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COVID cases in India climb to over 5.66 lakh, death toll at 16,893

COVID tally
File photo

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of coronavirus cases in India has risen to 5,66,840 and fatalities from the virus have gone up to 16,893, according to Union Health Ministry.

In the past 24 hours, 18,522 new COVID-19 infections and 418 deaths were reported in the country.

As many as 3,34,821 patients have been cured of the virus or discharged so far.

In terms of total number of cases, Maharashtra continues to be the worst affected state with 1,69,883 coronavirus cases followed by Delhi with 85,161 and Tamil Nadu with 86,224 positive cases.

The other worst affected states are Gujarat (31,938) Uttar Pradesh (22,828) Rajasthan (17,660) and West Bengal (17,907).

In terms of deaths, Maharashtra tops the tally with 7,610 fatalities, ministry said.

The death toll in the national capital surged to 2,680 while another 56,235 patients have recovered so far, healthy ministry data shows.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation later today as the country enters “unlock 2” from July 1.

Apart from that, the home ministry has issued guidelines, further easing the restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus lockdown.

-RJV

Cambodian newspaper publisher arrested for criticising prime minister: IFJ

(Pic: Facebook)

New Delhi (NVI): A publisher for Khmer Nation newspaper in Cambodia was arrested on June 25 for criticising prime minister Hun Sen in a Facebook post, alleging that the Cambodian PM was not offering a solution for people struggling to repay their debts to banks.

Ros Sokhet had also criticised Hun Sen on June 24 after the prime minister confirmed he was grooming his eldest son Hun Manet to take over as Cambodia’s leader, according to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court issued a warrant for Sokhet’s arrest and questioning on June 24 “for incitement to provoke serious chaos in social security,” arresting him the following day.

The IFJ has condemned the arrest and called on police to drop the case.

Meanwhile, the spokesman for Information Ministry, Meas Sophorn added the ministry is undergoing a review of Khmer Nation’s newspaper license that was renewed by Sokhet on April 2, 2020.

Last month, the Information Ministry of Cambodia had revoked the media license of another journalist, Sok Udom, who was later detained for his coverage of a land dispute.

In a statement, the IFJ said: “The arrest and charges against Sokhet convey the government’s disdain towards the rights and safety of journalists. The IFJ urges the Cambodian government to enhance protections for journalists to prevent authorities from using the law to censor the press.”

J&K: 4 travelers from Pakistan, 6-day-old baby among 144 new cases

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 144 fresh Covid positive cases including four Kashmiris with travel history from Pakistan and a six-day-old baby, taking the UT’s tally to 7,237.

Officials said that among the 144 new cases, 67 were tested positive at SKIMS, 8 at JVC Bemina, 22 at CD hospital and rest at other hospitals. “Among the new cases were four Kashmiri travelers, who had a history of travel to Pakistan. A six-day-old baby is also among fresh positive cases,” they said.

Among the new cases, 99 belong to Kashmir division while 45 are from Jammu division, officials said. They said that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir has reached 5658 including 3449 recoveries and 85 deaths while the total number of positive cases in Jammu has reached 1579 including 1136 recoveries and 11 deaths.

They said that the total number of active cases in Jammu and Kashmir is 2557 including 2125 from the Kashmir division and 432 from the Jammu division. With 269 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in Jammu and Kashmir has reached to 4585 which is 63.35 percent of the total cases.

Cases tested positive in J&K include 1 from Kulgam, 17 from Srinagar, 18 from Shopian, 10 from Baramulla, 15 from Anantnag, 2 from Kupwara, 2 from Bandipora, 4 from Budgam, 29 from Pulwama and 1 from Ganderbal in Kashmir division while 45 from Jammu include 3 each from Jammu, Udhampur and Doda, 13 from Kathua, 8 from Samba, 2 from Poonch, 7 from Rajouri, 5 from Reasi and one from Ramban.

As per officials figures, 891 positive cases including 22 deaths and 265 recoveries are from Srinagar, 816 including 15 deaths and 381 recoveries are from Baramulla, 767 including 583 recoveries and 13 deaths are from Kulgam, 750 including 11 deaths and 545 recoveries are from Shopian, 650 including 7 deaths and 543 recoveries are from Anantnag, 536 including 391 recoveries and 05 deaths are from Kupwara, 469 including  207 recoveries and 4 deaths are from Pulwama, 397 including 216 recoveries and 7 deaths are from Budgam, 291 including 255 recoveries and 1 death are from Bandipora, 91 including 62 recoveries are from Ganderbal.

