StarPlus, the country’s leading general entertainment channel StarPlus is entertaining viewers with the legendary show – Ramayan. Written, produced and directed by Ramanand Sagar, Ramayan, first aired in 1987 and acquired a cult status over the years. The show boasts of a talented ensemble comprising of Arun Govil as Lord Rama, Dipika Chikhlia Topiwala as Goddess Sita and Sunil Lahri as Lakshman. It also starred veteran actors Lalita Pawar as Manthara, Arvind Trivedi as Ravana and Dara Singh as Hanuman. Not many people are aware that the show’s maker Ramanand Sagar was destined to make this mythological saga into a classic rendition for television.

There is an interesting story that has been shared by Ramanand Sagar’s son Prem Sagar in the book that he has written on his father’s life - An Epic Life: Ramanand Sagar: From Barsaat to Ramayan. In 1942, when Ramanand was 25 years old a Kashmiri mystic, Pandit Nityanandji had predicted that Ramayan would be retold by Ramanand Sagar. In 1976, noted film producer, Mr Mohla, on observing Ramanand’s astrological chart, had said that Ramanand Sagar would cause a spiritual awakening globally through the medium of cinema. Going forward, Ramanand Sagar ensured that this vision turned into reality and the rest is history!

Ramayan created waves across the world with its soulful narrative. The divine tale of how good triumphs over evil gladdened hearts of every viewer. Streets would be deserted on Sunday mornings as people stayed glued to their television sets as Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan described the tale of Lord Ram in vivid detail.

ALSO READ: Ramayan’s Sita denies asking for Padma Award from government

Dipika Chikhlia rose to fame with her performance as Sita in Ramanand Sagar's show Ramayan. Owing to the lockdown the show is being aired on television for the viewing of the younger generation. Now, Dipika is once again going to be seen on screen as she will be playing Sarojini in her new film.

Dipika took to her social media handle to unveil the first look poster of the movie which is based on freedom fighter Sarojini Naidu. Dipika is seen posing in a thoughtful mode in the poster.

#sarojininaidu...1st look....poster pic.twitter.com/zN5hhdSJmX

— Dipika Chikhlia Topiwala (@ChikhliaDipika) May 7, 2020

Sarojini is directed by Akash Nayak and Dhiraj Mishra. The story has been written by Dhiraj Mishra and Yashomati Devi. The venture is produced by Kanu Bhai Patel under the Royal Film Media banner. Sarojini Naidu is a strong personality in India's freedom struggle and is known as the Nightingale of India.

This is the first full-length feature film on Sarojini Naidu that will show her political career.

ALSO READ: Dipika Chikhlia reveals that people in small town think of her as Sita and touch her feet even today

Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan on Thursday said that unemployment numbers are really worrying and India needs to be "cleverer" about lifting the lockdown. Rajan's remarks came during his interaction with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, via video conference, on the economic crisis due to ongoing lockdown which is scheduled to end on May 3. "The numbers are really worrying. If you look at CMIE, virtually another 100 million more people have been put out of work as a result of COVID. 50 million through unemployment and 60 million through leaving the labour force," he said while responding to Rahul's query that India has a high level of unemployment, that is now going to be massive.

"I think it says, we need to open up in a measured way but as fast as possible so that people start having jobs. We don't have the capacity to support people across the spectrum for too long. Being a relatively poor country, people start out with significantly lower reserves," he said. "But we have to be cleverer about opening up. Perhaps do mass testing. Take a mass sample, say 1000 samples and check in mass, if there is any sign of the virus in those mass samples. If you do find it, then go deeper into the sample and check who it might be. This way it would reduce the burden on our test infrastructure and can allow us to try and vet much more. We have to be cleverer since we simply cannot wait till we have that kind of testing," the economist said.

Rajan said that it is all too easy to cover a lockdown forever, but obviously that is unsustainable for the economy. On the opening of the economy, he said: "It has to be sequencing. First, places where you can maintain distancing. It is not just distancing in the workplaces, but also distancing to and fro, from the workplace."

"So, a lot of work needs to be done both on creating the structures, as well as ensuring that the workplace is relatively safe. As well as ensuring that if there are accidents, if there are fresh cases, how do we isolate quickly without having to go to a second or a third lockdown? Those will be devastating if we have to go there," he added.

When asked about finances of the agricultural sector and the workers, migrant workers, Rajan said that the government should to find ways of getting both money as well as food through PDS to as many of these people.

"This is where the efforts we have made in Direct benefits transfer (DBT) need to be realised at this point. All the ways we transfer to relatively poor people, we need to take a call on that. We have different ways of accessing - through widow pensions, MGNREGA Rolls. And we need to say that look these are people who don't have a job, who don't have a livelihood and for the next 3-4 months while the uncertainty is on, we are going to support them," he said.

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Governments must borrow to meet their deficits and not impose higher tax burdens when economic activity has ground to a halt amid the coronavirus pandemic, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said on Wednesday after the Centre and the Delhi government hiked taxes on petroleum products. New or higher taxes are justified only when the economy is booming, the former finance minister said, dubbing the imposition of taxes as "cruel". Tax burdens on the middle class and the poor is actually taxing distress, he said in a series of tweets.

"Governments should give money to the people in times of distress, not squeeze and take money from the people," Chidambaram said. "We have been pleading for cash transfers from the government to the bottom half of the people/families. Instead governments are doing a reverse transfer of money from the people to the government! Cruel," he said.

New or higher taxes will impoverish families further, Chidambaram asserted. "Governments must borrow to meet their deficits, not impose higher tax burdens when economic activity has ground to a halt," he said. Chidambaram's remarks come after the central government on Tuesday night hiked the excise duty on petrol by a steep Rs 10 per litre and that on diesel by Rs 13 a litre.

