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COVID-19 lockdown: Jwala Gutta supplies foodstuff, medical items to people near her home

India badminton star Jwala Gutta posted this picture to her 1.5 million Twitter followers on Wednesday as she distributed food items and medical supplies near her Hyderabad home.

“During these unprecedented times we chose to contribute some basic essentials like rice, pulses, oil, sugar, masks n more to daily wage migrants near our residence!! #lockdown #migrantworkers ##coronavirus #unitedindia #standtogether #wewillgetthroughthis #WeAreOne,” the World Championships medal-winner captioned her post.

The 36-year-old badminton player has been a prominent player in the sport over the past two decades. Jwala Gutta is known for her fierce gameplay and even fiercer attitude.

Jwala Gutta formed a dominant force alongside Ashwini Ponnappa in women's doubles over the years. At the Commonwealth Games, Jwala has won a gold, two silver and a bronze medal. She also has a bronze medal at the Asian Championships. Gutta has won 5 gold medals at South Asian Games.

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Dwayne Bravo: No team has Chennai Super Kings' family atmosphere

West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has revealed that he has never received the family type atmosphere that he gets at the Indian Premier League franchise Chennai Super Kings' camp. Bravo was doing an Instagram live chat with CSK when he said the team welcomes you like an 'extended family'.

"From the very first day when I joined the team, I got that sense of family atmosphere. Every player who joins CSK feels the same way," said Bravo. "You are welcomed here like an extended family. I have played a lot of cricket, but I don't think you can get another team or environment like in CSK," he added.

The right-handed batsman has led Caribbean Premier League (CPL) franchise Trinbago Knight Riders to three titles. The all-rounder said he has tried to inculcate the CSK culture into the TKR side.

"It's important that you have a management team, the owners, the captain's everyone understands you. They understand its a sport and you don't perform every time but they give you that opportunity to bounce back," said Bravo.

"The good thing with CSK is that it allows everybody to be themselves. We all enjoy each other's success, whoever is performing, we celebrate all performances together," he added.

CSK have won the IPL three times in 2010, 2011, and 2018 respectively.

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MS Dhoni's back...quite literally so: Chennai Super Kings share funny Thala video

You cannot blame Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for missing their favourite son in action during what would have been the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Had COVID-19 not wreaked havoc, the cash-rich T20 league would have been in full swing and all eyes would have been trained on Mahendra Singh Dhoni, returning to cricket after a sabbatical.

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

#WhistlePodu ðŸ¦ÂðŸ’› VC: @sakshisingh_r @mahi7781

A post shared by Chennai Super Kings (@chennaiipl) onMay 5, 2020 at 6:04am PDT

Dhoni, CSK's decorated captain who led India to 2007 T20 and 2011 ODI World Cup triumph besides shepherding the Yellow Brigade to three IPL crowns, has not played competitive cricket since India's 2019 World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand.

The 38-year old was supposed to make a much-awaited comeback in the IPL and had also attended CSK's camp before the deadly virus forced sport across the world to come to a grinding halt.

CSK, on Tuesday, shared a video where Dhoni is seen spending time with daughter Ziva and his dog at his lawn in Ranchi with his back towards the camera.

"#Thala @msdhoni's back...quite literally so! Smiling face with smiling eyes #WhistlePodu," CSK captioned the tweet, crediting Dhoni's wife Sakshi for capturing the video.

The veteran wicketkeeper batsman is also seen giving the dog some catches with the ball with Ziva for company.

Meanwhile, dashing England wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler has said that Dhoni has always been a big idol and while playing in the IPL one lesson for him has been how the former India skipper manages all the fanfare and still performs in crunch situations.

"MS Dhoni has always been a big idol of mine and chaos is always going around him, people wanting a bit of him, the cricket and the noise.

"....it is such a great lesson to just watch him and see first hand how to manage all that thing if you have to perform at the top level and perform in those crunch moment, that certainly has been one of the massive pluses," Buttler said in an interview to Lancashire Cricket with Warren Hegg.

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Remember MS Dhoni's long hair days? Chennai Super Kings bring back memories

There was a time when a certain Mahendra Singh Dhoni from Ranchi made his long-hair look a fad, especially after the dashing wicketkeeper batsman bludgeoned a 123-ball 148 against Pakistan in an ODI at Visakhapatnam on a sultry April afternoon in 2005.

Dhoni never looked back from there and in 2007, when he was asked to lead a young Indian team in the inaugural T20 World Cup in South Africa, he made history by leading India all the way to lift the crown. The long hair basking in the afterglow of new-found success, Dhoni held aloft the title after India beat Pakistan in a nerve-jangling final.

Dhoni fanatics still love reminiscing his long hair days, and the decorated former India captain's Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Chennai Super Kings, on Thursday made them take a trip down memory lane by sharing an old photo where Dhoni is seen with the likes of Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, L. Balaji and Venugopal Rao, all of them clad in formals.

"Men in blue, in various shades of grey before all the #yellove started and this is nothing but GOLD! Circa 2005, Sri Lanka," CSK said in the tweet with the photo on their official handle.

The seven-match ODI series in Sri Lanka saw Dhoni come of age and top the run-scorers' chart scoring 346 runs at 115.33 with a highest score of 183 not out, which is still his highest in 50-over cricket.

India, led by Rahul Dravid, had won the ODI series 6-1.

Dhoni has led India to the 2011 ODI World Cup triumph on home soil as well as the 2013 Champions Trophy victory, and is regarded as one of the greatest players to have played the game. The 38-year old has been on a break since India's semi-final exit in the 2019 World Cup and was supposed to return in the IPL which has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Telly actor Kavita Kaushik takes on Kangana Ranaut; supports Hrithik Roshan, Adhyayan Suman

Telly actor Kavita Kaushik's tweet in support of Hrithik Roshan and Adhyayan Suman has created a storm on social media.

Best remembered for her portrayal of Chandramukhi Chautala in FIR, Kaushik spoke her mind when she wrote, "I have gushing emotions of love, respect, empathy and more for Hrithik Roshan. Also, a huge apology is owed to Shekhar Suman and Adhyayan Suman. They are a sweet family and the hate they got from an eager-to-judge, feeding-on-lies-smeared popcorn audiences is so heartbreaking (sic)."

Kaushik's tweet came in reply to a user who wrote, "Two sisters are united in thinking India is their grandfather's property. Rangoli wants 2024 elections to be cancelled. Kangana wants a ban on Twitter (sic)."

Adhyayan responded and wrote, "Sometimes it is better to leave things to destiny. Thank you for your kind words, Kavita (sic)." Rangoli's Twitter account has been suspended but she will surely have something to tell Kaushik. We are waiting.

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Police complaint against Kangana Ranaut over her video supporting sister Rangoli Chandel

A police complaint has been filed against Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut for allegedly referring to people of a particular community as "terrorist" and coming out in support of her sister Rangoli Chandel, whose Twitter account recently got suspended for alleged hate speech.

The complaint has been filed by by Advocate Ali Kaashif Khan Deshmukh, a resident of Mumbai. In a copy of the complaint lying with IANS, it has been mentioned: "It is pertinent to note that one sister calls for genocide killings, violence and the other sister not just support her for the same despite nationwide criticism and suspension of her Twitter account but also gives a label of terrorist to a sect..."

The complaint accused the actress and her sister-cum-manager Rangoli of "misusing their stardom, fanbase, fame, money, power and influence with an aim and intent to promote hatred, disbalance, fights in the country for their personal benefits and gains".

