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World Oceans Day 2020: History, significance and theme

New Delhi (NVI): World Oceans Day is celebrated every year on June 8 around the globe to remind the people about the importance of oceans in the lives of human beings.

The day is marked by the United Nations to highlight the role of the oceans in everyday life and inspires action to protect and sustainably use marine resources.

In 2008, it was decided by the United Nations General Assembly that as of June 8, 2009, the day will be celebrated as “World Oceans Day” globally.

The concept of this Day was originally proposed in 1992 by Canada’s International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD) and the Ocean Institute of Canada (OIC) at the Earth Summit–UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

This theme for this year’s World Ocean Day is ‘Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean’. Innovation — relating to the introduction of new methods, ideas, or products — is a dynamic term and one that is fundamentally filled with hope.

In order to celebrate this day, people hold several events, seminars, rallies to raise awareness about oceans. But due to the coronavirus pandemic, celebrations this year will be held online.

The UN World Oceans Day celebration will take place as a virtual event produced in partnership with Oceanic Global.

Oceans serve as the world’s largest source of protein with more than 3 billion people depending on the oceans as their primary source of protein. They are the lungs of our planet, providing most of the oxygen we breathe.

World Ocean Day holds great significance as we discuss various methods to save oceans for our future generation.

The rate by which we are polluting our ocean bodies is alarming. Plastic waste, decreasing levels of water, impurities in water, and others, it is the greatest necessity to preserve and conserve our oceans.

State-wise details of Covid-19 cases in India

New Delhi (NVI): India has now become the fifth worst-affected country in the world index due to coronavirus pandemic, after it surpassed Spain in the total number of confirmed cases, as the country continues to witness huge spike in the infected cases.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the country stands at 2,56,611 including 7,135 casualties, according to the Union Health Ministry.

In the last 24 hours, a record 9,983 new cases of coronavirus and 204 deaths have been reported in India, both being at a record high in a single day till now.

Maharashtra tops the country with the maximum number of coronavirus cases and has reported nearly 86,000 confirmed cases so far.

The first confirmed coronavirus case in India was reported in the state of Kerala on January 30. Since then, the virus has tightened its grip across the country.

Total positive cases in States/UTs:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands- 33

Andhra Pradesh- 4,708

Arunachal Pradesh- 51

Assam- 2,565

Bihar- 5,088

Chandigarh- 314

Chhattisgarh- 1,073

Dadar Nagar Haveli- 20

Delhi- 27,654

Gujarat- 20,070

Goa- 300

Haryana– 4,448

Himachal Pradesh- 413

Jammu and Kashmir- 4,087

Jharkhand- 1,099

Karnataka- 5,452

Kerala- 1,914

Ladakh- 103

Madhya Pradesh- 9,401

Maharashtra- 85,975

Manipur- 172

Meghalaya- 36

Mizoram- 34

Nagaland- 118

Odisha- 2,856

Puducherry- 99

Punjab- 2,608

Rajasthan- 10,599

Sikkim- 7

Tamil Nadu- 31,667

Telangana- 3,580

Tripura- 800

Uttarakhand- 1,355

Uttar Pradesh- 10,536

West Bengal – 8,187

State/UT wise total death toll:

Andhra Pradesh- 75

Assam- 4

Bihar- 30

Chandigarh- 5

Chhattisgarh- 4

Delhi- 761

Gujarat- 1,249

Haryana- 28

Himachal Pradesh- 5

Jammu and Kashmir- 41

Jharkhand- 7

Karnataka- 61

Kerala- 15

Ladakh- 1

Madhya Pradesh- 412

Maharashtra- 3,060

Meghalaya- 1

Odisha- 9

Puducherry- 1

Punjab- 51

Rajasthan- 240

Tamil Nadu- 269

Telangana- 123

Uttar Pradesh- 275

Uttarakhand- 13

West Bengal- 396

A total of 1,24,095 people have been cured or discharged from hospitals in India. There are around 1,25,381 active cases currently, according to the Health Ministry.

Coronavirus cases top 7 million globally; death toll exceeds 4 lakh

Coronavirus cases

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of coronavirus cases have surpasses 7 million around the world with the death toll surging past 4 lakh, according to John Hopkins University tally.

New Zealand’s Health Ministry said that the country which implemented one of the toughest lockdowns anywhere in the world, no longer has any active cases of coronavirus. The last case of the disease was reported on May 22.

Till now, the US, UK and Brazil have recorded the highest death tolls globally.

Latin America has recorded nearly 1.2 million cases and more than 60,000 deaths. Brazil, the region’s worst-hit country, has reported a new record number of deaths in each of the past three days.

Brazil now has around 36,000 fatalities due to coroanvirus with more than 6,72,000 confirmed cases around the country.

