Parineeti Chopra has stepped forward to do more during the coronavirus crisis that is raging in our country. The sensitive actress has decided to go on a virtual coffee date with people to raise funds that will feed 4000 family members of 1000 daily wage earners of our country!

Millions of poor labourers are struggling to access food and rations during the COVID lockdown, and are unable to keep themselves and their families safe. Parineeti has come on board to help raise funds for GiveIndia’s Mission: Ration Kit that aims at delivering food to those most affected by the crisis.

Pari’s campaign will see ration kits containing dal, rice, aata, salt, masala, tea, sugar, oil etc, to be able to sustain a family of 4 people. These kits will be distributed to families in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Bihar and Tamil Nadu. The A.T.E. Chandra Foundation has also joined hands in this cause and will be adding 25% of the total donation value collected as a matching amount, thereby multiplying the impact!

Parineeti, who is doing this in association with Arjun Kapoor’s sister Anshula’s breakthrough charity initiative Fankind, says, “There are millions of unemployed daily wage earners who are struggling to make two ends meet today due to the coronavirus crisis in our country. During the COVID19 national lockdown, they are unable to earn and that is putting them at high risk! Fankind, GiveIndia and I have come together to try and help them and their families by providing them ration kits.”

One just needs to log on to fankind.org/Parineeti and donate to be eligible for this virtual date which will aid GiveIndia to reach out to the ones who need our immediate help. The contest will be open for donation for a week, starting 6th May.

Pari adds, “No one should go to sleep hungry, so let’s do our bit to make a difference and take care of our fellow brothers and sisters of India. This fund raiser is uniquely crafted for me to meet you virtually and have a cup of coffee! This is how I will be saying thank you to 5 lucky winners through a video chat. I am looking forward to chatting with you and getting to know more about you over a piping cup of coffee. Let's join hands and donate for those who are in need.”

The Coronavirus-induced lockdown will complete two months on May 24. And yet, the situation hasn’t improved, with the cases increasing everyday. The entertainment sector has been hit the hardest. They got shut first and hence, they might also be the last ones to open. And even if cinema halls commence operations, there are fears that viewers will not come in hordes. Taking advantage of this situation, OTT platforms have been approaching filmmakers with tempting offers. Few of them are already in advanced talks. This includes not just filmmakers of smaller films but also the producers of one of the biggest films of 2020, Laxmmi Bomb, starring Akshay Kumar.

Rumours were abuzz that the makers of Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai too were open to offers from web streaming giants. Jordy Patel, manager of superstar Salman Khan, who is the film’s leading actor and producer, was also quoted as saying that they were ready to accept the offer, provided that they be offered a staggering Rs. 250 crores.

When Bollywood Hungama contacted Jordy Patel, he declined having made any such statement. “I haven’t given any figure,” he told this writer. He adds, “All I said was that we are ready to release Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai on an OTT platform, once the film is complete and once we evaluate the situation. Only then, we’ll take a call.”

So if not Rs. 250 crores, do they have any figure in mind that they’ll like to quote when meeting the OTT representatives? He explains, “We don’t have a figure in mind. The film is not yet complete. How can I quote an amount? We have got songs which are yet to be shot and even a couple of scenes.”

So how long are the makers planning to hold the release of Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai? After all, cinema halls are expected to start in August or September. Jordy Patel retorts, “Would people like to go to watch a film in August? It seems unlikely. So we’ll see what the situation is then and take a call accordingly.”

Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai, besides Salman Khan, also stars Disha Patani, Randeep Hooda and Jackie Shroff. It was to release on Eid 2020.

Also Read: Salman Khan keeping himself in shape to shoot for the climax of Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai post lockdown

The daily wage earners have taken the hardest hit during this lockdown and have been struggling to get a proper meal on their table. While most of the industry has been trying their best to arrange food and other amenities for them, Vivek Oberoi announced that he has provided financial aid to over 5,000 families of daily wage earners. He joined hands with Rohit Gajbhiye to raise funds.

Releasing a statement regarding the same, he said, “We observed that migrant labourers have been stranded here since a while now. There are many of them who are not even able to cope up with acquiring daily essentials. “They are struggling to pay their rent, buy daily essentials, to feed their children. We have supported more than 5,000 families”

Fund were directly transferred to the families’ account to help them out in arranging their daily essentials under their Support Aid & Assist The Helpless – SAATH initiative.

In 2017, Aamir Khan started a project to boost budding writers in the Indian film industry. The second edition of Cinestaan India's Storyteller Script Contest, a nationwide hunt for scripts where the five winners take home a total cash prize of Rs. 50 lakh was launched this February. From the past few months, the four-member jury consisting of Aamir Khan, Anjum Rajabali, Juhi Chaturvedi and Rajkumar Hirani has gone through numerous entries to choose five compelling stories that can be taken to screen. 

However, this time instead of the on-ground event to announce the winners, Aamir Khan will unveil the winners on social media. Meanwhile, Khan is urging writers to not let the prevailing situation dampen their creativity. He said that budding writers should write with more enthusiasm, especially during these times. 

Says Rohit Khattar, Chairman of Cinestaan Digital, “I am grateful to our esteemed jury in working with us to bring Indian storytelling talent to the forefront especially during these surreal times. Thank you to the thousands of writers who had applied. The quality of the work was stellar and we would like to congratulate the winners who are truly deserving and wish them success.”

Speaking about the winners, Anjum Rajabali, the Jury Chairperson said, ‘We started this contest with the larger objective of attracting more people to write scripts. It’s very important that we improve the quality of our scriptwriting so that the quality of our cinema goes up. The caliber of scripts in this edition was better than last year and it’s heartening to see that the talent is developing. Thank you to the jury members for giving their valuable time in reading and assessing the scripts. Truly appreciate the Cinestaan team’s hard work. I have not seen this kind of unconditional support and generosity before, with the only reward being to encourage good writing in this country.’

Juhi Chaturvedi says, ‘As a writer, I understand the joy of being appreciated, especially on a big platform like this which motivates us to write more. Congratulations to the winners. I’m very happy that through this contest I was able to be a small part of your journey.’

Raju Hirani while congratulating the winners said, ‘I’m happy that the objective with which this contest was started, to inspire scriptwriters and give them a platform to send their scripts from all parts of the country - slowly and steadily we are moving towards our goal. The caliber of scripts this year has been better than last year.’

All the entries of the second edition of the contest went through a transparent and stringent process of evaluation at various levels. The shortlisted synopsis were asked to send in a complete script which were then assessed and then the winners selected by the jury. All scripts have been registered by the contestants with the Scriptwriters Association and other similar recognized bodies to ensure that the writers' content is completely protected.

‘Cinestaan India’s Storytellers Script Contest’ was launched by Cinestaan Digital Pvt. Ltd. and is India’s biggest Script Contest. The winners of the contest are awarded cash prizes worth Rs. 50 lakhs.

ALSO READ: Aamir Khan dismisses distributing money to the poor in wheat bag, says “Robin Hood doesn’t want to reveal himself”

Letsallhelp.org a startup venture in the area of social impact has been playing a very active role during the period of crisis that has been unleashed by the Covid-19 pandemic in the country. They have been working tirelessly to help the daily wage / migrant workers so that they could sustain their life and their family during this period.

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in our country has impacted our lives in unimaginable ways. The nationwide lockdown and social distancing is perhaps the best way to combat the crisis till an effective medical solution is found.

However, it is easier said than done. It could take weeks or may be even months till normalcy is restored. While we are all worried about our livelihood, spare a thought for the thousands of the daily wage and migrant workers who have lost their means of livelihood and may not be able to sustain themselves and their families for a long time.

The team at Letsallhelp.org has taken a pledge….No one sleeps hungry during the lockdown.

