(This March 17 story corrects stock symbol of Zoom to ZM.O, not ZOOM.PK in the last paragraph)

Detailed pictures of planet glowing through clouds were taken with telescope in Hawaii

Astronomers have captured some of the highest resolution images of Jupiter ever obtained from the ground using a technique known as “lucky imaging”.

The observations, from the Gemini North telescope on Hawaii’s dormant volcano Mauna Kea, reveal lightning strikes and storm systems forming around deep clouds of water ice and liquid. The images show the warm, deep layers of the planet’s atmosphere glowing through gaps in thick cloud cover in a “jack-o-lantern”-like effect.

The broadcaster, 58, on God, privacy, Mini convertibles, the rudeness of Madonna and her school nickname, Vanessa the Undresser

Even aged two, I was a child of great perspicacity. At nursery we had to answer the register by saying “Yes, Auntie” or “Present, please”, which I found deeply confusing. First, I thought, you’re not my auntie. And if I’m asking politely for a present every day, where on earth is it?

Vanessa the Undresser was my nickname at school, and I put that down to my parents. When a sex scene started on TV I was banished to the hall. I’d stand with one ear against the door desperately trying to work out who was doing what to whom and in what position. Thus was aroused in me an unshakable thirst for sex in all its permutations. I’ve never tired of it, menopause or not.

Scotland’s Valerie Anderson (bedeckedbeads) has played and played with Sonya Girodon’s free tutorial. With this latest brooch, Valerie puts her own spin on the process with deep watery colors. And if you look at the side view you’ll see how her curved strips add another departure. When you put your own “stink” on a technique […] Read more

Go crazy with paints
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Veteran actor Anil Kapoor has shared a few fitness tips, revealing how has maintained a fit physique over the years -- that too without consumption of supplements. "I made this post not to show off or talk myself up, but to pass on some simple advice on. When it comes to body building, nothing is beyond us. At different ages we can work differently to achieve great results. If you're asking if you need to spend a lot of money on supplements to achieve this, the answer is no. I have not taken any kind of supplements in this process," he wrote on Instagram.

 

 

 

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A post shared by anilskapoor (@anilskapoor) onApr 25, 2020 at 1:52am PDT

The 63-year-old-star also shared that he has been working on his body for six years to achieve the best results. And now when the world is going through major health crisis, the actor urges people to pay proper attention to physical health.

"My trainer Marc and I have been talking about doing this kind of rebuild of my body for as many years as we have been together, which is 6 years! Time was always a stumbling block, or filming requirements, endorsements, social obligations or family time. Every year we would say we - this year for sure.

"Now in these very difficult circumstances, time is something we all seem to have a great deal of, so why not use this time to do the things you always promised yourself you would do. Strengthen your body, build muscle, build immunity, build flexibility. Respect your body. We might never have this much time available to us ever again," Kapoor added.

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It has been seven years since Mohit Suri's Aashiqui 2, starring Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor came out. It made the actress an overnight star and sensation, and her character, Aarohi, still continues to be remembered for her piquancy and innocence, and of course, singing.

Every year, the actress does something special on this day to mark this musical blockbuster's anniversary and this year was no exception. She not only changed her Instagram name to her screen name from the film and upload a new photo from one its stills, but also uploaded a collage of some of the film's scenes to create one beautiful picture.

This is truly an innovative and imaginative way to celebrate your film, don't miss this post:

 

 

 

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7 years of Aashiqui 2 today!🥰💝 Thank you forever @mohitsuri for this gift of a lifetime @visheshfilms for believing, #ShaguftaRafique for your exquisitely beautiful writing, @adityaroykapur for being an unbelievably amazing costar and the entire team who gave their everything to this precious film. Thank you everyone who gave this film so so sooo much love. Its priceless✨ Thank you to all those who have made such beautiful edits and to the fan clubs for uniting and sharing a common dp today; this collage 🙃🥰 I’m the luckiest girl in the universe ✨💜

A post shared by Aarohi (@shraddhakapoor) onApr 25, 2020 at 11:43pm PDT

Shraddha Kapoor is well known for always delivering hits along with a new character and fresh content with every project. Shraddha being a lover of always wanting to try something new has been unstoppable ever since Aashiqui 2.

After Aashiqui 2, taking no breaks, Shraddha was seen in Ek Villain, where the character of being full of life was super fresh. Not forgetting ABCD 2 where Shraddha's dance totally stole hearts. Shraddha showed her versatility factor and the audiences were stunned on how the actress can mould herself in every way possible.

Moulding herself into another new character, Shraddha was seen doing some kicks and punches in Baaghi. The actress has given a carousel of hits and is a roll as the actress chooses quality projects over quantity and this totally sets her apart. Shraddha knows how to treat her fans with the best of characters, where fresh content always hunts Shraddha.

On the work front, Shraddha will be seen in a Luv Ranjan directorial alongside Ranbir Kapoor. The actress is basking in the success of Baaghi 3. Truly we can't wait to see what this fresh pair has brewed for us!

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Accepting the futility of genres, of boxing songs into different compartments like stacked products in supermarket shelves, seems to be at the forefront of Rafiq Bhatia's musical endeavour. The 30-year-old American of Indian descent is the guitarist for a New York-based indie outfit called Son Lux. But it's his recent solo album, Breaking English, which makes the listener really question the need for musical boundaries, of sticking labels to a composition as if it's packaged meat.

