Representational picture

San Francisco: Global wearable brand Fitbit has announced to use Google's new Cloud Healthcare API to help the company integrate further into the healthcare system, such as by connecting user data with electronic medical records (EMR). Combining Fitbit data with EMRs can provide patients and clinicians a more comprehensive view of the patient profile, leading to more personalised care, the company said in a statement late Monday.

"Working with Google gives us an opportunity to transform how we scale our business, allowing us to reach more people around the world faster, while also enhancing the experience we offer to our users and the healthcare system," said James Park, co-founder and CEO of Fitbit.

"This collaboration will accelerate the pace of innovation to define the next generation of healthcare and wearables," he added.

The companies will also look to help better manage chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension by using services such as Fitbit's recently acquired "Twine Health".

Using Google's Cloud Healthcare API, "Twine" can make it easier for clinicians and patients to collaborate on care, helping lead to better health outcomes and positive returns for employers, health plans and hospitals.

"At Google, our vision is to transform the way health information is organised and made useful. By enabling Fitbit to connect and manage key health and fitness data using our Google Cloud Healthcare API, we are getting one step closer to this goal," said Gregory Moore Vice President, Healthcare, Google Cloud.

"Together, we have the opportunity to deliver up-to-date information to providers, enhancing their ability to follow and manage the health of their patients and guide their treatment," he added.

Google Cloud will provide Fitbit with next-generation cloud services and engineering support, allowing Fitbit to scale faster.

Fitbit products are carried in over 45,000 retail stores and in 86 countries.

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iVOOMi on Thursday launched its first health band, 'FitMe', in India at Rs 1,999. The fitness band sports a 90mAh battery, scratch-proof display heart rate monitor, sleep monitor, running mode, vibration reminder, pedometer, GPS and other features, the Chinese electronics company said in a statement

"The 'FitMe' health band is sleek, smart, dust-proof and water resistant and features a display of 128x32 pixels resolution that makes it crystal clear from all viewing angles," said iVOOMi India CEO Ashwin Bhandari.

With "IP67," the watch remains water-resistant for 30 minutes, has auto-sync for "Smart Me OS 2.0" and is capable of OTA (Over the Air Software) updates.

"FitMe" is chargeable without a USB cable; the display can be directly connected to any USB port to charge the device. The health band on available on Flipkart and 

Available on Flipkart, the health band comes with a six-month warranty.

(Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from IANS)

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The recent frenzy over supposed cracks in the Kemps Corner bridge - the country's first-ever flyover - has been proved to be an overreaction, but also brings to light the power that WhatsApp has to spread misinformation and paranoia.

This paper yesterday reported that thousands of app users had received a picture of a fissure in a portion of the bridge, with claims that the flyover was in danger of collapsing. The viral photo sparked widespread panic; so much so, that the civic commissioner was drawn into the Kemps Corner frenzy. There was a post from a young politician seeking to reassure the public. The 86-year-old architect of the bridge also gave a statement to assuage fears and calm outrage bubbling on WhatsApp.

Through the days, more rumours came in, stating that the bridge was falling and traffic had been diverted. One can imagine the mental state of a motorist about to drive onto the bridge, if they were to glance at WhatsApp and spot the alarmist message. The rapid-fire messages sparked fear and anger. Reassurance, on the other hand, was much slower to come.

This shows just how important it is that we filter messages on WhatsApp, and not forward blindly. In this 'quick click' age, it takes just the push of a button to spread fear. Thankfully, the bridge fall phobia had no major repercussions, but it does bring to mind other times when WhatsApp messages have started and stoked the fires of a frenzied crisis.

Each of us has a responsibility to verify, or at least use some discretion, before pressing the forward button. There is no race where one has to be first to pass on information. In fact, there is merit in holding back, cross-checking, and then forwarding only if there is credibility in the message. In this instant age, let's not fall for anymore half-baked stories.

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A day after this paper published a report about a couple who has been left in limbo because a financial institute has misplaced their Sale Deed or Sale of Agreement papers, there have been a few readers who have written in claiming that they experienced a similar situation. They, too, had a harrowing story to tell.

According to our report, an Andheri couple who had taken a loan from a financial institution years ago to buy a home and were paying it off over years, finished paying their loan. They asked the institute to return their documents and that is when they learnt that the Sale of Agreement has been misplaced. Their nightmare began, but it has been months the paper has not been found and they have subsequently been unable to sell a home on the outskirts of the city because buyers are wary of buying a home without the original Sale Deed.

Finance institutes cannot afford to misplace such important documents. Institutes might have misplaced the documents while shifting or the file has been lost when being transferred from one centre to another.

If this happens, and from the responses we learn that this is unfortunately not very rare, it is the organisation's responsibility to give the affected a way out. There has to be a redressal mechanism. If the true copy of the document does not work for certain people, the institute has to step in and provide them a solution.

They need to be held liable and accountable. You cannot expect the affected people, who are already suffering considerably and have also spent time and money, to do all this on their own. Those who have erred cannot wash their hands off the matter. They need to be there with the people, whose papers they have irresponsibly, though inadvertently, misplaced, right till the bitter end.

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The romanticising of vinyls is not without reason - the gritty, warm sound, the bout of nostalgia and the act of listening may all be cliches, but they also hold true. And today being World Record Store Day, there is perhaps no better way of spending it than actually being in one. So here are a few that can satiate everyone from the grandpa obsessed with Madhubala to the hipster who wears socks from different pairs. Take your pick.

The Revolver Club
Jude D'Souza (seated in pic), CeO at The Revolver Club, says, "I once got a call about someone wanting to purchase weapons and another one asking how they could join this club." He explains that the name is a play on the revolving aspect of vinyls and also an ode to a Beatles album. D'Souza set up the store with co-founder Shalom Benjamin about three years ago, and it has now become a go-to hub for record junkies.
At: LJ Road, Mahim West.
Call: 9833182255
Cost: Rs 100 to Rs 25,000

Royal Music Collection
Known simply as Abdul Razaak's store to those in the trade, this shop tucked away in Fort has been around since 1982. Featuring an array of languages and genres, the stock is a treasure trove of collectors' records. "Most of my customers are regulars and now that record players are back, I get some new ones too. Much what I have comes from old collections, so it's cheap and exquisite," says Razaak, the owner.
At: Kitab Mahal, Dr DN Road.
Call: 98209 33365
Cost: Rs 250 to Rs 2,000.

Music Circle
Pilak Bhatt, owner of Music Centre, which has been around for five years, says he has been collecting records for the last 40 years. At his store you can find both pre-owned records and new ones. "Because of my passion and love for music, I want this format to stay alive. Analogue sound is natural and warm and records have lovely artwork. Plus, there's ample information about the artistes. The sound of Mp3s isn't great, and people are realising that, which is why this revival has come about," Bhatt says.
At: V Mall, Kandivali east
Call: 9833062221
Cost: Rs 300 to Rs 2,000

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A major fire broke out at a Big Bazaar outlet in Matunga West area on Monday afternoon. As per reports, the fire broke out in a ground-plus-one building housing. However, no casualties have been reported so far.

Several Fire Brigade personnel, one ambulance and a Quick Response Vehicle reached the spot to douse the flames. Five fire engines have also been deployed at the spot, said the officials.

All the people inside the store at the time of the fire were reportedly were to rushed out to safety and no casualty has been reported as yet. Firefighting operations were continuing.

A similar incident occurred last week in South Mumbai. According to reports, a fire broke out at the famous Crawford Market area. Reports also state that four fire engines were immediately rushed to the spot.

The fire engines are currently making efforts to douse the flames at Crawford Market. No casualty was reported in the incident, he said.

The blaze erupted around 10.50 am at the shopping centre located behind a mosque on Abdul Rahman Street and spread rapidly in the complex, the official said.

Several electronic goods, plastic, stationery items and electric installations were gutted in the fire, he said.

Four fire engines, as many water tankers, and a quick response vehicle were rushed to the spot, he said. The fire brigade personnel managed to extinguish the flames after hectic efforts for about an hour, he said.

Also Read: Mumbai: Major fire at a chemical plant in Dombivli MIDC

The exact cause of the blaze was yet to be ascertained, the official said, adding that a probe was on into the incident.

(With inputs from PTI)

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The 'glamourless' north east Parliamentary constituency saw a lot of drama on voting day since morning. Comprising six assembly constituencies, it saw 55.35 per cent voter turnout. In 2014 the constituency had registered a 51.70 per cent turnout. Of this Ghatkopar east topped the list with 60.30 per cent followed by Mulund at 60.10 per cent, Vikhroli at 59.03 per cent, Bhandup west at 57 per cent, Ghatkopar west at 53.81 per cent and Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar at 44.02 per cent.

'Polling centre goes missing'

The day started with voters at Bhandup east complaining of an entire polling centre gone missing and alleged that it had been shifted two km away without prior notice. Citizens said they realised it only after reaching the spot and did not know what to do.

Bhandup resident Chandra Sreenivasan alleged that it was a ploy to discourage voters. "I wanted to vote. I fought with the election officer on duty and said that such tricks would not put off voters if they intended to do that. We have been voting at the same BMC garden every time and this time when we got the election slip, it had the same address but when we reached the spot, there was nothing there. A few locals then told us that it had been shifted near the old Bhandup phatak which is about 2 km away from the location," she told mid-day.

"The old and ill will not travel 2 km to an unknown spot, but I did not give up. I took an auto and went all the way there and fired the election staff on duty. When I questioned them, they said that they had just received a message in the morning to report here," she added. Election officials, however, said that it was decided to shift the polling centre from the garden to a building and a notice had been put up in the garden, though Sreenivasan said there were no notices.

Candidate posters put up

The BJP's secretary Vivekanand Gupta said they had reported a complaint against the NCP candidate after they found a banner with his photograph within 100 metres of the polling booth in Bhandup. He requested the EC to direct police officials to remove it immediately.

Faulty EVMs

Several complaints of faulty Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) came to the fore during voting throughout the day, delaying the processes from 45 minutes to one hour. At some centres, there were issues with the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slip as it was not visible after voting and in some cases there was an error displayed. At booth 93 at Sharon English School in Mulund the voting had to stopped after the EVM developed a snag and an engineer had to be summoned to fix it. Voting restarted after 45 minutes.

Also Read: Elections 2019 in Mumbai: Voters, poll officials confused over ban on mobile phones

Candidate's switch disabled

An independent candidate, Anil Hebbar said his name was disabled on EVMs, and after his complaint the machines were replaced. "At booth 155/272 in Mulund, button no 14 next to my name was disabled. The officer in-charge discovered it before polling started and changed the ballot unit leading to a delay of 1 hr and 15 min," he said.

