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Stock Market News Today Live Updates on December 30, 2024 : Navigating the future: Real estate sector insights by Raja Venkatraman—30 December
Jasprit Bumrah has been the standout bowler for India in the IND vs AUS Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 and has impressed every time he has had the ball in his hand. He was once again on song, on Day 4 of the IND vs AUS Boxing Day Test at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) as he took four wickets and was close to getting a fifth as well. In a viral video, the pacer's comments on his bowling workload was caught on the stump microphone. Bumrah was heard saying, " Bas ab, nahi lag raha zor, " (I'm done and unable to put in more effort). Bumrah eventually got a fifth wicket, when he castled Nathan Lyon early on Day 5. Funny Memes Go Viral On Social Media After Rohit Sharma Makes In-Form Jasprit Bumrah Take Heavy Workload On Day 4 of IND vs AUS Boxing Day Test 2024 . Man I feel so sad for Jasprit Bumrah🥲 Bumrah: Bus ab nahi lag raha zor... pic.twitter.com/DHdUedwDRB — Ishan's🤫🧘🧡 (@IshanWK32) December 29, 2024 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter (X), Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
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The normally reliable centre-back passed the ball into his own net in the 26th minute after failing to spot goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel’s positioning. But a brilliant turn and finish on the hour mark from Daizen Maeda changed the game and ultimately earned the Scottish champions a 1-1 home draw. On the opener, Rodgers said: “Mistakes happen and it was just unfortunate. He’s played that pass a million times and it’s gone back and then we’ve been able to play forward. It was just one of those unfortunate moments in the game that happens. “But he’s a really, really tough character. He’s a great guy, he picked himself up. He was really strong and aggressive again in the game and got on with it and had a real bravery in the second half, because he was the one carrying the ball forward for us to start the attack.” Despite the gift, Brugge were worthy of their lead and Rodgers admitted his side were too passive in their pressing in the opening half. Some tactical tweaks – and the introduction of Paulo Bernardo – helped Celtic dominate after Maeda’s equaliser, although Brugge had a goal disallowed for a marginal offside. “I can only credit the players for the second half, because we had to fight,” Rodgers said. “And we’re still one of those teams that’s really pushing to try and make a mark at this level. So to make the comeback, score the goal, play with that courage, I was so pleased. “You want to win but I’ve been here enough times to have lost a game like that, but we didn’t. We showed a real strong mentality and we kept pushing right to the very end and the players did well. “I thought they showed great courage in the second half because we weren’t at our level in the first half. Sometimes a game like that can get away from you, but it didn’t. “We stayed with it, showed that determination, showed that mentality, never to quit, to keep going. And then we were much, much better, much freer in the second half. “So we’re on eight points, nine to play for. We’re still very much on course to get to where we want to get to and still three games to go.” Rodgers added: “It’s 20 games now and we’ve won 16 and drawn three and lost one, so it shows you the mentality is there, and especially at this level, you need to have that.”Arsenal go second with edgy win over IpswichLawyers Action Committee demands full court hear petitions challenging 26th Amendment Lawyers hold a rally against the 26th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2024, in Karachi on October 26, 2024. — Online The All Pakistan Lawyers Action Committee (APLAC) has reiterated its demand for the full Supreme Court to hear the petitions challenging the 26th Amendment. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1700472799616-0'); }); “This demand is not a matter of politics but a constitutional necessity to ensure public confidence in the judiciary's independence,” read a statement issued by former and present bar council and associations leaders on Friday. The APLAC also rebuked what it said a misleading and factually inaccurate press statement issued by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA) regarding legitimate concerns raised by the APLAC about the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) and independence of the judiciary. The action committee said the SCBA’s claim that the lawyers endorsing the APLAC were ‘unelected representatives’ was patently false. The APLAC statement read that prominent signatories of its demand such as Abid S Zuberi, Tahir Faraz Abbassi, Munir Kakar, Shafqat Mehmood Cohan, Maqsood Buttar, Asad Manzoor Butt, Riasat Ali Azad, Salman Mansoor, Haider Imam, Rahib Buledi, Naeem Qureshi, Abdul Hafeez Lashari and Rehman Korai were all elected and had been office bearers of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and various bar associations across the country and their voices reflected the collective will of the legal fraternity. The APLAC said any attempt to discredit such senior lawyers’ legitimacy was not only unwarranted but also detrimental to the unity and integrity of the legal profession. The statement read that it was essential to underscore that all members of the PBC and SCBA, whether previously elected or currently serving, were representatives of the legal fraternity chosen through democratic processes. They said these leaders’ voices were rooted in the trust and confidence of the legal community, and to undermine their legitimacy was to challenge the very principles of democracy and representation that the bar associations stood for. The APLAC said the SCBA had historically been an institution that stood for the rule of law and judicial