Ministry of Science and Technology's Department of Biotechnology (DBT) Dr Renu Swarup says that based on the latest WHO consensus, Covid-19 as a 'lab release' theory is likely to be false.

Our weekly roundup of books that should be on your radar.

Indian Hindi and Urdu poetry has time and again narrated horror stories of how the society turns a blind towards the dying poor. News18 has compiled a collection of ten such pieces of literature to depict the present condition of migrant workers.

Indian Hindi and Urdu poetry has time and again narrated horror stories of how the society turns a blind eye towards the dying poor. News18 has compiled a collection of ten such pieces of literature to depict the present condition of migrant workers.

Later, it was reported that the owner of the bakery located in T Nagar in Chennai was arrested.

These mothers deserve a huge round of applause!

These mothers deserve a huge round of applause!

In a sudden change in weather, Delhi witnessed a massive dust storm on Sunday morning. Pictures and videos showed dust storm enveloping Delhi and NCR.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador reignited demands this week for either clarity or an apology over a botched Obama-era United States gun-running operation dubbed "Fast and Furious."

The Cornhole Mania 2020 doubles tournament broadcasted on ESPN noon, and the singles event will take place at 6 p.m. as some live sports begin making a comeback.

A Kenyan plane carrying humanitarian medical supplies to help aid the COVID-19 pandemic in Somalia was reportedly been shot down earlier this week by the Ethiopian army.

California Republicans might steal a rare Congressional seat during next week's special election, but Democrats could possibly parlay that back into a blue win during November's general election.

Former President Barack Obama described President Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic as "chaotic" in a conference call with former members of his administration, a source said on Saturday.

The music of Little Richard, who died on Saturday at the age of 87, was one of the genuine architects of not only rock and roll but R&B, soul, hip-hop and other genres as well. Few artists can truly be said to have directly inspired the Beatles, James Brown, the Rolling Stones, Prince and countless […]

No one can do a Little Richard composition like Little Richard. In the finest moments from the rock and roll pioneer — who died Saturday at the age of 87 — self-penned songs were as flamboyant as his appearance. Informed by his Georgian roots in the Pentecostal church and the nightlife business (tellingly, his dad […]

This takes 'dream home' to an all new level. Wow.

It's not a trick - each of these photos are completely real.

No need to wait for the ice cream truck now.

The minister for Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER) intervened after the DU administration asked the students to vacate the North Eastern Students House for Woman by May 31.

"Responding to their requests for assistance in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, India has sent Indian Naval Ship Kesari to Maldives, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles, carrying on board two medical assistance teams, consignments of Covid related essential medicines and essential food items," the MEA said in a statement.

The government has also made arrangements for treatment of those at their homes with mild COVID-19 symptoms in accordance with the Centre's guidelines.

Earlier this year, Toronto-based indie label Royal Mountain Records (PUP, Mac DeMarco, Alvvays, U.S. Girls) created a first-of-its-kind fund to support its artists’ mental health. Each act on the label now has access to $1,500 each – completely confidential and non-recoupable – to use on mental health wellness and addiction treatment.

The label is run by Hollerado frontman Menno Versteeg, who joins us this week to talk about the fund’s creation and, more generally, mental health in the music community. Menno is open and honest about how his own history as a touring musician inspired the fund, and why labels, managers, agents, and others who earn their living off of musicians need to do more to support artists’ well-being.

And since Hollerado just released their final album and will soon embark on their last tour, we also fit in a quick chat about the band.

The Northern Pikes are one of the classic Canadian rock bands of the late '80s and 90s with iconic songs like “She Ain’t Pretty,” “Teenland,” “Things I Do for Money,” and “Girl with a Problem.” They’re back with a new LP, Forest of Love - their first new release in 16 years. Mike sat down with the full band, including newcomer Kevin Kane of Grapes of Wrath, to chat about songwriting, how making and releasing an album in 2019 compares to their past experiences, how age and maturity have altered their perspectives, and a lot more.

