Abhay Kurundkar, the prime accused in the murder of assistant inspector Ashwini Bidre-Gore, had called cops attached to the Thane (Rural) commissionerate and left an "anonymous tip-off" to search for the body of a policewoman, who had "jumped" from the Bhayander bridge. Cops along with three local fishermen and eight to 10 unknown people carried out the search in Vasai creek for nearly five days with no luck.

And this, allegedly, is what Kurundkar wanted — it was a test of sorts by him to check if he had managed to make the body disappear and if it would remain untraced. This has come to light after the recent recording of statements of cops and fishermen by the Navi Mumbai police, who are investigating the April 2016 murder, for which senior inspector Kurundkar and three others have been arrested.

Ashwini Bidre-Gore

More questions
Interestingly, none of the cops from Thane (Rural) has been investigated or questioned why they didn't make a diary entry for such a massive search operation, or why they didn't investigate the 'unknown' officer from Thane police who gave the tip-off.

On the other hand, Michael Valetin Malya, his brother Jacob, and one more fisherman at Vasai told cops that they received a call from Kurundkar, seeking help to search for a body.

"This clearly indicates a few things — the seven cops attached to Thane (Rural) police knew that a police officer has given the tip-off; they carried out a search but didn't think it necessary to inform their superiors; also, the officer who received the call didn't bother to inquire who the caller was, all of which is strange," said an officer privy to investigation details, adding, "It appears cops deliberately hid the caller's identity."

'Dereliction of duty'
The Navi Mumbai police have taken down statements of more than 70 people in the case, including the Thane (Rural) cops. Bidre-Gore's family recently met the newly-appointed Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar and put forward various complaints regarding loopholes in the investigation left by then investigating and supervising officers.

"This is a dereliction of duty... none of them [the cops who carried out the search] has been inquired or questioned about the act," said Raju Gore, husband of the deceased.

"Also, no investigation has been done to find out who were the eight to 10 people who posed as relatives and went with the fishermen for the search. We want the investigation to make note of it and go in this direction, so that these officers can be made accused too."

Also read: Ashwini Bidre murder case: Fellow cop and lover identified as killer

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It's not the first time that a celebrity's married life has come under the microscope. Recently, there were rumours that Sunidhi Chauhan's marriage with music director husband Hitesh Sonik was falling apart. It was rumoured that they were living separately, and have kept their separation under wraps.

While Sunidhi Chauhan responded with 'no comments' when asked about this, in a chat with Bombay Times, Hitesh Sonik reacted to these rumours, albeit not in the way one would think. When told that his wife had decided not to say anything, he took a dig at the news and responded in a humorous way, saying, "Maybe she doesn't want to comment on it because she finds the news too outrageous to even think about it," adding that all was well in his paradise.

He further told the publication, "We are living under the same roof. I am too busy cleaning the house to even read the news. We have divided the household chores in this lockdown period. Well, maybe she isn't happy with my cleaning, which is why such a story has surfaced!"

Seems like it was what it was - just rumours!

Sunidhi Chauhan and Hitesh Sonik had been friends before they got married, right since the time the singer won the singing reality show Meri Awaz Suno. After dating for over two years, the couple got married in 2012 in an intimate ceremony in Goa and held a reception in Mumbai. Sunidhi and Hitesh are proud parents to a baby boy, Tegh, who was born in 2018.

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Actor Arjun Kapoor is trying to keep the netizens motivated amidst testing times. The actor on Wednesday shared an inspiring video with a positive message amid the lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The 34-year-old actor took to Instagram and shared a video that featured little kid Audrey Nethery trying to learn Cuban dance 'Cha- Cha- Cha'. In the adorable video, Nethery is seen dancing innocently while she steps ahead and counts, "1-2-Cha- Cha- Cha."

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

I came across this adorable video of #AudreyNethery and I was awe-struck! Audrey was 2 months old when doctors diagnosed her with Diamond Blackfan Anemia, a rare blood disease that means Audrey doesn't make enough red blood cells. As a result, she's on steroids and sometimes has to get blood transfusions, but her positivity and view of life just struck me, and made me think that if this girl can be so positive in her life, then why can't we all at least try to be positive through this unfortunate lockdown.

A post shared by Arjun Kapoor (@arjunkapoor) onApr 22, 2020 at 2:42am PDT

The 'Panipat' star shared the video as with a message that read, "I came across this adorable video of #AudreyNethery and I was awe-struck! Audrey was 2 months old when doctors diagnosed her with Diamond Blackfan Anaemia, a rare blood disease that means Audrey doesn't make enough red blood cells."

"As a result, she's on steroids and sometimes has to get blood transfusions, but her positivity and view of life just struck me, and made me think that if this girl can be so positive in her life, then why can't we all at least try to be positive through this unfortunate lockdown," he added.

The post on the photo-sharing platform garnered more than 2 lakh views, and the celebrity followers including Katrina Kaif, Malaika Arora, Yami Gautam and Sophie Choudry left appreciating comments on the post.

Arjun has been educating people over the deadly virus through his social media handles.

Recently, he went on a virtual date with 5 lucky winners over the weekend to raise funds for daily wage earners of India who are currently earning no income. He raised enough funds to feed the families of 300 daily wage earners for a month amid the lockdown.

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When normalcy returns, Varun Dhawan may well host a glitzy bash that mentor Karan Johar would approve of. For now though, an intimate celebration is on the cards for the star who turns 33 today. The actor plans to spend the big day with dad David, mother Lali, brother Rohit and family, who stay a few floors above him in a Juhu highrise.

It was originally supposed to be a working birthday for the actor as Coolie No 1 was slated to release on May 1. "The family had considered formally announcing Varun's engagement to long-time girlfriend Natasha Dalal on the occasion. However, given the current scenario, they have decided to do it at an appropriate time," says a source.

