Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 10 AM on April 14, the last day of the ongoing nationwide COVID-19. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 10 AM on 14th April 2020," PMO India tweeted.

Prime Minister @narendramodi will address the nation at 10 AM on 14th April 2020.

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 13, 2020

In his last address to the nation on March 24, the Prime Minister had announced the 21-day lockdown in the country to contain the spread of coronavirus. During a meeting last week, several Chief Ministers had suggested to the Centre that an extension of the lockdown may be considered amid surging coronavirus cases across the country.

India's tally of positive COVID-19 cases rose to 9,152 following an increase of 796 cases in the last 24 hours, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Monday.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on Tuesday at 10 am, the Prime Minister's Office said. The 21-day nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of Coronavirus ends on Tuesday and the PM is likely to talk about its possible extension. "Prime Minister @narendramodi will address the nation at 10 am on 14th April 2020," the PMO tweeted.

Last month, the PM had addressed the nation twice – on March 19 and March 24. On March 19, he had called for resolve and restraint to fight Coronavirus. He had also announced a 'janta curfew' on March 22, a Sunday. On March 24, he had announced the 21-day nationwide lockdown to check the spread of the deadly virus. In a video message on April 3, Modi had urged people to switch off the lights at their homes and light up lamps, candles or mobile phone torches for nine minutes at 9 pm on April 5 to display the country's "collective resolve" to defeat the Coronavirus.

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After his address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi changed his profile picture on Twitter. He used a picture where his mouth was covered with a cloth, thereby spreading awareness.

Narendra Modi has often emphasized on the need to cover face, wash hands and practise social distancing to curb the spread of novel Coronavirus. His new profile photo with his face covered aims to spread awareness among people on covering their faces with homemade masks and other solutions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also wore a mask when he held a virtual meeting with the chief ministers from various states. In his address, Modi extended nationwide lockdown until May 3 and said that detailed guidelines will be brought out on Wednesday in order to ensure that the virus does not spread.

India has reported 10,363 cases of the virus infection and 339 deaths so far.

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The Maharashtra government has taken serious note of complaints, alleging illegal collection of relief funds in the name of Covid-19 pandemic by certain organisations, according to officials here on Wednesday.

Following a specific complaint to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta asked the Home Department to take necessary action, said lawyer Vinod Tiwari, the complainant.

In his representation, the lawyer presented several social media posts and calls seeking funds for providing coronavirus relief.

"Most of these are solicited by registered or unregistered organisations, certain political parties, some media, individuals or entities without any credential checks by the authorities, like the Collector. This is in violation of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, Section 53/54 and also the Income-Tax Act rules," Tiwari told IANS.

He said such collections were nothing but 'unjust enrichment' by some elements out to exploit the Covid-19 pandemic, as there were no accounts available of how much was collected or spent, and for what purposes.

"Besides, this is directly hampering the official fund-raising drive by the Chief Minister Relief Fund-Covid-19 or the PM-CARES Funds, which should be the only such means as accountable and permissible," Tiwari said.

He said similar shady fund collection drives were on all over the country, which must be immediately stopped and be acted against in the public interest.

Seeking the government intervention, he demanded seizure of all the illicit amounts collected by such entities, sealing their bank accounts and transferring the funds to the official PM-CARES Fund or the CMRF-Covid-19, besides initiation of criminal action against all them.

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A woman in Telangana delivered a child by the roadside as she could not be shifted to a hospital in Suryapet town on time by her husband on his motorbike due to barricades put up on the way due to the ongoing lockdown. D. Venkanna, a daily-wage worker, and his wife Reshma live in Annadurainagar, near Suryapet town.

When his pregnant wife complained of pain late in the night, he called 108 Ambulance service but was told that the vehicle had gone to some other place to pick up a patient. With no option available, he made her sit on his scooty and left for Suryapet Government General Hospital. Venkanna said when they reached the old bus stand, the road was closed with barricades.

As there were no policemen posted there, he asked his wife to sit on the footpath and rushed to a nearby police station and pleaded with a constable to remove the barricade. The cop allegedly told him that he can't move from the assigned place of duty and advised Venkanna to himself remove the barricade. An anxious Venkanna rushed back to the place to find his wife crying with pain.

Even as the man ran around to get some help to remove them, the woman delivered the baby girl by the roadside. The incident occurred barely a km away from a government hospital in the early hours of Thursday. Hearing the cries of the woman and her husband's call for help, some area women rushed out of their houses to assist her.

After repeated attempts by the locals, an ambulance reached the spot. The medical assistants cut the umbilical cord and shifted the mother and the newborn to the hospital. Doctors said both were doing well.

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After a heartwarming video of an elephant walking on the empty streets in Kerala's Munnar district went viral, another viral video showing wild bears roaming freely in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh amid lockdown has taken the internet by storm.

It’s a pair of bears strolling at Tirumala to see if everything is ok in gods abodeðŸ˜ÂÂŽ pic.twitter.com/ymljGNiL6L

— Susanta Nanda IFS (@susantananda3) April 16, 2020

The viral video was shared by Twitter user Susanta Nanda, an Indian Forest Service officer who is working in Odisha. Susanta shared the video with his 30,000 followers with the caption: It's a pair of bears strolling at Tirumala to see if everything is ok in gods abode.

Another video of a #Tiger surfaced in Vaishno Devi pic.twitter.com/oaxXgmjYdT

— SandyMental (@smenghi) April 17, 2020

In the 10-seconds video clip, the wild bears can be seen crossing the empty streets of Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh amid the nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus. While sharing the video, Susanta jokingly said that the bears are making sure that everything if everything is okay in 'God's abode'. Susanta's God's abode reference was to the temple of Lord Venkateshwara which is located in Tirumala.

Night Patrol Party of Dear Bearshttps://t.co/3IsbafZ54m

— Pankaj Thapliyal (@PankajT04765688) April 16, 2020

The short video clip went viral and has garnered over 15,000 views with 1,500 likes. Hundreds of netizens took to the comments section of the post to share their views. One user wrote, "Amazing," while another commented, "I wonder if these wild life strolling streets had their life goals to do so one day." A third user jokingly said, "Night patrol party of dear bears."

Such a great to watch..!
The world is truly healing,☺

— True Indian (@whiz2018) April 17, 2020

On the same day, IFS Susanta had also shared a viral video where a monkey was seen flying a kite from the terrace of a building. The video garnered over 20,000 views and brought a smile on everyone's face.

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Amid lockdown, a woman from neighbouring Navi Mumbai found herself completly helpless when two hospitals refused to admit her husband, a lawyer, who had suffered a heart attack. After running from one hospital to another in an ambulance, when Jaideep Jaywant (56) was finally admitted to a medical facility, it was too late, his distraught wife Deepali, who is also a lawyer, told PTI. She said in the initial days of lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus, it was her husband who had taken an initiative to supply essential items to harried neighbours, but he died without getting timely help.

The victim, resident of Sector 17 in Vashi area of Navi Mumbai, had a massive heart attack on April 14. He collapsed after having lunch. "I could feel his pulse. There was still life in him. I immediately called an ambulance and rushed him to a nearby hospital," his wife said. "But, the security guard at the hospital did not even open the gates. They said they admitted only COVID-19 patients and no (other) emergency," she said.

They then went to a municipal hospital in Sector 10 but were not allowed inside. They subsequently proceeded to D Y Patil Hospital in Nerul. "By the time we reached there, 30 minutes were wasted and he was declared dead," the grief-stricken wife said. "Can't there be any medical emergencies other than COVID-19 during the lockdown? Is it right for hospitals to turn away patients needing emergency medical aid?" she asked.

The woman said she can't seek action against the hospital in her neighbourhood since she has no evidence against it. "General practitioners are all closed. Where do
ordinary people go?" she asked.

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, on Sunday, addressed the state and said that there are 3,651 coronavirus cases in Maharashtra. While addressing via video message, Thackeray said the state government will allow the industries from green and orange zones to start production and processing activities in a restricted manner from April 20.

"The state government is allowing the industries from green and orange zones to start production and processing activities in a restricted manner. The industries will have to arrange the accommodation for their workers. They would not travel long distance for work," he said

Suggesting that few districts in Maharashtra have shown decrease in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, CM Uddhav Thackeray said that the districts will be divided into red, orange and green zones. He further highlighted that district borders will remain closed.

