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Cyber Virus Stealing Credit Card Details Using COVID-19 Information: CBI

Cerberus: The stolen data could be used to make unauthorized transactions (Representational)New Delhi: A malicious software called Cerberus is stealing financial data such as credit card details by luring people with COVID-19 related information, the Central Bureau of Investigation has warned states, Union territories and agencies after receiving Interpol inputs."CBI alerts State/UT/Central Agencies on a malicious software threat that uses an update related to the Coronavirus pandemic," the investigation agency said in a statement.The Trojan virus contacts smartphone users via text messages and asks to click on a link saying it will provide COVID-19 updates. When clicked, the link installs a malicious application on their phones, which extracts sensitive financial data."Based on inputs received from INTERPOL, the CBI has issued an alert relating to a banking Trojan known as Cerberus. This malicious software takes advantage of COVID-19 Pandemic to impersonate and send SMS using the lure of COVID-19 related content to download the embedded malicious link, which deploys its malicious app usually spread via phishing campaigns to trick users into installing it on their smartphones," agency said."This Trojan primarily focuses on stealing financial data such as credit card numbers. In addition, it can use overlay attacks to trick victims into providing personal information and can capture two-factor authentication details," it added.The stolen data could be used to make unauthorized transactions from the compromised credit cards.On April 7, the CBI's Interpol division had sent an advisory to police departments across the country, alerting about a cyber attack on hospitals and health installations."Cyber criminals are using ransomware to hold hospitals and medical services digitally hostage; preventing them from accessing vital files and systems until a ransom is paid," it said.The agency had asked the police to remain vigilant.Last month, the central government had warned the users of the Zoom video conference application, saying it was not a safe platform. The application is being widely used for personal and official interactions as people have been asked to stay at and work from home because of the coronavirus pandemic."Zoom is not a safe platform even for usage of individuals a detailed advisory has already been issued by CERT-India," the home ministry had said in an advisory.The guidelines, the government had said, would prevent unauthorised entry in the conference room and even malicious activity by authorised participants on terminals of the other participants. Read the full article

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Donald Trump Mulls Brazil Travel Ban

"I don't want people over there sick either," Donald Trump told reporters (File)Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he is considering imposing a ban on travel from Brazil, which has the world's third highest number of people infected by the novel coronavirus."We are considering it," Trump told reporters at the White House."I don't want people coming over here and infecting our people. I don't want people over there sick either. We're helping Brazil with ventilators. ... Brazil is having some trouble, no question about it," Trump added.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Read the full article

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12 Odisha Districts On Alert As Weather Office Warns Of Possible Cyclone

The cyclone, if it intensifies into one, will be named "Amphan" (Representational)New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a cyclone alert across coastal Bay of Bengal as a well-marked low-pressure over the bay is likely to intensify into a depression and a cyclonic storm. The cyclone will be named "Amphan".12 coastal districts of Odisha have been put on alert and the state has asked collectors to arrange for alternative shelter homes for the people, a top government official told news agency PTI.Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore are among the 12 districts on high alert.The Met Department issued a red warning for fishermen and advised them not to venture into north Bay of Bengal along and off Odisha-West Bengal coasts from May 18 and asked those out in the sea to return by May 17.The Indian Coast Guard said it is prepared for maritime search and rescue operations."All out efforts have been made in the maritime states of West Bengal and Odisha in coordination with the state administration and Fisheries Department," the Coast Guard said in a statement.According to preliminary information from the Met department, the possible depression will re-curve from its path and move towards the the Bay of Bengal.The weatherman warned that adverse weather is likely over the Bay of Bengal and the adjoining Andaman Sea and along and off Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Bengal coasts during the next five to six days.North and South 24 Parganas, Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, East and West Midnapore districts Bengal are likely to experience light to moderate rain with a heavy downpour at a few places on May 19 and heavy to very heavy rain on May 20.The Met also warned of gusty winds along and off Bengal and Odisha coasts.The IMD will be able to share the exact track and impact of the cyclonic storm after it intensifies into a depression, an official told PTI.With inputs from PTI, ANI Read the full article

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Injured Child On Make-Shift Stretcher, Migrant Family's 1300-km Walk Home

