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Coronavirus cases surge past 79.8 million mark worldwide

Coronavirus cases surge past 85 million mark worldwide
(File/Representational image)

New Delhi (NVI): The global count of coronavirus cases has reached more than 79.8 million, with over 17,49,900 deaths reported. Over 44.7 million patients have been cured and recovered from the deadly contagion, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

In the US, the total number of coronavirus infections have reached more than 18.75 million, while the number of fatalities due to the virus have surpassed 3,30,200 in the country.

Brazil’s coronavirus cases has surpassed 7.44 million, while the country accounts for the second highest number of COVID-19 fatalities at 1,90,488.

The health ministry of Mexico also reported 9,679 new cases of coronavirus infection on Friday and 665 fatalities, bringing the total in the country to 1,372,243 cases and 121,837 deaths.

Meanwhile, the health authorities in France and Lebanon have confirmed their first cases of the coronavirus variant that prompted global travel restrictions and strict lockdown measures in the United Kingdom.

Canada’s most populous province Ontario is imposing tighter COVID-19 restrictions from today till January 9 in an effort to curb rising infections, deaths and hospitalisations linked to the coronavirus.

Furthermore, the new strain of the coronavirus has been detected in eight European countries, Hans Kluge, WHO’s Regional Director for Europe said, adding that organization is monitoring the situation.

Indonesia records its biggest daily rise in COVID-19 deaths with 258 fatalities, taking the total to 20,847, the government data shows. Infections rose by 7,259, bringing the total to 700,097 cases.

-RJV

India’s Covid tally crosses 10.16 million, death toll tops 1.47 lakh

COVID-19 states
(Representational/file photo)

New Delhi (NVI): The total count of coronavirus cases in India increased to 10,169,118 with a single-day jump of 22,272 fresh cases in the past 24 hours, Union Health Ministry confirmed.

With 251 patients succumbing to the infection since yesterday, the country’s death toll rose to 1,47,343. This for first time since June when daily COVID-19 toll falls below 300.

Currently, 97,40,108 patients have been cured an recovered across the country, while the active cases remained below 3-lakh mark and stands at 2,81,667.

In worst-affected Maharashtra, the COVID-19 cases increased to 19,13,382 followed by Karnataka with 9,14,488 and Andhra Pradesh with 8,80,430 positive cases.

The other worst hit states are Tamil
Nadu (8,12,142), Kerala (7,32,084), Delhi (6,21,439) and Uttar Pradesh (5,79,982).

Meanwhile, of the total fatalities, Maharashtra tops the tally with 49,129 deaths, followed by Karnataka with 12,044 fatalities.

The death toll in the national capital surpassed to 10,414, while 6,03,759 patients have been cured and discharged so far, the healthy ministry data shows.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) data, more than 16.71 crore samples tested for COVID-19 up to December 23. Of these, 8,53,527 samples were tested yesterday.

Furthermore, several people returning from the UK in India have tested positive upon their arrival amid the spread of a potentially more infectious variant of the coronavirus. The total number of the UK returnees infected with the virus stands at 16 in the country.

-RJV

 

Protests against Karima Baloch’s murder enter 3rd day in Balochistan

Protests against Karima Baloch's murder enter 3rd day in Balochistan
Protest against enforced disappearances. Baloch women staging protest to seek details of their kin who were illegally picked up by Pakistani forces. (File Pic)

New Delhi (NVI): Protests against the alleged murder of Karima Baloch entered third day in Balochistan today as a large number of people gathered in Turbat to demand justice and proper investigation into the Baloch leader’s mysterious death in Canada.

Demonstrations were also held in Karachi and Lahore in Pakistan against the alleged murder of the rights activist yesterday who went missing and was found dead in mysterious circumstances in Canada earlier this week.

Scores of participants took to the streets in Karachi and Lahore, carrying placards and banners that bore messages of justice for the Baloch activist in English, Urdu and Balochi, reports The Balochistan Post.

After the thousands-strong gatherings in Quetta and Hub Chowki, the Baloch Solidarity Committee organized a demonstration in Karachi, the Baloch news portal reported.

