Welcome to the one and only cat sanctuary that floats! A true hidden gem in Amsterdam. 

De Poezenboot (translated in English to 'The Cat Boat') first began not on a boat at all. In 1966, a woman in Amsterdam, known as v. Weddle, found a stray mother cat with kittens and took on the task of caring for them. Soon enough, more and more cats began to come and be taken under her wing. 

Fast forward to two years later in 1968 and the first boat was born! V. Weedle had a large house with a terrace but was soon becoming too small for the cats so she bought a boat on the canal! The boat was named 'The Tjalk' and was completely furnished and made suitable for all the cats. And as soon as the floating santuary was open people came to help care for all those stray cats -- the first volunteers. 

Written in the history of De Poezenboot, "The Tjalk has served faithfully for about 10 years and was replaced by an Ark at the end of 1979. And because the Ark was specially built on the yard for the shelter of cats, this boat met all the requirements we set for it. "

And in 1987, the foundation was founded, "Stichting de Poezenboot."

De Poezenboot is home to so many beautiful cats but is also working to help cats find a forever home with a family. You can donate to their cause here. 

Follow 'The Cat Boat' on Instagram! 

The floods that submerged one-fifth of Pakistan's territory took more than six months to recede.

One of the most affected regions was the Sindh region, located in the western corner of South Asia. 

At their peak, the floodwaters were up to 20 feet deep. About 20 million people were displaced.

But apparently, people were not the only ones seeking shelter from the devastating floods. 

One of the unexpected side-effects of the flooding has been that millions of spiders climbed up into the trees to escape the rising floodwaters, turning them into futuristic-looking trees cocooned in spiders' webs.

The people living in that area claimed they have never seen this phenomenon before but were glad to discover that those cocooned trees were actually significantly reducing the numbers of mosquitos and thereby, the risk of malaria. 

It is thought that the mosquitoes were getting caught in the spiders' webs which would be one blessing for the people of the area, facing so many other hardships after the floods. 

Check out some of the stunning photos, released by the department of international development.

Mars could have had an ancient ocean in its northern hemisphere, and a large raft of volcanic rock may have floated across it to settle into mounds we can see today

AI can check satellite images of the ocean and distinguish between floating materials such as seaweed or plastics, which could help clean-up efforts

We’ve found a 200-metre cliff in Mars's Hellas basin, the first evidence of a river that flowed on the planet for more than 100,000 years

Amid the global coronavirus outbreak, a second epidemic of preliminary, unverified and misinterpreted research has broken out. Can it be fixed?

The band's influence can be heard in everything from art-rock and hip-hop to trance and house.

Horticulturalist Ben Cross is working with supermarkets to donate flowers to NHS workers.

The flower tattoo on the woman's right forearm is the only identifier

Deja vu seems to have struck the Rabale MIDC police. Close to a year after they found the headless body of a murdered woman who could be identified only because of a tattoo, another such case has come to light, this time of a woman, whose body was found highly decomposed, with the only mark of recognition being a flower tattoo on her right forearm.

The highly decomposed body was found on April 9

The police found the body on April 9, after being alerted by the control room about a foul smell emanating from a sewer carrying industrial waste close to Airoli railway station. When a team visited the spot, they saw the highly decomposed body of a woman with maggots all over it. Her face was beyond recognition. A closer examination helped cops lay hands on their only clue - the tattoo.

The woman was wearing this kurta

Dumped or hacked
Speaking to mid-day, inspector P Jadhav of Rabale police station said, "We saw the upper body on a dry surface, while her legs were submerged in the sewer water. The deceased was removed from the water and upon examination, the tattoo was found on the forearm. A dupatta was also found around her neck. Prima-facie, we suspect the deceased might have been known to the assailant and that the body could have either been dumped or the accused may have hacked the woman to death."

Armed with only the flower tattoo on the right forearm of the deceased, and a picture of the chudidar and decomposed body, policemen have fanned across Mumbai, Thane and neighbouring areas looking for some clue from the missing persons register, whose description could match with that of the remains.

Limited clues
A parallel investigation is being done by the local crime branch, who also visited the spot. Tushar Doshi, deputy commissioner of police (crime) said, "We have limited clues in hand. We could not find any tailor's name on the greenish yellow Punjabi kurta that the deceased was wearing. We could not find anything concrete from the spot, as there was a lot of muck and waste in and around the area where the body was found; it was already in a decomposed state."

The local police have already started showing the tattoo to tattoo artists in and around the area. Cops are also checking if a bar dancer or woman employee from the MIDC industrial area have gone missing in the last few days. Meanwhile, the autopsy has thrown up details about the way the woman was killed. The remains were sent to the NMMC hospital's Vashi post mortem centre. During the course of the procedure, autopsy surgeon Dr Bhushan Jain confirmed the woman was strangulated to death and had also suffered a head injury. Dr Jain said, "The incident might have happened around three to five days ago, as the upper body and face had been eaten up by maggots. The body was in a highly decomposed state. The death was due to strangulation and head injury."

