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Tue, 21 April 2020
Cop at Maha CM's residence tests positive

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23:42   Global coronavirus cases exceed 2.5 million
There have now been more than 2.5 million coronavirus infections worldwide.

The current figure stands at 2,501,156, according to Johns Hopkins University in the US.

The death toll currently stands at 171,810.
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23:31   France reports 531 new coronavirus deaths, total toll 20,796
France on Tuesday reported 531 deaths from COVID-19 in 24 hours as the number of people in hospital and intensive care continued to decline.
  
The daily tally -- 387 deaths in hospital and 144 in nursing homes -- brought France's total epidemic death toll to 20,796, top health official Jerome Salomon told reporters
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23:19   Cop at Maha CM's residence tests positive
A woman police constable posted at 'Varsha', the official residence of Maharashtra chief minister, tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday, a senior official said.

Also, a male constable at the official residence of Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Devendra Fadnavis has tested positive, according to a civic official.

The Varsha bungalow in south Mumbai is currently unoccupied as Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray lives in his family residence in suburban Bandra.

"A woman constable has tested positive for COVID-19. We have hospitalised her while contact-tracing is going on," said a senior IAS official.

A male police constable deployed at 'Sagar', official residence of Devendra Fadnavis, also tested positive for COVID-19, said a senior official from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

"He showed some symptoms on April 12 and was admitted to a hospital since April 14. His test report has come out positive. We have removed all other police officials posted there and quarantined them," the BMC official said.

-- PTI
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23:04   UK PM on way back to work, speaks to Trump
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday and thanked him for his good wishes while he was recovering from the coronavirus as the two leaders agreed on the importance of a coordinated international response to the pandemic that has infected over 2.5 million people worldwide.

Johnson, 55, is gradually engaging with government officials and his Cabinet as he prepares for a full-time return from his convalescence following his COVID-19 hospitalisation, Downing Street said on Tuesday.

He will not be resuming formal government duties yet but spoke to Trump on the phone to thank him for his get-well wishes during his illness.

The PM spoke to President Trump this afternoon, and thanked him for his good wishes while he was unwell, said a Downing Street spokesperson.

The leaders agreed on the importance of a coordinated international response to coronavirus, including through the G7 which the US currently chairs. They also discussed continued UK-US cooperation in the fight against the pandemic, the spokesperson said.

-- PTI
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22:36   Delhi-Noida border to be completely closed
The Gautam Buddh Nagar district magistrate today said the Noida-Delhi border will be completely closed as a preventive measure to fight the coronavirus pandemic. 

Taking on to his Twitter handle, GB Nagar DM said, "As a preventive measure to fight COVID-19, we are closing Delhi-Gautam Budh Nagar/Noida border completely with following specified exceptions."
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22:26   Active coronavirus cases in Italy falls second day in a row
The number of active Covid-19 cases in Italy has gone down for the second day in a row, according data released by the the Italian Civil Protection Agency on Tuesday.

The country saw the biggest daily drop in active cases, reporting 528 fewer cases than on Monday.

The number of patients in ICU has also dropped, with 102 fewer than Monday.
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22:14   Govt announces telephonic survey on COVID-19
The government on Tuesday announced that it will conduct a telephone survey to garner feedback from citizens on prevalence and distribution of coronavirus symptoms and urged people to participate in the exercise in good measure.
 
They will be called from the number 1921, the health ministry said, while cautioning against pranksters calling from any other number on the pretext of a similar survey.
The survey will be conducted by the National Informatics Centre, Government of India.
"People are informed that it is a genuine survey and are requested to participate in good measure when a call comes from 1921 to enable proper feedback of the prevalence and distribution of COVID-19 symptoms.
"Please be aware of any other calls by pranksters or or calls from any other number in the guise of such similar survey," the health ministry stated.  
The ministry also asked the states and UTs to inform the public about the official nature of this exercise through media and that they are aware of any other calls by pranksters or phishing/fishing attempts from any other number. 
The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 603 and the number of cases climbed to 18,985 in the country on Tuesday, according to the Union health ministry.  

-- PTI
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22:07   UK to start human vaccine trials this week
Human coronavirus vaccine trials will begin on Thursday in Oxford, UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said today.
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21:27   Rajan cautions against communalism amid COVID-19
Cautioning people against giving communal colour to the coronavirus pandemic, former Reserve Bank Governor Raghuram Rajan has said such behaviour could explode and make it much harder for different communities to get along.
 
Rajan's comments come in the wake allegations that Tabligh-e-Jamat members violated social distancing guidelines and ignored all instructions by organising a massive gathering last month at their centre in Nizamuddin area of Delhi.
The gathering is believed to have emerged as a super-spreader of coronavirus with thousands of cases across the country linked to Jamat members.

"We see in India that some allegation that this was a Muslim plot. I mean, that kind of behaviour can explode and make much harder for her communities to get together within her country, Rajan said while speaking at the University of Chicago's virtual Harper Lecture series.
Rajan along with 11 others has recently been appointed to an external advisory group of IMF MD Kristalina Georgieva to provide perspectives from around the globe on key developments and policy issues, including responses to the exceptional challenges the world now faces due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Rajan, 57, who headed RBI for three years until September 2016, said nationalism that was already pretty strong before the virus is getting accentuated by the effects of COVID-19.
Citing an example, he said, "China points finger at the US and says that was US intelligence plot and the US points finger at China and says that this was concocted by China."
Rajan, who is currently working as a professor at the prestigious University of Chicago, said no part of the world is immune to COVID-19.
"Everywhere in world is going to be affected, (and) global supply chain has been disrupted for some time. In the second quarter of calendar year 2020, we can see decline in GDP by 30-40 per cent," he said.

-- PTI
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21:19   COVID-19: UK hospital death toll rises by 828
A further 828 people have died in hospitals across the United Kingdom in a day, taking the total to 17,337 - latest government figures show.

The number of cases has also increased by 4,301 in 24 hours, bringing the total of 1,29,044.

Meanwhile, 18,206 tests were carried out on Monday, the government said. Ministers have set a target of 1,00,000 tests a day by the end of April.

The latest death figures do not include those in the community, in places such as care homes.
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21:06   Maharashtra withdraws lockdown relaxation norms
The Maharashtra government on Tuesday withdrew its lockdown relaxation norms for Mumbai and
Pune regions, both coronavirus hotspots, and revised its last week's guidelines prohibiting 

door-to-door delivery of newspapers and magazines in the state.

The curb on doorstep delivery of newspapers and magazines will be in force only in the 

Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Pune city in view of the spread of coronavirus in these 

regions, the government said.

Lockdown relaxation norms for Mumbai and Pune regions were withdrawn in view of a large 

number of people found commuting on April 20, it said.

In its April 18 notification, the government had prohibited door-to-door delivery of 

newspapers and magazines across the state even while saying that the print media is
exempted from lockdown norms from April 20.

The move had invited criticism from print media houses and also the opposition.

Wherever door-to-door delivery of newspapers or magazines is done, it shall be with knowledge of the receiver. Personnel engaged in delivery shall wear mask, use hand sanitiser and follow social distancing norms, the government said in an order here.

However, given the extent of COVID-19 spread in the MMR and Pune Municipal Corporation areas, door-to-door delivery of newspapers or magazines is prohibited in these localities and also all containment zones, it said.

The MMR comprises Mumbai and parts of its adjoining districts of Thane, Palghar and Raigad.

On April 18, the government had said door-to-door delivery of newspapers and magazines will remain prohibited during the lockdown period.

In its Tuesday order, the government said other lockdown relaxations, meant for select activities, will not be applicable in the MMR and the Pune Metropolitan Region.

The government said the decision has been taken in view of a large number of people found commuting because of certain relaxations which came into force on April 20.


-- PTI
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20:18   Delhi to begin COVID-19 tests for journos on Wed
The Delhi government will start COVID-19 testing for mediapersons from Wednesday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday, after 53 scribes tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Mumbai.

Addressing the media online, the chief minister said his government has set up a centre where free COVID-19 tests will be conducted on mediapersons.

Journalists are also at the frontline in the battle against COVID-19, he added.

"We have set up a centre. All media houses and journalists will be informed about it. Interested mediapersons can undergo tests at the centre from Wednesday morning," Kejriwal said.

Earlier in the day, responding to a tweet in which a person requested the chief minister to make arrangements for mass COVID-19 testing for mediapersons in Delhi on the lines of Mumbai, Kejriwal said, "Sure. We will do that."

Alarmed over 53 journalists testing positive for COVID-19 in neighbouring Maharashtra, the Karnataka government on Tuesday also decided to conduct a health checkup camp for journalists in Bengaluru.

During a special camp organised at the Azad Maidan in Mumbai on April 16 and 17 for COVID-19 testing of scribes, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had collected the swab samples of 171 mediapersons, including electronic and print media journalists, photographers and cameramen.

"Of the 171 mediapersons, 53 tested positive for coronavirus," BMC spokesperson Vijay Khabale said on Monday, adding that most of those who tested positive are asymptomatic at present.