David Dhawan

Though tight-lipped on the subject of Varun-Natasha's engagement, filmmaker David says he is glad the family is together on the star's big day. "It will be a quiet family affair. Over the past few weeks, Varun has been with us, and has been taking care of Lali and me. He is especially concerned about me as I am diabetic," he says. Ask him about the fate of Coolie No 1, and the filmmaker says, "It's my 45th film as a director. I think people will want to watch comedy [post the crisis]. Work on the film is underway."

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Gorgeous Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar, who is set to debut in Akshay Kumar's Prithviraj, has always championed the cause of women. She backs Project Shakti, a non-profit programme, that has joined hands with local women across India and has empowered them to make a living by educating them to make biodegradable sanitary pads. The initiative works towards raising the awareness on menstrual hygiene among women in the local communities of these women.

Manushi lauds the government's decision to include sanitary pads as essential commodity amid coronavirus crisis. However, she explains that underprivileged women have become prone to severe risks due to shortage of funds in the hands of daily wage earners because of SARS-CoV-2 – the terminology now being used by medical fraternity to describe coronavirus globally. Manushi has an appeal to make to the all the government authorities.

"I'm hugely thankful that sanitary pads have been listed as an essential commodity by the government of India during SARS-CoV-2 crisis. However, we need to focus on how women, especially from the economically handicapped strata, can get pads free of cost. I also urge the governments of various states to kindly look into distributing sanitary pads along with daily rations to the underprivileged," she says.

Manushi adds, "The issue is that due to the shortage of funds, particularly among the daily wage earners, most would be looking to spend their money on just food and women's sanitation might not be a top priority for many families. This would increase the health hazard for millions of women in India as sanitary pads come at a certain cost and the financial crisis is definitely going to push women to be at risk. I have spoken to organizations who are working non-stop in ensuring pads are distributed free of cost but it would be great if administration, from a district level to city to state-level comes forward to help the needy."

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Industrialist Gautam Singhania and wife Nawaz Modi Singhania attended the starry celebration in honour of newly-weds Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta on March, 10, 2019. Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta tied the knot on March 09, 2019, in the presence of their family and friends. The newly-married couple's wedding was attended by various celebs from business, politics, Bollywood, and sports worlds. The lovebirds, who are childhood friends, got married in a lavish ceremony at the Jio World Centre, Bandra-Kurla Complex.

A big fat party was thrown by the Ambanis to welcome the newlywed couple the Jio World Centre which saw all the big personalities of Mumbai together. Industrialist Gautam Singhania and wife Nawaz Modi Singhania graced the celebration with their presence at Bandra-Kurla Complex. Gautam Singhania was suited up in a dashing royal blue suit paired with a striped tie. Nawaz Modi Singhania, his wife complimented his dark suit with a bright red saree and a trendy sleeveless blouse with golden embroidery. She also completed her elegant attire with a jewelry set made of heavy green stones.

Also Read: Akash Ambani-Shloka Mehta's party: Natasha Poonawalla makes a glitzy appearance

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Gauri Khan was spotted at Mumbai airport by the paparazzi, and once again, the interior designer has proved that she's got all the right fashion moves.

Gauri opted for a casual look - a black blazer, paired with a white top, basic blue denims, and thigh-high black boots for the outing. Doesn't she look gorgeous? If you're planning to upgrade your wardrobe with something similar, take a cue from Gauri to wear it in the best way possible and ace the airport look, or even a casual one, like a fashionista. 

Gauri Khan/picture courtesy: Yogen Shah

Black blazer: You can buy Ambrosial women single breasted formal blazer at the discounted price of Rs 649 only. Get Gauri Khan's airport look without burning a hole in your pocket. Shop here.

White top: Buy Acanthus Women's V Notch Front Scallop Trim Top at the discounted price of Rs 399 only. Shop here.

Blue denim: Raiter Super Skinny Jeans for Women and Girls Size will help you flaunt your legs! Get your pair at the discounted price of Rs 499 only. Shop here.

Black boots: Buy Kotak Sales Stylish Knee Length Boots at the discounted price of Rs 795 only. Shop here.

Tote bag: Get Kanvas Katha Women's Handbag at the discounted price of Rs 531 only. Shop here.

Also Read: Here's how you can get Malaika Arora's monochrome gym look right

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Bhrigu Sahni at a concert at antiSOCIAL earlier this week. Pic/Satej Shinde

The use of guitar isn't limited to playing solos and rhythms using a plectrum (a small flexible piece of plastic). When a discussion emerges about the co-existence of genres within the guitar language, there is a lack of clarity between Flamenco, Western Classical and finger-style. One can pluck (guitar) strings with their fingers but finger-style is a technique that involves the usage of fingertips, nails and the palm. You need to hit the woodwork for percussions. The sound is a perfect balance of bass, treble and harmonies. These days, Mumbai is witnessing the rise of finger-style guitarists. While some learnt from watching videos of legends like Andy McKee and Tommy Emmanuel, others took a cue out of popular songs.

Manan Gupta

One-man band
"By playing finger-style, one can arrange a whole song by playing the bass line, melody, rhythm and harmony simultaneously without using any backing track," shares Manan Gupta. The 23-year-old started off as a pianist but the track Drifting (by McKee) brought him closer to guitar.

Gupta believes finger-style also helps a musician to be self-sufficient. "You are a one-man band; there is no need to rely on other musicians to co-ordinate rehearsal timings," chuckles Gupta, whose tune Dear Mother (released in 2013) is an online hit.

