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

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

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

— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) May 7, 2020

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

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

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Currently, the entire Nation affected by the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus. In these hard times, many families are finally financially affected and have no means to earn for the livelihood. Some can't buy a meal for their family, while others are struggling to buy sanitary products like gloves, masks, antiseptics, etc.

Akash Pillay, a 23 years old Pune based entrepreneur came forward to help these needy families by donating 10000 masks for two consecutive days. During this hard time, various shopkeepers are selling masks and other necessary products at an exorbitant price, and this was the major reason why Akash Pillay thought of doing this noble deed.

Talking about the same Akash Pillay says, "We have seen some people taking COVID-19 as a business opportunity, safety masks which cost 7 to 10 rupees are now costing 35 to 40 rupees per mask for no reason. People who work on daily wages cannot afford them during this lockdown period. They are forced to think about whether they should buy the safety stuff or a meal for the day. Which is why I decided to donate masks along with my friends and help them in whatever way I can."

The young lad is a BSC Graduate in Zoology and started working at an MNC right after he completed his graduation. He continued to work as an employee for about 2 years until he decided to start his own business.

Akash has a huge fondness towards anchoring and hosting which made him quit his job and start his agency named Storror Nightlife in Pune.

Right after establishing his own agency, Akash started receiving offers from brands for shoots and endorsements and within no time, Akash was one of the most successful event managers in Pune city. He is quite popular on social media a testimony of which is seen on his Instagram handle.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Late on Thursday evening, nearly 350 Keralites from Abu Dhabi and Dubai arrived at Kochi and Calicut International Airport, in the first batch of repatriated stranded Indians in UAE.

Three special Air India Express flights left for Abu Dhabi and Dubai to bring them back. "As per the state health department directives, all passengers will be screened and have to undergo compulsory quarantine / isolation for 14 days, a regular check up and a swab test. If someone has COVID-19 and shows symptoms within the first seven days, they will be shifted to the district (Ernakulam) Medical College for treatment. Those who show negative results will be allowed to go home, but must complete remaining seven days of quarantine at home and health officials will contact them regularly to check on symptoms," explained a senior health officer from State Health Ministry.

Hari Krishna Namboothiri, CEO, Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs, (NORKA) informed mid-day, "We are anticipating around 3,000 Indians to return to Kerala. Early Friday morning we are expecting another Air India Express flight to get around similar number of (177) passengers excluding crew to arrive from Riyadh to Calicut."

When asked about the three warships which have headed to the Maldives and Dubai, Hari Krishna said, "The Naval warship will leave from the Maldives by Friday and we are expecting them to reach Kochi within two days. We haven't got the entire list of passengers coming by ship, so far we have 500 peoples' names, and the number might go further up, which will be clear by Friday. Passengers repatriated through both the air and water ways mode of transport, will be quarantined and so far we have got around 4.50 lakh requests registered on our portal.

Dr Prasanna Kumari, Superintendent Aluva Government Hospital said, "We are a 227-bedded hospital but not a COVID-19 designated hospital. We have made arrangements for suspected cases, for which nine single bed isolation rooms are ready, also in case any of the suspects require hospital support, we will shift them to Ernakulam Medical College, which is a COVID-19 designated hospital in the district."

" We can easily arrange for 350 beds, and have 30 to 40 isolation rooms for suspected cases, and a similar number of beds in the ICU, with nearly 30 ventilator support facilities. Only those passengers who show COVID-19 symptoms will be transferred to our medical college for further line of treatment," said Dr Peter Vazhyail, medical superintendent at Ernakulam Medical College.

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With a surge of 3,390 new cases and 103 new fatalities, the total tally of novel Coronavirus cases in India stood at 56,342 on Friday, the Union Health Ministry said. Of the total cases, 37,916 are active while 1,886 people have lost their lives. A total of 16,593 though have recovered as India undergoes the third-phase of the nation-wide lockdown. The total tally also includes 111 foreign nationals and one migrated patient, said the Health Ministry.

Maharashtra continues at the top of the tally with 17,974 cases and 694 fatalities, while 3,301 people were cured in the state. It is followed by Gujarat with 7,012 cases and 425 deaths and 1,709 recovered. There are at least 5,980 cases in the national capital with 1,931 recoveries and 66 deaths. Other states which saw an increased number of cases are Tamil Nadu (5,409), Rajasthan (3,427), Madhya Pradesh (3,252) and Uttar Pradesh (3,071).

States which have reported more than thousand cases are Andhra Pradesh (1,847), Punjab (1,644), West Bengal (1,548) and Telangana (1,123).

While Goa conyinues to be Corona-free, in the Northeast it is Tripura that surpassed Assam and now has 65 cases as Assam reported 54 cases. Other NE states that have reported COVID-19 cases are Meghalaya (12) Manipur (2), Mizoram (1) and Arunachal Pradesh (1).

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Fourteen migrant labourers were crushed to death early on Friday by a goods train in Maharashtra after they fell asleep on the tracks. The home-bound exhausted lot of workers were run over between Jalna and Aurangabad. A Railway Ministry official told IANS, "At least 14 people have died and two injured in the incident." A senior railway official confirmed that 17 migrant labourers were run over by the goods train running in the Nanded Division of South Central Railway.

The incident happened around 5.30 a.m. when the migrants, who were on their way back to their homes fell asleep on the railway tracks. The official said that an empty petroleum tanker train was proceeding from Cherlapalli in Telangana to Paniwadi, near Manmad in Maharashtra. "After passing Badnapur station, the locopilot saw some people on the tracks and tried to control it and sounded the horn also, but by the time he could do, it was too late," South Central spokesperson Rakesh told IANS.

According to information the workers were walking to Bhusawal from Jalna, and further onward to Madhya Pradesh. rakesh said these people were lying on the tracks. An enquiry has been ordered by the Commissioner, Railway Safety. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths on Twitter: "Extremely anguished by the loss of lives due to the rail accident in Aurangabad, Maharashtra.

Have spoken to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and he is closely monitoring the situation. All possible assistance required is being provided." Railway Minister also tweeted: "Today received a saddening news of labourers sleeping on railway tracks run over by a goods train at 5.22 a.m. in Nanded division between Karnad and Badnapur railway station. Relief work is on and an enquiry has been ordered. I pray for the those who lost their lives."

Amid the nationwide lockdown, thousands of migrant workers stranded in several other cities have been on an unending toil to return to their native places on foot. The interstate bus service, passenger, mail and express train services have been suspended since March 24.

The Railways has started running Shramik Special trains to transport the stranded migrants to their native places since May 1. Till Thursday railways has run 201 Shramik Special trains.

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As many as 216 districts in the country have not reported any COVID-19 cases till now, 42 districts have not registered any infections in the last 28 days and 29 districts have not recorded any case in the last 21 days, the Union health ministry said on Friday. The ministry asserted that if dos and don'ts are followed, the peak in number of COVID-19 cases can be avoided. Addressing a press conference, joint secretary in the health ministry Lav Agarwal said India's recovery rate stands at 29.36 per cent with 16,540 COVID-19 patients cured till now, including 1,273 who recovered in the last 24 hours.

A total of 3,390 COVID-19 cases and 103 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours till Friday 8 am, taking the total number of cases to 56,342 and death toll to 1,886, according to the ministry.

Giving a district-wise situation, Agarwal said there are 216 districts in which no COVID-19 case has been reported till date. Forty-two districts have had no fresh cases in the last 28 days, there are 29 districts with no fresh cases in the last 21 days, 36 districts with no fresh cases in the last 14 days and 46 districts with no fresh cases in the last seven days, he said.

Asked about AIIMS Delhi Director, Dr Randeep Guleria's remarks citing data that the peak of the disease in India may be reached in June or July, Agarwal said, "If we follow dos and don'ts, we may not reach the peak in number of COVID-19 cases and our curve may remain flat."

