KCR and YS Jagan had been maintaining a healthy relationship

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KCR and YS Jagan had been maintaining a healthy relationship

The Chief Ministers of both Telugu states, KCR and YS Jagan had been maintaining a healthy relationship in all aspects, personal, political, and administration wise. But the latest administrative decision of AP Chief Minister YS Jagan has not gone well with Telangana CM KCR. The latter expressed his strong dissent and also mentioned it as an act against the law. This disagreement between two states existed from YS Rajasekhar Reddy’s time.

The Government of Andhra Pradesh released a GO with the decision to lift an extra 3 TMCs water with a new project that doubles the capacity of Pothireddypadu head regulator in lift irrigation from Srisailam Project to divert more water to Rayalaseema, though the earlier plan was to life 7 tmcs from Pothireddypadu project and 3 tmcs from Sangameswaram. The project design already is heard to be ready in the Rayalaseema pumping project and the construction is all set to start with an expense of Rs 6829 crores.

Jagan’s new decision gave a strong chance to the opposition in Telangana to find fault with KCR, as they had been blaming and complaining that the friendship between the two CMs is ruining Telangana’s development. As the extra water diverted from the Pothireddypadu project reportedly leaves lakhs of acres in Telangana without water and it mainly affects Mahabubnagar district. Telangana’s Palamuru lands won’t be getting the needed water if Srisailam dam never gets full of the diversion on AP’s side.

Telangana CM KCR called for a meeting administrative and irrigation department officials in Pragathi Bhavan in this regard, where he disagreed with the decision of Andhra Pradesh government in building a new project.

KCR also mentioned that the decision of the Andhra Pradesh government is against the law according to the AP reorganization act 2014. The Telangana CM asserted that the state will be starting a legal fight to barricade this project of AP, considering the Telangana state’s benefit.

KCR also ordered to file a complaint with Krishna Water Management Board about AP’s new lift irrigation scheme as the AP govt took the decision without consulting the Telangana Govt when the Srisailam project benefits are shared between the two states. Telangana CM pointed out that AP govt’s decision to start the project construction without the approval of the apex committee is a blunder.

The third phase of lockdown imposed by the Centre

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The third phase of lockdown imposed by the Centre

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be once again addressing the nation and this is scheduled tonight at 8 PM. This update came a day after Modi held a video conference with Chief Ministers of all the states.

The third phase of lockdown imposed by the Centre will end in another five days i.e, on May 17th. PM Modi’s address is likely to have something about the lockdown. But from the New Delhi sources we hear that there is no clarity on lockdown extension.

Yesterday during the conferences with CMs, it was a mixed feedback Modi received on lockdown. A few states want the lockdown to be extended while a few states wanted relaxations and exemptions. There are also reports that states have asked for permission of inter-state transport.

Many industrialists and companies have urged the Centre to relax the lockdown norms in Green and Orange zones.

So with many suggestions, PM Modi is expected to make announcements and people of India will be eagerly waiting for an update on lockdown.

International Nurses Day: B-Town salutes superheroes in scrubs

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International Nurses Day: B-Town salutes superheroes in scrubs

On International Nurses Day, Bollywood celebrities took to social media to salute the relentless efforts of the nursing community amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ayushmann Khurrana shared in a statement: “This year we should all salute them for being our frontline warriors, the real heroes who are fighting coronavirus every single day and saving lives despite being the most at risk. We will be forever in debt to the nurses, the medical fraternity across India and the world for putting themselves on line and coming to work when they could also be staying safe with their families. I only want to say thank you to them and their families from the bottom of my heart.”

Kajol tweeted: “Behind that mask is a hero, who is saving the world in silence. Thank you to all those heroes, thank you to the nurses. #InternationalNursesDay”

Madhuri Dixit wrote: “Along with all the other frontline workers and the entire healthcare community, we’re grateful to the nurses who’re putting their lives at risk to nurse the world back to health. We should value their efforts & be thankful for everything they’re doing for us #InternationalNursesDay.”

