The ongoing lockdown imposed by the government due to the Coronavirus outbreak in the country has taken a toll on the public lives of the people. With social distancing being the new norm, people have come up with innovative techniques to ensure the supply of essential goods is not affected. Just like this milkman who came up with a creative idea to deliver milk, which netizens are terming as ‘jugaad.’

In a photo of the person posted by IAS officer Nitin Sangwan, the customer is seen standing a few feet away from the milkman carrying four cans of milk behind his motorbike. A pipe is fixed on the back of the bike, with a funnel attached to it. As the milkman pours milk into the funnel, the customer holds a bowl on the other end of the pipe to collect the milk coming out of it.

Sangwan captions on the photo shared with his post, “Good to see that some people go extra mile to keep themselves and others safe,” adding how others can help maintain social distancing by staying at home and wearing mask.

Good to see that some people go extra mile to keep themselves and others safe.

Let's do basic minimum things of staying at home, wearing mask and keeping social distance even if we cannot go an extra mile like this innovative milkman. pic.twitter.com/RrjYVtdaKW

— Nitin Sangwan, IAS (@nitinsangwan) May 7, 2020

The photo of this innovative technique that ensures zero contact was shared on Thursday and has garnered 704 likes. It was also retweeted 105 times. Users commenting on the photo praised the idea and posted about how this ‘jugaad’ can help in maintaining social distance.

Creativity....This is called desi jugaaad.

— mahesh chemte (@mchemteMT) May 7, 2020

Super plan & i really appreciet the milk man ideas... dear indians plz keep distance, stay home

— Suryaprakash (@suryapr65773817) May 9, 2020

Kudos...innovative & creative to think of others and himself too, stay safe.

— Vimileswari Naidu (@VimileswariN) May 7, 2020

Now is the time for every Indian citizen to place safety before anything other priority so that we can break the Covid19 chain. Well done my dear milkman🙏

— SURESH SUBRAMANIAN (@SURESHSpallipur) May 8, 2020

What do you think about this post?

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Dear Diana,
I am 29 and have been hanging out with this girl for about two years. Last week, while we were out, she told me that she was no longer in love with me. She said she always considered me as a good friend. I thought she was in those moods when she would say random things and the next morning things would be back to normal. So, I did not react. But the next day, she refused to answer my calls. I kept calling her and sending her text messages, but she did not respond. I had no clue what was going on in her mind. I then spoke to a common friend about what had happened. She sent a message through the common friend saying that she had called it quits. She said she had really meant what she had said. I want to know what made her take such a drastic step. If only she would tell me exactly what was going on, but she refuses to pay heed. Why can't she tell me the truth?
— Ajinkya

Dear Ajinkya,
Your girl is certainly behaving strange. You are concerned because she has not told you what made her take such a decision. There were no tell-tale signs either. She just needed an excuse to go her way. This girl is clearly not interested in you. If she cared for you, she would not have behaved in such a manner. After being with you all these years, she owes you an explanation. By resorting to such behaviour, she is making things even more difficult for you. She has hurt you and left you heartbroken. At the same time, stop calling her and sending text messages. Let her be for now and move on. She may have found someone else or there could be some other reason. But if she is not telling you, why even care for her? Get going your way.

The Sports Authority of India will conduct online education programme and lectures beginning Wednesday to keep its coaches engaged during the lockdown period in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, The coach education programme, to be done via Zoom, will be like a refresher course, one of the participants said. Coaches from swimming, judo and volleyball will have their one-hour session on Wednesday while the programmes on athletics, fencing, weightlifting and boxing will be held on Thursday.

"As far as I know, the SAI is using this period of COVID-19 to conduct this refresher course for the coaches. This is a welcome move. As a coach, it is always good to have additional knowledge," national cycling coach RK Sharma told PTI. Indian athletics high performance director Volker Herrmann will be one of those who will conduct the sessions.

The SAI has also lined up sports science lectures as part the of coach development programme during the lockdown period. Eminent speakers from top institutes of the country will deliver online lectures on topics relating to physiology, bio chemistry, strength and conditioning, physiotherapy and injury prevention, sports medicine, nutrition, sports psychology, bio mechanics and doping.

These lectures will begin on Thursday and continue till May 12.

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Farah Khan's daughter Anya Kunder has been raising money for the animals to help them amid the Coronavirus pandemic and the filmmaker also shared the sketch she drew and it drew a lot of respect from Bollywood celebrities like Tabu, Sonali Bendre, Zoya Akhtar, Tahira Kashyap, Aditi Rao Hydari, and Sonu Sood.

It is a great initiative and not only Bollywood celebrities, but even the commoners also need to applaud her efforts to ensure the well-being of the animals amid this crisis. In case you missed the post that was shared by Farah Khan on her Instagram account a few days back, have a look right here again.

Here it is:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

My daughter Anya has decided to sketch a pet, n sell it for rs.1000-/.. all proceeds will go towards feeding stray animals and homeless during this pandemic.. not much but she s only 12 yrs old.. ♥ï¸Â thank you @tabutiful @rajeevmasand @aartishetty @shaziaqg for advance orders💕

A post shared by Farah Khan Kunder (@farahkhankunder) onApr 5, 2020 at 10:54pm PDT

And now, actor and good friend Abhishek Bachchan has come forward and given Rs. 1 lakh for this sketch and completely bowled over Farah. She couldn't contain her excitement and this is how she expressed her joy. Have a look right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Who gives 1 LAKH for a sketch?? Only @bachchan ..that straightaway doubles Anya s charity drive! Thank u my mad, big hearted crazy boy♥ï¸Â bigggggg huggggg cming up which u will hate i know😂

A post shared by Farah Khan Kunder (@farahkhankunder) onApr 27, 2020 at 5:06am PDT

Zoya Akhtar and Patralekhaa reacted with a heart, a user wrote- "Wow! Told you this guy was the coolest." And another one wrote- "He is such a great guy." Now let's wait and watch who happens to be the next Bollywood actor to come forward and become a part of this great initiative!

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To support India in its efforts to financially assist those impacted by the disruption caused by the outbreak, Facebook announced the launch of Facebook Fundraisers, a platform that will allow people to start a fundraiser for a cause dear to them.

In addition to this, Hungama Artist Aloud, a platform that supports and promotes independent content, is bringing back #StayAtHome #StayEntertained, for a second season. A series of multilingual, multi-genre and multi-talent digital concerts, will come together for this effort to raise funds for Goonj, which is working to ease the hardships faced by daily-wage earning families.

