Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has compared the uncertain feeling during football's coronavirus shutdown to that of retirement.

With picnics tolerated and even a pub doing takeaway drinks, it seems few in Hackney are obeying the stay-at-home rule

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As the mounted police approached, the group leapt up from their picnic, clearly fearing the worst. They were wrong. Grinning, the officer encouraged them to enjoy the sun and suggested that if the park became too crowded they should consider leaving.

For people sunning themselves in London Fields, Hackney, the incident signified another unheralded shift in the UK’s coronavirus lockdown strategy. “Two days ago, police were confiscating beer from drinkers’ hands,” said media consultant Gavin Jamieson, 34. “Weeks before that, they were turning up in vans and telling people to leave the park.”

The front pages are led by Boris Johnson’s anticipated “road map” to a new normality.

The Kansas City Chiefs will open defence of their Super Bowl championship by hosting Houston on September 10 (Sept. 11 AEST) in the NFL’s annual kick-off game — pending developments in the coronavirus pandemic, of course.

Watch A Week With Warnie from Monday 8pm AEST on Fox Cricket, May 11 to May 17

A fan-less UFC 249 was weird, and wacky, but ultimately wonderful.

Senior, prep and Year 1 students are heading back to school tomorrow and, for the most part, life won’t be hugely different to what it was before.

Artist Rob Arnold is spending his lockdown sifting 40 sacks of beach litter in Cornwall.

HOLYFIELD-TYSON III COULD ACTUALLY HAPPEN!!! Evander tells TMZ Sports he's down to run it back again with Iron Mike -- but says a third match with Tyson ain't his first choice for his return to the sanctioned boxing ring. "My manager, they’ve…

The prime minister will unveil a five-stage coronavirus warning system as part of a gradual easing of the lockdown.

Frustrated by state shutdown orders amid the coronavirus outbreak, Elon Musk threatens to move Tesla headquarters and manufacturing out of California.

The Malaysian government announced a nationwide lockdown from March 18 to 31 to avoid the spread of the novel coronavirus.

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Measures announced by the govt, such as tax and loan deferments, are unlikely to boost VC investments.

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Lalamove is set to offer food delivery service at zero commission for food merchants in Singapore. 

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Prior to the pandemic, Stoqo was in the process of raising a fresh round to expand its business.

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The Series A round has brought 360VUZ’s total funding amount to $7 million.

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The decision to completely shut down its operations comes after significant downsizing by the company.

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“Let shopkeepers sell their wares and provide services. Let construction workers return to building sites. Allow farmers to harvest their crops and to transport them to be sold on the open market,” the authors wrote, while arguing that restrictions should be placed only in clusters which report higher number of cases.

This is the first major bureaucratic rejig by the BJP-led state government since Shivraj Singh Chouhan became chief minister in March this year.

Lewis Hamilton laid down a important marker ahead of qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix, setting a quickest time of 1:22.498 to finish ahead of Sebastian Vettel and the Ferraris of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa on a glorious sunny morning at Monza

A quick look at how the 24 drivers got on during the Monaco Grand Prix

A closer look at who did what at the Malaysian Grand Prix

Tesla alleged in a lawsuit that California's Alameda County, where the automaker has a factory, went against state rules and "created a legal quagmire."

Tesla had wanted to start production again in Fremont, California, on Friday afternoon, but officials said the company did not have authorization to break shelter-in-place rules. The plant is where the company makes vehicles for Europe and North America.

Teething problems threaten the effectiveness of government ‘test, track and trace’ strategy

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Just over half the population is likely to download the NHS app developed to track and trace cases of coronavirus, new polling suggests, amid concerns that test result delays could hamper its effectiveness.

A narrow majority of 52% of people told an Opinium poll for the Observer that they were likely to download the app, which alerts users if they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus.

The number of coronavirus cases worldwide topped four million as some of the hardest-hit countries readied Sunday to lift lockdown restrictions, despite concerns about a second wave of infections.

Ahmad al-Mostafa can't afford milk for his baby daughter. A Syrian refugee, he has barely been able to feed his family since Lebanon sank into economic crisis last year. But now, a coronavirus lockdown has made things even worse.

On Thursday, the French government confirmed that the country will begin a “gradual” easing of its Covid-19 lockdown measures on Monday, May 11. Here’s everything you need to know about the restrictions being lifted.

