Gems News Ind: July 2020

Friday, 31 July 2020

Telangana Logs Highest Corona Cases in a Single Day

Telangana reported the highest number of Covid cases (1986) on a single day, when the testing figures also touched an all-time high, besides all 33 districts reporting new cases on Friday. Also, 14 patients have died till 8 pm on Thursday as per the Covid bulletin.

The previous highest figure was witnessed on July 8 when 1924 cases were registered. More than 20,000 tests were done for the first time in a single day in the state. The health officials collected 21,380 samples out of which results of 1216 RT-PCR samples are awaited.

The Health department is conducting both rapid antigen tests and RT-PCR tests and hence the big jump in testing figures per day. Also, GHMC's share among the new cases was 29.5 percent (586 cases), while the rest of the districts contributed the remaining 70 percent of cases. Both Malkajgiri (207) and Ranga Reddy (205) reported more than 200 cases, each. Warangal Urban (123), Karimnagar (116), Sangareddy (108) also reported a high number of cases. The recovered patients and active cases numbers stood at 45,388 and 16,796, respectively, while the total deceased count rose to 519.HI

PCR Test Must at Dubai Airports For Travellers From India, Other Countries From August 1

Stepping up its efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus, the Emirates airline on Sunday has made it mandatory to produce the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for COVID-19 on arrival at Dubai International Airport. This has to be produced only by passengers from specific countries. The airline said the practice must be followed from August 1

While issuing the guidelines, the airline has issued a list of 29 countries from where the passengers should undergo mandatory COVID-19 PCR testing upon arrival in Dubai

KTR Asks For Action Against Private Hospitals Facing Complaints from Covid Patients

IT Minister KT Rama Rao on Thursday urged Health Minister Eatala Rajender to take strict action against private hospitals in Hyderabad and elsewhere, against whom Covid-19 patients and their relatives were complaining of excessive medical billing and exploitation.Deeply anguished on hearing about the tragic loss of your family members Radhesh

The IT Minister was responding on Twitter to a complaint made by a youngster Anreddy Radhesh, hailing from Maheswaram mandal, Dubbacherla village, who had lost his father, mother and brother to Covid-19.

All of them were admitted to a private hospital in Hyderabad and Radhesh, who also had tested Covid-19 positive but was asymptomatic and was in home isolation, took to Twitter to complain of lack of proper medical treatment and excessive billing by the private hospital.

Radhesh alleged that his family had already paid Rs. 40 lakh for the three Covid-19 patients but the hospital was insisting to clear the remaining pending medical bills so that his father’s body could be released.

“Deeply anguished on hearing about the tragic loss of your family members. Exploitation in these times by private hospitals is deplorable and a shame. Request Health Minister Eatala Rajender to take strictest action against these irresponsible institutions (asap)”, the IT Minister tweeted

Nurses Become Scarce Hyderabad Hospitals Offer Rs 50,000 Salary Bait

With scarcity of nurses reaching an all-time high, hospitals in the city have started offering as much as 50,000 along with perks such as food, accommodation and flight tickets hoping to hire some nurses. In fact, since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, salaries of nurses have seen a three-fold jump, from an average of 10,000 to 15000 per month to 50,000 and upwards now.

With several nursing staff contracting the virus and not finding support from their employers, there was an exodus of nurses from the city, particularly of nurses from Keral and Tamil Nadu

This has led to an acute shortage of nurses and we are currently flooded with requests from hospitals to send nurses. The problem however is that nurses have already returned to their native places and are refusing to come back even at salaries between 40,000 and 45,000," said Nursing Officers Association of Telangana president, Laxman Rudavath

Thursday, 30 July 2020

Hyderabad: After 14-day isolation, Covid Result Leaves Family Confused

Individuals of a family from Hyderabad, who tested positive for Covid-19 on July 16 when they underwent rapid antigen testing in an urban primary health centre at lower Tank Bund and, completed their 14-day home isolation. They were left confused on Thursday when they received messages from the Health Department stating their test results were updated as negative.

“Apart from me receiving this message, another close relative who had tested positive at the same healthcare centre on July 16 has received this message, which said that the test results have been updated to negative. Does this mean, we were negative all this time and we were in 14-day home isolation for nothing?” asked D Venkateswar Rao, who is the president of Telangana Wine Dealers Association

After Rao and his relative were told that they tested positive at the urban health centre, the next day his wife also visited the same health centre and she too tested positive. “We followed all the advisories meticulously and now we are getting this message that we had tested negative, which has led to confusion and doubt,” he said.

After testing positive on July 16, Venkateswara Rao pointed out that the district surveillance teams made phone calls for patient verification only for his wife and did not verify his Covid-19 status.

“They did not give me my Covid-19 positive registration number and neither did I receive a verification call from the authorities,” he said.TToday

Covid Death Toll in Maharashtra Police Touches 100 Total Cases Over 9,000

Of the 100 police personnel who have succumbed to the infection, eight are officers and 92 constabulary staff. A large portion of the police force continues to be deployed to enforce restrictions at containment zones and at hospitals and Covid Care Centres across the state.

THE DEATH toll from Covid-19 in the Maharashtra Police has reached 100 and the total case count has crossed the 9,000 mark, as per official data released on Thursday. Of the 9,096 Covid-19 police cases in the two lakh-strong police force of Maharashtra, as reported till Thursday morning, at least 7,084 personnel have recovered while 1,912 remain active cases. Of the 100 police personnel who have succumbed to the infection, eight are officers and 92 constabulary staff. A large portion of the police force continues to be deployed to enforce restrictions at containment zones and at hospitals and Covid Care Centres across the state.

At least 140 cases were reported among Maharashtra Police personnel on Wednesday. On July 1, the number of positive cases in Maharashtra Police was 4,900 and only 60 fatalities were reported till then. Since then, as many as 4,100 cases and 40 deaths have been reported in the state police force.IE

Famous Marathi actor Aashutosh Bhakre Dies Bu Suicide

Marathi actor Aashutosh Bhakre allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself at his home in Nanded town in the Marathwada region, a police official said on Wednesday.

The incident came to light this afternoon when Bhakre, 32, was found hanging by his parents at his flat in the Ganesh Nagar area of the town in central Maharashtra, the official said.

The reason behind the actor's suicide was not yet known, the police official said.

He was reportedly suffering from depression since the last few days and had recently shared a video on social media in which he analysed why does a person commit suicide, the official said.