Having kicked off on April 27, the series saw artistes like Himani Kapoor, Shashaa Tirupati, Sujata Majumdar, Hardeep Grewal, Poorvi Koutish, Siddharth Basrur, Paroma Dasgupta, Dev Negi, Astitva, The Suryansh Project, Preety Bhalla, Shreya Sharma and Sanah Moidutty perform live from their homes.

Shreya Sharma

Shreya Sharma says, "(While we are) comfortable in our houses and air conditioned rooms, a lot of migrant workers are in the sweltering heat without rations or basic sanitary needs. Doing even the smallest can help them to survive this pandemic."

Sanah M adds, "I'll be singing a few songs that I've sung for movies, a few covers, and will possibly take up some audience requests."

Preety Bhalla

Preety Bhalla says, "Social media is a very important platform through which people can reach out to each other especially during this lockdown. So this is a great medium where we as artists can do something from our side by performing for them and thus raise funds for the needy."

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Real estate developer Vikas and Gayatri Oberoi's son, Vihaan, 13, is an aspiring artist, studying at the Oberoi International School. His passion for art led him to pursue acrylic painting and drawing. The self-taught youngster's tools vary from painting knives to cooking pan lids. He particularly enjoys working on multiple canvas making diptychs and triptychs as he loves the disconnection and continuity of such form of paintings.

Says Vihaan, "Knowing the situation we are in and learning about the hardships people are facing due to the lockdown, I have used my time at home to compile my work for an online exhibition on https://colorwaysbyvihaan.org. I was always keen on holding an exhibition and it's fulfilling to know that it will help people in need."

Crimson

Proceeds from the sale will be collected by the Oberoi Foundation and donated to the NGO Teach for India's COVID-19 Relief and Learning Fund. "I hope my art brings as much positivity to people during this time, as creating it did for me," adds Vihaan.

Historique

His parents have always encouraged Vihaan's love for art. They say, "We are thrilled that he is able to contribute to a cause when it is most needed. We will continue to guide and encourage his creative mind and generosity. We are very thankful for all the appreciation he has received."

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Ayushmann Khurrana has enrolled himself for an online course on Indian history. The actor-singer considers learning a life-long process. "I'm a seeker of knowledge," he says. Being a history buff, he decided to make the most of the current time on hand.

"We have a fascinating history; it's rich and diverse. I want to learn more about our past. The session will be an enriching and fulfilling experience," he adds. It will also come in handy if Khurrana is roped in for a historical in the future.

Recently, Ayushmann, accompanied by Virat Kohli, Kriti Sanon and Sara Ali Khan joined hands for a new initiative called 'Mat Kar Forward'. Sharing the same on Instagram, Ayushmann wrote, "No one thought they'd catch it, no one thought it would become a pandemic. But we can change this and the change begins with you. #MatKarForward @indiatiktok"

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ayushmann Khurrana (@ayushmannk) onMay 4, 2020 at 1:25am PDT

The initiative urges people to not share any unverified message, picture or video, on any social networking sites.

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Within days of receiving immense praise, love and appreciation for the second season, Amazon Prime Video has announced today that fans can look forward to a third season of the Amazon Original Series Four More Shots Please!

Created by Rangita Pritish Nandy and produced by Pritish Nandy Communications Ltd., Season 2 was directed by Nupur Asthana and headlined by Sayani Gupta, Kirti Kulhari, Bani J and Maanvi Gagroo. Prime members in more than 200 countries and territories can currently binge-watch both, season 1 and 2, of the much-loved Amazon Original Series Four More Shots Please! on Amazon Prime Video.

“The response to Four More Shots Please! has been phenomenal; it has already become the most-watched show from India this year. The first season was one of the top 3 most-watched Amazon Original Series from India in 2019, and season two has set yet another benchmark”, said Aparna Purohit, Head of Amazon Originals, Amazon Prime Video India. “We are thrilled to be associated with Pritish Nandy Communications and are looking forward to another groundbreaking season.”

“In the new season, the unapologetically flawed girls will face even greater challenges and stereotypes thrown at them but all the while their friendship will be their driving force”, said Pritish Nandy, Chairman, Pritish Nandy Communications Ltd.

“After the unconditional love received over two seasons not only by women but men as well, together with Amazon Prime Video we are pleased to bring our viewers a third season. The third season will pick up from where the four girls are left at the end of season two and will take forward their stories as they journey ahead in their career, relationships, love and, most importantly, the passion and beauty of their friendship!”
Devika Bhagat who wrote season 1 and 2, returns to write season 3.

Tannishtha Chatterjee, a revered actor, writer and director, will direct all episodes of the new season while dialogue will continue to be penned by Ishita Moitra.

Both seasons of the Amazon Original Series Four More Shots Please! are part of the thousands of TV shows and movies from Hollywood and Bollywood in the Prime Video catalogue, including various acclaimed Indian produced Amazon Original series.

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Babita Ji from Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah is one of the most loved and famous characters on Indian television. The show has been running for the last 11 years and the actor even posted a picture of herself, proudly announcing the completion of 2900 episodes. This is truly historic! Spider-Man's uncle said with great power comes great responsibility. And Munmun Dutta, the actor who plays Babita Ji, has acted responsibly in every sense of the term.

The thing is that over the past few weeks, some fake TikTok accounts of the actress have been doing the rounds on the Internet and this has truly worried her. And taking to her Instagram account, she shared a screenshot of the same and also wrote a message on her Instagram story- "If I ever decide to come on TikTok, I will let you all know here first." (sic)

Have a look at the screenshot of the fake accounts first:

And here comes the message:

Well, hope all those people who were following her on these fake pages now unfollow her immediately. Follow her on Instagram for her gorgeous pictures and keep watching her iconic show and her superlative performance.

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Anchor-actor Maniesh Paul, who routinely tickles the funny bone with his on-stage acts, is proud of his 14 year long journey in Mumbai. On Tuesday, he took to Instagram and shared a picture of the awards he has received over the years.

