Indian shuttlers Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy have finally got some time to pause and reflect due to the COVID-19 pandemic and they are making the most of it by creating a database to analyse their past performances while waiting for another shot at Olympic qualification. The coronavirus outbreak has left over 1.2 lakh people dead and infected nearly 2 million globally, and brought all sports activities, including badminton, to a halt after countries imposed lockdowns. Ashwini and Sikki are doubles specialists and endured an underwhelming season last year. The time at hand has given them a chace to analyse the past performances.

"We don't have any one to sit and do analysis for us, so now that we have time, I'm doing some analysis of our performance. I am jotting down points, about areas where I can improve. I started with my matches and then other players on tour," Ashwini, who represented India at the London and Rio Olympic Games, told PTI. "You can always watch and analyse and understand the patterns but it is different when you see things on paper. It is more concrete. So trying to set up a complete database. My brother will help me out. He made an app for me in the past." Ashwini and Sikki fell at the first hurdle 13 times in 20 tournaments last year, and exited from the second round thrice.

Ashwini also picked up a calf injury during the Syed Modi International but the duo was still confident of qualifying by performing well in the remaining Olympic qualifiers. But with Badminton World Federation (BWF) cancelling all tournaments due to the coronavirus pandemic, their fate remains uncertain. "The problem is we don't know the new BWF rules regarding the qualification. There is one year left now, you can't take a two year old performance to select for Olympics, it has to be present performance, so we have to wait," said Sikki. "In badminton, there is a ranking cut off, so how will they accommodate the cancelled qualifiers, how will they count the ranking points, everything is too messed up now," she added. Sikki and Ashwini had reached the finals at Hyderabad Open Super 100 and Maldives International Challenge, last year.

The Indian pair is ranked 28th and will need to be inside top 16 on April 29, 2021 -- the new Olympic cut off date. Ashwini said: "Me and Sikki were confident of doing well in the 4-5 tournaments left but now no one knows what would be the criteria of Olympic qualification and BWF can't really say anything with things changing every moment." They are using the coronavirus-forced break to learn cooking, besides doing some wall practice and exercises for physical fitness. Talking about the effects of the lockdown on mental health, Sikki said: "We have been travelling a lot all these years and now for a month, we are at home, it is fine. But what if it is for 2-3 months, then it will get tough to stay away from the game.

"So it is important to stay motivated for once the lockdown is lifted because you will in a comfortable zone in the break and then all of a sudden you will need to push yourself." Ashwini added: "...now that Olympics have been postponed, nothing is certain and it is tough, you have to be really strong." The economic fallout of the coronavirus outbreak has hit sports hard and Ashwini said badminton too will be affected. "It will hit in terms of sponsors, in terms of tournaments being conducted because countries need sponsors to host events, and after this, I'm not sure what the economic status of many countries would be. "The way things are, it is will be tough to host tournaments, it will not be easy for countries to have tournaments with many big companies shut and struggling to survive," she signed off.

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Farhan Akhtar and Shibani Dandekar do not shy away from the media or the public glare to profess their love for each other. Their Instagram account is all about pictures filled with Public Display of Affection (PDA), and their cryptic captions leave their fans scratching heads to decode it.

Recently, Shibani shared a video on Instagram of herself, cooking pasta while Farhan films her. As Shibani cooks pasta with mushrooms, spring onions and cream sauce, Farhan is seen gives us a live-commentary. Shibani captioned the post: "How can anyone be this bad in the kitchen? Making pasta with mushrooms, spring onions and cream sauce! I've made this a thousand times and it still isn't that good! Thank you to my wonderful kitchen assistants and cameraman (sic)."

 

 

 

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making pasta with mushrooms spring onions and cream sauce! I’ve made this a thousand times and it still isn’t that good! thank you to my wonderful kitchen assistants and cameraman!

A post shared by Shibani Dandekar (@shibanidandekar) onApr 22, 2020 at 2:08am PDT

The alleged couple has been enjoying their quarantine time together. They regularly give us insights about the fun they have through their videos and pictures. Recently, Shibani shared a picture where she can be seen chilling with her "mystery man". "On lockdown with this mystery man #quarantine (sic)", she captioned the post.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Shibani Dandekar (@shibanidandekar) onApr 18, 2020 at 4:14am PDT

Farhan too shared a video of Shibani enjoying with his dog Tyson. Shibani is trying to scare Tyson by constantly making noises but to no avail. And as soon as Tyson does the same, she gets scared and shocked and bursts out laughing out of fear and panic.