Letsallhelp.org has been raising funds from benevolent donors and working tirelessly to support the people rendered helpless on the face of the lockdown so they don't have to migrate to their villages or starve in the cities, by providing them with food and hygiene related products.

Ever since the lockdown period has started, the team at Letsallhelp.org has been able to mobilize over 50 tons of food products and have catered to the needs of over 10,000 people across the slums, shelters and old age homes across Mumbai.

"I always believed in a simple thought - give more than what you get from the society. Looking at the difficulties being faced by the daily wage / migrant workers, we felt that it was our duty to help them and together we have gone all out to support them. We look forward to increase our reach to more cities in the days to come with support from our donors", said Premal Shah, Founder & Change Maker of the organization.

While the team is directly involved in the delivery of the products to the needy people, they have also teamed up with trusted NGO's with the primary objective of reaching out to maximum number of needy people at this hour of crisis. All parties involved in the distribution of products have the requisite permissions from the local authorities to deliver these products at the last mile.

Letsallhelp.org encourages its donor community to make their contribution in terms of Survival Kits that takes care of the food and hygiene requirements of one person for one month. The donors are encouraged to make their contribution by logging on their web site www.letsallhelp.org.

About Letsallhelp.org

Letsallhelp.org is a startup venture in the area of social impact that enables individuals and corporations to come closer to Orphanages, Old Age Homes, Shelters for HIV affected patients, physically challenged, etc and unaided schools and contribute to their well being in areas of food and personal hygiene through a simple technology platform.

Our goal is "No one should sleep hungry" or "Be void of personal hygiene".

We are associated with a very important social cause bothering our country today with far reaching implication considering India's current ranking in Global Hunger Index. Letsallhelp.org brings in a structured, yet flexible portal that helps you take on the war against hunger across different parts of the country and help the country climb up the ladder of Hunger Index.

At Letsallhelp.org, individuals choose products and quantities they wish to contribute, which will be delivered by their logistic partner to each beneficiary at the end of the month. Donors get proof of the delivery as "Impact Proof" with a photo when the products are delivered. In the end, individuals get the joy of impacting lives in a meaningful way and feel good. LetsAllHelp.org offers various ways to contribute – one-time, monthly, adopt for one year, corporate adopt and employee giving.

For further information, please contact: Premal Shah ( 9222933333 ) and also lookup
www.letsallhelp.org

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter on Friday morning informing that he will be interacting with 'Sarpanchs' from across the nation. He will also launch an unified e-GramSwaraj portal and a mobile app on National Panchayati Raj Day. "At 11 AM today, PM @narendramodi would be interacting with Sarpanchs from across the nation via video conferencing. All Sarpanchs will be able to join this interaction through Doordarshan, from their respective homes adhering to social distancing norms," Modi tweeted.

He added that the village heads who were participating and will be sharing their views with him will be doing so from a Common Service Centre close to them. National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated on April 24 as it marks a defining moment in the history of decentralisation of power to the grassroots level, with the institutionalisation of Panchayati Raj through the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992, which came into force on April 24, 1993.

The portal that PM Modi will launch is a new initiative of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj which will provide the gram panchayats with a single interface to prepare and implement their Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP).

The Prime Minister will also launch the Swamitva Scheme on the occasion. The scheme provides for an integrated property validation solution for rural India; the demarcation of inhabited land in rural areas would be done by the use of latest surveying methods -- Drone technology with the collaborated efforts of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, State Panchayati Raj Departments, State Revenue Departments and Survey of India.

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The Indian Broadcasting Federation (IBF) on Monday petitioned information & broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar for a relief and rehabilitation package for the broadcasting sector.

The industry sought regulatory moratorium for 18 months, phased resumption of production activities, extension of moratorium period for GST payment and for the government to mandate digital payments of subscription and advertising dues to broadcasters. It also said the Centre should issue an advisory to DPOs to release payments of subscription fees up to February-end.

Seeking a stimulus package from the government so that broadcasters can get back on track, IBF president N P Singh, said, "IBF has submitted a standard operating procedure (SOP) on prevention/ safety measures for organised, safe and sustainable restart of content production, media operations, transmission and general office operations in the TV broadcast sector to PMO, Niti Aayog and I&B ministry. The SOP will help the sector to move quickly towards normalcy and we certainly hope that the government would consider it favourably."

Apart from emphasising that the government should urgently settle all outstanding dues to the broadcasting industry, IBF also demanded waiver of processing fee and temporary live uplinking fee for live sporting events for a period of one year from the resumption of normal business activities, increase in time period of 1-2 years for operationalising new channels that are granted permission, and the suspension of requirement of performance bank guarantees for channels that are to be launched, for one year.

IBF also asked the government to defer payments due to Prasar Bharati for free dish carriage until July 2020 and said all pending refunds exceeding Rs 5 lakh should be urgently processed. It added that the government should extend the existing stay on demand for income tax for the next six months, and not seek any new hearings.

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The business of advertising agencies has shrunk by more than 70 per cent following the spread of Covid-19 and the lockdown. In a recommendation to the government, the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI), which is the national association of advertising agencies, has proposed that advertising expense be treated as an investment and the cost be amortised over the next three years.

The objective is to encourage a higher level of expenditure by profitable companies, which will in turn accelerate the revival of economic activity. In a letter to Prakash Javadekar, the Union minister of information & broadcasting, AAAI said on a Rs 100 expense, an advertiser be allowed to claim an expenditure of, say, twice that amount (Rs 200), while computing income tax.

The bulk of the agency's costs are fixed in nature, be it salaries, rent, electricity and communication, among others. "The income and cash flow has been in serious stress in the last month and unless there is some intervention, many businesses will either file for bankruptcy or will have to under-size considerably," the note said.

AAAI president Ashish Bhasin, who is also CEO, Dentsu Aegis Network Greater South and chairman & CEO of India, told TOI, "Advertising industry is like the lubricant to the economy. And the lubricant for the advertising industry is liquidity. If we can infuse liquidity in advertising by encouraging profitable companies to continue to advertise, it will spur consumer demand, which in turn will kick-start the economy. The positive benefit from an improved consumer demand will far outweigh the offsets we are asking for."

With hotels, airlines and other industries impacted by the lockdown, Bhasin said overall average advertising industry revenues have come down by more than 70%. "We had earlier estimated a growth projection of 11-12% for this calendar year. However, with the current situation, we might just end the year with a degrowth," said Bhasin.

AAAI has requested the government to pay its dues to advertising agencies at the earliest possible. AAAI has also asked for an expedited refund of GST applications within 2-4 weeks.

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A day after reopening the liquor shops, Andhra Pradesh government on Tuesday increased alcohol prices by 50 per cent. The government said the move was aimed at discouraging liquor consumption. The shops had reopened on Monday with a hike of 25 per cent in liquor prices.

A day after reopening the #liquorshops, #AndhraPradesh government on Tuesday increased alcohol prices by 50 per cent.

The government said the move was aimed at discouraging liquor consumption. The shops had reopened on Monday with a hike of 25 per cent in liquor prices. pic.twitter.com/u3cb6rO5f6

— IANS Tweets (@ians_india) May 5, 2020

However, the hike failed to deter the tipplers, who gathered in large numbers at the shops across the state, flouting the social distancing norm to check the spread of COVID-19. As the scenes of long queues and chaos raised fears of further spike in the number of corona cases in the state and the government came under criticism for encouraging liquor sale during a pandemic, it hiked the prices by 50 per cent on Tuesday.

Officials said the new prices will come into force with immediate effect. However, shops will open only after the issue of formal orders and the new prices are updated online. There was utter confusion on Monday when the shops reopened for the first time after the lockdown began as the prices following 25 per cent hike were not updated online.

The government claimed that another 50 per cent hike has been taken as further step towards discouraging alcohol consumption. With the latest hike the prices have increased by 75 per cent in two days. Officials said the latest decision was taken to discourage liquor consumption in view of the conditions that prevailed on Monday.