The title track of the album, for instance, is not jazz, is not electronica, is not lounge, but all of these generic classifications rolled into one lush sound with a coherent narrative, where Bhatia's melancholic guitar plays the role of the protagonist. Each sonic detail in the track is well-defined, to the point where even though fellow Son Lux member Ian Chang's drum beats seem dissonant, they fit like a glove into the overall musical fabric. Bhatia describes this sensibility when he tells us over the phone from Berlin, where he's on tour, "Ryan (Lott, the vocalist for Son Lux) would say that instead of building a house, designing a room and then placing a chair in it, why don't we start with the chair first, and then design the room around it before building the house. There is a theory in poetry called organicism, where the poet lets each individual verse define the form that the poem will take. That is kind of similar to what I'm trying to do with my music."

He further explains his musical process when he narrates a story about one of his influences, Sam Rivers, the late American jazz great. "I've read that he would attend the concerts of all his peers, and purposely study their music to understand what they were trying to do. But this wasn't to replicate what they were playing. Instead, it was to consciously avoid it. Similarly, John Coltrane took the music of his predecessors and retooled the entire musical vocabulary keeping a similar underlying foundation, but with new pathways built on top of it," he says, giving us an indication of how he doesn't hesitate to flush rule books down the toilet.

Hybridity, in fact, lies at the core of Bhatia's creative evolution. The basis for this, he says, might well be his mixed identity. Born in North Carolina, he has never really fit in to any particular community. For, even though his parents are of Gujarati origin, they grew up in Tanzania, before moving to London and then finally to the US. So, while his brown skin stood out among the white kids in his school, he didn't feel completely at home among the Indian community either. "Everybody thinks that I am something else. So, my music is a result of a need to express my identity. It's a form of therapy at some level, because it's also a way of accepting who I am," he says.

He adds that this therapy started early. When he was about eight or nine, the older desi kids in Bhatia's neighbourhood would pick him up in a car and stop at a parking lot, listening to the hip-hop albums that became one of his earliest influences. Was he drawn to them because of the political overtones that such songs often embody? "Not really," he answers, adding, "I was only in the third grade at the time, and I couldn't even understand the words. So it was the musicality that I fell for. But the deeper question is, why were a bunch of brown kids sitting in a car in a parking lot and empathising with hip-hop music? What is it that was drawing them to the words? So you see, it's difficult to disentangle the politics from the music."

It follows thus that an intertwining of politics and music sometimes features in his own compositions. For example, Hoods Up, a complex instrumental piece, drew its inspiration from Trayvon Martin, a black teenager who was cruelly shot down because of a case of mistaken identity. The guitarist says, "I feel some amount of compulsion to express my [political] ideas. But sometimes, it's easy to get carried away with being overtly political because there is so much to be angry about, and often the responsibility falls on artistes to emphasise it. So I would say that politics is a general part of what inspires my music, because there are so many other facets of my personality that also make their way in."

Essentially, then, what Bhatia wants to keep doing is create genre-defying tracks where attention to detail is of paramount importance. "When you take the details and all the generalities of music for granted, that's when your songs start sounding more like other people's music. That doesn't mean you can't make great tracks. It's just that the less you consider those things, the less is the chance that you will make music that departs from convention. The flip side is that when you think actively about each decision, and each one comes from a place of individuality, it becomes hard to find a coherent logic that ties all those things together. And that ends up being the riddle that I am constantly trying to solve with my music."

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Alita: Battle Angel
U/A: Action, Adventure
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Cast: Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali
Rating: 

This film, which has Robert Rodriguez and James Cameron working together with Peter Jackson's visual effects, has wonders never experienced before in cinema. The film may have taken a long while (twenty years) coming to screen, but the end result is fantastic enough to keep you asking for more. A manga-based action thriller, James Cameron's $200 million-worth, long cherished dream is aimed at young adults seeking fresher pastures from that of The Hunger Games variety and hopes to make it to bigger box-office returns than that sub-genre hit-starter.

Cameron started on the cinematic adaptation of Yukito Kishiro's original manga comics way back in the late 1990s, (much before Avatar), but the phenomenal success of Avatar had him relinquishing directorial control to Rodriguez while holding firm as screenwriter (with Jon Landau and Laeta Kalogridis) and producer.

The resultant kick-ass cyberpunk adventure may not be as original as he imagined it, but it has certainly got all the chops to make it to a long-term fan-following on its own.

The filmed adventure is set 500 years from now, in Iron city - a junkyard that is a wasteland for the flying citadel of Zalem. The city is peopled with AI controlled cyborgs mingling with real humans in a community so tech-spangled that it's hard to decipher one from the other. Kindly Doctor Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz) reconfigures a former robot superweapon and rechristens her Alita (Rosa Salazar), after his own daughter. I do, who moonlights as a hunter-warrior, tries to protect the young Alita, but her mind has memories of a past that keeps haunting her present. She even develops a crush on handsome robo-junk dealer Hugo (Keean Johnson) and eventually ends up becoming the super weapon she once was.

