Former Pakistan fast-bowler Shoaib Akhtar wants Bollywood superstar Salman Khan to play the lead character if ever a biopic is made on his cricketing journey.

Akhtar has always been a fan of Khan, considering the number of times he has praised the Bollywood star. In 2016, he met the Bollywood actor in Dubai and tweeted a picture saying, "I really enjoyed my time with Salman Khan in Dubai. Great work is being done by his Being Human foundation."

And now, the Rawalpindi Express has stated he would like to see the 54-year-old Indian actor portray him on the big screen if a biopic was made on the former Pakistan speedster.

"If ever my biopic is made, I want Salman Khan to play the lead in it," Akhtar was quoted as saying by Pakistan journalist Saj Sadiq on his Twitter handle.

Biopic of a cricketer has the potential to attract many eyeballs as was the case when a movie on former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was made few years ago.

More recently, a movie on Team India's historic 1983 World Cup winning campaign Kapil Dev was supposed to hit the theatres but had to be postponed due to coronavirus pandemic.

Akhtar represented Pakistan in 46 Tests and 163 ODIs in which he scalped 178 and 247 wickets respectively. Besides, he also played 15 T20Is for the Men in Green in which he picked 19 wickets. He is counted among one of the fastest bowlers to have played the gamne of cricket.

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New York: The idea formed on a day when all the news headlines were dire. The coronavirus was surging worldwide; Nashville had lost lives in a devastating tornado and children had their lives upended as they separated from beloved classmates to shelter at home.

But only bad news is never the whole story. Days later, The Associated Press started its daily series 'One Good Thing' to reflect the unheralded sacrifices made to benefit others that normally wouldn't make a story, but maybe always deserved one.

Since March 17, when a Norwegian mom tried to soften the blow of birthdays under quarantine for her two teens by asking via social media that people reach out to them, there have been 35 stories about the ways that everyday people have tried to make a positive difference in the lives of others. The gestures have been grand and small, some as simple as chalk-written messages on a sidewalk thanking healthcare workers at a New Orleans hospital for their efforts.

Music has been a central theme. The series has included stories about a Rio firefighter sharing his love of music from a hydraulic ladder 150 feet up as he played the trumpet for cooped-up apartment dwellers; a virtual rendition of 'Bolero' from the National Orchestra of France, with each musician playing alone at home; the virtual Corona Community Choir with members around the world, performing on Sundays.

If music soothes the soul, food feeds it. There have been six stories that tell of benefactors feeding health care workers, the poor, the elderly shut ins, even volunteers feeding hungry animals at a revered Hindu temple in Kathmandu, Nepal.

There have been meals from Brooklyn caterer Israel Frischman for Holocaust survivors who are shut in. The day after the story ran, donations poured in and now Frischman has financial backing for the needed meals.

And simpler fare from the 'Solidarity Menu' started by Emiliano Moscoso who employed his hamburger chain of restaurants in Colombia to feed poor neighborhoods in Bogota.

The delivery of lifesaving supplies has been a storyline as well, from the professional cyclist in Italy who has gone from racing against competitors to racing medicine to those in need, to Yale student Liam Elkind's delivery service. A month after reporting on Elkind's 'Invisible Hands' effort which he started with a friend, he reports that it's ballooned.
'We're making over 1,000 deliveries a week now, and over 10,000 volunteers have joined our group. I feel like I haven't slept in decades, but, honestly, I've never felt more energized,' he said.

Heroes have emerged in youth, from Nova Knight, a 5-year-old firecracker in Alaska imploring her cohorts to wash their hands and postpone playdates, to 16-year-old TJ Kim, who can't drive, but can fly. He uses those skills to deliver much-needed medical supplies across rural Virginia.

The stories have circled the world, from Colombia and Nepal, to Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Brazil, Israel, Indonesia and South Korea where Kim Byung-rok, a shoe cobbler, donated land to help raise money for the fight against the virus.

In the month of stories about the goodness of others, it's no surprise when we doubled back to the previous subjects of the coverage, AP journalists found the obvious: the givers' giving has expanded.

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Amid the coronavirus gloom, a Turkish man is giving netizens a reason to smile with his unique antics and helping attitude. The man identified as Burak Soylu dresses up as the famous Marvel superhero Spiderman to help his neighbours amid the global pandemic.

In Turkey, a man named Burak Soylu has been going around dressed like Spiderman.

He drives around in a Beetle, buys milk and groceries for the elderly, and delivers it to their doorsteps.

