The former cabinet minister says he cannot ask campaign volunteers to work for another year.

You cannot blame Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for missing their favourite son in action during what would have been the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Had COVID-19 not wreaked havoc, the cash-rich T20 league would have been in full swing and all eyes would have been trained on Mahendra Singh Dhoni, returning to cricket after a sabbatical.

 

 

 

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#WhistlePodu ðŸ¦ÂðŸ’› VC: @sakshisingh_r @mahi7781

A post shared by Chennai Super Kings (@chennaiipl) onMay 5, 2020 at 6:04am PDT

Dhoni, CSK's decorated captain who led India to 2007 T20 and 2011 ODI World Cup triumph besides shepherding the Yellow Brigade to three IPL crowns, has not played competitive cricket since India's 2019 World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand.

The 38-year old was supposed to make a much-awaited comeback in the IPL and had also attended CSK's camp before the deadly virus forced sport across the world to come to a grinding halt.

CSK, on Tuesday, shared a video where Dhoni is seen spending time with daughter Ziva and his dog at his lawn in Ranchi with his back towards the camera.

"#Thala @msdhoni's back...quite literally so! Smiling face with smiling eyes #WhistlePodu," CSK captioned the tweet, crediting Dhoni's wife Sakshi for capturing the video.

The veteran wicketkeeper batsman is also seen giving the dog some catches with the ball with Ziva for company.

Meanwhile, dashing England wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler has said that Dhoni has always been a big idol and while playing in the IPL one lesson for him has been how the former India skipper manages all the fanfare and still performs in crunch situations.

"MS Dhoni has always been a big idol of mine and chaos is always going around him, people wanting a bit of him, the cricket and the noise.

"....it is such a great lesson to just watch him and see first hand how to manage all that thing if you have to perform at the top level and perform in those crunch moment, that certainly has been one of the massive pluses," Buttler said in an interview to Lancashire Cricket with Warren Hegg.

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Technology avoids obstacles by sensing air flow disruptions

Actor Taapsee Pannu who is on a photo-sharing spree these days on Saturday shared an exquisite throwback picture from her trip to Rome. Just like many others who are dreaming of vacations during the lockdown, the 'Pink' actor is also seen reminiscing about her vacation in her latest throwback post on social media.

 

 

 

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One of those trips I just decided to take very impulsively. Rome. Was in my list since long time. I love seeing places which should either have beach, crystal blue water n good restaurants or should have a lot of history to know n study about and have a lot of good restaurants. Basically good restaurants is the basic common key here. I loved using all the local apps to find me local transport n restaurants to dine in. Quaint cafes which make u pause. I think it will be some till I experience the thrill of travelling again. But until then, we can make a list of all places in the world we want to see coz life is too short and we all have witnessed that it’s quite possible that things won’t be the same tomorrow 🤷🏻‍♀ï¸Â #Throwback #Archives #QuarantinePost

A post shared by Taapsee Pannu (@taapsee) onApr 24, 2020 at 9:57pm PDT

Alongside a picturesque picture shared on Instagram, the actor wrote: "One of those trips I just decided to take very impulsively. Rome. Was in my list since long time... "

Taking it to the captions, the 'Mulk' actor also pinpointed the key factors she seeks while travelling. "I love seeing places which should either have a beach, crystal blue water n good restaurants or should have a lot of history to know n study about and have a lot of good restaurants," the caption read.

"Basically good restaurants are the basic common key here," the 32-year-old wrote. She also mentioned her interest in using the "local apps" to find her "local transports and restaurants to dine in." "Quaint cafes which make u pause," she added.

Referring to the current lockdown and unpredictable situation the life has been thrown into in the wake of coronavirus crisis, Taapsee also added that one can "experience the thrill of traveling again.. until then, we can make a list of all places in the world we want to see coz life is too short and we all have witnessed that it's quite possible that things won't be the same tomorrow."

Lately, the 'Manmarziyaan' actor has been sharing many throwback pictures as she earlier announced on Instagram that she will be posting a series to refresh some memories amid the coronavirus lockdown.

Taapsee is currently at home like many other celebrities as the country is under lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

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Representational Image

Components in the mosquito saliva can trigger an unexpected and long-lasting immune responses -- up to seven days post-bite, say scientists.

