Coronavirus LIVE: Punjab CM announces replacement of strict curfew with lockdown till May 31

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh (in file pic) has announced replacement of the strict curfew with a lockdown till May 31 in the state,while indicating resumption of limited public transport & maximum possible relaxations in non-containment zones from May 18: Punjab CMO

All district magistrates have been instructed to arrange buses for migrant workers, who are found walking on foot, to send them to their homes: Additional Director General of Police (Law & Order) PV Ramasastry

Russia reported 9,200 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of infections to 272,043, the second highest in the world, the country's coronavirus response centre said on Saturday.

The death toll grew by 119 to 2,537, while 63,166 people have now recovered, including 4,940 over the last 24 hours, Xinhua news agency reported.

Moscow, the country's worst-hit region, confirmed 3,505 new cases in the past 24 hours, taking its total to 138,969.

Russia's consumer rights and human well-being watchdog said in a statement Saturday that 259,802 people had been under medical observation as of Friday.

More than 6.6 million lab tests for COVID-19 have been conducted across the country so far, it added.

Some 42 million European Union (EU) workers have been affected by temporary layoffs due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The sudden paralysis economies have been plunged into as a result of containment measures to halt the spread of COVID-19 has pushed EU member states to resort to temporary layoffs, furloughs and wage cuts with governments footing the bill in a bid to save economiesm reports Efe news.

By early May, 26 per cent of the EU's 160 million workers had been enlisted for short-time work or similar forms of temporary wage subsidies, setting a record not even reached during the 2008 financial crisis, according to the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI).

Punjab: 1,946 people test positive for COVID-19 till date , including 1257 patients cured and 32 deaths

39 more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Bihar, taking total number of cases to 1,118 in the state: Principal Health Secretary Sanjay Kumar

4 from Thrissur, 3 from Kozhikode, 2 each from Palakkad and Malappuram districts. There are 87 active cases in the state now: Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja Teacher.

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477 fresh COVID-19 cases, 3 deaths have been reported in Tamil Nadu today, taking total number of cases to 10,585, deaths to 74 in the state: Tamil Nadu Health Department.

115 fresh cases of COVID-19, 7 deaths have been recorded in the last 24 hours in West Bengal, taking the total number of cases to 2,576, death toll to 160 in the state: State Home Secretary

36 new positive cases reported in Karnataka today, the total number of positive cases in the state rises to 1,092 - including 496 discharged and 36 deaths: Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka.

195 fresh cases 3 deaths recorded in Uttar Pradesh in the last 24 hours, taking total number of cases to 4,140 and death toll to 95. There are 1718 active cases in the state: Uttar Pradesh Health Department.

Atomic Energy-related reforms; link India's robust start-up ecosystem to the nuclear sector - Technology Development cum Incubation Centres will be set up for fostering synergy between research facilities and tech entrepreneurs: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The private sector will be allowed to use ISRO facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capacities. Future projects for planetary exploration, outer space travel, etc. to be open for the private sector: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Indian private sector will be a co-traveller in India's space sector journey. Will provide a level-playing field for private companies in satellites, launches & space-based services: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Boosting private sector investment in Social Infrastructure through revamped Viability Gap Funding Scheme of Rs 8100 crores: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Privatisation of distribution in Union Territories - sub-optimal performance of power distribution & supply, power departments/utilities in Union Territories will be privatised: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

A Tariff policy with reforms will be released, including consumer rights, promotion of industry and sustainability of sector: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

India to become a global hub for Aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO). The tax regime for the MRO ecosystem has been rationalized. Aircraft component repairs and airframe maintenance to increase from ₹ 800 crores to ₹2000 crores in 3 years: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

Airports Authority of India has awarded 3 airports out of 6 bid for operation & maintenance on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis. Additional investment by private players in 12 airports in fIrst and second rounds expected around Rs 13,000 crores: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

Restrictions on the utilisation of Indian Air Space will be eased so that civilian flying becomes more efficient. Will bring a total benefit of ₹1000 crores per year for the aviation sector: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

