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First positive cases of coronavirus reported in Delhi, Telangana

New Delhi (NVI): One positive case of COVID-19 has been detected in Delhi and Telangana each, the Ministry of Health said in a statement today.

“The person from Delhi has a travel history from Italy, while the one from Telangana has a travel history from Dubai. Further details of his travels are being ascertained,” the Ministry said adding that both the patients are stable and being closely monitored.

With this, total five positive cases of COVID-19 have been reported in India till now.

Union Minister Harsh Vardhan, held a press conference today and said that screening of passengers is being conducted at 21 airports, 12 major seaports and 65 minor seaports, in order to prevent the virus from spreading.

He said that under the Government’s travel advisory, existing visas including e-visas will remain suspended for China and Iran. As the situation develops, the travel restrictions may be further extended to other countries also, media reports quoted him as saying.

Budget Session resumed today

Opposition parties
File Photo

New Delhi (NVI): The second half of the Budget Session of Parliament resumed today during which the government is expected to push its legislative agenda.

Bills relating to surrogacy and resolution of disputed tax are expected to come up during the House proceedings.

The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020 and The Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill are also expected to be introduced.

The first half of the Budget Session began on January 31 with an address by President Ram Nath Kovind. The Union Budget was presented on February 1 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Finance Bill 2020, Aircraft (Amendment) Bill and The Direct Tax Vivad Se Vishwas Bill were among the legislation introduced in the first half that concluded on February 11.

The Budget Session is scheduled to conclude on April 3.

SC on Article 370 cases

quota

New Delhi (NVI): The Supreme Court today refused to refer the issue of scrapping Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir to a larger bench.

A five-judge constitution bench headed by Justice NV Ramana will continue to hear the batch of petitions of Article 370.

Referring to the two earlier judgments – Prem Nath Kaul versus J&K in 1959 and Sampat Prakash versus J&K in 1970- the apex court said that they were not related to each other and dealt with different issues and hence no larger bench is required.

The Central Government scrapped Article 370 in August last year, ending special provisions accorded to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating it into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

At least 23 petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the central government’s decision.

 

Coronavirus: Global death toll exceeds 3,000

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): China has reported 42 more deaths due to coronavirus, even as there is a reduction in the pace at which people were dying there before. The global death toll has exceeded 3,000 mark, reports in foreign media said.

Iran has announced 11 more deaths from coronavirus, bringing its death toll to 54 – the most outside China.

The number of people infected in Italy – the centre of the outbreak in Europe – jumped to 1,694, while the number in France increased to 130, according to media reports.

Meanwhile, South Korea has reported 476 new cases, bringing the total number of cases to 4,212. There have been a total of 26 deaths.

Countries including Qatar, Ecuador, Luxembourg and Ireland all confirmed their first cases over the weekend, and Indonesia followed on Monday.

The number of people killed worldwide by the coronavirus has exceeded 3,000, as China reported 42 more deaths.

More than 90 per cent of the total deaths are in Hubei, the Chinese province where the virus emerged late last year.

Worldwide, there have been almost 90,000 confirmed cases, with the numbers outside China growing faster than inside China.

Meanwhile, a charter flight from WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office’s logistics hub in Dubai is headed to Tehran, carrying 7.5 metric tons of medical supplies and protective equipment to support over 15,000 health care workers.

WHO EMRO tweeted: “A charter flight from @WHOEMRO ’s logistics hub in Dubai is headed to #Tehran, IR Iran carrying 7.5 metric tons of medical supplies & protective equipment to support over 15,000 health care workers, as well as 1,000 #COVID19 screening tests, enough to screen nearly 100,000 people.”

Delhi violence: Death toll mounts to 46

New Delhi (NVI): The death toll in northeast Delhi violence rose to 46 today after four more bodies were bought to Ram Manohar Lohina hospital last evening.

38 have been reported dead at the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, three at Lok Nayak Hospital, four at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and one at Jag Parvesh Chander Hospital.

On Sunday, four bodies were fished out from the drains in Gokalpuri and Shiv Vihar areas of the violence-affected northeast Delhi.

In another news, false rumors of violence created panic among residents in West Delhi last evening. DMRC shut seven metro stations after the rumors spread, as a security measure. However, all seven stations were reopened within an hour.

