US records 1,225 coronavirus deaths, total tally at 102,798

US recorded 1,225 coronavirus deaths, bringing its total to 102,798 since the Covid-19 pandemic began, with 1,745,606 overall cases of the new virus.

Pakistan coronavirus cases over 64,000, death toll at 1,317

Pakistan's coronavirus cases reached 64,028 with 2,636 new patients while the death toll climbed to 1,317 after 57 people lost their lives in the last 24 hours, even as the Special Assistant on Health said that the situation is under control.

India records 7,964 new cases in past 24 hours

India has recorded a spike of 7,964 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours starting Friday. With the new number of cases, the country's total tally of coronavirus cases has mounted to over 1.73 lakh. Death toll is 4,971 and the number of cured cases has surged to 82,370.

Kathua Police Station sealed after cop tests positive for Covid-19

Kathua Police Station in Kathua town of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has been sealed after a cop tested positive for coronavirus.

Lockdown decision was taken at a right time: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, speaking at e-Agenda Aaj Tak, said that the lockdown decision was taken at a right time. He also said that India does not need to fear the coronavirus but everyone needs to take precautions.

30 prisoners in Chennai's Puzhal prison test positive for coronavirus

At least 30 prisoners in Chennai's Puzhal prison have tested positive for coronavirus. Of this, seven patients have been admitted to the government hospital due to their poor health condition. The other 23 have been admitted to a quarantine facility within the prison.

114 more cops test positive in Maharashtra in past 24 hours

In the past 24 hours, 114 police personnel have tested positive for coronavirus in Maharashtra and 1 personnel has died due to the virus. The total number of Covid-19 infected personnel is now 2,325 in the state and 26 have died so far: Maharashtra Police

Assam sees highest single-day spike with 177 fresh positive cases

Assam has witnessed the highest single-day spike in the numbers of Covid-19 positive cases as 177 positive cases for the new virus detected in the state in the last 24 hours. With the new cases, the state tally has now increased to 1,057.

Out of the new cases, 30 cases have been reported from Kamrup district, 27 from Golaghat, 17 from Tinsukia, 14 cases each from Guwahati, Dhubri, 12 from Cachar, 11 cases each from Kamrup (Metro), Biswanath, 9 from Udalguri, 8 from Hojai, 6 from Karimganj, 4 from Dhemaji, two cases each from Lakhimpur, Hailakandi, Karbi Anglong, Darrang districts.

India's biggest medicine market, Bhagirath Palace shut till June 4

As more coronavirus cases were witnessed from the Bhagirath Palace medicine market, a decision has been taken to shut it till June 4.

Delhi govt four steps ahead of coronavirus

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday that his government is four steps ahead of the novel coronavirus. Arvind Kejriwal said, "Most of the people are recovering, and they are recovering at home. There is no need to panic. Out of the total patients, only 2100 are in hospitals rest are undergoing treatment at their homes. 6500 beds are ready till date and 9500 beds will be ready by another week. 

Air India Delhi-Moscow flight turned back after pilot tests positive

An Air India Delhi-Moscow flight was turned back after its pilot tested positive for coronavirus. The test results of the pilot came after he took off to Moscow. The pilot turned back after he was informed mid-way into the flight. It was an empty flight.

Protests over deadly arrest rock US's Minneapolis

Protests erupted across the United States on Thursday night as anger over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, intensified, with some demonstrators gaining access to a police precinct in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and setting sections of the building on fire. 

US first lady calls for peace

Striking a noticeably different tone from her husband, US First Lady Melania Trump tweeted her condolences to the family of George Floyd and called for peace.

"Our country allows for peaceful protests, but there is no reason for violence," she said. "I've seen our citizens unify & take care of one another through COVID19 & we can't stop now. My deepest condolences to the family of George Floyd. As a nation, let's focus on peace, prayers & healing."

Minnesota governor apologises for CNN arrests

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said he expects "swift" justice for George Floyd. 

"It is my expectation that justice for the officers involved in this will be swift, that it will come in a timely manner, that it will be fair," Swift said. "That is what we've asked for. I have been in contact with Hennepin County attorney, and I am confident that those very things I just said will happen." 

Prosecutors have been criticised for taking more than three days to announce a decision on charges against the officers. 

Obama: This shouldn't be the normal in America

Former President Barack Obama issued a statement on Floyd’s killing via Twitter. Obama cited conversations with friends in recent days, including one with an African American business owner who said Floyd’s killing “hurt” to watch.

While it's “natural” for people to want things to return to normal, Obama said, “we have to remember that for millions of Americans, being treated differently on account of race is tragically, painfully, maddeningly ‘normal’."

Fired police officer charged with murder, manslaughter

A fired Minneapolis police officer has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd,   Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said.

Former officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for several minutes before the black man went motionless, a video of the incident showed. 

Minneapolis imposes weekend curfew

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has imposed a curfew in the city beginning Friday night.

Under the curfew, only specified public safety personnel and other essential workers will be allowed in public places from 8pm to 6am (01:00-10:00 GMT) Friday and Saturday nights.

Protests kicking off in major US cities

Protests against police brutality were kicking off in major cities across the United States late on Friday.

Video shared on social media showed demonstrators marching in Houston, Texas, chanting: "I can't breathe" and "hands up, don't shoot". Protesters also rallied in Washington, DC and New York City, with demonstrations scheduled in other major cities later on Friday and throughout the weekend. 

Police car set on fire in Atlanta

A police car was set on fire in Atlanta, where protesters used barricades to break the windows of cruisers while others jumped on the vehicles and shattered windshields as they demonstrated against the death of George Floyd.

Hundreds of protesters confronted police outside CNN's downtown headquarters. Activists spray-painted a large CNN logo outside the building, breaking a window and tagging doors. One protester climbed on top of the CNN sign and waved a "Black Lives Matter" flag to cheers from the crowd.

Houston mayor calls for peaceful protests

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner urged protesters to remain peaceful after a group of people demonstrating against Floyd's death blocked highway entrances and threw objects at police officers.

Some protesters clashed with police in downtown Houston, Texas, with officers deploying tear gas or pepper spray to disperse crowds.

Organisers believe more than 3,000 gathered with Black Lives Matter Houston to protest Floyd's death with chants of "I can't breathe" and "No justice, no peace".

Turner said some were arrested for attempting to block roads, but no injuries were reported. He added that some police vehicles were damaged.

Georgia declares state of emergency

Brian P Kempt, governor of the state of Georgia, declared a state of emergency in Fulton county and ordered the deployment of 500 National Guard troops as protests turned violent in Atlanta.

Police in Atlanta said protesters lit fires and looted businesses in downtown Atlanta.

Military police put on alert to go to Minneapolis

The Associated Press news agency said that the Pentagon has ordered the army to put several active-duty US military police units on the ready to deploy to Minneapolis.

Citing three people with direct knowledge of the orders, AP said soldiers from Fort Bragg in North Carolina and Fort Drum in New York have been ordered to be ready to deploy within four hours if called.

Soldiers in Fort Carson, in Colorado, and Fort Riley in Kansas have been told to be ready within 24 hours.

One dead after shots fired at protesters in Detroit

A 19-year-old man was killed in Detroit, Michigan, after someone in an SUV fired shots into a crowd of people protesting Floyd's death in Minneapolis custody, police said.

Sergeant Nicole Kirkwood said the shooting occurred about 11:30 pm local time on Friday near Detroit's Greektown entertainment district as officers were confronted with dozens of protesters.

An officer was not involved in the shooting, she said, adding that the suspect pulled up in a Dodge Durango and fired shots into the crowd.

Louisville police apologizes for targeting MEDIA at protest

The Louisville Metro Police Department apologised after a police officer was seen on camera firing what appeared to be pepper balls at a news crew during a live television broadcast.

A crew from WAVE-TV was downtown in the Kentucky city Friday night, covering demonstrations over the death of Breonna Taylor, a black woman killed by police in her own home in March.

 

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Coronavirus toll almost 3.6 lakh across world, over 4,500 dead in India

The coronavirus death toll has almost touched 3.6 lakh globally while the total confirmed Covid cases has crossed 58 lakh. In India, the coronavirus cases crossed 1.58 lakh while the death toll has gone past 4,500. Maharashtra continues to be the most-affected state with a total of nearly 60,000 coronavirus cases. A total of 1,982 people have died in Maharashtra of Covid. India is currently in Lockdown 4.0 with only two days left for the fourth phase to end on May 31. Reports have suggested Prime Minister Narendra Modi might announced Lockdown 5.0 on May 31 in his monthly radio address Mann Ki Baat. The government has eased some of the restrictions in Lockdown 4.0 and resumed flight movement across the country. While several states raised concerns of the coronavirus spreading further with flight operations resuming, many cases of passengers being infected with coronavirus have been reported from different states.

Trump says coronavirus 'very bad gift' from China

US President Donald Trump has said that coronavirus was a "very bad gift" from China to the rest of the world, as America surpassed the grim milestone of over 1 lakh COVID-19-linked deaths. "All over the World the Coronavirus, a very bad 'gift' from China, marches on. Not good!” Trump said in a tweet. "We have just reached a very sad milestone with the coronavirus pandemic deaths reaching 100,000,” he said.

