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David Moyes enjoys delivering fruits and vegetables

The Coronavirus-caused lockdown has brought sporting activities to a standstill across the globe with major events being cancelled or postponed. And EPL football manager David Moyes is making the most of the forced break by helping people near his family home on the Lancashire, UK, seaside.

According to a report in British tabloid, The Sun, West Ham's manager David has turned a fruits and vegetables delivery man. "When the virus first broke out, the fruits and vegetables shop in my village were asking for drivers to deliver fruits and vegetables. So I became a driver for the shop. I delivered it to all the people in the neighbourhood. I did it for about four days.

There was a sign in the window saying 'volunteers needed'. My wife was away at the time, I was on my own. I would knock, leave it and just check if they came to get it. I was thinking 'this is great'. I was actually enjoying it," said David.

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German footballer Manuel Neuer dating teen student Anika who resembles ex-wife Nina

German footballer Manuel Neuer, 34, who split from his wife Nina only four months ago, is said to be dating a teenage student in Munich.

Bayern Munich's star goalkeeper is reportedly in a relationship with Anika Bissel, 19, a fashion management student, who also plays for a local handball club team named Kuties. Interestingly, Anika bears a striking resemblance to Nina.


Manuel Neuer's ex-wife Nina

According to leading German magazine Bunte, Anika owns a flat in Munich but is seen spending most of her time at the footballer's luxurious home.

It is learnt that 2014 FIFA World Cup winner Manuel is very serious about his relationship and has even introduced Anika to his mother, Marita.

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Simona Halep: It's unbelievable how world stopped due to COVID-19!

Wimbledon champion Simona Halep, 28, is pretty shocked to see a global lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic. "Not even in my worst nightmares could I think that the globe can stop in such a way. For me, it's a shock because I'm pretty young and haven't gone through too many tough times. This is something that belongs to a fantastic realm. They have stopped travelling, flight in order to avoid affecting our health and well-being. Maybe it's the best interdiction," Simona, 28, told Romanian TV show Garantat 100%.

The former World No. 1, who is currently in isolation at her Bucharest home, is taking "maximum care" to avoid contracting the virus, fearing it could affect her lungs.

"In the beginning, I had this fear but then analysed the situation and figured out that if you protect yourself, everything will be OK but I'm afraid for those with health issues. I fear this virus because even if we are healthy and have good immunity–we may resist it–but it [the virus] will leave us with a serious lung affection. That's why I have decided to take maximum care of myself. That's why I have decided to take maximum care of myself," added Simona.

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COVID-19: Play not possible, feel Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic

Rafael Nadal thinks the global nature of tennis means there is little chance tournaments will go ahead any time soon as sport continues to be paralysed by the coronavirus pandemic. Novak Djokovic also anticipates a lengthy delay before tennis can be played even behind closed doors, with the world number one expecting players to have to wait a "few months". The French Open, which Nadal has won a record 12 times, has been postponed until September, shortly after the US Open, while Wimbledon was cancelled earlier this month for the first time since World War II.

But the prospect of either grand slams at Roland Garros or Flushing Meadows being played with fans appears increasingly remote. "Tennis is a global sport," Nadal told Spanish radio station Onda Cero on Wednesday night. "We go from country to country and a lot of people have to move around.
"It seems difficult to me for any big tournament to be played in the short or medium term."

Football's major leagues are preparing to play behind closed doors for several weeks to complete their seasons and avoid losing considerable sums of money from broadcasting contracts. But tennis tournaments are more reliant on fans for their income, making it more complicated to stage competitions in empty stadiums. "It is not an easy decision," Djokovic told the same programme.

"I am ready but I think we have to wait a few months." "If you could play behind closed doors, I would be delighted but I think it's very difficult," added Nadal.

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Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina turns a food blogger!

Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina is making the most of the Coronavirus-forced lockdown by teaming up with her friends to start her food blog.

The World No. 5 recently shared a picture with her 5,96,000 Instagram followers to announce her new venture. "I am excited to share a new blog that I have started, together with my culinary friends, giving you easy healthy recipes and some new ideas for the use of 'superfoods'. Link in bio. More stuff to come. Stay tuned," she wrote.

She recently shared recipes of coconut, strawberry, blueberry and spinach smoothies.

The link to Elina's food blog is: https://theesclub.com

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Mumbai: Quick getaways to try over Republic Day weekend

Luxury Sail away
Few things in life (in our books at least) are as fancy as sitting on a sailing boat, heading out into the sea, and watching the sun go down. It reminds us of James Bond movies, where the hero, dressed in his trademark tuxedo, is serenading some woman or the other. So, if you too want to feel as glamorous, take a trip from off the Gateway of India into the Arabian Sea. Sail past lighthouses from a bygone era and catch some of the city’s most iconic landmarks. And if you’re lucky, you might also spot some dolphins frolicking around in the water.
On: January 27 and 28
Starting point:Gateway of India, Colaba
Call: 9930086252
Cost: Rs 1,899

Adventure
Flag off the weekend
This one’s a true-blue Republic Day event, complete with a flag-hoisting ceremony. It will take some effort to pull off, though, since the flag will be hoisted on the top of Mount Kalsubai, which is the highest peak in Maharashtra, towering over the other hills in the range at a height of 5,400 feet. Small steps built into the incline do make the climb easier than it would have been otherwise. But nevertheless, it’s one thing sitting on a sailing boat and heading out into the sea, and another to make your way to the top of a bona fide mountain, steps or no steps.
From: January 25 to 26
Starting point: Pritam Hotel, Dadar West
Log on to: eventshigh.com
Cost: Rs 1,000

Wild escape
Sea it to believe it
The sea off the Konkan coastline houses a number of different types of fish, such as barracudas and groupers. Learn what it’s like to occupy their habitat with a scuba-diving course for beginners, meant even for those who don’t know how to swim. A professional diver will accompany you as you travel down to the depths of the Arabian Sea, where you can experience coral reefs and sealife from close quarters. The event also includes treks to the nearby Sindhudurg and Vijaydurg forts, apart from vegetarian food from the region.
On: January 25 to 28
Starting point: Pritam Hotel, Dadar West
Log on to: insider.in
Cost: Rs 4,500

Heritage
Go back in time
The Fort area is one of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods. The fort itself was built in as far back as 1715 by the British, to ward off invading Marathas. But then its walls were brought down around 1862, which suddenly changed everything. A small English settlement grew into a mercantile hub. Indo-Saracenic, Gothic and neoclassical structures came up to give the area its unique architectural blend of styles. Gradually, it became the bustling precinct that it looks like in the modern era. Take an open-air bus ride around Fort to find out more about the precinct’s heritage, and learn how British India’s “first city” evolved over the years.
On: January 26, 7 am to 9 am
Starting point: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, MG Road, Fort
Call: 9930086252
Cost: Rs 1,499