Sanjay Dutt shared: “So many lives have been saved because of the selfless work that our nurses and the healthcare professionals are doing. Can’t thank them enough for putting their lives at risk to save the lives of others. #InternationalNursesDay.”

Yami Gautam expressed: “Our heroes #InternationalNursesDay”.

Ananya Panday posted: “To the pillars of the medical fraternity, who stand by doctors & our families through some of the toughest times. This #InternationalNursesDay, we celebrate and commend your spirit, determination & compassion.”

Abhishek Bachchan tweeted: “Respect and gratitude! Thank you heroes. #InternationalNursesDay”

Aditi Rao Hydari expressed: “The heroes of today…#InternationalNursesDay”

Dia Mirza shared: “Today we celebrate the nurses in healthcare systems across the globe that lead the fight every single day. As they risk themselves to save lives, you too can help them by Staying Home & Keeping Them Safe!#InternationalNursesDay2020 #StayHomeKeepSafe #Healthcare #CovidWarriors”

Neil Nitin Mukesh wrote: “Salute to all our SUPERHEROES who are selflessly fighting the COVID – 19 pandemic to keep us safe. They have always been the superheroes, they will continue to. HAPPY INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY #nursesday2020”

Producer Ritesh Sidhwani tweeted: “To all those superheroes in scrubs, we are with you, today & always! Thank You for the sacrifices you endure. InternationalNursesDay”

Singer Adnan Sami shared: “Wishing an infinite amount of Love and Respect to all our Nurses for the tremendous work they are doing for us. We are indebted to you beyond words. Thank you for being our extraordinary & relentless warriors with true ‘Super Powers’! #Respect #InternationalNursesDay

Producer Bhushan Kumar shared: “Saluting the nurses and acknowledging their continuous contribution towards saving lives not just today but everyday. We are grateful for your selfless service and pray for your safety. #InternationalNursesDay.”

Twitter appointed AI guru and ex-Google executive to its Board Members

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Twitter appointed AI guru and ex-Google executive to its Board Members

Twitter has appointed former Google executive Dr. Fei-Fei Li, known for her pioneering research work in computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI), to its Board of Directors as a new independent director.

Dr. Li is currently inaugural Sequoia Professor in the Computer Science Department at Stanford University, and the Denning Family Co-Director of Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute (HAI).

From January 2017 to September 2018, Dr. Li was Vice President at Google and served as Chief Scientist of AI/ML at Google Cloud.

“With unparalleled expertise in engineering, computer science and artificial intelligence (AI), Fei-Fei brings relevant perspectives to the Board as Twitter continues to utilize technology to improve our service and achieve our long-term objectives,” said Omid Kordestani, Executive Chairman of Twitter.

“She shares Twitter’s passion for using technology to promote positive change,” Kordestani said in a statement on Monday.

Known her significant contribution to starting the Deep Learning era, she served as the Director of Stanford’s AI Lab from 2013 to 2018. Dr Li is a co-founder and Chairperson of the Board of AI4ALL, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing diverse human representation in the field of AI and technology.

“Twitter is an incredible example of how technology can connect the world in powerful ways and I am honored to join the Board at such an important time in the Company’s history,” said Dr. Li.

“AI and machine learning can have an enormous impact on technology and the people who use it,” she added.

Priyanka Chopra shares pic of ‘first day out in two months’

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Priyanka Chopra shares pic of ‘first day out in two months’

Indian actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas has shared a photograph of herself stepping out of the house for the first time in two month amid the ongoing lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Priyanka took to Instagram and shared a photograph of herself sporting a designed face mask.

“Eyes are never quiet. #FirstDayOutIn2Months Thanks for the masks @avoyermagyan,” she wrote along side the picture.

Designer Manish Malhotra commented: “Your eyes Sparkle always”.

Actress Esha Gupta dropped a smiling emoji with heart eyes.

