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  • NEWS UPDATE | THE PROPHET’S MOSQUE (PBUH) TO BE OPENED TO PUBLIC

  • 10 Pregnant Women Among Fresh Cases, J&K Tally Rises To 2333

    Srinagar: Ten pregnant women were among fresh COVID-19 infections reported in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, taking the overall case count to 2333.

    Sources told GNS that 112 fresh cases were reported in J&K—67 among them from Kashmir division and 45 from Jammu division.

    They said among the fresh cases in Valley, 48 were confirmed at CD’s diagnostic laboratory, Dr. Salim Khan, nodal officer for COVID-19 at the Government Medical College Srinagar, told GNS. 19 others were confirmed at viral diagnostic lab at SKIMS Bemina, Dr. G H Yatoo, Nodal Officer Coronavirus Control Measures at SKIMS, told GNS.

    Professor Farooq Jan, Medical Superintendent SKIMS Soura, told GNS that among them 12 are from Srinagar, four from Kulgam and two from Kupwara and one from Baramulla.

    Among 48 cases reported from Jammu, 30 were confirmed at Army’s Command Hospital Udhampur.

    Confirming that 30 samples tested positive at the Command Hospital Udhampur, Lt Col Inam Danish Khan told GNS sixteen of them are from Rajouri, 11 from Udhampur, two from Doda and one Reasi.

    Pertinently, GNS already reported 185 cases in J&K on Friday while official bulletin by had put the number at 128. (GNS)

  • Coronavirus: Trump terminates US relationship with WHO

    US President Donald Trump has announced that he is terminating the country’s relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO).

    The president has accused the WHO of failing to hold Beijing to account over the coronavirus pandemic.

    “China has total control over the World Health Organization,” the president said while announcing measures aimed at punishing Beijing.

    Washington will redirect funds to other bodies, he said.

    Watch Video:

    The US is the global health agency’s largest single contributor, providing more than $400m (£324m; €360m) in 2019.

    Mr Trump, who is campaigning for re-election this year and has been criticised for his own handling of the pandemic, has blamed China for trying to cover up the coronavirus outbreak.

    More than 102,000 people in the US have lost their lives to Covid-19 – by far the biggest death toll in the world.

    What did Trump say?

    “We will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization and directing those funds” to other global public health charities, Mr Trump said in the White House Rose Garden.

    “The world is now suffering as a result of the malfeasance of the Chinese government,” he said.

    He added that China had “instigated a global pandemic that has cost over 100,000 American lives”.

    The president accused China of pressurising the WHO to “mislead the world” about the virus.

    What’s the background to this?

    Mr Trump’s criticism of the WHO’s handling of the pandemic began last month when he threatened to permanently withdraw US funding, suggesting the UN health agency had “failed in its basic duty” in its response.

    “It is clear the repeated missteps by you and your organisation in responding to the pandemic have been extremely costly for the world,” he wrote in a letter to WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on 18 May.

    He later labelled the WHO a “puppet of China”.

    Mr Trump has repeatedly criticised China’s early handling of the outbreak

    China has accused the US of being responsible for the spread of the virus on its own soil, attributing the outbreak to American “politicians who lie”.

    Earlier this month, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Mr Trump was trying to mislead the public, smear China and “shift the blame for [the US’s] own incompetent response”.

    WHO member states have since agreed to set up an independent inquiry into the global response to the pandemic.

    With inputs from BBC World News

  • China home-built aircraft carrier conducting sea trials

    The Shandong’s commissioning last year by Chinese President Xi Jinping underscored the country’s rise as a regional naval power at a time of tensions with the U.S. and others over trade, Taiwan and the South China Sea.

    AP

    China’s Defense Ministry said the navy’s only entirely home-built aircraft is carrying out sea trials to test weapons and equipment and enhance training of the crew.

    Ministry spokesperson Ren Guoqiang said Friday the exercises were being conducted as planned, apparently unaffected by the country’s coronavirus outbreak.

    The Shandong’s commissioning last year by Chinese President Xi Jinping underscored the country’s rise as a regional naval power at a time of tensions with the U.S. and others over trade, Taiwan and the South China Sea.

