After Kota, now hundreds from Maharashtra are stuck in Delhi and want to return home. They include students and candidates preparing for civil services examination. So far, around 1,500 of them have sought help.

Several of them took to Twitter to share their woes, prompting the student leaders in Maharashtra to extend assistance. Recently, the state government brought back around 2,000 students from Kota after they raised concerns about food availability, as many were staying in PG accommodation. Just like Kota students, those in Delhi are also dependent on instant food items, like Maggi, to survive.

Most of the 1,500 residents wanting to leave Delhi are candidates aspiring to be civil servants. One of them is Rajesh Bonawate, who is spearheading the students and his fellow candidates' efforts to return home. "Political leaders have made arrangement at Karol Bagh for people to collect food daily, but it is not convenient to go there during the lockdown. So, many of us are now dependent on instant food items that we buy from nearby shops. But how long can we sustain like this?" asked Bonawate. A professor from Pune, he is preparing for Union Public Service Commission in Delhi.

Bonawate believes the number of people wanting to return home would increase in a couple of days as the news about Maharashtra making efforts to bring back its residents has just started to spread.

"Many of us can pay for tickets to go home, but there are others who cannot as their parents have lost jobs. Some of their parents are farmers who have suffered major losses," he added.

Ashish Thakre, another student from Amravati, said, "We hope Maharashtra government takes swift action to help us."

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With the rising number of COVID-19 positive patients in Navi Mumbai, the Navi Mumbai municipal commissioner last week asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to accommodate its employees in the city. The Navi Mumbai police commissioner on Monday, however, added to it by saying that if the cases continued to rise in the satellite city due to residents travelling to Mumbai for work, the administration will have to "force employers to accommodate their employees" in the city.

The Corona patient tally in Navi Mumbai jumped massively last week with more than 180 new cases reported in just seven days. The doubling rate of patients slid from 11 days to just six days within a week. This became a major cause of concern for NMMC and the police. According to the NMMC, of the last 180 cases, 90 per cent are related to employees working in essential services and travelling from Navi Mumbai to Mumbai every day.

In a Facebook message on Sunday evening, NMMC Commissioner Annasaheb Misal said, "We have raised this issue in a video conference with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and also conveyed the same to BMC Commissioner Pravin Pardeshi. The BMC has agreed and will be asking hospitals and BEST to convey it to their employees."

The matter, however, escalated on Monday when Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar took to Twitter. "All people in essential services are requested to desist from commuting daily to Mumbai and back. Only visit if your job is crucial. Ask your employer to make arrangements nearby. Otherwise, you are exposing your family to COVID-19. One person infected 14 of his family members," he tweeted, adding that if the trend continued, "we have to force the employer to make arrangements at the workplace."

Around 4,000 to 5,000 bankers travel every day from Navi Mumbai to Mumbai with the banks rotating 33 per cent of their staff every day and exposing all employees to the public in a week’s time. "The same goes for doctors and the police. We request all the authorities concerned to look into it," Kumar said.

He also spoke of the infection spreading in Vashi’s APMC market. "Many vendors and merchants travel to Navi Mumbai from nearby towns and villages. We are making a list of such people and will ask them to stay in Navi Mumbai so that there won’t be any further spread."

‘Taking utmost care’
A senior officer of Mumbai Police commented on the tweet saying the police were endangering their lives for more than 12 hours a day. "We are taking utmost care regarding our personnel but if they carry the infection, it will be an unfortunate but inevitable thing. One should not get too picky while saving their jurisdiction,"
he said.

4.5k
No. of bankers who travel daily to city

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In view of the financial hit the state is likely to take owing to the pandemic, the state government has taken several austerity measures.

New schemes, construction, purchases by the state have been barred while new jobs will not be created. Employees will not be transferred and promoted this financial year.

A resolution issued by the chief secretary on Monday said that the current schemes will have to run on 33 per cent grant instead of 100 per cent. Health, medical education, relief and rehabilitation, food and civil supplies departments will get priority in state funding.

'Review schemes'
The departments have been asked to review current schemes and work on them with a limited budget.

However, there will be no cut in essential spendings like salaries and pension payments.

Pending bills to be paid
Buying gizmos, furniture and hiring offices have not been allowed. The expenses on event management have been curtailed. The pending bills will be paid using whatever the finances are available.

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With more than 9,000 COVID-19 positive cases registered in the city, starting May 5 the Mumbai police imposed Section 144 from 8 pm to 7 am. By this order, people won't be allowed to venture out of their homes between the decided timeframe except for medical emergencies and other essential services. However, the lockdown guidelines will remain the same for the rest of the day, as residents will be able to come out for purchasing essentials.

Even though the lockdown has been extended till May 17, the number of containment zones in the city continues to be on the rise. Cops have been noticing violations in terms of people coming out for non-essential work and crowding at various places. In a bid to curb this, the city police have imposed the prohibitory order and those violating it will be punished under the Indian Penal Code.

Crowd seen outside a liquor shop in Mumbai. Pic: Syed Sameer Abedi 

The order states, "All movement of one or more persons for non-essential activities, except for medical reasons, is prohibited from 8 pm to 7 am. Speaking to mid-day, Pranaya Ashok, DCP (PRO and Operation), said, "The implementation of this new order is crucial in terms of Mumbai's well being. The motto is to reduce crowding on road for as much as 11 hours. Hope Mumbaikars follow this for their own benefit."

Who's exempted

• Emergency services
• Establishments: hospitals, pharma related companies, laboratories, telephone and internet services, electricity, petroleum, oil and energy related IT and IT-enabled services, data centre services, ports, home delivery of food, online delivery platforms, drinking water supply and maintenance, godowns and warehouses of above sectors, trucks/tempos carrying goods, vehicles carrying people working for supplying essential services, print and electronic media
• Government and semi-government agencies and their staff

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A Mulund railway yard master, who retired from his 35-year-old job recently, was so busy in the last working month of his career, that he ended up staying at the rail terminus for a month, to handle despatching essential commodity trains, giving priority to supplies for citizens over his family.

Vilas V Pagare, 60, who retired on April 30, joined the railways around 1984 and had been posted at Central Railway in various designations. His earlier posting was at Vasind station. He retired as Chief Yard Master at Mulund Container Terminal. "The lockdown has been the most challenging time of my career. It was supposed to be my retirement month, but as the lockdown came into effect, more and more trains with essentials needed to be despatched. I decided to stay at the Mulund Container Terminal from March 23 the day the lockdown of the railways was announced, to April 22 to handle the growing number of freight trains and loading and unloading at the terminal," a proud Pagare told mid-day.

His family comprises two grown up sons and his wife. "The railways have given me everything and this was the least I could give back not just to the railways, but to society," he said, of prioritising work over family. During this time, he handled 40 trains, their deformation, loading and unloading and re-formation.

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The state's count of COVID-19 cases crossed 15,500 on Tuesday and 635 of the cases were reported in Mumbai. Addressing issues faced by dialysis patients who are not getting access to healthcare, the civic body directed dialysis centres in the city to not refuse patients or insist on COVID-19 tests.

While existing norms dictate that only symptomatic patients can be tested, the regulations exclude pregnant women, dialysis patients, those seeking IVF or having a scheduled surgery since many private hospitals have made it mandatory for all patients to get themselves tested. Civic officials said that directives have been issued to all dialysis centres not to insist on COVID-19 testing for patients who require dialysis.

"They can advise COVID-19 testing for suspected symptomatic patients or to those who are close contacts of COVID-19 patients. They should follow all precautions while giving the service. The dialysis should not be delayed for want of test results," said an official.

The civic body has also issued notices to all private nursing homes, hospitals and medical practitioners to reopen and provide medical help while adhering to the COVID-19 guidelines. Apart from private doctors, migrant labourers will now also be able to get their medical certificate from municipal dispensaries and peripheral hospitals.

The count of cases in Dharavi continued to rise with 33 new cases, taking the total to 665. Nine cases were reported from 90 Feet Road and five from Indiranagar. Civic officials said more than 83,500 people have been screened, of which 2,380 were placed in quarantine centres. Nine other cases were reported from Mahim and two from Dadar. In L ward (includes areas like Kurla), the total count crossed 600 and on Tuesday, 26 new cases were reported. Civic officials said that the cases were largely from dense slum pockets in areas like LBS Road and Narayan Nagar.

State health officials said there were 984 new cases in the state and the tally now stands at 15,525 cases. There were 34 deaths reported in Maharashtra, of which 26 were recorded in Mumbai, six in Pune and one each in Aurangabad and Kolhapur.

Mumbai now has 9,945 cases and 387 deaths while the state's death toll stands at 617. Civic officials said that out of the 26 deaths reported on Tuesday, six of them occurred between May 1 and 2 and 22 of the patients were suffering from other ailments. Two of the patients who died were below the age of 40 years while 13 patients were in the age group of 40-60 years.

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Over a 100 goons led by the deputy sarpanch of Kalamb village in Vasai attacked the house of a vegetable vendor who had been helping migrant workers fill forms online and register with the state government to go back to their villages, on Tuesday night.