An accidental death case has been registered at the Shivaji Nagar Police Station in Nanded, around 575km from Mumbai, and further probe was on, he said. Zee

Priyanka Gandhi Writes to UP CM, Seeks Justice for Dr Kafeel Khan

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Thursday sought justice for Dr Kafeel Khan who is in detention for allegedly making an inflammatory speech on the Aligarh Muslim University campus during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests. He was booked under the National Security Act (NSA) over alleged hate speech.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) national general secretary, in a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, said Khan has spent more than 450 days in jail and that the CM should show sensitivity and help him in getting justice.

I expect that while showing your sensitivity, you will try your best to secure justice for Dr. Kafeel,” she said in the letter.

Gandhi also wrote a poem by Guru Gorakhnath and said it should inspire the Chief Minister.

China Warns India Against "Forced Decoupling" Of Their Economies

China warned on Thursday that a "forced decoupling" of its economy with India, following a clash in eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley last month in which 20 Indian soldiers died in the line of duty, would hurt both countries. The Chinese ambassador said China was not a strategic threat to India and that the "general structure that we can't live without each other remains unchanged".

The statement came after the Central government's recent moves to ban Chinese applications, even as the de-facto border, the Line of Actual Control, remains tense.

"China advocates win-win cooperation and opposes a zero-sum game," Ambassador Sun Weidong wrote on Twitter.

Our economies are highly complementary, interwoven and interdependent. Forced decoupling is against the trend and will only lead to a 'lose-lose' outcome," he added.

Officials say Chinese troops have intruded on to India's territory in the remote western region. China, however, claims it has not breached the LAC.NDTV

International Air Ttavel Permitted in Limited Manner MHA in 'Unlock 3'

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday said that international travel has been permitted in a limited manner under the government’s ‘Vande Bharat Mission’ (VBM) repatriation mission. Further opening-up will take place in a calibrated manner, said MHA as it issued the guidelines for further relaxations of various economic activities under 'Unlock 3'.

On July 16, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) announced setting up 'air bubbles' and partially resumed international flights to destinations in the US, Germany, France. An air bubble is a travel corridor between two countries who will fly their aircraft in a regulated environment. This arrangement has been made due to several travel restrictions across the world because of coronavirus pandemic.

Between July 22- August 31, Air India will be operating 30 flights a week to the US (New York, Chicago, Washington, New Jersey, and San Francisco), 4 flights a week to Germany (Frankfurt) and 3 flights a week to France (Paris)”, said the Ministry of External Affairs earlier.

Air India, United Airlines, Air France and Lufthansa will be operating hundreds of international flights between destinations in India and the US, France and Germany from July 22 to August 31. Similar air corridors are also being established with Canada, the UK, other European, and Gulf countries.

Half of Telangana’s Covid Deaths Were Patients Without Multiple Diseases, Most of Them Men

Nearly half of the Covid-19 deaths in Telangana have occurred in people without comorbidities, according to data with the state government.

In a 61-page long health bulletin issued Wednesday, one of the most detailed so far, the KCR-led government stated that 46.2 per cent of the Covid-19 deaths in the state were among those with comorbidities — higher than the national average of 43 per cent.

This is a significant development as there is belief that Covid-19 disproportionately affects those with comorbid conditions.

The Telangana data also shows that the most number of positive cases in the state is among men in the 31-40 year age category, while the least number of cases are in the category of 81 years and above.

About 65.6 per cent of the patients were male, of whom the maximum 17.7 per cent are in the 31-40 year category followed by 14 per cent in the 21-30 year age group.

Among the women, the maximum number of cases are in the 21-30 age group at 7.9 per cent.

In all, the state has, as of Wednesday, registered 58,906 cases and 492 deaths. The recovery rate is 74.3 per cent as opposed to the national rate of 64 per cent while case fatality rate is 0.84 per cent as against 2.26 per cent nationally. The Print

Ex-Samata Party Chief Jaya Jaitley 2 Others Sentenced to 4 Years Imprisonment in Corruption Case

Former Samata Party President Jaya Jaitley and two others were on Thursday sentenced to four years in prison by a special court in Delhi in connection with a corruption case related to a 2001 defence deal, a lawyer said.

Special CBI Judge Virender Bhat directed the three convicts -- Jaitley, her former party colleague Gopal Pacherwal and Major General (retired) SP Murgai -- to surrender before it by 5 pm today and also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each, said advocate Vikram Panwar, the lawyer for of one of the convicts.

On July 21, the court had convicted Jaitly, her erstwhile party colleague Gopal Pacherwal and retired Major General SP Murgai under charges of dealing with criminal conspiracy of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 9 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.ANI

Plan to Increase COVID-19 Tests to 10 lakh Per Day in 1-2 Months Harsh Vardhan

India is currently conducting around five lakh COVID-19 tests every day and the plan is to double the number in next one-two months, Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Thursday.

During the launch of a compendium on 'Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Technologies for COVID-19 Mitigation', Vardhan, who is also the Union health minister, said the country's recovery rate of over 64 per cent is the best in the world while the fatality rate is nearly 2.2 per cent.

He also hailed the scientific community for fighting alongside the medical community in the battle against the virus.

"The first COVID-19 case in India was detected on January 30 and it has been six months since then but the fight against the virus is still on. Despite the vastness of the country and its population, the war against the virus has been successfully taken up in every corner," Vardhan said.

About ramping up health infrastructure in the country, the minister said six months ago India was importing ventilators, but it has now developed a capacity to manufacture three lakh ventilators.

"Most of the ventilators are being made within the country now. India is supplying hydroxychloroquine drug to nearly 150 countries," he said.PTI

37 link Roads to Come Up in Hyderabad To Ease Traffic Jams KTR

Municipal minister KT Rama Rao on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for the road-under-bridge at Balnagarand road-over-bridge at Fathenagar Theprojects are being built at a cost of ₹68.3 crore and ₹48 crore respectively. A one-year deadline has been set for both projects.

KTR lauded the participation of women in the city’s development projects. “The zonal commissioner is a woman, the chief engineer is a woman and woman corporators have also shared the stage, it’s a happy moment,” he said. “(In order to) de-congest traffic, 37 link roads will come up across the city,” KTR added. The 37 link roads will be built at a cost of nearly Rs 314 crore and cover a distance of nearly 45 kilometres.

KTR Gifts Six Ambulances under Gifta Smile” Initiative

Municipal, IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao has flagged off six ambulances that he has gifted to the government at Pragathi Bhavan here on Thursday. These ambulances which will be put to use as Covid response vehicles were donated by him under the “gift a smile” initiative launched on his birthday on July 24.

