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PM Modi, Qatar’s Amir hold talks

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today held a telephonic conversation with Qatar’s Amir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani and decided to create a special Task-Force to further facilitate investments by Qatar Investment Authority into India.

Both the leaders also resolved to explore Qatari investments in the entire energy value-chain in India.

Furthermore, the two leaders discussed the robust cooperation between both countries in the fields of investment flows and energy security, and reviewed recent positive developments in this regard.

PM Modi conveyed his felicitations to the Qatar Amir for the forthcoming National Day of Qatar.

While thanking Prime Minister Modi for the greetings, the Amir appreciated the enthusiasm with which the Indian community in Qatar participates in the National Day celebrations. He also conveyed warm greetings to PM Modi for the recent Diwali festival.

In addition to this, the leaders agreed to remain in regular touch, and looked forward to meeting in-person after the normalisation of the public health situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic

-CHK

Army celebrates service corps day

New Delhi (NVI): Indian Army today celebrated the 260th Corps Day of the Army Service Corps (ASC), in a ceremony organized at National War Memorial.

Lt Gen MKS Yadav, Director General Supplies & Transport and Senior Colonel Commandant laid wreath at National War Memorial, to honour the bravehearts who laid down their lives for the nation, according to a statement by the Ministry of Defence.

“Similar events were also observed at ASC establishments across the country,” it added.

On this occasion, a 260 kilometer Ultra Run, themed ‘Run for Martyrs’ was organised from War Memorial, Chandimandir to National War Memorial, New Delhi from 4 to 8 December.

In addition, the thirteen member team led by Lt Col Inderjit Singh covered the distance in four days to promote the spirit of “Fit India Movement”.

Furthermore, the run which was flagged off by Lt Gen RP Singh, Army Commander Western Command also paid homage to our fallen heroes at various War Memorials enroute at Ambala, Kunjpura and Motilal Nehru Sports School, Rai before they were flagging in by the Director General Supplies & Transport today at the National War Memorial, the statement said.

The Army Service Corps (ASC), the oldest and the largest administrative service in the Indian Army.

It is mainly responsible for provisioning, procurement and distribution of supplies and petroleum products to the Army, Air Force, Navy and other paramilitary forces.

-RJV

South Korea orders COVID-19 vaccines for 44 million people

Coronavirus
Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): South Korea has ordered COVID-19 vaccines for 88 percent of its population, or 44 million people, announcing deals with four pharmaceutical companies as well as the World Health Organization’s global vaccine project, known as COVAX.

The announcement came as South Korea struggles to contain its third and largest wave of coronavirus infections – a resurgence that authorities have described as a “dire crisis” that threatens to overwhelm the country’s healthcare system, according to Yonhap news agency.

Park Neung-hoo, South Korea’s minister of health, said the government has arranged to buy 20 million doses each from AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna, and a further four million doses from Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen, which will be enough to cover as many as 34 million people.

Additional doses for 10 million people would be procured through COVAX, he added.

“We had initially planned to secure vaccines for 30 million people but decided to purchase more, as there is uncertainty over the success of the vaccine candidates and the competition is intense among countries for early purchases,” he said.

Reportedly, shipments of the vaccine would begin no later than March, but authorities would observe how the vaccines worked in other countries for several months to ensure safety.

Unlike South Korea’s previous two waves of infections, which were largely focused around a handful of facilities or events, the new wave is being driven by smaller, harder-to-trace clusters in and around the densely populated capital city of Seoul.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 594 new coronavirus cases as of midnight on Monday, bringing the country’s total to 38,755, with 552 deaths.

-CHK

Mehbooba claims she’s been detained once again at her residence

Mehbooba claims she’s been detained once again at her residence

Neyaz Elahi

Srinagar (NVI): Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti today alleged that she has been illegally detained once again at her residence here ahead of her visit to Budgam while condemning the Centre of “muzzling any form of opposition.”

While taking to Twitter, the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister claimed that she has been illegally detained at her Gupkar residence ahead of her visit to Budgam in Central Kashmir where hundreds of families have been reportedly evicted from their homes.

