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Indian news channels banned in Nepal, except Doordarshan

Nepal

New Delhi (NVI): Cable operators in Nepal have banned all private Indian news channels, except Doordarshan amid a massive criticism among the top leaders of the Himalayan country over the coverage of Nepalese leadership.

The foreign channel distributors in Nepal have decided to block all news channels from India, while exempting Doordarshan.

The decision came hours after Nepal’s Information and Broadcasting Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada said, “the government would seek political and legal remedies against the Indian media for disseminating news that jeopardizes the nation, nationality, sovereignty and self-respect of Nepalis.”

“We also request not to disseminate news that infringes sovereignty and self-respect of Nepalis,” he said, “This includes the media of neighboring countries. We might seek both political and legal remedies,” said Khatiwada during a press conference in Kathmandu.

Several leaders in Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli’s government have alleged that many of these Indian channels indulged in “character assassination” of Nepalese leaders, including the Oli, and of the Chinese envoy to Nepal, Ambassador Hou Yanqi.

However, no official order has been issued by the Nepalese government in this regard as of yet.

Relations between India and Nepal have recently suffered after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand in May.

Nepal reacted sharply on the move, saying that the 80-km-long road stretch passed through Nepalese territory. India has rejected the claim while reiterating that the road lies completely within its territory.

The tensions between the two countries further grew when Nepal launched its new map after a constitutional amendment, which includes some Indian territories in the Himalayan region.

-ARK

Noida to get 162 new charging stations for electric vehicles soon

electric vehicles

New Delhi (NVI): Noida will soon get 162 charging stations for electric vehicles (EV) as Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), has signed an agreement with Noida authority to promote electric vehicles and install public EV charging stations, and related infrastructure.

The partnership will also facilitate the creation of an infrastructural ecosystem to accelerate e-mobility uptake as the nation emerges from the lockdown post COVID-19 pandemic, read an official statement.

As part of the agreement, Noida authority has been sanctioned 162 Public EV Charging Stations (PCS) comprising 54 Bharat DC001 (15kW) and 108 122kW Fast Chargers under the FAME India Scheme Phase-II of Department of Heavy Industry (DHI). EESL is the selected organization for deployment of public charging stations in NOIDA City.

The agreement was signed by NOIDA Authority and Amit Kaushik, Executive Director (Growth), EESL in the presence of Ritu Maheshwari, CEO, NOIDA Authority.


Speaking at the agreement signing ceremony, Ritu Maheshwari, CEO, NOIDA, said, “Developing a sustainable landscape with strong supporting EV infrastructure is the key to cultivating consumer confidence in electric vehicles. This will significantly enhance consumer convenience as well. With increasing penetration of EVs, the local pollutants emission levels are also expected to reduce, leading to cleaner air and several public health benefits.”

Amit Kaushik, ED, EESL said, “Electric Vehicles (EVs) are at the forefront of the world’s agenda to move towards a sustainable future and EESL is proud to be progressively leading initiatives to promote EV adoption in India under its national e-mobility programme. We are pleased to partner with NOIDA authority to co-create synergies to set up Public EV Charging Infrastructure in Noida.”

So far, EESL has installed 20 EV chargers, 13 are commissioned and 7 are under commissioning. These EV chargers have been installed around the prominent places of Noida such as the ganga shopping complex (Sector 29), near the electronic city metro station (Sector 63), opposite shopprix mall (Sector 61), near RTO office (Sector 33), Advant Chowk (Sector 142) and main market of Sector 50 to name a few.

With its innovative model of demand aggregation and bulk procurement, EESL receives electric vehicles and chargers at a significantly discounted rate vis-à-vis the actual market value. Further, with access to low cost funds, the overall cost of project becomes competitive. With this, EESL has established a sustainable business model which is affordable for end consumers.

NOIDA authority is constantly working to make the city cleaner, greener, and more sustainable. It has been at the forefront in establishing the public charging infrastructure and spurring the e-mobility adoption in the city.

-ARK

SKIMS becomes first hospital in Kashmir to start plasma therapy

J&K Govt bans private practice by all SKIMS medical professionals
SKIMS, Srinagar (File)

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): In a major achievement, Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura, a COVID designated hospital in Srinagar, has conducted its first successful plasma therapy for the virus affected patients.

The hospital started Convalescent Plasma Therapy (CPT) for critically sick patients as one of the modalities of supportive treatment of the deadly infection, approved by Centre as well as the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR).

Dr. Sajad Bhat, a 3rd year Post Graduate resident from General Medicine department—who recovered from the illness after he was tested positive, was the first one to donate plasma for the noble cause at SKIMS. The procedure was conducted in collaboration with the Blood Transfusion & Immuno-Hematology Department.

Professor Farooq Jan, Medical Superintendent at SKIMS said that they have started Plasma Therapy on a trial basis. “We have given it to three patients,” he said. Dr Jan said that the mode of treatment is being enhanced and more and more manpower is being adjusted for this service, based on the clinical judgment and the status of the patients in need of such treatment.

He further added that they are procuring more equipment required for the therapy, which is expected to arrive next week. Asked whether the therapy will be useful or not, he said that it is premature to say anything as of now as the patients who were given the therapy, will tell the impact themselves.