Leisure
Spend a night with the stars
We’ve all watched movies in a closed theatre. But here’s a chance to watch one under the stars, at a camping site just off Gorai beach. The selected film is Wes Anderson’s The Darjeeling Limited, one of the most poignant portrayals of life in India through a foreigner’s eyes. If, however, music floats your boat more than movies, there will also be an indie gig that precedes the screenings, featuring upcoming artiste Bryan Rodrigues. Plus, since it’s a camping event, expect bonfires, long walks and, of course, a barbecue (for what is a great camping experience without one?).
On: January 25 to 26
At: Chowk Dongri, Bhayandar West, near Pali Beach Resort, Uttan
Log on to: insider.in
Cost: Rs 2,200

Fun Ride a new wave
Surfing has always looked like something we’d like to try our hand at (or should that be feet?). The idea of riding a wave before it crashes on the beach does seem like fun. But while we haven’t taken the initiative yet, you can seize the opportunity to get a beginner’s lesson in the sport. The organisers are inviting people of all ages to try out surfing for the first time. The three-day event also includes camping, bonfires, movie nights and games. So all in all, this weekend getaway has something for everyone.
On: January 26, 9 am to January 28, 3 pm
At: Manipal, Karnataka (nearest airport: Mangalore)
Call: 9833157583
Cost: Rs 10,500 (including sessions, food and stay for two nights)

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Less blooms on Maharashtra's Kaas plateau worries authorities, visitors

Once a bed of colourful flora, the famous Kaas plateau in Maharashtra is now witnessing less blooms, worrying officials, tourists and nature lovers alike. The plateau, recognised by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee as a heritage site in 2012, is home to around 350 flowering plants, including some rare and endemic species.


Kaas Plateau. File pic

With the flowering already going down, a couple of fire incidents last month in the area, causing a damage to the flora at the site in Satara district, has now set off alarm bells for the administration. The state government has thus decided to take up a slew of measures, like better guarding of the place and inviting researchers to study why this picturesque site in the Western Ghats is losing its blooms, which were a big tourist attraction.

According to forest officials, human negligence, possibly lit cigarettes, could have caused the twin fires that gutted a portion of the world famous plateau recently. "The forest department, along with a joint management committee of forest officials and local villagers-turned-volunteers, has now decided to take certain safety measures to avoid incidents which could endanger the flora of the Kaas plateau," the range forest officer, Sachin Dombale, said.

He said those guarding the plateau have now been provided hand-held pressure water sprayers. "The plateau does not have big trees or plants. It is actually a grassland, so even if the grass catches fire, it can be doused with the help of these sprayers," he said. Earlier, six people used to guard the entire plateau of around 1,800 hectares. After the fire incidents, now 12 people are manning it in the day and six at night, he said.

Now, the visitors are frisked at the entry gate of the tourist site and are not allowed to carry inside combustible items like cigarettes, matchbox or lighters, he said. Somnath Jadhav, the president of the joint committee, said they have also started putting up "firebreaks" along the roadsides. "For the firebreaks, we burn the vegetation and grass in five metres of area along the roadside, so even if someone throws a combustible object, there won't be a fire," he said.
However, due to unavailability of power supply in the forest area of the plateau, they have not been able to put up CCTVs for keeping a watch.

"But, we are now thinking of using solar panels to address the power issue, Jadhav said. He said the gram sabhas of five villages (the locals of which are part of the committee), have also decided to put forth their proposals to safeguard the plateau and conserve its biodiversity and flora. One of the committee members said the state government should provide funds for proper maintenance of the site.

"We have to depend on the fees collected from visitors during the season, which is only for two months (September and October), to pay for the maintenance and salaries of the people working to guard the place," he said. "We seek government's attention, cooperation and funds so that this plateau of flowers can be conserved," he said. Jadhav said for last three to four years, the growth of some species of flowering plants on the plateau is on a decline, thereby calling for a study to find out its reason and restore the beauty of the place.

"We are now planning to write to various universities in Maharashtra to send some researchers and students of botany to study the reason behind this," he said. "We are making all-out efforts to conserve the plateau, which is home to some rare, endemic and threatened species of flowering plants, as it would then also lead to an increase in the number tourists at the site," he added.

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Railways enlists bloggers to publicise luxury trains

The Tourism Ministry and the IRCTC have enlisted 60 bloggers from 23 countries, including India, as part of a new publicity blitz to write on luxury trains run by the railways and improve their dwindling occupancy rate. The first-of-its-kind venture will allow the bloggers to take a week-long journey on Palace on Wheels, Maharaja Express, Deccan Odyssey and Golden Chariot in groups of 15 on each of the trains, a tourism ministry statement said today. The first 15 bloggers started their journey today on the Palace on Wheels from Safdarjung Railway Station in New Delhi.

The decision to promote travel on the trains comes after a recent parliamentary panel report pointed out that the occupancy rate during past four years - starting in 2012-13 - had been 29.86 per cent, 32.33 per cent, 41.8 per cent, 41.58 per cent and 36.03 per cent respectively. It had also said that most of the seats on these trains were occupied by passengers who had complimentary tickets. The bloggers, who have been chosen on the basis of their number of followers, will travel to destinations in various states across India on the trains and write about them. "The campaign will generate widespread publicity for the luxury trains as well as the destinations visited, by way of blogs, videos and photos published by the bloggers or Instagramers on their experiences of their journey.

Needless to say this initiative would benefit the railways and the luxury train operators to a large extent", the statement said. The second group will leave Delhi on Maharaja Express on February 10, and the third group is scheduled to leave on Deccan Odyssey on the same day from the Chaatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai. The final group will leave on Golden Chariot on February 19 from Bengaluru on a week-long journey.

The Railway Board, the state sovernments of Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka and the IRCTC - the tourism arm of the railways - have joined hands to host the bloggers, according to the statement.