Voted, but not inked

A voter, Reena Verghese, alleged that she cast her vote in booth 243 at St Pius School in Mulund west, but her finger was not inked. She went again inside the booth to get the mark on her finger when she realised this.

Sr citizen's name missing

Kalawati Tambe, 86, missed out on voting as her name was missing from the electoral list. A resident of Kannamwar Nagar building 14, all her neighbours' names were on the list but her's did not figure. She said she came to vote though she was in her hometown for past few days. She complained that she had to climb onto the first floor, her legs were paining and she was very unhappy that she could not vote.

Jugaad chairs

At many places the election commission had put up jugaad chairs tied to sticks like a palkhi to carry senior citizens to upper floors in buildings where there were no lifts. "They showed videos of all those fancy automatic chairs, but they assembled such jugaad plastic chairs," Harkishan Rai, a senior citizen said. The rule of not allowing mobile phones was also leniently followed with cops telling voters that they could carry phones, but requested them to switch them off.

55.35pc

The voter turnout in North East

Also Read: Elections 2019 in Mumbai: Physically challenged, elderly, get little help at polling stations

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Raj Khatri at his Malad home. Pic/NIMESH DAVE

As a teen studying at a Khandala boarding school, Raj Khatri was an ardent fan of Hardy Boys. Every week, he’d head to the school library to pick up a copy from the limited edition series, The Hardy Boys Casefiles, that explored mature, espionage-based themes. But he never read a single one. "It was to gaze lovingly at the cover," he laughs. "If you remember, the cover always carried an action shot. Sometimes, it was of a car chase or a person fleeing an explosion or a man hanging precariously from a bridge. They [covers] had a dynamic, kinetic energy that I loved." He would then return to the dorm, sit with a paper and recreate the cover of the week in his notebook.

Khatri, now 35, continues to nurture his fascination with pop art and posters. He spends hours recreating posters of iconic Hollywood films and television shows, presenting his own unique interpretation. Spearheading the alternative movie poster movement in India, now a global phenomenon, Khatri creates re-imagined posters using bold brushstrokes and vibrant colours. Kill Bill, The Dark Knight and The Matrix have all got a cover each. "What artists usually do is take one object from the film and create a poster around it. I decided to make posters that look like abstract paintings, but when you place the movie’s name below them, you get the message."

Most Hollywood films, he explains, have a thematic colour palette. "Uma Thurman’s yellow costume became synonymous with Kill Bill. I watched it and made notes of all the focal elements in the film," he says, adding that he makes posters keeping a film’s fans in mind. "For instance, in the 2014 film, Night Crawler, there’s an iconic red car that the protagonist drives. You’ll get the poster only if you’ve watched the film."

It was on an impulse, that he decided to upload the posters on social media in 2010, not realising they would get him recognition. The artworks later landed him a chance to exhibit his work at a Los Angeles exhibition in 2014. The following year, he launched his first minimal series posters — a take off from alternative posters that instantly went viral.

As creative head with a city-based ad firm, Khatri is also the man behind original posters for Hindi cinema projects Neerja, Phantom, Kahaani 2 and Bang Bang. "Of course, I love the process of digitally creating movie posters, but more often than not, there’s a filter between what I conceive and what is released. It’s not entirely indigenous because there are so many people involved and they all have an input to offer. After a point, fatigue develops," he says.

It was the creative release that alternative posters offered him and a Wacom tablet that his girlfriend, now wife, gave him that saw him through. "No pesky clients and deadlines. I was free to use my own style, and that’s what I love about this," he says.

Romeo Akbar Walter
U/A: Action
Director: Robbie Grewal
Cast: John Abraham, Mouni Roy, Jackie Shroff
Ratings:

John Abraham's latest nation-in-peril movie is set against the backdrop of the 1971 India-Pakistan war. Releasing nearly a year after Raazi, this one suffers from an acute hangover of the Alia Bhatt-film. It even ends with a song that seems inspired (read blatantly copied from Ae Watan…).

Romeo Akbar Walter (RAW) has a confusing structure, is supported by a blaring background score, and lacks both the smarts and the menace of being a good espionage thriller. The problem here lies with director Robbie Grewal (also director of Aloo Chaat, Mera Pehla Pehla Pyaar, and Samay), who botches his own script.

Given the twists and turns, the film comes across as a convoluted and tedious mess. For a major portion of the film, you find yourself trying to decipher where it is leading. In order to fit the sub-plots, the script is stretched to a point that you stop caring. The first part revolves around Romeo's (Abraham) induction into the task force and imbibing the nuances of Akbar as he enters Pakistan. What could have been an interesting depiction, is reduced to a clichéd montage of training. In the second half, our super-spy hero is in pursuit of getting details of the Pakistani Army which threatens to set a bomb in a part of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).

Watch the Romeo Akbar Walter trailer:

The sequence is shot so casually that it makes you wonder if walking on the streets of Pakistan while trying to gather sensitive information, is a cakewalk. The attempt to create a sense of urgency and intrigue are undermined by the lack of coherence. The film manages to pick up the pace in the second half, but by then, it is too late to salvage the situation.

Also Read: Romeo Akbar Walter director shoots across the country in 46 days

The screenplay moves at a snail's pace and is devoid of tension. The unnecessary inclusion of a love story between Romeo and Parul (Mouni Roy) makes it further lethargic. That's not all, amidst the supposed high-tension situation, a lovemaking scene seems like a desperate attempt to titillate the audience.

Grewal tries to bank on the emotional side of Romeo as he remembers his mother. The scene is almost an ode to Darsheel Safary from Taare Zameen Par (2007). It comes across as pretentious and dreary. It seems, the director hoped to present the film as a complete package, and failed miserably. Had he stuck to the narrative of a spy, the outcome would have been very different.

Sikander Kher is the only one who has attempted to salvage the film. Jackie Shroff as the director of Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) sails by. Abraham's deadpan expressions are a hindrance but he somehow manages to hold his ground. And Roy should stick to doing Naagin instead of a gratuitous role like this. As for RAW, YAW(n).

Also Read: John Abraham: RAW: Romeo Akbar Walter isn't a jingoistic, flag-saluting film

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Five Feet Apart
U/A: Drama romance
Director: Justin Baldoni
Cast: Cole Sprouse, Haley Lu Richardson
Ratings: 

Justin Baldoni's film latches on to cystic fibrosis (CF) for its cause, and makes two teens go through the motions of suffering from the disease to develop its romance and effect. CF is a disease that makes its victim struggle for every breath. Those suffering from it rarely survive beyond the age of 10. So, of course, go ahead and blame advances in modern medicine for allowing the two protagonists to live on as teenagers.

They obviously can't risk any infection, and more so from the disease's fellow-sufferers, who are considered high-risk. At all times, they are meant to be separated by latex gloves; no touching, and six feet between them, at all times. The villain here is the disease; not parents or society.

The first rule to be violated is that of the distance. It conveniently becomes five feet, at the heroine's suggestion. Though the film's main premise is about keeping the protagonists interested and engaged in each other, despite their restrictions, it takes plenty of liberties while trying to establish their connect. They even break away from the hospital's restrictions and risking death when heading on a freakish date in snowy conditions. While they cavort in the snow with no care, viewers hold their breath watching their tragedy unfold amidst compulsive melodrama.

Stella (Haley Lu Richardson) treats the hospital as her second home. She is aware of her disease, stays strictly within her regimen, and looks forward to extending her life (through a lung transplant that offers her five years) while carrying the hope that a new cure may be developed. Her best friend Poe (Moises Arias) is back in the hospital and has his own relationship problems to grapple with. Will (Cole Sprouse), another teenage CF patient, receives an experimental drug to take care of his B-cepacia infection. While Stella is hyper-cooperative with those treating her, Poe and Will cope differently. Will, a cynic and rebel, is persuaded by Stella to keep up with his regimen. Of course, you know where this is going to end, but Baldoni lays on a few surprises along the way.

The director may have gotten his inspiration for this film from his documentary titled My Last Days, about the terminally ill. Reportedly, screenwriters Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis developed it further while Rachel Lippincott churned it into a best-selling novel later. Baldoni kick-starts the narrative with no-nonsense flair, zooming in on Stella and her friends as they party before she must return to her dreaded hospital routine.

Baldoni and cinematographer Frank G DeMarco keep the narrative bright and cosy, straying away from medical restrictions to chart a course that has the young hopefuls straining at every bit. The production design makes the setting look luxurious; unlike regular hospital set-ups. The actors are amiable; able enough to gather empathy without going heavy-duty about their woes. This is a genre flick meant to ply on your sympathies and does the job efficiently.

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Mumbai continued to record a spike in COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, with the health department confirming 26 casualties, including a first victim in the BMC. The 49-year-old official, who was involved in food distribution in Dharavi — one of the worst hit zones in the city, died on Wednesday.

The civic official was part of the Assessment Department and deputed to the G North ward where he was exposed to the infectious disease. "He had been unwell since April 23 and had stopped coming to work. He had gone to a private practitioner in Borivli where he was treated for pneumonia. He died on his way to Kasturba Hospital from Borivli on Wednesday," said Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner of G North ward.

Dighavkar added that his samples were collected for testing on April 27 and the results came back positive after his demise. He is survived by two sons, and his family members are also being tested, said civic officials.

Across Maharashtra, a total of 597 new infections were reported on Wednesday, taking the total number of confirmed cases in the state to nearly 10,000, state health department officials said. Of the 597 new cases, 475 were from Mumbai, taking the total count in the city to 6,644.

Total number of deaths due to COVID-19 climbed to 432, with the state recording 32 new fatalities on Wednesday. Besides 26 in Mumbai, one death was confirmed in Panvel, three in Pune and one each in Solapur and Aurangabad. Civic officials said 10 of the 26 deaths took place last week and were confirmed on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 cases continued to increase in Dharavi, with 14 new confirmed infections on Wednesday. The total tally in the area now stands at 344. In Mahim, three people, including a 52-year-old male resident of the police colony and a 48-year-old man who lived near the police station, have been found to be COVID-19 positive.

Test reports of 23 high-risk contacts of the four officials from Mantralaya, who had tested positive, have come back negative. At Bombay Hospital, another nurse, 45, has tested positive. An official from the hospital said that the nurse, a resident of Kandivli, was not working in the isolation ward. She has no symptoms of the novel Coronavirus and has been admitted at the hospital, he added.

