Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Home Blog Page 1378

625 new COVID cases in Afghanistan; tally hits 12,456

New Delhi (NVI):Afghanistan witnessed a rise in coronavirus cases with 625 new cases, taking the overall tally to 12,456 across the country, according to Afghan media reports

In the last 24 hours, among the new Covid-19 cases, 360 were reported in Kabul, 108 in Herat, 50 in Balkh, 26 in Parwan, 24 in Takhar, 14 in Kunar, 9 in Baghlan.

In addition, 9 cases were reported in Panjshir, 5 in Nangarhar, 8 in Laghman, 2 in Bamiyan, 1 in Kunduz, 1 in Farah and 8 in Ghor.

Meanwhile, Kabul remain the country’s worst affected city by COVID-19 and, despite a government authorised lockdown.

So far, 33,864 people have been tested in the country.

According to the Health Ministry, 7 people lost their lives over the past 24 hours, taking the death toll from coronavirus to 227.

At least, 1,138 patients have been cured from virus or discharged.

J&K cops greet doctors with flowers after medical staff alleges harassment

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): In a goodwill gesture, Jammu and Kashmir Police today distributed sweets and flowers to doctors at a Srinagar hospital, a day after protests by medicos and paramedics who alleged misbehavior, harassment and manhandling by cops on the ground.

Doctors and the paramedics at Lal Ded hospital in Srinagar were taken by surprise after a team of policemen reached the lone maternity home with sweets, garlands and red roses. Earlier today, three gynecologists of LD hospital had alleged harassment by the cops deployed outside the hospital.

In a bid to defuse the situation and to prevent further protests by the doctors, the J&K Police without wasting any time pacified the healthcare professionals at the hospital. “We are one against the Covid battle. Doctors and policemen are Covid warriors. There was some confusion, we thought let’s start with red roses and sweets to clear the same,” a police official told NVI.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar, Haseeb Mughal said that there was a mild argument between some female doctors and cops outside the hospital over the entry from the rear side. “The entry from the rear side has been closed in view of Covid pandemic as that would trigger jumbling. But doctors had insisted on entering the hospital from the rear side which triggered an argument,” he said, adding that the issue was being blown out of proportion.

However, Dr Farhat Jabeen, a leading gynecologist at the LD hospital, told NVI that cops used foul language and also misbehaved with three other female gynecologists.

Meanwhile, J&K LG’s security advisor B R Bhatnagar, who is currently under quarantine, said that Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh and principal secretary Health Atul Dhuloo have taken note and things have been sorted out amicably.

“There was some mild argument which is over now. Both, doctors and policemen on the ground are Covid warriors and are doing a tremendous job as far as the fight against the pandemic is concerned,” he said.

Today’s incident comes barely two days after a senior cardiologist at Super Specialty Hospital Srinagar Dr Syed Maqbool was stopped at Hawal area of Srinagar where he was allegedly manhandled by cops and later lodged in Zadibal police station of downtown Srinagar. Dr Maqbool was on a call (duty) that day. Yesterday, a massive protest was held by doctors and paramedics of Super Specialty Hospital after which Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar ordered an impartial inquiry into the incident.

COVID-19 testing not mandatory for maternal health services: Govt 

New Delhi (NVI): COVID-19 testing is not mandatory for providing health services related to reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and should be continued in a restricted manner in areas defined as containment and buffer zones, Health Ministry said today.

In the ‘Guidance note on Provision of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health Plus Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) services during and post COVID-19 pandemic’ released by the Health Ministry stressed that critical services for women, children and adolescent should be provided irrespective of their COVID-19 status.

According to the guidelines, any area exiting a ‘containment/ buffer zone’ can start such activities as listed in areas beyond buffer zone’ after a minimum gap of 14 days following delisting.

The ministry also noted that the mother and newborn should be nursed together as far as possible and breastfeeding must be initiated within 1 hour of delivery, irrespective of COVID-19 status. However, the mother should put on a face mask and practice hand hygiene before feeding the child.

Services such as antenatal and newborn care, immunization, family planning and adolescent health among others are to be provided at different levels in accordance with the zonal categorization of containment zones, buffer zones and beyond these zones, the guidelines elaborates.

Health Ministry added, with more than 2.5 crore pregnancies each year in the country, it is important to ensure the availability of services during this period as any denial of services can have an impact on maternal and newborn mortalities, morbidities as well as the health care costs.

In addition to this, drugs, commodities needed for continuing such services should be treated as essential commodities and home deliveries of essential medicines like calcium, ORS, zinc, contraceptives etc can be organised in containment zones.

Nuclear power output drops by 3% globally due to lockdowns 

New Delhi (NVI): The global nuclear power generation fell by approximately 3 per cent in the first quarter of 2020 as compared with last year’s growth, due to the lockdowns imposed in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak, according to a recent
report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The reduction in demand of electricity amid the lockdown situation led to a reduction in output. As per the IEA report, nuclear power has also not been immune to the impacts of the Covid‑19 crisis, apart from conventional sources of energy due to a drastic decline in global demand.

