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COVID patients in home isolation in Punjab will no longer have to suffer the fear and stigma of social isolation resulting from posters affixed at the entrance of their homes. In a major step towards mitigating the stigma attached to the pandemic, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday rescinded his government’s earlier decision of putting posters outside the houses of COVID patients under home isolation or quarantine. Where posters were already affixed may be removed, he directed. The move is aimed at minimising the stigma resulting from the affixing of such posters at the front doors of such patients, thus also negating the fear of testing, said the Chief Minister, once again appealing to the people to come out for early testing, diagnosis and treatment of COVID. The psychological trauma which patients were seen suffering as a result of these posters, which were meant to protect neighbours and others of such patients, was defeating the very purpose, he said, adding that these posters were actually found scaring people away from testing. The undesirable and unintended consequences of these posters included social isolation and stigma, leading to anxiety and prejudices against the patients. People would refrain from getting tested to avoid this stigma instead of extending support and community to the patients and their families, which had prompted a rethink on the decision of affixing posters, said Captain Amarinder Singh. The Chief Minister urged the people to continue taking all necessary precautions and follow all applicable guidelines for home isolation/quarantine notwithstanding the removal of the posters. Violation of these guidelines is a punishable offence under the Disaster Management Act, Epidemic Diseases Act and IPC, he pointed out. The Chief Minister said his government was committed to ensuring the health and well-being of every person, and the community had an important role to play in this fight. They can do so by providing support, motivating and encouraging behavioral change that can help avoid the transmission of the disease and in preventing any rumours about the disease or its treatment, he said, calling for a collective fight against the pandemic. It may be recalled that the Government of Punjab had recently allowed Home Isolation for asymptomatic/ mildly symptomatic COVID patients, who did not suffer from any co-morbidities, as per the protocol of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and recommendations of ICMR. In fact, as the number of cases in the state continued to rise, home isolation for these patients was actively advocated and facilitated, with constant monitoring by Local Health Authorities. The monitoring was aimed at ensuring the best possible care for such patients in terms of environment, diet etc. and also to make sure that L3/ L2 beds were available for those who needed them. To make the community aware and act as a check on possible violation by the patient of the home isolation guidelines, posters indicating that a positive patient was under home isolation were being affixed on the front door of the house.

Reports have been doing the rounds that Sushant Singh Rajput was allegedly dating his Kedarnath co-star Sara Ali Khan around the time the film released. Now, the caretaker of a farmhouse the late actor owned in Lonavala has claimed Sushant had plans to propose to Sara at the farmhouse in January 2019. Raees, the caretaker of Sushants Lonavala farmhouse from September 2018 till July this year even after his death, however said while speaking to IANS that he is not aware if the proposal that Sushant had in mind was for a wedding. The caretaker added that Sara had been a regular at the place since 2018 but never came to the farmhouse after January 2019. Sara Ali started visiting the farmhouse together with Sushant sir from 2018. They would stay at the farmhouse for three to four days whenever they came. After returning from their Thailand trip in December 2018, Sushant sir and Sara maam came directly to the farmhouse from the airport. They came at around 10 or 11 in the night. They were accompanied by a friend, Raees told IANS. Sara maam was very well-mannered. She didnt behave like an actress. She was so simple. She would address the farmhouses domestic help as maushi (aunty), just as Sushant sir did, and she called me Raees bhai. She was very respectful towards Sushant sirs staff, he recalled about the Kedarnath actress. Quizzed about the relationship between the two stars, Raees claimed that he had heard Sushant was planning to propose to Sara around his birthday on January 21, 2019. However, Raees says he is not sure if it was a wedding proposal or not. I remember Abbas bhai (Sushants friend) told me to pack my bags for a trip to Daman on Sushant sirs birthday in January, 2019. It would always be my responsibility to take care of a car stuffed with his things, like telescope, music system, guitar etc. Wherever Sushant sir used to go, he would carry these things. We would usually carry these things in a mini tempo. Most probably, a programme of the Prime Minister was scheduled to take place around February in Daman. So, all the hotels were full, and we did not get rooms. So, our Daman trip did not happen, Raees recalled. Sushant sir was planning to propose to Sara maam during the Daman trip. He also wanted to give her a gift and had ordered something for her, but the trip didnt happen finally. After that, a trip to Kerala was being planned but that, too, got cancelled. Later, around February or March 2019, I heard that the two had broken up. Sara maam never came to the farmhouse after January 2019, recalled Raees.