    It is the second Chinese aircraft carrier to enter service after the Liaoning, which was originally purchased as a hulk from Ukraine and entirely refurbished.

    Both are based on a Soviet design with a “ski jump” style flight deck for takeoffs rather than the flat decks used by much larger U.S. aircraft carriers. It is powered by a conventional oil-fueled steam turbine power plant, compared to the nuclear fuel American carriers and submarines use.

    China is seen as striving to overtake the U.S. as the dominant naval power in Asia and already boasts the world’s largest navy in numbers of vessels.

    Beijing says aircraft carriers are needed to protect its coastline and trade routes, but they are also seen as backing up its claims to self-governing Taiwan and the South China Sea.

    The highly secretive Chinese military was credited with aiding in the response to the epidemic in the epicenter of Wuhan earlier this year, but no information has been released about cases among military personnel or any change in the armed forces’ readiness status.

    The U.S. Navy, in contrast, saw a public controversy over the spread of the coronavirus aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt and the firing of the aircraft carrier’s skipper in April.

    The Roosevelt was operating in the Western Pacific when the first crew members fell sick in late March. About 1,100 crew members eventually tested positive for the cornonavirus and one died. The ship was sidelined on Guam for nearly two months.

  • Coronavirus | J&K sees spike in cases as locals return

    The ongoing return of workers led to a sharp rise in the COVID-19 graph in Kashmir, as 128 more cases and one more fatality were recorded in the past 24 hours.

    “The total number of patients is 2,164 now, with 875 recoveries. Of the 128 fresh cases, 36 were detected in the Jammu division, 92 were registered in the Kashmir division. Sixteen such patients were also discharged from the hospitals,” said a government spokesman.

    The official said 990 cases (46%) were inward travellers. “Till date 1,58,773 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been listed for surveillance. At least 81,410 persons have completed their surveillance period,” the officials said.

    J&K saw over return of over 60,000 persons in the past one month. “With 48% of all positive cases in the Union Territory being contacts, indicates highly aggressive contact tracing and surveillance. Whereas, detecting of positive cases in travellers can be attributed to the stringent policy to sample, test and quarantine each incoming individual,” Chief Secretary B.V.R Subrahmanyam said.

    Srinagar saw a spike of 27 cases, up from less that 10 cases per day in the past few weeks. “Srinagar has 246 positive cases,” said the spokesman.

    Anantnag recorded six cases, Baramulla eight, Kupwara 18 , Kulgam 19 and Pulwama 13. In the Jammu division, Jammu witnessed seven new cases, Udhampur one, Samba two, Rajouri six, and Kathua six.

    Meanwhile, on the Day 5 of resumption of operation of domestic flights, 16 flights with 1,652 passengers arrived on Friday at the Jammu and Srinagar Airports, official said.

    Samples of a 70-year-old man from south Kashmir’s Shopian district tested positive for COVID-19 a day after his death.

    Dr. Salim Khan, nodal officer for COVID-19 at the Government Medical College Srinagar, said, “The resident of Aliarpora, Bagander in Shopian was admitted on May 27 as pneumonia patient with underlying hypertension and diabetes melitus. He died at SMHS hospital last evening. Today his sample report showed positive.”

    With inputs from The Hindu

  • U.S. records 1,225 coronavirus deaths in 24 hours, says tally

    States and communities across the U.S. continued phased reopenings.

    AFP

    The United States recorded 1,225 coronavirus deaths on Friday, bringing its total to 1,02,798 since the global pandemic began, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.

    The country has officially logged 17,45,606 overall cases of the virus, far more than any other nation, the Baltimore-based university’s tracker showed at 0030 GMT on Saturday.

    The latest numbers came as President Donald Trump said he was severing U.S. ties with the World Health Organisation, accusing it of not doing enough to curb the initial spread of the novel coronavirus and being too lenient with China, where the outbreak began last year.

    Mr. Trump suspended funding to the WHO last month. Until now, the United State was by far the biggest contributor to the UN agency, having given $400 million last year.

    Meanwhile, states and communities across the U.S. continued phased reopenings.

    New York, the U.S. city worst-hit by the coronavirus, is “on track” to start reopening the week of June 8, Governor Andrew Cuomo said Friday.