On Monday, the total number of coronavirus cases rose to 2,081 in Delhi, with 78 fresh cases and two deaths reported in a day.

-- PTI
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20:04   Uddhav Thackeray finds his best self in corona crisis
In a severe and unprecedented crisis, such as the one our world is currently battling, some individuals and institutions change and become better selves of their own. They reinvent themselves by making introspective efforts to let the good and positive in them get the better of their lesser selves. As Gabriel Garcia Marquez says in his celebrated novel 'Love in the Time of Cholera', "..the heart's memory eliminates the bad and magnifies the good." In 'Politics in the Time of Corona', something akin is happening to some leaders in India.


Read full column HERE
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19:52   National Spelling Bee canceled for first time since 1945
The Scripps National Spelling Bee has been cancelled after organisers concluded there is "no clear path to safely set a new date in 2020" because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

 The decision, announced by Scripps, means kids who are in eighth grade this year will miss their final opportunity to compete in the national finals. Scripps will not change eligibility requirements for next year's bee, which is scheduled for June 1-3, 2021, at its longtime venue, a convention center outside Washington. 

The bee has always been open to kids through the eighth grade. 

"Our hearts go out to the spellers who won't get their final shot at winning because of the pandemic and the difficult decisions it is prompting us to make," Paige Kimble, the bee's executive director, said in a statement. 

The bee, televised by ESPN since 1994, had only previously been cancelled in 1943-45 because of World War II.

The first Scripps bee was held in 1925. 

Last year's bee ended in an unprecedented eight-way tie after organisers ran out of words difficult enough to challenge the best spellers. 
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19:33   Palghar lynching: NHRC sends notice to Maha DGP
The National Human Rights Commission sent a notice to the Maharashtra police chief on Tuesday in connection with the lynching of three persons in Palghar district of the state, officials said.
  
In a statement, the NHRC said it has called for a detailed report in four weeks, including inputs on the action taken against the culprits and relief, if any, granted to the next of kin of the deceased.

Based on a complaint in connection with the incident, a notice was issued to the Maharashtra director general of police over the mob lynching of three persons in the presence of police personnel in Palghar district on April 16, the NHRC statement said.

The commission has observed that the incident is apparently indicative of "negligence by the public servants".

The death of the three persons in such a cruel manner by an unruly mob, that too during the ongoing countrywide lockdown under extra vigil by the administration and police, amounts to "gross violation of the right to life of the victims", it said. 

-- PTI
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19:26   Pak resorts to heavy shelling along LoC
Pakistan Army on Tuesday resorted to intense shelling on forward posts and villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in two sectors of Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, drawing befitting retaliation from the Indian Army, a defence spokesperson said.

"At about 1720 hours, Pakistan army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling with mortars along the LoC in Kirni and Qasba sectors," he said.

Earlier at about 11.20 am, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars along the LoC in Kerni sector, the spokesperson said.

He said the Indian Army retaliated befittingly and cross-border shelling between the two sides was going on when last reports were received.

However, there was no immediate report of any casualty during the shelling by Pakistan, the spokesperson said.

This is the 15th consecutive day of shelling and firing along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.

Fear has heightened among villagers along the LoC in Rajouri, Poonch and Kupwara since three civilians were killed last week in shelling by Pakistan.

There were a total of 646 incidents of ceasefire violation along the International Border (IB) as well as the LoC between January 1 and February 23 this year, Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik said in March.

Over 3,200 ceasefire violations by Pakistan's troops were recorded in 2019.

There is a 198-km IB and over 510 km of LoC with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir.  -- PTI
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19:23   Bombay HC to cancel summer vacation if lockdown is lifted
The Bombay high court on Tuesday decided to cancel its month-long summer vacation scheduled to begin on May 7 if the nation-wide lockdown imposed due to COVID-19 is lifted on May 3.

The high court summer vacation is scheduled from May 7 to June 7.

If the lockdown is lifted on May 3 then the summer vacation, that is to begin on May 7, will be cancelled and normal courts will function at the principal seat in Bombay and its benches at Aurangabad and Nagpur, a HC official said.

The official added that the courts would then function from 10.30 in the morning instead of the normal time of 11 am.

If the lockdown is extended beyond May 3, then the high court will function as per the present arrangement where special benches convene twice a week to hear extremely urgent matters via video-conferencing, he added.  -- PTI
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19:10   Parl panel to discuss issues related to lockdown
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs would meet on April 28 via video-conferencing to discuss matters related to the COVID-19 outbreak and the nationwide lockdown, sources said on Tuesday.

The meeting has been convened by committee chairman Anand Sharma of the Congress.

The panel is likely to deliberate on easing of curbs and lifting of the ongoing lockdown.

It may also discuss the possibility of an economic package for the state to tide over the crisis.

Sources said matters related to coordination between the Centre and states during the crisis are also likely to be discussed at the meeting.  -- PTI
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19:05   SC orders inclusion of women shelter homes under COVID-19 preventive guidelines
The Supreme Court Tuesday extended its guidelines issued to prevent the spread of coronavirus in children's homes to Nari Niketans or women's shelter homes and asked the government to look into the possibility of releasing the inmates wherever feasible to avoid overcrowding.

A bench of Justices N V Ramana, S K Kaul and B R Gavai said state governments should assess the ground situation and take appropriate steps to prevent the spread of coronavirus at the women shelter homes.

The top court had on April 3, taking suo motu note of conditions and preparedness of children's homes across the country in view of pandemic, issued a slew of directions to state governments and the authorities concerned to prevent the spread of coronavirus, or COVID-19.

During the hearing, advocate Shoeb Alam, appearing for petitioner Rishad Murtaza, said that looking at the situation due to the pandemic, he was seeking extension of the April 3 guidelines to Nari Niketans or women's shelter homes.

He said several adult women were staying in these homes involuntarily and they should be released to prevent overcrowding in these shelter homes.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said however that even the accused in jails, who are being released, are facing difficulty in going home due to the lockdown protocols.

The bench said that it is directing the government to look into the matter and concerns raised in the petition and wherever it is feasible, the women should be released after assessing the ground situation.

The petition, filed through advocate Fauzia Shakil, said the deadly and extremely contagious coronavirus / COVID-19 outbreak has triggered a global pandemic and panic.

"That the number of COVID-19 patients are increasing across the country. Most of these Nari Niketans /Women Shelter Homes are overcrowded and the residents live in sub-standard and un hygienic conditions. The health and wellbeing of the residents... are in jeopardy. There is an immediate need to take steps to prevent the contagion of COVID 19 in Nari Niketans/Woman Homes etc across the country," it said.

The plea said the living conditions at Nari Niketans are deplorable and unhygienic making women there vulnerable to the pandemic.

It said that the overcrowding in Nari Niketans will make it difficult for the inmates to maintain social distancing. It is submitted that like most of the viral diseases, the susceptibility of COVID-9 is greater in over-crowded places, mass gatherings, etc.  -- PTI
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18:41   Robot gives food, meds to patients in Kannur
Not just in China, but in Kerala also robot is now playing a key role in the health workers' fight against COVID-19, thanks to the innovative spirit of a group of young minds and the support of the state Health Department.

Named 'Nightingale-19', the robot is deployed to provide food and medicines among patients at the district coronavirus centre in Ancharakandi in Kannur district where a large number of cases have been reported.

The special display facility, attached to it, also allows patients to communicate with health workers and their relatives if necessary, the health minister's office in Thiruvananthapuram said.

Designed by the students of Chemberi Vimal Jyothi Engineering College with the support of the Health Department, the remote control-operated robot can carry food and water for at least six persons at a stretch.

The machine, which can travel up to one kilometre, distributes food, water and medicine in each room, a department statement said.

The robot would be disinfected after each use, it said. Health Minister K K Shailaja inaugurated the new venture from Thiruvananthapuram recently through the robot's video facility, the statement added.

Robots have been put to use in other parts of the country to help in the health workers' fight against COVID- 19.  -- PTI
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18:08   Indians stranded in US can't be brought back: SC
The Supreme Court on Tuesday, while hearing a petition seeking evacuation of Indian citizens stranded in the United States, said that they cannot be brought back amid the coronavirus lockdown.

A three-judge bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said that the Indian citizens stranded in the US cannot be brought no matter how much we want.

"Assistance is being given to them. They are spread across the US. They cannot be brought back. US government is extending visas. Let's wait for some time," the court said.

Petitioner and advocate Vibha Dutta Makhija said that there is no guarantee of visas getting extended as the application for extension of visas costs around 500 dollars.

The apex court said that it cannot control the decision of a foreign government and added that the Indian government can request the US government not to create problems in the visa extensions.

"We have a list of 110 people in dire need of help. Helplines are there. The government has said they will consider evacuation on a case by case basis. Evacuations have been done before. There needs to be fairness," Makhija told the court.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that evacuations were done earlier and added that it has now been stopped internationally.

