Yup, yet another reason that Mark Hamill is awesome. That Harrison Ford impression is really, honestly, quite good. 

Many ancient monuments are claimed to be aligned to celestial phenomena, but we now have the first statistical evidence this is the case for the Egyptian pyramids

I was scheduled to get a routine physical a while back, cancelled for obvious reasons, and last week Stevens County Medical Center called me to come in for it today, which feels odd. I guess our local clinic has not been overwhelmed — there have been zero reported cases of COVID-19 in Stevens County, perhaps […]

“Venezuela!” is the reflexive argument of the right-wingers against socialism, so it’s not surprising that a cocky gang of American thugs would decide they could just swagger in and topple the Venezuelan government — 62 stupid mercenaries against a nation of 28 million people. They were so arrogant that the head of the mercenary organization […]

Javier Lozano is much more than an authority on futsal. With two FIFA Futsal World Cup titles to his name during his time in charge of Spain, the former coach is now one of the sport’s gurus, a status he has attained thanks to his achievements and the legacy he left behind.

Head to the ninth edition of NCPA Sama'a: The Mystic Ecstasy which is back this weekend and will acquaint attendees with Sufi ideology through music and dance performances by Indian and international artists.

The three-day festival will feature four events. On the first day, for which the theme is, One truth, many paths, musician duo Sourendro and Soumyojit and Saleem Hasan Chishti and Group will perform. On day two, enjoy musical and dance acts by Sanjukta Wagh, Radhika Sood Nayak, Hitesh Dhutia and Vinayak Netke as well as a performance by the Egyptian mawlawiyah group.

End the extravaganza on a happy note with Sufiana songs and in the company of artistes Salim and Sulaiman, as well as Rajasthani folk singers.

ON February 22 to 24, 6.30 pm
AT NCPA, Sir Dorabji Tata Road, Nariman Point
CALL 66223754
COST Rs 250 to 3,000

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Yes, you would have possibly spotted him somewhere. Probably in a movie. Most thi­nk that actor Ash Chand­l­er, who is performing wi­th his outfit Redux this weekend, has taken up mu­sic recently. The tr­uth is he fi­rst came to India (fr­om the US, where he grew up) in 1999 to release a Hindi pop album, and actually started out as stand-up comedian. 

While he paid attention to his acting career, it was when he had an accident four years ago that he felt revived — as did the musician in him. And he formed Ash Chandler Redux with Angelo Colaco (drums), Keith Donald (bass), Rahul Wadhwani (keys), Ulric Sequeira (guitar), Anand Vaity (saxophone, clarinet) and Heather Andrews (vocals).

The gig will include their re­ndition of jazz standards and tango cl­a­ssics in Spanish. "I want to write songs about lo­ve, and the nature of hum­a­ns. My original work hasn't be­en political. But I do be­lieve in spreading the me­ssage that everyone has to start accepting th­e­mselves and not seek va­lidation. It's crucial for pe­ace. Every drop of bl­o­od will result in 10 mo­re drops," he concludes.

ON March 3, 7 pm
AT NCPA,Tata Theatre, Nariman Point 
LOG ON TO bookmyshow.com
Cost Rs 300 onwards

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Following an outcry from the residents of Dosti Blossom and Dosti Daffodil, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to appoint IIT-Bombay or VJTI engineers for a structural audit of the buildings, to ascertain damage to them due to excavation on the adjoining Krishna Steel plot.

On Monday, a huge landslide at the neighbouring Lloyds Estate raised serious questions about the construction going on Krishna Steel plot, which is being developed by the builder Dosti Realty Ltd. After the accident, residents of Lloyds Estate, Dosti Blossom and Dosti Daffodil alleged that the builder was doing excess excavation at Krishna Steel plot and weak shore piling has been damaging their buildings for the past year. They also claimed no action was taken by BMC and the developer to avert a mishap.

Commissioner's approval needed
Speaking to mid-day, deputy chief engineer of the Building Proposal (BP) Department (city), R S Potdar said, "We have prepared a proposal to appoint experts like IIT-Bombay or VJTI for a structural audit of these buildings. Since we don't do structural audits of private buildings, we will have to take approval from the municipal commissioner. After that we will decide the further course of action." However, residents of Dosti Blossom said that they don't know anything about BMC's plan of appointing IIT-Bombay or VJTI experts. "We met officials from the building proposal department on Wednesday but there was no word about any such plan," said a resident.

'BMC harassed us'
Residents of Dosti Blossom and Dosti Daffodil buildings have alleged that last year when they raised an alarm over the sinking portions of their compound and cracks in their buildings due to excess excavation done at Krishna Steel plot, the BMC harassed them instead of taking action against builder. On Thursday, committee members of Dosti Blossom and Dosti Daffodil showed their letters to different civic departments regarding the dangerous condition of their buildings.

