In last week’s midterm elections, Democratic and progressive political candidates flipped red House districts, key state legislative bodies, governors’ offices, and even Senate seats in Nevada and Arizona. We’ve elected one of the most diverse Congressional classes in history, with historic numbers of women and LGBTQ representatives, including the first Muslim and Native American women […]

Humans, chimpanzees, gorillas and bats have evolved to be good at metabolising alcohol, according to a study that suggests many mammals can get drunk

I’ve always wondered what he looked like. You may be somewhat disappointed. You haven’t yet seen the mind behind that rather ordinary face, though, which will leave you a lot disappointed. A Republican Ohio state representative cited his religious beliefs to explain why he would not wear a mask as recommended by Gov. Mike DeWine […]

Thousands of troops paraded before crowds of spectators in Minsk Saturday to mark 75 years since the defeat of Nazi Germany as Belarus held a celebration of Victory Day despite the coronavirus pandemic. Neighbouring Russia cancelled its Victory Day parade over the pandemic and Belarus was the only ex-Soviet country with reported cases to hold the annual event. President Alexander Lukashenko, who has been dismissive of the pandemic and the "psychosis" around the virus, watched in military uniform with top brass as some 4,000 troops marched past and planes and helicopters flew overhead.

Thousands accused PM Janez Jansa of using the coronavirus crisis as a pretext to restrict freedoms.

Over 200 residents of Owe Camp village (Those rehabilitated due to the Koyna dam construction in 1960) at Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, protested on Thursday from 7.30 am to 12.30 pm, because of several problems they are facing due to the alleged illegal mining in the area for years. They blocked the road for vehicles going towards the mining sites.

They say they have complained to and requested several senior officers from the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) and the Panvel City Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to act against those involved and stop it, but claim no one helped them. One of the residents, Ramchandra Jadhav said, "For past five to six years we have been facing many issues. Our houses have developed several cracks because of the mining.

Also, when we asked the project manager to show us permission for it, we found none had it. We are facing health issues due to the air pollution." He added, "We have sent letters requesting the mining be stopped, to the PCMC commissioner, tehsildar, collector of Raigad district and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board."

PCMC chief Sudhakar Shinde said, "I haven't seen the letters. But we will look into the matter soon." CIDCO PRO Mohan Ninave did not respond to calls and messages.

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

A month after she noticed what looked like an insect bite on her hand, Chanda Verma, 45, mysteriously died, after spending 22 days in the ICU. Before the Verma family could even process what had happened, the hospital handed them a bill of Rs 3 lakh, and refused to release the body until they paid up.

Late August, Chanda noticed a small sore on her hand. As a single mother supporting two kids on a modest income as a vegetable vendor, she brushed it off as an insect bite. But, in a few days, her hand swelled up and the pain became unbearable, and she was admitted to Sai hospital in Chembur, where she underwent surgery.

Mystery illness jolts family
Despite treatment, her condition deteriorated, and her entire body was swollen. She was moved to the ICU, where she spent 22 days in comatose state before succumbing to the infection on Tuesday. The shocked family's ordeal had only begun. When the family said they wanted to perform her last rites, they were handed a bill instead. The hospital held the body for nearly 12 hours, until the Vermas paid a portion of the bill.

"Around 10 am, I was informed that my sister had passed away. The hospital immediately gave us a bill of Rs 3 lakh. When I asked them when I could take the body, they ordered me to pay the pending amount, and threatened that they wouldn't release the body otherwise. We waited and pleaded, to no avail. Then my friends helped me collect Rs 50,000, which we gave before collecting the body," said Chanda's brother Ratan Verma, who runs a small local business. Chanda had died at 4 am, and her body was eventually released at 3 pm. She is survived by two children, aged 16 and 18.

Hospital says
A hospital staffer told mid-day, "The patient had a pending bill, so we couldn't release the body. The family members tried to shrug it off saying they didn't have any money. Later, they paid Rs 50,000 and took the body. What would we have done with the body anyway?"

Administration in-charge Padma Joseph said, "We had given them a lot of time to clear the bills. She was admitted for 20 days and the bill amount rose to above Rs 3 lakh. They paid around R1lakh, so, we asked them to pay the remaining as this is a private hospital and we can't let go of unpaid bills. This does not mean we held back the body. When they informed us that they could pay only Rs 50,000, I told the director who instructed us to give them the discharge file." Dr Abid Sayyed, director of the hospital, said, "We had informed the family about the estimated amount and also asked them to shift the patient to another hospital, but they didn't listen. When the patient died, the doctor had to negotiate the pending amount. We never stopped them from taking the body," he said.

