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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

Will review security of politicians, increase it as per vulnerability: J&K DGP

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): A day after the killing of J&K BJP leader Waseem Bari in Bandipora, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh today said that the security of protected persons will be reviewed in the UT and if necessary, security cover of those facing militant threats or are vulnerable to attacks will be enhanced in the days ahead.

Talking to reporters here, DGP Singh said that the killing of BJP leader Waseem Bari, his father Bashir Ahmed and brother Umer Bari, is a serious issue and has been taken very seriously by the police and other security agencies.

“Waseem was a very vocal leader, very active and always on the ground doing his political activity,” he said, adding that such people are always sought after targets of militant outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.

The DGP said that Waseem was out of his house and when he returned, his Personal Security Officers (PSOs) went to their room to relax, which they should not have done. “Waseem sent to his shop-cum residence where his father and brother were present. The militant who has been identified as Abid Haqani fired at the trio with a silencer fitted pistol, which resulted in their killing while another foreign militant was also part of the act, who has been identified as well,” Singh said. “Both the militants belong to Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit.”

Entire security apparatus is on toes and a massive manhunt has been launched to track down the killers of Waseem and his family members, the DGP Singh said. “The people who are part of the political system and are carrying out political activities doesn’t suit Pakistan and militants. Though a large number of militants who were involved in the killing of civilians and political workers have been killed already, we will get the killers of Waseem very soon,” he said.

“Unfortunately, militants chose the evening time when forces had already withdrawn from the area,” the DGP added.

On whether there was a security lapse, he said Kashmir is a place where militants are keeping a gun with them always and that there may be certain kinds of loopholes, which were there because of “our own limitations.”

“Inspector General of Police and Deputy Inspector General of Police and DIG have already visited the site of the incident. The SSP Bandipora already suspended all 10 PSOs of the slain BJP leader for laxity in their duty. They have been arrested as well,” he said. “As I said, PSOs should not have relaxed and instead stayed with the protected person till he entered inside his room.”

-ARK

PM Modi to inaugurate Rewa Solar Project tomorrow

net metering cap
Representative pic of a solar plant

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Asia’s largest 750 mega-watt (MW) solar power project in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh on July 10.

The Solar Project comprises of three solar units of 250 MW each located on a 500 hectare plot of land situated inside a Solar Park, spread over 1,590 hectares in Rewa district.

Rewa Solar project by the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Co. Ltd. (RUMSL) was formed in a joint venture of Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam (MPUVNL) and Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).

For the development of the park, RUMSL has provided central financial assistance of Rs 138 crore. After the Park had been developed, Mahindra Renewables Private Ltd., ACME Jaipur Solar Power Private Ltd, and Arinsun Clean Energy Private Ltd were selected by RUMSL through reverse auction for developing three solar generating units.

The Rewa Solar Project was the first solar project in the country to break the grid parity barrier. The minimum tariff of electricity produced in this project was Rs 2 and 97 paise per unit, which was less than Re 1and a half to two as compared to the tariff of 4 and a half to 5 per unit obtained from other contemporary projects.

Furthermore, the project has been acknowledged in India and abroad for its robust project structuring and innovations. It was selected under the best projects for the Prime Minister’s Award for Innovation at state level and was included in the Prime Minister’s “A Book of Innovation: New Beginnings”.

It is also the first renewable energy project to supply to an institutional customer outside the state, for Delhi Metro, which will get 24 per cent of energy from the project with remaining 76 per cent being supplied to the state DISCOMs of Madhya Pradesh.

However, the Rewa Project has set a national goal to attain the target of 175 GW of installed renewable energy capacity by the year 2022, including 100 GW of Solar installed capacity.

-RJV/CHK

Varanasi’s display of hope, enthusiasm amid COVID-19 is inspiring: PM Modi

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hailed the people of Varanasi for their exemplary work amid the Covid-19 crisis and said that the display of enthusiasm and hope by them is inspiring.

While addressing a virtual conference with representatives of Varanasi based NGOs provided ration kits and food packets to people amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

“I am taking inspiration from all of you to work more. I seek your blessings,” PM Modi said during his interaction.

He added, “Kashi is full of hope and enthusiasm amid this crisis,” and extending wishes amid the holy and auspicious month of saavan.

The Prime Minister further stated that many steps have been taken and are being taken to benefit the people of Varanasi and their indigenous trade.

“With proper support, Varanasi can emerge as a leading export hub. It can lead as an example in making India self-reliant (Atmanirbhar),” he said.

PM Modi hailed India’s ‘corona warriors’ and said that in such a situation, “coming forward voluntarily, is a new form of service”.

He also emphasised the importance of social distancing and use of masks to counter the coronavirus crisis.

During the event the PM was briefed on various steps and measures taken by the NGOs in Varanasi in the fight against Covid-19 and relief efforts carried out.

