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Coronavirus cases surpass 11.6 million worldwide

Coronavirus cases

New Delhi (NVI): Nearly 11.6 million people around the world have now been diagnosed with COVID-19, and more than 5,37,000 have died, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

The United States and Brazil have reported the most cases and the highest death tolls.

In the US, at least 24 states have paused or rolled back reopening plans as coronavirus cases and deaths continue to rise nationwide.

The total number of cases in the US are nearing 3 million while the death toll has surpassed 1,30,000 in the country.

In Brazil, coronavirus positive cases have exceeded 1.6 million while the number of fatalities have surpassed 65,000.

Meanwhile, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been tested again for coronavirus, after showing symptoms of the disease including a fever.

Beijing has reported no new cases of coronavirus for the first time since an outbreak emerged at the Chinese capital’s main wholesale market last month. City authorities say they have tested more than 11 million people for COVID-19 since June 11.

In addition to this, Japan has reported that five members of the Sumo Association have been confirmed to have coronavirus antibodies.

New Zealand citizens who want to return home may have to wait longer than anticipated after the government moved to limit arrivals from overseas to ease pressure on mandatory quarantine facilities.

-CHK

Covid-19 tally in India crosses 7 lakh-mark; deaths at 20,160

New Delhi (NVI): India’s COVID-19 cases crossed the seven lakh-mark and reached 7,19,665, with single-day spike of 22,252 in the last 24 hours, according to Union Health Ministry.

The death toll due to the virus rose to 20,160, with 467 new fatalities being reported in the past 24 hours.

So far, 4,39,948 patients have recovered all over the country.

Maharashtra continues to remain the worst-affected state due to COVID-19 with 2,11,987 cases, followed by Tamil Nadu with 1,14,978 cases and Delhi with 1,00,823 cases.

Other states with high corona cases are Gujarat (36,772), Uttar Pradesh (28,626), West Bengal (22,989) and Rajasthan (20,688).

Maharashtra has also reported the highest number of fatalities at 9,026, followed by 1,960 in Gujarat and 1,571 in Tamil Nadu.

The death toll in the national capital rose to 3,115, while 72,088 patients in Delhi have recovered so far, the healthy ministry data shows.

In a development, West Bengal set up its first plasma bank at the Kolkata Medical College and Hospital yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research said, 2,41,430 samples were tested for COVID-19 on July 6, taking the total number of samples tested till Monday to 1,02,11,092.

-RJV

Soldier, terrorist killed in encounter in J&K’s Pulwama

July 18 Shopian encounter: Army completes summary of evidence
An encounter site in Kashmir (File Pic)

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): A terrorist was killed while a soldier also lost his life in an encounter that broke out in the wee hours today in Goosu area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, officials said.

“A soldier and a police personnel were injured in the gunfight during initial exchange of firing. Both were shifted to Army’s 92 base hospital Srinagar, where injured soldier succumbed,” the officials said. They said a militant was also killed in the first exchange of firing.

The encounter broke out after a joint team of Police, Army’s 53 RR and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation on specific information about the presence of militants in the area in the wee hours.

However, it is believed that two to three terrorists are trapped in the village.

Meanwhile, as a precautionary measure, internet services have been snapped in Pulwama Police district. Today’s encounter is 18th in South Kashmir since June 1 in which 50 terrorists have been killed.

This year, so far 122 terrorists were killed in various encounter across Kashmir. From Hizbul Mujahideen alone, 55 terrorists including top commanders were killed. Police has already prepared a list of 12 top militant commanders that include five from Hizb, four from Lashkar e Toiba and three from Jaish-e-Muhamad outfit who are being tracked down.

-RJV

WHO halts hydroxychloroquine, HIV drugs in Covid-19 trials

Representational Image

New Delhi (NVI): The World Health Organisation has discontinued trials of anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine and combination HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir to find out whether these drugs help patients hospitalised with the Covid-19.

In a release, WHO said that it has “accepted the recommendation from the Solidarity Trial’s International Steering Committee to discontinue the trial’s hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir arms”.

The Solidarity Trial was established by WHO to find an effective COVID-19 treatment for hospitalized patients.

“The International Steering Committee formulated the recommendation in light of the evidence for hydroxychloroquine vs standard-of-care and for lopinavir/ritonavir vs standard-of-care from the Solidarity trial interim results, and from a review of the evidence from all trials presented at the 1-2 July WHO Summit on COVID-19 research and innovation,” WHO said in a statement.

The interim trial results showed that hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir produce little or no reduction in the mortality of hospitalized COVID-19 patients when compared to standard of care. “Solidarity trial investigators will interrupt the trials with immediate effect,” WHO said in a release issued Saturday.

-ARK

Officer among two SSB personnel killed in fratricide incident at J&K’s Kulgam

Policeman
Representational Pic.

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Two Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel including an officer died in a fratricide incident in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district late today, police said.