Manoj Gurav of Dosti Blossom said, "Last year after April we observed cracks on the building columns and sinking in the parking area which is adjoining the plot where excavation is going on. A huge portion of our parking area had sunk about a foot. Following this we had sent letters to the builder and the BMC to take action and make the premises safe." He added, "Instead of taking action against the builder, the F-North ward of the BMC sent us a letter, and held us liable for the damage done to the building. BMC officials told us to carry out a structural audit otherwise action would be initiated against us."

Also Read: Lloyd estate wall collapse: BMC bars Dosti Realty from construction at Wadala site

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Key, Chair

As the morning sunlight casts a warm glow on a terrace in Andheri, Yash Soni hands us a small glass bottle with a cork stopper. It fits between our thumb and index finger. Glinting at us from within is a tiny guitar carved out of the nib of a pencil.

Mic and fist, Eiffel Tower

A ‘wow’ escapes our lips as we squint to check out the intricate details — there are strings, tuning pegs, a saddle and Soni’s name carved on the instrument’s body. “It took me four hours to make it,” says the 26-year-old artist, one of the few in the city creating microscopic art out of pencil lead. This weekend, he will present a live carving session at Maker Mela, an event that celebrates art, engineering and science with a DIY mindset, at KJ Somaiya’s Vidyavihar campus.

Watch, Guitar

Russian inspiration
With a professional background in event management, Mumbai-born Soni’s tryst with pencil art began two years back, when he came across the works of experimental Russian artist Salavat Fidai on Instagram. “He carved a heart within a heart on a pencil. I was fascinated. Since art had been a hobby (he has created graffiti and speed painting works), I decided to try this too. I bought a pencil, a five-rupee cutter, and tried to carve a heart in a car, while travelling to Thane, and I was able to do it,” recounts the self-taught artist, who watched Fidai’s art-making videos repeatedly to learn the finger movements. “Now, we correspond too. His advice to me: be gentle and use minimal movements with fingertips,” he says.

Yash Soni with spool-and-needle carved on a pencil tip. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Be patient
Till date, Soni has created over 50 pencil carvings, including a key, a stiletto, a champagne glass, a watch, a chair, the Eiffel Tower, a fist with a detachable mic, a windmill with rotating blades and even a needle and spool, carved entirely out of the wood and lead of the pencil. On his wishlist are a scooter, a neckpiece and Mukesh Ambani’s tower of blocks, Antilla.

Soni’s tool set comprises two scalpels and a needle

“Carving on pencil requires a lot of patience. Since I prefer to focus on the details, it takes about four to five hours to make a piece, though I can make a heart in 20 minutes,” reveals Soni. The artist uses three basic tools — two scalpels with surgical blades and a needle fitted into a pen-like holder. “I start by shaving the wood with the scalpel and then, use a needle to carve the finer shape and details,” he adds. When we ask if he works in a particular kind of light, he confesses, “Initially, I would use a USB LED lamp attached to my laptop as a source of light when I needed to carve at night. My parents were anxious about it affecting my eyesight. Now, I’ve become more careful but I can work from any spot,” he adds.

Pencil matters
Soni uses a range of pencils, from 2B to 8B leads with a shiny finish, graphite pencils featuring matte-finish leads and carpenter pencils with a flatter surface. “Indian pencils aren’t great in quality and often, the lead within the pencil is already broken. The biggest challenge is breakage. 8B leads are thicker which helps me carve more intricately,” says Soni, who preserves the pencils in glass bottles or in customised frames.

Last week, he conducted a workshop-cum-exhibition at IIT-Chennai. Now, he also customises his works and sells them, starting from `4,000. “Most people are dismissive of the art since it’s on a pencil. My aim is to give micro sculpting the credibility it deserves,” he signs off.

Milan Talkies
U/A: Drama romance
Dir: Tigmanshu Dhulia
Cast: Ali Fazal, Shraddha Srinath
Ratings: 

This film is so inherently inconsistent, uneven in its storytelling that you feel like rooting for it still, simply because of the scattered set-pieces full of humour and insights/mannerisms of a small town, north India that you encounter once in a while.

It's almost like spotting diamond among the roughs - whether that be the local uncle breaking into nostalgic songs after a few pegs of whisky, or the street goon, wannabe Vidhayak (legislator) - both being the same - desperate to test his skills as a Hindi film star.

We're referring to Uttar Pradesh in particular, and Allahabad (now Prayagraaj) to be more specific - effectively a land of bakchods (blabber-mouths), with tonnes of tashan (exhibition of bravado) dictating mofussil male lives.

