Kim Kardashian's baby boy turns one! The Keeping Up With the Kardashian star is celebrating Psalm West's first birthday. It's safe to assume her and Kanye West's little...

Rihanna is a big mood. There's no denying the Fenty Beauty founder is our style, makeup and music inspiration. And on Friday night, she gave us another reason to love...

Ashley Benson and Cara Delevingne don't seem to have plans for reconciliation. After almost two years since the two began dating and one year since they went public with their...

Little Richard, who died on Saturday at 87, whipped audiences into frenzies from the earliest days of rock 'n' roll.

Trade groups expect the government to roll out new coronavirus travel restrictions, including a quarantine for out-of-country arrivals, on Sunday. And they're already pushing back publicly.

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

Justin Gaethje pummels interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson, while bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo tops Dominick Cruz and then retires at 33.

This paper provides an example that shows you how to use multiple RANDOM statements in PROC NLMIXED to fit nested nonlinear mixed models, and it provides details about the computation that is involved in fitting these models.

The transaction is expected to close during the second quarter of 2020.

The post Everstone exits Singapore-based HR service provider Excelity Global appeared first on DealStreetAsia.

Many startups are scrambling to cut costs - slicing payrolls and the wages of those still on the job. 

The post Southeast Asian startups tighten purse-strings as coronavirus hits revenue appeared first on DealStreetAsia.

The VC, however, has shelved its plans to launch its next fund that was slated to invest in B2B, among others.

The post Indonesian VC Everhaus backs goKampus, ReCharge; plans evergreen fund appeared first on DealStreetAsia.

Caldevilla-Domínguez, David and Barrientos-Báez, Almudena and Fombona-Cadavieco, Javier Evolución de las relaciones públicas en España. Artículo de revisión // Evolution of public relations in Spain. Review article. El profesional de la información, 2020, vol. 29, n. 3. [Journal article (Unpaginated)]

Ferrari's Felipe Massa believes second place would have been within his grasps at the Italian Grand Prix had it not been for a slow pit stop

Renault technical director James Allison says the French team is capable of scoring points in every race of the season after Robert Kubica finished just outside the top 10 in Bahrain

A change to the safety car rule that caught out Michael Schumacher at the Monaco Grand Prix should be in place for the European Grand Prix

Adrian Sutil said his fifth place finish at the Malaysian Grand Prix was a 'great achievement' for the Force India team

Nick Wirth, Virgin Racing Technical Director, said that Lucas di Grassi's 14th place finish at the Malaysian Grand Prix was great reward for everyone involved with the team

The Emirates Airline and Group chairman does not see air travel returning to normal for at least another 18 months.

Coalition backbencher wants to know why ambassador threatened a trade boycott after Australia called for international inquiry into coronavirus

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Diplomatic tensions between Australia and China may be reignited with an extraordinary threat by a Coalition backbencher to summons the Chinese ambassador to answer questions from a parliamentary committee.

While the attempt to compel the ambassador to appear at a hearing in Canberra is almost certain to fail because of diplomatic immunity, the push interrupts a pause in public sparring between the two governments over the response to Covid-19.

Amid the evasions and distortions lies evidence that Ralph Reed knows, really, that religion and politics can mix to noble ends – just not under this president

Ralph Reed, an evangelical leader and conservative political activist, first met Donald Trump in 2011, after being “coincidentally” seated next to Ivanka Trump at a meeting. The following year, he writes now, at his own Faith & Freedom conference, Trump “bounded on stage to the thumping strains of ‘Money, money, money’ from For the Love of Money, a song by the 70s soul group the O’Jays”.

Related: Who is Kayleigh McEnany – and why is she saying nice things about Donald Trump?

Over 1,000 poorer working people and undocumented migrants waited for hours for basics

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More than 1,000 people queued on Saturday to get free food parcels in Geneva, underscoring the impact of the coronavirus epidemic on the working poor and undocumented immigrants even in wealthy Switzerland.

