National badminton coach Pullela Gopichand feels this lockdown can help everyone understand that it should not be always goal-driven and it is important to focus on the process as well.

"It is a very similar kind of scenario for athletes as well. I have maintained this stand for a very long time, I think we are all very goal-oriented and we are driven by something that comes up in the next week, next month or next year -- especially when it comes to our careers," Gopichand was quoted as saying by Mumbai Mirror.

"It has to be the reverse. You have to focus on your process, get up in the morning and do the best work that you can do today - everything else will fall into place," said Gopichand.

Almost all sporting events in the world have come to a standstill due to the coronavirus pandemic with the Olympics also being postponed by a year. Gopichand also advised people not to get too involved with COVID-19 news all the time.

"You have to create a distance. You cannot be involved so much in the situation so much that you're mentally affected by it. A certain guru said that you should treat the problem like it's your neighbour's problem. Don't get too involved. You need to report the news, that's your duty and job but don't get so agitated by it that you lose sleep over it. We need to distinguish between both and find a way to insulate yourself," he advised.

"I have been spending the last 21 days in quarantine with my family -- it's tough but at least we have something to fall back on. It is a lot harder for daily wage earners and people who live in small houses, five to six people in a room. For them, it's really tough. This is a rare event in global history so we just need to shut up and sit at home quietly to flatten the curve," he said.

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

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

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mi

The unprecedented health crisis, triggered by COVID-19, is perhaps a stark reminder that man should now learn to respect nature and not tinker with it, says Indian shuttler Sameer Verma. In India, the coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 500 people and infected over 17,000, forcing the government to lockdown the country till May 3 to contain the deadly disease. The global situation is worse as 1,65,174 deaths have been recorded so far and more than 24 lakh positive cases reported. "We have been running after materialistic things for so many years now and this lockdown period, whatever is happening globally at the moment, it has taught us a lot that we shouldn't tinker with nature," Sameer told PTI.

"I hope after the crisis is over, it will change people's outlook towards things. We should not do anything that harms nature," added Sameer, who is spending so much time at home after about 14 years. The shuttler also felt that the coronavirus-forced break is an opportunity to fix mental weakness and that a six-week training regime should be good enough to regain match-fitness after normalcy returns. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced Badminton World Federation (BWF) to suspend all tournaments till the end of July and forced countries across the globe to shut borders. "It is an opportunity for everyone to analyse their own game and work on them. When we play, there are moments where we have been mentally weak, so during this time, you can rectify that and come out mentally stronger. I think it is a good time to work on mental strength," Sameer said.

"This break brings everyone at same level. If someone was playing well then his rhythm will be broken and someone who was not in form, it gives a chance to regain that." The Tokyo Olympics also got pushed to 2021 due to the rapidly-spreading pandemic with the BWF freezing world ranking by backdating it to March 17, 2020 until the international tournaments start again. "When things become normal, I don't think people will straight away run after tournaments. It is same situation for everybody right now, so at least players will train for at least six weeks before turning up for tournament," Sameer said. The 25-year-old from Madhya Pradesh, who won three tournaments in 2018, was close to breaking into coveted top 10 bracket last year but a shoulder injury followed by a dip in form dented his chances.

"Last year I had shoulder injury after June-July but I couldn't perform much in the second half. Fortunately, I'm completely fit now, so was looking forward to this year. I played three events this year before everything was suspended," said Sameer, who slumped from world number 11 to 31. Asked how is he maintaining his fitness, he said: "We are doing some basic training like strengthen, agility, push ups, wall practice, standing shadows to maintain our basic fitness." Athletes across the globe have been stressing on the need to maintain mental health during his lockdown period and Sameer said working out physically regularly will keep all mental issues at bay. "If you are training or doing exercises or being in touch with the sport you love even in a small way then I don't think you will get affected mentally," he said. The 2018 World Tour Finals semifinalist was also not too worried about the financial implications of the pandemic. "Everyone will be affected, people will suffer loses but then life is important and once things get normal, you can recover from the losses," he signed off.

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

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

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

Representational Image

According to WHO, about 9.8 million people die every year due to hypertension-related complications. Hypertension is considered a silent killer producing heart disease, kidney failure and strokes. About 35 percent of world population above the age of 25 suffers from hypertension. One of the important strategies to lower hypertension in the population and its complications is reducing salt intake. Developed countries like Finland, United Kingdom, Australia and Canada have been actively campaigning for the reduction of salt intake in the population. In these countries, there has been a close association between government and NGO’s for this purpose. Finland was the first country to show an enormous health benefit by reducing salt in the diet. Not only the population’s health improves, there is also a great benefit in saving health expenditure related to heart revascularization and dialysis.

How does eating salt lead to or cause hypertension?

Eating salt increases the amount of salt in your blood, which ruins the balance of electrolytes and other vitamins and minerals in your body. This imbalance reduces your kidney's ability to filter out toxins from your body. It also reduces your kidney's ability to get rid of excess fluid from your body. This results in high blood pressure due to excess fluid in your body that exerts pressure on the blood vessels leading to the kidneys. 

How much is too much?

Dr Umesh Khanna, Senior Nephrologist and Secretary of Amar Gandhi Foundation said, “The WHO’s recommendation of salt intake from all sources is less than 5 grams per day. Salt or sodium is present in natural food, it is added while cooking and also used as a preservative for processed food. Considering the rapid economic growth that is happening in our country with urbanization and increased demand for processed food, it is imperative that we act at the earliest to control the salt intake of the Indian population.”

What happens when you reduce your salt intake?
“Salt or Sodium in various forms has been used as a preservative for several thousand years. It enhances the taste, prevents the growth of harmful microorganisms and can improve the texture of food, Taste is often a habit and high salt intake can saturate the taste buds. If you lower salt intake for 2 weeks you can start appreciating low salt intake and other tastes,” says Dr Umesh Khanna

What are the most common hidden sources of salt one should keep an eye out for?

Dr Umesh Khanna said, “Sodium in various forms is used as a flavouring, buffering, anticaking, leavening, thickening and stabilizing agent. The biggest culprit is in baked goods especially bread and instant noodles.”

How can a person start to reduce their salt intake?

Here are a few tips by Dr Umesh Khanna

Get used to low salt to allow the taste buds to recover: Not only does reducing your salt intake affect your blood pressure and other health parameters, it also helps you taste foods better.

Eat fresh food when possible: Since processed foods are packed with high levels of salt, switching to fresh and natural foods is the best way to reduce your daily salt intake.

Add less salt in cooking: With high amounts of salt added to food, your taste buds become immune to the level of salt and you will eventually need more salt in your food to bring out the taste you are looking for. Gradually reducing this amount will help you give up the high salt habit one step at a time. And since your taste buds will eventually become more sensitive to salt content in food, dishes made with low salt will start to taste as delicious as one with high salt content.

Do not add extra salt while at the table: A common practice in India is to provide a little bit of salt on the side of one’s plate while eating and to provide a salt shaker for one to spice up their soups. By stopping this practice, you can reduce your salt intake.

Use herbs and spices as flavouring agents: Ditch the salt and use herbs and other natural flavouring agents to your dishes that will help enhance the flavour while reducing your salt intake.

