A gas leak at a chemical plant in RR Venkatapuram village in Visakhapatnam on Thursday left 11 people dead and several hundred hospitalised. Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy visited hospitals where the victims have been admitted and he announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the deceased in the Visakhapatnam gas leak.

The chief minister also announced Rs 10 lakh each to those undergoing treatment on ventilator support, Rs 1 lakh for those who have been hospitalised due to the incident and Rs 25,000 to those who took treatment as out-patients after developing health complications due to inhalation of the styrene vapour.

The chief minister also announced a committee to probe into the mishap and said the government would talk to the LG Polymers management seeking job for the kin of the deceased in any of its businesses.

At the review meeting, the Collector informed the Chief Minister that the gas spread was limited to a 1.5 to 2 km area from the epicentre of the leak and that the locals were evacuated to safety.

After the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting where he discussed at length the measures being taken for the safety of the affected people as well as for securing the site affected by the disaster at Vizag. After chairing the high-level meeting on the Vizag gas leak tragedy, PM Modi also spoke to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and assured all the required aid and assistance from the Centre to tackle the situation.

While addressing a press conference, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria said that the chances of the long-term impact of styrene gas, which leaked from a gas plant in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam are less. Clearing the air about the impact of the gas leak, Dr Randeep said, The chances of long-term impact are less because this compound metabolises and leaves the body quickly. This is an acute exposure rather than a chronic exposure. But we will have to follow up and see. As of now, the data doesn't suggest a significant long-term effect," reports ANI.

Para-tertiary butyl catechol or PTBC, a chemical made in Gujarat's Vapi, is currently being used in Visakhapatnam to neutralise the effect of the gas leak, said an official from the Gujarat government. Ashwani Kumar, secretary in the Gujarat chief minister's office, said that the chemical will be sent to Visakhapatnam on an urgent basis.

A press release from Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said the official machinery swung into action immediately after the incident and evacuated people from the area after rushing those who fell ill to nearby hospitals where they are being treated for respiratory and other ailments.

Smokes rise from an LG Polymers plant following a gas leak incident in Visakhapatnam on May 7, 2020. At least eight people have been killed and several hundred hospitalised after a gas leak at a chemicals plant on the east coast of India, police said on May 7. Pic: AFP

Panic-stricken people rushed out of their homes, only to collapse. Several cattle and livestock also succumbed to the poisonous gas pervading the air. In scenes reminiscent of the Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984, the streets and hospitals of Visakhapatnam were filled with people in panic, scared to breathe and unable to fathom the silent tragedy that struck them.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took to Twitter to say that he spoke to officials of MHA and NDMA about the situation.

Spoke to officials of MHA and NDMA regarding the situation in Visakhapatnam, which is being monitored closely.

I pray for everyone’s safety and well-being in Visakhapatnam.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 7, 2020

Home Minister Amit Shah took to the micro-blogging site to say the incident is disturbing. He wrote, "The incident in Vizag is disturbing. Have spoken to the NDMA officials and concerned authorities. We are continuously and closely monitoring the situation. I pray for the well-being of the people of Visakhapatnam."

The incident in Vizag is disturbing.

Have spoken to the NDMA officials and concerned authorities. We are continuously and closely monitoring the situation.

I pray for the well-being of the people of Visakhapatnam.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 7, 2020

Chandrababu Naidu also expressed his condolences to the ones affected in the tragedy.

Been in touch with TDP MLA Ganababu who is personally overseeing the rescue ops since early morning. My heartfelt condolences go to all those who have lost their loved ones and those affected by this terrible tragedy #VizagGasLeak #Visakhapatnam pic.twitter.com/3knevzeemM

— N Chandrababu Naidu #StayHomeSaveLives (@ncbn) May 7, 2020

"Chief Minister is closely monitoring the situation and has instructed the district machinery to take immediate steps and provide all help," said Andhra Pradesh CMO.

The Chief Minister enquired about the gas leak incident and directed the district officials to take every possible step to save lives and bring the situation under control.

The gas leakage took place at LG Polymers industry in RR Venkatapuram village here on Thursday, said Tirupathi Rao, District Medical & Health Officer (DMHO).

(with inputs from agencies)

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106-year-old Mukhtar Ahmed, a resident of Central Delhi's Nawabganj, has recovered from coronavirus and been discharged from Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital. The centenarian was admitted in Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital on April 14 after been infected with the coronavirus. He was discharged on May 1. Dr BL Sherwal, Medical Director, Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, a designated COVID-19 hospital said, "Whenever a patient recovers it is a proud moment for us. However, this case, due to the age of Ahmed, is inspiring news for all of us."

"Our doctors who were treating him had noticed his stern will to fight against the virus. It is the will that is important in the battle against coronavirus. Ahmed fought with the disease as bravely." On being asked about Ahmed's immunity, Dr Sherwal said, "The recovery depends on whether one's body has a mild or severe coronavirus infection."

"He has set an example that even people above hundred years can too fight coronavirus and emerge victoriously," he added.

Ahmed got the infection from his son who is still undergoing treatment. However, Ahmed is now fit and is maintaining social distance from his family members, thus, obeying the prescribed instructions.

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A 58-year-old assistant sub- inspector of police has died of coronavirus in Maharashtras Solapur district, an official said on Thursday. With this, five police personnel from the state have so far succumbed to the viral infection. The assistant sub-inspector, posted at Solapur MIDC police station, was admitted to the civil hospital there on Tuesday after he tested positive for coronavirus. He died while undergoing treatment at the hospital on Wednesday, the official said.

The victim, who was set to retire after four months, was on duty till last week, he said. Maharashtra Police expressed grief over the personnel's demise. "DGP and all ranks of Maharashtra Police offer their condolences to the bereaved family, the state police said in a tweet.

Constable Amit from @DelhiPolice succumbed to Coronavirus. Shri. Amit was serving the state of Delhi in these troubled times. May his soul rest in peace.

DGP and all ranks of Maharashtra Police offer their condolences to his family.

— Maharashtra Police (@DGPMaharashtra) May 7, 2020

Last month, three personnel of Mumbai Police and one of Pune Police died of COVID-19. So far, 456 police personnel, including 42 officers, have tested positive for coronavirus in the state.

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Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday penned down a poem paying tribute to the legendary lyricist and poet Gulzar thanking him for making lives happier with his magical work even during the lockdown.

Irani took to Twitter to share that she had a conversation with the poet and also posted the poem.

The poem ended with Smriti thanking Gulzar for making everybody's lives 'Gulzar' or a beautiful garden.

Irani who is also a former actor incorporated Gulzar's famous works like the iconic songs 'chappa chappa charkha chale' and 'chhaiya chhaiya.'

"Jinki kalam se gilehri key jhoothe matar ka swaad aajaye muh mei, jinhone chappe chappe mei charkha chalvaaya shabdo ka," read the minister's post.

"Jinki ek lakeer pe bade se bada sitaara chhaiya chhaiya karta hua, rail ki raftaar ki tarah dil se dil ko chhoo jaaye, unko salaam," her post further read.

She ended the post by saying that it is due to the senior poet's art that lives of many is still full of happiness even during the testing times of coronavirus crisis. "Kyunki unki kalam se corona mei bhi, zindagi kahi na kahi gulzar hai," Irani's poem further read.

The Amethi MP further complemented the 'Tujhse Naraz Nahi Zindagi' lyricist in her caption and shared the details of her conversation with him.

"There are many in our lives who impact us unknowingly... their lives, their works inspire millions & touch many a chords," she wrote.

"today I asked one such person "sab khairiyat Sir?". I've had the privilege of being inspired by his craft over the years. Say thank you to those who help us get over our corona blues ... jinki wajah se aapki zindagi Gulzar hai," her post further read.

 

 

 

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There are many in our lives who impact us unknowingly... their lives , their works inspire millions & touch many a chords.. today I asked one such person “ sab khairiyat Sir ?“. I’ve had the privilege of being inspired by his craft over the years. Say thank you to those who help us get over our corona blues ... jinki wajah se aapki zindagi Gulzar hai 🙏❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Smriti Irani (@smritiiraniofficial) onMay 6, 2020 at 1:17am PDT

One of the most senior songwriters of the Indian cinema, Gulzar has given several marvels to music and poetry lovers.

A national award-winning lyricist, Gulzar has penned down songs for many iconic films like 'Dil Se,' 'Saathiya,' 'Masoom', and others.

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After sharing an interactive doodle featuring the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy and honouring celebrated pharmacist and researcher Wilbur Scoville, Google on Thursday shared a throwback game from 2017 thereby urging people to play musical games at home amid lockdown.

