The outbreak of coronavirus has made it difficult for people to get treated for other illnesses without being a COVID-19 suspect. However, the Bigg Boss 2 contestant, Sambhavna Seth who is well known for her vlogs, was rushed to the hospital in the dead of the night. Her husband, Avinash Dwivedi, took to Sambhavna’s Instagram to inform her fans of the situation.

According to Avinash’s message, Sambhavna had to be rushed to the hospital twice. When she was unwell a couple of days ago, her husband accompanied her to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and the couple came back home at 5 am. However, they took her back to the hospital again. While her fans were extremely worried about her health, Sambhavna spoke to a portal and clarified the reason behind it. She said that her blood pressure dropped low and she fainted, she is also suffering from a severe ear infection and her ear is completely blocked.

 

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A post shared by Sambhavna Seth (@sambhavnasethofficial) on May 4, 2020 at 11:16pm PDT

She further spoke about the stress they had to go through to get her admitted to a hospital. Sambhavna clarified that no hospital opened its gates till 4 in the morning. She tried a few hospitals before the staff at Kokilaben attended her and asked her to leave soon after the treatment, which is why she had to go back again.

Actor Tom Cruise is taking his love for action scenes one step higher! According to Deadline, the actor is reportedly planning to shoot in space with the help of Elon Musk's Space X. There is no studio attached to it yet but he is working with NASA for the same.

Jim Bridenstine, who works as an official administrator at NASA, confirmed the news on Tuesday. "NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station! We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA’s ambitious plans a reality," he wrote on Twitter.

NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station! We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA’s ambitious plans a reality. pic.twitter.com/CaPwfXtfUv

— Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) May 5, 2020

Deadline reported, " Tom Cruise and Elon Musk’s Space X are working on a project with NASA that would be the first narrative feature film – an action adventure – to be shot in outer space. It’s not a Mission: Impossible film and no studio is in the mix at this stage but look for more news as I get it. But this is real, albeit in the early stages of liftoff."

Tom Cruise has three upcoming projects including Top Gun: Maverick and Mission Impossible 7 & 8. All three have been postponed amid coronavirus pandemic.

ALOS READ: Tom Cruise starrer Mission: Impossible 7 and 8 postponed amid coronavirus pandemic

Jackie Shroff and Rishi Kapoor have starred in a film together, but surprisingly, they have never shared a frame or had scenes together. With Rishi Kapoor’s untimely passing, the industry mourns the massive loss we suffered last week. Rishi Kapoor’s colleagues have taken the time out to share how special and jolly he was around others and would always care for others.

In his recent interaction with another portal, Jackie Shroff said that his dream of sharing the screen space with Rishi Kapoor will never come true now. He recalled how Rishi Kapoor would tell him that he wanted to do a film with him since they had never faced each other on camera. Being Jackie’s senior, he obviously wanted to be in the same frame as the legendary actor. He was upset that it can no longer come true and that the industry has lost a piece of jewel from the crown.

Jackie Shroff further recalled how he first saw Rishi Kapoor after Bobby’s release and was completely awestruck by his presence and personality.

Also Read: Imtiaz Ali reposts a video of Rishi Kapoor dancing at former’s brother’s wedding in Kashmir

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

On Monday, the Bombay High Court directed Eros International Media Ltd to pay Rs 19.39 lakh to filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bhansali Production within three weeks. This move comes after Bhansali had approached the court to restrain Eros International from exploiting rights over actors Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh starrer Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram Leela.

Bhansali had sought urgent reliefs to restrain Eros International from selling, exploiting, distributing , licensing and renewing rights over the film. Bhansali Productions had challenged an intimation filed by Eros International with Bombay Stock Exchange of an all-share merger with its parent company Eros International Plc and Hollywood's STX Filmworks.

Bhansali's Production house claimed that the merger was based on incorrect and misleading disclosure and that STX Filmworks or other companies cannot claim any rights in the film.

Meanwhile, the advocates representing Eros International said that the film Ram Leela was specifically mentioned in annual returns published for the fiscal ending March 31, 2019 and therefore there was no urgency to grant interim reliefs to the Bhansali Productions.

While the court has directed Eros International to pay Bhansali production the dues, it also said that the Production will have the liberty to approach it for relief against the merger after regular court resumes post lockdown.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson from Eros India said “The Bombay High Court has adjourned the case in our favour. Eros always sticks to best corporate governance and business practices and had already given the cheque in advance as per our agreement. We will take appropriate legal action against Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s production for this mala fide and unfounded action, which has also been duly noted by the court”.

The quality of sleep you get is always important, but even more so in times like these. And to help you deal with your sleep troubles, Audible has launched a brand new slate of content that is perfect to listen to when hitting the sack. Headlined by world-renowned artists like Diddy and Nick Jonas, this slate has been created in part through a collaboration with Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global and will be offered to listeners, absolutely free of cost.

Mindful titles such as Honor Yourself (narrated by Diddy on Sleep) and You are Here (narrated by Gabby Bernstein) will be sure to put your mind at ease. The Perfect Swing, an inspiring bedtime story narrated by Nick Jonas, is the best way to drift off after a long day. 6 Sleep Myths Debunked, narrated by Arianna Huffington, gives you a quick lowdown on how to improve your sleep cycle.

These stories, many of which are penned and voiced by wellness experts, are a treat for your daily sleep rituals. Relaxing bedtime stories, ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) and sound baths (a technique where participants bathe in sound waves produced by the human voice and instruments such as chimes, gongs and drums) promise a soothing experience for adults and children, alike.

Shailesh Sawlani, Country Head, Audible India said “The world is going through a difficult time, and it is essential to have a sound mind and body, now more than ever. At Audible, we understand that sleep plays a crucial role in managing stress and we believe in the power of audio content to soothe the mind. We are proud to collaborate with some of the world’s leading personalities and Ariana Huffington’s Thrive Global to release this new slate of audio content, specifically designed to help you rest better at night. We hope the sleep-inducing, wellness content across our audiobooks and Suno collection will help you find peace in these trying times and nurture your mental well-being”.

ALSO READ: Nick Jonas turns Priyanka Chopra’s in-house piano instructor

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.”

While the film industry has come to a halt, the producers, actors and directors are interacting with each other through video calls and getting things in order for the future. Multiple films are being planned at the moment and one of them is Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ambitious period musical drama, Baiju Bawra. Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learnt that the celebrated director is in talks with Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone for the official remake of the 1952 film.

“Ranbir and Deepika make a pair to reckon with on screen and Bhansali wants to create magic on screen with the two actors. Talks are on, however neither of the two have signed the dotted lines yet,” revealed a source close to the development, adding further that the idea is to move away from the conventional pairing for Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone. “He will work with Ranveer again in the future, but he doesn’t want to repeat the pairing of the real life couple for the fourth consecutive time.”

Ranbir made his acting debut with Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Saawariya, which was a colossal disappointment, while Deepika has worked with the director in Ram-Leela, Bajirao Mastani and Padmavaat. Ranbir and Deepika, on the other hand, have worked together in two successful films – Bachna Ae Haseeno and Yeh Jaawani Hai Deewani, while their third collaboration, Tamasha, was a flop. “These are all early talks, which started before the lockdown, but with the entire calendar of actors going for a toss, it would be interesting to see how things shape up. Though Ranbir and Deepika will make for a formidable pair in a Bhansali film,” the source added.

Bhansali is currently working from home on the post production of his next directorial, Gangubai Kathiawadi with Alia Bhatt, which went on the floors in November last year. A lot of shoot still remains, and it will be resumed once the national scenario gets back to normal.

