With the increasing cases of the novel coronavirus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended the lockdown till May 17. The lockdown first commenced on March 25 for a 21 day period. But had to be extended owing to the increasing cases.

However, the lockdown has badly hit the economy of the country with several people going out of a job. One industry that has completely shut down is the entertainment industry. The cinema halls were the first one to shut down in the country. Speaking to a tabloid about resuming Bollywood movies shoots, Ashok Dubey, the General Secretary of Federation of Western Indian Cine employees said that they spoke to CINTAA recently and are making guidelines on how they can proceed with shootings. Ashok Dubey said that nothing has been finalised. He said that Mumbai is a red zone and so they cannot think of shooting right now. Dubey also spoke to Sidharth Roy Kapur who said that they will have a conference call with Indian Motion Picture Producers (IMPPA), Indian Film and Television Producers Council (IFTPC) and Western India Film Producers' Association on how to deal with the situation and go ahead.

A few days back, the Producers guild had shared a document that lists precautions to be taken while shooting including proper sanitation, use of masks, etc. Dubey said that the guidelines are correct but how are they to shoot when there are spot boys and workers who travel from their home and back and how they are supposed to test everyone daily when the reports take time to come.

He also questioned about reducing the number of people on the sets. He questioned how the people left out will manage their livelihood and how to assure them a salary. Dubey said that there are several factors to be considered before proceeding with the shoot.

Ashok Dubey said that the TV producer body is in a hurry to start shooting bit is not possible. He said that it will be like digging its own grave if it does something like this. He further said that social distancing is not possible on the sets and lightmen cannot work 12 hours with a PPR kit. Dubey said that there is a difference in giving suggestions and actually implementing it.

Dubey said that the Government has not released any guidelines for the film industry to start shooting. Producers' Guild has just said that these precautions are to be taken while shooting; they haven't said to start shooting and take these precautions.

ALSO READ: Actors to do makeup at home, doctors to be on set and more new safety measures set up by Cine bodies

Thiruvananthapuram: A 50-year-old woman travelled 2,700 km in a car crisscrossing 6 states to meet her critically ill son, a BSF jawan in Jodhpur, despite strict lockdown restrictions due to COVID-19.

The woman was accompanied by her daughter-in-law and another relative during the journey, which they covered in three days' time. Speaking to PTI from Jodhpur in Rajasthan, Sheelamma Vasan said the health condition of her son, Arun Kumar (29), who was suffering from myositis, (inflammation of muscles), was improving.

"Due to God's grace we have reached here without any problems anywhere", she said. The family was informed by a Malayali doctor at AIIMS in Jodhpur about Arun Kumar's condition following which they decided to undertake the journey from Kerala through Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat to reach Rajasthan.

Thanks to the intervention of Union Minister V Muraleedharan, the office of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress leader Oommen Chandy, the family could get necessary passes for the travel across the states.

Volunteers of Hindu helpline, a VHP organisation, helped in arranging a cab and two taxi drivers free of cost to take them to Jodhpur. After getting necessary passes arranged by Kottayam District Collector P K Sudheer Babu, Sheelaamma accompanied by her daughter-in-law Parvathyand another relative set off on the journey from Panackachira village in Koruthodu panchayat in Kottayam on April 11and reached Jodhpur on 14th, "Vishu" (Malayalam new year).

The jawan, who had come to his village in February end on leave and days after his return had fallen ill, had expressed desire to meet his mother and wife.
Arun Kumar's one-year-old child is in Kerala.

The mother's journey comes close on the heels of another woman who rode 1400 km on her two-wheeler from Telangana to bring back her son stuck in Andhra Pradesh. The Burqa-clad mom, Razia Sultana, a school teacher from Bodhan town in Telangana undertook the journey on her scooter and brought her son, a student from Rehmatabadin Andhra Pradesh.

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Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja on Saturday said that the state is reaping the rewards of the hard work that has gone in overall containment of the spread of COVID-19.

In the state, the number of new cases was in single digits and there are around 78,000 people under observation.

She told the media that in no way, can the Kerala government relax because "things can go haywire anytime, if we are not alert, but at the same time, life has to go on, if not there will be other issues."

"It should not be like, we saved people. But people also die out of hunger. So whatever relaxations are now announced to be effective after April 20, should not be an occasion to forget the alertness that we maintained. Instead, the relaxation should be used to revive the economy and it should happen by keeping all the rules and regulations of maintaining social distancing," said Shailaja.

Meanwhile, she stated that the death of a 85-year-old man, who was a former COVID-19 patient from Malappuram, is not due to the virus but due to a renal complication he developed. "He tested negative thrice. Then he had underlying ailments. He was a cardiac patient for three decades, had breathing issues and had kidney problems," said Shailaja.

78,000
No. of people under observation in Kerala

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Smriti Irani's social media posts are easily the best with throwback grams, pictures of her family and memes!

This time she got us all nostalgic with her Instagram stories. She shared a couple of pictures which only the 20th century kids would relate to.

The first picture that she shared was of a white-shoe which was being polished. If you look carefully, you will realise that these are the same shoes that were worn by everyone during school days. She captioned the picture, "Kisko yaad hai? (Who remembers?)"

The second picture was of a landline phone with a round dial and the receiver kept down. In those days, it was the only way to stop the incoming calls. The text on this picture read, "How we blocked people in the 1980s."

The third image was of a cassette player with the cassette reel stuck in it. The caption of this picture read, "The youth of today will never know our struggle."

The last picture of the story showed a handle which was used to roll the car windows down before it was replaced with a button.

Feeling nostalgic yet?

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Days after the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation expressed concern over alleged incidents of "Islamophobia" in India, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday said India is heaven for Muslims and those trying to vitiate the atmosphere of prosperity cannot be their friends. Asserting that the social, economic and religious rights of Muslims are secure in India, Naqvi said "secularism and harmony" is not a "political fashion", but a "perfect passion" for India and Indians.

His remarks come after the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Sunday urged India to take "urgent steps" to protect the rights of its minority Muslim community and stop the incidents of "Islamophobia" in the country. Asked about the OIC's criticism, Naqvi said, "We are doing our job with conviction. The prime minister whenever he speaks, he talks about the rights and welfare of 130 crore Indians." "If somebody cannot see this, then it is their problem. India's Muslims, its minorities, all its sections of the society, are prosperous and those people trying to vitiate this atmosphere of prosperity, they cannot be friends of Indian Muslims," he told reporters.

On criticism of India by scholars in Gulf nations, Naqvi said, "India is a heaven for Muslims and minorities." The social, economic and religious rights of Muslims are more secure and stronger in India than in other countries, he said. "If somebody is saying something with a prejudiced mindset, then he should look at the ground reality of this country and accept it," the minister said. "In this country, there is such a large population of Muslims. An analysis of their educational, social and economic conditions in the last five years should be looked at, their share in government jobs has increased and they have been educationally and economically empowered," Naqvi said. Muslims ave had an equal share in the progress of all sections and if India is progressing, the community is also progressing, he asserted.

"We should ensure that our strength of unity in diversity' is not get weakened under any circumstances, he said. "Professional bogus bashing brigades" are still active and conspiring to spread misinformation, Naqvi said. "We should remain cautious of such evil forces and we need to work unitedly to defeat their nefarious misinformation propaganda," Naqvi said. He also cautioned against fake news and conspiracies aimed at spreading misinformation, he said. The authorities have been working for safety and well-being of all citizens of the country and such type of rumours and conspiracies are a "nefarious design" to weaken the fight against coronavirus, Naqvi said. "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the entire country is united in fight against coronavirus by breaking all barriers of caste, religion and region," he said.

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Nearly 20 per cent COVID-19 patients have recovered so far in the country, said Lav Agarwa, Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday, while the total cases of coronavirus have soared to 21,393.

In last 24 hours 1409 positive cases have been reported, which takes our total confirmed cases to 21,393: Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/TVCj5RxGgw

— ANI (@ANI) April 23, 2020

Addressing a press conference here, Agarwal said: "With 1,409 new cases, there are 21,393 positive cases in India now. So far, 4,257 people have recovered including 388 people who recovered yesterday. This takes our recovery percentage to 19.89 per cent."

Agarwal said that as on today, India has 12 districts that did not report a fresh case in the last 28 days or more. "There are now 78 districts in 23 States/UTs, which have not reported any fresh cases during the last 14 days," he added.

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In an extra-ordinary sight from Madhya Pradesh, an otter was seen putting up a brave front and protecting her baby from a pack of feral dogs. The sight was captured at the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary that has been making rounds in the social media for quite some time now.

The viral video was shared by forest officer Ravindra Mani Tripathi on Twitter called the scene a ‘great fight’ and ‘rare viewing for humans and explained that it shows a ‘great interaction’ between dogs and otters.

The Great fight

Today morning at Gandhisagar..
Great interaction between dogs and otters.The way elder otter prevents younger one is a great learning.A rare viewing by humans.@rameshpandeyifs @dipika_bajpai
@jayotibanerjee@ @nehaa_sinha @susantananda3 @nehaa_sinha@NatGeo pic.twitter.com/VDrTOLVhrU

— Ravindra Mani Tripathi (@RavindraIfs) April 27, 2020

The four dogs in the video are seen standing in the bank of the river and trying to attack a small otter in the water. Soon, two other otters came to the baby’s rescue and put up a fight with the canines.

In another video, that appears to be of the same incident sharing by forest officer Susanta Nanda on Twitter, the elder otter is seen taking the baby to a safe point and joining another otter into running out of the water and scare the dogs. The caption of the video reads, “Otters defending fiercely their baby from feral dogs.”

Otters defending fiercely their baby from feral dogs. Scene from Gandhi sagar Sanctuary, MP. pic.twitter.com/qYYLbvV9WP

— Susanta Nanda IFS (@susantananda3) April 27, 2020

The two videos have collectively garnered more than 11,000 views on Twitter with over 300 likes and was retweeted by more than a hundred of users. The users commented on the video saying that they have never seen a sight such as this one.

What do you think about the video?

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 A Qatar Airways special flight carrying 267 people onboard departed for London from Amritsar Airport on Wednesday morning. "Amritsar International Airport. Qatar Airways departed today morning: ATQ-Doha-LHR; Pax details as below: British 222, Indian 44, Chinese 01. Total 267," KBS Sidhu, Special Chief Secretary, Punjab, tweeted.

