Hundreds of Lebanese rallied Friday outside the central bank in Beirut and elsewhere in the country, a day after the prime minister said he would seek a rescue plan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to deal with a spiraling economic and financial crisis.

Israeli lawmakers approved the formation of a unity government between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his erstwhile rival Benny Gantz Thursday, paving the way to an end to more than a year of deadlock.

The Iraqi parliament approved its new government headed by Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, now prime minister. The move ends six months of political vacuum, but many challenges lie ahead, including the country's struggling economy and the re-emergence of the Islamic State group. 

The UK government has refused to say how many covid-19 contact tracers it has employed, with less than three weeks to go until its target of recruiting 18,000 of them by mid-May

Brazil could face "economic collapse" in a month's time due to stay-at-home measures to stem the coronavirus outbreak, with food shortages and "social disorder," Economy Minister Paulo Guedes warned Thursday. Brazil, Latin America's biggest economy, is also the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the region. But far-right President Jair Bolsonaro - who appeared alongside Guedes, his free-market economics guru - opposes stay-at-home measures to slow the virus, saying they are unnecessarily damaging the economy. "Within about 30 days, there may start to be shortages on (store) shelves and production may become disorganized, leading to a system of economic collapse, of social disorder," Guedes said. "This is a serious alert." Bolsonaro, who has compared the new coronavirus to a "little flu," said he understood "the virus problem" and believed that "we must save lives." "But there is a problem that's worrying us more and more... and that's the issue of jobs, of the stalled economy," Bolsonaro added. "Fighting the virus shouldn't do more damage than the virus itself."

Vulnerable children and victims of domestic violence and modern slavery will get extra support.

A large zoo says it needs government grants as it has no visitors or income but still has to look after its animals.

Labour's Dr Rosena Allin-Khan questions Health Secretary Matt Hancock in the House of Commons.

Thousands accused PM Janez Jansa of using the coronavirus crisis as a pretext to restrict freedoms.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar pitched for a stable government at the Centre and urged citizens to come out in large numbers to cast their votes as he exercised his democratic right on Monday. Voting was underway for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls in 72 parliamentary constituencies spread across nine states.

#Mumbai: NCP Chief Sharad Pawar after casting his vote at polling booth 31 in Tardeo. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/G8VNrNwESd

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2019

In Maharashtra, polling was being held in 17 seats, including Mumbai. "Today is an important day for the country. It is required that a stable government is formed. It is expected that Mumbaikars will not lag behind, and will exercise their voting right by coming out in large numbers and voting decisively," Pawar, the former Union minister, tweeted in Marathi.

Earlier, BJP MP Poonam Mahajan, Congress nominee Urmila Matondkar, industrialist Anil Ambani and actor Rekha cast their votes in Mumbai in the initial hours of polling. State education minister Vinod Tawde, BJP candidate from Mumhai-North East Manoj Kotak and Congress nominee from Mumbai-Central Eknath Gaikwad were also among the early voters.

Pic courtesy/Bipin Kokate

Anil Ambani was spotted casting his vote in Mumbai

Pic courtesy/Faizan Khan

Manoj Kotak cast his vote in Mumbai

Pic courtesy/Yogen Shah

Urmila Matondkar present at the polling booth to cast her vote.

It was a delight to participate in the festival of democracy, casting my vote is for progressive development of every Indian, for #NewIndia. I urge Mumbaikars to join in and make each vote count! #MumbaikarVoteKar pic.twitter.com/epS3g0Vwk4

— Chowkidar Vinod Tawde (@TawdeVinod) April 29, 2019

An average 18.39 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the first four hours in Maharashtra's 17 seats on Monday as polling for the fourth and last phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state was underway. Polling began at 7 am and long queues were seen outside many booths, some of which were decorated with balloons and 'rangolis' (colourful decorations). The voting figures till 11 am in other constituencies are as follows: Dhule- 18.26 per cent, Dindori - 21.06 per cent, Nashik- 17.22 per cent, Palghar- 21.46 per cent, Bhiwandi- 17.25 per cent, Thane-17.43 per cent, Mumbai-North- 19.46 per cent, Mumbai-North West 17.64 per cent, Mumbai-North East-18.39 per cent, Mumbai-North Central- 16.21 per cent, Mumbai-South Central-16.80 per cent, Mumbai- South 15.51 per cent, Maval- 18.23 per cent, Shirur- 18.65 per cent and Shirdi 20.55 per cent.

