Newsletter 16 March

Top 5 News

1- Latest updates on the COVID-19 crisis in India and other parts of the world
2- PM Modi calls upon SAARC countries to work together to meet the challenge of Coronavirus
3- Wholesale inflation eases to 2.26% in February against 3.1% in January
4- 287 Indians from Coronavirus-hit Iran arrive in India
5- In Evening RBI Governor Addressed to Media regarding Financial Crisis amid COVID-19

National

Latest updates on the COVID-19 crisis in India and other parts of the world

Tamil Nadu CM chairs 3rd review meeting to take stock of the situation amid Corona.
- Govt to make announcements regarding setting up isolation wards for infected on the outskirts of major cities.
Vikram Singh, PS to President of India: “I am directed to convey that due to avoidable circumstances, the visit of President Ram Nath Kovind to Madhya Pradesh (Jabalpur) scheduled on March 20 and 21 stands postponed”
4 people who locked up couple under self-quarantine; held
A team of Indian Army medical personnel including six doctors and eight paramedics has been deployed in the Maldives since March 13 to set up a viral testing lab.
Government of Tripura: Anganwadis centers will be closed till 31st March. However, SNP food will be provided to the guardians as take home ration during home visits. Take home rations to the pregnant / lactating mothers will also be provided without disruption.
Meghalaya Govt springs into action & shuts all educational institutions till March 31^st.
Delhi’s National Defense College has been closed till Mar 31.
Parliament starts thermal screening of visitors amid coronavirus scare.
State government will bear the treatment expenses and will give 4 Lakh to decrease in COVID-19: Bihar CM. Assembly adjourned sine die
Budget Session of WB assembly to cut short over coronavirus scare, no sittings after Tuesday: Speaker Biman Banerjee
BMC asks hoarding owners to display coronavirus messages
‘Inadequate availability of personal protective equipment in AIIMS’
Gatherings of over 50 banned in Delhi amid virus scare, weddings excluded.
41 new cases of the novel coronavirus surfaced in Pakistan, bringing the total number of COVID-19 infections in the country to 94 on Monday, an official said. As of Sunday, the country reported 53 coronavirus cases.
SC says some states have taken steps for COVID-19 pandemic but there are some states which have not taken appropriate measures.
Chhattisgarh Assembly session adjourned till March 25^th.
Shahid Choudhary, DM/ Development Commissioner, Srinagar, J&K: All Parks and Gardens in Srinagar will remain closed till further notice.
Sri Lanka offers week-long Buddhist prayers to combat COVID-19
Railways starts thermal screening of passengers in running train.
Odisha reports first confirmed case of coronavirus as researcher returning from Italy tests positive for COVID-19, government spokesperson says.
Amusement park operator Wonderla Holidays says it has decided to temporarily close its Hyderabad Park from 15-21 March due to rising coronavirus scare in Telangana.
A health worker in Rajasthan’s Dausa district was arrested and his services were terminated for allegedly spreading fake news about coronavirus, police say.
Lawyers, litigants and media personnel’s were thermal-screened in the Supreme Court on Monday amid coronavirus scare.
Due to coronavirus, most airlines in the world will be bankrupt by the end of May, unless there is coordinated govt-industry action, says global aviation consultancy firm CAPA.
Three people of the 236 who were evacuated from Iran on Sunday were checked for coronavirus and tested negative, officials say.
Ukrainian-born actor-model Olga Kurylenko says she has tested positive for coronavirus.
The coronavirus death toll in China rose to 3,213 with 14 new fatalities, while the imported cases climbed to 123 after 12 new infections were reported.
New York closes public schools, limits services at restaurants to combat COVID-19.
Sylvester Stallone-starrer ‘Samaritan’ on two-week hiatus over coronavirus outbreak.
The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends to postpone or cancel events having a gathering of 50 people or more for next 8 weeks amid stepped up efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus.Fourth batch of 53 Indians return to India from Iran, taking the total number of people evacuated from the coronavirus-hit country to 389.

PM Modi calls upon SAARC countries to work together to meet the challenge of Coronavirus

Prime Minister Modi calls for COVID-19 Emergency Fund for SAARC, PM Proposed in the video conference of all SAARC member countries to chalk out a common strong strategy to fight COVID-19 in the region.

Modi had on Fri expressed desire that the leadership of SAARC nations should chalk out a strong strategy to fight Corona virus.

Who said what!