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Saddened by the news of the passing away of veteran Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief and politician Raj Thackeray paid rich tributes to the late actor. On Thursday, the MNS leader took to social media to pay homage and penned a heartfelt note calling Rishi Kapoor the first 'Chocolate boy' of the Bollywood film industry.

A fearless tweet takes a bow!#RishiKapoor #à¤Â‹षि_à¤Â•पà¥Â‚र #मनसà¥Â‡à¤ÂÂÂÂÂ…भिवादन pic.twitter.com/NcVk6VqLZG

— Raj Thackeray (@RajThackeray) April 30, 2020

Titled 'A fearless tweet takes a bow!', Thackeray began his note saying that the country lost two exemplary artists back to back, mentioning the demise of Irrfan Khan and and Rishi Kapoor in a span of two days.

Talking about Rishi Kapoor's entry into the Bollywood Industry, Raj Thackeray said that although Kapoor made his debut at a time when the film industry had a strong group of young actors including Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna, Rajesh Khanna, Shatrughan Sinha, and Dharmendra, he managed to become the voice of the youth and remained so to date.

Raj Thackeray's post

A heartfelt trubute penned by Raj Thackeray for the late actor, Rishi Kapoor

The MNS chief said that Rishi Kapoor did full justice to the Kapoor legacy. Throwing light on Rishi Kapoor's acting skills and his persona, Raj Thackeray said that looking at his effortless performances, one felt that there was no camera in front of him.

Raj also heaped praises on the late Rishi Kapoor for always speaking his heart out and taking a stand. "My family and I have a deep affection for Rishi Kapoor. His performances and his forthright conduct is something, I wholeheartedly appreciate. Be it a social cause, political debate or any current happenings, he was very articulate and forthright in his thoughts and words. One could see his true core reflect in his tweets. Even if there was a huge uproar on any of his tweets, he held his own and never refrained from taking a stand," Raj wrote.

Rishi ji, a person who showed the Cine world what “good looks” truly meant and a friend of the family for decades and 3 generations.
Our heartfelt condolences to the Kapoor family.

— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) April 30, 2020

While concluding his heartfelt tribute, Raj offered his condolence to Rishi Kapoor's family and said, "A deeply passionate person who loved his craft. I offer my humble and heartfelt tribute to this exceptional artist who leaves behind a legacy that will be etched in the ethos of our Indian film industry for eternity."

Besides Raj, Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray also paid homage to Rishi Kapoor. He said, "A friend of the family for decades and 3 generations. Our heartfelt condolences to the Kapoor family."

Rishi Kapoor, who was diagnosed with cancer back in 2018, was admitted at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai around three weeks ago and he passed away on Wednesday morning at 8:45am in the hospital.

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Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope announced that all citizens will be covered under the state government's health scheme, and Maharashtra will be the first state to provide free and cashless insurance protection to its people. Speaking to reporters after a Maharashtra Day event in Jalna on Friday, Tope said 85 per cent of the state's population was covered under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY) at present and the cover will be extended to the remining 15 per cent.

A memorandum was signed to include government, semi- government employees and white ration card holders in the scheme in a bid to prevent private hospitals from overcharging patients, he said. "The government has signed a MoU with the General Insurance Public Sector Association (GIPSA) for treatment of COVID-19 patients at private hospitals in Pune and Mumbai," he said.

Similarly, different packages will be designed for all diseases, to standardise treatment fees at all hospitals, the minister said. Earlier, 496 hospitals were covered in the scheme, but now over 1,000 hospitals will come under it, he said. As per the Disaster Management Act and Epidemic Act, the state government has capped the fees of COVID-19 treatment at private hospitals, the minister said.

Hospitals that don't have tie-ups with the GIPSA will also have to standardise their treatment fees, he added.

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Amid the panic around COVID-19, alternative medicine is being desperately promoted as a treatment, especially to boost immunity. At such a juncture, scientists from the country have issued a public statement on such cures and immunity boosters with a scientific explanation that there is no evidence suggesting successful use of any of these treatments in COVID-19. They have cautioned that these are not alternatives to other precautions that need to be taken such as social distancing, washing hands, etc.

The statement reads, "As of now, no scientific studies show that any substance boosts the immune system specifically against COVID-19, be it modern medicines like hydroxychloroquine or homoeopathic solutions like Arsenicum Album D30 or ayurvedic preparations. These so-called remedies and/or immunity boosters may give people a false sense of security. Some people may wrongly assume that they won't be affected by COVID-19 anymore, leading to risky behaviours such as not using a masks, not washing hands, or not following physical distancing protocols. Such unintentional violation of guidelines may have disastrous results."

While there are several social media posts, there have been instances when even people from government have backed such practices. For example AYUSH ministry supporting homoeopathic and ayurvedic products as defence against COVID-19 and the TN government issuing a circular about the efficacy of a herbal powder. Explaining the need for such a statement, Aniket Sule, scientist at Tata Institute of fundamental Research, said, "There are lots of social media forwards suggesting unproven treatments to fight COVID-19. We want to caution people that there is no scientific evidence to suggest that they work against COVID-19."

The statement concludes, "Colloquially, many people use the word "immunity" when they actually just mean "good health". While a healthy diet and exercise improves a person's general health (and the capacity of their immune system), this cannot make him/her immune to COVID-19. The most severe cases of COVID-19 are made worse by an overreaction of the immune system. So trying to boost general immunity or trying to interfere with its regulation using untested methods, may be risky. Claims such as benefits of drinking cow urine, exposing people to UV light or injecting with disinfectants, are not supported by scientific evidence, and are harmful to the human body. Similarly, while some supplements such as garlic may be harmless, others such as zinc or Datura seeds, if taken in excess, are toxic."

Busting hoaxes

'The Hoaxbusters' — a group from the Indian Scientists' response to COVID-19 has issued new set of slides answering several questions around COVID-19 at https://indscicov.in/

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People living with domestic abuse will be able to access safe spaces at a pharmaceutical chain in the United Kingdom.

Those needing help can ask staff at the counter to use the consultation room, where they will be able to contact services for help and abuse, a UK report said, adding that it was a desperate situation.

This is an extraordinarily difficult time and isolation does give more power to the abuser.

The Jerusalem Post has a special report stating that at least four persons have been murdered and an four more have committed suicide because of domestic violence.

In India, the National Commission for Women (NCW) reported that it received 315 domestic violence complaints in April alone, amid the lockdown.

This is a record high, one that we can certainly not be proud of and in this pandemic, it is increased as abuser and victim are in lockdown together with all escape avenues cut off.

Let us become more robust in our tackling of domestic violence now, and even post this phase, whenever that may be. First, we must identify domestic violence for what it is.

This means recognising verbal violence too — just because there are no physical scars, it does not mean there is no violence.

Then, remove the stigma from this kind of violence. Men can be victims too, they should not be shamed or disbelieved if they do complain.

Give the victims a lifeline and escape route, call out the abuser and make punishments harsh in accordance with the crime.

We often see domestic violence being brushed-off as a small, internal family matter. It is not. It can be deceptive because it happens behind closed doors and can be deadly.

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Forced to agree to discounts due to the aggressive policies of delivery platforms, the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) and its member had started the #Logout campaign last August in protest. While the campaign turned out to be successful to an extent with aggregator platforms forced to change their predatory pricing policies, the NRAI decided to put a definitive plan into action to find a way out. The association has now announced plans to launch an alternative discovery and delivery platform, which will come into force by August-September.

"We realised that this is the new way of doing business [online aggregators] and we cannot ignore it, so let's make it better for us. With this platform, the customer data will be ours, discounts will be decided by the restaurants, and services will be unbundled. Every individual restaurant that gets the order will own the data; NRAI is not the owner of the data. Existing aggregators had become digital landlords. We are not saying that the app will replace the current players overnight, it's just another choice which will be available," says Anurag Katriar, president of NRAI; CEO and executive director of deGustibus Hospitality Pvt Ltd.

The project had been in the works months before COVID-19 hit the industry and all members were of the opinion that a marketplace cannot decide what the buyer and seller should do about the price. The high rate of commission is another concern. Restaurants are also forced to compulsorily buy the full bouquet of services by the platform, for example restaurants cannot use their own delivery fleet despite having one. One of the biggest issues for restaurateurs is that the customer and transaction data is the sole property of the aggregator, something that platforms started utilising to launch and promote their own properties.

Gauri Devidayal, restaurateur

Members of the F&B industry feel positive about the move. "These aggregators have used every situation to their advantage. Even now these guys are trying to raise the commission at a very high percentage. We are more than happy that the organisation is launching this platform which will help us work on a lower commission and reduce our expenses, especially now," said Ryan Tham, owner, The Good Wife, Koko, Foo.

Gauri Devidayal, Co-founder The Table, Magzine Street Kitchen, Iktara, Mei13, Mag St. Bread Co, saod , "The commissions and discounts offered by them were not at all viable for restaurants. This platform will also smoothen the ordering process and remove the need for us to organise a rider when delivering out of our radius."

Meanwhile, NRAI has already collaborated with a tech company to work on this platform, and the money for the platform is also being pumped in by the company; Katriar is tightlipped about the name for now.

Ryan Tham and Avik Chatterjee

Avik Chaterjee, founder, Hoppipola, Episode One, admits that everyone in the industry is in survival mode during lockdown: "Anything that will make us bear lower expenditure will be the best service for us. NRAI is not putting in money in this; this may change in the future. This hasn't been done to spite anyone, it is to protect what's best for our trade and take control of our own business decisions," he says.

Smaller restaurants will benefit the most from this as the platform will allow the owners to accept orders as small as R20 and use their salaried employee for delivery. NRAI is also working on two other tech projects, a loyalty programme, and a platform for transactions which might run parallel to the aggregator platform.

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All looked well-organised for the 1,111 passengers of the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (Kurla)-Basti, Uttar Pradesh train that departed on Friday evening. However, chaos erupted amid delays as migrants were hurriedly packed like sardines into buses and transported to LTT, with social distancing forgotten.

The train transporting migrants from Meghwadi and Jogeshwari was the first to leave from the city. Sources said that of the originally 40 buses planned, just a few seemed to be pressed into service.

According to eyewitnesses, in the beginning, every bus had only 30 passengers and eight such buses arrived at LTT. But the process became tedious with just a handful of buses, which then had to make multiple trips to Jogeshwari.

The buses that came after 3:30 pm did not follow social distancing, with some people standing and some sitting on the footboard.

