Srinagar: The ICC T20 World Cup, to be held this year in October-November, is likely to be postponed by two years.
According to news agency KINS, the official announcement on the matter will be made after the ICC meeting on May 28, though the current situation amid the Coronavirus pandemic has left the apex board with little options but to reschedule the league to 2022.
The postponement of the T20 World Cup would pave way for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to host the Indian Premier League (IPL) Season 13 in the September-October or October-November window.
IPL was earlier scheduled to start on March 29 but was suspended in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.(KINS)
Hong Kong public high school students began attending classes on Wednesday, part of a phased reopening after the financial hub successfully tackled its coronavirus outbreak. Hundreds of secondary schools opened their doors on Wednesday for senior students, the first classes in the state sector since late January.
Younger students will return in stages over the coming weeks, while fee-paying international schools have already restarted classes.
Hong Kong was one of the first places to be hit with the coronavirus when it spread from central China. But health authorities have managed to keep a mass outbreak at bay with just over 1,000 infections and four deaths.
The semi-autonomous city went into a partial lockdown in March but businesses have mostly reopened in recent weeks.
Local transmissions of the COVID-19 disease have all but ended — the city has recorded 11 days straight of zero local infections. The few cases that are documented are found within people returning from overseas who are swiftly tested on arrival at the airport, and quarantined if necessary.
The resumption of classes on Wednesday coincided with a debate in the legislature over a proposed law banning insults to China’s national anthem.
The South China Morning Post reported some students held banners calling for democracy as they walked to school on Wednesday morning.
We are not being allowed to discharge our duties, they say.
Scores of doctors from the Valley’s main tertiary care hospital, Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS), here on Wednesday held a silent sit-in against alleged growing incidents of harassment of doctors on COVID-19 duty by the J&K police recently.
Wearing masks and holding placards, the doctors assembled in the premises of the hospital and staged the protest. It comes a day after the principal, Government Medical College, Srinagar, raised the issue of a cardiologist’s detention and thrashing with the administration formally.
In the latest incident, Chief Medical Officer, Bandipora, Dr Tajamul Hussain claimed he was stopped on Tuesday by the police for over 20 minutes when he was on the way to inspect a quarantine centre and a sample collection centre in Bandipora.
Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) president Dr. Suhial Naik said doctors across J&K will wear black band.
“Following back-to-back episodes in which doctors were manhandled, harassed and not allowed to discharge their duties amid the COVID-19 outbreak, a one-day black band protest on Wednesday against the excesses by government forces will be held,” Dr. Naik said.
Kashmir IGP Vijay Kumar said he has asked all the field functionaries to ensure smooth movement of the doctors and the paramedics. “Directions have been passed on to all the district top officers to facilitate the health professionals who are performing duties,” he said.
New Delhi: India will remain firm on the ground in the ongoing troop confrontations in eastern Ladakh where it said China has violated the unresolved boundary and obstructed Indian patrols even as New Delhi remains committed to a peaceful and diplomatic resolution.
Top government sources said India will continue to “defend its interests resolutely”, deploy “appropriate resources” and work for a peaceful resolution of the dispute, indicating that troops in a forward position will resist the Chinese intrusions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
India will soon resume border infrastructure construction activities derailed by the coronavirus pandemic, but will remain “open and flexible” in diplomatic talks with China in a bid to resolve the military stalemate in the Himalayas, another set of sources said.
In an articulation that stood out for forthrightly naming China as the intruder, sources said while India has always remained conscious of where the LAC lies, China has from time to time violated the unresolved boundary, and the government “doesn’t know what their motives are”.
All activities and border patrols by India were being undertaken well within its own side of the LAC in eastern Ladakh, the sources said.
“But despite that, the Chinese obstructed the Indian patrols. The two sides are engaged diplomatically both here and in Beijing to address the issue, but there won’t be any compromise when it comes to the defence of our territory,” a source said.
This came after a flurry of meetings in South Block, defence minister Rajnath Singh and national security advisor Ajit Doval monitoring the developing situation closely as India sought a non-escalatory posture even while making it clear that it will not allow the LAC to be unilaterally altered. null
India is now actively looking at politico-diplomatic intervention to resolve the crisis after several rounds of major general and brigadier-level negotiations at the Chushul-Moldo and Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO)-Tien Wien Dien (TWD) border personnel meeting (BPM) points have failed to break the deadlock, as was reported by TOI a day ago.
India will remain firm on the ground in the ongoing troop confrontations in eastern Ladakh where it said China has violated the unresolved boundary. (PTI photo)
India is keeping a close eye on troop reinforcements and fortifications by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) at the four-five confrontations sites on the northern bank of Pangong Tso, Demchok and the Galwan Valley region through satellite pictures and a variety of “surveillance platforms” like aircraft and drones.
“The situation is serious but not alarming. The Indian Army position is clear that it will not allow the status quo to be changed unilaterally by PLA soldiers, who have intruded 1-3 km into what India considers to be its territory,” said another source.