Vasai police have registered a case against 12 people, including the deputy sarpanch Anand Gharat, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and arrested one person.

The goons, armed with iron rods and bamboo sticks, first started throwing stones at the bungalow of Brijesh Chauhan in Nirmal village, Vasai West. The house's glass windows were shattered and Chauhan's wife, Reema, got injured by little shards of glass.

The incident happened after Chauhan registered a Non-Cognisable (NC) complaint against one of the accused a day before the attack.

"My husband has been helping migrant workers fill forms online. On May 4 at 8:30 pm, two migrant workers came to my house to get themselves registered online. My husband told them to collect the details of at least 10 people and then one or two can come to submit the details as it also maintains social distancing," said Reema.

"But the duo got angry and told my husband that they belong to Kalamb village and their work should be done on priority. They screamed at us and then left, only to return 15 minutes later with Darshan Gharat and 20 other people from Kalamb village. They shouted and abused everyone in our family, including women. My senior citizen father-in-law was also manhandled," she added. "After abusing us, the mob returned to Kalamb village. Around 10 minutes later, they came with deputy sarpanch Anand Gharat, who too abused us. Somehow we managed to send them away," Reema said.

Brijesh then registered an NC against the group. "On May 5 at 9 pm, Anand and goons riding triple seat on motorcycles, armed with iron rods, bamboo sticks, etc. came shouting and started pelting stones at my house. I got injured. Neighbours came to our rescue and police also came on the spot just 10 minutes after we called them," she added.

Deputy sarpanch flees
An officer from Vasai police said, "We have registered a case against 12 people and other unidentified people and arrested one person. In all, 12 people, including deputy sarpanch Anand are wanted. We are trying to trace him."

Deputy sarpanch Anand Gharat

Anand, who is planning to seek anticipatory bail, told mid-day that Brijesh had assaulted a student residing in Kalamb village. "I had gone to resolve the matter but they have registered a case against me. An officer from Vasai police asked me to surrender but I am innocent," said Anand, who is out on bail in a rape and kidnapping case registered against him at Vasai police station last year.

May 5
Day the incident occurred

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A slice of the verdant Nehru Science Centre in Worli has been taken over by the civic authorities for what Centre director Dr S Khened thinks must be for "an isolation centre, or for quarantine."

Khened said, "I do not know exactly for which. We got official communication a couple of days earlier that a portion of the centre's space will be acquired. The front portion of the Centre, just as you enter the main gate, has been taken. We usually use that space to hold Science exhibitions. We have also held a vintage car exhibition two years ago in that venue, so it is a massive space."

Centre officials said preparations are in full swing, with beds and mattresses and even mobile toilets being brought in. The Science Centre officials have tried to talk to those in charge at the site for details but without too much success.

They reasoned, "it is evident that the officials are extremely stressed and we are in fact, prepared for the worst. Authorities are working extremely hard to get this ready," they stated.

Khened said that the environs of the Centre are very green and will need to be maintained. "We need to have some skeletal staff inside to maintain the green patches, the trees, the many plants that we have. They need water and regular upkeep," he said adding that it was important that the Coronavirus facility is completely sealed off from the other parts of the sprawling complex.

The Centre also has skeletal staff quarters on the premises where currently eight senior officers are living with their families, "so it is vital that those who are going to be shifted into the facilities for Coronavirus, be confined to that space. I am sure this has been thought out and will be done," said Khened.

Physical space
The Science centre has moved its activities online, like most other institutions, with two virtual lectures scheduled on their YouTube channel on May 9 and May 11 respectively. The former will be a talk by Dr Vasant Shinde on Rakhigarhi Excavation and the latter is Dr Anil Kakodkar, on 'dealing with energy needs in the context of climate crisis'. Yet, said Dr Khened, "We will open again as a physical space when the government gives the green light. Children, the main visitors at the Centre, may have some apprehension about visiting since this will be used as a Coronavirus facility.

There is a great deal of wariness as the Centre is just next to the Jijamata Nagar slum area, which is a COVID hotspot. "However, with all the trepidation, we too understand that this is for the greater good, and everybody has to do their part in this fight," the director said.

Line up
The Worli area, with an unenviable record number of Coronavirus cases in Mumbai, is also being taken over as quarantine/isolation areas rapidly. Just around the corner from the Science Centre, the Nehru Centre, which is next to the Nehru Planetarium has also been acquired for Corona purposes.

S P Verma, Jt Director of Nehru Centre, said, "The two exhibition halls on the ground floor have been acquired, not the Nehru Planetarium. I think beds and other amenities will be moved in shortly, I do not know when exactly. We had been told to hand over possession of the spaces and have done so," he finished.

The Nehru Centre joins neighbour, NSCI club's The Dome and Mahalaxmi racecourse as an entire line of Haji Ali institutions, whose space has been acquired for Corona combat.

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Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) secretary Sanjay Naik and three more members were booked by Bandra police for obstructing burial of a COVID-19 dead body in Muslim Kabaristan. The incident occurred on Tuesday when a dead body of a COVID-19 patient was taken to Naupada Kokani Kabarastan by Raza Academy members for burial. Naik claimed that he objected to the burial as members who had come with the dead body didn't have proper documents.

A few weeks ago, residents near Naupada Kokani Kabarastan objected burial of dead bodies who were COVID-19 patients. The matter went to Bombay High court which rejected the petition of the residents. The matter went to Supreme Court which redirected matter to High court and reportedly allowed burial in between.

The controversy upscaled on the night of May 5 when a 45-year-old died of Coronavirus in Jaslok Hospital. Raza Academy members who had been appointed to carry out the burial rushed to Naupada Kokani Kabaristan. "When we reached Kabaristan, we found that the BMC officials mentioned a Kabarastan of Bandra East, so the permission was changed to Bandra West in Konkani Kabarastan," said Sabir Nirban, member of Raza Academy. "But while burial was going on, Sanjay Naik came with some men opposing it", he said.

Sheikh Izaz Shamshuddin, resident of Bandra registered a complaint against Sanjay Naik, Muzaffar Zarif Khan, Yunus Muzaffar Khan, and Akbar Zarif Khan. 

"We tried to have a word with the men but they weren't listening. They told us about the court orders but we told them that orders are in favour of burial in this particular kabarastan, but they didn't listen to us. Cops came to spot and we finally decided to register a complaint at the Police station," said Shamshuddin.

Bandra police took cognizance of the matter and filed the offence under IPC section 341 (wrongful restraint), 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 34 (Common intention) and relevant sections of Epidemic Act 1897. 

Talking about the incident, Sanjay Naik said, "The people who had come with the dead body didn't have any proper permission. They buried the dead body even before we objected, some ran away when we came, it was all fishy. There were many people around hence we didn't create any ruckus." When asked about the offence, he said, "I am not aware of the offence, I wonder what offence they have registered against me". 

Nirban, one of the members of the task force formed by the government has requested the Police Commissioner to take stringent action against such trouble makers and make a precedent for others who cause undue hardships to people working for the society. "Special attention must be given for their protection to overcome this task. These dedicated workers are risking their lives for the society and we must pray for their health and support them morally in this noble cause," Nirban said. 

Swapna Mhatre, local corporator said, "There was some issue with permission of burial but it was resolved later. There is a sense of fear among residents as the burial ground is in the residential zone. I would suggest authorities to choose grounds which are away from residential zones."

DCP (Zone 9) Abhishek Trimukhe confirmed the registration of offence, "The offence has been registered and the investigation is on," he said. 

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A  Utah highway police officer who spotted a car swerving down the freeway thought the driver needed medical attention. But when he asked the driver to pull over, he was in for a surprise to find a five-year-old boy behind the wheels.

The boy was found by the officer sitting at the edge of the seat to reach the brake and accelerator pedals so that he could drive. The officer learnt that the boy had taken the car keys without his parents’ knowledge following an argument with his mother because she refused to buy him Lamborghini. So in the fit of rage, the boy set out with his family car to California to buy a Lamborghini with just USD 3 in his pocket.

Trooper Rick Morgan was quoted by the CBS News as saying that the boy initially did not respond to the lights but pulled over after hearing the siren. "I approached the vehicle and I was expecting to find somebody who needed an ambulance or paramedics," he said.

The Utah Highway Patrol posted the incident on their Twitter page with a photo of the boy seated in the driver’s seat. The tweet reads, “His story is that he left home after an argument with Mom, in which she told him she would not buy him a Lamborghini. He decided he'd take the car and go to California to buy one himself. He might have been short on the purchase amount, as he only had $3 dollars in his wallet.”

His story is that he left home after an argument with Mom, in which she told him she would not buy him a Lamborghini. He decided he'd take the car and go to California to buy one himself. He might have been short on the purchase amount, as he only had $3 dollars in his wallet.

— Utah Highway Patrol (@UTHighwayPatrol) May 4, 2020

The post shared by the patrol department on micro-blogging site garnered more than 3,800 likes and was retweeted over 1,500 times. Users commenting on the post were amused by boy’s wish for a Lamborghini at such an age!

MOM, just buy the boy a Lambo!

— Ben Bushman (@DrBenB) May 4, 2020

How did he know to pull over???

