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With the nationwide lockdown extended to May 3, the Indian Premier League (IPL) remains in suspension. The T20 extravaganza was first postponed to April 15 by the BCCI.

Except one franchisee, all other seven are sweating over the losses they are going to suffer if the IPL does not take place this year. Chennai Super Kings are unperturbed as they are the only franchisee to have taken insurance cover first up. "We bought the insurance in the first week of March," a team official told mid-day on Tuesday.

It is learnt that CSK's insurance cover is worth approximately Rs 65 to Rs 70 crore. The three-time IPL champions will be able to make a claim to the insurance company only if the IPL is called off this year.

When asked whether the Coronavirus pandemic is covered in the insurance, the official said: "Our legal department is looking into it. We are in touch with the insurance company as well. We will be able to conclude things only when the BCCI takes a decision on the IPL. Pandemic is a new thing for everyone." CSK were lucky to finalise the insurance deal before the pandemic struck. The other franchises who mid-day spoke to, said they were still in talks with the insurance companies when the IPL was postponed.

Meanwhile, the BCCI is still exploring options of holding the cash-rich league this year.

'International' Premier League?

Though the Coronavirus pandemic has put the world's cricketing schedule in limbo and with concerns raised over the scheduled T20 World Cup in Australia this October, the BCCI is preparing all sorts of possible scenarios to hold the IPL. "Shelving the tournament will be a worst-case scenario," a BCCI source told mid-day on Tuesday.

A few possibilities have emerged. The first is the July-August window, where Team India are not scheduled to play any cricket. The BCCI is well-aware that rain could play spoilsport if the IPL is to be held in India during this period. To negate the weather threat, the BCCI is ready to move the IPL abroad if needed. "The IPL has happened on foreign land in the past (2009 and the first half of the 2014 edition), so why can't it be done this time too? Everyone wants the IPL to happen, there is no doubt about it," said the source.

"All that we require is just four venues to conduct matches. Whether to have a curtailed or a full-fledged IPL is a decision that will be taken when we cross that bridge," the source added.

However, taking the IPL overseas will not be an easy decision considering the travel restrictions that the Indian government may put in place. A franchise official, though, wasn't pleased with the proposed plan of playing abroad to beat the rains. "Monsoons will not affect the entire country. South India can definitely be explored. It would be crazy to play abroad especially when saving costs would be a major challenge for all teams," the franchisee official said. Thankfully for franchises, no sponsor has backed out so far.

Sept-Oct window

The window between September and October is also being explored by the BCCI if the Asia Cup is postponed. And if the T20 World Cup is postponed, then another window for the IPL opens up. "There is absolutely no harm in having the IPL if the T20 World Cup does not take place," the source said.

Franchises too are pinning their hopes on the T20 World Cup getting postponed. "That's the perfect window to conduct it. With Australia locked down for six months [till September] for foreign travellers, the T20 World Cup is surely in doubt," a franchisee official said.

The BCCI is also open to conducting the IPL after the T20 World Cup.

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President and former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Tuesday wished his followers on the occasion of Bengali New Year.

"Shubho noboborsho," said Ganguly in his tweet.

Shubho noboborsho pic.twitter.com/WmVGhXogTS

— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) April 14, 2020

As BCCI President, Ganguly is faced with the unique task of leading the board through a period when the coronavirus pandemic has put a halt to all cricket around the world.

India's home ODI series against South Africa was indefinitely postponed after the first match was washed out while the 2020 season of the IPL faces uncertainty due to the virus showing no signs of stemming.

Ganguly had said earlier that the environment looks bleak for all sports, not just IPL. "We keep monitoring developments. At the present moment, we can't say anything. And what is there to say anyway? Airports are shut, people are stuck at home, offices are locked down, nobody can go anywhere. And it seems this is how it's going to be till the middle of May," Ganguly told the New Indian Express.

"Where will you get players from, where do players travel. It's just simple common sense that at the moment, nothing is in favour of any kind of sport anywhere in the world, forget IPL."

The BCCI is now looking at the October-November window to hold the league, but that can only happen if the World T20 is postponed.

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Representational Image

In a shocking case, a teenage girl jumped off a moving train after her mobile phone slipped from her hand and fell on the platform at Khoparkhairane. The girl, a class 11 student has suffered severe head injuries and has been admitted to Mathadi Kamgar hospital in Koparkhairane.

Turbhe RPF’s inspector Lokesh Sagar said, "The incident occurred around 11.45am on platform number 1. The collegian, her friends and some of their teachers were on their way to Nerul for an event. As the group boarded the Nerul-bound train, Tejashri’s mobile slipped from her hand and fell on the platform. By then, the train had picked up speed but still, the girl jumped off to get the phone. Her friends alighted at Turbhe and returned to Koparkhairane to help her but she had already been taken to a hospital."

An RPF constable who was deployed at khoparkhairane station saw the incident and rushed the girl to Mathadi Kamgar hospital near bus depot in an auto, without waiting for an ambulance reported Times of India.

Lokesh Sagar added, "Doctors treating Tejashri said that she was administered eight stitches and is out danger. We handed over her mobile to her family members when they came to the hospital."

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Keeping the legacy of his father and uncle alive, T N Ganjoo, 87, climbs hills in Kharghar every day, armed with 10 litres of water and the determination to see a wave of lush greens on the hillside. On Sunday, Ganjoo planted 100 seed balls on the hills to celebrate Father's Day.

Ganjoo, a retired professor, recently moved to Kharghar. He began going to the hills after he saw a woman carrying a big bag there. He asked her what she would do with its contents, and learnt that she would use it to plant on the hillside. Soon enough, he joined her too.

Back to childhood
This activity takes the Kashmir native back to his childhood, which was full of beautiful green mountains. He missed that greenery in the concrete environs of the city, and thus began planting trees on barren hills. "But today, I see how those beautiful places have become barren due to human activities," Ganjoo told mid-day.

"I have a habit of climbing hills since childhood, because of which I'm fit. For the past year, I carry 10 litres of water on my back and climb the hills, because I want to see them streaked green. My group and I have planted more than 500 saplings. We water them daily."

Spread the word
"So many people have joined us. I spread the word to everyone who I meet, especially youngsters. They need to understand the importance of greenery. The government authorities are not thinking about it, because of which next generation will end up facing so many problems. I think my act will encourage people to try to make a greener society."

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The Navi Mumbai Crime Branch has taken over the probe into the death of a 21-year-old man there during the Maratha quota stir last week. During the violence that erupted in Kopar Khairane area of Navi Mumbai during the Maratha reservation agitation on July 25, Rohan Todkar was assaulted by a mob. He later succumbed to his injuries in the state-run JJ Hospital at Byculla in Mumbai on July 27.

An official said that a murder case had been registered at Kopar Khairane police station against unidentified persons. "The case has been handed over to the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch. Investigations into the incident are underway. No arrests have been made so far," Tushar Doshi, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) told PTI.