Retail prices of petrol and diesel will not be impacted by the tax changes as state-owned oil firms will adjust them against the recent fall in oil prices, industry officials said. Petrol prices in the national capital were hiked by Rs 1.67 a litre and diesel by a steep Rs 7.10 per litre after the Delhi government raised local sales tax or value-added tax (VAT) on the two fuels.

Petrol in Delhi now costs Rs 71.26 a litre as against Rs 69.59 previously, oil industry sources said. Diesel price has been hiked to Rs 69.39 per litre from Rs 62.29. Struggling with low revenues during lockdown, several states have also hiked taxes on alcohol.

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American actor Chris Pratt poked fun at his brother-in-law, Patrick Schwarzenegger over the latter's Instagram post caption.

Schwarzenegger, brother of Pratt's wife Katherine, shared a photo on Instagram of himself and his girlfriend, Abby Champion, to celebrate Easter on Sunday, showing the two cuddled up to each other, smiling and holding up a bunny-shaped cake."

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

HAPPY EASTER!! 🐣🐰🐇 THIS CAKE TOOK US 6 HOURS!! We burnt 1 cake, 1 was filled too high & dripped everywhere & destroyed the oven... We also got in 2 arguments during It!! And yeah.... Was SO FUN!

A post shared by Patrick Schwarzenegger (@patrickschwarzenegger) onApr 12, 2020 at 1:41pm PDT

Schwarzenegger's caption read, "HAPPY EASTER!! THIS CAKE TOOK US 6 HOURS. We burnt 1 cake, 1 was filled too high & dripped everywhere & destroyed the oven... We also got in 2 arguments during It!! And yeah... Was SO FUN!"

Pratt chimed in with a silly comment indicating that he took the photo, and furthermore, wanted credit for doing so.

He wrote, "That is an extraordinary picture. Who was your photographer? Clearly somebody with an amazing eye. Remarkable composition."

The 26-year-old star responded, writing, "u did well sir," adding a camera emoji.

Chris and Katherine got married in the summer of 2019 after the actor split from ex-wife and actor Anna Faris.

A source told Us Weekly last month that Pratt is feeling very confident in his relationship these days.

The source said that Chris was very insecure about himself before he started dating Katherine. He never felt 'good enough' for Anna Faris, and then when their relationship started to go downward, "he was angry and not liking who he was."

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Hollywood actor Johnny Depp has stepped into social media by joining Instagram to share a special message for fans affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The "Pirates Of The Caribbean" star made his debut on the platform on April 16 by sharing a photograph of himself sitting on an old wooden bench in what seems like a cave, surrounded by candles and lights.

"Hello everyone... filming something for you now... gimme a minute," he captioned the image.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Johnny Depp (@johnnydepp) onApr 16, 2020 at 7:12am PDT

Depp gained 600,000 followers just three hours after creating the account, reports aceshowbiz.com.

A representative for the official account of his band The Hollywood Vampires and member Joe Perry both left comments featuring similar emojis on the comment section.

Moments later, the actor came back on the photo-sharing website and posted a piece he'd been filming.

A video message, which started like: "Hi everyone, hello to whomever might be out there in ether-land receiving this transmission. This is my first experience within the world of social media. I've never done anything like this before. I don't think I've ever really felt any particular reason to, until now."

"Yeah, now is the time to open up a dialogue as the threat of this invisible enemy has already caused immeasurable tragedies and enormous damage to people's lives. People are ill and without care, people are getting sick, fighting for breath and dying at frighteningly high rates."

Depp went on to reference those who have lost their jobs and others living on the streets "with no shelter or option of self-isolating at all".

"So I feel we need to try and help each other through these hard times, these trying times, for those we love, for our community, for ourselves, for the world and for the future."

He concluded his first Instagram message by thanking fans for "your kindness, your unwavering support and your strength over these years. I am touched beyond words."

The actor then shared his version of musician John Lennon's "Isolation" saying that "there's more to come" and noting that he hoped fans would "enjoy our version."

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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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As the world began bingeing on Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher's new creation, Never Have I Ever, British musician DJ Rekha and Poorna Jagannathan — who plays a pivotal role in the comedy — hosted a special Instagram party on Sunday to celebrate the series. A Bollywood-themed virtual bash seemed like the perfect way to tackle the lockdown ennui as several stars around the globe logged in to congratulate Kaling on her latest offering. Amongst the Bollywood stars to join the fanfare were Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal.

Mindy Kaling

A source reveals, "It was essentially a lockdown party with Mindy joining in from the US, and Richa and Ali logging online from Mumbai. Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali too attended the virtual do. Most of the stars had watched the show beforehand. While they loved how the slice-of-life series captured the joys and sorrows of a second-generation Indian teenager growing up in the US, the larger discussion was about how it beautifully highlighted the issues faced by people of different ethnicities through the protagonist and her diverse set of friends. DJ Rekha made sure that the party, though online, wasn't without its share of music as she belted out hits from her console."

Mahershala Ali

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"Captain America" star Chris Evans has finally joined Instagram to raise funds for the fight against the novel coronavirus. Evans made his debut on the photo-sharing website on May 1 and shared that he is taking part in the All In Challenge, launched to help raise money to fight hunger during the COVID-19 pandemic, reports aceshowbiz.com.

In his debut video Evan says: "A virtual hangout with me and five of my closest friends." He was referring to his "Avengers" co-stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo and Jeremy Renner.

"We can do a private Q&A. You can ask us anything. We'll spill the beans. And then maybe some games."

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Hello Instagram!! #ALLINCHALLENGE accepted!! Thanks for bringing me in, @prattprattpratt What a great cause! Gauntlet thrown down for @imsebastianstan @anthonymackie @theebillyporter @allinchallenge Here’s the link: http://allinchallenge.in/chrisevans

A post shared by Chris Evans (@chrisevans) onMay 1, 2020 at 2:26pm PDT

Evans feels the cause should encourage fans to join in. "This is a great cause. This helps people who are in need during this COVID nightmare. So I am very happy to be doing this."

