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Thu, 28 May 2020
India to expand Vande Bharat Mission

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23:51   India to expand Vande Bharat Mission
Over 45,000 stranded Indians were brought back home from abroad under the Vande Bharat mission and another 1,00,000 will be evacuated till June 13, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

The mega evacuation mission was launched on May 7.

MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said the government is also assisting return of stranded Indians from remote locations in Latin America and Caribbean, Africa, and parts of Europe.

"This is being done by taking advantage of foreign carriers flying to India primarily for evacuation of their nationals," he said during an online media briefing.

He said a total of 45,216 Indians were brought back till Thursday afternoon and they include 8,069 migrant workers, 7,656 students and 5,107 professionals.

About 5,000 Indians have returned through land border from Nepal and Bangladesh.

In the first phase of the mission from May 7 to 15, the government evacuated around 15,000 people from 12 countries.

The second phase of the evacuation mission was scheduled from May 17 to 22.

However, the government has extended it till June 13.

Srivastava said a total of 3,08,200 people have registered their request with Indian missions abroad for repatriation to India on compelling grounds.

"During the phase two, a total of 429 Air India flights (311 international flights + 118 feeder flights) from 60 countries are scheduled to land in India. The Indian Navy will be making four more sorties to bring back returnees from Iran, Sri Lanka and the Maldives," Srivastava said.

The MEA spokesperson said the government is targeting to bring back 1,00,000 people from 60 countries by the end of phase two of the Vande Bharat mission.

"Preparations for third phase of Vande Bharat Mission are well underway," he said.

As per the government's policy for evacuation, Indians having 'compelling reasons' to return like pregnant women, elderly people, students and those facing the prospect of deportation are being brought back home.  -- PTI
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23:30   China bans pork imports from India: Report
China is set to ban imports of pigs, wild boar and related products from India in an effort to prevent African swine fever (ASF) and ensure the safety of China's animal husbandry, the official media in Beijing said, citing a joint notice issued by the General Administration of Customs of China and the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs.

The ban comes after tensions between the two countries flared up in Galwan Valley region due to India's 'recent, illegal construction of defense facilities on the border' to Chinese territory, the state-run Global Times reported on Thursday.

India has rejected Beijing's allegation and said that it was the Chinese troops that was hindering normal patrolling by Indian troops along the Line of Actual Control.

India reported its first case of ASF in both domestic pigs and wild boar in Assam earlier this month, according to the report.

ASF prevention and control in China has achieved initial results.

Since the beginning of this year, the numbers of reported infections, pigs requiring treatment and dead pigs have also shown downward trends, according to the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs.

Hog production recovery has gained momentum and the downward trend for pork prices is clear, Ma Wenfeng, a senior analyst at the Beijing Orient Agribusiness Consultancy, told the paper.

"The pork supply is expected to recover by next year," he said.

The disease first broke out in China in August 2018, when the first case was confirmed in northeast China's Liaoning province, the report said.

That pushed the average pork price up to 51.77 yuan ($7.10) per kilogram in 2019. Pork is the staple diet of majority of Chinese population.

According to data, China's pork imports in the first two months of this year surged 158 per cent from a year earlier to 560,000 tonnes.  -- PTI
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23:27   Man killed by two persons as he objects to their roaming around in lockdown
A 24-year-old man was killed allegedly by two persons after he objected to their roaming around during the lockdown in southwest Delhi's Sagarpur area, police said on Thursday.

The victim has been identified as Krishan Singh Yadav, a resident of Sagarpur, they said.

Yadav's brother-in-law Kanhaiya informed police that two men fought with him and one of them attacked him with a stone following which he fell on the ground.

He was rushed to Shakunatala Hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead, a senior police officer said.

During investigation, it was found that a few days ago, Yadav had asked the two men not to roam in the streets late night due to the ongoing lockdown, police said.

The accused left at that time but returned on Wednesday around 11 pm and fatally attacked Yadav, they said.

A case was registered under relevant sections of law against the accused, police said.

While one person, identified as Karan, 20, has been arrested, the other, a minor, was apprehended, they said.

The victim was unmarried and his father had passed away.

He lived with his mother and worked at a cloth shop in Karol Bagh, police said.  -- PTI
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22:38   Shah speaks to all CMs on extension of lockdown
Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to all chief ministers on Thursday, and sought their views on extension of the ongoing nationwide lockdown beyond May 31, officials said.

The telephonic conversations of the home minister came just three days before the end of the fourth phase of the lockdown.

The nationwide curbs was first imposed on March 25 to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, and has been extended thrice.

"The home minister spoke to all chief ministers and sought their views on extending the lockdown beyond May 31," a home ministry official said.  -- PTI
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22:31   All special trains can be booked before 120 days
The Railways on Thursday increased the advance reservation period from the present 30 days to 120 days for all special trains -- the 15 pairs operating since May 12 on Rajdhani routes and the 100 new pairs of special trains scheduled to run from June 1.

'Ministry of Railways has decided to increase the advance reservation period (ARP) of all Specials notified from 30 days to 120 days. Booking of parcel and luggage shall be permitted in all these 230 trains,' the railways said in a statement.

It said the other terms and conditions such as current booking, tatkal quota allocation of seats to roadside stations and others will be the same as in regular time tabled trains.

'The above changes shall be implemented with effect from 08:00 hrs of train booking date of 31st May 2020 onwards,' it said.   -- PTI
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22:22   2,598 new coronavirus cases in Maharashtra, 85 deaths
Maharashtra on Thursday reported 2,598 new coronavirus patients, taking the tally of cases in the state to 59,546, said a health official.

With 85 COVID-19 patients dying, 38 of them in Mumbai, the death toll due to the pandemic rose to 1,982. 698 coronavirus patients were discharged during the day, taking the number of recovered persons in the state to 18,616, the official added.

"Out of 85 deaths reported today, 37 deaths took place in the last two days while other 48 have taken place between May 15 to May 25," he said.

Maharashtra COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 59,546, new cases 2,598, deaths 1,982, discharged 18,616, active cases 38,939, people tested so far 4,19,417.  -- PTI
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21:55   Decision to name Bengaluru flyover after Savarkar put on hold
A decision to name a flyover in Bengaluru after freedom fighter and Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar by the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled city civic body and inaugurate it on Thursday was put on hold amid opposition to the move by Congress and Janata Dal-Secular.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa was supposed to inaugurate the flyover on Thursday, which was built at a cost of Rs 34 crore, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Savarkar, but the decision was deferred.

A close aide of the chief minister attributed it to COVID-19 lockdown and non-issuance of gazette notification by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), but asserted that the decision would be implemented next month.

Opposition Congress and the JD-S had objected to the decision to name the flyover at Yelahanka in the city after Veer Savarkar and had termed it as an insult to freedom fighters of the state and demanded that it be dropped.

Political Secretary to the Chief Minister and Yelahanka MLA S R Vishwanath claimed the inauguration has been deferred for two reasons -- one was the lockdown due to COVID-19 and the other because the BBMP, the civic agency, did not bring out the necessary gazette notification.

"Naming of flyover has been put on hold temporarily but will take place in June," he told PTI.

Vishwanath said the gazette notification will take place in June and 'No force will stop the naming of flyover after Veer Savarkar'.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan condemned the opposition to naming the flyover after Savarkar. The opposition to naming the flyover just because he (Savarkar) did not belong to Karnataka was not appropriate.

"There are names dominating everywhere in Karnataka who do not belong to the state. It is wrong to oppose the naming of flyover after Savarkar, who had sacrificed so much for the nation and was tortured physically. His daredevilry is difficult to comprehend," he said.

Leader of the Opposition in the assembly and former chief minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday claimed the move was an insult to freedom fighters from Karnataka and urged Yediyurappa to name it after someone from the state who took part in the independence movement.

