On the occasion of Bengali New Year which is also celebrated as Pahela Baishakh (first day of Bengali Calendar), Trinamool Congress MPs Nusrat Jahan and Mimi Chakraborty took to Instagram to wish their fans on the auspicious day.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Shubho Nababorsha to all... May we fight this situation of crisis and move towards a brighter day..!! Shokol ke amar subhechcha 🙏🏻

A post shared by Nusrat (@nusratchirps) onApr 13, 2020 at 10:53pm PDT

Basirhat MP Nusrat Jahan shared a series of pictures where she can be seen in traditional attires as she wished her followers a 'Happy New Year' to all. While extending her wishes, Nusrat urged her fans to fight the coronavirus crisis and move towards a brighter day..!!

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

শà§Âভ নববরà§Âষà§Â‡ পà§Âরà§Â€তি à¦Â“ শà§Âভà§Â‡à¦Âšà§Âà¦Â›া, বাড়িতà§Â‡ থাà¦Â•à§Âন- সà§Âসà§Âথ থাà¦Â•à§Âন ।

A post shared by Mimi (@mimichakraborty) onApr 14, 2020 at 12:57am PDT

On the other hand, Jadavpur MP Mimi Chakraborty shared a beautiful picture where she can be seen welcoming the new year in a traditional way. While wishing people a happy new year, Mimi requested her followers to stay home and stay healthy in order to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Waiting forðŸ¤Â”ðŸ¤Â”ðŸ¤Â” umm ohh yes bengali new year.. And plansðŸ¤Â”ðŸ¤Â”ðŸ¤Â”??ummm âž¡ï¸ÂðŸ”🥩🌭🍳🍞ðŸ¥Â–ðŸ¥ÂžðŸ§Â‡ðŸ¥¨ðŸ¥ªðŸ•ðŸšðŸ±ðŸ£ðŸ›ðŸ¦ªðŸ²ðŸ¥Â—🌯🌮ðŸ§Â†ðŸ¥Â™ðŸ¥®ðŸ¥ ðŸ¨ðŸŽ‚🍿🍦🍭🥧🍰ðŸ§ÂðŸ¥ÂœðŸ§Â˜‍♀ï¸ÂðŸ§Â˜‍♀ï¸ÂðŸ˜´ðŸ˜´ðŸ˜´

A post shared by Mimi (@mimichakraborty) onApr 13, 2020 at 3:49am PDT

Mimi also shared a small video clip where she was seen wishing her fans on the occasion of Bengali new year. In the video, Mimi was seen donning a black shirt with the caption: All I did todau was survive! A day before welcoming the Bengali new year, Mimi shared a picture where she can be seen posing for a selfie while being sunkissed.

While sharing the sun kissed picture with her fans, Mimi wrote: Waiting for...umm ohh yes bengali new year...And plans?

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

‪Stay Home ~ Stay Safe 🙏‬ ‪We shall overcome ❤ï¸Ââ€¬ #quarantine #indiafightscovid19

A post shared by Nusrat (@nusratchirps) onMar 23, 2020 at 8:35am PDT

Both Nusrat and Mimi have been quarantined at home and have been updating their fans on how they are staying safe and maintaining social distance. From Mimi playing games, cleaning her kitchen and enjoying the beauty of nature to Nusrat showing off her painting skills and donning a chef's hat, the two BFFs are making the most of the quarantined period.

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Terming the Covid-19 crisis as a wake-up call, Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus of Tata Group, on Monday slammed the housing policies under which slums are moved from one location to the another.

Speaking at a webinar, Tata said, "For the first time, the close proximity and low value structures that we have built are the cause of new problems. The last few months have taught us that we're suffering from close proximity".

"The corona issue is a wake-up call of what beholds us and what our concern is as it turns around us and holds us back. I think there should be a re-examination of what we consider to have acceptable standards in terms of quality of life. Perhaps there ought to be a revision in terms of the fact that we are dealing with communities, we're dealing with populations that need to be a part of new India," he underlined.

On the issue of slums being relocated, Ratan Tata said, "We just go to affordable housing, slum elimination. We're trying to remove slums by moving them to another location, high value housing is being put over there. Slums are the residue; we're building a vertical slum.

"For the first time, the close proximity, low value structures that we have built are the cause of new problems. The last few months have taught us that we're suffering from close proximity. We have the image we want to project of ourselves and there's a part we want to hide. We have social responsibilities as architects and builders."

He further said: "We are creating a community which we're ashamed of. We should be really driven by the desire of creating, it creates a world culture.

"I think the happenings of the last few months have should have been a wake-up call for us. We have been humbled to realise that a disease could run across the globe, totally changing the dimension of how we are and what we do."

"I think we have to consider this issue as being our problem, and not their problem. We need to concern ourselves with the quality of lives everywhere. We need to ask ourselves, are we ashamed of what we see or proud of what we see'. We need to consider urban communities as one," he said.

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Among the 87 laboratories, which are set up in 15 states, Maharashtra has the highest number of COVID-19 testing labs at 20. It is to mention that Maharashtra is the worst-hit state in the country in terms of the number of people infected from coronavirus.

Moreover, 12 laboratories are in Telangana, 11 in Delhi, 10 in Tamil Nadu, 7 in Haryana, 6 in West Bengal, 5 in Karnataka 4 in Gujarat, and 2 each in Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and 1 each in Uttarakhand and Odisha.

The ICMR further said that a total of 4,62,621 samples from 4,47,812 individuals have been tested for COVID 19 as on April 21 at 9 pm. "Also, 26,943 samples have been reported on 21 April till 9 pm," it added.

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Asserting that 12 crore people have lost their jobs in the first phase of the lockdown, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday said that it is imperative for the government to provide them with immediate financial assistance to each family to tide over this crisis and reiterated that the unemployment is likely to increase further as economic activity remains at a standstill. "Entitlement of food grains under the National Food Security Act has not yet reached the beneficiaries. 11 crore people who are in need of subsidized food grains, remain outside of the Public Distribution System. It should be our commitment to provide 10 kgs of food grains, 1 kg of pulses and half a Kg of sugar to each person of the family every month, in this hour of crisis," Gandhi at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting today.

"12 crore jobs have been lost in the first phase of the lockdown. Unemployment is likely to increase further as economic activity remains at a standstill. It is imperative to provide at least Rs.7,500 to each family to tide over this crisis. Migrant labourers are still stranded, jobless and desperate to return home. They have been hit the hardest. They must be provided with food security and a financial safety net in order to survive this period of crisis," she said. The Congress chief said that a special package should be announced urgently for the survival of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

"MSMEs employ close to 11 crore personnel today. They make up for one third of the GDP. If they are to be protected from economic ruin, it is imperative that a special package be announced urgently for their survival," she said. The Congress chief claimed that the Central Government does not appear to have a "clear" idea on how the situation will be managed after May 3, when the ongoing lockdown will end. "A lockdown of the present nature after that date would be even more devastating," she said.Gandhi said that the Congress has repeatedly urged the Prime Minister that there is "no alternative to testing, trace and quarantine programme."

"Unfortunately, testing still remains low and testing kits are still in short supply and of poor quality. PPE kits are being provided to our doctors and healthcare workers but the number and quality is poor," she said. The Congress chief said that farmers are facing serious difficulties. "The issues of weak and unclear procurement policies and disrupted supply chains need to be addressed without delay. Necessary facilities must be made available to the farmers for the next round of Kharif crops which will begin in the coming 2 months," she said.

In a veiled attack against the Centre, Gandhi said: "The states and local governments are the frontline of the battle against COVID-19. Funds legitimately owed to our states have been held back." She accused the BJP of spreading the "virus of communal prejudice and hatred" amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

"Let me also share with you something that should worry each and every one us Indians. When we should be tackling the coronavirus unitedly, the BJP continues to spread the virus of communal prejudice and hatred. Grave damage is being done to our social harmony. Our party, we will have to work hard to repair that damage," she said. The Congress chief applauded doctors, nurses, paramedics, health workers, sanitation workers and all other essential service providers, NGO and the lakhs of citizens providing relief to the most needy all over India.

Gandhi said that she had written "several times" to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after lockdown came into force.

"I offered our constructive cooperation and also made a number of suggestions to alleviate the suffering of both rural and urban families. These suggestions had been formulated on the basis of feedback we have been receiving from different sources, including our Chief Ministers. Unfortunately, they have been acted upon only partially and in a miserly way. The compassion, large-heartedness and alacrity that should be forthcoming from the Central Government is conspicuous by its absence," she said.

The Congress leader asserted that the focus must continue to be on successfully engaging with health, food security and livelihood issues. "The lockdown continues and all sections of our society continue to face acute hardship and distress--particularly our kisans and khet mazdoors, migrant labour, construction workers and workers in the unorganized sector. Trade, commerce and industry have come to a virtual halt and crores of livelihoods have been destroyed," she said.

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Amid the Coronavirus lockdown, there are some people at work trying to make sure people at home stay safe from the pandemic. One of them is police officers, who are working tirelessly to ensure people stay at home and do not get infected by the deadly virus that has already infected millions across the globe and claimed scores of lives.

A photo of two cops catching a wink on the ground has gone viral online. The photo was posted by Twitter by Madhur Verma, the Deputy General of Police, Arunachal Pradesh who also lauded the efforts by the police department amid the nationwide lockdown imposed by the central government.

"Isn’t comfortable bed and an eight hour sleep such a luxury ? Yes it is... if you  are a cop !” said Verma, adding, “Proud of these #CoronaWarriors"

Isn’t comfortable bed and an eight hour sleep such a luxury ?
Yes it is... if you are a cop !
Proud of these #CoronaWarriors pic.twitter.com/3H9ZrZupNp

— Madhur Verma (@IPSMadhurVerma) April 24, 2020

The photo posted on Friday garnered over 34,800 liks and was retweeted more than 6,400 times. Users commenting on the photo praised the police department for their efforts amid the lockdown and hailed them as ‘heroes’.

a big salute to true warrior let's always respect nd support them🙏🙏

— Uma j (@sona7777) April 24, 2020

We salute to all police force🙏🌹🙏

— vijay sinha (@vijayv2) April 24, 2020

Do they really deserve to rest on the roads?

