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Universities, colleges reopen in UP

colleges
(File/Representational image)

New Delhi (NVI): After a gap of nearly eight months amid the COVID-19 outbreak, universities and degree colleges across Uttar Pradesh are reopening from today.

According to the standard operating procedures (SOP) by the state government, only 50 per cent of students can attend the in-person classes in any enclosed area and a maximum of 200 students can attend the class at any given time.

The universities and colleges in the state have been closed since March in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the guidelines, the higher educational institutions have been asked to resume classes in a phased manner to avoid crowding on campuses.

All students have to wear face masks, use hand sanitisers and maintain social distancing to prevent spread of the virus, as per the guidelines. “Also, the universities and colleges have to make provision for thermal scanning and hand wash for students and staff,” it added.

Moreover, students attending in-person classes will not be allowed to share books, notes and laptops as well.

Apart from this, universities will be allowed to reopen hostels for students where all health protocols can be strictly followed.

So far, Uttar Pradesh has registered 5,26,780 coronavirus cases, while the death toll stands at 7,559 in the state.

-RJV

COVID cases in India climb to over 91.3 lakh

Covid-19
File photo

New Delhi (NVI): India has registered 44,059 new infections of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, pushing the overall caseload to 91,39,866, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country’s death toll due to the virus rose to 1,33,738, with 511 patients succumbing to the infection since yesterday.

So far, a total of 85,62,642 patients have been cured or discharged, while the active cases stands at 4,43,486, as per the ministry data.

With this, the national recovery rate remained more than 94 per cent in the country.

In the worst-affected Maharashtra, COVID-19 confirmed cases increased to 17,80,208 which include 46,623 deaths. The active cases in the state stand at 81,512 and 16,51,064 recoveries.

Maharashra is followed by Karnataka (8,73,046), Andhra Pradesh (8,62,213), Tamil Nadu (7,69,995), Kerala (5,62,696) and Uttar Pradesh (5,26,780).

Meanwhile, the national capital has registered 5,29,836 COVID-19 cases, while 8,391 people have died of the virus in Delhi.

Over 13.25 crore samples tested for COVID-19 up to November 22. Of these 8,49,596 samples were tested yesterday, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) data.

Furthermore, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said a locally-developed COVID-19 vaccine candidate could complete its final trials in a month or two, raising hopes for a rapid roll-out in a country with the world’s second-highest number of infections.

-RJV

 

France slams Pak minister for comments on Macron, summons envoy

New Delhi (NVI): France has slammed Pakistan’s Minister of Human Rights Shireen Mazari for certain critical comments by her against President Emmanuel Macron and lodged a strong protest by summoning Pakistan’s envoy.

After the French protest, the minister in the Imran Khan government was forced to delete the controversial tweet.

In a tweet yesterday, Pakistan Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari claimed that French President Emmanuel Macron was treating Muslims like Nazis had treated Jews in World War 2. The French embassy took a serious note of the comment and exposed the minister’s fake propaganda.

The Pakistan minister posted the comments while responding to a news report that claimed that French President Macron had given a 15-day ultimatum to the French Council of the Muslim Faith — an organization with the country’s top Muslim leaders to accept a ‘charter of republican values’ as part of his fight against so-called “radical Islam” within France.

Responding to the news report, Mazari took to Twitter saying: “Macron is doing to Muslims what the Nazis did to the Jews — Muslim children will get ID numbers (other children won’t) just as Jews were forced to wear the yellow star on their clothing for identification.”

However, Mazari deleted her tweet after the French embassy in Pakistan issued a statement, exposing her fake propaganda to insult the French President.

The minister posted her comments while sharing a news report published by a website called the Muslim Vibe, without caring to check for the facts.

“Today, a member of the Pakistani cabinet has expressed views through social media, in terms that are deeply shocking and insulting for the President of the Republic and for our country,” the French embassy in Pakistan said in the statement.

“These despicable words are blatant lies, loaded with an ideology of hatred and violence. Such slanderous comments are disgraceful at such level of responsibility. We reject them strongly.