"Each country is trying to do its best to do and act. Why don't you understand?" Justice Kaul said and observed we are not in a position to direct anything at this time.

Makhija said that some of the citizens are in high-risk zones and many of them are cancer patients, to which Mehta responded by saying that there are officers there to look after these issues and avail help to the people. -- ANI
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17:19   Accuracy of ICMR testing kits questionable: Rajasthan govt
Ahead of the ICMR asking states not to use their testing kits for two days, Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma said that the state has in fact stopped conducting rapid tests for COVID-19 as the accuracy of kits from Indian Council of Medical Research is "questionable".

"We had received rapid testing kits from ICMR and it was used in Rajasthan. We formed a committee of the head of our Microbiology Department and head of our Medicine Department to see if these tests are effective. Its accuracy was supposed to be 90 per cent, but it turned out to be 5.4 per cent," Sharma said.

"We did not leave any procedural loophole. We kept in mind ICMR guidelines for testing. Still it did not meet the standards, so we stopped the rapid tests. We have written to ICMR that we will not conduct it as the accuracy is questionable. We are waiting for a reply," he added.
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17:15   17% of COVID-19 patients in India recover: Govt
Update: A total of 3,252 people have been cured of coronavirus in India so far, including 705 patients who were discharged on Monday, taking the recovery percentage to 17.48 per cent, the government informed on Tuesday. A total of 1,336 new cases of coronavirus have been identified which has taken the total number of the confirmed cases to 18,601 in the country, said Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference, Agarwal said, "With 1,336 new cases, there are 18,601 positive cases in India till now. So far, 3252 people have recovered including 705 people who recovered yesterday. This takes our recovery percentage to 17.48 per cent," Agarwal said.


The Ministry has issued detailed guidelines to all the states that while focusing on COVID-19, all other services need to be provided. "We have issued detailed guidelines to all states that while we focus on COVID-19, all other services need to be provided, be it for dialysis, HIV/cancer treatments etc. At the same time required infection management prevention should be in place," he said. -- ANI
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17:11   Pak PM may get tested for COVID-19
Imran Khan may be tested for the coronavirus or asked to go into isolation after a well-known philanthropist was tested positive for the COVID-19, days after meeting the Pakistan prime minister, his doctor said on Tuesday. Faisal Edhi, the son of late philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi and chairman of the Edhi Foundation, met Khan last week. Khan's personal physician and CEO of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, Faisal Sultan, told media that would meet Khan on Tuesday.

"I will meet him and recommend that he gets tested. We will follow all protocols and make recommendations accordingly," he said. The protocols recommend self-isolation for people who meet those tested positive for the coronavirus. 
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17:07   US oil futures slump to historic lows below zero, Brent plunges
Meanwhile, oil prices continued to crash on Tuesday after a stunning collapse a day earlier that saw US crude futures plunge below zero for the first time in history as reports said the United States could run out of storage for a glut caused by the coronavirus lockdown. Global benchmark Brent crude also fell sharply in response to the collapse of demand following reduced economic activity.

US oil futures for May delivery were last trading below zero dollar a barrel again after briefly rising above one dollar a barrel. The May contract which expires later today finished regular trading Monday at minus 37.63 dollars a barrel.

The West Texas Intermediate June contract, which was traded more actively, crashed more than 11 per cent to 18.14 dollars a barrel. Brent, the global benchmark, also plummeted nearly 22 per cent, last trading at 19.92 dollars a barrel.

According to CNN, the coronavirus pandemic has caused oil demand to evaporate so rapidly that the world is running out of room to store barrels that nobody wants. A new agreement about a week ago by Saudi Arabia and Russia along with other producers to cut supply by a record amount has failed to convince traders that the supply glut will ease any time soon. -- ANI
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17:05   West Bengal not cooperating with IMCT
The Union Health ministry says that the Inter-Ministerial Central Team visiting Kolkata  and Jalpaiguri in West Bengal are not receiving cooperation from the state government and the local administration. They're being stopped from visiting the areas and prevented from making on-spot assessment of the situation.
Image: State police and  BSF escort IMCT during the visit to Kolkata today. 
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17:00   The Long-Term Effects Coronavirus May Have On The Body
"The body cannot recover from that level of damage overnight, and it must heal itself. "Unfortunately, particularly in the lung, this healing process can lead to irreversible scarring (fibrosis) that can greatly impact lung function long term. This loss of lung capacity could involve anything from shortness of breath to a long-term need for oxygen.

"COVID-19 is also putting extreme stress on people's hearts. Inflammation and high fevers brought on by the coronavirus weaken the heart and increase the risk for cardiac abnormalities like blood clotting."

How Covid-19 can affect your body. Read the report here. 
Recovered Corornavirus patients flash the victory sign
Recovered Corornavirus patients flash the victory sign
16:52   India's COVID-19 recovery rate 17.47%
Union Health ministry updates on coronavirus pandemic: Lav Agrawal, Joint secretary, Health Ministry, says, "Till now, there are 18601 positive cases. So far, 3252 people have recovered including 705 people who recovered yesterday. This takes our recovery percentage to 17.48%"

" We have issued detailed guidelines to all states that while we focus on COVID19, all other services need to be provided, be it for dialysis,HIV/cancer treatments etc. At the same time required infection management prevention should be in place." 
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16:47   Don't use testing kits for 2 days: ICMR to states
Union Health Ministry briefs the media over Coronavirus pandemic. R Gangakhedkar, Indian Council of Medical Research says states have been advised not to use rapid testing kits for two days. "There are a lot of variations and kits will be tested and validated by on-ground teams and we will give advisory in the next 2 days."  It says it will investigate the issue of faulty kits. 

"4,49,810 samples have been tested so far. 35,852 samples were tested yesterday, of which 29,776 samples were tested in 201 Indian Council of Medical Research network labs and remaining 6,076 samples were tested in 86 private labs," Gangadhar says. 

The ICMR on Monday said that RTPCR kits are US FDA approved and have good standards and these should be stored under 20-degree temperature for better result. During a press briefing here, ICMR head scientist Dr R Gangakhedkar said it had received a grievance that in West Bengal, RTPCR kits are not working properly. These kits are US FDA approved and have good standards. Only thing is that these should be stored under 20 degrees temperature. Otherwise, results may not be correct."

A day on, ICMR chief Gangakhedkar said COVID-19 was a new disease. "It is a new disease, in the last three-and-half months science has progressed and developed PCR tests, 5 vaccines have gone into human trial phase out of 70 vaccine candidates. It has never happened before in case of any other disease." 
Residents argue with a cop in Delhi
Residents argue with a cop in Delhi
16:06   160 Delhi cops tested for coronavirus
Around 160 personnel from Chandni Mahal and Nabi Karim police stations in the national capital have been tested for coronavirus, Delhi Police said on Tuesday. According to the police, 128 of these samples have tested negative while the results for the remaining samples are awaited. Earlier, samples of eight and three personnel from Chandni Mahal and Nabi Karim police stations respectively had tested positive for COVID-19. Both these areas are among the 84 containment zones in the city.

As per the Union Health Ministry's latest bulletin, 2,081 people in Delhi have tested positive for COVID-19, including 47 deaths and 431 cured. -- ANI
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15:57   Rs 50 lakh for COVID martyrs: Odisha govt
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday announced that Rs 50 lakh will be given to all healthcare personnel who lose their lives in the fight against COVID-19. The Chief Minister, in a video message, underlined the importance of the healthcare staff or "Covid Warriors" on the frontline of the fight against the deadly virus.


"The state government in convergence with Government of India initiative will ensure that Rs. 50 lakh is given for all health personnel (private and public) and members of all other support services who lose their precious lives in the fight against COVID-19," said CM Patnaik. "The State will treat them as Martyrs and provide State funeral with State Honors," he added.

He also said that a detailed scheme of awards will be instituted recognizing their unparalleled sacrifice. These awards will be given on national days.

"The families of all government personnel (medical and others) will continue to receive full salary till the date of retirement. I appeal to everyone that as a community we should be very grateful for this bold and selfless service being rendered by our doctors, health professionals and other support services. Please remember, that any act against them is an act against the State," said Patnaik.

"In case anyone indulges in any act that will disturb or dishonor their work, very strict criminal action will be taken against them including invoking the provisions of the National Security Act," he added.


Odisha has reported 79 COVID-19 positive cases, according to the State Health Department. -- ANI
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15:50   Uma Bharti invokes Bal Thackeray in letter to Uddhav
BJP leader Uma Bharti has, in a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, expressed anguish over the Palghar mob lynching incident. While referring to the Chief Minister as the "son of a great father (Bal Thackeray)", she demanded strict action against those responsible for the killings.The former Union Minister, has in a letter to the Maharashtra Chief Minister, invoked the name of Bal Thackeray saying, "You are the son of a great father and you are a man who is known for honouring the saints."


She demanded that strict action should be taken against police officers, spotted in the video, for allegedly not fulfilling their responsibility. 


