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Delhi riots: Student activists Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, Asif released from jail on bail

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Delhi riots: Student activists Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, Asif released from jail on bail

New Delhi: Student activists Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Asif Iqbal Tanha walked out of Tihar prison on Thursday, hours after a court here ordered their immediate release in the north-east Delhi riots “conspiracy” case.

The order came two days after the Delhi High Court granted bail to Narwal, Kalita and Tanha, who were arrested in May last year under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Director General (Delhi Prisons) Sandeep Goel confirmed that all three have been released.

A senior jail official said Kalita and Narwal were released around 7 pm and Tanha around 7.30 pm.

The three student activists were not released from the prison on time over delays in verifying their addresses and sureties.

In its order for the immediate release of the trio, the Delhi court said the delay in the verification process by the police could not be a plausible reason for the accused to be kept imprisoned.

After securing bail from the high court, the activists had moved the trial court, seeking immediate release from prison.

When the trial court deferred the order on their plea for Thursday, they moved the Delhi High Court, which ordered the lower court to proceed with the issue with “promptitude and expedition”.

The three student activists were arrested in May 2020 and are accused of being the “masterminds” of the February 2020 violence, which left 53 people dead and more than 200 injured.

The high court, while granting them bail on June 15, had observed that “in an anxiety to suppress dissent, the state has blurred the line between right to protest and terrorist activity” and if such a mindset gains traction, it would be a “sad day for democracy”.

The Delhi Police has, however, moved the Supreme Court, challenging the high court judgement granting them bail in the case.

News18 Kannada, Suvarna News Fined, Times Now Censured Over ‘Hate Content’, Falsely Vilifying Tablighi Jamat, Muslim Community

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ByRushda Fathima Khan

The National Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) on 16 June issued orders against two Kannada news channels – News18 Kannada and Suvarna News, and one English news channel- Times Now over ‘inciting hatred’ through their coverage of the pandemic by falsely targeting and vilifying members of Tablighi Jamaat as well as the entire Muslim community.

News18 Kannada has been imposed a fine of Rs One lakh and ordered to air an apology in both text and voice-over on June 23, 2021, prior to the 9 pm news. Suvarna News has been imposed a fine of Rs 50,000.

Both channels have been ordered to immediately remove the ‘hateful’ broadcasts from their channel’s websites, Youtube and other platforms within 7 days.

The authority acted based on the complaints filed by the Campaign Against Hate Speech (CAHS) in 2020. 

“The programmes were prejudicial, inflammatory, and crossed all boundaries of good taste and sensibility without any concern for the feelings of a religious group,” NBSA noted in its order. 

It added that they were based “on pure conjecture” and that “the tone, tenor and language was crass, prejudiced and disrespectful”. 

Agreeing with CAHS’ observations that hate speech dehumanises entire communities and makes them targets of vigilante violence, NBSA said the programmes “promoted and spread hatred which may have affected people’s lives”

“The titles of the programmes has an insidious effect which would incite communal violence,” NBSA said, referring to programmes aired by Suvarna News.

The authority rejected the defense taken by the broadcasters to the right to free speech and the role of the media and stated that the “right to free speech came with reasonable restrictions”. 

NBSA has also issued a censure to Times Now “for telecasting…a programme on a sensitive issue which could create communal dissensions amongst communities” and the broadcaster has been advised to “to avoid those persons to be panellists who are known in the public domain to have rabid and extreme views”. 

The fines are in view of the channels’ violation of the Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards, and Principles of Self Regulation relating to impartiality and objectivity. The programmes lacked verification and were also in violation of the Guidelines relating to Racial and Religious Harmony.

CAHS was formed in February 2020 and has been tracking hateful media coverage, particularly targeted at minority communities. It has approached various media regulatory bodies such as the NBSA and Press Council of India with complaints against media publications and channels for the latter’s violation of media-related laws and guidelines.

CAHS had filed a complaint against News18 Kannada over two shows aired on 1 April 2020 titled “Do you know how is Delhi’s Nizamuddin Markaz which has spread coronavirus to the nation” and “How many have gone to Delhi’s Jamaat congregation from Karnataka”.