"Gratitude! Gratitude! Gratitude!! The feeling that is the most predominant today...there is always so much to be thankful for...This lockdown has certainly given me time to think about the things I had no time for...got time to actually sit and see all the awards I have won...feels so good....at times we are so busy that we just move on fast, toooo fast," Maniesh wrote.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Gratitude! Gratitude! Gratitude!! The feeling that is the most predominant today...there is always so much to be thankful for...This lockdown has certainly given me time to think about the things i had no time for...got time to actually sit and see all the awards i have won...feels sooooo good....at times we are so busy that we just move on fast, toooo fast! This, the result of my hard work, my determination,the trust that was bestowed on me & all the love I have recieved over a period of 14 years in mumbai...gratitude! Gratitude! And only gratitude!🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 #mp #awards #rewards #love #blessed #godiskind #happy #besthost #entertaineroftheyear #bestactor #theawards #win #gratitude #mumbaimerijaan #fanlove #kind #wordsarenotenough

A post shared by Maniesh Paul (@manieshpaul) onApr 27, 2020 at 9:08pm PDT

He also mentioned that all the awards are "the result of my hard work, my determination,the trust that was bestowed on me and all the love I have recieved over a period of 14 years in Mumbai".

"Gratitude! gratitude! and only gratitude," he added.

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With his debut in the OTT space actor Karan Tacker has taught many of us that it is never too late to try new things in life. While he has always been a charmer with his craft, Karan has played roles that have stayed with his fans forever. Whether on television or in the web-space, his acting prowess has always been worth admiring. And Karan has come a long way professionally, as he completes 11 years in the industry today, the actor looks back at how it all began.

On this special day, Karan reminisces how he started his journey with an Gujrat based cold drink brand and received a paycheque of only Rs 1500 for the same. But a big breakthrough for him which gave him the confidence to do what he wanted to do was for the moisturizing cream Nivea. The actor continues to share, how he had a business that was suffering financial loss before he entered showbiz. Well, he tried his luck and fortune smiled upon him, from there is amazing journey began and ever since there has been no looking back.

We have seen him as one of the finest artists on television, yes, Karan went on to do some very popular shows on the small screen and the chocolate boy of the tube was also a celebrated host. More than a decade later, Karan made his debut into the OTT space as the leading man for Neeraj Pandey in the web-show Special Ops and while he took the medium by storm with his power-packed performance as Officer Farooq Ali, we are sure there is lot more to come from the talented actor in the future.

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After a late night order on reopening of shops amid the Coronavirus lockdown, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Saturday issued a clarification saying that only standalone shops are allowed to open. It further stated that the order does not apply to COVID-19 containment zones or liquor stores. "In urban areas, all standalone/neighbourhood shops and shops in residential complexes are allowed to open. Shops in markets/market complexes and shopping malls are not allowed to open," the ministry clarified.

The ministry clarified that sales by ecommerce companies will continue to be restricted to essential goods only. It also cleared that liquor stores will be shut as the relaxations do not apply to them. "Sale of liquor and other items continues to be prohibited as specified in the National Directives for COVID-19 management," it added.

Don't hurry: CAIT to traders
The largest traders' body Confederation of All India Traders lauded the decision, but issued a caution to the traders to follow orders by their state governments in the matter and also sanitise shops and market places before resuming business. CAIT's national general secretary Praveen Khandelwal said, "The central government has taken this decision only after fully assessing the present circumstances." "We appeal to traders across the country to not open their shops in their extreme enthusiasm. Since trade and shops is a state subject, only states governments are empowered to take the decision," Khandelwal added.

Shops to open in Gujarat
The Gujarat government on Saturday declared that all the individual shops, neighbourhood shops and other small commercial activities outside containment zones will be permitted from Sunday.

No gatherings in UP
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday made it clear that no public gatherings will be allowed in the state till June 30. "CM Adityanath has given strict instructions to the officers that no crowd of any kind can gather until June 30," Mrityunjay Kumar, media advisor to Aditynath, said on Saturday.

4 N-E states COVID-19 free
With the recovery of the second patient in Tripura on Saturday, four of the eight northeastern states—Tripura, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim—have become Coronavirus-free, officials said on Saturday morning. According to health officials, there are 15 active cases in Assam, 11 in Meghalaya and one in Mizoram, besides a 33-year-old trader from Dimapur, Nagaland, undergoing treatment at the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital since April 12.

'Halting DA unnecessary'
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday opposed the Central government's decision to cut back hike in dearness allowance of government employees and pensioners. In a video message released by the Congress, Singh said, "We should be on the side of people whose DA is being cut. I believe it is not necessary at this stage to enforce hardship on government servants and armed forces personnel."

Man kills wife over kids' future

A man in Delhi allegedly killed his wife after an argument over their children's future turned violent. The couple has nine children and the ongoing lockdown created uncertainty over their future. This was the second marriage for both of them. The accused himself informed the police about the incident. The incident took place in Madipur JJ Colony, which has been declared a containment zone by the authorities. The accused used a stick to kill her.

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To avoid crowding and minimise footfall at liquor stores, the West Bengal State Beverages Corporation (WBSBCL) has launched an eRetail portal for online booking and home delivery.

According to the website of the WBSBCL, any person, who is older or of 21 years of age, can register as a buyer on the portal for getting home delivery of liquor. "For ensuring social distancing and minimising footfall at retail outlets, WBSBCL has launched eRetail for online booking and home delivery of liquor," notification on the website read.

The interested persons can fill in their details, full name, mobile number, address, email, among others to register as a buyer and get liquor delivered at their doorsteps. Prior to this, the Chhattisgarh and Punjab governments too had allowed home delivery of liquor in their respective states with certain conditions.

Liquor stores around the country have been allowed to reopen by the Centre during phase three of the coronavirus-induced lockdown. Long queues, with people flouting social distancing norms, were seen on liquor stores around the country as enthusiasts lined up to get their hands on their favourite drink.

With people at these outlets failing to follow social distancing norms, apprehensions were expressed regarding the spread of COVID-19.

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The Supreme Court on Friday observed that the state governments should consider online sale or home delivery of liquor during the nationwide lockdown that's in place to fight the coronavirus pandemic. The remarks came from a bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and B.R. Gavai during the hearing of a PIL through video conferencing. The PIL complained of indiscriminate flouting of all social distancing norms at the liquor vends after they were reopned on May 4.

The top court observed that it is not feasible to pass orders on the PIL filed under Article 32 and instead asked the state governments to consider selling liquor through other viable options, keeping in place social distancing norms. The court said, "We will not pass any order. States should consider indirect sale or home delivery of liquor to maintain social distancing." Advocate Sai Deepak, representing the petitioner, submitted that the opening of liquor shops should not meddle with the lives of the common people.