  • PM Modi’s letter lists Art 370 abrogation, Ram temple settlement among key achievements of 2nd term

    Here is the full text of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s letter to the nation.

    My fellow Indian,

    This day last year began a golden chapter in the history of Indian democracy. It was after several decades that the people of the country voted back a full term government with a full majority.

    Once again, I bow to the 130 crore people of India and the democratic ethos of our nation. Your affection, goodwill and active cooperation have given new energy, and inspiration.

    During normal times, I would have been in your midst. However, the present circumstances do not permit that. That is why, I seek your blessings through this letter.

    Back in 2014, the people of the country voted for a substantive transformation. In the last five years, the nation saw how the administrative apparatus broke itself free of status quo and from the swamp of corruption as well as misgovernance. True to the spirit of ‘Antyodaya’ the lives of millions have been transformed.

    From 2014 to 2019, India’s stature rose significantly. The dignity of the poor was enhanced. The nation achieved financial inclusion, free gas and electricity connections, total sanitation coverage, and made progress towards ensuring ‘Housing for All.’

    India demonstrated its mettle through the surgical strike and air strike. At the same time, decades old demands such OROP, One Nation One Tax, better MSP for farmers were fulfilled.

    In 2019, the people of India voted not merely for continuity but also with a dream — of taking India to new heights. A dream of making India a global leader.

    Today, 130 crore people feel involved and integrated in the development trajectory of the nation. The light of ‘Jan Shakti’ and ‘Rashtra Shakti’ has ignited the entire nation. Powered by the Mantra of ‘SabkaSaath, SabkaVikas, SabkaVishwas’ India is marching forward in all spheres.

    My fellow Indian,

    In the last one year, some of the decisions were widely discussed and remain etched in public discourse.

    Article 370 furthered the spirit of national unity and integration. The Ram Mandir judgment, delivered unanimously by the Honourable Supreme Court of India, brought an amicable end to a debate persisting for centuries. The barbaric practice of Triple Talaq has been confined to the dustbin of history. Amendment to the Citizenship Act was an expression of India’s compassion and spirit of inclusiveness.

    But there have been many other decisions that have added momentum to the nation’s development trajectory.

    The creation of the post of the Chief of Defence Staff was a long pending reform that has improved coordination among the armed forces. At the same time, India has stepped up preparations for Mission Gaganyaan.

    Empowering the poor, farmers, women and youth has remained our priority.

    PM Kisan Samman Nidhi now includes all farmers. In just one year, more than ₹72,000 crore has been deposited in the accounts of over 9 crore 50 lakh farmers.

    The Jal Jeevan Mission will ensure supply of potable drinking water through piped connections to over 15 crore rural households.

    A huge campaign of free vaccination is being conducted for better health of our 50 crore livestock.

    For the first time in our country’s history, farmers, farm labourers, small shopkeepers and workers in unorganised sector are assured the provision of regular monthly pension of ₹3,000 after the age of 60 years.

    Besides the facility of availing bank loans, a separate department has also been created for fishermen. Several other decisions have been taken to strengthen the fisheries sector. This will boost the blue economy.

    Similarly, it has been decided to constitute a Vyapari Kalyan Board for timely resolution of the problems of the traders. Higher quantum of financial assistance is being provided to more than 7 crore women attached to self help groups. Recently the loans without guarantee for self help groups has been doubled to 20 lakh from the earlier 10 lakh.

    Keeping in mind the education of tribal children, we have begun the construction of more than 400 new Ekalavya Model Residential Schools.

    Several people friendly laws have been ushered in during the last year. Our Parliament has broken the decades-old record in terms of productivity. As a result, whether it be the Consumer Protection Act, the amendment to Chit Fund Law or laws to provide more protection to women, children and Divyang, their passage in the Parliament was expedited.

    As a result of the policies and decisions of the government, the rural-urban gap is shrinking. For the first time, the number of rural Indians using internet is 10% more than the number of urban Indians.

    The list of such historic actions and decisions taken in national interest would be too long to detail in this letter. But I must say that every day of this year, my government has worked round the clock with full vigour, taking and implementing these decisions.

    My fellow Indian,

    As we were moving ahead at fast pace in the fulfilment of hopes and aspirations of our countrymen, the coronavirus global pandemic engulfed our country as well.

