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Terrorists may take advantage of corona crisis: UN

New Delhi (NVI): The UN has warned that the worst is yet to be seen on the coronavirus front and urged for global peace as it apprehended that terrorist or extremist groups across the world may take advantage of the uncertainty created by the spread of pandemic.

“We need to do everything possible to find the peace and unity our world so desperately needs to battle COVID-19,” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said.  

He warned that the worst is yet to come and so everything possible needs to be done to find peace and unity.

“Our world desperately needs to battle the pandemic. We must mobilise every ounce of energy to defeat it,” he added.

“We know the pandemic is having profound social, economic and political consequences, including relating to international peace and security,” he said.

“We see it, for example, in postponement of elections or limitations on the ability to vote, sustained restrictions on movement, spiraling unemployment and other factors that could contribute to rising discontent and political tensions,” the UN Secretary General said.

Expressing his deep gratitude for the countries which have responded positively to his appeal for an immediate ceasefire in all corners of the globe to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, he said more than one million people have gathered support for an appeal launched by ‘Avaaz’.

He said a substantial number of parties to conflict in 11 countries— Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Colombia, Libya, Myanmar, the Philippines, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen — have expressed their acceptance for the call for peace.

But there is a huge distance between declarations and deeds — between translating words into peace on the ground and in the lives of people, the UN chief said.

“Conflicts have even intensified in some warring parties in Yemen, Libya and Afghanistan,” he said.

“To silence the guns, we must raise the voices for peace.”

“There is chance for peace but we are far from there and the need is urgent. The coronavirus storm is now coming all these theatres of conflict. The virus has showed how swiftly it can move across borders, devastate countries and upend lives,” he said.

“We know that any initial gains are fragile and easily reversible. We need robust diplomatic efforts to meet these challenges,” he added.

COVID-19 death toll in India rises to 68, total cases 2,902

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 2,902 and 68 people have died from the pandemic, the Union Health Ministry said this morning.

In the last 24 hours, 478 new cases have been reported, the highest single-day spike.

The number of cases has doubled across the country in the last three days from 1,251 on March 31 to 2,547 on April 3.

Of these, over 25 per cent of the positive cases are linked to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in New Delhi.

At present, the number of active COVID-19 cases stands at 2,650, while 183 people were either cured or discharged and 1 had migrated.

Rainfall expected in MP, Jharkhand

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): Rain and thundershowers are expected in many parts of Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh over the next few days, according to the Meteorological Department.

Isolated rainfall is also predicted for Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala in next 24 hours.

Southern parts of Jharkhand (East and West Singhbhum, Chaibasa and Seraikela) may also receive rain on April 6.

Its spread may occur in the southern as well as central districts of the Jharkhand. It is also expected in north-western districts (Palamu, Garhwa, Chatra, Koderma and Latehar). Thus, On April 8, a comprehensive change in the weather has been warned.

The meteorological department has also released yellow alert. During this time, wind speed (30 to 40 kmph) can be seen at some places in other parts of Jharkhand.

Apart from this, there is also a possibility of thunderclap and strong thunder, due to local factors. The weather is expected to be dry from April 9.

Meanwhile, in Delhi, the minimum temperature today was recorded at 15 degrees Celsius.

However, the maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to rise over the next few days, according to IMD.

Govt amends domicile order for J&K

Containment

Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI): Three days after issuing Gazette notification on domicile law in Jammu and Kashmir, the central government tonight amended it to provide for reservation in all jobs of the newly-created Union Territory for the domiciles, instead of only Class IV employees.

The amended notification was issued in the wake of criticism by mainstream parties of J&K.

It also has certain more amendments.

According to the official order, MHA amended section 5A of The Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralization and Recruitment Act) replacing “a post carrying a pay scale of not more than Level-4 (25500)” with “any post”.

In section 8 of the Act, it added “is a domicile of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir” thus making it mandatory for a person to be a domicile of J&K to get any government job.

The development comes after JK Apni party president Altaf Bukhari apprised National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the shortcomings in the central government order on domicile rights in the matter of employment and demanded that all levels of jobs including non gazetted and gazetted be reserved only for the residents of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Government issued Gazette notification on Tuesday, eight months after the abolition of special status of J&K.

According to the Gazette notification, “a person who has resided for a period of 15- years or has studied for a period of 7 years and appeared in Class 10th /12th examination in an educational institution in J&K, will be eligible to be the resident of Union Territory.”

The Gazette notification has been amended in 3 days.

In the initial notification, the jobs were reserved only for Class IV employees, which earned criticism.

J&K: 2G internet services extended till Apr 15

Social Media

Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Government has extended 2G mobile internet services (on post-paid and verified pre-paid sim cards) in the Union Territory till April 15.

Principal Secretary to Government, Home Department, Shaleen Kabra in an official order said that data is “being misused for incitement, including circulation of fake news and the directions/restrictions contained in Government Order No 21(1.01S) of 2020 dated 26.03.2020 shall continue till April 15”.

The government further said that “the internet speed restrictions have, while enabling access to essential services and sites, not posed any hindrance to COVID-19 control measures or to access online educational content, but checked the unfettered misuse of social media for incitement and propagating/coordinating terror activities”.

The government also said that the recent changes “in the domicile law in J&K too has the potential to be exploited by those inimical to public peace and tranquility and cause large scale violence and disturb public order.”

Kabra further said that they have found that social media is misused for “incitement and propagating /coordinating terror activities”.

Internet services along with mobile and fixed land line telephony were suspended in Kashmir on August 4 last year.

From the past few weeks, people and other political leaders had asked UT and GoI to restore 4G internet in Jammu and Kashmir keeping in view the present situation.

