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Fri, 09 July 2021
Navy bans flying of drones over bases, assets
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23:52 Biden dials Putin on ransomware attack from Russia
US President Joe Biden on Friday spoke with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the ongoing ransomware attacks from Russia, the White House said.
Biden spoke with Putin about the ongoing ransomware attacks by criminals based in Russia that have impacted the US and other countries around the world, the White House said in a readout of the call.
Biden underscored the need for Russia to take action to disrupt ransomware groups operating in Russia and emphasised that he is committed to continued engagement on the broader threat posed by ransomware, it said.
During the call, Biden reiterated that the US will take any necessary action to defend its people and its critical infrastructure in the face of this continuing challenge, it said.
"The leaders commended the joint work of their respective teams following the US-Russia summit that led to the unanimous renewal of cross-border humanitarian assistance to Syria today in the UN Security Council," the White House added.
-- PTI
23:13 Navy bans flying of drones over bases, assets
The India Navy has banned flying of drones and UAVs within 3 km of its bases, units and assets.
According to Southern Naval Command, Any non-conventional aerial objects incl Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems found violating this prohibition, will be destroyed/confiscated.
22:50 Jairam Ramesh accuses PM of dividing India into BJP and non-BJP states in vaccine distribution
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday alleged partisanship in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccine among states and accused the prime minister of dividing them into those governed by the BJP and those by others.
He cited the example of Congress-ruled Rajasthan and said even though it has the capacity to administer 15 lakh vaccine doses a day, it has been allocated only 49 lakh doses for the entire month.
"Rajasthan has put in place capacity to administer 15 lakh doses a day, and has already done 10 lakh doses a day. But the Modi government has allocated only 49 lakh doses to Rajasthan for the entire month of July," he said.
"How will we vaccinate India if PM divides India into BJP and non-BJP states," he said on Twitter.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot wrote to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, saying that the state has built a capacity of 15 lakh doses a day, but is being provided with only 1.75 lakh doses of the vaccine.
He claimed that 42 per cent of the state's people above 18 years have been administered the first dose and all adults can be vaccinated before December.
"But the way the vaccine supplies are made by the Centre, we are concerned over it. I have written to the new health minister to provide adequate supply of vaccines to Rajasthan," Gehlot said on Twitter.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has also said that the state is left with no supplies of Covishield and only one day of stock of Covaxin. He has asked for more supplies of the vaccine from the Centre.
The Congress has alleged discrimination with non-BJP-ruled states by the central government in providing Covid vaccines.
-- PTI
22:29 'Delimitation exercise in J-K will be transparent'
The delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir will be transparent in nature and there should be no fears and doubts over it, Justice (retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai said on Friday, seeking to dispel apprehensions among a section of political leaders and people that it is a pre-planned exercise guided by the agenda of a political party.
Desai, who heads the Delimitation Commission, was on a four-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir along with its other members to gather "first hand" inputs on the conduct of the mega exercise to redraw constituencies and carve out new ones in the union territory.
The commission said the exercise would be done according to the Census of 2011 and that the 24 assembly seats falling in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir will remain vacant and are out of its preview.
"I assure you from myself and my colleagues that the exercise is going to be transparent as per laid down law. I do not think anybody should have any such apprehensions," Justice (retd) Desai told reporters here.
She was replying to a question about apprehensions expressed by a section of political parties and people in Kashmir that it is a pre-planned exercise guided by the agenda of a political party.
"The exercise will be transparent in nature and there should be no fears and doubts. We can only talk to those who want to participate in the process. Those who don't want to, have their own choice," she said.
She said, "We are confident that we will finish this task as per laid down law in a transparent manner. Otherwise we would have not been coming here and spending these days hearing all."
-- PTI
22:16 Deshmukh case: CBI records statement of dismissed Mumbai cop Sachin Waze in prison
The Central Bureau of Investigation has recorded the statement of dismissed Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze, who is lodged in a jail, in connection with its probe into the corruption charges against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, an official said on Friday.
Waze was quizzed at the Taloja Central Prison in Navi Mumbai by a team of the CBI which is probing the corruption charges against Deshmukh on direction of the Bombay High Court, the official said.
The questioning took place on Wednesday and Thursday, he said.
Last week, a special court had allowed the CBI to quiz Waze. Earlier, the central agency had interrogated the former encounter cop and recorded his statement in April.
Waze was arrested by the National Investigation Agency for his alleged role in recovery of an explosives-laden car from outside the south Mumbai residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani and subsequent murder of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran, the owner of the vehicle.
Following the HC direction, the CBI had registered an FIR in April against Deshmukh and others after a preliminary enquiry in connection with the allegations of corruption and misconduct levelled by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.
Deshmukh, an NCP leader, had resigned from the state cabinet after the HC order.
Waze had claimed he was asked to collect money from bar and restaurant owners allegedly on instructions of Deshmukh, who has repeatedly denied the allegations against him.
-- PTI
21:48 42% ministers declared criminal cases against them
Of the 78 ministers in the Cabinet, 42 per cent have declared criminal cases against them with four having cases related to attempt to murder, according to a report by poll rights group ADR.
As many as 15 new cabinet ministers and 28 ministers of state were sworn in on Wednesday, taking the strength of the council of ministers to 78.
Of all the ministers analysed, 33 (42 per cent) have declared criminal cases against themselves, said the Association for Democratic Reforms report citing their poll affidavits.
About 24 or 31 per cent ministers have declared serious criminal cases including cases related to murder, attempt to murder, robbery etc.
Nisith Pramanik from Cooch Behar constituency who has been appointed as the Minister of State for Home Affairs has declared a case related to murder (IPC Section-302) against himself. At 35, he is also the youngest minister in the Cabinet.
Four ministers have declared cases related to attempt to murder (IPC Section-307). They are - John Barla, Pramanik, Pankaj Choudhary and V Muraleedharan
Out of the ministers analysed, 70 (90 per cent) are crorepatis and the average assets per minister is Rs.16.24 crore.
Four ministers have declared more than Rs 50 crore worth of assets. They are Jyotiraditya Scindia, Piyush Goyal, Narayan Tatu Rane and Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
-- PTI
21:27 Randhir reveals Saif-Kareena's son's name
Bollywood star couple Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan have named their second son, Jeh, veteran actor Randhir Kapoor has confirmed.
The couple, who announced the pregnancy in August last year, welcomed their baby boy on February 21.
"Yes, Kareena and Saif's son has been named Jeh recently," Kareena's father Randhir Kapoor told PTI.