India records highest spike of 7,466 cases, death toll crosses China's tally

Highest spike of 7,466 new coronavirus cases have been recorded in the last 24 hours in India. With 175 deaths, India's death toll now stands at 4,706, which is more that China's death toll. The total number of cases in the country now stand at 1,65,799, including 89,987 active cases, 71,105 cured or discharged cases and 4706 deaths, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Chhattisgarh CM tells Amit Shah borders shouldn't be opened

Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel reiterated in talks held with Home Minister Amit Shah where he sought views from CMs on lockdown that borders of state shouldn't be opened. The chief minister has also requested to consider views of CMs on train and flight services and ease borrowing condition for states under the economic package.

9 new cases in Himachal, total at 290

With 9 new positive coronavirus cases in Himachal Pradesh -- five from Hamirpur and 4 from Kangra districts -- total positive cases in the state rises to 290 including 208 active cases: State Health Department

Traffic congestion on Delhi borders as other states seal borders

Traffic congestion at Delhi-Ghaziabad border near Ghazipur after Ghaziabad sealed the border with Delhi due to rise in coronavirus cases in the national capital. Haryana has also sealed its borders with Delhi, causing a lot of congestion on the Delhi-Gurgaon border.

2,211 cops infected in Maharashtra, 25 dead

In last 24 hours, 116 police personnel have tested positive for coronavirus in Maharashtra and 3 personnel have died due to the virus. The total number of COVID-19 infected personnel is now 2,211 in the state and 25 have died so far: Maharashtra Police

27 lakh migrant labourers returned to UP

UP Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Awanish Awasthi said, “More than 27 lakh migrant labourers have returned to Uttar Pradesh. They were provided trains and bus services free of cost and the state will continue the services till all migrants are brought to the state safely.”

Lockdown must be extended for 15 MORE days: CM GOA

Goa CM Pramod Sawant says, “I spoke to Home Minister Shah on the phone and I feel lockdown may be extended for 15 more days. However, we demand that there should be some relaxations - restaurants should be allowed with social distancing at 50% capacity. Many people also want gyms to resume. Lockdown must be extended for 15 more days, it is needed, as the graph of coronavirus is rising.”

1,106 new cases in Delhi, total crosses 17,000

Total coronavirus positive cases in Delhi stands at 17,386 after 1,106 new cases that were reported on Thursday. 7,846 people have recovered so far. Till now, the death toll in Delhi is 398, said Satyendar Jain, Delhi Health Minister.

4 staf member of Delhi L-G’s office test positive

Four staff members working in the office of the Delhi L-G have tested positive. While three are from the clerical department, the fourth one is a sanitation worker. As a precaution, all staff members are being tested for novbel coronavirus in the L-G’s office even though the office from where positive cases were detected is not the main secretariat.

Karnataka reports 178 new coronavirus cases

Karnataka reports 178 new coronavirus positive cases from 5 pm of May 28 to 12 noon today. Total positive coronavirus cases now stand at 2,711, including 1,793 active cases, said the Karnataka Health Department.

Malaysia reports 103 new coronavirus cases

Malaysia reported 103 cases of new coronavirus infections on Friday, mostly involving foreigners, the health ministry said, raising the country's cumulative total to 7,732 cases. The health ministry reported no new deaths, leaving the total number of fatalities at 115.

7 more CISF personnel test positive for cporonavirus

As many as seven more CISF personnel tested positive. They were part of contact tracing of an earlier detected positive case from the unit.

Health Ministry refuses info on amount spent on equipment purchase

The Union Health Ministry has refused to share the amount of money spent on equipment purchase to handle the Covid-19 pandemic in the country, stating that such data does not come under the definition of "information" to be provided under the Right to Information Act. Mumbai-based RTI activist Anil Galgali had filed an online application on the central government's portal seeking to know steps taken by it to control the spread of Covid-19, name of equipment and material purchased for the purpose and the amount spent on them.

Dead bats trigger alarm in Delhi

Bats have been dying mysteriously in Delhi's Motilal Nehri Marg since a few days, triggering panic in the areas. NDMC Animal Department has been picking up the bat remains from the area.

Official tests positive: 2 floors of Parliament Annexe building sealed

Rajya Sabha Secretariat official tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, the fourth such case reported in the Parliament complex so far, sources said here. Out of the four, three were found to have contracted the infection after Parliament resumed operations on May 3 when Lockdown 2.0 ended and were on duty.

The director-level officer, who attended work on May 28, was found positive for the infection along with his family members, they said. Two floors of the Parliament's Annexe building have been sealed, the sources added. This is the second case of an official posted in the building testing positive for the infection.

Earlier, an official of the Lok Sabha Secretariat working in the editorial and translation (E&T) services department was found positive for COVID-19. The first employee posted at Parliament to test positive for the virus was a housekeeper, who had been at home since the Budget Session was adjourned on March 23, the sources said, adding that the other one was a security official.

First chief minister of Chhattisgarh, AJIT JOGI dies at 74 in Raipur

The first chief minister of Chhattisgarh, breathed his last on Friday. The announcement of his demise was made by his son Amit Jogi who took to Twitter at 3:35 pm and in a post said, "Not only me but Chhattisgarh has lost his father. His funeral will take place tomorrow in his native land Gorela."

Earlier on Friday, 74-year-old Ajit Jogi suffered two cardiac arrests after which doctors termed his health as "extremely critical". Jogi had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Raipur since suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in the state capital of Chhattisgarh on May 9.

Ajit Jogi hasd served as the first Chief Minister of the state of Chhattisgarh from November 2000 to November 2003. He parted ways with the Congress in 2016 and went on to form the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J).

South Korea reports 58 cases

South Korea reported 58 new cases of the coronavirus for May 28, all in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, as officials scrambled to stem transmissions linked to a massive e-commerce warehouse near the capital.

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun called for officials to examine working conditions at warehouses of online shopping companies, which have seen orders surge during the pandemic, and other congested workplaces where infection risks may be high.

AIIB approves $750m loan for Philippines' virus response

China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has said it had approved a $750m loan to the Philippines to help the country cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

The project, which will be co-financed by the Asian Development Bank, is intended to increase testing capacity, support vulnerable sectors like agriculture, and provide emergency assistance to poor households, according to a statement.

Brazil reports record cases, 1,000 deaths in 24 hours

Brazil registered a new record in COVID-19 cases and more than 1,000 deaths in a 24-hour period, according to official figures out Thursday.

The South American country has the world's second-highest number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases - 438,238 - after the US. According to Health Ministry data, 26,417 new cases were confirmed in a 24 hour-period ending late on Thursday.

In that same period, Brazil experienced its third-highest number of virus deaths since the start of the pandemic: 1,156. That brought the total death toll to 26,754, the sixth highest in the world.

Surge in cases as India prepares to lift lockdown

India has registered another record daily increase with 7,466 new coronavirus cases.

The Health Ministry's new figures on Friday show India now has 165,799 cases with 4,706 deaths, which both now exceed China.

India's two-month lockdown is set to end on Sunday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is expected to issue new guidelines this weekend, possibly extending the lockdown in worst-hit areas as it promotes economic activity.

Thailand reports 11 new coronavirus cases

Thailand has confirmed 11 new coronavirus cases and no new deaths, taking the number of infections to 3,076.

The new cases were all patients who had arrived from Kuwait and were in quarantine, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for the government's Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration.

The novel coronavirus has killed 57 people in Thailand since it was first detected in January.

Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 741

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany has increased by 741 to 180,458, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed.

The reported death toll rose by 39 to 8,450, the tally showed.

China to extend curbs on international flights until June 30:

Chinese civil aviation authorities plan to extend until June 30 their curbs on international flights imposed to restrain the spread of the coronavirus, the United States embassy in Beijing said in a travel advisory.

China drastically cut such flights since March to allay concerns over infections brought by arriving passengers. A so-called "Five One" policy allows mainland carriers to fly just one flight a week on one route to any country and foreign airlines to operate just one flight a week to China.

Singapore health ministry confirms 611 new cases

Singapore's health ministry said it has confirmed 611 new coronavirus cases, taking the city state's tally for infections to 33,860.

The country reported 23 deaths in total.

Thailand to ease restrictions, shorten curfew hours

Thailand will next week shorten curfew hours and ease restrictions on more businesses, the government has said, in response to its low numbers of locally transmitted cases of the novel coronavirus.

Starting from June 1, cinemas and theatres can reopen, but with no more than 200 people at a time and with strict social distancing measures, said Somsak Roongsita, secretary-general of the National Security Council.

A curfew will be shortened by one hour to last from 11pm to 3am local time and shopping malls, which reopened earlier this month, will also be allowed to extend their operating hours, he added.

Russia reports record one-day rise in coronavirus deaths

Russia has reported 232 deaths from the new coronavirus in the last 24 hours, a record one-day amount that pushed the nationwide death toll to 4,374.

Officials said 8,572 new infections had been confirmed, bringing the national tally to 387,623, the third-highest reported total in the world after the United States and Brazil.

Indonesia reports 678 new coronavirus cases

Indonesia has reported 678 new coronavirus infections, taking the total number of cases in the Southeast Asian country to 25,216, according to the health ministry official, Achmad Yurianto.

Yurianto reported 24 new deaths related to COVID-19, bringing the total to 1,520, while 6,492 people have recovered. 

Russia reports record rise in coronavirus deaths

Russia has announced that 232 more people have died from the coronavirus in the last 24 hours in a record one-day increase in the country. India's coronavirus death and case tolls have passed China's, after the country recorded 175 new deaths and 7,466 new cases.The English Premier League and Italy's Serie A are set to resume in June after a near-three month suspension over coronavirus fears.