Dr Umesh Khanna, MD, DNB Nephrology, Lancelot Kidney & GI Center, Karuna Hospital & Asian Heart Institute. He is the Chairman, Mumbai Kidney Foundation, Trustee, Sapiens Health Foundation, Secretary, Mumbai Nephrology Group and the Secretary, Amar Gandhi Foundation

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

Senior BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil on Friday said the controversy surrounding his party colleague Ram Kadam's remarks against women should end as the latter has apologised. Patil also advised public representatives saying they need to exercise caution while speaking. "Ram Kadam has apologised and the issue should now end. Kadam does not have a history of speaking ill about women. On the contrary, he is known for helping women immensely. Thousands of women in his constituency tie him rakhi every year," Patil told a Marathi news channel.

"Public representatives should be extremely cautious while speaking and they should properly frame every sentence in their heads before uttering them," the minister added. He said new channels should also try to show the true meaning of what has been spoken. "But if what the channels are saying about the remarks is right, the public representative should apologise.
In this case, Ram Kadam was not arrogant and he apologised...So the matter should come to an end," Patil said. Kadam, while speaking at an event during dahi handi celebrations in the city, had said hewould "kidnap" a girl a boy likeseven if she says no to the proposal. "You (youngsters) can meet me for any work," he is seen in the video clip, telling the crowd, mainly comprising youth.

Kadam was heard saying that he got requests from youngsters to help them after girls rejected their proposals. "I will help, 100 per cent. Come (to me) with your parents. What will I do if parents approve (the girl a boy has liked)? I will kidnap the girl concerned and hand her over to you (for marriage)," he was heard telling the crowd.

Kadam was also heard sharing his mobile number with the crowd. His remarks created a huge controversy as it drew sharp reactions from the opposition parties, Shiv Sena and women's organisations. The Maharashtra State Commission for Women issued a notice to Kadam over his remark.

In a video message issued Wednesday, Kadam expressed regret over his remarks saying, "I have very high regard for women. Without giving any explanation about the video clip (of his controversial remarks), I express my regret." He also tweeted saying, "By doctoring my statements, my political rivals created an atmosphere which has hurt the sentiments of our mothers and sisters. I have already expressed regret over my comments and (I am) once again tendering an apology to all my mothers and sisters."

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

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

While women sit devoutly, the male attitude has tended to be: let us spray. Representation pic

Bangkok's malls have thousands of people. And people tend to pee, which is partly why they're called peeple. So malls have dozens of men's and women's toilets. Being Bangkok, city of fragrances and aroma oils, they really hate bad smells, so the lavatories generally smell like boudoirs.

In a hurry recently, and finding all the cubicles in the Men's occupied, I looked left and right, then darted into the Women's toilet, which happened to be woman-free at that moment, and locked myself into a booth there. Man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. Emerging, visibly relieved, I noticed two things: there were no cleaning ladies in the women's toilet; and there was no pee smell there either.

The adjacent men's toilet had two cleaners toiling away with mops and buckets of perfumed disinfectants, but you could also detect the fouler odour they were masking: the stink of uric acid and ammonia from male piss. While women sit devoutly, the male attitude has tended to be: let us spray. I know, I know. We don't talk about such things in polite society. It's like the 13th floor in a skyscraper: you can't get rid of it, but you pretend it's not there. Never say "I would like to urinate, be right back". Better go with, umm, Have to see a man about a dog, or Going to make the bladder gladder, or Excuse me while I drain the dragon. Or, if a lady, Pardon me while I take a quick tinkle.

Say it how you wish, amigo, but here's the bottom line - India has fewer malls than Bangkok, but billions more, erm, happy pissers to whom the world is a urinal. Urinary odors were so much a part of childhood that I always assumed that toilets would always smell like, well, toilets. And it's true - a men's toilet in Chicago or Piccadilly will reek just like one of the 71 million apparently built so far by the Swacch Bharat Abhiyan.

What can I say? Piss smells. But Bill Gates, who loves poking his nose where things don't smell right, commissioned a worldwide study and found that usage of freshly minted toilets slopes off after six months. Respondents cited "dirty and smelly toilets" as reasons why they preferred the fields. Gates started the Reinvent the Toilet initiative in 2011, and began working with Firmenich, a Swiss company that makes bad smells better. They identified the four stinky molecules in toilets as indole, butyric acid, p-cresol and dimethyl tri-sulfide, and came up with a fragrance that blocks the nose's receptors that detect these. You could be up s**t creek, so to speak, and not smell a thing.

Like pretending the 13th floor doesn't exist even as you pass it. But you know me. The man with the humble opinion. While Gates would like to block your nose, I think I'd like to block the stink itself. After all, women seem to have it figured out - they sit when they tinkle, so they don't sprinkle. So - men should stand to pee why?

Toledo University's 18-month study found three causes of toilet odors - Missing the target. Face it, not all men are born snipers. The average Indian pissoir is haloed by a wet ring of failed attempts to hit the superbowl.

Uric acid, from men who pissed, but missed and dribbled on floors and walls (and their own shoes) instead, causing smelly bacteria build-up. Splashes - even when the target has been successfully met, a fine aerosol of uric acid lands on nearby surfaces. Urine in the cracks: Urine is absorbed into grout, ponging over time. I'd add poorly paid municipal cleaners and maybe a faint inherited attitude that only untouchables clean toilets. Splashing a bucket of water in a Swachh Shauchalay only spreads the urine evenly across the floor.

Research from the Dutch Leiden University Medical Centre says sitting down to pee helped men suffering from lower urinary tract disease symptoms to pee with greater force.

The stand-up guy activates a host of discreet muscles in the pelvis and spine, which prevent proper urination. More acute in public toilets where certain muscles might be clenched to suppress nether blasts while peeing.

As always, I didn't think of it first. In 2012, the Swedish Left party of Sormland Country Council put forward a motion that all male employees should sit down like well brought up girls when open their sluice gates. Taiwan and Japan have begun advising their men to sit down to pee - or else. And since a real man is clean, courteous, considerate and utterly lazy, a squat over the pot should suit him right to a, well, P. Believe me, I'm a recent convert. Want better reasons? Listen to Larry David from Curb Your Enthusiasm. http://tinyurl.com/ycqa6q3g

Here, viewed from there. C Y Gopinath, in Bangkok, throws unique light and shadows on Mumbai, the city that raised him. You can reach him at cygopi@gmail.com Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com

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

The BMC has claimed to be monsoon-ready this year, but it’s highly unlikely that the city roads will be pothole-free. File Pic

I like waiting for the BMC to issue proclamations of all kinds based on whatever mystical tests it uses instead of science. It will tell us when the rains are expected, for instance, then promptly issue a new date 24 hours before the original one, citing fresh new information that has probably been sent to its meteorologists via WhatsApp. It will talk about how much water will be collected in our lakes and rivers, then revise that figure every three weeks depending on what percentage of water cuts it can announce for free publicity. I suspect a lot of BMC employees spend their days simply dreaming up new statements to issue, because doing this is a lot easier than completing any actual work.

The good news is, it claims to be monsoon-ready this year. Yes, it claimed to be monsoon-ready last year, too, and the year before, and the decade before, but why should that stop it from issuing a new press release about how it is definitely monsoon-ready this year? If it doesn't issue these statements, how is it supposed to justify the thousands of crores that are poured into our streets and mysteriously vanish before touching the asphalt?