Kareena, 40 and Saif, 50, are also parents to son Taimur, who was born on December 20, 2016. The toddler has been an internet sensation ever since his birth and is followed by the paparazzi round-the-clock.
Back then, soon after the baby boy was named Taimur, people on social media had started questioning the origins of the name.
Saif also has two children -- actor-daughter Sara Ali Khan, 25, and son Ibrahim Ali Khan, 20, from his previous marriage to actor Amrita Singh.
-- PTI
21:08 Ind vs SL series pushed back to July 17
India's limited-overs series against Sri Lanka to have a delayed start as a response to the Covid-19 cases that have broken out in the host camp.
It was scheduled to begin with the ODI leg, on July 13 but is now to begin only on July 17.
Sri Lanka's data analyst GT Niroshan tested positive on Friday, a day after their batting coach Grant Flower also tested positive, for the Delta variant of the virus. Both of them have been moved to intermediate care units, while the Sri Lankan team has now been forced to isolate for two more days.
They were originally supposed to enter the bio-bubble on Friday but now they will have to undergo a fresh set of RT-PCR tests and those results will determine whether Sri Lanka can field the players who are currently in isolation.
20:38 No COVID-19 vaccination in Mumbai on Saturday too
The COVID-19 vaccination drive will remain suspended at civic and government-run centres in Mumbai on Saturday due to a shortage of doses and no inoculation will take place on Sunday on account of weekly off of staffers, the BMC said on Friday.
On Friday, too, the drive remained suspended in BMC and Maharashtra government-run centres in the metropolis due paucity of doses.
According to a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation statement, the inoculation drive will remain suspended on Saturday due to a shortage of vaccines, while it will be closed on Sunday because of weekly off.
In the statement, the civic body said the vaccination drive will resume once it receives a fresh stock of vaccines.
"The citizens of Mumbai are constantly informed about the vaccination, depending on the stock of vaccines received," it said.
The municipal body had suspended inoculation in BMC and government-run centres on July 1, too, due to unavailability of vaccine doses.
According to the BMC, a total of 59,29,190 citizens have been inoculated against coronavirus in the metropolis till Wednesday (July 7). Of these, 12,47,410 beneficiaries have received their second dose as well.
Presently, Mumbai has 401 active COVID-19 vaccination centres - 283 of the BMC, 20 of the state government and 98 private facilities.
-- PTI
20:18 Haryana schools to reopen for Classes 9 to 12 from July 16
Amid a steady decline in Covid cases, the Haryana government has given a go-ahead to resume offline classes in both government and private schools in the state.
According to an order issued by the Directorate School Education, offline classes will resume for students of Classes IX-XII from July 16. For Classes VI-VIII, the offline classes will resume from July 23.
The order says that a decision on resuming offline classes for students of Classes I-V will be taken later.
The order says that online classes that were started after a spike in Covid infections forced the schools to shut will continue.
19:57 India thanks Russia for aid during 2nd Covid wave
India on Friday thanked Russia for the support and aid when the country was battling a deadly second wave of the coronavirus in April and May this year.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said: "I would like to express my appreciation for the support we (India) got from Russia during the second wave of the COVID pandemic this year.
"There were four consignments which were flown-in on a very expedited basis by the Russian Government," he said.
"India has become a partner of Russia in the production and use of the Sputnik V vaccine and we believe that this is not only good for the two of us but it has positive implications for the rest of the world," Jaishankar said.
A deadly wave of the pandemic led to a spike in the number of cases and deaths in India in April and May this year.
In the midst of the deadly wave in late April and early May, Russia had sent four planes full of medical supplies, mainly consisting of oxygen concentrators, ventilators and medicines.
Jaishankar said India and Russia share a "time-tested and trust-based relationship" which has further strengthened in the last year, amidst the pandemic.
So far, India has recorded 3,07,52,950 cases and 4,05,939 COVID-19 deaths, as per the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.
-- PTI
19:34 Gaffar market, Naiwala in Delhi to remain closed for two days for Covid norms violation
The Delhi government on Friday ordered the closure of the popular Gaffar Market and Naiwala market in Karol Bagh for two days over violation of Covid protocols.
It also ordered the closure of another market in Rohini for flouting Covid norms.
The closure will come into effect from 10 pm on July 9 and will stay in place till 10 pm on July 11, the order said.
The DDA Market in Rohini's Sector 13 will remain closed till July 12, it said.
"Market shopkeepers , thiyawallahs/vendors, and general public in Gaffar Market and Naiwala, Karol Bagh are not following the Covid-appropriate behaviour. Due to large footfall, market association and shopkeepers are not able to ensure Covid protocols in the aforesaid markets in last three days.
"The guidelines/directions of Covid Protocol are being contravened in the Gaffar Market and Naiwala which may cause super -- spreading of the coronavirus," the order said.
The order also stated that the Market Welfare Association of Gaffar Market and Naiwala have "failed to ensure the strict compliance of the guidelines of COVID-19".
The order for closure of markets in Karol Bagh also noted that it is "necessary to take an immediate and stringent action to curtail the spread of the virus and not to let develop any such place as super spreader in larger interest of public".
Delhi was under lockdown from April 19 to May 30 during the second wave of the Covid pandemic. Restrictions are being eased in a phased manner, and markets were allowed to open from June 7.
The Lajpat Nagar, Laxmi Nagar market, Kamla Nagar, Sarojini Nagar and parts of Sadar Bazar were among those shut in recent weeks by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority for violation of COVID-19 norms.
-- PTI
19:13 Covid will reach endemic stage in India, says top ICMR official
In an indication that the coronavirus disease may not completely go away from the country, a senior official of the Indian Council of Medical Research said on Friday that the Covid-19 virus, just like influenza, will subsequently "reach its endemic stage." This means that the virus will "always be present" among a certain population or within a region.
According to Dr Samiran Panda, who heads ICMR's Division of Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases, once the virus reaches its endemic stage, annual vaccination may be required. "The Covid-19 virus will reach its endemic stage like influenza after a while. Then, the vulnerable population may have to get vaccinated annually," Dr Panda said. He continued, "Commonly known as flu, influenza was a pandemic 100 years ago but today it is endemic. Similarly, in the case of Covid-19, it is expected that it will gradually become endemic from its current stage of pandemic."
Dr Panda further recommended the elderly to take their flu shots every year. "There is no need to panic. As the influenza virus keeps on mutating, minor changes are made to the vaccine simultaneously," the ICMR official said.