China again reported no new cases as US President Donald Trump renewed attacks on Beijing over the coronavirus pandemic. He called the virus "a very bad gift from China".

Turkey's average number of cases hovers around 1,000 daily

Turkey's health minister has announced 34 new deaths, bringing the death toll from COVID-19 to 4,431.

Fahrettin Koca tweeted Wednesday 1,035 new infections were confirmed in the past 24 hours. The total number of cases has reached 159,797.

Turkey ranks ninth in a tally by Johns Hopkins University for the number of cases, but experts believe the rate of infections globally could be much higher than reported. The average number of new cases has hovered around 1,000 this week, AP news agency reported.

China to allow flights from seven more countries

China will soon relax its border controls for seven more countries, the country's civil aviation agency said, allowing domestic and foreign airlines to apply for the so-called "green channels" for chartered flights to the mainland.

Among those countries are Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore and Switzerland. South Korea was the first country to establish the "green channel" with China earlier this month.

Germany's coronavirus cases rise by 353 to 179,717

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 353 to 179,717, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Thursday.

The reported death toll rose by 62 to 8,411, the tally showed, according to Reuters news agency.

Singapore's health ministry confirms 373 new coronavirus cases

Singapore's health ministry has confirmed 373 more coronavirus cases, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 33,249.

Russia's coronavirus death toll passes 4,000

Russia has reported 174 deaths in the previous 24 hours, matching its record daily rise for fatalities and raising the total death toll to 4,142.

The country's coronavirus crisis response centre said the number of infections had risen by 8,371 to 379,051.

Philippines confirms 539 new cases

The Philippines' health ministry has reported 17 more coronavirus deaths and 539 new infections, the largest number of cases reported in a single day since the virus was first detected in the country.

The ministry said total infections have risen to 15,588 and 921 people have died. The number of recovered patients was 3,598.

An inter-agency panel on coronavirus has recommended that President Rodrigo Duterte ease the strict lockdown measures in the capital, which accounts for most of the coronavirus cases and deaths, to restart economic activity.

Indonesia reports 687 new cases, 23 deaths

Indonesia has reported 687 new cases, bringing the total number of infections to 24,538, a health ministry official has said.

Indonesia also confirmed 23 new deaths from the coronavirus, bringing the total death toll to 1,496, the official, Achmad Yurianto, told reporters.

Brazil records another 1,000-plus daily deaths

Brazil has recorded more than 1,000 new deaths from the coronavirus in the past 24 hours.

The 1,086 casualties, revealed on Wednesday, brought the total number of deaths to 25,598. With 20,599 new cases, the number of infected people has reached 411,821.

International tourism faces biggest slump since 1950s

International tourism is set to fall by 70 percent this year, marking the sector's biggest slump since records began in the 1950s, United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili has told newspaper Handelsblatt.

He said this prediction for the coronavirus-hit sector was based on the assumption that countries around the world would gradually open their borders from August.

UK has highest death rate

The UK has suffered the highest death rate from the coronavirus among the most-affected countries with comparable tracking data, according to Financial Times research.

Official numbers from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released earlier this week show the UK has registered almost 60,000 more deaths than usual since the week ending March 20.

Subsequent analysis by the FT, which looked at data from 19 countries, show the virus has directly or indirectly killed 891 people per million in the UK, the highest comparable figure.

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Out of India’s Covid-19 total, one-third in Maharashtra

It was another day of spike for India in Covid-19 cases, which took the nationwide tally to over 1.5 lakh on Wednesday. According to the Union health ministry update, India recorded 6,387 Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours (between Tuesday and Wednesday).

The number of coronavirus fatalities in the country stands 4,337 while over 64,425 people have successfully recovered from the disease. Delhi reported 412 cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) on Tuesday, taking the city’s tally to 14,465 cases. The number of new cases in the state fell below 500 for the first time in a week.

Pakistan: breeding ground of locusts

Pakistan has become a new breeding ground of desert locusts, entering Rajasthan from adjoining areas in Pakistan, said BR Kadwa, deputy director of the agriculture department. “Swarms of locusts are entering Rajasthan from adjoining areas in Pak every 2-3 days since a month. Pakistan has become the new breeding ground of the locusts and hence we are seeing the repeated attacks of locusts in the state.

 

The desert locust is one of about a dozen species of short-horned grasshoppers. This swarm originated in the Horn of Africa, where excess rains triggered a breeding boom. According to Indian experts, the swarm entering India now had another round of breeding in Baluchistan, Iran and Pakistan.

Locusts entered Rajasthan from Pakistan in April, and then drifted into other parts of western India. They are currently active in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Rajasthan is currently the worst-affected state, according to the Union Environment ministry.

Adult desert locust swarms can fly up to 150 km a day with the wind and adult insects can consume roughly their own weight in fresh food per day. A single square kilometre swarm can eat as much food in a day as 35,000 people.

‘Parks can be opened during morning’: CM YOGI

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed that parks across the state can be opened during morning time, State Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference here, Awasthi said, “CM Yogi Adityanath has directed that parks across the state can be opened during morning time. So, today itself a decision will be taken on timings for the opening of parks. Concerned authorities will ensure that social distancing norms are strictly followed at parks.”

IAF to get second indigenous LCA Tejas fighter plane squadron

Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria will operationalise No. 18 Squadron, ‘Flying Bullets’, of the air force at the Sulur airbase on Wednesday. It actively participated in the 1971 war with Pakistan and was decorated with the highest gallantry award ‘Param Vir Chakra’ awarded to Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon posthumously. It earned the sobriquet of ‘Defenders of Kashmir Valley’ by being the first to land and operate from Srinagar. The Squadron was presented with President’s Standard in November 2015, read a statement.

Tejas is an indigenous fourth generation tailless compound delta wing aircraft. It is equipped with a fly-by-wire flight control system, integrated digital avionics, multimode radar and its structure is made out of composite material. It is the lightest and smallest in its group of fourth-generation supersonic combat aircraft.

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Passenger on Ludhiana Air India flight tests positive

One passenger on Air India Delhi-Ludhiana flight on Tuesday has tested positive for coronavirus. The passenger who works in the security department of Alliance Air was traveling on a paid ticket. All the passengers of this flight are now under state quarantine, said Air India in a statement on Wednesday. As India resumed domestic passenger flights on Monday, over 39,000 passengers flew across the country on the first day. A passenger on a Chennai-Coimbatore Indigo flight on Monday tested positive for coronavirus. After this, Indigo grounded the entire crew of the flight while the airline said it was trying to get in touch with the other passengers who were on that flight. As the government eased restrictions in Lockdown 4.0, the civil aviation ministry is gradually resuming flight operations in the country.

Brazil reports highest toll in world for fifth day

Brazil has reported the highest daily coronavirus death toll in the world Tuesday with 1,039 people killed, the fifth straight day the country has topped the list. Brazil's daily death toll has passed 1,000 four times since the pandemic accelerated in the country a week ago. Brazil has now confirmed a total of 24,512 deaths, according to health ministry figures.

Total coronavirus cases cross 1.51 lakh in India

The Ministry of Health has said the total coronavirus cases in India now stand at 1,51,767 with 83,004 active cases. The death toll has gone up to 4,337 from the previous 4,167 on Tuesday. India has recorded 170 deaths in the past 24 hours.

109 new coronavirus cases in Rajasthan

Rajasthan has reported 109 new coronavirus positive cases. 2 deaths have been reported in the state till 9 am today; the total tally of positive cases in the state rises to 7645: Rajasthan Health Department.

Karnataka temples, mosques to open from June 1

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa says, “Mosques and churches can open along with temples from June 1. Opening of malls will depend on instructions from Govt of India.”

Maharashtra: 75 more cops test positive

In the last 24 hours, 75 police personnel have tested positive for coronavirus in Maharashtra. Total number of positive cases in Maharashtra Police rise to 1964 with death toll at 20. Total 849 personnel have recovered and 1095 cases are active: Maharashtra Police

Thailand reports 9 new cases of coronavirus

Thailand on Wednesday reported nine new coronavirus infections, bringing its total to 3,054 confirmed cases. There were no new deaths reported. The cases were Thai nationals in quarantine who recently returned from overseas, including two from the United States, one from Qatar and six from Saudi Arabia.

Over 32.42 lakh samples tested in India

A total of 32,42,160 samples have been tested in India for novel coronavirus. At 1,16,041, the number of samples tested in the last 24 hours is the highest in a single day so far.

Bajaj Auto PBT falls 8%

Bajaj Auto posted better-than-expected earnings for the March quarter over the year-ago period, as strong export volumes of motorcycles and a favourable exchange rate helped offset the decline in the domestic market. Profit before tax (PBT) contracted 8.2 per cent, while revenue from operations shrunk 8 per cent over the corresponding quarter last year. Net profit remained flat.

The maker of Pulsar and Discover models recorded a decrease in revenue from operations to Rs 6,816 crore, from Rs 7,421 crore last year, while PBT declined to Rs 1,721 crore from Rs 1,876 crore.

Delhi records hottest day in May

Heatwave conditions intensified in most parts of the northern states on Tuesday, with Churu in Rajasthan scorching at 50-degree Celsius and the mercury breaching the 47-degree mark in parts of the national capital.