The petition under Article 32 of the Constitution sought direction from the apex court to the Centre in order to declare the new Covid-19 guidelines issued by the Union of India, which permit the sale of liquors at liquor vends through direct contact sales during the lockdown period "as unconstitutional, null and void". The petition argued that prohibition of sale of liquor for human consumption at liquor vends through direct contact sales during the lockdown period would eventually contribute to containing the spread of Covid-19 in India, until the National Disaster Management Authority or the Centre declares India to be Covid-19 free.

Serpentine queues were reported across Delhi and many other parts of the country after the liquor vends opened in the third phase of the lockdown. At many liquor vends in Delhi-NCR, people disregarded social distancing norms while queuing up to purchase liquor.

Liquor shops had been shut down across India after the nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24 midnight. They reopened on May 4.

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At a time when the world is in despair due to the Coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent lockdown, hope is the only thing one can cling on to. Amid the pandemic that has infected millions of people across the globe and claimed scores of lives, people are hoping for a healthy and safe world and a better tomorrow.

The police department is trying hard to keep the spirits of the people high. From witty posts from the Mumbai Police’s social media pages to viral photos of police dressed as Yamraj, the god of death and some cops wearing helmets with spikes resembling the virus, the police department is pulling all stops to make sure you follow the necessary precautions to keep the illness at bay.

The 112 emergency service wing of the UP Police has garnered praises from netizens for spreading the message of hope amid the Coronavirus pandemic. The police department posted a picture on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, of their Police Response Vehicles of the wing arranged in formation of the word, ‘HOPE’ at Rumi Gate in Lucknow. They spell HOPE as Hold On. Pain Ends as an extended version of the acronym.

The caption written in Hindi reads, The world rests on hope, and we stand to our determination. HOPE keeps us going!

The netizens have praised the police department for their message of hope. Their post shared on Wednesday, has garnered more than 893 likes on Facebook and was shared 113 times. In the comments, users have posted praising their drill. Excellent drill, said a user. Another user said, Desh sewa ke liye abhinandan.

What do you think about the post?

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With France's ban on events with large gatherings until mid-July, a plan for a virtual version of the Cannes film market, the Marche du Film, might be going ahead in June. The Marche du Film is now setting up a full-on virtual market from June 22-28, confirmed Variety. According to Variety, Jerome Paillard, head of the Marche du Film, is to communicate details about the virtual market on Friday.

However, on April 8, The Cannes film festival director Thierry Fremaux has confirmed that the major event won't take the virtual route if it can't be hosted as a physical event. The film festival also works hand in hand with French distributors and exhibitors who are well represented on the board of the festival. Despite France's three-week lockdown, Fremaux maintains that the festival is carrying on with the selection of films while monitoring the evolution of the pandemic.

The festival recently stated that the key sales agents who represent the majority of titles in the competition have been submitting their films to Cannes' selection committee, and the dates for registration have been extended by a month and a half.

Also, the French culture ministry and the city's mayor are backing the Cannes, and they have announced the launch of a support cell for festivals scheduled for 2020.

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Canadian tennis ace Eugenie Bouchard, 26, has agreed to go on a date with a random online fan for a charitable cause. The fan will pay her an amount which she will donate to feed hospital staff battling the Coronavirus pandemic.

After Genie put out a message on Twitter that she felt like "quarantine would be a lot more fun with a boyfriend," she received many messages from fans.

So, in an Instagram Live chat with sportscaster Allie LaForce, she decided to pick a viewer named Bob, who initially offered to pay GBP 400 (approx Rs 36,000) for the date.

LaForce however, upped the stakes further, demanding GBP 2,410 (approx R2 lakh), the expenditure to feed hospital staff on the tennis player's behalf. Bob agreed and Genie said yes. Interestingly, Genie asked Bob to get some toilet rolls along, to which, Bob agreed but offered an extra GBP 800 (approx Rs 72,000) if she spoke in a British accent.

An embarrassed Genie replied: "Why are you doing this to me, Bob? I'm going to say yes but I have no skill whatsoever in imitating accents."

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Canadian tennis ace Eugenie Bouchard's tendency to pick dates online is set to become the theme of an upcoming Hollywood romantic comedy.

According to report in The Canadian Press, a script based on Eugenie's date with one of her Twitter followers, John Goehrke, who won a bet on the 2017 Super Bowl, is already being worked upon.

The couple continued to meet thereafter for more dates. However, this story has an update with Eugenie, 26, recently deciding to go on another random date with an online fan.

During an Instagram chat last week, Eugenie, agreed to go on a date with a fan named Bob, who donated GBP 3,210 (Rs 2.7 lakh) to help feed hospital staff battling the Coronavirus pandemic.

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"Game of Thrones" may return in 2019 but the winter is already here for the fans of the HBO epic fantasy drama who can now have a freezing experience in a new hotel that has opened in Finland, inspired by the show. The Leland Hotel SnowVillage transformed its annual ice hotel into a "Game of Thrones"-themed frozen resort in collaboration with HBO Nordic, according to Conde Nast Traveler.

The resort is complete with corridors and guest rooms lorded over by enormous hand-sculpted homages to the iconic White Walkers of mega-hit series. The hotel took barely one month to build with professional ice sculptors from Russia, Ukraine, Poland and Latvia working on it. The GOT admirers also have an option of sleeping under the stare of a White Walker or under the direwolf sigil, which belongs to House Stark.

The temperature inside the hotel hovers around 23 degrees Fahrenheit, which warrants full winter wear, but in comparison to outdoor temperature, around 10 degrees, it is pleasantly warm. A night stay at the digs cost around USD 200 and one can additionally pay 18 dollars to get a day pass for exploring the SnowVillage.

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The Tourism Ministry and the IRCTC have enlisted 60 bloggers from 23 countries, including India, as part of a new publicity blitz to write on luxury trains run by the railways and improve their dwindling occupancy rate. The first-of-its-kind venture will allow the bloggers to take a week-long journey on Palace on Wheels, Maharaja Express, Deccan Odyssey and Golden Chariot in groups of 15 on each of the trains, a tourism ministry statement said today. The first 15 bloggers started their journey today on the Palace on Wheels from Safdarjung Railway Station in New Delhi.

