Ads

https://www.movcpm.com/watch.xml?key=ca6f7a7b5b907037ea0b0661a650656e

Monday, 31 August 2020

At least 2,752 held in Bengal for flouting shutdown norms; lockdown extended in containment zones till September-end

Kolkata: Normal life was crippled across West Bengal on Monday owing to a complete lockdown enforced across the state, even as thousands were arrested for flouting shutdown norms, officials said.

A total of 2,752 people were held in the state, including 609 in the metropolis, for violating lockdown rules, not wearing masks and spitting in public places, police said.

In Cooch Behar, some of the offenders had to undergo rapid antigen tests, while in Bankura, they were made to perform sit-ups and carry bicycles on their shoulders on the way back home.

Streets in the city and elsewhere mostly wore a deserted look, with police personnel keeping a strict watch on all major thoroughfares and traffic intersections.

Those who stepped out were asked to provide proof to justify their need for leaving home amid the shutdown.

All government and private establishments, banks, shops and marketplaces remained closed due to the lockdown.

Essential services, such as medicine shops and milk supply were kept out of the purview of the shutdown. Petrol pumps also remained operational during the day.

Flight services at Kolkata international airport remained suspended, while long-distance trains were rescheduled at Howrah and Sealdah stations.

Ferry services through inland waterways also did not operate on Monday.

The complete lockdown, imposed on certain days since 23 July, is aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

The West Bengal government has announced total shutdown on 7, 11 and 12 September.



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/34PWOjv

Bombay HC refuses to stay JEE-Main examination; allows students in flood-hit areas to seek re-exam

Nagpur: The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court on Tuesday refused to stay the JEE-Main examination, but said any student residing in flood-hit parts of Maharashtra's Vidarbha region who cannot reach the exam centre or reaches late can apply to the National Testing Agency to seek a re-examination.

A division bench of Justices Ravi Deshpande and Pushpa Ganediwala said the National Testing Agency (NTA) shall consider such applications and decide accordingly, after checking the veracity of the same.

The engineering Joint Entrance Examination (JEE)-Main began at 9 am across the country on Tuesday. "The situation is grim in several districts due to flood. Students should not suffer for no fault on their part, the bench said.

The court said any aggrieved student can file an application to the NTA via their centre coordinator. "The National Testing Agency shall then decide on the application after consulting with the district collector concerned within a period of 15 days, the court ordered.

Earlier, the High Court on Monday took cognisance of a letter written to it by Nitesh Bawankar, a resident of Bhandara district, raising concern over how students will reach the exam centres to appear for the JEE amid the flood situation.

Bawankar sought postponement of the exam for students residing in flood-hit parts of Nagpur, Amravati, Akola, Chandrapur, Gondia and Gadchiroli districts.

Due to floods, students from these areas will find it difficult to appear for the JEE-Main examination, he said.

The court on Monday directed the Union government, Maharashtra government, National Testing Agency and collectors of these districts to consider postponing the JEE-Main for students from flood-affected areas who would be unable to reach the centres to appear for the exam.



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/3jAkoVQ

WHO chief warns against reopening too quickly without controlling COVID-19, says its a 'recipe of disaster'

Geneva: The head of the World Health Organization is warning that opening up societies too quickly amid the coronavirus pandemic is a “recipe for disaster.”

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus advises that “the more control countries have over the virus, the more they can open up,” and insists that countries that are serious about opening up must also be serious about suppressing transmission.

“This may seem like an impossible balance, but it's not,” he told reporters in Geneva.

Tedros cited four key points that countries, communities, and individuals should focus on: preventing “amplifying events” - as the virus thrives on clusters; protecting vulnerable groups; people taking steps individually to protect themselves; and finding, isolating, testing, and caring for cases, while tracing and quarantining their contacts.



from Firstpost World Latest News https://ift.tt/2YOP90X

PCOS Awareness Month 2020 dedicated to a common hormonal disorder that affects 10% of women worldwide

The month of September, and specifically 1 September, are dedicated to raising awareness about a disorder that several women face, called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). One in every ten women are thought to be affected by Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, which is among the most common hormonal disorders that affects women.

PCOS is a serious genetic, hormonal, metabolic and reproductive disorder, pcoschallenge.org says. The leading cause of female infertility, it also leads to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and endometrial cancer.

The PCOS Awareness Month aims to "improve the lives of those affected by PCOS and to help them to overcome their symptoms as well as prevent and reduce their risks for life-threatening related diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and cancer," as per the website.

PCOS affects a woman's ovaries that produce estrogen and progesterone. These are the hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle. Ovaries also produce a tiny amount of male hormones called androgens. However, if a cyst gets formed in the ovaries due to the overproduction of androgen hormones, it leads to the woman getting diagnosed with PCOS.

According to a report by Voyage Healthcare, as many as 40 percent of women diagnosed with PCOS also suffer from depression and self-esteem issues, due to the bodily changes that come with the disorder and the higher risk of infertility. Other symptoms of PCOS include weight gain, acne, unwanted hair growth, thinning of hair on the head, dark patches on the skin and ovarian cysts.

According to the report, there are three main hormones that can cause PCOS. Firstly, insulin allows the body to absorb glucose into cells to produce energy, but PCOS affects this process and can cause more androgens to be produced. The increased production of androgens or male hormones causes acne and unwanted hair. Lack of progesterone hormones also leads to irregular periods.

According to a report in National Today, the earliest published description of a person with PCOS was in 1721. It was described by an Italian scientist Antonio Vallisneri. The condition was subsequently described for the first time in 1935 by American gynaecologists Irving F. Stein, Sr. and Michael L. Leventhal.

The importance of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Awareness Month lies in the fact that it tells people that PCOS is manageable through lifestyle changes and medications. It also creates awareness that diet is perhaps the best form of treatment of PCOS. Reducing the intake of simple carbohydrates, coupled with successful weight loss is the best way to restore normal menstruation. Finally, the day aims to enlighten women that birth control is the most common PCOS treatment for women who don't want to get pregnant.



from Firstpost World Latest News https://ift.tt/2QJEqRk

Chandrayaan 3: To test and prepare for successful landing, ISRO to recreate lunar craters in village near Bangalore

The Indian Space Research Organisation is planning on creating replicas of the craters on the moon in a small village called Ullarthi Kavalu, Challakere, located around 215 km from Bengaluru city. The work to re-create these artificial craters will begin later this year, with the agency already having sent out tenders seeking companies that can work on the project.

A source told Times of India, "We’ve already called for tenders and the process of identifying a firm for all the civil works will be complete by month-end or early September. The craters will be created in our Challakere campus."

Craters on the moon. Image credit: NASA

The project will cost at least Rs 24.2 lakhs, the source added.

The craters will be about 10 metres in diameter and three metres deep, a second source added.

Why will these specially-built craters come in handy, one might ask. The craters are meant to simulate the moon's surface, and gives the Chandrayaan 3 landing module some room to practice its descent and landing in a simulated, terrestrial setting before attempting the same on the Moon.

Its predecessor, the Chandrayaan 2 lander, lost contact during its unsuccessful landing attempt on 7 September 2019. The next Indian moon lander could learn from the incident, and ISRO doesn't want to leave any stones unturned this time around.

An illustration of Chandrayaan 2's lander Vikram. Image: ISRO

Thorough testing of Chandrayaan 3 lander

The Chandrayaan 3 mission is similar to the second lunar mission and will fully autonomous, as per a Defence News report. It will feature multiple sensors, including a few dedicated to helping the lander scan the area and make a smooth descent to its chosen landing spot. It will also help the lander scan and adjust the velocity needed to land and touchdown, all the while keeping the lander away from boulders and uneven surfaces.

A scientist told TOI that “The lander’s sensors will undergo a crucial test — Lander Sensor Performance Test (LSPT) — which will involve us flying the sensors on an aircraft over the artificial lunar site and see how efficient they are in guiding the lander,” a scientist said.

During this sensor readiness test, an ISRO spacecraft will descend from heights of two kilometres and then seven kilometres over the artificial crater site in Challakere. Its sensors will be tested in the simulation to guide the craft to a safe landing location.

While the LSPT will only see the sensor being flown to Challakere, another scientist said, “The focus on thorough testing is higher than Chandrayaan-2 this time. We are even looking at testing a full-fledged lander at ISITE (ISRO Satellite Integration and Test Establishment) in Bengaluru. As of today, we are not sure how feasible that would be, but the thinking is there.”

Like Chandrayaan 2, the third mission to the moon will feature a lander and rover to land on the South Pole of the moon by 2021.

ISRO will use the fully-functional orbiter successfully placed in lunar orbiter via Chandrayaan 2 since August last year. The orbiter has a mission life of one year, but is supposed to work for the next seven years.

The ISRO chief had said earlier that the cost of the mission including the lander and rover would come to approximately Rs 250 crore. The entire cost of the mission including the launch vehicle and fuel, however, could reach up to Rs 365 crores.



