'Diluted' anti-superstition bill gets State Cabinet nod

Mangaluru, Jan 2: The Muslim Central Committee of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi has dropped its plan to stage a massive protest against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens on January 4 at Mangaluru’s Nehru Maidan.

Addressing a press conference here today, committee chief K S Mohammed Masood made this announcement.

“All the 28 organisations that had decided to stage protest under the leadership of the Muslim Central Committee, have unanimously agreed to temporarily cancel the protest plan after the city police refused permission for the event,” he said.

Mr Masood requested the people, especially the youth, not to lose patience. “No one should head to Nehru Maidan on January 4 as Muslim leaders have unanimously decided to cancel the protest,” he urged.

S M Rasheed Haji, Y Abdulla Kunhi, Umar UH, Ibrahim Kodichal, B M Mumtaz Ali, Khasim H K, Mansoor Ahmed Azad and Asif Deals were present in the press meet.

Kochi, Mar 9: A three-year old child has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, officials said in Kochi on Monday.

The child and its parents who had reached the Cochin International Airport Limited at 6 AM on March 7 from Italy were subjected to thermal screening at the universal surveillance system established, officials said.

Detecting symptoms of coronavirus in the child, they were immediately referred to the isolation ward of the Kalamassery Medical College Hospital, they said. The samples of the child sent for examination at the NiV lab at Alappuzha have tested positive for Coronavirus, they said.

The samples of the parents have also been sent for lab test, the officials added.

Five fresh coronavirus cases, including three who evaded screening on return from Italy, were reported in Kerala, prompting the government on Sunday to sound a renewed alert and warn action against those hiding travel history to affected nations.

Bengaluru, Mar 19: As a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the Karnataka State Board of Auqaf has issued an advisory to mosques, dargahs and other religious institutions, requesting them to conclude the Friday congregation in 15 minutes for the next three weeks.

"Respected head of masjids and imams (prayer leader) are requested to conclude the entire Juma congregation (including Juma khutbah, salah and dua) in 15 minutes for the next three weeks and avoid using the public mic for the khutbah and salah," read a statement from the Karnataka State Board of Auqaf.

It has advised to ensure cleanliness and good hygiene inside mosques and keep the carpets, prayer mats, floor mats etc clean.

Further, it stated that those coming for daily prayers should be instructed to perform wudhu (ablution) at their homes and avoid using prayer caps placed in masjids.

"Please remove the public towels and prayer caps from the masjids. Sunnah and nafil prayers should observed at home," the advisory read.

The advisory came as the number of coronavirus patients spiralled across the country. The governments are taking all precautionary measures to contain the spread of the virus that has claimed more than 7,500 lives across the globe since its outbreak in China in December last year.