The coronavirus led shutdown is going to change the way films are made or consumed, believes filmmaker Shoojit Sircar. The country is currently under the lockdown, which has been extended till May 3 to contain the spread of the virus that has affected many countries across the globe. When a change of mindset happens, there is a change. I expect it around the world. It is definitely going to change the narrative of filmmaking style and also the narrative of story-telling. It will have an effect but what kind is difficult to say as India is huge in terms of…
Author: Our Correspondent
Information and Broadcasting minister Prakash Javdekar on Monday reviewed efforts made by the ministry to check fake news. Javadekar along with Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Minister of State for Youth Affairs Kiren Rijiju, Culture and Tourism Minister Prahlad Patel were some of the early office-goers on Monday, along with other senior officials. Most of the ministers and officials had been following the government’s work-from-home protocols issued in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Javadekar held a meeting with senior officials at the ministry and reviewed the efforts by various wings of the ministry to check fake news,…
The Labour Ministry on Tuesday said it has set up 20 control rooms on pan-India basis to address wage-related grievances and to mitigate problems faced by migrant workers amid the lockdown period to contain the Covid-19 crisis. The Prime Minister has announced extension of the nationwide lockdown till May 3 with conditional relaxation from April 20 in some areas on the basis of evaluation of the situation. The workers, especially migrant labourers, are the worst among due to the lockdown as a large number of them either faced pay cut or job loss. According to an International Labour Organisation assessment,…
After PM Modi’s address to the nation about the extension of lockdown till May 3, people in Mumbai, the city with the biggest number of coronavirus cases, became the site of a huge protest this afternoon as hordes of migrant workers gathered outside the Bandra station, protesting against the extension of the lockdown. Video footage from the area showed thousands of people jostling, giving a go by to government warnings about coronavirus and social distancing. Most demanded that they be allowed to go home. Sources said the crowd also had people from the nearby slums, who came in search of food.…
Social distancing is the need of the hour as the coronavirus pandemic continues to cause havoc around the world with the global death toll crossing 1,19,600-mark. In these troubled times, Usain Bolt, the fastest man on the planet, provided some comic relief to fans with his take on “social distancing”. His post on Twitter, which had a picture of him crossing the finish line ahead of his competitors at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, quickly went viral on the social media platform, garnering over 1.5K comments, over 90K retweets and close to 510K likes. https://twitter.com/usainbolt/status/1249708513066131457?s=20 On August 16, 2008, Usain Bolt clocked 9.69 in…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended until May 3 the nationwide lockdown to fight the spread of the coronavirus, but said the restrictions could be eased after April 20 in the least affected parts of the country to allow essential activities. “Till May 3, each and every one of us will have to remain in the lockdown. During this time, we must continue maintaining discipline in the way we have been doing till now. It is my request and prayer to all fellow citizens that we must not let Coronavirus spread to new areas at any cost,” said the…
There are 70 coronavirus vaccines in development globally, with three candidates already being tested in human trials, according to the World Health Organization, as drugmakers race to find a cure for the deadly pathogen. The furthest along in the clinical process is an experimental vaccine developed by Hong Kong-listed CanSino Biologics Inc. and the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, which is in phase 2. The other two being tested in humans are treatments developed separately by U.S. drugmakers Moderna Inc. and Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc., according to a WHO document. Progress is occurring at unprecedented speed in developing vaccines as the infectious pathogen looks unlikely to be…
The passing away of veteran Congress leader Ram Krishna Dwivedi last Friday has again fuelled infighting in the Uttar Pradesh unit of the party. Dwivedi was among 10 veteran Congress leaders expelled by the UPCC in November last year. His expulsion was seen by the party rank and file as an attempt by young Congress leaders to oust committed cadres from the party. The move was also seen as an ”infiltration” bid by persons with links with outfits like Rihai Manch and AISA, occupying the party centre stage. As he died on April 8, Rahul Gandhi condoled and termed Dwivedi…
Poila Baisakh in WB, Vishu in Kerala, Puthandu in TN, 14 April celebrated as new year and harvest festival across states in India The first day of the Bengali calendar is celebrated as Poila Baisakh or the Bengali New Year in the states of West Bengal, Tripura, parts of Assam and northern Odisha. Poila Baisakh 2020: Leaders extend wishes on solar new year, festival also celebrated as Vishu, Puthandu in southern statesRwpresentational image. PTI Poila Baisakh usually falls on 14 April annually as per the Gregorian calendar. It is also observed elsewhere as the traditional solar new year and harvest…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today extended the current lockdown to control the spread of coronavirus till May 3 and said the restrictions would be reviewed on April 20, given the difficulties faced by the country’s poorest. “After taking into account all suggestions, we have decided to extend the lockdown till May 3,” PM Modi said in his 25-minute address shortly after India crossed the 10,000-mark in COVID-19 cases. “Till April 20, each district, each state will be monitored closely to see whether the lockdown is being followed. Then we can decide on relaxing the restrictions,” said the Prime Minister, who…