Kuldeep Srivastava, Head of IMD's Regional Weather Forecasting Centre, said, "Churu today had the highest maximum temperature at 50-degree Celsius. In the last 10 years, this is the second time the maximum temperature has surpassed this mark. Earlier on May 18, 2010, a temperature of 50.2-degree Celsius was recorded."

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Global death toll exceeds 350,000

Data compiled by Johns Hopkins University shows the confirmed death toll from coronavirus around the world is now 350,417, with roughly 28 percent of those deaths in the United States. The actual toll could be much higher.

Singapore sets up vending machines for masks

Singapore has set up vending machines at community centres around the island to dispense free, resuable face masks. 

The city-state made face masks compulsory on April 14 and gave out free masks to every household.

Pakistan government mulls renewed lockdown measures

Pakistan's government is mulling a renewed lockdown after its move to lift many coronavirus restrictions over the past two weeks led to a surge in new cases.

Defacto health minister Zafar Mirza said there had been a "severe rush" to markets and people were behaving as if "the virus had been eradicated" since the curbs were relaxed.

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India’s lockdown has failed: RAHUL GANDHI

Former President of Congress Party Rahul Gandhi has slammed the Modi government’s decision to continue with the nationwide lockdown and the strategy of handling the coronavirus crisis. Rahul Gandhi has said the nationwide lockdown in India has failed as the coronavirus cases have spiked in this period.

Rahul Gandhi held a live press conference. The Congress leader has said, “The lockdown in India has failed. Four stages of lockdown have not given the result that the Prime Minister expected." He also slammed the Modi government's strategies of relaxing the lockdown and said, "India is the only country in world which is removing lockdown when the virus is exponentially rising."

“PM and his entire advisory staff claimed coronavirus cases will come down, but this has not happened,” said Rahul Gandhi. India on Monday recorded nearly 7,000 coronavirus cases, the highest-ever spike in the country’s count as the total number of cases crossed 1.45 lakh on Tuesday. Death toll in India has now touched 4,167.

630,000 to 2.1 million could be infected by July

For years, India's booming private hospitals have taken some of the strain off the country's underfunded and dilapidated public health network, but the ordeal of Parikh's family suggests that as coronavirus cases explode in India, even private facilities are at risk of being overrun.

Government data shows the number of coronavirus cases in the world's second-most populous country are doubling every 13 days or so, even as the government begins easing lockdown restrictions. India has reported more than 145,380 infections, including 4,167 deaths. "The increasing trend has not gone down," said Bhramar Mukherjee, a professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at the University of Michigan, referring to India's cases. "We've not seen a flattening of the curve."

Mexico City registered 8,000 more deaths this year

Mexico's capital registered 8,072 more deaths in the first five months this year than the average for the same period over the previous four years, an analysis by independent researchers showed on Monday, suggesting a surge in fatalities due to the coronavirus pandemic. Health officials have reported 1,655 deaths from the virus in Mexico City, out of 7,394 deaths nationwide. They have also acknowledged that the true death toll is higher, but difficult to estimate because of the low testing rate.

Doctors group in Japan warn against masks for infants

hildren under the age of two should not wear masks because they can make breathing difficult and increase the risk of choking, the Japan Pediatric Association has warned. "Masks can make breathing difficult because infants have narrow air passages," which increases the burden on their hearts, the association said, adding that masks also raise the risk of heatstroke.

Peru reports 173 more deaths

Peru has reported 173 new deaths from the coronavirus disease in the past 24 hours, the country’s health ministry said. The ministry said the death toll climbed to 3,629 while the number of confirmed cases rose to 123,979. Nearly 50,000 people have fully recovered in the country.

Death toll in Brazil reaches 23,400

Brazil has confirmed a total of 23,473 fatalities from the coronavirus as 807 more deaths were reported over the past 24 hours. According to health ministry data, the number of cases jumped to 374,898 with 11,687 new cases registered in a day.

Brazil, which has the largest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Latin America, is the world's second-worst-hit country after the US in terms of the number of cases.

Singapore's health ministry confirms 383 more cases

Singapore's health ministry has confirmed 383 more cases of the new coronavirus, taking the city-state's tally to 32,343. The lower number of cases on Tuesday was partly due to fewer tests being conducted, it added.

Russia reports record one-day rise in coronavirus deaths

Russia has said 174 people with the coronavirus died in the past 24 hours, a record one-day number that pushed the nationwide death toll to 3,807. Officials reported 8,915 new cases on Tuesday, pushing its overall case tally to 362,342.

Nearly 4,000 new COVID-19 cases in Africa

A total of 3,998 people tested positive for coronavirus in Africa in the past 24 hours, bringing the tally of cases to 115,346, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.

The virus also claimed the lives of 123 more people across the continent during same period, the update said.

The death toll in the continent has now risen to 3,471, while recoveries tallied at 46,426.

In terms of cases, South Africa continued to be the worst-hit country with 23,600, while Egypt has recorded the highest fatalities with 783.

UK govt minister quits in protest

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government suffered its first resignation over the controversy surrounding senior aide Dominic Cummings' trip across country during coronavirus lockdown when Douglas Ross, a minister for Scotland, quit in protest on Tuesday.

"The reaction to this news shows that Mr Cummings' interpretation of the government advice was not shared by the vast majority of people who have done as the government asked," Ross said in a Twitter statement announcing his departure from government.

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JSW Steel: Q4 PBT at Rs 953 crore

Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Steel reported a consolidated profit before tax of Rs 953 crore in March quarter, down 60 per cent from same period last year as revenues declined sharply on the back of weak demand scenario amid economic slowdown. Net sales of the company stood at Rs 17,556 crore in the period under review, down 20 per cent from same period last year as volumes dropped along with realisations. The company reported crude Steel production of 3.97 million tonne, which was lower by 5 per cent year-on-year. Saleable steel sales for the quarter was 3.70 million tonne, down 14 per cent on year-on-year basis.

DMart chain profit before tax (PBT) of Rs 346 crore

The DMart chain of stores in India, reported a profit before tax (PBT) of Rs 346 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2020 (Q4FY20), a year-on-year rise of 9.1 per cent. DMart typically reports double-digit PBT growth every quarter on account of its high efficiency levels.

The slowdown (in PBT growth) has come as the company faced “severe restrictions” because of the nationwide lockdown, announced in the second half of March. While its top line grew 23 per cent year-on-year to Rs 6,194 crore in Q4, the retailer said in a note on Saturday that March saw revenue growth of just 11 per cent, since footfalls were significantly impacted due to the lockdown.

LOCK DOWN: Unemployment rate remains high at 24.3%

The week ended May 24 recorded an unemployment rate of 24.3 per cent. This is a shade higher than the 24.0 per cent unemployment rate recorded in the preceding week. It is also a tad higher than the average unemployment rate of 24.2 per cent seen in the past eight weeks — those of the lockdown.

The unemployment rate therefore continues to remain very high at over 24 per cent during the lockdown. The labour participation rate (LPR) was 38.7 per cent in the week ended May 24. 

The total number of Covid-19 patients in Nagpur is 406

The total no. of Covid-19 patients in Nagpur is 406. Out of 406, 313 patients have recovered. This means our recovery rate is between 75%-80%. One of the major reasons for this is early identification, tracing, isolation testing&treatment: Municipal Commissioner, Nagpur, Maharashtra.

36 new coronavirus cases in China

China reported 36 new coronavirus cases, including 29 asymptomatic infections, mostly in Wuhan where 6.5 million people have been tested so far. China’s National Health Commission (NHC) said seven new imported cases were reported, including five in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and one each in Shanghai and Fujian.

Delhi-Ghaziabad border sealed

The Ghaziabad-Delhi border has been totally shut as per the orders issued by the Ghaziabad DM in view of the rising coronavirus cases in the district. No vehicle coming from Delhi will be allowed to enter Ghaziabad. Only government officials were permitted to move across the border till 9 am. The border has, however, now been totally shut.

Rajasthan records 76 new cases, total at 7,376

76 new coronavirus positive cases have been reported in Rajasthan on Tuesday; the total number of positive cases in the state now stands at 7,376, said the Rajasthan Health Department.

India cases rise to 145,456

he total count of coronavirus cases in India has reached 145,456, according to Ministry of Health and Family Wlefare. The country now ranks among the world's top 5 nations with most active cases, the list of which is led by the US. Total number of deaths related to the novel virus in India stands at 4,167. 

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Saudi Arabia to loosen curfew from Thursday

Saudi Arabia will loosen its curfew for everywhere but Mecca from Thursday, according to the state news agency. From May 31 to June 20, it will also allow prayers in mosques with the exception of Mecca. The curfew and restrictions on prayer there will be relaxed from June 21, it said.  

Mexico City registers more than 8,000 more deaths

Mexico's capital registered 8,072 more deaths in the first five months this year than the average from the same period over the previous four years, an analysis by independent researchers showed on Monday, suggesting a possible surge in fatalities to the coronavirus pandemic.

Health officials have reported 1,655 deaths from the virus in Mexico City, out of 7,394 deaths nationwide. They have also acknowledged that the true death toll is higher, but difficult to estimate because of the low testing rate.

Japan to lift state of emergency for Tokyo

Japan is expected to lift the state of emergency in Tokyo and four other areas that are still under coronavirus restrictions.

