US business associations say the Philippines' proposed sugar-sweetened beverage tax may infringe World Trade Organization rules and would dent the country's competitiveness.

The Philippines has launched a tax amnesty for those with unsettled estate tax liabilities.

The Philippines Government has said that it hopes to secure approval from Congress of the corporate income tax reform package within the next few months.

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Having more than two sex partners before entering the bond of marriage is actually better! Experts have reached this conculsion after a recent study, which surprisingly revealed that women with exactly two premarital sex partners have consistently higher divorce rates than women with three to nine partners.

The research team from a US-based institute of family studies, found that overall, young women who tied the knot in recent years have far more sexual experience prior to marriage than their counterparts from prior decades. Women were four times as likely to marry as virgins in the 1970s (21 per cent) compared to the 2010s (five per cent), according to the researchers.

Also noteworthy is the decline in the proportion of women who get married having had only one sex partner. As late as the 1980s, over half of new brides were virgins or had had only one sex partner. This was true of just 28 percent of women by the 2010s.

Did you know? Middle-aged married women seek affairs for sex instead of divorce
In a recent study conducted on 100 married females in England between the ages of 35 and 45, it was revealed that 67 per cent sought affairs because they want more sex. The findings revealed that when middle-aged women, who are not happy with sex lives, seek extra-marital affairs, they are looking for more romantic passion, which includes sex — but they not want to divorce their husbands.

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Sugar Daddy Syndrome, commonly termed as 'attraction to older men', something young women go through has been studied extensively by relationship experts...

Father figure
Older men have a mentor-like feel about them, something that women fall for instantly. Freud says it comes out of the fact that subconsciously, they find them fatherly, and for a young woman, her father is the ultimate epitome of manlihood.

Smooth operators
Older men may not be as wild as young ones, but they surely know the tricks of the trade. They know how to flatter with poetry and pun, make every stroke a master's, and charm like a gentleman things where little lads often fail.

Ready and able
Older men have had decades to work on their act, and are ready to take the plunge.

Full of surprises
Elderly men were more likely to surprise women with flowers and chocolates, as compared to men half their age.

Mr. Moneybags
Older men are financially stable, so, they can afford to shower their partners with gifts.

The romance factor
Consultant psychiatrist YA Matcheswalla says that while there is no age limit for romance, agrees that for men in their fifties, romance depends on the overall quality of the relationship. "Younger men tend to be more self-absorbed and egotistical. They can also be more insecure. But after a certain age, they tend to make more of an effort," says Matcheswalla.

Sharing a bed key to a healthy, happy relationship
Researchers from a reputed American university believe sleeping next to someone helps lower the stress hormone cortisol, perhaps because it encourages feelings of safety and security. They say this is why people in close relationships tend to be in better health and live longer.

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Prolonged periods of elevated cortisol have been linked with an increase in cytokines — proteins involved in inflammation that can trigger heart disease, depression and autoimmune disorders. Sleeping together has a protective effect by lowering the levels of these proteins.

Sharing a bed is also thought to boost levels of the 'love hormone' oxytocin, known to induce bonding feelings. This is traditionally thought to be released during sex, but scientists, who have examined the role of oxytocin in health have found it’s also associated with cuddling in bed and 'pillow talk'.

Oxytocin plays a vital role in aiding digestion, reveal studies by scientists from Sweden. Those with lower levels had poorer gastric motility — the process by which food is moved from the stomach to the intestines, therefore slowing down digestion.

A recent research conducted in the US recently supports this theory. 59 women, who were married or had partners to keep a diary of the number of hugs they received over a set time. The scientists then analysed levels of oxytocin in the blood. The women who’d received the most hugs had the highest levels of oxytocin — and the lowest blood pressure and heart rates. They findings showed that sharing a bed may definately improve sleep.

In another study, women in long-term stable relationships fell asleep more quickly and woke up less frequently during the night than single women or women who lost or gained a partner during the six to eight years of the study.

But, sleeping apart can be healthy too!
It has emerged that 39 percent of couples believe their relationship is healthier because they have independence in their home life, while five per cent think having separate beds or even bedrooms is one of the main reasons they are so happy together, revealed a survey conducted by a leading home insurance firm. According to the findings, one in 25 couples have even taking a lengthy “sabbatical” from each other. On an average, couples spend 22 hours together during the working week, with nearly half of all couples blaming hectic work schedules for a lack of “quality time” together.

The survey, which questioned more than 1,000 people aged 18 or over, also discovered that 10 percent of men have a “games room,” four percent of women have their own “powder room,” and five percent of people would rather spend a night in with their cat or dog than their partner. Furthermore, one in five couples (19 per cent) regularly eat their evening meal at different times, with one in 10 cooking completely different dishes from each other.

And proving that opposites attract, 15 percent of people describe themselves as the “polar opposite” of their partner, while 44 percent believe having different interests or hobbies makes for a stronger relationship. Those under 25 are the most likely age group to spend time apart, with 21 percent admitting they regularly sleep in a separate bed - followed by the over 55s, at 16 percent.

A quarter of 18 to 24-year-olds regularly go on holiday without their other halves, followed by 15 percent of 25 to 34-year-olds. But only six per cent of over 55s admit to going away without their partner.

Did you know? Sleep can enhance sexual arousal
A good night's sleep not only refreshes you for the day but also gives you an extra edge between the sheets. Each additional hour of sleep increased the likelihood of sexual activity with a partner by 14 percent.

In a study of 171 women conducted by a US medical school, those who obtained more sleep on a given night, experienced greater sexual desire the next day. Sleep was also important for genital arousal, such that women who slept longer on average experienced fewer problems with vaginal arousal than women who obtained less sleep.

On any given night, however, women who were tired ended up being more aroused the next day. But eventually, it catches up to them and their desire drops.

Emmanuel Macron (right) and wife Brigitte Trogneux acknowledge the audience at an event in Paris in April. Pic/AFP

She's been called a Menopausal Barbie and France's First Grandmother, he's been passed off as gay as it's inconceivable for many how a straight 39-year-old Emmanuel Macron would be married to 64-year-old Brigitte Trogneux. In a different continent, another president is 24 years older than his wife Melania, but critics are yet to look past Donald Trump's mop of blonde-orange hair, and logic-defying views. Why?

Age does matter… for women
"We are still very ageist as a society, all over the world. While an older woman is called a cougar, there is no such term for an older man," says Shrishti Arya, producer of romance TV series Kehta Hai Dil Jee Le Zara (2014) in which Sangeeta Ghosh's Saanchi was seven years older than Ruslaan Mumtaz's Dhruv, and that formed the main conflict. Eventually, the couple not only married but also became happy parents. Of course, as per desi heroine pre-requisites, Saanchi, while refreshingly cheerful and mature, was painted in pure white strokes of a physically and morally beautiful beti, unmarried at 34 mainly due to familial responsibilities. Trogneux on the other hand, was married when she first met the 15-year-old Macron at the age of 40. Easier to blame her.

Ageism also comes from our conditioning, according to clinical psychologist and cognitive behaviour therapist Laura Vaz. In earlier times, it was pragmatic for the man to be older since he was the bread-winner, and the woman was second fiddle. She needed an older spouse to 'look up to'. That has changed with women demanding dignity for their roles as homemakers and fighting for equal rights at work… "but the cultural belief has stuck," she says.

The Graduate created a social revolution in cinema in the late 1960s

The cougar on celluloid
Popular culture doesn't make things easier. Starting from the ageing actress obsessed with a younger opportunistic man in Sunset Boulevard (1950) to the iconic seductress, Mrs Robinson, who lures the apparently hapless Ben in The Graduate (1967), to our own BA Pass (2012) with its poster featuring the much-married heroine sporting a bra and horrors, smoking, while a teenage boy lounges in her bed — the older woman is usually seen as a sexual predator. As clinical psychotherapist Alaokika Bharwani puts it, "If the man is over 10 years younger, it's assumed that it must be a sexual relationship. 'Companionship' is never taken into account, and it's sad because no one speaks of her desperation for an emotional connect." Vaz talks of how this narrow mindset leads to assumptions around the relationship. "That's how stories get created that something must be wrong with the man; maybe, he's looking for a mother figure, or perhaps she pays his bills," she says.

