The US does not have certainty regarding the origin of the novel coronavirus, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has told reporters.

"We don't have certainty and there is significant evidence that it came from a laboratory," he said. "Those statements can both be true. I've made them both."

On Sunday, Pompeo said he had seen "enormous evidence" the virus came from a Wuhan laboratory, prompting China to ask him to reveal the evidence behind his claim.

The intelligence community has said the virus was not manmade or genetically modified, though they are looking into its origins. On Tuesday, the Pentagon said it had no conclusive evidence Covid-19 was intentionally released.

In response to a question from the BBC's Barbara Plett Usher on his assertions about the virus' origins, Pompeo said there was "no separation" in the answers from different US officials.

"We're all trying to get clarity."

Barbara Plett Usher says Pompeo's comments are "the latest salvo in what's been a torrent of criticism from the Trump administration".

"Other countries have criticised Chinese behaviour and some are demanding accountability," she notes. "But critics believe the Trump administration is also trying to deflect attention from its own slow response to the virus by hitting Beijing so hard."

At least 30,076 people have died from coronavirus in the UK, the country's Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said on Wednesday. 

The country now has the highest confirmed death toll in Europe and the second-highest death toll in the world, behind the United States.

The number of people who tested positive for the virus stands at at least 201,101 with 13,615 people currently hospitalized.

Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday asked the government why stranded migrant workers continued to walk on highways from one state to another and also about its promise of transporting them to their homes in buses or trains.

  

He also alleged that the pandemic has made every minister and official unaccountable.

"I see images on TV of people walking on the highways from one state to another state. Why is government totally oblivious to and uncaring of their plight?

"What happened to the promise that the migrant workers will be transported by bus and train? Why are these people still walking to their home states," he asked in a series of tweets.

The former Union minister also said that no one in the government answered any questions asked by the opposition or by the people.

"The pandemic has made every minister and official unaccountable," he said. 

His tweets referred to groups of migrants including pregnant women and children walking for many kilometres on highways to reach their homes.

For bringing citizens with feature phones and landlines under the protection of Aarogya Setu, an 'Aarogya Setu Interactive Voice Response System' has been implemented, the ministry of health and family welfare said.

This service is available across the country. It is a toll-free service, where citizens are asked to give a missed call to the number 1921 and they will get a call back requesting for inputs regarding their health, as per an official statement. 

The questions asked are aligned with Aarogya Setu app, and based on the responses given, citizens will also get an SMS indicating their health status and further alerts for their health moving forward, the statement added.

The service is implemented in 11 regional languages similar to the mobile application. The input provided by the citizen will be made part of Aarogya Setu database and information is processed to send alerts to the citizen on the action to be taken to ensure their safety.

As a prominent preventive measure, the Union Government had earlier launched Aarogya Setu app. The mobile app is developed by the Ministry of Electronics and IT. It enables people to assess themselves the risk of their catching the COVID-19 infection.

The twelfth person infected by coronavirus in Vatican City works for Pope Francis, the Holy See Press Office said today. 

The person has been working remotely since early March and is now under observation at home, the Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni said. 

Vatican City is the seat of the Catholic church and has been a sovereign state in the middle of Rome since 1929. It has 605 residents, all with a Vatican City passport and who are out of Italy's legal jurisdiction. 

The pandemic has radically changed the way the Vatican operates, with the Pope celebrating Palm Sunday mass in an empty church and the sites normally packed with tourists empty.

The 83-year-old Pope, who has a damaged lung from an infection in his 20s, has twice tested negative for coronavirus. He is being distanced from anyone who might be carrying the virus, takes his meals in his private quarters, and uses hand sanitizer before and after meeting any guests, the Vatican press office said last month.

The Ahmedabad civic body will issue notices to private hospitals, clinics and nursing homes, asking them to open facilities within 48 hours or lose licence, an official said on Wednesday.

The Ahmdabad Municipal Corporation also decided to designate nine private hospitals with aggregate capacity of 1,000 beds as COVID hospitals under the Epidemic Diseases Act, an official said.

"Private clinics/nursing homes/hospitals to be issued notices to open their clinics within 48 hours and be notified that they will lose their licences otherwise," said Additional Chief Secretary Rajiv Kumar Gupta, who has been appointed to monitor works related to coronavirus in the city.

The Congress on Wednesday lauded the security forces for bringing Hizbul Mujahideen's de facto chief Reyaz Naikoo to justice, with Rahul Gandhi saying the killing of innocents by terrorists must never go unpunished.

"I congratulate our security forces for bringing the terrorist, Riyaz Naikoo, to justice. The killing of innocent people by terrorists must never go unpunished," he said on Twitter.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the party applauds the brave armymen and the entire armed forces who, despite the coronavirus pandemic, are taking on terrorists being pushed into India by the ISI and the Pakistani government. 

He said the manner in which the terrorists are pushed into India by Pakistan and the ISI is known to everybody. 

"But, the way this architecture of terror is being demolished by our armed forces makes every Indian proud of them," he said. 

"We salute their valour and bravery in demolishing this terror network on a daily basis which is now proven from the killing of the terror Commander in Jammu and Kashmir when he attacked our armed forces. Our armed forces ensured that the terror network was demolished, so we applaud them and we salute their valour," Surjewala said.

Even once the coronavirus pandemic ends, the world cannot go "back to business as usual," World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned.

"The Covid-19 pandemic will eventually recede, but there can be no going back to business as usual. We cannot continue to rush to fund panic but let preparedness go by the wayside," Tedros said during a media briefing in Geneva.