The government will seek approval for the plan from key advisers on Monday with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe due to hold a press conference at 6pm (09:00 GMT)

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said the capital would move to reopen libraries and museums with the state of emergency lifted and allow restaurants to open for longer. Theatres, cinemas and other venues would reopen at a later stage.

COVID-19 emerges in Malaysia immigration detention centres

Malaysia's top civil servant in the health ministry has called for medical attention and decontamination in the country's immigration detention centres after three were found to have cases of coronavirus.

Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, who is secretary-general at the Ministry of Health, said there should ne no discrimination against non-Malaysians in dealing with the virus.

"We need to enhance the active cases detection and isolate and treat those positive cases immediately," Dr Noor Hisham wrote on his Facebook page. "Quarantine those close contacts and decontaminate the respective centres. The virus knows no boundaries and does not favour any ethnicity and social status."

Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 289 to 178,570

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 289 to 178,570, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Monday.

The reported death toll rose by 10 to 8,257, the data showed.

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Russia's coronavirus infections pass 350,000

Cases of the coronavirus in Russia climbed to 353,427, having risen by 8,946 in the past 24 hours, the country's coronavirus crisis response centre said.

It said the number of fatalities had risen by 92 overnight, taking the overall nationwide death toll from the virus to 3,633.

Indonesia reports 479 new coronavirus cases

Indonesia reported 479 new cases of the novel coronavirus, taking the total in the Southeast Asian nation to 22,750, Health Ministry official Achmad Yurianto said.

Yurianto reported 19 more coronavirus deaths, taking the total to 1,391. Indonesia has the highest COVID-19 death toll in East Asia after China.

Singapore's health ministry confirms 344 fresh cases

Singapore's health ministry on Monday confirmed 344 more coronavirus cases, taking its tally of infections to 31,960.

The lower number of cases on Monday is partly due to fewer tests being conducted, the ministry said in a statement.

The vast majority of the newly infected people are migrant workers living in dormitories, the ministry said, adding that four were Singaporeans or permanent residents.

Malaysia reports 172 new coronavirus cases

Malaysia reported 172 new coronavirus cases, most of them foreigners held at immigration depots, and taking the total number of infections in the country to 7,417.

The Ministry of Health said the number of deaths remained unchanged at 115.

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Argentina extends Buenos Aires lockdown until June 7

Argentina extended a mandatory lockdown for the capital, Buenos Aires, until June 7, President Alberto Fernandez has announced, after the city saw a steady increase of coronavirus cases in recent days.

Argentina's lockdown, which was due to expire on Sunday, has been in place since March 20, though officials relaxed restrictions in some areas of the country.

Brazil registers 965 new coronavirus deaths, cases hit 347,398

Brazil registered 965 new coronavirus deaths on Saturday, taking the total number of deaths to 22,013, the Ministry of Health said.

The country now has 347,398 confirmed cases, according to the ministry, up 16,508 from Friday, when it surpassed Russia to become the world's virus hot spot behind the US.

Mexico tally now at 65,856 coronavirus cases, 7,179 deaths

Mexican health authorities registered 3,329 new cases of the novel coronavirus in the country and 190 new deaths, Reuters news agency reported, quoting a health official. The total number of cases in the country has hit 65,856 with at least 7,179 deaths. 

Indonesia marks Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan

Muslims in Indonesia are marking a muted holiday of Eid al-Fitr, the end of the fasting month of Ramadan,  a usually joyous three-day celebration that has been significantly toned down as coronavirus cases soar.

The world's largest Muslim-majority nation, with more than 240 million people, has reported nearly 22,000 infections and 1,350 fatalities, the most in Southeast Asia.

It means no congregational prayers at mosques and open fields, no family reunions, no relatives bearing gifts for children.

Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 431 to 178,281

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 431 to 178,281, data from the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases showed on Sunday.

The tally showed the reported death toll rising by 31 to 8,247, Reuters news agency reported. 

China confirms three new coronavirus cases

China on Sunday reported three new confirmed cases of coronavirus, according to the Associated Press news agency.

Two of the cases had arrived from outside the country, and one had been locally transmitted in the northeastern province of Jilin, which had experienced a minor outbreak.

No new deaths were reported, and 79 people remain in treatment, with another 380 under isolation. China has reported a total of 4,634 COVID-19 deaths out of 82,974 cases.

Coronavirus kills more than 22,000 people in Brazil

Brazil has confirmed 22,013 fatalities from coronavirus after 965 more deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.

According to the Health Ministry data, the number of cases jumped to 347,398 with 16,508 new cases registered.

Brazil, which has the largest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Latin America, is the second country with the highest number of cases in the world after the US.

Muslims pray outside Al-Aqsa Mosque

Muslims prayed outside the closed gates leading to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Occupied East Jerusalem's Old City as the holy site remained closed amid coronavirus restrictions over the Eid al-Fitr holiday. Israeli police, some in riot gear, guarded the entrances to the compound.

Singapore confirms 548 more cases

Singapore's health ministry says it has confirmed 548 more coronavirus cases, taking its overall number of infections to 31,616.

The vast majority of the newly infected people are migrant workers living in dormitories, the ministry said in a statement. Three are permanent residents.

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Brazil now has world's second-highest coronavirus cases

Brazil confirmed a total of 330,890 coronavirus cases on Friday, overtaking Russia to become the world's second hotspot for COVID-19.

The Health Ministry said there were 1,001 deaths in the previous 24 hours, bringing Brazil's total death toll to 21,408.

In Sao Paulo, the worst-hit city, aerial video showed rows of open plots at the Formosa Cemetery as it rushed to keep up with demand.

Protesters demand food aid in Chile's capital

Residents of a poor neighbourhood in the Chilean capital, Santiago, protested on Friday, demanding food aid to cope with the lockdown in place in the city since late March.

One police officer was shot in an arm during the protest in Cerrillos, in which security forces also used tear gas and water cannon trucks to disperse the demonstrators.

"This is not the way, we have that clear," one protester who did not give his name told The Associated Press news agency. "But it is the only way to get things done in this country, this is how we fight here, like this, this is how you can see the hunger of some people."

UN warns cybercrime on rise during pandemic

The United Nations disarmament chief says the COVID-19 pandemic is moving the world towards increased technological innovation and online collaboration, but "cybercrime is also on the rise, with a 600 percent increase in malicious emails during the current crisis".

Izumi Nakamitsu told an informal meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on Friday that "there have also been worrying reports of attacks against health care organizations and medical research facilities worldwide".

She said growing digital dependency has increased the vulnerability to cyberattacks, and "it is estimated that one such attack takes place every 39 seconds".

Australia urges younger people to get tested

The state of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia urged its younger citizens to get tested as it gets ready to further ease restrictions on pubs and restaurants.

The call came as the country’s most populous state, which includes the city of Sydney and is home to nearly half Australia's roughly 7,100 coronavirus cases, recorded just three new cases.

"As we are freeing up our restrictions, particularly around clubs and hotels and so on, we need (to send) a very powerful message ... that these young people who may think they are invincible are actually not invincible," NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said in a news conference, reminding people of the importance of physical distancing and testing.

Iran to reopen cultural and religious sites

Iran is moving ahead with plans to reopen religious and cultural sites, as well as businesses, further easing restrictions rolled out to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement broadcast on state television, President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday museums and historical sites will be allowed to welcome visitors again on Sunday to coincide with the Eid el-Fitr celebrations marking the end the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Turkey: High-speed train services set to resume

Starting on May 28, high-speed train services will resume in some parts of Turkey after being suspended for two months.

In a written statement, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoglu said the resumption will see 16 services per day in four routes: Ankara-Istanbul, Ankara-Eskisehir, Ankara-Konya and Konya-Istanbul.

Maintaining the physical distancing rules, the trains will operate with 50 percent capacity and passengers will sit leaving a seat in a row empty. People aged over 65 or under 20 will be required to have travel permit.

Basketball legend Patrick Ewing tests positive

"This virus is serious and should not be taken lightly. I want to encourage everyone to stay safe and take care of yourselves and your loved ones," Ewing, a former player with the New York Knicks, said in a Twitter post. Georgetown University, where Ewing is coaching the basketball men’s team, said in a statement the Hall of Famer is under care and isolated in a hospital. "I’ll be fine and we will all get through this," Ewing was quoted as saying.

Protests erupt in Spain

The streets of Spain’s capital Madrid, resounded with the honk of cars horns as thousands marched through the city as part of a protest called by the far-right Vox party.

Protesters called for Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias to resign over their handling of the coronavirus crisis.

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9 migrant labourers killed in Bhagalpur

At least 9 migrant labourers have died in a truck and bus collision in Bhagalpur in Bihar on Tuesday morning. Several others have been injured in the accident after the truck the labourers were travelling in fell off the road.

The accident took place in in Naugachhia of Bhagalpur. According to ANI, at least 9 labourers have died in the accident. Rescue operation is underway.

In another such accident involving migrant labourers, a bus hit a truck in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal in the early hours of Tuesday. Three migrant labourers and a bus driver were killed and 22 others injured after their bus hit a stationary truck in Yavatmal district.

The accident took place at Kolwan village around 3.30 am when the bus was on way from Solapur to Nagpur railway station where the labourers were supposed to board a Shramik Special train to reach their native places in Jharkhand.

UP GOVT ASKS PRIYANKA TO SEND 500 BUSES TO NOIDA, REST TO GHAZIABAD

Meanwhile, the Home Department of Uttar Pradesh government has asked Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi to bring 500 buses to Shahibabad in Ghaziabad and the other 500 to Noida to move the stranded migrant labourers to their home towns in Uttar Pradesh.