independence but it was regrettable that the current SCBA leadership had chosen to disregard the contributions of its former presidents and legal luminaries. The action committee said the SCBA had always acknowledged, respected and regarded its former presidents as torchbearers of the bar’s principles and values. “This tradition must be upheld, not undermined,” the statement read. The APLAC said the SCBA's endorsement of the executive-dominated extension of the constitutional bench ignored historical lessons and undermined judicial independence. They recalled that during the lawyers' movement of 2007, it was precisely such executive interference that had led to a judicial crisis. They said that many of the endorsers of the APLAC statement, including former SCBA presidents and elected bar leaders, played pivotal roles in resisting such manipulations and their sacrifices and dedication restored the judiciary’s independence and cemented its role as a bulwark against unconstitutional practices. The APLAC said the 26th constitutional amendment and its implementation by an executive-dominated Judicial Commission directly violate the constitutional principle of judicial independence enshrined in the Article 175(3) of the Constitution and the SCBA’s failure to recognise this constitutional breach was both disappointing and alarming. The action committee it said it remained steadfast in its commitment to upholding Pakistan's constitutional framework, ensuring judicial autonomy and protecting the rule of law. A day earlier on Thursday, SCBA President Mian Muhammad Rauf Atta had condemned a statement issued by the APLAC about the meeting of the Judicial Commission that took place on December 21, 2024. “The statement from the representatives of the so-called committee deserves strong condemnation, as it is both unfounded and reprehensible. Their actions are nothing less than a motivated political campaign aimed to sabotage and politicise the fair and transparent proceedings of the JCP,” Atta said, adding that APLAC was trying to bring disrepute to prestigious institutions.
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Gen Bajwa advocated talks with TTP: Omar Ayub General Bajwa told National Security Committee meeting that all conflicts end through negotiations, says NA opposition leader Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub. — Facebook@OmarAyubKhan/File ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Omar Ayub Khan Friday claimed that it was General Bajwa who had advocated talks with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1700472799616-0'); }); Responding to DG ISPR’s press conference, he set the record straight by noting on X, “DG ISPR should know that it was General Bajwa who advocated peace talks with TTP.” “In response to a question about peace negotiations with the TTP in the National Security Committee’s meeting in 2021, General Bajwa told the participants that all conflicts end through negotiations,” Omar Ayub wrote. The meeting, he noted, was attended by all the top leadership and parliamentarians of PPP, PMLN, PTI and other parties in parliament. Omar Ayub also wrote, “In response to DG ISPR’s other allegations “In response to DG ISPR’s other allegations against PTI, it appears that he was handed the same old script he has been reading out in the last few months (that has been rejected time and again), and he has read it out again. The same thing happened to President Yelstin of the Russian Federation when his assistant handed him a speech to read but mistakenly added a copy of the same speech. President Yelstin read out his speech and then continued to reread and repeat his speech when he realized that he was rereading the speech”. Separately, the National Assembly’s former speaker Asad Qaiser said there was a deep concern over the current situation with Afghanistan, and both countries should resolve this situation through dialogue and diplomatic channels. In a statement, Asad Qaiser said, “We have a religious and blood relationship with Afghanistan and deep ties.” He said the current situation could create instability in the region and the federal government should take all parties into confidence on this issue. Qaiser said the matter should be taken forward according to their suggestions by forming a Jirga consisting of the political leadership of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “We are fed up with wars for 40 to 50 years. Such a situation with a brotherly Islamic country is not acceptable. War, violence and aggression are not solution to any problem. Pakistan and Afghanistan should put their concerns before each other,” he maintained. Meanwhile, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram Friday underlined the need for course correction and introspection, as Pakistan and its 240 million people had been bearing the brunt of the state machinery’s wrong and misguided priorities since long. “It is the state’s responsibility to uphold justice and ensure fair play rather than resorting to intimidation, coercion and threat,” he said in reaction to the news conference of the director general ISPR earlier in the day. He emphasized that justice could not be served by making decisions with preconceived notions and biases, as such decisions could not be accepted as just. He contended that the power to punish or reward individuals lay solely with the judicial system, as mandated by the Constitution, warning that allowing defence institutions to establish their own courts would have devastating consequences for the state’s justice system and the constitutional framework as a whole. The PTI spokesman noted that this was precisely why decisions delivered by independent constitutional courts were universally recognized and respected, whereas those made by military courts were not accepted anywhere in the world. Waqas pointed out that the alarming decline in the state’s rational thinking, decision-making and overall governance had been the