While it was KT Rama Rao who mooted the idea of donating ambulances, several other party leaders and ministers came forward and announced more ambulances taking the total number to 100. They declared that very soon the other ambulances will also join the fleet. The plan is to have Covid response ambulances in all districts.

Through the gift a smile initiative the TRS working president has urged the party cadre and followers to do something that will bring a smile on the face of a common man rather than wasting money on celebrations.

HC Notice to Telangana, Centre on Private Hospitals Charges

A day after directing the state to ensure

Strict implemention of ICMR guidelines to tackle the pandemic effectively, the High court on Wednesday issued notices to Telngana Centre, ICMR, IRDA and drug control authorities for inaction on private hospitals.

The court asked them to respond to a petitioner for failing to act against private hospitals charging exorbitantly from Covid-19 patients. Petitioner J Venudhar Reddy a resident of Nagole, said the common man was being hit on two counts — one, these hospitals were crippling the common man with high rates and secondly, lack of insurance and spurious drugs Assuring the petitioner that the government had promised to come out with a GO to rein in the private hospitals, a bench of Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy said this petition should be clubbed with a batch of Covid-related PILs and posted the case to August 13.

Wednesday, 29 July 2020

I Really Don't Know the Reasons for Banning Me Azharuddin

Mohammed Azharuddin rehabilitation from life ban is more than complete in many ways but the former Indian Captain says he "doesn't really know the reasons" for banning him in the first place.

In December 2000, Azharuddin was handed a life ban by the BCCI for his involvement in match-fixing. However, after a long drawn out legal battle, Azharuddin saw the Andhra Pradesh High Court revoking the ban and terming it "illegal" in 2012.

Reminded of one of the darkest phases of his life during an interview with cricketpakistan.com website, Azharuddin said, "I don't want to blame anyone for what happened. I really don't know the reasons for banning me...

"...But I had decided to fight it and I am grateful that after 12 years I got cleared. I felt very satisfied when after being elected president of Hyderabad association I went and attended the BCCI AGM meeting."

Azharuddin played 99 Tests and scored 6125 runs at an average of 45. He also played 334 ODIs, scoring 9378 runs at 36.92 during a 15-year international career that had begun with three successive centuries.

In 2019, he had a stand named after him at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. He ran the bell at the Eden Garden ahead of an India match the year before and the redemption continued when he was included in a group of former cricketers honoured with a lap around the iconic ground during India's first pink-ball Test.

Though he didn't know that the 99th Test of his career would be his last, Azharuddin says he has no regrets at missing out on completing a century of matches.TIO

Hyderabad Tolet Boards Everywhere

The Corona Virus pandemic has affected the real estate business to the core. The rental industry witnessed a nosedive dip in its revenues as scores of migrants, employees, labour chose to return to their hometowns. Businesses have also been affected due to lack of support staff and workers.

This resulted in vacant houses, offices and shops. All this led to the sprung up of to-let boards everywhere – houses, shops, office spaces etc. With this, the majority of property owners are in tough situations as their revenues took hit and they need to pay EMIs to the banks.

The rental values of properties have also come down. Several property owners are ready to cut down the rentals for tenants to occupy.

As per reports, the inquiries for rental properties (houses, shops and offices) in Hyderabad has come down by a staggering 70 percent. To-let boards are seen everywhere across the city. The situation is no different in Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Kochi, Kolkata.

Veering off to the purchase of houses, leading real-estate agencies declare that there is a dip of about 79 percent compared to the last year.

In the first quarter (Q1) of 2020 i.e April-June, only 18,038 houses were sold across the leading cities in the country. This is less by 79 percent compared to previous year, said Prop Tiger.

In Hyderabad, 8122 houses were sold in Q1 of 2019, whereas Q1 2020 witnessed only a sale of 1099 houses i.e dip in 86 percent. While Mumbai saw a dip of 85 percent in sales, Ahmedabad saw 83 percent dip, NCR Delhi saw decrease in 81 percent and 73 percent dip in sales in Bangalore

NABBED (2) ACCUSED OF HYC (HYDERABAD YOUTH COURAGE-NGO) WHO CHEATING INNOCENT PEOPLE IN THE NAME OF CHARITY.

On 29-07-2020, the sleuths of Commissioner’s Task Force, South Zone Team along with Chandrayanguttapolice apprehended two accused who are making emotional videos on name of victims and misappropriating the collected amount in the name of Charity.

Particulars of accused:-

1. Salman Khan, S/o Hakeem Khan, age : 29 yrs, Occ: President of Hyderabads Youth Courage (HYC) at Humyaun Nagar, R/o Humyaun Nagar, Mehdipatnam, Hyderabad.

2. Syed Ayub, S/o Syed Jaffer, aged 31 years, Occ: Organiser of Hyderabad Youth Courage (HYC), R/o Borabanda, Hyderabad.

Brief facts:-

One person by name Salman Khan R/o Humayun Nagar, Hyderabad formed a NGO along with his friends in the name of Hyderabad youth courage he appointed as president of HYC, office situated at Humayunnagar. Further, they opened face book account in the name of “Hyderabad Youth courage”. Subsequently, they started highlighting some of the deprived families video clippings and appeal to the general public through social media i.e., Facebook and What’s app to contribute donations to the poor and needy people to their bank accounts for their needs.

Recently,Hyderabad youth courage posted a video on their Face book account introduces himself as Salman khan and requested the people through social medial platform by showing one patient named as Yasmeen Sultanaand says that, she was undergoing treatment for chronic ill health and requested to contribute the money by displaying the Bank account Number and account holder name asAsra Begum, Branch at Edi Bazar, and also posted one Google Pay/Phone Pay Number,on humanity grounds to help in her treatment.

On the request made on Face book, several donors have deposited some lakhs of rupees directly into the account of Asra Begumwithin three daysbeyond their expectations. The deceased Yasmeen Sultana while undergoing treatment Salman, Ayub and Asra Begum planned to transfer the amounts into their personal accounts for their wrongful gains.Subsequently, Asra Begum have made transfer of Rs.15 lakhs in Salman Khan account, also she has transferred an amount of Rs. 15 lakhs into the account of Sri Rashed, who is relative of Syed Ayub, and the balance amount is kept in the account of Asra Begum as her share.

The same reported before the Chandrayangutta police station and basing on the report a case has been registered vide Cr No 347/20 and investigation into.