'The hasty decision to name Yelahanka flyover after Savarkar is an evidence to say that the administration is not run by an elected government, but by those behind the screen. Chief Minister are you seeking opposition cooperation for such anti-people decisions?' he had tweeted.

Yediyurappa's predecessor and JD-S leader H D Kumaraswamy also opposed the decision, saying it was an insult to those who fought for the prosperity of the state.

The Congress and other opposition parties had earlier vehemently opposed the move to bestow Bharat Ratna on Savarkar, posthumously. -- PTI
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21:41   Haven't sought ban on flights, says Karnataka
The Karnataka government clarified on Thursday that it has not sought for imposing a ban on flights emanating from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.

The domestic air travel was resumed in several parts of the country on May 25.

The state government also said that it has appealed to the civil aviation ministry to take steps to lessen the incoming air traffic.

"If there is a huge turn out at a short span of time, there may not be adequate quarantine facilities," said the state government.

A total of 115 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Karnataka, taking the total number of cases to 2,533.  -- ANI
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21:25   Over 100 doctors tested COVID-19 +ve in Ahmedabad in 2 months
Over 100 doctors have tested COVID-19 positive in Ahmedabad city in the last two months, an office-bearer of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in Gujarat said on Thursday.

While many of them were already given discharge following their recovery, some others are still undergoing treatment, secretary of IMA-Gujarat, Dr Kamlesh Saini, said.

A renowned orthopaedic surgeon from the city has succumbed to the viral infection, he said.

"Those who tested positive included senior doctors. A former dean of the B J Medical College had also tested coronavirus positive," Saini said.

"The number of infected doctors could be more than 100 because many of them have not come forward and informed the association about their infection," he added.

Several doctors attached to the civic-body run hospitals also tested positive during this period and around 10 of them are currently undergoing treatment, an official of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) said.

Apart from doctors many other frontline COVID-19 warriors like policemen, heath department staff, the government staff involved in distribution of ration to poor, and teachers have also tested coronavirus positive.

The coronavirus tally in Ahmedabad district had crossed the 11,000-mark on Wednesday, while the death toll had gone up to 764.  -- PTI
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21:01   Parents can't attend NDA passing-out parade
In view of the coronavirus pandemic, the Passing Out Parade at the National Defence Academy (NDA) in  Pune will be held in a 'scaled-down' manner and parents of the cadets will not attend it, the institute said on Thursday.

The parade of graduating cadets, a long-cherished tradition, will take place on May 30.

'As a training institution, NDA has quickly adapted toanew normal and is able to complete the spring term,' it said in a release in Pune.

'But there are still a lot of end of term activities which form part of passing out of a cadet from the academy after three years of rigorous training,' it said.

'The passing out will be held on 30 May in a scaled- down manner,' it said.

In view of the nationwide lockdown, parents of the cadets will not be able to attend the parade, the premier defence training institute added.   -- PTI
The letter sent by Prince Charles to Prime Minister Modi
The letter sent by Prince Charles to Prime Minister Modi
20:51   Prince Charles writes to PM Modi with condolences over cyclone Amphan
Charles, the Prince of Wales, has sent condolence messages to the prime ministers of Bangladesh and India following the devastation caused by Cyclone Amphan.   

In his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Prince Charles writes: 

'My wife and I wanted you to know how deeply saddened we are by the loss of life and appalling devastation you and all the people of West Bengal and Odisha have suffered as a result of Storm Amphan.   

'We feel so much for you and your people that you have had to endure such a disaster at the same time as having to contend with the Covid-19 pandemic. Our hearts go out to all those who have been bereaved and to those whose homes have been destroyed.   

'However inadequate it may be at such a very difficult time, we did just want to assure you that all those affected are in our thoughts and special prayers.'
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19:53   Engaged with China to end standoff: MEA to Trump
India on Wednesday said it was engaged with China to resolve the border issue while reacting to United States President Donald Trump's offer to mediate between the two countries to settle the festering dispute.

"We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve it," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, replying to a volley of questions at an online media briefing.

In the midst of the tense border standoff between India and China, Trump on Wednesday said he was 'ready, willing and able to mediate' between the two countries.

'We have informed both India and China that the United States is ready, willing and able to mediate or arbitrate their now raging border dispute,' Trump said in a tweet.  -- PTI
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19:36   Migrants' plight: Govt, Rlys get NHRC notices
The National Human Rights Commission has send notices to the Union home secretary, the Railways and the governments of Gujarat and Bihar over hardships faced by migrants on board trains due to delay in services and lack of food and water allegedly leading to sickness and death of some of them, officials said on Thursday.

In a statement, the NHRC observed that the 'state has failed to protect the lives of the poor labourers onboard the trains'.

The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports that the trains which are ferrying migrant labourers are not only starting late but are taking many additional days to reach destination, it said.

'In one of the reports, it is alleged that many migrant labourers lost lives during their journey by train due to longer duration and no arrangements for drinking water and food etc,' the statement said.

Reportedly, two persons died in Muzaffarpur and one each in Danapur, Sasaram, Gaya, Begusarai and Jehanabad in Bihar, including a 4-year-old boy.

All of them reportedly died due to hunger.

'In another incident, a train reportedly started from Surat district in Gujarat for Siwan in Bihar on May 16 and reached Bihar on May 25, after nine days,' the rights panel said.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the media reports, if true, amount to gross violations of human rights.

The aggrieved families have suffered irrevocable loss, it said.

Accordingly, it has issued notices to the chief secretaries of Gujarat and Bihar, Chairman of the Railway Board (CRB) and Union Home Secretary seeking detailed reports.

The chief secretaries of the government of Gujarat and Bihar are expected to specifically inform as to what steps were taken to ensure basic facilities, including medical help for the migrant labourers who boarded the trains, it said.

The response from all the authorities is expected within four weeks positively, the statement added.  --  PTI
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19:35   Migrants' plight: Govt, Rlys get NHRC notices
The National Human Rights Commission has send notices to the Union home secretary, the Railways and the governments of Gujarat and Bihar over hardships faced by migrants on board trains due to delay in services and lack of food and water allegedly leading to sickness and death of some of them, officials said on Thursday.

In a statement, the NHRC observed that the 'state has failed to protect the lives of the poor labourers onboard the trains'.

The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports that the trains which are ferrying migrant labourers are not only starting late but are taking many additional days to reach destination, it said.

'In one of the reports, it is alleged that many migrant labourers lost lives during their journey by train due to longer duration and no arrangements for drinking water and food etc,' the statement said.

Reportedly, two persons died in Muzaffarpur and one each in Danapur, Sasaram, Gaya, Begusarai and Jehanabad in Bihar, including a 4-year-old boy.

All of them reportedly died due to hunger.

'In another incident, a train reportedly started from Surat district in Gujarat for Siwan in Bihar on May 16 and reached Bihar on May 25, after nine days,' the rights panel said.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the media reports, if true, amount to gross violations of human rights.

The aggrieved families have suffered irrevocable loss, it said.

Accordingly, it has issued notices to the chief secretaries of Gujarat and Bihar, Chairman of the Railway Board (CRB) and Union Home Secretary seeking detailed reports.

The chief secretaries of the government of Gujarat and Bihar are expected to specifically inform as to what steps were taken to ensure basic facilities, including medical help for the migrant labourers who boarded the trains, it said.

The response from all the authorities is expected within four weeks positively, the statement added.  --  PTI
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19:01   Monsoon onset over Kerala on June 1: IMD
The southwest monsoon is likely to make an onset over Kerala on June 1, thanks to a cyclonic circulation, the India Meteorological Department said on Thursday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), in its onset date forecast on May 15, had said the monsoon is likely to hit the southern state on June 5, four days after its normal onset date.

The normal onset of monsoon over Kerala is June 1.

However, a cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal is likely to help in the progress of monsoon.

"A low pressure area is likely to form over southeast and adjoining east central Arabian Sea during May 31 to June 4. In view of this, conditions are very likely to become favourable from June 1 for onset of southwest monsoon over Kerala," the IMD said.