The plotting here is a little too jumbled up, ensnared as it is in creating set-piece thrills and out-of-this-world experiences. Stereotype characters and genre tropes make the engagement less than wondrous. The tech-specs are certainly the best we've seen in a long time, the IMAX imagery is splendid and beguiling and the vivid expressions of the actors make it feel all the more real and intimately experiential.

Watch the trailer of Alita: Battle Angel

Even though Salazar is the most riveting and fascinating of characters, she does feel a little artificial at times. The CGI blends in effortlessly with digitally morphed motion-capture performance, but the artifice can be felt - too strongly at times. The array of side characters also feels like old hat killing the originality of the experience and allowing déjà-vu to creep in. Even so, there's no belittling this explosive cutting-edge adventure that takes cinema thrills to never-seen-before heights!

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Malad police arrested two people on Tuesday night for selling liquor at a premium and delivering it at people's doorstep. The Santacruz and Kandivli residents had a stock of liquor, orders for which were taken on WhatsApp. Police seized alcohol worth Rs 1.35 lakh from the duo."

The duo would send WhatsApp messages with a list of available liquor brands along with prices to their acquaintances. The message soon went viral and Malad police got wind of it. "We received this information from an informant and laid the trap. We placed an order with Kaushal Mashro, 28, on the WhatsApp number provided in the message. When he came to deliver the products in Kandivli, we arrested him," said a police officer.

During interrogation, Mahsro revealed the identity of his accomplice, Akshay Parihani, 28, and another team reached Akshay's home in Santacruz, arrested him and seized the stock of alcohol. "During further interrogation, the duo said they decided to sell the available stock as they needed money," the officer added.

The duo has been booked under Section 65E of the Bombay Prohibition Act and relevant sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act.

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Soon after Maharashtra government directive allowing standalone liquor shops to open in COVID-19 red zones (except the containment areas), AIMIM Lok Sabha MP Imtiaz Jaleel has said if liquor shops are opened in Aurangabad, he would force their closure, adding that it is not a time to sell alcohol and create problems for women.

"Government decides to open liquor shops even in red zone! If shops in Aurangabad open we will break lockdown restrictions and forcibly close these shops. Will make many women come out on the streets. This is not time to sell liquor and create problems for mothers and sisters," the Aurangabad lawmaker tweeted in a series of tweet.

Lambasting the Maharashtra government, he further asked what is the hurry to sell liquor in this difficult time. He further stated if this is the case then why not allow selling everything, why this "privilege only to liquor shops".

The state government had on Sunday issued a list of activities that will be allowed in different zones of the State during the lockdown."The state government has decided to allow standalone shops including liquor shops to open in red zone also except the containment zones. Though there is no restriction in the number of essential shops that can be opened, only five non-essential shops can be opened in each lane," the government order stated.

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Call it red-tape or over-sensitivity about allowing non-essential shops to remain open in Mumbai amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but government agencies, especially the BMC, were apprehensive through most of Monday about allowing liquor shops to resume business even as thousands lined up for their favourite tipple since early morning.

The state government issued orders on Sunday that standalone retail liquor shops could do business in red, orange and green zones excluding containment areas between 10 am and 6 pm from Monday.

Following the state order, the State Excise Department's Mumbai city and suburban superintendents and district collectors came up with joint notifications a few hours before the 6 pm deadline and a little after 3.30 pm, some liquor shops opened, with some of them allowing only one bottle per customer.

A man with his liquor stock in Sion on Monday. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

However, the BMC hadn't made any announcement till 5 pm. Some of its assistance commissioners tweeted early morning that non-essentials shops (including liquor shops) should not be opened without the BMC nod.

Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi did not respond to text messages. When told about the chaos, Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta assured to look into the matter. A senior BMC official said in the two video-conferences that Pardeshi held with state government bureaucrats, liquor shops were not discussed.

Meantime, Principal Secretary Bhushan Gagrani, in-charge of media relations for state government's COVID-19 mitigation, said in a press conference online that local authorities like municipal commissioners and district collectors are authorised to overrule the state's common guidelines under the powers vested in them by the Epidemic Diseases Act. But he said local authorities were told to issue separate orders elucidating the reasons behind stalling the state guideline. Nagpur and Aurangabad Collectors have specifically told state bosses that they won't allow liquor shops to reopen. Whereas, other collectors, who thought of allowing the measure, were prompt in circulating orders to retailers and other stakeholders.

A senior excise department official told mid-day that Greater Mumbai's case was different. "Here at least four agencies are involved in decision-making. We followed the state's orders and issued our own notifications that would also go to licensed retailers. BMC and city police are the other two agencies which have been working jointly in COVID-19 mitigation and they know the fight and its nuances for taking any further decisions," the officer said.

By late afternoon, some Excise Department officials had reached BMC headquarters to hand over the department's order and also seek information on containment areas. "It's a tricky situation that needs to be tackled in a foolproof process. Such decisions don't happen very quickly. The other side is that the shop operators might have their own difficulties like deputing healthy staff (50 per cent of the total strength) on counters. Shops might not have inventory and require new stock from wholesalers," he said, adding the business was likely to resume smoothly in a day or two, provided that the BMC gives a green signal.