"As we work on responding to the pandemic, we must also work harder to prepare for the next one. Now is an opportunity to lay the foundations for resilient health systems around the world," Tedros said, adding that "investing in health now will save lives later."

"That includes systems to prepare, prevent and respond to emerging pathogens," Tedros said.

"History will judge all of us not only on whether we got through this pandemic, but also on the lessons we learned and the actions we took once it was over," he added.

Punjab Home Department on Wednesday said that shops would remain open from 7 am to 3 pm in the State during the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

"The state government has now decided that the shops will remain open from 7 am to 3 pm," said the state Home Department in a notification. "The district authorities shall ensure that there is no overcrowding and social distancing is maintained as already advised," adds the notification further.

It, however, said that banks shall continue to open for public works only from 9 am to 1 pm but allowed to carry out their non-public dealing office work as per their requirement.

On March 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a 21-day lockdown as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of COVID-19. The lockdown was later extended till May 3, which has now been extended to May 17.

Maharashtra on Wednesday reported  1,233 new COVID-19 cases - a fresh single-day high - taking the tally to 16,758, while 34 deaths raised the toll to 651, a health department official said.

This was the first time the state reported new COVID-19 cases in four digits in a single day, he said.

As many as 34 more patients - 25 of them in Mumbai - succumbed to the infection, taking the toll to 651, said the official.

Maharashtra COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 16,758, new cases 1,233, deaths 651, discharged 3,094, active cases 13,013, people tested so far 1,90,879.

A newborn has tested positive for COVID-19 in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, which currently has 395 cases, a health official said on Wednesday.

At least 47 new cases were reported in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday, taking the count in the region to 395, the official said.

A pregnant woman, who was being treated at a COVID-19 hospital, delivered a baby girl, whose reports have also come out positive, he said.

The positive cases include several workers and vendors from the APMC market in Vashi, he added.

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation on Wednesday decided to provide accommodation to its employees, who travel to work from other areas.

Civic personnel travelling from their homes in Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan, Ambernath, Badlapur, among other places will be provided accommodation in Navi Mumbai itself, an official said.

Home delivery of liquor will start from May 7 in Punjab with the state excise and taxation department issuing an order for opening of liquor vends on Wednesday.

  

The liquor stores would be allowed to open only during the curfew relaxation period, which is from 9 am to 1 pm, officials said.

However, the timing of delivery of liquor will be decided by the respective assistant excise and taxation commissioners in consultation with deputy commissioners, the order stated.

Though there is no provision of home delivery of liquor in the Punjab Excise Act 1914 and the Excise Rules, the decision in this regard has been taken to ensure social distancing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it said.

The delivery of liquor at people's doorsteps will be allowed only during the lockdown period, the order said.

Only two litres of liquor will be allowed through home delivery to a buyer against a cash memo.

People deputed for home delivery of liquor will be issued identity cards by the department and they will also carry curfew pass, as per the order.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has spoken with the leaders of all 16 German states, and is now giving a press conference about how to lift the lockdown.

"The first phase of the pandemic is behind us," she said, although she said the country is "still very much in early phases of pandemic and will be in it for the long haul".

Social distancing will remain in place until 5 June - but Germany will now start to loosen its restrictions.

Two households will be allowed to meet in public, she said.

Angela Merkel has also said the latest figures from Germany's Robert Koch Institute, which has been reporting on confirmed cases and deaths, have been "very good news".

"The figures are still low [after lifting measures] so that's something I'm very pleased about," she said.

But restrictions will be put back in place if those infections rise again.

A Delhi Police constable who was brought dead to RML hospital on May 5, has been found positive for coronavirus in the report of his sample that came on Wednesday, Delhi Police said.

The deceased was posted in North West Delhi's Bharat Nagar police station. Police officials said he got sick last night and felt uneasy. "Yesterday he felt sick and was examined by a doctor in Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital. He was given medication and also tested for COVID-19. The report was awaited," said Delhi Police.

Police said he was sent to RML Hospital in the evening where he was reported brought dead. The post mortem is yet to be conducted. The constable is survived by his wife and a 3-year-old son.

The Delhi government has announced summer vacation in schools run and aided by the government from May 11 to June 30, officials said on Wednesday.

   

The government has also clarified that students will not be called to schools for any vacation-related activity in view of the COVID-19 situation.

 

"Due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the teaching and learning activities in the schools have been suspended since March 23. The lockdown has further extended upto May 1.

 

"The summer vacations in government and government aided schools shall be observed from May 11 to June 30. However, keeping in view the COVID-19 pandemic, students shall not be called to schools for any teaching learning activity during summer vacation," a senior official of the Directorate of Education said. -- PTI

The government on Wednesday banned exports of alcohol-based hand sanitisers to boost its availability in the domestic market amid coronavirus pandemic.

 

"Alcohol based hand sanitisers are prohibited for exports," directorate general of foreign trade said in a notification.

Sanitisers are used as disinfectant to prevent the spread of the deadly virus. -- PTI 

Hizbul Mujahideen commander Reyaz Naikoo's death must not be used as an excuse by some to put more people in "harm's way by provoking violence and protests", former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday.  

 

In a tweet, Omar said Naikoo's destiny was decided the moment he picked up the gun and adopted the path of violence and terror. 

"His death must not be used as an excuse by some to put more people in harms way by provoking violence & protests," he said.

Naikoo, on the run for eight years, was killed on Wednesday by security forces in his village in Kashmir's Pulwama district.

