Breaking news on March 25

State-run Bank of Baroda on Wednesday said it has set up an emergency credit line to provide funds to its existing MSME and corporate borrowers impacted by the outbreak of coronavirus.

An elderly man was killed by lightning in Thane district which experienced unseasonal rains on Wednesday, an official said in Thane.

Sri Lanka on Wednesday extended curfew in its Western province, housing business and administrative centres, for an indefinite period to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus that has infected 102 people in the island nation.

Taxation experts have welcomed the measures announced by the government, saying these steps will add up to 2-3 per cent of GDP but will go a long way in addressing the issue of liquidity and deferment of payment obligations.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman will chair an emergency virtual summit of G20 leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, on Thursday to advance the coordinated response to the novel coronavirus pandemic that has claimed nearly 19,000 lives and upended life and businesses across the globe.

Amid problems faced by stock brokers and other staff related to market entities in reaching their offices due to a nationwide lockdown, markets regulator Sebi on Wednesday asked all the states and union territories to allow such personnel to commute to their workplaces for smooth functioning of the capital markets.

Reliance Industries' promoter Devarshi Commercials LLP on Wednesday offloaded shares worth over Rs 11,000 crore in the firm through open market transactions.

The BJP on Wednesday said its one crore workers will provide for meals of five poor persons each during the 21-day lockdown to combat coronavirus.

Indian alcoholic beverage companies have requested state governments to extend excise year by about a month from the date 21 days of lockdown ends.

Pakistan has suspended all domestic flight operations until April 2 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus after the country reported over 1,000 cases and seven deaths from the COVID-19 infection, authorities said on Wednesday.

TVS Motor Company on Wednesday said its Indonesia-based subsidiary will commence manufacturing operations from Thursday.

Centre asks states to resolve immediately e-tailers' problems in delivering essential items.

The CBI has questioned two prime accused in the Rs 2,267 crore Employees' Provident Fund scam in Uttar Pradesh wherein savings of power sector employees was invested in the Dewan Housing Finance Corporation, which is facing multiple probes of swindling funds worth Rs 30,000 crore, officials said.

A special CBI court in New Delhi has sentenced a former junior engineer of Delhi Agricultural Marketing Board to four years of rigorous imprisonment in a bribery case, the agency said on Wednesday.

The Southern Railway on Wednesday announced extension of the cancellation of passenger train services and closure of ticket counters in the wake of a three-week lockdown announced by the Centre to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

State-owned REC on Wednesday said its board has approved a proposal to revise upward its borrowing for the current financial year to Rs 94,000 crore from the Rs 90,000 crore estimated earlier.

The government on Wednesday approved the continuation of the scheme for Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) on export of garments and made-ups from beyond March 31 till it is merged with the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products scheme.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed grief over the attack on a gurudwara in Kabul. Addressing people of his Lok Sabha constituency of Varanasi, he said he is pained by the terror attack.

"I express my condolences to the families of all those killed," he said.

At least 25 people have been killed in the attack.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has started distributing food kits to daily wage workers in the city to help them during the 21-day lockdown period imposed in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

The Madras High Court on Wednesday notified complete suspension of all judicial services across Tamil Nadu for three weeks or till further orders.

Indian aviation sector is projected to incur a staggering USD 3.3-3.6 billion loss in the first quarter of the next financial year if flight services remain grounded till June-end, according to a report.

With the unprecedented nationwide lockdown shutting down factories, ONGC has been forced to cut natural gas production by up to one-tenth as customers refused to take supplies because of business disruption.

To ensure sufficient supply during the lockdown, the government on Thursday decided to increase the monthly quota of subsidized foodgrains by 2 kg to 7kg per person through ration shops for 80 crore beneficiaries.

Zendesk Inc on Wednesday announced a strategic alliance with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to provide enterprise-grade CRM solutions for large enterprises.

The Uttarakhand Assembly on Wednesday held a brief one-hour session to pass the state's annual budget of Rs 43866.11 crore without holding a discussion on it.

