Lockdown extended in Telangana till May 29
Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Tuesday announced extension of the lockdown in the state till May 29 but with relaxations in rural and municipal areas.
Rao, who was speaking on Tuesday night after a marathon meeting of the state cabinet, said majority opinion in the state is in favour of extending the lockdown.
"We are extending lockdown in our state till 29th May. We will definitely implement it seriously. Night curfew will be there in the entire state. At any cost. There will be serious curfew after 7 pm," he told reporters.
Rao said 1,096 people have tested positive for the virus as on Tuesday evening. He said 628 people have been discharged after treatment. As many as 439 people are undergoing treatment, he said.
Number of deaths stood at 29. Telangana is flattening the curve and it should be brought to zero, he said.
Out of the 33 districts in the state, Hyderabad, Medchal and Ranga Reddy districts (which largely form the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation area) are the cause of concern with regard to the spread of the virus, he said.
Rao said 66 per cent of the total cases in the state are reported from the three districts.
Six districts in the state are in red zone but the other three districts (except Hyderabad, Medchal and Ranga Reddy) may move out of the red zone in the next few days, he said.
Fresh cases are also being reported from the Hyderabad, Medchal and Ranga Reddy districts, he said. The state government is fully equipped to deal with the virus having acquired PPE and other equipment, he said.
The state government would implement the guidelines issued by the Centre with regard to activity in red, orange and green zones, he said.
Though the Centre allowed opening of shops in red zones, the state government would not allow opening of shops in red zones, he said.
Shops related to construction activity and shops selling essential commodities would remain open, he said. Agriculture activity and related shops would remain open, he said.
Rao said he will hold a review on May 15. He said all shops in mandal headquarters and villages below that level (broadly rural areas) in green and orange zones can be opened.
In municipal towns, only 50 per cent of shops would be allowed to open, he said.
All shops would get an opportunity to open as per a lottery system. However, social distancing should be maintained strictly. The shops would be open from 10 am to 6 pm as night curfew would be implemented in the entire state, he said.
Recalling that Class 10 exams stopped midway due to the lockdown, he said the government would appeal in the high court for permission to conduct the test for remaining papers.
The state government would take all precautions in view of COVID-19 in conduct of exams, he said.
Talking about migrant workers, he said the state government would facilitate the travel of migrant workers who want to go to their native places.
However, lakhs of migrant workers cannot be sent at once as Telangana government has to send the list of workers to the state where they would go, he said.
Saying that he has spoken to Chief Ministers of UP, Bihar and others, he said it will be difficult for the states concerned to handle the arrival of a huge number of workers at once as arrangements have to be made vis-a-vis arrival of workers.
He said 11 trains were being sent from Hyderabad to different states on Tuesday.
Highlighting that economic activity is going to start in the state, he appealed to the migrant workers to try to stay back as they would be able to find work soon.
He said some 1,200 workers would be brought from Bihar to work in rice mills in the state. About 20,000 workers who are willing to come are also going to come to the state, he said.
Rao announced the opening of liquor shops in the state from Wednesday, except 15 shops in containment zones. However, social distancing and masks are a must, he said.
Talking about a new electricity bill reportedly proposed by he Centre, he voiced strong opposition to it, alleging that it would take away the powers of the Centre.
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Accused gunman at correspondents' dinner was believed to be targeting top officials, Blanche says
Washington (AP): The accused gunman who tried to storm the ballroom at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner with guns and knives travelled across the country before the event and is believed to have been targeting members of the Trump administration, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday.
Blanche also said officials believe the suspect traveled by train from California to Chicago and then on to Washington, where in recent days he checked in as a guest to the hotel where one of Washington's glitziest events was being held Saturday night.
Investigators have not publicly named the suspect, but two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter have identified him to The Associated Press as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California.
Law enforcement officials who have examined the gunman's electronic devices and his writings preliminarily believe he intended to target administration members in attendance at the dinner. He attempted to charge into the cavernous ballroom at the Washington Hilton but was tackled to the ground in a chaotic scene that resulted in shots being fired, President Donald Trump being hurried off the stage and guests ducking for cover beneath their tables.
“It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president,” Blanche told NBC's “Meet the Press.”
The suspect is believed to have purchased the firearms he carried within the last couple of years, Blanche said. He is not being cooperative and is expected to face multiple charges on Monday.
Video posted by Trump showed the suspect running past security barricades as Secret Service agents ran toward him. One officer was shot in a bullet-resistant vest but was recovering, officials said. The gunman was taken into custody and was not injured, but was being evaluated at a hospital, police said.
“He failed,” Blanche said on CBS's “Face the Nation.” “Law enforcement did their jobs.”
Social media posts that appear to match the suspect show he is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer.
A May 2025 profile photo of Allen appears to match the appearance of the man in a photo of the alleged attacker being taken into custody that was posted Saturday night by Trump. The photo, posted to the social networking site LinkedIn, shows him in a cap and gown after graduating with a master's degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Allen earned a bachelor's degree in 2017 in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. He listed his involvement there in a Christian student fellowship and a campus group that battled with Nerf guns.
The shooting at the security barricades happened minutes after the event got underway.
The Secret Service and other authorities swarmed the room as guests ducked under tables by the hundreds. Gasps echoed through the ballroom as guests realized something was happening. Hundreds of journalists immediately got on phones to call in information.
“Out of the way, sir!” someone yelled. Others yelled to duck. From one corner, a “God Bless America” chant began as the president was escorted offstage. Outside the hotel, members of the National Guard and other authorities flooded the area as helicopters circled overhead.
After an initial attempt to resume the event, it was scrapped for the night and will be rescheduled.
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