The gunning down of the top terrorist commander comes three days after eight security personnel, including two Army officers Colonel Ashutosh Sharma and Major Anuj Sood, were killed in Handwara.

News of the killing of 35-year-old Naikoo, who carried a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head and had escaped the police thrice, led to some incidents of people pelting stones at security forces. However, this was handled with care to ensure there was was no collateral damage, an official said. -- PTI

Public transport services may resume operations soon and the government is formulating guidelines for safe usage adhering to social distancing norms to check the spread of coronavirus, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday.

 

"Public transport is likely to resume soon... Guidelines will be there," Road Transport, Highways and MSME Minister Gadkari said addressing members of Bus and Car Operators Confederation of India through video conference.

 

He said opening of transport and highways will go a long way in instilling confidence among the public and cautioned towards maintaining social distance and adopting all safety measures like hand wash, sanitizing, face masks, etc while operating buses and cars.

 

On demand of a bailout for passenger transport industry, Gadkari said the government is fully aware of their problems, and will fully support them to mitigate their issues.

 

He said that he is in regular touch with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who are working overtime to uplift the economy during these difficult days of COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The minister also asked investors and the industry to convert the coronavirus-induced crisis into an opportunity by occupying larger global market.

"Economy is facing crisis due to coronavirus outbreak... We should treat it as blessing in disguise as no one wants to deal with China. Japan's PM is facilitating industry there to do investment out of China... It is a chance to boost Indian economy," the minister said.

 

He said, Indian industry should grasp this opportunity to invite those foreign companies to invest with them in India. He expressed confidence that the country and its industry will together win both the battles - the one with coronavirus, and the one with economic slowdown.

 

Responding to concerns raised by the operators, the minister informed that his ministry is looking at adopting the London model of public transport, where government funding is minimal and private investment is promoted.

 

He also pointed out towards the poor standards of Indian bus and truck bodies which he said, are functional for only 5-7 years, whereas the European models last for up to 15 years.

 

Gadkari emphasised upon adopting good practices from European operators, which will also be economically viable for indigenous industry in the longer run.

 

The minister said, he is aware of the tight financial condition of the Indian market during the ongoing pandemic. But, he said, all stakeholders will have to work together to combat it. -- PTI

The government has extended the last date for filing annual GST return for financial year 2018-19 by three months till September 2020.

   

In another trade friendly move, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs has also extended the validity of e-way bills that were generated on or before March 24, and had expiry between March 20 and April 15, 2020.

 

A notification has been issued to extend the time limit for furnishing of annual (goods and services tax) return and reconciliation statement for the financial year 2018-19 till September 30, 2020, CBIC said in a tweet. 

 

EY Tax Partner Abhishek Jain said, With most part of the country under lockdown or partial lockdown, it would have been difficult for the industry to meet the timeline of June end. The extension provides much-needed relief to the industry and demonstrates the accommodative stance of the government.

 

A nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus was imposed on March 25, which has now been extended till May 17. 

 

Last month, CBIC had extended the validity of e-way bills generated on or before March 24, and had expiry between March 20 and April 15, till April 30. 

 

In view of the extension of lockdown and helping industry which has goods stuck in transit, the validity has now been extended till May 31. -- PTI 

"It is only on anecdotal evidence that doctors are using HCQ along with other antiviral medication (used in HIV and other viral infections) as empiric therapy to treat COVID-19 patients as there is no definite treatment available yet," said MC Misra, former director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi and one of India's top surgeons. 

"However, there have been reports of some patients developing cardiac arrhythmias due to hydroxychloroquine which can cause sudden cardiac death," Misra told PTI.           

Yudhyavir Singh, a core member of AIIMS' COVID-19 team deployed at the hospital's trauma centre, agreed.           

"Globally, some deaths have been reported due to the administration of HCQ alone and along with azithromycin as well. HCQ blocks the potassium channel and potentially prolongs the QTc (heartbeat) with consequences of sudden cardiac arrest death and various arrhythmias. This has also been documented in prominent studies,' he explained. The assistant professor of anaesthesia at AIIMS said there are contradictory reports on HCQ usage for treating COVID-19. -- PTI

The pilots and cabin crew were provided training in all the steps on donning and doffing of Personal Protective Equipment suits, infection control practices to be followed inflight and also the management of anticipated health emergencies during the flight, the medical college authorities said.

A practical demonstration of both donning and doffing of PPE suites according to the protocol was also given to the crew. They were also provided with practice kits. 

"The training given by GMC Ernakulam has helped to build up the confidence level of the entire crew considerably and we are now fully confident to undertake the rescue mission," said Captain Paartha Sarkar. 

A Cochin International Airport spokesman said there will be only one Air India Express flight operating on May 7 to airlift passengers stranded Keralites.

File pic of a doctor wearing a PPE 

Titled, "No To A Return To Normal", the editorial called the COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed the lives of over 250,000 people worldwide, a "tragedy" and said there is a "direct existential threat" now looming on mankind more than ever. 

"The Covid-19 pandemic is a tragedy. This crisis is, however, inviting us to examine what is essential. And what we see is simple: 'adjustments' are not enough. The problem is systemic. "The ongoing ecological catastrophe is a meta-crisis: the massive extinction of life on Earth is no longer in doubt, and all indicators point to a direct existential threat. Unlike a pandemic, however severe, a global ecological collapse will have immeasurable consequences," the editorial read. 

It called upon world leaders and citizens "to undertake a profound overhaul of our goals, values, and economies". The editorial further said that rampant pursuit of "consumerism" and "an obsession with productivity", have "led us to deny the value of life itself". 