It’s day 9 of our throwback #GoogleDoodle series...

Today, boogie down with legendary beats & take our 2017 Doodle game celebrating the birth of Hip Hop for a spin! 🎚ï¸ÂðŸŽ¶#GoogleDoodle → https://t.co/sM4kky8Opq pic.twitter.com/Dct0hGa1ON

— Google Doodles (@GoogleDoodles) May 7, 2020

The latest doodle animation is part of Google's series that the giant search engine launched last week urging people to stay home and play games amid the COVID-19 crisis. A treat for music and especially hip hop fans, the 2017 game lets users mix music samples from legendary tracks on their interactive turntables.

While sharing the animated doodle with their followers on Twitter, Googel Doodle tweeted, "Today, boogie down with legendary beats & take our 2017 Doodle game celebrating the birth of Hip Hop for a spin!"

In order to play the game, one has to mix the beats with the help of the crossfader which can be operated with the help of the mouse. Once clicked on the animation, google plays a short animated film showcasing the history of Hip Hop music featuring the voiceover of Hip Hop icon Fab 5 Freddy.

A screengrab of the Hip Hop musicla game

Google also narrates the story of Jamaican-American DJ Kool Herc, who played an instrumental role in the birth of Hip Hop music. Since the last one week, Google has been sharing throwback pictures including Halloween, Loteria, Scoville and Fischinger among others. When one hovers over the final doodle, it shows the message, "Stay and play at home with popular past Google Doodles: Hip Hop (2017).

While launching the interactive series last week, Google said, "As Covid-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people and families everywhere are spending more time at home. In light of this, we're launching a throwback doodle series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games!"

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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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In a heartwarming gesture, Nagpur Police stepped up to stand in as a orphan bride’s family on her wedding day after her relatives could not attend the ceremony due to the restrictions imposed as part of the nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The officers of the police department showed up for the wedding to bless the couple so that the bride does not miss her family on her special day. They shared a post about the moment on Twitter with the photo of the newlyweds with officers. The post said that the bride’s parents had died and her relatives could not attend the wedding due moment restrictions.

“The bride's parents had passed away. There was no one from her family to attend her marriage due to movement restrictions. #NagpurPolice tried to fulfill this absence.PI and staff were present to bless the newly wedded couple at #Nagpur,” said the tweet by the police, with the hashtag #alwaysthereforyou.

The bride's parents had passed away. There was no one from her family to attend her marriage due to movement restrictions.
#NagpurPolice tried to fulfill this absence.PI and staff were present to bless the newly wedded couple at #Nagpur.#LockdownStories#alwaysthere4u pic.twitter.com/5tvBNt4EyF

— Nagpur City Police (@NagpurPolice) May 6, 2020

The post that went viral on Wednesday garnered 757 likes and was retweeted 81 times and counting. Users commenting on the post praised the Nagpur police for their noble deed.

Thank you for helping citizens.Because of people like u we are assured that the city is safe!!God bless you n ur family!! #goodkarma #safecity 🙏🏻🙏🏻

— mon_naturelover (@NatureloverMon) May 6, 2020

Much love to you all ❤ï¸Â for working day and night going beyond the line to help everyone.

— Papabear 🐻 (@GanuYogesh) May 6, 2020

We proud you.

— SANJIV M (@sansar1970) May 6, 2020

Great gesture by Nagpur Police 👏🏻👏🏻

— Rohit dubey (@RDroxx20) May 6, 2020

What do you think about the post?

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As per the modeling data and the way India's COVID-19 cases are increasing, it is likely that peak can come in June and July, said AIIMS-Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Thursday. "According to modeling data and the way our cases are increasing, it is likely that peak can come in June and July. But there are many variables. With time only, we will know how much they are effective and the effect of extending the lockdown," said Dr Guleria.

COVID-19 is likely to peak in June-July: AIIMS-Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria

Read @ANI story | https://t.co/2rQndRNRJO pic.twitter.com/3NIZHHGZRY

— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) May 7, 2020

India's count of COVID-19 cases reached 52,952, including 1,783 deaths on Thursday, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Currently, there are 35,902 active cases while 15,266 patients have been cured or discharged and one is migrated.

Maharashtra has the highest number of cases -- 16,758 -- followed by Gujarat 6,625 cases and Delhi 5,532 cases.

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The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits developed by the Indian Navy has obtained clearance certification for mass production, a top naval officer said on Thursday.

The PPE kits designed and produced by the Indian Navy were tested by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences based in Delhi, a DRDO organisation tasked with testing and certification of PPE. They have now been certified to be mass produced and used in clinical Covid-19 situations.

Personal Protective Equipment designed&produced by Indian Navy has been tested by Institute of Nuclear Medicine &Allied Sciences Delhi, a DRDO organization tasked with testing&certification of PPE. It is now certified to be mass-produced&used in clinical #COVID19 situations: Navy pic.twitter.com/7TbD0AkvoT

— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2020

Shortage of PPE kits during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic is of serious concern as it imperils the well-being and availability of the healthcare workforce, apart from adversely impacting their security and morale.

The PPE is required to meet stringent criteria on testing and the benchmarks of the same are set by the ICMR and the Union Health Ministry.

A team formed by the Innovation Cell, Institute of Naval Medicine, Mumbai, and the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, collaborated to design and produce the PPE kits.

"The PPE passed with 6/6 synthetic blood penetration resistance test pressure (GoI mandates minimum 3/6 and above level as per ISO 16603 standard). It is thus certified to be mass produced and used in clinical Covid-19 situations," the force said in a statement.

The force also said that the cost for this PPE is significantly lower than the commercially available ones.

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India's fatality rate of COVID-19 patients is 3.3 per cent and recovery rate 28.83 per cent but the number of cases rose by a steep 3561 taking the total count beyond the 50,000 mark to 52,952. Of the total number of cases, 35,902 are active cases, 15,266 cured or discharged and 1,783 persons have died. While 3561 new confirmed cases have been added since yesterday, 1084 patients have been cured.

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday held a meeting today with Health Ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, and senior officials from both Centre and the states to review the situation, actions being taken and preparedness for management of COVID-19.

He said that as on May 7, a total of 52,952 cases have been reported from the country. He noted that in comparison to other countries, India is in a better condition as the fatality rate is 3.3 per cent and recovery rate is 28.83 per cent.

The minister said that 4.8 per cent patients in ICU, 1.1 per cent on ventilators and 3.3 per cent on oxygen support of the active cases. The testing capacity has increased in the country and it is 95,000 tests per day. Cumulatively, 13,57,442 tests have been done so far for COVID 19. There are 180 districts with no new cases in less than 7 days, 180 districts with no new cases in 7-13 days, 164 districts which have not had any new case in 14- 20 days and 136 districts with no new cases since the last 21-28 days.

In view of the increase in the number of migrant labour expected to reach their native states in the days to come, Harsh Vardhan noted that robust strategy and mechanism need to be drawn up for their testing, quarantine, and treatment of the positive cases.

States were also informed that helpline number 104 in addition to 1075 can be used for grievance redress for non-COVID essential services. They were advised to take adequate measures for prevention of vector diseases. AIIMS-Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria said that as per the modeling data and the way India's COVID-19 cases are increasing, it is likely that peak can come in June and July. Maharashtra continues to have the highest number of cases in the country at 16,758 followed by Gujarat (6,625) and Delhi (5,532)

No new case of COVID-19 has been reported in Kerala on Thursday and the total number of active cases stands at 25. The Union Health Minister and Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik jointly launched clinical research studies on Ayurveda interventions as an add-on to standard care to COVID 19 situation and AyushSanjivani application.

Vice President and Chairman Rajya Sabha M. Venkaiah Naidu held a meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and discussed the situation regarding COVID19 disease in the country and role being played by members of Parliament. Naidu and Birla also discussed the issue of feasibility of various committees of Parliament holding their meetings at the earliest in the prevailing situation. They felt that if the situation does not allow regular conventional meetings of the committees in the near future, alternative means of enabling such meetings may be explored.

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Pune: In a bid to limit the movement of people in containment zones, the civic body in Maharashtra's Pune city will distribute ration kits to 70,000 families in the hotspot areas from Friday onwards, an official said.

As of Thursday, the Pune Municipal Corporation has over 2,140 COVID-19 cases, of which 1,600 were reported from Bhavani Peth, Dhole Patil Road, Kasba-Vishrambaug, parts of Shivajinagar and Yerwada areas.

"We want people in the containment zones to stay indoors and not venture out even to buy essentials. We will distribute 1 lakh ration kits to 70,000 families in these areas," municipal commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad said.