Also Read: Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt to reunite for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Baiju Bawra?

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

Singer Madonna and world leaders have raised over $8 billion for Covid-19 relief to help those impacted during this pandemic. Recently, she also revealed that she had tested positive for coronavirus antibodies.

Taking to her Instagram on May 6 to clarify certain things, she wrote, "“I’m Grateful that I can be a part of supporting Research to Find the cure for Covid -19!! And just to clear things up for people who would rather believe sensationalist headlines than do their own research about the nature of this virus—I am not currently sick."

“When you test positive for anti-bodies it means you HAD the virus which I. clearly did as I was sick at the end of my tour in Paris over 7 weeks ago along with many other artists in my show but at the time We all thought we had a very bad flu. Thank God we are all healthy and well now. Hope that clears things up for the band wagon jumpers!! Knowledge is Power," Madonna added.

 

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Im Grateful that I can be a part of supporting Research to Find the cure for Covid -19!! ???????? And just to clear things up for people who would rather believe sensationalist headlines than do their own research about the nature of this virus— I am not currently sick. When you test positive for anti-bodies it means you HAD the virus which I. clearly did as I was sick at the end of my tour in Paris over 7 weeks ago along with many other artists in my show but at the time We all thought we had a very bad flu. Thank God we are all healthy and well now. Hope that clears things up for the band wagon jumpers!! Knowledge is Power! #covid19

A post shared by Madonna (@madonna) on May 6, 2020 at 10:18am PDT

Madonna has donated $1.1 million for the relief fund. She has also joined hands with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to find a drug that will prevent or treat COVID-19.

After Jungle Cruise, actors Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt are set to reunite for the movie adaptation of the 1990s comic, Ball and Chain. It will be written by Emily V Gordon.

"The project is being described as a superhero story meets Mr. and Mrs. Smith, where a couple struggling in their marriage are equipped with superpowers. However, their powers only work when they’re together," revealed The Hollywood Reporter.

Dwayne Johnson, Dany, and Hiram Garcia will produce under Seven Bucks banner along with Kevin Misher and Emily Blunt.

Meanwhile, their film Jungle Cruise has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak. The film has been moved to July 2021 release.

ALSO READ: Ryan Reynolds has a hilarious birthday message for Red Notice co-star Dwayne Johnson

Shehnaaz Gill has been making it big ever since she became a part of Bigg Boss 13. The singer and actor was already quite a name in the Punjabi industry but now is being recognized as a national star. Making heads turn with her last single with Sidharth Shukla, ‘Bhula Dunga’, Shehnaaz Gill is now all set to collaborate with a fellow Punjabi superstar, Jassie Gill.

He has met her during the promotions of Panga when he visited the Bigg Boss house. Shehnaaz couldn’t help but cry after meeting him because he reminded her of her home. Jassie Gill was sweet enough to request people to vote for Shehnaaz soon after he met her. Both Shehnaaz Gill and Jassie Gill have a massive fan following respectively and the fans can’t wait to see what’s in store for them.

They had already hinted at something new brewing a while back and this news has left the fans ecstatic.

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

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

Salman Khan has been spending the lockdown at his farmhouse in Panvel. Despite being away from the city, the actor through his foundation Being Human has been doing everything possible to help people in distress. From giving financial aid to thousands of daily wage workers to sponsoring ration for their families, he has been at the forefront in helping people in need. The actor has now launched a food truck with the words ‘Being Haangryy’ written on it. This is to provide food to the less privileged. 

In a tweet, Shiv Sena leader Rahul Kanal thanked Salman for doing his bit for the underprivileged. Sharing a video of the food truck, he wrote, “Thank you @Beingsalmankhan bhai for being there and silently doing something which is needed,service to mankind is service to the almighty!!!Jai Ho!!! I shall surely try and do my bit following the lockdown norms and request our Fanclub family to practice the same #BeingHaangryy.” 

Thank you @Beingsalmankhan bhai for being there and silently doing something which is needed,service to mankind is service to the almighty!!!Jai Ho!!! I shall surely try and do my bit following the lockdown norms and request our Fanclub family to practice the same #BeingHaangryy pic.twitter.com/nOeQncO9Er

— Rahul.N.Kanal (@Iamrahulkanal) May 6, 2020

Meanwhile, a few days ago Salman Khan recently took to his Instagram to share a video where he along with Jacqueline Fernandez, Iulia Vantur and others at the farmhouse are seen stacking bags of ration in vehicles to be sent out to those in need. He posted it with the caption, “Thanks for the contribution... thank you all”.

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

StarPlus, the country’s leading general entertainment channel StarPlus is entertaining viewers with the legendary show – Ramayan. Written, produced and directed by Ramanand Sagar, Ramayan, first aired in 1987 and acquired a cult status over the years. The show boasts of a talented ensemble comprising of Arun Govil as Lord Rama, Dipika Chikhlia Topiwala as Goddess Sita and Sunil Lahri as Lakshman. It also starred veteran actors Lalita Pawar as Manthara, Arvind Trivedi as Ravana and Dara Singh as Hanuman. Not many people are aware that the show’s maker Ramanand Sagar was destined to make this mythological saga into a classic rendition for television.

There is an interesting story that has been shared by Ramanand Sagar’s son Prem Sagar in the book that he has written on his father’s life - An Epic Life: Ramanand Sagar: From Barsaat to Ramayan. In 1942, when Ramanand was 25 years old a Kashmiri mystic, Pandit Nityanandji had predicted that Ramayan would be retold by Ramanand Sagar. In 1976, noted film producer, Mr Mohla, on observing Ramanand’s astrological chart, had said that Ramanand Sagar would cause a spiritual awakening globally through the medium of cinema. Going forward, Ramanand Sagar ensured that this vision turned into reality and the rest is history!

Ramayan created waves across the world with its soulful narrative. The divine tale of how good triumphs over evil gladdened hearts of every viewer. Streets would be deserted on Sunday mornings as people stayed glued to their television sets as Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan described the tale of Lord Ram in vivid detail.

ALSO READ: Ramayan’s Sita denies asking for Padma Award from government

More BTS music is coming our way! The South Korean septet released the highly awaited 'Map Of The Soul: 7' album back on February 21, 2020. They are releasing their fourth Japanese album 'Map Of The Soul: 7 - The Journey' on July 15, 2020.

As per new details released on Thursday, May 7, the Japanese album will have Japanese versions of some of their previous album songs including four new tracks - 'Intro: Calling', 'Stay Gold', 'Your Eyes Tell', and 'Outro: Journey'.

Tracklist:

1. INTRO: Calling
2. Stay Gold
3. Boy With Luv -Japanese ver.-
4. Make It Right -Japanese ver.-
5. Dionysus -Japanese ver.-
6. IDOL -Japanese ver.-
7. Airplane pt.2 -Japanese ver.-
8. FAKE LOVE -Japanese ver.-
9. Black Swan -Japanese ver.-
10. ON -Japanese ver.-
11. Lights
12. Your eyes tell
13. OUTRO: The Journey

This will include the 'Stay Gold' music video. The track will also serve as Original Sound Track for Japanese drama, Spiral Labyrinth – DNA Forensic Investigation (literal translation). Tanaka Kei will headline the drama which is based on a manga of the same name. Jungkook has participated in the composition of 'Your Eyes Tell'.