In the statement, the embassy also mentioned that the Pakistan Charge d affaires was summoned in Paris over the matter. “Pakistan must rectify this statement and return to the path of dialogue based on respect,” the embassy said.

Noted Pakistani writer and NYT columnist Bina Shah also corrected the Pakistan minister: “Madame Minister, the proposed ID would be for all children in France. Just like in Pakistan, where as soon as you register a child’s birth, the child gets assigned a 13 digit number which is then their NIC number when they reach 18.”

Bina was retweeted by the French embassy in Pakistan. Another Twitter user and editor at Global Village Space, Najma Minhas, said that Shireen’s tweet was “poor in taste” and based on “incorrect facts”.

“Extremely poor in taste and what’s worse based on incorrect facts. You would think she should check before making such a tweet given her position double check!”, she tweeted.

“Minister 4 HR statement against France is poor in taste and uncalled 4 for a cabinet minister. FP is sensitive subject should be left 2 FO to deal w/. Cheap politics & playing 2 gallery is not right way to handle foreign relations,” read another tweet by Jan Achakzai, a columnist based in Pakistan.

The controversial comments on Twitter by the Pakistan minister came amid tensions between Pakistan and France over the publication of images of Prophet Mohammad by a French magazine. The images have sparked anger and protests in the Muslim world, especially in Pakistan.

-ARK

The mysterious case of glowing mushrooms in Meghalaya forests

New Delhi (NVI): Nature never ceases to amaze or surprise us with its secrets. A new variety of mushrooms has been discovered in the forests of Northeast India during a mushroom documentation project which glows like the northern lights!

The project has revealed not only 600 varieties of fungi, but also led to a new discovery: a bioluminescent — or light-emitting — variety of mushroom.

This new species of mushroom looks ordinary in the day. But at night, they glow green. Researchers spotted the bioluminescent fungus on dead bamboo trees in the forests of Meghalaya.

Named Roridomyces phyllostachydis, the new species was first sighted near a stream in Meghalaya’s Mawlynnong in East Khasi Hills district and later at Krang Shuri in West Jaintia Hills district. It is now one among the 97 known species of bioluminescent fungi in the world.  

A team of scientists from India and China undertook the project in the monsoon months in Assam. They were surprised to discover a vast variety of fungi in the region that was not discovered so far. The team, after hearing reports from locals of “electric mushrooms”, headed to West Jaintia Hills District in Meghalaya.

A local person guided the team to a bamboo forest and asked them to switch off their torches. The group was awestruck by what they saw, a strange green glow on dead bamboo sticks.

This fungus, present in the bamboo forests in the West Jaintia Hills District in Meghalaya, emits its own light, called bioluminescence. Bioluminescence is the property of a living organism to produce and emit light. In the case of fungi, the luminescence comes from the enzyme, luciferase.

However, the fungus were found growing on dead bamboo, which requires more research.

-ARK

Indian Navy joins Thailand, Singapore for SITMEX-20 naval exercise in Andaman sea

New Delhi (NVI): Just days after the successful conduct of Malabar exercise, the Indian Navy has joined Thailand and Singapore for a trilateral exercise in the Andaman sea – SITMEX-20 – to improve inter-operability between the friendly navies and develop procedures towards enhancing the overall maritime security in the region.

Malabar-2020 maritime exercise witnessed the navies of four QUAD countries- India, Japan, US and Australia – participate in high-intensity naval operations including cross-deck flying operations and advanced air defence exercises.

Indian Navy (IN) Ships including indigenously built ASW corvette Kamorta and missile corvette Karmuk are participating in the 2nd edition of India, Singapore and Thailand Trilateral Maritime Exercise SITMEX-20, from 21 to 22 November in Andaman Sea, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement today.

The first edition of SITMEX, hosted by Indian Navy, was conducted off Port Blair in September 2019. The SITMEX series of exercises are conducted to enhance mutual inter-operability and imbibing best practices between IN, Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and Royal Thai Navy (RTN). The 2020 edition of the exercise is being hosted by RSN, MoD said.

RSN is being represented by the ‘Formidable’ Class frigate ‘Intrepid’ and ‘Endurance’ Class Landing Ship Tank ‘Endeavour’ and  RTN by the ‘Chao Phraya’ Class frigate ‘Kraburi’ in the exercise.

