Month: March 2021

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday met West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and offered his full support to her in the coming assembly polls in the state.

Addressing the media after meeting the TMC supremo at Nabanna, the state secretariat here, Tejashwi told reporters, “It is Lalu ji’s decision to provide full support to Mamata Ji. Our first priority is to stop BJP from coming to power in Bengal.”
He also took a jibe at the “baraat” of BJP leaders in the recent weeks arriving in West Bengal to campaign for the party and questioned their ability to run the government in the state better than Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

“BJP is such a big party. The BJP has brought a “Baarat” (procession) of all the union ministers to West Bengal. Who is their groom? Name a single BJP leader who is more experienced than Mamta Banerjee in running the government. Will you hand over power to a leader who does not have any experience?” Tejashwi Yadav asked while speaking to ANI.

“The biggest thing is support to courage, Tejashwi bhai is fighting, so we are fighting and vice versa, said the West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee speaking to reporters after the meeting here at Nabanna, the state secretariat.

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Tejashwi Yadav was also scheduled to to chair election committee’s meeting today at her residence in Kalighat.

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Yadav had not attended the brigade ground meeting called by the left, Congress and ISF in Kolkata on Sunday.

West Bengal will witness eight-phased Assembly polls beginning March 27. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.

While Mamata Banerjee is seeking her third consecutive term, BJP has set a target of winning 200 seats in the 294-member state Assembly. Congress and the Left have stitched the alliance for the polls and had already finalised the seat-sharing agreement.

With the announcement of the election schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force in the state. (ANI)

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Monday said that the massive power outage in Mumbai last October was an attempt at “cyber sabotage” according to a preliminary report.

Addressing reporters here, Deshmukh said Maharashtra Cyber Cell has submitted a preliminary report whose findings state that evidence suggests that the grid failure in Mumbai on October 12 last year, that resulted in the city plunging into darkness and disrupting train services, shutting down the stock market and generally hitting economic activities, was likely to be a cyber sabotage. The report has been handed over to Maharashtra energy minister Nitin Raut.
A report by a US-based cybersecurity firm claimed that Chinese-state sponsored groups, had targeted power sector in India with malware. This came months after the clash between troops of the two nations in Galwan valley in June 2020.

The New York Times had on Sunday published a report based on the findings of the report.

” The report of New York Times has come now. But when Mumbai had gone under dark, we had set up a departmental inquiry committee. MERC (Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission) and Central Electricy Authority had also made their own committees. We have complained to Cyber Cell also,” Nitin Raut said while speaking with mediapersons here.

“State Cyber Police Department investigated this and report was handed over to me today by Home Minister Anil Deshmukh ji. I will speak on this in legislature,” Raut said.

According to NYT report, the new study lent weight to the idea that the Mumbai blackout could be a “part of a broad Chinese cyber campaign against India’s power grid, timed to send a message that if India pressed its claims too hard, the lights could go out across the country.”

Addressing a press conference here Deshmukh said: “On October 12 electricity failure, Maharashtra Cyber Cell report says, 8GB unaccounted data must have been transferred to Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) data. Protocol Data which means the server of MSEB was logged in on October 12.”

According to the Maharashtra Cyber Cell report, Deshmukh said: “there was the possibility of login attempts and 14 Trojan horses were landed on MSEB servers. There are chances of some foreign attempts.”

The Massachusetts-based cybersecurity company Recorded Future’s study reported that a Chinese state-sponsored has been seen systematically utilising advanced cyberintrusion techniques to gain access to nearly a dozen critical nodes across the Indian power generation and transmission infrastructure.

“Since early 2020, Recorded Future’s Insikt Group observed a large increase in suspected targeted intrusion activity against Indian organizations from Chinese statesponsored groups, the study said.

” From mid-2020 onwards, Recorded Future’s midpoint collection revealed a steep rise in the use of infrastructure tracked as AXIOMATICASYMPTOTE, which encompasses ShadowPad command and control (C2) servers, to target a large swathe of India’s power sector,” the report said.

According to the report 10 distinct Indian power sector organizations, including four of the five Regional Load Despatch Centres (RLDC) responsible for operation of the power grid through balancing electricity supply and demand, have been identified as targets in a concerted campaign against India’s critical infrastructure. Other targets identified included two Indian seaports. (ANI)

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday said six states in India continue to report an increased number of daily new cases and have contributed 87.25 per cent of the fresh infection in the country.