“Indian troops will not budge an inch from their forward positions but will take care not to unnecessarily provoke the PLA troops as per the laid down protocols between the two sides. BPM and hotline talks are being held at the colonel, brigadier and major-general levels but without any breakthrough as yet,” he added.
The Indian Army has moved its battalions under the Leh-based 3 Infantry Division (a division has 10,000-12,000 soldiers) forward to their ‘operational alert areas’, with units from other areas replacing them in the ‘traditional depth areas’, as was first reported by TOI.
China has deployed an estimated 1,200-1,500 soldiers in the almost eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation at the different sites in eastern Ladakh spread across a broad frontage of the LAC. The PLA has also diverted at least 5,000 soldiers towards the border from an exercise it was holding in the region as a show of strength.
‘Investment appetite remains; no price hike in short-term’
Bata India on Tuesday said while it anticipated only need-based shopping in the short-term, revival in demand is expected around the festive season beginning September this year.
The shoemaker posted a close to 57% drop in net profit for the January-March 2020 quarter. Amid COVID-19-related uncertainties, the company has put on hold plans to open any new stores in the next three-six months; however, it has curated a new product line up ‘to stay relevant’, including washable footwear and antiviral masks. “I do expect us to go through a short phase where people will stick to essentials for example children outgrowing shoe size or replacement because of usage, sports shoes for training at home… the festivities as they come in September onwards, will be a big kick for us as a full industry,” Sandeep Kataria, CEO, Bata India, said.
Mr. Katari added that over the last three weeks, the company had seen an uptick in demand with tier 3, tier 4 and tier 5 towns and in residential areas recovering faster. Bata India is also focussing on e-commerce to reach out to customers.
To a query on capex, he said, “We’ve had a relook at that. We are not planning to open any new stores in the next three to six months… the capex and the investment appetite for India is very much still there. But we do need to fully understand how the demand unfolds before we go back and look at new stores.”
Mr. Katari said that the company is not looking at offering discounts in order to avoid crowding at stores, nor will it hike prices in the “short-term” to offset increase in costs due to new safety practices.
Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh announced investigation into the case pertaining to the suicide of a person over unsettled dues.
Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Tuesday announced that a fresh probe would be conducted by the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) against Republic TV founder Arnab Goswami in connection Alibaug resident Anvay Naik’s suicide in 2018.
Naik and his mother Kumud had committed suicide in May 2018. Naik left behind a suicide note stating that Mr. Goswami and two others had not cleared ₹5.40 crore that were owed to him in exchange for services rendered, due to which he was taking the extreme step. The Alibaug police had at the time filed a case of abetment to suicide in connection with the matter.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Mr. Deshmukh said that a fresh probe had been ordered after Naik’s daughter Adnya approached him earlier this year, alleging that the Alibaug police had not conducted a satisfactory probe in the matter.
“Orders to this effect have been communicated to the Director General of Police, Maharashtra and the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Pune,” Mr. Deshmukh said.
The advisory, if constituted, will for the first time enable a local face to oversee governance issues in Jammu & Kashmir.
The recently-floated Jammu-Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) on Tuesday said there was no formal proposal yet from the Centre on the constitution of an advisory council for the Union Territory (UT), with its members reportedly drawn from the JKAP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The advisory, if constituted, will for the first time enable a local face to oversee governance issues in Jammu & Kashmir.
“There is no such offer as of now. Whenever such an offer is made, the JKAP will take a decision,” JKAP leader Ghulam Hasaan Mir said, a day after there were some media reports on such a move.
Several statements by the JKAP have reflected a softening of its stand on domicile laws, including when it welcomed the new recruitment policy that allows both eligible non-locals and domiciles to apply for posts. JKAP president Altaf Bukhari’s frequent trips to Delhi have also fuelled speculation over “a new arrangement being worked out on J&K”, sources said.
Sources in the BJP said the Centre was mulling options “to restore political processes”, as it will be 10 months in May since the suspension of political activities by regional parties after the revocation of J&K’s special status.
NC’s rider
The National Conference (NC) has insisted on the rider of releasing all political leaders, including Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti, Peoples Conference chief Sajjad Lone and J&K Peoples Movement chief Shah Faesal, to commence political activities and make its stand public on a series of events since August 5, 2019. No released NC leader has attended public functions in J&K so far.
Professor Bhim Singh, chief of the Jammu-based National Panthers Party, also said, in a veiled reference to JKAP, which is yet to be political party registered with the Election Commission of India: “I urge President of India Ramnath Kovind to convene an urgent meeting of the representatives of recognised political parties in J&K so that a communication between the people and the administration continues for future. I regret that some unrecognised political groups and their wealthy leaders are being promoted by bureaucracy at the cost of democracy.”
Section 85 of the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 affords the power to constitute committees to oversee matters of apportionment of assets, rights and liabilities of companies and corporations in the newly created UTs of J&K and Ladakh.
A three-member advisory committee, headed by former defence secretary Sanjay Mitra, was constituted in September last year. The Centre has also appointed Advisors to the Lieutenant-Governor, and allocated portfolios. However, the nature of the law under which any council could be created remains ambiguous.
