Former Pakistan cricketer Ramiz Raja has welcomed PCBs decision to ban Umar Akmal on corruption charges, saying the batsman has officially made it to the "list of idiots" and that people like him should be put in jail.

Umar has been banned by the Pakistan Cricket Board from all forms of cricket for three years after pleading guilty to failing to report match-fixing approaches.

"So, Umar Akmal officially makes it to the list of idiots! Banned for three years. What a waste of a talent! It's high time that Pakistan moved towards passing a legislative law against match fixing. Behind bars is where such jack a**** belong! Otherwise brave for more!!" Raza said in a tweet.

PCB informed about the ban imposed on Akmal on Monday on Twitter and said: "Umar Akmal handed three-year ban from all cricket by Chairman of the Disciplinary Panel Mr Justice (retired) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan."

Umar, who has played 16 Tests, 121 ODIs and 84 T20Is for Pakistan, had earlier stated in an interview that he was offered money to skip matches against India. He had also revealed that he was asked to leave two deliveries in a match by the bookies.

"I was once offered $200,000 for leaving two deliveries. I was also offered to skip matches against India," Akmal was quoted as saying by GeoTv.

Umar's brother Kamran reacted to the three-year ban, saying that he was shocked to hear the decision.

"We will reach out to every platform for justice and will definitely exercise our right to appeal," Kamran was quoted as saying by GeoTv, adding that there are instances when punishments of lower degrees were allotted for similar charges.

"It is incomprehensible that why Umar Akmal is penalised so severely," he objected, adding that a detailed decision is awaited in this regard.

Umar had not requested for a hearing before the Anti-Corruption Tribunal after he was charged for two breaches of Article 2.4.4 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code in two unrelated incidents.

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Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal could have a part of his three-year anti-corruption ban suspended when the judge heading the Cricket Board's disciplinary Panel gives out his detailed judgement soon, a source in the PCB has said.

After the hour-long hearing of the panel held on April Monday in Lahore, where Umar appeared himself to plead his case, Justice (retd) Miran Chohan announced a three-year ban on the batsman for failing to report corrupt approaches.

"People are jumping to conclusions about the three-year ban but the detailed order is yet to come out. Umar might eventually get a three-year ban with two years suspended or something like that," the source told PTI.

He said there are chances the judge will suspend most part of the three-year ban given the clauses under which Umar has been charged by the Anti-Corruption Unit and also given his past track record.
"Umar could get a suspended sentence in his three-year ban because this will also test him as an individual to see how he behaves and conducts himself in future," the source said.

"When majority part of a ban is suspended, the player has to be careful with his behaviour or he could end up being banned for the entire duration of the ban,¿ he explained.

Umar has the right to appeal against the panel decision 14 days after he gets a copy of the detailed judgement. His appeal will be heard by an independent adjudicator to be appointed by the board.

Two years ago, the Anti-Corruption Tribunal of the PCB, headed by Lt. General (retd) Tauqir Zia, had also banned Sharjeel Khan for five years with half of the sentence suspended, which allowed him to make a comeback in the Pakistan Super League 5 in February.

Umar was suspended from playing in the PSL 5 on February 20 by the PCB in the spot-fixing approach case.

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president and former skipper Sourav Ganguly on Thursday expressed grief over the demise of the two Bollywood legendary actors Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan and said that he will miss them.

Taking to Twitter Ganguly wrote, "One life .. live to the fullest and happiest .. nothing else matters .. just a reminder. Will miss u both."

One life .. live to the fullest and happiest .. nothing else matters .. just a reminder . Will miss u both pic.twitter.com/BgpruQOy02

— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) April 30, 2020

India Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane also extended condolences over the passing away of the two great actors of the cinema industry.

"First Irrfan Khan ji and now Rishi Kapoor ji. Feel really sad about this huge loss for all of us. May their soul rest in peace," Rahane tweeted.

Actor Rishi Kapoor's family on Thursday issued a statement on his demise detailing how the veteran remained jovial and determined to live to the fullest right through two years of cancer treatment. He passed away at 8:45 am IST, the Kapoor family said.

In September 2019, Rishi and wife Neetu returned to India after almost a year in New York for his cancer treatment. During this time, the couple was visited by scores of celebrities from Deepika Padukone to Priyanka Chopra and many others.

Rishi Kapoor was admitted to the Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai on Wednesday. In September 2019, the veteran actor returned to Mumbai after staying in New York for almost a year for cancer treatment. He was last seen in the 2019 film 'The Body' alongside Emraan Hashmi and Shobita Sobhita Dhulipala.

This has been a terrible week for the Indian film industry. On Wednesday, ace actor Irrfan Khan had also passed away, aged 53. The internationally renowned actor passed away at Mumbai's Kokilaben Hospital while battling rare cancer.