“Over 100 organisations in Varanasi distributed almost 20 lakh food packets and 2 lakh dry ration kits via food cell of district administration through individual efforts,” a release by Prime Minister’s Office has stated.

-CHK

AIPSN calls for transparent and reliable clinical trials of Covid vaccine

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New Delhi (NVI): All India People’s Science Network (AIPSN) has said that due process of scientific trials should be followed strictly and transparently for all Covid-19 candidate vaccines and treatment drugs, regardless of systems of medicine.

AIPSN, a network of 40 People’s science movements working in 25 states, has said that India must follow “transparent, reliable and scientific clinical trials protocols,” while developing the indigineous Covid vaccine.

It is pertinent to mention here that scientists working in the National Institute of Virology (NIV) under the ICMR and Hyderabad-based BBIL have developed an inactivated vaccine candidate, BBV152 COVID, using a virus strain isolated in NIV.

BBIL got approval for Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials on June 29 from the Central Drugs and Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) as part of the fast-tracking of the process even while pre-clinical animal trials are still underway.

According to the submission of BBIL with the Clinical Trials Registry of India (CTRI) also under ICMR, the enrolment for Phase 1 was to begin from July 13th and the duration of the trial covering all the three stages was to be 15 months. 12 hospitals with widely varying track-record and experience in vaccine trials have been selected for the purpose by ICMR in an entirely arbitrary and non-transparent manner.

-ARK

Indian youth help turn the tide against plastic

(Image source: UNEP)

New Delhi (NVI): Tide Turners educates young people about single-use plastics, encouraging them to alter their attitude towards plastic consumption and spark behavioral change in their communities, primatologist Jane Goodall said while addressing a virtual crowd of young change-makers from India.

The Tide Turner Plastic Challenge is United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) global initiative to engage youth across India for addressing the issue of plastic pollution, which threatens life in oceans, rivers and on land.

On June 30, the first phase of the challenge in India saw the participation of nearly 1,27,000 youth from all corners of the country.

Jane Goodall, the UN Messenger of Peace said, “Every individual matters and makes a difference every single day, but it is up to you to choose the kind of difference you wish to make.”

With increasing use of single-use plastic in this era of COVID -19 pandemic this programme assumed even greater significance. The initiative also enjoyed strong support of the Government of India’s Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MOEFCC).

According to India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), around 26,000 tonnes of plastic is generated per day in India, 10,000 of which is uncollected. But for the thousands of young people who have completed the challenge, there is hope for a better future.

All participants had to undertake multiple levels of challenges. First, they had to audit their plastic footprint and take action to reduce it. At the next leader level, they were expected to influence and mobilize their institutions and communities for accelerated collaborative action.

At the final championship level, they were expected to initiate dialogues with authorities in schools, colleges, corporations and businesses and advocate practices to mitigate plastic pollution through embracing policies to reduce the use of disposable plastic on their premises.

In all, more than 1,700 youth qualified for the championship badge.

The Youth Summit was marked by the presence of special guests – from celebrity changemakers, to badge-holders from Kenya, Uganda, and Ghana – who shared their passion for the environment.

Actress and model Dia Mirza spoke about using her platforms to share messages about the environment with different audiences.

In India, Tide Turners is led by UNEP, with support from implementing partners: World Wide Fund for Nature India (WWF India), Centre for Environment Education (CEE), and the Million Sparks Foundation.

Since June 2019, 1,70,000 young people have participated in the Tide Turners challenge, earning badges made entirely from recycled plastic. The initiative operates in twenty-three countries in Africa and Asia.

-CHK

Odisha: Highest single-day spike with 577 new cases, tally crosses 11,000

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Subrat Kumar Sarangi

Bhubaneswar (NVI): The total number of coronavirus cases in Odisha reached 11,201 today with 577 fresh cases in the biggest single-day spike so far, according to state Health and Family Welfare Department.

This is the third consecutive day that the state has recorded COVID-19 cases over 500-mark.

Keeping in view the surge in COVID-19 positive cases in Ganjam, District Magistrate Vijay Amruta Kulange has directed to impose five-day shutdown in all town areas till July 13.

During this period, health workers will be conducting door-to-door health screening of more than 7 lakh people residing in the region.

In a tweet, Ganjam district administration yesterday said that, all government offices, banks in urban area will be closed for public during the shutdown. Essential services like movement of milk van, medicine stores and ambulance services will be allowed to operate.

Furthermore, halting of passenger trains in all stations has been restricted. As per the instructions of government of Odisha, East Coast Railway has decided to close all railway stations for public entry in Ganjam.

It has also been reported that 15 COVID-19 warriors – 5 doctors and 10 nurses – of Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Science and Research (VIMSAR) in Burla, Odisha have been placed under quarantine after they came in contact with a COVID-19 patient on Wednesday.

-RJV/CHK

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