Then, we catch up with the multi-talented (and ever-busy) Miranda Mulholland to chat about the Sawdust City Music Festival, running from August 2-4, 2019 in Gravenhurst, ON. Leading up to its third annual edition, Miranda discusses the realities of organizing and delivering a music festival in 2019 (a particularly timely subject), the event's growth in both size and ambition in the past three years, and more.

For our feature interview, Mike catches up with Ben Rayner (22:40), the long-time music writer and critic at the Toronto Star. He’s easily one of the best music writers in Canada and it’s obvious that his love of music, and writing about it, is as strong as ever. As local newspapers disappear and even the big newspapers like the Globe & Mail and National Post diminish their arts coverage and move music journalists into other beats, Ben is among the last of a dying breed. Mike and Ben chat about changing nature of music journalism in Canada and the decline of music coverage in newspapers and then get into what impact this could have on artists and the country’s music industry.

But before we chat with Ben, we also meet up with Charlie Wall-Andrews (2:48), the executive director of the SOCAN Foundation. Charlie fills us in all the various grants and programs that the SOCAN Foundation has available to artists. Then she and Mike discuss the concept of corporate social responsibility, which is an area of particular expertise for Charlie, and how it applies to the music industry. www.socanfoundation.ca.

Should you sign that contract? Can you remix or cover any song you want? What’s a split sheet? Chances are you’ve encountered a few tough questions related to music law, and if you haven’t yet, trust us. You will.

On this week's podcast, Canadian music lawyer Byron Pascoe of Edwards PC Creative Law walks us through general music law FAQs that will empower you to make good decisions. We also cover common music law agreements - from producer to management agreements - and related negotiation strategies and red flags.

Whether you're just launching your career or scaling the summit to the top of the industry, you're sure to pick up some helpful tips.

This episode is adapted from a recent music business webinar from Canadian Musician and NWC Webinars. To sign up for free webinars and access recordings of all of our previous sessions, visit www.nwcwebinars.com.

This week, we welcome back Paul Shaver, VP of Music & Radio at Nielsen Entertainment Canada, for what's always a fun and fascinating conversation about Canadian music consumption data. Nielsen recently released its latest "Music 360 Canada" report, which provides a thorough look at music consumption trends. Paul and Mike get into the generational divides between teens, millennials, and their parents with regards to music listening habits, why radio continues to be influential in music discovery, streaming’s potential economic growth, how smart speakers could impact the music industry, the growing popularity of podcasts, and a lot more.

On today’s podcast, we have Sandy Graham, the woman who has had maybe the most diverse and interesting career in the Canadian music business. Sandy is currently the owner and editor-in-chief of Cashbox Canada, but over her roughly 40 years in the industry, going back to when she was a teenager, she has been involved in nearly every segment of this industry and has been a true trailblazer. She began in music retail, before being one of the first women to work at a major label in Canada. She’s been a radio music director, a venue owner – including of the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto – a music journalist, and she’s even a choreographer, having choreographed the first ever halftime show at the Sky Dome. Sandy is also an artist manager and festival organizer. Like we said, she’s been involved in everything and we’ve wanted to have her on the podcast for a while to tell her story and share some of the insights she has gained along the way.

Danya Dixon is the new CEO of Canadian Music Week. Drawing on her 10+ years of experience with the country's marquee music industry conference and festival thus far, she's got some fresh ideas to ensure the event meets and exceeds expectations for its 2020 edition and beyond.

On the conference side, she discusses the goal of reaching gender parity for invited delegates within the next few years and some of the timely and important topics they'll be focusing on with their programming. On the festival side, she says to expect an emphasis on quality over quantity with showcasing artists, discloses some of the specific genres they'll be focusing and expanding on going forward, and a lot more.

Dave Cool, the director of artist and industry outreach at Bandzoogle, joins us to discuss the bankruptcy of popular crowdfunding site PledgeMusic and his company's subsequent move into the space.