Local inspirations
Bhrigu Sahni, who has toured the Mumbai-Pune circuit, took to the genre after watching his father play Western Classical. "As a kid, I realised that this style had the ability to create a rich musical tapestry. It is challenging to sustain being just a finger-style player but that shouldn't deter one from following his heart," says Sahni, who is a Berklee graduate and has jammed with Karsh Kale and Angelique Kidjo.

Unlike others, he also pointed out a few names among Indians who inspired him. "I went to Rock and Jazz concerts when I was 15. I used to improvise after watching guitarists like Sanjay Joseph and Derek Julian," he adds. Sahni released his debut album, What is Now, last year in New York. "I shuffle between Brooklyn, Khadki (Pune) and Mumbai for gigs," he shares.

Varun Singh started his journey listening to Eric Clapton. He even played for Metal band Albatross for sometime, but the song More Than Words (Extreme) pushed him towards finger-style. He seconds Sahni highlighting guitarists from India who are fluent with it. "Mahesh Tinaikar (Indus Creed) and Floyd Fernandes are great examples. Clapton's Tears In Heaven is a finger-style song too," he shares. The 23-year-old recently released a video of a song called Midnight Express paying tribute to Nuno Bettencourt. "He is my hero."

Milan Talkies
U/A: Drama romance
Dir: Tigmanshu Dhulia
Cast: Ali Fazal, Shraddha Srinath
Ratings: 

This film is so inherently inconsistent, uneven in its storytelling that you feel like rooting for it still, simply because of the scattered set-pieces full of humour and insights/mannerisms of a small town, north India that you encounter once in a while.

It's almost like spotting diamond among the roughs - whether that be the local uncle breaking into nostalgic songs after a few pegs of whisky, or the street goon, wannabe Vidhayak (legislator) - both being the same - desperate to test his skills as a Hindi film star.

We're referring to Uttar Pradesh in particular, and Allahabad (now Prayagraaj) to be more specific - effectively a land of bakchods (blabber-mouths), with tonnes of tashan (exhibition of bravado) dictating mofussil male lives.

I know this isn't as true anymore, but another aspect that has geographically remained common to Indian towns is the cinema hall (or talkies) as the all-important landmark (there are usually two or three max in a district), where both the rich and the poor, predominantly young, but also the old, merge for their movie entertainment, and other accoutrements that naturally surround it.

Check out the trailer here:

Milan Talkies, that the film is named after, is one such adda/theatre in Allahabad where a young dude spends most of his time in the projection room, aspiring to become a Mumbai filmmaker when he isn't shooting low-budget films with neighbourhood talents himself. One assumed this would be some sort of a version of Giuseppe Tornatore's Italian classic Cinema Paradiso (1988) - ultimate tribute to the movies.

Hell, no. This is a full-on, wannabe-classic romantic story about that boy, and the girl with an authoritarian dad, and the fact that they can't get together - even as the film doesn't care to explain exactly why. And the two are happy to elope - not once, but several times in a row, and oh my god, 'will they, won't they,' just go on, and frickin' on.

The film is directed by Allahabad boy Tigmanshu Dhulia (Paan Singh Tomar, Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster), who whether he likes it or not is probably better known for the dialogue, "Jab tak Hindustan mein saneema hai, log c****iye bante rahenge," that he delivered as an actor in Anurag Kashyap's iconic Gangs Of Wasseypur (2012). Such is how crisp dialogues (like tag-lines in ads) work on us anyway.

Whether this film itself is part-autobiographical or not, Dhulia got noticed as a filmmaker with his debut Haasil (2003) - at the time a rare, robust insider's account of his home-town, and campus politics in a north Indian small-town. Over the years, that script (or the premise, if you may) has been milked so much to death, that it's turned into a tiring genre of its own.

Ali Fazal (similarly seen as a UP ruffian in the Amazon Prime series, Mirzapur) plays the protagonist here - a role that I'm told has been through several replacements (Imran Khan, Shahid Kapoor, etc) in the past. Although at some portions he sounds/behaves a lot like Dhulia himself, Fazal is competent to the core (no doubt). As is the female lead (Shraddha Srinath), making her Hindi film debut.

The film itself though does little to the genre, besides deliberately revisit some old-world Bollywood cliches. Maybe there's some subversion (that I'm unable to see). Maybe a full-blown, big-screen romance hinges much on the scale, for effective suspension of belief, which is sadly missing. Either way, one suspects, much of this movie pretty much remains in the filmmaker's imagination/head. Rest of it, quite honestly, gave me a bit of a headache.

Also Read: Sonu Nigam's soulful voice in Shart from Milan Talkies will tug at your heartstrings

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Four more cases of Coronavirus were reported from the APMC market — three in the vegetable and one in the grain market — on Thursday, increasing the uncertainty about the operation of the wholesale grain and vegetable market.

The infected include three traders and one purchaser. APMC already has 24 traders and 16 staff, including security guards, NMMC doctors and a pharmacist, in home-quarantine after they came in contact with an infected person. Besides, 14 others from the market are infected. The spike also raises concerns about the steps taken by the APMC committee to combat the spread of the virus at the cost of nearly a crore.

Shivaji Daund, commissioner of the Konkan division, said, "We are awaiting the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation's (NMMC) report on the latest positive cases. Accordingly, we will decide on whether to continue the operations."

A crore spent on precautions

Shashikant Shinde, APMC elected committee member and Mathadi workers union leader said, "Last week, six positive cases were reported at a hotel within APMC premises. It was decided that the market would shut down but due to government pressure, the decision was changed and only the hotel was sealed. Vegetable trucks are directly entering Mumbai. Very few trucks with vegetables, grains, fruits, spices, visit APMC."