In yet another suspected political assassination carried out by Pakistani intelligence agency ISI, Karima Baloch was found dead in Toronto in Canada, hours after she went missing in mysterious circumstances.

Karima, former Chairperson of Baloch Students Organisation (Azad), had taken refuge in Canada to escape the wrath of Pakistani authorities, especially the Army and its notorious intelligence agency ISI.

The leader, who was named by the BBC as one of the world’s 100 most “inspirational and influential” women in 2016, was last seen on December 20, 2020, at approximately 3 p.m, according to Balochistan Post.

The Toronto police had said that Karima was last seen in the Bay Street and Queens Quay West area in Toronto, it said.

Karima Baloch was instrumental in highlighting at international fora the plight of Baloch people under the repressive rule of Pakistan. She has also raised the issue of Balochistan in United Nations sessions in Switzerland.

Notably, Karima had also made a public appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016 for help for Balochistan’s struggle for freedom from Pakistan.

Baloch people are struggling for freedom from Pakistan since the region was forcibly occupied by Pakistan in 1949.

Her disappearance and death in mysterious circumstances leads to suspicion about involvement of ISI.

Meanwhile, the Baloch American Congress (BAC) has also expressed “shock and anguish” over the death of renowned political activist in Canada and asked the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to investigate the tragedy.

-ARK

Afghanistan raises concern over presence, activities of Taliban leaders in Pak

Afghanistan raises concern over presence, activities of Taliban leaders in Pak

New Delhi (NVI): Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs today raised concern over the “overt presence and activities of Afghan insurgent elements and their leaders” in Pakistani territory after a series of videos surfaced showing Taliban leaders in Pakistan continuing their terror activities in the country.

In a statement released today, Afghanistan’s foreign ministry has categorically said that the presence of such elements in Pakistan “clearly violates Afghanistan’s national sovereignty.”

“The overt presence and activities of Afghan insurgent elements and their leaders in Pakistani territory clearly violate Afghanistan’s national sovereignty and continue to cause crisis and instability in the region, posing a serious challenge to achieving sustainable peace in Afghanistan,” the Ministry said in a statement while urging Pakistan not to allow its territory to be used by insurgents and elements “who insist on continuing the war and bloodshed”.

Afghanistan’s statement came in the backdrop of the visit of Taliban representatives to Pakistan. “The visit of Taliban representatives to Pakistan and their negotiations with Pakistani officials raised further hopes for taking practical steps toward stopping the bloodshed and bringing about sustainable peace in Afghanistan,” the Afghan ministry said.

Pertinent to mention here that a Taliban delegation arrived in Pakistan’s capital on Wednesday (December 16) for a three-day visit, as both sides in the Afghan peace process continue consultations during a break in negotiations.

The Taliban delegation, led by the militant group’s top political leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, met Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi at the Foreign office.

However, the Afghan foreign ministry today said that following the Taliban leaders’ meetings with Pakistani officials, “a series of video footages emerged in which the Taliban appeared among their followers, disclosing the existence of all Taliban leaders in Pakistan and acknowledging their continued activities in Pakistani territory.”

“It is with deepest regret and concern that some Taliban leaders were seen in the videos visiting training camps,” the ministry said.

Among a series of videos going viral on social media, a clipping shows Talibani leader Mullah Fazal Akhund meeting masked men clad in fatigues at a Taliban training camp at an undisclosed location in Pakistan. The men can be seen embracing him and kissing his hand.


In another video that emerged, Taliban deputy leader Abdul Ghani Baradar can be heard acknowledging that the group makes all decisions related to the Afghan peace talks after consulting its leadership and clerics’ council based in Pakistan.

The footage was recorded when Baradar met wounded Taliban fighters being treated in Karachi during his visit to Pakistan last week as the head of a “political commission” for talks with the leadership in Islamabad.

Meanwhile, the Afghan Foreign Ministry has stated that the Government of Afghanistan considers the closure of insurgent and terrorist sanctuaries and the cessation of their activities vital for the peaceful resolution of the Afghan crisis and ensuring regional peace and stability.