Police said that no violent incidents had taken place, all are requested to keep calm.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police has said it has registered 254 FIRs in northeast Delhi violence so far.

Violent clashes broke out in the northeast district on February 23 evening that continued for 3 days before the rampaging mobs could be controlled.

The violence was triggered by protests over the amended citizenship law (CAA).

Isolated rains to continue in Himachal, Uttarakhand for next 24 hrs

Rainfall
Representational/ file image

New Delhi (NVI): Isolated light rains will continue in the hilly states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand during the next 24 hours.

The rainfall activity in the two north Indian states over the last few days also led to snowfall in some areas, bringing back the winter landscape.

Apart from this, rainfall activities will increase in Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur. In Arunachal, isolated snowfall is likely, reports SkymetWeather.

Scattered rains are likely in interior Tamil Nadu and parts of Karnataka. Isolated showers may lash Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep. Light rains are also expected in a few parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, the weather monitor reports.

During the last 24 hours, eastern parts of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana have received fairly widespread rain and thundershowers.

Due to the rains, some parts of the country saw a slight decrease in minimum temperature.

Kota in Rajasthan is the coldest city in the plains of India, with its morning temperature settling at 7.7 degrees Celsius.

Amritsar in Punjab recorded minimum temperature at 10.4 degrees Celsius.

Punjab’s Chandigarh and Ludhiana recorded minimum temperature at 12.1 degrees Celsius.

Apart from this Haryana’s Hisar, Narnaul and Ambala recorded minimum temperature at 12.4, 12.5 and 12.7 degrees Celsius respectively .

Patiala in Punjab, Rohtak in Haryana and Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh recorded minimum temperature at 13, 13.4 and 13.5 degrees Celsius respectively

Meanwhile, Delhi and NCR region also saw a slight decrease in minimum temperature to 14.7 degree Celsius from 16 degrees Celsius recorded yesterday.

The maximum temperature today is expected to be around 28 degrees celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The overall air quality in the national capital today is in “moderate” category.

According to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital stood at 125 which falls in the “moderate” category.

The IMD has said North India is expected to have fall in minimum temperature by two to three degree Celsius during next 24 hours.

“West India is expected to have a rise in maximum temperature by two to three degree Celsius during next three to four days,” it said.

“No significant change temperature is expected in rest of the country,” it added.

 

Rumours disrupt Metro service in West Delhi briefly

New Delhi (NVI): Rumours of violence prompted sudden closure of entry and exit gates of Delhi Metro rail in some West Delhi areas for a brief period tonight.

Normal services, however, were resumed after it became clear that all was well.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said it had shut down the entry and exit gates of seven metro stations — Tilak Nagar, Nangloi, Surajmal Stadium, Badarpur, Tughlakabad, Uttam Nagar west and Nawada. But it did not give any reason for the sudden action. The stations were later reopened.

The first DMRC tweet at 7:53 pm read: “Security Update | Entry & exit gates of Tilak Nagar are closed.”

The second tweet at 8:23 pm followed: “Security Update | Entry & exit of Nangloi, Surajmal Stadium, Badarpur, Tughlakabad, Uttam Nagar west and Nawada are closed.”

The third tweet by Metro at 8:40 pm confirmed that normal services have resumed: “Security UpdateEntry & exit gates of all stations are open.  Normal service has resumed.”

Delhi Police denied any untoward incident and appealed to people to remain calm.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) tweeted: “Rumour is the biggest enemy. A rumour has been noticed that there is some tension in Khyala-Raghubir Nagar area of West District. There is no truth behind it. All are requested to keep calm as the situation is absolutely normal and peaceful.”

Shops were shut and people rushed to reach home in some areas including Subhash Nagar, Tilak Nagar, Janakpuri, Palam and Khyala in west Delhi.

However, Delhi Police teams went out in groups in these areas and appealed to residents to remain calm and do not believe in rumors.

Two active LeT militants, 5 associates arrested in Kashmir

woman SPO

Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir police today claimed to have arrested two active militants and five associates from different places in Kashmir.

Two active militants belonging to LeT outfit were arrested in Srinagar while five militant associates were arrested in Ganderbal and Budgam districts respectively.