I know this isn't as true anymore, but another aspect that has geographically remained common to Indian towns is the cinema hall (or talkies) as the all-important landmark (there are usually two or three max in a district), where both the rich and the poor, predominantly young, but also the old, merge for their movie entertainment, and other accoutrements that naturally surround it.

Check out the trailer here:

Milan Talkies, that the film is named after, is one such adda/theatre in Allahabad where a young dude spends most of his time in the projection room, aspiring to become a Mumbai filmmaker when he isn't shooting low-budget films with neighbourhood talents himself. One assumed this would be some sort of a version of Giuseppe Tornatore's Italian classic Cinema Paradiso (1988) - ultimate tribute to the movies.

Hell, no. This is a full-on, wannabe-classic romantic story about that boy, and the girl with an authoritarian dad, and the fact that they can't get together - even as the film doesn't care to explain exactly why. And the two are happy to elope - not once, but several times in a row, and oh my god, 'will they, won't they,' just go on, and frickin' on.

The film is directed by Allahabad boy Tigmanshu Dhulia (Paan Singh Tomar, Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster), who whether he likes it or not is probably better known for the dialogue, "Jab tak Hindustan mein saneema hai, log c****iye bante rahenge," that he delivered as an actor in Anurag Kashyap's iconic Gangs Of Wasseypur (2012). Such is how crisp dialogues (like tag-lines in ads) work on us anyway.

Whether this film itself is part-autobiographical or not, Dhulia got noticed as a filmmaker with his debut Haasil (2003) - at the time a rare, robust insider's account of his home-town, and campus politics in a north Indian small-town. Over the years, that script (or the premise, if you may) has been milked so much to death, that it's turned into a tiring genre of its own.

Ali Fazal (similarly seen as a UP ruffian in the Amazon Prime series, Mirzapur) plays the protagonist here - a role that I'm told has been through several replacements (Imran Khan, Shahid Kapoor, etc) in the past. Although at some portions he sounds/behaves a lot like Dhulia himself, Fazal is competent to the core (no doubt). As is the female lead (Shraddha Srinath), making her Hindi film debut.

The film itself though does little to the genre, besides deliberately revisit some old-world Bollywood cliches. Maybe there's some subversion (that I'm unable to see). Maybe a full-blown, big-screen romance hinges much on the scale, for effective suspension of belief, which is sadly missing. Either way, one suspects, much of this movie pretty much remains in the filmmaker's imagination/head. Rest of it, quite honestly, gave me a bit of a headache.

Also Read: Sonu Nigam's soulful voice in Shart from Milan Talkies will tug at your heartstrings

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

After the death of three police constables within 48 hours, the police have rolled out a 10-point strategy to tackle the COVID-19 infection in its force that comprises around 45,000 personnel — both constables and officers. Apart from resting its senior members and changing duty patterns, the police have now begun administering Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to cops along with multivitamin tablets. Provisions will also be made for stay and nutritional food for cops till the lockdown lasts.

This will go on till the lockdown lasts. Ever since the pandemic broke out, senior cops have been given desk jobs but the infection spread among a few policemen and their family members.

Also Read: Exclusive: After Third Cop Dies Of COVID-19, Mumbai Police Sends Personnel Above 55 On Leave

"Our personnel are risking their lives to protect the city. Keeping their personal health and immunity strong has been a major priority for us," DCP (PRO) Pranay Ashok told mid-day, adding, "We have initiated a strategy to tackle it."

Accordingly, all cops above 55 years of age have been asked to stay at home, cops above 52 years of age with previous medical conditions have also been asked to stay home. The duty hours will also be changed from 8-hour shifts to 12-hour shifts and giving cops 24 hours off after that.

Around 12,000 cops will soon be administered with HCQ under medical supervision. Multivitamin tablets and protein supplements too will be given to 20,000 cops to strengthen their immunity.

Apart from this, police personnel will have the following special services:

1. Designated hospitals and dedicated beds in all COVID hospitals.

2. COVID Helpline number for personnel and families at the control room to resolve any doubts or issues.

3. Adequate number of PPEs, face masks, hand-sanitisers, gloves, face shields.

4. Amenities like food packets, ration, hot water flasks, pandals at checkpoints

5. Accommodation facilities

6. '50 lakh ex-gratia amount to all personnel who lose their lives fighting COVID (by the government).

12,000
No. of cops who will soon be administered with HCQ under medical supervision

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

While the authorities may struggle to get the rest of the city to follow social distancing and lockdown norms, one area in the city which is on board with their plan—and in fact, implementing stricter measures without being forced to—is Cuffe Parade's Machhimar Colony. The residents of this fishing colony have sealed their society, not allowing anyone to step out unless it's absolutely necessary. The residents have also decided not to fish until May 3.