4th Japanese Studio Album "MAP OF THE SOUL 7 - THE JOURNEY -" out July 15! pic.twitter.com/UvWuwPsiLM

— BTS Charts (@btschartdata) May 7, 2020

'Stay Gold' will be the first Japanese release since last year's 'Lights/Boy With Luv'.

ALSO READ: Troye Sivan reveals interesting details about co-writing 'Louder Than Bombs' for BTS' 'Map Of The Soul: 7

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

As celebrities are doing everything they can to help those in need, it’s been revealed that actor Farhan Akhtar recently donated 1,000 PPE kits to government hospitals to help the frontliners who have been working in the fight against the novel COVID-19.

Sharing a video on Instagram, Farhan urged everyone to donate as many PPE kits as they can. He captioned the video as, “Help our Covid 19 warriors. It is critical that we provide PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) kits to our healthcare workers for their protection in this #WarAgainstCovid19. I am personally donating 1000 PPE kits and have partnered with @tring.india to raise funds for more PPE kits which are in immediate need across India for our doctors and medical staff.”

He further said, “For your contribution, I will send a personal ‘thank you’ video message recognising your generosity. This video will be in permanent memory with you. Some of you will even get to interact with me over a live video chat. Log onto www.tring.co.in and go to my profile to donate. Let's all join the #WarAgainstCovid19 and #UniteForHumanity.”

 

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It is critical that we provide PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) kits to our healthcare workers for their protection in this #WarAgainstCovid19. I am personally donating 1000 PPE kits and have partnered with @tring.india to raise funds for more PPE kits which are in immediate need across India for our doctors and medical staff. For your contribution, I will send a personal ‘thank you’ video message recognising your generosity. This video will be in permanent memory with you. Some of you will even get to interact with me over a live video chat. Log onto www.tring.co.in and go to my profile to donate. Let's all join the #WarAgainstCovid19 and #UniteForHumanity #StaySafe #StayHome #JustTringIt #IndiaFightsCorona

A post shared by Farhan Akhtar (@faroutakhtar) on May 7, 2020 at 4:32am PDT

Farhan Akhtar, recently, participated in the mega digital concert I For India. It was a fundraiser hosted by his sister Zoya Akhtar and Karan Johar in order to raise funds for Covid-19 relief.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Shankar Mahadevan recreates Dil Chahta Hai featuring Aamir Khan and Farhan Akhtar

Ashok Selvan and Ritika Singh's Tamil film Oh My Kadavule hit screens this year on Valentine's Day. The film won people's heart and got a good response from the audience.

Makers of the film are now planning to remake the film in Hindi and have already started working on it. Ashok Selvan, actor and producer of the film while talking to a news portal confirmed that they are planning to make a Hindi remake of their film and are currently in talks. He said that it is too early to reveal cast details.

Director Ashwath Marimuthu made his debut with Oh My Kadavule. He will be directing the Hindi version as well and will soon be making an official announcement in this regard.

Oh My Kadavule is a romantic fantasy comedy film. The film revolves around a young man who married his childhood friend. When life gets complicated he gets a golden ticket to rewrite his fate. The film also features Vani Bhojan and has Vijay Sethupathi as a special appearance.

Sanjay Dutt is an actor who has appeared in a great many numbers of films spanning across genres, thus time and again proving his adaptability to wear the mask of different characters. The actor has been in the industry for a very long time and has even been part of the transformation and evolution of the Indian film industry.

Of late, Bollywood has been going through a paradigm shift as the world of content has been brought to digital platforms. OTT platforms have opened up new avenues and make any genre of series or films available, just a click away, which has been benignant for the viewers.

Actor Sanjay Dutt comments on how he feels OTT platform can be beneficial for artists, he says, "OTT platforms are flourishing and have brought about so much variety in terms of content. They also enable artists to experiment with material and characters. If I get a script that excites me, I would love to foray into digital entertainment."

Sanjay Dutt is an actor who is enriched with the experience of the various characters he has played on-screen and it would be thrilling to see him make a debut on OTT platform. The actor shows interest in foraying into the world of digital entertainment so the audience can just keep their fingers crossed and wait to see what happens!

2020 is an immensely packed year for Sanjay Dutt as the actor will be seen in five big banner films namely, KGF: Chapter 2, Shamshera, Bhuj: The Pride of India, Torbaaz and Sadak 2. The actor will certainly ace the characters as he can slip into any character given to him as he is rich with the experience of numerous characters he has played on -screen.

When the lockdown was announced, singer Sonu Nigam was in Dubai. The singer said that he has no plans to return to Mumbai anytime soon even as the government has started flight services to get back Indians who are stranded abroad. 

Talking to a daily, Sonu said that even if he comes to India, he will be quarantined for 14 days. The singer is currently busy with charity work and feels that it does not make sense to come back and get quarantined.

Sonu said that he is in the process of shifting to a new house in Dubai. He also said that Dubai has been his second home for quite some time now. Sonu also has his studio set over there and his family has also moved there. His son Nevaan is currently studying in Dubai and so he will be constantly shuttling between Mumbai and Dubai. 

ALSO READ: Sonu Nigam twists his Main Hoon Na title track amid Coronavirus pandemic, and it is hilarious

With the lockdown in place, the theatre business has been shut completely. This has led to a substantial increase in content consumption through digital streaming platforms. Several web series makers are speeding up post-production work to release their shows during the lockdown. 

While releasing shows during lockdown sounds good, director Ali Abbas Zafar is in no hurry to finish the post-production of his show. Ali Abbas Zafar is currently working on a political drama tentatively titled Dilli. Talking to a tabloid he said that he would rather revel in the satisfaction of a series well made than join the rat race. He said that people have been asking them on social media to release the show, but they do not wish to rush the process.  The series was supposed to release in the last quarter of 2020 and they intend on sticking to it. 

The Saif Ali Khan starrer is currently in the post-production stage. Zafar said that if the show was ready they might have released it now. He said that when it comes to developing an offering for the global audience the post-production is a long drawn process. He said that once the project is delivered, it has to be dubbed in nine languages and the post-production takes three to four months. 

The show will be aired on Amazon Prime videos and the makers have already started working on season 2. Amazon Prime green signalled the second season after watching the rushes of season 1. 

ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Ali Abbas Zafar confirms teaming up with Katrina Kaif for superhero flick

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”

The Ranveer Singh starrer '83 directed by Kabir Khan was supposed to release in theatres on April 10. However, owing to the lockdown the theatres have been shut down indefinitely. '83 narrates the story of Indian cricket team's historic World Cup win with Ranveer Singh playing the role of Kapil Dev who was leading Indian team back then.

Kabir Khan while talking to a tabloid revealed that the 1983 cricket world cup is the greatest underdog story ever. He said that one can replace cricket with kabbadi and it would still hold weight.

Kabir Khan after talking to the team of 1983 got to know of several stories related to the world cup that year and what went behind the scenes. However, he found it difficult to incorporate everything into the screenplay. He said that he could only pick 25 stories from the 100 stories he had. This is the reason that it took him one and a half years to finalize the script. The film is not just from the point of view of players but also that of commentators and the spectators.

Kabir Khan also revealed that cricketer Krishnamachari Srikant had got married three months before the world cup. When he got to know that they have been selected to play the world cup he booked tickets to go to the US with six other players. They were supposed to fly as soon as the group stage ended as they were confident that India would be knocked out of the competition. He said that no one believed that they would even make it to the semifinals, but once their winning streak started, the players started cancelling their tickets.

