19:17 March 15
Coronavirus crisis to severely affect India's retail sector
The coronavirus outbreak has caused panic among the common people and resulted in precautionary measures across several states in India including shutting of malls and theatres.
These measures and concern among the public, although very necessary and timely, would have a severe financial impact on the country's retail sector, sector experts said.
18:40 March 15
CAIT writes to FM seeking insurance cover for coronavirus-hit businesses
Traders' body CAIT has appealed to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to direct regulator IRDAI to mandate insurance firms to introduce coverage for disruptions to businesses on account of the coronavirus outbreak.
In a letter to Sitharaman, CAIT suggested that insurance companies may be mandated to introduce 'disruptions due to coronavirus' as an additional cover to fire and materials damage policies, and the existing policyholders may be offered an option to add the additional cover.
18:40 March 15
Coronavirus hits hotel industry hard in Rajasthan
The hotel industry is currently at a loss because of coronavirus pandemic and 100 per cent bookings including advances ones have been cancelled, said Gajendra Luniwal, president of Jaipur Hotel Association.
"100 per cent bookings including advanced ones have been cancelled. Domestic tourists are also not visiting now. It has reached zero. The hotel industry and allied services are facing losses. We have reached a position where paying salaries to employees will be difficult," Luniwal said.
18:40 March 15
First and second confirmatory tests for COVID-19 are free: Sanjeeva Kumar
Sanjeeva Kumar, Special Secretary, Ministry of Health on Sunday said that both first and second confirmatory tests for COVID-19 are free for all citizens and the country has enough capacity as only 10 per cent of the capacity has been utilised per day so far.
"Both the first and second confirmatory tests for the coronavirus are free for all citizens and the country has enough testing capacities as only 10 per cent of the total capacity has been utilised per day so far," Kumar said in a press conference.
"An order has been placed for the procurement of an additional 80,56,365 N95 masks and personal protective equipment for the healthcare workers," he said while adding that the AIIMS has instituted a 24x7 helpline - 9971876591 - dedicated to COVID 19. This number is continuously being manned by doctors, he added.
18:38 March 15
Etihad Airways makes temporary changes in its route amid COVID-19 pandemic
Etihad Airways announced to have implemented "a series of consolidated network changes due to the spread of COVID-19 and its continuing impact on air travel services globally."
"Due to the spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus and its continuing impact on air travel services globally, Etihad Airways continues to follow UAE and international government and regulatory authority directives and has implemented a series of consolidated network changes," said the airline in a statement.
18:38 March 15
Centre taking measures to curb COVID-19, no taxes on medicines related to virus, says G Kishan Reddy
Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy said that the Centre is taking all the necessary measures to combat the deadly coronavirus.
Reddy, who undertook a review with officials of MARKFED, CCI and NAFED in Hyderabad on Sunday, said: "We are conducting a review with the authorities every day and alerting them. There are no taxes on the manufacture of medicine related to coronavirus. The Central government will take all steps to stop the virus from spreading. The Center has been talking to all State officials from time to time. The Central government is taking all necessary steps in fighting the coronavirus."
Regarding the problems of the farmers, the MoS said, "We have discussed the problems faced by the farmers with the authorities on the purchase of crops and cotton. In the past few days, there has been concern among farmers over the purchase of livestock in the State."
"We are ready to buy 25 per cent of the production of berries by the State government," he said.
15:55 March 15
Telangana shuts all pubs, clubs to contain coronavirus spread
Telangana government has ordered the closure of bars, clubs and other public gathering places in the state till March 21 in the wake of an outbreak of coronavirus across the country.
"In the circumstances stated in the reference cited and in exercise of the powers vested under Section 72 of Telangana Excise Act 1968, Government, hereby direct the Director, Prohibition and Excise, Hyderabad to close all bars, club, tourism bars and permit rooms of A4 shops upto 21st March, 2020," the notification read.
KG, primary schools closed in TN till March 31; Theatres, malls too shut in border districts
The Tamil Nadu government directed closure of all kintergarden and primary schools till March 31 as it stepped up preventive measures against coronavirus.