In a recently shared video on Instagram, Kangana Ranaut said if anyone can find a tweet where Rangoli says anything offensive, "then we both will publicly apologize".

The actress further mentioned: "My sister Rangoli Chandel had specifically mentioned that people who have attacked doctors and police personnel should be shot dead," adding that celebrities like "Farah Ali Khan ji and Reema Kagti ji made a false allegation" that Rangoli's comment was community-specific.

The actress had also stated in the video message that she and her sister did not believe that every person "attacking doctors and cops" belonged to any particular community.

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Police complaint against Kangana Ranaut over her video supporting sister Rangoli

A police complaint has been filed against Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut for allegedly referring to people of a particular community as "terrorist" and coming out in support of her sister Rangoli Chandel, whose Twitter account recently got suspended for alleged hate speech.

The complaint has been filed by Advocate Ali Kaashif Khan Deshmukh, a resident of Mumbai. In a copy of the complaint lying with IANS, it has been mentioned: "It is pertinent to note that one sister calls for genocide killings, violence and the other sister not just support her for the same despite nationwide criticism and suspension of her Twitter account but also gives a label of terrorist to a sect..."

The complaint accused the actress and her sister-cum-manager Rangoli of "misusing their stardom, fanbase, fame, money, power and influence with an aim and intent to promote hatred, disbalance, fights in the country for their personal benefits and gains".

In a recently shared video on Instagram, Kangana Ranaut said if anyone can find a tweet where Rangoli says anything offensive, "then we both will publicly apologize".

The actress further mentioned: "My sister Rangoli Chandel had specifically mentioned that people who have attacked doctors and police personnel should be shot dead," adding that celebrities like "Farah Ali Khan ji and Reema Kagti ji made a false allegation" that Rangoli's comment was community-specific.

The actress had also stated in the video message that she and her sister did not believe that every person "attacking doctors and cops" belonged to any particular community.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever




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Mumbai: 'Malfunctioning' superbike causes Virar man's death

A nagging defect in his superbike allegedly led to the death of biker Zoheb Merchant, 28, on Sunday morning. The Virar resident was on his way home after a joyride with his biker gang, when the front brake of his MV Agusta F3 800 jammed at Manor, throwing him off in another direction. This was the third time his superbike had malfunctioned since he bought it.

Merchant is survived by his parents, three brothers, wife and a six-year-old son. He was the eldest in the family and had a business selling firecrackers. The incident occurred on Sunday morning when Merchant and his group of 15-18 bikers had gone on their usual Sunday ride from Virar to Dahanu. When they were on their way back, the front brake of Merchant's bike allegedly jammed, leading him to lose control of the bike and ram into a divider.


Front brake of Merchant's bike allegedly jammed, leading him to lose control of bike and ram into divider.

One of his friends said, "We have a bikers' group and every Sunday morning, we ride the bike while following proper safety and traffic norms. Whatever happened came as a huge shock to us. Suddenly, some defect occurred in his bike, jamming the brake of the front tyre disc, which then led to him losing control of the bike and falling on the road." Third time Since they were riding at full speed, the impact of the malfunction became such that he was thrown off the bike in another direction. His vehicle, meanwhile, fell near the direction of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai National Highway.

Merchant's bike is manufactured by the Italian motorcycle maker MV Agusta, and retails for around R 20 lakh. According to his friends, since he bought it, he'd faced the same defect twice, which is an electric malfunction that jams the front tyre disc. He'd got it fixed and extended the vehicle's warranty till March 2019. He'd also written a Facebook post about the earlier issues he faced. However, the same defect occurred a third time, leading to his death.

Cause of death not known Another friend said, " We managed to bring an ambulance to the spot and took him to a government hospital on the highway, where he was declared dead on arrival. Looking at his body, doctors were shocked at not finding any external injuries." He had minor injuries on his head due to the impact of the fall. The cause of death has not been revealed as the post-mortem report is yet to be released. His friends suspect he died of internal bleeding.


This is the third time the MV Agusta 800 had allegedly malfunctioned.

While the case had initially been registered at the Virar police station, the matter has been transferred to the Manor police station as the incident occurred in their jurisdiction.

An officer from Virar police station said, "We have registered a case under section 304( a) ( death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code and various sections of the Motor Vehicles Act against unidentified accused." Motoroyale, the dealer from whom Merchant bought the bike, couldn't be reached for comment.

18 No. of bikers in Zoheb's group

3 No. of times his bike glitched

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YouTube rolls out support for HDR videos on iPhone X

YouTube has begun rolling out support for high dynamic range (HDR) video content for iPhone X, the media reported.

For iOS users, YouTube videos in HDR can be viewed on the iPhone X, but the feature does not yet appear to be working on the latest iPad Pro models, MacRumors reported late on Thursday.

HDR videos provide a broader range of colours and also supports quality video playback on a variety of screen sizes. YouTube has platforms like "The HDR Channel" that provides HDR videos for iOS.

Apple debuted HDR support last year with the "Super Retina" display in the iPhone X, which became the first HDR OLED display incorporated into one of Apple's smartphones, the report added.

On the iTunes Movies Store on Apple TV 4K, select films also support 4K, HDR10, and "Dolby Vision" when paired with compatible 4K television sets, the report added.

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Fiona Fernandez: The second-hand superheroes

We were sufficiently chuffed after having spent some quality time with the affable, gentle Periyappa, the resident wise old doggie in the Kings Circle neighbourhood, and had retreated towards our other favourite pastime along its pavements — secondhand book-shopping.

The area holds a special space for yours truly — a Ruiaite. As a collegian, it offered an inviting mix of south Indian fare, from enterprising roadside kiosks to cafés that ran on autopilot; mind you, each of them ensured that no matter what budget you were staring at; you never went hungry when the urge cropped up just before that boring afternoon lecture. And then, there were those saviours from the pre-mega bookstore era — the secondhand pavement bookwallahs. From a mindboggling range of titles to the delightful haggling [we learnt our first lessons in bargaining here]; these booksellers were responsible for some pretty good deals that landed up in our bookshelf at home.

Interestingly, when we sat down yesterday to plan out this column, the Google doodle also helped a bit; it jogged our memory to an important nugget from back then. The doodle was to celebrate the birth of the world's first atlas created by Flemish cartographer Abraham Ortelius. Some of our first intriguing journeys into the world of maps was courtesy these secondhand booksellers whose drop dead pricing made it tough to resist the map-crazy collegian in a time where finding an atlas of hand drawn maps from the late 1800s was worth its weight in gold.

Fast forward to the present. We met with architect, photographer, archivist and collector Robert D Stephens a week before his ongoing exhibition at a swish SoBo gallery. Robert, an American who swears by his local train commute, is as 'Bombay' as it gets. And his love affair extends to his endless search for books about the city from every decade and century. Many of his finds are now part of the exhibition, themed on guidebooks that were written for tourists and city folk. As we ogled at the 'loot' that he displayed for sneak peek, the glee in his eyes [and understandably so] was akin to a pirate who had brought his treasures to the safety of dry land.

"My go-to guys are the booksellers along Fort's pavements," he shared with us, adding how over the years, this faithful bunch has ensured that buying books remains a sub-culture and part of the landscape in and around this buzzing commercial district. While their numbers have dwindled and business continues to get affected [thanks to the ongoing project to 'upgrade' the city], loyalists still throng these parts. Just like the vendors of Kings Circle, they too know that time, and many other factors might not be on their side, and with the sweeping hold of the internet, they could be staring at the dark end of the tunnel.