He then passed the challenge to fellow Marvel star friends, Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie, as well as "Pose" star Billy Porter.

The actor's challenge page shared details that the offer of hanging out goes to one lucky winner and two friends.

"100 per cent of the money raised through this Game/Auction will go directly to Feeding America, Meals On Wheels, World Central Kitchen and No Kid Hungry," read his statement.

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After mourning the demise of the late veteran actor Rishi Kapoor, WWE champion and Hollywood actor John Cena has now taken to social media to pay homage to Irrfan Khan, who too passed away.

Remembering Irrfan, Cena posted a picture of the former from his famous movie Life of Pi. Reacting to the post, several users thanked Cena for paying tribute to Irrfan.

"You care for the Indian people ..love you Cena," a social media follower commented. Have a look right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by John Cena (@johncena) onMay 2, 2020 at 4:40am PDT

Irrfan breathed his last on April 29 at the age of 54. He was admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection earlier this week. However, he succumbed to his ailment.

This is not the first time that Cena has posted a picture of an Indian celebrity. His account also includes pictures of the likes of the batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, actress Shilpa Shetty and Bigg Boss 13 contestant Asim Riaz.

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A 40-year-old man allegedly attacked his wife with a chopper after he felt she was giving more importance to watching a show, 'Pakistani Drama', on her mobile phone than speaking to him, police said on Tuesday.

The accused, Asif Sattar Nayab, has a business of installing hoardings and stays with his family in the Salisbury Park area, they said. Nayab was arrested by the Swargate police and booked for attempt to murder after his wife registered a complaint against him on Monday evening, the police said. According to the police, the couple had a quarrel on Monday morning.

"The woman had sent her son to bring milk from a shop but when she found that the milk pouch was damaged and some milk had spilled over, she started scolding him. "Listening her voice, Asif intervened, which led to a heated argument between the couple," said a senior officer from the Swargate police station. The woman, in her complaint, said the quarrel escalated in the evening when Nayab came home and found she was not speaking to him, he said.

"When Asif came home from work, his wife went to the bedroom. When he went to the bedroom to speak to her, she kept watching a show named 'Pakistani Drama' on her mobile. "Asif felt she was ignoring him and giving more importance to the show on her mobile phone. Felt ignored, Asif attacked her with a chopper (a knife-like tool) in which her right hand's thumb broke," the officer said.

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Neena Gupta treated her followers on Instagram with a fun video as the actress hit the five lakh mark on the social media platform. On Thursday, Neena Gupta took to Instagram to express her gratitude to all her fans who helped achieve five lakh followers.

Neena Gupta who is very active on Instagram shared a video where she is seen thanking her followers and fans. She is seen in a joyous mood as she cheerfully jumps around while addressing her followers. She said that it was because of her fans, their prayers and comments that helped her in hitting five lakh followers. Sharing the video, she wrote, "Thank you thank you."

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Thank you thank you

A post shared by Neena Gupta (@neena_gupta) on May 7, 2020 at 7:46am PDT

Neena Gupta constantly updates her fans about her life and expresses her thoughts on various topics through social media. From her fitness to beauty care to current topics, the actress shares her opinion on everything.

Neena Gupta started her second wave in cinema with her incredible performance in the film Badhaai Ho. She was seen in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan and Panga.

ALSO READ: After getting a head massage from husband Vivek Mehra, Neena Gupta returns the favour

EU-funded researchers have developed innovative genetic reprogramming techniques to replace and repair brain cells, opening up novel therapeutic pathways to combat debilitating disorders such as Parkinson's and Huntington's disease.

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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From a childhood nickname to his world champion horse, these are some of the lesser-known facts about the Real Madrid captain and legend

1. His nickname as a child was Schuster
As a child, Sergio played up front and was nicknamed ‘Bernd Schuster’ after the great German goalscorer by the friends he played with on the grass outside his apartment block. He’d go on to play in defence throughout his career, at right-back and centre-back, but has maintained his brilliant goalscoring ability. Coincidentally, he was even coached by Schuster at Real Madrid between 2007 and 2008.

2. He’s only ever worn the number 4 shirt at Real Madrid, but never for Spain…
When Ramos arrived at Real Madrid, he was touted to fill the void left by the departing legend Fernando Hierro. Ramos wasn’t shy about taking on the challenge and adopted Hierro’s famous No.4 jersey from day one. That has been the number on his back during his entire decade-and-a-half career at the Santiago Bernabéu. Funnily enough though, Ramos picked a different number for when he plays with the Spanish national team: 15.

3. He has never scored for Spain at a major tournament
Sergio is Spain’s all-time record appearance holder (170) and has scored 21 goals for his country, a mightily impressive tally for a defender. Bizarrely enough, though, he’s never scored for Spain at a major tournament. Each of his 21 strikes has come in qualification rounds, in friendlies, or in the UEFA Nations League. Beyond penalty shootouts, he’s never scored at a World Cup, European Championship or even the Confederations Cup.

4. He didn’t win a Champions League knockout tie until the age of 25
Ramos has four Champions League titles to his name, winning the tournament in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018. He may undoubtedly be one of the all-time greats of the competition, but it’s easy to forget that he didn’t reach the competition’s quarter-final until the age of 25. He never played in the Champions League with Sevilla, then his first few years at Real Madrid coincided with a barren spell for the capital city club in which they were consistently knocked out in the first knock-out phase. Finally, in 2010/11 after the arrival of Jose Mourinho, Ramos made it to his first quarter-final, against Tottenham Hotspur. He’s certainly overcome that initial disappointment as the years have gone on.

5. His horse Yucatán de Ramos is a world champion
Like any true Andalusian, Sergio loves horses and has done since childhood. He owns stables near his hometown of Seville, and Yucatan de Ramos, his star horse, won a world championship at the 2018 Interntional PRE Horse Fair recognising it as the finest pure-bred Spanish horse in the world.