Chief Minister K Palaniswami also issued order for closure of cinema halls and malls where people gather in large numbers till the month end in the taluks in 16 districts bordering neighbouring Kerala and Karnataka, where the number of COVID-19 cases is on the rise, an official release said.
15:55 March 15
India-Bangladesh passenger train services suspended
India-Bangladesh passenger train services between Kolkata and cities in the neighbouring country have been suspended from Sunday as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19, on a Union government directive, an Eastern Railway official said.
The Eastern Railway said services of Maitree and Bandhan Express trains will remain suspended from March 15 to April 15 or till further orders, whichever is earlier.
The services of the two trains have been suspended as precautions being taken to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus, the ER official said.
15:22 March 15
Kerala tourism sector hit by pandemic
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has heavily impacted the tourism industry in Kerala. Shops, resorts and boat operators have been facing the brunt of the slowdown due to lower tourist footfalls.
Most of the shops near the Kerala Trade Centre were closed as few citizens ventured out of their homes amid fears about the pandemic. Kerala has 22 confirmed cases of coronavirus.
14:46 March 15
Assam shuts swimming pools, cinema halls till March 29
The Assam government has ordered shutting down of educational institutions, gymnasiums, swimming pools and cinema halls with immediate effect till March 29 in the wake of novel coronavirus outbreak.
Assam Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna, addressing a press conference here said, "Even though no positive case has been detected in the state so far, we are taking all precautionary measures."
Theatres, marriage halls closed in Madhya Pradesh
Amid coronavirus outbreak concerns, Madhya Pradesh government announced that schools, colleges, libraries, cinema halls, marriage halls, public gatherings, etc., will remain shut till further orders.
Addressing a press conference after a Cabinet meeting, Cabinet Minister PC Sharma said: "Schools, colleges, libraries, cinema halls, marriage halls, public gatherings, etc., have been shut till further orders. 50 isolation centres have been set up in the state. We are working on a war footing to tackle the coronavirus infection."
14:45 March 15
Medical stores in Manipur warned against hiking prices of masks, sanitisers
The Manipur government has warned all licensed pharmacies and drug stores of stringent action for hoarding and jacking up prices of masks and hand sanitisers, amid growing demand for the items in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak.
A notification issued by the Directorate of Health Services has also asked the medical shops to ensure steady supply of essential items to people.
A similar notice issued by State Drugs Controller and Licensing Authority has also cautioned the medical stores against "violation of the price norms" and said that any aberration will be strictly dealt with.
14:45 March 15
'More than 25,000 crew, passengers on over 700 ships not allowed to disembark at Indian ports'
To contain the spread of deadly coronavirus, the government has so far prevented more than 25,000 crew and passengers on board over 700 ships from disembarking on Indian shores, a Shipping Ministry official said.
"Till March 13, a total of 25,504 crew and passengers on board 703 vessels arrived on Indian shores from China or travel history to impacted countries. They have not been allowed to disembark as a precautionary measure to contain any possible spread of the virus. They were allowed to anchor at designated places, but no shore passes were issued to such crew and passengers post January 26," the official said.
14:45 March 15
UAE pledges USD 27 bn in stimulus as Mideast works to slow virus
The central bank of the United Arab Emirates, home to the skyscraper-studded city of Dubai announced a USD 27 billion stimulus package to deal with the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
The money will go toward supporting the country's banks, and regulatory limits on loans will be eased.
12:59 March 15
Hyundai sees silver lining in coronavirus pandemic as consumers opt for safe personal transportation
Amid the gloom surrounding coronavirus pandemic, South Korean auto major Hyundai sees a silver lining for the slowdown-hit auto industry in India as consumers seek isolated mode of transportation at a time when it is also preparing to ramp up online sales of vehicles, according to a senior company official.
Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL), the company's wholly-owned arm, plans a nationwide launch of its 'click to buy' programme, which was introduced as a pilot project for the National Capital Region at Auto Expo last month, enabling consumers to avoid visiting crowded dealerships.
The company has also taken many internal measures, including daily temperature checking of employees and visitors at its Chennai plant and office, putting a ban on foreign travels for executives while restricting domestic travel to only extremely important business trips.
