Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad has recalled how he and Zaheer Abbas went after the Indian spin attack -- comprising of Bishan Singh Bedi, Bhagwath Chandrasekhar and Erapalli Prasanna -- and scored bulk of runs in the three-match Test series in 1978-79.

Both Miandad and Abbas took the famous Indian spin troika to cleaners in the series which Pakistan won 2-0.

"Chandrasekhar, Bedi, Prasanna... India's strength was this, their spinners. And they did well around the world but when they came here (Pakistan), they were taken to the cleaners. Our players robbed them for so many runs," said Miandad in his Youtube channel.

Miandad recounted the first Test of the series played in Faisalabad and said how he and Abbas went after the Indian spinners.

"I remember that Chandrasekhar was giving some troubles to Zaheer bhai. Then he told me 'Javed please tackle him for me'. I obviously said yes. Meanwhile from the other end, Zaheer bhai was taking a lot of runs off Bedi sahib and Prasanna," said Miandad.

"Then I said, 'Zaheer bhai please allow me to take some runs too, I will also use my feet against them. I'm stuck here. I won't take a single off the last ball'," he added.

Both Miandad (154) and Abbas (176) scored big hundreds in that match which ended in a draw.

In the second Test in Lahore, there was still no respite for the Indian spinners as Abbas scored a brilliant double hundred as Pakistan won the match by eight wickets.

In the final Test in Karachi, it was the turn of Miandad to score a century as India lost the Test and ultimately lost the series 0-2.

Chandrasekhar took eight wickets in that series at an average of 48.12 while Bedi scalped six wickets at an average of 74.83. Prasanna managed to pick just two wickets in the two matches he played in the series at an average of 125.50.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

India skipper Virat Kohli, limited overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma and tennis star Sania Mirza were among sports personalities, who took part in an online concert to raise funds to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed over 2 lakh people globally.

As part of the initiative by 'iFor India', actors, musicians, singers, sportspersons and business leaders came together to entertain people from their homes in a bid to help the COVID-19 pandemic cause.

The proceeds from the concert will go to the India COVID Response Fund set up by GiveIndia, a donation platform. "Two weeks ago, we started work on India''s biggest concert. To entertain people who are locked-down at home. To pay tribute to those who work on the frontlines while we work from home. And to raise funds for those who have no work and no home," a message from #IForIndia, the concert for our times, said.

Among others to attend the concert include, Kohli's actress wife Anushka, Shah Rukh Khan, AR Rahman, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Aamir Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Alia Bhatt, Ayushmann Khurrana, Bryan Adams, Gulzar, Nick Jonas, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Ranveer Singh, Shreya Ghoshal, Sonu Nigam, Sophie Turner, Zoya Akhtar and Vidya Balan.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

Australia can deal with the challenge of getting teams into the country for the T20 World Cup but whether it is worth having the tournament in empty stadiums is the main point for consideration, feels sports minister Richard Colbeck. Travel restrictions and question marks over how long it would take to contain the COVID-19 pandemic has put the future of T20 World Cup and India's tour of Australia in doubt. Cricket Australia is staring at a staggering loss of 300 million Australian dollars if things don't go ahead as planned.

"I'd love to see an Australia-India Test series this summer and I'd really like to be able to see the World Cup go ahead "... the issue is not so much the teams as the crowds and that's probably one of the hurdles we really have to consider and probably one that world cricket will look at pretty closely as well," Colbeck told SEN Radio on Monday. He said logistics of hosting the event in the post COVID-19 world can be dealt with. "We all know the difference in atmosphere ... but in a team sense I'd like to think that we can build some protocols with the cooperation of the sport and the players, that's going to be extremely important, with appropriate quarantine and bio-security protocols to see if we can make the competition go ahead."

While T20 World Cup is scheduled for an October 18 start, India's tour of Australia will begin with a T20 tri-series in October and end with a four-match Test series in December. The legendary Allan Border has said it would defy belief to host a World Cup without spectators, while Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and some other cricketers have also expressed similar sentiments. The International Cricket Council recenly said that preparations were still on for the 16-team tournament and a final decision will be taken by August.

Australia is considering making travel exemptions for the Indian team's tour Down Under to save the cricket board for the financial loss but Colbeck said they need to be careful in expanding exemptions to other nations for the T20 World Cup. "Those conversations are being had, discussions about what the protocols might look like," Colbeck said. "They will be difficult because one of the things that has been a key part of our success is that we limited access to Australia from areas where there were significant outbreaks of Covid-19 and that's contributed to the low rate of spread we have now. "But we would have to be prepared to consider appropriate plans put forward by the various codes."

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

Indian spinner Yuzvendra Chahal on Sunday shared a throwback picture with 'legend' MS Dhoni saying that he misses 'being called tilli from behind the stumps'.

Chahal took to Twitter to share a picture with Dhoni and captioned the post: "Miss being called tilli from behind the stumps by the legend..!!"

Miss being called tilli from behind the stumps by the legend..!! ðŸ¤ÂðŸ‡®ðŸ‡³ pic.twitter.com/iWGz6E11Pw

— Yuzvendra Chahal (@yuzi_chahal) May 3, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has taken a huge toll on sports across the globe as all the sporting events have either been cancelled or postponed.

The COVID-19 crisis in the country also put an indefinite halt to the Indian Premier League (IPL) in which Dhoni was to slated to make his return to the field. The former captain has not played any international match after India's exit from the 2019 World Cup.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

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

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

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

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

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

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

India captain Virat Kohli recently took to Twitter to share his views on playing behind closed doors exclusively on Star Sports show cricket connected, "It’s quite a possible situation, it might happen, I honestly don’t know how everyone is going to take that because we all are used to playing in front of so many passionate fans, I know it will be played at a very good intensity but that feeling of the crowd connecting with the players and the tension of the game where everyone goes through it in the stadium, those emotions are very difficult to recreate."

Wondering what 🏏 would be like inside an empty stadium?

Catch #KingKohli's take on this possibility on #CricketConnected:

⌛: Every Saturday & Sunday, 7 PM & 9 PM
📺: Star Sports & Disney + Hotstar pic.twitter.com/5thch2J6Bu

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) May 8, 2020

Virat Kohli went on to add, "Things will still go on, but I doubt that one will feel that magic happening inside because of the atmosphere that was created. We will play sports how it is supposed to be played, but those magical moments will be difficult to come by."

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Nations around the world reacted with alarm Wednesday after President Donald Trump announced a halt to the sizable funding the US sends to the World Health Organisation. Health experts warned the move could jeopardize global efforts to stop the Coronavirus pandemic.

Trump said he was instructing his administration to halt funding for WHO pending a review of its role "in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus." The United States is WHO's largest single donor, contributing between $400 million and $500 million annually to the Geneva-based agency in recent years. He has repeatedly labelled COVID-19 the "Chinese virus" and criticised the UN health agency for being too lenient on China, where the novel virus first emerged late last year.

EU 'deeply regrets' move
An investigation by The Associated Press has found that s ix days of delays between when Chinese officials k new about the virus and when they warned the public allowed the pandemic to bloom into an enormous public health disaster. The European Union said Trump has "no reason" to freeze WHO funding at this critical stage and called for measures to promote unity instead of division. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the bloc "deeply" regrets the suspension of funds and added that the WHO is now "needed more than ever" to combat the pandemic.

Stand with WHO: Oz
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he sympathised with some of Trump's criticisms of WHO and China but that Australia would continue to fund the UN health agency. Germany's foreign minister, Heiko Maas, pushed back at Trump's announcement. Devi Sridhar, chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, called said. "This is the agency that's looking out for other countries and leading efforts to stop the pandemic. This is exactly the time when they need more funding, not less. Trump is angry, but his anger is being directed in a way that is going to ultimately hurt US interests."