Recently, Priyanka shared a picture of herself cuddling her two pet dogs Diana and Gino.

Alongside the adorable image, she captioned: “Sunshine is better with cuddles. @ginothegerman@diariesofdiana.”

Meet CMs regularly to strengthen federal set-up: Congress to PM (Lead)

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Meet CMs regularly to strengthen federal set-up: Congress to PM (Lead)

The Congress has asked the Prime Minister to meet the Chief Ministers on a regular basis to strengthen the federal structure of the country, said party Treasurer and close Sonia Gandhi aide Ahmed Patel, adding this system should continue after the pandemic.

“Important to institutionalise the recent frequent meetings even after we overcome this (coronavirus) pandemic,” tweeted Patel.

He said regular meetings between the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers would strengthen the federal structure.

“In the last 6 years such meetings have rarely been held,” said Patel.

His statement came after Prime Minister met Chief Ministers on Monday, where several CMs pointed out that states should decide on opening up of the economy badly affected by lockdown across the country to contain coronavirus.

Most CMs underlined the need to strengthen the medical and health infrastructure in the country. The CMs also highlighted the importance of compulsory quarantine for all those who have returned from abroad.

Congress has been raising government’s “one-sided decisions” during the pandemic. Party leader Rahul Gandhi also pointed out during his press conference that states should be left to decide on local issues.

“I want a strong Indian leader to stand in front of this disease — be it a collector or a farmer. The zones are being decided at the national-level even as the CMs say these should be decided at the state-level,” Rahul said.

Air India HQ shut as employee tests corona positive

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Air India HQ shut as employee tests corona positive

National carrier Air India on Tuesday shut its national capital-based headquarters, Airlines House, after an employee was tested Covid-19 positive. Accordingly, the building will be shut for two days for sanitization work.

Under the safety protocols, work places of those employees who have tested positive required to be shut and sanitised to prevent the spread of the virus. The test report of the employee had come out last night.

“One of the employees attending office at Airlines House has tested positive for covid 19,” the airline said in a statement. “As Air India accords top priority to safety and wellbeing of its employees, the building will be closed for two days for sanitisation, adhering to protocol. All support is being extended to the employee concerned”.

In an unrelated development, five pilots of the airline, who had earlier tested positive for coronavirus, have now tested negative for the infection.

The new results were obtained after a re-test was conducted on the positive cases under Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the airline. The pilots had tested coronavirus positive when 77 pilots of the airline were tested on a priority basis on Saturday.

All the five pilots didn’t have any symptoms and would be home-quarantined in Mumbai, people in the know said. These pilots operated Boeing 787 Dreamliners aircraft, and were tested to be deployed for duty under the Vande Bharat Mission to ferry back Indians stranded abroad.

The national carrier has also been engaged in transport of essential medical supplies amid the pandemic. Starting May 7, Air India has been engaged in one of the largest rescue operations in the world, whereby 64 flights would bring back over 14,000 people stranded in 12 countries in 7 days.

Many Indians have already arrived in several cities under the Mission.

Tata Sky Fun Learn premieres Baahubali: The Lost Legends – S04 for the first time on Television

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Tata Sky Fun Learn premieres Baahubali: The Lost Legends – S04 for the first time on Television

The magnum opus Baahubali, which crashed box office records, was later turned into a multi-episode animated series titled – Baahubali: The Lost Legends by SS Rajamouli, creator of the original Baahubali movies. Tata Sky, India’s leading content distribution platform for the first time on Indian television presents Baahubali: The Lost Legends S04 produced by Graphic India and Arka Mediaworks on Tata Sky Fun Learn. This animated series will be available in both English and Hindi.

Filled with intrigue, war, action, and adventure, this season showcases, Mahishmati and its protectors face their greatest challenge as they find themselves, the targets of a mysterious new force, seeking revenge on the legendary kingdom. The season also features never-before-revealed stories about the characters from the film, including Prince Baahubali, Bhallaladeva, Kattappa, and Sivagami. Thereby introducing new characters and expanding the world of Baahubali.

