Peter Cecchini, Cantor Fitzgerald global chief market strategist, joins "Closing Bell" to discuss markets.

I will be at Gencon next weekend! You Should ComE Say Hi

Social media users have adopted the troupe as a dark-humoured symbol of death in the time of Covid-19.

Beards are to men what make-up is to women, and a quick Internet search of actors in a pre- and post-beard phase will confirm this. Such has been the impact and acceptance of facial hair that they have gradually crossed the barriers of hipsterdom to find their way to boardrooms. But are corporate firms with a strict formal dress code open to men with beards?

"We have a strict dress code, where a shabby demeanour is unacceptable. We even keep daily checks; employees cannot walk into the office in jeans or sports shoes, especially when they have client interactions. But full beards are not a concern. We have employees with full beards and twirled moustaches," says Sudhir Dhar, CHRO – director HR, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd.

Dr Sujaya Banerjee

Rohan Vaswani, CHRO, Nexus Malls, a fully owned subsidiary of investment firm Blackstone Group, shares a similar thought. The company follows a formal dress code from Monday to Thursday and smart casuals on Friday. "You can't walk into the office with your shirt not tucked in or in bright blue trousers. But beards, if they are well-kept, are fine," shares Vaswani.

Dress to impress
"The first impression is created by the physical appearance of a person; it's later that you have an interaction and people get influenced by your personality. So, if you seem shabby, you create a perception even before you talk," says Dhar.

He adds that as long as one is confident of carrying it off and not look out of place, a beard is acceptable.

Rohan Vaswani

"We conduct training on executive presence — how to look, behave and dress like a leader. These aspects are now becoming increasingly important as often, you find that people are competent but they don't make it beyond a point because they don't look like the part or someone who can represent the organisation before multiple stakeholders. It's not about good looks but about appearance. A haircut and a well-groomed beard are a part of this understanding. You can't have a two-day stubble where you look like you have just woken up and come to work. We actually check if there's a valid reason behind an unkempt stubble: Is the employee unwell? Or is he battling a low?" says Dr Sujaya Banerjee, CEO and founder of Capstone People Consulting.

Do you shave before an interview?
Most HR personnel we spoke to felt there's no middle ground; you either opt for the clean-shaven look or wear a groomed full beard. "It's better to shave off a two-day stubble and not go in between. It can be interpreted as a sign of laziness," warns Dhar.

"I am more interested in knowing if a person has the right competence and capability for the job. The older generation, however, associates beards with carelessness and mistrust. Traditionally, even in films, the bearded guy will always be the villain or from the underworld. If a full beard is groomed, it's fine. Long hair is not allowed. You are not an artist or performer, you are corporate. Hence, certain norms remain. We allow personal freedom as long as you stay well-groomed," adds Banerjee.

Make a bearded impact
"Some people look smarter with a beard," says Dhar. Vaswani feels that real estate companies are often promoter-driven, and the vision of the promoter and the top management often reflects on the staff where people would go the extra mile to keep with the image. "Those with gaunt features can look fuller with a beard. It also saves you the trouble of having to shave every day. A good beard can actually help you appear stronger. Also, today, people look for organisations where individuality is encouraged, where you can bring your authentic self to work. It's motivating to be in an organisation where you can express who you are, as long as it doesn't hamper business. So, if the beard is within acceptable parameters, all's well," says Banerjee.

Grooming tips
Keep it clean
Wash your beard three times a week to prevent the build-up of dead skin cells.
Keep it moisturised Oil your beard daily to keep it soft and moisturised.
Shape it up
Trim your beard when you see stray hair or as desired to maintain the shape. Repeat this once every two weeks when you want to maintain a consistent length.
Kaushal Pratab, founder, Shepherd For Men 

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Amid the lockdown, veteran actor Anupam Kher has decided not to shave and let his beard grow. On Tuesday, Kher took to Instagram and shared a picture in which he is seen flaunting his beard. He also revealed that he's sporting a beard after almost 37 years. "The face is a picture of the mind with the eyes as it's interpreter." Thanks to the #Lockdown I could grow my beard after 37 years," the actor wrote.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

"The face is a picture of the mind with the eyes as it's interpreter." Thanks to the #Lockdown I could grow my beard after 37years. :)

A post shared by Anupam Kher (@anupampkher) onMay 4, 2020 at 8:47pm PDT

Reacting to Kher's salt and pepper look, a user commented: "Beard suits you". Another one wrote: "Loving your new look sir". On the work front, Kher was last seen in a medical drama, "New Amsterdam".