A relief flight of the British Airways had operated chartered flights to carry out several round of evacuation last week for its people who have been stranded in India due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

Special flights from Bengaluru via Ahmedabad to London, Goa to London, and Mumbai to London have also operated on several dates this month. 

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The central government on May 1 started train services for students, migrant labourers, tourists and others stranded in different parts of the country to the home states. On Friday, a train carrying students who were stranded in Rajasthan’s Kota district left for Jharkhand amid applause from cops at the spot.

Many students were reportedly stranded in Kota, a town known for its educational institutions that coaches scores of pupils for competitive exams, ever since the national lockdown due to coronavirus was imposed.

In a video posted by the Prasar Bharati News Service on Twitter, policemen and other railway personnel were seen standing on the platform and clapping as the train with students was leaving from Kota railway station to Jharkhand, in what seems to be a gesture to wish them a safe journey. The caption for the post read, "1449 coaching students left for #Jharkhand in a special train last night from Kota, Rajasthan."

1449 coaching students left for #Jharkhand in a special train last night from Kota, Rajasthan #IndianRailways #IndiaFightsCOVID19 #SocialDistancing @RailMinIndia pic.twitter.com/egGqf2Kqjz

— Prasar Bharati News Services (@PBNS_India) May 2, 2020

These special trains would ply without any stops, following health and safety protocols as per an order by the central government.

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With the nationwide lockdown in place due to the Coronavirus outbreak, major cities in the country that otherwise attract a lot of crowds has been wearing a deserted look. After viral videos showing breathtaking aerial visuals of Mumbai and Gurugram, The Twitterati is swooning over the aerial visuals of Amritsar.

Shared by the Chief Minister of Punjab, Capt Amarinder Singh, made by the district administration of Amritsar, the video opens with the splendid view of the Golden Gate at night after which it moves to an aerial shot of the Golden Temple. The video goes on to shows glimpses of the War Memorial, the Amritsar railway station, the roads and bazaars, Town Hall and Khalsa College, and ends with a breathtaking view of the well-lit Golden Temple at night.

In the caption, Singh said, “Sharing a video made by District Administration, Amritsar with an inspiring message. We all need to fight together in this war against #Covid19 & help our Corona Warriors by abiding with all rules & regulations. Let's do it for Punjab. We will win this war!”

Sharing a video made by District Administration, Amritsar with an inspiring message. We all need to fight together in this war against #Covid19 & help our Corona Warriors by abiding with all rules & regulations. Let's do it for Punjab. We will win this war! #StaySafeStayHealthy pic.twitter.com/v8985DdC9X

— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) May 3, 2020

The video posted on May 3, garnered more than 14,800 views with 1,200 likes and was retweeted 283 times so far. The users commenting in the video resounded the chief minister’s assurance that we will win the war against the pandemic.

We will win. 🇮🇳

— Preeti Yadav (@drpreetiyadav9) May 3, 2020

Sir, Surely we will.....

— Sneha Singh (@Snehasi7) May 3, 2020

Simply awesome sir. We also got to see the beautiful city and its important landmarks.

— T K Srinath (@tksri100) May 3, 2020

Beautiful Message for ushering in Solidarity as we move ahead

Awareness Campaigns in Regional Language will be effective

Nice aerial shots too

Glad to see something like this without involving the Chief Minister as focus

Signs of mature polity

Happy to see Farmers working

— Colonel Rohit Dev (RDX) 🇮🇳 (@RDXThinksThat) May 3, 2020

My beautiful #Amritsar 😍 I'm proud of Amritsar's District Administration.

— Karun Mahendru 🕉ï¸Â ♋ (@KARUNCOOL22) May 3, 2020

What do you think about the video?

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Indian origin actor in Hollywood, actor Kal Penn, says he has a lot in common with the character of Mikku the mongoose, which he has voiced in the animated show Mira, Royal Detective. He also finds Mikku extremely adorable. "I have a lot in common with Mikku. We both love to eat a lot," Kal said

"Mikku is also super inquisitive in his own way so he's very excited to take direction from Mira and learn through her and help her out however he can," he added. Set in the fictional land of Jalpur, "Mira, Royal Detective" follows the life of Mira, a commoner who is appointed to the role of royal detective by the queen.

The series features an all-star cast of prominent South Asian actors including Jameela Jamil, Freida Pinto, Hannah Simone, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Aasif Mandvi and Aparna Nancherla amongst others. It also introduced 16-year-old newcomer Leela Ladnier as the voice of Mira. The show airs in India on Disney Channel India.

Earlier in an interview to IANS, talking about the show, Kal said: "When I first heard about the show, read the script, I was selfishly very excited towards it. I would get to do something for kids, because my earlier works (comedy or drama) were not that child friendly. And now, I have nieces and nephews so that was quite exciting to me. Next was obviously the whole South Asian cast and that it takes place in a fictional land of India, that was real fun. Then, I came to know the South Asian American performers as the cast that was a rarity in any kind of art (action or cartoon)."

"So I think it was a perfect combination. My character Mikku is super adorable and he wears these glasses and I was like, it is going to be the most fun and at the same time a meaningful project to be a part of," he added.

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"Extraction" director and popular Hollywood stunt coordinator Sam Hargrave feels cinema has space for either "super big-budget movies like superheroes" or smaller movies, saying that it doesn't leave much room for mid-budget action movies.

Talking about his upcoming Netflix action film, Hargrave told IANS: "It seems that there's not as much space in the cinemas for these kinds of mid-budget action movies. It seems that it's mostly the super big-budget superhero movies or the kind of the smaller stuff."

Hargrave is glad that his first movie will reach a wider audience through Netflix.

"Netflix has carved out space for itself for movies like these to exist, which I think is really great… Because there are a lot of great stories out there… These kinds of movies, now, have a place to be seen, be viewed and be enjoyed," he said.

With "Extraction", Hargrave is graduating from being Chris Evans' stunt double in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" for fight scenes and stunt coordinator in "Captain America: Civil War" to a feature director. Hargrave was an additional second unit director in "Avengers: Infinity War".

Hargrave continued: "I think that's a really great thing for audiences around the world. I'm happy that my first time directing (feature film) come out on a platform like Netflix where so many people can see this. It is a very unique experience and one that I'm looking forward to seeing how it all plays out when it comes out on April 24."

For his first film, Hargrave reunited with his "Avengers" family. He got "Thor" star Chris Hemsworth to lead the film, screenplay of which is done by Joe Russo. The film is produced by Russo Brothers (Joe and Anthony Russo), Mike Larocca, Chris Hemsworth, Eric Gitter, and Peter Schwerin.

Originally titled "Dhaka", the film also stars Indian actors Randeep Hooda, Pankaj Tripathi, Priyanshu Painyulli, and Rudraksh Jaiswal. It revolves around Tyler Rake (essayed by Hemsworth), a fearless, black market mercenary, who embarks on the most deadly extraction of his career when he is enlisted to rescue the kidnapped son of an imprisoned international crime lord. It has been shot extensively in India, along with other places around the world.

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Extreme weight gain and sudden weight loss have always been matters of concern for everyone, especially actors who have to stay in front of the cameras and in the limelight for half of their lives. One such star who has worried his fans with his sudden and surprising weight loss is the Black Panther actor, Chadwick Boseman.

It all started when he took to his Instagram account to share a video but all that people and fans noticed was how much weight he lost. But it seems he wasn't happy with the fact that he was constantly being asked the same question so he took it down. He uploaded another post where he spoke about his donation that he named Operation 42. This was for the African-American community that he wants to help amid the Coronavirus pandemic. This was a great initiative and all his fans lauded him for the same.

Have a look at the post right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Throwing it back to the ultimate game changer. Thank you to my friend Thomas Tull for launching #Operation42 to celebrate #JackieRobinsonDay and deliver 4.2M dollars in masks and vital personal protective equipment to hospitals in African American communities devastated by #Covid19.

A post shared by Chadwick Boseman (@chadwickboseman) onApr 16, 2020 at 9:33am PDT

But at the same time, as we stated above, they couldn't help but raise questions and concerns about the amount of weight he suddenly lost. A user wrote- "You okay chief? You looked rather odd on the other post." Another fan wrote- "I guess he got tired of people asking is he sick. He took the video down."

Well, fans are likely to get worried as they all love him, but his weight loss could also be for a potential role! Let's not be quick to judge!

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Actor Halle Berry has revealed that former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan once saved her life when they were filming "Die Another Day". Berry portrayed Jinx opposite Brosnan in the 2002 movie, which had marked his last outing as the suave British spy.

Talking to Jimmy Fallon on his "Tonight" show, Berry, 53, said during a scene, she started choking but Brosnan quickly came to her aid. "I was supposed to be all sexy, trying to seduce him with a fig, and then I end up choking on it and he had to get up and do the Heimlich," she said.

"That was so not sexy... James Bond knows how to Heimlich! He was there for me, he will always be one of my favourite people in the whole world," she added. The Heimlich manoeuvre is a first aid procedure used to treat upper airway obstructions by foreign objects. During the procedure, a sudden strong pressure is applied on a person's abdomen, between the navel and the ribcage. On the work front, Berry will be next seen in "Bruised" which also marks her directorial debut.

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Sharing a throwback picture from the purple carpet premiere of 'Avengers Endgame,' actor Mark Ruffalo on Sunday said that he is feeling nostalgic as the film completed its first anniversary.

The actor took to Instagram to reminisce about the film and posted a picture of himself and a group picture of the cast of the film from the premiere.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Feeling nostalgic that it’s been a year since #AvengersEndgame was in theaters.⁣ ⁣ Thank you all for being a part of this wild journey with us 💚 #LoveYou3000

A post shared by Mark Ruffalo (@markruffalo) onApr 26, 2020 at 7:34am PDT

Decked up in a black suit, Ruffalo is seen posing at the purple carpet event in the picture.

"Feeling nostalgic that it's been a year since #AvengersEndgame was in theaters. Thank you all for being a part of this wild journey with us #LoveYou3000," he captioned the picture.

The film 'Avengers Endgame' by Marvel comics was released on April 26 last year and became a blockbuster hit within few days of hitting the screens.

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After the decision to postpone the event due to the coronavirus crisis, the Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday, rather, held a virtual telecast which was no short of slime and the awards.