 Catch the amazing series on Tata Sky Fun Learn 688 everyday at 1pm . The service is also available on Tata Sky Mobile App under Live TV

Robert Downey Jr. convinced Mark Ruffalo to play Hulk

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Robert Downey Jr. convinced Mark Ruffalo to play Hulk

It was actor Robert Downey Jr. who convinced a “hesitant” Mark Ruffalo join the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and essay the role of The Hulk.

Ruffalo was on “The Tonight Show” and speaking to the host Jimmy Fallon, when he said it was Downey Jr. who persuaded him to take the offer, reports aceshowbiz.com. His own instinctive reaction was: “I was scared”.

“I didn’t know what I could add to what I already thought had been done so well before me.”

The 52-year-old Ruffalo shared that he was hesitant because was only doing “indie movies up ’til that point”, adding: “So I was like, ‘I don’t know if I’m the right person for this.’ And Joss Whedon’s like, ‘Yeah, you are the right person’.”

Ruffalo, who first appeared as The Hulk was in the 2012 movie “The Avengers” and was recently seen in “Avengers: Endgame”, said he received a call from Downey Jr.

“Then I got a call from Downey, it must’ve made it to him that I was hemming and hawing, and he just simply said, ‘Ruffalo, let’s go. We got this’. In true ‘Iron Man’ fashion. And then after that, I was like, ‘I guess I have to do it’,” he said.

FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup to take place from Feb 17 to March 7

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FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup to take place from Feb 17 to March 7

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup on Tuesday confirmed that the tournament will now be held from February 17 till March 7, 2021.

The U-17 Women’s World Cup had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The meet was scheduled to be held in India from November 2-21 across five venues.

“Following today’s announcement by FIFA, the AIFF and LOC are pleased with the confirmation of the new dates for FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2020, which will now be held between 17 February and 7 March 2021,” the LOC said in a statement.

“The dates were confirmed after taking into account the time needed to complete the UEFA, CONCACAF, CAF, OFC, and CONMEBOL qualification tournaments as well as the best possible conditions in the country to host a successful FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup,” it added.

“We are now looking ahead and hoping to host a wonderful tournament that will give women’s football in India, the perfect platform to grow and develop.

“All the host cities have put in a lot of effort and commitment so far, and we are happy that the new dates will allow them to make up for the lost time and provide momentum going forward.

“All the stakeholders, including the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, have been supportive of the decision keeping in mind the health, safety and security of everyone involved, especially the teams and fans. The LOC will continue to work together with FIFA, and we remain fully committed to hosting a memorable and successful tournament,” the statement further said.

The U-17 Women’s World Cup is scheduled to be played across five cities — Navi Mumbai, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Bhubaneswar.

72% tobacco users in India attempted to quit during lockdown: Survey

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72% tobacco users in India attempted to quit during lockdown: Survey

A total of 72 percent of Indias combustible tobacco users between the ages of 18-24 years old have attempted to quit smoking during the lockdown, followed by 69 percent of combustible tobacco users between the ages of 25-39, suggests a recent survey conducted by the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World.

Around 66 percent of those surveyed (ages 18-69) expressed their desire to quit smoking amid COVID-19 for health reasons.

A total of 6,801 tobacco and nicotine users in five countries — India, the US, the UK, Italy, and South Africa – were interviewed for the survey, during the period starting April 4 and ending April 14, 2020.

In India, two-thirds of the 1,500 smokers surveyed expressed their desire to quit smoking for health reasons. While 66 percent indicated that they had considered quitting, 63 percent had actually made a quit attempt, says the survey titled COVID -19 State of Smoking Poll.

“Reports of increased stress and anxiety are consistent among the countries we polled, but the response in India — particularly among younger tobacco and nicotine users — stands out, with significant attempts to quit and adoption of healthier coping mechanisms,” said Dr. Derek Yach, President of the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World.