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/2YSj0G9

India's preemptive moves aimed at fending off China's continued effort at establishing fait accompli along LAC

There is something extremely curious about the latest — and by all accounts, serious — escalation in tensions over the ongoing standoff between India and China along the LAC in eastern Ladakh. Certain incidents reportedly took place on and since the intervening night of 29 and 30 August to shatter the uneasy calm that followed the deadly 15 June clash at Galwan, bringing both sides again precariously close to a military conflict. The situation remains edgy and volatile.

From what we know so far, notwithstanding the ongoing military-diplomatic engagement and the consensus arrived at of gradual de-escalation and disengagement, the Chinese side under the cover of night on Saturday tried to execute another land grab to again shift the status quo. The site of the PLA's operation this time was some heights on the southern bank of Pangong Tso.
According to national security analyst Nitin Gokhale, Chinese troops were targeting the Chushul/Spanggur gap, south of Pangong Tso.

According to a report in The Print, the Chinese were trying to dominate some heights that would have given them operational advantage. Worth noting that unlike the northern bank that remains contentious and hotly contested, there has been no dispute in the past over the southern bank of Pangong Tso over which India exercises strong sovereign control. The latest incident, therefore, is China’s attempt to open yet another front against India and change facts on the ground in a new, previously uncontested sector.

China’s land-grab tactics in violation of all mutual agreements and understandings is consistent with its deceptive policy of keeping up the pretence of talks and committing to dialogue mechanism only to buy time for its troops to launch more stealth operations and push the LAC further into India’s territory. This time, however, the PLA’s designs seem to have been foiled.

On Monday, a press statement released by the Indian army said China has escalated the border standoff with fresh provocations, forcing India to take appropriate countermeasures.

“On the Night of 29/30 August 2020, PLA troops violated the previous consensus arrived at during military and diplomatic engagements during the ongoing standoff in Eastern Ladakh and carried out provocative military movements to change the status quo. Indian troops pre-empted this PLA activity on the Southern Bank of Pangong Tso, undertook measures to strengthen our positions and thwart Chinese intentions to unilaterally change facts on ground,” read the statement.

It underlined that “Indian Army is committed to maintaining peace and tranquility through dialogue, but is also equally determined to protect its territorial integrity”. We were informed that a brigade commander-level flag meeting to resolve the latest issue is under way at Chushul.

At this stage, the narrative seemed pretty straightforward. Alert Indian troops had noticed some activities on southern bank of Pangong Tso on Saturday night and took preemptive steps to strengthen its position and foil China’s latest misadventure. On Monday afternoon, Beijing denied that PLA had crossed the LAC and claimed that Chinese troops “always strictly abide by the LAC. They never cross the line.”

As ridiculous as the claim may sound, it indicates Beijing’s devious strategy. If the ‘line’ itself can be shifted at will, there is no need to cross the line. The army statement refrained from releasing more details and the speculation remained restricted to the events of 29 August.

What make matters curious are the next set of leaks by the Indian establishment and China’s reaction. Whereas an early briefing by China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian did not release any details of the latest clash and merely claimed that Chinese troops “did not cross the LAC” to refute India’s charge, by Monday evening, China came up with its own set of accusations.
Chinese media quoted Zhang Shuili, spokesperson of PLA’s Western Theatre Command, to claim that “Indian troops intruded in the China-controlled Galwan Valley on 31 August” and “broke the promises and consensus reached by two sides after rounds of dialogue.”

Zhang accused India of doing exactly the same thing that India accused China of, except that the dates didn’t match. According to the Indian Army’s statement, Chinese “provocations” occurred on the intervening night of August 29 and 30, while PLA claimed that “Indian troops have broken their promises and again crossed the LAC in the Galwan Valley region and provocatively attacked Chinese soldiers” on 31 August. Also, for the first time since the current conflict broke out in April-May when the PLA unilaterally occupied Indian territory at several areas in the border regions of Ladakh, China sounded like the proverbial cat on a hot tin roof.

“Indian troops are responsible for the latest escalation,” Zhang said in the statement, adding, “We demand India immediately withdraw troops that had illegally intruded the Chinese border, and urge the Indian side to stop all provocative actions and strictly control frontline troops to avoid further escalation… The Chinese army is taking all necessary measures to cope with the situation and it will firmly defend China's sovereignty and territory.”

Something does not add up. The Indian Army did not mention anything about 31 August, whereas the Chinese troops remained silent about Saturday night and breathed fire over what happened the next day. To add to the mismatch in timeline, there were contrasting claims over what happened between 29 and 31 August.

Some reports in Indian media claimed there were no physical clashes. According to The Hindu, “around 25 PLA soldiers intruding across the LAC and were blocked by Indian troops. Around 100 PLA soldiers were also seen below Black Top hill just across the LAC. There was no physical clash.”

The NDTV report notes that “Chinese troops came in ‘sufficient numbers’. But the Indian army was aware of the Chinese move and established themselves in a move to block the Chinese advance. No physical clashes took place and there is no face-off situation at present”

However, a report in The Telegraph claims that Indian troops fought off an attempt by the PLA to occupy more Indian territory on Saturday night and then captured Chinese camps in a retaliatory procedure. And there were violent clashes. According to the report, “on Saturday evening, around 500 Chinese troops had tried to cross into Spanggur, a narrow valley near the village of Chushul and three hours of hand-to-hand combat ensued.” The report quoted “a senior Indian police source” to claim that “the attack had been repulsed and a retaliatory special operations battalion seized a Chinese camp in the surrounding hills of Pangong Tso Lake in the early hours of this morning.”

This “special operations battalion” of the Indian Army mentioned in this report seems to be commandoes from the Special Frontier Force (SFF). Ajai Shukla writes in Business Standard that the Indian counter-operation, launched on Sunday night by ‘Vikas battalion’, a part of the secretive SFF detachment that consists of soldiers recruited from the Tibetan refugee community in India, “clashed with Chinese troops and inflicted significant casualties on them. One Tibetan SFF officer was reportedly killed and at least two injured in the operation.”

Tweets also seem to confirm such a development.

On details about the military post that India seems to have captured in a “measure to strengthen its position”, ANI reports that “height occupied by Indian army troops including a special operations battalion is south of Southern bank of Pangong Tso near Thakung. Height was lying dormant and can give strategic advantage to the side which holds it for controlling the southern bank of the lake and areas around it.”

Thakung referred to in the report is the Indian Army’s company operating base (COB). Amid the fog of war and despite the differing accounts of what may have transpired, it seems reasonably clear that for the first time in the current standoff, Indian army has taken a proactive stance and created a fait accompli of its own, leaving the Chinese terribly upset and threatening military action. Having got a taste of its own medicine, China is feigning outrage and issuing incoherent threats.

China's Global Times says India’s “reckless intention is a very dangerous miscalculation” and warned that “Indian side has not fully realised the gap of military capabilities between two countries, and how severe the consequences would be if India continues instigating border conflicts.” Quoting “analysts”, the Global Times report says “India should have a clear understanding that China is much stronger militarily than India. If New Delhi continues such provocative rhetoric, or launches large-scale attacks at the border region, it would face severe consequences.”

China’s verbal virulence is not new. We saw it during the Doka La standoff when such threats were issued on a daily basis. In contrast, China had been preaching “peace and tranquility” during the current standoff as its troops remained in occupation of Indian territory, threatening India’s territorial and sovereign integrity. It indicates that as long as China perceives to be enjoying the territorial advantage over India, it wants to lock in that gain and create a new normal. The ‘new normal’ consists of not only India accepting the loss of territory, but also normalising the possibility that China will conduct such operations from time to time.

India, of course, does not accept Chinese hierarchy in Asia, nor can Beijing expect India to normalise loss of territorial integrity. What we are seeing in the latest instance is a shift in India’s strategy. Instead of relying exclusively on talks and dialogue mechanism that seems to be going nowhere except presenting Beijing with more time to launch further offensives, India has evidently decided to create facts on the ground of its own, wrecking China’s smugness.

What remains to be seen is whether China restricts itself to rhetorical flapping of wings, or escalates military conflict. India should be ready.



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/3jywluZ

Final year varsity exams in Maharashtra may be held in October, says state minister Uday Samant

Mumbai: Most of the non-agriculture universities in Maharashtra have asked the state government to request the UGC to allow holding off final year examinations and announcing results by 31 October, state minister Uday Samant said on Monday.
There are 13 non-agriculture universities in the state.

Of them, Amravati University and Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU) have suggested holding of examinations and declaring of results by 10 November, said Samant, who heads the Higher and Technical Education department.

All universities have also agreed that it was not possible for students to step out of their homes to give examination given the COVID-19 threat, Samant said.

He said the mode of examination will be declared on Wednesday.

The examinations may be held in the first week of October and will be of lesser marks, the minister said.

A total of 7,62,962 students will appear for the final year exams across universities, he said.

"Amravati University and Yashwantrao Chavan Open University have said that a request be made to the UGC (University Grants Commission) for holding the examinations and announcing results by 10 November.

"The remaining varsities, including that of Mumbai, Pune, and others, have demanded the state government to propose to the UGC to hold the exams and announce results by 31 October," Samant told reporters.