Basing on credible information on 29-07-2020 the Commissioner’s Task Force, South Zone team and with the help of chandrayangutta police apprehended the above accused and seized (3) Cell phones from the possession of the accused. The arrested persons and seized material handed over to SHO Chandrayanguttapolice station for further action.

The above arrests made by Sri. S. Raghavendra, Inspector of Police, South Zone and SIs S/Sri V. Narender, N. Srishylam, MohdThakuddin& staff of South Zone Task Force, Hyderabad along with Chandrayangutta police.

CHAKRAVARTY GUMMI

Addl. Dy. Commissioner of Police, Commissioner’s Task Force, Hyderabad City.

Armoor MLA tests positive for coronavirus in Telangana

Another TRS MLA from Armoor assembly constituency in Nizamabad has tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday. MLA

Asannagari Jeevan Reddy is found to be infected with the virus and is under home isolation at his residence in Hyderabad. Samples of his family members and staff have been collected and the results are awaited yet.

They have been advised to go under home quarantine. Also, people who have come in contact with the MLA for the past few days were also advised to isolate themselves and get COVID-19 tests done.

Earlier, MLAs Bajireddy Govardhan Reddy (Nizamabad rural), Bigala Ganesh (Nizamabad Urban), Manchireddy Kishan Reddy (Ibrahimpatnam), Vivekananda Goud (Quthbullapur), Muthireddy Yadagiri Reddy (Jangaon) tested positive for the deadly virus. Even the home minister Mahmood Ali had tested positive and recovered from the virus

Haj 2020: Downsized Riuals Begin Pilgrims to Head to Arafat Tomorrow

This year’s pilgrimage is being restricted to 10,000 residents of Saudi Arabia

Haj pilgrims will begin their holy journey to Mina today, Saudi media said.

All of the pilgrims, who will perform this year’s Haj, have already arrived at the holy city of Mecca. The final batch of pilgrims were Saudi military personnel and medical practitioners who have recovered from the novel coronavirus.

Security preparations are in place to protect the pilgrims, as are the precautions against the coronavirus.

Head of the Haj security committee Khalid Al Harbi stressed that Saudi Arabia was fully prepared to organise the Haj and that it has enough experience to confront any developments.

It is not concerned about the weather, but the main danger that we are facing this year is the pandemic and how we can ensure the safety of the pilgrims as they perform their rituals smoothly,” he said.

Saudi Arabia is among the countries that are most experienced in managing and protecting large crowds, he explained. There will never be any larger gathering of people than in the Haj.

He revealed that authorities have already registered 14 violations of Haj regulations.The violators have since been fined.

This year’s Haj will be held with very limited numbers due to the pandemic. It has been restricted to some 10,000 people, who are residents of Saudi Arabia, both citizens and foreigners. Pilgrims from some 160 nationalities will take part in the rituals.

They will head to Mina today to mark the day of Tarwiyah. They will perform the noon, afternoon, sundown and night prayers at Mina, before heading to Arafat on Thursday. They will return to Mina on Friday and spend the night in Muzdalifah.

Unlock 3.0 Schools Colleges to be shut till 31 August Gyms Can Open

Yoga institutes and gymnasiums will be allowed to open from August 5, 2020
Metro services, cinema halls and swimming pools, entertainment parks, bars, theatres, auditoriums and other social gathering places will remain closed

Under the new guidelines, government announced that night curfews imposed in the country in order to combat the spread of Covid-19 will now be removed, starting 1 August.

Independence Day functions will be allowed with social distancing and by following other health protocols, such as wearing of masks etc, said the government.

The government also said the new guidlines issued today are based on feedbacks received overtime by authorities and chief ministers of states and Union Territories.

Apart from that, Yoga institutes and gymnasiums will be allowed to open from August 5, 2020, while maintaining social distancing norms, the government said.

There shall be no restrictions of intra-state or inter-state of people or goods across the country and no additional pass or e-permit will be required for such movement, the order stated.

However, schools, colleges and other educational institutions will remain closed till 31 August during this phase of the unlock plan as well.

Further, metro services, cinema halls and swimming pools, entertainment parks, bars, theatres, auditoriums and other social gathering places will remain closed.

Social/political/sports/entertainment/academic/cultural/religious functions and other large congregations still not permitted.

Physical Distancing of Hajj This Year First Time Ever in History of Islam

The annual Muslim ritual of Hajj, which usually attracts millions of people from across the Muslim world and beyond, is set to be a low-key event this year as the coronavirus pandemic rages on.

Some 2.5 million pilgrims from around the world flock annually to the cities of Mecca and Medina for the week-long ritual.

Saudi Arabia announced on July 6 it would hold a "very limited" Hajj this year, as the country is still battling the pandemic.

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said the decision to curtail the pilgrimage was aimed at preserving global public health because of the risks associated with large gatherings.

Hyderabad's Hetero Launches COVID-19 Drug Favivir at Rs 59 Per Tablet

The product is available from July 29 at all retail medical outlets across the country and will be sold only on prescription, it said

Hetero Labs, part of Hetero group on Wednesday announced the launch of generic Favipiravir in India under the brand name 'Favivir.'

According to a press release issued by the city-based drug maker, Hetero has been granted the manufacturing and marketing approval for Favipiravir from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). Favivir is the second drug developed by Hetero after Covifor (Remdesivir) used in the treatment of COVID-19.

It is an oral antiviral medication that has demonstrated positive clinical outcomes.

Favivir improves treatment accessibility to a significant amount of COVID-19 patient population, which usually sustains mild to moderate symptoms.

Hetero's Favivir is priced at Rs 59 per tablet and is marketed and distributed by Hetero Healthcare Ltd.

The product is available from July 29 at all retail medical outlets and hospital pharmacies across the country and will be sold only on prescription, it said.

Backed by strong vertical integration capabilities, the drug is being manufactured at the company's world-class formulation facility in India, which has been approved by stringent global regulatory authorities such as USFDA and the

EU, among others, according to the release.

On Their Way to India, Rafale Jets Get Mid Air Tefuelling at 30,000 Feet

The first batch of five Rafale jets will land in India on July 29. The jets are being flown to Ambala airbase by Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots and landed at Al Dhafra airbase in UAE on Monday after a sortie in excess of seven hours.

En route to UAE from French airbase at Merignac, the jets clicked getting mid-air refuelling at almost 30,000 feet. They are accompanied by two A330 Phoenix MRTT refuelling planes of the French Air Force.