Three people were beaten to death in Palghar on suspicion of being thieves. "The policemen are also accused of murder. They too should be booked under Section 302 of the IPC. If they wanted, they could have saved the lives of the sadhus by opening fire in the air," she added.


The firebrand BJP leader further asserted that the Chief Minister would be "part of the act" if he fails to bring the culprits, including the policemen, to book.


The BJP leader further stated that the Maharashtra CM may not be personally responsible for the gruesome incident but as the violence took place in his state, Thackeray is duty-bound to bring the accused to justice.


"Bringing the perpetrators to book will be your atonement," she added.The former Union Minister said she is observing a fast today in remembrance of the victims and added after the lockdown gets over she would visit the place to hold prayers for the slain sadhus.
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15:48   PM Khan met philanthropist's son who tested COVID-19 +ve
The son of a well-known Pakistani philanthropist, who met Prime Minister Imran Khan last week, has been tested positive for the coronavirus. Faisal Edhi, the son of famous philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi and chairman of the Edhi Foundation, started showing symptoms last week soon after meeting with Prime Minister Khan in Islamabad on April 15, Dawn newspaper reported on Tuesday. 

"The symptoms lasted for four days before subsiding," his son Saad said. Soon after, he got tested for COVID-19 and the results were positive," he added. Saad added that his father was currently in Islamabad and was doing better. 


"He has not been admitted to any hospital and is self-isolating," he said. Faisal last week met Khan and handed over a Rs 10 million cheque for the premier's coronavirus relief fund. It was not known so far if Prime Minister Khan would undergo testing. The Edhi Foundation was founded by the late Abdul Sattar Edhi and is the leading charity organisation. PTI
Richard Branson, founder, Virgin Group
Richard Branson, founder, Virgin Group
15:45   Virgin Australia collapses
Australia's second biggest airline, Virgin Australia, collapsed on Tuesday, putting 16,000 jobs under threat as the cash-strapped carrier announced that it entered voluntary administration to recapitalise the business after being battered by the coronavirus pandemic, which has crippled the global airline industry. The move came after the airline, which suspended almost all flights last month following wide-spread travel bans, failed to secure A$1.4 billion (USD 887.60 million) loan from the federal government. 


The group's board of directors has appointed accounting firm Deloitte as voluntary administrators. Virgin Australia chief executive Paul Scurrah said COVID-19 had triggered the worst aviation crisis in history. "It has been a necessary decision made by our board, brought on by an unprecedented global pandemic, COVID-19. This is not just something that is hurting Virgin Australia. We know it's hurting the industry globally and is the worst aviation crisis we've ever seen in our history. We're not immune to that. 

"Our board made a very courageous decision last night to put the company into voluntary administration and do so quickly, with the intent of working with our administrator, Deloitte, to come through and be as strong as we possibly can on the other side of this crisis.


"We'll come back leaner, stronger and fitter, and play our role in making sure that the economy of Australia - which is currently devastated by the impact of COVID-19 - recovers as quickly as it possibly can for all Australians," he added. 


Richard Branson, the billionaire founder of Virgin Group, which owns a 10-per cent stake in the airline, issued a statement warning that if the airline in Australia disappears, "Qantas would effectively have a monopoly of the Australian skies'. -- PTI
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15:37   Singapore extends lockdown to June 1
Singapore has extended by four weeks until June 1 a partial lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus infections in the city-state, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Tuesday.

The measures, which include the closures of most workplaces and schools, were initially set to run from April 7 until May 4.

This means that more workplaces will be closed to further reduce the number of workers keeping essential services going.

Some hotspots, such as popular wet markets, remain a problem as large groups of people continue to congregate there, Lee said. While he noted that the circuit breaker measures have been working, he stressed that Singapore cannot be complacent.

Image: Migrant workers exercise along a walkway at a dormitory declared as an isolation area. Pic: Reuters 

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15:27   COVID-19 positive employee of Rashtrapati Bhavan had indirect link to an infected patient
The Rashtrapati Bhavan employee who was tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday had an indirect link with a COVID-19 patient. "A COVID-19 positive patient from Central Delhi, who was neither an employee of the President's Secretariat nor a resident of the President's Estate, had expired on April 13 with co-morbidities at BL Kapoor Hospital, New Delhi," said a statement released from Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The statement further said, "After contact tracing of the deceased, it was found that a family member of an employee of the President's Secretariat had been in contact with the deceased."


After the employee of the President's Secretariat was confirmed COVID-19 positive, as many as 125 families have been advised to remain in self-isolation. -- ANI
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15:23   Visit of central teams to WB 'adventurous tourism', says TMC
The Centre is on "adventurous tourism", said TMC leader Derek O'Brien on Tuesday, attacking the Government's decision to send two Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (ICMTs) to visit and monitor some districts of West Bengal without informing the state government. "If you wanted adventurous tourism without informing the state government, calling up Chief Minister three hours after you have arrived and the Chief Secretary half an hour before, then that is not the spirit of federalism," O'Brien in a video conference.

"What were the parameters by which the states have been selected (selection of states to send a central team there)? What are the criteria for selecting these states? We want to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah," he said."Anybody who wants to come to Bengal to help the people and to further improve whatever we have already done is welcome. But it has to be done through a process. If you don't follow it, you make things difficult for yourself," he added.


The MP also said, "While the States together are fighting against the coronavirus, the Central government is fighting against the State Governments."

The Centre has constituted six IMCTs, two each for West Bengal and Maharashtra and one each for Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan "to make an on-spot assessment of the situation and issue necessary directions to state authorities for its redressal and submit their report to Central Government in the larger interest of the general public". -- ANI


Image: Guardians of state government school children wait in a queue to collect rice and potatoes given by the government. Pic: ANI
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Representational image
15:04   COVID-19 patient given plasma therapy shows improvement
A critical COVID-19 patient admitted to a private hospital in New Delhi has shown signs of improvement and was taken off ventilator support after he was administered plasma therapy, officials said on Tuesday. The 49-year-old had tested positive for coronavirus on April 4 and the same day he was admitted to the dedicated COVID facility in East Block of Max Hospital, Saket, with moderate symptoms and a history of fever and respiratory issues. His condition deteriorated during the next few days and he soon required external oxygen to maintain saturation, hospital authorities said. 


"He soon developed pneumonia with Type I respiratory failure and had to be put on ventilator support on April 8," the hospital said in a statement on Monday. When the patient showed no improvement in his condition, his family requested the hospital for administration of plasma therapy on compassionate grounds, "a first of its kind treatment modality that was used for this disease in India," it said. This patient has shown positive results and was recently weaned off ventilator support, the hospital authorities said. Dr Sandeep Budhiraja, Group Medical Director, Max Healthcare, said, "We are delighted that the therapy worked well in his case, opening a new treatment opportunity during these challenging times. But it is important that we also understand that plasma therapy is no magic bullet".

During the patient's treatment at Max Hospital, Saket, other standard treatment protocols were followed and one can say that plasma therapy could have worked as a catalyst in speeding up his recovery, he added. 


"We cannot attribute 100 per cent recovery to plasma therapy only, as there are multiple factors which carved his path to recovery," he said. Hospital authorities said the family came forward to arrange a donor for extracting plasma. "The donor had recovered from the infection three weeks ago and again tested COVID-19 negative at the time of donation along with other standard tests to rule out infections like Hep B, Hep C and HIV," the statement said.


The critically ill patient was administered fresh plasma as a treatment modality as a side-line to standard treatment protocols on the night of April 14, it said. After receiving the treatment, the patient showed progressive improvement and by the fourth day, he was weaned off ventilator support and continued on supplementary oxygen thereafter, the hospital authorities said. 


He has been shifted to a room with round-the-clock monitoring at present. He has started taking oral feed since Sunday and is faring well, they said. Budhiraja said, "One donor can donate 400 ml of plasma which can save two lives, as 200 ml is sufficient to treat one patient". The patient is now doing well and his two consecutive COVID-19 tests have come negative, the hospital authorities said. -- PTI 
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14:53   Mason uses lockdown to dig a well, hits water on 21st day
While many are using the lockdown period to try out Dalgona coffee or play online 'antakshari', a couple from Maharashtra dug a little deeper for an answer to their woes. Literally. In 21 days after the lockdown began, Gajanan Pakmode and his wife Pushpa dug a 25-feet deep well outside their house. 

"On the 21st day of digging, we hit water and our joy knew no bounds," a beaming Gajanan, a resident of Karkheda village in Washim district, said. A mason, he used his professional skills in digging the well and was supported by his wife in the process, while his two children cheered on. 

"When the district administration told us to stay at home due to the lockdown, we decided to do something. Both of us discussed what should be done. I asked my wife to perform a 'puja' in front of our home and then began digging," he said. 

