There are another more than 30,000 microwave ovens, AC and washing machines which needs repair at a time when Indians are locked indoors and doing household chores themselves due to the lockdown.

"The heavy appliances industry will be impacted by a significant loss of up to 60 per cent in March and almost 100 per cent in April. These two months put together contribute close to 25 per cent of the annual revenue," Godrej Appliances Business Head and EVP Kamal Nandi told.

Several brands took the decision since both offline and online market is closed leading to piling up of inventory in their warehouses, and several of their plants falling in red zones or in states where permission has not yet been given. Some states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Karnataka have also decided to not provide any relaxation to industries till the lockdown ends.

Companies like Panasonic India, Godrej Appliances, Dixon Technologies and Super Plastronics Pvt Ltd said with retail outlets shut there is no point to start production as there is existing unsold inventory of March at warehouses and dealers.

Both LG and Samsung have opened bookings for various products on their websites for limited periods and are offering gifts of up to Rs 10,000 on pre-bookings made during the lockdown period. LG has opened pre-bookings till May 15 and Samsung by May 8.

The offers are on luxury products such as watches, cars and shoes, just as many other players also join the ‘lockdown bandwagon’.

The drop in consumption by the world's second-biggest gold buyer could limit a rally in global prices.

World's gold demand during the first quarter of 2019 stood at 1070.8 tonne, according to WGC's Q1 Gold Demand Trends report.

Online retailers such as Myntra and Tjori have their consumer engagement teams working on to engage their customers till the time the lockdown eases. Others such as fashion brand Anita Dongre are brainstorming changes in consumer behaviour and how to keep them engaged online till the time stores become fully operational.

Once markets are reopened, the industry would also be braving a changing consumer spending behavior and capacity. There could be a major lag before sales begin to pick up. Fashion as a commodity is also perishable. It may be very difficult to sell the loaded inventories in warehouses, and heavy discounts would not be an attractive option at a time of slim profit margins.

"We have to accept coronavirus as part of life. If we don't open factories, there will be economic crisis," said Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association vice president Mohammad Hatem.

E-commerce companies have been permitted to sell all items in Orange and Green Zones starting from Monday, the first day of the third phase of the nationwide lockdown that began on March 25.

The Walmart-owned company said it had seen an increase in searches for consumer electronic products, including personal grooming equipment such as trimmers.

While most brick-and-mortar pharmacies continue to function amid the countrywide lockdown to contain the pandemic, many consumers have switched to buying medicines online for fear of getting infected by the novel coronavirus, industry insiders said.

PERHAPS we should wait until we have achieved the same level of containment of the virus as Germany before we think about restarting football (How German football intends to restart next week – and what the Scottish game can learn from their masterplan, Monday).

I TOTALLY agree as a frontline worker who is working 12-hour shifts that restrictions should have been tougher to start with.

We are living through historic times: How are you documenting them? Art? Poetry? Photos? Music? We’d love to see what you’ve been creating during our stay-at-home order. Send us your original poems, essays, and photos! Take pictures of your painting, drawing, sculpture, or whatever visual medium you’re working in. Send us a link to your performance of an original song. We’ll share them on our website. Email your submissions to WNIJpix@niu.edu If you have a statement about your work you’d like to include, send it along. Give us your name and the city or town where you live. We’d like our virtual talent show to represent how our community is dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. It’s not a contest or a place for critiques: It’s a place to show off your talent and see what everyone else has been up to these past few challenging months. Work from kids is welcome, too! A few simple rules: The work must be your own. No cover songs, no memes ripped from Facebook, no plagiarizing! Shorter is good!

SMITTEN Paige Turley has been feeding her hunky Love Island boyfriend Finn Tapp with the finest of Scottish cuisine while in lockdown - and it seems he can’t get enough of haggis.

Scottish Golf today revealed that no date has been set for the sport in this country to restart and stressed that lockdown restrictions will remain in place for the foreseeable future.

THE indefinite lockdown of Scottish football is set to plunge the Junior game into a crisis like never before, according to Pollok manager Murdie MacKinnon.