Based on the estimates for the year 2020, due to lower demand and delay in planned maintenance and construction of various projects, nuclear power has declined by nearly 2.5 per cent from 2019.

However, if recovery from the crisis can be faster, the demand for electricity will rise, leading to a reduction in nuclear power in 2020 of just over 1 per cent, the reports said.

In addition to lower demands of electricity, permanent closures of a few nuclear facilities, were also a factor for the plunge in nuclear power growth.

Since the first quarter (Q1) of 2019, six new reactors have come online globally, with a total power capacity of 5.5 GW, but this was only equivalent to half of the nuclear capacity that was permanently shut down over the same period.

Notably, the European Union had the largest reduction in 2020, especially in France, where nuclear power generation was down by around 10 per cent in 2020.

Lower demand led to nuclear output reductions in several countries. Meanwhile, closure of nuclear power plants also led to reductions.

However, China was one of the few regions with nuclear power growth, with a 1% increase in output between Q1 2019 and Q1 2020, according to the IEA report. A pair of large nuclear reactors came online in China in June 2019. Operations at these additional facilities more than compensated for the impact of depressed electricity demand.

According to IEA, this decline would be the largest not associated with a natural disaster, and 40 per cent as large as the reduction in 2011 following the accident at Fukushima Daiichi.

In addition to this, the completion of several projects is likely to be pushed by a few months to 2021, including two reactors in China and one in Finland, where a delay has already been announced.

Other construction delays are likely for projects in France, the United Kingdom and the United States.

US likely to impose sanctions on China over Hong Kong

New Delhi (NVI): The US government is likely to impose sanctions on China for its actions in Hong Kong where people are protesting over China’s proposed national security law that will give Beijing greater control over the region if it is implemented.

According to reports in foreign media, the White House has said that China will likely face sanctions over Hong Kong national security law, and an announcement is likely this week.

US President Donald Trump has also said that he would take action against China this week over its effort to impose national security laws on Hong Kong. However, he didn’t give exact details in the sanctions.

China’s parliament is expected to approve a proposed security law that would reduce Hong Kong’s separate legal status on Thursday, as per reports.

It is calling into question the special economic status the territory currently enjoys under the US law.

China’s move is also likely to undermine the financial hub status that Hong Kong has. The latest Chinese action in the territory has incited strong opposition from pro-democracy activists and politicians.

Thousands of protesters areon streets against the national security law that was introduced on Sunday.

IAF operationalises No. 18 Squadron ‘Flying Bullets’, equips it with LCA Tejas

(Source: @IAF_MCC)

New Delhi (NVI): The Indian Air Force today operationlised its No. 18 Squadron, the “Flying Bullets” while equipping it with locally made Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas FOC at an event in Sulur near Coimbatore.

The induction of fourth-generation LCA took place at Air Force Station, Sulur in the presence of the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria. “The CAS Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria flew the #LCA Tejas fighter this morning with 45 Squadron at Air Force Station Sulur. He is on a visit to the Station for operationalisation of 18 Squadron,” the IAF said in a tweet.

With this, the No. 18 squadron of Indian Air Force has become the second IAF fleet to fly indigenously built Light Combat Aircraft Tejas FOC (Final Operational Clearance).

The FOC standard LCA Tejas, inducted into the No. 18 Squadron today, has been produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

“We are proud to deliver a much lethal aircraft than the IOC block. Apart from all the capabilities of IOC aircraft, the FOC variant additionally comes with Air- to-Air refueling capability, close combat gun, additional drop tanks, BVR missile capability, updated avionics and flight control software suite”, said R Madhavan, CMD, HAL.

The FOC variant will reduce the maintenance man hours and turn-around time resulting in enhanced support for IAF missions, HAL said in a statement.

Four more FOC-LCAs are in the advanced stages of production and testing and expected to join the Squadron soon. HAL commenced the training for both air crew as well as maintenance crew for FOC aircraft and the first batch of trained air warriors is already with the 18 Squadron.

Tejas is an indigenous fourth generation tailless compound delta-wing aircraft. The aircraft is equipped with a fly-by-wire flight control system, integrated digital avionics, multimode radar and its structure is made out of composite material.

It is the lightest and smallest in its group of fourth-generation supersonic combat aircraft.

IAF’s 18 Squadron was formed on 15 April, 1965 with the motto ‘Teevra aur Nirbhaya’  (Swift and Fearless). The squadron was flying MiG 27 aircraft before it got number plated on 15 April 2016. The squadron was resurrected on April 1 this year at Sulur.

The squadron actively participated in the 1971 war with Pakistan and was decorated with the highest gallantry award ‘Param Vir Chakra’ awarded to Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon posthumously. It earned the sobriquet of ‘Defenders of Kashmir Valley’ by being the first to land and operate from Srinagar. The Squadron was presented with President’s Standard in November 2015.

Heatwave alert for several parts of North, West India, including Delhi

Heatwave
Representational Image

New Delhi (NVI): Several parts in North and West India are witnessing heatwave conditions, with Churu in Rajasthan sizzling at 50 degrees Celsius and parts of the national capital Delhi recording over 47 degrees temperature.