Todkar's cousin sister, Shital Shinde, speaking to PTI yesterday, had said that Todkar had ventured out, along with his friends, on July 25 and then got caught in the violence. The youth's last rites were carried out in his native Khonavali village in Patan tehsil in Satara district after authorities assured his family that the culprits would be arrested and compensation would be provided.

Edited by mid-day online desk with inputs from PTI

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A senior citizen was brutally murdered in Koparkhairne on Monday afternoon. The police said some unknown people barged into his flat and beat him to death with the utensils in the house. He was found lying on the floor, covered in blood when the Koparkhairane police reached the spot. The police are interrogating his son who was at home at the time of the incident.

The victim, identified as Vijaykumar Darote, 62, had been living with his only son in a Koparkhairne high-rise for the past few years. On Monday afternoon, some unknown people came to Darote's house on the fifth floor of the building and when he opened the door, they pushed their way in and started beating him up with rods and utensils. When his son tried to intervene, they beat him up, too, and fled from the house.

ACP Pradeep Jadhav said, "We got a call from Darote's son who was present at the time of the brutal assault. He, too, is injured and has been admitted to a hospital. Darote had too many injuries because of which, he died by the time we brought him to the hospital. We are checking CCTV footage of the area and trying to find out the reason behind the murder. We have already started a search for the accused and will arrest them soon."

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The entire nation is currently locked down due to the Coronavirus outbreak and the lockdown has now been extended till May 3. However, Salman Khan's father and veteran writer Salim Khan was recently spotted taking a walk on the Bandra Promenade by one of the area's residents. This was reported by Pinkvilla. The resident said, "Initially, we thought maybe it's a one off thing but over the last 3 weeks, we have seen him walk for half an hour every alternate day. He comes by 8.30 am and is around till 9 am."

And talking about the reason behind the same, Khan spoke at length and said, "I have been adviced by the doctors to continue my walks as I have lower back issues. I have been walking for the last 40 years and the doctor has told me if I stop suddenly, it might affect my back more. Moreover, I have the pass issued by the government till April 30, and I am following all the norms possible."

He added, "It is only on medical grounds, that I am allowed to take a walk outside. I am a law-abiding citizen but people tend to pick on us given that we are celebrities. I am not the only one who walks around. There are so many people I see who are strolling with their pets. But no one reports them! Anyway, I am ensuring I take all safety measures and also, I hope everyone else does too."

We hope Salim Khan stays safe and healthy and takes care of himself!

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It has been seven years since Mohit Suri's Aashiqui 2, starring Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor came out. It made the actress an overnight star and sensation, and her character, Aarohi, still continues to be remembered for her piquancy and innocence, and of course, singing.

Every year, the actress does something special on this day to mark this musical blockbuster's anniversary and this year was no exception. She not only changed her Instagram name to her screen name from the film and upload a new photo from one its stills, but also uploaded a collage of some of the film's scenes to create one beautiful picture.

This is truly an innovative and imaginative way to celebrate your film, don't miss this post:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

7 years of Aashiqui 2 today!🥰💝 Thank you forever @mohitsuri for this gift of a lifetime @visheshfilms for believing, #ShaguftaRafique for your exquisitely beautiful writing, @adityaroykapur for being an unbelievably amazing costar and the entire team who gave their everything to this precious film. Thank you everyone who gave this film so so sooo much love. Its priceless✨ Thank you to all those who have made such beautiful edits and to the fan clubs for uniting and sharing a common dp today; this collage 🙃🥰 I’m the luckiest girl in the universe ✨💜

A post shared by Aarohi (@shraddhakapoor) onApr 25, 2020 at 11:43pm PDT

Shraddha Kapoor is well known for always delivering hits along with a new character and fresh content with every project. Shraddha being a lover of always wanting to try something new has been unstoppable ever since Aashiqui 2.

After Aashiqui 2, taking no breaks, Shraddha was seen in Ek Villain, where the character of being full of life was super fresh. Not forgetting ABCD 2 where Shraddha's dance totally stole hearts. Shraddha showed her versatility factor and the audiences were stunned on how the actress can mould herself in every way possible.

Moulding herself into another new character, Shraddha was seen doing some kicks and punches in Baaghi. The actress has given a carousel of hits and is a roll as the actress chooses quality projects over quantity and this totally sets her apart. Shraddha knows how to treat her fans with the best of characters, where fresh content always hunts Shraddha.

On the work front, Shraddha will be seen in a Luv Ranjan directorial alongside Ranbir Kapoor. The actress is basking in the success of Baaghi 3. Truly we can't wait to see what this fresh pair has brewed for us!

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The Rani Mukerji and Saif Ali Khan starrer Ta Ra Rum Pum stood out as a sports-drama that was set against the backdrop of car racing in the USA with Saif playing a racing prodigy. Directed by Siddharth Anand, the film had a lavish shooting schedule in the United States and Rani has some very fond memories of shooting this project. Today, as the film completes 13 years, the actress speaks about almost everything that you'll love to read!

"Ta Ra Rum Pum was a very, very lovely shooting experience for me because we shot in America, in New York, for nearly 3 months. I was there for 3 months at a stretch and it was lovely living in New York around that time shooting the film. We had two little angels - Ali and Angelina (who played the roles of Priya and Ranveer – Saif and Rani's on-screen kids) and I was single at that point of time but to actually play a mother of these 2 children really got my motherly instincts out," says Rani.

The talented actress adds, "Today when I look back and watch the film when I have Adira with me, it just feels so amazing. When Ta Ra Rum Pum released, I had a lot of children and parents really watching the film with a lot of love. I still get a lot of people telling me that they watched Ta Ra Rum Pum and it's one of their favourite films because it has car racing and it has the story about the children."

Rani feels the film's universal theme of family coming together to overcome all odds is what connected with the audiences. "It's a very nice warm lovely story and I think I connected with the film and the story a lot at that time. It was a very sweet story about this couple who has children and how they fight the odds. I think crisis like these brings families closer and I think that's a very special part of the story," she says.

Rani thoroughly enjoyed the animation in the film which was hailed as a cut above as far Bollywood standard back then was. "Of course, it had the animation song (Ta Ra Rum Pum) with the teddy bears which is one of my favourite songs. I think they had done a lovely job and the animation was one of my first animation songs which I did!" the actress adds.

Rani had a blast acting with Saif, with whom she also delivered the blockbuster Hum Tum, and her co-stars in the film. "Of course, having Saif with me as a co actor was wonderful! Also, Victor Banerjee played my father in the film and it was wonderful having him on set and to be working with him. It was overall a great experience and I remember being really, really happy on the sets of Ta Ra Rum Pum!" she says.

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Too busy or lazy to exercise? Men and women take note. Living without physical activity for six years during their middle age could be at an increased risk of suffering heart failure, researchers have warned.

The findings, described in the journal Circulation, suggest that consistently participating in the recommended 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity each week, such as brisk walking or biking, in middle age can reduce the heart failure risk by 31 per cent.