primary catalyst for the prevailing chaos and conflict plaguing the country. He argued that the state’s narrative, built on deeply flawed, unrealistic and hateful foundations, was the primary driver of escalating tensions and confrontation between the people and state institutions. Waqas warned that the growing trend of labeling critics of the government and its decision-makers as chaotic or anti-state would have disastrous repercussions for Pakistan. He said peaceful protest was a fundamental democratic and constitutional right of every political party; therefore, the government’s decision to block the PTI’s protest by placing shipping containers across the route was utterly incomprehensible and unjustified. He asked why Article 245 was invoked, roads blocked and peaceful and unarmed workers were arbitrarily detained and demonized, turning innocent citizens into perceived troublemakers. Waqas said millions of Pakistanis actively engaged in national discussions on the media and social media platforms, exercising their critical thinking and expressing their opinions based on their consciousness and available information under a modern and automated system. He stressed that the state’s indiscriminate crackdown on its citizens, addressing critical opinions and legitimate criticism as hostile attacks, only served to escalate tensions and perpetuate a culture of lawlessness in Pakistan.Aerial Shot of APRI Tiwi As the world continues to find better ways to harness clean, sustainable energy, the Philippines, quite literally, stands on one of its most powerful resources: geothermal energy. The country is the third-largest producer of geothermal energy across the globe, which means it could be at the forefront of maximizing a renewable gold mine that could be key to Filipinos’ energy security. That is, if it can overcome challenges to its development. “Geothermal energy is often overlooked in discussions about renewable energy, but it’s one of our most reliable clean power sources,” said Jeffrey Estrella, President of AP Renewables Inc. (APRI), a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower) that operates the Tiwi and Makban geothermal facilities across the provinces of Albay, Laguna, and Batangas. Unlike its renewable cousins solar and wind power, geothermal energy doesn’t depend on weather conditions. Throughout 2023, while solar panels only achieved about 20 percent of their peak capacity and wind turbines managed just 31 percent, geothermal plants in the Philippines maintained an impressive 65-71 percent capacity factor, rivaling traditional coal plants’ 58-69 percent. This reliability makes geothermal energy ideal for baseload power, or the consistent electricity supply needed to meet minimum daily demand. “Think of baseload power as the foundation of our electricity supply,” Estrella explained. “While solar and wind power output fluctuates throughout the day, geothermal plants can run continuously, providing stable power 24/7.” Despite this advantage, geothermal energy only accounts for 9 percent of the Philippines’ gross power generation, compared to coal’s dominant 63 percent. The reason? High upfront costs, high exploration risks, and technical challenges in drilling wells, with exploration alone eating up almost half of total project costs. Power producers like AboitizPower’s APRI aren’t letting these challenges stop them from taking advantage of this indigenous source. In APRI’s Tiwi and Makban facilities, which contribute 300 megawatts in net sellable capacity to the national grid, they are exploring ways to increase energy production. The recent drilling campaign for new production and injection wells by the Philippine Geothermal Production Company (PGPC) added 94 megawatts of output, double the initial expectations. APRI’s latest energized venture, the Tiwi Binary Power Plant, also showcases efficacy and efficiency in the sector. By capturing residual heat from existing geothermal processes – energy that would otherwise go unused – the plant generates an additional 17 megawatts of clean power for the Luzon grid. Furthermore, in a groundbreaking move, APRI is now developing the Philippines’ first battery energy storage and geothermal hybrid system. The Bay Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project in Laguna will allow the Makban geothermal plant to provide rapid support during peak demand periods, helping address grid stability and power reliability. “As the Department of Energy works on its ‘Geothermal De-risking Roadmap,’ the future of this underutilized resource looks promising,” Estrella said. “With the Philippines’ installed geothermal capacity at 1,952 megawatts as of April 2024, there is still significant room for growth.” Peak demand in the Philippines continues to grow annually, with it forecasted to double within the next 13 years to over 36,000 megawatts by 2037. Meanwhile, on the geothermal supply side, only about 151 megawatts of committed geothermal power projects are in the pipeline, according to the Department of Energy. While geothermal power stands out as a reliable, clean, and homegrown solution that could help secure the Philippines’ energy future, it should be clear that there is no such thing as a singular solution. The road to clean energy will need all types of generation technologies to ensure energy security as the country builds the energy system of the future. Geothermal energy is a puzzle piece to the bigger picture of finding the right mix of power plants that can handle varying electricity demands throughout the day and in the years to come. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . With this in mind, AboitizPower constantly pursues opportunities to grow its portfolio, not just for geothermal, but also for solar, hydro, wind, and energy storage systems en route to reaching 4,600 megawatts of clean capacity. In balance, it also continues to invest in thermal power plants to support the country’s baseload and peak energy demands.
