LIVE: Not interested in talking to China about Phase 2 deal, says Trump

The Congress on Tuesday sacked Sachin Pilot from the posts of Rajasthan's deputy chief minister and the party's state unit chief. Cracking the whip on the rebel party leader, the party also removed his loyalists Vishvendra Singh and Ramesh Meena from the state cabinet.

Sachin Pilot had skipped the second meeting of MLAs today.
 

Meanwhile, a 9-day Covid-19 lockdown has been imposed in Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts in Karnataka starting today in view of the steep surge in number of coronavirus cases in Karnataka.

Stay tuned for the latest news of the day

2:54 AM

Rajasthan crisis: Congress grounds Sachin Pilot; Cabinet meeting today

The Congress on Tuesday stripped Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and two supporters of their ministerships and sacked Pilot as state Congress chief when he and his supporters disobeyed a party whip asking them to attend the Congress Legislature Party meeting — but, not before Pilot inflicted significant damage to the government led by Ashok Gehlot.  Read more

2:53 AM

Foot-operated taps & ionised AC air: Railways preps for travel post-Covid

From foot-operated soap dispensers and toilet flushes to door handles manoeuvred with the forearm and handrails coated with anti-microbial copper, the Railways’ new coaches for post-Covid travel launched on Tuesday come packed with features to help stave off infection.

 

The first two coaches that rolled out from the Railway Coach Factory in Kapurthala also have fixtures coated with titanium dioxide and the provision for plasma air equipment in AC ducts to sterilise interiors using ionised air, officials said.

 

All future coaches will now have these specifications, a railway spokesperson said. “The present ones will also be retrofitted to include these changes wherever possible,” he said.

2:53 AM

RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani to detail post-Covid business plan at AGM

Mukesh Ambani is likely to announce plans of leveraging recent partnerships with global technology giants like Facebook as well as a vision to maximise oil to chemical conversion at his flagship Reliance Industries' annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday, analysts said.

 

Ambani, 63, may at the company's first online AGM also give a sneak preview of his vision for decarbonisation of energy molecules to create value-added products with almost no carbon emissions.

 

Strategic direction post-Covid-19 and further details on asset monetisation are key expectations from the 43rd AGM of RIL, analysts said.

2:34 AM

Trump says he is not interested in talking to China about Phase 2 deal

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he is not interested in talking to China about a Phase 2 trade deal. "I'm not interested right now in talking to China," Trump replied when asked in an interview with CBS News whether Phase 2 trade talks were dead.

1:06 AM

Trump administration rescinds order denying foreign students US visas

12:36 AM

US says room for sanctions in response to China in South China Sea

The top US diplomat for East Asia warned on Tuesday that Washington could respond with sanctions against Chinese officials and enterprises involved in coercion in the South China Sea after the United States announced a tougher stance to Beijing's claims there.

 

"Nothing is off the table ... there is room for that. This is a language the Chinese understand - demonstrative and tangible action," David Stilwell, the assistant secretary of state for East Asia, told a Washington think tank when asked if sanctions were a possible US response to Chinese actions.

 

Stilwell spoke a day after Washington rejected China's claims to offshore resources in most of the South China Sea as "completely unlawful," a stance denounced by Beijing.

12:28 AM

Jharkhand govt transfers 18 IAS officers

The Jharkhand government on Tuesday transferred 18 IAS officers including the district magistrates (DM) of more than 12 districts, an official said.
 

Director of Agriculture, Chhavi Rajan will be the new District Magistrate (DM) and Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Ranchi, an official notification said.
 

Manish Ranjan, Rajesh Kumar Sharma and K Srinivasan, all waiting for posting, have been appointed as Divisional Commissioner (Kolhan), Chaibasa, Secretary (Information & Technology/egovernance) and officiating secretary (Mines & Geology departments) respectively, it said.

12:27 AM

BMTC to suspend bus services for public, essential services to continue

The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) on Tuesday decided to suspend bus services from July 15 to July 21. However, the corporation will perform essential services for permitted activities.

 

"In view of the lockdown of Bengaluru Metropolitan area comprising of BBMP area, Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Rural districts to combat the spread Of Covid-19, BMTC bus services to the general public are suspended from July 15 to July 17. However, as per orders of the government, BMTC will operate essential services for permitted activities during the lockdown period as detailed below," a statement by BMTC said.

12:26 AM

Rajasthan govt on autopilot as CM Gehlot is busy in chasing Pilot: Union minister Shekhawat

12:26 AM

China has all too often sought to 'redraw' Asia's map without regard for its neighbours: US senator

12:21 AM

CM Gehlot should prove majority if he wants to expand Cabinet, says Rajasthan BJP leader Gulab Chand Kataria

11:49 PM

Over 11,000 beds available for Covid-19 patients in Delhi hospitals: City govt

11:22 PM

Indian envoy to France Jawed Ashraf concurrently accredited as ambassador to Monaco

11:20 PM

133 mn jobs globally by 2022 that combine humans efforts, machines, algorithms: NGO

10:56 PM

Young turks vs old guards debate comes to the fore again

The sacking of Sachin Pilot from the Congress and his imminent exit have again ignited the debate of young turks vs old guards and spawned fears of a fresh wave of defections from the party.

 

The former Rajasthan deputy chief minister's refusal to yield to the party high command's overtures is already being linked to his proximity to Jyotiraditya Scindia, who earlier revolted and left the Congress in March.

 

A senior party leader said the Congress cannot afford to lose its 'GenNext' to the BJP after having given eminence to its 'young turks' for so long.

 

With the Congress on Tuesday suffering a jolt in Rajasthan, the worry within the party now is whether this could trigger a fresh wave of defections of its younger generation which is already getting edgy.