While it is known that people who are more physically active have lower risks of heart failure than those who are less active, but little is known about the impact of changes in exercise levels over time on heart failure risk.

"Going from no exercise to recommended activity levels over six years in middle age may reduce heart failure risk by 23 per cent," said Chiadi Ndumele, Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, US.

For the study, the team included 11,351 participants, with an average age 60, monitored annually for an average of 19 years.

According to the American Heart Association, the "recommended" amount is at least 75 minutes per week of vigorous intensity or at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise.

Heart failure risk decreased by about 12 per cent in the participants who increased their physical activity category from poor to intermediate or recommended, or from intermediate to recommended, compared with those with consistently poor or intermediate activity ratings.

Conversely, heart failure risk increased by 18 per cent in the participants who reported decreased physical activity from visit one to visit three, compared with those with consistently recommended or intermediate activity levels.

Unlike heart attack, in which heart muscle dies, heart failure is marked by a long-term, chronic inability of the heart to pump enough blood, or pump it hard enough, to bring needed oxygen to the body.

The leading cause of hospitalisations in those over 65, the disorder's risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and a family history.

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The Kandivli police have arrested the father of an 18-year-old girl after she allegedly accused him of constantly molesting and sexually harassing her for two years. In her written complaint,  the girl has alleged that her father has been molesting her since 2016. She also said that she mustered courage and filed a complaint against him after he tried to 'touch her inappropriately' on the eve of September 11.

"On Monday, she came to the police station accompanied by an older woman from her neighbourhood. She said that over the last two years, her father has made several inappropriate comments and actions. And that he would also often make lewd gestures in front of her and try to make her uncomfortable in various ways,” said an official from the Kandivali police as reported in Mumbai Mirror.

Since the girl was facing and dealing with the abuse for a long time, the Kandivli police have booked the father under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, along with the relevant
sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Post the arrest of her father on Monday evening, the girl’s mother lashed out at her, accusing her own daughter of falsely implicating her father, the police sources said.

"The mother believes that the daughter is doing this under the influence of someone. She thinks that with the father in prison, it will give her the necessary freedom to do what she wants and scare her parents from taking any disciplinary action against her” said an official elaborating on the mother’s statement. 

In another incident, the parents of a four-year-old girl lodged a police complaint against a woman teacher from a Kandivli school on Monday for molesting their child during the school hours. The Kandivli police have booked the teacher under the stringent POSCO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) act. The police are probing the case and till now no arrests have been made.

The minor child, who is in junior KG, complained to her parents after returning from school on Monday that the teacher had touched her inappropriately. When the parents of the minor girl approached the school, the management informed the parents that the school premises are entirely covered by cameras, except inside the washrooms. The police were summoned and the CCTV footage was shown to the parents as well as cops. "Nothing concrete has been found in the CCTV footage." the police officer said. 

Also Read: Watch Video: Woman Steals Mobile-Phone From Mulund Shop

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The Nalasopara police are looking for a 20-year-old who allegedly attacked his parents with a hammer, screwdriver and knife and then left them die. Neighbours heard the struggle between the accused Janmesh Pawar and his parents and rushed the victims to hospital. The elderly couple, Narendra, 55, and Narmada, 50, are in critical condition.

While they were sleeping
According to police sources, Janmesh attacked his parents around 4 am on Monday. He struck his father first, stabbing him with a knife. The elderly man woke up screaming. Hearing his cries, Narmada went running and tried to pull Janmesh off, but the youth then turned on her too. He hit her with a hammer and stabbed her with a screw driver. Janmesh then grabbed his clothes and belongings and fled, leaving the couple in a pool of blood.

CCTV footage shows Janmesh leaving the building. Pics/Hanif Patel

Parents were restrictive
Neighbours promptly informed the Nalasopara police and, with the help of the cops, they rushed the victims to a nearby hospital. However, as their condition was serious, they were transferred to KEM hospital for further treatment. While the crime took place at Imperial Tower, Nalasopara, the family had only moved there a fortnight ago. Cops visited their earlier residence, where neighbours remember Janmesh as an extremely shy boy who never spoke to anyone.

The accused is a final year BCom student and was also working part-time in the share market, alongside his father. Sources familiar with the family said Janmesh's parents never allowed him outside the house, except to go to college or work. The police suspect such restrictions may have caused Janmesh to snap and attack his parents. The youth's phone is currently switched off and cops have no clue on his whereabouts. API Rajiv Naravade from Nalasopara police station said, "We have registered a case of attempt to murder under Section 307 against the accused and our investigation is on."

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A 64-year-old woman sustained serious injuries on Monday morning when a part of reinforced cement concrete (RCC) roof collapsed in BDD chawl number 18-A in Dadar's Naigaon area. The victim identified as Chanchala Londe and her family were asleep when a huge part of the roof fell on her at around 4.30 am in the night.

Pic courtesy/ Suraj Ojha

Londe's son Vijay Londe told mid-day," This is not the first incident when something collapsed from the building. Several incidents have occurred before in other buildings this, however, this has happened for the first time in our home. My son was in the same room and immediately alerted other family members residing in other flats. We then rushed my mother to KEM hospital."

When asked the victim about the incident, she stated that a huge block of cement fell on her head and she was shocked to hear the loud noise followed by blood trickling down from her scalp. The doctors from KEM suggested for an X-ray and after a few medical check-ups, Londe was allowed to go home with 12 stitches. After the incident, PWD sent a few men at around 9:30 am to repair the RCC roof.

"I do not know when the redevelopment will start. We did not oppose to government plans but we do have certain demands and expectations from the government. Since they have been ignoring these demands, our redevelopment has been delayed and this is how such incidents take place at BDD colonies," Londe added.

Also Read: CST foot overbridge collapse: Victims yet to receive any official letter of compensation

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In a shocking incident that took place in the eastern suburbs of Mumbai, a 59-year-old man was beaten to death after a fight broke out for using a public toilet for a little longer. The elderly man was killed in a spat over using the public for a longer time. The incident took place on Wednesday night.

As reported in Mumbai Mirror, the incident took place on September 19, in the Sangam Nagar area located in Wadala East. The accused was identified as Shakir Ali Shaikh (34) who had an argument with Yadav when he used the public toilet for a little longer. When the locals intervened and prevented the altercation the two left the argument and left from there. Later, when Yadav was walking back home, Shaikh attacked him and hit him until Yadav fell into a nullah. 

After the local residents took notice of the fact that Yadav had fallen into the nullah, they rushed to his aid and immediately took him to the nearest hospital where the doctors declared him dead on arrival. The Wadala TT police have arrested the accused and have registered a case.

A police officer from Wadala police station was quoted saying, "Yadav worked with a transport company and offered driving lessons. We have registered a case and arrested the accused."

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A 15-year-old girl's dead body was found at a chawl near Samaj Mandir hall at Antop Hill on Monday. According to police sources, they received a call informing about a suicide after which they immediately sent a team with forensics experts at the banquet hall where they found her hanging from a ceiling fan.