6PM
Time by which liquor shops must shut

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The Maharashtra government collected more than Rs 62 crore revenue in two days of liquor sale after relaxations in COVID-19 lockdown were announced, said a senior official on Tuesday. The amount was collected by the excise department by Tuesday night with just one third of the total number of liquor shops in the state remaining open, he said. An estimated 16.10 lakh litres of bottled IMFL, beer, wines and country liquor were sold, he said.

The state has over 10,000 licensed shops that sell country liquor, IMFL, wine and beer of which merely 3,500 operated on Monday and Tuesday, he said. The long queues of tipplers outside liquor outlets led to the excise department recording an estimated revenue of Rs 62.55 crore by Tuesday night, he said. Of this, Rs 11 crore was collected on Monday, the day one of liquor sale, the official said. Following relaxations in lockdown norms, long queues of tipplers were seen outside standalone liquor shops on Monday in various parts of Maharashtra though authorities in some districts decided not to permit alcohol sale.

All liquor shops were closed ever since a national lockdown was imposed across the country on March 25 to halt the spread of coronavirus. The lockdown was extended till May 17, but standalone liquor shops were permitted to operate as part of relaxations by the state government. There are 10,822 license holders in the state of which 3,543 opened for business. The long queues outside every shop have now reflected in states coffers with the sale of an estimated 16.10 lakh litres of bottled IMFL, beer, wines and country liquor.

"The estimated earnings from the sale stood at Rs 62.55 crore, said Kantilal Umap, state excise commissioner. There are 17 districts (out of total 36) in Maharashtra where liquor shops remained open. Collectors in nine districts have decided not to permit opening of liquor shops to avoid the spread of the coronavirus infection. Two districts - Osmanabad and Latur - had opened shops but due to crowding, the authorities immediately ordered their closure.

There are five other districts where liquor shops were not opened but the authorities are working out a plan to allow them to operate in the coming days. Maharashtra has three dry districts - Wardha, Gadchiroli and Chandrapur.

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In an attempt to prevent smuggling of liquor from neighbouring states during the lockdown, Maharashtra has sealed its borders with them and deployed adequate manpower at a dozen checkposts, an official said on Friday. The move by the excise department has come in the wake of lifting of certain coronavirus-induced curbs, which included allowing reopening of liquor shops. As the demand for alcohol has increased in Maharashtra, there is a possibility of liquor smuggling by inter-state organised syndicates, the official said.

Considering the threat from such syndicates, the excise department has deployed its flying squads and vigilance teams in districts located along the borders with neighbouring states, he said. To avoid any smuggling activity during this period, we have increased our vigil on 12 checkposts and sealed borders with adjoining states," he said. This will help in curbing illegal transportation of liquor or spirit, the official said. With the help of local police, the excise department has initiated action against persons involved in smuggling and transportation of liquor, he said.

Since the lockdown came into force in late March, at least 4,829 offences have been registered for illegal liquor transportation and 438 vehicles seized, he said. Besides, at least 2,104 persons have been arrested so far in such cases, the official said, adding liquor and other material worth Rs 12.63 crore have been seized since the shutdown.

The excise department has started a control room, where people can provide information related to illegal manufacturing or sale of liquor, he said.

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Amid allegations of hospital mismanagement and with the rise in COVID-19 cases in Mumbai, the Maharashtra government completely overhauled the top administrative set-up of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) , by transferring commissioner Praveen Pardeshi and two additional commissioners on Friday.

Iqbal Singh Chahal will replace Praveen Pardeshi as the new chief of BMC. Pardeshi will take charge of urban development department in Mantralaya which was headed by Chahal. Ashwini Bhide, who was waiting for a posting after the Metro 3 controversy and subsequent transfer, was appointed as the additional municipal commissioner along with ex-Thane civic Sanjeev Jaiswal, who also joined Bhide in the same capacity. The will replace incumbent Babasaheb Jarad and Jayshree Bhoj, who were transferred.

Talks of possible clash of opinion between Pravin Pardeshi and his political and administrative bosses in Mantralaya seems to have proven correct even as the opposition parties said on Friday that the Shiv Sena-led government was trying to underplay its failure by shifting the blame to the bureaucrats by transferring them.

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The ongoing lockdown imposed by the government due to the Coronavirus outbreak in the country has taken a toll on the public lives of the people. With social distancing being the new norm, people have come up with innovative techniques to ensure the supply of essential goods is not affected. Just like this milkman who came up with a creative idea to deliver milk, which netizens are terming as ‘jugaad.’

In a photo of the person posted by IAS officer Nitin Sangwan, the customer is seen standing a few feet away from the milkman carrying four cans of milk behind his motorbike. A pipe is fixed on the back of the bike, with a funnel attached to it. As the milkman pours milk into the funnel, the customer holds a bowl on the other end of the pipe to collect the milk coming out of it.

Sangwan captions on the photo shared with his post, “Good to see that some people go extra mile to keep themselves and others safe,” adding how others can help maintain social distancing by staying at home and wearing mask.

Good to see that some people go extra mile to keep themselves and others safe.

Let's do basic minimum things of staying at home, wearing mask and keeping social distance even if we cannot go an extra mile like this innovative milkman. pic.twitter.com/RrjYVtdaKW

— Nitin Sangwan, IAS (@nitinsangwan) May 7, 2020

The photo of this innovative technique that ensures zero contact was shared on Thursday and has garnered 704 likes. It was also retweeted 105 times. Users commenting on the photo praised the idea and posted about how this ‘jugaad’ can help in maintaining social distance.