They also filed a complaint against seven shows aired between 31 March 2020 and 4 April 2020 on Suvarna News.

They had filed a complaint against Times Nows’ program titled “Is Tablighi Jamaat wilfully sabotaging India” aired on 2 April 2020 before the District Level Monitoring Committee and PIB Fact Check Unit, which forwarded it to the NBSA.

“These orders by the NBSA are extremely heartening and can instill faith among the general public as well as campaigns such as ours that self-regulatory media mechanisms can function to hold media organizations accountable,” a statement by CAHS stated.

Over 270 migrants rescued and detained in Libya

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Libya migration

CAIRO: Over 270 Europe-bound migrants were rescued by a commercial ship off Libya’s Mediterranean shores and handed over to the Libyan coast guard who sent them to detention centers, the U.N. migration and refugee agencies said. 

A day later, they were returned by the Libyan coast guard to the Tripoli port, from where they were taken into detention by Libyan authorities, the statement added.

“The two organizations reiterate that no one should be returned to Libya after being rescued at sea. Under international maritime law, rescued individuals should be disembarked at a place of safety,” said the agencies, adding that Libya cannot be considered “a safe place.”

The vessel’s owners did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

For almost a decade, war-torn Libya has been the dominant transit point for migrants fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East and aspiring to settle in Europe. Smugglers often pack desperate families into ill-equipped rubber boats that stall and founder along the perilous central Mediterranean route.

In recent years, the EU has partnered with Libya’s coast guard and other local groups to stem such dangerous sea crossings. Rights groups, however, say those policies leave migrants at the mercy of either the sea or Libya’s armed groups, with many ending up confined in squalid detention centers rife with abuses. 

So far this year, more than 13,000 migrants were returned to Libyan detention centers and hundreds have perished at sea, said both agencies.

“IOM and UNHCR call for an end to arbitrary detention in Libya through the establishment of a judicial review process, and advocate for alternatives to detention starting with the immediate release of the most vulnerable,” read the statement.

The U.N. agencies urged governments to grant merchant vessels rescuing people in distress “swift permission” for disembarkation in safe ports.

Karnataka Govt Can reopen malls, restaurants from June 21:Karnataka technical committee

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BENGALURU: The State Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19, which seemed cautious earlier, at a recent meeting recommended that the State could reopen some economic activities like malls, dine-in restaurants, marriage halls, shopping complexes, shopping lanes and closed markets in unlock phase-2, starting from June 21, sources said.But the number of people at these places will be limited, the sources added. 

But Dr CN Manjunath, Director, Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, said, “If we do not follow Covid-appropriate behaviour we will be back to square one. Opening of closed markets, malls and shopping complexes should still be thought about. It can be allowed only if cases continue to drop in Bengaluru.”

Meanwhile, the Technical Advisory Commitee (TAC) on Covid-19 pandemic has recommended that night curfew should be continued till June-end and public rallies, dharnas, fairs and festivals should be banned for the rest of the year.While the second phase of unlocking will start from June 21, the third phase is expected to begin from July 5. Also, the number of people allowed in some of the restricted places will be relaxed depending on the situation.

Gyms and yoga centres, places of worship, cinema halls, sports clubs, clubhouses and public washrooms will have to wait till Unlock Phase-3.The committee has also recommended that the lifting of night curfew and opening of schools and colleges should be decided separately.

Sri Lanka detects first community case of Delta variant of COVID-19

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COLOMBO: Sri Lankan authorities have said that the highly transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19 has been detected for the first time in the community.

Chandima Jeewandara of the University of Sri Jayawardenapura here said the strain was detected in samples collected from an area in the Colombo central suburb of Dematagoda.

“From the 8 samples we collected at Dematagoda, we found five of them positive for the Delta variant,” Jeewandara, who is the Director of the Allergy Immunology and Cell Biology Unit of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine at the varsity, said.

“We keep constantly monitoring for variants through the use of variant PCR test kits,” Jeewandara said on Thursday. It is the first community detection of the Delta variant in the country.