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Veteran Kiwi batsman Ross Taylor on Friday claimed the top honour on the final day of the 2020 New Zealand Cricket Awards, winning the prestigious Sir Richard Hadlee Medal for the third time while Tim Southee was named Test Player of the Year. The virtual ceremony also saw Canterbury umpire Kim Cotton's meteoric rise through the officiating ranks recognised with the GJ Gardner Homes New Zealand Cricket Umpire of the Year award. Taylor had a great season, he helped guide the Blackcaps to a second successive ICC Cricket World Cup Final. He surpassed Stephen Fleming's all-time Test runs scoring record for New Zealand and became the first cricketer to play 100 international games in each of the three formats.

The 36-year-old was once again the glue in the top-order, amassing 1,389 runs across the three formats in a season in which he played in all but one of the Blackcaps' 32 internationals, from England to Sri Lanka, Australia and at home. Taylor reflected on the influence of the late Martin Crowe who was instrumental in developing the right hander's Test technique and helping him to set his goals. "I'm sure he would be proud of this. Marty was able to pass on a lot of his experience and wisdom which has played a massive part in my career," Taylor said.

"It was always something that he always pushed me to do (break records). I think he would probably be surprised at how well I have done. But I've been fortunate to be helped by a lot of people over the years and I guess when you win awards like this it's nice to be able to thank them," he added. On the other hand, Southee claimed 40 wickets from eight Tests, including 14 in the two-Test wins against India, in Wellington and Christchurch.

In the four Tests, the Kiwis won during the judging period, he took 25 wickets at an average of 16.40.

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BCCI president Sourav Ganguly is deeply saddened and intimidated by the devastation caused because of the COVID-19 pandemic and has equated the unprecedented crisis to playing a Test match on a dangerous wicket. The decorated former player opened up on life under lockdown due to the novel coronavirus pandemic that has claimed over 2.40 lakh lives across the world while infecting more than 34 lakh people. "This situation is a Test match on a very dangerous wicket. The ball is seaming and spinning as well - the batsman has very little margin of error," Ganguly said while speaking on '100 Hours 100 Stars', an initiative started by Fever Network.

"So, the batsman has to score runs and keep his wicket safe with this little margin of error, and win this Test match," he added. A winner of innumerable fierce battles during his playing days when there was no dearth of fearsome fast bowlers and quality spinners, Ganguly was tempted to draw a parallel between the tough moments in the sport and the health crisis. "This is very difficult, but we hope that we will win this match together," he added. Ganguly expressed his sadness at the number of lives lost in the pandemic and the irreparable damage that it has caused. "I am really upset seeing the current situation, because so many people are suffering outside. We are still struggling to understand how to stop this pandemic," he said. "This atmosphere all over the world has really bothered me. We don't know how, when and where it came from - we all were unprepared for this," he added. Not just upset, Ganguly conceded he cannot help feeling a big scared of what's unfolding because of the disease. "People are being affected by this so much. There have been so many deaths. This situation upsets me, and I also feel scared," he said.

"People come to my house to deliver groceries, food, so I feel a little scared as well. So it's a mixed feeling. I just want this to end as quickly as possible," he added, He said cricket has taught him to face tough situations in life and the importance of staying alert at all times. Asked how he keeps himself positive, the former captain said: "Cricket has taught me a lot. I faced real life, high-pressure situations. You have to make runs and there is just one ball left. "If you make one wrong move, one wrong footwork, you will not get another chance. These kind of situations make you alert and aware about real life situations," he said. The BCCI chief, though, also added that he is getting to spend a lot of time with his family after a long time. "It's been a month into the lockdown. I didn't mind it earlier. Earlier, I wouldn't get time at home like this. My lifestyle involved travelling for work everyday. "For the past 30-32 days, I have been at home with my family, spending time with my wife, daughter, my mother and my brother. "I have got a time like this after long, so I am enjoying myself," he said.

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Feeling like a kid again, England batsman Jason Roy can't wait to get back on the cricket field but says it would make sense to postpone the T20 World Cup in October-November if teams don't get enough time to prepare for the mega event. All cricketing activities have come to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the future of T20 World Cup in Australia is also in doubt.

"If players aren't able to prepare in the right way and are not able to get over to Australia, then it makes sense to postpone it," Roy was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. "But if it goes ahead, it's our job to play cricket - and if we're told we have three weeks to prepare to go and play in the World T20, all the boys will be putting the yards in to make sure we're ready for that.

"I think all the boys are on edge, waiting for the call saying, 'Right, we have a month turnaround or a six-week turnaround. Get in the nets and go hit some balls.' I think the boys will be as ready as they can be," said the 29-year-old opener. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) too has suspended activities until July 1. While Roy is eager to be playing again, he said safety is paramount.