12:59 March 15
Medical store in Kerala sells face masks for Rs 2
At a time when many pharmacies are charging exorbitant prices for the face masks and hand sanitisers in the backdrop of high demand due to the coronavirus pandemic, a surgical shop owner here is selling masks just for Rs 2.
The supplies of masks and sanitisers have been limited and are being sold at higher prices than normal due to inflated demand following a surge in COVID-19 cases in the country.
However, the surgical store in Kerala has decided to stick to the original costing and has so far sold over 5000 masks in the last two days.
12:59 March 15
Fear is the mind-killer
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 15, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="">Fear is the mind-killer
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 15, 2020
Fear is the mind-killer
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 15, 2020
Coronavirus fear is mind killer: Elon Musk
SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk who thinks the new coronavirus (COVID-19) debate is just 'dumb,' on Sunday said that the unnecessary fear over the pandemic is not good for the humanity.
"Fear is the mind-killer," Musk tweeted.
12:58 March 15
Construction, transport, chemical manufacturing likely to be worst-affected, says report
Construction, transport and chemical manufacturing sectors are likely to be the worst-affected by the coronavirus pandemic in China, says a report.
However, India's top imports -- crude oil and gems and jewellery -- which collectively account for 46 per cent of total imports are relatively insulated from the public health crisis in China, according to the report by ICICI Securities.
12:58 March 15
FPIs press panic button, withdraw Rs 37,976 cr from Indian mkts
Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have withdrawn a whopping Rs 37,976 crore on a net basis from the Indian markets in March so far amid the coronavirus pandemic triggering fears of a global recession.
Overseas investors pulled out a net sum of Rs 24,776.36 crore from equities and Rs 13,199.54 crore from the debt segment between Mar 2-13, depositories data showed.
This translates into a total net outflow of Rs 37,975.90 crore during the period under review.
12:58 March 15
Ferrari suspends production over coronavirus
Italian luxury carmaker Ferrari said it was suspending production for two weeks at two of its factories, citing "serious difficulties" related to Italy being in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Production will stop immediately at the Maranello and Modena factories until March 27, Ferrari said in a statement.
"This measure has been taken in the interest of employees and following a series of rigorous measures already taken to ensure onsite security," the firm said.
12:57 March 15
IndiGo to cancel some flights to UAE
IndiGo said it will cancel some of its flights to the UAE after the Gulf country announced that it would suspend all entry visas, except diplomatic visas, from March 17 in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement, the airline said, "Owing to the suspension of visas for all foreigners with the exception of diplomatic passport holders, IndiGo will be cancelling some of its flights to Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi w.e.f. March 17, 2020 until the travel restrictions are lifted."
"We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers, and will be refunding the full amount to the impacted passengers," it added.
12:57 March 15
Durable industry to be in red zone if component supply does not improve by April
Appliances and consumer electronics industry, which source components mainly from China, may be in the “red zone” if the supply of materials impacted by coronavirus pandemic does not improve by next month, according to an industry body.
Prices of consumer durables products as airconditioners, televisions and refrigerators, are being revised by the manufacturers due to supply constraints, the Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA) said.
According to the CEAMA, though factories in China have started operating but they are still operating at around half of their capacity.
Moreover, if the availability does not improve by April, then the industry would be in “red zone”.
12:57 March 15
Central, Western Railway withdraw curtains, blankets from AC coaches
In the wake of coronavirus outbreak, Central and Western Railway ordered withdrawal of blankets and curtains from AC coaches as they are not washed every day.
Other items in the bed roll, including bedsheets, towels and pillow covers, are washed every day.
"As per the extant instructions, curtains and blankets provided in AC coaches are not washed (after) every trip. In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, blankets and curtains will be immediately withdrawn from service till further orders."
"Passengers will be advised to bring their own blankets in their own interest. Some additional bedsheets will be kept for any exigencies," Western Railway spokesperson Gajanan Mahatpurkar said.
12:57 March 15
Coal import declines 14 pc to 17 MT in February
India's coal imports registered a decline of 14.1 per cent to 17.01 million tonnes (MT) in February in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, as per industry data.
