LIVE! Traders ask Kejriwal not to extend lockdown

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Sat, 15 May 2021

Traders ask Kejriwal not to extend lockdown

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21:10 Traders ask Kejriwal not to extend lockdown

The National Delhi Traders Association wrote a letter to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, requesting him to lift the complete COVID-19 lockdown in the national capital.

NDTA, in their letter, urged the Delhi Chief Minister to open markets in a phased manner with strict enforcement of laws.

The letter comes in the backdrop of complete COVID-19 lockdown in Delhi amid rising COVID-19 infections. CM Arvind Kejriwal, earlier this month, had announced complete lockdown in the city to curb the spread and break the transmission chain of coronavirus. The lockdown restrictions in the city were supposed to stay in place till May 10, but were extended till May 17 in view of the coronavirus situation.

The National Delhi Traders Association president Atul Bhargava, said that nobody was in favour of the lockdown since the beginning.

But they had no option since the coronavirus cases in Delhi were rising. However, now we are of the opinion that the government instead of extending lockdown should open the markets in a phased manner with strict enforcement of laws and proper sanitisation, he added.

Furthermore, Bhargava asserted that the traders, who have stood with the nation in all difficult times, are now in dire need of support from the government and claimed that the umpteen letters written to the powers that be for help have fallen on deaf ears.

Cyclone Tauktae is approaching towards the Gujarat coast and is very likely to cross the coast between Porbandar and Naliya around afternoon/evening of May 18.

Operation of all scheduled flights at Agatti Airport in Lakshadweep have been suspended due to heavy rain till 10 am on Sunday. Officials said the airport will be made operational as and when Cyclone Tauktae passes the area.

Senior management of the Airports Authority of India is consistently monitoring the situation at other airports in the region. So far, nothing adverse has been reported and all operations are normal.

Plasma therapy on COVID-19 patients has not been found effective in reducing the progression to severe disease or death and is likely to be dropped from the clinical management guidelines, sources said.

In a meeting of the ICMR-National Task Force for COVID-19 on Friday, all members were in favour of removing the use of convalescent plasma from the Clinical Guidance for Management of Adult COVID-19 Patients citing its ineffectiveness and inappropriate use in several cases, they said.

The Indian Council of Medical Research will issue an advisory on the matter soon, they said.

The present guidelines allows "off label" use of plasma therapy at the stage of early moderate disease, that is, within seven days of the onset of symptoms and if there is availability of a high titre donor plasma.

The decision to remove it from the guidelines comes in the backdrop of some clinicians and scientists writing to Principal Scientific Advisor K VijayRaghavan cautioning against the "irrational and non-scientific use" of convalescent plasma for COVID-19 in the country.

In the letter, which was also marked to ICMR chief Balram Bhargava and AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria, public health professionals alleged that the current guidelines on plasma therapy are not based on existing evidence and pointed out some very early evidence that indicates a possible association between emergence of variants with lower susceptibility to neutralising antibodies in immunosuppressed" people given plasma therapy.

This raises the possibility of more virulent strains developing due to irrational use of plasma therapy which can fuel the pandemic, according to the letter signed by vaccinologist Gagandeep Kang, surgeon Pramesh C S and others.

-- PTI

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat today called out the negligence displayed by all sections of the nation following the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic which led India into the ongoing nationwide medical crisis.

After the first wave, we all became negligent. People, governments, administration. We all knew this is coming. Doctors had warned us. Still we were negligent," Bhagwat said today.

"Now they tell us a third wave could be here. So should we fear it? Or have the right attitude to fight and win against the virus?" he said as part of the 'Positivity Unlimited' series of lectures organised by the RSS to infuse confidence and positivity among people as they fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

He sought to channelise the nation's focus towards the future so that the people and the government will be prepared for it by learning from the current experiences. Brushing aside the difficulties faced by India, Mr Bhagwat encouraged Indians to develop the confidence to face a potential third wave by learning from today's mistakes.