Agarwal also said that that the ICMR will conduct clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy in 21 hospitals. The hospitals where the trials will be conducted comprise five from Maharashtra, four from Gujarat, two each from Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, UP and one each from Karnataka, Chandigarh, Punjab, Telangana.

He said 3.2 per cent of total active COVID-19 cases are on oxygen support, 4.2 per cent in ICU and 1.1 per cent on ventilator. During the briefing, Agarwal also said the railways has converted 5,231 coaches into COVID Care Centres which will be placed at 215 identified railway stations and will be used for treatment of very mild and mild COVID19 patients.

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Total number of Covid-19 cases in the country mounted to 59,662 on Saturday, with 3,320 cases and 95 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry said. Of the total, 39,834 are active cases, 17,846 people have recovered, and 1,981 people have succumbed to the disease. Maharashtra remained the worst hit state with a total number of cases rising to 19,063, followed by Gujarat which has reported 7,402 cases. Delhi has reported 6,318 cases and Tamil Nadu 6,009 cases, according to the Health Ministry data.

Maharashtra has also recorded 731 deaths so far, the highest number of casualties among all the states. Other states which have jumped the 3,000 mark are Madhya Pradesh (3,341), Rajasthan (3,579), Tamil Nadu (6,009) and Uttar Pradesh (3,214). Among other major cities, Andhra Pradesh has reported 1,887 and 41 deaths, Bihar stood at 571 cases and five deaths, Haryana at 647 and eight deaths, Jammu and Kashmir at 823 cases and nine deaths, Karnataka at 753 and 30 deaths and Kerala was docked at 503 and four deaths.

States which have reported less than 10 cases are -- Tripura, Mizoram, Puducherry, Manipur, Goa and Arunanchal Pradesh.

On the global front, the total number of cases are about to touch four million mark and over two lakh people have died due to coronavirus till now.

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

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

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

— Matthew McConaughey (@McConaughey) April 7, 2020

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

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

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Rapper Pitbull has dropped his latest song, "I believe that we will win". Proceeds from the song will be donated to coronavirus relief efforts across the globe.

He has released the song along with a lyric video showcasing the song's inspiring message, reports etonline.com. "You know what spreads faster than any virus? Fear/And when it comes to fear, you can either forget everything and run, or you can face everything and rise," Pitbull raps in the track.

"Let me tell you what I believe/ I believe we will face everything and rise." Pitbull had asked healthcare workers, parents and more to be a part of his new music video, which is yet to drop, last week.

"We believe that we can overcome. We are calling all students, medical workers, first responders, parents, grandparents, everyone from all over the world to be a part of Pitbull's video anthem. Proceeds will be going to various charities around that world," read a notice asking fans to submit videos of themselves dancing to the song.

Pitbull has been encouraging fans to maintain hope amid the coronavirus outbreak. "Let's show the world, how powerful it is when we come together to fight for one cause - that's called life," he had posted on Instagram on March 28.

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'Live from Zoom, it's sometime between March and August!' The show that has received over 250 Emmy nominations in the past 5 decades, returns for a home edition, with a surprise host. With all our favourite shows going on Hiatus, the cast of the popular Talk show – Saturday Night Live came up with a special episode – 'Saturday Night Live at Home' to entertain the audience in their own quirky way. Watch how the show feels without all those specially crafted costumes and elaborative setups, highlighting the simplicity of the comedy.

The show, best known for featuring celebrity hosts, invites someone special for this edition. Having recently recovered from Coronavirus himself and been frequent on Saturday Night Live, Tom Hanks graces the show from his kitchen to host the first-ever remote episode of the famous talk show. Lighten up your Saturday evenings as you watch the rest of the cast members at home, in their kitchens, sleeping in their beds and hanging out with
their kids.

As the cast remains in self-isolation, the audience can watch Beck Bennet doing the dishes, Heidi Gardner deadlifting cartons of milk, and Alex Moffat sitting on his porch. The "remotely produced content" also includes Coldplay singer Chris Martin, Colin Jost and Michael Che, with the former playing Bob Dylan's "Shelter From the Storm" and the latter two hosting their "Weekend Update."

With all the stars gathered virtually to entertain you with a truckload of specials, the episode will air exclusively on Comedy Central on Saturday at 9 pm.

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A chance to act with Leo and De Niro

Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro are giving fans the chance to appear in their upcoming film, Martin Scorsese’s adaptation of Killers of the Flower Moon. DiCaprio and De Niro are using the upcoming production to raise funds for the All-In Challenge, an online initiative that gives stars from all corners of the entertainment industry a chance to offer donation initiatives to benefit America’s Food Fund, as per reports. They explained that those who make a donation will have a chance to win a walk-on role in the production.

Ellie helps those in lockdown

Singer Ellie Goulding has helped source 400 mobile phones, which will be given to homeless people to help them through the lockdown. The distribution of the phones began on April 15. The phones will go towards people that the organisation, Crisis, supports, as well as those who are staying in hotels across London.

Tom Hardy to read bed-time stories

Tom Hardy will read night-time tales on the long-running series Bedtime Stories. The episodes of the BBC Children’s channel CBeebies will run from April 27 through May 1. The episodes were shot in Hardy’s garden, following social distancing guidelines. He will be joined by his French bulldog named Blue for some of the bedtime stories. The development, the channel alludes, is a step further in providing engaging content relevant to the situation. 

Ben, Matt play poker

Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and other stars raised $1.75mn through poker, for an online celebrity poker tournament, All In For America’s Charity. They raised $1.75 million for Feeding America, a non-profit organisation that distributes food to those in need amid  the outbreak, as per reports. Celebrities such as Tom Brady, Adam Sandler and Bryan Cranston bought in for $10,000 each at the food bank fundraiser.

Off screen superhero Krasinski to play one on screen?

Actor John Krasinski, who has been lifting spirits amid the pandemic with his series, Some Good News, has reportedly met with Marvel Studios for an unspecified project. Although details about the project are awaited, it is reported that Marvel has been holding “virtual meetings” with actors, directors and writers lately, and Krasinski was one of them. It also indicated that Krasinski might be in talks for a role in Young Avengers. Another possibility that the site mentioned is a Fantastic Four reboot. Neither Marvel nor Krasinski has confirmed the development.

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

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

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

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

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Veteran singer-actor Rita Wilson has said that it was easier for her to cope with the coronavirus as she was accompanied by her husband, Hollywood star Tom Hanks. The couple were among the first Hollywood celebrities to be tested positive for COVID-19, which has claimed over 150,000 lives globally. Hanks and Wilson were in Australia when they were diagnosed with the coronavirus. They have now recovered from it.

Talking with The Guardian, Wilson, 63, said the ordeal was a lot easier since they both had symptoms at the same time. "I think that having the virus at the same time made it that little bit easier. We were taking care of each other instead of having the pressure of taking care of one person and no one taking care of you or understanding that the person at home needs a break. "We were fortunate we were in a place where we understood what the other was going through," she said. However, Wilson, who previously battled breast cancer, said suffering from the COVID-19 was extremely difficult. "We both had a high fever and were extremely achey. I lost my sense of taste and smell, had stomach issues and shivering like you wouldn't believe. Yeah, I was scared.

"Extreme nausea, vertigo, my muscles felt like wet noodles, so I couldn't really stand. We were just trying to get through it," she added. Wilson said that Hanks, 63, presented'milder symptoms¿ than she had. "He did not have as high a fever. He did not lose his sense of taste or smell. But it still took us the same amount of time to get through it," she added. In a separate interview with The National Defense Radio Show, Hanks agreed that Wilson had a much tougher time than he did. "Rita had a much tougher time than I did. She had a much higher fever. She had lost her sense of taste and sense of smell. I had some bad body aches and fatigue," he said. Hanks recalled when he was locked down in a hospital with Wilson, he baffled a doctor by trying to do an exercise that left him "wiped" after just ten minutes. "She looked at me through her glasses like she was talking to the dumbest human being, and she said, (sternly) 'You have COVID-19'," the actor said.

