Month: June 2021

By Shalini Bhardwaj

The Centre on Friday warned that the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over in India, with 75 districts of the country still having over 10 per cent prevalence of coronavirus cases, while 92 districts have a 5 to 10 per cent prevalence.

The Union Health Ministry also shared the data that reflects the decline of more than 83 per cent in active COVID-19 cases across the country.

The data also said that consistent increase in COVID recovery rate since May 3, which currently stands at 96.7 per cent.

On COVID vaccination, Joint Secretary of MoHFW Lav Aggarwal said, “As many as 31,13,18,355 vaccine doses have been administered till 3 pm today.”

He also said, “Virus has not gone anywhere and we cannot do those mistakes that allow increasing the cases. Level of risk of infection depends on enclosed spaces, duration of interaction, crowds and forceful exhalation (talking loudly, coughing, and sneezing).”

India registered as many as 51,667 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, informed the Union Health Ministry. At 2.98 per cent, the daily positivity rate in the country remained below 5 per cent for the 18 days on the trot. The tally of daily recoveries outnumbered the count of daily new cases for straight 43 days. (ANI)

India and China have decided to maintain “stability on the ground and prevent any untoward incident” in the border area in eastern Ladakh at the 22nd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) held on Friday.

At the meeting, held after a gap of over three months, the two sides agreed to maintain dialogue to reach a “mutually acceptable solution” for complete disengagement from all friction points.
The two sides had a frank exchange of views on the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

“Both sides agreed on the need to find an early resolution to the remaining issues along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh keeping in view the agreement reached between the two Foreign Ministers in September 2020,” the statement read.

In this regard, the MEA said that the two sides agreed to maintain dialogue and communication through the diplomatic and military mechanisms to reach a “mutually acceptable solution for complete disengagement from all friction points so as to ensure full restoration of peace and tranquillity to enable progress in the bilateral relations”.

“They also agreed that in the interim, the two sides will continue to ensure stability on the ground and prevent any untoward incident,” it added.

The 21st meeting of the WMCC was held on March 12.

India and China have been engaged in a military standoff at multiple friction points in eastern Ladakh since early May last year.

However, the two sides completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of Pangong lake in February following a series of military and diplomatic talks.

On Thursday, the MEA said that the Chinese actions over the last year, including amassing a large number of troops close to border areas in Ladakh and trying to unilaterally alter the status quo along the LAC have seriously disturbed peace and tranquillity in the border areas. (ANI)

Pakistan will continue to remain on the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) ‘grey list’ for failing to effectively implement the global FATF standards and over its lack of progress on investigation and prosecution of senior leaders and commanders of UN-designated terror groups.

Announcing the decision at a virtual press conference five-day plenary meeting, FATF President Dr Marcus Pleyer said Pakistan will remain on the grey list till it addresses all items on the original action plan agreed to in June 2018 as well as all items on a parallel action plan handed out by the watchdog’s regional partner – the Asia Pacific Group (APG) – in 2019.
Pleyer noted that “Pakistan has made significant progress and it has largely addressed 26 out of 27 items on the action plan it first committed to in June 2018.”

He, however, added that the item on financial terrorism still needed to be addressed which concerned the “investigation and prosecution of senior leaders and commanders of UN-designated terror groups”.

He also pointed out that “a separate process has been taking place over the past few years” insofar as Pakistan was concerned.

Pakistan has been on the FATF’s grey list for deficiencies in its counter-terror financing and anti-money laundering regimes since June 2018.

“Back in 2019, FATF regional partner, the Asia Pacific Group (APG), identified a number of serious issues during its assessment of Pakistan’s entire anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing system. Since then Pakistan has made improvements. This includes clear efforts to raise awareness in the private sector to money laundering risks and to develop and use financial intelligence to build cases,” he said.

But, he said, Pakistan was still “failing to effectively implement the global FATF standards” across a number of areas.

The FATF president asserted that the risks of money laundering remain high which in turn can fuel corruption and organised crime.

The virtual meeting of the FATF plenary took place under the presidency of Dr Marcus Pleyer, while delegates representing 205 members of the Global Network and observer organizations including the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations and the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units were also in attendance.

Continuation on the ‘grey list’ for Pakistan means that it will not get any respite in trying to access finances in the form of investments and aid from international bodies including the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Pakistan is facing the difficult task of getting its name off from the FATF grey list. As things stand, Islamabad is finding it difficult to shield terror perpetrators and implement the FATF action plan at the same time.

The watchdog’s president said all items on both action plans needed to be addressed and goals fulfilled for countries to exit the grey list.

For Pakistan, Pleyer said, even after the last remaining item on the original action plan was addressed, delisting would not occur as there was a parallel action plan that was also given.

