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Hello Jammu News at 11:01:00 PM 1


Washington, Apr 15 :  President Donald Trump and other G7 leaders will discuss international coordination of the coronavirus response by video conference on Thursday, the White House said.

The remote meeting convened by Trump follows up on another virtual summit held last month and comes as the leading world economies remain under lockdown due to the pandemic.

Trump convened the meeting for "Thursday morning to coordinate national responses to the Coronavirus pandemic," White House spokesman Judd Deere said.

"Working together, the G7 is taking a whole-of-society approach to tackle the crisis across multiple areas, including health, finance, humanitarian assistance, and science and technology," Deere said.

The G7 is made up of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, which this year holds the group's presidency.

The White House has said that the traditional annual summit, due to have been staged near Washington in June, will instead also take place by video link.

On Tuesday, Trump spoke by phone with French President Emmanuel Macron on "efforts to defeat the coronavirus pandemic and reopen world economies," the White House said.

"The two leaders also discussed the upcoming teleconference with G7 leaders, as well as critical regional and bilateral issues.
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Hello Jammu News at 9:17:00 PM 0


Brussels, Apr 10 :  European Council President Charles Michel on Friday called an EU leaders' videoconference for April 23 to discuss how Europe can pick itself up from the economic damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

"It is time to lay the ground for a robust economic recovery," he said in a statement a day after EU finance ministers agreed a 500-billion-euro (USD 550-billion) emergency package for the bloc.

The leaders of the 27 member states will mainly be tasked with approving the hard-won rescue deal which opens EU credit lines for virus-hit countries in urgent need of bolstering their health systems.

"The agreement of the Eurogroup (the EU finance ministers) is a significant breakthrough. With this unparallelled package we shoulder the burden of the crisis together," Michel said.

The deal ended weeks of arguing, but tensions remain great over a proposal by Italy, France and other countries for EU nations to jointly raise money to help stimulate a recovery after the pandemic.

Sometimes called coronabonds, ministers left this controversial idea -- categorically refused by powerhouse Germany -- for the leaders to debate, with expectations very low that Berlin and its allies will budge.

The money raised would go to a recovery fund, which Germany believes can be financed by the long-term EU budget which is currently under negotiation.
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Hello Jammu News at 9:05:00 PM 2


Kathmandu, Apr 10 :  Nepal Prime Minister KP Oli and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Friday agreed to enhance cooperation to further intensify the fight against the coronavirus and underlined the need of taking care of the citizens left stranded in each other's country due to the lockdown to contain the spread of the pandemic.

Oli and Modi held a telephone conversation to discuss the situation due to coronavirus pandemic.

"We have agreed to enhance cooperation to further intensify the fight against corona virus," Prime Minister Oli tweeted after the conversation.

"We stressed the need on taking care of each other's citizens that are left stranded along the bordering areas due to the lockdown imposed in both the countries," Oli said.

Hundreds of Nepalese, mostly migrant workers, are stranded along Nepal's border with India due to the lockdown over coronavirus.

The workers, mostly from western Nepal, were employed in various sectors across India and were trying to return home. As the government imposed nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19, they have been left stranded along the border.

The two leaders also discussed continuing the supplies of goods and making it further smooth.

"I expressed gratitude to the Indian government for providing various helps including medicines," Oli added.

Prime Minister Modi in a tweet said that he discussed the prevailing situation arising due to COVID-19 with Nepali Prime Minister.

"I appreciate the determination of people of Nepal to fight this challenge. We stand in solidarity with Nepal in our common fight against COVID-19," he said.

In a press statement, Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the two prime ministers discussed the present situation in the fight against COVID-19 and agreed to further intensify the ongoing efforts.

In the context of present state of lockdown in both the countries, "the two prime ministers agreed to look after the welfare and medical care of the people of two countries currently living in each other's territory," according to the foreign ministry.

"The two Prime Ministers expressed satisfaction on the smooth supply of essential goods across the border and underlined the need for ensuring its continuity in the present situation," it said.

Prime Minister Oli extended sincere condolences to the government and people of India as well as to the bereaved family members of those who lost lives due to the coronavirus in India, reads the press statement.

"During the conversation, the two prime ministers also touched upon the multi-dimensional friendly relations existing between the two countries and stressed on further consolidating and strengthening the relations for mutual benefit," the statement said.

The death toll in India due to the novel coronavirus rose to 199 and the number of cases climbed to 6,412 in the country on Friday, according to the Union Health Ministry in New Delhi.

Nepal has till now has reported only nine positive cases.
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Hello Jammu News at 8:34:00 PM 0


Beijing, Apr 10 :   President Xi Jinping on Friday called for tighter supervision of safety measures at workplaces as China gears up to resume work and production in a big way after over two months of battle against the coronavirus pandemic.

Xi asked officials to strengthen monitoring and law enforcement of production safety even as coronavirus cases began to rise again in China following the return of Chinese nationals from abroad in big numbers.

Authorities should firmly hold the bottom line of workplace safety, Xi was quoted as saying by the state-run Xinhua news agency on Friday.

Noting that the country had made progress in workplace safety last year with the number of accidents declining, Xi said there remained many risks and much work is yet to be done.