“Hopefully, this will prove useful as we have seen in different countries including that this therapy has shown promising results,” he said. “This treatment in itself has some advantages, though very little disadvantages. But it has to be carried out meticulously. The staff is being trained for this service.”

Director, SKIMS, Dr AG Ahanger has lauded the therapy team for their efforts while saying that SKIMS will touch new heights in medical research and interventional medicine.

Pertinently, a high-level committee headed by Dr Muhammad Sultan Khuroo, an 80-year-old medical expert in epidemiology, which was constituted on June 15, has also recommended to the higher-ups to start plasma therapy in J&K.

“Plasma method has a simple premise. The blood of people who have recovered from an infection contains antibodies. The antibodies are molecules that have learned to recognise and fight the pathogens, such as viruses, that have caused disease,” said a doctor at SKIMS.

He said that doctors can separate plasma, one of the blood components that contain such antibodies, and administer it to patients whose bodies are currently fighting the infectious disease. “This can help their immune systems reject the pathogen more efficiently,” he added.

-ARK

Soldier, woman injured as terrorists target Army ambulance at J&K’s Pulwama

Indianapolis
Representational Image

Srinagar (NVI): In yet another cowardly attack by terrorists, a soldier and a woman were injured after an army ambulance they were traveling in, was fired upon at Ladhoo area of Pampore in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, police said today.

The ambulance was fired upon at Ladhoo area at around 6:30 pm by the militants, in which a soldier and a woman received minor injuries, they said.

“Militants fired upon an Army vehicle at Ladhoo, Pampore in which one Army personnel and lady received minor injury. She has been discharged from hospital after treatment,” Kashmir zone police wrote on its official Twitter handle.

“An ambulance with QRT moving from Khrew was fired upon by terrorists from near a Mosque at Laddoo Mor, Lethpora, Awantipora at 6 PM. One soldier injured, evacuated to 92 BH, stable. One civil lady sustained injuries in the crossfire, stable. Area being searched,” Srinagar based Army’s Chinar Corps also wrote on Twitter.

A police official said that the woman had minor splinter injuries in her head and was immediately referred to Sub-District Hospital Pampore, where she was treated and later discharged. “She had received mild injury in her head,” the official said. He said that the injured soldier was shifted to Army’s 92 base hospital in Srinagar where his condition was stated as stable.

Meanwhile, joint teams of security forces cordoned off the area and launched a massive search operation to nab the attackers.

-ARK

Indian troops have always taken a responsible approach at LAC: Doval tells Wang Yi

NSA Ajit Doval with Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (File)

New Delhi (NVI): Indian troops had always taken a very responsible approach towards border management and at the same time, the forces were deeply committed to ensuring India’s sovereignty and security, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval told Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi at Special Representative level talks held recently, says MEA.

The SR-level talks were held on July 5 between NSA Doval and Wang Yi on the recent developments in the western sector of the India-China borders, which has witnessed the withdrawal of Chinese troops in Galwan Valley along LAC, after a long stand-off.

“During the conversation, the NSA conveyed categorically India’s position on the recent developments along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) including in the Galwan valley area. NSA emphasised in this context that the Indian troops had always taken a very responsible approach towards border management and at the same time, our forces were deeply committed to ensuring India’s sovereignty and security,” External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said today.

Apart from that, in the telephonic conversation held on Sunday, the two SRs agreed that peace and tranquility in border areas was essential for the overall development of bilateral relations, the MEA spokesperson said.

“In this regard they also shared the view that it was necessary to ensure at the earliest complete disengagement of the troops along the LAC and de-escalation in the India-China border areas for full restoration of peace and tranquility in accordance with the bilateral agreements and protocols,” he said.

One of the key provisions of these bilateral agreements is the commitment by two sides shall strictly respect and observe the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The two SRs have also agreed that the two sides should work together to avoid any incident in the future that could disturb peace and tranquility in border areas, MEA said.

Srivastava further informed that the diplomatic and military officials of both sides will continue their meetings to take forward the process of disengagement and de-escalation as agreed to by the Special Representatives. “The next meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs (WMCC) is expected to take place soon,” he said.

The MEA spokesman also said that although the disengagement process is underway through proper military and diplomatic channels, there have been some inaccurate and uninformed comments on the issue, which are creating confusion.

“We have also noted that there have been some inaccurate and uninformed comments about the disengagement process and its implications. Let me remind you that in the last few weeks, we have made several statements spelling out categorically the position of the Government on different aspects of the current situation in the Western Sector of India-China border areas,” MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said today.

“They include our position that recent Chinese claims to the Galwan Valley area are exaggerated and untenable; that the LAC must be strictly respected and observed as this is the basis for peace and tranquility in the border areas; and that neither side should take any unilateral action to alter it,” Srivastava said while clarifying on the official stand of
the government over the issue.

He said that the Indian government remains convinced of the need for maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas and the resolution of differences through dialogue. “At the same time, we are also strongly committed to ensuring India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he added.

