4 of the Vande Bharat Mission, a total of 1,083 flights have been scheduled so far, including 849 international flights and 234 feeder flights, MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at a media briefing.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pak-indulges-in-activities-to-deflect-attention-from-cross-border-terrorism-india-317095">Pak indulges in activities to deflect attention from cross-border terrorism: India</a>

"These flights are operated by the Air India Group, IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir from 29 countries to 31 airports in India," he said.

"As we begin dovetailing phase 4 into phase 5, (a total of) 8,78,921 Indian nationals have returned as on July 29, 2020. (A total of) 1,07,452 Indians have returned from Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Pakistan and Bangladesh by land borders," he said.

The phase 5 of the Vande Bharat Mission will start from August 1, he said.

The MEA spokesperson said a total of 792 flights (692 international and 100 domestic feeders) have been scheduled to repatriate Indians from 23 countries.

The countries include Gulf countries, USA, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, China, Israel, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan, he added.

"The flights would cater to 21 different airports across India and repatriate an estimated 1,30,000 Indians stranded abroad," he said.

Over 8.78 lakh Indians have returned from abroad after the government launched the "Vande Bharat" evacuation mission on May 7 in view of the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.

Over 8.78 lakh Indians have returned from abroad after the government launched the "Vande Bharat" evacuation mission on May 7 in view of the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday. Under the Phase 4 of the Vande Bharat Mission, a total of 1,083 flights have been scheduled so far, including 849 international flights and 234 feeder flights, MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at a media briefing. Also read | Pak indulges in activities to deflect attention from cross-border terrorism: India "These flights are operated by the Air India Group, IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir from 29 countries to 31 airports in India," he said. "As we begin dovetailing phase 4 into phase 5, (a total of) 8,78,921 Indian nationals have returned as on July 29, 2020. (A total of) 1,07,452 Indians have returned from Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Pakistan and Bangladesh by land borders," he said. The phase 5 of the Vande Bharat Mission will start from August 1, he said. The MEA spokesperson said a total of 792 flights (692 international and 100 domestic feeders) have been scheduled to repatriate Indians from 23 countries. The countries include Gulf countries, USA, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, China, Israel, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan, he added. "The flights would cater to 21 different airports across India and repatriate an estimated 1,30,000 Indians stranded abroad," he said.

Nearly 900,000 Indians have returned from abroad under Vande Bharat Mission: MEA

US President Donald Trump has alleged that India, China and Russia do not take care of their air, while America does. He said this to justify his decision of withdrawing from the "one-sided, energy-destroying" Paris climate accord which would have made it a "non-competitive nation".

Trump, in his address on energy and the Permian Basin in Midland, Texas on Wednesday, said that by imposing punishing restrictions -- and beyond restrictions -- "the Washington radical-left, crazy Democrats" would also send countless American jobs, factories, industries to China and to other foreign polluting states.

"They want us to take care of our air, but China doesn't take care of its air. In all fairness, India doesn't take care of its air. Russia doesn't take care of its air. But we do. Not on my watch, it's not going to happen -- I can tell you that. Because as long as I'm President, we will always put America first. It's very simple," he said.

"For years and years, we put other countries first, and we now put America first. As we have seen in cities and towns across our nation, it's not just Texas oil that the radical Democrats want to destroy; they want to destroy our country," he said.

Such radical Democrats, he alleged, do not love the country in any way, shape or form.

Observing that he withdrew from the one-sided, energy-destroying Paris climate accord, he said this was a disaster and cost the US billions of dollars.

Trump said that under the last administration, America's energy industry was under relentless and unceasing attack.

"But the day I took the oath of office, we ended the war on American energy and we stopped the far-left assault on American energy workers," he said.

The US in November last year formally notified the UN of its withdrawal from the Paris climate accord, a global agreement in which President Trump's predecessor Barack Obama had played a key role.

Although Trump announced his decision to withdraw from the historic pact on June 1, 2017, the process began last year with the formal notification and the US will be out of the pact on November 4, 2020.

"It (Paris climate accord) would have made us a non-competitive nation. We cancelled the Obama administration's job-crushing clean power plan," he said as he listed some of the steps being taken by his administration.

"For the first time in nearly 70 years, we have become a net energy exporter. And the United States is now the number one producer of oil and natural gas on the face of the Earth. To ensure we maintain this dominant position long into the future, my administration is announcing today that export authorisations for American liquefied natural gas can now be extended through the year 2050," Trump added.

India is the fourth highest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world, accounting for 7 per cent of global emissions in 2017, according to the projection by the Global Carbon Project published in December, 2018.

The top four emitters in 2017, which covered 58 per cent of global emissions, were China (27 per cent), the US (15 per cent), the European Union (10 per cent) and India (7 per cent).