The Indian Air Force thanked the French Air Force for the support during aircraft's journey back home.

The jets were refuelled by the French Air Force tanker aircraft somewhere around Greece or Israel over the sea before landing there

Trump's National Security Adviser Tests Positive for Covid19

Announcing the infection on Monday, the White House said in a statement there was no risk of exposure to Trump or Vice President Mike Pence.

The White House statement said that O’Brien’s symptoms were mild, that he was self-isolating and that he was working from a secure location off site. It said the work of the National Security Council would continue uninterrupted.

The announcement caught some White House staff off guard, as there had not been an internal memo about it, one source said. Because of the regular testing regimen, White House officials do not reliably wear masks while working in the West Wing.

Asked about O’Brien, Trump told reporters he had not seen the adviser lately and did not know when he had tested positive.

An administration official said O’Brien, 54, had not had contact with the president in several days. Another said he had last been at the White House last week.

Trump economic adviser Larry Kudlow told reporters it was apparently a light case, adding “I believe his daughter had caught it before him.”

O’Brien, who took over as national security adviser from John Bolton last September, had traveled to Paris in mid-July to represent the United States at Bastille Day ceremonies. He met French President Emmanuel Macron while there.Retures

Kerala Girl Falls to Death From Apartment Building in Sharjah

A14-year-old Indian girl, one of the twin daughters of a Keralite couple, has died after falling from a high rise building in Sharjah in the UAE, police said on Monday.

An official from the Sharjah Police told the Gulf News that the police are investigating if the incident reported from Al Taawun area was a case of suicide.

The girl, a grade 10 student, had suffered serious injuries from the fall, the official said.

He said the girl, identified as S P, was shifted to the hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival on Sunday.

Sharjah Police are investigating what could have led to the incident, while prosecutors have ordered for an examination to be carried out on the girl's body in the forensic lab, the report said

church in Sharjah condoled the death of the girl, who happened to be the daughter of one of its members, it said.

"She had gone to bed as usual. The family does not seem to be aware of any issues that might have been disturbing. In fact, the parents were woken up from sleep by the police and that is when they got to know about the tragedy," said a vicar.

Police have summoned the parents for questioning.

Rafale is a Game Changer, Chinese J 20 Does Not Even Come Close Says Former Air Chief

With the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) concentrated and on the offensive on a barren Tibetan Plateau, the Indian Air Force with Rafale fighter as its spearhead weapon will decide the outcome of the battle in case the red flag goes up, says former Air Chief Marshal B. S Dhanoa. Five Rafale fighters will land at Ambala air base today from France for induction into IAF today

Talking to Hindustan Times, Dhanoa, the chief architect of February 26, 2019 air strikes on Balakot, said that Rafale with its top of the line electronic warfare suite, Meteor beyond visual range missile and SCALP air to ground weapon with its terrain following capability outguns any threat that the Chinese Air Force produces. Painting a wartime scenario, former top gun said : “ If the IAF is successful in destruction of enemy air defences and suppression of enemy air defences, then the Chinese fighters out in the open at Hotan air base and at Gonggar air base at Lhasa airport are fair targets. Some 70 Chinese aircraft are without protection at Hotan and some 26 aircraft may be parked inside a tunnel which the PLA were building at Lhasa air base,” the former air chief said.

While Air Chief Marshal (Retd) Dhanoa recognises the threat presented by Chinese J-20 fifth generation fighter, he is very confident that the IAF with its latest Rafale and Su-30 MKI will be able to counter the best the Chinese throw at India in the worst case scenario. “Chinese Air Threat is mainly from their Surface to Air Missile Systems.”

Tuesday, 28 July 2020

More than Half of Mumbai Slum-dwellers Had Covid-19

More than half the residents of slums in three areas in India's commercial capital, Mumbai, tested positive for antibodies to the coronavirus, a new survey has found.

Only 16% of people living outside slums in the same areas were found to be exposed to the infection.

The results are from a random testing of some 7,000 people in three densely packed areas in early July.

Mumbai has reported more than 110,000 cases and 6,187 deaths as of 28 July.

The survey was carried out by the city's municipality, the government think-tank Niti Aayog and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.

It found that 57% of the people tested in slum areas of Chembur, Matunga and Dahisar had been exposed to the novel coronavirus.

Some 1.5 million people live in these three areas located in the western, eastern and central parts of the city.

Scientists involved with the study told the BBC that the results pointed to a number of things about the prevalence of the infection in one of India's worst-hit cities.

For one, the virus has spread more widely than what was earlier believed in the city's slums, where more than half of Mumbai's 12.5 million people live.BBC

Covid-19 Hits Passport Services in Hyderabad

The Covid-19 pandemic is not just impacting travel plans, but even the issuance of travel documents, if the situation at the Passport Seva Kendras in the city is any indication.

Only 33 per cent of the total applicants, who applied for securing a new passport, are appearing at their nearest Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) in the city to submit their relevant documents, apparently in fear of coronavirus.

hand, adhering to the Covid-19 norms prescribed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the Regional Passport Office (RPO) here is allowing only 50 per cent of the staff at the three PSKs at Ameerpet, Begumpet and Tolichowki to carry out daily operations.

However, that has not yielded desired response from the public. For instance, if 500 slots were released for the convenience of applicants to apply for a new passport or renewal on a day, only 33 per cent of them are turning up. Officials say this could probably be due to the fear of pandemic in the city where a high number of cases are being reported TT

India's COVID-19 Tally Races Past 15 lakh Mark

India's COVID-19 tally raced past the 15 lakh mark on Tuesday, according to the data from the states and union territories.

The Union health ministry figures updated at 8 AM showed a single-day jump of 47,703 pushing the total number of cases to 14,83,156, while the death toll climbed to 33,425 with 654 more people succumbing to the disease.

Recoveries surged to 9,52,743 pushing the recovery rate to 64.24 per cent while the active cases were recorded at 4,96,988.

However, a PTI tally showed India's COVID-19 caseload at 15,28,516; death toll at 34,180; and recoveries at 9,84,516. The tally has been compiled as per information provided by respective states and union territories.

According to the ministry data updated at 8 AM, the recovery rate among COVID-19 patients is 64.24 per cent while the fatality-rate has declined to 2.25 per cent.

The total number of confirmed cases also includes foreigners.

This is the sixth consecutive day that COVID-19 cases have increased by more than 45,000.

According to ICMR, a cumulative total of 1,73,34,885 samples have been tested up to July 27 with 5,28,082 samples being tested on Monday.