Creativity....This is called desi jugaaad.

— mahesh chemte (@mchemteMT) May 7, 2020

Super plan & i really appreciet the milk man ideas... dear indians plz keep distance, stay home

— Suryaprakash (@suryapr65773817) May 9, 2020

Kudos...innovative & creative to think of others and himself too, stay safe.

— Vimileswari Naidu (@VimileswariN) May 7, 2020

Now is the time for every Indian citizen to place safety before anything other priority so that we can break the Covid19 chain. Well done my dear milkman🙏

— SURESH SUBRAMANIAN (@SURESHSpallipur) May 8, 2020

What do you think about this post?

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As Bollywood's trailblazer Irrfan Khan breathed his last on Wednesday, actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui remembered the times he worked in a film directed by the late actor.

The 'Sacred Games' actor took to Twitter to condole the demise of the departed actor who once mentored him in the film 'Alvida.'

"In d year 2000 a film directed by #IrrfanKhan named ALVIDA starred me & I ws lucky 2 hv my mentor as my co-star in many films," tweeted Siddiqui.

In d year 2000 a film directed by #IrrfanKhan named ALVIDA starred me & I ws lucky 2 hv my mentor as my co-star in many films.
No 1 wil evr b able 2 fill his space in d entire world of cinema.
Never thot in d worst of my dreams, dat wil hv 2 say “ALVIDA” so soon RIP #IrrfanKhan

— Nawazuddin Siddiqui (@Nawazuddin_S) April 29, 2020

The 'Gangs of Wasseypur' actor further indicated towards the void that Irrfan Khan left behind in the Bollywood industry.

"No 1 wil evr b able 2 fill his space in d entire world of cinema. Never thot in d worst of my dreams, dat wil hv 2 say "ALVIDA" so soon RIP #IrrfanKhan," his tweet further read.

Siddiqui and Khan worked in several Bollywood films together including 'The Lunchbox' which is one of the most critically acclaimed films of Irrfan's career.

The last rites of the Padma Shri award winner were performed at the Versova cemetery earlier today.

The internationally renowned actor passed away at Mumbai's Kokilaben Hospital on Wednesday while battling rare cancer. He was 53. Irrfan was last seen on screen in 'Angrezi Medium'. He was not a part of the film's promotions owing to his ill health.

With critically acclaimed films like 'Life of Pi,' 'Hindi Medium,' 'Maqbool' and 'Paan Singh Tomar' to his credit, Irrfan was regarded as one of the finest actors in Hindi cinema.

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For the uninitiated, the demise of Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan has left a void that will never be filled. The legends have only left millions of memories for all of us through their films and performances, both of which will always stay unforgettable. Their collective contribution to Indian Cinema was over a 100 years, yes!

However, a Pakistani host by the name of Amir Liaquat recently made fun of their deaths and that has forced another Pakistani actor Adnan Siddiqui to take to his social media account to apologise. Taking to Instagram, he wrote- "So I don't know how to explain what I'm feeling right now or what to say. But this needs to go out. I was invited on the live chat show 'Jeewey Pakistan' yesterday when this unfortunate incident happened." (sic)

He added, "The anchor Amir Liaquat Sahab joked about something extremely sensitive. Not only were they both close to me but also as a human it was wrong on so many levels. I cannot even call it 'hitting below the belt'." (sic)

Have a look at the post right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

🙏.

A post shared by Adnan Siddiqui (@adnansid1) onMay 1, 2020 at 3:30pm PDT

In case you were unaware, Siddiqui played the role of Sridevi's husband in Mom and also shared the screen with Irrfan Khan in 2007's International film, A Mighty Heart. He even shared a picture from one of the stills from that film to mourn the actor's sudden demise and wrote a long note. Have a look right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

“Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un”..... "Verily we belong to God, and verily to Him do we return."! . . . Disturbed and gutted!! A fine soul gone too soon. I had the honour of first meeting Irrfan as a co-star on the sets of ‘A Mighty Heart.’ For one of the scenes after learning his lines I saw him doing the scene again and again which left me puzzled. I asked him, Irrfan Sahab ye kya kar rahe hain aap? He replied- We’re both playing CID agents which means we’ll be showing our ID cards everywhere. I’m practicising the scene so I don’t look clumsy while showing the ID card. And that was the first time I realised what a fine actor he was. We’d become friends on the sets and used to hang out together after the shoot. I remember for another scene, he wanted to know a word in Urdu used commonly in Pakistan and he asked me. He was a great actor but didn’t shy away from learning and perfecting his art. One of the evenings, he shared an incident where him and his friend got the role of an extra actor in James Bond series “Octopussy” which was shot in India. But because they cycled to the set, they were late and the shoot was over. He told me since then he wanted to do a Hollywood movie. Our careers in Hollywood started together, but he proved his mettle and conquered the fort. In 2018 while attending IPPA in London. I found out that he was in London, though he wasn’t meeting anyone he agreed to meet me. We had a long chat about movies and world in general. He looked so positive. His last words were- “Adnan, I’ll be fine very soon and I’ll be back. InshAllah”! Who knew today, I would be penning this note. Condolences and strength to his family. Irrfan, you will be missed a lot. Rest in peace my friend.🙏

A post shared by Adnan Siddiqui (@adnansid1) onApr 29, 2020 at 3:02am PDT

And this is what he had to say about Kapoor's unfortunate death:

 

 

 

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Another huge blow!. It’s very devastating to see two legends of Bollywood passing away in two days . Rishi Sahib , you will be remembered always! 🙏🏽

A post shared by Adnan Siddiqui (@adnansid1) onApr 29, 2020 at 11:21pm PDT

What are your opinions on this whole issue?