Ante mortem injuries
A source at the police station said prima-facie it seems that the deceased might have been between 30-35 years old, the injuries on the body were ante mortem (before death) injuries and a dupatta, possibly worn by the woman, was used to strangulate her. Since the body was partly submerged in water, early signs of decomposition were visible on the lower remains, whereas the upper remains were highly decomposed. Rabale police have registered a case of murder and destruction of evidence against unknown assailant(s).

Also Read: Navi Mumbai headless torso case: Horrific details of the brutal murder

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Representational Image

A 28-year-old labourer died after he fell off the 20th floor of an under-construction building in suburban Malad, police said on Tuesday. The incident occurred when Abu Tahir was doing a plastering work on the 20th floor of the high-rise in a Malwani area, said a police official.

Tahir was rushed to a hospital by locals where doctors declared him brought dead. A case was registered under section 304 (A) (causing death due to negligence) against two persons for not ensuring the safety of the labourer, he said, adding that further investigation is on.

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By holding on to a tree branch, one-year-old Atharva Barkade survived what could have easily been a fatal fall. Atharva fell from the balcony of his fourth-floor home in Deonar on Thursday morning, after curiously crawling to the edge of it. Luckily, he escaped with a few bruises. Preliminary tests have not indicated any injuries, but he has been admitted in the ICU as a precautionary measure.

The Barkades reside on the fourth floor of Jay Gopi Krishna CHS at Deonar. Around 8:45 am on Thursday, Ajit, Atharva's father, was getting ready to go to work. At the other end of the house, Atharva's grandmother was going to the balcony attached to the living room to put out clothes to dry. Atharva crawled behind her and out of the balcony.

Crawling and falling
Just then, Ajit entered the living room and saw Atharva crawling out of the balcony and yelled when he saw his baby fall from it. "I was cooking when I heard Ajit shouting. All the family members rushed to the living room and he just kept pointing to the balcony," said Anjali, Atharva's aunt. "We all rushed to the ground floor and to our surprise, found Atharva crying and trying to stand up," added Anjali.

The fourth floor balcony from where Atharva fell. Pic/Rajesh Gupta

Ajit and Mangal, Atharva's parents, checked his body for injuries. They were able to only find bruises on his back. But they decided to go for a more professional assessment. "Without giving it a second thought, we rushed to the main road looking for an autorickshaw and took him to a private hospital in Chembur, where we were told that they don't have the facilities to admit a baby. Then, we took him to the Fortis Hospital in Mulund," said Mangal, Atharva's mother.

Admitted in ICU
Atharva has been admitted in the paediatric ICU and currently kept under observation for 48 hours. According to the family, the CT scan and other reports have not shown any internal bleeding. The Govandi Police have made an entry of the incident. They were alerted when Atharva was taken to the hospital. According to cops who examined the spot, "The baby must have fallen on a flexible tree branch and held it until he lost its grip and fell, which reduced his speed. Had he fallen directly on the ground, it could have been fatal." The cops suspect he gripped on the tree first as he was found holding a few leaves after he fell.

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A 25-year-old man was found dead in a flour mill in Bhiwandi in Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Friday. Krishna Gautam used to work as a machine operator in Therma Flour Mills and stayed in one of the galas in the company premises, Bhoiwada police said.

"He was found dead in his gala Thursday morning by friends who had come to invite him to play Holi. His head bore injury marks. We have taken a case of murder against unidentified persons," an official said.

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One of the major factors for any bouquet or flower to last longer is how it has been conditioned. Each flower has a different science to it so when your flowers first arrive at your door step, all they need is a bit of pruning and fresh water to perk up! Anuja Joshi, Marketing Director and creative face of Interflora India lists the reasons on keeping flowers fresh

1. Remove the flowers from the box and wrap the bouquet

2. Fill a vase 2/3rd with room-temperature water.

3. Empty the entire sachet of Interflora flower food that's provided and stir to mix.

4. Trim 1 to two inches of the stems at an angle using scissors or a sharp knife.

5. Place the bouquet into a vase, Tweak the arrangement as needed and watch your flowers perk up before your eyes!

How to change water in your flower arrangement:

1. Water wisely: Since flowers continue to drink water after they've been cut, it's important to keep fresh flowers in water always. Exposing the stem to air, even briefly, can cause the water-absorbing cells to shrivel which can shorten the life of your flowers.

2. Cut stems: Trim the flower stems at an angle before inserting in water. Cutting the stems at an angle prevents them from sitting flat at the bottom of the vase which can block the absorption of water. Re-trim the stems once every few days.