The country's coal imports in February last year stood at 19.82 MT, according to a provisional compilation by mjunction services, based on monitoring of vessels' positions and data received from shipping companies.
12:56 March 15
US providers offer free Wi-Fi for 60 days
US internet and wireless providers have announced temporary measures to make getting online less expensive and onerous as enforced social distancing due to the new coronavirus forces more human interaction online.
Most notable is Comcast's free public Wi-Fi for all for 60 days, effective Saturday. Major metropolitan areas are thick with Comcast's Xfinity-branded hotspots.
12:53 March 15
US expands travel restrictions to UK, Ireland
Washington: The United States has expanded its travel ban imposed on European countries in view of the coronavirus pandemic to the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The move came as President Donald Trump reviewed measures that his administration was taking to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has so far claimed 55 lives in the country.
The new travel restriction will come into force on Monday night, Vice President Mike Pence told reporters on Saturday after a meeting of the White House Task Force on Coronavirus.
"They've had a little bit of activity unfortunately," Trump told reporters at a White House news conference in response to a question on the travel ban on the United Kingdom and Ireland.
"We made a unanimous recommendation to the President that we suspend all travel from the UK and Ireland. That will be effective midnight, Monday night, Eastern Standard Time," Pence said soon thereafter.
Read more:Petrol price cut by 12 paise/litre, diesel by 14 paise
American citizens and legal permanent residents in the UK or Ireland can come home, Pence said. They will be "funneled through specific airports and processed," he added.
"We continue to emphasize that the risk of serious illness for the average American remains low, but data shows that seniors with serious underlying health conditions are our most vulnerable population, the people most susceptible to serious medical outcomes," Pence said.
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad F Wolf said the decision to expand the travel ban to the UK and Ireland was taken due to the rising number of cases there.
"These restrictions bar travel for certain foreign nationals who have been present in the UK or Ireland in the past 14 days," he said.
"These restrictions to the UK and Ireland, just like the Schengen zone and China and Iran, do not apply to air cargo, maritime cargo, economic shipping, or the like," Wolf said.
(Inputs from agencies)
19:17 March 15
Coronavirus crisis to severely affect India's retail sector
The coronavirus outbreak has caused panic among the common people and resulted in precautionary measures across several states in India including shutting of malls and theatres.
These measures and concern among the public, although very necessary and timely, would have a severe financial impact on the country's retail sector, sector experts said.
18:40 March 15
CAIT writes to FM seeking insurance cover for coronavirus-hit businesses
Traders' body CAIT has appealed to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to direct regulator IRDAI to mandate insurance firms to introduce coverage for disruptions to businesses on account of the coronavirus outbreak.
In a letter to Sitharaman, CAIT suggested that insurance companies may be mandated to introduce 'disruptions due to coronavirus' as an additional cover to fire and materials damage policies, and the existing policyholders may be offered an option to add the additional cover.
18:40 March 15
Coronavirus hits hotel industry hard in Rajasthan
The hotel industry is currently at a loss because of coronavirus pandemic and 100 per cent bookings including advances ones have been cancelled, said Gajendra Luniwal, president of Jaipur Hotel Association.
"100 per cent bookings including advanced ones have been cancelled. Domestic tourists are also not visiting now. It has reached zero. The hotel industry and allied services are facing losses. We have reached a position where paying salaries to employees will be difficult," Luniwal said.
18:40 March 15
First and second confirmatory tests for COVID-19 are free: Sanjeeva Kumar
Sanjeeva Kumar, Special Secretary, Ministry of Health on Sunday said that both first and second confirmatory tests for COVID-19 are free for all citizens and the country has enough capacity as only 10 per cent of the capacity has been utilised per day so far.
"Both the first and second confirmatory tests for the coronavirus are free for all citizens and the country has enough testing capacities as only 10 per cent of the total capacity has been utilised per day so far," Kumar said in a press conference.
"An order has been placed for the procurement of an additional 80,56,365 N95 masks and personal protective equipment for the healthcare workers," he said while adding that the AIIMS has instituted a 24x7 helpline - 9971876591 - dedicated to COVID 19. This number is continuously being manned by doctors, he added.