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has conveyed to his Chinese counterpart that there should be no doubt about our determination to protect Indias sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Peoples of Liberation Army (PLA) of China was attempting to unilaterally alter the status quo along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Rajnath Singh said at a meeting with General Wei Fenghe, State Councillor and Defence Minister of China, at Moscow. The meeting ended at 11:50 pm Indian time on Friday. The two delegations of India and China had met at the invite of China on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting. A statement released by the Indian Defence Ministry on Saturday said: The two sides should resolve the ongoing situation and the outstanding issues in the border areas peacefully through dialogue. The Chinese Defence Minister conveyed that the Chinese side, too, desired to resolve the issues peacefully. The two Ministers had frank and in-depth discussions about the developments in the India-China border areas as well as on the India-China relations. The two sides should focus on the overall situation of India-China relations and work together to de-escalate the situation as soon as possible and maintain peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas, a statement released by the Defence Ministry said. The Chinese Defence Minister suggested that both sides should maintain communication at all levels, including between the two Ministers. Earlier, the Indian delegation laid emphasis on the actions of the Chinese troops, including amassing of a large number of troops, their aggressive behaviour and attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo were in violation of the bilateral agreements and not in keeping with the understandings reached between the special representatives of the two sides. India’s position on the developments along the LAC, including in the Galwan valley, was conveyed and the aggression shown by the PLA was highlighted. The two sides have been locked in deadly standoff since May. General Wei said both sides should scrupulously implement the consensus reached between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping. Both countries should continue to solve the issues through dialogue and consultation, strictly follow the various bilateral agreements, strengthen the regulation of frontline troops and not undertake any provocative actions that might escalate the situation, General Wei added. Maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas was essential for further development of our bilateral relations and the two sides should not allow differences to become disputes, the Indian statement read. Rajnath Singh asked his counterpart to work with the Indian side for a complete disengagement at the earliest from all friction areas, including Pangong Tso. He also asked for de-escalation in border areas in accordance with the bilateral agreements and protocols on the maintenance of peace and tranquility in border areas, strictly respect and observe the LAC and should not make attempts to unilaterally change status quo.

In a bid to break the deadlock in Ladakh, defence minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to meet his Chinese counterpart, General Wei Fenghe, on Friday evening on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) ministerial in Moscow. This is the first major political contact between India and China since the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) unilaterally changed the status quo on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in May 2020 in east Ladakh. According to people familiar with the developments in Moscow and Delhi, the meeting was arranged at the behest of both sides mutually to find a way out of the current stalemate in Ladakh with both the Indian Army and PLA deployed in full strength to counter each other. That the Ladakh stand-off will be the topic of discussion is evident from the presence of ministry of external affairs joint secretary (East Asia) Naveen Srivastava in Moscow on Friday. Srivastava has held a series of conversations with his Chinese counterpart under the working mechanism for consultation and coordination on India-China border affairs towards disengagement and de-escalation of the PLA in the contested sectors. The meeting between two defence ministers is crucial as Rajnath Singh is number two in the Narendra Modi government and a former BJP president, Gen Wei, a former missile force commander, is a state councillor and member of the all-powerful Central Military Commission. The CMC, headed by chairman President Xi Jinping, controls the PLA.with the President as commander-in-chief. The ministerial-level meeting between India and China comes at a time when PLA and the Indian Army are locked in a tense posture in Ladakh and occupied Aksai Chin with the former trying to impose 1960 claim map (demarcated by a green line) on the ground and the latter clear that its claim line (demarcated by a black line) is the true LAC. While PLA initially had made gains on the ground north of Pangong Tso in May and June, the Indian Army has nullified the dominance by repositioning on the heights overlooking Finger four on the lake and make tactical gains on south banks of the contested lake by pre-empting the Chinese troops.

Gyari Dolma, the first woman contesting for the post of Sikyong, or President of the Central Tibetan Administration Tibets Government in Exile has asked India to abandon its cautious position on Tibet and acknowledge her homelands occupied status. Dolmas nudge to India at a recent webinar came after President Xi Jinpings call to sinicise, or reshape Tibetan Buddhism to bring it in line with the culture of the majority Han community and principles of the Communist Party of China. India must recognise Tibet as an occupied nation and recognise that it shares a border not with China, but with Tibet. India has a legal, international obligation to stand for truth and recognise its relations with Tibet, Dolma said. She was critical of Indias Tibet policy as well, contending that while India has been kind to the Tibetan people, the Indian government had always let its relations with China influence its stand. As the first step, Tibetans have argued India must start calling the China border as the Tibet border. Xis August 29 call at a meeting of the communist party isnt the first time that the Chinese President has called for sinicisation of Tibetan Buddhism. Back in 2015 also, President Xi spoke about sinicising the five major religions practised in China- Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, Buddhism and Daoism. This time, it was part of a four-point programme to build an impregnable fortress to maintain stability in Tibet. This is necessary, President Xi told the meeting, to strengthen border defence and frontier security of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) that borders India and Bhutan. One of the tasks that President Xi spelt out at the meeting included educating Tibetans in Lhasa and beyond to strengthen the struggle against splittism. President Xis mention of splittism is seen as a reference to the exiled Tibetan supreme spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who is frequently accused by communist Beijing of fueling separatism in TAR. President Xis fresh attempt to wipe out Tibetan identity comes around the time the Peoples Liberation Army is engaged in a bitter stand-off with Indian soldiers in Ladakh, the last stronghold of Tibetan Buddhism, and Beijings deteriorating ties with the United States and its South China Sea neighbours.