He added: “We need more research to understand why that is, and how we can encourage this type of behavior in other countries.”

72% tobacco users in India attempted to quit during a lockdown: Survey

Social distancing is resulting in a broad range of negative mental health impacts, with significant numbers of respondents reporting suffering an adverse effect on their mental health (India: 36 percent; the US: 42 percent; the UK: 39 percent; Italy: 24 percent; South Africa: 24 percent).

While a majority of respondents in India normally turn to tobacco or nicotine products as coping mechanisms for stress (58 percent), a significant amount have decreased their use during social distancing (46 percent). This indicates that social distancing has most likely not increased the smoking crisis locally.

Tobacco and nicotine users in India have proven more likely than those in other countries to increase their use of healthy coping mechanisms during the COVID-19 crisis (physical exercise, 64 percent; breathing exercises, 58 percent; meditation, 58 percent; yoga, 55 percent). The tendency toward healthier habits is more pronounced in larger cities (use of meditation in major metros, 50 percent; use of meditation in Tier 2 cities, 40 percent; use of meditation in Tier 3 cities, 37 percent), says the survey.

Of combustible tobacco smokers, 48 percent believe that smoking increases the risk of either contracting COVID-19 or getting seriously ill from it. As a consequence, conventional smokers are far more likely to consider using different tobacco delivery methods, with half of the users of multiple tobacco or nicotine products considering switching to smokeless tobacco exclusively. In non-metro Indian cities, the adoption of nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) was the most popular way to quit (Tier 2 cities, 58 percent; Tier 3 cities, 47 percent).

In a notable generational shift, younger combustible tobacco smokers have attempted to switch to smokeless tobacco (smokers between the ages of 18 and 24, 66 percent; smokers between the ages of 25 and 39, 77 percent).

Samsung Finance+ service now available at your doorstep

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Samsung Finance+ service now available at your doorstep

Samsung on Tuesday announced that it has started the home delivery of digital lending platform Finance+, making it simpler for customers to buy Galaxy smartphones at easy finance within the comfort of their homes.

According to the company, Finance+ is a unique and universally accessible digital lending platform that provides easy financing opportunities to consumers for the purchase of Galaxy smartphones in India.

Samsung Finance+ service is currently available across 12,000 dealers in nearly 300 towns.

“Samsung Finance+ is our ‘Make for India’ initiative towards financial inclusion and Digital India. We are confident that the home delivery of Samsung Finance+ will help millions of consumers in India,” Mohandeep Singh, Senior Vice President, Mobile Business, Samsung India, said in a statement.

To avail the Samsung Finance+ service, customers had to earlier walk-in at select dealerships. The company has partnered DMI Finance for its Finance+ service in India.

Customers looking to buy a Galaxy smartphone on finance can contact their neighborhood dealers.

The dealer will then send a Samsung promoter to the prospective customer’s house. The Samsung promoter will help the customer complete the loan journey in the comfort of his/her home.

After filling in their personal details for a simple KYC verification and credit scoring, customers will get multiple offers on various Galaxy smartphones.

Given the importance of social distancing in the current circumstances, Samsung’s new initiative will ensure the customer gets finance for Galaxy smartphone without the need of visiting a store.

AP sees dip in cases, most have corona links with Chennai market

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AP sees dip in cases, most have corona links with Chennai market

If Tuesday’s numbers are any indication, Andhra Pradesh appears to be gaining control in its efforts to contain COVID-19 in the state. The state nodal officer reported that 33 cases were detected from the 10,730 samples tested in the 24 hours ending 10 a.m., Tuesday. The positive case numbers on Tuesday are lower than Monday when the state reported 38 cases.

The majority of the 33 cases reported on Tuesday have a connection with the Koyambedu market in Chennai. The market has been identified as a major factor in the spread of COVID-19 in neighboring Tamil Nadu. Of the 33 cases announced on Tuesday in Andhra Pradesh, 10 in Chittoor district, nine in Nellore district, and one case in East Godavari have been identified as persons who had recently visited the Koyambedu market in Chennai.