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The ATP and WTA, along with the International Tennis Federation and organisers of the four Grand Slams (Tennis Australia, the Federation Francaise de Tennis, All England Club and United States Tennis Association) are planning create a 'Player Relief Programme' to provide assistance to the coronavirus-impacted players.

"With so much uncertainty around when it will be safe to restart the professional tennis tours, the international governing bodies of world tennis can confirm they are in discussions to create a Player Relief Programme to provide much-needed assistance to the players who are particularly affected during this time of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis," ITF said in a statement on Tuesday.

"These discussions have been progressing well and details are being finalised with an announcement expected in the near future. Already agreed is that the ATP and the WTA will administer the Player Relief Programme and all seven stakeholders will make a significant contribution," the statement added. IFT further said: "We know that for our players, as well as for so many people worldwide, there is the need for financial support for those who need it most and we look forward to finalising and sharing the further details of a plan in due course."

The London-based governing body has also announced the creation of player panels for those competing on its World Tennis Tour. "The panel will provide a forum for players to provide their input and have their say on how the tour is run and will be a further opportunity for the ITF to engage with the player community," ITF said. The men's and women's players will each elect a panel of seven current player members, who will have voting rights.

Men's players with an ATP ranking of below 350 and women's tennis players with a WTA ranking not higher than 151 will be allowed to nominate a fellow player or stand in the election.

All professional tennis activities remain suspended till July 13 due to coronavirus outbreak which has so far claimed more 1.7 lives across the world.

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A fund for tennis players hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic has been created, the sport's governing bodies announce, adding that they had contributed more than $6 million (5.3 million euros). In a joint statement, the ATP and WTA tours, the International Tennis Federation and the four Grand Slam tournaments -- the Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open -- said the Player Relief Programme will support those "who are facing unprecedented challenges due to the global impact of COVID-19".

With the tennis season suspended until at least July 13, some "800 ATP/WTA singles and doubles players" are in need of financial support, the statement continued, with eligibility for the fund determined by a player's ranking and previous prize money earnings. The fund can also be donated to via initiatives including auctions, player donations and virtual tennis games, added the governing bodies, who last month announced talks about creating the programme.

The virus has caused havoc to the calendar, with Wimbledon cancelled for the first time since World War II and the French Open postponed until the end of September. The United States Tennis Association will decide in mid-June whether or not the US Open will take place in New York. However despite the financial difficulties facing hundreds of players, the idea of a relief fund was dismissed by world number three Dominic Thiem, who said last month he would not give lower-ranked players his money.
"Quite honestly I have to say that no tennis player will be fighting to survive, even those who are much lower-ranked," Thiem said, speaking of a separate fund idea revealed by Novak Djokovic.

"None of them are going to starve ... I would rather give money to people or organisations that really need it."

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(Left to right) Vidhi Legal members Namrata Mukherjee, Nitika Khaitan and Nivedita Saksena. Pic/Ajay Gautam

The legal framework in India has often posed many a problem for members of the LGBTQ community. Some regulations are being changed, and certain implementations are underway. But, taking into account the slow pace of change, a new manual helps members of the queer community navigate the lacking legal regime, as it exists currently.

The manual deals with identity documents, violence, education, health and personal finances. It is the brainchild of Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, a Delhi-based think-tank conducting legal research assisting the government to make better laws. Namrata Mukherjee, a core member of the team explains, "Legal change will only come slowly; meanwhile, it is important to spread awareness on how queer community can access its rights, working around the law that's already in place." Pallav Patankar, former director of programmes at Mumbai's The Humsafar Trust, India's oldest LGBTQ organisation, scrutinised the 112-page manual. While he's appreciative of the initiative, he outlined certain critical insights to us which we got Vidhi Legal to respond to.

Pallav Patankar. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

Trans women having two PAN cards - male and female - which is illegal
"This is because of the (hitherto) missing option of transgender, on the PAN card application," says Nitika Khaitan, another core member. "As of three weeks ago, that option has been introduced. Now you can reapply with the gender of your choice."

The manual seems to be critical about the concept of Aadhaar...
"Aadhaar has been at the centre of controversy mainly due to privacy concerns. Because privacy is intrinsic to this community, it's important to flag this. We are in no way influencing the debate," says Mukherjee. The manual states clearly that Aadhaar does not require people to verify their gender. "You are supposed to be able to put the gender of your choice. The implementation of this, of course, depends on the concerned on-ground officer," she adds.

Discrimination in school addresses the transgender issue and not sexuality
"There's very little by way of government policies that addresses the issue of discrimination at the school level. While UGC guidelines for trans students are there, there is no such thing with regards to sexuality," says Khaitan. The manual is addressed entirely to those above 18 years of age. "Underage boys and girls often face problems related to violence, healthcare, emotional abuse and discrimination in educational institutions. This is one area where we have not been able to find a solution," she adds.

The listed steps while procuring a voter ID are not followed by officials
Mukherjee says, "We have heard several complaints related to this. One tactic could be to take a copy of the NALSA judgment (National Legal Services Authority vs Union of India) that recognises the fundamental and civil rights of transgender persons, and present your case to the officials on ground. Another option is to approach your local MP and get him to write a letter on your behalf which you can take to the electoral photo ID centre and then mark the gender of your choice. You must also carry the gazette notification that says you've changed your name and gender. But, the success of these tactics depends entirely on the attitude of on-ground officials."

The chapter on health is from an academic perspective on health, gender dysphoria and gender affirmative therapy. What is the legal connect with India?
"There isn't a connect. There is nothing in our legal framework that regulates gender dysphoria or gender therapy. Because the queer community always encounters discrimination or harassment when they approach healthcare service providers, we have outlined general remedies that would be available to them under medical negligence laws, HIV Act; specific provisions that address discrimination that not many know of," says Khaitan.