This year's statement says that only 522 roads continue to remain dug up in the city. This presumably does not include the street outside your home or mine, or any street you pass over the next week, because finding a street that isn't dug up in Mumbai is almost like finding proof that our ministers have actually been to school. Apparently, completing road repair and renovation work in the city is definitely the target, which isn't surprising because it has been the target since man first set foot on the Moon. I assume this doesn't include the roads that have been torn apart for the Metro, of course, because the chances of them being smooth and pothole-free in your lifetime or mine are a billion to one.

The Andheri-SEEPZ line of the Metro runs just outside Andheri station towards Versova. The street it tore up and demolished over a decade ago has yet to recover. It has turned into an unofficial market, with commuters now long used to the idea of going around in a wide circle in order to hit SV Road. One can't help, but use that as a benchmark when thinking about what the city will look like when the current Metro projects are finally complete, a century from now.

Our civic body - I use those words loosely, of course - has reportedly prepared a plan of completing work on 1,106 roads in several categories during the financial year 2018-19, with roads classifieds into categories of project roads, priority 2 and priority 3 roads. This must have taken them a few months, because everyone knows how important the task of naming plans or renaming roads is, and how these discussions can go on late into the afternoon. Project roads are easy to spot because they exist in various states of disrepair all around us, but it's hard to figure out the difference between priority 2 and priority 3 roads. In a city that is home to millions of commuters an hour, one would assume all roads are a priority, but that is clearly not the case.

Project roads are also supposed to undergo complete reconstruction, which is BMC-speak for 'we are going to tear them down and start again, and use your taxes to do it a few more times'. The statement didn't just talk about the future though; it also claimed that work on 879 roads was completed by the end of April. Chew on that when you dislocate your shoulder in a rickshaw on your next trip.

I'm pretty sure the fault lies with us. We are the ones who prevent the BMC from focusing on more important things like memorial plaques and compel it to waste valuable time and money on insignificant issues like pothole-free, monsoon-ready roads. If you care about your city and respect the BMC, you should do the right thing and avoid the roads. Work online instead of at an office, chat with friends and relatives via video calls, and educate your children with the help of YouTube videos. Don't use roads until the pesky monsoons are over. Stay at home instead.

When he isn't ranting about all things Mumbai, Lindsay Pereira can be almost sweet. He tweets @lindsaypereira Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com

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

The most erudite can be swayed by numbers alone. Representation pic

The only reason a semi-circle of well-connected writers, and well-paid editors seemed to loathe Chetan Bhagat so vehemently is because he is so widely read, perhaps even loved, and they aren't, I (rightly) thought — standing in the periphery of that semi-circle at a literary fest after-party, over half a decade ago. With that bitchy conversation over-valuing Bhagat's national impact going nowhere, I stepped out to grab a drink.

Bhagat was at the corner of the bar at Indigo, where a big-shot industrialist, now I forget if it was Anand Mahindra or Ness Wadia (and that's not even the point), somberly walked up to him to check on what's going on in Indian politics. His vishesh tippani followed. Now, where to go?

The most erudite can be swayed by numbers alone, in this case the number of Bhagat's English young-lit readers. Do these numbers always signify democracy? It could produce the opposite effect. Let's look at politics in a bit, but we do know a little about mass news, entertainment, although it's hard to tell one from the other.

They're crafted around second-guessing audience's supposed tastes, often where one thing works, automatically everybody else follows, and therefore an entire industry, over time, step by step, splicing out everything that doesn't fit into the larger, determined hole, produces a mainstream media that looks the same —across. Pick up the most popular radio, television stations, websites, newspapers, or even movies (creating stars, or special effects), and you'll know. One size must fit all. Your circus, my monkeys. It's a numbers' game. And numbers can be gamed.

Is politics that aims for more complicated arithmetic, and much larger audiences, another field that defies free-market, with greater competition only inhibiting choice, and progressively screwing up quality? Survey the national scene. Examine its broad product categories that, weeding out the highest common multiple over time, every political party has conveniently fit into, in order to appeal to the lowest common denominator: Nehru/Gandhi, Sangh, Ambedkar, Lohia, Left (and those opposing them, of course). Grand promises of abolishing poverty (1971), 'acche din' (2014) etc, although well-meaning, are merely side-shows, and tag-lines.

Every politician, ideally, must check one or the other box, holding uniformly same and sometimes inter-changeable opinions on a variety of complex issues. That's what you need/scream to lord over vast public resources/institutions. Target in place. Hit-job ordered. Distraction complete. Groups vote en masse. Design is set.

Educational qualifications, past experience, passing tough exams/interviews that test competence, are for minions entrusted with growing/protecting a small company's pocket change. If you're part of none of the above cult groups, the newbie Aam Aadmi Party, for instance, you do appear like an "anarchist". It's easy to be portrayed as one. This is basically show-business, albeit of relatively not such good-looking people.

How did we get here? Because Ambedkar, the father of Indian Constitution, said we would. If, for one, he ironically stated, we fell prey to 'personality cults', or quoting John Stuart Mill, "lay liberties at the feet of even a great man, trusting him with powers, which enable him to subvert institutions." Two, if political democracy did not follow actual social democracy on the ground (unqualified liberty, equality, fraternity, for all). It didn't. So where do the regular folk stand? Between a rock, and a hard place. But you must pick a side. It makes life simpler.

And you must vote. Have to vote. It's your right. Your privilege. You must vote. This is democracy. They go to vote — for one, or perhaps, against the other. As they did in Karnataka. In a tri-partite fight, the party with the lowest number of seats, steps in to form a government, with the help of the party they fought against. The one with the highest number of seats looks at how they could "poach" from the other two, whose MLAs were locked up! It didn't matter what they fought for, or against.
The popular television anchor with the second highest English news ratings asks the gentleman from the scavenging team how they would manage the numbers. Arrey! He names his captain; and winks, pretty much. They both laugh out loud, in public, on TV, simultaneously. This is supposed to be "horse-trading" to form a "stable" government.

The highest read Indian English writer, Bhagat, weighs in with a pragmatic tweet, that must be seen as our form of public intellectualism — calling horse-trading an "art form". Yes, the election is over. Another will follow. The voter looks puzzled. Or maybe doesn't. Now let's just frickin' move on, right. No, you wanna question this? Oh.

Mayank Shekhar attempts to make sense of mass culture. He tweets @mayankw14 Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com

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

Dress up in light and bright outfits for a summer wedding. At the same time, do not forget to play with appropriate fabrics. To look bright and beautiful, experts suggest minimalistic embellishments and soft Maheshwari and Chanderi fabric for your attires. Designer Sweety Arora, and Renu Rana, Founder at Sihali Jageer, have listed what to wear under the sun, literally.

1. During summer, go with cool fabrics suited to a sizzling day. Think feather-light hand woven silks, fluid modal and cottons. A flowy dress from the traditional Maheshwari cottons and matching Coimbatore cotton silks with Chinese collar will add the extra glam to your look. You can also try Tangail fabrics beautiful cape tops with ikkat pants that look extremely trendy.

2. Colours like pink, blue, and yellow exude charm and tenderness. So, go for delicate pastels, soft maheshwari and Chanderi with a hint of metal, with gold and silver jamdani hand embroidery and booties. It is a perfect synthesis of traditional fabrics for contemporary needs and style.