CM Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray addressing the State https://t.co/53JPZcmu13

— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) April 19, 2020

He furthur urged the people with milder syptoms to get themselves checked and not hide their symptoms as 70-75 percent cases in the state are asymptomatic while, 52 percent are in serious conditions.He mentioned that lockdown measures in the state will be relaxed in graded manner.

Thackeray requested the public not to venture out even though the commercial and industrial activities have been allowed to resume.

He issued a helpline on Sunday for those facing mental health issues. Thackeray said: "If you are feeling any mental health issue, do call 1800 120 820050."

Thackeray added that doorstep delivery of newspapers will be prohibited in red zones. He also said that the state government has allowed certain economic activities in orange and green zones. 

"Intra-district movement in green and orange zones may be allowed," said Thackeray.

With inputs from Agencies

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's father Anand Singh Bisht passed away at AIIMS in the national capital on Monday.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath says he will not take part in the last rites of his father tomorrow, to ensure enforcement of lockdown and to defeat coronavirus pandemic in the state. pic.twitter.com/PPjy9xxLgB

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 20, 2020

Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel expressed grief over Bisht's death. Several leaders including Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, Kailash Vijayvargiya, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Kamal Nath have condoled the death of Adityanth's father.

"Received Sad news of the death of Shri Anand Singh Bisht ji, father of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanth. May his soul rest in peace and provide courage to his family in this difficult time," Singh tweeted.

"My deepest condolences on the death of Shri Anand Singh Bisht ji, father of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. May God give courage to the family to suffer pain in this hour of grief. Soulful tribute," Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted.

Kailash VIjayavargiya tweeted, "I am saddened by the news of the demise of Mr. Yogi Adityanath ji's father Mr. Anand Singh Bisht ji. I will salute the devotion of Yogiji, who completed the COVID-19 meeting, despite getting the information of his father's death".

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Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said that 54 people have been arrested in connection with the Padarayanapura incident and five FIRs have been registered so far.

A ruckus erupted in Padarayanapura on Sunday allegedly over the shifting of suspected COVID-19 persons to a quarantine facility by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials. "Fifty-four people have been arrested and five have been secured. We will book them under suitable sections. We will take them into custody and we will investigate the matter," said Bommai.

"Fifty-eight people were supposed to be taken for quarantine, 15 have been taken, 20 people were ready to go along with the officials but over 100 people damaged CCTV cameras, broke police barricades. Five FIRs have been lodged," he added.

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India's new norms featuring "additional barriers" for foreign direct investment from specific countries violate WTO's principle of non-discrimination and are against the general trend of free trade, a Chinese embassy spokesperson said on Monday.

The impact of the policy was clear on Chinese investors, the official said, adding India's action was also against the consensus arrived at the G20 to realise a free, fair and non-discriminatory environment for investment. Last week, India made prior clearance by the government mandatory for foreign investments from countries that share land border with India to curb "opportunistic takeovers" of domestic firms following the Coronavirus pandemic.

Chinese embassy spokesperson Ji Rong said China hoped that India would revise the "relevant discriminatory practices" and treat investments from different countries equally while fostering an "open, fair and equitable" business environment.

India's decision to tighten norms for FDI came amid reports of China eyeing to take over several Indian entities following fall in their valuation after the economic downturn in the wake of the pandemic.

"The additional barriers set by Indian side for investors from specific countries violate WTO's principle of non-discrimination, and go against the general trend of liberalisation and facilitation of trade and investment," the spokesperson said in a statement.

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The government said on Thursday that it has been able to "cut Coronavirus transmission", minimise its spread and increase the doubling time of COVID-19 cases in the country during the 30-day period of the nationwide lockdown. While asserting that the growth of Coronavirus cases in the country has been more or less linear and not exponential, it also said testing has been ramped up consistently. Addressing a daily press conference on the COVID-19 situation in the country, C K Mishra, chairman of Empowered Group Two, said, "One crucial weapon we employed during the 30-day lockdown period is RT-PCR test to ascertain if one has contracted the disease or not."

As on March 23, nearly 15,000 tests were done across the country and by April 22 more than 5 lakh tests were conducted, which is about "33 times in 30 days", he said, adding, "But we are conscious of the fact that this is not enough and we have to continuously ramp up testing in the country and we will do that." Of the empowered groups formed to suggest measures to ramp up healthcare, put the economy back on track and reduce misery of people once the lockdown is lifted, Mishra is the chairman of Empowered Group Two tasked with coordinating availability of hospitals, isolation and quarantine facilities, disease surveillance, testing and critical care training.

"The growth of COVID-19 cases has been more or less linear, not exponential; this indicates that the strategies we adopted have succeeded in containing the infection to a particular level. Post imposition of lockdown, while the number of new positive cases has increased by 16 times, testing increased by 24 times," Mishra said in his presentation.

Finance ministry puts DA, DR on hold

The finance ministry has decided to put on hold increment in dearness allowance (DA) for 50 lakh central government employees and 61 lakh pensioners till July 2021. "Additional installment of DA payable to central government employees and dearness relief (DR) to pensioners due from January 1, 2020, shall not be paid," it said.

India fights the virus as lockdown continues

Cong blames Centre: The chief ministers of Congress-ruled states on Thursday hit out at the central government for not providing financial assistance to them, asking how the country would win the battle against COVID-19 in this time of crisis. The chief ministers of Punjab, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Puducherry demanded a financial package for the states to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pay cut rolled back: IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta told employees on Thursday that the airline has decided to roll back the pay cuts, which were announced earlier for senior staff members, for the month of April in deference to the “government’s wishes”. “However, your Excom (Executive Committee) members and SVPs (senior vice presidents) have volunteered to take pay cuts this month. For everyone else, you can expect your April salaries to be paid without the pay cuts,” Dutta told employees through an email.

K’taka relaxes lockdown: Partial relaxation in the extended lockdown has begun across Karnataka, excluding Coronavirus hotspots and containment areas, according to an official here on Thursday. “As notified, the 19-day extended lockdown has been partially relaxed to mitigate hardship to the people and revive the economic activity to sustain growth,” the official said.

Pool testing: Even though Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh has been declared Corona-free, the district administration is taking no chances regarding the deadly virus. The Bareilly health department has deployed a mobile medical unit in crowded localities of the city to collect “pool” samples for random COVID-19 testing of vegetable and fruit vendors, hawkers, chemists, etc.

‘Don’t hold iftars’: The Association of All Goa Muslim Jamaats on Thursday issued a pre-Ramzan advisory urging Muslims in the state not to organise community iftars and pray for frontline health workers, police and those involved in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

Exit strategy: The Congress Working Committee in its meeting, held virtually, on Thursday demanded that the remaining period of the lockdown should be used to prepare and publish a detailed exit strategy and a comprehensive road map for the future.

04
No. of cops in Bengal injured in clash with villagers

686
Total no. of deaths due to the virus in India

5L
Total no. of samples that have been tested till now

34
No. of Bhopal cops who have tested COVID-19 positive

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Hyderabad: In a humanitarian gesture, a police officer in Hyderabad paid Rs 20,000 from his pocket for the emergency surgery of a man from Himachal Pradesh who got stranded here due to the lockdown.

B.L. Laxminarayan Reddy, inspector and Station House Officer of Kukatpally police station under Cyberabad police commissionerate, not only got Lalit Kumar admitted to a private hospital but also paid the hospital bill from his pocket.

Lalit Kumar, a resident of Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh, was stranded due to the lockdown at Kukatpally here and was in need of medical surgery. He approached the police and the inspector came forward to get him admitted to Omni Hospital.

Himachal Pradesh Governor Bandaru Dattatreya and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur appreciated the police officer's kind gesture.

Dattatraya, who hails from Hyderabad, spoke to Laxminarayan Reddy over the phone and lauded him for the immediate help he rendered to the man in distress. He said that the official's action is an inspiration to all.

Himachal Pradesh chief minister sent a letter to Laxminarayan Reddy. "This act was a great gesture on your part and I appreciate your exemplary effort. Your deed is an inspiration to all the persons involved in the fight against COVID-19," Thakur wrote.

"Your concern beyond humanity towards Mr Lalit who got stranded due to lockdown really deserves this appreciation. Admitting him at the hospital and supporting financially on your own, proves once again that police are there to reach every needy. Proud of you dear SHO, Kukatpally," tweeted Telangana Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy, who also posted Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister's letter of appreciation for the police official.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter on Friday morning informing that he will be interacting with 'Sarpanchs' from across the nation. He will also launch an unified e-GramSwaraj portal and a mobile app on National Panchayati Raj Day. "At 11 AM today, PM @narendramodi would be interacting with Sarpanchs from across the nation via video conferencing. All Sarpanchs will be able to join this interaction through Doordarshan, from their respective homes adhering to social distancing norms," Modi tweeted.