The decision to promote travel on the trains comes after a recent parliamentary panel report pointed out that the occupancy rate during past four years - starting in 2012-13 - had been 29.86 per cent, 32.33 per cent, 41.8 per cent, 41.58 per cent and 36.03 per cent respectively. It had also said that most of the seats on these trains were occupied by passengers who had complimentary tickets. The bloggers, who have been chosen on the basis of their number of followers, will travel to destinations in various states across India on the trains and write about them. "The campaign will generate widespread publicity for the luxury trains as well as the destinations visited, by way of blogs, videos and photos published by the bloggers or Instagramers on their experiences of their journey.

Needless to say this initiative would benefit the railways and the luxury train operators to a large extent", the statement said. The second group will leave Delhi on Maharaja Express on February 10, and the third group is scheduled to leave on Deccan Odyssey on the same day from the Chaatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai. The final group will leave on Golden Chariot on February 19 from Bengaluru on a week-long journey.

The Railway Board, the state sovernments of Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka and the IRCTC - the tourism arm of the railways - have joined hands to host the bloggers, according to the statement.

Representational picture

Hyderabad: Haleem, a delicacy of Hyderabad is only prepared in the month of Ramzan. Speaking to ANI, Abdul Mohsin, Director, Pista house, one of the top Haleem sellers in Hyderabad, said, "Hyderabad tops two dishes, one is Biriyani and another is Haleem. Biryani is available in all seasons but Haleem will be available only during Ramadan, therefore, people from all places and community come to eat it as it is delicious and healthy, both."

"Public from across all over the state and country visit historic Charminar and come to our shop to have Haleem. We have started serving Haleem since 1997 and till now serve it. In Ramadan month Muslims, who fast for whole day, want healthy food to gain back energy, so by consuming Haleem they will get enough energy," he added.

Haleem, a delightful mix of grains and meat, is a stew popular in the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Although the dish varies from region to region, it always includes wheat or barley, meat, and sometimes lentils.

"Haleem is a very famous food in Hyderabad. Many people from various places and communities come here and consume it. It is available only in the holy month of Ramadan and everyone prefers Haleem due to its good taste," Abdul Razzak, told ANI.

Ramzan is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad according to Islamic belief.

Ramzan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which involves rigorous fasting for about 30 days including festive foods like dates, typically serves as appetizers, before a lavish meal served after sunset.

During this month, Muslims do not take food or water from dawn to dusk. They eat Suhur (a pre-dawn meal) and break their day-long fast with 'Iftar' in the evening.

India's 1.2 billion people include 175 million Muslims, and constitute the third-largest Muslim population in the world.

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With most people struggling with the Coronavirus pandemic-caused lockdown, staying upbeat is becoming a challenge.

Former Mumbai club cricketer and coach Kishore Harkisandas Kuvavala, 73, who is also a laughter therapist, is trying to make a difference albeit in the virtual space.

For the last 18 days, every evening at 6.30, Babulnath-resident Kuvavala goes live goes live from his Facebook account in an attempt to make people laugh and relieve some stress.

'Stress, a bigger threat'

He claims around 350 to 400 people join him live everyday for his fitness and laughter sessions. "Most people are worried about Coronavirus even if they are confined 24x7 to their homes. They are only watching and hearing about the pandemic during the day through various mediums. Corona will not be the biggest killer, but stress will surely have a huge impact on everybody.

There is nothing else left for people to talk about except Corona, it seems these days. So, I am trying to ease a bit of tension that's surrounding us today. Laughter is the best medicine. I have been championing this cause for over two decades now. I feel it can make a lot of difference to people especially in these times," a fit Kuvavala tells mid-day.

Kuvavala has always believed in leading an active life. He played competitive cricket on Mumbai's local circuit till he was 50. Kuvavala owes a lot to cricket. He got the Bank of Baroda job for his cricketing credentials. "I led the bank team too," he says with pride.

He played the famous Dr HD Kanga Cricket League in the 'A' Division for Young Maharashtra Cricket Club. He was also a Managing Committee member of the Mumbai Cricket Association in 1988-89 before taking up coaching.

Fitness first

Kuvavala decided to work towards spreading awareness on the importance of fitness after giving up the sport. In 1995, he began his journey as a laughter therapist, starting with lessons at Priyadarshini Park. Before the lockdown, Kuvavala and his group of 30 to 35 people would gather each morning at Chowpatty on Marine Drive for their dose of laughter. "Do we ever laugh at ourselves? When we do that, we laugh from the heart. There is an expression and feel involved in it. It is the best form of exercise. It fills you up with positivity," explains Kuvavala, who is often invited by top hospitals for laughter sessions. He also conducts laughter therapy activities for corporates. "I do that for a fee, though," he clarifies. "People nowadays have forgotten to laugh," he remarks.

With anxiety and sadness around due to the pandemic, all that Kuvavala wants to ensure is that people do not stop smiling.

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Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif on Wednesday said KL Rahul should only be used as a backup wicket-keeper so that workload on the player can be managed.

"People think that Rahul may become our main keeper in the future. But I feel that Rahul should be used as a backup wicketkeeper, if the main keeper is injured or he is not with the team then Rahul should be there because if you rely on him as the main keeper then chances of injuries will grow as the workload will increase on him," Kaif told ANI.

Kaif also feels that MS Dhoni should feature in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup and ruling the former captain out from the tournament will be 'unfair'.

"See people may have eyes on Dhoni that how he is going to play in the IPL (Indian Premier League) and then there will be talks of the T20 World Cup but my view is different from others. I do not judge Dhoni based on his IPL form. He is a great batsman and he is fit now, he wants to play IPL, do captaincy and is showing his availability. He has a winning mentality and knows how to win games under pressure," Kaif said.

"So, I think ruling him out will be unfair. See a lot of cricket is still left in Dhoni and when a player plays for this long, there are ups and downs in his career. It happens with every cricketer not just Dhoni," he added.

The ICC T20 World Cup 2020 is scheduled to be played between October 18 and November 15 at seven venues across Australia.

As the country continues to fight against the coronavirus crisis, Kaif urged people to adhere to the guidelines laid by the government and stay home.

"My message for the society is to be at home and follow what the government is saying then only we can beat this virus. At this stage, this is something very important for one and all to be at home," he said.