3. To create an ethnic look, pair chanderi kurta and silver pajama with heavy Dhakai jamdani dupatta. You can also add an angrakha jamdani wraparound kurta over it for a dramatic twist.

4. For a beautiful fusion of traditional and contemporary look, the clothes must blend different styles from various parts of the country, from Rajput to Afghani traditions to our own Indian heritage, thus creating looks which are classy, glamorous and reflect one's signature style and love of colour. This mixture of different influences only helps in creating unique designs, clean cuts and modern style.

5. Rely on breezy prints with minimalistic embellishment.

6. Go for silhouettes that don't bog you down. Go for sheer skirts and wrap tops, cowl dresses, draped saris, light lehengas and anarkalis.

7. Keep your footwear as quirky and off-beat as the rest of your ensemble. Go for customised jutis, or blingy canvas shoes.

8. Invest in nice statement neckpieces and layered neckpieces as they look elegant, comfortable and unique. Try double rings with pearly strings, palm rings and pearl kadah.

9. Try to explore new designs and shapes in bags like bucket bag-inspired potlis, give an indo twist to messenger bags. You can also opt for customised miniature bag packs as those will make you stand out from the crowd.

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

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

The leaked video of Rishi Kapoor in the ICU has enraged Bollywood. Industry folk consider it a violation of privacy and have demanded a probe. Singer and minister Baabul Supriyo reportedly said,  "Hospitals should have a zero tolerance policy for such acts and the person concerned may well be sacked for good."

Reacting to such forwarded video clip, several celebrities including Arjun Kapoor, Karan Wahi and Mini Mathur called out the hospital for staff negligence. Without mentioning the particular leaked video, Arjun wrote: "The choice is not to post something is sometimes as important as to be the first to post something. Images have a lot of power lest we forget.

"Sometimes humanity and empathy must prevail over being first to embrace use of sly voyeuristic material presented to you."

Actor Karan Wahi admitted that he too saw the video and decided to delete it immediately, rather than share it among others as he found it disturbing. Karan said: "There's a forward that a ward boy or someone from the hospital has shot of Rishi Kapoor in his hospital just before he passed. I saw it. And think it's a gross violation of his privacy. If you receive it, delete it rather than forward it further."

He added: "Actors are also human beings. Please do not forward or post them just to be the first one. Have some respect."

Actress-anchor Mini Mathur urged people to "stop the insensitivity". She tweeted: "Just came across a disgusting, completely invasive video of Rishi sir on WhatsApp in hospital actually titled "last video of RK" obviously shot by a hospital staff member. I know humanity is at sea at the moment but can we PLEASE STOP THIS INSENSITIVITY and not be party to this?"

Mini also tagged Mumbai Police to take strict actions against the offender. "If you see a video like this on any group can you please insist that it's taken down??? Can we stop this vicarious celeb goggling even when they are indisposed and unaware? It should be a legal offence @MumbaiPolice and met with the strictest action," Mini added.

The management at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, where Rishi Kapoor breathed his last, issued a statement on Friday saying they would investigate the leak and circulation of videos featuring the actors mortal.

A Facebook post on the hospital's official page reads: "A message from Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital's management. #RespectForLife.

"It has come to our attention that a video of one of our patients is surfacing on digital media platforms. At Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, patient confidentiality and privacy is of utmost importance to us and we strongly condemn such actions. The hospital management is investigating the incident and strict action will be taken against the perpetrators."

Several netizens have questioned the morality of hospital staff, assuming they shot the videos since there is no question of outsiders amid the lockdown.

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

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

Bollywood actor Rahul Bose has been foraying the digital entertainment space with a couple of projects lately, and he says his parameter as an actor to give his nod to a story has not changed. For him, it is important that the story should have the essence of humanism and not the glorification of hatred. "Honestly speaking, my rules of saying yes to a project do not change. For me, the story matters and not the length of my character. I think by now people know that. I am not the person running after fame or concern about how many people are watching my work. For me, the story has to be important enough to engage, as an actor and as an audience," Rahul told IANS.

The actor has worked in the Netflix original "Bulbul", besides the web series "Bombay Begums" directed by Alankrita Srivastava. He is also a part of the much-awaited web series, "Baahubali: Before The Beginning". Rahul's film choices have been as varied as "Mr And Mrs Iyer", "Jhankaar Beats", "Chameli", "Shaurya", "The Japanese Wife", "I Am", and "Dil Dhadakne Do". There is an important element he looks for in a film, before committing to it.

"In past, there were films and projects that have been offered to me and I said no to them. You see, the story has to have some amount of humanism. You can show a character as the biggest evil (person) of the world and still can come up with the right message -- not one that is destructive or negative. A message cannot glorify hatred, and if it does, I do not want to be part of that. Of course, my character can be the villain but not the overall message of the film," Rahul said.

He explained: "In the recent past I am offered a film that shows a very, very narrow view of nationalism and it was quite a jingoistic story. I can never be part of that. I am the same actor who was part of a film like "Shaurya" that sent out an absolutely right message -- that is, no matter which religion, caste or region you are from, when you are a man in a uniform, all you are upholding is the security of your country."

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

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

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

What started as a passion project for Aamir Khan in 2017, has grown into an initiative that is changing the landscape for budding writers in the Indian film industry. The second edition of Cinestaan India's Storytellers Script Contest, a nationwide hunt for scripts where the five winners take home a total cash prize of Rs 50 lakh, was launched this February. Over the past three months, the four-member jury — consisting of Khan, Anjum Rajabali, Juhi Chaturvedi and Rajkumar Hirani — sifted through numerous entries to choose five compelling stories that can be taken to the screen. While the on-ground event to announce the winners has been cancelled due to the current scenario, the superstar will unveil the new talent on social media today.

Excited to be part of an endeavour that celebrates screenwriting — an aspect he considers the backbone of every successful film — Khan urges budding writers to not let the prevailing situation dampen their creativity. "Budding scriptwriters should continue writing with more enthusiasm, especially during these times. Every filmmaker needs a good script," says the actor.

California-based NRI Sejal Pachisia has bagged the top prize of a whopping Rs 25 lakh for her story, On the Boundary. The second and third prizes have been won by Digant Patil and Soumil Shukla for Guilt and Laakh Maavla respectively. The prize is financed by Cinestaan Digital, an internet media firm focussed on building cinema-related products for Indian audiences. The chosen scripts will become part of its story incubator programme.

Screenwriters Anjum Rajabali and Juhi Chaturvedi

Rajabali, jury chairperson, says the contest was designed to provide a platform to new talent, thus helping deserving outsiders to gain a toehold in the industry.

"It's important that we raise the standard of our scriptwriting so that the quality of our cinema improves," he states.

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

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

Roop Durgapal feels privileged to have a comfortable home and says that people should not complain about being locked indoors. "We should thank our stars every single day as there are so many out there, for whom it is a luxury," she posted on Instagram. The Balika Vadhu actor is spending her time learning Marathi online. 

The note reflects how we all might have taken our privilege for granted over the years and how times can change for everyone in seconds. This is the time to be thankful for all the facilities at our disposal and never take them for granted.