ALSO READ: Kabir Khan reveals Irrfan Khan was left in tears after watching Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s scene in New York

ZEE5 announced its next film Ghoomketu which is set to release on 22nd May. An aspiring writer’s 101 retreats into the life of the protagonist, Ghoomketu is played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The movie is a comedy-drama from the viewpoint of an inexperienced writer struggling to make it big in the film industry in Mumbai. On his quest to come up with a great story, he is inspired by day to day mundane life activities. Will his ambition and determination exceed his talents? Or will a corrupt cop, who is on a mission to find Ghoomketu, put a brake on his 30-day escapade?

Directed by Pushpendra Nath Misra and produced by Phantom Films and Sony Pictures Networks (SPN), this film will be exclusively releasing on ZEE5.

The quirk and humour in the movie are exaggerated with dramatic linguistic annotations. The film is set in a wickedly playful backdrop and will be great for the entire family to watch together. The film also has ace director Anurag Kashyap as a cop and the talented Ila Arun as Ghoomketu’s Aunt, in lead roles along with Raghubir Yadav, Swanand Kirkire, Ragini Khanna and others. The film will also see special cameos from Amitabh Bachchan, Ranveer Singh, Sonakshi Sinha, Chitrangada Singh, Lauren Gottlieb and filmmaker Nikhil Advani.

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui shares, “Ghoomketu is a quirky, never-seen-before character and I thoroughly enjoyed playing him. Anurag, who is generally behind the camera, will be seen sharing screen space with us and it was a great experience to work with him as an actor. ‘Ghoomketu’ has a phenomenal storyline which will definitely entertain the audience. During this time of the lockdown, I am glad that a humorous film that the entire family can watch is being streamed on ZEE5.”

Actor Anurag Kashyap shares, “Every film is a labour of love and I saw the conviction in the director of Ghoomketu and hence decided to do something which is my least favourite thing to do, which is act. The film is funny and heartwarming.”

Film Director Pushpendra Nath Misra adds, “Wherever we go, we are never far away from our roots. Ghoomketu, as the name suggests, is a story of the ‘journey to the beginning’. This a film where the protagonist - a writer- draws inspiration from the idiosyncrasies of his own family members. This was a dream project with a stellar cast (sublime actors, all of them), and the freedom to tell the story in a non-stereotypical way. For all the writers, their observation begins at home. This film is a celebration of our family members - our ‘Bua’s and ‘Chacha’s and ‘Dadda’s - who we (Ghoomketu) always carry in our hearts, wherever we go. I am glad it will reach the huge family audiences of ZEE5.”

Vivek Agrawal, Producer, Phantom Films says, Ghoomketu is one of those rare gems that will put a smile on your face while taking you through the struggle of a man who is out there trying his luck in Bollywood films. Bringing this story to life has been a roller-coaster ride, just like the protagonist’s journey in the film! It has been a pleasure working on ‘Ghoomketu’– a project that is relatable for many people, on so many levels and we are thrilled to have ZEE5 on board to release it.”

This quirky comedy is all set to confuse, entertain and make you laugh this Eid weekend. 

Director Shoojit Sircar has been hinting about it for some time. Now his latest film Gulabo-Sitabo which features Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana as a squabbling landlord and tenant is said to be going straight to the digital platform

While director Sircar is more than happy to facilitate a quick release of his corona-stuck project we gather from sources close to Mr Bachchan that he and his co-star Khurrana are none too pleased with the swift deal that the producers of Gulabo Sitabo have cut with Amazon.

Says the source, “Both Bachchan Saab and Khurrana are keen to wait until the situation normalizes. But the producers are in an advanced stage of negotiation with Amazon.”

Also Read: Shoojit Sircar open to releasing Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana starrer Gulabo Sitabo on digital platform

As many as 918 COVID-19 cases and 34 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of such cases to 8,447 in the country, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday, while asserting that the government is "extra prepared" if there is an exponential rise in the number of coronavirus patients.

Addressing a press briefing, Health Ministry's Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said the government is expanding the COVID-19 testing capacity in state-run as well as private medical colleges. "The total number of COVID-19 cases has risen to 8,447. A total of 918 new cases and 34 deaths have been reported since Saturday. The good news is that 716 people have recovered and have been discharged so far. Seventy-four people have been cured since Saturday. The government is extra prepared if the number of cases rises exponentially," he said.

"We are working on an urgent basis to expand the capacity for COVID-19 testing in government and private medical colleges across the country. Fourteen mentor institutes, including the AIIMS and NIMHANS, have been identified to mentor the medical colleges and expand the coronavirus testing capacity," Agarwal added.

According to ICMR officials, a total of 1,86,906 samples have so far been tested across the country, of which 7,953 have been found positive for COVID-19. "In the last five days, on an average, 15,747 samples were tested per day and 584 of those were found to be positive per day," an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) official said at the press briefing. Responding to a question about development of vaccines, he said, "There are 40 plus candidate vaccines that are under development but none of them has reached the next stage."

Relief distribution pictures banned

District magistrate, Srinagar, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary has banned circulation of photos and videos showing distribution of relief on social media sites.

'Bengal not fighting a communal virus'

The Centre and the West Bengal government on Saturday pressed a confrontationist button over the Union Home Ministry writing to the state chief secretary and the director general of police seeking action against the 'dilution' of lockdown measures in the state, and over permission for religious gatherings given by the state cops. Hitting back, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hinted that the Centre had a communal stand and said her government was now busy fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and not any "communal virus".

AP govt introduces apps for food delivery

The Arunachal Pradesh government has introduced various Apps including 'U Tell Us' and 'Dukan Dada' to ensure essentials reach at the doorsteps of the people, officials said on Sunday. Besides the AP government, other state governments of the northeastern region have taken some fresh measures to maintain supply of essentials for effective enforcement of the lockdown.

No food, woman throws kids in river

In a shocking incident on Sunday, a woman threw her five children into the Ganga river in Jeghangirabad in Uttar Pradesh's Bhadohi district. As soon as the police were informed, senior officers reached the spot and divers were pressed into service to locate the kids. The woman has been arrested. Sources, meanwhile, said that the woman had earlier said that she and her children were not getting food in the lockdown.

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An officer's hand was chopped off with a sword and two other Punjab policemen injured on Sunday when a group of Nihangs attacked them after being asked to show curfew passes at a vegetable market in Patiala district, police said.

Seven people, including five attackers, were arrested hours later after an exchange of fire at a gurdwara where the group fled after the 6.15 am incident in Sanaur town. One of the arrested men suffered gunshot wounds, police said. A mandi official was also hurt earlier. A video clip on social media appears to show assistant sub inspector, Harjeet Singh seeking help. A man picks up the severed hand and gives it to the officer. He is then taken away from the scene on a two-wheeler.

The ASI was rushed to Rajindra Hospital nearby and then referred to PGIMER in Chandigarh where he was undergoing surgery, police said. The other injured policemen include Sadar Patiala's station house officer. With a lockdown in place to contain the spread of COVID-19, barricades were put up outside the wholesale market and entry restricted to those with curfew passes.

The Nihangs — members of a Sikh sect whose adherents carry traditional arms and wear blue robes — arrived in an SUV and were told to stop by mandi officials, police said. "They were asked to show passes. But they rammed the vehicle against the gate and the barricades," Patiala's senior superintendent of police, Mandeep Singh Sidhu said. The group then attacked the police personnel and fled to Gurdwara Khichri Sahib managed by them in Balbera village, around 25 km from Patiala city.