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Warner Bros Studios' The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson as the DC superhero and directed by Matt Reeves, will now release in October, 2021. The film's production was put on halt in mid-March due to coronavirus outbreak and the studio has now announced that movie, which was earlier scheduled to hit the theatres on June 25, 2021, will now bow out on October 1, 2021.

According to Deadline, the studio has also rescheduled superhero movies 'The Flash' and 'Shazam2'. While 'The Flash' will open on June 2, 2022, instead of July 1, 'Shazam 2', earlier set to release on April 1, 2022, will now come out on November 4, 2022. Also, 'The Sopranos' feature prequel 'The Many Saints of Newark', originally dated for September 25 of this year, has now been shifted to March 12 next year.

Baz Luhrmann's untitled Elvis Presley movie, starring Tom Hanks, will now hit the theatres on November 5, 2021, a month after the originally planned release. As per the studio's new release calendar, Will Smith drama 'King Richard' will now bow out on November 19, 2021 instead of November 25 this year. Last month, Warner Bros Studios postponed the release of its much-awaited superhero movie 'Wonder Woman 1984' from June 5 to August 14.

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Tom Hardys much-anticipated "Venom" sequel has been delayed by eight months amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

The second instalment in the action-fantasy series, directed by Andy Serkis, was slated to release on October 2, 2020.

The sequel, officially titled "Venom: Let There Be Carnage", will instead launch eight months later on June 25, 2021, reports variety.com.

In 2018, "Venom" introduced Hardy as Eddie Brock and Venom. It follows the popular Marvel anti-hero as he transforms from a go-getter journalist to the powerful alien symbiote. The film put the conflict of good versus bad in the centrestage.

Serkis is directing Sony's follow-up to "Venom", which sees Hardy again assume the alien symbiote. The first film became a surprise box office hit, earning $855 million globally. Woody Harrelson, Michelle Williams, Reid Scott and Naomie Harris will also appear in the sequel.

By postponing "Venom" until next year, Sony has reshuffled nearly every movie scheduled to release in 2020. The studio already pushed back many of its major films, including "Morbius" (from July 31, 2020, to March 19, 2021), "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" (from July 10, 2020, to March 5, 2021) and Tom Holland's "Uncharted" (from March 5, 2021, to Oct. 8, 2021).

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Popstar Beyonce Knowles has pledged $6 million to fund mental health support during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Beyonce's BeyGOOD has partnered with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey's #startsmall to provide USD 6 million to fund the mental health and personal wellness services, reports variety.com.

The 38-year-old singer shared the update on her website. "Beyonce's BeyGOOD recognises the immense mental and personal health burdens being placed on essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic," read the organisation's official statement, adding: "In our major cities, African-Americans comprise a disproportionate number of workers in these indispensable occupations, and they will need mental health support and personal wellness care, including testing and medical services, food supplies and food deliveries, both during and after the crisis."

The mental health initiative includes a key national partnership with UCLA. BeyGOOD has also partnered with the National Alliance in Mental Illness, which provides local support in Houston, New York, New Orleans and Detroit. BeyGOOD is also supporting United Memorial Center, Bread of Life, Matthew 25 and other organisations to help provide basic necessities, including food, water, cleaning supplies, medicines and face masks.

Earlier this month, Beyonce highlighted the deadly impact of the coronavirus pandemic on African American communities during her stint inA "One World: Together at Home" virtual concert, saying the virus is killing black people at an alarmingly high rate in the US.

The 38-year-old singer highlighted the plight of African-American community, saying: "Black Americans belong to these parts of the workforce that don't have the luxury of working from home. And African-American communities at large have been severely affected. Those with pre-existing conditions are at higher risk."

"This virus is killing black people at an alarmingly high rate in America," added the Grammy Award-winning artist.

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Grammy-nominated gospel singer Troy Sneed has died from complications with the coronavirus. He was 52. Sneed's publicist, Bill Carpenter, shared that the singer passed away on Monday at a hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, reports usatoday.com.

Sneed earned a Grammy nomination for his work on the Youth For Christ's 1999 album, "Higher". The singer traveled throughout the US early in his career to sing the gospel with the Georgia Mass Choir. He arranged music on their albums and appeared with the choir in the 1996 film "The Preacher's Wife" starring Whitney Houston and Denzel Washington. He also served as a producer on Youth For Christ's "The Struggle Is Over", which was at No. 1 on Billboard's gospel songs chart in 2006.

As a solo artist, Sneed released seven albums and had several hit songs within the gospel realm including "Work it out" and "My heart says yes". He is also known for the upbeat "Hallelujah".

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Pop diva Madonna has revealed that she has tested positive for the COVID-19 antibodies. The singer shared the news in the 14th edition of her 'Quarantine Diary' on Instagram TV.

"Took a test the other day and I found out that I have the antibodies. So tomorrow I'm just going to go for a long drive in the car, and I'm gonna roll down the window and I'm gonna breathe in the COVID-19 air. Yup. I hope the sun is shining," Madonna said.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), US, antibody tests are used to determine whether or not a person has been exposed to COVID-19 by finding proteins the body produces to fight the virus. However, the CDC has yet to confirm if the possession of antibodies is equal to immunity.

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Actress Millie Bobby Brown has donated over $18,000 to the staff of National Health Service, who are fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. The "Stranger Things" actress has donated over $6000 each to Bournemouth Hospital Charity, Salisbury District Hospital Stars Appeal and Southampton Hospitals Charity, reports dailymail.co.uk.

The proceedings will go to supporting workers throughout the pandemic.

The 16-year-old actress said: "Britain's NHS workers -- and all carers -- are an inspiration to us all and are the nation's heroes. I am in awe of every one of them and just wanted to thank those risking their lives - particularly in hospitals on the South coast. The area is very dear to me and my family and I cannot wait to visit again soon. Keep up the brilliant work and stay safe. Thank you. You are all amazing."

The items that will be bought by the donations include personal care packages, non-perishable food and drink and access to psychologists.

"We are committed to supporting the mental and physical wellbeing of our staff at this time, and thanks to the generous donations we have already received we have already purchased health and wellbeing books, toiletries, refreshments, and white boards to communicate with patients and other staff members when wearing PPE," said Debbie Anderson, head of charity for Bournemouth Hospital Charity.

Brown will appear next in the films "Godzilla vs Kong" and "Enola Holmes".

She is currently in the US, where she is self-isolating. The actress said that she is recording music during the lockdown.

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Disgraced Hollywood star Kevin Spacey has opened about how sexual assault allegations meant "my job, many of my relationships were all gone in a matter of hours". The 60-year-old described his "painful" journey three years after he was accused of assault by a string of men in 2017 and said he could relate to workers who've being laid off during the coronavirus pandemic, reports dailymail.co.uk.

"I don't think it will come as a surprise for anyone to say that my world completely changed in the fall of 2017. My job, many of my relationships, my standing in my own industry were all gone in just a matter of hours," Spacey said during a podcast. He was dropped from the "House Of Cards" show after allegations surfaced.

He has mostly kept a low profile since the slew of sexual assault claims first came up. He has always denied the claims. He was also removed from the completed movie "All The Money in the World", which was reshot with actor Christopher Plummer.

Spacey was asked during the podcast to reflect on the current coronavirus pandemic causing global and widespread devastation. The actor, who has not appeared in a professional movie or series since the accusations were made, said: "I don't often like to tell people that I can relate to their situation because I think it undermines the experience that they may be having which is their own unique and very personal experience."