Against apex court, HC ruling
The hospital's alleged insistence on payment before releasing the body is in violation of human rights and a judgment given by the Bombay High Court in January. The HC, while hearing a public interest litigation on bill disputes at hospitals, stated that detaining any patient for an unpaid amount is illegal. Last year, the Delhi High Court had issued a similar judgment, ordering that hospitals cannot hold patients "hostage" to extract money for unpaid bills. A few years earlier, the Supreme Court had also ruled similarly, advising hospitals to recover dues by moving court for legal recourse. In 2016, HC asked the state government to develop a mechanism which would enable the state to take action against hospitals and doctors who detain patients and hold up bodies over non-payment of bills.

Expertspeak
Dr Shivkumar Utture, president of Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC), said as private hospitals do not come under the purview of the council directly, there are no specific rules for that, but under the court rules, it is prohibited. "No hospital can refuse to release a body over unpaid bills. It would be a violation of the court judgment."

The Bombay HC also ordered the Maharashtra government to publish the legal rights of patients online, so that such harassment is not meted out to less privileged patients. However, seven months on, the government is yet to follow the directive. "Patients need to know about their rights so that private hospitals can't harass them. The state government hasn't done anything to spread awareness among people," said Dr Ravindra Singh, a health activist. Advocate Shailesh Sadekar said, "As per a SC ruling, it is illegal to hold a body and deny a chance to carry out the last rites over a bill," he said.

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

Even as the number of positive COVID-19 cases continues to rise in the city, a new trend has left medical experts puzzled. While doctors had expected that TB patients would be more prone to the virus as their immune system is already weak, surprisingly only two such cases have been reported by the health department. Also, officials at the TB Hospital in Sewri said that while 14 of their staff members have tested positive, the infection has not spread to a single patient.

A senior official from the civic health department said that it might be too early to draw a conclusion but a study could be done to understand the correlation between the two. "So far, we have reports of two TB patients who have tested positive. However, there have been no deaths so far. One reason for the low numbers could be that we have given all TB patients medication for a month and have asked them to stay indoors," added the official.

BMC medicos heading towards Shastri Nagar slum on Tuesday. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

The trend has left Dr Lalitkumar Anande, medical superintendent of TB Hospital, surprised and has led him to believe that anti-TB drugs could be preventing such patients from contracting the virus. "One would have expected that the virus would have a fatal effect on TB patients since they are immunocompromised and their lungs are already damaged. However, here at the TB Hospital, we have not seen any such case yet," he added.

Dr Anande further said that laboratories like the National Institute of Virology in Pune could conduct studies on this since they have culture samples of TB as well as Coronavirus. "Anti-TB drugs penetrate the lipid coating of a TB organism similar to what hydroxychroloquine does to the Coronavirus strain. Anti-TB drugs could turn out to be an answer for Coronavirus. Studies regarding it need to be fast-tracked in order to understand how they react to each other," he said, adding that the research would also be able to ascertain whether the mycobacterium or the TB medication has an impact on the virus. While Sion Hospital reported two cases of TB patients suffering from COVID-19, the authorities of KEM and Rajawadi Hospital said that none of their COVID patients were suffering from TB.

'Evidence needed'
Speaking to mid-day, Dr Rajendra Nanaware, a chest physician, who deals with drug resistant TB cases, said, "Ideally, there should have been an increase in the number of TB patients suffering from Coronavirus since their immunity is already compromised. But I haven't seen any case so far."
Other pulmonologists in the city treating TB patients have noticed a similar trend but they are of the opinion that evidence is required before a trend can be verified.

Dr Lancelot Pinto, a pulmonologist with Hinduja Hospital, said that since the OPD of many hospitals have shut down, patients were not able to access healthcare. "Since chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has been identified as a risk factor among COVID-19 patients, intuitively, one would expect the cases of TB patients testing positive to be high. I have not seen any TB patient testing positive for the viral infection. But there is no evidence yet," he said.

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

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

The Shiv Sneh Co-operative Housing Society in Pratiksha Nagar, Sion, has been dealt another blow as the much-needed building repair work has come to a halt twice in past few months. The repairs initially came to a halt last September, when the Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank (PMC) found itself in trouble. The society had R85 lakh in its Sion branch, which they haven't received yet. In March, when the society once again started the repair work using funds from their other bank account, it had to be stopped due to the lockdown over the COVID-19 spread as Pratiksha Nagar is in the red zone. Now with the work pending, the residents are worried about their fate this monsoon.

