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Wed, 24 June 2020
Covid effect: New rules to tackle unruly flyers
Timeline Refresh
23:41 Covid effect: New rules to tackle unruly flyers
Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Wednesday issued new rules for airlines and their cabin crew members for handling unruly passengers on board, stating that increased stress on flyers due to new procedures in place amid the COVID-19 pandemic may lead to a rise in disputes between them and cabin crew members.
Cabin crew members must be made aware of the new issues that may arise like passengers refusing to wear face masks or coverings in flights, fighting among passengers due to their ethnicity or country of residence or due to the presence of symptoms similar to those associated with COVID-19, the DGCA noted in its circular.
"The operators (airlines) should define SOP (standard operating procedure) for on board handling of unruly passengers in COVID-19 environment," said the DGCA.
An increase in cases of unruly or disruptive passengers should be expected, either prior to departure or in-flight, it added.
The regulator told the airlines to communicate their policy on handling unruly passengers as widely as possible, including on its website, during ticket purchase, check-in process, etc.
For identification, prevention and management of unruly passengers in the context of COVID-19, operators should develop in-flight procedures to manage such situations and develop 'associated training procedures' to train and sensitise the cabin crew, the DGCA said.
'Due to the operations in COVID-19 environment, there may be increased stress imposed on passengers due new processes in place which may lead to increased disputes between passengers or with the crew,' the DGCA noted.
'Such behaviour, in the context of pressures imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, may be less aggressive or intrusive than the normally exhibited unruly behaviour, hence extra attention and steps need to be devoted for the prevention and management of unruly passengers,' it noted. -- PTI
23:41 Covid effect: New rules to tackle unruly flyers
Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Wednesday issued new rules for airlines and their cabin crew members for handling unruly passengers on board, stating that increased stress on flyers due to new procedures in place amid the COVID-19 pandemic may lead to a rise in disputes between them and cabin crew members.
Cabin crew members must be made aware of the new issues that may arise like passengers refusing to wear face masks or coverings in flights, fighting among passengers due to their ethnicity or country of residence or due to the presence of symptoms similar to those associated with COVID-19, the DGCA noted in its circular.
"The operators (airlines) should define SOP (standard operating procedure) for on board handling of unruly passengers in COVID-19 environment," said the DGCA.
An increase in cases of unruly or disruptive passengers should be expected, either prior to departure or in-flight, it added.
The regulator told the airlines to communicate their policy on handling unruly passengers as widely as possible, including on its website, during ticket purchase, check-in process, etc.
For identification, prevention and management of unruly passengers in the context of COVID-19, operators should develop in-flight procedures to manage such situations and develop 'associated training procedures' to train and sensitise the cabin crew, the DGCA said.
'Due to the operations in COVID-19 environment, there may be increased stress imposed on passengers due new processes in place which may lead to increased disputes between passengers or with the crew,' the DGCA noted.
'Such behaviour, in the context of pressures imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, may be less aggressive or intrusive than the normally exhibited unruly behaviour, hence extra attention and steps need to be devoted for the prevention and management of unruly passengers,' it noted. -- PTI
22:43 Delhi Covid tally tops 70K, surpasses Mumbai
Delhi recorded 3,788 fresh coronavirus cases on Wednesday, taking the tally in the city over the 70,000-mark, while the death toll from the disease climbed to 2,365, authorities said.
With this Delhi has already overtaken worst-hit city Mumbai's COVID-19 tally of 68,410 on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the national capital reported the highest single-day spike till date of 3,947.
From Friday-Sunday, 3,000 or more fresh cases were reported per day New Delhi.
On Monday, 2,909 cases were recorded.
64 fatalities have been recorded in the last 24 hours, the Delhi health department bulletin said on Wednesday.
The death toll from COVID-19 in Delhi stood at 2,301 on Tuesday.
The bulletin said the death toll from coronavirus infection has risen to 2,365, and the total number of cases mounted to 70,390.
The bulletin said an order has been issued on extension for a period of six months the tenures of presently working senior residents and junior residents in hospitals, which get completed in three years and one year respectively.
According to the bulletin, 41,437 patients have recovered, been discharged or migrated so far, while the number of active cases stood at 26,588, adding that 4,20,707 tests have been conducted till now.
The number of containment zones in the city on Tuesday stood at 266. -- PTI
22:24 Safoora Zargar released from jail
Jamia Coordination Committee member Safoora Zargar has been released from Tihar Jail.
She was granted bail by the Delhi High Court yesterday in connection with a case related to the violence which broke out in Delhi in February this year. -- ANI
22:20 Twitter slaps label on another Trump tweet
Twitter has for the fifth time placed a label over one of Donald Trump's tweets for violating its policies after he threatened 'serious force' against protesters, escalating the microblogging platform's spat with the United States President.
The tweet says: 'There will never be an Autonomous Zone' in Washington, DC, as long as I'm your President. If they try they will be met with serious force!'
Trump's tweet referred to the police-free district created by protesters in Seattle, in Washington state, two weeks ago.
The zone was established in response to the killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American man who died during an arrest after a Minneapolis Police Department officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes as three other officers looked on.
This is the fifth tweet from the president that the social media company has labelled in the past several weeks, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.
Twitter said the tweet violates its policy prohibiting abusive behaviour and specifically the presence of a threat of harm against an identifiable group.
"We've placed a public interest notice on this Tweet for violating our policy against abusive behaviour, specifically, the presence of a threat of harm against an identifiable group," it said.
The warning label hides the president's tweet, and users have to click in to view the text.
Twitter has faced off with Trump over his account in the past few weeks, drawing his ire as the company labelled two of his tweets for misleading information about mail-in ballots, one for a manipulated video and one for inciting violence.
In response, Trump accused Twitter of working to stifle conservative voices and harm his re-election campaign.
Last month, he signed an executive order intended to roll back legal protections for Twitter and other internet companies. A lawsuit has been filed to block the order.
Trump's tweet came after a group of protesters on Monday unsuccessfully attempted to pull down a statute of former President Andrew Jackson near the White House.
The protesters later tried to claim an area near Black Lives Matter Plaza as a Black House Autonomous Zone before police removed them, The Washington Post reported. -- PTI
21:56 Cong to hold mass protests over fuel hike, China
The Congress will hold mass protests across the country next Monday over the 'unprecedented' rise in petrol and diesel prices.
All India Congress Committee General Secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said the party will also hold a mass protest on Friday over China's incursion into Indian territory by paying homage to the Army personnel killed in a violent faceoff with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley.
'The Congress party will pay homage to the martyrs of Ladakh by observing June 26 as 'Shaheedon Ko Salaam Divas' across India. They will sit at 'Shaheed Smaraks' or the statues of Mahatma Gandhi or freedom fighters in their respective locations,' he said in a statement.
In a message to all state units, he said there will be no sloganeering while paying homage to martyrs, and silent protesters holding placards, lamps and candles with the national flag background will pay tribute to the martyrs between 11 am and 12 noon on Friday.
A massive online campaign 'Speak up for Our Jawans' also will be held on the same day.
"On June 29, Congress workers, wearing masks and by maintaining social distancing norms, will sit on a two-hour dharna from 10 am to 12 noon at every district headquarter to protest against the unprecedented rise in the price of petrol and diesel and demand its rollback," he said.
Venugopal said a memorandum addressed to the President of India will be submitted to District Magistrates or Deputy Commissioners.
The same day, the party will also hold a massive online campaign 'Speak-Up on Petroleum Price hike', where leaders, party functionaries, and sympathisers will put up live videos and posts highlighting the plights of people due to the hike in fuel prices.
Petrol price was unchanged on Wednesday after 17 consecutive increases, while diesel rates were increased by 48 paise per litre across the country for a record 18th day in a row.