"I've got a huge amount of trust in the ECB. I think they will look into every single avenue of all the positives, all the negatives. So, I guess I would trust in what they say, probably have a chat with Morgs (Morgan) and see where his head's at and go with that. "I don't think I'll have too many questions, especially when it got to the stage of 'Right, we're going to play', because there'll be a lot of people in those meetings discussing whether it's the right thing to do or not."

Roy also has no issues in playing in front of empty stadiums. "I just want to play some cricket to be honest. I think for us to be able to go out there and play some cricket would be an incredible feeling. I feel like a kid again. "I guess we're governed by the government here, we don't really know what is going on or what the safety measures are. There's way bigger things out there. I'm more than happy to play behind closed doors, it would just be nice to get out there," he added.

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He has flattered to deceive on umpteen occasions but highly-rated wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson says he has learnt to accept his failures in pursuit of the calm demeanour that former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni possesses. The 25-year-old from Kerala has always been talked about by the likes of Rahul Dravid and Gautam Gambhir but it hasn't translated into international success with only four T20 Internationals in his kitty in the last five years.

"I have learnt to understand and focus more on my strengths and (be more) accepting (of) the failures. I try to contribute to the team's cause and try to take the team over the line. I am learning to focus and control my emotions while batting like MS Dhoni," Samson said during a podcast organised by Rajasthan Royals. He recently made a comeback in India's T20 side and it was a worthy experience for him. "It was great to be a part of the Indian team again. To be a part of one of the best teams in the world, surrounded by players like Virat bhai and Rohit bhai, it was a fantastic experience," Samson said. In one of the games in New Zealand, Samson was sent to bat in the Super Over, something which made him feel wanted in the Indian set-up. "It was a great feeling to be trusted by the players such as Virat bhai and Rohit bhai to go out there and bat in the crucial moments. It's a great feeling when the team and the players consider you to be a match winner." On a lighter note, Samson revealed that he refers to Steve Smith as "chachu" (uncle) after Brad Hodge once started calling him by that name.

"I share a very good relationship with 'Chachu' Steve Smith. He is one of the best brains in world cricket and we all enjoy a lot playing under him." Asked what's the back story of the nickname, Samson said: "It started with Brad Hodge, he used to call Smith 'Chachu', then when Hodgy left, I started calling Smith 'Chachu'. In return Smith also started calling me 'Chachu'. We both really enjoy and continue calling each other that." While Dhoni is his idol, he also loves watching Jos Buttler in Royals and makes notes on how the star Englishman prepares for games. "I observe Jos especially given he too is a wicketkeeper-batsman. He's always working on his skills and his game and never sits idle. "He's either working on his keeping, batting in the nets or running around the park. I love to observe and know how he thinks and prepares as a keeper before a game."

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Sourav Ganguly, former India skipper and the current president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday shared a throwback picture of him training at the Lord's Cricket Ground.

Ganguly shared the picture on his Instagram account and captioned the post as: Memories .. training at Lords day before my test debut in 1996".

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Memories .. training at Lords day before my test debut in 1996

A post shared by SOURAV GANGULY (@souravganguly) onMay 6, 2020 at 4:06am PDT

The left-handed batsman made his Test debut against England in 1996 at the Lord's Cricket Ground. In his opening Test, Ganguly came out to bat at number three and played a knock of 131 runs from 301 balls, studded with 20 fours.

His innings helped India post a total of 429 runs and gain a lead of 85 over the hosts England. England managed to hang on in the second innings for a draw.

Over the years, Ganguly went on to become one of the most successful Indian skippers. Under his leadership, India defeated Pakistan in Pakistan for the first time in a Test series. He also guided India to the finals of the 2003 Cricket World Cup.

Ganguly played 113 Tests and 311 ODIs. The swashbuckling left-handed batsman scored 18,575 runs across all formats in his international career. In October 2019, Ganguly became the president of the BCCI.

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Virat Kohli's Indian team still has a long way to go before it is spoken of in the same breath as Australia of 2000s, feels former India pacer Ashish Nehra. Under Kohli's leadership, India earned its maiden series victory in Australia in 2018-19, achieving the feat after trying for seven decades. However, it can't be discounted that absence of Steve Smith and David Warner due to ball tampering ban turned out to be an important factor.

"This Indian team has to still cover a lot of distance in order to match up with that Australia team (led by Steve Waugh and then Ricky Ponting)," Nehra said during an interaction with ex-player Aakash Chopra on his show 'Aakash Vani'. "You are talking about an Australian team which won three consecutive World Cups and before that reached the final in 1996, won 18-19 Test matches in home and away conditions," Nehra added. He also did not appreciate the fact that every now and then team combination is being tinkered with. "It's not like this Indian team can not reach there but I believe the core group is very important. A person gets confused after watching many dishes on the table and so it's important to have fewer but better dishes," Nehra made his displeasure clear. He the went on to cite how team management had handled Rishabh Pant's career so far.