Coordinated by the RSS's "Covid Response Team" in association with various civil services groups, the series is being held over five days since May 11 and has Wipro Group founder Azim Premji and spiritual guru Jaggi Vasudev among the online speakers.

Speaking today, the RSS chief quoted a statement that, he said, was always placed on former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill's table. It read "There is no pessimism in this office. We are not interested in the possibility of defeat. They do not exist."

Indians, too, need to attain a complete victory over the pandemic, Bhagwat said.

"The cycle of life and death will continuethese matters cannot scare us. It is these very circumstances that will train us for the future," he said. "Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. The courage to continue is the only thing that matters."

The flight crew of SpiceJet's Delhi-Zagreb flight had to spend around 21 hours inside the aircraft at the Zagreb airport as there was a sudden change in rules making negative RTPCR test results mandatory for anyone coming from India, the airline said on Saturday.

The crew were not allowed to come out of the plane and they conducted the return flight to Delhi -- after the 21-hour rest period -- without passengers or cargo.

"Prior to departure from India, email confirmation was received from Croatian authorities that RTPCR is not required for crew," the airline's spokesperson said.

On arrival in Zagreb on Tuesday, the crew, including four pilots, as well as cabin crew members, was told that the orders have changed.

"Due to sudden and massive increase in COVID cases in India, they were then instructed that RTPCR test is required. This came as a surprise," the airline's spokesperson said. India recorded 3,26,098 coronavirus cases and 3,890 deaths on Saturday.

Since the crew could not fly back immediately due the FDTL (flight duty time limitation) restrictions, bedding, food and water was provided in the aircraft, according to the spokesperson.

"Aircraft was cleaned. DGCA permission was obtained. Crew rested in the aircraft for 21 hours (as mandated by regulation).

"They then flew back to Delhi. All crew confirmed that they were comfortable and happy with the arrangements," the spokesperson added.

-- PTI

Mumbai on Saturday reported 1,447 fresh coronavirus positive cases and 62 deaths, taking the tally to 6,87,152 and the toll to 14,200, the city civic body said.

A total of 2,333 patients were discharged during the day, taking the count of recoveries in the financial capital so far to 6,34,315, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said in a statement.

With 24,896 new tests, the number of samples tested so far in Mumbai went up to 58,76,175, it said.

Mumbai's case recovery rate now stands at 92 per cent while the overall growth rate for the period from May 8 to 14 is 0.32 per cent, the BMC said.

The number of active containment zones in Mumbai reduced to 87 while 377 buildings remained sealed, it added.

-- PTI

A Delhi court on Saturday issued non-bailable warrants against two-time Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar and nine others in connection with the murder of a 23-year-old former junior national wrestling champion, Sagar Rana.

The court had earlier issued a look-out-circular against the wrestler.

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday wrote to Congress president Sonia Gandhi about the COVID-19 situation in Maharashtra, and said she should rather advise the states where her party is in power about how to

handle the pandemic.

State Congress leaders hit back, alleging that the BJP-led Union government's "arrogance and complacency" led to the present crisis.

The former Maharashtra chief minister in his letter pointed out the high mortality rate in the state and alleged that the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government was neglecting Vidarbha, Marathwada and North Maharashtra in the fight against the pandemic.

Fadnavis's letter follows Gandhi's own missive some time ago to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about alleged slip-ups in the handling of the COVID-19 outbreak by the Centre.

While criticising the Centre, Gandhi should also give advise to the states ruled by the Congress, Fadnavis said.

-- PTI

The Delhi government received over 1.73 lakh doses of Covishield on Saturday and the stocks of this vaccine will last for another six days for the 45 plus age group as well as frontline and health care workers, AAP MLA Atishi said.

She said the stocks of Covaxin will last for another three days.

There was no vaccination on Friday since it was a holiday owing to Eid, she said while issuing the vaccination bulletin.

There is no Covaxin stock available for the 18-44 years age group while the stock of Covishield will last for another eight days, she said.

