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Sri Lanka has offered to host the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) which has now been indefinitely suspended by the BCCI due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The 2020 IPL edition was slated to start from March 29 but with the coronavirus outbreak it was first deferred till April 15 and now with the extension of nation-wide lockdown in India till May 3, it has been indefinitely suspended.

Apparently, the Sri Lanka cricket board has written to their Indian counterparts wherein they have offered to host the IPL.

"Apparently it will cost the BCCI and its stakeholders more than $500 million to cancel the IPL," ESPNcricinfo quoted Shammi Silva, SLC president, as telling to Sinhala daily Lankadeepa.

"So perhaps they can minimise those losses by hosting the tournament in another country.

"If they play it in Sri Lanka, it's easy for Indian audiences to watch the games on TV. There's precedent for this because they've played the IPL in South Africa before. We're waiting for the Indian board to respond to our proposal," he added.

On two occasions in the past, the IPL has been shifted out of India. The 2009 edition of the IPL had been moved to South Africa due to Lok Sabha elections. In 2014, the UAE had hosted the first two weeks of IPL also because of the general assembly polls in India.

"If the Indian board does agree to play the tournament here, we're ready to provide facilities in line with the requirements and recommendations of medical professionals. It would be a substantial source of income for Sri Lankan cricket as well," Silva said.

Sri Lanka has so far registered fewer number of coronavirus cases as compared to India. Till now, the country has over 230 COVID-19 cases while seven lives have been lost in the island nation.

However, the lockdown imposed in Sri Lanka is even more severe than that in most parts of India, with a curfew having been put in place for almost four weeks. The Sri Lanka government remains optimistic about eliminating the virus from the country and if the goal is achieved, then Sri Lanka can become a viable option as an IPL venue. However, even then, the government clearance would be required to host such a big tournament.

In India, the condition is worse as more than 13,000 confirmed cases have been reported thus far with more than 400 people losing their lives to coronavirus.

BCCI is also looking at the two options of having an IPL this year. They are looking to organise the event in September and early October before the T20 World Cup in Australia or hosting it at the expense of the T20 World Cup if the ICC, Cricket Australia and other stakeholders are all in agreement.

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The 2020 edition of US Open badminton championship has been suspended by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) on Tuesday amid the coronavirus pandemic that has stalled the entire world. The World Tour Super 300 tournament was supposed to be held in Fullerton, California between June 23-28.

Over three million people have been infected by virus so far worldwide while in excess of two lakh individuals have lost their lives because of the pandemic.

"The Badminton World Federation can confirm the suspension of the YONEX US Open 2020 set to be held 23-28 June in Fullerton, California," the BWF said in a statement.

"This decision was made in close consultation and consensus with USA Badminton. BWF accepts that all relevant health, safety and logistical risks have been considered by the tournament organisers."

The US Open joins a long list of events cancelled by the BWF as earlier the Swiss Open, India Open, Malaysia Open, Singapore Open and Badminton Asia Championships were called off due to the outbreak as a precautionary measure.

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The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad has arrested a man in connection with an alleged ISIS-inspired group that wanted to carry out mass attacks at big events using poisonous chemicals, police said on Sunday. The arrest was made on Saturday from Mumbra in neighbouring Thane district and a laptop, tablet computer, hard disk, pen drives, router, mobile phones and diaries were seized from his residence, an ATS official said.

The ATS had earlier arrested eight people, and detained a minor, from Aurangabad and Thane after several teams carried out searches through January 21-22, an official said. They were charged under Indian Penal Code section 120B (criminal conspiracy) and relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Bombay Police Act. This group, during interrogation, had named the accused who was arrested Saturday, he added. He will be produced in a court on Sunday, the official
informed.

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The lockdown seems to have brought out the good side of many. Staffers of the Indian postal department have gone out of their way to ensure that elderly get their pension, senior citizens can withdraw postal savings, the differently-abled get their stipend, and hospitals get their medicals kits. Some have even contributed to ensure food for the poor.

MID-DAY spoke to some of these heroes in Navi Mumbai Postal Region, which has 1,514 post offices in Thane, Palghar, Nashik, Malegaon, Navi Mumbai and Raigad districts.

"My dedicated team is working relentlessly to provide essential services to citizens. They are instructed to follow safety rules like using masks, sanitisers and physical distancing," said Shobha Madhale, postmaster general, Navi Mumbai Region.