 

 

 

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Every action has an equal and opposite reaction 😂😂😂 #tystagram @shibanidandekar

A post shared by Farhan Akhtar (@faroutakhtar) onApr 8, 2020 at 5:51am PDT

The Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara actor started dating Dandekar almost a year-and-a-half ago. Later, they started sharing each other's photos on their social media accounts. Farhan was earlier married to Adhuna Bhabani, with whom he has two daughters - Shakya and Akira. Shibani Dandekar is a model-turned-VJ and has participated in reality shows such as Khatron Ke Khiladi and Jhalak Dikhla Ja.

On the work front, Farhan was last seen in Shonali Bose's The Sky Is Pink, co-starring Priyanka Chopra, Zaira Wasim, and Rohit Saraf. The film opened to a positive response from critics but underperformed at the box office. He will next star in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Toofan, a boxing drama releasing on October 2, 2020.

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It seems Hrithik Roshan was always destined to be a Superstar. They call him the last Superstar of Hindi Cinema. And even before the release of his blockbuster debut, Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai, he was working on films like Mission Kashmir, Yaadein, and Fiza. Talking of this film that was made by film critic turned filmmaker Khalid Mohamed, it showed a very different side of the star and was just his second film.

Instead of tapping into his aura and smoldering persona, the filmmaker portrayed his human and vulnerable side, thus proving he not only has a solid screen presence but the ability to emote too. Sharing an unseen picture from the sets of the film, Mohamed showed all of us a very young Hrithik Roshan and the actor was truly overwhelmed seeing it.

First, take a look at the picture:

PIYA HAJI ALI.. was first day of shoot with HRITHIK ROSHAN as AMAAN in FIZA, now streaming on NETFLIX. Do have a look. pic.twitter.com/5LoaGitb7J

— khalid mohamed (@Jhajhajha) April 26, 2020

And this is what Roshan tweeted to him- "Wow . Overwhelmed looking at this . KNPH hadn’t released. Thanks for treating me so kindly on set." (sic) Have a look right here:

Wow . Overwhelmed looking at this . KNPH hadn’t released. Thanks for treating me so kindly on set @Jhajhajha https://t.co/oZrtEQJbp3

— Hrithik Roshan (@iHrithik) April 26, 2020

Fiza will be completing 2 decades this year and still remains of his most nuanced performances as an actor. And of course, Karisma Kapoor’s best till date!

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Researchers have found that a common antibacterial substance found in toothpaste may combat life-threatening diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF) when combined with a drug.

The study, published in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, found that when triclosan -- a substance that reduces or prevents bacteria from growing -- is combined with an antibiotic called tobramycin, it kills the cells that protect the CF bacteria, known as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, by up to 99.9 per cent.

CF is a common genetic disease with one in every 2,500 to 3,500 people diagnosed with it at an early age. It results in a thick mucus in the lungs, which becomes a magnet for bacteria.

These bacteria are notoriously difficult to kill because they are protected by a slimy barrier known as a biofilm, which allows the disease to thrive even when treated with antibiotics, the researcher said.

"The problem that we're really tackling is finding ways to kill these biofilms," said lead author Chris Waters, Professor at the Michigan State University.

According to the researcher, there are many common biofilm-related infections that people get such as ear infections and swollen, painful gums caused by gingivitis.

But more serious, potentially fatal diseases join the ranks of CF including endocarditis, or inflammation of the heart, as well as infections from artificial hip and pacemaker implants, the researcher added.

For the study, the researchers grew 6,000 biofilms in petri dishes, added in tobramycin along with many different compounds, to see what worked better at killing the bacteria.

Twenty-five potential compounds were effective, but one stood out, the researcher said.

"It's well known that triclosan, when used by itself, isn't effective at killing Pseudomonas aeruginosa. But when I saw it listed as a possible compound to use with tobramycin, I was intrigued. We found triclosan was the one that worked every time," said Alessandra Hunt from the Michigan State University.

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The latest and most trending change in the ever-evolving world of fashion is the introduction of pastels -- subtle yet elegant, minimal yet stylish. Celebrity designer Sonaakshi Raaj and young ethnic designers Saumya and Bhavini Modi list the reasons why pastels are trending this season and what makes them ideal for ethnic wear.

1. The colours around you define your mood and personality. Pastel shades are happy colours, and can easily be styled with other colours and prints. You can style a pastel pink with a dark purple or pastel blue with a minimal floral print.

2. Pastels are a classic spring staple and timeless enough for you to wear them year after year. Today's generation believes that less is more and pastels make for the most opulent choice. With summer on its way, pastels are the ideal shade to beat the heat. They feel breezy and are easy to style.

3. It is good for bridal wear as well. Pastels are perfect for navigating between seasons as they are safe and elegant. Colours like pistachio and vanilla cream are soothing and interesting to design and style.

4. Pastels can be designed in a variety of cuts and silhouettes. Whether it's anarkalis and lehengas or crop tops and dhoti pants, pastels fit into any silhouette. All in all pastels are a trending phenomenon that is here to stay.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc claimed a second victory in the Formula One Esports Virtual Grand Prix championship on Sunday, marking his Shanghai win by cooking pasta. Leclerc started on pole and finished ahead of Red Bull's Alex Albon and Guanyu Zhou, who races in Formula 2.

