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Bangladesh COVID-19 tally tops 78,000 mark; 1,049 dead

New Delhi (NVI): Bangladesh today saw another surge in coronavirus cases and deaths. A whopping 3,187 new cases were reported, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 78,052.

The country also recorded a total of 37 deaths due to the novel coronavirus during this period, raising the death tally to 1,049, according to United News of Bangladesh.

Notably, the country crossed the 1,000 mark in death toll within 91 days after recording the first death on March 11.

So far, a total of 15,899 people have recovered from the deadly contagion, after 563 more patients made recovery.

The detection rate of new patients was recorded at 1.91 per cent today.

Against the total number of detected cases, the recovery rate is 21.24 per cent and the mortality rate is 1.35 per cent in the country.

748 new COVID cases in Afghanistan; tally hits 22,890

New Delhi (NVI): The Afghan authorities confirmed 748 new coronavirus cases in Afghanistan in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 22,890, according to Afghan media reports.

Among the fresh cases, Kabul was on the top of the list with 311 new cases, followed by Herat with 181.

Other provinces reporting cases were Kandahar (50), Nangarhar (36), Paktia (78), Badghis (32), Parwan (21), Laghman (5), Farah (6), Kunar (10), Ghor (8) and Kapisa (10).

In last 24 hours, 21 people were reported to have died from respiratory disease. Among them eight were reported in Kabul, five in Nangarhar, one in Takhar, one in Baghlan, one in Logar, 2 in Bamiyan, one in Laghman and one each in Ghor and Paktika.

At least, 3,326 people have recovered while 426 died from the respiratory disease in Afghanistan, as per media reports.

The country’s Ministry of Public Health said, 52,546 people have been tested for coronavirus in the country so far.

Meanwhile, the Afghans Public Minister, Ahmad Jawad Osmani said that the country’s health care system needs to be reviewed, saying that virus has now spread to every home in Afghanistan.

India not in community transmission stage yet: ICMR

Prof Balram Bhargava, DG, ICMR

New Delhi (NVI): India is “definitely not in community transmission” as of now, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the country’s nodal testing agency said today, amid speculations over a spike in Covid-19 cases in Delhi and Mumbai over the past few days.

Prof Balram Bhargava, DG ICMR, during a press conference here said that even the WHO has not given a clear definition of community transmission and no conclusion can be reached currently in India as it is a large country.

At the same time, the ICMR DG said that there is a need to continue with the strategy of testing, tracing, tracking, quarantine and containment measures. “We should not give up our guard on these,” he said.

“India is such a large country and prevalence is very low. India is not in community transmission,” he added.

He further said that lockdown measures have been successful in keeping the Covid infection low and preventing its rapid spread.

Reportedly, the statement comes after ICMR informed that 0.73 per cent of the population in 83 districts where Sero-survey was conducted, had evidence of past exposure to coronavirus infection.

As per Sero-survey, a large proportion of the population is still susceptible to COVID-19, the ICMR stated.

The ICMR DG also stated, “India’s mortality per lakh population is 0.59, which is also among lowest in the world.”

Meanwhile, India’s Covid-19 recovery rate showed an improvement amid the novel coronavirus cases rising in the country, the Health Ministry stated.

India’s coronavirus tally has surged past 2.86 lakh and reached 2,86,579, while the death toll has reached 8,102.

Coronavirus cases exceed 1,22,000 mark in Pakistan

New Delhi (NVI): Pakistan is witnessing a spike in coronavirus cases on a daily basis and reported nearly 6,000 new cases in the last 24 hours, taking the overall tally to 1,22,574 with at least 2,394 fatalities.

Looking at the breakdown of cases, Sindh province has reported 46,828 coronavirus cases, highest among all the provinces, while Punjab has 45,463 positive cases.

On the other hand, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has recorded 15,206 cases, Balochistan is at 7,335, Gilgit-Baltistan at 1,018, Islamabad at 6,236 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is at 488 cases so far, according to Geo News.

Ministry of National Health Services stated that nearly 38,391 patients have fully recovered from the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Shehbaz Sharif, chief of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the latest top politician to be infected in the country.

Nepal Covid-19 tally crosses 4,600; death toll 15

New Delhi (NVI): 250 new positive coronavirus cases have been reported from Nepal, taking the toll in the Himalayan nation to 4,614, according to local media reports.

The country’s Ministry of Health and Population said, “Of the infected, 4,285 are males and 329 are females.”

