The crews of nuclear-armed submarines may be among the last pockets of people anywhere who are still blissfully unaware of how the coronavirus pandemic is turning life upside down. (Photo: AP)

Of a world in coronavirus turmoil, they may know little or nothing. Submariners stealthily cruising the ocean deeps, purposefully shielded from worldly worries to encourage undivided focus on their top-secret missions of nuclear deterrence, may be among the last pockets of people anywhere who are still blissfully unaware of how the pandemic is turning life upside down.

Mariners aboard ballistic submarines are habitually spared bad news while underwater to avoid undermining their morale, say current and former officers who served aboard France's nuclear-armed subs.

So any crews that left port before the virus spread around the globe are likely being kept in the dark about the extent of the rapidly unfurling crisis by their commanders until their return, they say.

"They won't know," said retired Adm. Dominique Salles, who commanded the French ballistic submarine squadron from 2003-2006. "The boys need to be completely available for their mission."

Speaking exclusively to The Associated Press, Salles said he believes submariners will likely only be told of the pandemic as they head back to port, in the final two days of their mission.

"Those who are at sea don't need this information," said Salles, who also commanded the nuclear-armed French submarine "L'Inflexible".

"The commander, I think, is doubtless informed about what is happening. I don't think he'll have all the details," he said.

The French navy won't divulge what has or hasn't been said to submarine crews. Nor will it say whether any of the four French ballistic submarines, laden with 16 missiles that each can carry six nuclear warheads, left harbor before France instituted a nationwide lockdown on March 17.

French navy commander Axel Roch poses in the navigation and operations center in the new nuclear-powered submarine "Suffren" in Cherbourg, north-western France. (Photo: AP)

"Because the deterrent is wrapped in a bubble of protection and confidentiality, it is impossible to know whether the crews are informed or not of this situation," French navy spokesman Lt Cmdr Olivier Ribard said.

French submarine missions last 60 to 70 days, with about 110 crew members aboard. So a crew that left at the end of February wouldn't be expected back before the end of April. In that case, they will return to a world changed by the pandemic. On March 1, France had just 130 confirmed COVID-19 cases and two deaths. In under a month, those numbers have surged past 2,600 dead and over 40,000 sickened.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.

For submariners, the return to land could be a shock.

"They won't have experienced the crisis as we did, with a bit of fear, the lockdown. So for them it will be quite a surprise. They will learn the history, but it will be a history that is related to them," said a serving officer who was the doctor on the ballistic submarine "Le Triomphant" for four years.

He spoke to the AP on condition that he be identified only by his first name and rank, in accordance with the rules of his branch of the French military.

"All events that could affect or change the morale of the crew members are kept from them," said the officer, Chief Doctor Gabriel.

"Since there is no internet, no radio and no television on board, the only news you get comes from messages received by the commander, and the commander filters the messages to not give all of the information to everyone."

The doctor was underwater in 2012 when an Islamic extremist killed three French paratroopers and later killed a rabbi, his two young sons and grabbed an 8-year-old girl and shot her in the head.

Only later did the officer learn of the attacks, "so when people talk to me about it, I find it impossible to imagine," he said.

"The only place where you are really cut off from all information is underwater, because even on a vessel in space there is still the radio, television, the internet," he said.

When bombings hit Madrid in 2004, Salles didn't inform submariners who were at sea for the ballistic flotilla that was then under his command.

Salles said the situation now will be toughest for any crews that leave harbour in the weeks ahead, because they'll know they are leaving loved ones in the midst of the pandemic and, possibly, still living in lockdown.

The French government has already extended its stay-home orders once, to April 15, and said it could do so again.

Salles said he believes those crews will get regular coronavirus updates, but won't be told of any family deaths until they are returning to the l'Ile Longue submarine base near Brest in Brittany.

Salles was at sea in a sub when his father died. The news was kept from him until he had finished his 60-day mission.

"No matter how serious an event is, there is nothing a submariner can do about it. And since he cannot do anything, better that he know nothing," Salles said. "They know that they won't know and accept it. It's part of our deal."

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Submariners conducting missions at sea are likely among the last people in the world learning about the coronavirus pandemic turning life upside down back home.

Current and former officers who served aboard France's nuclear-armed subs say mariners aboard ballistic submarines are routinely spared bad news while underwater to encourage undivided focus on their top-secret missions and to avoid undermining their morale.

Any crews that left port before the virus spread around the globe are likely being kept in the dark about the extent of the rapidly unfurling crisis until their return.

"All events that could affect or change the morale of the crew members are kept from them," said Chief Doctor Gabriel. (He spoke to The Associated Press on condition that he be identified only by his first name and rank, in accordance with the rules of his branch of the French military.) "Since there is no Internet, no radio and no television on board, the only news you get comes from messages received by the commander, and the commander filters the messages to not give all of the information to everyone."

Four French ballistic submarines, laden with 16 missiles can each carry six nuclear warheads, left harbor before France instituted a nationwide lockdown on March 17.

Adm. Dominique Salles, who commanded the nuclear-armed French submarine "L'Inflexible," told the AP he believes submariners will likely only be told of the pandemic as they head back to port, in the final two days of their mission.

"They won't know," Salles said. "The boys need to be completely available for their mission."

French submarine missions last 60 to 70 days, with about 110 crew members aboard. A crew that left at the end of February wouldn't be expected back before the end of April. In that case, they will return to a world changed by the pandemic.

FRANCE EVACUATES CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS FROM SWAMPED HOSPITALS USING HIGH-SPEED TRAINS, MILITARY PLANES

On March 1, France had just 130 confirmed COVID-19 cases and two deaths. In under a month, those numbers have surged to over 40,000 sickened and 2,600 dead. For submariners, the return to land will likely be a shock.

Salles said the situation now will be toughest for any crews that leave harbor in the weeks ahead, because they'll know they are leaving loved ones in the midst of the pandemic and, possibly, still living in lockdown. The French government has already extended its stay-home orders once, to April 15, and said it could do so again.

Salles said he believes those crews will get regular coronavirus updates but won't be told of any family deaths until they are returning to the l'Ile Longue submarine base near Brest in Brittany.

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"No matter how serious an event is, there is nothing a submariner can do about it. And since he cannot do anything, better that he know nothing," Salles said. "They know that they won't know and accept it. It's part of our deal."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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Twin sisters who had both worked as nurses have died within three days of each other after both testing positive for Covid-19.

Children's nurse Katy Davis, 37, died at Southampton General Hospital on Tuesday while her identical twin, Emma, a former surgery nurse, died early on Friday.

The two sisters, who both suffered from an underlying health condition, have been praised for their excellent work in the nursing profession.

Their sister Zoe Davis told the BBC: "They always said they had come into the world together and would go out together as well.

"There are no words to describe how special they were."

(Image: PA)

Zoe said the "amazing" pair, who lived together, had other health conditions and had been unwell for some time.

A spokesman for University Hospital Southampton (UHS) said that Katy had worked as risk and patient safety lead in child health but had been unwell for a period prior to her admittance to hospital when she tested positive for Covid-19.

He added that Emma had also worked for UHS for nine years as a nurse in surgery in the colorectal unit until 2013.

The spokesman said: "She had the same underlying health condition as Katy and had been unwell prior to her admission when she tested positive for Covid-19.