What does she want?
Bharwani gives a more realistic idea of what an older woman possibly seeks in her relationships. "A woman above 40 is mostly financially stable and doesn't 'need' a man to provide for her. She's perhaps been married, has children, and is emotionally mature. She mostly wants companionship to feel invigorated, which doesn't come her way from men her age. So, she enjoys the playfulness of a younger man," she says. As for the younger man, being with an older woman is often relieving since she is past the age of unreal romantic expectations, and doesn't want him to 'complete' her. He can be himself.

Alaokika Bharwani

But relationships are difficult to sustain especially if the age difference is between his 20s and her 30s. As Vaz points out from the cases she has dealt with, usually in a May-December relationship, it is the man who leaves and the woman ends up feeling hurt and used. Vaz adds that there could be an element of unpleasantness peculiar to this sort of relationship. "If the man isn't as financially stable, and she sort of takes care of him, the woman seldom has a problem but the man could feel emasculated," says Bharwani, adding that the biggest undoing for such couples is judgement.

Vaz cites the example of a couple where the woman was 64 years, while the man was 31. In therapy, she made it clear that they had to decide if they were in it for the long haul. "He was as old as her son, and people would look down on them, isolate them and yet not leave them in peace. I said this was what they were getting into. My sessions would help them get stronger, but they had to know that the dice would be stacked against them." Despite being in love, the couple broke up.

Meanwhile, since their coming out as a May-weds-December couple, the Macrons have faced criticism head-on; that he was elected as President is also a positive sign. Back home too, Vaz and Bharwani feel millennials are less judgemental and accepting of such relationships without going into debunked Freudian explanations. Both feel that we are becoming a more civilised society.

Here's to love and companionship for older women without the unfair labels. Or maybe create a male counterpart. Trump effect, anyone?

Beyhadh 2 star Shivin Narang has received a lot of love as Rudra opposite Jennifer Winget. The actor has had many other shows before this, but this one seems to have made a special place in the fans' hearts. Upset over the fact that the show has been axed untimely, Shivin recently pacified his fans and asked them not to harm themselves as there were reports of fans trying to self-harm.

In a recent turn of events, Shivin Narang had to undergo a major surgery yesterday after he injured his left hand by accidentally falling on a glass table. The actor has been under self-quarantine with his parents and even though we do not have all the details, we know that he was rushed to the hospital after he lost a lot of blood due to the injury. A source close to the actor revealed that he underwent a surgery that went on for over two hours, but is stable now and is under immense pain. Shivin had been insisting to go back home since his parents were alone there.

This is the same hand that got injured during one of the scenes in Beyhadh 2, where he saved his co-star Jennifer Winget during the elevator incident. He had then suffered a hairline fracture and we hope that he recovers from this really soon!

Also Read: Shivin Narang shares another throwback picture from Beyhadh 2 with Jennifer Winget and we can’t get enough of them!

Celebrities supporting social causes is indeed commendable because amidst the current scenario, the world needs empathy, love, and financial support at the right time. Salman Khan has been financially supporting daily wage workers and providing ration to those impacted during the Coronavirus outbreak.

Commencing the financial aid, he was one of the first people who made sure that money was directly transferred into the bank account of 25,000 daily wagers who were in dire need. It did not stop there, he further transferred money into the account of additional 7000 daily wage workers of the film fraternity.

The actor also helped 90 vertically challenged wage workers associated with All India Special Artistes Association (AISAA), a wing of FWICE.

The superstar also arranged for food supplies for thousands of people from varied corners of the state. A video of the same surfaced on the internet recently where truckloads of essentials were sent to the villagers around the farm.

Salman Khan has been carefully watching the situation and extending help in installments to ensure steady flow of income and essentials for the needy in different parts of the country.

Keeping in mind the current situation, he has released several videos where he has voiced his opinions and made a personal appeal to his massive fandom and people of the nation to stay indoors and maintain social distancing.

ALSO READ: Inside Salman Khan’s Panvel farmhouse with Jacqueline Fernandez and Iulia Vantur

A week ago, actor Irrfan Khan breathed his last after his prolonged battle with neuroendocrine tumour. Tributes have been pouring in for the late actor. Many had the opportunity to work with him while several filmmakers wished they had a chance! Reminiscing about becoming friends with Irrfan, filmmaker Anand Gandhi recently spoke about the possibility of working with him for a film based on pandemic.

The filmmaker recently revealed that he met Irrfan Khan around the release of Maqbool. They drove to Pune once and became friends over the years. They had explored the possibility of him starring in Tumbbad and it was before the final script and schedule changes were made. He said that Irrfan Khan could also have starred in the pandemic film Emergence that he had been working on for years.

Revealing more about Emergence, Anand said that he had been developing the script for five years. It tells the story of five women scientists fighting the contagion and are superheroes in their own way. With Emergence, he was taking the parasite-host relationship further. The script eerily represents the current scenario of the world. Tentatively titled 2020 at the time, he said that it had all the elements of storage crisis for scientific data, rightwing politics, among other things.

His idea is to make the film the most researched one on the pandemic. The filmmaker plans to take the film on the floor by next year. He said that they are collaborating with an American studio and it will be a big-budget project.

ALSO READ: Irrfan Khan’s son Babil shares an unseen video of his father enjoying a dip in ice-cold water

Shehnaaz Gill signed Mujhse Shaadi Karoge immediately after she exited the Bigg Boss 13 house. The idea of the show was to find her a potential groom through various tasks and activities. However, during her last interaction with a portal, Shehnaaz accepted that she was not interested in the show and that she regrets being a part of it. She has always been clear about her feelings for Sidharth Shukla and has confessed them to him.

Mayur Verma, one of the contestants on the show has reacted to her statement. He said that they knew she was not interested in the show from the third day itself. He said that she told them to have fun and enjoy their stay in the house and that it should look like the best boys were shortlisted for her. she further explained to them that she liked Sidharth and he liked her too. The boys would joke with her saying that when she got married, they would push the car for her groom and her.

What do you think of this entire reality show controversy? Be sure to let us know in the comments below.

Also Read: Shehnaaz Gill says she does not care about other people’s opinions, but feels bad when they target her fans

In a first of its kind international venture, youth icons Ananya Panday and international songwriter and guitarist from The Vamps band - James McVey - are all set to come together on the former’s ‘So Positive’ platform to raise awareness about social media bullying. The live session will be hosted on 8th May 2020 at 7 pm.

James McVey, the lead guitarist, and songwriter of the internationally renowned British band The Vamps, is known globally for spreading social media positivity. The coming together of the two, Panday and McVey, marks a collaboration that goes beyond the confines of language and geography to attain more awareness on the issue. The statistics are proof of how teenagers and children are the most affected in this digital era. The number of platforms accessible to the population across the world are increasing with every passing day. This collaboration would be extremely insightful in terms of shedding light on this issue and help individuals dealing with social media bullying.

Sharing his experience James McVey said, “During this difficult time we find ourselves using social media more than ever. When I was at the receiving end of bullying I felt isolated and alone. Regardless of where you live or your background, it’s important to remember that you are never alone. Millions of others are going through the same traumatic experience and I believe together we further the conversation and join the fight to end bullying. I’m looking forward to speaking with Ananya on ‘So Positive’ to learn more about her experiences.”

Ananya Panday shares, "Social media bullying is an evil that people face every day on the numerous platforms that they use in their daily lives. I’m glad that James McVey and I will be fighting this evil together in our own small way. The world is going through a difficult time, currently and it is even more important than ever to be kind to everyone around and spread positivity. So Positive has been creating awareness through different ways and our aim continues to be to negate the spread of social media bullying by spreading positivity all across. I’m really looking forward to this insightful exchange with James”.

