NEWS DIGEST EVENING
13 JUNE 2020: 20 SHAWWAL 1441:Vol: 12,No:231
* CORONAVIRUS- LOCKDOWN*
States bust rumours about lockdown extension after June 15: In tune with Centre’s plans, Delhi, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu say will not re-impose restrictions
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/in-tune-with-centre-s-plans-delhi-maharashtra-tn-say-will-not-reimpose-restrictions/story-7CXwS1WDrmmZhNlCtfOBnM.html
https://news.abplive.com/news/india/these-states-just-bust-rumours-about-lockdown-extension-after-june-15-1259470
India may have added over 100,000 new cases of coronavirus disease in the past 10 days but there are no plans to impose a stringent nationwide lockdown again, top officials involved in managing the pandemic said on Friday. Their comments came even as the three states worst hit by the pandemic, Maharashtra, Delhi, and Tamil Nadu, ruled out any reimposition of lockdown measures. After 68 days of a nationwide lockdown, India is now in a phased exit from restrictions on movement and businesses, a period the home ministry terms Unlock 1.0.On Friday, Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said that the lockdown will not be reimposed in Delhi. Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray too ruled out re-imposing a hard lockdown. And the Tamil Nadu government told the Madras High Court that there are no plans to impose a complete lockdown either in Chennai or the rest of the state.There has been buzz on social media that all three states could see a reimposition of the lockdown because of the spiraling cases. On Thursday, India registered 11,199 cases, the highest ever on a single day till then. Of this, 66% of the cases came from the three states. On Friday night, out of India’s total cases of 309,324, the 3 states accounted for 178,663.
No further lockdown due to coronavirus, says Maharashtra government as cases cross 1L
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/130620/no-further-lockdown-due-to-coronavirus-says-maharashtra-government-as.html
Mumbai: Amid the speculation of imposition of lockdown in Maharashtra, the state government on Friday made it clear that there is no such proposal in the pipeline. However it reiterated that the people should refrain from crowding as the threat of coronavirus is not over yet.Stating that some media reports were creating confusion in the minds of people, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said the government was easing the lockdown restrictions in phases to restart the economy. “We are easing lockdown restrictions in phases to restart the economy. But lifting of restrictions does not mean unnecessary crowding and violating discipline of physical distancing and hygiene,” he said in a statement, issued by the CMO. Thackeray also urged the media to verify news before publishing it.
Lockdown Extension After June 15? List of States That Rule Out Complete Shutdown
https://www.india.com/news/india/lockdown-extension-after-june-15-list-of-states-that-rule-out-complete-shutdown-4056810/
Two-thirds of cases from 5 states: PM Modi holds review meeting on coronavirus situation
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/two-thirds-of-cases-from-5-states-pm-modi-holds-review-meeting-on-coronavirus-situation-1688715-2020-06-13
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a review meeting on Saturday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, Principal Secretary to PM PK Sinha, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Health Secretary Preeti Sudan and ICMR DR Balram Bhargava were among the attendees. During the meeting, PM Modi reviewed pandemic projections for the next two months and directed officials of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) to undertake emergency planning in consultation with states and union territories. The Prime Minister also advised the Health Ministry to review preparedness for the monsoon season.The Prime Minister also took stock of the Covid-19 outbreak in states/UTs where Covid-19 numbers are rising rapidly despite a nationwide lockdown. A presentation was also made on the current status and likely scenario of Covid-19 cases in India in the 'medium-term' by Dr Vinod Paul, Member NITI Aayog and Convener of the Empowered Group of Medical Emergency Management Plan Experts told PM Modi that two-thirds of the total number of confirmed cases of infection have been reported from five states with an overwhelming proportion of cases in big cities. Measures were also discussed to augment testing as well as ramp up the number of hospital beds to effectively handle the situation when the infection peaks.
‘They’re being treated worse than animals’: SC issues notice on COVID-19 treatment and disposal of bodies
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/theyre-being-treated-worse-than-animals-sc-issues-notice-on-covid-19-treatment-and-disposal-of-bodies
The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre and state governments in the suo motu case on proper treatment of COVID-19 patients and disposal of bodies of persons who have succumbed to the virus, legal news website BarandBench.com has reported.The matter was heard by a Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and MR Shah. At the outset, the court noted that there was a decrease in COVID-19 testing in the capital. "We are more concerned with living than dead. Look at the condition of hospitals. Bodies are there in the wards. Mumbai is testing 16,000 to 17,000, whereas in Delhi it is falling below 7,000. Media has highlighted this issue," it said.
Hydroxychloroquine does not reduce mortality, RECOVERY trial finds
https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/hydroxychloroquine-does-not-reduce-mortality-recovery-trial-finds/article31821960.ece
The RECOVERY trial, a large randomised controlled trial in the U.K. to test five drugs, including hydroxychloroquine, has found no clinical benefit from use of hydroxychloroquine in hospitalised patients with COVID-19. The trial investigators found that there was no significant benefit in mortality reduction in the intervention group, which was the primary objective.The RECOVERY trial began in March. It is a dynamic trial assessing five candidate drugs and convalescent plasma therapy for treating COVID-19 in patients in U.K. hospitals. The trial has enrolled over 11,000 patients.On June 4, following the retraction of The Lancet paper on use of hydroxychloroquine, the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency wanted the independent Data Monitoring Committee of the RECOVERY trial to carry out an additional review. It also asked the investigators to look at the unblinded data in the hydroxychloroquine arm.