— Jenn Nelson (@JennNel33) May 4, 2020

Right?? How did he know how to drive? Or how to get on the interstate? This is pretty impressive!

— Caysey Douglas (@CayDoug) May 5, 2020

I’m rooting for this little guy. You get that lambo!!

— Heathraawr! (@heathraawr) May 4, 2020

Officer. Have this kids parents contact me. He deserves a Lamborghini ride. pic.twitter.com/yqFDW0VEZi

— George Garib (@GaribGeorge) May 5, 2020

His poor parents! They must have had a nightmare worthy heart attack!

— Scripture Ponder (@TaylorL68881150) May 5, 2020

What do you think about the post?

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With monsoon around the corner, the Central Railway this week said its preparations to tackle the Mumbai rains were on full swing during this lockdown.

More than 15 excavators have been deployed along with more than 250 desilting labour for cleaning drain and culverts around the railway tracks. The desilting work is in full swing as never before in the past in Mumbai suburban because of the lockdown, which otherwise could never have been possible without implementing a block.

A senior official said three muck special trains are running on daily basis removing huge quantity of muck/ debris. Till now, in Mumbai suburban, around 70km drain cleaning and 42 culvert cleaning has been completed.

The first round of drain and culvert cleaning will be completed by May 15 and second round will be completed by June 15, said CR officials. As part of preparedness, loads of muck have been removed from the railway tracks, to ensure flooding does not take place on tracks during heavy rain days. The total muck disposed off so far via muck special and by road is 59,000 m3.

Coordination meetings are being conducted along with BMC authorities. Several new initiatives have been put in place by the Central Railway as part of the preparedness for monsoon this year. Culvert augmentation works is in progress at Kurla carshed and Wadala for the free flow of the stormwater to avoid flooding in flood prone areas.

In addition, an aerial survey over tracks is also conducted to ascertain the constraints for the free flow of the stormwater. Plan is to increase the number of pump to 110 heavy-duty diesel and electric pumps for fast drainage as compared to last year to ensure free flow of the stormwater so that the water is drained out quickly from the tracks and train operations are not disrupted.

During the monsoon period from June 1 to September 30, monsoon booklet for railway staff is also under preparation. The book will have the dates of the high tides to help the staff be on full alert mode on these particular days.

Rainfall will also be monitored in real-time through Automatic Rain Gauge System of civic authorities. So, all necessary precautions have already been taken and planned to avoid interruptions in the operations of the train during the monsoon season.

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Taking advantage of the Coronavirus pandemic, a number of persons are chopping trees at will in Aarey Milk Colony.

An environmentalist has written a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray red-flagging the goings-on inside the green cover in the city's suburbs.

He stated in a letter speaking for many green activists who have and continue to fight the long Save Aarey battle, that at least 30 trees are being cut inside the forest every day. Some people, taking advantage of the tough times, where resources like police and civic workers have to be deployed elsewhere while numbers climb in the Coronavirus fight, are wreaking wanton destruction inside Aarey.

There are attempts to illegally encroach this precious landmass, building hutments inside.

We need to see quick investigation and action in this matter. Especially as the clock is ticking and every single day means more denudation at Aarey.

One also has to remember that when activists and citizens were fighting pitched battles against the Metro Car Shed at Aarey, it was the Shiv Sena on a battering course against the BJP, shouting that they will save Aarey and that they will not allow trees to be cut.

In a high stakes political game, the Thackerays had posited themselves as the saviours of this green emerald of the suburbs, taking on the Devendra Fadnavis dispensation that was going ahead with the project.

We hope the state government gets into battle mode to save this zone. After all, to be a great green warrior for Aarey means to seek a very quick inquiry and then respond to any and all threats to the space you profess to save, not just for political points but because you believe in the cause and in the welfare of the city.

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A group of 30 civil society organisation have jointly written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, asking for a smooth procedure and free travel for the migrant workers.

Amid the misery and uncertainty brought upon jobless migrants by the third phase of the new Coronavirus-caused lockdown, they wrote, "Migrant workers... are not in a position to afford the travel cost. Moreover, the losses they have incurred due to the delay in their travel are on account of State action, and hence, they shouldn't have to bear the burden of those losses."

Bilal Khan of the Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan, one of the signatories to the letter, said: "Migrant workers are the worst-affected by the mismanagement and short-sighted policy decisions during the lockdown. The government is now forcing stranded labourers to pay for their travel back home. They're being heavily charged by private doctors for medical certificates and local vendors are selling application forms at unreasonably high rates. Our letter has demanded to waive off all travel charges along with other recommendations to ensure safe travel."

He added: "Many states have either refused to or are reluctant to take workers back as Mumbai is a Coronavirus hotspot," he said. "Police stations in Worli, Shivaji Nagar, and Mankhurd are simply not accepting applications."

Bilal said there are 12 lakh registered construction workers in the state but the number will be higher as most are unregistered. He added that migrant workers without ration card have not received food relief. "BMC is supplying khichdi on a small scale. NGOs too are providing food, but their efforts combined with that of the government are still inadequate," he said.

"Some are so traumatised that they have decided never to come back. This will also stress the state with so many unemployed workers. The government must take care of them for at least three months post-lockdown. A relief and rehabilitation plan must be made," Khan said.

'Medical certificates futile'

Apart from the ticket cost, the letter highlights the cost of medical certificates. "The medical certificates are a futile exercise as they have no validity due to reasons stated in the letter," Khan said. Some of the recommendations include reducing panic and ensuring systematic rescue/evacuation. "We have demanded zone-wise transportation of workers from within the city," Khan said.

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An offence was registered against a 19-year-old man for allegedly kidnapping and raping a girl from Mokhada village in Maharashtra's Palghar district, police said on Friday. The Palghar police on Thursday registered a case against the accused under sections 376 (rape), 363 (kidnapping) and other provisions of the Indian Penal Code, while no arrest has been made so far, public relations officer Hemant Katkar said.

The accused, who was reportedly in love with the 18- year-old victim, allegedly kidnapped her on April 18 and raped her in captivity for two days, he said.

The victim subsequently escaped and lodged a complaint on Wednesday, following which a case was registered, the official said, adding the further investigations were underway.

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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

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday refuted speculation about the Army being called in in Mumbai which has become a major coronavirus hotspot.

In a live webcast, he said additional manpower may be sought from the Union government if needed so that the state police force gets some respite.

CM Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray addressing the State https://t.co/ZZ65xsR3Oy

— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) May 8, 2020

Asking people not to believe rumours, the chief minister said the government might ask for additional manpowerfrom the Centre, if needed, to enable the police personnel to take rest in a phased manner. "This doesn't mean that Mumbai will be handed over to the Army. Police personnel are tired after working round-the- clock, some have fallen sick and a few of them have succumbed to the virus. They need rest," Thackeray said.

He also admitted that while the spread of the virus has been contained, the state has not succeeded in breaking the chain of infection yet. Whether the lockdown will be extended or not after May 17 will depend on how far people maintain discipline and follow rules, he said.

"We have to come out of the lockdown one day or the other. We can't be living permanently like this. But to come out of this sooner, you need to follow rules and maintain discipline of social distancing and use face mask," Thackeray said

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India didn't exactly deal with COVID-19 the way most of the world did. Sure, there were the right noises made at regular intervals, the inane PR-exercises that are now a given from a government that picks up tips from reality television rather than qualified professionals, and some genuine, good work in states like Kerala. For millions of us, unfortunately, this was another excuse to do what we do best: pick on those who cannot fight back.

Thousands of words were expended at every stage of the outbreak on blame games that had no reason to exist. We could have used that airtime and column space to ask those elected to govern us why they had done very little. Instead, many of us chose to vilify Indians for doing what we would all have done, had we been compelled to live under the circumstances they had no choice but to accept.

Millions of us had the luxury of staying home without worrying about where our next meals would come from. The lockdown didn't prevent us from hoarding vegetables and fruit, medicine, or even alcohol, because we could worry about mundane things like running out of vodka. Yes, there were many of us who had to deal with unemployment and the inability to pay rent, but I kept thinking of those without a safety net — the men, women, and children forced to walk hundreds of kilometres without food or water, whose lives made our crises pale in comparison.

When hundreds of migrant workers gathered at Bandra in a desperate attempt to get home, anchors on television railed against their insensitivity and complained about the government of Maharashtra. None stopped to evaluate why those workers were on the street in the first place, putting their lives and those of their families at risk simply because they were in a place none of them could call home. As someone born and raised in Bombay, I struggled to get a sense of what that must feel like, to be in another city when the rug is pulled from under one's feet. None of us has lived through a pandemic before, but I was forced to think about young people who come here right after college in an attempt to make a living, and how they must cope with the closure of an office even when there isn't a global catastrophe to contend with.

There were videos of residents walking dogs and shouting at watchmen, policemen assaulted for simply trying to implement a life-saving lockdown, and arguments made by talking heads about why India's poor should stay where they are for the country's benefit. The hypocrisy of it ought to have shamed us all, but probably didn't penetrate our thick third-world skin.