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government said the number of liquor shops would be further reduced by 15 per cent by the end of this month. The YSRCP, which had promised total prohibition, started phase-wise implementation after coming to power in May last year.

As a first major step towards prohibition in October last year, the Jagan Mohan Reddy government took over the state. The state-owned Andhra Pradesh Beverages Corporation Limited (APBCL) took control of the liquor shops from private contractors after reducing the number of outlets to 3,500 from 4,380 earlier.

In December, the government had claimed that as a result of its steps the liquor consumption came down in the state.e retail liquor business and increased the price to discourage consumption.

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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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New Delhi: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Thursday said it played a vital role in controlling the gas leakage and rescue operations during the styrene gas leakage in LG Polymers in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam.

The central paramilitary force, in a statement, said the CISF Fire Service Wing of VSP Vishakapatnam along with one foam tender immediately rushed to the spot and joined the operation with local authorities and the state fire service.

"On Thursday, styrene gas leakage occurred in LG Polymers plant, Gopalapatnam, Visakhapatnam (AP). On receiving information from local police, personnel of CISF Fire Service Wing of VSP Vishakapatnam rushed to the spot and joined the operation," the CISF said in a statement.

It said gas affected 20 people were rescued and rushed to hospital.

"Additional Breathing Apparatus Sets, spare cylinders were sent to the spot for rescue operations by CISF Unit VSP Visakhapatnam. Later at about 9.45 a.m. as per the request of local authorities, the hydraulic platform with additional CISF Fire Service Wing personnel was sent to the spot to join the operation to stop the gas leakage."

It said the CISF Fire Service Wing personnel with foam tender actively participated in the joint operation with local authorities and state fire service to stop the gas leakage.

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Another gas leakage from LG Polymers in Visakhapatnam late Thursday triggered panic in areas near the plant and forced people to move to safe places.

Fumes were seen billowing out of the chemical plant, where the gas leakage in the early hours of the day claimed 11 lives and affected over 300 others.

People from Gopalpatnam, Simhachalam and Pinagadi areas, which are four km away from the plant, were seen moving to safe places.

The gas smell sent panic in certain areas late Thursday night. Many people rushed out of their houses and were seen heading to safer places by their vehicles.

Local police at few places advised people to move to safe places as a precautionary measure.

Officials, however, said the gas emission was continuing since the major leakage around 3.45 a.m. on Thursday.

Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner R K Meena said there was no need for panic. "Efforts are going on to neutralize the gas leak. There is no danger," he said.

The police commissioner hoped that the work to plug the emissions will be completed in a couple of hours.

About 12,000 people from RR Venkatapuram and four other villages were evacuated after the leakage early Thursday.

Visakhapatnam District Fire Officer Sandeep Anand said 10 fire engines and two foam fighters were kept ready in the plant. He said some ambulances were also on standby as a precautionary measure.

Meanwhile, a cargo flight carrying a team of experts and PTBC inhibitor, an antidote for styrene, landed in Visakhapatnam late Thursday.

The experts in chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) disaster are likely to begin the operation to plug the emissions after assessing the situation at the plant.

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New Delhi: Director-General of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), SN Pradhan, on Friday refuted reports of a second gas leak at LG Polymers in Visakhapatnam district and clarified that it was some fumes which released during the neutralisation process.

"There are rumours in some section of media about a second gas leakage, let me categorically place on record that there is no such second leakage in Vizag. Some fumes get released during the process of neutralising. It happens during the neutralisation process. It is a technical process. That process will continue," Pradhan told ANI.

Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) responded to reports of another gas leak at LG Polymers in Visakhapatnam and clarified that it was a "minuscule technical leak" and the situation is under control.

"There are media reports that there was another leak. This is clarified that this was a minuscule technical leak. It is required to bring the container in control. It is been controlled and the process of neutralisation is already in process. The situation is under control," the MHA said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Pradhan said, "Few fumes get released during the neutralisation process. These fumes do not go out and mostly remain in the vicinity of the company only, but that does not mean that it's secondary leakage happened there. The smell of this gas can passes through the air little bit outside, but assessing it as a second leak is utterly wrong."

The NDRF DG appealed to the media to not to run fake news on the gas leak without cross-checking so that people do not get panic.

"The neutraliser chemical has reached the spot in good quantity and it is being used in the process. Rumour mongering must be avoided in the interest of people," he said.

Pradhan informed that experts from Pune and Nagpur, including scientists are monitoring the situation on the ground since last night.

"We are preparing a roadmap with the local administration. This work is being done jointly by the state, Centre and local administration. Tourism minister of the state also visited the spot. We are also present at the spot. Since last night, the experts from Pune and Nagpur including scientists are monitoring the situation on the ground. At the moment, our two commandants and three scientists are camping there," he explained.

"Two teams of 5th battalion of NDRF are on the ground. The situation is under control. The NDRF teams will stay back in the area until the situation is absolutely under control," Pradhan said.

On Thursday, styrene gas had leaked in the gas plant of LG Polymers in RR Venkatapuram village in Visakhapatnam district on Thursday morning, which claimed 11 lives.

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At a time when the world is in despair due to the Coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent lockdown, hope is the only thing one can cling on to. Amid the pandemic that has infected millions of people across the globe and claimed scores of lives, people are hoping for a healthy and safe world and a better tomorrow.

The police department is trying hard to keep the spirits of the people high. From witty posts from the Mumbai Police’s social media pages to viral photos of police dressed as Yamraj, the god of death and some cops wearing helmets with spikes resembling the virus, the police department is pulling all stops to make sure you follow the necessary precautions to keep the illness at bay.

The 112 emergency service wing of the UP Police has garnered praises from netizens for spreading the message of hope amid the Coronavirus pandemic. The police department posted a picture on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, of their Police Response Vehicles of the wing arranged in formation of the word, ‘HOPE’ at Rumi Gate in Lucknow. They spell HOPE as Hold On. Pain Ends as an extended version of the acronym.

The caption written in Hindi reads, The world rests on hope, and we stand to our determination. HOPE keeps us going!

The netizens have praised the police department for their message of hope. Their post shared on Wednesday, has garnered more than 893 likes on Facebook and was shared 113 times. In the comments, users have posted praising their drill. Excellent drill, said a user. Another user said, Desh sewa ke liye abhinandan.

What do you think about the post?

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Tom Hardys much-anticipated "Venom" sequel has been delayed by eight months amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

The second instalment in the action-fantasy series, directed by Andy Serkis, was slated to release on October 2, 2020.

The sequel, officially titled "Venom: Let There Be Carnage", will instead launch eight months later on June 25, 2021, reports variety.com.

In 2018, "Venom" introduced Hardy as Eddie Brock and Venom. It follows the popular Marvel anti-hero as he transforms from a go-getter journalist to the powerful alien symbiote. The film put the conflict of good versus bad in the centrestage.

Serkis is directing Sony's follow-up to "Venom", which sees Hardy again assume the alien symbiote. The first film became a surprise box office hit, earning $855 million globally. Woody Harrelson, Michelle Williams, Reid Scott and Naomie Harris will also appear in the sequel.

By postponing "Venom" until next year, Sony has reshuffled nearly every movie scheduled to release in 2020. The studio already pushed back many of its major films, including "Morbius" (from July 31, 2020, to March 19, 2021), "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" (from July 10, 2020, to March 5, 2021) and Tom Holland's "Uncharted" (from March 5, 2021, to Oct. 8, 2021).

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English singer-songwriter Jessie J remembered her ex-boyfriend Channing Tatum on his 40th birthday on Sunday, telling him he's "truly one of a kind."

The 32-year-old singer took to Instagram and shared a throwback picture featuring the 'Magic Mike' actor standing in clear blue ocean water. She captioned a throwback photo on her Instagram Stories, "Happy 40th Birthday to this special man right here. You are truly one of a kind. I am so grateful you were born, and even more grateful we met."