I think that appropriate arrangements should be done for them. They too are human beings.

— archie (@TheArchitGaur) April 24, 2020

We need to well equip our police forces . Great work and salute to our forces

— Amit (@askamitsriv) April 24, 2020

Respect 💙

— esther (@EstherVPJC) April 24, 2020

What do you think about the post?

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The mortality rate in Maharashtra due to coronavirus is 4.24 per cent said the State Health Department on Monday. "With 440 new COVID-19 cases, the total number of cases in Maharashtra has mounted to 8,068. Besides, the total number of deaths has reached 342 after 19 new deaths were reported," said an official statement from the Health Department.

The statement also said, "While India's mortality rate is 3.13%, the mortality rate in Maharashtra due to coronavirus is at 4.24 per cent."

According to the latest update by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of coronavirus cases in the country stands at 27,892, of which 6185 have recovered/migrated and 872 patients have succumbed to the disease.

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A total of 6,869 people have been cured of coronavirus in India so far, taking the recovery rate to 23.3 per cent, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday.

A total of 1,543 new cases of coronavirus have been identified, which take the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 29,435, said Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry,
here on Tuesday.

On Monday, the ministry had put the recovery rate from COVID-19 at 22.17 per cent. Addressing a press conference here, Agarwal said: "With 1,543 new cases, there are 29,435 positive cases in India till now. So far, 6,869 people have recovered including 684 people who recovered yesterday. This takes our recovery rate to 23.3 per cent. This is a progressive increase in the recovery rate."

Agarwal said that in the last 28 days, 17 districts have had no new case. "This means we need to maintain constant vigil," he added.

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The Congress on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spell out a clear exit strategy for Coronavirus lockdown after May 3, saying the nation is waiting for it. Congress chief spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala said the prime minister is expected to lead the nation in crisis like these.

"We once again appeal to the PM to come out with a clear exit strategy for the lockdown, to state the roadmap for economic revival and to deal with the health pandemic post May 3, as also restrict the lockdown only to hotspot zones," he told the media at a press conference through video-conferencing. He said the chief ministers requested the PM to tell the nation what is the exit strategy from the lockdown.

"What is the government's strategy on the health front and the economic front in terms of post lockdown period? What is the roadmap for the future course after May 3? How is the PM going to come out with financial action plan 2 as Sonia Gandhi has demanded and so have many experts, be it for starvation, migrant labourers, or be it for kickstarting the economy or the small and medium enterprises?" the Congress leader said.

The appeal comes a day after Modi met chief ministers of various states through video-conferencing and sought their views, while also spelling out the government's strategy on tackling COVID-19. Most of the chief ministers have demanded extension of the lockdown and urged PM to take a call on the exit strategy, while asking him to have a cautious approach in opening it.

States navigate through Corona crisis

Relaxations in Delhi: The Delhi government has allowed from Tuesday some relaxations in the ongoing lockdown and has approved services of electricians, plumbers and sale of educational books even as it has said no other relief will be given till May 3. In an order issued late on Monday night, the government also allowed the movement of inter-, intra-state and air travel of all healthcare workers and scientists.

More cases in TN: Two city police personnel and a flower vendor at the Koyambedu market on Tuesday tested positive for Coronavirus, officials said. Authorities have taken up disinfection work and testing of those associated with the trio who become the latest COVID-19 patients, taking the total in Tamil Nadu to 1,940, they said. Pay cut stalled: The Kerala high court on Tuesday stayed for two months the operationalisation of the state government order to deduct the salary of government employees for fighting the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas issued the interim order considering a batch of petitions filed by a section of employees and their organisations challenging the government decision. Bengal's bus drivers seek help: A bus operators' association in West Bengal on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a financial package for the passenger transport sector, which has taken a severe hit amid the Coronavirus-triggered lockdown.

'Contactless dining' free for restaurants

Zomato CEO, Deepinder Goyal on Tuesday said that the company has made its 'contactless dining free for all restaurants across India and other global destinations for a period of at least six months. Restaurants in India, the UAE, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Portugal, Philippines, Indonesia, and Lebanon will have to only bear the payment gateway fee and Zomato won't charge any fee from them.

Don't buy veggies from Muslims: MLA in video

Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Barhaj constituency in Deoria district, Suresh Tewari, was on Tuesday seen in a video clip, telling people not to buy vegetables from Muslim vendors. The clip has now been widely shared on social media, triggering a controversy. "I am saying openly don't purchase vegetables from Muslims (ek cheez dhayan mein rakhiyega, main bol raha hoon openly, koi bhi miyan ke hathon sabzi nahi lega)," the MLA can be heard saying in the clip.

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The Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) has suggested commencement of regular and normal working of courts in a phased manner with compliance of social distancing norms and wearing of masks after lifting of COVID-19 lockdown."We believe that physical court hearings, albeit in a phased manner, have to be commenced with meticulous and scrupulous compliance of social distancing norms, wearing of masks, maintaining the highest standards of sanitisation and hygiene etc," the DHCBA said in a statement.

The suggestions by the DHCBA in a letter to the committee headed by senior High Court judge Justice Hima Kohli include:

Courts have to be operational not only to extent of providing "urgent relief" but also to cater to other legal remedies which may be availed by common litigants. Scope of matters that may be listed includes injunctive reliefs, bail applications, suspension of sentence, objections to arbitration awards, execution petitions, writ petitions of all types, criminal appeals etc.

By notification by the court and judicial orders by Supreme Court, limitation periods have ceased to run during lockdown period, to avoid last minutes rush of filings when courts do reopen, ordinary e-filings/online filings of all matters be allowed, though they might not be heard till normalcy is restored. Petition boxes be used to acknowledge filings made therein.

Till normalcy is restored, litigants and interns shall not be permitted to access court/chamber blocks. Restriction may continue on advocates representing a party.

Lawyers, operating from their chambers and offices need access to chambers to prepare their cases, access their files, records, books and infrastructure. Client conference may be permitted after court hours.

Kiosks and shops inside court complexes may be kept closed. However, cafeterias and kitchens catering to chamber blocks may only be permitted to service lawyers by offering 'take away' options.

Only one entry point may be allowed per courtroom building. Entrants may be subjected to thermal temperature scanning. The option of making entrants pass through sanitisation tunnels may also be explored.

Public conveniences must be maintained with the highest level of sanitisation and for using these social distancing norms can be employed. An adequate number of sanitisers may be provided at various points throughout the court buildings.

Both District Legal Services Authority and Mediation Centres require the physical presence of litigants, the same may not be functional till normalcy is restored. As arbitration proceedings can go on without the presence of litigant, arbitration centre may be functional.

The Bar Association also assured the court of its utmost cooperation.

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The current doubling rate for COVID-19 cases has improved to 11 days as against 3.4 days before the lockdown was imposed, while the case fatality has been recorded at 3.2 per cent, the health ministry said. Addressing a press briefing, health ministry Joint Secretary, Lav Agarwal said the doubling rate of COVID-19 cases was found to be between 11-20 days in Delhi, UP, Jammu and Kashmir, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Punjab.

Doubling rate between 20-40 days has been seen in Karnataka, Ladakh, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Kerala, he added. In the last 24 hours, 1,718 new cases of COVID-19 were reported, taking the total number to 33,050 in India, he said.

Agarwal further said that the current case fatality rate is 3.2 per cent for COVID-19 in the country, with 65 per cent of it males and 35 per cent females.

No way to withdraw the lockdown: Tripura CM

Dilip Ghosh, Bengal BJP chief

'I was dumbstruck on hearing the CM say that she was not involved in the formation of the death audit committee. The CM says she even doesn't know who all are in the panel. Then who is running the govt? It must be a ghost. Otherwise, she wouldn't have made such a remark'

Biplab Kumar Deb, Tripura chief minister

'We do not find any way to withdraw the lockdown as it is the only viable means to break the chain of the Coronavirus outbreak. It seems we have to continue with the lockdown andwe have to withdraw some restrictions in a phased manner'

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The central government issued an order further extending the lockdown for two weeks from May 4 due to the surge in Coronavirus cases in the country. In the press statement, the Union Home Minstry also profiled the red, orange and green zones in the country and issued fresh guidelines in terms of public transportation and other services available to the public during the period.

Ever since the announcement was made, people have taken to Twitter and have been expressing their emotions on the issue  with hilarious memes. With #Lockdown3 has been trending on Twitter, netizens are trying to have a comic-relief with their witty posts.

Here are some of the reactions that are sure to tickle your funny bone:

#Lockdown3

Modi ji extends lockdown due to corona virus

Meanwhile my family members to me - pic.twitter.com/zAGpNK1LD3

— THE | Epic Blogger | (@Kush_official_) May 1, 2020

parents after hearing that lockdown extended by 2 weeks.

#Lockdown3 pic.twitter.com/JrCyfPgM6w

— SaarCasm 🇮🇳 (@itzmesarcasm) May 1, 2020

#Lockdown3
Green zone wale people to Red zone wale people : pic.twitter.com/kq5XNRg173

— Hemang Jesani 🇮🇳 (@HemangJesani) May 1, 2020

#Lockdown3

Me thinking about how I can spend next 14 days. pic.twitter.com/i3uwWzCZFv

— Sneha (@Sneha6029) May 1, 2020

#lockdown #Lockdown3 #StayHome
Breaking : Lockdown extended for 2 more weeks ..

Me : pic.twitter.com/f4h5VcmHPH

— 🌈G U M R A H (@Nonveg_ladka13) May 1, 2020

Newly married couple when they get to know #Lockdown3 extended😱
———————————————

He. She. pic.twitter.com/u5BFQL9WB9

— ᴀᴅɴᴀɴ ʀᴀᴢᴀ (@adnan_urf_addu) May 1, 2020

Someone - So how much are you sleeping in this Quarantine ?

Le me - #lockdownhustle #Lockdown3 pic.twitter.com/KtWwKi8zNQ

— THE | Epic Blogger | (@Kush_official_) May 1, 2020

How are you spending your time under lockdown?

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Amritsar: In a mark of gratitude towards corona warriors, Dr Satyajeet and other police officials celebrated the birthday of Civil Lines SHO Shiv Darshan Singh on Friday while he was on duty.