It's impossible to predict what our lives will look like a year from now, when this has hopefully been put behind us and a vaccine is within reach. What I hope it will change is how we look at the faceless millions who toil for a pittance to do what the rest of us refuse to. The people who cook for us, stand guard outside our buildings and offices, ferry files between departments, wash our vehicles, and sell us fruit and vegetables when our venture capitalist-funded mobile apps fail to do the job.

Those who have left will return, because we live in a country that has failed to provide for them, forcing them to leave parents and relatives behind again. I hope we start to look at them a little more and try and implement measures to change the way they are compensated for jobs that have proven to be a lot more important than we have traditionally acknowledged them to be.

I think of celebrities, cricketers, bankers, and lawyers who routinely walk away with the largest percentage of what we collectively work to create for our country. None of them managed to do anything of any significance to alleviate our situation. Everything we thought was important was revealed to be hollow within weeks, while all the people we look down upon were revealed to have been performing life-changing roles all along.

It is naïve to assume that nurses, teachers, healthcare and sanitation workers, cooks, and vegetable vendors will suddenly start earning more than we have been trained to pay them. I like to think this pandemic will change us in subtle ways though, forcing us to recognise our inadequacies, our pompous designations and titles that we use to accomplish almost nothing.

When he isn't ranting about all things Mumbai, Lindsay Pereira can be almost sweet. He tweets @lindsaypereira
Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com

The views expressed in this column are the individual's and don't represent those of the paper

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A day after former Navi Mumbai mayor Jayawant Sutar threatened to take the matter of increasing COVID-19 cases at Agricultural Produce Market Committee market in Vashi to the higher-ups, officials at a high-level meeting unanimously decided to shut it from May 11 to May 17.

All five markets — vegetable, fruit, grain, dry fruit and spice — will remain shut from Monday till the lockdown ends. The market will remain open this weekend. NMMC Commissioner Annasaheb Misal, Maharashtra principal secretary (marketing) Anoop Kumar, IAS officer Sanjeev Jaiswal, Konkan Divisional Commissioner Shivaji Daund, APMC police officers and APMC traders were at the meet on Friday afternoon.

Daund told mid-day, "We will carry out extensive spraying of disinfectants during the shutdown and the APMC staff, including traders and APMC police, will be screened and tested. We will hold regular meetings through video conferencing to understand the momentum of work." He added that they will review the matter on May 15 to decide on a phased reopening or extension.

APMC Secretary and Administrator Anil Chavan, who also attended the meeting, said they decided to close the markets to contain the spread of COVID. "We will keep the market open this Saturday and Sunday so that essential supplies could be stocked for 10 days in Mumbai and neighbouring areas."

mid-day had, on Friday, reported about the Sutar, whose term as the Navi Mumbai mayor ended recently, demanding that market to be shut.

"I was going to write a letter to the central health team, too, but I am now informed that at a high-level meeting a decision was taken to shut the market for a week. It is evident that not only traders, but even their staff, and APMC mathadi workers were at high risk as they visit the market daily. Also, we have learnt that some APMC staffers would have had to take voluntary retirement had the market remained open. The traders are already terrified," he said.

Sutar added, "Had the government wanted they could have made an amendment to the existing APMC Act, and allowed him to continue as the mayor. But, they allowed the administrator and APMC to take the decisions."

Vijay Bhuta, director, APMC Spices Market, said there were only eight cases at the masala market so far. "Majority of the positive cases were reported from other markets in APMC." "Residents living around the market were concerned about the increasing number of cases," he added.

A resident of Turbhe village said, "On Friday, two more positive cases were reported in the village and both men worked at the APMC market. We have requested Turbhe and Kopri villagers to not allow APMC staffers in their locality to venture out." Sutar said he has raised the concern about people travelling to and from red zones.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The state government on Friday directed schools across the state against introducing any fee hike this academic year in view of the crisis. It also asked schools to provide parents with options of instalments to pay the tuition fees and offer online payment services.

The Maharashtra state government's school education department on Friday issued the Government Resolution (GR) in this regard.

"For the academic year 2020-21, schools should not hike fees. If certain services at the school which are currently not offered and are, therefore, reducing the school's expenses, the management must try to reduce the fees. Considering parents' convenience, schools should offer different instalment options to pay the fees instead of asking for a complete annual fee at once. They must also offer online payment services for parents," states the GR which also mentions that this step was taken after receiving several complaints regarding schools forcing parents to pay complete fees at once.

Parents hail move

While the government had earlier suggested instalments for school fees, some schools had offered such options or even reduced fees in some cases. But the decision lacked uniformity and hence the GR was issued.

Anubha Sahai, president of Indiawide Parents' Association, said, "It is an excellent decision by the state government. It clearly states that no school shall force any parent to pay full fees during the lockdown."

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A case has been registered against office-bearers of Bandra Gymkhana in the city for violation of lockdown after a video purportedly showed members celebrating its completion of 85 years despite the lockdown restrictions.

A lawyer filed a complaint saying that a video on social media showed Gymkhana members singing and dancing during the celebration of completion of 85 years of the club, a police officer said.

A case under IPC sections 188 (defying public servant's order) and 269 (act which may spread infection) was registered against office-bearers and some members, he said, adding that probe was on.

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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Creativity....This is called desi jugaaad.

— mahesh chemte (@mchemteMT) May 7, 2020

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

— Suryaprakash (@suryapr65773817) May 9, 2020

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

— Vimileswari Naidu (@VimileswariN) May 7, 2020

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

— SURESH SUBRAMANIAN (@SURESHSpallipur) May 8, 2020

What do you think about this post?

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714 police officials have tested positive for COVID-19 in Maharashtra, including 648 active cases, as per information provided by the State Police. "So far, 61 officers have recovered after treatment; while five police officers succumbed to the lethal virus," it added. There have been 194 incidents of assault on police personnel during the lockdown period, and 689 accused have been arrested for that.

The total number of positive coronavirus cases across the country is 59,662, including 39,834 active cases of the virus.

Till now, 17,846 patients have either been cured or discharged while 1,981 deaths have been recorded in the country, as per data provided by the Ministry of Health.

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A man has been arrested killing a senior citizen for scolding him and his partner after finding them in compromising position. The accused, identified as Karan Singh Yadav (30), was nabbed by cops from the Shanti Nagar Police in Bhiwandi from a quarantine facility in Parbhani whereas his partner is absconding.

The deceased, Krushna Joshi (72) owned a room in a chawl at Temghar pada. He had rented the room to Yadav’s partner, identified as Lata alias Jyoti Rathod (35). Yadav would often visit Rathod in her home. In April, when Joshi had gone to collect rent, he found the Yadav and Rathod in compromising position. Joshi then scolded the couple and warned Rathod to stop bringing her friends to the room.

According to the police, Rathod and Yadav, enraged by Joshi’s comments, decided to kill him. “On the night of April 11, the couple found Joshi alone at his house and hit him with a stone," said an officer, adding that the duo fled the city the same night.

On  April 12, when Joshi’s son, who stays closeby, tried to contact him, he didn’t respond.  He then rushed to Shanti Nagar Police station and filed a missing person report against his father. The police launched a search for Joshi and found that Rathod also went missing the same night. Senior Inspector Mamta D'Souza formed a team under the leadership of Assistant Police Inspector Amol More and Shailesh Mhatre and started the investigation.

The officer said that they found Rathod’s address in which it was mentioned that she is a native of Parbhani. We didn't have any other details such as her mobile number or the CCTV footage of the spot of the incident, so we decided to go to Parbhani to find her" told API Shailesh Mhatre. "When our team went to Parbhani, we visited the place mentioned in address but there was no one stay there of this name," he added.

The cops then decided to check quarantine centres in the district made for people coming from other districts. "We found a name similar to that of Rathod’s partner, Yadav. We then immediately interrogated him and he confessed to committing the crime, but Rathod is still absconding,” said API Mhatre.

During interrogation, Karan told the police that, he dumped Joshi’s body in a well near the chawl. The police team came back to the city and recovered Joshi’s body, which was found to be completely decomposed. An offence has been registered against Yadav and Rathod under IPC section 302 (murder), 201 (disappearance of evidence) and 34 (common intention of committing the crime).

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Dear Diana,
I had an affair with this girl at my previous workplace. It lasted for about six months. I was married and so was she, so we knew we were playing with fire. We knew it would take us no where and only cause havoc in our respective families. She would often suffer from guilt pangs. Whenever she reminded me about my wife and kids, I would get angry at her. I felt she was the best woman I ever met. She gave me a sense of peace. She was patient and caring. She wanted nothing. I had never felt like this before even though I had my share of relationships. The affair is long over, but I can't get her out of my head. I long for her touch. What should I do? It has been so many years and we have not been in touch, but I cannot forget her. Often, I feel like meeting her, but then I feel I should not. I also wonder if she remembers me and still cares for me.
— Dharam

Dear Dharam,
You found someone special and this woman seems to have filled your life with happiness. She is still stuck in your memory because you have allowed yourself to be in that position. You two were indulging in an extra-marital affair, so sooner or later, you would have been caught causing an upheaval in your life. You have not been in touch with her, but you are still pining for her. The time you spent with her must have been memorable which you do not want to let go, but there is no point trying to get in touch with her again. She used to keep reminding you of the guilt pangs, so let her be. Why do you want to mess up your marital life? Let her remain happy wherever she is. Meanwhile, you should get going with your life as she has and keep all thoughts about her at bay.