Chittoor district reported 10 new cases, all of whom have a history of travel to Koyambedu market in Chennai. Likewise, all the nine new cases detected in Nellore district have a travel history to Koyambedu. Other districts that reported new cases over the past 24 hours include Kurnool with nine cases, Krishna with four cases and East Godavari, where the lone case has a travel history to Koyambedu.

The death toll in the state increased to 46, with one death reported from the Krishna district.

Even as the cumulative tally in the state touched 2,051 cases on Tuesday, the number of people cured and discharged from hospital has risen to 1,056. On Tuesday too, 58 persons had been discharged, taking the tally of active cases in the state well below to 1000-mark, to 949.

Kurnool district continues to lead with a cumulative tally of 584 cases, even though the active cases are 284. This is followed by Guntur and Krishna districts with 387 and 346 cases respectively.

TN BJP chief: Govt should open temples

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TN BJP chief: Govt should open temples

Temples are also centers of economic activity and with the gradual lifting of COVID-19-related lockdown, they should be opened for public, said Tamil Nadu State BJP, President L. Murugan.

In a statement, Murugan said temples are centers of economic activity as flower/books/photographers/musicians and several others are dependent on place of worship.

Murugan said these people too were affected due to lockdown. Considering their economic welfare, temples should be reopened so that such people too can open their shops.

There are 36,612 Hindu temples, 57, temples attached to Holy Mutts and 17 Jain temples under the control of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, Tamil Nadu government.

The economy of many temple towns such as Rameswaram, Madurai, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur is majorly driven by tourism, hospitality and local trade centred around the famed temples in these towns.

Salman Khan releases his romantic ballad ‘Tere bina’

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Salman Khan releases his romantic ballad ‘Tere bina’

Salman Khan isn’t slowing down even during the nationwide lockdown. If not films, he is keeping himself busy with songs. His latest, “Tere bina”, has been sung and directed by the superstar.

When the lockdown was announced, Salman along with a few family members and close industry friends were at his Panvel farmhouse.

They have spent the last seven weeks at the farm, coming up with interesting ways to keep themselves productive and create content for the audience.

After his first music single “Pyaar karona” that gives out a message of love, help and caring in times of coronavirus, he has now released his new single titled “Tere bina”.

He took to his Instagram and posted: “Maine yeh gaana banaya, gaya, shoot kiya aur post kiya aap ke liye, ab aap bhi yeh gaana suno, gaao, aur aap ke swag mai shoot karo ghar pe, post karo, share karo, tag karo n enjoy karo… #TereBina” (I made the song, sang it, shot it and posted it for you. Now you also listen to the song, sing, and shoot it in your swag at your home, post, share, tag and enjoy it).”

Talking about “Tere bina”, Salman shared: “About seven weeks ago, when we came to the farm, we didn’t know we will be here under a lockdown. So we wanted to do things to keep ourselves busy. That’s when we decided to do these songs. We launched ‘Pyaar karona’ and now, we are launching ‘Tere bina’.”

“Tere bina” video stars Jacqueline Fernandez and Salman.

Jacqueline said: “I didn’t think we would be able to pull this off. We are used to shooting songs on a large stage with grand production costs. There are costumes, hair, make-up. All of a sudden, we find ourselves with a team of three people. For the first time, I was checking lighting and moving props around. It was a great experience and it taught us how to make the most of what we have.”

Salman revealed that the song has been shot at the Panvel farmhouse in presence of just three people – him, Jacqueline and the DOP.

 

69% Indians say brands need to take care of employees during pandemic

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69% Indians say brands need to take care of employees during pandemic

At least 69 percent of people in India believe it is important for brands to take care of their employees and customers and they should not take advantage of the crisis to maximize profits, a new survey revealed on Tuesday.