According to the IMD, the country is likely to receive normal monsoon this year.   -- PTI
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18:14   Karnataka suspends flights, trains from 5 states
JUST IN: Karnataka suspends arrivals of flights, trains and vehicles from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan into the state to contain the spread of COVID-19.   -- ANI
 
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18:12   Odisha priest kills man inside temple to 'end' COVID-19
A septuagenarian priest allegedly hacked a 52-year-old man to death inside a temple premises in Odisha's Cuttack district, claiming that he 'performed a human sacrifice to end the COVID-19 pandemic', police said on Thursday.

Accused Sansari Ojha (70) has surrendered himself before the police and confessed to having committed the murder, a senior officer said.

"Ojha claimed he had received an order from the Goddess in his dream to perform a human sacrifice to end the COVID-19 pandemic," said Alok Ranjan Ray, Athagarh Sub-Divisional Police Officer.

The incident took place at the Brahmani Devi temple in Bandhahuda village in the Narasinghpur police station area on Wednesday night, Ray said, adding the deceased has been identified as 52-year-old Saroj Kumar Pradhan.

Locals, however, claimed that Ojha had a long-standing dispute with Pradhan over a mango orchard in the village, another police officer, R B Panigrahi, said.

An investigation has been launched to find out the motive of the murder, he said.

Police does not buy the accused's claim that he performed a human sacrifice to appease the goddess and to protect humanity from the COVID-19 pandemic, or that a 70-year-old man could alone kill a 52-year-old man, the officer said.

An axe used as the murder weapon has been seized, he said, adding the body has been sent for post-mortem.   -- PTI
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17:46   460 domestic flights operated yesterday: Puri
A total of 460 domestic flights, carrying 34,336 passengers, were operated on Wednesday, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday.

Domestic flight operations resumed in India on Monday after a gap of two months.

A total 428 and 445 domestic services were operated in the country on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.

'India is flying high. Domestic operation figures for May 27, 2020 (till 23.59 hrs): Departures 460 with 34,336 passengers handled. Arrivals 464 with 33,525 passengers handled,' Puri said on Twitter.

If a flight takes off before midnight and lands in another airport after midnight, its departure and arrival are counted on different days, leading to a seeming mismatch in the figures of a particular day.

International passenger flights continue to remain suspended in the country.

All scheduled domestic passenger services were suspended in India from March 25 to May 24 due to restrictions in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Airports in West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana and Tamil Nadu have been allowed to handle a restricted number of daily flights as these states do not want a huge influx of flyers amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases.  -- PTI
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17:40   All UP migrants to be back in 2-3 days: Official
The campaign to bring back stranded migrant workers will end in two to three days as most people have returned to Uttar Pradesh with very few left outside the state, an official said on Thursday.

The official said other states have informed them that they have no or very few people left who needed to be sent back.

"The entire campaign of bringing back migrants through trains and buses will end in next two to three days. Till now, 26 to 27 lakh migrants have returned," Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Information) Awanish Kumar Awasthi told reporters in Lucknow.

He said states like Gujarat, Delhi, Punjab, Telengana, Karnatanka, Rajasthan, and Haryana have told them that they have no or very few persons left to be sent back to UP.

Till now, 1,411 trains have arrived in the state and in the next a few days, their number will rise to 1,551, he said, adding now only trains from Maharashtra and some southern states are coming to UP.

The maximum 490 trains have arrived from Gujarat followed by 327 from Maharashtra, 228 from Punjab, 94 from Delhi, 53 from Karnataka and 33 from Rajasthan.  -- PTI
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
17:28   'Congress's anti-Congressism is actually anti-Nehruism'

'BJPs anti-Congress-ism is confined to spewing venom on Nehru, Nehruvian legacy and the Nehru-Gandhi family. It is not a Congress-mukt Bharat but a Nehru-legacy-mukt Bharat that it is pursuing,' writes Congress's Rajya Sabha member Kumar Ketkar in the National Heraldhere.

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17:01   FM launches instant PAN facility through e-KYC
In line with the announcement made in the Union Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday formally launched the facility for instant allotment of PAN on a near-to-real-time basis.

The facility is now available for those PAN applicants who possess a valid Aadhaar number and have a mobile number registered with Aadhaar.

The allotment process is paperless and an electronic PAN (e-PAN) is issued to the applicants free of cost.

The launch of the instant PAN facility is yet another step by the Income Tax Department towards Digital India, thereby creating further ease of compliance to the taxpayers, according to an official statement.

As on May 25, a total of 50.52 crore PANs have been allotted to the taxpayers of which about 49.39 crore are allotted to the individuals and more than 32.17 crore are seeded with Aadhaar so far.   -- ANI
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16:43   Nearly 23 lakh in quarantine across India: Govt
Nearly 23 lakh people, who have moved within the country or arrived from international destinations during the ongoing nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, are currently in quarantine facilities arranged by states and union territories.

While majority of the state governments and union territory administrations have made at least seven days' quarantine compulsory for anyone arriving in their jurisdiction, a few of them have opted for home quarantine for those reaching their administrative limits.

According to an official estimate, as on May 26, a total of 22.81 lakh people were in quarantine facilities arranged by different states and union territories -- almost double from 12 days ago (May 14) when the people put under quarantine were 11.95 lakh, a government official told PTI.

Maharashtra has the highest number of people in quarantine facilities -- 6.02 lakh -- followed by Gujarat, which has kept a total of 4.42 lakh people in quarantine centres.

Altogether, 2.9 lakh people were in quarantine in Maharashtra and 2 lakh in Gujarat as on May 14.

According to the government, during the lockdown, till Wednesday, a total of 91 lakh migrant labourers were transported by trains and buses from various places to different destinations across the country.

Under the Vande Bharat Mission, around 30,000 Indian nationals have been brought back by the government from about 40 countries so far.

The government has plans to bring back 1 lakh Indians from 60 countries across the globe.

Those currently in quarantine facilities are people who have reached different states by trains, buses or by the special international flights.

The number of people in quarantine in government-arranged facilities is dynamic as several lakh people, who have completed their seven or 14 days' quarantine have left for their respective homes before May 14 and after that in batches, the official said.

Uttar Pradesh, which received the maximum number of migrant labourers, has 3.6 lakh people in quarantine, majority of them at their homes.

Bihar, another state which received a large number of migrant workers, has 2.1 lakh people in quarantine centres.

On May 14, as many as 2.3 lakh people were quarantined in Uttar Pradesh and 1.1 lakh in Bihar.

The number of people quarantined as on May 26 were: 1.86 lakh in Chhattisgarh, 1.18 lakh in Odisha, 88,536 in Jharkhand, 37,618 in Punjab, 30,983 in Jammu and Kashmir, 25,238 in Himachal Pradesh, 19,418 in Rajasthan, 14,930 in Andhra Pradesh, 13,941 in Assam and 13,538 in UT of Ladakh.

As on Thursday, the death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 4,531 and the number of cases climbed to 1,58,333 in the country.

The number of active COVID-19 cases stand at 86,110 while 67,691 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, according to the health ministry.

Thus, around 42.75 per cent patients have recovered so far, the ministry said.

The nationwide lockdown was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 for 21 days in a bid to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

It was first extended till May 3 and again till May 17.

The lockdown has now been extended till May 31.   -- Achinta Borah/PTI
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16:26   Don't charge migrants for bus/train, says SC
The Supreme Court Thursday directed that no fare for travel either by train or bus be charged from the migrant workers stranded across the country and they be provided food and water. 

 The apex court, which passed interim directions, said all migrant workers who are stranded at various places shall be provided food by the concerned states and Union territories at places which shall be publicised and notified to them for the period they are waiting for their turn to board a train or a bus. 

A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan said that the originating state shall provide meals and water at the station and during the journey while the railways would provide the same to the migrant workers.

It said that food and water be also provided to them for travel in buses. 