Previously, two people were found to be infected with the Delta variant in a quarantine facility.

The university in a previous report had held that the Delta variant is 50 per cent more transmissible than the current dominant alpha variant prevalent in the island.

The Delta strain – first identified in India – is more severe and capable of “evading one dose vaccine”.

Sri Lanka has seen a sharp increase of positive cases and deaths since April due to the celebrations and shopping by the people during the traditional new year festival.

Sri Lanka has so far reported 230,692 COVID-19 cases with 2,374 deaths.

Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 vaccination began in late January with India’s gift of 500,000 Covishield AstraZeneca vaccines.

After India’s Serum Institute failed to provide the promised Covishield vaccines, the health authorities in Sri Lanka are in a dilemma to provide the second jab to those who had been given the first dose of Covishield.

Sri Lanka is currently receiving supplies of China’s Sinopharm vaccine which is being administered throughout the island.

PM Modi launches crash course to skill, upskill over one lakh Covid warriors

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a customised crash course programme that aims to skill and upskill over one lakh “Covid warriors” across the country.

He also said the central government is committed to provide Covid vaccination free to everyone, starting June 21.

“In the second wave of coronavirus, we saw what kind of challenges the ever-changing form of this virus can bring before us,” Modi said.

“We have to further enhance the preparedness of the country to meet the challenges ahead,” Modi asserted.

With this goal in mind, a massive campaign to prepare about 1 lakh frontline “Corona warriors” is being started in the country, he said.

Modi also said work is underway on war footing to ready over 1,500 oxygen plants and efforts are on to reach every district.

The ‘Customised Crash Course programme for COVID-19 Frontline workers’ aims to skill and upskill over one lakh “Covid warriors” across the country, according to the PMO.

The training will be imparted to them in six customised job roles namely home care support, basic care support, advanced care support, emergency care support, sample collection support, and medical equipment support.

The course has been designed as a special programme under the central component of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 3.0, with total financial outlay of Rs.276 crore, the PMO said.

The programme will create skilled non-medical healthcare workers to fill the present and future needs of manpower in the health sector, it said.

Jharkhand on high alert over possible third wave of COVID-19

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Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren

RANCHI: The Jharkhand government is on high alert to contain any possible third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, following suggestions of experts that any laxity may lead to serious consequences, officials said on Friday.

“Experts suggest that the Coronavirus is mutating at a fast pace and any kind of lethargy may lead to serious complications. With the inputs received from the experts, the state government of Jharkhand is on high alert regarding this matter.

Efforts are being undertaken to enhance and up-grade the existing medical infrastructure,” an offficial statement said.

Claiming that the dedication and commitment of the Hemant Soren government have resulted in containing the second wave, it said that with few restrictions in place, the state is moving towards lifting all the curbs.

To deal with the expected third wave, the state government has started preparing its machinery in advance, it said.

“Experts anticipate that in the third wave children are at greater risk whereas, this does not give any guarantee of adults being unaffected.The government is also working on generating awareness among people.

Along with the preparedness of the government to deal with this potential threat, parents are also expected to discharge their responsibilities,” the statement said.

It said that as per the detailed information in the state’s book ‘Manuals for Preparation, Prevention and Planning for Covid-19, Third Wave in Jharkhand, the Way Forward’, most infected children may not show any symptoms or may exhibit very mild symptoms.

Common symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, body aches, running nose, sore throat, diarrhoea, loss of taste or smell, it said, adding that due to the tender age, children will be unable to explain their symptoms, but the parents need to be on alert.

The government issued detailed protective measures to avoid infection in children, including paying close attention to their hygiene.

India has just been devastated by COVID-19: Trump

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Former US President Donald Trump. (Photo | AP)

WASHINGTON: Former president Donald Trump on Thursday said that India has been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic, insisting that China should pay USD 10 trillion to the US for allegedly being responsible for the spread of COVID-19 globally.