An officer said, "We have sent her body to Sion hospital for post-mortem. As of now, we have registered a case of accidental death (ADR). We have not noticed anything suspicious as of now. The post-mortem report will give a clear picture.

Further investigations are on.

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A 27-year-old MBBS student committed suicide by jumping off from a high-rise in Thane on Saturday. She was rushed to the hospital, where the doctor declared her dead. The deceased was identified as Dr Shamista Som, daughter of dermatologist Dr Kaberi Som. Police have found a suicide note in which she spoke about the pressure she faced for the preparation of her MD exams.

Shamista was living with her parents on the 12th floor of Glory building in Everest Society at Kolshet. Sources revealed that in 2016, Shamista had completed her MBBS and was preparing for her MD. On Friday night, she had spoken of the stress related to the same with her parents.

Glory building in Everest Society. Pic/Rajesh S. Gupta

"According to the parents, they spoke at length with their daughter and tried to calm her. Afterwards, she told her parents she was going to study," an officer said. Around 5 AM on Saturday, the security guard found her lying in a pool of blood. She was rushed to the hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival.

To mid-day, AV Deshmukh, senior inspector at Koparbaudi police station, said, "We have found a suicide note written by the deceased. The reason behind the suicide seems to be depression. However, we have registered the death as an accident and are inquiring into the case."

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A 58-year-old man was arrested after 11 kg of charas (cannabis resin) was seized from him here in Maharashtra, police said Sunday. Acting on a tip-off, the anti-extortion cell of Thane police laid a trap and apprehended Azimuddin Ahmed Ansari at Kalyan town here on Saturday evening, police spokesperson Sukhada Narkar said in a release.

A search of his bag led to the recovery of nearly 11 kg of charas, worth around Rs 22 lakh, she said. Ansari, a resident of Siwan district in Bihar, had apparently got the contraband from Nepal, Narkar said. A probe was underway to ascertain as to whom he was planning to sell the contraband, she said, adding that the accused was booked under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

In another incident, the Mumbai Police has effected a massive drugs haul, valued at Rs 1,000 crore and arrested four drug-peddlers, a top official said on Friday.

The Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) swooped on a car parked at Shastri Nagar, in Vile Parle and seized around 100 kg of the banned Fentanyl, which is said to be 50 times more powerful than heroin. According to ANC chief, DCP Shivdeep Lande, following a reliable tip-off to a policeman Santosh Bhalekar about delivery of Fentanyl, the ANC's Azad Maidan Unit laid a trap on Wednesday.

Four drug peddlers were caught with the drugs near the service road outside the Mumbai Airport in Vile Parle East, said Lande, of the biggest success notched by Mumbai Police so far. "We have seized 100 kg of the banned drugs. It is worth around Rs 10 crore/kg and the total seizure is worth around Rs 1,000 crore," Lande said.

The four accused arrested are -- Salim Ismail Dhola, 52 of Ghodapdev and Chandramani Matamani Tiwari, 41 of Kandivali, both in Mumbai, and Sandeep Indrajeet Tiwari and Ghanshyam Ramraj Saroj, both from Nala Sopara town in the adjacent Palghar district. According to the tip-off, Dhola and two others were expected to arrive at a spot in Vakola, Santacruz east around 8.30 p.m. with the drugs consignment which was reportedly being smuggled to a North American country.

The vehicle halted near a tree on the road where a fourth accomplice was already waiting near his scooter for half an hour. After exchanging pleasantries, one of the car occupants came out and handed over a blue coloured container to the man waiting outside. This was the opportune moment when the waiting ANC team struck and caught them red-handed. They also recovered three more blue containers full of the banned drugs from the vehicle.

Later, it was found to be the very high-priced Fentanyl drug, and a mere 25 gm is lethal enough to kill a man, police said. Considered a party drug, with around 20,000 overdose-related deaths in the US in 2016, Fentanyl is basically an anaesthetic medicine, but made illegally into a recreational drug, with a lethal mixture of heroin or cocaine.

On December 27, the accused were booked under relevant sections of the NDPS and IPC acts for the offences, and have been remanded to police custody till January 1, police said.

With inputs from PTI

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A highly decomposed body of a 42-year-old woman was found dumped on a roadside near the Mumbai-Agra highway here in Maharashtra, police said Sunday.

A group of devotees proceeding on foot to Shirdi temple town spotted the body, bearing injury marks on head, at a forest in Asangaon area of Sahapur taluka on Friday, an official at Sahapur police station said. An Aadhaar card found stuck in her clothes revealed her identity as Vandana Khermode, hailing from Solapur district in Maharashtra, he said.

The police subsequently sent the body for postmortem to J J Hospital in neighbouring Mumbai. Based on the autopsy report, a case was registered by the police on Saturday under IPC section 302 (murder) against unidentified persons, he said. The body was later handed over to the woman's relatives, he said, adding that a probe was on to ascertain why and where she was killed.

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A 26-year-old man from Kalyan in Maharashtra's Thane district has been booked for allegedly molesting his sister-in-law, police said Monday.

The woman in her complaint stated that she was living in her mother-in-law's home as her husband was bedridden following a paralytic attack and was being nursed there, said an official.

At her mother-in-law's home, the accused made sexual advances towards her, the victim said in her complaint. "After the victim rejected his overtures, the accused assaulted her ailing husband. She was molested by the accused when she intervened.

Neighbours rushed in and saved the couple," he said. The woman filed a complaint with MFC police station in Kalyan Sunday evening following which the man was booked, he said, adding that no arrest has been made so far.

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A local court has sentenced a man from Mira Road in the district to one year jail for stalking and ca 16-year-old girl nearly six years ago. Special judge Kavita Shirbhate convicted Yogesh Borade, 33, on Friday and also slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on him.

He was held guilty under relevant sections of the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The incident had taken place late evening on March 18, 2013.

The girl was walking towards her home, when two persons on a two-wheeler waylaid her, prosecutor Rekha Hiwrale told the court. Borade, who was pillion riding, started troubling and abusing the minor.

Later, he got off the vehicle and started walking alongside her and also mildly pushed her, she said. Based on a complaint, the police had booked the accused and later arrested him.

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A girl studying in Class 10 was detained by Murbad police in the district Sunday for allegedly strangulating a neighbour's two-year-old baby.

The incident took place at Tulai village, said inspector Ajay Vasave of the local police. Manishka (2) went missing while playing near her house Saturday evening following which local people alongwith the police launched a search in the area, he said.

Suspecting that the 16-year-old girl who lived nearby might be involved in the child's disappearance, the police searched her house sometime after midnight and found the child's body concealed in the house, he said.

The two-year-old girl had been apparently strangulated though the autopsy report was not yet available, the inspector said. The accused was scolded by the victim's mother a few days ago and the girl wanted to take revenge which allegedly led her to commit the crime, he said. A case of murder under IPC section 302 has been registered.