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On Sunday, Pooja Chopra turned a year older. As the lockdown meant not making merry with pals, the Aiyaary (2018) actor decided to celebrate her big day in a unique way. She cut a cake with the security folk of her residential complex in Andheri. "They have been on duty 24/7 during these tough times. I also distributed goodies among them," she says.

Given the whole world is currently locked down due to the Coronavirus pandemic, nobody is being able to step out and socialise with their friends. All the celebrities and even commoners are chatting with their friends and families via face-time. Amid this, for someone to celebrate her birthday with a security guard is truly commendable and deserves an applause. 

And taking to her Instagram account, she shared a heartfelt video of how her celebration with her family was. In case any of you are staying away from your family, the video will surely leave you emotional. Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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you are the reason I wake up with a smile every single day.. you all add sunshine to my days, make my life a lil better and today you have made my birthday so so so darn special that I can't stop smiling ear to ear.. how can I ever be alone when I have your love with me 24*7 and I'm so super thankful to God to have you all as my back bone and my support system.. 💞 i♥️u cchoooooo much...... @juzneera @ayesha_mendonca @agnelomendonca @trishul_marathe @thegeet @istayakansari @natasha_lorraine @aamirmeer_official Kanchu and Shalini 💋 #overwhelmed #supergreatful #happypuppy #quarantinebirthday 🎁

A post shared by Pooja Chopra (@poojachopraofficial) onMay 3, 2020 at 2:55am PDT

Shouldn't we give it up for the actress for her fantastic and unique gesture?

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The whole nation knows by now that the liquor shops in some parts of the country were reopened as the nation has been partially opened up after being shut down for nearly two months. Long queues and unending wait to buy liquor attracted a lot of attention on social media. One of the people to give his reaction was Ram Gopal Varma.

Taking to his Twitter Account and sharing an image of women standing outside the shop, he wrote- "Look who's in line at the wine shops ..So much for protecting women against drunk men." (sic) This didn't go down very well with Sona and this is what she tweeted in return - "Dear Mr RGV,time for u to get into the line of people who desperately need a real education.1 that lets u understand why this tweet of yours reeks of sexism & misplaced morality.Women have a right to buy & consume alcohol just like men. No one has a right to be drunk & violent." (sic)

Have a look at both the tweets right here:

Look who’s in line at the wine shops ..So much for protecting women against drunk men 🙄 pic.twitter.com/ThFLd5vpzd

— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) May 4, 2020

Dear Mr RGV,time for u to get into the line of people who desperately need a real education.1 that lets u understand why this tweet of yours reeks of sexism & misplaced morality.Women have a right to buy & consume alcohol just like men. No one has a right to be drunk & violent. https://t.co/5AUcTrAJrZ

— ShutUpSona (@sonamohapatra) May 4, 2020

Varma tweeted back that how she misunderstood the intent behind his tweet and how he was the last person to be judgemental. "Hey I think u misunderstood the intention behind that tweet ..I am the last person to be judgemental ..I meant it for the leaders who falsely presume that only men drink and abuse women in that state," tweeted the filmmaker. Have a look:

Hey I think u misunderstood the intention behind that tweet ..I am the last person to be judgemental ..I meant it for the leaders who falsely presume that only men drink and abuse women in that state https://t.co/4DYJ6201j1

— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) May 5, 2020

Social media debates are here to stay, it seems. Whose side are you on?

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As the reopening of liquor shops in some parts of the country created chaos, actor Randeep Hooda on Tuesday created a meme on the re-opening with one of his looks from his latest film 'Extraction.'

Hooda who made his Netflix debut with the film 'Extraction' took to Instagram to share a still from the film in which he is seen standing with his left hand fractured and a visible injury on his right hand.

 

 

 

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Coming back from the #LiquorShop be like ... . . #StayHome #StaySafe #Extraction

A post shared by Randeep Hooda (@randeephooda) onMay 5, 2020 at 1:47am PDT

Hooda looked exhausted from the action sequences of the film in the picture.

The 'Highway' actor related his exhausted look to the look of people who successfully return from liquor shops after buying alcohol which seems a daunting task given the congestion of people at the shops.

"Coming back from the #LiquorShop be like," he wrote in the caption of the picture and added hashtags of #StayHome #StaySafe and #Extraction.

Long queues and crowds were seen at liquor shops across the national capital on Tuesday despite a 70 percent tax hike imposed by the Delhi government on the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of liquor.

This comes a day after liquor shops in East Delhi were closed following the violation of social distancing norms by people.

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Actress Debina Bonnerjee has turned a year older today, and inspite of the lockdown she has managed to celebrate her birthday in a very unique and special way, also keeping in mind all the current necassary rules and regulations!