Foreign Direct Investment limit in defence manufacturing under automatic route is being raised from 49% to 74%: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

'MakeInIndia' for self-reliance in defence production - we will notify a list of weapons/platforms for ban on import with year wise timelines. There will be indigenisation of imported spares: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

500 mining blocks would be offered through an open and transparent auction process, a joint auction of Bauxite and Coal mineral blocks will be introduced to enhance Aluminum industry's competitiveness: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

Govt will introduce competition, transparency, and private sector participation in the Coal Sector through revenue sharing mechanism instead of the regime of fixed rupee/tonne: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

We are going to focus on 8 sectors today - Coal, Minerals Defence Production, Airspace management, MROs Power distribution companies, Space sectors, Atomic energy: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

Schemes will be implemented in states through challenge mode for Industrial Cluster Upgradation of common infrastructure facilities and connectivity: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

Incentive schemes for the promotion of New Champion Sectors will be launched in sectors such as Solar PV manufacturing; advanced cell battery storage etc.: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Many sectors need policy simplification, to make it simpler for people to understand what sector can give, participate in activities and bring transparency. Once we decongest sectors, we can boost the sector, for growth and jobs: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

A 36-year-old man has tested positive in Himachal Pradesh today, taking total number of cases to 77 in the state: Nipun Jindal, Special Secretary (Health)

86 new positive cases have been reported in Rajasthan till 2 pm. Total number of positive cases rise to 4,924 including 2,014 active cases, 2,480 discharged and 125 deaths: State Health Department

438 more COVID-19 cases and 6 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. Total number of cases in the national capital is now at 9,333, including 5278 active cases: Delhi Health Department

Two more persons have tested positive in Guwahati, taking the total number of cases to 91 in Assam including 41 recoveries and 2 deaths. Number of active cases of coronavirus stands at 46: Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma

1,140 police personnel have been infected with COVID-19 across the state till now, including 862 active cases, 268 recovered, and 10 fatalities: Maharashtra Police

23 new cases have been reported in Karnataka today, taking the total number of cases to 1,079 including 36 deaths and 494 discharges. Number of active cases stands at 548: State Health Department

Modi Government should reconsider the economic package, says Rahul Gandhi emphasizing on direct money transfers to migrants.

48 more cases reported in Andhra Pradesh in the last 24 hours. Total number of cases in the state now at 2,205, including 803 active cases, 1,353 discharged & 49 deaths: State's COVID-19 Control Room

A special train,carrying passengers from Mumbai arrived at New Delhi railway station today. All passengers were screened after they reached the railway station, as per guidelines by the government.

Three persons out of seven who had returned to Goa on Friday, after visiting West Bengal's South 24 Pargana district, have tested positive for Covid-19, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said here on Saturday, adding that a second round of tests were being carried out for reconfirmation.

Rane said, that the seven persons, all working professionals had gone to West Bengal last month and had returned by road.

The Madhya Pradesh government has declared that nine districts in the state, which had earlier reported COVID-19 cases, were now coronavirus-free.

Additional chief secretary (Health) Mohammed Suleman said that the nine districts- Barwani, Agar-Malwa, Shajapur, Sheopur, Alirajpur, Harda, Shahdol, Tikamgarh and Betul- were now free from the infection.

65 new positive cases were reported in Odisha yesterday. Total number of positive cases in the state rise to 737, till 9 am today. Active cases in the state stand at 568 with 166 cured/recovered and 3 deaths: State Health Department

6 more cases reported in Nepal today, taking the total number of cases in the country to 273: Nepal Health Ministry

Spike of 3,970 COVID-19 cases and 103 deaths in India in the last 24 hours. The total number of positive cases in the country is now at 85,940, including 53,035 active cases, 30,153 cured/discharged/migrated cases and 2,752 deaths, says Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Domestic flight operations will resume in Pakistan from Saturday after a nearly two-month-long suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a Minister said.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said that people will have to mentally prepare themselves to "live with the virus" until there was a vaccine to treat COVID-19.

The overall number of global coronavirus cases has increased to over 4.5 million, while the death toll has surpassed 307,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University.