The bench, also comprising Justices S K Kaul and M R Shah, directed that states oversee the registration of migrant workers and ensure that they are made to board the train or bus at the earliest.

The top court said that complete information in this regard should be publicised to all concerned.

-- PTI
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16:00   HarperCollins to publish Modi's letters to mother goddess
Many letters that Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a young man wrote to mother goddess, whom he addressed as 'jagat janani', every night on varied topics will be published in a book form in English next month. HarperCollins India said "Letters to Mother", translated from Gujarati by renowned film critic Bhawana Somaaya, will be released as ebook and hardback. These letters have been taken from Modi's diary, dating back to 1986. 

"This is not an attempt at literary writing; the passages featured in this book are reflections of my observations and sometimes unprocessed thoughts, expressed without filter..." a HarperCollins India statement quoted Modi as saying. "I am not a writer, most of us are not; but everybody seeks expression, and when the urge to unload becomes overpowering there is no option but to take pen and paper, not necessarily to write but to introspect and unravel what is happening within the heart and the head and why," he said. -- PTI
Up close and personal with the pest
Up close and personal with the pest
15:56   About 90,000 hectares hit by locusts in Rajasthan
About 90,000 hectares in 20 districts of Rajasthan have been affected due to the locust attack, an official said Thursday. Swarms of locust have moved from Sri Ganganagar, Nagaur, Jaipur, Dausa, Karauli and Swai Madhopur towards other areas in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh after the authorities conducted operations to tackle them. 

Crop over 4,000 hectares in Sri Ganganagar and 100 hectares in Nagaur have been destroyed. Around 90,000 hectares in 20 districts have been affected in the state due to the locust attack, said Om Prakash, Commissioner of the Agriculture Department. He said the department carried out locust control operations on 67,000 hectares. 

Swarms of locust can travel up to 150 km a day with a speed of 15-20 km per hour and since there is no standing crop in the fields, they are targeting trees and other available vegetation, the official said. He said the non-availability of standing crops is the reason behind their movement from Pakistan to India. 

Talking about the locust control operations, he said 800 tractors with mounted sprayers are being used to neutralise locusts. About 200 teams are involved in daily survey and farmers are being given free pesticides, he said. Swarms of locust had recently entered some residential areas of Jaipur and settled on trees and walls. After a few hours, the insects moved towards Dausa. -- PTI 
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15:50   Lockdown has to end: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
With the exodus of migrant labour back to their home states, there is no case for extending the COVID-19-induced lockdown any longer, according to biotechnology veteran Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, who said the focus now should be to bring any outbreak under control quickly. 

The Executive Chairperson of Bengaluru-headquartered biotech major Biocon Ltd said on Thursday their return without controls would cause infections and the states such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan should be prepared to meet the possible surge. 

"The Lockdown has to end. What we really need now is prepare for tracking any outbreak and quickly bringing it under control. That has to be our strategy going forward. You cannot go on increasing the lockdown," Mazumdar-Shaw told PTI. 

"I think now there is anyway no point in extending the lockdown because of exodus of the migrant labour; they have basically gone to various parts of the country without any controls. So, now there is no point trying to extend lockdown any further. Now, its a question of quickly bringing under control any outbreak," she said. 

On her assessment of the COVID-19 situation in the country, Mazumdar-Shaw said Mumbai and some other "serious spots" where the infections were surging in an uncontrollable rate are now beginning to see flattening of the curve. 

"But you are going to have surges in the country after this migrant labour has gone back to Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. So, there, we have to be prepared because migrant labour exodus that happened will cause infections and that is where we need to be controlling it," she said. One should anticipate and be prepared for infection rates to go up in places like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, Mazumdar-Shaw added. -- PTI
Swarms of locust in Jaipur
Swarms of locust in Jaipur
15:48   Locust swarms head towards Maharashtra
Swarms of locusts have moved towards Maharashtra's Gondia district after attacking crops in neighbouring Bhandara, an official said on Thursday. Authorities in Gondia were alerted while pesticides were sprayed on crops and trees at a village in Bhandara which was affected by the pests, he said. An agriculture team rushed to Bhandara in the early hours of Thursday and sprayed pesticides with two fire tenders on trees in one-km radius in Temani village of the district, divisional joint director of agriculture Ravi Bhosle told PTI. 

"When the team reached the area in the early hours, pests were seen on mango, teak, moha, jambhul, ber and other trees. Pesticides were sprayed and by morning, a large number the crop-eating pests fell from trees and died," he said. "Mango trees were the most affected. The pests ate leaves but fruits were not damaged. Also, no damage was reported in the paddy fields," he said. 

The locust swarms were now heading eastwards, in the direction of wind, towards Tiroda tehsil in neighbouring Gondia district, the official said. Field machinery in Gondia has been alerted about the movement of the insects, he said. In the last few months, locust attacks have been reported from many parts of the country, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra. -- PTI
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15:14   SBI cuts interest rates on fixed deposits
The country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) has reduced interest rates on retail term deposits by up to 40 basis points (bps) across all tenors. This is the second reduction in fixed deposits interest rates by the lender in May. It had reduced its deposit rates on May 12. The new rates of interest, effective from Wednesday, shall be made applicable to fresh deposits and renewals of maturing deposits.

For deposits maturing in seven days to 45 days, the lender is offering an interest rate of 2.90 per cent as against 3.30 per cent earlier, according to the SBI website. The revised rate for 180 days to 210 days bracket is 4.40 per cent compared to 4.80 per cent. FDs maturing in one year to less than two years will now fetch an interest rate of 5.10 per cent as against 5.50 per cent. Interest rate on deposits in the five years to up to 10 years tenor will be 5.40 per cent compared to 5.70 per cent. For senior citizens also, interest rates on retail term deposits across all tenors have been cut by up to 40 basis points.    

The lender has also slashed interest rates on bulk deposits (Rs 2 crore and above) by up 50 basis points. -- PTI      
Rahul Gandhi met migrants in Delhi early this month
Rahul Gandhi met migrants in Delhi early this month
14:38   Open treasury for migrants now: Sonia to Centre
Accusing the Central government of not listening to the plight of migrants, Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday demanded that the government provide Rs 7,500 to every needy family of the country for the next six months and Rs 10,000 as immediate relief to them.

In a video message, part of Congress 'Speak Up India' campaign, Sonia said, "Congress has decided to conduct this social campaign to raise the voice of India. We again urge the Central Government to open the lock of the treasury and provide relief to the needy. Make a cash payment of Rs 7,500 per month directly to every family for six months and give Rs 10,000 immediately.

"Arrange for safe and free travel of the labourers and bring them home and make arrangements for their daily bread and ration. Ensure 200 days work under Mahatma Gandhi MNREGA, to provide employment in the village itself. Instead of giving loans to small scale industries, give financial help, so that crores of jobs can be saved and the country can also grow. In this hour of crisis, we all are with every countryman and together we will surely win these difficult situations," she added.

She stated that for the last two months, the whole country is going through a severe economic crisis of livelihood-employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"For the first time since independence, everyone saw the pain of millions of labourers who were forced to walk for hundreds of thousands of kilometres barefoot, hungry and thirsty, without medicine and means. Every heart across this country saw their plight and pain, perhaps not the government," said Sonia.

Millions of jobs were lost, millions of businesses were destroyed, factories closed, farmers had to stumble to sell crops. The whole country suffered, but perhaps the government did not even realise it, she added.

"From the very first day, all my Congress colleagues, economists, sociologists and every pioneer of society have repeatedly told the government that this is the time to heal the wound. Be it workers or farmers, industry or small shopkeepers, the government should help everyone. I don't know why the central government is constantly refusing to understand and implement this," she said. -- ANI
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14:33   'BJP to hold month-long campaign to mark first anniversary of Modi govt 2.0'
The BJP is going to hold a month-long campaign staring from June to mark the first anniversary of the Modi 2.0 government and will hold digital rallies in all districts across the country, its general secretary Bhupendra Yadav said. 