Some suggestions in the manual seem to apply only to the digitally literate
Mukherjee says, "We are cognisant of the fact that access is determined by class. The idea of the manual is to reach grassroot LGBTQ organisations that will be able to disseminate the manual more effectively. This could be a tool that they can hopefully rely on while trying to access justice. We are also getting the manual translated into five regional languages." Add to this, the first chapter on identity documents is being recorded as a Hindi podcast. "We hope to publish it on social media, so that people can easily access it on WhatsApp etc."

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Hyderabad: Haleem, a delicacy of Hyderabad is only prepared in the month of Ramzan. Speaking to ANI, Abdul Mohsin, Director, Pista house, one of the top Haleem sellers in Hyderabad, said, "Hyderabad tops two dishes, one is Biriyani and another is Haleem. Biryani is available in all seasons but Haleem will be available only during Ramadan, therefore, people from all places and community come to eat it as it is delicious and healthy, both."

"Public from across all over the state and country visit historic Charminar and come to our shop to have Haleem. We have started serving Haleem since 1997 and till now serve it. In Ramadan month Muslims, who fast for whole day, want healthy food to gain back energy, so by consuming Haleem they will get enough energy," he added.

Haleem, a delightful mix of grains and meat, is a stew popular in the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Although the dish varies from region to region, it always includes wheat or barley, meat, and sometimes lentils.

"Haleem is a very famous food in Hyderabad. Many people from various places and communities come here and consume it. It is available only in the holy month of Ramadan and everyone prefers Haleem due to its good taste," Abdul Razzak, told ANI.

Ramzan is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad according to Islamic belief.

Ramzan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which involves rigorous fasting for about 30 days including festive foods like dates, typically serves as appetizers, before a lavish meal served after sunset.

During this month, Muslims do not take food or water from dawn to dusk. They eat Suhur (a pre-dawn meal) and break their day-long fast with 'Iftar' in the evening.

India's 1.2 billion people include 175 million Muslims, and constitute the third-largest Muslim population in the world.

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A former defense and trade minister, Nirmala Sitharaman became the first woman finance minister of India after Indira Gandhi.

She has inherited an economy facing a number of risks.

She faces immense challenges as finance minister. India's economy is starting to splutter on the back of a slow-down in consumption and private investment.

Fixing this and jump-starting the economy are the first order of business.

The data released on Friday was disappointing at different levels.

Lower growth in GDP, stagnant growth in core sector in April 2019, and the government just about managing the 3.4% deficit number in FY19 pose puzzles for the new Cabinet which assumes responsibility of kick-starting the economy.

A look at key macroeconomic indicators presents a gloomy picture.

Sinking GDP Growth Means FM Nirmala Sitharaman has to Push for Sweeping Reforms

According to the data released by the Central Statistics Office on Friday, gross domestic product (GDP) grew by only 5.8% in the last quarter of financial year 2019 (FY19), between January and March.

GDP Growth Slips to 5-Year Low

The data demonstrates GDP growth slowing steadily, from 8 to 7 to 6.6% in the first three quarters of FY19.

The signs of slowdown are visible throughout the economy.

Growth of Core Sector Industries Remained Flat

India's core economy grew at 4.3% in FY19, its second slowest pace in the past 5 years, down from 4.9% in FY15, according to latest data by the ministry of commerce and industry.

The 8 core industries include Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Refinery, Fertilisers, Steel, Cement, and Electricity.

8 Core Sectors Report Flat Growth in FY19

The growth rate is also flat since fiscal FY18 which had also recorded a 4.3% growth.

Manufacturing and Services Sector Activity Decelerates

Core sector growth will have a direct impact on the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) as these sectors account for a major chunk of total factory output.

Worries Rise as Factory Output Shrinks in March

The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) and the Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) are used to gauge the level of activity in the manufacturing sector.

What Does the PMI Say?

The country's manufacturing sector performance fell to an eight-month low in April as new business growth moderated, curbed by the elections and a challenging economic environment.

The Nikkei India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index declined from 52.6 in March to 51.8 in April, reflecting weakest improvement in business conditions since August 2018.

However, this was the 21st consecutive month that the manufacturing PMI remained above the 50-point mark.

In PMI parlance, a number above 50 means expansion, while a score below that denotes contraction.

The April PMI data indicated a softer increase in new orders had restricted growth of output, employment, and business sentiment.

Further, the Indian service sector lost momentum in April, with rates of new business and output growth both cooling to seven-month lows.

Indian Service Sector Loses Momentum Too

Falling from 52.0 in March to 51.0 at the start of FY19, the seasonally adjusted Nikkei India Services Business Activity Index pointed to the weakest upturn in output since last September.

Besides these, there are many other indicators of a slowdown.

A decline in consumer demand, a slowdown in government spending, and weak private investment have likely impacted India's growth in the fourth quarter.

One such high frequency indicator is automobile sales.

What do these numbers indicate?

Vehicle sales are a very important economic indicator about how the people of India feel about their economic prospects.

After all, no one is forcing anyone to buy a car and given that if a consumer buys a car, he chooses to make a down payment and/or take on an EMI.

This is only possible if the consumer is feeling positive about his future economic prospects.

Automobile Sales Skid as Demand Remains Sluggish

On Saturday, India's largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki, reported a 22% decline in sales in May, the lowest in seven years.

Other auto-makers such as Tata Motors, Eicher Motors, and Hero Moto Corp reported declines in sales too.

All these economic indicators basically provide evidence of the Indian economy slowing down further since January 2019.

Another major area that needs immediate attention by the government, is job creation.

According to a CMIE survey, the unemployment number stands at 41 million people. That is too big a number to be ignored.

Now, job creation at such a mass level won't be a walk in the park. To set the wheels in motion, the government will have to look at infrastructure spending.

Capacity expansion in new projects has seen a gradual slowdown in the past few years.

Infra Capacity Expansion Likely to Be the Key Focus of the Modi Government

From Rs 3.3 trillion in June 2018, the number has come down sharply to Rs 2.1 trillion as of March 2019.