Yet, the optimist in us finds it reassuring when we learn how almost an entire exhibition could have been sourced not from a brick-and-mortar institution or buys off e-stores but from the neighbourhood bookseller.So, in case you haven't till now, make a trip to check out one of these silent superheroes, find our favourite read, engage in some friendly bargaining, Bombay-style, and take home that rare find. It will be well worth it, take our word.

mid-day's Features Editor Fiona Fernandez relishes the city's sights, sounds, smells and stones...wherever the ink and the inclination takes her. She tweets @bombayana Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com

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Six best ways to pamper your 'superwoman' mother on Mother's Day



Give your mother a break from routine, pamper her with a breakfast in bed or a spa hamper for Mother's Day, which falls on May 13 this year. Mikita Laad Gupta, Senior Designer at Bonito Designs and Abraham Santhosh, Head Designer of Elegancia, have shared ways which can help you bring a smile on your mother's face:

1. A day free from the 'Mom routine': Mothers never get a day off from their daily routine and they never complain too. Every mother always has a list of things she needs to do, so why not do it for her? Let her relax at home while you do the grocery shopping, run to the post office, pick up dry-cleaning or whatever else Mom needs you to do. She will definitely appreciate the gesture!

2. Breakfast in bed: The first part of Mother's Day should be her breakfast. A meal ordered from her favourite restaurant. Let her relax and not think about breakfast for everyone at home, because you have already taken care of it.

3. Sparkle up the home for her: Cleaning the house is a huge task for every mother. On this day, help her out by cleaning it before she starts her day. Fix those things that she always wanted to be repaired and make her day.

4. Home decor makeover: Mothers always want to make a change in their house, but they never really get the time for it due to their daily chores and work. This Mother's Day, make her dream come true by doing what she has always wanted to - could be a vegetable garden, or a mini library or a music library or even revamp the sitting room.

5. Pamper her with a spa hamper: Everyone loves a massage, some of them crave for a fresh manicure and pedicure. Some of them have not had a good haircut and colour since a long time. So here's a chance to pamper your mother with a spa hamper and let her have a relaxing day and look pretty as she always should.

6. A photo family tree: Everyone loves to see their old photos. It brings back memories and family tree of photos is the best way to see everyone you love right there. Create a family tree of photos on a wall at home as a surprise for her as she has always wanted to do it but never had the time.

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Witches, spirits and stories: Two documentaries explore faith and superstition


A still from Some Stories Around Witches

In the tribal villages of Odisha, a teenage girl kills an elderly relative believing that she is a witch and the cause of her father’s death. Overnight, a village turns into a mob to kill three people — a man and two women — who were identified as witches by a witch doctor. Meanwhile, a family is threatened and ostracised, for it is believed they bring ill fate, after they cook meat.


Lipika Singh Darai

The audience is engaged with three real life incidents in the 53-minute documentary, Some Stories Around Witches. Directed by Bhubaneswar-based FTII alumnus Lipika Singh Darai and produced by the Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT), the film explores the politics of witch hunting and the humanitarian crisis surrounding it. It will be screened tomorrow as part of the 22nd edition of Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum’s monthly screening programme, Movies At The Museum.

“There is a mystery surrounding tradition and myths about witchcraft but we should also see it in the light of socio economics and politics to understand the complexity of the events. The cases are very sensitive and my priority was to make the camera’s presence insignificant,” says Darai, who will be present for a Q&A session post the screening, which marks its premiere in Mumbai.

At the event, also catch the screening of another PSBT production, There Is Something In The Air. Directed by Delhi-based filmmaker Iram Ghufran, the Hindi-Urdu documentary is a series of dream narratives, and accounts of spiritual possession as experienced by women ‘petitioners’ at the shrine of a Sufi saint in north India.





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Hellboy Movie Review - Over populated, largely superficial, gory mayhem

Hellboy
U/A: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Director: Neil Marshall
Cast: David Harbour, Ian McShane, Milla Jovovich, Sasha Lane, Daniel Dae Kim
Rating: 

This latest adaptation of the Mike Mignola comic book is a reboot and not a sequel. Most of the sequences and plot points take for granted that- the viewer is familiar with the story. This film has a rather peculiar blend of history, myth, supernatural and occult playing peekaboo in a narrative that opens up in the past and flashes forward to the post-modern present with rather too much haste. We see a time when everything is acceptable including the paranormal, the other-worldly, different dimensions and the freak. We see Hellboy with horns, crimson skin, and thorny attitude passed out in a Mexican bar or observing a wrestling match and he doesn't raise any eyebrows. And just as we get familiar with the characters and interested in the theme we are subjected to a flashback and that's the pattern we are exposed to throughout this rather jerky, coarse re-imagining of the Hellboy universe. The real problem here is that there's just too much back story and not much of going forward.

Hellboy of course looks more or less the same. The overall look is replicated from the original – this one though looks more worn and unkempt. Hellboy (David Harbour) works with his adoptive father Professor Broom (Ian McShane) at the B.P.R.D, an organization devoted to investigating and generally exterminating paranormal threats. The gruff Superhero heads to England when called upon by the Osiris club to help nullify the Blood Queen's(Milla Jovovich) demonic plot to resurrect herself and bring ruin upon the world.

Check out the trailer here:

The narrative jumps from one plot point to another without acquiring much coherence. We get it that the Blood Queen is part of the main conflict here but by the time she gets into her stride the narrative gets all rushed up and the ensuing melee doesn't have much engagement. Andrew Cosby's screenplay writes in some inner conflict for Hellboy but it doesn't translate all that well on screen. Even the other main characters don't have smooth enough arcs. Neil Marshall is no Guillermo Del Toro and his vision for the action here is also not consistent enough- even though there are a few flashes of brilliance. David Harbour's performance, lacks the confident stamp of authority that Ron Perlman's did. Some of the CGI effects are good but there are moments when they look conspicuous and patched on. Too many characters, too many plot threads and just as many merges between the unimaginable, plagues this tale of a superhero winding his way through tales of legends and destiny - ending it with cataclysmic bedlam that works out to be a rather chaotic gory mess!

Also Read: Milla Jovovich said yes to Hellboy for this reason

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COVID-19 impact: Water supply to Dadar-Mahim areas disrupted after engineer tests positive

After an engineer in the G north ward tested positive for COVID-19, water supply to residents of Dadar-Mahim is likely to be disrupted for a while. The entire team in charge of repairing the water pipeline has been quarantined.

The engineers and workers of G north ward offices were on essential duty of ensuring water supply, but one of them tested positive for COVID-19 late Tuesday night.

"He was on duty of repairing the water pipeline in Dharavi. In all likelihood, that is how he contracted the virus," one of the employees said.

Soon after the engineer tested positive, the BMC health department quarantined the entire team on April 29, Wednesday, to avoid further transmission. The repair work will restart only after the team gets the all-clear, which will take a while.

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Coronavirus Outbreak: Milkman's technique for supplying milk becomes a hit online!

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

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

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

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

What do you think about this post?

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Look super cool at your workplace this summer

Representational Picture

Appearances always matter at the workplace, but dressing professionally for office in warmer and humid weather is quite hard. Hence, it is essential to keep oneself updated with fashion trends in scorching heat by opting trends like pastel shades and mixing and matching outfits.

Sagar Suri and Surya Suri, founders of men's wear brand Steele suggested a few tips to look cool at workplace

* Pastel and neutral coloured shirts like ivory and grey can be worn to get an elegant look and since it does not absorb heat, it is soothing to the eyes.