So Positive is a cause taken up by Ananya which is backed with substantial data, research, and behavioural statistics. The initiative aims at creating and spreading awareness about social media bullying. Its prime focus is to make people aware of the fact that this issue exists and stays very prevalent in society. Also, the steps that can be taken by the recipients of this destructive criticism in order to deal with this.

ALSO READ: Ananya Panday says Vijay Deverakonda is humble and grounded despite being a huge star

Parineeti Chopra has stepped forward to do more during the coronavirus crisis that is raging in our country. The sensitive actress has decided to go on a virtual coffee date with people to raise funds that will feed 4000 family members of 1000 daily wage earners of our country!

Millions of poor labourers are struggling to access food and rations during the COVID lockdown, and are unable to keep themselves and their families safe. Parineeti has come on board to help raise funds for GiveIndia’s Mission: Ration Kit that aims at delivering food to those most affected by the crisis.

Pari’s campaign will see ration kits containing dal, rice, aata, salt, masala, tea, sugar, oil etc, to be able to sustain a family of 4 people. These kits will be distributed to families in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Bihar and Tamil Nadu. The A.T.E. Chandra Foundation has also joined hands in this cause and will be adding 25% of the total donation value collected as a matching amount, thereby multiplying the impact!

Parineeti, who is doing this in association with Arjun Kapoor’s sister Anshula’s breakthrough charity initiative Fankind, says, “There are millions of unemployed daily wage earners who are struggling to make two ends meet today due to the coronavirus crisis in our country. During the COVID19 national lockdown, they are unable to earn and that is putting them at high risk! Fankind, GiveIndia and I have come together to try and help them and their families by providing them ration kits.”

One just needs to log on to fankind.org/Parineeti and donate to be eligible for this virtual date which will aid GiveIndia to reach out to the ones who need our immediate help. The contest will be open for donation for a week, starting 6th May.

Pari adds, “No one should go to sleep hungry, so let’s do our bit to make a difference and take care of our fellow brothers and sisters of India. This fund raiser is uniquely crafted for me to meet you virtually and have a cup of coffee! This is how I will be saying thank you to 5 lucky winners through a video chat. I am looking forward to chatting with you and getting to know more about you over a piping cup of coffee. Let's join hands and donate for those who are in need.”

Indian cinema lost two icons, one week ago. On April 29, actor Irrfan Khan passed away after his prolonged battle with neuroendocrine tumour. Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor breathed his last on April 30 after two years of battle with leukemia. Tributes have been pouring in for the two actors who have made immense contribution to the cinema.

In the memory of two stars, Colors TV will be paying tribute to them with an event called Dard-e-Dil: A Tribute to the Legends. The virtual event will witness artists’ from films and TV who will celebrate the achievements of the actors and send in their pre-recorded videos. This will also be followed by some musical performances.

The line-up includes Maniesh Paul serving as the host of the event, comedian Bharti Singh, singers Sukhwinder Singh, Aditya Narayan, Abu Malik, and TV actors and former Bigg Boss contestants Hina Khan and Devoleena Bhattacharjee. Arjun Bijlani will be crooning ‘Om Shanti Om’ from Karz whereas Aditya Narayan is set to perform ‘Suit Suit Karda’ from Hindi Medium. Hina Khan has already recorded ‘Teri Umeed Tera Intezaar’ from Deewana.

The event is set to be aired this weekend!

ALSO READ: Irrfan Khan could have been part of Anand Gandhi’s pandemic movie Emergence

The Coronavirus-induced lockdown will complete two months on May 24. And yet, the situation hasn’t improved, with the cases increasing everyday. The entertainment sector has been hit the hardest. They got shut first and hence, they might also be the last ones to open. And even if cinema halls commence operations, there are fears that viewers will not come in hordes. Taking advantage of this situation, OTT platforms have been approaching filmmakers with tempting offers. Few of them are already in advanced talks. This includes not just filmmakers of smaller films but also the producers of one of the biggest films of 2020, Laxmmi Bomb, starring Akshay Kumar.

Rumours were abuzz that the makers of Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai too were open to offers from web streaming giants. Jordy Patel, manager of superstar Salman Khan, who is the film’s leading actor and producer, was also quoted as saying that they were ready to accept the offer, provided that they be offered a staggering Rs. 250 crores.

When Bollywood Hungama contacted Jordy Patel, he declined having made any such statement. “I haven’t given any figure,” he told this writer. He adds, “All I said was that we are ready to release Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai on an OTT platform, once the film is complete and once we evaluate the situation. Only then, we’ll take a call.”

So if not Rs. 250 crores, do they have any figure in mind that they’ll like to quote when meeting the OTT representatives? He explains, “We don’t have a figure in mind. The film is not yet complete. How can I quote an amount? We have got songs which are yet to be shot and even a couple of scenes.”

So how long are the makers planning to hold the release of Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai? After all, cinema halls are expected to start in August or September. Jordy Patel retorts, “Would people like to go to watch a film in August? It seems unlikely. So we’ll see what the situation is then and take a call accordingly.”

Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai, besides Salman Khan, also stars Disha Patani, Randeep Hooda and Jackie Shroff. It was to release on Eid 2020.

Also Read: Salman Khan keeping himself in shape to shoot for the climax of Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai post lockdown

The daily wage earners have taken the hardest hit during this lockdown and have been struggling to get a proper meal on their table. While most of the industry has been trying their best to arrange food and other amenities for them, Vivek Oberoi announced that he has provided financial aid to over 5,000 families of daily wage earners. He joined hands with Rohit Gajbhiye to raise funds.

Releasing a statement regarding the same, he said, “We observed that migrant labourers have been stranded here since a while now. There are many of them who are not even able to cope up with acquiring daily essentials. “They are struggling to pay their rent, buy daily essentials, to feed their children. We have supported more than 5,000 families”

Fund were directly transferred to the families’ account to help them out in arranging their daily essentials under their Support Aid & Assist The Helpless – SAATH initiative.

Iulia Vantur is a Romanian model who has become a popular name in India. She was last seen in the music video ‘Harjai’ with Maniesh Paul. The song was sung by Iulia and Maniesh and composed by Sachin Gupta. Iulia has been spending the lockdown at Salman Khan's Panvel farmhouse along with the superstar and few other friends from the industry. In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Iulia spoke about Salman Khan and her marriage plans.

Iulia Vantur is rumoured to be dating Salman Khan and fans have often asked about their marriage. While talking to us on Instagram live, a fan commented that Iulia should get married to Salman Khan. Responding to this, Iulia said, “I think it is more about how people feel about each other. Spending time together is more important than any other stuff. At one point I was asked the same question on and on and on. Even my parents were asking when you are going to get married. So, I asked my mom, 'Do you want me to be happy?' or ‘Do you want me to get married?’ because to get married just like that I can get married to anyone just like that tomorrow. But you want me to be married or be happy. So that was the last time she ever asked me about it. So I think it is more important to be happy with someone and spend quality time with someone and to have a good connection with someone.”

Iulia Vantur has known Salman Khan for quite a few years now. Talking about the kind of person Salman is, Iulia said, “I have never met anyone like him. His personality is so special. I was always wondering why people loved him so much. It's his heart; it's his generosity, his thought of doing good and helping someone and guiding someone. He does this selflessly. He has no interest there. He just wants to help. Just because he is so simple and grounded that is why people are connecting with him. He is a special person for sure.”

When asked if she too loves his personality, she said, “Off course, who doesn’t love those qualities right! I mean, off course, we all love good people. We admire and follow them and try to reach their level.”

Also Read: Radhe – Your Most Wanted Bhai asking for Rs. 250 crores for direct OTT release? Salman Khan’s manager clarifies

With the increasing cases of the novel coronavirus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended the lockdown till May 17. The lockdown first commenced on March 25 for a 21 day period. But had to be extended owing to the increasing cases.