The colony decided upon these strict measures after a resident was sent into quarantine on April 20, after coming into contact with a positive patient. The resident eventually tested negative.

There are a total of six fishing colonies in the Cuffe Parade-Colaba area—Machhimar Colony, Machhimar Nagar, Bhai Bandarkar Machhimar Nagar, Sagar Sanidhya Machhimar Nagar, Shivshrishti Machhimar Nagar and Shiv Shastri Machhimar Nagar. The residents of all these areas have decided to seal the colony, without any prompt from
the government.

Bhuneshwar Dhanu, advisor of Machhimar Sarvodaya Sanstha Private Limited, Cuffe Parade-Colaba, says, "Only those involved in essential services are being allowed to step out. Besides this, a team comprising youths from the colony has been formed. They stand at the gate and go buy any items that are required, without charging anyone."

Jayesh Bhoir, a resident of Machimar Colony, says, "We go to the dock after fishing, but crowds gather and so following rules of social distancing are tough. Therefore, we decided to lock ourselves in."

Chanda Jadhav, A Ward officer, says, "It is good that the people of Machhimar Colony are following the lockdown in their colony. Similarly, if all Mumbaikars adhered to the rules, we will be able to beat the Coronavirus."

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani is undoubtedly one of the coolest politicians. From sharing throwbacks pictures to family pictures and much more, Smriti always manages to tickle the funny bone and keep her followers entertained.

Although being locked at home like others due to the coronavirus epidemic, Smriti Irani recently took to Instagram new trend, the gibberish challenge. For many who don't know, the gibberish challenge on the gram is a much-in-fad filter where users have to guess the word or a phrase.

A screengarb of Smriti's first gibberish challenge

Upon taking the challenge, a random phrase or a word appears on the screen with a set time limit. Once the timer is over, the right answer pops up on the screen. The 44-year-old minister took part in the gibberish challenge twice and guess what? Smriti absolutely nailed it. Smriti also shared videos of the same as her Instagram stories.

A screengrab of Smriti's second gibberish challenge which lefet her shocked and surprised

While Smriti nailed the first one right, in the second gibberish challenge which came with a twist had its own set of challenges. Though she guessed the right answer 'Hugh Jackman', the answer for some reason appeared as 'Ryan Reynolds', which left the minister quite upset and her expressions said it all.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Weaving new possibilities 🙏#supportweavers #makeinindia #handcraftedinindia

A post shared by Smriti Irani (@smritiiraniofficial) onMay 2, 2020 at 12:11am PDT

Before taking part in the gibberish challenge, Smriti shared two pictures where she was seen donning handcrafted face masks made by weavers. Urging people to supports weavers and products made in India, Smriti captioned the picture: Weaving new possibilities!

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Mojo's Bistro in Kamala Mills, Lower Parel

Gone are the days when a pub's interiors only made for a cool Insta frame. Today, design based on business sensibilities is having a bigger say in the blueprint. An idea that seems to have caught the attention of owners of new watering holes is to set up an island bar right in the middle of the venue.

Bring in the business
Owners agree that an island bar is accessible from all sides, and thus, results in better business. "In a space as big our Andheri outlet (6,500 sq ft), an island bar suits us perfectly. We didn't want it to be in a corner from where the bar wasn't visible. An island bar in the centre is more accessible, and the service is faster," says Dibyendu Bindal, partner at Agent Jack's.

Bindal feels that sourcing water supply and drainage facilities might be a challenge, but with advanced technology, these issues
can be overcome. Such a placement also offers more space for guests to hang out with their drinks for longer.

The island bar at Andheri's Agent Jack's

Add to the theme
For others, an island bar works as an extension to the décor. A case in point: Juhu's seaside bar, Estella. "We wanted its look and feel to be like a deck. Since we are situated by the sea, we decided to have an island bar and make it a conversation point. It instantly draws guests, like an island would draw visitors," reasons Hitesh Keswani, director, Silver Beach Entertainment and Hospitality. Keswani echoes Bindal's logic when he says that such a design manages to woo more guests as it ensures easier interaction with the bar team.

Pritina Shrestha, managing director, Mojo's Bistro was clear that their spacious open-air venue in Lower Parel would host a bar in the centre. "Four-sided access is not just a quicker way for people to get their drinks, but also gives a 360-degree view to guests at the bar, and those helming it. Thanks to this, we have bartenders performing. We have added LED lights that play up on big-ticket events like cricket matches. This helps us change the ambience regularly," she says.

Juhu's sea-facing Estella restaurant 

Architect take
Island bars in large spaces are a mainstay not just in the city, but internationally too. Suresh Mistry, co-founder of city-based architecture firm SM Studio, which has worked on the Andheri outlet of Agent Jack's, has spotted some of the finest island bars across Hong Kong and Guangzhou. "It is ideal for service as it enables the waiters to attend to every table in lesser time. Island bars also break the monotony of a large space."