In the US, the novel coronavirus has killed more than 1,10,000 people, as confirmed cases approach two million.

In addition to this, the number of coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia has exceeded 100,000, following a rise in new infections over the past ten days.

Two more COVID-19 deaths recorded in J&K, toll at 43

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir recorded two more Covid-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the total death toll to 43 in the Union Territory.

Among the two deaths, one was a CRPF man posted in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district and died at SKIMS Soura and the other was a civilian from Khanyar area of Srinagar who also breathed his last in a Srinagar hospital.

Medical Superintendent SKIMS, Soura, Farooq Ahmed Jan, said that a CRPF man with underlying illness was admitted in the hospital on June 4. “His samples were taken and he had tested positive for the virus. His condition deteriorated early this morning after which he died.”

Assistant Commandant and CRPF spokesman for (Operations) in Kashmir, Junaid Khan said, “The deceased CRPF man was sick from sometime. He was posted with the 90th battalion in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.”

This is reportedly the first coronavirus death in paramilitary CRPF, in Kashmir, since the outbreak of pandemic.

In addition to this, a Srinagar man, who had met with an accident and was first admitted at SMHS, he was later shifted to CD hospital Srinagar after testing positive, breathed his last today morning.

Saleem Tak, Medical Superintendent CD hospital, confirmed that a 35-year-old male has died of Covid infection at CD hospital in the wee hours. “He was an accident patient and had transmitted the virus,” the MS said.

With two fresh deaths, the number of COVID deaths in J&K have reached 43 — 38 from Kashmir (including a non-local resident and a CRPF personnel) and five from Jammu division.

4 terrorists killed in an encounter in J&K’s Shopian district

encounter
File photo

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): A day after security forces killed five terrorists including a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander in South Kashmir’s Shopian district, four terrorists were killed in a separate gun-battle in the same district in the wee hours, police today said.

Two security forces personnel also sustained injuries in the exchange of fire. A police official said that acting on a specific input, joint teams of police, Army and CRPF laid a siege at village Pinjoora, in Shopian early this morning. “With the first light of the day, contact was established with the terrorists and in exchange of fire, four of them were killed,” he said.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said that four terrorists were killed in a clean operation at Shopian. “Their identity and affiliation is being ascertained.”

Defence Spokesman in Srinagar, Colonnel Rajesh Kalia said that a joint operation was launched early morning today on an intelligence input by the J&K police. “Cordon was laid and contact established. Four terrorists have been killed. The operation is in progress,” he said.

In the past 24 hours, nine terrorists have been killed in two separate encounters.

Official figures available with the NVI suggest that since January this year, 84 terrorists including the Chief Operational Commander of Hizbul Mujahideen Reyaz Naikoo were killed in various encounters across J&K. Since the outbreak of Covid pandemic on March 20, at least 50 terrorists have been killed in various encounters.

India’s Covid cases rise to 2.56 lakh, death toll 7,135

New Delhi (NVI): As India eases its lockdown restrictions from today after 75 days, the total number of coronavirus cases in India now stands at 2,56,611, with 7,135 deaths due to the pandemic, Union Health Ministry said.

At least, 9,983 new cases of coronavirus and 204 deaths have been reported in India in the last 24 hours.

So far, 1,24,095 patients have recovered all over the country.

In worst-hit Maharashtra, the COVID-19 cases climbed to 85,975, followed by Tamil Nadu with 31,667 cases, and Delhi with 27,654 cases.

Maharashtra has also reported the highest number of fatalities at 30,60 followed by 1,249 in Gujarat and 412 in Madhya Pradesh.

The death toll in the national capital rose to 761, while 10,664 patients in Delhi have recovered so far, the healthy ministry data shows.

The other worst affected states are Gujarat (20,070) Rajasthan (10,599), Uttar Pradesh (10,536) and Madhya Pradesh (9,401).

Meanwhile, the government has decided to reopen the country for business as it heads into the “unlock” phase. Shopping malls and places of worship across the country, with lists of dos and don’ts for the people.

INS Jalashwa brings back 700 Indians stranded in Maldives

New Delhi (NVI): Indian Navy Ship ‘INS Jalashwa’ today arrived at Tuticorin harbour in Tamil Nadu with 700 Indian nationals evacuated from Male in Maldives, under ‘Operation Samudra Setu’.

With this, the Navy ship has evacuated 2672 Indian citizens from Maldives and Sri Lanka to India as part of Vande Bharat Mission, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

“The embarkation of Indian nationals was facilitated by the Indian Mission in Maldives. Personnel were embarked onboard after carrying out requisite medical screening. COVID related safety protocols were also strictly adhered to during the sea-passage,” the Ministry said.

At Tuticorin, the evacuees were received by local authorities and arrangements were in place for their speedy disembarkation, health screening, immigration and transportation.