“Illegal detention has become GOIs favourite go-to method for muzzling any form of opposition. I’ve been detained once again because I wanted to visit Budgam where hundreds of families were evicted from their homes,” she tweeted along with videos in which she can be seen knocking at the locked gate and asking guards outside to open it and show her papers about her detention.

“Jammu Kashmir has been ruined. What the hell is happening here? First you detain and then utter lies. Even LG says nobody was detained,” Mehbooba can be seen telling police and other administrative officials around her in another video.

In another tweet on Twitter, the PDP chief wrote: GOI wants to continue inflicting oppression & zulm on the people of J&K without any questions asked.

While talking to NVI, PDP spokesperson Suhail Bukhari said that Mehbooba was scheduled to visit parts of Budgam, particularly Kanidajan and its adjacent areas where apple trees have been uprooted and members of Gujjar community evicted from forest land by the government.

Pertinently, the J&K Forest Department had recently axed hundreds of apple trees in Kanidajan area. The Department had also dismantled sheds and Gujjar ‘Dhokas’ in the area, saying that these were erected on forest land.

-ARK

Meghalaya to reopen for tourists from Dec 21 with restrictions

Meghalaya to reopen for tourists from Dec 21 with restrictions
Meghalaya, the abode of clouds, is one of the most beautiful states in North-east India (File photo)

New Delhi (NVI): The Meghalaya government has decided to reopen its doors for tourists from outside the state from December 21, after almost nine months of shutdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma took to Twitter and informed about the development. “Meghalaya reopens its #Tourism from 21st December, 2020. While you’re planning your next trip, here’s what awaits you in the #LandOfClouds. #CheckInToNature,” Sangma tweeted.

The Chief Minister also shared a cinematic video showing the state in its absolute and complete glory.

Meghalaya, the abode of clouds, is one of the most beautiful states in North-east India offering a variety of sights, activities, food and festivals to tourists.

Meanwhile, the State’s Tourism Department has also issued a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for all the tourists who will be visiting the state after the COVID-19 induced lockdown.

Under the new SOPs, it has been made mandatory for all the tourists to register on the Meghalaya Tourism App and generate e-invite for the proposed itinerary. The App can be downloaded on both Android and iOS. Also, photo identity cards of all members of the visiting group have to be uploaded to obtain one common e-invite.

With an aim to provide support to the tourism industry of the north-eastern state after months of lockdown and subsequent losses, the Meghalaya tourism department has made it compulsory for tourists to book hotels, homestays and guest houses for at least two nights.

Further, the tourists entering the state needs to produce a COVID negative RT-PCR/TruNat/CBNAAT report which will be valid only if they were tested within 72 hours of
their arrival at the entry point. However, the RAT negative test is not valid for tourists who are entering the state.

Earlier on October 16, the state open tourism activities and places only for the local tourists, while spots- Ward’s Lake, Elephant Falls, and Lum Nehru Park were opened on a trial basis.

-RJV

Protesting farmers’ call for Bharat Bandh receives support in J&K

Protesting farmers’ call for Bharat Bandh receives support in J&K

Neyaz Elahi

Srinagar (NVI): Amid winter chill and rains, various groups including members from fruit market associations in Kashmir valley today joined nation-wide ‘Bharat-Bandh’, while standing in solidarity with the farmers protesting against ‘anti-farmer’ bills passed by the Centre recently.

Farmers across the country have called for a ‘Bharat Bandh’ or nation-wide strike today against the contentious farm bills passed by the BJP-ruled government.

Jammu Kashmir Kissan Tehreek (JKKT), that is a part of Communist Party of India (Marxist), held a protest at Press Enclave in Srinagar. The protest was led by JKKT General Secretary, Ghulam Nabi Malik.

The protesters carrying placards and banners sought withdrawal of “controversial” farmer laws. “The bills are aimed to help the corporate agri-businesses at the cost of poor farmer’s hard work,” the protesters claimed. They said the Central Government must adhere to the democratic processes and norms and meet the legitimate demands of farmers.