Spacey added: "But in this instance I feel as though I can relate to what it feels like to have your world suddenly stop. And so while we may have found ourselves in similar situations, albeit for very different reasons and circumstances, I still believe that some of the emotional struggles are very much the same.

"And so I do have empathy for what it feels like to suddenly be told that you can't go back to work or that you might lose your job and that it's a situation that you have absolutely no control over."

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American actor Jennifer Aniston is sick and tired of the novel coronavirus and is asking it to go away in her own unique style. She shared a picture on Instagram where she is seen flipping Covid-19 the bird and asking it to go away. The 'Friends' star took to Instagram on Thursday (local time) and shared a throwback image of herself giving the middle finger to something or someone. Along with the picture she wrote, "Dear Covid... You can kindly F**k off now thank you BYE."

In the picture, Aniston is seen sporting a grey tank top and orange pants, sitting at an outdoor dining table as she pulls back her hair into a ponytail. The picture received more than 3.5 million likes and the official Oprah magazine Instagram account commented: "Nothing but respect for our President Jennifer Aniston."

According to Fox News, the 'We're the Millers' star's latest post comes just hours after she shared a similar vibe on her Instagram Story from her time being holed up in her Los Angeles residence with her two dogs. In the photo, Aniston is seen sitting in front of her washing machine, watching it spin while the American rapper Tyga's single 'Bored in the House' played on the snap.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Jennifer Aniston (@jenniferaniston) onMay 7, 2020 at 11:14am PDT

Recently, the 'Murder Mystery' star told Jimmy Kimmel that she was finding the shelter-at-home period easier to adjust to than she expected. Aniston told the late-night host in early April during a video appearance on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live,'"I'm a born agoraphobe. This is kind of a dream." She continued, "Not a dream, it's obviously a nightmare. But, me personally, it's not been that much of a challenge. The most challenging thing is watching the news and trying to digest [everything] that's going on out there."

Aniston also surprised Kimball Fairbanks, a cardiovascular nurse from Utah, who contracted the virus with a 10,000 USD gift certificate from Postmates.

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The six-year-old boy who fell into a 200-feet-deep borewell near Manchar tehsil in Pune was safely rescued on Thursday after a 16-hour operation.

The boy, identified as Ravi Pandit Bill, was stuck at a depth of 10 feet in the borewell, informed SHO Ambegaon Police station.

The boy fell into the borewell around 5 pm on Wednesday in Thandale village of Pune.

Ravi, son of a labourer working on road constructions, fell into the borewell while playing.

The work of road construction was underway in the area and Ravi's family was deployed at the site.

Soon after receiving the report of the incident, the National Disaster Response Force team (NDRF) and police were pressed into action to rescue the trapped boy.

The operation was very critical and required constant meticulous planning to avoid any injury to the child.

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The Pune Police has a history of cops showing an inclination towards politics. Adding to the list, is additional commissioner of police (administration) Sahebrao Patil, currently on leave, who has confirmed that he will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from his hometown in Jalgoan. A source said he is trying for a BJP ticket.

Patil hails from Tamaswadi village in Parola taluka of Jalgaon district. He joined the Maharashtra Police as deputy superintendent of police in 1990. He has also worked in various cities including Nagpur, Nashik, Dhule, Thane, Pune Rural and State Intelligence Department (SID). While working in the police force, he had also been working in social and cultural fields and has been training students, and helping farmers in his hometown.

A police source on condition of anonymity said, "Patil is to retire in June. If he has confirmed his political aspiration while he is still in duty, it is against the law. There are chances he may get a notice issued to him by the Directorate General of Police office or either from the Pune police commissionerate. But such notices give two months time for reply, and by then, he would have retired."

Despite repeated attempts to connect and meet with Pune Police Commissioner Dr Venkatesham K, he did not respond. During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, former Pune police commissioner Dr Satyapal Singh resigned as Commissioner of Mumbai Police to contest on a BJP ticket. He won with a thumping margin from Baghpat in UP.

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After repeated attempts to convince the Aurangabad police to register a case against Maharashtra Social Justice Minister Dilip Kamble for his alleged involvement in a cheating case of Rs 1.92 crore failed, a businessman approached the judicial magistrate first class court to get the work done. According to victim Vilas Dadarao Chavan, the minister cheated him of the amount on the pretext of issuing a liquor licence and permit.

According to sources, the incident came to light when Chavan approached the police to file a complaint. As the cops did not take his grievance seriously, he approached the court and registered a private case. On Tuesday, the Aurangabad court directed the police to register an FIR at CIDCO police station against Kamble and three others under sections 420, 406, 120B and 34 of IPC.

Chavan said, "A relative of Kamble had promised to help me get the licence for selling liquor in Aurangabad. The first time we met at a hotel in Pune, he introduced me to the minister and said that I would have to pay Rs 2.15 crore for transferring my Mumbai sale licence. I had given him Rs 1.92 lakh in advance." He further said, "Neither did I get the licence, nor my money back.

I had approached the Aurangabad police, but they did not take my case seriously. Then I approached the court." Aurangabad CP Chiranjeev Prasad said, "We have registered a case based on the court order. The matter is being investigated."

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The motto of the Bhosale family from Pune's Rasta Peth area can be described as `the family that votes together, stays together'. Continuing a tradition, 27 members of the family voted in the Lok Sabha election Tuesday.

While the eldest among them was 95-year-old Parvatibai Bhosale, the youngest was her 26-year-old grandson Niranjan. The family lives in a 'waada', a specimen of old-style architecture for which Pune was once famous. They walked to the nearby polling centre in a procession Tuesday morning.

"We are six brothers, and ours is a joint family. In every election we step out together and exercise our franchise," said 60-year-old Jaysingh Bhosale, himself a former corporator. For the last few days, they were also creating awareness about importance of voting in their neighbourhood, he said.

"The eldest voter in our family is our mother, who is 95 years old. Despite being wheelchair-bound, she makes sure that she casts vote in every election," he said. Parvatibai told PTI that she would be happy if people were inspired by her family and went out and voted. The BJP's Girish Bapat, a state minister, is pitted against Congress' Mohan Joshi in Pune.

An average 46.28 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 3 pm in 14 seats of Maharashtra where polling for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections was underway on Tuesday, an official said. Polling began at 7 am and long queues were seen outside several booths.

The Kolhapur Lok Sabha constituency recorded 54.27 per cent voting till 3 pm, followed by Hatkanangale, where there was 52.27 per cent polling, according to the state election office.

The voting figures in other constituencies are as follows: Jalgaon-42.62 per cent, Raver-46.04 per cent, Jalna-49.4 per cent, Aurangabad-47.36 per cent, Raigad-47.97 per cent, Pune-36.29 per cent, Baramati-45.35 per cent, Ahmednagar-45.65 per cent, Madha-44.13 per cent, Sangli- 46.64 per cent, Satara-44.77 per cent and Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg- 47.18 per cent.

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In a shocking revelation in the Palghar mob-lynching case, nine out of 110 men arrested in the barbaric killings of three people at Kasa Taluka, are juveniles. Mid-day was the first to report that 110 men were taken into police custody in connection with the horrendous crime that surfaced on Thursday evening.

The Palghar police said nine out of 110 who are juveniles, have been sent to remand home in Bhiwandi.

“We have checked the Aadhaar cards of all those who were taken into custody in the mob lynching case. Nine out of 110 are juveniles and they have been sent to children remand home in Bhiwandi,” Palghar police Public Relations Officer (PRO) told mid-day.

The officer further added that the roles of these juveniles are being ascertained as the investigators are scanning the CCTV cameras of the spot where the trio including two priests and a cab driver were lynched by aggressive mob of nearly 450 men who belong to the tribal community of Kasa Taluka in Palghar district.