“As soon as this last remaining item of the action plan is largely addressed, the members will decide whether they will grant an onsite for this action plan. Usually once an onsite has been successfully completed, the membership can decide on delisting a country,” he said

“But in this case, we have a parallel action plan with all the action items in the second action plan. Then Pakistan must also largely complete all the items on this action plan and then there will be a separate onsite [assessment] to decide on this action plan,” he added. (ANI)

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Friday said that the Congress, Jammu and Kashmir parties and leaders want statehood first and elections afterwards, but the Centre’s wants elections first and statehood later.

The Congress leader’s statement came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured leaders from Jammu and Kashmir that the Union government favours holding assembly elections and restoring its statehood once the delimitation exercise is over.
“Congress and other J&K parties and leaders want Statehood first and Elections afterwards. Government’s response is Elections first and Statehood later,” said the Congress leader in a tweet.

He further said, “The horse pulls the cart. A state must conduct elections. Only such elections will be free and fair. Why does the government want the cart in front and the horse behind? It is bizarre,” it added.

Prime Minister Modi chaired the all-party meeting which was attended by 14 prominent leaders from the Union Territory.

This was the first high-level interaction between the Centre and political leadership mainly from Kashmir since August 5, 2019, when the Centre revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and the state was bifurcated into two union territories.

Among the leaders who are participated in the meeting were Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad, Tara Chand and GA Mir; National Conference’s Dr Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah; PDP’s Mehbooba Mufti, J-K Apni Party’s Altaf Bukhari; BJP’s Ravinder Raina, Nirmal Singh, and Kavinder Gupta; CPI(M)’s M Y Tarigami; National Panthers Party’s Prof Bheem Singh; and Peoples Conference’s Sajad Gani Lone.

Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and Home Secretary also attended the meeting.

Earlier in March this year, the Delimitation Commission for Jammu and Kashmir, which was set up in March 2020 to redraw the parliamentary and assemblies constituencies, got a one-year extension from the Central government.

The delimitation panel, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, was set up only for one year. Later, the panel got A gazette notification was issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice on March 3, 2021, in this regard. (ANI)

Actor Ananya Panday has tickled everyone’s funny bone with her recent Instagram post.

On Friday, Ananya shared her childhood picture on the photo-sharing application. The image shows baby Ananya sitting next to her mother Bhavana on a beach, and it was her hair which caught everybody’s attention. In the throwback snap, Ananya’s hair is seen blown back due to the wind.

“I was clearly born ready for a hair commercial,” she captioned the post.

Netizens flooded Ananya’s post with hilarious reactions. Ananya’s father and actor Chunky Panday commented: “my little baal ki dukaan.” Actor Ishaan Khatter, who is rumoured to be in a relationship with Ananya, posted laughing emojis on the latter’s picture.

According to Ananya’s mother Bhavana, the particular image was taken when Ananya was just about two months old.

Speaking of Ananya’s work projects, she will be seen sharing screen space with Deepika Padukone and Siddhant Chaturvedi in Shakun Batra’s upcoming yet-to-be-titled film. (ANI)

The Kerala High Court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to filmmaker Aisha Sultana in the sedition case registered against her by Kavaratti Police of Lakshadweep.

The bench observed that “Prima facie, the offences alleged by the prosecution are not attracted. She has no criminal antecedents. She is not likely to flee from justice.”
The sedition case was registered against her for her controversial ‘bio-weapon’ remark during a discussion on Lakshadweep policies implemented by Praful Koda Patel in a Malayalam news channel.

The Kerala High Court had granted her interim anticipatory bail for a week and had directed her to appear before police today for interrogation as per Section 41A Code of Criminal Procedure notice.

She was entitled to the benefit of the presence of her counsel during interrogation, the Court had said in the order.

In the event of arrest, the court had said that she should be released in interim anticipatory bail for one week on the execution of Rs 50,000 with two solvent sureties for the like sum to the satisfaction of the arresting officer. (ANI)

Noting that the government’s priority is to “strengthen grassroots democracy” in Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said delimitation has to happen at a quick pace so that assembly polls can take place and an elected government gives strength to the development trajectory.

The Prime Minister, who interacted with leaders from Jammu and Kashmir at a meeting convened by him, said that the meeting was an important step in the ongoing efforts towards a developed and progressive region where all-round growth is furthered.
This was the first such meeting since the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and the bifurcation of the state into two union territories in August 2019.

The Prime Minister, who made a series of tweets, said the biggest strength of the country’s democracy is to sit across a table and exchange views.

“Today’s meeting with political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir is an important step in the ongoing efforts towards a developed and progressive J&K, where all-around growth is furthered,” he said.

The Prime Minister said he told J-K leaders that people, specially youth, have to provide leadership for fulfilling the aspirations of residents.

“Our priority is to strengthen grassroots democracy in J-K. Delimitation has to happen at a quick pace so that polls can happen and J&K gets an elected Government that gives strength to J&K’s development trajectory,” he said.

“Our democracy’s biggest strength is the ability to sit across a table and exchange views. I told the leaders of J&K that it is the people, specially the youth who have to provide political leadership to J-K, and ensure their aspirations are duly fulfilled,” he added.

Fourteen prominent leaders from Jammu and Kashmir took part in the meeting.