A selfish decision: Russia
Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told state news agency TASS, "I's a sign of the very selfish approach of the US authorities to what is happening in the world." Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the country is "seriously concerned" about the US government's decision to suspend funding and hinted at stepping up its monetary contribution to WHO. The WHO did not respond to repeated requests from The Associated Press for comment, but its but Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted, "There is no time to waste".

Now, Trump says states to decide on reopening economy

A day after claiming "total authority" in decision-making, Donald Trump on Tuesday said he would leave it to individual governors to decide on the reopening of the economy in their respective states, which in some cases could be even before May 1. COVID-19 has so far infected over two million people worldwide. In the US, over 25,000 have lost their lives and more than 6 lakhs have tested positive. Over 95 per cent of the 330 million population in the US are under stay-at-home order.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

All of Chris Wallace's wedding bookings were either cancelled or postponed due to the Coronavirus, but the UK-based wedding photographer didn't let that deter him. Wallace took it upon himself to recreate a wedding ceremony using LEGO figures lying around his house. He named the bride and groom Florence and Fred, and spent many hours preparing for the wedding. He even staged several scenes and big moments seen frequently in Christian weddings and then proceeded to click photos of them. He used his experience capturing weddings to make it seem natural.

The bride getting dolled up for her wedding

The bride walked down the aisle with a Harry Potter figurine, whereas groomsmen Ghostbusters, Chewbacca and a 1980 Lego spaceman stood at the altar to support the groom. "I've found myself with quite a bit of free time on my hands and thought it'll be a fun thing to do," said the photographer to the New York Post. "The ceremony was held outdoors in the most gorgeous of settings, filled with the greenest of plastic leaves and most colourful plastic flowers," he added.

Posing for a family photo. Pics/carpediemphotographycheshire.co.uk/Chris Wallace

Wallace said: "I tried drawing upon the experiences I had with weddings, to capture the big moments while making it seem natural." As the lockdown is anticipated to last till June, he plans to do another shoot soon.

Girl, I want you real clean!

A New Yorker hung fliers to look for a 'germ free' partner during the Coronavirus crisis

Pic/New York Post

A single man from New York, who is looking for love, hung dating fliers across the city, saying that his potential lover must be healthy, fit and clean.

The man, identified only as Brad, also said in the flier that he is "seeking a girlfriend for Coronavirus and beyond." He describes himself as a healthy, attractive, and well-settled man, looking for "germ-free monogamy". "I was single when the lockdown began and was wondering how and when dating would be possible again," Brad told the New York Post.

"This is no time for casual dating or hook-ups, so I am seeking a long-term and exclusive relationship," he added. Brad said that he has already received responses from "high-quality women" and is looking forward to meeting some for six-foot-apart dates.

Papi Gudia 2.0

An area in Mexico City became one of the most searched addresses on Google Maps this week, after photos of a creepy, doll-covered house located there, went viral on social media. The post was first shared by TikTok user Fernando Mata, who was looking for creepy content for his social media. It later turned out that this was the address of a small esoteric shop, and the dolls were merely an advertising strategy to attract prospective customers.

This teen is a gender-bender

Pics/@puutan_318, Instagram

A Japanese 18-year-old boy, has been getting a lot of attention on the Internet for cosplaying as an Asian schoolgirl. Puutan, whose real name is reportedly Tatsuya, has been flaunting selfies in feminine clothes, as well as a long hair wig. He currently has over 27,000 followers on YouTube, and 23,000 followers on Instagram.

Mexicans want beer to survive quarantine

Mexico's decision to halt production of most non-essential products due to the Coronavirus pandemic, has led to a polarising debate in the country on whether beer should be considered an "essential" during lockdown. "Beer supplies should be guaranteed, because beer helps people get through quarantine on better terms," said the National Alliance of Small Business in a press statement.

Village gets ghosts to keep people indoors

Kepuh village in Indonesia has resorted to an unusual way to ensure that the locals stay indoors. Those who step out of their homes at night will have to face pocong—shrouded ghosts believed to represent the souls of dead people. The pocongs are actually volunteer youths trying to help maintain the lockdown.

Crime junkies can get rich in 24 hours flat

A video streaming service is seeking a true crime buff to make $1,000 (R75K) during the Coronavirus lockdown by watching 24 straight hours of documentaries. The chosen candidate will be given a pre-selected list of true crime documentaries to watch.

Bugging you

A swarm of bugs descended over a beach at Cayton Bay, Yorkshire, leaving locals stunned. The bugs, later identified as European Chafer Beetles, are said to have washed up on a few beaches in the area. The cause is still being investigated. "I was stunned to realise they were living creatures. There were just masses and masses of them," said Sue Weatherill, a local resident, to Daily Mail. Pics/@ChrisBull52, Twitter

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

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?

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

On most mornings, Somaya Farooqi and four other teenage girls pile into her dad's car and head to a mechanic's workshop. They use back roads to skirt police checkpoints set up to enforce a lockdown in Herat, one of Afghanistan's hot spots of the pandemic.

The members of Afghanistan's prize-winning girls' robotics team say they're on a live-saving mission " to build a ventilator from used car parts and help their war-stricken country battle the virus.

"If we even save one life with our device, we will be proud," said Farooqi, 17. Afghanistan faces the pandemic nearly empty-handed.It has only 400 ventilators for a population of over 36.6 million. So far, it has reported just over 900 cases, including 30 deaths, but the actual number is suspected to be much higher since test kits are in short supply.

Farooqi and her team members, ages 14 to 17, are experimenting with two different designs, including an open-source blueprint from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The parts being used include the motor of a Toyota windshield wiper, batteries and sets of bag valve masks, or manual oxygen pumps. A group of mechanics helps them build the frame of a ventilator.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

A UK court on Monday dismissed fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya's appeal against extradition to India.

"We consider that while the scope of the prima facie case found by the Senior District Judge (SDJ) is in some respects wider than that alleged by the respondent in India. There is a prima facie case which, in seven important respects, coincides with the allegations in India," a part of the order by the UK court read.

A CBI spokesperson confirmed to ANI that the "UK high court dismissed Mallya's appeal against his extradition to India." The 64-year-old businessman had begun the lengthy appeals process in the UK court in February this year against an order to extradite him to India to face multiple charges relating to the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines.

It followed a ruling by a lower court -- the Westminster Magistrate's Court -- in December 2018 - that Mallya should be sent to India to face the charges, including one of money laundering to the tune of Rs 9,000 crore. The businessman fled India in March 2016 and has been living in the UK since then.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

After enduring extended trade disputes and worker shortages, US hog farmers were poised to finally hit it big this year with expectations of climbing prices amid soaring domestic and foreign demand. Instead, restaurant closures due to the coronavirus have contributed to an estimated USD 5 billion in losses for the industry, and almost overnight millions of hogs stacking up on farms now have little value. Some farmers have resorted to killing piglets because plunging sales mean there is no room to hold additional animals in increasingly cramped conditions. "One producer described it to me the other day as a snowball rolling downhill, and every additional disruption that we have just kind of adds to that and how fast and how big it's going to be when it finally hits," said Mike Paustian, who farms 2,400 acres of corn and soybeans and sells 28,000 pigs a year near the small eastern Iowa community of Walcott.

COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, has created problems for all meat producers, but pork farmers have been hit especially hard. They entered this spring in shaky financial condition because tariffs had drastically reduced sales to China and Mexico. Many operations have struggled to get enough workers, in part due to federal immigration policies. Then demand plunged because the virus forced the closure of restaurants, hotels and other businesses that buy about 25 per cent of pork, including nearly three-quarters of bacon produced in the US. The biggest problem could be getting worse as additional giant slaughterhouses that can process more than 20,000 hogs a day have had to close at least temporarily as the virus spreads among workers. The industry slaughters from 10 million to 12 million pigs a month. Whereas poultry producers can slow production by not hatching baby chicks and ranchers can keep cattle on pastures longer, pork farmers don't have good options. Hogs are raised inside barns with limited space, and it takes time to stop the birthing cycle for pigs.