The decision to hold such protests was taken at a meeting of the party's working committee on Tuesday chaired by party chief Sonia Gandhi. -- PTI
21:13 FY19 ITR filing deadline extended till July 31
The government on Wednesday extended the deadline for filing income tax returns (ITR) for the 2018-19 fiscal by a month till July 31, 2020.
The Centre has also extended the time limit for linking biometric Aadhaar with PAN till March 31, 2021.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) through a notification also extended the time limit for making various investments for claiming deductions under the I-T Act for the 2019-20 fiscal by a month till July 31, 2020.
The due date for filing ITR for FY2019-20 has already been extended till November 30, 2020. -- PTI
20:48 Don't make it must for Covid patients to visit govt facility: Kejriwal to Centre
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday requested the Centre to withdraw a new system requiring assessment of every COVID-19 patient at a government-run facility, saying the order is 'not correct'.
The chief minister said that if the administration and police forcibly take patients to COVID-19 care centres for their clinical assessment, it will be like their detention for 15 days.
"The Delhi government, Centre and other organisations have been working in cooperation with each other. I request the Centre to roll back the order," Kejriwal told reporters during a visit at a banquet hall-turned-COVID care facility.
If a COVID-19 patient has a fever of 103 F, he will also have to stand in long queues at government-run centres under the new system, Kejriwal said, asking whether a system should work like this. -- PTI
20:36 West Bengal extends lockdown till July 31
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced extension of the lockdown in the state till July 31 to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The ongoing lockdown in West Bengal was to end on June 30.
Banerjee, after attending an all-party meeting held at an auditorium adjacent to the state secretariat, said though there were differences of opinion among the leaders, it was finally decided to extend the curbs till the end of July with relaxations. -- PTI
19:40 India, China agree to disengage expeditiously
India and China on Wednesday agreed that expeditious implementation of the previously agreed understanding on disengagement of troops from standoff points in eastern Ladakh would help ensure peace and tranquillity in the border areas, the Ministry of External Affairs said.
The two sides held diplomatic talks through video conference to explore ways to ease tension along the Line of Actual Control in the eastern Ladakh region.
The MEA said the situation in the region was discussed in detail and the Indian side conveyed its concerns over the violent face-off in Galwan Valley on June 15.
20 Indian Army personnel were killed in the clash.
'In this regard, it was emphasised that both sides should strictly respect and observe the Line of Actual Control,' the MEA said in a statement.
It said the two delegations agreed that the expeditious implementation of the understanding on disengagement would help ensure peace and tranquillity in border areas and the development of a broader relationship between the two countries.
The talks were held between Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the Ministry of External Affairs Naveen Srivastava and Director General in the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wu Jianghao.
The MEA said the two sides also agreed to maintain communication both at diplomatic and military levels including to resolve the existing situation peacefully.
The talks took place two days after Chinese and Indian armies arrived at a 'mutual consensus' to 'disengage' from all the friction points in eastern Ladakh. -- PTI
19:08 India expresses concern over continuing instability in Libya
India
on Wednesday expressed concern over continuing conflict and instability
in Libya and said it supports efforts towards immediate cessation of
all hostilities in the country.
Spokesperson in
the Ministry of External Affairs Anurag Srivastava said any peace
process in Libya must take into account the legitimate aspirations of
the Libyan people while preserving the country's sovereignty, unity and
territorial integrity.
He was replying to a
media query about the situation in Libya, which has been hit by civil
war since Col Muammar Gaddafi died in 2011.
"The
continuing conflict and instability in Libya is a matter of
international concern. We support efforts towards immediate cessation of
all hostilities in Libya," he said.
Libya,
which has a significant reserve of oil and gas, has been witnessing
escalating violence involving rival groups. Srivastava said India
acknowledges the recent international efforts including the Berlin
International Conference and the Cairo Declaration of June 6 to ensure
the end of violence in Libya.
He said India
hoped that these initiatives will promote the peaceful resolution of the
conflict through an intra-Libyan dialogue taking into account the
legitimate aspirations of the Libyan people. -- PTI
19:07 Patanjali produced Covid drug sans nod: Official
The Uttarakhand government is issuing a notice to yoga guru Ramdev's Patanjali for launching a drug claiming to be a cure for coronavirus when it had only applied for an immunity booster against cough and fever, an official said on Wednesday.
State Ayurved Department's licence officer Y S Rawat said the notice is being issued to the firm to explain from where it got the permission to launch a 'corona kit' as a cure from the virus.
"Patanjali Ayurveda Ltd had the licence only for manufacturing an immunity booster against cough and fever. There was nothing in their application related to the treatment of coronavirus," the officer said.
"We did receive an application from Patanjali on June 10. The application was approved after examination by a panel on June 12 but the firm had the permission to manufacture only two-three drugs as immunity booster against cough and fever, and not a drug for coronavirus," he added.
The company had recently launched an ayurvedic medicine, named Coronil, claiming that it cures coronavirus.
The notice will be sent to the firm under Rule 170 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, which makes it mandatory for companies to advertise any product in print and electronic media only with the permission from the state licensing authority, Rawat said.
It was also not legal to claim that the product was a cure for coronavirus without prior permission of the department, the official said. -- PTI
19:06 Wish hadnt thrown out Sambit Patra from my show: Nidhi Razdan
In June 2017 NDTV's popular anchor Nidhi Razdan threw out the BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra from her show 'Right, Left and Centre' for obstreperous behaviour, and things were never the same between the news channel and the ruling party. The BJP immediately banned his spokespersons from appearing on NDTV, a ban that still stands (though right-wing votaries do make a regular appearance).
And a few days after the Patra expulsion, NDTV was raided by the CBI, though there was no connection between the two.
Recently Nidhi appeared on Amit Verma's podcast The Seen and the Unseen where she spoke about the episode from three years ago.
Asked if there was something she wishes she hadn't done or is not proud of in her 21-year long career in journalism, Razdan, who will soon move on to Harvard University to teach journalism, says, 'Sometimes I do have doubts about whether I should have thrown Sambit Patra out of my show, that day. The whole organisation stood by me for doing that. Prannoy Roy got raided by the CBI two-three days later, which was a coincidence. The BJP stopped coming on NDTV and that stands to this day.'
'Most people tell me, 'You did the right thing, somebody has to stand up and call these guys out,' but to be honest, when I look back, I think maybe I shouldn't have. Maybe I should have said my piece and let it go. That would have been more democratic of me rather than just tell him to leave. If I have to relive that, maybe I wouldn't do it,' Razdan tells Verma.
It's a fascinating conversation, and you can listen to it here.
18:09 India may attack us to divert attention: Pak FM
A day after Pakistan was asked to reduce its staff at its High Commission in New Delhi by half, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday accused India of plotting an attack on his country to divert its Opposition's attention from its border dispute with China.
Speaking to Geo Pakistan, Qureshi said, "India's mood is clear [for all to see] as it wants to divert attention from its border dispute with China to Pakistan."
He claimed that India was finding excuses to launch a 'false flag operation' against Pakistan.
But he did not elaborate or give any evidence.
"The Opposition in India is raising questions that their government can't answer," he said, referring to the criticism being faced by the Modi government regarding its response to the border dispute with China in the Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed.
Qureshi warned India to refrain from launching any attacks on his country, saying Pakistan would respond with full force if New Delhi embarks on 'any misadventure'.
Stating that India had levelled baseless allegations against Pakistani diplomats of spying in New Delhi, Qureshi alleged that the Pakistani staff was harassed in India and their cars were followed by authorities.
He said that Pakistan had not only condemned the allegations but also rejected them.
He said that the Indian Charge d' Affaires in Islamabad was summoned on Tuesday and told that the same treatment would be meted out to the Indian staff.