* Printed shirt outfit or light check shirt is the best option for men, as it gives them a bold look.

* Men can wear a light blazer over their vest at the workplace as it enhances the personality.

* Formal shirts over pencil trousers or narrow pants can also be worn in order to look modest and elegant at workplace. This creates a formal and sophisticated look.

* One can wear khaki pants to the office and can uplift their fashion statement at the workplace.

* Light coloured formal suit can also be worn during summer as it gives a formal touch to an individual. Nowadays, it is widely chosen by man, as it is more trendy and stylish.

* White shirt always work at office, as it repels sunlight and is soothing to the eyes.

* Switching on to blue and gingham can make an individual more fashionable and professional. It not only adds bold colour to the outfit, but also enhances the outlook of an individual.

Karan Oberoi, Actor and Model, too suggested some tips:-

* If you are a suit person go for a light fabrics like cotton, linen or any other breathable stuff. Also choose light colours to stay comfortable during the sweltering days.

* Another way to face summers in style is to stick with a classic outfit that works anywhere and everywhere. A lightweight semi formal white shirt with grey or blue check pants will keep you cool in the hot days

* For meetings and formal events, an unstructured Navy blazer is just perfect. This is one of the most versatile, stylish, and comfortable pieces your wardrobe should have.

* If you require to wear ties to work, go for a silk-knit ones for summer

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WWE releases 20 superstars including Kurt Angle, Rusev in shocking fashion!

The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) made a shocking decision on April 15 by releasing a huge list of some WWE superstars from past and present.

In a statement by WWE, they announced that they had released a total of 19 superstar wrestlers and a referee. WWE has come to terms on the release of Kurt Angle, Rusev (Miroslav Barnyashev), Zack Ryder (Matthew Cardona), Drake Maverick (James Curtin), Sarah Logan (Sarah Rowe), Curt Hawkins (Brian Myers), Karl Anderson (Chad Allegra) and Luke Gallows (Drew Hankinson) - collectively known as The O.C., Heath Slater (Heath Miller), Mike Kanellis (Mike Bennett), Maria Kanellis, Eric Young (Jeremy Fritz), Aiden English (Matthew Rehwoldt), Rowan (Joseph Ruud), No Way Jose (Levis Valenzuela), Mike Chioda, EC3 (Michael Hutter), Lio Rush (Lionel Green), Primo (Edwin Colon) and Epico (Orlando Colon Nieves). WWE also went on to wish them all the best.

Following their release from WWE, superstars took to Instagram to voice their emotions.

Take a look at some of their posts on social media. Kurt Angle -

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

Until next time. #yippeekiyay #itstrue

A post shared by Kurt Angle (@therealkurtangle) onApr 15, 2020 at 12:35pm PDT

Rusev -

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

Life is life. God is great. I’ll be alright

A post shared by Miroslav Barnyashev (@rusevig) onApr 15, 2020 at 1:59pm PDT

Sarah Logan -

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

With my whole heart. Thank you.

A post shared by Sarah Rowe (@sarahloganwwe) onApr 15, 2020 at 12:49pm PDT

Heath Slater -

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

Thank you all.

A post shared by Heath Miller “Slater” (@heathslater_xxii) onApr 15, 2020 at 2:19pm PDT

Luke Gallows -

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

The devil ain’t in the distance.....

A post shared by Luke Gallows (@luke_gallowswwe) onApr 15, 2020 at 8:49pm PDT

This has come as shocking news to all the WWE universe with more details awaited.




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Amir Khan's wife Faryal Makhdoom Khan 'super chill' in Ramadan

Brit boxer Amir Khan's wife Faryal Makhdoom feels this year's holy month of Ramadan which will end on May 23, is special considering they can focus on getting closer to the almighty, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. She reckons since the world has come to a standstill, everyone is able to concentrate on pray and fasting.

Faryal recently shared this picture (below) on Instagram and wrote: "How are you guys finding Ramadan this year? I'm finding it super chill. Especially during this time while nothing else is going on—we can focus on praying, fasting and being closer to Allah."

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Mumbai food: Cure your hangover with these super cocktails in the city

Take a break(fast)
We think this bar loves its guests because they even have a bunch of drinks called Hangover Cures. Vodka, whiskey or rum, whatever your poison, there's a cocktail for you, made with fresh ingredients such as passion fruit, tomato juice, citrus fruits and more, that will help you get going.

Cost Rs. 320 onwards
Time 9 am to 5 pm (only Sundays) at Monkey Bar, 14th and 33rd road junction, Bandra West.
Call 26005215

Fight beer with beer

Try this classic Michelada cocktail, which contains tomato juice for potassium, celery and salt for minerals and the bar's house beer which is low on carbonation. They also add their special taco sauce to make it tastier.

Cost Rs. 450 plus taxes
Time 4 pm to 1 am (Monday to Friday) and 12 pm to 1 am (Saturday and Sunday) at Brewbot, Morya Landmark 1, off New Link Road, Andheri West. Call 39698091

Need a coffee fix?

For several city slickers a cup of coffee equals to the start of the day. But for the morning after boozing, a simple cuppa is not enough. Try D:OH! Spronic, made with espresso and tonic water for a kick-start.

Cost Rs. 199 plus taxes
Time 10 am to 1 am
At All D:OH! outlets
Call 62360451 (Andheri)

Cold pressed wonder

Get the most of every ingredient to cure your hangover with this cold pressed juice made with watermelon, celery, beetroot and lime, aptly called Hangover Cure Juice.

Cost Rs. 190 plus taxes
Time 9 am to 1 am at Jamjar Diner in Versova and Bandra.
Call 26368880

For the smoothie junkie

The Gym Junkie smoothie seems to have it all to combat the morning after blues; toasted muesli to fill you up, bananas with complex carbs, to keep your energy levels high; honey to metabolise the alcohol and yoghurt to stabilise blood sugar, and fight nausea and hunger.

Cost Rs. 330 plus taxes
Time 12 pm to 10 pm at Café At The NCPA, gate no 2, Nariman Point. Call 67230110

Detox to the tea

If you can't do without your morning cuppa, try The Big Break Tea Blend by Tasse de Thé. It comprises organic white bai mudan, French lavender buds and lavender leaves that will detoxify your system.

Cost Rs. 1,025 for 50 grams (serves 48 cups)
log on to tdtworld.com





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Salman Khan provides financial support to 45 vertically challenged artistes

Bollywood stars may have rallied behind daily-wage workers during the lockdown, but Pravin Rana, a vertically-challenged artiste, admits he had little hope of them coming to his aid. After all, for far too long, his community has been relegated to the fringes of the industry. However, he was in for a surprise — earlier this week, Salman Khan extended financial support to members of the All India Special Artistes Association (AISAA), a wing of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE).

"Nobody cares much for us, but Salman bhai stood by us during these trying times. We were surprised when we learnt that Rs 3,000 had been deposited into our accounts on Tuesday. No other actor has come forward to help us," says Rana, who worked alongside the superstar in Bharat (2019). "During the shoot too, he asked us to reach out to him when in need," he adds.

Shameem Ahmed, a member of AISAA who also featured as one of the circus artistes in Bharat, adds that Khan has promised help in the coming months. "We don't get work on a daily basis. We are grateful to FWICE and Salman Khan for helping us with ration and financial help amid the lockdown. We have been told he will make a deposit next month, too."