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"She sadly also passed away last night and it goes without saying just how devastating and tragic this is for the family and all who knew them.

"Emma has been described as an excellent nurse who was calm and cheerful and a good leader.

"She was well liked by all and was a valuable member of the team during her time with us.

"We are supporting Katy and Emma's family as much as we can through this difficult and distressing period."

Paula Head, chief executive at UHS, said: "I want to pay tribute to Katy who sadly passed away on Tuesday.

"Katy has been described by her colleagues where she worked in child health as a nurse people would aspire to be like and that nursing was more than just a job to her.

"On behalf of everyone here at UHS, including our patients and the communities we serve, I would like to offer our sincere condolences to her family."

Identical twin sisters who had worked as nurses at the same hospital died within days of each other after testing positive for coronavirus.

Katy and Emma Davis, 37, both suffered from underlying health conditions and had been unwell for some time before contracting Covid-19.

Tributes were paid to the pair after Katy died at Southampton General Hospital on Tuesday and Emma died early on Friday morning.

Their sister Zoe Davis told the BBC: “They always said they had come into the world together and would go out together as well.

“There are no words to describe how special they were.”

Katy worked as risk and patient safety lead in child health at University Hospital Southampton (UHS), while Emma was a nurse in the colorectal unit for nine years until 2013.

Paula Head, chief executive at UHS, said: “I want to pay tribute to Katy who sadly passed away on Tuesday.

“Katy has been described by her colleagues where she worked in child health as a nurse people would aspire to be like and that nursing was more than just a job to her.

UHS said that Emma had the same underlying health condition as Katy and had been unwell prior to her admission when she tested positive for Covid-19.

“She sadly also passed away last night and it goes without saying just how devastating and tragic this is for the family and all who knew them,” a spokesperson said.

They added: “Emma has been described as an excellent nurse who was calm and cheerful and a good leader.

“She was well liked by all and was a valuable member of the team during her time with us.

“We are supporting Katy and Emma’s family as much as we can through this difficult and distressing period.”

At least 90 front line NHS workers, including around 50 nurses, are believed to have died during the coronavirus outbreak.

Additional reporting by Press Association


LEWES, Del. – DNREC says they were called to the Lewes wastewater treatment plant on Thursday for yet another malfunction.

We’re told that the facility was again forced to bypass stages of its treatment and discharge partially-treated effluent into the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal late Wednesday evening. The bypass lasted two hours while Tidewater Utilities operators worked to find a solution. By 11:45 p.m., the bypass was ended and normal treatment of effluent at the plant was resumed.

On Thursday, DNREC monitored the plant’s operations, and Tidewater Utilities’ continued their efforts to mitigate recent system malfunctions at the plant.

The Lewes Wastewater Treatment Plant suffered a system malfunction from December 18-19, and new membranes were installed on December 28 which allowed full treatment to resume. However, Tidewater says that pressure build-up behind the new membranes required a bypass to avoid compromising their use. New operational protocols have been instituted to minimize pressure build-up moving forward, with no further bypass events expected.

There’s no better entertainment value around — whether it is at the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand, The Green in Dover or at a Delaware state park — than to take in a free summer concert following a long, hot day of swimming, hiking or barbecuing.


Carson City, NV – Today, Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford together with 22 state law enforcement partners, reached an agreement with PayPal Charitable Giving Fund, Inc. The agreement was created to ensure donors receive adequate information and disclosures when making charitable contributions through the company’s online fundraising platform.

PayPal Charitable Giving Fund, Inc. (PPGF) is the charitable arm of PayPal, Inc. PPGF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that allows donors to contribute funds electronically to PPGF and select a charity that will ultimately receive the benefit of their contribution. Donors’ contributions are combined and distributed to the donors’ chosen charities. PPGF does not collect fees from donors or charities for this service; however, a charity receives contributions more quickly if the charity maintains a PayPal account, a fact that had not been adequately disclosed to donors. In some instances, PPGF redirected donors’ contributions from the charity selected by the donor to other organizations with similar purposes without informing donors.

“Charitable contributions are the financial backbone of many worthy causes,” said AG Ford. “Consumers should always have the information they need to make informed decisions about their donations. Today’s settlement with PayPal’s Charitable Giving Fund ensures every donor’s wishes are honored.”

Nationwide, charities regulators joined the effort to investigate PPGF’s fundraising activities, including its disclosures, vetting practices and treatment of charitable contributions. To address the states’ concerns, PPGF agreed to adopt reforms to its disclosures to ensure that donors know:

—That they are contributing to PPGF;

—The timeframe in which a selected charity may receive funds from PPGF; and

—The implication of being an enrolled versus an unenrolled charity on the PPGF platform.

Under the terms of the settlement, PPGF agreed to notify donors when it redirects a donor’s charitable contribution to an organization other than the one selected by the donor. PPGF will also provide regulators with future campaign data to ensure the organization is complying with its obligations under the agreement.

PPGF also agreed to make a payment of $200,000 to the National Association of Attorneys General for deposit into the NAAG Charities Enforcement and Training Fund. This Fund has been established to defray costs associated with the investigation and litigation of cases brought by state charities regulators, and to provide training and education to those regulators.

In addition to Nevada, attorneys general from the following states and territory participated in this settlement: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina Secretary of State, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania Texas and Wisconsin.

The Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection represented Nevada in this matter.

COLUMBUS — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and charity regulators from 21 other states and the District of Columbia have reached an agreement with PayPal Charitable Giving Fund (PPGF), requiring the organization to boost transparency for donors on its online fundraising platform.

“Mixing secrecy with charity hardens the hearts of would-be donors,” Yost said. “This promise of transparency means donors will now have the information they need to guide their giving.”

Users of the platform pay money electronically to PPGF, which aggregates the donations and distributes them to charities selected by each donor. But in some cases, PPGF redirected contributions from selected charities to other organizations with similar purposes without telling donors. PPGF also failed to adequately disclose that charities that have PayPal accounts can receive donations faster than those that do not.

Charity regulators nationwide joined the effort to investigate PPGF’s fundraising activities, including its disclosures, vetting practices and treatment of charitable contributions. To address the states’ concerns, PPGF agreed to reform its disclosures to ensure that donors know:

That they are contributing to PPGF

The timeframe in which a selected charity can receive funds from PPGF

The implication of being an enrolled charity rather than an unenrolled charity on the PPGF platform

PPGF also agreed to notify donors when it redirects charitable contributions to organizations other than those they selected. PPGF will provide regulators with future campaign data to ensure the organization is complying with its obligations under the agreement.

Additionally, PPGF agreed to pay $200,000 to the National Association of Attorneys General for deposit into the NAAG Charities Enforcement and Training Fund. This fund was established to defray costs associated with the investigation and litigation of cases brought by state charities regulators, and to provide training and education to those regulators.

States and territories participating in the settlement include Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina Secretary of State, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin.

Submitted by the office of Attorney General Dave Yost.


Birds of Prey is a lot of fun. I don't think it's the best of the recent DC films, but it's certainly plenty entertaining – and deserved a much better reception than it got in theaters. Now, Warner Bros. is gearing up to drop the movie onto digital early, and I'm hopeful more folks will discover it there. If you haven't seen it yet, and want some indication of the tone of the flick, you might want to check out the featurette above. It's pretty extensive – it runs a little over 8 minutes – and covers a lot of bases. Star Margot Robbie talks about how she pitched the entire idea for the film, and then met with screenwriter Christina Hodson about the project. From there we learn about Cathy Yan being brought on to direct the film, the casting, the action, and more. This is actually one of several features included on the home media release. Here's a full list of what else is included.