Co-head of research, Tanushree Banerjee believes this is first area the government will look to focus on.

Apart from creating jobs in the infrastructure sector, it opens a lot of other avenues.

Here's an excerpt of what she wrote in The 5Minute WrapUp:

• Better infrastructure will mean better connectivity to non-metros. This will attract manufacturing companies to set shop in these towns. It will give a boost to the urbanisation of the population.
  
  This is a trend I see clearly playing out in the coming years.
  
  Infrastructure spending -> Improved roads -> Increased two-wheeler sales.
  
  It is just one of the 50 irreversible trends I believe will carry the Sensex to 1,00,000.

Typically, when the capacity utilisation rises, it prompts companies to expand their capacities. If this gradual pick-up sustains, it could lead to a pick-up in private sector investment.

Thus, a revival in the investment cycle could be underway despite the current economic slowdown.

And, as far as equity markets are concerned, participants were expecting a weak fourth quarter growth data.

As such, the now published data may not weigh on the market but will raise expectations from the government and the RBI.

The pressure points in the form of finance, tax rates, infra expenditure, specific sector-related policies etc, must be addressed.

While the weak GDP data will be an important input for the Union Budget.

Most investors are now keen to know what's in store in the first week of July.

Warm regards,
Rini Mehta

Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag has stated the real inspiration behind his swashbuckling batting technique was 'Angad' -- a character in mythological epic 'Ramayan'.

Sehwag, who was known for his great hand-eye coordination with minimal footwork, on Sunday shared a picture of 'Angad' on Twitter and said: "So here is where I took my batting inspiration from. Pair hilana mushkil hi nahi, namumkin hai. #Angad Ji Rocks."

So here is where i took my batting inspiration from :)

Pair hilana mushkil hi nahi , namumkin hai . #Angad ji Rocks pic.twitter.com/iUBrDyRQUF

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 12, 2020

According to mythology, it is believed that Angad -- who was part of vanar sena which helped Lord Ram in rescuing his wife Sita from Lanka -- was sent as an emissary to the court of Ravan in order to avoid war.

However, Ravan declined the offer and then to break his ego, Angad challenged that if anyone present in the court would be able to lift his feet from the ground then Lord Ram would accept defeat and leave Lanka.

But it is believed that none of the warriors present in Ravan's court was able to lift Angad's feet.

Sehwag, who played 251 ODIs and 104 Tests for India, scored 8,273 and 8,586 runs respectively. In fact, he is the only Indian cricketer to hit two triple centuries in Test cricket.

The swashbuckling opener also played 19 T20Is for India in which he amassed a total of 394 runs.

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Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar made a stunning claim, saying he would have taken Wasim Akrams life if the latter made an approach regarding match-fixing.

"I was watching few matches of the 1990s and I was amazed to see how Wasim Akram got Pakistan through impossible situations with his brilliant bowling," Cricket Pakistan quoted Akhtar as saying during a television show.

"I will say it very clearly that if Wasim Akram had asked me to do match-fixing, I would have destroyed him or even kill him. But he never said such a thing to me," he added.

The Rawalpindi Express also thanked Akram for supporting him during the early days of his cricketing career.

"I played with him for seven to eight years and I can quote many instances where he gave me cover by taking the responsibility of picking up the top-order wickets while leaving the tail-enders for me," said the 44-year-old.

"He even let me bowl from my preferred bowling even though he had a lot more wickets that I did," he added. Akhtar represented Pakistan in 46 Tests, 163 ODIs and 15 T20Is in which he scalped 178, 247 and 19 wickets respectively. Akram, on the other hand, played 104 Tests and 356 ODIs in which he bagged 414 and 502 wickets respectively.

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India pacer Mohammed Shami on Tuesday revealed what role Zaheer Khan and Wasim Akram have played in shaping his bowling career. Shami also revealed that growing up he used to look up to Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Zaheer, and Akram.

The pacer was doing an Instagram Live session with batsman Manoj Tiwary. "When we were growing up, we used to witness that India and Pakistan used to be the most intense matches. Sachin Tendulkar is a great of the game and I looked up at him when I was growing up. The best pair was of Virender Sehwag and Sachin. When it comes to batting, I used to look up to Sehwag and Sachin," Shami said during the Instagram Live session.

"When it comes to bowling, I used to look at Zaheer Khan. When India and Pakistan faced off against each other, I also used to like Wasim Akram. Both Zaheer and Akram were left-arm bowlers," he added.

Shami had a stint with Kolkata Knight Riders and as a result, he got the chance to learn from Wasim Akram as the former Pakistan bowler used to be the bowling coach of KKR.

The Indian pacer also had a chance to learn from Zaheer as the duo enjoyed a stint together at IPL franchise Delhi Capitals.

"When I came to KKR, I realised the skill and value associated with cricket. I watched Wasim Akram all my life on television, but with KKR, I had the chance to learn from him. For the initial days, I was not even able to talk to him.

"Wasim Bhai came up to me then, and he initiated the conversation with me and he started telling me things about bowling. He read me very fast, he realised what I am all about, I learnt a lot from him. If you have someone experienced close to you, then you should not shy away and try to learn maximum things as well," Shami said.

"Zaheer Bhai and I did not play much together, but whenever I got the chance to talk to him, he was very helpful. I spent time with him during IPL stint with Delhi Capitals, Zaheer Bhai is very experienced, I just wanted to learn how to go about bowling with the new ball," he added.

Shami was last seen in action during the two-match Test series against New Zealand. The pacer would have been in action for the Kings XI Punjab if the IPL had started on March 29.

However, the tournament has been postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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Former Pakistan cricketer Ramiz Raja has welcomed PCBs decision to ban Umar Akmal on corruption charges, saying the batsman has officially made it to the "list of idiots" and that people like him should be put in jail.

Umar has been banned by the Pakistan Cricket Board from all forms of cricket for three years after pleading guilty to failing to report match-fixing approaches.