"We woke up at 5 am and were waiting with our kids and luggage. We expected to be taken to CSMT. But at the last minute, after the medical check-ups, we were packed into buses and brought to LTT. The confusion and chaos drained us, but finally, here we are on the train, going back home," a happy Dinesh Jaiswal, group leader of 13 people from Sonwara village said.

"We had filled forms five to six days ago at the local police station and were told last night that we would be taken to CSMT," said Shakil Ahmed, a tailor and painter, and group leader of 27 people from Gonda village.

Another resident, Manish Yadav, said that at the village they will at least stay with their family and struggle along with other villagers. "Mumbai is where we came to earn, but our roots are in the village. We stay well in the village where needs are minimal. With no sight of when the lockdown will lift, we cannot afford to stay in Mumbai at the mercy of free food," Yadav added.

"After they were brought to the railway station, group leaders were given tickets, which cost about R685 per head and then they were lined up and sent to respective coaches. Only two persons were allowed to sit in one bay. The train will reach Basti district on May 9," a railway official said.

Speaking on the last-minute chaos caused due to the change from CSMT to Kurla, Central Railway's chief spokesperson Shivaji Sutar said special trains are being run only on request of state governments. "We run trains if sending and receiving states agree. As per their request, we kept a train ready at LTT Kurla station," he said.

While nodal officer in-charge of the operation Dinesh Desai did not respond to calls, another official said that it would have been difficult to monitor every stage of the operation and these passengers all had a medical check up before embarking on the bus journey, so it was safe for them to be around each other.

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Retired track star Usain Bolt showed he's still a few steps ahead when he posted an AFP picture of him outstripping his rivals at the Beijing Olympics with the cheeky caption: "social distancing". Bolt's post, featuring a picture by AFP photographer Nicolas Asfouri of the 2008 Olympics 100m final, blew up on social media, drawing more than half a million likes and 90,000 retweets.

It showed the Jamaican crossing the finish line at the Bird's Nest stadium in a then-world record time of 9.69sec, glancing round from lane four as his despairing competitors trail two paces behind. "Savage", commented one Twitter user, while New York Times journalist Christopher Clarey posted another picture of Bolt out in front on his own, captioned "self isolation".

Bolt's chest-thumping celebration in Beijing added to a legend that grew further when he won the 200m in another world-record time. He retired in 2017 with eight Olympic gold medals and the current 100m mark of 9.58sec, set in 2009. Bolt, 33, has been encouraging Jamaicans to self-isolate during the coronavirus pandemic, posting videos of himself exercising at home and juggling footballs with a friend.

He also helped promote a major fundraiser, Telethon Jamaica. After retiring from athletics, Bolt, a Manchester United fan, attempted to launch a career in football, and had a trial with Australia's Central Coast Mariners before contract talks failed.

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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

World champion Lewis Hamilton said Formula One's Coronavirus suspension had left a "big void" in his life as the sport waits to see if it can return in July. Hamilton, who began go-karting as a child and has risen through the ranks of motorsport, said he misses racing daily after the F1 season failed to get underway. "I miss racing every day. This is the first time since I was eight that I haven't started a season," the British Mercedes driver posted on Instagram.

"When you live and breathe something you love, when it's gone there's definitely a big void. But there's always positives to take from these times." The first practice session of the year was just hours away when the season-opening Australian Grand Prix was scrapped in March, triggering a succession of cancellations. F1 bosses are now hoping to start the delayed season at the Austrian Grand Prix on July 5, while fans will be barred from the British Grand Prix on July 19.

However, Hamilton said the virus shutdown—which has all but closed down professional sports and dramatically slowed economic activity—was not all bad news. "Right now, we all have time in the world to reflect on life, our decisions, our goals, the people we have around us, our careers," said Hamilton. "Today, we see clearer skies all over the world, less animals being slaughtered for our pleasure simply because our demands are much lower and everyone is staying in. Let's not come back the same as we went into this tough time. Let's come out of it with better knowledge of our world, changing our personal choices and habits."

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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

American singer Ciara, who is expecting her second child with National Football League (NFL) star hubby Russell Wilson, has some advice for pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several hospitals and healthcare facilities in many countries have decided to ban partners from accompanying pregnant women for their doctor's appointments or entering the delivery room.

In a recent interview with Good Morning America, Ciara spoke about how pregnant women should make optimum use of technology to involve their partners during the maternity period.

Ciara revealed how she had to FaceTime Russell so that he could experience the ultrasound with her. "It was the first time we ever had that kind of experience and it was really a moment that marked the time we are living in... we made the best of it, but it was definitely surreal. I took tons and tons of videos, tons and tons of photos during the ultrasound and made the best of that. Also, what we do in our house is we sing to the belly," Ciara said.

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Modak platter

Malai modak, chocolate modak, mawa modak, Ganpati Bappa's feast is incomplete without a plate of modaks. And, so is ours during Ganesh festival! But, this Ganeshotsav, ditch the calorie laden modaks and try their healthy alternatives. We bet the modaks taste yummy and are perfect sweets to indulge in during the festival in Mumbai. What more do you need when you have more 'goodness' on a platter?

1. Oats modak: Made with jaggery instead of sugar, Oats modak is an all time favourite healthy Indian dessert to savour during Ganesh festival. Crush the oats to give a fine texture to the dessert. Keep a frying pan in low flame and put jaggery on to it. Once the jaggery melts, add coconut oil, crushed coconut, powdered oats and assorted crushed dry fruits. Make a fine mixture and keep it aside to cool down. Once the mixture cools down, place it in a modak mould, press hard and take it out gently. Place it on a plate, garnish with pistachio and your nutritious oats modak is ready to be served.

Oats modak

2. Figs and dates modak: Soak dates and figs in hot water for some time. Once it turns soft, drain the water and grind it to make a fine paste. Take a handful of almonds and cashews and ground it into a fine powder. Heat a pan, add ghee, dates and figs mixture and powdered nuts gradually. Cook it for a while and place it aside to call down. Put the mixture in a modak mould, press it, and take out from the mould once the shape is formed.

3. Chana Dal ka Modak: Consumption of legumes in any form is good for health. Boil chana dal in a pressure cooker, drain out excess water and mash the dal to make a smooth paste. Add jaggery and ¼ water to a pan. Keep the pan in low flame and stir the jaggery until it melts. Add chana dal and 1/3 cup of grated coconut to the jaggery syrup. Mix everything and cook on a low flame until a thick mixture is formed. Let it cool down before you start shaping it in the form of modak. Fill the mould with the mixture for healthy and delicious chana dal modak.

Ukadiche Modak

4. Ukadiche Modak: Also known as steamed modak, this is one of the popular and nutritious versions of modak available in the market. The sweet dumplings are made from rice flour. Add rice flour in a pan of boiling water. Mix well, knead into a soft dough and keep it aside to cool down. Heat ghee and add coconut, jaggery and poppy seeds to it. Make a thick mixture and let it cool for a while. Make rice balls, stuff the centre of the balls with the mixture and put them in a modak mould. Moisten the modaks with little water and place them in a steamer. Steam for around 10 minutes and serve warm.

5. Dark chocolate modak: Heat dark chocolate and milk in a pan until it turns into a smooth mixture. Add crushed digestive biscuit crumbs to make the modak more nutritious and knead to form a soft dough. Once the paste cools down, put it in a modak mould and serve. Garnish it with finely chopped nuts.

None of these modaks is made of sugar and is therefore perfect for those on a diet plan or those who are looking out for healthy alternatives of the traditional dessert. Yet, these are delicious in taste and are ideal to indulge during the festival. The recipes are simply too. So, why not give it a try at home?

When it comes to physical well-being, there is little doubt that we are what we eat. Yet, in our fast-paced lives, what we put into our system often pales before other priorities. Combine it with our readiness to consume packaged and junk foods, and we may be looking at serious health concerns in the long run.

A whole plant-based basics cooking workshop by Sharan, an organisation that spreads awareness about holistic health and an ecologically sustainable lifestyle, aims to reverse this trend by teaching its participants simple ways of eating healthy through the day. "The moment we start eating right, the body starts healing. The aim of this workshop is to celebrate food rather than deprive ourselves of it, which is why all the recipes are not just healthy and wholesome, but also delicious," says Reyna Rupani, the organisation's Mumbai head.

The workshop will be conducted by whole plant nutritionist Madhura Vayal and chef Rose Pinto, who will share tried-and-tested breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack recipes such as Green Smoothies, Red Rice Idlis, Peanut Butter Salad, bread, vegan ice cream and cheese, oil-free Dahi Wadas and even home-made green tea. "The idea is to eliminate processed, preservative-laced ingredients from our diets. The best part about these recipes is that nobody misses the oil or sugar because the flavours only get better with healthier substitutes," Rupani sums up.

Sweetish House Mafia, known for its decadent desserts, cookies and cookie shakes, has now introduced a new cookie that will bring a smile to the faces of mums-to-be. The latest offering is targeted at expectant and nursing mums alike. The cookies are packed with nutrients that provide the energy required during pregnancy. They also fulfil sweet cravings that are common when carrying. The cookies also are a good option as a healthy mid-day munch for anyone counting calories.

Loaded with flax, oats, brewers' yeast and other yummy nutritional ingredients, these cookies offer a wealth of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. While flax provides Omega-3 fatty acids that are essential for brain development, oats are a rich source of fibre, iron, healthy vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.

Brewers' yeast is a great source of Vitamin B and amino acids, a natural ingredient used to help stimulate and increase the production of breast milk. With a dash of chocolate crumbs, the sweet package sounds like a sure hit for the mommie brigade.

Neha Arya Sethi, co-founder, Sweetish House Mafia, says, "Mums are some of our most regular patrons. While we'll be delighted to continue giving them our indulgent desserts, we realise that a big part of baby care comes from a mother's diet. Our Mommy's Cookies give mums and fitness enthusiasts flavours and wholesome components."

LOG ON TO: sweetishhousemafia.com

Fernando Alonso

McLaren yesterday said they would drop Honda engines in favour of Renault at the end of this season, ending a troubled partnership with the Japanese manufacturer as they bid to return to the top of Formula One.

The celebrated British marque announced a three-year deal covering 2018, 2019 and 2020 with France's Renault, who simultaneously unveiled a split with Toro Rosso — who will now be powered by Honda. Honda's exit is likely to convince Fernando Alonso to stay at McLaren next year.

Lewis Hamilton and Heidi Klum

Formula One star Lewis Hamilton, 32, and supermodel Heidi Klum, 44, went on a dinner date in New York recently after attending a fashion bash in the wake of talk that Klum and her current boyfriend of three years Vito Schnabel, 31, are taking some time off their relationship.