These kits will contain five kg of flour, three kg of rice, pulses, oil and other essential items that can last up to 15 days, he said. "Community workers and civic employees will distribute these kits from Friday onwards," he added.

Apart from ration kits, the PMC also plans to provide sanitisers and one lakh masks to residents of containment zones.

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New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday issued notices to LG Polymers, Union Environment Ministry, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and others regarding the Vizag gas leak incident.

The NGT has directed LG Polymers, India, at whose plant the gas leakage occurred, to forthwith deposit an initial amount of Rs 50 crore taking note of damages caused due to the incident.

Further hearing in the matter is scheduled for May 18.

On Thursday, a styrene gas leak at the plant of LG Polymers in RR Venkatapuram village in Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh had claimed 11 lives.

NGT's principal bench headed by its Chairperson AK Goel also issued notice to Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (PCB) and District Magistrate of Vishakhapatnam.

The Tribunal has also sought a report from a 5-member committee comprising former Judge of Andhra Pradesh High Court, Justice B Seshasayana Reddy, Former Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University, Professor Ch V Rama Chandra Murthy, Head of Chemical Engineering Department of Andhra University, Professor Pulipati King, CPCB Member Secretary and Director of CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology.

NGT said that the committee may visit and inspect the site at the earliest and give its report before the next date via email and site visit may be initially conducted by members available locally in consideration with outside members online.

It said that the committee may specifically report on the sequence of events, causes of failure, the extent of damage to life, human and environment, steps to be taken for compensation of victims and restitution of the damaged property among others.

The bench has directed the District Magistrate of Vishakhapatnam and Regional Office of Andhra Pradesh PCB to provide logistic support to the Committee to enable their fact-finding and reporting.

It took suo-motu cognisance on the basis of media reports on the leakage of hazardous gas, Styrene from a chemical factory owned by the South Korean company LG Polymers. The incident has caused damage to the environment and habitat.

Styrene gas is a hazardous chemical and as per rules, it requires on-site and off-site emergency plans to ensure prevention of damage.

NGT noted that there appears to be a failure to comply with the rules and other statutory provisions and leakage of hazardous gas at such a scale adversely affecting public health and environment clearly attracts the principle of 'Strict Liability' against the enterprise engaged in a hazardous or inherently dangerous industry.

"Such an entity is liable to restore the damage caused under the Environment Law, apart from other statutory liability. The statutory authorities responsible for authorizing and regulating such activities may also be accountable for their lapses, if any, in dealing with the matter," the NGT said.

Stressing that it is necessary to ascertain the facts relating to the extent of damage, the extent of the failure and consider remedial measures, the bench listed the matter for May 18 for further hearing.

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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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Comedian-actor Tim Brooke-Taylor has died after contracting coronavirus, his agent said. He was 79 years old. Brooke-Taylor was a regular panellist on BBC Radio 4's "I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue" for over 40 years and became popular with "The Goodies" on TV in the 1970s.

Brooke-Taylor began his acting career at Cambridge University. He was even part of the TV show "At Last The 1948 Show", where he starred alongside John Cleese and Graham Chapman.

"It has come as devastating news to hear that Tim has succumbed to this dreadful virus a" especially when we all thought he was recovering. Tim was a delightful man and never anything but great company," said comedian Jack Dee, who hosts "I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue", reports thesun.co.uk.

"It has always been one of the great joys of my career to work with someone who was part of the comedy landscape of my childhood. "I can't bear the thought of introducing 'I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue' without being able to say 'And on my right, Tim Brooke-Taylor'. Tim brought a unique quality to Clue. He was a proper team player, very generous as a performer, never egotistical and always more than delighted to set himself up as the b**t of the joke. For me, his great comedy gift was playing the injured innocent and he did it with brilliance and a characteristic lightness of touch."

RIP the delightful and brilliant Tim Brooke-Taylor. x pic.twitter.com/TjSzPJIXeK

— Jack Dee (@TheRealJackDee) April 12, 2020

"It's always heartbreaking to lose a loved one, but these times have created the cruellest of circumstances for that to happen in and my thoughts are with his wife Christine and all his family," Dee said.

Comedy writer Simon Blackwell tweeted: "Heartbreaking news about Tim Brooke-Taylor. Filled so many people's childhoods with massive laughs, and then kept doing so for decades afterwards. Condolences to his family and friends."

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American actor Matthew McConaughey and his wife, Camila, donated approximately 80,000 face masks to COVID-19 first responders in Texas and Louisiana, officials said. The couple gave away the masks at the Austin Fire Department on Friday, Fox News said quoting KEYE.

Expressing its gratitude, the Austin Fire Department tweeted on Saturday, "The C-shift at Station 32 got a surprise yesterday, when McConaughey and @iamcamilaalves stopped by to let us know we're getting several 1,000 N-95 masks soon, part of their donation of 80K to healthcare workers, FFs, and police officers in #ATX and #NOLA! DC T.

just keep winning #HookEm @UTAustin @Jeopardy https://t.co/eqdQf8FAL2

— Matthew McConaughey (@McConaughey) April 7, 2020

Smith, AFD" Earlier on Sunday, the COVID-19 death toll in Texas reached 270, following a rise of nearly 1,000 more positive tests for the disease in the state. Overall, roughly 13,500 cases have been reported so far, according to Fox News. Camila wrote on Instagram about the donations. She wrote, "Our mission is to protect those who protect us, by providing healthcare workers, firefighters, police officers and others with approximately 80,000 masks needed to battle the #COVID19 virus."

She hoped that the move would "inspire you to pick a lane to help others whatever that lane is even if your lane is helping your neighbour, calling people, emotional support, donations, volunteer... pick a lane and do it well! Stay strong this too shall pass..." Last month, McConaughey urged students at the University of Texas in Austin to stay at their homes after dozens tested positive following an ill-fated spring-break trip to Mexico.

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Actor Kristofer Hivju who tested positive for coronavirus in March, revealed on Tuesday that he has now 'fully recovered' and is in 'good health.

Sharing a picture along with his wife on Instagram, the 41-year-old wrote that: "After several weeks in quarantine, and also a couple more indoors after being free of all symptoms, we are finally safe and sound." The star, popularly known for his role of Tormund in 'Game of Thrones', also added that they were ''lucky'' to have only "mild symptoms of COVID-19.'' "We send our love and thoughts to all of the people where the virus has hit much harder, and to everyone who has lost their loved ones due to the Coronavirus," he added.

 

 

 

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Hi! We are fully recovered and in good health after I was infected by the Cororonavirus, and most likely my wife @grymolvaerhivju After several weeks inn quarantine, and also a couple more indoors after beeing free of all symptoms, we are finally safe and sound. We were lucky to only have mild symptoms of the Covid 19. We send our love and thoughts to all of the people where the virus has hit much harder, and to everyone who has lost their loved ones due to the Cornonavirus. Thank you for all of your support, and please remember to stay vigilant and keep your distance, wash your hands, and most of all ; take care of each other in this strange time. Lots of love from us❤ï¸ÂðŸ™ŒðŸ» #takecare @panoramaagency

A post shared by Kristofer Hivju (@khivju) onApr 13, 2020 at 1:26pm PDT

The actor wrapped up the post by thanking everyone for their support and also urged them to "stay vigilant and keep your distance, wash your hands, and most of all; take care of each other in this strange time. Lots of love from us #takecare @panoramaagency" Earlier on March 17, the actor through an Instagram post revealed that he has tested positive for coronavirus and is self -quarantining with his family in Norway.

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The release date of Disney's 'Soul' has been moved from June 19 to November 20 due to the coronavirus pandemic. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the release of Disney's animation feature 'Raya and the Last Dragon' has also been relocated from November 25 to March 12, 2021.

The animated film 'Soul' revolves around the story of a middle school teacher, who had a dream of pursuing a career in jazz music. The story takes a turn when he gets an opportunity to feature at the opening act at the Half Note Club and a life-threatening accident leads to separation of his soul from his body.

'Soul' joins many other Hollywood films that have their releases delayed due to the coronavirus. According to the World Health Organisation, COVID-19 has affected over 18,12,734 people globally and has claimed the lives of 1,13,675 people.

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Branded Harry Potter buses that generally take fans to Warner Bros.' The Making of Harry Potter studio tour in the UK are now being used to transport key National Health Service (NHS) workers for free between hospitals battling coronavirus.

The buses have been provided by Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden and bus operator Golden Tours to transport key workers between West Herts Hospitals NHS Trust's three sites, reported Variety.

"Our workforce has been depleted due to sickness or self-isolation and so it's really important that those staff who are well but have transport issues can come back," Variety quoted Paul da Gama, chief people officer at West Herts Hospitals as saying.