"KL Rahul is playing on the fifth position and Pant, the person you were preparing to succeed M.S. Dhoni, is serving drinks," the left-arm fast bowler, known for his straight forward views, said. Thanks to his inconsistency, Pant had lost his place in the Indian team in white-ball cricket to Rahul. "I know he (Pant) has missed his chances and there is no doubt about it but then you have kept him in the team because you saw the potential in him at 22-23 years," Nehra said.

Ashish Nehra

"There are a lot of talented players but they should be backed for a longer duration. Today also when we talk about the number five and six slots in Indian ODI side, then we are not sure about it," Nehra said. Nehra, who played 17 Tests, 120 ODIs and 27 T20 Internationals, feels Kohli's captaincy is still a work in progress. "Virat Kohli as a player needs no recognition as his career graph tells the entire story. Kohli as a player has done amazingly well. In captaincy, I still feel he is a work in progress. I can say he is a little bit of an impulsive captain," said the 41-year-old.

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Out-of-favour wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel does not consider himself unlucky to have played in the same era as Mahendra Singh Dhoni as he knows that the former captain grabbed his opportunities way better than him. Patel last Test appearance for India was in 2018, while the last time he played an ODI for the country was way back in 2012.

"I don't see myself as unlucky to be playing in the Dhoni era. I started my career before him, and I had the opportunity to perform before him," Patel, 35, said during an interaction with Fever Network. "Dhoni came in to the team because I did not have a couple of good series and I was dropped. I know people can say it just to gain sympathies that I was born in the wrong era. But I don't believe that," he added.

"Whatever Dhoni has achieved was something very, very special and he achieved because he made sure of the opportunities he received. I don't feel unlucky at all," Patel asserted.

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Cricket Australia is set to begin the team's pre-season later this month under a set of new training protocols devised for the safety of players amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a report in 'The Sydney Morning Herald', CA is churning out strategies for the resumption of training under the watchful eyes of its chief medical officer Dr John Orchard and head of sports science and sports medicine Alex Kountouris.

The duo is working closely with counterparts of other cricket playing nations and are part of committees of the Australian government and the ICC which are trying to find ways for the resumption of sports. The report said CA's immediate priority is to draw up protocols for players' pre-season, which include barring the use of saliva or sweat to shine the ball during training.

"There's physical distancing in the nets—there are two or three bowlers in each net. One bowls at a time, the batter is 22 yards away so it's not a big problem," Kountouris said.

"We don't see it as too big a problem to manage, but these are the things we're spelling out. This is what you should do: keep your distance."

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Solo Nqweni, a South African first-class cricketer who has been battling multiple health issues, has tested positive for coronavirus. The 25-year-old all-rounder is also being treated for Guillain-Barre Syndrome -- a condition in which the immune system attacks the nerves. He is currently in Aberdeen, Scotland and shared the news of him contracting COVID-19 on Twitter.

Nqweni is the third cricketer known to have contracted the disease after Pakistan's Zafar Sarfraz and Scotland's Majid Haq. "So last year I got GBS, and have been battling this disease for the past 10 months and I'm only half way through my recovery. I got TB, my liver failed and my kidney failed. Now today I tested positive for coronavirus. I don't understand why all of this is happening to me," Nqweni tweeted.

This diagnosis is the latest in a long line of health issues for Nqweni, who spent four weeks in an induced coma last year. Nqweni played for South Africa Under-19s in 2012 and has been contracted to Eastern Province and has also played for franchise cricket for the Warriors.

The former Grey High star, who is playing as a professional at Aberdeenshire Cricket Club, is in the intensive care unit of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, according to Herald Live.

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South African spinner Keshav Maharaj admitted that he is interested in captaining the Proteas in all formats one day. The position of South Africa's Test captain has been vacant since Faf Du Plessis stepped down from the position in February. Maharaj has not been among the frontrunners for the position but he led the Dolphins to the domestic One Day title. The Dolphins were awarded the title by Cricket South Africa after the season had to be curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"I've really enjoyed captaincy from the time I've been handed the opportunity this past season," he is quoted as saying by Sport24. "I really want to captain the Proteas. It's been my dream. Not a lot of people in the national set-up actually know that, but the few who have approached me on the matter know that." Maharaj even said that he would like to captain South Africa in all formats and lift trophies with the team. Wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock is captain of the ODI side and had led South Africa in T20Is against England and Australia this year.

"I'd like to captain the South African team across all three formats and I want to raise a World Cup trophy with my own hands, as the leader of the side," he said.

"I didn't merely want to play for the Proteas. Lifting that silverware has always been my childhood dream."