Dr Satyajeet said that since police officers are doing their duties despite challenges amid the coronavirus pandemic, he wanted to give them a small present by cutting a cake on his birthday.

"Cops are working continuously amid the coronavirus pandemic, despite several challenges. So I thought of giving them a small gift by cutting the cake on the birthday of the SHO," said Dr Satyajeet.

The SHO expressed his gratitude towards the doctor for making his birthday memorable. "I am very happy. I will remember this moment in my life because of the way I've been honoured here," said Shiv Darshan Singh.

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Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday said that India's COVID-19 mortality rate of 3.2 per cent is the lowest in the world and over 10,000 coronavirus patients have been discharged from hospitals after recovering from the disease so far.

Today more than 10,000 COVID19 patients have been discharged. Those still admitted at hospitals are on the road to recovery. If in last 14 days doubling rate was 10.5 days, then today it's around 12 days.Our mortality rate of 3.2% is the lowest in the world: Union Health Minister pic.twitter.com/YnQpnJ9IeJ

— ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2020

"Today more than 10,000 COVID-19 patients have been discharged. Those still admitted at hospitals are on the road to recovery. If in last 14 days doubling rate was 10.5 days, then today it is around 12 days," the Minister told ANI after visiting Lady Hardinge Hospital.

"Our mortality rate of 3.2 per cent is the lowest in the world," he said. With 2,644 more COVID-19 cases and 83 deaths in the last 24 hours, the number of people infected from coronavirus in the country has reached 39,980 including 1,301 deaths, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday.

Currently, there are 28,046 active cases while 10,633 COVID-19 positive patients have been cured/discharged.

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Amid the rising number of coronavirus cases in India, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on May 1, issued an order under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 thereby further extending the nationwide lockdown for two weeks. The two week extension will come to an end on May 17.

With the lockdown extended for two more weeks, several people took to social networking sites to share their emotions as India reels under lockdown till May 17. While some took resort to memes others tried their best to tickle the funny bone using the #Lockdown3 amid the COVID-19 crisis across the country.

Here's how netizens reacted to Lockdown 3.0:

Me Entering #Lockdown3 ... pic.twitter.com/5wcYRUSmY5

— Supriya Bhardwaj (@Supriya23bh) May 2, 2020

Twitter user Supriya Bhardwaj said that this is how she would enter Lockdown 3.0 phase.

#Lockdown3 #lockdownindia
* yaar bhagwan ji please or lockdown extend na hone dena *
## lee bhagwan ji ## pic.twitter.com/1AJT4RtsiW

— âÂÂœ¨$h®€eâÂÂœ¨ (@the_silly_panda) May 2, 2020

When Twitter user The Silly Panda asked god to not extend the lockdown anymore.

Everyone : Chalo #Lockdown3 m thori rahat milegi
Govt and police to people in red zone areas : pic.twitter.com/gHZZoF976k

— aur.laundee 🇮🇳 (@aurlaundee) May 3, 2020

When it turns out that Lockdown 3.0 scheme with relaxations is not for people living in containment zones.

#lockdown #Lockdown3 #StayHome
Breaking : Lockdown extended for 2 more weeks ..

Me : pic.twitter.com/f4h5VcmHPH

— ðŸÂŒˆG U M R A H (@Nonveg_ladka13) May 1, 2020

When Twitter user Gumrah expressed that he used to living like this in lockdown.

#Lockdown3

Me thinking about how I can spend next 14 days. pic.twitter.com/i3uwWzCZFv

— Sneha (@Sneha6029) May 1, 2020

Twitter user Sneha shared this funny pictures saying that she is thinking how to spend the next 14 days.

*Lockdown extended*

People:#Lockdown3 pic.twitter.com/DujiShJOfD

— Sumit jadhav (@Ekdum_Jhakaasss) May 1, 2020

Here's how extroverts reacted when they learnt about lockdown being extended for two weeks.

parents after hearing that lockdown extended by 2 weeks.

#Lockdown3 pic.twitter.com/JrCyfPgM6w

— SaarCasm 🇮🇳 (@itzmesarcasm) May 1, 2020

Parents seem to be the most happy about the lockdown being extended.

Newly married couple when they get to know #Lockdown3 extended

He. She. pic.twitter.com/Zargjs8C7x

— Joe Goldberg (@itsmepankajkh) May 1, 2020

When lockdown extension news gives newly married couple something to cheer about.

Did any of these memes describe your Lockdown 3.0 feeling?

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With 1,074 COVID-19 patients getting cured in the last 24 hours, India's recovery rate has further moved to 27.52 per cent, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday. Talking to media persons here, Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said: "A total of 1,074 people have been cured in the last 24 hours. This is the highest number of cured patient in a day. 11,706 people have been cured till to date. The recovery rate is 27.52 percent."

Till now, 11,706 people have been cured. In the last 24 hours, 1074 people have been cured.This is the highest number in terms of cured patients noted till date. Our recovery rate is now 27.52%. Total number of COVID19 cases is now 42533: Lav Agrawal, Joint Secy, Health Ministry pic.twitter.com/cyf6HDy5VK

— ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2020

On April 30, 630 COVID-19 patients had recovered in the 24 hours, taking the recovery rate to 25.19 per cent in the country which was 23.3 per cent on April 28.

According to the official data, India has registered 2,553 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, which have surged the total number to 44,532.

"A total of 2,553 cases have been increased in the last 24 hours which led the total number of cases to 44,532," Agarwal said.

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After sharing an interactive doodle featuring the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy and honouring celebrated pharmacist and researcher Wilbur Scoville, Google on Thursday shared a throwback game from 2017 thereby urging people to play musical games at home amid lockdown.

It’s day 9 of our throwback #GoogleDoodle series...

Today, boogie down with legendary beats & take our 2017 Doodle game celebrating the birth of Hip Hop for a spin! 🎚ï¸ÂðŸŽ¶#GoogleDoodle → https://t.co/sM4kky8Opq pic.twitter.com/Dct0hGa1ON

— Google Doodles (@GoogleDoodles) May 7, 2020

The latest doodle animation is part of Google's series that the giant search engine launched last week urging people to stay home and play games amid the COVID-19 crisis. A treat for music and especially hip hop fans, the 2017 game lets users mix music samples from legendary tracks on their interactive turntables.

While sharing the animated doodle with their followers on Twitter, Googel Doodle tweeted, "Today, boogie down with legendary beats & take our 2017 Doodle game celebrating the birth of Hip Hop for a spin!"

In order to play the game, one has to mix the beats with the help of the crossfader which can be operated with the help of the mouse. Once clicked on the animation, google plays a short animated film showcasing the history of Hip Hop music featuring the voiceover of Hip Hop icon Fab 5 Freddy.

A screengrab of the Hip Hop musicla game

Google also narrates the story of Jamaican-American DJ Kool Herc, who played an instrumental role in the birth of Hip Hop music. Since the last one week, Google has been sharing throwback pictures including Halloween, Loteria, Scoville and Fischinger among others. When one hovers over the final doodle, it shows the message, "Stay and play at home with popular past Google Doodles: Hip Hop (2017).

While launching the interactive series last week, Google said, "As Covid-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people and families everywhere are spending more time at home. In light of this, we're launching a throwback doodle series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games!"

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India's fatality rate of COVID-19 patients is 3.3 per cent and recovery rate 28.83 per cent but the number of cases rose by a steep 3561 taking the total count beyond the 50,000 mark to 52,952. Of the total number of cases, 35,902 are active cases, 15,266 cured or discharged and 1,783 persons have died. While 3561 new confirmed cases have been added since yesterday, 1084 patients have been cured.

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday held a meeting today with Health Ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, and senior officials from both Centre and the states to review the situation, actions being taken and preparedness for management of COVID-19.

He said that as on May 7, a total of 52,952 cases have been reported from the country. He noted that in comparison to other countries, India is in a better condition as the fatality rate is 3.3 per cent and recovery rate is 28.83 per cent.

The minister said that 4.8 per cent patients in ICU, 1.1 per cent on ventilators and 3.3 per cent on oxygen support of the active cases. The testing capacity has increased in the country and it is 95,000 tests per day. Cumulatively, 13,57,442 tests have been done so far for COVID 19. There are 180 districts with no new cases in less than 7 days, 180 districts with no new cases in 7-13 days, 164 districts which have not had any new case in 14- 20 days and 136 districts with no new cases since the last 21-28 days.

In view of the increase in the number of migrant labour expected to reach their native states in the days to come, Harsh Vardhan noted that robust strategy and mechanism need to be drawn up for their testing, quarantine, and treatment of the positive cases.

States were also informed that helpline number 104 in addition to 1075 can be used for grievance redress for non-COVID essential services. They were advised to take adequate measures for prevention of vector diseases. AIIMS-Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria said that as per the modeling data and the way India's COVID-19 cases are increasing, it is likely that peak can come in June and July. Maharashtra continues to have the highest number of cases in the country at 16,758 followed by Gujarat (6,625) and Delhi (5,532)

No new case of COVID-19 has been reported in Kerala on Thursday and the total number of active cases stands at 25. The Union Health Minister and Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik jointly launched clinical research studies on Ayurveda interventions as an add-on to standard care to COVID 19 situation and AyushSanjivani application.

Vice President and Chairman Rajya Sabha M. Venkaiah Naidu held a meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and discussed the situation regarding COVID19 disease in the country and role being played by members of Parliament. Naidu and Birla also discussed the issue of feasibility of various committees of Parliament holding their meetings at the earliest in the prevailing situation. They felt that if the situation does not allow regular conventional meetings of the committees in the near future, alternative means of enabling such meetings may be explored.

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Pune: In a bid to limit the movement of people in containment zones, the civic body in Maharashtra's Pune city will distribute ration kits to 70,000 families in the hotspot areas from Friday onwards, an official said.

As of Thursday, the Pune Municipal Corporation has over 2,140 COVID-19 cases, of which 1,600 were reported from Bhavani Peth, Dhole Patil Road, Kasba-Vishrambaug, parts of Shivajinagar and Yerwada areas.

"We want people in the containment zones to stay indoors and not venture out even to buy essentials. We will distribute 1 lakh ration kits to 70,000 families in these areas," municipal commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad said.