Underlining that the party stood with the general public in the fight against COVID-19, Yadav said the party workers distributed 19 crore food packets and more than 4 crore packets of ration across the country. Addressing a press conference via video conference, he said, "Amid the corona crisis the BJP workers were on the ground. They were serving people in all 909 organisational districts across the country and providing them all necessary help. Besides food, the party workers also distributed more than 5 crore masks, made people aware Aarogya Setu app, motivated them to contribute in PM Cares fund. 

Talking about the first anniversary of the Modi 2.0 government, Yadav said, "The party will hold digital rallies across the country and its all seven wings will also hold 500 digital rallies in their respective fields. BJP president JP Nadda will also address the party workers through Facebook Live on this occasion, he said. The party will reach out to people with a letter written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi talking about self-reliant India, achievements of the government, and will distribute them in ten crore families, Yadav said. -- PTI
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14:30   Delhi govt issues advisory on locust attack
A meeting called by Delhi Labour Minister Gopal Rai, over locust menace, is underway at his residence. The current situation in Delhi and preparations being made in the view of locusts attack is being discussed in the meeting. The Delhi government has also issued an advisory on preventive measures to control a probable locust attack. 
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14:25   'Singapore's financial position will be weaker'
Singapore's financial position will be "a lot weaker in the coming years", Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat has said as the city-state on Thursday recorded 373 new COVID-19 cases among foreign workers while for the first time since February 23 there were no new cases among Singaporeans or permanent residents. 

Singapore's tally of infections now stands at 33,249 and majority of them are foreign workers holding work permit and residing in dormitories, the Health Ministry said in its preliminary daily update. 

Of the 343 new cases reported on Thursday there were no new cases among Singapore citizens or permanent residents (foreigners), the ministry said. This is the first time since February 23 that there were no new cases among Singaporeans or permanent residents, the Channel News Asia (CNA) reported. 

As of Wednesday, Singapore had 525 coronavirus patients in hospital, 15,052 in isolation for mild symptoms and 23 deaths. The ministry said 17,276 patients have recovered and were discharged from hospitals. 

Deputy Prime Minister Heng, who is also the finance minister, in an interview with CNA said that the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic meant Singapore's financial position would be "a lot weaker in the coming years". 

However, he said the government will continue to find ways to manage this "difficult financial situation" and reiterated the need to keep people safe. "I will address the issue of how we are going to ensure that we continue to have the fiscal power to keep Singapore safe, not just in this one year, two years, but for the long term and I will address Parliament on this issue later,' Heng was quoted as saying. 

"But for now, I think the most important thing is, first, keep our people safe and second, let's get the economy going again, as much as possible," Heng said. Heng announced that the government would draw SGD 31 billion from past reserves to fund the Fortitude Budget, worth SGD 33 billion, the CNA reported. The government on Tuesday unveiled its fourth Budget this year worth SGD 33 billion as Singapore gears up for the end of its "circuit breaker" period next week. PTI
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13:50   Sambit Patra hospitalised after Covid symptoms
BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra has been admitted to a private hospital in Gurgaon after he showed symptoms of COVID-19, sources said. He is admitted to the Medanta hospital in Gurgaon, hospital sources said on Thursday. The BJP leader has shown symptoms of COVID-19, a source said. Patra is one of the most visible BJP faces on news channels. He is also very active on social media and posted several tweets on Thursday as well. PTI
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13:48   Migrants on flight paid by boss reach home
Would they be allowed to enter with slippers? What would happen when the plane takes off? Would they be safe? The questions raced through the minds of 10 migrants on Thursday as they readied to fly home to Bihar, an unforgettable first flight made possible by the generosity of their employer, a farmer in Delhi. Getting through the airport formalities was intimidating but they sought the help of an official who guided them till the plane.

Excited, nervous and a little panicky as they settled in their seats, many closed their eyes as the plane taxied and then tilted sharply at take-off, Naveen Ram, among the 10 workers taking their debut flight, told PTI after landing in Patna. 


Some of them put their heads down on the table in front as the plane steadied in the skies, not daring to look out of the window even when the flight landed, Naveen said. 


All 10 farm workers, stuck in Delhi because of the coronavirus forced lockdown, belong to Samastipur in Bihar. They had never dreamed they would get on a plane but they did thanks to Pappan Singh, a mushroom farmer in Delhi, who bought their tickets. 


Recounting the experiences of the morning, one which they will remember all their lives, Naveen said people at the airport were looking at them when they entered the airport carrying jute bags and wearing slippers. 

"We were not well-dressed like others. We didn't know what we should do next after entering the airport because it was our first experience of travelling in a plane. We took the help of an airline official," the 27-year-old said over phone. He, too, did not look out when the plane was taking off and landing. But that was not the end of the thrilling ride for the group, catapulted to national news at a time when migrant stories are made of arduous journeys battling hunger and heat on foot, cycle, bus or train. 

Several mediapersons were waiting to interview them when they landed at the Patna Airport after the 6 am flight from Delhi, said Naveen's fellow traveller and co-worker Jitender Ram. "We never expected to get so much attention. Yesterday, my friend phoned me, saying he was watching me on a news channel. We will always remember such a wonderful experience," Jitender said. Asked whether he will come back to Delhi after the lockdown is over, Naveen said, "Definitely, we will come back to Delhi when our malik (employer) calls us." 

All of them left for Samastipur district from Patna airport. Pappan Singh, who has helped rewrite the migrant narrative of tragedy and helplessness, said he called his workers every step of the way, from after they entered the airport to when they stepped into the plane -- asking if all was okay, if they had taken their boarding passes, checked in their bags and safely made their way to the gate. 

"I wanted everyone to give them respect the way I do. I was very concerned as my workers were not well-dressed like other passengers. Some of them were wearing slippers and carrying jute bags. "I am happy that they have finally reached their home state," Pappan told PTI.
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13:24   174 migrants on chartered flight reach Ranchi
A chartered flight carrying 174 migrant workers of Jharkhand landed at Ranchi airport on Thursday, officials said. The return of the migrant labourers by air from Mumbai, among the cities worst-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, was facilitated by the Alumni Network of National Law School, Bengaluru, they said. 

The alumni association had raised funds to lease an Air Asia aircraft to send home the workers, who were stranded in various parts of Mumbai amid the lockdown. The flight left the western metropolis around 8.15 am and reached the state capital around 10.30 am, an official statement said. 

All returnees were subjected to health screening and placed under home-quarantine for 14 days, in accordance with the protocol laid down by the government, it said. One of the workers, after completing formalities at the airport, said he would want to thank the law school alumni network and the state for ensuring his safe return. 

"I work as a welder in Mumbai. We are all happy to return. I would like to thank everybody who facilitated our return," he told reporters. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren also expressed his gratitude to the alumni network of the Bengaluru law school for its noble initiative. "Iss punit karya ke liye mein Alumni Network of National Law School, Bengaluru dwara kiye gaye sahiyog ko saharaniya karte hein (I appreciate the effort of the alumni network of National Law School, Bengaluru)," Soren said in a statement.

The state is committed to bring back all migrant workers stranded in different parts of the country, and the government is in touch with the Centre for the purpose, he added. -- PTI
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13:24   174 migrants on chartered flight reach Ranchi
A chartered flight carrying 174 migrant workers of Jharkhand landed at Ranchi airport on Thursday, officials said. The return of the migrant labourers by air from Mumbai, among the cities worst-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, was facilitated by the Alumni Network of National Law School, Bengaluru, they said. 

The alumni association had raised funds to lease an Air Asia aircraft to send home the workers, who were stranded in various parts of Mumbai amid the lockdown. The flight left the western metropolis around 8.15 am and reached the state capital around 10.30 am, an official statement said. 