18:41 RSS opens account on Koo
Twitter rival Koo on Friday said the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has joined its platform to connect with people in Indian languages.
Koo has seen increased adoption by ruling party leaders and others amid Twitter's frequent run-ins with the government on various issues, including the new IT rules.
Koo said communities on its platform are growing, with a large number of personalities from politics, sports and entertainment having made their debut on the site.
"The new prominent entrant to the community is the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which on Wednesday, began to engage with people on Koo, the Indian micro-blogging and social networking platform, using the handle @RSSOrg.
"With over 5 million members, RSS is the progenitor and leader of a large body of organisations with a presence across various facets of Indian society," the company said in a statement.
Founded by serial entrepreneur Aprameya Radhakrishna, founder of TaxiForSure, and Mayank Bidawatka, who previously formed companies like MediaAnt and Goodbox, Koo now has over 6.5 million users.
"A made in India platform, Koo enables organizations to strengthen local reach and connect with communities in various parts of India. The RSS's official spokesperson, Rajiv Tuli, has also joined Koo," the company said.
-- PTI
18:26 Kamal Nath takes jibe at Scindia over his induction in Union Cabinet
Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath on Friday took a jibe at his former party colleague and now BJP MP Jyotiraditya Scindia over the latter's inclusion in the Union Cabinet as Minister of Civil Aviation.
"This is a matter between BJP and Scindia. May he be happy. Ab kaise aage chalti hai gaadi wo dekha jayega (It will be seen how this vehicle moves forward)," Kamal Nath told reporters here when asked on Scindia's inclusion in the Union Cabinet.
Scindia, who played a key role in BJP's return to power in Madhya Pradesh last year after Congress ruled the state for 15-months, took the charge of the office of Minister of Civil Aviation on Friday.
The Rajya Sabha MP replaced Hardeep Singh Puri, who has been elevated as the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and will also hold the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry.
Scindia, a five-time MP had under the Congress-led UPA I government been the Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology and in the UPA II government served as the Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry.
-- ANI
The Zika virus is mosquito borne
18:04 Kerala confirms 14 cases of Zika
Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Friday said that the state's health department has formulated an action plan for the prevention of the spread of Zika virus.
There is a high alert in all the districts of the state after 14 people, including a pregnant woman, were confirmed infected with the mosquito-borne virus Addressing a press conference, the state health minister said that out of 19 samples sent from Thiruvananthapuram district to National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, 13 were found to be positive for Zika.
"All 13 are health workers working in the private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. They lived near a hospital in the city. Immediate action will be taken after examining areas of the city where they lived and their travel history. In addition, a 24-year-old woman was diagnosed with the disease during a hospital examination the previous day. With this, the disease is confirmed in 14 people," George said.
17:43 How immune system of men and women differ in response to Covid found
Researchers have identified significant differences in how the immune systems of women and men respond to the virus that causes COVID-19, representing a potential target for drug intervention.
The team led by researchers at Yale University in the US found a metabolic pathway that is highly correlated with immune responses only in male patients, who are known to be more likely to suffer severe cases and die of the disease.
The study, published in the journal Science Signaling, shows male COVID-19 patients were more likely than female patients or healthy control subjects to have elevated levels of kynurenic acid, a product of amino acid metabolism. High levels of kynurenic acid have been linked to several diseases, such as schizophrenia and HIV-related diseases, the researchers said.
Male patients with severe COVID-19 cases were also more likely to have a high ratio of kynurenic acid to kynurenine, a by-product of the amino acid L-tryptophan, which is used to create the nutrient niacin, they said. "It is so vital to understand as much of the altered biochemistry in a disease as possible.
By doing so, we maximise the chances of developing an accurate disease-model and potential route to treatment," said Nicholas Rattray, from the University of Strathclyde, UK.
"This research highlights the important role metabolites play in understanding COVID-19 severity and, with further investigation and validation, holds great potential for the development of further understanding of how a person's different immune status can reflect their response to disease," Rattray said. -- PTI
India is vaccinating only 40 lakh people a day
17:36 No case of Lambda Covid variant in India: Govt
The Central government on Friday said the Lambda variant of COVID-19 is not found in India but people should be cautious of such variant. "Lambda variant of coronavirus is a variant of interest. We should be watchful of such variants. As of now, there is no evidence that this variant has been identified in India," Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, NITI Aayog said at a weekly press conference.
On June 14, the World Health Organization designated the Lambda variant, previously known by its formal scientific name C.37, as the seventh and newest "variant of interest".
Dr Paul also said mass gathering at tourist spots in the country is a "serious cause of concern".
"We cannot lower our guard. A new risk is being seen at tourist spots where a gathering of crowds being seen, social distancing and mask protocol is not being followed. This is a serious cause of concern," he said.
The NITI Aayog member also reiterated that pregnant women should take the vaccine. - ANI
17:31 Rahul pays his respects to Virbhadra Singh
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi paid last respects to former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and consoled his family members. Seen here with Rajeev Shukla.
17:20 The top losers in the markets today
The BSE benchmark Sensex tumbled 183 points on Friday, tracking losses in index majors HDFC Bank, Reliance Industries and TCS. The 30-share index ended 182.75 points or 0.35 per cent lower at 52,386.19.
The broader NSE Nifty dropped 38.10 points or 0.24 per cent to close at 15,689.80. Bajaj Auto was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding around 2 per cent, followed by TCS, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, Reliance Industries and Tech Mahindra. On the other hand, Tata Steel, Bajaj Finserv, Bharti Airtel and NTPC were among the gainers. -- PTI
A woman grimaces ahead of a Covid test
17:02 Punjab opens bars, gyms, cinemas to vaccinated
Punjab lifts weekend and night curfew, allows gatherings of 100 people indoors and 200 outdoors. Bars, gyms, cinema halls, restaurants, spas to re-open with staff and visitors having taken at least 1 dose each of COVID-19 vaccine.
This comes ahead of an impeding 3rd Covid wave, purportedly towards the end of next month and the emergence of a new Covid-19 variant called Kappa.
Two cases of the Kappa variant have been detected in Uttar Pradesh, according to an official statement issued on Friday.
Genome sequencing of 109 samples was done at King George's medical college in Lucknow in the past few days.
The Delta Plus variant of COVID-19 was found in 107 samples, while the Kappa variant was found in two samples, the statement issued after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's routine review meeting said.