When he was asked why, he said "My superpower is doing good for the neighborhood." pic.twitter.com/KAYm3hyPyb

— Goodable (@Goodable) April 17, 2020

According to a Twitter post shared by Goodable, just like the 'friendly neighbourhood' Marvel superhero who helps people with his superpowers, Burak dresses up in a Spiderman suit and goes around helping his neighbours, especially elderly people by distributing milk, groceries and essentials at the doorsteps.

In the pictures shared by Goodable, Burak can be seen buying vegetables from the market and delivering it to those in need of help at a time when most countries have imposed a lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus. While speaking to Goodable, Burak said that his superpower is doing good for his neighbours.

you forgot to add his best pictures.. here they are pic.twitter.com/9feElnkjg5

— Serhan (@serhanbilgin) April 18, 2020

Twitter user Serhan also shared some breathtaking pictures of Burak as Spiderman driving his Beetle and even posing on a tractor. Since the time it was shared, the post has garnered over 10,000 re-tweets and about 4,000 likes.

And he's masked and gloved too! Good one, Spidey! 👏👏👏👏👏

— Omowunmie (@molarah26) April 17, 2020

The post, which has gone viral now has garnered tons of appreciation from netizens. While some Twitterati lauded Burak for helping the elderly amid coronavirus crisis, others talked about how Burak was spreading the safety message by wearing a costume that includes a face mask and hand gloves which are highly important to combat COVID-19.

Now that's what I call a friendly neighborhood spiderman..

— Dequondre Agee (@DequondreA) April 18, 2020

One user said, "And he's masked and gloved too! Good one, Spidey!" while another user commented, "Now that's what I call a friendly neighborhood spiderman..." A third user jokingly said, "So can we say Superman costume is Coronaproof? Hahaha." Talking about the Turkish spiderman's noble cause, a fourth user said, "He also visits disabled kids school and presents toys along with mask."

Here's how netizens reacted to Turkish spiderman's noble work:

Spiderman! Spiderman!
Helps the elderly how he can!
Drives around, in his car!
Buys some food, drives it far!
Look out! Here comes a helpful man!

— Cleodora Silvestri (@drakkenmensch) April 18, 2020

This is truly theirs FRIENDLY NEIGHBOURHOOD SPIDERMAN. pic.twitter.com/Mye8pKyvJo

— AbeAbeStudio (@StudioAbe) April 18, 2020

Quality bloke!! Humanity need more people like this!

— The Darge Knight (@DargeKnight) April 18, 2020

😆So can we say Superman costume is Coronaproof? Hahaha 😂

— Özlem (@icbukeydis) April 19, 2020

This is humanity's at its finest

— jack (@jackdilnessa) April 18, 2020

Isn't the Turkish Spiderman living by the well-known proverb of the Marvel superhero, "With great power comes great responsibility".

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An exchange of texts between the YouTuber and a man whose car he hit has gone viral. YouTuber Casey Neistat had tweeted about leaving a note apologising to a man whose car he accidentally hit with his 17-year-old pick-up truck and what happened next was absolutely heart-warming.

Neistat, who stays in Los Angeles, wrote on Twitter, "I scratched a guys car this morning when parking my truck, total accident, small but noticeable scratch. I left the owner a note on the wiper and he texted me..."

The note Neistat left for the man read, "Hello, I scratched the hood of your car while parking mine. Please call/text so I can pay for the repairs. My sincere apologies for the trouble." The man texted him  on his contact number provided on the note and gave him a surprising reply. He asked Neistat to donate the money he had put aside for the repairs to the local food bank instead.

The reply read, "Hey, Thank you so much for the note. Please don’t worry about the scratch. Any money you have put towards my car feel free to donate to a local venice food bank. Have a great week!"

Neistat then donated 250 USD to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank in the name of ‘Mr Scratched Car’. The heart-warming exchange between the YouTuber and the stranger garnered over 243,500 likes and was retweeted more than 20,900 times.

been complaining about LA a lot, lemme share why I love LA. I scratched a guys car this morning when parking my truck, total accident, small but noticeable scratch. I left the owner a note on the wiper and he texted me... pic.twitter.com/0x8HQkjGa2

— Casey Neistat (@Casey) April 20, 2020

The users commenting on the post narrated similar incidents and praised the interaction between them. Some also praised the man’s reply to the Neistat’s note.

10/10 human interaction, love this

— FaZe Banks (@Banks) April 20, 2020

What she didn't know what that I had already caused that damage weeks prior while trying to squeeze into a microscopic Seattle parking space (next to a concrete pillar).