Workplace safety must not be regarded as a trivial matter or treated with formalism or bureaucracy, Xi said.

In view of the main features and outstanding problems in workplace safety, Xi said efforts should be made to improve the responsibility system, ensure strict rectification of problems found, and strengthen risk prevention and control so that hidden dangers could be fundamentally eliminated and major accidents effectively curbed.

Premier Li Keqiang, who headed the leading officials group to control COVID-19 also said officials must not let up on workplace safety at a time when the country is in a critical period of coordinating epidemic control and work resumption.

The instructions were delivered at a national teleconference on workplace safety in Beijing on Friday.

China has reported 42 new coronavirus cases, including 38 imported infections, taking the total tally to 81,907, health officials said on Friday, as the country started a new trial of re-testing the recovered COVID-19 patients amid heightened concern of a rebound of the deadly disease.

The Chinese health authority on Friday said that 47 new asymptomatic coronavirus cases, including 14 from abroad, were reported in the mainland.

China's National Health Commission (NHC) said 42 new confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported, including 38 imported cases on Thursday.

Four new domestically transmitted cases were reported --three in Guangdong Province and one in Heilongjiang Province -- it said.

As the new infections continue to increase, China on Thursday unveiled a new trial protocol warranting re-testing of the recovered coronavirus patients besides intensifying the screening of asymptomatic cases as concerns grew over a second wave of the infections in the country.

The move comes a day after China lifted the 76-day lockdown in Wuhan where the pandemic originated.

One death was reported in coronavirus epicentre Hubei Province, taking the overall death toll in the country to 3,336, while the overall confirmed cases on the mainland reached 81,907 by Thursday. This includes 77,455 patients who were discharged after treatment.

The NHC said 1,097 asymptomatic cases, including 349 from abroad, were still under medical observation.

Asymptomatic cases refer to people who are tested positive for the coronavirus but develop no symptoms such as fever, cough or sore throat but they are infectious and pose a risk of spreading to others, according to a new official notification.
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Hello Jammu News at 11:11:00 PM 0


Washington, Apr 1 :  The total US death toll from the coronavirus pandemic topped 4,000 early Wednesday, more than double the number from three days earlier, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

The number of deaths was 4,076 -- more than twice the 2,010 recorded late Saturday.

More than 40 percent of recorded deaths nationally were in New York state, the Johns Hopkins data showed.

On Tuesday the United States exceeded the number of deaths in China, where the pandemic emerged in December before spreading worldwide.

The number of confirmed US cases has reached 189,510, the most in the world, though Italy and Spain have recorded more fatalities.

After initially downplaying the threat from new coronavirus in the early stages of the US outbreak, President Donald Trump warned of "a very, very painful two weeks" to come for the country on Tuesday.
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Hello Jammu News at 10:42:00 PM 0


Lahore, Mar 31 :  A Pakistani court has exempted ailing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who is in London for treatment, from personal appearance in a money laundering case.

Sharif, 70, has been in London since November last year.

The Lahore Accountability Court on Monday exempted Sharif from personal hearing in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills (CSM) case till the filing of a formal case.

Sharif in his petition had requested the court that he should be granted exemption as his doctors in London are not allowing him to travel.

The three time premier's daughter Maryam Nawaz was also given exemption from personal appearance.

She has also filed a petition in the Lahore High Court seeking permission to go abroad to look after her father. This case is pending in the court.

The National Accountability Bureau has accused Sharif along with two others of money laundering under the garb of sale/purchase of the sugar mills' shares.

According to Sharif's brother Shahbaz, the former premier will undergo a heart procedure this week. He said Sharif cannot return the country till he gets well.

The Imran Khan government has already declared Sharif an 'absconder' after refusing to extend his four-week bail granted by court on medical grounds.

The Pakistan government says it is not satisfied Sharif's medical reports and he should return to the country forthwith.

The Lahore High Court in October last year granted bail to Sharif on medical grounds for four weeks, allowing the Punjab government to extend it further in the light of his medical reports.

The Islamabad High Court had also granted bail to Sharif in the Al Azizia Mills corruption case, in which the former prime minister was serving a seven-year jail term, clearing his way to travel abroad for medical treatment.

According to Sharif's physician, he is suffering from complex multi-vessel coronary artery disease and substantial ischemic and threatened myocardium for which he is due to undergo surgery.

According to a media report, Sharif's physician David Lawrence said that the his heart surgery will have to wait until the prevailing uncertainty of Covid-19 settles down, hinting at his extended duration of stay abroad.

According to the doctor, Sharif "at his age, with significant disease burden, falls in the category of patients who if exposed can develop serious Covid-19 symptoms with adverse effects .

The doctor further said that Sharif has been advised to stay in close proximity of advanced health facilities in London.
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Hello Jammu News at 5:57:00 PM 0


Washington, Mar 31 :  US President Donald Trump has said that the next 30 days are very vital for America in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, as the confirmed cases of those infected by the deadly disease soured to 164,000 and fatalities crossed 3,100 in the country.

His remarks came a day after he extended the "social distancing" guidelines until April 30, expecting the peak death rate from COVID-19 to hit the country in two weeks.

"Challenging times are ahead for the next 30 days, and this is a very vital 30 days," Trump told reporters at his daily White House news conference on Monday, his second consecutive one in the Rose Garden.