"We are in crisis and need immediate government intervention to sustain a farm sector essential to the nation's food supply," said Howard Roth, a pig farmer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin, and president of the National Pork Producers Council, an industry trade group. The group has asked the federal government to buy USD 1 billion worth of pork in cold storage that had been destined for restaurants and instead give it to food banks, which have been besieged by people who have lost their jobs as much of the economy has shut down. On Friday, the US Department of Agriculture announced it would spend USD 3 billion to buy fresh produce, dairy and meat that will be sent to food banks. Roth said the purchase will hopefully help move a backed up supply of pork and help raises hog prices. The USDA also said it planned USD 1.6 billion in direct payments to pork farmers with limits of USD 250,000 per individual. Roth said the aid was appreciated but wasn't enough to meet their problems. Farmers have also received emergency waivers from the government to increase the number of pigs they can keep in barns beyond normally allowed limits. Still, farmers without extra space are faced with the prospect of killing baby pigs they can't afford to feed.

"Sadly it's true that euthanising is a question that's going to come up on farms," Roth said. Paustian, the eastern Iowa farmer, said the most frustrating part has been the uncertainty of scheduling deliveries of hogs to meat producers that fall through. Even as the majority of slaughterhouses have continued to operate, most plants are large and their closure is a severe hardship for hog farmers who operate in the region, he said. Because a plant has closed about 40 miles away in Columbus Junction, Iowa, Paustian said farmers in his area are sending hogs to other plants in the state and Indiana. "Producers are on pins and needles every day right now, and nobody knows if they're going to get loads out. They get loads scheduled then they get canceled. It's kind of a roller coaster of emotion for producers right now," Paustian said.

Producers he knows have been able to sell about half of the pigs they'd normally send to market. It's enough to get by for a few weeks, but it's not sustainable, Paustian said. For many pork producers, the coronavirus pandemic may be the final straw, said Nick Giordano, a vice president at the National Pork Producers Council. "We are hearing from lots of producers. They're hanging on for dear life," Giordano said. Besides seeking the purchases for food banks and direct payments to producers, the group wants to make agricultural businesses eligible for a federal economic injury disaster loan program.

While not denying the industry's problems, some people who raise pigs independently say the coronavirus has revealed that the the industry is too reliant on a few large international corporations that oversee everything ' from raising hogs to processing plants and even marketing and sales. Chris Petersen, a northern Iowa farmer, raises Berkshire pigs 'the old fashioned way' ' in individual A-frame houses instead of large confinement buildings. He laments the loss of the independent farmers who marketed pigs to nearby buying stations that delivered the animals to smaller packing plants much closer to the farms. "It's a very fragile system because everything has to work just right," Petersen said.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

New York: The idea formed on a day when all the news headlines were dire. The coronavirus was surging worldwide; Nashville had lost lives in a devastating tornado and children had their lives upended as they separated from beloved classmates to shelter at home.

But only bad news is never the whole story. Days later, The Associated Press started its daily series 'One Good Thing' to reflect the unheralded sacrifices made to benefit others that normally wouldn't make a story, but maybe always deserved one.

Since March 17, when a Norwegian mom tried to soften the blow of birthdays under quarantine for her two teens by asking via social media that people reach out to them, there have been 35 stories about the ways that everyday people have tried to make a positive difference in the lives of others. The gestures have been grand and small, some as simple as chalk-written messages on a sidewalk thanking healthcare workers at a New Orleans hospital for their efforts.

Music has been a central theme. The series has included stories about a Rio firefighter sharing his love of music from a hydraulic ladder 150 feet up as he played the trumpet for cooped-up apartment dwellers; a virtual rendition of 'Bolero' from the National Orchestra of France, with each musician playing alone at home; the virtual Corona Community Choir with members around the world, performing on Sundays.

If music soothes the soul, food feeds it. There have been six stories that tell of benefactors feeding health care workers, the poor, the elderly shut ins, even volunteers feeding hungry animals at a revered Hindu temple in Kathmandu, Nepal.

There have been meals from Brooklyn caterer Israel Frischman for Holocaust survivors who are shut in. The day after the story ran, donations poured in and now Frischman has financial backing for the needed meals.

And simpler fare from the 'Solidarity Menu' started by Emiliano Moscoso who employed his hamburger chain of restaurants in Colombia to feed poor neighborhoods in Bogota.

The delivery of lifesaving supplies has been a storyline as well, from the professional cyclist in Italy who has gone from racing against competitors to racing medicine to those in need, to Yale student Liam Elkind's delivery service. A month after reporting on Elkind's 'Invisible Hands' effort which he started with a friend, he reports that it's ballooned.
'We're making over 1,000 deliveries a week now, and over 10,000 volunteers have joined our group. I feel like I haven't slept in decades, but, honestly, I've never felt more energized,' he said.

Heroes have emerged in youth, from Nova Knight, a 5-year-old firecracker in Alaska imploring her cohorts to wash their hands and postpone playdates, to 16-year-old TJ Kim, who can't drive, but can fly. He uses those skills to deliver much-needed medical supplies across rural Virginia.

The stories have circled the world, from Colombia and Nepal, to Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Brazil, Israel, Indonesia and South Korea where Kim Byung-rok, a shoe cobbler, donated land to help raise money for the fight against the virus.

In the month of stories about the goodness of others, it's no surprise when we doubled back to the previous subjects of the coverage, AP journalists found the obvious: the givers' giving has expanded.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Amid the coronavirus gloom, a Turkish man is giving netizens a reason to smile with his unique antics and helping attitude. The man identified as Burak Soylu dresses up as the famous Marvel superhero Spiderman to help his neighbours amid the global pandemic.

In Turkey, a man named Burak Soylu has been going around dressed like Spiderman.

He drives around in a Beetle, buys milk and groceries for the elderly, and delivers it to their doorsteps.

When he was asked why, he said "My superpower is doing good for the neighborhood." pic.twitter.com/KAYm3hyPyb

— Goodable (@Goodable) April 17, 2020

According to a Twitter post shared by Goodable, just like the 'friendly neighbourhood' Marvel superhero who helps people with his superpowers, Burak dresses up in a Spiderman suit and goes around helping his neighbours, especially elderly people by distributing milk, groceries and essentials at the doorsteps.

In the pictures shared by Goodable, Burak can be seen buying vegetables from the market and delivering it to those in need of help at a time when most countries have imposed a lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus. While speaking to Goodable, Burak said that his superpower is doing good for his neighbours.

you forgot to add his best pictures.. here they are pic.twitter.com/9feElnkjg5

— Serhan (@serhanbilgin) April 18, 2020

Twitter user Serhan also shared some breathtaking pictures of Burak as Spiderman driving his Beetle and even posing on a tractor. Since the time it was shared, the post has garnered over 10,000 re-tweets and about 4,000 likes.

And he's masked and gloved too! Good one, Spidey! 👏👏👏👏👏

— Omowunmie (@molarah26) April 17, 2020

The post, which has gone viral now has garnered tons of appreciation from netizens. While some Twitterati lauded Burak for helping the elderly amid coronavirus crisis, others talked about how Burak was spreading the safety message by wearing a costume that includes a face mask and hand gloves which are highly important to combat COVID-19.

Now that's what I call a friendly neighborhood spiderman..

— Dequondre Agee (@DequondreA) April 18, 2020

One user said, "And he's masked and gloved too! Good one, Spidey!" while another user commented, "Now that's what I call a friendly neighborhood spiderman..." A third user jokingly said, "So can we say Superman costume is Coronaproof? Hahaha." Talking about the Turkish spiderman's noble cause, a fourth user said, "He also visits disabled kids school and presents toys along with mask."