-- PTI

17:53 BJP alleges link between Kalra, Congress

The BJP on Saturday alleged links between businessman Navneet Kalra, who is accused of hoarding and selling oxygen concentrators in the black market, and the Congress.

BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi said Kalra was given the membership of Golf Club, one of the most premium clubs in the national capital, by Congress leader Ajay Maken when he was the urban development minister in the UPA-I government.

Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi is lawyer of all such "criminals" and black-marketeers, she said, hitting out at the opposition party.

Kalra and officials of Matrix Cellular had hoarded about 7,500 concentrators, she said, alleging their links with the Congress.

She claimed that an artificial shortage of oxygen was created and exploited by those close to the party.

Lekhi said Kalra's Facebook page shows his pictures with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

The businessman has also claimed in his page that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, she added.

The chef who works at Kalra's restaurant had described Gandhis as the first family of the country, she said.

"The Congress's hand is always with black marketeers and hoarders, and this is evident from the events which have unfolded themselves. These people are directly in links with the Congress. The Congress has encouraged such people when it was in power," she alleged.

-- PTI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday called for a national vaccine strategy and claimed that the government's "disastrous" inoculation policy will "ensure a devastating third wave" in the country.

He also accused the prime minister of making "mother Ganga cry" after bodies of suspected coronavirus victims were found floating in the river.

"The Government of India's disastrous vaccine strategy will ensure a devastating third wave. It can't be repeated enough - India needs a proper vaccine strategy," he said on Twitter.

Tagging media reports claiming that over 2,000 bodies have been found in 1140 km area along the Ganga, he alleged, "One who used to say 'Ganga' has called him has made Mother Ganga cry."

Gandhi and the Congress have been attacking the prime minister and his government over its vaccine strategy and handling of the pandemic.

In yet another tweet, Gandhi appealed to people to stay safe after cyclone Tauktae warning was issued by the government in many states. He also appealed to Congress workers to provide all assistance to those in need.

"May 15 Cyclone Alert has been issued in Kerala, Maharashtra, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka. Cyclone Tauktae is already causing heavy rains in many areas.

"I appeal to Congress workers to provide all possible assistance to those in need. Please stay safe," he said on Twitter.

-- PTI

A total of 10,953 oxygen concentrators, 13,169 oxygen cylinders, 19 oxygen-generation plants and 4.9 lakh remdesivir vials received as global aid were delivered or dispatched to various states and Union Territories from April 27 to May 13, the health ministry said on Saturday.

The major consignments received on May 13/14 from the US, Italy, Canada, South Korea, Oman, the UK and Japan include 157 oxygen concentrators, 900 oxygen cylinders and 338 ventilators/BiPAP/CPAP.

According to the ministry, 68,810 vials of remdesivir and 1,000 units of tocilizumab were also received from these countries on May 13/14.

Cumulatively, 10,953 oxygen concentrators, 13,169 oxygen cylinders, 19 oxygen-generation plants, 6,835 ventilators or BiPAP and about 4.9 lakh remdesivir vials have been delivered or dispatched through road and air from April 27 to May 13, it said.

"Effective immediate allocation, and streamlined delivery to the recipient states and union territories and institutions is an ongoing exercise," it said.

A dedicated coordination cell has been created in the ministry to coordinate the receipt and allocation of foreign COVID relief material as grants, aid and donations. This cell started functioning from April 26.

A standard operating procedure has been framed and implemented by the health ministry since May 2, 2021.

The Government of India, at the forefront of the "whole of government" approach to combat the ongoing COVID-19, has been receiving international donations and aid of COVID-19 relief medical supplies and equipment since April 27 from different countries or organisations to augment its efforts in fighting the unprecedented surge of cases.

Through a streamlined and systematic mechanism, various ministries and departments of the Government of India have seamlessly collaborated for expeditiously delivering the incoming global aid to states and Union Territories, the ministry said.

-- PTI

Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has compared the COVID-19 vaccination situation in the country to an arranged marriage.