    While on one hand are powers with great economic resources and state-of-the-art healthcare systems, on the other hand is our country besieged with problems amidst a vast population and limited resources.

    Many feared that India will become a problem for the world when corona hits India. But today, through sheer confidence and resilience, your have transformed the way the world looks at us. You have proven that the collective strength and potential of Indians is unparalleled compared even to the powerful and prosperous countries of the world. Be it clapping and lighting a lamp to the honouring of Corona Warriors by India’s armed forces, Janta curfew or by faithful adherence to rules during the nationwide lockdown, on every occasion you have shown that Ek Bharat is the guarantee for Shrestha Bharat.

    In a crisis of this magnitude, it can certainly not be claimed that no one suffered any inconvenience or discomfort. Our labourers, migrant workers, artisans & craftsmen in small scale industries, hawkers and such fellow countrymen have undergone tremendous suffering.

    However, we have to take care to ensure that inconveniences that we are facing do not turn into disasters. Hence, it is very important for every Indian to follow all rules and guidelines. We have displayed patience so far and we should continue to do so. This is one of the important reasons for India being safer and in a better state than many other countries. This is a long battle but we have started traversing on the path of victory, and victory is our collective resolve.

    In the last few days, a super cyclone has wrecked havoc in parts of West Bengal and Odisha. Here too, the resilience of the people of these states is noteworthy. Their courage inspires the people of India.

    Dear friends,

    At such a time, there is also a widespread debate on how the economies of various countries, including India’s, will recover. However, given the way India has surprised the world with its unity and resolve in the fight against coronavirus, there is a firm belief that we will also set an example in economic revival. In the economic domain, through their strength, 130 crore Indians can not only surprise the world but also inspire it.

    It is the need of the hour that we must become self-reliant. We have to move forward based on our own abilities, in our own way, and there is only one way to do it — Aatmanirbhar Bharat or Self-reliant India.

    The recent ₹20 lakh crore package given for Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan is a major step in this direction.

    This initiative will usher in a new era of opportunities for every Indian, be it our farmers, workers, small entrepreneurs or youth associated with start ups.

    The fragrance of Indian soil along with the sweat, hard work and talent of our workers will create products that will reduce India’s dependence on imports and will move towards self-reliance.

    Dear friends,

    In this journey of the last six years, you have continuously showered me with love and blessings.

    It is the strength of your blessings that has made the nation take historic decisions and progress rapidly in the last one year. However, I am also aware that there is a lot that needs to be done. There are many challenges and problems that our country faces. I am working day and night. There could be deficiencies in me but there is nothing that our country lacks. So, I believe in you, your strength and your abilities even more than I believe in myself.

    The source of strength for my resolve is you, your support, blessings and affection.

    Due to the global pandemic this is certainly a time of crisis but for us Indians this is also a time for a firm resolve.

    We must always remember that the present and future of 130 crore will never dictated by an adversity.

    We will decide our present and our future.

    We will move ahead on the path of progress and victory will be ours.

    It is said that- कृतम्मेदक्षिणेहस्ते, जयोमेसव्यआहितः

    This means, if we have action and duty on one hand, then success is assured in the other hand.

    With prayers for our country’s success, I bow to you once again.

    My heartiest wishes to you and your family.

    Stay healthy, stay safe!!!

    Stay aware, stay informed!!!

    Your Pradhan Sevak

    Narendra Modi

    With inputs from The Hindu

  • Two militants killed in Kulgam encounter

    The security forces got a tip off about the presence of militants in Wanpora area

    Two militants were on Saturday killed in an operation of the security forces in Wanpora area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Saturday, police said.

    A police spokesman said the identities of the slain militants were being ascertained.

    The duo was killed when a joint team of the police, the Army’s 01 RR and the CRPF launched a cordon-and-search-operation in Wanpora and encircled them.

    “The hiding militants opened fire at the security forces. In the encounter, two militants were killed,” the spokesman said.

    With inputs from The Hindu

  • Telecom regulator moots national numbering plan

    Recommends 11-digit mobile numbers, among other things

    The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on Friday recommended that a new National Numbering Plan be issued at the earliest so that a uniquely identifiable number can be provided to every subscriber in India.