Uttar Pradesh, Coronavirus: The boy's neck is broken, his family said.New Delhi: An extended family of seventeen walks on the searing road, carrying a seriously injured boy on a make-shift stretcher. They don't have enough food, money or even slippers for the 1300-km journey home - from Ludhiana to Madhya Pradesh's Singrauli. They get help in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur, but by then they have walked over 800 km, taking turns to carry the boy. The police later arranged a truck for them.The visual narrates one of numerous heartbreaking stories of migrants travelling home to escape starvation.One of the members of the family says they have been walking for 15 days from Ludhiana, where they were daily-wage workers.When asked what happened to the boy, the man says," His neck is broken. He can't move his limbs".The boy has to be moved on a string-bed.The family, which includes several children, didn't have enough to eat on their journey. "Nobody has eaten stomach-full," he says.#MigrantLivesMatter | Family of #MigrantWorker has been walking for last 15 days with an injured child. They started from Ludhiana and reached Kanpur today. Policemen spotted the family and helped them get a truck for the rest of the journey to Madhya Pradesh pic.twitter.com/C2RAXUvw8j— NDTV (@ndtv) May 15, 2020Thousands of migrant families across the country, left without jobs and money for weeks because of the coronavirus lockdown, have been travelling to their home states. The migrants left their places of work in hordes, starting on foot, on cycles or in trucks and autos for their villages in states hundreds of km away.Many have lost their lives before reaching home, either in road accidents or from hunger, exhaustion or illness.Buses or trains arranged recently are no help for those already on the move. Many find the train tickets too costly or paperwork laborious. Read the full article

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Whistleblower Haris Khan Says BoisLockerRoom Not The Only One, Couldn't Keep Silent

Haris Khan first thought he would make a confession page, make the boys apologise but dropped the ideaNew Delhi: Online communities like "Bois Locker Room" are commonplace, the 21-year-old man credited with exposing the Instagram group on which obscene messages and morphed photos of underage girls were shared by school students told NDTV on Thursday."This is very common. I couldn't stay silent when I found out about this one. It had to be made an example," said Haris Khan, who shared the graphic screenshots with the girls targeted on the group.Haris said he found out about the group from one of its members who alerted a girl whose pictures were being shared and also told Haris about what was happening.Haris first thought he would make a confession page and make the boys apologise but then dropped the idea and decided to alert the girls instead. He then left it to them to decide what they wanted to do."At first, the girls were very shocked and didn't know how to react. Then overnight, they gathered the courage to unite and do something about it," he said."These groups are very common. It is nothing new. When I was in school, I too was added to several such groups," Haris said.When we asked why he thought the trend persists, he said it is because young boys are not taught to respect women.A Class 12 student, above 18, was arrested on Wednesday for starting Bois Locker Room. The teen studies in a Noida school and sat for the Class 12 exams this year. Several other students of prominent Delhi schools have been questioned and their phones have been seized.The police said they have identified 27 members of the group - some were underage and some 18 and older.Sources say the students mostly claimed that they did not know much about the group and they had been added to it by others.The chatroom, exposed on Sunday by a girl targeted in the grisly group chats, has drawn massive anger, shock and disgust on social media. Class 11 and 12 students casually discussed "gang-raping" girls, sexualized and slut-shamed them in screenshots of chats that have gone viral on Twitter and other social media forums.It is believed that some of the participants were as young as 13, which has seeded a debate on toxic masculinity and objectification of girls starting in schools and the need for greater control over the internet activity of children.In a statement, Facebook-owned Instagram said the objectionable content that violated its community standards was removed as soon as it was made aware of it. Read the full article

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"Top Terrorist Commander Trapped, Encounter On", Says J&K Police

Top terrorist commander reported killed in encounter in south Kashmir this morning (File)Srinagar: A top terrorist commander has been pinned down by security forces conducting an anti-terrorist operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Awantipora area.According to a J&K Police spokesperson the operation was launched late Tuesday night and heavy firing is currently going on as security forces target the house in which the terrorist commander is believed to be hiding. Sources have said the terrorist is a high-ranking commander of terror group Hizbul Mujahideen and one of Kashmir's most wanted.Sources have also said the commander and an accomplice have both been killed but officials have refused to confirm this. However, soon after the encounter started, mobile internet service was suspended in Kashmir."Contact established in the third operation at Awantipur. Top terrorist commander is trapped. Exchange of fire on. Details shall follow," J&K Police tweeted at 9.07 am. Minutes earlier the police tweeted: "Third operation launched by Awantipur Police last night on a specific input too is in progress at Beigpora Awantipora. Senior officers monitoring since last night".Contact established in the third operation at #Beighpors#Awantipur. Top terrorist commander is trapped. Exchange of fire on. Details shall follow.. https://t.co/umZv0JgVbs— J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) May 6, 2020According to police the terrorist being targeted is a key figure in recruiting locals into terrorism and is also involved in a number of others cases, including the killing of special police officers and threating J&K Police officials into resignation.In 2018 terror threats and attacks on SPOs (special police officers) led to a number of resignations, as well as those of police officers in violence-hit Shopian and Pulwama districts.The real threat comes from foreign terror outfits like the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.Over the past month at least 22 members of the country's security forces, including army officers, have been killed in the Kashmir Valley. This sudden spike in encounters, coming amid reports of infiltration by highly-trained terrorists from Pakistan, poses a major security challenge even as the country fights the COVID-19 crisis.On Sunday two senior Army officers - a colonel and a major - were among five security personnel killed in action during an encounter in J&K's Kupwara district. A sub-inspector and two soldiers also lost their lives. On Monday, there was an attack on a CRPF (central reserve police force) team in the same area that led to three personnel being killed.J&K Police have said that three separate anti-militancy operations have been launched in the south Kashmir area. This morning one terrorist was killed during a joint operation by the Army and police. Read the full article

