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Srinagar May 12: Kashmiris have shown their solidarity with the Palestine people and condemned the air strikes by Israel on civilians in Gaza, which killed 43 people and around 300 injured.
Anger is brewing up among Kashmiris against the civilian killings in Palestine by Israel. According to news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS), Kashmiris have been taking to social media where they express their anger and denounce the civilian killings by Israel. They have also questioned the silence by several countries over these killings.
“I denounce the killings in Palestine. Israel forces have been killing children in Gaza and the world is watching as a mute spectator. Except few Muslim countries, others are totally silent. This is pathetic,” wrote Aijaz Ahmad on his Twitter handle.
Saudi Arabia has come under sharp criticism for not raising the voices of Palestine people.
Meanwhile, the death toll from Israeli airstrikes on Gaza in Palestine has climbed to 43, including 13 children and three women.
The Gaza Health Ministry, as per a report by Associated PRess, said nearly 300 Palestinians in the territory have been wounded in the strikes, which began Monday.
The worst fighting since the 2014 Gaza war was ignited by clashes in Jerusalem in recent weeks between Palestinian people and Israeli police focused on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a site sacred to Jews and Muslims.
Rockets streamed out of Gaza and Israel pounded the territory with airstrikes early Wednesday as the most severe outbreak of violence since the 2014 war took on many hallmarks of that devastating 50-day conflict, with no endgame in sight.
Israeli airstrikes have leveled two apartment towers in the Gaza Strip, where 2 million Palestinians have lived under a crippling Israeli-Egyptian blockade since Hamas took power in 2007. Warning shots have allowed civilians to evacuate the buildings, but the material losses will be immense. Israel faced heavy criticism over the tactic during the 2014 war.
Just after daybreak Wednesday, Israel unleashed dozens of airstrikes in the course of a few minutes, targeting police and security installations, witnesses said. A wall of dark gray smoke rose over Gaza City. The Hamas-run Interior Ministry said airstrikes destroyed the central police headquarters in Gaza City, a compound with several buildings.
The death toll in Gaza rose to 35 Palestinians, including 12 children and three women, according to the Health Ministry. Some 233 people were wounded. Five Israelis, including three women and a child, were killed by rocket fire Tuesday and early Wednesday, and dozens of people were wounded.
In a brief statement, ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said she had noted with great concern the escalation of violence in the region and the possible commission of crimes under the Rome Statute that established the court.
The latest eruption of violence began a month ago in Jerusalem, where heavy-handed police tactics during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers ignited protests and clashes with police. A focal point was the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a site sacred to Jews and Muslims. (KINS)

Baramulla, May 12: A youth was found dead mysteriously in an orchard in his native area in Sheepora Delina of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Wednesday morning.

An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that some locals spotted the body in the orchard in Delina and accordingly informed the police.

He said that a team of police from the concerned police station reached the spot and took the body into their possession.

Official identified the deceased as Mohammad Abbas Mir son of Ghulam Mohammad Mir, a resident of Sheepora Delina.

“The body has been shifted to a nearby hospital for postmortem and investigation in this regard has been taken up,” he added—(KNO)

Srinagar, May 11: The district disaster management authority Srinagar on Tuesday asked for the testing of all bakery workers operating in the district after 8 bakery workers tested positive for Covid-19.

According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), district magistrate Srinagar, Mohammad Aijaz, who is also the chairman of DDMA in a Tweet asked for the testing of all bakery workers in Srinagar.

“DDMA Srinagar asked for Testing of all Bakery workers. Out of 99 lifted samples, 8 have tested positive on RTPCR. Mostly from renowned Bakery shops. Let’s stay indoors. #coronavirus has unique art of locating the right person,” he Tweeted.

Notably, despite restrictions in place in view of Covid-19 situation, several areas in Srinagar on Tuesday witnessed huge rush of shoppers, thronging the market places in view of the approaching Eid-ul-Fitr—(KNO)

Srinagar, May 11: The second wave of Covid-19 has wreaked havoc in Jammu and Kashmir as in just 11 days of the ensuing month, 564 deaths were reported in the Union Territory.

As per the data available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), from May 01-11 J&K has reported 564 deaths which includes 200 from Kashmir division and 364 from Jammu division.

“On first May, J&K reported 46 deaths which includes 17 from Kashmir division and 29 from Jammu and on May 02 J&K reported 41 deaths which includes 11 from Kashmir and 28 from Jammu,” the figures reveal.