The universities have requested the state government to hold the meeting of state disaster management authority (SDMA) under Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to send a request to the UGC in this regard, the minister said, adding that the SDMA meeting is expected on Wednesday.

On the mode of conducting exams, the minister said, "Vice-chancellors have suggested three ways of holding the examinations with an online or open book or assignment options. They have sought a day's time on how these examinations will be held".

Upholding the UGC guidelines, the Supreme Court had last week held that no state and university can promote students in the final year/terminal semester without holding examinations, observing performance in such exams is a "reflection of competence" of the students.



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/3lATAXc

Merit-based immigration system part of Donald Trump’s second term agenda: Mike Pence

Washington: US Vice President Mike Pence on Monday said the second term of President Donald Trump would see a reform in the country's broken immigration system, with a focus on the intake of immigrants on the basis of merit.

Acknowledging that there were challenges in the country’s immigration system, he said that Trump, who is seeking re-election in the 3 November presidential election, has been working to secure the border and fix the broken immigration system.

“As the President and I have spoken many times, part of that second term agenda is going to be the kind of immigration reform that's built on the principle of a merit-based immigration system,” he said during a virtual event on the US-India organised by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), a non-profit organisation.

He said that President Trump wants to fix the broken immigration system. “We want people to come to this country that are ready to participate, ready to contribute as people from India have done as people in the United States have done,” he said.

“So, I just want the rising generation in India and Indian business leaders, men and women, who are looking to make investments in this country to know that America it's not only open for business but we look forward to growing the relationship between our two countries for decades to come,” Pence said.

Pence said the four million members of the Indian diaspora across the US represent some of the best people in this country and they're creating wealth and prosperity. He said they have made enormous contributions in the incredible relationship that they have helped to facilitate and forage between the United States and India.

Immigration has been a very critical agenda of the Trump campaign and his presidency, with Trump asserting throughout that as the American President he will ensure job security and safety for American citizens first.

As job losses mounted and the American economy suffered due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump ordered some stringent immigration restrictions, including suspending the H-1B visas, which is popular among Indian IT professionals, along with other foreign work visas for the rest of the year.

Trump has said the step was essential to help millions of Americans who have lost their jobs due to the current economic crisis.

Trump issued the proclamation in June, ahead of the presidential election in which he is being challenged by Democratic Party's nominee and former vice president Joe Biden.

“In the administration of our Nation's immigration system, we must remain mindful of the impact of foreign workers on the The United States labour market, particularly in the current extraordinary environment of high domestic unemployment and depressed demand for labour,” said the proclamation issued by Trump.

Indian IT workers form the majority of H-1B visa holders in the US and have to wait decades for a Green Card due to the huge backlog.



from Firstpost World Latest News https://ift.tt/2EPU5vx

Jammu and Kashmir police set to review security of panchayati raj institutions, urban local bodies

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Police are all set to review the security setup of functionaries of panchayati raj institutions and urban local bodies in view of intelligence inputs about threat perception in the Union Territory, officials said on Monday.

Several panch and sarpanch have been attacked and killed by militants during the past two months in Jammu and Kashmir.

"In view of the intelligence inputs received from sister agencies, the district chiefs were advised to have a fresh security review of panchayati raj institutions and urban local bodies functionaries and also take care of the security of vital installations as well as other protected persons," said Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu Zone, Mukesh Singh.

He said that district police chiefs were also advised to maintain close coordination with all the sister agencies as well as the force deployed in their respective districts, especially in the border districts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch to prevent infiltration.

Singh said that they should foil the nefarious designs of anti-national elements and their mentors operating across the Indo-Pakistan border.

The IGP said district chiefs were directed to brief their supervisory officers and station house officers (SHOs) to focus on over-ground workers, surrendered and released terrorists and their activities should be kept under close surveillance.

Singh chaired a meeting through video conferencing with Range Deputy Inspector Generals (DIGs) and district Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Jammu Zone in order to review the security of panchayati raj institutions and urban local body functionaries, law and order and security scenario of Jammu region.



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/34WNLO1

IMD predicts heavy rainfall in north, north-east, south India over next three days

New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday predicted heavy rainfall in parts of north, northeast and south India for the next three days.

It also said that heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely at isolated places on Tuesday over west Rajasthan.

Heavy rainfall is also likely at isolated places in Punjab, east Rajasthan, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Odisha, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, the IMD said.

The forecast is same for Tuesday for Rayalaseema (Andhra Pradesh), coastal and south interior Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal and Kerala and Mahe.

The MeT department said strong winds with speeds reaching 45-55 kilometres per hour are very likely over southwest Arabian Sea.

Squally weather with wind speeds reaching 40-50 kmph is likely over south Andaman Sea and the adjoining equatorial Indian Ocean, it said. Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas, the IMD said.

On Wednesday, heavy to very heavy precipitation is expected at isolated places over Odisha, south interior Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal and Kerala and Mahe.

The IMD said heavy rainfall is also likely to take place at isolated places in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh for the same day.

The forecast for Wednesday is also same for Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam, Meghalaya, Odisha, coastal Andhra Pradesh, coastal Karnataka and Lakshadweep, it said.

In its flood advisory, the Central Water Commission (CWC) said that the water level of the Chambal river and its tributaries, and the Mahi river in Madhya Pradesh and east Rajasthan are expected to rise rapidly due to the forecast of continuous rainfall for the next 24 hours.

The Gandhisagar dam, Som Kamala Amba dam, Kalisindh dam, Mahi Bajaj Sagar dam, Panchana dam in Madhya Pradesh and the Rana Pratap Sagar dam and Kota barrage in Rajasthan are expected to get heavy inflows, it said.

Close watch should be kept in districts of Dhar and Mandasour in Madhya Pradesh; Tonk, Banswara, Udaipur, Jhalawar, Baran, Chittorgarh, Karrauli, Bundi, Dholpur and Kota in Rajasthan, the commission added.

The CWC said the Narmada, Mahi and Sabarmati rivers in Gujarat, and west flowing rivers in Konkan and Goa are expected to rise due to the forecast of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the next three days.

“The Kadana dam, Ukai dam, Panam dam, Madhuban dam, Sardar Sarovar dam and Dharoi dam in Gujarat are expected to get increased inflows. Close watch is to be maintained in the districts of Narmada, Bharuch, Mahisagar, Mehsana, Tapi, Valsad, Panchmahal, Ahmedabad, Banaskantha and Mehsana in Gujarat,” it said.

The MeT department said heavy to very heavy rainfall is also very likely at isolated places in Odisha, south interior Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal and Kerala, Mahe on Thursday and Friday.

On Thursday, heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, the IMD said.

The forecast is same for Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Assam, Meghalaya, Odisha, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalseema, Yanam, coastal Karnataka and Lakshadweep.

Strong winds with speeds reaching 45-55 kmph is very likely over southwest Arabian Sea on Thursday.

Squally weather with wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph over southeast Arabian Sea and along and off Kerala and Lakshadweep coasts. Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas, the IMD said.



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/2QJBtzY

India-China standoff in east Ladakh: Beijing firm on changing LAC status, accessing Rezang La

Xi Jinping's smile is a conundrum: It could express the calmness of a situation or indicate an impending storm. A few hours after the Chinese president — with his usual calm smiling countenance — delivered a stern message at the two-day seventh Central Symposium on Tibet Work, in Beijing, on Saturday by emphasising "it is necessary to… extensively mobilise the masses [Tibetans] to participate in the struggle against separatism and form an impregnable wall for maintaining stability", the People's Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) intruded into the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) south of Pangong Lake.

In a statement issued on Monday, the army confirmed the PLA intrusion: "On the night of 29/30 August, PLA troops violated the previous consensus arrived at during military and diplomatic engagements during the ongoing stand-off in Eastern Ladakh and carried out provocative military movements to change the status quo." Although army spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand said that the army thwarted "Chinese intentions to unilaterally change facts on ground", conflicting reports have been emanating regarding the nature of the incident.

The army neither elaborated the exact areas of intrusion by the PLAGF nor the way it repelled the Chinese troops. However, it appears from a closer reading of the situation that the PLA has occupied a mountain called Helmet Top and a nearby feature called 'Black Top'.

The Indian response was undoubtedly quick and swift, but the latest PLA aggression is a natural corollary to the intelligence failure regarding Chinese intentions following the aggressive posturing along the LAC in eastern Ladakh in April-end; the government's denial about PLA incursions in the following months with prime minister asserting not an inch of India's land had been occupied; and the disengagement talks with Beijing, which resulted in India losing further territory with the creation of buffer zones at the points of ingress.

China's main objective is to shift the LAC westwards and the Saturday night incursion is another attempt to achieve it after the May-June transgressions. The PLA has been continuously nibbling away at Indian territory along the LAC for years. The more China shifts the LAC to the west, the easier it becomes to target Leh.

Occupying the southern bank of Pangong Lake has a very strategic and military significance for China. The area provides access to Ladakh and the important mountain pass on the south-eastern approach to Chushul Valley, called Rezang La. The mountain pass, with an average height of 16,000 feet, was the site of the famous battle between 120 daredevils of Charlie Company of 13 Kumaon, led by Major Shaitan Singh, PVC, and thousands of PLA troops on 18 November, 1962.