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Amid the rising number of coronavirus cases across the country, a heartwarming story of an IAS officer joining back work after delivering her baby is winning hearts online. Responding to the call of duty, IAS officer and Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation Commissioner (GVMC) G Srijana returned to work with her one month old baby thereby cutting short her maternity break in order to help the country fight the novel coronavirus crisis.

An extraordinary feather of @IASassociation. 2013 batch IAS Mrs @GummallaSrijana Commissioner @GVMC_OFFICIAL refused to take 06 months maternal leave and joined back her office with one month old baby in lap. Truly inspiring to all #CoronaWarriors #COVID__19 pic.twitter.com/mzbPsUyTco

— Chiguru Prashanth Kumar (@prashantchiguru) April 11, 2020

The 2013 batch IAS officer was working as the municipal commissioner of Greater Visakhapatnam until she was blessed with a baby boy nearly a month ago. But soon after the 21-day nationwide lockdown was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Srijana joined back work and cut short her maternity leave.

Stood in solidarity to the fight against #Covid_19 On the call of @PMOIndia @narendramodi #9PM9minute pic.twitter.com/kCT9PxQT7F

— Srijana Gummalla (@GummallaSrijana) April 5, 2020

When asked as to how she was looking after her baby while handling work, Srijana said that her lawyer-husband and her mother were her pillars of strength as they are providing her with ample support amid the nationwide lockdown.

à¤Â•à¥Â‹रà¥Â‹ना सà¤Â‚à¤Â•à¤ÂŸ मà¥Â‡à¤Â‚ à¤ÂÂÂ…पनà¥Â‡ à¤Â•रà¥Âतवà¥Âय à¤Â•à¥Â€ पà¥Âà¤Â•ार पर à¤ÂÂÂ…पनà¥Â‡ 1 माह à¤Â•à¥Â‡ बà¤Âšà¥Âà¤Âšà¥Â‡ à¤Â•à¥Â‡ साथ à¤Â—à¥Âरà¥Â‡à¤ÂŸर विशाà¤Â–ापà¤ÂŸà¥Âà¤ÂŸनम à¤Â•à¥Â€ नà¤Â—र à¤Â†यà¥Âà¤Â•à¥Âत शà¥Âरà¥Â€मतà¥Â€ सà¥Âƒà¤ÂÂÂœना à¤Â—à¥Âमà¥Âमाला वापस डà¥Âयà¥Â‚à¤ÂŸà¥Â€ पर लà¥ÂÂÂŒà¤ÂŸ à¤Â†à¤Âˆà¤Â‚।
भाà¤Â—à¥Âयशालà¥Â€ हà¥Âˆ यह राषà¥Âà¤ÂŸà¥Âर à¤ÂÂÂœहाà¤Â‚ à¤Âसà¥Â‡ à¤Â•à¥Â‹रà¥Â‹ना यà¥Â‹दà¥Âधा हà¥Âˆ। à¤Â•रà¥Âतवà¥Âय निषà¥Âठा à¤Â•à¥Â‡ à¤Â‡स à¤ÂÂÂœà¥Â€वà¤Â‚त à¤Â‰दाहरण à¤Â•à¥Â‡ लिà¤Â à¤Â†पà¤Â•ा हà¥Âƒदय सà¥Â‡ à¤Â†भार।#NoCoronaPolitics pic.twitter.com/7md7CxKRp2

— Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) April 12, 2020

Srijana also said that she was aware of her responsibilities and that her service was of utmost importance during the coronavirus crisis. The 2013 batch IAS officer also states that the district administration is working in tandem in order to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Young #IAS Officers leading #fightagainstcorona.
GVMC Visakhapatnam Commissioner, Ms Gummalla Srijana @GummallaSrijana
joined back on duty with one month old baby without maternity leave to serve the City.#CoronaWarriorshttps://t.co/DyP3s0uU2z pic.twitter.com/2HlpvZU9pC

— IAS Association (@IASassociation) April 11, 2020

Srijana's inspiring story was shared by hundreds of netizens who lauded her efforts and her commitments towards the country amid the coronavirus crisis. Twitter user Chiguru Prashanth Kumar shared Sirjana's story and said that it was truly inspiring story for all coronavirus warriors.

She is the real SHERNI !!
India is proud of her🇮🇳
History is witness that whenever our Nation has faced crisis, the Sanatan Women have always come forward to fulfill their responsibilities.@NAN_DINI_ @Aabhas24 @prettypadmaja #CoronaWarriors https://t.co/k7y5OFd8Zf

— Sanatan Women (@SanatanWomen) April 12, 2020

While the IAS association through their Twitter handle said that Sirjana joined the duty with her one month old baby without maternity leave in order to serve the city. Twitter user Sanatan Women hailed Srijana as the real SHERNI while another user said that the country was lucky to have such corona warriors.

I salute Mrs.Srijana Gummala who is the Municipal Commissioner of Greater Vishakapatnam & is the
mother of a 1 month old baby.
She has returned to work, with her baby in her arms, because of COVID19 crisis. Yes, she has given up her maternity leave to serve the Nation.
🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/usYi95hVGb

— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) April 12, 2020

Filmmake, producer and social activist Ashoke Pandit also showered heaps of praises on IAF officer Sriana. Pandit said that he salutes Srijana Gummala, who returned to work, with her baby in her arms and also gave up her maternity leave to serve the nation.

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

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

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 13, 2020

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

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

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On April 9, Odisha became the first state to extend the 21-day nationwide lockdown in the state till April 30. But two days before the extended lockdown was announced, a 20-year-old youth from Odisha, who was working in Maharashtra's Sangli district before the lockdown returned to his state after cycling for around 2,000 km.

The 20-year-old youth identified as Mahesh Jena left Sangli on April 1 and reached Odisha on April 7 after he cycled around 2,000 km for seven days. Jena took the bold decision when the factory where he worked was closed when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of the global pandemic.

While speaking to Hindustan Times Jena said, "When the factory was closed we were told that it would not reopen for the next five months. I figured out that if I continued to stay then I would run out of money quickly. So the only option was leaving the place at any cost."

In order to reach Odisha, Jena bought a bicycle for Rs 1200 and spent another Rs 500 to replace its tyre and tube. Jena, who began his journey on April 1 at 4.30 a said that his original plan was to reach his village in 15 days.

Talking about his journey he said, "When I started, I did not want to stop, I rode during the daytime and carried on till 12 in the night. I would then look for a temple or roadside dhaba to sleep." During his journey, Jena ate at roadside dhabas and at places where local police or NGOs would offer free food. During the journey, Jena not only replaced his cycle tyres but his phone was also conked off.

Speaking about how he planned to reach Odisha Jena said, "When I first arrived in Sangli along with my village friend 7 months ago, I had hazy idea about the route. On April 1 when I started from Sangli, I thought I could cover about 120-130 km a day on the cycle and reach home. But when I started, I did not want to stop, I rode during the daytime and carried on till 12 in the night. I would then look for a temple or roadside dhaba to sleep off."

Upon reaching Sholapur, Jena rode towards Hyderabad and then towards Vijayawada. Post which he rode his bicycke to Vishakhapatnam and Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh before entering Odisha at Ganjam. From Ganjam he then cycled to Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and finally Jajpur on April 7 evening.

Upon reaching Jajpur on April 7, Jena was stopped by the police at a check post installed where the police personnel stopped outsiders from entering the district. Talking about Jena, police inspector Ashish Kumar Sahu said, "With a rucksack on his back, he was cycling. After lockdown was announced, the factory in Maharashtra where he worked as a daily labourer was closed leaving him and several others in great misery. He somehow managed to get a rickety bicycle from a local there and started cycling to his home in Odisha."