At a maximum temperature 46 degrees Celsius, Delhi recorded the hottest day in the month if May yesterday in 18 years since 2002. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued Orange alert for Delhi, as heatwave sweeps across North India.

The heatwave comes even as the region struggles with rising Covid-19 cases and swarms of locusts destroying crops.

According to the National Weather Forecasting Centre of the IMD, due to prevailing dry northwesterly winds over plains of northwest India, Central India & adjoining interior parts of eastern India, present heatwave conditions very likely to continue to prevail mainly during next 24 hours.

Heatwave conditions will be witnessed at many places with severe heatwave in isolated pockets very likely over Vidarbha in Maharashtra.

The weatherman has forecast heatwave conditions at a few places with severe heatwave in isolated pockets over West Rajasthan.

Apart from that, heatwave conditions are likely in some pockets over Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, West Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and East Rajasthan and in isolated pockets over Punjab, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Saurashtra & Kutch, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada, Telangana and North Interior Karnataka during next 24 hours, IMD said.

According to the weather department, heatWave is considered if the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40°C or more for plains, 37°C or more for coastal stations and at least 30°C or more for hilly regions.

State-wise details of Covid-19 cases in India

New Delhi (NVI): Coronavirus cases in India continue to surge with Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat being the worst affected states in the country.

The total number of positive coronavirus cases in India has reached 1,51,767 while a total of 4,337 deaths have been reported so far, according to Union Health Ministry tally.

Maharashtra tops the country with the maximum number of coronavirus cases and has reported over 54,000 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- 3,171

Arunachal Pradesh- 2

Assam- 616

Bihar- 2,983

Chandigarh- 266

Chhattisgarh- 361

Dadar Nagar Haveli- 2

Delhi- 14,465

Gujarat- 14,821

Goa- 67

Haryana– 1,305

Himachal Pradesh- 247

Jammu and Kashmir- 1,759

Jharkhand- 426

Karnataka- 2,283

Kerala- 963

Ladakh- 53

Madhya Pradesh- 7,024

Maharashtra- 54,758

Manipur- 39

Meghalaya- 15

Mizoram- 1

Nagaland- 4

Odisha- 1,517

Puducherry- 46

Punjab- 2,106

Rajasthan- 7,536

Sikkim- 1

Tamil Nadu- 17,728

Telangana- 1,991

Tripura- 207

Uttarakhand- 401

Uttar Pradesh- 6,548

West Bengal – 4,009

State/UT wise total death toll:

Andhra Pradesh- 57

Assam- 4

Bihar- 13

Chandigarh- 4

Delhi- 288

Gujarat- 915

Haryana- 17

Himachal Pradesh- 5

Jammu and Kashmir- 24

Jharkhand- 4

Karnataka- 44

Kerala- 6

Madhya Pradesh- 305

Maharashtra- 1,792

Meghalaya- 1

Odisha- 7

Puducherry- 1

Punjab- 40

Rajasthan- 170

Tamil Nadu- 127

Telangana- 57

Uttar Pradesh- 170

Uttarakhand- 4

West Bengal- 283

A total of 64,426 people have been cured or discharged from hospitals in India. There are around 83,004 active cases currently, according to the Health Ministry.

Coronavirus cases top 5.5 million globally

Global Covid-19 cases cross 62 mn mark
Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): Nearly 5.6 million cases of coronavirus have been confirmed around the world with more than 3,50,000 deaths, according to John Hopkins University tally.

Spain is set to begin 10 days of mourning on Wednesday in memory of the more than 27,000 people who have lost their lives to the coronavirus. Flags will fly at half-mast.

As Brazil’s daily COVID-19 death rate climbs, a new study warns its total death toll could climb to 125,000 by early August, adding to fears it has become a new hot spot in the pandemic.

The total number of coronavirus cases in Brazil have exceeded 3,91,000 while nearly 24,500 have lost their lives due to the contagion.

Mexico recorded its largest single-day increase in both newly confirmed cases and reported deaths from novel coronavirus since the outbreak began. The health officials reported an additional 3,455 cases, bringing the total to 74,560 cases with 501 new deaths.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s state of emergency laws have been extended for another month until the end of June, despite the kingdom reporting a relatively low virus toll at just over 3,000 cases and 57 deaths, according to media reports.

New Zealand has reported a fifth consecutive day of no new cases of Covid-19 recorded in the country.

In addition to this, South Korea has reported 40 new coronavirus cases for its biggest daily jump in nearly 50 days, causing alarm in a country where millions of children are returning to school.

Nearly 2.3 million have recovered from the deadly virus around the globe.

PM pays tributes to Jawaharlal Nehru

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today paid tributes to India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, on his 56th death anniversary.

“Tributes to our first PM, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Ji on his death anniversary,” PM Modi wrote on twitter.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the country’s longest-serving Prime Minister, fought for India’s freedom against the British rule.

Nehru was born in Allahabad on November 14, 1889. He served as the country’s PM from 1947 until his death on May 27, 1964.

He was also imprisoned several times during the freedom struggle.

1...1,3771,3781,379...1,731Page 1,378 of 1,731

MUST READ