These kits will contain five kg of flour, three kg of rice, pulses, oil and other essential items that can last up to 15 days, he said. "Community workers and civic employees will distribute these kits from Friday onwards," he added.

Apart from ration kits, the PMC also plans to provide sanitisers and one lakh masks to residents of containment zones.

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

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

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

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

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

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

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American actor Chris Pratt poked fun at his brother-in-law, Patrick Schwarzenegger over the latter's Instagram post caption.

Schwarzenegger, brother of Pratt's wife Katherine, shared a photo on Instagram of himself and his girlfriend, Abby Champion, to celebrate Easter on Sunday, showing the two cuddled up to each other, smiling and holding up a bunny-shaped cake."

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

HAPPY EASTER!! 🐣🐰🐇 THIS CAKE TOOK US 6 HOURS!! We burnt 1 cake, 1 was filled too high & dripped everywhere & destroyed the oven... We also got in 2 arguments during It!! And yeah.... Was SO FUN!

A post shared by Patrick Schwarzenegger (@patrickschwarzenegger) onApr 12, 2020 at 1:41pm PDT

Schwarzenegger's caption read, "HAPPY EASTER!! THIS CAKE TOOK US 6 HOURS. We burnt 1 cake, 1 was filled too high & dripped everywhere & destroyed the oven... We also got in 2 arguments during It!! And yeah... Was SO FUN!"

Pratt chimed in with a silly comment indicating that he took the photo, and furthermore, wanted credit for doing so.

He wrote, "That is an extraordinary picture. Who was your photographer? Clearly somebody with an amazing eye. Remarkable composition."

The 26-year-old star responded, writing, "u did well sir," adding a camera emoji.

Chris and Katherine got married in the summer of 2019 after the actor split from ex-wife and actor Anna Faris.

A source told Us Weekly last month that Pratt is feeling very confident in his relationship these days.

The source said that Chris was very insecure about himself before he started dating Katherine. He never felt 'good enough' for Anna Faris, and then when their relationship started to go downward, "he was angry and not liking who he was."

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Actor Chris Pratt and his wife Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt are expecting their first baby together. The two had exchanged vows on June 8 last year and now they are gearing up for the next chapter in their lives, sources told people.com.

The baby on the way will be Katherine's first child while Pratt already has a son Jack, whom the actor shares with ex-wife Anna Faris.

This comes after Katherine, who is currently on a virtual book tour for her bestseller, The Gift Of Forgiveness, was spotted out walking her dog with her mother, Maria Shriver on Friday, sporting what looked to be a baby bump, reports dailymail.co.uk.

For the day outing, she chose a baggy, beige striped low-cut jumper, which looked to be a piece of maternity clothing.

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English singer-songwriter Jessie J remembered her ex-boyfriend Channing Tatum on his 40th birthday on Sunday, telling him he's "truly one of a kind."

The 32-year-old singer took to Instagram and shared a throwback picture featuring the 'Magic Mike' actor standing in clear blue ocean water. She captioned a throwback photo on her Instagram Stories, "Happy 40th Birthday to this special man right here. You are truly one of a kind. I am so grateful you were born, and even more grateful we met."

Jessie also shared another black-and-white photo of the '22 Jump Street' star in motorcycle gear as he holds a helmet. And posted a video of Tatum taking a leap into the water. "Keep living your BEST life!" the 'Nobody's Perfect' singer wrote.

These sweet messages came by the songstress in less than a month after the pair called it quits on their on-again relationship. Jessie and Tatum had reconciled in January after splitting a month earlier.

At the time, an insider to the outlet told that the couple had worked hard to re-establish their relationship but realised that they were better off as friends.

In October 2018, the outlet broke that the 'Step Up' star and the 'Nobody's perfect' singer had been quietly dating for a couple of months.

The pair connected shortly after Tatum and Jenna Dewan announced their separation in April 2018 after nine years of marriage. The exes, whose divorce was finalised earlier this year, share daughter 6-year-old daughter Everly (Dewan has since moved on with Broadway star Steve Kazee. They got engaged in February 2020 and welcomed son Callum the following month.)

Jessie and Tatum were supportive of each other throughout their relationship, with the actor attending several of her concerts, while she cheered him on at the opening night of his 'Magic Mike' show in London in November 2018.

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Socialist and labour unions celebrate this day by organising programs to improve wages and working conditions of the workforce. With a Lockdown imposed by the governments of the various nations, this year, we celebrate those on the frontlines of this major epidemic and appreciate the work done by them. So aid to our battle against the virus by staying at home and doing your bit and while you do that, here are moments from these amazing shows that make us appreciate these workers even more:

Amy catching a criminal in a wedding dress (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

There is one thing certain about the Nine-Nine squad and that is their passion to solve the crime and catch the criminals no matter what. Whether they are sleep deprived, facing a personal crisis or in this case, shopping for their wedding dress during their break, nothing will stop them from doing their duty. In season 5, when Amy is out shopping for her wedding dress with Rosa, a criminal is fleeing a crime right around the shop. Amy makes a dive and caught the culprit while still in the Wedding dress. Pretty Badass if you ask us! Watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 7 exclusively on Comedy Central on Saturdays at 7 pm.

When the Cloud 9 employees are stuck in the store during a Blizzard (Superstore)

Matching the circumstances of the recent pandemic when people began hoarding home supplies, St. Louis has a massive blizzard barreling towards it. The residents wish to stock up on their supplies to avoid getting trapped in their homes without any food and rush to Cloud 9 which is forced to stay open by the corporate. Trapping the employees and a few customers in, they have to spend the night in the superstore are the blizzard rages on outside. Watch the essential workers on Comedy Central, 11 am onwards, on 1st May to celebrate Labor Day!

Special Episode on New Amsterdam for Covid-19

The crew of New Amsterdam came up with a special episode showcasing a pandemic and introducing a new character who is also a trauma expert. Keeping in mind that the episode might hit too close for those on the front lines, the crew decided to edit the episode and only hint at the pandemic. However, there is no denying the appreciative work done by the health experts and the hospital staff amidst the chaos. Watch all the episodes of this medical drama only on Colors Infinity to celebrate Labour Day Weekend (1st – 3rd May) from 9 am onwards.

When the doctors come together to treat the patients during a Blizzard (Grey's Anatomy)

In a remarkable episode, Meredith and Carina question DeLuca's uncharacteristic behaviour when he volunteers to perform a life-threatening task during a blizzard. While the others focus on the Blizzard, Bailey tries to help Joey with his future and Richard tries training a new intern at the hospital. We must appreciate everything the doctors do for us and go through during such tough times. Catch all the episode of Grey's Anatomy on Disney+ Hotstar.

When an old Women's life is at Risk (Chicago Fire)

We often do not give enough credit to the Fire Department but the teams always put extra effort into saving everyone's life. In this particular episode, Cruz and Severide suspect foul play when a fire started by an elderly woman turns deadly. Kidd, Foster and Brett create a women's-only lounge. The Fire Department is truly one of the bravest of the lot and ensures they save lives even if it puts them in danger. Watch the thrilling show only on Colors Infinity.

So, don't forget to tune in to these shows this Labor Day Weekend and stay safe inside your homes as we appreciate everyone on the frontlines of the pandemic.

Laughter is the best medicine and what more do you need to get through these tough times than some amazing sitcoms? Even though the world is in turmoil, nothing should stop you from spreading some much-needed light and laughter. So, this World Laughter Day, huddle in front of your TV sets with your loved ones and binge on these shows that will make you burst into laughter!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

The Detectives in NYPD's 99th Precinct are the most entertaining lot you'll come across. With quirky tactics and brilliant detective skills, they are all so different and yet work so seamlessly together. You must watch the show for some hilarious moments that will surely make you roll on the floor laughing. Catch all the drama on this surprisingly functional precinct on Comedy Central on Saturdays at 7 pm.

Two and a Half Men

There is nothing more entertaining than two brothers who are stark opposites with one's son who has a different personality of his own. Charlie Harper is the epitome of cool while his brother Alan is somewhat socially awkward. Add to this Alan's son, Jake, who takes inspiration on life from both his dad and his uncle and you've got yourself 12 seasons of uninterrupted laughter. Tune in to Colors Infinity every day at 7 pm and witness the madness unfold.

Modern Family

When Modern Family first premiered on our screens, we could never have guessed it would turn into the juggernaut it is today. Centring around the lives of one extended family with three branches of immediate families, the show is one of the funniest and most relatable. Overcoming multiple challenges and addressing social diversity, the show has managed to change the way we look at families. Catch this unique family in its element only on Disney+ Hotstar.

FRIENDS

Let's not forget the classics. There is a strong possibility that you have watched this show countless times, yet whenever you watch it again, you realise how much you missed it. You must watch Chandler cracking sarcastic jokes when he is uncomfortable and Phobe being her quirky self while the rest of the gang continue to make you laugh. Watch the six Friends on COMEDY CENTRAL and amp up your Sunday.

The Marvelous Mrs Maisel

A clutter-breaking show, Midge Maisel is a brilliant comedienne trying to rise to stardom while she deals with her marriage and it's falling out. If you appreciate stand-up comedy yet like the twist of an extended back story, this is the show for you. Set in the late 1950s, the show portrays the life of a young American couple and their struggle to do comedy. Watch this brilliant show on Amazon Prime Video.

What are you waiting for? Celebrate World Laughter Day with these amazing shows and laugh your way into the new week.

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May the Fourth Be with You! Every year, the 4th of May is celebrated as Star Wars Day as a take on the pun around the catchphrase "May the force be with you". If you've ever watched The Big Bang Theory, you'd know that Sheldon, Lenard, Raj and Howard are some of the biggest Star Wars Fans and everything related to Star Wars gets them super excited.

Throughout the series, the four of them have constantly paid homage to Star Wars through catchphrase dialogues and special episodes. It's always more fun to celebrate something when you celebrate it with other fans especially loyal ones like our four physicists.

Here are 5 times 'The Big Bang Theory' paid homage to Star Wars that you must watch this Star Wars Day:

The Star Wars Gaming Marathon:

"Movies or Video Games? Or Board Games? Or trade-card games? Or Legos? Or dress-up? Or comic books? Or dramatic readings of novelizations? Yes, to All!" That's how excited Sheldon is in the episode "The Weekend Vortex" when he hears his friends want to have a 'Star Wars Marathon'. Showing their passion for Star Wars and the excitement for anything remotely related to it, the show intrigued all the fans of the series.