Hamilton is now in Singapore for the F1 event. According to The Daily Mail, Klum was seen walking towards the waiting car with Hamilton in tow.

But the F1 driver made sure to maintain some distance from the America's Got Talent judge on their exit from their dinner.

"She was seen with Hamilton at the Harper's Bazaar event," said a source.

Lewis Hamilton

F1's Lewis Hamilton has said that he has gradually moved to veganism over the past two years after TV documentary inspired him to do so to improve his health and avoid harming the planet.

Mercedes driver, Hamilton said he had changed his habits after watching a documentary about the environmental impact of the meat industry.

"It is something I have been going towards anyway. I stopped eating red meat two years ago," he told the BBC.

"This year I stopped eating chicken and then kind of went back to it and now I've stopped again. So I have generally been pescatarian for the majority of the year and then I cut out fish too."

He added: "I have actually eaten plant-based food for the last two days and it has been amazing. So far, I don't feel as if I have been missing out. I don't know how easy it is going to be when I get home. That is going to be a real test."

Also see: Ex-cricketers in their current jobs: Uber driver, bus stand cleaner

Sparks fly off Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari (right) after he collides with teammate Sebastian Vettel's vehicle (left) in the Singapore Grand Prix yesterday. Raikkonen was eliminated immediately while Vettel retired later due to a damaged car. Pics/AFP

Sebastian Vettel pulled out a scorching lap in the dying stages of Saturday's qualifying session to seize pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix.

The Ferrari driver lapped the floodlit Marina Bay street circuit in one minute, 39.491 seconds, the fastest ever set around the 5-kilometer long track, in a dazzling display of speed.

Max Verstappen went second fastest and will start alongside Vettel on the front-row with his Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo third.

A victorious Lewis Hamilton jumps off his Mercedes

Championship leader Lewis Hamilton, Vettel's title rival, was only fifth ahead of teammate Valtteri Bottas.

The Briton, seeing a hat-trick of wins this weekend, seized the championship lead with victory at the last race in Monza.

But starting on the third row, with the Red Bulls and Kimi Raikkonen's fourth-placed Ferrari between him and Vettel, Hamilton could well have to drive a race of damage limitation that could cost him his slim three-point advantage.

"I'm still full of adrenaline so maybe whatever I say doesn't make any sense," a breathless Vettel, who let out a loud whoop of joy over the team-radio, said immediately after qualifying.

"The car was tricky but it came alive and it was getting better and better as the night progressed, so really happy that we got it done."

Saturday's pole was the 49th of Vettel's career and an unprecedented fourth at Singapore.

It could prove to be an especially crucial one with seven of the last nine races in the city-state won by the pole-sitter.

But the German, who also has an unprecedented four wins at the twisty track, initially did not seem to have the pace to seize the top-spot.

Red Bull had topped the timesheets in every session over the weekend.

With Verstappen even topping the opening two parts of qualifying, the former champions had looked on course to score their first front row lockout since the United States Grand Prix in 2013.

But Vettel put it all on the line when it really mattered, vaulting to the top of the timesheets during the final 12-minute pole-position shootout.

Nico Hulkenberg was seventh for Renault ahead of Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne, who put both McLaren's in the top-ten a day after the Woking-based squad agreed to swap Honda power for Renault.

Carlos Sainz, set to move to the works Renault team next year, rounded out the top ten for Toro Rosso.

Force India's Sergio Perez was 12th with teammate Esteban Ocon 14th.

Three-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has offered his support to athletes using sport to make a political stand.

Lewis Hamilton

United States president Donald Trump last week suggested NFL players should be sacked by their clubs if they knelt in protest during the American anthem. Players from up and down the league have been kneeling during pre-match renditions of the Star-Spangled Banner - while the entire Pittsburgh Steelers team remained in the locker room when it was played ahead of their recent game with the Chicago Bears.

F1 leader Lewis Hamilton heads into this weekend's Japanese GP grateful to have extended his overall championship advantage, but conscious that his Mercedes team have their work cut out to rediscover their car's lost speed. The German team were the third slowest team for the second weekend in a row at the last race in Malaysia, after also similarly struggling for pace in Singapore.

Lewis Hamilton

The Briton heads into Sunday's race at the Suzuka circuit, where he has won twice before, with a heftier 34-point lead over the Ferrari driver with five races to go, but only because of the misfortune that has blunted the German's championship charge.

Mexico City: Sebastian Vettel insisted he has no fear of Lewis Hamilton who on Sunday equalled his mark of four world drivers titles.

The German finished fourth for Ferrari in the Mexican Grand Prix after an opening lap collision with Hamilton, who finished ninth for Mercedes.

Sebastian Vettel

Dutchman Max Verstappen won the race for Red Bull. "I am disappointed, obviously," said Vettel. "But all this is not that important. It is more important for me to say well done to Lewis, who has deserved the title and done such a superb job all year."

Wearing dark glasses, the deflated Vettel hugged Hamilton and congratulated him personally in the post-race interviews pen. "Yes, all congratulations to him. It's his day today. He deserved it."

Asked how he rated Hamilton in the pantheon of champion drivers, Vettel said: "Well, he's up there with four titles so he deserves it, if you can count!"

He added: "But I don't fear him. I like racing against him and I just wish I could have done more of it this year, but overall they [Mercedes] were the better bunch."

British Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton and German Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel praised late Argentine great Juan Manuel Fangio as both racers eye matching Fangio's five Formula One titles.

Hamilton secured his fourth title weeks before the end of the 2017 championship while Vettel won the last of his four consecutive crowns in 2013.

Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton

"Certainly, we will never match him in how successful he had been in such a short time and so little races. Obviously, back then it was different. Racing was different," Vettel told Efe on Thursday ahead of the season-ending race this weekend in Abu Dhabi.

Fangio, who died in 1995, won his maiden world title in 1951 and took four straight crowns between 1954 and 1957.

"To have achieved what he did achieve in that time, where a lot of things needed to come together, the cars were not as reliable and all of that, still he managed to be that successful, I think he's probably the best we've ever had in terms of putting it together, in terms of skill, in terms of how brave they were at the time," Vettel said.

Hamilton echoed Vettel's opinion of Fangio.

"I agree with Sebastian. Naturally, he's just a leading icon in motorsport. To have achieved what he achieved in the time, when danger was really at its worst. I think he's the driver that I think everyone admires most, perhaps being that it was in the most dangerous period of time in motorsport," Hamilton said.

"I think he should be celebrated more for his success. It's not really mentioned a huge amount. Often you hear about Ayrton and Prost, but I feel he's the godfather of the sport in terms of the drivers," he added.

Hamilton said he expected fierce competition from Vettel during the 2018 Formula One season.

"No one is perfect. Even I have things to work on. I expect Sebastian to raise the bar again next year. Ferrari had a great season," the British racer said.

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton after claiming pole in Melbourne on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images

World champion Lewis Hamilton claimed the first pole position of the 2018 Formula One season, unleashing a dazzling display of speed that stunned his rivals in the dying seconds of qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix.

The Mercedes driver, who goes into the season as favourite to clinch a fifth world championship, lit up the timing screens with a late one minute 21.164-second lap, the fastest ever around Melbourne’s Albert Park circuit.

That put him a gaping 0.664 seconds clear of his closest challenger Kimi Raikkonen, who will line up alongside the Briton on the front row. The Finn’s Ferrari team-mate and 2017 title runner-up Sebastian Vettel was third 0.674 seconds off the pace.

Yesterday’s pole was the 73rd of Hamilton’s career. The 33-year-old is already Formula One’s most successful qualifier, having surpassed Michael Schumacher’s previous benchmark of 68 pole positions last year. He now also holds the record for most poles at Albert Park, with yesterday’s effort his seventh around the 5.3-kilometer long circuit.

“You would think it had become the norm with all the success we've had these last years, but it's still just as intense,” said Hamilton whose Mercedes team have swept to four straight constructors' titles.

“My heart is racing. I'm always striving for perfection and that was as close as I could get today."

Qualifying offered the first chance of the season for fans to see how the teams all stacked up against each other.

The initial runs in the final pole-position shoot-out phase of qualifying fuelled hopes of a three way battle between Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull at the front.

Hamilton held provisional pole after the initial laps, but only just, with Vettel a marginal 0.034 seconds adrift and Max Verstappen 0.061 seconds off the pace. He then dashed all hopes of an evenly matched contest, pulling out all the stops and banging in the lap that clinched him pole.

Vettel, who won at Albert Park last year after starting alongside pole-sitter Hamilton, and Raikkonen were refusing to write off their chances, however.

Mercedes are known to switch the engine on to a more powerful qualifying-only mode — dubbed the ‘party mode’ this year — with their advantage shrinking on race day as they opt for a more normal setting.

“Yeah, I hope they did turn it on today, as that means they have to turn it off tomorrow,” said Vettel.

“I think it’s very close. I think we saw yesterday in the long runs that the pace is very close, so let’s see.”

Hamilton denied turning the engine up between the two runs with team boss Toto Wolff putting it down to the Briton simply getting the car and tyres into the sweet spot.

“What were you doing before?” Vettel asked kicking off an amusing round of banter between the two four-time champions who, in an unprecedented scenario in Formula One history, will be going head-to-head for a fifth title.

“I was waiting to put a good lap in, wipe the smile off your face!” Hamilton shot back.

Verstappen had to eventually settle for fourth, with Red Bull team-mate Daniel Ricciardo fifth. The Australian, however, will start his home race eighth after copping a three-place grid penalty for speeding under red flags in practice on Friday. Both Red Bulls have opted to start the race on the more durable supersoft tyre as opposed to their rivals who will start today’s race on the ultra-soft.

Kevin Magnussen will instead start fifth for Haas ahead of team-mate Romain Grosjean as the American team continued to turn heads with their speed after chalking up their best ever qualifying result.

Nico Hulkenberg qualified eighth but will start seventh on account of Ricciardo’s penalty. His Renault team-mate Carlos Sainz will start ninth.

Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne just failed to make it through into the top-ten shootout in McLaren’s first qualifying session since ditching Honda for Renault power. The pair set the 11th and 12th fastest times.

Valtteri Bottas provided the biggest drama of the session, crashing his Mercedes in the final phase of qualifying without setting a time. The incident brought a brief red flag.

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Rishi Kapoor's death will always be remembered as one of the most devastating news the Hindi film industry woke up to. He passed away today morning at 8:45 am in hospital after two years of battle with leukaemia. Tributes from the industry have been pouring in since morning and his presence will always be felt.