However, the lockdown has badly hit the economy of the country with several people going out of a job. One industry that has completely shut down is the entertainment industry. The cinema halls were the first one to shut down in the country. Speaking to a tabloid about resuming Bollywood movies shoots, Ashok Dubey, the General Secretary of Federation of Western Indian Cine employees said that they spoke to CINTAA recently and are making guidelines on how they can proceed with shootings. Ashok Dubey said that nothing has been finalised. He said that Mumbai is a red zone and so they cannot think of shooting right now. Dubey also spoke to Sidharth Roy Kapur who said that they will have a conference call with Indian Motion Picture Producers (IMPPA), Indian Film and Television Producers Council (IFTPC) and Western India Film Producers' Association on how to deal with the situation and go ahead.

A few days back, the Producers guild had shared a document that lists precautions to be taken while shooting including proper sanitation, use of masks, etc. Dubey said that the guidelines are correct but how are they to shoot when there are spot boys and workers who travel from their home and back and how they are supposed to test everyone daily when the reports take time to come.

He also questioned about reducing the number of people on the sets. He questioned how the people left out will manage their livelihood and how to assure them a salary. Dubey said that there are several factors to be considered before proceeding with the shoot.

Ashok Dubey said that the TV producer body is in a hurry to start shooting bit is not possible. He said that it will be like digging its own grave if it does something like this. He further said that social distancing is not possible on the sets and lightmen cannot work 12 hours with a PPR kit. Dubey said that there is a difference in giving suggestions and actually implementing it.

Dubey said that the Government has not released any guidelines for the film industry to start shooting. Producers' Guild has just said that these precautions are to be taken while shooting; they haven't said to start shooting and take these precautions.

ALSO READ: Actors to do makeup at home, doctors to be on set and more new safety measures set up by Cine bodies

Harry Potter actor Rupert Grint and his longtime girlfriend Georgia Groome welcomed their first child on May 7.
The 31-year-old actor and the 28-year-old Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging actress are delighted to be parents of a baby girl!

“Rupert Grint and Georgia Groome are delighted to confirm the birth of their baby girl. We would please ask that you respect their privacy at this very special time,” PEOPLE reported.

It was confirmed in April that Rupert and Georgia were expecting their first child when they were spotted during grocery shopping!

On the work front, Rupert Grint was last seen in Apple TV+ series Servant which is an American psychological horror.

Bollywood Hungama had earlier reported that multiple Bollywood films are gearing up for a direct to OTT release, owing to the on-going coronavirus pandemic. We have now exclusively learnt that Akshay Kumar’s horror comedy is set for a direct to digital release in June. “Akshay Kumar, Vijay Singh (Fox Star Studios) and Tusshar Kapoor (Producer) along with the officials of Disney+Hotstar have been interacting over video calls for last 3 weeks, and it was only on a meeting on the evening of May 4 that everyone reached a common ground to get the film to release directly on the OTT platform,” revealed a source close to the development.

The source further added that everyone has now given a green signal to give up on the theatrical release as the stakeholders don’t expect cinema halls to open before September this year. “The principal shoot of Laxmmi Bomb was wrapped up in November last year, with some patch-work and reshooting done more recently in February. Director Raghava Lawerence is currently working on the final edit and post production of the film from Hyderabad, while Akshay is expected to send his dubbing tapes digitally to the director in a couple of days,” the source added.

The makers have cracked an umbrella deal by renegotiating the satellite and digital rights with Star network and Fox Star Studios. “The combined value of the deal from the sale of digital and satellite rights is estimated to be around Rs. 90 to 100 crores, in addition to the income from music rights. Major chunk of the money goes in Akshay Kumar’s pocket, as apart from acting, he is also one of the producers on the film,” the source explained.

While an official confirmation is still awaited, we hear that this will be among the first major films to arrive direct on OTT. “A lot of films will follow suit, it’s just a matter of time before things are made official.”

Also Read: Radhe – Your Most Wanted Bhai and Laxmmi Bomb to miss their Eid release this year due to Coronavirus lockdown

In 2017, Aamir Khan started a project to boost budding writers in the Indian film industry. The second edition of Cinestaan India's Storyteller Script Contest, a nationwide hunt for scripts where the five winners take home a total cash prize of Rs. 50 lakh was launched this February. From the past few months, the four-member jury consisting of Aamir Khan, Anjum Rajabali, Juhi Chaturvedi and Rajkumar Hirani has gone through numerous entries to choose five compelling stories that can be taken to screen. 

However, this time instead of the on-ground event to announce the winners, Aamir Khan will unveil the winners on social media. Meanwhile, Khan is urging writers to not let the prevailing situation dampen their creativity. He said that budding writers should write with more enthusiasm, especially during these times. 

Says Rohit Khattar, Chairman of Cinestaan Digital, “I am grateful to our esteemed jury in working with us to bring Indian storytelling talent to the forefront especially during these surreal times. Thank you to the thousands of writers who had applied. The quality of the work was stellar and we would like to congratulate the winners who are truly deserving and wish them success.”

Speaking about the winners, Anjum Rajabali, the Jury Chairperson said, ‘We started this contest with the larger objective of attracting more people to write scripts. It’s very important that we improve the quality of our scriptwriting so that the quality of our cinema goes up. The caliber of scripts in this edition was better than last year and it’s heartening to see that the talent is developing. Thank you to the jury members for giving their valuable time in reading and assessing the scripts. Truly appreciate the Cinestaan team’s hard work. I have not seen this kind of unconditional support and generosity before, with the only reward being to encourage good writing in this country.’

Juhi Chaturvedi says, ‘As a writer, I understand the joy of being appreciated, especially on a big platform like this which motivates us to write more. Congratulations to the winners. I’m very happy that through this contest I was able to be a small part of your journey.’

Raju Hirani while congratulating the winners said, ‘I’m happy that the objective with which this contest was started, to inspire scriptwriters and give them a platform to send their scripts from all parts of the country - slowly and steadily we are moving towards our goal. The caliber of scripts this year has been better than last year.’

All the entries of the second edition of the contest went through a transparent and stringent process of evaluation at various levels. The shortlisted synopsis were asked to send in a complete script which were then assessed and then the winners selected by the jury. All scripts have been registered by the contestants with the Scriptwriters Association and other similar recognized bodies to ensure that the writers' content is completely protected.

‘Cinestaan India’s Storytellers Script Contest’ was launched by Cinestaan Digital Pvt. Ltd. and is India’s biggest Script Contest. The winners of the contest are awarded cash prizes worth Rs. 50 lakhs.

ALSO READ: Aamir Khan dismisses distributing money to the poor in wheat bag, says “Robin Hood doesn’t want to reveal himself”

<strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong> For a film which is a quirky comedy, you expect a trippy soundtrack. Moreover, it has to be something different instead of being quintessentially Bollywood as the stage, mood and theme is altogether different. With these kind of expectations in mind, you play on the soundtrack of <em>Judgementall Hai Kya</em> which has a different composers, lyricists and singers coming together to create five distinct songs. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-996689" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/The-Wakhra-Song-Judgemental-Hai-Kya-Kangana-Ranaut-Rajkummar-Rao.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="405" /> <strong>MUSIC</strong> Well, first things first, despite the unique theme of the film, it is apparent that the makers wanted to bring on a quick-fire hit to kick-start the proceedings. That's the reason why Badshah and Navi Kamboz's non-film chartbuster <em>'Wakhra'</em> is presented in a 'filmy andaaz' as <strong><em>'The Wakhra Song'</em></strong>. The song stays on its chartbuster route with the man for the job, Tanishk Bagchi, getting it right all over again. As a composer-lyricist, he brings in his own 'tadka' to this Navv Inder, Lisa Mishra and Raja Kumari number which gets your feet tapping all over again. It's time to bring on some 60s/70s retro back with <strong><em>'Para Para'</em></strong> which has Rachita Arora and MuzikFactory (OmDixant) bring singer Arun Dev Yadav behind the mike. The entire team does an R.D. Burman piece here, reminding one of a similar experiment that Vishal-Shekhar had done for the title song of Jhankaar Beats many years back. A song which has Prakhar Varunendra pretty much introduce the character of Kangana Ranaut to the audiences, this one has a good situational appeal to it and may he aided by some quirky picturisation too. Next to arrive is the title song <strong><em>'Judgementall Hai Kya'</em></strong> which again has composer Rachita Arora pair up with lyricist Prakhar Varunendra, and together they carry forward the spirit of <em>'Para Para'</em>. This time around it is time to bring on a piece of the Hollywood musicals that step into this genre, and one has to admit that the core hook is quite intoxicating. Just an extended piece of this hook could well keep many a DJ happy, though for the Bollywood version it is the team of Jaspreet Jasz, Rachita Arora and Nivedita Padmanabhan who create a unique outing. The manner in which Surabhi Dashputra sings Kumaar written <strong><em>'Kis Raste Hai Jana'</em></strong>, you are reminded of quite a few songs that Jasleen Royal has sung in Hindi movies. Nonetheless, this one is a different set up and it has composer and singer Arjuna Harjai doing well to come up with an outing that should make a good situational appeal in the film. As is the case with such songs though, one just hopes that the song is aided by good picturisation so that it doesn't slow down the pace of the film's narrative. Last to arrive is <strong><em>'Kar Samna'</em></strong> which lasts just 80 seconds and appears to be a piece that may appear towards the film's pre-climax or climax. Daniel B. George comes up with a sound that briefly hints of Alfred Hitchcock's <em>Psycho</em>, though overall the song is so short that it ends before you actually hear much for it. A chorus track by Amir Khan, Brijesh Shandilya, Protijyoti Ghosh and Daniel B. George that could well appear at a situation in the film when Kangana Ranaut is all fired up and is out for revenge, it is put to words by Prakhar Vihaan. <strong>OVERALL</strong> As expected, the music of <em>Judgementall Hai Kya</em> is largely situational and is in line with the trippy theme of the film. When seen in context of the film's narrative, it could well hook your attention. <strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong> <em>‘The Wakhra Song’</em>, <em>‘Para Para’</em>, <em>‘Judgementall Hai Kya’</em>

24/01/2020

28/02/2020

Soon after the announcement of COVID-19 lockdown extension by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Indian Railways on Tuesday stated that it is suspending all passenger services till May 3. "Indian Railways extends suspension of its passenger services till May 3," informed Rajesh Dutt Bajpai Executive Director(I&P) Ministry of Railways.

Indian Railways extends suspension of its passenger services till May 3: Indian Railways Officials pic.twitter.com/QAoZYHnIbv

— ANI (@ANI) April 14, 2020

"All passenger train services on Indian Railways including Premium trains, Mail/Express trains, Passenger trains, Suburban Trains, Kolkata Metro Rail, Konkan Railway etc shall continue to remain suspended till the 2400 hrs of 3rd May," he added.

However, freight movement will continue to carry essential commodities across the country. Informing about the cancellation of ticket booking, Bajpai stated that all booking counters of rail journey tickets for reserved/unreserved travel at railway stations and outside railway station premises will also be closed till May 3.

Earlier, the railways had also ordered the closure of all rail museums, heritage galleries and heritage parks as a preventive measure to control the spread of the deadly virus. So far, India has reported 10,363 COVID-19 cases. Out of the total, 1036 have been cured and 339 have died due to the infection.

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Jyoti Amge, the world's shortest woman, has appealed to the people here to remain indoors amid the nationwide lockdown enforced to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Dressed in pink top and black boots, Amge, who is just 62.8 centimetres tall, was seen making announcements on the loudspeaker pertaining to the preventive measures to be taken to fight COVID-19 while standing on the bonnet of a police vehicle on Monday.

Maharashtra: World's smallest living woman, Jyoti Amge along with Nagpur Police spread awareness on #Coronavirus and appealed people to stay indoors. (13.4) pic.twitter.com/W1bzeXnfA4

— ANI (@ANI) April 14, 2020

Amge, who was wearing a face mask, was accompanied by a couple of policemen during the awareness drive. Amge has a form of dwarfism called achondroplasia and is the world's shortest woman, according to the Guinness World Records.

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

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

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

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

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Amid fears over the spread of coronavirus, a 25-year-old man was allegedly shot at by another person, following an argument that was triggered by his "coughing" during a game of ludo at Greater Noida, police said on Wednesday.

The incident took place around 9 pm on Tuesday at a temple in Dayanagar village under the Jarcha police station limits, where four people, including the man who received gunshot injuries, were playing the board game, they added.

The injured man, Prashant Singh alias Pravesh, was hospitalised, while the accused, Jai Veer Singh alias Gullu (30), is yet to be arrested, the police said. Both are residents of Dayanagar village and engaged in agriculture, according to the police.

"Prashant and three others were playing ludo at the village temple on Tuesday night when Gullu arrived there. An argument broke out between Prashant and Gullu when the former coughed. Gullu got angry thinking he was doing it deliberately," a police official told PTI.

"As the argument intensified, Gullu pulled out a pistol and shot at Prashant," he said. An injured Prashant was rushed to a private hospital, where his condition is stable now, the police said, adding that an FIR was registered against the accused and efforts were on to arrest him.

Coughing, fever and difficulty in breathing are some of the symptoms of the novel coronavirus, a highly contagious disease, according to government advisories.

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An Indian Air Force Cheetah helicopter headed to Chandigarh with medical samples made an emergency landing on Outer Ring Road here following technical snag, official statement said on Thursday. The chopper was proceeding from Hindon to Chandigarh on a COVID-19 task of carrying test samples of Leh.

Approximately 3 NM out of Hindon, the aircraft developed technical snag and carried out a safe precautionary landing on Outer Ring Road highway.

"The actions taken by the pilots were prompt and correct. No damage to any property has been reported. Recovery aircraft was launched immediately from Hindon. The aircraft was rectified and recovered back promptly and safely at Hindon," the statement added.

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With over 12,000 active cases of COVID-19 in the country that resulted in the nationwide lockdown getting extended till May 3, the government had on Wednesday issued a set of fresh guidelines till May 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a televised speech on Tuesday announced measures that the government would undertake to tackle the pandemic.

The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry have also earmarked the districts in the country into three categories –red, green and orange zones as per the frequency of the cases reported from the areas. 

#COVID19 containment starts with the identification of hotspots and their categorization into Red, Orange & Green Zones: Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs pic.twitter.com/FbWUlfcyCd

— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2020

The BMC will also come up with red and orange zones in Mumbai to mark containment zones for stricter implementation of the lockdown. While the plans are still being drafted, areas with a high number of positive cases of COVID-19 will be put in the red zone and will have no external essential service providers. Let's know more about these zones.

Red zone

According to the Union Health Ministry, the districts identified as hotspots are marked as red zones. These districts have reported a large number of Coronavirus cases and need focused attention. As much as  170 districts in the country have been marked as hotspots, which is further divided into two groups: (a) 123 districts where a large number of cases have been reported and  (b) 47 districts where cases were reported in clusters.

According to the Health Ministry, the districts contributing to more than 80 per cent of the cases reported in the country, the districts contributing to more than 80 per cent of the cases in a state or districts with doubling rates reported to be less than four days, can be classified as a 'hotspot' or a 'red zone'. The ministry also said that the government will provide door-to-door facilities and undertake containment activities in these districts for the next 14 days. Mumbai,  recording the highest number cases in the country with 3,081, has been declared a hotspot by the government.

Orange Zone

The districts that had reported less number of Coronavirus cases or not seen a surge of positive cases in the area have been marked as 'orange zone'. In these zones, limited services of public transport, farm harvesting activities and functioning of small scale industries manufacturing essential items such as flour, pulses, and edible oils have been permitted. A hotspot district can be declared an orange zone if cases reported in 14 days is less or none.

According to the health ministry, 16 districts in Maharashtra have been declared as an orange zone. The districts are Gondia, Washim, Yavatmal, Buldhana, Hingoli, Akola, Beed, Amravati, Jalna, Latur, Osmanabad, Satara, Jalgaon, Kolhapur, Ratnagiri and  Sindhudurg

Green Zone

According to the Union Health Ministry, the districts that have not reported positive cases of Coronavirus are classified as green zones. In these zones, essential items that generate state revenue would be given an extension. Small scale industries manufacturing essential items will be allowed to function freely, but with strict maintenance of social distancing.

