Delhi

New delhi, May 22 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday condoled the loss of lives in a plane crash in Pakistan.

"I'm sorry to hear about the air crash in Pakistan in which many lives have been lost. News of survivors is a ray of hope and I pray that there are many miraculous stories of survival tonight. My deepest condolences to the families of those who have perished," he said on Twitter.

New Delhi, May 22 (PTI) Congress leader and spokesperson Sanjay Jha on Friday said he has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be under home quarantine for over a week as he is asymptomatic.

He also urged people not to underestimate transmission risks.

"I have tested positive for Covid-19. As I am asymptomatic I am in home quarantine for the next 10-12 days. Please don't underestimate transmission risks, we are all vulnerable. Do take care all," Jha said in a tweet.

New Delhi, May 22 (PTI) A 23-year-old man was arrested for allegedly barging into the house of a lawyer in southeast Delhi's Nizamuddin area and raping her, police said on Friday.

The accused has been identified as Sonu. He also tried to strangulate the woman, they said.

The complainant alleged that the accused barged into her house through a balcony on May 17. He held her hostage and raped her. When he tried to strangulate her, she raised an alarm and the accused fled from the spot, a senior police officer said.

New Delhi, May 22 (PTI) Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, who is at the forefront of India's battle against COVID-19 pandemic, took charge as the chairman of the 34-member WHO Executive Board on Friday, officials said.

Vardhan, who succeeded Dr Hiroki Nakatani from Japan, offered his condolences at the loss of lives due to the cooronavirus pandemic across the globe.

New Delhi, May 21 (PTI) Leaders of several opposition parties are set to discuss the plight of the migrant workers trying to reach home on foot amid the nationwide lockdown on Friday.

A meeting convened by Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday afternoon will see the leaders of around 20 opposition parties come together on a common platform through video-conferencing.

New Delhi, May 21 (PTI) The mercury in the national capital soared to 42.7 degrees Celsius on Thursday, the highest so far this season, the weather department said.

However, a mild relief is expected in the next two days due to an approaching Western Disturbance.

The Palam Observatory recorded a maximum of 44.1 degrees Celsius, the highest among all weather stations.

Mumbai, May 22 (PTI) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday slashed interest rates, extended moratorium on loan repayments and allowed banks to lend more to corporates in an effort to support the economy which is likely to contract for the first time in over four decades.

The benchmark repurchase (repo) rate was cut by 40 basis points to 4 per cent, Governor Shaktikanta Das said announcing the decisions taken by the central bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) that met ahead of its scheduled meeting in early June.

New Delhi, May 21 (PTI) Cyclone Amphan' should be declared a national calamity, the CPI(M) demanded on Thursday and said people in West Bengal and Odisha need the support of the Centre.

The extremely severe cyclone 'Amphan' has left at least 12 people dead and ravaged Kolkata and several parts of West Bengal and Odisha.

New Delhi, May 21 (PTI) A 50-year-old Assistant Sub-Inspector of the Central Reserve Police Force has succumbed to COVID-19 here, officials said on Thursday.

This is the second death linked to the pandemic in the country's largest paramilitary force, which has 3.25 lakh personnel, and the seventh among the five paramilitary or Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) of the CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB.

The officials said ASI Panchdev Ram breathed his last on Wednesday at the Lady Hardinge Medical College in Delhi.

New Delhi, May 21 (PTI) A day after announcing resumption of domestic commercial passenger flights from May 25, the Civil Aviation Ministry on Thursday issued detailed guidelines for airlines, airports, passengers and other stakeholders.

The ministry said it will prescribe lower and upper limit on air fares and airlines will have to adhere to it "during the period of COVID-19 pandemic".

"On the day of commencement (May 25), limited operations (about one-third) would be permitted," it said.