No proposal to impose lockdown, says CM Bommai
Davanagere, Nov 29: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday dismissed fears in some quarters over any possible lockdown amid COVID-19 cases in some educational institutions and the detection of the Omicron, a variant of COVID virus in some parts of the world.
Allaying the apprehensions, he made it clear that there was no proposal to impose lockdown in the State.
"We have instructed adherence to strict precautions at schools and colleges, but not to close them. There is no proposal to impose the lockdown," he said.
Speaking to reporters here, the Chief Minister urged the people not to panic about Omicron, and asked them to strictly follow COVID-19 guidelines.
He said those arriving from the countries where Omicron variant was found are being screened at the airports and that they would be allowed into the cities only if they test negative.
Bommai said a negative report has been made mandatory for students from Kerala who are studying in Karnataka and a second test is being done on them on the seventh day of the first negative report.
The State government is in constant consultation with experts and the Union government, and precautions are being taken according to their guidelines, he said.
Replying to a question about a person who arrived from South Africa found to be having different symptoms of the pandemic, Bommai said, "The test report of the person has been sent for genome sequencing. Exact variant of the virus would be known from the genome sequencing report."
Regarding the booster dose for health workers, Bommai said his government is awaiting the instructions from the Centre in that regard.
"Our concern is that it is already over six months since the health workers received two doses of the vaccine. We will act according to directions from the Centre," Bommai said.
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Trump’s fresh threat to bomb Iran amid reports of deal to end war
Washington (PTI): US President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened Iran with more bombing if it doesn't reopen the Strait of Hormuz, amid a report that the warring sides were nearing an agreement to end the war.
US media outlet Axios reported, quoting US officials and two other sources, that the US and Iran were getting close to a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war and set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations.
The US expects Iranian responses on several key points over the next 48 hours, Axios reported, adding that nothing has been agreed yet. This was the closest the parties had been to an agreement since the war began.
"Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
"If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before," Trump said.
According to Axios, the deal would involve Iran committing to a moratorium on nuclear enrichment, the US agreeing to lift its sanctions and release billions in frozen Iranian funds, and both sides lifting restrictions around transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
It said many of the terms laid out in the memo would be contingent on a final agreement being reached, leaving the possibility of renewed war or an extended limbo in which the hot war has stopped, but nothing is truly resolved.