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Edited by mid-day online desk with inputs from Agencies

The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court on Monday pulled up the state for its claim that the novel Coronavirus could spread through newspapers. The state had, accordingly, banned the distribution of newspapers, while allowing its printing. The court, in an order dated April 20, directed the state to justify its claims with evidence and expert opinions instead of meagre statements.

A suo moto public interest litigation (PIL) in this regard was filed at the Nagpur bench of HC after the distribution ban was announced on April 18.

Government pleader DR Kale told the court that the order was amended on April 21 to allow "door-to-door distribution except in MMR, Pune, and other containment zones."

While Kale said that the virus stayed on surfaces for a while, and hence newspapers could be potential carriers when passed from hand-to-hand, the court said that there was no evidence to prove this.

It, however, added that door-to-door delivery could be restricted in some areas while asking the government to respond to its queries along with a report by amicus curiae advocate Satyajeet Bora.

The next date of hearing in the case is June 11.

11 June
Date of the next hearing in the case

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With the tourism industry at a complete standstill across the country, a number of domestic animals associated with it have been severely impacted. In the Raigad district of Maharashtra, too, a number of these animals are a common sight, especially at the tourist spots like Matheran, Raigad fort and the beaches. Horses, donkeys, monkeys and stray dogs at all these places have been left without any food to eat. These places, usually frequented by hundreds of tourists every day, have seen barely any visitors over the last month and a half. The tourists would offer food to the animals who are now left to fend for themselves. Even the locals who have pets are finding it tough to manage without much income.

Given the grim situation, the district animal husbandry department along with a few do-gooders have now taken upon themselves to feed the animals and provide them ample drinking water.

Donkeys given dry grass at Raigad Fort

Dr Shubash Mhaske, district deputy commissioner, Animal Husbandry department, informed mid-day that the district, known for its farmhouses, hill stations, forts and beaches, has around 1,200 horses and ponies, of which nearly 460 are reared at Matheran hill station and the rest at the beaches around the districts. With the forest cover in Raigad district, monkeys too are found in large numbers here. "These are often fed by commuters en route to their destinations but that has stopped for over a month now," Mhaske said.

Dr Mandar Patel, Livestock Development Officer, Roha, therefore, visited the ghat areas on Roha-Nagothane road a couple of days ago with his team to feed some monkeys. Similarly, a team even visited Matheran to arrange food and water for the monkeys there.

Animal lovers step up in Pen
Hundreds of stray dogs and 40 cows are also being fed daily by a few animal lovers in and around Pen in Raigad.

"Cimaa Punmiya has come up with an innovative concept of Animal Food bank, where any animal lover can donate food. Kumar Deshpande provides a liquid diet for the strays. The Animal Husbandry department has arranged for medicines," Dr Mhaske said.

Donkeys of Raigadwadi starving
Another animal hit by the lockdown is the donkey. Around 90 donkeys reside around RaigadWadi, foothills of Raigad Fort. Dr Dattatray Sonawale, veterinary assistant commissioner of Animal Husbandry, Mahad Taluka, informed mid-day that the restoration work of Raigad Fort is on for the past couple of years and nearly 250 donkeys were being used to take up repairing material.

"Most of the donkeys had come from nearby areas and only 90 are still at the spot. They are owned by six-seven families who are still staying at the foothills of the fort," said Sonawale. These people along with their donkeys have been having a tough time sustaining due to the lockdown as "the donkeys are not allowed to roam around in the fields making it difficult for them to manage fodder or dry grass," the doctor added.

Prabhakar Sawant, a Raigadwadi resident, said that most of the donkeys are hired by contractors of restoration work.

After the district collector's directives, Sonawale and his team approached a few NGOs requesting them to provide dry grass, rice bran, wheat bran and medicines required for treating some injured donkeys. "Accordingly, potable water of 1,000 liters has been provided at the spot," he said, adding that the effort will continue to provide feed and dry grass to the donkeys till they are "in our jurisdiction and ration kits will be given to their owners."

'Everyone will be taken care of'
Nidhi Choudhari, district collector, told mid-day that the collector's office was doing everything to reach out to migrant workers and underprivileged people by providing ration kits and organising community kitchens with help from NGOs and corporates. "Directions have also been given to the Animal husbandry department to ensure that animals and strays are taken care of. Many animal lovers too have volunteered to help," Choudhari said.