“Afghanistan calls once again for the continuation of sincere cooperation and genuine fight against terrorism and common threats,” it added.

-ARK

J&K Police busts TRF terror module in Jammu’s Narwal; 2 held with arms

J-K Police
Representational image

Jammu (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Police today busted a TRF (The Resistance Force) terror module by arresting two persons including a history-sheeter from Jammu’s Narwal area with arms and ammunition.

Police said that based on reliable input regarding the movement of terrorists with automatic weapons in the Narwal area heading towards Srinagar, a team of SOG (Special Operations Group) Jammu laid a special check point at Narwal.

At about 5.30 pm, when the SOG team was conducting vehicle checking in the area, one white colour Alto car tried to escape the checkpoint. Observing the suspicious movement, SOG team immediately chased the vehicle and apprehended it with the two suspects aboard identified as Raees Ahmad Dar, resident of Churath, Qazigund and Subzar Ahmad Sheikh, resident of Ashmuji, Kulgam.

On checking one bag in possession of Rayees, 1 AK series rifle, 1  pistol, 2 magazines of AK series, 60 AK-rounds and 15 pistol rounds were recovered, police said.

A case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), 1967, has been registered at PS Bahu Fort and investigation is taken up, they said.

Police said that Raees Ahmad Dar has a previous history of involvement in terror activities having 4 cases registered against him. Initial investigation reveals that he is working for TRF (The Resistance Force), a terror outfit. The role of his associate is also being ascertained, they said.

-ARK

Gunfight in south Kashmir’s Shopian in last stage, 1 militant reportedly killed

Gunfight in south Kashmir’s Shopian in last stage, 1 militant reportedly killed: Police
Representative pic of an encounter site in Kashmir

Neyaz Elahi

Shopian (NVI): A militant has been reportedly killed by forces in an ongoing encounter in south Kashmir’s Shopian as the gunfight is in the last stage, police official said.

The gunbattle raged between security forces including soldiers from 44 Rashtriya Rifles and militants after a siege was laid around Kanigam village in Shopian, they said.

As the search operation was launched, militants fired upon the search party, leading to an encounter. There was intermittent firing going on when this report was being filed.

Sources said that two trapped militants have been killed, however, a top official said that only one militant has been neutralised while the exchange of fire continues.

Police sources said that there were inputs about the presence of two militants in the village. Unconfirmed reports identified the trapped militants as Asif Ahmad Lone of Turkawangam in Shopian who went missing in the middle of June this year and Amir Hassan Bhat of Malbagh Shopian who joined militant ranks last month.

A police official said that the gunfight has entered into the last stage. He said militants were offered to surrender but they declined.

-ARK

South Africa dismisses claim its COVID variant more dangerous than UK’s

South Africa dismisses claim its COVID-19 strain more dangerous than UK strain
South Africa Health Minister Zwelini Mkhize

New Delhi (NVI): The government of South Africa has rejected the claims made by the United Kingdom’s that the new coronavirus variant found in the African nation is more dangerous than the one found in Britain.

According to the media reports, the African country’s Health Minister Zwelini Mkhize dismissed the claims of UK health secretary Matt Hancock suggesting the new COVID-19 strain discovered in South Africa is more dangerous than the one in the England.

“At present, there is no evidence that the 501.V2 is more transmissible than the United Kingdom variant- as suggested by British Health Secretary,” Mkhize in a statement said.

“There is also no evidence that the 501.V2 causes more severe disease or in-creased mortality than the UK variant or any variant that has been sequenced around the world,” he was quoted saying in a statement.

Notably, the South African government has named the new variant of the SARS-COV-2 Virus as 501.

Mkhize made these statements a day after, the UK Health Secretary while announcing restrictions on travel from South Africa, stated that the new coronavirus variant appears to be more dangerous and it is highly concerning because it is more transmissible than the one in the UK.

However, he has denied any such claims and said Hancock’s statements have created a perception that the variant in SA has been a major factor in the second wave in the UK, which he said is not true.

Mkhize further pointed out that there is enough evidence to suggest that the UK variant developed earlier than the South African variant, adding that the UK government reported about the new variant to the WHO on December 14 and traced it back to September, a month before the South African variant appears to have developed.