In Jammu, 336 including 278 recoveries and 7 deaths are from Jammu district, 272 including 172 recoveries and 01 death are from Udhampur, 217 including 182 recoveries are from Ramban, 226 including 156 recoveries are from Kathua, 144 including 86 recoveries from Samba, 123 including 99 recoveries and 01 death are from Poonch, 111 including 01 death and 69 recoveries are from Rajouri, 77 including 57 recoveries and 01 death are from Doda, 45 including 26 recoveries are from Reasi and 27 including 20 recoveries are from Kishtwar.

As per the daily information bulletin, 278,689 persons in Jammu and Kashmir are under observation while 40,312 persons have been kept under home quarantine besides that 2557 persons are in hospital isolation while 34 persons are under hospital quarantine.

According to the bulletin, 188,546 persons have completed surveillance period and 47,145 persons are under home surveillance.

So far, results of 358,530 samples are available out of which 3,51,293 have tested negative while 7237 have been tested positive. Among positive cases, 2557 are active, 4585 have recovered and 96 have died.

Unlock2: MHA issues new guidelines, to come into effect from July 1

MHA

New Delhi (NVI): The Ministry of Home Affairs tonight issued new guidelines for Unlock-2 amid the Covid-19 pandemic, which will come into effect from July 1. Unlock-2 will see opening up of more activities in areas outside the Containment Zones.

Meanwhile, the process of phased re-opening of activities has been extended further. The new guidelines are based on feedback received from States and UTs, and extensive consultations held with related Central Ministries and Departments, the MHA said in a statement.

As per the Unlock-2 guidelines, night curfew timings are being further relaxed and curfew shall be in force from 10.00 pm to 5.00 am.  Schools and colleges will remain closed till July 31.

Shops depending upon their area, can have more than 5 persons at a time. However, they have to maintain adequate physical distance, the MHA said.

Training institutions of the Central and State Governments will be allowed to function with effect from July 15. SOP in this regard will be issued by the Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India.

International air travel of passengers has been permitted in a limited manner under the Vande Bharat mission.  Further opening up will take place in a calibrated manner.

Apart from that, all activities, except the following, shall be permitted outside containment zones:

* Metro Rail

* Cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places.

* Social/political/sports/entertainment/academic/cultural/religious functions and other large congregations.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 4 PM tomorrow. The Covid-19 cases in India inch closer to 5.5 lakh-mark with 19,459 new cases being reported in the last 24 hours. After fresh 380 deaths in the last 24 hours, the death toll has also risen to 16,459.

-ARK

Disinvestment in LIC against ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’: LIC Employees Federation

New Delhi (NVI): The All India LIC Employees Federation (AILEF) has expressed concern over the Central Government’s plan for disinvestment in Life Insurance Corporation of India, the country’s largest life insurer.

The body has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi while seeking his intervention to “immediately stop disinvestment in LIC.” They have claimed that disinvestment in LIC will go against the policy of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

In its letter to PM, AILEF has cited news appearing in the national media on the government’s decision to set in motion the proposal for disinvestment in LIC. “It is being reported that the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) has invited bids from consulting firms, investment bankers and financial institution to advise the government on the preparatory processes of the proposed IPO,” the letter dated June 26 reads.

The government will be engaging two pre-IPO transaction advisors for the largest public offer in the country till now. The last date for bids for advisors to LIC’s IPO is July 13, as per the request for proposal, whereas the bids will be opened on July 14.

“If the government goes ahead with its plan of disinvestment in LIC there will be implication for policyholders. As per the Sec 28 of LIC Act, 1956 policyholders are eligible for not less than 95% of the surplus emerging under both participating and non-participating policies. The proposed public offer through disinvestment in LIC will change the way surplus is distributed. Higher share of surplus to shareholders will affect the rate of bonus to policyholders and this in turn will affect future new business,” AILEF General Secretary Rajesh Kumar says in the letter.