Italy, Germany, France and Netherlands Sign Contract with Astrazeneca for Covid-19 Vaccine
https://www.news18.com/news/world/italy-germany-france-and-netherlands-sign-contract-with-astrazeneca-for-covid-19-vaccine-2668267.html
Italy, Germany, France and the Netherlands have signed a contract with Astrazeneca to supply European citizens with a vaccine against the coronavirus, Italy's health minister said on Saturday.The contract is for 400 million doses of the vaccine, which was developed with the University of Oxford and whose experimentation phase is already advanced and expected to end in autumn, Roberto Speranza said in a Facebook post.He added that a first batch of doses would be made available by the end of this year.The European Commission received a mandate from EU govts on Friday to negotiate advance purchases of promising coronavirus vaccines, the EU's top health official said, but it was unclear whether there would be enough money available.
Ex-Pak PM Yousuf Raza Gilani tests positive for virus
https://indianexpress.com/article/world/coronavirus-global-updates-june-13-us-brazil-uk-india-6456469/
Former Pakistan prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has tested positive for coronavirus, as revealed by his son on Saturday, the Dawn reported. Gilani on Thursday had appeared in a NAB hearing in Rawalpindi and had requested the judge that since a number of lawmakers had tested positive for Covid-19, he may be given permanent exemption from personal attendance in the court.
SOUTH ASIA- INDO-PAK & J&K
Nepal Parliament’s lower house passes bill to redraw political map that includes Indian areas
https://indianexpress.com/article/world/nepal-parliaments-session-begins-likely-to-pass-bill-to-redraw-political-map-6457164/
Escalating its row with India over territorial claims to the Lipulekh-Kalapani-Limpiyadhura region, the Lower House of Nepal’s Parliament on Saturday unanimously voted to amend the Constitution, seeking to make alterations, additions to the country’s political map and national emblem.Nepali Congress (NC), Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal (RJP-N) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) were among the major opposition parties that voted in favour of the government bill to amend Schedule 3 of the Constitution, news agency PTI reported.In the 275-member House of Representatives or the Lower House, a two-thirds majority was required to pass the bill. Now, the bill will be sent to the National Assembly, where it will undergo a similar process. The ruling Nepal Communist Party commands a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly. The NA will have to give lawmakers 72 hours to move amendments against the bill’s provisions, if any.After the National Assembly passes the bill, it will be submitted to the President for authentication, after which the bill will be incorporated in the Constitution.The relations between India and Nepal came under strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8. India controls Lipulekh, Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and its maps show the area as part of its territory — this is contested by Nepal.indianexpress
Nepal border guards open fire at Bihar crossing, Indian killed
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-nepal-bihar-firing-6456323/
An Indian national was killed and two others were injured when the Nepal Armed Police Force, responsible for border security, opened fire on a group during a clash at a border point near Sitamarhi in Bihar Friday morning.Senior police officers of Nepal and Bihar and the Sashastra Seema Bal called it a local incident and said it had nothing to do with the border row between Delhi and Kathmandu over territorial claims to Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura in Uttarakhand — Nepal’s House of Representatives will vote Saturday on a Bill seeking to include the areas in the country’s new map.
Artificial enlargement of claims untenable: MEA after Nepal Parliament clears new map
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/artificial-enlargement-of-claims-untenable-mea-after-nepal-parliament-clears-new-map-1688721-2020-06-13
Nepal's Parliament passed an amendment on Saturday to include a new political map to the country's Constitution. This map includes Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura, areas Nepalese PM KP Sharma Oli claims belong to Nepal.In response, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Anurag Srivastava said, "We have noted that the House of Representatives of Nepal has passed a constitution amendment bill for changing the map of Nepal to include parts of Indian Territory. We have already made our position clear on this matter.""This artificial enlargement of claims is not based on historical fact or evidence and is not tenable. It is also violative of our current understanding to hold talks on outstanding boundary issues," MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said on Saturday evening.
India-China border: Differences will be settled through dialogue, says Army Chief
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-china-border-dispute-mm-naravane-6456774/
A week after Indian and Chinese army commanders sat across the table for more than three hours to find ways to resolve the tense situation along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, Army Chief General MM Naravane on Saturday said he was hopeful that “through the continued dialogue, all perceived differences will be set to rest,” ANI reported.Naravane emphasised that the situation along the border with China was under control. “I would like to assure everyone that the entire situation along our borders with China is under control. We’re having a series of talks which started with Corps Commander level talks and has been followed up with meetings at local level between Commanders of equivalent ranks,” he added.