Kashinath Rokade, secretary of the society said, "We have been told that pre-monsoon work can be started, but are awaiting for the lockdown to be called off after May 17, and the contractor has assured us he will get the waterproofing done within two to three weeks, with some interior work. The painting of exterior building can be done post monsoon."

The 166 (flat and commercial shop) owners attached to the four wings (A,B,C,D) of the building were all set to abide by the structural consultants audit report and promptly floated bids calling in for tenders, which took almost four to five months of hard work starting February 2019. Finally they zeroed in on the contractor, M/s Viswakarma Civil Constructions, Kalwa, Thane and selected them to carry out repairs, civil work including waterproofing and painting work for a total consideration of approximately R52 lakh, as per their tender, explained society chairman Mahesh Adate.

Rokade showing the state of the repairs in October 2019

Repairs were on
Adate added, "The building was to undergo repairs for the first time since it was handed over to the society by MHADA in 2008 and since then office bearers were collecting repair funds under monthly maintenance of approximately R1,800 from members. A huge corpus of nearly R85 lakh, in the form of Fixed Deposits and other savings, were in the society's name with the PMC, Sion branch."

The society had even issued work order to M/s Viswakarma paying an advance of R5 lakh, as against the contract signed. Since August 15, the scaffoldings were put across the building structures, and work of removing old plaster was in process. As per the contract the entire work was to be completed within four months time period.

Adate added, "Most of the occupants in the building (nearly 80 percent) are working class people which include senior citizens, who have been residing her for over a decade."

According to Adate, MHADA had issued a lottery for this MIG (Middle Income Group) way back in 2005 for a consideration of R10 lakh - R11 lakh including stamp duty and registration, where each flat is around 450 sq feet carpet and commercial outlets allotted admeasuring 150-160 sq feet (Carpet). In 2008, MHADA handed over the building to the society and since then the society has been collecting funds for repairs.

PMC scam shocking
Adate said, "We were taken by surprise, when we learnt about the abrupt directives from RBI putting restrictions on PMC bank. We had to arrange for funds, as the contractor had already sent a letter seeking clearance of additional fund for carrying out the work, and we were left in the lurch."

When asked why the society does not have any other bank account, besides the one with PMC bank and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank, the society office bearers said, "We have always been told that under the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, housing societies should mandatorily have accounts only with co-operative banks, hence we abided by the rules. Also our society accountant had no problem banking with PMC, everything was going on smoothly, till last week."

When informed that society accounts can be opened in nationalised banks too, they said, "We are ready to open a new account with a nationalised bank, provided PMC transfers all our society funds there."

When asked how they will finish the remaining payment, Adate added, "We will have to start taking contributions from members. Also we have not got any response to the legal notice issued to PMC Bank on behalf of our society. We may contemplate taking the matter to the consumer court against PMC Bank."

He said that nearly 25 societies in Pratiksha Nagar have deposited money with PMC bank and the whole figure may be in crores of rupees.

Expert speak
Senior property lawyer Vinod Sampat said, "The Reserve Bank of India has been forced to take drastic action against PMC bank, this will result in a financial cut to be taken by each of the societies who had deposited their funds. As far as legal action by the affected cooperative society against PMC bank goes, I am afraid that the provisions of the banking regulation act will supersede it and the financial losses, being caused to it (the society)."

"The need of the day is that harsh laws be framed, whereby doing a wrongful act is made as a deterrent to persons who fail to perform their duty with criminal intent. Punishment should be awarded by courts in a short span of time in such financial frauds, so that a strong message is sent out. The law should not remain a paper tiger," he added.

Rs 85 lakh
What the society's account in PMC Bank holds

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

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

There's nothing profoundly serendipitous about it, I know. If you've inhabited a space for eight years, you're bound to stumble upon all manners of souvenirs when you decide to vacate it. They assume the form of objects that had been existing on the sidelines of your consciousness. And while you chide yourself for giving into materialism, for having accumulated an over-abundance of things, especially those having no ostensible utility, you're also forced to reconcile with the fact that some memories are lodged so deeply within your subconscious they can only be recalled through sensual re-exposure to an affiliated entity.

So this thing-object that had become peripheral to your daily life becomes a wily talisman. It lurks between the pages of a dusty book, or sits innocently among a pile of medical reports, or hibernates within the antechamber of a desk drawer. Because I'm already in a state of heightened emotion, given the fragility of the present moment, every such talismanic encounter acquires extended dimensions.