PM Modi said

Sharing perspectives is most valuable as it cannot be predicted with certainty how the situation will unfold despite best efforts.
So far SAARC region has fewer than 150 cases but there is a need to remain vigilant as the region is home to one fifth of humanity.
India is assembling a Rapid Response Team of doctors and specialists, along with testing kits and other equipment.
They will be on stand-by to be placed at SAARC nation’s disposal, if required.
India had set up an Integrated Disease Surveillance Portal to better trace possible virus carriers and the people they contacted.
This Disease Surveillance software could be shared with SAARC partners.
SAARC nations could create a common Research Platform to coordinate research on controlling epidemic diseases within South Asian region.
The Indian Council of Medical Research can offer help coordinating such an exercise.
- SAARC countries must prepare together, act together and succeed together in dealing with the COVID 19 situation.
- “Prepare but do not panic” has been the guiding mantra.
- India was careful to not underestimate the problem but also to avoid knee jerk reactions.
- India started screening entry into the country from mid-January itself while also increasing restrictions on travel. He said the step by step approach has helped avoid panic.
- There were increased public awareness campaigns on TV and social media and special efforts were made to reach out to vulnerable groups.
- The diagnostic capabilities were increased.
- India moved from one major facility for pan India testing to more than 66 such labs and developed protocols for each stage of managing this pandemic.
- Nearly 1400 Indians have been evacuated from different countries.
- A protocol has been built for such evacuations including carrying out testing by India’s mobile teams deployed abroad.
- We have to fight this battle together and we have to win it together.
- Our neighborhood collaboration should be a model for the world.
- He assured that India will do its best for its neighbors.
- We should identify nodal experts from each of our countries and they can have a similar video-conference one week from now, to follow up on our discussions.
Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President,
- He welcomed Mr Modi’s suggestion of setting up a COVID Emergency Fund.
- The situation requires shared response at an unprecedented scale to contain the virus.
Gotabaya Rajapakse, President, Sri Lanka
- Thanked PM Modi for offering assistance like testing kits to regional countries
- the biggest challenge is to stop the virus from spreading within Sri Lanka
- In view of this, Sri Lankan President has banned tourists entering the country.
- He emphasized the need for South Asia to share ideas and best practices in order to face up to the challenge of the rapid spread of the virus.
Ashraf Ghani, President, Afghanistan
- Welcomed various new initiatives suggested by PM Modi
- He suggested all countries to keep a close focus on the next months on the evolving situation.
- There is a need for a common cooperative framework to fight the pandemic of COVID 19.
Sheikh Hasina, PM, Bangladesh
- She thanked PM Modi for bringing back 23 students of her country from Wuhan.
KP Sharma Oli, Nepal PM
- The importance of pooling collective wisdom to devise a sound and effective strategy to combat the virus.
  Dr. Lotay Tshering, Prime Minister, Bhutan
  - Welcomed the setting up of COVID Relief Fund and acknowledged the contribution of health care professionals in combating the virus.
  Dr. Zafar Mirza, State Minister of Health,
  - Pakistan observed that his country shares the common regional concerns on the virus.
  - That while hoping for the best, they also have to prepare for the worst.
  - Earlier, Mr Modi had expressed desire that the leadership of SAARC nations should chalk out a strong strategy to fight Corona virus.
  However, what is most discussed in media or social media was his call “for immediate lifting of the lockdown there to allow disease containment measures”.

287 Indians from Coronavirus-hit Iran arrive in India

The fourth batch of 53 Indians (52 students and a teacher) stranded in Novel Coronavirus-hit Iran arrived in India in the wee hours of Mon, confirmed External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
On Sun, As many as 234 Indians who were among the people stranded in Iran amid the coronavirus outbreak have arrived in India, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in the wee hours of Sunday.
- A Mahan Air flight carrying the Indians onboard landed in Mumbai.
  - Among the 234 people, 131 of them are students and the rest are pilgrims.
  - “Thank Iranian authorities,” the Minister tweeted. Iran is among the worst affected country from the coronavirus with 12,729 cases and 611 deaths so far.
  - The 218 Indians who landed from Milan, Italy at Delhi airport today have been shifted to Indo-Tibetan Border Police’s Chhawla camp around 1200 hrs on Sun.
  20 passengers, including UK national who tested positive for coronovirus, of Dubai-bound flight from Kochi detained; Flight leaves with others. Airport official

Wholesale inflation eases to 2.26% in February against 3.1% in January

Wholesale inflation – the rate of increase in wholesale prices as determined by the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) – had stood at 2.93% during the corresponding period of the previous year.