18:38 March 15
Etihad Airways makes temporary changes in its route amid COVID-19 pandemic
Etihad Airways announced to have implemented "a series of consolidated network changes due to the spread of COVID-19 and its continuing impact on air travel services globally."
"Due to the spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus and its continuing impact on air travel services globally, Etihad Airways continues to follow UAE and international government and regulatory authority directives and has implemented a series of consolidated network changes," said the airline in a statement.
18:38 March 15
Centre taking measures to curb COVID-19, no taxes on medicines related to virus, says G Kishan Reddy
Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy said that the Centre is taking all the necessary measures to combat the deadly coronavirus.
Reddy, who undertook a review with officials of MARKFED, CCI and NAFED in Hyderabad on Sunday, said: "We are conducting a review with the authorities every day and alerting them. There are no taxes on the manufacture of medicine related to coronavirus. The Central government will take all steps to stop the virus from spreading. The Center has been talking to all State officials from time to time. The Central government is taking all necessary steps in fighting the coronavirus."
Regarding the problems of the farmers, the MoS said, "We have discussed the problems faced by the farmers with the authorities on the purchase of crops and cotton. In the past few days, there has been concern among farmers over the purchase of livestock in the State."
"We are ready to buy 25 per cent of the production of berries by the State government," he said.
15:55 March 15
Telangana shuts all pubs, clubs to contain coronavirus spread
Telangana government has ordered the closure of bars, clubs and other public gathering places in the state till March 21 in the wake of an outbreak of coronavirus across the country.
"In the circumstances stated in the reference cited and in exercise of the powers vested under Section 72 of Telangana Excise Act 1968, Government, hereby direct the Director, Prohibition and Excise, Hyderabad to close all bars, club, tourism bars and permit rooms of A4 shops upto 21st March, 2020," the notification read.
KG, primary schools closed in TN till March 31; Theatres, malls too shut in border districts
The Tamil Nadu government directed closure of all kintergarden and primary schools till March 31 as it stepped up preventive measures against coronavirus.
Chief Minister K Palaniswami also issued order for closure of cinema halls and malls where people gather in large numbers till the month end in the taluks in 16 districts bordering neighbouring Kerala and Karnataka, where the number of COVID-19 cases is on the rise, an official release said.
15:55 March 15
India-Bangladesh passenger train services suspended
India-Bangladesh passenger train services between Kolkata and cities in the neighbouring country have been suspended from Sunday as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19, on a Union government directive, an Eastern Railway official said.
The Eastern Railway said services of Maitree and Bandhan Express trains will remain suspended from March 15 to April 15 or till further orders, whichever is earlier.
The services of the two trains have been suspended as precautions being taken to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus, the ER official said.
15:22 March 15
Kerala tourism sector hit by pandemic
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has heavily impacted the tourism industry in Kerala. Shops, resorts and boat operators have been facing the brunt of the slowdown due to lower tourist footfalls.
Most of the shops near the Kerala Trade Centre were closed as few citizens ventured out of their homes amid fears about the pandemic. Kerala has 22 confirmed cases of coronavirus.
14:46 March 15
Assam shuts swimming pools, cinema halls till March 29
The Assam government has ordered shutting down of educational institutions, gymnasiums, swimming pools and cinema halls with immediate effect till March 29 in the wake of novel coronavirus outbreak.
Assam Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna, addressing a press conference here said, "Even though no positive case has been detected in the state so far, we are taking all precautionary measures."
Theatres, marriage halls closed in Madhya Pradesh
Amid coronavirus outbreak concerns, Madhya Pradesh government announced that schools, colleges, libraries, cinema halls, marriage halls, public gatherings, etc., will remain shut till further orders.
Addressing a press conference after a Cabinet meeting, Cabinet Minister PC Sharma said: "Schools, colleges, libraries, cinema halls, marriage halls, public gatherings, etc., have been shut till further orders. 50 isolation centres have been set up in the state. We are working on a war footing to tackle the coronavirus infection."
14:45 March 15
Medical stores in Manipur warned against hiking prices of masks, sanitisers
The Manipur government has warned all licensed pharmacies and drug stores of stringent action for hoarding and jacking up prices of masks and hand sanitisers, amid growing demand for the items in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak.