The ministry said Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, have shown a surge in new cases in the last 24 hours.
“15,510 new cases were registered in the last 24 hours. Maharashtra continues to report the highest daily new cases at 8,293. It is followed by Kerala with 3,254 while Punjab has reported 579 new cases,” it said.

According to the health ministry, the eight states are displaying an upward trajectory in the daily new cases.

Meanwhile, India’s total active caseload is 1,68,627 today and the present active caseload now stands at 1.52 per cent of total positive cases.

Five states account for 84 per cent of total active cases in the country.

Maharashtra alone accounts for 46.39 per cent of India’s total active cases, followed by Kerala with 29.49 per cent.

Total 21 states and UTs have reported less than 1,000 active cases whereas Arunachal Pradesh has reported no active cases in the last 24 hours.

Fifteen states and UTs have registered more than 1,000 active cases.

Also, Kerala and Maharashtra are the two states with more than 10,000 active cases, while the rest of the 13 states and UTs have between 1,000-10,000 active cases.

“So far, a total of 1,43,01,266 vaccine doses have been administered to beneficiaries through 2,92,312 sessions. These include 1st dose of 66,69,985 HCWs, 2nd dose of 24,56,191 HCWs and 51,75,090 FLWs who have taken the 1st dose,” it said.

The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination has commenced from today for those who are over 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.

A simplified process of registration has been set up, whereby potential beneficiaries can have the option of advance self-registration, on-site registration or facilitated cohort registration.

More than 1.07 crore (1,07,86,457) people has recovered so far. 11,288 patients have recovered and got discharged in the last 24 hours.

The ministry said 85.07 per cent of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in six states.

Kerala has reported the maximum number of single-day recoveries with 4,333 newly recovered cases. 3,753 people recovered in Maharashtra in the past 24 hours followed by 490 in Tamil Nadu.

106 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.

“Five states account for 86.79 per cent of the new deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (62). Kerala follows with 15 daily deaths and Punjab has reported 7 deaths in the last 24 hours,” it added.

Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Puducherry, Assam, Manipur, Sikkim, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Lakshadweep, Meghalaya, Ladakh (UT), Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Uttarakhand and Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli have not reported any COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours.

The Centre is continuously engaging with the states and UTs manifesting a higher caseload of active cases and those reporting a rise in the daily new COVID cases.

All the states and UTs have been advised to maintain a continued rigorous vigil for containing the spread of COVID-19. The need for effective testing, comprehensive tracking, prompt isolation of positive cases and quick quarantine of close contacts are strongly emphasised. (ANI)

State Bank of India (SBI) has sweetened its offers on home loans by reducing interest concession of up to 70 basis points with interest rates starting from 6.7 per cent.

The country’s largest lender said on Monday it is also giving 100 per cent waiver on processing fees till March 31. The interest concession are based on the loan amount and CIBIL score of the borrower.
SBI said it is important to extend better rates to customers who maintain good repayment history. Its home loan interest rates start from 6.7 per cent for loans up to Rs 75 lakh and 6.75 per cent for loans above Rs 75 lakh.

“SBI, being the market leader in home finance, takes ownership in bolstering consumer sentiments. The affordability for the consumer increases immensely with the present offerings as equal monthly installments will be reduced.”

Customers can also apply from the ease of their home via the YONO app to get additional interest concession of 5 basis points. On the eve of International Women’s day, a special 5 basis points concession is being made available to women borrowers.

SBI is the largest commercial bank in terms of assets, deposits, branches, customers, and employees. It is also the largest mortgage lender in the country. Its home loan portfolio recently crossed the milestone of Rs 5 lakh crore.

As on December 31, 2020, the bank had a deposit base of over Rs 35 lakh crore and advances of more than Rs 26 lakh crore with CASA (current account saving account) ratio of about 45 per cent. (ANI)

By John Solomou

US President Joe Biden has stressed many times that the US will return to the nuclear deal reached in 2015 with Iran -officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – provided that Iran complies with the terms of the deal.

For his part, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Tehran would only return to compliance if the US first lifted economic sanctions. However, time is running out and Biden has to act quickly, as there are various developments – such as new restrictions imposed by Iran on UN inspections- that make the reaching of an agreement on the subject very urgent.
This is a concern shared by the EU foreign policy Chief Josep Borel, as coordinator of the JCPOA, who stressed last Friday that “we do have a diplomatic window of opportunity to focus on solutions to bring back on track in order for everybody to fulfil their commitments.”