(with inputs from agencies)

US President Donald Trump has alleged that India, China and Russia do not take care of their air, while America does. He said this to justify his decision of withdrawing from the "one-sided, energy-destroying" Paris climate accord which would have made it a "non-competitive nation".

US President Donald Trump has alleged that India, China and Russia do not take care of their air, while America does. He said this to justify his decision of withdrawing from the "one-sided, energy-destroying" Paris climate accord which would have made it a "non-competitive nation". Trump, in his address on energy and the Permian Basin in Midland, Texas on Wednesday, said that by imposing punishing restrictions -- and beyond restrictions -- "the Washington radical-left, crazy Democrats" would also send countless American jobs, factories, industries to China and to other foreign polluting states. "They want us to take care of our air, but China doesn't take care of its air. In all fairness, India doesn't take care of its air. Russia doesn't take care of its air. But we do. Not on my watch, it's not going to happen -- I can tell you that. Because as long as I'm President, we will always put America first. It's very simple," he said. "For years and years, we put other countries first, and we now put America first. As we have seen in cities and towns across our nation, it's not just Texas oil that the radical Democrats want to destroy; they want to destroy our country," he said. Such radical Democrats, he alleged, do not love the country in any way, shape or form. Observing that he withdrew from the one-sided, energy-destroying Paris climate accord, he said this was a disaster and cost the US billions of dollars. Trump said that under the last administration, America's energy industry was under relentless and unceasing attack. "But the day I took the oath of office, we ended the war on American energy and we stopped the far-left assault on American energy workers," he said. The US in November last year formally notified the UN of its withdrawal from the Paris climate accord, a global agreement in which President Trump's predecessor Barack Obama had played a key role. Although Trump announced his decision to withdraw from the historic pact on June 1, 2017, the process began last year with the formal notification and the US will be out of the pact on November 4, 2020. "It (Paris climate accord) would have made us a non-competitive nation. We cancelled the Obama administration's job-crushing clean power plan," he said as he listed some of the steps being taken by his administration. "For the first time in nearly 70 years, we have become a net energy exporter. And the United States is now the number one producer of oil and natural gas on the face of the Earth. To ensure we maintain this dominant position long into the future, my administration is announcing today that export authorisations for American liquefied natural gas can now be extended through the year 2050," Trump added. India is the fourth highest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world, accounting for 7 per cent of global emissions in 2017, according to the projection by the Global Carbon Project published in December, 2018. The top four emitters in 2017, which covered 58 per cent of global emissions, were China (27 per cent), the US (15 per cent), the European Union (10 per cent) and India (7 per cent). (with inputs from agencies)

Trump takes a dig at India and China's air quality

Countries like China and India have got a lot richer over the last two decades but they have refused to take on any more responsibilities, a top US Senator has claimed, as he applauded President Donald Trump for taking on this "imbalance" to make the World Trade Organization (WTO) relevant.

Senator Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, made the comments during a Congressional hearing on WTO on Wednesday.

"No one expected the Uruguay Round to be the last global trading round. Over the last two decades, countries like China and India got a lot richer, but they've refused to take on any more responsibilities," he claimed.

"In fact, they claim they are entitled to special treatment in any future negotiations because they are developing countries," he said.

The Senator said that the notion that China and India should get the same consideration as a country like Cameroon is ridiculous. "So I applaud the President for taking on this imbalance, and pushing to make the WTO relevant."

Trump last year asked the WTO to define how it designates developing-country status, a move that was apparently aimed at singling out countries like China, Turkey and India which are getting lenient treatment under global trade rules.

In a memorandum, Trump empowered the US Trade Representative (USTR) to start taking punitive actions if any country, advanced economies, are inappropriately taking benefits of the WTO loopholes.

"The WTO is now 25 years old, but we have yet to see any major outcomes liberalising trade. The President has said we need dramatic change at the WTO. He's emphasised to me that other countries' tariffs and barriers are too high. He's right," Grassley said.

Observing that when the WTO works right, Americans benefit, he said WTO rules allow the US to reap the rewards of that leadership.

"When India refused to provide patent protection for American pharmaceutical and agricultural chemical products, we took them to the WTO " and won. You often hear about how important the 'global box office' is for Hollywood. It's become lucrative because the WTO requires our trading partners to provide copyright protection and market access for US films," he said.

Grassley said that the WTO needs to be an effective forum for negotiating agreements again. That means not only concluding the fisheries negotiations, but also new agreements, including an ambitious agreement on e-commerce. 
When Congress ratified the WTO Agreements, there was no digital economy. Today, it accounts for nearly USD 2 trillion of the US economy. Again, this is an area of US leadership where we need rules to make sure we get a fair share from its trading partners, he added.

"Second, we have to fix dispute settlement. I absolutely believe that we need enforceable rules. It's much better to solve our trade disputes over legal briefs than through tariffs," he said.