Of the 654 fresh deaths reported, 227 are from Maharashtra, 77 from Tamil Nadu, 75 from Karnataka, 49 from Andhra Pradesh, 39 from West Bengal, 30 from Uttar Pradesh, 26 from Delhi, 22 from Gujarat, 17 from Telangana, 12 from Punjab, and 10 from Rajasthan.

Nine fatalities each have been reported from Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, seven each from Assam and Odisha, five from Haryana, four each from Tripura and Jharkhand, three each from Puducherry and Uttarakhand, two each from Himachal Pradesh and Kerala, and one each from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Nagaland and Sikkim.

Of the total 33,425 deaths reported so far, Maharashtra has reported the maximum at 13,883, followed by 3,853 in Delhi, 3,571 in Tamil Nadu, 2,348 in Gujarat, 1,953 in Karnataka, 1,456 in Uttar Pradesh, 1,411 in West Bengal, 1,090 in Andhra Pradesh and 820 in Madhya Pradesh.

So far, 631 people have died of COVID-19 in Rajasthan, 480 in Telangana, 397 in Haryana, 321 in Jammu and Kashmir, 318 in Punjab, 253 in Bihar, 147 in Odisha, 89 in Jharkhand, 86 in Assam, 66 in Uttarakhand and 63 in Kerala.

Chhattisgarh has registered 44 deaths, Puducherry 43, Goa 36, Tripura 17, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh 14 each, Meghalaya and Nagaland five each, Ladakh four, Arunachal Pradesh three, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu two and Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Sikkim one each.

The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

"Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.PTI

COVID-19 Spain Lockdown Leaves 1 million Jobless

The coronavirus epidemic has destroyed the jobs of over a million Spaniards, but with lockdowns preventing them from looking for work, they were excluded from the unemployment count, data showed Tuesday.

Figures published by the National Statistics Institute (INE) showed the number of unemployed rose by only 55,000 between April and June to 3.4 million.

That pushed the unemployment rate to 15.3 per cent from 14.4 per cent in the first quarter.

But those figures significantly underestimate the impact of the virus on the Spanish job market which registered a 1.07 million drop in the number of people employed during the second quarter, the INE said.

The unemployment data is based on surveys, not claims for benefits, and the survey counts only people actively seeking a job as unemployed. As the lockdowns imposed to stop the spread of coronavirus kept people from hunting for jobs, they were not considered as unemployed by the survey.

Oman Records 1,147 New Covid19 Cases Tally at 76,005

Oman Sunday confirmed 1,147 new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the country's total infections to 76,005, the Omani news agency ONA reported, amid a spike in incidence rates.

The newly diagnosed cases include 1,053 Omanis and 94 foreign residents, the Health Ministry said without disclosing nationalities of the foreign patients.

Thirteen new deaths from COVID-19 have taken Oman's total such fatalities to 384.

The country's overall recoveries from the disease have increased by 1,238 to reach 55,299, the ministry added in an update

In recent weeks, Oman has seen increases in the virus infections, prompting authorities to tighten preventive measures. Starting from Saturday, Oman enforced a full lockdown among its governorates for two weeks, including the Eid Al Adha holiday, in an effort to curb the spread of the pandemic GN

Kuwait Announces 770 New Covid19 Cases, 4 Deaths

Kuwait has confirmed 770 further cases of the novel coronavirus over the past 24 hours, an increase of 164 cases against the day before, bringing the country’s total infections to 65,149, the Kuwaiti news agency KUNA said Tuesday.

The latest cases comprise 519 Kuwaitis and 251 foreign residents, the Health Ministry’s spokesman Dr Abdullah Al Sanad said.

All the new cases were in touch with previously infected people or are being investigated for sources of infection and identifying those who were in contact, he added.

Four new deaths from COVID-19 were announced, taking Kuwait’s total such fatalities to 442.

There are 124 patients receiving intensive care treatment, the official added in a media update

Kuwait’s total virus tests have reached 494,289 so far after 4,732 tests have been done over the past 24 hours, Dr Al Sanad said. GN

Saudi Arabia Announces 1,897 New Covid19 Cases, 29 Deaths

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday reported 1,968 new coronavirus cases, pushing the total number of confirmed infections in the Kingdom to 270,831, a significant decline for the third consecutive day.

The Ministry of Health also announced that the virus has claimed 29 more lives due to complications caused by COVID-19, taking the mortality tally to 2,789. The new cases were detected after the ministry conducted more than 64,000 PCR tests over the past 24 hours.

The ministry revealed that 2,688 infected people have made full recovery from the virus, shooting up the total recovered cases to 225,624, while the recovery rate has risen to 83.3 per cent.

There are still 42,418 active cases, including 2,103 critical patients under intensive care GN

Qatar Reports 269 New Covid19 Cases 1 Death

Qatar on Sunday reported 262 new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed infections in the country to 109,140

One people has died from complications caused by COVID-19, taking the country’s death tally to 165, the Ministry of Public Health said during its latest coronavirus updates.

The total number of recovered people rose to 106,024 as 274 infected patients had full recovered during the past 24 hours.

The ministry also announced that 3,442 people were tested for COVID-19, raising to the total number of examined people to 472,442.

The total number of recovered people rose to 106,024 as 274 infected patients had full recovered during the past 24 hours.

The ministry also announced that 3,442 people were tested for COVID-19, raising to the total number of examined people to 472,442.

There are 3,116 active cases, including 531 critical and 89 seriously ill patients under intensive care.

Pilgrims Arrive in Mecca for Downsized Hajj Amid Pandemic

Muslim pilgrims have started arriving in Mecca for a drastically scaled-down hajj, as Saudi authorities balance the kingdom’s oversight of one of Islam’s key pillars and the safety of visitors in the face of a global pandemic

The hajj, which begins on Wednesday, normally draws around 2.5 million people for five intense days of worship in one of the world’s largest gatherings of people from around the world.

This year, Saudi Arabia’s Hajj Ministry has said between 1,000 and 10,000 people already residing in the kingdom will be allowed to perform the pilgrimage. Two-thirds of those pilgrims will be from among foreign residents in Saudi Arabia and one-third will be Saudi citizens.

The kingdom has one of the Mideast’s largest outbreaks of the coronavirus, with nearly 269,000 reported infections, including 2,760 deaths.