Why aren’t mobile homes considered among affordable housing fixes?The normally reliable centre-back passed the ball into his own net in the 26th minute after failing to spot goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel’s positioning. But a brilliant turn and finish on the hour mark from Daizen Maeda changed the game and ultimately earned the Scottish champions a 1-1 home draw. On the opener, Rodgers said: “Mistakes happen and it was just unfortunate. He’s played that pass a million times and it’s gone back and then we’ve been able to play forward. It was just one of those unfortunate moments in the game that happens. “But he’s a really, really tough character. He’s a great guy, he picked himself up. He was really strong and aggressive again in the game and got on with it and had a real bravery in the second half, because he was the one carrying the ball forward for us to start the attack.” Despite the gift, Brugge were worthy of their lead and Rodgers admitted his side were too passive in their pressing in the opening half. Some tactical tweaks – and the introduction of Paulo Bernardo – helped Celtic dominate after Maeda’s equaliser, although Brugge had a goal disallowed for a marginal offside. “I can only credit the players for the second half, because we had to fight,” Rodgers said. “And we’re still one of those teams that’s really pushing to try and make a mark at this level. So to make the comeback, score the goal, play with that courage, I was so pleased. “You want to win but I’ve been here enough times to have lost a game like that, but we didn’t. We showed a real strong mentality and we kept pushing right to the very end and the players did well. “I thought they showed great courage in the second half because we weren’t at our level in the first half. Sometimes a game like that can get away from you, but it didn’t. “We stayed with it, showed that determination, showed that mentality, never to quit, to keep going. And then we were much, much better, much freer in the second half. “So we’re on eight points, nine to play for. We’re still very much on course to get to where we want to get to and still three games to go.” Rodgers added: “It’s 20 games now and we’ve won 16 and drawn three and lost one, so it shows you the mentality is there, and especially at this level, you need to have that.”Spanish Standings
UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New YorkWhen baseball historian Bill Humber first heard about the golden at-bat idea that Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred floated on a recent podcast, he was a little taken aback. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * When baseball historian Bill Humber first heard about the golden at-bat idea that Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred floated on a recent podcast, he was a little taken aback. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? When baseball historian Bill Humber first heard about the golden at-bat idea that Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred floated on a recent podcast, he was a little taken aback. “I kind of laughed, actually,” Humber said Wednesday. “I thought it was one of the stupidest ideas I’d ever heard.” MLB has seen its share of change of late, but the thought of a team using one at-bat each game to send any hitter it wants to the plate — even if it’s not their turn in the batting order — was quite a curveball. “This can’t be real,” former Blue Jays pitcher and seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens posted on social media. Wild-card playoff tinkering, pitch clocks, shift rules and automatic runners are some of the more significant changes to the game in recent years. All had varying levels of detractors and the golden at-bat discussion is no different. Critics are eyeing it like a meatball thrown across the middle of the plate. “It doesn’t really fit within the logic of the game in my mind,” said Humber, a Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer. “I look upon it quite askance to be honest with you. I don’t see the point of it in a way. “I mean to some extent, the magic of baseball is those unheralded batters who arrive at a situation that one wouldn’t have thought that they would ever have been in, and allowing them to bat in place.” Humber cited a number of grand baseball moments that might not have happened if a golden at-bat rule were in effect. “One can imagine when Bobby Thomson hit his famous home run against the (Brooklyn) Dodgers in 1951, Willie Mays was on deck,” he said of the ‘Shot Heard ‘Round the World’ that gave the New York Giants the National League pennant. “What if they had a golden at-bat and put Mays at bat, maybe he would have struck out or popped up or hit into a double-play or who knows what. There’s lots of situations like that.” What about the two famous World Series-winning walkoffs? Would the skippers have used a golden at-bat to get their best pure hitter to the plate? Bill Mazeroski went deep to give Pittsburgh the Fall Classic in 1960 and Joe Carter’s walkoff blast in 1993 gave the Blue Jays their second straight World Series title. Mazeroski’s power numbers were middling while Carter, who led the