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Valentine's Day: Five not-so-predictable ideas to make the day special

For mid-air thrills
If you love the rush of adrenaline, sign up for Sky Waltz Balloon Safari near Pune (also available at Kamshet). Spend an hour in the air in a hot air balloon, where organisers can also make special arrangements for a planned marriage proposal or birthday celebration. It's run by licensed commercial hot air balloon operators authorised by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
On: date as per choice meet
At: Hotel Orritel, Talegaon.
Log on to: insider.in
Cost: Rs 6,800 onwards

For an aerial view
If your partner is bored of exploring the same old sights in the city, book a view from the top in a helicopter joyride. On offer are 10- to one-hour rides with routes that will cover the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, Dadar, Mahalaxmi, Haji Ali, Girgaum Chowpatty, airport, Filmcity, Pagoda, Marine Drive and other attractions.
On: date as per choice
Meet at: Juhu
Log on to: accretionaviation.com
Cost: Rs 8,250 onwards

For lilting tunes
If you are a music buff, take your beloved to scout for old records at The Revolver Club, which has a vast library of vinyls from various genres. You can also head to the chaotic Chor Bazaar to scour for rare music finds. With your musical gift sorted, head to the historic Royal Opera House and attend a jazz performance by Karim Ellaboudi on piano, Adrian D'Souza on drums, Dee Wood on bass, and Shreya Bhattacharya on vocals.
At: The Revolver Club, Mahim; Chor Bazar, near Bhendi Bazaar; Opera House, Girgaum.

For a brush with the sea
Pick a day to explore the harbour of the city in an open sail boat by Small Steps Adventures. The weather makes it the perfect time to set sail before the summer starts. Pack a picnic basket and make it the perfect date with goodies cooked by you for your other half.
On: date as per choice
Meet at: Jetty no 5, Colaba.
Log on to: eventshigh.com
Cost: Rs 4,500 onwards

For a heritage class
If you dig the past and want to learn more about the city's ancient history, hike to Kanheri Caves in the heart of Sanjay Gandhi National Park. These rock-cut Buddhist monuments date back to 1st century BCE - 10th century CE. Another option is a ferry ride to the Elephanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site off the harbour, that house Hindu and Buddhist relics, the Trimurti relief (in pic) being the most popular sight.
How to reach: Take a train to Borivali (East, for the National Park); hail a taxi to the Gateway of India from CSMT or Churchgate (for a ferry ride to Elephanta Island).

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Join an expedition to Rishikesh and feel the bliss in the Himalayas

Living in a city like Mumbai where views from a person's home consist mainly of bricks and mortar, and where people go about their daily business with such a frenetic pace that it mirrors a fast local train travelling at top speed, can leave its citizens feeling as jaded as someone who's been tied to a computer screen indefinitely for months on end. But a travel company is now offering people feeling the same the chance to join an expedition to Rishikesh, so that they can recharge their batteries before getting back to the daily grind.

"It will be a three-night stay," says Rohit Dube, co-founder of Moonstone Hammock, which is organising the tour. "The first day starts with a trek to a hidden gem, a waterfall about 5 km from the main city where people can actually sit in the water and have their food. And over the course of the rest of the trip, we will take the participants for two different evening aartis, rafting, to the Beatles ashram, cafés with live music, and local bazaars so that they can soak in the vibe of the place. We will also take them around the mountains on bikes, for instance to the beautiful road that heads towards Badrinath," he adds, meaning that it's time for you to pack your bags if you want to escape this concrete jungle, even if it's for a brief period.

On: March 29 to April 1
Call: 9769274340 to book
Cost: Rs.7,980

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New start-up in Mumbai offers private, lockable and secure self-storage units


Ameya Davda and Devak Davda at the Sewri facility. Pic/Datta Kumbhar

If there is one problem that most of us perennially face in our daily lives, it is the lack of storage space. But, one man's problem could well be another man's opportunity. Entrepreneurs Ameya Davda and Devak Davda's startup, Space Valet, is a case in point. Their recently launched service aims to be a one-stop storage solution that offers private, lockable and secure self-storage units of various sizes to stash your belongings.

Home away from home
"Think of it as the sophisticated spare closet or stock room you've always longed for in Mumbai," says Davda who along with his cousin Devak came up with this idea when they returned to India after completing their studies abroad. "I was in California and Devak in London, and while we were there, we learnt how popular cell storage is among people. It's a 60-year- old concept and almost a 40-billion dollar industry," he adds. On returning to Mumbai, Davda teamed up with his cousin to launch the startup which they felt would be a good fit in an overcrowded city. They then conducted a survey to find out if people would avail of a service like this. "People are always on the lookout for additional storage space, more so in Mumbai," he says. The top reasons for self-storage rental, he observed, was the lack of storage space at home, temporary storage while moving, and storing things people don't want or need. The most popular things being stored are wedding outfits and furniture.


A walk-in closet

How it works
The process is simple. You either call up the facility or browse the website and find a suitable storage plan. You then order as many boxes as you need, and then pack and label your belongings. "You don't need to move a finger. Our tie up with Movers and Packers ensures a pick-up facility. When you want your stuff back, go online and click on the tab to recall the boxes," he explains. The plan starts from R299 a month and goes up to R11,000. Storage options range from boxes to a large store room. The key to the storage lies with the customer only. Cleanliness and security are common concerns among customers, according to the results of their survey. The facility, therefore, has a designated person to solely look after the cleanliness of the storage space. There's also a 24x7 security and surveillance to keep the goods safe. "We maintain the right kind of environment so that your possessions don't deteriorate over time," he says. Now, the big challenge for the duo is to popularise the concept. "We want to educate people that this is a viable solution to your space crunch."

Where: www.spacevalet.in
Price: Rs 299 onward
Call: 9930832832

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Tax-News.com: Russia, Japan To Sign New Double Tax Agreement

The governments of Japan and Russia on April 28 announced they have agreed the text of a new double tax agreement that would replace the 1986 pact between Japan and the former USSR.




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Tax-News.com: Japan, Russia Agree New Double Tax Pact

The governments of Japan and Russia signed a new convention on the elimination of double taxation on September 7.




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Tax-News.com: Denmark Tops Tax Burden League Table

Denmark was found to have the heaviest burden of taxation as a percentage of the economy in a new study by accountancy firm UHY.




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COVID-19: Mushfiqur puts his maiden double-century bat on auction

Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim will be putting his most cherished bat on auction in order to raise funds for the relief efforts put in place in the country to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Mushfiqur will be putting the bat -- with which he scored his first double hundred against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2013 -- for online sale and has urged people to contribute to the cause so that maximum funds can be generated for the poor.

"I am putting up the bat with which I made a double hundred for auction," Mushfiqur told the Dhaka-based Bengali daily 'Prothom Alo'.

"It will be put up online, so let's see how we can go about it. I urge everyone with the ability to push up the price of the bat since the proceeds will be spent entirely for the poor people," he added.