"Pollution, climate change, and the destruction of our remaining natural zones has brought the world to a breaking point. For these reasons, along with increasing social inequalities, we believe it is unthinkable to 'go back to normal'. 

"The radical transformation we need -- at all levels -- demands boldness and courage. It will not happen without a massive and determined commitment. We must act now. It is as much a matter of survival as one of dignity and coherence," the editorial concluded. 

The signatories of the letter also include Pedro Almodovar, Adam Driver, Monica Bellucci, Javier Bardem and actor-wife Penelope Cruz, Alexandre Desplat, Willem Dafoe, Jane Fonda, Ralph Fiennes, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, Rooney Mara, Ricky Martin, Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu and Marion Cotillard, among others. PTI

"As many as 95,678 offenses have registered under Section 188 (Disobedience to an order lawfully promulgated by a public servant) of IPC since the lockdown leading to 18,722 arrests and seizure of 53071 vehicles," Maharashtra Home Ministry said in a press release.

Cumulatively, more than Rs 3 crore have been collected in fines from offenders.

Over 2 lakh people have been quarantined and 642 have been found violating the quarantine.

Meanwhile, there has been a steady increase in the number of COVID-19 calls on the police helpline 100. As many as 84,945 such calls have been received.

Maharashtra has recorded more than 15,000 cases of coronavirus, which is the highest in the country.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the country reached 49,391 with 1694 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday morning. - ANI

In his letter to West Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said directions were given on April 24 to allow cross land border of essential goods through all Indo-Nepal, Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Bangladesh borders and send a compliance report to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). "In this regard, I am constrained to say that we have not received the compliance report from the state government of West Bengal," he said.  

The Union home secretary said it has been reported that goods traffic through border crossings between India and Bangladesh, falling in West Bengal, has still not resumed. As a result, he said, a large number of trucks carrying essential supplies, to Bangladesh, are stranded at different border crossing points. A number of drivers of such vehicles, while returning from Bangladesh, have also not been allowed to cross the border into India, and are stranded in the neighbouring country. -- PTI

"No epidemiological investigation of the cases were done. So there is no clear segregation on how many contracted the disease at workplace and how many got it from the community," the official source said. Several doctors, who tested positive for COVID-19, are also reported to have died in the country. Though their exact numbers were not immediately known. The official said that 69 doctors in the national capital have so far contracted the disease. 

COVID-19 has claimed 1,694 lives and infected 49,391 people nationwide till Wednesday morning. Besides, 274 nurses and paramedics have so far been infected by the virus. As many as 13 healthcare personnel, including seven resident doctors and a professor, have tested positive for coronavirus over the past two months at the Centre-run Safdarjung Hospital, the sources said. 

Around 10 healthcare workers, including a resident doctor and five nurses, have contracted the disease so far at the AIIMS. Besides, some security guards have also been infected in the premier hospital. Besides, several healthcare workers working in various central and Delhi government hospitals have also been infected by the disease, according to the data. -- PTI 

There were 69 cases of BSF personnel testing positive till Tuesday and hence the total stands at 154. The about 2.5 lakh personnel strong border force is tasked to guard India fronts with Pakistan and Bangladesh. The force headquarters, whose two floors were sealed two days back, is "functional" from Wednesday, the spokesperson said. PTI 

"The fight against coronavirus is becoming a cause for serious economic problem for crores of our brothers and sisters. Instead of decreasing the prices, at this time, the decision of the government to increase the tax on petrol and diesel by Rs 10 and Rs 13 per litre is improper and it should be taken back," Rahul Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in her tweet in Hindi said, "People should get the benefits of the massive reduction in the prices of crude oil. But the BJP government by increasing the excise duty, again and again, is putting the benefits that should have gone to people in its own suitcase." "People are not benefiting and the money which is collected is not being used for workers, farmers, middle class and industries. For whom is the government accumulating money?" she questioned in her tweet. -- ANI

The Goa NRI Commission has urged the MEA to facilitate immediate repatriation of Goans who are stranded abroad. Sawaikar said Goa does not figure in the first phase of the MEA's repatriation initiative, but its natives are likely to be brought back in the second phase. 

The 4,000 people who have registered on the portal include a sizable number of students, some who have lost their jobs and some NRIs' parents who are stranded abroad as they had travelled prior to the lockdown. Sawaikar said the MEA will give preference to those who have requested to come back under compelling circumstances", the criteria of which will be decided as per their guidelines. 

Air India will operate 64 repatriation flights for a week from May 7 while the Navy deployed two ships as India rolled out a massive evacuation plan on Tuesday to bring back thousands of its nationals stranded abroad due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown. From the Gulf countries to Malaysia and the UK to the US, the multi-agency operation christened 'Vande Bharat Mission' will see the state-owned airline operate the non- scheduled commercial flights till May 13 to ferry around 15,000 Indian nationals from 12 countries. Those availing the repatriation flights will be charged, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Tuesday in New Delhi, adding that private Indian airlines may join the repatriation effort after May 13. -- PTI

The researchers from University College London (UCL) in the UK found that a large proportion of the global genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 is found in all hardest-hit countries, suggesting extensive global transmission from early on in the epidemic and the absence of single 'Patient Zeroes' in most countries. The findings further establish that the virus only emerged recently in late 2019, before quickly spreading across the globe. 

The scientists identified 198 mutations that appear to have independently occurred more than once, which may hold clues to how the virus is adapting. "All viruses naturally mutate. Mutations in themselves are not a bad thing and there is nothing to suggest SARS-CoV-2 is mutating faster or slower than expected," Professor Francois Balloux from UCL said. 