On Saturday a virtual show was hosted by the 'Victorious' star Victoria Justice of the event, whic was originally scheduled to take place on March 22 in Los Angeles.

The star-studded awards show had specials appearances of 'The Avengers' cast including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, and Jeremy Renner.

The team's big hit superhero film 'Avengers: Endgame' won favourite movie, and 'Spider-Man' actor Tom Holland was voted favourite superhero.

Netflix's 'Stranger Things' grabbed the favourite TV show awards, meanwhile, the young star Millie Bobby Brown took home the favourite female TV actor award for her role as Eleven.

In the music category, artists including Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes, Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, and BTS took home the glory.

Reported by Variety, the show also made USD 1 million donations to No Kid Hungry, a national campaign to help end childhood hunger and support people affected by coronavirus crisis.

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Teenage days are never coming back! If you are out of your teens, you'll be surely reminiscing the old gold days. If you've grown up watching Beverly Hills, 90210, Dawson's Creek, Everything Sucks, That 70s Show, Gossip Girl, you'll surely relate to what you are about to read. Netflix has a wide range of teen shows, and as the lockdown continues, we still have time to watch some more and complete the list. Check them out.

Never Have I Ever:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

"No one label or character can fully represent all the stories waiting to be told," says @maitreyiramakrishnan who hopes that her future roles are just as complex and badass as Devi, saying her dream is to play "something dark like an assassin. Super chaotic and messy but still so strong and powerful."⁣ ⁣ art by @geoffjkim

A post shared by Netflix US (@netflix) onMay 8, 2020 at 10:16am PDT

A coming of age comedy-drama television series by Netflix, Never have I Ever, starring Maitreyi Ramakrishnan is created by none other than The Mindy Project actress, Mindy Kaling, along with Lang Fisher. Partially based on Kaling's growing up years in the Boston area, the show shares the story of an Indian American high school student dealing with the death of her father and other teen issues.

Sex Education:

 

 

 

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"statistically, two thirds of girls experience unwanted sexual attention or contact in public spaces before the age of 21." - Viv, S2E7 ðŸ¤Âš - @aimeelouwood, @trishallison, creator @laurienunn, and founder of #everydaysexism @laura_bates__ sat down for a powerful conversation about aimee's season 2 storyline and non-consensual penises - hit the link in our bio to watch the short film now. 🚍💛💪

A post shared by Sex Education (@sexeducation) onJan 26, 2020 at 3:01am PST

Oh, man! Where do we start with this one? It's a goldmine for all the teen drama. In this British comedy-drama, Sex Education talks about growing up and difficulties faced by high-school kids. Be it physical, emotional or psychological, Sex Education gives a panoramic view of the no-more-kids, not-yet-adults stage of the students. It stars Asa Butterfield as a socially awkward teenager who finds it difficult to adjust in the everyday changing lifestyle of the high-school kid.

Elite:

 

 

 

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A post shared by Élite (@elitenetflix) onMar 25, 2020 at 9:59am PDT

If you follow Money Heist, you won't get bored watching Rio and Denver in this one too! Elite is a Spanish thriller teen drama web television series, set in Las Encinas, a fictional elite secondary school. Elite revolves around the relationships between three working-class teenage students enrolled at the school through a scholarship and their wealthy classmates. Things turn dirty with every episode and reveal how wealth is used to manipulate the future of teenagers.

Riverdale:

 

 

 

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There's no place like Pop's. Stream the season finale free, link in bio. #Riverdale

A post shared by Riverdale (@thecwriverdale) onMay 8, 2020 at 5:30pm PDT

If you think Gossip Girls is dramatic, wait until you binge-watch this one! Based on the characters of the popular Archies comics, Riverdale screams high-school drama. There's a cool guy, who has the most popular girl in town as his girlfriend, and then comes along a string of events that turn the lives of the teens living in Riverdale upside down.

The End Of The F***ing World:

 

 

 

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A post shared by The End of the F***ing World (@teotfw) onNov 5, 2019 at 4:07am PST

The End of the F***ing World is so dark it will make you weep to look at the miserable lives of the characters before you go to sleep. If you aren't an ardent fan of dark humour, abort mission! Well, many aren't aware that this one is based on a graphic novel of the same name created by Charles Forsman. The programme follows James (Alex Lawther), a 17-year-old who believes himself to be a psychopath after a series of incidents occur in his life after his mom's death. Alyssa (Jessica Barden), is shown as an angry classmate who has profound parenting issues ever since her childhood. James and Alyssa are connected in the weirdest way possible, and the entire show speaks about their escape from their tumultuous home life. 

Entertaining much?

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A Pune-based group that rescues trekkers or retrieves bodies of people who have died in trekking accidents, were in for a surprise when they were called to rescue a cow. On March 31, the NGO Shivdurg Mitra, Lonavala, received a call on its helpline, saying a cow had fallen into a 12-feet deep stone quarry near Vaksai chawl close to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, near Lonavala. Its calf was roaming in the area calling for its mother.

The rescued cow with her calf

Also Read: Five stray cows die of cold in Uttar Pradesh

Speaking to mid-day, Sunil Gaikwad from Shivdurg Mitra, Lonavala, said, "Our team member, Ajay Shelar, received the call. We immediately rushed to the spot to rescue the cow."

The rescue team first checked if there were any injuries on the cow's body, but were happy to not find any. "Rescuing a small animal like a dog or cat is an easy job. But, a cow, which on average, weighs more than 500 kg, is not an easy task. Four of our volunteers, Pranay Ambure, Sagar Kumbhar, Vikas Mavkar and Anil Andre went into the quarry. They tied ropes around the cow, and the team stationed above pulled her out of the quarry while those inside helped push her out," added Gaikwad.

The members told mid-day that as soon as the cow was brought out, the calf that was desperately waiting for the mother, rushed towards her. The operation took around two hours. NGO members said the cow and calf walked away after the ordeal.

Also Read: Embrace the trekker in you while on a secret trail in the Sahyadris

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The monetary reward for the person providing solid leads about the two wanted suspects in Comrade Govind Pansare's murder case has been increased by a whopping Rs 40 lakh by the state home department.

The Communist Party of India (CPI) leader was killed in February 2015, with one team each in every district of Maharashtra probing the case. Police teams on Saturday began pasting posters declaring the hike in reward money at all major public places.

Also Read: Govind Pansare case: Main accused Virendra Tawde gets bail

The initial prize amount declared by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for the informant was R5 lakh which was increased to R10 lakh in February 2016 and has now been revised to Rs 50 lakh, according to the SIT's orders dated Saturday.

Comrade Pansare and his wife Uma were returning from their morning walk in Sagar Mahal, Kolhapur, when two bike-borne persons fired five rounds at Pansare on February 16, 2015.

Also Read: Activist Govind Pansare killing: Bombay HC continues stay on trial against 2 accused

Police teams have begun pasting the announcement posters at public places across the state

The communist was airlifted and rushed to Mumbai for treatment where he died four days later, on February 20. While suspects Sameer Gaikwad, Amol Kale and Mumbai-based ENT specialist Dr Virendrasinh Tawade have been arrested by the police, Vinay Baburao Pawar and Sarang Deelip Akolkar alias Kulkarni are absconding.

After the SIT, investigating the Pansare murder case, issued the orders for increasing the informant's prize amount last month, the Maharashtra police prepared posters declaring this in English, Hindi and Marathi. The whereabouts of the informant will be kept secret, the SIT has assured.

A senior officer who is part of the investigating team said, “The reward is Rs 25 lakh each for information about Pawar and Akolkar. We had received some clues in the past too but those did not lead to anything while probe on those lines is still on too.”

Pansare's daughter-in-law Megha, however, wasn't too impressed with the hike in prize money. “It is too late now but there is some hope. The Bombay High Court too was amused and sceptical of a cash prize leading to clues,” she said. “Do you think people will take you to the accused. For all you know, they might be getting paid more to keep quiet,” the court had remarked at the last case hearing.

Wanted in Dabholkar case too

Pawar and Akolkar, who are associated with the Sanatan Sanstha, are also wanted in connection with the murder of rationalist Dr Dabholkar. Akolkar, who hails from Pune, is an electronic engineer and has been on the run since his name cropped up during the Goa blast case being probed by the National Investigation Agency.

The NIA had even secured an Interpol Red Corner Notice against him in 2012. Pawar, a resident of Miraj in Sangli district of western Maharashtra, was last located in Umbaraj in Karad taluka of Satara district. He has been untraceable ever since.

Also Read: HC: Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare killings are linked

February 16, 2015

Day Pansare was shot dead in Kolhapur

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Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor breathed his last on April 30 after his prolonged battle with leukemia. He was diagnosed in 2018 and headed to New York for his treatment. He was back in Mumbai in September 2019. He passed away at the age of 67 in Mumbai. The Kapoor family, friends, and fans continue to remember him on social media.

On Thursday, Raveena Tandon shared a video of Rishi Kapoor which he had recorded for her father Ravi Tandon for his 80th birthday. “Dearest dearest Chintu uncle.. you are missed everyday. Just before his going to New York for treatment, he recorded this for papa, and then surprised him by being there with us on papas birthday. ♥️ you will always be there at home and in our hearts forever Chintuuncle. ♥️ we love you,” she wrote on Instagram.

 

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Just before his going to New York for treatment, he recorded this for papa, and then surprised him by being there with us on papas birthday. ♥️ you will always be there at home and in our hearts forever Chintuuncle. ♥️ we love you .

A post shared by Raveena Tandon (@officialraveenatandon) on May 7, 2020 at 7:49am PDT

A week ago, she recalled the time when Rishi Kapoor praised her. “My heart had filled with pride when I read this praise coming from chintu uncle in the press.. saved this cutting from the year 2009. So many memories and broken hearts you leave behind .#farewell #foreverlove Will miss you too much chintu uncle,” she said.

 

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My heart had filled with pride when I read this praise coming from chintu uncle in the press.. saved this cutting from the year 2009. So many memories and broken hearts you leave behind .... #farewell #foreverlove Will miss you too much chintu uncle .

A post shared by Raveena Tandon (@officialraveenatandon) on Apr 30, 2020 at 4:29am PDT

Raveena Tandon and Rishi Kapoor starred in Saajan Ki Baahon Mein in 1995.