"A special shuttle bus, which will have strict social distancing rules, is the perfect solution and we are so grateful to Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden and Golden Tours for making this happen. Our staff might not be travelling to exotic locations or seeing behind the scenes of a major movie, but they will be making magic happen in their own way," he added.

The free service runs its first journey just after 6 a.m. and its last drop-off at 10:40 p.m. (local time) between the Trust's three sites.

"We couldn't think of a better way to use the buses at this time. We are delighted to play a part in supporting our local NHS in its time of need," Variety quoted a spokesperson for Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden as saying.

The UK has reported more than 90,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus while the toll due to the coronavirus has surged past 12,000.

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Singer Rihanna's father Ronald Fenty tested positive for coronavirus in his home country of Barbados but has now beat COVID-19 thanks to the superstar's help.

According to Page Six, Rihanna's father recently shared with The Sun, "My daughter Robyn was checking in on me every day. I thought I was going to die to be honest. I have to say, I love you so much, Robyn. She did so much for me. I appreciate everything she has done."

The 32-year-old songstress sent a ventilator to his Caribbean home and gave him "more than enough" to battle the illness that left him feeling weak and frightened for his life.

"I got a fever up inside of my nose. I had a fever across my lips. It was just a lot of fever," Fenty revealed. "I feared the worst. I thought I was going to die, honestly."

The Fenty Beauty founder's father was quarantined for two weeks after at the Paragon Isolation Center, after which he was declared virus-free. He is now resting in his St. James home.

Fenty asked of the public to stay at home and said, "I want everybody to stay home. This is a serious situation. More serious than people realize. Please stay home."

The 'Work' songstress is also using her time and money to help those globally affected by COVID-19, and she has donated 5 million USD to the cause via her Clara Lionel Foundation. She and Jay-Z also teamed up to donate 1 million USD each to those affected in Los Angeles and New York.

Twitter boss Jack Dorsey is also collaborating with Rihanna to help domestic abuse survivors who may have been displaced during the coronavirus pandemic.

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Pop star Rihanna's father Ronald Fenty tested positive for COVID-19, but he has survived the illness with the help of his superstar daughter. Fenty tested positive for coronavirus at home in Barbados. He feared he would die after testing positive for the novel coronavirus and suffering high fevers, reports thesun.co.uk.

He said his daughter, whose real name is Robyn Fenty, sent a ventilator to his home, and checked on him every day. "My daughter Robyn was checking in on me every day. I thought I was going to die to be honest. I have to say, I love you so much, Robyn'. She did so much for me. I appreciate everything she has done," the 66-year-old said.

He revealed his superstar daughter, 32, sent in a ventilator "that he hadn't used yet", and shipped it to his home in the Caribbean. He said that she gave him "more than" he needed to make it through the illness. Recalling his time with the illness, he said: "I got a fever up inside of my nose. I had a fever across my lips. It was just a lot of fever. I feared the worst. I thought I was going to die, honestly."

He had a message for everyone. "I want everybody to stay home. This is a serious situation. More serious than people realise. Please stay home," he said.

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"Extraction" director and popular Hollywood stunt coordinator Sam Hargrave feels cinema has space for either "super big-budget movies like superheroes" or smaller movies, saying that it doesn't leave much room for mid-budget action movies.

Talking about his upcoming Netflix action film, Hargrave told IANS: "It seems that there's not as much space in the cinemas for these kinds of mid-budget action movies. It seems that it's mostly the super big-budget superhero movies or the kind of the smaller stuff."

Hargrave is glad that his first movie will reach a wider audience through Netflix.

"Netflix has carved out space for itself for movies like these to exist, which I think is really great… Because there are a lot of great stories out there… These kinds of movies, now, have a place to be seen, be viewed and be enjoyed," he said.

With "Extraction", Hargrave is graduating from being Chris Evans' stunt double in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" for fight scenes and stunt coordinator in "Captain America: Civil War" to a feature director. Hargrave was an additional second unit director in "Avengers: Infinity War".

Hargrave continued: "I think that's a really great thing for audiences around the world. I'm happy that my first time directing (feature film) come out on a platform like Netflix where so many people can see this. It is a very unique experience and one that I'm looking forward to seeing how it all plays out when it comes out on April 24."

For his first film, Hargrave reunited with his "Avengers" family. He got "Thor" star Chris Hemsworth to lead the film, screenplay of which is done by Joe Russo. The film is produced by Russo Brothers (Joe and Anthony Russo), Mike Larocca, Chris Hemsworth, Eric Gitter, and Peter Schwerin.

Originally titled "Dhaka", the film also stars Indian actors Randeep Hooda, Pankaj Tripathi, Priyanshu Painyulli, and Rudraksh Jaiswal. It revolves around Tyler Rake (essayed by Hemsworth), a fearless, black market mercenary, who embarks on the most deadly extraction of his career when he is enlisted to rescue the kidnapped son of an imprisoned international crime lord. It has been shot extensively in India, along with other places around the world.

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Renowned bass guitarist Matthew Seligman, who played with late music icon David Bowie at Live Aid in 1985, has died after a battle with Coronavirus. He was 64.

Seligman is best known for his role in the new wave scene in the 1980s. He was a member of The Soft Boys and The Thompson Twins, also collaborating with Thomas Dolby.

Dolby, 61, confirmed Seligman's death and said a candlelight vigil to remember the star would be held on YouTube live on April 19, reports dailymail.co.uk. "Matthew would want us to remember the good times and have a party," Dolby said.

Seligman had been battling COVID-19 for two weeks and had been on a ventilator at a hospital in London. He leaves behind son Deji, daughter Lily, and Mami, his partner, and Lily's mother. He was born in Cyprus and raised in England. The bassist first came to prominence as a founding member of Bruce Woolley and the Camera Club, and the psychedelic group The Soft Boys.

Seligman gained a reputation as a session musician and collaborated with Morrissey, Tori Amos, Sinead O'Connor, and David Bowie. He even played at Bowie's iconic 1985 performance at Live Aid to an audience of billions and also featured on his next two albums.

The Soft Boys member Robyn Hitchcock paid tribute to his former bandmate, saying: "Everybody goes, but none of us was expecting Matthew to leave us so abruptly, forever. I'm profoundly grateful to have played music with him - you could really see his face light up like a full moon when he listened back to a take he enjoyed."

"Onstage he would lope and lurch and pace when the music moved him. Matthew is, was, and always will be one of the greats, Hitchcock added.

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Actor Sean Penn was spotted getting tested for coronavirus with a nasal swab here. The 59-year-old star was at the free Malibu testing site set up by his organisation CORE (Community Organised Relief Effort), reports www.dailymail.co.uk.

He kept his backpack on as he leaned back in an outdoor chair to be tested by a staff member in a mask, gloves, face shield, and hazmat suit.

CORE, which Penn founded in 2010 to help with earthquake relief in Haiti, is now collaborating with LA Mayor Eric Garcetti to combat the ongoing health crisis. The non-profit's goal is to establish free drive-in testing sites in Los Angeles, working with both the mayor and fire department, according to USA Today.

Penn's goal is to "save lives and alleviate the depletion of resources" with the program. He himself works at the testing site in Malibu where he lives.

"We have an infrastructure in place to respond, and so we decided that we would if we could be value-added. It's something that we can adapt to very quickly with the training of the Los Angeles Fire Department initially. And then we're able to take all those firemen and put them back in to serve the people in the way that we need them to," he said last week.

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Better Call Saul actor Bob Odenkirk says his son Nathan had coronavirus symptoms, which were worse than any flu.

During a recent appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, the Breaking Bad star opened up about his 21-year-old son's battle with the novel coronavirus, reports people.com.

He said that Nathan, who suffered from asthma "for a good chunk of his life", has recovered from the virus, describing it as an alarming experience.

According to Odenkirk, the family sought comfort in reports that claimed younger patients experienced mild cases of the virus. After going through this personally, the actor feels it is largely on a "case by case" basis.

"In the end, it was pretty bad and it was worse than the flu," the 57-year-old said of his son's case.

"According to him, the pain in his throat was the worst thing of all, but I think also the fatigue. And it lasted longer than the flu," he said.

Odenkirk added that he was grateful his son made it out "pretty easily" as compared to many others who suffer from severe cases.

He said that his son's illness "got scarier the longer it went". "The further we got from it, I became aware that we got very lucky," he added.

Odenkirk stressed on the need to stay indoors, while acknowledging the difficulties faced by the underprivileged.

"We are very lucky to have a nice home that's big enough for us. I think a lot about the homes I lived in before I did well enough, and how hard it would be to shelter-in-place in some of the basement apartments that I lived in. That must be very hard for people," he said.