A police official told NVI that two SSB men posted with the SSB 49G Company identified as Constable Hemant lost his cool and fired by his service riffle INSAS at his college Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Sandeep Kumar after the two entered a verbal brawl over some issue. “After firing at ASI Sandeep, Constable Hemant later fired at himself too. Both died on the spot,” police said.

Senior Superintendent of Police Kulgam, Gurinder Pal Singh, said that police have registered a case of fratricide. “Both SSB men were found dead. They shot each other with their own service rifle. Investigations have been taken up,” he said.

An SSB official, while terming the incident as unfortunate, said that an in-house inquiry has been ordered to find out what led to the scuffle and verbal dual between the two SSB personnel. “We will find out the cause of incident and accordingly steps will be taken to prevent such incidents in future,” he said.

J&K: 13 CRPF men, 2 cops among 246 new cases, tally at 8,675

Over 3,200 cops COVID positive in J&K and 15 succumbed to virus
File photo

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir today witnessed 246 new Covid positive cases that include 13 CRPF men, two cops and a soldier, taking the number of positive cases in the UT to 8,675.

Officials said that among new cases, 104 were tested positive at SKIMS, 52 at JVC Bemina and rest at other hospitals. “The new cases include 13 CRPF, two cops and a soldier,” they said.

Among 246 new cases, 210 belong to Kashmir division while 36 are from Jammu division, officials said, adding that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir has reached 6,866 including 4,013 recoveries and 124 deaths while the total number of positive cases in Jammu has reached to 1,809 including 1,305 recoveries and 14 deaths.

They said that the total number of active cases in J&K is 3,219 including 2,729 from Kashmir and 490 from Jammu.

With 63 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in the UT has reached 5,318 which is 61.30 percent of the total cases.

Cases tested positive in J&K include 65 from Srinagar, 49 from Kulgam, 41 from Baramulla, 12 from Shopian, 1 from Anantnag, 3 from Kupwara, 34 from Pulwama, 3 from Budgam, 1 from Bandipora and 1 from Ganderbal in Kashmir while as 36 from Jammu include 6 from district Jammu, 1 from Udhampur, 5 from Kuthua, 3 from Ramban, 13 from Samba, 1 from Poonch, 4 from Rajouri, 2 from Rajouri and 3 from Reasi.

As per the daily information bulletin, 2,99,748 persons in J&K are under observation while 40,157 persons have been kept under home quarantine. Apart from that, 3,219 persons are in hospital isolation while 47 persons are under hospital quarantine.

According to the bulletin, 2,09,410 persons have completed surveillance period and 46,777 persons are under home surveillance.

So far, results of 4,06,212 samples are available out of which 3,97,537 tested negative while 8,675 have been tested positive. Among positive cases, 3,219 are active and 5,318 persons have recovered while 138 have died.

-ARK

MHA allows universities to conduct final year exams

New Delhi (NVI): Ministry of Home Affairs in a letter to Union Higher Education Secretary has permitted conduct of examinations by Universities and Institutions.

“The final term examinations are to be compulsorily conducted as per the UGC Guidelines on Examinations and Academic Calendar for the universities; and as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) approved by the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare,” a statement by MHRD read.

In addition to this, UGC wants the universities to hold the exams latest by September end.

The UGC will allow institutes to conduct exams in the mode most feasible to them – online, offline or blended modes.

Due to COVID-19 impact, the academic year has been rendered shapeless as classes as well as the final examinations have been disrupted.

-CHK

Land bought by Rajasthan couple is a paradise for tigers, deers now!

New Delhi (NVI): This Rajasthan couple has a unique penchant for wildlife as a private land they bought 20 years ago is a paradise for tigers, deers and wild boars now.

Aditya and Poonam Singh bought a small plot of land in Rajasthan around two decades ago. They put up a fence and forgot about it. Slowly, life thrived and a forest grew back. Two waterholes have also developed naturally in the forest area and the forest diverts tigers from nearby farms.

A video of the small wildlife paradise was shared by World Economic Forum on Twitter which was then later retweeted by a Norwegian diplomat, Erik Solheim.

Over the years, the couple has bought more and more land. It is now a lush green patch of 40 acres. The couple has also got lucrative proposals to use the land in other ways but they have turned down all of them.

Awestruck by the marvelous feat by the couple, people across India are now asking how they can reforest land too, according to WEF.

Quoting India’s State of Forest Report, the video also claims that over the last 30 years, India has gained the size of Ireland. It wants to cover 33 per cent of the entire country in trees, up from 25 per cent at present, as per the video.

-ARK

Three teachers suspended over rape charges in J&K’s Kulgam

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): The J&K School Education Department today suspended three teachers of two middle schools in south Kashmir’s Kulgam after a 20-year-old woman alleged rape by the trio.

Chief Education Officer (CEO) Kulgam, Muhammad Ashraf Rather said that the victim and the teachers, against whom there is a serious allegation of gang rape, hail from the same village.