"So, Umar Akmal officially makes it to the list of idiots! Banned for three years. What a waste of a talent! It's high time that Pakistan moved towards passing a legislative law against match fixing. Behind bars is where such jack a**** belong! Otherwise brave for more!!" Raza said in a tweet.

PCB informed about the ban imposed on Akmal on Monday on Twitter and said: "Umar Akmal handed three-year ban from all cricket by Chairman of the Disciplinary Panel Mr Justice (retired) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan."

Umar, who has played 16 Tests, 121 ODIs and 84 T20Is for Pakistan, had earlier stated in an interview that he was offered money to skip matches against India. He had also revealed that he was asked to leave two deliveries in a match by the bookies.

"I was once offered $200,000 for leaving two deliveries. I was also offered to skip matches against India," Akmal was quoted as saying by GeoTv.

Umar's brother Kamran reacted to the three-year ban, saying that he was shocked to hear the decision.

"We will reach out to every platform for justice and will definitely exercise our right to appeal," Kamran was quoted as saying by GeoTv, adding that there are instances when punishments of lower degrees were allotted for similar charges.

"It is incomprehensible that why Umar Akmal is penalised so severely," he objected, adding that a detailed decision is awaited in this regard.

Umar had not requested for a hearing before the Anti-Corruption Tribunal after he was charged for two breaches of Article 2.4.4 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code in two unrelated incidents.

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Flamboyant West Indies opener Chris Gayle has called his former teammate Ramnaresh Sarwan "worse than coronavirus", accusing the Guyanese of plotting his exit from Caribbean Premier League outfit Jamaica Tallawahs. The big-hitting Gayle, who has since moved to St. Lucia Zouks, blamed Sarwan for an alleged fallout with Tallawahs franchise, which did not retain him for the 2020 season after playing for them as a marquee player last year.

The opener claimed that Sarwan was behind his ouster as the former middle-order batsman wanted to take control of the franchise. "Sarwan, you are worse than the coronavirus right now," Gayle said in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel. "What transpired with the Tallawahs, you have a big part to play because you and the owner are like this (very close). You were the one at my last birthday party here in Jamaica, giving big speech about how far we have come."
Sarwan is the assistant coach of Jamaica Tallawahs.

Continuing his ballistic attack on his former West Indies teammate, Gayle went on, "Sarwan, you are a snake. You are so vindictive. You are so immature. You still stabbing people in the back. "When are you planning to change? Don't even consider seeing the 'Universe Boss' and saying 'Yo Chris' because I am telling you this straight up, that's it."

Gayle played his first four CPL seasons with Tallawahs before turning out for St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the next two seasons respectively. He returned to Tallawahs the previous season as a marquee player before his alleged fall-out with the franchise.

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Former West Indies cricketer Ramnaresh Sarwan has broken his silence after his former teammate Chris Gayle took to social media to hit out at him. Gayle had earlier accused Sarwan for engineering his ouster from Caribbean Premier League side Jamaica Tallawahs. "I categorically deny any involvement in the decision, or the decision-making process, which led to Gayle's non-selection to represent the Jamaica Tallawahs in the 2020 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Tournament," Sarwan was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo on his Facebook page. "In that video, he has levelled false allegations and tarnished the good name and reputation of a series of persons.

"I was the focus of most of the onslaughts. I reply, not because I feel that Gayle's rantings are worthy of it, but because I feel that the public's record must be set straight and also, to protect the character and careers of so many people, whose image he sought to besmirch," he added. Gayle had earlier referred to Sarwan as a 'snake' and he even went on to the extent of saying that he was 'worse than coronavirus'.

"Let me make this abundantly clear that I played with Gayle since the inception of my career. I have always respect him as an extraordinary talent, a colleague and most importantly as a close friend. Hence, my utter shock at these allegations," said Sarwan. Tallawahs have also said that Sarwan had nothing to do with Gayle not being retained by the franchise.

"Gayle gave several reasons for the decision that was made not to retain him in the Tallawahs. However, the truth is that this decision was made collectively by the Ownership and Management team which did not include Ramnaresh Sarwan and based purely on business and cricketing reasoning," Tallawahs said in a statement on their official website.

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Australia cricketer David Warner has been in rich vein of form as far as keeping his followers entertained on popular social media platforms Instagram and Tik Tok is concerned.

With no cricket being played due to coronavirus pandemic, the southpaw has been keeping himself busy by putting out hilarious content for the fans on social media.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Let’s see if you can better this @aaronfinch5 lol 😂 thoughts??

A post shared by David Warner (@davidwarner31) onMay 4, 2020 at 2:21am PDT

In his latest video, Warner came up with his own rendition of Michael Jackson's popular song 'Billie Jean', featuring a coffee mug. He then challenged Australia's white-ball skipper Aaron Finch to try and do better.

His post read: "Let's see if you can do better than this @AaronFinch lol, thoughts." Warner also revealed it took him 17 tries to come with the best version of the video.

Finch hit back straight away and wrote: "Challenge accepted." Former Australia footballer and Everton legend Tim Cahill joined in on the fun and wrote: "Love this lads."

In normal circumstances, Warner and Finch would have been currently playing in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) but due to coronavirus the tournament was postponed by the BCCI.

Players across the globe have made it clear that they are hoping that the league can be played out later in the year when normalcy returns.

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Wasim Akram has claimed that "some people" still use his name to "promote" themselves, a reference to ex-opener Aamir Sohail who has blamed the pace great for Pakistan not winning the World Cup since 1992. "Whenever I hear these negative things about myself I feel very sad that it has been 17 years since I retired but even today they are some people using my name to promote themselves," Akram said on a web show. Wasim said even he could say a lot of negative things about others but refrained from doing so.