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The threat of online corrupt approaches does not cause much anxiety to BCCI's head of Anti Corruption Unit (ACU) Ajit Singh, who says Indian players are well aware of the modus operandi of fixers and are quick to report anything suspect. The ICC ACU head Alex Marshall, in an interview to 'The Guardian', said that prolonged lockdown and players using various social media platform could lead to corrupt approaches being made and people need to tread carefully. Singh said BCCI ACU is in control. "...we have made our players aware about the way people approach you and modus operandi through social media. We have told them 'look this is how they (potential fixers and bookies) would approach you'," the veteran IPS officer told PTI in an interaction. "(They will) try and behave like a fan and then try to meet you through someone who may be your acquaintance," he added. "Somehow these elements try and touch base with players. Most of them (India players), whenever it happens, they do report to us that I have got a contact."

Most of the top players, with millions of followers, have been very active online with Q and A sessions on twitter, interactive chats on instagram and Facebook live. So is the BCCI's ACU team tracking the online content? "Whatever can be tracked online, we do that. But obviously the physical verification part of going out and checking locations is out of question in times of a lockdown," he spoke about practical problems. "But if something comes to our notice, it automatically goes into our database and once lockdown is over, we will verify those if the need arises." Singh said the easiest aspect of tracking social media content is that it doesn't require too much manpower. "A few men who know their jobs can do it pretty well," the former DGP of Rajasthan said. But Singh said that, in his two year stint, all current India players have been honest and upright, very aware about their responsibilities. "We are not adversaries of players. The players and ACU are one team. It's the people who are trying to corrupt the games, they are the ones we need to track down." He said that both tracking social media and physical verification of corrupt approaches has its own set of challenges.

"Those who were trying to corrupt the players with physical presence and those using fake IDs on social media handles, converge at some point," he said. "Either it's the same person with a fake ID who tries to approach the player or uses someone on his behalf. So there is a pattern of convergence. One has to follow both the lines," he added. Singh said even former players have approached the ACU when they have found something unusual. "There have been things coming from current players and also retired players. There has been information coming from them. Things that they doubted, which look suspicious. "Any information is useful. Even if it's a false alarm, it raises the awareness level of the players as well as the skills of the team investigating it," the retired top cop said. There are some structural plans for the BCCI's ACU which will only materialise once normalcy returns after the COVID-19 pandemic. "Every zone will have a zonal head as it had been said earlier. A few zones don't have zonal heads, so we will fill those posts," he said.

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Former India player VVS Laxman on Tuesday conducted his first online session for batsmen of Ranji Trophy runners-up, Bengal, and to start with, he focussed only on the mental aspect. During his two separate 45-minute sessions with Abhishek Raman and Kazi Junaid Saifi, Laxman also had in attendance Bengal coach Arun Lal, cricket operations manager Joydeep Mukherjee, and state U-23 coach Sourasish Lahiri. Bengal opener Raman, who frittered away a bright start last season, was given lessons on how to deal with failures and ways to regain confidence. "We talked about our last season. What were my mindset through the season."

A session with lot to learn from and how to prepare the mindset during ups and downs of the season," Raman said in a statement issued by the Cricket Association of Bengal. Raman started the season with successive hundreds, against Kerala and Andhra, but eventually aggregated 406 runs at 25.37 from 10 outings. Laxman talked about how to control the mind in order to avoid playing loose shots, importance of batting in the the first one hour of play on bowling friendly pitches. Rookie batsman Kazi, who made his debut and went on to play two matches, was told about how to ensure a seamless transition from age-group to senior cricket. "It was a very useful and important session today. Laxman sir was sharing his experience with me, how it is normal to be nervous, to be doubtful but at the same time one need to keep faith in himself and his abilities.

"What I learnt is that cricket is a learning process and you have to be consistent in your thought and preparation," Kazi said. The CAB will continue with its online classes with focus being on their top-order batsmen, their biggest letdown in an otherwise eventful season when they reached their first Ranji Trophy final in 13 years. But their dream to lift the title for the first time since 1989-90 remained unfulfilled with the team's top-order batting failing to rise to the occasion against Saurashtra. CAB president Avishek Dalmiya said this exercise is the way forward at a time when the world is under lockdown owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Our cricketers are at home yet working out under the guidance of the trainers. We also need to keep them in the proper frame of mind. "And the right way to do it was to engage them with mentors and coaches who would analyse their performances from the previous season and chalk out ways to overcome the challenges," he said.

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Veteran batsman David Warner believes Australia's upcoming limited-overs tour of England will be scrapped because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Australians were scheduled to play three one-dayers and three Twenty20 matches against England in July. But last week the England and Wales Cricket Board delayed the start of their season until July 1 at the earliest and players may need some warm-up cricket before returning to the international arena.

There has been speculation the tour could be delayed until September, but Warner was doubtful if it would go ahead. "At the moment it's highly unlikely we're going to go over there given what's happened in England," Warner told cricket.com.au. He said the fact British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had been hospitalised with COVID-19 showed the gravity of the problem in the host nation.

"He's back up on his feet now and that's fantastic news, but there's a lot more to this than just sport being played," Warner added. Australia have already cancelled a two-Test tour of Bangladesh in June, and a limited-overs home series against Zimbabwe is also in doubt. Australia are due to host the Twenty20 World Cup in October-November, for which the International Cricket Council has said it is "exploring all options".

Cricket Australia is particularly keen to go ahead with a Test series against India due to be played after the T20 tournament, warning this month it could lose hundreds of millions of dollars if it were scrapped.

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India head coach Ravi Shastri and his counterparts with the A and junior teams discussed future plans for their respective sides in an online interaction, making use of their time at home amid a national lockdown. National Cricket Academy (NCA) head Rahul Dravid was the man behind the initiative and senior team support staff comprising Shastri, bowling Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar were a part of this interaction last week.

"It wasn't an online coaching class. You can say it was an interaction where you give ideas and listen to the mindset and plans of other coaches. There has only been one such session but it is likely to be a regular affair," an NCA official told PTI. The online session was also attended by junior and NCA coaches including Paras Mhambrey, Narendra Hirwani, Abhay Sharma and Sitanshu Kotak.

"If senior coaches like Shastri, Arun and Sridhar are also part of the interaction, you are bound to learn something from their rich international experience," the official said. "At the moment, it is a lockdown so it was easier to organise this. It remains to be seen how often it can be done when things are normal and the Indian team is on duty," the official added.