More than 250 million of America's 330 million population are in stay at home order and more than two dozen states have been notified as major disaster declaration, in addition to declaration of national emergency.

The Army has been roped in to build makeshift hospitals at convention centers, racetracks, public parks across the country.

Auto companies have stopped manufacturing cars and instead manufacturing ventilators and other equipment to be used in the treatment of hundreds and thousands of Americans who are expected to fall ill due to COVID-19; something which was seen only during a war time.

"We are sort of putting it all on the line this 30 days, so important because we have to get back, but the more we dedicate ourselves today, the more quickly we will emerge on the other side of the crisis, and that is the time we're waiting for," Trump told reporters, reflecting upon the seriousness of the pandemic that has hit the US hardest among all the countries.

So far more than a million Americans have been tested for coronavirus, which is the highest for any country and its testing rate has now increased to 100,000 per day.

The President said that he will announce tightening of the guidelines, which he argued is having a big impact.

Manufacturing of testing kits and medical equipment including ventilators, face masks have been ramped up, he said, adding that there will be no shortage in the coming weeks.

Dr Deborah Bix, a member of the White House Task Force on Coronavirus, had a day earlier said that even with all the present steps, the death toll in the US could be between 100,000 to 200,000. On Monday she said that the analysis of the fresh data would be presented before the president on Tuesday.

Trump told reporters that he is looking into the possibility of everybody wearing a mask in the public.

"We're getting certainly the number of masks that you need. We are in the process of talking about things. I saw his suggestion on that, so we'll take a look at it for a period of time. Not forever. I mean, you know, we want our country back. We're not going to be wearing masks forever, but it could be for a short period of time after we get back into gear," he said.

Responding to a question on suggestions about using GPS for social distancing, he described this as a very severe idea.

"I've been hearing about it. GPS. What happens, a siren goes off if you get too close to somebody? That's pretty severe," he said.

Trump told reporters that saving the lives of the people is his top priority, followed by the nation's economy.

"My focus is saving lives, that is the only focus I can have. We are going to bring the economy back and we will bring it back fast," he said.

"The economy is number two on my list. First I want to save a lot of lives. I am going to get the economy back. I think the economy is going to come back very fast," he said.

Trump said that the extension of social distancing measure till April 30 is based on modelling that shows the peak in fatalities will not arrive for another two weeks.

" They say modelling also shows that by very vigorously following these guidelines, we can save more than one million American lives. Think of that, one million American lives. Our future is in our own hands, and the choices and sacrifices we make will determine the fate of this virus and really the fate of our victory," the President added.

According to reports, the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has soared past 35,000 while the number of confirmed cases topped 750,000 globally.
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Hello Jammu News at 5:48:00 PM 0


United Nations, Mar 29 :  The very idea of "using a disease as a weapon" is viewed with repugnance but the international community must remain vigilant as scientific advances are reducing technical barriers that earlier limited the potential of biological weapons, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said.

The UN chief, in his message on the 45th anniversary of the Biological Weapons Convention's entry into force, said that all countries should reaffirm their unequivocal rejection of the use of disease as a weapon, as well as their commitment to a robust international health security architecture that guarantees the maintenance of peaceful and healthy societies around the world.

March 26 marked the 45th anniversary of the entry into force of the Biological Weapons Convention, the first multilateral disarmament treaty to ban an entire category of weapons of mass destruction.

"Today, the norm against biological weapons remains strong, and the very idea of using disease as a weapon is viewed with repugnance. However, the international community must remain vigilant. Scientific advances are reducing technical barriers which earlier limited the potential of biological weapons," Guterres said on Saturday.

Guterres said during the intervening years, the Biological Weapons Convention made an important contribution towards collective efforts to eliminate such threats.

The anniversary comes as the world is grappling with the coronavirus pandemic.

The outbreak, which began in China, has now spread to almost every country in the world. Globally, there are 652,079 confirmed COVID19 cases and more than 30,000 people have died of the disease. At more than 116,000, the US now has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world, more than Italy and China, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre.

India, in its message for the 45th anniversary, said that the global economic and social implications of the pandemic, caused by COVID-19, have underlined the need for international cooperation, including institutional strengthening of the World Health Organization (WHO).

The UN chief called on States Parties to urgently update the mechanisms within the convention for reviewing advances in science and technology, and to work together to improve biosecurity and biopreparedness so that all countries are equipped to prevent and respond to the possible use of biological weapons.

The convention's Ninth Review Conference in 2021 is an opportunity to address these and other issues, and to consider how to adapt this landmark convention to future challenges, Guterres said, urging States Parties to think creatively about the future evolution of the convention and how to uphold its central role in preventing the misuse of biology for hostile purposes.

Forty-five years after its entry into force, the Biological Weapons Convention has the support of 183 States Parties. It continues to grow, with more than 20 states having joined in the past 10 years, demonstrating its continued relevance, the UN Secretary General added, calling upon the 14 governments that have not yet joined the convention to do so without any delay.
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Hello Jammu News at 8:03:00 PM 0


Beijing, Mar 27 :  China and the United States should "unite to fight" the deadly coronavirus pandemic that has ravaged the globe, said President Xi Jinping in a call with his US counterpart on Friday, according to state media.