Read it right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

I think all of us here are privileged & should thank our stars every single day for having a roof above our heads, while there are so many out there, for whom it is a luxury.. So instead of cribbing all the time about being locked inside our homes, we should be grateful & gotta utilise this time productively. In these tough times, we do need many things to keep us occupied positively, creatively and for our mental sanity..for me its Sketching after Singing and reading ofcourse.. what about you all ? Share what keeps you happy & sane in the comments below😊 💕 #fightingcorona #sketching #roopdurgapal

A post shared by SirfRoop â­Â (@roop_durgapal) onApr 17, 2020 at 4:32am PDT

There's hardly any Bollywood and Television celebrity that hasn't shared his or her thoughts and opinions on the lockdown that has happened in the world. While some have been sharing their workout and cooking videos, some have been sharing their video chats with friends and families, many have shared important notes on how to be thankful that we are with our families safe and sound at our homes, Roop being one of them. 

As stated above, this note by the actress is a must-read and shouldn't be missed so read it if you haven't!

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

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

What should I wear? Should I apply make-up or stay normal? Should I wear heels or flats? Should I carry a sling bag or a clutch? So many questions like these crop up in a girl's mind when they dress up for their first date. Stop worrying about all these and think the other way round. You guys have spoke earlier, knew each other’s choices and preferences (to some extent, if not completely) and now decided to meet up. So be happy and just go about it.. But wait! There are some things which girls should 'not' always expect on their first date:

1. He will pay the restaurant bill: This might be true, but not always. Do not always expect the guy to pay the bill or even if he wishes to, do take an initiative from your end also. It might look a bit awkward, but try to split the cheque. You may never know, later on if this relation works out, he might make you laugh out loud regarding the incident.

2. He will drop you home: If he comes with his car on your first date, then you can expect. But what if he does not have a car and you know it before hand? You might have to return back home alone then. Be prepared!

3. He will meet over coffee: Is every first date over a coffee table or a cup of Latte? Why can’t it be in a popular Punjabi dhaba over a cup of ginger tea? Dear girls, don’t expect your first date to be in a classy chandelier lit coffee house over a dazzling glass of cold moccachino. At times be prepared to meet him at a dhaba under a moonlit sky too. Outdoor dining does wonders at times!

4. He will click a selfie with you: Come on girls! First date does not mean the final meet before marriage. It is only about getting introduced to each other face to face. Unless and until he is bold enough, he might hesitate to do the act. So you want to take the step? Well, that’s completely your choice and depends on the situation too.

5. He will compliment your gorgeous dress: This might happen over time but not always on the first date. You need to hold on your nerves ladies! Once the date works out, then over time your guy will overload you with compliments. Walk in casually and things might work out.

6. He will talk about your past relationship: Why do you want to spoil the first meet by talking about the bitter past? In case you guys are already aware of each other’s past, then postpone the discussion for future. The first date is all about a romantic evening, a warm welcome, a delectable dinner and a cool conversation ending with a sweet 'bye-bye' note.

7. He will only do the ice-breaking session: Your instinct may be to ask a bunch of questions to get him to open up, but it might feel like a college admission interview. Still, keep the conversations going, don’t worry about silences. You can keep any topic like what’s his favourite music, is he interested in long drives and did he bully friends in college, and such funny stuff.

The day must end on a good note. Do not rush out of the car if he drops you home. Before he starts, ask him if you guys can meet over Karaoke soon. If it's in his mind too, he'll surely lean in! Blush blush! Keep eye contact while talking to the man.

Get your heels on ladies and try to make you first date the most cherished day of your life! Follow the tricks and thank us later.. :)

Emmanuel Macron (right) and wife Brigitte Trogneux acknowledge the audience at an event in Paris in April. Pic/AFP

She's been called a Menopausal Barbie and France's First Grandmother, he's been passed off as gay as it's inconceivable for many how a straight 39-year-old Emmanuel Macron would be married to 64-year-old Brigitte Trogneux. In a different continent, another president is 24 years older than his wife Melania, but critics are yet to look past Donald Trump's mop of blonde-orange hair, and logic-defying views. Why?

Age does matter… for women
"We are still very ageist as a society, all over the world. While an older woman is called a cougar, there is no such term for an older man," says Shrishti Arya, producer of romance TV series Kehta Hai Dil Jee Le Zara (2014) in which Sangeeta Ghosh's Saanchi was seven years older than Ruslaan Mumtaz's Dhruv, and that formed the main conflict. Eventually, the couple not only married but also became happy parents. Of course, as per desi heroine pre-requisites, Saanchi, while refreshingly cheerful and mature, was painted in pure white strokes of a physically and morally beautiful beti, unmarried at 34 mainly due to familial responsibilities. Trogneux on the other hand, was married when she first met the 15-year-old Macron at the age of 40. Easier to blame her.

Ageism also comes from our conditioning, according to clinical psychologist and cognitive behaviour therapist Laura Vaz. In earlier times, it was pragmatic for the man to be older since he was the bread-winner, and the woman was second fiddle. She needed an older spouse to 'look up to'. That has changed with women demanding dignity for their roles as homemakers and fighting for equal rights at work… "but the cultural belief has stuck," she says.

The Graduate created a social revolution in cinema in the late 1960s

The cougar on celluloid
Popular culture doesn't make things easier. Starting from the ageing actress obsessed with a younger opportunistic man in Sunset Boulevard (1950) to the iconic seductress, Mrs Robinson, who lures the apparently hapless Ben in The Graduate (1967), to our own BA Pass (2012) with its poster featuring the much-married heroine sporting a bra and horrors, smoking, while a teenage boy lounges in her bed — the older woman is usually seen as a sexual predator. As clinical psychotherapist Alaokika Bharwani puts it, "If the man is over 10 years younger, it's assumed that it must be a sexual relationship. 'Companionship' is never taken into account, and it's sad because no one speaks of her desperation for an emotional connect." Vaz talks of how this narrow mindset leads to assumptions around the relationship. "That's how stories get created that something must be wrong with the man; maybe, he's looking for a mother figure, or perhaps she pays his bills," she says.

What does she want?
Bharwani gives a more realistic idea of what an older woman possibly seeks in her relationships. "A woman above 40 is mostly financially stable and doesn't 'need' a man to provide for her. She's perhaps been married, has children, and is emotionally mature. She mostly wants companionship to feel invigorated, which doesn't come her way from men her age. So, she enjoys the playfulness of a younger man," she says. As for the younger man, being with an older woman is often relieving since she is past the age of unreal romantic expectations, and doesn't want him to 'complete' her. He can be himself.

Alaokika Bharwani

But relationships are difficult to sustain especially if the age difference is between his 20s and her 30s. As Vaz points out from the cases she has dealt with, usually in a May-December relationship, it is the man who leaves and the woman ends up feeling hurt and used. Vaz adds that there could be an element of unpleasantness peculiar to this sort of relationship. "If the man isn't as financially stable, and she sort of takes care of him, the woman seldom has a problem but the man could feel emasculated," says Bharwani, adding that the biggest undoing for such couples is judgement.

Vaz cites the example of a couple where the woman was 64 years, while the man was 31. In therapy, she made it clear that they had to decide if they were in it for the long haul. "He was as old as her son, and people would look down on them, isolate them and yet not leave them in peace. I said this was what they were getting into. My sessions would help them get stronger, but they had to know that the dice would be stacked against them." Despite being in love, the couple broke up.