Last week, Shakib-al-Hasan had called upon the players to auction their belongings like jerseys and cricket equipments.

"We can do anything like that. It can also be a bat with any of our autographs. We can auction these things through Facebook or the foundation," Shakib had said on Facebook Live.

More than 2000 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported and many people have also lost their lives till now in Bangladesh.

England batsman Jos Butter had raised more than 65,000 pounds for two London-based hospitals by auctioning the shirt which he wore in the 2019 World Cup final.

Legendary Pakistan bowler Wasim Akram also auctioned a bat and ball signed by him to raise funds for a charity as the entire world fights against COVDI-19 pandemic which has so far claimed more than 1.6 lakh lives.

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Watch video: Brothers Hardik and Krunal Pandya play table tennis on the bed

India cricketer Krunal Pandya, 29, Instagrammed a fun video, enjoying of a unique version of table tennis with his brother, Hardik in their room.

With their double bed forming a table and a rolled up blanket playing the role of a net, the two brothers are seen using their hands as racquets as they play TT with a soft ball (screengrab above). "#PandyaBros in action in a different sport. @hardikpandya93 and I are always competitive with each other. Who do you think won this round?," Krunal captioned his post that got nearly 40,000 views within a few hours.

Interestingly, former India pacer Munaf Patel replied with a cheeky comment: "No cheating, KP please."

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Dhoni is greatest in terms of record but Kumble is the best captain I have played under: Gambhir

The numbers are heavily in favour of Mahendra Singh Dhoni but former India batsman Gautam Gambhir says spin legend Anil Kumble was the best India captain he has ever played under. Gambhir has high regards for Dhoni and Sourav Ganguly as India skippers, but believes Kumble would have been phenomenal as captain had he led the national team for a longer period.

"From the records point of view it obviously has to be MS Dhoni. He has won every ICC trophy possible. He has done fabulously well, he has handled the pressure for a very long time. Sourav (Ganguly) has also done well. "But one person I would definitely, would have liked to captain India for a long time should have been Anil Kumble. I played 6 Test matches under him and had he captained India for a long time would have broken many records," Gambhir said on Star Sports 'Cricket Connected' show on the occasion of IPL's 12th anniversary.

"From the records point of view Dhoni is right up there but for me the best captain I played under is Anil Kumble," Gambhit, who is now a BJP MP, added. Kumble was appointed as India captain after Rahul Dravid in 2007 and led the side in 14 Tests -- winning three, losing six and drawing five. But his stint as captain lasted little less than a year as he retired in November 2008, following which Dhoni was appointed as the skipper in all three formats. Gambhir also picked Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma as the all-time great IPL captain. "I think it's Rohit Sharma . He has won the IPL four times and his captaincy is all about winning trophies," he said. "He will end up being the most successful IPL captains of all-time as well, probably he will finish with 6 or 7 titles under his belt."

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We might not be able to see any live sport for maybe 4-5 months: Sunil Gavaskar

The coronavirus outbreak has brought the world to a standstill and sporting events across the globe have either been cancelled or suspended. And former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar has said that with the way things are going, live sporting action may return only after another 4-5 months.

"The way things are going we might not be able to see any live sport for maybe 4-5 months. That's gonna be tough not just on the current players but also those who follow sport," Gavaskar told India Today.

"There are so many fans of different sports, for them to be able to only look at the old action after a time it gets boring, for nostalgia you can go back and see what happened earlier but actually you wanna see live sport be it on television or ground and for that not being able to be seen till September that's a worrying thing and I am pretty certain that the officials of all the sports are planning plan a, b, c to get over this period of uncertainty," Gavaskar explained.

While there have been talks of holding an IPL behind closed doors, Gavaskar said that it should be the last option.

"I think that's gonna be absolutely the last resort otherwise you know when you can't have absolutely anyone at the ground only then you should play without crowds.

"Every performer likes to perform in front of a crowd which appreciates the skills and temperament. Same in theatre. So i think it's not going to be easy on the performers as well. Players also want to do the high fives and hugs."

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India's 'Hitman' Rohit Sharma turns 33. Let's relive his three double tons in ODIs

As the ace cricketer Rohit Sharma turns 33 today, let us go down the memory lane and relive the three double tons scored by the right-handed batsman in the ODI format.

Rohit, popularly known as the 'Hitman' made his ODI debut on June 23, 2007, but the batsman came into his known once he became the full-fledged opener in the limited formats.

Opening the batting, Rohit played his natural game and dominated the bowling attacks from the very start of his innings.

It is a testament to Rohit's aggressive batting abilities that the batsman has three double tons to his name in the ODI format.

Now, let's relive Rohit's three double tons in the 50-over format.

209 vs Australia, Bengaluru, 2013

Batting first, Rohit was slow off the mark and he took his time in building the innings. However, as soon as he got the scheme of things, Rohit started to go after the spin bowlers and in no time went past the 100-run mark. After reaching his century, he shifted gears and went on to bring up his first double century in ODIs. He went on to play a knock of 209 off just 158 balls. This innings helped India post 383 runs on the board, and the effort helped the side win the match by 57 runs.

264 vs Sri Lanka, Kolkata, 2014

Rohit went on to score 264 runs off just 173 balls against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata and this knock remains the highest score by any batsman in the 50-over format to date. The 32-year-old was given a reprieve when he was just on a score of four runs, and the batsman went on to make the most of it as he scored 260 more runs to make the Sri Lankan bowlers toil on the field.

208 vs Sri Lanka, Mohali, 2017

Batting first, Rohit Sharma went on play a knock of 208 runs off just 153 balls to take the Men in Blue's score to 392/4. The right-handed batsman's innings was studded with 13 fours and 12 sixes. This effort helped India win the match by 141 runs.

In the 2019 Cricket World Cup, Rohit Sharma finished the tournament as the highest run-scorer after registering 648 runs from just nine matches at an average of 81.00.

During the tournament, he had also become the first batsman to score five centuries in a single edition of the World Cup.

Rohit, who is now the vice-captain of the ODI team, has played 224 ODIs, 108 T20Is and 32 Tests so far.

The limited-overs vice-captain has so far scored 14,029 runs across all formats.

In the longest format, he has also reinvented himself as the batsman started opening the batting in Test cricket last year.

Rohit would have been in action for the Mumbai Indians had the Indian Premier League (IPL) commenced from March 29.

However, the tournament has been suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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.