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2 Soldiers Killed, 1 Injured As Pakistan Violates Ceasefire In Jammu And Kashmir's Baramulla

Pakistan violated ceasefire at 3.30 pm on Friday in Rampur (Representational)Srinagar: Two soldiers, who were injured in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the Line of Control on Friday in Jammu and Kashmir's Rampur, died today. Another soldier has been injured as well.The ceasefire violation took place at around 3:30 pm in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla on Friday."On 01 May 2020, at about 1530 hours, Pakistan initiated an unprovoked ceasefire violation (CFV) along the LoC in Rampur Sector, District Baramulla," defence spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia said in a statement.Indian Army retaliated befittingly, he added.Earlier on April 30, Pakistan had initiated an unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling with mortars along LoC in Poonch district.Pakistan had resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation on April 29 as well by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars along the LoC in Mankote and Mendhar sectors of Poonch district.With inputs from ANI, PTI Read the full article

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A Maharashtra Minister's Message To The State

This week, we celebrate 60 years of the formation of the state of Maharashtra. I extend my best wishes to every Maharashtrian and my deepest gratitude to everyone who is bravely battling for us against COVID-19.Maharashtra Divas is celebrated with pride and celebration across Marathi households. Together, we remember the struggles of our united past and rejoice in the establishment of our shared legacy through language, culture and statehood. As we step into the 60th year of our glorious state in these difficult and dark times, it is important to introspect and remember where we come from, where we are and the goal towards which are we marching.Maharashtra has always been a base for social reformists, thinkers, intellectuals and activists. In Medieval India, reform was ushered in the field of devotion through Bhakti Marg and Varkari Sampraday. Saints like Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Tukaram propagated the philosophy of equality in spirituality. The principles of religious tolerance and women empowerment cemented by visionary warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj laid the ground for the progressive mindset which proved to be the basis for several major social reforms in the 18th and 19th century. In the late 19th century, egalitarian reforms in Maharashtra had three distinct veins: Women's education and empowerment, Mahatma Phule's anti-caste, truth-seeking society and the organizational endeavors initiated by Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar for the education and rights of the underprivileged.Maharashtra was a frontrunner in India's war for independence, producing countless freedom fighters, moderates and radicals alike. After independence, the road ahead for the Maharashtrian people would be full of further struggle, protests and patience. The concept of a separate state for Marathi-speaking people had been established since the idea of Swaraj by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the 17th century. However, after independence, it was only in 1956 that the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti was formed under the aegis of Keshavrao Jedhe in Pune. Prominent activists like Atre, Prabodhankar Thackeray, Senapati Bapat and Shahir Amar Shaikh and many others made invaluable contributions to the state we call home today.It was Shri Yashwantrao Chavan Saheb, the first Chief Minister of Maharashtra, who led us and our newly-formed state into the bright future. An ingenious and intuitive leader, Chavan Saheb was more than a political leader, he was the voice of the common people in the state and a true statesman! He guided our state to greatness with planning in the fields of agriculture, water resources, small-scale industries and panchayat raj. His values and principles firmly established Maharashtra on progressive and rational lines. Even with the victory of state formation, challenges kept erupting. Among them were the Muslim Satyashodhak Samaj led by Hamid Dalwai, Baba Adhav's' Ek Gaav-Ek Panavatha' movement, the Yuvak Kranti Dal and the Dalit Panther protests. Aggressive language and satyagrahi actions were the hallmarks of these movements. Baba Amte's Anandvan emerged as a training center for socialist activists. Post-emergency, our state was once again gifted with a 38-year old Chief Minister in Padma Vibhushan Sharadchandraji Pawar, a true visionary, as subsequent decades would prove multiple times. Padma Vibhushan Sharadchandraji Pawar's immense intuition, insight and intelligence saw the state excel rapidly in agriculture and industries. He reiterated values of welfare, promoting social equality and equity.Post emergency, a lull was evident in youth movements in Maharashtra and in the following decade, the women's liberation movement gained momentum. Maharashtra had been the pioneer in championing the cause of women's education and emancipation. Journals like 'Baija' and 'Stree' became the mouthpieces of women's liberation in the 1980s. Various women and public organizations were formed and took the cause forward. These organizations met the various demands of women's health, hygiene, livelihood, protection, including those of abandoned and verbally divorced women. This led to the enactment of new laws to protect women against domestic violence, female foeticide, and sexual harassment in the workplace. Maharashtra was the first state in India to enact 30% reservation for women in local bodies under the leadership of Shri Sharad Pawar, and with his untiring efforts over the years, it is now 50%.Many would say that in the last decade, the legacy of social change within Maharashtra has slowed down. It is true that in the last 10 years, many movements for social equality and social progress have reached a dormant stage in this progressive state. We have excelled in various domains of social justice, education, health, local governance, infrastructure and economic development over the last 60 years, and a still greater course is yet to be covered. Any kind of social numbness which seems to be pervasive should be shunned since our beloved state is in an uphill battle in many fronts, especially today. We face two great threats which cannot be seen. On one hand, an attack on our heath and livelihood by COVID-19 and on the other, an attack on our personal freedom by the pangs of communalism.A defining characteristic of Maharashtra has been that of secularism. Practiced and propagated by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, secularism found its roots in Maharashtrian society early, and has inspired the formation and flow of our present society. We have been a people of various faiths who have survived together to live freely together. Against the several ugly communal onslaughts taking place in the country, Maharashtra was the first state to break age-old political barriers, to unite to defend the age-old Maharashtrian spirit of secularism. The Maha Vikaas Aghadi has been a role model for every secular force around the world. Under the very capable administration of Shri Uddhav Thackeray, we have the opportunity to carry on the progressive principles of Maharashtra. It is in our history to struggle and emerge victorious.Today as we fight, as the worst hit state in India, in the war against COVID 19, we must keep hope. Maharashtra has been plagued by many natural and unnatural disasters through time and we have survived. The government is working every minute and every hour only for the protection and welfare of the people, but it is the people whose mental strength is the most vital at this hour.(Jayant Patil is the Maharashtra Cabinet Minister for Water Resources)Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same. Read the full article