Here's how netizens reacted to Turkish spiderman's noble work:

Spiderman! Spiderman!
Helps the elderly how he can!
Drives around, in his car!
Buys some food, drives it far!
Look out! Here comes a helpful man!

— Cleodora Silvestri (@drakkenmensch) April 18, 2020

This is truly theirs FRIENDLY NEIGHBOURHOOD SPIDERMAN. pic.twitter.com/Mye8pKyvJo

— AbeAbeStudio (@StudioAbe) April 18, 2020

Quality bloke!! Humanity need more people like this!

— The Darge Knight (@DargeKnight) April 18, 2020

😆So can we say Superman costume is Coronaproof? Hahaha 😂

— Özlem (@icbukeydis) April 19, 2020

This is humanity's at its finest

— jack (@jackdilnessa) April 18, 2020

Isn't the Turkish Spiderman living by the well-known proverb of the Marvel superhero, "With great power comes great responsibility".

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

President Donald Trump has said he will sign an executive order to temporarily suspend all immigration to the US to "protect" the jobs of Americans and to fight the "invisible attack" on the country by the novel Coronavirus, a move that was widely criticised by the Democrats, including Indian-origin Senator Kamala Harris.
The outbreak has killed more than 42,094 people in the US, the country with the most fatalities in the pandemic, according to Johns Hopkins University, and more than 7,50,000 cases have been confirmed.

Details of Trump's executive order were not immediately known. He also did not indicate when he would sign such an order. His announcement comes as his administration seeks to reopen parts of the US from the crippling COVID-19 shutdown.

Donald Trump

However, the NBC News reported that the move "had been under consideration for a while," a senior administration official was quoted as saying by the report. The official said the details about how the plan would be implemented and how many countries would be affected "will be forthcoming," the report added.

Immigration has long been an issue of President Trump. He has been calling for a merit-based immigration system. Since the pandemic began, the administration had already restricted foreign visitors from China, Europe, Canada and Mexico. And also suspended all routine visa services, both immigrant and non-immigrant, around the world. "Trump failed to take this crisis seriously from day 1. His abandonment of his role as president has cost lives. And now, he's shamelessly politicising this pandemic to double down on his anti-immigrant agenda," Harris tweeted.

"It is about the message the president wants to send. He wants people to turn against 'the other.' And, regardless of the valuable contributions immigrants are making to the response and recovery, he sees immigrants as the easiest to blame," Ali Noorani, the executive director of the National Immigration Forum, was quoted as saying by CNN.

42,094
COVID-19 deaths in the US

Don't rush to ease restrictions, warns WHO

A couple gets ice cream in Ludwigsburg as Germany relaxes curbs. Pic/AFP

The World Health Organisation said on Tuesday that rushing to ease Coronavirus restrictions will likely lead to a resurgence of the illness, a warning that comes as governments start rolling out plans to get their economies up and running again. "This is not the time to be lax. Instead, we need to ready ourselves for a new way of living for the foreseeable future," said Dr. Takeshi Kasai, the WHO regional director for the Western Pacific.

Around the world, step-by-step reopenings were underway in Europe, where the crisis has begun to ebb in places such as Italy, Spain and Germany. The pandemic has killed over 1,70,000 people globally, close to two thirds of them in hardest-hit Europe, according to an AFP tally Tuesday at 0935 GMT. In total, 1,70,226 people have died worldwide, including 106,737 in Europe, and there are 2,483,086 recorded cases. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday extended the lockdown till June 1 and urged citizens to "persevere" with the strict restrictions, as the city-state reported 1,111 new cases, a majority them foreign workers living in dormitories, taking the total infections to 9,125.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

Two young girls in Italy took the lockdown game to a whole new level by playing tennis from neighbouring buildings.

The girls in Liguarian town of Finale Ligure managed a 12-shot rally in the 24-second video. The video was posted on Facebook last Friday by a local tennis club where the two are members.

Two young girls in Italy play tennis across their rooftops https://t.co/o0paauxGFZ pic.twitter.com/YGNiviMit5

— Reuters (@Reuters) April 21, 2020

Naturally, a few balls during the practice session did not make it across and bounced down into a private road below where the girls' fathers put them in plastic bags their daughters had affixed to the end of fishing poles.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

An exchange of texts between the YouTuber and a man whose car he hit has gone viral. YouTuber Casey Neistat had tweeted about leaving a note apologising to a man whose car he accidentally hit with his 17-year-old pick-up truck and what happened next was absolutely heart-warming.

Neistat, who stays in Los Angeles, wrote on Twitter, "I scratched a guys car this morning when parking my truck, total accident, small but noticeable scratch. I left the owner a note on the wiper and he texted me..."

The note Neistat left for the man read, "Hello, I scratched the hood of your car while parking mine. Please call/text so I can pay for the repairs. My sincere apologies for the trouble." The man texted him  on his contact number provided on the note and gave him a surprising reply. He asked Neistat to donate the money he had put aside for the repairs to the local food bank instead.

The reply read, "Hey, Thank you so much for the note. Please don’t worry about the scratch. Any money you have put towards my car feel free to donate to a local venice food bank. Have a great week!"

Neistat then donated 250 USD to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank in the name of ‘Mr Scratched Car’. The heart-warming exchange between the YouTuber and the stranger garnered over 243,500 likes and was retweeted more than 20,900 times.

been complaining about LA a lot, lemme share why I love LA. I scratched a guys car this morning when parking my truck, total accident, small but noticeable scratch. I left the owner a note on the wiper and he texted me... pic.twitter.com/0x8HQkjGa2

— Casey Neistat (@Casey) April 20, 2020

The users commenting on the post narrated similar incidents and praised the interaction between them. Some also praised the man’s reply to the Neistat’s note.

10/10 human interaction, love this

— FaZe Banks (@Banks) April 20, 2020

What she didn't know what that I had already caused that damage weeks prior while trying to squeeze into a microscopic Seattle parking space (next to a concrete pillar).

I texted her back, told her that if she caused any damage, I couldn't tell, and not to worry about it. (2/2)

— AlexanderESmith (@AlexEdwardSmith) April 20, 2020

God bless Mr Scratched Car

— Boii🧢 (@MichaelYanchuck) April 20, 2020

donation made in the name of "mr scratched car"

casey you are a legend

— Luke Martin (@VentureCoinist) April 20, 2020

Still truly good people in this world.

— Lance Ulanoff (@LanceUlanoff) April 20, 2020

What do you think about the post?

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

Sunlight kills COVID-19 while warmer temperatures and humid weather significantly damage the virus, measured in terms of the virus' half-life or the time it takes to cut its potency in half, according to the latest breakthrough research from the US Department of Homeland Security's most advanced biocontainment lab, released at the White House on Thursday.

The coronavirus outbreak in the US has killed nearly 50,000 Americans and infected more than 860,000 till date. Research around the effect of temperature and humidity has been gaining traction for weeks, these are the most downloaded papers on research websites but this is the first time the US government has put an official stamp on initial results of temperature tests on COVID-19.

"Our most striking observation to date is the powerful effect that solar light appears to have on killing the virus, both on surfaces and in the air. We've seen a similar effect with both temperature and humidity as well. Increasing the temperature and humidity or both is generally less favourable to the virus," Bill Bryan, chief of the science and technology directorate at the US Department of Homeland Security, said.

In a room at 70-75F temperature with 20 per cent humidity, the half-life of the virus is about an hour, according to Bryan. "But you get outside and it cuts down to a minute and a half, very significant difference when it when it gets hit with UV rays," he said.

According to the same research, the virus' half-life on surfaces reduces dramatically with a combination increase of temperature and humidity. When the temperate is kept constant at 70-75F and only the humidity is cranked up from 20 per cent to 80 per cent, the virus' half-life is shown to crash from 18 hours to 6 hours. If the temperature is increased to 95F, the half-life sinks to barely 60 minutes.