"However, WTO dispute settlement has been breaking down for years. Fifteen years ago, I warned at a hearing like this one that the WTO Appellate Body wasn't enforcing rules; it was legislating new ones. I don't like that history proved me right," he added.

Calling for WTO reforms, Ranking Member Senator Ron Wyden said that the rules that underpin the WTO were crafted more than two decades ago, when China was an economic middleweight.

At that time, many hoped and predicted that joining the WTO would drive China further away from abusive, one-party control of government, economy and society. That obviously did not happen, he said.

"Under (Chinese) President Xi (Jinping), the government tightened its grip on power. The Chinese government identifies weaknesses in the WTO system, and other multilateral fora, and it seizes on them to further its own self interests.

"Fixing the WTO is also going to require addressing its Appellate Body, which hampers the application of US trade enforcement laws to the detriment of American workers. There is a broad bipartisan view that WTO Dispute Settlement must be fixed to clamp down on judicial overreach," he said.&nbsp;

Countries like China and India have got a lot richer over the last two decades but they have refused to take on any more responsibilities, a top US Senator has claimed, as he applauded President Donald Trump for taking on this "imbalance" to make the World Trade Organization (WTO) relevant.

Countries like China and India have got a lot richer over the last two decades but they have refused to take on any more responsibilities, a top US Senator has claimed, as he applauded President Donald Trump for taking on this "imbalance" to make the World Trade Organization (WTO) relevant. Senator Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, made the comments during a Congressional hearing on WTO on Wednesday. "No one expected the Uruguay Round to be the last global trading round. Over the last two decades, countries like China and India got a lot richer, but they've refused to take on any more responsibilities," he claimed. "In fact, they claim they are entitled to special treatment in any future negotiations because they are developing countries," he said. The Senator said that the notion that China and India should get the same consideration as a country like Cameroon is ridiculous. "So I applaud the President for taking on this imbalance, and pushing to make the WTO relevant." Trump last year asked the WTO to define how it designates developing-country status, a move that was apparently aimed at singling out countries like China, Turkey and India which are getting lenient treatment under global trade rules. In a memorandum, Trump empowered the US Trade Representative (USTR) to start taking punitive actions if any country, advanced economies, are inappropriately taking benefits of the WTO loopholes. "The WTO is now 25 years old, but we have yet to see any major outcomes liberalising trade. The President has said we need dramatic change at the WTO. He's emphasised to me that other countries' tariffs and barriers are too high. He's right," Grassley said. Observing that when the WTO works right, Americans benefit, he said WTO rules allow the US to reap the rewards of that leadership. "When India refused to provide patent protection for American pharmaceutical and agricultural chemical products, we took them to the WTO " and won. You often hear about how important the 'global box office' is for Hollywood. It's become lucrative because the WTO requires our trading partners to provide copyright protection and market access for US films," he said. Grassley said that the WTO needs to be an effective forum for negotiating agreements again. That means not only concluding the fisheries negotiations, but also new agreements, including an ambitious agreement on e-commerce. When Congress ratified the WTO Agreements, there was no digital economy. Today, it accounts for nearly USD 2 trillion of the US economy. Again, this is an area of US leadership where we need rules to make sure we get a fair share from its trading partners, he added. "Second, we have to fix dispute settlement. I absolutely believe that we need enforceable rules. It's much better to solve our trade disputes over legal briefs than through tariffs," he said. "However, WTO dispute settlement has been breaking down for years. Fifteen years ago, I warned at a hearing like this one that the WTO Appellate Body wasn't enforcing rules; it was legislating new ones. I don't like that history proved me right," he added. Calling for WTO reforms, Ranking Member Senator Ron Wyden said that the rules that underpin the WTO were crafted more than two decades ago, when China was an economic middleweight. At that time, many hoped and predicted that joining the WTO would drive China further away from abusive, one-party control of government, economy and society. That obviously did not happen, he said. "Under (Chinese) President Xi (Jinping), the government tightened its grip on power. The Chinese government identifies weaknesses in the WTO system, and other multilateral fora, and it seizes on them to further its own self interests. "Fixing the WTO is also going to require addressing its Appellate Body, which hampers the application of US trade enforcement laws to the detriment of American workers. There is a broad bipartisan view that WTO Dispute Settlement must be fixed to clamp down on judicial overreach," he said.

China, India got lot richer but refused to take on any more responsibilities: Top US Senator

India has recorded over 52,000 cases in the past 24 hours, taking its total number of Covid-19-positive cases to 1,584,384.

India reports highest single day increase of 52,000+ positive cases in last 24 hours

n its Unlock 3.0 guidelines issued on Wednesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has allowed gyms and yoga centres to reopen from August 5 if they follow specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Unlock 3.0: No night curfew; Gyms allowed to reopen | India News | India COVID-19

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