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After a heartwarming video of an elephant walking on the empty streets in Kerala's Munnar district went viral, another viral video showing wild bears roaming freely in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh amid lockdown has taken the internet by storm.

It’s a pair of bears strolling at Tirumala to see if everything is ok in gods abodeðŸ˜ÂÂŽ pic.twitter.com/ymljGNiL6L

— Susanta Nanda IFS (@susantananda3) April 16, 2020

The viral video was shared by Twitter user Susanta Nanda, an Indian Forest Service officer who is working in Odisha. Susanta shared the video with his 30,000 followers with the caption: It's a pair of bears strolling at Tirumala to see if everything is ok in gods abode.

Another video of a #Tiger surfaced in Vaishno Devi pic.twitter.com/oaxXgmjYdT

— SandyMental (@smenghi) April 17, 2020

In the 10-seconds video clip, the wild bears can be seen crossing the empty streets of Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh amid the nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus. While sharing the video, Susanta jokingly said that the bears are making sure that everything if everything is okay in 'God's abode'. Susanta's God's abode reference was to the temple of Lord Venkateshwara which is located in Tirumala.

Night Patrol Party of Dear Bearshttps://t.co/3IsbafZ54m

— Pankaj Thapliyal (@PankajT04765688) April 16, 2020

The short video clip went viral and has garnered over 15,000 views with 1,500 likes. Hundreds of netizens took to the comments section of the post to share their views. One user wrote, "Amazing," while another commented, "I wonder if these wild life strolling streets had their life goals to do so one day." A third user jokingly said, "Night patrol party of dear bears."

Such a great to watch..!
The world is truly healing,☺

— True Indian (@whiz2018) April 17, 2020

On the same day, IFS Susanta had also shared a viral video where a monkey was seen flying a kite from the terrace of a building. The video garnered over 20,000 views and brought a smile on everyone's face.

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In 2020, 168 million people worldwide will need assistance to deal with humanitarian crises, including natural disasters, extreme climate events, conflicts and infectious disease outbreaks.

A decade ago, Mumbai Mirror had published a shocking news on Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's difficulties in conceiving due to stomach tuberculosis.

While some actors choose to change their look with each film as their character demands, few actors continue to slay in their signature bread look.

Ambitious structural reforms and sound macroeconomic policies have strengthened the resilience of the Mexican economy despite a complex national scenario and challenging global conditions, but more can be done to boost productivity and ensure that growth is inclusive enough to achieve better living conditions for all, according to a new report from the OECD.

Imports - Transmission Shafts & Cranks, Bearing Housings, Etc. in Mexico increased to 277592 USD THO in March from 264992 USD THO in February of 2020. Imports - Transmission Shafts & Cranks, Bearing Ho in Mexico averaged 265087.35 USD THO from 2014 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 370414 USD THO in October of 2017 and a record low of 217205 USD THO in January of 2016. This page includes a chart with historical data for Mexico Imports of Transmission Shafts & Cranks, Bearing.

Short bets rise to highest level of 2020 over Brexit and Covid-19 concerns

Investors fret over the level of economic stimulus Washington is likely to provide

Horseman Capital’s Russell Clark has sold his holdings in government bonds

Two- and five-year yields hit record lows as futures investors anticipate negative rates

We have no real sense of how to value stocks in this environment

Australian CEOs are less confident about domestic growth than their regional peers, and less certain of their ability to capture a return in Asia Pacific markets.

The event, called Scenes in the Square, is being hosted in the capital's iconic Leicester Square famed for its movie premieres and is celebrating a century of cinema.

Quotation - dated 20.10.2011 - Disposal of Office Staff Car bearing No. WE3 02E 5189 - Display of Sale Notice, Terms and Conditions on Ministrys website - reg.

Miley Cyrus flaunted her curves in lingerie in a video showing her shredding a stuffed bear in an homage to We Can't Stop video for Valentine's Day.