Coming to the tributes, Janhvi Kapoor wrote a heartfelt note on the actor and all his fans will surely get teary-eyed. Sharing a classic photo of the actor from his early days in Hindi Cinema, the actress wrote - "An icon. In every way. You've left a ceaseless void in this industry and world- somehow even for those who never had the chance of really knowing you. But you have also left with us a plethora of legendary work and innumerable stories of your candour, humour and zest for life that'll remain with us forever. Rest in peace." (sic)

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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An icon. In every way. You’ve left a ceaseless void in this industry and world- somehow even for those who never had the chance of really knowing you. But you have also left with us a plethora of legendary work and innumerable stories of your candour, humour and zest for life that’ll remain with us forever. Rest in peace 💔

A post shared by Janhvi Kapoor (@janhvikapoor) onApr 29, 2020 at 11:08pm PDT

Kapoor was an actor par excellence and also very witty and full of life in his real life. He was always honest and humorous and lived his life on his own terms. His contribution to Hindi cinema was, is, and will always be etched in people's hearts.

An unforgettable career that spanned over five decades, the man and his legacy will always continue to shine and scintillate. His last rites will be performed at the Chandanwadi Crematorium in Kalbadevi, Mumbai.

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Versatile Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan passed away at the age of 53 on Wednesday, April 29, 2020 at 11:11 am due to colon infection. The actor was undergoing treatment for Neuroendocrine cancer and was admitted at Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital on Tuesday due to a colon infection. The actor was buried at the Versova kabristan in Mumbai at 3 pm on Wednesday in the presence of his family, close relatives and friends. Irrfan is survived by his wife Sutapa and sons – Babil and Ayan.

Soon after news of Irrfan's death broke on the internet, social media was flooded with messages from fans and celebrities expressing their grief. Son Babil Khan also mourned the loss of his father by sharing a hearfelt note on his Instagram handle. 

In the note, Babil thanked all for their support and condolence messages as his family is faced with the most difficult challenge. He wrote: "I’m deeply grateful for all the condolences you beautiful friends are pouring in for me. Although I hope you understand that right now I’m not being able to reply because my vocabolary is dizzy. I will get back to each one of you but just not right now. Thank you so much. I love you (sic)."

Take a look at Babil's hearfelt note:

On Tuesday, the Piku actor had been admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection and was in the Intensive Care Unit. In 2018, Irrfan was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour and was undergoing treatment for the same.

An official statement regarding Irrfan's demise read, "'I trust, I have surrendered', these were the words that Irrfan expressed in a heartfelt note he wrote in 2018 opening up about his fight with cancer. And a man of few words and an actor of silent expressions with his deep eyes and his memorable actions on screen. It's saddening that this day, we have to bring forward the news of him passing away..."

The statement further read, "Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him. After having been struck by lightning in 2018 with the news of a rare cancer, he took life soon after as it came and he fought the many battles that came with it. Surrounded by his love, his family for whom he most cared about, he left for heavenly abode, leaving behind truly a legacy of his own. We all pray and hope that he is at peace. And to resonate and part with his words he had said, 'As if I was tasting life for the first time, the magical side of it (sic).'"

Irrfan Khan, who made his debut with a small role in Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay in 1988 was known for his performances in Maqbool, The Namesake, A Mighty Heart, Paan Singh Tomar, Life of Pi, The Lunchbox, Haider, Gunday, Piku, Talvar, and Hindi Medium, amongst others. His last film Angrezi Medium released in March this year. 

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Versatile Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan passed away at the age of 53 on Wednesday, April 29, 2020 at 11:11 am due to colon infection. The actor was undergoing treatment for Neuroendocrine cancer and was admitted at Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital due to a colon infection. The actor's last rites were performed on the same day in the presence of his family, close relatives and friends. Irrfan is survived by his wife Sutapa and sons – Babil and Ayan.

Soon after news of Irrfan's death broke on the internet, social media was flooded with messages from fans and celebrities expressing their grief. Son Ayaan also mourned the loss of his father by sharing beautiful memories of his father through his childhood pictures.

In the picture, Irrfan is seen riding a bike with Ayaan sitting in front. He captioned the black and white picture, "The flesh we roam this earth in is a blessing, not a promise (sic)". In another photo, the father-son duo looks handsome.

 

 

 

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The flesh we roam this earth in is a blessing, not a promise.

A post shared by ayAAn khan (@arkane_7) onMay 1, 2020 at 9:36am PDT

Earlier, Irrfan's elder son Babil had shared has posted a video of the late actor indulging in pani puri after a shoot. "When you're on diet for so long and then the shoot ends and you can have pani puri," Babil captioned the video posted on Instagram.

 

 

 

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When you’re on diet for so long and then the shoot ends and you can have pani puri.

A post shared by Babil Khan (@babil.i.k) onMay 1, 2020 at 6:42am PDT

Earlier, Babil had shared a heartfelt note on his Instagram handle. In the note, Babil thanked everybody for their support and condolence messages as his family faced with the most difficult challenge. He wrote: "I'm deeply grateful for all the condolences you beautiful friends are pouring in for me. Although I hope you understand that right now I’m not being able to reply because my vocabulary is dizzy. I will get back to each one of you but just not right now. Thank you so much. I love you (sic)."

On April 28, the Piku actor was admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection and was in the Intensive Care Unit. In 2018, Irrfan was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour and was undergoing treatment for the same.

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Once the lockdown ends that was imposed due to the Coronavirus pandemic, people will realise why one should never take life for granted. Malaika Arora thinks so too! She has taken to her Instagram account to share a beautiful throwback picture with her son Arhaan Khan and asked us not to take life for granted.

She has shared a picture of the time when life was normal as compared to the restrictions that have been imposed today. When we could roam around freely and enjoy being with our loved ones. And as we all are saying, she said if too- This too shall pass.

Have a look at the post right here:

 

 

 

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#throwback to a time where life felt normal compared to all that is restricted today .... (food, travel , hugs, kisses ,work ,friends, family )... don’t take life for granted .stay positive n don’t wipe that smile of ur face #thistooshallpass🙏 #weallinthistogether ðŸ¤Â—

A post shared by Malaika Arora (@malaikaaroraofficial) onMay 2, 2020 at 10:03pm PDT

Seema Khan commented on the post with a heart and heart-filled emoji. What was also heart-filled was her selfie that was both unkempt and unswerving. She looked breathtaking and gorgeous and wrote- "Another week goes by... wondering wat awaits us." (sic) Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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Another week goes by... wondering wat awaits us....but for now loving the sun on my skin n the wind in my hair n the comfort of knowing that I have a roof over my head with my loved ones .#gratitudeonly🙏 #staypositive #stayhomestaysafe #inthistogether

A post shared by Malaika Arora (@malaikaaroraofficial) onApr 24, 2020 at 9:09pm PDT

Malaika surely knows how to keep her fans entertained with her posts. So keep a tab on what she does because she knows how to slay it even at home!

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The I For India concert was possibly the best initiative by the Hindi film industry ever since the Coronavirus pandemic began. The intent was to raise money to financially help all those warriors or the unsung heroes that are battling day and night to ensure the crisis ends soon. All the major Bollywood celebrities went live on Facebook and paid a tribute to them in their own style.

Let's talk about two of the best tributes, that of Hrithik Roshan and Alia Bhatt. Talking of Roshan first, he took to his Instagram account to share a video where he could be seen singing and playing the piano at the same time, and confessed he knows neither. He sang the Tere Jaisa Yaar Kahaan song and it's a must-watch.

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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So the equation goes as: Non pianist + non singer x 7 hours = 😐 (On phone speaker) and. 😬 (on headphones). . . I FOR INDIA. . Thank you Zoya and Karan and the rest of the team for initiating, conceiving, constructing , designing and assembling all of us together for something so needed and important. Proud. 👏. @zoieakhtar @karanjohar

A post shared by Hrithik Roshan (@hrithikroshan) onMay 3, 2020 at 11:19pm PDT

Coming to Bhatt, she crooned her own song from Udta Punjab, Ik Kuddi, and had the company of her elder sister Shaheen Bhatt. One of her fan-clubs posted the video. Don't miss this either:

 

 

 

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Ikk Kudiiii 😍😘Uffff her voice 😭🔥💘 __________________________________ @aliaabhatt and @shaheenb join the #IForIndia initiative ❤✨ __________________________________ Follow for more 👉 @aliabhatt_heart 🌸 - - #aliabhatt #alia #aliabhatt_heart #followforfollowback #follow4followback #followtrain #follow #followｍe #followfollow #followmeto #followfollowfollow #followmeto #followyou #follower #followers #followbackinstantly #followmeplease #follow4like #followbacknow #followparty #followalways #likeforlikes #likelike #like4follow

A post shared by ❥ Alia Bhatt Fanclub☀ (@aliabhatt_heart) onMay 4, 2020 at 12:05am PDT

As mentioned above, this is indeed a heartfelt initiative and we hope the crisis ends soon. Way to go!

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Remember the time when mothers on screen were the ultimate 'tyaag ki Devi'! From Nirupa Roy's docile and ever sacrificing Maa in the 70s to Sridevi's vengeful MOM in pursuit of her daughter's kidnappers in the 21st century, we have come a long way in the portrayal of mothers. Today our onscreen mothers are more relatable, similar yet different from each other.

They are filled with unconditional love and are yet extremely individualistic. As we prepare ourselves to bring in the Mother's Day this Sunday, we bring you the many faces of motherhood captured by ALTBalaji across its popular series.

The Caring and Loving mom:

She knows parenting is all about the right balance. She is every mom who is overtired, stressed out, worried, and extra caring. The mom, who helps her kids do all the homework, takes care of their smallest of needs including sacrificing her sleep. Though these qualities are somewhat present in almost all the moms, she goes the extra mile all the time. Just like our Meira Sharma of Mentalhood whose life revolves around her kids and wants the best of everything for them. Isn't she simply adorable?

The traditional yet modern mom:

The mom who will go out of her way for the happiness of her family. The one who still thinks 'log kya kahenge' but when it comes to her kids, she is the first one to support their decisions. Perfectly portrayed by Supriya Pilgaonkar in ALTBalaji's HOME, she is the mother everyone would want to have. In a society where love marriage outside the community and divorces are still considered taboo, she stands with her daughter and supports all her decisions.