A notification issued by the Directorate of Health Services has also asked the medical shops to ensure steady supply of essential items to people.
A similar notice issued by State Drugs Controller and Licensing Authority has also cautioned the medical stores against "violation of the price norms" and said that any aberration will be strictly dealt with.
14:45 March 15
'More than 25,000 crew, passengers on over 700 ships not allowed to disembark at Indian ports'
To contain the spread of deadly coronavirus, the government has so far prevented more than 25,000 crew and passengers on board over 700 ships from disembarking on Indian shores, a Shipping Ministry official said.
"Till March 13, a total of 25,504 crew and passengers on board 703 vessels arrived on Indian shores from China or travel history to impacted countries. They have not been allowed to disembark as a precautionary measure to contain any possible spread of the virus. They were allowed to anchor at designated places, but no shore passes were issued to such crew and passengers post January 26," the official said.
14:45 March 15
UAE pledges USD 27 bn in stimulus as Mideast works to slow virus
The central bank of the United Arab Emirates, home to the skyscraper-studded city of Dubai announced a USD 27 billion stimulus package to deal with the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
The money will go toward supporting the country's banks, and regulatory limits on loans will be eased.
12:59 March 15
Hyundai sees silver lining in coronavirus pandemic as consumers opt for safe personal transportation
Amid the gloom surrounding coronavirus pandemic, South Korean auto major Hyundai sees a silver lining for the slowdown-hit auto industry in India as consumers seek isolated mode of transportation at a time when it is also preparing to ramp up online sales of vehicles, according to a senior company official.
Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL), the company's wholly-owned arm, plans a nationwide launch of its 'click to buy' programme, which was introduced as a pilot project for the National Capital Region at Auto Expo last month, enabling consumers to avoid visiting crowded dealerships.
The company has also taken many internal measures, including daily temperature checking of employees and visitors at its Chennai plant and office, putting a ban on foreign travels for executives while restricting domestic travel to only extremely important business trips.
12:59 March 15
Medical store in Kerala sells face masks for Rs 2
At a time when many pharmacies are charging exorbitant prices for the face masks and hand sanitisers in the backdrop of high demand due to the coronavirus pandemic, a surgical shop owner here is selling masks just for Rs 2.
The supplies of masks and sanitisers have been limited and are being sold at higher prices than normal due to inflated demand following a surge in COVID-19 cases in the country.
However, the surgical store in Kerala has decided to stick to the original costing and has so far sold over 5000 masks in the last two days.
12:59 March 15
Fear is the mind-killer
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 15, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="">Fear is the mind-killer
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 15, 2020
Fear is the mind-killer
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 15, 2020
Coronavirus fear is mind killer: Elon Musk
SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk who thinks the new coronavirus (COVID-19) debate is just 'dumb,' on Sunday said that the unnecessary fear over the pandemic is not good for the humanity.
"Fear is the mind-killer," Musk tweeted.
12:58 March 15
Construction, transport, chemical manufacturing likely to be worst-affected, says report
Construction, transport and chemical manufacturing sectors are likely to be the worst-affected by the coronavirus pandemic in China, says a report.
However, India's top imports -- crude oil and gems and jewellery -- which collectively account for 46 per cent of total imports are relatively insulated from the public health crisis in China, according to the report by ICICI Securities.
12:58 March 15
FPIs press panic button, withdraw Rs 37,976 cr from Indian mkts
Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have withdrawn a whopping Rs 37,976 crore on a net basis from the Indian markets in March so far amid the coronavirus pandemic triggering fears of a global recession.
Overseas investors pulled out a net sum of Rs 24,776.36 crore from equities and Rs 13,199.54 crore from the debt segment between Mar 2-13, depositories data showed.
This translates into a total net outflow of Rs 37,975.90 crore during the period under review.
12:58 March 15
Ferrari suspends production over coronavirus
Italian luxury carmaker Ferrari said it was suspending production for two weeks at two of its factories, citing "serious difficulties" related to Italy being in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Production will stop immediately at the Maranello and Modena factories until March 27, Ferrari said in a statement.