Channel 4 have launched a search for a couple who have cancelled their wedding due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Glasgow certainly looked different before the coronavirus lockdown.

OUR Home Times series has been giving parents and carers top tips and advice on how to keep children learning during these difficult times.

AS Scotland’s National Dance Company, Scottish Ballet aims to bring the benefits and joy of dance to everyone.

A WRESTLING event set to be held at the SSE Hydro has been postponed.

THE Standard Life Foundation (SLF) has published the results of its UK financial impact tracker.

THE message from our medical experts leading the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic has been crystal clear in recent days: we have come too far together to drop our guard now.

People Make Glasgow safer while staying at home.

I NOTE the council stopping the free bulk uplift service.

I’M very worried about what’s going to happen after the weekend when the rest of the UK begins to ease lockdown, while Scotland chooses not to.

Our Green Party columnist has her say.

MISSING beloved grandparents is something we can all relate to during coronavirus lockdown – now a Glasgow poet has made a 60-second film about it.

Small music venues across the city could be among some of the hardest hit businesses due to the coronavirus crisis, a charity has said.

By the Amazing Facts Webmaster

Recently, I was at the grocery store picking up a few items. When I got to the cashier at the checkout line, I tried to engage her in conversation by asking a few simple questions. (I find it’s easier to share materials with people if you’ve broken the ice.) I asked if “things were crazy there lately,” and she said yes, commenting on how rapidly their recent shipment of toilet paper had disappeared.

As she was finishing up, she asked me if I needed a bag. I told her no and pulled mine out and set it on the counter. She said that because of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were not allowed to touch our bags and that I would have to bag my own groceries. After she told me this, the thought went through my mind that “she probably won’t take any material that I try to give to her.” So I bagged up my groceries and left without attempting to share any tracts or DVDs with her.^*

That left me wondering: “How do we share our faith during a lockdown?” 

Right now, if you knock on someone’s door, they're not likely to answer it. If you try to hand them a tract, they may not take it. Even having face-to-face Bible studies with people is more of a challenge now.

Yet, at this time, people are wondering what on earth is happening. They’re wondering what all of these rapid changes mean, and they want answers. As Christians who understand Bible prophecy, we have the answers that they need, but circumstances have made it more challenging to give those answers the way that we used to.

So here are a few ideas on ways that you can reach out to people and share your faith during the coronavirus lockdown: [PQ-HERE]

1. Use Your Phone!

One of the pastors at our church is continuing to have Bible studies with people but instead of going to their homes, he’s doing it over the phone. Also, many people who may not be Christians appreciate prayer and would not pass up an opportunity to pray with someone. Lots of people are out of work and don’t know what to do or where to turn—so give somebody a buzz and see what happens.

2. Use Social Media! 

Many more people are online now. If you have a social media account, instead of posting only cat videos, post something of substance that speaks to the times in an intelligent and informed way. Ask thought-provoking questions and see what kind of dialogue it generates. You may find many opportunities to share as others express their thoughts and concerns about the things that are happening right now.

3. Use Text Messages! 

Who doesn’t have a cell phone nowadays? I personally don’t have a smartphone, but texting still works on my “dumb” phone! Send Bible verses or inspirational quotes to people. And if you don’t have a cell phone, you can still send text messages if you have a Google Voice account, which is free.

4. Use Snail Mail! 

Although someone might not take a tract directly from your hand at this time, they would likely have no problem if they got it in the mail. Lots of people are stuck at home and, quite honestly, they’re bored! Send them something to read or watch. A friend of mine mentioned that they were looking up random names and addresses in the phone book and sending an uplifting card with a Bible tract in it. What a great idea! 

I felt inspired by that and, over the weekend, I hand-wrote a brief letter to several neighbors on a nearby street and placed a Final Events of Bible Prophecy and Kingdoms in Time DVD, as well as an 8 Amazing Steps to Optimize Your Health and Ancient Prophecies That Reveal the Future! Amazing Fact Tracts.

I hand-wrote the notes because people are more likely to open a handwritten envelope and to read a handwritten letter. If you choose to do this, you can put your name or just identify yourself as a friend or neighbor; it’s up to you, but it’s a great way to share with people while they’re under lockdown. (Here is a link to the letter that I sent out with the materials. Feel free to use and modify it as you see fit: Dear-Friend.pdf.)