Practicing the social distancing norm, Debina with the help of husband Gurmeet, her parents and a bunch of close friends 'virtually' brought in her birthday last night. A gang of her close friends logged in together at the same time via a digital medium from their respective homes to sing, cut the cake and be digitally present to make her special day a memorable one!

Speaking about how she enjoyed her virtual birthday celebration this year, Debina shares,"This birthday has been unlike any other celebration in the past, hence it will always be a very memorable one for me! Since nobody can get out of their homes due to the lockdown, Gurmeet and my close gang of friends planned a very special birthday celebration for me which was so amazing! I had around 15 of my friends come online together at the same time, who sang happy birthday for me at 12am last night and made my cake cutting a very cherish worthy moment with their digital presence! It did a feel a little weird to not be going out as I do every year, but being a responsible citizen is in the need of the hour right now. Hence I am very happy to have responsibly celebrated my birthday this year, in a unique and creative way."

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ZEE5 announced its next film Ghoomketu which is set to release on 22nd May. An aspiring writer’s 101 retreats into the life of the protagonist, Ghoomketu is played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The movie is a comedy-drama from the viewpoint of an inexperienced writer struggling to make it big in the film industry in Mumbai. On his quest to come up with a great story, he is inspired by day to day mundane life activities. Will his ambition and determination exceed his talents? Or will a corrupt cop, who is on a mission to find Ghoomketu, put a brake on his 30-day escapade?

Directed by Pushpendra Nath Misra and produced by Phantom Films and Sony Pictures Networks (SPN), this film will be exclusively releasing on ZEE5.

The quirk and humour in the movie are exaggerated with dramatic linguistic annotations. The film is set in a wickedly playful backdrop and will be great for the entire family to watch together. The film also has ace director Anurag Kashyap as a cop and the talented Ila Arun as Ghoomketu’s Aunt, in lead roles along with Raghubir Yadav, Swanand Kirkire, Ragini Khanna and others. The film will also see special cameos from Amitabh Bachchan, Ranveer Singh, Sonakshi Sinha, Chitrangada Singh, Lauren Gottlieb and filmmaker Nikhil Advani.

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui shares, “Ghoomketu is a quirky, never-seen-before character and I thoroughly enjoyed playing him. Anurag, who is generally behind the camera, will be seen sharing screen space with us and it was a great experience to work with him as an actor. ‘Ghoomketu’ has a phenomenal storyline which will definitely entertain the audience. During this time of the lockdown, I am glad that a humorous film that the entire family can watch is being streamed on ZEE5.”

Actor Anurag Kashyap shares, “Every film is a labour of love and I saw the conviction in the director of Ghoomketu and hence decided to do something which is my least favourite thing to do, which is act. The film is funny and heartwarming.”

Film Director Pushpendra Nath Misra adds, “Wherever we go, we are never far away from our roots. Ghoomketu, as the name suggests, is a story of the ‘journey to the beginning’. This a film where the protagonist - a writer- draws inspiration from the idiosyncrasies of his own family members. This was a dream project with a stellar cast (sublime actors, all of them), and the freedom to tell the story in a non-stereotypical way. For all the writers, their observation begins at home. This film is a celebration of our family members - our ‘Bua’s and ‘Chacha’s and ‘Dadda’s - who we (Ghoomketu) always carry in our hearts, wherever we go. I am glad it will reach the huge family audiences of ZEE5.”

Vivek Agrawal, Producer, Phantom Films says, Ghoomketu is one of those rare gems that will put a smile on your face while taking you through the struggle of a man who is out there trying his luck in Bollywood films. Bringing this story to life has been a roller-coaster ride, just like the protagonist’s journey in the film! It has been a pleasure working on ‘Ghoomketu’– a project that is relatable for many people, on so many levels and we are thrilled to have ZEE5 on board to release it.”

This quirky comedy is all set to confuse, entertain and make you laugh this Eid weekend. 

People were seen lining up outside liquor stores in huge numbers here on Monday after the Assam government permitted retail stores to remain open for seven hours and sell liquor. While standing in queue, the people were seen adhering to the norms of social distancing -- as advised by the health ministry and experts. They were also seen carrying bags in an attempt to stock up the liquor in their houses.

Assam: People line up outside a liquor shop in Dibrugarh as government permits sale of liquor between 10 AM & 5 PM during #CoronavirusLockdown. pic.twitter.com/d8HhAYJa5G

— ANI (@ANI) April 13, 2020

The shopkeepers also maintained social distancing in the stores as the staff strength was down to a bare minimum. On Sunday, the Assam government permitted retail liquor outlets in the state to open for seven hours daily from April 13.

An official notification stated that all liquor shops shall remain open from 10 am to 5 pm on the permitted days and follow social distancing. Along with the liquor shops, wholesale warehouses, bottling plants, distilleries and breweries have also been allowed to operate from Monday.

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Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray here on Thursday asked the state government to drop 'moral issues' and permit liquor shops and restaurants to resume forthwith to enable it earn badly-needed revenue for its near-empty coffers.

In a letter to his cousin and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the MNS chief said since March 18, the state was in lockdown -- first till March 31, then till April 14 and now extended to May 3 -- with no certainty when it would be lifted.