Shobha Madhale, postmaster general, Navi Mumbai 

Madhale added, “When we learnt that no public transport was available from March 23, we quickly came up with a plan. Directives were issued to postal officials at district levels, to ensure that adequate cash was made available at post offices, and a postal assistant to visit senior citizens, the differently-abled or pensioners at their homes and hand over cash,” she said.

Also directives were issued to ensure that all postal ATMs had cash daily and that delivery of essential items, medicines, kits and medical instruments were given priority.

Surprised by kindness

Kedare Jayram, 76, pensioner from Nashik

“My father retired as a jamadhar (senior peon) at the Niphad post office, Nashik. Ours is a joint family and it is his monthly pension of R12,000 that is a major source of income for the family even today,” said his elder son Manoj, who works with a gas agency at a monthly salary of R7,500. During the lockdown we were worried about our father going to the post office for his pension. “I was surprised by the kindness of the postal department who sent a postal assistant home with my pension,” said Kedare Jayram.

Kedare Jayram receives his pension from postal assistant Pradip Bhandwalkar

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Pradip Bhandwalkar, 32, postal assistant, Niphad Post Office

“The last day of the month, pensioners usually get their money in their postal savings account. I visited the pensioners’ homes with a withdrawal slip taking all directed precautions. I took their signature on the slip, returned to the post office a few kilometres away and came back with their money. Would he continue this after lockdown? “I would love to. It gives me pleasure and satisfaction,” Bhandwalkar said.

Sushilatai thrilled

Sushila Patil, 90, Rayande Chari, Alibaug

She is blind and is bed-bound most of the time. Her sons live outside Alibaug and her daughter takes care of her. She was happy to get R8,300, which was sent in two money orders from the treasury department.

Mehraj Ausekar with Sushila Patil at her home

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Mehraj Ausekar, 51, a postman at Poynad post office in Alibaug

He said, “I visited Sushila two days ago and saw that she is too weak and old. She gave her thumb impression on the receipt of the money order payment,” said Ausekar. “I will continue to visit Sushila with her money orders. I get satisfaction in doing something for senior citizens,” he added.

Boss hits the ground

Vitthal Hatankar, 96, pensioner, Brahmin Ali, Alibaug

“My father was the postmaster at Alibaug post office and retired in 1984. Since the lockdown I, too, was unable to collect his pension,” said Abhay Hatankar, 55, the son. “We were surprised and happy to see postmaster general, Anuradha Penkar herself coming home to hand over the pension,” said Hatankar senior.

Vitthal Hatankar with the postmaster of Alibaug post office

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Anuradha Penkar, 60, is due to retire in October

“We have around 68 senior citizens staying in and around Alibaug. We went to all their houses and gave them their pensions,” said Anuradha. “I also visited two of them staying 10 km away in Awas. They were all surprised and pleased,” she said.

Grateful to donors

Kesav Satpute, 32, pharmacy officer, Tembha Hospital, Bhayandar West

“I was on duty on April 17, when the staff of Bhayander post office visited the hospital with five cartons from Dr Pratik Jain of Delhi, who has donated 100 PPE kits for our staff,” Kesav said, adding, “We have about 100 COVID patients and apart from regular supply of PPE kits and medicines from Mira-Bhayander municipality, we are grateful to donors like Dr Jain for these PPE kits. Due to the lockdown the postal team themselves had got the parcel in their tempo and we were touched by their wonderful gesture.”

Staff from Bhayandar post office with the PPE kits that they delivered to Tembha hospital

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Subhas Churi, 60, postal department staffer

“I usually do sorting and packing work at the Bhayander post office, but due to the lockdown I decided to deliver parcels received from Mumbai airport cargo at the earliest,” said Churi. When asked if he knew he was entering a COVID dedicated hospital, Churi said, “I am told that those who fear COVID are prone to get infected, and therefore I keep my fear at bay. I know I am serving those who are treating the most vulnerable patients.”