 

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Just totally love you ! Seems like a part of my life , my childhood memories , my now .. all taken away so fast . Not fair chintu uncle. Not fair on all of us Couldn’t even say a goodbye . We will miss you terribly. ???????????????????? #memories His infectious laughter,his wit,incidents,even when he used to scold me on sets when working with him.Still seeing me,as the same 5 year old he knew,My first walkie talkie doll he bought from Paris,a make up gift for getting engaged to neetu aunty without telling me.

A post shared by Raveena Tandon (@officialraveenatandon) on Apr 30, 2020 at 1:57am PDT

ALSO READ: Flashback Friday: Kareena Kapoor Khan shares old photo of Rishi Kapoor with Randhir, Babita and RD Burman

Rishi Kapoor passed away after battling leukemia for over two years, while the family is still coping with the loss, Neetu Kapoor has thanked the hospital authorities and Mukesh and Nita Ambani for their consistent support and love. Even though Riddhima couldn’t make it to her father’s funeral, she is currently in Mumbai to stay with her mother and brother in these trying times.

With an overload of throwback pictures and tributes, Rishi Kapoor will surely be missed by everyone in the industry along with his ardent fans. His charm and positive nature is still looked up to with Riddhima and Ranbir providing the much-needed support to Neetu Kapoor. A week after Rishi Kapoor’s demise, Riddhima Kapoor has shared a picture with Ranbir Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor citing that they have got her back.

Take a look at it.

Also Read: Neetu Kapoor thanks Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani for their consistent love and support

A few weeks back, actor Abhishek Bachchan, on Instagram, shared a priceless throwback photo from his first ever stage performance as an actor alongside father Amitabh Bachchan, in 2004. His love for the stage, however, began when he was merely a child and would accompany his father for his live shows. He shared a video, giving us glimpses of one such show and also spoke about the fondest memories spread over the years.

"I have so many memories of being on the road with him, his co-stars and the immense Kalyanji and Anandji and their 40 piece orchestra helmed by a young and upcoming Viju Shah ( Kalyan ji's son and future Music Director of huge fame)," he wrote.

 

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#FlashbackFriday My 1st ever stage performance after becoming an actor. Got to share it with a pretty cool dude! This was for the "Help" telethon which was done to raise money to help all the victims of the devastating tsunami which occurred on December 26th 2004. This huge enterprise of getting the entire Hindi film industry together ( a Herculean task) was spearheaded by @duttsanjay . And although I was slated to make my debut stage performance in Amsterdam for the IIFA awards later in the year, I just couldn't say no to the cause and Sanju sir. Both dad and I performed to a mix/ medley of his song रंग बरसे and "one love" a track I had done as a cameo in my dear friend @suniel.shetty film Rakth. The show took place in early February 2005. Both dad and I were shooting for "Kajra re" with Aishwarya for Bunty aur Babli. I would shoot the song all day from 9am to 10pm and then drive to the concert venue and rehearse all night. I even spent my birthday shooting Kajra re ( but that is a different story, reserved for another Friday). At night, after the shoot I remember when I reached the venue for my rehearsal all the lights were off!!! Thinking that I had made a mistake and showed up to rehearse when there wasn't any.... Suddenly all the stage lights came on and all the dancers, Ganesh Hegde the choreographer, stage hands and technical staff surprised me! Then Sanju sir and @walia_bunty ( he was one of the organisers) rolled out a huge cake and a birthday present for me. They all sang and managed to embarrass me to bits! What fun. Good times!

A post shared by Abhishek Bachchan (@bachchan) on Apr 24, 2020 at 3:38am PDT

The actor went on to recall how the artists would gather in his parents' suite for a midnight dinner and how their return journey by flight would be nothing less than a mini concert mid-air! In the video, Big B can be seen calling Abhishek and sister Shweta to the stage as he introduces them to the audience.

"What times! As a child standing in the wings looking at the show in awe and wonderment. Not realising at that time the legends that I was blessed to witness perform live. Secretly imagining myself on that stage once I grew up," Abhishek added.

That's certainly where it all started!

Ahead of Mother's day, Kajol spoke to a daily about motherhood and the bond she shares with her kids. Kajol got married to actor Ajay Devgn in 1999 and the two went on to become parents to two beautiful kids- Nysa and Yug.

When she conceived Nysa, Kajol had only one thought and that was to ace this test of motherhood. However, she soon realized that it is no cakewalk and it took her six months to realize that she can't do it alone. Kajol said that her children make her want to be a better and fun person.

Kajol also revealed that her children have not watched too many of her films. She said that it is because she hasn't made many and according to the kids, Kajol cries too much and makes them cry too.

While talking about her bond with her mother Tanuja, Kajol said that the relationship they share is the best and that they never discuss work. She said that her mother gave a lot of advice but never listened to it until she landed in a problem.

ALSO READ: From working with Shah Rukh Khan to Ajay Devgn not cooking for her, Kajol makes some interesting revelations during her chat session

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

However, her identity was a mystery then.

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

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

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

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

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Barcelona skipper Lionel Messi has often spoken about the liking he has had for former teammate Neymar and the Brazilian has now revealed how one of the greatest footballers to have played the beautiful game always had his back at the La Liga club.

"Honestly, it's difficult, very difficult for me to talk about Messi, because it was very special for me at Barcelona, I say this to everybody," he told Rede Globo's Esporte Espetacular.

"At the moment when I needed the most support, the best player in the world arrived and gave me a hand. He said: 'Come here, I'm here to help you.'" Messi had earlier spoken about how he is still in touch with Neymar and it will be slightly difficult for him to make a return to the club from Paris Saint-Germain.

"We talk to Neymar often. We still have a WhatsApp group with Luis (Suarez)", Messi told Argentina's Radio Metro, as quoted by ESPNFC.

"It's difficult for him to come back, as he left here, many club members and people do not want him to come back. From a sporting point of view he would be wonderful, but the other view is also understandable. It is a bit difficult," Messi had said.

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Putting on weight is a common fear during this Coronavirus-caused lockdown. However, England football star Jamie Vardy's wife Rebekah prefers to deal with the issue in a lighter vein. While most celebs are posting pictures and videos of their workouts and chiselled frames, Rebekah uploaded this picture (right) on social media, showing off her flabs, a term she coined for her flabby abs.

Former model Rebakah, a mother of five, admitted that her weight-gain is because of excessive eating which included eating cookies and drinking wine.

"I've seen a lot of pics of people's amazing abs in lockdown so thought I'd share my cute little [FL]abs with you as well," Rebekah, 38, wrote on Instagram, going on to explain her daily diet. "For anyone interested in following my lockdown eating plan, it involves three quite healthy meals per day with my family, then I top up with a consistent intake of three cookies in between meals and after meals. Then, I make sure I'm keeping myself well hydrated with wine in the evenings," added Rebekah, concluding with a cheeky line: "I also do yoga."

 

 

 

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I’ve seen a lot of pics of people’s amazing abs in lockdown so thought I’d share my cute little (FL)abs with you as well. For anyone interested in following my lockdown eating plan it involves 3 quite healthy meals per day with my family, then I top up with a consistent intake of 🍪🍪🍪 in between meals and after meals & then I make sure I’m keeping myself well hydrated with 🍷🍷🍷 in the evenings. I also do yoga 🧘‍♀️ #keepitreal #nofilter #freetheflabs #loveyourbody ❤️

A post shared by Becky Vardy (@beckyvardy) onApr 29, 2020 at 10:30am PDT

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A video of Hertha Berlin forward Salomon Kalou shaking hands with his team-mates "shocked" key German politicians, who are set to decide Wednesday whether the Bundesliga can resume next month. "The video has done the German league (DFL) and professional football a disservice," Anja Stahmann, chairwoman of Germany's regional sports ministers, told radio station RBB on Wednesday. "I have heard from colleagues that they are shocked and shaken.

"We were struck by great doubts when we watched the video," admitted the sports senator for the state of Bremen. "I got the impression that good rules were being written down on paper, but that they were not actually being lived out." The Bundesliga is set to be given the green light by the government on Wednesday to resume later this month behind closed doors and with strict hygiene measures in place.

Germany's regional sports ministers have already approved the Bundesliga's plans to resume, but Stahmann said Ivory Coast international Kalou's video left a bad impression. "Some people think the Bundesliga has lost its grip in times of a pandemic," Stahmann added. On Monday, the former Chelsea forward was suspended by Hertha after posting a video to Facebook showing him greeting team-mates and club employees with handshakes, flaunting hygiene guidelines laid out by the league. Kalou apologised for disregarding the social distancing rules, saying: "it was a big mistake".

The 34-year-old also said he could understand how his video, shot in the dressng room, caused shockwaves as the league was seeking permission to return to action. Kalou has scored 48 goals in 151 Bundesliga games for Hertha, but is out of contract at the end of the season and could have played his last game for the club. "It was respectless and I want to apologise for that sincerely," he added.

"But I am about more than those five bad minutes that people see of me in the dressing room." However, Kalou's video drew criticism from the top of the German government. Health minister Jens Spahn said it was "right" that Hertha suspended Kalou and there were "consequences after the video".

Bavaria's premier minister Markus Soeder said the league has developed an "excellent" hygiene concept but "there are individual players, as we have read, who are behaving very, very poorly".

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Novak Djokovic said that he, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are organising aid for players struggling with the paralysis of the game due to the Coronavirus pandemic. "I spoke to Roger and Rafa a few days ago," Djokovic, the World No. 1, said in an Instagram chat with friend and rival Stan Wawrinka on Saturday.

No support from federation
"We had a long conversation about the near future of tennis, what is going to happen, how we can contribute and how we can help especially lower-ranked players, who are obviously struggling the most. The majority of the players who are ranked between 200, 250 in the world, and the 700th or 1,000th do not have federation support, do not have sponsors. They are completely independent and left alone," he said. "Guys who are ranked between 200-250, especially to 700...are thinking of leaving tennis right now."

He said players, the ATP and the four Grand Slams "would all get together and will contribute to a player relief fund that ATP will distribute." "It looks, hopefully, that there will something between $3 million (2.75 million euros) and $4.5 million that is going to be distributed," he estimated. Djokovic said the cash could come from the prize money for the season-ending World Tour Finals or the final bonus pools for top players.