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Thane: A local court sentenced a man to three years rigorous imprisonment for abetting the suicide of his wife but acquitted his mother for lack of evidence in Maharashtra's Thane. District Judge RV Tamhanekar, in a recent order, also fined Bhiwandi-resident Sanjay Waghmare (26) Rs 7000.

Sanjay and his wife Priyanka had married in 2016 and there were frequent fights between the couple as well as the victim and her mother-in-law Jinsabai, said additional public prosecutor Sandhya Mhatre. After one such quarrel on August 30, 2017, Priyanka set herself ablaze, the APP said, adding that she died in a nearby hospital on September 4.

In his order, the judge said, "The accused has caused cruelty to the victim and his act was of such a nature as was likely to drive Priyanka to commit suicide". Sanjay was found guilty of the charges under sections 498A and 306 of the IPC, the APP said.

In a similar incident, the deposition of two minor siblings was considered as significant evidence by a Thane court which awarded five years imprisonment to their 45-year-old father for abetting the suicide of his wife. Assistant Sessions Judge S A Sinha held the accused, Sunil Martand Gaikwad, guilty under IPC sections 306 (abetment of suicide) and 498 A (cruelty) while pronouncing the punishment. The judge also imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 on him.

The prosecution told the court that Gaikwad, a resident of Gorsai village in Thane's Bhiwandi taluka, had married the victim, Vaishali, on May 27, 2005. The couple had a son and a daughter, aged 11 and 10 at present. As per the prosecution, the accused would come home late from work after consuming liquor and then fight with his wife. Fed up with the harassment, the woman hanged herself at her home on June 21, 2017, they said.

In their sworn statements in court, the couple's two children said their father would abuse and beat their mother after consuming liquor. They told the court that on the day of the incident, Gaikwad came home in an inebriated state and abused their mother following which the couple quarrelled. The children then went to sleep. The daughter woke up after some time and saw her mother hanging. She started crying and alerted her brother. On seeing the woman hanging, Gaikwad ran away from the house leaving the children alone, the siblings told the court.

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A 17-year-old girl was arrested by the Thane police for allegedly kidnapping a minor boy and asking for a ransom of Rs 6 lakh. According to the 11-year-old boy's mother, who works as a tailor, her son went to his tuition classes on Saturday afternoon but did not return.

Later in the evening, the mother of the minor boy received a call from an unidentified person who demanding Rs 6 lakh if she wanted her son back, Shanti Nagar police station's senior inspector Mamta D'Souza said. The female caller threatened the mother that the boy would be killed if she approached the police, and asked her to bring the money in a bag and keep it on a bike near Shivaji Chowk in Bhiwandi town, the police officer said.

When the boy's mother rushed to inform her husband, who works at jewelry shop about the alleged kidnapping of her son, she found her son alone and crying near the shop on Quarter Gate road, D'Souza said.

The boy told his mother that a female, whom he referred to as "aunty", allegedly took him away while he was returning from his tuition classes and asked inquired about his father's workplace. He said that as he was walking along with the female aunty, he managed to give her the slip and came running to his father's shop, she said.

In a bid to find the culprit, the boy's mother informed Shanti Nagar police station about the incident and as per their instructions, she kept a bag on the bike, as specified by the kidnapper. When a 'burqa'-clad lady came to the spot to pick the bag, the police nabbed her the kidnapper, D'Souza said.

The arrested accused, who is a minor, told the police she used to go to the boy's mother to get her clothes stitched and that she kidnapped the minor boy for money, the official said. She was booked under Indian Penal Code Section 364-A (kidnapping for ransom) and sent to a remand home, D'Souza added.

With inputs from PTI

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The Thane sessions court, on Wednesday, convicted a murderer and sentenced him to life imprisonment for killing a 16-year-old girl who had refused to marry him.

The complainant's lawyer Sushma Mishra said, "Her father and our team are very happy with the conviction. The convict, Zahir Sayyed, has also got an additional 10 years for trying to kill the girl's father."

On November 3, 2014, Zahir, a Nashik resident, barged into the house of the minor, after her parents rejected his proposal of marriage, and stabbed her. When her father tried to stop him, he attacked him with the same knife.

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The trailer of Student Of The Year 2 was launched today. The movie, which stars Tiger Shroff as the lead actor, marks the Bollywood debut of two pretty ladies - Ananya Panday (daughter of actor Chunky Pandey) and Tara Sutaria. While Tara is playing the character of Mia, Ananya is playing the role of Shreya in the 'SOTY' sequel.

While Tiger Shroff was seen doing his usual best - dance, action and power-pact dialogue deliveries, Tara and Ananya looked fresh and promising, throughout the trailer.

Check out Student Of The Year 2's trailer:

The first instalment of the movie, which released in 2012, marked the debut of actors Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Malhotra in Bollywood. The film was directed by Karan Johar. SOTY2 has been directed by Punit Malhotra and produced by Karan Johar.

Director Shashank Khaitan, who has worked with Dharma Productions with films such has Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, Badrinath Ki Dulhania and Dhadak, took to Twitter, and wrote: "Go Puneet... let the high school games begin ... again ... @iTIGERSHROFF #TaraSutaria #AnanyaPandey @karanjohar @DharmaMovies".

Varun Dhawan also tweeted the trailer and wrote alongside: "Here’s wishing all the new student #tara #ananya and the tiger of our industry @iTIGERSHROFF congratulations on getting into st Teresa. Great job Punit #SOTY2Trailer"

Alia Bhatt wished the team luck and wrote: All the best guys!!!! Looking like soo much fun... @iTIGERSHROFF #AnanyaPanday #TaraSutaria.

Deanne Panday commented on Ananya Panday's Instagram post saying, "So proud of you Ani."

Bhavana Pandey, was all praises for her daughter, after watching the trailer. She wrote, "Fab" on Ananya's Instagram post.

While Warda Nadiadwala commented "Ananya... Kickass", Neelam Kothari wrote "All the Best"

Student Of The Year 2 is slated to hit the screens on May 12.

Also Read: Here's everything you need to know about Student of The Year 2

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While digital technology often receives brickbats from the health-conscious, a 76-year-old man in Hong Kong now wants anyone with a heart problem to wear an Apple Watch after it helped him get a new lease of life by sending an alert about his elevated heart rate.

Gaston D'Aquino, a semi-retired diamond trader, was sitting in a church in April when he spotted an alarm on his timepiece telling him that his heart rate was too high, tech website Phone Arena reported on Sunday.

Although D'Aquino was feeling fine, he skipped Easter lunch with his family to go to the hospital.

That decision proved to be life-saving as a battery of tests performed on him later revealed that two of his three main coronary arteries were completely blocked, and the other was 90 per cent blocked, according to the report originally published by the South China Morning Post on Friday.

The doctors at the hospital lauded the Apple Watch for its accurate readings.

On the advice of the doctors, D'Aquino later had an angioplasty, in which tiny balloons are temporarily inserted into clogged arteries and inflated to open them.

