 Hello and welcome to International Daily Roundup by People's Dispatch where we bring you some of the major news developments from across the world. We begin with an update on the ongoing coronavirus pandemic as the number of reported cases is at roughly 426,000 worldwide. Of these, there are currently close to 300,000 active cases and nearly 19,000 deaths have been reported. Italy and the United States stand neck-to-neck with nearly 54,000 and 53,000 cases respectively. Cases in South Africa rose by over 150 in one day and are at over 700. These countries are putting in place strong measures. New Zealand has declared an emergency and Thailand is said to be considering the same. European leaders are meeting via video conference tomorrow as are the leaders of the G20. Meanwhile, after much speculation, the Tokyo Olympics that were scheduled for July this year have been postponed and will be held no later than summer 2021, according to media reports. On the positive side, China has eased restrictions on the Hubei province, the original hotspot of the pandemic, after almost no new local cases were reported for nearly a week. However, if there is one person who is unfazed by the coronavirus pandemic, it seems to be Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who made a stunning series of statements yesterday. In a televised address, Bolsonaro dismissed the gravity of the pandemic and criticized the measures of social isolation that have been decreed by governors of several states. He said that the press is causing panic and hysteria in Brazilian society while reporting on the coronavirus. As of yesterday, in Brazil, there were nearly 2,247 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 46 deaths. However, according to Bolsonaro, state and municipal authorities should abandon the concept of scorched earth and return to normal. He questioned the motives behind school closures since the at-risk group is about 60 years old and again said that Brazil needs to guarantee jobs during the crisis. The statements were made on national radio and television channels on the night of Tuesday, March 24. During his pronouncement, Bolsonaro said that when the press exaggerated what they spoke about the pandemic and exploited the case of Italy, he added that God would empower scientists to cure the virus and call the pandemic just a little cold. He also added that 90% of the people that will be infected will not have symptoms. Furthermore, the president declared it since he used to be an athlete, he does not have to be worried and will not feel anything. At the time of the president's declaration, that is at 8.30 at night, fresh Casero that's mobilizations where people bang pots and pans in rejection of Bolsonaro were carried out in several cities. It's the eighth consecutive day of protests motivated above all by the position of Bolsonaro in response to the social crisis and public health crisis provoked by coronavirus. The United States Congress and the administration of President Donald Trump have agreed upon a deal for a national relief package in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak. As the United States is fast becoming a major hotspot with close to 800 deaths, the government has struggled to come up with a proper emergency plan. Even though the final draft of the deal is still being prepared, after a marathon closed towards negotiation meeting between the Trump administration and the Democratic Party led House of Representatives, the government has declared that the deal is done. The deal will pave the way for a $2 trillion investment in boosting medical infrastructure in the country, support for establishments and firms that are going to be affected and reportedly compensation for workers. There have been disagreements between the government and the opposition over the lack of support for daily wage workers and the limited scope for rent and eviction freezes. In the meanwhile, President Trump is already planning on having the social distancing measures implemented in various parts of the country rolled back by Easter. Such a plan will be against multiple warnings and advice given by the public health experts and by the WHO in dealing with the pandemic. Meanwhile, in a dramatic broadcast to the country, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a complete lockdown of the country starting today. Prime Minister Modi has asked everyone to stay indoors for 21 days in a bid to contain the spiralling coronavirus up-and-down break in the country. The central government of India led by Modi later announced an infusion of Rs 150 billion or close to US$2 billion into the healthcare system, mostly to purchase such essential tools as personal protective equipment or PPEs and ventilators. India, home to over 1.3 billion people is already reported over 562 cases, as of the morning of March 25th with 11 deaths. Even before the Prime Minister's speech, 30 of the 37 states and union territories in the country have partial or complete lockdowns in place. While lockdowns by states were done in a phased manner, the central government's sudden announcement induced widespread panic and confusion. The announcement had very little clarity on several crucial matters, even though the government later published circulars detailing and assuring people that all basic services and goods including groceries and medicines would be available, the situation on the ground is very different. Reports on the ground had talked about people hoarding groceries from their local stores while suppliers have all but closed down. Even bureaucrats and the police are not very clear about the details of the lockdown. Opposition parties in India have criticized the abrupt nature of the shutdown and also demanded that the government come up with a relief plan for daily wage workers, the homeless and other underprivileged sections. And while India's central government is facing criticism for its unclear response, one state in the country has won praise across the world for the way it has handled COVID-19. We are talking about the state of Kerala which is ruled by the left democratic front government. Here is a video feature on how the government and the people of Kerala have worked to combat the pandemic. That's all we have for this episode of the International Daily Roundup. No more about these stories visit our website peoplesdispatch.org. Thanks for watching.