What to watch out for: Raj's diet plan when in a 48-hour lockdown

Force Awakens Audition

The episode features a special case scenario when Penny couldn't get her BIG Break and Lenard goes an extra mile to get her an ultimate Star Wars movie, which has him excited but makes Penny a little hesitant. Creating a joke around how Howard too applied for the role online, Lenard tries to make Penny feel better.

What to watch out for Howard's audition tape or more like embarrassment tape

James Earl Jones guest stars:

The episode features a special appearance by Mr. James Earl Jones who played the voice of the Darth Vader in Star Wars movies. Sheldon meets Mr. Earl Jones in a restaurant where he takes a liking to Sheldon and the two ends up embarking on a jam-packed night filled with ice cream, karaoke, and even a strip club. Don't we wish the same!

What to watch out for: Sheldon's wild ride on the giant wheel with James Earl Jones aka Mufasa

The opening night of the Star Wars movie, The Force Awakens:

With a special episode for the release of the new Star Wars movie, The Force Awakens, the show takes an important twist in the romantic life of Amy and Sheldon. Simultaneously, Lenard, Raj and Howard have an extra ticket to the opening night of one of the biggest sequels in pop culture history. The excitement and the loyalty for the movie is something that will want you to join in the fun too!

What to watch out for: Sheldon's birthday present for Amy

Leonard and Sheldon drop by Skywalker Ranch to meet George Lucas:

Lenard and Sheldon are on their way to give a lecture at UC Berkeley and decide to make a pit spot in Star Wars director George Lucas' headquarters. Upon arrival, the security guard won't let them in – but, because only Star Wars can throw Sheldon into an illogical frenzy, that doesn't stop him from attempting to run in. The sheer determination with which they want to meet George Lucas will win your hearts.

What to watch out for: Penny vs Amy vs Raj in Ping-Pong competition for Howard's collector's 'Doctor Who Tardis'

That's not all Folks! Watch "The Proton Transmogrification" where Sheldon has an in-dream counselling session with Arthur Jeffries (Bob Newhart) aka Prof. Proton. Also, do not miss out on "The Bow Tie Asymmetry" where Amy's dream wedding becomes Sheldon's dream wedding when Mark Hamill aka Luke Skywalker officiates their wedding.

Tune in to Comedy Central on the 4th of May from 4 pm to 7 pm to watch 7 back to back episodes of The Big Bang Theory and Celebrate Star Wars Day with your favourite Geniuses.

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Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe on Tuesday took a look back at the movie 'Gladiator' which was released twenty years ago today. The widely lauded movie was released in the US on May 5, 2000, whereas in India the flick hit the theatres on September 1, 2000.

Today we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the US release of Gladiator. Congrats to Russell Crowe and the entire cast and crew. We can't wait to bring Russell back to the big screen later this year in @UnhingedMovie #WeLoveMovies #SolsticeStudios #UnhingedMovie pic.twitter.com/n5THGq4e9u

— Solstice Studios (@SolsticeStudios) May 5, 2020

The 56-year-old actor took to Twitter and wrote: "20 years ago today Gladiator was released in cinemas in the United States ... Strength and Honour ..."

Helmed by director Ridley Scott, the action drama won the Best Picture and Best Actor award at the Oscars and went on to make USD 460 million at the box office worldwide. 'Gladiator', which released in 2000, featured Russell Crowe as Maximus, a General in the Roman army, who is betrayed by the Emperor and left for dead while his family is brutally murdered.

He is eventually forced to become a gladiator after being captured by slave traders, who lead him back to Rome to fight as a gladiator while he plots his revenge against the Emperor who betrayed him. Crowe has proved his calibre as an actor in movies like 'The Insider, and 'A Beautiful Mind', but the portrayal of Maximus remains one of his finest performances.

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Over petty issues of attending lectures and mass bunking, Pune-based college students got into a fight, which degenerated into a Marathi and non-Marathi issue. On Friday, a 20-year-old engineering student, Anurag Deepchand Kumar, who hails from Bihar, was asked not to attend a lecture by another local student at Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Engineering.

According to senior inspector Vishnu Pawar, "The boy threatened Anurag not to attend the lecture as non-attendance by the whole class would lead to no class." After the initial altercation, Kumar was allegedly beaten up by a gang of five on Saturday within the college premises. Kumar approached the Bharati Vidhyapeeth police station and registered a criminal case. The police have booked a case of assault. After the attack, Kumar was rushed to Bharati Hospital & Research Centre, where he was treated for injuries on his head, hand, leg and toes.

While police claim it was a petty fight and had no connection to any regional bias, students, especially from North India, tell a different story. A friend of Kumar's, on condition of anonymity, said, "The fight was petty, but the local student raised the issue of Maharashtrian and non-Maharashtrians. This is not just about one incident. As North Indians, we face this bias on a day-to-day basis, as few local students abuse us regularly."

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The six-year-old boy who fell into a 200-feet-deep borewell near Manchar tehsil in Pune was safely rescued on Thursday after a 16-hour operation.

The boy, identified as Ravi Pandit Bill, was stuck at a depth of 10 feet in the borewell, informed SHO Ambegaon Police station.

The boy fell into the borewell around 5 pm on Wednesday in Thandale village of Pune.

Ravi, son of a labourer working on road constructions, fell into the borewell while playing.

The work of road construction was underway in the area and Ravi's family was deployed at the site.

Soon after receiving the report of the incident, the National Disaster Response Force team (NDRF) and police were pressed into action to rescue the trapped boy.

The operation was very critical and required constant meticulous planning to avoid any injury to the child.

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A 48-year-old dentist from Satara was killed in an accident, when he rammed into a truck, while cycling on the Pune-Satara highway on Saturday. The deceased, identified as Sandeep Shivram Lele, was a well-known runner, cyclist and swimmer.

According to Tejaswini Satpute, superintendent of police, Satara, the incident took place on Saturday morning, when Lele was cycling on the highway. "During our initial investigations, we were told that he was hit by a moving truck," she said. However, eyewitnesses claimed that he rammed into a stationary vehicle. Satpute added, "We are still investigating the incident, and a case will be registered after that."

Also Read: Pune: 32-year-old cyclist on way to rally killed in car mishap

Lele sustained injuries to his neck and was rushed to Yashwant Hospital in Satara, but was declared dead on arrival. He is survived by his wife, Dr Namita Lele, a gynaecologist, and 15-year-old son, Parth.

News of his untimely death has shocked the running community in Maharashtra. Lele was the founder of the Satara Hill Half Marathon and ambassador for H2O Run-Half Marathon. He also competed in several marathons, including the Comrades' Marathon-South Africa 2014, Gold Coast Marathon and Zurich Marathon.

Nikhil Shah, a friend and co-runner, said, "I have known Sandeep since 2013. He was very passionate about cycling and running, and would spend a good part of his weekend on the road." Dr Sandeep Kate, who co-founded the Satara Hill Half Marathon, said that Lele had been preparing for the Ironman Triathlon. "On Saturday, too, he was training along with his friend, when the incident took place. He was an inspiration, and his death is a huge loss for us."

Cyclist dies of heart attack in Pune

In a separate incident, a Pune-based cyclist and trekker Yashodhan Natekar, 35, died of a heart attack at Sinhagad fort on Saturday morning. Natekar had travelled to the fort on his bicycle, and was climbing up the fort, when he collapsed. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he was declared dead.

Also Read: Mumbai crime branch solve three-year old murder case

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Shamli (Uttar Pradesh): A 23-year-old married woman was allegedly raped by a ration dealer who promised her free ration as per government orders.

According to reports, the woman had approached the local shopkeeper for her quota of government ration when her savings dried up but he refused to give her ration. The woman's husband is stuck in Punjab, so she went to get free ration from the ration dealer. After waiting for several hours, she was asked to go away.

"On Tuesday evening, the accused, Vinod, came to my house and instead of giving me the ration, he raped me," the woman told the police.

Superintendent of police (SP) of Shamli, Vineet Jaiswal, said, "On the basis of complaint filed by the victim, police have booked Vinod under section 376 of IPC for the rape. He has been arrested and sent to jail."

The victim's landlord, meanwhile, said, "For the last three weeks, we were giving her the food as her husband was away and she had no money left. But, a few days ago, we expressed helplessness due our own condition," the landlord.

The woman's husband, a manual laborer, went to Punjab to collect his wages of the work he did a few months ago but he got stranded there after the announcement of countrywide lockdown.

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Actor Dwayne Johnson just made his teacher's dream come true! The actor sent out a congratulatory message to Carol Propst, an English teacher at Virginia High School, who was retiring after working for 39 years as a teacher. One of her colleagues reached out to Johnson on Twitter and the actor obliged with a video message.

"Today I received the ultimate retirement send-off: a personalized message from Dwayne @TheRock Johnson! Thanks to all my beloved students and colleagues. BVPS, YOU ROCK! #propstrocks," Propst shared on Twitter.

So it happened. I’ll tell the story in a series of tweets but @TheRock reached out to us to surprise @PropstMiss. @news5wcyb videoed it and will run a segment about it tonight at 10. THANK YOU to Dwayne Johnson! Thank you to @garyskeen01 for his major role in this. #propstrocks https://t.co/aVojzFIUcg pic.twitter.com/o4nhmHc4bc

— Noah Ashbrook (@Mr_Ashbrook) May 6, 2020

Dwayne was heard saying, "Hey Carole, Dwayne Johnson here. I wanted to take a moment to say congratulations. Congratulations, Carole, for your retirement from Virginia High School after 39 amazing, incredible years. Wow!"

"Carol. Congratulations! I am so happy for you, and I am so proud of you. And, being that this is teacher appreciation week, on behalf of all parents, Carole I say thank you. Thank you and thank all of your fellow teachers for your wisdom, for your love, for your care, for your discipline — which I needed a lot if you were my teacher. But thank you so much for educating and for caring for our kids," he said.

