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Class 10, 12 board exams exempted from lockdown measures: Amit Shah

Amit Shah meets farmer leaders
File Photo: Union Home Minister Amit Shah

New Delhi (NVI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah today said that considering the interest of a large number of students, the Government has exempted Class 10 and 12 board exams from lockdown measures, although social distancing must be adhered to for safety purpose.

Taking to Twitter, the Home Minister wrote: “Taking into consideration the academic interest of large number of students, it has been decided to grant exemption from the lockdown measures to conduct Board examination for classes 10th & 12th, with few conditions like social distancing, face mask etc, for their safety.”

In this regard, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a letter to Chief Secretaries of all states informing about the government’s decision to allow holding of the board exams for students of Class 10 and Class 12 under certain conditions.

The Ministry has stated that states will be required to arrange for special buses to take students to and from examination centres.

It was further stated that students will have to mandatorily follow some conditions – such as social distancing, the use of hand sanitisers and the wearing of face masks.

The government has, however, said that no exam centres will be permitted in containment zones.

As opening of schools had been prohibited under the guidelines on lockdown measures, the annual board examinations being conducted by various Boards for Class 10 and 12 had been suspended earlier.

Coronavirus cases exceed 26,000 in Bangladesh; 386 dead

(Image source: United News of Bangladesh)

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of deaths from coronavirus in Bangladesh has reached 386 after 16 more people lost their lives in the last 24 hours, according to United News of Bangladesh.

The total number of coronavirus infections rose to 26,738 after 1,617 new infections were reported during this period.

In the last 24 hours, 43 coronavirus testing laboratories across the country tested 10,207 samples.

Meanwhile, 408 coronavirus-infected people were reported to have recovered in the country in the last 24 hours.

Bangladesh has been recording an increasing number of cases over the past few weeks. The first cases were announced on March 8 and the health authorities confirmed the first death on March 18.

492 new Covid-19 cases reported in Afghanistan, total at 8,145

New Delhi (NVI): Afghanistan witnessed a rise in coronavirus cases with 492 new cases, taking the overall tally to 8,145 across the country, according to Afghan media reports.

In the last 24 hours, 10 COVID-19 patients have died, bringing the total deaths in the country to 187.

Of the 482 new cases, 262 were reported in Kabul, 59 in Herat, 33 in Balkh, 30 in Baghlan, 28 in Takhar, 14 in Jawzjan, 10 in Paktia, 10 in Nangarhar, 6 in Logar, 2 in Ghazni, 9 in Parwan, 4 in Farah, 9 in Panjshir, 5 in Kapisa, 7 in Kunar and 4 in Sar-e-Pul.

Kabul, the Afghan capital, recorded its worst day after 262 of 522 tests came back positive. The city is the country’s worst affected by COVID-19 and, despite a government authorised lockdown, streets are still crowded, as per media reports.

The country’s Health Ministry said, over 25,700 samples have been tested so far, which analysts say is too low a number when compared to the country’s population.

So far, 930 patients have been cured or discharged across the country.

J&K: 2 BSF jawans killed in terrorist attack in Srinagar

Kashmir
Representational Image

Abid Bashir 

Srinagar (NVI): Two BSF jawans were killed in a terrorist attack in the Soura area on the outskirts of Srinagar in Kashmir today, a police official said.

The incident took place at 5.30 pm, the police official said, adding that terrorists targetted two BSF men deployed for enforcing lockdown, close to SKIMS Soura hospital. They were shifted to the same hospital after getting hit, he said.

SKIMS medical superintendent Dr Farooq Jan said that both the soldiers succumbed to their wounds, as they had multiple bullet injuries.

Police sources said that their service rifles were also snatched.

Meanwhile, top police officials have rushed to the spot to assess the situation and the area has been sealed. A search operation has been launched to nab the attackers.

COVID-19 deaths exceed 1,000 in Pakistan; tally rises to 46,915

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of positive coronavirus in Pakistan has increased by more than 2,000 cases, taking the overall tally to 46,915 with at least 1,003 fatalities recorded so far.

Looking at the breakdown of cases, Sindh province has reported 18,964 coronavirus cases, highest among all the provinces, while Punjab has 16,685 positive cases.

On the other hand, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has recorded 6,554 cases, Balochistan is at 2,885, Gilgit-Baltistan at 556, Islamabad at 1,138 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is at 133 cases so far, according to Geo News.

So far 13,101 patients have recovered from the virus, according to the country’s Health Ministry.

Pakistan has started easing in phases the coronavirus lockdown and partially resumed its domestic air services.