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




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India's physically disabled players finally get prize money from BCCI

The two-month wait endured by India's Physical Disability T20 World Series-winning team for their prize money from the BCCI finally ended on Saturday after the Indian cricket board ensured that the Rs 3 lakh [to each player and support staff member] was remitted in their respective bank accounts.

mid-day on Friday had highlighted the hopes players had from the BCCI after the cash reward was announced on March 4. The BCCI deposited Rs 2.70 lakh [after tax] to all 18 players and five support staff members of the winning team.

It was a huge relief for Suganesh Mahendaran, son of an auto rickshaw driver. "I didn't expect the money to come so soon. When my teammate Ramesh Naidu informed me, I just couldn't believe it. This money is quite precious and we will use it very carefully," said the hard-hitting Tamil Nadu all-rounder, who changed the complexion of the final v England with his 11-ball 33 to help clinch the title in August 2019 at Worcestershire.

Naidu was thrilled too. "It is a huge amount for jobless cricketers like me. I will give this money to my father as he knows how best to utilise it," said Naidu, who is doing his M Tech from IIT Chennai.

Coach Sulakshan Kulkarni thanked mid-day for highlighting the players' cause. "We all received the money from BCCI. mid-day's article has made a lot of difference. So, a big thank you," said the former Mumbai wicketkeeper and Ranji Trophy-winning coach.

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Ravi Shastri: Class of 1985 would trouble Virat Kohli's limited overs side

Ravi Shastri is convinced that the class of India's 1985 team, of which he was a vital cog, was such it could trouble even the current team led by Virat Kohli. Shastri was the key man back in 1985 when the team under Sunil Gavaskar won the World Championship of Cricket. He was hero of India's triumph in Australia and had won the famous Audi car for being 'player of the tournament'. He is still influential in India's cricket set up, sitting in head coach chair, having played a significant role in team's ascendancy in world cricket across formats.

"No question about that. They (team of 85) will give any team that India puts up in white ball cricket, a run for their money. That team of 85 will give this team a run for money," Shastri said during 'Sony Ten Pit Stop' show on channel's FB page. Shastri also has a firm belief that that the team of 1985 was qualitatively better than the side that won the 1983 World Cup because it was a perfect blend of youth and experience. "I go one step ahead and say the team of 1985 was a stronger team compared to 1983.

"You know, I was part of both teams, I played in the 1983 World Cup and 1985, when you look man to man, 80 per cent of that 83 team was still there, but then some of the youngsters that you got in there like a Sivaramakrishnan, Sadanand Vishwanath, Azharuddin, those kind of guys came in to add to the experience you already had of 83 (and it) was fantastic." Shastri said that winning Test series in Australia in 2018-19 for the first time in 71 years was special but when it came to white ball cricket, 85 was special.

"It is great to be part of those two teams, as a coach that series in Australia, is going to be very very special and hard to beat, because that team wasn't beaten in 71 years by any Asian team. "There have been plenty who have gone there, tried their best and everyone knows how tough it is to beat Australia in Australia in Test match cricket, but in white ball cricket you can't beat 1985 as a player. To win both is fantastic."

Shastri then shared a hilarious anecdote about a team meeting before the final against Pakistan. Shastri imitated what Kapil Dev said in his typical English. "Kapil said, 'if I win car, I keep 25 percent (by selling) and rest share. Jimmy came and (said) "Yaar jisko mila mila' (whoever gets it, gets it). When my turn came, I said, if I win it, I am keeping the car and I can only share the stepney," Shastri said in typical tongue-in-cheek manner.

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




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Coronavirus outbreak: Deaths in UK care homes doubled to 2,500 in 7 days

Covid-19 related deaths within the UK's care homes for the elderly and vulnerable doubled within just one week, according to data collected and analysed by a leading representative body for the not-for-profit adult social care sector. The National Care Forum (NCF) report, released on Saturday, demonstrates 2,500 deaths within care homes within seven days, figures which it says highlights significant flaws in the current national reporting of coronavirus related death toll in the UK. It is hoped that this analysis will provide insight and impetus for the government to better address the needs of the care sector, the NCF said. The group's research came as pressure mounts on the British government to start counting deaths within the wider community and care homes to its daily hospital toll figures, which hit 15,464 on this week. Amid concerns that the national statistics presented by the government for coronavirus related mortality rates were not incorporating figures of deaths within residential and nursing homes, the NCF said it led an independent benchmarking exercise.

As many as 47 of its care provider members contributed to the audit, representing 1,169 care services that collectively support 30,217 people across the UK - 7.4 per cent of the overall residential care sector population. The resulting sample analysis suggests that a total of 4,040 people may have died of the deadly virus within UK residential and nursing services before April 13.

The figure of more than 4,000 people passing away of Covid-19 within care homes in little more than one month is devastating. Every death is a loss and a tragedy, said Vic Rayner, Executive Director of the National Care Forum. It is even more worrying to see a virtual doubling of deaths within homes in just one week, clearly indicating that whilst all attention has been on managing the peak in hospitals, the virus has attacked our most vulnerable communities, she said. The NCF said the data should be a wake up call to the government and society as a whole to recognise that its official whatever it takes approach has to be applied equally.

By highlighting the scale of the tragedy, we are giving the government an opportunity to respond with equal effort. It must act immediately and build a `ring of steel' around care homes. They need the right PPE [personal protective equipment], medical monitoring devices, rapid and comprehensive testing, proper funding and intensive research to safeguard the people they care for, Rayner added. The UK's Department of Health has repeatedly explained the focus on hospital deaths in its daily death toll tally on the time lag involved in care home deaths being collated. "Every death from this virus is a tragedy and that is why we are working around the clock to give the social care sector the equipment and support they need to tackle this global pandemic," a DoH spokesperson said.

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US oil prices turn positive, another bloodbath expected Tuesday

Oil is doing something that is even making Market veterans shake their heads in wonder. After shedding more than 300 per cent or $56 a barrel in one single day on Monday, the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for May delivery gained some ground early on Tuesday, recovering 103 per cent to come back in the positive zone at $1.35 a barrel.

But analysts expect that bloodbath in US oil market may continue well into Tuesday when May future contracts are expiring and traders still left with long positions facing actual delivery of oil may look to liquidate their stock even if they have to pay to do this. In simple terms this means that traders do not want to store crude by taking actual delivery for May and incur cost while not finding any buyers in the absence of demand that has also shrunk sharply by more than a third in Covid-19 pandemic.

"We could again see price of oil in US going into the negative zone on Tuesday. But this could be a lot less sharper than what was witnessed on Monday," said an oil sector analyst asking not to be named.

