Gold prices touched a two-week low on Wednesday due to optimism around reopening of several economies, but increasing Sino-US frictions over Beijing's proposed security law for Hong Kong tempered losses.

Spot gold dipped 0.3 per cent to $1,705.94 per ounce by 0502 GMT, after hitting its lowest level since May 13 of $1,703.40 earlier in the session. US gold futures were down 0.6 per cent to $1,695.80, the Reuters reported.

Nokia last week suspended operations at a telecom gear manufacturing plant in Sriperumbudur of Tamil Nadu, the company said on Tuesday, after some employees tested positive for Covid-19.

Nokia did not disclose how many workers at the Sriperumbudur plant tested positive, but a source familiar with the matter said they were at least 42.

The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in India crossed the 1.51 lakh-mark on Wednesday, while the death toll has topped the 4,300-mark as well. At 9:30 AM on this day, the COVID-19 tally in the country has reached 1,51,767 cases, which includes 83,004 active cases; 64,426 cured, discharged, or migrated patients, and 4,337 deaths.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, as many as 6,387 new COVID-19 cases and 170 deaths were reported in the country in the last 24 hours, marking a significant spike.

Even as India deals with the massive socio-economic ramifications of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak which is spreading like wildfire across the country, the state of Assam is facing a new impediment in these challenging times. Assam is facing the first wave of flash floods triggered by heavy rains due to the recent cyclonic storm 'Amphan', leading to major distress for the people in the state.

The Delhi Police Crime Branch will on Wednesday file charge sheets against 280 foreign visitors from 13 nations who attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Delhi's Nizamuddin Markaz in March this year amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak.

The Maulana Saad-led Nizamuddin was earlier blamed for overruling the government's ban on any kind of public gathering in the view of the virus outbreak.

The desert locust storms that have already invaded as far inland as Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, are now heading towards Delhi and the adjoining national capital region (NCR). This is another potential threat has entered India, as the country is already reeling with ensuing damages from a virus outbreak and a super cyclone. As the authorities figure out how to deal with the full extent of continued devastation from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and that left behind by Cyclone Amphan, now a vicious locust storm is fast approaching Delhi, eating up everything on the way.

The situation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) where Chinese troops have entered the Indian territory is "sensitive but not dangerous", government sources in New Delhi said on Tuesday.

Both sides are also in touch at various levels to end the stand-off between two nuclear-armed neighbours, sources added.

The Centre on Tuesday reduced the institutional quarantine period of Indians arriving from abroad under the Vande Bharat Mission to seven days, from the earlier mandatory quarantine of 14 days.

In an order on Tuesday, Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said, "Protocol for Institutional quarantine has been revised to 7 days followed by 7 days home quarantine after medical assessment."

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday held a security review meeting with Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and three service chiefs to review the ground situation in Ladakh where Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a stand-off.

In an hour-long meeting, the Defence Minister was reportedly briefed about the Indian response to the Chinese troops' mobilisation.

More than 44 lakh migrant workers have reached their home state by over 3,200 “Shramik Special” trains operated since May 1, the Indian Railways said on Tuesday.

As on May 25, 223 Shramik Special trains were moving 2.8 lakh passengers, the Railways said.

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