Shinde added that according to the government APMC is an essential service and hence cannot be shut down. "I had recently suggested that we keep the market open for just three days of the week. The suggestion was turned down."

Highly placed APMC officials said the committee has spent nearly R1 crore to set up disinfectant spraying machines, a war room, and to get the market cleaned twice a week. Another nearly R50 lakh was spent to make alternative arrangements for 402 stalls for vegetable and fruit vendors in Kharghar, but that won't be utilised as traders feel the market in Vashi is already set.

Market insiders said, "We are using disinfectants and have thermal scanners at the main entrance but nothing can detect asymptomatic false-positive carriers of COVID-19. People coming in contact with such carriers are testing positive. The number will only increase in the coming days."

Another elected member of the APMC committee said, "Another problem is traders placing orders for multiple trucks full of produce.

"We allow only three hundred trucks to enter APMC per day and 300 are parked at the terminal waiting for entry. This shows that some traders are keen on making money during a pandemic."

Security officer infected

Last week, a 50-year-old security officer attached to the Maharashtra Security Board and deployed at APMC, tested positive. Five security guards, three officers, and two clerks attached to the fruit market had come in contact with him and were sent to home-quarantine.

"We were tested two days ago. The report will come in another two days. We are asymptomatic and are in home quarantine. The security officer used to attend meetings and take rounds of the fruit market," said Ishwar Masram, deputy secretary of the fruit market, who is also in home quarantine.

Sources within the market said, "Though it is not clear how the security officer got infected, the buzz in the market is that he attended a meeting organised by a state minister who is recuperating after getting infected. Our concern is that it is practically difficult to trace whom the concerned person came in contact with unless the person has downloaded the government's Ayush application that maps positive patients and their contacts."

"APMC has a staff of 550 people. The concern is that if one tests positive, 10 to 15 people contacts will have to be traced and tested. This means the number of working men will reduce as everyone will have to be quarantined," said Shirish Badgujar, assistant secretary APMC.

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A day after most Maharashtra ministers rued the flip-flop on COVID-19 policies, indecisiveness and lack of coordination between empowered bureaucrats, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray received suggestions, objections and full cooperation at an all-party meet on Thursday.

The common sentiment was that everything wasn't right and needed timely correction at medical, social, economic and agricultural fronts, among others.

Thackeray told the leaders that the lockdown has been effective so far. "If all cooperate, we should be able to control the pandemic," the CM said during the video-conference attended by ex-CM and Assembly opposition leader, Devendra Fadnavis, Council opposition leader Praveen Darekar, MNS president Raj Thackeray, Prakash Ambedkar (BVA), Jogendra Kavade (RPI), Rajendra Gavai (RPI), Vinay Kore (Jansurajya Party), Mahadev Jankar (Samaj Paksh), Ashok Dhawale (CPM), Imtiaz Jalil (AIMIM), Kapil Patil (JD), Jayant Patil (PWP), DCM Ajit Pawar, senior ministers Ashok Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat.

Senior minister Chhagan Bhujbal and other ministers had raised voices against the bureaucracy which enjoys unlimited powers under Disaster Management and Epidemic Diseases Acts. Bhujbal said that bureaucrats at the top and district-level were unwilling to accept sane advice from political leaders and ministers. The minister's strong views were endorsed by his cabinet colleagues and junior ministers during the online meeting on Wednesday. Similar concerns were expressed in the all-party meeting too.

'Healthcare gone for a toss'

Former chief minister Fadnavis demanded Thackeray's urgent attention towards the healthcare system. He said the situation in Mumbai is serious and needed special, focused efforts. He added that hospital management isn't good and cited the incident of bodies kept around patients in a Sion hospital ward. He demanded timely and quality treatment for non-COVID-19 patients and better food and facilities at quarantine centres.

"Patients should know of beds available and other information on a dashboard. More and more healthcare staff are getting infected," he said, adding that contact-tracing was stopped for no reason and asymptomatic people were not tested. "Hiding the number of patients and dead is serious. The political leadership should enforce much-needed coordination between various arms of the government," he said.

Fadnavis protested against the growing attacks on police, which he said is demoralising the force already under duress. "The police force is increasingly getting infected but isn't getting adequate treatment," he said.

Council opposition leader Darekar said that in many cases test reports came after patients died of COVID-19. "It is wrong if people die without getting treated. The quarantine centres don't have proper facilities," he said.

Give jobs to locals: Raj

Asking for a lockdown exit plan, MNS chief Raj Thackeray said it was the right time to give local skilled and unskilled workers jobs as migrants are leaving the state. He also asked to register migrants to ease their return, if any. "Also ensure that migrant workers are screened when they return home. I had told earlier that these people would leave us in difficult times. We should have strong control over the entry and exit of migrant workers. A human approach doesn't work every time," he said.

Raj added that he had never seen Mumbai in such a state. "Please ensure that additional forces like SRPF relieve police personnel who have been on duty for two months. The containment zones need more police presence," he said.

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Prachi Dhabal Deb will demonstrate eggless royal icing work on cakes and cookies

Baking a batch of chocolate brownies is simple enough, provided you follow the recipe to the T. But, what if you want to create a two-tiered wonder for your best friend's wedding? Starting today, Cakeology, brings together cake artists from around the world to equip you with all the skills you need to go from home baker to pro baker.

Sachiko Windbiel's 3D fondant cake toppers

"The country's cake decorating industry has been witnessing drastic changes in the past few years. Home baking is a serious business now," says Farzana Gandhi, project and brand building consultant, Cakeology.

The second edition features artists like Alyson Reynolds (Scotland), Sachiko Windbiel (New York), Tina Scott Parashar (Dubai) and Bijay Thapa (New Delhi), who will hold 35 demos and six workshops for aspiring bakers.