The flatness of the southern bank of Pangong Tso, compared to the north, makes it all the more militarily important to both India and China. Beijing had already deployed more troops on the southern bank. Any further capture of land and deployment of PLA troops would prove to be extremely dangerous for India with China being able to target the strategically significant Darbuk–Shyok–Daulat Beg Oldi Road, and Chushul, which was the flashpoint of Chinese offensive in 1962.

The occupation of Fingers 4-8 — mountains jutting into the lake — in the northern bank by the PLA and the further occupation of Indian territory in the southern bank would give a tactical military advantage to Beijing, in case, of any large-scale confrontation with New Delhi.

Another Chinese objective in occupying Indian territory in the southern bank of the lake is a gap west of Spangur Lake, which is to the west of Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). Like the Fingers, there are broken mountains that jut to the south of this lake with a nearly two-kilometre-wide gap knows as Spangur Gap, which joins the Chushul plateau. The PLA had established a camp in Spangur area in 1959 and overcame four Indian posts in November 1962, according to the book India's Quest for Security: Defence Policies, 1947-1965, written by Lorne J Kavic.

Currently, the government has no option to reclaim the territory lost to China in May and June; it has suffered a serious setback in the perception war it waged through the media. The PLA had never agreed to withdraw from Pangong Tso and Depsang Plains despite repeated government claims of mutually agreeable points and consensus reached at the commander-level talks — the Saturday night Chinese intrusion into the southern bank of the lake clearly proves it.

The only option left for India is to occupy the strategic heights on its side of the LAC before China attempts further transgressions. Before the Ladakh crisis jolted the government, the Army had been merely patrolling the LAC for years. Now, New Delhi needs a comprehensive joint strategy between all the wings of the armed forces, in case, of a massive confrontation with China, and occupation of strategic areas from where the PLA could attempt incursions.

The Chinese Western Theatre Command, which oversees the Tibet Military Command, has been battle-ready for years with the sole aim of countering India. Around 200,000 PLA troops in TAR are completely acclimatised to the freezing temperatures and have sufficient food and water to last them during a war with India. The PLAGF and the PLA Air Force (PLAAF) have been conducting drills in synergy in TAR for the last several years. According to Chinese military experts, the drills show how the PLA has synergised the PLAGF and the PLAAF and can rush in troops from other Commands during war.

Another challenge for India are the PLA Strategic Support Force (PLASSF) and PLA Rocket Force (PLARF). The PLASSF, the cyber, space and electromagnetic warfare branch, was established by Xi during the first wave of military reforms in 2015. India lacks such an integrated force than can paralyse our banks, government institutes, power and communication grids, military command-and-control centres and destroy Indian satellites.

The PLARF is considered the most lethal missile force in the world. According to United States Indo-Pacific Command’s former Commander Admiral Harry Harris, China has the largest and the most diverse arsenal of ballistic and cruise missiles.

Any large-scale military confrontation with China will be India's mistake, home as it is to the third-largest number of COVID-19 cases and the largest daily spike in new infections in the world, and a ravaged economy. India's only option for the moment is to hold onto its areas along the LAC.

As Xi once said, "We do not want to introduce trouble, but we are not afraid to get involved in trouble." India should aim to not let China introduce trouble because it cannot afford to get involved in trouble.

Views expressed are personal



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/32G17LC

Kanpur ambush: Last absconding Vikas Dubey aide arrested; accused carried Rs 50,000 reward

Kanpur: Another accused of the Kanpur ambush during which eight policemen were killed by the henchmen of slain gangster Vikas Dubey was arrested on Monday, police said.

Ravindra Kumar alias Ramu Bajpai was carrying a cash reward of Rs 50,000 on his arrest. He was held at Baba Kuaan crossing in the Chaubepur police station area.

A rifle allegedly used in the ambush in Kanpur’s Bikru village on the night of 2 July and live cartridges were recovered from him, Superintendent of Police (rural) Brajesh Srivastava said.

Ramu was named in the FIR along with 20 other accused persons, including Dubey who was gunned down in a police encounter on 10 July while being taken to Kanpur from Ujjain. The dreaded gangster was allegedly caught by security guards at the Mahakal Temple, the SP said.

A case has been registered against Bajpai under various sections of the IPC and the Arms Act. "The intensive interrogation is being made to ascertain his role in the Bikru ambush," the SP said, adding that efforts are on to explore information about the arms and ammunition used in the crime.

Earlier, Dubey's aides Daya Shankar Agnihotri, Shyamu Bajpai, Jahan Yadav, Shashikant Pandit, Monu, Shivam Dubey, Guddan Trivedi, Gopal Saini, Hiru Dubey, Bal Govind, Shiv Tiwari, Vishnupal Yadav, Ram Singh, and Bawwa Shukla were arrested either by the UP STF or Kanpur Police or surrendered before the court.

Six prime accused - Vikas Dubey, Prabhat Mishra, Amar Dubey, Baua Dubey, Prem Kumar Pandey and Atul Dubey - were gunned down in separate encounters since 3 July.



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/32MKgqs

Pranab Mukherjee State funeral LATEST updates: National Flag at Rashtrapati Bhavan and Parliament fly at half-mast; ex-president's funeral at 2 pm

08:33 (IST)

Pranab Mukherjee last rites NEWS updates

Pranab Mukherjee was a father figure for decades, says Bengal CM

For decades he was a father figure," West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in her tweet on Monday to express her condolences at the death of former president Pranab Mukherjee. "It is with deep sorrow I write this. Bharat Ratna Pranab Mkherjee has left us. And era has ended."

Mamata Banerjee's association with Mukherjee began when she was in the Congress. "From my first win as MP to being my senior Cabinet colleague to his becoming President while I was CM," Ms Banerjee wrote in an emotional tweet.

08:29 (IST)

Pranab Mukherjee last rites NEWS updates

Wreath-laying schedule for official dignitaries will start from 9.15 am 

The mortal remains of former President Pranab Mukherjee will be laid in State at Rajaji Marg in New Delhi. Official dignitaries will pay respects from 9.15 am to 10.15 am.

08:20 (IST)

Pranab Mukherjee last rites NEWS updates

Joe Biden remembers Pranab Mukherjee as devout public servant

US Presidential candidate for the Democrats Joe Biden on Tuesday condoled the death of former president Pranab Mukherjee and said: "President Shri Pranab Mukherjee was a devout public servant who believed deeply in the importance of our two nations tackling global challenges together. Jill and I are saddened to hear of his passing — our prayers go out to his loved ones and the Indian people."

08:04 (IST)

Pranab Mukherjee last rites NEWS updates

Former President's funeral to be held in Delhi's Lodhi Road crematorium

The last rites of former President Pranab Mukherjee is set to be conducted on Tuesday and his body will be laid in state at his official residence here in the National Capital to enable people to pay their last homage.

According to a note issued by the Ministry of Defence, the wreath-laying schedule for official dignitaries will be from 9.15 am to 10.15 am, and 45 minutes for other dignitaries.

08:01 (IST)

Pranab Mukherjee last rites NEWS updates

Centre declares 7-day national mourning in memory of former president

Flags at Rashtrapati Bhavan and Parliament fly at half-mast as seven-day state mourning is being observed in the country following the demise of former President Pranab Mukherjee.

India's 13th president, Mukherjee, one of India's most respected leaders across the political spectrum, died on Monday evening following a 21-day battle with multiple ailments. He was 84.

His death was condoled by leaders across political lines, as well as the sports and film fraternity.

Pranab Mukherjee death news updates:Pranab Mukherjee's funeral will be held at 2 pm on Tuesday at the Lodhi Road crematorium, PTI quoted his family as saying.

The MHA on Monday said that during the national mourning period of 31 August to 6 September, the "National Flag will fly at half-mast on buildings across India and there will be no official entertainment". The move is as a tribute to former president Pranab Mukherjee, who passed away on Monday.

The Centre has declared a seven-day national mourning period as a tribute to former president Pranab Mukherjee, who passed away on Monday, reports said.

Pranab Mukherjee's daughter Sharmistha said that she felt "blessed to have been born his daughter" as she bid a "final goodbye" to the former president of India who passed away on Monday.

Home Minister Amit Shah said that Pranab Mukherjee's "life will always be cherished for his impeccable service and indelible contribution".

"His demise has left a huge void in Indian polity. My sincerest condolences are with his family and followers on this irreparable loss. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti," Shah tweeted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of former president Pranab Mukherjee and said that the Congress leader was "a scholar par excellence, a towering statesman, he was admired across the political spectrum and by all sections of society."

He also said that Mukherjee had guided him in his first term as the prime minister in 2014.

Former president Pranab Mukherjee passed away on Monday at the Army's Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi.

Mukherjee's health deteriorated earlier Monday after suffering a septic shock due to his lung infection.

A powerful orator and scholar, Mukherjee was a Congress stalwart before being elected as India's 13th President and serving from July 2012 to 2017 in the top post.

Mukherjee's health deteriorated earlier Monday after suffering a septic shock due to his lung infection.