The line of people stretched for more than 1km outside an ice rink where volunteers were handing out about 1,500 parcels to people who started queuing as early as 5am.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBggNfn36AI&list=PLWpYiz_OQlA0eSVoBKV0q_35h6sSPfGDi

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This woman took a truly nuclear revenge against a company that was up to all kinds of no good. The best part about this revenge, other than the fact that she brought justice to the company, was her added touch of subscribing everyone at the company to hundreds of different email alerts. She left the operation in complete and utter chaos. 

Victor Grayson was briefly the most famous socialist in Edwardian England. But in 1920 he disappeared. His fate remains one of the most compelling mysteries in British political history

“Oh mad, foolish Grayson!”
Editorial in the socialist magazine The Clarion, August 1907

In the aftermath of the general election of February 1974, the mood in Marsden socialist club in west Yorkshire was grim. David Clark, the young Labour MP for Colne Valley, in which the former mill town of Marsden sits, had lost his seat. Clark gamely attempted to lift his activists’ spirits with a rousing speech. But one elderly stalwart remained unmoved: “Old Harry was sitting at the bar nursing a pint,” recalls Clark, who is now 80 and a Labour peer. “He said: ‘All due respect to master Dave, but we’ve only ever had one true socialist MP around here. And that was Victor Grayson.’”

Eliza Hittman’s coming-of-age story about a US teenager seeking a termination is heartbreaking and painfully authentic

From Eliza Hittman, the remarkable writer-director of It Felt Like Love and Beach Rats, comes another drama that manages to blend the gritty authenticity of a documentary with the poetic sensibility of pure cinema. In her impressively measured and beautifully understated third feature, Hittman tells an oft-hidden story of reproductive rights – an age-old issue that has urgent contemporary relevance. Yet Never Rarely Sometimes Always never feels polemical. On the contrary, it is perhaps best described as a perfectly observed portrait of female friendship; a coming-of-age story with road-movie inflections, piercingly honest and deeply affecting.

Feature first-timer (and accomplished musician) Sidney Flanigan is superb as Autumn, a 17-year-old from Pennsylvania who discovers that she cannot get an abortion in her home town without parental consent. Quietly desperate, Autumn reluctantly confides in her more outgoing cousin Skylar (rising star Talia Ryder, soon to be seen in Spielberg’s West Side Story), who agrees to accompany her across state lines to New York. The pair imagine that the trip will be brief but find themselves spending days and nights on the streets, waiting for the procedure that Autumn was denied in Pennsylvania.

The highest rates of Covid-19 casualties are in countries run by know-nothing populists

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All of a sudden, and after years of bluffing, conservatives are warning of the dangers of jumping to hasty conclusions. Before I go any further, I must therefore say our newly scrupulous masters have a point. The league tables of national Covid-19 death figures are not the last word on the crisis, and may look different in a few weeks. That’s that done, then. Everybody happy? Good. Let’s get on with it.

In the world as it is, rather than as it may be, a shameful fact is undeniable. The highest Covid-19 casualties are in the US and the UK, where the mendacities of the populist right have deformed society. It turns out that being governed by Anglo-Saxon conservatives is a threat to the health of nations. Their rule kills the old and blights the futures of the young. To understand their ineptitude, think of how conservatism turned into a know-nothing culture in the past decade, and ask what Donald Trump and Boris Johnson would be doing in an alternative universe where they never came close to power.

Thatcher’s simplistic aversion to borrowing still haunts fiscal policy, but interest rates have been falling for many years

It is clear Boris Johnson has favoured his health advisers as he looks to ease the lockdown. Worries about a second coronavirus outbreak have clinched victory over concerns about keeping much of industry and commerce in a state of suspended animation.

After weeks of pleading by the Treasury to get the nation back to work, No 10 has opted to play it safe with people’s health, and particularly older people. And no wonder, after a hapless first few months in which the UK leapt to fourth place in probably the most ignominious league table in modern history – that of Covid-19 deaths per 100,000 population – behind Belgium, Spain and Italy.