The two countries have clashed in recent weeks over the virus, but Xi told President Donald Trump that China "wishes to continue sharing all information and experience with the US," said state broadcaster CCTV.

The two leaders appeared to strike a conciliatory tone after Trump and his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo angered Beijing this month by repeatedly referring to "the Chinese virus" when discussing the COVID-19 outbreak first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Earlier this month a foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing also suggested in a tweet that the US military brought the virus to Wuhan.

Friday's call also took place as the US overtook China as the country with the most coronavirus cases -- the pathogen has now infected more than 82,400 people in the world's largest economy.

Xi said Sino-US relations were at a "critical juncture", CCTV said, adding that cooperation was mutually beneficial and "the only right choice." "I hope that the US will take substantive actions to improve Sino-US relations, and both sides can work together to strengthen cooperation in fighting the epidemic," he said.

Some provinces, cities and companies in China have provided medical supplies and support to the US as well, Xi added.
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Hello Jammu News at 7:36:00 PM 0


Washington, Mar 26 :  The US Senate passed the nation's largest-ever rescue package late Wednesday, a USD 2 trillion lifeline to suffering Americans, depleted hospitals and an economy all ravaged by a rapidly spreading coronavirus crisis.

The monster deal thrashed out between Republicans, Democrats and the White House includes cash payments to American taxpayers and several hundred billion dollars in grants and loans to small businesses and core industries. It also buttresses hospitals desperately in need of medical equipment and expands unemployment benefits.

The measure cleared the Senate by an overwhelming majority and was headed next to the House of Representatives, which must also pass it before it goes to President Donald Trump for his signature.
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Hello Jammu News at 9:43:00 PM 0


Washington, Mar 25 :  President Donald Trump has a new daily ritual now that the pandemic has put the kibosh on the signature campaign rallies that helped him get elected four years ago: the coronavirus briefing.

Standing on the once-abandoned White House briefing room stage flanked by public health experts, Trump holds court with reporters and directly addresses the American people, providing updates on his administration's efforts to combat the pandemic and trying to demonstrate that he's in charge.

The updates are far more staid than his raucous rallies and lack the adoring crowds and Lock her up! chants of the political gatherings. But they include many of the same features as his now-on-ice mass rallies: plenty of self-congratulation and airing of grievances, press bashing, tirades against his critics, and an ample dose of misleading information.

That, combined with measured updates from public health officials, has created a sometimes confusing split screen for Americans watching at home, many under stay-at-home restrictions and anxiously tuning in to cable news for updates.

I don't want to stand here for two hours and do this," Trump told reporters during Monday's marathon briefing, which stretched to nearly two hours.

But I think it's important. ... Give us any question about it because I think it's important for the public to know.

For the first few days of the crisis, the briefings were led by Vice President Mike Pence, who offered buttoned-up updates in a calming, paternal tone. But Trump, who never likes to cede the spotlight, quickly decided to make himself the star of the daily show.

Now, every day of the week, including Tuesday, when he sat down for a separate Fox News town hall in the Rose Garden, Trump emerges from behind closed doors and reads a summary of his administration's latest efforts.

Then he invites other administration officials to make remarks from the often-crowded stage where social distancing recommendations are flouted.

Then he opens things up for questions, and the discussion can go in many directions.

Trump's disposition varies. On some days, he has struck an urgent tone, calling on Americans to come together to defeat a common enemy.

On others, he has angrily defended his administration's handling of the pandemic and lashed out at reporters, including those who have pressed him on the economic impact of mass closures, testing shortfalls and the struggles of doctors and nurses to find basic supplies.

I think it's a very bad signal that you're putting out to the American people, he told one reporter who had asked what message he had for frightened Americans.

Some around Trump have suggested that less is more that he only attend the briefings when there is big news to announce.

"You want to keep the air of importance any time he steps into the room, said former Trump communications aide Jason Miller. But Trump has told people that he knows the nation is watching and that he doesn't want to give up the stage to deputies, who in some cases have refuted his commentary in real time on stage.

I'll see you all tomorrow," he assured as he left the stage Tuesday.

Indeed, the briefings have been racking up ratings.

During five of last week's briefings, more than twice as many people tuned in to the networks than had during corresponding times a year ago, according to the Nielsen viewer tracking company.

And Friday's lunchtime briefing reached 8.28 million viewers on Fox News Channel, CNN and MSNBC alone up from 2.82 million viewers during the same slot last year.

It's a dramatic resurgence for a format that had become must-see TV during the early months of Trump's administration. But he effectively killed the White House press briefing in March 2019 and it has now been more than a year since the last briefing by a White House press secretary.

The Trump briefings, which often include information that is later clarified or corrected, stand in sharp contrast to those of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, which have been widely praised. While the Democrat has generally tried to provide an even-keeled, fact-based approach aided by endless PowerPoint slides, he was far more urgent Tuesday as he pleaded with the federal government to do more to help the state as it struggles to cope with a flood of more than 25,000 confirmed coronavirus cases.

"What am I going to do with 400 ventilators?!" Cuomo bellowed in response to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's latest offer. You pick the 26,000 people who are going to die because you only sent 400 ventilators!

