Economy headed for contraction, less fiscal space for big stimulus
As the Centre and states jostle over and grapple with strategies for a staggered exit from the lockdown, the country seems — for the first time in 40 years — headed for an economic contraction in 2020-21. If that happens, it won’t be unique to India — the IMF expects the Covid pandemic to severely impact growth across […]
Indian enclave along Pak border gets first permanent link to country since 1947
An Indian territory in Punjab lying across river Ravi along the Pakistan border, which had only seasonal connectivity with the rest of the country since 1947, finally got a permanent link in the form of a bridge on Monday, when tractor trolleys of farmers carrying wheat harvest crossed it for the first time. The 484-metre […]
Centre Hits Back At Opposition Over Criticism On Use Of Surplus Rice For Sanitizers
The Centre’s decision to use surplus rice for making ethanol-based sanitizers triggered a political row on Tuesday with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claiming that while the poor are dying of hunger, the government is busy cleaning the hands of the rich, evoking a sharp response from Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, who asserted that there […]
Testing, quarantine more effective than lockdown to check Covid-19, suggests epidemiological model
Extensive testing to identify asymptomatic individuals and quarantining those diagnosed with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with continued social distancing – not a lockdown alone – is the sole effective strategy to contain the pandemic in India, recommends the first India-specific epidemiological model for Covid-19’s spread in the country. “Lockdowns are not very […]
Teacher climbs tree for internet connectivity to teach students during lockdown
Prosperity is a great teacher, adversity even greater. And adversity in times of the lockdown has brought out the best in Subrata Pati who, unlike most other professionals, isn’t working from home. Perched atop a neem tree in his village, the history teacher is giving lessons to his students in Kolkata, some 200 km away, […]
125 families in quarantine after Covid-19 +ve case emerges in Rashtrapati Bhavan
Nearly 100 people working inside Rashtrapati Bhavan have been quarantined after a worker there tested positive for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). According to news agency ANI, at least 125 families living near Gate no. 70 have been asked to remain in self-isolation in accordance with guidelines of the Union health ministry, ANI quoted sources as saying. Delhi […]
India’s Coronavirus Death Toll Reaches 590; Positive Cases Stand At 18,322
The total number of confirmed cases of the Coronavirus in India has reached 18,322 with 590 deaths so far, according to a PTI tally based on the information provided by different state governments. However, the health ministry put the total number of positive cases at 17,656, with 559 deaths so far. Of these 14,255 are […]
Bhai kamaal ka single aur singer hai: SRK gets candid about Salman Khan’s corona track and life in lockdown
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan on Monday interacted with fans on Twitter. The AMA, which lasted for nearly an hour, saw SRK responding to queries on the lockdown, his upcoming projects and Salman Khan’s track on COVID-19. Directors he would love to work with When a fan asked whether he wanted to collaborate with acclaimed filmmakers Christopher […]
‘For Success Of Lockdown’: UP CM Yogi Adityanath Won’t Attend Father’s Funeral In Haridwar
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s father Anand Bisht died on Monday and will be cremated in Haridwar at a funeral which will not be attended by the CM, who said he is duty-bound to stay in his state. Bisht, 89, was admitted to the gastroenterology department of the AIIMS after his health deteriorated. His […]
Jharkhand: Muslim Woman Alleges Mistreatment, Communal Slurs in Hospital, Loses Child
New Delhi: A Muslim woman from Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, who was pregnant and bleeding, has alleged mistreatment and abuse by a staff member of the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College and Hospital, better known as MGM hospital. Rizawana Khatoon, a resident of the city’s Mango locality, has claimed that on Thursday, she was beaten up by a […]