The US and EU imposed sanctions on Iran in 2010, as there were fears that Iran’s nuclear programme was used as a cover to build nuclear weapons. In 2015 Iran reached an agreement with the US, China, Russia, UK, France and Germany, imposing restrictions on uranium enrichment and the type of centrifuges used for enrichment, as well as allowing international inspections of its nuclear facilities, in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.

Ignoring the opposition of the international community, in May 2018 former US president Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement and imposed draconian sanctions on Iran which had a devastating effect on the country’s economy. Responding, the Iranian regime, exceeded the limits set for uranium enrichment and on stockpiles and operated banned centrifuges.

Joe Biden in his presidential campaign clearly supported a return to diplomacy with Iran, but the big question now is who will make the first move. Iran insists that the US lift Trump’s sanctions first and be compensated for the hardship it suffered as a result of the crippling sanctions, while the US clearly demands that Iran must return to compliance with JCPOA first.

Under a law passed by the Iranian Parliament last December, as from February 23, Tehran will stop allowing short notice “intrusive” inspections of sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency”, unless there is an easing of US sanctions. It also said it would erase surveillance footage of its nuclear facilities. This, of course, makes the need to reach an agreement on reviving the JCPOA quite urgent.

An incident, which aggravated the existing difficulties for the resumption of negotiations was the recent rocket attack by Iran’s proxies on US-led forces in northern Iraq, in which a civilian contractor was killed and a US soldier was injured. The US retaliated in a predawn attack on Friday when two US warplanes destroyed nine buildings and damaged two others at a camp used by Iranian-backed militants. Asked what message he was sending to Iran with the airstrike in Syria, Biden told reporters: “You can’t act with impunity. Be careful.”

Another factor that the Biden administration has to take into account is the fact that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who is considered a moderate, will not stand as a candidate in the elections scheduled for next June and he may be succeeded by a hardliner who much more hostile to the West.

It seems that the Biden Administration has decided to take a two-step process on the nuclear deal. First to stop Iran’s acceleration of nuclear activities, by lifting some sanctions and convince Tehran to return to ICPOA and then reach a more comprehensive follow-up agreement, with the new Iranian government.

As Dr Ezgi Uzun, of Sabanci University, points out: “The follow-up agreement envisages the negotiation of the collective package of issues (including the Ballistic Missile Programme, Iran’s Shia militia recruitment activities in the Middle East and relations with other countries in the region, all irreversibly brought to the world agenda by the Trump Administration, in addition to the nuclear program) on an international platform that will bring together the US, EU, Iran and several other countries in the region. The Biden administration is waiting for the elections in June for the follow-up agreement.”

It should be stressed, however, that there are people who say that it is not a good idea to include other issues, such as ballistic missiles, Iran proxies etc, as this will harm the chances of reaching an agreement. Josep Borrell, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, told the Atlantic Council on February 23, that “maybe there are other issues that have to be taken into consideration, but don’t put everything together at the same time. Then you are going to block the process… if you start talking about pending issues in the beginning, you will never restart.”

Ali Reza Eshraghi, a visiting scholar at the UNC Center for the Middle East says: “It is highly unlikely that the US and Europe will be able to strike a broader agreement with Iran unless they first rejoin the original JCPOA – under either the current or next government in Tehran. The longer the US takes to rejoin the JCPOA, the greater the support in Tehran for accelerating the Iranian nuclear programme. In the coming weeks, European and US efforts should focus on a swift return to the JCPOA rather than holding out for the unlikely prospect of a new nuclear formula with Iran.” (ANI)

Amid growing criticism over human right abuses by the Beijing, population statistics published by the Chinese government shows a significant drop in birth rates in Xinjiang province.

The figures, which run up until 2019, cited by Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP), show a decrease in birth rate by around two-thirds within two years.
The sudden decline in birth rate comes in the backdrop of increasing pressure on Beijing over reports of mass internment and coerced population control of the Uyghur population in Xinjiang.

Rhoda Kwan, writing for the HKFP said between 2017 and 2019, the birth rate in Xinjiang almost halved, dropping from 15.88 per cent in 2017 to 8.14 in 2019.

According to an annual report compiled by the National Bureau of Statistics of China, “China’s national average rate only decreased by around 2 per cent in the same period.

“The same figures detailed in the China Statistical Yearbook show population growth rate in the Xinjiang shrank by two-thirds from 2017 to 2019, dropping from 11.40 per cent to 6.13 in the first year, and to 3.69 per cent in the second,” Kwan said.