Jessie also shared another black-and-white photo of the '22 Jump Street' star in motorcycle gear as he holds a helmet. And posted a video of Tatum taking a leap into the water. "Keep living your BEST life!" the 'Nobody's Perfect' singer wrote.

These sweet messages came by the songstress in less than a month after the pair called it quits on their on-again relationship. Jessie and Tatum had reconciled in January after splitting a month earlier.

At the time, an insider to the outlet told that the couple had worked hard to re-establish their relationship but realised that they were better off as friends.

In October 2018, the outlet broke that the 'Step Up' star and the 'Nobody's perfect' singer had been quietly dating for a couple of months.

The pair connected shortly after Tatum and Jenna Dewan announced their separation in April 2018 after nine years of marriage. The exes, whose divorce was finalised earlier this year, share daughter 6-year-old daughter Everly (Dewan has since moved on with Broadway star Steve Kazee. They got engaged in February 2020 and welcomed son Callum the following month.)

Jessie and Tatum were supportive of each other throughout their relationship, with the actor attending several of her concerts, while she cheered him on at the opening night of his 'Magic Mike' show in London in November 2018.

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New York-based art director Matteo De Cosmo, who worked on popular series such as 'Luke Cage' and 'The Punisher', has died at the age of 52 due to complications from COVID-19. He also worked on ABC Studios series 'Harlem's Kitchen', which halted production in March because of the pandemic.

"Making television is challenging. But there are people that assure you every day with their talent, passion and smile that anything is possible. Matteo was one of those people. We will miss him," said 'Harlem's Kitchen' showrunner Zahir McGhee in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. De Cosmo is survived by his wife, Aris, and son, Marcello.

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The Pune police arrested a man for beating his sister's former lover to death in Pimpri-Chinchwad on Tuesday for opposing her marriage with another man. Police said that the man got into a fight with his sister's former boyfriend and hit him with a metal pipe, thereby killing him instantly.

According to Hindustan Times, the assailant, identified as Santosh Chaudhury allegedly had a tiff with his sister's former lover, Yuvak Waghmare (22). Waghmare had opposed the girl's marriage to another man. The girl's brother Chaudhury was furious with Waghmare as he had learned that her sister ended her relationship with him after she got know that he is already married.

Senior police inspector Vivek Lawand of Dighi police station said, "The girl parted with Waghmare after realising that he is married and also has a daughter." However, Waghmare still wanted to marry the girl and hence he planned to have a talk with her brother Santosh Chaudhury in connection with his sister's wedding to another man.

Waghmare on Tuesday approached Chaudhury while he was at his paan shop outside Hotel Ajinkya in Magazine chowk. Both had heated argument over the impending wedding of Chaudhury's sister and got into a fight. Chaudhury, in a fit of rage, bludgeoned Waghmare’s head with a metal pipe that killed him instantly. The body was later taken to Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital for post-mortem.

As per the police, the deceased Waghmare was working for a consultancy and was deployed in the operations department of a mall in Vimanagar, whereas Chaudhury, who is in his twenties, hails from Bihar and runs a paan shop in Dighi.

Chaudhury has been was arrested on Tuesday by officials of the Dighi police station and a case has been registered against him under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). 

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Pune: Fire broke out at a garage of Shivneri luxury buses in Pune on Wednesday. The garage of Shivneri luxury buses is owned by Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). "Two fire tenders along with two water tankers are present at the spot," officials told ANI.

However, no casualties have been reported so far. Further details in the matter are still awaited.

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A class 12 student allegedly committed suicide in Gurugram's upscale residential condominium in DLF phase 5 area on Tuesday night The deceased, a resident of DLF Carlton Estate, jumped from the balcony of his flat on 11th floor of the building at around 11 p.m. on Tuesday. The local police is investigating his alleged involvement in Bois Locker Room Instagram account.

"We have seized his mobile phone and sent to forensic lab for analysis. We have also involved cyber crime cell to investigate his social media accounts and nature of chatting he does, to understand his character and possible reason of taking extreme step," said Deepak Kumar, SHO of sector 53 police station.

The police official ruled out any foul play during preliminary investigation. The deceased has not left any suicide note. Further action will be taken only after detailed reports of his mobile analysis is received. As of now, legal proceedings under CrPC 174 have been initiated.

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X Ray: The Inner Image is a story of lust. A young man is alone at home one rainy night. A young girl comes knocking on his door with a request to fix her car which won’t start. Since it is raining and locating a car mechanic seems to be an almost impossible task, the man offers her his home to spend the night. But he loses control over himself when he sees the girl changing into dry clothes for the night. His lusty and carnal desires get the better of him. The girl is devastated when he advances towards her. What happens thereafter?

Even after 70 years of Independence, there is a segment of our society which has not freed from Its narrow-minded mentality. It's a segment of male dominating society which consider women inferior to men and make them deprived of the respect they deserve for. Women is the mother of a society and a good society can never be made without respecting women. There are women in society who decide to fight for their rights. ‘Astounding Courage In Distress’ is the story of such a girl Ruhana, who doesn't loose her hope in adverse conditions and fight bravely for her rights and achieve her target. Ruhana becomes a role model for society. Ruhana, born in a poor Muslim family of Pratapgarh, is a lovely daughter of her parents. Her parents want to educate her so that she can be successful in life. Ruhana is also a hardworking girl. The small family is very happy but one day Abbu (Ruhana's father) dies in a accident. A big struggle starts for the family. Poverty has become a nightmare for them. Ruhana gets the news that her school has organized a race with a prize money of Rs 5000. Ruhana registers her name for the race. She hides this from her mother, Shabana because she won't allow Ruhana to participate in race because of board exams. Abhishek is the sport teacher in Ruhana's school and he is training all participants for this race. Abhishek is very hard at rules. He gets impressed by Ruhana’s hardwork and trains her specially. Meanwhile, Bilaal, a distant relative of Ruhana, comes to India from Dubai for watching a Property. Bilaal is sad for the death of his cousin brother and helps his family in this tough time. Ruhana takes Bilaal as father figure. After some time, he goes back to Dubai. Shabana starts working in a shop. She does mistakes and get insulted. Its painful for Ruhana and therefore she gives training to her mother about all products in the shop. This makes Shabana's job very easy. Ruhana takes all responsibilities of family and simultaneously also prepares for race and board exams. Bilaal comes back India and this time he goes with Shabana, Ruhana to watch a girl for marriage. He rejects the girl and Ruhana makes fun of whole incidence. One day, Bilaal is sitting with his friends and they talk about marriage. His friends advise him of marrying Ruhana as they think she loves him that’s why she is coming so close to him. This changes Bilaal’s way of thinking and he keep this proposal in front of Shabana. He also creates problem in Ruhana’s school life. Shabana asks Bilaal to leave them which makes him furious and he decides to take a revenge on them. He also attacks Abhishek in frustration. Shabana and Ruhana forget this all and starts living happily. Ruhana not only comes first in race but also comes top in her board examination. Everything is going good but suddenly something happens which puts a big question on her future, her dreams, her life. An Acid attack which burns not only her body but also her dreams. Her future depends only on her strong determination. Will the double standard hypocrites of society survive the willpower and strong determination talented girl?

Actor Dwayne Johnson just made his teacher's dream come true! The actor sent out a congratulatory message to Carol Propst, an English teacher at Virginia High School, who was retiring after working for 39 years as a teacher. One of her colleagues reached out to Johnson on Twitter and the actor obliged with a video message.

"Today I received the ultimate retirement send-off: a personalized message from Dwayne @TheRock Johnson! Thanks to all my beloved students and colleagues. BVPS, YOU ROCK! #propstrocks," Propst shared on Twitter.