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was discharged from hospital on Sunday, a Downing Street spokesperson said, a week after being admitted for treatment for Coronavirus. Downing Street said the prime minister would continue his recovery at his country residence, Chequers.

Johnson said on Sunday Britain "will defeat" coronavirus, in a video message released by Downing Street as he left hospital following intensive care treatment for the disease. He also thanked the state-funded NHS medics and staff for their hard work through the pandemic as he was discharged from hospital, saying he owed them his life after testing positive for the deadly virus over two weeks ago.

As of Sunday evening, the health officials said further 737 people died from Coronavirus in the UK, bringing the total to 10,612. "Today marks a sombre day in the impact of this disease," the Guardian quoted Health Secretary Matt Hancock as saying. Earlier in the day, the UK Opposition parties and some ruling Conservative Party MPs called on the government to resume Parliament after its Easter recess period on April 21 in a virtual form, given the social distancing measures in place.

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The death toll from the Coronavirus pandemic has slowed in some of the worst-hit countries, with Spain readying Monday to reopen parts of its economy as governments grapple with a once-in-a-century recession.

Italy, France and the US have all seen a drop in COVID-19 deaths in the past 24 hours, with Italy — the European nation most afflicted — reporting its lowest toll in more than three weeks.

Spain's death toll has fallen in recent days, but as a small bump in deaths was reported on Sunday, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned that the locked-down country was "far from victory".

"We are all keen to go back out on the streets... but our desire is even greater to win the war and prevent a relapse," he said, as some companies were set to resume operations at the end of a two-weeks halt of all non-essential activity.

In the US — now the world's worst-hit nation with a fifth of all deaths and more than half a million confirmed cases — the government's top infectious disease expert added to cautious optimism that the pandemic may have reached its peak.

Anthony Fauci said, "We are hoping by the end of the month we can look around and say, OK, is there any element here that we can safely and cautiously start pulling back on?"

1,16,045
Total no. of deaths worldwide

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With humans in their homes amid the coronavirus lockdown, animals are roaming free on the streets. After pictures of dolphins off Marine Drive, peacocks venturing in the streets of Mumbai and tigers taking a stroll in the forests of Madhya Pradesh went viral, stunning pictures of lions sleeping in a park in South Africa is making rounds on social media.  

 The picture posted on Twitter by the Kruger National Park in South Africa, show the rare sight of the pack of lions sleeping in the pathways of the park. Clicked by Section ranger Richard Sowry, the caption for the post reads, “Kruger visitors that tourists do not normally see.  #SALockdown This lion pride are usually resident on Kempiana Contractual Park, an area Kruger tourists do not see.  This afternoon they were lying on the tar road just outside of Orpen Rest Camp.”

Kruger visitors that tourists do not normally see. #SALockdown This lion pride are usually resident on Kempiana Contractual Park, an area Kruger tourists do not see. This afternoon they were lying on the tar road just outside of Orpen Rest Camp.
📸Section Ranger Richard Sowry pic.twitter.com/jFUBAWvmsA

— Kruger National Park (@SANParksKNP) April 15, 2020

The astounding pictures that were posted on Twitter on Wednesday, garnered over 19,500 likes and was retweeted more than 6,700 times. The users commenting on the post spoke how such rare sights are seen when humans are at home and how mother nature is recovering from the wounds.

Now mother earth belongs to all of us as nature intended.

— Aaron Moloisi (@aaronmoloisi) April 16, 2020

Mother nature is enjoying the #lockdown. No humans to bother them.

— Emile van Rooyen (@EmilevanRooyen2) April 15, 2020

We’re seeing glimpses of the world when the humans are gone ...

— Jason Randa (@JasonRanda2) April 16, 2020

Looks pretty nice. I've seen a few videos from around the world other animals walking through city streets and looking around and then just continuing to do their thing. It's quite beautiful and they are wondering where we are.

— Lori Brown (@LoriBrown82) April 17, 2020

The animals are loving having their turf back.

— Heartbeat Of Africa (@PeterDermauw) April 15, 2020

What do you think about the pictures?

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be back at work in 10 Downing Street on Monday, after recovering ving a London hospital in his fight against the novel coronavirus, Xinhua news agency stated after citing British media reports on Saturday night. Johnson told his cabinet colleagues that he will be back to his normal schedule following his treatment in St. Thomas' Hospital in London for COVID-19. Depending on doctors' advice, Johnson may host Monday's daily Downing Street news conference and possibly take on the new Labour leader Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Sky News reported.

"He is 'raring to go' and will be back Monday," Sky News noted, citing a Downing Street source. Johnson said on April 12 that he had left the hospital "after a week in which the NHS has saved my life, no question." Johnson, who spent three nights in intensive care in the hospital, spent a week in Chequers, the prime minister's country house after leaving hospital.