Meanwhile, since their coming out as a May-weds-December couple, the Macrons have faced criticism head-on; that he was elected as President is also a positive sign. Back home too, Vaz and Bharwani feel millennials are less judgemental and accepting of such relationships without going into debunked Freudian explanations. Both feel that we are becoming a more civilised society.

Here's to love and companionship for older women without the unfair labels. Or maybe create a male counterpart. Trump effect, anyone?

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday indirectly targeted Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari by saying that the Raj Bhavan "shouldn't become centre for political conspiracy".

In a sharp attack on Koshyari - without naming him - the Sena MP said he was somehow reminded of a 'shameless' governor, the late Thakur Ram Lal, who served in the Raj Bhavan in Andhra Pradesh in the early 1980s.

#ShivSena MP #SanjayRaut on Sunday indirectly targeted #Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari by saying that the Raj Bhavan "shouldn't become centre for political conspiracy". pic.twitter.com/1Y6fM0F85f

— IANS Tweets (@ians_india) April 19, 2020

"Remember! History doesn't spare those who behave unconstitutionally. Samajhne walon ko ishaara kaafi hai!" Raut said in tweets on Sunday.

The Sena MP's outburst is viewed against the backdrop of a recent Maharashtra Cabinet request to the Governor to nominate Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray as a Member of the Legislative Council for one of the two vacant seats from the Governor's quota.

This is to prevent a constitutional crisis as Thackeray must become a member of either house of the state legislature by May 28, failing which he would be required to step down.

In view of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Centre has postponed all elections, but the picture is likely to become clear after May 3.

Thackeray was unanimously elected as the leader of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance government of Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress, and took oath as the CM on November 28, 2019.

The Sena President's rise to power - the first ever member of the Thackeray clan to hold political office - came after Koshyari had sworn in a two-member government of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Ajit Pawar, which collapsed in barely 80 hours.

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

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

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

Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said India should look at converting the world's "hatred" for China amid the coronavirus pandemic into an economic opportunity for itself by attracting large-scale foreign investments.

Interacting with overseas Indian students via video conferencing, the minister for MSME and Road Transport and Highways said across the world now, there is "hatred for China. Is it possible for us to convert it into an opportunity for India?" Referring to the economic package announced by Japan for its businesses exiting China, Gadkari said, "I feel that we should think on that and we will concentrate on it. We will open the Indian scenario for that. We will give the clearances and everything to them and attract foreign investment."

Asked if India can take any action against China incase it is found to have deliberately "suppressed" information on coronavirus, the minister said this was a sensitive subject related with the Ministry of External Affairs and the prime minister, and therefore it will not be appropriate for him to comment on it. Gadkari said all government departments, particularly the finance ministry as well as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), are formulating policies to win the "economic war" post the COVID-19 pandemic and fulfil the prime minister's dream of making India a USD 5 trillion economy. "At the same time, we can make infrastructure of Rs 100 lakh crore," he added.

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

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

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

Tennis ace Sania Mirza said that one needs to be more sensitive while coaching young female sportspersons. Speaking in the All India Tennis Association and the Sport Authority of Indias digital Coachs Education webinar on Wednesday, Sania said that coaches need to be sensitive of the hormonal changes that girls go through while working with them.

"My dad always tells me that to work with a woman tennis player is a lot trickier and a lot more mental because I do think that there are a lot of issues that girls go through, especially when they are adolescent," said Sania.

"There are so many changes that are happening, internally in your body and externally as well. You are trying to be the best tennis player that you can be while there are so many hormonal changes happening as well, and it happens throughout the life of a woman.

"You can be a little bit more sensitive to their needs and the way they are because a lot of the times they are just trying to discover who they are, while they are also trying to be a tennis player. It can be a pretty tough job."

33-year-old Sania made her comeback to tennis this year after giving birth to her first child. She won the Hobart International in January before playing an integral role in helping India seal a historic playoff spot in the Fed Cup.

"Just the way I have managed everything else, I could manage both tennis and motherhood. I am lucky enough to have enough help around me as well, that is a huge plus point for me. My mom and my sister have played a huge part in giving me as much help as possible," said Sania on being asked about how she is managing the twin-role of mother and professional tennis player.

"A lot of people questioned it even when I was trying to make that comeback, how did you find time to lose so much weight. There's so much that happens with your body after you give birth. You just have to, sort of, adapt, find a way to take out two hours from your day to work-out and try to find that balance. It's also good for your own sanity as well, to find time for yourself."

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

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

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

New Delhi: Looking for destinations for the year 2018? Here are some reasons to why you should visit world¿s oldest and most popular natural health resort - the Dead Sea in Israel

• The Dead Sea is three million years old and the lowest point on earth at 1,388 ft below sea level.
• The lowest point on earth is also home to the lowest road on the planet, Highway 90 located 1,289 ft. below sea level on the Israeli shore.
• One of the saltiest water bodies on the planet, the Dead Sea has 10 times the salt concentration of ocean water creating the bucket list experience of floating on water.
• What if we told you that the Dead Sea isn¿t a sea at all but actually a hypersaline lake ranked as the world¿s deepest salt water lake.
• The world's first and most popular health resort, the Dead Sea was a favorite among royalty with the likes of King Herod the Great and Queen Cleopatra.
• The biggest free spa on earth, the Dead Sea region has been attracting visitors from all over the world. The mineral content in the water, mud and salt, the low content of pollen and other allergens along with low solar UV radiation, combined with the atmospheric pressure and the depth, have healing properties for various skin diseases, respiratory ailments and rheumatic pain. A unique occurrence at the Dead Sea is of large amounts of asphalt which rises to the surface of the water. Ancient Egyptians would import the asphalt from the Dead Sea region and used it to embalm mummies.
• Yes, the famous Dead Sea Scrolls were found here; hundreds of well preserved Biblical and non-biblical manuscripts that helped reshape historic views on religion.
• Evidence shows that the Dead Sea may dry up within 50 years so we recommend a quick visit in 2018!

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

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

Some of the band members saw snow for the first time in Gulmarg

It's rare for a young band, new on the scene, to get the traction that the Mumbai-based Aankh Micholi has got in the last year. Formed in 2015 at the True School of Music, the alternative folk fusion has been performing all over the city and country in 2018, gathering praise for their soulful music, which they describe as "a marriage between powerful lyrics and compelling storytelling". Recently, the five members - Osho Jain, 23, Bharat Chandore, 20, Pankaj Pathe, 26, Akshay Dabhadkar, 21, and Hansel Dias, 23 - performed at Winterfell Café in Srinagar, which is known for musical performances.

The band also used a sled as a percussion instrument

"We had heard about the café and we just took a chance and called them, and said, 'would you like to host us?', and they couldn't have been happier. They also told us that we were the first non-Kashmiri band to have played in the Valley. The band, Parvaz, had performed before us, but all its members are Kashmiri," Jain tells us. We asked the band why they think the Valley should be our next travel destination and this is what they had to say.

And sang a few songs, which they shared on Facebook

'The people are amazing'
We literally haven't met better people ever before. Firstly, at the café, which takes its inspiration from the Game of Thrones, a crowd of over 50 turned up, which is great for that area. This café has a lot of things happening all the time - open mics, storytelling, all performance-based art. The music that we were playing was very different from the kind of music they are exposed to, which is basically Kashmiri folk music. This was very new to them, but they just loved it, and responded with such gusto. People are just nice everywhere you go, and help is at hand whenever you need it.