When Rhys Graham first picked up his camera in lockdown, he assumed he would take a few portraits of friends. Now, weeks in, it has turned into a sprawling project documenting Australia’s new domesticity

In these strange, suspended times, a camera and lens can be an emotional bridge from one person to the next.

As a film-maker you become reliant on the manic energy of shooting and the warmth of your community – crews, actors, colleagues or subjects – to keep you buoyant.

We may be spending less by not travelling to work, but with an uncertain future it’s time to take stock of personal finances

With gyms shut, taps turned off in pubs and the prospect of a holiday a distant dream, many people are finding their outgoings have dropped since lockdown. But the shadow of a looming recession and concern about whether jobs will even exist when offices reopen, means many are looking at their finances even more closely.

So what are the best ways to improve them amid extraordinary times and an uncertain future?

Transport secretary announces £2bn package to get UK walking and cycling instead

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The enormity of the challenge of getting the UK back to work was laid bare on Saturday, as the government acknowledged that the capacity of Britain’s transport network will be reduced by 90%.

The transport minister, Grant Shapps, said at the daily Downing Street press briefing that even if a full public transport service is restored, the government’s two-metre physical distancing rule will mean 10% of the usual number of passengers will be able to travel.

Modest changes expected to include relaxing exercise rules and reopening garden centres

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Boris Johnson’s plans to ease the UK lockdown are likely to be in line with Wales, which would result in only modest changes such as the reopening of garden centres and libraries, and a relaxation of exercise rules, the Welsh first minister, Mark Drakeford, said on Saturday.

Drakeford said the prime minister’s announcement for England would be in line with the very smallest easing granted in Wales.

Acclaimed photographers from around the world share a single image reflecting on their experience of the coronavirus outbreak

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Follow the science, they say… So here are 12 new ‘observations’ about life in a post-pandemic world

Apologies in advance: this column will be distressing to scientists (including those in my own family, but thankfully none of them read what I write).

The rules of the physical world seem to be abandoning us. The virus acts like no other pathogen. Two metres is entirely subjective now, expanding and contracting to meet our needs. Time is non-Newtonian, like the cornflour you’ve probably resorted to if you have small children to entertain, stiff and fluid at once. Numbers are basically meaningless: in pandemic maths, a figure such as 413 deaths – the one released on the day I am writing, an unthinkable catastrophe at another time – is encouraging, a cause for some optimism.

Ministers’ shambolic briefings expose a terrifying lack of competence

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‘In spite of the sunny bank holiday, it is vitally important that we continue to abide by the current restrictions: stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.” That was the message delivered by the environment secretary, George Eustice, at Friday afternoon’s press conference. Yet just the day before, most newspapers were emblazoned with excited headlines foretelling a significant relaxation of social distancing restrictions, based on briefing from government sources: “Lockdown freedom beckons”, “First steps to freedom from Monday” and “Stay home advice to be scrapped”.

Despite the critical importance of clear public messaging to any public health strategy, the government’s communications have been marred by mixed messages throughout this deadly pandemic. Its core message, asking the public to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives, has been very effective, but this has consistently been undermined by ministers and advisers inaccurately briefing the press that there is about to be a shift in policy. Before the Easter weekend, reports appeared that ministers thought that the public had been too obedient in following the lockdown, and that a relaxation was imminent. The same happened before this bank holiday weekend, forcing the government to clarify that there was no change in restrictions and that people must continue to abide by the law.

Still resilient after taking tough and early action, Greece can now look forward to a summer tourist season beginning in July

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When Pavlos Pandelides realised the coronavirus pandemic was moving west, he bought a plane ticket and flew from Athens to London. He then drove north to Nottingham to collect his daughter, a student at the city’s university, before returning with her the next day to Greece. An ardent admirer of all things British, the businessman had absolutely no doubt that what he was doing was right. “The British are fighters but I could see they were underestimating this,” he said.

While Covid-19 was tearing through northern Italy, Boris Johnson was still faltering, with his government showing worrying signs of complacency. There was, said Pandelides, no time to waste. “It was more than a protective father thing. It was clear they were about to really mess up.”

As hundreds of test kits claim to offer accurate results on previous Covid-19 infection, scientists around the world are working hard to assess their accuracy

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At the Erasmus University Medical Centre in Rotterdam, Marion Koopmans and a team of scientists are going throught the laborious process of verifying antibody tests for Covid-19. Over the last two months, dozens of prospective tests have hit the market, and with many governments wanting to feed the results of large-scale testing into their decisions whether to end lockdowns, biological tests have rarely carried such weight.