So it happened. I’ll tell the story in a series of tweets but @TheRock reached out to us to surprise @PropstMiss. @news5wcyb videoed it and will run a segment about it tonight at 10. THANK YOU to Dwayne Johnson! Thank you to @garyskeen01 for his major role in this. #propstrocks https://t.co/aVojzFIUcg pic.twitter.com/o4nhmHc4bc

— Noah Ashbrook (@Mr_Ashbrook) May 6, 2020

Dwayne was heard saying, "Hey Carole, Dwayne Johnson here. I wanted to take a moment to say congratulations. Congratulations, Carole, for your retirement from Virginia High School after 39 amazing, incredible years. Wow!"

"Carol. Congratulations! I am so happy for you, and I am so proud of you. And, being that this is teacher appreciation week, on behalf of all parents, Carole I say thank you. Thank you and thank all of your fellow teachers for your wisdom, for your love, for your care, for your discipline — which I needed a lot if you were my teacher. But thank you so much for educating and for caring for our kids," he said.

Day 71. So do I now send our 70 days of thank you tweets to @TheRock? To understand the whole story you first need to see his video he sent to @PropstMiss. I’m editing her reaction video and will post it soon. pic.twitter.com/Sqcin0cOUM

— Noah Ashbrook (@Mr_Ashbrook) May 6, 2020

Dwayne Johnson also sent a gift package to her which included a tequila brand as he said that they would share it one day together.

Seeing her reaction, he responded on Twitter by saying, "Awww I love seeing this. Her reaction is just beautiful. Things like this are the best part of fame."

I‘ll ride with you, Carol ????????????❤️ https://t.co/tevJCWmcAY

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) May 7, 2020

ALSO READ: Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt to reunite for movie adaptation of Ball and Chain

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.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

#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!

Anil Kapoor and Sunita Kapoor seem to be enjoying the lockdown with indoor games and he makes sure to get as much exercise in as possible. Being a fitness enthusiast, he makes sure to get his daily dose of workout in even during leisure hours. With nothing much to do during the lockdown, he engaged in a fun round of carrom with his wife, Sunita Kapoor.

Anil Kapoor took to his Instagram to share a couple of pictures where Sunita and Rhea Kapoor candidly capture the moments. Anil, Sunita, Rhea, and Harshwardhan Kapoor are at their house in Mumbai while Sonam Kapoor Ahuja and Anand Ahuja are in Delhi. Take a look at the pictures that Anil Kapoor posted.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

And the winner is.... Me (Obviously)! ⁣ 1 ???? : @kapoor.sunita ⁣ 2 ???? : @rheakapoor ⁣ ⁣ #quarantinegames #chasingthequeen #candids #stayhomestaysafe

A post shared by anilskapoor (@anilskapoor) on May 7, 2020 at 7:47am PDT

On the work front, Anil Kapoor will next be seen in Karan Johar’s multi-starrer magnum opus, Takht.

Also Read: Disha Patani, Anil Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapur, Kunal Kemmu are all smiles during their virtual reunion!

Arti Singh was one of the most popular contestants of Bigg Boss 13. The actress who is comedian Krushna Abhishek's sister had a rather interesting journey while inside the house and even made it to the top 5.

Arti's marriage was one of the most discussed topics on the show. She had expressed her desire to get married by the end of the year. The viewers started pairing her with some of the co-contestants and her sister-in-law Kashmera Shah also suggested that she explore her friendship with fellow contestant Sidharth Shukla.

Talking to a daily, Arti Singh said that she is searching for the right man. She said that she would prefer a love marriage but is open to an arranged match as well.

Arti said that she wishes to meet someone during the lockdown because they will then get ample time to chat with each other, even if they cannot physically meet.

ALSO READ: Arti Singh shares a jaw-dropping before and after picture of her physical transformation

A non-invasive system being developed by EU-funded researchers could make radiotherapy a safer and more-effective treatment for cancer patients by creating a visual dosage map of the tumour and the surrounding healthy tissue.

A medicine developed by EU-funded researchers has been approved to treat children with the degenerative and fatal genetic disease Duchenne muscular dystrophy. A major clinical trial is expected to announce positive results soon.

Former Arsenal manager Unai Emery's ex-girlfriend Sacha Wright, 35, has told British tabloid, The Sun that he blamed her for his sacking last year.

Unai, 48, who joined Arsenal on May 2018 on a two-year deal, was sacked by the team management in November last year, following a poor run. Sacha claimed that Unai called her a "white witch" and blamed her for his team's failure.

"I trusted Unai and believed we would get married and have kids. I thought he was a gentleman and a family man. But in the end I realised he was not ready for a serious relationship," said Sacha, who first dumped Unai in September only to take him back in December.

"It was then that he blamed me for getting him the sack. He said I was a white witch as I brought him bad luck. He said the team began losing the day we broke up," said Sacha, who finally left Unai in March.

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Derby County have thanked captain Wayne Rooney for the leading role he played in the club agreeing a wage deferral with players to help the English Championship club survive the coronavirus crisis. Manager Phillip Cocu, his coaching staff, executives and non-playing staff have also deferred part of their salary. "First team players have voluntarily agreed a substantial deferral that is considerably more than has been reported in the media, while Phillip Cocu and his coaching team, and Chief Executive Officer Stephen Pearce and his staff have also agreed significant deferrals," Derby said in a statement.

"Talks across the club have been held in the spirit of unity and co-operation, and everyone has been fully committed to help and play their part. "The club would specifically like to thank Wayne Rooney, the team captain, and Curtis Davies, the Professional Footballers Association's club representative, for their help and support."

Derby seem set for another season in the second tier as they lay 12th in the table when the COVID-19 outbreak brought football to a halt last month. A failure to finish the season is forecast to cost Premier League clubs an estimated ?1 billion ($1.2 billion).

However, the effects of the economic crisis could be even more severe further down the football pyramid as many clubs face a battle to survive.

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During the COVID-19 lockdown, individuals are losing patience -- moving freely and not following the necessary social distancing. This lack of civic sense and maturity on their part is weakening our fight against the deadly contagion pathogen.

The capital markets, as a result, also has witnessed intense volatility and bears are running lose. Certain sections of investors, however, have shown tremendous maturity during these challenging times.

At a time when Foreign Portfolio Investors (FIIs) have net sold or dumped Indian equities (owing to markets worldwide falling sharply and margin calls being hit), domestic fund managers are looking for value-buying opportunities in the carnage of the markets.

It is also heartening to see retail and High Net-worth Individuals (HNIs) buying into various equity-oriented mutual funds in a lump sum as well as the SIP (Systematic Investment Plan) mode. Monthly SIP inflows have touched a record high in March 2020 and the SIP folios, too, surged to 3.12 crore.

However, in debt-oriented schemes, investors seem to be pressing the panic button. The mutual fund industry recorded a net outflow of Rs 1.95 trillion in March 2020. Barring Overnight Funds and Gilt Funds, all other sub-categories of debt mutual funds have reported an outflow in March 2020.

Advance tax payment obligations, deterioration in asset quality, potential risk of defaults in the COVID-19 lockdown, and heightened volatility in the Indian debt market are some of the key reasons for outflows from debt-oriented mutual schemes.

[Read: Why Investors Pulled Out Money from Debt Mutual Fund Schemes in March]

The massive outflows were also seen from the Liquid Funds and Arbitrage Funds.

Table 1: Action in March 2020

Unprecedented redemptions in the Arbitrage Funds and Liquid Funds, as well as the net inflows recorded by the overnight funds, suggest that investors preferred safety over returns. As you know, liquidity is a key concern as the world continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some arbitrage schemes such as Tata Arbitrage Fund and ICICI Prudential Equity-Arbitrage Fund had stopped taking in fresh subscriptions in the third week of March 2020 for the lack of arbitrage opportunities as markets faced broad-based selling.

But now markets are finding some sort of stability and bouncing back -- rallied over 20% from March lows - although the bears continue to run loose.