16:51 India concerned about events in Afghanistan: EAM
Voicing concern over the spiraling violence in Afghanistan, India said on Friday that the "legitimacy aspect" of who should rule the war-torn country is of importance and should not be ignored as it called for immediate reduction in violence there.
"Of course we are concerned at the direction of events in Afghanistan," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said while responding to a question during a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
His remarks came in the midst of Taliban militants seizing dozens of districts in recent weeks and are now thought to control about a third of the country, ahead of the withdrawal of US and Western troops from Afghanistan by September 11.
Under a deal with the Taliban, the US and its NATO allies agreed to withdraw all troops in return for a commitment by the militants that they would prevent extremist groups from operating in areas they control.
"The point right now we stress is that we must see a reduction in violence. Violence cannot be the solution for the situation in Afghanistan," Jaishankar said.
"At the end of the day, who governs Afghanistan has a legitimacy aspect of it. I think that is something which cannot and should not be ignored," said Jaishankar, who is in Russia on a three-day visit.
For now more than 30 years, there have been international conferences, there have been groups, there have been formats to discuss how to stabilise and bring about peace in Afghanistan, he said, adding that the reason is because it has proven implications for regional security and regional stability.
"If we have to seek peace within Afghanistan and around, it's important for India and Russia to work together to ensure that much of the progress in economic, social terms are maintained. We are committed to an independent, sovereign and democratic Afghanistan," he said. -- PTI
16:44 ED summons Mumbai's ex-top cop Param Bir Singh
The ED is soon expected to question and record the statement of former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh in a money laundering case linked to his allegation of a Rs 100 bribery-cum-extortion racket in the state police establishment that led to the resignation of former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, officials said on Friday.
They said 59-year-old Singh has been issued summons to appear before the investigating officer of the case in Mumbai and the senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer has sought some time to depose apparently owing to an health issue.
The summons has been issued to Singh sometime ago as part of the investigation into the case involving him and Deshmukh, they said. Singh, a 1988-batch IPS officer, is currently the director general of Maharashtra Police home guards unit.
He was removed as the Mumbai Commissioner of Police (CP) after multiple investigations were launched into an instance of security scare that was reported from near the Mumbai house of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani in the capital city of Maharashtra. -- PTI
Cholera affected thousands in cyclone-hit Mozambique in 2019
16:34 Blue Death claims 5 lives in Gandhinagar
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said he has instructed the officials of Gujarat's Gandhinagar district to take steps to contain the cases of cholera, which has so far claimed five lives in Kalol town.
Shah, who represents the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, said this in a tweet. "Upon learning about the emergence of cholera cases in some part of Kalol town under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, I held a telephonic discussion with Gandhinagar district collector and health officer today and instructed them to take necessary steps to contain the spread of the disease, he said.
He added that officials were also asked to make necessary arrangements for the treatment of the infected persons.
Cholera is an acute, diarrheal illness which can lead to dehydration and even death if untreated. It has been nicknamed the "blue death" because a person's skin may turn bluish-gray from extreme loss of fluids.
On July 6, the district administration in Gandhinagar had declared Kalol town as a cholera-affected region after five cases were found there. An order declaring the area in a two-kilometre radius of Kalol as affected by the ailment was issued on July 6 by Gandhinagar collector Kuldeep Arya under the Epidemic Diseases Act for a period of one month.
Till now, five persons from Kalol town have lost their lives after getting infected, while around 25 suspected patients, having symptoms like vomiting and diarrhoea are admitted in local hospitals at present, said Chief District Health Officer, M H Solanki, adding that three new cases emerged during the last 24 hours.
"Kalol residents were complaining about contaminated drinking water since last one and half month. It happened because an underground water pipeline got ruptured. The Kalol municipality has located that place and work has already started to repair the damaged pipeline, said Solanki.
16:18 TCS to hire 40K freshers from campuses in FY22
India's largest software exporter TCS will be hiring more than 40,000 freshers from campuses in the country in the financial year 2021-22 , a top executive said on Friday.
The company, the largest employer in the private sector with a base of over 5 lakh employees, had hired 40,000 graduates from campuses last year and will do better on that number, its chief of global human resources Milind Lakkad said.
He said the COVID pandemic-related restrictions do not pose any difficulties in hiring and added that last year, a total of 3.60 lakh freshers had appeared for an entrance test virtually. "From the campus in India, we hired 40,000 last year. We will continue to hire and hire 40,000 or more this year in India," Lakkad told reporters, adding that lateral hiring will also be robust this year.
15:59 Taliban says it controls 85% of Afghan territory
The Islam Qala border town, one of the key trade gateways of Afghanistan into Iran, and the Torghundi border town, another trade gateway into Turkmenistan, have fallen to the Taliban, according to local officials.
The Taliban said it now controlled 85 per cent of Aghan territory.
Both the important border towns lie in the country's Herat province. As the security situation continues to deteriorate in the country, the Taliban has overrun areas bordering five countries - Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, China and Pakistan, Ariana News reported. Nisar Ahmad Naseri, a senior official of Herat customs department said that activities at Islam Qala customs were stopped after it was fallen to the Taliban.
Taliban has announced to have captured the Islam Qala customs and the Torghundi border town as sources from the province told TOLO news that security forces stationed there have crossed the border to Iran following the Taliban's arrival at the area.
15:21 New Law Minister Kiren Rijiju meets predecessor Ravi Shankar Prasad
Newly appointed Law Minister Kiren Rijiju met his predecessor Ravi Shankar Prasad here on Saturday. Rijiju was given the law and justice portfolio on Wednesday and elevated to the Cabinet rank in a major rejig of the Union Council of Ministers. Prasad, who was holding the portfolio, besides the information technology and communications ministries, had resigned from the government on Wednesday. Prasad also tweeted about his meeting with Rijiju. "I wished him the best and all the success in taking the vision of PM @narendramodi forward," Prasad said.
At the first meeting of the Union Council of Ministers on Wednesday evening after the rejig, the prime minister had said the new ministers can learn from the experience of their predecessors. PTI
Dilip Kumar and Saira Bano in Sagina
15:06 Dilip Kumar's only non-Hindi film was in Bengali
Dilip Kumar towered over Hindi cinema for decades. His only non-Hindi film, however, was a noble failure. Read more
14:55 52 killed in Bangladesh factory fire
At least 52 people were killed and over 50 others injured in a massive fire that broke out at a six-storey juice factory outside Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, according to media reports on Friday.
The fire broke out at around 5pm on Thursday at the Shezan juice factory in Naryanganj's Rupganj, according to fire officials. It is suspected that the fire originated from the ground floor of the building and spread quickly due to the presence of chemicals and plastic bottles.