Most of the tests are enthusiastically marketed, boasting of their ability to accurately detect whether someone has previously been infected with the Sars-CoV-2 virus. The painstaking job of proving whether the tests do what they say has fallen to a worldwide network of 12 independent centres, of which Koopmans’s team is one.

Reaction from Fox News contributor Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas and Republican presidential candidate.

Boris Johnson's address from No 10 is expected to set out a "roadmap" for easing lockdown restrictions.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk says the firm will leave California after he is ordered to keep a factory shut.

The coronavirus pandemic has brought the entire country to a complete stand-still and one of the most hit industries is Bollywood. Not just have the releases been stalled, but also the shooting schedules have been indefinitely cancelled. Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learnt that producer Sajid Nadiadwala and his studio partner; Fox Star Studios are yet to receive money from their distributors for their recently released film Baaghi 3.

“It is usually a three to four week clearance window, but since the national lockdown, the workings in the industry were halted, with cinema halls downing their shutters. The top four national multiplex chains – PVR, INOX, CINEPOLIS and Carnival – will transfer the money to the stakeholders once the business is back to normal,” revealed a source close to the development. An estimated amount due to from the National Multiplex Chains is approximately Rs. 15 crores, while the other plexes and single screens are liable to pay around Rs. 20 to 25 crores, total amounting to Rs 35 to 40 crores.

Hungama has also learnt that the producers too are not putting any pressure on the national multiplex chains as well as the independent sub-distributors in the interiors to clear their dues due to the situation of chronic cash crunch in the country. “It’s a long term association and the losses due to delay in payments will be made up for in the future slate of release for the studio. Sajid Nadiadwala, on other hand, has got enough revenue from satellite, digital and sale of theatrical rights to not just recover the budget, but also make profits,” the source explained.

Baaghi 3 released on March 6 and was doing just about average business at the box-office. However, owing to the complete closure of cinema halls a week after its release, the Studio Partner, Fox Star Studios, will lose money on the product. “Even without lockdown, the project was a loss making venture for Fox Star Studios due to the price of acquisition.”

Also Read: Tiger Shroff’s Baaghi 3 may not re-release in theatres; will release now on digital platform

The measures comprise 24-hour sanitisation of factory premises, providing face masks and PPEs to all workers, temperature check of all employees twice daily, no sharing of tools, and ensuring physical distancing by raising barriers on work floors as well as dining facilities, among others

Kajol and Ajay Devgn completed 21 years of marital bliss. The couple has always set some serious goals with their polar opposite mannerisms. Ajay's calm demeanour perfectly blends in with Kajol's outgoing personality. The power couple also engages in fun banter on social media.

This time, we are talking about Ajay's throwback picture with Kajol comparing their 22 years of marriage to the lockdown. The black-and-white picture is from one of their films together. Sharing the picture, he wrote, Feels like it's been twenty two years since the lockdown began. #FridayFlashback @kajol (sic)".

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Feels like it’s been twenty two years since the lockdown began. #FridayFlashback @kajol

A post shared by Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) onMay 8, 2020 at 6:19am PDT

Aren't they the cutest couple? Their playful social media banter surely has always given us couple goals!

Recently, Kajol took to Instagram and wondered what day of the week it was. The star captioned it, "When Sunday and Monday are just the same. Wayback Wednesday."

 

 

 

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When Sunday and Monday are just the same... #lockdownstories #WaybackWednesday

A post shared by Kajol Devgan (@kajol) onMay 6, 2020 at 12:47am PDT

The duo has worked together in films like Gundaraj, Hulchul, Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, Dil Kya Kare, Raju Chacha, and U Me Aur Hum. The couple is blessed with two children, Yug and Nysa. The couple were last seen together in Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior. It has turned out to be the biggest hit of Devgn and Kajol's career, with staggering collections of over Rs. 275 crores.

Kajol was recently seen in the short film Devi, which received wide acclaim from the audience and critics alike. Devi also starred Neha Dhupia, Neena Kulkarni, Mukta Barve, Shivani Raghuvanshi, Yashaswini Dayama, Sandhya Mhatre and Rama Joshi. It can be viewed on YouTube.

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Priyanka Chopra Jonas returned to her California residence after attending Ambanis Holi party back in early March. Later, she was also seen chilling with Natasha Poonawalla at their Pune residence. Ever since the lockdown started, the actress is spending some quality time with husband Nick Jonas at their California home. Let's take a look at her quarantine chronicles right away!