Hotspots have to undertake effective containment activities to flatten the curve and bring the number of Coronavirus cases down in order to qualify as an orange zone and subsequently as a green zone in 24 days.

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After doing her duty from morning to evening, IPS officer Shalini Singh, who is the Joint Commissioner of Police (West Zone), never returns to her home. Instead, she visits every checkpost in her area to encourage the police personnel who have been deployed on 'corona duty'.

Everyday Singh begins work by arranging food and other essential items for needy people with the help of her colleagues. She stays with the police staff -- whether men or women -- voluntarily preparing food for poor people, ensuring social distancing and spares time to encourage her female subordinates who are voluntarily preparing masks to distribute.

It has been 22-23 days since the lockdown was implemented but she never thinks of going home as she believes that people need her more than her family. "Hunger, tiredness, boredom or laziness etc., they would capture you whenever you think about these things, hence, I am totally engaged in serving people whether they are common citizens or my staff. I can take rest any time in future but this time people need me," Singh told IANS when asked how she manages.

Speaking about her routine she said, "A total of three -- Dwarka, Outer and West -- districts come under my jurisdiction and I am supposed to supervise them. Besides, on humanitarian grounds and being a senior, I have other responsibilities as well. Hence, I try to reach each and every one of my staff."

When asked how the women police personnel in her area prepare face masks for 10-12 hours on a war-footing besides performing their other duties, she said: "When you do anything with your own will and an intent to serve, then it never feels like a burden, and tiredness can't even touch you."

All the districts in west Delhi share a border with Haryana which increases the possibility of liquor smuggling. The Joint CP said that smugglers tried their best to bring liquor from Haryana to the national capital but the Delhi Police have foiled all their attempts. The best example of it is Haridas Nagar Police Station where the maximum cases of liquor smuggling have been filed. The smugglers believe that no one would check during the lockdown but the police are always one step ahead of criminals.

"For instance, a man tried to smuggle the liquor in LPG cylinder by cutting it from the bottom but the police caught him. In many incidents, the criminals tried to run over the police personnel in an attempt to flee but nothing worked before us. Still, liquor smuggling is a big problem for Delhi Police," Singh concluded.

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Letsallhelp.org a startup venture in the area of social impact has been playing a very active role during the period of crisis that has been unleashed by the Covid-19 pandemic in the country. They have been working tirelessly to help the daily wage / migrant workers so that they could sustain their life and their family during this period.

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in our country has impacted our lives in unimaginable ways. The nationwide lockdown and social distancing is perhaps the best way to combat the crisis till an effective medical solution is found.

However, it is easier said than done. It could take weeks or may be even months till normalcy is restored. While we are all worried about our livelihood, spare a thought for the thousands of the daily wage and migrant workers who have lost their means of livelihood and may not be able to sustain themselves and their families for a long time.

The team at Letsallhelp.org has taken a pledge….No one sleeps hungry during the lockdown.

Letsallhelp.org has been raising funds from benevolent donors and working tirelessly to support the people rendered helpless on the face of the lockdown so they don't have to migrate to their villages or starve in the cities, by providing them with food and hygiene related products.

Ever since the lockdown period has started, the team at Letsallhelp.org has been able to mobilize over 50 tons of food products and have catered to the needs of over 10,000 people across the slums, shelters and old age homes across Mumbai.

"I always believed in a simple thought - give more than what you get from the society. Looking at the difficulties being faced by the daily wage / migrant workers, we felt that it was our duty to help them and together we have gone all out to support them. We look forward to increase our reach to more cities in the days to come with support from our donors", said Premal Shah, Founder & Change Maker of the organization.

While the team is directly involved in the delivery of the products to the needy people, they have also teamed up with trusted NGO's with the primary objective of reaching out to maximum number of needy people at this hour of crisis. All parties involved in the distribution of products have the requisite permissions from the local authorities to deliver these products at the last mile.

Letsallhelp.org encourages its donor community to make their contribution in terms of Survival Kits that takes care of the food and hygiene requirements of one person for one month. The donors are encouraged to make their contribution by logging on their web site www.letsallhelp.org.

About Letsallhelp.org

Letsallhelp.org is a startup venture in the area of social impact that enables individuals and corporations to come closer to Orphanages, Old Age Homes, Shelters for HIV affected patients, physically challenged, etc and unaided schools and contribute to their well being in areas of food and personal hygiene through a simple technology platform.

Our goal is "No one should sleep hungry" or "Be void of personal hygiene".

We are associated with a very important social cause bothering our country today with far reaching implication considering India's current ranking in Global Hunger Index. Letsallhelp.org brings in a structured, yet flexible portal that helps you take on the war against hunger across different parts of the country and help the country climb up the ladder of Hunger Index.

At Letsallhelp.org, individuals choose products and quantities they wish to contribute, which will be delivered by their logistic partner to each beneficiary at the end of the month. Donors get proof of the delivery as "Impact Proof" with a photo when the products are delivered. In the end, individuals get the joy of impacting lives in a meaningful way and feel good. LetsAllHelp.org offers various ways to contribute – one-time, monthly, adopt for one year, corporate adopt and employee giving.

For further information, please contact: Premal Shah ( 9222933333 ) and also lookup
www.letsallhelp.org

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A video that captures a rare sight of four majestic tigers taking a stroll in the Satpura forest in Madhya Pradesh has been amusing netizens for quite some time now. In the undated video, the family big cats were seen taking a stroll as a vehicle of safari-goers parked behind them watched the sight in shock.

The 28-minute-long video posted by forest officer Ravindra Mani Tripathi on Twitter shows the big cats, some moving around while others seated. As a sight of the tiger would frighten anyone in real life, as one of the women can be heard in the video asking the driver to reverse the vehicle.

The video that was also shared by Ramesh Pandey IFS on Twitter was captioned as, "Such frequent sightings of 4 or more tigers were not so usual a decade back." The post has garnered more than 6,400 views and 500 likes and was retweeted 98 times.

After Pech, Panna, Tadoba and Dudhwa here goes a worth watching video from Satpura Forests MP as shared by @ravindramtripa1.
Such frequent sightings of 4 or more tigers were not so usual a decade back. #conservation pic.twitter.com/ukofC6cRmy

— Ramesh Pandey IFS (@rameshpandeyifs) April 16, 2020

The users commenting on the video has been praising the beauty of Satputa tiger Reserve and how lucky they were to catch a glimpse of the big cat in their tours.

Wow !! Beautiful. We did not opt for a safari at Satpura tiger reserve during our recent stay at Pachmarhi, as the chances of sightings are less. Next time we will try our luck :).

— Abhishek Jagdale (@CSABHI84) April 16, 2020

Lovely but why are people so loud and talkative even at this moment . Surprisingly it doesn’t distract the wildlife

— Liberator (@Tiksmum) April 16, 2020

Woww.. Satpura sighting is pretty difficult. Surprised to see four!! I remember forest guard saying, "Satpura is land of all animals cos predator is less here". And now here they come😮

— Chittra M (@masalaboxtravel) April 16, 2020

I have to say the IFS has done a tremendous job and everyone else who supported them

— Naveen Naidu (@NaveenN81477836) April 16, 2020

What do you think about the video?

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Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja on Saturday said that the state is reaping the rewards of the hard work that has gone in overall containment of the spread of COVID-19.

In the state, the number of new cases was in single digits and there are around 78,000 people under observation.

She told the media that in no way, can the Kerala government relax because "things can go haywire anytime, if we are not alert, but at the same time, life has to go on, if not there will be other issues."

"It should not be like, we saved people. But people also die out of hunger. So whatever relaxations are now announced to be effective after April 20, should not be an occasion to forget the alertness that we maintained. Instead, the relaxation should be used to revive the economy and it should happen by keeping all the rules and regulations of maintaining social distancing," said Shailaja.