"He had a Chequers meeting with advisers on Friday and he will be meeting the (British) health secretary, Matt Hancock, and getting back to his normal schedule," Sky News reported. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is also the first secretary of state, had been deputized by Johnson to carry out his duties during his illness.

Earlier in the day, the British Department of Health said that a further 813 people had died of COVID-19 as of 1600 GMT on Friday, bringing the death toll to 20,319 and making UK the fifth nation globally to pass the grim milestone of 20,000 deaths, after the United States, Italy, Spain and France. Care home deaths and those in the community are still excluded from the British tally.

The UK-wide figure has doubled in less than two weeks. A total of 148,377 people have now tested positive for the virus in the country, a jump of 4,913 in 24 hours.

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New Zealand reported five new Coronavirus cases Monday as the nation got ready to ease the rules on a strict lockdown from midnight. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said there hasn't been widespread community transmission of the virus and the country has so far managed to avoid the worst scenarios for an outbreak.

She said it would continue to hunt down the last few cases. From midnight, certain businesses such as construction will be allowed to reopen, but social distancing rules will still apply. Ardern said the nation was opening up the economy, but not people's social lives.

S Korea to reopen schools
South Korea reported only 10 new cases, its 26th straight day below 100 as officials mulled reopening schools amid the slowing caseload. The figures released by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday brought the national totals to 10,738 cases and 243 deaths.

At least 1,044 infections have been linked to international arrivals, but such cases have also declined in recent weeks amid tightened border controls.

Prime Minster Chung Sye-kyun during a virus meeting Monday instructed education officials to prepare measures to ensure hygiene and enforce distance between students at schools so the government could announce a timeline for reopening schools no later than early May.

More US states to reopen
In the US, Colorado, Mississippi, Minnesota, Montana and Tennessee are also preparing to reopen economy, Reuters reported. Georgia, Oklahoma, Alaska and South Carolina had already started easing restrictions. "I would stay home if the government encouraged that, but they're not. They're saying, 'Hey, the best thing to do is go back to work, even though it might be risky,'" Royal Rose, 39, owner of a tattoo studio in Greeley, Colorado, told Reuters.

According to reports, the states have started easing lockdown without ensuring measures to trace the asymptomatic cases. Several health experts have warned that a hurry in easing lockdown may lead to a fresh wave of infections. Meanwhile, the White House said the jobless rate would be 16 per cent or higher this month. A record 26.5 million Americans have filed for unemployment since mid-March.

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday warned against relaxing the Coronavirus restrictions too soon as the country was still facing a moment of "maximum risk", in his first remarks since returning to work after contracting the disease that has killed over 20,000.

While declaring that the tide is being turned on the pandemic in the country, he urged the public to contain their impatience against the lockdown. "We are beginning to turn the tide. There are real signs we are passing through the peak," said Johnson, 55, on returning to Downing Street after recovering from the virus.

Boris Johnson

He promised "maximum transparency" on the decisions to be taken as the UK enters phase two of the Covid-19 fightback, which will involve one by one firing up the "economic engines" of the UK economy.

Johnson said the UK has "so far collectively shielded our National Health Service" and "flattened the peak" — but he could not yet say when or which restrictions would be lifted.

4K domestic abuse arrests
The House of Commons' Home Affairs Committee on Monday called for urgent action from the government over a surge in domestic abuse cases amid the lockdown, with London alone registering 4,093 arrests in the six weeks up to April 19. The panel found that calls and contacts to the helpline run by the charity Refuge were 49 per cent higher in the week prior to April 15, than the average prior to the pandemic.

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and fiancee Carrie Symonds announced the birth of a 'healthy baby boy', delivered at a government-run hospital in London on Wednesday. The birth is believed to be slightly premature but both mother and baby are said to be doing very well.

Prime Minister of United Kingdom Boris Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds blessed with a baby boy: UK Media. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/uSQcWcureI

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2020

"The Prime Minister and Symonds are thrilled to announce the birth of a healthy baby boy at a London hospital earlier this morning, a spokesperson for the couple said on Wednesday.

"Both mother and baby are doing very well. The PM and Symonds would like to thank the fantastic NHS (National Health Service) maternity team, the spokesperson said.

The news comes days after Johnson, 55, returned to 10 Downing Street on Monday after his hospitalisation for complications from COVID-19. He had been recuperating at his Chequers countryside retreat in Buckinghamshire, where he was joined by his pregnant fiancee.

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/83HkS1Vjhx

— Carrie Symonds (@carriesymonds) April 9, 2020

Symonds had taken to Twitter earlier this month to express her relief at Johnson's discharge from hospital with a series of clapping hands emoticons alongside a picture of a rainbow, which has emerged as the symbol of support for the country's NHS through the course of the pandemic fightback.

