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UK to evacuate its citizens from India in 7 charter flights

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New Delhi (NVI): The United Kingdom today announced that it will fly out its citizens stranded in India by seven charter flights amid the coronavirus pandemic, even as the country continues to deal with increasing COVID-19 cases.

The British High Commission in India has said that the UK will operate the first seven evacuation flights that will airlift British nationals from Goa, Mumbai and New Delhi.

The flights will depart for London from Goa on April 8, 9 and 12, and from Mumbai and Delhi on April 9, 11.

The foreign office has advised the British travellers to visit the booking portal for respective cities to reserve seats. Information on further flights from other locations in India will follow shortly, it added.

Acting British High Commissioner to India, Jan Thompson in a statement said: “We know how worrying the past few weeks have been for British nationals in India. I hope this announcement will bring relief, especially to those in greatest need. Due to the large numbers of British travellers involved, the scale of this operation is huge. The UK Government continues to work hard with our Indian counterparts in New Delhi and London to arrange a safe journey back for as many people as possible.”

Tariq Ahmad, British Foreign Office Minister of State also said the UK government is working around the clock to support the large numbers of British travellers who wish to return to the UK from India and around the world.

“In the absence of commercial flights, these first charter flights from India should provide relief to some of our British travellers who are desperate to return home, especially for the most vulnerable and those in greatest need,” he said in a statement.

The British High Commission will continue to provide consular support to any British nationals who remain in India and require assistance, the UK foreign office added. 

India has extended the ban on international passenger flights till April 14, in view of the 21-day nationwide lockdown amid COVID-19 pandemic.

Five terrorists, 3 soldiers killed in operation along LoC in J&K

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

(Updating earlier copy)

Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI): Indian Army has foiled a major infiltration attempt at Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, killing 5 terrorists while losing three soldiers in an operation launched two days back.

Srinagar-based Defence spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia said that five militants attempting to infiltrate across Line of Control in Keran sector of north Kashmir were killed.

“Despite prevailing inclement weather conditions, casualties have been evacuated. Unfortunately, two more soldiers succumbed to their injuries, others are presently undergoing treatment. Total three soldiers martyred. Operation in progress,” he said.

The Defence spokesperson had earlier said that one soldier had lost his life. “In this operation, one soldier has been martyred and two more are critically injured. Evacuation of the injured is hampered due to heavy snow and rough terrain conditions,” he had said.

He said that over the past 24 hours, Indian security forces have eliminated nine militants in Jammu and Kashmir.

Yesterday, four Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in an encounter with a joint team of government forces in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

The slain militants were identified as Ajaz Naik, Shahid Malik, and Waqar Ahmad — all from Kulgam — while the fourth one was identified as Mohammad Ashraf Malik of Anantnag district.

The slain militants were responsible for recent killings in the southern Kashmir district, police said.

More than 3,00,000 coronavirus cases in US; death toll over 8,000

New Delhi (NVI): The COVID-19 death toll has surpassed 8,000 mark in the United Cases, while 3,00,000 people have tested positive for the virus in the country.

In a White House Briefing yesterday, US President Donald Trump said that “there will be a lot of death” in the coming weeks.

In the briefing, the US President also said that federal agencies are working together to supplement the states by stockpiling medical supplies around the country.

Meanwhile, New York has got 1,100 ventilators with help from China and Oregon. The State has got 1,000 ventilators from China.

The Chinese government has facilitated a donation of the devices from billionaires Jack Ma and Joseph Tsai, the co-founders of the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was quoted as saying by the US media.

The total number of global cases has passed 1.2 million, including more than 64,000 fatalities. Over 246,000 patients are reported to have recovered.

India slams Pak PM for comments on J&K

New Delhi (NVI) : India today slammed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for his “intemperate” comments on the new domicile law notified for Jammu and Kashmir and said “repeated attempts to interfere in India’s internal affairs will not make its untenable claims any more acceptable”.
External Affairs Ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar asserted that Pakistan has no locus standi on any aspect related to Jammu and Kashmir.
“We have seen the intemperate remarks by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on India. With regard to the Indian Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, it is very clear that Pakistan has no locus standi whatsoever on any aspect pertaining to it,” Kumar said in a statement.
He was reacting to critical comments made by Khan after the Union Home Ministry issued a Gazette notification outlining the domicile rules for reservation in government jobs in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Repeated attempts to interfere in India’s internal affairs will not make its untenable claims any more acceptable,” the MEA spokesman said.
“If Pakistan really wants to contribute to the welfare of the people of J&K, it could do so best by ending cross-border terrorism and desisting from its campaign of violence and false  propaganda,” Kumar added.

Coronavirus cases in Pakistan top 2,700; death toll reaches 40

New Delhi (NVI): Coronavirus cases rose to 2,708 in Pakistan today, with the total deaths jumping to 40 in the country, according to the National Health Services.

Meanwhile, the total number of coronavirus patients in Punjab province reached 1,072, according to media reports.

The viral infection in the country is rapidly spreading, despite hectic efforts by the government to curtail it.