Birds Eye View Mode

Birds of Prey: Birds of a Feather

Grime and Crime

Wild Nerds

Romanesque

Sanity is Sooo Last Season

A Love/Skate Relationship

Gag Reel

On March 24, Birds of Prey will be available to own in high definition and standard definition from select digital retailers including Amazon, FandangoNOW, iTunes, PlayStation, Vudu, Xbox and others. And then on April 7, Birds of Prey will be made available digitally on Video On Demand services from cable and satellite providers, and on select gaming consoles.

When Gotham's most nefariously narcissistic villain, Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor), and his zealous right-hand, Zsasz (Chris Messina), put a target on a young girl named Cass (Ella Jay Basco), the city is turned upside down looking for her. Harley (Margot Robbie), Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) and Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez)'s paths collide, and the unlikely foursome have no choice but to team up to take Roman down.

BURBANK – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and DC announced the March 24 Digital release, and April 7 VOD release, of Birds of Prey and the Fabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn. Directed by Cathy Yan (Dead Pigs) from a script by Christina Hodson (Bumblebee), the film is based on characters from DC.

Margot Robbie (Bombshell, Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood, I, Tonya) reprises her role as the endearingly daring ne’er-do-well Harley Quinn. The main cast also includes Mary Elizabeth Winstead (10 Cloverfield Lane, TV’s Fargo) as Huntress, Jurnee Smollett-Bell (True Blood) as Black Canary, Rosie Perez (Fearless, Pitch Perfect 2) as Renee Montoya, Chris Messina (Argo, Sharp Objects) as Victor Zsasz, and Ewan McGregor (Doctor Sleep, Trainspotting) as DC Super-Villain Roman Sionis/Black Mask. Newcomer Ella Jay Basco also stars as Cassandra “Cass” Cain in her feature film debut.

Birds of Prey and the Fabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn was produced by Robbie, Bryan Unkeless and Sue Kroll. Walter Hamada, Galen Vaisman, Geoff Johns, Hans Ritter and David Ayer served as executive producers.

The creative team, led by Yan, included director of photography Matthew Libatique (A Star Is Born, Venom), production designer K.K. Barrett (Her), editors Jay Cassidy (American Hustle, Silver Linings Playbook) and Evan Schiff (John Wick Chapters 2 & 3) and costume designer Erin Benach (A Star Is Born). The music is by Daniel Pemberton (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse).

In the film, when Gotham’s most nefariously narcissistic villain, Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor), and his zealous right-hand, Zsasz (Chris Messina), put a target on a young girl named Cass (Ella Jay Basco), the city is turned upside down looking for her. Harley (Margot Robbie), Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) and Renee Montoya’s (Rosie Perez) paths collide, and the unlikely foursome have no choice but to team up to take Roman down.

DIGITAL ELEMENTS

Birds of Prey and the Fabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn features the following special features*:

Birds Eye View Mode

Birds of Prey: Birds of a Feather

Grime and Crime

Wild Nerds

Romanesque

Sanity is Sooo Last Season

A Love/Skate Relationship

Gag Reel

*Special features available from select digital retailers

DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION ELEMENTS

On March 24, Birds of Prey and the Fabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn will be available to own in high definition and standard definition from select digital retailers including Amazon, FandangoNOW, iTunes, PlayStation, Vudu, Xbox and others. It will become available on April 7, digitally, on Video On Demand services from cable and satellite providers, and on select gaming consoles.

Source: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment


One of the Democratic Party’s main 2020 super PACs is attacking President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak with new TV ads airing in four key swing states.

The new ad from Priorities USA Action, which plans to spend $6 million on TV and digital ads condemning Trump’s response to Covid-19, began running in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Florida on Tuesday and features Trump quotes juxtaposed against a graph showing the number of positive coronavirus tests in America.

At the end of the ad, footage plays of Trump saying, during a Rose Garden press conference at the White House, “I don’t take responsibility at all.”

The ad marks a new front in the political battle over government response to the coronavirus. There has been relatively little TV advertising on the pandemic so far, with some scattered ads showing up in the Kentucky Senate race and the West Virginia governor’s race so far. In a statement, Priorities USA chairman Guy Cecil said Trump had “repeatedly misled the American people and exposed us to unnecessary danger.”

The series of ads targeting Trump’s handling of the coronavirus are part of a $150 million commitment from Priorities USA to run ads slamming Trump on health care in Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Arizona ahead of the Democratic National Convention in July. The PAC’s coronavirus ad campaign comes amid a lull among the Democratic candidates on the airwaves. As several states’ primaries remain in flux, neither Bernie Sanders nor Joe Biden has purchased TV or radio airtime since the March 17 elections in Florida and Arizona.

Priorities USA is also out with a second TV ad highlighting Biden’s experience in the executive branch along with two other digital ads with similar themes are also out on the airwaves in battleground states.

Priorities USA is launching a series of digital and television campaign advertising Tuesday that slams President Donald Trump for his response on the COVID-19 crisis, stringing together dismissive quotes from the President’s early statements.

“No, I don’t take responsibility at all,” the video clip shows Trump stating as a fever line tracking American cases soars upward from teens to tens of thousands, heading upward from there on a skyrocketing curve.

“America needs a leader we can trust,” text on the screen declares at the conclusion of the 30-second television commercial, “Exponential Threat.”

That’s one of two TV ads the Democratic-allied committee is releasing through social media Monday in Florida and fellow swing states Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin and is part of a $6 million TV and digital buy. Priorities USA said it’s considering expanding the campaign to other states as well.

The second TV ad, “Better Prepared,” gives a glowing feel to expectations that Democratic rival former Vice President Joe Biden would provide leadership America could trust.

Trump victory spokeswoman Emma Vaughn replied by saying that while Trump is saving American lives Democrats are playing politics.

“President Trump has taken bold and decisive action that has undoubtedly saved American lives while Democrats in D.C. are playing political games holding up legislation that would help millions during these trying times. Democrats should put politics aside and come together for the sake of our country,” Vaughn stated in a news release.

Additionally, Priorities USA is releasing two digital ads that will begin running on Tuesday across a variety of online platforms like Facebook and streaming TV.

These ads — “Map” and “Steady Leadership” — feature similar themes as their longer TV counterparts, contending that Trump refused to adequately prepare the country for the coming crisis and that Biden would provide a significant departure from the chaos.

Since last week, Priorities has also been promoting news content to voters in critical battleground states painting Trump’s coronavirus efforts as a failure to respond effectively to the mounting crisis.

“From the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, Donald Trump has repeatedly misled the American people and exposed us to unnecessary danger. His failure to lead continues to have real life and death consequences as hospitals, local and state governments, small businesses, and millions of Americans are left without the tools and information they need,” Priorities USA Chairman Guy Cecil wrote in a news release. “Tens of thousands of people are sick, hundreds have already died, and millions are losing their jobs. We simply cannot allow Donald Trump to continue to lie and spread misinformation unchecked. The American people deserve the truth about their president.”