Lack of tournaments
"Maybe if we don't have any tournaments this season, we can take a certain percentage from our prize money from Australian Open in January," he said. "These guys are the grass roots of tennis. The future of tennis. We need to show them they still can rely on support of the top guys." According to reports in tennis media, Djokovic, as president of the ATP Players' Council, which also includes Federer and Nadal, proposed to members that players in the Top 100 for singles and the Top 20 in doubles contribute according to their rankings.

The proposed scale runs from $30,000 for a Top-5 player to $5,000 for those between 51 and 100. That would raise approximately $1 million and the ATP would make a similar contribution. On Friday, ATP chief Andrea Gaudenzi echoed the call for unity on the tour website. "Our guys are at home, obviously unable to play, unable to earn money and financially struggling, so we will try to help," he said.

"I've been quite touched by the top players who reached out, the big names expressing their desire of helping the lower-ranked players and putting those players first. We are also talking with the Grand Slams about it. They may want to join in the effort. I think it would be a great message for the sport." World tennis has been at a standstill since the beginning of March and will not resume until mid-July at the earliest following the postponement of Roland Garros and the cancellation of Wimbledon.

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The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) is working on a tie-up between hospitality provider Airbnb and locals for offering home-stay to tourists visiting the Elephanta Caves island located in Mumbai Harbour. The policy aims to overcome the security concerns due to high security installations facing the island that does not allow construction of hotels and night stay.

Tourism Minister Jaykumar Rawal said the 29th two-day Elephanta Festival, beginning January 27, will be held on the island itself again. After the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, the festival venue was shifted to the Gateway of India in south Mumbai. "Seventy years after Independence, the island is soon to get proper electricity connection depending upon the testing of the electricity meters," the minister said. Rawal said there are about 1,200 to 1,500 homes on the Elephanta island, also known as Gharapuri Island, located east of Mumbai.

The minister said no new constructions are allowed on the island due to high-security installations of ONGC and the Navy. The Caves are declared a heritage site by the UNESCO and protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Rawal said the government in a tie-up with the Mumbai Port Trust and the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) is planning a cable car over the sea for travelling to the island. The island is expected to get proper electricity connection within a week's time.

"The Elephanta festival will coincide with the culminating phase of the Mumbai Shopping Festival that will end on January 31," he said, adding that the Elephanta fest will comprise activities like treasure hunt at Elephanta, a sculpture and a painting contests with prize money. Besides this, the festival will have art, dance and music performances by Zia Nath, Sangeeta Trivedi, Sumeet Nagdev, Hans Raj Hans and others, Rawal said.

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This year, (fortunately or unfortunately) has shaped out to be a traveller's paradise, with over 16 long weekends coming up. There are a number of destinations, both domestic and international, that have gained popularity in the recent past as popular travel spots among tourists. Here are top 7 places you could visit in India and abroad, as per ixigo, a travel marketplace:

1. McLeod Ganj (Himachal Pradesh)
McLeod Ganj is a paramount center of Tibetan Buddhism and culture. Precisely known as Little Lhasa, the town is home to a number of monasteries, essential temples, and other ancient structures. This beautiful hill station has it all, from treks to strolls, delicious cuisines to amazing beverages, adventures to spiritual places and much more. If you are an adventure junkie, experience trekking and camping on the Triund trail.

Coorg. Pic courtesy/YouTube

2. Coorg (Karnataka)
One of the best times to experience the raw natural beauty of Coorg is during March. This month sees the blooming of tea and spice plantations which fills the valleys with fragrances, refreshing your senses to the core. Must visit places in Coorg include Abbey Falls, Nagarhole National Park, Namdroling Monastery, Burude Falls, Honnamana Kere Lake, among others.

3. Sundarbans (West Bengal)
In the pre-winter month of November, the gates of Sundarbans National Park open. This month makes traveling to the dense mangrove forests easier to navigate through the meandering rivers to spot the Royal Bengal Tigers, as they are out sunbathing by the river. With enjoyable temperatures, dense foliage, and a wondrous wildlife, Sundarbans is easily one of the best places to visit in November. Beware of crocodiles and wild boar.

4. Mount Abu (Rajasthan)
The only hill station of Rajasthan, Mount Abu is the perfect escape from the scorching heat of June. Sitting amidst green forests, it lies in the Aravalli mountain range, around 1,220 meters above sea level. Get most of your vacation here and visit places like Nakki Lake, the famous Sunset Point, Achaleshwar Mahadev Temple, Trevor¿s Tank and Toad Rock.

5. Istanbul (Turkey)
November in Istanbul is a few degrees warmer than the neighbouring countries of Europe and also provides a vigorous push of the exotic to ward off the winter blues. Quite literally the meeting ground of the East and the West, Istanbul is lined with frescoed palaces, churches, museums and art galleries. Indulge in a reviving Turkish bath, see the city from high above on a hot balloon or fill up on Baklava with Turkish tea.

6. Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is stunningly picturesque, affordable and full of simple, smiling people. One of the most beautiful island nations of the world, its geography boasts of blissful beaches, rolling rainforests, and magnificent mountains while its culture and creative cuisine guarantee a trip most memorable.

7. Egypt
After the fierce heat of the summer months, September is pleasantly perfect to explore the ancient wonders and the endlessly spellbinding landscapes of Egypt. With peering pyramids, deserts, soaring minarets and temple ruins, this `Gift of the Nile¿ deserves a place in everyone¿s travel bucket list.

What is life if full of care, you have no time to stand and stare. To ensure that you stand and stare at the beauty that is the Western Ghats, Mapping Journeys is organising trekking, rappelling and cliff traversing at the Duke Nose peak of Khandala for four consecutive days, on the fourth edition of The Duke Nose Festival.

"There will be an 8 am pick up at Lonavala station, from where we'll proceed to the Duke Nose base camp for breakfast, followed by an hour-long trek to the peak. There, our technical team will be ready with rappelling gear. The wall stretches to above 1,000ft and the first 350ft of rappelling will be downwards," says Veeral Raj, co-founder of the travel firm. "Next up is cliff traversing, which is a walk along a cliff overlooking a valley. The participants will be harnessed to a rope for safety," Raj explains.

He adds that the final sport is often an element of surprise for participants as people usually look forward to rappelling alone. With a technical team that boasts 12 years of experience in the field, Raj assures the trip is safe for first timers and for people across all ages. So put on those trekking shoes and head out for an adventurous weekend.

On February 10 to 13, 8 am onwards meeting point Lonavala Railway Station.
Log on to insider.in
Call 9867697306
Entry Rs 1,650

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If lazing around pristine white shorelines and engaging in fishing off the coast is your idea of the perfect weekend, sign up for a fishing trip organised by Grassroutes, that will be set in the scenic Adgaon beach along the Konkan coast.

Participants will learn traditional hand fishing and also the line-and-hook type of fishing

Shreya Thaker, from the rural tourism-centric tour group, says, "We aim to organise events that connect people with different communities and help them financially. So with the trip, Fishing for Fun, we are working with the Koli community to host fishing and hiking activities to keep you engaged while you also enjoy the traditional hospitality of homestays in this region, which includes Konkan cuisine prepared by locals." She states that participants will learn the technique of traditional hand fishing practised by locals while the line-and-hook type of fishing will be taught by Donna Sequeira, a facilitator from the organising company.

Participants will be taken on an early morning tour of the local fish market to spot varieties caught off the coast. "We are also planning to visit mango and cashew farms along with a hike to a hidden waterfall near the village," shares Thaker.

ON: February 17 and 18, 12 pm onwards
AT: Adgaon Beach, near Divegar. call 9820464838 for bookings
LOG ON TO: bit.ly/2nZetPx
COST: Rs 3,000 (adult) and Rs 1,800 (child) [inclusive of food, accommodation and fishing equipment; not inclusive of travel cost to reach location]

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Picking the right kind of footwear for your trip is important but what is more important is how to pack them. Wear your heavier shoes for the flight to lessen luggage weight, suggest experts.

Ishaan Sachdeva, Director at Alberto Torresi, Tabby Bhatia, Director at Voganow, and Harkirat Singh, MD at Woodland, have listed tips to make your travel lighter:

* Though slip-on shoes make everything faster at airport security, it is often recommended to wear your heaviest shoes when travelling. These account for half of luggage weight, so it's a big saver of space! It may take more time in the queue, but the sacrifice is well worth it for the saved weight and space.

* Try to find versatile shoes that will mix and match with all your outfits.

* Think outside the bag. Tie laces together and loop shoes onto the outside of your backpack, instead of packing them inside. Not only does this save room, but it lets smelly shoes breathe.

* When trying to figure out how to pack shoes for travel in a small bag, stuff smaller items and accessories into the shoes to utilise every available inch of packing space, and to prevent them from getting crushed.

If you're not stuffing, pack pairs of shoes tightly together, soles out, with the heels at opposite ends.

* Determine what activities you will do on your trip so you pack the appropriate footwear for the climate.

* Limit your colours to brown and black, as they go with anything. Besides, dark colours help hide scuffs and stains. If you pack a matching belt, you'll always be in practical style.

* Put the pair of shoes in a large plastic bag. Not only will this save you from digging through your luggage for a lost shoe but it will also help to keep your luggage odour-free.

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Taiwan

Those caught up in the hustle bustle of a city life -- and craving for someplace pristine, calm and relaxed -- will fall in love with Taiwan. But along with its tranquillity and peace, there is also the effervescence of a place celebrating its culture and language with aplomb.

This small island nation in the South China Sea is truly the heart of Asia - and it is fast catching the attention of Indian travellers, offering as it does a perfect combo of fabulous food, superb night life, bustling markets, hot springs, culture, history, architecture and stunning natural beauty - from gentle mountains to lovely coastal landscapes.

It was around the Taiwan Lantern Festival 2018 that we landed at Taichung International Airport here to be greeted by our tour guide, the friendly and ever-smiling Charles Tung. And he wanted all of us - a group of travelling journalists - smiling as well. "Say cheese," he said as he got us to pose for a group photo before we embarked on our journey of exploration. And there is much to explore.

"Taiwan has a truly unique natural beauty. There are beautiful places like Sun Moon lake, Yangmingshan National Park, Black Dwarf Cave... to name just a few. These places provide an escape from the chaos of urban living," Noel Saxena, Country Head, Taiwan Tourism Bureau India Office, told IANS. Saxena said Taiwan is also very rich when it comes to art.