3. Prune daily: Look out for dead or loose leaves that may be submerged in water and remove them. Leaving them will cause bacterial rot which can shorten the life of your bouquet.

4. Avoid heat and drafts: Place your flowers in an area that's protected from excessive heat such as heat-generating appliances like heaters or ovens and direct sunlight

5. Important information: For those with allergies or sensitivities to flower fragrance, the best non-fragrant options are tropical flowers such as orchids, anthurium, birds of paradise or other tropical varieties

Tarun Joshi, Co-founder and CEO of IGP.com (Indian Gifting portal) also have some ideas to share

6. Unwrap the plastic/paper wrapping as soon as possible.

7. Avoid placing flower arrangements in windowsills and other areas with full sun where flowers can wilt due to overheating. Most flowers will last longer under cool conditions.

8. Keep your vase filled with water! All flower and foliage stems should be submerged. Flowers stay fresher, longer when they can get a drink!

9. If your flowers came in a basket or other container with foam, add fresh water every day.

10. Immediately remove dead or wilting leaves and stems from fresh flower arrangements.

11. Watch your water. When it gets cloudy it's time to change it out.

How to change the water in your flower arrangement

1. First remove any dead or dying flowers from the arrangement.

2. After carefully removing the good flowers, clean the vase thoroughly with soapy water to remove any bacteria that could cause the fresh flowers to deteriorate even quicker. Be sure to rinse thoroughly.

3. Replace the water and mix in the flower preservative provided by your florist, according to the instructions on the packet.

4. For best results, cut stems with a sharp knife at an angle about one to two inches from the bottom. This allows them to better absorb water. Do not use scissors to cut your flowers because they can crush the stems and prevent water absorption.

5. Place loose stems or wrapped bouquets of fresh flowers in your water mixture as soon as possible.

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Despite a nationwide lockdown, people continue to step out for morning and evening walks in Aarey Milk Colony. Moreover, there have been instances of locals venturing into the forest area surrounding the VIP guest house, which is known for wildlife activity.

Taking note of this, the Thane Forest Department has written to Aarey police station requesting action against those found flouting the lockdown rules.

The volunteers monitoring leopard activity in Aarey informed the Thane Forest Department about locals venturing into the forest area. A volunteer told mid-day, "I learned from my sources that many people, including some morning and evening walkers and Adarsh Nagar slum pocket residents, venture into the forest surrounding the VIP guest House, which is even frequently visited by wild animals. This information has been passed on to the forest department."

Sources also said that residents of Adarsh Nagar slums regularly roam around the VIP guest house in groups, flouting social distancing norms.

Range Forest Officer (RFO), Santosh Kank said, "People are expected to stay indoors and maintain social distancing but volunteers, who have been doing camera trapping exercises to monitor leopard activity saw people roaming in the area surrounding the VIP guest House hillock. The area has seen leopard activity in the last few days and to prevent any man-animal conflict, people should not venture into the woods. We have already informed the Aarey police station through a letter and we expect them to take action against the violators."

Illegal encroachment taking place in Aarey

The boundary encroachers built surrounding a huge portion of land in Unit 13

A nature lover from Aarey has alleged that people have been trying to encroach Aarey Milk Colony Unit – 13 by axing trees and constructing boundaries around a huge chunk of land. Elijah Emmanuel, a teacher at the kindergarten for slum children, told mid-day, "For the last two-three weeks, I have seen people cutting down trees and building boundaries in Unit 13. During the monsoon, hutments will be constructed as no one comes to check. When I objected, they threatened me and my family. Today, more than 50 people from the area came to my house and abused and threatened me with harm. But the people from Aarey CEO office came and demolished the boundaries. I have registered a complaint with the local police station and hope they take necessary action against those threatening me."

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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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Now that we are done packing our winter stuff, it¿s time to gear up and welcome the new season with some latest fashion trends.

The 2018 spring summer fashion trends are a fab mix of pastels, florals, sequins, fringes, ruffles, checks and definitely fun and bold colours.

Prep your wardrobe as Monica Oswal, Executive Director, Monte Carlo suggests you to stock up your closet with apparels in advance and unleash your up-to-date look this spring summer.

Sequins
Sequins and sparkles will be a hit this spring and summer. In fashion industry, glitter always prevails. Pair up a sequins top with pair of legging for a day glam disco look or a A-line skirt to have an alluring boho outfit. Choose from shades of gold, silver to pair up with darker tones likes blue and black or experiment with bold colours such as red, orange and magenta and pair them up with a light shade scarf or a jacket.

Pastels
Pastels will be the best pick for spring wardrobe. Add on the pale hues from yellow, purple, green, pink and orange. The shades are delicate yet they can give a strong look. These ice-cream shades go great in the sunny days, as they have cool undertones. Play around with pastel colour palette to have the quirky yet serene look.