The UP government has also asked Priyanka Gandhi to make the buses available to the district authorities by 12 noon on Tuesday to make other necessary arrangements.

This comes after Priyanka Gandhi wrote in a letter to UP Additional Chief Secretary (Home), saying, “Migrant workers are stranded at UP border, especially Delhi-UP border. At a time when thousands of them are walking on roads and have gathered at UP border for registration, sending 1000 empty buses to Lucknow is not only waste of time and resources, but also inhumane".

The UP government had earlier asked Congress to send the 1000 buses to Lucknow after accepting their offer of help. Now the government has asked Priyanka Gandhi to send the buses to two different locations on Delhi-UP border.

The Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) hit back at the Uttar Pradesh government saying it was ready with the list of buses, as desired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, but was not getting time to meet him since the past three days.

FARZIWADA: Two-wheelers among Priyanka Gandhi's 1000 buses for migrants

MANY REGISTRATION NUMBERS GIVEN BY PRIYANKA ARE OF TWO AND THREE WHEELERS

Day after the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh accepted Priyanka Gandhi’s offer to arrange 1,000 buses for migrant labourers, the advisor to the chief minister has said many of the registration numbers provided by Congress are of two-wheelers and three-wheelers.

The UP CM’s advisor has said many of the vehicles that Congress has arranged to ferry migrant labourers are in fact smaller vehicles such as motorbikes and cars or autorickshaws.

On Monday, CM Yogi Adityanath offered a twist to the bitter war of words that has been on between the UP government and Congress led by Priyanka Gandhi over the migrant labourer crisis. The Adityanath government accepted her offer to send 1000 buses to help migrant labourers.

 

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fatwa issued to Muslims to offer Eid prayers at home

Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband has issued a fatwa asking Muslims to offer their Eid prayers this time at home, instead of congregating at mosques. The directive comes amid a nationwide lockdown to slow down the spread of coronavirus. Despite the relaxations announced in the lockdown, religious and other large gatherings are still banned. The fatwa said the Eid namaz can be offered in the same manner that the Friday prayers are now being read at home. It said not holding the namaz in the usual manner is pardonable in circumstances such as these.

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India Surpasses 1 Lakh Coronavirus Infected Cases

With India entering lockdown 4.0 the country is witnessing a sharp spike in the coronavirus infected cases. The number of infected cases in the country surged to past 1 lakh with 4970 new cases in the past 24 hours. According to The Health Ministry,  the number of active cases in India jumped to 58,302, while 3,163 people have died so far.In the past 24 hours, 134 people lost there battle to the pandemic. On the positive side, the number of recoveries also rose to 39, 174 with 2,340 recoveries in the past 24 hours.

India is the latest entrant to the club of nations with more than one lakh cases—U.S. leading with over 15 lakh cases, followed by Russia with more than 2.9 lakh cases. Brazil’s cases topped U.K.’s today, taking the third position with more than 2.5 lakh cases.

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US promises $11bn for expanded coronavirus testing

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has set aside $11bn in new funding to support coronavirus testing.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will provide $10.25bn to states, territories and local jurisdictions, the CDC said in a statement. The Indian Health Service will provide $750m to the IHS, tribal and urban Indian health programmes, it added.

HHS Secretary Alex Azar said the "historic investment" would enable the US to track and control the spread of the virus as the country reopens.

"For the sake of all Americans health and wellbeing, we must help Americans get safely back to work and school, and that requires continued expansion of testing, surveillance and contact tracing," he said.

Trump threatens to halt funding permanently if WHO does not reform

US President Donald Trump has threatened to permanently halt funding for the WHO and withdraw the United States from the United Nations health agency if it does not make "substantive improvements" in the next 30 days.

Earlier on Monday he attacked the WHO as a "puppet of China". The president froze US funding for the WHO in April.

Chinese city tightens lockdown after spike in cases

Authorities in the Chinese city of Shulan are tightening lockdown measures after a spike in coronavirus cases. Since noon on Monday, people living in compounds with confirmed or suspected cases have been barred from leaving while visitors have been banned. All food will be delivered. The northeastern city of Shulan has confirmed 19 locally-transmitted cases of the virus since May 7, according to state media. It was classified as a "high risk" area on May 10.

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India sees highest spike with 5,242 COVID-19 cases

5242 coronavirus cases and 157 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours as per the Health Ministry data. Out of the total cases, 56,316 are active cases, 36,823 recovered cases, 1 migrant patient, and 3,029 deaths. The recovery rate in India stands at 38.29 percent.

6 employees at Oppo mobile factory in Greater Noida test positive

At least six employees of OPPO mobile company's factory in Uttar Pradesh's Greater Noida tested positive for coronavirus COVID-19 on Monday (May 18). The company has suspended all operations at the factory with immediate effect. It is interesting to note that the operations at the factory had resumed on May 8 with the permission of the state government.

Responding to the development Oppo India has said that it places the safety of all its employees and citizens at the forefront and this is the reason why the company decided to suspend all operations at the factory. The company also said that over 3000 employees at the factory will undergo COVID-19 test.

CBSE datesheet for class 10th, 12th board exams 2020 released

Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Monday (May 18) announced the date sheet for pending Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) 2020 class 10 and 12th board examinations.

"Dear students of class 12th of #CBSE Board here is the date sheet for your board exams. All the best," tweeted Union HRD Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank. 

As per the latest notification, the CBSE exams for the pending subjects will be held between July 1st to July 15th. 

Do something for your failed nation, leave Kashmir alone: Suresh Raina

Out-of-favour batsman Suresh Raina has joined the bandwagon of Indian cricketers lashing out at former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi over his recent controversial comments on Kashmir.

Recently, Afridi had accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of committing religious atrocities in India in a video which is going viral on social media.

Meanwhile, Afridi also took to his official Twitter handle on Friday and wrote, "It does not take a religious belief to feel the agony of Kashmiris..just a right heart at the right place. 

BANGLADESI DOC claims they Found effective drug combination to cure COVID-19 patients

A Bangladeshi medical team has claimed that their research on the combination of two widely used drugs has yielded 'astounding' results in curing the patients with acute symptoms of the coronavirus that has wreaked havoc across the world and claimed the lives of over 312,000 people globally.

Removal of portraits of Kim Jong-un's dad, grandfather sparks rumors of his death

In a significant development, huge portraits of Kim's grandfather and father, Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, were suddenly removed from Kim Il Sung Square in North Korea's Pyongyang, sparking rumours over the health of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Mohammad Asim arrested for sharing obscene posts of woman

Delhi Police's cyber ​unit (CyPAD) arrested a person for writing objectionable posts on social media platform against a BJP youth leader. The woman leader, who is also said to be a member of the BJP IT cell, lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police. Upon investigation it was found that the people who wrote these posts had used virtual private networks and fake identities. 

The Delhi Police has since arrested a man named Mohammad Asim who shared the objectionable post. They victim's pictures had been posted on the social media, also, some objectionable posts were shared by him. The Delhi Police has since removed all 26 objectionable posts made on Twitter and Facebook through the respective platforms.

Pakistan summons Indian diplomat, registers protest over ceasefire violations

Pakistan on Monday (May 18) summoned a senior diplomat from the Indian High Commission here and registered its protest over the alleged ceasefire violations by the Indian forces along the Line of Control.

UP Accepts Priyanka Gandhi's Request To Run 1,000 Migrant Buses

The Uttar Pradesh government has agreed to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's request to run 1,000 buses for migrants. The Yogi Adityanath government has written to the Congress leader's office for details of the buses, their numbers and names of their drivers.

 

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China reports seven new coronavirus cases

China's National Health Commission has reported seven new cases of coronavirus, two of them in the northeastern province of Jilin where a partial lockdown is in place.

Shanghai also had one case, while the rest were confirmed among travellers returning from overseas in Inner Mongolia.

Coronavirus probe calls intensify ahead of WHA meeting

The World Health Assembly (WHA) is due to start a key meeting in a few hours time, and calls for an independent probe into the coronavirus pandemic are growing.

Australia says more than 100 countries, including 50 African nations and all European Union member states, are backing a resolution calling for an investigation.

India records largest single-day coronavirus surge

India has recorded its biggest single-day surge with 5,242 new cases of coronavirus and 157 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the country's infection tally to more than 96,000, the highest in Asia.

The country now has 3,029 reported fatalities due to COVID-19.

The surge in infections comes a day after the federal government extended a nationwide lockdown to May 31 but eased some restrictions to restore economic activity and gave states more control in deciding the nature of the lockdown.

Hungary government to propose giving up emergency powers on May 26

Hungary's government will submit a proposal to parliament on May 26 to end its special coronavirus emergency powers, hirtv.hu has quoted Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff as saying.

Gergely Gulyas put a date on a similar statement by Orban on Friday. Gulyas said Parliament would take a few days to pass the bill, which will end the much-criticised emergency powers by early June.

China says premature to immediately begin an investigation

China's foreign ministry has said it was premature to immediately launch an investigation into the origins and spread of the coronavirus.

Spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters during a daily briefing that the vast majority of countries in the world believe the pandemic is not yet over.

The ministry said in a separate statement that President Xi Jinping will give a video speech for the opening ceremony of the World Health Assembly later on Monday.