He said that lower oil prices bore good for India but how much oil companies can gain from US fall is uncertain as the Indian oil companies are not very active in the US markets and trade very small quantities in the spot market. Still some of this oil could be contracted if freight arrangements are worked out on time.

While US oil has shown significant fall, Brent has maintained a fairly steady path. The benchmark Brent oil is still hovering at $ 25 a barrel. The US WTI for June delivery is still keeping its heads up at over $ 20 a barrel. But it would be seen if Covid-19 situation improves in coming days and demand picks up. Otherwise, June oil futures can go the May way.

The decline of oil prices comes despite the recent output cut agreement between the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies.

There were hopes that agreement would stabilise oil prices, but with the Covid-19 pandemic continuing, there has been a large slip in demand that is not letting a pick-up in oil prices.

The current market is oversupplied on shrinking demand, creating a situation of free fall for crude.

The price of oil has now reached a point that it is increasingly becoming difficult for higher cost producers to remain in operation and rather look at declaring bankruptcy.

A lot of US shale producers are in deep trouble and analysts expect that low oil price for few more months will result in a spate of bankruptcies in the US.

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COVID-19 Outbreak: Donald Trump says testing 'not a problem,' but doubts persist

The White House released new guidelines Monday aimed at answering criticism that America's coronavirus testing has been too slow, and President Donald Trump tried to pivot toward a focus on 'reopening' the nation. Still, there were doubts from public health experts that the White House's new testing targets were sufficient. Monday's developments were meant to fill critical gaps in White House plans to begin easing restrictions, ramping up testing for the virus while shifting the president's focus toward recovery from the economic collapse caused by the outbreak. The administration unveiled a 'blueprint' for states to scale up their testing in the coming week, a tacit admission, despite public statements to the contrary, that testing capacity and availability over the past two months have been lacking.

The new testing targets would ensure states had enough COVID-19 tests available to sample at least 2.6 per cent of their populations each month, a figure already met by a majority of states. Areas that have been harder hit by the virus would be able to test at double that rate, or higher, the White House said. The testing issue has bedeviled the administration for months. Trump told reporters on March 6 during a visit to the CDC in Atlanta that 'anybody that wants a test can get a test,' but the reality has proved to be vastly different. The initial COVID-19 test developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was contaminated, and early kits operated only on platforms able to perform a small number of test per day. While the rate of testing increased as tests developed for higher-capacity platforms, they were still limited by shortages of supplies, from nasal swabs to the reagents used to process the samples.

Administration officials maintained Monday that the limiting factor now is actually the availability of samples from people who have been tested ' either because guidelines on who could be tested are too stringent or because there are not enough health workers able to take nasal swab samples from them. The CDC moved to address one of those concerns Monday, expanding the list of people to be prioritized for virus testing to include those who show no symptoms but are in high-risk settings like nursing homes. And Trump met with leaders of businesses including CVS, Walmart and Kroger, who said they were working to expand access to tests across the country. 'Testing is not going to be a problem at all,' Trump said later in the Rose Garden.

However, many of the administration's past pledges and goals on testing have not been met. Jeremy Konyndyk, a disaster preparedness expert who helped lead the Obama administration response to Ebola, said the administration's testing plans are well short of what is needed. Researchers at Harvard have estimated the country needs to be testing a minimum of 500,000 people per day, and possibly many more. Konyndyk said the aim should be 2 million to 3 million per day. Trump said the current total, up sharply in recent days, is over 200,000 per day. Konyndyk said, 'Over the past month, we've doubled or if you want to be really generous tripled the testing capacity in this country. We need to take where we are now and expand it 10-fold."

The testing blueprint for states provides details missing from the administration's guidelines for them to return to normal operations that were released more than a week ago. It includes a focus on surveillance testing as well as 'rapid response' programs to isolate those who test positive and identify those with whom they had come in contact. The administration aims to have the market 'flooded' with tests for the fall, when COVID-19 is expected to recur alongside the seasonal flu. Trump and administration medical experts outlined the plan on a call with governors Monday afternoon, before unveiling them publicly in a Rose Garden press conference. The White House announcements came as Trump sought to regain his footing after weeks of criticism and detours created in part by his press briefings.

Days after he set off a firestorm by publicly musing that scientists should explore the injection of toxic disinfectants as a potential virus cure, Trump said he found little use for his daily task force briefings, where he has time and again clashed with medical experts and reporters. Trump's aides had been trying to move the president onto more familiar and, they hope, safer, ground: talking up the economy in more tightly controlled settings. Republican Party polling shows Trump's path to a second term depends on the public's perception of how quickly the economy rebounds from the state-by-state shutdowns meant to slow the spread of the virus.

On Monday, the White House initially announced there would be a Trump briefing, but canceled it as Trump's greatest asset in the reelection campaign ' his ability to dominate headlines with freewheeling performances ' was increasingly seen as a liability. But hours later, Trump it became clear Trump had other ideas. He held court in the Rose Garden for a bit less than an hour. Spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said that briefings would be held later in the week but 'they might have a new look to them, a new focus to them.' Trump said he hoped that virus deaths would end up no more than 60,000 to 70,000, slightly revising upward his public estimate of recent days as the U.S. toll neared 56,000 on nearly 1 million cases.

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.

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




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South Korea experts downplay possible reinfections

South Korean infectious disease experts have downplayed concerns that patients could get reinfected with COVID-19 after recovering. While hundreds in South Korea have tested positive again after their release from hospitals, Oh Myoung-don, who heads the central clinical panel on new infectious diseases, on Wednesday said there was a "high possibility" that such test results were flawed.

He said South Korea's standard real-time PCR tests, designed to amplify the genetic materials of the virus so that even tiny quantities are detected, doesn't reliably distinguish between remains of dead virus and infectious particles. He said lab tests on animals suggest that COVID-19 patients would maintain immunity for at least a year after their infections. He also said it was unlikely that the virus could be reactivated after remaining dormant when it doesn't seem to be a type that causes chronic illnesses.

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No. of people tested positive after recovering

Construction fire near Seoul kills 8

A fire broke out on a construction site near Seoul on Wednesday, killing eight workers and leaving another 17 presumed dead. Local fire officials said the toll could rise as more people were believed to be trapped inside the warehouse that was under construction in Icheon. Another 14 or the 70 workers remained unaccounted for.

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




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Cute video alert! Dog adorably interrupts owner presenting weather report

In what appears to be an adorable working from home blunder, a video of a weatherman’s pet dog adorably interrupting his weather report has been making rounds of social media.

Meteorologist Paul Dellegatto was presenting the weather report from his home in Florida when his dog Brody entered the room, knocking into his computer and sat on his lap for a brief moment after which he went to find the cameraman, the New York Post reported.