Vintage Florals
Florals have been on top of the charts for years, but this 2018 spring summer collection brings in the vintage florals. It is a trend that was once worn in 40s and 50s and it¿s back this season. Wear a maxi or a midi dress or pair up a midi skirt in this vintage print with a solid blouse for a great surefire seller look, or pair up a floral top with a denim jacket and spread some spring vibes. One can also carry accessories in the floral prints such as scarf, mobile covers, bags or shoes.

Heritage Checks
These summer plaids are best for the formal wear. Wear a floaty feminine business suit in the heritage check pattern. It¿s comfortable yet a subtle option for an official meeting. Pair up a linen shirt with a plaid pencil skirt or trouser. Check shirts can also be opted for daily wear options and can be paired up with a scarf to pep up the look.

Fringing
Fringes are back this season, but with a sophisticated touch. Last season fringes were bold and festive. This summer fringes have an empowered appeal to it. Fringe skirts and dresses are perfect for an evening or a cocktail. Style them up with a stiletto or ankle tie-up wedges or add a hint of accessory, such as cocktail ring or an elegant pair of earrings.

Bold Colours
This summer is all about going bold with the bright and vibrant shades. From primary shades to neon accents, this season has spring bold hues. Experiment with bright pinks, yellows, reds, blues and more, wear them with monochrome blocks or tone them down with neutral shades.

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Six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady got his signals crossed trying to visit his new Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator and walked into a neighboring house by mistake, celebrity website TMZ reported Thursday. Brady's blunder came April 7 as the 42-year-old quarterback, a newcomer to the Tampa area after playing the past 20 NFL seasons for the New England Patriots, searched for the home of Bucs offensive mastermind Byron Leftwich, according to TMZ.

Brady knew Leftwich was expecting him to pick up team-related materials so he just walked into the home of David Kramer without knocking, setting down two bags without realizing Leftwich's house, which has similar white and gray paint and triangular roofs, was the larger one next door. "I literally was just sitting here and I watch this tall guy just walk into my house," Kramer told MZ.

"He didn't even look at me. He just like dropped his duffel bags down on the floor and just kind of like looked up at me and I'll never forget the look on his face. "He just goes, 'Am I in the wrong house?" An apologetic Brady hustled out of the home as if he were being chased by an NFL defender. "He was like, 'I am so sorry. I am so sorry," Kramer said. "Grabs his bags and just is gone. I don't think I've seen someone leave a house faster." Brady, with more Super Bowl rings than any player in NFL history, went next door and finally found the coach who will direct his plays next season when the record-setting passer makes his debut with the Buccaneers.

It wasn't the only trouble Brady has had since the move to Florida. He was told Monday to leave a public park in Tampa when he tried to work out there in breach the city's stay-at-home coronavirus rules. Brady was able to laugh at his blunders in an Instagram post, saying: "Trespassing in parks, breaking and entering... Just making myself at home in Tompa Bay!" Brady has bid to register trademarks on the phrases "Tompa Bay" and "Tampa Brady".

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A video about Aamir Khan's unique donation to those hit hard by the lockdown has surfaced online. It claims that on April 23, a truck arrived in an underprivileged area in Delhi. The vehicle was loaded with one-kilo packets of wheat flour. Many felt the quantity was too meagre and would hardly serve any purpose, so some refused to take it. But the slum-dwellers who took it were in for a huge surprise.

There was Rs 15,000 in every pack. It is unconfirmed but fans believe that it was Khan's idea to ensure that the money reaches those who need it. The authenticity of the video is yet to be ascertained. But the star is one of those who believe that when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets.

Many Bollywood celebrities have been doing their bit in their way by making contributions. Speaking about the same, a source close to the actor tells us that the actor has already made his contributions to PM Cares fund, Chief minister's relief fund- COVID 19, film workers' association and a few NGOs along with extending support to the daily wage workers of his next film, Laal Singh Chaddha during this lockdown.

There are very few people who mark their donations without any posts on social media, and one such actor is Aamir Khan. Time and again, when the nation has needed help, Aamir has been at the forefront to extend his support by all means.

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Tuesday marked three years of Baahubali: The Conclusion. Lead star Prabhas took to Instagram to thank fans for the 'enormous outpouring of love that still flows'. The South sensation wrote, "Baahubali 2 was not just a film that the nation loved but also the biggest film of my life. I'm grateful to fans, team and director SS Rajamouli who made it one of the most memorable projects. I'm delighted for all the love the film and I have received (sic)."

 

 

 

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A post shared by Prabhas (@actorprabhas) onApr 27, 2020 at 11:30pm PDT

For the uninitiated, Prabhas started his career in 2002 and has never halted ever since! The actor has with every passing year given one of the most promising performances and characters we can all relate to.

