New Delhi, Oct 25: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said Pulwama in Kashmir is playing an important role in educating the entire country.
Addressing his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio programme, the Prime Minister said, ‘My dear countrymen, today, Pulwama in Kashmir is playing an important role in educating the entire country. Today, when children all over the nation do their homework, or prepare notes, somewhere behind this lies the hard work of the people of Pulwama! The Kashmir Valley meets almost 90 per cent demand for the Pencil Slats, timber casings of the entire country, and of that, a very large share comes from Pulwama.”

“Once upon a time we used to import wood for pencils from abroad, but, now our Pulwama is making the country self-sufficient in the field of pencil making. In fact, these Pencil Slats of Pulwama are reducing the gaps between states! Chinar wood of the valley has high moisture content and softness, which makes it most suitable for the manufacture of pencils,” PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister said, ‘In Pulwama, Oukhoo is known as the Pencil Village. Here, several manufacturing units of Pencil Slats are located, which provide employment, and, in these units, a large number of women are employed.”
Pulwama gained this recognition when individuals of this place decided to do something new, took risks and dedicated themselves towards it, PM Modi added.
‘One such enterprising person is Manzoor Ahmad Alai. Earlier, Manzoor bhai was a simple workman involved in woodcutting. Manzoor bhai wanted to do something new so that his coming generations wouldn’t have to live in poverty. He sold his ancestral land and established a unit to manufacture Apple wooden boxes. He was engaged in his small business when he came to know that Poplar wood, Chinar wood is being used in manufacturing pencils. After getting this information, Manzoor bhai channeled his entrepreneurial spirit and started the supply of Poplar wooden boxes to some famous pencil manufacturing units,” the Prime Minister said.
“Manzoor Ji found this to be extremely profitable and his income grew considerably at the same time. With the passage of time, he bought pencil slat manufacturing machinery and started the supply of pencil slats to some of the biggest companies of the country. Today, Manzoor bhai’s turnover from this business is in crores and is a source of livelihood for around two hundred people,” PM Modi said.
“Today, through Mann Ki Baat, I, on behalf of all countrymen commend Manzoor bhai and the enterprising brothers and sisters of Pulwama along with their families – All of you are making invaluable contribution in educating the young minds of our country,’ the Prime Minister said.

Fatalities mount to 1440; total cases at 91861
Nadeem Nadu

Srinagar, Oct 25: Eight more people died of COVID-19, while 532 fresh cases were reported in Jammu and Kashmir during the past 24, hours, officials said on Sunday.
They said that the fatality count due to COVID-19 mounted to 1440, while 91861 have tested positive for the virus in the Union Territory till date.
Officials said that among those who succumbed to the virus include five from Kashmir and three from Jammu region.

Regarding deaths from Valley they said, three were reported from Baramulla and one each from Budgam and Pulwama.

Regarding deaths from Jammu, they said one each was reported from the J&K’s winter capital (70-year-old woman from Aknoor), Rajouri and Ramban districts.

With these deaths, the fatality count has reached 961 in Valley and 479 in Jammu region.

Srinagar district with 345 deaths tops the list followed by Jammu (249), Baramulla (141), Budgam (92), Pulwama (80), Kupwara (71), Anantnag (74), Kulgam (46), Bandipora(45), Rajouri (46), Doda (44), Shopian (35), Ganderbal (32), Kathua (30), Udhampur (28), Samba (25), Poonch (23), Kishtwar(14), Ramban (13), and Reasi (7).
J&K records 532 new cases, total 91861

Ten BSF personnel, two minors, one of them a one-day-old baby, and two doctors were among 532 new covid-19 cases reported in Jammu and Kashmir in the last 24 hours, taking the total count to 91861, officials said on Sunday.

Among them, 177 were from Jammu Division and 355 from Kashmir Valley, the officials told GNS.

Giving the district-wise details, they said, Srinagar reported Srinagar 124 cases, Budgam 26, Baramulla 80, Pulwama 19, Kupwara 36, Anantnag 14, Bandipora 19, Ganderbal 7, Kulgam 5, Shopian 25, Jammu 113, Rajouri 6, Udhampur 5, Doda 5, Kathua 6, Poonch 16, Samba 8, Kishtwar 12, Ramban 5 and Reasi 1.

A number of these cases were confirmed at CD and SKIMS soura diagnostic laboratories.

The CD cases include female (29) (Na) from Kunibal Pulwama, male (52) (Na) from Lasjan Sgr, female (45) (Na) from Dhara, female (65) (Na) from Kupwara, female (60) (Na) from Bandipora, female (65) (Na) from Sopore, female (65) from Tangdhar, male (28) (Na) from Bemina, female (55) (Na) from Bemina Sgr, male (26) (Na) from Bemina Sgr, male (60) (Na) from Bemina Sgr, female (30) (Na) from Hyderpora, male (62) (Na) from Hyderpora, female (Na) from Bemina, male (38) (Na) from Khaniyar, male (75) (Na) from Safakadal, male (53) (Na) from Hajin, male (18) (Na) from Soura, female (20) (Na) from Soura, male (22) (Na) from Zakura Sgr, male (55) (Na) from Budgam, female (55) (Na) from Pampore, male (75) (Na) from Qamarwari Sgr, female (55) (Na) from Brain Nishat, male (85) (Na) from Chanpora Sgr, female (68) (Na) from Safakadal, male (60) (Na) from Lalbazar Sgr, female (75) (Na) from Bumnoo Pulwama, male (45) from Inder Pulwama, male (07) from Inder Pulwama, male (30) from Ratnipora, female (56) from Ratnipora, female (27) (Na) from Ellahi Bagh, female (72) (Na) from Pulwama, female (Na) from Ellahibagh, male (32) (Na) from Pulwama, male (24) (Na) from Bemina, female (60) (Na) from Budgam, female (64) (Na) from Dalgate, male (75) (Na) from Pattan, male (60) (Na) from Batamaloo.