I texted her back, told her that if she caused any damage, I couldn't tell, and not to worry about it. (2/2)

— AlexanderESmith (@AlexEdwardSmith) April 20, 2020

God bless Mr Scratched Car

— Boii🧢 (@MichaelYanchuck) April 20, 2020

donation made in the name of "mr scratched car"

casey you are a legend

— Luke Martin (@VentureCoinist) April 20, 2020

Still truly good people in this world.

— Lance Ulanoff (@LanceUlanoff) April 20, 2020

What do you think about the post?

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A video of an elderly man tearing up after receiving a gift from his caregiver has melted hearts online and the story behind it is extremely emotional. Ken Bembow, a British war veteran has been staying in a elderly assisting  facility and one of the care givers there noticed that he sleeps with his late wife’s photograph.

As she realized that sleeping next to a picture in a glass frame can hurt him, caregiver Kia Mariah Tobin came up with an idea to give Bembow a unique gift. She gifted him a pillow with his wife’s photo printed on it. The precious moment of Bembow tearing up while receiving the gift was captured on camera and was shared on Facebook that has touched hearts.

The care home where Bembow stays shared the video on their Facebook page, with the caption that reads, “We know our residents are missing their loved ones at this time but let’s not forget those who sadly aren’t here with us anymore.” The caption further detailed how Tobin presented him the pillow.

The video posted last week garnered over 4 lakh views on Facebook with more than 7,000 likes and was shared over 5,200 times. The users commenting on the video lauded the caregiver for giving Bembow a thoughtful gift.

A user said, “What a lovely thing to do, I’m sure lots of residents in isolation would appreciate one. What a wonderful reaction, bless him.” Another user said, “Such a beautiful moment. I can’t stop watching it.” One user said, “Absolutely beautiful!  So thoughtful and so special. What an angel Kia is, and wonderful to see the bond between  her and Ken.”  A user said, “ I cried watching this absolutely beautiful, amazing young lady, she should be so so proud of herself and to the boss, you have a diamond working for you, an absolute diamond.”

What do you think about the video?

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Many Americans in India who had signed up for airlifts back to the US are now deciding to stay back and "ride it out" during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the State Department's top consular official. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Ian Brownlee said on Tuesday that many who had enlisted for repatriation from India were not responding to offers of seats on the planes arranged by the department to take them home.

The number of recorded COVID-19 cases in the US reached 1 million on Tuesday, with 58,348 deaths, while India had only 31,368 officially recorded cases with 1,008 fatalities, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker. Brownlee said: "Two weeks ago, we had a list of folks and we were pretty sure if we called (the) folks they'd show up at the airport and say, 'Yes, please.' We're now getting to the point on that list, we're having to make multiple calls for individual seats because people are deciding 'No,' they'd just as soon ride it out where they are."

Last week he said that 4,000 Americans had been brought back to the US and 6,000 were waiting for airlifts. India has cancelled passenger flights and rail transportation during the strict lockdown imposed on March 25.

Brownlee had spoken earlier of the massive logistics effort required to bring Americans from around the vast country to Mumbai and New Delhi, the departure points for the chartered flights.

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German Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries has said that Germany's air passenger tax is damaging the country's aviation industry and should be scrapped.

A new study by PwC has concluded that abolishing Germany's flight ticket tax would provide a substantial boost to the German economy.

Environmental tax revenue as a percentage of Germany's overall tax take has fallen to its lowest level in more than 20 years, according to the country's statistical agency.

The South African Revenue Service announced on October 30 that it had paid over ZAR120bn (USD8.4bn) in refunds across all tax types in the last seven months, from the beginning of April of the tax season to date.

The German Cabinet has approved a proposal to reduce the rate of value-added tax on electronic publications. The rate is expected to drop from January 1, 2020.

On August 29, 2019, German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier announced the outlines of a plan to reduce the tax and regulatory burden on small and medium-sized companies in Germany.

On October 1, 2019, the German Federal Cabinet approved financing of EUR54bn (USD59bn) for the Climate Protection Program 2030, which includes the introduction of carbon pricing, as well as other tax measures intended to encourage the use of cleaner forms of transport.

On November 18, 2019, the German Ministry of Finance published a question and answer section on its website to clarify the role of a new special unit within the tax authority designed to detect cases of tax fraud more quickly.

The upper house of the German parliament, the Bundesrat, has rejected certain tax elements of the Government's climate protection plan, including a reduction in value-added tax on long-distance rail travel.

On December 18, 2019, the mediation committee of the lower and upper houses of the German parliament (Bundestag and Bundesrat) announced an agreement on the Government's climate legislation, which includes several tax measures.