All returnees were subjected to health screening and placed under home-quarantine for 14 days, in accordance with the protocol laid down by the government, it said. One of the workers, after completing formalities at the airport, said he would want to thank the law school alumni network and the state for ensuring his safe return. 

"I work as a welder in Mumbai. We are all happy to return. I would like to thank everybody who facilitated our return," he told reporters. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren also expressed his gratitude to the alumni network of the Bengaluru law school for its noble initiative. "Iss punit karya ke liye mein Alumni Network of National Law School, Bengaluru dwara kiye gaye sahiyog ko saharaniya karte hein (I appreciate the effort of the alumni network of National Law School, Bengaluru)," Soren said in a statement.

The state is committed to bring back all migrant workers stranded in different parts of the country, and the government is in touch with the Centre for the purpose, he added. -- PTI
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13:12   Sonia asks Centre to unlock coffers to help needy
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday asked the central government to unlock its coffers and help the needy affected by the coronavirus-induced lockdown. In a video message posted as part of the Congress' 'Speak Up India' campaign, she lamented that even though the country is passing through a serious economic crisis with loss of livelihood due to the pandemic and the lockdown, the central government has not heard the cries of pain and trauma of people. 

"We again urge the Centre to unlock its coffers and help the needy. Put direct cash of Rs 7,500 per month in the account of every family for the next six months and provide Rs 10,000 immediately; ensure safe and free travel of labourers back home, employment opportunity and rations; and also increase the number of work days under MNREGA to 200 days to facilitate jobs in villages," Gandhi said. 


"Instead of loans, provide financial relief to small and medium industry so that crores of jobs are saved and the country progresses," she said in her video message on the party's social media handles. -- PTI
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12:46   349,000+ Covid deaths world over
The global death toll from the novel coronavirus has risen over the past 24 hours by 5,581 to 349,095, the World Health Organization said in its daily situation report. The number of confirmed cases has increased by 84,314 to 5,488,825, the WHO said.

Most cases of infection are recorded in the Americas (North and South America) - 2,495,924, with 145,810 deaths, while Europe has reported 2,061,828 cases and 1,76,226 deaths so far. 

As per WHO tally, the US has the highest number of cases in the world with 1,63,4010 infections.The global health body declared the outbreak of the new coronavirus a pandemic on March 11. -- ANI
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12:38   US, India must develop plan to counter China's Indian Ocean game plan
The US and India must develop a plan to counter a possible effort by China to strengthen its position in the Indian Ocean by deepening ties with Pakistan and Sri Lanka by taking advantage of their economic woes due to the coronavirus pandemic, an American think-tank has said.

There have been considerable concerns in India over China's growing presence in the Indian Ocean region. India has been trying to expand maritime cooperation with countries of the region including Sri Lanka, Maldives, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Singapore, primarily with an aim to check the growing Chinese assertiveness. 

According to the Hudson Institute think-tank, the coronavirus pandemic threatens not only lives and livelihoods in South Asia; it could also be the precursor of significant political and strategic shifts in the region. 

The Bangladesh and Indian economies will survive the devastation, but their governments will have to restore growth by protecting and encouraging investment, the think-tank said in a report jointly authored by Indian-origin Hudson research scholar Aparna Pande and former Pakistan Ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani. -- PTI
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12:31   Patanjali debentures issue subscribed in 3 minutes
Baba Ramdev-led Patanjali Ayurved's debentures issue worth Rs 250 crore was subscribed within three minutes of opening on Thursday.The debenture has been rated as AA by Brickwork. The fund-raising will be used to meet the Haridwar-based company's working capital requirements and strengthen the supply chain network.

The non-convertible debentures carry a coupon rate of 10.1 per cent with a tenure of three years. The NCDs listed on the stock exchanges are redeemable. This is the first-ever issuance of debentures by Patanjali Ayurved.

Patanjali spokesperson S K Tijarawala said in the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for Ayurveda-based products, which help in boosting immunity, along with other products has gone up by three-folds.

"This has put constraints in our supply chain, right from manufacturing to distribution," he said.In December last year, Patanjali Ayurved acquired the bankrupt Ruchi Soya for Rs 4,350 crore, maker of soya food brand Nutrela, through an insolvency process. -- ANI
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12:28   China cries foul as Canadian court rules Huawei CFO's case meets standard of "double criminality"
China on Thursday accused the US and Canada of abusing their bilateral extradition treaty for political reasons as a British Columbia court ruled that the case against Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou meets the threshold of double criminality -- charges would be crimes in both North American countries. 

The British Columbia Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled Meng's case meets the Canadian extradition standard of "double criminality," state-run Xinhua news agency reported from Vancouver. Meng, who is deputy chair of the Chinese company's board and daughter of its founder Ren Zhengfei, was detained in Vancouver in December 2018 on the US's charges of bank fraud. 

The 48-year-old is also accused of misleading investment bank HSBC Holdings of her company's dealings with the Iran government, which the US had sanctioned. 

Meng is fighting extradition to the US. 

Meng's arrest had stunned China, considering the iconic status of Huawei which is the Asian powerhouse's largest private company. The US has banned using Huawei products and technology in its telecom network -- citing safety concerns. -- PTI
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12:03   'Indian, Chinese soldiers were thrown into the lake'
"It is pure luck that we did not have any body bags, otherwise things could have been nasty."
Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (retd) explains the recent India-China military standoff in Ladakh. Read the column here. 
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12:01   1.5 mn doses of anti-Covid drug to be donated
The Department of Health and Human Services has said that it is too early to discuss the pricing of 'remdesivir', the drug which has raised everyone's hopes of treating the coronavirus.

The department has however noted that US government has regularly reimbursed hospitals and other providers for treating people with no health insurance, the Washington Post reported.

So Gilead, the creator of the drug 'remdesivir' will be donating the first 1.5 million doses to governments worldwide which according to Gilead will be enough for about 140,000 patients through the end of May.

More than half of it has been targeted for the patients in US.

When the coronavirus pandemic first struck the world, the World Health Organisation also identified remdesivir as one of the potential treatments for the disease.

The drug also managed to shorten hospital visits by four days and reduced mortality rate from 11.6 per cent to 8 per cent.

However, Anthony S. Fauci, the director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said these results were modest and there was no significant reduction in deaths.

However, Jordon , the former Gilead researcher was happy with the results remdesivir showed. "I was very excited about that. This isn't a home run. It's clinical evidence that you can improve outcomes with an antiviral. The fact that we can do something to this disease, that's a great start," Washington Post quoted Jordon as saying.

Despite the heavy subsidies, federal agencies have not asserted patent rights to Gilead's drug, potentially a blockbuster therapy worth billions of dollars. That means Gilead will have few constraints other than political pressure when it sets a price in the coming weeks. 

Critics are urging the Trump administration to take a more aggressive approach.

Gilead is also investigating few ways in which the drug can be made in pill form and if that indeed happens, the use of it can be increased by a large scale if the coronavirus goes on to last for a few more years.
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11:58   Arms recovered from Arunachal forest
Arunachal Pradesh: Indian Army, in a joint operation with Arunachal Pradesh Police, recovered a cache of arms, ammunition and explosives from Miao Bum Reserve Forest in Changlang District yesterday.
Representational image
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11:39   Half of COVID-19 cases may experience altered sense of taste: Study
Nearly 50 per cent of people who contract COVID-19 may experience altered or lost sense of taste, according to a review of studies. The review, published in the journal Gastroenterology, could provide diagnostic hint for clinicians who suspect their patients might have the deadly disease. 

"Earlier studies didn't note this symptom, and that was probably because of the severity of other symptoms like cough, fever and trouble breathing," said Muhammad Aziz, from the University of Toledo in the US. 

"We were beginning to note that altered or lost sense of taste were also present, not just here and there, but in a significant proportion," Aziz said. The research team analysed data from five studies conducted between mid-January and the end of March. 

Of the 817 patients studied, 49.8 per cent experienced changes to their sense of taste, according to the study. The researchers noted that the true prevalence could be even higher because some of the studies were based on reviews of patient charts, which may not have noted every symptom. 