They did not use any mechancial equipment and relied on hand tools for the digging. "At first, our neighbours ridiculed us, but we went on. We hit water at 25 feet after 21 days of digging," Gajanan said. He said a major reason for digging the well was that the local water supply scheme is shut most of the time and digging the well was a better option to staring at the dry tap. 

"We are glad we did so, as we now have a permanent remedy for our water woes," he said. -- PTI
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14:47   Rajasthan CM asks Centre to release more wheat
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday demanded that the Centre release more wheat to the state in view of the increasing demand for ration by people amid the lockdown. The Food Corporation of India reserves, he noted, are full of wheat stock. "The demand for ration has increased during lockdown as a large number of families are asking for wheat to be distributed through public distribution system. The state government has requested the central government to release more wheat so that no one suffers from hunger during this crisis,' Gehlot said.   


"The Food Corporation of India reserves are full of wheat stocks and new crop will also be ready soon. In this situation, I am hopeful of a positive decision from central government and that more wheat will be released for ration to the states soon," he tweeted. 


The chief minister said that the state government will provide all possible help to the underprivileged until the economy is back on track. However, he said, the role of central government is crucial in bringing the economy on track.   


He said that destitute and those not covered by any social security scheme are the state government's 'target group' and the government will support them. "We understand that the problems faced by the middle class are different and the problems of the lower middle class are of different nature. The state government is making efforts for the welfare of all sections, but the role of central government is crucial in bringing the economy on track,' he said.   


Gehlot said that a number of states have written several letters to the central government seeking help and have demanded a relief package. "I hope the government of India must be working on it and announcement for financial assistance to the states will be made soon,' he said. PTI


Image: Labourers unload rice from a goods train during to a  FCI godown in Assam. Pic: ANI 
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14:41   As migrants walk, buses for stranded MP students
Amid the coronavirus lockdown, 150 sanitised and cleaned buses left from Gwalior for Kota this morning to bring back around 10,000 students from Madhya Pradesh who are stranded there. A three-member team led by Additional Commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Gwalior, Dinesh Shukla is also going to Kota.

The Madhya Pradesh students will be identified by the Kota administration and then sent to their homes on the buses. "All these vehicles will come back today with the children. A control room is also being set up by the district administration for arranging to bring the children of Madhya Pradesh from Kota and to take them home. Coordination work will be done through this control room," MB Ojha, Gwalior Divisional Commissioner said. -- ANI


Image: A woman with a 10-month-old baby and other migrant workers walk from Telangana to Nagpur on Monday. Pic: ANI
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Representational image
14:17   19 nurses, 6 staff of Pune hospital test +ve, all were asymptomatic
Nineteen nurses and six other paramedical staff members of the Ruby Hall Clinic in Pune have tested positive for coronavirus, authorities said on Tuesday. All of them are currently asymptomatic and stable, Ruby Hall Clinic's Chief Executive Officer Bomi Bhote said. 


Last week, a nurse working in the general ward of the leading private hospital in Pune in Maharashtra tested positive for COVID-19. The hospital subsequently screened 1,000 of its staff members. "The test reports of 19 nurses and six other staff members, including clinical assistants, came out positive. All of them are asymptomatic and absolutely stable," Bhote said. 


All the staff members who have tested positive for COVID-19 have been quarantined at an isolation facility and all their primary contacts have been traced and tested.  "Our collective, coordinated and comprehensive approach has ensured that not a single (non-coronavirus) patient in the hospital got infected," he added.


"This highlights that thevirus lurks at large amidst us  even without obvious visible symptoms. These persons have now been isolated from potential contacts to further break the chain of coronavirus spread," Bhote said
Eerily empty streets in Tokyo
Eerily empty streets in Tokyo
14:12   220 Indians stranded in Japan beg: Bring us home!
A research scholar waiting to meet his newborn baby, a graduate worried about the job offer in Bangalore and a pregnant woman whose four-day work trip now stretches interminably are among the at least 220 Indians stranded in Japan and getting increasingly desperate to return home. Stuck in a foreign land as COVID-19 tightens its grip on many countries, dwindling financial resources and expired medical insurances are adding to their tensions. 


The group of 220 Indians, including 92 dependants, have collectively reached out to the Indian Embassy in Tokyo asking to be evacuated to India, which has been under lockdown since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on March 24. 


In a signed letter, the stranded Indians have also assured that they will quarantine themselves when back and cooperate with authorities. Japan's partial lockdown is also a source of worry with some saying they live in constant fear of getting infected with the coronavirus that has infected more than 2.4 million people and claimed over 1,70,000 lives. 

According to Indian government officials, bringing back stranded Indians is an ongoing process. "Some questions have come about Indians abroad. It is a situation where we cannot give a definite answer because the lockdown is still there. We need to assess the situation... it will be the government's decision on how we manage the return of Indians from other countries," Dammu Ravi, COVID-19 coordinator, said at press conference. -- PTI
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13:05   Five ministers take oath in MP's first cabinet expansion
Narottam Mishra, Kamal Patel, Meena Singh, Tulsi Silawat and Govind Singh Rajput on Tuesday took oath as ministers in Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's cabinet.This is the state's first cabinet expansion almost a month after Shivraj Singh Chouhan was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.


On March 23 last month, Chouhan took oath as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh following the resignation of 22 Congress MLAs that led to the fall of Kamal Nath-led Congress government in the state. -- ANI
Princess Hend Al Qassimi, a member of the UAE royal family
Princess Hend Al Qassimi, a member of the UAE royal family
12:56   India's envoy in UAE reminds diaspora of rule of law amidst outrage over 'Islamophobic' slurs
India's ambassador in the UAE has reminded the diaspora living in the Gulf country of the importance of adhering to the rule of law, saying discrimination is against "our moral fabric" as some Indians posted "Islamophobic" comments on social media platforms, triggering outrage from the Arab citizens. 


Ambassador of India to the UAE Pavan Kapoor quoted a tweet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who said that COVID-19 does not see race, religion, colour, caste, creed, language or borders before striking. 


"Our response and conduct thereafter should attach primacy to unity and brotherhood. We are in this together," Modi said in the tweet. The envoy in his tweet said India and the UAE share the value of non-discrimination on any grounds. 


"Discrimination is against our moral fabric and the Rule of law. Indian nationals in the UAE should always remember this," he said. 


His remarks on Twitter came after comments of some Indians, including that of BJP Member of Parliament for Bengaluru South Lok Sabha constituency Tejasvi Surya, started doing the rounds on social media, with several people terming them as "Islamophobic". 

The offensive comments of Indians triggered an outrage from the Arab nationals who took to social media to condemn and question their remarks. Princess Hend Al Qassimi, a member of the UAE royal family, took note of the offensive remarks and said that the UAE law applies on nationals and non-nationals in terms of hate speech. She said last week that "anyone that is openly racist and discriminatory in the UAE will be fined and made to leave the country". The screenshot of BJP MP Surya's now-deleted tweet was shared multiple times on Twitter with people condemning the leader for his "Islamophobic" remarks on Arab women.
2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi
2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi
12:50   Pak removes names from terrorist watch list
Pakistan has quietly removed around 1,800 terrorists from its watch list, including that of the 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind and LeT operations commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, ahead of a new round of assessments by the global anti-money-laundering watchdog FATF, according to a US-based start-up that automates watchlist compliance. The so-called proscribed persons list, which is maintained by Pakistan's National Counter Terrorism Authority or NACTA, is intended in part to help financial institutions avoid doing business with or processing transactions of suspected terrorists. The list in 2018 contained about 7,600 names. It has been reduced to under 3,800 in the past 18 months, according to Castellum.
AI, a New York-based regulatory technology company. About 1,800 of the names have been removed since the beginning of March, according to data collected by Castellum. 


Pakistan is working to implement an action plan that has been mutually agreed to with the Paris-based The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), part of which involves "demonstrating effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions." It is possible that these removals are part of Pakistan's action plan to implement the FATF recommendations, it said. While Pakistan received a rating of "low' effectiveness from the FATF regarding terrorist financing preventive measures and financial sanctions, the FATF did note in February that Pakistan has largely addressed 14 of 27 action items, with varying levels of progress made on the rest of the action, it said. The FATF will again evaluate Pakistan's progress in June 2020. -- PTI
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12:45   Karnataka Minister asks CM to screen journalists for COVID-19
Alarmed by reports that 53 media persons have contracted coronavirus in Maharashtra, a Minister on Tuesday urged Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to screen all the journalists in Karnataka. During the regular COVID-19 related briefing on Monday, a reporter had raised the issue of 53 journalists in the neighbouring state testing positive for the disease, with Minister for Primary and Secondary Education S Suresh Kumar. 


In his letter to the CM, Kumar said a similar test should be carried on the journalists in Karnataka. "The journalists wanted a similar kind of screening to be carried out on them. Therefore, please direct the health and the information department immediately to conduct the screening of journalists who are in contact with public," Kumar said. -- PTI
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12:38   Sharad Pawar condemns Palghar lynching incident
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has condemned the recent incident of mob lynching in Maharashtra's Palghar in which three people were beaten to death on suspicion of being thieves. "Whatever happened in Palghar should not have happened, it is unfortunate and condemnable. Police acted quickly on them and arrested over 100 people involved in the incident on the same night," said Pawar.