Fifty-two people have died and over 50 others were injured in the fire, the Dhaka Tribune reported. Several workers jumped off the building to escape the devastating fire, it said. Eighteen firefighting units were struggling to douse the fire at the factory building of Hashem Foods Limited. People gathered in front of the building in search of their loved ones who are still missing. Of the many missing, the identities of 44 missing workers have been confirmed, the newspaper said.
Image: A firefighter tries to extinguish flames inside a factory in Rupganj on the outskirts of Dhaka. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina
14:46 Fruit Diplomacy: Tripura CM to send across pineapples as return gift to Sheikh Hasina
Not to be left behind in the game of 'fruit diplomacy', Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, plans to gift Queen variety of pineapples, the state fruit, to Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as a return gift. The pineapples, whose consignment will weigh a little more than double the weight of packets of the famous `Haribhanga mangoes which Sheikh Hasina sent, will be sent on Saturday as a return gift.
A huge consignment of 300 kgs of mangoes was handed over to Deb on Monday by the Assistant High Commissioner of Bangladesh here, Md. Jubaid Hossein. Haribhanga mango is a well-known breed of mangoes grown in Rangpur district of Bangladesh, which is much prized in export markets.
In return "some 100 packets of queen pineapples weighing 650 kgs would be sent to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka to be handed over to Bangladesh Prime Minister", an official in the Chief Ministers office said. Tripura played host to over a million refugees from Bangladesh in 1971, outnumbering its own population at the time.
Since the election of Sheikh Hasinas government, Bangladesh has made special efforts to connect with the Northeastern state increasing land, rail, and energy connectivity with Tripura. The pineapples which are being gifted were collected from Ampi block in Gomati district, famous for growing the state fruit, officials said. -- PTI
14:37 Amit Shah meets President Kovind
Union Home Minister Amit Shah meets President Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Shah will be on a three-day visit to his home state Gujarat from Saturday to take part in a host of programmes, including Lord Jagannath's rath yatra on July 12. He will reach Ahmedabad on Saturday night.
Is that a Mahatma Gandhi bust in the fireplace?
14:27 Watch: Documentary on Mumbai's beloved Rhythm House
The Last Music Store by Megha Ramaswamy and Aliya Curmally documents the life and times and death of Mumbai's iconic music store, Rhythm House.
The documentary won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the South Asian International Film Festival of New York and was screened at the prestigious Sheffield Documentary Festival and Mumbai's beloved Kalaghoda Arts Festival in 2017.
Rhythm House downed shutters in 2015 due to the challenges posed by new technologies and piracy.
The film captures the lament of the store's eccentric and loyal workers who are coping in their own unique ways.
When: Friday, 9th July 2021 till 16th July 2021
Time: 9:00 AM
Tune In: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBEOps-Y-EA
14:18 PM reviews O2 situation: 4L oxygenated beds soon
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday chaired a high-level meeting to review the augmentation and availability of oxygen across the country and instructed officials to ensure that the oxygen plants are made functional at the earliest.
Officials briefed Prime Minister about the progress on the installation of PSA oxygen plants across the country. More than 1500 PSA oxygen plants are coming up across the nation which includes contributions from PM CARES as well as various ministries and PSUs, a statement by the PMO said. PSA oxygen plants contributed by PM CARES are coming up in all states and districts of the country.
Prime Minister was informed that once all PSA oxygen plants coming up through PM CARES would be functional, they would support more than 4 lakh oxygenated beds, the statement added.
PM Modi instructed the officials to ensure that these plants are made functional at the earliest and to work closely with the state governments for the same.
Officers apprised PM Modi that they are in regular touch with officers from state governments regarding fast-tracking the oxygen plants, it added.
PM Modi asked officials to ensure there is adequate training of hospital staff on the operation and maintenance of oxygen plants. He also directed officials to ensure that each district has trained personnel available. Officials informed him that there is a training module prepared by experts and they are targeting training of around 8000 people across the country, the statement said.
PM Modi also said that we should deploy advanced technology like IoT to track performance and functioning of these oxygen plants at a local and national level. Officials apprised the PM about a pilot being done using Internet of Things (IoT) for monitoring the performance of the oxygen plants.
13:48 Economy reviving from 2nd Covid wave: Sitharaman
The Finance Ministry on Friday said the economy has started showing signs of revival from the impact of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on the back of targeted fiscal relief, monetary policy and a rapid vaccination drive.
The broad-based economic relief package, extended to mitigate the second wave, amounted to Rs 6.29 lakh crore. RBI continues with its efforts to calm the nerves of the market and revive sectors with both backward and forward linkages and multiplier effects on growth, the ministry said in its monthly economic review.
To stimulate the economy and ease the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman last month announced eight economic measures amounting to Rs 6.29 lakh crore to provide relief to individuals as well as businesses in the country.
Apart from eight relief measures announced in health and other worst affected sectors, Sitharaman announced a stimulus package for the tourism industry, which included five lakh tourist visas to be issued free of charge, once the government resumes issuance.
The total financial implication of the scheme will be Rs 100 crore. Resilient tax collections of the central government in the first two months of FY 2020-21 and sustained momentum in capital expenditure, particularly in the road and rail sector, the report said, augurs well for continued economic recovery driven by capital expenditures.
The report further added that the recently announced economic relief package was expected to further oil the wheels of the Capex cycle via implementation of the PLI scheme and streamlining of processes for PPP Projects and Asset Monetisation. Consumption sentiment is expected to pick up with further enhancement of employment support under Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana (ANBRY), targeted support to the urban poor through the credit guarantee scheme for on-lending by micro-finance institutions and wider Bharat-Net digitisation coverage, the economic review for June said.
Free food-grain and enhanced fertiliser subsidies under the package along with continued MGNREGA implementation, on the other hand, would serve as a cushion for rural demand in the coming quarters, it said. "Maintaining a rapid pace on vaccination and quickly bridging health care infrastructure gaps across both urban and rural areas would emerge as the most sustainable stimulus for durable recovery of the Indian economy," the report added.
Going forward, it said, further expansion of vaccination and strict adherence to COVID-appropriate behaviour will be a critical safeguard against the emergence of a possible third wave. On high food prices, the report said, healthy monsoon coverage, gradually rising Kharif sowing and unlocking of states is expected to ease food, and thereby headline inflation.
