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Azad meets Farooq Abdullah in Srinagar

Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI): Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad today met National Conference patron and Member Parliament from Srinagar constituency Farooq Abdullah who was released yesterday after seven-month-long detention.

According to sources, Azad, former Chief Minister of J&K, met Abdullah at his Gupkar residence soon after his arrival from Delhi.

After meeting Abdullah, Azad is expected to return to Delhi in the evening.

Azad is the first leader to meet Abdullah, a former Chief Minister of J&K, after his release.

Earlier in the day, Farooq Abdullah met his detained son Omar Abdullah at Hari Niwas, which is a designated subsidiary jail.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration yesterday revoked the detention of Abdullah.

He was under detention since August last year when the central government abrogated Article 370 and ended the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir.

His release has been hailed by many political leaders, who called it a welcome step.

Ocean plastic waste causes economic damage of USD 13 billion, says UN report

Plastic
Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): The economic damage caused by plastic pollution to marine ecosystems is estimated to reach around USD 13 billion every year, according to a United Nations report.

Plastic accounts for 80 per cent of all ocean debris but only about 1 per cent of this waste floats in surface waters.

Moreover, scientists say that waxworms and other organisms are capable of breaking down plastic, which could provide as a solution to reduce plastic waste.

Waxworm is a larval form of the greater wax moth. Its gut can digest plastic, and researchers are trying to understand why and how this happens.

More than 50 species of plastivore – small organisms that consume plastic have been discovered, which are mostly bacteria and fungi but include some insects capable of turning plastic waste into energy.

“The waxworm and its gut bacteria must break down these long chains,” the study author, Christophe LeMoine said.

“And presumably, because plastics are similar in structure, they can also co-opt this machinery to use polyethylene plastics as a nutrient source,” he added.

If scientists can discover how eating plastic enhances waxworms’ gut bacteria, though, LeMoine says they may be able to design “the perfect plastic biodegradation system”.

Waxworms aren’t the only plastic-eaters. It’s been found that mealworms, can digest plastic too and still be nutritious food for other animals.

Mushroom corals are common in the shallow waters around the Maldives. The researchers have studied one species in an area in which they described the amount of plastic pollution as staggering.

Even more particles get stuck to the coral’s rough surface, helping to further sequester microplastics from the water.

The corals could pay a heavy price for this cleaning, with the researchers noting that both this ingestion and adhesion could have a negative impact and further threatening a species.

The researchers say this could help explain why despite millions of tonnes of plastic ending up in the ocean, microplastics measuring under 1mm are found in much lower concentrations than expected in surface waters.

Taiwan earmarks special fund to fight Coronavirus

New Delhi/Taipei (NVI): Taiwan, which is making strident efforts to fight coronavirus, has earmarked a special fund to the tune of $1.99 billion to contain the deadly disease and deal with its impact on the economy.

The special budget was approved by Taiwan’s legislature with an overwhelming support from lawmakers.

Prime Minister Su Tseng-chang told lawmakers that the budget is aimed at creating quick effects, spread benefits to as many industries as possible, push for infrastructure and eventually strengthen the economy.

According to the approved bill, the special budget will be effective from January 15, 2020 and run through June 30, 2021.

The fund will be spent on transforming hospitals into isolation venues, establishing quarantine and testing venues for the virus, requisitioning medical materials and allocating funds as subsidies for schools and the transportation industry to battle the virus contagion.

The government will also subsidize a wide range of industrial sectors that have been hit by the COVID-19 spread. These sectors include service industry, the manufacturing industry, the tourism industry, the transportation industry, the agriculture/fishing industry, and the arts/cultural industry.

The government will also pay compensation to the people who are in mandatory quarantine and home isolation or who have to take unpaid family care leave to take care of family members who are in quarantine or home isolation without self-care ability, such as children under the age of 12.

In addition, the government will give vouchers for local consumers to spend in restaurants, retail shops, night markets and traditional markets, besides art and cultural events.

Bill Gates steps down from Microsoft board

Bill Gates

New Delhi (NVI): Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has stepped down from the company’s board of directors, the company has announced.

Gates, 64, is to dedicate more of his time to his charity, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and philanthropic priorities including global health and development, education, and his increasing engagement in tackling climate change.

With a net worth of USD 103.6 billion, Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft in 1975 with Paul Allen, who died in 2018. Gates was the CEO until 2000 when Steve Ballmer took over the role. Microsoft’s current CEO, Satya Nadella, took over in 2014.