"We told him [Indian Charg d' Affaires] that because of this unilateral policy, you also wrap up and slash your [diplomatic staff] presence by 50 per cent," Qureshi said. -- PTI
17:20 Kerala health minister presents COVID-19 model at UN webinar
It was a proud moment for the Left-ruled state and its Health Minister K K Shailaja when she participated in a panel discussion on the United Nation's World Public Service Day and presented the "Kerala model" of fighting the pandemic COVID-19.
Shailaja was the lone member from India who participated in the panel discussion titled "On the Frontline: Public Servants and the COVID-19 pandemic" on Tuesday, which saw the participation ofUN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and other top UN dignitaries.
"Social security has been strengthened by ensuring that marginalized and vulnerable sectionsof the societywere not affected by regulatory measures. The idea of One World One Health, of the United Nations was implemented," the Minister said during the webinar, an official release said. She explained that the experience that the state health department gained while dealing with the Nipah outbreak of 2018 has helped in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.
"While the COVID-19 pandemic was first reported in Wuhan province of China, Kerala had started preparing to deal with the pandemic following the directions of the World Health Organization. The entire state machinery and the surveillance network was activated and the standard operating procedures for screening, diagnosis and public health interventions were implemented in accordance with international guidelines," Shailaja said. She said from the experience of Nipah, the state has learned that there should not be any compromise or delay in public health interventions during such epidemics.
17:07 China continues military build-up along LAC
Even as India and China continue to talk, the Chinese have continued the build-up all along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) including the Finger area where they have strengthened themselves with more positions and constructions.
The Chinese Army started its build up along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh sector from May 4 and deployed more than 10,000 troops along with heavy artillery, armoured regiments and defence batteries.
"In the Finger area along the Pangong Tso lake, the Chinese have continued to indulge in heightened military activities like deployment of troops and construction," a source told ANI.
The Indian side claims the areas up to Finger 8 but the Chinese Army during the recent face-offs have been blocking Army patrols from going beyond Finger 4.
The Chinese side has been aggressively trying to bring newer areas under its control in the Finger area, the sources said.
In the Galwan river area, where the violent face-off took place between the two armies resulting in a high number of deaths on both sides, the Chinese have built some of their structures after the clash, the sources said.
An observation post-like structure of the Chinese removed by the Indian Army troops on June 15-16 night has also come up again near the Patrolling Point 14, they said.
The build up on the Indian positions PP-15, PP-17 and PP-17A also continues to exist as the Chinese have been using a road, which moves close to Indian patrolling points from its side, to send both men and equipment urgently to the Indian side.
In areas opposite the Daulat Beg Oldie sector, the Chinese are trying to create troubles for the Indian patrols near PP-10 to PP-13.
In the rear positions also at its air bases including Hotan and Gar Gunsa, the Chinese Army's Air Force has brought in its strategic bombers and the number of fighter aircraft numbers have gone up including their own Russian-made Su-30s.Security agencies suggest that the Chinese have also rushed in long-range air defence systems acquired from Russians opposite the Indian territory. -- ANI
16:58 Mumbai race course converted into Covid facility
Mumbai's civic body, BMC, is setting up a Covid care centre with a capacity of around 1000 beds at the Mahalakshmi Race Course in the city. The facility will house people who have moderate Covid-19 symptoms with 125 beds marked for the ICU. The parking space of the Mahalaxmi racecourse is being converted into a quarantine and hospital facility.
16:29 Maintaining peace in both our interests: China
Asserting that China and India are "important neighbours to each other", Chinese foreign ministry on Wednesday said maintaining peace and tranquility along the Sino-India border is in the common interests of both the parties and requires joint efforts.
In separate statements, the Chinese foreign and the defence ministries, however, repeated Beijing's stand that India was responsible for the June 15 violent face-off in eastern Ladakh.
Defence Ministry Spokesman Col Wu Qian said the two defence ministers are negotiating on the phone. "The two sides held a second military-level meeting on June 22 to exchange in-depth views on controlling tensions and maintaining peace and stability in the border areas," he said.
Noting that China and India are important neighbours to each other, Wu said that maintaining peace and tranquility in the border area is in the common interests of both parties and requires the joint efforts of both parties.
"We hope that India and China will meet each other, effectively implement the important consensus between the leaders of the two countries, strictly abide by the agreement reached by the two parties, and continue to properly resolve relevant issues through dialogue and negotiation at all levels. We will make joint efforts to ease the situation in the border areas and maintain peace and stability in the border areas," he added.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the foreign ministers of the two sides during their telephone talk on June 17 agreed to deal with this serious matter in a just way.
"The two sides will stick to the Commander level meeting consensus and cool down the situations soon as possible. The two sides will also maintain peace and tranquility of the border areas, in accordance with the agreement reached so far," he said.
Zhao also said that a second round of Commander level meeting was held on June 22 and 23 during which the "two sides agreed to take measures to de-escalate the situation and jointly promote peace and tranquility.'
The talks were held in the midst of escalating tension between the two countries following the violent clashes in Galwan Valley on June 15 that left 20 Indian Army personnel dead, significantly escalating the already volatile situation in the region.
Zhao again accused India of "provoking" a border clash, saying "the onus is not on China's part.' "This risky behaviour by the Indian side greatly violated the agreement between the two countries and the basic norms guiding international relations. It's very serious, with very severe consequences," he said.
Asked why after a positive meeting between the Commanders of the two armed forces, he is repeating the allegations, Zhao said, "what I have just said is meant to clarify the whole situation, tell the truth to everyone. We made this statement because the MEA in India and also Indian media have made some false reports.' The Indian and Chinese armies are engaged in the standoff in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in eastern Ladakh.
A sizable number of Chinese Army personnel even transgressed into the Indian side of the de-facto border in several areas including Pangong Tso. The Indian Army has been fiercely objecting to the transgressions, and demanded their immediate withdrawal for restoration of peace and tranquillity in the area. Both sides held a series of talks in the last few days to resolve the border row. -- PTI
16:20 Sheena Bora case: Murder accused's bail plea rejected
The special CBI court today rejected the interim bail plea of Sheena Bora murder accused Sanjeev Khanna. Lodged in Arthur Road jail since 2015, Khanna had sought interim bail citing the pandemic and its recent outbreak in the jail. The interim bail plea of his co- accused and ex- wife, Indrani Mukerjea will be argued on July 1. CBI to file reply on June 26.
16:16 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras in every LS constituency soon: EAM
External Affairs minister S Jaishankar at the Cabinet briefing: "I would like to felicitate all our passport issuing authorities in India and abroad on Passport Sewa Diwas and and I'm sure, you all appreciate we're meeting under unique circumstances. I acknowledge how well all of you have responded to changing public requirements amid Covid. We intend to open Post Office Passport Seva Kendras in every Lok Sabha constituency where no PSK exist today. We've so far been able to provide for 488 Lok Sabha constituencies. This process which we were going forward with very ambitiously, stopped momentarily due to COVID-19."
15:51 1,540 cooperative banks to be brought under RBI's supervision: Javadekar
Over 1,500 urban and multi-state cooperative banks will be brought under the supervisory power of the Reserve Bank of India, said Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday.
"Government banks, including 1,482 urban cooperative banks and 58 multi-state cooperative banks, are now being brought under supervisory powers of RBI; RBI's powers as they apply to scheduled banks will apply for cooperative banks as well," Javadekar said at a press conference, through video conferencing.
"The decision to bring 1,540 cooperative banks under RBI's supervision will give an assurance to more than 8.6 crore depositors in these banks that their money amounting to Rs 4.84 lakh crore will stay safe," he added.
The Minister of Information and Broadcasting further said that the Union Cabinet has approved a scheme "for interest subvention of 2 per cent to Shishu loan category borrowers under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, outstanding as on March 31, 2020, for one year to eligible borrowers."