The 84-year-old was admitted to the military hospital on 10 August and also tested positive for COVID-19 prior to the surgery. He later developed a lung infection.

It earlier said the former president was admitted to the hospital at 12.07 hours on 10 August, 2020 in a critical condition.

"Workup at the hospital revealed a large brain clot for which he underwent emergency life saving surgery," the hospital earlier said.

A multidisciplinary team of doctors is constantly monitoring the health of the former president.

Mukherjee tweeted on Monday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and urged people who had come in contact with him in the last week to isolate themselves and get tested for the novel coronavirus.

Soon after the news of his hospitalisation, wishes poured in from various quarters for his early recovery and a number of leaders sent their wishes on Twitter.

President Ram Nath Kovind also spoke to Mukherjee's daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee and enquired about his health.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh had visited the R&R Hospital and asked after about the former president's health.

Singh spent around 20 minutes at the hospital.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had also sent in his best to the former president and wished him early recovery.



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/34PDDX3

Pranab Mukerjee passes away at 84: Revisiting his speech on assumption of office as President of India in July 2012

Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil,

Shri Hamid Ansari,

Smt. Meira Kumar,

Shri Justice S.H. Kapadia,

Members of Parliament,

Your Excellencies, Friends and fellow citizens,

I am deeply moved by the high honour you have accorded to me. Such honour exalts the occupant of this office, even as it demands that he rises above personal or partisan interests in the service of the national good.

The principal responsibility of this office is to function as the guardian of our Constitution. I will strive, as I said on oath, to preserve, protect and defend our Constitution not just in word but also in spirit. We are all, across the divide of party and region, partners at the altar of our motherland. Our federal Constitution embodies the idea of modern India: it defines not only India but also modernity. A modern nation is built on some basic fundamentals: democracy, or equal rights for every citizen; secularism, or equal freedom to every faith; equality of every region and language; gender equality and, perhaps most important of all, economic equity. For our development to be real the poorest of our land must feel that they are part of the narrative of rising India.

I have seen vast, perhaps unbelievable, changes during the journey that has brought me from the flicker of a lamp in a small Bengal village to the chandeliers of Delhi. I was a boy when Bengal was savaged by a famine that killed millions; the misery and sorrow is still not lost on me. We have achieved much in the field of agriculture, industry and social infrastructure; but that is nothing compared to what India, led by the coming generations, will create in the decades ahead.

Our national mission must continue to be what it was when the generation of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Rajendra Prasad, Ambedkar and Maulana Azad offered us a tryst with destiny: to eliminate the curse of poverty, and create such opportunities for the young that they can take our India forward by quantum leaps. There is no humiliation more abusive than hunger. Trickle-down theories do not address the legitimate aspirations of the poor. We must lift those at the bottom so that poverty is erased from the dictionary of modern India.

What has brought us thus far, will take us further ahead. India's true story is the partnership of the people. Our wealth has been created by farmers and workers, industrialists and service-providers, soldiers and civilians. Our social harmony is the sublime co-existence of temple, mosque, church, gurudwara and synagogue; they are symbols of our unity in diversity.

Peace is the first ingredient of prosperity. History has often been written in the red of blood; but development and progress are the luminous rewards of a peace dividend, not a war trophy. The two halves of the 20th Century tell their own story. Europe, and indeed the world, reinvented itself after the end of the Second World War and the collapse of colonization, leading to the rise of great institutions like the United Nations. Leaders who ordered great armies into the field, and then understood that war was more barbarism than glory, transformed the world by changing its mindset. Gandhiji taught by example, and gave us the supreme strength of non-violence. India's philosophy is not an abstract in textbooks. It flourishes in the day-to-day life of our people, who value the humane above all else. Violence is external to our nature; when, as human beings, we do err, we exorcise our sins with penitence and accountability.

But the visible rewards of peace have also obscured the fact that the age of war is not over. We are in the midst of a fourth world war; the third was the Cold War, but it was very warm in Asia, Africa and Latin America till it ended in the early 1990s. The war against terrorism is the fourth; and it is a world war because it can raise its evil head anywhere in the world. India has been on the frontlines of this war long before many other recognized its vicious depth or poisonous consequences. I am proud of the valour and conviction and steely determination of our Armed Forces as they have fought this menace on our borders; of our brave police forces as they have met the enemy within; and of our people, who have defeated the terrorist trap by remaining calm in the face of extraordinary provocation. The people of India have been a beacon of maturity through the trauma of whiplash wounds. Those who instigate violence and perpetuate hatred need to understand one truth. Few minutes of peace will achieve far more than many years of war. India is content with itself, and driven by the will to sit on the high table of prosperity. It will not be deflected in its mission by noxious practitioners of terror.

As Indians, we must of course learn from the past; but we must remain focused on the future. In my view, education is the alchemy that can bring India its next golden age. Our oldest scriptures laid the framework of society around the pillars of knowledge; our challenge is to convert knowledge into a democratic force by taking it into every corner of our country. Our motto is unambiguous: All for knowledge, and knowledge for all.

The weight of office sometimes becomes a burden on dreams. The news is not always cheerful. Corruption is an evil that can depress the nation's mood and sap its progress. We cannot allow our progress to be hijacked by the greed of a few.

I envisage an India where unity of purpose propels the common good; where Centre and State are driven by the single vision of good governance; where every revolution is green; where democracy is not merely the right to vote once in five years but to speak always in the citizen's interest; where knowledge becomes wisdom; where the young pour their phenomenal energy and talent into the collective cause. As tyranny dwindles across the world; as democracy gets fresh life in regions once considered inhospitable; India becomes the model of modernity.

As Swami Vivekananda in his soaring metaphor said, India will be raised, not with the power of flesh but with the power of the spirit, not with the flag of destruction, but with the flag of peace and love. Bring all the forces of good together. Do not care what be your colour-green, blue or red, but mix all the colours up and produce that intense glow of white, the colour of love. Ours is to work, the results will take care of themselves.

There is no greater reward for a public servant than to be elected the first citizen of our Republic.

Jai Hind

The speech has been reproduced exactly as it appears on pranabmukherjee.nic.in and has not been edited by Firstpost



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/3hLOBAD

Sushant Singh Rajput death: CBI questions Rhea Chakraborty on fourth day for over eight hours

The CBI on Monday questioned actress Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik for more than eight hours in connection with the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, a police official said.

This was the fourth straight day of questioning of Rhea Chakraborty (28), accused of abetting the suicide of Rajput (34), who was found hanging in his flat in suburban Bandra on 14 June.

The actress and her brother were questioned at the DRDO guest house in suburban Kalina where the probe team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is stationed.

According to the official, from the DRDO guest house, she left for her residence in suburban Santacruz in the evening but could not enter the premises due to the presence of a large number of media persons outside the building.

She did not step out of the car and directly reached the Santacruz police station to lodge a complaint, he said.

It was the second complaint lodged by Rhea Chakraborty against media persons.

Around half-a-dozen police officials then reached her building and facilitated her entry, he said.

Earlier, the actress along with her brother Showik Chakraborty reached the guest house around 11 am and left from there at about 7.30 pm.

Her brother is being questioned by the CBI since last Thursday.

In the last four days, Rhea Chakraborty has been questioned for around 35 hours.

Rajput friend Samuel Miranda and domestic help Keshav were also seen reaching the guest house in the morning.

The late actor's former manager Shruti Modi was also called by the CBI and she reached along with her lawyer.

Four women constables from the Vakola Police Station were present during the interrogation of Rhea Chakraborty, the official said.

Rajput was found hanging in his apartment following which the Mumbai Police had registered a case of accidental death.

The late filmstar's father subsequently filed a police complaint in Patna, accusing Rhea Chakraborty and her family of abetting Rajputs suicide and misappropriating his money.

The Supreme Court last week upheld the transfer of the FIR, lodged by Rajput's father in Patna against the actress and others, to the CBI.

*

A collection of Suicide prevention helpline numbers are available here. Please reach out if you or anyone you know is in need of support. The All-India helpline number is: 022 2754 6669



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/2EWA9XK

Japan to extend emergency loan support of Rs 3,500 crore towards India's fight against COVID-19

New Delhi: Japan on Monday said it will extend emergency loan support of up to Rs 3,500 crore (50 billion yen) towards India's response to the Covid-19 pandemic that includes implementation of health and medical policy.

Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs of Finance Ministry, CS Mohapatra and Japanese ambassador Suzuki Satoshi exchanged notes here on Monday, concerning the provision of the yen loan to New Delhi to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to an official release by the Japanese embassy, this "COVID-19 crisis response emergency support loan" provides the necessary funds for India's fight against coronavirus.

This financial support will support the implementation of health and medical policy by the Government of India and will lead to the development of hospitals equipped with ICUs and infection prevention and management facilities.

It is expected that these measures, in addition to controlling the spread of infection in the country, will also contribute to the recovery and stability of the country's society and economy, as well as to sustainable development.

The loan will have an interest rate of 0.01 percent per annum with a redemption period of 15 years, including a four year grace period.

Moreover, both the countries also exchanged notes on a grant worth 1 billion Yen to India through Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) scheme, namely, "The Economic and Social Development Programme".