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After Centre, Delhi Halts Dearness Allowance Hike Till July 2021 To Fight COVID-19

Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief are meant to balance the rising living costs due to inflation.New Delhi: After the Centre, the Delhi government has now put on hold the hike in Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief for government employees and pensioners in view of the country's financial situation amid the coronavirus pandemic. Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief, however, will continue to be paid at the current rate of 17 per cent.The freeze will impact around 2.2 lakh employees and will be on from January this year till July 2021, the finance department said in an order.Last month, the union cabinet had hiked the dearness allowance or DA by 4 per cent from the existing 17 per cent to 21 per cent. It was then kept on hold last week as revenues have been severely impacted due to the COVID-19 crisis in the country.If the states follow the Centre's example, the combined savings will be 1.20 lakh crore, which will help in the battle against coronavirus, the government had said. Several states like Uttarakhand soon followed suit.A component of salary and pension of government employees, Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief are meant to balance the rising living costs due to inflation."The Centre's order on the issue of DA and DR has been endorsed by the Delhi government and it will also be applicable on Delhi government employees and pensioners," a Delhi government official told news agency PTI.The country's economy, which was at its weakest pace in over ten years, was hit severely after the coronavirus pandemic hit. The country has been under lockdown since March 25; people are allowed to step out only for essentials. The lockdown will be on till May 3.Delhi has the third highest coronavirus positive cases in the country with over 3,300 cases. The Arvind Kejriwal-led government's move on DA came soon after the number of coronavirus cases in the country crossed 31,000. There have been over a thousand fatalities across the country due to the deadly virus. Read the full article

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White House Briefly Follows Twitter Accounts In State Visits: US Official

Early this week, the White House "unfollowed" all six Twitter handles it followed during Trump's visit.Washington: The White House Wednesday explained that its Twitter handle typically ''follows'' the accounts of officials from host countries for a brief period during a presidential trip to retweet their messages in support of the visit.During President Donald Trump's visit to India in the last week of February, the official Twitter handle of the White House -- @WhiteHouse -- had started ''following'' the accounts of President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister's office, the Indian Embassy in the US, the US Embassy in India and the US Ambassador to India, Ken Juster.Early this week, the White House "unfollowed" all these six Twitter handles."The White House Twitter account normally follows senior US government Twitter accounts, and others as appropriate. For example, during the time of a presidential visit, the account typically follows for a short time, the host country's officials to retweet their messages in support of the visit," a senior administration official told PTI on the condition of anonymity.The official was responding to a question on the reasons for the White House ''following'' and then ''unfollowing'' the Twitter handles of President Kovind, PM Modi, the PMO and other Indian officials. The White House ''unfollowing'' the Twitter accounts of President Kovind and PM Modi drew reactions on social media in India.Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said he was "dismayed" at the development."I''m dismayed by the "unfollowing" of our President & PM by the White House. I urge the Ministry of External Affairs to take note," he said in a tweet on Wednesday.As of Wednesday, the White House had 22 million followers.It has traditionally ben following 13 accounts including that of President Donald Trump and his official Twitter handle, the First Lady, the Vice President, the Second Lady, the new Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, the National Security Council and the former White House Press Secretary, Stephanie Grisham, among others. Read the full article