So, is it a time to consider arbitrage funds again?

Yes, I think so.

Arbitrage Funds aims to exploit the price differential in two different segments (spot and futures or cash and derivatives) of the equity market. They buy stocks in the spot market and sell in the future market simultaneously thereby making gains with the price differential (called the spread).

The differential usually is in sync with the prevailing interest rates in the economy; but depending on the market volatility, it could sometimes be higher as well. That being said, these are short-term opportunities that spring up due to lack of information to a set of market participants in one of the markets.

The capital market regulator's mutual fund categorisation and rationalisation mandates that an Arbitrage Fund must strictly follow the arbitrage strategy and invest at least 65% of its total assets in equity & equity related instruments.

Since the transactions are in either direction, the positions are completely hedged. And the remaining 35% of the total asset is deployed in debt and money market instruments.

In March 2020, when the stock futures started quoting at a discount to the spot prices in the cash market, it was a concern. But now that we have seen some sharp up-moves in the Indian equity markets as the government has done relatively well in containing the spread of the deadly virus (compared to other nations) and thanks to the prompt fiscal measures also have been taken -- both by the Ministry of Finance (the Rs 1.75 trillion package) and the Reserve Bank of India (by reducing policy rates sharply, keeping monetary policy stance 'accommodative as long as it is necessary', and ensuring enough liquidity in the system) -- in my view, it would be perceived positively by the markets in times to come and enough arbitrage opportunities would be available. It is possible that Arbitrage Funds may even perform a tad better vis-a-vis Liquid Funds.

Table 2: Report Card of Arbitrage Fund, Liquid Funds and Short Duration Funds

Over the last one year, the returns generated by Arbitrage Funds have been quite satisfactory. In fact, these funds have outperformed those clocked by Liquid Funds. The 3-month returns clocked by Arbitrage Funds have been almost at par with Liquid Funds.

Do note that an Arbitrage Fund carries low risk and the returns depend on the market conditions and fund manager's ability to reap rewards from arbitrage opportunities.

Short-Term Capital Gains (i.e. realised profits within a year) on arbitrage funds are taxed at 15%, while the Long-Term Capital Gains (i.e. gains made after staying invested for more than a year) are taxed at 10% for gains above Rs 1 lakh in a financial year.

To park money for the short-term for an investment time horizon up to 1-year, you may consider investing in an Arbitrage Fund.

And if you have an extreme short-term time horizon (of 3 to 6 months), consider a Liquid Fund with high-quality debt papers, which does not have high exposure to Commercial Papers (issued by private entities).

Alternatively, if you wish to park in a much safer category, you would be better off investing in an Overnight Funds.

Happy Investing!

PS: If you wish to select worthy mutual fund schemes, I recommend you to subscribe to PersonalFN's unbiased premium research service, FundSelect.

Additionally, as a bonus, you get access to PersonalFN's popular debt mutual fund service, DebtSelect.

Each fund recommended under FundSelect goes through our stringent process, where they are tested on both quantitative as well as qualitative parameters.

Every month, PersonalFN's FundSelect service will provide you with insightful and practical guidance on equity mutual funds and debt schemes - the ones to Buy, Hold, or Sell.

If you are serious about investing in a rewarding mutual fund scheme, Subscribe now!

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Author: Rounaq Neroy

This article first appeared on PersonalFN here.

PersonalFN is a Mumbai based personal finance firm offering Financial Planning and Mutual Fund Research services.

Disclaimer:
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Former US Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 in March, said Saturday that he has now tested negative for the virus. "All right everyone, great news for me and my wife, Melissa, we both tested negative for COVID-19," McEnroe said in a video posted on Twitter. "We just got the tests back this morning.

The 53-year-old younger brother of seven-time Grand Slam singles champion John McEnroe, said he was tested at the same drive-up facility in suburban Westchester County, New York, where he obtained his initial test. He said the procedure was even more efficient, with more technicians testing six lines of patients instead of two. "I know we're talking a lot about testing on TV, we need more of them, we all know that. It was great to see this going so well for us and for New York state in general," said McEnroe, who quarantined at home during his illness. New York state has seen more than 12,000 deaths from COVID-19, although the state reported its lowest one-day death toll in two weeks on Saturday of 540. McEnroe said that as someone who had recovered from the virus he hoped to be able to contribute to the fight against the disease. "Now I'll try to go for the antibody test when that's available to give my blood, my plasma," he said.

Researchers are studying treatments in which coronavirus patients are given blood plasma from recovered individuals who have developed antibodies that can fight the disease. "Still thinking about everyone on the front lines," McEnroe concluded. "We've got to stay the course." McEnroe, who had first tweeted a video announcing his diagnosis from the basement of his home, was outdoors in the sunshine on Saturday. McEnroe won his only ATP singles title in 1995 at Sydney. He captured a Grand Slam doubles crown at the 1989 French Open alongside compatriot Jim Grabb. He was captain of the 2007 US Davis Cup squad that beat Russia 4-1 in the final at Portland, Oregon.

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While tourists from across the world come to Goa to enjoy on its picturesque beaches, the locals have of late been holidaying in the state's hinterland to get respite from the summer heat and humidity. Several Goans have been rushing these days to the riverfronts in the rural talukas of Sanguem in South Goa district and Sattari in North Goa district, thus encouraging a new trend of 'agro-tourism' in the state.

There are at least 100 farms in Goa, which operate seasonally, mostly in summer, away from the beaches, a senior state tourism official said. "While foreign and domestic tourists enjoy on the beaches, the locals in the beach belt try to search for something else. The agro-tourism has, thus, come as a good alternative," Goa's tourism minister Manohar Ajgaonkar said. The state government plans to provide all possible help to boost this hinterland tourism, he said.

"We aim to provide a diverse experience to the visitors. They should know all facets of Goa, right from beaches to our green hinterland," Ajgaonkar said. Prashant Desai, the son of former panchayat minister Venkatesh Desai, has turned a bushy patch at Advai village in Sattari into an agro-tourism destination. "The initial concept was to have modern farming with the cross plantation of banana, areca nut, coconut, papaya, lemon and other trees. But, a few of my well-wishers suggested that I should develop this place into a farm to attract tourists," he said. Now, the locals in large numbers throng the place, famous as the 'peacock farm'.

"My weekends since last four months have been full and now with the vacations on, we have advanced bookings even on weekdays," Desai said.
He claimed that about 90 per cent of the people coming to his farm were locals, while 10 per cent were visitors from other places, including Mumbai, who got to know about it through the social media. In the hinterland, one can also find inspirational stories of aspiring tourism entrepreneurs. Ramchandra Salgaoncar, who manages a papaya farm at Bhironda village in Sattari, left his cushy corporate job to venture into 'agro-tourism'. "I left my job in October last year and since then have been associated with this project of agro-tourism. It is a satisfying experience," Salgaoncar said. While Goa has the image of being a beach destination, several hotel owners from the coastal belt drive to Salgaoncar's farm to enjoy a quiet vacation during weekdays.

"The hoteliers are busy during weekends at their own resorts, so they can spare time to visit the farm only on weekdays," he said. The agro-tourism concept has been welcomed by professionals from various fields in the state and also young students, who prefer to skip weekends and get some discounts during weekdays to enjoy at these farms, Salgaoncar said. "The concept of tourism has changed. Now, people don't want to go to public places with their families. They want a private space where their families can safely enjoy. That is where small farms like ours flourish," he said. The Tanshikar farm in Sanguem taluka has been among the first few 'agro-tourism' ventures. Chinmay Tanshikar, who turned his ancestral farm into a tourist attraction, claimed that the number of visitors to his place has been increasing every year. "The word of mouth publicity works better than any other media campaign," he said.

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New Delhi: Technology can help children learn and stimulate them to think in new and positive ways, but it needs to be balanced with experiential learning in order to ensure the holistic development of a child, say experts.