The researchers found that more than 100 proteins in mosquito saliva are mediating the effects on the immune system, or may help the virus become more infectious.

Identifying these proteins could help design strategies to fight transmission of dengue fever as well as other diseases caused by viruses also transmitted by Aedes aegypti, such as Zika virus, chikungunya virus and yellow fever virus, the researchers said.

"We found that mosquito-delivered saliva induced a varied and complex immune response we were not anticipating," said Silke Paust, Assistant Professor at Baylor and Texas Children's Hospital.

"Billions of people worldwide are exposed to diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, and many of these conditions do not have effective treatments," added Rebecca Rico-Hesse, Professor at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, US.

For the study, appearing in the journal PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, the team worked with a mouse model of the human immune system.

Previously, the team demonstrated that mosquito-bite delivery and needle-injection delivery of dengue virus in these "humanised mice" led to significantly different disease developments

They found that mosquitoes are not just acting like "syringes" to merely inject viruses, but their saliva seems to contribute significantly to the development of the disease.

In the new study, the team tested the effect of virus-free mosquito saliva on humanised mice and compared the results with those obtained from humanised mice that had not been bitten by mosquitoes.

Evidence to immune responses -- up to seven days post-bite -- was found in multiple tissue types, including blood, skin and bone marrow, the researchers said.

"For instance, both the immune cell responses and the cytokine levels were affected. We saw activation of T helper cells 1, which generally contribute to antiviral immunity, as well as activation of T helper cells 2, which have been linked to allergic responses," Paust said.

"The diversity of the immune response was most striking to me. This is surprising given that no actual infection with any type of infectious agent occurred," he noted.

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Uri: The Surgical Strike
U/A: Action, Drama
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Yami Gautam, Paresh Rawal
Director: Aditya Dhar
Rating: 

Like with several others, you may not find a single bloodthirsty, jingoistic-militaristic bone in my body. And yet, there's a scene in this film, focused on a little girl, whose father, an officer, has just died in the recent attacks on the Army base in Uri. She walks up to the casket, surrounded by soldiers in attention, at his state funeral.

The moment freezes for a second. The little child, rather unexpectedly, exults the regiment's war cry. Soldiers instantly respond. Emotions naturally heighten. It's hard not to feel a lump in your throat.

This is the sort of visceral 'josh' that the film organically excites, which makes it work, almost through and through. And yet, for a movie wholly centred on a mission and the military, it is a rare desi one—Sankalp Reddy's under-rated The Ghazi Attack (2017), being another recent exception—that never meanders from the actual minefield: Not a minute wasted on sundry peripherals, songs, love-story, and the like, that most Hindi war films (Border, LOC Kargil, Lakshya included) have had to resort to, in order to fit into a more mainstream, Bollywood format.

But, first, let's settle the apprehension that many might rightly share: Is this a propaganda picture? In so much as it places to the extreme fore the might and valour of unsung heroes of Indian Army, who risk their lives in covert operations, details of which, for reasons of state secrecy, go unreported? Sure. And that's pretty much true for all patriotic, war movies, regardless.

But, no: Is it a propaganda film for the BJP government, few months before the general elections, seeking credit for a military operation initiated/executed under its watch? Well, the magnanimous Prime Minister modeled on Narendra Modi (Rajit Kapur) is very much omnipresent. Which, going by trailers and posters of late, he's likely to be, on the big screen, over the following months, with several films based on/around him—bit like a super-hero from the Marvel/DC universe!

The PM is well represented along with his cabinet, given lookalikes of Parrikar, Jaitley, Rajnath Singh, and the hand-picked National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, played by BJP MP Paresh Rawal, as a shrewd, sharp sleuth, right at the centre of the high-table, leading the military operation from a snazzy war-room.

Check out the trailer here:

Whether this story "based on true events," liberally mixing fact with fiction, has been actively sponsored by the government or not; can tell you this, they will like what they see. Folk on the Pakistani side though come across as total 'phateechars', ever willing to sell their soul and their nation's secrets. Either way, what the endorsement from the Indian Army (its publicity wing is prominently credited) evidently earns for the pic is incredible access to top-notch military hardware, hitherto unseen in the history of Hindi films.