The numbers

Collection and delivery of payments by Navi Mumbai Region (1,514 posts offices) from March 23 to April 30

• No. articles booked – 4,572
• No. of articles delivered – 16,333
• Savings Bank Payments – 1,18,893, Withdrawals – Rs 228.75 crore
• Money Orders Paid: 2,064 Amount: Rs 42,67,913
• Aadhar enabled payment system (AePS) – No. of transactions: 22,116 Amount paid – Rs 5,13,29,520/-
• Personal contribution by postal staff in Navi Mumbai region: Rs 2,16,000

Info, courtesy: PMG, Navi Mumbai region

Postal staff cooks for needy

Nearly 1,180 packets were distributed by Palghar postal division to migrants and daily wagers and their children on April 4 and April 20, at Pelhar village, Vasai, Mahim Manor highway and other places in Palghar. The money came from contribution by staffers.

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Terming the Covid-19 crisis as a wake-up call, Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus of Tata Group, on Monday slammed the housing policies under which slums are moved from one location to the another.

Speaking at a webinar, Tata said, "For the first time, the close proximity and low value structures that we have built are the cause of new problems. The last few months have taught us that we're suffering from close proximity".

"The corona issue is a wake-up call of what beholds us and what our concern is as it turns around us and holds us back. I think there should be a re-examination of what we consider to have acceptable standards in terms of quality of life. Perhaps there ought to be a revision in terms of the fact that we are dealing with communities, we're dealing with populations that need to be a part of new India," he underlined.

On the issue of slums being relocated, Ratan Tata said, "We just go to affordable housing, slum elimination. We're trying to remove slums by moving them to another location, high value housing is being put over there. Slums are the residue; we're building a vertical slum.

"For the first time, the close proximity, low value structures that we have built are the cause of new problems. The last few months have taught us that we're suffering from close proximity. We have the image we want to project of ourselves and there's a part we want to hide. We have social responsibilities as architects and builders."

He further said: "We are creating a community which we're ashamed of. We should be really driven by the desire of creating, it creates a world culture.

"I think the happenings of the last few months have should have been a wake-up call for us. We have been humbled to realise that a disease could run across the globe, totally changing the dimension of how we are and what we do."

"I think we have to consider this issue as being our problem, and not their problem. We need to concern ourselves with the quality of lives everywhere. We need to ask ourselves, are we ashamed of what we see or proud of what we see'. We need to consider urban communities as one," he said.

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New Delhi: An astounding 93.5 per cent people in the country believe that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is handling the coronavirus outbreak effectively, a survey revealed on Thursday.

The central government had imposed a 21-day nation-wide lockdown on March 25, which was later extended till May 3.

According to the IANS-C-voter COVID-19 tracker, the number of people who laid trust on the Modi government on the first day of the lockdown was 76.8 but that has now increased to 93.5 per cent as of April 21.

In the survey, the statement -- "I think the Indian government is handling the coronavirus (outbreak) well" -- was put forth before people between March 16 to April 21 and their answers were sought.

On April 16, 75.8 percent people said that they have faith in the government, but the percentage increased after the stringent curbs were imposed in the country.

Interestingly, an overall confidence in the incumbent government saw a sharp rise on April 1. A 89.9 percent people believed that the government is working well in comparison to March 31, when the percentage was 79.4

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As the deadly coronavirus infection spreads fast in India and elsewhere, even faster is the spread of fake news regarding the pandemic and experts warn this 'infodemic' can have huge economic costs for companies across the world in addition to health concerns for the public at large. While authorities have announced severe penal actions for those spreading fake news regarding this pandemic, which has already caused nearly 2 lakh deaths globally with more than 28 lakh infections since its outbreak in China last December, widespread misinformation surrounding the disease has seen people drinking disinfectants and industrial alcohol while trying various rumoured treatments.

False claims and fake news, mostly forwarded through social media platforms, have also led to several cases of religion-based attacks, hate speeches and other discriminatory activities, while cyber frauds are also on the rise with scamsters seeking to take advantage of the crisis situation. In addition to the damages caused to public health and societal behaviour, experts warn the undeterred wave of fake news poses a huge risk to corporates, for whom it becomes difficult at times to filter out the right information that is crucial for them to ensure success of their business continuity, especially when almost the entire world is locked down.

Farah Lalani, who is a community creator for media, entertainment and information industries at the Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF), said businesses need to be proactive about calling out misinformation that is spreading about their brand, directing customers to official channels and making sure there is always clear and up to date information on all their social accounts. "While bad actors, fraudsters, and uninformed users can spread fabricated or misleading information, if businesses collaborate closely with the entire media ecosystem and regulatory bodies, they can start to work together to solve this very challenging problem," she told PTI.