Marta was right when saying Formiga will retire eventually but PSG’s record-breaking midfielder is preparing for a seventh Olympic Games next summer

When England stepped out at Meadow Lane in October 2018, having qualified unbeaten for the Women’s World Cup, all eyes were on one opponent: Brazil’s six-times Ballon d’Or winner, Marta. Necks prepared to strain for a glimpse of the ageing giant of women’s football. It may have been a friendly but at 34 the Brazilian’s career clock was ticking. For most, it would be the only time to see her in the flesh.

When Marta limped off after 22 minutes the disappointment of the crowd was palpable. The Brazil performance matched Marta’s lacklustre mood but in the then 40-year-old Formiga they had a player who would not subscribe to her teammates’ indifference – with the young winger Ludmila the exception alongside her.

• Sarries players urged to focus on international future
• ‘I’m quite confident that they will make good decisions’

Maro Itoje and Mako Vunipola have been urged to make “good decisions” for their international careers by the England defence coach, John Mitchell, with both players yet to commit to Saracens next season.

Itoje had hoped to receive dispensation to continue his England career while spending next season on loan in France at Racing 92 rather than in the Championship with relegated Saracens. However, that move was blocked by the other Premiership clubs since it did not meet “exceptional circumstances”, the loophole that allows England’s head coach, Eddie Jones, to select overseas-based players in the event of an injury crisis.

State forbids preaching to under-18s without parents’ permission

The Israeli government is threatening to take off air a Christian television channel that launched in the country to preach to Jews, warning that it will be barred if it breaks strict rules around proselytising.

GOD TV, an evangelical media network that broadcasts across the world, signed a seven-year deal with a major Israeli cable television provider, HOT, to host its new Hebrew-language channel that began airing last month.

Event to take place this summer

Hi, my name is Riley! I am full of energy but also enjoy long naps on my front porch. I love to play with pine cones I find on the ground and tear apart newly planted plants. I just learned how to sit! I love treats and I will guarantee you that I can rip apart your shoe in a matter of hours. My guilty pleasure is chewing on wine corks! I am surrounded by many people who love and care for me. I am one very lucky girl.

Owing to the lockdown, old popular shows like Ramayan and Mahabharat are being retelecasted for the viewing of the younger generation. Ever since the show has gone on air, the cast from the show has been revealing interesting stories that went behind the scenes. Recently actor Sunil Lahri aka Lakshman revealed another interesting fact related to late actress Lalita Pawar who played the role of Manthara. 

Recently, during a virtual press conference, Sunil Lahri said that while they were shooting the scene where Lord Ram returns to Ayodhya, Lalita Pawar suffered injuries and still chose to shoot despite the pain. "Lalita Pawar ji once suffered an injury. During a sequence when Lord Ram returns to Ayodhya, the entire set was lit with diyas. Lalita ji being an enthusiastic actor did not realise and she walked over them, by mistake she stepped on the lanterns and both her feet got burnt. The spot dadas would carry her till the set from the room and she used to give her shot. In fact, she was asked to relax and rest, but she was such an excited actor that she would love to work. Nobody got to know that she was in pain, she showed no signs when she was on camera. She was so committed that despite the injuries she continued to shoot and hat's off to her. She was a great lady," said the actor.

Lalita Pawar has also been a part of over 100s of films including Hindi, Gujarati and Marathi where she is seen playing character actors. The actor passed away in 1998 after suffering from mouth cancer. 

ALSO READ: “Ramanand Sagar was born to make Ramayan,” says his son Prem Sagar

The Labor Department said Friday that 20.5 million jobs vanished in April in the worst monthly loss on record, triggered by coast-to-coast shutdowns of factories, stores, offices and other businesses

Apart from impressing people with her acting skills, Sara Ali Khan has also been acing her social media game. The actress who often uses rhyme schemes in her Instagram captions also entertains people with her 'Knock Knock Jokes'. Her brother Ibrahim Ali Khan is often seen accompanying her in these videos. In an exclusive chat with Bollywood Hungama, Sara Ali Khan spoke about these videos and how Ibrahim reacts to them.