While addressing the protest demonstration, General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Malik said that these new agri-laws passed in the Parliament in a “brazen anti-democratic manner” preventing a structured discussion and voting, will “threaten” India’s food security and “destroy” Indian agriculture and farmers.


He said these bills have pushed the farmers into a critical situation. “If the ordinance had been in favour of the farmers, the government would have discussed and revealed the contents of the bill to the nation. These Acts will mean complete withdrawal of the Government from procurement and put farmers at the mercy of corporate companies. It is aimed to facilitate profiteering by big players like Adani Wilmar, Reliance, Walmart, Birla, ITC, etc,” he said.

Malik further claimed that the Modi Government is pushing through various neoliberal measures under the guise of the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign’. “All the measures announced under its auspices for agriculture and rural infrastructure have actually given nothing much to the farmers. The Covid-19 pandemic has become a golden opportunity for the Modi Government to push through anti-farmer and anti-worker legislations without any proper parliamentary scrutiny or discussion,” he said.

While condemning the BJP government, the protesters also warned that their agitations will intensify unless the bills are repealed.

Another group, United Sikh Forum also staged a protest in Srinagar amid rains and extended their support to the protesting farmers of India.

The protesters assembled in Press Enclave in Srinagar and demanded the withdrawal of what they said “anti-farmer” legislations. They said their support for farmers will always be there. They condemned the use of ‘force’ on protesting farmers in the recent the past.

Fruit dealers also supported the Bharat Bandh call given by farmers in North Kashmir. The biggest fruit mandi of North Kashmir which is located in Sopore town also remained shut in solidarity with the protesting farmers.

Fayaz Ahmad Malik, President, Fruit Mandi Sopore, told media that they support today’s strike of farmers and demand the roll-back of “anti-farmer” legislations.

-ARK

Mt Everest’s revised height is 8,848.86 mts, China and Nepal announce

New Delhi (NVI): The highest point on Earth, Mount Everest, has a newly announced elevation. The revised height is now 8848.86 metres, Nepal and China announced after a joint measurement.

“8848.86 metres is the newly-measured height of Mount Everest,” said Nepal’s Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali said at a briefing.

The new height is 86 cm – a little less than 3 feet – more than the previous measurement, said Gyawali.

The height of the mountain peak that straddles the Nepal-China border, was announced simultaneously by Nepal’s Foreign Minister and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Kathmandu and Beijing.

Reportedly, Nepal government decided to measure the exact height of the mountain amid debates that there might have been a change in its height due to various reasons, including the devastating earthquake of 2015.

According to the earlier measurement done in 1954 by Survey of India, the height of Mt. Everest is 8,848 meters.

Nepal’s Department of Survey had begun the exercise to measure the height of the Mt Everest two years ago.

-CHK

90-year-old lady from UK becomes first person to receive Pfizer Covid vaccine

Margaret Keenan, first person in the world to receive a Covid-19 vaccine (Source: @NHSEngland)

New Delhi (NVI): A 90-year-old woman from Northern Ireland in the UK has become the first person in the world to receive Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.

Margaret Keenan, a grandmother-of-four from Eniniskillen, Northern Ireland, received the vaccine shot at the Coventry’s University Hospital, England at around 6.31 am (GMT) UK time, according to reports.

After being administered the dose, Keenan said, “I feel so privileged to be the first person vaccinated against Covid-19, it’s the best early birthday present I could wish for because it means I can finally look forward to spending time with my family and friends in the new year after being on my own for most of the year.”

“I can’t thank May and the National Health Service (NHS) staff enough who have looked after me tremendously, and my advice to anyone offered the vaccine is to take it – if I can have it at 90 then you can have it too,” she was quoted as saying by National Health Service (NHS) in a statement.

The United Kingdom became the first country in the world to start using the Pfizer vaccine after regulators approved its use last week.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson also took to Twitter to thank the scientists and National Health Service (NHS). Retweeting the NHS, Johnson wrote, “Today the first vaccinations in the UK against COVID-19 begin. Thank you to our NHS, to all of the scientists who worked so hard to develop this vaccine, to all the volunteers – and to everyone who has been following the rules to protect others. We will beat this together.”