    Some of the options that TRAI has recommended include switching to a 11-digit mobile number, reallocation of mobile numbering resources surrendered by operators who have shut shop and prefixing zero for all mobile calls made from fixed line.

    The regulator said adequate availability of numbering resources is threatened because of an increase in the range of services and massive growth in the number of connections, especially in the mobile segment. The ongoing plan implemented in 2003, was developed keeping in mind the projections till the year 2033. The total number of telephone subscribers in India stands at 1,177.02 million with a tele-density of 87.45% at the end of January 2020.

    “As a result, we find ourselves in a situation where we need to review the utilisation of the numbering resources and make some policy decisions to ensure that adequate resources are available for sustainable growth of the telecommunication services,” it said.

    TRAI said that some serious problems are anticipated with a change in the mobile number from 10 to 11 digits, and the move should be resorted to only if all the efforts to continue with the 10-digit numbering are exhausted.

    Migrating to 11 digits “would require widespread modifications in the configuration of switches involving cost. This would also cause inconvenience to the customers in the form of dialing extra digits and updating phone memory. This could lead to more dialing errors, infructuous traffic, and loss of revenue to the TSPs.” It added that telephone numbers are also associated with the digital identity of individuals, and, hence, changes will be required in the databases of all services requiring telephone numbers for identity like financial banking services, e-commerce, and government welfare schemes.

    The Department of Telecommunications administers the numbers for fixed and the mobile networks based on the ITU’s Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) Recommendations. The management of numbering resources is governed by the National Numbering Plan.

    The Authority has also recommended that all the SIM-based M2M (machine to machine) connections using 10-digit mobile numbering series should be shifted to the 13-digit numbering series allocated by DoT at the earliest.

    Besides, the regulator has said that the government should enlist all newly allocated numbering resources for fixed line as well as mobile services every year.

    The Authority has also recommended automated allocation of numbering resources be done using number management system software to speed up the process of allocation in an efficient and transparent manner. If needed, this work may be outsourced with overall control and supervision of the DoT, it said.

    With inputs from The Hindu

  • Donald Trump order targets social networks

    Administration to look into ways of holding social media platforms liable for the content they carry.

    A day after U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out at Twitter for fact-checking two of his tweets on mail-in ballots, he signed an executive order (EO) asking his administration to look into ways of holding platforms liable for more of the content they carry.

    Specifically, the EO asks the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to re-examine how protections granted under a particular statute — Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (1996) — ought to apply.

    Section 230, on the back of which several American tech companies like Facebook and Twitter have grown, allows social media sites to carry third party content without being liable for all of it. There are some exceptions around federal criminal law, sex trafficking and intellectual property. It, therefore, draws a distinction between platforms on the one hand and publishers or speakers on the other.

    Significantly, the statute says a platform shall not be liable for actions taken in “good faith” to restrict material that is, “obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable, whether or not such material is constitutionally protected”.

    Thursday’s order also directs federal government agencies to review the amount of advertising dollars spent on online platforms. It asks the FCC to lake action on “deceptive acts” affecting commerce, such as when sites “restrict speech in ways that do not align with those entities’ public representations about those practices”.

    Twitter called Mr. Trump’s approach “politicised”.

    ‘Reactionary order’
    “This EO is a reactionary and politicised approach to a landmark law. #Section230 protects American innovation and freedom of expression, and it’s underpinned by democratic values. Attempts to unilaterally erode it threaten the future of online speech and Internet freedoms,” a statement from Twitter said.

    Mr. Trump and other Republicans have said U.S. tech companies have a liberal bias and social media sites tend to censor conservative views. There is support on the other side of the aisle for scaling back or revoking current protections, but for different reasons — such as unmoderated content encouraging misinformation and promoting violence. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee told the New York Times earlier this year Section 230 should be revoked because internet companies, such as Facebook, were not merely tech companies, but propagating falsehoods. Asked by a reporter if he would consider deleting his Twitter account, Mr. Trump said on Thursday that he used social media to refute fake news”. “ I would do that [ delete his Twitter account] in a heartbeat if I had fair — if we had a fair press in this country, I would do that in a heartbeat.”

    With inputs from The Hindu