1,200
Approx no. of horses/ponies in Raigad district

460
No. of horses/ponies at Matheran

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At a time when Maharashtra Governor, Bhagat Singh Koshyari is being blamed for delaying granting a legislative council membership to Chief Minister, Uddhav Thackeray, the former has recommended the Election Commission of India (ECI) to schedule elections to the nine vacant seats of the Council as early as possible.

The request made on Thursday is quite significant because Thackeray must get elected to either house before May 27 if he were to continue in office and give Maharashtra a stable government in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi constituents have also asked the governor and ECI to hold elections if nomination under the governor's quota wasn't possible. The nine seats fell vacant on April 24 but the commission postponed the elections because of the pandemic.

In his letter, the governor has said that the lockdown has been relaxed in many ways and hence the elections to the council seats could be held under certain guidelines.

Welcoming the move, Opposition leader, Devendra Fadnavis said, "This would be constitutional because the members would be elected in due process and it would also adhere to a norm that the governor's nominee should be made a CM or minister."

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After locking down the nation with just four hours notice on March 24 and leaving lakhs of migrant workers high and dry, the Centre on Friday launched Shramik Special trains to transport these workers and other stranded people home.

Indian Railway appealed to people not to crowd stations as the trains are only for those screened and registered by state governments. “No one should come to the station looking for trains. We will not issue tickets or entertain request from any group or individual. We will allow only those passengers whom state officials bring. The State is the final authority on deciding who travels,” an Indian Railway spokesperson said. The first train from Maharashtra, Nashik-Bhopal Shramik Special departed from Nashik station at 9:30 pm on May 1 as scheduled.

These special, non-AC trains will run from point to point. There will be different fares for sleeper and general class. The Railways and states shall appoint senior staff as Nodal Officers for coordination.

Migrants onboard a train for Hatia, Jharkhand at Lingampally, Telangana. Pic/PTI

Passengers have to be screened by states sending them and only asymptomatic people would be allowed to travel. Sending states have to bring these people in batches to the designated station in sanitised buses following social distancing norms and other precautions. It will be mandatory for every passenger to wear face masks. Meals and drinking water have to be provided by the sending states at the originating station. Railways said they will ensure social distancing, hygiene and provide a meal on longer journeys. On arrival, the home state has to screen, quarantine passengers if necessary and arrange further travel from the station.

Nine-point plan

Maharashtra’s Minister of Transport Anil Parab gave the following guidelines travellers must follow:

• Those willing to leave Maharashtra should fill forms and submit them to local police stations through their group leaders.
• The form will require basic details like name, address in migrant and home state, Aadhar card, mobile number. Each train will carry 1,000 passengers.
• Each migrant must get a certificate from a doctor stating that the traveller does not have COVID-19 symptoms.
• Based on this information, state will decide on booking tickets and make a list based on the applications.
• After preparing list, state will seek permission from the home state. After receiving NoC, action will be taken by district collectors to help passengers reach home.
• A section of the form will ask the traveller to choose the mode of transport — rail or road.
• Those wishing to travel by bus can form groups of 25, arrange a bus and inform the local police. Each state and district will have nodal officers.
• There is no restriction of movement within the state. Those who have gone out of Mumbai and are stuck can return. No restriction on people returning from Green Zones.
• However, people residing in Red Zones, especially in containment zones, cannot move.

No respite for Red Zone migrants?

People stranded in Containment Zones and Red Zones are likely to be prevented from leaving. This means many migrants in MMR, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Nashik, Nagpur, Yavatmal and other affected districts stand no chance of leaving. Nodal officers at the district and state headquarter levels have started getting requests from people.

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The financial crisis caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to school fees becoming a major point of discussion. While many schools have introduced novel concepts to ease the burden, parents are also discussing ways with managements to avoid issues with salary to staff.

Despite the constant demand by parents to cancel fees or give concessions, this is not possible for all schools. Principal of Smt. Sulochanadevi Singhania School in Thane, Revathy Srinivasan said, "Schools cannot do away with fees, after all, salaries need to be paid to staff."

Some relax norms

Many schools have their own model of relaxation in fees. Meera Isaacs, principal of Cathedral and John Connon School, said, "If some parents are facing genuine issues, we consider them. We have also waived off fine on late payment of fees."