The Minister also said that the Union Cabinet has approved the declaration of Kushinagar Airport in Uttar Pradesh as an international airport. - ANI
15:41 Sena hails victory against corona in Dharavi
With the number of new COVID-19 cases from Dharavi slum sprawl in Mumbai trickling down to a single digit, the Shiv Sena on Wednesday hailed the "defeat" of the coronavirus as a befitting reply of the party-led government to its critics, an oblique reference to the BJP. Dharavi, which was once a troublesome coronavirus hotspot, had on Tuesday reported just five new cases, the lowest since April 5.
The total number of cases now stands at 2,189.
"Controlling the spread of the the pandemic in Dharavi calls for celebrations. Those criticising the MVA government's handling of the COVID-19 crisis should also be invited for the celebration," said the editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana'.
It said the difficult task to curb the spread of coronavirus in Dharavi has earned accolades for the state government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which is ruled by the Sena, from the Centre. The Sena also thanked residents of Dharavi for adhering to the lockdown norms and following various other measures.
Commenting on the strategy adopted in Dharavi, the edit said the BMC administration increased testing and tracing of contacts and also made lockdown rules stricter. The Sena also praised BMC commissioner I S Chahal and Mumbai police commissioner Parambir Singh for the Dharavi success.
"However, the war against the virus is not yet over. Cases are rising elsewhere in Maharashtra," it said. With the highest population density of 2,27,136 persons per sq. km, Dharavi had 491 cases in April with the growth rate of 12% when the number of cases were doubling every 18 days.
As per an official release, the proactive measures adopted by the BMC brought down the COVID-19 growth rate to 4.3 per centin May and further down to 1.02 per centin June. These measures also ensured an improved case doubling time to 43 days in May and 78 days in June 2020. It listed challenges like common toilets, high population density, narrow lanes and crammed neighbourhood, which made it difficult to ensure that people adhere to social distancing norms.
"The BMC adopted a model of actively following four T's Tracing, Tracking, Testing and Treating. This approach included activities like proactive screening. "While 47,500 people were covered by doctors and private clinics in house-to-house screening, about 14,970 people were screened with the help of mobile vans while 4,76,775 others were surveyed by BMC health workers," the release said. -- PTI
15:28 Pak plane crash: Pilots were discussing Covid
The pilots of the Pakistan International Airlines plane that crashed last month were not focussed and they were discussing coronavirus during the flight, the country's aviation minister told Parliament on Wednesday as he pointed out their "overconfidence and lack of concentration" as some of the reasons for the tragedy that killed 97 people on board. The domestic flight from Lahore to Karachi crashed in a residential area near the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on May 22.
The Airbus A320 aircraft of the national carrier had 91 passengers and a crew of eight when it crashed into the Jinnah Garden area near Model Colony in Malir on Friday, minutes before its landing. One girl died on the ground after suffering burn injuries. Two passengers miraculously survived the crash.
Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan presented the interim investigation report on the PIA plane crash in the National Assembly, saying that the pilots were not focused and their lack of concentration had caused the crash. Human error by the pilots and air traffic control caused the crash of the Pakistan International Airlines plane, he said.
The minister said that the pilots had ignored the instructions of the air traffic control on the height of the aircraft. "The pilots and the ATC both did not follow the protocol," he said. "The pilot ignored the instructions of the air traffic controllers and the ATC, on the other hand, did not inform the pilot about the engine colliding.
"The pilots were discussing corona throughout the flight. They were not focussed. They talked about corona [...] their families were affected. When the control tower asked him to increase the plane's height, the pilot said 'I'll manage'. There was overconfidence," he said.
Sarwar said that the cabin crew and ATC were also responsible for the tragedy. "Those who are responsible will be held accountable," he said, promising that the complete investigation report will be presented in one year's time. Sarwar said that the initial report pointed out that there was no technical fault with the aircraft and even the pilot had not said the same in his conversation with the air traffic controllers. The minister noted that the aircraft touched the runway thrice without the landing gear which caused damage to its engines.
"When the plane took off again, both its engines had been damaged," he said. Sarwar said that the conversation between the pilot and the air traffic controllers had been recorded and he had heard it himself. The minister said that the equipment from the aircraft had been extracted and decoded. He said that the recording obtained would be made part of the final report of the PIA plane crash.
The minister said that 40 per cent of pilots of the national flag bearer were flying aircraft with fake licenses. He said that these pilots had not given the exams themselves nor did they have the proper flying experience, he added. "Pilots are also appointed on a political basis, unfortunately," he said.
15:18 Railways isolation coach in Delhi gets first suspected COVID-19 patient
The railways modified isolation coaches parked at the Shakur Basti Station in Delhi received the first suspected COVID-19 patient on Wednesday, officials said, adding around 15 more are expected to arrive. All of the patients are suspected cases of coronavirus, they said.
Around 50 such modified coaches are currently stationed at the Shakur Basti Railway Station's maintenance depot. Each coach has the capacity of 16 beds.
The railways has provided a total of 503 such coaches to the Delhi government. This is the second lot of patients to be admitted in the railway isolation coaches, with around 59 being admitted at the Mau Railway Station in Uttar Pradesh, many of whom have already been discharged. PTI
15:12 Haj 2020: UP govt asks pilgrims to apply for refund
A day after Saudi Arabia announced that it will hold a "very limited" Hajj this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Uttar Pradesh Minority Minister Mohsin Raza on Wednesday asked the people, who had registered themselves for Haj pilgrims, to apply for a refund.
"I would like to request people of Uttar Pradesh who had applied for the Haj pilgrimage, to apply for a refund as the government was informed by the Saudi Arabia that Haj will not happen this year for the foreigners," said Raza while speaking to ANI.
However, people residing in Saudi Arabia can go to the Mecca as the Saudi Arabia government will make arrangements for them, he said."The entire money of all the pilgrims, who have deposited in the Haj Committee, will be transferred to their bank account without any deduction," Mohsin told -- ANI.
15:06 Ola to provide protective screens, fumigation for partner autorickshaws
Ride hailing app Ola said that auto rickshaws on its platform will undergo mandatory fumigation in every 48 hours and protective screens would be installed between driver and passenger sections as safeguards against COVID-19.
All Autos on the Ola platform will undergo mandatory fumigation every 48 hours at more than 100 fumigation centres across the country. In Delhi, there are 15 such centres and the number will go up in coming days, Ola said in a statement. Under the RideSafeIndia initiative, no extra charge would be levied on partner autos, it said. "With these added safety measures for Ola Auto, both driver-partners and passengers are assured of a comfortable and safe ride," the company said.
"All Ola Autos on the platform will be fitted with a protective partition screen between the driver-partner and passenger section as an additional layer of protection to ensure physical separation," it said.
Ola is committed to investing in this category and ensuring the hygiene protocols and screens are being used across more than 120 cities where Ola Autos operate, it said. As part of its RideSafeIndia initiative, Ola has enhanced cleanliness protocols, implemented vehicle sanitisation practices and incorporated technological advancements, for Ola Autos at no extra charge, said the statement. -- PTI
15:02 India, China to hold diplomatic talks today
India and China are holding diplomatic talks through video conference on Wednesday to explore ways to ease tension along the Line of Actual Control in the Ladakh region, officials said. The talks are scheduled to be held between Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the Ministry of External Affairs Naveen Srivastava and Director General in the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wu Jianghao, they said.
The two sides held their first diplomatic talks in June. The talks are being held two days after Chinese and Indian armies arrived at a "mutual consensus" to "disengage" from all the friction points in eastern Ladakh. -- PTI
14:58 'Galwan violence unfortunate, PLA told Indian Army at talks'
'People's Liberation Army (PLA) officers at the Corps Commanders meeting with the Indian Army delegation on Monday repeatedly stated that the Galwan clash was an "unfortunate incident",' Vijaita Singh reports in The Hindu quoting a top Indian official.