“The girl has filed a complaint report in the local police station (in Kulgam district) alleging rape by the three teachers. One of the three was immediately arrested wherein one teacher has been put behind the bars. Two others are absconding,” Rather said.

He said in the complaint, the victim has alleged that she was taken to orchards nearby her school and later allegedly raped.

Rather said that the department has also constituted an inquiry committee to find out authenticity of allegations levelled by the student. “The victim is said to be 20-years-old and is not studying anywhere,” he said.

Meanwhile, the concerned Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) Kulgam has also issued suspension order against the accused persons.

The order available with the NVI reads: “On the basis of written complaint submitted by inhabitants of village Chachmulla regarding sexual harassment of a local girl, the teachers allegedly involved are hereby placed under suspension with immediate effect pending inquiry”.

Police have also registered a case after the woman filed a written complaint against the trio and investigations have been taken up on a fast track basis. “We have already arrested one person soon after the complaint was filed by the victim. Two others have gone into hiding and they will be arrested soon. The young girl will be examined medically and if the rape is proved, accused will accordingly be booked under the relevant sections,” said a police officer at police station, Chachmulla in Kulgam district.

-ARK

NIA files chargesheet against suspended J&K DSP Davinder Singh, 5 others

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): The National investigation agency (NIA) today filed a joint charge-sheet against the suspended Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Davinder Singh and five others including Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Syed Naveed alias Naveed Babu, for their involvement in harbouring militancy in J&K.

A statement issued by the NIA here said that a detailed charge-sheet has been filed against DSP Singh, Hizbul Commander Naveed Babu, former trade union leader Tanveer Ahmed Ahmed Wani, Hizb militant Rafi Ahmed Rather and others. The premier investigation agency in its statement said that in total, charge-sheet has been filed against six accused involved in strengthening and recruiting militants in the Valley, besides availing money through illegal routes for militancy-related activities from Pakistan based outfits and agencies.

The NIA statement read that the case was initially registered at police station Qazigund, in Kulgam, J&K on January 11, 2020 after the arrest of two militants of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, identified as Syed Naveed Mushtaq, the then district Commander of HM for Shopian and Ganderbal and Rafi Ahmad Rather along with Singh and Irfan Shafi Mir alias Advocate.

“They were arrested at a Naka near Qazigund while they were going out of Srinagar towards Jammu in the I-20 car owned and driven by Irfan Shafi Mir alias Advocate,” the statement said.

It said during the search of the vehicle, one AK-47 Rifle, 3 pistols and a cache of ammunition and explosives were recovered. “All the four accused persons were arrested by J&K Police on the same day. NIA took over the investigation of the case on January 17 this year by re-registering the same at Police Station, NIA Jammu. During the course of investigation, the four accused persons were interrogated thoroughly and searches were conducted at 15 places in Kashmir Valley as well as in Jammu.”

The investigating agency said three more accused persons identified as Syed Irfan Ahmad, younger brother of Syed Naveed Mushtaq, Tanveer Ahmad Wani and Tariq Ahmad Mir were arrested in the case respectively for being part of the conspiracy to extend support to the banned militant organization Hizb-ul-Mujahideen by way of raising and transferring funds to the HM militants, harboring them and supplying them arms, ammunition & explosives to carry out subversive activities.

NIA said that the investigation has revealed that the accused were part of a deep-rooted conspiracy hatched by the Pakistan-based militant organization Hizbul-Mujahideen and Pakistani agencies to commit violent acts and to “wage war against the Union of India”.

About the suspended DySP, the NIA said Singh was in touch with certain officials of Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi through secure social media platforms. Investigation revealed that he was being groomed by Pakistani officials for obtaining sensitive information. “DySP Singh has revealed that militant commander Naveed Babu had deserted Police before joining militancy along with certain weapons and was responsible for various killings, including incidents of militancy in which labourers and truck drivers were killed after the abrogation of Article 370 from J&K.

“Naveed Babu had made efforts to recruit gullible Muslim youths to join cadre of HM, received funds from LoC traders and accused Tanveer Ahmad Wani, who was an Ex-President of LoC traders Association, was providing him funds with the help of other traders based in Pakistan administered Kashmir and were obtaining weapons and ammunition from across the border with the help of arms smugglers and Devender Singh while weapons were later used for militant activities,” the investigating agency said in its statement.

The statement also said that in February, 2019, in order to shield HM Commander Syed Naveed Mushtaq from the heightened surveillance of security agencies, accused Devender Singh, a serving Dy SP of J&K Police, along with Irfan Shafi Mir and Syed Irfan Ahmad, arranged safe shelter for him and his associate in Jammu. Devender Singh used his own vehicle for the movement of HM militants and also assured them help in procuring weapons.

The NIA said it has filed cases under various sections of the UA(P)Act 1967, Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act in NIA Special Court at Jammu.

To recall, a Delhi court had granted bail to Davinder Singh early last month after the Delhi police failed to file a charge-sheet against him during the statutory period of 90 days in a conspiracy case.

-ARK

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