The SKIMS cases include male (28, 22, 50, 49, 51, 46, 35, 53, 50, 44) from Bsf Humhama, male (30) from Lar Ganderbal, female (48) from Nishat Sgr, male (70) from Wakura Ganderbal, female (30) from Kangan Ganderbal, male (56) from Kangan Ganderbal, female (45) from Buchpora Sgr, female (45) from Bemina Sgr, female (70) from Lalgund Chadoora, male (45) from Hmt Budgam, female (62) from Ompora Budgam, male (66) from Peerbagh Budgam, female (65) from Perbagh Budgam, male (30) from Perbagh Budgam, female (30) from Perbagh Budgam, male (62) from Humhama Budgam, male (25) from Hyderpora Budgam, female (30) from Hyderpora Budgam, male (40) from Hyderpora Budgam, female (35) from Bemina Budgam, female (35) from Rainawari Sgr, male (70) from Chattpora Budgam, female (45) from Kanihama Budgam, female (55) from Kralpora Budgam, female (70) from Bagi Mehtab Budgam, female (46) from Bagi Mehtab Budgam, male (14) from Kralpora Budgam, female (17) from Natipora Budgam, male (29) from Gund Checkpora Budgam, male (40) from Sumarbugh Budgam, female (27) from Bagi Mehtab Budgam, female (21) from Bagi Mehtab Budgam.

Moreover, they said, 639 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and were discharged from various hospitals— 263 from Jammu Division and 376 from Kashmir Valley. (GNS)

Srinagar, Oct 25: Director of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar on Sunday urged people not to panic and be mentally healthy to fight COVID-19 which could happen to anyone.
However, she said that does not mean you stop wearing masks and washing hands and avoid crowds.
Taking to micro blogging site Twitter Dr Sehrish said, “ What I learnt from COVID 1 It can happen to anyone 2 That doesn’t mean you stop wearing masks, washing hands or avoiding crowds 3 Majority will have mild to moderate disease 4 Dont panic.Its more important to be mentally healthy 5 Be patient and grateful to Almighty.

Mumbai, Oct 25: Governor of Reserve Bank of India, Shaktikanta Das, on Sunday announced that he has tested positive for Covid-19.
On a micro-blogging site Twitter, he tweeted, “I have tested Covid-19 positive. Asymptomatic. Feeling very much alright. Will continue to work from isolation.”
Das said he has alerted all those who came in contact with him in recent days.

London, Oct 25: Some immune system molecules trigger the production of a non-functional variant of the human protein used by the novel coronavirus to enter and infect host cells, according to a study that sheds light on the body’s natural defence against COVID-19.

The research, published in the journal Nature Genetics, examined the genetic information that codes for the ACE2 receptor, to which the SARS-CoV-2 virus must bind in order to enter and infect human cells.

In the study, scientists, including those from the Francis Crick Institute in London, analysed existing genetic databases and human cells to identify a new variant, or isoform, of ACE2 called MIRb-ACE2, which the SARS-CoV-2 virus cannot bind to.

“This variant of genetic information is the result of retroelements in our DNA, which can ‘jump’ around the genome impacting gene expression,” said Kevin Ng, a co-author of the study from the Francis Crick Insitute.

“From looking at which other species also have this variant, it appears to be widely present in mammals, so it must have entered the human genome a long time ago,” he added.

In order to understand the role this variant plays in the body’s immune response to SARS-CoV-2, the scientists assessed the effects of exposing cells to interferons — signalling proteins that are made and released by virus-infected cells.

They found that interferons increase the response and production specifically of MIRb-ACE2, while ACE2 is not affected.

According to the researchers, the findings allay concerns that interferon-based treatments for SARS-CoV-2 could inadvertently be helping the virus by bringing about an increase in coronavirus cell receptors in the body.

They said the coronavirus is not able to bind to MIRb-ACE2, which is also highly unstable.

“The non-functional MIRb-ACE2 isoform was likely responsible for results from previous studies that suggested interferons could be upregulating ACE2, as there was no distinction between these two isoforms,” said George Kassiotis, another co-author of the study.

“This highlights how scientific knowledge about SARS-CoV-2 is constantly being revised and updated as new research is carried out. We still have a lot to learn, but we are making rapid progress,” Kassiotis said.

The researchers also found that cells in the upper aero-digestive tract, including the mouth and the nose, express more MIRb-ACE2 than the functional ACE2, and this balance changes lower in this tract and in the intestines.

They believe more research is needed to understand why this difference occurs and the impact it might have on how the virus spreads in the body.