The number (compensation) is much higher than that. But there’s only so much they can pay. And that’s to us (United States). The number is bigger throughout the world. Look, countries have been destroyed over what they did, and whether by accident or not. And I would hope that it was an accident. I hope that it was through incompetence or an accident,” Trump said in response to a question.

“But, when you look, whether it was by an accident, whether it was — whatever it is, this — you look at these countries. They will never, ever be the same. Our country was hit so hard. But other countries were hit much harder,” he said as he went on to cite India, which is currently experiencing the worst ever public health crisis.

“Look at what’s going on in India now. You know, they used to say, look how well India was doing, because they were always looking for an excuse — look how well India is doing. The fact that India has just been devastated now, and virtually, every country has been devastated,” Trump said.

“I think that’s one of the reasons that I feel it’s very important to find out where it came from, how it came. I think I know. I mean, I feel certain about it. But certainly, China should help. Right now, their economy and our economy are the two economies that are coming back the fastest,” he argued.

Coronavirus was first reported in Wuhan in December 2019 by Chinese health officials.

Trump has been alleging that the coronavirus may have leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology in central China’s Wuhan city.

The total number of coronavirus cases globally are 177,136,569 and 3,835,123 people have died from it, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker on Thursday.

In April, India was struggling with a second wave of the pandemic and hospitals were reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds.

However, the country is now witnessing a downswing in the second wave of the coronavirus.

IMA docs in nationwide protest on Friday demanding central law on violence against medicos

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NEW DELHI: Around 3.5 lakh doctors of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) will participate in a nationwide protest on Friday demanding a central law dealing with violence against medicos.

In Bihar and central Kerala, doctors will close their clinics in the morning to press for the demand of a central law against violence against doctors.

In the evening, public interaction has been arranged to form a coordination team in each branch of IMA to stop such violence from taking place.

“We are deeply hurt to see increasing physical violence on doctors and healthcare professionals. It’s occurring day in and day out. The IMA is pressing for a central act against the violence,” the IMA said in a statement.

The Health Services Personnel and Clinical Establishment (Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill, 2019, which sought to impose a jail term up to 10 years for assaulting on-duty doctors and other healthcare professionals was dismissed by the Home Ministry saying the special law was not feasible as health is a state subject, it said.

“There are many central health laws such as the PCPNDT Act and the Clinical Establishment Act.

Currently, 21 states have local laws, but what we need is a strong central law to protect doctors from violence,” the doctors’ body said.

Listing plans for Friday’s protest, the IMA said memorandums will be submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior ministers including home minister Amit Shah.

All branches of IMA would submit memoranda to local authorities.

“All the 1,700 branches are organizing events to mark the protest. Students’ wings are very active on the event as they are the ones most concerned about how the issue is tackled and addressed,” the IMA statement said.

“We demand that the government enhances security features in every hospital and declare hospitals as protected zones,” the statement said.

On the issue of Yoga guru Ramdev’s recent controversial comments, the IMA said a number of police complaints have been filed across the country for his “malafide statements, which, in our opinion, is against the interest of the citizens of the country”.

“Accordingly, we have urged the prime minister to take appropriate action against him. We respect Ayurveda as part of our culture and ancient science and we never go out and criticize it. Our job is to ensure that they (patients) get treated in the best way possible. We are not interested in controversies,” it said.

Mehul Choksi remanded to state prison in Dominica but to remain in hospital: Lawyer

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PNB scam accused Mehul Choksi

NEW DELHI: A magistrate court in Dominica on Thursday sent businessman Mehul Choksi to a state prison, his lawyer in India said, but added that he would continue to remain in hospital as his medical condition “deteriorated”.

The diamond trader was earlier in police custody.

“Yes, police custody has been changed to prison custody but he shall remain in hospital as his medical condition has deteriorated,” lawyer Vijay Aggarwal said.

The development is being seen as a ray of hope for India which has approached the Dominica High Court seeking to be impleaded as a party in the case filed by lawyers of Choksi whose bail plea was earlier rejected.

Choksi is wanted in India in a case of loan fraud worth about Rs 13,500 crore in the state-run Punjab National Bank.

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