April 2020

Umar Akmal banned for 3 years from all forms by PCB Disciplinary Panel on corruption charges Controversial cricketer Umar Akmal has been banned from all forms of cricket for a period of 3 years on corruption charges by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Disciplinary Panel. The PCB Anti-Corruption officials had charged Umar with in two separate cases of not reporting an approach made to him to spot fix matches in the Pakistan Super League 5. Umar, who was provisionally suspended on Feb 20 and barred from playing in the Pakistan Super League for his franchise Quetta Gladiators, has been charged...

Kate Winslet reveals her interaction with an Indian fan of Titanic Titanic (1997) is one of the most iconic films probably in the history of cinema. The film left everyone moist-eyed and showed the extent that can love push someone to sacrifice. The film’s leading lady Kate Winslet, who won hearts with her onscreen chemistry with Leonardo Di Caprio in the film, recently made a revelation that left many fans surprised. During an interview with a leading daily, the actress got nostalgic and remembered that during a trip to the Himalayas in India post the film, an old Indian man...

Kriti Sanon says star kids get their second movies before first one is out: ‘It took me 3 years to get my Vogue cover’ Actor Kriti Sanon is grateful for all the success she has enjoyed in Bollywood so far. However, she also acknowledges that the journey would have been much easier if she had been the child of a star. Talking to Pinkvilla in an interview, Kriti talked about all the self doubt she went through in the early days of her career. “When you don’t come from a film family, you don’t get your second film before your first film releases. Which...

Over one million IT employees will continue to work from home post-lockdown: Kris Gopalakrishnan More than one million information technology employees are expected to continue to work from home even after the coronavirus-inflicted lockdown situation returns to normalcy, says IT industry veteran Senapathy (Kris) Gopalakrishnan. The former President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said the IT services industry has actually managed to transition people to work from home during the ‘stay-at-home’ period. “And that was not a trivial task. A large number of people who have to be supported with technology infrastructure to work from home; business processes will...

Donald Trump might appoint Indian-American Seema Verma as new health secretary NEW YORK : US President Donald Trump may replace Health and Human Services secretary Alex Azar and Seema Verma, the head of government health insurance programmes, is one of those under consideration to succeed him, according to media reports. Quoting anonymous White House sources, several media outlets reported on Saturday that top White House officials were discussing removing Azar and that Verma and Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House Coronavirus Task Force were the leading candidates to replace him. If Verma does get the job, she will be...

New Zealand has won a battle against virus transmission: PM Jacinda Ardern WELLINGTON: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday claimedNew Zealand had scored a significant victory against the spread of thecoronavirus, as the country began a phased exit from lockdown. “There is no widespread, undetected community transmission in NewZealand,” Ardern declared. “We have won that battle.” After nearly five weeks at the maximum Level Four restrictions — with only essential services operating — the country will move to Level Three late on Monday. That will allow some businesses, takeaway food outlets and schools to reopen. But Ardern warned there was...

Mumbai mayor visits hospital in nurse’s uniform, encourages health staff Kishori Pednekar, the mayor of Mumbai, put on a nurse’s uniform and visited the Brihanmubmbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)-run BYL Nair Hospital on Monday morning in a bid to encourage and enthuse the staff, who are in the front line to combat the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak. Pednekar, a former nurse, mingled with the hospital’s nursing staff and enquired about the difficulties they are facing while dealing with the pandemic. A BMC official said Pednekar ensured that social distancing norms were adhered to during her visit to the hospital. Source: Hindustan...

India should look to convert world’s ‘hatred’ for China into economic opportunity: Nitin Gadkari Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said India should look at converting the world’s “hatred” for China amid the coronavirus pandemic into an economic opportunity for itself by attracting large scale foreign investments. Interacting with overseas Indian students via video conferencing, the minister for MSME and Road Transport and Highways said, “All the world now, they have hatred for China. Is it possible for us to convert it into an opportunity for India.” Referring to the economic package announced by Japan for its businesses exiting China,...

PM Narendra Modi holds video conference with CMs; discusses staggered exit from countrywide COVID-19 lockdown New Delhi: With just a week to go for the current phase of coronavirus lockdown to end, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, held a video conference with chief ministers of various states. PM was seen wearing a white ‘gamcha‘ while addressing the CMs. According to reports, PM discussed strategies for a staggered exit from coronavirus lockdown with CMs.  The conference was attended by Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi), Pinarayi Vijayan (Kerala), Uddhav Thackeray (Maharashtra), EK Palaniswami (Tamil Nadu), Conard Sangma (Meghalaya) Trivendram Singh Rawat (Uttarakhand) and Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh)....

Every person I came in contact with tested negative, says singer Kanika Kapoor Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor on Sunday for the first time openly responded to allegations of not adhering to quarantine norms around the time she had returned from abroad and tested positive for COVID-19 last month. “Every person that I have come in contact with be it in UK, Mumbai or Lucknow has shown no symptoms of COVID-19, in fact all those tested have been negative,” Ms. Kapoor said in a statement issued on her Instagram page. Source: The Hindu