J&K Police warn of ‘One Ring Phone Scam’ as missed calls rob residents of phone balance
https://theprint.in/india/jk-police-warn-of-one-ring-phone-scam-as-missed-calls-rob-residents-of-phone-balance/441041/
Srinagar: The cyber cell of the Jammu & Kashmir Police has warned residents against answering late-night missed calls from unknown numbers following hundreds of complaints that point towards a racket aimed at robbing unwitting users of their phone balance. In what is being referred to as the “One Ring Phone Scam”, alleged racketeers make phone calls to their potential victims, mostly in the middle of the night, but cut the call after one ring.
*INDIA- ISLAMOPHOBIA, HUMAN RIGHTS & OTHERS*
More Muslims are killed in riots, then more of them get arrested, it’s not new: Mahmood Madani
https://theprint.in/india/more-muslims-are-killed-in-riots-then-more-of-them-get-arrested-its-not-new-mahmood-madani/440625/
New Delhi: The arrests in connection with the Delhi riots have been one-sided and made with the intention to target one community, according to Mahmood Madani, general secretary of the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (JUH). But it’s nothing new, he said, alleging that the general trend has been that more Muslims are killed in a riot, and then more members of the community are later arrested.“It is natural that any type of violence will lead to arrests. But the nature of the arrests show that that they have been one-sided, and targeting only one community,” Madani said in an interview to ThePrint.“Whether it is riots that have taken place under the rule of BJP or Samajwadi Party or Congress, the one thing that’s common is that more Muslims get killed, more Muslims’ property is destroyed, and more Muslims are arrested,” he said.Madani also questioned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s silence over the arrests. Kejriwal was earlier criticised for keeping his distance from the Shaheen Bagh protest, centre of anti-CAA demonstrations in the national capital, and had also later drawn flak for saying the protest site should be cleared.theprint
Amulya Leona gets default bail as police fail to file chargesheet
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/amulya-leona-gets-default-bail-as-police-fail-to-file-chargesheet
Amulya Leona (19), arrested in February on sedition charges for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans at an anti-CAA protest site, has been granted default bail by the magistrate court after the police failed to file the chargesheet within the stipulated 90 day period.The college student is likely to be released after being behind bars for over three months."The 90 days period for filing the chargesheet lapsed on May 20. We had soon after moved the court seeking default bail. However, since the trial courts were closed due to the lockdown the matter was not taken up. On June 2, we again preferred the application and an order was passed on June 10, the same day when Amulya's regular bail application came to be rejected by the sessions court," said her counsel.The order of the magistrate is yet to be made available on the court website.
Viral video of ‘Sanskrit letter’ from Ayodhya excavation is actually a ‘Hebrew’ artefact
https://theprint.in/hoaxposed/viral-video-of-sanskrit-letter-from-ayodhya-excavation-is-actually-a-hebrew-artefact/441172/
New Delhi: A fake video of a ‘Sanskrit letter’ kept inside a copper vessel, which is claimed to have been excavated from the Ram Janmabhoomi site in Ayodhya, has gone viral on social media.Political commentator Puspendra Kulshresth shared the short 28-second video on microblogging site Twitter Thursday. In his tweet, Kulshresth claimed that a copper vessel has been recovered from the Ram Janmabhoomi excavation site and contains a letter.His tweet has received more than 2,000 retweets and 9,000 likes. Many other users have also shared the same video on Twitter as well as social media platform Facebook, with some calling it a “time capsule” with details of the “original temple”.Some users have also claimed that the text on the document is in ‘Sanskrit’.
*WORLD*
Top Saudi cleric: Jews, Muslims need to join forces to fight antisemitism
https://www.jpost.com/international/top-saudi-cleric-jews-muslims-need-to-join-forces-to-fight-antisemitism-630867?utm_source=jpost&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=boost&utm_content=06-09-20&fbclid=IwAR1hmtV2sMiWKHZqFZLns1Hr9D_2cH0xwvEI9QoBBt6NEWCyB5uvWv3IDUw
Muslim World League, a Saudi Arabian government-funded NGO, is prepared to fight “shoulder-to-shoulder” with Jews from around the world to defeat antisemitism, head of the group Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa said. “We in the Muslim World League are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Jewish brothers and sisters to build understanding, respect, love and interreligious harmony,” said al-Issa from Mecca in a virtual conference organized by the Combat Anti-Semitism Movement and the American Sephardi Federation.He said that Jews and Muslims need to work together to rebuild ties and create “bridges of dialogue” between their communities. “Whereas Jews and Muslims lived centuries together, in these last decades we have sadly grown apart,” al-Issa said. “Now, we must rebuild the bridges of dialogue and the bonds of partnership between our communities... Since taking over the Muslim World League, it has been my mission to fight the forces of hatred and violence.”jpost.com
*views, Articles, FEATURES*
What govt could have done differently to deal with pandemic. What it can still do now:Harsh Mander
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/covid-19-india-governance-harsh-mander-6456130/
Court must look within, address asymmetries of justice that are causing disquiet in stakeholders:Kapil Sibal
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/india-supreme-court-justice-kapil-sibal-6456152/
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:17 PM)
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