He was sent home the following day. "It went well and I'm feeling much, much better," he told South China Morning Post.

D'Aquino, who is a self-professed Apple fan, then wrote a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook informing him how the Apple Watch helped save his life.

In his email to Cook, D'Aquino recounted his story, noting that "this was the first time that my watch alert had ever gone off, but I was not feeling anything, no dizziness or pain" and "in short, I was a walking time bomb".

He told Cook how he got "a new lease on life" after the operation and also requested him to keep "promoting the use of the Apple Watch for anyone with cardiac problems".

Cook wrote back to D'Aquino saying how happy he was to learn about his story.

"Gaston, I'm so glad you sought medical attention and you're fine now. I appreciate you taking the time to share your story. It inspires us to keep pushing. Best, Tim," Cook was quoted as saying.

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Representational picture

San Francisco: A data set of over 3 million Facebook users collected via a personality app was available to download freely for anyone for almost four years, New Scientist reported. The data set was collected via the personality quiz app "myPersonality" by academics at the University of Cambridge.

"The data was highly sensitive, revealing personal details of Facebook users, such as the results of psychological tests.

"It was meant to be stored and shared anonymously, however such poor precautions were taken that deanonymising would not be hard," the report said.

The data sets were controlled by David Stillwell and Michal Kosinski at the University of Cambridge.

"More than 6 million people completed the tests on the myPersonality app and nearly half agreed to share data from their Facebook profiles with the project," said the report.

Alexandr Kogan, at the centre of the British political consultancy firm Cambridge Analytica scandal, was previously part of the project.

"Cambridge Analytica had approached the myPersonality app team in 2013 to get access to the data, but was turned down because of its political ambitions," the report said.

Facebook last month suspended "myPersonality" from its platform, saying the app may have violated its policies.

The social media giant on Monday said that is auditing each and every app that has access to the data of its users and has already suspended 200 apps which failed to comply with its policies.

The company CEO Mark Zuckerberg had promised a thorough investigation and audit into apps that had access to information before Facebook changed its platform policies in 2014 -- significantly reducing the data apps could access.

"To date, thousands of apps have been investigated and around 200 have been suspended -- pending a thorough investigation into whether they did in fact misuse any data," Facebook said.

If Facebook finds evidence that these or other apps did misuse data, it will ban them and notify users via Help Centre on its website.

Appearing before the US Congress in April, Zuckerberg told lawmakers that his own personal data was part of 87 million Facebook users that was improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica.

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A 36-year-old man was arrested for beating his 70-year-old father in Bhandup to death after an argument on Sunday night. According to the police, the man, identified as Sachin Gorivle was having an argument about his employment with the deceased, Krishna, The Times of India reported.

Sachin did odd jobs for a living and was at home since the lockdown due to coronavirus outbreak in March. When Krishna argued with Sachin about his job, the latter attacked the former in a fit of rage. His mother and sister were in a different room when the incident happened.

Krishna was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

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Central Railway and Western Railway joined hands to ensure a two-year-old child in Telangana received camel milk — a mandatory medical requirement needed urgently. In a 28-hour-long operation, the two zones of the Indian Railways coordinated to deliver the item in Secunderabad from Falna in Rajasthan.

On April 25, the nodal officer of Falna on WR contacted us and told us that they needed to send a parcel of camel milk to Secunderabad urgently for a medicinal requirement and sought details of the trains on the route, said Jitendra Mishra, chief commercial inspector, Mumbai Division, CR.

"I checked the schedule of parcel trains and immediately informed him that if they will send the item to Mumbai via 00902 Ludhiana-Bandra Terminus parcel train, then we could be promptly load it on 00111 CSMT-Secunderabad train leaving Mumbai CSMT on April 26 at 3.30pm," he said.

Mishra then coordinated with him and booked a consignment to Bandra Terminus first and then via CSMT to Secunderabad. "We live-tracked the consignment with the help of Mumbai Central (WR) control staff and officers. As soon as the consignment reached Bandra Terminus, a transport was arranged to take it to the CSMT parcel office from where it was loaded onboard the Secunderabad-bound parcel train," he added.

Mishra's role was not over here. He then called up the Chief Parcel Supervisor and Commercial Inspector at Secunderabad and explained the importance of the parcel that would be arriving there by 5.30 am on April 27.

Shivaji Sutar, CR's chief public relations officer, said, "The transportation of essential camel milk was based on coordination among parcel staff and the officers. The consignment reached from Falna to Secunderabad within approximately 28 hours."

WR's chief PRO Ravinder Bhakar said that special teams in every division of the IR are taking care of the medical emergencies as well as the essential transportation during this global health crisis.

Sowmya also thanked the Railways for delivering the parcel meant for her child in such a short time.

CR extends another help
Jitendra Mishra intervened again on Monday to help get a crucial medicine for a heart patient delivered to Chiplun from Vikhroli. "We collected the parcel from his son's residence at Vikhroli and booked it onboard Okha-Ernakulam Parcel Express. As the train doesn't halt at Chiplun, I contacted the staff at Konkan Railway and requested a halt to drop the parcel, which was then handed over to Chiplun Station Master," he said.

28
No. of hours it took the railways to get the milk to the child

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While videos and pictures of a big flamingo congregation in Mumbai go viral on social media claiming that the number of these migratory birds is high this year, wildlife experts stand divided on this deduction.

Over the past few weeks, large flocks of flamingos have been spotted at Airoli creek, NRI Complex in Navi Mumbai and Bhandup pumping station. This has therefore sparked assumptions that the number of flamingos this year is much higher than last year. Experts, however, feel that this is not new and that because people are observing the birds a lot more, it is leading them to assume the increase in number.

According to Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), it has estimated more than 1.5 lakh flamingos were seen in Mumbai in the first week of April 2020 and the number has been high compared to last year.

Sunjoy Monga, naturalist/ecologist, writer and photographer, told mid-day, "Over the past years, flamingo congregations are pretty routine and this period is often longer for them than for most other migratory birds. However, if the numbers are higher this season it is difficult to quantify it because with people locked down in their homes, those living near Airoli creek, Palm Beach Road, etc, are continuously seeing the flamingo congregation they may not be accustomed to. So it is a question of perception."

Naturalist and bird expert Aadesh Shivkar said that the number of flamingos seen in and around Mumbai is definitely more this year. "It is true that the number of flamingos sighted in Mumbai and surrounding areas at present is high. One can see large flocks of flamingos at Airoli Creek, Bhandup pumping station and in Navi Mumbai and is an indication that they're preparing to fly back," he said.

"Another reason why we are witnessing more flamingos is that there is less disturbance in the city due to the lockdown and also because people sitting at home are utilising their time by clicking pictures of these birds," he added.

Retired Vice-Principal and associate professor of Zoology, Parvish Pandya said, "Because of the lockdown, people staying near water bodies have become more observant. Also, if some people feel that the number of flamingos has increased this year because there is less air pollution then it is not true because they arrived in Mumbai much before the lockdown. The number of flamingos currently in the city cannot be correlated with the lockdown."