Meanwhile, she stated that the death of a 85-year-old man, who was a former COVID-19 patient from Malappuram, is not due to the virus but due to a renal complication he developed. "He tested negative thrice. Then he had underlying ailments. He was a cardiac patient for three decades, had breathing issues and had kidney problems," said Shailaja.

78,000
No. of people under observation in Kerala

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

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

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

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

— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) April 19, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

With inputs from Agencies

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Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan on Monday re-imagined India for the "post-COVID world" and suggested measures across different sectors, including an "epidemic preparedness budget" for the health sector.

"While there are concerns, it's worth praising how this crisis is setting a precedent with state governments coming together and co-operating with each other as well as with the Centre. I sincerely hope this becomes a norm and help overcome perennial battles like the water crisis, pollution, migrants' woes, women's safety, communal violence, healthcare etc," Haasan said on his Twitter account.

"The last full-scale war India fought was almost half a century ago, but poor healthcare is an everyday war leading to 1.6 million deaths annually. Yet, year after year our Defence budget overshadows the healthcare budget," Haasan stated and added that it's a "pity that India continues seeing Defence as a more newsworthy proposition compared to healthcare".

He suggested that India needs to earmark an "epidemic preparedness budget with immediate effect".

"We are under threat a lot more from within than from outside our borders. Our priority towards Health needs to be reimagined with a handsome budget to match," Haasan said.

The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) President later went on to talk about the Agriculture sector and said that India requires a 'Green Plus' revolution that firstly converts part of our agricultural land for an allied enterprise like processing, logistics, etc.

"Secondly, we need to accelerate productivity maximization on a war footing. Boosting agro based MSMEs will help retain youth in the sector and build a sustainable and prosperous future for farming. This will also solve the problem of seasonal lack of work for farmers," Haasan said.

He also suggested bringing India's vast informal sector into the formal fold.

"Bringing India's informal workers under the formal fold must become the biggest national exercise that the government needs to undertake in the near future. Other than boosting the morale of this segment and paving way for its growth, it will also mean enhanced tax collection, a lot of which can be ploughed back to improve infrastructure and offer welfare to the same workers," Haasan said.

"There is also a need to change our outlook towards the vast majority of women who toil their lives away under the status of 'housewife'. Women engaging in housework must be accorded job status. They have little or no savings and a Universal Income Guarantee will give a boost to their savings. Savings always help during any kind of crisis," he added.

Haasan even suggested correction in income inequality and poverty alleviation.

He added, "COVID-19 has shown us that poverty still remains India's most critical challenge. In a crisis, the rich will take a hit but they will not starve to death. Our leaders must learn to integrate the poor man's life in how they plan the running of the country. Relief measures are mere afterthoughts."

In conclusion, Haasan said, "It's time we reinvent the word superpower, India's pipe dream for decades. Let's be a universal thought leader, to put it in parlance a Vishwa-Guru and for all the right reasons."

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With some relaxation amid lockdown in non-hotspot areas, the daily wage labourers gathered at labour chowks in Mumbai in search of work, find remote possibility of getting any work during the lockdown that will continue till May 3. Raju Tiwari, one of the migrant labourer waiting for work, told ANI, "I am a daily wage labourer who does all sorts of work to earn for a living. Though since the lockdown we did not get any work, even now I do not think that anybody would come to hire us for work."

Echoing similar sentiments, Sunil Tiwari, another daily wage earner, said, "All my savings have been exhausted and now I do not have any work. For now, we are dependent on others giving us food." "Though the relaxation has been given by the government on the daily wage labourers working, the police beats us and stops us in going anywhere. If we do not go then how will we earn?" he added.

The Union Home Ministry on April 19 had allowed intra-state movement of the migrant labourers, if found asymptomatic upon screening, from their relief camps and shelters to their respective places of work.

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India's count of positive coronavirus cases reached 18,985 after 1,329 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Tuesday. Out of the total cases, 15,122 are active cases, 3,259 have been discharged or cured and one has migrated. With 44 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the toll stands at 603.

As per the evening update by the ministry, Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit state with 4,669 cases, out of which 572 patients have been discharged and cured and 232 deaths. Delhi's total count of confirmed cases stand at 2,081, which includes 431 cured or discharged cases and 47 deaths.

Gujarat has reported a total of 2,066 positive COVID-19 cases, out of which 131 patients have recovered or discharged, while 77 patients have lost their lives. Madhya Pradesh's count of COVID-19 cases stand at 1,540, including 127 cured or discharged cases and 76 deaths.

Rajasthan has so far reported 1,576 positive cases, out of which 205 patients have recovered or discharged and 25 people have lost their lives. Tamil Nadu's COVID-19 figure has risen to 1,520, with 457 patients recovered and 17 fatalities. Uttar Pradesh has reported 1,294 cases, out of which 140 patients have recovered and 20 are dead.

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the bail plea of Christian Michel, an alleged middleman in the AugustaWestland VVIP chopper scam accused, on the ground that his petition "did not fall in the criteria for grant of relief". A two-judge bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and also comprising Justice B R Gavai dismissed the bail application of Christian Michel. Michel, in his bail application, stated that he is aged 59 years, and has a history of bad health which will make him easy prey to any Corona outbreak in the Tihar jail in Delhi and thereby he be released on bail.

"We don't find any merit in the petition filed by the accused, petitioner in the case. We, thereby, dismiss the same," Justice Kaul observed. The apex court did not consider his prayers and upheld the Delhi High Court order that his case did not fall in the criteria for grant of relief. The accused, a 59-year-old British National, Michel is currently lodged in Tihar jail for his alleged involvement in the Augusta Westland VVIP chopper scam case.

Michel had moved the Apex Court after the Delhi High Court had rejected his bail application. Michel was extradited from Dubai in 2018 and is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with alleged irregularities in the chopper deal. While the CBI is probing his alleged role as a middleman in the deal, the ED is investigating money laundering charges against him.

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"A telephonic survey on COVID-19 is being undertaken where you shall receive calls on your mobile from 1921 number. Please participate in this survey with your information," the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare tweeted.

#IndiaFightsCorona

Please call the 24x7 toll free National Helpline number 1075 for support, guidance and response to health related queries on #COVID19. States' helpline nos. are available below ⬇️#StayAtHomeSaveLives

Via @MoHFW_INDIA pic.twitter.com/ruMHz8Ww3J

— #IndiaFightsCorona (@COVIDNewsByMIB) April 22, 2020

The survey is to be carried out by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and calls will be coming on mobile phones from the number 1921. "The citizens will get a call on their mobile phones by NIC by the number 1921. Participate in good measure to enable proper feedback of prevalence and distribution of COVID-19 symptoms," read a photo attached in the tweet.

The government has asked people to be aware of any other calls by pranksters or calls from any other numbers in the guise of such a similar survey.

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Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray here on Thursday asked the state government to drop 'moral issues' and permit liquor shops and restaurants to resume forthwith to enable it earn badly-needed revenue for its near-empty coffers.

In a letter to his cousin and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the MNS chief said since March 18, the state was in lockdown -- first till March 31, then till April 14 and now extended to May 3 -- with no certainty when it would be lifted.

In such times, there was no harm in keeping this option (wine shops) open since it's not intended to cater to the needs of the alcohol consumers but to start generating income for the government, Raj Thackeray said.

"The excise duty generated for the state via liquor amounts to Rs 41.66 crore daily, or Rs 1,250 crore monthly and Rs 14,000 crore yearly," he said.

In view of the 35 days of lockdown till now and future extensions, the loss of revenue from this sector could be calculated till now and also the future losses that might happen if the shutdown was prolonged, he said.

"It's not that there was a liquor ban in our state and we are asking to remove that. Prior to lockdown, the wine shops were open. The state government should not try to get caught in some moral issues at such a crucial time and take the necessary action," Raj urged Uddhav.

His statement came a couple of days after Health Minister Rajesh Tope made an open-ended statement that there should be no problems in permitting liquor shops, provided they followed social distancing norms.

Taking up cudgels on behalf of restaurants, Raj said big and small eateries were a sheer necessity in Mumbai where millions live on the affordable 'rice plate'. Besides, there are homes that need their services as they don't have the supplies or resources for cooking meals, and the government must consider this category also.