He added that the village heads who were participating and will be sharing their views with him will be doing so from a Common Service Centre close to them. National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated on April 24 as it marks a defining moment in the history of decentralisation of power to the grassroots level, with the institutionalisation of Panchayati Raj through the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992, which came into force on April 24, 1993.

The portal that PM Modi will launch is a new initiative of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj which will provide the gram panchayats with a single interface to prepare and implement their Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP).

The Prime Minister will also launch the Swamitva Scheme on the occasion. The scheme provides for an integrated property validation solution for rural India; the demarcation of inhabited land in rural areas would be done by the use of latest surveying methods -- Drone technology with the collaborated efforts of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, State Panchayati Raj Departments, State Revenue Departments and Survey of India.

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Bhopal: With most establishments downing their shutters in light of the COVID-19 lockdown in Madhya Pradesh, many have lost access to essentials, including hygiene products.

However, a non-profit organisation run by students has come to the rescue of underprivileged women in the slums of Bhopal, by providing them sanitary napkins in these unprecedented times.

A city-based organisation called Manasa distributed at least 3,000 sanitary napkins in slum colonies across the city to help women who could not buy these monthly hygiene products
during the lockdown. "Our group, which primarily consists of students, raised money for poor women. We pooled in Rs 16,000 to buy sanitary napkins," founder of the organisation Janvi Tiwari said.

The 21-year-old got in touch with different agencies and NGOs that were involved in distributing essentials in ghettoes and got them to give away sanitary pads as well. "I realised that women living in slums would find it difficult to purchase sanitary products during the lockdown. I didn't want them to use unhygienic cloth strips that can cause
infections" said Tiwari, who is pursuing a degree in psychology.

With the lockdown in place, the supply of sanitary pads to the city has dwindled and they were trying to access more sanitary napkins for distribution, said Tiwari, who has been working on the issue of menstrual health for the last two years.

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In order to ensure that farmers continue to get all necessary inputs for farming amid the coronavirus lockdown, the Indian Railways has carried 25,588 tonnes of manure to Moradabad through 12 goods trains. "To ensure that no farmer faces any issue here, we have transported all the essential items for agriculture including urea via goods trains. These goods will be delivered to farmers with the help of the traders," Manohar, an Indian Railways official, told ANI. The official further stated that they are also ensuring that labourers who are unloading the manure from the trains are following social distancing norms.

"Labourers who have been asked to unload the items have been made aware of social distancing. All the workers have been issued lockdown passes so that they do not face any problem while commuting," he added. Also, Indian Railways recently has also identified 63 routes for Parcel Special Trains since the start of the lockdown for transportation of perishable commodities including fruits, vegetables, milk and dairy products and seeds for agriculture purposes.

The Parcel Specials have been planned to connect all the major cities of the country, viz Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru. In addition, proper connectivity has also been ensured to Guwahati, to ensure supplies in the North-Eastern region of the country. Other important cities connected via these trains are Bhopal, Allahabad, Dehradun, Varanasi, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Ranchi, Gorakhpur, Thiruvananthapuram, Salem, Warangal, Vijayawada, Vishakhapatnam, Rourkela, Bilaspur, Bhusawal, Tatanagar, Jaipur, Jhansi, Agra, Nasik, Nagpur, Akola, Jalgaon, Surat, Pune, Raipur, Patna, Asansol, Kanpur, Jaipur, Bikaner, Ajmer, Gwalior, Mathura, Nellore, Jabalpur, etc.

Trains are being run even on those routes where demand is less, so that no part of the country remains unconnected. Trains have been given en-route stoppages at all feasible locations, so that maximum possible clearance of parcels may be done.

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officers that no public gathering should be allowed in the state till June 30 amid the coronavirus outbreak. "Chief Minister has directed officers that no public gathering be allowed till 30th June. Further decision will be taken depending on the situation," Office of CM Yogi Adityanath tweeted.

The Chief Minister held a meeting with chairpersons of 11 committees of the state over the COVID-19 situation.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, there are 1,621 coronavirus cases in Uttar Pradesh including 247 cured/discharged and 25 deaths.

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

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

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

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

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

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Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' address, has given a direction to the Indian citizens for fighting the battle against Coronavirus.

"PM Modi in his 'Mann ki Baat' has said that the battle against Coronavirus has to be won within one month. He had said that by the time Eid comes we will defeat Coronavirus," Javadekar said.

He further said, "Modi had also said that society has shown humanity by ensuring that no one goes hungry during the lockdown." "In today's address, the PM gave a proper direction that is necessary to fight the battle against Coronavirus," he added.

Modi while addressing the nation during his monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' had said that India's fight against the Coronavirus is "people-driven" and is being fought by the masses and the administration together.

He also informed that the government has come up with a digital platform to link volunteers of social organisations, representatives of civil society and local administration.

Tamil Nadu under major lockdown

The complete lockdown in the major urban centres of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai and Coimbatore, came into force on Sunday with groceries and vegetable shops also shutting down as civic bodies intensified disinfection work in their respective regions. While police patrol vehicles and flying squads of civic bodies alone could be seen in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem and Tirupur, people in some localities in north Chennai loitered around.

Standalone shops open up in Delhi

The Delhi government has allowed the standalone shops in the national capital based on the Union Home Ministry's order but the markets and complexes will remain shut, Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal said. He also said that no other relaxation will be given to the city till May 3 — lockdown deadline. "Last Sunday we decided to continue the lockdown without any relaxation. We are giving one relaxation today. The Centre on Friday announced to open some shops and we are implementing it."

Shops sell PPE for as cheap as Rs 198

As they fight the deadly Coronavirus pandemic 24/7, frontline healthcare workers are facing a severe crunch of personal protection equipment (PPE) suits or hazmat suits. Suddenly, several retail shops have cropped up across the country, offering such specialised medical suits at cheap prices. Shops in Tirupur — also called the knitwear city of India — in Tamil Nadu are offering such suits for as low as R198 and R225, take minimum order for 50 suits with courier charges extra.

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Playing game of cards and hosting parties to kill time during the nationwide lockdown, two truck driver in Andhra Pradesh's Vijayawada city spread coronavirus to as many as 38 persons, officials said on Sunday.

One of them infected 24 people while organising a game of cards at his house and inviting his neighbours and friends to join in. According to officials, he had gone to Kolkata in West Bengal to ferry some goods and returned to the city on April 4 via Odisha.

Feeling bored, the driver invited neighbours and friends for a game of cards while his wife invited womenfolk from nearby houses.

When the truck driver tested positive, officials questioned him and came to know about his activities since his return hoe. Those who came in contact with him were screened and most found infected.

Another driver spread the virus to 14 people. Investigations revealed that he had gone to Dubai and returned via Sri Lanka and Chennai last month. Without observing home quarantine, he attended parties and thus spread of virus.

Vijayawada is a hotspot in the state and it accounts for more than 100 of the 177 positive cases reported so far in Krishna district.

District collector Imtiyaz Ahmed said unless people cooperate in checking the spread of coronavirus, government efforts alone can't yield the desired results.

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The Indian Newspaper Society, which petitioned PM Modi to grant a two-year tax holiday on media businesses, bump up DAVP advertisement rates and increase government's advertising outlay, has also urged the government to settle outstanding bills that central ministries owe to the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), which in turn pays media organisations for running advertising campaigns for ministries.

Dues totalling more than Rs 350 crore have not been paid to DAVP by various central ministries despite repeated requests by the INS and the Association of Radio Operators of India, which have demanded release of outstanding money for the bleeding print and broadcast sectors.

Industry sources said some pending payments are related to ad campaigns nearly 4-5 years ago. The health ministry, sources said, owes over Rs 61crore to DAVP. The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) echoed INS's demand for a bailout package, requesting the government to allow advertisers to treat advertising money as investments and allow it to spread expenditure incurred in advertising over three years.

AAAI's demands for government intervention comes on the heels of persistent requests by media organisations to the Centre to clear outstanding DAVP dues and announce a bailout package for the industry. AAAI has sought the government's intervention to permit a loaded deduction of 200% on advertising expenditure, a move that is likely to encourage advertisers, both publicly listed and private, to advertise sooner and essay a faster economic recovery. In a letter to the Union government, the AAAI also demanded that the government clear its outstanding bills by way of income tax and GST refunds. To help the industry, AAAI said payments should not be taxed, and directions should be given to banks and advertising sector's debtors to provide cash flow to meet essential expenses.