Listing of LIC will also change LIC’s operational approach and investment policies, the letter further read. The LIC Employees Federation has made a fervent appeal to the PM to rescind the decision of disinvesting in LIC in national interest saying that it will “give a big boost to make India Aatmanirbhar.”

“Disinvestment in LIC will be a stepping stone for privatisation in future which will be against the national interest,” the letter read.

India bans 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, Shareit, Helo

Representational Images

New Delhi (NVI): The Government today banned 59 Chinese mobile apps including TikTok, Shareit, UC Browser, WeChat, saying that these are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity, defence, security and public order of India.

Invoking its power under section 69A of the Information Technology Act, the Ministry of Information and Technology announced the decision which is set to be a big jolt to the Chinese technology companies.

The development also comes in the backdrop of current stand-off between India and China after the violent stand-off in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley.

“Over the last few years, India has emerged as a leading innovator when it comes to technological advancements and a primary market in the digital space,” the Ministry said.

It further stated that there have also been raging concerns on aspects relating to data security and safeguarding the privacy of 130 crore Indians.

“It has been noted recently that such concerns also pose a threat to sovereignty and security of our country. The Ministry of Information Technology has received many complaints from various sources including several reports about misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorized manner to servers which have locations outside India,” the ministry said.

“The compilation of these data, its mining and profiling by elements hostile to national security and defence of India, which ultimately impinges upon the sovereignty and integrity of India, is a matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures,” it added.

Apart from the I&T ministry, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, Ministry of Home Affairs has also sent an exhaustive recommendation for blocking these malicious apps.

The MHA has also received many representations raising concerns from citizens regarding security of data and risk to privacy relating to operation of certain apps. The Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) has also received many representations from citizens regarding security of data and breach of privacy impacting upon public order issues. Likewise, there have been similar bipartisan concerns, flagged by various public representatives, both outside and inside the Parliament of India.

There has been a strong chorus in the public space to take strict action against Apps that harm India’s sovereignty as well as the privacy of our citizens, the ministry said.

“On the basis of these and upon receiving of recent credible inputs that such Apps pose threat to sovereignty and integrity of India, the Government of India has decided to disallow the usage of certain Apps, used in both mobile and non-mobile Internet enabled devices,” it added.

Following are the 59 apps banned:

TikTok

Shareit

Kwai

UC Browser

Baidu map

Shein

Clash of Kings

DU battery saver

Helo

Likee

YouCam makeup

Mi Community

CM Browers

Virus Cleaner

APUS Browser

ROMWE

Club Factory

Newsdog

Beutry Plus

WeChat

UC News

QQ Mail

Weibo

Xender

QQ Music

QQ Newsfeed

Bigo Live

SelfieCity

Mail Master

Parallel Space

Mi Video Call – Xiaomi

WeSync

ES File Explorer

Viva Video – QU Video Inc

Meitu

Vigo Video

New Video Status

DU Recorder

Vault- Hide

Cache Cleaner DU App studio

DU Cleaner

DU Browser

Hago Play With New Friends

Cam Scanner

Clean Master – Cheetah Mobile

Wonder Camera

Photo Wonder

QQ Player

We Meet

Sweet Selfie

Baidu Translate

Vmate

QQ International

QQ Security Center

QQ Launcher

U Video

V fly Status Video

Mobile Legends

DU Privacy

102 Hindus forcibly converted to Islam, temple turned into mosque in Pakistan

New Delhi (NVI): In yet another case of forced conversion and religious persecution of minorities in Pakistan, 102 Hindu men, women and children were converted to Islam in Badin district.

The incident took place at Golarchi area of Badin in Sindh-Pakistan on Saturday, as all idols of Hindu Gods were destroyed in a local temple, which was converted into a mosque.

A video of the incident is doing rounds on social media. Such incidents of forced conversion and forced marriage of Hindu girls after abduction have become common in the recent past, with the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also taking note of the gruesome acts.


Earlier this year, the Human Rights body said that over the years, “there have been horrific, religiously motivated attacks on the minority communities and any efforts towards eradicating the violence, prejudices, and inequalities have been virtually imperceptible”.

In another incident reported on Saturday, the 14-year-old daughter of a Hindu woman was abducted for the purpose of sexual exploitation and forced to conversion in Saedabad, Hala Mitiari, of Sindh province Pakistan.