In India, some organisations including industry bodies and advocacy groups have begun compiling official and credible information about the COVID-19 fight and the ongoing lockdown to help companies in their preparedness for tackling the crisis. Leading advocacy group Chase India, which was among the first to start this practice right from the initial days of the COVID-19 crisis emerging as a major threat in the country, has been sending across multiple daily updates to its clients, including on the latest actions taken by the central and state governments and also on initiatives being taken by various corporates.

Experts said the correct information is necessary for companies to help them understand, analyse and then implement various new guidelines being issued by the central and state governments. "In today's circumstances, besides the current public health crisis of COVID-19 and socio-economic impact related to climate change, one of the biggest concerns is legitimate and timely sourcing of information," Chase India's co-founder and Executive Vice President Manash K Neog said.

"As a public policy consultancy, our key challenge during the pre-lockdown phase was to mitigate frenzy around rumours of lockdown for our clients as it was creating panic for the operational teams of clients. "Further to that, we have institutionalised mechanisms such as our hourly and daily COVID-19 advisory trackers for the central and state governments to support clients with timely and authentic information basis which they are able to better plan their business continuity strategies," he added.

According to experts, companies are working hard to ensure timely access to right information as costs could be too high for them if they fall for some misinformation and in such a situation the role of media is also very important. Releasing a new survey recently, which found that just about one-fourth of the consumers in India currently pay for news but nearly two-thirds are willing to pay, the WEF said the current coronavirus challenge further emphasises the indispensable role that the media plays in society today.

With social media becoming the main platform for spread of false claims, giants like Facebook and Twitter have also begun deleting such posts and taking other actions. Some of the posts deleted on such grounds include those of public figures as well, the most famous being posts shared by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in which he had claimed anti-malaria prescription drug hydroxychloroquine was an effective treatment for COVID-19.

Twitter had also deleted a post by Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro in which he had apparently endorsed a "brew" for eliminating infectious genes. Various social media platforms have also imposed several restrictions on advertisements claiming various cures for COVID-19, while hate content regarding the pandemic is also being dealt with sternly. However, all these steps have not been able to totally eradicate the fake news flow, which the World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described as 'infodemic' in the context of the novel coronavirus.

"We are not just fighting an epidemic, we are fighting an infodemic," he said, referring to fake news as something that "spreads faster and more easily than this virus". United Nations' chief Antonio Guterres too said last month that an "infodemic of misinformation" was also an enemy that we all need to fight while battling COVID-19.

"To overcome the coronavirus, we need to urgently promote 'facts and science' and 'hope and solidarity' over despair and division," he said.

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A prolonged lockdown may possibly push millions of Indians into the "margins of subsistence", former RBI Governor Duvvuri Subbarao said on Sunday while expecting a 'V' curved recovery once the COVID-19 crisis ends and the turnaround in India to be faster than some economies.

He was participating in a webinar on 'History repeats but differently – Lessons for the post Corona World', organised by the Manthan Foundation, in which former deputy governor of RBI, Usha Thorat took part.

"Because most analysts believe that this year India will actually have negative growth or growth will contract. We must remember that even ahead of the crisis two months ago our growth slowed. Now it has completely stopped. Last year growth was five per cent. Just imagine, five per cent growth last year and we are going to negative or zero growth this year, a decline of five per cent growth," he said. "It is true that India is going to perform in this crisis better than most other countries. But that is no consolation.... Because we are a very poor country and if the crisis persists and if the lockdown is not lifted soon enough, it is quite possible that millions of people will be pushed into the margins of subsistence, he said when asked about his views on the present situation.

Subbarao said that as predicted by analysts, India will have a V shaped recovery which is far better than most of the other countries. "And why do we expect a 'V' shaped recovery? Because unlike in a cyclone or in an earthquake, this is not a natural disaster constraint. No capital has been destroyed. Factories are standing. Our shops are still standing. Our people are ready to work as soon as the lockdown is lifted. So it is quite possible the recovery will be V shaped and while we have a V shaped recovery, I think India has a better chance than most of the countries," he opined.

According to him, India's recovery was faster than many other countries after the 2008 global financial crisis. On IMF's prediction that India may grow at 1.9 per cent during the current year against about five per cent in the last fiscal, Subbarao said many analysts feel that the
prediction is outdated and the growth in GDP may slip into negative. Agencies

826
Total no. of deaths due to the virus in India

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20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer came up with a radical proposal regarding the future of international tennis. The Swiss superstar suggested a merger between men's tennis body ATP and women's governing body WTA.