13:43 Hybrid war could replace forever war in Afghanistan
US may think it can perpetuate Afghan conflict in another guise but any Syria-like hybrid war plan is doomed to fail, writes MK Bhadrakumar. Read the column here.
13:40 Kerala HC red flags crowdfunding for illnesses
"There has to be some government control over the money being collected via crowdfunding for treatment of rare diseases and every Tom, Dick and Harry cannot be permitted to raise funds like this," the Kerala High Court said on Friday.
Justice P B Suresh Kumar said the court does not want to interdict the crowdfunding process, but it wants the funds to go to the government instead into the account of some private individuals who may or may not give it to those who require the money.
"I do not want every Tom, Dick and Harry to collect money. Is there any state control over this collection of funds via crowdfunding? We should know where the money is going," the court said and added that if private individuals and entities can collect crores of rupees in a short span of time, why the government cannot?
"For providing free vaccines the state government could collect only Rs 68 lakh, while 18 crores was collected in a week (for treatment of a boy suffering from spinal muscular atrophy)," the court said.
"I do not want to interdict the process of crowdfunding, but I want government control over it," Justice Kumar said during the hearing of an autorickshaw driver's plea seeking free treatment for his six-month old infant son who is suffering from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) as the medicine for it costs around Rs 18 crore and he has no means to raise that kind of money.
In his petition, filed through advocate P Chandrasekhar, the father - Arif - has said that while he obtained permission for importing the required medicine - Zolgensma Onasemnogene injection - he cannot afford to buy even one dose as the same costs Rs 18 crore.
During the hearing, the Kerala government also expressed apprehensions regarding the source of the money being collected via crowdfunding. The court also observed during the hearing that such transactions if left unsupervised could destabilize the economy. -- PTI
13:17 Vaccinations have to be stepped up
Medanta liver transplant surgeon Dr Arvinder Singh Soin has this to say on the slow pace of vaccinations: "Our aim is to vaccinate every adult by December. But the vaccine scorecard is heading in the wrong direction: Average down from 60L to 39L/day over the past two weeks. We cannot lose steam now. Just does not work."
India vaccinated only 40 lakh in last 24 hours. Several states do not have vaccines even as the Centre insists over a crore doses still with states.
The only loser in this battle is every single Indian.
13:05 From one minister to another
Jyotiraditya Scindia takes charge as the Minister of Civil Aviation in the presence of former Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. The portfolio to Scindia is seen as the BJP's thanks for handing Madhya Pradesh to them.
13:02 Only 37 crore Indians vaccinated so far
India's cumulative COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 36.89 crore, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday. Cumulatively, more than 11.18 crore doses have been administered in the age group of 18-44 years, it said. The ministry said over 40 lakh vaccine doses were administered in the last 24 hours.
On Day-174 of the vaccination drive (July 8), out of the total 40,23,173 vaccine doses that were given, 27,01,200 beneficiaries were vaccinated for the first dose and 13,21,973 beneficiaries received the second dose of vaccine. As many as 20,31,634 vaccine doses were administered as first dose and 1,79,901 vaccine doses given as second dose in the age group 18-44 years on Thursday. Cumulatively, 10,84,53,590 persons in the age group 18-44 years across all states and UTs have received their first dose and total 33,79,213 have received their second.
Eight states-- Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra -- have administered more than 50 lakh first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the age group of 18-44 years. The vaccination exercise as a tool to protect the most vulnerable population groups in the country from COVID-19 continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level, the ministry said. PTI
12:25 WhatsApp pauses rollout of new privacy policy
WhatsApp told the Delhi High Court today that it was voluntarily pausing rollout of its new privacy policy amid widespread concerns of data-sharing with parent company Facebook and the potential violation of users' rights to privacy under the Indian Constitution.
Conceding a huge point to the Indian government which has been at loggerheads with the US company, WhatsApp told the Delhi HC that it will not limit functionality for users not opting for new privacy policy, and will not compel users to opt for new privacy policy till data protection bill comes into force.
Last month the centre told the Delhi High Court that WhatsApp was trying to "force" users in to accepting the new policy before the Personal Data Protection Bill becomes the law.
12:20 TCS shares gain nearly 1 pc amid volatile trade after Q1 earnings
Shares of Tata Consultancy Services on Friday gained nearly 1 per cent in early trade after the company reported a 28.5 per cent jump in June quarter net profit. The stock started the trade in the green and gained 0.73 per cent to Rs 3,281 on the BSE. As the trade progressed, it witnessed volatile trading and hit a low of Rs 3,211.85.
At NSE, the scrip gained 0.72 per cent to Rs 3,282. The company's quarterly results were announced post market hours on Thursday.
The country's largest software firm TCS on Thursday reported a 28.5 per cent jump in June quarter net profit at Rs 9,008 crore and called out the domestic business as a drag, which restricted its overall growth because of the second wave of COVID-19.
12:16 We agreed to disagree: Nadda on Virbhadra
Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur and BJP national president JP Nadda (in pic) meet family and pay homage to the mortal remains of former CM Virbhadra Singh. "We agreed to disagree but respected each other's sentiments. When he was the CM, I got the chance to be LoP. He was my guide also. His demise is a huge loss," says Nadda.
The BJP president reached Shimla in a helicopter from Delhi to pay his last respects to the departed leader.
Earlier on July 5, Nadda had enquired about Singh's health during his visit to the hill state. The 87-year-old veteran Congress leader breathed his last after prolonged illness at Shimla's Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) at 3.40 am on Thursday. Singh's body was kept at his residence, Holly Lodge, in Shimla for the entire day on Thursday for "antim darshan".
On Friday, the body was kept at Ridge Maidan for the public to pay their last respects from 9 am to 11.30 am. Then, it will being taken to the state Congress office where it will be kept from 11.40 am to 1 pm. Thereafter, the body will be taken to Rampur by road at 1 pm and it is scheduled to reach Padam Palace there at 6 pm, a family spokesperson said. On Saturday, the body will be kept at Padam Palace from 8 am to 2 pm before the funeral, he added.
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to pay his last respects to the departed leader at the state Congress office -- Rajiv Bhawan -- the party''s working committee member Rajeev Shukla said.
11:54 Pawar to be summoned by Bhima-Koregaon panel
The Maharashtra government-appointed inquiry commission to go into the causes behind the Bhima-Koregaon violence, will record the statement of NCP leader Sharad Pawar.
Witness statements in the matter will be recorded from August 2 and Pawar will be summoned as well, Ashish Satpute, the inquiry commission's lawyer, has said.