A select few airlines offer direct flights from Mumbai to Srinagar, or you can fly to Delhi and take a connecting flight

As soon as we landed, we just dumped our bags at our hotel, and headed to the Dal Lake. We then sat in the shikaras, and started playing our guitars and singing our original songs. We were entertaining people, and they were loving it. After a while, people joined us in the singing. It was one of our most overwhelming moments.

The snow is magical
On the second day we were there, we headed to Gulmarg. It wasn't supposed to snow that day, and hasn't snowed for the last 20 days. But, as soon as we got there, it started snowing, and even the locals were surprised. Some of us had never seen snow before. We were on the slopes and we were sledding. We also used the sled as a percussion instrument, and sang a few songs as we did a Facebook live from the slopes.

Binge on Kashmiri Noon chai
Since most of were vegetarian, food was a bit of an issue. But, we all fell in love with the kahwa. That sweet, sweet tea, really hit the spot in the cold. We also sampled the Kashmiri noon chai, also called sheer chai, gulabi chai, which is a traditional tea made with salt, milk and baking soda. It's very different to taste, and it would be right to say that it's an acquired taste. But we loved it.

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

Should I end my relationship just because my girlfriend thinks it's not working out? I don't really see any serious problems, so I don't know what she's talking about. Why can't she see it the way I am?
If she's not making this up, it's obvious that the two of you aren't on the same page here. The only thing you can do is try and understand why her view of this is so radically different from your own, and ask if she is willing to try and make it work.

My boyfriend and I ended our relationship a year-and-a-half ago because of logistics. He was living in another city and we simply couldn't spend enough time together. We tried to make the long distance thing work, but decided to stop after a point because it was too difficult to manage. We haven't been in touch since it ended. I just found out through a common friend that he has been offered a job in my city and is moving here in a month. I have been thinking about calling him and going out just to see if there is still any spark, and to try and give it another chance. Is this a bad idea though, considering we couldn't pull it off the first time?
I suggest you take it one step at a time because, to begin with, you haven't been in touch for over a year-and-a-half. People and circumstances can both change dramatically over time, so you don't know what to expect. If your relationship ended simply because the two of you couldn't meet often, and there were no other reasons, you may be able to make it work, provided he wants it to as much as you do. At the moment though, everything about this is speculative. Try calling him, get a sense of whether he wants to meet, and then see how that first date goes before jumping to conclusions.

The inbox is now open to take your most carnal and amorous queries. Send your questions on email to lovedoc@mid-day.com

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

Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif on Wednesday said KL Rahul should only be used as a backup wicket-keeper so that workload on the player can be managed.

"People think that Rahul may become our main keeper in the future. But I feel that Rahul should be used as a backup wicketkeeper, if the main keeper is injured or he is not with the team then Rahul should be there because if you rely on him as the main keeper then chances of injuries will grow as the workload will increase on him," Kaif told ANI.

Kaif also feels that MS Dhoni should feature in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup and ruling the former captain out from the tournament will be 'unfair'.

"See people may have eyes on Dhoni that how he is going to play in the IPL (Indian Premier League) and then there will be talks of the T20 World Cup but my view is different from others. I do not judge Dhoni based on his IPL form. He is a great batsman and he is fit now, he wants to play IPL, do captaincy and is showing his availability. He has a winning mentality and knows how to win games under pressure," Kaif said.

"So, I think ruling him out will be unfair. See a lot of cricket is still left in Dhoni and when a player plays for this long, there are ups and downs in his career. It happens with every cricketer not just Dhoni," he added.

The ICC T20 World Cup 2020 is scheduled to be played between October 18 and November 15 at seven venues across Australia.

As the country continues to fight against the coronavirus crisis, Kaif urged people to adhere to the guidelines laid by the government and stay home.

"My message for the society is to be at home and follow what the government is saying then only we can beat this virus. At this stage, this is something very important for one and all to be at home," he said.

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

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

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

Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif on Wednesday backed MS Dhoni to play in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, saying that the wicket-keeper batsman has 'a lot of cricket' left in him and ruling him out will be 'unfair'.

"See, people may have eyes on Dhoni that how he is going to play in the IPL (Indian Premier League) and then there will be talks of the T20 World Cup but my view is different from others. I do not judge Dhoni based on his IPL form. He is a great batsman and he is fit now. He wants to play IPL, do captaincy and is showing his availability. He has a winning mentality and knows how to win games under pressure," Kaif told ANI.

"So, I think ruling him out will be unfair. See a lot of cricket is still left in Dhoni and when a player plays for this long, there are ups and downs in his career. It happens with every cricketer, not just Dhoni," he added.

Dhoni last played competitive cricket during the 2019 World Cup. India was knocked out of the tournament after suffering a semi-final defeat at the hands of New Zealand. Dhoni was run out in the 49th over after scoring 50 runs. After his dismissal, India failed to chase the 240-run target.

Despite Dhoni failing to take India over the line, Kaif termed him a 'champion player'.

"The semifinal of World Cup which we lost, everyone was expecting Dhoni to win it but it did not happen. So, from there on, people thought that Dhoni should not be there. But for me, Dhoni is a champion player. People should look at Dhoni's record in the last 10 to 15 years. See, the current form is important but at the same time his form was not that bad that you rule him out," Kaif said.

The ICC T20 World Cup 2020 is scheduled to be played between October 18 and November 15 at seven venues across Australia.

As the nationwide lockdown as been extended to May 3 due to the coronavirus, the IPL has been postponed indefinitely. "IPL 2020 season has been postponed indefinitely," sources within BCCI told ANI on Wednesday.

Kaif feels that postponing the league is the right decision as life is more important than sports at the moment.

"In the present scenario, life is more important than sports. I think the decision of BCCI is right. When the situation improves, we will think of sports. Sporting events all over the world have either been postponed or cancelled. In our country, cases are rising. So, as of now, the situation is not under control. So I think it's the right decision because at this stage first priority is to beat coronavirus and save the people," he said.

When asked about his views on the window for IPL, Kaif said: "I feel when things are sorted out and there is the possibility of games to be played, then they (BCCI) will look for options."

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

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

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

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar recently celebrated his 47th birthday on April 24, 2020.

Sachin Tendulkar, widely regarded as one of cricket's finest to ever play the game, was all over the internet as his peers showered praises and blessings on his birthday.

1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev, in an interview with Radio City, spoke about how Sachin Tendulkar is the best batsman ever to play the game. Kapil Dev said, "Many people misunderstand the statements I make when I talk. According to me, Sachin Tendulkar is the finest cricketer India has produced. I still feel that he should have done much better than he did. Although no one has performed better than him, I feel, Sachin Tendulkar had more talent." 

Talking about Sachin Tendulkar's two-and-a-half decade-long career, Kapil Dev said, "Sachin has had an amazing career. To play for your country for 24 years is easy to say but difficult to do. I wish him all the happiness. For all the happiness he has given India, I wish him and more importantly, his family, good luck. The family sacrifices more than anyone else in these scenarios. I wish Sachin great health."

"He has moved generations for two and a half decades. Many youngsters yearn to be Sachin Tendulkar. As long as we have cricketers like him, the game will never die," Kapil added. Watch the full video below.