They suggest that on 03 May, J&K reported 51 deaths, 16 Kashmir and 35 from Jammu while as 04 May, J&K reported 37 deaths which includes 12 from Kashmir and 26 from Jammu.

“On 05 May, J&K reported 52 deaths which includes 24 from Kashmir and 28 from Jammu division and on 06 May J&K reported 52 deaths including 18 from Kashmir and 34 from Jammu,” the figures state. “On 07 May, J&K reported 50 deaths including 21 from Kashmir and 29 from Jammu division while as on 08 May, J&K reported 60 deaths including 18 from Kashmir and 42 from Jammu.”

The figures further state that on 09 May, J&K reported 54 deaths which includes 22 from Kashmir and 32 from Jammu while as on May, 56 deaths were reported including 17 from Kashmir and 39 from Jammu.

“On 11 May, 65 deaths were reported in the UT which includes, 24 from Kashmir division and 41 from Jammu division,” the figures added—(KNO)

Srinagar, May 11: If you have received first dose of Covid-19 vaccine and got infected with the virus, you should go for the second shot soon after the recovery,” said Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Tuesday in a communiqué.

“People who contract Covid after the first dose still need to get the second jab,” said DAK President and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan.

“However, you shouldn’t get the vaccine while sick,” he said.

Dr Hassan said you should get your second dose as soon as your isolation is over.

“One should take the second shot 2 weeks after all the symptoms of Covid have been resolved,” he said.

“I am aware of several cases where someone tested positive for Covid-19 after getting their first dose,” Dr Hassan said.

“They should get their second dose of the vaccine after they get over with their quarantine to gain its full protective benefits,” he said.

The DAK President said you are fully protected against the Covid only after the second dose.

“It is vitally important to get both doses for best protection against the Covid,” he said.

“First dose primes the body with an initial immune response,” Dr Nisar said.

“Second dose is the one that really gives the boost to the immune system. It induces a level of virus neutralizing antibodies about 10-fold greater than the first dose,” he said.

“Also, second dose induces cellular immunity, which predicts not only longer protection, but better protection against variant strains,” he added.

Dr Nisar said there are two Covid-19 vaccines that are being used in Kashmir right now – Covaxin and Covishield which have two-dose schedule.

He said doses are spaced depending on which vaccine you get.

“The time interval between two doses of Covaxin is 4-6 weeks, while second dose of Covishield can be taken 4-8 weeks after the first. But, there is some data that delaying the second dose of Covishield up to 12 weeks gives a better immune boost,” he informed.

“It is imperative to take the same vaccine for both doses and mixing of the two should not be done,” he added.

Case registered in police station Tekkipora-Sogam, further investigations on

Kupwara, May 10: Jammu and Kashmir Police have registered FIR against 20 people who were found involved in raising “pro-freedom and provocative slogans” during the funeral of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat chairman Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai on May 6.

A top police official told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that an FIR has been lodged against 20 people who were raising “pro-freedom and provocative slogans” while taking the body of Sehrai to Tekkipora-Sogam graveyard for burial at around 4 am on May 6. The video of the same had gone viral on social media sites.

“A case has been registered against 20 people who were found raising pro-Azadi and other provocative slogans, in police station Tekkipora-Sogam (Kupwara district),” the official said, adding that further investigations are on.

Pertinently, Sehrai was shifted to GMC Jammu on May 5 after he complained of chest pain and breathing issues. His condition deteriorated in the afternoon after which he breathed his last in the same hospital.

His body was handed over to his family members. Sehrai’s body was taken to his ancestral graveyard at Tekkipora, Kupwara where he was laid to rest in presence of his family members and close relatives—(KNO)

Srinagar, May 10: Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Monday urged the Union government to grant compulsory license for Covid-19 vaccines and drugs.

Srinagar, May 10: PDP leader Nayeem Akthar who’s was detained at MLA Hostel in Srinagar was handed over to Police Station Sadar today.

Sources told news agency Kashmir News Trust that Akhtar will be shifted to his Humhama based home where he will be placed under house arrest.

Sources added that Akhtar has been shifted from MLA Hostel to his home on medical grounds. Last time, he was found unconscious at MLA Hostel and was shifted to hospital for treatment.

Senior leader Naeem Akhtar is a close aide of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti. He was first detained in August 2019 and later booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA), and released in June last year after 10 months of detention. He was again arrested in December last year just ahead of counting of votes for the District Development Council and lodged in a government building (MLA Hostel) declared as a sub-jail. (KNT)