Room number 115 at a private city hospital has become a cynosure of all eyes. Reason: Braveheart Kusum is receiving treatment here. Just enter the hospital and you dont even have to name Kusum, just say the girl who…, and the hospital staff directs you towards the room where Kusum (fondly called Neha by her parents) is getting treatment for the past four days, after she was attacked by two bike-borne youths by a datar, following which she gave them a tough fight. Such is her admiration, that she has become famous because of her bravery. Kusum has become everyones favourite. Everybody in the hospital knows about her and with bigwigs coming to meet her and interviewers around, Kusum shares: Its a special feeling. Mujhe itne bouquet aur flowers mil gaye hain ki yaad bhi nahee kis kis ne die, she shares. I have been getting several calls on a daily basis from my friends. Even my classmates have dedicated songs and poems for me, she said. On being asked if she was worried about her arm that was attacked with a sharp weapon, the fearless girl replied: I wasnt worried about anything else, but the pain of injection gave me the chills! I did not lose my calm when I was attacked, but I have to admit, when I saw the injection, I was scared. She doesnt want to remember what happened with her that day. Jo ho gaya vo ho gaya, main uske bare mein sochna nahee chahti, achhi baton pe dhyan de rahi hu. (What happened has happened, I dont even want to think about it. I am focusing on only good and positive things), the small wonder expressed. Jatinder Kumar, SHO division number 2, said Avinash Kumar (22), the accused who was arrested, has again been sent to one-day police remand. He is the main accused, who hit the victim with a sharp weapon and her arm was injured badly. He has been charged under Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 379 B of the IPC. The other accused, identified as Vinod Kumar, is a resident of railway quarters. The SHO said his parents were no more and he doesnt stay at one place and keeps on changing location, which is why it was getting difficult for the police to nab him. We have already raided his relatives home, but he wasnt found anywhere, the SHO said, adding that both accused had met in the jail and that is how they started doing snatchings together.

An ophthalmologist at Jallianwala Bagh Martyrs Memorial Civil Hospital, Rakesh Sharma, who had tested positive for Covid-19 on July 25, believes that keeping oneself mentally strong is the key to recovery. Sharma, who remained on ventilator support for four days, has now resumed his duties. The Civil Hospital has recently emerged as a hotspot for Covid infections as atleast 20 employees have tested positive. Talking about his Covid experience, Sharma said: I experienced trouble in breathing, so I got an X-ray done. It did not identify any problem, so I got a CT scan done. It revealed minor issues which prompted me to get tested for Covid. Sharma said a few days after developing symptoms, he lost his appetite. A patient may lose appetite but one should not stop eating. I continued with my meals as earlier, having regular quantity at regular times. Avoiding meals would cause weakness which is harmful in such a situation, he said. After spending eight days at a hospital, Sharma isolated himself at his home for nine more days. He said people generally believe that once a person is put on ventilator support, there is no coming back. If you believe that it is the end, it certainly is the end for you, but if you are positive, you are surely going to come back stronger, he said. He said patients, especially those admitted to ICU, are prone to develop psychosis. With no one to talk to from the family, patients feel depressed. I was lucky as my children and my wife would visit me and motivate me. They had to wear PPE kits as a precaution. Support of the family is crucial for patients, especially the elderly, said Sharma. He said a positive attitude towards life certainly helps. It is a disease and anybody could be infected by it. Society as a whole, must lend a helping hand to patients and their families. The attitude of most people towards patients is not appreciable and it needs to be changed, he said, adding that with the government now allowing asymptomatic and mild-symptomatic cases to isolate at home, patients would feel more lively which would help them recover fast.