Dear Diana,
I've been in a relationship with a girl in my neighbourhood for the past few years. We hang out together and we are considered to be a couple. We have been together since our school days. Recently, I met another girl who has moved to our housing complex. I feel attracted to her even though I do not know her. She is extremely pretty. I keep fantasising about her. I do not understand why I have developed feelings for this other girl who I do not know. Some of my neighbours have befriended her and say that she is a sweet, caring girl. I want to strike a friendship with her, but at the same time do not want to hurt my girlfriend. What is worse is that we stay in the same neighbourhood so — sooner or later — my girlfriend is going to find out.
— Neeraj

Illustration/Uday Mohite

Dear Neeraj,
You don't even know this new girl in the neighbourhood, but have fallen head over heels for her. As she is attractive, you might be infatuated by her. At the same time, you do not know if there is someone on her scene. You seem to be getting carried away by her looks. When you speak to her, you will have a different viewpoint of her. Your girlfriend will throw a fit when she finds out that you have developed feelings for someone else. Don't let this other woman ruin what you have with your girlfriend of so many years. Also, your mind is muddled. Sit down and think in what direction you are heading. First, get to know this new girl and then decide whether she is the girl of your dreams.

Dear Diana,
I was friendly with this guy almost a decade ago. We got along well — I could talk to him for hours. There was never any shortage of subjects and I always felt time just flew when I was with him. He was not the outgoing type, but in my presence he opened up. He told me that he was at peace whenever he was with me. We never spoke about the future or where we were heading to. We just talked and talked about everything and anything. From the most routine of stuff to national headlines to religious debates. It was as if we were destined to meet and to talk. I used to always feel I would meet this one guy who would be special. It was him. Our friendship, however, lasted barely a year. I wanted him to be my best buddy, perhaps my only buddy, but he wanted more. He wanted a physical relationship. That's when the problem arose. I had to tell him whether I 'liked' him or 'loved' him. In a fit of anger, he stopped talking to me. I let him be and after that we never spoke again. But I still pine for him after all these years.
— Neesha

Illustration/Uday Mohite

Dear Neesha,
You were genuine in your friendship with him, but this guy wanted more. He was only interested in a physical relation which you were not ready for — or perhaps needed more time to commit yourself to him. If he really cared for you and loved you, he would not have dumped you. It is clear that he did not respect your feelings. You had clearly told him what was on your mind, still he was hellbent on doing what he wanted to. You are better off without this guy — you need someone who respects you. As you got so involved with him, you are still pining for him. He did not give you a chance to seek closure as he just walked off. You are better off without this foolish guy. Over time, you will forget him, so stop thinking about him.

Kunal Kapoor in Indian terrain collection

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

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

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

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

Kunal Kapoor in Indian terrain collection

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

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

Pooja Sudhir's search for a signature scent ended after graduation. She moved from deodorants to body mists and was finally looking to mature into a perfume user, when she found a scent with musky notes that she instantly liked. "The counter manager rushed to me, saying, 'But, ma'am, this is for men.' I think that's where it all started," she says about her fascination for unisex perfumes. Sudhir, an educator with DSB International School, now oscillates between the male fragrances put out by Body Shop, M&S and Titan Skinn.

Pic/Getty Images

A scent is considered unisex when it uses traditionally masculine notes like leather, smoke and wood, but is meant to be worn by both men and women. Historically, women's fragrances have carried floral or fruity notes. "I have often wondered why female perfumes are gentle and mellow, and almost always with a floral base," Sudhir, 32, says.
The gender stereotyping of scents she is alluding to could in fact, be a product of marketing and not so much about preference.

Educator Pooja Sudhir wonders why female scents are distinguished by floral notes only

The head of communications for Forest Essentials', an indigenous beauty brand with foundations in Ayurveda, says it has little to do with nature telling us what we should or shouldn't wear. "Fragrances are best chosen depending on mood, occasion, seasonality, and your personality rather than gender." Their best-selling body mists are proof. They tend to include oud, Kerala lime or vetiver. "For us, choosing the oud and green tea combination was less about gender and more about picking ingredients that are inherently Indian. That these fragrances have male and female appeal is an added advantage."

Gaurav and Jahnvi

Jahnvi Lakhota Nandan heads The Perfume Library, a four-year-old boutique label that operates from New Delhi and Paris. She speaks of the 30 gender-fluid scents that both, men and women have been seen to pick up. "For instance, the Aphtoori perfume combines notes of jasmine and cigar, and it is our fastest selling among women," she says. Nandan's friendship with designer Gaurav Gupta has propelled a collaboration that's now sealed in a bottle. Gupta launched AGAIN, his debut unisex scent last week, one with zero floral tones. "It [decision to launch a unisex scent] was a no brainer. I am gender-fluid by personality, and I don't see the world in slots. Gender divides are more to do with social conditioning."

The just-launched fragrance, AGAIN

Manan Gandhi, the head of Bombay Perfumery, a-young-but-talked-about fragrance house from the city, would agree. Musk is not only for men, he asserts. Chai Musk, one of his best performing perfumes, blends sandalwood, ginger, lemongrass and musk. Of the eight fragrances he currently offers, two are unisex. "Women are not particularly concerned about female-specific infusions. They look for natural ingredients, intensity and retention. They prefer a scent that lasts," Gandhi explains. Internationally, the unisex beauty concept raged in the 1990s when Calvin Klein launched CK One and Comme des Garçons introduced its eponymous fragrance. It was the big, disruptive idea from 27-years ago.

1020 is one of two unisex scents by Bombay Perfumery

In 2017, fashion continues to champion the genderless idea, whether in clothes or fragrance, and the user is more keen to find an intimate perfume story to participate in than be slotted in grooves. Tom Ford, Chanel, Kiehl's, L'Occitane and the homebred Kama are all part of the gender-neutral narrative in India.

Ahsan Hami doesn't quite get the debate over male and female in the world of scents. "It may be a talking point internationally, but in India, we have always patronised unisex scents. All attars are unisex, and India is one of its earliest manufacturers," he says of a tradition that dates back to the Mughal times. His store, A Hami Bros, on the chaotic Mohammad Ali Road, was established in 1939.

The shelves don't hold "for men" and "for women" labelled bottles. Vetiver, an earthy scent, is usually associated with masculine fragrances, but Hami says his experience has proven that its deep notes and instant cooling effects make it a favourite with his women customers, along with smoky oud. He says, "We don't need international trends telling us unisex perfumes are cool. We've known it for 500 years."

Every girl dreams of her very own moment in the spotlight, where all eyes stay on her. With the party season around the corner the pressure to look nothing but the best, is real but this season worry no more. Lakmé beauty expert Donald Simrock and TIGI Educator Audrey D'Souza share some of the simplest yet best kept party beauty secrets that will make sure, this December you are the life of the party.

1. Let your eyes do the talking:

Preparation: Start by moisturizing and nourishing your skin

Eye: Dab a subtle shade of eyeshadow from the Illuminate Royal Persia palette, and then use the Kohl to smudge the corner of the eye to give a smokey effect.

Pout that lip: Use a nice nude matte on the lip

Hair: Cleanse your hair with a volumizing shampoo and conditioner for that extra dose of moisture and protein to the hair. Add a dollop of smoothening serum for that silky-smooth finish on semi dry hair. Using a curler, take even horizontal sections of hair and wrap these sections around the tong. Once the hair is hot, remove the curler and leave it for a bit to cool. Continue this process over until you have completed the entire head then the curls lightly to get those perfect soft curls. Finish off by adding a hairspray to keep them in place.

2. The girl next door look:

Preparation: Moisturize your skin.

Eye: A winged eye is always in style.

Get Cheeky: A hint of colour from a blush never goes wrong.

Pout that lip: Use the same lip and cheek tint for this as well.

Hair: Shampoo and condition your hair with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, and towel dry. Use a brush to smooth strands. Gather your hair right below the crown of your head, smoothing the front and sides as you brush your hair back. Apply smoothening serum to reduce frizz and add texture. Still holding your hair with your right hand, apply a quarter-size amount of hair gel onto your fingertips, and then spread it all over your hair, starting a half of an inch back from your hairline to give it that wanted sheen. Spritz on some hairspray, which will provide an extra hold. Secure your ponytail with a bungee. After your ponytail is secure, take a section of hair from underneath it and wrap it around the bungee with bobby pins, for a chic, pulled-together look.

5. Play it simple:

Preparation: Give your skin an effortless glow by finding yourself the perfect shade.

Eye: Try the shimmer bronze from the shine line collection and get the metallic effect on the lids, don't forget the flutter secrets mascara to up the glam quotient.

Pout that lip: Try a gorgeous bold shade.