The combing operation to arrest accused absconding in Palghar mob lynching case is on full swing.

Over 100 policemen, who were attacked by an angry mob when they had gone to a minority dominated area in the city to quarantine some people, have tested negative for coronavirus, a top police official said on Tuesday.

Of the 126 miscreants arrested, five had tested positive creating a scare not only in Padarayanapura, but also among the police personnel who apprehended them and the staff at the Ramanagara district jail, where they were initially lodged. Sharing the information on Twitter, Bengaluru police commissioner Bhaskar Rao said, "Led by our Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, over 100 of us policemen who had ventured into Padrayanapura underwent the Covid 19 Test and to much relief came Negative. Blessings of Bangaloreans."

On April 19, a police team had gone to Padarayanapura locality with some health officials to quarantine 43 people, who were the primary and secondary contacts of a COVID-19 patient, and were thrashed by a violent crowd. Five cases were registered in this connection and 126 were arrested.

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A huge collaboration has dropped. Singers Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande have teamed up for their first-ever collaboration 'Stuck With U' which is for Covid-19 relief. After years of wait, the two singers have come together for a very special cause.

The lyrics goes, "So, lock the door and throw out the key / Can't fight this no more, It's just you and me / And there's nothin' I, nothin' I, I can do / I'm stuck with you, stuck with you, stuck with you."

“Grateful to announce that my friend and i have partnered with @1strcf and @sb_projects on this release. proceeds from the streams and sales of #stuckwithu will be donated to first responders children’s foundation to fund grants and scholarships for children of healthcare workers, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, police officers and firefighters serving at the front lines during the global pandemic,” Ariana said on her Instagram.

 

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Stuck With U by me and @justinbieber. May 8. ???? grateful to announce that my friend and i have partnered with @1strcf and @sb_projects on this release. proceeds from the streams and sales of #stuckwithu will be donated to first responders children’s foundation to fund grants and scholarships for children of healthcare workers, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, police officers and firefighters serving at the front lines during the global pandemic ???? pre-save now and check back later today for more. ???????????? artwork by one of my favorite artists @lianafinck

A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on May 1, 2020 at 10:00am PDT

Justin Bieber said in a statement to Just Jared, “More than ever we are seeing the selfless, tireless and amazing work that doctors, nurses, and healthcare providers give to the world every day. It is our hope we can lend our voices to raise awareness and give much-needed support for them and their families. It’s my honor to come together with my friend Ariana and our SB Projects family to try and do some good.”

 

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2 babies all grown up finally collaborate! Excited for tonight @arianagrande

A post shared by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) on May 7, 2020 at 5:17pm PDT

Check it out:

ALSO READ: When BTS member Jungkook attended Ariana Grande’s concert during Sweetener tour, watch videos

The nation went under lockdown on March 25 owing to a spike in the coronavirus cases. The lockdown has been extended twice and we are currently in the third phase of lockdown with a total of 56000 cases in the country. Several sectors have been severely hit by the lockdown, including the entertainment sector. However, actors and other artists are trying to entertain people during this distressing time.

 Actor Ajay Devgn took to Instagram to share an old picture of him posing with Kajol where the two are looking away from the camera with Ajay holding Kajol's hand and looking at it. He took a hilarious dig at how he has been on lockdown since his marriage with Kajol in 1999. Sharing the picture, Ajay wrote, "feels like it’s been twenty-two years since the lockdown began."

 

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Feels like it’s been twenty two years since the lockdown began. #FridayFlashback @kajol

A post shared by Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) on May 8, 2020 at 6:19am PDT

Recently, Kajol hosted an AMA session where she spoke about how she doesn't enjoy cooking but loves to eat. When asked whether Ajay Devgn has been cooking for her, she said that he hasn't been inspired yet to go to the kitchen yet.

ALSO READ: Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Suniel Shetty and more feature in Gully Gang Entertainment’s trilingual music video for COVID-19

Bollywood actors Pulkit Samrat and Kriti Kharbanda have been dating each other for quite some time now. However, they made their relationship public only during the promotions of their film Pagalpanti last year. During the lockdown period, the two have been living together and getting to know each other better. In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Kriti talks about Pulkit and his qualities that make her feel proud to be his girlfriend. 

Talking about living together during the lockdown, Kriti said, “It is so lovely. I have seen both of us grow through this quarantine. We have caught up on a lot of television, a lot of series we missed out on. We have been cooking, we have been working on ourselves. I think we have been working on how to make ourselves better humans. Suddenly the reality of life has stricken us and we are both extremely emotional people. I think that is the only flaw that both of us have that we are extremely emotional.”

“I have learnt a lot about him this quarantine and I can tell that and not just saying because he is my boyfriend but I have immense respect for him and it comes from my heart and my mind and I have never met a more caring and giving person. This is an opinion that can never change because you cannot pretend these things. I have seen him over the years even when I have worked with him, even when we were just friends even after we started dating. He is a lovely human being and is really caring about the people around him,” she added. 

Talking about the change in Pulkit’s personality over the years, “I think acceptance is the key. I think it is only easy to change if you accept that there are certain places you need to work on yourselves and you're willing to make that difference to yourself. So I think self-love is very very important where you give yourself the benefit of doubt and you say, ‘You know what, I can do better than that’. So, I think that is something he has realised and I am very very proud that I am his girlfriend.” 

ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Pulkit Samrat and Kriti Kharbanda are living together amid lockdown, the actor reveals whether marriage is on the cards

Across the EU, many people are worried about the novel coronavirus and its rapid spread. The EU project PREPARE, which began in 2014, is responding to COVID-19 by rapidly assessing Europe’s preparedness and deploying vital clinical research.

Indian football team striker Jeje Lalpekhlua has come to the rescue of people in dire need of blood when it is not readily available in Mizoram due to the extraordinary situation arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic. India is under a lockdown enforced to contain the Coronavirus.

"Due to the lockdown blood units are not readily available nowadays. So the hospital connected with the Young Mizo Association is seeking help. The news reached me and I knew immediately what I needed to do," he stated. "You cannot keep quiet and sit idle during such circumstances." He immediately rushed to the Synod Hospital in Durtlang, Mizoram to donate blood.

"Upon receiving the information, we chalked out our plan. We headed to the hospital from the Durtlang branch of YMA. Out of 33 who had reported, 27 were deemed fit to donate," Jeje informed. "It's not about me or someone else, it's about the human race that needs to fight together now, more than ever." The Young Mizo Association (YMA) is the largest non-governmental voluntary organisation which operates primarily in Mizoram and some parts of the other north-eastern states as well.

"It is so satisfying that I have been able to play a minor role. I thank the Almighty for giving me the strength." This is not the first time that Jeje has been involved in philanthropic activities. He has time and again rose to the cause in Mizoram whenever the situation has demanded. "Someone had to stand by them. If a hospital is falling short of blood units, we need to help. We all need to play our part during the crisis. The most difficult part, I understand is to stay at home. But it's very necessary. The longer we stay at home, the faster will India heal," added Jeje.

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South African model Anna Modler has given clear indication that she is in lockdown with Chilean footballer Alexis Sanchez.

Rumours of Anna dating the footballer emerged after she shared a picture of her posing next to Alexis's Golden Retrievers, Atom and Humber last month.

Last week, she shared another picture on Instagram with the canines and wrote: "Thank you for stopping me from working out. I agree, it's definitely time to eat."

Commenting on the picture, one of her model friends, Morgan Shelly wrote in South African slang: "Lekker man. Nice to see you're hanging out with your family," to which, she replied: "Thank you Morgan."

Meanwhile, a follower commented: "Isn't love beautiful!! You made Alexis happy. Stay with him."

Another wrote: "Come on!! We all know you Alexis girlfriend. Post a photo with him already."