Earlier on Monday, MEA had said that NSA Doval had a “frank and in-depth exchange of views” with Wang Yi yesterday, on the recent developments in the western sector of the India-China borders.

Earlier on June 17, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had spoken to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi over the phone and conveyed India’s protest in “strongest terms” on the violent face-off in Galwan Valley in Ladakh on June 15.

In first signs of withdrawal of Chinese troops along LAC in Eastern Ladakh earlier this week, the PLA removed tents and dismantled its structures in the disputed area.

India and China are currently locked in a bitter standoff at multiple locations in Eastern Ladakh, especially after the June 15 violent clash between the Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives.

-ARK

COVID cases in Afghanistan decreased by 40% as tally reaches 33,908

New Delhi (NVI): With the confirmation of 314 new cases, Afghanistan’s coronavirus infection tally has reached 33,908 today, according to Afghan media reports.

The Afghan Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) said, death toll due to the virus stands at 957 with 20 new fatalities being reported in the last 24 hours.

Therefore, the number of positive coronavirus cases in Afghanistan has fallen by 30 to 40 per cent, said Ahmad Jawad Osmani, the acting Minister of Public Health (MoPH).

He stressed that this was possible due to the help of the public and it took a month and half for the cases to decrease, according to laboratory statistics. However the number of positive COVID-19 cases have decreased, Afghanistan is still in a state of crisis.

Meanwhile, it is also noted that the laboratories have been consistently testing fewer samples than the 2,000 a day, the ministry said.

In addition, Osmani said that the MoPH had acquired 500 oxygen generators and would hopefully, be able to solve the shortage of oxygen soon.

So far, 20,841 patients have been cured and discharged in the country.

-RJV

Bangladesh COVID-19 tally exceeds 1.75 lakh; 2,238 dead

(Image source: United News of Bangladesh)

New Delhi (NVI): Coronavirus cases in Bangladesh exceeded 1.75 lakh after 3,360 new cases were detected in the last 24 hours.

In addition to this, 41 new deaths were reported during this period, taking the total number of Covid-19 fatalities in the country to 2,238, according to United News of Bangladesh.

The daily infection rate was today recorded at 22.26 percent in the country.

So far, 84,544 people have recovered in the country after 3,706 more patients were recovered during this period.

Against the total number of detected cases, the recovery rate is nearly 47 percent and the mortality rate is 1.28 percent in the country.

-CHK

Coronavirus cases cross 2.40 lakh in Pakistan; death toll at 4,983

New Delhi (NVI): Pakistan reported 3,359 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the nationwide tally to 2,40,848.

Meanwhile, 61 people lost their lives due to the deadly contagion, taking the total number of fatalities to 4,983.

Looking at the breakdown of cases, Sindh province has reported 99,362 coronavirus cases, highest among all the provinces, while Punjab has 84,587 positive cases.

On the other hand, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has recorded 29,052 cases, Balochistan is at 11,052, Gilgit-Baltistan at 1,605, Islamabad at 13,731 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is at 1,459 cases so far, according to media reports.

A total of 1,45,311 patients have recovered from the disease so far in the country.

Furthermore, the number of critically ill patients in Pakistan is at 2,193, out of which 435 are on ventilators.

-CHK

Covid-19 cases in Nepal climbs to 16,531

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): The COVID-19 cases in Nepal saw a jump of 108 in the last 24 hours, taking the total number to 16,531 in the country, according to local media reports.

The country’s Ministry of Health and Population said, of the total cases so far, 7,891 people have achieved recovery after 139 people have been discharged from health facilities in the last 24 hours.

Currently, there are 196 active cases of infection in Province 1; 2,024 active cases in Province 2; 429 cases in Bagmati Province; 862 cases in Gandaki Province; 1,727 cases in Province 5; 405 cases in Karnali Province; and 2,962 cases in Sudurpaschim Province, as per the reports.

The deadly virus has spread to all 77 districts of the country. But five districts have no active cases of coronavirus. Those are are Dhankuta, Bhojpur, Solukhumbu, Mustang, and Humla districts.

The ministry also said that, of the total recovered cases, 543 are from Province 1; 2,234 from Province 2; 287 from Bagmati Province; 355 from Gandaki Province; 2,296 from Province 5; 1,238 from Karnali Province; and 938 from Sudurpaschim Province.

Meanwhile, no COVID-19 fatality was reported today in Nepal. With this death-toll from the disease stands at 35 in the country.

-RJV

CBSE 10th, 12th results will not be released on July 11 and 13, board says notice fake

CBSE
(File/Representational Image)

New Delhi (NVI): The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will not be releasing the result of classes 10 and 12 on July 11 and 13. The final date for the results is not decided yet.

A notification — circulating on social media mentions that the class 12 result will be released on July 11, and the class 10 result on July 13 — is termed fake by the CBSE.

The official twitter handle has also tweeted in this regard and posted a letter stating that the news making the rounds on social media is fake.

However, CBSE will release the result of classes 10 and 12 by July 15.

The board has advised students, teachers and other stakeholders not to believe any such circulars.

CBSE earlier cancelled the pending exams of class 10, while class 12 students were given an option to appear for the pending exams later.

-CHK

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