For instance, this morning, noting how empty our living room was beginning to look, especially after my partner had begun to unscrew the wall-mounted shelves, I took a picture on my phone and sent it to a few friends and my immediate family. Then I sat down to write this column and found that I had left on my desk, a small pile of pages I'd found here and there. Top-most was a typewritten page whose second-last paragraph read thus — "What I had now was a room that was completely clean and shiny, like a room in an insane asylum from which all dangerous objects have been removed." Two line-breaks later, the next sentence read, "The room was the portrait of an empty stomach."

I hadn't dated when I'd typewritten these. I must intentionally not have left a trail, and it felt as though a message I'd sent in an imaginary bottle years ago had suddenly floated to my shore from the other side. As I re-read the lines, it occurred to me they could be from a Clarice Lispector novel, possibly an excerpt from The Gospel According to GH, the scene in which the protagonist inspects the vacant room of her ex-servant, discovering, amid the emptiness, a caricature that had been drawn on the wall and left behind. The rest of the book involved a mystical revelation over the eating of a cockroach, which I still don't have the stomach for.
I could be wrong about it being Lispector. I could do an online search, but I've already disconnected my broadband connection, and my phone internet is too slow to take on additional loads. I'm content with not knowing. I've been revelling in these small mysteries of what and how and where and when and why, or through whose intercession a thing came to be in my possession.

I had, at some point, committed to my life as a single woman, and to being located in Delhi, having this apartment as my base. I hadn't foreseen this moment of relocation. I hadn't expected that by the first week of May, 2020, I would be a married woman preparing to go live in her husband's home. It was not what we had anticipated even when we were getting married. But at some point, it seemed the most sensible, practical decision.

And so here I am on the threshold of leaving an apartment I had continued to live in through thick and thin, through fire, flood, and drought, through several moments of deep financial distress, when I didn't have enough money to buy vegetables. Yet, unlike the room in Lispector's novel, this increasingly minimal apartment feels more like a chamber filled with the still resonating echoes of the many incredible friends my life has been peopled with.

My closet has shrunk in size and the clothes I have retained are those capable of fitting into one suitcase that I can check in when we board our flight to Italy in the first week of June. I know I have to return to India when I'm able to continue my fieldwork. But I'll only return when I'm confident that my travelling to visit artists in their studios doesn't put either them or me at risk. When our rent agreement terminates, on May 21, we will temporarily move into either one of three friends' apartments, depending on which of their colonies have the least entry restrictions. If things work in our favour, we should be able to make our flight.

When I step beyond my door for the last time, it'll be the most empowered version of me that will be saying goodbye to the most incredible eight years of my adult life. With me at all times, until we arrive at whatever becomes our destination, Italy or Goa, will be this photograph that leapt out at me while I was flipping through a page of a book I was couriering to Goa. In it, I'm radiantly reaching my hand out to an anonymous someone. Because of the manner of the photograph's rediscovery, how it had been placed on the page, it acquired symbolic valence. It looks as though my past self was reaching out to whatever future self was to discover it.

In this moment of unprecedented contact, I felt the coalescing of all my past selves and their seeding within the abundant body of a woman boldly foraying into the domestic unknown.

Deliberating on the life and times of Everywoman, Rosalyn D'Mello is a reputable art critic and the author of A Handbook For My Lover. She tweets @RosaParx
Send your feedback tomailbag@mid-day.com

The views expressed in this column are the individual's and don't represent those of the paper

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

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

Vanessa Bryant celebrated the 19th anniversary of her wedding to her late husband Kobe Bryant on Saturday with a touching Instagram post.

"My king, my heart, my best friend. Happy 19th wedding anniversary. I miss you so much. I wish you were here to hold me in your arms. I love you," she wrote, posting a picture of the couple. Five-time NBA champion Bryant and the couple's 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles on January 26. Gianna, along with her basketball teammates Payton Chester and Alyssa Altobelli, who also died in the crash, were honored at Friday's WNBA draft as honorary selections.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

My king, my heart, my best friend. Happy 19th wedding anniversary baby. I miss you so much. I wish you were here to hold me in your arms. I love you. ❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Vanessa Bryant ðŸ¦Â‹ (@vanessabryant) onApr 18, 2020 at 10:00am PDT

Vanessa Bryant recorded an emotional message for the draft broadcast, saying being drafted into the women's league "would have been a dream come true" for Gianna. After the conclusion of the draft on Friday night, the WNBA announced the creation of the Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award, given to "an individual or group who has made significant contributions to the visibility, perception and advancement of women's and girls' basketball at all levels."