Interestingly, neither Alexis, 31, nor Anna, 22, follow each other on social media, but Anna does follow the Instagram account of the footballer's pets.

Alexis and Anna were first pictured together at a train station in Wilmslow, United Kingdom, last August before the former Arsenal star left Manchester United.

However, her identity was a mystery then.

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Real Sociedad said Saturday they were cutting players' wages by up to 20 percent in an attempt to stabilise the club's budget during the coronavirus crisis. "An agreement has been reached with the first team for the reduction of their wages by 20% in case the league does not resume this season, and by 5% in case the season can start again," said a club statement. "This decision, taken with all of the parties concerned, helps us avoid traumatic measures for the rest of our employees and helps to balance the club's economic objectives in the face of a drop in income suffered after the suspension of competition."

Real Sociedad also announced a 20% refund on season tickets for its supporters. At the time of the La Liga suspension last month, Real Sociedad were in fourth place in the championship. They had also qualified for the Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao in Seville on a date still to be decided. Real Madrid had already announced wage cuts, estimated by Spanish media to be 10% if the season resumes and 20% if the league is abandoned. Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have cut salaries by 70%. Spain is one of the worst-hit nations by the virus which has already claimed more than 16,300 lives in the country. bur/dr/dep/clv/dj/mwt again," said a club statement.

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Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish thanked fans for their support on Sunday after leaving hospital following a positive test for the coronavirus. Dalglish, 69, found he had the virus after being admitted to hospital on Wednesday for treatment for a separate infection which required intravenous antibiotics. He was discharged on Saturday night. "Thank you for all of your well wishes over the last few days," said Dalglish in a Liverpool statement issued Sunday. "I'm delighted to be back home with the family after receiving brilliant care from the NHS (Britain's National Health Service), which we appreciate now more than ever. "Marina (Dalglish's wife) and I would like to express our immense gratitude to the medical staff who cared for me and who continue to treat countless others throughout the country during an incredibly challenging period."

Dalglish confirmed the couple would be in "full lockdown for the recommended amount of time in order to protect the lives of others". There are fears that the warm weather across Britain over the Easter weekend will see the public flout government guidelines on social distancing instead of only going out to maintain health and purchase essential supplies. But a concerned Dalglish said: "I know the sun is shining for many of you, but I urge you to stay home and follow the government guidelines to the letter." Earlier the Scotland great, in an interview with the Sunday Post, praised the "absolutely brilliant" hospital staff, adding: "People may think my name got me the best of care but every patient in the NHS gets the best of care." On Friday, Dalglish's family said he had tested positive for COVID-19 despite having previously displayed no symptoms of the illness.

'Humbling messages'
Saturday saw two of Dalglish's children take to Twitter to thank the public for their support. Paul Dalglish, also a former player, said: "Truly humbling messages from supporters of all teams," with Dalglish's daughter, Sky Sports presenter Kelly Cates, saying: "Thank you so much for your lovely messages and I'm really sorry I can't reply to them all." Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker said on Twitter: "Love from Becker family to Sir Kenny Dalglish!!" Ian Rush formed a prolific partnership with Dalglish during their playing days at Liverpool and the Welshman took to Twitter to give his old team-mate his best wishes.

"Wishing a speedy recovery to the best...Sir Kenny Dalglish. Get well soon," he wrote. Dalglish won the Scottish league title with Celtic as a player on four occasions before signing for Liverpool in 1977. At Anfield, he captured eight English league titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups and three European Cups as a player and in two managerial spells. In his Liverpool playing career, Dalglish scored 172 goals in 515 games. As well as his role in Liverpool's golden era in the 1970s and 1980s, Dalglish received plaudits for supporting victims' families after 96 fans died in the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster. He also coached Blackburn to the 1995 Premier League title. Almost 10,000 people in Britain have so far died as a result of the coronavirus.

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If it is CK Vineeth responding to the COVID-19 helpline in Kerala, his Indian teammate Subhashish Bose has taken it upon himself to feed the homeless and jobless in his home town Subhasgram in South 24 parganas. Amid the nationwide lockdown, a long queue could be seen every morning at Subhasgram comprising of local rickshaw pullers, daily wage earners or small time hawkers who come to collect their daily ration. Bose, a member of the 'Blue Tigers' would be at the other end, happily distributing packets containing rice, pulses, potatoes, onions and other staple food items. This is his way of paying back to the society. "The rickshaw pullers who have so many times offered me free rides to-and-fro to local matches, that local vendor and shopkeeper who had gifted me so many free packets of food after heart-warming performances -- I felt I needed to pay them back," the India left-back told PTI of his daily regime since Friday.

"It was such a satisfaction to hand over some food items to lot many known faces whom I have known in my locality over my upbringing." India had imposed a nationwide lockdown since March 24 to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and the worst-hit were people from the lower strata of the society whose life revolve around their daily wages. One fine morning, the 24-year-old felt restless and was awakened by the Swami Vivekananda's soul-stirring words 'Arise, Awake, And Stop Not Till the Goal is Reached!' "It kept on reverberating between my ears. My conscience did not allow me to shy away -- rather it kept on pushing me to give it back to the society where I have grown up."

"Somewhere down the line, however, I felt restless. It's understandable that even as we need to Stay Home Stay Safe, there have been so many brave hearts who have cared less for their lives, and are out to serve the country in this troubled time -- the doctors, nurses, cleaners, police, journalists, etc. It's not only the frontline workers, who are put their lives on line but citizens need to do their bit, reckons Bose. "But are they enough? Can we all just sit back on our cosy rooms, and expect the privilege of others keeping us safe? Don't we need more volunteers? And eventually, I had to move out -- not for fun, not to have a roam, but try to lend a helping hand," he said. He is thankfu to GOd that he has made a decent living as a footballer playing in the cash-ruch Indian Super League and for the Indian team. "God is kind, that today I am able to help them. Thank you, Lord for providing me with the strength. All of that was done by maintaining social distancing, and proper protection.

"All of them whom I handed over packets wanted to hug me but couldn't because of the social distancing. "Some of them had tears in their eyes. Their hugs can wait as we need nrmalcy to return. Till then stay home, and stay safe," he added. The Mumbai City FC defender was looking forward to the Indian camp when the pandemic halted all sporting activities. "A longer camp for the national team was planned and we were forward to it. But under current circumstances all sporting action around the world has been postponed." Asked whether he's missing the game, he replied: "Human lives are of utmost importance, and like everyone around us, I look forward for normalcy to return soon." The defender however regrets that he's not able to go out for runs so he's making the best use of the time at his private gym. "I cannot go out for my runs. So I am trying to keep myself as much fit as possible indoors. I try to sweat out at least two hours a day in my personal gym so that I stay in proper shape when the season resumes. "There is also monitoring from the medical staff, and we need to strict to the regimes provided," he concluded.

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Former Manchester United star Marouane Fellaini was discharged on Tuesday after spending more than three weeks in a Chinese hospital being treated for coronavirus. The 32-year-old midfielder, the only player known to have contracted the disease in the Chinese Super League (CSL), will now spend 14 days in quarantine for further observation, his club Shandong Luneng said.

The Belgium international said on March 22 that he had tested positive for the virus, having just returned to China, but assured fans that he was feeling fine. Fellaini posted videos of himself on Instagram exercising in his room while in hospital in the eastern city of Jinan. In an Instagram update on Tuesday, he wrote: "The time has come for me to thank from the bottom of my heart the medical staff of the hospital, their nursing staff as well as my club and its medical staff for taking such good care of me with so much kindness and for ensuring my comfort whilst there. "The hardest part is behind me! Let's keep fighting, it's important."

China, where the outbreak emerged in December, says it has curbed the illness at home but is now worried about a second wave of infections from overseas. Fellaini's positive test dealt a blow to the CSL's hopes of beginning the season any time soon, after its February 22 start date was indefinitely postponed. Fellaini, also formerly of Everton, joined Shandong from Manchester United in February last year for a reported 7.2 million euros.