Recently Sara Ali Khan posted a Tik Tok video where they are seen taking the challenge of ‘Who’s most likely to’. When asked about whose idea it was to make Tik Tok videos, Sara said, “I think Ibrahim was the first among all of us to get on to TikTok and he often tells me that 'Let's make a TikTok’. I asked him what to do because I am not good at this. The only thing I can do is Knock Knock Who's There, you don't find that very funny. He would be like ‘let's do this one’ and we just did it. As you can see, we did not know what the questions were going to be. We did not listen to the questions first and wanted it to be a surprise.

Talking about her popular Knock Knock jokes, Sara said, “I think Ibrahim needs to be told that. Because every time I go into his room in my nightie with my phone saying ‘knock knock’ and he is like ‘No Sara’ and I am like ‘Common please’. He always thinks I am not going to put it up because I am puffy, in my nightie, and choti (Ponytail). And I am like ‘Check Instagram’.”

Meanwhile, on the work front, Sara had started shooting for Atrangi Re before the lockdown was imposed. Atrangi Re directed by Aanand L Rai also stars Akshay Kumar and Dhanush.

ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Sara Ali Khan opens up on brother Ibrahim Ali Khan’s Bollywood plans, says it’s only a dream right now

Subhash Ghai is one of the celebrated filmmakers of Bollywood. He has films like Taal, Karz, Ram Lakhan and Khalnayak to his credit and has worked with several A-list actors. However, the director has never worked with Amitabh Bachchan. The two had started working on a project but it was called off in its early stage. In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Subhash Ghai revealed why they never completed the film.

Talking about why the film was stalled, Subhash Ghai said, “Both of us tried to make the film, but the situation was such that the film could not be made. Neither of us was at fault. Sometimes situations are such that you feel that films cannot be made and we stop in between. There were several factors. Even I was at fault as I was impatient back then. He is one of the finest actors of India and it is my bad luck that I could not work with him. He does the bad scenes also so well that it puts the writer to shame. I did not write as well as Amitabh Bachchan performed it. I am a great admirer of Amitabh Bachchan and we are family friends. It was not in our fate to work with each other.”

However, Subhash Ghai seems hopeful of working with the veteran actor in the future when the time is right and they get the right script. The incomplete film of Subhash Ghai and Amitabh Bachchan was titled Devaa. In 2013 there were reports of Subhash Ghai collaborating with Bachchan for the biopic of Sarabjit which was ultimately essayed by Randeep Hooda and directed by Omung Kumar.

ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Subhash Ghai reveals the plot of Khalnayak 2 with Sanjay Dutt, Madhuri Dixit, and Jackie Shroff

American supermodel Kendall Jenner is not dating basketball player Devin Booker although they are part of a group. According to a report in etonline.com, the NBA player, 23, and Kendall, 24, are "absolutely not dating" or "hooking up".

Rumours of their romance started doing the rounds last month, after they were pictured together going on a road trip. According to the source, the model and the Phoenix Suns player have known each other for some years and they are a part of the same group which has many NBA players, but she has not dated any of them.

Meanwhile, Kendall faced backlash on social media over her rumoured relationship with Devin. She has also been linked to basketball players Ben Simmons and Blake Griffin.

A user commented on Twitter, "NBA players passing around Kendall Jenner." Meanwhile, another wrote: "Maybe she's passing them around," to which she replied: "They act like I'm not in full control of where I throw this c***h."

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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."

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

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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Dedicating a whole day to honour and celebrate the women who raised us is beyond special. Mothers are selfless, they are strong and can overcome any obstacle with all their might to protect their family. This Mother's day, television artists take the opportunity to wish all mothers, celebrate them, and immensely thank them for being the true warriors and protectors of their children.