Bryan said this testing was done at DHS' advanced biocontainment lab in Maryland, just outside the national capital. Pointing to charts with data from experiments on the COVID-19 virus, Bryan said the virus half-life plunges "drastically" with exposure to higher temperatures and even minimal exposure to humidity.

Bryan said the DHS biocontainment lab is the only one in America that has the capability to do the kind of testing that has led to the research on the virus' UV and temperature tolerance.

Bryan explained the mechanics of the COVID-19 temperature tolerance experiment in simple terms. He said the virus was first locked into a 5-gallon bucket and suspended in the air inside. "We're able to take a particle of a virus and suspend it in the air inside of this drum and hit it with various temperatures, various humidity levels, multiple different kinds of environmental conditions to include sunlight. And we're able to measure the decay of that virus while it's suspended in the air. This is how we do our aerosol testing."

"While there are many unknown links in the COVID-19 transmission chain, we believe these trends can support practical decision making to lower the risks associated with the virus," Bryan said. The DHS team has also tested the effect of bleach and isopropyl alcohol on the virus, "specifically in saliva and respiratory fluids".

"And I can tell you that bleach will kill the virus in five minutes, isopropyl alcohol will kill the virus in 30 seconds, and that's with no manipulation. No rubbing."

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

Cash-rich China on Thursday announced an additional USD 30 million grant to the World Health Organization to support its global fight against the deadly coronavirus, days after Beijing expressed "serious concern" over President Donald Trump's decision to freeze US' funding for the UN health agency over its handling of the COVID-19 crisis. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang made the announcement at a media briefing here. The grant will be in addition to the USD 20 million provided by China, the world's second largest economy, earlier to the WHO.

"China has decided to donate another USD 30 million in cash to the WHO in addition to the USD 20 million cash donation to support the global fight against COVID-19 to help strengthen developing countries health systems," Geng said. He clarified that the additional USD 30 million funding was "aimed to COVID-19 response and supporting the health systems of developing countries".

"This is a different thing from the membership dues paid by China," he said. China hinted at stepping up its monetary contribution to the UN health agency on April 15. Beijing's response came a day after Trump announced to put a "very powerful" hold on US' funding to the WHO, accusing the UN agency of being "very China-centric" and criticising it for having "missed the call" in its response to the coronavirus pandemic. The US is the largest donor to the Geneva-based WHO.

Trump also criticised the organisation's relationship with China. "American taxpayers provide between USD 400m and USD 500 million per year to the WHO; in contrast China contributes roughly USD 40 million a year, even less. As the organisation's leading sponsor, the United States has a duty to insist on full accountability," he said. While announcing the new funding, Geng without referring to Trump's criticism, expressed China's full backing for the WHO and its Director General Dr General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, whom Trump has termed as pro-China.

"Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the WHO and its Chief Dr Tedros have been actively fulfilling their duties in upholding scientific, objective and an impartial stance. It played an important role in helping the relevant countries strengthen their pandemic response and promote international cooperation," Geng said.
"As the global fight against COVID-19 is at a crucial stage supporting the WHO is defending the ideals and principles of multilateralism and upholding the status and authority of the UN," he said.

Terming the virus the "common enemy of all", Geng said solidarity was the only weapon to defeat it. "Our donation is made out of support and trust of Chinese government and people for the WHO," Geng said, adding that "this is also our way of contributing to global public health and global efforts against the pandemic" Earlier while responding to Trump's announcement to freeze US' funding for the WHO, another Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhao Lijian had said: "China expresses serious concern over the US announcement to halt its funding to WHO".

He said China will always support the Geneva-based WHO in playing an important role in international public health and global anti-epidemic response. Asked if China will step-up funding to the WHO to replace the US contributions, Zhao had said, "China has provided USD 20 million to the WHO (to fight COVID-19) and we will study the relevant matter", indicating that Beijing was considering to increase its contribution to the global health body.

Both China and the WHO faced serious criticism over lack of transparency especially about the discovery of the coronavirus in December last year and its silent spread in Wuhan until Beijing imposed a lockdown in the city on January 23. By that time, over five million people from Wuhan were reported to have left for holiday destinations at home and abroad to celebrate the Chinese New Year, which many allege resulted in the spreading of the deadly virus worldwide.

China has denied the allegations of any cover-up, saying it was the first country to report the COVID-19 to the WHO.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

Washington: Girls her age play Candy Crush or like watching cartoons, but 15-year-old Hita Gupta peps up hundreds of lonely Americans, including the elderly and children, marooned in nursing homes due to the COVID-19 lockdown by sending them gift packs and spirit-lifting notes.

The 10th-grade Indian-American student from Pennsylvania's Conestoga High School has an NGO 'Brightening A Day' and is using it to spread love, hope and joy among America's nursing homes' residents, especially senior citizens, to help them keep at bay their boredom arising from the COVID-19 restrictions.

Gupta brightens up their lives by sending them handwritten notes and gift packs containing puzzle and colouring books and a packet colour pencils.

"It saddens me to think of how lonely or depressed many nursing home residents feel because they cannot see their loved ones. Our seniors are already one of the most isolated groups. A research has shown that more than 40 per cent of seniors regularly feel lonely," Gupta told PTI in an email interaction.

"During this uncertain time, which is causing panic among many seniors, it's our responsibility to let them know that they are not alone. I initially started sending gift packs to nursing homes using self-funding. Now, I have sent them to residents of 16 local nursing homes," she said.

Each gift pack contains one puzzle book, one colouring book, and a pack of colour pencils/crayons, Gupta said. "It also contains an uplifting note written by my 9-year-old brother Divit Gupta," she said.

Her NGO has reached more than 2,700 kids and seniors in 50 hospitals and nursing homes in seven different States in the US with hand-made cards on holidays like Christmas and Valentine's Day. "We have also sent school supplies and cards to orphanages in India," Gupta said.

Gupta's initiative has won her praise from one and all.

"Need some inspiration? 15-year-old Hita Gupta, from Pennsylvania, USA, is brightening the lives of nursing home residents with gift packs through her NGO, Brighten A Day," the US Embassy in New Delhi wrote on its Facebook page.

"She aims to lift the spirits of those who are in need of some cheer by sending them love, hope, and joy through cards and gifts. During the COVID-19 lockdown period, she is sending handwritten notes and gift packs to cheer the residents and help them overcome loneliness and isolation. More power to you Hita!" the embassy said.

Nursing homes throughout the US are limiting the interaction of senior citizens who remain mostly confined to their rooms. Outsiders are also prohibited form visiting them, resulting in feelings of loneliness and isolation in many of them.

The US is the worst affected country from the coronavirus, with 842,000 infections and over 46,000 deaths reported so far. According to Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention, eight in every 10 deaths due to the coronavirus reported in the US are adults, and people who are 65 years old or above.

Globally, the coronavirus pandemic has claimed over 185,000 lives and infected more than 2.6 million people, according to the Johns Hopkins University data.

Belgian Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes has announced a detailed plan to gradually lift the country's coronavirus restrictions, the media reported on Saturday.

After hours of discussions on Friday, Prime Minister Wilmes announced a timetable to gradually end the country's lockdown, which began on March 12, reports the BBC. The first businesses to open will be fabric shops on May 4 in order to help people comply with new regulations requiring all Belgians aged 12 or over to wear masks on public transport. Other shops will reopen a week later.

Schools will return from May 18, but no more than 10 children will be allowed in each class. Cafes and restaurants will not be permitted to open before June 8. But Wilmes warned that "nothing is set in stone". At least 44,293 people have tested positive for the virus in Belgium as of Saturday, according to the Johns Hopkins University tally.

A total of 6,679 deaths have been recorded in the nation of 11.4 million - the highest rate per capita in Europe. More than half the fatalities have been in care homes. A number of other European countries have already announced measures to ease their lockdowns, the BBC reported. On Friday, the Czech Republic ended restrictions on free movement which had been put in place to help halt the spread of coronavirus.