Nepal: ‘Govt negligence’ puts Bajura at high risk of Covid-19

According to media reports, hundreds of migrant workers are stranded on both sides, following the lockdown imposed India and Nepal. (Twitter)

New Delhi (NVI): Government authorities in Sudurpaschim Province in Nepal have been “violating” the nationwide lockdown order by sending people who came from India and other districts to Bajura district, reports The Himalayan Times.

People have been following the lockdown orders in Bajura by staying at home and not moving out, except in case of emergency, the newspaper reports. However, the provincial government has been sending people from other districts to Bajura, Chief District Officer, Ganga Prasad Neupane was quoted as saying by the daily.

Neupane said people should not be sent from one district to another and they should stay put in the same place during the lockdown.

“The flow of people entering the district had swollen. But we have kept them in quarantine facilities,” he told the newspaper.

The Himalayan Times has further said in its report that many people have been entering Bajura from India daily even during the lockdown period and the province government has let them enter the district.

Health Coordinator Dipak Sha at Budhiganga Municipality told the paper that Bajura would be at high risk of infection due to people’s movement during the lockdown. He also said the province government had been sending people to their respective districts even during the lockdown.

However, Bajura Police chief has said initiatives are being taken so that the lockdown rules are not violated.

As per the Nepal daily, the Sudurpaschim province government has sent 26 people, who came from India three days ago, to Bajura.

According to reports, hundreds of Nepalese workers returning from India are stranded at border points as India-Nepal border has been closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

On the other hand, 352 Indian migrant labourers, working in Nepal’s Birgunj, have been kept at a hostel of Thakur Ram College there. The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has suspended all passenger movements through all immigration land check posts at the India-Nepal border until further orders.

Nepal has imposed a nationwide lockdown till April 7.

COVID-19 death toll rises in India to 62; total cases at 2,547

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of positive COVID-19 cases in India rose to 2,547 while the death toll climbed to 62, according to the Health Ministry data.

The latest numbers put out by the Health Ministry include 2,322 active coronavirus cases, while 156 people have been cured or discharged. The spike in numbers came even as the country entered its tenth day of lockdown.

Maharashtra has become the worst affected state with 335 cases, followed by Kerala with 286 positive cases.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the number of coronavirus cases may shoot up in Delhi in the coming days as the government has decided to put all the people evacuated from Nizamuddin Markaz under test.

Meanwhile, a nationwide search is underway to identify those who attended the Tablighi Jamaat event. Authorities across states have already identified 5,000 persons and sent them for quarantine, according to the media reports.

WFP helps Bhutan prepare for Covid-19

The facility, like the one in this file photo, will be used to preposition food to help meet the needs of the population in Bhutan. (Source: Twitter @WFPAsiaPacific)

New Delhi (NVI): United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has donated two mobile storage units to Bhutan in a bid to help prepare the landlocked country for COVID-19.

The units, worth a total of USD 45,000, will be used to help authorities store food to meet the needs of people in case of any emergency due to the COVID-19 situation.

The mobile storage units were donated by WFP to Bhutan yesterday. The facility will be used to preposition food to help meet the needs of the population.

Bhutan is a small landlocked country in the Eastern Himalayas bordered by the People’s Republic of China in the North and India on the other 3 sides.

WFP has extended the support, keeping in mind the potential shocks that can affect a vulnerable population. At such a time of crisis, many countries in the world may face decreased access to affordable and nutritious food amid the growing unemployment rate and lost/reduced wages.

So far, Bhutan has reported only five coronavirus cases and no deaths, but there are fears due to the pandemic.

Bhutan Government had confirmed its first two cases of COVID-19 on March 28, detected in Bhutanese nationals. Its first confirmed infection was a 76-year-old American tourist on March 5.

Four LeT militants, 3 OGWs arrested in north Kashmir

woman SPO

Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Police today said that it has arrested four Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants and three Over Ground Workers (OGWs) from Handwara area of north Kashmir.

“In the wee hours today, Handwara police with 21 RR, 30 RR and 92 BN CRPF following the input regarding the presence of militants in Village Gund Chogal launched a search operation. During search operation four militants of LeT were apprehended,” police said.

The arrested militants have been identified as Parvaiz Ahmad Chopan, Mudasir Ahmad Pandit, Mohammad Rafi Sheikh and Burhan Mushtaq Wani.

The police have recovered three AK-47s, eight AK 47 magazines, 332 AK rounds, 12 Hand Grenades, three pistols, six pistol magazines, 24 pistol rounds and letter Pad of LeT outfit.

Earlier in the day, police arrested three LeT OGWs from Handwara.

NCC in Shillong to help fight Covid-19

Shillong (NVI): In a bid to help contain the fast-spreading coronavirus, the NCC Group in Shillong has set up a Disaster Management Cell along with the Meghalaya state government, the Defence spokesperson said today.

On the occasion, Group Commander NCC Shillong, Brig PM Bali visited the Emergency Operations Centre at Shillong. He interacted with officials and staff manning the facility to understand the requirement of NCC volunteers by the state & explained to them guidelines issued by the Ministry of Defence for ‘Ex NCC Yogdan’.

As per the guidelines, all NCC volunteers will be trained before being employed. Meghalaya government will provide 100 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to NCC for the task.

The Defence Ministry yesterday said that NCC has offered the services of its cadets in aiding the civil authorities from across the country to join the fight against COVID-19 under ‘Exercise NCC Yogdan’.

As per MoD, only senior division volunteer cadets above 18 years of age will be employed under the exercise. They should be employed in small cohesive groups of eight to 20 under the supervision of permanent instructor staff and an associate NCC officer.

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