The team at architect Sameep Padora's sP+a that designed Lower Parel's Theory and Juhu's Estella, was clear about Keswani's brief. They say, "Since the island bar is the cynosure of the space, the design had to be technically spot on.
Done right, it is the best way to communicate the positioning of the property."

Going by the footfall at the Juhu hotspot, it might just be the new cool island to check into.

Priyanka Chopra's cousin, Meera Chopra, recently tweeted about her father, Sudesh Chopra, being robbed at knifepoint. The Section 375 actress took to Twitter and tagged CM Arvind Kejriwal and the Delhi Police in her tweet.

Meera Chopra wrote, "@DelhiPolice my dad was taking a walk in #policecolony. 2 guys came in a scooter, showed knife and snatched his phone. This is how safe you claim delhi to be. @ArvindKejriwal @CPDelhi"

@DelhiPolice my dad was taking a walk in #policecolony. 2 guys came in a scooter, showed knife and snatched his phone. This is how safe you claim delhi to be. @ArvindKejriwal @CPDelhi

— meera chopra (@MeerraChopra) May 5, 2020

She then shared the FIR number in a follow-up tweet. Later, Meera thanked DCP North Delhi for the prompt response and quick action. She wrote, "Thanks @DcpNorthDelhi for such a quick action. Makes me proud when we feel protected by our police department. It's never abt what has been snatched but protecting our elders is most important! Respect @DelhiPolice."

Thanks @DcpNorthDelhi for such a quick action. Makes me proud when we feel protected by our police department. Its never abt what has been snatched but protecting our elders is most important! Respect @DelhiPolice https://t.co/KFmH0vTtFo

— meera chopra (@MeerraChopra) May 5, 2020

Meera Chopra made her acting debut with the Tamil film Anbe Aaruyire in 2005. She was seen in Hindi films like Gang of Ghosts, 1920 London and Section 375.

Bollywood debut in 2014 with the film Gang of Ghosts. She was later seen in films like 1920 London, Nastik, and Section 375.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Actress Nushrat Bharucha has been in the industry for quite some time and with lots of films to her credit, the actress was quite applauded for her role in Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety. While some of her films have done amazingly well at the box office, Nushrat has been working with some really good actors. And not just her acting prowess, Nushrat has also time and again made heads turn on the red carpet and also taken the internet by storm, be it her holiday pictures or the high slit gown picture, the Dream Girl actress has been doling out some amazing goals.

On social media, while we see Nushrat often giving fans a sneak-peek into her simple yet beautiful life, the actress also inspires them in many ways. From posting pictures with her fashion game on point to spending some quality time with her loved ones, Nushrat is undefeated when it comes to doling out fashion and life goals. While the actress often indulges in some fun activities in the virtual space, she totally connects with her fans. And going by her vacation pictures, we can say that she is living one amazing life.

Workwise Nushrat has had a series of hits in her filmography and next she will be seen opposite Rajkummar Rao in the movie Chhalaang and after that, she will also be seen in Hurdang.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Priyanka Chopra’s cousin Meera Chopra has revealed that her father was robbed at knifepoint at Police Colony in New Delhi. Her father was out for an evening walk when the incident took place.

Sharing the details on her Twitter, Meera wrote, “My dad was taking a walk in #policecolony. 2 guys came in a scooter, showed knife and snatched his phone. This is how safe you claim Delhi to be.” She tagged Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi Police in her tweet.

@DelhiPolice my dad was taking a walk in #policecolony. 2 guys came in a scooter, showed knife and snatched his phone. This is how safe you claim delhi to be. @ArvindKejriwal @CPDelhi

— meera chopra (@MeerraChopra) May 5, 2020

"Fir no: NWD-MT-000568 at prince road near pcr police line, model town. Can send you the contact number in direct msg or some email," she wrote in her follow up tweet.

Fir no: NWD-MT-000568 at prince road near pcr police line, model town. Can send you the contact number in direct msg or some email. https://t.co/KFmH0vTtFo

— meera chopra (@MeerraChopra) May 5, 2020

She further thanked the cops for their swift action. “Thanks @DcpNorthDelhi for such a quick action. Makes me proud when we feel protected by our police department. It's never abt what has been snatched but protecting our elders is most important! Respect @DelhiPolice," she wrote.

Thanks @DcpNorthDelhi for such a quick action. Makes me proud when we feel protected by our police department. Its never abt what has been snatched but protecting our elders is most important! Respect @DelhiPolice https://t.co/KFmH0vTtFo

— meera chopra (@MeerraChopra) May 5, 2020

Meera Chopra was last seen in Section 375 alongside Akshaye Khanna and Richa Chadha.