Fans demanded another edition of the epic. Baahibali did tremendously well even at the box office and Prabhas was phenomenal. The speech delivery, physique, body language was so perfect that no one except Prabhas could have aced the role. Baahubali chose Prabhas and it's indeed amazing. Baahubali was one of the biggest films of all time and more so, for its grandeur and Prabhas' stardom.

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Digital marketing and artists management are the most fast-growing nooks of the industry which lead towards the success of one. Kunal Dron is one of the leading digital marketers with considerable accomplishments. In his industry Kunal is known as "Kunal Dron".

These days the trend of Punjabi songs and movies is getting elevated as it is highly appreciated by each and every one. But the significant faces behind the vogue of such popular rising sensation from Punjab are unsung. They are the reason behind the talent of Punjab getting opportunities in the Bollywood industry.

Thus Kunal Dron is going to Produce Punjabi projects by bringing the versatile talent of Punjab on the mainstream media which will prove to be an opportunity for several. As these Punjabi talents are already having a huge fan following on their social media accounts but by launching them in B-town they will be then admired more by many.

Thus, his plan to bring and promote more brown and Punjabi artists to the mainstream media and when it comes to social media then he wants them to flourish with a terrific fan following that will open up more doors of opportunities for them. With his digital realm tactics and years of experience in dealing and managing artists, he has come a long way. We wish him all the best for his future.

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Amitabh Bachchan is the master of throwback pictures and moments. His social media account is a treat for all the Bollywood buffs and especially people who are their fans and admirers. They're fun, nostalgic and they give us a priceless glimpse back in history. Recently, he shared a picture from his family vacation.

Big B reminisced about his visit to the Keukenhof Garden, Netherlands. Not just that, the veteran actor also had a fun anecdote to share along with a picture of what he called the best garden in the world. The superstar revealed how son Abhishek Bachchan fell into a bed of flowers during the trip and got lost in the valley of flowers. He wrote, "We are all living in 'hortus conclusus' .. wandering about within ourselves .. in our 'enclosed garden' .. BUT .. Keukenhof , the most beautiful open garden is different .. such fond memories of Jaya Abhishek and Shweta in these heavenly spaces .. and little Abhishek falling into one bunch , into one kyaari and almost getting lost ... those were the days !!"

 

 

 

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We are all living in ‘hortus conclusus’ .. wandering about within ourselves .. in our ‘enclosed garden’ .. BUT .. Keukenhof , the most beautiful open garden is different .. such fond memories of Jaya Abhishek and Shweta in these heavenly spaces .. and little Abhishek falling into one bunch , into one à¤Â•à¥Âयारà¥Â€ and almost getting lost ..😀 .. those were the days !!

A post shared by Amitabh Bachchan (@amitabhbachchan) onMay 6, 2020 at 9:15pm PDT

The superstar who is quite active on social media often shares pictures and memories of his family. Recently, his daughter, Navya Naveli Nanda, recently graduated from Fordham University in New York. He took to social media to pen a congratulatory message. Big B shared how they celebrated Navya's big day at his Jalsa home since the graduation ceremony has been stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with the post, he shared a video in which Navya is seen wearing a home-made graduation gown and cap.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Amitabh Bachchan (@amitabhbachchan) onMay 6, 2020 at 8:13am PDT

Last week, Amitabh paid an emotional tribute to Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor, who passed away on April 29 and 30 respectively.  He shared a collage of throwback pictures of Irrfan and Rishi on his Instagram and wrote, "The death of an elder celebrity vs death of a younger .. the grief of the latter more intense than that of the former .. why ..? The younger more tragic. Why the loss of the young seems more tragic than that of the older .. Because you lament the loss of opportunity in the latter .. unrealised possibilities (sic)."

 

 

 