"Be it dance, music or even folk art, the Taiwanese have earned critical acclaim with an exceptional display of talent. Taiwanese hand puppetry and Taiwanese opera are two foremost examples of art forms that are authentically Taiwanese, in that they use the Taiwanese language, not Mandarin," he informed.

The Taiwanese love for music and art was evident at Ten Drum Ciatou Creative Park, located in Kaohsiung. Once a sugar processing plant, it is now the hub of a percussion group -- the Ten Drum Percussion Group that has won accolades globally, including a Grammy in the Best World Album category.

While taking a walk around the former factory, we had to take a path made up of the branches of trees... Quite literally, we were walking on trees without fear of falling down -- a unique experience.

Other stops included the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, a comprehensive recreational area featuring Taiwanese indigenous people's cultural relics as well as amusement park facilities; and the Sun Moon Lake, situated near Yuchi township, was truly mesmerising. One of the most beautiful alpine lakes in Taiwan, it is shaped like a crescent moon; hence the name.

The Buddha Memorial Centre at Fo Guang Shan is a landmark in the country. Touching 108 metres in height, the Buddha is made up of 1,872 metric tonnes of copper and iron and is currently the world's tallest bronze seated Buddha.

"Taiwan is blessed with natural beauty, scenic areas, great food, astonishing history and culture -- and Taipei 101. This makes it a great destination. It is a destination for all age groups," said Saxena.

The country is home to only about 20 million people and is a technology powerhouse. This was quite evident even at the traditional Lantern Festival - held earlier this month -- where all the work displayed was high-tech.

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New Delhi: Looking for destinations for the year 2018? Here are some reasons to why you should visit world¿s oldest and most popular natural health resort - the Dead Sea in Israel

• The Dead Sea is three million years old and the lowest point on earth at 1,388 ft below sea level.
• The lowest point on earth is also home to the lowest road on the planet, Highway 90 located 1,289 ft. below sea level on the Israeli shore.
• One of the saltiest water bodies on the planet, the Dead Sea has 10 times the salt concentration of ocean water creating the bucket list experience of floating on water.
• What if we told you that the Dead Sea isn¿t a sea at all but actually a hypersaline lake ranked as the world¿s deepest salt water lake.
• The world's first and most popular health resort, the Dead Sea was a favorite among royalty with the likes of King Herod the Great and Queen Cleopatra.
• The biggest free spa on earth, the Dead Sea region has been attracting visitors from all over the world. The mineral content in the water, mud and salt, the low content of pollen and other allergens along with low solar UV radiation, combined with the atmospheric pressure and the depth, have healing properties for various skin diseases, respiratory ailments and rheumatic pain. A unique occurrence at the Dead Sea is of large amounts of asphalt which rises to the surface of the water. Ancient Egyptians would import the asphalt from the Dead Sea region and used it to embalm mummies.
• Yes, the famous Dead Sea Scrolls were found here; hundreds of well preserved Biblical and non-biblical manuscripts that helped reshape historic views on religion.
• Evidence shows that the Dead Sea may dry up within 50 years so we recommend a quick visit in 2018!

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To loosen up and de-stress, millennials have understood that travelling is the best therapy. Utilising long weekends, Indians are exploring more offbeat locations rather than going to another city with the same hustle bustle, say experts. Dhruv Raj Gupta, Founder and CEO, TripShelf and Dhruv Sharma, CEO and Founder of GuestHouser, have listed few travel trends this year:

1. Staycation is in: Staycation or staying in the same city has undergone a very interesting paradigm shift due to over-tourism. Travellers are increasingly seeking out relaxed, luxury stays at holiday homes around them in the same city.

2. Choosing home stays over hotels: A growing population of well-travelled urban millennials has grown tired of conventional tourism; which focuses on the simple historical sightseeing and standardized hotel rooms. This population is looking for something more personal and unique wherein they can take a dip in an unfamiliar culture, and experience it by living with a native family. They also look forward to eating authentic food of the place they're visiting and home stays thus prove to be a good option.

3. Exotic or offbeat destinations: Stress busting and exploring unexplored places are the two top reasons for travel on long weekends amongst millennials instead of catching up with friends, research or writing. From quaint solo getaways to off-season mountain escapes and immersive adventures, urban millennials are not nervous about trying unexplored places. They prefer short backpacking trips with just 2-3 nights to stay, and don't mind taking overnight buses or road trips to destinations within a distance of 400 km from Delhi.

4. Last minute travel: With the upswing of various online portals and last-minute attractive deals, spontaneous trips are trending among millennials and they don't hesitate in making plans on the go. Bookings are made less than 24 hours before the trip to various off beat locations.

5. Solo travel on an all-time high: With an all-time high number of people travelling solo, the travel industry has completely transformed to enrich the experience of young solo explorers. These young travellers engage in enriching experiences, learning new skills, immerse themselves in culture while they are out there exploring. The solo excursion helps in a personalized experience that is curated based on individual likes and preferences.

6. Wellness retreat: As people are taking care of their mental health and are paying it equal attention to as their physical health, wellness trips are taking a huge hike. The goal is to be more mentally sound and relaxed before returning to the routine life. Activities like yoga, meditation, hiking, surfing, long treks or even running are the focus of such trips to reduce stress. Various places like Rishikesh, Gokarna, Coimbatore and Mysore have amazing wellness retreats.

Representation pic

Living high up in an apartment can cut off even the most ardent nature lovers from the soil. Perhaps this is why owning a piece of land is a dream many Mumbaikars - and especially those who have had a taste of what it's like - harbour. Dr Rashmi Pathak, who left her hometown Kolhapur to study medicine in Mumbai, was no different. She longed for the scent of sugarcane that filled the air during the harvest season, and a semblance of all that she had grown up with. To set things right, she and her husband bought a farm near Shahapur in 2001.

The doctor couple armed themselves with the knowledge of traditional manure and bio-fertilisers, and to ensure continuous production throughout the year, chose to have mango, cashew, chickoo and Indian gooseberry plantations on the farm, which they called Aditya Agro. The onset of summer means their 70-acre farm is now laden with red and yellow cashew apples, ready to be plucked and savoured. This Sunday, you can go cashew apple picking, sip on mocktails made from the fruit, and witness farm-life up close in Shilottar, no more than a two-hour drive away from Mumbai.

"We have organised day picnics in the past, but this is the first year that we are hosting guests for cashew-picking," informs Captain (retd) Adityavardhan Pathak, who joined his parents in the running of the farm after he retired from the Armed Forces in 2011. "Unfortunately, we lost 70 to 80 per cent of our trees to a massive fire in 2012. So, I lived on the farm for two years to put things back in motion. The experience was life-altering. When you live so close to nature, it reveals its many shades to you, which change from season to season, and even from day to night," says the Powai resident.

The trail will start at 10 am with a simple breakfast, followed by a briefing session. "Nature has its own way of telling you if its produce is ready to be consumed. If you have to tug at a cashew fruit, it means it's not fully ripe. A ready-to-be plucked cashew apple will give with just a slight twist," shares Pathak. Participants will then be divided into teams for a fun cashew apple-picking competition, where the fruit they pluck will be theirs to take. The Pathaks also provide recipes for cashew apple jams and juices that participants can try at home.

After the trail, a wholesome vegetarian Maharashtrian meal featuring dishes such as bharleli vangi (stuffed brinjals), vaalachi usal (field beans curry), tandlyachi bhakri (rice flour bhakri) and modak will be served. The day ends with a visit to the farm's in-house nursery, where saplings and vermicomposting kits can be purchased.

Nutty facts
>> Cashew is native to northeast Brazil, and was introduced to coastal India in the 16th century by Portuguese traders. Its initial purpose was that of a soil retainer to prevent erosion on the coasts.
>> The Jamaicans call the fruit cashew banana.
>> The Indian-sounding word kaju comes from the Portuguese caju or cajueiro
>> The cashew fruit is a rich source of Vitamin C and antioxidants.

On: April 15, 10 am to 4 pm
At: Aditya Agro, Shilottar, Shahapur
Call: 9223164501
Cost: Rs 990 for adults (Rs 780 for children from 4 to 12 years; cost includes meals)

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Some of the band members saw snow for the first time in Gulmarg

It's rare for a young band, new on the scene, to get the traction that the Mumbai-based Aankh Micholi has got in the last year. Formed in 2015 at the True School of Music, the alternative folk fusion has been performing all over the city and country in 2018, gathering praise for their soulful music, which they describe as "a marriage between powerful lyrics and compelling storytelling". Recently, the five members - Osho Jain, 23, Bharat Chandore, 20, Pankaj Pathe, 26, Akshay Dabhadkar, 21, and Hansel Dias, 23 - performed at Winterfell Café in Srinagar, which is known for musical performances.

The band also used a sled as a percussion instrument

"We had heard about the café and we just took a chance and called them, and said, 'would you like to host us?', and they couldn't have been happier. They also told us that we were the first non-Kashmiri band to have played in the Valley. The band, Parvaz, had performed before us, but all its members are Kashmiri," Jain tells us. We asked the band why they think the Valley should be our next travel destination and this is what they had to say.

And sang a few songs, which they shared on Facebook

'The people are amazing'
We literally haven't met better people ever before. Firstly, at the café, which takes its inspiration from the Game of Thrones, a crowd of over 50 turned up, which is great for that area. This café has a lot of things happening all the time - open mics, storytelling, all performance-based art. The music that we were playing was very different from the kind of music they are exposed to, which is basically Kashmiri folk music. This was very new to them, but they just loved it, and responded with such gusto. People are just nice everywhere you go, and help is at hand whenever you need it.

A select few airlines offer direct flights from Mumbai to Srinagar, or you can fly to Delhi and take a connecting flight

As soon as we landed, we just dumped our bags at our hotel, and headed to the Dal Lake. We then sat in the shikaras, and started playing our guitars and singing our original songs. We were entertaining people, and they were loving it. After a while, people joined us in the singing. It was one of our most overwhelming moments.

The snow is magical
On the second day we were there, we headed to Gulmarg. It wasn't supposed to snow that day, and hasn't snowed for the last 20 days. But, as soon as we got there, it started snowing, and even the locals were surprised. Some of us had never seen snow before. We were on the slopes and we were sledding. We also used the sled as a percussion instrument, and sang a few songs as we did a Facebook live from the slopes.