ALSO READ: Bigg Boss 13: Priyanka Chopra’s cousin Meera Chopra calls out Sidharth Shukla for making derogatory remarks about Asim Riaz’s father

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on Tuesday, extended the nationwide lockdown till May 3.

In a televised message to the nation the prime minsiter said that the main focus will be on the hotspots and the government will impose stricter measures to fight covid-19 outbreak. The PM said "Till 20th April, all districts, localities, states will be closely monitored, as to how strictly they are implementing norms. States which will not let hotspots increase, they could be allowed to let some important activities resume, but with certain conditions." 

He thanked and paid a debt to gratitude to the citizens for fighting a courageous battle against COVID-19 despite facing their own personal challenges. He praised everyone and said that everyone is well aware of the situation and has fulfilled their responsibility.

Prime Minister began his address to the nation by saying India is doing well to tackle the coronavirus outbreak. He thanks people on the frontline of the COVID-19 battle. "Our fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic is progressing with strength," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his speech invoked Dr. BR Ambedkar and acknowledged the courage shown by the people of India during the COVID-19 lockdown. "In our constitution, 'We the People' is written and the power of 'We The People Of India' has been seen in the country during the lockdown. This is the best respect we can pay to Dr BR Ambedkar on his anniversary." he said.

He also said that rules would be stricter in order to curb the spread of novel Coronavirus. "Till April 20, each district, each state will be monitored closely to see whether the lockdown is being followed. Then we can decide on relaxing the restrictions," said the Prime Minister. Prime Minister Narendra Modi says that whatever relaxations granted during the lockdown to some areas will be upon conditions and even if one such case is reported, the relaxations will be taken back.

Talking about daily wage workers, PM Modi said that the new guidelines will be made keeping their interests in mind. Rabi crops cutting is on, and the measures will be taken to reduce their problems.

He asked for the unity and support of India on seven issues where he spoke about taking care of elders in the family, supporting the healthcare workers among others. He issued a seven-point appeal to the citizens and asked for:

• Take proper care of the senior citizens of your house, especially those with underlying problems.
• Lockdown and social distancing should be properly followed. Home-made face covers and masks should be used.
• Increase your immunity by following directions given by Ayush Ministry.
• To help curb coronavirus spread, download the Aarogya Setu application.
• Wherever possible, help poor families.
• In your businesses, help your coworkers, including those working under you, don't downsize people.
• Respect the Coronavirus 'soldiers' -- doctors, nurses, sanitation workers and other essential service workers.

He added that India did not wait for the problem to increase but it foresaw the problem and made an attempt to control it. Modi added that compared to other nations, India is at a better position.

He ended the address by asking people to be very vigilant and wished everyone good health.

It was Narendra Modi's fourth televised address to the nation in less than a month. Last month, the Prime Minister had addressed the nation twice – on March 19 and March 24. On March 19, he had called for resolve and restraint to fight Coronavirus. He had also announced a 'janta curfew' on March 22, a Sunday. On March 24, he had announced the 21-day nationwide lockdown to check the spread of the deadly virus. In a video message on April 3, Modi had urged people to switch off the lights at their homes and light up lamps, candles or mobile phone torches for nine minutes at 9 pm on April 5 to display the country's "collective resolve" to defeat the Coronavirus.

On Monday the number of COVID-19 cases rose by 1,253 to 10,444 cases. Nearly 10 states, including Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal, Telangana, Punjab had already announced an extension of the lockdown until April 30.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Amid the rising number of coronavirus cases in Maharashtra, Nagpur police in its unique and witty is informing, educating and protecting its citizens across the city amid the nation-wide lockdown. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi extending the lockdown till May 3, citizens across the country have ample of time with themselves.

Things to do during #Lockdown#NagpurPolice pic.twitter.com/2cScHJ8KP8

— Nagpur City Police (@NagpurPolice) April 15, 2020

In order to kill boredom, Nagpur has come up with a few handy tips by taking inspiration from Bollywood's iconic film Sholay. On Wednesday, Nagpur police took to its Twitter account and shared a 4.0 handy guide list which will keep people engaged and entertained at home amid lockdown.

A still from Sholay urges people to play music and pursue hobbies

The Nagpur police shared few stills from the movie in order to get their message across to its people. A still featuring actor Amjad Khan as Gabbar urged people to call and connect with old friends while another still featuring superstar Amitabh Bachchan requested people to pursue their hobbies and indulge in music.

The witty post also featured two stills which urged families to engage in story telling while another one asked people to shave but at home amid the coronavirus lockdown. This ins't the first time that the Nagpur police took a clue from Bollywood films in order to create awareness on the spread of coronavirus.