The 32-year-old herself had been previously self-isolating with the couple's dog Dilyn after she developed symptoms of coronavirus but later revealed she was on the mend. The couple had announced their engagement at the end of February, when it was also revealed that they were expecting their first baby in the summer.

The last child born to a sitting UK prime minister belonged to David and Samantha Cameron, who welcomed Florence Rose Endellion into their family in August 2010. Symonds, who works for an ocean conservation charity, met Johnson during her time as the communications chief for the Conservative Party.

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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.

277
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.

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The Sumida Aquarium, located in Tokyo, is facing a unique problem since it shut its doors to public in the beginning of March. Its animals have become habituated to a human-free environment, as they have been largely absent for the past two months. A spokesman of the aquarium wrote on Twitter that the "unprecedented situation" was leading to some unexpected downsides. He said, "Creatures in the aquarium don't see humans except keepers and they have started forgetting about humans. Garden eels, in particular, disappear into the sand and hide every time the keepers pass by." This has led to difficulties for the keepers trying to keep a track of the health of these animals.

Representational pics

Officials from the aquarium have come up with a one-of-a-kind solution for their problem; they are asking people to video call them and talk to their eels. The spokesman requested: "Let us make an emergency plea: Could you show your face to our garden eels from your home?" About 300 garden eels live at the aquarium and though they are sensitive by nature, they had become used to human company and rarely hid in the sand before the lockdown. The aquarium is setting up five tablets facing the tank, so eel enthusiasts can call and talk to them via the FaceTime app. Taking the eels' sensitive nature into account, callers are being asked to talk softly and not shout. The 'face-showing festival' is scheduled to be held from May 3 to May 5.

Grandpa gives back, and how

WWII veteran has raised a whopping R284 crore for healthcare workers in the UK

Pic/South Wales Argus, Facebook

Centenarian Tom Moore was recently given an honorary promotion to the rank of colonel by Queen Elizabeth, after his 100 lap-walk in his garden, helped raise R284 crore for healthcare workers, treating COVID-19 patients. Captain Moore's dedication is commendable as he was seen using a walker to support himself to finish the laps. He told the BBC that he was feeling "fine" at the end of the walk. He added that the healthcare workers at the frontlines of the Coronavirus pandemic were the new heroes, who "deserve everything we can give them."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised Moore's relief efforts by saying that he "embodied the spirit of the country." In addition to the honorary promotion, he was re-awarded his WWII defence medal that he had misplaced previously.

Who's a lazy boy?

Pic/@sparky_minibullterrier, Instagram

Sparky is a five-year-old mini bull terrier that loves living the easy life. "Sparky is a lazy boy," said his owner, Silvio Siamo, to The Dodo. There are hilarious videos of Sparky just giving up on walking and lying down on the ground instead. The lazy pup has over 95k followers.

Once a hero, always a hero

Pic/@MumbaiPolice, Twitter

Irrfan Khan had recreated the viral 'Drake approves' meme in 2017 with AIB. The actor extraordinaire passed away on Wednesday while being treated for a colon infection. Mumbai Police paid a fitting tribute to Khan by tweeting a meme of him with the caption: "Re-Meme-Bering Irrfan..."

(Don't) be your own barber

As salons and barbershops remain shut during the lockdown, many people have resorted to cutting their own hair or asking a loved one to do so, resulting in hilarious at-home haircuts. A user on Twitter, @badgirlkiki, posted pictures of her partner with the caption: "Gave my man a quarantine fade." In the post-cut photo, one can see the back of her partner's head, the uneven finish and more shadows evident. Even so, her tweet raked in over 2,02,000 likes. Pics/Splitpicks.uk

Man surprises his mom with a wife

Representation pic

An Indian man from the city of Ghaziabad, Guddu, stepped out of his house to get some groceries. His mother was shocked as he returned with a bride in tow, Savita. She was asked to vacate her rental house in Delhi, prompting him to bring her to his house.

Sleep like Drake, on a R3 crore mattress

When Architectural Digest magazine featured Canadian rapper Drake's mansion in Toronto, his mattress became the talk of the town. The bespoke mattress is Swedish company Hästens' second-most-expensive mattress. It takes mattress experts 600 hours to make one.

Puzzle enthusiasts, get your geek on!

Pic/Kodak.com

Kodak, which produces camera-related products, launched a gigantic jigsaw puzzle made up of 51,300 pieces recently. It measures 28.5 feet by 6.25 feet. Not only does the puzzle demand a lot of space, it demands that you pay about R38,000 to acquire it. It has been divided into 27 images of famous landmarks from all over the world.

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North and South Korean troops exchanged fire along their tense border on Sunday, the South's military said, the first such incident since the rivals took unprecedented steps to lower front-line animosities in late 2018.