Sme shops have already reoopened in Germany and schools will gradually reopen from May 4, although bars, cafes, restaurants, cinemas and music venues will all remain closed. Meanwhile, Poland's Health Minister Lukasz Szumowski called for a two-year delay to the presidential election - due to take place in two weeks' time - saying it was the safest situation given the pandemic.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

Indian-American Seema Nanda has announced that she was stepping down as the CEO of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), it was reported. The Boston College Law School and Brown University grad, who took over as the DNC CEO in June 2018, succeeding Mary Beth Cahill, announced the move via Twitter on Friday, the American Bazaar reported.

"After two years, I will be stepping down as CEO of the DNC. I couldn't be prouder of the infrastructure we have built, the primary process we have run, and the team we have built. "I look forward to continuing the fight for our democracy and to elect Democrats everywhere," she added.

Nanda however, did not reveal the reason behind her decision nor did she announce her next move. During her tenure, Nanda worked closely with DNC Chair Tom Perez, managing the group's day-to-day operations.

The two had worked together at the Department of Labor during the former administration of President Barack Obama. Perez's term as DNC chair will end after the November presidential election. While accepting the position in 2018, Nanda described the job as "the opportunity of a lifetime".

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has fired his special aide on I&B and replaced her with a powerful former military spokesman as he revamped his media team for the second time since coming to power amid mounting criticism for failing to address key issues including the COVID-19 outbreak.

Former Army spokesman Lt Gen (retied) Asim Saleem Bajwa, who is also the chairman of the newly created China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority, has replaced Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan as the Special Assistant to the PM for information and broadcasting (I&B).

PM Khan also appointed Senator Shibli Faraz as the new information minister. Minister for Science Fawad Chaudhry announced the new appointments. The changes were made to blunt the perception that the government's media handling was not good and its work was not being properly highlighted amid the health crisis.

"The way these changes have been made will not give a good impression and help the cause of the government," analyst Ayaz Amir told Dunya TV. Pakistan has 14,079 COVID-19 cases so far.

301
No. of COVID-19 deaths in Pakistan

Now, Beijing to shut COVID-19 hospital

Authorities in Beijing are set to close a COVID-19 special hospital, Xiaotangshan Hospital, after clearing all the cases even as China reported six new infections and 40 fresh asymptomatic cases on Tuesday. The move comes days after Wuhan closed 16 temporary hospitals and discharged its last patient on Sunday.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

British Airways may be forced to cut more than a quarter of its workforce as the coronavirus pandemic takes its toll on one of Europe's biggest airlines. Parent company IAG (ICAGY) said in a statement cited by CNN on Tuesday that the Airways is notifying labour unions about a restructuring program which will affect most employees and "may result in the redundancy of up to 12,000 of them." IAG, which also includes Spanish airline Iberia, said its first-quarter revenues declined by 13 per cent to EUR4.6 billion (USD 5 billion) as it swung to an operating loss of EUR535 million (USD 579 million).

The airline group warned that losses in the second quarter would be "significantly worse" and that it expects that "the recovery of passenger demand to 2019 levels will take several years." The warning echos a similar decision made by airline group Lufthansa (DLAKY), which owns national carriers in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Belgium. Announcing earlier this month that it was permanently reducing the size of its fleet and shuttering one of its low-cost carriers, Lufthansa said that worldwide demand for air travel will take years to recover from the coronavirus.

"What we are facing as an airline ... is that there is no 'normal' any longer," British Airways CEO Alex Cruz said in a letter to staff that was released to CNN Business. "Yesterday, British Airways flew just a handful of aircraft out of Heathrow. On a normal day, we would fly more than 300," he added. The news comes as flight bans and nationwide lockdowns are threatening to bankrupt airlines around the world. The "mounting financial crisis" facing carriers could cause revenues to tumble by as much as 55 per cent this year, or some USD 314 billion, according to the International Air Transport Association.

Virgin Australia collapsed into administration last week, while sister airline Virgin Atlantic confirmed on Monday that it was on the hunt for outside investors to keep it alive. Virgin Atlantic, which is controlled by Richard Branson's Virgin Group, is also seeking a commercial loan from the British government. Earlier this month, British Airways furloughed 30,000 employees on 80 per cent of their regular monthly pay until the end of May, with the government covering the first PS2,500 (USD 3,100) under its coronavirus job retention program.

But Cruz said the outlook for the aviation sector had worsened in the last few weeks and measures taken to conserve cash were not enough. "There is no government bailout standing by for BA and we cannot expect the taxpayer to offset salaries indefinitely," he added. "Any money we borrow now... will not address the longer-term challenges we face," he wrote.

With no certainty on when lockdowns will lift or when countries will reopen their borders, British Airways has to "reshape" itself, Cruz said. "The scale of this challenge requires substantial change so we are in a competitive and resilient position, not just to address the immediate Covid-19 pandemic, but also to withstand any longer term reductions in customer demand, economic shocks or other events that could affect us," he added.

The collapse in air traffic puts about 6.7 million jobs at risk in Europe, according to IATA, which has called for urgent government action to "preserve air services."

In a similar circumstance, Air France-KLM (AFLYY) further announced on Friday that following "several weeks of discussions" with the French government and banks, it had secured EUR7 billion ($7.6 billion) in loans backed by the French state "to help overcome the crisis and prepare for the future."

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

Many Americans in India who had signed up for airlifts back to the US are now deciding to stay back and "ride it out" during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the State Department's top consular official. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Ian Brownlee said on Tuesday that many who had enlisted for repatriation from India were not responding to offers of seats on the planes arranged by the department to take them home.

The number of recorded COVID-19 cases in the US reached 1 million on Tuesday, with 58,348 deaths, while India had only 31,368 officially recorded cases with 1,008 fatalities, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker. Brownlee said: "Two weeks ago, we had a list of folks and we were pretty sure if we called (the) folks they'd show up at the airport and say, 'Yes, please.' We're now getting to the point on that list, we're having to make multiple calls for individual seats because people are deciding 'No,' they'd just as soon ride it out where they are."

Last week he said that 4,000 Americans had been brought back to the US and 6,000 were waiting for airlifts. India has cancelled passenger flights and rail transportation during the strict lockdown imposed on March 25.

Brownlee had spoken earlier of the massive logistics effort required to bring Americans from around the vast country to Mumbai and New Delhi, the departure points for the chartered flights.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

US President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened new tariffs against Beijing as he claimed to have seen evidence linking the novel Coronavirus to a lab in China's ground-zero city of Wuhan. Trump's comments undercut a rare public statement from his own intelligence community on Thursday which stated no such assessment has been made by them whether the COVID-19 outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan.

'I have evidence'

At his daily White House briefing on COVID-19 on Thursday, Trump was asked by a reporter: "Have you seen anything at this point that gives you a high degree of confidence that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was the origin of this virus?" "Yes, I have. Yes, I have," Trump said. He, however, refused to provide any details, except for saying that investigations are on and it would be out soon.

Asked what gave him a high degree of confidence that the virus originated from the WIV, he said, "I can't tell you that. I'm not allowed to tell you that."

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence said on Thursday it concurs with the "wide scientific consensus" regarding COVID-19's natural origins. The US has 1,069,400 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

WHO blamed for pandemic

Trump also blamed the World Health Organisation for the pandemic. "I think the WHO should be ashamed of themselves because they're like the public relations agency for China," he said. Trump, however, did not hold his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping responsible for the global outbreak.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a fertiliser factory completion ceremony, state media reported on Saturday, his first public appearance after 20 days of absence that sparked rumours about his health.

North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim cut the tape at the ceremony marking the completion of Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Factory in Sunchon, north of Pyongyang, on Friday. Photos released by KCNA showed Kim, dressed in a dark Mao suit, cutting the red ribbon during the ceremony and talking to accompanying officials with a smile on his face.