Nepal’s COVID-19 tally rises to 427 with 25 new cases

New Delhi (NVI): 25 new COVID-19 cases have been registered in Nepal today, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 427, local media reports said.

According to the country’s Ministry of Health and Population, Kapilvastu district alone has witnessed 13 new cases today.

Likewise, six new cases were identified in Banke district aged between 17-27 years, five in Dhankuta including a woman aged 24 and one in Nawalparasi (west). Among the newly infected cases, 18 are males while seven are females.

Meanwhile, eight coronavirus patients from Udayapur of Province 1 have recovered and have been discharged from the Koshi Hospital in Biratnagar, the reports said.

With this, the number of recovered cases in the country has reached 45, as per media reports.

Apart from this, 2,280 samples have been tested through the PCR method in the last 24 hours, the Nepal ministry has said.

So far, two persons have died of the disease in the country.

Domestic flights to resume from Monday: Hardeep Singh Puri

New Delhi (NVI): Domestic flight operations will resume in a calibrated manner from May 25, Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said today, adding that SOPs for passenger movement are being separately issued.

Taking to Twitter, the minister said that all airports and air carriers are being informed to be ready for operations from May 25. Anticipating the gradual resumption of domestic flight operations, airports across the country have already taken necessary measures regarding maintaining social distancing norms on their premises.

“Domestic civil aviation operations will recommence in a calibrated manner from Monday 25th May 2020. All airports & air carriers are being informed to be ready for operations from 25th May. SOPs for passenger movement are also being separately issued by @MoCA_GoI,” Puri tweeted.


With this, the domestic flights will be resuming after around two months, since their suspension on March 25. Only cargo flights, medical evacuation flights and special flights approved by the DGCA were allowed to operate after the lockdown.

However, no announcement has been made regarding international flight operations and they remain suspended till further orders.

Cabinet approves ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat Package’ for stranded migrants

Capital Expenditure
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (File)

New Delhi (NVI): The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today gave its approval for the allocation of foodgrains to approximately 8 crore migrants or stranded migrants free of cost for the next two months.

Under the package, the migrants will get 5kg foodgrains per person per month for May and June. “It would entail an estimated food subsidy of about Rs 2,982.27 crore,” the Government said in a statement.

The total subsidy provided by the Government is estimated at about Rs.3,109 crore, which includes an estimated food subsidy of about Rs. 2,982 crore. Furthermore, the expenditure towards intra-state transportation and handling charges will account for about Rs 127 crore, which will be borne fully by the Centre, the Government said.

The allocation will ease the hardships faced by the stranded migrant workers due to economic disruption caused by the nationwide coronavirus lockdown.

Cyclone Amphan begins landfall in Bengal

New Delhi (NVI): Cyclone Amphan has started entering the West Bengal coast near the Sunderbans, the IMD said today, as lakhs of people have been evacuated from the region to safer places.

The IMD has said that the landfall process commenced at 2.30 pm and would continue for four hours. The department is closely monitoring the situation along with NDRF and local authorities.

About 4.5 lakh people have been evacuated from the vulnerable areas in West Bengal and Odisha by the NDRF teams.

Amphan slightly weakened from a “super cyclone” to an “extremely severe cyclonic storm” last evening causing heavy rains and strong winds in parts of Odisha and West Bengal.

Indian Navy has also been put on “high alert” on the east coast for relief efforts, according to an official statement.

The cyclone is very likely to move north-northeastwards after it makes landfall and cross West Bengal – Bangladesh coasts between Digha in West Bengal and Hatiya Islands in Bangladesh close to Sundarbans till today evening with maximum sustained wind speed of 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph.

Pak shells forward areas along LoC in J&K’s Poonch district

Ceasefire
Representational image

Jammu (NVI): Pakistani troops today violated ceasefire along Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, defence officials said.

The first ceasefire took place in the morning at around 9.30 am when the Pakistan army targeted Kirni and Degwar sectors along LoC in the district.

“At about 0930 hours, Pak initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms & shelling with Mortars along LoC in Kirni & Degwar sectors in District Poonch (J&K),” they said.

The second ceasefire took place in the afternoon around 1.50 pm as Pakistani troops shelled forward areas along LoC in Kirni and Qasba sectors, they said.

“After ceasefire violation in the morning, again at about 1350 hours, Pak initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by Small arms firing & intense shelling with Mortars along LoC in Kirni & Qasba sectors in District Poonch (J&K),” defence officials, adding that the Indian Army was giving a befitting response.

Pakistan army has been repeatedly violating ceasefire along LoC in J&K over the past few days. Yesterday also, it violated ceasefire in Balakote sector of Poonch.

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