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Parents can, for instance, look at supplemental activities like gardening. Gardening can not only teach children new skills, self-confidence, and responsibility but can also be a lot of fun for children.

Kashish A Chhabria, counselling psychologist and psychotherapist, and Hemant Mittal, consultant psychiatrist, and counsellor, highlights some do's and don'ts that you may consider using as a guide.

Do's
>> Monitor you child's media consumption, including video games, television, movies, and internet. Make sure you activate the restricted mode when kids use the internet.

>> Communicate with your child about what they observe in video games, television programs or movies. Ask them how they feel about the media they have access to and discuss it with them.

>> Incorporate new activities into your child's life. These can be educational as well as fun. There are games available which teach children about gardening and the different types of plants found in India.

>> Engage children in outdoor activities like nature walks and hikes to get them excited about the interesting flora and fauna prevalent in India.

>> Do get down on the soil with bare hands and feet with your child. It is absolutely okay to be "dirty". (until and unless suggested otherwise by a health practitioner).

Don'ts
>> Learn to negotiate, if your child demands the latest tablet or mobile phone for his or her birthday, give in to their demands provided your child agreed to go for a walk outdoors with you or spends 2 hours thrice a day playing a hands-on experiential game.

>> Do not set up electronic devices in a child's bedroom.

>> Do not allow unlimited access to media instead lay down ground rules. For example, place a time limit on how often or long a child is allowed to use an electronic device, including games and television.

New York: Maintaining strong social networks with positive, warm and trusting friendships in old age might be key to slowing down age-related decline in memory and brain functioning, researchers say.

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The findings showed that superagers -- who are 80 years and older -- who have the cognitive ability at least as good as people in their 50s or 60s can have more satisfying, high-quality relationships compared to their cognitively average, same-age peers.

"This study supports the theory that maintaining strong social networks seems to be linked to slower cognitive decline," said Emily Rogalski, Associate Professor at the Northwestern University in the US.

"The study is particularly exciting as a step toward understanding what factors underlie the preservation of cognitive ability in advanced age, particularly those that may be modifiable," added Amanda Cook, doctoral student at the varsity.

Previous studies have shown psychological well-being in older age to be associated with reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's dementia.

"It's not as simple as saying if you have a strong social network, you'll never get Alzheimer's disease," Rogalski said.

"But if there is a list of healthy choices one can make, such as eating a certain diet and not smoking, maintaining strong social networks may be an important one on that list," Rogalski noted.

For the study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, the participants answered a 42-item questionnaire called the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale, which is a widely used to measure of psychological well-being.

The scale examines six aspects of psychological well-being: autonomy, positive relations with others, environmental mastery, personal growth, purpose in life and self-acceptance.

Superagers scored a median overall score of 40 in positive relations with others while the control group scored 36 -- a significant difference, Rogalski said.

Gestational diabetes -- high blood sugar condition during pregnancy -- may cause early-stage kidney damage that can later lead to chronic kidney diseases among women, reported a study.

The study showed that women with gestational diabetes were more likely to have a high glomerular filtration rate (GFR) -- an estimate of how much blood per minute passes through the glomeruli, the tiny filters within kidneys that extract waste from the blood.

Women with gestational diabetes had more than triple the risk of an elevated GFR, which may precede the early kidney damage that accompanies pre-diabetes -- a condition with higher blood sugar levels but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.

"Our findings suggest that women who have had gestational diabetes may benefit from periodic checkups to detect early-stage kidney damage and receive subsequent treatment," said Cuilin Zhang from National Institutes of Health's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) in Maryland, US.

The study, published in the journal Diabetes Care, included data from 601 Danish women having gestational diabetes and 613 non-diabetic women.

The results showed that women who had gestational diabetes and later developed diabetes were approximately nine times more likely to have an elevated GFR later in life, compared to women who did not have gestational diabetes.

They were also likely to have an elevated urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR), which is an indicator of kidney disease.

The study could not prove that gestational diabetes causes kidney damage, and the authors noted that more research is needed to confirm their findings.

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Ameya Davda and Devak Davda at the Sewri facility. Pic/Datta Kumbhar

If there is one problem that most of us perennially face in our daily lives, it is the lack of storage space. But, one man's problem could well be another man's opportunity. Entrepreneurs Ameya Davda and Devak Davda's startup, Space Valet, is a case in point. Their recently launched service aims to be a one-stop storage solution that offers private, lockable and secure self-storage units of various sizes to stash your belongings.

Home away from home
"Think of it as the sophisticated spare closet or stock room you've always longed for in Mumbai," says Davda who along with his cousin Devak came up with this idea when they returned to India after completing their studies abroad. "I was in California and Devak in London, and while we were there, we learnt how popular cell storage is among people. It's a 60-year- old concept and almost a 40-billion dollar industry," he adds. On returning to Mumbai, Davda teamed up with his cousin to launch the startup which they felt would be a good fit in an overcrowded city. They then conducted a survey to find out if people would avail of a service like this. "People are always on the lookout for additional storage space, more so in Mumbai," he says. The top reasons for self-storage rental, he observed, was the lack of storage space at home, temporary storage while moving, and storing things people don't want or need. The most popular things being stored are wedding outfits and furniture.

A walk-in closet

How it works
The process is simple. You either call up the facility or browse the website and find a suitable storage plan. You then order as many boxes as you need, and then pack and label your belongings. "You don't need to move a finger. Our tie up with Movers and Packers ensures a pick-up facility. When you want your stuff back, go online and click on the tab to recall the boxes," he explains. The plan starts from R299 a month and goes up to R11,000. Storage options range from boxes to a large store room. The key to the storage lies with the customer only. Cleanliness and security are common concerns among customers, according to the results of their survey. The facility, therefore, has a designated person to solely look after the cleanliness of the storage space. There's also a 24x7 security and surveillance to keep the goods safe. "We maintain the right kind of environment so that your possessions don't deteriorate over time," he says. Now, the big challenge for the duo is to popularise the concept. "We want to educate people that this is a viable solution to your space crunch."

Where: www.spacevalet.in
Price: Rs 299 onward
Call: 9930832832

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Swaminathan

Born to a long line of musical heritage, V Selvaganesh first brush with music maestros was at home itself. His father, TH Vinayakam, fondly known as Vikku Vinayakam is a Grammy winning ghatam player, while his grandfather TR Harihara Sharma was among the pioneers of percussion in India. "I believe that I am blessed to be a part of a heritage that has made music its tradition rather than just a profession," says Selvaganesh, who is touted as the 'kanjira king'. He along with his son Swaminathan will be in the city to match beats in what promises to be a fun concert.

Speaking of his son, Selvaganesh says, "To perform alongside your child on one stage is a feeling that cannot be described. Swaminathan is an amazing son and a musician and most of the credit goes to my father. He is the one under whom Swami has trained." This father-son duo entirely relies on the magic of spontaneity when it comes to performing. "Our performances are not planned or rehearsed because everything is about that moment. It's like we play question and answers in the language of music. I throw questions at him and he responds. So, if you have to expect anything from this concert, that would be nothing. Everything will happen in that moment and you have to be there to witness it," he says.

Swaminathan will be playing the Kanjira with his father Selvaganesh

His first instrument of choice was the mridangam. But, despite that his grandfather would urge him to play the kanjira. "He made me understand that very few people are keen on playing the instrument, and fewer are good at it. When I realised it, I took up this instrument and weaved my career around it. Today, to have an entire album revolving around this instrument is a very proud feeling," says Selvaganesh.

When: 9 pm, June 1
Where: The Quarter
Entry: Rs 749-Rs 1,499
Log on to: insider.in

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Google has rewarded an Uruguayan teenager a "bug bounty" of more than $36,000 for disclosing a severe security flaw. Ezequiel Pereira's sporadic poking around has finally paid off in a big way: Google just awarded the Uruguayan teenager $36,337 for finding a vulnerability that would have allowed him to make changes to internal company systems, CNBC reported on Saturday.