"All the participants broke into thunderous cheers of 'hurrah!' extending the greatest glory to the Supreme Leader who has brought about a new change in the development of Juche-based fertilizer industry and has led the grand revolutionary advance for strengthening self-supporting economy to a victory with his outstanding leadership," KCNA said. Juche is the concept of self-reliance.

Kim was also quoted as expressing "satisfaction about the wonderful creation". In a report last week, CNN had said that the US was looking into intelligence that Kim Jong-un was in "grave danger" after surgery.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

Millions of people were allowed to return to work in Italy Monday as Europe's longest lockdown started to ease, while countries from Iceland to India took a patchwork of steps to loosen Coronavirus restrictions. Businesses including hairdressers in Greece and restaurants in Lebanon were opening their doors under new conditions.

With pressure growing in many countries for more measures to restart the economy, politicians also were trying to boost funding for research into a vaccine for COVID-19. There are hopes that one could be available in months, but warnings that it could take much longer.

Italy, the first European country to be hit by the pandemic and a nation with one of the world's highest death tolls, started stirring after its two-month shutdown. In all, 4.4 million Italians were able to return to work, and restrictions on movement eased. Traffic in downtown Rome picked up, construction sites and manufacturing operations resumed, and flower vendors returned to the Campo dei Fiori market for the first time since March 11.

As infection rates have fallen in large parts of Europe, tentative efforts to restart public life are gathering pace. But Europeans' new-found freedoms are limited as officials are wary of setting off a second wave of infections.

In Italy, mourners were able to attend funerals - but services were limited to 15 people and there was still no word on when Masses would resume. Restaurants scrubbed their floors in preparation for take-out service, but sit-down service is several weeks away.

Italians still have to carry certifications explaining why they are out. The list of acceptable reasons has now been expanded to include visits to family and lovers, but just who falls into that category is still unclear.

Russia braces for quick surge in cases

Russian officials on Monday reported a steady rise in the number of the COVID-19 infections, fueling concerns that the hospitals could be overwhelmed. The task force dealing with the outbreak reported 10,581 new cases on Monday, taking the total to 1,45,268, including 1,356 deaths. Officials have voiced fears that the holidays could cause a surge in contagion.

Spain sees lowest daily death toll

For a second day in a row, Spanish health officials are reporting 164 new deaths from COVID-19, the lowest daily death toll in six weeks, to a total of 25,428. The figures came as a respite for a country that has spent seven weeks under a strict lockdown and that on Monday entered the first stage of its four-phase lockdown rollback.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

India is projected to record the highest number of births in the 9 months since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March, with more than 20 million babies expected to be born in the country between March and December, according to top UN body. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned that pregnant mothers and babies born during the pandemic across the world were threatened by strained health systems and disruptions in services. An estimated 116 million babies will be born under the shadow of COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF said on Wednesday, ahead of Mother's Day, observed on May 10.

These babies are projected to be born up to 40 weeks after COVID-19 was recognised as a pandemic on March 11. The highest numbers of births in the 9 months since the pandemic was declared are expected to occur in India, where 20.1 million babies are projected to be born between March 11 and December 16. Other countries with the expected highest numbers of births during this period are China (13.5 million), Nigeria (6.4 million), Pakistan (5 million) and Indonesia (4 million), it said. "Most of these countries had high neonatal mortality rates even before the pandemic and may see these levels increase with COVID-19 conditions," UNICEF said.

It is estimated that there will be 24.1 million births in India for the January-December 2020 period. UNICEF warned that COVID-19 containment measures can disrupt life-saving health services such as childbirth care, putting millions of pregnant mothers and their babies at great risk. Even wealthier countries are affected by this crisis. In the US, the sixth highest country in terms of expected number of births, over 3.3 million babies are projected to be born between March 11 and December 16.
"New mothers and newborns will be greeted by harsh realities," UNICEF said, adding they include global containment measures such as lockdowns and curfews; health centres overwhelmed with response efforts; supply and equipment shortages; and a lack of sufficient skilled birth attendants as health workers, including midwives, are redeployed to treat COVID-19 patients.

"Millions of mothers all over the world embarked on a journey of parenthood in the world as it was. They now must prepare to bring a life into the world as it has become ¿ a world where expecting mothers are afraid to go to health centres for fear of getting infected, or missing out on emergency care due to strained health services and lockdowns," UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said. "It is hard to imagine how much the coronavirus pandemic has recast motherhood" Fore said.
UNICEF said its analysis was based on data from World Population Prospects 2019 of the UN Population Division.

An average full-term pregnancy typically lasts a complete 9 months, or 39 to 40 weeks. For the purposes of this estimate, the number of births for a 40-week period in 2020 was calculated. The 40-week period of March 11 to December 16 is used in this estimate based upon the WHO's March 11 assessment that COVID-19 can be characterised as a pandemic. UNICEF warned that although evidence suggests that pregnant mothers are not more affected by COVID-19 than others, countries need to ensure they still have access to antenatal, delivery and postnatal services.

Similarly, sick newborns need emergency services as they are at high risk of death. New families require support to start breastfeeding, and to get medicines, vaccines and nutrition to keep their babies healthy, it said. "This is a particularly poignant Mother's Day, as many families have been forced apart during the coronavirus pandemic, but it is also a time for unity, a time to bring everyone together in solidarity. We can help save lives by making sure that every pregnant mother receives the support she needs to give birth safely in the months to come," Fore said.

Issuing an urgent appeal to governments and health care providers to save lives in the coming months, UNICEF said efforts must be made to help pregnant women receive antenatal checkups, skilled delivery care, postnatal care services, and care related to COVID-19 as needed. Ensure health workers are provided with the necessary personal protective equipment and get priority testing and vaccination once a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available so that can deliver high quality care to all pregnant women and newborn babies during the pandemic, it said.

While it is not yet known whether the virus is transmitted from a mother to her baby during pregnancy and delivery, UNICEF advised all pregnant women to follow precautions to protect themselves from exposure to the virus. Closely monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 and seek advice from the nearest designated facility if they have concerns or experience symptoms. Pregnant women should also take the same precautions to avoid COVID -19 infection as other people: practice physical distancing, avoid physical gatherings and use online health services, it said.

UNICEF said even before COVID-19 pandemic, an estimated 2.8 million pregnant women and newborns died every year, or 1 every 11 seconds, mostly of preventable causes.
The agency called for immediate investment in health workers with the right training, who are equipped with the right medicines to ensure every mother and newborn is cared for by a safe pair of hands to prevent and treat complications during pregnancy, delivery and birth.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

[Source: Research & Innovation] An EU-funded consortium is developing advanced X-ray and 3D imaging technologies to enable European miners to extract essential metal and mineral resources more efficiently and sustainably.

[Source: Research & Innovation] EU-funded researchers have employed quantum physics to develop an optical microscope that opens up the potential to view the tiniest of objects - including many viruses - directly for the first time.

[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.

[Source: Research & Innovation] The European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator Pilot will work with an extra €150 million to support game-changing innovations to tackle the coronavirus crisis. The additional budget, approved by the European Commission today, will fund the best start-ups and SMEs who applied under the March cut-off.

The European Commission has asked the Netherlands to amend taxation rules that it says amount to obstacles to the cross-border transfer of pensions.

On March 17, 2020, the Dutch Ministry of Finance announced that the Government has adopted a package of measures intended to protect the economy from the coronavirus epidemic, including several tax changes.

The European Commission and the Swiss Federal Council have each approved proposals to link their emissions trading systems, meaning formal signature of a new agreement could take place by the end of the year.

German Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries has said that Germany's air passenger tax is damaging the country's aviation industry and should be scrapped.