Supremely competent first-time director Aditya Dhar uses these weapons—sophisticated machine guns, grenades, rocket launchers, top-grade fighter aircraft—to hit home with a winning plot, over two hours, 10 minutes of stunningly shot (Mitesh Mirchandani), non-stop, military-action drama, packed with pyrotechnics that appear authentic, world-class, technically kickass.

Background score (Shashwat Sachdev) is pitch-perfect. Some of the combat sequences (Stefan Richter) are sensational. Sparks fly, quite literally; even as sentiments are firmly in place, to keep you engaged with the characters, and their emotional motivations.

Yeah, it's hard to evoke both. No better actor to lead this charge than the fully fired-up Vicky Kaushal (Raazi, Sanju, Love Per Square Foot, Manmarziyaan, Lust Stories)—bulked up like a sniper, menacingly calm as a military mind—inspiring his peers (Yami Gautam, Kriti Kulhari etc) in the film, and patrons in the theatre, with an infectious energy that is impossible to resist. Kaushal's had a phenomenal 2018. Clearly, the dream run continues.

The film is primarily set in 2016. The basic premise is known. It concerns a top-secret, low-intensity, shock-and-awe assault, or a surgical strike, on hideouts in Pak-occupied Kashmir, responsible for terror attacks across the border—more specifically, by four militants, allegedly of the group Jaish-e-Mohammed, on the Indian Army brigade headquarters in Uri, near the Line of Control, less than a fortnight before.

Very little—next to nothing—is known about these 'surgical strikes'. How does this revenge operation pan out in the picture, then? Given multiple Abbottabads being mounted, a lot like a desi Zero Dark Thirty (2012)—Katherine Bigelow's brilliant docu-drama detailing capture of Osama bin Laden. As compliments go, that's as huge as it gets. No?

Also Read: Watch video: Vicky Kaushal gives us a sneak peek into his prep for Uri

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Disclaimer: Before I proceed to share this sonic timeline of an average day in my surroundings, I wish to state a few things to the folk who read this column: That these jottings have been recorded from a week's findings; that I live along the periphery of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, and so all mentions of unusual fauna activity should be treated with calm."

7 am: It's a pleasant way to drift out of bed to the sounds of sparrows, mynas, coppersmith barbets and even the cacophony of crows. Strains from MS Subbulaxmi's voice and tunes of Rabindra Sangeet add a melodious lilt to these waking up hours.

9 pm: Sounds from the idiot box emerge. Opening credits, ad breaks; this is interspersed by the frenetic clanging of bartans in the kitchen and the odd head-spinning wail of a child. By now, the mobile phone-addicted species also surfaces, making WFH calls in full volume. Yes, we know you work for some Jap investment bank and they are suckers for deadlines; well, so are Indian companies. Cool off, dude.

10 am: More TV noise, of the epic kinds. It seems like deja vu from the 1980s when DD was our sole screen saviour. The morning ensemble of avian artistes departs; making way for the next lot. Some feathered folk, like the crows and mynas, and a few squirrels are permanent occupants of the badam tree and the palms that are prime locations for their activities. By now, maali kaka has surfaced and so the garden hose is also in full flow.

11 am to 12 noon: The churning of mixer-grinders, pressure cooker whistles going into a tizzy and whatnot take over. There's some chit-chat with fussy kids by the box-grilled 'balconies'. Cicadas take over our central garden with their sonnet-like symphony. In sync with the sound of the hose, it's quite a summery jugalbandi.

12.30 pm: "Ushaaaaaa! Jaldi neeche aa jao; van tees minute mein aane waala hai" With that one ear-shattering battle cry by a hustler-type aunty, she's managed to bring down half the population from their homes as they begin to scramble for a 'circle' [it's assumed a whole new meaning since geometry class] in the endless queue that worms through the inner square of the society. All of this is, of course, to wait for that harbinger of joy – the veggie-fruit truck.

Till 3 pm: "Tumne toh dye lagaya hai, Shalu? Godrej ka hai ki mehndiwala colour?"; "Suna…woh Colony wala Singh uncle off ho gaya; Kwo-vid tha ya heart fail?"; "Butter se he chalana padega; ghee-vee bandh. Good faar health?" With such gems floating around, the birdcalls take a backseat. Nilkamal chairs are arranged for 'sinior log' in the queue, and chai for all as they wait for their turn to reach Everest. A mini jam session ensues for the socially-depraved inmates.