BN Tiwari, president, FWICE, informs that about 90 vertically challenged actors come under the purview of the association. "Almost 45 of them have received Salman's donation, the rest will get it in a few days," he says.

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Jacqueline Fernandez: Tired of playing superficial characters

After Race 3 (2018), Jacqueline Fernandez had been missing from the scene, barring sporadic appearances in music videos with Badshah and Bigg Boss contestant Asim Riaz. So where has she been all this while? "For now, I am at a farm far away," she laughs, alluding to spending the lockdown at Salman Khan's Panvel farmhouse. "On a serious note, I went through a period where I needed to reinvent myself."


A still from Mrs Serial Killer

The actor considers Mrs Serial Killer, the crime thriller that dropped on Netflix yesterday, her first step in "rebooting myself." "I have always done mainstream films, and was tired of playing chirpy and superficial characters. I was keen to attempt something dark and complex. So when Shirish [Kunder, director] said that Manoj [Bajpayee] would be my co-star in Mrs Serial Killer, I jumped at the idea." Fernandez admits she was a bundle of nerves on the first day of shoot. "I was excited as well as petrified about working with Manoj. Going by his films, I felt he would be a strict actor. But we had a great time on the set. I had to unlearn several things while working with him."

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Coronavirus outbreak: Salman Khan supports additional 7,000 daily wage workers

Celebrities supporting social causes is indeed commendable because amidst the current scenario, the world needs empathy, love and financial support at the right time. In this regard, one person who always goes an extra mile; by extending support towards social causes and works for the betterment of indigent is Superstar 'Salman Khan'.

Commencing the financial aid, he was one of the first people who made sure that money was directly transferred into the bank account of 25,000 daily wagers who were in dire need. It did not stop there, he further transferred money into the account of additional 7000 daily wage workers of the film fraternity.

The actor also helped 90 vertically challenged wage workers associated with All India Special Artistes Association (AISAA), a wing of FWICE.

The superstar also arranged for food supplies for thousands of people from varied corners of the state. A video of the same surfaced on the internet recently where truckloads of essentials were sent to the villagers around the farm.

Salman Khan has been carefully watching the situation and extending help in installments to ensure steady flow of income and essentials for the needy in different parts of the country.

Over the years the actor has been involved more into humanitarian work and the great thing about him is that apart from money, he also gives his time and effort. Even in the current situation, he has personally invested himself in providing support to the nation.

Salman Khan is known for his philanthropist activities. Keeping in mind the current situation, he has released several videos where he has voiced his opinions and made personal appeal to his massive fandom and people of the nation and his massive fandom to stay indoors and maintain social distancing.

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Richa Chadha: Vulnerable need our support at this time

Richa Chadha admits it is hard to shake off the images of migrant workers walking along national highways, with little access to food or water, in their bid to reach home.

The actor, who has consistently highlighted the plight of the daily-wage workers amid the lockdown, has now teamed up with Gandhi Peace Foundation to do her bit for the community. Chadha has contributed to the Delhi-based non-profit organisation to ensure that the workers, who have reached their hometowns in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, don't have to sleep on an empty stomach.

"Besides lack of financial resources, people in villages are running short of essential supplies like pulses, cereals and greens. A large segment of labourers makes a living by working on other people's farms. Now that all work has been halted, they have no means of buying groceries. This is why I decided to team up with the Gandhi Peace Foundation, which has an outreach programme. The most vulnerable need our support at this time," says Chadha.

Since its inception in 1958, the NGO has been working towards the upliftment of the underprivileged. While she has worked with them over the years, Chadha says she sought the organisation's help last month to provide essentials to a migrant worker's family that was stuck in Mumbai. "The family was living in the red zone and had no ration for a week. When I informed the NGO about them, it delivered food to them in a matter of hours."

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Big B, Abhishek Bachchan are super proud of their newly-graduated Navya Naveli!

Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan's daughter, Shweta Bachchan Nanda, must be extremely proud and happy today. Her daughter, Navya Naveli Nanda, recently graduated from Fordham University in New York, but owing to the coronavirus outbreak, the ceremony couldn't be held this year. 

But university ceremony or no, Navya Naveli didn't let it get her down! She enjoyed a graduation party right at home in Mumbai, surrounded by her family. Both Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan, who are super proud of their little Navya, shared photos from the party.

Abhishek Bachchan shared a lovely snap of Navya's and wrote, "Congratulations my Navya on your graduation! Although due to the lockdown you were not able to celebrate it at your university with your classmates and the home garden had to suffice..."

Grandpa Amitabh Bachchan shared a few posts on Instagram congratulating his pretty granddaughter on her graduation day. Sharing a slo-mo video of Navya, he wrote, "Granddaughter Navya... the most important day in the life of a young student - Graduation Day..."

Big B also shared a sweet post where both his lovely ladies, Shweta and Navya, are featured. 

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Amitabh Bachchan (@amitabhbachchan) onMay 6, 2020 at 8:10am PDT

And what graduation party would be complete without wishes from mum? Shweta, too, shared a pic of her baby girl and wrote, "I threw on a Fordham (her college) sweatshirt over my PJ's!! Congratulations baby I love you and am proud of you! Go forth and conquer x ( I'm not crying you're crying)."

Well, aren't these the cutest congratulatory messages? Big congratulations to Navya Naveli Nanda on her graduation!

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Tammanna Bhatia on Hrithik Roshan's Super 30: Was completely surprised to see him do a character like this

Last year was indeed owned by Hrithik Roshan for his remarkable performances in War and Super 30. All good actors are capable of externalizing emotion and they have an innate charisma to bring their characters to life on the celluloid. Hrithik is the rare star who seeps into the skin of the character and makes it his most powerful asset.

It is because of this trait of delivering exemplary work, that Hrithik's fandom is multiplying amongst the film fraternity. Actress Tammanna Bhatia who has always been in awe of Hrithik, recently shared she was moved and inspired by his phenomenal acting in Super 30. She said, "I am a huge Hrithik fan for anyone who doesn't know. If I do a film,I'll probably be standing there and just be in awe. I love all the kind of work he has done. Even recently, Super 30 was a film that I really liked and I was like completely surprised to see him do a character like this and he did it so beautifully. So I really really loved Super 30. Apart from the fact that his dance skills and everything that we have already seen, this was such a pleasant surprise, such a get away from everything he has done."

The portrayal of the character of Anand Kumar not only earned rave reviews and critical appreciation but also won Hrithik many best actor awards. Hrithik's acting chops need no superlatives as we have seen him deliver many incredible performances before and with Super 30, he does the same.

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Paras Chhabra on his baldness: Salman Khan supported me, asked me to meet a doctor

Pre-mature balding is something a lot of actors have dealt with in Bollywood, Television, and even the ordinary people. But given an actor is supposed to sell his face on the screen and is expected to look handsome and gorgeous all the time, he is often under the radar of the media and the social media. So when Bigg Boss fame Paras Chhabra began losing his hair, he wasn't sulking but accepted the truth.

Talking about it to Times of India in a recent interview, he said, "You cannot run away from reality. I spoke about my hair patches and stammering myself because there was nothing to hide. I have been doing modelling for many years now and because of the harsh lights, your hair actually get scanty. I felt that it didn't look nice especially for the kind of roles I was doing."

He added, "I was playing Duryodhan and the mukut was very heavy and due to this I started going through hair loss. And at times being an actor when you want to get a good physique and want to see faster results, you take steroids too as a result there can be scanty hair." He also spoke about how Salman Khan came out in his support and what advice he gave him at that time.