With this evacuation, the Indian Navy has now repatriated 2,874 Indian nationals from the Maldives and Sri Lanka during the ongoing pandemic, the MoD said.

Highest single-day spike in J&K with 620 new Covid cases, total over 4,000

Over 3,200 cops COVID positive in J&K and 15 succumbed to virus
File photo

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir today witnessed a big jump in Covid-19 cases as 620 people tested positive for the deadly virus in the past 24 hours, triggering a fresh wave of fear and panic across the Union Territory.

This is the highest single-day spike in coronavirus cases since the outbreak of the pandemic in J&K. The fresh cases include 60 pregnant women, 24 health workers, 3 prisoners and many security forces personnel, officials said.

The total number of Covid positive cases in UT has now climbed to 4087 while the death toll due to pandemic has reached 41, of which 36 including a non-local have been recorded in Kashmir and 5 in Jammu region.

Officials said that among the new 620 new cases, 58 were tested positive at SKIMS, over 500 at CD hospital, 3 at JVC Bemina, 8 at Army’s Command Hospital Udhampur and rest at other hospitals.

Among 620 new cases, 583 belong to Kashmir while 37 are from Jammu, officials said, adding that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir has reached 3,198 including 1,016 recoveries and 36 deaths while the total number of cases in Jammu has reached 889 including 200 recoveries and 5 deaths.

The officials said that the total number of active cases in J&K is 2830 including 2146 from Kashmir and 684 from Jammu.

Cases tested positive in J&K include 59 from Anantnag, 161 from Kulgam, 87 from Srinagar, 18 from Budgam, 7 from Kupwara, 24 from Shopian, 132 from Baramulla, 21 from Bandipora, 60 from Pulwama and 14 from Ganderbal in Kashmir.

37 are from Jammu division include 22 from district Jammu, 1 each from Poonch and Udhampur, 2 each from Kathua and Samba, 4 from Rajouri and 5 from Doda.

Officials from CD hospital said that late last night, 253 samples were tested positive at the hospital including over a dozen health workers and over 50 pregnant women. They said that on Sunday, 283 samples were tested positive at the hospital which includes 9 policemen, 3 prisoners, around 30 health workers, besides 9 pregnant ladies.

It may be recalled that earlier in the day, J&K recorded the first death of a non-local resident, a 38-year-old tailor from Kolkata who was putting up in a rented accommodation in Srinagar.

The death toll of Covid-19 positive patients in Jammu and Kashmir has reached 41 including 36 from Kashmir (including a non-J&K resident) and 5 from Jammu. The tailor from Kolkata died late last night at SMHS hospital Srinagar and his samples tested positive for Covid-19 today.

Centre gives nod to open 820 ASI monuments with places of worship from tomorrow

Qutub Minar, one of the ASI protected monuments in Delhi.

New Delhi (NVI): Union Ministry for Culture and Tourism today said that it has approved the opening of 820 centrally protected monuments under the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) which have places of worship from tomorrow (June 8).

Union Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel also informed that all the protocols issued by the MHA and the Health Ministry will be followed in these monuments.

In its order, the Culture Ministry said that ASI shall ensure that preventive measures as stipulated in the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) issued by the Health Ministry.

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) in its SOP released on June 4 to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the religious places/places of worship said that the new measures are to be effectively put in place and scrupulously followed while opening and managing these Centrally Protected Monuments.

Apart from this, ASI shall also further ensure that it follows all other directions issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Health Ministry in this regard, the Ministry of Culture said in a statement.

The Ministry has also asked ASI to share the list of these 820 CPMs proposed to be opened on June 8 with respective states and the districts concerned and that any state and/or district-specific orders with regard to containment and prevention of the spread of COVID- 19 are also comprehensively implemented.

Pak shells forward areas along LoC in J&K’s Kupwara, Baramulla districts

Ceasefire
Representational image

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Pakistani troops today violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Keran and Rampur sectors of Kupwara and Baramulla districts respectively, by resorting to unprovoked firing which was retaliated by the Indian Army, defence officials said.

Defence spokesman in Srinagar Rajesh Kalia told NVI that Pakistan violated ceasefire twice today, first at 11 am and then at 12:40 am at Keran and Uri sectors in Kupwara and  Rampur sector in Baramulla district.

“Army is retaliating befittingly. Enemy positions targeted with high precision,” Kalia said. Locals from Uri told NVI over the phone that panic gripped at least six villages this morning when intense firing started from across LoC.

“Six villages were affected which include Churunda, Silikote, Hatlanga, Nambla and Rustom, Mohallah,” they said.

Shakeel Ahmed, a Sarpanch of village Nambla said that panic gripped these villages and people were running for cover. “It was an intense firing. Many people took shelter in underground bunkers and while many others were seen running towards the main town of Uri for safety,” he said.

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