In a video shared by a social activist, the mother is seen wailing inconsolably and saying, “It is a curse to born in an Islamic County”. Out of the immense shock and pain at such loss of her teenage daughter, she is seen hitting herself with grief, falling unconscious on the ground.

Pakistan has a history of atrocities against the minority communities especially Hindu girls, who are often kidnapped and forced into conversion.

-ARK

Turf war! Monkey left injured on Rashtrapati Bhavan terrace

New Delhi (NVI): A male monkey was left seriously injured in a territorial feud between a troop of wild rhesus macaques on the Rashtrapati Bhavan premises in New Delhi on Sunday. The animal was rescued by the Wildlife SOS Rapid Response Unit and is currently undergoing treatment.

The maintenance personnel went up to the Rashtrapati Bhavan terrace after hearing the high pitched cries of monkeys clashing with each other. While the troop scattered away upon seeing the staff, one macaque was found lying under a water tank, in a semi-conscious state.

The staff immediately contacted the Wildlife SOS 24 hour rescue helpline (+91-9871963535) for assistance. A two member rescue team was immediately dispatched by the charity which provides animal ambulance services to wild animals in distress across Delhi NCR.

Since the animal had sustained painful bite injuries, the Wildlife SOS team took great care in handling the rescue while ensuring least amount of stress was caused during the process.

Wasim Akram, Deputy Director-Special Projects, Wildlife SOS, said “The macaque has sustained severe wounds on both his hind limbs & forelimbs and is currently undergoing treatment. It will be released back into its natural habitat when certified fit for release.”

Kartick Satyanarayan, Wildlife SOS co-founder and CEO said, “It was heartening to see the staff at the President’s Estate go to the extent of caring for the welfare of animals in distress. The Rhesus macaque is one of the most common primate species to be found in the Indian subcontinent. They live in troops of around 20 to 180 monkeys and often compete with other troops for food and territory base. Shrinking habitats has led to more frequent struggles between animals over space and territory.”

The Wildlife SOS Hotline is the only 24-hour Wildlife and Reptile Rescue Cell in the National Capital Region (NCR) which address the problems of wildlife conflict in urban spaces accelerated by growing populations, rapid urbanization and misconceptions about many of the native species of wildlife with whom we share our landscape. They also conduct workshops and awareness programmes to sensitize the public to the presence of urban wildlife and encourage peaceful coexistence.

Afghanistan COVID-19 cases climb to 31,238 with 733 deaths

New Delhi (NVI): Afghanistan today witnessed a rise in coronavirus cases with 271 new infections, taking the overall tally to 31,238 across the country, according to Afghan media reports.

The death toll due to the virus rose to 733 with 12 new fatalities being reported in the last 24 hours.

The Afghan Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) said, among the fresh cases reported, Kabul once again was on top of the list with 130 cases followed by Herat with 30 positive cases.

Other provinces which reported cases are Kandahar (12), Balkh (28), Nangarhar (3), Takhar (14), Bamiyan (13), Baghlan (7), Badghis (4), Nimruz (12), Wardak (1), Laghman (1), Kunar (5), Helmand (4), Panjshir (5) and Zabul (2), as per the reports.

In terms of fatalities, 4 COVID-19 deaths registered in Kabul, 4 in Parwan, 3 in Nangarhar and 1 in Herat.

The ministry also said that, 13,934 people have been recovered from the respiratory disease across the country.

So far, 71,549 people have been tested for coronavirus in the government’s testing centres in Afghanistan.

-RJV

Coronavirus cases in Pakistan cross 2,00,000 mark; death toll at 4,167

COVID-19: Pakistan imposes mini-lockdown in Islamabad

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan has crossed the 2,00,000 mark. 3,709 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the last 24 hours, taking the national tally to 2,06,512.

Meanwhile, 94 people lost their lives due to the deadly contagion, taking the total number of fatalities to 4,167.

Looking at the breakdown of cases, Sindh province has reported 80,446 coronavirus cases, highest among all the provinces, while Punjab has 74,778 positive cases.

On the other hand, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has recorded 25,778 cases, Balochistan is at 10,376, Gilgit-Baltistan at 1,417, Islamabad at 12,643 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is at 1,003 cases so far, according to media reports.

So far, nearly 95,407 people have recovered from the deadly contagion in the country.

-CHK

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