Binge on Kashmiri Noon chai
Since most of were vegetarian, food was a bit of an issue. But, we all fell in love with the kahwa. That sweet, sweet tea, really hit the spot in the cold. We also sampled the Kashmiri noon chai, also called sheer chai, gulabi chai, which is a traditional tea made with salt, milk and baking soda. It's very different to taste, and it would be right to say that it's an acquired taste. But we loved it.

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Are you planning a long distance travel or a long vacation? Confused what to take and how to pack all your belongings? Worry not, as experts like Shikhee Agrawal, (Head - Training, The Body Shop India) and, Shubhika Jain (Founder of RAS Luxury Oils), have listed 10 must-haves for long distance travel. Also, while travelling long distances, it is best to choose products which are more multi-purpose and carry essentials in travel-size bottles. 

Here are 10 such travel essentials you just cannot do without:

1. Face mask: A face mask is one of those essential and handy things that will make you feel better instantly when you are travelling. If you don't have space in the bag to pack your sleeping creams, a mask will help you wake up with refreshed and moist skin.

2. Face elixir: A face elixir with a blend of beauty oils with rose, sandalwood, frankincense, patchouli, rosehip and vetiver nourishes your skin, ensuring your face always has a gorgeously glowing, satin complexion. After your morning/evening cleansing ritual, take 2-3 drops in the palm of your hand and rub them together to warm before pressing gently onto your face and neck to infuse into the skin. These elixirs can be used as a handy to-go multi-purpose moisturiser when in need of hydration.

3. Cleanser: Don't forget to carry your skincare routine with you especially when it comes to cleanser. They can prevent multiple problems like dust. It will even help you remove make-up and moisturise skin.

4. BB cream: This cream is not just subjected to ultra-fine glow of the face anymore but also contains optimal SPF factor and acts as the skin perfecto and primer. It's best and sensible to avoid multiple products but simply replace it with a good BB cream for the radiance with protection.

5. Eye concentrate or serum: Travelling can make your dark circles appear big due to the long journey and lack of sleep. So an eye concentrate or serum is a must to be included during your daily skincare regime. Eye creams are usually enriched with ingredients which detoxify and reduce puffiness around the tired eyes.

6. Lena perfume bottles: When you need to select a scent for your vanity, pick up one in a travel-sized package. The lean bottles easily slip into your bag and will never spill.

7. SPF enriched lip balm: Lip balm with minimum SPF 15, keeps your pout nourished and soft with moisture boosting lip balm that contains a minimum of SPF 15.

8. Hand and foot cream: A hand and foot cream is a must for keeping every part of your body moisturised, with no rough sides. Travelling while caring for your skin is a must.

9. Lavender and geranium salt polish: For exfoliation, a lavender and geranium salt polish is a good, safe and natural choice. It is a perfect way to get rid of dry, dead skin which may have resulted from a sunburn or just not enough hydration. The salt polish can also be used as bath salts.

10. Use distinct pouches: Keep similar items together and it's best to use distinct pouches for everything and pack them right in the middle of your luggage so as to form a gentle cushion over them and to make sure that they don't get squeezed accidentally.

(Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from PTI)

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The difference in climate, atmosphere and surroundings while you are travelling can have a major impact on your skin hence it is important to carry some of the must have skincare products while travelling to avoid damage to your skin.

Blossom Kochhar, Chairperson, Blossom Kochhar Group of companies, lists some necessary things to keep with you while travelling.

1. Sunscreen lotion: The first rule while travelling is not to forget your sunscreen while packing irrespective of what the climate is like. It not only protects your skin form the harmful UV rays of the sun but also prevents tanning and prevents premature aging. If you plan to stay out for long in the sun, opt for a sunscreen with SPF 30 or SPF 30 PA ++.

2. Face wash: Since your skin is exposed to different environments while travelling, you are bound to attract dirt and bacteria; therefore a face wash is a must in your travel kit

3. Moisturise: A moisturiser is very important while travelling especially for long haul flights as your skin becomes dry up in the air. While travelling to humid regions like a beach holiday, an oil free moisturiser with juniper berry is recommended.

4. CTOM small kit: For a glowing and healthy skin cleansing, toning, oiling and moisturising is the key. This helps in removing all the dirt from your skin, keeps it hydrated and opens up clogged pores so that your skin can breathe with ease.

5. Lip balm: Since you are unaware of how the change in climate will impact your skin, it is very essential to carry a lip balm to keep your lips hydrated and avoid flaky lips.

6. Vitamin C lightening gel: It is best to use it on clean skin after using a toner. Apply on your face and neck in gentle circular motions. It is best to use this gel before applying makeup.

7. Lavender oil: Lavender oil helps not only to keep you calm and relax your mind while on a long journey, but it also treats sun burns. It is also advisable to keep lavender oil handy while you are travelling, be it on the hills or on the beach.

Geetika Mittal Gupta, Founder and Medical Director at ISAAC, too has some inputs to share.

8. Travel skin-care kit: The one thing you need to coordinate and organise ahead of time is a travel skin-care kit so that you can avoid any skin catastrophes that might ruin your trip. Nowadays, every brand is coming out with its travel size packaging. Hence, making it easy to follow our skincare regimen even during travel.

9. Wet wipes: Wet wipes or thermal spring water are a must when one is travelling. They help in keeping the skin clean and dirt free while travelling. When we move out of our house, there are more chances of dust accumulation, hence it is very important to have them handy while you're on the go.

10. Face mists: Face mists too help to keep the skin well hydrated specially in the dry regions.

11. Moisturiser: A daily moisturiser and Rosehip Oil is a must in the travel bag as one might need it every now and then while travelling. For the lips, a lip balm with at least SPF 15. Even better if the lip balm is tinted to add that pop of colour to the lips.

12. Night cream: A nice soothing night cream and a Vitamin C rich serum is definitely something that should find space in your travel kit.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

After going through the daily grind and slogging, a short break from work becomes the ultimate need of the hour. A small excursion for a day or two is the best way to unwind and get away from the stress and hectic schedule of daily routine city life. Sounds like an exciting idea, right?

When one has time constraints, you can plan a weekend getaway and indulge in interesting recreational activities like camping, cycling, trekking or rafting. You can also explore some amazing places nearby, indulge in shopping, and enjoy local cuisines or mouth-watering delicacies etc. Travelling for such trips is also a lot easier and more convenient, because your home is never too far away. So, get ready to treat yourself and enjoy your life to the fullest during weekend getaways, using these five user-friendly travel apps.

Travel Triangle

Travel Triangle is a registered website of Holiday Triangle Travel Pvt. Ltd. They connect travelers worldwide with multiple local travel experts and agents. Travelers can request personalized packages or choose curated options and book the best travel packages as per their taste & need. The website allows travelers to choose from a wide range of domestic and international destinations. The company has been growing steadily, and now facilitates the travel and bookings of over 200,000 happy tourists annually across the globe.

Cleartrip

Cleartrip is a leading online travel company in India. Based on a straight-forward premise of ¿making travel simple¿ for its customers, Cleartrip achieves this with a clean and clutter-free website, which is fast to load, quick in providing relevant information, simple to navigate, and offers an easy booking process. In 2016 it forayed in the hyper local activities space under the banner of Cleartrip Experiences to become the most comprehensive travel app ever.

Cleartrip Mobile was listed in Apple¿s App Store `Best of 2014¿ list and has also been featured as the `Editor¿s Pick¿. In 2017 Cleartrip received the global CX Visionary award at the 12th annual Genesys Customer Innovation Awards and the SATTE Award for best travel blog in January this year.

We Are Holidays

This online platform enables its users to research, plan, book and share their holidays with a global traveler community. It has created a vibrant holiday space where users are directed to verified. The experience of these experts provides travelers with the insights that you won¿t find anywhere else. The company is a young startup which was founded in early 2011, and its employees have had prior experience working at large OTAs like MakeMyTrip.

Tripoto

Tripoto is one of the largest community of Travelers in the world. Users get a chance to share their amazing travel experiences, discover unique trips and travel itineraries used by other travelers, and connect with an active tourist community from around the world through this website. The platform¿s USP is the ease with which credible travel information can be shared, making it one of the largest crowd-sourced repositories of travel content from across the world.

Travkart

Travkart is a technology backed company offering both online and offline holiday solutions, specializing in fixed departures and curated itineraries. Incorporated jointly by Manheer Singh Sethi and Gursahib Singh Sethi, Travkart was incepted under the aegis of one of the top consolidators in the North Indian travel business and IATA License holder, Sahibji Travels & Tours Pvt. Ltd (established in 1993).

What makes Travkart unique is its commitment to provide smart travel solution to its customers through several unique features and highly convenient tools like Live & Instant Confirmations, Customized Travel Options, Immediate Selling Point (ISP) & Mobile App, Budget Search Tool, Easy & Convenient Payment Gateways. Its B2B marketplace format is beneficial to both travel suppliers and agents.

(Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from ANI)

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Duffel bag. Pic/Amazon fashion

Packing for a vacation is a laborious task and the thought of hauling luggage around can be daunting. This season ditch the heavy weight baggage and travel light with these reliable and stylish trolley bags, duffels and suitcases. With expandable storage space, light weight and waterproof features, you can easily find a perfect fit to befit your travel needs.

Trolley bags
With trolley bags, you can move heavy luggage around easily as they come with 2 or 4 wheels. While hard sided trolley bags protect your belongings and resists denting, soft sided bags have expandable design along with extra compartments for organisation. Trolleys are available in bright hues and fun designs that stand out in the crowd and reflect your holiday mood!

Duffel
Duffels are great for your weekend getaways and short stays. They are light, flexible, stylish easy to fit in overhead compartments and extremely easy to carry. Duffel bags come with and without wheels and have a top handles and a shoulder strap. You can choose a leather or canvas duffel basis your personal preferences.

Roller Cases
If your work is taking you places, literally, then it’s definitely time for you to buy a roller case. Roller cases are compact brief cases with wheels and compartments for laptops, gadgets, folders and stationery to ensure you are meticulously organised for the day.

Rucksack. Pic/Amazon

Rucksacks
Rucksacks are ideal for travelers and adventurers who want to be at complete ease. The versatile options in various colours and styles are water proof, durable and equipped with functional compartments to work as a traveler’s delight. Whether taking off to the mountain or exploring a city on foot, we definitely recommend investing in a rucksack that will fit your needs.