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

Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated it will be impossible to host the Olympics even next year if the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic cannot be contained till then. The 2020 edition of the event was pushed back to 2021 in wake of COVID-19 crisis that has hit the entire world. Answering a question related to Olympics, Abe said it is important for all athletes and spectators to feel safe and for that to happen, the virus will have to be contained. "We've been saying the Olympic and Paralympic Games must be held in a complete form, in that athletes and spectators can all participate safely. It would be impossible to hold the Games in such a complete form unless the Coronavirus pandemic is contained," Abe was quoted as saying by CNN.

Earlier, Tokyo Olympics chief had warned the event will have to be scrapped in case of further delay. "In that case, the Olympics will be scrapped," Yoshiro Mori told Nikkan Sports when quizzed about pushing the Games further if needed. Tokyo Olympics was supposed to be held in July-August this year but had to postponed due to COVID-19 crisis. The head of Japan Medical Association (JMA) had earlier said that hosting the event in the summer of 2021 remains difficult till the time an "effective vaccine' is developed.

"Unless an effective vaccine is developed I think it will be difficult to hold the Olympics next year," JMA President Yoshitake Yokokura told reporters in Tokyo on Tuesday. "I'm not saying at this point that they shouldn't be held. The outbreak is not only confined to Japan... it's a worldwide issue."

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

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a video conference with the chief ministers of all the states on April 27 over the COVID)-19 crisis. The Prime Minister has held two such interactions earlier with the chief ministers over the coronavirus situation and lockdown imposed to prevent its spread.

Before the lockdown was announced on March 24, the prime minister had interacted with the chief ministers on March 20 to discuss the means to check the spread of the deadly virus. In his last such interaction with the CMs, Modi had thanked the states for supporting the decision of the 21-day nationwide lockdown and praised how all the states have worked together as a team to check the spread of the virus.

The lockdown which was initially meant for 21-days was later extended till May 3 by the government. Meanwhile, the total number of positive coronavirus cases across the country rose to 19,984, including 15,474 active cases.

So far, 3,869 patients have been cured and discharged while 640 deaths have been recorded, as per the data provided by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

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 Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday said that he will hold a meeting with the Maharashtra Chief Minister to discuss the worsening COVID-19 situation in the state, as 34 out of its 36 districts are affected by the infection.

"The situation in Maharashtra is certainly a matter of concern right now as 34 out of 36 districts are affected by COVID-19. I will hold a meeting with the Chief Minister as well to discuss further course of action to control spread of the virus in the state," the Minister said at a press conference here.

The situation in Maharashtra is certainly a matter of concern right now as 34 out of 36 districts are affected by #COVID19. I will hold a meeting with CM as well to discuss further course of action to control spread of the virus in state: Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan pic.twitter.com/g2Ez09pNLM

— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2020

"Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nagpur, Nashik, Aurangabad, Solapur, among the 34 districts are a cause of concern for us," he added. The Union Health Minister further said the Centre's aim was to ensure that no new cases come up from districts in Maharashtra and assured all help to the state in the coming days.

"There are 1,026 containment zones in Maharashtra right now, as per my knowledge. The team from Centre and doctors are stationed there and we will give further help to Maharashtra as per the need," the Minister said.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Maharashtra had 15,525 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday morning, including 617 deaths. However, 2,819 patients have been cured and discharged after receiving treatment for the disease.

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

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called a meeting with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) officials on Thursday in the wake of a gas leak incident in Andhra Pradesh. "In the wake of the situation in Visakhapatnam, PM Narendra Modi has called for a meeting of the NDMA at 11 a.m.," stated the Prime Minister's Office. Modi will interact with senior officers of NDMA and is likely to direct them to lay down policies for disaster management.

Seven persons, including a minor, died while hundreds of others reported sick after a gas leaked from the LG Polymers India plant at R.R. Venkatapuram village on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam. Around 200 people have been rushed for treatment to hospitals after complaining of breathing difficulties, and burning sensation in the eyes.

Modi took to Twitter and said: "Talked to officials of MHA and NDMA regarding the situation in Visakhapatnam, which is being monitored closely." He also prayed for everyone's safety and well-being in Visakhapatnam.

Spoke to officials of MHA and NDMA regarding the situation in Visakhapatnam, which is being monitored closely.

I pray for everyone’s safety and well-being in Visakhapatnam.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 7, 2020

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also said that the incident is disturbing.