Violent confrontations have occasionally occurred along the border, the world's most heavily fortified. While Sunday's incident is a reminder of persistent tensions, it didn't cause any known casualties on either side and is unlikely to escalate, observers said. The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul said in a statement that North Korean troops fired several bullets at a South Korean guard post inside the border zone. South Korea responded with a total of 20 rounds of warning shots on two occasions before issuing a warning broadcast, it said.

A preliminary South Korean analysis showed that the North firing wasn't likely a calculated provocation, though Seoul will continue examining whether there was any motivation for the action, a South Korean defense official said. The firing came a day after the North broadcast a video of Kim Jong Un reappearing in public after a 20-day absence.

S Korea refutes surgery rumour

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did not undergo surgery or any other medical procedure, a South Korean official said on Sunday, amid speculation about his health that continues to linger even after he reappeared publicly. He refused to provide the basis for the intelligence assessment.

Glad Kim is back and well, says Trump

US President Donald Trump said Saturday he was "glad" about the reappearance of Kim Jong Un and that he is apparently healthy. "I, for one, am glad to see he is back, and well!" Trump tweeted, following Kim's first public appearance in nearly three weeks after rumours that he was seriously ill or possibly dead."

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[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.

[Source: Research & Innovation] A total of 117 innovative solutions to tackle the coronavirus have been selected as winners of the European Innovation Council-led #EUvsVirus Hackathon.

India's Central Board of Direct Taxation announced on June 7, 2018, that during the first two months of June tax officials have been tasked with resolving disputes with taxpayers.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has suggested that there could be an EU-UK customs union after Brexit.

The Austrian Ministry of Finance has announced its decision to proceed with personal income tax cuts.

Belgium, Denmark, and Germany have the highest personal income tax burdens, at over 35 percent, among OECD countries, according to the latest OECD Taxing Wages report, which says that just over half of countries made small increases to their average personal tax rates last year.

The South African Revenue Service announced on October 30 that it had paid over ZAR120bn (USD8.4bn) in refunds across all tax types in the last seven months, from the beginning of April of the tax season to date.

South Africa is to launch an inquiry into the reasons behind a shortfall in tax revenue collections.

The South African Revenue Service has released the 2017 edition of its Tax Statistics report, looking at the agency's performance over the 2013 to 2016 tax years.

The South African Revenue Service has reminded taxpayers that individual tax payment is required by January 31, 2018.

South Africa has issued a guide on the value-added tax rate increase to 15 percent from 14 percent due to take effect from April 1, 2018.

On April 1, 2018, South Africa will raise its value-added tax rate to 15 percent from 14 percent.

On April 1, 2018, South Africa increased its value-added tax rate to 15 percent from 14 percent.

Having increased the headline value-added tax rate to 15 percent from 14 percent on April 1, South Africa has appointed a panel to consider a review of the list of food items subject to the zero rate.

South Africa's National Treasury is inviting the public to contribute to a review of the list of items zero-rated for value-added tax purposes.

The South African Revenue Service has removed certain paper forms from its branches in an attempt to encourage more taxpayers to file tax returns electronically.

On October 23, 2019, the Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service launched the re-established Large Business Centre, which aims to bring about higher levels of voluntary tax compliance among large taxpayers.

Jio has introduced an annual work-from-home annual plan for Rs 2399 that gives its users 2GB daily data. It has also brought in three work-from-home add-on plans.

Xiaomi has finally launched the Mi 10 in India, and with starting price of Rs 49,999, it goes up against the likes of the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro, which were recently launched in India. Here it is compared with the OnePlus 8 Pro.

Google Duo has added a family mode feature which lets its users get a more personalised experience by using AR effects and options to doodle.

Panasonic has prepared for staggered operations at retail and brand stores that have been recalibrated to abide by social distancing norms and deployed all safety measures such as placement of sanitisers, mandatory usage of masks, and contact-less assistance to consumers

The South African National Treasury has issued a discussion paper on a new diesel tax refund system, reviewing its administration and addressing anomalies related to its qualifying activities and beneficiaries.

Having endorsed the deal, the President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has forwarded on a bill to ratify the free trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association states to the Senate.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore has issued a reminder to companies that the corporate income tax return filing deadline is either November 30, 2018, for paper returns, or December 15, 2018, for electronically filed returns.

The European Free Trade Association, which comprises Liechtenstein, Iceland, Switzerland, and Norway, intends to take forward free trade negotiations with India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Ecuador this year.

Lack of emergency funds will force you to either go for distress selling of your investments or high-cost borrowing, which will jeopardise all your future goals. One should ideally have an emergency fund which can take care of at least 6 months of expenses

On May 26, 2019, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law the Carbon Tax Act No 15 of 2019, which came into effect on June 1, 2019, as announced by the Minister of Finance in the 2019 Budget.