Bandzoogle is a Canadian company that operates globally and is known for its suite of website-building services aimed specifically at musicians. In June, Bandzoogle announced it was launching a crowd funding platform as part of its subscription services. That announcement, not coincidently, corresponded with the bankruptcy of PledgeMusic. Through the previous two years, PledgeMusic suffered a slow death, plagued by missed payments to artists and accusations of misspending by management, which raised many questions about the viability of the crowd funding model itself. So, with Dave, we get into the weeds about PledgeMusic’s collapse and why Bandzoogle thinks it has a better business model for it.

The healing power of music is at the heart of The Awesome Music Project Canada: Songs of Hope & Happiness, which features intimate stories from Canadians of all walks of life - including Sarah McLachlan, Michael Buble, astronaut Chris Hadfield, Olympian Madeleine Thien, and NHL star Theo Fleury - on how music changed their lives. Rounding out the book are descriptions of the neurological research confirming that music is good for us and why.

Robert tells us about the origins of the project, some of his favourite stories shared in it, the research the project will fund, and a lot more.

Proceeds from The Awesome Music Project Canada will go to music and mental health research, starting with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital and one of the world's leading research centres. www.theawesomemusicproject.com.

Cousins Adam and Cale Gontier of Saint Asonia join Mike to discuss their new sophomore album, Flawed Design. Hailed as a “supergroup" since dropping their self-titled debut in 2015 (Saint Asonia’s members have been in Three Days Grace, Staind, Art of Dying, Thornley, and more), Adam discusses early expectations for the group, songwriting, and how two significant life moments – the birth of his first child and entering rehab – influenced the new record. They also discuss mental health for musicians and whether the industry should provide more support. We then finish with an exclusive acoustic performance of their new song “The Hunted.”

Before that, we chat with critically-acclaimed East Coast singer-songwriter Dave Sampson about his new EP, All Types of Ways. We discuss his life and career in the five years between his widely-praised debut LP in 2014 and this new project, navigating the music industry, his friendship and creative partnership with fellow Nova Scotian and Nashville hitmaker Gordie Sampson, and more.

Darryl Ballantyne, CEO of Toronto-based lyric licensing company LyricFind, joins us to discuss the quickly-growing business of displaying lyrics, from Google searches to merchandise and a lot more. We get into how the licensing deals for lyrics work and, yes, the legal dispute between Genius Media and Google that had LyricFind caught right in the middle.

We also touch on a number of new initiatives that LyricFind has announced over the past year, including partnerships with fizy in Turkey, MPA/PMLL in the U.K.. and some Canada-specific content, like the funding from the Canadian Government to promote and export Canadian content through lyrics and lyric translations and to bring the stories found in Indigenous songs to all Canadians. That includes some interesting insight into the process of translating various Indigenous languages.

AEMCON - the Alberta Electronic Music Conference - is Canada's largest professional gathering of electronic music industry insiders, bringing together those who want to learn, teach, inspire, connect, and dance. Five days of panels, workshops, and night events will showcase 125-plus artists and speakers, with over 3,000-plus attendees expected.

The fourth edition of AEMCON takes place in Calgary from Nov. 13-17, 2019, and we've got Co-Founder Andrew Williams and Marketplace Coordinator Tyler Brown on the show to talk about the event and its unique programming streams like Addiction and Recovery, the DIY Feminist Resistance, and Dance Music as an LGBTQ Art Form. Then, we get into the state of electronic music in Alberta and Canada, identify some incoming trends that may inform future editions, and more.

This week, we welcome Joanne Janzen, an Edmonton-based music life coach who also hosts her own podcast, fittingly titled The Music Life Coach Podcast. In this enlightening conversation with Jo, she teaches us what exactly a music life coach does and how she became one while also navigating her own career as a professional musician. We then get into career development, psychology, mental health, live performance, and how Jo's work differs from and complements that of an artist manager. She also gives us some tips on professional networking and developing a "personal mindset strategy" to propel your career forward.

http://musiclifecoach.joannejanzen.com/ http://canadianmusician.com

Happy New Year and hope everyone has had a great holiday! Like we did last episode, and before we get back to our usual programming next week, we're switching things up for one more special episode with an interview that originally aired on The Music Life Coach Podcast, featuring host Jo Janzen interviewing Canadian Musician Senior Editor and CM Podcast co-host Mike Raine about his article, "Music Is Facing a Mental Health Crisis."