Sources said the Prime Minister patiently heard out suggestions and inputs from all participants and expressed happiness that all participants shared their frank and honest views. It was an open discussion that revolved around building a better future for Kashmir.

The sources said the main focus of the meeting was to strengthen the democratic process.

They said the Prime Minister noted that the government was fully committed to the democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir and stressed that holding assembly elections just like the successful conduct of DDC elections is a priority.

It was discussed that elections can happen soon after delimitation and by and large most participants expressed willingness for it.

They said the Prime Minister expressed happiness on the commitment to constitution and democracy espoused by all participants and noted that even one death in Jammu and Kashmir is painful and it is a collective duty to protect our younger generation.

Sources said the Prime Minister stressed that there was a need to give opportunities to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir and they will give back lots to the country.

They said development achieved by Jammu and Kashmir was discussed in detail with the implementation of many pro-people initiatives. (ANI)

National Conference said at the meeting of Jammu and Kashmir leaders with Prime Minister Narendra Modi that it does not accept the decision to abrogate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and will fight against it in the court.

Speaking to the media after the all-party meeting with Prime Minister, NC leader Omar Abdullah said “there has been a breach of trust between Jammu and Kashmir and the Centre” and it is the union government’s duty to restore it.
“As it was an open discussion, we have put our views openly. We told Prime Minister that we don’t stand with what was done on August 5, 2019. We’re not ready to accept it. But we won’t take the law into our hands. We will fight this in court, and hope that we’ll get justice there,” he said.

“We also told Prime Minister that there’s been a breach of trust between the state and Centre. It’s the Centre’s duty to restore it, and for that whatever Prime Minister thinks best, he should do. The Prime Minister listened to us in a good and peaceful environment. We told him that it is important to reverse the decisions that were taken and are not in favour of Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.

The former Chief Minister said Jammu and Kashmir was given the status of a Union Territory and “people don’t like it”.

“They want full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir with Jammu and Kashmir cadre restored,” he said.

Omar Abdullah said all leaders who participated in the meeting demanded full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.

“Both Prime Minister and Home Minister said the work for elections and restoring statehood should start soon. However, Azad Sahib said that first statehood should be restored and then elections should be held. On this Prime Minister didn’t say anything,” Abdullah added.

Fourteen prominent leaders from Jammu and Kashmir took part in the meeting, the first high-level interaction between the Centre and political leadership mainly from Kashmir since August 5, 2019, when the Centre revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and the state was bifurcated into two union territories. (ANI)

A study by the Buenos Aires Ministry of Health to monitor the safety of the Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 confirmed on Thursday that it is the safest among the vaccines.

“SputnikV shows the safest profile among #COVID vaccines used in the Buenos Aires province in Argentina, no deaths related to vaccination recorded – the province Health Ministry,” tweeted Sputnik V.
There were no deaths related to the Russian vaccine, and most post-vaccination events were mild, such as fever, headaches, and pain at the site of application.

The study showed that the Events Supposedly Attributable to Vaccination or Immunization (ESAVI) were mostly mild. Among the most frequent are fever (47 per cent), headaches (45 per cent), myalgias and arthralgias (39.5 per cent) and pain (46.5 per cent) and swelling (7.4 per cent) in the area where the injection, said the Buenos Aires province Health Ministry, in a statement.

The objective of the Buenos Aires investigation was to describe the occurrence of ESAVI notified to the Integrated Argentine Health Information System (SIISA) after the application of the Russian vaccine against COVID-19 in the province of Buenos Aires since December 29, 2020, campaign start day was June 3, 2021.

In that period, 2.8 million doses of Sputnik V vaccine were applied; 1.3 million from Sinopharm and 0.9 million from Covishield/AstraZeneca with a severe ESAVI rate (product-related) per million applied doses of 0.7; 0.8 and 3.2 respectively, said the statement.

The investigation of each ESAVI involves classifying it according to a series of categories established by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).

Meanwhile, on WHO concern over Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine issues with the filling of vials at one plant, the Pharmastanfar – UfaVITA said that the issues did not relate to the safety or efficacy of the vaccine itself, the plant is responsible only for pouring into vials doses of Sputnik V vaccine produced elsewhere.

WHO did not raise any questions about the safety and efficacy of the produced and finished vaccine as the “Sputnik V” vaccine undergoes strictest double quality output control of the Gamaleya Institute and the Russian health regulator (Federal Healthcare Service – Roszdravnadzor), said OJSC Pharmstandard-UfaVITA statement.

Moreover, WHO interim inspection did not identify any critical issues with the actual vaccine’s production, quality, clinical studies, possible side effects, nor with the double quality output control by both the Gamaleya Institute and the Russian health regulator. Instead, WHO inspectors’ attention was focused on only 4 technical issues mostly related to one of the filling lines that have all been subsequently fully addressed, said the statement.

Further, OJSC Pharmstandard-UfaVITA invited WHO for another inspection. (ANI)