The Swiss Government has said that from January 31, individuals and legal entitles domiciled in Germany will be able to use an online Swiss application to request a refund of Swiss withholding tax.

The FM also said that about three crore farmers with agricultural loans totaling Rs 4,22,113 crore availed the benefit of the 3-month loan moratorium announced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in March

Singapore and Germany have signed a protocol to their double taxation agreement, which brings the treaty into line with international standards and amends the maximum withholding tax rates that may be charged.

On September 10, 2019, German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz presented to the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, the Government's draft Budget for 2020, which includes tax reduction measures.

The European Union Code of Conduct Group (Business Taxation) has warned the Government of Belize that the jurisdiction will be placed on the EU's blacklist of non-cooperative territories unless it commits to amend or abolish certain tax rules considered "harmful."

Daily Mail reported that British experts are growing human body parts like nose and ears in laboratory. "This is a nose we're growing for a patient

According to a recent study, each year as many as 40,500 critically ill U.S. hospital patients die with an unknown medical condition that may have caused or contributed to their death.

A new pneumonia vaccine that is more effective and less expensive than those currently used in Brazil is being tested in human patients, said researchers

On September 16, 2019, the German conservative parties, the Christian Democrats and the Christian Social Union, published a report calling for reform of environmental taxes and levies to help Germany achieve its emissions reductions targets.

The German Cabinet has approved a proposal to reduce the rate of value-added tax on electronic publications. The rate is expected to drop from January 1, 2020.

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz has presented a final proposal for a European Union financial transactions tax to the 10 member states participating in the initiative.

On January 24, 2020, the European Commission issued formal notices to numerous European Union member states with regards to lapses in the implementation of various EU anti-tax avoidance directives.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has said that Austria does not agree with new German proposals for a European financial transactions tax.

The Swiss Government has said that from January 31, individuals and legal entitles domiciled in Germany will be able to use an online Swiss application to request a refund of Swiss withholding tax.

Oman's Government has released a statement confirming that it is preparing to introduce VAT legislation into parliament to implement the levy without delay.

Highlights: World Encephalitis Day is celebrated annually on 22 nd February Its major objective is to raise awaren

Highlights : In India, over 17,265 confirmed novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases and 543 deaths as of yesterd

The Federal Association of German Industry, the BDI, has urged the German government to forge ahead with corporate tax reforms, warning that Germany's corporate tax regime is becoming increasingly out of step with the country's competitors.

On March 13, 2020, the German Ministry of Finance announced the relaxation of certain tax payment requirements as part of a package of measures designed to ease the economic impact of the COVID-19 virus.

The German Ministry of Finance has adopted a circular including various tax relief measures for businesses affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

The EU has added the Cayman Islands, Palau, Panama, and the Seychelles to its list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions, bringing the total tally to 12 from 8.

The implementation of a new system by the Isle of Man Ship Registry for processing online applications for Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers endorsements has been hailed a great success by its clients.

The Isle of Man Treasury has announced that a new 30 percent penalty for participation in VAT fraud will be introduced from March 1, 2018.

Australia has enacted new integrity measures included in the Treasury Laws Amendment (2018 Superannuation Measures No. 1) Bill 2019 affecting self-managed super funds.

The German Ministry of Finance has outlined a number of tax changes that are due to take effect in 2020 and 2021.

Germany's IT systems are not ready for the VAT "quick fix" simplifications that entered into force on January 1, 2020, according to the European Commission.

On March 2, 2020, the German Ministry of Finance released a draft discussion document on new rules implementing the sixth European Union Directive on Administrative Cooperation, under which intermediaries are obligated to report certain tax planning schemes.

On April 25, 2020, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Germany would attempt to seek agreement on a financial transaction tax and a minimum corporate tax when it assumes the presidency of the European Union in July 2020.

On April 23, 2020, the German Ministry of Finance confirmed that taxpayers suffering from liquidity problems due to COVID-19 can apply for a refund of advance tax payments made in 2019.

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz has presented a final proposal for a European Union financial transactions tax to the 10 member states participating in the initiative.

On January 24, 2020, the European Commission issued formal notices to numerous European Union member states with regards to lapses in the implementation of various EU anti-tax avoidance directives.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has said that Austria does not agree with new German proposals for a European financial transactions tax.

New study assesses the rate at which adolescents discuss sex with their parents and primary care providers, and the frequency at which they receive screening for sexually transmitted infections.

A review for primary care physicians published in iCMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal)/i, aims to provide care to the growing number of identified transgenders among adolescents.