Gates was the director of the board at Microsoft until 2014 but began dedicating more of his time to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2008.

Microsoft did not announce a replacement on the board to Gates but said that it will now consist of 12 members.

Bill Gates remains one of Microsoft’s main shareholders owning 1.36 per cent in shares.

It is one of the most highly valued company’s in the world, valued at $1.21 trillion.

“It’s been a tremendous honor and privilege to have worked with and learned from Bill over the years,” Microsoft chief executive officer Satya Nadella said to the media.

‘World tourism suffers $30-50 bn loss due to COVID-19’

New Delhi (NVI): The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has estimated a loss of USD 30 to 50 billion in international tourism receipts in 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak.

UNWTO has revised its 2020 prospects for international tourist arrivals to a negative growth of 1 per cent to 3 per cent, translating into an estimated loss of USD 30 to 50 billion in international tourism receipts.

UNWTO offers a first assessment pointing to a decrease in international arrivals and receipts in 2020, an official statement said.

Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, UNWTO predicted a positive growth of 3 per cent to 4 per cent for this year.

This first assessment expects that Asia and the Pacific will be the worst affected region, with an anticipated fall in arrivals of 9 per cent to 12 per cent.

Public health measures need to be implemented in ways that minimize any unnecessary disruption to travel and trade. Since the start of the outbreak, UNWTO has been working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO) to ensure this is the case.

Estimates for other world regions are currently premature in view of the rapidly evolving situation.

UNWTO underscores that any estimate must be treated with caution and is likely to be updated.

UNWTO calls for financial and political support for recovery measures aimed at tourism, and to include support for the sector in the wider recovery plans and actions of affected economies.

The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak will be felt across the whole tourism value chain.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili furthermore stresses that “small and medium-sized enterprises makeup around 80 per cent of the tourism sector and are particularly exposed with millions of livelihoods across the world, including within vulnerable communities, relying on tourism”.

Political and financial commitments are key to ensure that tourism can lead wider economic and social recovery, as proven in past disruptions on the back of the highly resilient nature of the sector and its ability to bounce back strongly.

In recent decades, tourism has come of age and is now firmly established as an important contributor to sustainable development, economic growth, employment and international understanding.

As the UN agency responsible for tourism and sustainable development, UNWTO stands ready to provide guidance and support for recovery measures of its members, the private and public tourism sector, including organizers of tourism events and fairs.

Coronavirus: India has 2 deaths, 81 positive cases

New Delhi (NVI): The number of people testing positive for coronavirus has increased to 81 in India, which has already reported two deaths so far.

A 69-year-old woman, who died in Delhi last night, was the second person to fall victim to the deadly disease. She had contracted the virus from her son who had travelled to Switzerland and Italy and is under quarantine at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in the national capital.

Earlier, one person had died in Karnataka due to the virus two days back. The 76-year-old man died after returning from a month-long visit to Saudi Arabia on February 29.

Health Ministry today said new cases have emerged from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

A 25-year-old Agra woman, whose husband and a Google employee tested positive for novel coronavirus in Bengaluru earlier this week, has also tested positive.

In view of this development, Google has asked its employees in Bengaluru to work from home.

Infosys has also evacuated its building in Bengaluru. The tech giant started evacuation following reports of an employee coming in contact with a suspected coronavirus patient.

Public gatherings and events have been cancelled by government and other authorities in virtually all parts of India due to the coronavirus scare. Even the sporting events like annual IPL has been postponed.

The global death toll due to coronavirus has reached almost 5,000, while the global number of cases has surpassed 1,32,000, according to WHO.

Five school playgrounds in Haryana’s Mewat go solar

New Delhi (NVI): Children can now play badminton even after sunset at five playgrounds in rural government schools in Haryana’s Mewat district, thanks to the illumination done by Signify, a leader in lighting, under its CSR programme called ‘Khel Jyoti’.

These playgrounds have badminton courts that are illuminated using high-mast LED lighting, powered by solar energy. The programme has benefitted more than 1,200 school children and will create more opportunities for young sportsmen.

Signify has partnered with the Gurgaon-based SRF Foundation for this project, which will be further expanded to 18 more playgrounds in the same district in its next phase, potentially benefiting an additional 5,000 students, according to a statement issued by the company.

Under the Khel Jyoti program, Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) seeks to create opportunities for young and budding sports talent to play for longer hours even after sunset and enhance their skills by lighting up their playgrounds. It also aims to strengthen a child’s physical fitness and holistic development.