Following lockdown procedures, Jena was first screened at the district headquarters hospital where he was found without any COVID-19 symptoms. Post which he was sent to a government quarantine centre, where he would be kept in isolation for 14 days.

"I was worried about being picked up by police during my journey. I was stopped twice by police on Andhra-Maharashtra border and Andhra-Odisha border, but I was allowed to go,"recalls Jena, who was stopped by the police on two occasions.

The 20-year-old migrant worker has spent over seven days at the quarantine facility. Speaking about his time at the quarantine centre, Jena said that the meal which comprised of rice and a boiled curry of lentil and vegetables was getting too boring for him. Speaking about the food, he stated, "How long can you eat the same food twice a day? After I am discharged from the quarantine centre, I plan to go back home and have a nice meal. Once the factories reopen, I would again go back."

Lauding the youngster on his inspiring journey, Odisha's Jajpur block development officer Sourav Chakraborty said that it was incredible the way he cycled to his home. "His journey would make a very good script for a movie."

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The penultimate day of 21-day lockdown saw the number of coronavirus cases in the country reach 9352 with 905 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. The government's action plan to contain the spread of COVID-19 has stared yielding results in 25 districts across 15 states which have not reported any case in the last 14 days

Fifty one people died in the last 24 hours taking total toll 324. As many as 25 staff members of Mumbai's Bhatia hospital tested positive for coronavirus and number of cases in the city has reached 1549. The number of those who have died has reached 100 in the city. Maharashtra with 2,064 cases continues to be the worst affected followed by Delhi with 1,154 cases and Tamil Nadu with 1075 cases. The number of containment zones in Delhi has been increased to 47.

New cases have been reported from several states including Kerala, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Nagaland reported its first COVID-19 case following which several localities and a hospital in Dimapur hve been sealed. Uttarakhand Health Department said that no new positive COVID-19 case emerged in the state for the fifth day in a row.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 10 am on Tuesday and is likely to talk about the further course of action to deal with the crisis posed by virus. Union ministers and senior officials returned to work in their offices on Monday and work was done by following social distancing norms.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said 2,06,212 COVID-19 tests were conducted till yesterday. "The pace at which we are conducting tests today, we have a stock with which we can conduct tests for the next six weeks easily," ICMR's head scientist Dr Raman R Gangakhedkar said at the daily media briefing on COVID-19 situation.

He said consignment of COVID-19 kits is expected to arrive from China on April 15 In Delhi, traders at Delhi's Azadpur Mandi have been told to follow the odd-even rule according to their shed numbers to maintain social distancing. There will be staggered time for sale of vegetables and fruits in the mandis.

In Mangaluru, a case has been registered against two minors at East Police station after they violated the lockdown norms. They will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board. A 17-year old was caught trying to sneak his friend out of his apartment complex using a suitcase.

"A17-year-old resident of Orchid Apartment Balmatta invited his friend, a resident of Motisham Apartment, Pandeshwar to stay with him on April 11, " said PS Harsha, the Commissioner of Police, Mangaluru. The friend wanted to return back to his apartment in Pandeshwar the next day but due to strict security put in place, he got inside a large trolley suitcase.

Based on the suspicion, security personnel alerted the residents of the building and opened the suitcase from which they were shocked to find a boy stepping out.

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

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

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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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While checking our bank accounts and our stocked fridges this week, have felt a moment of gratitude for the economic security nets that we have, that will help us tide over the next 21 days untill 30th of April 2020, as announced by the Indian government for breaking down the chain of COVID-19 i.e Coronavirus.

But there are also many who don’t have this net, and now do not have the option of stepping out to earn their daily wage and henceforth they are needy.

Some organisations & Individuals are helping the fortunate former reach out to help the latter. Meet Palan if one of the individual helping the poor society during the lockdown.

To help you aid these initiatives, Volunteers for Meet's team has put together a list of verified Non-Government Organizations, charities and institutions, which are working towards this cause in Rajkot, Gujarat.

For instance, Meet's & his team has successfully called for contributions and have donated more than 270 kilograms of rice with more than 235 kilograms of dal which is the basic staple food in india. Congratulations to Mr Meet Palan and all the best to him for his good deeds.

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New Delhi: With 1,211 fresh cases of coronavirus reported in the last 24 hours, the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country has reached 10,363 including 339 deaths, said Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, here on Tuesday.

As many as 1,036 people have recovered from the disease so far, said Aggarwal during the daily media briefing on the coronavirus. "In one day, 179 people were diagnosed and found cured," he added.

"A total of 10,363 confirmed cases have been reported in India including 339 deaths and 1,036 people, who were COVID-19 positive have recovered. Out of the total deaths, 31 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours," said Aggarwal.

Aggarwal said that an evaluation of each district and city will be done till April 20.

"An evaluation of each district and city will be done till April 20 in which it will be evaluated what measures did that authorities take in these cities and districts to combat COVID-19," he said.

"Based on the results of this litmus test approach, permission will be granted for some selective activities to those districts and cities which controlled the situation effectively. Detailed guidelines will be issued soon," he added.

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New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday called up Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and expressed concern over the gathering of a large number of people in Mumbai's Bandra area in defiance of the ongoing lockdown, officials said.

Shah stressed that such events weaken India's fight against coronavirus and the administration needs to stay vigilant to avoid such incidents. "The home minister spoke to the Maharashtra chief minister and expressed concern over the large gathering of people in Mumbai's Bandra area," a home ministry official said. Shah also offered his full support to the Maharashtra government in dealing with the situation, the official said.

About 1,000 migrant workers who earn daily wages gathered in Mumbai's Bandra area on Tuesday demanding transport arrangements for them to go back to their native places, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the extension of the coronavirus-enforced lockdown till May 3.

A police official said the migrants were dispersed two hours later and have been assured that they will be provided accommodation and food till the lockdown lasts. In viral videos, police personnel was seen using mild cane-charge to disperse the migrants, who had gathered near the Bandra railway station in suburban Mumbai.

Daily wage workers have been rendered jobless ever since the lockdown was announced late last month to stem the spread of COVID-19, making their lives a constant struggle.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked people to follow seven steps in the coming days to help the government in its fight against Coronavirus.

The seven steps which the PM asked people to follow included taking care of the elderly as they are more prone to infection, keeping their faces covered while venturing out and taking care of the poor and the needy who have been effected by the lockdown.

"... if we continue to be patient and follow rules, we will be able to defeat even a pandemic like Coronavirus. With this faith and trust, I seek your support for seven things," he said in his address to the nation.

Health workers spray disinfectant at Nawabpura in Moradabad, on Tuesday. PIC/PTI

Modi on Tuesday announced that the lockdown across the country will be extended till May 3 to fight the pandemic, saying the measure has produced a significant outcome in containing the infection.

The first step was to take special care of the elderly, especially those who have chronic diseases. "We have to take extra care of them, and keep them safe from Coronavirus," he said.

The second step, Modi said, was strict adherence to the 'Lakshman Rekha' of lockdown and social distancing. "Please also use homemade face-covers and masks without fail," he said. He also urged people to follow the protocol issued by the Ayush Ministry to enhance immunity.

"Regularly consume warm water and 'kadha'," he said. The PM also stressed the need to download the Arogya Setu mobile app to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus infection.

"Take as much care of poor families as you can ... try to fulfill their food requirements ... Be compassionate towards the people who work with you in your business or industry. Do not deprive them of their livelihood," he said.