Similarly, at the Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir, the late fee is waived. Despite a PTA-approved hike in fees to be implemented this year, the school has decided to continue with the old fee structure for three months. Principal Rekha Kapoor, said, "This decision was taken due to the current situation."

Jamnabai Narsee School has not spoken anything about fees as yet. "Generally parents pay fees in the month of April. But we have not collected fees as we are yet to take a decision. We are not going to push for them so fast," said principal Zeenat Bhojabhoy.

Bombay Scottish, Mahim has deferred the increase in fees for the forthcoming year. Dhirubhai Ambani International School has decided to waive off transport and canteen fees. At Pawar Public School, one month extension was provided to parents to pay the first instalment.

'Govt must intervene'

Former education minister Ashish Shelar has written a letter to Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad, asking her to issue an order to schools to rollback fee hikes. But parents feel that the issue should not be politicised.

President of Parents of Private Schools of Maharashtra (POPSOM), Milind Gangurde said, "Many parents are dependent on jobs. Some are facing huge salary cuts or loss of jobs due to the situation. It is time the government intervenes and takes a strong stand in favour of parents."

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A PIL has been filed in Bombay High Court asking the government to make a strategy for exiting the lockdown. It further asks the government to make plans for the protection of health care workers, police officials, and others providing essential services. The PIL also demands the deployment of the army in sensitive areas.

The petitioner Dr Syed Ejaz Abbas Naqvi said, "There is growing negativity in the minds of the citizens of Maharashtra amidst the current lockdown and the possibility of its extension. Some violators are roaming freely hence, the intervention of the army and para-military is required."

The advocate of the petitioner Vishal Satyaprakash Saxena said that the PIL is filed asking the government of Maharashtra to formulate and disclose the strategy to exit the lockdown and to formulate guidelines for the well-being of the citizens of Maharashtra. The court will hear the manner on May 13.

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Tired, hungry, thirsty, dejected and with blistered feet, hundreds of children and adults are currently trudging along the Mumbai-Nashik highway, in the hope that they will reach their hometowns in UP. Most of these daily wage workers had already begun their journey by the time the government decided to ply special trains to repatriate them.

But others began to walk towards their hometowns, uncertain and confused about train services, not knowing how to arrange the required documents or procure medical certificates.

Ashok Kumar and Ganesh Sahani's families are walking from Panvel to Basti, UP

The media has labelled it as the greatest exodus in India since the partition. The workers have been walking from Bhayandar, Bhiwandi, Ulhasnagar, Panvel, Taloja and other places, unable to wait any further for the lockdown to be lifted.

mid-day on Saturday spoke to several migrants who have been walking along the Mumbai-Nashik-Agra highway even from before the announcement of the third extension to the lockdown. Some have walked to Nashik in the hopes of boarding a train.

Vishwanath Shinde's aunt, 70, has lost her entire family so he had brought her to stay with him. Pics/Rajesh Gupta

Ashok Kumar, 27, and his family, including three children aged one to six, had walked 70 km from Panvel to Bhiwandi. The family, which used to work at a construction site till their owner suffered heavy losses and abandoned them, are headed to Uttar Pradesh's Basti district. Asked why the family started walking with children in the scorching heat instead of waiting for the government to start train services, Kumar said, "Kisko achcha lagta hai bachchon ke saath itna dur chalne ke liye? Mai aapko majburi bata nahi sakta. We were starving. I swear on my children that nobody from the government was helping us with food. Some people helped us with 15 days of ration, but how long would they do that?" Kumar and his family decided to walk home when they had only a few hundred rupees left. "We used to send money to our elderly parents and now they are sending it to us, so we can reach home safely. We don't know where these trains will leave from and what is to be done to get into them. Instead we will walk this way, may be someone will give us a lift."

'We'll die at home'
Kumar was accompanied by his friend Ganesh Sahani, who also belongs to Basti and worked at the same place. Sahani also has a 6-year-old child. He told mid-day, "We'll walk instead of starving our kids. On the way someone will help us. If we have to die, we will die in our home."

Sunil Yadav and friends rushed to this reporter's car asking for food. Team mid-day didn't have any but at the same time another car stopped there and offered them food

Kumar told mid-day on Sunday over phone that he had reached Jhansi, but Sahani's family did not make it. They were intercepted by police and taken to a quarantine centre in Nashik. "We were lucky as there was no place in the police vehicle. We stayed at the Nashik vegetable market for a night. After walking for 180 km, some people helped us with food and shelter. The next morning a vegetable supplier from UP accommodated my family in his truck and now we have reached Jhansi."