“Even though India is a country of 1.3 billion people, it has only produced a handful of Olympians and talented sportsmen owing to lack of adequate sporting facilities. With more than half of its population under the age of 25, there is a lot of potential for India to leverage its demographic advantage and create its mark in international sports in the future,” said Natasha Tandon, Head – Integrated Communications and CSR for Signify in India.

“At Signify, our vision is to unlock the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a better world. By illuminating their playgrounds using solar power, we enable budding athletes to come out and play even after sunset and practice their sport more rigorously without any constraints,” she added.

Dr. Suresh Reddy, Director, SRF Foundation said, “SRF Foundation has been working in 42 government schools across 19 villages in Nuh block, Mewat district of Haryana for the past decade. Our students have represented their block at both District and State Level Badminton Competitions and have secured leading positions in all the categories consistently.”

He added, “We are delighted to facilitate Signify’s ‘Khel Jyoti’ Program as it enables our students to enhance their expertise and actualize their expanding potential in badminton even during the evening hours.”

Rain likely in parts of Punjab, Haryana, UP

Photo Credit: (Sakshi Bhardwaj, NVI)
New Delhi (NVI) Rain, along with thundershowers, is expected in northern parts of Punjab and Haryana as well as northwest, west Uttar Pradesh, according to weather forecasters.
During the last 24 hours, northern parts of Punjab,  Haryana and Delhi and NCR as well as northwest, west Uttar Pradesh witnessed good rains and thundershowers.
Ambala in Haryana received 7 mm of rain during the last 24 hours, while Patiala in Punjab received 7 mm, Delhi 1 mm, Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh received 1 mm, Lucknow 12 mm and Varanasi 18 mm.
Now, rain activities will gradually subside. By March 15, there will be a significant decrease in rains over Punjab and Haryana.
However, Northwest Uttar Pradesh may continue to receive light rains and thundershowers tomorrow as well. So, temperatures are expected to remain below normal over most parts of Northwest India until tomorrow.
Apart from this, Western Disturbance has reached Jammu and Kashmir. Due to this effect, the cyclonic system has developed over Central Pakistan and adjoining Punjab and Haryana.
A trough is extending through this system up to Bihar. Also, a trough is active from Vidarbha to Tamil Nadu. An opposite cyclonic circulation is seen over the Bay of Bengal.

Govt approves tax reimbursement scheme for exporters

New Delhi (NVI): With an aim to enhance Indian exports at the International markets, the government today approved the scheme for Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) for exporters.

Under this scheme, a mechanism would be created for reimbursement of taxes/duties/levies, at the central, state and local level, which are currently not being refunded under any other mechanism, but which are incurred in the process of manufacture and distribution of exported products, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs said in a statement.

To make Indian exports cost-competitive and create a level playing field for exporters in the International market, this scheme is going to give a boost to the domestic industry and Indian exports, the statement added.

“Items will be shifted in a phased manner from existing scheme MEIS to RoDTEP with proper monitoring & audit mechanism,” CCEA said adding the refunds under the RoDTEP scheme would be a step towards “zero-rating” of exports, along with refunds such as Drawback and IGST.

It added, “This would lead to cost competitiveness of exported products in international markets and better employment opportunities in export-oriented manufacturing industries.”

In line with the vision of Prime Minister, various export-oriented industries are being reformed and introduced to better mechanisms so as to increase their productivity, boost exports and contribute to the overall economy.

Under the Scheme, an inter-ministerial Committee will determine the rates and items for which the reimbursement of taxes and duties would be provided. In line with “Digital India”, refund under the Scheme, in the form of transferable duty credit/electronic scrip will be issued to the exporters, which will be maintained in an electronic ledger. The Scheme will be implemented with end to end digitization, the statement added.

Schools, malls closed in Jammu till Mar 31 to combat corona

Jammu (NVI): The Jammu administration today ordered the closure of all shopping malls, gyms, swimming pools, recreational clubs in the district with immediate effect as a precautionary measure against coronavirus.

Section 144 has been imposed in Jammu to prevent people from gathering at such public places. The order shall remain in effect till March 31.

“District Magistrate Jammu, in exercise of power vested under Section 144 CrPc, has ordered closure of all shopping malls, gyms, swimming pools, recreational clubs in district Jammu with immediate effect. This order shall remain in effect till 31st March, 2020. Any violation of this order shall invite action under Indian Penal Code,” said an official statement.

However, the order, signed by Jammu District Magistrate Sushma Chauhan, stated that Board and competitive exams in the district shall be held as per schedule.

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