It is expected that this grant aid will lead to reinforcing the fight against infectious diseases including COVID-19, in India, and contribute towards further strengthening cooperation between Japan and India.



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/3lASfiW

India-China ties are 'extremely consequential', important to reach some kind of 'equilibrium', says S Jaishankar

New Delhi: The ties between India and China are "extremely consequential" for both the countries and the rest of the world, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday, observing that it was important for the two sides to reach some kind of "understanding or equilibrium".

In an interactive session at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, Jaishankar said, like every other country in the world, India is also cognisant of the rise of China but added that India's rise has also been a global story.

The external affairs minister was answering questions relating to China's rise, its impact on India as well as ties between the two countries at the virtual event.

Jaishankar's remarks come in the backdrop of the four-month-long bitter border row between Indian and Chinese armies in eastern Ladakh which has led to a major strain in their overall ties including on trade and investment relationship. Both sides are engaged in talks to resolve the row.

"Obviously like every other country in the world, we are very cognisant of the rise of China. We are an immediate neighbour of China. So obviously if you are a neighbour, you are very directly impacted by the rise of what I say in my book a potential global power," he said, referring to his yet-to-be-released book ''The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World''.

The external affairs minister said India too has been rising but it may not be to the same degree and at the same pace as China.

"But if you look at the last 30 years, India's rise is also a major global story. If you have two countries, two societies with a billion people each with the history and culture that they have, it is very important that they reach some kind of understanding or equilibrium between them," he said, without referring to any contentious issue.

"And this is a practical world. If a country is going to get more powerful, we are going to see its influence in geographies we have not seen before, we are going to see activities and capabilities that we have not seen before," he added.

"We will see that from China and I dare say, in some areas, they will see it of us," he added.

Representational image. Getty images

Talking about what he called the "modus vivendi" between India and China, he said the relationship is "extremely consequential" for both the countries and "actually for the rest of the world"

Asked about the close ties between China and Pakistan, he said it is not something new as it goes back to the early 1960s.

"Aspects of it have been of concern to us before. Even that is not new and obviously, that is something we factor in our relationship with both countries," he said.

About India's ties with the US, he said the relationship has been on an upswing in various key areas like trade and investment, technology and defense and security, adding there has been a much stronger "convergence of interests" between the two sides.

"We look upon it not as something which is tailored to a particular situation or necessarily focused on some country," he said, noting that the two sides have interests that will result in the greater good for the world.

Talking about regional issues, he said India's growth has to be a lifting tide for the entire region. At the same time, he pitched for greater investment by India in the neighbourhood.

Jaishankar also highlighted India's focus on self-reliance to boost economic growth as well as efforts to improve the overall prosperity of the region.

"India''s growth has to be a lifting tide for the entire region," he said adding the country needs to invest in the neighbourhood and build more connectivity projects.

At the same time, he said, "we are actually doing it," he said.

Jaishankar said India has been a supplier of electricity to most of its neighbours in the last five years besides providing fuel to many of the countries.

He said India has been involved in developing waterways, ports, railway networks, and other projects in the region.

"There is a lot of regional investment which India is making today and our sense is that you are going to get a much better-integrated region, a much more connected region. But one needs to go beyond that," he said.

On India's focus on self-reliance, he said if the country is seeking to expand its manufacturing capabilities, there would be a whole lot of business opportunities for foreign investors.

"We are much more interested in global value chains now passing through India using India's production capacities as the path of the chain," he said.

Jaishankar said a more knowledge-driven world economy will require more "trusted talent" and that is an opportunity for India, adding immigration will be a win-win proposition for both sides.



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/2DgPAd7

Japan to extend emergency loan support of Rs 3,500 crore towards India's fight against COVID-19

New Delhi: Japan on Monday said it will extend emergency loan support of up to Rs 3,500 crore (50 billion yen) towards India's response to the Covid-19 pandemic that includes implementation of health and medical policy.

Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs of Finance Ministry, CS Mohapatra and Japanese ambassador Suzuki Satoshi exchanged notes here on Monday, concerning the provision of the yen loan to New Delhi to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to an official release by the Japanese embassy, this "COVID-19 crisis response emergency support loan" provides the necessary funds for India's fight against coronavirus.

This financial support will support the implementation of health and medical policy by the Government of India and will lead to the development of hospitals equipped with ICUs and infection prevention and management facilities.

It is expected that these measures, in addition to controlling the spread of infection in the country, will also contribute to the recovery and stability of the country's society and economy, as well as to sustainable development.

The loan will have an interest rate of 0.01 percent per annum with a redemption period of 15 years, including a four year grace period.

Moreover, both the countries also exchanged notes on a grant worth 1 billion Yen to India through Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) scheme, namely, "The Economic and Social Development Programme".

It is expected that this grant aid will lead to reinforcing the fight against infectious diseases including COVID-19, in India, and contribute towards further strengthening cooperation between Japan and India.



from Firstpost World Latest News https://ift.tt/3lASfiW

xiaomi mi 10t pro review | xiaomi mi 10t pro camera zoom | xiaomi mi 10t pro games | mi 10t pro


via IFTTT

India-China ties extremely consequential, important to reach some kind of 'equilibrium', says S Jaishankar

New Delhi: The ties between India and China are "extremely consequential" for both the countries and the rest of the world, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday, observing that it was important for the two sides to reach some kind of "understanding or equilibrium".

In an interactive session at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, Jaishankar said, like every other country in the world, India is also cognisant of the rise of China but added that India's rise has also been a global story.

The external affairs minister was answering questions relating to China's rise, its impact on India as well as ties between the two countries at the virtual event.

Jaishankar's remarks come in the backdrop of the four-month-long bitter border row between Indian and Chinese armies in eastern Ladakh which has led to a major strain in their overall ties including on trade and investment relationship. Both sides are engaged in talks to resolve the row.

"Obviously like every other country in the world, we are very cognisant of the rise of China. We are an immediate neighbour of China. So obviously if you are a neighbour, you are very directly impacted by the rise of what I say in my book a potential global power," he said, referring to his yet-to-be-released book ''The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World''.

The external affairs minister said India too has been rising but it may not be to the same degree and at the same pace as China.

"But if you look at the last 30 years, India's rise is also a major global story. If you have two countries, two societies with a billion people each with the history and culture that they have, it is very important that they reach some kind of understanding or equilibrium between them," he said, without referring to any contentious issue.

"And this is a practical world. If a country is going to get more powerful, we are going to see its influence in geographies we have not seen before, we are going to see activities and capabilities that we have not seen before," he added.

"We will see that from China and I dare say, in some areas, they will see it of us," he added.

Representational image. Getty images

Talking about what he called the "modus vivendi" between India and China, he said the relationship is "extremely consequential" for both the countries and "actually for the rest of the world"

Asked about the close ties between China and Pakistan, he said it is not something new as it goes back to the early 1960s.

"Aspects of it have been of concern to us before. Even that is not new and obviously, that is something we factor in our relationship with both countries," he said.

About India's ties with the US, he said the relationship has been on an upswing in various key areas like trade and investment, technology and defense and security, adding there has been a much stronger "convergence of interests" between the two sides.

"We look upon it not as something which is tailored to a particular situation or necessarily focused on some country," he said, noting that the two sides have interests that will result in the greater good for the world.

Talking about regional issues, he said India's growth has to be a lifting tide for the entire region. At the same time, he pitched for greater investment by India in the neighbourhood.

Jaishankar also highlighted India's focus on self-reliance to boost economic growth as well as efforts to improve the overall prosperity of the region.

"India''s growth has to be a lifting tide for the entire region," he said adding the country needs to invest in the neighbourhood and build more connectivity projects.

At the same time, he said, "we are actually doing it," he said.

Jaishankar said India has been a supplier of electricity to most of its neighbours in the last five years besides providing fuel to many of the countries.

He said India has been involved in developing waterways, ports, railway networks, and other projects in the region.

"There is a lot of regional investment which India is making today and our sense is that you are going to get a much better-integrated region, a much more connected region. But one needs to go beyond that," he said.

On India's focus on self-reliance, he said if the country is seeking to expand its manufacturing capabilities, there would be a whole lot of business opportunities for foreign investors.

"We are much more interested in global value chains now passing through India using India's production capacities as the path of the chain," he said.

Jaishankar said a more knowledge-driven world economy will require more "trusted talent" and that is an opportunity for India, adding immigration will be a win-win proposition for both sides.



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/3hKqO48

Joe Biden condemned violence across the US; so why won't Donald Trump do the same?

When Elizabeth Neumann went to work in counter-terrorism in Donald Trump’s Department of Homeland Security, she thought she’d be focussed on Islamic extremism, as she was in George W Bush’s administration. But as the assistant secretary for counter-terrorism and threat prevention at DHS, she soon realised that she had to take the threat of White-supremacist terrorism seriously.

“It was probably 2018 when we started to realise that this was not just a blip, that Charlottesville wasn’t just a blip,” she told me.