According to research conducted by Qualtrics, an experience management company, 50 percent of the respondents said their trust in the brands they regularly engaged with has increased.

The findings showed that peoples’ trust in the government increased by 72 percent during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The study also revealed how Indians want brands to communicate with them.

WhatsApp came out on top as the most preferred communication channel (63 percent), followed by Facebook (58 percent), and online media (55 percent).

Bottom of the list was TikTok (18 percent), Print media (23 percent) and Radio (24 percent).

“Our study in India reveals consumers trust brands more, when brands focused on the well-being of customers, the well-being of employees, and not taking advantage of the crisis to maximise profits,” Lisa Khatri, Brand Experience and Research Lead for Qualtrics in APJ, said in a statement.

When respondents were asked what behaviours increase trust during the crisis, taking care of employees was the top-ranked attribute (37 percent), followed by not taking advantage of maximising profits during a crisis (36 percent), and taking care of customers (32 percent).

What respondents found less impactful were providing new products (10 percent), having an established track record of responding well in times of crisis (17 percent) and statements about strong moral principles such as integrity (19 percent).

When it comes to brand communications, Indians are more interested in the operational impact of COVID-19 compared to sales and promotional marketing.

The top three messages respondents wanted to hear were how the business is responding to the crisis (75 percent), the impact on the distribution (48 percent), and information on products and services (48 percent).

Russia registers 2nd highest COVID-19 cases globally

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Russia registers 2nd highest COVID-19 cases globally

 The number of coronavirus cases in Russia has increased to 232,243 on Tuesday, the 2nd highest number of infections in the world surpassing the tallies in Spain and the UK, the country’s anti-coronavirus crisis centre said.

The tally surged to 232,243 after the 10,899 cases were reported over the past 24 hours, TASS News Agency quoted the centre as saying.

A total of 43,512 patients have recovered, while 2,116 people have died, it added.

According to the center’s data, the daily growth rate on Tuesday was 4.9 percent compared to 5.6 percent the day before.

As of Tuesday, the number of coronavirus cases in Spain and the UK stood at 227,436 and 224,332, respectively, according to the Washington-based Johns Hopkins University.

Italy came in fifth place with 219,814 cases, while the US accounted for the highest number of infections in the world at 1,347,936.

FM: Loan sanctions jump to Rs 5.95 cr in just over 2 months

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FM: Loan sanctions jump to Rs 5.95 cr in just over 2 months

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the public sector banks (PSB) sanctioned Rs 5.95 crore in just over two months, between March 1 and May 8, to over 46.74 lakh accounts. The borrowers for the sanctioned loans include MSMEs, retailers, farmers and corporate sectors.

She had earlier said that higher bank sanctions is indicative that the Indian economy is poised to recover from the recent crisis brought upon by the coronavirus pandemic.

“PSBs sanctioned loans worth Rs 5.95 lakh crore for more than 46.74 lakh accounts from the MSME, Retail, Agriculture & Corporate sectors between March 1 and May 8, 2020,” the tweet from Nirmala Sitharaman’s office said.

“Total financing worth Rs 1.18 lakh crore was provided to NBFCs,” it added.

Besides, loan sanctions to various industrial sectors, the government is also ensuring that the current coronavirus outbreak does not result in a liquidity crisis for businesses.

In this regard, almost all eligible borrowers for emergency credit lines and working capital have been contacted by banks and sanctioned over Rs 60,000 crore in credit that had more than doubled in just four days.

“Between March 20 and May 8, Public Sector Banks contacted 97 percent of borrowers eligible for emergency credit lines & working capital enhancements and sanctioned loans worth Rs 65,879 crore, up from the Rs 26,500 crore sanctioned as of May 4,” said another tweet from the office of the FM.

Government’s is ensuring that present coronavirus pandemic is prevented from making a serious dent on the Indian economy. It this wants that investments should not be stopped and banks should ensure that all eligible borrowers get sufficient funds.