Speaking about the actor, Paras said, "Salman Khan sir supported me and he also said that he will give me a number and asked me to go and meet a doctor. On the final day of Bigg Boss, he also told me that the patch is hardly visible. Salman Khan sir has supported me in this too. He had asked me to wait and not rush. A few doctors in my family have asked me to go for hair weaving but I don't want to go under the knife right now."

This is truly inspiring how an actor is comfortable about his body and refuses to change the truth about him. Hope others take notes!

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Shivin Narang is back home after his surgery, thanks fans and family for support

Beyhadh 2 actor Shivin Narang was hospitalised on May 4 and had to undergo surgery when he injured himself by accidentally falling on a glass table. All his fans and everyone from family and friends were worried about him. But now, all is well, that's what the actor's latest Instagram post says.

Yes, he has come back home and is on the road to recovery. Taking to his Instagram account, he shared a picture from the hospital where he could be seen smiling and wrote a long post to thank everyone. This is what he wrote- "All is well! For all my frnds , family n loved ones I'm back home.
Thankuu fr all your prayers & blessings.
unfortunately met with an accident at home injuring myself badly due to which I had undergone a surgery.
Thankuu to the doctors and healthcare staff of @kokilabenhospital for taking such good care of me in this difficult scenario.....
I remember one of the hospital staff saying
'Sir hum nhi karenge toh kaun karega '" (sic)

Have a look right here:

We won't be able to see his work due to the lockdown since no shootings are happening, but we do hope to see him a lot more active on social media since all his fans were waiting for him to come back.

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Salman Khan financially supports additional 7000 daily wage and 90 vertically challenged workers

Celebrities supporting social causes is indeed commendable because amidst the current scenario, the world needs empathy, love, and financial support at the right time. Salman Khan has been financially supporting daily wage workers and providing ration to those impacted during the Coronavirus outbreak.

Commencing the financial aid, he was one of the first people who made sure that money was directly transferred into the bank account of 25,000 daily wagers who were in dire need. It did not stop there, he further transferred money into the account of additional 7000 daily wage workers of the film fraternity.

The actor also helped 90 vertically challenged wage workers associated with All India Special Artistes Association (AISAA), a wing of FWICE.

The superstar also arranged for food supplies for thousands of people from varied corners of the state. A video of the same surfaced on the internet recently where truckloads of essentials were sent to the villagers around the farm.

Salman Khan has been carefully watching the situation and extending help in installments to ensure steady flow of income and essentials for the needy in different parts of the country.

Keeping in mind the current situation, he has released several videos where he has voiced his opinions and made a personal appeal to his massive fandom and people of the nation to stay indoors and maintain social distancing.

ALSO READ: Inside Salman Khan’s Panvel farmhouse with Jacqueline Fernandez and Iulia Vantur




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Coronavirus outbreak: Supreme Court junks plea for quashing 75,000 FIRs for lockdown violations

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to entertain a PIL by former Uttar Pradesh police chief Vikram Singh seeking direction to quash nearly 75,000 FIRs registered for violating orders of lockdown and petty offences during the coronavirus pandemic.

A bench comprising Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and B.R. Gavai questioned Singh's counsel, "You want there should be no FIR and this (Section 188 IPC) should not be invoked...then how can the lockdown be enforced?"

The bench wondered why such petitions were coming to the apex court? Singh's PIL sought quashing of nearly 75,000 FIRs registered under Section 188 of the IPC and other provisions for violation of the Covid-19 lockdown.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan said this person has been on the field and also has experience. "The submission is that we cannot have rule of law, which is selective. You cannot have one rule of law for those who have to travel by chartered flights...," said the advocate.

Justice Kaul replied he "can see an agenda". The lawyer contended that if the law didn't permit registration of FIRs then the NDMA law cannot be allowed for registration of FIRs. He told the bench that cases have been registered against migrants and those withdrawing money from ATMs.

Singh filed the PIL in his capacity as the Chairman of a think-tank -- Centre for Accountability and Systemic Change (CASC). He requested the apex court to issue directions, under the Disaster Management Act 2005, to state governments to not file complaints under Section 188 of the IPC or for other petty offences during the lockdown.

"Police action on an individual who is perhaps suffering from distress and lack of information as a result of the circumstances has ramifications which can extend beyond the coronavirus lockdown, and cannot be good for a constitutional democracy. The situation needs to be handled humanely, and it will be best to avoid adding aspects of criminality, wherever possible," Singh's plea stated.

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Supreme court: States could consider online sale or home delivery of liquor

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

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

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

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

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

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Superstar Sylvester Stallone extends warm birthday wishes to 'brilliant' icon Al Pacino

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 !!!!"

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

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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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever




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Grey's Anatomy, Superstore, Brooklyn 9-9: Shows that inspire us to celebrate the real heroes this Labor Day

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.

 




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Lockdown hours turn John Boyega super nostalgic about Star Wars

Actor John Boyega, who made his final appearance as Stormtrooper-turned-hero Finn in "Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker", recalled shooting for the franchise. In an interview with CinemaBlend, the 28-year-old shared how he keeps on thinking about his 'Star Wars' moments amid the lockdown, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"I've still got my audition scripts. I've still got notes for what time I'm supposed to get to the audition and schedule, all of that stuff.

"So it's more of a time, for me anyway, to just kind of be a bit nostalgic and really take in the moments that I was able to enjoy. Now I have time for family, so it's really, really a win-win," John said.

He also spoke about how leaving the sci-fi series behind allowed him to reflect on the changes in his career.

"I think for me, honestly, it's all been good. It's been great because I've been able to go home and ask that fundamental question that I couldn't answer through the six years (which) was, 'What just happened to me?'," John added.

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Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson to star in superhero film Ball and Chain

Hollywood stars Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson are set to reteam for a superhero film from The Big Sick co-scribe Emily V Gordon. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project is an adaptation of the 1990s comic book "Ball and Chain" from writer Scott Lobdell.

Gordon, best known for co-writing 2017 romantic comedy The Big Sick with her husband Kumail Nanjiani, is adapting the script from the comic. Blunt and Johnson, who are currently looking forward to the release of their Disney movie Jungle Cruise, will play a bickering couple who receive superpowers that only work if they can learn to put aside their differences and work together.

Several studios are aggressively competing for the project with streamer Netflix being the frontrunner currently. The movie will be produced by Johnson through his Seven Bucks banner with Dany and Hiram Garcia. Blunt and Kevin Misher will also produce.

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CBI arrests two GST superintendents from Pune

The CBI has arrested two Goods and Services Tax (GST) superintendents here in Maharashtra for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs one lakh for settling service tax liability of complainant.

A case has been registered against the two superintendents of GST, Pune, under section 120-B (Punishment of criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018), the CBI stated in a release on Tuesday.

The accused duo had demanded a bribe of Rs 3 lakh from the complainant for settling the Service Tax liability for the Financial Year 2016-17, it stated. The duo were caught when they were accepting Rs one lakh as the first instalment of the total bribe amount, the CBI said. The Central agency then conducted searches at the office and residential premises of the accused superintendents in Pune.

During the searches, documents regarding acquisition of movable and immovable properties, gold jewelleries, cash, computer hard disks and other incriminating documents were recovered, it said. The accused are being produced before special judge for the CBI cases.

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Pune Crime: CBI arrests two GST superintendents in bribery case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday arrested two superintendents posted at the Goods and Service Tax (GST) office for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe.