Mazumdar-Shaw, the executive chairperson of biotechnology major Biocon, in a lighter vein compared the two while bringing out the confusion that currently prevails regarding the entire vaccination process.

"The vaccine situation in India is like arranged marriage. First u r not ready, then u don't like any, then u don't get any!! Those who got are unhappy thinking may be the other one would have been better. Those who did not get any are willing to get any one," Mazumdar-Shaw tweeted on Saturday.

Earlier this week, Mazumdar-Shaw had expressed concern over shortage of COVID-19 vaccines and sought better transparency from the government regarding their availability so that citizens could patiently wait for their turn.

"Very concerned about why vaccines are in such short supply. Can we please know where the 70 million doses are being deployed every month? @MoHFW_INDIA We need better transparency to avoid the suspense. If a timetable of supplies is made public people can patiently wait their turn,' Mazumdar-Shaw had tweeted while tagging the Health Ministry.

India has announced expansion of its COVID-19 vaccination drive by allowing its large population aged over 18 to get inoculated from May 1.

Various states including Delhi, have complained about lack of vaccines and questioned the Centre's policy in dealing with the situation.

While the vaccine manufacturers continue to produce and dispatch lots, there remains a huge gap between demand and supply of the critical medication.

-- PTI

AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria warned doctors to brace for cases of mucormycosis, a rare fungal infection, across the country, including among Covid-19 positive persons.

He emphasised the urgent need to control and monitor blood sugar levels among Covid patients, with a pattern emerging of more than 90 per cent of mucormycosis patients being diabetics.

He said data clearly links the current increase in mycormycosis cases with diabetes and steroid intake. He referred to a meeting he had with doctors from Gujarat where they have reported more than 500 cases of the fungal infection only from government hospitals.

Hospitals in Gujarat have set up more than one ward just to manage patients with mucormycosis and are now forming combined teams with infectious disease specialists, ENT surgeons, neurosurgeons and plastic surgeons to operate upon these persons Almost all of the mycormycosis patients had taken steroids. More than 90-95 per cent were diabetics. Covid itself leads to lymphopenia, therefore, predisposing patients to opportunistic fungal infections, Guleria said.

He said steroid intake can lead to a spike in blood sugar levels.

He also stated they are mapping to see if tocilizumab -- an immunosuppressant being used to treat Covid by many doctors -- also leads to fungal infections.

Guleria stated that AIIMS Delhi has 18-20 patients who have mucormycosis. He said that unlike in the first wave of the pandemic, doctors are now seeing the fungal infection develop even in patients who are battling Covid.

We are seeing mucormycosis happening now even when the patient is Covid positive. During the first wave, it would occur later on. Now, we are having two sets of patients: Covid patients with mucormycosis who we are keeping in the Covid ward, and those who become Covid negative and continue to have mucormycosis. And the management strategy becomes even more challenging because of these two sets of patients, he said.

Dr Yashdeep Gupta, Associate Professor in the AIIMSs department of endocrinology and metabolism, stressed on the need for screening patients being admitted to a Covid care facility at the time of admission for undiagnosed hyperglycaemia for effective control of diabetes and its consequences during treatment, as well as constant monitoring of sugar levels of diabetic patients and keeping a low threshold for administering insulin.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will chair the 43rd Goods and Services Tax Council meeting through video conferencing on May 28.

The official Twitter account of Nirmala Sitharaman's Office informed that the meeting will take place at 11 am and Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur along with Finance Ministers and senior officials of all states and Union Territories will participate.

"Nirmala Sitharaman will chair the 43rd GST Council meeting via video conferencing at 11 AM in New Delhi on 28 May 2021. The meeting will be attended by MOS Anurag Thakur besides Finance Ministers of States and UTs and senior officers from Union Government and States," office of the finance minister tweeted.

On October 5, 2020, the GST Council at its 42nd meeting had decided to extend the levy of compensation cess beyond the transition period of five years for such period as may be required to meet the revenue gap.