"I thank people who are doing it. It's really stunning to me. I'm a cynic, I think, and that's one of the reasons I like comedy, but I'm just stunned at the cooperation from people and the community. You know they're caring for each other really by doing this and so it's been heartening, I'd say," Odenkirk added.

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The Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle made her first TV appearance on Monday since stepping down as a senior member of the British Royal family alongside her husband Prince Harry. According to Us Weekly, Markle's appearance on 'Good Morning America' was pre-recorded. The clip was to promote 'Elephant' the Disneynature documentary the 38-year-old narrated for the Disney+ streaming service.

The 'Suits' actor said in the interview which was recorded in the summer of 2019, "I'm really grateful to have the opportunity of bringing the story of elephants to life."

"I've been very lucky to be able to have hands-on experience with elephants in their natural habitat. When you spend time connecting with them and the other wildlife, you really understand we have a role to play in their preservation and safety," she continued.

"I hope that when people see this film they realise how connected we all are, and if we had more of an awareness about the obstacles we're facing, I think we'd take care of each other, this planet and animals in a very different way," shared the Duchess of Sussex.

The 35-year-old couple Markle and Harry initially moved to Vancouver Island in Canada with their 11-month-old son Archie before relocating to her native Los Angeles.

The couple, back in January, announced they will take 'a step back' as senior members of the royal family and instead work independently, splitting their time between the United Kingdom and North America.

The Duke and the Duchess of Sussex said their decision came "after many months of reflection and internal discussions."

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The late king of pop Micheal Jackson once got mad at pop diva Madonna for asking him to dress up like a girl for his "In the closet" music video. During Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds' Instagram Live battle with Teddy Riley, the former spilled some hot goss on Michael Jackson, reports aceshowbiz.com.

In between songs, Edmonds recalled what Jackson told him: " 'Babyface, can you believe she wants me to dress like a girl?' He was like, 'I'd never do that.' He said, 'She was trying to change it all up. It was crazy.' "

The record producer then mentioned that the "Heal the world" hitmaker "was really mad about it", to the point where he decided to replace Madonna with Naomi Campbell. Produced by MJ and Teddy Riley, "In the Closet" was released in April 1992 as the third single of his eighth album "Dangerous".

The song was originally conceived as a duet between MJ and Madonna.

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It should come as no surprise, but Renée Zellweger is one of the most prestigious and prolific actresses of her generation. With two Oscars, four Golden Globes, and literally dozens of other awards to her name, the actress's popularity has skyrocketed, and she's been wowing critics and moviegoers alike for decades now. She made her debut in the early 1990s, but it doesn't look like Zellweger will be stopping her reign anytime soon. Renee Zellweger has reaffirmed herself as one of the most captivating performers of our time and as she celebrates her 51st birthday, let's take a look at the mesmerizing roles played by the actress.

1. Bridget Jones' Baby

This 2016 follow-up to the first two films is occasionally a cheese-fest but it remains true to the eccentric earnestness that first made audiences love Bridget Jones. Zellweger brings her adorable clumsiness to the role yet again, as Bridget becomes pregnant and attempts to discern the identity of her baby's father. Catch Bridget Jones' Baby only on Sony PIX.

2. Appaloosa

Appaloosa is a gripping film that mixes the elements of a western culture with the crime genre which features many unlikely players. Ed Harris leads the pack, but Zellweger's character of a vengeful widow, is one of the film's biggest highlights and surprise. Watch Appaloosa only on Sony PIX.

3. Judy

Upon seeing the trailer for Judy, the 2019 biopic about an emotionally and physically distressed Judy Garland, it was easy to tell that Renée Zellweger would be recognized at every award show. This heartbreaking and gut-wrenching tragedy about the final year in the life and one of Hollywood's saddest stories could not have been brought to the screen with anyone but Zellweger in the lead role. Almost unrecognizable in the makeup and scars of an emotionally spent woman, Zellweger brings Garland's persona to life one final time.

4. Chicago

Stepping into Judy Garland's shoes earned her an Oscar, but Zellweger proved her musical talent long ago as Roxie Hart in this 2002 caper. Adapted from Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb's stage musical, the plot follows Roxie and Velma as they compete for fame after being arrested for killing their significant others. The film's music and dialogue are packed full of irreverent wit, and Zellweger's cheeky portrayal of Roxie is captivating as she seeks the spotlight at all costs. Her rendition of 'Roxie' is an incredible combination of suave dance moves and vocal power, which Zellweger demonstrated again 17 years later in Judy.

5. Jerry Maguire

'You had me at hello'. Those five words took Renée Zellweger from a relatively unknown actress to an overnight star following her portrayal of single mom Dorothy Boyd in Cameron Crowe's 1996 Jerry Maguire. Her struggles as a parent in the Cameron Crowe film, as well as her earnest relationship opposite Tom Cruise, both still hit hard.

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Veteran actor Sylvester Stallone extended his warm wishes to the Hollywood superstar Al Pacino who celebrated his birthday on Saturday. The 'Rocky' legend greeted the 80-year-old turned icon on Saturday on Instagram.

The 'Rambo' actor shared a dashing picture of the two on his official handle showing both in Black, all suited up. Taking it to the captions, the 73-year-old wrote: "A very very happy birthday to the brilliant Al Pacino !!!!"

 

 

 

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A very very happy birthday to the brilliant Al Pacino !!!!

A post shared by Sly Stallone (@officialslystallone) onApr 25, 2020 at 12:26pm PDT

Scores of comments followed the post with many of the icon's fans extending birthday wishes. Having an impressive array of films under his belt, Pacino has been a part of classics like the 'Godfather' series, 'Scarface', 'Serpico', 'The Devil's Advocate', and many more during a career spanning more than five decades.

Regarded as one of cinema's greatest and most influential actors, the legendary actor received the Academy Award for his character in the 1992 released movie 'Scent of a Woman'

Recently, the superstar also starred in ace filmmaker Quentin Tarantino's 'Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood', along with the other star cast -- Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie

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Covid-19 survivors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have offered their blood to help develop a vaccine for coronavirus. In early March, the couple had tested positive for Covid-19 while in Australia. They returned home to Los Angeles at the end of March after recovering.

Hanks said on a podcast last week that he and Wilson volunteered to donate their blood and plasma for coronavirus research, reports variety.com.

"A lot of the questions (are) what do we do now? Is there something we can do? And, in fact, we just found out that we do carry the antibodies," he said. "We have not only been approached, we have said, aDo you want our blood? Can we give plasma?'"

The actor also said that he had a name ready if a coronavirus vaccine is made from his blood donation. "In fact, we will be giving it now to the places that hope to work on what I would like to call the 'Hank-ccine'," he said.

Hanks also said that he and Wilson are feeling "just fine" and "dandy" after their bout with the virus.

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Actor Chris Pratt and his wife Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt are expecting their first baby together. The two had exchanged vows on June 8 last year and now they are gearing up for the next chapter in their lives, sources told people.com.

The baby on the way will be Katherine's first child while Pratt already has a son Jack, whom the actor shares with ex-wife Anna Faris.

This comes after Katherine, who is currently on a virtual book tour for her bestseller, The Gift Of Forgiveness, was spotted out walking her dog with her mother, Maria Shriver on Friday, sporting what looked to be a baby bump, reports dailymail.co.uk.

For the day outing, she chose a baggy, beige striped low-cut jumper, which looked to be a piece of maternity clothing.

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English singer-songwriter Jessie J remembered her ex-boyfriend Channing Tatum on his 40th birthday on Sunday, telling him he's "truly one of a kind."

The 32-year-old singer took to Instagram and shared a throwback picture featuring the 'Magic Mike' actor standing in clear blue ocean water. She captioned a throwback photo on her Instagram Stories, "Happy 40th Birthday to this special man right here. You are truly one of a kind. I am so grateful you were born, and even more grateful we met."

Jessie also shared another black-and-white photo of the '22 Jump Street' star in motorcycle gear as he holds a helmet. And posted a video of Tatum taking a leap into the water. "Keep living your BEST life!" the 'Nobody's Perfect' singer wrote.

These sweet messages came by the songstress in less than a month after the pair called it quits on their on-again relationship. Jessie and Tatum had reconciled in January after splitting a month earlier.

At the time, an insider to the outlet told that the couple had worked hard to re-establish their relationship but realised that they were better off as friends.

In October 2018, the outlet broke that the 'Step Up' star and the 'Nobody's perfect' singer had been quietly dating for a couple of months.