Even as she and her colleagues worked to understand how domestic White supremacists were being emboldened, there was a series of shocking attacks, including the massacre at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue in October 2018. Europeans working in counter-terrorism told their American allies that the threat of right-wing extremism was eclipsing that of returning Islamic State fighters.

“They were talking to us going: ‘Hey, you guys are the exporters here. You need to do something about this,’” said Neumann.

But combating White nationalism isn’t easy when you work for an administration that incites it. As she said in a recent Republican Voters Against Trump ad, the president’s language “gave permission to White supremacists to think that what they were doing is permissible”.

You’ve probably heard analysis like this from the Left-leaning Southern Poverty Law Centre and the Anti-Defamation League. This is coming from someone who voted for the president and worked for him until April.

Such violence is the main terrorist threat facing America. According to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, right-wing extremists were behind two-thirds of terrorist attacks and plots in the United States last year, and over 90% of such attacks between 1 January and 8 May this year. Trump has inspired and encouraged them.

Yet if you follow coverage of the presidential campaign, political violence appears to be seen, by Democrats and Republicans alike, as largely a problem for Joe Biden. Shortly after an apparent Trump supporter named Kyle Rittenhouse was charged with murder in the killing of two left-wing protesters in Wisconsin, a CNN headline said, “Why Democrats Are Worried About Kenosha”.

I’m not faulting CNN here. Democrats are worried. I’m worried. At least one presidential poll has shown tightening.

Sarah Longwell, an anti-Trump Republican, has conducted focus groups of largely disaffected female Trump voters, and has seen hints that urban unrest could be helping the president. There’s reason to fear that the president’s attempts to terrify suburban swing voters could work, especially if the media uncritically transmits his propaganda. But that only shows how much American politics is trapped in Trump’s alternate reality.

To try to break out of it, Biden’s campaign has gone on the offensive. On Sunday, he issued a statement condemning violence “of every kind by anyone, whether on the Left or the Right” and challenging Trump to do the same. On Monday, he drove home the point: “This president long ago forfeited any moral leadership in this country. He can’t stop the violence because for years he’s fomented it.”

Biden is right. However violence plays politically, the reality is that only one of the two candidates cheers it. Trump has urged his fans to thuggery since his first presidential campaign. He invited Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the St. Louis couple charged with felonies for waving guns at Black Lives Matter protesters, to speak at the Republican National Convention.

Recently he liked a tweet sympathising with Rittenhouse, who has emerged as a macabre folk hero among some Republicans. During a Monday news conference, the president defended Rittenhouse, arguing that he was acting in self-defence.

“It’s not just the president, it’s the entire Republican Party right now, kind of implying that we’ve got to take matters into our own hands and seek law and order,” said Neumann.

This weekend, a convoy of Trump supporters in flag-bedecked trucks headed into Portland, Oregon, to confront left-wing demonstrators. Once in the city, they shot paintballs and pepper spray at protesters. On Twitter, Trump called them “GREAT PATRIOTS.”

None of this means the left is blameless. During this weekend’s confrontation in Portland, Aaron Danielson, a member of a Far-Right group called Patriot Prayer, was shot to death, and a man who describes himself as “100 percent antifa” is reportedly being investigated for the killing. Whoever did it, Danielson’s death is a travesty and, unless he was killed in self-defence, a deep moral stain.

There’s no denying that some of the convulsive demonstrations of recent months have given way to violence and nihilistic destruction. When protesters in Seattle tried to set up a radically utopian police-free zone, six people were shot in 10 days, two of them fatally.

But Biden is hardly a catalyst to left-wing extremism. Besides, at least some of the violence associated with the Black Lives Matter protests has been perpetrated by far-right provocateurs. In his speech at the RNC, Vice-President Mike Pence condemned the murder of a federal officer, Dave Patrick Underwood, “who was shot and killed during the riots in Oakland, California.” He neglected to mention that the man charged in the killing, Steven Carrillo, was reportedly linked to the Boogaloo Bois, an outgrowth of the militia movement that seeks to incite a second civil war.

Like the Boogaloo Bois, Trump sees his interests served by the destruction of civic peace. “The more chaos and anarchy and vandalism and violence reigns, the better it is for the very clear choice on who’s best on public safety and law and order,” Kellyanne Conway, Trump’s departing senior advisor, told Fox & Friends last week.

If the president succeeds in making political violence a Biden liability, he’ll have all the more incentive to set this country on fire.

Michelle Goldberg c.2020 The New York Times Company



from Firstpost World Latest News https://ift.tt/3gGa4cQ

Pranab Mukerjee passes away at 84; Centre declares 7-day national mourning, funeral to be held in Delhi today

India's 13th president, Pranab Mukherjee, one of India's most respected leaders across the political spectrum, died on Monday evening following a 21-day battle with multiple ailments. He was 84.

His death was condoled by leaders across political lines, as well as the sports and film fraternity. The Centre announced a seven-day national mourning period from 31 August to 6 September.

"During the period of state mourning, the national flag will fly at half-mast on all buildings throughout India, where it is flown regularly, and there will be no official entertainment," the MHA statement said.

The funeral will be held at 2 pm on Tuesday at the Lodhi Road crematorium, PTI quoted his family as saying.

Mukherjee, who was admitted to the Army's Research and Referral Hospital on 10 August and was operated for a removal of a clot in the brain the same day, is survived by two sons and a daughter.

The long-time Congress leader and seven-time parliamentarian, known for his encyclopedic memory and insights into varied issues, had tested also positive for COVID-19 at the time of his admission and was being treated for a lung infection.

He suffered a septic shock on Sunday and died of a cardiac arrest at 4.30 pm on Monday, the hospital said. A health bulletin on Monday morning said he was in a deep coma and on ventilator support.

His son Abhijit Mukherjee was the first to break the news of the death of the veteran politician.

Role as Congress' troubleshooter

Mukherjee was also Congress' troubleshooter, and became India's youngest finance minister when he was 47 years old. He also held the portfolios of External Affairs and Defence in the years that followed.

"With a Heavy Heart, this is to inform you that my father Shri Pranab Mukherjee has just passed away inspite of the best efforts of Doctors of RR Hospital and prayers, duas and prarthanas from people throughout India! I thank all of You," he said on Twitter.

His daughter Sharmishta also wrote a heartfelt message on Twitter, saying she felt "blessed" to have been his daughter. "You have led a full, meaningful life in service of the nation, in service of our people," she added.

The West Bengal government said that all state government offices will remain closed on Tuesday as a mark of respect for Mukherjee. West Bengal was his home state.

Known as a consensus builder, Mukherjee spent much of his five decades in public life as a Congress worker but also inspired trust among leaders across political divides.

As condolences poured in for Mukherjee, who served as the India's first citizen from 2012 to 2017, President Ram Nath Kovind described Mukherjee's demise as the passing of an era.

"A colossus in public life, he served Mother India with the spirit of a sage. The nation mourns losing one of its worthiest sons. Condolences to his family, friends & all citizens," Kovind said on Twitter.

Endowed with perspicacity and wisdom, the Bharat Ratna awardee combined tradition and modernity, Kovind said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Mukherjee in his decades-long political journey made long-lasting contributions in key economic and strategic ministries.

He was an outstanding parliamentarian, always well-prepared, extremely articulate as well as witty, Modi added in a series of tweets.

Modi also posted his pictures with Mukherjee, including one in which he is seen touching the then-president's feet.

"I was new to Delhi in 2014. From Day 1, I was blessed to have the guidance, support and blessings of Shri Pranab Mukherjee. I will always cherish my interactions with him. Condolences to his family, friends, admirers and supporters across India. Om Shanti," he added.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party leader Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, and Randeep Singh Surjewala, among other members of the party expressed grief over Mukherjee's demise.

In her condolence letter to Sharmistha, Sonia said his life over the past five decades mirrored 50 years of India's history.

"He brought distinction to every post he held. He established a genuine rapport with colleagues across the political spectrum, and he served our country with the utmost dedication," she said.

"Pranab Da had been such an integral and prominent part of national life, the Congress party and the central government for over five decades, it is hard to imagine how we can do without his wisdom, experience, sage advice and deep understanding of so many subjects," she added.

Singh said he had learnt a lot from him and depended on him a great deal for his wisdom, vast knowledge and experience of public affairs.

"In his death, our country has lost one of its greatest leaders of Independent India. He and I worked very closely in the Government of India and I depended on him a great deal for his wisdom, vast knowledge and experience of public affairs," he said.

Rahul said, "With great sadness, the nation receives the news of the unfortunate demise of our former President Shri Pranab Mukherjee. I join the country in paying homage to him. My deepest condolences to the bereaved family and friends."

Among other leaders, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu said the country has lost an elder statesman in his death. "He rose from humble beginnings to occupy the country's highest constitutional position through hard work, discipline and dedication," he said.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, condoling his death, described Mukherjee as a "guide" for the Sangh and said he didn't believe in political untouchability.

Mukherjee didn't practice political untouchability and was respected by all parties, the RSS' statement said. "He was a guide for Sangh and was affectionate towards the organisation and his passing away is irreparable loss to the RSS," it added.

Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Harsh Vardhan and Prakash Javadekar, Thawar Chand Gehlot, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, among others, also condoled Mukherjee's demise and paid rich tributes to him.

Shah expressed deep anguish over Mukherjee's death, saying his demise has left a huge void in the Indian polity.

He said, "Pranab Da's life will always be cherished for his impeccable service and indelible contribution to our motherland. His demise has left a huge void in Indian polity. My sincerest condolences are with his family and followers on this irreparable loss. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti."

Meanwhile, Javadekar said the country has lost one of its finest sons.

Rajnath said Mukherjee epitomised simplicity, honesty and strength of character. Additionally, Smriti Irani said Mukherjee's "warmth, dedication and vision has left an indelible mark".

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also expressed deep anguish over Mukherjee's demise and called his erudition and wisdom "really inspiring".

Mukherjee — was often seen leading Durga Puja prayers in his village, even in his president years — was the man who took on all political jobs with ease.

When he became president in 2012, Mukherjee headed 24 of 39 GOMs (groups of ministers). Between 2004-2012, he chaired 95 GOMs.

With inputs from agencies



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/2YTR3xo

'Here we go again': Second wave of coronavirus grips 'canary in the coal mine' Spain

Málaga, Spain: At midday on Sunday, there were 31 patients inside the main coronavirus treatment centre in Málaga, the city with the fastest-rising infection rate in southern Spain. At 12.15 pm, the 32nd arrived in an ambulance. Half an hour later came No 33.

The garbage can by the door overflowed with masks and blue surgical gloves. Relatives hovered in silence outside — one of them in tears, another feeling a pang of déjà vu.

“My brother-in-law had the virus in the spring,” said Julia Bautista, a 58-year-old retired office administrator waiting for news Sunday of her 91-year-old father.

“Here we go again,” she added.

If Italy was the harbinger of the first wave of Europe’s coronavirus pandemic in February, Spain is the portent of its second.

France is also surging, as are parts of Eastern Europe, and cases are ticking up in Germany, Greece, Italy and Belgium, too, but in the past week, Spain has recorded the most new cases on the continent by far — more than 53,000. With 114 new infections per 100,000 people in that time, the virus is spreading faster in Spain than in the United States, more than twice as fast as in France, about eight times the rate in Italy and Britain, and 10 times the pace in Germany.

Spain was already one of the hardest-hit countries in Europe, and now has about 440,000 cases and more than 29,000 deaths. But after one of the world’s most stringent lockdowns, which did check the virus’ spread, it enjoyed one of the most rapid reopenings. The return of nightlife and group activities — far faster than most of its European neighbours — has contributed to the epidemic’s resurgence.

Now, as other Europeans mull how to restart their economies while still protecting human life, the Spanish have become an early bellwether for how a second wave might happen, how hard it might hit, and how it could be contained.

“Perhaps Spain is the canary in the coal mine,” said Professor Antoni Trilla, an epidemiologist at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, a research group. “Many countries may follow us — but hopefully not at the same speed or with the same number of cases that we are facing.”

To be sure, doctors and politicians are not as terrified by Spain’s second wave as they were by its first. The mortality rate is roughly half the rate from the height of the crisis — falling to 6.6 percent from the 12 percent peak in May.

The median age of sufferers has dropped to around 37 from 60. Asymptomatic cases account for more than 50 percent of positive results, which is partly due to a fourfold rise in testing. And the health institutions feel much better prepared.

“We have experience now,” said Dr María del Mar Vázquez, the medical director of the hospital in Málaga where Bautista’s father was being treated.

“We have a much bigger stock of equipment, we have protocols in place, we are more prepared,” Vázquez said. “The hospitals will be full — but we are ready.”

Yet part of the hospital is still a building site — contractors have yet to finish a renovation of the wing of the hospital that deals with coronavirus patients. No one expected the second wave for at least another month.

And epidemiologists aren’t certain why it arrived so soon.

Explanations include a rise in large family gatherings; the return of tourism in cities like Málaga; the decision to return responsibility for combating the virus to local authorities at the end of the nationwide lockdown, and a lack of adequate housing and health care for migrants.

The surge has also been blamed on the revival of nightlife, which was reinstated earlier and with looser restrictions than in many other parts of Europe.

“We have this cultural factor related to our rich social life,” said Ildefenso Hernández, a former director-general of public health for the Spanish government. “People are close. They like to get to know each other.”

For several weeks in places like Málaga, nightclubs and discos were allowed to open until as late as 5 am, as regional politicians attempted to revive an economy dependent on tourists and partygoers. Revellers were allowed only to dance around a table with friends, rather than mixing with strangers — but the rules were not always observed.

In one notorious incident in early August, a performer was filmed spitting at dancers on a crowded dance floor at a beach club outside Málaga.

The venue was quickly closed, all nightclubs were ordered to shut two weeks later, and bars must now shut by 1 am. But critics fear the restrictions are still far too lax.

As beds continued to fill up in Málaga’s hospitals this weekend, residents were still cramming into bars along certain beach fronts until well past midnight. In some bars, the tables were tightly packed together — far closer than the current rules of two metres, or about six feet, allow.

At closing time, drinkers spilled out onto the beaches and pontoons, mostly without wearing masks. There they congregated in groups of more than 20 — a normal sight during any other Spanish summer, but far larger than the gatherings of 10 or fewer now allowed by law.

Some were teenagers who said they had recently recovered from a mild form of the virus, and who now therefore considered themselves immune. Others felt the pandemic restrictions were an overreaction.

“I don’t think COVID is real,” said Victor Bermúdez, a 23-year-old shop assistant at an early morning gathering on a pontoon jutting into the Mediterranean. “Well, yes, it’s real — but it’s not as serious as they say. It’s all a plan to kill the poor and boost the rich.”

During the lockdown, the Central government set a clear agenda from Madrid. But with the lifting of the state of emergency at the end of June, certain powers were returned to each of Spain’s 17 regional governments, leading to a disjointed and confused approach.

When regions attempted to enforce restrictions on local life, some of their decisions were struck down by local judges, who argued that only the central Parliament had the power to introduce such measures.

“We don’t have the legal tools that guarantee us the ability to take decisions,” said Juan Manuel Moreno, the president of the regional government in Andalusia, the region in which Málaga lies.

The debate has also become the latest proxy for a bitter conflict over the Spanish Constitution that has been brewing for more than four decades. For federalists and Catalan separatists, for example, the debacle highlights how power was never properly devolved after the death in 1975 of the dictator Francisco Franco. For Spanish nationalists, it instead shows how the process of decentralisation has already gone too far.

“There is a kind of war going on to show what kind of political system is better,” said Nacho Calle, the editor of Maldita, a prominent fact-checking service. The decentralised approach has led to a piecemeal system of tracking and tracing potential coronavirus victims. Some regions employ several thousand trackers to trace people who might have come into contact with infected people, while other regions hired only a few dozen — slowing the rate at which potential patients are told to enter quarantine.

And even in regions with large numbers of trackers, like Andalusia, health workers on the ground report that the process is still too slow and understaffed in certain locations.

Francisca Morente, a nurse in a clinic west of Málaga, was one of hundreds of local nurses seconded this summer to work as a tracker because of staff shortages at her district’s official tracing unit.

But even now, Morente is one of just five trackers working at her clinic — not enough to make the hundreds of daily calls that a proper tracing service requires. And even once she manages to track down potential coronavirus patients, those patients still currently need to wait a week until their tests are processed, because of bottlenecks at local laboratories.

“We need more trackers and more resources,” she said. “We need a designated tracker unit in every clinic, instead of this temporary system that we have at the moment.”

A lack of institutional support for undocumented migrants has also contributed to the second wave, according to some experts. Some recent outbreaks began among foreign farmhands living in cramped communal accommodations.

Barred from seeking unemployment benefits and lacking formal labor contracts, undocumented migrants cannot easily take time off work if they are sick. Nor can they afford the kinds of homes that would allow them to easily self-isolate.

“If I have to quarantine, then I cannot work,” said María Perea, a 50-year-old Colombian cleaner waiting on Monday for the results of a coronavirus test. “And if I cannot work, then I have no money.”

But in general, doctors say that Spain is in a far stronger position to fight the virus than it was in March.

National coordination is improving — the central government last week agreed to a deal to deploy 2,000 soldiers as contact tracers. Testing speeds are accelerating — in Málaga, the biggest hospital can process tests within a single morning, thanks to the recent purchase of a series of robots. Across the road, a makeshift hospital built in a rush in April stands empty, ready for a rise in cases.

“It’s not like the first wave,” said Carmen Cerezo, 38, a train attendant waiting outside the Málaga hospital while her father was tested for coronavirus inside.

“We’re calmer now,” she said.

Patrick Kingsley and José Bautista c.2020 The New York Times Company



from Firstpost World Latest News https://ift.tt/31LzhP2

Kerala Lottery 2022: Akshaya AK-548 lottery result to be declared at 3 pm, first prize Rs 70 lakh

The Kerala Lottery Department will release the results of the Akshaya AK-548 lottery draw at 3 pm today, 11 May. The AK-548 lottery results...