Friends: Let's all go together for a picnic

Me : #CoronaStopKaroNa #BreakTheChain pic.twitter.com/NECkgJLZ5Z

— Nagpur City Police (@NagpurPolice) March 21, 2020

Last month, the Nagpur police has shared a meme from Shahid Kapoor's popular film Kabir Singh, which showed friends making plans to go for a picnic amid lockdown. But it was their picture-perfect caption that won many hearts. The caption urged people to maintain social distance and break the chain.

Here are few movie inspired memes shared by Nagpur police:

Essential Goods shall continue to be available.
Don't indulge in Panic Buying please. 🙏🏻#NagpurPolice pic.twitter.com/k64g3fz8pP

— Nagpur City Police (@NagpurPolice) March 25, 2020

The Rock featuring in Nagpur police meme as they request people to not indulge in panic buying.

Kaun Banega #Coronawarrior? pic.twitter.com/coh26bEype

— Nagpur City Police (@NagpurPolice) March 28, 2020

Taking a cue from Kaun Banega Crorepati, they asked people to be a corona warrior by being at home amid lockdown.

Was Bunty Right? pic.twitter.com/Bfif7lE80k

— Nagpur City Police (@NagpurPolice) March 12, 2020

Another one from an ad film showcasing the importance of washing hands amid coronavirus outbreak.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Indian Super League (ISL) side Kerala Blasters on Wednesday appointed Mohun Bagan's I-League winning coach Kibu Vicuna as their head coach for the upcoming season. This came hours after the franchise announced that it has parted ways with Eelco Schattorie after one season at the helm of affairs. "We are happy to announce that Kibu Vicuna will take over as head coach for the upcoming season!" Kerala Blasters said in a tweet. Spain's Vicuna oversaw Mohun Bagan win the title with four rounds to spare. The league was suspended midway due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later had to be called off with Mohun Bagan declared champions.

Mohun Bagan have merged with ATK to enter the ISL from next season with Antonio Lopez Habas, who coached ATK to their record third title, in charge of the combined outfit. Dutchman Schattorie was in charge of the Kochi-based outfit in the ISL 2019-20 and could only guide the club to a poor seventh-place finish. "Kerala Blasters FC have parted ways with the Head Coach, Eelco Schattorie. We'd like to thank Eelco for his efforts and services during his tenure and wish him the best for the future," Kerala Blasters had tweeted earlier in the day.

The 48-year-old first landed on Indian shores when he took over Kolkata-based Prayag United back in 2012. He went on to win the IFA Shield and guided the team to a fourth-placed finish in the I-League. After serving as the head coach for Kolkata giants East Bengal for the 2015 season, he joined Avram Grant's NorthEast United setup for parts of the 2016 ISL season, before taking over as head coach for the 2018-19 campaign.

In his very first season as a head coach in the ISL, Schattorie showcased immense tactical guile and took Guwahati-based NorthEast United to the semi-finals for the first time since the club's inception, before being knocked out by eventual champions Bengaluru FC. After leading the NorthEast United to their best-ever campaign in the club's history, Schattorie replaced Nelo Vingada as the Kerala Blasters head coach heading into ISL 2019-20.

The Dutchman, however, could not replicate the same success in Kerala which he had achieved with the NorthEast United as several factors came into play. A host of recurring injuries to key players, including a season-long one to stopper Sandesh Jhingan, severely handicapped Kerala's campaign as they finished seventh on the table with 19 points from 18 matches.

Despite not making the top four, Schattorie's Kerala side found a lot of admirers for their free-flowing attacking style of football.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

I am quite frankly disappointed with EMs services. I am a EM reserve member and I feel cheated. Day after day I see promotion / marketing mails. Full of absurdities and sounds dramatic as a soap opera. First there was the Rouge Analyst, then some drama ab..

Indian stock markets collapsed in early trade today...and while there was some recovery towards the end, we still ended deep in the red.

Here are 10 points to note...

1. The Sensex nosedived as much as 1,460 points in the first few minutes of trade. The Nifty dropped to a low of 10,827, down 442 points intra-day. The markets however trimmed some of the losses during the course of the day.

   There was a selloff across sectors along with panic selling in the smaller indices too. The BSE Midcap and BSE Smallcap indices ended down 3.4% and 2.9% respectively.

2. The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) decision to put Yes Bank under moratorium led to the biggest ever fall in share price of the private lender. Shares of Yes Bank fell as much as 85% to Rs 5.6 before recovering towards the end of the day to end at Rs 16.2, down 56%.

   The banking regulator has also put a cap on withdrawal at Rs 50,000 for Yes Bank customers.

   The RBI took over from the board of the Yes Bank for 30 days, saying it would work on a revival plan.