Liquor shops to open in some Jharkhand areas

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Liquor shops to open in some Jharkhand areas

The Jharkhand government is planning to open liquor shops in green and orange zones of the state, sources in the government said.

“The state government has decided to open liquor shops in green and orange zones of the state. The state govt has yet to finalize the modalities of opening these shops. The excise department is likely to issue e-pass for liquor sale,” a source in the state government told IANS.

Jharkhand is strictly following Lockdown 3. As it is coming to an end, the state government is planning to give some relief in green and orange zones. Besides liquor shops, some other shops could also be allowed to open.

Of the 24 districts, Ranchi and Garwah are in the red zone and the rest in green and orange zones.

The Hemant Soren government agreed to open the liquor shops considering the financial condition of the state, a source said. Several other states took the decision to open the liquor shops with the commencement of Lockdown 3 with some relaxations.

Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases has gone up to 164 in the state. Two more cases were discovered in Jamshedpur on Tuesday. Of the recent 50 coronavirus cases, 38 are migrant labourers.

Among the 164 patients, 41 are women and 123 are men. As per the data provided by the Health Department, so far 26,067 samples have been collected out of which 22,243 have been tested and 22,082 were negative.

The data revealed that the number of persons under surveillance and asymptomatic was 4,836. The number of persons who have completed 28 days of observation stands at 3,325.

The number of persons in quarantine facilities is 10,304 while the number of those kept in home quarantine stands at 1,11,064.

Among the 164 Covid patients, 9 are less than 10 years old, 78 are between 11-30 years, 55 are between 31-50 years, 17 are between 51-70 years and 5 are above 70 years.

Among the patients who have been cured and discharged, 7 are less than 10 years old, 32 are in the age group of 11-30 years, 28 are in the age group of 31-50 years while another 8 are in the 51-70 years age group. Three patients are above 70 years who have been cured and discharged.

Ranchi Deputy Commissioner Rai Mahimpat Rey has asked the officials to ensure that the lockdown is followed strictly in the capital.

He asked the officials to make sure that provisions of the lockdown including social distancing and use of face cover or masks is strictly followed at markets, banks, post offices etc. He directed them that outside the markets, banks and post offices, circles should be made at a distance of 6 feet for the people to stand. Further, a distance of 15 feet should be maintained between two shops in markets and haats (village markets).

He told them to deploy police personnel at these spots to ensure that social distancing is followed.

S’pore Indian restaurant serves meals to hospital workers

Telugu Bullet
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S’pore Indian restaurant serves meals to hospital workers

An Indian restaurant in Singapore has started serving hot meals and beverages to frontline medical workers in the city-state amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a media report said on Tuesday.

The popular vegetarian restaurant Mavalli Tiffin Rooms is serving up Indian snacks like vadai, a savoury fried snack, coffee and masala tea, said the Straits Times report.

Operations director Raghavendra Shastry and his staff were also preparing packets of fruits to send to hospitals.

The restaurant is still operational during the ‘circuit breaker’ lockdown for takeaway and delivery services.

“Dry snacks such as biscuits and sweets are readily available to the front-liners in hospitals. But the hot snacks and coffee we deliver can complement these snacks and help keep the medical fraternity going,” said Shastry, who is originally from Bengaluru, Karnataka.

The first set of goodies was sent to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases on April 17.

Deliveries were now being made twice a week to various hospitals across Singapore and will continue until at least June 1.

On Tuesday, Shastry was joined at the restaurant’s kitchen by the Indian High Commissioner to Singapore, Jawed Ashraf, who spent the morning assisting with the packing of goods for the day’s deliveries, the Straits Times report added.

Thanking the workers, Ashraf said: “No amount of what we do for them is enough to express the appreciation that we have for their commitment, their courage and their selflessness. They are the ones who give us hope and confidence.”

The Ministry of Health has confirmed 884 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore as of Tuesday, taking the total count to 24,671.

Among these, migrant workers living in dormitories form the bulk of the cases.

The death toll currently stands at 21.

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