Demands for relief packages have also been raised by Indian Broadcasting Foundation and News Broadcasters Association. While INS sought removal of 5% customs duty on newsprint, twoyear tax holiday for newspaper establishments, 50% increase in DAVP advertisement rates and 100% increase in budget spend for print media, NBA sought waiver of 18% GST on advertisements, or for it to be lowered to 5% to bring it on par with print media.

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The business of advertising agencies has shrunk by more than 70 per cent following the spread of Covid-19 and the lockdown. In a recommendation to the government, the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI), which is the national association of advertising agencies, has proposed that advertising expense be treated as an investment and the cost be amortised over the next three years.

The objective is to encourage a higher level of expenditure by profitable companies, which will in turn accelerate the revival of economic activity. In a letter to Prakash Javadekar, the Union minister of information & broadcasting, AAAI said on a Rs 100 expense, an advertiser be allowed to claim an expenditure of, say, twice that amount (Rs 200), while computing income tax.

The bulk of the agency's costs are fixed in nature, be it salaries, rent, electricity and communication, among others. "The income and cash flow has been in serious stress in the last month and unless there is some intervention, many businesses will either file for bankruptcy or will have to under-size considerably," the note said.

AAAI president Ashish Bhasin, who is also CEO, Dentsu Aegis Network Greater South and chairman & CEO of India, told TOI, "Advertising industry is like the lubricant to the economy. And the lubricant for the advertising industry is liquidity. If we can infuse liquidity in advertising by encouraging profitable companies to continue to advertise, it will spur consumer demand, which in turn will kick-start the economy. The positive benefit from an improved consumer demand will far outweigh the offsets we are asking for."

With hotels, airlines and other industries impacted by the lockdown, Bhasin said overall average advertising industry revenues have come down by more than 70%. "We had earlier estimated a growth projection of 11-12% for this calendar year. However, with the current situation, we might just end the year with a degrowth," said Bhasin.

AAAI has requested the government to pay its dues to advertising agencies at the earliest possible. AAAI has also asked for an expedited refund of GST applications within 2-4 weeks.

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A three-month-old baby who had tested positive for Coronavirus around two weeks ago, was cured and discharged, along with her along with her mother who had been looking after him, on Sunday from BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur.

The baby happens to be a relative of Basti's first Corona death case.

The mother, 30, had arrived with her son at the BRD Medical College on April 12, and both were tested twice. The mother was found to be negative but the baby was positive.

"The major challenge for the doctors was to save the mother from the infection. The infant was shifted to the isolation ward, where his mother took care of him with all precautions," said BRD college principal Dr. Ganesh Kumar.

He further said: "The baby had no serious complications except fever for which he was initially given paracetamol. He recovered without any medication due to self-immunity boosted by the intake of mother's milk."

The tests conducted on Saturday and Sunday of both, mother and baby, were negative.

The mother-son duo received a standing ovation from Gorakhpur district magistrate Vijyendra Pandiyan, commissioner Jayant Narlirkar, and BRD medical staff for winning the battle against Corona virus.

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Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said India should look at converting the world's "hatred" for China amid the coronavirus pandemic into an economic opportunity for itself by attracting large-scale foreign investments.

Interacting with overseas Indian students via video conferencing, the minister for MSME and Road Transport and Highways said across the world now, there is "hatred for China. Is it possible for us to convert it into an opportunity for India?" Referring to the economic package announced by Japan for its businesses exiting China, Gadkari said, "I feel that we should think on that and we will concentrate on it. We will open the Indian scenario for that. We will give the clearances and everything to them and attract foreign investment."

Asked if India can take any action against China incase it is found to have deliberately "suppressed" information on coronavirus, the minister said this was a sensitive subject related with the Ministry of External Affairs and the prime minister, and therefore it will not be appropriate for him to comment on it. Gadkari said all government departments, particularly the finance ministry as well as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), are formulating policies to win the "economic war" post the COVID-19 pandemic and fulfil the prime minister's dream of making India a USD 5 trillion economy. "At the same time, we can make infrastructure of Rs 100 lakh crore," he added.

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Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Monday raised the issue of low salary paid to the intern doctors performing their duty amid the nationwide lockdown to combat coronavirus and demanded that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath should raise their pay.

"Intern MBBS doctors in UP are performing their duty in this crisis with all sincerity. Their lives are also in danger. And they get only Rs 250 per day. Chief Minister Yogi Aditynathji, their salary is very low. In my understanding, it is your duty to increase the salary of intern doctors at this time of crisis," Priyanka Gandhi, who is also the party in-charge for eastern Uttar Pradesh, said in a tweet.

Her remarks came after several intern doctors in the state raised the issue of getting Rs 250 per day. On Monday, the total number of Covid-19 cases in Uttar Pradesh rose to 1,955 with 31 people losing their lives due to the pandemic across the state. A total of 335 people have been cured in the state so far.

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After two Sadhus were found murdered in Bulandshahr the Congress has attacked the Chief Minister for deteriorating law and order situation in the state. Congress Working Committee member and former Union Minister Jitin Prasada has demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The murder of the two Sadhus came after a family of five have been found dead under mysterious circumstances.

Prasada in a press statement said, "It's time that the chief minister should step down as law and order situation is worsening day by day."

The Brahmin leader of UP has been accusing the government of targeted killing of Brahmins in the state and said that the government is trying to cover up such cases.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra earlier tweeted that there should be no politics over the killing of sadhus but the Congress leaders have ceased the opportunity to attack the government.

Priyanka Gandhi in her tweet said, "Today in Bulandshahr, two sadhus were murdered while they were sleeping. The truth must come out after investigation in this heinous crime and at this stage no body should politicize this issue."

Two sadhus were found murdered inside a Shiva temple at Pagona village of Bulandshahr district in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday.

The murder came to light when people reached the temple on Tuesday morning and saw the blood-soaked bodies. According to reports, the deceased have been identified as Jagandas (55), and Sevadas (35).

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken cognizance of the incident and directed the district officials to inform him of the investigations. He has also ordered strict action against the accused. One of the accused has been arrested by the police.

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Congress leader and MP from Wayanad Rahul Gandhi has interacted with the local leaders of the party in his constituency and took stock of the situation during the covid lockdown. During the video conferencing that happened on Tuesday evening, the local leaders raised the issue of the condition of patients suffering from chronic ailments like kidney and liver disease.

Party sources said Rahul Gandhi assured his help to these patients and said that he would take care of the treatment of such patients. The sources also said that Rahul Gandhi has assured to help a 1,000 people for their medical treatment. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had sent thermal scanners and PPE kits to his constituency and had spoken to the collector Adeela Abdullah and Jafar Malik. The Congress MP has also allotted money from his MPLAD Fund.

Rahul Gandhi has been emphasising on conducting more tests.

He has also suggested easing of the lockdown as economic activity could start in the green zones. Rahul has been critical of the Centre for "the one-size-fit-all lockdown" which "has brought untold misery and suffering to millions of farmers, migrant labourers, daily wagers and business owners".

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The family of an asthma patient put him on a handcart when the ambulance did not turn up, but failed to save his life with policemen on the way to hospital and doctors there allegedly ignoring his plight. Both police and medical authorities denied their alleged negligence which the family said led to the death Monday of vegetable vendor Satish Agrawal, who lived in curfew-bound Faithagadi in Kota's Rampura area. Agrawal was carried about half the way to MBS Hospital on the cart from which he sold vegetables, before a private ambulance arrived.

"As none of the ambulance services responded, I put my father on his vegetable cart and started for the hospital over two and a half kilometres away from home," he said. "Though policemen on the way removed barricades at various intersections on the curfew-bound road, none of them thought of helping us and rushing my father in a police vehicle to the hospital," Manish told PTI.

"After Manish had covered over a kilometre till Nayapura circle on the way to MBS Hospital, I somehow managed to hire a private ambulance," another relative said. "Even at the hospital, we were made to shuttle from one room to another and to a makeshift clinic outside the hospital building before doctors eventually attended on him and declared him dead at 2.30 pm," he said.

MBS Hospital's medical superintendent Dr Naveen Saxena, however, refuted the allegation. "Satish Agrawal was brought to the hospital in a collapsed condition and a doctor immediately examined him in room 125 and declared him brought dead," he said. "Sometime later, the family members of the victim, however, said the patient's heart was still beating, following which Dr Lokesh Suwalka re-examined him and conducted an ECG," Dr Saxena said.