4 pm (approximately; on another day): Meena aunty has managed to arrange for a farsan dealer to set up temporary shop inside the society; it's a mini stampede, as packets of all kinds of snacks, from pani puri, khakra and chaklis to chivda sell like hot cakes. Hottest selling item? Khari biscuits.

6 pm: It's surprisingly quiet. Wait. Our resident stray doggies — Romeo, Juliet and son, Cocoa — start barking wildly. The Bandar Lok is back. Yes, the simians do their version of The Swing Thing in the green, wooded environs; the cable wires and pipes attached to each wing also offer easy access from to the next, having a blast each time they spot a loose clothesline to tug at something. "Dekho mummy, monkey khel raha hai," and similar such squeals make for evening entertainment.

7 pm onwards: Some of the tween-teen brigade sneaks out of their homes to coax their pals for a game of cards or other board games. There's relief in their loud laughter, of meeting up to giggle over a meme on their phone or a heady new track that's topping charts. They revel in the momentary bliss until one of their parents calls them back home.

8 pm onwards: The telly sounds get louder — by now news channels vie for high-decibel bragging rights over the Balaji soap reruns and Hindi masala flicks. The show will go on, and the sounds rarely cease.

Now showing: The new normal.

mid-day's Features Editor Fiona Fernandez relishes the city's sights, sounds, smells and stones...wherever the ink and the inclination takes her. She tweets @bombayana
Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com

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Dear Diana,
I am 29 and have been hanging out with this girl for about two years. Last week, while we were out, she told me that she was no longer in love with me. She said she always considered me as a good friend. I thought she was in those moods when she would say random things and the next morning things would be back to normal. So, I did not react. But the next day, she refused to answer my calls. I kept calling her and sending her text messages, but she did not respond. I had no clue what was going on in her mind. I then spoke to a common friend about what had happened. She sent a message through the common friend saying that she had called it quits. She said she had really meant what she had said. I want to know what made her take such a drastic step. If only she would tell me exactly what was going on, but she refuses to pay heed. Why can't she tell me the truth?
— Ajinkya

Dear Ajinkya,
Your girl is certainly behaving strange. You are concerned because she has not told you what made her take such a decision. There were no tell-tale signs either. She just needed an excuse to go her way. This girl is clearly not interested in you. If she cared for you, she would not have behaved in such a manner. After being with you all these years, she owes you an explanation. By resorting to such behaviour, she is making things even more difficult for you. She has hurt you and left you heartbroken. At the same time, stop calling her and sending text messages. Let her be for now and move on. She may have found someone else or there could be some other reason. But if she is not telling you, why even care for her? Get going your way.

Sonali Bendre is one of the Cancer survivors in Bollywood, akin to Manisha Koirala and Lisa Ray. These women have some very inspiring journeys and are likely to become role models in the future. And now, speaking about her journey to SpotboyE, Bendre spilled the beans on almost everything, right from her treatment to her husband Goldie Behl's unshakable support to how she feels today. It could leave you teary-eyed.

The first question was about her current health and she said, "I'm doing well right now. I'm feeling good. Also, I would say it hasn't been much of a shift for me because the last 2 years have been sort of a quarantine for me anyway. So it's not too much of a change at this point, but I would have a lot of visitors coming and going then. That's the part that I miss the most." She also said how she has been missing her parents due to the lockdown and can't meet them.

"Above all, I'm missing my parents right now in this because I can't really meet them. But other than that, we have lots to be thankful for. I always count my blessings," stated Bendre. When she posted her bald picture on Instagram, it was welcomed by one and all, and the actress earned the respect from everyone for the same. She even spoke about her decision to do it and how it made her feel.

She said, "Frankly, how long are you going to hide? Just get on with life, man. I felt I was getting distracted trying to hide my falling hair, so just putting it out there fully bald was more to help myself than anything else. It was quite liberating, actually." And do you know Goldie Behl didn't want the actress to grow her hair back? This reveal was also made by Bendre.

She stated, "He used to say I need to own it and that I look fabulous without my hair as well. Today, he tells me that 'you should not grow your hair back, the short hair suits you very much'. My husband has been an amazing support." As we stated above, Bendre has been an inspiring figure and we all need to respect her for the way she has handled her life and been such a sport and a spirited lady!