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Junior Health Minister's Bizarre Advice On Coronavirus

Health Minister Ashwini Choubey said today that sunlight could protect against COVID-19 infectionNew Delhi: Amid growing fear over the novel coronavirus outbreak in the country, Ashwini Choubey, the Union Minister of State for Health, had some unusual advice for those seeking to protect themselves from the infectious illness.Mr Choubey, whose previous "medical" advice included saying cow urine could be used to treat cancer, claimed today that sitting for 15 minutes in the sun could "improve immunity and kill coronavirus"."The sun is hottest between 11 am and 2 pm. If we sit for 15 minutes, our Vitamin D levels will improve. It will also improve immunity and kill viruses like coronavirus," the BJP leader told news agency ANI.#WATCH Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey: People should spend at least 15 minutes in the sun. The sunlight provides Vitamin D, improves immunity and also kills such (#Coronavirus) viruses. pic.twitter.com/F80PX6VOmy— ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2020On Monday the Union Health Ministry released a three-page document listing "preventive measures to contain the spread of novel coronavirus". Neither Vitamin D nor exposure to sunlight found reference in that document.While the sun is a good source of Vitamin D, there is no evidence to suggest an abundance of this vitamin, or sunlight, can protect against COVID-19 infection.Medical experts have stressed the best measures against COVID-19 include social distancing, practicing proper cough and sneeze hygiene (including safely disposing tissues) and frequent washing of hands with soap or disinfectant.There is no known vaccine for COVID-19, although testing is underway worldwide to develop one.The coronavirus pandemic has led to bizarre claims, including assertions that cow urine and cow dung may be used to cure the infected. This claim was made by this month by an Assam BJP legislator inside the Assembly.On Wednesday police in Bengal said a BJP activist had been arrested because a volunteer fell ill after drinking cow urine during a party event.There are nearly 170 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, with at least three deaths linked to the virus. Across the world over 8,000 have died, as per data from the World Health Organisation and over two lakh are infected.As part of its response, the Indian government has shut international borders and suspended incoming visas from affected countries.State governments have shut down public spaces, such as malls, cinemas, gyms and swimming pools, have urged citizens to refrain from large gatherings and closed schools and colleges.People have also been encouraged to work from home in order to minimise mass contact and ensure social distancing, a measure seen by experts to be crucial in halting the spread of the virus.With input from ANI Read the full article

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Prolonged social distancing would curb virus, but at a high cost - sex and relationships