"The medical staff did not delay in the treatment," he asserted. On the unavailability of an ambulance, he said the service is managed by the chief medical and health officer. The officer could not be contacted for comment. Kota's Assistant Superintendent of Police Dilip Saini too rejected the family's allegation about policemen ignoring the plight of the patient being carted to a hospital on a handcart.

"It is hypothetical to say that the policemen did not help. The policemen in the area did not have any vehicle or an ambulance, which could have been summoned only from a hospital or the ambulance service numbers 104 or 108," said Saini.

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A case has been registered against a man for allegedly uploading a "derogatory" post against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, a police official said on Wednesday. The accused has been identified as Pushparaj Meshram, a resident of Kamptee, the official said.

"He had uploaded a derogatory post about these political leaders on Facebook. Based on a complaint, a case was registered against Meshram under IPC sections 505 (2), 500 (defamation), 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy)," inspector Narendra Hiwre of Lakadganj police station said.

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Legendary Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor passed away due to complications arised from cancer on Thursday morning, leaving behind a legacy of almost 50 years in the film industry. Ever since the news of his passing broke, tributes have been pouring in for the actor from the film industry and the political world, where he was remembered as a jovial person.

Prominent politicians have taken to Twitter to express their grief and offer their condolences to the Kapoor family. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Jawadekar, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal were among the politicians who offered their condolences on Kapoor’s passing on the micro-blogging site.

Multifaceted, endearing and lively...this was Rishi Kapoor Ji. He was a powerhouse of talent. I will always recall our interactions, even on social media. He was passionate about films and India’s progress. Anguished by his demise. Condolences to his family and fans. Om Shanti.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 30, 2020

This is a terrible week for Indian cinema, with the passing of another legend, actor Rishi Kapoor. A wonderful actor, with a huge fan following across generations, he will be greatly missed. My condolences to his family, friends & fans all over the world, at this time of grief.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 30, 2020

Deeply saddened by the sudden demise of actor Rishi Kapoor. He entertained several generations of Indians throughout his career. What a terrible loss.. My condolences to the grieving family. May God bless his soul.

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 30, 2020

Saddened by the sudden demise of #RishiKapoor who left a profound imprint on Bollywood by his versatile acting. Have grown up watching many of his films since my student days.
A great loss to the world of creativity.
My sincere condolences!
à¥Â शानà¥Âति!!

— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) April 30, 2020

Saddened to hear about the demise of veteran actor #RishiKapoor. He has been an inspiration for budding actors and will always be remembered for his iconic performances.

My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and fans. Om Shanti.

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) April 30, 2020

Saddened to hear about the demise of veteran actor #RishiKapoor. He has been an inspiration for budding actors and will always be remembered for his iconic performances.

My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and fans. Om Shanti.

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) April 30, 2020

Another film legend passes away... Saddened by Rishi Kapoor’s sudden demise. The film fraternity has lost a gem of an actor who always spoke his mind out. Heartfelt condolences to his family #RishiKapoor pic.twitter.com/0Dvpx8eu09

— N Chandrababu Naidu #StayHomeSaveLives (@ncbn) April 30, 2020

Rishi Kapoor was admitted to the Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai on Wednesday. His notable films as a romantic hero are "Laila Majnu", "Rafoo Chakkar", "Karz", "Chandni", "Heena" and "Saagar". He was, however, more proud of his second innings as an actor, which he found more satisfying. His notable films as a character artiste are "Do Dooni Chaar" with wife Neetu, "Agnipath", "Kapoor & Sons" and "Mulk".

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Eminent Kannada poet and writer K.S. Nissar Ahmed passed away here after prolonged illness, an official said on Sunday. He was 84. "Ahmed died at his residence in the city's south-west suburb after prolonged illness due to age-related complications," a state information department official told IANS here.

Kannada poet Professor KS Nisar Ahmed passes away at his residence. He was 84 years old. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/i7hadMxVhE

— ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2020

Born on February 5, 1936 at Devanahalli on the city's northern outskirts, Ahmed was a prolific writer in Kannada and penned poems, plays, short stories and novels.

A post-graduate in geology, Ahmed worked in the mines and geology department of the state government at Gulbarga in the state's northern region in the 1950s-60s before moving to Bengaluru to teach the subject (geology) at the state-run central college in the city centre and later at Chitradurga and Shimoga in the state's Malnad region during the 1970s.

"Ahmed is a recipient of several awards and honours, including Padma Sri and Sahitya Academy award in 2008 and state awards like Pampa in 2017, Nadoja in 2003 and Rajyotsava in 1981," the official recalled. Kuvempu University at Shimoga awarded honorary doctorate to Ahmed in 2010.

Ahmed is well known for his poems "Nityotsava" and other popular works such as "Manasu Gandhi Bazaru", "Sanje Aidara Male" and "Manadondige Mathukathe".

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Two African lion cubs, born a month ago at Nehru Zoological Park here, came out for the first time in a 'day crawl'. According to Nehru Zoological Park Curator, N.Kshitija, this is the first time that the cubs came out since their birth last month.

#WATCH Telangana: One-month-old two African lion cubs were seen playing with her mother, Adhisana, in the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad today. pic.twitter.com/UCHQJcdw2e

— ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2020

Lovely moments of the cute cubs spending time with their mother Adhisana were captured on camera by the zoo officials. One of the photographs released by the zoo authorities shows the mother licking her cub. The cubs are also seen playing with each other.

Shutdown for more than 40 days due to coronavirus-fuelled nation-wide lockdown, the zoo brought some cheers to animal lovers with the increase in the big cat population.

The Nehru Zoological Park (NZP), most popular and one of the largest zoos in the country, saw the birth of three Royal Bengal tiger cubs and two African lion cubs in the first week of April. Six jackal puppies and two Blue Gold Macaw chicks were also born.

Meanwhile, NZP officials said they were taking all precautions for the safety of the animals in the wake of the outbreak of Covid-19. It sounded an alert last month after a tiger at a New York Zoo tested positive for the dreaded virus.

The animal keepers and veterinary staff were alerted to monitor the animals, particularly tiger and primates for checking any symptoms of cold, nasal discharge or any symptoms of flu. The officials said the precautionary measures were taken up as per the instructions of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Central Zoo Authority (CZA).

The veterinary wing is continuously monitoring the health of animals and checking for any symptoms. Thermal scanning is being done of about 150 Zoo employees engaged in taking care of the animals. The Zoo authorities took several preventive prophylactic measures since the first week of March.

The NZP, which is shut since March 22, is using the services of staff animal keepers, gardeners, security and workshop staff to attend duties for providing feed to the animals, cleaning the enclosures, maintaining hygiene and sanitation, maintaining health of animals and attending emergency maintenance works and services.

Set up in 1963, the NZP is the most popular and one of the largest Zoos with an average of 27-30 lakh visitors annually. It has over 155 species and 1550 specimens in spacious enclosures.

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Twenty eight-year-old freelance journalist, Rizwana Tabassum, committed suicide by hanging herself. Samajwadi Party leader Shamim Nomani has now been arrested for abetting the extreme step after a suicide note recovered from her room blamed him.

"Shamim Nomani is responsible," her suicide note said. Tabassum killed herself in Harpalpur of Varanasi district on Monday.

SSP's PRO Sanjay Tripathi, told IANS on Tuesday that Shamim had been formally arrested. He was detained and interrogated on Monday night.

The PRO further said that the post mortem report of Rizwana had confirmed death by hanging.

According to Varanasi Sadar CO, Abhishek Pandey, a case has been registered against Lohta resident Nomani on the charge of abetment to suicide under Section 306 on Tabassum's father complaint.

Nomani has been detained for interrogation and the body has been sent for post-mortem.

Shamim and Rizwana reportedly were friends for a long time but no one is aware of what happened suddenly.

According to reports, when Tabassum did not come out of her room on Monday, they called out to her but there was no response.

The police were informed about the incident and when the policemen broke open the door, Tabassum's body was found hanging from the ceiling fan.

Her father said, "She never told about anything nor did she have any enmity with anyone. She was a good daughter as well as a good journalist."

She had completed Mass Communication from Banaras Hindu University and worked as a freelance journalist for several portals and publications.

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A day after reopening the liquor shops, Andhra Pradesh government on Tuesday increased alcohol prices by 50 per cent. The government said the move was aimed at discouraging liquor consumption. The shops had reopened on Monday with a hike of 25 per cent in liquor prices.