The OPEC+ countries and oil producers that had not been part of the deal in the past began their video conference on the oil market, a source in one of the delegations told Sputnik

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th April, 2020) The OPEC+ countries and oil producers that had not been part of the deal in the past began their video conference on the oil market, a source in one of the delegations told Sputnik.

Apart from OPEC+, Argentina, Egypt, Indonesia, Trinidad and Tobago confirmed their participation.

Canada, Norway and a number of other oil-producing countries outside the previous OPEC+ alliance are participating in the ongoing OPEC+ meeting to balance oil market, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Thursday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th April, 2020) Canada, Norway and a number of other oil-producing countries outside the previous OPEC+ alliance are participating in the ongoing OPEC+ meeting to balance oil market, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Thursday.

"I would like to greet today our other colleagues who are participating in the video conference, colleagues from Canada, Norway, Egypt, Argentina, Colombia, Indonesia, Chad, Ecuador, Trinidad and Tobago," Novak said during the opening speech at the OPEC+ meeting.

Russia sees the increase of the number of countries that can take part in stabilizing the oil market as a justified measure, he said.

"We consider it justified to increase the number of countries that can take part in joining efforts to stabilize the global situation. And we once again welcome today the participation of our colleagues who have not previously participated in the OPEC+ agreement," Novak said.

He also wished the participants of the meeting constructive work and success in the negotiations.

"Only joint coordinated efforts will allow us to achieve results in the interests of the people of our countries," the minister added.


A Delhi court Thursday directed the makers of Deepika Padukone starer feature film Chhapaak to give credit to acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal's lawyer in the movie.

Additional Civil Judge Pankaj Sharma said it was necessary that advocate Aparna Bhat's contribution is acknowledged.

"This Court is of the considered view that facts are indicative that the plea of the plaintiff for interim injunction is well founded and it is necessary that her contribution be acknowledged by providing on the slide on the actual footage and the images, the line 'Aparna Bhat continues to fight the cases of sexual and physical violence against women' during the screening of the film.

"The said line on screen may be with a rider that the same is with the court order," the judge said. Advocate Bhat filed the application saying that despite representing Agarwal in courts for several years and helping in the movie making, she was not given credit in the movie.

She said the film makers took her help in the entire process of writing and shooting the movie, but did not give the credit.

Acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal's lawyer on Thursday moved a Delhi court, seeking an injunction on the release of Deepika Padukone-starrer 'Chhapaak'.

Advocate Aparna Bhat filed the application saying that despite representing Agarwal in courts for several years and helping in the making of the movie, she was not given credit in the film.

She said the filmmakers took her help in the process of writing and shooting the movie, but did not give her credits in the film.

The matter is likely to be taken up for hearing shortly.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)


The annual budget presented by

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday proposed creation of a world-class aquarium in Mumbai, which would be a part of an international standard tourism complex.

In December last year, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had directed the officials of the Tourism Department to chalk out a plan to build a world-class aquarium in Mumbai.

"An international standard tourism complex would come up on the Worli Dairy land with an estimated cost of Rs 1,000 crore. An international standard aquarium will be built there," Pawar said while presenting his budget in the Legislative Assembly.

Pawar, who also holds the finance portfolio, presented the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government's maiden budget in the Lower House.

He announced an outlay of Rs 1,400 crore for the Department of Tourism. Aaditya Thackeray, son of the chief minister, is the state Tourism and Minister.

Pawar also announced creation of a special fund to combat global warming and climate change, the issues over which Aaditya Thackeray has time and again expressed concerns.

Pawar said several pilgrimage spots in the state, including Mahurgad in Nanded district, Parli Vaijanath, Aundha Nagnath, Narsi Namdev in Hingoli district, ancient Shiva temple in Ambarnath and Hazrat Khwaja Shamna Mira Dargah in Miraj, would be developed.

For the development of popular tourist destinations, such as Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani Rs 100 crore have been set aside in the budget.

The government also set aside Rs 55 crore for the diamond jubilee celebrations of the state, which was formed on May 1, 1960.

Besides, Rs 25 crore have been allocated for the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi.

The budget also increased the MLA fund from Rs 2 crore (declared in 2011) to Rs 3 crore. Pawar said the move is aimed at enabling the elected representatives to spend more in their constituencies.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

MUMBAI: The annual budget presented by Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Friday proposed creation of a world-class aquarium in Mumbai, which would be a part of an international standard tourism complex. In December last year, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had directed the officials of the Tourism Department to chalk out a plan to build a world-class aquarium in Mumbai."An international standard tourism complex would come up on the Worli Dairy land with an estimated cost of Rs 1,000 crore. An international standard aquarium will be built there," Pawar said while presenting his budget in the Legislative Assembly.Pawar, who also holds the finance portfolio, presented the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government's maiden budget in the Lower House.He announced an outlay of Rs 1,400 crore for the Department of Tourism Aaditya Thackeray , son of the chief minister, is the state Tourism and Environment Minister.Pawar also announced creation of a special fund to combat global warming and climate change, the issues over which Aaditya Thackeray has time and again expressed concerns.Pawar said several pilgrimage spots in the state, including Mahurgad in Nanded district, Parli Vaijanath, Aundha Nagnath, Narsi Namdev in Hingoli district, ancient Shiva temple in Ambarnath and Hazrat Khwaja Shamna Mira Dargah in Miraj, would be developed.For the development of popular tourist destinations, such as Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani Rs 100 crore have been set aside in the budget.The government also set aside Rs 55 crore for the diamond jubilee celebrations of the state, which was formed on May 1, 1960.Besides, Rs 25 crore have been allocated for the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi.The budget also increased the MLA fund from Rs 2 crore (declared in 2011) to Rs 3 crore. Pawar said the move is aimed at enabling the elected representatives to spend more in their constituencies.


Since last year, a remake that has become the talk of the town is Sara Ali Khan and Varun Dhawan starrer Coolie No 1. The two popular stars will be seen recreating the magic of Govinda and Karisma Kapoor from their 1995 comedy film. While the shoot has been going on since last year, Sara has time and again revealed that she has been a big fan of Karisma and that she feels lucky to be recreating her magic on the big screens in David Dhawan’s directorial.

In a recent conversation with Times Of India, Sara spoke about her stint in Coolie No 1 with Varun and mentioned that she has always had a huge crush on Karisma. The Love Aaj Kal star revealed that she has always loved Karisma’s songs and is extremely stoked to have got the chance to work on those in Coolie No 1. Khan even praised her director David Dhawan and mentioned that while shooting the film, the journey has been filled with fun moments.

(Also Read: WATCH: Sara Ali Khan REFUSES to join Kartik Aaryan on bus roof during promotions; Says ‘you do it if you like’)

On recreating Karisma’s role in Coolie No 1, Sara said, “David sir’s set is like a fireball of energy. It's like, you know, back to the 90s. So it's been a real fun time on that set. I personally have a very big crush on Karisma Kapoor. I love her songs. And I'm so excited that I've had the opportunity to recreate that.”