"Some people are talking and raising question about law and order situation of the State even when the incident occurred due to some roumours...this is not good. We make such comments in normal times but this is not the time to do so. We all collectively need focus on fight against corona," he added.


He continued saying that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also spoke about the incident and he is doing whatever can be done in this matter. 


Palgarh Police on Sunday arrested 110 people including nine juveniles, in connection with the lynching of three persons by the villagers, suspecting them as thieves.


While 101 people have been remanded in police custody till April 30, nine others have been sent to a juvenile home.Three people, who were travelling from Kandivali in Mumbai to Gujarat via interior roads of Palghar, were beaten to death on April 17 by Gadchinchle villagers, suspecting them as thieves, police said.

The three men were taken to the hospital where they were declared brought dead, police said. -- ANI
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12:37   Pakistan reports 16 more deaths, confirmed cases tops 9,000
Pakistan on Tuesday reported 16 more deaths from the coronavirus, taking the country's toll to 192, while the number of confirmed spiked to over 9,000. Prime Minister Imran Khan said his government was fully cognizant of the problems being faced by the people and making efforts to resolve their issues with the cooperation of the provincial governments. The Minister of National Health Services reported that 16 people died during the last 24 hours, taking the total toll to 192. The total number of confirmed cases reached 9,216 after 796 new infections were reported. On the positive side, 2,066 patients had fully recovered. -- PTI
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12:20   CNN journalists tests +ve for COVID-19
CNN's Richard Quest tests positive: @richardquest tweeted, "I have caught coronavirus. I am blessed in that I have few symptoms - just a cough. I am saving my prayers and thoughts for those less fortunate. Stay in. And protect lives."
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12:12   Maha retains top spot with 4,676 COVID-19 cases
472 more COVID-19 cases have been reported in Maharashtra till 10 am today, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the state to 4,676, according to the Public Health Department, Government of Maharashtra.The department said that nine more deaths have been reported, taking the total death toll in the state to 232.


As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India's total number of coronavirus cases has spiked to 18,601, of which 14,759 patients are active cases and 3,252 cases have been recovered/ migrated and 590 deaths have been reported till now. -- PTI


Image: Bags for the milkman to drop in pouches hang at the the gate of a residential complex in Mumbai. Pic: ANI
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11:55   Delhi govt to test journalists for coronavirus
And this is what Delhi is doing for journalists: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said his government will conduct COVID-19 test on mediapersons in the national capital, after 53 scribes tested positive for novel coronavirus in Mumbai. Responding to a tweet in which a person requested the CM to arrange mass COVID-19 test for mediapersons in Delhi on the lines of the one carried out in Mumbai, Kejriwal said, "Sure. We will do that." 

However, the chief minister did not elaborate. During a special camp organised at the Azad Maidan in Mumbai on April 16 and 17 for COVID-19 testing of scribes, the BMC had collected swab samples of 171 mediapersons, including electronic and print media journalists, photographers and cameramen. Out of the 171 mediapersons, 53 tested positive for the coronavirus. 
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11:51   Mumbai press club demands protection from CM after scribes test +ve
The Mumbai Press Club has written to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray asking for immediate assistance after 53 journalists tested positive for the coronavirus. In the letter, the Mumbai Press Club President Gurbir Singh, said that since the media was considered a part of  'essential services', it is incumbent on the government to ensure that all media companies immediately provide proper transport, safety equipment and sanitized space to work, and in its absence, the state government should ensure necessary personal protective equipment and sanitized space to those venturing in the field.

Singh also asked for immediate testing facilities for all journalists in proximity of those who tested positive. He also said that working journalists be given an insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh and provided the protection of an essential worker.
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Representational image
11:32   Girl walks 460 km home, dies of exhaustion
A 12-yr-old girl, who was among 11 people who walked from Telangana to return to their native place in Bijapur, died on April 18. The Chief Medical Health Officer, Bijapur says "I'm yet to see her postmortem report but it seems she died either due to exhaustion, electrolyte imbalance or dehydration."

The group had gone to Telangana to work in the chilli fields. Since there's no mode of transportation they walked from Telangana. "Her body was preserved and samples were sent for testing as a precautionary measure. It came negative so further action is being taken after postmortem," the CMHO Bijapur, said. The distance to Bijapur is approximately 460 km. 

Last month, a migrant worker from Madhya Pradesh, who had left for home from Delhi on foot, died after experiencing chest pain in Agra. His death has turned the spotlight on the plight of distressed migrant labourers, many of whom decided to leg it home after the nationwide lockdown came into effect. 


Short of food and water, and with public transport off the streets, they were left with no recourse but to head home on foot.
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11:22   WB gets 1st set of COVID-19 rapid test kits
The Health Department of West Bengal said it has received the first set of rapid test kits from the Indian Council of Medical Research. This comes days after the department levelled allegations against the top medical body for supplying defective COVID-19 test kits. The department said that 78 rapid tests were conducted on Monday and two positive cases have been found.

"In our continuous endeavour to ramp up #Covid19 testing, upon receiving the first set of #RapidTestKits from ICMR day before yesterday, 78 #rapidtests were carried out yesterday- 64 in Howrah & 14 in Kolkata. Only 2 cases were found positive, both from Kolkata #BengalFightsCorona," the state Department of Health and Family Welfare tweeted.

Earlier, the state health department of West Bengal had alleged defective test kits supplied by the ICMR being the reason behind the delay in COVID-19 testing in the state. -- ANI
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11:20   Civil services has handled COVID-19 situation with professionalism: Prez
President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday praised civil servants for handling the COVID-19 situation with sensitivity and professionalism. The civil services has played a key role in implementing policies and programmes for public welfare, Kovind said on occasion of the Civil Services Day. "In the present times too, the steel frame of our country, the civil service, has shown its strength and resolve in handling COVID-19 situation, with sensitivity and professionalism. Confident that our civil services will continue to serve in the best traditions of public service," he tweeted. 


The president greeted present and former civil servants and their families on the occasion. The government of India celebrates April  21 every year as 'civil services day' as an occasion for the civil servants to rededicate themselves to the cause of citizens and renew their commitments to public service and excellence in work. 


This date is chosen to commemorate the day when the first home minister of independent India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel addressed the probationers of Administrative Services Officers in 1947 at Metcalf House, Delhi, he referred to civil servants as the 'steel frame of India'. -- PTI 
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11:00   New York launches widespread COVID-19 antibody testing
New York on Monday (local time) launched a large-scale COVID-19 antibody testing of random samples in an effort to find out how much of its population has been infected with the coronavirus. The testing is run by the state's health department and started with 3,000 samples this week based on a random selection of the state's 19 million people, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was quoted by Xinhua news agency.


The testing is regarded as a key step to determine when and how to reopen the state's economy, while scientists voiced concern over its accuracy.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said there is still "way to go" to trust antibody testing in making the reopening decision.

"Unless that test has been validated and you can show there's a correlation between the antibody and protection, it is an assumption to say that this is something that we can work with," Fauci said on Monday's "Good Morning America" on ABC.


According to Cuomo, New York state recorded 478 COVID-19 deaths on Sunday, the lowest single-day death toll in weeks.


Though the state has passed the plateau, no one knows how long will it take to trek down the other side, said Cuomo.


"Think about what we've gone through. Think about how many New Yorkers we've lost and are still losing. We must tread very carefully," he warned.The governor once again called on the federal government to provide funding to hard-hit states like New York, which needs hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars to fill its budget hole.


Cuomo said hospitals, schools and local government could face some 20 per cent budget cut unless Congress passes a 500-billion-dollar state aid bill in the coming days.


He said that if the federal government could fund businesses, it should not forget about "teachers and police officers and firefighters and transit workers and health care workers and nursing home staff" who are funded with the state budget.

Cuomo also called on Washington to provide hazard pay for essential public workers who are risking their lives on the front lines day in and day out and proposed a 50 per cent bonus for them.


"Essential public workers are the ones on the front lines every day carrying us through this crisis, and we must ensure their efforts and sacrifice are appropriately recognized," said the governor.

"This crisis is not over yet, and as long as these workers continue to work and expose themselves to the virus, they should be properly compensated," he added. -- ANI
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10:53   Chinese medics may be injected with COVID19 vaccine by year end
China plans to inject Chinese medics with coronavirus vaccines by year-end to protect them to deal with any emergency situation, while 11 new confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported in the country with no deaths due to the virus, health officials said. China's National Health Commission on Tuesday said that 11 new confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported on Monday, of which four were imported. 


The other seven new cases were domestically transmitted, the NHC said in a daily report, noting that six cases were reported in Heilongjiang Province bordering Russia and one in Guangdong Province. 


The overall confirmed cases in China have reached 82,758 by Monday. 