Learn to make realistic sugar flowers from Alyson Reynolds

In her six-hour hands-on workshop, which is open to beginners as well as professionals, Windbiel will show participants how to create cute 3D figurines and toppers using fondant. Along with new fondant techniques, special attention will be paid to achieving good body proportions as well as creating expressive facial features.

Three special cakes will be on display this year. UK-based cake sculpture expert Rose Macefield will be making a life-size bride and groom wedding cake. The second is a life-size elephant by Samie J Ramachandran, whose 500kg London Bridge cake got plenty of eyeballs at an exhibition in Bengaluru. For the last one, London-based bakers and best friends Valeri Valeriano and Christina Ong of the multi-award winning Queen of Hearts Couture Cakes will create an entire English garden using nothing but buttercream.

Till: September 10, 10.30 am to 6.30 pm
At: World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade
Log on to: cakeology.in
Call: 9820744629
Entry: 200 per day

Life can be very unpredictable and the most traumatic and tearing example that comes to mind is that of Irrfan Khan, an actor who has departed too soon. Suffering from Neuroendocrine tumour for the last two years, the actor was a fighter. He was admitted to the Kokilaben hospital for colon infection and breathed his last today morning. He was 53!

Irrfan Khan's demise has left a void in the Hindi film industry that's unlikely to be filled in the coming years. There was nobody like him, what we call the inimitable artist. Almost everyone from the fraternity has mourned his loss. But the way Shah Rukh Khan has expressed his thoughts, one could easily tear up.

He shared a picture with the actor and wrote - "My friend...inspiration & the greatest actor of our times. Allah bless your soul Irrfan bhai...will miss you as much as cherish the fact that you were part of our lives..."

Have a look right here:

My friend...inspiration & the greatest actor of our times. Allah bless your soul Irrfan bhai...will miss you as much as cherish the fact that you were part of our lives.
"पà¥Âˆमाना à¤Â•हà¥Â‡ हà¥Âˆ à¤Â•à¥Â‹à¤Âˆ, मà¥Âˆà¤Â–ाना à¤Â•हà¥Â‡ हà¥Âˆ दà¥Âनिया तà¥Â‡रà¥Â€ à¤Â†à¤Âà¤Â–à¥Â‹à¤Â‚ à¤Â•à¥Â‹ भà¥Â€, à¤Â•à¥Âया à¤Â•à¥Âया ना à¤Â•हà¥Â‡ हà¥Âˆ" Love u pic.twitter.com/yOVoCete4A

— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) April 29, 2020

Shah Rukh Khan and Irrfan Khan worked together in Priyadarshan's 2009 comedy Billu, which was the former's home production. It's sad we could not see more of the two on the celluloid but they did meet often and bonded really well. With the great actor's demise, life's unpredictable nature has been confirmed yet again!

Bollywood celebrities, who worked with him or even those who were fans of his craft, paid homage and condolences to his legacy and the overall person that he was. One of the first ones to do that was his Piku co-actor Amitabh Bachchan. His presence will always be felt around us and the entire Hindi film industry!

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After urging people to take up the 'Anna Daan' challenge, megastar Salman Khan is doing his bit by contributing largely to the people in need with ration supply, and helping the people who are suffering due to coronavirus induced lockdown.

The 'Bharat' star took to Instagram and shared a video that features him and Iulia Vantur, Jacqueline Fernandez among others loading the bags filled with ration on the truck. The 'Sultan' actor captioned the video as, "Thanks for the contribution... thank you all@jacquelinef143 @vanturiulia @rahulnarainkanal @imkamaalkhan @niketan_m @waluschaa @abhiraj88."

 

 

 

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@jacquelinef143 @vanturiulia @rahulnarainkanal @imkamaalkhan @niketan_m @waluschaa @abhiraj88

A post shared by Salman Khan (@beingsalmankhan) onMay 3, 2020 at 8:50am PDT

The 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' actor is staying at his Panvel farmhouse with his nephew Nirvaan Khan and other family members ever since the lockdown was announced.

Khan, who has been active on social media has been educating his fans through his social media handles.

On Tuesday, the 'Sultan' star urged people to take up the 'Anna Daan' challenge and donate to the underprivileged ones who are worst affected by the COVID-19 lockdown. Khan took to Twitter and posted a picture of his two close friends preparing to distribute ration packets to the needy ones.

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On Sunday, Pooja Chopra turned a year older. As the lockdown meant not making merry with pals, the Aiyaary (2018) actor decided to celebrate her big day in a unique way. She cut a cake with the security folk of her residential complex in Andheri. "They have been on duty 24/7 during these tough times. I also distributed goodies among them," she says.

Given the whole world is currently locked down due to the Coronavirus pandemic, nobody is being able to step out and socialise with their friends. All the celebrities and even commoners are chatting with their friends and families via face-time. Amid this, for someone to celebrate her birthday with a security guard is truly commendable and deserves an applause. 

And taking to her Instagram account, she shared a heartfelt video of how her celebration with her family was. In case any of you are staying away from your family, the video will surely leave you emotional. Have a look right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

you are the reason I wake up with a smile every single day.. you all add sunshine to my days, make my life a lil better and today you have made my birthday so so so darn special that I can't stop smiling ear to ear.. how can I ever be alone when I have your love with me 24*7 and I'm so super thankful to God to have you all as my back bone and my support system.. 💞 i♥️u cchoooooo much...... @juzneera @ayesha_mendonca @agnelomendonca @trishul_marathe @thegeet @istayakansari @natasha_lorraine @aamirmeer_official Kanchu and Shalini 💋 #overwhelmed #supergreatful #happypuppy #quarantinebirthday 🎁

A post shared by Pooja Chopra (@poojachopraofficial) onMay 3, 2020 at 2:55am PDT

Shouldn't we give it up for the actress for her fantastic and unique gesture?

