Year: 2017

47 HIV positive cases in Leh dist

Editor

In all, 47 people were diagnosed with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) at the Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre, SNM Hospital, in Leh district. Of them, 27 patients are locals. This was stated by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Leh, Dr Yangchan Dolma while sharing the present scenario of HIV-AIDS patients in Leh district at an awareness function organised on the occasion of World AIDS Day at Leh. The CMO said with the early intervention and timely anti-retroviral therapy treatment, two babies were saved from infection from their mothers. Counsellor Stanzin…

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Congress fields most candidates with criminal cases, BJP has more crorepatis in Gujarat elections: ADR

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An analysis of affidavits of 923 candidates by ADR shows that Congress has 31 (36%) candidates having criminal cases whereas ruling BJP which has fielded 22 (25%) candidates with criminal record. The Congress has more candidates with criminal records than the BJP in 89 seats that is going to polls in the first phase on December 9, says a report of Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) released on Friday. An analysis of affidavits of 923 candidates by ADR shows that Congress has 31 (36%) candidates having criminal cases whereas ruling BJP which…

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Majid Khan footballer who gave up gun sent outside state for education

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The Army has taken 20-year-old Majid Khan, the footballer-turned-Lashkar-e-Toiba militant who renounced violence and returned home a fortnight back, outside the state for his studies. The decision to shift Majid for education outside the state was taken with the approval of his family, a defence official said. “Majid wanted to continue his education and the Army facilitated it and shifted him outside the state. He has again taken up his studies,” the official said, wishing not to be named. However, he did not divulge the where he was sent for…

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Why deaths no more depress Kashmir’s Gravediggers

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Death can never be a cause for jubilation, but for a community living in Kashmir, death is not depressing either. In fact, death keeps them alive. They are the Malkhaish or Kabr-e-Mali’e, the professional gravediggers who earn their bread by digging graves for the dead. Showkat Ahmad Hafiz, is busy in sharpening a set of digging tools at his Srinagar home. For last one week, he hasn’t dug any grave which is his only source of sustenance. “Digging graves keeps us going,” the pale looking Showkat, who is in his…

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Amnesty to stone pelters leaves BJP legislators upset

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Wanted party brass to push cases of cadre, Jammu youth too A day after Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had ordered the withdrawal of stone-throwing cases against 4,327 youth of the Kashmir valley, anger brewed in the local unit of the BJP as the party’s lawmakers cautioned that this action would prove disastrous in the Jammu region. The Chief Minister, reportedly on the recommendations of the Centre’s special representative Dineshwar Sharma, had announced amnesty for first-time stone throwers. Resentment shown by local party leaders, including lawmakers, is an indication that the…

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Delhi hospital declares twins dead, family finds one alive on way to last rites

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The newborn twins, born pre-mature, had been declared dead by a Max hospital in Shalimar Bagh. The parents, however, found later that one of the babies was breathing. In a case of alleged medical negligence, one of infant twins — born pre-mature and declared dead by Max hospital in Shalimar Bagh — was found to be alive by parents who were on their way to perform the last rites. The family has alleged that the hospital declared their alive newborn baby boy dead but they saw him move when they…

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As winter sets, security forces anticipate an increase in encounters with militants

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As winter chill has gripped Kashmir and electricity is playing hide and seek, it is a struggle of sorts for people living in the landlocked region these days. But the situation is even worse for militants. Isolated places, like under-construction buildings, orchards and forests, which served as a safe haven during summers, have turned uninhabitable due to sub-zero temperatures. With the winter setting in and snow expected to fall in Kashmir in the second week of this month, security forces are anticipating an increase in encounters since militants, according to…

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Cold wave sweeps Kashmir, At minus 11.3 Leh coldest place in J&K

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Leh in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir was the coldest recorded place in the state as the mercury settled several degrees below the freezing point there. Most places in the Valley also witnessing a decrease in the night temperature. Leh town recorded a low of minus 11.3 degrees Celsius, down nearly two degrees from the previous night’s minus 9.4 degrees Celsius, an official of the MET department here said. He said the nearby Kargil town, also witnessed a slight drop in the night temperature as the mercury there settled…

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Reliance Jio ‘Fleecing’ customers; Subscribers aghast

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The private cellular company, Reliance Jio, faced an ugly situation in Srinagar on Wednesday when hundreds of consumers stormed into the local office at Rajbagh locality accusing it of fleecing them. The officials in the company acted like “brokers” and without listening to the grievances of the consumers suggested them to change from post-paid to pre-paid mode, the consumers said One of the consumers who introduced himself as Ghulam Mohd said he opted for Jio on October 19, 2017 and paid a sum of Rs.550 to the company with a…

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Governor, CM extend Eid-e-Milad greetings, Prayers, Processions to mark celebrations

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Religious processions, special prayer meetings, Seerat Conferences are being held in the state to celebrate Eid-i-Milad-un-Nabi (SAW), the birth anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), on Friday. The biggest congregation will be held at Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar, where devotees in large numbers are expected to offer prayers and have a glimpse of the holy relic of the Prophet (SAW). As per officials, zuhr (afternoon prayers) will be offered at 2 pm at the shrine on Friday. Hundreds of devotees offered prayers at the shrine and mosques across the Valley…

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