A day after reopening the #liquorshops, #AndhraPradesh government on Tuesday increased alcohol prices by 50 per cent.

The government said the move was aimed at discouraging liquor consumption. The shops had reopened on Monday with a hike of 25 per cent in liquor prices. pic.twitter.com/u3cb6rO5f6

— IANS Tweets (@ians_india) May 5, 2020

However, the hike failed to deter the tipplers, who gathered in large numbers at the shops across the state, flouting the social distancing norm to check the spread of COVID-19. As the scenes of long queues and chaos raised fears of further spike in the number of corona cases in the state and the government came under criticism for encouraging liquor sale during a pandemic, it hiked the prices by 50 per cent on Tuesday.

Officials said the new prices will come into force with immediate effect. However, shops will open only after the issue of formal orders and the new prices are updated online. There was utter confusion on Monday when the shops reopened for the first time after the lockdown began as the prices following 25 per cent hike were not updated online.

The government claimed that another 50 per cent hike has been taken as further step towards discouraging alcohol consumption. With the latest hike the prices have increased by 75 per cent in two days. Officials said the latest decision was taken to discourage liquor consumption in view of the conditions that prevailed on Monday.

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government said the number of liquor shops would be further reduced by 15 per cent by the end of this month. The YSRCP, which had promised total prohibition, started phase-wise implementation after coming to power in May last year.

As a first major step towards prohibition in October last year, the Jagan Mohan Reddy government took over the state. The state-owned Andhra Pradesh Beverages Corporation Limited (APBCL) took control of the liquor shops from private contractors after reducing the number of outlets to 3,500 from 4,380 earlier.

In December, the government had claimed that as a result of its steps the liquor consumption came down in the state.e retail liquor business and increased the price to discourage consumption.

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A gas leak in Andhra Pradesh’s Vizag district in the wee hours of Thursday has left eight people, including a child and over 120 people hospitalized. According to ANI, Styrene gas leakage had occurred at the LG Polymers industry in RR Venkatapuram village in Vizag early this morning.

Residents in the area complained of irritation in eyes, breathlessness, nausea and rashes on their bodies following the gas leak. Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have rushed to the spot and reports say that the gas leak has been contained.

Many politicians have taken to Twitter to condemn the incident and are urging their local party members to provide help to people who have been affected by the gas leak. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted saying that he monitoring the situation in Vizag closely and is praying for the wellbeing of the people.

Spoke to officials of MHA and NDMA regarding the situation in Visakhapatnam, which is being monitored closely.

I pray for everyone’s safety and well-being in Visakhapatnam.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 7, 2020

President Ram Nath Kovind offered his condolence to the victims of the gas leak and said that he is saddened by the incident.

Saddened by the news of gas leak in a plant near Visakhapatnam which has claimed several lives. My condolences to the families of the victims. I pray for the recovery of the injured and the safety of all.

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) May 7, 2020

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed shock over the gas leak incident in Visakhapatnam and prayed for the speedy recovery of those hospitalised. He also urged Congress workers in the area to provide all necessary support to those affected by the gas leak.

I’m shocked to hear about the
#VizagGasLeak . I urge our Congress workers & leaders in the area to provide all necessary support & assistance to those affected. My condolences to the families of those who have perished. I pray that those hospitalised make a speedy recovery.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 7, 2020

Union Home Minister Amit Shah termed the incident as disturbing and  is praying for the well-being of the people of Visakhapatnam

The incident in Vizag is disturbing.

Have spoken to the NDMA officials and concerned authorities. We are continuously and closely monitoring the situation.

I pray for the well-being of the people of Visakhapatnam.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 7, 2020

Many other political leaders have taken to the micro-blogging site and expressed their shock over the incident.

The news of gas leak from a Polymer plant in #Visakhapatnam is worrying. My condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. I hope and pray the situation is brought under control as soon as possible.#vizaggasleak#AndhraPradesh #PrayForVizag @ysjagan pic.twitter.com/AeCc8IMVK8

— Jayant Patil (@Jayant_R_Patil) May 7, 2020

Deeply disturbed to hear about the gas leak from a chemical plant in #Vishakapatnam. Praying for the well being of everyone affected. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families.#VizagGasLeak

— Dr. Mahesh Sharma (@dr_maheshsharma) May 7, 2020

Gas leak at LG Polymers in #Vishakapatnam is more fatal and terrifying situation than #COVID19.

Many are suffocating, aged and children are most vulnerable; animals are dying.

I extend my heartfelt condolences to all the families who lost their dear ones.

#VizagGasLeak 🙏

— Srinivas B V (@srinivasiyc) May 7, 2020

MP Suresh Prabhu reacted to the incident, calling it discomforting. "I am contacting Administration and our local unit to address the problems of those who are affected and to provide medical help and other necessary relief," he tweeted.

Several police personnel, who came for the rescue operation, also suffered symptoms like breathlessness, irritation in eyes and fell unconscious. Sources said the vapour leak occurred in the early hours of Thursday when some workers of the plant were making preparations for the re-opening of the unit following easing of the ongoing lockdown restrictions.

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The country woke to the news of migrant workers being mowed to death by a goods train in Aurangabad on the wee hours of Friday . The workers, who were walking to Bhusawal from Jalna, were returning to Madhya Pradesh. They had been walking along the rail tracks and slept on the rail tracks due to exhaustion.

The Maharashtra Chief Minister's Office (CMO)  has announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of those who were killed in the Aurangabad train accident.

Prominent political leaders took to Twitter to express their shock and grief over the incident. President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Praskash Javadekar, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and  former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis were among the political leaders who have condemned the accident on the micro-blogging site.

President Kovind said that he was saddened ‘beyond words’ after learning about the incident and wished speedy recovery to the injured.

Saddened beyond words to learn about the loss of lives in the railway track accident near Aurangabad in Maharashtra. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families. Wishing speedy recovery to the injured.

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) May 8, 2020

Prime Minister Modi tweeted expressing his anguish over the incident and said that all possible assistance is being provided.

Extremely anguished by the loss of lives due to the rail accident in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Have spoken to Railway Minister Shri Piyush Goyal and he is closely monitoring the situation. All possible assistance required is being provided.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 8, 2020

Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal expressed his condolences to the deceased and said that he has called for an inquiry in the incident.

à¤Â†à¤ÂÂÂœ 5:22 AM पर नाà¤Â‚दà¥Â‡ड़ डिवà¥Â€à¤ÂÂÂœन à¤Â•à¥Â‡ बदनापà¥Âर व à¤Â•रमाड सà¥Âà¤ÂŸà¥Â‡शन à¤Â•à¥Â‡ बà¥Â€à¤Âš सà¥Â‹यà¥Â‡ हà¥Âà¤Â शà¥Âरमिà¤Â•à¥Â‹à¤Â‚ à¤Â•à¥Â‡ मालà¤Â—ाड़à¥Â€ à¤Â•à¥Â‡ नà¥Â€à¤Âšà¥Â‡ à¤Â†नà¥Â‡ à¤Â•ा दà¥Âà¤Â–द समाà¤Âšार मिला।

राहत à¤Â•ारà¥Âय à¤ÂÂÂœारà¥Â€ हà¥Âˆ, व à¤Â‡नà¥Âà¤Â•à¥Âवायरà¥Â€ à¤Â•à¥Â‡ à¤Â†दà¥Â‡श दियà¥Â‡ à¤Â—à¤Â हà¥Âˆà¤Â‚। दिवà¤Â‚à¤Â—त à¤Â†तà¥Âमाà¤Â“à¤Â‚ à¤Â•à¥Â€ शाà¤Â‚ति हà¥Â‡तà¥Â à¤Âˆशà¥Âवर सà¥Â‡ पà¥Âरारà¥Âथना à¤Â•रता हà¥Â‚à¤Â। https://t.co/NnOmPNfATU

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) May 8, 2020

Here’s how many other leaders reacted to the incident.

Extremely saddened & shocked to know about the #Aurangabad rail accident where migrant labourers lost their lives.
My deepest condolences to the families who lost their loved ones.

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) May 8, 2020

I am deeply distressed by the death of labourers in a rail accident in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families.

— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) May 8, 2020

Deeply pained by the loss of lives due to rail accident in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. My thoughts and prayers are with the families.

— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) May 8, 2020

It is most heart wrenching to know several migrant workers were crushed to death by a train in #Aurangabad. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May they find strength in this terrible time.