Meanwhile, Sara and Varun often have shared on the set fun moments while shooting Coolie No 1 and fans have been excited about their take on the classic comedy. Coolie No 1 is slated to be released on May 1, 2020. Aside from this, Sara is busy with Love Aaj Kal promotions. In the film, she will be seen with Kartik Aaryan. Directed by Imtiaz Ali, Love Aaj Kal is slated to release on February 14, 2020. Sara will also be seen with Akshay Kumar and Dhanush in Aanand L Rai’s Atrangi Re which is slated to hit the screens on Valentine’s Day 2021.

Among the popular stars of the Gen-Z, Sara Ali Khan is the one who has filmmakers lining up to cast her in their films. Despite being just 3 films old, Sara enjoys a massive fan base and the star is considered to be one of the style icons of the youth. However, despite all of it, the gorgeous Love Aaj Kal star revealed that there was once a film narration that she wanted to escape at all costs and was even willing to fake a heart attack but her mom Amrita Singh talked sense into her.

Yes, in a candid conversation with East India Comedy, Sara revealed that once she was stuck in a very lengthy narration and the filmmaker was going on and on about the film. However, the Love Aaj Kal star shared that she wanted to escape the narration even by going to the extreme length of wanting to fake cardiac arrest. Sara described the episode and said, “There was this one time. I am not going to say much…because he said so much!”

(Also Read: Sara Ali Khan looks like a spitting image of mom Amrita Singh as she recreates the latter's pose; See PHOTO)

She went onto reveal that she called her mom, Amrita Singh from the washroom and told her that she is ready to fake cardiac arrest to get out the narration. However, the Love Aaj Kal star was told by the senior star to sit through the narration and to be professional till the end. Sara recalled the incident and said, “I went to the restroom with my phone, three hours in, and I told my mom, ‘Look, I know that we are all professional and we should be thankful for these opportunities… But can I pretend to have a cardiac arrest? Is that allowed?’ She said no, so I asked, ‘Should I faint? Should I throw up? What do I do?’ She told me that I have to go back with professionalism and continue till the end.”

Sara Ali Khan's latest photo:

Later, Sara revealed that she continued to hear the filmmaker for five hours and then when she went home, she told her mom Amrita that she hates her now and she doesn’t want to talk and just needs sleep. Well, surely the starlet tried her best to escape the situation but was talked out of it by her mom. On the work front, Sara’s recent release is Kartik Aaryan starrer Love Aaj Kal by Imtiaz Ali. Next, Sara will be seen in David Dhawan’s Coolie No 1 with Varun Dhawan. It will hit the screens on May 1, 2020. Apart from this, Sara recently announced a film with Dhanush and Akshay Kumar titled Atrangi Re. It will release on Valentine’s Day 2021.


Thirteen of the 22 rebel Congress MLAs in Madhya Pradesh don't want to quit the party and were led away only to create pressure on the leadership to nominate Jyotiraditya Scindia to the Rajya Sabha, senior party leader Digvijaya Singh claimed on Wednesday.

He also asserted that the Kamal Nath-led government in the state, pushed to the brink of collapse with the resignation of 22 MLAs, will win a floor test.

On a day that Scindia joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, Singh said the former Union minister and four-time Lok Sabha MP from the Congress was offered the post of Madhya Pradesh deputy chief minister in 2018 when the party won the state elections but wanted his nominee appointed.

However, this was rejected by Kamal Nath as he didn't want a "chela" in that position, Singh said in an interview, a day after Scindia quit the Congress and 22 MLAs submitted their resignations from the assembly.

"The CM said he does not have any issue with Scindia becoming the deputy CM but told him, 'if you want your 'chela' to become deputy CM, then that will not happen'. Kamal Nath then took six of his (Scindia's) supporters in the cabinet," Singh revealed.

Two-three ministers close to Scindia as well as 10 of the rebel MLAs have given an assurance they are not leaving the Congress, he said.

"They were taken to Bengaluru to put pressure on the Congress to give Scindia a Rajya Sabha berth," Singh said.

"All the 22 MLAs, but for five or six, are Congress members who have been in Mr Scindia's group since Mr Madhavrao Scindia's time. So, all those people were there with him because they were with the Congress party," he added.

Singh said the party is in touch with the families of the MLAs.

"We are not keeping quiet. We are not sleeping," he declared.

Alleging the BJP's hand behind the crisis, he said the party's leaders carried the resignations of the Congress MLAs. Also, the BJP chartered flights to ferry Congress MLAs in two batches to Bengaluru, he claimed.

"It is all engineered, sponsored and paid for by the BJP... all part of the BJP's Operation Moneybag," he said and added that the phones of the rebel MLAs have been taken away and their conversations with family members are being recorded.

Singh admitted that the party did not anticipate that Scindia would leave the Congress to join the BJP and described the move as his "ati-mahatvakansha", or his over-ambition.

"We did not anticipate that Scindia will quit the Congress... that was a mistake. Someone who has got so much from the party- four-time MP, twice minister in Union Cabinet, Congress Working Committee member and party general secretary," he said.

"The Congress could have easily sent him to the Rajya Sabha with 122 MLAs on its side. But we could not have made him a cabinet minister. Only Modi-Shah can make (him) a cabinet minister not us," he added.

The remark was an oblique reference to reports that Scindia will be made a cabinet minister in the Modi government in return for his MLAs supporting BJP's Shivraj Singh Chouhan to form government in Madhya Pradesh.

"We will prove our majority. We will save the government," Singh said.

He also rejected theories of Scindia being unhappy with the party and the state government.

"In the entire Gwalior-Chambal region, the Congress is being run by Scindia. And even Kamal Nath ji ran the administrative machinery in coordination with him. Guna is my home district but even the SP and collector are appointed as per his (Scindia's) wishes. It's the same in Shivpuri, Gwalior, Ashok Nagar, Bhind and Morena."

The two-time Madhya Pradesh chief minister said the assembly speaker, as per law, wants to verify the authenticity of the resignations tendered by the rebel MLAs by seeking their personal presence.

Detailing the sequence of events relating to the crisis in the state, he claimed Scindia was "upset and frustrated" when he lost the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and made overtures to Modi-Shah stating he could topple the Kamal Nath government.

"During the time, through a friend, he met Modi ji and Amit Shah," Singh said.

State BJP leaders were, however, opposed to the idea and were confident they could do the job themselves, he claimed, adding that Scindia was roped in when the local BJP leadership failed.

"Senior BJP leaders said if the government has to be brought down, we can do it, why do you have to take him (in the party). So they were asked to make an attempt. They tried...but we thwarted it.

"Then Amit Shah took them to task and said 'you are all useless ('nikamme nikle'), I am giving the task to (bring down the government) to Scindia ji'," Singh claimed.

On his personal equation with Scindia, he said he had always remained in touch with Scindia and his father, the late Madhavrao Scindia.

Singh also recalled that he was instrumental in bringing Madhavrao Scindia to the Congress in 1979. Madhavrao Scindia's mother Vijaya Raje Scindia was one of the founding members of the BJP.

The Congress has a wafer thin majority in the 228-member assembly. Before the rebellion, its tally was 114. It also has the support of four Independents, two BSP MLAs and one from the SP, but some may now switch sides to the BJP.

If the resignations of the 22 MLAs are accepted, the strength of the assembly will fall to 206. The Congress, on its own, will then be left with 92 seats while the BJP has 107 seats with the magic number for a majority being 104.

The Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday stared at a collapse after a resignation of prominent youth leader Jyotiraditya Scindia from the Congress.