With Jo, Mike discusses his research and reporting for the article, which examines the critical issue of mental health among professional touring musicians. They look at the alarming stats on musicians’ mental health and reasons they suffer from significantly higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts; the insights Mike gleaned from the musicians and experts he spoke with; and what can be done to address the problem at both the industry and personal level. Plus, Jo offers some insights and advice of her own, drawn from her experiences as an artist and those of some of her clients.

Check out Mike's article, "Music Is Facing a Mental Health Crisis”

Learn more about The Music Life Coach Podcast at: https://musiclifecoach.joannejanzen.com/templates/blog/podcast/

Holy F** frontman Brian Borcherdt joins us to talk about Deleter*, the band's brand-new record that dives further down the rabbit hole at the intersection of technology and humanity. We talk about the evolution of their hybrid sound, how the various members' work playing in and producing other projects advances what they do collectively, and a lot more.

Then, Mike has a fun and fascinating chat with Prism Prize Founder Louis Calabro about the industry and art of music videos. They talk about how the whole purpose of a music videos has evolved from the days of MTV and MuchMusic to the YouTube era, the democratization of video making, what makes for a good music vid, and more.

This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Go to Bandzoogle.com to try it free for 30 days, and be sure to use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off the first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod

http://canadianmusician.com

When Karen Allen told us about her book for musicians about the live streaming platform Twitch, she said: “I’ve been working in digital music for 20 years and have never seen anything so effective for artists.” That certainly piqued our interest.

Lo and behold, there is a growing and prospering community of musicians on Twitch using the platform to engage new fans, turn casual fans into super fans, and make some good money doing it. Allen, a veteran of the digital music industry and author of Twitch for Musicians, joins us on today's show to explain Twitch’s evolution and how indie musicians can utilize it to great effect.

This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Try it free for 30 days and use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off the first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod

http://canadianmusician.com

For her latest single, "Say Too Much," on-the-rise Canadian country singer/songwriter Karli June teamed up with an unlikely ally in pop/rock producer and All-American Rejects keyboardist Scott Chesak. But while Chesak's success as a songwriter and producer largely stems from projects with the likes of Panic! at the Disco and Weezer, his first foray into country has been quite fruitful.

Andrew speaks with both artists about how they first came together, what drew Karli to the song despite the demo being straight-up pop, how the song evolved during their sessions, and lessons learned for both the emerging singer and touring vet throughout the process.

PLUS, because it's #BellLetsTalk Day, we're re-airing Mike's interview with Royal Mountain Records' Menno Versteeg from this past summer about the label's mental health fund and why musicians are particularly vulnerable to mental health struggles.

Check out Mike's feature on Music's Mental Health Crisis at: http://canadianmusician.com/features

This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Try it free for 30 days and use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off the first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod

Jordan Elliott (sometimes spelled Jordyn - you’ll hear why) got into the business of artist management when she was just 21 years old, signing a band to a major label contract while still in school. Since then, she’s continued on that path, working with artists like Meghan Patrick and Eric Ethridge and blazing a trail as one of the top female managers in Canadian country music.

Jordan tells us the story of her fascinating career as she examines the unique relationship between artist and manager, discusses the obstacles she faced as a young woman in a male-dominated field, and a lot more.

http://canadianmusician.com

This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Try it free for 30 days and use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off your first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod

Canadian rock icons Glass Tiger and high-energy EDM duo Pineo & Loeb recently collaborated on a re-imagined version of the former's "This Is Your Life," featuring guest vocals from Matt Mays. Glass Tiger's Alan Frew and P&L's Mitch Pineo join us this week to share what initially brought them together, why they each wanted to work with the other, how the track was recorded and assembled, and more. Plus, get an exclusive scoop on their next collab: a fresh take on one of The Beatles' best-known songs with Frew once again on lead vocals.