The pretty pretty princess:

Priyanka Chopra Jonas' niece, with whom she is often seen spending time with, turned muse for her! Well, the results were spectacular. The actress let her niece paint her face with all the makeup, and look at what she turns out to be, a 'pretty pretty princess.' Do you know what's the highlight? Her adorable technique to put makeup on Miss World Priyanka Chopra's face. Take a look.

 

 

 

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First Monday in May ⁣ This year’s theme: Pretty Pretty Princess ⁣ Glam and creative direction by: @sky.krishna 📸- @divya_jyoti

A post shared by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (@priyankachopra) onMay 4, 2020 at 5:31pm PDT

Cuddles:

Gino was a gift o Nick Jonas on his 27th birthday! The actress surprised him with the most adorable gift ever. Priyanka Chopra Jonas, after Diana diaries, also has an Instagram page entirely dedicated to Gino Jonas. Cute!

 

 

 

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I promise Gino loves my cuddles. @ginothegerman

A post shared by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (@priyankachopra) onMay 5, 2020 at 5:07pm PDT

No gym, no problem:

A lot of people are finding it difficult to keep in shape during the lockdown period. It's not just food that has been a distraction to many, but also a lazy couch, and extremely fun content on television, which is just making everyone difficult to get back to their daily routine. There, there! But, Priyanka Chopra has found a fun way to keep it fit. Check out the video right here.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

No gym, no problem. @sky.krishna @divya_jyoti

A post shared by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (@priyankachopra) onMay 2, 2020 at 12:05pm PDT

The saree feels:

It has been almost three months many people have been under the lockdown. Not kidding! Being at home can be fun at times, but this has become a tad more unbearable. Not getting ready and not stepping out of the house at all, is not fun anymore! To keep up with the tradition, desi girl also missed wearing a saree during the lockdown period. But, surprise surprise, she wore it at home too!

 

 

 

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Felt like wearing a saree. So I did...At home. Miss everyone. ❤ï¸Â @nickjonas

A post shared by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (@priyankachopra) onApr 25, 2020 at 9:45pm PDT

The virtual concert:

Priyanka Chopra also announced to be part of a virtual benefit concert - 'One World: Together At Home'. The special event took place on April 18. The actress had also pledged USD 100,000 in total to four incredible women who rose above the challenges to make a difference during the coronavirus crises.

 

 

 

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See you soon. ❤ï¸Â One World: #TogetherAtHome with @glblctzn will be broadcast on all major networks and digitally tonight around the world. Join us to support @WHO’s Solidarity Response Fund. Who’s watching with me??!

A post shared by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (@priyankachopra) onApr 18, 2020 at 4:59pm PDT

On the professional front, Priyanka Chopra was last seen in Shonali Bose's  The Sky Is Pink, opposite Farhan Akhtar. The film was Priyanka's comeback film in Bollywood after a hiatus of three years. It also had Zaira Wasim and Rohit Saraf in pivotal roles among others. The Sky Is Pink is based on the life of the motivational speaker, Aisha Chaudhary, and how she didn't allow her pulmonary fibrosis to deter her spirits.

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Jacqueline Fernandez has stumbled upon life-altering realisations amid the ongoing lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. The actress says she has realised that life is too short, and it is important to make the most of the time we have in our hands.

"Honestly, the biggest lesson has been that when it comes to humankind we are pretty irrelevant, which means that we are extremely blessed to be on this planet because the planet would go on with us or without us. So, we have to be grateful and give back. That's the realisation -- we take Earth for granted," Jacqueline said, while reflecting upon how the lockdown has been a learning period for her.

"(Another lesson is that) life is short. We need to be doing things that we enjoy doing and love. We should be spending time with the people we love because you are here one day and gone the next. We really have to make the most out of life. It is such a lesson. These are the two main things I have realised during this period," added the actress, who is spending her lockdown with superstar Salman Khan and others at his farmhouse in Panvel.

Amid the shutdown, she is making the most of her time by enjoying moments like horse-riding, basking in the sun and reading a book -- evident in her recent Instagram posts.

On the work front, she was recently seen in "Mrs. Serial Killer", which released on Netflix on May 1. "Mrs. Serial Killer" is directed by Shirish Kunder and produced by his filmmaker wife Farah Khan. The thriller is about a wife, whose husband has been framed and imprisoned for serial murders. She needs to perform a murder exactly like the serial killer, to prove that her husband is innocent.