3. RBI's move had a ripple effect on other banking stocks, with some falling very sharply to begin with.

   Shares of RBL Bank fell as much as 15%, while IndusInd Bank and State Bank of India (SBI) dropped 7-8%.

4. The coronavirus cases outside of China have been increasing rapidly, making inroads into US, Europe and Middle East, which made investors more worried about global growth going ahead. And more recently, India too.

   Today, the number of cases breached the 100,000 mark.

   South Korea, Italy and Iran reported highest infected cases outside of China, while cases are increasing in United States and other parts of Europe as well.

   Note that market participants are seen taking a flight to safety as stock markets see a sharp fall post the coronavirus impact.

5. Overnight the US indices had recorded sharp losses. This was yet another negative cue awaiting Indian markets on open today.

   The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 3.6%, while the S&P 500 lost 3.4%. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 3.1%.

   During the day, as the Asian markets opened, there was further negative news... Japan's Nikkei fell more than 3%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng, Australia's ASX 200 and South Korea's Kospi dropped over 2%.

6. Foreign investors (FIIs) are on a selling spree. Reportedly, in the last 14 sessions, FIIs have withdrawn a net Rs 183.4 billion from Indian markets. That's a lot of money...a lot more than the domestic mutual funds have been able to pump in. The intense selling pressure from the FIIs could only have contributed to this sell off.

7. The Indian rupee today slid past 74 levels against the US dollar, increasing the risk-off sentiment.

   The rupee today traded in a range of 73.69 to 74.08 against the US dollar as compared to the previous close of 73.31. A falling currency is not great news at all.

8. Even as there was negative news all around, hope emerged from oil. Oil slid on Friday as worries about demand for fuel being reduced by the global coronavirus outbreak were heightened. The fact that there was concern over non-OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) crude producers not yet having agreed to cut output further to support prices helped in the sell off.
9. With today's fall the Index has lost 9% since the start of 2020.
10. While the day ended deep in the red, some stocks stood out. Bajaj Auto, Maruti Suzuki and Asian Paints were among the few gainers.

In under 3 years, Yes Bank has gone from being a darling of investors to a pariah. Here's a look at the events that led to the crisis in 10 points.

1. 2017: RBI forces Yes Bank to disclose that there is big divergence in its non-performing loans of Rs 42 billion reported in the company's audited accounts for the year ended March 2016. The divergence further widened to almost Rs 64 billion a year later. To put this in perspective, the RBI audit had pegged its total gross non-performing assets (NPAs) at 5% for FY16, against the bank's own assessment of only 0.8% for the same year.
2. September 19, 2018: Not surprisingly, a year later, RBI refuses to give Yes Bank CEO Rana Kapoor an extension to his term as MD. The apex bank asks Kapoor to step down by end of January 2019. Kapoor fights back...but it always seemed like a battle he was set to lose.
3. November 27, 2018: Rating agency Moody's cuts bank's rating outlook to 'negative' from 'stable' citing concerns over corporate governance. This is a big whammy...for a bank, its credit rating is everything.
4. January 24, 2019: Yes Bank hires the head of Deutsche Bank India, Ravneet Gill, as its new CEO. There's hope...even though Gill has not run a bank of this size before. The stock price rallies 66% in the days following the appointment.
5. May 14, 2019: RBI appoints former central bank Deputy Governor R. Gandhi as additional director to Yes Bank's board - a rare move signaling an increased level of scrutiny on the lender.
   
   Yes Bank reports 91% drop in profit in 1QFY20, provisions surge and gross NPA ratio stands at 5%.
6. October 3, 2019: CEO Gill says bank is in talks with private equity firms, strategic investors and family offices to raise additional capital. Again, this appears to be good news.
7. October 31, 2019: Yes Bank gets binding investment offer of US$ 1.2 billion from a global investor. But this does not go down well as credibility of the likely largest investor is questioned in the media.
8. November 1, 2019: Yes Bank reports bigger-than-expected loss for 2QFY20, NPA to loans ratio swells to 7.4% and provisions swell to Rs 13.4 billion.
9. March 6, 2020: It's been months now and there is little progress on capital raising (other than rumours floating around). RBI takes over Yes Bank's board and imposes a month-long moratorium, imposing a limit of Rs 50,000 on withdrawals.
10. March 7, 2020: Stock price of Yes Bank crashes by nearly 60%. At it's worse the stock was down at Rs 5.7 that day. RBI shares a restructuring plan for Yes Bank...basically a bailout by SBI.

Well, then...that's the Yes Bank timeline. At the time of writing, stock price of Yes Bank was trading up by 31%.

Next time, when you think of buying a banking share...or making a deposit...be sure you understand the risk.