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Kevin Pietersen and I openly disliked each other: Graeme Swann There was no love lost between him and Kevin Pietersen during their playing days but when it came to winning games of cricket for England, they forgot their personal dislike for each other, said the forme England off-spinner Graeme Swann. Part of a hugely successful English side, Swann and Pietersen had played pivotal roles in England reaching the pinnacle in the world rankings and claiming the Ashes series both home and away. “We are a team that got to number one in the world, and in a team there are...

Have to be available 24/7, can’t say no: DSP Joginder Sharma NEW DELHI: Joginder Sharma, who was one of the heroes of India’s 2007 World T20 win, is currently serving the country in another capacity amid the ongoing fight against COVID-19 pandemic. Now a Deputy Superintendent of Police in Hisar district of Haryana, Joginder is making sure people stay indoors and adhere to the guidelines of the government during the ongoing 21-day lockdown in place amid the coronavirus outbreak which has claimed around 200 lives thus far in the country. And for discharging his duties, he has to be available...

COVID-19: After Rs 25 Crore Donation To PM CARES, Akshay Kumar Now Pledges Rs 3 Crore To BMC Actor Akshay Kumar has pledged to contribute Rs 3 crore to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to assist the making of personal protection equipment, masks and rapid testing kits to help the battle against COVID-19. Film critic and movie trade analyst Taran Adarsh announced the same on Twitter on Friday, writing, “After donating Rs25 crores to the PM CARES fund, Akshay Kumar contributes Rs3 crores to BMC to assist in the making of PPE, masks and rapid testing kits.” Akshay has been spreading...

Jacqueline Fernandez goes live with a Coronavirus survivor to help spread awareness about the pandemic Jacqueline Fernandez is known for her positive aura and shining her light with rays of hope amidst the darkest times. The actress has a philanthropic side to herself which is much more visible and evident during this time of the epidemic. The actress has taken various steps to battle problems the pandemic has caused. Jacqueline assisted the daily wage workers during the Covid-19 lock-down by providing funds for getting supplies to 2500 families in Mumbai who are facing repercussions of the lock-down. Recently, going live...

Neha Kakkar says she doesn’t get paid for her Bollywood songs, says ‘they feel we’ll earn through shows’ She has belted out some of the biggest foot-tapping hits including Garmi, Aankh Marey, O Saki, Dilbar and Kala Chashma among many others, and enjoys as much popularity as any top singer in contemporary Bollywood. Yet, Neha Kakkar tells you that singers hardly ever get paid in the film industry. “We don’t get paid for singing in Bollywood at all. What happens is they feel that if we give a superhit song, the singer will earn through shows,” Neha told IANS. The 31-year-old added:...

Shyam Sundar Kalani, Who Played Sugriva and Bali in Ramayan, Passes Away Actor Shyam Sundar Kalani, who played the role of Sugriva and his brother Bali in the Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan has passed away. He cause and date of his demise is not yet known. Arun Govil and Sunil Lahri who played Lord Ram and Lakshman respectively have condoled fellow actor Shyam’s death on social media. Taking to the microblogging site Twitter Arun wrote, “Sad to know about demise of Mr Shyam Sundar who played the role of Sugreev in Ramanand Sagar’s “Ramayan”… A very fine person and a gentleman....

Coronavirus Outbreak: IMF anticipates sharpest negative economic growth fallout since Great Depression Washington: The year 2020 could see the worst global economic fallout since the Great Depression in the 1930s with over 170 countries likely to experience negative per capita income growth due to the raging coronavirus pandemic, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Thursday. Georgieva made the remarks during her address on “Confronting the Crisis: Priorities for the Global Economy” here ahead of next week’s annual Spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. “Today, the world is confronted with a crisis like no other....

Amit Shah Directs BSF to Enhance Vigil Along Pakistan, Bangladesh Fronts; Ensure No Cross-border Movement New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has directed the BSF to enhance vigil along the Indian borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, especially in the non-fenced areas, a senior official said on Friday. The minister reviewed the security of the two borders on Thursday with Border Security Force (BSF) officials via a video conferencing and directed the force to ensure that no cross-border movement takes place at these two fronts, Joint secretary in the ministry, Punya Salila Srivastava told reporters during a daily briefing. The interaction...

Need to gradually lift lockdown, have unconventional exit strategy: Dr Devi Shetty NOIDA: Talking about the next steps after the lockdown in India, experts at Bennett University’s global online conference on Covid-19: Fallout & Future on Thursday agreed that social distancing needs to continue in various forms even after the lockdown to control the spread of the virus. Narayana Hospitals chairman Dr Devi Shetty expressed concern about the economic impact of the lockdown due to coronavirus and said there is a need to gradually lift the restrictions. Shetty proposed that after the lockdown, the hotspots can remain sealed while the...

At 3.8 cases per million, India’s rate of infection still fairly low: Union health minister Harsh Vardhan NEW DELHI: Social distancing and lockdown are potent “social vaccines” against the Covid-19 pandemic that has engulfed over 200 countries, health minister Harsh Vardhan said on Thursday, detailing the government’s focus on 133 hotspot districts as a critical component of a concerted containment strategy. “I can state with utmost confidence that in terms of data or statistics on Covid-19, India is much better placed than any other country,” the minister said while addressing an international online conference on Covid-19 organised by Bennett University....