She also quotes another official as saying that 'India and China have agreed to "disengage from three friction points" in Ladakh and pull back from their current positions, where the Indian army and the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) are engaged in an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation.'
You can read her report here.
14:50 The World Has Naively Believed That China Has Good Intentions
The recent killing of 20 Indian soldiers by the Chinese military at the Himalayan border should not surprise the world. Though it's true these are the first casualties at the border in over 45 years, this brazen act of aggression fits within China's modus operandi. Unfortunately, the world has far too often naively believed the best of China's intentions. Read the column here
14:44 Maha forms task force to study transport service issues
The Maharashtra government has set up a 13-member task force to study problems related to transport services in the state and suggest measures on how to run them effectively in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. So far, there is limited movement of public transport services in the state to contain the spread of coronavirus.
"The task force will study and suggest various measures about transport services in the state, and to avoid the spread of coronavirus," as per a government resolution issued on Tuesday. The task force will be headed by state Transport Minister Anil Parab and the transport commissioner will be its secretary, the GR said.
Various bodies of goods and passenger transporters have been given representation in the task force. Maharashtra is the worst affected by COVID-19 in the country. Till Tuesday, the state reported 1,39,010 COVID-19 cases and 6,531 deaths due to the disease. Under its 'Mission Begin Again', the state government wanted to form a task force to study and resolve issues related to transport services. -- PTI
14:40 Restaurants open in Ludhiana
Dine-in facilities have resumed in hotels and restaurants in Ludhiana after the state govt allowed to reopen hotels, restaurants, marriage halls & other hospitality services at reduced 50% capacity.
14:31 China, India should keep cooperation as a priority
The Sino-Indian border military confrontations have drawn the world's attention. Many in the West would hope India would "stand up "against China's "aggression".
However, the relationship between China and India is much deeper than some Western observers think. They have the wisdom to peacefully resolve the disputes by themselves.
Chinese and Indian leaders' decisions to form a "strategic partnership" in 2005 opened the window for the two countries to build a long-term partnership for peace and prosperity. Read the column on the China Daily here.
14:23 73.5 lakh+ samples tested for Covid so far: ICMR
Over 73.5lakh samples have been tested for COVID-19 till June 23, of which 2.15 lakh were examined on Tuesday, the highest in a day since the beginning of the pandemic, ICMR officials said on Wednesday. The apex health research body on Tuesday validated the 1,000th testing laboratory, ramping up the capacity for detection of COVID-19 in the country.
Currently, three lakh samples can be tested per day, an official said.
"A cumulative total of 73,52,911 samples have been tested up to June 23, with2,15,195 samples being tested on Tuesday," the ICMR said.
Of the 1,000 COVID-19 testing laboratories, 730 are in government setups while 270 are in the private sector. This includes RT-PCR labs (557), TrueNat Labs (363) and CBNAAT Labs (80).
"However, in spite of these developments, access to testing still remains a huge challenge in a large country like India. There is a definite need to increase the outreach of testing by introducing rapid point of care diagnostic tests," the ICMR noted in its advisory issued on Tuesday.
Also, there is value in conducting serosurvey with IgG-based antibody tests in certain situations, it said. In view of this, it is now suggested to include additional testing methods to improve access and availability of testing in various parts of the country, the health research body said.
The real-time RT-PCR is the gold standard test for detecting cases of COVID-19 and the average time taken is around 4-5 hours from receipt of sample to getting the result.
"The advantage of this platform lies in its accuracy of detection as well as ability to run up to 90 samples in a single run. In view of the requirement of a specialised laboratory setup, this test cannot be performed at every district-level lab which does not have molecular virology facilities," the ICMR said. -- PTI
13:44 India's GDP to contract by 5.3% in FY21
India's economy is likely to shrink by 5.3 per cent this fiscal, the lowest GDP growth in the Indian history and the sixth instance of economic contraction, India Ratings and Research said on Wednesday.
"The disorder caused by the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded with such a speed and scale that the disruption in production, breakdown of supply chains/trade channels and total wash out of activities in aviation (some activities have started now), tourism, hotels and hospitality sectors will not allow the economic activity to return to normalcy throughout FY21," the rating agency said in a report.
As a result, besides contracting for the whole year, GDP will contract in each quarter in FY21 (April 2020 to March 2021). However, the agency believes the GDP growth would bounce back in the range of 5-6 per cent in FY22 (April 2021 to March 2022), aided by base effect and return of gradual normalcy in the domestic as well as global economy. India Ratings (Ind-Ra) said India's gross domestic product (GDP) will contract 5.3 per cent in FY21.
This will be the lowest GDP growth in the Indian history (Indian GDP data is available from FY51) and sixth instance of economic contraction, others being in FY58, FY66, FY67, FY73 and FY80; the previous low was negative 5.2 per cent in FY80," it said.
The government had announced an economic package of Rs 20.97 lakh crore (10 per cent of GDP) on May 12, 2020 to mitigate the adverse impact of COVID-19 and related lockdown. However, Ind-Ra's calculations, excluding the monetary measures and existing proposals in the union budget, show that the direct fiscal impact is only Rs 2.145 lakh crore (1.1 per cent of GDP).
13:34 Union Cabinet meeting underway
The Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is underway at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg.
13:27 Cabinet briefing at 3 pm today
Cabinet ministers Prakash Javadekar, Jitendra Singh and Giriraj Singh will be briefing the Cabinet on various matters at 3 pm today. The video briefing will be held at the Conference Hall, National Media Centre. New Delhi.
13:23 WORRYING! China increases troops by 30% along LAC
"Since the June 15 clash, the PLA has inducted large numbers of troops, armoured vehicles and artillery along the LAC, from Depsang and Galwan in northern Ladakh to Hot Springs, Pangong Tso, and Chushul in central Ladakh, to Demchok and Chumar in southern Ladakh," Ajai Shukla reports.
13:19 Rajnath attends Victory Day parade in Moscow
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is in Moscow, attends the Victory Day Parade at Red Square in Moscow today to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the victory of Soviet People in the Patriotic War of 1941-1945. "I'm proud that a Tri-Service contingent of the Indian Armed Forces is also participating in this parade," the defence minister said.
13:11 Sisodia asks HM to scrap rule on assessing Covid patient
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking his intervention in scrapping the system requiring every COVID-19 patient to visit a government-run centre for clinical assessment. Addressing an online media briefing, Sisodia said he had written to Lt Governor Anil Baijal on Tuesday on the same issue, but the AAP government was yet to receive a response from the LG's office.
"This is not a fight between Amit Shah's model and Kejriwal's model. We should implement a system in which people don't face problems," he said on Wednesday. The deputy chief minister said people were facing a lot of problems due to the new system and it should be scrapped immediately. He said the Union home minister himself was overseeing measures being taken to deal with the COVID-19 situation.
The previous system should be implemented wherein teams of the district administration visited the house of an infected person for clinical assessment, Sisodia said. -- PTI
13:03 Work with zeal: Army chief tells troops in Leh
Army Chief General MM Naravane visited forward areas in Eastern Ladakh and reviewed the operational situation on the ground. Army Chief commended troops for their high morale and exhorted them to continue working with zeal and enthusiasm, the Army said.
The Army Chief on Tuesday reviewed India's military preparedness in eastern Ladakh as he began a two-day visit to the region where a border clash last week left 20 Indian soldiers dead in the midst of a tense standoff with the Chinese People's Liberation Army.
Soon after arriving in Leh, Gen Naravane visited an Army hospital where 18 soldiers injured in the clash in Galwan Valley on June 15 are undergoing treatment, Army officials said. The Chief of the Army Staff interacted with almost all the injured soldiers and complimented them for their bravery, they added.