Of the newly infected, 230 are males and 20 females. These confirmed positive cases results in 57 people from Rautahat, 48 from Dailekh, 29 from Rupandehi, 18 from Bajura, 14 from Rolpa and 13 from Banke.

Similarly, nine individuals from Saptari, eight from Dang, seven each from Bara, Dhading, Surkhet and Kailali, six from Nawalparasi (West), four each from Mahottari and Pyuthan, three each from Sunsari and Jhapa and two cases each from Sarlahi, Kapilvastu and Bajhang also tested positive for the virus.

At present, 72 of the 77 districts and all the Provinces have witnessed the transmission of COVID-19 virus in the country, as per media reports.

The ministry also said, 294,073 samples have been tested for coronavirus in Nepal so far. Of these, 115,930 samples were tested through the PCR and 178,143 through the RDT.

A total of 861 people have been discharged after recovery and 15 have died so far.

PM calls for making India an exporter of products it is currently forced to import

PM expresses happiness over rise in India's leopard population
Prime Minister Narendra Modi (File photo)

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called upon the industry leaders to make India an exporter of all products which it is currently forced to import, reiterating his ‘Make in India’ mantra for an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India).

The PM was delivering the inaugural address of the 95th annual plenary session of the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) via video conferencing. “We must all work towards making India an exporter of all products which it is currently forced to import,” he said.

Appreciating the efforts of small traders, he said that when we buy local produce from them, we are not just paying them for their goods and services, but are rewarding their contributions.

“Now it is time to make each village, district of the country self-reliant.” he said and called for pulling the Indian economy out of ‘command and control’ mode and taking it towards ‘plug and play’ mode.

He said it is time for bold decisions and bold investments, to prepare a globally competitive domestic supply chain and not for conservative approaches.

“Goal of self-reliance has been paramount in the policy and practice of the country and now the Corona pandemic has taught us a lesson on how to speed it up. “It is from this lesson – Aatma Nirbhar Bharat campaign has started,” he said.

Quoting Swami Vivekananda, he said, “the simplest method to be worked upon at present is to induce Indians to use their own produce and get markets for Indian products in other countries”, adding that the path shown by the monk is an inspiration for India in post-COVID world.

The PM also listed the major reforms announced under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat campaign like expanding the scope of definition of MSMEs, arranging special funds to support MSMEs, decisions related to IBC, creation of Project Development Cells for fast-tracking of investments.

Apart from that, Modi also said that India should convert the COVID-19 crisis into a “turning point” towards becoming a self-reliant nation.

He further said that he has immense confidence in India’s crisis management capability and in the talent of the country’s farmers, entrepreneurs and the many MSMEs.

In his address, the PM also congratulated the ICC for successfully completing 95 years. “You all have served the nation for 95 years… that in itself is a tremendous achievement for any institution. Over the decades, whoever has been a part of, and contributed to the nation through the ICC, I extend my best wishes and congratulations to you all.”

Narco-militant module busted in J&K’s Handwara, 3 LeT associates held

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir police today busted a huge narco-militant module of Lashkar-e-Toiba in the Handwara area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district and recovered Rs 1.34 crore cash and heroin worth Rs 100 crore from the possession of three Lashkar associates.

J&K police has constituted a Special Investigating Team (SIT) headed by an SSP to reach out to the bottom of the case and find out for whom the money and drugs were meant to be supplied. Police said more arrests are likely to be made in the case soon.

Addressing a press conference in Handwara, Senior superintendent of police (SSP)  Handwara  Dr GV Sundeep said that a narco-militant module was busted and a huge recovery of 21 kgs of heroin (Market value Rs 100 Crore) and Rs  1.24 crore cash (Indian currency) were covered from three associates of Lashkar.

“Specific inputs about the module were developed and the module was under our radar. Our special team successfully arrested the three Lashkar associates who were key members of this module,” the SSP said. “All the three Lashkar associates were in touch with Pakistan and their main aim was to strengthen the Lashkar roots in Kashmir besides supplying drugs across Kashmir.”

The SSP said that after the recovery of a huge quantity of heroine and other drugs, it is clear that militants are promoting drug trade in Kashmir besides violence.

The SSP identified the arrested persons as Iftikhar Indrabi, a resident of Rajwar, Handwara, a notorious drug peddler and already involved in many other cases; Abdul Moomin Peer of Waskura, Handwara, and Islam ul Haq peer of Waskura, Handwara. The SSP said that many other people involved in the racket are absconding and will be arrested as soon as they are identified.