The Saudi government is covering the expenses of all pilgrims this year, providing them with meals, hotel accommodation, transportation and health care. Normally, the hajj can cost thousands of dollars for pilgrims who save for a lifetime for the journey. It also generates billions of dollars in revenue each year for Saudi Arabia.

Emirates Resumes Service To Nairobi, Baghdad And Basra

Emirates has announced it will resume flights to Nairobi (from 2 August), Baghdad and Basra (from 10 August), expanding its growing network, and offering customers around the world more convenient connections to Dubai, and via Dubai.

This will take the airline’s passenger network to 67 destinations in August, including seven points in Africa and five points in the Middle East.

Flights between Nairobi and Dubai and Basra and Dubai will operate three times a week while flights between Baghdad and Dubai will operate four times a week.

The flights will be operated with the Emirates Boeing 777-300ER and can be booked on emirates.com or via travel agents.

Shock For India's Broking Industry SEBI May soon Alllow Investors to Trade Directly on The Exchanges

The Securities and Exchange Board of India is reportedly considering allowing Direct Market Access (DMA) to retail investors.
If the regulator goes ahead with the decision, India’s broking industry is looking at a major change which could possibly also threaten their existence.
The top 10 brokers alone contribute to over 63% of the industry size, according to a report by ICICI Securities.

In a move that could completely change the way India’s trading market functions, the Securities and Exchange Board of India is reportedly considering allowing Direct Market Access (DMA) to retail investors.

If the regulator goes ahead with the decision, India’s broking industry is looking at a major change which could possibly also threaten their existence.

Stock	July 27
India Infoline	₹71.30 (-3.26%)
Edelweiss	₹77.75 (-4.43%)
ICICI Securities	₹493 (-8.3%)
Geojit Financial Services	₹35.45 (-9.57%)

Actor Sonu Sood Offers Job To A 26-Year-Old Techie Who Lost Her Job And Is Now Selling Vegetables

From 4 months we all are facing difficulties due to Covid-19… As the Government has imposed lockdown to stop the spread of this pandemic, all of us are sitting at home. Due to this decision, from MNC's to normal shops, all were shut down.

This made the financial status of most of the people fall drastically. Even many companies had to face huge losses.

Well, here is another heroic story of this young man… Sonu Sood has sent an appointment letter to a techie who lost her job recently due to Covid-19 crisis. She was seen selling vegetables to cope up financially

This young Bollywood actor is now the hero for many families… He is doing a great job by helping the needy and is standing as a support system for many people.

Nalgonda Traders To Go For Fortnight Shutdown from July 30

Traders of Nalgonda town took a unanimous decision for implementing lockdown for a fortnight starting from July 30 to August 14.

The decision was taken at a meeting of traders and district officials at MLA Bhupal Reddy's camp office here on Monday, with the MLA's initiation in the wake corona spreading rapidly in the town.

As per their resolution, except the shops that sell essential commodities, all other business establishments will shut down during the lockdown period. Grocery shops, vegetable markets and mobile shops will remain open till 1 pm and autos will run normally.

MLA Bhupal Reddy appreciated the merchants' decision and urged the people to cooperate with the government and not to step out of their houses unnecessarily as the corona pandemic is intensified. RDO Jagadishwar Reddy, DSP Venkateshwar Reddy, Municipal Chairman Mandadi Saidi Reddy, vice- chairman Abbagoni Ramesh and others participated in the meeting HI

Osmania General Hospital Building, 102 Permanently Closed

After the DME's instructions for closure of the old and dilapidated building of Osmania General Hospital, Dr R Pandu Nayak, Superintendent, OGH, locked the building after shifting the administration offices on Monday.

The offices of the superintendent and others housing in the old dilapidated building have been shifted to the adjacent building ensuring a complete lockdown of the 102-year-old patient block of OGH.

A few days earlier, around 200 patients being treated in the wards of the building were shifted to the Quli Qutub Shah building and now the offices have also been shifted as per the DME orders. The decision was taken after the wards of OGH were flooded with storm water mixed with drain water created discomfort and hardships to the patients and hospital staff. HI

IT & Industries Minister KTR Participated in Online Session Hosted by World Economic Forum

IT & Industries Minister Sri KTR participated in an online session hosted by World Economic Forum on the topic ‘Harnessing the Potential of Telangana’s Pharmaceutical Sector in the Global Health Ecosystem’. Principal Secretary Jayesh Ranjan and Life Sciences & Pharma Director Shakthi Nagappan were present.

92 COVID Cntainment Zonnes in GHMC Charminar Worst Hit With 31

Charminar – 31 (Chandrayanagutta: 9)

Secunderabad – 23

Khairatabad – 14

Sherlingampally – 10

Kukatpally – 9

LB Nagar – 5

•Malakpet – 6

Charminar zone of GHMC limits is now one of the worst impacted areas across the state and the city with 31 containment zones. The data was released by the Health department on Tuesday. As per the same, there are all together 92 containment zones in GHMC limits and majority of those are in Charminar Zone.

Prior to this, Khairtabad zone was the worst affected, however now the containment zones are reduced to just 14. Secunderabad instead has lead to claim the second spot with 23 such zones. Secunderabad's crowded areas like Kavadiguda, Vittalwadi, Indira Nagar etc are all in containment zones. Parts of Monda Market, Chilkalguda, Kachiguda, hyderguda are also contained.IE

Babri Masjid Is A Mosque And It Will Always Remain As One Asaduddin Owaisi

Ahead of the bhoomi pujan for Ram temple in Ayodhya, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi tells Outlook in an interview that Muslims -- and people who believe in justice -- will keep telling the new generation that 'our Masjid was demolished.

Ahead of the bhoomi pujan for Ram temple in Ayodhya on August 5, Asaduddin Owaisi, president of All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), says that Babri Masjid will always remain a mosque. In an interview with Outlook's Preetha Nair, Owaisi also says that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has to clarify whether he is visiting Ayodhya as the PM of the country or in individual capacity.

Q) Preparations are in full swing at Ayodhya ahead of the ground-breaking ceremony for the Ram temple. Your criticism of SC’s Ayodhya verdict is well known. Now after eight months, have you reconciled to it?

Babri Masjid is a mosque and it will always remain as one. This is my faith. That cannot be taken away from me or anyone. Had the masjid not been demolished on 6 December 1992, I don’t think this judgment would have come. History will remember what happened in December 1949, when the idols were placed surreptitiously in the Masjid and the events that led to the demolition in 1992. As far as Muslims and people who believe in justice are concerned, we will keep telling the new generation that our masjid was demolished. It doesn’t matter if our voices are suppressed. We will tell it in our own way.