Blue Jays in homers and RBIs that year, had a mediocre batting average. “I think the magic of the game are those moments that are unpredictable and yet kind of create some of the joy of the game in our memories,” Humber said. ” I think this kind of runs afoul of that tradition. “I’m not a fan, let me say that. But that’s not to say it won’t happen.” Manfred first mentioned the golden at-bat idea publicly in an interview with John Ourand on Puck’s “The Varsity” podcast. The commissioner said the subject came up at a recent owners’ meeting. Retired sportswriter Dave Perkins, who covered the Blue Jays for years over his long career at the Toronto Star, said use of a golden at-bat would be “a travesty.” “On the surface I say it’s absolutely stupid and ridiculous,” he said. “But a lot of other things I thought were stupid and ridiculous worked their way into the games and they’re even OK with me now.” The subject of potential rule changes like the golden at-bat came up when Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins met with the Toronto chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America earlier this week. “It’s interesting to me because we went through so much change over the last couple of years,” he said. “Getting to that change was a scratch and a claw and a climb. And then once the change happened, everyone — for the most part — thought, ‘OK, that went OK and it seems like there’s a better product on the field.’ Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. “So now the dialogue around change is with a much more open mind whether it be players, staff, the exchanges, the ideas, even if they seem very difficult to wrap your head around. They’re not getting stiff-armed as much as they were the first go-round.” Scott Crawford, operations director of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, said he prefers a traditional setup where any player can be a hero at any time. “I like the team aspect of the game where you get your shot,” he said. “You can be a No. 8 hitter and you can come up with a big hit and win a World Series and (a superstar like Shohei) Ohtani can strike out.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2024. Follow @GregoryStrongCP on X. Advertisement Advertisement
Activists Target Saudis Amid COP 29 Climate Finance ClashWASHINGTON (AP) — Three American citizens imprisoned for years by China have been released and are returning to the United States, the White House said Wednesday, announcing a diplomatic agreement with Beijing in the final months of the Biden administration. The three are Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung , all of whom had been designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained by China. Swidan had been facing a death sentence on drug charges while Li and Leung were imprisoned on espionage charges. “Soon they will return and be reunited with their families for the first time in many years,” the White House said in a statement. The release comes just two months after China freed David Lin, a Christian pastor from California who had spent nearly 20 years behind bars after being convicted of contract fraud. U.S.-China relations have been roiled for years over major disagreements between the world’s two largest economies on trade, human rights, the production of fentanyl precursors, security issues that include espionage and hacking, China’s aggressiveness toward Taiwan and its smaller neighbors in the South China Sea, and Beijing’s support for Russia’s military-industrial sector. The release of Americans deemed wrongfully detained in China has been a top agenda item in each conversation between the U.S. and China, and Wednesday’s development suggests a willingness by Beijing to engage with the outgoing Democratic administration before Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January. Trump took significant actions against China on trade and diplomacy during his first term. He has pledged to continue those policies in his second term, leading to unease among many who fear that an all-out trade war will greatly affect the international economy and could spur potential Chinese military action against Taiwan. Still, the two countries have maintained a dialogue that has included a partial restoration of military-to-military contacts. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met earlier this month to discuss potential improvements. A U.S. official said the Biden administration had raised the cases of the detained Americans with China in multiple meetings over the past several years, including earlier this month when Biden spoke to Xi on the sidelines of the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru. Politico was first to report the men’s release, which it said was part of a prisoner swap with the U.S. The White House did not immediately confirm that any Chinese citizens had been returned home. Li, a Chinese immigrant who started an export business in the U.S., was detained in September 2016 after flying into Shanghai. He was placed under surveillance, interrogated without a lawyer and accused of providing state secrets to the FBI. A U.N. working group called his 10-year prison sentence arbitrary and his family said the charges were politically motivated. Leung was sentenced last year to life in prison on spying charges. He was detained in 2021, by the local bureau of China’s counterintelligence agency in the southeastern city of Suzhou after China had closed its borders and imposed tight domestic travel restrictions and social controls to fight the spread of COVID-19. Swidan had been jailed for 12 years on a drug charge and, along with Li and Leung, had considered by the State Department to be wrongfully detained.Eli Lilly to invest $3B in Wisconsin plant expansion