He also pushed back on Trump's stated wish to reopen the country for business in the coming weeks to stanch a bleeding economy. What is this? Some modern Darwinian theory of natural selection? he asked.

Trump, for his part, has said he believes the White House updates build confidence in the federal response while providing officials with fresh ideas.

Some of the questions lead to us solving a problem. You bring up problems that people didn't know existed, he said Monday.
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Hello Jammu News at 9:36:00 PM 0


Islamabad, Mar 25 :  Pakistan has suspended all domestic flight operations until April 2 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus after the country reported nearly 1,000 cases from the COVID-19 infection, authorities said on Wednesday.

The nationwide tally of the COVID-19 patients has soared to 990 with 410 cases in Sindh; 110 in Balochistan; 296 in Punjab; 78 in K-P; 80 in Gilgit-Baltistan; 15 in Islamabad; and one in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, The Express Tribune reported.

The National Disaster Management Authority has said that so far 7 people have died due to the novel coronavirus and 18 recovered.

In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the country has halted its domestic flights operations.

According to a statement shared on the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority's website, the government has "decided to suspend all types of domestic scheduled/non-scheduled, chartered and private aircraft passenger flight operations with effect from Thursday, March 26, at 6:00am up to April 02, 2020."

Meanwhile, there is complete lockdown in the country and people have been told to remain inside of their homes. They are only allowed to go out in case of emergency.

The government has pledged to increase testing capability and other facilities in hospitals as new medical supplies are expected to start pouring in from China by Friday, according to NDMA chief Lt-Gen Muhammad Afzal.

According to the Johns Hopkins coronavirus tracker, there are 417,966 confirmed cases across the world, 18,615 deaths and 107,705 recoveries.

On Tuesday, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan announced a multi-billion stimulus package to combat the deadly coronavirus and to facilitate poor people in the prevailing circumstances.

The government also suspended all passenger train operations through the country till March 31 and deployed army to assist the civil administration to enforce a nationwide lockdown to contain the virus outbreak.

Khan said 200 billion rupees have been allocated for the labour class to mitigate their sufferings, while the government is also reaching provinces and the business community to extend their assistance.

He said the government was highly conscious of its responsibilities and it was due to various policies and steps that the coronavirus was still contained.
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Hello Jammu News at 3:23:00 PM 0


Beijing, Mar 24 :  China reported 78 new confirmed cases, including 74 imported infections, while the death toll from the novel coronavirus increased to 3,277 after seven more fatalities were confirmed from the COVID-19, health officials said on Tuesday.

The overall confirmed cases on the Chinese mainland have reached 81,171 by the end of Monday. This included 3,277 people who died of the disease, 4,735 patients who were still being treated and 73,159 patients discharged after recovery, the National Health Commission (NHC) said on Tuesday.

The NHC said, 78 new confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported on the Chinese mainland on Monday, of which 74 were imported from abroad taking the number of overseas cases to 427.

Also on Monday, seven deaths and 35 new suspected cases were reported on the mainland with all the deaths in Hubei Province.

The total COVID-19 cases in Beijing climbed to 522 with eight deaths prompting local governments of Beijing as well as Shanghai to announce that all overseas arrivals will be subjected to nucleic acid tests to ensure proper detection.

Of the 74 newly imported cases, 31 were reported in Beijing, 14 in Guangdong, nine in Shanghai, five in Fujian, four in Tianjin, three in Jiangsu, two in Zhejiang and Sichuan respectively, and one in Shanxi, Liaoning, Shandong and Chongqing respectively, the NHC said.

Beijing is already diverting all international flights to different cities where the passengers will be quarantined for 14 days before arriving in the city.

The NHC said 132 people were still suspected of being infected with the virus.

Coronavirus epicentre Wuhan has reported one confirmed case after a gap of five days prompting officials to begin to ease restrictions.

Wuhan also reported seven new deaths, bringing the total number of deaths in the city and Hubei province for which Wuhan is the capital to 3,160.

The province also saw 444 patients discharged from hospital after recovery on Monday. Among the 4,200 patients being treated in hospital, 1,203 were still in severe condition and another 336 in critical condition, the local health commission said.

By the end of Monday, 356 confirmed cases, including four deaths have been reported in Hong Kong, which has restricted the entry of foreigners into the city. Also a total of 25 confirmed cases were reported in Macao and 195 in Taiwan including two deaths, state-run Xinhua news agency reporrted.

After days of decline in coronavirus cases, China on Monday said that COVID-19 has effectively been "stemmed" in the country and it started easing severe restrictions imposed on Wuhan's 11 million people who were under lockdown since January 23.

The authorities began relaxing restrictions in Wuhan as it reported no new case for the fifth consecutive day on Monday.

Significantly, the Central Leading Group (CLP), headed by Premier Li Keqiang which is coordinating efforts to contain the virus since January 23, said the virus has been curtailed in the country as well as in Wuhan.

"The meeting noted that the spread of the virus nationwide, particularly in the epicentre of Wuhan, has been effectively stemmed," an official statement said on Monday.

The meeting, however, warned that the risks for sporadic infections and localised outbreaks have not gone away. With the pandemic rampaging across the world, the situation remains complex and challenging.