1.5 lakh
Flamingos spotted in city in April

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The Mumbai Police on Tuesday asked its personnels who are above 55 years of age to stay at home during the coronavirus lockdown. This comes after three Mumbai policemen died due to COVID-19. In its press note, Mumbai Police has also asked policemen above the age of 52 with previous medical conditions like diabetes and hypertension to stay indoors.

The Mumbai Police also stated in its press note that special hospitals are being designated for police personnel. "Also, all COVID hospitals in Mumbai have dedicated beds for Mumbai Police personnel." "Amenities like food packets, ration, hot water flasks, pandals at check points etc. are being provided to all personnel on frontline duties. Accommodation facilities are being provided to all police personnel who wish to stay back," read the press release from the Mumbai Police.

It also informed that multivitamin and protein supplements are being provided for 20,000 personnel to strengthen their immunity system. Also, a Special Covid Helpline number has been set up for police personnel and their families at the control room to resolve any doubts or issues they might have related to COVID-19. Medical professionals have also been associated with it.

On Monday, a 57-year-old head constable of the Mumbai Police died of COVID-19. A 52-year-old head constable succumbed to the disease on Sunday, while a 57-year-old constable died on Saturday. The Uddhav Thackeray-led government has granted Rs. 50 lakh ex-gratia amount to all personnel who lose their lives fighting COVID-19.

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A 25-year-old woman allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling fan at her four-bedroom flat at Lokhandwala Township in Kandivli (East) on Tuesday afternoon.

According to police sources, the deceased has been identified as Bhavna Bora. On March 13, she had returned to Mumbai from Ireland, from where she was pursuing her Masters' degree and was staying with her parents and brothers in their four BHK apartment in Green Meadows Apartments in Lokhandwala Township.

Preliminary investigations revealed that she was upset after attending online classes for more than 16 to 18 hours a day.

When her father, a businessman by profession, and her brother entered her room to call her for lunch, they found the door locked from inside. “After Bora did not respond, they used a key to open the door only to find her body hanging from the ceiling fan and informed the police soon after,” the officer said.

“On the basis of primary information, we have registered an accidental death report (ADR) in the case and further investigation is underway,” said Senior Inspector Raju Kasbe from Samta Nagar police station.

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Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has mandated 100 percent attendance for all its employees in offices and on-field, with some relaxation to people over 55 years of age and people with medical conditions. This comes as the country is under lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, which has been found to be more fatal to elderly people and those with existing health complications. "All staff over the age of 55 years are advised to either work from home or work in the office and not go on the field. People in the medical department, including doctors, nursing staff and paramedics over the age of 55 years with co-morbidities are advised to stay home for two weeks," the order issued on Friday said.

The BMC also advised all staff, who live outside its limits like Thane, Navi Mumbai, Mira Bhaynder, or Palghar, etc, to contact the nearest Ward office so they can render their services to the nearest ward office from their residence, instead of their original current posting. Earlier this week, Mumbai Police had asked its personnel who are above 55 years of age to stay at home during the coronavirus lockdown.

According to the Medical Education and Drugs Department of Maharashtra, 7061 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation area while 290 have lost their lives and another 1,180 have recovered after receiving treatment.

Maharashtra, however, remains the worst affected state in the country with at least 10,498 coronavirus cases as on Friday.

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The COVID-19 lockdown is turning out to be a blessing in disguise for all of Mumbai's pending rail work. Re-girding of a bridge on the Churchgate-bound fast line in the Bandra-Mahim section, which would have otherwise required cancellation of at least 250 local train services, was completed within 14 hours on April 30.

The steel bridge, which spans 9.15 metres and has seven cross-girders of length 5.8 metres is located on the Mithi River. The steel girders needed to be immediately replaced as they had got corroded.

Speaking to mid-day, Western Railway chief spokesperson, Ravinder Bhakar, said, "Mumbai suburban is one of the busiest rail networks of the world and to carry out work of such magnitude is a daunting task. This work required complete shutdown of traffic for eight hours on three consecutive days, which would have resulted in cancellation of at least 250 suburban services and cancellation/delay of at least 60 passenger trains in the section."

Sources said that the Railways decided to utilise the lockdown period and carry out the re-girding work by following all the social-distancing norms. Two cranes of 200 MT capacity, eight Farana cranes, 20 Hydra cranes and 18 excavators were deployed at the site.

Apart from this, the work was carried out by 30-40 track maintainers and contractual labourers, and a dedicated team of supervisors and officials.

All pre-block activity was completed on April 29 and the cranes were set up at the location. On April 30, work started from 9 am and the track part was completed by 8 pm. After that the overhead wires were fitted by 11.30 pm and the track was declared fit for train movement.

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In major relief, the state government has decided that first and second-year students will be promoted to the next year based on performance. However, final year students will have to appear for their final exams which will be conducted between July 1 to 30.

State higher and technical education minister Uday Samant declared the decision through video on Friday providing relief to lakhs of students studying in thousands of colleges affiliated to different universities in the state.

However, the decision to conduct the final year exams will be subject to COVID-19 situation in the state and a decision about the same will be taken on June 20.

Also, a committee has been formed which will decide if the Common Entrance Test (CET) for UG and PG courses can be conducted. The committee is going to table their findings in eight days.

For UG the exam has been scheduled between July 1-19 and July 23-30 for PG courses.

As for students fearing non-compliance of 75 per cent mandatory attendance criteria, Samant said, "All students should be given full attendance for all days of lockdown until now which is 45 days. However even after adding these 45 days if any student is still lagging, the college should consider those cases compassionately. All final year final examination students shall continue studying as their exams will be held in July. It is a question of their career which is why the exams cannot be cancelled."

Explaining the grading system that will be used for first and second-year students, a senior University official said, "This grading will be done with 50:50 formula where 50 per cent marks will be based on internal evaluation or tests held until now before the lockdown and 50 per cent from the performance of the student in the previous year. If previous year's performance is not available, the grading will depend 100 per cent on performance until now in the academic year."

"Moreover students who have pending papers or fail in any subject will have to appear for ATKT exams which the varsities will hold within 120 days from the beginning of the new academic year," he added.

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Kunal Kapoor in Indian terrain collection

Indian Terrain, India's leading menswear brand, signed up actor Kunal Kapoor for 2 years. The actor is a perfect mix of elegance and intensity, which truly resonates with the brand’s philosophy of 'Real Mature Manly'.

Kunal Kapoor is by far the most recalled Brand Ambassador for Indian Terrain. He was the brand’s first Brand Ambassador in 2006 soon after the release of one his most successful movie – Rang De Basanti. The association was quite successful and was rightfully bagged up with significant investments in the media from the brand’s side which lead to substantial improvement in the brand's awareness levels.