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India is now the 11th most affected nation

India is now the 11th most affected nation in the world, but each one of the top-ten have 100,000 or more cases. The US tops the charts with more than 1.4 million cases, followed by Russia, UK, Spain, Italy and Brazil with over 200,000 cases each; and France, Germany, Turkey and Iran having over 100,000 cases each.

5 migrant workers killed in a road accident

Madhya Pradesh: 5 migrant workers killed in a road accident near Banda (Sagar district) today, after the truck they were traveling in, overturned. They were going from Maharashtra to Uttar Pradesh.

Not wearing masks properly risk to others: DG, Uttrakhand

Not wearing masks properly may risk the health of others, that is why as a precaution all police units across the state have been directed to take action against those individuals who do not wear masks properly: Uttarakhand Director General (Law & Order) Ashok Kumar

1,140 police personnel infected with Covid-19

1,140 police personnel have been infected with Covid-19 across the state till now, including 862 active cases, 268 recovered, and 10 fatalities: Maharashtra Police

India to become a global hub for Aircraft MRO

India to become a global hub for Aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO). The tax regime for the MRO ecosystem has been rationalized. Aircraft component repairs and airframe maintenance to increase from Rs 800 crores to Rs 2000 crores in 3 years: FM Nirmala Sitharaman.

Private sector will be allowed to use ISRO facilities

The private sector will be allowed to use ISRO facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capacities. Future projects for planetary exploration, outer space travel, etc. to be open for the private sector: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Centre directs States To Distribute Free Ration To 8 Cr Migrants

As hundreds of migrants continue to travel a long distance in this COVID-19 crisis, Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Saturday appealed to state governments to immediately lift food grains and pulses from the godowns and distribute them for free within a fortnight to 8 crore migrants who neither have centre nor state ration card.

477 fresh COVID19 cases & 3 deaths reported in Tamil Nadu

477 fresh COVID19 cases & 3 deaths have been reported in Tamil Nadu today, taking total number of cases to 10,585 & deaths to 74 in the state. Number of active cases stands at 6,970: Tamil Nadu Health Department

lockdown in the state will continue after May 18: Amrinder Singh

Punjab CM Amrinder Singh has said that the lockdown in the state will continue after May 18 regardless of central government's decision. CM Singh says that it was necessary to increase the lockdown period due to the spread of the deadly virus. However, the Punjab state government has decided to lift the curfew restrictions.

348 new positive cases of COVID-019 reported in Gujarat

In last 24 hours, 348 new positive cases of COVID-019 have been reported in Gujarat. The state tally rises to 10,989 including 4308 cured/discharged cases and 625 deaths till date: Gujarat Health Department.

Maharashtra recorded 1,606 new COVID-19 cases and 67 deaths

Maharashtra recorded 1,606 new COVID-19 cases and 67 deaths, taking the case count to 30,706 and the number of the fatalities to 1,135, state Health department said. A total of 524 patients were discharged from hospitals, taking the total number of the recovered cases to 7,088, a statement said.

'Of the 67 deaths, 41 died in Mumbai, seven each in Thane and Pune, five in Aurangabad, three in Jalgaon, two in Mira Bhayander, and one each in Nashik and Solapur,' the release said.

While 22 deaths occurred in the last 24 hours, the rest had taken place between April 14 and May 14, taking the overall death toll to 1135, it stated.

400 coronavirus patients were discharged in Punjab

Over 400 coronavirus patients were discharged from different hospitals after recovering from the disease in Punjab on Saturday, officials said. With the discharge of 444 patients, the total number of cured patients reached 1,257, as per the medical bulletin.

More than 13,000 people returned to India under Vande Bharat

Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, on Saturday, said that over 13,000 people have returned to #India under the first phase of the #VandeBharat mission.

"More than 13,000 people have already returned on various flights under Mission #VandeBharat so far. #VandeBharat Mission, which started on May 7 to bring back stranded Indian nationals back home from other countries, initiated its second phase of the operation from Saturday (May 16) by sending three Air India flights to #Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Maharashtra govt extends lockdown till May 31

Maharashtra on Sunday announced the extension of the state-wide lockdown till May 31 midnight even as the novel coronavirus cased in the states surged past 30,000 on Saturday. In a notification issued Sunday noon, the Maharashtra government said that the state is extending the lockdown in a bid to contain the virus spread.

"To take certain emergency measures to prevent and contain the spread of the virus, the government in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act 2005, it is expedient to extend the lockdown in the entire state of Maharashtra further till the midnight of May 31, 2020. On Friday, Maharashtra reported 1,606 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours, pushing the state's tally over 30,000 mark -- 30,706 -- according to the state government.

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Mexico registers 47,144 cases of coronavirus

Mexico registered 47,144 cases of coronavirus on Saturday, with the country's death toll rising to 5,045, health authorities said. Mexico has seen a slightly higher death rate from coronavirus than the global average so far due to the widespread presence of pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity, experts told Reuters news agency.

Coronavirus deaths in Turkey slow down

Turkey's health ministry says 41 more people have died from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 4,096. The death rate is the lowest registered since the end of March.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca wrote on social media that 1,610 new infections were confirmed, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 148,067.

Germany reports 583 more cases

GERMANY has reported on Sunday at least 583 new cases in Germany, bringing to 174,355 the total number of cases in the country. It also reported 33 new deaths as of the end of Saturday, with total fatalities at 7,914.

Sri Lanka reimposes weekend curfew

Sri Lanka has reimposed a 24-hour curfew this weekend even though the government has begun easing the two-month coronavirus lockdown.

Private businesses and government offices reopened last week. However, on midnight Saturday, authorities again slapped a 24-hour curfew in an apparent move to restrict people’s movements during the weekend.

Japan COVID-19 doctors lack fresh masks

Japanese hospital doctors on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic face tough working conditions, with many reusing masks and few getting hazard pay, a survey by a labour union showed.

The survey of about 170 doctors, conducted online from late April through May 6, found three-quarters said they were ordered to work on the coronavirus front line, while four-fifths said they receive no hazard allowance for the work.

Singapore reports 682 more cases, taking total to 28,038

Singapore registered 682 more infections of the new coronavirus, its health ministry said, taking the city-state's total to 28,038 cases.

The vast majority of the newly infected people are migrant workers living in dormitories, the ministry said in a statement. Four are permanent residents.

Russia reports 9,709 new infections

Russia reported 9,709 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus on Sunday, a rise from 9,200 new cases reported the previous day.

Russia's coronavirus taskforce said the overall number of cases nationwide stood at 281,752. It added that 94 people had died over the last 24 hours, bringing the official death toll from the virus to 2,631.

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Brazil reports 15,305 new infections

Brazil's health ministry confirmed 15,305 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Friday in a record for a 24-hour period. It also reported 824 related deaths. Brazil has registered 218,223 confirmed coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic and 14,817 deaths.

LATAM Airlines to cut 1,400 jobs

LATAM Airlines said it would lay off 1,400 employees in Latin America, blaming a drastic slump in business on the coronavirus pandemic.

"The effects of COVID-19 are profound and make reducing the size of the LATAM group inevitable to protect its sustainability in the medium term," said Roberto Alvo, executive director of the Chilean-Brazilian carrier.

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Air Canada to lay off more than 20,000 people

Canada's largest airline said it plans to lay off at least 20,000 employees because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Air Canada said the pandemic has forced it to reduce scheduled flights by 95 percent, and it does not expect normal traffic to return any time soon.

"We therefore took the extremely difficult decision today to significantly downsize our operation to align with forecasts, which regrettably means reducing our workforce by 50 to 60 percent," the airline said in a statement.

US deaths projected to exceed 100,000 by June 1

Robert Redfield, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says forecasting models indicate the number of coronavirus-related deaths in the US will increase in the coming weeks.

The total death toll is projected to surpass 100,000 by June 1, he added in a tweet.

US House passes $3 trillion coronavirus aid bill

The United States House of Representatives narrowly passed a $3 trillion bill aimed at salving the heavy human and economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic.

The bill, crafted by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her fellow Democrats, passed mostly along party lines in a 208-199 vote.

The enormous measure would cost more than the prior four coronavirus bills combined. It would deliver almost $1 trillion for state and local governments, another round of $1,200 direct payments to individuals and help for the unemployed, renters and homeowners, college debt holders and the struggling US Postal Service.

Virus spreading to Brazil's Indigenous territories at 'frightening speed'

A Brazilian rights group says the coronavirus has hit 38 indigenous groups in the country and is spreading to Indigenous territories "with frightening speed".

A survey by the Brazilian Indigenous Peoples' Association (APIB) finds 446 cases of the new coronavirus and 92 deaths among the affected groups, mainly in the Brazilian Amazon.

The grim news came a day after the Indigenous community of Parque das Tribos, outside the northern city of Manaus, held a funeral for its chief, Messias Kokama, who died of COVID-19.

Italy to lift travel restrictions on travel

The Italian government is easing travel restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic, allowing people to move freely inside the region where they live as of Monday, and between regions starting June 3.

The government decree also permits international travel to and from Italy from June 3.

Social distancing rules are being implemented in the sectors of the economy that have reopened, including factories and some businesses. Schools remain closed and crowds are not permitted, though people will be allowed to attend Mass in churches with some restrictions starting from next week.