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) May 8, 2020

I am struck by grief to hear of the horrific incident involving a goods train which ran over innocent migrants in #Aurangabad, Maharashtra. My deep condolences to the families of the deceased. May their souls rest in peace. Praying for the speedy recovery of those injured.

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 8, 2020

Deeply saddened by the unfortunate train tragedy in Aurangabad. My sincere condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured.#Aurangabad

— Vasundhara Raje (@VasundharaBJP) May 8, 2020

Pained beyond words at the loss of lives due to a rail accident in Maharashtra. I have spoken to Railway Minister Shri Piyush Goyal, concerned authorities in the central govt and railway administration to ensure all possible assistance. My condolences with the bereaved families.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 8, 2020

The incident left two workers injured whereas three others who were also part of the group survived as they were sleeping some distance away from rail tracks.

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Singer-songwriter Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey Baldwin celebrated Easter together as they continued with social distancing in Canada amid the coronavirus pandemic. The 26-year-old pop star and Baldwin posted sweet photos on their respective Instagram Stories to document their Easter celebrations, complete with a feast of food on Sunday.

The 23-year-old model shared adorable candid moments from their holiday celebrations with a collage of selfies featuring plenty of smiles, kisses and silly facial expressions. "Love u, babe," Bieber captioned his own Instagram post.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hailey Baldwin Bieber (@haileybieber) onApr 12, 2020 at 3:42pm PDT

The duo also cuddled by the lake near their home as they listened to music and enjoyed the view together. The pair knows how to celebrate a holiday. In honour of Valentine's Day, the newlyweds enjoyed an intimate candlelit dinner inside their California home which they had covered in roses and other romantic decorations.

The 'Baby' singer captioned a photo of his wife on February 14, "My forever valentine." He also shared a video on his Instagram story showing that he laid rose petals along the path leading to their dining room table -- which the singer also decorated with a bouquet and chocolates.

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Filmmaker James Gunn recently revealed that neither of his upcoming movie -- 'Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol 3 nor 'The Suicide Squad' will be affected by delays due to the coronavirus crisis.

One of the director's fans in a question-answer session on the Twitter asked about the possibilities of pushing ahead 'Guardians of the Galaxy' vol 3, to which Gunn on Sunday replied: "Right now the plans with Vol 3 are also exactly the same as they were before coronavirus."

In another reply, the 53-year-old said: "Right now there's no reason for #TheSuicideSquad release date to move. We are on or ahead of schedule. We were extremely fortunate to wrap shooting & set up editing from our homes (due to a post-production team & studio with foresight) before quarantine."

The upcoming movie is a sequel to the original 2016 released 'Suicide Squad.'

Actors Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, and Viola Davis will reprise their roles in the film alongside new cast members Taika Waititi, Peter Capaldi, Idris Elba, John Cena, Storm Reid, Pete Davidson, David Dastmalchian and Daniela Melchior.

The original 'Suicide Squad' was a box office success, grossing USD 746.8 million worldwide. The upcoming fantasy-action is expected to hit theatres on August 6, 2021.

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Singer Rihanna's father Ronald Fenty tested positive for coronavirus in his home country of Barbados but has now beat COVID-19 thanks to the superstar's help.

According to Page Six, Rihanna's father recently shared with The Sun, "My daughter Robyn was checking in on me every day. I thought I was going to die to be honest. I have to say, I love you so much, Robyn. She did so much for me. I appreciate everything she has done."

The 32-year-old songstress sent a ventilator to his Caribbean home and gave him "more than enough" to battle the illness that left him feeling weak and frightened for his life.

"I got a fever up inside of my nose. I had a fever across my lips. It was just a lot of fever," Fenty revealed. "I feared the worst. I thought I was going to die, honestly."

The Fenty Beauty founder's father was quarantined for two weeks after at the Paragon Isolation Center, after which he was declared virus-free. He is now resting in his St. James home.

Fenty asked of the public to stay at home and said, "I want everybody to stay home. This is a serious situation. More serious than people realize. Please stay home."

The 'Work' songstress is also using her time and money to help those globally affected by COVID-19, and she has donated 5 million USD to the cause via her Clara Lionel Foundation. She and Jay-Z also teamed up to donate 1 million USD each to those affected in Los Angeles and New York.

Twitter boss Jack Dorsey is also collaborating with Rihanna to help domestic abuse survivors who may have been displaced during the coronavirus pandemic.

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While Superheroes have always been a favourite amongst the audience, new age female superheroes have earned much praise from viewers in recent times creating a humongous fan base. Be it Captain Marvel, The Wasp, Wonder Woman, Black Widow, or Batwoman, each of these crusaders flaunt a glorious suit bringing out imminent traits of their characters.

Gathering momentum on Indian television to become one of the highest-rated shows on TV, the premiere season of Batwoman has become a fan favourite. Speaking about wearing the majestic Batsuit for the first time, Ruby Rose said, "I still remember putting it on for the first time with Colleen, who is magnificent at what she does, and it's just a magical feeling. It's not like when you dress up for Halloween and sort of put something on. This thing has been like, within an inch of its life, it just fits me like a glove."

Further speaking about filming while wearing the Batwoman attire, Ruby Rose mentions, "Every single part of it has been designed for my body. So, I feel it moves with me, and I move with it, and it feels like a second skin for the most part, and, yes, it's an incredible feeling. You feel the transformation, unlike any costume I've ever put on in any role in my life. It's just very difficult to pee in, that's all."

With the responsibility that comes with portraying a phenomenon like Batwoman on the silver screen, Ruby Rose excels in breathing life into the character of this superhero. The story of Batwoman continues to unfold with its premiere season currently being aired in India, exclusively on Colors Infinity.

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Global recognition is every actor's dream. For Priyanshu Painyuli, it came true when he was approached to play a crucial role in the upcoming Chris Hemsworth-starrer Extraction, directed by Sam Hargrave.

"I knew I had to give it my all," says the actor.

To play his role to perfection, Painyuli went the extra mile. A source informs, "He researched extensively to grasp the reality of the Bangladeshi war and drug lords. Considering the movie is set in Dhaka,

Priyanshu learnt the native language." The detailed script for the film which was originally named Dhaka enabled Painyuli to visualise his character better. He says, "The script has a clear vision for each character. To ensure that I do my best, I wanted to create a backstory for the character to justify how he is presented in the film." Painyuli says director Hargrave often sat down with him to discuss his character and helped him with the research. "The documentaries and material he suggested gave me an insight into the country and its struggles.

The nature of crime in a country reflects its social structures and the issues it is grappling with. I feel the research helped my character create more layers."

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Veteran singer-actor Rita Wilson has said that it was easier for her to cope with the coronavirus as she was accompanied by her husband, Hollywood star Tom Hanks. The couple were among the first Hollywood celebrities to be tested positive for COVID-19, which has claimed over 150,000 lives globally. Hanks and Wilson were in Australia when they were diagnosed with the coronavirus. They have now recovered from it.

Talking with The Guardian, Wilson, 63, said the ordeal was a lot easier since they both had symptoms at the same time. "I think that having the virus at the same time made it that little bit easier. We were taking care of each other instead of having the pressure of taking care of one person and no one taking care of you or understanding that the person at home needs a break. "We were fortunate we were in a place where we understood what the other was going through," she said. However, Wilson, who previously battled breast cancer, said suffering from the COVID-19 was extremely difficult. "We both had a high fever and were extremely achey. I lost my sense of taste and smell, had stomach issues and shivering like you wouldn't believe. Yeah, I was scared.

"Extreme nausea, vertigo, my muscles felt like wet noodles, so I couldn't really stand. We were just trying to get through it," she added. Wilson said that Hanks, 63, presented'milder symptoms¿ than she had. "He did not have as high a fever. He did not lose his sense of taste or smell. But it still took us the same amount of time to get through it," she added. In a separate interview with The National Defense Radio Show, Hanks agreed that Wilson had a much tougher time than he did. "Rita had a much tougher time than I did. She had a much higher fever. She had lost her sense of taste and sense of smell. I had some bad body aches and fatigue," he said. Hanks recalled when he was locked down in a hospital with Wilson, he baffled a doctor by trying to do an exercise that left him "wiped" after just ten minutes. "She looked at me through her glasses like she was talking to the dumbest human being, and she said, (sternly) 'You have COVID-19'," the actor said.

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Lady Gaga on Sunday kicked off the virtual concert One World: Together At Home online with her soulful Smile performance. According to Variety magazine, Smile is a classic majorly popularised by Jimmy Durante and Nat King Cole.

