Sikkim News Today - Live Updates & Latest Sikkim News

23 May

Centre Sends 10 More Disaster Relief Teams To Cyclone Amphan-Hit Bengal.

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Ten fresh teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are being rushed to West Bengal in order to speed up the relief and rescue operations post cyclone "Amphan", officials said on Saturday.They said the additional teams of the federal contingency force were sent after a written request was received by the Union Home Ministry from West Bengal's Principal Secretary Disaster Management and Civil Defence seeking deployment of additional teams in the state."Ten additional teams have been mobilised and are being rushed at the earliest from NDRF locations outside West Bengal. Teams are likely to reach Kolkata by late night…

23 May

Future Policy Actions Will Depend On How COVID-19 Crisis Pans Out: Finance Minister.

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A day after the RBI projected economic contraction in 2020-21, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said future fiscal policy actions to stimulate the economy will depend on how COVID-19 pandemic pans out.The government has already announced a Rs 20.97 lakh crore economic package, which includes Reserve Bank's Rs 8.01 lakh crore worth of liquidity measures till May 17.Ms Sitharaman said making a "realistic assessment" of economic growth would be difficult at this point of time as there is no clarity on when the pandemic would retreat.

23 May

Mamata Banerjee’s Move Earns Rare Approval From West Bengal Governor.

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West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar, known for a stormy relationship with the state government, on Saturday praised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's decision to call on the army for help in restoring essential infrastructure and services devastated by Cyclone Amphan."A good move @MamataOfficial to seek support and assistance of Army. These are trying time and appeal to people to keep calm. Authorities must restore connectivity, electricity and other services at the earliest," he wrote on Twitter.Mr Dhankar has been less combative since large parts of the state were devastated by Amphan, one of the worst storms to have formed over the…

23 May

A Trans US-India Team Aims To Create Instagram’s Largest Network Of People Who Are Physically Distancing.

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The page (@6ftlove), created by New York-based urban planner, Sabah Usmani, is a reminder that though we are staying six feet apart physically, we are all still connected emotionally. “6ftlove is both a design project and a global solidarity movement to fight the spread of COVID-19,” says Sabah. The team invites people to send in their experiences of isolation, submitted in any language. Almost every day, they profile an individual’s story, with an illustration and a quote of how they are navigating the outbreak and dealing with physical distancing. “We are gathering stories spanning a diversity of experiences, backgrounds, and…

23 May

‘Zero Cases Of COVID-19 By May 16’ Forecast Was Misinterpreted , Says NITI Aayog Member V.K Paul.

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'No one has ever said that the coronavirus cases will be zero by a particular date', Niti Aayog member VK Paul said, and apologised for any misconception on the matter. Last month, Paul made a presentation at a Health Ministry briefing in which he explained how the lockdown helped curtail the spread of the virus. In one of the slides, the curve showed active cases plummeting to zero by May 16. This is the first time Dr. Paul has acknowledged the issue at a public forum. His presentation suggested that the first lockdown had prevented India from seeing a 1,00,000…

22 May

Domestic Flight Passengers Do Not Need 14-Day Quarantine.

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Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday announced there will be no 14-day quarantine for passengers on domestic flights. The minister said that only one-third of the flights will be allowed to operate under strict rules when domestic flight services resume on May 25. "In case you test positive, then you will not even be permitted to enter the airport or board flights," Puri added while discussing the revised SOPs that flyers need to follow when flights start on May 25. The Centre decided to start the domestic flight services from the next week after two months. Travellers…

22 May

Pakistan Passenger Plane Crashes Near Karachi .

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Flight PK8303, carrying 91 passengers and eight crew, was trying to land at Jinnah International Airport. Provincial health officials confirmed at least 37 fatalities, but a far higher death toll is feared. At least three passengers survived. The pilot had reported a loss of engine power and subsequently issued a mayday. Flight PK-303 from Lahore was about to land in Karachi when it crashed at the Jinnah Garden area near Model Colony in Malir, just a minute before its landing, they said. The PIA Airbus A320 carrying 99 passengers and eight crew members has crashed into the Jinnah housing society…

22 May

Universities To Conduct Online Exams In June.

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After online classes, some city colleges have decided to let studentstake exams from home. Some institutions will conduct end of semester exams online to avoid delay in the academic calendar. A consensus was arrived at a meeting of University Vice Chancellors that was convened by Higher Education Minister K.T. Jaleel on Thursday. The decision comes amid several universities going back and forth over the examination schedule with many being compelled to defer them subsequently. While deciding to prioritise final-year examinations, the meeting deemed it wise to commence the examinations only after the completion of school-level examinations to prevent a sudden spurt in…

22 May

Climate Change Helping The Formation Of ” Green Snow”.

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While the algal blooms causing green snow certainly make for a spectacular sight, they are also yet another indication of just how quickly temperatures in Antarctica are rising. Antarctica conjures images of an unbroken white wilderness but blooms of algae are giving parts of the frozen continent an increasingly green tinge. Warming temperatures due to climate change are helping the formation and spread of “green snow” and it is becoming so prolific in places that it is even visible from space, according to new research published on Wednesday. While the presence of algae in Antarctica was noted by long-ago expeditions,…

22 May

Package Of ₹ 1000 Crore Allocated For Immediate Assistance To Amphan-hit West Bengal.

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The central government stands with West Bengal in these testing times and will provide immediate advance assurance of Rs 1,000 crore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday as he wrapped up a visit to the state that had been battered by cyclone Amphan this week. This is PM Modi’s first outstation visit in nearly three months. “An advance assistance of ₹1,000 crore will be arranged by the government of India, so that the State government does not face any major hardship during these difficult time,” Mr. Modi said. “In addition ₹2 lakh will be given from Prime Minister’s Relief Fund to…