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Actor Akshay Oberoi has been on the stage, done short and feature films, as well as web series. Now, the actor is gearing up for his upcoming web series, Illegal opposite Neha Sharma and Piyush Mishra.

Akshay Oberoi has been inspired by the Suits character Harvey Specter, played by Gabriel Macht, for his role in the upcoming web series, Illegal. The actor says he rarely gets cast to play real people. "Illegal is the closest thing to the way I actually look and sound. There are no masks to hide behind," he adds.

Trailer of the web series was released on Tuesday. The trailer suggests that this time, the tension shall be outside the courtroom too, and inside the mind and heart of a lawyer. Illegal seems to be an attempt to gaze at a lawyer's personal life and how he/she battles injustice and the lacunae of the judicial system.

Have a look right here:

Speaking about Oberoi, after making his Bollywood debut with "Isi Life Mein" in 2010, he has managed to be on different platforms. In the past, he did Ekta's web series "The Test Case" and "Hum Tum And Them". In a recent intervew, when he was asked if he had planned his career that way, the "Gurgaon" actor said: "I had planned my career to be an actor. I wanted to be an actor irrespective of the medium. I started acting when I was 16 or 17 in theatre. Then I got my first film."

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It's the time to rejoice for Kaun Banega Crorepati fans. The makers of the decade-old quiz show have finally revealed the registration date for the new season. The fresh season is expected to air in a shortly from now.

Kaun Banega Crorepati, is a show that most of us have grown up with and have participated in, sitting comfortably at our homes, yet feeling the same complex set of emotions as the participants on the coveted Hot Seat. We have all felt the adrenaline rush in this quest of knowledge, to deduce the answers to questions that can take one from being a nobody to a somebody.

KBC has been synonymous with knowledge and has constantly provided a platform to millions in realizing their dreams. From the civil services aspirant Harshvardhan Navathe, the very first Crorepati, to a mid-day meal cook Babita Tade, KBC has set an example for people to believe in themselves and achieve big in life.

9th May will see Mr. Bachchan asking the very first KBC Registration question at 9:00PM on Sony Entertainment Television. This will continue until 22nd May. There will be a new question presented by Mr. Bachchan every night. All one has to do is nswer these questions correctly via SMS or through SonyLIV.

Given the current times, while one ponders how to get through the day, KBC has come as an answer to use all your time productively, while at home. While we may be under a lockdown, knowledge knows no bounds, and it’s always good to value the power of knowledge and put it to good use.

Get ready to let knowledge fulfil your dreams with Kaun Banega Crorepati, starting 9th May at 9:00 PM only on Sony Entertainment Television

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President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte revealed during his recent State of the Nation address that tobacco firm Mighty Corporation had agreed to settle three cases of tax evasion with the Filipino government.

The governments of India and the Philippines on November 22 announced that they would be cooperating more closely on customs matters.

The Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) has suggested commencement of regular and normal working of courts in a phased manner with compliance of social distancing norms and wearing of masks after lifting of COVID-19 lockdown."We believe that physical court hearings, albeit in a phased manner, have to be commenced with meticulous and scrupulous compliance of social distancing norms, wearing of masks, maintaining the highest standards of sanitisation and hygiene etc," the DHCBA said in a statement.

The suggestions by the DHCBA in a letter to the committee headed by senior High Court judge Justice Hima Kohli include:

Courts have to be operational not only to extent of providing "urgent relief" but also to cater to other legal remedies which may be availed by common litigants. Scope of matters that may be listed includes injunctive reliefs, bail applications, suspension of sentence, objections to arbitration awards, execution petitions, writ petitions of all types, criminal appeals etc.

By notification by the court and judicial orders by Supreme Court, limitation periods have ceased to run during lockdown period, to avoid last minutes rush of filings when courts do reopen, ordinary e-filings/online filings of all matters be allowed, though they might not be heard till normalcy is restored. Petition boxes be used to acknowledge filings made therein.

Till normalcy is restored, litigants and interns shall not be permitted to access court/chamber blocks. Restriction may continue on advocates representing a party.

Lawyers, operating from their chambers and offices need access to chambers to prepare their cases, access their files, records, books and infrastructure. Client conference may be permitted after court hours.

Kiosks and shops inside court complexes may be kept closed. However, cafeterias and kitchens catering to chamber blocks may only be permitted to service lawyers by offering 'take away' options.

Only one entry point may be allowed per courtroom building. Entrants may be subjected to thermal temperature scanning. The option of making entrants pass through sanitisation tunnels may also be explored.

Public conveniences must be maintained with the highest level of sanitisation and for using these social distancing norms can be employed. An adequate number of sanitisers may be provided at various points throughout the court buildings.

Both District Legal Services Authority and Mediation Centres require the physical presence of litigants, the same may not be functional till normalcy is restored. As arbitration proceedings can go on without the presence of litigant, arbitration centre may be functional.

The Bar Association also assured the court of its utmost cooperation.

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Pune: In a bid to limit the movement of people in containment zones, the civic body in Maharashtra's Pune city will distribute ration kits to 70,000 families in the hotspot areas from Friday onwards, an official said.

As of Thursday, the Pune Municipal Corporation has over 2,140 COVID-19 cases, of which 1,600 were reported from Bhavani Peth, Dhole Patil Road, Kasba-Vishrambaug, parts of Shivajinagar and Yerwada areas.

"We want people in the containment zones to stay indoors and not venture out even to buy essentials. We will distribute 1 lakh ration kits to 70,000 families in these areas," municipal commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad said.

