Business

Chennai, Apr 27 (PTI) The Tamil Nadu government on Monday announced returning 24,000 rapid test kits imported from China, hours after the ICMR asked states to stop using the COVID-19 rapid antibody kits procured from two companies in the Asian country to be sent back to the suppliers.

The government and opposition DMK clashed over the pricing of the kits, with the latter demanding 'transparency' while the ruling dispensation asserted that the procurement was done based on rates fixed by the Centre.

ABU DHABI, Apr 28 (NNN-WAM) – Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Hishamuddin Hussein, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia, today discussed, in a Video Conference call, ties of friendship and joint cooperation between the UAE and Malaysia.

Sheikh Abdullah extended greetings on the occasion of the Holy Month of Ramadan to the King of Malaysia, Al-Sultan Abdullah ibni Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah, Hishamuddin and to the people of Malaysia.

ABUJA, April 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nigeria will begin a “gradual easing” of coronavirus-related lockdowns in the federal capital territory of Abuja, and Lagos and Ogun states from May 4, 2020.

The lockdowns had been due to end on Monday night, but President Muhammadu Buhari said they needed to continue.

He also ordered new nationwide measures against Covid-19, including a night-time curfew and mandatory face masks.

The moves would ensure the economy functioned “while still maintaining our aggressive response”, Buhari said.

BEIRUT, Apr 28 (NNN-NNA) – Lebanese Energy and Water Minister, Raymond Ghajar, said on Monday that, drilling results in Block 4 of Lebanon’s territorial waters, proved the presence of gas in the geological region, bordering the Lebanese coast, it was reported.

“This region is promising, since the basic elements of a geo-petroleum system were confirmed, in the Lebanese sea, but the existence of a gas reservoir was not verified,” Ghajar said, during a press conference, to give updates on gas exploration in Lebanon.

WASHINGTON, April 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide soared past three million on Monday as several European nations and a handful of US states began taking steps to reopen their shuttered economies.

But as schools and shops reopened in some parts of Europe, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson emerged after his own battle with the virus to call for patience in the UK, saying it was too early to follow suit.

Beijing, Apr 27 (AP/PTI) China is fighting back against calls for an investigation into its role in the global coronavirus pandemic, citing faults with the U.S. response to the outbreak and calling for Washington itself to admit error.

We hope the U.S. will respond to people's concern from the U.S. and the international community. Perhaps the World Health Organization can also be invited in to assist in the investigation, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a daily briefing on Monday.

Amaravati(AP), Apr 26 (PTI) At a time when a bumper harvest was expected in the Rabi season, untimely rain in different districts of Andhra Pradesh left paddy crop in over 5,000 hectares damaged, causing distress to farmers.

Krishna and East Godavari districts suffered the major damage as partly harvested and also ready to harvest paddy was hit by the sudden rain on Saturday, official sources said.

Mumbai, Apr 26 (PTI) With jewellery shops shut due to the lockdown to control coronavirus, the demand for gold on auspicious Akshaya Tritiya is estimated to plunge by around 95 per cent and only negligible sales happening through digital mode.

Sharp rise in gold prices by over 52 per cent in the last one year is also a dampener.

Industry body for jewellers said that sales would only be 5 per cent compared to last year's Akshaya Tritiya, although Kalyan Jewellers is more optimistic and expected sales to be 10 per cent of the normal demand.

Mumbai, Apr 27 (PTI) The Reserve Bank of India on Monday announced a Rs 50,000 crore special liquidity facility for mutual fund, days after Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund decided to close six debt schemes.

In a statement, the central bank said heightened volatility in capital markets in reaction to COVID-19 has imposed liquidity strains on mutual funds (MFs), which have intensified in the wake of redemption pressures related to closure of some debt MFs and potential contagious effects therefrom.

WASHINGTON, April 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) —More US states are beginning to lift lockdown orders even as US leaders say social distancing guidelines will be necessary throughout the summer.

But governors warn that life will not quickly return to normal, and that restrictions will remain in some places to keep the virus from resurging.

On Friday, the US saw its largest single-day spike in cases.

But the infection rate has dropped significantly in several hotspots, including New York, the US epicentre.