Dellegatto can be heard playfully scolding Brody in the video saying, "This is not very smart," while the pooch begs him for some snacks and pets. Then after letting out a yawn, Brody runs off to look for the cameraman, who was filming the section from Dellegatto’s porch while maintaining social distance. He is heard saying, "Now he can't see Craig, so he's gone crazy trying to find Craig..."

The viral video posted by Andrew Fienberg on Twitter on Thursday managed to garner more than 3.4 million views with over 162,200 likes and was retweeted more than 35,700 times. The caption reads, "This is the best weather forecast in the history of television news."

Users commenting on the video resonated that this is the best content on Twitter right now, with some pointing out a cute-little detail in the video –a framed picture of Brody on Dellegatto’s desk.

What do you think about this video?

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Press Centre - Three islands receive EU Prize for innovative renewable energy solutions

[Source: Research & Innovation] The Danish island of Bornholm is the first ever winner of the EU RESponsible Island Prize. The Danish island won the title in recognition for its innovative energy solutions and its contribution to a sustainable and climate-friendly Europe, the European Commission announced today. The second prize went to the island of Samsø, also in Denmark, and the third prize to the Orkney Islands in the United Kingdom.




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Demonstration of innovative technologies towards a more efficient and sustainable plastic recycling - polynSPIRE - 14 May 2020

[Source: Research & Innovation] Polymer Comply Europe (PCE) is pleased to announce its next live webinar on the polynSPIRE project “Demonstration of innovative technologies towards a more efficient and sustainable plastic recycling”, organised on behalf of European Plastics Converters (EuPC) and the polynSPIRE project. The live webinar will focus on recycling and redesigning the plastics value chain are essential in reusing plastic waste material and avoiding landfill. Webinar agenda: Welcome & Introduction About CIRCE The polynSPIRE project: goals, challenges and progress Questions & Answers Closing




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Research Headlines - Faster, more affordable vaccine purification

[Source: Research & Innovation] Generating safe antigens to induce immunity is one of several key steps in vaccine production. Purification is another, and it is typically a complex process. EU-funded researchers have designed a way to simplify the process, boost yields, limit waste and reduce costs, in a bid to help make more doses available more affordably.




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Tax-News.com: India, Hong Kong Sign Double Tax Deal

Hong Kong and India on March 19 signed an agreement to avoid double taxation and limit withholding tax rates on passive income at source.




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Tax-News.com: India Sets Arm's Length 'Tolerable Range' For 2019-20

India's Ministry of Finance has released a new Notification that sets the "tolerable range" for arm's length dealings.




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Tax-News.com: Switzerland, Netherlands Amend Double Tax Pact

Switzerland and the Netherlands have signed a protocol to their double tax agreement that will bring it into line with international standards.




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Tax-News.com: Netherlands-UK Synthesized Double Tax Agreement Text Released

The UK Government on January 6, 2020, released the synthesized text of the 2008 Netherlands-UK double tax agreement, as modified by the BEPS multilateral instrument.




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Sensex Ends Lower, Yes Bank Q4 Results, HUL Block Deal, and Top Stocks in Focus Today

Posted by Equitymaster
      

Indian share markets ended their trading session lower yesterday.

Benchmark indices edged lower tracking weak global cues as investors fretted over weak economic data and rising COVID-19 cases.

Barring energy stocks, all sectoral indices ended on a negative note with stocks in the power sector, telecom sector and consumer durables sector witnessing most of the selling pressure.

At the closing bell yesterday, the�BSE Sensex stood lower by 242 points and the�NSE Nifty�closed down by 72 points.

The SGX Nifty�was trading at 9,200, down by 53 points, at the time of writing.

The�BSE Mid Cap�index and the�BSE Small Cap�index ended their day down by 0.5% and 0.1%, respectively.

Speaking of the current stock market scenario, after a sharp rally in the past few weeks, the markets have turned volatile again.

You would be interested in knowing when the market will likely bottom out.

Vijay Bhambwani, editor of Weekly Cash Alerts, has the answer and he has recorded a video about it.

You can check the same here -�This is When the Stock Market Will Bottom Out

Also, our special report, How to Trade the Coronavirus Crash, is the most comprehensive report on how to trade the coronavirus, both from a short-term and long-term perspective. You can�claim your FREE copy here...

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Find the Next Crorepati Stock in this Futuristic Industry

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Top Stocks in Focus Today

From the pharma sector, Dr Reddy's Laboratories share price will be in focus as the company announced that the its NDA (new drug application) Elyxyb ((celecoxib oral solution 25 mg/mL) has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

The drug is indicated for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults.

From the IT sector, HCL Technologies share price will also be in focus as the company reported a 22.8% year-on-year (YoY) rise in consolidated net profit at Rs 31.5 billion compared with Rs 25.7 billion in the same quarter last year.

Revenue for the quarter rose 16.3% YoY to Rs 185.9 billion from Rs 159.9 billion reported in the year-ago quarter. In dollar terms, revenue rose 11.7% YoY to US$ 2,543.40 million from US$ 2,277.80 million. On a sequential basis, dollar sales were flat. Sales growth in constant currency terms rose 13.5% YoY to US$ 2,584.60 million.

To know more about the company, you can read HCL Technologies' Q4FY20 result analysis on our website.

Market participants will also be tracking RBL Bank share price, Cyient share price and Gillette share price as these companies announced their March quarter results yesterday.

You can read our recently released Q4FY20 results of other companies here: Ambuja Cement,�IndusInd Bank,�Axis Bank,�Tech Mahindra,�HUL,�Reliance Industries,�Marico, Kansai Nerolac, NIIT Technologies, Persistent Systems.

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Corona Crash Alert: 7 Stocks You Absolutely Don't Want to Miss

Our Co-Head of Research, Tanushree Banerjee, has identified 7 stocks that could do exceedingly well in the coming years riding on a rare economic event.

And with the corona crash, this opportunity has only become even more exciting.

And she says those who get into these 7 stocks right now have the chance to make potentially LIFE-CHANGING returns in the long run.

So will you be among those who acts on this opportunity now? Or will you be among those who will kick yourself later not taking action now? The choice is yours.

Full details on these 7 stocks are included in Tanushree's special report. And by acting fast, you can claim a copy of this report virtually FREE.

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------------------------------

GSK Sells Stake in HUL via Block Deal

From the FMCG sector, Hindustan Unilever (HUL) share price will be in focus as the UK-based Glaxo-SmithKline (GSK) offloaded its stake in HUL via block deals yesterday.