Nimrit Kaur as Meher from Choti Sarrdaarni:

"I think the closest person to every child is their mother. Ever since I was little, my mum has been my world and my go-to person. She has always told me that she should be the first person that I should be able to share my feelings with; no wonder she is my best friend. It's her kindness, compassion, and empathy that has ensured that I remain grounded. It is her fiercely confident nature that inspired me to push myself and to dream big. It's her constant support that made me reach where I have, today. I don't think anybody has or ever love me the way she does. I don't think I know of anyone more selfless than her. And I believe I would turn out to be a fine woman, daughter, wife, mother, and a friend if I could be half as wonderful as she is. I dedicate this Mother's Day to her and I will make sure to do things together that make her happy."

Amruta Khavilkar of Khatron Khiladi Season 10:

"Mothers always love their children unconditionally. I have always been a Mama's girl. She is like a pillar of strength in my world. She has not only stood for me through thick and thin but has been there for me when I had completely lost hope. Her immense belief in me had lifted me up and made me a more confident person. I will always be grateful to her and will definitely plan something special for this Mother's Day."

Jigyasa Singh who plays Heer in Shakti- Astitva Ke Ehsaas Kii:

"This mother's day will be different from every year. Every year, either I used to be busy at work or me and my mom used to go out for dinner and some shopping. But this time, we are home and we will celebrate it with our entire family. Ever since I have started working, I hardly got to spend quality time with my mother. Thanks to the lockdown this time, we got an opportunity to be together at home."

Puneett aka Arjun from Naati Pinky Ki Lambi Love Story

"Mothers are God's most precious gift to us. They are the ones who gave us our gift of life. This Mother's Day, I want to specially thank my mother and all the mothers out there and appreciate them for being our truest supporters. They are the real super heros of our lives. I consider myself lucky that my mother is with me at the moment. I plan to cook something special for my mother and pamper her with movies, music, fun and everything that makes her happy. We are going to have a great time this Mother's Day together."

Namish Taneja as Vivek Vardhan Singh of Vidya:

“Even the thought of living without my mother makes me feel incomplete. I will always be grateful that I got the chance to spend the entire lockdown phase with her, since I do not get much time to spend with her because of my hectic schedule. She does so much for me that I wish I could do something special for her every day, and not just on Mother's Day. Luckily, this time I will be at home and I will make sure that I make this day as special as I can for her. I also plan to cook something very special for her.”

Anita Raj as Kulwant Kaur from Choti Sarrdaarni:

"As a mother, this day is very special to me. However, my kids make me feel like every day is Mother's Day. This year, they won't be able to do much because of the locked, but I think they have already planned something for me. They have requested me to keep myself available for some time on Sunday. Just like last year, I am expecting lots of fun with my kids."

Mugdha Chapekar, who plays the role of Prachi in Zee TV's Kumkum Bhagya

"My mother has been my constant support system. She’s a strong person and has always made sure I be brave and strong. Whatever you choose to do in life make sure you are good at it and I follow it even today. She is a working woman who happens to be a wonderful homemaker as well. In fact, I have inherited her cooking skills too, but still, she is the best! I love her optimism and never have I ever seen her spirit go low! 'Put that smile on and seize the day,' is what she believes as being raised by a woman like her is the best thing to happen to me. Whatever I am today I owe it to my mother."

Siddhaanth Vir Surryavanshi who plays the role of Kuldeep in Zee TV's Kyun Rishton Mein Katti Batti

"We all have various gods and faiths and we believe in the creator above. I have only heard and read about god and his ways, but the fact is that my mom is the first god I knew. When we were kids, we were always being told that when we grow up and become parents is when we will realise how they felt and what they went through. This couldn’t have been truer as becoming a parent has made me understand them better now. In fact, I believe that there is no one on earth who loves as selflessly as a mother and lucky are those who have her and get all her love. I lost my mother 7 years back and not a day goes by where I don’t think of her. I really wish I could turn back the clock and make up for all the lost time with her, apologise for all the troubles I gave her. To be honest, she was an excellent cook and I miss Maa ke haath ka khaana the most, nobody can come close and I can never have that pleasure anymore."

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Actor Taapsee Pannu put out yet another throwback picture from her archives on Saturday, and shared her childhood experience, noting how the school does play an important part in shaping one's personality. The 32-year-old actor posted a photo on Instagram with her school principal in an auditorium with kids.

