BackMint Lite: Top 10 news and views around the world
Mint Lite is a quick update to bring you up to speed on all the news you need to know—and some things that are just fun to know—in five minutes before you start your day
PremiumChildren recover, cherry blossoms bloom
The first two children, siblings aged 5 and 7 (left) who tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir, have recovered and were discharged from Srinagar’s JLNM Rainawari hospital. J&K has recorded about 270 cases so far. In Japan, the famed cherry blossoms are in bloom as spring set in, and locals in masks and protective gear are taking in the sight.
Lathicharge in Mumbai, violence in Bengal
About 1,000 migrant workers gathered outside Mumbai’s Bandra station on Tuesday afternoon to protest against the extended nationwide lockdown, and demanded transportation arrangements to go back to their hometowns. Police had to use batons to disperse the crowd. Similar violence has broken out in Surat, Gujarat and in Delhi in the past week. In Asansol, Bengal, at least 27 people, including policemen, were injured after scuffles broke out between locals and police who were trying to enforce lockdown rules and quarantine some residents.
IMF cuts growth projection for India to 1.9% in FY21
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday slashed its FY21 growth projection for India to 1.9%, from 5.8% in January. It said it expects the global economy to shrink 3% this year—far worse than its 0.1% dip in the recession year of 2009—before rebounding in 2021 with 5.8% growth. For India, it estimated an economic recovery in FY22 at 7.4%, in its biannual World Economic Outlook. IMF had earlier said it would provide immediate debt relief to 25 member countries under its catastrophe containment and relief trust to help them focus resources on fighting the pandemic.
Lockdowns continue around the world
India has extended its shutdown till May 3—and around the world, the news seems to be more or less the same. France’s President Emmanuel Macron extended the country’s lockdown until May 11 and said there would be enough masks and tests by then to start lifting some restrictions. France has reported over 98,000 confirmed infections and nearly 15,000 deaths. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin said, “We don’t have much to brag about, nor reason to, and we certainly can’t relax…" as the number of cases doubled in five days to more than 18,000.
2020 could see largest ever annual fall in CO2 emissions
With dozens of countries enforcing lockdowns in response to the pandemic, world economies have practically come to a standstill. Carbon Brief estimates that this may lead to a 4% decline in global carbon emissions in 2020 compared to the previous year. This would be a larger annual decline than any previous economic recession or war brought about (see graph).
Some European countries restart economy
Spain has allowed some factories and construction work to begin again this week to revive its economy, even as Austria has gradually started easing restrictions and allowed small, standalone shops to reopen. Guidelines remain strict, with people required to wear masks, only limited shoppers allowed and stiff fines for those breaking rules. Later this week, Denmark is likely to open some schools after a month of closures, while Poland plans to begin to “slowly start unfreezing the economy". This is despite the World Health Organization warning that the pandemic “had certainly not peaked".
4 million Indonesians seek allowances as virus spreads
Four million Indonesians filed for unemployment allowances under a national programme within three days of its launch. In Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, companies impacted by the pandemic have fired hundreds of workers. Eligible applicants will be entitled to 3.55 million rupiah ($227) over four months to improve their skills through vocational training. Indonesia has a workforce of about 127 million, of which 70 million (56%) are in the informal sector. Close to 5,000 people have tested positive for coronavirus, and the death toll is 459, the highest in Asia after China.
Activists surrender before NIA in Bhima Koregaon case
Dalit scholar Anand Teltumbde and activist Gautam Navlakha on Tuesday, which was Ambedkar Jayanti, surrendered before the National Investigation Agency in a case connected to the violence in Bhima Koregaon near Pune in 2018. In March, they were given three weeks to surrender and last week, the Supreme Court said they would not be given an extension. They had petitioned the court for an extension saying that going to jail during the coronavirus pandemic is “virtually a death sentence". Teltumbde surrendered at the agency’s office in Mumbai and Navlakha at NIA’s Delhi office.
Tornadoes batter southern US states
At least 26 people have died after storms triggered tornadoes and flooding across several southern states in the US. As many as 60 tornadoes ripped through Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi, while severe storms also hit parts of Alabama and Georgia. The states, already struggling with the coronavirus pandemic, had to work out ways to open up public shelters for those who lost their homes while maintaining social distancing norms. Louisiana and Texas have recorded a total of about 35,000 coronavirus cases, while Mississippi has about 3,000.
Circus animals wander through Paris streets
Monkeys, peacocks deer and other creatures have wandered into spaces now vacated by humans, but residents of a Paris suburb were rather surprised to see a zebra ambling down the streets. The zebra and two horses escaped from a zoo in a nearby town and wandered over. One video, which has got over 200,000 views on Twitter, shows the zebra and two horses running alongside moving traffic.
Curated by Shalini Umachandran. Have something to share with us?
Write to us at businessoflife@livemint.com
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!