"We propose that this symptom should be one of the screening symptoms in addition to the fever, shortness of breath and productive cough. Not just for suspected COVID-19 patients, but also for the general population to identify healthy carriers of the virus," Aziz said. 

Previous studies have found that a significant number of people who have COVID-19 don't know they have been infected, and may be spreading the disease. The researchers suspect an altered sense of taste is more prevalent in patients with minor symptoms. However, they said more studies are needed to validate that suspicion. The researchers said changes in an individual's sense of taste could be a valuable way to identify carriers who are otherwise mostly asymptomatic. They theorise that the reason behind loss of taste could be the ability of the virus to bind to what's known as the ACE-2 receptor, which is expressed in epithelial cells on the tongue and mouth. -- PTI
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11:21   'Muscular Chinese policy to have impact on India'
China's new "muscular" policy will have an impact on its ties with India and other nations, a senior US diplomat has said, underlining that the world is finally recognising that Beijing is "pushing" a form of "problematic" governance. 

The US is currently involved in a tense showdown with China on the issue of trade, the origins of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Beijing's new security crackdown in Hong Kong and the communist giant's aggressive military moves in the disputed South China Sea. The actions China is taking "are going to have impact, and not just in - across the Straits", Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell told reporters at a news conference on Wednesday. "It's going to have impact in Southeast Asia, it's going to have impact with its neighbour India, and others. This newly muscular and aggressive approach is going to make the defence minister's job a lot harder," he said. Stiwell was responding to a question on the statement made by the Chinese Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe over the weekend that the Sino-US strategic confrontation has entered "a period of high risk" and "we must strengthen our fighting spirit... and use fighting to promote stability". Fenghe's remarks came amid rising tensions between China and the US, and souring ties between Beijing and Taipei. China views Taiwan as a rebel province that must be reunified with the mainland, even by force. China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam claim parts of it. Stilwell said the world is finally recognising that China is "pushing" a form of government that "many only now are beginning to recognise as problematic". "This most recent step from the National People's Congress in walking away from its obligations with respect to Hong Kong only demonstrates that more clearly," he said. China on Friday last introduced the draft of a controversial national security law in Hong Kong in its Parliament to tighten Beijing's control over the former British colony, in what could be the biggest blow to the territory's autonomy and personal freedoms since 1997 when it came under Chinese rule.
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11:04   Asha amid Corona
Some good news amid spiralling deaths. A migrant Asha Kumari who was on her way home to Bihar aboard a Shramik Special train went into labour at 7 pm yesterday at the Sirari Railway station. She was taken to Sadar Hospital and this morning is the mother of a healthy baby girl. 
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10:28   UN urges avoiding action that would increase tensions on India-China border
With President Donald Trump tweeting that the US is ready to "arbitrate" between India and China to end their "raging border dispute', a UN spokesperson said it is not for the Secretary General to "opine' who should mediate in the situation but urged that all parties involved should avoid any action that would increase tensions.

In a surprise move, US President Trump on Wednesday offered to "mediate or arbitrate" the raging border dispute between India and China, saying he was "ready, willing and able" to ease the tensions, amid the continuing standoff between the armies of the two Asian giants at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). 

"...That would be for the parties involved to decide who they would want to mediate this, not for us to opine. We're, obviously, looking at the situation, and we would urge all the parties involved to avoid any action that would make the situation even more tense," Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said at the daily press briefing on Wednesday. 

The nearly 3,500-km-long LAC is the de-facto border between India and China. Several areas along the LAC in Ladakh and North Sikkim have witnessed major military build-up by both the Indian and Chinese armies recently, in a clear signal of escalating tension and hardening of respective positions by the two sides even two weeks after they were engaged in two separate face-offs. 

India has said that the Chinese military was hindering normal patrolling by its troops along the LAC in Ladakh and Sikkim and has strongly refuted Beijing's contention that the escalating tension between the two armies was triggered by trespassing of Indian forces across the Chinese side.  -- PTI
The IED was fitted in this car
The IED was fitted in this car
10:24   Vehicle-borne IED blast averted in Pulwama: police
A vehicle-borne IED blast was averted as security forces detected a car fitted with explosives in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, police said. The improvised explosive device (IED) was safely defused. 

"A major incident of a vehicle borne #IED blast is averted by the timely input and action by #Pulwama Police, CRPF and Army," the Kashmir zone police wrote on its Twitter handle. 

According to sources, a white coloured private car was flagged by security forces at a mobile vehicle check point but the driver sped away.  

They said the security forces fired few shots at the car, which they found abandoned some distance away.  During checking, an IED was found fitted in the vehicle, which was later defused, the sources said.  Further details are awaited. -- PTI
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10:17   Cab secy calls meeting with municipal commissioners, DMs of 13 COVID-19 hit cities
Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Thursday will hold a meeting with municipal commissioners and district magistrates of 13 COVID-19 hit cities in the country that include Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai, officials said. 

Chief secretaries and principal secretaries (health) of the states concerned will also attend the meeting to be held through video conference. Municipal commissioners of Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi/New Delhi, Ahmadabad, Thane, Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata/Howrah, Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Jaipur, Jodhpur, Chengalpattu (Tamil Nadu) and Thiruvallur (Tamil Nadu) will attend the meeting, a Home Ministry official said. District magistrates or collectors of the districts concerned will also join the meeting, the official said. PTI 
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10:06   I was reckless: Awhad after recovering from Covid
Maharashtra Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad has blamed his "reckless behaviour for getting infected with the novel coronavirus. Awhad, who has now recovered from the infection after spending some days in hospital earlier this month, said he had to be kept on ventilator support for over two days. 

"It was recklessness in my behaviour that was the cause of COVID, probably I did not take peoples advice seriously. Thats why I was caught in a trap, the NCP leader said on Wednesday while addressing an online seminar organised by BDA, a developers lobby. Notably, in the early days of COVID-19 outbreak in the state, Awhad, who is the guardian minister of Thane district, was seen moving around for relief work. 


The minister said it was his will power that helped him overcome the tough phase, and added that he has recovered fast in the last two weeks. Awhad said he considers himself lucky to have recovered so fast, when compared with the travails of others like an IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre having to import medicines or undergo plasma therapy.  -- PTI
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10:03   Indian economy to contract 5% in FY-'21: S&P
S&P Global Ratings on Thursday forecast Indian economy to contract 5 per cent in the current fiscal as the lockdown imposed to contain COVID-19 pandemic has curtailed economic activity severely. "We have lowered our growth forecast for fiscal year ending March 2021 to a 5 per cent contraction... We currently assume that the outbreak peaks by the third quarter," S&P said in a statement. 

Earlier this week rating agencies Fitch and Crisil too had projected a 5 per cent contraction for the Indian economy. "The COVID-19 outbreak in India and two months of lockdown -- longer in some areas -- have led to a sudden stop in the economy. That means growth will contract sharply this fiscal year. Economic activity will face ongoing disruption over the next year as the country transitions to a post-COVID-19 world," S&P said in a statement. 

COVID-19 has not yet been contained in India. New cases have been averaging more than 6,000 a day over the past week as authorities begin easing stringent lockdown restrictions gradually to prevent economic costs from blowing out further. 

Areas currently classified as red zones are also economically significant, and the authorities could extend mobility restrictions. "We believe economic activity in these places will take longer to normalize. This will have knock-on impacts on countrywide supply chains, which will slow the overall recovery... We expect varying degrees of containment measures and economic resumption across India during this transition," S&P said. -- PTI
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09:38   1,58,333 Covid cases in India
"Spike of 6,566 new COVID-19 cases and 194 deaths in the last 24 hours. Total number of cases in the country now at 1,58,333 including 86110 active cases, 67692 cured/discharged/migrated and 4531 deaths," Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 
Waterlogging at Kolkata airport during Amphan last week
Waterlogging at Kolkata airport during Amphan last week
09:01   Domestic flights resume at Kolkata airport
Domestic flight operations to and from Kolkata resumed on Thursday after a gap of two months due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Though domestic flight operations across the country began on May 25, they could not be restarted in Kolkata as the state machinery was involved in relief and restoration work after Cyclone Amphan whiplashed many areas of the state. 