Hair: Spray some volumizing hair mousse on damp hair from root to end. This will help pump up the volume. Blast dry using a wide paddle brush. Curl your hair with a curling iron, working one-inch section. Make sure you leave about one or two inches of the ends untouched for a more natural feel. Tie your hair into buns and let them stay so for about 30 mins. Open them up and spot spray with hair spray to keep those waves in place

We know it's the ladies who are all about 'what to wear for that New Year's eve party?', but the gentlemen need to clean up too, right? If you are wondering whether to go all-out formal or casual chic, let's help you out. Here are looks - made up of smart basics and separates, as well as standout pieces - that will set you up for that once-in-a-year party.

Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

A Timeless Combination
Akshay Tejwani in HP Su Misura
Riaan says: Men love blues, no matter what anyone may say. Blue is the new black, the fashion experts will tell you. And for that very reason, we picked a classic navy suit and white shirt. You can't go wrong with these colours and a well-tailored suit will see you through a New Year's eve party quite effortlessly as it is simple yet sharp. Note, however, that the cut has to be impeccable. For this particular look, dress it down a bit and not use a tie, to keep it a bit easier. That said, I did add a pocket square to add a dash of colour and break the monotony of the suit jacket. Elegance with restraint is a good idea.

Pic/Bipin Kokate

The Edgy Look
Chirag Sachanandani in Celio
Riaan says: Possibly, one of the most indispensable pieces of the season, the bomber has been lauded as a layering essential in every man's wardrobe. People living in warmer places need not worry because these days, there are lighter variations available, even in cotton and linen. Pair the bomber over distressed jeans to give it a nice rugged flavour. Under the bomber, add a bit of a geeky detail, like a Star Wars tee. In keeping with current trends, pair the look with chic white sneakers, as opposed to boots or suede lace-ups, which are a more traditional option.

Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

Full-Out Formal
Mohit Sirothiya in Monsieur M
Riaan says: For our three-piece suit, we chose a grey and not a blue, which is common. This suit features an elegant notch lapel, with black satin piping detailing, to highlight the sharpness of the notch point. The notch point complements the jawline and neck alignment. The waistcoat has a wide neck to provide a stronger chest structure. The fitted trousers with a narrow break helps tie in the look perfectly.

Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

The Quintessential Dandy
Akshay Tejwani in HP Su Misura
Riaan says: This look is perfect for a modern guy who does not hesitate to experiment with colour, texture and patterns. It is what the Italians like to call spezzato, which literally translates to using different statement separates in one look. Mix and match starting with a blazer featuring grey checks. To complement the checked blazer, paired with a tailored black shirt and paired it with slim-fit navy chinos. Keep the other elements of the look simple in order to let the blazer stand out. While the colour palette remains simple, it certainly makes a bold statement.

Pic/Bipin Kokate

Casual Chic
Chirag Sachanandani in Celio
Riaan says: This look is perfect for a holiday party with friends. Nothing says casual elegance quite like the classic shirt and pullover combination. The idea is to let the collar peek out of the cardigan to break the monotony of colour. Pair a classic white Oxford shirt with a bright red cardigan. And since beige chinos are always stylish, add them to the look. The white and red, toned down by the beige chinos make it so effortless. Finally, to keep it cool and upbeat, opt for white sneakers over leather shoes or lace-ups. Roll up the cuff of your chinos to show off some ankle.

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Representational Picture

As the seasons continue to transition and people start to switch closets, women are turning to jewellery choices that are way more distinct and personal. Pearls, statement jewellery are some of the trends that will rule this year.

Jewellery designer Pallavi Foley and Sanjay Jagwani, Director, Notandas Jewellers, have listed some jewellery trends to watch out for in 2018:

* Pearls are something that never go out of style. This season opt for Baroque pearls rather than round pearls for their uniqueness in hues and shapes.

* This year, people will see a lot more of flora and fauna which will be an aesthetic combination of glamour, beauty, nature and romanticism.

* The brooch is officially back on the runways and red carpets, and the millennials love pinning bejewelled brooches to their denim jackets.

* Statement jewellery has always worked wonders. A trendy pair of oversized earrings can turn your otherwise boring outfit into an ultra-chic look.

* With the celebrity staple, the chain drop earrings was a hit at the runway and the red carpet. It is a look that flatters universally. They can be teamed up with both western and ethnic looks.

* The all-time favourite are stud earrings. Usually preferred by women who like minimalist jewellery. There are a variety of variations in sizes and precious stones like ruby and sapphire which can be worn for different occasions.

Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by mid-day online. This story is taken from a syndicated feed & is published on AS IS basis.

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Winter gives limited options to style up fashionably, especially for men, but layering it differently and accessorising it properly can do the trick. James Doidge, Head of Design, Menswear at Marks & Spencer, and Sandeep Gonsalves, co-founder of SS Homme, share some interesting winter must-haves for an effortless style.

Representational picture

1. For winter, layering is key for men's dressing. Wearing a lightweight knit such as a merino crew neck jumper under a sports-inspired bomber jacket is a great way to dress for the colder weather.

2. For something slightly warmer you can't go wrong with a cashmere jumper. The super soft knit is perfect for feeling comfy in the cold.

3. For a more casual look swap a merino jumper for a sports-inspired sweatshirt. Layer over a classic white tee and pair with jeans and trainers for a laidback weekend look.

4. For truly cold days, wearing a thermal vest or pant is essential. They are everyday basics that you can wear under most looks throughout winter to keep warm with minimum effort.

5. Lastly, accessorising with a chic scarf, simple beanie or classic leather gloves is an easy way to finish winter outfits.

6. Slim fit silhouettes that are extravagant and upbeat create a dynamic structure and are trending this winter with an emphasis on fabric and texture.

7. A quality winter coat in a neutral colour is a versatile piece of clothing that is always a good choice and available in different styles and patterns allowing one to choose from a long line trench coat or a chunky coat that goes up till the waist. Worsted wool, tweed, leather and corduroy fabrics work best for this season.

8. Another winter wardrobe essential would be the simple and practical raincoat that makes for a great layer in case of unexpected downpours.

9. Longer, more streamlined coats like overcoats and trench coats add a hint of sophistication and elegance that works best for office and everyday looks. One can go for neutral and subdued shades, keeping them easy to blend in and complement with a range of formal and smart casual outfits. For a formal look, one can layer a trench coat over a full suit or stay more relaxed with a pair of slim fit jeans and a turtleneck jumper.

10. For a glam party look, one can opt for velvet dinner jackets in hues of black and emerald to add a hint of opulence for a festive vibe.

11. Warm accessories like hats, gloves and scarves are a necessity to complete your look and keep you warm at the same time. One can accessorise their outfit with a pair of gold cuff-links, collar bar, tie bar or lapel pins.

12. Gold is much warmer than silver in general and creates a more winter look. A pair of sturdy and warm boots are a winter classic that help to keep the feet dry. A good lace-up pair or more formal monk strap footwear works well too.

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Representational Picture

Don't know what to buy your best friend for her birthday? Indulge in different kind of jewellery pieces like three finger rings or a delicate pendant, suggest experts.

Aakash Barmecha, Creative Director at Yoube Jewellery and Radhika Jain, designer at MiRA, have listed a few options:

* Diamond jewellery clubbed with rubies, south sea pearls, and sapphires will always be a safe bet. You could opt for three finger rings, ear cuffs, necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

* Feminine flower, heart and butterfly motifs in the form of jewellery is an option for the feminine touch.

* You can customise jewellery as per the design and requirements you think would best define your friend. Gift a personalised chain or mini bracelet with the initial of the name perhaps.

* A single thin silver chain with a small hoop of triangle, or bars, or two layer chains long short will go with any outfits.

* You could always opt for chokers which are available in different materials.

* Pearls are said to be woman's best friend. You can invest in a string of pearls, elegant drops or a bracelet.

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If you are someone who is struggling to get your plus size clothing right and be fashionable than try wearing statement jewellery and opt for empire line dresses, suggest experts.

Ritika Taneja, Senior Director-Categories at ShopClues lists some tips to style up your plus size clothing.

1. Wear statement jewellery: Highlight your strengths and hide your flaws, by taking the attention away. Wear statement jewellery like a choker neckpiece with your outfits. It will make you look effortlessly stylish.

2. Make black your best friend: Fall in love with darker shades and ditch the pastel shades, as best is the black shade. Black-hued clothes will add a glam, style and of course make you slimmer.

3. Wear shapewear: Invest in a good quality tummy tucker. It will flatten your body and elegantly accentuate the curves.

4. Empire Line dress will look flattering: Be it western or ethnic wear, choose tops, kurta designed in an empire line way. It will put your flaws out of sight and highlight your strengths.

Natascha Tate, in-house stylist at LimeRoad too has some inputs to share.

5. Brace yourself for the sheer and summery bodysuits: Pick plunging neck numbers to make sure you give your figure the accentuation it deserves. Pair them up with a rugged blue denim and classic white sneakers to take on the streets in style.

6. Look out for metallic shift dresses: Look out for dresses that are all set to spruce up your sundown scenes this season. They're high on shine and high on style, plus, the shift silhouette falls perfectly along your vivacious waistline. Make sure you have a stock of those good ol' party pumps to go with these.