Spot gold markets in India remained shut on Wednesday due to countrywide lockdown to prevent spreading of Covid-19, according to HDFC Securities.

With the coronavirus pandemic causing a nationwide lockdown and affecting businesses, the government has decided to pitch in with its support for the corporate sector to prevent any liquidity problems for them.

The Centre has asked banks to be ready to extend emergency credit lines on easier terms to corporate borrowers so that business activity didn't suffer on account liquidity squeeze. It has discussed the issue with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Wednesday approved a Rs 1,340-crore recapitalisation plan for regional rural banks (RRB).

Sensex zooms 1,861.75 points to end at 28,535.78; Nifty surges 516.80 points to 8,317.85

Cabinet nod to Rs 1,340 cr recapitalisation of regional rural banks to improve capital to risk weighted asset ratio: I&B Minister

Delhi High Court seeks response of the Ministry of External Affairs on a plea stating that many Indian students are stranded at Kazakhstan's Almaty airport without food, water, transportation & medical aid etc for last 2/3 days. Court heard the matter through video conferencing.

Delhi Police said: "I had a meeting with e-commerce website representatives, they shared the problems faced by them in the movement of essential goods. We have issued passes to them and assured that their delivery agents will be helped by the police." 

"We have set up a platform for e-commerce websites where they can share with us the problems they are facing, so we can solve them," Delhi added.

Army Headquarters are closed today in view of the lockdown announcement by the Government. From tomorrow onwards, only 5-10 percent of essential staff to work for meeting the operational requirements.

Police in Amritsar distributed food to the needy amid lockdown, in wake of Coronavirus outbreak

Long lines were seen outside grocery shops all across the country as people came out in numbers to store essential items after Prime Minister Modi announced the lockdown Tuesday evening. People in Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Kolkata, Pune, Mumbai, Patna, Bhopal, Indore, Jaipur, Chandigarh and across India crowded stores to buy essential supplies including rice, wheat and pulses. Flour was out of stock at several such stores as demand outweighed supply amid lockdown due to coronavirus. 

US Senate, White House agree on a $2 trillion Coronavirus rescue plan.

Afghan interior ministry reports attack on Sikh religious site in Kabul, including suicide bombers

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked states and Union Territories to keep an eye on rumour mongers, including those related to shortage of food and other essential services and commodities. Asked also to take all measures to allay apprehensions & maintain peace & tranquility.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to hold a meeting with Lt Governor Anil Baijal at 11 am today at LG Secretariat

Sangli district administration releases contact numbers for citizens to get home delivery of essential items on call. Police personnel and district administration will facilitate delivery. Service being provided in Kupwad, Miraj and Sangli city for now 

People in Noida practice social distancing. Visuals from outside a grocery store in Sector-19 

Sensex at 27,138.97; up by 464.94 points

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to interact with citizens of Varanasi via video conferencing, today at 5 pm

7.5-magnitude earthquake strikes Russia's Kuril Islands

Police barricading continues at Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border to stop movement of vehicles except those rendering/availing essential services amid lockdown; visuals from Delhi Noida Direct Flyway (DND). 

India bans export of Hydroxychloroquine with immediate effect. But,exports from SEZs/EOU,shipments where Irrevocable Letter of Credit has been issued & on humanitarian grounds on case-to-case basis as recommended by External Affairs Ministry to be allowed

Former Karnataka CM & Congress leader Siddaramaiah said: "The government has miserably failed in tackling this very serious disease. They are not properly managing the crisis."

All shops of essential items in Uttarakhand will be open from 7 AM to 10 AM today, movement of people on roads will be restricted after 10 AM amid Coronavirus Lockdown

Jhandewalan Mandir remains closed for devotees amid Coronavirus Lockdown, on the 1st day of 'Chaitra Navratri',today. The temple authorities have put a notice board saying 'the temple will remain closed from 21st March till further notice as per the guidelines of the govt'