"This measure has been taken in the interest of employees and following a series of rigorous measures already taken to ensure onsite security," the firm said.
12:57 March 15
IndiGo to cancel some flights to UAE
IndiGo said it will cancel some of its flights to the UAE after the Gulf country announced that it would suspend all entry visas, except diplomatic visas, from March 17 in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement, the airline said, "Owing to the suspension of visas for all foreigners with the exception of diplomatic passport holders, IndiGo will be cancelling some of its flights to Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi w.e.f. March 17, 2020 until the travel restrictions are lifted."
"We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers, and will be refunding the full amount to the impacted passengers," it added.
12:57 March 15
Durable industry to be in red zone if component supply does not improve by April
Appliances and consumer electronics industry, which source components mainly from China, may be in the “red zone” if the supply of materials impacted by coronavirus pandemic does not improve by next month, according to an industry body.
Prices of consumer durables products as airconditioners, televisions and refrigerators, are being revised by the manufacturers due to supply constraints, the Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA) said.
According to the CEAMA, though factories in China have started operating but they are still operating at around half of their capacity.
Moreover, if the availability does not improve by April, then the industry would be in “red zone”.
12:57 March 15
Central, Western Railway withdraw curtains, blankets from AC coaches
In the wake of coronavirus outbreak, Central and Western Railway ordered withdrawal of blankets and curtains from AC coaches as they are not washed every day.
Other items in the bed roll, including bedsheets, towels and pillow covers, are washed every day.
"As per the extant instructions, curtains and blankets provided in AC coaches are not washed (after) every trip. In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, blankets and curtains will be immediately withdrawn from service till further orders."
"Passengers will be advised to bring their own blankets in their own interest. Some additional bedsheets will be kept for any exigencies," Western Railway spokesperson Gajanan Mahatpurkar said.
12:57 March 15
Coal import declines 14 pc to 17 MT in February
India's coal imports registered a decline of 14.1 per cent to 17.01 million tonnes (MT) in February in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, as per industry data.
The country's coal imports in February last year stood at 19.82 MT, according to a provisional compilation by mjunction services, based on monitoring of vessels' positions and data received from shipping companies.
12:56 March 15
US providers offer free Wi-Fi for 60 days
US internet and wireless providers have announced temporary measures to make getting online less expensive and onerous as enforced social distancing due to the new coronavirus forces more human interaction online.
Most notable is Comcast's free public Wi-Fi for all for 60 days, effective Saturday. Major metropolitan areas are thick with Comcast's Xfinity-branded hotspots.
12:53 March 15
US expands travel restrictions to UK, Ireland
Washington: The United States has expanded its travel ban imposed on European countries in view of the coronavirus pandemic to the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The move came as President Donald Trump reviewed measures that his administration was taking to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has so far claimed 55 lives in the country.
The new travel restriction will come into force on Monday night, Vice President Mike Pence told reporters on Saturday after a meeting of the White House Task Force on Coronavirus.
"They've had a little bit of activity unfortunately," Trump told reporters at a White House news conference in response to a question on the travel ban on the United Kingdom and Ireland.
"We made a unanimous recommendation to the President that we suspend all travel from the UK and Ireland. That will be effective midnight, Monday night, Eastern Standard Time," Pence said soon thereafter.
Read more:Petrol price cut by 12 paise/litre, diesel by 14 paise
American citizens and legal permanent residents in the UK or Ireland can come home, Pence said. They will be "funneled through specific airports and processed," he added.
"We continue to emphasize that the risk of serious illness for the average American remains low, but data shows that seniors with serious underlying health conditions are our most vulnerable population, the people most susceptible to serious medical outcomes," Pence said.
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad F Wolf said the decision to expand the travel ban to the UK and Ireland was taken due to the rising number of cases there.
"These restrictions bar travel for certain foreign nationals who have been present in the UK or Ireland in the past 14 days," he said.
"These restrictions to the UK and Ireland, just like the Schengen zone and China and Iran, do not apply to air cargo, maritime cargo, economic shipping, or the like," Wolf said.
(Inputs from agencies)
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