The pair connected shortly after Tatum and Jenna Dewan announced their separation in April 2018 after nine years of marriage. The exes, whose divorce was finalised earlier this year, share daughter 6-year-old daughter Everly (Dewan has since moved on with Broadway star Steve Kazee. They got engaged in February 2020 and welcomed son Callum the following month.)

Jessie and Tatum were supportive of each other throughout their relationship, with the actor attending several of her concerts, while she cheered him on at the opening night of his 'Magic Mike' show in London in November 2018.

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Hollywood star Kate Winslet might have impressed fans many times over with her immense talent and glamour, but true-blue fans have always instantly remembered her as Rose in the 1997 blockbuster "Titanic". Winslet would realise as much during a trip to India after the film released.

"Titanic was everywhere. A couple of years after it came out, I went to India. I was walking in the foothills of the Himalayas, just me with my backpack on my back and a man came towards me with a walking stick -- he must have been 85 and was blind in one eye. He looked at me and said, 'You - Titanic'. I said yes and he just put his hand on his heart and said, 'Thank you'. I burst into tears. It really helped me understand how much that film had given to so many people," Winslet told Candis magazine, according to news18.com.

The actress starred in James Cameron's multiple-Oscar winning romantic tragedy opposite Leonardo DiCaprio.

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Veteran actress Julie Andrews says she wants a third part of "The Princess Diaries" franchise to happen soon as she is "getting awfully old". It's been 16 years since the second film in "The Princess Diaries" film opened. The series also stars Anne Hathaway.

During her appearance on "The Talk", the 84-year-old actress opened up about the prospect of a third movie, reports dailymail.co.uk. "It's long been talked about but nothing sort of been on my desk or anything like that. I think I would (do it). I'm getting awfully old and crotchety," she said.

Andrews played Queen Clarisse Renaldi, the ruler of Genovia in "The Princess Diaries", with Hathaway playing her granddaughter, Princess Mia Thermopolis.

The first movie followed the Queen as she groomed the princess to rule the land of Genovia. The movie made on a $26 million budget was a surprise hit. In 2004, Andrews and Hathaway reunited for the sequel "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement", about Mia preparing for marriage and finding love.

Talking about the franchise, Andrews said: "'I'm not sure if it's the right timing, but I think to work with Annie (Hathaway) would be lovely again. And yeah, sure I would be up for it. I think we should wait if the script comes in just wait for that."

Filmmaker Garry Marshall, who passed away in 2016, directed both movies, with Gina Wendkos writing the first movie and Shonda Rhimes writing the sequel.

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Veteran director, story artist and writer of many Pixar films -- Rob Gibbs passed away at the age of 55. A company spokesperson confirmed the news, the cause of death was not immediately known, cited The Hollywood Reporter. The artist, who has spent more than 20 years with the company, has contributed immensely to the animation industry. Gibbs' contribution to many well-known and successful Pixar films, included 'Toy Story 2', 'Finding Nemo', 'Monsters, Inc., and more.

His credits also included the short film 'Tokyo Mater' in 2008, and the series 'Mater's Tall Tales' and 'Tales From Radiator Springs' from the 2012 Cars franchise - 'Brave'. The California resident also contributed to 'Monsters University', and also the upcoming 'Monsters at Work' series for Disney+ and 'Incredibles 2.'He is survived by his daughter Mary, who was the voice of Boo in several 'Monsters, Inc.' projects.

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Fashion model Gigi Hadid and her boyfriend Zayn Malik are expecting their first child together. The news of the 'Victoria's Secret' model's pregnancy was reported by TMZ.

"Gigi is 20 weeks along, and both their families are happy" the publication quoted the family sources for the couple as saying. The model who rang in her 25th birthday on April 23, took to social media to share multiple pictures from the celebration.

As reported by E! News, the couple who started dating in 2015, officially called it quits in 2018.

However, Gigi and former 'One Direction' member came back together just before the December break and the singer reached out to Gigi last month and she seemed to be giving him another chance.

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Late actor Irrfan Khan not only proved his acting mettle in Bollywood but has also left a mark over Hollywood cinema with his class-apart acting skills. Several Hollywood filmmakers on Wednesday paid tribute to the legendary actor and mourned the loss.

Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow took to Twitter and expressed his grief over Irrfan's demise. "Deeply sad to have lost #IrrfanKhan. A thoughtful man who found beauty in the world around him, even in pain. In our last correspondence, he asked me to remember "the wonderful aspects of our existence" in the darkest of days. Here he is, laughing," he wrote.

Have a look right here: 

Deeply sad to have lost #IrrfanKhan. A thoughtful man who found beauty in the world around him, even in pain. In our last correspondence, he asked me to remember “the wonderful aspects of our existence” in the darkest of days. Here he is, laughing. pic.twitter.com/8eAsSOO9Ie

— Colin Trevorrow (@colintrevorrow) April 29, 2020

American filmmaker Ava DuVernay also paid tribute to the late actor. "A grateful fan of #IrrfanKhan here. Gone too soon. When he is on screen, you can't take your eyes off of him. He lives on in his films," she said in a tweet. Take a look:

A grateful fan of #IrrfanKhan here. Gone too soon. When he is on screen, you can’t take your eyes off of him. He lives on in his films. pic.twitter.com/aA9RAjsxSl

— Ava DuVernay (@ava) April 29, 2020

Irrfan appeared in several international films such as Jurassic World, Inferno, Life of Pi, Slumdog Millionaire and others, over the years.

The actor passed away at Mumbai's Kokilaben Hospital on Wednesday while battling rare cancer. He was 53. Khan was last seen on screen in 'Angrezi Medium'. He was not a part of the film's promotions owing to his ill health.

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Hollywood superstar Angelina Jolie has expressed her condolences on the demise of Indian actor Irrfan Khan, in a message shared with IANS.

"I had the privilege of working with Irrfan Khan on the set of A Mighty Heart. He stood out for his generosity as an artist, which made it a pleasure to work in any scene with him. I remember the intensity of his commitment, and equally his smile. I send my condolences and my sympathy to his family, his friends, and all admirers of his work, in India and around the world," Jolie said in her message.

"A Mighty Heart", is a 2007 drama directed by Michael Winterbottom based on the 2003 memoir of the same name by Mariane Pearl. The film accounts the aftermath of the kidnapping of Marianne's journalist husband Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, and his subsequent beheading by the kidnappers.

Jolie played Marianne Pearl while Irrfan impressed Karachi police chief Zeeshan Kazmi, in a well-written role. Most of the Karachi sequences of the film were shot in Pune.

The critically-acclaimed film was screened out of competition at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, and is widely considered one of the earliest films to train the global spotlight on Irrfan Khan.

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The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences better known as Oscars on Wednesday remembered the internationally acclaimed Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan and also condoled his demise.

"A mainstay of Bollywood cinema and incredible talent in films like 'Slumdog Millionaire,' 'Life of Pi' and 'The Namesake,' Irrfan Khan left his imprint on global cinema. An inspiration to millions, he will be greatly missed," tweeted the Academy.

Khan's 'Slumdog Millionaire' is a recipient of the Oscar award in many categories.

The last rites of the 'Life of Pi' actor were performed at the Versova cemetery earlier today.

The internationally renowned actor passed away at Mumbai's Kokilaben Hospital on Wednesday while battling rare cancer. He was 53. Irrfan was last seen on screen in 'Angrezi Medium'. He was not a part of the film's promotions owing to his ill health.

With critically acclaimed films like 'The Lunchbox' and 'Paan Singh Tomar' to his credit, Irrfan was regarded as one of the finest actors in Hindi cinema.

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US Ambassador to India, Ken Juster has condoled the demise of Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan who passed away on Wednesday.

"Our heartfelt condolences and prayers go to the family and friends of Irrfan Khan, renowned and respected Indian film actor. He was a true talent in the cinema industry, and his loss will be deeply felt," Juster said in a tweet.

Our heartfelt condolences and prayers go to the family and friends of Irrfan Khan, renowned and respected Indian film actor. He was a true talent in the cinema industry, and his loss will be deeply felt. #RIPIrrfanKhan. pic.twitter.com/OqF4BV2JKf

— Ken Juster (@USAmbIndia) April 29, 2020

The internationally renowned actor passed away at Mumbai's Kokilaben Hospital on Wednesday while battling rare cancer. He was 53. Irrfan was last seen on screen in 'Angrezi Medium'. He was not a part of the film's promotions owing to his ill health.

With critically acclaimed films like 'The Lunchbox' and 'Paan Singh Tomar' to his credit, Irrfan was regarded as one of the finest actors in Hindi cinema.

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An actor par excellence with an impressive array of roles under his belt, Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan died yesterday at the age of 53, triggering an outpouring of condolences.