The aim was to bring in more synergy in the work of national teams (senior, India A and under-19). All global sporting activity has come to a standstill due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no clarity when the Indian team will take the field next, having played last in New Zealand in the first week of March.

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India skipper Virat Kohli, limited overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma and tennis star Sania Mirza were among sports personalities, who took part in an online concert to raise funds to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed over 2 lakh people globally.

As part of the initiative by 'iFor India', actors, musicians, singers, sportspersons and business leaders came together to entertain people from their homes in a bid to help the COVID-19 pandemic cause.

The proceeds from the concert will go to the India COVID Response Fund set up by GiveIndia, a donation platform. "Two weeks ago, we started work on India''s biggest concert. To entertain people who are locked-down at home. To pay tribute to those who work on the frontlines while we work from home. And to raise funds for those who have no work and no home," a message from #IForIndia, the concert for our times, said.

Among others to attend the concert include, Kohli's actress wife Anushka, Shah Rukh Khan, AR Rahman, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Aamir Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Alia Bhatt, Ayushmann Khurrana, Bryan Adams, Gulzar, Nick Jonas, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Ranveer Singh, Shreya Ghoshal, Sonu Nigam, Sophie Turner, Zoya Akhtar and Vidya Balan.

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A photo of a sad bulldog looking at children playing from the balcony and not being able to join them in their games has gone viral amid the Coronavirus lockdown and is breaking hearts online.

Rebecca Ellis, the owner of the dog named Big Poppa said on Twitter that he loves playing with children and he is sad that he is not able to play with them due to the lockdown imposed to contain the deadly virus, but she has been trying to cheer him up.  "I've been trying but he loves children more than anything and not being able to play with them daily but he can see them... I think its taking a toll on him," she said.

In the caption of the photo, Ellis said, "Big Poppa has been so sad today, I think he miss(es) playing with the kids in the building.  He just watches them from the patio." The photo that has attracted attention from international celebrities too, got more than 656,100 likes and was retweeted over 72,300 times.

Big Poppa has been so sad today, I think he miss playing with the kids in the building. He just watches them from the patio pic.twitter.com/gVooqvZ5oI

— Rae Elle (@RaeElle) April 22, 2020

Among the users commenting on the photo is Game-of-Thrones fame Maisie Williams and popular TV show host Ellen Degeneres. The photo has been melting hearts with many asking the owner to hug the dog to cheer him up and introducing their pets to him.

not being dramatic but I would literally die for big poppa

— Maisie Williams (@Maisie_Williams) April 22, 2020

Stay inside. Flatten this curve. Do it for Big Poppa. https://t.co/q2c9GYZMgN

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) April 22, 2020

Pls hug that dog for me oh man 😔

— Joe Dan Tony (@slowhnds) April 22, 2020

We know a little chihuahua who would love to be friends! 🐶♥ï¸ÂðŸ¶ #BigPoppa pic.twitter.com/q8Q9RKz4z0

— MGM Studios (@MGM_Studios) April 22, 2020

My bulldog is also kinda bored but is enjoying the quarantine cuddles. But on HIS terms. pic.twitter.com/xGnfZeKAmv

— Dis-gusted (@SkipTrollington) April 22, 2020

Larry the newbie is 9months and wants to say hi to #bigpoppa pic.twitter.com/SmYZApRU1A

— Nicky (@darlinNicky) April 22, 2020

here’s a flower for Big Poppa, I hope it makes him feel better 🥺 pic.twitter.com/a9OWMfkZVe

— 𝖕𝖆𝖛𝖑𝖔𝖛 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖈𝖔𝖗𝖌𝖎 🐶 (@PAVGOD) April 22, 2020

What do you think about the dog’s photo?

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Sunlight kills COVID-19 while warmer temperatures and humid weather significantly damage the virus, measured in terms of the virus' half-life or the time it takes to cut its potency in half, according to the latest breakthrough research from the US Department of Homeland Security's most advanced biocontainment lab, released at the White House on Thursday.

The coronavirus outbreak in the US has killed nearly 50,000 Americans and infected more than 860,000 till date. Research around the effect of temperature and humidity has been gaining traction for weeks, these are the most downloaded papers on research websites but this is the first time the US government has put an official stamp on initial results of temperature tests on COVID-19.

"Our most striking observation to date is the powerful effect that solar light appears to have on killing the virus, both on surfaces and in the air. We've seen a similar effect with both temperature and humidity as well. Increasing the temperature and humidity or both is generally less favourable to the virus," Bill Bryan, chief of the science and technology directorate at the US Department of Homeland Security, said.

In a room at 70-75F temperature with 20 per cent humidity, the half-life of the virus is about an hour, according to Bryan. "But you get outside and it cuts down to a minute and a half, very significant difference when it when it gets hit with UV rays," he said.

According to the same research, the virus' half-life on surfaces reduces dramatically with a combination increase of temperature and humidity. When the temperate is kept constant at 70-75F and only the humidity is cranked up from 20 per cent to 80 per cent, the virus' half-life is shown to crash from 18 hours to 6 hours. If the temperature is increased to 95F, the half-life sinks to barely 60 minutes.

Bryan said this testing was done at DHS' advanced biocontainment lab in Maryland, just outside the national capital. Pointing to charts with data from experiments on the COVID-19 virus, Bryan said the virus half-life plunges "drastically" with exposure to higher temperatures and even minimal exposure to humidity.

Bryan said the DHS biocontainment lab is the only one in America that has the capability to do the kind of testing that has led to the research on the virus' UV and temperature tolerance.

Bryan explained the mechanics of the COVID-19 temperature tolerance experiment in simple terms. He said the virus was first locked into a 5-gallon bucket and suspended in the air inside. "We're able to take a particle of a virus and suspend it in the air inside of this drum and hit it with various temperatures, various humidity levels, multiple different kinds of environmental conditions to include sunlight. And we're able to measure the decay of that virus while it's suspended in the air. This is how we do our aerosol testing."

"While there are many unknown links in the COVID-19 transmission chain, we believe these trends can support practical decision making to lower the risks associated with the virus," Bryan said. The DHS team has also tested the effect of bleach and isopropyl alcohol on the virus, "specifically in saliva and respiratory fluids".

"And I can tell you that bleach will kill the virus in five minutes, isopropyl alcohol will kill the virus in 30 seconds, and that's with no manipulation. No rubbing."