Michael Phelps has wished his USA team-mate Ryan Lochte happy birthday as they both prepare for the Olympic Games in Rio.

Video footage shows a 10-year-old bear named Takoda at the Oregon Zoo when he was caught splashing around and playing with a wooden block inside a 300-gallon tub of cool water.

The presenter, 46, made a hilarious comparison with Eminem who is famed for his blonde locks in younger years

Alex Machavo, of Medford, Oregon, was attacked by the injured animal near Shady Cove on Thursday. According to Andrea Carlson, a local sheriff's spokeswoman, the hunter and his wounded target rolled down a 50-ft embankment with the bear biting 22-year-old Machavo all the way down.

The video, shared online by lead pallbearer Benjamin Aidoo, shows the seven men dressed head-to-toe in white, complete with gloves and face masks as they applaud doctors.

The Loose Women panellist, 30, took to Instagram to share a video of her presenter beau, 38, as she jokingly likened his facial hair to Tiger King's Joe Exotic.

WILL KELLEHER'S SCRUM'S THE WORD: This week we have tales of Beards, beers, and Beirnes ahead of the biggest game of the weekend: Wales v Ireland, and plenty more besides.

North Korean despot Kim Jong Un has blasted his own officials as 'helpless' as he 'urgently convened' a disaster prevention meeting about oncoming Typhoon Lingling.

Mack's foundation made the $80,000 donation last month to a location in Fort Pierce, Florida, that just so happens to be where the star athlete was born and raised.

An X-ray taken at the Monash Children's Hospital shows the magnets lodged in her stomach, revealing the extent of the medical emergency which faced doctors.

Jude Law's ex, Cat Cavelli revealed she is expecting her second child on Sunday. 

He's refreshingly frank and honest about how he feels living his life in the spotlight, feeling immensely grateful but also sad about the things he has missed out on. 

Liam Payne has revealed his and Cheryl's fathers are at war over which football team their son Bear, two, will support.  

Liam Payne has praised his ex Cheryl for taking great care of their toddler son Bear when he is working away.

Australian hurdler Sally Pearson was seemingly snubbed by Australian officials and will not be the flag bearer for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Instead hockey player Mark Knowles got the nod.

DEREK LAWRENSON - WORLD OF GOLF: The best golfer of last year says he needs to wait until the end of the season to work out why this campaign has not gone to plan.

DEREK LAWRENSON - WORLD OF GOLF: Naturally, when the time came to put an 80 next to the name of Jack Nicklaus, it had nothing to do with golf.

Two tries from Luke Morahan and 13 points from the boot of Callum Sheedy ensured Bristol made history with a 28-15 win over Harlequins, earning five Premiership wins in a row.

In a Bristol team which contains Charles Piutau and Steven Luatua and will soon add Kyle Sinckler and Semi Radradra, it takes a lot to be described as one of the Bears' 'signings of the season.'

In a new clip released ahead of the series' debut, at the Manchester auditions the panel could not bring themselves to look at the contestant

Posing in a plunging nude number with her hair in a half-up, half-down style, Chloe, 24, stunned fans, who swarmed the post to comment on the likeness.

The dead cubs (pictured) were found by hunting experts who were patrolling a forest in the Anuchinsky district in the Far East of Russia. An administrative investigation has started.

A heartwrenching clip shows the young cubs huddled together and wailing in a hallowed stump of a tree chopped down in the Leningrad region.

Viktoria Aimetdinova, 23, strangled, stabbed and burned baby Bogdan Gafner in a forest 'to save world from apocalypses'. She has been sentenced to forced psychiatric treatment in Russia.

Wildlife photographer Petr Simon, 46, snapped the images at Kurile Lake, a volcanic crater lake in Kamchatka, Russia. He said that the mother bear caught 10 fish for her cubs.

Russian animal rescuers were given special permission to break lockdown and drive 1,600 miles from Tver to save three bear cubs in Kirov, Russia. The cubs were abandoned for two days.

Alexandra Tyutcheva, 23, is a hunting manager from Serpukhov, Russia and has been travelling up to 300 miles to track down deer, bears and rams with her father, 53, since she was 18 years old.