11:43 Kamal Haasan's erstwhile man Friday, Mahendran joins DMK
R Mahendran, who was among the heavyweights to quit Kamal Haasan-led Makkal Needhi Maiam following the assembly poll debacle, on Thursday joined the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in the presence of party president and Chief Minister M K Stalin.
Led by Coimbatore based Mahendran, over 200 of his supporters joined the Dravidian party at party headquarters 'Anna Arivalayam,' here.
Welcoming them, Stalin said he was expecting the former MNM vice president to join the DMK much earlier, when the election commission had announced state assembly polls.
Had Mahendran joined the party before the April 6 polls, DMK could have won hands down, assembly segments in Coimbatore and the rest of the western Kongu region, he said.
Stalin regretted that though the DMK captured power in the state, the victory for the party was not on the expected lines in the Kongu region districts including Coimbatore and Salem.
"Nothing is lost even now. Now you have come. Hereafter Mahendran is going to take up that task (of winning the Kongu region for the DMK)," the Chief Minister said adding Mahendran's arrival would add up to the party's influence.
After MNM came a cropper in the Assembly polls, Mahendran, an entrepreneur, quit the party on May 6, blaming lack of internal democracy and the way party functioned under Haasan.
The former MNM deputy chief had claimed that his decision to quit was not based on victory or loss in polls but about the party's functioning.
Haasan had said Mahendran chose to quit when he was about to be sacked. Labelling him as just "a weed," the MNM chief had said that such a person had himself eased out of the party. -- PTI
11:29 Bigg Boss to take OTT route, premier on Voot
The upcoming season of the popular reality TV show Bigg Boss will be launched on streaming platform Voot ahead of its television premiere.
Reportedly, the new season will premiere in August.
Also, viewers will get a chance to watch exclusive cuts, round-the-clock content drops, and a fully interactive 24x7 LIVE feed from the house.
After the completion of the digital exclusive for almost six weeks, the show will move seamlessly into Colors with the launch of Season 15 of the show.
11:21 PM to take stock of oxygen availability today
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and as part of the country's preparation for a possible third wave, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today chair a high-level meeting to review the augmentation and availability of oxygen across the county at 11: 30 am, informed officials.
On June 26, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with top officials to review the progress of vaccination and COVID-19 situation in the country and expressed satisfaction at the rising speed of vaccinations this week.
During the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the country saw a shortage of medical oxygen as the cases shot up in the last two weeks of April and the first two weeks of May.
Meanwhile, India on Friday reported India reports 43,393 new COVID-19 cases, 44,459 recoveries, and 911 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per Health Ministry.
There are 4,58,727 active cases in the country.
11:01 Maha's Covid figures fall marginally
Maharashtra has reported 9,114 new COVID-19 cases and 121 fatalities, which took its overall infection count to 61,31,976 and death toll to 1,24,296, a health department official said on Friday.
These cases and deaths were reported on Thursday. As compared to Wednesday's figures of 9,558 cases and 147 fatalities, the state witnessed a decline on both counts.
A total of 8,815 patients were discharged from hospitals on Thursday, which pushed the state's overall recovery count to 58,89,982. There are 1,14,444 active COVID-19 cases in the state.
Of these, the highest number of 17,435 active cases is in Pune district, followed by Thane and Mumbai with 16,546 and 11,470 patients respectively. Maharashtra's COVID-19 recovery rate is now 96.05 per cent, while the fatality rate is 2.02 per cent, the official said.
10:59 U'khand govt restricts tourists to Kempty falls after viral video
The Uttarakhand government has said that only 50 tourists will be allowed at Mussorie's famous Kempty falls with a maximum permissible time limit of 30 minutes. An air horn will be used to signal the exit time. A check-post will also be set up to set up to monitor the tourists.
The development comes after undated videos, circulated widely on social media, showed a large number of tourists bathing at the falls without maintaining social distancing norms.
After a deadly and virulent Covid 2nd wave left tens of thousands dead in India, a third wave is expected next month.
Zaila Avant-Garde
10:45 No desi Spelling Bee Champ
Though nine of the 11 finalists at America's Scripps Spelling Bee competition were Indian American children, none of them bagged the prestigious trophy, reports Abhijit Masih.
The winner of the 93rd annual Spelling Bee championship is Zaila Avant-Garde, the first ever African American, the first from the state of Louisiana, the first home schooled and the 52nd girl champion in the history of the competition. The winning word that won Zaila the championship trophy and the $50,000 prize was MURRAYA.
Zaila was most definitely the favorite speller amongst the presenters and the limited live audience alike. The top three spellers were all girls. Two of them being Indian American.
Chaitra Thummala, the runner up from Texas, spelled the word NEROLI OIL incorrectly and missed out on the trophy.
Both Zaila and Chaitra are coached by Cole Shafer-Ray, a 20-year-old Yale student who was a Spelling Bee runner-up in 2015.
The other finalist was Bhavana Madini from New York, who spelled ATHANOR incorrect. She just added an E to the correct spelling. Her only consolation is that she gets a dog which her mother promised her if she ended up in the top five.
10:42 The debt we owe Dilip Kumar
"Dilip Kumar had a rough start. He was derided as a monkey by an editor who should have known better. And when he came into his own, when his masculine beauty emerged from the chrysalis, when his intelligence came to power some of the most extraordinary performances we had seen, he became the Tragedy King. I have never trusted the Devdas trope; this is a man who loses his Oedipal struggle, and emasculated, he can neither reach out for love nor can he accept it. He can only die, but watching Dilip Kumar's Devdas yearn for Paro (Suchitra Sen) while rejecting Vyjayanthimala's Chandramukhi, you understood what it meant. This was how it would be in a gerontocracy that silences the young. This was how the patriarchy would scar the young: Devdas lashes out at a woman because he cannot symbolically kill his father; and he will reject another woman because love might save him and he does not want to be saved because there is nothing left to save in that hollow shell. Dilip Kumar must have read this, or something similar in the text. For he was one of the first stars to talk about his depression, about having to seek help and being told to go and find some fun films to do."
Jerry Pinto's beautiful homage to Dilip Kumar. Do read.
10:19 Long queues for vaccine erupt in violence in Odisha
That's a vaccine centre in Ganjam district of Odisha. People waiting in long queues for hours broke barricacdes.
"We've been here since morning. It's crowded, people from Andhra Pradesh also coming here; request govt to arrange more vaccination centres," said Sudhanshu, waiting at the vaccination centre.