Chief of Army Staff Gen MM Naravane on Friday assured the nation that the Indian troops were vigilant at the LAC and ready to deal with any situation as he undertook a comprehensive review of the situation in Ladakh, where Chinas PLA troops have been playing menacing games of intrusions. It was a clear warning to China that any misadventure would have an adequate or may be more response waiting for it. Gen Naravane said the soldiers on the border had high morale and they are ready to deal with any situation and make the army and the country proud. The army chief, who is on a two-day visit to Ladakh, was talking to a news agency in Leh. This reiteration was keeping in with his earlier statements, and the assertions made by the Chief of Defence Services Gen Bipin Rawat on Thursday that the armed forces were capable of dealing with two-front situation, alluding to the China-Pakistan nexus and the anticipation that the duo may open fronts against India from their respective sides. China shares LAC with India, while Pakistan has international border and Line of Control with India. Gen Naravanes Ladakh visit that began on Thursday took him to some of the frontline locations close to the LAC where he interacted with all ranks, particularly jawans, to know about their morale and how they would deal with the situation in the eventuality of China increasing its aggression. Chinas attempts to intrude into the Indian territory on the intervening night of August 29 and 30 in the southern bank of the Pangong Tso, a mountainous lake, have increased tensions on the borders, as China, despite claiming commitment to peace and tranquillity on the borders, violates the sanctity of the LAC. Gen Naravane, sources said, had assured the troops that they would get all support from the country.

The government has boosted security at as many as 30 airports, including Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport, after Jaish-e-Mohammed threat for revenge against the scrapping of Article 370 from Kashmir, officials said on Thursday. Officials at the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security said the letter, typed in Hindi, has been written by a person called Shamsher Wani of the Jaish-e-Mohammed. The terrorist group claimed in the letter that it will take revenge for the abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, which ended the special status to Jammu and Kashmir under and split it into two Union territories, by targeting prominent leaders and politicians in the country.The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has made changes in the security pattern of the Delhi airport.Armed plainclothesmen are deployed inside terminals, dog squads and bomb detection teams are being used to sanitise every corner of the airport including parking and forecourt areas, a senior CISF officer said requesting anonymity.Additional pickets have been raised to check every vehicle entering the airport and men have been posted on watchtowers to keep a sharp eye on the airside, the official added.The officer also said that similar measures have been put in place by CISF at other hyper-sensitive airports in the country.The Jaish letter also threatens terror attacks in as many as 30 cities across the country.Following such a threat, we have significantly stepped up security in the city. Crowded places like markets, shopping malls and public transport systems are under tight scrutiny to trace any suspicious activity, a senior officer from Delhi Police, who did not wish to be named, said.Round the clock presence of anti-terror Parakram vans, additional deployment of force and frequent patrolling during the night as well as during the day have been ensured, the official quoted above added.Delhi Police had sounded an alert on Wednesday after getting information from central intelligence agencies that some Kashmiri insurgents could carry out terror strikes in the city during the festival season. The special cell of Delhi Police searched several locations in the Capital over inputs of likely terror strikes, news agency ANI reported on Thursday.Earlier in the day, Mr. Chidambaram moved the Supreme Court seeking bail. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Mr. Chidambaram, mentioned the matter for urgent listing before a Bench headed by Justice N.V. Ramana. The Bench also comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Krishna Murari said that Mr. Chidambarams plea would be sent to Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi for taking a call on listing of the matter.

The governments decision to scrap Article 370 that extended special status to Jammu and Kashmir will help eliminate terrorism and the ideologies that have spawned terror from the state, Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday. Shah, who formally flagged off a new-look Vande Bharat Express train from national capital Delhi to Katra in Jammu and Kashmir, also spelt out a 10 year target to upgrade Jammu and Kashmir into one of the most developed states in the country. Amit Shah said the new train service was the first step in this direction. Shah said Vande Bharat Express, the fastest train yet to Jammu that will reduce the travel time between Delhi and Katra from 12 hours to 8, is a gift for J&Ks development and would enhance religious tourism. Vande Bharat Express is a big tribute to Mahatma Gandhis vision on his 150th birth celebrations. It is a complete product of Make in India project, Shah said at the flagging off ceremony of the train. Union railways minister Piyush Goyal also announced the centre plans to begin direct connectivity from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. Before August 2022 we will make direct connection from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. This is the fastest train between Delhi and Katra Vaishno Devi and I congratulate the hard work of Railways engineers. We have been working on enhancing speed and have been asked the home minister to focus on enhancing the safety of the trains. We will also install CCTVs across our entire network, Goyal said. The Vande Bharat Express to Katra will officially begin operations from Saturday, with a minimum fare of Rs 1630 and maximum fare of Rs 3014. The engine-less self-propelled Vande Bharat Express is also touted to be one Indias fastest train set and is scheduled to operate at a speed of 130 kmph.Mr. Chidambaram, who was a finance minister as well as home minister in the UPA government from 2004-14, was arrested from his Jor Bagh residence in the National Capital and is in Tihar Jail under judicial custody. The CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in the FIPB clearance granted to the INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Mr. Chidambarams tenure as finance minister.The area for the pantry has been increased, there is wider access area in vestibules, anti-spall film has been provided on window glass to protect against stone pelting, the train also has in-house wifi and infotainment system, a spokesperson for the ministry of railways said.