The country’s wholesale inflation eased to 2.26% in Feb as compared to 3.1% in the previous month, according to the data released by the Min of Commerce & Industry.

The wholesale inflation which is measured in terms of wholesale price index (WPI) or the rate of increase in wholesale prices – had stood at 2.93% during the corresponding month of the previous year, the data showed.

The build-up inflation during the ongoing financial year 2019-20 rate was at 1.92%, against 2.75% in the corresponding period a year ago, as per the data.

This apart, the WPI Food Index, which consists of ‘Food Articles’ and ‘Food Product’ eased to 7.31% in Feb against 10.12 per cent a month ago, the commerce ministry data revealed.

Last week, the government had released the retail inflation data or the consumer price index (CPI), which eased to 6.58% in Feb from 7.59% in the previous month.

However, it surpassed the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) comfort range of 4% with a margin of 2% on either side, primarily on account of rising vegetable and food prices.

The RBI Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) in its bi-monthly meeting held last month had kept its key interest rates unchanged while maintaining an “accommodative stance”.

In Evening RBI Governor Addressed to Media regarding Financial Crisis amid COVID-19

A quick response team may be constituted for COVID-19 monitoring
India is not immune to this pandemic, already more than 100 cases have been reported. Effort are being mounted by the Govt on war-footing.
- COVID19 could impact India directly through trade channels, in which exposure to China is relatively high.
- Second round of effects of the pandemic could operate through a slowdown in the domestic economic growth and it would obviously be a result of synchronized slowdown in global growth and as a part of that, the growth momentum in India would also be impacted somewhat.
- Sectors such as tourism, airlines, hospitality industry and domestic trade and transporters are suffering a loss of activity.
- Spillovers are being transported through finance and confidence channels to overseas and domestic equity markets. Forex and Bond markets are also not immune.
- As far as Indian economy is concerned, India is relatively insulated from global value chain, to that extent impact on India will be less. But India is integrated to global economy so there’ll be some impact. We’re evaluating and we’ll announce it when we hold Policy meeting.
Sensex at 31,302.41, plunges by 2801.07 Points
Share prices of Yes Bank climb over 46.38 per cent at Rs 37.40 in a single day.

Jammu and Kashmir: A TADA (Terrorist and anti-disruptive activities Act) court frames charges against Yasin Malik and 6 others in the case of killing of Indian Air Force officer Ravi Khanna and three others in 1990. Next date of hearing is 30^th March.

On Mar 14^th, TADA court holds Yasin Malik prima facie responsible for IAF officer’s killing.

TADA court observed on Sat that there are “sufficient grounds for drawing presumption that the accused Yasin Malik” and others have “prima facie have committed” the offence of killing Indian Air Force officer Squadron Leader Ravi Khanna and three others.

On Jan 25, 1990, four IAF personnel including Squadron Leader Ravi Khanna were allegedly killed by Yasin Malik and his other accomplices at Rawalpora.

Malik was charge-sheeted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) before the TADA court in Jammu on Aug 31, 1990, in this connection.

Malik has been arrested in a terror funding case by the National Investigative Agency (NIA) and is currently lodged in Tihar Jail.

JnK: security forces informed that 4 militants have been killed by security forces and police at Dialgam village in Anantnag district. ANI

The gunfight took place during a cordon-and-search operation in the Dialgam area of South Kashmir after the security personnel received specific inputs about the presence of militants there, PTI reported.

The Kamal Nath-led Congress government in MP scored a 10-day reprieve today as the assembly session was adjourned without an anticipated trust vote until Mar 26^th over coronavirus.

The opposite BJP has moved the Supreme Court over delay.

The adjournment came soon after Governor Lalji Tandon walked out of the state assembly amid Congress slogans of “respect the house” after he said in his opening address at session today to “follow the Constitution”.

Another Congress MLA resigns from Gujarat Assembly

Another Congress MLA in Gujarat has resigned ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls in the state, taking the tally of legislators who have quit the party to 5.

Gujarat Assembly speaker Rajendra Trivedi informed the House on Monday that five Congress MLAs have resigned and he has accepted their resignations.

The five are Pravin Maru from Gadhada, Pradyumansinh Jadeja from Abdasa, Soma Koli Patel from Limbdi, J V Kakadia from Dhari and Mangal Gavit from Dang, the speaker said.