Last month, the Chinese embassy in the US had shared a report by Chinese state media outlet China Daily and wrote: “Study shows that in the process of eradicating extremism, the minds of Uyghur women in Xinjiang were emancipated and gender equality and reproductive health were promoted, making them no longer baby-making machines. They are more confident and independent.”

The Chinese Embassy’s post was later removed by Twitter after it drew ire and calls for removal given the Chinese government’s oppressive campaign against Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities.

China has been rebuked globally for cracking down on Uyghur Muslims by sending them to mass detention camps, interfering in their religious activities and sending members of the community to undergo some form of forcible re-education or indoctrination.

Beijing, on the other hand, has vehemently denied that it is engaged in human rights abuses against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang while reports from journalists, NGOs and former detainees have surfaced, highlighting the Chinese Communist Party’s brutal crackdown on the ethnic community, according to a report.

The Chinese government has increased its “groundless prosecutions” with long prison sentences for Uyghurs and other minority communities in recent years in China’s Xinjiang province, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).

HRW, a non-governmental body that conducts research and advocacy on human rights last week had said since the Chinese government escalated its repressive “Strike Hard Campaign against Violent Terrorism” in late 2016, the region’s formal criminal justice system has convicted and sentenced more than 250,000 people.

“While few verdicts and other official documents are publicly available due to Xinjiang authorities’ tight control of information, a Human Rights Watch analysis of nearly 60 of these cases suggests that many people have been convicted and imprisoned without committing a genuine offence,” HRW said. (ANI)

Bollywood star Disha Patani on Monday started the shooting of her upcoming action drama ‘Ek Villain Returns’ and shared a picture from her vanity van.

The ‘MS Dhoni’ star took to Instagram and announced the beginning of the shoot. In the photo, Disha can be seen posing in her vanity van in a jacket with the film’s name on it.

Patani wrote in the caption, ”And here we go #ekvillainreturns @mohit11481 @balajimotionpic.”

The movie boasts an ensemble star cast including John Abraham, Tara Sutaria, Arjun Kapoor and Disha Patani.

Earlier last year, media reports suggested that Aditya Roy Kapoor was paired opposite Tara Sutaria for ‘Ek Villain Returns’, however, now the ‘Ashiqui 2’ star has been replaced by the ‘Ishaqzaade’ actor Arjun Kapoor.

Directed by Mohit Suri, the film’s first instalment was released in 2014.

It follows (Sidharth Malhotra) Guru, a gangster whose life changes after he falls in love with (Shraddha Kapoor) Aisha and decides to mend his ways. When Aisha is murdered by a serial killer (Riteish Deshmukh), Guru begins to search for the murderer to seek revenge. (ANI)

“Laga bhi di aur pata hi nahi chala (Is it already done? I didn’t even notice),” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi just after getting his first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, at AIIMS Delhi on Monday.

While a section of the population has been expressing reservations regarding the efficacy of the vaccine, the Prime Minister was seen calmly talking to the nurses while he received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
Sister P Nivedita, the nurse from Puducherry who administered the vaccine to PM Modi, told ANI that after receiving the shot, the Prime Minister said, “Laga bhi di aur pata hi nahi chala (Is it already done? I didn’t even notice).”

Even the staff administering the vaccine only got to know who was their patient just minutes ahead of the vaccination.

“I found out today morning that sir (Prime Minister Modi) was going to come, and I was called to administer the vaccine. It was nice to meet him,” Nivedita said.

“Sir (PM Modi) has been administered the first dose of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin. The second dose will be given in 28 days. He asked us from where we belong,” she said.

P Nivedita has been working at AIIMS for the last three years.

The second nurse present during the vaccine administration process, who hails from Kerala, said, “We found out today morning itself that sir was going to come here to get vaccinated. It was very nice. Sir was also very comfortable.”

Earlier, soon after receiving the first dose of the vaccine, Prime Minister tweeted, “Took my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at AIIMS,” PM Modi tweeted with his picture of receiving the jab. Remarkable how our doctors and scientists have worked in quick time to strengthen the global fight against COVID-19.”

The PM was seen wearing a gamcha from Assam, symbolic of blessings of women from the eastern state. He has been seen wearing it on many occasions.

The Covid-19 vaccines – Covaxin and Covishield, will be made available to the general public from today. As many as 1,43,01,266 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered so far.

The first phase of the nationwide vaccination drive against Covid-19 had begun on January 16. The second phase began on February 13. (ANI)