This achievement also marks the start of the UK’s mass vaccination programme against the deadly coronavirus disease. The first of 8,00,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will be given in the coming weeks.

Britain has ordered a total of 40 million doses of the vaccine. Each person requires two doses and this would be enough to vaccinate 20 million people in the country of 67 million, according to reports.

-RJV

Need to work together for timely roll-out of 5G: PM Modi at IMC

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said India needs to work together to ensure timely rollout of 5G technology to leapfrog into the future and empower millions of Indians.

Speaking at the fourth edition of India Mobile Congress (IMC), the Prime Minister said the government will ensure greater spread of fixed line, broad band connectivity and public Wifi hotspots to improve digital connectivity in the country.

“We are embarking on a plan to ensure that over the next three years, every village will have high speed fiber optic connectivity. There is fiber optic cable at Andaman and Nicobar Island. We are coming out with programmes that focus exclusively on places which can make the best of such connectivity—aspirational districts, Laskwadeep, other islands,” Modi said.

He further added, “It is because of mobile technology that we are able to provide benefits worth billions of dollars to millions of Indians. It is because of mobile technology that we were able to help the poor and vulnerable quickly/ during the pandemic It is because of mobile technology that we are seeing billions of cashless transactions which boost formalisation and transparency.”

“Due to technological upgradation, we have a culture of replacing handsets & gadgets frequently, Modi said, adding, “Can the industry form a task-force to think of a better way of handling the electronic waste & create a circular economy.”

IMC 2020 has participation from various government departments, heads of telecom companies, domain experts in 5G, artificial intelligence, internet of things, data analytics, cloud and edge computing, blockchain, cyber-security, smart cities and automation.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the event’s theme–Inclusive Innovation – Smart, Secure, Sustainable–aims to align to the Prime Minister’s vision to promote ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, ‘Digital Inclusivity’, and ‘Sustainable development, entrepreneurship and innovation’.

-CHK

India records lowest daily new COVID cases after 5 months

Covid-19
File photo

New Delhi (NVI): India registered 26,567 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours for the first time after nearly 5 months, a significant achievement in its fight against COVID-19, the Union Health Ministry said.

This the first time after July when the daily new COVID-19 cases have fallen below 27,000. The new cases were 26,506 last on July 10, 2020.

“India’s steady trend of registering dipping active cases continues with a high number of COVID-19 patients recovering every day and the sustained fall in the mortality rate,” the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

The active total cases have also drastically declined to 3.83 lakh. The total positive cases of the country are 3,83,866 and comprise 3.96 per cent of the total cases, the ministry said.

“39,045 new recoveries were registered during the last 24 hours. It has led to a net decline of 12,863 cases from the total active caseload during the same period,” it added.

Meanwhile, in another achievement, the country’s active caseload has fallen under the 4 per cent mark. “New recoveries outnumbering the daily new cases has also improved the recovery rate to 94.59 per cent today, pushing the total recovered cases to 91,78,946,” the statement said.

As many 76.31 per cent of the new recovered cases are contributed by ten States and UTs. Maharashtra has recorded the maximum number of recoveries with 7,345 persons recovering from COVID-19, Kerala registered 4,705 recoveries while Delhi has reported 3,818 new recoveries in the past 24 hours, the ministry said.

It also said, ten States and UTs have contributed 72.50 per cent of the new cases. Out of these, Kerala has reported 3,272 cases in the last 24 hours, followed by Maharashtra with 3,075 cases and West Bengal with 2,214 new cases.

Furthermore, 75.58 per cent of the 385 case fatalities that reported in the past 24 hours are from Ten States and UTs. “16.36 per cent of new fatalities reported are from Delhi which reported 63 deaths. West Bengal saw a fatality count of 48 while Maharashtra reported 40 new deaths.”

However, asserting that there is a steady decline in the number of viddaily deaths recorded in the country, the ministry said less than 400 new deaths were recorded in the country in the last 24 hours.

-RJV

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