The first flight from Kolkata left for Guhawati at 6.05 am with 40 passengers, whereas 122 passengers arrived from New Delhi on Thursday morning, the sources said. 

"Welcome Back, Passengers! #KolkataAirport saw the arrival of 122 passengers from @DelhiAirport after two long months and 40 passengers departed to #Guwahati. Proper checks were followed, and regular sanitization was carried out in terminal which was abuzz with passengers," the Kolkata airport tweeted. 

On Thursday, 10 flights will take off from Kolkata, and an equal number will arrive in the city, sources at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport said. Domestic flight operations will resume at Bagdogra airport in north Bengal too. 

The West Bengal government had recently come up with a set of guidelines for people arriving in the state in domestic flights. According to it, those entering the state from Thursday must submit a self-declaration form stating that they have not tested positive for COVID-19 in the past two months, according to an advisory of the Health Department. The passengers will also need to undergo health screening after they arrive at the airport, the advisory said on Monday. 

Arrangements for contact-less travel with social-distancing norms have been readied at the city airport to keep passengers safe from COVID-19, a top airport official said on Wednesday. -- PTI
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08:32   Facing pay cuts? Now, meet this hero employer
Amidst the coronavirus-induced lockdown, 10 migrant workers left from Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport for Patna, Bihar on Thursday morning after their employer Pappan Gehlot, a mushroom farmer paid for their flight tickets.

The migrants were also dropped off at the airport in vehicles arranged by their employer. Before taking the flight, one of the workers said, "I had never thought I will get to sit in an aeroplane, our employer made the arrangements for us".

Pappan's brother Niranjan Gehlot, who came to see off the labourers, informed that all the workers were medically checked and their fitness certificates were obtained before booking their flight tickets.

"We tried to book trains tickets but were unable to do it. Then we thought these people have been working with us for over 20 years, their journey should be safe, so we got them medically examined and arranged flight tickets for them," said Niranjan Gehlot.

Pappan Gehlot said he spent around Rs 68,000 to book tickets for the migrants and also gave each of the workers Rs 3,000 in cash so they don't face any problems when they reach their home state.

He said he had made several attempts to send them back to their home state in a Shramik Special train but could not manage to do so.

"I could not have taken a risk by allowing my workers to walk thousands of miles as it would have put their lives in danger because we are getting to know these days that migrants meet road accidents while going home," he said.

Pappan said he has completed all their medical formalities, in accordance with the requirements specified, so they have a smooth journey home.

"Medical fitness certificates have been issued by authorities to all 10 workers and they are fit to travel in a plane," he said.

"I have been doing mushroom farming since 1993, which has a season between August and March, added the employer with a difference.
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08:25   Employer pays for air tickets for 10 migrants
10 migrant workers left from IGI Airport for Patna, Bihar today after their employer Pappan Gehlot, a mushroom farmer paid for their flight tickets. One of the workers said, "I had never thought I will get to sit in an aeroplane; our employer made the arrangements for us."
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08:09   BMC revises testing guidelines for Covid patients
Good morning and welcome to Live! updates on Rediff.com. First up, news of the pandemic, which pretty much has changed how we live our lives and will continue to live it. 

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has issued revised testing guidelines for COVID-19 stating that COVID test is not mandatory for emergency surgery, while mandatory for pregnant women (even asymptomatic) who are likely to deliver in next five days.

In a circular Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai stated that in view of the increasing number of cases in Mumbai and in order to make COVID testing facility available to all symptomatic suspects, MCGM has made all efforts to reach out to all symptomatic patients so that timely shifting of the positive patients to respective facilities will be possible in no time in order to avoid the spread of the disease.

"MCGM resolves to ramp up testing of symptomatic cases to contain the virus effectively and efficiently. Currently, the Government of India and Government of Maharashtra have revised the discharge policy as per the categorization of patients," the statement read.

In view of all the above references, the MCGM, by superseding all the earlier circulars/guidelines, issues comprehensive guidelines for COVID-19 testing.

Testing guidelines for general citizens: Testing to be undertaken of the general citizens falling under following categories:

--All symptomatic persons (fever, cough, difficulty in breathing) within 14 days of international travel, all symptomatic contacts of confirmed cases, all symptomatic health care workers, all hospitalised patients with severe acute respiratory illness, pregnant women residing in clusters/containment area or in large migration gatherings/evacuees centre from hotspot districts presenting in labour or likely to deliver in next five days should be tested even if asymptomatic.

-- All symptomatic patients identified in: SARI clinics, fever clinics, OPD in hospitals.Only if there is a strong suspicion of COVID-19 in persons requiring elective surgery or surgery which can wait for 48 hours, the doctor can ask for COVID-19 test. No emergency surgeries should be denied to the patient for want of COVID-19 test.

-- For patients or regular haemodialysis, test for COVID-19 should not be asked as a routine before every procedure and only if there is a strong suspicion, the person requiring dialysis is afflicted with COVID-19, then COVID-19 test may be prescribed and such patients, both suspected and positive COVID-19, should be referred to dialysis facility for COVID-19 patients. -- ANI
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08:08   Coronavirus death toll in US crosses 1 lakh
The death toll from the novel coronavirus in the United States has crossed one lakh, the highest for any country in the world, as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaks havoc across the globe by upending life and disrupting economic activity.
 
The wave of deaths, one-third of which has come from the world's financial capital of New York and neighbouring New Jersey and Connecticut, has had a devastating impact on American economy which has now gone into recession with an unprecedented over 35 million losing their jobs in the last three months.
However, a silver lining is the rate of both deaths and new cases have been registering a decline, a development that has encouraged almost all of the 50 States to announce plans to reopen their economies.
 
"With the 100,000th recorded American death due to COVID-19, our nation marks a somber milestone. All across the country, families are mourning loved-ones lost to this disease," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said.
 
"It is difficult to comprehend the scope of this tragedy, and each of these 100,000 Americans is a parent, grandparent, sibling, child, and valued community member," he said after Johns Hopkins University which records the data reported that the death toll on Wednesday crossed the 100,000 mark.
 
The New York Times said that the death toll exceeds the number of US military combat fatalities in every conflict since the Korean War.
 
It matches the toll in the United States of the 1968 flu pandemic, and it is approaching the 116,000 killed in another flu outbreak a decade before that, it said.
 
So far, more than 1.7 million Americans have tested positive for the coronavirus.
 
According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the  coronavirus has impacted all age groups and communities in the US. Asian Americans accounts for 4.7 per cent of the total coronavirus cases and Black Americans 26.3 per cent.
 
There is no official record for deaths of Indian-Americans or those who got infected. 

But some unofficial estimates put the number of deaths among Indian-Americans to over 500 in New York and New Jersey area and those who tested positive to several thousands.
 Several prominent Indian--American doctors and eminent community members have succumbed to the COVID-19 in the past two months.
After initial hiccups, the US has ramped up its testing across the nation. So far, it has done a record 15.7 million tests of which 1.8 million have tested positive, the CDC said.
 
The largest number of cases of over 500,000 have been found in the age group of 18-44 years, followed by over 450,000 in the age group of 45-64 years. -- PTI
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00:13   Dubai govt workers to go back to work on June 14
All government workers in Dubai have been directed to return to work by June 14, Dubais Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said on his Twitter account.

He said the government approved a decision Wednesday to allow 50 per cent of Dubais government employees to return to work this Sunday, and 100 per cent of government employees to return by mid-June.

The decision was made as Dubai continues to make its gradual return to normal life with intensified precautionary measures, the Crown Prince added.

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