The heartwrenching stories continued. Another daily-wage labourer who belongs to Maharashtra's Akola district, was walking with his family, carrying his 70-year-old disabled aunt. Vishwanath Shinde, 45, worked with a road contractor in Navi Mumbai. He stays with his wife, two children, his sister who is blind and his disabled aunt, Vachelabai Nahi. We met Shinde near Kalyan. "Everyone is dead in my aunt's family and she is alone. So I brought her to stay with us in Mumbai. I carry her in my arms like a child. We stop every few kilometres to rest," he said.

Sumit and Sarita Dangar are walking with their child and say they have no money

Shinde, who used to earn R700 a day, said, "I don't have a single paisa to afford any transport from here. The government said it will send buses, it will send trains. There are people walking on the roads here. They can send the buses here. Will they send them after we die?"

Sumit and Sarita Dangar were walking with their 6-year-old daughter to Washim. Sumit had come to Navi Mumbai just four days before the lockdown was announced to work at a construction site. " I thought things will get better after May 3 but nothing is going to change. We both earned R800 every day. But all our savings have gone, so we decided to leave the city. Once we reach home the villagers will send us to a quarantine centre for 14 days which is compulsory."

Doctors from Kongaon Medical Practitioners' Association have set up a camp to help the migrants with basic medicines. Pics/Rajesh Gupta

'No help from govt'
Several youngsters are also walking to UP. Of one such group, 14 members worked in Bhayandar and belong to Siddharth Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh. They had heard of a special train to Gorakhpur from Nashik, and started walking there to catch it. "If we can't catch it, we will walk to our home town. No help has come from the government. It's the people who have been helping us even on the highway," said Sunil Yadav. Another group from Prayagraj working in Ulhasnagar, which has a big migrant population, also left for Nashik hoping to board the special train. The group belongs to Prayagraj. "Some trains will go to Lucknow. We have walked for a whole night for almost 50 km to reach Nashik on time. We are starving. Our parents sent some money so we can reach home. We will fight until we are alive," said Munnalal.

Migrants avoid trains
On Sunday, Sunil Yadav called this reporter to say they would continue to walk. "We had checked with people in Bhayandar about special trains. But they said they are facing difficulties to get their names registered, as there are thousands of people. They have been asked to get medical certificates and pay for tickets as well. After listening to all this, we kept walking and have now crossed Nashik," said Sunil Yadav.

Vinod Yadav, a tailor from Bhayandar, and his friends had by Saturday morning reached Kalyan Phata. "We started walking hoping to board a train. But some people told us about the formalities. We don't have a single rupee. How will we pay for tickets?" he said.

Doctors' camp on highway
In the midst of this humanitarian crisis, three doctors from the Kongaon Medical Practitioners' Association have set up a camp on the highway with medicines, which include pain killers, paracetamol and ORS. "We have been holding this camp for the past three days from 6 am to 9 pm for the migrants. We also provide food to them. Almost 500 people have benefitted every day," said Dr Bharat Patil.

"This is the time we must help each other. We have been taking their temperature as well," said Dr Kishore Singh.

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Soon after Maharashtra government directive allowing standalone liquor shops to open in COVID-19 red zones (except the containment areas), AIMIM Lok Sabha MP Imtiaz Jaleel has said if liquor shops are opened in Aurangabad, he would force their closure, adding that it is not a time to sell alcohol and create problems for women.

"Government decides to open liquor shops even in red zone! If shops in Aurangabad open we will break lockdown restrictions and forcibly close these shops. Will make many women come out on the streets. This is not time to sell liquor and create problems for mothers and sisters," the Aurangabad lawmaker tweeted in a series of tweet.

Lambasting the Maharashtra government, he further asked what is the hurry to sell liquor in this difficult time. He further stated if this is the case then why not allow selling everything, why this "privilege only to liquor shops".

The state government had on Sunday issued a list of activities that will be allowed in different zones of the State during the lockdown."The state government has decided to allow standalone shops including liquor shops to open in red zone also except the containment zones. Though there is no restriction in the number of essential shops that can be opened, only five non-essential shops can be opened in each lane," the government order stated.

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