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

In a letter dated August 8, 2019, the Russian Federal Tax Service amended the rules for non-resident holding companies to be considered as the beneficial owner of Russia-sourced income.

The great Michael Holding has picked South African Dale Steyn among his top-four fast bowlers across generations and his list includes fellow West Indians Malcolm Marshall and Andy Roberts besides Australian Denis Lillee. In a Sky Sports podcast, the 66-year-old said he would pay to watch Steyn, who retired from Tests last year.

"I have experience with those three guys (Marshall, Roberts and Lillee, but just watching, you can't go Dale Steyn outside of photography. He has been one of the great fast bowlers in an era. You'd pay to see it," said Holding, who picked 249 wickets in 60 Tests at 23.68. Steyn picked 439 Test wickets at a stellar average of 22.95 and has one of the smoothest actions in the game. Talking about Lillee, Holding said he was a complete package. "Lillee had it all: rhythm, aggression control. He was extremely fast when he started, but he had to completely reshape his action after a back injury and find different ways to get hitters out after losing a lot of rhythm.

"When you see that someone can adapt in that way, you have to rate him highly, as many players are not as effective when they miss a beat," said Holding, who was nicknamed 'Whispering Death' for his smooth and silent run-up. On fellow West Indians Marshall and Roberts, Holding said: "Malcolm started with a good rhythm, but as time went on he learned a lot about fast bowling. He could evaluate opposition hitters so quickly and so easily.

"In those days you didn't have many tapes or computers, it was all in his head. He understood how to deal with hitters." On Roberts, he added: "Andy was someone I learned a lot from. He hardly ever spoke, he used to walk around the field with a sullen face and people thought he looked aggressive and must be a miserable guy. But that wasn't Andy. "He was my roommate for most of my career and we used to talk about cricket almost every night. A lot of times, we would order food, we would stay in our room and talk about cricket. You would never believe how much this guy knows."

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

Michael Holding feels legalising ball tampering in the post COVID-19 world is a bit "self contradictory" while Proteas great Allan Donald is completely on the opposite end of the spectrum on a subject that has divided opinions. The International Cricket Council (ICC), during its recent CEC meeting, considered the use of artificial substances on the ball instead of saliva.

"I have read that ICC is contemplating preventing people from using saliva on the ball due to COVID-19 and allowing them to use foreign substances on the ball to keep the shine on but in front of the umpire. I don't understand the logic behind that," Holding told ESPNCricinfo. The West Indies great also questioned the ICC for shifting its stand on the issue by allowing foreign substance instead of saliva or sweat. "Before they got to that point they said if they restart cricket it has to be played in a bio-secure environment.

"They were saying cricketers for instance would have to isolate themselves for two weeks to make sure that everything was fine for when they got to the venue before the match started. And everyone involved (with the match) will have to do the same thing," he said. What Holding can't fathom is that if people quarantine themselves and then start playing, why saliva can't be used then.

"Now, if you are saying everyone is in the bio-secure environment, you are staying in the same hotel, you are not moving for the length of time you are playing the matches, if that is the case why are you worried about someone's saliva? "That person according to what you are doing should be free of Covid-19. If the ICC thinks that the two-week period to prove that you are free of Covid-19 is not foolproof, then that means you are putting everyone in that environment in jeopardy?

"Why would you want to play cricket under those circumstances? It's either safe or it's not. No guessing, please," one of the most respected voices in world cricket said. Pakistan legend Waqar Younis made it clear that use of saliva is a must and can't be done away with when competitive cricket resumes. "As a fast bowler, I reject this because this (using saliva and sweat) is a natural process. A ball exchanges hands all day, you run in, huffing and puffing, you sweat and using saliva is natural rather than on intent. It's a habit and you just can't control this aspect," Waqar said.

He felt that all these kind of ideas show desperation to start proceedings. "I don't know how this discussion came up but I feel people who want the game to be played are frustrated with the lockdown. They are overthinking about it. I doubt this new idea of using (artificial) substance instead of saliva is a solution.

"You can make a bowler use a predefined substance on the ball, but at the same time practically it's not possible to prevent a bowler using his sweat or saliva," Pakistan's current bowling coach said. Donald, however, is open to the idea. "I absolutely agree with legalising ball-tampering. I said so in an article sometime in the 2000s. It happens anyway, we see guys throwing the ball on the ground and umpires say to throw it up and it's pretty obvious what they are doing. It could work if it is well-monitored."

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