The Strict mom:

A pushover mom generally ends up being a strict parent to get some discipline amongst her kids. She is the type of mother who will go to any extent to make sure her kids get all the bashing they deserve to bring some discipline in their lives. We have a similar kind of mom in Preity Khosla from Mentalhood. Mother of two kids, who are no less than goons. A strict slap for the kids results in maintaining peace at home. Hilarious yet relatable, she knows the tricks of the trade well.

The Micromanaging moms:

There come those moms who are not only control freaks but also want to manage each second of their child's life by hook or by crook. It is understood that the micromanaging mom is worried about her kid's safety, whereabouts but has no sense of personal boundaries. Nandita Hariprasad of Mission Over Mars is a perfect example of this mom. She is a scientist mom who is brilliant at her job but somewhere disappoints her son by hacking into his phone, to constantly track his location.

The Vibrant and colorful mom:

This mom is full of life and colours. Whenever she is around her kids, their whole world turns colorful just like a painting. She is lively yet grounded. Our very own Shiva from the show Hum Tum and Them fits well in this category. She plays a single yet modern mom who supports her kid in everything and always tries to make them happy.

This Mother's Day sit with your mom, cook her an exotic dish, and catch up on all these amazing shows at the ALTBalaji app!

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The lockdown was supposed to end tomorrow on April 14, but given the extent to which the Coronavirus pandemic has spread, it seems things will take time to get back to normal. Not only that, but the cases are also only rising and this has led to buildings being sealed. One of the recent ones being the residency of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah actress Sonalika Joshi.

Speaking to SpotBoyE, she confirmed that it had indeed happened. She said the building has been sealed since March 27. She resides in the Kandivli area of Mumbai. Another actor from the same show whose building was sealed is Tanmay Vekaria, who stays in the same area as Joshi. Tanmoy also confirmed this news to the same portal.

We wish that everyone stays safe and the pandemic is eradicated soon!

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Not too many actors from Bollywood or even Television have gone through as many personal ups and downs as Chahatt Khanna. She was unfortunately separated from her husband Farhan Mirza in 2018 and was earlier married to Bharat Narsinghani. And now, there were reports that she was in a relationship with singer Mika Singh. However, she revealed she was staying with him only for their single, Quarantine Love.

And now, speaking about her future and present, she spoke to Zoom and talked about her desire to settle down again and why she feels that the term 'Single Mother' is insulting. Speaking about her wish to settle down again, she said, "Of course, I want to settle down again. I would say that family is my priority and I have done my bit of my work. I have achieved success a few times that I wanted. I am doing well in my life, touchwood."

She added, "Right now, by God's grace, I have everything. After a while, I would like to settle down with a good life partner and not think about anyone or anybody." And as stated above, she also shed light on being a single mother and said, "It is a very insulting term, and I realised this much later. There is a term called Milf which these guys, doggers use for women who are elder to them, married, single parent, single mom, divorced and they think people like them are good to have fun with. This is a hard-hitting fact of our society which I just discovered a few days back and I was shattered when I came to know this. This is what happens when she steps out of her marriage."

Chahatt keeps sharing her pictures and videos on her social media account and the actress is truly beautiful. We wish her all the best for her future and we hope we all can learn from what she said!

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Actor Rajeev Khandelwal will make his theatre debut in the play "Court Martial". He says essaying a character on stage is supremely challenging and it provides the ultimate validation for any actor.

"I think essaying a character on stage for theatre is supremely challenging and provides the ultimate validation for any actor. I have always envied actors who can entertain audience on stage. It was as good as one of the things in my 'to do list'," Rajeev said.

Zee Theatre's teleplay "Court Martial" follows the unusual trial of a junior ranked army man convicted of murdering his senior officer. Rajeev plays the role of Bikash Roy, an extremely sharp defence lawyer who goes deep into the shocking truth behind the assault.

Talking about the play, the actor said: "'Court Martial' demanded an intensity that required me to work on myself and prep for the role. It is an intense and gripping play with a fabulously taut storytelling technique. This play is regarded as a classic in the world of theatre."

Written by Swadesh Deepak, the play also stars Govind Pandey, Bhagwan Tiwari, Saksham Dayma and Swapnil Kotiwar.

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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

Representational picture

Having more than two sex partners before entering the bond of marriage is actually better! Experts have reached this conculsion after a recent study, which surprisingly revealed that women with exactly two premarital sex partners have consistently higher divorce rates than women with three to nine partners.

The research team from a US-based institute of family studies, found that overall, young women who tied the knot in recent years have far more sexual experience prior to marriage than their counterparts from prior decades. Women were four times as likely to marry as virgins in the 1970s (21 per cent) compared to the 2010s (five per cent), according to the researchers.

Also noteworthy is the decline in the proportion of women who get married having had only one sex partner. As late as the 1980s, over half of new brides were virgins or had had only one sex partner. This was true of just 28 percent of women by the 2010s.

Did you know? Middle-aged married women seek affairs for sex instead of divorce
In a recent study conducted on 100 married females in England between the ages of 35 and 45, it was revealed that 67 per cent sought affairs because they want more sex. The findings revealed that when middle-aged women, who are not happy with sex lives, seek extra-marital affairs, they are looking for more romantic passion, which includes sex — but they not want to divorce their husbands.

Am I good in bed?
Anxiety related to sexual performance and a lack of concern about the consequences such as pregnancy and sexually-transmitted diseases make both men and women more likely to cheat on their partners, a new study has found.

Women who worry about their ability to stay aroused and orgasm are 8 percent more likely to stray for each sexual concern.

Men, on the other hand, are 6 percent more likely to cheat for each worry, such as impotence and premature ejaculation, that they have.

Researchers found that men who admitted to becoming easily sexually excited were at least 4 per cent more likely to cheat. Sexual excitement has no bearing on women's likelihood to stray.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, being unhappy in a relationship was found to increase the chances of a woman straying by between 2.6 and 2.9 per cent.

Women ‘more likely to cheat than men’
Think that women are more loyal to their partners than men? Think again.

A poll for dating website has revealed that women are now as keen to cheat on their partners as men and admit to more affairs, reports a major newspaper.

A whopping 26.4 pc of Brit female said they have cheated, compared with 25.7 pc of men.

And 43 pc of women even think they can have a one-night stand without being truly unfaithful, compared to 33 pc of men.

Gadgets make cheating easier
Couples with the propensity to cheat are finding it easier to do so with the help of Internet, social networking and smartphones, experts have claimed.

Clinical psychologist Karen Nimmo said new technologies made the potential for cheating a growing issue for her clients.

“Many people go through others' phones and check what they have been up to. And there are also all the emotional affairs people conduct. They might not be having sex but they are only a step or two from it,” a popular website quoted her as saying.

It would be unfair to blame technology for infidelity, but it was definitely a facilitator for those so inclined, according to private investigator Kerrie Pihema.

“Now there's more opportunity, more online dating sites. It is so much easier to have two phones ... to rekindle old flames ... to be anonymous. Technology creates a new platform, for those who want to cheat, to cheat.”

The Internet was also making it easier for people to meet and progress sexual relationships faster than they would otherwise, experts say.

It's a norm for most men
Even if they love their partners, most men will always end up cheating just to have more sex on their side, an American sociologist has claimed.

According to the study, men who do not cheat are setting themselves up for ‘socially-compelled sexual incarceration’ however, men who cheat, enjoy best of both worlds.

The study, which surveyed 120 undergraduate men – both gay and straight, revealed that 78 per cent of those with partners cheated, ‘even though they said that they loved and intended to stay with their partner.’

Blame it on daddy!
A study has revealed that cheating really does run in the family, at least as far as men are concerned.

A team of Czech scientists carried out the study that confirmed the old adage ''like father like son’.

They concluded that while men and women both had affairs, men were more likely to stray if their fathers had been unfaithful as they were growing up, reports a major newspaper.

The scientists, based at Charles University in Prague recruited 86 couples for the research.

They found that whether or not a man was satisfied and happy in his main relationship had no effect on the likelihood that he would stray.

Men usually have affairs because they want sex and a greater number of sexual partners, not because they are fed up with their wives, he said.

It's a matter of power!
Scientists believe that it is a person''s power, rather than gender, that plays the greatest role in infidelity.

A team of researchers conducted an anonymous Internet survey of 1,561 adults and found that there is a higher risk of unfaithfulness in people of positions of power, no matter the sex.

The study revealed two key discoveries to why powerful people cheat.

First, there is a strong association between power and confidence, and the amount of confidence a person has is the strongest link between power and unfaithfulness.

Second, the researchers found that among powerful people, gender made no difference in past digressions or the participants’ desires to cheat.

Too much creativity
Probability of cheating is more in creative people than in the non-creative lot, a new study has suggested.

According to the research conducted by Harvard University, this is possibly because of the talent possessed by the original thinkers, which increases their ability to rationalize their actions.

The researchers used a series of recognized psychological tests and measures to gauge research subjects’ creativity.

They also tested participants’ intelligence. In each of the five experiments, participants received a small sum for showing up. Then, they were presented with tasks or tests where they could be paid more if they cheated.

The experimenters also told participants they would be paid more for more correct answers and led them to believe that they could cheat without detection when transferring their answers. However, all the papers had unique identifiers.

The results showed the more creative participants were significantly more likely to cheat, and that there was no link between intelligence and dishonesty – i.e., more intelligent but less creative people were not more inclined toward dishonesty.

Fancy wheels
If you own a luxury car, you are more likely to have an extra-marital affair, according to a new survey.

The survey from UK-based dating website claims to have polled its 640,000 members and found that 19.21 per cent of male members who admitted to being unfaithful were luxury sedan owners.

A spokesperson from the website said, “there’s an intrinsic link between success and cheating”.

“Successful people are often risk-takers, and have got to where they are by setting their standards high,” the Herald Sun quoted her as saying.

“However, these people are also less likely to settle for unsatisfying relationships or monotony,” she added.

Sharing a bed key to a healthy, happy relationship
Researchers from a reputed American university believe sleeping next to someone helps lower the stress hormone cortisol, perhaps because it encourages feelings of safety and security. They say this is why people in close relationships tend to be in better health and live longer.

All pictures for representational purposes

Prolonged periods of elevated cortisol have been linked with an increase in cytokines — proteins involved in inflammation that can trigger heart disease, depression and autoimmune disorders. Sleeping together has a protective effect by lowering the levels of these proteins.

Sharing a bed is also thought to boost levels of the 'love hormone' oxytocin, known to induce bonding feelings. This is traditionally thought to be released during sex, but scientists, who have examined the role of oxytocin in health have found it’s also associated with cuddling in bed and 'pillow talk'.