IMAGE: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath with Jyotiraditya Scindia in happier times. Photograph: @OfficeOfKNath/Twitter

Following Scindia's move, 22 Congress MLAs resigned from the assembly, putting the Nath government in the minority.

The Congress has a wafer-thin majority in the Madhya Pradesh assembly whose current effective strength is 228.

If the resignations of the 22 MLAs is accepted, the strength of the assembly will fall to 206.

The magic number for retaining the majority then will be 104.

The Congress, however, will be left with 92 seats while the Bharatiya Janata Party has 104 seats.

The Congress has the support of four Independents, two Bahujan Samaj Party and one Samajwadi Party MLA.

Even with their support, the Congress will fall short of a majority, and it is anyway unclear if they will continue to support the Congress or go with the BJP.


As COVID-19 continues to impact the lives of Canadians, the federal government has launched an online portal and app dedicated to mental health and wellness.

The app and the online Wellness Together site will connect people with peer support workers, social workers, psychologists and other professionals for confidential chat sessions or phone calls.

It’s also a place to find credible information about how to address mental health and substance use issues.

Users will be able to access different levels of support depending on their needs, ranging from information and self-assessment tools, to the opportunity to chat with professionals.

A number of organizations played a part in crafting the portal, including Stepped Care Solutions, Kids Help Phone, Homewood Health, Greenspace Health, the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and the Canadian Psychological Association.

“Mental wellness is difficult to maintain with the disruptions happening now,” said Patty Hajdu, Federal Minister of Health. “It’s not easy to maintain a routine. People in every community are struggling and need our help. That’s why we are acting today to make it easier for Canadians to identify, understand and address issues they are facing, with multiple tools and resources available on one platform.”

April 15, 2020 Ottawa, ON Health Canada

COVID-19 is a global public health challenge that has changed the daily lives of people around the world. During these difficult times, it is critical that Canadians be able to obtain credible information and access services to support their mental health and wellbeing.

That's why today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, launched a new portal dedicated to mental wellness on Canada.ca/coronavirus and the Canada COVID-19 app. Wellness Together Canada will connect Canadians to peer support workers, social workers, psychologists and other professionals for confidential chat sessions or phone calls, and will make it easier to find credible information and help address mental health and substance use issues.

The portal is the result of the work of a broad consortium of organizations with experience in providing digital mental health and substance use support, led by Stepped Care Solutions, Kids Help Phone, Homewood Health and Greenspace Health. Wellness Together Canada is the first and only mental health platform of its kind for people of all ages, in every province and territory.

Special thanks to supporting partners including:

• Bell Let's Talk

• Canada Health Infoway

• Mental Health Commission of Canada

• Canadian Psychological Association

• Medavie


The body of a 6-year-old South Carolina girl who had gone missing earlier this week was found near the remains of an unidentified man, authorities said Thursday. Police are now treating the child's death as a homicide.

Faye Marie Swetlik. Cayce Department of Public Safety / via Facebook

Faye Swetlik was last seen playing in the front yard of her Cayce, South Carolina, home after school on Monday when she was reported missing.

"It is with extremely heavy hearts that we're announcing we have found the body, that the coroner has identified as Faye Marie Swetlik," Cayce Director of Public Safety Byron Snellgrove told reporters. "We are now treating this case as a homicide."

The girl's body was found in her neighborhood of Churchill Heights, near "a deceased male," according to police.

"That investigation has just begun," Snellgrove said of the man found near the girl.

Snellgrove declined to answer any questions or reveal how the girl died.

But, he said, "at this time we feel there is no danger to the community," just outside the state's capital city of Columbia.

Crime scene tape covers the wooded area near the Churchill Heights neighborhood, this after the bodies of Faye Swetlik and an unidentified male were found. @wis10 pic.twitter.com/9uzSFoIXJW — Drew Aunkst WIS (@NewsDrewWIS) February 13, 2020

No arrests were immediately made and police were seen combing through a wooded area of Churchill Heights following the announcement.

The Cayce Department of Public Safety released a statement saying they were working closely with the coroner's office to process a "large amount of physical evidence."

"While we grieve for Faye and try process this tragedy, we want to ensure you that our work continues," the statement said. "As we weep, we work."

The Lexington County Coroner's Office announced an autopsy will be conducted on Faye Swetlick on Saturday.

The search for the missing Springdale Elementary School first-grader had captivated the region.

"Our community is devastated," tweeted all-time basketball great Dawn Staley, who is the head women's basketball coach at the nearby University of South Carolina.

"We prayed for a different outcome but our hearts are filled with sorrow. This senselessness must stop. Godspeed to her family, friends and community."

Vice President Mike Pence, while speaking Thursday night at The Citadel military college in Charleston, South Carolina, said the FBI will offer support to state officials in the investigation.

"We were deeply saddened to receive word of the remains of Faye Swetlick were found," Pence said. "Hold this family in your prayers."

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Lorraine viewers couldn't believe who they were seeing on their screens today as pop beauty Louise Redknapp came on the show to discuss her new UK tour.

Louise, 45, sent viewers wild as she donned a plunging denim shirt and matching jeans, as they couldn't believe her ageless beauty.

As Louise talked about splitting from ex Jamie Redknapp back in 2017, they rushed to social media to talk about how different she looked.

One fan posted: "There's a very different looking Louise...wish her all the best for the album."

Another added: "Louise looks so different now!"

(Image: ITV)

A third chipped in: "Wow, barely recognised Louise on Lorraine."

A fourth wrote: "Louise is looking more and more like Carol Vorderman everyday."

Louise confessed that splitting Jamie was the hardest thing she had ever done, as she told Lorraine: "It is the toughest thing anyone will go through, it really was for me.

"Everyday is a new challenge, it was really hard.

(Image: ITV)

"The boys are our priority and we are working together to put them first."

She also spoke about her former Strictly Come Dancing partner Kevin Clifton announcing he had left the show, sharing her shock with Lorraine.

Discussing her time on the show, Louise admitted: "It made me fall back in love again with dancing.

"That was when I thought there is a bit of life left in me."

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

Louise and Kevin starred in the 2016 series of the show, narrowly missing out on the Glitterball to presenter Ore Oduba.

She announced her split from Jamie, who she married in 1998, as she announced the end of their 19 year marriage.

Lorraine continues tomorrow at 9am on ITV.

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Get the best celeb gossip with the Daily Star Showbiz newsletter

Louise Redknapp burst thermometers in her latest Instagram snap as the star stunned as she went makeup free, as she got prepared for her tour.

The singing goddess, 45, has been rehearsing for her upcoming UK tour ahead of her releasing brand new music.

She shared the intimate series of snaps on her story, giving fans a sneak-peak of what happens behind the scenes before a show.

The first post is a video clip of the star, rocking a bare face with no makeup.

She looked stunning as she told her 684k Instagram followers: "So we've just done our very first run through of the show from start to finish.

(Image: Instagram/@louiseredknapp)

"Yeah all good!"

The ageless beauty finished the sweet video clip by blowing a heartfelt kiss to her fans through the camera, letting them know she loves them.

Her second selfie saw the former Eternal member putting sexily at the camera, posing up a storm for the bare-faced snap.

She wrote on the scorching photograph: "I will wear makeup for the show tomorrow. Promise."