No death was reported on Monday. Altogether 4,632 people have died of the disease, it said. Also, 37 new asymptomatic cases, including two from abroad, were reported on the mainland with 992 cases, including 180 from abroad, were still under medical observation. 


However, Chinese health officials apprehend a second wave of the coronavirus attack especially from hundreds of Chinese nationals returning from abroad. A Chinese health expert Zhang Wenhong said recently that China could be hit by a second wave of coronavirus cases in November this year as winter returns but by that time the country would be well prepared to deal with COVID-19. 


Gao Fu, director of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in an emergency situation, some Chinese medics would be injected with coronavirus vaccines. In accordance with how the epidemic develops, in case of emergency, some medical staff would be injected with a newly developed coronavirus vaccine, Gao said, noting that any medicines and vaccines have their own research and development cycles. -- PTI
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10:46   Don't let corona crisis go waste: Ex-advisor to PM
Eminent economist Arvind Panagariya has said that India must now think long-term to create better paying formal sector jobs by seizing the opportunity presented by multinationals possibly moving out of China to diversify their operations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Panagariya, Professor of Economics at Columbia University and Director, Raj Center at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs, emphasised that the one thing the current crisis has revealed is the vulnerability of Indian workers to a shock that forces a near end of economic activity.  

"The COVID-19 pandemic is a "time for thinking long-term. It will be a pity to let the crisis go to waste. The current crisis will only last till a vaccine becomes available. We must think beyond that," Panagariya told PTI. 

"After 70 years of development effort, we have still left our workers predominantly employed on tiny farms (70 million of them averaging less than a quarter hectare in size) and in informal or self-employment in tiny enterprises that give them barely subsistence level of income on a daily basis." 

Panagariya stressed that the COVID19 crisis has made it evident that India needs to create better paid, formal sector jobs and that requires moving workers out of tiny farms and enterprises into more productive and better paying jobs. 


"That in turn requires a shift of industrial and services activity away from micro enterprises to small, medium and large ones." Another opportunity that looks to arise from the crisis is that there is bound to be acceleration of the movement of multinationals out of China into other parts of the world. 


"Multinationals will be seeking greater diversification of their activities in the wake of Corona. India must not miss this opportunity," Panagariya said. He elaborated that one policy measure would be to give a serious thought to the creation of Autonomous Economic Zones in which local authorities are given as much authority to make policy as exists in Chinese cities such as Shenzhen. The crisis also gives the government the opportunity to introduce reforms in areas of land and labour markets that are harder in "peace" time, he said adding that the Land Acquisition Act must be reformed. Likewise, greater flexibility is necessary in labour markets so that enterprises in labour intensive sectors gain confidence to become larger thereby taking advantage of scale economies.
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10:24   UPI transactions drop in March, RTGS shoots up due to lockdown
After constantly rising for the past several months, the volume, as well as value, of transactions through UPI payment system dropped in March due to the 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed to combat the coronavirus infection. Unified Payments Interface is an instant payment system developed by the National Payments Corporation of India, an RBI regulated entity. UPI is built over the IMPS infrastructure and allows one to instantly transfer money to any bank account. 


According to the data, the volume of UPI transactions in March slipped to 124.68 crore from 132.57 crore in February. The value of UPI transactions too came down to Rs 2.06 lakh crore during March, from Rs 2.23 lakh crore in February. 


The number and value of transactions through the UPI had been constantly growing, barring marginal decline in some months. The 21-lockdown imposed by the government with effect from March 25 to fight coronavirus seems to have adversely impacted the transactions through UPI. 
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10:14   He helped develop the Aarogya Setu app
On April 14, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the national lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus till May 3, he referred to the Aarogya Setu app as a critical link in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Since being released on April 2, the app has seen over 50 million downloads, and the contact tracing app for COVID-19 has jumped to the top of Google Playstore. 

However, the app has also been making news for some wrong reasons, like data privacy concerns, fears that the government will use it as a surveillance tool.

Lalitesh Katragadda, former country head, Google India Products worked on the Aarogya Setu app along with a team of 30 volunteers. 

"We are probably one of the first large-scale Internet apps wherein there is no other purpose (behind collecting data) and that is a step further in the protection of users," Katragadda, below, tells Roshneesh K'Maneck/Rediff.com in the first of a two-part interview. Do read
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10:04   232 COVID-19 deaths in Maha, highest in India
The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 590 and the number of cases climbed to 18,601 on Tuesday, according to the Union health ministry. The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 14,759 while 3,251 people have been cured and discharged, and one patient has migrated, the ministry said. The total number of cases includes 77 foreign nationals. A total of 31 deaths were reported since Monday evening -- 11 fatalities were reported from Rajasthan,  nine from Maharashtra, four from Gujarat, two each from Delhi, Telengana and Tamil Nadu and one from Uttar Pradesh. 

Maharashtra tops the death toll with 232 fatalities
Madhya Pradesh at 74
Gujarat at 71
Delhi at 47
Rajasthan at 25
Telengana at 23 
Andhra Pradesh at 20. 
Uttar Pradesh 18
Tamil Nadu 17.
Punjab and Karnataka 16 deaths each. 
West Bengal 12 deaths.
Jammu and Kashmir 5 deaths
Kerala and Haryana three deaths each. 
Jharkhand and Bihar two deaths each
Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha and Assam have reported one fatality each.

Image: Around 54 people were arrested in Karnataka yesterday for trying to clear barricades. Pic: ANI
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09:55   WB Guv requests CM to avoid confrontation with centre
West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday requested Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to cooperate with the centre to combat the corona crisis and avoid confrontation. "My appeal to all: Support government @MamataOfficial to contain and combat corona curse. My request to CM Mamata Banerjee to synergetically cooperate with the Central Team @PMOIndia to wean away the miseries of people. Cooperation and not confrontation between Centre and State must," Dhankhar tweeted.

According to the data published by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 392 CVID-19 positive cases have been reported from West Bengal out of which 12 have died and 73 have been cured.

A total of 18,601 confirmed cases have been reported in India including 590 deaths. 3,252 people, who were COVID-19 positive, have recovered or migrated, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Tuesday. 
-- ANI
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09:48   Guidelines issued for handling of waste generated during COVID-19 patient's treatment
Using double layered bags, mandatory labelling and colour coded bins for the management of waste generated during the diagnostics and treatment of suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients are part of the guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board. The apex pollution monitoring body said specific guidelines are required to be followed by all, including isolation wards, quarantine centres, sample collection centres, laboratories, ULBs and common biomedical waste treatment and disposal facilities, in addition to existing practices under BMW Management Rules, 2016. The CPCB has also written to the state pollution control boards and pollution control committees to consider operation of common bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facility and its associated staff as essential service part of health infrastructure. "These guidelines are based on current knowledge on COVID-19 and existing practices in management of infectious waste generated in hospitals while treating viral and other contagious diseases like HIV, H1N1, etc. These guidelines will be updated if need arises. 
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09:44   Family awaits doc on COVID-19 duty
In Chandigarh, the family of Dr Sanjay Jaswal, deployed on COVID19 duty at PGIMER, say he hasn't been able to return his home for 17 days now. His wife Dr Geetika Singh, who works at a private hospital, says, "Hopefully he'll be home if everything comes out to be negative." He's on quarantine after the duty.

"He'll be there for 6 more days. Then he'll be tested. He'll be home if the test comes out negative. Everytime I go to attend a case, I've to lock up my child at home. He is 7-years-old. People are not ready to keep him even for an hour as they are scared."
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09:38   This coconut climber is also a frontline warrior
Gireesh, a coconut tree climber is a familiar face for police in Alappuzha. Ever since the lockdown has started, this Kalavoor native has been fetching free food and water for them as his token of appreciation for the work they render for the society.

"I see this man wearing shabby clothes, travelling on his two-wheeler on a daily basis and exchanging pleasantries with cops on duty. When I enquired about him, the policemen told me that the man supplies them with water and snacks daily," said Tolson Joseph, Kalavoor, Sub Inspector.

Joseph said that even if the police refuse, Gireesh leaves behind the water and snacks. Like health workers, police are also on the frontline of the battle against COVID-19 and such gestures by the laypeople are motivational.


Kunjumol, a policewoman said that Gireesh brings water and bananas to beat duty police at all points. "His action is a welcome gesture as he is appreciating our work. We are carrying out our duty in this hot weather and during this lockdown no shops are open. Though our department supplies food and water, by his work he is helping us," she said.

Reshmi, another constable also has all praise for Gireesh. " From his limited income, he is doing this for us. He goes to all the points where police are on duty and supplies water and snacks. Also, under this scorching heat when we are doing our duty his act is of great help, " she said.