Kapil Dev recently became a rage on the internet after she showed his new bald look. Kapil Dev's bald look became the talk of the town, moreover, after Sanjay Manjrekar shared a picture on Twitter.

Love this look Paaji! Keep it!@therealkapildev pic.twitter.com/zWKZ4HVvrx

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) April 21, 2020

Both Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar have won the ICC World Cup. While Kapil Dev led his team as captain to the World Cup title in 1983, Sachin Tendulkar was part of the World Cup-winning team in 2011 headed by MS Dhoni.

Transcribed by Shawn D'souza

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

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

The UNESCO has said news media should be recognised and supported by all governments as an "essential service" to stop the COVID-19 "disinfodemic" that is putting lives at risk. "There seems to be barely an area left untouched by disinformation in relation to the COVID-19 crisis, ranging from the origin of the coronavirus, through to unproven prevention and 'cures', and encompassing responses by governments, companies, celebrities and others," Guy Berger, Director for Policies and Strategies regarding Communication and Information at the UN educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said in an interview with the UN News.

According to the UN, unreliable and false information is spreading around the world to such an extent that some commentators are now referring to the new avalanche of misinformation that's accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic as a "disinfodemic". Berger said UNESCO is particularly urging governments "not to impose restrictions on freedom of expression that can harm the essential role of an independent press, but to recognise journalism as a power against disinformation even when it publicises verified information and informed opinion that annoys those in power. "There is a strong case to be made that the media deserves to be recognised and supported by governments as an essential service at this time." He stressed that the need of the hour is to improve the supply of truthful information and ensure that the demand is met.

"We are underlining that governments, in order to counter rumours, should be more transparent, and proactively disclose more data, in line with Right to Information laws and policies. Access to information from official sources is very important for credibility in this crisis. "However, this is not a substitute for information supplied by the news media, so we are also intensifying our efforts to persuade authorities to see free and professional journalism as an ally in the fight against disinformation, especially because the news media works openly in the public sphere, whereas much disinformation is under-the-radar, on social messaging apps," Berger said. The UNESCO official also pointed to a more harmful example of disinformation: encouraging the taking of medication, approved for other purposes, but not yet clinically proven as being effective against COVID-19. He said unfortunately some have capitalised on the pandemic, to spread disinformation for the purposes of advancing their own agendas.

"The motives for spreading disinformation are many, and include political aims, self-promotion, and attracting attention as part of a business model. Those who do so, play on emotions, fears, prejudices and ignorance, and claim to bring meaning and certainty to a reality that is complex, challenging and fast-changing," Berger said. He said in a time of "high fears, uncertainties and unknowns", there is "fertile ground for fabrications to flourish and grow". The big risk is that any single falsehood that gains traction can negate the significance of a body of true facts.

"When disinformation is repeated and amplified, including by influential people, the grave danger is that information which is based on truth, ends up having only marginal impact," he said. Berger noted that some people believe, wrongly, that young people or those of African descent are immune (some disinformation has a racist, or xenophobic, tone), and that those in warm climates or countries where summer is on its way, do not need to worry too much. The likely consequence, he said, is complacency, which could fuel more premature deaths. However, not everyone responsible for spreading untruths is doing so maliciously and well-intentioned people are also uncritically circulating dubious content, the UNESCO official said.

"These different motives require different responses, but we should not lose sight of the fact that, irrespective of intention, the effect of sharing falsehoods is to disinform and disempower the public, with deadly potential," he said. UNESCO has underscored that the rights to freedom of expression and access to information are the best remedies to the dangers of disinformation. These rights "enable governments and the public to take evidence-based decisions about reality, and to put in place responses that are founded on both science and human rights values, and which can get us through the pandemic in the best way", Berger said.

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

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

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

Experts believe there was already a visible turnaround in the pharma sector, both on the domestic as well as on the exports side even before any traces of COVID-19

People infected with dengue will not be allowed to donate blood for six months, as per the announcement of the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Department

Cyprus should consider reinstating the immovably property tax to boost revenues, the International Monetary Fund has said.

The UK's National Audit Office has called for a more comprehensive review of the 1,190 tax relief measures available for taxpayers, which are estimated to have cost the UK revenues worth GBP155bn (USD201.7bn) in 2018-19.

Type 2 diabetics who were in poor health were mostly continuing their insulin intake after age 75 compared to their counterparts in better health./br According

New year 2020 is almost here to start with a bang. Picking out the right food, gadgets, exercises, and outdoor activities well in advance can help you

India, Indonesia and Thailand must play a lead role in overcoming the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic," the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.

Doctors in India are governed by the regulations of Medical Council of India (MCI). MCI is an apex body that has reg

'Nurses play an important role in providing effective healthcare to patients. They should understand the medical and social conditions of every patient

Egg freezing for age-related fertility is becoming more common, and a new study provides quick reference points on the topic for primary care providers.

A study assessed two types of treatment, namely arm in a sling and surgery with plates and screws for displaced fracture of shoulder. Of these, conservative

New study describes how palliative care needs to adapt to an emergency style to help make the best decisions and support families. The findings of the

Children should be engaged in physical activity by their parents and carers as a part of daily routine during the COVID-19 lockdown, reports a new study.

In Japan G20 leaders should focus on fulfilling their obligations to improve and expand their nations' health care systems. In a commentary published

All Dermatologists need to know the basics of alternative medicine practices to treat their various side effects. By having proper knowledge of alternative

Switzerland provided USD 3 billion in official development assistance (ODA) in 2012, or 0.45% of its gross national income (GNI), in line with its goal to reach 0.5% of GNI by 2015.

Switzerland should do more to help older people, especially women, work longer in order to meet the challenge of a rapidly ageing population, according to a new OECD report.

Switzerland should reduce trade barriers and limit the level of direct payments to farmers, as part of wider efforts to improve competitiveness of the agriculture sector, according to a new OECD report.

The OECD’s third Environmental Performance Review of Switzerland finds that despite being one of the greenest OECD countries in terms of energy supply, greenhouse gas emissions and domestic material consumption per unit of GDP, Switzerland urgently needs to address pressures on its biodiversity.

The OECD Working Group on Bribery has just completed a review of Switzerland's enforcement of the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions and related instruments. The Working Group welcomes the significant level of enforcement by the Federal Office of the Attorney General. Switzerland has cracked down on the bribery of foreign public officials in recent years.

Slovenia has implemented important and difficult labour market and pension reforms in response to the global financial crisis. But further efforts are needed to tackle the high level of long-term unemployment and help more older and low-skilled people find work, according to a new OECD report.

As the Slovak Republic strives to increase productivity and competitiveness in the recovery from the financial crisis, the OECD Environmental Performance Review of the Slovak Republic recommends that it strengthen environmental policies.

29/03/2012 - Slovak Republic should help preschool teachers improve their skills, says OECD, and should encourage preschool teachers to keep improving their qualifications throughout their career and attract more young people, especially men, to the profession

Comprehensive reforms to Portugal’s labour market between 2011 and 2015 have helped create jobs and reduce the country’s high unemployment rate but important challenges remain, according to a new OECD report.

Portugal’s investments in education and skills in recent decades are paying off for young people but many adults are falling behind. With a rapidly aging population and a growing skills divide between generations, Portugal needs to further strengthen its adult-learning system, according to a new OECD report.