He enjoyed a productive first season in China, scoring 12 goals in 34 matches and providing five assists.

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Most international football might not be played until 2021 due to Coronavirus pandemic travel restrictions and the need to give club competitions the chance to resume, a FIFA vice president has said. Victor Montagliani, a Canadian, who is president of the governing body for North and Central America and the Caribbean, has been heading a FIFA working group formulating plans to deal with the implications of the world's biggest sport being largely shut down since last month.

FIFA already has called off matches between countries that were due to be played in March and June. Montagliani, CONCACAF's president, believes the September, October and November windows for national team matches could be scrapped. "I personally think that might be a bit of a challenge, not so much because of just the health issues around the world and the various degrees of preparedness, but also committing to international travel as soon as we come back," Montagliani told The Associated Press.

Montagliani

"I think that domestic football is a priority. September is still in the books, but I would garner to say that I'm not sure it's there on solid ground the way things are trending right now." The return of fans into packed stadiums could be dependent on a vaccine for the COVID-19 disease being ready—and that might not be until 2021. "If we get the green light to play a football match. I highly doubt that first football match will be with fans. I just can't see that. I think that would be taken a massive risk," he said in a video interview from Vancouver, British Columbia.

"I'm pretty sure it'll be a phased in approach, just like the rest of society is going to be is then in terms of us trying to get back to normal here."

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and captain Jordan Henderson have delivered messages of support to the families of the 96 supporters killed in the Hillsborough disaster 31 years ago. A final memorial service for the victims was due to take place at Anfield on Wednesday, but has been postponed due to coronavirus guidelines on mass gatherings. "Today is the most significant date for our football club each year," Klopp said in a video message. "The plan was for us to be together at Anfield but this is not possible, the only thing we can make sure is we are in each other's thoughts.

"Believe me you have our thoughts, you have our prayers and most of all you have our love. You'll never walk alone." The final memorial service was arranged after the police commander at Hillsborough, David Duckenfield, was found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter in November. "Today was a day when as a club we were all supposed to be together at Anfield to honour the lives of 96 people who went to a football match and never came home," said Henderson, who has led a charitable fund set up by Premier League players to help health service staff during the coronavirus crisis.

"On behalf of all the players at Liverpool I just want to let everyone affected know that you are in our thoughts today. "As ever, we are together in spirit even if we can't be together in person." Kenny Dalglish, who was Liverpool manager on the day of the tragedy, also sent his support. Dalglish was released from hospital last week after testing positive for COVID-19, although he had been admitted for a separate infection.

"This is a day when, first and foremost, we remember those who went to a football match and never came home - they will never be forgotten," said Dalglish. "But we should also think of the families and survivors who showed the rest of us how to deal with an unimaginable tragedy. "By sticking together, supporting one another and standing up for what was right, they set an example which will always resonate, none more so than during the current time when so many families are dealing with tragedies of their own.

"Today, my thoughts will be with everyone who has suffered since April 15, 1989 and everyone who is suffering now. "All we can do is carry on sticking together and finding strength in each other in the same way that the Hillsborough families and survivors have over all these years."

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Asia's top football competitions will go ahead this year despite the coronavirus pandemic, a senior official told AFP, although games may have to be played behind closed doors. Windsor John, general secretary of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), said he was confident that the AFC Champions League and AFC Cup would both be completed. Both tournaments, featuring teams from throughout Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East, are on hold until at least the end of June after COVID-19 shuttered professional sport worldwide.

"Both will be played this year. We still have time," John told AFP, adding that new dates for the competitions may be known by the end of April. However, John did not rule out matches being played without fans "if that's what the health authorities need". The AFC is determined for both tournaments to go ahead "for sporting reasons and to fulfil commercial obligations", he said. His comments came after the AFC on Tuesday announced the indefinite postponement of all matches scheduled for May and June due to the virus.

The Champions League, the region's premier club competition, and the second-tier AFC Cup were both halted in March as the pandemic's spread forced governments to impose strict travel restrictions. Both tournaments are on an increasingly tight schedule, with the 32-team Champions League needing to complete four rounds of group-stage matches in July before the postponed knock-out phase begins in August.

The group phase of the AFC Cup will also have to be completed in a rush once matches resume. The finals for both tournaments -- which traditionally take a break in July, to avoid the worst of the Asian summer heat -- are scheduled to take place in November. Domestic leagues remain on hold around the world, including in China where the virus first emerged, but where football shows no sign of returning despite optimism the outbreak is under control.

Asia's extended shutdown, announced on Tuesday, also affects the two-legged women's Olympic qualifying play-off between China and South Korea, which had already been moved to June 1 and 9. June qualifiers for the men's 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup had been postponed before the AFC's announcement on Tuesday. Asian football was an early sporting casualty of the coronavirus pandemic, before competitions in Europe -- including Euro 2020 -- and the rest of the world were also affected.

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Leeds United legend Norman Hunter died on Friday at the age of 76 after testing positive for coronavirus. "Leeds United are devastated to learn of the passing of club icon Norman Hunter at the age of 76," the club said in a statement. "Norman was taken to hospital last week after being diagnosed with COVID-19 and despite continuing to battle and the best efforts of NHS staff, he sadly lost his fight earlier this morning," the statement added.

Hunter made his Leeds debut in 1962 when he was just 18 years old. Hunter amassed a huge 726 appearances for Leeds United over a 14 year period, the club's most successful to date, earning the infamous nickname "Bites Yer Legs".

He won a total of 28 caps for England and was in the 1966 World Cup-winning squad, whilst was also the first winner of the PFA Players' Player of the Year in 1974.

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Liverpool's star footballer Mohamed Salah, 25, has donated a huge amount of money besides food to families in his hometown of Nagrig, a village in the Egyptian city of Basyoun, to help in the battle against the Coronavirus pandemic.

According to a report in British tabloid, The Sun, the Egyptian footballer sent supplies to poverty-hit residents along with some advice on how to stay safe from the virus.

Salah Ghaly, the Liverpool striker's father, said that the village has been sanitised and residents have been given facemasks to prevent the spread of the virus, which has already killed 205 people in the North African country. It is believed that the total amount donated by the Liverpool star is around £405,000 (R3.8 crore).
Mohamed is currently in lockdown like the rest of the UK, where the death toll has crossed 15,000.

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Wales attacker Gareth Bale has said that he had donated ?500,000 ($615,000) to the hospital where he was born to help in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Real Madrid's Bale, 30, who has won four Champions League titles since joining the Spanish giants in 2013, made the announcement in a Twitter post by the Cardiff and Vale Health Board.

"I just wanted to make this video to thank everybody in the NHS for their hard work and sacrifice during this COVID-19 crisis," he said "The University Hospital of Wales holds a special place in my heart, it's where I was born and it's provided great support to my friends, my family and the wider community. "Me and my family we'd like to show our support. Keep up the good work, you're doing an amazing job and thank you very much," he added.

As of Wednesday 624 people had died from the illness in Wales with more than 8,000 cases recorded. Spain's La Liga has been suspended since March 12 due to the outbreak but football authorities in the country have agreed on a return to protocol for professional players.

League president Javier Tebas last week said play could restart as early as next month, although a fortnight extension of the nationwide lockdown until May 9 announced on Saturday appears to have scuppered those plans.

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A chance to play with him, have lunch and watch a game of football from the owners box. David Beckham, part owner of the Major League Soccer club Inter Miami, is auctioning off all that stuff. Former England captain and Manchester United legend Beckham is doing this as part of the league's participation in the All In Challenge, which raises money for organisations that are helping feed the hungry during the coronavirus pandemic, including Meals on Wheels, No Kid Hungry, America's Food Fund, World Central Kitchen and Feeding America.