Tanvi Malik, Co-founder of FabAlley doles out tips to look glamorous in plus size clothing

7. Asymmetrical stripes: Stripes have received a bad name in the past, but these days brands and designers have figured out how to use stripes' optical illusion power for good. Asymmetrical stripes make curvy women look more svelte and taller. Just look for stripes that angle inward towards your waistline, for a flattering silhouette.

8. Monochrome dressing: A monochromatic outfit can create wonders with a linear, long, continued line which is universally flattering. Just ensure that you pick a color that complements your skin-tone and add a colorful accessory to your outfit to keep the look from being boring.

Tokyo organizers said Tuesday they have no "B Plan" in the event the Olympics need to be postponed again because of the coronavirus pandemic. Masa Takaya, the spokesman for the Tokyo Olympics, said organizers are proceeding under the assumption the Olympics will open on July 23, 2021. The Paralympics follow on Aug. 24. Those dates were set last month by the International Olympic Committee and Japanese officials after the coronavirus pandemic made it clear the Olympics could not be held as scheduled this summer.

"We are working toward the new goal," Takaya said, speaking in English on a teleconference call with journalists. "We don't have a B Plan." The severity of the pandemic and the death toll has raised questions if it will even be feasible to hold the Olympics in just over 15 months. Several Japanese journalists raised the question on the call.

"All I can tell you today is that the new games' dates for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games have been just set up," Takaya said. "In that respect, Tokyo 2020 and all concerned parties now are doing their very best effort to deliver the games next year." IOC President Thomas Bach was asked about the possibility of a postponement in an interview published in the German newspaper Die Welt on Sunday.

He did not answer the question directly, but said later that Japanese organizers and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe indicated they "could not manage a postponement beyond next summer at the lastest." The Olympics draw 11,000 athletes and 4,400 Paralympic athletes and large support staffs from 206 national Olympic committees. There are also questions about frozen travel, rebooking hotels, cramming fans into stadiums and arenas, securing venues, and the massive costs of rescheduling, which is estimated in Japan at $2 billion-$6 billion.

Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto addressed the issue in a news conference on Friday. He is likely to be asked about it again on Thursday when local organizers and the IOC hold a teleconferene with media in Japan. The other major question is the cost of the delay; how much will it be, and who pays? Bach said in the Sunday interview that the IOC would incur "several hundred million dollars" in added costs. Under the so-called Host City Agreement, Japan is liable for the vast majority of the expenses.
"This is impossible to say for now," Takaya, the spokesman said.

"It is not very easy to estimate the exact amount of the games' additional costs, which have been impacted by the postponement." Tokyo says it's spending $12.6 billion to organize the Olympics. But a Japanese government audit published last year says the costs are twice that much. Of the total spending, $5.6 billion in private money. The rest is from Japanese governments.

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Teenage sensation Manu Bhaker believes India shooters were at the peak of their performances before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted their Olympic plans and created a global health crisis. The 18-year old pistol shooter, who was one of India's medal hopefuls in Tokyo Olympics, was disappointed at the Summer Games being postponed but said well-being of people comes first before anything.

"I was expecting some tournaments to be affected but suddenly everything has been impacted by the pandemic, everything is getting cancelled. I feel both positive and disappointed at the same time. We were at the peak of our performance recently and would have been nice to compete at the Olympics right now," Bhaker told India Today.

"But then, health is more important than anything. But when we practice with the team, there is always that competitive spirit, because we can see people doing better than us. So that's lacking," she said.

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

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

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

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

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The Belgian Formula One Grand Prix scheduled for August 30 is in doubt after the country's ban on public gatherings was extended until the end of that month, organisers said. "All scenarios are being studied: postponement, holding it behind closed doors, or cancelling it. No-one can say what the situation will be in four and a half months," Vanessa Maes, the grand prix's director general, told Belga news agency.

Holding the event behind closed doors is unlikely with local backers unhappy with the financial fallout, according to the newspaper La Derniere Heure. The race is expected to join nine other grands prix that have already been cancelled or postponed this season as Formula One grapples with the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Our absolute priority remains the health of the Belgian people and the spectators who come to Spa-Francorchamps," the race venue, said Maes.
The French Grand Prix scheduled for June 28 is also in doubt. A decision on whether to go ahead with the race behind closed doors or to postpone or scrap the event is expected in the coming days.

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Legendary shooter Abhinav Bindra believes once the coronavirus pandemic subsides, it could be a blessing in disguise for Indian sports due to absence of much foreign exposure. "The post-COVID-19 world could be a blessing in disguise for India. There may not be so much foreign exposure and this may allow India to build proper sporting infrastructure. We need to build our own coaches and our own support staff," Bindra said on Monday. The entire sporting calendar has come to a grinding halt across the world due to the coronavirus pandemic. Major sporting events, including Tokyo Olympics and Wimbledon, have either been postponed or cancelled.

Bindra, India's only individual Olympic gold medallist, alongwith Nandan Kamath, lawyer and managing trustee GoSports Foundation, on Monday addressed the newly-appointed assistant directors and other senior officials of Sports Authority of India (SAI) during a special session. Bindra said that as sports administrators they need to work towards creating an alternate skill development programme for athletes to ensure their well-being in the long run.

"We need to look after athletes because the very nature of sport is that more will fail than succeed. It is important that athletes have backup plans in case their sports career doesn't work out," he pointed out. Bindra further said that sports administrators need to understand the psychology of an athlete to be able to build them up because athletes pass through different phases because of the nature of sport and the probability of failure.

"An expert can give a larger overview of the various elements that go into sporting performance and that's where you will understand where performance is built and what are the various elements that go into performance and then you will start to have a better and deeper understanding of where performance is built. Results at a competition cannot be the only denominator when planning for an Olympic Games or an Asian Games," he added.

Bindra spoke at length on his experience as an athlete and also on the future of sports in India. "The one per cent (of athletes) makes all the difference in sport, and as our sports ecosystem starts maturing, we need to start focussing on that one percent for all athletes," he said.

Stressing on the need to build a strong talent identification and nurturing programme, he added, "Getting foundations right is important, a lot of work on that has already been started with the Khelo India programme and also emphasis placed on junior programme of different sports.

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Formula One organizers are open to renegotiating hosting fees for races that may take place without fans this season because of the coronavirus pandemic, the general manager of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya said. Joan Fontseré told The Associated Press that Liberty Media is ¿conscious that if races need to go on without fans the contracts with event promoters will have to be somehow renegotiated.

"They are conscious that this is an exceptional situation," Fontseré said Tuesday. "We are obviously on the same page. If they want to keep some races on because of the TV rights, because of the teams ... they know that our income (will be reduced), they realize that this year it will be like that, so for sure we are on the same page" said Spanish Grand Prix organizers at this moment are not even considering a race with fans in Barcelona.

He said it's not only ticket sales that would be affected if the event goes on with empty stands and no hospitality suites. "When the Catalan government invests in F1, it's not only for the tickets that we sell, it's also for the financial impact that the event has in the country, in Catalonia," Fontseré said.

The economic impact for the country will be very reduced. It means no income for taxis, for hotels ... so that changes completely the agreement between the two parties." Liberty Media did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Spanish GP brings in more than 160,000 million euros ($173 million) to the region, with the total of its financial impact during the year nearing 300 million euros ($325 million), according to data from the track. The attendance for last year's race-weekend surpassed 160,000 people.

Fontseré said he received a couple of phone calls from F1 CEO Chase Carey to discuss possible solutions for the Spanish GP. He said Carey said the series is trying to run as many races as possible, but it was still too early to know when the season would actually resume, whether it would be in the summer or only in the fall. Nine of the 22 races have already been postponed or canceled, and F1 recently put half of its staff on furlough until the end of May. Some teams also took similar actions to reduce costs.

F1 organizers have said they hope to hold between 15 and 18 races this year. The Australian GP and the Monaco GP have already been canceled. Fontseré said the Spanish GP is "completely at the disposal" or organizers and is open to all proposals, be it doubleheaders, shortened weekends or almost anything else other than running on a reverse layout, as that would require too many complex changes to the track and could pose safety concerns.

Among the ideas reportedly being discussed in F1 is to have two or three consecutive races at the same circuit and to use fewer days of on-track activities. There were also talks about changing the format of qualifying and even races. "We need to reduce two things: costs and risks," Fontseré said. "So the fewer people we move, the smaller the risk, and the fewer days we use and the fewer activities we do, the lower the costs. It's an exceptional season and exceptional decisions need to be taken."

He said it is key to have as many races as possible this year in order to have a strong 2021 season, but he would understand if the Spanish GP was eventually left off the calendar. He was optimistic with its chances, though, considering its tradition, infrastructure and location. Fontseré said he can get the Barcelona-Catalunya track ready for a race in "two to three weeks" and expects the Spanish GP to be among the first to resume.

"As soon as we can restart the season, I'm sure that it will be with European races," he said, "and we will be around there."