"I can also make negative comments about these people but what purpose will it serve. That is why I keep quiet. I just think about the respect and love I have earned from the people over the years and even 17 years after retirement," he said. Sohail, who is also a former Pakistan captain, has claimed that Akram's job as captain in the 1996 and 19999 World Cup and as a senor player in the 2003 edition was to ensure that Pakistan never repeated their 1992 title-winning feat.

"It's very simple. Put the 1992 World Cup to one side and talk about the 1996 World Cup. In 1995, Ramiz Raja was captain. Saleem Malik was the captain before that, he was very successful and if he could have spent one more year as captain then Wasim would not have been leading the side," Sohail was quoted as saying by Dawn. "If you look at what happened till 2003, there was this persistence before every World Cup to remove the captain and put Wasim Akram in that role...Look, the biggest contribution by Wasim Akram for Pakistan cricket was making sure Pakistan does not win a World Cup after 92," he added.

Former Pakistan pacer Ata ur Rehman and former PCB chiefs, Khalid Mahmood and Lt General (retd) Tauqir Zia, have also mentioned Akram's name while discussing the match-fixing allegations of the 90s and the Justice Malik Qayyum report.

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A man disguised as a police officer went on a shooting rampage in Canada's Nova Scotia province, killing 16 people, in the deadliest such attack in the country's history, officials said, adding that the suspected gunman was also dead.

On Sunday, several bodies were found inside and outside a residence in the small town of Portapique, about 100 km north of Halifax, what police called the first scene, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) said in a news report.

Bodies were also found at other locations.

Overnight, police began advising residents of the town, already on lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic, to lock their doors and stay in their basements.

Several homes in the area were set on fire as well.

Police identified the man believed to be the shooter as Gabriel Wortman, 51, who was thought to live part-time in Portapique.

Authorities said he wore a police uniform at one point and made his car look like a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer.

Police first announced that they had arrested Wortman at a gas station in Enfield, outside Halifax, but later said he had died. It was not clear how, and they did not explain further.

RCMP spokesman Daniel Brien confirmed that 16 people had been killed in addition to the suspect, the CBC reported.

While they believe the attack did not begin as random, police did not say what the initial motive was.

RCMP Chief Superintendent Chris Leather said many of the victims did not know the shooter.

"That fact that this individual had a uniform and a police car at his disposal certainly speaks to it not being a random act," Leather was quoted as saying in the CBC news report.

He added that police believe he acted alone, adding that gunfire was exchanged between police and the suspect at one point.

In an update on Sunday evening, RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki said the incident was not being considered terror-related at this time.

Lucki said she believed the shooter had an initial "motivation" at the beginning that "turned to randomness".

"This is one of the most senseless acts of violence in our province's history," the CBC report quoted Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil as saying.

In a statement, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: "As a country, in moments like these, we come together to support one another. Together we will mourn with the families of the victims, and help them get through this difficult time."

The number of victims in the Sunday rampage exceeds the shooting at Montreal's Ecole Polytechnique in 1989, which killed 14 women and injured 14 others in 1989.

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The FM also said that about three crore farmers with agricultural loans totaling Rs 4,22,113 crore availed the benefit of the 3-month loan moratorium announced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in March

Dalal Street expects ICICI Bank to report healthy earnings in Q4

A study to determine whether a protected sleep period of 5 hours is feasible and effective in increasing the time slept by interns on extended duty overnight shifts was conducted by Kevin G.

The OECD Global Forum has released eight peer review reports, for Brunei, Macau, Switzerland, Barbados, the Seychelles, Liberia, Peru, and Tunisia, on the jurisdictions' efforts to adopt and comply with international tax standards on transparency and the exchange of tax-related information on request.

The OECD Global Forum has released eight peer review reports, for Brunei, Macau, Switzerland, Barbados, the Seychelles, Liberia, Peru, and Tunisia, on the jurisdictions' efforts to adopt and comply with international tax standards on transparency and the exchange of tax-related information on request.

The Canadian Government has said that it will review its tax ruling process and voluntary disclosures program as part of its response to recommendations made last year by a parliamentary committee.

The Australian Taxation Office has announced that it is expanding its data matching program to focus on information it receives from partner organizations on shares held by taxpayers.

The Australian Taxation Office has explained how its Early Intervention Strategy helps it to identify tax agents at risk of non-compliance.

As a small open economy, Ireland may be affected significantly by the OECD's proposals to modify how taxing rights are allocated among countries, Irish business association Ibec has said.

Highlights: On behalf of ISPEN 2019, Medindia interviewed Dr. BS Ramakrishna to throw light on the evolving ro

Highlights: On behalf of ISPEN 2019, Medindia interviewed Dr. Usha Sriram on her talk on Metabolic syndrome D

The OECD has published the comments it has received on a proposal for a framework of Model Rules for sharing and gig economy platforms to report the activities of their users, to support tax authorities to ensure the collection of tax.

The Irish Revenue has announced that it will allow access to the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme for certain employers who missed the March 15 payroll deadline.

Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination programs found to decrease the number of infections and precancerous cervical lesions caused by the virus significantly,

Air quality in the U.S. is dramatically shrinking, leaving nearly 150 million people breathing unhealthy, heavily polluted air, according to the newly

Sri Lanka wins international recognition for valuable but threatened urban wetlands.

Engineered bacteriophages could kill various iE.coli/i strains by making mutations in viral protein, according to the team of researchers at the MIT Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies.

The current storm over Pinki Pramanik has kicked up more dirt than the laurels earned by the track athlete. Also, the

Heart attack survival can be increased if Laryngeal tubes are used instead of traditional Endotracheal Tube by the emergency paramedical team, finds a new study.

The study conducted by FAU College of Business faculty members Patrick Bernet, Ph.D., Gulcin Gumus, Ph.D., and Sharmila Vishwasrao, Ph.D., and recently

Syringe exchange programs prevented 12,483 new cases of HIV over a ten-year period, saving millions of dollars every year in Philadelphia and Baltimore, according to a new study.