India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to extend the world's biggest pandemic lockdown for two weeks, state ministers said after talks on Saturday.
The three-week nationwide lockdown was to end on Tuesday. With the death toll rising, several chief ministers from India's 29 states and territories have pressed Mr Modi to prolong restrictions for the 1.3 billion population.
Two states – Odisha and Punjab – have already extended the lockdown by about two weeks, but critics said a nationwide lockdown was needed to stop people moving between states and perhaps taking the virus with them.
India has reported about 8,500 cases and 290 deaths, but the government said there was no community transmission.
Delhi's chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said Mr Modi had taken the "correct decision" by extending the lockdown.
"Today, India's position is better than many developed countries because we started (the) lockdown early. If it is stopped now, all gains would be lost," Mr Kejriwal posted on Twitter after the meeting.
Other ministers who took part in the video conference talks told media the lockdown would go on for another two weeks.
The government made no immediate announcement, and officials said Mr Modi may not make a statement until Sunday.
According to reports, the Hindu-nationalist government was worried about the impact of the restrictions and ban on international flights on the economy, which was slowing even before the pandemic crisis blew up.
Millions of people have lost jobs in the past three weeks, and the lockdown sparked a mass migration as workers headed for their home villages.
Every state has now declared a coronavirus case, but Maharashtra, which includes the financial capital Mumbai, has been among the worst hit. The western state accounted for more than 1,600 cases and more than 110 deaths in India's total.
The coronavirus is spreading in Mumbai's Dharavi district, one of Asia's biggest slums.
Mumbai council spokesman Vijay Khabale-Patil said that more cases had been uncovered at "extensive medical camps in Dharavi and other areas of Mumbai to test more people".
He said there were now 28 cases in the slum and three people had died there.
The capital, Delhi, has reported a growing toll with more than 180 cases declared on Friday, taking the total to 865.
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Gallery: Coronavirus around the world
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
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360Vuz PROFILE
Date started: January 2017
Founder: Khaled Zaatarah
Based: Dubai and Los Angeles
Sector: Technology
Size: 21 employees
Funding: $7 million
Investors: Shorooq Partners, KBW Ventures, Vision Ventures, Hala Ventures, 500Startups, Plug and Play, Magnus Olsson, Samih Toukan, Jonathan Labin
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Tori Amos
Native Invader
Decca
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