Touching upon other essentials like food, vegetables and fruits, he said while these were open and available, they needed to be organised and coordinated to revive the economic cycle. The MNS said it pertained not just to Maharashtra but also all other states since when and how much central assistance would come was uncertain.

"Let's face the reality and find solutions instead. The need of the hour is to be economically self-reliant and this solution provided needs to be taken seriously," said Raj Thackeray.

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

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

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

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

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An intriguing game of counting tigers in a picture has taken the social media by storm. A Twitter user posted a picture of a family of tigers with few other tigers hidden in the background, and asked netizens to spot the exact number of big cats. While few netizens guessed correctly, most were left scratching their heads with the intriguing brain-teaser.

Twitter user @isharmaneer posted the picture with the caption, "How Many Tigers You See In This Pic?" Spotting four tigers in the picture at first glace is relatively easy - two cubs and two adults. But on closer inspection, netizens realised that the big cats have been cleverly morphed in the background.

How Many Tigers You See In This Pic ? pic.twitter.com/GPOvxKYdRc

— EF Neer 🇮🇳 (@isharmaneer) April 22, 2020

The puzzle, that has received over 6,700 likes and 783 retweets, has not just baffled a few celebrities too. Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan commented that he found 11 tigers while actors Dia Mirza, and Prachi Desai said that they were able to spot 16 tigers. 

11 tigers .. https://t.co/s5Sa57G80n

— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) April 23, 2020

16

— Dia Mirza (@deespeak) April 23, 2020

16 🐅

— Prachi Desai (@ItsPrachiDesai) April 23, 2020

According to the Daily Mail, there are 16 tigers in the picture, hiding in plain sight, users commenting on Neer's post claimed that they were able to find up to 20 tigers in the picture. Here are some responses:

Now 18 pic.twitter.com/XohawpPAYf

— Ajay Singh (@Ajay_Singh56) April 23, 2020

16 pic.twitter.com/3GEj6MAe0h

— Ramesh Nadoda 🇮🇳 (@rameshrnadoda) April 23, 2020

16 pic.twitter.com/3GEj6MAe0h

— Ramesh Nadoda 🇮🇳 (@rameshrnadoda) April 23, 2020

18 in one and remaining 2 marked in other. Total 20 pic.twitter.com/VG3z46tt2F

— Ko Ka (@its_KoKaKoKa) April 23, 2020

Amazing exercise to understand the behaviour of Tigers in the wild...Ambush Predators

— Ankit Kumar, IFS (@AnkitKumar_IFS) April 23, 2020

@Ajay_Singh56 agree
18 tigers ðŸ§Â

— Richa Paliwal (@therichapaliwal) April 23, 2020

How many tigers were you able to find?

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The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi has developed a COVID-19 test kit, which has got the approval of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). "We started working on it by the end of January and got it ready in three months. We wanted to contribute to affordable low-cost diagnostics that could be used in large numbers," V Perumal, Professor at IIT-Delhi, told ANI.

Perumal said that it is a swab testing kit. "Testing will be cheaper than all existing devices," he said, adding that the device is affordable for commercial production. ICMR had on Thursday approved detection assay for COVID-19, which has been developed by researchers at IIT-Delhi's Kusuma School of Biological Sciences (KSBS).

"The assay has been validated at the ICMR with a sensitivity and specificity of 100 per cent. This makes IIT-Delhi the first academic institute to have obtained ICMR approval for a real-time PCR-based diagnostic assay," read a statement from IIT-Delhi.

This is the first probe-free assay for COVID-19 approved by the ICMR and it will be useful for specific and affordable high throughput testing. It can easily be scaled up as it does not require fluorescent probes. The team is targeting large-scale deployment of the kit at affordable prices with suitable industrial partners as soon as possible.

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It is a known fact that the year 2020 has been terrible so far due to the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent lockdown imposed in countries across the world. With life coming to a standstill and people waiting for things to get better, food delivery application Zomato, being themselves, asked their followers, what if 2020 was a dish.

Zomato’s tweet read, “If 2020 was a dish, what would it be?” To describe how their year has been so far, tweeple posted hilarious reactions. Some described their year with their least favourite dish, while some did so with some of the weird dishes they came across.

If 2020 was a dish, what would it be?

— Zomato (@ZomatoIN) April 24, 2020

The food delivery giant’s tweet that was posted on Friday garnered more than 3,200 likes and was retweeted 144 times. Among the comments received on the posts,  former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah described his year as ‘offal’.

Here are some more responses:

Offal

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 24, 2020

kadhi-chawal

— amrita madhukalya (@visually_kei) April 24, 2020

Corona Burger pic.twitter.com/eXVkUiMYfH

— Dr. Vedika (@vishkanyaaaa) April 24, 2020

Suryavansham wali kheer

— karanbir singh (@karanbirtinna) April 24, 2020

Jala hua tinda

— à¤Â…à¤Â‚à¤Â•ित à¤Âœà¥Âˆन (@indiantweeter) April 24, 2020

How was your year so far?

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The Indian Broadcasting Federation (IBF) on Monday petitioned information & broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar for a relief and rehabilitation package for the broadcasting sector.

The industry sought regulatory moratorium for 18 months, phased resumption of production activities, extension of moratorium period for GST payment and for the government to mandate digital payments of subscription and advertising dues to broadcasters. It also said the Centre should issue an advisory to DPOs to release payments of subscription fees up to February-end.

Seeking a stimulus package from the government so that broadcasters can get back on track, IBF president N P Singh, said, "IBF has submitted a standard operating procedure (SOP) on prevention/ safety measures for organised, safe and sustainable restart of content production, media operations, transmission and general office operations in the TV broadcast sector to PMO, Niti Aayog and I&B ministry. The SOP will help the sector to move quickly towards normalcy and we certainly hope that the government would consider it favourably."

Apart from emphasising that the government should urgently settle all outstanding dues to the broadcasting industry, IBF also demanded waiver of processing fee and temporary live uplinking fee for live sporting events for a period of one year from the resumption of normal business activities, increase in time period of 1-2 years for operationalising new channels that are granted permission, and the suspension of requirement of performance bank guarantees for channels that are to be launched, for one year.

IBF also asked the government to defer payments due to Prasar Bharati for free dish carriage until July 2020 and said all pending refunds exceeding Rs 5 lakh should be urgently processed. It added that the government should extend the existing stay on demand for income tax for the next six months, and not seek any new hearings.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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After a series of creative doodles to thank the ones who are fighting Coronavirus from the forefront, like the healthcare workers, police, Google doodle is now urging people to stay at home to contain the spread of novel Coronavirus and spend the extra time by playing games.

Today's animation features a young kid dressed as one of the O's from the word Google. The kid is sitting on the computer and playing a game. The text on the doodle reads, "Stay and play at home with popular past Google Doodles: Coding (2017)."

Once you click on it, it takes you to a game that was originally shared by Google in 2017 to celebrate 50 years of kids coding. The game features a rabbit and various carrots which are placed around him need to be collected.

Covid- 19 has affected a total of 29,70,705 people and taken 2,06,514 lives globally till now. In India, the novel coronavirus positive cases have crossed the 27,000 mark and over 800 fatalities have been reported.

With 1,594 new cases of COVID-19 reported in the last 24 hours and 51 deaths, India's total count of coronavirus cases surged to 29,974, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday.

1594 new cases and 51 deaths reported in last 24 hours. India's total number of #Coronavirus positive cases rises to 29,974 (including 22010 active cases, 7027 cured/discharged/migrated and 937 deaths): Ministry of Health and Family Welfare pic.twitter.com/XKEarSluZm

— ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2020

The total cases are inclusive of 7,026 cured and discharged patients, one migrated and 937 deaths. At present, there are 22,010 active COVID-19 cases in the country.

Addressing a press conference here, Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry, said that in the last 28 days, 17 districts have had no new Covid-19 cases. "This means we need to maintain constant vigil," he added.

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