12:45 ITBP takes over Delhi's covid centre
Indo Tibetan Border Police today took over the COVID-19 Care Centre at Radha Soami Beas Chattarpur, Delhi as a Nodal Agency to operate. Many teams of ITBP including medical & administration visited the ashram today & held a series of discussions with the stakeholders: ITBP
Patanjali's alleged corona cure, Coronil
12:31 ASCI flags 50 ad campaigns by ayurveda, homeopathic drug makers offering COVID-19 cure
The Advertising Standards Council of India has said it has found 50 campaigns by Ayurveda and homeopathic drug makers offering cure for COVID-19 in April alone, and had flagged them to the union government for action.
The advertisements were across media platforms and were found to be violating Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) order dated April 1, 2020, prohibiting publicity and advertisement of AYUSH-related claims, the self-regulatory body said in a statement.
The disclosure from ASCI for April comes a day after the government issued a gag order against Baba Ramdev's company Patanjali Ayurved from advertising a drug as COVID-19 cure within hours of him launching it.
ASCI said the AYUSH ministry had sought its help to alert them about such advertisements and launched a drive to act against such misleading advertisements claiming prevention or cure COVID-19, which led to the discovery of the 50 potentially erring companies.
The body also made public the list of the 50 companies which were found to have advertised about COVID-19 cure or prevention in April. Interestingly, the list also includes a slew of entities advertising about homeopathic medicine Arsenic Album 30, which is being widely used as a COVID-19 prevention drug.
There were no big brands in the list, and most of them seemed to be localised entities from various parts of the country. Apart from this, the ASCI said it also flagged 91 cases of potential violation of Drugs and Magic Remedies regulations to the AYUSH ministry.
The list had companies making a slew of claims including curing diabetes, cancer, sexual problems, lifestyle ailments like blood pressure and hyper tension.
Meanwhile, Hindustan Unilever's advertisement for its brand 'Fair and Lovely' Advanced Multi Vitamin has also faced ASCI flak for being misleading by omission. ASCI received a complaint against the brand and found out that the print advertisement showing image enhancement effects such as brightening/lightening to be misleading and added that the advertiser, while admitting to using minor image enhancement, did not specify the image enhancement done by them. -- PTI
Representational image
12:26 Chhattisgarh: 15 more BSF personnel contract COVID-19
Fifteen personnel of the Border Security Force have tested positive for coronavirus in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district, officials said on Wednesday. With this, the number of COVID-19 cases in the BSF in Chhattisgarh has gone up to 26, they said.
"Among the 15 new cases, reports of 14 personnel came out positive late Tuesday night, while another one tested positive in the evening, Kanker's Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Jagjivan Ram Uike told PTI. Out of these, 10 were kept at a quarantine centre in Bande village while the others were lodged at a similar facility in Antagarh, he said, adding that after their reports came out positive, they were being admitted to a hospital in Jagdalpur. With the latest cases, the overall count of infections in the BSF has reached 26 in the state. Out of these, six personnel have been discharged after recovery," a BSF official said.
Out of the 15 new cases, seven personnel are from the BSF's 132nd battalion, five from 17th battalion, two from 82nd battalion and one from 167th battalion, he said. -- PTI
12:22 Modi govt 'unlocks' Corona, fuel prices: Rahul
"The Modi government has unlocked the Corona pandemic and the prices of petrol and diesel," tweets Rahul Gandhi.
Diesel price for the first time in living memory crossed the rate of petrol in the national capital on Wednesday when prices were raised for a record 18th day in a row.
According to a price notification of state oil marketing companies, petrol price was unchanged after 17 consecutive increases, while diesel rates were increased by 48 paise per litre across the country. Diesel now costs Rs 79.88 per litre in Delhi as compared to petrol price of Rs 79.76 a litre. Rates differ from state to state depending on the incidence of VAT.
However, diesel is costlier than petrol only in the national capital where the state government had raised local sales tax or VAT on the fuel sharply last month. Petrol costs Rs 86.54 a litre in Mumbai and diesel is priced at Rs 78.22.
In Chennai, a litre of petrol comes for Rs 83.04 and diesel for Rs 77.17. In Kolkata, petrol is priced at Rs 81.45 per litre and diesel costs Rs 75.06. In Bengaluru, petrol comes for Rs 82.35 a litre and diesel for Rs 75.96. In Hyderabad, petrol is priced at Rs 82.79 a litre and diesel at Rs 78.06.
Traditionally, diesel was priced Rs 18-20 a litre lower than petrol due to lesser taxation. But over the years, the taxes have increased, narrowing the gap.
12:04 Union Cabinet meeting underway
The Union Cabinet meeting is underway in New Delhi. On June 3, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had chaired a meeting of Union Cabinet at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg. Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Smriti Irani and Ravi Shankar Prasad were among those present at the meeting.
On June 1, the Union Cabinet approved the modalities for implementing Rs 50,000 crore equity infusion to support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which was announced last month as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat Package to help the sector cope up with the situation created by COVID-19. -- ANI
11:59 Three Indian-origin family members found dead in pool in US
Three Indian-origin family members, including an 8-year-old girl, have been found dead in the backyard pool of their recently purchased home in New Jersey, police said. Bharat Patel, 62, his 33-year old daughter-in-law Nisha Patel and her 8-year-old daughter, drowned accidently in the above-ground pool in East Brunswick on Monday, police was quoted as saying by the NJ.com.
Authorities had been investigating if Bharat, Nisha and her daughter had been electrocuted in the pool, but ruled that out on Tuesday afternoon, the New York Post reported. Law-enforcement sources said the pool varied in depth, with a deep end or a section in the middle that was several feet, the report said.
Investigators have not determined how all three family members drowned, but were seeking to determine if they were not strong swimmers and panicked when reaching deeper water, it said.
The three lived in the house on Clearview Road, which the family bought in April for USD 451,000, according to public records. Neighbours recalled hearing screaming from the backyard on Monday. We believe the mother was screaming from inside the pool (area) for help, police spokesman Frank Sutter said at a press conference.
Police attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)but pronounced the three victims dead at the scene, authorities said. -- PTI
File pic
11:33 Modi to meet Xi at G20 summit in November
A "virtual'' meeting of Foreign Ministers from Russia, India and China on Tuesday decided to hold a summit meeting of their three leaders on the sidelines of the G20 summit scheduled in Saudi Arabia in November and an interaction between their Defence Ministers as soon as the threat of pandemic recedes. The meeting between Narendra Modi, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin was proposed by China and will be the first interaction after the bloodshed in the Galwan valley, reports the Tribune.
11:27 Won't tolerate safety of bank employees: FM
A day after an assault on a female staff within the bank premises in Surat, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said nothing should threaten the safety and dignity of bank employees and that she will closely follow the matter. Taking to twitter, Sitharaman said her office has spoken to Commissioner of Police, Surat City, R B Brahmbhatt, who has assured her that the accused constable shall be suspended immediately.
A short video went viral on Twitter on Tuesday which showed a person manhandling a female banker, following which #ShameSuratPolice started trending on the social media platform.
She further said that she has spoken to Surat Collector Dhaval Patel on the incident. "Although currently on leave, he assured me that timely action will be taken on the FIR filed late night, she said. My office spoke to the Commissioner of Police... He has assured us that he himself will visit the branch and assure the staff of their safety. Also he assured that the accused constable shall be suspended immediately," Sitharaman added. -- PTI
11:18 Chinese eyed Galwan Valley in 1962 too
At a time when emotions are high over the Chinese aggression at Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh, the front page of the Times of India from July 1962 reports on the Chinese push into the valley and Indias determination to hold to the area. Three months later China attacked India and annexed Aksai Chin.
So was its Galwan Valley foray then a feint to draw our attention away, while its real target lay elsewhere?
Is there a lesson from history for the present?
11:16 Army chief to visit forward locations in Ladakh
On the second day of his two-day visit to Ladakh to review the on-ground situation and the progress in talks with the Chinese military, Army Chief General MM Naravane on Wednesday is on a visit to the forward locations in the Eastern Ladakh area.