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The ambitious goal of making Jammu and Kashmir Tuberculosis (TB) free by the end of 2025, as outlined by the Chief Secretary during a recent meeting, reflects a robust commitment to public health under the PM TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan. With TB being one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, claiming millions of lives annually, this goal aligns with India’s larger objective of eradicating the disease nationwide. However, achieving this vision requires a multidimensional approach that addresses detection, treatment, awareness, and community involvement. J&K currently has a TB-affected population of approximately 11,650 individuals who are receiving free treatment across various healthcare facilities. While districts like Anantnag, Budgam, and Pulwama have already been declared ‘TB Free,’ others like Baramulla, Srinagar, and Kupwara are in the process of obtaining this certification. This progress is commendable but also underscores the immense challenge that lies ahead. The disease thrives on poor socio-economic conditions, lack of awareness, and delayed diagnosis, which necessitates a robust and comprehensive strategy. The fact that 463,872 presumptive tests have been conducted this year, achieving a testing rate of 3,047 per lakh of the population, is proof of the focused efforts of the administration. However, with 1,516 out of 4,243 Panchayats declared TB-free, the path to achieving complete elimination remains steep and calls for relentless efforts. One of the critical pillars in combating TB is the early detection of cases. The emphasis on contact tracing and intensive sampling, as highlighted in the meeting, is pivotal. TB is highly contagious, and undetected cases can lead to widespread transmission within communities. The ongoing ‘100-Days TB Campaign’ aims to expedite case detection in vulnerable populations, targeting high-priority districts like Jammu, Srinagar, and Baramulla. To further bolster detection efforts, leveraging technology and innovative diagnostic tools should be a priority. Mobile diagnostic units, expanded access to rapid molecular tests, and integrating TB testing in routine health check-ups at Health and Wellness Centres and Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs can bridge the gap in early diagnosis. While free treatment is already being provided, adherence to the prescribed regimen remains a significant hurdle. The administration’s initiative of providing Rs 1,000 monthly under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana, along with food baskets through Nikshay Mitras, is a commendable step toward ensuring nutritional support for patients. However, effective counselling, regular follow-ups, and community support are equally essential to keep patients on track with their treatment. Utilising ASHA workers, women SHGs under JKRLM, and other rural institutions to identify and support TB patients can be a critical component of the strategy. These grassroots organisations serve as vital conduits to reach the most vulnerable populations, raising awareness, collecting samples, and ensuring treatment compliance. Moreover, community involvement reduces the stigma associated with TB, encouraging more people to come forward for testing and treatment. The role of Nikshay Mitras deserves special mention. The voluntary adoption of TB patients by 5,406 Nikshay Mitras in J&K, providing food baskets and emotional support, is a model that should be further expanded. Engaging local influencers, religious leaders, and educators can amplify the campaign’s reach and impact. Awareness campaigns remain the backbone of any disease eradication program. The directive to send bulk messages to the families of TB patients, as suggested by the Chief Secretary, is a step in the right direction. Authorities must use both traditional and digital platforms to disseminate information about symptoms, treatment availability, and the importance of timely diagnosis. Effective monitoring mechanisms are crucial to track progress and address bottlenecks. Regular audits of TB facilities should be institutionalised. Senior officers’ visits to healthcare centres can ensure accountability, identify gaps, and provide on-ground support. TB-free J&K by 2025 is a mission that demands unwavering commitment, innovative strategies, and a united front. The success will ultimately depend on sustained efforts, adequate funding, and an adaptive approach to emerging challenges. The ‘100-Days TB Campaign’ and the ongoing activities must serve as catalysts to accelerate progress.