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Actress Tisca Chopra worked with the late Irrfan Khan in the critically acclaimed film "Qissa" besides in TV projects. She says Irrfan pushed her in the right direction during her initial days of struggle.

"As I was struggling in the nineties and feeling disheartened, I would say that I wanted to quit acting because there was nothing that I could get from here, especially substantial work that I was looking forward to. I remember Tishu (Tigmanshu Dhulia) and Irrfan were there, and Irrfan promptly said, 'dekh lo, kaise har maan rahi hai, acting chhod dena hai? Theek hai, chhod de, lekin yaad rakh, apne tarike se aage badhne ke liye, himmat chahiye hoti hai… guts chahiye,guts!'" Tisca recalled, speaking to IANS.

According to the actress, Irrfan gave DVDs of films like "Bullets Over Broadway" and "Once Upon A Time In America" and it was like a task for her to watch and understand these films.

Subsequently, Irrfan produced a segment of the TV show, "Star Bestsellers", titled "Hum Saath Saath Hain Kya?" that was written by his wife Sutapa Sikdar and directed by Dhulia. He cast Tisca in the segment.

"He gave me the right kind of challenges for an actor to stay at my battle. Along with him, Tigmanshu and few more people gave me the scope to overall challenge the scene of entertainment. He was surely instrumental in my career," shared Tisca.

Irrfan passed away on April 29 in Mumbai, at the age of 53, due to colon infection. While the sudden demise of the actor left the film industry shocked and sadden, Tisca said: "Now that few days have gone by, emotionally I am in a better stage. I am talking and thinking why so many people reacted to Irrfan's demise as a personal loss. I think, even if you do not know him personally, through his acting, he showed us expressions that we usually reserve for our family, friends and intimate people."

She added: "As an actor he had the courage to show us that vulnerability. So even as an audience when you watch his film, through his performance you experience the story along with those characters. You, as an audience did not look at Irrfan, you looked with him at the world of that story. That is why it is intimate. That is why Irrfan belonged to his audience. That is why his demise is very personal to the audience. Of course, we are his close people! It is devastating for us."

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Recently, there was news that model-VJ Anusha Dandekar and actor Karan Kundrra, one of television's hottest couples, had broken up. The report suggested that there was trouble in paradise and the couple had thus parted ways.

Now, however, a recent report in Pinkvilla suggests that while there is trouble, but the couple hasn't broken up. A source close to the development told the website that though 'there might be a little problem in the relationship, things haven't reached the point of a breakup as yet'.

Anusha and Karan have been living together for a long time now, and the pair has never shied away from being seen or clicked together. At the beginning of their relationship, however, Anusha had faced problems from trolls who would send her hate messages just because she was with Karan. 

In an old interview, Anusha had shared, "I am trolled a lot. Since the time I started dating Karan, my life has changed. It has been difficult for me. Every morning I read at least 50 hate comments saying, 'You aren't cultured or aren't good'."

Well, we sure hope Anusha Dandekar and Karan Kundrra find a way to resolve their issues and stick together!

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Brett Lee and Shoaib Akhtar were two of the fastest bowlers of their generation. Shoaib recently shared a clip from a popular Indian television show in which Lee talks about facing Shoaib in his prime.

Lee admits on the show that he was afraid of everyone while batting, "even the spinners."

While talking about the experience of facing Shoaib, he said, "So, I'm out batting and I'm sweaty and nervous," said Lee.

"My nickname is 'Binga' and I suddenly hear 'Binga, Binga'. I look up, and there's Shoaib, about 75 metres back. He goes 'I'm going to kill you'," Lee says pointing a finger to his forehead to mimic Shoaib at the time.

The Pakistani bowler was thus indicating that he was going to aim for Lee's head but instead the ball went to his toes.

"It's hit me straight on the foot. I've appealed to the umpire - 'Howzzat! That's gotta be out, surely?'" Lee says, with the audience in splits. "And you know what happened? That silly Australian umpire said not out."

Shoaib in his tweet said that Lee himself was quite a terror while bowling. "Binga being very humble there honestly. @BrettLee_58 himself was quite a terror on the field for the batsmen of that era," he said.

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Equity benchmark indices slipped by 2.7 per cent during early hours on Tuesday in line with Asian peers after US oil prices slipped below zero dollar a barrel in overnight trade.