"He is known for his incredible talent and is celebrated by young fashion followers across India for his cool and sophisticated style. He truly is a reflection of today’s Indian Terrain man. Today, when we are both much evolved and richer in our individual experiences, we wanted to partner with Kunal Kapoor again and take the brand to the next level," says Venky Rajagopal, CMD, Indian Terrain Fashions Ltd.

"I have always loved the attitude of Indian Terrain. The brand is authentic, and they understand the culture of the everyday Indian man. The new range in store inspires passion, commitment and is very much testament to the great potential the brand has Kunal Kapoor commented.

Kunal Kapoor in Indian terrain collection

Recently, Indian Terrain partnered with Prashanth Shah, Senior Consultant Paediatric and Congenital Cardiac Surgeon, who has saved numerous lives of children with congenital heart defects, for its property “Indian Terrain Champion Sportive Series”. The series is billed as the biggest pan India cycling event for amateurs. It is also called #theheartride, where the total amount raised by registration at the events, will be matched by the brand to contribute towards surgeries. We saw Kunal Kapoor supporting the cause at the Champion Sportive Grand Delhi which happened on 3rd Sept 2017.

The total turnover of the brand is over Rs 600 crores and the distribution width expands over 250 cities in the country with 1000+ touch points. IT is also known as the No. 1 brand across Central & Lifestyle stores FY 16-17.

Hula your way into the New Year or dance off daubed in glitter -- there are options galore for party goers here this New Year's Eve (NYE). With unlimited food and drinks, rousing electronic dance music (EDM) and DJs to celebrity singers, the eastern metropolis has upped its game in the party scene over the years.

Representational Pic

Revelry is not restricted to the British-era Park Street any more. Take for instance the Aloha Hawaii event at Hotel Hindustan International where a Hawaiian spread would accompany enthusiasts eager to have a go at the hula dance

The mood reflecting the technicolor coral reefs of Hawaii shifts to a more extravagant take on the festivities with a couple of places putting up gold-themed celebrations.

At JW Marriott, ride out into the New Year with a 'Golden Ticket to 2018' gala or get the glitter on at De Sovrani's glitter party, complete with golden hued props and glitter make up.

Marking 50 years, The Park, at its Rosewood banquet hall, will host the 'Black and Gold Affair' with a swinging live band and DJ to belt out the latest in international and Bollywood hits.

For a purely musical night out, rock out at the Hard Rock Cafe as DJs spin the wheel to make you groove over some mix of Bollywood to EDM and classics.

For a breath of fresh air and a 360 degree view of the city scape, hit one of the largest's rooftop New Year's party at Novotel Kolkata where you could dance your heart out with DJ Aziz under the stars.

At 330 feet at Ozora Highlife, one has the option of enjoying performances in a massive open air space.

At the historic Bow Barracks, hub of the Anglo-Indian community, one could experience the all-night dance amid a plethora of fruit cakes and home made wines.

A walk through the bedecked Park Street, engulfed in the wafting aroma of breads, buns and cakes, could round off the night for those yearning for the classic form of festivities.

The postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics will have to be cancelled if the Coronavirus pandemic isn't brought under control by next year, the organising committee's president warned, ruling out further delays. The comments, in an interview with a Japanese sports daily published on Tuesday, come as medical experts doubted whether the pandemic can be sufficiently contained by next year to hold an event drawing participants and spectators from around the world. The pandemic has already forced a year-long delay of the Games, which are now scheduled to open on July 23, 2021.

No more delays

But Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori was categorical when asked by the Nikkan Sports daily whether the Games could be delayed until 2022 if the pandemic remains a threat next year, replying: "No." "In that case, it's cancelled," Mori said. Mori noted the Games had been cancelled previously only during wartime, and compared the battle against Coronavirus to fighting an invisible enemy. If the virus is successfully contained, "we'll hold the Olympics in peace next summer", he added. "Mankind is betting on it."

Masa Takaya, a Tokyo 2020 spokesman, declined to comment on a possible cancellation of the Games and told reporters that Mori's remarks were based on the chairman's own thoughts. But the comments will add to growing questions about the postponement, decided last month.

Vaccine is a must

On Tuesday, the head of Japan Medical Association warned it would be difficult to hold the Games next year if a vaccine has not been found. "I would not say that they should not be held, but it would be exceedingly difficult," Yoshitake Yokokura told reporters.

And last week a Japanese medical expert warned that he was pessimistic that the Olympics can be held in 2021. Kentaro Iwata, a professor of infectious diseases at Kobe University, said: "Japan might be able to control this disease by next summer, I wish we could, but I don't think that would happen everywhere on Earth, so in this regard I'm very pessimistic about holding the Games next summer."

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It's new, and it's pink
Last week, Barry Callebaut, Zurich-based manufacturer of chocolate and cocoa products, revealed Ruby chocolate, which is made using the Ruby cocoa bean sourced from Ecuador and Brazil. Slated to hit the shelves by early next year, the chocolate has an intrinsic sweet-and-sour berry-like flavour and pink colour derived from the bean's reddish hue. The fourth type of chocolate (others are dark, milk and white) comes 80 years after Nestlé's white chocolate.

Illustration/Ravi Jadhav

Pink pavlova ice cream
alyssa chesson,
Co-founder, Bono Boutique Ice Cream
'I would create a creamy and smooth pink chocolate ice cream. It would be studded with crushed marshmallows and [French] meringue, which would enhance the chocolate's berry-like flavour.

This would go perfectly with a glass of Rose.'

Cardamom and ruby chocolate shahi Tukda
Ranveer brar,
Celebrity chef
'The idea is to enhance the richness of the Indian Shahi Tukda. I would use brioche bread as the base and instead of traditional custard, I would make crème anglaise with cardamom and Ruby chocolate. The dessert would be presented as a tiered gateau, topped with a crumble of nankhatai, featuring a liquid Ruby chocolate ganache centre that would add texture to it.'

Ruby mochi
jahan bloch,
Co-founder, The Omakase Kitchen
'Reports suggest that Ruby chocolate's flavour profile is along the lines of berries. Assuming that, I would pair it with flavours like vanilla and citrus, which go well with tangy taste.

Currently, I am obsessed with trying different versions of mochi, the traditional Japanese dessert that we serve at The Omakase Kitchen. So, I would create a Ruby Mochi, with Ruby chocolate ganache and candied yuzu strips encased within the chewy and sticky rice cake.'

Ruby fraisier cake
sanjana Patel,
Founder and creative head, La Folie India
'On my recent visit to the US, I tried Ruby chocolate with chef Jean-Marie Auboine in his factory. It tastes naturally of berries and has great acidity, so it's less sweet and more premium than white chocolate. I would use it to reinvent the classic Fraisier cake with strawberries. Ruby chocolate's flavour is also more pronounced when paired with cream cheese and fruits. If launched in India by February, I'll create a Valentine's Day special with the chocolate and pair it with champagne.

I already know chefs around the world who are planning to create champagne-flavoured pâte de fruit and coating it with Ruby chocolate. However, consumers will need to shell out more since the chocolate's production is at a nascent stage, with more demand than supply.'