Those arrested have been identified as Vivek Dekate and Sanjeev Kumar. A complaint was registered against two under Section 7 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The two accused were produced before the Special CBI Judge, who remanded them to three-day CBI custody.

The officers were caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from the complainant. The amount has been recovered from their possession.

The complainant alleged that the accused demanded Rs 3 lakh in order to settle the service tax liability for the financial year 2016-17. Further probe is on.

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Neymar on Lionel Messi: When I needed the most support, he gave me a hand

Barcelona skipper Lionel Messi has often spoken about the liking he has had for former teammate Neymar and the Brazilian has now revealed how one of the greatest footballers to have played the beautiful game always had his back at the La Liga club.

"Honestly, it's difficult, very difficult for me to talk about Messi, because it was very special for me at Barcelona, I say this to everybody," he told Rede Globo's Esporte Espetacular.

"At the moment when I needed the most support, the best player in the world arrived and gave me a hand. He said: 'Come here, I'm here to help you.'" Messi had earlier spoken about how he is still in touch with Neymar and it will be slightly difficult for him to make a return to the club from Paris Saint-Germain.

"We talk to Neymar often. We still have a WhatsApp group with Luis (Suarez)", Messi told Argentina's Radio Metro, as quoted by ESPNFC.

"It's difficult for him to come back, as he left here, many club members and people do not want him to come back. From a sporting point of view he would be wonderful, but the other view is also understandable. It is a bit difficult," Messi had said.

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Mother's Day: Five summer getaways near Mumbai for super moms

Gokarna

Goa

For seaside bliss
Goa, Gokarna
Give your mom a break and visit Goa or Gokarna with her, both of which are a hop, skip and jump away from Mumbai. Lie by the beach and allow yourself to be surrounded by the unimaginable pulchritude of Kudle (beach in Gokarna) or Agonda (beach in South Goa) for a calm escape. Sign up for yoga sessions or a meditation programmes to give your mornings a healthy,
peaceful start.
NOTE: Paradise and Half Moon beaches in Gokarna are not advisable for people with arthritis, heart abnormalities, etc, since you have to hike here
CALL 18001028747
LOG ON TO makemytrip.com (for suitable packages)

Warli Art

For an organic getaway
Vangaon
Avail of this special Mother's Day travel package to Vangaon, a few hours from Mumbai, to discover Warli art and culture with. Get in on the history, knowledge and cultural influence behind the world-famous art form and learn directly from renowned artist Sanjay Pahad, whose works are exhibited in galleries around the world. Plus, she gets to spend time on an organic plantation.
NOTE: The exact location will be shared during booking
CALL 9920286319 (Swadesee)
LOG ON TO insider.in

Sula Vineyards

For the indulgence
Nashik's vineyards
How about an indulgent, laid-back weekend filled with a re-telling of childhood tales or soaking in the quiet around acres of vines? Walk in a vineyard and indulge in wine tasting. Even if you're a teetotaller, the expansive vista of the town makes it the ideal escape from the hustle and bustle of Mumbai.
NOTE: Most packaged vineyard tours come with set itineraries that include pick-up, drop, breakfast and more. If you're planning it on a weekday, keep in mind that you have to book in advance
CALL 8040851222 (holidayiq)
LOG ON TO blackgrapeholidays.com; holidayiq.com (for wine tours)

Shirdi Temple

For a spiritual high
Shirdi, Trimbakeshwar,
Ramtek, Paithan
Most of us have been taught our first prayers by our mothers, and what better way to give her a thoughtful surprise than to sign her up for one of the many tours to famous religious sites across Maharashtra. From Hindu mythological connect to stunning temple architecture and spiritual bliss, this idea is sure to strike a chord with her.
NOTE: Paithan is also famous for Paithani silk saris with elaborate zari borders, making them the perfect gift for your spiritually inclined mum
CALL 804873599 (hello travel)
LOG ON TO cultureholidays.com

Bhandardara

For R&R in the hills
Malhar Machi, Bhandardara
Be it a fever or a fit, mums are always waiting around the corner with piping daal khichdi or hot chocolate, like the genie who knows exactly what you need. How about returning the favour? Gift-wrap your mum a relaxing wellness trip packed with spa treatments and massages amid the lush green expanses of the Sahyadris or surrounded by the cascading falls of Bhandardara.
NOTE: Carry trekking shoes, torch and well-stocked medical kit for 
CALL 8888000055 (Malhar Machi)
LOG ON TO travelmango.in

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Tax-News.com: BRICS Nations Affirm Support For BEPS Project

The heads of tax authorities from the BRICS states met in Mumbai, India, on December 5-6, 2016, to discuss the implementation of the OECD's base erosion and profit shifting project.




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Dissapointeed (superspotter)

I am quite frankly disappointed with EMs services. I am a EM reserve member and I feel cheated. Day after day I see promotion / marketing mails. Full of absurdities and sounds dramatic as a soap opera. First there was the Rouge Analyst, then some drama ab..




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Danish Kaneria replies to Inzamam's jibe: If PCB had supported me, I would have broken many big records

Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria might be currently serving a life ban for his involvement in fixing, but he has once again taken the attack to the Pakistan Cricket Board saying that he wasnt supported enough by the PCB.

In a YouTube video, former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq had spoken about how Brian Lara had taken Kaneria to the cleaners even though the Pakistan captain had placed fielders on the boundary and thereby shown his true class.

But taking to Twitter, Kaneria wrote: "I have taken @BrianLara's wicket 5 times in my career. He was a good cricketer. If PCB had supported me, I would have broken many big records."

Describing the episode, Inzamam had said: "Kaneria bowled a googly and Lara hit the ball back towards the bowler, coming out of his crease. Danish said ‘well played Brian', which prompted Lara to say ‘okay sir'. The next three balls were all dispatched over the boundary.

"I was the captain of the side so I went over to Danish and told him to tease Lara a bit more. I felt he was angry so we might make him throw away his wicket. I placed the fielders on the boundary in anticipation of big shots but he still managed to outfox us by hitting Danish to all parts of the ground."

Kaneria had earlier asked Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh to help the hindus in Pakistan as they fight the coronavirus outbreak.

"I request @YUVSTRONG12 and @harbhajan_singh to make a video for the minorities living in Pakistan as well. They need your help in this moment of #coronacrisis," Kaneria had said in a tweet.

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Gautam Gambhir: Rohit got a lot of support from then skipper MS Dhoni

Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir believes the credit for Rohit Sharma's meteoric rise in white-ball cricket must be given to former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Since making his debut in 2007, Rohit was languishing in the middle-order with consistency being his main issue.

Dhoni seemingly took note of Rohit's hidden talent and gave him a long rope. He then promoted Rohit as opener in 2013 and that move worked wonders for him as the right-hander has gone on to become one of the most lethal top-order batsmen in white-ball cricket.

"Where Rohit Sharma is today, it is because of M.S. Dhoni," Gambhir told Sports Tak as per India Today.

"You can talk about the selection committee and team management, but if you do not have the backing from your captain then it is all useless. Everything is in the hands of the captain.

"How Dhoni backed Rohit Sharma over a period of time, I don't think any other player has been given such support," he added.

Earlier, Gambhir had described Rohit as the best white-ball cricketer in the world. In his birthday wish for Rohit, Gambhir wrote: "Happy Birthday to the best white-ball cricketer in the world Rohit Sharma! Have a great year ahead!!"

"Don't know about that Gauti bhai. But loving your work," Rohit responded to the high praise from his former teammate.