Day 71. So do I now send our 70 days of thank you tweets to @TheRock? To understand the whole story you first need to see his video he sent to @PropstMiss. I’m editing her reaction video and will post it soon. pic.twitter.com/Sqcin0cOUM

— Noah Ashbrook (@Mr_Ashbrook) May 6, 2020

Dwayne Johnson also sent a gift package to her which included a tequila brand as he said that they would share it one day together.

Seeing her reaction, he responded on Twitter by saying, "Awww I love seeing this. Her reaction is just beautiful. Things like this are the best part of fame."

I‘ll ride with you, Carol ????????????❤️ https://t.co/tevJCWmcAY

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) May 7, 2020

ALSO READ: Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt to reunite for movie adaptation of Ball and Chain

A huge collaboration has dropped. Singers Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande have teamed up for their first-ever collaboration 'Stuck With U' which is for Covid-19 relief. After years of wait, the two singers have come together for a very special cause.

The lyrics goes, "So, lock the door and throw out the key / Can't fight this no more, It's just you and me / And there's nothin' I, nothin' I, I can do / I'm stuck with you, stuck with you, stuck with you."

“Grateful to announce that my friend and i have partnered with @1strcf and @sb_projects on this release. proceeds from the streams and sales of #stuckwithu will be donated to first responders children’s foundation to fund grants and scholarships for children of healthcare workers, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, police officers and firefighters serving at the front lines during the global pandemic,” Ariana said on her Instagram.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Stuck With U by me and @justinbieber. May 8. ???? grateful to announce that my friend and i have partnered with @1strcf and @sb_projects on this release. proceeds from the streams and sales of #stuckwithu will be donated to first responders children’s foundation to fund grants and scholarships for children of healthcare workers, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, police officers and firefighters serving at the front lines during the global pandemic ???? pre-save now and check back later today for more. ???????????? artwork by one of my favorite artists @lianafinck

A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on May 1, 2020 at 10:00am PDT

Justin Bieber said in a statement to Just Jared, “More than ever we are seeing the selfless, tireless and amazing work that doctors, nurses, and healthcare providers give to the world every day. It is our hope we can lend our voices to raise awareness and give much-needed support for them and their families. It’s my honor to come together with my friend Ariana and our SB Projects family to try and do some good.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

2 babies all grown up finally collaborate! Excited for tonight @arianagrande

A post shared by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) on May 7, 2020 at 5:17pm PDT

Check it out:

ALSO READ: When BTS member Jungkook attended Ariana Grande’s concert during Sweetener tour, watch videos

With the entire nation coming to a standstill by the pandemic, there are professionals whose livelihood has been dearly affected. In a distressing situation like this, Hrithik Roshan has stepped forward again to help duty officers who are working non-stop. The actor delivered hand sanitizers to the Mumbai Police.

Mumbai Police, on Thursday, tweeted, “Thank you @iHrithik for this thoughtful gesture of delivering hand sanitisers for Mumbai Police personnel on duty. We are grateful for your contribution towards safeguarding the health and safety of our frontline warriors. #MumbaiPoliceFoundation.”

Hrithik expressed his gratitude towards the officials. “My gratitude to our police forces, who have taken our safety in their hands. Stay safe. My love & respect to all in the line of duty,” he on Friday morning.

My gratitude to our police forces, who have taken our safety in their hands. Stay safe. My love & respect to all in the line of duty ???????? https://t.co/aaE75HAjG0

— Hrithik Roshan (@iHrithik) May 8, 2020

Earlier, Hrithik Roshan extended support by arranging for N95 and FFP3 masks for the BMC workers and caretakers and also facilitated over 1.2 lakh nutritious cooked meals for the needy. He has also financially supported the paparazzi of Bollywood who are facing the brunt of the lockdown.

ALSO READ: Hrithik Roshan, Anushka Sharma, Varun Dhawan and other Bollywood celebrities react to Vizag Gas leak

Bollywood actors Pulkit Samrat and Kriti Kharbanda have been dating each other for quite some time now. However, they made their relationship public only during the promotions of their film Pagalpanti last year. During the lockdown period, the two have been living together and getting to know each other better. In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Kriti talks about Pulkit and his qualities that make her feel proud to be his girlfriend. 

Talking about living together during the lockdown, Kriti said, “It is so lovely. I have seen both of us grow through this quarantine. We have caught up on a lot of television, a lot of series we missed out on. We have been cooking, we have been working on ourselves. I think we have been working on how to make ourselves better humans. Suddenly the reality of life has stricken us and we are both extremely emotional people. I think that is the only flaw that both of us have that we are extremely emotional.”

“I have learnt a lot about him this quarantine and I can tell that and not just saying because he is my boyfriend but I have immense respect for him and it comes from my heart and my mind and I have never met a more caring and giving person. This is an opinion that can never change because you cannot pretend these things. I have seen him over the years even when I have worked with him, even when we were just friends even after we started dating. He is a lovely human being and is really caring about the people around him,” she added. 

Talking about the change in Pulkit’s personality over the years, “I think acceptance is the key. I think it is only easy to change if you accept that there are certain places you need to work on yourselves and you're willing to make that difference to yourself. So I think self-love is very very important where you give yourself the benefit of doubt and you say, ‘You know what, I can do better than that’. So, I think that is something he has realised and I am very very proud that I am his girlfriend.” 

ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Pulkit Samrat and Kriti Kharbanda are living together amid lockdown, the actor reveals whether marriage is on the cards

An EU-funded knowledge-sharing project has made cutting-edge non-invasive prenatal testing techniques available to couples undergoing IVF in Estonia, boosting chances of pregnancy for those struggling with infertility there.

An EU-funded project is developing software designed to prevent, detect and act on cyberattacks on smart meters in big infrastructure installations, boosting the security of our power supplies.

EU-funded researchers have developed innovative genetic reprogramming techniques to replace and repair brain cells, opening up novel therapeutic pathways to combat debilitating disorders such as Parkinson's and Huntington's disease.

Former FC Barcelona captain Xavi Hernandez admits that one day he would like to return to coach the Catalan giants. Xavi is currently in charge of Qatari club Al-Sadd and in January rejected the chance to replace the sacked Ernesto Valverde at the club. However, in an interview on YouTube, he admitted that his ambition is to coach in the Camp Nou, Xinhua news reports."

"Now I have tried as a coach, I think I'm able to do it and it is a dream to be able to return to Barcelona." "I have said it many times, that I consider Barcelona to be my home and my life," he said.

"I am learning a lot here in Qatar and although saying I want to coach Barca is a big statement and you have to be properly prepared in order to do so, it is a process and I hope one day to get there," commented Xavi, who added that for the moment he was content living in Qatar.

Earlier, six FC Barcelona board members stepped down and told president Josep Maria Bartomeu they are not pleased at how the club is being managed.

According to a BBC report, the six board members expressed their concern over the financial implications in a joint letter amid the coronavirus crisis.

"We have arrived at this point because we cannot reverse the way the club is managed in the face of important challenges in the future, especially in the post-pandemic era," the six said in their letter as quoted by BBC.

"We also want to show our displeasure over the unfortunate episode about the social media accounts, known as 'Barcagate', which we learned about through the press.

"As our last act of service to the club, we recommend that elections are called as soon as circumstances permit so that the club can be managed in the best way possible and deal with the important challenges of the immediate future."

In response to the resignations, Barca said they have come about "due to a reorganisation of the board put forward by Bartomeu and which will be completed in the next few days".

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England footballer Dele Alli turned 24 recently and celebrated despite being in isolation due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The Tottenham star posted pictures of his April 11 birthday celebration on social media where he played games like Twister and Pin the tail of the donkey. "Turning 24 in isolation wasn't so bad," Dele captioned his Instagrammed pictures. Dele loves his Playstation and so it was no surprise to see his cake in the shape of a PS controller.

Dele was even seeing enjoying a barbecue lunch in his garden, wearing a cute, silver conical cap and shades. His 7.1 million Instagram followers enjoyed his posts, giving him over five lakh 'likes'.

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Unnerving movements for debt mutual funds investors!

Just last week my colleague, Divya explained the fiasco at Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund, which took a decision to abruptly wind down six debt mutual fund schemes, namely:

• Franklin India Low Duration Fund
• Franklin India Dynamic Accrual Fund
• Franklin India Credit Risk Fund
• Franklin India Short Term Income Plan
• Franklin India Ultra Short Bond Fund
• Franklin India Income Opportunities Fund

In all, the above debt mutual fund schemes had an AUM of Rs 30,854 crore as of March 31, 2020.

The fund house cited, "severe market dislocation and illiquidity in the fixed income space" caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the reason behind the decision.

Investors in these schemes are now left in the lurch: they cannot sell (nor buy) these funds and will have to rely on the fund house to get back their hard-earned money. Investors will have to hold their investments in these schemes until liquidity is available to the mutual fund house by either selling securities in the fund's portfolio or receiving maturity proceeds.

Currently, a fact is, not just Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund, but debt mutual fund schemes of many other fund houses are have a remarkable exposure to stressed assets.

According to portfolios disclosed on March 31, 2020, mutual funds collectively held Rs 1.38 trillion of exposure to debt securities issued by Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs). Approximately Rs 51,000 crore of the exposure in debt securities has a maturity profile of less than 3 months; and now, mutual funds fear that there will be defaults.

NBFCs and other corporate borrowers claim that they do not have enough liquidity to fulfil their obligations and have requested for additional time. Given that, rating downgrades from rating agencies look likely.

However, some companies are playing smart: they are approaching the Courts to prevent a rating downgrade, plus seeking a stay on sale of pledged shares. Of course, they are well within their right to approach the judicial authority or Courts and contest.

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But the capital market regulator, seems to be in no mood in offering them any leeway. On the contrary, the regulator is asking the mutual fund industry to act against the issuer of securities who are possibly carrying high credit risk; facing asset quality problems.

Delays in repayments would mean the creation of more side-pockets by mutual funds. And in my view, more the losses investors suffer, more frustrating it will be for mutual fund houses and their investors. Eventually retail and High Net-worth Individuals, particularly, will lose confidence and may not be keen to invest in debt funds.

If you are wondering what has gone wrong, here's everything you may like to know about liquidity, credit risk and the exposure of mutual funds to corporate debt in the present scenario.