The Centre, on the request of states, also decided to increase the shortfall amount to Rs 1.10 lakh crore from Rs 97,000 crore under the borrowing option.

-- ANI

Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai house has been turned into a Covid Care Centre in Shiggaon town of Haveri district.

To overcome bed shortage in hospitals at his home constituency, Bommai handed over his house which could treat 50 Covid-19 patients with oxygen facility.

This is the first time when a minister's residence has been converted as Covid Care Centre. Shiggaon is a small town in north Karnataka and Bommai represents Shiggaon constituency in the state assembly.

As many as 50 beds have been set up at the verandah of his house with needy medical facilities. Very soon 50 oxygen concentrators, that are expected arrive in the next few days, will be installed near each bed to provide oxygen to ailing Covid-19 patients.

Inspecting the facilities at his house, Bommai said a team of medical professionals including government and private doctors and nurses will be deployed in this CCC to attend patients round the clock.

Bommai stays in Hubballi with his family but would stay in his Shiggaon residence whenever he visits his home constituency.

15:03 Delhi's infections hit a record one-month low

Delhi recorded 6,430 new COVID-19 cases and 337 more fatalities on Saturday while the positivity rate dipped to 11.32 per cent, authorities said.

The national capital had recorded 8,506 new cases on Friday and a positivity rate of 12.40 per cent.

As many as 289 more patients had succumbed to the disease on Friday, according to a health bulletin.

Former Union health minister and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, suggesting measures to increase COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing in the country, party officials said.

In his letter, a copy of which has also been sent to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, Azad has also given suggestions for further augmenting health infrastructure in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, they said here.

Congress officials said the former Rajya Sabha member, whose tenure ended earlier this year, also made a few recommendations for increasing capacity of vaccinators in the country besides ensuring more supplies for vaccination to counter the pandemic in the country.

The letter was written to the prime minister this morning for his consideration, they said.

Prime Minister Modi on Saturday chaired a high-level meeting on the COVID-19 situation and the ongoing vaccination drive.

Top officials from different ministries attended the meeting.

-- PTI

Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of over 40 farmer unions, on Saturday announced that it will observe May 26 as 'black day', marking six months of their protest at Delhi's borders against the Centre's three farm laws.

In a virtual press conference, farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal appealed to people to raise black flags at their houses, vehicles and shops on May 26 to protest against the contentious farm legislations.

"On May 26, we will complete six months of this protest and it also happens to mark seven years since PM Modi formed the government. We will observe it as black day," Rajewal said.

A large number of farmers reached Delhi's borders on November 26 after facing water cannons and police barriers as part of their "Delhi Chalo" march against the Centre's farm laws.

Thousands of farmers from across the country joined the protest in the following months at Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur borders around the national capital.

Rajewal appealed to people to support the call for observing 'black day' on May 26.

"We appeal to people of the country and also Punjab to hang black flags at their house, shops, trucks and other vehicles. We will also burn effigies of (PM) Narendra Modi as a form of protest," he added.

He said that the government has not heard the farmers demands to repeal the three farm laws and "with increasing prices of fertilisers, diesel and petrol, the farming business is not possible".

Hundreds of farmers have been camping at Delhi's borders since November 2020 demanding that the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 be rolled back and a new law made to guarantee minimum support price for crops.

However, the government, which has held multiple rounds of formal dialogue with the protestors, has maintained that the laws are pro-farmer.

-- PTI

14:03 Recoveries outnumber new COVID cases in India

For the fourth time in the last five days, India's daily COVID-19 recoveries outnumbered new cases, taking the total recoveries to 2,04,32,898, the Union health ministry said on Saturday.

The number of people who recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours was 3,53,299, while the number of new cases recorded in the same period was 3,26,098, according to ministry data updated at 8 am.

The national recovery rate stands at 83.83 per cent, it said.

"It (the daily recoveries) outnumbers India's daily new COVID-19 cases for the fourth time in the last five days. Ten states account for 70.49 per cent of the new recoveries," the ministry said.