According to the term sheet, over 133 million shares are being offered in the range of Rs 1,850-1,950 to investors through a special block window. The deal will be valued roughly between Rs 246 billion to Rs 259 billion.

GSK and�Horlicks�are selling up to US$ 3.4 billion worth of HUL shares through what could be India's biggest secondary market block trades.

The British drug maker is looking to monetise about 5.7% of�HUL stock it had got after last year's merger of GSK Consumer Healthcare and HUL.

As per the scheme of amalgamation amongst GSK Consumer Healthcare and HUL, GlaxoSmithKline Pte had received 54.08 million shares of HUL, meanwhile Horlicks received 79.69 million shares.

Accordingly, parent company Unilever Plc and group companies' stake in HUL reduced to 61.9%, from 67.2% earlier after the issue of new shares.

Yes Bank Q4FY20 Results

Yes Bank reported better-than-expected March quarter (Q4FY20) results.

Yes Bank�posted a net profit of Rs 26.3 billion on the back of one-time gain attributed to an exceptional item of Rs 63 billion.

The bank has written-down additional tier-1 bonds as part of its planned reconstruction scheme, leading to a one-time gain of Rs 63 billion.

In the absence of the exceptional gain, the bank would have reported a net loss of Rs 36.7 billion.

The bank had reported a net loss of Rs 15.1 billion a year ago, while the same was Rs 185.6 billion in Q3FY20.

The bank's net interest income (NII) for the March quarter came in at Rs 12.7 billion, up 19.6% sequentially.

Net interest margin (NIM) for Q4FY20 came in at 1.9%, compared to 3.1% a year ago.

On the asset quality front, gross non-performing assets (NPA) fell 19% QoQ to Rs 328.8 billion, mostly on account of write-offs.

The bank's deposits plunged to Rs 1.05 lakh crore, down 54% YoY compared with Rs 2.27 lakh crore.

Meanwhile, Advances declined 29% YoY to Rs 1.7 lakh crore from Rs 2.4 lakh crore in the year-ago quarter.

For the financial year 2019-20 (FY20), the private lender posted a loss of Rs 164.2 billion, on a standalone basis, compared to net profit of Rs 17.2 billion in the previous year.

To know more, you can read Yes Bank's latest result analysis on our website.

Speaking of the banking sector, the low access to credit for micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) tells us there is a huge opportunity for lenders.

This is evident from the chart below:

India's Huge Lending Opportunity

Of the 60 million MSMEs in India, only 11% had access to credit from organised lenders. Most of them are self-financed or get credit from unorganised sources.

Here's what Tanushree Banerjee wrote about this in one of the editions of�The 5 Minute WrapUp...

  • Self-financing limits the growth of these MSMEs. On the other hand, high interest rates from unorganised sources makes it difficult for them to earn profits.

    The Modi government is looking at various ways�to correct this problem. Mudra loans, online loans facilities are being made available to MSMEs.

    Slowly but surely, lenders are sensing the huge opportunity that lies ahead for this sector.

    Banks and other financial firms with prudent lending practices and strong distribution networks will benefit from this�megatrend.

Tanushree is counting on 7 top stocks from the Indian stock market that will benefit from this megatrend.

As per her, now is the right time to buy these stocks to profit from the�Rebirth of India.�You can read about them here.

And to know what's moving the Indian stock markets today, check out the most recent�share market updates here.



This article (Sensex Ends Lower, Yes Bank Q4 Results, HUL Block Deal, and Top Stocks in Focus Today) is authored by Equitymaster.

Equitymaster is a leading 'independent' equity research initiative focused on providing well-researched and unbiased opinions on stocks listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange.




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HATHWAY CABLE Surges by 11%; BSE 500 Index Up 1.2%

Posted by Equitymaster
      

HATHWAY CABLE share price has zoomed 11% and is presently trading at Rs 20.

Meanwhile, the BSE 500 Index is at 12,146 (up 1.2%).

Among the top Gainers in the BSE 500 Index today is HATHWAY CABLE (up 11.5%).

ADANI PORTS & SEZ and CARE RATING are among the top losers today.

Over the last one year, HATHWAY CABLE has moved down from Rs 29 to Rs 20, registering a loss of Rs 9 (down 32.2%).

On the other hand, the BSE 500 has moved down from 14,958 to 12,146, loss of 2,812 points (down 19.2%) during the last 12 months.

The top gainers among the BSE 500 Index stocks during this same period were ADANI GREEN ENERGY (up 432.6%), ABBOTT INDIA (up 145.6%) and NAVIN FLUORINE (up 117.3%).

One Stock Crorepati: The Biggest Money-Making Opportunity Available Right Now

What About the Benchmark Indices?

The BSE Sensex is at 32,089 (up 1.4%).

The top gainers among the BSE Sensex stocks today are INDUSIND BANK (up 4.0%), HUL (up 3.2%) and KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK (up 2.6%). Other gainers include RELIANCE IND. (up 2.5%) and ICICI BANK (up 2.4%). The most traded stocks in the BSE Sensex are RELIANCE IND. and INDUSIND BANK.

In the meantime, NSE Nifty is at 9,383 (up 1.4%). The top gainers in the NSE Nifty include INDUSIND BANK (up 3.9%), DR. REDDYS LAB (up 3.5%) and KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK (up 3.2%). Other gainers include INDIABULLS HOU. FIN. (up 3.2%) and HUL (up 2.9%) are among the top gainers in NSE Nifty.

Over the last 12 months, the BSE Sensex has moved down from 38,277 to 32,089, registering a loss of 6,188 points (down 16.71%).

HATHWAY CABLE Financial Update...

HATHWAY CABLE net profit declined 168.0% YoY to Rs 131 million for the quarter ended March 2020, compared to a loss of Rs 192 million a year ago. Net Sales rose 5.7% to Rs 1.5 billion during the period as against Rs 1.4 billion in January-March 2019.

For the year ended March 2019, HATHWAY CABLE reported 336.0% decrease in net profit to Rs 2.4 billion compared to net profit of Rs 1.0 billion during FY18.

Revenue of the company grew 1.5% to Rs 16 billion during FY19.

The current Price to earnings ratio of HATHWAY CABLE, based on rolling 12 month earnings, stands at 206.9x.

This article (HATHWAY CABLE Surges by 11%; BSE 500 Index Up 1.2%) is authored by Equitymaster.

Equitymaster is a leading 'independent' equity research initiative focused on providing well-researched and unbiased opinions on stocks listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange.




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