Americans have been told to hunker down at home for several weeks in order to slow transmission of the novel coronavirus, but a truly effective shutdown would likely have to be significantly longer and more severe.The best way to prevent the pandemic from overwhelming hospitals is social distancing that could drag on for a year or more, until doctors find a way to control it, researchers at Imperial College London said in a report published Monday. They estimated 81% of people in Great Britain and the U.S. would get the virus if no steps were taken to slow its spread. In the U.S., 2.2 million would die, with 510,000 deaths in Great Britain.Everyone who lives with an infected person would need to be quarantined, or schools would need to be closed, the report said. Moderate measures, such as insulating only vulnerable people and isolating those in contact with patients, will lessen the damage, but won’t be enough to avert millions of deaths, according to the new models.Governments have latched onto the idea of social distancing, banning all large-scale activities and warning citizens to stay at least six feet away from others for the foreseeable future. The Trump administration asked Monday that Americans not gather in groups of 10 or more and avoid bars and restaurants for the next 15 days.“The world is facing the most serious public health crisis in generations,” Neil Ferguson, an epidemiologist at Imperial College London, said in an email. To prevent the health system from becoming overwhelmed, large-scale social distancing “will need to be in place for many months -- perhaps until a vaccine becomes available.”The costs of such an ambitious effort to isolate people are far from clear. Even short-term distancing may create economic and social fissures that could take years to repair, while exacerbating existing inequities. The effects of a longer disruption would be even more consequential.“It’s clearly best to start those interventions early and leave them in place from a disease control perspective,” said Marc Lipsitch, an epidemiology professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “But what’s right from a disease control perspective has to be balanced against what’s right for keeping society functioning.”History’s LessonsDraconian isolation measures as a tool for fighting outbreaks have their roots in history. During the 1918 Spanish flu, St. Louis swiftly implemented rules intended to slow its spread, helping to limit casualties. Philadelphia meanwhile waited weeks to put tighter controls in place, and paid the price with an overwhelmed health-care system and more deaths.In the century that has elapsed, the global economy has become more tightly integrated, and people move around the world more freely than ever before. That interconnectedness makes the calculus around severe disease-mitigation efforts more delicate.While keeping a lid on the virus is important, human contact is critical for a wide range of things, Lipsitch said, including social wellbeing and mental health. Exactly how to balance the needs will be a political and policy decision.“It’s important for education and it’s important for commerce; it’s important for keeping the economy going and for keeping people fed,” he said. “We sort of know what to do, but the challenge is that it could take quite a long time of doing it.”The researchers at Imperial College London, who have been advising the World Health Organization, say there could be brief respites from the most severe measures as the months drag on, provided the workload lightens enough that hospitals can withstand another surge of cases.“When you let up on those interventions, then transmission resumes,” said Lipsitch, who wasn’t involved in ICL’s modeling. “The virus doesn’t know that people were social distancing last week. It just knows that it can get from one person to another.”Two StrategiesThe researchers examined the effectiveness of two strategies to blunt the pandemic. The first, mitigation, aims to slow the spread enough to blunt the peak of the epidemic. The other is suppression, an aggressive and prolonged approach intended to reverse the epidemic’s growth, similar to steps taken in China.“Mitigation is unlikely to be a viable option without overwhelming health-care systems,” the researchers concluded in their report.Steps including isolating patients, plus home quarantines for their family members and society-wide social distancing, could reduce deaths in Great Britain to around 100,000 over two years, the researchers estimated. The policies would continue for months, lifted only during periods when ICUs had room to handle a surge of patients.If school closures were added, the deaths could be lowered to 40,000, they said.“It will be necessary to layer multiple interventions,” the Imperial College researchers say in their report. “These policies will need to be maintained until large stocks of vaccine are available.”High CostsIt is expected to take a year to 18 months to develop a widely available coronavirus vaccine. The first immunization designed specifically for the virus that causes Covid-19 began testing on Monday.There are trade offs that will need to be made, and the wrong approach could create more harm than good, said Savi Maharaj, head of the biological modeling research group at the University of Stirling in the U.K.“Pretty much for all diseases, doing social distancing very severely and early on -- such as closing things quickly and locking it down -- can be the optimal approach,” she said. “The epidemic dies out very quickly.”The cost, however, can be very high.A simulation designed to look at what people would do in the real world found they did adopt some social distancing, but not enough to halt the outbreak. With milder measures, an epidemic will persist but the number of cases will be distributed over a longer period, allowing health systems to keep up.“What our study showed is that even moderate social distancing has the benefit of flattening the curve and reducing the peak of disease at any one given time,” she said. “The downside of that is the epidemic lasts longer and the period of social distancing that’s needed is longer.”That may be more realistic.“In the real world, we aren’t able to achieve a complete lock down,” she said. “The societies we live in aren’t closed. Even if one country did a complete lock down, there is the question of whether they can prevent the virus from coming back.”Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.) Read the full article

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Can India Stop A Pandemic From Becoming Pandemonium?