(Image: Instagram/@louiseredknapp)

The bombshell finished her words with a joking frown emoji.

Louise made headlines recently after sending viewers wild with desire as she donned a jaw-dropping glamorous outfit on TV show Lorraine, as she discussed her new music and tour.

She confessed on the ITV morning show that splitting from her ex husband Jamie Redknapp was the hardest thing she'd ever done.

(Image: Instagram/@louiseredknapp)

The media personality told Lorraine of getting a divorce back in 2017: "It is the toughest thing anyone will go through, it really was for me.

"Everyday is a new challenge, it was really hard."

The mum-of-two confirmed that her children, who she shares with Jamie, are the most important thing in her life, as she said: "The boys are our priority and we are working together to put them first."


The residents of T. Nagar, have made a request to the Greater Chennai Corporation to re-locate a trash

disposal point, located on Guild Street, T. Nagar. Residents say the disposal point is nothing short of a trash

yard. Though, steps are taken to clear the garbage every day, either in the night or early in the morning, the

conservancy staff collect and dispose the trash from residential apartments and homes and other commercial

establishments in the vicinity for the conservancy truck staff to clear the garbage.

On days, the garbage is spilled on to the roads affecting free flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic. To add to

the woes of the pedestrians, especially women, men relieve themselves in the open. Of late, the space near

the trash yard has become a parking slot.

“In the mornings and evenings, countless number of pedestrians walk through the stretch to reach the railway

terminal and a couple of educational institutions. Stray dogs roam in large numbers on the stretch, creating a

fear in the minds of the pedestrians. We have complained several times in this regard to the authorities

concerned in the GCC to re-locate the dumping point. But, no action, has been taken till date. We are being

asked by the authorities concerned to re-locate a trash disposal point," residents say.

Besides, while clearing the trash from the disposal point, the walls of a prestigious educational institution

located on the stretch have been damaged by the conservancy vehicle for fifth time in a row. A similar

situation prevails on Police Quarters Road.

Despite, a washroom near the T. Nagar bus terminus, men relive in the open on the stretch, making it horrible to commute through the stretch to gain access to bus terminus, residents, add.

Some post-graduate students of Rani Channamma University took bath in front of the university gate in protest against water scarcity in the hostel and on campus.

A group of students wearing shorts and T-shirts walked to the university gate on Wednesday carrying buckets and mugs. They reached the front gate and poured water on themselves. They shouted slogans against the university administration for failing to listen to their pleas.

“We have been complaining to the university officers about water scarcity, but no one listened to us. We are forced to skip bath for days as there is no water in the hostel. Today, we decided to come out in protest,” they said.

University officers sent them away with an assurance that they would look into their demands.


That $1,200 from the U.S. government is expected to arrive to households across the nation within the next three weeks.

These payments are part of the $2.2 trillion rescue package signed into law last week to spur the economy, which screeched to a halt in the COVID-19 pandemic.

But questions remain as to how to access that $1,200, and if that money is enough to provide a much-needed assist as millions of Americans are now filing for unemployment.

And while $1,200 might help alleviate some financial pressure for Long Islanders, the plan shows a “failure to recognize the regional cost differences” across the nation, said Lawrence Levy, the executive dean of suburban studies at Hofstra University, where he is also vice president for economic development and professional studies. In addition, Levy heads up Ascend Long Island, a pilot program that supports underserved communities in Nassau County.

Levy said that “$1,200 doesn’t go nearly as far in Hempstead as it does in Huntsville, Alabama. The help is not going to go as far here as it will in other parts of the country.” It’s disappointing, he said, as “the federal government does recognize” the cost of living difference in how it pays its employees based on where they live.

The $1,200 per taxpayer is “punishing to the higher costs suburbs all around the country,” he said.

Meanwhile, to access that money, most people don’t need to do anything. But some, including senior citizens and low-income people who might not traditionally file tax returns, are advised to take action. People behind on filing their taxes might also want to get caught up.

Eligibility

Anyone earning up to $75,000 in adjusted gross income and who has a Social Security number will receive a $1,200 payment. That means married couples filing joint returns will receive the full payment — $2,400 — if their adjusted gross income, which is what you report on your taxes, is under $150,000.

The payment steadily declines for those who make more. Those earning more than $99,000, or $198,000 for joint filers, are not eligible. The thresholds are slightly different for those who file as a head of household.

Parents will also receive $500 for each qualifying child.

Accessing funds

Most people don’t have to do anything to access the funds.

The money will be directly deposited in your bank account if the government has that information from your tax return. If you haven’t filed your 2019 taxes, the government will use information from your 2018 taxes to calculate your payment and determine where to send it. It can use your Social Security benefit statement as well.

If you don’t usually have to file taxes

People who are not required to file a tax return — such as low-income tax payers, some senior citizens, Social Security recipients, some veterans and people with disabilities — will need to file a very simplified tax return to receive the economic impact payment. It provides the government basic details including a person’s filing status, number of dependents and direct-deposit bank information.

If you didn’t yet file 2018 or 2019 taxes

You will still get a payment, but the IRS urges anyone required to file a tax return and has not yet done so for those years to file as soon as possible in order to receive an economic impact payment. Taxpayers should include their direct-deposit banking information on the return if they want it deposited in their account.

If you don’t use direct deposit on your taxes

The government will default to sending you the check by mail if you did not use direct deposit.

However, IRS and Treasury say that they will develop an online portal in the coming weeks for individuals to provide their banking information so that they can receive the payments immediately instead of in the mail. It has not yet set a deadline for updating that information.

Learning more about the check

The IRS and Treasury say the website irs.gov/coronavirus will soon provide information about the check, including how people can file a simple 2019 tax return.

When you need more time to file your tax returns

The IRS says people concerned about visiting a tax professional or local community organization in person to get help with a tax return should not worry. The economic impact payments will be available throughout the rest of 2020.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Politics & Government Coronavirus Economic Stimulus Payments: What You Need To Do In RI Rhode Island residents are expected to start receiving stimulus payments soon. Here's what you need to do beforehand. Reply (1)

To receive a coronavirus economic stimulus payment, Americans need to have filed a tax return for 2018 or 2019, according to new guidance released by the IRS and U.S. Treasury. (iStock / Getty Images Plus)

RHODE ISLAND — In the next three weeks, most Americans are expected to start receiving payments that are part of a nearly $2 trillion economic stimulus package approved by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump last week. The package is intended to mitigate the economic effects of the new coronavirus outbreak on Americans, small businesses and corporations.

But with so much money in the pipeline, questions remain: What is the government using to determine eligibility? Do we need to apply to receive a payment? Where will the payment go once it's sent? The Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Treasury released guidance this week on the economic stimulus package that explains what Americans should expect and what they need to do to receive their payments. Most won't need to do anything. But just in case, here's a checklist of questions you may not have thought of and others you may already be asking:

Do I need to file a tax return to receive a stimulus payment?

Yes, and while most of us won't need to worry about this requirement, some groups of Americans — including low-income taxpayers, senior citizens, some veterans and individuals with disabilities — typically don't file tax returns. Don't miss the latest coronavirus updates in Rhode Island as they are announced. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters.

