Coronavirus HIGHLIGHTS: PM holds meeting with CM; Apple-Google bid to develop contact-tracing tech

PM holds meeting with CMs; lockdown extension focus of discussion New Delhi: As India battles the COVID-19 crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held a video conference with chief ministers primarily to take their feedback on whether the 21-nation-wide lockdown be extended beyond April 14 to stem the tide of the infections. DEL3 VIRUS-CASES Death toll due to COVID-19 rises to 239; cases climb to 7,447 New Delhi: The death toll due to the novel coronavirus rose to 239 and the number of cases to 7,447 in the country on Saturday, according to the Union Health Ministry.

92 new cases of COVID-19 take state tally to 1,666 Mumbai: As 92 more cases of COVID-19 have emerged in Maharashtra, the number of such patients in the state reached 1,666 on Saturday, the state health department said.

PM's meeting with CMs: Demand transfer of cash to poor families, says Chidambaram New Delhi: Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with chief ministers, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday urged CMs of states where the party is in power to unanimously demand for transfer of cash to every poor family.

Kejriwal suggests extension of lockdown till Apr 30 during PM Modi's interaction with CMs: Sources New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday suggested that the nationwide lockdown should be extended till April 30 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's interaction with chief ministers, sources said. DEL19 LOCKDOWN-PM-AMARINDER PM's interaction with CMs: Amarinder Singh suggests extension of national lockdown New Delhi: The national lockdown should be extended by at least a fortnight, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh suggested during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's interaction with chief ministers on Saturday.

Bengal to impose total lockdown in 10 COVID-19 hotspots: CS Kolkata: The West Bengal government will impose a total lockdown in 10 COVID19 hotspots and clusters from where positive cases have been reported, chief secretary Rajiva Sinha said on Saturday.

80 migrant workers detained for rampage in Surat Surat: Police have detained around 80 migrant workers, mostly from Odisha, for allegedly going on a rampage and setting many handcarts afire in Surat demanding that they be allowed to return to their native places amid the lockdown, an official said on Saturday.

No infrastructure to conduct hearings through video conference, says CAT New Delhi: The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which adjudicates service related matters of central government employees, is facing difficulties in holding hearings during the lockdown due to lack of infrastructure for video conferencing, according to an official communique.

Hope in coronavirus times: Help pours in for those hit by lockdown New Delhi: The devastating impact of coronavirus crisis was evident in the pictures - hordes of homeless migrant workers on long marches back to their villages; many urban slum dwellers, living on the edges of the society in normal times, left destitute, clamouring for food. But it has not been all gloom and doom.

Craving for chocolate? Maybe an ice-cream? Churu residents sacrifice habits with 'Give up Something' campaign Jaipur: In these tough times, please try to give up something. It could be your lunch, or the ice cream you crave for every evening, or that extra two minutes you spend in the shower.

US marks record over 2,100 coronavirus deaths in one day: Johns Hopkins data Washington: The US has become the world's first country to have registered more than 2,000 COVID-19 deaths in a single day with 2,108 fatalities reported in the past 24 hours, while the number of infections in America has crossed 500,000, the highest in the world, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

Apple-Google bid to develop contact-tracing tech may hit citizens' rights: Trump Washington: Fearing that the Google-Apple team-up to develop an easy contact-tracing technology to curb coronavirus spread may impact citizens' various freedoms, US President Donald Trump on Friday said his administration will have to closely examine it.

WHO China-centric, will 'make announcement' on funding it next week: Trump Washington: Reiterating his allegation of the World Health Organization being China-centric, US President Donald Trump on Friday said he would be making an announcement next week on America's annual funding of around USD500 million to it. By Lalit K Jha FGN30 VIRUS-PAK Pak to receive more medical supplies from China as coronavirus cases cross 4,700 Islamabad: Pakistan is set to receive more medical supplies from its all-weather ally China to fight the coronavirus outbreak in the country where the COVID-19 cases have sharply increased to 4,788 and death toll reached 71, officials said on Saturday. By Sajjad Hussain.