"So far we cannot say whether SARS-CoV-2 is becoming more or less lethal and contagious," Balloux said. The small genetic changes, or mutations, identified were not evenly distributed across the virus genome, the researchers said. As some parts of the genome had very few mutations, those invariant parts of the virus could be better targets for drug and vaccine development, they said. 

"A major challenge to defeating viruses is that a vaccine or drug might no longer be effective if the virus has mutated. If we focus our efforts on parts of the virus that are less likely to mutate, we have a better chance of developing drugs that will be effective in the long run," Balloux explained. 

"We need to develop drugs and vaccines that cannot be easily evaded by the virus," he said. "There are still very few genetic differences or mutations between viruses," co-lead author Lucy van Dorp from UCL added. 

"We found that some of these differences have occurred multiple times, independently of one another during the course of the pandemic -- we need to continue to monitor these as more genomes become available and conduct research to understand exactly what they do," said Dorp. 

The results add to a growing body of evidence that SARS-CoV-2 viruses share a common ancestor from late 2019, suggesting that this was when the virus jumped from a previous animal host, into people. This means it is most unlikely the virus causing Covid-19 was in human circulation for long before it was first detected, the researchers said. PTI

In a simultaneous gunbattle in another village in the district, two unidentified militants were killed, officials said. Anticipating a law and order problem, mobile internet services were suspended and strict restrictions imposed on the movement of people. 

Riyaz Naikoo, operational commander of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen, was trapped in Beighbora village in Pulwama, officials said. 

Naikoo, who carries a reward of Rs 12 lakh, became the de facto chief of the terror group after the death of Burhan Wani, the poster boy of militancy in the Valley, in July 2016. Naikoo had managed to escape the police dragnet thrice in Shopian in south Kashmir. -- PTI

The MoCA on Monday informed that 443 flights have been operated under 'Lifeline Udan' by Air India, Alliance Air, IAF and private carriers to transport essential medical supplies amid the coronavirus outbreak in the country. -- ANI

Anticipating a law and order problem, mobile internet services were suspended and strict restrictions imposed on the movement of people. Riyaz Naikoo, operational commander of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen, has been trapped in Beighbora village in Pulwama, officials said. 

A police spokesperson said earlier in the morning that a top terrorist commander along with an accomplice was trapped in an encounter but did not reveal his identity. 

Later in the day, officials disclosed that the man in their sights was Naikoo, who carries a reward of Rs 12 lakh. They had been looking for him for eight years. Naikoo became the de facto chief of the terror group after the death of Burhan Wani, the poster boy of militancy in the Valley, in July 2016. Naikoor had managed to escape the police dragnet thrice in Shopian in south Kashmir. 

Declining to give details, officials only said they had launched a plan to nab Naikoo after establishing his presence in the village and wanted to ensure he did not escape this time. They said details would be shared after the encounter was over. 

In Sharshali village, two militants who are yet to be identified were gunned down in an encounter with security forces. Acting on a tip-off about the presence of militants in the village, security forces launched a cordon and search operation. It turned into an encounter after militants opened fire towards security forces' positions, officials said. In the retaliatory firing, two militants were killed, they said. -- PTI

Wonder who? Well, your guess is as good as ours.

The circular issued by the Chief Labour Commissioner said a huge number of migrant workers were impacted due to the lockdown. A number of them are stranded and placed in shelters, relief camps arranged by state governments, employers at work place, and also at some clusters, it said. 

"In view of above, comprehensive data in respect of the migrant workers are urgently required within three days," it said, giving three categories in which data should be collected--relief camps, employers and where labourers are clustered. 

Nayak said he filed a Right to Information application after waiting for almost two weeks for the official announcement of the results of the enumeration exercise. 

In his application, he sought to know the state-wise names of districts from which data about the stranded migrant workers has been received. He also asked the CLC to provide district-wise numbers of male and female migrant workers belonging to each of the three categories from each state, occupation-wise number of male and female migrant workers, the sector-wise number of male and female migrant workers and state-wise cumulative figures for male and female migrant workers. -- PTI

Image: Migrant workers try to climb aboard a truck to reach their hometowns. Pic: ANI

The Sena praised Congress president Sonia Gandhi's decision asking her state party units to bear the cost of the train fare of migrant workers returning home. Workers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh migrate mostly to Maharashtra and Gujarat, it noted. 

"Till yesterday, these workers were the vote bank of political parties and leaders, as if Mumbai and Maharashtra have been built on the hard work of these migrant workers. These people are running away in times of crisis and their political mentors have turned them away," the Sena said. 

It alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government made a "u-turn" on taking back migrant workers and put stringent conditions for them, including that they be tested for coronavirus before return. 

"This stand of states is cruel and against humanity," the Sena said.  It also accused the Uttar Pradesh government of "rich-poor bias". "Hundreds of buses were sent to Kota to bring students back to Uttar Pradesh without any testing since they were rich. For poor, rail ticket fares were charged," the Marathi daily said. 

The Sena said migrant labourers stuck in different parts of Maharashtra have to face a new ordeal now. Maharashtra looked after them well but they want to go home while their home state is not ready to take them. 

It praised Congress president Sonia Gandhi's decision asking her state party units to bear the cost of the train fare of migrant workers returning home. This was done on humanitarian grounds, the Sena said. "Migrant workers are not cats and dogs. But their native states are not showing humanity," it said. 