US crude futures turned negative for the first time in history following a collapse in oil demand as the coronavirus pandemic derails the global economy.

At 10:15 am, the BSE S&P Sensex was down by 870 points or 2.75 per cent at 30,778 while the Nifty 50 edged lower by 248 points or 2.69 per cent at 9,013.

Except for Nifty pharma and FMCG, all sectoral indices at the National Stock Exchange were in the red with Nifty metal down by 5.2 per cent, auto by 5.1 per cent and private bank by 4.3 per cent.

Among stocks, index heavyweight Reliance Industries fell by 3.93 per cent to Rs 1,195.60 per share. Metal majors Hindalco dropped by 8.9 per cent at Rs 106.10 per share while Tata Steel lost by 7.1 per cent and Vedanta by 6.6 per cent.

Auto major Maruti skidded by 6.8 per cent to Rs 4,964.70 per share and Tata Motors by 5.2 per cent.

Private lenders IndusInd Bank, Axis Bank and ICICI Bank dipped by 6.7 per cent, 6.1 per cent and 5.8 per cent respectively.

However, those which gained were Dr Reddy, Cipla, Nestle India, Hindustan Lever and ITC.

Meanwhile, Asia shares were in the negative zone after an overnight tumble at Wall Street with US crude futures turned negative for the first time in history. However, it bounced back into positive territory this morning.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia Pacific shares outside Japan fell half a per cent. Japan's Nikkei fell by 2.26 per cent while Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost by 2.38 per cent and South Korea's Kospi slipped by 1.67 per cent.

Overnight stateside, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 592 points lower at 23,650, the S&P 500 slipped by 1.8 per cent to end its trading day at 2,823 and the Nasdaq Composite pulled back 1 per cent to close at 8,561.

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A top UK government scientist, who was behind the country's strategy to impose strict lockdown measures to curb the spread of coronavirus, has resigned after a media report revealed that he broke the rules and allowed a woman he was said to be in a relationship with to visit his home during the lockdown. Professor Neil Ferguson, an epidemiologist whose modelling convinced Prime Minister Boris Johnson to press ahead with a UK-wide lockdown, quit the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) after allegations emerged in The Daily Telegraph. He admitted that he had allowed a woman Antonia Staats to visit him at his London home after travelling across the UK capital from her home, which she shares with her husband and children, on at least two occasions.

The movement goes against the very strict stay at home and save lives advice of the government, put in place by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson prompted by the scientific team led by Ferguson. The incidents took place soon after the 51-year-old leading epidemiologist from Imperial College London had completed a two-week spell self-isolating after testing positive for coronavirus. "I accept I made an error of judgement and took the wrong course of action. I have therefore stepped back from my involvement in SAGE, said Ferguson after the report.

"I acted in the belief that I was immune, having tested positive for coronavirus and completely isolated myself for almost two weeks after developing symptoms. I deeply regret any undermining of the clear messages around the continued need for social distancing," he said. The scientist, however, stressed that the government's advice on social distancing remains "unequivocal", adding that it was there "to protect all of us". UK Security Minister James Brokenshire said the senior scientist "made the right decision" and that the government will "continue to be informed" by SAGE.

"We have a range of experts that will continue to support ministers," he said. The first of the visits by Staats, 38, was on March 30, which coincided with a public warning by Prof Ferguson that the UK's one-week-old lockdown measures would have to remain until June. Staats, a left-wing campaigner, made a second visit on April 8 despite telling friends she suspected that her husband, an academic in his 30s, had symptoms of coronavirus, the newspaper report claims. He has peculiarly breached his own guidelines, and for an intelligent man I find that very hard to believe. It risks undermining the government's lockdown message," said Conservative Party MP and former minister Ian Duncan Smith.

Ferguson's resignation comes a month after Scotland's Chief Medical Officer, Dr Catherine Calderwood, had to resign when it was revealed she had broken lockdown rules by making two trips back and forth to a second home. Under the government's guidelines in the UK, people are expected to stay at home and allowed to move out only for one form of daily exercise and essential shopping.

The measures have been in place since March 23 to try and flatten the curve of the rising number of cases of COVID-19, the UK death toll from which reached 29,427 on Tuesday the highest number of virus deaths in Europe. However, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which includes deaths where the virus is suspected and not just where tests have been carried out, brings the total number even higher to 32,375.

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