The total tally of cases in the country stands at 2,43,72,907, while 3,890 new fatalities pushed the death toll to 2,66,207, the ministry said.

It said that the number of active cases has decreased to 36,73,802 and comprises 15.07 per cent of the total infections. There has been a net decline of 31,091 in the number of active cases in the last 24 hours, the ministry said.

-- PTI

In view of the warning about cyclone Tauktae, Mumbai's civic body Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation announced that there would be no Covid-19 vaccination drive in the city during the coming weekend, that is, May 15 and 15.

The city's civic body took to Twitter to announce the update.

13:06 West Bengal govt extends lockdown till May 30

Amid a spike in the number of coronavirus infections, the West Bengal government on Saturday extended the lockdown in the state till May 30.

This came after it registered its highest single-day spike of 20,846 fresh COVID-19 cases on Friday, taking the tally to 10,94,802.

The death toll in West Bengal rose to 12,993 after 136 more people, including five eminent doctors, succumbed to the infection, the health department had said in its bulletin. This time, the state government has announced additional restrictions in view of the surge in Covid cases in the state.

12:28 Kejriwal announces oxygen concentrator bank

Oxygen concentrator banks have been set up in every district in Delhi to give a boost to the fight against coronavirus, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said today.

He also said on Saturday that the city recorded 6,500 cases of the coronavirus disease in the last 24 hours and the positivity rate further dipped to 11 per cent. This was one per cent lower than Friday.

"In the last 24 hours, 6,500 Covid-19 cases have been reported in Delhi and the positivity rate has further gone down to 11 per cent. So the impact of the virus is going down in Delhi. As many as 1,000 ICU beds have been set up within 15 days, our doctors and engineers have set an example. I thank them," he said.

US pharma giant Pfizer is in talks with the Indian government to sell 50 million of its vaccine doses in the country by the third quarter of this year.

Top government officials, The Times of India reported, have discussed availability of the vaccines with senior Pfizer executives in several meetings. The negotiations between the government and Pfizer are also close to reaching a breakthrough over the issue of indemnifying the company against liabilities that may arise from any side- effects after using its vaccines, Economic Times reported.

The vaccines, which are relatively expensive, will be available for purchase by the government only for the vaccination programme.

The development comes in the backdrop of India falling short of vaccines in the wake of a massive demand amid the catastrophic second Covid-19 wave ravaging the country.

Many states such as Uttar Pradesh and even the Mumbai civic body have announced to float global tenders to procure vaccines.

The European Medicines Agency on Wednesday said the mRNA vaccines approved by it would be able to fight the new variant detected in Maharashtra.

EMA said it is monitoring the data on the Indian variant very closely. We are seeing promising evidence that mRNA vaccines will be able to neutralise this variant, it added.

11:40 Mamata's younger brother dies of COVID-19

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees younger brother Ashim Banerjee died due to COVID-19 on Saturday.

As per the reports, Ashim Banerjee was undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at Medica Hospital in Kolkata.

Meanwhile, on Friday, West Bengal recorded its highest single-day spike of 20,846 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the total tally to 10,94,802.

The death toll in the state rose to 12,993 after 136 more people succumbed to COVID-19 infection on Friday, the state health department bulletin said.

The first repatriation flight carrying Australians stranded in India landed in Darwin on Saturday following the end of the federal government's controversial ban on them from returning home.

The repatriation flights facilitated by the Australian government for its stranded citizens in India resumed from Friday following a two weeks ban due to the COVID-19 health crisis in India.

The Qantas jet touched down at the Royal Australian Air Force base shortly before 9:00 am local time.

It was scheduled to carry up to 150 passengers but in the end, only carried 80 people back to Australia.

"Many passengers on the first flight on Friday were grounded due to COVID-19 positive test results," Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell was quoted as saying by ABC News.

A total of 70 people were barred from boarding. 46 of those tested positive to COVID-19, while 24 others were identified as close contacts.

The arrivals will be taken to the Howard Springs centre.