Federer believes this could be the right time for a merger between ATP and WTA for the betterment of the sport. The former World No.1 also explained that he isn't asking for competitions being merged but only the governing bodies.

"Am I the only one thinking that now is the time for men's and women's tennis to be united and come together as one?" Federer wrote on his Twitter handle.

"I am not talking about merging competition on the court, but merging the two governing bodies (ATP and WTA) that oversee the men's and women's professional tours."

"It's too confusing for the fans when there are different ranking systems, different logos, different websites, different tournament categories," he wrote further.

The entire sporting calender of the world is reeling due to Covid-19 pandemic and tennis is not different. The season has been put on hold with multiple tournaments being postponed or cancelled.

The second slam of the year, French Open, has been postponed from May to September while the Wimbledon was cancelled earlier this month in the wake of coronavirus crisis. Wimbledon had only been cancelled twice before, because of World War 1 and World War 2.

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Spain's tennis ace Rafael Nadal, who is in self-isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is trying to remain positive but is getting affected by the suffering of the people around him.

"I am a sentimental person, who is affected by things, and to see so many people suffering so much, so many people who have lost family their members without being able to even say goodbye...," the World No. 2 was quoted as saying by Tennis World USA.

The 19-time Grand Slam champion urged his fans to keep moving forward. "In the end, being able to give your brother or sister a hug will relieve some pain, and imagine that they have not been able to do it. You have to be positive and keep moving forward. There is no other choice. I am a super lucky guy." he added.

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New Zealand pacer Matt Henry will not be playing for England's county Kent Cricket due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and disruption to the 2020 county cricket season.

"Kent Cricket can confirm that New Zealand International Matt Henry will no longer be joining the Club for the first seven County Championship matches of 2020," the club said in a statement.

Henry was due to join Kent - for whom he starred in 2018 - for seven County Championship games at the start of the season, but with all professional cricket cancelled in the UK until May 28 at the earliest, it became clear that he would be unable to play for the club.

The Kiwi player becomes the fourth player - after Nathan Lyon, Cheteshwar Pujara and Michael Neser - to miss out on a stint in county cricket due to the virus.

Paul Downton, Kent's director of cricket, said: "Once the decision was announced by the ECB that there would be no cricket until at least the end of May it became inevitable the Matt would not be returning to Kent this season."

"The club continues to enjoy a good relationship with Matt. He has many friends here and the overwhelmingly positive feedback we received when we announced that he would return in 2020 is a measure of Matt himself: he's a fantastic person on and off the cricket field," he added.

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) is not in a hurry to take a decision whether the T20 World Cup should be postponed in the wake of COVID-19 or staged as scheduled, saying it is "exploring all options" as part of its comprehensive contingency planning for all its events. The T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in Australia from October 18 to November 15 but with all sporting events either postponed or cancelled due to the global health crisis, the fate of the tournament remains uncertain.

With Australia sealing its borders and putting restrictions on travel to contain the dreaded disease, there have been speculations that the T20 World Cup could be postponed to next year or held inside closed doors. "We are continuing with our planning for ICC events as they are, but given the rapidly evolving situation as a prudent and responsible measure we are also undertaking a comprehensive contingency planning exercise," an ICC spokesperson was quoted as saying by SkySport. "This includes exploring all options available to us based on a range of scenarios connected to the pandemic."

The T20 World Cup is still six months away and ICC said it will take a decision after consulting all stakeholders, including the Australian government. "We will continue to take advice from experts and authorities, including the Australian government and will take decisions at the appropriate time," the spokesperson said. "We will utilise all the data available to us to ensure we can take well-informed, responsible decisions that are in the best interests of our sport."

Former captain Allan Border and star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell have already given a thumbs down to the prospect of the tournament happening without spectators, while former batsman Simon Katich and wicket-keeper batsman Alex Carey feel delaying the event remains an option.

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Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is a "bit" surprised that Cricket Australia is struggling financially due to the COVID-19 pandemic but said players will work together with the governing body to overcome the crisis. With the coronavirus outbreak halting all cricketing action, Cricket Australia (CA) has laid off 80 per cent of its staff for the rest of the financial year which ends on June 30. Reports suggest that CA will run out of cash by August. "I was a bit surprised there but there has to be some impact, no doubt," Hazlewood was quoted as saying by 'Sydney Morning Herald'. Hazlewood said the financial crisis will hit cricketers too and they are ready for a reduced salary.