Members of the European Parliament have preliminarily agreed to continue with the aviation industry's current treatment under the EU's emissions trading scheme to allow for the development of a new industry-specific carbon tax arrangement.

The European Council on November 10 authorized the signing of an agreement with Switzerland to link their emissions trading systems.

The Swiss Federal Council is consulting on proposed changes to the CO2 Ordinance, which would link the Swiss and EU emissions trading systems.

Switzerland and the EU are to link their emissions trading systems from next year, after the Swiss Federal Council approved revisions to the country's Ordinance on the Reduction of CO2 Emissions.

J.B.CHEMICALS share price has hit a 52-week high at Rs 625 (up 2.0%).

Meanwhile, the BSE 500 Index is at 12,146 (up 1.7%).

Among the top gainers in the BSE 500 Index today are J.B.CHEMICALS (up 2.0%) and ICICI SECURITIES LTD (up 10.5%).

CYIENT (down 5.6%) and RELIANCE CAPITAL (down 5.0%) are among the top losers today.

Over the last one year, J.B.CHEMICALS has moved up from Rs 331 to Rs 625, registering a gain of Rs 294 (up 87.64%).

The BSE 500 has moved down from 14,958 to 12,146, loss of 2,812 points (down 18.8%) during the last 12 months.

The top gainers among the BSE 500 Index stocks during this same period were ADANI GREEN ENERGY (up 435.7%), ABBOTT INDIA (up 145.8%) and NAVIN FLUORINE (up 122.8%).

What About the Benchmark Indices?

The BSE Sensex is at 32,089 (up 1.8%). The top gainers among the BSE Sensex stocks today are HUL (up 3.0%), INDUSIND BANK (up 2.9%) and BAJAJ FINANCE (up 2.8%). Other gainers include AXIS BANK (up 2.7%) and RELIANCE IND. (up 2.5%). The most traded stocks in the BSE Sensex are RELIANCE IND. and SBI.

In the meantime, NSE Nifty is at 9,383 (up 1.5%). DR. REDDYS LAB (up 4.1%) and INDIABULLS HOU. FIN. (up 3.8%) are among the top gainers in NSE Nifty.

Over the last 12 months, the BSE Sensex has moved up from 38,277 to 32,089, registering a gain of -6,188 points (up -16.4%).

J.B.CHEMICALS Financial Update...

J.B.CHEMICALS net profit stood at Rs 622 million for the quarter ended December 2019, compared to a profit of Rs 464 million a year ago. Net Sales rose 9.3% to Rs 3.9 billion during the period as against Rs 3.5 billion in October-December 2018.

For the year ended March 2018, J.B.CHEMICALS reported 24.8% decrease in net profit to Rs 1.4 billion compared to net profit of Rs 1.8 billion during FY17.

Revenue of the company grew 3.3% to Rs 14 billion during FY18.

The current Price to earnings ratio of J.B.CHEMICALS, based on rolling 12 month earnings, stands at 20.0x.

This article (J.B.CHEMICALS at 52 Week High; BSE 500 Index Up 2.0% ) is authored by Equitymaster.

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

J.B.CHEMICALS share price has hit an all-time high at Rs 635 (up 4.2%).

Meanwhile, the BSE HEALTHCARE Index is at 15,318 (up 1.3%).

Among the top gainers in the BSE HEALTHCARE Index today are J.B.CHEMICALS (up 4.2%) and ABBOTT INDIA (up 0.3%).

CADILA HEALTHCARE and DISHMAN CARBOGEN AMCIS LTD (down 0.1%) are among the top losers today.

Over the last one year, J.B.CHEMICALS has moved up from Rs 331 to Rs 635, registering a gain of Rs 304 (up 91.7%).

The BSE HEALTHCARE has moved up from 14,034 to 15,318, registering a gain of 1,284 points (up 8.7%) during the last 12 months.

The top gainers among the BSE HEALTHCARE Index stocks during this same period were ABBOTT INDIA (up 145.2%), J.B.CHEMICALS (up 91.7%) and IPCA LABS (up 62.9%).

What About the Benchmark Indices?

The BSE Sensex is at 32,089 (up 1.4%). The top gainers among the BSE Sensex stocks today are INDUSIND BANK (up 4.3%), HUL (up 3.3%) and KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK (up 2.9%). Other gainers include ICICI BANK (up 2.8%) and BAJAJ FINANCE (up 2.4%). The most traded stocks in the BSE Sensex are SBI and INDUSIND BANK.

In the meantime, NSE Nifty is at 9,383 (up 1.3%). The top gainers in the NSE Nifty include DR. REDDYS LAB (up 3.9%), INDIABULLS HOU. FIN. (up 3.6%) and INDUSIND BANK (up 3.6%). Other gainers include HUL (up 3.3%) and KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK (up 2.8%).

Over the last 12 months, the BSE Sensex has moved down from 38,277 to 32,089, registering a loss of -6,188 points (up -16.7%).

J.B.CHEMICALS Financial Update...

J.B.CHEMICALS net profit stood at Rs 622 million for the quarter ended December 2019, compared to a profit of Rs 464 million a year ago. Net Sales rose 9.3% to Rs 3.9 billion during the period as against Rs 3.5 billion in October-December 2018.

For the year ended March 2018, J.B.CHEMICALS reported 24.8% decrease in net profit to Rs 1.4 billion compared to net profit of Rs 1.8 billion during FY17.

Revenue of the company grew 3.3% to Rs 14 billion during FY18.

The current Price to earnings ratio of J.B.CHEMICALS, based on rolling 12 month earnings, stands at 20.4x.

This article (J.B.CHEMICALS at All Time High; BSE HEALTHCARE Index Up 1.3%) is authored by Equitymaster.

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

BHARAT DYNAMICS share price has plunged 5% and is presently trading at Rs 231.

Meanwhile, the BSE 500 Index is at 12,146 (up 0.8%).

Among the top losers in the BSE 500 Index today are BHARAT DYNAMICS (down 5.4%) and LAURUS LABS LTD (down 9.0%).

TV18 BROADCAST (up 7.9%) and E.I.D. PARRY (up 7.6%) are among the top gainers today.

Over the last one year, BHARAT DYNAMICS has moved down from Rs 281 to Rs 231, registering a loss of Rs 50 (down 17.8%)..

The BSE 500 has moved down from 14,958 to 12,146, loss of 2,812 points (down 18.8%) during the last 12 months.

The top gainers among the BSE 500 Index stocks during this same period were ADANI GREEN ENERGY (up 431.9%), ABBOTT INDIA (up 142.8%) and NAVIN FLUORINE (up 115.0%).

What About the Benchmark Indices?

The BSE Sensex is at 32,089 (up 1.0%). The top gainers among the BSE Sensex stocks today are RELIANCE IND. (up 4.0%). The most traded stocks in the BSE Sensex are INDUSIND BANK and ICICI BANK.

In the meantime, NSE Nifty is at 9,383 (up 1.1%). ZEE ENTERTAINMENT (up 5.1%) and DR. REDDYS LAB (up 4.2%) are among the top gainers in NSE Nifty.

Over the last 12 months, the BSE Sensex has moved down from 38,277 to 32,089, registering a loss of 6,188 points (down 17.03%).

Luxembourg's Government Council, comprising government ministers, has approved legislative changes to the territory's VAT regime to introduce the four quick fixes to improve the functioning of VAT rules in the European Union.

On August 8, 2019, the Government of Luxembourg submitted to parliament draft law to implement the requirements of the second European Union Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive (ATAD 2), which tackles hybrid mismatch arrangements.

The EU General Court has dismissed an appeal brought against the European Commission's decision that a tax ruling granted by Luxembourg to Fiat Chrysler Finance Europe was unlawful.

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.

Xiaomi's Mi 10 competes fiercely with premium-end flagships from the Android universe -- both in terms of hardware and design. Here's why it could end up being a winner.

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.