The Sena said Union minister Nitin Gadkari has rightly pointed out that "migrant labourers may run away from Maharashtra but what will they eat in their home state". PTI

Image: Migrants wait to board buses after reaching their home state by Shramik trains. Pic: ANI

Recording the undertaking from both the sides, a bench of Justice Shaji P Chaly and Justice Ashok Menon on Wednesday adjourned the matter till May 11, by which time the state government is expected to file a response in the matter.

The petitioner, through advocate Mathew Kuzhalanadan, told the court that while he was not a COVID-19 patient, he was contacted by a Bangalore-based entity after he aided the admission process of a COVID-19 patient in a Kasargode hospital.

The Karnataka government on Tuesday had cancelled 10 trains from the state which were planned over the next five days. However, it said three trains would depart from Bengaluru for Bihar as planned. 

While the Railways has officially not stated how much it has spent so far on these services, which the government says has been shared on an 85:15 ratio with the states, officials indicated that the national transporter spent around Rs 80 lakh per service. 

As on Tuesday morning, Gujarat was the originating station for around 35 of these trains, followed by Kerala with 13. Among the receiving states, Bihar has accepted 13 trains, with 11 more currently on the journey and six in the pipeline, the data accessed by PTI shows. 

Neighbouring Uttar Pradesh has received 10 such trains and five more are on their way and 12 in the pipeline, as per the data. The West Bengal government has, however, given clearance to only two trains -- one each from Rajasthan and Kerala -- and they are on their journeys to the state. 

Jharkhand has accepted four trains, while five are on their way to the state. Two more Shramik Special trains are in the pipeline. Odisha has received seven trains and five are on their way to the state, with one more in the pipeline, the data shows. -- PTI

The people who arrived at Dankuni Railway Station in Hooghly were screened at the railway station and were sprayed with a disinfectant.

"They are being sent to their respective home after a health check-up. 64 buses and 42 small vehicles have been placed for the purpose," West Bengal Police had informed on Tuesday.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had earlier issued an advisory against the spraying of disinfectant on individuals and groups for COVID-19 management, saying it was physically and psychologically harmful.

"Even if a person is potentially exposed to the COVID-19 virus, spraying the external part of the body does not kill the virus that has entered your body. Also, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that they are effective even in disinfecting the outer clothing/body in an effective manner," it had added.

The Ministry of Home Affairs on May 1 had issued an order to extend the ongoing lockdown by two more weeks from May 4 with some relaxations.

The MHA had also allowed the movement of migrant workers, tourists, students and other persons stranded at different places by special trains.

The Ministry of Railways has been running 'Shramik special trains,' to ensure smooth movement of migrant labourers and others to their respective native places. -- ANI

Image: This migrant family arriveed at Dankuni station by a special train from Ajmer. Pic: ANI 

The move comes as liquor stores witnessed huge rush across the country after the relaxation of lockdown norms by several state governments over the past few days. -- ANI

The decision, according to both KDMC and NMMC, has been taken as the commuting employees have a sizeable contribution in the COVID-19 count in the region which comes under the jurisdiction of the two civic bodies.

KDMC has issued a circular stating that after May 8, those providing essential services will also not be allowed into KDMC. The circular's definition includes employees working in essential service sectors such as banks, private organisation and even the BMC. 

"I respect and salute the courage of those who are a part of essential or emergency services and travel to Mumbai on a regular basis to ensure service. However, among the 224 positive cases in KDMC, 73 are those who work in these services and 28 of their relatives have also been affected, so 101 of the total number of cases are due to those who are travelling to Mumbai regularly and due to this people are scared of this situation as the cases are increasing," KDMC Commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi said on Tuesday.

"We also have the responsibility of looking after the families of people providing these essential services. We, therefore, request the organisation of these employees providing essential services to make an arrangement for their accommodation in Mumbai, that is why we have given two days time and the order will come into effect from May 8," he added.

Annasaheb Misal, NMMC Commissioner, also said that the decision to stop the movement of employees was thought of after taking into account the rising number of cases.

"We have to implement it and we have sent the names of the BMC officials, workers to BMC also who are working as a part of essential services, whether it includes banks or private organisations located in Mumbai. The reason behind this restriction is we have seen an increase in the numbers of cases in Navi Mumbai due to the people working in Mumbai commuting from here on a daily basis. It's indeed a risky situation and so we need to implement it, as of now, this restriction will continue till the lockdown i.e. May 17," Misal said.

It is important to note that around 11,000 BMC employees commute from areas under the KDMC and other corporations in the vicinity of Mumbai.

BMC PRO Khabale said, "BMC has got this circular from KDMC and we are planning accordingly. Around 11,000 workers and officials are coming from KDMC and nearby corporation to work here."

Nearly 1,200 migrants boarded the 24-coach special train while maintaining the physical distancing norms, a CR spokesperson said. On Tuesday night, the Central Railway operated two Shramik Special trains from Kalyan junction in neighbouring Thane district. 

One of them, carrying nearly 1,200 migrants, left for Darbhanga in Bihar at 8.37 pm. The other train, carrying nearly 930 migrants, left for Guntakal in Andhra Pradesh around 11 pm, railway officials earlier said. 

Since May 2, the Central Railway has so far operated five Shramik Special trains from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region's Bhiwandi, Kalyan and Panvel stations for Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. PTI 

Image: Migrants eat food distributed by police personnel, in Mumbai, on Tuesday. Pic: ANI

A total of 111 deaths were reported since Tuesday evening, of which 49 fatalities were reported from Gujarat, 34 from Maharashtra, 12 from Rajasthan, seven from West Bengal, three from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Punjab and Tamil Nadu and one each from Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, the ministry said. 