The Thappad actress told that she went to meet her school principal and was surprised to meet inquisitive kids.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

I was visiting Jaipur for an event and I remembered that my school (ex)vice principal is now Principal in a school of Jaipur. Couldn’t miss this opportunity to meet her. What was unexpected was that her entire school came to meet and kids were really sweet and inquisitive about a lot of things. School does play an important part in shaping up your personality and your teachers are the ‘karigars’ moulding the raw stones we all are. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been a nerdy kid or coz I’m grateful to my teachers for letting me shape up all aspects of my personality equally, that I keep going back to my childhood time n again. #Throwback #Archive #QuarantinePost

A post shared by Taapsee Pannu (@taapsee) onMay 9, 2020 at 12:22am PDT

Pannu wrote, "I was visiting Jaipur for an event and I remembered that my school (ex)vice-principal is now Principal in a school of Jaipur. Couldn't miss this opportunity to meet her. What was unexpected was that her entire school came to meet and kids were really sweet and inquisitive about a lot of things."

While talking about the visitor experience, the 'Naam Shabana' star pointed out the important role played by teachers in shaping one's personality. The actor also revealed she's been a 'nerdy' in school, and she keeps going back to her school time and again. "School does play an important part in shaping up your personality and your teachers are the 'karigars' moulding the raw stones we all are. I don't know if it's because I've been a nerdy kid or coz I'm grateful to my teachers for letting me shape up all aspects of my personality equally, that I keep going back to my childhood time n again," she added.

The post on the photo-sharing platform garnered more than 1 lakh likes from fans and celebrity followers including Kajal Aggarwal.

Last week, the 'Manmarziyaan' actor shared her picture where she is seen caught in a moment while using a VR headset. In the post, she spoke of how technology can take us over.

Lately, the 'Thappad' star has been sharing many throwback pictures as she earlier announced on Instagram that she will be posting a series to refresh some memories during the coronavirus lockdown. Taapsee is currently at home like many other celebrities as the country is under lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

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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

US employers have cut a staggering 20.5 million jobs in April amid the COVID-19 pandemic, erasing a decade of job gains since the global financial crisis and pushing the unemployment rate to a record 14.7 per cent, which is the highest level since the Great Depression.

In April, the unemployment rate surged by 10.3 percentage points to 14.7 per cent, the largest over-the-month increase in the history of the series dating back to January 1948, the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) said in a report.

Since mid-March, numerous US states have rolled out "stay-at-home" policies and shut down non-essential businesses in a bid to slow the spread of the virus, leading companies to cut millions of jobs in weeks.

Employment in leisure and hospitality plummeted by 7.7 million, or 47 per cent, the report showed. The manufacturing sector shed 1.3 million workers, and employment in retail trade was down 2.1 million jobs.

The education and health sector lost 2.5 million jobs. Government employment also dropped by 9,80,000 in April, according to the bureau. Hispanics and African-Americans have been hit the hardest in the job crisis, said the BLS report. President Donald Trump said that with the reopening of the economy, lost jobs will come back.

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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

It seems that there is rampant poaching of pangolins taking place during the lockdown in the Konkan belt, and their scales are being illegally sold in the local black market. During the raids, the forest department recovered two kilograms of pangolin scales and six nails. The pangolin is one of the most trafficked wild animals across the world as there is a huge international demand for its scales.

Range Forest Officer (RFO), Vaibhav Borate, said, "Based on the tip-off received from our sources, our forest department team raided the house of Kalpesh Tukaram Balgude at Karanjali [Balgudewadi] village near Dapoli. During the search operation of the house, our team recovered one tortoise shell, one jungle hare, and 22 kg of pangolin scales and nails. We have taken the accused into custody and investigation is on."