If you remember, the capital market regulator had mandated large corporations to source at least 25% of their borrowings from the bond markets from the beginning of FY 2019. This move was expected to deepen Indian bond markets and reduces the stress on banks. Just a year later, the same move is proving fatal for companies that went to the bond markets to raise money.

Now that the COVID-19 lockdown has forced many business units to shut off temporarily or operate much below their optimal operational capacity with a skeletal staff, companies, including the large organisations that relied heavily on debt markets, are finding it difficult to honour maturity claims on Commercial Papers (CPs), Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs), and Bonds.

They were hoping for an 'at-par treatment' with Banks when the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) offered a moratorium period to borrowers. But the RBI circular came to them as a shocker. The devil was in the details.

On March 27, 2020, the RBI issued a notification allowing a three-month moratorium on all outstanding term loans and working capital facilities on account of disruptions caused by the outbreak of coronavirus. This circular did not cover around 10 thousand NBFCs, who mainly depend on CPs, NCDs, and Bonds for their funding requirements.

As far as NBFCs are concerned, the RBI has already provided them with a liquidity facility through the banking channel. The RBI directed banks to utilise funds infused under Targeted Long Term Repo Operations (TLTRO) facility to invest in 'investment-grade' CPs, NCDs, and Bonds issued by NBFCs. Also, RBI mandated banks to allocate 50% of Rs 50,000 crore of liquidity introduced by way of TLTRO 2.0 to small and mid-size NBFCs and small finance banks.

But NBFCs seemed not too happy with just liquidity and many of them are now approaching courts to prevent rating downgrades. This is not a best practice for the industry, although fund houses may be well within their rights to contest.

Recently, Indiabulls Housing Finance was successful in receiving the interim order from Delhi High Court, throttling any coercive action against the housing finance company for its inability to repay its bondholders. The Delhi High Court will hear the case further on May 19, 2020.

This has added to the worries of mutual fund houses that now fear other NBFCs will follow the same path.

The capital market regulator, only recently (a few days ago) following the three moratorium by RBI (due to disruptions caused by COVID-19 pandemic) has relaxed the valuation norms for debt and money market instrument held by mutual funds vide a circular dated April 23, 2020, wherein it states as under:

• Based on assessment, if the valuation agencies appointed by AMFI are of the view that the delay in payment of interest/principal or extension of the maturity of a security by the issuer has arisen solely due to COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and/or in light of the moratorium permitted by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) (vide notification no. RBI/2019-20/186, dated March 27, 2020) creating temporary operational challenges in servicing debt, then valuation agencies may not consider the same as a default for the purpose of valuation of money market or debt securities held by Mutual Funds.
  
  However, in the scenario, as stated above, if there is any difference in the valuation of securities provided by two valuation agencies, the conservative valuation shall be accepted.

But then what is the point of coming up with these valuation norms as an afterthought, and not in close synchronisation when the RBI came with its notification a month ago?

The damage now is already done and companies are anyways approaching the Courts to prevent a rating downgrade.

Let's say shares of a company are pledged and to recover the proceeds -- if they cannot be sold due to a court order -- then such lending would be as good as unsecured lending.

Also, why should that not be construed as an instance of deviation from the stated fundamental attributes of a debt mutual fund scheme? After all, mutual fund investors invest in debt fund schemes taking into account a certain level of risk. Change in the risk profile of a scheme is a change in the fundamental attribute/s.

According to India Ratings, NBFCs having the asset base of Rs 500 crore to 5,000 crore, largely fall between "A" and "BBB" rating categories.

The mid-path could be a decision on payment or deferring the payment in consultation with all stakeholders, including debenture trustees. The industry will require a blanket resolution because a case-to-case resolution approach is cumbersome and may create more chaos.

Unless the RBI takes a clear stance on NBFCs and other financial institutions, mutual fund houses are likely to feel the heat of redemptions. Suppose, there's no further statement issued by the banking sector regulator; mutual funds will have to be prepared to handle large-scale defaults, which might look inevitable. After all, a majority of NBFCs' customers are retail borrowers and they enjoy a moratorium on the EMI payment for 3-months. This has been the trickiest part for NBFCs.

While COVID-19 outbreak has been the genuine reason for the potential defaults this time, asset-liability mismatches of NBFCs are well-known. Many NBFCs have gone overboard with cheap credit available during stable market conditions. Their credit underwriting has been questioned widely. The industry has also witnessed belly-up instances such as IL&FS and DHFL. Many mutual fund houses have burned their fingers badly in such defaults.

At the time of writing this piece, to ease the liquidity pressure on mutual funds, the RBI today decided to provide a special liquidity facility of Rs 50,000 crore for mutual funds. Under this facility, the RBI will conduct repo operations of 90 days tenor at the fixed repo rate. This will be on-tap and open-ended, and banks can submit their bids to avail funding on any day from Monday to Friday (excluding holidays). The scheme is available from today i.e., April 27, 2020, till May 11, 2020, or up to utilization of the allocated amount, whichever is earlier. The Reserve Bank will review the timeline and amount, depending upon market conditions.

The RBI has stated further that the liquidity support availed under the Special Liquidity Facility for Mutual Funds shall be used by banks exclusively for meeting the liquidity requirements of mutual funds by, 1) extending loans; and (2) undertaking outright purchase of and/or repos against the collateral of investment-grade corporate bonds, CPs, debentures and certificates of Deposit (CDs) held by mutual funds.

Having taken this measure, keep in mind that it does not make investing in debt mutual funds risk-free. Considering the prevailing investment environment, you should stay away from mutual fund schemes whose portfolio characteristic appears compromised. Also, avoid credit risk funds and corporate bond funds as they are likely to be more vulnerable amidst the financial crisis followed by COVID-19 pandemic.

As a thumb rule: Choose mutual fund schemes from fund houses that follow prudent judicious investment processes and stringent risk-management systems.

In these uncertain times, it would be wise sticking to liquid funds and overnight funds while considering debt funds.

Our friends at Quantum Mutual Fund have highlighted the secret behind their debt management strategy which has helped them provide safety and liquidity to investors when it comes to investing in quantum funds. Don't Worry, Quantum Liquid Fund always aims for Safety and Liquidity.

As with all financial matters, better be safe than sorry!

PS: If you wish to select worthy mutual fund schemes, I recommend you to subscribe to PersonalFN's unbiased premium research service, FundSelect.

Additionally, as a bonus, you get access to PersonalFN's popular debt mutual fund service, DebtSelect.

Each fund recommended under FundSelect goes through our stringent process, where they are tested on both quantitative as well as qualitative parameters.

Every month, PersonalFN's FundSelect service will provide you with insightful and practical guidance on equity mutual funds and debt schemes - the ones to Buy, Hold, or Sell.

If you are serious about investing in a rewarding mutual fund scheme, Subscribe now!

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Author: Rounaq Neroy

This article first appeared on PersonalFN here.

PersonalFN is a Mumbai based personal finance firm offering Financial Planning and Mutual Fund Research services.

Disclaimer:
The views mentioned above are of the author only. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The author and Equitymaster do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendation on any course of action to be followed by the reader. Please read the detailed Terms of Use of the web site.

India tennis ace Sania Mirza celebrated her 10th wedding anniversary along with husband and veteran Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik on April 12, 2020. It was an auspicious day as it was also Easter

Sania Mirza took to social media site Instagram to share a few pictures with her husband Shoaib Malik from their big day back in 2010. She also wished him a "Happy Anniversary".

Sania Mirza also showed her fans a glimpse of her humorous side as she made a tongue-in-cheek statement in her post comparing the two contrasting photos by saying "Expectations vs reality". Sania Mirza wrote: Happy Anniversary @realshoaibmalik. A decade of being married looks like this!! Expectation vs reality. Swipe right for reality." Take a look at the post below. 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Happy Anniversary @realshoaibmalik 😌ðŸ¤Â— A decade of being married looks like this!! Expectation vs reality 😅😂 Swipe right for reality âž¡ï¸Â

A post shared by Sania Mirza (@mirzasaniar) onApr 12, 2020 at 3:55am PDT

Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik tied the knot in April 2010 in Hyderabad in a grand manner. Sania Mirza gave birth to a baby boy named Izhaan in October 2018. After giving birth to her child in October 2018, Sania Mirza returned to the court in January 2020.

She clinched the women's doubles title at Hobart International, pairing up with Nadiia Kichenok, in her comeback competition.

Sania recently shared a photo of her son with a tennis racquet in hand, looking confused. "I am pretty sure he's thinking what the fuss is all about? #IzhaanMirzaMalik," Sania said in her Twitter post.

Sania last played at the Qatar Open in February. She has helped raise Rs 1.25 crore in one week which will help close to 1 lakh people in need during the 21-day lockdown to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Inputs from IANS

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Rafael Nadal on Monday expressed his frustration that tennis players remain unable to practise due to the coronavirus pandemic, while Roger Federer revealed he was happy with his recovery from knee surgery. The Spanish government has extended the country's state of alarm until May 9, with the entire population confined to their homes except a small number working in specific sectors, leaving Nadal perplexed as to why he can't train. "It's true I don't understand very well because we cannot play tennis when many people are going to work and even more so in our sport, where we keep at a large and safe distance and we play on opposite sides of the court," world number two Nadal said during an Instagram Live.

"But I understand that we are in a very critical situation, that the government is dealing with something unprecedented and I also understand that the last thing they think of is who can train and who cannot train. "I understand the situation and obviously there are many things that are not logical but you have to accept the rules." Nadal treated tennis fans to an Instagram Live in which he spoke to both Roger Federer and Andy Murray about their experiences during lockdown.

The men's and women's tours have been halted due to the virus, while Wimbledon was cancelled last month for the first time since World War II and Nadal's favourite Grand Slam the French Open was pushed back to September 20. "I am not playing tennis, I do not have a court at home and I miss it a little," Nadal said. "I am sticking to my physical routines.

From the gym of my academy they were able to bring me some machines when lockdown began so I try to work a little in the morning, a little in the afternoon. "It is very important to have both the head and the body focused and it is what I am trying to do at all times." Federer meanwhile gave an update on his right knee after the 20-time major winner decided to undergo surgery in February.