“On a credible input, Police along with security forces intercepted a militant borne Santro vehicle bearing registration No. JK13C-0941 on Barzulla-Chanapora road. While checking the vehicle with two persons on board officers was able to recover arms and ammunition from their possession,” police said in official statement.

They have been identified as Vakeel Ahmed Bhat @Abu Zarrar and Omar Ismail Das, both residents of Bijbehara, Anantnag.

Police said that both the arrested militants have been shifted to police station where they remain in custody.

“Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition recovered from their possession has been seized and taken into records in order to probe their complicity in other terror crimes,” police said.

A case under FIR No. 40/2020 under relevant sections of law has been registered at Police Station Saddar.

In a separate incident, Police in Ganderbal arrested a militant associate linked to LeT.

He has been identified as Fayaz Ahmed Bhat, a resident of Akhal Kangan.

As per police records, he was involved in assisting the active militants of LeT operating in the areas of Ganderbal.

“As per the investigations, he was involved in providing logistic support and shelter to the active militants of LeT operating in the areas of Ganderbal besides transporting militants from one district to another district. Moreover, he was also involved in lobbing grenade on Police Station Kangan regarding which a case stands registered at PS Kangan,” police said.

Similarly, in Budgam, police have arrested four militant associates and recovered huge arms and ammunition from their possession.

“On a credible input, police along with security forces arrested four militant associates identified as Muzamil Nabi, Umer Ajaz both residents of Kanihama, Rouf Bhat and Ishfaq Bhat both residents of Kantebagh SK Pora and recovered incriminating materials including arms and ammunition from their possession,” police said.

Police said that they were involved in providing logistic support and shelter to the active militants operating in the areas of Magam Budgam.

Coronavirus outbreak: Quick takeaways as death toll reaches 2,980

New Delhi (NVI): The United States has confirmed its first coronavirus death, amid fears of the virus spreading in Washington state over the past few weeks. As the US marks its first death, President Trump has announced new travel restrictions. Here are the top key developments as COVID-19 spreads rapidly in some parts of the world with the death toll exceeding 2,900:

– At least  87,000 global cases are confirmed

– The death toll stands at over 2,900

– WHO warns risk of global spread ‘very high’

-Iran’s death toll from coronavirus jumps to 54, with 978 infected

– Australia and Thailand reported first deaths from coronavirus

–Cases exceed 3,500 in South Korea in largest outbreak outside China

– Italy places around 50,000 people in quarantine

– Schools across Japan to close amid the outbreak

– New cases in China fall to the lowest since January

Parl to approve J&K UT’s first budget in session resuming tomorrow

Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI): The first budget of Jammu and Kashmir after being converted into a Union Territory will be presented in the Parliament session resuming tomorrow.

This will be the UT’s first budget to be presented in the Parliament after the abrogation of Article 370, in August last year.

The J&K Reorganisation Act passed by Parliament on August 6 bifurcated the State into two Union Territories – J&K (with a legislature) and Ladakh (without legislature).

The budget will be presented by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in both the Houses of Parliament in the second week of March.

J&K and Ladakh will have two separate budgets since both these regions have been converted into two UTs. “The annual budget of Jammu and Kashmir was set to cross Rs 1.2 lakh crore figure,” officials said.

Ladakh will have separate budget-cum-funding from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs like other UTs of the country without Legislature.

Earlier, the UT’s Finance Department directed all Administrative Departments and Head of Departments (HoDs) to start the preparations for the annual budget of 2020-21.

The annual budget for 2019-20 was passed in December last year during the Governor’s rule with the State Administrative Council (SAC) headed by Governor Satya Pal Malik approving the budget estimates as well as revised estimates.

During the past few years, the annual budget is being approved in the month of January. The last budget by a political government was introduced and passed in the State Legislature in January-February session in 2018 by the then Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu.

During current financial year of 2019-20, Jammu and Kashmir’s budget was to the tune of Rs 88,911 crore.

Sources said the Union Territory administration has held wide-ranging discussions with all Government Departments and senior functionaries to ascertain their requirements for the next financial year before giving a final touch to the budgetary proposals.

The 15th Finance Commission has already recommended one per cent share in the divisible pool of taxes for the newly created Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh for the financial year 2020-21, thus retaining the devolution formula of the earlier Commission.

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