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Truck collision on Indian highway kills 23 migrant workers

At least 23 migrant workers were killed in India when a truck they were travelling in crashed into a stationary truck on a highway in northern Uttar Pradesh state.

Another 20 were injured in the accident, magistrate Abhishek Singh told. The workers were on the way from India's capital, New Delhi, to their villages in Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal states, he added.

Fears over coronavirus spread in Yemen

Across war-torn Yemen, the official figures for coronavirus infections and related deaths stand at 106 and 15, respectively.

However, local health authorities told The Associated Press newsagency that the numbers are likely much higher as hundreds of people in the southern city of Aden have died with symptoms of what appears to be the coronavirus.

Cases in Qatar top 30,000

Qatar reported 1,547 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, bringing its total to 30,972.

Spain daily death toll lowest in 2 months

The number of daily deaths from coronavirus in Spain dropped to its lowest level in two months. The health ministry announced 102 more COVID-19 fatalities raising the overall toll to 27,563. The tally of confirmed infections reached 230,698 after the country counted 539 new infections.

Despite the slowdown in the spread of the virus, Madrid, Barcelona and parts of Castille and Leon will not be joining the rest of the country in a more relaxed lockdown, officials said.

UK approves Abbott's COVID-19 antibody test

Britain has given the green light to Abbott Laboratories to produce a COVID-19 antibody test, shortly after it gave the same approval to Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding, health officials said.

Mass antibody testing with millions of kits is being considered by many countries as a way to speed the reopening of economies devastated by lockdowns and to introduce more tailored social distancing measures.

Noida: Police couple donates blood to Covid-19 patient

Most hospitals facing a shortage of blood, as donors are staying away due to the ongoing lockdown, a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) and her husband, the station house officer (SHO) of the Knowledge Park police station, came forward to donate blood to a 53-year-old woman diagnosed with the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and in need of dialysis.

The woman needed blood for dialysis and the hospital staff were finding it tough to arrange it as their blood banks are running dry and donor numbers have decreased. As the hospital falls under the jurisdiction of the Knowledge Park police station, SHO Baljeet Singh, 38, came to know of the crisis and he decided to volunteer.

Noida: Exotica staff to go on strike for Salaries

The staff of a highrise in Sector 137 — Exotica Fresco — were forced to go on a strike for five days after they were not paid their salaries this month. The staff claimed that they had been promised double the pay if they worked during the lockdown, but ultimately not paid anything. The society normally retains more than 100 staff members but the number has been reduced to less than 35 amid the lockdown. The society management, however, denied that the staff had gone on a strike.

Maharashtra registers highest single-day jump with 1,602 new COVID-19 cases

Maharashtra on Thursday reported 1,602 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day spike so far, taking the state’s overall count to 27,524, according to state health department data.

With 44 deaths registered today, the death toll in Maharashtra due to the contagious coronavirus disease has now breached the 1000-mark and stands at 1019.

COVID-19 cases in India near the 82K mark; death toll at 2,649

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country neared the 82,000 mark on Friday while the death toll stands at 2,649, as per the latest update from the Union health ministry. The number of cases has gone up by 3,968 in the last 24 hours while the death toll has jumped by 100 fatalities. The number of active cases in India stands at 51,401, rising by 2,182 in the past 24 hours.

India's COVID-19 recovery rate at 34%

The COVID-19 recovery rate in India stood at 34 percent after 27,920 patients were discharged as of Friday, according to the recent data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Meanwhile, India registered 81,970 confirmed COVID-19 cases on Friday after 3,995 more test positive across the nation in the past 24 hours. The COVID-19 toll stood at 2,649 with 100 more patients succumbing to the infectious disease. Of the total 81,970, there are 51,401 active cases, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Odisha reports 672 COVID-19 cases

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Odisha climbed to 672 after 48 more individuals tested positive for the viral infection on Friday, said the state health departmen

World Bank announces an additional one billion dollar support for India

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved a $1 billion Accelerating India’s COVID-19 Social Protection Response Program to support India’s efforts at providing social assistance to the poor and vulnerable households, severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This takes the total commitment from the Bank towards emergency COVID-19 response in India to $2 billion. A $1 billion support was announced last month towards immediate support to India’s health sector.

Maharashtra govt decides to extend lockdown in Mumbai

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India neared the 82,000 mark on Friday while the death toll stands at 2,649, as per the latest update from the Union health ministry. The number of cases has gone up by 3,968 in the last 24 hours while the death toll has jumped by 100 fatalities. The number of active cases in India stands at 51,401, rising by 2,182 in the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government is set to extend lockdown in the Mumbai metropolitan region, Pune metropolitan region and three other cities of Aurangabad, Malegaon and Solapur until May 31. The global death toll has crossed the 3 lakh mark with over 45 lakh active cases worldwide. 

US threatens to cut off relationship with China

US President Donald Trump has threatened to cut off the whole relationship with China in response to the spread of the novel coronavirus which has killed nearly 3 lakh people globally. According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 4.4 million people have been infected due to Covid-19 and over 3.01 lakh have died from the deadly infection. In an interview, US President on Thursday said, “There are many things we could do. We could cut off the whole relationship.” Donald Trump said he does not want to speak to Chinese President Xi Jinping right now. "I have a very good relationship, but I just -- right now I don't want to speak to him," Trump said, adding that he was very disappointed with China. The United States has repeatedly asked China to allow the international community to go into a Wuhan lab to investigate the origins of coronavirus. "We asked to go over and they said no. They didn't want our help. And I figured that was OK because they must know what they are doing. 

Economic activities to be allowed from Monday: Kejriwal

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said different economic activities will be allowed in the UT from May 18 based on decisions taken by the Centre on relaxation. In a media briefing on Thursday, Kejriwal said most people suggested that schools, colleges, barber shops, spa, saloons, cinema halls and swimming pools should not be opened post May 17, and there should be just limited operation of metro services. Kejriwal had sought suggestions from Delhiites on lockdown relaxations post May 17 and asked them to send their views by 5 pm on Wednesday. Buses, taxis and autorickshaws should be allowed to operate in the city but with social-distancing, Kejriwal said. Kejriwal said his government wants to send a proposal to the Centre by Thursday evening on lockdown relaxations post May 17. 

Special train from Delhi reaches Kerala

First special train to Kerala from Delhi reached Thiruvananthapuram railway station with 602 passengers on Friday morning. The passengers were screened after they reached the railway station.

India registers 3,967 cases, 100 deaths in 24 hours

Over 3,900 cases and 100 deaths in 24 hours took India's coronavirus case tally past the 80,000-mark on Friday morning. The death toll, meanwhile, climbed to 2,649.

NOIDA: Special trains for migrant workers on May 16

The Uttar Pradesh administration has said special trains will run for migrant labourers in Gautam Buddh Nagar district from Dadri and Dankaur stations on May 16.

Cafes and bars reopen in parts of Australia

New South Wales (NSW), Australia's most populous state, is reopening restaurants, cafes and bars after a two-month shutdown, under the condition they limit customers to 10 at any one time. Gladys Berejiklian, premier of NSW, cautions people to remain vigilant and maintain social distancing.

"Easing restrictions has failed in so many places around the world and I don't want that to happen in NSW, I want people to have personal responsibility for the way we respond," Berejiklian tells reporters in Sydney.

In the Northern Territory, pubs are opening with no restrictions on patron numbers and there are no limits on public gatherings or house visits.

Brazil data showed a total of 202,918 confirmed cases

Brazil registered a daily record 13,944 new cases of the coronavirus on Thursday as President Jair Bolsonaro urged business leaders to push for lifting lockdown orders in the country's financial center, Sao Paulo. Health ministry data showed a total of 202,918 confirmed cases and 13,933 deaths in Brazil, the hardest-hit country in Latin America, at the end of Thursday. 

But Bolsonaro, who opposes the lockdowns, told a virtual gathering of business leaders to "play tough" with Sao Paulo Governor Joao Doria, who has issued social distancing orders and said he will not comply with Bolsonaro's latest decree to reopen gyms and beauty salons.

US alerts doctors to COVID-19 linked condition in children

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned doctors about a serious rare inflammatory condition in children linked with the coronavirus. The CDC's case definition includes current or recent COVID-19 infection or exposure to the virus, a fever of at least 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celcius) for at least 24 hours, inflammatory markers in blood tests, and evidence of problems affecting at least two organs that could include the heart, kidneys, or lungs.

S Korea reports 17 more cases linked to Seoul night club cluster

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) is reporting 29 new cases, 17 of which are linked to bars and clubs in Seoul's nightlife district of Itaewon. The latest figures bring the total number of cases in the Itaewon cluster to 148.

The Yonhap news agency says health authorities will disinfect nightclubs and bars this weekend "in an effort to prevent the Itaewon infection cluster from expanding into a mass outbreak".

Virus could infect more than 200 million people in Africa

A WHO modelling study indicates the coronavirus could kill 150,000 people in Africa and infect 231 million people in a year unless urgent action is taken. Authors of the research say even though many African nations have been swift to adopt containment measures, health systems could still quickly become overwhelmed. That would divert already limited resources to tackle major health issues in the region, such as HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and malnutrition, worsening the impact of coronavirus.

8 migrant labourers killed in Guna truck collision

8 migrant labourers dead and around 50 others have been injured in Madhya Pradesh's Guna after the truck they were travelling in collided with a bus in Cantt PS area last night. All the 8 killed labourers were going to their native places in UP from Maharashtra.