Aditya Prasad Sahu, Medical Officer said vaccines are not sufficient. "People are turning violent due to vaccine shortage, they're breaking barricades and not following Covid protocols."
10:12 47% of Mumbai got 1st vax dose despite shortage
India reports 43,393 new COVID19 cases, 44,459 recoveries, and 911 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per Health Ministry.
Total cases: 3,07,52,950
Total recoveries: 2,98,88,284
Active cases: 4,58,727
Death toll: 4,05,939
Total vaccinated: 36,89,91,222 (40,23,173 in last 24 hours).
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday announced that the COVID-19 vaccination drive in all civic and government-run vaccination centres will be suspended today due to a shortage of vaccines.
Dr Rajesh Dere, Dean of BKC Jumbo COVID Centre, Mumbai said that sessions are being allocated on the basis of everyday supply.
"There is vaccine shortage. Sessions being allocated on the basis of everyday supply. We hope to get more vaccines. For the vaccination of pregnant women, circulars have been issued. We're waiting till Monday if asked to implement, it will be done," said Dr Rajesh Dere.
He further said that if Mumbai manages to administer the second dose to 30-40 per cent population, only then the threat of the third COVID wave can be reduced.
"47 per cent population administered with the first dose. Preparations are being made for a possible third wave. If we manage to administer the 2nd dose to 30-40 per cent, population, COVID threat can be reduced," he added.
10:03 Sensex tumbles over 300 points in early trade
Equity benchmark Sensex tumbled over 300 points in early trade on Friday, tracking losses in index majors Reliance Industries, HDFC twins and ICICI Bank amid a weak trend in global markets.
After dropping 340 points in the opening session, the 30-share BSE index was trading 282.08 points or 0.054 per cent lower at 52,286.86 in initial deals, while the broader NSE Nifty dropped 77.75 points or 0.49 per cent to 15,650.15. Axis Bank was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding over 1 per cent, followed by IndusInd Bank, TCS, HDFC, ICICI Bank, Reliance Industries and Bajaj Auto.
On the other hand, Tata Steel, Bajaj Finserv, Dr Reddy's, Sun Pharma and Titan were among the gainers. In the previous session, Sensex ended 485.82 points or 0.92 per cent lower at 52,568.94, while Nifty dropped 151.75 points or 0.96 per cent to 15,727.90.
09:41 Taliban, Afghan delegates 'agree' war not a solution
Taliban and Afghan politicians have agreed that war is not a solution to the Afghan problem and there is a need to establish a mechanism for the transition from war to lasting peace.
This was agreed upon on Wednesday during a meeting between Taliban and Afghan politicians in Iran where a joint declaration with six articles was signed, ToloNews reported.
The sides also agreed to hold talks in a "cordial atmosphere" on "issues that need further consultation and clarity, such as establishing a mechanism for the transition from war to lasting peace, and the agreed Islamic system and how to achieve it," the declaration said.
The two sides decried attacks targeting "people's homes, schools, mosques, and hospitals, causing civilian casualties" and strongly condemned the destruction of public facilities and called for the perpetrators to be punished, it said.
The two-day meeting began with an opening speech by Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister.
"Honored to be the host of cordial and substantive dialogue between senior Afghan reps. As foreign forces leave Afghanistan, no impediment remains for Afghans of all political stripes to chart a peaceful and prosperous future for the next generation. Iran stands with our Afghan brethren," he tweeted.
The Taliban delegation was led by the group's negotiator, Shir Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai.
The group of Afghan politicians, led by former vice president Younus Qanooni, travelled to Tehran from Kabul.
Other officials from Kabul included Karim Khurram, former chief of staff to former president Hamid Karzai, Ershad Ahmadi, a close aide of former president Karzai, President Ashraf Ghani's adviser Salaam Rahimi, Zahir Wahdat of Hezb-e-Wahdat party, and Mohammadullah Batash from Junbish party.
The violence has escalated in Afghanistan as foreign forces are withdrawing from the war-torn country.
There is a fear of full-blown civil war as the Taliban stepped forward and took control of several districts in the country's north, while Afghan forces are retaliating and launching a counter-offensive against the Taliban.
08:47 Gunbattle underway between terrorists and security forces in J-K
An encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, police said.
Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the Redwani area of Kulgam, in south Kashmir, during the night after receiving specific inputs about the presence of terrorists there, a police official said.
He said the search operation turned into an encounter after terrorists fired at security forces.
The security forces retaliated and the exchange of firing was going on, the official said, adding further details are awaited.
This is the second gunfight in Kulgam district and the third in south Kashmir in the last two days.
Four terrorists were killed in two encounters with security forces in south Kashmir on Thursday. -- PTI
08:16 Learn from Mins dropped from govt: PM to new Mins
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday appreciated his former ministerial colleagues who were dropped after the Cabinet reshuffle Wednesday, saying they all contributed in the development work executed by his government and advised the newly sworn-in ministers to learn from their experience, sources said.
Interacting with members of the revamped Council of Ministers a day after the reshuffle, Modi said some leaders are now not part of the government due to certain situations and circumstances, in an apparent reference to Ravi Shankar Prasad and Prakash Javadekar who resigned before the Cabinet rejig.
The sources said Modi appreciated Prasad and Javadekar for their work.
Other ministers who quit the government on Wednesday included Harsh Vardhan (health minister) and Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' (education minister).
The PM also expressed concern over the sight of crowded places with people not following COVID-19 norms, saying that there should be no space for carelessness or complacency and that a single mistake would have far-reaching impact and may weaken the fight against the pandemic.
This is not a pleasant sight and it should instil a "sense of fear in us", he said, referring to pictures and videos of crowded places doing the rounds.
People are seen without wearing masks or following the social distancing norms, he said, according to the sources.
He stressed India's fight against the pandemic is underway with full vigour with the vaccination programme going on steadily and testing numbers also consistently high.
00:08 Biden says US war in Afghanistan will end Aug 31
US President Joe Biden on Thursday said the military mission in Afghanistan will conclude on August 31, saying speed is safety as the United States seeks to end the nearly 20-year war.
We did not go to Afghanistan to nation build, Biden said in a speech to update his administrations ongoing efforts to wind down the US war in Afghanistan. Afghan leaders have to come together and drive toward a future.
Biden also amplified the justification of his decision to end US military operations even as the Taliban make rapid advances in significant swaths of the country.
The effort to further explain his thinking on Afghanistan comes as the administration in recent days has repeatedly sought to frame ending the conflict as a decision that Biden made after concluding its an unwinnable war and one that does not have a military solution.
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