"I've been hitting a bit against a wall, (doing) rehab with the knee," Federer said. "It's OK, I had a really good first six weeks, then it was a bit slower, now it's getting better again but I have plenty of time. "There is no stress, no rush. If there is anything positive (about being in lockdown) that's the only thing really. I just want the knee to be good, it doesn't matter when I return."

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A Writers Retreat session in progress

While most of us aren't as lucky as Ruskin Bond to call the hills of Uttarakhand home, a brief escape to nature can help get the creative juices flowing. If you love writing and feel you could do with some inspiration as well as insights into honing your prose, the upcoming edition of Writers Retreat might be your ideal getaway.

The sprawling open-air venue

Designed by the live storytelling event series, Tall Tales, and Grassroutes, an organisation that seeks to connect the urban dweller with the rural community, the two-day retreat will take place in Dehna. The village, located at a two-hour drive from Mumbai, is nestled in the Sahyadris. And thanks the many streams and rivulets that spring up during monsoon, it is also called the land of a thousand waterfalls.

Michael Burns

The retreat features seven workshops rolled into one along with some free time to explore and soak in the rural life. "The first day is all about the universal story structure - how to start stories, what to do in the middle, and how to end them. Irrespective of the language or genre, there is a basic structure that many writers with great ideas find difficult to adhere to," says Michael Burns, director of Tall Tales. The day will end with a film screening, where participants will watch a structured story unfold on screen.

The next day will get into the nuances of good writing, like designing unforgettable characters. "Some writing exercises will encourage participants to explore their relationship with nature; something that's difficult to achieve amidst the distractions of a busy city like Mumbai," signs off Burns.

On: October 1, 9 am onwards
Meeting point: To be decided three days prior to the trip
Log on to: instamojo.com
Email: akshay@talltales.in (seats limited)
Cost: '8,000 ('7,000 for students)

Amitabh Bachchan campaigns for the 1984 elections in Allahabad

Fans across the world celebrated acting legend Amitabh Bachchan's 75th birthday last October. And if you wish to extend the festivities, visit Frames 75, an exhibition of rare photographs and framed memorabilia that celebrate Bachchan's oeuvre.

The exhibition has been curated by film historian and archivist SMM Ausaja and photo journalist Pradeep Chandra. "There were no big commemorative events for his 75th birthday. But we realised that his 75th year is not yet over, so we should celebrate it with a visual journey in his platinum year," says Ausaja.

A photo by Pradeep Chandra of the legend at RK Studios

The duo worked over three months to curate the list of exhibits and even commissioned artwork for the exhibition. "We wanted something rare that's not on the Internet. You will see a photo from his first photo session, a pamphlet from his Allahabad election campaign, and artist Sonu Gupta's recreation of a painting by MF Husain that depicts the three phases of Bachchan's life," Ausaja says.

An original poster of Yaarana

"I did a similar show on his 61st birthday. So, for this exhibition we wanted to do something different. You will see some never-seen-before images by me, including a photo of Bachchan and Rajiv Gandhi at Indira Gandhi's funeral; a frame of him sitting with Bal Thackeray's shadow in the background; a photo with his daughter, with Dilip Kumar, and one with Rajkumar and Sanjay Dutt in the same frame," adds Chandra.

SMM Ausaja and Pradeep Chandra at Bachchan's residence

Also on display will be original posters, vinyl covers and fake notes used for shoots, many of which have Bachchan's image on them. "We wanted a wide variety of media to break monotony and sustain interest across all frames," Ausaja signs off.

FROM: May 11 to 25, 10 am to 6 pm
AT: Whistling Woods, Goregaon East.
CALL: 30916070

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Representational Image

To stop false news from spreading on its platform, Facebook has said it put in place a three-pronged strategy that constitutes removing accounts and content that violate its policies, reducing the distribution of inauthentic content and informing people by giving them more context on the posts they see.

Another part of its strategy in some countries is partnering with third-party fact-checkers to review and rate the accuracy of articles and posts on Facebook, Tessa Lyons, a Facebook product manager on News Feed focused on false news, said in a statement on Thursday.

The social media giant is facing criticism for its role in enabling political manipulation in several countries around the world. It has also come under the scanner for allegedly fuelling ethnic conflicts owing to its failure to stop the deluge of hate-filled posts against the disenfranchised Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar.

"False news is bad for people and bad for Facebook. We're making significant investments to stop it from spreading and to promote high-quality journalism and news literacy," Lyons said.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Tuesday told the European Parliament leaders that the social networking giant is trying to plug loopholes across its services, including curbing fake news and political interference on its platform in the wake of upcoming elections globally, including in India.

Lyons said Facebook's three-pronged strategy roots out the bad actors that frequently spread fake stories.

"It dramatically decreases the reach of those stories. And it helps people stay informed without stifling public discourse," Lyons added.

Although false news does not violate Facebook's Community Standards, it often violates the social network's polices in other categories, such as spam, hate speech or fake accounts, which it removes remove.

"For example, if we find a Facebook Page pretending to be run by Americans that's actually operating out of Macedonia, that violates our requirement that people use their real identities and not impersonate others. So we'll take down that whole Page, immediately eliminating any posts they made that might have been false," Lyons explained.

Apart from this, Facebook is also using machine learning to help its teams detect fraud and enforce its policies against spam.

"We now block millions of fake accounts every day when they try to register," Lyons added.

A lot of the misinformation that spreads on Facebook is financially motivated, much like email spam in the 90s, the social network said.

If spammers can get enough people to click on fake stories and visit their sites, they will make money off the ads they show.

"We're figuring out spammers' common tactics and reducing the distribution of those kinds of stories in News Feed. We've started penalizing clickbait, links shared more frequently by spammers, and links to low-quality web pages, also known as 'ad farms'," Lyons said.

"We also take action against entire Pages and websites that repeatedly share false news, reducing their overall News Feed distribution," Lyons said.

Facebook said it does not want to make money off of misinformation or help those who create it profit, and so such publishers are not allowed to run ads or use its monetisation features like Instant Articles.

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To fund future tax cuts for companies, the Russian Ministry of Finance has proposed hiking the headline value-added tax rate.

Russia should hike value-added tax by four percent to 22 percent and lower social security contributions, the International Monetary Fund has proposed.

Former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth said that current skipper Virat Kohli can be compared to Kapil Dev. Srikkanth was part of the squad that Kapil led to victory in the 1983 World Cup and feels that Kohli's self-believe is reminiscent of the former all-rounder.

"I played with Kapil Dev and played under him. I can compare Virat Kohli with Kapil Dev. I see a tremendous amount of self-belief in him," Srikkanth said on Star Sports Cricket Connected where he was chatting with former batsman VVS Laxman and former England skipper Nasser Hussain.

Laxman said that he was afraid that Kohli's famous intensity might burn out in time but that has shown little signs of happening. "I admire Virat Kohli's intensity. One thing I was worried about was whether he will burn out quickly. But not even for one session or one over does he let his intensity drop and that is really commendable,"

Laxman said on the TV show. Kohli averages above 50 in all forms of international cricket. In Tests, he has scored 7240 runs at an average of 53.62 and in ODIs, he has scored 11,867 runs at an average of nearly 60.

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Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag has stated the real inspiration behind his swashbuckling batting technique was 'Angad' -- a character in mythological epic 'Ramayan'.

Sehwag, who was known for his great hand-eye coordination with minimal footwork, on Sunday shared a picture of 'Angad' on Twitter and said: "So here is where I took my batting inspiration from. Pair hilana mushkil hi nahi, namumkin hai. #Angad Ji Rocks."

So here is where i took my batting inspiration from :)

Pair hilana mushkil hi nahi , namumkin hai . #Angad ji Rocks pic.twitter.com/iUBrDyRQUF

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 12, 2020

According to mythology, it is believed that Angad -- who was part of vanar sena which helped Lord Ram in rescuing his wife Sita from Lanka -- was sent as an emissary to the court of Ravan in order to avoid war.

However, Ravan declined the offer and then to break his ego, Angad challenged that if anyone present in the court would be able to lift his feet from the ground then Lord Ram would accept defeat and leave Lanka.

But it is believed that none of the warriors present in Ravan's court was able to lift Angad's feet.

Sehwag, who played 251 ODIs and 104 Tests for India, scored 8,273 and 8,586 runs respectively. In fact, he is the only Indian cricketer to hit two triple centuries in Test cricket.

The swashbuckling opener also played 19 T20Is for India in which he amassed a total of 394 runs.

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As all sporting action across the world has come to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic, Australian bowlers are pondering as to how Indian skipper Virat Kohli might play in front of no spectators. India and Australia are scheduled to play a four-match Test series later this year, and it is being speculated that the series might end up taking place without any crowds due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Australian spinner Nathan Lyon on Tuesday said that it would be interesting to see how Kohli goes about it if he does not get a chance to get the audience behind him. "He is probably good enough to adapt to any scenario. But I was talking to Mitch Starc the other day and we actually said that if we are playing with no crowd, it'll be quite amazing to see Virat trying to rev up the empty seats," cricket.com.au quoted Lyon as saying.

"It is going to be a little bit different, but Virat is a superstar. He will be able to adapt to any climate that we are able to play in," he added. During the 2018-19 series, India managed to defeat Australia in Australia for the first time in a Test series. Australia, at that time were without the services of David Warner and Steve Smith. However, the series later this year promises to be a mouth-watering prospect. "I am excited about the prospect of India coming out to Australia, it's up there with the biggest series alongside the Ashes. They are an absolute powerhouse of the cricket world, and to have those guys out here is going to be fantastic. Playing in front of crowds or no crowds is out of our control, we have got to follow the advice of all the amazing medical people around the world," Lyon said.

"I have not thought about no crowds or massive crowds, it is just about the opportunity of playing against India again. They had the wood over us last time they came over here but we are a much stronger Australian cricket side at the moment, and I am just unbelievably excited about playing them here at home," he added. Lyon was slated to represent Hampshire in County Championship this year, however, his stint was called off last week due to COVID-19. He is Australia's third-highest wicket-taker in the longest format of the game as he has total of 390 wickets in Test cricket. Lyon was last seen in action in the Big Bash League for Sydney Sixers.

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