Passengers on this flight had to undergo and return a negative result on two tests before they could get on the plane -- a PCR test in the two days beforehand and then a rapid antigen test.

The Australian government had introduced the travel ban for its residents and citizens a fortnight ago to mitigate the risk of high infection rate at its quarantine facilities, including the Howard Springs centre in Darwin.

The repatriation flight was the first flight after the Australian government imposed a temporary ban with a threat of criminal sanctions, including five years in jail and fines of up to 66,000 Australian dollars for people who try to return from India.

The next flight from India is scheduled in just over a week.

Almost 10,000 Australians, permanent residents and their immediate family members are seeking to return to Australia with around 1,000 who have been prioritised as 'vulnerable' for health or financial reasons.

The flight from Australia to India on Friday to bring back the Australians carried 1,056 ventilators, 60 oxygen concentrators and other essential supplies, adding to medical equipment sent last week.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the controversial weeks-long pause in travel from India had worked.

-- PTI

Senior Congress leader and six-time MP from Amritsar Raghunandan Lal Bhatia passed away after a brief illness, his family members said on Saturday.

He was 100.

Raghunandan Bhatia died at a private hospital here on Friday night and he is survived by his son Ramesh Bhatia, daughter Saroj Munjal and younger brother J L Bhatia, they said.

He was first elected to Lok Sabha in 1972 from the Amritsar parliamentary constituency, and again re-elected from the same seat in the 1980, 1985, 1992, 1996 and 1999 elections as a member of the Indian National Congress.

Raghunandan Bhatia had also served as the governor of Kerala from 2004 to 2008 and the governor of Bihar from 2008 to 2009. He had also served as minister of state for external affairs in 1992.

He, as a senior member of the Congress, held various positions in the party, including the post of Punjab unit president and general secretary.

Punjab Congress leader and MLA Raj Kumar Verka condoled Raghunandan Bhatia's demise and said he was the 'Bhishma Pitamah' of Indian politics. -- PTI

11:03 Cyclone Tauktae: PM to review preparations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold an important meeting on Saturday to review preparations to deal with impending Cyclone Tauktae, government sources said.

Top officers from across government departments, including the National Disaster Management Authority, will attend the meeting, they said.

The India Meteorological Department had said on Friday that the depression in the Arabian Sea is likely to intensify into a "very severe cyclonic storm" on May 17 and cross the Gujarat coast a day later,

The weather condition has intensified into a deep depression. It is very likely to further intensify into cyclonic storm 'Tauktae' by Saturday morning and very likely to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm by Saturday night, it had said.

The National Disaster Response Force has earmarked 53 teams to tackle possible after effects of Cyclone 'Tauktae' that is developing in the Arabian Sea. -- PTI

Indian-American Neera Tanden has been appointed senior adviser to US President Joe Biden, two months after she withdrew her nomination as Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget due to stiff opposition from Republican senators.

Tanden (50) is slated to join the White House on Monday.

She has been entrusted with two tasks launch a review of the US Digital Service, and plan contingencies that could result from the Supreme Court's consideration of Republican lawsuits seeking to strike down the Affordable Care Act.

Tanden is currently the president and CEO of a progressive think-tank, Center for American Progress.

"Neera's intellect, tenacity, and political savvy will be an asset to the Biden administration," CAP founder and director John Podesta said.

He said the White House has made remarkable progress combating numerous once-in-a-generation challenges from vaccinating millions of Americans to delivering real economic relief from the coronavirus pandemic, and from strengthening the Affordable Care Act to tackling climate change.

"Many of these bold policy solutions, which have bipartisan support from voters across the country, were developed and led by Neera at CAP over many years. The administration's efforts will be magnified with Neera Tanden on the team," Podesta added.

Tanden previously served as a senior adviser for health reforms at the US Department of Health and Human Services. She worked with Congress and stakeholders on particular provisions of former President Barack Obama's signature legislative achievement, the Affordable Care Act.