"Wuhan city and Hubei province should stay focused on medical treatment and community-level containment as the two key priorities. They should continue to treat the severe cases, promptly admit new cases, and advance epidemiological investigations," the meeting said.

In Wuhan, officials said people are allowed to go back to work while restrictions on the public transport are gradually being eased.

The Hubei province and its capital Wuhan with over 56 million people were under lockdown since January 23. The vicious virus broke out in city, reportedly at a live animal market in December last year and became virulent inflicting thousands of people in the city and province catching the government off guard.

As the country saw a surge in imported infections, the Chinese government announced that all international flights scheduled to arrive in Beijing will be redirected to airports in 12 other Chinese cities from Monday.

International passengers flying to Beijing will instead land at airports in 12 cities including Shanghai, Tianjin, Nanjing and Shenyang as their first points of entry, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said in a statement.

On Monday, China said international travellers should "think twice" about choosing Beijing for flight transfer in view of the restrictions.

Starting from Monday, all international flights scheduled to arrive in Beijing will be redirected to airports in 12 other Chinese cities, Liu Haitao, an official with China's National Immigration Administration said.

Passengers would go through entry procedures and quarantine measures at the designated cities' airports before they continue their flights to Beijing, Liu said, urging travellers to reserve enough time for their next flights to make sure that they do not miss their outbound flights.
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Hello Jammu News at 7:39:00 PM 0


Singapore, Mar 22 :  Singapore has reported 47 new coronavirus cases, including 39 imported infections, taking the total number to 432 in the country, officials have said.

The city-state reported two deaths related to the COVID-19 infections on Saturday while 89 foreigners were banned for breaching safety measures.

Most of these new cases in Singapore have been imported cases, that is, returning residents and long-term pass holders with travel history to Europe, North America, South-east Asia and other parts of Asia, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.

There were 432 cases of the deadly coronavirus in Singapore as of Saturday evening. Fourteen cases are in critical condition in the intensive care unit out of the 290 hospitalised patients. A total of 140 cases have fully recovered from the infection of the deadly virus, the officials said.

Singapore authorities have introduced stricter and safe distancing measures on Friday to reduce the risk of further local transmission and said all events and gatherings with 250 or more participants are to be suspended until June 30, reported local media.

Events with fewer than 250 people and operators of venues accessible to the public, such as restaurants and cinemas, are required to implement measures to ensure separation of at least 1 metres between patrons.

All doctors in public and private hospitals, as well as private specialist clinics, have been advised by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to immediately stop or defer accepting new foreign patients who do not reside in Singapore.

They have also been instructed to encourage their current foreign patients to seek continued care in their home countries, according to a media report.

Noel Yeo, senior vice-president, medical company Parkway Pantai's Singapore operations division, said that non-essential procedures were already mostly postponed after the city-state raised Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (Dorscon) level to orange.

However, "there were still a small number of patients who came to us for critical or essential treatment," he was quoted as saying by The Straits Times.

"Under MOH's new directive, all new cases of such patients who do not reside in Singapore will be asked to defer their appointments or seek medical care elsewhere. We are working with our doctors to ensure that these patients continue to be cared for as adequately as possible," Yeo said.

Meanwhile, 89 foreigners, who are work pass holders, have been permanently banned from working in Singapore, said the Manpower Ministry.

They have had their passes revoked as of Saturday for breaching entry approval and stay-home notice requirements.

The Ministry has also suspended the work pass privileges of the employers for periods ranging from one to three years, as they had failed to discharge their duties to ensure that their employees comply with the Leave of Absence (LOA) or stay-home notice requirements.

Of the 89 work passes revoked, 73 work pass holders with travel history to COVID-19 affected countries and entered Singapore without obtaining entry approval from the ministry.

The remaining 16 work pass holders were caught breaching the LOA or stay-home notice requirements here.

Some work pass holders were caught working at their workplaces, while others were caught leaving their place of residence during the period of their LOA or stay-home notice, even when instructed not to do so, said the ministry.

The ministry reminded employers to seek approval online for work pass holders to enter or return to Singapore, as entry approvals and stay-home notices are now required for work pass holders entering Singapore from anywhere in the world.

Employers should inform their employees not to make travel plans to Singapore until approval has been obtained from the ministry.

The Manpower Ministry stressed that it will continue to take enforcement measures against errant employers or employees who do not comply with the requirements, including the revocation of work passes and suspension of work pass privileges.

More than 21,200 stay-home notices have been issued in Singapore as of Thursday, with the restriction being expanded to apply to all travellers entering Singapore from Saturday.

Those who fail to comply with the notice face prosecution under Section 21A of the Infectious Diseases Act, and may be fined up to SGD10,000, jailed up to six months, or both.

Other penalties include revoking or shortening the validity of a person's permanent residency status, long-term visit pass, dependent's pass, student's pass or work pass.

According to the Johns Hopkins coronavirus tracker, the death toll from the virus globally has risen to 13,044 with 307,104 cases reported in 171 countries and territories.
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Hello Jammu News at 7:19:00 PM 0


Rome, Mar 22 :  Nearly one billion people around the world were confined to their homes on Sunday, as the coronavirus death toll crossed 13,000 and factories were shut in worst-hit Italy after another single-day fatalities record.