Plus, Andrew and Mike share SOCAN's preliminary data from 2019 and a slew of submission opportunities to perform at high-profile music festivals throughout 2020.

http://canadianmusician.com

This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Try it free for 30 days and use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off your first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod

This week, we bring you a fun and interesting chat with Floyd Kane, the creator and writer of the CBC series Diggstown. Floyd and Mike chat about the use of music as a storytelling and emotional device in TV, how and when music comes into the TV writing process, how songs are chosen for the show, and some of the great independent Canadian artists whose music is featured in Diggstown.

http://canadianmusician.com

This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Try it free for 30 days and use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off your first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod

Here's hoping everyone is holding up while holed up. On today's show, we bring you a candid conversation with Erin Benjamin, the president and CEO of the Canadian Live Music Association, discussing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the association's members and wider concert industry in Canada.

Let's be clear: the situation is dire, and there's up-to-date data to prove it; however, the CLMA is working hard by advocating the government to recognize and help the industry through these hardships and has been making inroads. We get into these and other efforts the association is spearheading, including collaborations with fellow music industry stakeholders, and share tips on how anyone listening can take action.

http://canadianmusician.com

This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Try it free for 30 days and use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off your first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod

Darren "Young D" Metz and Quinton "Yung Trybez" Nyce of acclaimed rap duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids join us this week. We chat about how they’re getting through the quarantine and the frustration of a cancelled U.S. tour. Then we get into the making of their new EP, Born Deadly, discussing the influence of Kobe Bryant (whose death inspired the song “Kobe Face”), as well as how they took their anger over the RCMP’s actions against Indigenous protesters in Wet'suwet'en territory, and across Canada, and put it into the raging new track “Cops with Guns Are the Worst!!!”

Plus, influetial and innovative hip-hop producer David Strickland and multi-faceted creator Que Rock talk about their collaborations on Strickland's upcoming collection, Spirit of Hip Hop. Strickland addresses the truly stellar guest list he's assembled for the record - which includes Que - before we touch on some of the themes they cover, how categorization can be counter-productive in hip-hop, and more.

http://canadianmusician.com

Veteran concert promoter, writer, broadcaster, artist manager, and TV producer Steve Warden joins us to discuss and flesh out some of the ideas he proposes in an open letter published by FYI Music News. The piece ponders on how musicians and the music industry can move forward during and after the COVID-19 shutdowns. We chat about the flood of free virtual concerts and subsequent concerns about devaluing artists’ performances, what a virtual tour could look like, what the industry needs to start putting in motion, and more.

http://canadianmusician.com

This week, we’re sharing the full conversation Mike had with musician and artist advocate Miranda Mulholland as part of his research for a new article on how the COVID-19 crisis is impacting the music business and what lies ahead. Miranda - who, in addition to being an artist advocate that works closely with all levels of government, is also one-half of the duo Harrow Fair – offers a revealing perspective on how artists are being professionally and personally impacted by the loss of live shows, gives a fascinating behind-the-scenes account of how government has dealt with the crisis, and discusses her own experience of releasing an album in the midst of all this.

Read Mike's article, "Behind the Scenes as the Canadian Music Industry Copes with an Unprecedented Crisis," at: https://indepth.canadianmusician.com/its-impossible-to-imagine-behind-the-scenes/

http://canadianmusician.com

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Three Indiana women who moved to the United States as children have created a fund to help immigrant families who don't qualify for government aid and have lost their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic.

The women joined other volunteers, many of whom are also recipients under the ...

Former President Barack Obama slammed the Trump administration's coronavirus response as an "an absolute chaotic disaster."

Mr. Obama's comments came Friday night while privately talking to ex-members of his administration. A tape of the conversation was leaked to Yahoo News, which first reported the former president's comments Saturday morning.

He ...

For the second time, a federal judge has issued a restraining order against Kentucky officials who moved to block church services during the coronavirus shutdown.

U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove ruled Friday night in favor of Tabernacle Baptist Church of Nicholasville and against Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's order ...

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized the negotiation process for coronavirus relief packages, saying rank-and-file members have been all but shut out of the process.

"It's really hard to understate how devastating this has been, in terms of our legislative and oversight abilities, for an average member of Congress to ...