As evidence related to wildlife trade have been found from the house of the accused, the forest department is exploring the possibility of him doing this regularly. The forest department team has registered an offence under various sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

According to the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) website, "Major threats to pangolins in India are hunting and poaching for local consumptive use and international trade. Another reason for hunting pangolin is its meat. There is now greater evidence of its inclusion in illicit international trade, in particular its scales, from India through Myanmar to China and South-East Asian countries as the most likely, final destinations. Inadequate information on population and distribution further accentuates the threats arising from hunting and poaching."

The Indian Pangolin is found sporadically throughout the plains and lower slopes of hills from south of the Himalayas to Kanyakumari, except the north-eastern region. The Chinese Pangolin is found in India in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram and the northern part of West Bengal.

Why Pangolins?

Pangolins are the most trafficked mammal in the world, for their scales [made of keratin], which are boiled off their bodies for use in traditional medicine. Their meat is a delicacy in Vietnam and China; and their blood, which is considered to be a healing tonic.

Pangolin could help find cure for COVID-19?

Soon after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, there were many media reports that claimed that the endangered pangolin was linked to the initial outbreak of the disease in China. However, this hasn't been proven yet. Now, a research conducted by the Medical University of Vienna in Austria, has revealed that certain genes sense when a virus enters the body, and trigger an immune response in most mammals. They found that pangolins, which have been called the 'missing link' between bats and humans, lack two of those virus-sensing genes. This means that not only are the endangered animals carriers, but they also seem to be immune to it, via an unknown mechanism. This evolutionary advantage and its understanding may give way to possible treatment options for COVID-19.

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An elderly lady walked into my consultation room with two girlfriends, chewing gum. Her Gucci shades were stationed over her salt-and-pepper hair and she wore a black dress. Her wrists and ankles were crowded with beaded trinkets.

"Hi!" she said, greeting me with a firm handshake and a brief introduction as I jotted her name. "And your age?"

"Twenty-six!" she blurted, followed by a big smile because it made me look up and stare at her intently.

"Okay, just reverse that," she reconciled before I could say anything. "Any diabetes, blood pressure?" I proceeded, smiling through the usual questions, still wondering in my head her fancy for playing the fool with me about her age.

"Any heart issues?"

"I keep falling in love, doctor!" she said bluntly, as two ladies accompanying her rolled their eyes, gesticulating for her to behave. I shook my head at them, hinting that they let her comfortably continue.

Some patients like to bring on a keen familiarity early on in their meetings with physicians or surgeons. Some may be suffering from a grim diagnosis and might want to appear like they are perfectly fine with it. Others might come with the idea that "since this is someone whose knife I'm going to go under, we might as well be friends first'" For some, it might simply be their personality or disposition. As surgeons, we refrain from judging atypical behaviour unless it helps with the diagnosis.
"What brings you to me?"

"I have this shooting pain in my right jaw. It's like an electric shock that sometimes goes into my cheek as well. I can't brush, eat, swallow or chew," she continued, wincing as she opened her mouth to remove the gum she was chewing with difficulty, wrapping it tidily in a tissue paper. Thinking it was tooth pain, she had visited the dentist but had eventually been told to see a neurosurgeon. The medication she had been prescribed was no longer helping and she had been living with the pain for close to two years. "Sometimes, I feel like jumping off the Bandra-Worli Sea Link."

I told her friends to ensure that she didn't take that route on her commute for now.

She was pretty well-informed and knew enough about her condition, trigeminal neuralgia. It occurs when a blood vessel in the brain presses on the trigeminal nerve that supplies sensation to the face. The pain can sometimes be so severe that it pushes patients towards contemplating suicide. Some women patients have told me that it's infinitely worse than the pain of labour without an epidural. Owing to the location of the pain, most patients visit a dentist first, and when a root canal doesn't help, they are referred to a neurologist.

"Having a drink at night makes the pain a little better," she confessed.

"In the good, old days, they used to inject alcohol directly into the nerve to numb it," I said. She thought I was joking but it's a fact.

The current options were to inject glycerol or ablate the root of the nerve with some radiofrequency current. The drawback —the pain would be replaced by semi-numbness since it's a destructive procedure. Or, we could use the Gamma Knife, where a single dose of focused radiation could do the trick. And finally, there was surgery—a little more invasive, but offering the best chance of cure and the least chance of recurrence. I explained that we'd make a small hole in the skull behind the ear and place a pad of Teflon between the vessel and the nerve so that direct contact between the two was eliminated.

