Discussions under way on extending lockdown in Karnataka, says CM

Eight members of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) have called upon the regime’s minister of military affairs Israel Katz to instruct the occupation army to destroy all water, food and energy sources in the Gaza Strip “to achieve the war goals.”

The letter to Katz asserted “the Israeli military’s operations were failing to achieve the political objectives set for the war”, the Israeli Haaretz daily newspaper reported. 

Despite Israel’s complete siege on the Gaza Strip and the reduction in aid being allowed into the coastal territory, the legislators said the current plans to displace north Gaza residents to the south are not being implemented “properly”.

The Knesset members urged Katz to re-examine war strategies, asserting that after besieging northern Gaza and displacing its residents, the Israeli military should destroy all energy, food and water sources in the area.

They also called for the killing of anyone who moved within northern Gaza without surrendering by waving a white flag.

The measures should not be limited to northern Gaza, they said, but extended to other regions.

They made no mention of the Israeli captives being held in Gaza, Haaretz noted.

Backed by the United States and its Western allies, Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against the Israeli regime in response to its decades-long campaign of oppression against Palestinians.

The regime’s bloody onslaught on Gaza has so far killed at least 45,658 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 108,583 others. Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under rubble.

Mangaluru: Despite a reduction in the number of cybercrime cases in 2024 due to effective preventive measures and increased public awareness, the financial impact of cybercrimes in the Mangaluru Commissionerate was the highest this year. Over Rs 40.46 crore was lost, with Rs 9.32 crore frozen and Rs 2.55 crore released to the complainants, reported Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal.

Comparing years, the number of cybercrime cases at CEN Police Station decreased from 196 cases in 2023 to 72 cases in 2024. In total, CEN registered 313 cybercrime cases from 2022 to 2024, including 55 cases in 2022, 196 in 2023, and 62 in 2024. In contrast, other police stations reported 120 cybercrime cases during this period, with eight cases in 2022, 40 in 2023, and 72 in 2024.

The financial losses from cybercrimes in 2022 were Rs 61 lakh, with Rs 7 lakh frozen and Rs 6 lakh returned to victims. In 2023, the losses increased significantly, with Rs 9.83 crore lost, Rs 6.29 crore frozen, and Rs 1.17 crore released to complainants.

Cybercrimes were mainly investment frauds, accounting for 50% of the cases and around 75% of the total losses. A total of 67 cases of investment fraud led to a loss of Rs 30.3 crore in 2024. Other major cybercrime categories included digital arrest scams (25 cases, Rs 7.1 crore lost), job frauds (8 cases, Rs 1.2 crore lost), and matrimonial frauds (4 cases, Rs 60.4 lakh lost). Online shopping frauds resulted in Rs 5.9 lakh in losses from three cases, while share market frauds led to Rs 41.96 lakh in losses from five cases. Other frauds, including advertisement, KYC, and miscellaneous scams, caused additional losses.

The National Cyber Crime Reporting portal received 5,498 complaints, with 215 cases converted into FIRs. Arrests related to cybercrimes increased in 2023, particularly at other police stations. This year, 42 individuals were arrested for cybercrimes, with 15 from Karnataka and 27 from other states, including Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

To combat cybercrime, 217 awareness programs were held across Mangaluru, targeting various sections of society. These programs were organized at the Police Station, Beat, Sub-division, and Commissionerate levels, helping spread awareness and prevent future crimes.

Two cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) were reported in Bengaluru on January 6 - a 3-month-old baby who has been discharged and an 8-month-old who is recovering at a hospital in the Karnataka capital. This marks the first reported cases of HMPV in India.

The infected infants and their families have no recent travel history, ruling out exposure from other regions or countries, the health department said.

HMPV is a respiratory virus that often causes mild symptoms resembling a cold but can lead to other complications, particularly in infants, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. The virus can occasionally trigger pneumonia or exacerbate chronic respiratory conditions. Cases typically rise during the winter and early spring.

The Centre announced on Sunday that it is monitoring HMPV and other respiratory viruses, especially following recent reports of increased respiratory illnesses in China. A Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) convened on January 4 to evaluate the situation, with representatives from the World Health Organisation (WHO), National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and other health organisations participating.

Respiratory illnesses in China align with seasonal variations caused by viruses such as influenza, RSV, and HMPV. Current surveillance data from India does not indicate any unusual surge in respiratory infections, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

As a precaution, the Centre has increased laboratory capacity for HMPV testing. The ICMR will monitor HMPV trends throughout the year, alongside other respiratory illnesses such as influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI). A robust network of surveillance systems, including those operated by ICMR and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), continues to track respiratory infections across the country.

Hospitals have been advised to strengthen isolation protocols for suspected cases, ensure the availability of essential medicines, and promptly report ILI and SARI cases through the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP).

Precautions to Take:

To reduce the risk of HMPV infection, individuals are advised to:

• Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid close contact with people who have respiratory symptoms.
• Wear masks in crowded or high-risk areas, especially during seasonal outbreaks.
• Maintain good indoor ventilation by keeping windows open when possible.
• Disinfect commonly touched surfaces regularly, such as doorknobs, toys, and tables.
• Monitor infants, the elderly, and people with chronic illnesses for symptoms like persistent cough or breathing difficulties.
• Seek prompt medical attention if respiratory symptoms worsen or persist.