The musician had co-ordinated with the leaders from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other musicians to begin the show.

Lady Gaga started the show by asking viewers to put their wallets aside as the show wasn't a fundraiser and didn't ask for donations. The online concert was organised to express gratitude towards the frontline workers in the fight against COVID-19.

Terming the special show as the 'love letter to the world,' the pop star shared pictures and videos of other performers as well.

Over 70 artists and celebrities from across the globe had joined the WHO's initiative of the online concert to thank and celebrate the healthcare workers fighting the pandemic.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the virtual concert raised over USD 127 million for the relief efforts of COVID-19.

Some of the artists that were a part of the show are Elton John, Lizzo, Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift, Madonna, Priyanka Chopra, Shah Rukh Khan, Celine Dion, and the Rolling Stone.

The show was hosted by the most popular hosts Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, and Stephen Colbert.

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Better Call Saul actor Bob Odenkirk says his son Nathan had coronavirus symptoms, which were worse than any flu.

During a recent appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, the Breaking Bad star opened up about his 21-year-old son's battle with the novel coronavirus, reports people.com.

He said that Nathan, who suffered from asthma "for a good chunk of his life", has recovered from the virus, describing it as an alarming experience.

According to Odenkirk, the family sought comfort in reports that claimed younger patients experienced mild cases of the virus. After going through this personally, the actor feels it is largely on a "case by case" basis.

"In the end, it was pretty bad and it was worse than the flu," the 57-year-old said of his son's case.

"According to him, the pain in his throat was the worst thing of all, but I think also the fatigue. And it lasted longer than the flu," he said.

Odenkirk added that he was grateful his son made it out "pretty easily" as compared to many others who suffer from severe cases.

He said that his son's illness "got scarier the longer it went". "The further we got from it, I became aware that we got very lucky," he added.

Odenkirk stressed on the need to stay indoors, while acknowledging the difficulties faced by the underprivileged.

"We are very lucky to have a nice home that's big enough for us. I think a lot about the homes I lived in before I did well enough, and how hard it would be to shelter-in-place in some of the basement apartments that I lived in. That must be very hard for people," he said.

"I thank people who are doing it. It's really stunning to me. I'm a cynic, I think, and that's one of the reasons I like comedy, but I'm just stunned at the cooperation from people and the community. You know they're caring for each other really by doing this and so it's been heartening, I'd say," Odenkirk added.

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Extreme weight gain and sudden weight loss have always been matters of concern for everyone, especially actors who have to stay in front of the cameras and in the limelight for half of their lives. One such star who has worried his fans with his sudden and surprising weight loss is the Black Panther actor, Chadwick Boseman.

It all started when he took to his Instagram account to share a video but all that people and fans noticed was how much weight he lost. But it seems he wasn't happy with the fact that he was constantly being asked the same question so he took it down. He uploaded another post where he spoke about his donation that he named Operation 42. This was for the African-American community that he wants to help amid the Coronavirus pandemic. This was a great initiative and all his fans lauded him for the same.

Have a look at the post right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Throwing it back to the ultimate game changer. Thank you to my friend Thomas Tull for launching #Operation42 to celebrate #JackieRobinsonDay and deliver 4.2M dollars in masks and vital personal protective equipment to hospitals in African American communities devastated by #Covid19.

A post shared by Chadwick Boseman (@chadwickboseman) onApr 16, 2020 at 9:33am PDT

But at the same time, as we stated above, they couldn't help but raise questions and concerns about the amount of weight he suddenly lost. A user wrote- "You okay chief? You looked rather odd on the other post." Another fan wrote- "I guess he got tired of people asking is he sick. He took the video down."

Well, fans are likely to get worried as they all love him, but his weight loss could also be for a potential role! Let's not be quick to judge!

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American actor Chris Noth has made a drastic change during his coronavirus quarantine. The 65-year-old actor, on Monday took to Instagram to showcase his new look.

The 'Cast Away' star shared a picture of himself and captioned the post as, "I decided dealing with hair was superfluous during these times of quarantine."

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

I decided dealing with hair was superfluous during these times of quarantine-

A post shared by Chris Noth (@chrisnothofficial) onApr 20, 2020 at 12:49pm PDT

The fans were quick to compliment North on this new look.

One fan wrote in the comments section, "Omg, But looking good.

Another one wrote," It suits you!"

"Go off king," another follower wrote.

However, there were a few fans who didn't seem to love his new look, and wrote things like, "Noooooo," and "you look very different" in the comments.

Earlier this month, the 'Elsa and Fred' star shared a video message on Instagram, encouraging his fans to maintain social distancing.

The former 'Sex and the City ' star said in the video, "On behalf of the NYPD, I'd like to ask you to remember, as New Yorkers, we have to social distance, we have to stay inside until all of this passes. We can do it. We're tough, we're resilient and we have the best darn police force in the country."

"I'm not a cop, but I played one on TV. Stay safe, stay healthy, see you on the other side," he added.

Hollywood star Russell Crowe has revealed that his character, General Maximus Decimus Meridius wasn't initially going to be killed in the 2000 acclaimed hit "Gladiator". Directed by Ridley Scott, the epic historical action drama was co-written by David Franzoni, John Logan, and William Nicholson. Crowe, 56, explained that the script underwent major rewrites weeks before production began as the character surviving in the climax of the film didn't make sense of his story arc.

"That 'My name is Maximus...' speech is basically a suicide note," the actor told Empire magazine. "I remember Ridley coming up to me on set saying, 'Look, the way this is shaping up, I don't see how you live. This character is about one act of pure vengeance for his wife and child, and, once he's accomplished that, what does he do?' "And my joke used to be, 'Yeah, what does Maximus do? Does he end up running a f***king pizzeria by the Colosseum?'" he recalled.

Crowe, who won the best actor Oscar for his performance, said even he was in favour of Maximus dying in the end. "He has a singular purpose, which is to meet his wife in the afterlife and apologise for not being there for her. And that's it," he added. A major draw at the box office, "Gladiator" won four more Oscars at the 73rd Academy Awards in 2001 -- best picture, best costume design, best sound and best visual effects.

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The late king of pop Micheal Jackson once got mad at pop diva Madonna for asking him to dress up like a girl for his "In the closet" music video. During Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds' Instagram Live battle with Teddy Riley, the former spilled some hot goss on Michael Jackson, reports aceshowbiz.com.

In between songs, Edmonds recalled what Jackson told him: " 'Babyface, can you believe she wants me to dress like a girl?' He was like, 'I'd never do that.' He said, 'She was trying to change it all up. It was crazy.' "

The record producer then mentioned that the "Heal the world" hitmaker "was really mad about it", to the point where he decided to replace Madonna with Naomi Campbell. Produced by MJ and Teddy Riley, "In the Closet" was released in April 1992 as the third single of his eighth album "Dangerous".

The song was originally conceived as a duet between MJ and Madonna.

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As part of Hollywood studio's scheduling changes due to the coronavirus crisis, the release of 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' has been delayed. Marvel's sequel to the 2016 Benedict Cumberbatch film, has been pushed back from November 5, 2021, to March 25, 2022, cited The Hollywood Reporter. The Sam Raimi directed film is being delayed for the second time.

It had already been pushed once because of the crisis from May 2021, to the early November frame. This change in the release date makes the movie the latest one to move out of scheduled dates due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

Earlier, owing to the global coronavirus crisis, Sony Pictures has pushed back two of its untitled 'Spider-Man' sequels. Meanwhile, the theatrical release of the much anticipated two chapters in actor Tom Cruise's action franchise - 'Mission: Impossible 7' and 'Mission: Impossible 8' has been delayed by the Paramount pictures.

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Australian actor Chris Hemsworth shared the details on a very relatable first introduction. According to Fox News, the 36-year-old actor told People magazine about meeting actor Brad Pitt at the star's premiere for his 2019 film, 'Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood'.

As per the outlet, Hemsworth was a little starstruck by Pitt and that's when things got bit awkward. The 'Star Trek' actor shared: "He went to do a handshake and I went for the hug, he was fine with it," Hemsworth recalled, noting that he "didn't get attacked" by Pitt's "security team or anything."

Hemsworth said of the actor, "It was fantastic. He was as wonderful and pleasant as I'd hoped and imagined." In the Quentin Tarantino-directed film, Pitt co-starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and the film was sei in the final years of Hollywood's Golden age.

Although Hemsworth didn't appear in the movie, a lot of stars attended its Los Angeles premiere to be one of the first to view the movie, reported People magazine.

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