After understanding her options, she opted for surgery. "You just want to go back to drinking without pain," I said in jest.

At surgery, under the magnificence of the microscope, we could see the offending vessel deeply grooving her nerve. When it was lifted gently after meticulously dissecting tiny strands connecting the two, I could see how pale and beat up the nerve looked. I teased the strands of the padding material Teflon and interposed them in the right place, transposing the vessel away to avoid any contact. As we were closing, I told my surgical assistant that this was one of the most gratifying neurosurgical procedures he would ever do. The charming lady woke up completely pain free, and over the next few days, we managed to get her off all painkillers.

Two days after discharge, she sent me this text message: "For the first time in several years, I could brush my teeth and eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner without any pain. What's still better is that I could have the single malt, pain-free!"

"You are now permitted to use the Sea Link," I replied.

The writer is practicing neurosurgeon at Wockhardt Hospitals and Honorary Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals. You can reach him at mazdaturel@gmail.com

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The Union Health Ministry said on Saturday the COVID-19 patients who were severely ill will have to test negative through RT-PCR test before being discharged from a hospital. This decision is part of the revised discharge policy issued by the government. The ministry said, "The revised discharge policy is aligned with the guidelines on the 3-tier COVID facilities and the categorisation of the patients based on clinical severity." Patients having mild, very mild and pre-symptomatic and also moderate cases of COVID-19 do not require the RT-PCR test before discharge.

'Punjab paying price'
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh lashed out at the Maharashtra government, alleging that it had lied when stating that migrants working in Nanded had undergone a COVID-19 test. On reaching Punjab, 969 of them tested positive, which Singh blames on the Maha Agadhi-led Maharashtra government in which the Congress is an ally of the Shiv Sena.

When mentioned that initially Punjab contained the virus well but of late, there has been a spurt in the COVID-19 tally, he said, "Yes, there has been a spurt in the cases because of the large number of migrants who came back from Nanded and Rajasthan. Suddenly, we saw around 7,000 people entering Punjab from these states on a single day."

The CM continued, "Even though we were assured by the Maharashtra government that all the pilgrims being sent back from Nanded had been tested thrice, it turned out that they had only been screened and no testing was done. We are paying the price for their negligence."

13 CISF men test positive
In a big scare for the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), at least 13 more personnel of the force have tested positive, out of which 10 were deployed with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). Till date, 543 Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) troops have tested positive across the country.

JNU to return to classes
With restrictions easing out and shops opening, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) too is all set to restart. The students are expected to return to their classrooms between June 25 and June 30.

The new academic calendar was announced keeping in view of the pandemic and the UGC guidelines. "This academic calendar has been unanimously approved by all the Deans of Schools and Chairpersons of Special Centres," read a statement issued by JNU vice Chancellor Jagadesh Kumar.

Chat portal to help migrants
To help the migrant workers stranded in several states, the Congress, on Saturday, launched a web portal in UP, even as the political slugfest continued over rail fares of migrants being ferried by Shramik Express trains. The Congress launched the portal to help UP workers stranded in other states as well as those stuck in the state. The portal has been developed by Valuefirst free of cost.

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Air India's first evacuation flight with 326 Indians from London landed at Mumbai Airport on Sunday. According to Indian high commission in the UK, the flight took off from London on Saturday on board 326 people. It landed at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. On Monday, India announced had that it will begin phased repatriation of its citizens stranded abroad from May 7.

The government said that Air India will operate 64 flights in the first week from May 7 to May 13 to bring back around 15,000 Indian nationals.

On day three of the 'Vande Bharat Mission', flights carrying Indians from the Gulf countries, the United Kingdom, Bangladesh and Malaysia arrived in India.

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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

The immune system of this mosquito is of great importance as scientists believe it plays a key role in controlling the transmission of viruses that cause