Meanwhile, South Africa is the country hit hardest by coronavirus on the continent, with close to one million infections so far and 26,000 people dead.

-RJV

Jal Jeevan Mission launches innovation challenge for portable water testing devices

JJM
Representative image

New Delhi (NVI): The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade have launched an innovation challenge to develop portable devices for water testing.

The main objective of the exercise is to bring an innovative, modular, and cost-effective solution to develop portable devices that can be used at the household level to test the drinking water quality instantly, easily and accurately, according to a statement released by Ministry of Jal Shakti.

Startups, individual innovators, MSMEs and corporates can participate in the innovation challenge, open till January 18.

The contest would be for three types of devices— One that is capable of checking 13 water quality parameters including pH, total dissolved solids, turbidity, total alkalinity, bacterial contamination and the presence of many other material contaminants, the other will be for checking microbial contamination and the third for a device that can test one or more parameters.

The results would be announced on April 1, 2021.

While there would not be any cash incentive, the selected innovations will be hand-held for further support and deployment opportunities.

The JJM is a national mission launched to provide potable water on tap to every household by 2024.

Water quality testing is one of the priority areas under Jal Jeevan Mission, the flagship programme of Union Government. The aim of the innovation challenge is to ensure that water sources are tested at various locations, at different levels; thereby, helping the policy framers to design programs which address the water contamination issues.

So far, 2.90 crore households have been provided tap water connections since the inception of the scheme, thus increasing the tap water supply from 3.23 crore (17%) in August, 2019 to 6.13 crore (32%) rural households of the country.

Furthermore, every household in 20 districts, 425 blocks, 34 thousand Gram Panchayats and 64 thousand villages of the country now have access to tap water connection.

People receiving piped water supply in their homes do not have any means to test the potability of water coming from their taps. This leads to a situation wherein, quite often, people are reluctant to consume tap water directly.

People in urban areas also end up installing household water treatment units incurring additional expenditure. The challenge aims to address these issues in an innovative, modular and cost-effective manner.

-CHK

J&K: Two Army porters injured in Pak shelling along LoC in Poonch

Narco smuggling
Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir (File Pic)

Neyaz Elahi

Poonch (NVI): Two Army porters were injured today as Pakistani troops engaged in unprovoked shelling and firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district in the Jammu region, defence officials said.

Official sources said that the Pakistani army fired upon security outposts in Bandi and adjoining areas, resulting in injuries of two porters. Both were evacuated to an Army hospital for treatment, they said.

The injured porters have been identified as Muhammad Gayas and Altaf Hussain, both residents of Noor Kote.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Poonch, Ramesh Agarwal said both porters are in stable condition.

Pertinently, on January 11 this year, two porters were killed in Kasalian in Poonch along LoC in Pakistani shelling.

-ARK

Rlys working to enhance user personalisation and facilitation of e-ticketing website

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal

New Delhi (NVI): The Indian Railways is working to enhance user personalisation and facilitation of their IRCTC e-ticketing website along with enhanced features and simple design, the Ministry of Railways said.

Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal reviewed the upgradation being worked for the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) e-ticketing website system. Goyal sought that e-ticketing website should provide holistic convenience to the passengers for their train journey.

“The site should have the all features for ease of booking by the passengers,” the Minister added.

According to an official statement, “IRCTC ticketing website of Indian Railways provides the facility of online passenger reservation in the trains being run over IR touching the lives of most citizens for their rail travel needs.”

Since 2014, a new emphasis is being given on improving the public experience in booking of tickets as well as travelling conveniences, the Railway Ministry said in a statement.

Goyal also felt that IRCTC website remains the first contact point of traveling citizens with the Railways and that experience must be friendly and convenient, it added.

Under the new digital India, more and more people are now moving towards booking the tickets online rather than going to the reservation counters and therefore IRCTC website needs to really double it’s efforts to constantly upgrade itself.

Officials of Railway Board (RB), Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and IRCTC assured Goyal that all possible efforts would be made to further improve the functioning of website, the statement noted.

-RJV

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