"Be prepared" is the motto of scouts. Unfortunately, most governments, from China to the US, have ignored this and their people are suffering the tremendous onslaught of the Coronavirus.In India, some initial steps of caution and, perhaps, the fact that we are less connected to the world, have so far saved us from an epidemic. Of course, there is the alternative hypothesis that because of our low level of testing, we really don't know the real situation. The truth probably lies somewhere in between.Unfortunately, we do have a history of being under prepared -- and often unprepared -- and then struggle to rectify the situation. Both our recent experiences with demonetisation and GST clearly demonstrated that we are capable of making a mess of any project that involves masses of people and our rule-driven bureaucracy, whose self-confidence beggars belief, manages to tie things in knots that create more chaos than order.And so, after some quick political movement early on, specifically banning the entry of people from various coronavirus-hit countries, along with the closing of schools, universities and recommending that people work from home if possible, the bureaucracy is seemingly satisfied with this, and has returned to masterly inaction.The government claims that it has done 500 tests last week (all negative) and another 500 this weekThe inaction is based on their belief that they know best. So as the number of cases starts to jump with more geometric progression, we are being reminded we haven't entered stage three, which is when there is "social transmission of the disease". If that is true that's wonderful, but would it not be even more satisfying to know that we are A) doing everything to reduce the impact of Stage 3 and B) prepared for a worst-case scenario, so that the panic we don't want to start right now, does not become pandemonium two weeks or a month later?Everybody, from WHO to leading doctors, have been consistently calling for a more vigorous testing of the population. The government claims that it has done 500 tests last week (all negative) and another 500 this week. This, in a population of 1.4 billion, is hardly likely to generate any confidence in the population. Exit polls ask more than a lakh people how they voted and still get it wrong, how can anyone expect anything from 1,000 tests? And where have they done these tests?Did they do them in the neighbourhood of the Maharashtra outbreak, or in Kerala? No, it was just some random shot of 50 close to each testing centre.And even if we are still in Stage 2 or local transmission, shouldn't we be working to reduce the impact of Stage 3 so that we don't actually end up in Stage 4 -- an epidemic?We have to face facts, that when we enter Stage 3 without any effort at containment, we will have lost the battle as social communication will outstrip anything we have seen before.We have to face facts, that when we enter Stage 3 without any effort at containment, we will have lost the battleOur huge metros with enormous slums and cheek by jowl living of families of four or more in one to two room tenements with shared bathrooms (if any) is hardly likely to provide the environment for social distancing. And once a family or two in a basti falls victim, will there be any means of stopping its spread? And then overflowing into the next cluster?How does anyone propose to maintain social distancing in a society where the only voluntary acts we do are like pushing out one's arm and crossing the road assuming everyone will stop. In a semi-literate, poor, and undisciplined society, do we really believe that we will have voluntary self-isolation, or maintain two-metre distance? (Most lanes in slums aren't two metres wide!)Already, there are reports of positive cases running away from hospitals. Finally we have few doctors, fewer hospitals, and certainly nowhere near enough ventilators to face any major crisis.There are reports of positive cases running away from hospitalsSo unless we are going down the British route of letting the virus spread and letting the weak, old and infirm perish, let us take action now:Get more than the 1 million test kits you have ordered.Get and or develop the two/three tests that China Korea and others have got and test on a mass scale.Turn all university residential quarters into quarantine zones, using the facilities of rooms, beds, and catering to provide the place to move those testing positive away from their homes to a place where they can be monitored.Place all arrivals in two weeks' quarantine like New Zealand and Australia have done. Use the above university residences to house them.Implement an urban lockdown for two weeks at a time. It will not destroy the economy; in fact it may actually save it. (China closes down industry for two weeks during the Chinese New Year every year and they manage fine).All migrant workers encouraged to return to their villages.Of course going down this route involves some issues specifically if a shutdown is proposed.What will happen to daily workers? No work means no earnings. How will they live? Can they get something similar to Rs 6,000 given to farmers? Or give home free rations?Will firms/companies give two weeks of paid holiday? Can the companies afford that? Can the government give an extra tax break for that?What will be done for essential supplies, food medicine etc? Ration shops should be able to handle the grains and sugar needs given our huge stocks.How will this be policed? We have a huge paramilitary force that can do this.Yes, let us not panic, but let us use the advantage we have of everyone's experience and implement those steps now rather than wait for the tragedy to overwhelm us. If things don't go south that's fine, the exercise will not have cost a lot, but if the epidemic does hit and we are not prepared, we will be in a long dark tunnel for quite sometime.(Ishwari Bajpai is Senior Advisor at NDTV)Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same. Read the full article

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Woman Shares News Of Engagement With Grandpa Through Nursing Home Window

Coronavirus: Carly Boyd broke news of her engagement to her grandfather through a window.To contain the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus, thousands of nursing homes and assisted-living facilities across the US have limited visitors and guests. So when nursing student Carly Boyd got engaged over the weekend, she found that there was one special person she could not share the news with - her grandfather. Carly's grandfather, Shelton Mahala, 87, lives at Premier Living and Rehab Center in North Carolina and can't see guests until further notice due to the coronavirus pandemic. "I really wanted to be able to tell my grandfather because he has dementia and there's no phone in there that he has access to," said Carly to KOLD. "I just really wanted to make an effort to tell him."The 21-year-old managed to find a way to tell her grandfather of her engagement and show him her ring. She decided to reveal the news standing at his bedroom window. "When I arrived at the nursing home ... I run around the building to get to his bedroom window and they pulled up his blinds," Carly said to ABC News. "I point to my ring and he realised I was engaged!"Photos of the two meeting each other with a pane of glass between them have gone viral on social media and struck a chord with thousands. Since being shared on Facebook by Premier Living and Rehab Center, the photos have collected more than 2 lakh reactions, over 1.7 lakh 'shares' and thousands of comments. "I'm crying like a baby!! This is love even if it through glass she wanted him to know face to face not over a phone. Even though it's hard it's moments like this that are so precious!" wrote one person in the comments section. "Thanks for sharing this moment of love. We all need bright spots like this right now," said another. "It was very special," said Carly. "I just put my hand on the window, and he put his there too. I just told him I love him, and he said, 'I love you, too, and I hope to see you soon,' like really see you."Click for more trending news(function(d, s, id) {var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s);if (d.getElementById(id)) return;js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;js.src = "http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.6";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); Read the full article