Q) Prime Minister Modi will lay the foundation stone of Ram temple on August 5. Any political message in the visit?

The Prime Minister should tell the country whether he is going to Ayodhya in his capacity as the PM or in his individual capacity. As the Prime Minister, he represents all religions and also people who don’t believe in religion.Outlook

PM Modi’s Attendance at Ram Mandir Bhoomi Puja Will be Violation of His Connstitutional Oath Owaisi

AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday said that by attending the Ram Mandir bhoomi pujan ceremony on August 5, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would violate his constitutional oath. Owaisi, in a tweet, reminded PM Modi that secularism was among the basic tenets of the Constitution of India.

Attending Bhumi Pujan in official capacity will be a violation of @PMOIndia’s constitutional oath. Secularism is part of the Basic Structure of Constitution,” the AIMIM chief wrote on Twitter.

He pointed out in the same tweet that the Ram Temple will be coming up at the site where Babri Masjid stood for over 400 years before being demolished by a mob in 1992.

“We can’t forget that for over 400 years Babri stood in Ayodhya & it was demolished by a criminal mob in 1992,” Owaisi wrote.

Reacting to Owaisi's remarks, BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said: "If we look at Owaisi's statements in the recent past, we realise that he is trying to stir up a controversy over Ram Temple or also attempting to do politics over religion

Actress Vijayalakshmi Hospitalised Afer Suicide Attempt

Actress Vijayalakshmi Hospitalised Afer Suicide

Actor Vijayalakshmi attempted suicide on Sunday, alleging harassment and bullying by followers of Naam Thamizhar party leader Seeman and Panangattu Padai’s Hari Nadar. She is currently under treatment at a Chennai hospital.

Vijayalakshmi is known for films like Friends and Boss Engira Baskaran. She recently made headlines for speaking against Seeman and the torture she was allegedly facing from the actor-turned-politician and his party.

In the video which was uploaded on Sunday evening, Vijayalakshmi said, “This is my last video and I have been in tremendous stress in the last four months because of Seeman and his partymen. I tried my level best to survive all these days because of my mother and sister, but I have been humiliated in the media by Harinadar recently.”

She added, “I would like to tell fans who are watching the video just because I was born in Karnataka, Seeman has tortured me a lot. As a woman, I have put up with it to my highest capabilities. I won’t be able handle the pressure anymore. I am from the Pillai community, the same community LTTE leader Prabhakaran is part of. Prabhakaran is the only reason Seeman is who he is today, but now he has been harassing me on social media continuously. You slut shamed me to make me feel the pain and it is up to me to decide on what to do after facing such insults from you. I request my fans not to let Seeman get away from this case. He should never get anticipatory bail. My death should be a big eye-opener to everyone. IE

Out of Job Due to Covid Situation, Hyderabad Techie Starts Selling Vegetables

A techie from the city who lost her job due to the Covid-19 situation and lockdown is selling vegetables at Srinagar colony. And 26-year-old Undadi Shardai isproud that she has been able to survive a tough situation, without sticking to "false prestige".

"There is nothing to be ashamed of. It was a question of survival. I did not even have to think for a moment about how we would see ourselves through in a crisis," said Undadi Sharada. Sharada gets up at 4am, goes to the market to wholesale mark to buy vegetables and sells them practically spending 12 hours on the pavement.

Sharada had joined an MNC in Hyderabad but three months into the job, the Covid-19 crisis started. "They said they would not even be able to pay me half the salary. Since they also had no projects to accommodate me in, I had to leave," she said. "I have been able to pay our house rent, meet all our family needs and we are able to live an honourable life with our hard work," she said.TOI

Monday, 27 July 2020

Unlock 3.0 Cinemas Gym Likely To Open Schools, Metros to Remain Shut

Covid-19 restrictions of 'Unlock 2.0' ending on Friday (July 31), the government is now formulating guidelines for Unlock 3.0 which will come into force from August, sources said on Sunday.

For Unlock 3, the third installation in the phased easing of lockdown restrictions, a few more relaxations are being worked upon by the government. These might include relaxations in reopening of cinema halls from August 1 but with some SOPs such as strict social distancing in place, sources said.

However, some restrictions are likely to continue in Unlock 3. Schools and metro train services are likely to remain shut across the country, sources said.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) began consultation with states on reopening of schools in a meeting chaired by Secretary of School Education, Anita Karwal

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) began consultation with states on reopening of schools in a meeting chaired by Secretary of School Education, Anita Karwal.

HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal had said earlier that feedback would be sought from parents on the issue. Subsequently, the ministry said that parents were not in favour of reopening of schools.

According to sources, gyms are also likely to be reopened in the third phase.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has proposed the reopening of cinema halls to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The IB ministry had consulted the owners of cinema halls before presenting the proposal.

Cinema hall owners are in favour of reopening theatres with 50 per cent seating capacity. However, the ministry has suggested reopening theatres with 25 per cent seating initially and following all the social distancing protocols.

Further, states might be given more authority to set their own guidelines as per their Covid-19 case load and situation.NDTV

Gold Prices Hit All Time High Amid US-China Spat

Gold hit an all-time high on Monday as tit-for-tat consulate closures in China and the United States rattled investors, boosting the allure of safe haven assets, although sentiment was mixed with tech gains supporting some Asian stocks

Gold rose 1.0% to a record high of $1,920.9 per ounce, surpassing a peak touched in September 2011, as Sino-U.S. tensions boosted the allure of safe haven assets, especially those not tied to any specific country.

MSCI’s ex-Japan Asia-Pacific index rose 1.3% as Taiwan’s TSMC, Asia’s third-largest company by market capitalisation, rose almost 10%.

The chipmaker’s gains boosted other tech stocks in the region and came after rival Intel signalled it may give up manufacturing its own components due to delays in new 7 nanometer chip technology

Also soothing sentiment, Chinese shares eked out gains after big falls late last week, with CSI300 index rising 0.5%.

S&P500 futures were last up 0.4% in choppy trade while Japan’s Nikkei fell 0.5%, resuming trade after a long weekend and catching up with falls in global shares late last week.

Global shares had lost steam last week after Washington ordered China’s consulate in Houston to close, prompting Beijing to react in kind by closing the U.S. consulate in Chengdu.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took fresh aim at China last week, saying Washington and its allies must use “more creative and assertive ways” to press the Chinese Communist Party to change its ways.Retures