Kids' Luggage
When going for a family vacation, get your little ones their own gear to help them start early. Indulge them in colourful options, character styles will definitely uplift their mood and spark their imagination. This is also a great way to help them learn and become responsible as they travel along with you.

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Before you set out for the adventurous road trip on your holidays, it is imperative to carry certain things to make your life easier. A grooming kit, adequate liquids and insurance are the most important, suggest experts. Saunak Ghosh, Chief Marketing Officer at OneAssist Consumer Solutions Pvt Ltd, and Akshali Shah, Senior Vice President, Strategy, Sales and Marketing, Parag Milk Foods Ltd, have listed a few must-haves.

1. Backpack: When you're constantly tossing bags in and out of the car, they better be able to handle plenty of abuse. Certain bags available in the market are made in such a way that they sustain in all kind of weathers and situations.

2. Personal care kit: It takes extra amount of care to keep yourself well-groomed and hygienic. Always stay hygienic and carry the essential personal care kit on your road trip.

3. Hydration: Road trips in summer bring a lot of excitement and a need to keep our bodies energised and hydrated. Summer is the perfect time to try out different hydration drinks. Flavoured milk or buttermilk can be your helpful companions on the journey as it keeps you away from dehydration and gives instant energy, without compromising on the taste.

4. Insurance: Insuring your travel is something you would feel is unnecessary but you never know that taking a chance on it might become the biggest mistake committed. It is also advisable to insure your priced possessions like your phone, laptop, wallet, debit/credit/ATM cards. Usually taking insurance creates an image of a tedious office, hours of wait and long queues. But with protection and assistance services platforms you can do it within no time and insure all your possessions.

5. Spare chargers and powerbanks: Always arm yourself with spare chargers and powerbanks for worst case scenarios.

6. Emergency and first aid kit: Always have a first aid kit in your car. Also, keep a check on everything which is inside the first aid box and upgrade whenever you see the necessity. An emergency kit should contain battery booster cables, two light sticks, reflective vest, emergency rain poncho, warning triangle, whistle, tyre pressure gauge and window breaker.

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Bandra Worli Sea Link

The eternal monument to love, the Taj Mahal in Agra and the Rajiv Gandhi Bandra Worli Sea Link in Mumbai figure among the Top 10 TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice awards of 2018 for most visited and popular tourist landmarks, it was announced here on Tuesday.

The other top Indian monuments in the list of awards include: Amber Fort in Jaipur, Golden Temple of Amritsar, the Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb, Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple, and Gurudwara Bangla Sahib in New Delhi, Agra Fort, and Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur.

The award winners were decided using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for landmarks worldwide over a 12-month period.

This year's TripAdvisor awards recognize 759 monuments spread in 68 countries globally, said the company's Country Manager Nikhil Ganju.

"India's landmarks as as diverse at its heritage and are among some of the most iconic structures in the world. The list presents fantastic gems ranging from poignant memorials to sheer architectural marvels that are great options for travelers," he added.

Mumbai's sole entry to the list, the RGBWSL is one of its most prominent modern landmarks and an infrastructure marvel of a cable-stayed bridge cutting through the Arabian Sea to connect Bandra with Worli.

The top 10 Travellers Choice Landmarks of Asia include: Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Taj Mahal and the Golden Temple in India, Wat Pho or Temple of Reclining Buddha in Thailand, Mutianyu Great Wall of China, Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine of Japan, Shwedagon Pagoda in Myanmar, Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia, and the Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam.

Similarly, the Top 10 landmarks worldwide are: Angkor Wat, Plaza de Espana in Spain, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre in UAE, St. Peters Basilica of The Vatican, Mesquita Cathedral de Cordoba in Spain, Taj Mahal, Duomo di Milano in Italy, Alcatraz Island and Golden Gate Bridge both in US, and the Parliament of Hungary.

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The US-based National Bureau of Economic Research has released a new report that looks at which countries' taxpayers have the most wealth stored in so-called "offshore tax havens."

Helloi want to compare the various investment avenues using risk and return as the two parameters. Please tell me the methods that can be used for comparison...

Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria might be currently serving a life ban for his involvement in fixing, but he has once again taken the attack to the Pakistan Cricket Board saying that he wasnt supported enough by the PCB.

In a YouTube video, former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq had spoken about how Brian Lara had taken Kaneria to the cleaners even though the Pakistan captain had placed fielders on the boundary and thereby shown his true class.

But taking to Twitter, Kaneria wrote: "I have taken @BrianLara's wicket 5 times in my career. He was a good cricketer. If PCB had supported me, I would have broken many big records."

Describing the episode, Inzamam had said: "Kaneria bowled a googly and Lara hit the ball back towards the bowler, coming out of his crease. Danish said ‘well played Brian', which prompted Lara to say ‘okay sir'. The next three balls were all dispatched over the boundary.

"I was the captain of the side so I went over to Danish and told him to tease Lara a bit more. I felt he was angry so we might make him throw away his wicket. I placed the fielders on the boundary in anticipation of big shots but he still managed to outfox us by hitting Danish to all parts of the ground."

Kaneria had earlier asked Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh to help the hindus in Pakistan as they fight the coronavirus outbreak.

"I request @YUVSTRONG12 and @harbhajan_singh to make a video for the minorities living in Pakistan as well. They need your help in this moment of #coronacrisis," Kaneria had said in a tweet.

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Indian cricket team head coach Ravi Shastri on Wednesday urged people to beat coronavirus by staying at home and by maintaining social distancing. He termed the virus 'mother of all World Cups' and asked people to combat this disease together and win the World Cup of humanity.

Taking to Twitter, Shastri shared a video post where he cited cricket examples to aware people about the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic. "As I would know, sports teaches you life lessons that can be applied to just about anything you want to pursue in rest of your life. Today the COVID-19 has put us in a situation where we got our backs to the wall. To combat this coronavirus is like chasing a World Cup where you give your everything in trying to win it. What's staring you at the face is no ordinary World Cup. This is the mother of all World Cups where not just eleven are playing but 1.4 billion are in the playing arena and competing. Guys we can win this. For that, we have to observe the basics. You have got your Prime Minister leading from the front ahead of the curve like other countries have farmed out," Shastri said.

Stay Home, Stay Safe! 🙏#Lockdown2 #COVID19 #StayHome #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/JQTZVib2in

— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) April 15, 2020

"You have to obey the orders that come from the top: be it centre, state or the frontline workers who are risking their lives. Two orders that stand out: staying home and maintaining social distancing. It is not easy but to win the game you got to go through the pain to break the chain and see the gain. Come on, guys! let's do it together. Let us get out there in a bruit force of 1.4 billion and beat this corona and get your hands on the World Cup of humanity. Let's do it," he added.

With 1,076 new COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours, India's tally of coronavirus cases has risen to 11,439, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday.

Out of the total tally, 9,756 cases are active while 1,306 patients have been cured/discharged and migrated. With 38 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the death toll rises to 377.

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Dinesh Karthik understands the reason for his exclusion from India's ODI team after an underwhelming 2019 World Cup but what he can't comprehend is the T20 snub as that is one format where he is still confident of making significant contributions. Karthik, who has played 26 Tests, 94 ODIs and 32 T20s over a 15-year-career, is used to making comebacks but to make another one will be tougher than ever for the 34-year-old. And he knows that. "My record in T20s has been good. A big tournament like the World Cup did not go exactly as per the plan. I could understand the one day bit (being dropped from ODIs) but even now I would like think that I stand a good chance in returning to the T20 side.

"I have done well even in the recent domestic games that I have played. I have no reason to doubt myself (that I can't make another comeback)," Karthik told PTI in an exclusive interview.

Out of the three formats, he averages best in T20s " 33.25 with a strike rate of 143.52. Does getting dropped hurts? "It does hurt, no doubt about that. I have always had this burning desire to play for my country and it hasn't diminished one bit." It was a rollercoaster ride for Karthik leading up to the World Cup as he was dropped for the home ODI series against Australia, India's last before the showpiece event.

However, the selectors picked him in the squad over Rishabh Pant for his "better" wicket-keeping skills. Eventually, Pant too became part of the World Cup side after Shikhar Dhawan fractured his thumb in the middle of the tournament. Karthik failed to make an impact in two innings he got in the World Cup including the semifinal which India lost to New Zealand. In fact, Indian team management drew heavy flak from all quarters for fielding three specialist keepers (MS Dhoni, Rishabh Pant and Karthik) in playing XI while ignoring specialist batsman Kedar Jadhav.

He was assigned the role of a finisher in the T20 side and his most significant knock came in the 2018 Nidahas Trophy final where he hit a last-ball six to win India the title. Though he has slipped considerably in the pecking order, Karthik remains hopeful of another comeback. KL Rahul is currently being tried as a wicketkeeper-batsman in limited overs cricket at the expense of Pant. Sanju Samson too is in the mix but which route the new selection panel takes remains to be seen.
The KKR captain, who was preparing hard for the IPL before the lockdown was announced, seems to be comfortable in his own skin.

"That is how the sport has always been for me. Full of ups and downs. It has taught me a lot of things. It (being out of the team) is not something new to me so I am comfortable in the space that I am in. "There is a T20 World Cup round the corner and I know if I do well, I stand a good chance of making the team. I know it gets tougher every time. The team is getting stronger all the time and it is great to watch. But it is my duty to get better as a player and the rest will take care of itself," the Tamil Nadu veteran said.

The IPL, which has been postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, would have been an ideal platform for Karthik to make his case for his umpteenth comeback. But considering the circumstances, the game has taken a backseat. "With everything that has been happening, I am not able to think too much about the IPL. I have moved into a state where I have accepted that it is not going to happen for now. Before the lockdown, I was practising really hard for the IPL, just like I did it every other tournament.

"There is still a lot of hope (of playing for India again), it is always there. In fact, the entire world is living on hope right," said Karthik, who is keep himself fit with regular workout sessions at home. On how he is dealing with the lockdown, he added: "If at all, anybody is well acclimatised for a situation like this, it is the sportspersons. We tend to move around the world, stay in hotel rooms all alone, so to a large extent we are used to it.

"The whole world is doing it (staying at home) at the moment, fighting for one cause. Hopefully, we can eradicate this virus."

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