The film hinges on the question -- how far would you go for love.

Asked how far she would go for the people she loves, Jacqueline said: "I always think that when it comes to people you love, you kind of throw logic out of the window. But I am someone who is all about making sure that you are doing the right thing.

"It has to be the right thing. I always try to put that into perspective. If I feel a right thing is being done, then I will probably go to whatever extent I need to. I would never harm anyone though for love. I would do anything for love except harm anyone," said the actress, who won Miss Sri Lanka beauty pageant in 2006.

She made her debut in the Indian film industry with 2009 film "Aladin" opposite actor Riteish Deshmukh. The film turned out to be a dud at the box office, but Jacqueline got noticed and went on to do films like "Housefull 2", "Murder 2", "Kick", "Brothers", "Dishoom" and "Judwaa 2". "Mrs. Serial Killer" also stars Manoj Bajpayee and Mohit Raina.

Recalling the experience of working on the thriller, Jacqueline said: "It was great. They were so patient, kind and very supportive. There was a beautiful sense of unity and teamwork, and you learn so much from working with such amazing actors. It was really a beautiful experience."

Now, she is looking forward to the release of the song "Tere bina" with Salman, which they have shot amid the lockdown in the farm premises itself.

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Lobo Lobo came over last Monday, carrying many cartons of alcohol.

"Lobo Lobo, you know there's a lockdown, what are you doing?" I asked.

"Dikuna men, de BMC has agreed to the opening of liquor stores, so I decided to buy lots and lots of booze before dey close once again. I left my house early, and bought one bottle per store from Virar to VT men. I have totally purchased 20 whiskies, 10 vodkas, tirty Old Monks and many beers from 414 shops!" he proclaimed proudly.

"How did you escape all the nakabandis?

"It was easy, Boss! On top of each carton, I packed some set-top boxes, and told de cops dat all de ministers in Mantralaya needed new cable connections to watch reruns of Ramayana and Mahabaratha. Clever no?"

"And risky! Anyway. How are things generally? You've lost weight, what's wrong?" I asked.

"Wot to say? I'm toh jacked men. See fust tings fust. We were observing Lent, so I was fasting, like I normally do. No bleddy beef or booze, chhe! But, just wen I tought, now 'majha begins', just before Easter, de blasted virus struck! Now we are not getting any poke, or beef or mutton or fish. No sorpotel or vindaloo. Only bleddy chicken, which no self-respecting catlick eats men. Chhe! Dis Lent followed by lockdown is solid 'pakaoing' men! Even Christ our Lord, if he had predicted dat Lent was going to be followed by a lockdown, he would have said, 'My children forget fasting for me. For now eat, drink and be happy'."

"How about veggies, greens, sprouts, salads? Time to eat healthy, Lobo Lobo..."

"Arre Mr Rahul. I love bhindi and bhaingan. But, my better half, can't cook veggies for nuts. She actually argues dat tings like 'rajma' is bad for you, bloats your tummy! Wot to argue wid her men?"

"So, Lobo Lobo, you came all the way to my house for a reason right? Are you planning to sell me some whiskey, or are you lonely, feeling isolated, stuck in a cage-like existence?"

Lobo Lobo answered, gobsmacked, "Wot wot high funda tings you are aksing me men? Are you ok? I'm talking about technology men. I'm toh lost handling all dis stuff, wot is a Zoom call, can you tell me?"

"Uhm… who do you wish to communicate with?", I attempted to answer.

"My bleddy building society wants to have a Zoom party… Dese blighters all want to sit in frent of dere phones or laptops and drink and do blinking 'gupshup'. My tird floe padosi, de President Danesh Jhujunwalla, tells me dat he is a teetoteller but I know he is a 'boozard', chhe! And de treasurer, Champak Dudani is a foren returned smuggler. All want to drink men, chhe wastrels!"

"But, Lobo Lobo can you explain why you have bought so much alcohol?"

"Arrey men, de way tings are going, dis lockdown will end in 2021. Better be ready na Dikuna men? Who knows wen shops will reopen?"

Rahul daCunha is an adman, theatre director/playwright, photographer and traveller. Reach him at rahul.dacunha@mid-day.com

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Productivity growth – the central driver of rising economic output and material living standards – has been slowing in many advanced and emerging economies in the wake of the crisis, according to new data released today in the OECD Compendium of Productivity Indicators.