These kits will contain five kg of flour, three kg of rice, pulses, oil and other essential items that can last up to 15 days, he said. "Community workers and civic employees will distribute these kits from Friday onwards," he added.

Apart from ration kits, the PMC also plans to provide sanitisers and one lakh masks to residents of containment zones.

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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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Shamli (Uttar Pradesh): A 23-year-old married woman was allegedly raped by a ration dealer who promised her free ration as per government orders.

According to reports, the woman had approached the local shopkeeper for her quota of government ration when her savings dried up but he refused to give her ration. The woman's husband is stuck in Punjab, so she went to get free ration from the ration dealer. After waiting for several hours, she was asked to go away.

"On Tuesday evening, the accused, Vinod, came to my house and instead of giving me the ration, he raped me," the woman told the police.

Superintendent of police (SP) of Shamli, Vineet Jaiswal, said, "On the basis of complaint filed by the victim, police have booked Vinod under section 376 of IPC for the rape. He has been arrested and sent to jail."

The victim's landlord, meanwhile, said, "For the last three weeks, we were giving her the food as her husband was away and she had no money left. But, a few days ago, we expressed helplessness due our own condition," the landlord.

The woman's husband, a manual laborer, went to Punjab to collect his wages of the work he did a few months ago but he got stranded there after the announcement of countrywide lockdown.

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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

An EU-funded knowledge-sharing project has made cutting-edge non-invasive prenatal testing techniques available to couples undergoing IVF in Estonia, boosting chances of pregnancy for those struggling with infertility there.

A Writers Retreat session in progress

While most of us aren't as lucky as Ruskin Bond to call the hills of Uttarakhand home, a brief escape to nature can help get the creative juices flowing. If you love writing and feel you could do with some inspiration as well as insights into honing your prose, the upcoming edition of Writers Retreat might be your ideal getaway.

The sprawling open-air venue

Designed by the live storytelling event series, Tall Tales, and Grassroutes, an organisation that seeks to connect the urban dweller with the rural community, the two-day retreat will take place in Dehna. The village, located at a two-hour drive from Mumbai, is nestled in the Sahyadris. And thanks the many streams and rivulets that spring up during monsoon, it is also called the land of a thousand waterfalls.

Michael Burns

The retreat features seven workshops rolled into one along with some free time to explore and soak in the rural life. "The first day is all about the universal story structure - how to start stories, what to do in the middle, and how to end them. Irrespective of the language or genre, there is a basic structure that many writers with great ideas find difficult to adhere to," says Michael Burns, director of Tall Tales. The day will end with a film screening, where participants will watch a structured story unfold on screen.

The next day will get into the nuances of good writing, like designing unforgettable characters. "Some writing exercises will encourage participants to explore their relationship with nature; something that's difficult to achieve amidst the distractions of a busy city like Mumbai," signs off Burns.

On: October 1, 9 am onwards
Meeting point: To be decided three days prior to the trip
Log on to: instamojo.com
Email: akshay@talltales.in (seats limited)
Cost: '8,000 ('7,000 for students)

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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The great Michael Holding has picked South African Dale Steyn among his top-four fast bowlers across generations and his list includes fellow West Indians Malcolm Marshall and Andy Roberts besides Australian Denis Lillee. In a Sky Sports podcast, the 66-year-old said he would pay to watch Steyn, who retired from Tests last year.

"I have experience with those three guys (Marshall, Roberts and Lillee, but just watching, you can't go Dale Steyn outside of photography. He has been one of the great fast bowlers in an era. You'd pay to see it," said Holding, who picked 249 wickets in 60 Tests at 23.68. Steyn picked 439 Test wickets at a stellar average of 22.95 and has one of the smoothest actions in the game. Talking about Lillee, Holding said he was a complete package. "Lillee had it all: rhythm, aggression control. He was extremely fast when he started, but he had to completely reshape his action after a back injury and find different ways to get hitters out after losing a lot of rhythm.

"When you see that someone can adapt in that way, you have to rate him highly, as many players are not as effective when they miss a beat," said Holding, who was nicknamed 'Whispering Death' for his smooth and silent run-up. On fellow West Indians Marshall and Roberts, Holding said: "Malcolm started with a good rhythm, but as time went on he learned a lot about fast bowling. He could evaluate opposition hitters so quickly and so easily.

"In those days you didn't have many tapes or computers, it was all in his head. He understood how to deal with hitters." On Roberts, he added: "Andy was someone I learned a lot from. He hardly ever spoke, he used to walk around the field with a sullen face and people thought he looked aggressive and must be a miserable guy. But that wasn't Andy. "He was my roommate for most of my career and we used to talk about cricket almost every night. A lot of times, we would order food, we would stay in our room and talk about cricket. You would never believe how much this guy knows."

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Feeling like a kid again, England batsman Jason Roy can't wait to get back on the cricket field but says it would make sense to postpone the T20 World Cup in October-November if teams don't get enough time to prepare for the mega event. All cricketing activities have come to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the future of T20 World Cup in Australia is also in doubt.

"If players aren't able to prepare in the right way and are not able to get over to Australia, then it makes sense to postpone it," Roy was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. "But if it goes ahead, it's our job to play cricket - and if we're told we have three weeks to prepare to go and play in the World T20, all the boys will be putting the yards in to make sure we're ready for that.

"I think all the boys are on edge, waiting for the call saying, 'Right, we have a month turnaround or a six-week turnaround. Get in the nets and go hit some balls.' I think the boys will be as ready as they can be," said the 29-year-old opener. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) too has suspended activities until July 1. While Roy is eager to be playing again, he said safety is paramount.