With 3,26,098 people testing positive for coronavirus in a day, India's COVID-19 tally of cases climbed to 2,43,72,907, while the death toll rose to 2,66,207 with 3,890 fresh fatalities, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Saturday.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,04,32,898, the data stated.

Total cases: 2,43,72,907

Total discharges: 2,04,32,898

Death toll: 2,66,207

Active cases: 36,73,802

Total vaccination: 18,04,57,579

The low pressure area over the Arabian Sea near Lakshwadeep has intensified into a deep depression, said the Indian Meteorological Department on Saturday.

According to the IMD, this depression will intensify into a cyclonic storm over the next 12 hours.

"Deep Depression intensified into a Cyclonic Storm "Tauktae" (pronounced as Tau'Te) over Lakshadweep area and adjoining southeast and east central Arabian Sea: Cyclone watch for south Gujarat and Diu coasts", informed IMD in a tweet.

Earlier, the IMD had informed that this cyclone will hit the Gujarat coast by May 18 morning.

"Deep Depression over Lakshadweep area and adjoining southeast and east central Arabian Sea about 55 km north-northwest of Amini Divi. To intensify into a Cyclonic Storm during the next 12 hours. To move north-northwestwards and reach near Gujarat coast by 18th May morning", tweeted IMD.

National Disaster Response Force is well prepared ahead of Cyclone Tauktae striking the coasts of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat and Maharashtra, NDRF officials said on Friday.

"#CycloneTauktae UPDATE- 53 #NDRF teams committed, 24 teams pre-deployment, 29 teams standby-ready for 5 states Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat and Maharashtra," tweeted Director-General of NDRF Satya Pradhan. -- ANI

08:35 China lands spacecraft on Mars

A Chinese spacecraft carrying the country's first Mars rover has touched down on the red planet, the China National Space Administration confirmed on Saturday morning.

The Tianwen-1, which consists of an orbiter, a lander and a rover, was launched on July 23, 2020, it said.

It was the first step in China's planetary exploration of the solar system, with the aim of completing orbiting, landing and roving on the red planet in one mission, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The spacecraft entered the Mars orbit in February after a journey of nearly seven months through space, and spent more than two months surveying potential landing sites.

The rover weighs around 240 kilograms, has six wheels and four solar panels, and is able to move 200 metres per hour.

It carries six scientific instruments, including a multi-spectral camera, ground-penetrating radar and a meteorological measurer, and is expected to work around three months on the planet.

Spacecraft of the UAE, the US and China have recently entered the Mars orbit. NASA's Perseverance rover landed on the planet on February 18 after travelling for almost seven months.

Since then, it has sent back some striking images from around its landing site, Jezero Crater. It has also flown a helicopter to explore the red planet.

Previously the USA, Russia, the EU and India have succeeded in sending spacecraft to Mars.

India became the first Asian country to have successfully sent its spacecraft into Mars' orbit in 2014. -- PTI

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00:11 Mumbai civic body gears up for Cyclone Tauktae

The Mumbai civic body on Friday said it was taking various precautionary measures in view of the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) warning that cyclone Tauktae is likely to pass close to the city during the weekend.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) informed in a release that potentially dangerous tree branches are being cut, dewatering pumps are being stationed in low-lying areas, temporary shelters would be opened if required and rescue teams would be deployed on six main 'Chowpatties' (beaches).

Already 384 dangerous trees close to COVID-19 centres have been pruned. IMD has warned that cyclone Tauktae, forming over the Arabian Sea, will intensify into a cyclonic storm and is likely to bring strong winds and rainfall to the city on May 15 and 16.

Last June, Mumbai was badly hit due to cyclone Nisarga which made landfall in neighbouring Raigad district.

BMC officials said they are prepared to shift around 400 patients from the ICUs of Jumbo COVID-19 facilities (field hospitals) at Dahisar and BKC to civic and state-run hospitals.

"We have kept our plan ready, but the patients will be shifted only if required," Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner of BMC told PTI. -- PTI

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