1. India Fights Virus on War Footing as 2 Die
India recorded its second coronavirus disease (COVID-19) fatality on Friday as the pandemic continued to spread in the country, sickening seven more people and forcing more states to order restrictions on businesses, educational institutions and public gatherings even as authorities faced new challenges in keeping people from potentially infecting others.
The latest victim was identified as a 68-year-old woman who is believed to have been infected by the coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) after being in close contact with her son, who had travelled to Switzerland and Italy last month. The two were hospitalised at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on 7 March.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
2. ‘Thank All Who Fought for My Freedom,’ Says Farooq Abdullah After Release From Detention
Hours after the Jammu and Kashmir administration revoked the detention order against him under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), former chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Friday said he was free and that he would now be able to “speak for you all” in Parliament.
“Today I don’t have words. I am free today. Now, I will be able to go to Delhi and attend Parliament and speak for you all,” Abdullah said while addressing reporters from his house.
(Source: The Indian Express)
3. Fewer Cases, But India Becomes 5th Country to Isolate Coronavirus
India has become the fifth country to successfully isolate a strain of the novel coronavirus. China, Japan, Thailand and the US did it before.
Simply put, it means that scientists have been able to obtain a pure sample of the virus that has been contained outside the human body.
The scientific success is important because it will help in it will help in developing drugs, vaccines and rapid diagnostic test kits, the director general of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Dr Balram Bhargava, said.
(Source: The Times of India)
4. Delhi Assembly Passes Resolution Against Implementation of NPR, NRC
The Delhi Assembly passed a resolution on Friday against the National Population Register and the National Register of Citizens.
At the one-day special session that was held to discuss the NPR and the NRC, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal requested the Centre to withdraw them. “Me, my wife, my entire cabinet don’t have birth certificates to prove citizenship. Will we be sent to detention centres?” Kejriwal asked.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
5. UP Govt Brings Ordinance to Recover Dues From Protesters
The UP government on Friday empowered itself to recover the cost of property damaged during protests, riots and rallies from the accused by promulgating the 'UP Recovery of Public and Private Property Ordinance.'
The ordinance was cleared by the Yogi Adityanath cabinet even as a three-judge Supreme Court bench is slated to hear the state's special leave petition next week challenging the Allahabad high court order which asked the government to remove hoardings carrying names, pictures and addresses of 57 protesters accused of damaging properties during anti-CAA violence in Lucknow on 19 December.
(Source: The Times of India)
6. Kuldeep Sengar Gets 10 Years in Prison for Murder of Unnao Rape Survivor’s Father
A Delhi court on Friday sentenced Kuldeep Singh Sengar and six other convicts to 10 years in prison for murder of Unnao rape survivor’s father, reported news agency ANI.
The court also ordered Sengar and his brother Jai Deep alias Atul Singh Sengar to pay Rs 10 lakh each as compensation to the family.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
7. Kamal Nath Accuses BJP of Holding MLAs in Captivity, Prepared for Floor Test
Expressing the readiness of his government for a floor test in the Assembly, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Friday accused the BJP of holding 22 Congress MLAs in captivity.
Nath met Tandon and submitted a letter to him accusing the BJP of being involved in horse-trading and holding the Congress MLAs in captivity.
(Source: The Asian Age)
8. Govt Approves Restructuring Scheme for YES Bank
The Union cabinet, headed by PM Narendra Modi, on Friday approved the YES Bank rescue plan backed by the State Bank of India (SBI).
“The notification with details of the reconstruction plan will be released as soon as possible,” finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, adding the moratorium, which capped withdrawal limit, will be lifted within three working days of the scheme being notified. Thereafter, a new board will be set up within seven days.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
9. ‘Neither Sorry, nor Suffering’: Kunal Kamra After Vistara Airlines Bans Him Till April 27
International carrier Vistara Airlines has banned standup comedian Kunal Kamra till April 27 for heckling journalist Arnab Goswami on an Indigo flight in January, PTI quoted an airline official as saying on Friday.
Confirming the same, Kamra said he is not surprised by the action taken by the airlines. “Air Vistara has also banned me now till the 27th April, following orders like they show… at a time where no one can fly, all I want to say is, neither am I sorry nor am I surprised, nor am I suffering…” Mr Kamra wrote on Twitter.
(Source: The Indian Express)
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