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Shah Rukh Khan Tweets After IPL Meet, Hopes "Show Can Go On"

Shah Rukh Khan, who is the co-owner of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), tweeted after the IPL governing council meeting on Saturday, saying that it was to reiterate that the safety of all those concerned was the biggest priority for all stakeholders. "Wonderful to meet all the Franchise owners 'off the field' so to say. The meeting by @Bcci and @ipl was to reiterate what all of us feel...safety first of the spectators, players management & cities we play in," the iconic actor tweeted. The meeting took place a day after the BCCI decided to postpone the start of IPL 2020 to April 15 from March 29 amid the coronavirus pandemic."All directives of the health agencies & govt to be followed," he added in his tweet. 1/2 Wonderful to meet all the Franchise owners 'off the field' so to say. The meeting by @Bcci and @ipl was to reiterate what all of us feel...safety first of the spectators, players management & cities we play in. All directives of the health agencies & govt to be followed.. — Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) March 14, 2020"Hope the spread of the virus subsides & the show can go on," he wrote in a second tweet."BCCI & team owners in consultation with the govt will keep a close watch & decide the way fwd in the health interest of ever1," he wrote. 2/2. Hope the spread of the virus subsides & the show can go on. BCCI & team owners in consultation with the govt will keep a close watch & decide the way fwd in the health interest of ever1. Lovely 2 meet every1 & then sanitise ourselves repeatedly..@SGanguly99 @JayShah #BPatel — Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) March 14, 2020"Lovely 2 meet every1 & then sanitise ourselves repeatedly," he signed off, with some of his typical wit.With speculation about the IPL growing, the BCCI on Friday announced their decision to postpone the tournament by a little over two weeks."First priority is safety, so we postponed the games," BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said after the decision was announced.The coronavirus disease has claimed the lives of over 5000 people across the globe, with two deaths reported in India so far. Read the full article

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UP Brings Ordinance On Damage Recovery After Top Court's "No Law" Remark On Protesters' Hoardings

Uttar Pradesh cabinet has approved "UP Recovery of damage to public properties Ordinance-2020".Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Friday approved "UP Recovery of damage to public properties Ordinance-2020" for recovery of losses due to damage to government and private properties during political processions.The decision in this regard was taken by a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday evening."The cabinet has approved UP Recovery of damage to public properties Ordinance-2020 for recovery of losses of government and private properties during political processions, illegal agitations," UP Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna told reporters after the cabinet meeting.When asked about the rules and regulations regarding this, the minister said, "Niyamawali me sari cheez spasht ho jayegi" (Everything will be clear in the rules and regulations being framed)"As per the SC decision to constitute recovery tribunal to recover losses to the government and private properties in political and illegal agitations in the country, the resolution to bring the ordinance has been passed in the cabinet," he said.Cabinet Minister Sidharth Nath Singh said presently recovery was done through government order (GO) but after the SC orders the ordinance was brought in.He also said that during the cabinet meeting, all the ministers praised the chief minister for his decision "to approach Supreme Court as it will help prevent incidents of vandalism and damage of properties in future."The Supreme Court had on Thursday told the Uttar Pradesh government that there is "no law" which backs its action of putting up posters on roadsides with details of those accused of vandalism during anti-CAA protests in LucknowThe top court, while referring the appeal of the state government to a larger three-judge bench next week on the ground that it required "further elaboration and consideration" to put a poster, saying whether the fundamental right to privacy of alleged protesters can be waived by the state by "castigating them for all times" to come.A vacation bench of justices U U Lalit and Aniruddha Bose did not stay the Allahabad High Court's March 9 order asking the Lucknow administration to remove the posters.The Uttar Pradesh government had moved the top court challenging the Allahabad High Court order.The High Court had also directed the district magistrate and the Lucknow police commissioner to submit a compliance report on or before March 16.The posters were displayed to "name and shame" the accused who had allegedly caused damage to public property during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in the state capital on December 19 last year.Besides IPS officer SR Darapuri, activist-politician Sadaf Jafar is among those whose names and photos have been put up at major road crossings in Lucknow. Read the full article