Finally, he said people should pay utmost respect to Corona Warriors – doctors and nurses, sanitation workers and the police force.

Railway services suspended till May 3

The Indian Railways on Tuesday extended the suspension of all its passenger services till May 3, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to extend the nationwide lockdown amid the COVID-19 threat. It also said that full refund of fare would automatically be provided to its online customers for trains cancelled up to May 3, while those who have booked at the counters can claim the refund till July 31.

Gujarat police book Bhushan, Gopinathan

The Gujarat police have booked lawyer and activist, Prashant Bhushan and former IAS officer, Kannan Gopinathan for their social media posts on Sunday. While Bhushan has been charged for allegedly using an objectionable tweet against the Ramayana, Kannan Gopinathan has been booked for using government orders on social media to mislead people. The FIR was registered at Bhaktinagar police station, Rajkot city. Later, the investigation was transferred to the special operations group.

Airlines refuse to refund tickets

With the Centre extending the lockdown to May 3 and subsequently the suspension of all commercial passenger services also till then, domestic airlines have again decided not to refund the customers in cash for their cancelled flights and instead offer them rescheduling of tickets for a later date without any additional fee. India had imposed a 21-day lockdown from March 25 to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Consequently, all flights were suspended for the period.

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday demanded the Central government to bring back Indian workers stranded in the Middle East due to the COVID-19 crisis.

"The #Covid19 crisis & shutting of businesses in the Middle East have left thousands of Indian workers in deep distress & desperate to return home. The Govt must organise flights to bring home our brothers & sisters most in need of assistance, with quarantine plans in place," Gandhi tweeted.

The #Covid19 crisis & shutting of businesses in the Middle East have left thousands of Indian workers in deep distress & desperate to return home. The Govt must organise flights to bring home our brothers & sisters most in need of assistance, with quarantine plans in place.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 15, 2020

In India, a total of 11,439 COVID-19 positive cases have been reported, including 1,305 cured/discharged and 377 deaths.

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Alappuzha District Collector M Anjana said that houseboats in the districts may be turned into COVID-19 isolation wards if the need arises.

Kerala: Alappuzha District Administration has decided to convert houseboats into isolation facilities amid #COVID19 outbreak. "This would increase our bed strength by 1500 to 2000",says M Anjana, Alappuzha District Collector. pic.twitter.com/YpPViQZ6aF

— ANI (@ANI) April 15, 2020

"The Alappuzha model of handling COVID-19 has been one of preparedness and prevention. In the first phase we did this successfully, but in the second phase we propose to have a different strategy. Though our numbers are comparatively less, we need to augment our isolation facilities," M Anjana told ANI here.

"We have sufficient number of facilities but in the process of augmenting the facilities we have had extensive discussions with the houseboat owners' association. All the houseboat owners agree with the proposal and are willing to support the district administration in this respect," she added. She said that houseboats have different bed strengths.

"By bringing them together at a single spot or at two spots we would be able to convert them as a single isolation facility. This would increase the isolation facility strength by around 1,500 to 2,000," she further said. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, there are 387 COVID-19 cases in Kerala, including 211 cured/discharged/migrated and three deaths.

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A district magistrate court in Rohtak opened its doors on the night of April 13 to solemnise the wedding of a local boy marry a Mexican girl under the Special Marriage Act as both could not tie the knot due to the ongoing lockdown imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus. The couple met on a language learning app in 2017 and got engaged the next year.

Niranjan Kashyap: On Feb 17 we applied for marriage under Special Marriage Act which has 30-day notice. The notice was to end on Mar18 but lockdown started on Mar 19 so we couldn't get married.We submitted an application to District Collector after which he conducted our wedding. https://t.co/BuZtjVQFFm

— ANI (@ANI) April 15, 2020

According to Niranjan Kashyap, who hails from Surya Colony in Rohtak he and and his Mexican-origin partner Dana Joheri Oliveros Cruise applied to get married under the Special Marriage Act on February 17. "We met on a language learning app. In 2017, she came to India on my birthday. Then this February 11, Dana and her mother came to India for the wedding. On February 17, we applied for marriage under the Special Marriage Act which has a 30-day notice," Kashyap told ANI.

"The notice was to end on March 18 but by then the lockdown began so we could not get married. We submitted an application to the District Collector after which he conducted our wedding," he said. He further said that Dana had booked a flight back to Mexico on March 24 but with the lockdown being extended further till May 3 she has now rescheduled her flight to May 5

Dana said, "I came to meet him in 2017. We later got engaged in December 2018 and I returned to Mexico. I spent two years in Mexico. Due to lockdown, we couldn't marry. Deputy Commissioner helped us to marry."

Advocate Niranjan Kashyap, who helped the couple get married said: "Both of them came to us. Since the girl was from Mexico, they can marry under the Special Marriage Act. Later, we approached the District Magistrate and he sent requests to the Mexican Embassy and other offices for a no objection certificate. After NOC was obtained, the District Magistrate opened the court and performed the marriage on April 13 at 8 pm."

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The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in its lockdown guidelines issued on Wednesday has given detailed standard operating procedures (SOP) for social distancing for offices, workplaces, factories and establishments. The ministry has said that all areas in the premises including the following shall be disinfected completely using user-friendly disinfectant mediums at the entrance gate of building, office, cafeteria and canteens, meeting room, conference halls, open areas available, verandah, entrance gate of site, bunkers, porta cabins, building, equipment and lifts, washroom, toilet, sink water points etc, walls/ all other surfaces.

The MHA has also said that transportation will be provided by employers and should be allowed only with 30-40 per cent passengers in vehicles. "For workers coming from outside, special transportation facility will be arranged without any dependency on the public transport system. These vehicles should be allowed to work only with 30-40 percent passenger capacity," MHA said.

All vehicles and machinery entering the premise should be disinfected by spray mandatorily and thermal scanning of everyone entering and exiting the work place to be done. "Medical insurance for the workers to be made mandatory. Provision for hand wash & sanitizer preferably with touch free mechanism will be made at all entry and exit points and common areas. Sufficient quantities of all the items should be available," read the MHA guideline.

The union home ministry guidelines also said that work places shall have a gap of one hour between shifts and will stagger the lunch breaks of staff to ensure social distancing. "Large gatherings or meetings of 10 or more people to be discouraged. Seating at least 6 feet away from others on job sites and in gatherings, meetings and training sessions. Not more than 2/4 persons (depending on size) will be allowed to travel in lifts or hoists," the guidelines said.

"Hospitals/clinics in the nearby areas, which are authorized to treat COVID-19 patients, should be identified and list should be available at workplace all the times," MHA said. The MHA guidelines came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the extension of lockdown till May 3 amid surging coronavirus cases in the country.

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The Railways has decided to produce over 30,000 Personal Protective Equipment coveralls in April and also plans to manufacture 1,00,000 of the same in May 2020 for medical and health-care personnel who get directly exposed to the COVID-19 disease when working amongst infected patients.

To provide protection to healthcare professionals in the fight against #COVID19, Indian Railways plans to produce over 30,000 coveralls (Personal Protective Equipment) in April 2020. Railways plans to manufacture 1,00,000 of the same in May: Ministry of Railways pic.twitter.com/PrBfG5AsQ1

— ANI (@ANI) April 15, 2020

"The Railways has been able to procure and distribute to its workshops and other units sufficient raw material for manufacturing more than 30,000 PPE coveralls in April. The Railways has set the target of manufacturing another 1,00,000 PPE coveralls in May and sourcing of appropriate raw material has been started," said the Ministry of Railways in a statement.