Oxytocin plays a vital role in aiding digestion, reveal studies by scientists from Sweden. Those with lower levels had poorer gastric motility — the process by which food is moved from the stomach to the intestines, therefore slowing down digestion.

A recent research conducted in the US recently supports this theory. 59 women, who were married or had partners to keep a diary of the number of hugs they received over a set time. The scientists then analysed levels of oxytocin in the blood. The women who’d received the most hugs had the highest levels of oxytocin — and the lowest blood pressure and heart rates. They findings showed that sharing a bed may definately improve sleep.

In another study, women in long-term stable relationships fell asleep more quickly and woke up less frequently during the night than single women or women who lost or gained a partner during the six to eight years of the study.

But, sleeping apart can be healthy too!
It has emerged that 39 percent of couples believe their relationship is healthier because they have independence in their home life, while five per cent think having separate beds or even bedrooms is one of the main reasons they are so happy together, revealed a survey conducted by a leading home insurance firm. According to the findings, one in 25 couples have even taking a lengthy “sabbatical” from each other. On an average, couples spend 22 hours together during the working week, with nearly half of all couples blaming hectic work schedules for a lack of “quality time” together.

The survey, which questioned more than 1,000 people aged 18 or over, also discovered that 10 percent of men have a “games room,” four percent of women have their own “powder room,” and five percent of people would rather spend a night in with their cat or dog than their partner. Furthermore, one in five couples (19 per cent) regularly eat their evening meal at different times, with one in 10 cooking completely different dishes from each other.

And proving that opposites attract, 15 percent of people describe themselves as the “polar opposite” of their partner, while 44 percent believe having different interests or hobbies makes for a stronger relationship. Those under 25 are the most likely age group to spend time apart, with 21 percent admitting they regularly sleep in a separate bed - followed by the over 55s, at 16 percent.

A quarter of 18 to 24-year-olds regularly go on holiday without their other halves, followed by 15 percent of 25 to 34-year-olds. But only six per cent of over 55s admit to going away without their partner.

Did you know? Sleep can enhance sexual arousal
A good night's sleep not only refreshes you for the day but also gives you an extra edge between the sheets. Each additional hour of sleep increased the likelihood of sexual activity with a partner by 14 percent.

In a study of 171 women conducted by a US medical school, those who obtained more sleep on a given night, experienced greater sexual desire the next day. Sleep was also important for genital arousal, such that women who slept longer on average experienced fewer problems with vaginal arousal than women who obtained less sleep.

On any given night, however, women who were tired ended up being more aroused the next day. But eventually, it catches up to them and their desire drops.

Those in a relationship always look for the right spark and those who are willing to be in a relationship, look for the right goal. It may take years for a relationship to turn into a 'lived happily ever after' story, but it takes only few minutes to break the walls and part ways off. So for those who are looking for tips to a healthy relationship, here are seven such things you can do to make your bond stronger.

1. Put mobiles away when you are together: Now day’s social networking happens mostly through mobile phones. Keep your mobiles and social networking tools like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp etc aside when you two are lazing around and spending quality time together. Mobile phones can bring a lot of distraction in communication. Forget the gadget world and indulge in some special talks. You will surely have a lot to share and lot to express to each other.

2. Spend less time in front of the television: It is good for couples to watch TV together, but spending too much time in front of the idiot box can shift your mind from other important things or the person next to you. When both of you are together at home, try to spend time together by sitting over a cup of tea/coffee, listening to music, engaging in romantic acts like cuddling and caressing each other, and making vacation plans.

3. Explore your culinary skills together: Love can happen in kitchen! Try to cook a dish together as it will keep both of you engaged in the same act and in the same place for a long time. In the middle of cooking, share a warm hug and a gentle kiss to make the environment more romantic and not boring. Know each other’s food choices before heading for a cooking and dining date.

4. Sit together over a cuppa in the morning: Sipping morning tea/coffee together can do wonders to a relationship. Before you head for a busy day and hectic work schedule, spend some time together in the morning and keep yourself engaged in small talks. If time permits, have breakfast together and proceed for work like usual. Keep stress and worries away, and start your day on a good and romantic note.

5. Go for a vacation: Take short vacations to bring spark to your relation. Every time you may not get a long leave from work, so head for weekend getaways or short trips. Being together on a holiday away from daily chores rejuvenates you and takes togetherness a step higher. Enjoy adventure activates, plan romantic dinners, explore local life and have a pleasant vacation together.

6. Learn to forget and forgive: Do not nag or sit over a small fight for long as it can make things bitter. If you have done something wrong, seek apology, bring some small gifts for your better half and resolve the matter at the earliest. Even if you cannot forgive at times, just let it go. Start a new day on a new and good note, because that’s the way you can heal an ailing relation.

7. Share a warm hug at least once a day: You may not head for an intercourse every night, because you may be either tired or not in mood. However, share a gentle hug at least once in a day or a small kiss to make each other feel better. Try to get close to each other whenever possible. The warmth of your gentle hug can be quite powerful to mend your relationship. Even if everything is lovey-dovey, try to retain the physical intimacy between each other.

Relationship is not always a bed of roses and only a couple can make things work for them. Avoid distraction of phones, talking about third parties, and dedicate more time to your you-and-me world.

Life has turned mechanical for many of us. Long working hours, frequent official tours, bringing work home from office, and less scope for togetherness- are some factors that let our personal lives take a back seat. Also, falling prey to such a busy and tiring lifestyle, we tend to ignore our health and other priorities of life. Sex or sexual desire is something that takes a back seat when we get too much engrossed in other acts and tend to ignore personal relationships. The urge for physical satisfaction, the deep feeling of sex, the nude looks, and the naughty moments on bed drain down the mental system. Before you blame your counterpart or freak out at each other for lack of sex, click the pause button and think of reasons that can be the biggest enemies to your sex drive. Some of those are mentioned below:

1. Binge drinking: One pint of beer or a glass of red wine is fine to with a dinner platter. But, consuming several glasses of wine, whisky, or beer affect the libido and gradually kills sex drive. Couple of drinks dehydrates the body, slows down orgasm, and offers less scope for lubrication. Alcohol is also considered to be a depressant that slows down responses and brain functioning during sex.

2. Inadequate exercise: Regular exercise is the mantra to good health, which also includes great sex. Sitting steadily at work throughout the day often makes you lazy on bed too. Sitting hinders blood flow to the private parts like it does to other parts of the body. So, exercise regularly and go for a walk to boost your libido and enhance your sex drive.

3. Lack of sleep: Hectic routines often make it difficult to fall asleep. Inadequate sleep or insomnia increases the production of stress hormone called cortisol, which in turn lowers testosterone level in the male body. Women with inadequate sleep often find it difficult to engage in sexual acts and attaining orgasm. So, if you and your partner are not indulging in sex like the earlier times, then consider inappropriate sleep to be one of the reasons.

4. Watching news before going off to bed: News programs are definitely not a light show to watch before going off to bed. Debates of politicians, crime news, news on natural calamities, fluatuating economies flood the channels most of the time. Watching such shows do not relieve your day-long stress, but rather increase it. And, stress and sex simply do not mix up. So, put aside those disturbing programs, relieve your mind from stress, and head to bed with a cheerful mood. If required take a shower for refreshment. Your sex drive will automatically hit up and your bed-scene can end in a great climax.

5. Smartphone addiction: Browsing smartphones in bed is one of the biggest reasons to kill sex drive. Browsing news sites, social media pages, or online shows before sleep create a distance between you and your partner, something that you realize when the relation already turns bitter. It does not ease off your tension, but rather make you more tired and less interested in sex. Keep the smartphone away and head to bed hands-free. Only then can you use your hands for tickling and cuddling each other. Slowly and gently, your bodies will generate heat up for a superb sex.

6. Late night dinner: What you eat and when you eat affects your libido. Late might dinner delays digestion and makes you feel heavy for a longer time. Try to have dinner by 8pm or 9pm if you want to have some great bedroom moments with your partner.

7. Overeating: Keep a check on portion sizes if you do not wish to kill your sex drive and worsen relationship. While heavy snacks in the afternoon can drain energy and make you feel lethargic for rest of the day, heavy dinner can also make you go lazy and drowsy. Some food items are definitely good for sex, but ensure that it does not make you super saturated and take a toll on your physical bonding.

Maintain a healthy life and keep things like TV programs, office works and smartphones at bay to concentrate on the sensual acts to spice up your life. Get wet and keep the fun on bed going as long as you can. 

Like always, Google doodle has our hearts. Google Doodle did its bit to laud the selfless service of the frontline medical professionals and wrote a thank you message as well.

When one hovers over the doodle, it shows the message, "To all doctors, nurses and medical workers; thank you".

The logo also features a little heart emoji to everyone who is fighting on the frontlines of the COVID-19 battle.

Medical professions have sidelined the threat of catching the infection and are choosing duty over everything else. Despite that, many healthcare workers have been facing abuse and are accused of carrying the virus.

Google wrote, "As COVID-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people are coming together to help one another now more than ever. We're launching a Doodle series to recognize and honour many of those on the front lines."

More than 18 lakh people have been tested positive for COVID-19. The first case was reported from Wuhan which became the epicentre of the infectious virus.

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To ensure that the labourers and migrant workers can earn a livelihood once the lockdown is over, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation has started an initiative to introduce skill-based training among beggars and the homeless in the city. Tukaram Mundhe, Nagpur Municipal Cooperation Commissioner said, "After the lockdown was announced, we shifted the homeless and beggars to shelter homes and providing them with food, accommodation and other facilities."

With about 19 shelter homes around the cities accommodating close to 1,500-2,000 people, the commissioner said they are being provided with some skill development activities apart from having basic amenities. "We have also introduced skill development programmes for them. In the long run, we intend to take up the eradication of beggary program in Nagpur by providing them skills so that they can get employed," Mundhe said.

Glimpses of homeless beggars in Nagpur after a makeover by NMC:

NMC's shelter home took many #Homeless people under its care during the #lockdown

Some with special abilities were also given a complete makeover for health and sanitation purposes. #Covid_19india #homelessness pic.twitter.com/w11dVpnNBa

— Tukaram Mundhe (@Tukaram_IndIAS) April 12, 2020

"We are also giving them a makeover as we are providing them skill-based training so that they can earn their livelihood once the lockdown ends," said Manish Soni, Public Relations Officer, NMC.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 2,916 positive COVID-19 cases have been reported in the state, out of which 295 patients have recovered and 187 patients have succumbed to the virus.

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