Of the 1,694 fatalities, Maharashtra tops the tally with 617 fatalities. Gujarat comes second with 368 deaths, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 176, West Bengal at 140, Rajasthan at 89, Delhi at 64, Uttar Pradesh at 56 and Andhra Pradesh at 36. The death toll reached 33 in Tamil Nadu, 29 in Telengana, while Karnataka has reported 29 fatalities. Punjab has registered 25 COVID-19 deaths, Jammu and Kashmir eight, Haryana six and Kerala and Bihar four deaths each.  Jharkhand has recorded three COVID-19 fatalities. Meghalaya, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Assam and Uttarakhand have reported one fatality each, according to the ministry data. According to the health ministry data updated in the morning, the highest number of confirmed cases in the country are from Maharashtra at 15, 525, followed by Gujarat at 6,245, Delhi at 5,104, Tamil Nadu at 4,058, Rajasthan at 3,158, Madhya Pradesh at 3,049 and Uttar Pradesh at 2,880. The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 1,717 in Andhra Pradesh and 1,451 in Punjab. It has risen to 1,344 in West Bengal, 1,096 in Telengana, 741 in Jammu and Kashmir, 671 in Karnataka,  548 in Haryana and 536 in Bihar. Kerala has reported 502 coronavirus cases so far, while Odisha has 175 cases. A total of 125 people have been infected with the virus in Jharkhand and 111 in Chandigarh. Uttarakhand has reported 61 cases, Chhattisgarh 59 cases, Assam 43, Himachal Pradesh 42 and Ladakh 41. Thirty-three COVID-19 cases have been reported from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Tripura has registered 43 cases, Meghalaya has reported 12 and Puducherry nine, while Goa has seven COVID-19 cases. Manipur has two cases. Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Dadar and Nagar Haveli have reported a case each. "Our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR," the ministry said on its website. State-wise distribution is subject to further verification and reconciliation, it said. PTI

According to a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll, conducted between April 28 to May 3 among random samples of 1,005 adults, about half of the states in the US have eased restrictions on businesses, but Americans' unease about patronising them represents a major hurdle to restarting the economy.

Many Americans have been making trips to grocery stores and 56 per cent say they are comfortable doing so. But 67 per cent say they would be uncomfortable shopping at a retail clothing store, and 78 per cent would be uncomfortable eating at a sit-down restaurant. 

People in states with looser restrictions report similar levels of discomfort as those in states with stricter rules, the survey said.

Americans continue to give negative marks to their President Donald Trump for his response to the outbreak, while offering widely positive assessments of their state governors, a trend that has been consistent throughout the pandemic.

Trump's ratings are 44 per cent positive and 56 per cent negative, in line with where he was two weeks ago and only slightly worse than a week ago. 

Meanwhile, state governors earn positive marks from 75 per cent of Americans, about the same as a week ago, the survey said."Partisan differences remain sizable, with nearly eight in 10 Republicans but just about two in 10 Democrats rating Trump positively. 

In contrast, governors earn big positive majorities across the parties," it added.In announcing plans to ease the restrictions on businesses, governors have emphasised that their actions represent a gradual and cautious reopening of their economies. 

Nonetheless, when asked about eight different types of businesses, namely gun stores, dine-in restaurants, hair salons, clothing stores, and gyms, majorities of Americans say they oppose ending the restrictions on each of the eight, the poll suggested.

The most significant opposition is to reopen movie theatres, with 82 per cent of Americans saying they should not be allowed to open up in their state. There is also broad opposition to reopening gyms (78 per cent opposed), dine-in restaurants and nail salons (both with 74 per cent opposed), according to the results of the poll.

Gun stores are next, with 70 per cent saying they should not be reopened, followed by barbershops and hair salons (69 per cent opposed) and retail shops such as clothing stores (66 per cent opposed) and golf courses (59 per cent opposed). -- PTI

On Tuesday, a French hacker and cyber security expert Elliot Alderson had claimed that "a security issue has been found" in the app and that "privacy of 90 million Indians is at stake". 

Dismissing the claims, the government said "no personal information of any user has been proven to be at risk by this ethical hacker". "We are continuously testing and upgrading our systems. Team Aarogya Setu assures everyone that no data or security breach has been identified," the government said through the app's Twitter handle. 

The tweet gave point-by-point clarification on the red flags raised by the hacker. "We discussed with the hacker and were made aware of the following... the app fetches user location on a few occasions," it said, but added that this was by design and is clearly detailed in the privacy policy. 

The app fetches users' location and stores on the server in a secure, encrypted, anonymised manner - at the time of registration, at the time of self assessment, when users submit their contact tracing data voluntary through the app or when it fetches the contact tracing data of users after they have turned COVID-19 positive, it said. 

On another issue that users can get COVID-19 stats displayed on the home screen by changing the radius and latitude-longitude using a script, Aarogya Setu said that all this information is already public for all locations and hence does not compromise on any personal or sensitive data. 

"We thank the ethical hacker on engaging with us. We encourage any users who identify a vulnerability to inform us immediately...," it said. Responding to Aarogya Setu's clarification, Alderson tweeted, "I will come back to you tomorrow". -- PTI

Pakistan joined hands with neighbouring China since after America's growing relationship with India, a democratic nation having the world's second-largest population.

Rubin believes that Pakistani leaders see in China strategic depth, an ally able to deter Indian retaliation across the line-of-control, and a partner unlikely to criticise Pakistani corruption, its poor treatment of religious minorities and its internal human rights record. For China, Pakistan can be a major market, provide land links into West Asia, and a strategic port at Gwadar.