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'Governments should support news media as essential service'

The UNESCO has said news media should be recognised and supported by all governments as an "essential service" to stop the COVID-19 "disinfodemic" that is putting lives at risk. "There seems to be barely an area left untouched by disinformation in relation to the COVID-19 crisis, ranging from the origin of the coronavirus, through to unproven prevention and 'cures', and encompassing responses by governments, companies, celebrities and others," Guy Berger, Director for Policies and Strategies regarding Communication and Information at the UN educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said in an interview with the UN News.

According to the UN, unreliable and false information is spreading around the world to such an extent that some commentators are now referring to the new avalanche of misinformation that's accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic as a "disinfodemic". Berger said UNESCO is particularly urging governments "not to impose restrictions on freedom of expression that can harm the essential role of an independent press, but to recognise journalism as a power against disinformation even when it publicises verified information and informed opinion that annoys those in power. "There is a strong case to be made that the media deserves to be recognised and supported by governments as an essential service at this time." He stressed that the need of the hour is to improve the supply of truthful information and ensure that the demand is met.

"We are underlining that governments, in order to counter rumours, should be more transparent, and proactively disclose more data, in line with Right to Information laws and policies. Access to information from official sources is very important for credibility in this crisis. "However, this is not a substitute for information supplied by the news media, so we are also intensifying our efforts to persuade authorities to see free and professional journalism as an ally in the fight against disinformation, especially because the news media works openly in the public sphere, whereas much disinformation is under-the-radar, on social messaging apps," Berger said. The UNESCO official also pointed to a more harmful example of disinformation: encouraging the taking of medication, approved for other purposes, but not yet clinically proven as being effective against COVID-19. He said unfortunately some have capitalised on the pandemic, to spread disinformation for the purposes of advancing their own agendas.

"The motives for spreading disinformation are many, and include political aims, self-promotion, and attracting attention as part of a business model. Those who do so, play on emotions, fears, prejudices and ignorance, and claim to bring meaning and certainty to a reality that is complex, challenging and fast-changing," Berger said. He said in a time of "high fears, uncertainties and unknowns", there is "fertile ground for fabrications to flourish and grow". The big risk is that any single falsehood that gains traction can negate the significance of a body of true facts.

"When disinformation is repeated and amplified, including by influential people, the grave danger is that information which is based on truth, ends up having only marginal impact," he said. Berger noted that some people believe, wrongly, that young people or those of African descent are immune (some disinformation has a racist, or xenophobic, tone), and that those in warm climates or countries where summer is on its way, do not need to worry too much. The likely consequence, he said, is complacency, which could fuel more premature deaths. However, not everyone responsible for spreading untruths is doing so maliciously and well-intentioned people are also uncritically circulating dubious content, the UNESCO official said.

"These different motives require different responses, but we should not lose sight of the fact that, irrespective of intention, the effect of sharing falsehoods is to disinform and disempower the public, with deadly potential," he said. UNESCO has underscored that the rights to freedom of expression and access to information are the best remedies to the dangers of disinformation. These rights "enable governments and the public to take evidence-based decisions about reality, and to put in place responses that are founded on both science and human rights values, and which can get us through the pandemic in the best way", Berger said.

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China hid virus' severity to hoard supplies: US inte

US officials believe China covered up the extent of the COVID-19 outbreak — and how contagious the disease is — to stock up on medical supplies needed to respond to it, intelligence documents show. Chinese leaders "intentionally concealed the severity" of the pandemic from the world in early January, according to a four-page Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intelligence report dated May 1 and obtained by the AP.

Marked "for official use only," the DHS analysis states that, while downplaying the severity of the virus, China increased imports and decreased exports of medical supplies. It attempted to cover up doing so by "denying there were export restrictions and obfuscating and delaying provision of its trade data," the analysis states.

Hid details from WHO
The report also says China held off informing the World Health Organisation that the COVID-19 "was a contagion" for much of January so it could order medical supplies from abroad " and that its imports of face masks and surgical gowns and gloves increased sharply.

Those conclusions are based on the 95 per cent probability that China's changes in imports and export behaviour were not within normal range, according to the report. China publicly identified the pathogen as a novel Coronavirus on January 8.

Trump 'thinks' we'll have vaccine by year end

President Donald Trump says he believes a vaccine for COVID-19 will be available by the end of the year. Trump commented Sunday night during a televised town hall. "I think we'll have a vaccine by the end of the year. We'll have a vaccine much sooner rather than later," he said. Trump also increased his projection for the total US death toll to 1,00,000 — up by as much as 40,000 from what he had suggested just a few weeks ago. So far, over 67,000 have died in US.

'Remdesivir to be out by next week'

Antiviral drug Remdesivir, approved by the USFDA for emergency use to treat COVID-19 patients, is expected to be available by early next week, the CEO of Gilead Sciences, the pharmaceutical firm manufacturing the medicine has said.

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Vijay Mallya appeals to UK Supreme Court as last ditch effort to prevent extradition to India

As a last ditch effort to prevent his extradition to India, embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya on Monday filed an application in UK Supreme Court to prevent implementation of an earlier order that made his return to India imminent.

The application came after a gap of almost two weeks after the London High Court on April 20 rejected a similar application and ordered his extradition to India to face enforcement authorities there in connection with a Rs 9,000 crore bank fraud and money laundering case involving his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

The UK Supreme Court is expected to hear the matter later this week. Legal experts said that if the application is rejected by Supreme Court as well, then UK Home Secretary would have to sign on Mallya's extradition papers within 28 days.

Mallya's application in Supreme Court came on the last day when such an appeal could be made in the top court. The 64-year-old businessman was given 14 days to file such an application against the order of High Court. The high court dismissed his appeal against a Westminster Magistrates' Court extradition order certified by the UK Home Secretary.

Legal experts quoted above said it is unlikely for Mallya to get a reprieve from Supreme Court as it would only look as constitutional issues and may not tamper with high court's order if other aspects are in order.

This should be music to the ears of enforcement agencies in India who have been waiting for a long time get hold of the fugitive businessman. The ED has attached several properties of Mallya in the last few years under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Mallya is being investigated by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the loan fraud case.

He was arrested by the UK authorities on April 20, 2017 on the request of the Indian investigative agencies.

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European Innovation Council - European Commission EUvsVirus Hackathon identifies 117 solutions to support European and global recovery from the coronavirus outbreak

[Source: Research & Innovation] A total of 117 innovative solutions to tackle the coronavirus have been selected as winners of the European Innovation Council-led #EUvsVirus Hackathon.




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Super expensive BMW launched in India! Luxury car M8 coupe costs Rs 2.15 crore

Both cars come with eight-speed steptronic sport automatic transmission and a host of safety features like six airbags, attentiveness assistance, dynamic stability control, including dynamic traction control, anti-lock braking system and electric parking brake




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$1.5 billion impact! Coronavirus lockdown, supply disruptions badly hit pharma exports

According to figures declared by the Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil), pharmaceutical exports registered a growth of 11.21 percent during the first quarter of FY20




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Tax-News.com: Singapore Issues GST Form Instructions For Reverse Charge Supplies

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) has released new guidance for GST-registered persons on the completion of new boxes in the GST F5 return from next year.




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Tax-News.com: New Zealand Tweaking GST Rule Changes For Offshore Suppliers

New Zealand's Finance and Expenditure Committee has recommended changes to legislation that would introduce a new requirement for offshore suppliers to collect GST on low-value goods supplied to New Zealand-based consumers.