Gireesh earns less than Rs 100 for climbing a coconut tree."From my earnings, I am spending a part on these police personnel, who are performing their duty for all of us during the coronavirus outbreak. I don't have money to buy them big meals. But I do what I can- be it a banana or a bottle of soda," said the coconut tree climber. -- PTI
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09:23   Pregnant healthcare worker continues attending to patients
And the selfless doctors working in the frontlines to keep COVID-19 at bay. In Chhattisgarh, Santoshi Manikpuri, a health care professional in Kerawahi village of Kondagaon district, has been attending to patients even in the 8th month of her pregnancy. She says, "I am happy to do my work and that I am getting to serve the country in a time like this. It is a matter of honour that we serve people. I am happy to do my work, and that I am getting to serve the country in a time like this. I have the full support of my family and husband. They keep encouraging me in my work." 
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09:01   18,601 COVID-19 cases in India, 590 deaths
India COVID-19 tally: 47 deaths and 1336 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. India's total number of  Coronavirus positive cases rises to 18,601 (including 14759 active cases, 3252 cured/discharged/migrated and 590 deaths), says the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
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08:54   125 families isolated after person tests +ve in Rashtrapati Bhavan
After one positive case of coronavirus was found in Rashtrapati Bhavan, 125 families have been advised to remain in self-isolation as per the Union Health Ministry's guidelines, according to sources. Till now, over 2000 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Delhi. As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of coronavirus cases in India is 17,656, of which 14,255 are active cases and 2,842 have recovered/migrated. As many as 559 deaths have been reported so far. -- ANI
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08:52   Kim Jong Un in grave danger after surgery, says US
North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, is in grave danger following a surgery this month, according to a US intelligence official with direct knowledge.Kim recently missed the celebration of his grandfather's birthday on April 15, which raised speculation about his well-being. He had been seen four days before that at a government meeting, according to intelligence reports cited by CNN.


The National Security Council and Office of the Director of National Intelligence have however declined to comment on the matter.


CNN has also reached out to the CIA and the State Department for comment and sought comment from the South Koreans.Kim's absences from official state media often spark speculation and rumors about his health. North Korea has no free press and is often a black hole when it comes to the country's leadership. 


Analysts are heavily reliant on scanning state media dispatches and watching propaganda videos for any semblance of a clue.Kim last appeared in North Korean state media on April 11. April 15 -- North Korea's most important holiday, the anniversary of the birth of the country's founding father, Kim Il Sung -- came and went without any official mention of Kim Jong Un's movements.Experts are unsure of what to make of Kim's absence from any festivities celebrating his grandfather. 


When North Korean leaders have not shown up to these important celebrations in the past, it has portended major developments. But it has also turned out to be nothing."There have been a number of recent rumours about Kim's health (smoking, heart, and brain). If Kim is hospitalized, it would explain why he wasn't present on the important April 15th celebrations," said Bruce Klingner, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation and former CIA deputy division chief for North Korea. 


"But, over the years, there have been a number of false health rumors about Kim Jong-un or his father. We'll have to wait and see."


Kim Jong Il's absence from a parade celebrating North Korea's 60th anniversary in 2008 was followed by rumblings that he was in poor health. It was later revealed he had a stroke, after which his health continued to decline until his death in 2011.


Kim Jong Un disappeared from the public eye for more than a month in 2014, which also prompted speculation about his health. He returned sporting a cane, and days later South Korean intelligence said that he had a cyst removed from his ankle. -- ANI
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08:48   Trump to temporarily suspend immigration to US
Update: President Donald Trump has said that he will sign an executive order to temporarily suspend immigration into America, amid the coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 40,000 people in the US, the country with the most fatalities in the pandemic. The number of people killed in the US due to COVID-19 has reached 42,094, according to Johns Hopkins University, and more than 750,000 cases have been confirmed. 


"In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!' Trump said in a tweet late on Monday night. 


Details of the Trump's executive order were not immediately known. He also did not indicate when he will sign such an order. While Trump talked about suspending immigration visa, the H-1B visa, which is more popular among Indian IT professionals, is a non-immigrant visa. But his reasoning that he needs to protect jobs of American citizens indicates that non-immigrant work visas too might be on his target. 

The United States, due to coronavirus, has experienced a record layoff. As off last week, a record number of 22 million Americans have applied for unemployment benefits. Trump has already closed the Northern and Southern border that attracts a large number of illegal immigrants. 


Travel restrictions and closing of consulate services in many countries including India are already having an impact on issuing of new H-1B visas. Last month, the United States suspended all routine visa services around the world due to the global coronavirus pandemic. Globally, more than 2.4 million people have been infected with the virus and over 165,000 killed, according to the the univeristy tracker. -- PTI
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08:46   Trump to temporarily suspend immigration to US
US President Donald Trump says he will temporarily suspend immigration to the country. In a tweet, Trump said, "In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!" Details awaited. 
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08:39   If distancing followed, Maha liquor shops can function: Tope
Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Monday said there should not be any ban on liquor shops in the state if social distancing measures, in place to curb the COVID-19 spread, are strictly followed.
 
Liquor shops are closed in the state since late month when the coronavirus-enforced lockdown was implemented.
"If social distancing is properly maintained, there should not be any ban on liquor shops," he said.
Tope was replying to a question on the state government not clarifying, in its April 17 notification, whether liquor shops will be allowed to remain open after it permitted resumption of industrial and business activities in
non-coronavirus hotspots.
The health minister did not provide further details, but his response gave impression about possibility of allowing liquor shops to function with social distancing measures in place.
However, senior officials in the excise department categorically nixed any such possibility.
Liquor shops are closed as per the orders issued under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and the Disaster Management Act, 2005, because they do not fall in the category of essential commodities, a senior excise official told PTI.
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08:28   China hoarded PPE, selling it at high rates: WH
The United States has "evidence" that in January and February, China bought 18 times more amount of masks and personal protective equipment, which they are now selling at high rates, a top White House official has claimed.
 
Peter Navarro, White House Director of Trade and Manufacturing, alleged on Monday that several countries, including India and Brazil, were not having enough PPE because Beijing was hoarding them.
 
"China vacuumed up all of the personal protective equipment around the world while it was hiding the virus," Navarro told Fox Business News in an interview.
 
"I have evidence directly from the Chinese government customs duty union that shows that, in the months of January and February, they bought 18 times more amount of masks," he said. "It was over two billion masks alone. They increased their expenditures of both goggles and gloves."
 
According to Navarro, Europe, India, Brazil and others  don't have adequate PPE because China "is hoarding it".
 
"Not only China is hoarding, but is also selling these at a high rate," the official said. "They are also selling it back to the world at prices that are obscene.
 
Navarro said such kinds of things needed to be investigated, adding that it was not the right way for a country to behave in an international order that they claim they want to be part of. 
 
According to the official, one of the big takeaways is that the US had to onshore its production, particularly for its medicines, medical supplies and equipment. -- PTI
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08:06   Pray at home during Ramzan: Tablighi Jamaat leader
Tablighi Jamaat leader Maulana Saad Kandhalvi, who has been booked by the Delhi Police for holding a religious congregation in New Delhi during the lockdown, on Monday urged the followers of the organisation to pray at home in the month of Ramzan.
   
"I request all, both in India and abroad, to strictly follow the guidelines and instructions of the local or national governments and till the time restrictions are in place and please observe prayers at home. And even in this, we should not invite people from outside," he said in a statement.
Ramzan begins later this week.
 
While addressing an online briefing on Sunday, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal cited the Tablighi Jamaat congregation last month, a major hotspot, and the large inflow of travellers from other countries to Delhi as the reasons for the spread of the virus, and said the city was "fighting a difficult battle".
 
The Delhi Police crime branch, had on March 31, lodged an FIR against seven people, including the cleric, on a complaint by the Station House Officer of Nizamuddin police station for holding the congregation in alleged violation of the orders against large gatherings to contain the spread of coronavirus.
 
Later, the Indian Penal Code Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) was added to the FIR.
 The cleric is wanted by the Delhi Police and he responded twice to them. 

He is currently under home quarantine.
 
In an audio message released earlier this month, Kandhalvi had said he was exercising self-quarantine after several hundreds who visited the congregation at Nizamudddin Markaz tested positive for coronavirus. -- PTI 

Image: Tablighi Jamaat leader Maulana Saad Kandhalvi
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00:12   Prince Philip sends message for health workers
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, on Monday sent out a special message for those working across the UK in the fight against COVID-19.

In a statement, the 98-year-old royal said, "As we approach World Immunisation Week, I wanted to recognise the vital and urgent work being done by so many to tackle the pandemic, by those in the medical and scientific professions, at universities and research institutions, all united in working to protect us from COVID-19." 

"On behalf of those of us who remain safe and at home, I also wanted to thank all key workers who ensure the infrastructure of our life continues, the staff and volunteers working in food production and distribution, those keeping postal and delivery services going, and those ensuring the rubbish continues to be collected," he was quoted by CNN as saying.

The Queen and Prince Philip are currently in residence at Windsor Castle.

On Monday, the UK reported 449 new deaths in its hospitals taking the death toll to 16,509. The country has reported 121,174 confirmed cases so far.

-- ANI

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