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à¤Âà¤Â• वà¥Âƒध लà¥Â‹à¤Â•पà¥Âरिय à¤ÂÂœानà¥Â€ मानà¥Â€ हसà¥Âतà¥Â€ à¤Â•à¥Â€ मà¥Âƒतà¥Âयà¥Â vs à¤Âà¤Â• à¤ÂÂœवान लà¥Â‹à¤Â•पà¥Âरिय à¤ÂÂœानà¥Â€ मानà¥Â€ हसà¥Âतà¥Â€ à¤Â•à¥Â€ मà¥Âƒतà¥Âयà¥Â ; हमà¥Â‡à¤Â‚ à¤ÂÂœवान à¤Â•à¥Â€ मà¥Âƒतà¥Âयà¥Â à¤Â•ा दà¥Âà¤Âƒà¤Â– दरà¥Âद à¤ÂÂœ़à¥Âयादा , à¤Â•à¥Âयà¥Â‚à¤Â लà¤Â—ता हà¥Âˆ ; शà¥Â‹à¤Â• à¤Â•à¥Â€ à¤Â˜ड़à¥Â€ à¤ÂÂœ़à¥Âयादा भारà¥Â€ à¤Â•à¥Âयà¥Â‚à¤Â लà¤Â—तà¥Â€ हà¥Âˆ ; दà¥Â‹नà¥Â‹à¤Â‚ हà¥Â€ à¤ÂÂ…पनà¥Â€ à¤ÂÂ…पनà¥Â€ à¤ÂÂœà¤Â—ह , à¤Â•़ायम पà¥Âरà¤Âšलित , लà¥Â‹à¤Â•पà¥Âरिय , à¤ÂÂœानि मानà¥Â€ हसà¥Âतियाà¤Â , फिर à¤Âà¤Â• à¤Â•ा शà¥Â‹à¤Â• दà¥Â‚सरà¥Â‡ सà¥Â‡ à¤ÂÂœ़à¥Âयादा à¤Â—मà¥Âभà¥Â€र à¤Â•à¥Âयà¥Â‚à¤Â लà¤Â—ता हà¥Âˆ । à¤Â•à¥Âयà¥Â‚à¤Âà¤Â•ि , à¤ÂÂœà¥Â‹ à¤ÂÂœवान था à¤Â‰सà¤Â•à¥Â€ à¤Â—à¥Âà¤Â‚à¤ÂÂœाà¤Â‡श à¤Â•à¥Â€ मà¥Âƒतà¥Âयà¥Â हà¥Â‹ à¤Â—à¤Âˆ ; à¤ÂÂœà¥Â‹ à¤Â‰ससà¥Â‡ समà¥Âभावनाà¤Âà¤Â बन सà¤Â•तà¥Â€à¤Â‚ थà¥Â€à¤Â‚ , वà¥Â‹ समापà¥Âत हà¥Â‹ à¤Â—यà¥Â€à¤Â‚ । The death of an elder celebrity vs death of a younger .. the grief of the latter more intense than that of the former .. why ..? The younger more tragic Why the loss of the young seems more tragic than that of the older .. Because you lament the loss of opportunity in the latter .. unrealised possibilities

A post shared by Amitabh Bachchan (@amitabhbachchan) onMay 1, 2020 at 9:07pm PDT

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While many of us are enjoying the quarantine time with our family, it has somewhere directly impacted the Indian television. There have been no streaming of the latest episodes from our favourite shows on TV anymore. However, this has helped in the comeback of iconic shows like Ramayana and Mahabharat on Doordarshan. The government-run channel may have lost its magic along the way but no amount of time spent on Netflix or Hotstar can replace the nostalgia! Right?

As part of its #StayHomeIndia campaign during the lockdown, Doordarshan is telecasting its popular shows of the 1980s, which include Ramayan, Mahabharat, Circus, Dekh Bhai Dekh and Chanakya. Fans of shows of that era have been active on social media telling DD which other shows it needs to re-run. Here are some of the popular shows that Doordarshan should re-telecast.

Flop Show

The sitcom first aired in 1989. Written and directed by Jaspal Bhatti, who also played as the main character, was a satire on the socio-cultural problems faced by the common man in India at the time. Flop Show was highly popular among the masses, with the satire of late Jaspal Bhatti keeping us entertained.

Bharat Ek Khoj

A stellar series based on Jawaharlal Nehru's book 'The Discovery of India', Bharat Ek Khoj depicted the history of India, from its origin till Independence. Directed by Shyam Benegal, Roshan Seth played Nehru, and also doubled up as the storyteller. Stalwarts like Om Puri, Tom Alter and Sadashiv Amrapurkar were also part of the show.

Surabhi

A hugely popular cultural magazine show of the 90s, Surabhi was delightfully anchored by Renuka Shahane and Siddharth Kak. The show became hugely popular among audiences as it invited viewer participation, and people sent in postcards in big numbers in an era before mobiles and the internet.

Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan

This was the first talk show of Indian television, and arguably one of the most popular ones ever. It was hosted by Tabassum, who was once a popular child star. Her affable demeanour towards the celebrity guests made the show a worthy watch. The format wherein chat was mixed with film scenes was also much-liked by the audiences.

Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi

As one of the first hit sitcoms on Indian television, the show, which aired on Doordarshan in 1984, helped established actors Shafi Inamdar, Satish Shah, Rakesh Bedi and Swaroop Sampat as household names. A trademark of the Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi were the characters played by Satish Shah. In each episode, Shah played a different character who used to be a key element in the plot.

Wagle Ki Duniya

Anjan Srivastav brought issues of the common man into focus through Wagle Ki Duniya, created by noted cartoonist RK Laxman about the issues of the common middle-class Indian man. It starred Anjan Srivastava as a bumbling sales clerk and Bharati Achrekar played his wife. Wagle Ki Duniya had Shah Rukh Khan making a guest appearance in one of the episodes, courtesy his association with the show’s director, Kundan Shah, with whom he later collaborated in Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1994).