"We are no different from any other sport. It just depends how long it hangs around as to how much it is going to affect us, I guess. If it leads into next summer, it will be quite serious," Hazlewood said. "We're obviously partners in the game and we've always said that. We have ridden the highs and now its probably time to ride the lows, a little bit." CA and Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) had an ugly pay dispute in 2017 but Hazlewood said relations have improved since and hoped this crisis will be handled better this time. "I think the relationship is a lot better now, between the ACA and CA. It's developed a long way in the last 18 months to two years, probably," he said. "... so that will go a long way towards having this episode (handled) a lot better than last time. It's all positive from our end and I think, from both ends. "Hopefully it's a lot better communication this time and I think you will see that in the coming weeks and the coming months. As long as they show a lot of transparency on all the numbers, all the players will be pretty happy with that."

According to the MOU signed in 2017, CA has to provide ACA with revenue estimates and a national contract list for the upcoming summer by April 30 and Hazlewood expects the deadline to be met so that players can be better prepared for the financial fallout. "April 30 is what the players want and it's in the MOU but I guess these are strange times. Anything can happen," Hazlewood said. "The ideal (situation) is that they're put out before April 30 and obviously then we will know, financially, what we can get ready for and how much of a percentage is lost and how much of our contracts are affected. "The sooner we know that, the more we can plan for the next 12 months." The global health crisis, which has killed more than 1.6 lakh worldwide, has put this year's T20 World Cup and India's tour of Australia under threat.

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Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who will turn 47 on Friday, will not celebrate his birthday due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis in the country.

A source close to Tendulkar revealed cricketer's decision to ANI.

The whole country is currently dealing with the COVID-19 crisis which has claimed more than 600 deaths so far in India. In an attempt to contain coronavirus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 14 extended the nationwide lockdown until May 3.

Several sports personalities have come forward to contribute to PM-CARES Fund to help the country combat coronavirus.

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Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has fired his special aide on I&B and replaced her with a powerful former military spokesman as he revamped his media team for the second time since coming to power amid mounting criticism for failing to address key issues including the COVID-19 outbreak.

Former Army spokesman Lt Gen (retied) Asim Saleem Bajwa, who is also the chairman of the newly created China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority, has replaced Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan as the Special Assistant to the PM for information and broadcasting (I&B).

PM Khan also appointed Senator Shibli Faraz as the new information minister. Minister for Science Fawad Chaudhry announced the new appointments. The changes were made to blunt the perception that the government's media handling was not good and its work was not being properly highlighted amid the health crisis.

"The way these changes have been made will not give a good impression and help the cause of the government," analyst Ayaz Amir told Dunya TV. Pakistan has 14,079 COVID-19 cases so far.

301
No. of COVID-19 deaths in Pakistan

Now, Beijing to shut COVID-19 hospital

Authorities in Beijing are set to close a COVID-19 special hospital, Xiaotangshan Hospital, after clearing all the cases even as China reported six new infections and 40 fresh asymptomatic cases on Tuesday. The move comes days after Wuhan closed 16 temporary hospitals and discharged its last patient on Sunday.

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While marketing and promotional activity is not an immediate priority for advertisers struggling to re-build their own businesses, revenues will remain subdued through the middle of 2021

With most auto-stocks down by nearly 40-70% since February 2020, the post-COVID-19 scenario might see consumers move away from all forms of shared mobility to more personal forms of transport

Franklin Templeton: The fund house has not given any clear indication about the possible timeline within which it will liquidate all its investments and return investors' money

Highlights: Staying indoors during COVID-19 lockdown can wreak havoc on your child's mental health Keeping

Oral health has been separated from routine healthcare and health policy for too long, despite the fact that oral diseases constitutes a major global

According to Karen Villholth, a principal researcher focusing on groundwater for the International Water Management Institute, poorer rural communities in South Africa similarly struggle with groundwater issues — a problem exacerbated by the recent drought that has stricken the country.

A study across 15 cities in South Asia, Africa and South America shows that water is inaccessible and unaffordable.