The exercise, being conducted as a ‘non-contact, at sea only’ exercise in view of COVID-19 pandemic, highlights growing synergy, coordination and cooperation in the maritime domain between the three friendly navies and maritime neighbours.

“The two days of maritime drills will witness the three navies participate in a variety of exercises including naval manoeuvres, surface warfare exercises and weapon firings,” MoD said in a release.

Besides improving inter-operability between the friendly navies, SITMEX series of exercise also aim to strengthen mutual confidence and develop common understanding and procedures towards enhancing the overall maritime security in the region, it added.

Pertinent to mention here, that India is conducting regular naval drills in the Indo-Pacific region to counter China’s growing assertiveness and unilateralism in the region. The recently concluded Malabar exercise by QUAD grouping was also conducted while keeping China in mind. The exercise also took place amid escalating tensions between India and China over Ladakh border issue.

-ARK

Tarun Gogoi remains critical

New Delhi (NVI): Former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi remains critical despite slight improvement in his health. The veteran Congress leader, who has been battling Covid-19 complications for over a month now, is on life support.

The 86-yr-old leader was admitted to Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) on November 2 following breathing problems due to post-Covid-19 complications.

Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Gogoi had become “completely unconscious” last afternoon after difficulty in breathing. Sarma said that the former minister also suffered multiple organ failure.

-ARK

Covid-19: Centre rushes high level teams to Himachal, Punjab, UP

high level team
Representational / file image

New Delhi (NVI): High-level Central Teams have been deputed to Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to support these States in COVID response and management, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said today.

These States have been either reporting a rise in the number of active cases i.e. those who are hospitalized or are in home isolation under medical supervision, or demonstrating a rise in the daily new cases, the Ministry said.

The three-member teams will visit the districts reporting high number of COVID cases and support the State efforts towards strengthening containment, surveillance, testing, infection prevention and control measures, and efficient clinical management of the positive cases. The Central teams shall also guide in effectively managing the challenges related to timely diagnosis and follow up.

Earlier the Union Government has sent the high level teams to Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Manipur, and Chhattisgarh.

India’s present active caseload (4,40,962) has further declined to 4.85% of the total Positive Cases, and has been sustained below the 5% mark. The Recovery Rate has improved to 93.69% today as the country registered 43,493 new recoveries in the last 24 hours taking the total recovered cases to 85,21,617.

The gap between Recovered cases and Active cases is steadily increasing and presently stands at 80,80,655, the Health Ministry said.

As per the Health Ministry, 26 States/UTs have less than 20,000 active cases, as on date. 7 States/UTs have active cases between 20,000 and 50,000 whereas Maharashtra and Kerala are reporting more than 50,000 caseload.

77.68% of the new recovered cases is contributed by ten States/UTs. Delhi saw 6,963 persons recovering from COVID. Kerala and Maharashtra reported 6,719 and 4,088 new recoveries respectively.

Ten States/UTs have contributed 76.81% of the new cases. In the last 24 hours, 45,209 persons were found to be infected with COVID. Delhi reported 5,879 cases in the last 24 hours. Kerala recorded 5,772 new cases while Maharashtra reported 5,760 daily cases yesterday.

Apart from that, 15 States and UTs are reporting less than the national average of cases per million population. 76.45% of the 501 case fatalities that have been reported in the past 24 hours are from Ten States/UTs.

22.16% of new fatalities reported are from Delhi which reported 111 deaths. Maharashtra saw a fatality count of 62 while West Bengal reported another 53.

13 States and UTs are reporting higher than the national average of fatality rate (1.46%). 14 States and UTs have more deaths per million population than the national average (96).

-ARK

PM lays foundation stones of water supply projects in UP’s Mirzapur, Sonbhadra

PM lays foundation stones of water supply projects in UP's Mirzapur, Sonbhadra

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched ‘Har Ghar Nal Yojna’ for Mirzapur and Sonbhadra districts in Uttar Pradesh via video conference that will benefit 3,000 villages in the state.

