Year: 2020

Top commander of Hizbul Mujahideen terror group Riaz Naikoo has been gunned down in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district, according to a news agency report.   Riyaz Naikoo took over as the commander of Hizbul Mujahideen after the outfit’s poster boy and commander Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Kokernag area in Anantnag district on July 8, 2016.   Naikoo carries a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head. Before joining the militant ranks, Naikoo worked as a mathematics teacher…

Amid pandemic lockdown, Shramik Special trains were released for migrants to reach their hometowns. Hundreds of migrants in Kerala have been left on roads after some of the Shramik special trains were cancelled as some state governments denied them permission. The special trains scheduled from several stations, including Aluva, Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Shoranur, were cancelled and the migrants including women and children who left the labour camps and rented house are now stranded with nowhere to go. Though the employers were asked to take care of the migrants until train…

The most watched and loved serial of 1980’s Ramayana was aired again after a span of three decades; 33 years. The serial not only gained immense popularity, but crossed the audience rate of 7.7 crore globally. The re-telecast of the TV show started on Doordarshan National in March soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of novel coronavirus.   “Rebroadcast of Ramayana on Doordarshan smashes viewership records worldwide, the show becomes the most watched entertainment show in the world with 7.7 crore viewers on 16th…

After the Delhi government announced hiked taxes on fuel and liquor, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said that life wasn’t all about rainbows and sunshine and tough times needed tough solutions.   “Life isn’t all about rainbows and sunshine. Tough times need tough solutions – my learning as Finance Minister,” Sisodia tweeted.   Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the government had suffered Rs 3,200 crore revenue loss in April compared with the year-ago month. The revenue loss due to lockdown was making it difficult to pay salaries to employees, he added.…

The railways said the “sending States” should pay them for transporting migrant workers on Shramik Specials and it was up to them to decide how to fund this cost.   “As per the guidelines issued, the sending State will pay the consolidated fare to Railways. Sending State may decide to bear this cost or take it from passengers or take it from the receiving State after mutual consultation or may charge it to any fund. It is purely their prerogative,” a statement from a railway spokesperson said.   The railways…

The Coronavirus Global Response International Pledging Conference was co-hosted by the UK and eight other countries and organisations including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Saudi Arabia, and the European Commission   British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a COVID-19 survivor, opened a virtual global conference on coronavirus by inviting all countries to step up their efforts and work together on fighting the virus pandemic, the “most urgent shared endeavour of our lifetimes”.   At the conference, Johnson confirmed the UK’s pledge of 388 million pounds aid funding for research into…

India: All government offices and residences of notable personnel, including Rashtrapati Bhawan, PMO, Supreme Court, Ministry of Home Affairs, among others have been equipped with DRDO and Riot Labz developed OakMist, contactless sanitizer dispenser which sprays alcohol-based hand rub sanitizer solution. Following an advisory on MHA for Lockdown’s phase 3 on contactless sanitization, the product has been made available for masses today, and is available for pre-booking at https://oakmist.com   Named OakMist, the product is based on water mist aerator technology, which was developed for water conservation. The unit operates…

Coronavirus and lockdown have brought the nation’s economy to a standstill. Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said, “The lockdown immediately is very difficult because something like this has never happened before. Never before did all kinds of activities come to a standstill at this scale. We have to learn to live with it.   Stating that the economic loss amid the lockdown has been enormous, Sisodia said, “There is not going to be a turnaround point of coronavirus. We’re making all arrangements to be able to treat a large number…

Col Ashutosh Sharma, Commanding Officer of 21 Rashtriya Rifles unit, and three Indian Army personnel, along with two soldiers and one Jammu and Kashmir policeman, were killed in an overnight encounter with terrorists in J&K’s Handwara. A decorated officer, Col Sharma was the only commanding officer to receive the prestigious sena medal twice for gallantry during counter-terrorist operations, according to the army. The officer’s patent unit is the 19th battalion of the Brigade of Guards, a mechanised infantry regiment, and he was on deputation with Rashtriya Rifles for counter-insurgency operations.…