A day earlier, 4 Congress MLAs had tendered their resignation Trivedi ahead of the election to the four Rajya Sabha seats in the state to be held on Mar 26.

With Tuesday’s resignation, the strength of the Congress party in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly has come down to 68 from 73.

International

Chinese Tycoon Who Criticized Xi’s Response to Coronavirus Has Vanished-NYT

Ren Zhiqiang appears to be the latest government critic silenced by the Communist Party as it cracks down on dissent over the epidemic. His nickname in China was “The Cannon,” and Ren Zhiqiang’s latest commentary was among his most explosive yet.
Ren, an outspoken property tycoon in Beijing, wrote in a scathing essay that China’s leader, Xi Jinping, was a power-hungry “clown.” He said the ruling Communist Party’s strict limits on free speech had exacerbated the coronavirus epidemic.
Now Mr. Ren, one of the most prominent critics of Mr. Xi in mainland China, is missing, his friends said on Sat.
His disappearance comes amid a far-reaching campaign by the party to quash criticism of its slow, secretive initial response to the epidemic, which has killed over 3,100 people in China and sickened more than 80,000.

The Chinese government is working to portray Mr. Xi as a hero who is leading the country to victory in a “people’s war” against the virus. But officials are contending with deep anger

from the Chinese public, with many people still seething over the government’s early efforts to conceal the crisis.
Ren, a party member, is well known for his searing critiques of Mr. Xi. In 2016, the party placed him on a year’s probation for denouncing Mr. Xi’s propaganda policies in comments online.
The government has monitored Mr. Ren’s movements intensely ever since, friends said, preventing him from leaving the country and deleting his social media accounts, where he had built a wide following.
His whereabouts was unclear on Saturday, and the police in Beijing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“We’re very worried about him,” said Wang Ying, a retired entrepreneur and friend of Mr. Ren’s. “I will continue to look for him.”
In recent weeks, an essay by Mr. Ren began circulating among elite circles in China and abroad. In it, he blamed the government for silencing whistle-blowers and trying to conceal the outbreak, which began in the central city of Wuhan in December.
While he did not explicitly use Mr. Xi’s name in the commentary, Mr. Ren left no doubt he was speaking about China’s leader, repeatedly referencing Mr. Xi’s speeches and actions.
“I see not an emperor standing there exhibiting his ‘new clothes,’ but a clown who stripped naked and insisted on continuing to be an emperor,” he wrote.
Addressing Mr. Xi, he wrote: “You don’t in the slightest hide your resolute ambition to be an emperor and your determination to destroy anyone who won’t let you.”
Ren, 69, is the retired chairman of Huayuan Properties, a real estate developer. In 2016, Mr. Ren came under scrutiny after writing on his microblog that China’s news media should serve the people, not the party, contradicting one of Mr. Xi’s high-profile pronouncements. His remarks offered a window into growing frustration among Chinese intellectuals and entrepreneurs over Mr. Xi’s increasingly authoritarian rule.
The party moved quickly to censure him, saying he had “lost his party spirit.” But he continued to speak out on other topics, such as China’s strict policies to limit the population in big cities.
As more details about China’s efforts to cover up the coronavirus outbreak have been disclosed by the Chinese news media in recent weeks, Mr. Xi has come under attack from several prominent Chinese activists and intellectuals.
Xu Zhangrun, a law professor in Beijing, published an essay last month saying that the epidemic had “revealed the rotten core of Chinese governance.”
Xu Zhiyong, a prominent legal activist, released a letter to Mr. Xi on social media, accusing him of a cover-up and calling on him to step down. He was later detained.
Activists said Mr. Ren’s disappearance was a worrying sign that the government was escalating its latest crackdown on free speech.

Indian-Americans set up helpline, volunteer groups to help community members hit by coronavirus crisis

Several eminent Indian-American groups in the US have set up helplines and deployed volunteers to help community members, including a large number of Indian students, hitby the coronavirus crisis. Sewa International, a leading Indian-American non-profit organization, has released USD 10,000 to run its 24X7 helpline and coronavirus awareness campaign through a team of 20 physicians.

The provocative report is tweeted through Official Tweeter Handler of Radio Pakistan. The picture showing in tweet is under caption “file Pic”

States

Uttar Pradesh Government: After passing Recovery of Damage to Public Properties ordinance for recovery of damage during violent protests, a claim tribunal has been set up. Its decision will not be challenged in any Court. The tribunal shall have right to attach property of accused.