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US pop singer Jennifer Lopez, 50, and her baseball star partner Alex Rodriguez, 44, have begun planning for their wedding scheduled to take place soon after the Coronavirus-caused lockdown ends. Jennifer and Alex, who got engaged in March last year, had planned to tie the knot in mid-2020, but were forced to postpone it due to the pandemic. Now, Alex has revealed that they are in talks with their representatives to plan for the special day.

"We had a meeting on Zoom with our core [group of people], kind of just going over what the next 12 months look like and we have three or four different variations of how that can look," Alex said on US TV show Entertainment Tonight. According to the retired baseball star, the online meeting saw them discuss their wedding plans besides work projects and international tours scheduled for next year.

"It's such a fluid world. Usually when you underwrite a year, scheduling or financially, you never think it's going to just stop like this. So we're having to think on our feet and proactively," added Alex, who is in self-isolation at home with JLo and their kids, Natasha, 15, Ella 12 and twins Emme and Max, 12.

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Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and NFL quarterback legends Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are planning a charity golf match for May, the US media reported. The event would be held without spectators in Florida, airing live on TV with the proceeds going to help battle the COVID-19 pandemic, American broadcaster ESPN reported on Wednesday. Turner Sports said one possible date is Memorial Day weekend May 23-25.

Manning, now retired, told a Denver radio station on Wednesday that there had been talks about such an event anyway. "And now, to have a chance to have a major fundraising event for COVID-19 relief, almost like a telethon if you will... if that can take place, I'm all in for that." The Action Network reported that it is likely Woods and Manning will compete against Mickelson and Brady.

Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis recently expressed support for the event featuring golf superstars and football icons. "I'd like to see Woods and Mickelson do the golf, or whatever, because that's social distance," DeSantis said last week. "You wouldn't have a gallery there. You wouldn't have crowds. But to put that on TV, I think people have been starved for content."

The PGA Tour said it hasn't officially endorsed the event but is evaluating health and safety concerns. One location said to be considered is Medalist Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Florida, located just north of Woods' home in Jupiter. The PGA Tour has suspended play since the first round of The Players Championship on March 12. The Tour's revised schedule released last Thursday would begin with a tournament June 11-14 in Fort Worth, Texas.

In addition to the Fort Worth event, the other June tournaments currently slated to be held without fans are the RBC Heritage and the Travelers Championship.

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WWE former Diva and superstar Nikki Bella is quite an active sports star on Instagram. Nikki Bella is currently engaged to her Dancing With The Stars partner Artem Chigvintsev, who is a Russian professional dancer during season 25.

Nikki Bella went on to share a picture of her cosied up in bed watching some television along with Artem after she put on her make-up. Nikki also went on to say that she was trying her hardest to seduce Artem into giving her a foot massage. Take a look at the fun post below on Instagram.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Did my makeup in time to take a nap and watch some TV with my A. Trying my hardest to seduce my way into getting a foot massage lol 🤰🏽💋

A post shared by Nikki Bella (@thenikkibella) onApr 26, 2020 at 2:03pm PDT

Nikki Bella began dating Artem following her break-up from WWE superstar John Cena. John Cena and Nikki Bella got engaged in April 2017 but called off their wedding a year later in April, just a month prior to tying the knot.

Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev began dating in January 2019 and a year later, the couple announced they were engaged. On 29 January, Nikki Bella announced that she and her twin sister Brie Bella were expecting a child, respectively.

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Formula One boss Chase Carey on Monday targeted the Coronavirus-hit season eventually starting in Austria on July 5 after the French Grand Prix was cancelled and fans barred from the British race at Silverstone.

The French Grand Prix, which was to have been held on June 28, was the tenth race of the season to be scrapped or postponed. "We're targeting a start to racing in Europe through July, August and beginning of September, with the first race taking place in Austria on 3-5 July weekend," Carey said in a statement.

"September, October and November, would see us race in Eurasia, Asia and the Americas, finishing the season in the Gulf in December with Bahrain before the traditional finale in Abu Dhabi, having completed between 15-18 races."

Chase Carey

French GP called off
Carey's statement followed quickfire announcements from the French organisers and a statement from the owners of the Silverstone track where the British Grand Prix is due to take place on July 19.

"Given the evolution of the situation linked to the spread of the Covid-19 virus, the French Grand Prix takes note of the decisions announced by the French state, making it impossible to maintain our event," the race's managing director Eric Boullier said.

It joins nine other races in the decimated 2020 championship to be either cancelled (Australia, Monaco) or postponed (Bahrain, China, Vietnam, Netherlands, Spain, Azerbaijan, Canada).

Organisers of the race at Le Castellet were forced to act after President Emmanuel Macron's announcement last week that the lockdown in France will be extended until May 11 and public gatherings banned until mid-July. Ruling out holding the race behind closed doors, Boullier said: "Le Castellet are already turning towards the summer of 2021".

What about the fans?
F1 supremo Carey said he expected "the early races to be without fans" but hoped that spectators would be allowed back "as we move further into the schedule". He added: "We still have to work out many issues like the procedures for the teams and our other partners to enter and operate in each country. The health and safety of all involved will continue to be priority one and we will only go forward if we are confident we have reliable procedures to address both risks and possible issues."

Revised F1 calendar

July 5: Austria
July 19: Great Britain
August 2: Hungary
August 30: Belgium
September 6: Italy
September 20 Singapore
September 27: Russia
October 11: Japan
October 25: United States
November 1: Mexico
November 15: Brazil
November 29: Abu Dhabi

Races postponed: Bahrain (March 22), Vietnam (April 5), China (April 19), Netherlands (May 3), Spain (May 10), Monaco (May 24), Azerbaijan (June 7), Canada (June 14)

Races cancelled: Australia (March 15), France (June 28)

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Silverstone owners said on Monday that no spectators would be able to attend the British Grand Prix due to the coronavirus pandemic but the race is still scheduled to go ahead.

The French Grand Prix scheduled for June 28 was cancelled on Monday but while organisers have not yet made a final decision on postponing or cancelling the July 19 British race, Silverstone managing director Stuart Pringle paved the way for a behind-closed-doors race.

"I am extremely disappointed to tell you that we are unable to stage this year's British Grand Prix in front of the fans at Silverstone," Pringle in his statement on Silverstone's Twitter account. "We have left this difficult decision for as long as possible, but it is abundantly clear given the current conditions... that a grand prix under normal conditions is just not going to be possible."

Britain has been one of the countries worst affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, with the number of deaths topping 20,000. The actual toll could be much higher when deaths in the community are taken into account, particularly at care homes. The French Grand Prix is the 10th leg of the 2020 championship to be either scrapped (Australia, Monaco, France) or postponed (Bahrain, China, Vietnam, Netherlands, Spain, Azerbaijan, Canada).

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The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) asserted that the International Boxing Association (AIBA) acted in haste after the hosting rights of the 2021 men's world championship were taken away from the country for non-payment of host city fee. In a statement, AIBA handed over the championship, originally allotted to India in 2017, to Serbian capital Belgrade. The BFI acknowledged the delay in payment but blamed it on procedural complications arising out of the AIBA's failure to resolve issues with regards to the account in which the money was to be transferred.

Delay in payment

The payment of what is estimated to be USD 4 million was due to be made on December 2 last year. "After New Delhi didn't fulfill its obligations to pay host fee as mentioned in the Host City Agreement terms, AIBA has terminated the contract. Therefore, India would have to pay a cancellation penalty of USD 500," the AIBA said in a statement. The elite competition would have happened for the first time in the country.

The BFI, headed by Spicejet Airlines owner Ajay Singh, said the AIBA could not clearly tell where to transfer the money. "We have reason to believe that the decision to change the venue of WCH-2021 was taken in haste without due consultation with BFI...the penalty that is imposed is shocking and surprising. Both parties are working for an amicable solution. BFI is confident that the penalty will be waived off and we will host World Championships in future," the BFI statement read.

AIBA's account frozen

AIBA has been suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for administrative and financial mismanagement. "The AIBA account in Lausanne was frozen. The account of AIBA in Switzerland as mentioned in Host City Agreement is still inoperative. AIBA intended to have some previous payments through an account in Serbia. "As Serbia is in the Grey List of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) countries, Indian Banks do not normally send money to Serbia. AIBA could not resolve these issues," said the BFI.

"The account of AIBA in Switzerland, as mentioned in Host City Agreement, is still inoperative," it added.

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The Indian women's hockey team has raised funds to the tune of Rs 20 lakh to help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Indian team raised the money through an 18-day fitness challenge, which concluded on May 3 and resulted in raising Rs 20, 01,130. The funds have been donated to Delhi-based NGO Uday Foundation. The funds will be used to provide basic necessities for patients at various locations, migrant workers and slum dwellers.

"The response we have received was really overwhelming. People, especially Indian hockey lovers from across the globe took part in the challenge and contributed to the cause. "On behalf of the Indian Women Team, I would like to thank everyone who took part in this initiative to help the poor," India skipper Rani Rampal said.

The challenge involved the team members who came up with different fitness tasks that ranged from burpees, lunges, squats to spider-man pushups, pogo hops and more. Each day a player gave a new challenge and tagged 10 people on their social media handles to take up the challenge and donate Rs 100 to the fundraiser.

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