The Army chief will also interact with troops on the ground.
The Army Chief on Tuesday departed for Leh to review the on-ground situation and the progress in talks with the Chinese military.
He also interacted with Ladakh MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, during his two-day visit to Eastern Ladakh.The Northern Army Commander and Leh Corps Commander were also present during the interaction. General Naravane visited an Army hospital and interacted with gallant Indian Army soldiers who were injured in the clash in Galwan valley on June 15 and are undergoing treatment. PTI
Image: Army Chief General MM Naravane interacts with soldiers at the Military Hospital, Leh, yesterday during his two-day visit to the UT.
11:07 Australia reports first coronavirus death in more than a month
Australia reported its first coronavirus death in more than a month on Wednesday, taking the COVID-19 toll in the country to 103 with 7,521 confirmed cases.
The new virus casualty is an 80-year-old man in Victoria state. Australia has recorded 30 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours -- 20 cases in Victoria and 10 in New South Wales. No new coronavirus infection has been recorded in Queensland for the seventh straight day. Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said,
"Seven (cases) are linked to known outbreaks. One has been detected in hotel quarantine. Nine through routine testing and three other cases are under investigation."
The official said there was a risk of more cases being hospitalised. He said there were 141 active cases in the state with over 1,000 close contacts needing to be traced.
"It certainly means we're not getting an increase or an exponential increase in community transmission cases day by day," Sutton said.
Health Minister Greg Hunt has said Australia is "as well prepared as any nation in the world" to stop the spread of coronavirus, but warned Melbourne residents to be diligent in following health norms. -- PTI
11:00 Pratik Sinha on Ramdev's Covid cure
Pratik Sinha, fake-news basher and the co-founder of AltNews tweets: "Every channel that promoted Ramdev yesterday knew that he's selling snake oil. Yet they did so because he pumps in enormous amount in money in form of advertising revenue. Support independent media organisations of your choice to counter these snake oil promoting media orgs."
10:55 'H-1B visa suspension will harm US businesses'
The temporary suspension of H-1B and other non-immigrant visas by President Donald Trump will "disproportionately" impact high-skilled workers from Asia as well as harm the American businesses that rely on immigrant workers, US lawmakers have said.
In a huge blow to Indian IT professionals eyeing the US job market, Trump signed a proclamation on Monday suspending the most sought-after H-1B visas along with other types of foreign work visas until the end of 2020 to protect American workers in a crucial election year. The new restrictions take effect from Wednesday.
"This (the suspension of visas) will disproportionately impact high-skilled workers from Asia, who overwhelming utilise the H1-B visa system and account for over 80 per cent of H1-B visa holders in the United States," Congresswoman Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, said on Tuesday. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.
"It's a purely xenophobic and bigoted agenda that actually works against our national interest," Chu said. She underlined that immigrants are vital to the US economy and are needed not only in the agriculture and medicine sectors, but also in business, academia, and "everything in between as well".
"If we want to rebuild our economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot close ourselves off from immigrants. The President's order puts his own election-year politics over the needs of our country," Chu said.
"Worse, by stoking xenophobia and furthering the false impression that immigrants take away American jobs, the President's order is putting immigrants at risk at a time when hate crimes are spiking. This order divides our country at a moment when we need to be rebuilding. I'm strongly opposed to the Trump administration's continued attacks on our legal immigration system," she said.
According to Congressman Jerrold Nadler, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, the visa suspension order is both an "abuse" of the president's executive power and a "politically motivated" attempt to shift blame. -- PTI
10:48 It's a free for all at this market in Punjab
In Punjab, people make purchases at the Ludhiana sabzi mandi; social distancing norms flouted.
The Asian paints stock gained
10:26 Equity indices gain on global sentiment, FMCG and auto stocks up
Equity benchmark indices edged higher during early hours on Wednesday on the back of gains in FMCG and auto stocks supported by positive global sentiment.
At 10:15 am, the BSE S&P Sensex moved higher by 229 points or 0.65 per cent at 35,659 while the Nifty 50 ticked up by 64 points or 0.61 per cent at 10,535.
Except for private bank, all sectoral indices at the National Stock Exchange were in the positive terrain with Nifty FMCG up by 1.7 per cent, PSU bank by 1.5 per cent, metal and auto by 1.2 per cent each.
Among stocks, Asian Paints added gains of 4.3 per cent to trade at Rs 1,757 per share. FMCG major ITC was up by 3.8 per cent and Titan by 2.5 per cent.Auto majors Hero MotoCorp, Tata Motors and Bajaj Auto accelerated by 3.6 per cent, 5.8 per cent and 2.2 per cent respectively. Larsen & Toubro, Grasim and Mahindra & Mahindra too traded with a positive bias. -- PTI
10:12 TMC MLA Tamonash Ghosh dies after testing positive for COVID-19
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Tamonash Ghosh, who had tested positive for COVID-19 in May, died at a hospital in Kolkata on Wednesday, party sources said. He was 60. The three-time MLA from the Falta assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district was admitted to a hospital after he tested positive for the disease, they said. He had several complications related to the heart and the kidney, the sources said.
"Very, very sad. Tamonash Ghosh, 3-time MLA from Falta & party treasurer since 1998 had to leave us today. Been with us for over 35 years, he was dedicated to the cause of the people & party. He contributed much through his social work," West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee tweeted. "He has left a void that will be difficult to fill. On behalf of all of us, heartfelt condolences to his wife Jharna, his two daughters, friends and well-wishers," she added. PTI
10:09 Silver lining despite rise in Delhis coronavirus cases
Tuesday's spike took the tally in the city to 66,602, with more than 40% of these cases coming in just the last 10 days. Read the report here
10:03 Rejected dynasty not equal to whole oppn: BJP
BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda on Wednesday launched a veiled attack on the Congress' first family and its scion, stating that a "rejected and ejected dynasty" is not equal to the entire Opposition and relaunch of "the scion" for "nth time" can wait as it is a time for unity and solidarity.
"One 'royal' dynasty and their 'loyal' courtiers have grand delusions of the Opposition being about one dynasty. A dynast throws tantrums and his courtiers peddle that fake narrative. Latest one relates to the Opposition asking questions to the Government," Nadda tweeted while hitting out at Congress.
"A rejected and rejected dynasty is not equal to the entire opposition. One dynasty's interests are not India's interests. Today, the nation is united and supportive of our armed forces. This is the time for unity and solidarity. Relaunch of 'the scion' for nth time can wait," he added.
Speaking about the recent all-party meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi over India and China border tension, he said it is the Opposition's right to ask questions and while several opposition leaders fully supported the Centre in determining the way ahead, only "one family" was exceptional.
"It is the Opposition's right to ask questions. The All-party Meeting saw healthy deliberations, with several Opposition leaders giving their valuable inputs. They also fully supported the Centre in determining the way ahead. One family was an exception. Any guesses who?" he asked.
The BJP chief further shared an English daily's article titled 'When MK Naryanan stalled Siachen deal'.
09:52 'Ladakh crisis could tempt Pakistan to take advantage'
"One of Islamabad's main foreign policy goals is to deter New Delhi. And given the serious crisis that India is embroiled in with its much larger rival, it's certainly getting deterred," Dr Michael Kugelman, Deputy Director of the Asia Program and Senior Associate for South Asia at the Wilson Center, tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih in the concluding segment of a two-part interview. Read it here
Read the 1st part of the interview here: 'India has limited military options'
09:37 Saroj Khan hospitalised, Covid -ve
Veteran Bollywood choreographer Saroj Khan has been admitted to Guru Nanak Hospital in Mumbai after she developed difficulty in breathing. The 71-year-old National Award-winner, who was hospitalised on Saturday, has tested negative for coronavirus, a family member on condition of anonymity told Indianexpress.com.