"I'm actually enjoying very much playing, and streaming. And I enjoy it even more when I win," tweeted 22-year-old Leclerc who also has two wins in the real F1 world championship. "But the post-race celebrations are somehow feeling a bit different. "Switching off the computer and go cook white pasta is a bit less glamour than spraying champagne on the podium."

The Formula One world championship has yet to get underway this season due to the spread of the coronavirus. Nine of the scheduled 22 races have either been cancelled or postponed.

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Actress Nimrat Kaur worked with Irrfan Khan in the much-feted film "The Lunchbox" that went on winning several award and accolades internationally. The news of his sudden demise came as shock to her.

"It is a personal loss for everyone at this point in time. For everyone who watched his movies or worked with him and met him personally, this is absolutely shocking. I think the face of Indian cinema will not be the same without Irrfan Khan. He was a one-man army. Every film and film stars are on one side and his films are on the other. My heart goes out to his family at this point in time, when we all are suffering under a specific situation. Losing a loved one is always painful but I think this (the COVID-19 lockdown) is worse. I cannot imagine I am talking about Irrfan in the past tense," Nimrat told IANS.

Nimrat worked with Irrfan in "The Lunchbox", the directorial debut of Ritesh Batra, which released in 2013. The film screened in several prestigious international festivals, and notably won the Critics Week Viewers Choice Award at the 66th Cannes Film Festival.

Sharing her memory of working with Irrfan in the film Nimrat said: "We did not have many scenes together but we got a chance to converse extensively during the premiere of the film at the Cannes Film Festival. I was quite overwhelmed by the response to the film, the way it was celebrated and what it became overnight! I remember I asked him, ‘how do you handle so much appreciation, adulation when a film meets a great success like this?' he smiled and told me, ‘sock up to good times and don't be shy of celebration. This is the gift that God has given us. The bad time is around the corner.'

"This moment does not come very often in life. So take it as a gift after all the struggle we have gone through.' He always said to embrace the good time because that's when we celebrate life," recalled Nimrat.

Irrfan had been admitted in Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection on Tuesday and passed away on Wednesday. The actor has been ailing ever since he was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour a while back and has been under medical attention for the same. He even went abroad for treatment.

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Everyone seems to be cooking during the coronavirus lockdown. Hidden chefs seem to be awakened in almost all celebrities, and they've been giving us some major cooking goals. Recently, a video featuring TV's favourite couple, Vivek Dahiya and Divyanka Tripathi, has gone viral.

In the video, we can see that Vivek Dahiya has cooked some delicious-looking pasta, and it doesn't just look yummy, but it is yummy! And who better than wifey Divyanka to rate her husband's cooking skills? Take a look at the video below:

 

 

 

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@divyankatripathidahiya @vivekdahiya #divyanka #divyankafan #divyankadahiya #divyankatripathi #divyankatripathifans #divyankatripatidahiya #happybirthdt #divek #divekfanclub_ #vivek #vivekfanclub #vivekdahiya #vivekdahiyafanclub #divyankavivek

A post shared by Divyanka Tripathi Dahiya (@bans_life_div_viv) onMay 6, 2020 at 7:52pm PDT

Vivek Dahiya, pretending to be Italian, is funny, while Divyanka Tripathi is entertaining with her amusing expressions!

The couple has been on a cooking spree ever since the lockdown started. From Paneer Tikka to Kashmiri Pulao, Vivek and Divyanka have been whipping up a storm in their kitchen. 

Vivek and Divyanka first met on the sets of Yeh Hai Mohabbatein and after several months of dating, the two got married in 2016. Speaking about working with Divyanka again, Vivek told IANS, "I know our fans are waiting for long to see Divyanka and me together on the screen... I also want to work with her again... It's just that I am waiting for some right project to come our way. If the project is right and the script looks interesting, we would definitely give a heads-up."

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Cyprus's Tax Department has released details of a tax amnesty, which entered into force on July 3, 2017.

Recently released statistics by Jersey's Government show a steady or improving picture for the financial services sector in 2015.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India, said that, 28,070 are active cases with 1,306 fatalities among 40,263 cases reported by Sunday. Earlier

The study, published in Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health, examines why some people are more susceptible to a particular stress fracture known as

After five years, half of the people pursuing careers as scientists at higher education institutions will drop out of the field, stated new analysis from researchers at Indiana University Bloomington.

During this downtime we all find ourselves in, now is your chance to implement the necessary updates to ensure your payment channels are as secure as possible, while also reducing chargebacks wherein the credit card companies usually don't side with...

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Dear Railway Ministers Past, Present and Future,