Estimated at Rs 5,555.38 crore, the scheme is aimed at providing water to about 43 lakh villagers in Sonbhadra and Mirzapur districts of Uttar Pradesh. The projects are planned to be completed in 24 months.

While launching the scheme, PM Modi said that the campaign to bring water supply to each house is nearing one and a half year. “During this time, the government provided over 2 crore and 60 lakh families with clean drinking tap water. Among these are lakhs of families from Uttar Pradesh,” the PM said.

The PM further said that under Jal Jeevan Mission, providing households with piped water is especially benefiting the women. “This has also provided big health benefits to the families of poor,” PM said, adding that the scheme has led to a decrease in the number of diseases caused by contaminated water like Cholera, Typhoid and Encephalitis.

When thousands of villages in Vindhyachal will get piped water, then it will improve the health conditions of innocent children in this region, their physical and mental development will be better,” he said.

“Self-reliant villages give strength to a self-reliant India,” PM Modi added.

Under ‘Har Ghar Nal Yojna’, the Yogi Adityanath government will ensure water supply through pipelines to 2,995 villages in two districts in the region.

-ARK

Terrorist among 2 held by security forces in South Kashmir’s Pulwama

Srinagar (NVI): Two persons, including a terrorist, were held by security forces in a joint search operation conducted in Chatpura Mohalla area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama last evening, the Army said today.

The joint search operation was conducted on the basis of intelligence inputs about the presence of a person from Handwara, who was actively involved with terrorists, the Army said in a statement.


A cordon was laid and the person was apprehended. He was thoroughly interrogated and it was revealed that a terrorist was hiding in a nearby madrassa. During further search operation, the terrorist was also apprehended, Army said.

On Thursday, an IED expert of Jaish-e-Mohammad was among two terrorists who managed to give security forces a slip during an encounter in Parigam area of Pulwama in South Kashmir. Pakistani terrorist Adnan Bhai alias ‘Lamboo Bhai’ is on the list of most-wanted terrorists by the security forces.

Security forces have intensified search operations in Kashmir following a spike in unprovoked ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC), a tactic the neighboring country uses to infiltrate terrorists into this side of the fence.

In a major flare-up along LoC on November 13, Pakistan resorted to multiple ceasefire violations at forward locations in J&K after the Indian Army foiled another infiltration bid by the four Pak commandos in Kupwara’s Keran sector.

The Army had killed the 4 commandos of the Pakistan Army and destroyed multiple terror launch pads across LoC while retaliating to the enemy shelling in which 5 Indian troopers and 4 civilians were killed.

Apart from that, on Thursday, four Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists were killed in a fierce gunbattle with security forces near Ban toll plaza in Nagrota district of Jammu on Jammu-Srinagar Highway. The highway was closed following the encounter. Two Special Operations Group (SOG) cops of J&K police were also injured in the gunfight.

11 AK-47 rifles, three pistols, satellite and mobile phones and compass were also recovered from the possession of terrorists. The same day, IG Jammu, Mukesh Singh told a press conference that the Jaish militants had plans to disrupt District Development Council (DDC) polls in J&K.

-ARK

US coronavirus cases top 12 mn; global tally over 57 mn

New Delhi (NVI): The Covid-19 cases in the United States, that is the worst affected country by the pandemic in the world, has surpassed the 12 million mark and 255,414 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University Covid tracker.

This comes just six days after the US crossed the 11-million mark. The US is the worst affected country in the world, both in terms of overall caseload and number of deaths. Many cities in the country have been forced to re-impose punishing lockdown measures, following a surge in the new cases recently.

Meanwhile, as per foreign media reports, the US health authorities have urged people to stay home for next week’s Thanksgiving holiday, when Americans usually travel from coast to coast to be with their families.

The US is followed by India and Brazil in terms of the overall caseload. India has recorded 90,95,806 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 1,33,227 deaths so far, with 501 deaths reported since yesterday.

Apart from that, Brazil’s Covid tally stands at 6,020,164, followed by France (2,109,170) and Russia (2,039,926).

The global Covid tally stands at 57,889,287. While 40,093,744 corona patients have recovered, 1,376,758 have died so far.

-ARK

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