The raging pandemic has forced lockdowns in 35 countries across the globe, disrupting lives, travel and businesses as governments scramble to shut borders and unleash hundreds of billions in emergency measures to avoid a widespread virus-fuelled economic meltdown.

More than 300,000 infections have been confirmed worldwide, with the situation increasingly grim in Italy where the death toll spiked to more than 4,800 -- over a third of the global total.

Prime Minister Guiseppe Conte announced a closure of all non-essential factories in a late-night TV address on Saturday.

The Mediterranean nation of 60 million is now the epicentre of the disease, which first emerged in central China late last year before marching out to the rest of the world.

Italy has now reported more deaths than mainland China and third-placed Iran combined, and it has a death rate of 8.6 percent among confirmed COVID-19 infections -- significantly higher than in most other countries.

Across the Atlantic, more than a third of Americans were adjusting to life in various phases of lockdown, including in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles -- the three biggest US cities. Other parts of the United States are expected to ramp up restrictions as well.

"This is a time of shared national sacrifice, but also a time to treasure our loved ones," US President Donald Trump said. "We're going to have a great victory."

As world leaders have vowed to fight the pandemic, the number of deaths and infections has continued to rise, especially in Europe -- the main global hotspot.

Spain reported a 32 percent spike in new deaths on Saturday, and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned in a TV address that the nation needs to prepare for "very hard days ahead".

Fatalities in France jumped to 562 as police officials said helicopters and drones were being deployed to boost the government's attempts to keep people in their homes.

The unprecedented measures to counter the spread of COVID-19 have shredded the international sports calendar, and pressure is mounting on Olympic organisers to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Games.

The pandemic has bludgeoned global stock markets, and the United States -- the world's biggest economy -- is preparing a huge emergency stimulus package that could top 1 trillion.

Millions have been ordered to stay home in the United States.

New Jersey on Saturday followed several states in telling residents to stay indoors. Governor Phil Murphy ordered all non-essential businesses to close their physical stores from 9:00 PM (0100 GMT Sunday).

And in neighbouring New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo warned that the disruption is likely to last for months, not weeks.

"I don't think it's possible in a city of this size for people to maintain it for much longer than three weeks before they start losing it," Yona Corn, a 35-year-old singer, told AFP.

"I think there's going to be a big mental health crisis. I worry about what's going to happen to people." Congress members are hoping to agree on a 1 trillion emergency aid package as fears grow about the economic fallout from the crisis.

The US Food and Drug Administration also approved the first coronavirus test that can be conducted entirely at the point of care for a patient -- and deliver results in 45 minutes.

Vice President Mike Pence and his wife tested negative for the coronavirus, his press secretary tweeted Saturday. The couple had taken the test after one of Pence's staffers contracted the illness.

The drastic confinement measures follow the example of China, where the lockdown of Hubei province appears to have paid off. Wuhan, Hubei's capital, is where the virus was first detected.

China reported its first local infection in four days on Sunday. While the number of cases in the mainland has slumped dramatically since the crisis began, there are fears of "imported" cases from other hotspots like Europe.

France, Italy, Spain and other European countries have ordered people to stay at home, threatening fines in some cases, while Australia on Sunday told citizens to cancel domestic travel plans.

Britain has told pubs, restaurants and theatres to close and warned citizens to stop panic-buying.

And India went into lockdown on Sunday with a one-day nationwide "self-imposed curfew".

While the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions are the hardest hit by the virus, the WHO has warned that young people are also vulnerable.

Accurate COVID-19 figures are difficult to reach because many of the victims suffered from other illnesses, and infection rates are uncertain because of a lack of testing in many countries.

The coronavirus has infected more than 1,000 across Africa too, where healthcare systems are limited and social distancing measures -- like the ones being adopted in North America and Europe -- are difficult in crowded cities.

The Middle East also remains on high alert, where Iran -- which suffered a major outbreak -- reporting 123 new deaths on Saturday. But the Islamic Republic has refused to join the rest of the world in imposing heavy restrictions.
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Hello Jammu News at 11:50:00 PM 0


Tehran, Mar 21 :  Iran said Saturday that 123 more people had died from coronavirus, raising the official death toll to 1,556 in the Islamic republic, one of the world's worst affected countries.

Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said 966 more cases had been confirmed over the past 24 hours and 20,610 people were now known to have been infected in Iran.

A total of 7,635 people have recovered from the disease, he told a televised news conference.

The Islamic republic is among the three countries hardest hit by the virus with an official death toll behind only Italy and China.

The authorities have asked people to avoid all travel during the Persian New Year holidays, which usually sees almost all citizens take to the roads.

But the pleas have been ignored by many.

According to the Iranian Red Crescent, around three million people have left the 13 most virus-affected provinces by road since March 17.

Jahanpour said there was "a minority who did not follow the guidelines", warning that provinces popular with tourists would not welcome visitors for the Nowruz holiday.

Some provinces have ordered hotels and other accommodation to close.

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani pledged Friday that the country would triumph over the virus.
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Hello Jammu News at 6:22:00 PM 0
Shen Wei



Beijing, Mar 5 :  The Corona Virus causing havoc in China has spread almost all over the world. It has killed more than 300 hundred people and infected 80,000 people in China. Now, China has claimed that it has discovered a vaccine to escape the Corona Virus [Covid-19]. 

