Category:

Disaster & Management

Moody’s cuts India’s rating to lowest investment grade with negative outlook

Moody’s maintained a negative outlook for the new sovereign rating, citing worsening government finances as the coronavirus continues to hurt the economy.

India’s economy grew 3.1% in January-March, its slowest quarterly pace in at least eight years, and Moody’s expects a contraction of 4% in the current fiscal year, which runs until March 2021, due to the strict lockdown imposed in April and May.

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India’s coronavirus infections overtake France amid criticism of lockdown

Criticism has grown in recent days that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s sudden lockdown of 1.3 billion Indians in March has failed to halt the spread of the disease while destroying the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on daily wages.

Community transmission is well underway among the population, a team of independent experts said, adding this would only get worse as public transport opens.

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New coronavirus losing potency, top Italian doctor says

“Pending scientific evidence to support the thesis that the virus has disappeared … I would invite those who say they are sure of it not to confuse Italians,” Sandra Zampa, an undersecretary at the health ministry, said in a statement.

“We should instead invite Italians to maintain the maximum caution, maintain physical distancing, avoid large groups, to frequently wash their hands and to wear masks.”

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India records highest single-day spike of 8,380 cases; death toll climbs to 5,164

The death toll has gone up by 193 since Saturday morning, of which 99 were from Maharashtra, 27 from Gujarat, 18 from Delhi, nine each from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, seven from West Bengal, six each from Tamil Nadu and Telangana, five in Bihar, three from Uttar Pradesh, two from Punjab, and one each from Haryana and Kerala.

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Indian states rush to identify high-risk zones to remain in lockdown

In its guidelines, ‘Mission Begin Again’, issued on Sunday, Maharashtra departed from the Centre’s guidelines. CM Uddhav Thackeray said the state needed to tread cautiously now that monsoon was round the corner. It said intra-district bus services can operate, but inter-district bus operations will remain restricted.

Restrictions will remain in force in containment zones and the municipal corporation areas of Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Pune, Nagpur and Aurangabad. In phase 1 of the easing starting June 3, individuals in these areas will be allowed to exercise in open public spaces including beaches, playgrounds, gardens and promenades between 5 am and 7 pm. 

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