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Indian Air Force choppers on Sunday showered flower petals on the National Police Memorial here and hospitals treating COVID-19 patients to express gratitude and appreciation towards doctors, medical professionals, police officials and paramilitary forces who are at the forefront in the battle against the coronavirus. This aerial salute was part of planned activities by India's armed forces, which includes activities such as fly-pasts by fighter jets and transport aircraft of the IAF, playing of bands by the military and flashing warship lights, to express gratitude and honour the "corona warriors" of the country.

Early on Sunday morning, two C-130J Super Hercules special operations transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force conducted a fly-past over the Dal Lake in Srinagar followed by another over Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh. The aircraft took off from Srinagar and will fly all the way to Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala to show gratitude towards COVID-19 warriors. IAF's SU-30 aircraft conducted flypast across Marine Drive in Mumbai.

Indian Air Force aircraft SU-30 flypast Marine Drive to express gratitude towards medical professionals and all frontline workers. Picture/Bipin Kokate

The Indian Air Force (IAF) choppers showered flower petals over hospitals treating coronavirus positive patients in Delhi, among locations across the country in order to express gratitude and appreciation to the COVID-19 warriors in the country. "The list of hospitals include AllMS, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, GTB Hospital, Loknayak Hospital, RML Hospital, Safdarjang Hospital, Ganga Ram Hospital, Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, Max Saket, Rohini Hospital, Apollo Indraprastha Hospital, and Army Hospital R&R," as per a statement by the Defence Ministry.

IAF also aircraft showered flowers on King George's Medical University in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. This flying activity is combined along with the training activity of IAF and opportunity flight for transport planes and helicopters, which are involved in moving supplies related to the COVID-19 task The IAS also conducted a flypast over Rajpath among other locations in the national capital as a mark of respect for those at the frontline in the fight against coronavirus.

Flower shower above J J hospital by Indian Navy in respect of Corona fighters. Picture/Shadab Khan

About 10 helicopters of Indian Coast Guard (ICG) will shower flower petals on COVID-19 hospitals at 5 locations. Apart from this, as many as 46 Coast Guard ships will carry out illumination, fire green flares and sound ships siren at 25 locations, including, the remote sites and far-flung island territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep and Minicoy islands, covering the coastline of 7516 km.

Indian Naval Aviation assets will be flying over the hospitals treating corona patients and shower flower petals at Mumbai, Goa, Kochi and Vizag.

The activities planned by the defence forces were delayed by over an hour due to rains in parts of the country early this morning.

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With the ongoing panic in the global as well as Indian stock markets, there is no end to foreign investors dumping Indian shares.

This wasn't the case a while back. Foreign institutional investor (FII) were making a beeline for Indian equities few months back.

How has this trend been so far this year? What has changed in recent weeks and months? And what's behind the heavy movement of foreign funds in India?

Let us look at some key points to answer these questions...

1. September 2019: FII Money Returns to India Again

   If we track the trend of FII flows in financial year 2019-20, after the Union Budget in July 2019, foreign investors began selling. They pulled out a ton of money from Indian equities.

   Why? Well, they were disappointed with the budget as it did not address the key concerns the economy was facing.

   However, the month of September was a different ballgame altogether as foreign money once again made its way into Indian equities. Not surprisingly it was also the month in which the Government made amends for its failed budget.

   This is evident in the chart below:

   September 2019: Foreign Money Returns to India Again

2. 3rd Quarter 2019-20: FIIs Keep Pouring Money in Indian Equities

   There were two reasons behind the above FII rush to Indian equities:

   1. Clarification by the FM that the tax on the super-rich was not applicable on foreign investors
   2. Cut in corporate tax rates, among other efforts, that had the potential to make Indian manufacturing globally competitive

   Both the above points strengthened the case for investing in Indian for FIIs.

   And they kept on pouring money in the following months.

   Here's how much money came by FIIs to Indian stock markets in the third quarter of FY20:

   Month	Net Investment (Rs, m)
   Oct-19	85,956
   Nov-19	129,249
   Dec-19	6,941
   Total	222,146

   Data Source: Equitymaster

3. 2019: Best FII Flows in Six Years

   Overall, in calendar year 2019, FIIs pumped in a net of more than Rs 1,000 bn (billion) in Indian stocks. This made it their best such infusion in six years. The previous high was Rs 1,130 bn in 2013.

4. 2020: The Downtrend Starts

   The buying trend, however, didn't last long. FIIs rushed out of India amid concerns of slowing economic growth and high stock valuations.

   In the month of January, they pulled out Rs 126.8 bn from Indian stock markets.

5. Feb-Mar 2020: Coronavirus Triggers FII Sell off

   The selling intensified further in February and March 2020. The major trigger was the coronavirus led panic sell-off across global financial markets.