Clarification comes amid spat between his political adviser Tanvir Sadiq and former legislator Mehdi
National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah, who has flown to Delhi on Wednesday said he needed a change of scene and reiterated that the party’s stand on August 5, 2019, which saw revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, remained “unchanged.”
“Finally I am in Delhi for the 1st time since 3rd August 2019. There is nothing political about my visit, whether linked to the matter above or the political advisory council reportedly being formed. I needed a change of scene & some medical follow ups & that’s why I’m here,” tweeted Mr. Abdullah.
He said the NC remained committed to challenging what happened on August 5 using all lawful means.
On differing views between Mr. Abdullah’s political adviser Tanvir Sadiq and former legislator Agha Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, the NC vice-president said, “Both are valued colleagues and friends. As far as I am concerned that both are entitled to an opinion and to disagree with each other. Neither views, expressed in a private capacity, change the stand NC has taken in the SC and outside regarding the August 5,” he said.
Mr. Sadiq and Mr. Mehdi bickered publicly, with the latter questioning the silence of the party on revocation of special status and focussing on the domicile laws. “We are a democratic party and we value all shades of opinion within our wider family though sometimes it’s better to discuss them amongst ourselves before we decide to make them public. I’ve burnt my hands a few times by not following my own advice,” he added.
Sources in the NC said Mr. Abdullah was likely to meet opposition leaders, including the Congress, in coming days.
The ICMR’s statement came against the backdrop of the World Health Organization (WHO) suspending the testing of the drug in COVID-19 patients temporarily in its global study.
No major side-effects of hydroxychloriquine have been found in studies in India and its use should be continued in preventive treatment for COVID-19, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said on Tuesday.
The ICMR’s statement came against the backdrop of the World Health Organization (WHO) suspending the testing of the drug in COVID-19 patients temporarily in its global study following safety concerns.
“The COVID-19 is an evolving field and we do not know which drug is working and which is not working. Lot of drugs are being repurposed for COVID-19, whether for prophylaxis or for treatment of COVID-19.
“We found there were no major side affects except for nausea, vomiting, palpitation occasionally. Hence in our advisory we have recommended that it should be continued for prophylaxis as there is no harm. Benefit may be there,” ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava said.
He said it has been “clearly advised that HCQ should be taken with food, not on empty stomach“.
“We also emphasized that one ECG should be done during the treatment. We expanded use of HCQ from healthcare workers to front-line workers also, considering the potential benefits,” he added.
Mr. Bhargava was addressing a press conference on the COVID-19 situation in the country where he mentioned that the ICMR has upscaled the testing facilities and over one lakh persons are being tested every day.
Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health, said the recovery rate for COVID-19 cases in the country has seen an upwards trend.
The recovery rate in the country continues to improve and is presently 41.61 per cent. The COVID-19 fatality rate has reduced from 3.3 per cent on April 15 to 2.87 per cent which is among the lowest in the world,” he said.
Srinagar: With world health organization cautioning about the possible second peak after the decline in coronavirus cases, the medical experts in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Tuesday said the resurgence are based on past pandemics and that could be more deadly than the first wave.
Medical experts believe that evacuation process during which the large number of people was brought back from other parts of the nation and globe proved positive which also led to the spike in number of cases.
Talking exclusively to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), valley’s renowned flu expert Dr. Nisar ul Hassan said that the second wave may be possibly during winters as it starts early in Jammu and Kashmir and is very long and harsh so that way it could be more deadly and lethal here than any other part of the world.
He said second peak is said on the basis of past pandemic experiences and those second waves have been and could be deadly than the first wave. “It’s sort of resurgence when it seems the cases have declined or its over doing away with necessary precautionary measures people rejoice in that phase after few weeks or months there is a second wave which can be more lethal.”
Citing an example about the past pandemic, he said the 1918 ‘Spanish Flu’, the most notorious infection which engulfed the one third of the world’s population, killing 50 million people and people said it was the second wave that killed the most number of people and it happened only after people and administration started to rejoice and thought that this pandemic has gone away while giving away with the necessary protocols.
Dr Nisar said “We certainly believe that there could be second wave in this virus though it’s very new and we don’t know how it will behave since it’s the virus so the fundamental principles will remain the same. There is possibility that once the cases start declining and people and administration start rejoicing, this virus like others can also mutate and we can have deadly and lethal results in times to come.”
Talking about the prevailing pandemic, he said the virus witnessed resurgence in China, South Korea and Singapore where highest number of people have died. “Pandemics are like fire we should not care about the economic aspect only but the lives are more important.”
He also said that the cases are rising in Jammu and Kashmir and it has compounded due to the returnees and the administrative quarantine facilities are not scientific also. “They put number of people in a single hall, building or hotel that could possibly be an important factor in the increase in number of cases.”
He said that the necessary precautionary measures being followed should not go away which include social distancing, intense surveillance, contact tracing and quarantine.
He also suggested that the immune tests must be conducted stating that it will help in easing out the restrictions gradually with time—(KNO)
