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‘Indians should work for 60 hours a week for next 2-3 yrs to revive economy’: Narayana Murthy The economic impact of the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic has everyone worried. As the last day for the extended lockdown – May 3 – draws closer, there are many questions about what lies next in terms of reviving the Indian economy. Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy shared his thoughts on the same in an interview with Chandra Ranganathan of ET Now. Among other things, he said that Indians would have to learn to live with coronavirus for the next 12-18 months,...

Kerala Governor signs new Ordinance on employees salary cut THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Thursday signed the new Ordinance, ‘Disaster and Public Emergency Special Provisions Act’, said State Finance Minister Thomas Issac. The Pinarayi Vijayan government last month had decided to deduct six-day salary of all its employees in the next five months as a temporary measure, to tide over the Covid-19 crisis, as it was cash stressed. But pro-opposition staff unions approached the Kerala High Court, which stayed it and this forced the Vijayan government to bring a new Ordinance, which was sent to the Governor on Wednesday. Source:...

Lockdown in Tripura will be fully lifted only after Covid-19 vaccination: CM Biplab Deb Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said the lockdown in the state would continue in some form or the other till a vaccine against Covid-19 is invented. Deb made the remarks after holding a four and a half hour-long all-party meeting on Wednesday night. The meeting with eighteen political parties including ruling  BJP, Congress, CPIM, ruling ally IPFT, INPT, among others started at  4 PM and continued till 8:30 PM. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, CM Deb said, “As of now, lockdown is there till May 3 and...

Barclays CEO says ‘putting 7,000 people in a building may be thing of the past’ LONDON: The coronavirus pandemic could permanently change how many bankers make the daily trudge into tightly packed city centre offices, Barclays CEO Jes Staley said on Wednesday. The bank, which like companies worldwide has seen the majority of its staff work from home or backup sites, will not revert fully to its pre-January working habits, Staley said. “There will be a long-term adjustment in how we think about our location strategy…the notion of putting 7,000 people in a building may be a thing of the past,” he told...

Indian football legend and former captain Chuni Goswami dies aged 82 Former India football captain Chuni Goswami, who led India to the 1962 Asian Games gold, passed away in Kolkata after a prolonged illness. Chuni Goswami was the most successful Indian football captain ever and under his captaincy, India won the gold medal in 1962 Asian Games, finished runners-up in 1964 Asian Cup, and narrowly lost to what was then Burma in Merdeka football six months later. The iconic sportsperson, who also played first-class cricket for Bengal, was 82 and breathed his last at a hospital here. He is survived...

It will be years before air travel returns to pre-pandemic levels: Boeing CEO NEW DELHI: US aerospace major Boeing has warned that air travel will take years to to return to pre-pandemic levels. And even when the situation stabilises, the market for commercial aircraft will be smaller with airlines’ needs hanging drastically. The Boeing Company CEO David Calhoun’s address at this year’s annual meet of shareholders make it clear tha it is “preparing for the new reality.” “The health (corona) crisis is unlike anything we have ever experienced. With fewer people taking to the skies, global airline revenues are set...

Lockdown should be lifted entirely, piecemeal approach will not be effective: Axis Bank CEO The government needs to lift the lockdown entirely now as a piecemeal approach may not work because of interlinkages, Amitabh Chaudhry, Chief Executive Officer of Axis Bank, said on Wednesday. India has had the strictest lockdown with no major fiscal support like other countries, said Chaudhry, adding that it will take 6-9 quarters for revival of the economy. According to Chaudhry, if the lockdown does not get lifted soon, it is given that a number of corporates and individuals will go through severe stress and some...

India to suffer significant contraction, requires Rs 10 trillion stimulus: Former CEA Arvind Subramanian Speaking at the Indian Express e-Adda from the US, Subramanian said that distribution of food and cash are the two key tools India should be using to help people tide over the crisis. Former chief economic advisor Arvind Subramanian on Tuesday said that India should plan for “substantially negative economic growth” this financial year due to the coronavirus crisis and that the government should tap various sources to finance a Rs 10 trillion stimulus. Speaking at the Indian Express e-Adda from the US, Subramanian said that distribution...

Hillary Clinton endorses Joe Biden’s White House bid Former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton endorsed Joe Biden’s White House bid on Tuesday. “I want to add my voice to the many who have endorsed you to be our president,” Ms. Clinton said during a live video conference with the former vice president. “I wish you were president right now,” the former First Lady and Secretary of State said. “Think of what it would mean if we had a real president not just somebody who plays one on TV,” she added in a jab at President Donald Trump, Mr. Biden’s expected opponent...

It’s a boy: British PM Boris Johnson’s fiancee gives birth British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s fiancee, Carrie Symonds, has given birth to a baby boy, Downing Street said on Wednesday. Both mother and child are doing well. The boy was born at a London hospital. Johnson returned to work on Monday, a month after testing positive for COVID which he said had threatened his life. Symonds also had symptoms of COVID but recovered swiftly. The couple, who have been living together in Downing Street since Johnson became prime minister in July, announced in February that they were expecting their first...