India

Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram, May 25 (PTI): Members of a right wing group allegedly vandalised the film set of a Malayalam movie near here on Sunday, prompting a sharp reaction from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who warned the culprits of strong action.

Expressing anguish over the attack, actor Tovino Thomas, who is starring in the film, said the "contractual set" of film "Minnal Murali" was destroyed by a group of "racialists".

Mumbai, May 25 (PTI) A day after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said states will have to seek permission from his government if they want UP migrant workers back, MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Monday said labourers will have to seek nod of the Maharashtra government also if they wish to work here.

The Maharashtra government needs to take such things seriously, said the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief, who is the estranged cousin of state Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray.

Lucknow, May 25 (PTI) In a two-pronged strategy to help migrant workers, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to set up a Migration Commission for their employment in the state and made it clear that any other state that wants labourers from UP has to seek its permission.

With around 25 lakh workers and migrants having returned to the state till Sunday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed that a Migration Commission be set up, according to Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi.

New Delhi, May 25 (PTI) India registered biggest single day spike of COVID-19 cases for the fourth consecutive day on Monday with 6,977 new infections, reported in the last 24 hours, taking the country's tally to 1,38,845, while the death toll rose to 4,021, according to the Union Health Ministry.

A total 154 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours till Monday 8 am.

The number of active COVID-19 cases climbed to 77,103 while 57,720 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, the ministry said.

New Delhi, May 23 (PTI) A day after the RBI projected economic contraction in 2020-21, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said future fiscal policy actions to stimulate the economy will depend on how COVID-19 pandemic pans out.

The government has already announced a Rs 20.97 lakh crore economic package, which includes Reserve Bank's Rs 8.01 lakh crore worth of liquidity measures till May 17.

Kolkata, May 24 (PTI) Army and NDRF teams on Sunday helped forest department and civic agencies to get cyclone-ravaged West Bengal back on its feet.

The teams reached areas likes Salt Lake, Behala and Golpark in the morning to clear the arterial and other link roads blocked by uprooted trees.

Army personnel equipped with road and tree clearance equipment started working at Roy Bahadur Road and Parnashree in Behala, Ballygunge in south Kolkata and Salt Lake area, a Defence official said.

New Delhi, May 24 (PTI) As India is set to resume its domestic civil aviation operations from May 25, the Delhi airport will be handling around 380 flights on Monday, a senior official said.

As per the directions of the Civil Aviation Ministry, domestic flight operations will resume after remaining suspended for about two months following the nationwide lockdown imposed to constrain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maharajganj (UP), May 23 (PTI) A 34-year-old Nepalese national, staying in a quarantine centre near here after his return from Delhi, died of unknown causes on Saturday, said officials.

"Dev Bahadur, a native of Syangja district in Nepal died today morning," said Nautanwa Sub-Divisional Magistrate Jasdhir Singh.

"The cause of his death is being ascertained. He was unwell for the last two days and was undergoing treatment at the Community Health Center here, he said.

KANPUR: Although the leather industry was given permission to start production on zero pollution principle yet the small traders linked with the business are finding it quite difficult to deliver various ready-made items needed to complete the finished goods.

Lamenting over the lockdown staying for the past two months, one trader said that the tanneries had been opened but we were not able to carry on our supply. One or other drawbacks hinder our movement amid the continuing lockdown.

He further added how could we then celebrate the festival of Eid. 

Raipur, May 23 (PTI) Two Naxals who were involved in deadly attacks on politicians and security forces and carried cash rewards on their heads were on Saturday killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, police said.

The gun battle broke out at around 12:45 pm in forested hills near Mankapal village under Gadiras police station area when a joint team of District Reserve Guard (DRG) and District Force was out on a counter-insurgency operation, Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P told PTI.