"I've got a huge amount of trust in the ECB. I think they will look into every single avenue of all the positives, all the negatives. So, I guess I would trust in what they say, probably have a chat with Morgs (Morgan) and see where his head's at and go with that. "I don't think I'll have too many questions, especially when it got to the stage of 'Right, we're going to play', because there'll be a lot of people in those meetings discussing whether it's the right thing to do or not."

Roy also has no issues in playing in front of empty stadiums. "I just want to play some cricket to be honest. I think for us to be able to go out there and play some cricket would be an incredible feeling. I feel like a kid again. "I guess we're governed by the government here, we don't really know what is going on or what the safety measures are. There's way bigger things out there. I'm more than happy to play behind closed doors, it would just be nice to get out there," he added.

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President Donald Trump has said he will sign an executive order to temporarily suspend all immigration to the US to "protect" the jobs of Americans and to fight the "invisible attack" on the country by the novel Coronavirus, a move that was widely criticised by the Democrats, including Indian-origin Senator Kamala Harris.
The outbreak has killed more than 42,094 people in the US, the country with the most fatalities in the pandemic, according to Johns Hopkins University, and more than 7,50,000 cases have been confirmed.

Details of Trump's executive order were not immediately known. He also did not indicate when he would sign such an order. His announcement comes as his administration seeks to reopen parts of the US from the crippling COVID-19 shutdown.

Donald Trump

However, the NBC News reported that the move "had been under consideration for a while," a senior administration official was quoted as saying by the report. The official said the details about how the plan would be implemented and how many countries would be affected "will be forthcoming," the report added.

Immigration has long been an issue of President Trump. He has been calling for a merit-based immigration system. Since the pandemic began, the administration had already restricted foreign visitors from China, Europe, Canada and Mexico. And also suspended all routine visa services, both immigrant and non-immigrant, around the world. "Trump failed to take this crisis seriously from day 1. His abandonment of his role as president has cost lives. And now, he's shamelessly politicising this pandemic to double down on his anti-immigrant agenda," Harris tweeted.

"It is about the message the president wants to send. He wants people to turn against 'the other.' And, regardless of the valuable contributions immigrants are making to the response and recovery, he sees immigrants as the easiest to blame," Ali Noorani, the executive director of the National Immigration Forum, was quoted as saying by CNN.

42,094
COVID-19 deaths in the US

Don't rush to ease restrictions, warns WHO

A couple gets ice cream in Ludwigsburg as Germany relaxes curbs. Pic/AFP

The World Health Organisation said on Tuesday that rushing to ease Coronavirus restrictions will likely lead to a resurgence of the illness, a warning that comes as governments start rolling out plans to get their economies up and running again. "This is not the time to be lax. Instead, we need to ready ourselves for a new way of living for the foreseeable future," said Dr. Takeshi Kasai, the WHO regional director for the Western Pacific.

Around the world, step-by-step reopenings were underway in Europe, where the crisis has begun to ebb in places such as Italy, Spain and Germany. The pandemic has killed over 1,70,000 people globally, close to two thirds of them in hardest-hit Europe, according to an AFP tally Tuesday at 0935 GMT. In total, 1,70,226 people have died worldwide, including 106,737 in Europe, and there are 2,483,086 recorded cases. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday extended the lockdown till June 1 and urged citizens to "persevere" with the strict restrictions, as the city-state reported 1,111 new cases, a majority them foreign workers living in dormitories, taking the total infections to 9,125.

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[Source: Research & Innovation] Polymer Comply Europe (PCE) is pleased to announce its next live webinar on the polynSPIRE project “Demonstration of innovative technologies towards a more efficient and sustainable plastic recycling”, organised on behalf of European Plastics Converters (EuPC) and the polynSPIRE project. The live webinar will focus on recycling and redesigning the plastics value chain are essential in reusing plastic waste material and avoiding landfill. Webinar agenda: Welcome & Introduction About CIRCE The polynSPIRE project: goals, challenges and progress Questions & Answers Closing

The company has also resumed operations at its global research and development hub located in Mysore, Karnataka

The OECD on September 2, 2019, announced that Ecuador and Serbia have ratified the multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters.

UC Davis researchers have designed a plug-in interface which will usher in the new generation of compact medical devices. "We think there is a huge

In 2015, as many as 15,867 cases of dengue were reported in Delhi. A case of dengue has been reported from Okhla area of the national capital, reported an official.

Liechtenstein and Switzerland have agreed a new cooperation pact in the area of value-added tax administration and enforcement.

The UAE's Federal Tax Authority has announced that it will waive late registration penalties for businesses that have not yet registered for VAT, on the condition that they do so by April 30 of this year.

The Isle of Man Treasury has warned that time is running out for taxpayers who have failed to declare all their taxable income.

Switzerland and South Korea have signed a joint declaration on the automatic exchange of tax information from 2018.

Exposure to environmental pollutants can cause modifications in brain development, which can affect sexual development and fertility for several generations, reveals a new study.

bAge-related macular degeneration is linked to chronic periodontitis/b, recent research presented at the 47th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) reports.

New study sheds light on the science behind the periodontal ligament formation, which helps to keep the tooth stable in the jawbone. This improved understanding

Researchers have said that people of different generations are equally lonely, but for different reasons. London, March 12 People of different generations

What does male migration have to do with water scarcity in Central Asia?

Recent research conducted by IWMI, in collaboration with the IFPRI and IFAD, finds that the poorest are likelier to migrate when increases in incomes are accompanied by increases in local income inequalities.

Socio-economic migration within the UK was found to affect the geographic distribution of human DNA linked to traits such as education levels and health, revealed major new study.

Lymphatic system was found to play an important role in hair regeneration, said new research in Science, led by Elaine Fuchs, the Rebecca C. Lancefield Professor.