In his article published by The National Interest, Rubin said, "Pakistanis will soon realise -- if they have not already -- what a devil's bargain their country has made. In China, Pakistan has tied itself to a country that is responsible for the incarceration in concentration camps of one million Muslims solely on the basis of their religion and it has partnered with a country that thinks nothing about killing Pakistanis and humiliating Pakistan.

"Now, it is also increasingly clear that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor may be becoming a major road for transmission into Pakistan and, more broadly, South Asia.

"While Pakistan has struggled with moderate succeed in stamping out hotspots where the coronavirus has erupted, communities living along the corridor in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan are fearful that Chinese trade and traffic along the corridor as well as its expedition of internal Pakistani commerce across regions, could enable the epidemic to spread like a wildfire. It may be this pressure which is leading Prime Minister Imran Khan to lift Pakistan's lockdown prematurely," said the article.

Rubin said that the full danger of spread along the CPEC may not yet be apparent. Weather blocks corridor passes during winter, but as spring thaws the ice and snow, commerce usually explodes.

Many Chinese workers had also returned home for the Chinese New Year, which coincided with necessary winter-related construction delay. But several hundred Chinese workers have now returned to Pakistan to work on the project, bringing the total numbers of Chinese workers on different CPEC projects to between 10,000 and 15,000.

"There is no indication that China has set up any testing and quarantine sites for CPEC workers in Pakistan," he said. -- PTI

However, two confirmed cases arriving from outside the mainland were reported in China's Shaanxi Province, it said. Twenty new asymptomatic infections of the novel coronavirus were reported Tuesday, including three imported ones, the NHC said. 

With this the total number of asymptomatic cases has increased to 967. Asymptomatic cases refer to people who are tested COVID-19 positive but develop no symptoms such as fever, cough or sore throat. However, they pose a risk of spreading the disease to others. 

The death toll of coronavirus cases in China remained 4,633 people as no new fatalities were reported, the NHC said. The total number COVID-19 cases in China reached 82,883, while 339 patients who were still undergoing treatment, the NHC said, adding that 77,911 people have been discharged from hospitals after treatment. No new deaths from COVID-19 were reported on the Chinese mainland, it said. -- PTI

According to traders, economic uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, muted corporate earnings and weak marcoeconomic data are keeping investors wary. -- PTI

Gautam Buddh Nagar Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) has clarified that not having Aarogya Setu App installed in smartphones while out in public places will be a punishable offence.

In an order issued on Sunday, Commissioner Ashutosh Dwivedi said, 'If smartphone users do not have Aarogya Setu App installed on their phones while out in a public place then this will be a punishable offence for the violation of lockdown norms.'

The order also stated that not wearing masks and not covering faces at work and public places will also be considered a violation of the lockdown norms and will be punishable.

Spitting in public places has also been made a punishable offence.

The orders will be applicable till May 17, it added. -- ANI

Total number of COVID-19 positive cases in India rises to 49,391 including 33,514 active cases, 1,694 deaths, 14,182 cured/discharged, says Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The death toll in the country as per the ministry was 1,583 yesterday and the number of cases stood at 46,711. Thus, 111 deaths and 2,680 cases have been reported since Tuesday.

More details awaited.  -- with inputs from ANI/PTI

A terrorist was killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, officials said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Sharshali village of Pulwama following information about the presence of terrorists there, the officials said.

They said the search operation turned into an encounter after terrorists opened fire towards security forces' positions.

In the retaliatory firing, one terrorist was killed, the officials said, adding the operation was going on when the last reports were received.   -- PTI

A day after a Border Security Force driver who escorted a central team tested positive for COVID-19, five other troopers attached to the South Bengal frontier were found infected with the disease, the paramilitary force said.

Out of these five positive cases, three were engaged in escort duties of the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT), officials said.

"Five more personnel were found to be positive. Their reports came late in the evening. They have been admitted to M R Bangur hospital," a senior BSF official of South Bengal Frontier said.

The contact-tracing exercise has started and some have been sent on quarantine, the official said.

According to senior officials of BSF South Bengal Frontier, the troops have been on high alert and efforts are on to ensure that the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and other guidelines are strictly followed by the troopers of the border-guarding force.

"After the driver of one of the escort cars was found positive, we sent him at an isolation facility and more than 51 personnel with whom he came in contact have been sent on quarantine.

"We have also tested more than 25 people so far, including other drivers of the escort team. None of them found to be positive. But still, all of them have been kept on quarantine as a precautionary measure. The process of testing is on ," a senior BSF officer said.

The senior officer said the BSF was on high alert since the beginning of the pandemic.

And after the first case in the South Bengal frontier was reported on Monday night, senior officers have been asked to ensure that the troops follow the SOP and other precautionary measures.

The officer said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been informed about the BSF constable's infection.

A central team to look into the COVID situation in Kolkata and adjoining areas was staying at the BSF guest house in South Kolkata and all its logistics such as vehicles, escort personnel, security personnel were provided by the paramilitary force.   -- PTI

Spain's Socialist-led government will ask parliament on Wednesday to extend the state of emergency another two weeks through May 24.

 

But the conservative Popular Party, the main opposition, is reluctant.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says extending the state of emergency is the only instrument that allows the government to limit mobility, in order to prevent contagion, save lives and protect citizens.

Health Minister Salvador Illa says the state of emergency, which has allowed the government to impose a lockdown, has been essential in reducing the daily infection rate from 35 per cent to 0.4 per cent.