New study provides incentives to boost organ supply without compromising organ quality or inducing excessively high costs of donating. The findings of

The current storm over Pinki Pramanik has kicked up more dirt than the laurels earned by the track athlete. Also, the

During the COVID-19 crisis, gardening is a great activity to reduce anxiety or get active outside. As a result, gardening is growing in popularity in

Two new apps to help the country tackle the growing new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have been created by engineering students of Sona College of Technology,

To deal with patients with general complications, videoconferencing and mobile apps have taken over the Out Patient Departments. While some hospitals

Telemedicine, home-monitoring devices, regular medical appointments, positive reinforcement from carers and health professionals could keep supported

Due to the rapidly changing world we need to be focused on tackling the social consequences of the crisis, fight poverty and social exclusion, exploiting in particular the potential of a green economy to promote growth and competitiveness. We are inspired by the OECD work in all these areas, said the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic to the OECD Council.

There is no simple remedy for fixing the post-crisis global economy. But three key ingredients for sustainable long-term growth are jobs, equality and trust, said OECD Secretary-General in Washington.

The global economic crisis has had a profound impact on people’s well-being, reaching far beyond the loss of jobs and income, and affecting citizens’ satisfaction with their lives and their trust in governments, according to a new OECD report.

Governments should treat the opioid epidemic as a public health crisis and improve treatment, care and support for people misusing opioids. Overdose deaths continue to rise, fuelled by an increase in prescription and over-prescription of opioids for pain management and the illicit drugs trade, according to a new OECD report.

The global economic crisis has had a profound impact on people’s well-being, reaching far beyond the loss of jobs and income, and affecting citizens’ satisfaction with their lives and their trust in governments, according to a new OECD report.

The global economic crisis has had a profound impact on people’s well-being, reaching far beyond the loss of jobs and income, and affecting citizens’ satisfaction with their lives and their trust in governments, according to a new OECD report.

Governments should treat the opioid epidemic as a public health crisis and improve treatment, care and support for people misusing opioids. Overdose deaths continue to rise, fuelled by an increase in prescription and over-prescription of opioids for pain management and the illicit drugs trade, according to a new OECD report.

The global economic crisis has had a profound impact on people’s well-being, reaching far beyond the loss of jobs and income, and affecting citizens’ satisfaction with their lives and their trust in governments, according to a new OECD report.

Public debt in the OECD area passed annual GDP in 2011 and is still rising. This paper was prepared for the Reserve Bank of India Second International Research Conference 2012: “Monetary Policy, Sovereign Debt and Financial Stability: The New Trilemma”, 1-2 February, 2012 in Mumbai, India

This paper describes the features of the tax, recounts the story of its interplay between fiscal adjustment and helping meet the obligations to raise taxes, and implications for competitiveness and carbon leakage, environmental effectiveness and equity issues, and draws conclusions regarding why it happened, and provides tentative insights for other countries in a similar situation.

Tax burdens and revenue collection in advanced economies are reaching record levels not seen since before the global financial crisis, but the tax mix continues varying widely across countries, according to new OECD research published today.

At the request of concerned countries, the OECD Secretariat has issued guidance on these issues based on a careful analysis of the international tax treaty rules.

Recent decades have seen rapid growth of advanced digital technologies, including high-speed computing, big data, artificial intelligence, the internet-of-things and blockchain. This “digital revolution” creates significant opportunities for all levels of government to improve the delivery of public goods and services, and to raise more and better revenue.

As a result of COVID-19, public life has come to a sudden halt and consumer spending is plummeting. How will this crisis and the policy actions taken in response affect tax revenues? And what lessons can be learned from the previous global financial crisis?

With global economic activity facing a historic drop and government spending rising dramatically, the implications of the Covid-19 crisis on public finances and tax revenues are significant.

The global economic crisis has had a profound impact on people’s well-being, reaching far beyond the loss of jobs and income, and affecting citizens’ satisfaction with their lives and their trust in governments, according to a new OECD report.

Total health spending has fallen in one of three OECD countries between 2009 and 2011, with those hardest hit by the crisis most affected. This is a sharp reversal from the strong growth in the years prior to the crisis, according to a new OECD report.

The global economic crisis has had a profound impact on people’s well-being, reaching far beyond the loss of jobs and income, and affecting citizens’ satisfaction with their lives and their trust in governments, according to a new OECD report.

The global economic crisis has had a profound impact on people’s well-being, reaching far beyond the loss of jobs and income, and affecting citizens’ satisfaction with their lives and their trust in governments, according to a new OECD report.