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A six-year-old boy has been cheering up his neighbours with one joke at a time amid the distressful Coronavirus pandemic and the agonizing lockdown that followed, by putting up a joke stand outside his home in Saanich, a town in Canada's British Colombia.

A picture of Callaghan McLaughlin, sitting at his 'Drive-by, walk-by joke stand' with a wide smile was shared by his mother Kelsea on Instagram, where he has earned praises for his adorable efforts to make people smile. His mother requests in the caption to listen to a joke from him.

According to the CBC, Callaghan only knows 16-17 jokes which he learned from a joke book his mother gave him, and with these jokes, he does the best he can to make people have a hearty laugh.  The mother-son duo missed interacting with their neighbours due to the lockdown and came up with this idea that helps people cheer up.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Please drive by and hear a joke from this kid 🥰 . . . #driveby #walkby #kidhumour #togetheryetapart #cadborobay

A post shared by Kelsea Murray-Roxburgh (@kelseamclaughlin) onApr 14, 2020 at 9:00am PDT

The post shared on Instagram received 188 likes with many users lauding him for his adorable effort to bring a smile on the faces of people. One user said, "What a sweet thing to do. You are a blessing." Another user said, "This is actually amazing! Well done Callaghan." A user commented, "This is so precious."

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In an incident that show motherly love is the same for every species on Earth, viral pictures of a worried cat in Turkey bringing her sick kitten to hospital for treatment shared on Twitter has made netizens emotional.

A Twitter user shared the pictures of the cat carrying the kitten with her mouth and walking into a hospital in Turkey. Another set of pictures shared by the user shows a team of doctors attending the cat and treating the kitten. The translation of the tweet originally in Turkish, reads, “Today in the hospital, a cat brought her baby in her mouth to the emergency room.” The post garnered more than 83,600 likes and was retweeted over 4,800 times.

Yavrusu biraz haylaz biri, annesi bulduÄŸu yerde kapıp götürüyor pic.twitter.com/GYvBXt3UQz

— Merve Özcan (@ozcanmerveee) April 27, 2020

The pictures were also tweeted by a official in the Indian Revenue Service, Naaved Trumboo, who tweeted, “As strange as it may seem, a cat walked into a hospital in Turkey seeking help for its sick kitten.” He also said in the tweet that mother’s love works in mysterious ways.

As strange as it may seem, a cat walked into a hospital in Turkey seeking help for its sick kitten. Mother's love works in mysterious ways. pic.twitter.com/kD54sONpgL

— Naveed Trumboo IRS (@NaveedIRS) April 30, 2020

Here’s how the twitterati reacted:

Respected Sir,
awesome post.
U r absolutely right
That is called mother's love nobody can denies it.

— Kaleem-uddin Khaza (@Kaleem4u) April 30, 2020

Very intelligent mother

— Anamika Baruah (@AnamikaBaruah8) April 30, 2020

She wanted a scan done- a Cat Scan !!

— Manoj Sharma (@Sharma_Manoj) April 30, 2020

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China, where the deadly coronavirus first emerged in December last, reported just one COVID-19 case, the National Health Commission (NHC) said on Saturday. The death toll remained at 4,633 with no new fatality. As of Friday, the total confirmed cases on the mainland were 82,875. As many as 77,685 patients have been recovered, the NHC said.

One new imported coronavirus case was reported on Friday with no new local infection, it said. China has reported a total of 1,671 imported COVID-19 cases, including seven in critical condition. The Hubei province and its capital Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus, have not reported any coronavirus case for 28 consecutive days since April 4, local health commission said on Saturday. Hubei also lowered its COVID-19 emergency response from the highest level to the second-highest on Saturday.

The lowering of the emergency level shows a major breakthrough in Hubei's prevention and control against the coronavirus, Hubei Vice-Governor Yang Yunyan told media. Meanwhile, 20 new asymptomatic cases were reported on Friday, taking the total number of such patients to 989. Asymptomatic cases refer to people who are tested COVID-19 positive but develop no symptoms such as fever, cough or sore throat. However, they pose a risk of spreading the disease to others.

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[Source: Research & Innovation] Illegal fishing destroys marine habitats and threatens species living at sea. An EU-funded project is helping authorities to crack down on these operations by developing the world's first seabird ocean-surveillance system.

TRA2020 conference in April 2020 has been cancelled

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On March 26, 2018, Malaysia's tax agency announced that businesses can newly challenge late-payment penalties in respect of goods and services tax (GST) via the tax agency's online portal.

HM Revenue and Customs has updated its value-added tax guidance for online marketplaces and for suppliers using them to sell to UK consumers.

On September 23, 2019, the French Government outlined a number of measures that will be included in the 2020 Finance Law to ensure the payment of value-added tax on items bought by French residents from online marketplaces.

Appleby, the offshore law firm, has spoken out against recent media coverage, which implies but does not allege that there is wrongdoing in the papers recently exposed that include information on its clients' tax affairs.

On February 14, 2019, the General Court of the European Union annulled the European Commission's decision that the Belgian tax regime relating to the excess profit of multinational companies is contrary to EU law.

The United Arab Emirates' Federal Tax Authority has released a statement confirming that all purchases from online retailers are subject to the same value-added tax rules as for purchases from brick and mortar stores – that they should generally be subject to the headline five percent value-added tax rate.

A new tax treaty between Finland and Spain, which will broaden the Finnish Government's taxing rights with respect to pension income, will be effective from 2019, according to the Finnish Ministry of Finance.

Australia is to require businesses seeking to tender for significant federal government procurement contracts to demonstrate their record of tax compliance.

On April 15, 2020, the United States Internal Revenue Service unveiled the "Get My Payment" online tool that will allow taxpayers to receive economic impact payments under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

On September 23, 2019, the French Government outlined a number of measures that will be included in the 2020 Finance Law to ensure the payment of value-added tax on items bought by French residents from online marketplaces.

Children should be taught effective digital search strategies for health information as lack of knowledge can lead to misinterpreting portions, adopt

Only half of the people diagnosed with HIV in southern Mozambique enroll in medical care while others do not initiate the next step of HIV care, reports a new study.

New study reports the various reasons behind the lack of libido among women in their 60s. The findings of the study are published in the journal iMenopause/i.

Common ingredient in mouthwash could be damaging your teeth by turning your saliva more acidic, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the journal iScientific Reports/i.