Hailing from Jaipur, the seasoned actor was born in a Muslim nawab family, to Begum Khan and Jagirdar Khan.

While studying for his Master's degree, it was in 1984 that he earned a scholarship to study at the National School of Drama (NSD) in New Delhi.

Following his academic completion, Khan made his way to Mumbai, where he kicked off his career as an actor.

New to the industry, he started acting in numerous television serials, including 'Sara Jahan Hamara', 'Chanakya', 'Star Bestsellers', 'Chandrakanta', and more which went on air on Doordarshan and Star Plus.

He played the role of a psycho serial killer opposite actor Kay Kay Menon in the 1995 TV series 'Darr'.

His portrayal of the famous revolutionary Urdu poet and Marxist political activist of India Makhdoom Mohiuddin in 'Kahkashan' was widely lauded.

Flexible in acting, Khan gave life to varied characters onscreen with ease.

In 1988, the actor made his big-screen debut in the drama film 'Salaam Bombay', though his role was not meaty enough.

By the 90s, the actor made his presence in movies such as 'Ek Doctor Ki Maut' and 'Such a Long Journey,' but they went unnoticed.

It was when London-based director Asif Kapadia gave him the lead in 'The Warrior', that Irrfan took the road of uncertainty to glory.

In 2001, the adventure drama took international film festivals by storm, making Irrfan Khan a known face, world over.

Thereafter, the actor tasted success in his acting career with movies like 'Road to Ladakh,' which received rave reviews at international festivals and 'Maqbool,' an adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth.

After his first Bollywood breakthrough in 2005, with him being the lead in 'Rog,' the star was a frequent face in movies, either in the lead role, supporting, or the villain.

It was his performance as a villain in the 2004 released movie 'Haasil' won him the Filmfare Best Villain Award, followed by a Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award in 2007 for his role in the box-office hit 'Metro.'

His performance in the English-language drama 'The Namesake' was appreciated overseas, which was again closely followed by his appearance in international films 'A Mighty Heart' and 'The Darjeeling Limited'.

The Hollywood recognition did not make him forget his roots - his ties with television. He took over the stage for many television shows as an anchor.

He played a police inspector in the 2008 film 'Slumdog Millionaire', for which he won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

Following the many credits from overseas, in 2012, the actor set the benchmark in the industry with his acting in the widely lauded adventure movie 'Life of Pie.'

After giving his fans few of his best performances in the recent critically acclaimed Bollywood movies 'The Lunchbox', 'Piku and 'Hindi Medium', in March 2018 his acting career slowed down.

He had been on a year-long break after being diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour for which he was undergoing treatment in London.

However, the actor always stayed connected with his followers through social media, where he also thanked everyone for the love, wishes, and prayers that were bestowed on him.

Last year, on September 14, the actor returned to Mumbai after a 'successful surgery' and wrapping up his last film 'Angrezi Medium' in London.

Three days ago, on April 25, he lost his mother, who passed away due to age-related illness at the age of 95.

Khan is survived by wife Sutapa Sikdar who's also an NSD graduate and sons Babil and Ayan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, several Union Ministers, politicians and members of the Bollywood and Hollywood industries have extended heartfelt condolences on Irrfan's death.

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Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman has sent her love to the near and dear ones of Irrfan Khan, who died on Wednesday in Mumbai. Remembering Irrfan, Portman took to Instagram to share a photo of herself with the actor. In the photo, she is in a white bridal wear and is held by Irrfan, who is in a black and white suit with a hat. "Sending love to Irrfan Khan's loved ones today," she captioned the snap.

The two had featured together in Mira Nair's segment of "New York, I Love You", a 2008 American romantic comedy-drama anthology film.

Ever since the news of Irrfan's demise came out on Wednesday, celebrities from Bollywood as well as Hollywood where he was the face of India, have been pouring in.

Earlier, Hollywood star Angelina Jolie had also expressed her condolences, in a message shared with IANS.

"I had the privilege of working with Irrfan Khan on the set of 'A Mighty Heart'. He stood out for his generosity as an artist, which made it a pleasure to work in any scene with him. I remember the intensity of his commitment, and equally his smile. I send my condolences and my sympathy to his family, his friends, and all admirers of his work, in India and around the world," Jolie said in her message.

"A Mighty Heart", is a 2007 drama directed by Michael Winterbottom based on the 2003 memoir of the same name by Mariane Pearl. The film accounts the aftermath of the kidnapping of Marianne's journalist husband Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, and his subsequent beheading by the kidnappers.

Jolie played Marianne Pearl while Irrfan impressed Karachi police chief Zeeshan Kazmi, in a well-written role.

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Socialist and labour unions celebrate this day by organising programs to improve wages and working conditions of the workforce. With a Lockdown imposed by the governments of the various nations, this year, we celebrate those on the frontlines of this major epidemic and appreciate the work done by them. So aid to our battle against the virus by staying at home and doing your bit and while you do that, here are moments from these amazing shows that make us appreciate these workers even more:

Amy catching a criminal in a wedding dress (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

There is one thing certain about the Nine-Nine squad and that is their passion to solve the crime and catch the criminals no matter what. Whether they are sleep deprived, facing a personal crisis or in this case, shopping for their wedding dress during their break, nothing will stop them from doing their duty. In season 5, when Amy is out shopping for her wedding dress with Rosa, a criminal is fleeing a crime right around the shop. Amy makes a dive and caught the culprit while still in the Wedding dress. Pretty Badass if you ask us! Watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 7 exclusively on Comedy Central on Saturdays at 7 pm.

When the Cloud 9 employees are stuck in the store during a Blizzard (Superstore)

Matching the circumstances of the recent pandemic when people began hoarding home supplies, St. Louis has a massive blizzard barreling towards it. The residents wish to stock up on their supplies to avoid getting trapped in their homes without any food and rush to Cloud 9 which is forced to stay open by the corporate. Trapping the employees and a few customers in, they have to spend the night in the superstore are the blizzard rages on outside. Watch the essential workers on Comedy Central, 11 am onwards, on 1st May to celebrate Labor Day!

Special Episode on New Amsterdam for Covid-19

The crew of New Amsterdam came up with a special episode showcasing a pandemic and introducing a new character who is also a trauma expert. Keeping in mind that the episode might hit too close for those on the front lines, the crew decided to edit the episode and only hint at the pandemic. However, there is no denying the appreciative work done by the health experts and the hospital staff amidst the chaos. Watch all the episodes of this medical drama only on Colors Infinity to celebrate Labour Day Weekend (1st – 3rd May) from 9 am onwards.

When the doctors come together to treat the patients during a Blizzard (Grey's Anatomy)

In a remarkable episode, Meredith and Carina question DeLuca's uncharacteristic behaviour when he volunteers to perform a life-threatening task during a blizzard. While the others focus on the Blizzard, Bailey tries to help Joey with his future and Richard tries training a new intern at the hospital. We must appreciate everything the doctors do for us and go through during such tough times. Catch all the episode of Grey's Anatomy on Disney+ Hotstar.

When an old Women's life is at Risk (Chicago Fire)

We often do not give enough credit to the Fire Department but the teams always put extra effort into saving everyone's life. In this particular episode, Cruz and Severide suspect foul play when a fire started by an elderly woman turns deadly. Kidd, Foster and Brett create a women's-only lounge. The Fire Department is truly one of the bravest of the lot and ensures they save lives even if it puts them in danger. Watch the thrilling show only on Colors Infinity.

So, don't forget to tune in to these shows this Labor Day Weekend and stay safe inside your homes as we appreciate everyone on the frontlines of the pandemic.

As actor Dwayne Johnson or 'The Rock' turned 48 today, his friend and co-actor Ryan Reynolds made sure to wish him. Reynolds took to Twitter and penned down a birthday wish for his 'Red Notice' co-star.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Today is @therock’s birthday. There’ll be a lot of well wishes for him. He deserves it. This year, we fulfilled a lifelong dream: shooting exactly half a film called RED NOTICE before being promptly shut down. Had we not spent 90 percent of our time laughing, we might have finished it in time. Happy Birthday, Bubba. 📷: @hhgarcia41

A post shared by Ryan Reynolds (@vancityreynolds) onMay 2, 2020 at 11:35am PDT

"He may have gone through puberty in the womb, but he was born with a heart of solid gold. One of the best guys on earth," the 43-year-old actor tweeted.

"Happy Birthday to my friend, co-star and ribbon dance professor, @therock," his tweet further read.

Taking a moment out from his birthday, The Rock too made sure he replies to his friend's best wishes and said, "Appreciate you, mi amigo. And all our ribbon dances under the pale moonlight."