   In February and March, Nifty and Sensex corrected sharply. It was not just Indian share markets but even global indices like the Dow Jones, NASDAQ, FTSE, DAX, CAC and the Nikkei that witnessed the brunt.

   In the Indian context, the stock market correction was exacerbated by the weak foreign investor sentiments. The real surprise was not the FII selling. It was the ferocity and the intensity of the selling in such a short span of time.

   From February 14th, the FIIs have been sellers on all days except one.

6. March FII Outflows to date to Surpass the 2008 Crisis Level

   So far in March, FIIs have sold a net of Rs 478.9 bn of Indian shares.

   And this makes the outflows of the month set to surpass the 2008 crisis level.

   While India is still better placed relative to other emerging market peers, the wipe-out has been massive.

What Should Market Participants Do?

There is no denying that FIIs play an important role in the Indian stock markets.

Strong FII participation is good from the domestic investors' point of view in the sense that it leads to enhanced liquidity and greater depth in the market.

However, in the event of FIIs pulling out on a larger scale and a free fall in the markets, the correction in valuations of fundamentally solid companies would be just temporary. It may in fact offer some lucrative value buying opportunities.

How do you zero in on these opportunities?

Our special report, How to Trade the Coronavirus Crash, has the answer. Just claim your FREE copy here...

Saudi Arabia is to abolish flogging as a form of punishment, according to a directive from the Kingdom's Supreme Court, adding that flogging will be replaced by imprisonment or fines.

The directive issued on Friday says this was an extension of human rights reforms brought by King Salman and his son, the country's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, reports the BBC.

The last time that flogging in Saudi Arabia hit the headlines was in 2015 when blogger Raif Badawi was subjected to the punishment in public, reportedly after being convicted of cybercrime and insulting Islam.

He had been due to receive 1,000 lashes in weekly beatings but global outrage and reports that he nearly died put a stop to that part of his sentence.

This comes as campaigners have said that Saudi Arabia has one of the worst records for human rights in the world, with freedom of expression severely curtailed and critics of the government subject to what they say is arbitrary arrest, the BBC reported.

Earlier on Friday, the most prominent Saudi human rights campaigner died in jail after a stroke which fellow activists say was due to medical neglect by the authorities.

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At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 75.36, then gained ground to touch 75.27, registering a rise of 45 paise over its previous close

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Coronavirus news: Fears ran amok that Franklin Templeton closing its six debt mutual fund schemes may trigger outflows from debt mutual funds. However, net outflows were only seen in credit risk and medium duration categories

Three new cases of locally transmitted dengue had been confirmed in the Miami-Dade County, taking the total number to eight this year, said health authorities in the US state of Florida.

The Irish Revenue has issued advice on the steps it is taking to help SMEs experiencing cashflow and trading difficulties arising from the impact of the coronavirus.

Sugary soda consumption downs kidney blood flow, and raise the risk of developing chronic kidney disease, according to a study in the iAmerican Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology/i.

Experts meet in Patna to discuss new initiative that could “future‐proof” one million smallholders.

For the first time, maps have been prepared by a consortium consisting of IWMI, the Disaster Management Centre of the Ministry of Disaster Management (MoDM) and the UN’s space based information service for disaster management and emergency response (UN-SPIDER).

A new initiative launched in Uttar Pradesh could revolutionize flood management while at the same time boost groundwater stocks for dry season irrigation.

New mobile connected device can transform data collection say experts.

Experts meet in Delhi to discuss a new initiative to "future-proof" livelihoods of one million smallholder farmers in South Asia

And when it comes to adapting to climate change, knowledge is power, which is why a new programme to gather continent-wide information on water could be a game-changer.

Is joint management of Kabul River by Pakistan and Afghanistan possible as the orphan river finds few takers?

New rounds of pilot testing and post-flood recovery in India.

And when it comes to adapting to climate change, knowledge is power, which is why a new programme to gather continent-wide information on water could be a game-changer.

Rains continue to rage as the rivers keep swelling and breaking out in flashfloods leaving a trail of death and destr

Based on years of research, the assessment of environmental flows (or E-flows) has begun to take on a strategic role in the efforts of developing countries to keep their rivers healthy. With support from the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and its partners, countries are using E-flow calculators to plan the management of water resources […]

A group of nursing academics has accused the BBC of belittling Florence Nightingale by depicting the Lady of the Lamp as a "manipulative, neurotic and sexually repressed woman".

On the occasion of International Nurses Day Indian President Pratibha Patil gave away Florence Nightingale Awards to 36 meritorious nursing personnel

World Health Organization (WHO) recommended lateral flow urine lipoarabinomannan (LAM) assay to help detect active tuberculosis in HIV patients with severe disease rapidly.

Regular consumption of sugary soda containing high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) reduces kidney blood flow, which could be linked to a greater risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD).