Top news of the day: Malaysian Tablighi Jamaat attendees stopped from leaving India, ICMR says no evidence yet of COVID-19 being airborne, and more

The major news headlines of the day, and more.

A stray cow is offered food as a dog awaits his turn in Prayagraj on April 5, 2020.

Coronavirus | 8 Malaysians who attended Tablighi Jamaat event sent to quarantine from Delhi airport

It was found that they figured in a list of foreign nationals who attended the religious congregation at the Tablighi Jamaat centre in Nizamuddin . | 10 Malaysians who attended Tablighi Jamaat event detained at Chennai airport

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Coronavirus |ICMR says no evidence yet of COVID-19 being airborne

Rate of doubling of COVID-19 cases is 4.1 days; without Tablighi Jamaat incident it would have been 7.4, says government. | India coronavirus lockdown: Day 12 updates

Coronavirus

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Modi calls up former Presidents, Prime Ministers and Opposition leaders

According to government sources, Mr. Modi dialled former Presidents Pranab Mukherjee and Pratibha Patil as well as former Prime Ministers H.D. Deve Gowda and Manmohan Singh. “He also called up Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Odisha CM and Biju Janata Dal leader Naveen Patnaik, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao, Samajwadi Party leaders Mulayam Singh and Akhilesh Yadav, Shiromani Akali Dal chief Prakash Singh Badal and DMK chief M.K. Stalin,” the sources said. | Centre made ‘grave mistake’ by not taking States into confidence on lockdown, says Veerappa Moily

Coronavirus | Decision on reopening schools, colleges on April 14 after reviewing COVID-19 situation, says Pokhriyal

The Union HRD Minister said safety of students and teachers is of utmost importance and his Ministry is prepared to ensure there is no academic loss to

students if schools and colleges needed to remain shut beyond April 14. | DRDO comes up with more products to tackle coronavirus

Coronavirus |Pandemics and prejudice: When there is an epidemic, social prejudices resurface

Diseases don’t care for race or class. But they continue to be pinned to race, gender, sexual preference and geography. | The disasters that hit Bengal in the 1940s offer a warning for the present day

Coronavirus |More deaths, fresh cases from Pune as Maharashtra’s tally of positive cases surges to 690

More than 50% of the cases in the State are from Mumbai alone, with the city crossing the 400-mark as 29 fresh cases were reported from there. | Fadnavis lands in soup over ‘come out on streets’ call

Coronavirus |Tamil Nadu reports 86 more COVID-19 cases, total spikes to 571

This is the fifth straight day the State has witnessed a sharp surge in the number of positive cases. | Watch: What is the difference between cleaning, disinfecting and sterilising?

Coronavirus | Modi’s appeal on lighting lamps is BJP’s hidden agenda, says H.D. Kumaraswamy

The government, he alleged, is yet to provide personal protective equipment (PPEs) for doctors and make test kits affordable for the common man. | Mass transport may not resume fully in Karnataka’s key cities in April

Coronavirus |U.K. plans 7 special flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Goa for stranded Britons

An estimated 35,000 British nationals are currently in India, out of whom over 20,000 have contacted the British High Commission to say they wish to return to the U.K. | Unending ordeal for Iran-returned 230 Kashmiri students in Rajasthan quarantine centres

A prelate wearing a face mask holds a smartphone and a palm branch prior to the Pope's Palm Sunday Mass behind closed doors in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on April 5, 2020.

Coronavirus |Satan is trying to keep us apart, say Americans who refuse to shelve Palm Sunday gatherings

Despite quarantine orders, pockets of churches from Florida to Texas and across to California are keeping their doors open and inviting worshipers to attend services this weekend. | Pope Francis opens Holy Week amid pandemic; says now is the time to serve

Coronavirus |Bernie Ecclestone says 2020 F1 championship should be cancelled

A minimum of eight races are required for the championship to be valid, but the former F1 chief executive Ecclestone believes that will not be possible. | Liverpool furlough non-playing staff amid COVID-19 pandemic