He said that Pakistan based outfits cultivate the narcotics there and send it through illegal routes into the valley. “These consignments are received by handlers including the Over Ground Workers (OGWs) and they sell it in other parts of the country and distribute the money to promote militant activities,” the police officer said.

He said that investigations so far have revealed that these drugs were on the way to Punjab. “Further probe is on to identify other links,” the SSP said. The Police officer said that all the arrested persons were recently set free on bail after they were arrested under the Public Safety Act (PSA) for their involvement in drug trade.

Terming Iftikhar’s arrest as a “big achievement”, the SSP said that he is a big kingpin of the drug chain in Handwara. “We are hopeful the drug trade will come to an end with Iftikhar’s arrest,” he said, adding that the arrested trio had widened their network not only in Handwara but in the entire Kupwara district.

J&K: 1 suspect held after brief gunfight in Budgam, ammunition recovered

A security force jawan at an encounter site in Kashmir (File pic)

(Updating earlier copy)

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): One person was apprehended after an early morning exchange of fire with security forces at Pathanpora area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district, in which at least two terrorists managed to flee, leaving behind some ammunition, police said.

Indian Army’s Chinar Corps said in a tweet that a joint operation was launched earlier in the area after getting intelligence inputs. He said that terrorists fired on security forces during the operation and one suspect was apprehended later, who is reportedly the house owner where the ultras were hiding.

The Army’s Srinagar based 15 Corps added said that a Chinese pistol, 1 grenade and 6 AK magazines and 147 rounds were recovered from the spot, while a joint search operation is in progress to nab the terrorists who escaped in the morning.

Earlier, officials said that security forces had cordoned off the area early this morning, acting on specific information about the presence of terrorists in Pathanpora village of Budgam district.

“A contact with the hiding terrorists was established. However, the terrorists lobbed back to back grenades and managed to give a slip to the forces,” they said.

A police official had informed that the terrorists who were believed to be two in number, left behind a shoe, 3 Ak 47 magazines, a pistol, a grenade and a pouch.

J&K: Soldier dead, another injured in road mishap on Sgr-Leh highway

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): A soldier died while another was seriously injured after a vehicle they were travelling in skidded off the road on Srinagar-Leh highway, police officials said.

They said that an Army vehicle that was part of the convoy lost control at Ranga-Zojila near Sonmarg on Srinagar-Leh highway and turned turtle leaving two soldiers critically wounded. “One of the injured soldiers succumbed soon after being pulled out of the vehicle. The second one is critical and has been taken to the Army hospital for treatment,” police officials said.

The deceased soldier identified as Karan Singh of Nagrota, Jammu.

Defence sources said that the vehicle in which the soldiers were travelling skidded from the main road and overturned up to several kilometers causing serious injuries to the two soldiers of which one has succumbed and another is battling for life.

The deceased soldier has been identified as Karan Singh of Nagrota, Jammu.

Police and Army teams immediately rushed to the spot but found one of the injured soldiers already dead. “The second one was shifted to Army hospital Sonmarg where doctors have stated his condition as critical,” they said.

Meanwhile, a case has been registered at police station Sonmarg and investigations have been started to find out the cause of the accident.

123rd birth anniv of Ram Prasad Bismil

New Delhi (NVI): India had many freedom fighters during its fight for independence from the Britishers and one of them was Ram Prasad Bismil. Today, on his 123rd birth anniversary India salutes his contribution towards the struggle against British imperialism.

Ram Prasad Bismil was born on June 11, 1897, at Shahjahanpur, North-Western Provinces of British India. He was also a patriotic poet, who wrote in Hindi and Urdu under the pen names Ram, Agyat and Bismil.

The freedom fighter had also published a pamphlet titled ‘Deshvasiyon ke nam sandesh’. “Sarfarosh ki Tamanna ab hamare dil mein hai, dekhna ki zor kitna baazu-e-qatil mein hai” – these immortal lines were also popularised by Bismil.

In 1997, on Bismil’s birth centenary year, the government had issued a multicoloured commemorative postal stamp.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot paid tributes to the freedom fighter on twitter and wrote, “Humble tributes to #RamPrasadBismil, one of the bravest leaders of India’s struggle for independence on his birth anniversary.

“He was a poet & writer too, who sacrificed his life for the freedom of the motherland. His valour & strength of purpose would always be an inspiration,” he added.

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