India-China dialogue to focus on three areas
- The focus of the talks will be on the Galwan area, Pangong Tso and Gogra. The agenda will focus on the recent use of force, getting back to the positions before May 5 and subsequent de-induction of troops by China,” defence sources said.
- Pangong Tso is an important focus area as Chinese troops have taken positions in large numbers at the Finger 4 area. India holds one-third of the 135 km boomerang shaped lake. India has always held areas in Finger 4, while it claims areas so far as Finger 8.
New SOPs for hotels, malls
- Hotels, shopping malls, restaurants, religious places and offices in containment zones shall remain closed, except for medical and essential services, according to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by the Union Health Ministry.
- It said these establishments would be open only outside the containment zones and only asymptomatic staff members, guests and visitors would have access to these areas. No gathering or crowding of any kind would be permitted.
- Persons aged above 65, those with comorbidities, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 are still advised to stay at home, except for essential and healthcare purposes.
‘No semester exams for intermediate year students’
- Students in the intermediate years of Delhi University will not have to take semester examinations this year, guidelines detailing the alternative mode of marking issued by the university stated on Thursday.
- The grading will be a mix of 50% marks from internal assignment undertaken by departments and the remaining 50% will be awarded based on the student’s performance in the previous semester. Those students who had no previous performance or no marks in the previous semester will be graded entirely on the basis of the internal assignment. A similar procedure would apply for students of distance learning programmes.
Centre launches internship scheme for 25,000 graduates
- The Centre has launched a scheme to provide internship opportunities with smart cities and urban local bodies for 25,000 fresh graduates, mostly from technical courses. However, there is no guarantee that these interns will get paid any stipend.
- “Students come for internships for the purpose of gaining valuable experience. It makes them market ready, after which they may go on to jobs in the private sector or elsewhere. It will give them multiple options,” said Hardeep Puri, Minister for Housing and Urban Development (MoHUA), when asked about stipend and employment possibilities for these interns.
No action against employers for not paying wages: SC
- The Supreme Court on Thursday restrained the government from taking any “coercive action” against private employers unable to pay full wages to their workers during the COVID-19 lockdown.
- he petitions, filed by the owners of small commercial establishments, industries, shops and factories, said the pandemic had already driven them to the brink of insolvency. Paying workers full wages with no work done would irretrievably send them out of business. The economy would fall flat. They said the notification was illdevised and arbitrary.