How are you sharing your faith at this time? Please share your ideas in the comments below. Others might be inspired by what you’re doing! Just because we’re under lock-down doesn't mean that we can’t be about our Father’s business. Let’s be prayerful and look for creative ways to reach out to others.

*Just a note, I still should have offered her a resource and allowed her to decide if she wanted it or not. The next store I went to, instead of assuming that the cashier wouldn't take anything, I asked him if I could give him something. The young man said, “It depends on what it is.” I pulled a Final Events of Bible Prophecy DVD out of my purse, and he said, ‘Oh yeah! I'll take that.’ Praise the Lord! But what if I had not offered it?

Indian police have the unenviable task of enforcing the world's biggest coronavirus lockdown . But last weekend, they handed down a punishment more common in a middle-school classroom than a police station. Ten foreign tourists caught flouting India's coronavirus restrictions Saturday were made to write the phrase "I did not follow the rules of lockdown. I am very sorry" 500 times and submit the paper to police. The incident happened at a sandy beach along the Ganges River near Rishikesh, a tourist hub in northern India famous for yoga retreats and hippie hangouts. It's where the Beatles made a spiritual pilgrimage in 1968. An officer who answered the phone Monday at the Muni Ki Reti police station near Rishikesh confirmed details to NPR, but declined an interview. The tourists were reportedly from Israel, Mexico, Australia and Austria, and were walking along the river when Indian police intervened. Under India's lockdown, all nonessential outings are banned. Video shared online by

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit NOEL KING, HOST: Good morning. I'm Noel King. Karan Singh (ph) has performed magic tricks for famous actors, athletes and politicians. Now he'll perform for you for free. All you have to do is ask. Like many artists under lockdown, Singh has traded in-person performances for online ones. So pick a card. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) KING: Visualize your card. Did I get it? KING: He's already done shows for over 400 households from his bedroom in New Delhi - the magic of the Internet. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

I worked with a group of young creative / technical folks (mostly POC) to create an emotional mapping site. Tag a location and share how you're feeling — and check out the three opportunities for funded creative 'residencies'.

A big inspiration was Queering the Map.

[Link]

While growing up, running was never this writer's idea of fun. But something has changed in recent months, and his presence on sidewalks and running trails around Seattle should be proof enough that you can, and should, also try things you always thought you hated. Because, why not?

More than 100 Washington state parks will reopen for day use on Tuesday. But this doesn't mean you should abandon social distancing practices. Here's what you need to know before you go.

From the godfather of crime fiction to a fresh new voice in the genre, here are three gripping new cases for you to solve from the comfort of your reading chair.

Gov. Jay Inslee’s continued lockdown is not giving us transparency on metrics for reopening the state. Even with the so-called “phased approach,” there’s nothing that the public can look for to know whether the next phase is in sight. The governor keeps talking about “data.” The Seattle Times publishes graphs of the daily number of […]

Gov. Jay Inslee’s continued lockdown is not giving us transparency on metrics for reopening the state. Even with the so-called “phased approach,” there’s nothing that the public can look for to know whether the next phase is in sight. The governor keeps talking about “data.” The Seattle Times publishes graphs of the daily number of […]

Karan Singh has performed magic tricks for famous actors, athletes and politicians. He'll perform for you, for free --all you have to do is ask. He has already done shows for over 400 households.

The French are facing social disparities in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. With long bread lines and tensions with police, the Paris suburbs are faring poorly under the lockdown.

Karan Singh has performed magic tricks for famous actors, athletes and politicians. He'll perform for you, for free --all you have to do is ask. He has already done shows for over 400 households.

Tomorrow, Italy begins lifting the lockdown it imposed March 9 to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Despite some of the strictest measures in Europe, more than 28,000 Italians have died.

European stocks are likely to open higher on Tuesday as Italy finally eased lockdown restrictions with strict guidelines after two months.

German stocks were rising on Tuesday after several countries across Europe and the Middle East eased lockdown restrictions.