"I found something almost immediately that was worth $500 and it just felt so amazing. So I decided to just keep trying ever since then," Pereira was quoted as saying by CNBC.

"It feels really good - I'm glad that I found something that was so important," he added.

Although, Pereira found the bug earlier this year, he only just got permission to write about how he discovered it this week, after Google confirmed that it had fixed the issue, the report said.

It marks Pereira's fifth accepted bug, but it's by far his most lucrative.

Pereira was about a month shy of 17 when he first got paid for exposing a Google security flaw through its bug bounty programme.

Pereira got his first computer when he was 10, took an initial programming class when he was 11 and then spent years teaching himself different coding languages and techniques.

In 2016, Google flew him to its California headquarters after he won a coding contest.

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The Swiss Federal Tax Administration has confirmed that it has transmitted its first spontaneous information reports on advance tax rulings to exchange of information partner states.

I request you to kindly give me your advise on GST which is going to be implemented very shortly. Thanks and Regards, Varadarajan Kasturi..

Can I Open account with zero brokerage company for share buy/sell.Whether it is safe? Please clarify..

Former Pakistan first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfraz has died of COVID-19. According to a report in geo.tv, Zafar succumbed to the novel coronavirus at the Lady Reading Hospital late Monday. The 50-year old is the first professional cricket player from Pakistan to succumb to the coronavirus, after testing positive last Tuesday. He had been on a ventilator for the past three days, hospital officials added.

Zafar, a left-handed batter and slow left-arm orthodox bowler, played first-class cricket from 1988 to 1994 and List A cricket from 1990 to 1992. He made 616 runs from 15 first-class games for Peshawar and also had 96 runs from six one-day games before retiring in 1994 and moving on to coach both the senior and the Under-19 Peshawar teams in the mid-2000s.

Zafar was the brother of late Pakistan international cricketer Akhtar Sarfraz, who went on to play four ODIs between December 1997 and October 1998, scoring 66 runs in four innings.

Last month, great Pakistani squash player Azam Khan had also died of novel coronavirus at the age of 95. Azam, who won four consecutive British Open titles between 1959-62, had tested positive for COVID-19 in March end and breathed his last in London's Ealing Hospital.

Over 5,000 confirmed coronavirus cases have been reported so far in Pakistan, including 96 deaths.

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The novel Coronavirus has been wrecking havoc in the world with scores of people infected and many lives claimed. Amid a time when countries are imposing lockdown on their citizens, restricting their movements, a digital artist posted a cryptic message of hope with a picture that has gone viral.

Phil Shaw, a digital printmaker posted a picture of a stack of books on a shelf, placed in a way that the titles when read together, forms a message about the pandemic and social distancing. He uses bestsellers such as Stephen King’s It, Adam Thorpe’s Still, Ginger Simpson’s Hope Springs Eternal and Mark Billingham’s In The Dark among others.

The UK-born artist posted the picture on his Instagram page last week, captioned, “Shelf isolation 2 - the story so far...” that has received 2,854 likes so far. The cryptic message in the books kept in the first shelf reads, “"The English patient had caught it on the beach. I should have stayed at home she said. Now she was in quarantine in the dark house of splendid isolation.

The books placed in the second shelf reads, “"Still hope springs eternal with a little bit of luck and personal hygiene. The corona book of horror stories must end soon. Always remember clean hands save lives and when in doubt don't go out!"

 

 

 

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A post shared by Phil Shaw (@philshaw775) onApr 10, 2020 at 1:20am PDT

Since it was posted online, it has been received comments of praise from netizens across the globe. One user said, “this is FANTASTIC!” Another user said, “Wow... Did you have all these books already? Perhaps I should try reorganising my bookshelves.” A user said, “I love how the last book on the top shelf promises the hopeful turn that plays out on the bottom. Bravo!

This is not the first time Shaw has posted such a picture. Here’s another picture of a book artwork where he conveys a message about social distancing.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Phil Shaw (@philshaw775) onMar 31, 2020 at 6:45am PDT

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Doctors and nurses in England will be asked to treat Coronavirus patients without fully protective gowns and to reuse equipment due to shortage fears, a media report said on Saturday.

The decision came in a reversal of guidance to hospitals from Public Health England (PHE) on Friday. Earlier this week, it was reported that the plan was being considered as a "last resort". It comes as National Health Service (NHS) providers warned some hospitals' supplies could run out in 24 hours. Chris Hopson, head of the association, which represents healthcare trusts across England, said in a tweet: "We have now reached the point where the national stock of fully fluid repellent gowns and long-sleeved laboratory coats will be exhausted in the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours."

He said that national leaders have left "no stone unturned" —but gowns that were ordered weeks ago are currently only arriving in "fits and starts". PHE changed its guidance, which until now required long-sleeved, disposable, fluid-repellent gowns for people treating COVID-19 patients. Now it says that if these gowns were not available, staff can wear washable medical gowns or non-fluid- repellent equipment. At least 50 NHS workers have died after contracting the virus. The UK has recorded a total of 1,04,769 Coronavirus cases with 14,607 deaths.

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A man disguised as a police officer went on a shooting rampage in Canada's Nova Scotia province, killing 16 people, in the deadliest such attack in the country's history, officials said, adding that the suspected gunman was also dead.

On Sunday, several bodies were found inside and outside a residence in the small town of Portapique, about 100 km north of Halifax, what police called the first scene, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) said in a news report.

Bodies were also found at other locations.

Overnight, police began advising residents of the town, already on lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic, to lock their doors and stay in their basements.

Several homes in the area were set on fire as well.

Police identified the man believed to be the shooter as Gabriel Wortman, 51, who was thought to live part-time in Portapique.

Authorities said he wore a police uniform at one point and made his car look like a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer.

Police first announced that they had arrested Wortman at a gas station in Enfield, outside Halifax, but later said he had died. It was not clear how, and they did not explain further.

RCMP spokesman Daniel Brien confirmed that 16 people had been killed in addition to the suspect, the CBC reported.

While they believe the attack did not begin as random, police did not say what the initial motive was.

RCMP Chief Superintendent Chris Leather said many of the victims did not know the shooter.

"That fact that this individual had a uniform and a police car at his disposal certainly speaks to it not being a random act," Leather was quoted as saying in the CBC news report.

He added that police believe he acted alone, adding that gunfire was exchanged between police and the suspect at one point.

In an update on Sunday evening, RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki said the incident was not being considered terror-related at this time.

Lucki said she believed the shooter had an initial "motivation" at the beginning that "turned to randomness".

"This is one of the most senseless acts of violence in our province's history," the CBC report quoted Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil as saying.

In a statement, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: "As a country, in moments like these, we come together to support one another. Together we will mourn with the families of the victims, and help them get through this difficult time."

The number of victims in the Sunday rampage exceeds the shooting at Montreal's Ecole Polytechnique in 1989, which killed 14 women and injured 14 others in 1989.

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[Source: Research & Innovation] ‘For Europe to come out stronger after the Corona crisis, we need to already direct our investments towards game-changing innovations that create a sustainable and human centric digital future’, according to the vision statement of the European Innovation Council Advisory Board published today.

On January 11, 2020, Dutch Minister of Finance Wopke Hoekstra informed the House of Representatives about the Government's plans to restructure the tax authorities.

On March 17, 2020, the Dutch Ministry of Finance announced that the Government has adopted a package of measures intended to protect the economy from the coronavirus epidemic, including several tax changes.

On May 28, 2019, Dutch State Secretary for Finance Menno Snel issued an update on the Government's 2019 fiscal agenda, which includes an outline of tax legislative proposals that the Government intends to submit to parliament in the remainder of the year.