The Rock turned 48 today and celebrated the birthday in quarantine at his home with his family.

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New York-based art director Matteo De Cosmo, who worked on popular series such as 'Luke Cage' and 'The Punisher', has died at the age of 52 due to complications from COVID-19. He also worked on ABC Studios series 'Harlem's Kitchen', which halted production in March because of the pandemic.

"Making television is challenging. But there are people that assure you every day with their talent, passion and smile that anything is possible. Matteo was one of those people. We will miss him," said 'Harlem's Kitchen' showrunner Zahir McGhee in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. De Cosmo is survived by his wife, Aris, and son, Marcello.

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In a rare video appearance, actor Emma Stone is raising mental health awareness while practising social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the Oscar winner announced the Child Mind Institute's #WeThriveInside campaign, a digital initiative that will help those struggling right now and beyond with tele-health and online resources.

"Many of us are dealing with isolation, anxiety and uncertainty during this COVID-19 crisis, and this includes the 17 million kids and teens in America that's one in five who have a mental health disorder. We're inviting you to be part of our team," she said in the clip. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the institute will release self-recorded videos daily featuring notable names sharing stories of how they stay mentally fit while encouraging families and kids to check out its COVID 19-related resources. Videos will be distributed across all social media platforms of Child Mind Institute. Stone, who is a board member of the organisation, opened up what she likes to do when she is struggling with anxiety.

"What I do is just write down anything that I'm worried about. I just write and write and write and I don't think about it and I don't read it back. "I find it's really, really helpful for me to get it all out on paper. I hope you're staying safe, you're staying strong and healthy and I'm sending you lots of love," she said. Other Hollywood names such as Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Andrew Garfield, Octavia Spencer, Zoey Deutch, Nicole Scherzinger, Sarah Michelle Gellar, are also part of the drive. Donations are also being accepted, and courtesy one anonymous donor, matched up to USD 150,000.

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After the decision to postpone the event due to the coronavirus crisis, the Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday, rather, held a virtual telecast which was no short of slime and the awards.

On Saturday a virtual show was hosted by the 'Victorious' star Victoria Justice of the event, whic was originally scheduled to take place on March 22 in Los Angeles.

The star-studded awards show had specials appearances of 'The Avengers' cast including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, and Jeremy Renner.

The team's big hit superhero film 'Avengers: Endgame' won favourite movie, and 'Spider-Man' actor Tom Holland was voted favourite superhero.

Netflix's 'Stranger Things' grabbed the favourite TV show awards, meanwhile, the young star Millie Bobby Brown took home the favourite female TV actor award for her role as Eleven.

In the music category, artists including Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes, Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, and BTS took home the glory.

Reported by Variety, the show also made USD 1 million donations to No Kid Hungry, a national campaign to help end childhood hunger and support people affected by coronavirus crisis.

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After mourning the demise of the late veteran actor Rishi Kapoor, WWE champion and Hollywood actor John Cena has now taken to social media to pay homage to Irrfan Khan, who too passed away.

Remembering Irrfan, Cena posted a picture of the former from his famous movie Life of Pi. Reacting to the post, several users thanked Cena for paying tribute to Irrfan.

"You care for the Indian people ..love you Cena," a social media follower commented. Have a look right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by John Cena (@johncena) onMay 2, 2020 at 4:40am PDT

Irrfan breathed his last on April 29 at the age of 54. He was admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection earlier this week. However, he succumbed to his ailment.

This is not the first time that Cena has posted a picture of an Indian celebrity. His account also includes pictures of the likes of the batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, actress Shilpa Shetty and Bigg Boss 13 contestant Asim Riaz.

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J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World has come up with something interesting for all Potter heads out there. The official Twitter account of Wizarding World on Tuesday shared a video featuring seven of the celebrities, including, Daniel Radcliffe who have been line up to read chapter-by-chapter of 'Harry Potter', in a series of video recordings.

"Surprise! We've got a treat for you...From today, amazing friends of the Wizarding World are going to take turns reading Harry Potter book one. And to start us off with Chapter 1, we think you'll agree we have the perfect narrator...#HarryPotterAtHome" read the tweet.

The video began with Eddie Redmayne followed by Dakota Fanning, and Claudia Kim, saying that they are "at home."

The brief video then features Stephen Fry, Noma Dumezweni, and David Beckham explaining that they are at their respective homes sitting in the "living room, book room, cosy corner" and so on. The stars further said that they are really excited to read "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's/ Sorcerer's Stone by J.K Rowling."

Towards the end of the 34-second long video, actor Daniel Radcliffe introduces himself and begins to say: "This is chapter one of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone." Each of the stars will read different sections of the book for all the fans of 'Harry Potter' across the globe.

Cited by Variety, all 17 chapters of the book will be released between now and the middle of the summer. Videos will be posted weekly on harrypotterathome.com, with an audio-only version available for free on Spotify.

The special series is part of the 'Harry Potter At Home' project, an initiative developed by Wizarding World Digital and Rowling's agency, to bring cheer among the people during these trying times.

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"The Transporter" franchise director Louis Leterrier might direct the sequel of Will Smith's "Bright". Streaming giant Netflix is in talks with Leterrier, also known for "Now You See Me", "Clash Of The Titans" and "Unleashed", to lend his touch to the fantasy actioner "Bright 2", in which Smith along with Joel Edgerton will be reprising their roles, reports variety.com.

The report also claimed that Netflix is "planning to begin shooting the sequel once it's able to start production" after the coronavirus pandemic. The script for "Bright 2" is written by David Ayer and Evan Spiliotopoulos, with a rewrite by TS Nowlin. Ayer directed the first part, which released in 2017.

"Bright" was an action-thriller that takes place in an alternate present-day south Los Angeles. For "Bright", Ayer picked up a story with modern day sensibilities set in the present day, but added mythological characters to give a fantastical touch to the story while addressing real issues.

Despite getting mixed response, "Bright" became one of Netflix's most streamed films thanks to its star cast. The streaming platform in 2018 announced plans to make a sequel but Ayer, best known for directing the 2014 war drama "Fury", opted out of helming "Bright 2".

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If you are a budding entrepreneur and an avid watcher of TV shows, you must be certainly thinking of which product to launch post the lockdown and if there are any shows out there that can help you better assess the target audience, risks, financial aspect amongst other facts that are involved with launching your own business.

While business markets and sectors are certainly a tough place to be in with a humongous competition, here are a few shows that will give you a glimpse of the entrepreneurial world with a few lessons that will help you through your journey.

Silicon Valley

Created by Mike Judge, Silicon Valley is a critically-acclaimed sitcom that follows the struggle of a group of young software programmers and developers trying to succeed in Silicon Valley. The show features the challenges new entrepreneurs face to make an impact in the competitive environment of Silicon Valley, despite having a game-changing product. Silicon Valley recently completed its 6th season and can be viewed in the country on Disney+Hotstar

Shark Tank

Shark Tank, the critically acclaimed and multi-Emmy Award-winning reality show that has reinvigorated entrepreneurship around the world, recently returned with its dynamic eleventh season. The Sharks – tough, self-made, multi-millionaire and billionaire tycoons – continue their search to invest in the best businesses and products that America has to offer. Watching this show will give you an insight of all aspects of the business world as you will develop the insight of a venture capitalist mind. Season 11 of Shark Tank is exclusively streaming on Voot Select while its television premier on 18th May 2020 on Colors Infinity

Billions

Think of Billions as the high-finance counterpart to House of Cards and you will not be far off the mark. Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti are superb as, respectively, the win-at-all-costs head of a massive hedge fund and the win-at-all-costs district attorney determined to put him behind bars, although both are thoroughly upstaged by the even better Maggie Siff as the woman who keeps both at the top of their game. This show emphasizes on the importance of being street smart and ahead of the game. The latest season of Billions is streaming in the country on Disney+Hotstar

Empire

Created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, Empire is a drama series that tells the story of Empire Entertainment, a fictional hip hop music and entertainment company, and the drama that unfolds among the members of the founders’ family as they fight for control of it. The show will familiarize you with the importance of always staying on top of your game, the show is streaming in the country on Disney+Hotstar

Startup

StartUp follows the emergence of GenCoin, a brilliant yet controversial tech idea centred on a digital currency — an idea that gets incubated on the wrong side of the tracks by three strangers who don’t necessarily fit the mould of 'tech entrepreneurs' and a crooked FBI agent who will go to any lengths to take them down. The series is available to watch in the country on Amazon Prime India.

Tune-in to these compelling entrepreneurial shows for all the inspiration you need to begin your journey towards your dreams.

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