In addition to this, Sindh province’s total cases stand at 839, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa cases at 343, Balochistan at 175, Gilgit-Baltistan at 193 and cases in Islamabad are at 75.

On Friday, the World Bank approved USD 200 million in aid to Pakistan to help deal with the impact of the novel coronavirus.

COVID-19: Fear of losing jobs forces workers to head back to Dhaka

New Delhi (NVI): Thousands of readymade garment (RMG) factory workers have started heading back to the country’s capital, Dhaka, from northern and southern districts to save their jobs, ignoring risks to their lives and a potential coronavirus outbreak.

The government has shutdown educational institutions, cut off mass transports and urged people to stay indoors to contain the spread of the virus.

But its efforts will face a tough challenge as people have started returning to attend work, amidst the fears of losing their jobs and no source of earning, according to United News of Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, 2 people have died due to novel coronavirus in Bangladesh in the last 24 hours, raising the death toll to 8, according to the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).

9 more people have tested positive for COVID-19 during this period, taking the total of number of such cases in the country to 70.

IEDCR director Meerjady Sabrina Flora in an online briefing informed, “In the last 24 hours, two more people died. One of them is 90 and another 68 years’ old. Both had underlying health conditions.”

Testing, treatment of COVID-19 free for Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries

cooling proize
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan.

New Delhi (NVI): To strengthen the country’s response to coronavirus pandemic, the Central Government has decided to make the testing and treatment for COVID-19 free for Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries at private laboratories and empanelled hospitals.

More than 50 crore citizens, eligible under the Government of India’s health assurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PM JAY), will be able to avail free testing through private labs and treatment for COVID-19.

Although, the testing and treatment of COVID-19 is already available for free in the public facilities.

The empaneled hospitals can use their own authorized testing facilities or tie up with an authorized testing facility.

These tests would be carried out as per the protocol set by Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) and by private labs approved/registered by ICMR. Similarly, treatment of COVID-19 by private hospitals will be covered under AB-PMJAY.

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Harsh Vardhan, said, “In this unprecedented crisis we have to very actively involve the private sector as a key partner and stakeholder in the fight against COVID-19. Making testing and treatment available under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY will significantly expand our capacities by including private sector hospitals and labs and mitigate the adverse impact of this catastrophic illness on the poor.”

This decision comes with the objective to increase the supply of testing and treatment facilities and increase access to them by roping in the private sector.

As per the ICMR guidelines for COVID-19 testing by private laboratories in India, the test is to be conducted by laboratory which has NABL accreditation for real time PCR assay for RNA virus.

This decision will also help attract more private sector players for providing testing and treatment for COVID-19. Active private sector involvement will be critical in case there is a surge in the number of COVID-19 patient that need care. States are in the process of enlisting private sector hospitals that can be converted in to COVID-19 ONLY hospitals.

Information on symptoms, testing and treatment for COVID-19 can be accessed from the website of the MoHFW and by calling the national COVID-19 helpline 1075.

Total cases of COVID-19 rise to 299 in Afghanistan

New Delhi (NVI): Afghanistan reported 25 new COVID-19 cases today, bringing the total to 299, according to country’s Ministry of Public Health.

A total of 153 suspected cases had been tested in COVID-19 laboratories in the capital city Kabul and western Herat province yesterday, as per local media reports.

According to Afghan official, 25 cases were tested positive of virus, including 11 in Kabul and five cases in Herat.Nine new positive ceases were reported in Samangan, Balkh, Kunduz, Faryab, Ghazni, Logar, Ghor and Nimroz provinces.

Six of the 299 affected people have died and 10 have recovered since the outbreak of the coronovirus in Afghanistan.

22,000 Tablighi Jamaat members, their contacts quarantined

New Delhi (NVI): Nearly 22,000 Tablighi Jamaat members and their contacts have been quarantined across the country so far, a home ministry official said today.

The Ministry is conducting rigorous contact tracing of the coronavirus cases linked to the Jamaat members in different states, the official said.

The official said the rate of rise in coronavirus cases in India has been far less as compared to other countries

However, all issues related to the ongoing lockdown are being monitored by a 24×7 control room of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Put off only lights, not electrical appliances: Power Ministry

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New Delhi (NVI): The Ministry of Power today sought to allay apprehensions regarding problems that power grids could face due to mass switching off of lights tomorrow at 9 PM in response to the call made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It also clarified that only lights are required to be turned off at private residences and there is no call to switch off the street lights or appliances in homes.

The lights in hospitals and other essential services like public utilities, municipal services, offices, police stations, manufacturing facilities, etc., will remain on, the Ministry added in a statement.

Locals bodies are also advised to keep the street lights on so as to avoid any law and order problems, the ministry added.

At the same time, the Ministry said it is ready to handle the fluctuations which are expected to arise.

The statement was released in reference to the Prime Minister’s appeal to switch off lights for 9 minutes at 9 pm on April 5 to express solidarity in times of coronavirus outbreak.

The Ministry has also stated that adequate arrangements and protocols are in place to handle the variation in demand. People should be assured not to worry and continue running all the as usual.

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