The Railways has recently started manufacturing of PPE coveralls. The prototype coveralls have already cleared the prescribed tests with the highest grades at the authorised Defence Research Development Establishment Laboratory of DRDO at Gwalior. The Railways has also converted over 5,000 of its passenger coaches into mobile quarantine or isolation facilities to deal with COVID-19 patients.

According to the Union Health Ministry, a total of 11,439 people have detected positive for coronavirus, including 1306 cured and discharged and 377 deaths. Currently, the country has 9,756 active corona cases.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Industrial units in rural areas will be allowed to function from April 20 provided they follow social distancing norms while all kinds of public transport will be barred and public places closed till May 3, according to guidelines issued on Wednesday to enforce the second phase of the lockdown.

Wearing masks/face covers in public places is now compulsory across the country. Besides, strict ban enforced on the sale of liquor, gutka, tobacco etc under the new Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines that come a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the extension of the nationwide lockdown till May 3.

The PM also said necessary activities will be allowed from April 20 in identified areas of the country. Laying out the dos and don'ts for phase two of the pan India lockdown, the guidelines state that all work places should make adequate arrangements for temperature screening and must provide sanitisers at convenient places.

Services provided by self-employed electricians, IT repair personnel, plumbers, motor mechanics and carpenters will be allowed from April 20. Inter-state, inter-district movement of people, Metro, bus services will be prohibited till May 3. Manufacturing, industrial units with access control in SEZs, export oriented units, industrial estates, industrial townships will also be allowed to function from that date. Educational institutions, coaching centres, domestic, international air travel, train services will remain suspended, the ministry said. Public places such as cinema halls, malls, shopping complexes, gyms, sports complexes, swimming pools and bars will be shut too till May 3.

Leave without pay for Vistara employees

Vistara chief Leslie Thng on Wednesday announced that senior employees will be going on compulsory leave without pay for up to three days between April 15 and 30 as a measure to further conserve the airline's cash flow amid lockdown to combat the COVID-19 threat. On March 27, the airline had also introduced compulsory leave without pay for up to three days between April 1 and April 14 for the same set of senior employees.

'Monsoon will be normal this year'

Southwest monsoon will be normal this year, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday in its forecast for the four-month rainfall season in the country. In an online briefing, IMD Director General, M Mohapatra said the Long Period Average (LPA) of monsoon will be 100 per cent which falls in the "normal" category. "Monsoon will be normal this year," he said.

Gujarat CM Rupani goes into isolation

Gujarat Chief Minister, Vijay Rupani has decided to run the state administration without meeting anyone for the next one week after a Congress MLA whom he met tested positive for Coronavirus. Rupani's health is fine and he will run the state administration through technological facilities like video-conference, video-calling and tele-calling, Chief Minister's Office (CMO) secretary, Ashwani Kumar said on Wednesday. "No visitor will be allowed at the chief minister's residence for the next one week," Kumar said.

Doctors attacked in Moradabad

Stones were pelted at an ambulance carrying a team of medical personnel and police, which had gone to escort family members of a person who died of COVID-19 in UP's Moradabad, to a quarantine facility. "When our team boarded the ambulance a crowd started pelting stones. Some doctors are still there. We are injured," said the ambulance driver.

'Farmers will be paid in 3 days'

Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Kailash Chaudhary said the farmers will be paid within three days of their crops purchased by the government. He has also asked the states to make arrangements for procurement. The government procurement of wheat in many states, including MP and Punjab, has started from Wednesday. Haryana has announced to start purchasing mustard first and then wheat from April 20.

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With 941 more COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, India's coronavirus tally crossed the 12,000 mark with the tally reading at 12,380 cases, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday. Out of the total tally, 10,477 patients are active cases while 1,489 patients have been cured, discharged and migrated. With 37 more deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the death toll has risen to 414.

According to the ministry, Maharashtra has reported the maximum number of positive COVID-19 cases with 2,916 cases including 295 recovered/ discharged and 187 dead. Delhi comes second on the list with 1,578 positive COVID-19 cases. The tally also includes 40 patients recovered/ discharged while 32 patients have died due to the infection. Tamil Nadu is third on the list and recorded 1,242 cases including 118 recovered and 14 patients have died due to the virus.

Rajasthan has crossed the 1,000 cases mark with 1,023 cases including 147 recovered and three patients dead. Madhya Pradesh is hovering around the 1,000 cases mark with 987 positive COVID-19 cases including 64 recovered and discharged and 53 fatalities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced that the nationwide lockdown--scheduled to end on April 14--will be extended to May 3.

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To ensure that the labourers and migrant workers can earn a livelihood once the lockdown is over, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation has started an initiative to introduce skill-based training among beggars and the homeless in the city. Tukaram Mundhe, Nagpur Municipal Cooperation Commissioner said, "After the lockdown was announced, we shifted the homeless and beggars to shelter homes and providing them with food, accommodation and other facilities."

With about 19 shelter homes around the cities accommodating close to 1,500-2,000 people, the commissioner said they are being provided with some skill development activities apart from having basic amenities. "We have also introduced skill development programmes for them. In the long run, we intend to take up the eradication of beggary program in Nagpur by providing them skills so that they can get employed," Mundhe said.

Glimpses of homeless beggars in Nagpur after a makeover by NMC:

NMC's shelter home took many #Homeless people under its care during the #lockdown

Some with special abilities were also given a complete makeover for health and sanitation purposes. #Covid_19india #homelessness pic.twitter.com/w11dVpnNBa

— Tukaram Mundhe (@Tukaram_IndIAS) April 12, 2020

"We are also giving them a makeover as we are providing them skill-based training so that they can earn their livelihood once the lockdown ends," said Manish Soni, Public Relations Officer, NMC.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 2,916 positive COVID-19 cases have been reported in the state, out of which 295 patients have recovered and 187 patients have succumbed to the virus.

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Amid lockdown over COVID threat, Indian Railways has decided to start two special trains for military to meet operational requirements of Indian Army at northern and eastern borders, force said on Thursday. Indian Army is also coordinating with the railway ministry for plying of additional trains for military purposes in coming weeks.

Amid #lockdown over #COVID threat, #IndianRailways has decided to start two special trains for military to meet operational requirements of #IndianArmy at northern and eastern borders, force said on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/M7YRZjyliP

— IANS Tweets (@ians_india) April 16, 2020

"To meet the operational requirements of Northern and Eastern borders, two military special trains are planned to be run," Indian Army stated. The force said that that both the trains for military purpose will start from Bengaluru. The first train will start on April 17 and reach Jammu and the second train will start on April 18 for Guwahati.

The route planned by the Indian Army is that the first train will start from Bengaluru and will have stoppage at Belgaum, Secundrabad, Ambala and terminates at Jammu. The second train will start from Bengaluru and stop at Belgaum, Secundrabad, Gopalpur, Howrah, New Jalpaiguri and terminates at Guwahati.

"This will enable decongestion of category A and B training establishments at Bangalore, Belgaum, Secundrabad and Gopalpur as well as assist in operational preparedness of active formations deployed in the borders," sources in Indian Army said.

The force said that the personnel due to rejoin units deployed in northern and eastern borders have undergone mandatory quarantine period and found medically fit. They will be now accommodated.

The force also stated that "further coordination with Ministry of Railways is in progress for planning additional trains in coming weeks".

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