"She was admitted to Guru Nanak Hospital in Bandra East for breathing issues. She is doing well now and will be discharged in a day or two. She doesn't have COVID-19 symptoms. Her report has come out negative," the relative said.
09:33 15,968 Covid cases in a day, India tally 4,56,183
Brace yourselves for the Covid tally. India has recorded 465 deaths and the highest single-day spike of 15,968 new COVID-19 positive cases in the last 24 hours. Positive cases in India stand at 4,56,183 including 1,83,022 active cases, 2,58,685 cured/discharged/migrated and 14,476 deaths: Ministry of Health.
73,52,911 samples have been tested till 23rd June. 2,15,195 samples tested in the last 24 hours: Indian Council of Medical Research.
09:11 Nearly 1.25 lakh Indians returned from overseas under Vande Bharat Mission
Union civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said that nearly 1,25,000 Indians have returned from different countries under the Vande Bharat Mission.
He informed that 6,037 people returned to India from overseas on June 23.
"Vande Bharat continues to be a mission of hope and happiness for stranded and distressed Indians around the world. So far, nearly 125K Indians have come back on these evacuation flights and nearly 43K have flown out of India. Today (on Tuesday) 6,037 people returned from different countries," Puri said in a tweet.
As many as 2,50,087 Indian nationals stranded abroad have been repatriated since the beginning of Vande Bharat Mission last month, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said last week.
The Vande Bharat Mission, which started from May 7 to evacuate Indians stranded abroad due to coronavirus pandemic, is in its third phase.
The recent phase commenced on June 11.
Under the third phase, India would have 550 flights including 191 feeder flights. -- ANI
09:10 Diesel now costlier than petrol in Delhi
For the first time in Delhi, diesel has become costlier than petrol.
For the 18th day in a row, state-run oil companies on Wednesday raised prices of diesel.
However, there was no increase in petrol prices.
While petrol costs Rs 79.76 per litre, diesel can be bought at Rs 79.88 per litre.
The price of diesel has been increased by 48 paise a litre.
Notably, oil marketing companies have been adjusting retail rates in line with costs after an 82-day break from rate revision amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
These firms on June 7 restarted revising prices in line with costs. -- ANI
08:46 World's first yoga university outside India launched in US
As part of the 6th International Yoga Day commemorations, the world's first yoga university outside India has been launched in Los Angeles, offering programmes that combine scientific principles and modern research approaches to the ancient Indian practice of yoga.
The Vivekananda Yoga University was jointly launched on Tuesday by minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan and chairperson of the standing committee on external affairs P P Chaudhary during a virtual event held at the Consulate General of India in New York.
Eminent Indian yoga guru Dr. H R Nagendra, Chancellor of Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana is the first Chairman of VaYU.
Addressing the virtual launch, Muraleedharan said Swami Vivekananda gave the message of universal brotherhood from the US and through the first of its kind yoga university outside India, the message of yoga will be broadcast from America to the world.
"As the symbol of India's culture and heritage, yoga has become the means for unity and brotherhood in the world. Through the medium of yoga, we can give the message of world peace," he said, adding that yoga provides mental balance and emotional stability.
The event was jointly hosted by the Consulate General and Jaipur Foot USA Chairperson and founding director of VaYU Prem Bhandari.
In his message, Nagendra, well known as the yoga consultant to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said Swami Vivekananda "heralded the grandeur" of Indian yoga dimension to the world through his famous speech in Chicago in 1893.
"Inspired by his teachings and the solutions he has given to meet challenges of the modern era, we took up this entire process of bringing yoga into the academic dimension," he said.
He noted that the university combines best of the East and best of the West. Best of the East is yoga and its applications and best of West is modern scientific research."
"We want to bring this integrated dimension of healthcare to world at large - allopathy and the AYUSH systems, he said referring to the practice of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.
India's Consul General in New York Sandeep Chakravorty said that New York has deep ties with yoga as many years ago Swami Vivekananda spent time in the city and wrote books on yoga which popularised the Indian practice all over the world.
"It helped in making the US the adopted home of yoga," Chakravorty said, applauding the efforts of Nagendra and Bhandari for the initiative.
He underscored that VaYU will involve top line research on yoga and further popularise it in America, where currently about 40 million people practice yoga regularly.
Bhandari said that Swami Vivekananda, "a monk from India introduced Hinduism to the western world through his historic speech in Chicago in 1893. Now, 127 years later, another monk from India Dr. H R Nagendra is bringing to the western world the age old yoga science - Guru-Shishya Parampara by establishing this university." -- PTI
08:17 12 trainee sailors at INS Shivaji test Covid +ve
A total of 12 trainee sailors at INS Shivaji, Lonavala have been found tested positive for COVID-19, the Indian navy said.
"A total of 12 trainee sailors at INS Shivaji, Lonavala found tested positive for COVID-19. Since the infection is contained to a particular quarantine block, the possibility of its spread to other areas/personnel of establishment is negligible but precautions are being taken," the Navy said.
Meanwhile, 3,214 new COVID-19 cases and 248 deaths were reported in Maharashtra, the worst-hit state by the pandemic, on Tuesday.
According to the public health department, the total positive cases in the state climbed to 1,39,010, including 69,631 recoveries and 6,531 deaths. -- ANI
01:07 First volunteer given COVID-19 vaccine in UK
The first healthy volunteer has now received a coronavirus vaccine developed by Imperial College London researchers, the team behind the project said on Tuesday.
The clinical team, who delivered a small dose of the vaccine to the participant at a west London facility, are closely monitoring the participant and report they are in good health, with no safety concerns.
The human trials of the vaccine are also the first test of a new self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) technology.
"We have reached a significant milestone in this ground-breaking study with the first dose of a self-amplifying RNA vaccine delivered safely," said Dr Katrina Pollock, from Imperial's Department of Infectious Disease and Chief Investigator of the study.
We are now poised to test the vaccine in the dose evaluation phase before moving forward to evaluating it in larger numbers, she said, adding that thousands have been signing up to be a part of the ongoing vaccine studies.
Imperial College London's vaccine candidate is being developed and trialled as part of 41 million pounds in funding from the UK government and a further 5 million pounds in philanthropic donations.
The team say that it has undergone 'rigorous' pre-clinical safety tests and in animal studies it has been shown to be safe and produced encouraging signs of an effective immune response.
The new saRNA technology being trialled with it is claimed to have the potential to revolutionise vaccine development and enable scientists to respond more quickly to emerging diseases.
"The first participant marks an important step for our saRNA vaccine platform, which has never before been trialled in humans," Professor Robin Shattock, from the Department of Infectious Disease at Imperial College London, who is leading the work.
We now eagerly await rapid recruitment to the trial so that we can assess both the safety of the vaccine and its ability to produce neutralising antibodies which would indicate an effective response against COVID-19, he said.
The first volunteer, who has asked to remain anonymous, has now received a first dose vaccine, with a second booster dose to follow within four weeks.
Several others are expected to receive a first dose over the coming days.
The clinical team will continue to monitor all participants closely for safety, as well as looking to see if they produce antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2, or COVID-19, virus.
In the initial stage of the trial, 15 healthy volunteers are receiving the vaccine starting with a low dose and escalating to increasingly higher doses for subsequent volunteers to assess safety and to find the optimal dosage.
Over the coming weeks, 300 healthy participants are expected to receive two doses of the vaccine.
If the vaccine is safe and shows a promising immune response in humans, then larger trials would be planned for later in the year.
The Imperial College London vaccine is the UK's second major vaccine candidate alongside one being tested by Oxford University, also backed by the UK government through its ongoing human trials.
The UK has reported 305,289 infections of coronavirus so far and the deaths stand at 42,647. -- PTI
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