In such times, there was no harm in keeping this option (wine shops) open since it's not intended to cater to the needs of the alcohol consumers but to start generating income for the government, Raj Thackeray said.

"The excise duty generated for the state via liquor amounts to Rs 41.66 crore daily, or Rs 1,250 crore monthly and Rs 14,000 crore yearly," he said.

In view of the 35 days of lockdown till now and future extensions, the loss of revenue from this sector could be calculated till now and also the future losses that might happen if the shutdown was prolonged, he said.

"It's not that there was a liquor ban in our state and we are asking to remove that. Prior to lockdown, the wine shops were open. The state government should not try to get caught in some moral issues at such a crucial time and take the necessary action," Raj urged Uddhav.

His statement came a couple of days after Health Minister Rajesh Tope made an open-ended statement that there should be no problems in permitting liquor shops, provided they followed social distancing norms.

Taking up cudgels on behalf of restaurants, Raj said big and small eateries were a sheer necessity in Mumbai where millions live on the affordable 'rice plate'. Besides, there are homes that need their services as they don't have the supplies or resources for cooking meals, and the government must consider this category also.

Touching upon other essentials like food, vegetables and fruits, he said while these were open and available, they needed to be organised and coordinated to revive the economic cycle. The MNS said it pertained not just to Maharashtra but also all other states since when and how much central assistance would come was uncertain.

"Let's face the reality and find solutions instead. The need of the hour is to be economically self-reliant and this solution provided needs to be taken seriously," said Raj Thackeray.

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New Delhi: On Saturday, the Home Ministry clarified that only standalone shops are being allowed to open as per the directive and that the order does not apply to Covid-19 containment zones or liquor stores. Then in further clarification, the government said that salons, barbershops, and restaurants will continue to be closed as the relaxation was given to "shops selling items".

The Ministry has cleared the air after initial confusion due to Friday night's MHA order. The clarification says, "In urban areas, all standalone/neighbourhood shops & shops in residential complexes are allowed to open. Shops in markets/market complexes & shopping malls are not allowed to open."

Here are all shops that can open:

1. All shops in residential areas and markets in the neighbourhood will open those sell items.

2. All shops that are registered under the Shops and Establishment Act of the respective State or the Union Territory, including those shops in residential complexes and market complexes, outside the municipal corporations and municipalities, will be allowed to open.

3. In urban areas, non-essential goods and services will be allowed to operate provided they are in residential areas or are a standalone shop. This essentially means a sweet shop too can function.

4. However, those shops in registered markets but outside municipal corporations and municipalities can open only with 50 per cent staff.

5. Shops that fall under rural and semi-rural areas and markets that are registered can open. In cities, only standalone shops and residential shops can open.

Meanwhile, the ministry also clarified that sales by e-commerce companies will continue to be restricted to essential goods only.

So, what all that can't be open?

1. No shops have been allowed to open in multi-brand or single brand malls, it had said. So, one can forget about their plans for a mall visit.

2. No movie theaters are being allowed to open.

3. lquor shops too will remain closed and the MHA has made it a point to stress on that.

3. Gyms and swimming pools too will be off-limit as they are areas where social distancing goes for a toss.

4. Markets with a cluster of shops like that of south Delhi's Khan Market too will remain shut.

5. Since they don't sell items but offer services, salons too will remain closed.

However, much of the final decision rests with respective state governments and UT administrations. But where they do allow these new reprieves, however conditionally, it will surely be a welcome change for a locked-down populace.

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A unique initiative by Tamil Nadu's Tiruppur Police to teach lockdown offenders a lesson and create awareness about the spread of the novel coronavirus has taken the internet by storm. A viral video shared by a meme page on Facebook shows police officers in Tamil Nadu teaching people violating the lockdown guidelines a lesson for life.

In the three minute 50 seconds video clip, police officers of Tiruppur Police can be seen stopping people roaming freely without face mask amid lockdown across the country. In order to teach a lesson to those defying lockdown rules, the Tamil Nadu police came up with their own unique initiative which has been appreciated by netizens.

As the video moves forward, the police officers are seen pushing the lockdown violators into an ambulance which has a man posing as a COVID-19 patient. Once pushed inside, the violators can be seen begging the officers to let them comes out of the ambulance van.

The hilarious yet creative video ends with a police officer making an appeal to people to not roam without face masks. The officer says, "When you roam around, anyone can have the novel coronavirus and you may not know. The government and the police officials have been stressing on the importance of staying indoors. If at all you need to come out to buy essentials, please wear masks."

The funny video which aims to create awareness to combat the spread of COVID-19 has garnered over 2.3 million views and about 73 thousand shares. Hundreds of people took to the comments section of the viral video to laud the Tamil Nadu police and shower praise on their unique initiative.

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In a bizarre incident, a man climbed up a unipole advertising hoarding and threatened to commit suicide if he was not provided liquor. The high drama began late on Thursday evening and ended after an hour when police promised him a bottle of liquor.

Confirming the incident, Kotwali SHO Geetesh Kapil said: "We managed to get him down without any injury. We had only promised but did not give him liquor. The sale of liquor is banned in the state and we are strictly following the lockdown guidelines. We are trying to establish his identity so that his family can be informed."

The policemen offered food and soft 

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