This vaccine has been prepared under the leadership of medical expert Shen Wei of the People`s Liberation Army in Wuhan for the past one month, the medical team of Chinese army. The world`s first vaccine of Corona Virus was tested by injecting the vaccine into the left hand of the inventor Shen Wei.

Shen Wei is the same major general of the Chinese army, who a few years ago created a vaccine to ward off dangerous viruses such as SARS and Ebola and saved the entire world from their threats.
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Hello Jammu News at 10:15:00 PM 0
US President Donald Trump


Washington, Feb 5 :  Headed into the election year, President Donald Trump told lawmakers that in three years of his presidency, the US has moved forward at a pace that was unimaginable just a short time ago.

Making a strong pitch for his re-election and confident of his acquittal from impeachment, Trump, in his joint address to the US Congress told Congressmen that the American dream is back - bigger, better, and stronger than ever before.

Three years ago, we launched the Great American Comeback. Tonight, I stand before you to share the incredible results, he said as he listed his achievements of the three years and giving his vision for the next term.

Trump said that the US administration is strongly defending the national security and "as we defend American lives, we are working to end America's wars in the Middle East."

Stressing that his administration has undertaken unprecedented effort to secure the southern border of the US with Mexico, Trump said that the country "should be a sanctuary for law-abiding Americans - not criminal aliens.

Speaking about the US-China relationship, he said for decades, China has taken advantage of the US, "now we have changed that, but, at the same time, we have perhaps the best relationship we have ever had with China, including with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"Days ago, we signed the ground breaking new agreement with China that will defend our workers, protect our intellectual property, bring billions of dollars into our treasury, and open vast new markets for products made and grown right here in the US," he said.

Trump said that the US is coordinating with the Chinese government and working closely together on the coronavirus outbreak in China.

"My Administration will take all necessary steps to safeguard our citizens from this threat (coronavirus)," he said.
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Hello Jammu News at 10:12:00 PM 0


Jerusalem, Feb 5 :  Israeli aircraft struck Hamas positions in Gaza early Wednesday, the military said, after Palestinians in the enclave launched projectiles and explosive balloons at the Jewish state.

The "fighter jets targeted Hamas terror targets in the southern Gaza Strip" including "a weapons manufacturing site", the army said in a statement.

There were no immediate reports from Gaza of casualties.

Prior to the Israeli attack, militants in Gaza launched three projectiles and a number of "explosive balloons" at southern Israel, the army said, with neither medics nor police reporting casualties or damage.

Since US President Donald Trump's announcement last week of his plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, rockets, mortar shells and explosive balloons have been launched almost daily from Gaza into southern Israel, provoking Israeli retaliation.

Palestinians strongly reject the US plan, seen as heavily favouring Israel.

Hamas and Israel have fought three wars since 2008 but over the past year the Islamists have gradually shaped an informal truce with Israel, under which the Jewish state has eased its crippling blockade of Gaza.
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Hello Jammu News at 10:08:00 PM 0
US President Donald Trump


Washington, Feb 5 :  The US is working closely with Beijing to combat the coronavirus outbreak, President Donald Trump said, as the deadly infection claimed 490 lives in China and spread to over 20 countries, including India and America, prompting the World Health Organisation to declare a global health emergency.

The US on Tuesday evacuated over 300 more people on two new flights out of the Chinese city Wuhan, the epicentre of the fast-spreading new coronavirus. Last week, it evacuated 195 Americans from Wuhan.

"Protecting Americans' health also means fighting infectious diseases," Trump said in his State of the Union speech on late Tuesday night while highlighting the initiatives taken by his administration in the healthcare sector.

"We are coordinating with the Chinese government and working closely together on the coronavirus outbreak in China. My administration will take all necessary steps to safeguard our citizens from this threat," he said.

The death toll in coronavirus outbreak rose to 490 in China on Tuesday. One death was reported earlier this week from the Philippines.

Worldwide, the virus, so far, has spread to Thailand, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Macau, India, Philippines, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, United States, Canada, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Russia, Finland, Spain, UAE and Sweden.

"As we pray for all who are sick, we know that America is constantly achieving new medical breakthroughs," Trump said in his speech.

The president underlined that his administration has launched ambitious new initiatives to substantially improve care for Americans with kidney disease, Alzheimer's, and those struggling with mental health challenges.

Trump said a good life for American families also requires the most affordable, innovative and high-quality healthcare system.

"Before I took office, health insurance premiums had more than doubled in just 5 years. I moved quickly to provide affordable alternatives. Our new plans are up to 60 per cent less expensive.

"I have also made an ironclad pledge to American families: We will always protect patients with pre-existing conditions -- that is a guarantee," he said.

The president said his administration will always protect the Medicare and the Social Security schemes.

Asserting that his administration will never let socialism "destroy" US healthcare, he said, "As we work to improve Americans' healthcare, there are those who want to take away your healthcare, take away your doctor, and abolish private insurance entirely."

"One hundred thirty-two lawmakers in this room have endorsed legislation to impose a socialist takeover of our healthcare system, wiping out the private health insurance plans of 180 million Americans," he added.
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