The MLS season is suspended from March 12 with the deadly virus causing havoc in the United States. Earlier this month, Beckham had expressed gratitude towards all the frontline workers who are risking their lives in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, saying it was "another week of hard work". Beckham had taken to Instagram to post a video story in which he was seen clapping along with his family.

"Managed to set the phone up this week to get the whole family showing our appreciation for all the frontline workers and our brilliant NHS. Thank you for another week of hard work. #ClapForOurCarers," Beckham had written in his Instagram story.

The entire world has come to a standstill amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Sports activities have also taken a big hit and almost all the events have been postponed or cancelled, including the Olympics.

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Consider yourself a big La Liga fan? Check out this list of expressions that no true La Liga lover should be unfamiliar with.

1. “Croqueta”
A ‘croqueta’ is a way of quickly shifting the ball between a player’s feet, especially when tempting a defender into making a challenge by first slowing down and then sprinting away. The signature move of former Barcelona captain and nine-time LaLiga winner Andres Iniesta, the word literally means ‘croquette,’ that famous staple of Spanish tapa bars and granny’s cooking.

2. “Sombrero”
In Spanish Sombrero is a hat, but in Spanish football it is where a player lifts the ball over his opponent’s head and controls it as it drops to the floor, leaving his rival confused and out of the play. A famous example would be Neymar’s goal for Barcelona against Villarreal in LaLiga in 2016, which was nominated for that year’s FIFA Puskas award.

3. “Chilena”
When a player pushes himself into the air with one foot, then acrobatically volleys it with the other, often lifting his boot well over head height. Similar to a ‘bicycle kick’ in English. Although a ‘Chilena’ literally refers to someone from Chile, its most famous exponent was Mexico international Hugo Sanchez. Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale have more recently scored screamers like this.

4. “Colgarse del larguero”
Literally meaning ‘hang from the goalposts,’ the expression is used when a team brings all their players back to defend inside their own penalty area. Similar to the English phrase ‘Park the bus,’ the tactic is often used by a team defending a narrow lead or facing a much more powerful opponent and used to criticise them by managers whose team cannot find a way through.

5. “Hacer la cama”
A team thought to not be making 100% effort in games can be said to be ‘making the bed’ for their coach, which means trying – consciously or not – to get their boss fired!

6. “Zamorana”
The patented signature move of legendary 1920s and 30s Spanish goalkeeper Ricardo Zamora was to fake catch a ball, then double his arm, flex his elbow and propel the ball far up the pitch with surprising power. Besides clearing danger from his own box, the ‘Zamorana’ often helped start counter-attacks and had a highly demoralising effect on shocked opposition strikers, too.

7. “Tirarse en la piscina”
To ‘throw yourself into the swimming pool’ is a nicely poetic Spanish way of saying a player dived, or threw himself to the ground without any contact from a defender, to deceive the referee into whistling for a foul. Sometimes also described as ‘simulación’ which is closer to the English ‘simulation.’

8. “Tener flor”
A player, or more often a coach, who ‘has a flower’ is thought to have good fortune, similar to being 'charmed’ in English. The expression is also often used by defeated opposition fans or pundits as a way to avoid praising tactical or technical excellence in an opposition team.

9. “Rabona”
When a player plants one foot in front of the ball, and then sweeps his other leg around behind to spectacularly strike the ball, you have a ‘Rabona.’ One-time Barcelona winger Ricardo Quaresma is an expert, while former Villarreal midfielder Pablo Fornals scored a superb rabona against Huesca in 2019.

10. “Pase de la Muerte”
The ‘pass of death’ has a specific meaning in Spanish football. It refers to a through ball which breaks an offside trap to leave a teammate clear in front of goal. Quite a few of Barça captain Lionel Messi’s 12 LaLiga assists this season have met this description. Deadly, and very hard to defend against.

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Argentina footballer Paulo Dybala has tested coronavirus positive for the fourth time in the last six weeks, according to media reports. This could come as a big blow for Juventus as Serie A had allowed players to return to individual training from May 4. "Spanish programme El Chiringuito stated Dybala has had four tests across the last six weeks and the latest one was positive again," the report in The Sun stated. Dybala was one of the first footballers to contract the virus along side Juventus teammate Daniele Rugani. In March, Dybala had taken to instagram to reveal he and his girlfriend both had tested positive.

Italy has been one of the worst hit countries in the world due to coronavirus pandemic as more than 200,000 people have been infected while in excess of 27,000 individuals have lost their lives so far. Italian sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora had earlier suggested that it would be easier to end the football season and if indeed the leagues do start, it should be a gradual process.

"It would be much easier to end the season immediately and the scientific community would agree," he wrote on his Facebook page. "Carrying on the world of football is a very important thing for our country, but we must do it safely. Remember when Serie A didn't stop? How many teams have gone into quarantine? The [Italian Football Federation] FIGC submitted a protocol and it was considered.

"Today we're at the end of April, we can't know for sure how the virus will evolve and how the rules will be respected, therefore we can't know when the season will resume.

"We've been working to resume training from May 18, but that doesn't mean the leagues will start up again," he added.

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Manchester City's Brazilian footballer Gabriel Jesus is doing his best to help his country during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gabriel has donated three tonnes of food to the poor in Brazil's notorious favelas from where he emerged as a footballer. He recently arranged for 400 food baskets to be delivered to Sao Paulo's Jardim Peri neighbourhood where he grew up.

The player has also got together with famous Brazilian singer Beto for a song that has been uploaded on YouTube to raise funds.

Gabriel, 23, has reportedly helped raised £370,000 (approx Rs 3.7 crore) alongwith fellow footballers to help some 32,000 families with relief material. Back in Brazil, when he played for Palmeiras as a teenager, Gabriel, then 17, earned around £3,500 a year (approx R3 lakh) before he went on to bag a whopping £75,000-a-week (approx Rs 67 lakh) contract with Manchester City in 2016.

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Argentine football legend Diego Maradona has asked the "Hand of God" to deliver the world from COVID-19 pandemic and allow normal life to resume. The World Cup winner referred to his hand-assisted goal in the 1986 World Cup after Argentine football chiefs voted to end the current season as well as suspend relegation, saving Diego-managed bottom club Gimnasia from the drop.

"Today this happened to us and many people say it is a new Hand of God," said Diego, alluding to his infamous goal against England. "But today I'm asking for that hand to end this pandemic so people can go back to living their lives, healthy and happy." Then-Argentine captain Diego responded to the controversy over his goal at the World Cup in Mexico by saying "it was the Hand of God!"

Argentina went on to beat England 2-1 in the quarter-final. On being thrown a lifeline by the suspension of the season, he told Argentine daily Clarin: "It's not the ending we had wanted, we were convinced we could save ourselves on the pitch."

Argentina has been in lockdown since March 20 against the Coronavirus, which by early Wednesday had infected 4,114 people with 207 deaths.

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Argentine footballer Paulo Dybala has tested positive for Coronavirus for the fourth time recently. His pop-star girlfriend Oriana Sabatini has also contracted the virus.

However, the couple have continued to keep their spirits high despite the setback. The Argentine pair have been constantly posting pictures and videos on social media to keep themselves and their fans entertained.

In one such post, the Juventus star and Oriana are seen honing their PlayStation skills.
In another video, the Argentine football star is seen working out in his home gym and simultaneously joining in a TikTok dance routine with Oriana.

In yet another video, Paulo is playing the piano while Oriana is singing. Some of Paulo's football pals like Douglas Costa, Claudio Marchisio and Nicolas Tagliafico have been impressed with his musical ability and even commented on the video.

Paulo and Oriana, the niece of Argentine tennis legend Gabriela Sabatini, first met in 2017 but announced their relationship only after the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

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