Originally, Social Security recipients were among those required to file a return to receive the stimulus payment; however, in response to backlash from both sides of the political aisle, the U.S. Treasury announced Wednesday that Social Security recipients are now exempt from the tax return requirement, according to The Washington Post. Finally, anyone who was required to file taxes for 2018 and 2019 and hasn't done so yet should do so right away.

Am I eligible for the economic stimulus payment? Eligible taxpayers who filed tax returns for either 2019 or 2018 will automatically receive an economic impact payment of up to $1,200 for individuals or $2,400 for married couples. Parents also receive $500 for each qualifying child.


DHAKA, Feb 25, 2020 (BSS)- The decision on whether Mashrafe would be allowed to continue his cricketing career after the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe will be taken in the next meeting of the Bangladesh Cricket

Board (BCB), said its president Nazmul Hassan Papon.

The BCB head had already made it clear that they would choose a captain,

considering the 2023 World Cup as they want the team to get ample time under

new captain to build them for the cricket’s biggest extravaganza.

This put a question mark on Mashrafe’s career as the BCB president cast a

doubt on the lanky fast bowler’s ability to pass the modern beep test which

determines the players’ fitness.

But he said that Mashrafe, whose retirement issue came to the fore once as

he performed badly in the 2019 World Cup, would play the series against

Zimbabwe as captain.

This will be Mashrafe first series since the World Cup in which took just

one wicket in eight matches. Mashrafe missed the three-match ODI series in

Sri Lanka after the World Cup due to hamstring injury.

“I didn’t say anything like that Mashrafe won’t be the part of the team

after the Zimbabwe series. I said that we will take a decision about the

captain in the next board meeting,” Papon said.

“I can’t say before the meeting that whether he [Mashrafe] would play or

not, or whether he would be captain or not. Till this series against

Zimbabwe, he is okay and he will be the captain.”

Mashrafe is currently playing just ODI format of the cricket and since he

shows his reluctance to walk into sunset in the near future, question came to

the fore whether he will play the one-off ODI against Pakistan in Karachi.

Papon remained tightlipped on this issue, saying, “Before the ODI against

Pakistan, a board meeting will be held. As I said earlier, everything will be

decided in that meeting.”

SYLHET, Feb 29, 2020 (BSS)-Captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza said he will be here for always in Bangladesh cricket’s needs as he is ready to do anything for the sake of the country’s cricket.

Mashrafe’s comment came in the wake of the question that whether he

would visit Bangladesh for a solitary ODI match if the Bangladesh Cricket

Board (BCB) wants. The most successful captain of the country is currently

playing just ODI format.

However Mashrafe’s future is not clear yet as the BCB president Nazmul

Hassan Papon indicated that the Zimbabwe series will be the lanky pacer’s

last as the captain since they would appoint a long term captain, eying 2023

World Cup. He also said, if Mashrafe wants to continue cricket, he should

prove his performance and match fitness to make him available.

“Firstly I don’t know what will happen after this series,” Mashrafe

said, replying to a query whether he would tour Pakistan.

“But in Bangladesh cricket’s needs, I am ready to go anywhere. What I

feel is that the BCB is our guardian. What decision they will take, they will

take it thinking not for once or twice, they will think about it for 10

times. So I believe they will take the best decision. We should consider

cricket board’s decision as final.”

Bangladesh has already twice visited Pakistan for first two legs of tour

that included a three-match T20 series and a first Test. On both occasion,

Mushfiqur Rahim opted against touring Pakistan, citing security reasons.

Bangladesh will visit Pakistan for last phase of tour that includes a

solitary ODI and second Test. Mushfiqur Rahim is believed to opt against

third phase of tour also.

“We should honour the decision of Mushfiqur Rahim,” Mashrafe said. “The

BCB has given the option to opt against touring Pakistan. Moreover the

selector will take the decision who will be the part of the team. If I am

called up for Pakistan tour, I will give my answer.”


Retail lending stock of Hungarian banks was up HUF 77.4 billion at nearly HUF 7.022 trillion in November from the previous month, fresh data from the National Bank of Hungary (MNB) shows, state news wire MTI reports.

Image: Onchira Wongsiri/Shutterstock.com

The stock has risen every month since March 2018.

Transactions increased the stock of retail loans by HUF 83.1 bln but revaluations reduced it by HUF 5.7 bln. Forint-denominated transactions increased the stock by HUF 83.6 bln and FX transactions lowered it by HUF 500 million.

Stock of retail deposits rose HUF 91.9 bln to almost HUF 9.370 tln with net deposit placements adding HUF 70.4 bln and revaluations raising the stock by HUF 21.5 bln.

Net inflows increased forint deposits by HUF 84.6 bln and net withdrawals reduced foreign currency deposits by HUF 14.2 bln. Revaluations increased the FX deposits by HUF 21.5 bln and reduced forint deposits by just HUF 100 million.

The euro weakened 1.48% to the forint between the end of October and the end of November, calculating with the central bankʼs daily fixing.

Corporate lending stock of Hungarian banks rose in November from the previous month with nearly 30% of the increase reflecting revaluation effects, fresh data from the National Bank of Hungary (MNB) show, state news wire MTI reports.

Image: Pixabay

In real terms and excluding revaluation effects, the stock of banksʼ corporate loans has been rising since the end of 2016.

The corporate lending stock of banks was up HUF 161.5 billion at HUF 8.7 trillion according to non-adjusted data. Transactions increased the lending stock by HUF 113.4 bln, while revaluations and other changes increased it by HUF 48.1 bln.

Transactions raised the stock of forint loans by HUF 16.5 bln and they raised the stock of foreign currency loans by HUF 83.2 bln. Revaluations cut the forint loan stock by HUF 4.7 bln and raised the FX loan stock by HUF 54.2 bln.

Holdings by credit institutions of bonds issued by non-financial corporations were down HUF 1.4 bln due to revaluations but rose HUF 13.7 bln because of transactions, bringing the stock of bonds to HUF 144.7 bln.

Corporate deposits meanwhile rose by HUF 389.6 bln to HUF 9.264 tln in November. Deposit placements raised the stock by HUF 365.7 bln and revaluations raised it by a further HUF 23.9 bln.

According to MNB, there were just HUF 11.9 bln net inflows into foreign currency deposits while net inflows into forint deposits reached HUF 353.8 bln. Revaluations increased FX deposits by HUF 43.9 bln and they reduced forint deposits by HUF 20 bln.


By Rachel Noll, DOC Communications

The Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) is privileged to have staff well trained in emergency management. During statewide and national emergencies, the DOC stands ready to respond internally to protect the health and safety of staff and the incarcerated, and externally to provide support to other state or federal agencies.

Steps Taken During COVID-19

Corrections began supporting the Department of Health (DOH) response to COVID-19 on February 9, 2020, by providing members of Corrections’ Department Incident Management Team (DIMT) to help the statewide response. The department officially opened its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at headquarters in response to COVID-19 on March 2, 2020, whose members represent every division across the agency.

While the state is under a “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order, Corrections remains open and operational as an essential business. The safety and well-being of the incarcerated, staff and public are the department’s top priorities.

Corrections has taken a number of steps to ensure the safety of those incarcerated in correctional facilities and work release, as well as those on community supervision. These steps include suspending visitation and other in-person programming to reduce outside exposure, encouraging pro-active precautions like hand-washing, extra cleaning and social distancing, and reducing the number of face-to-face contact visits community corrections officers have to make with those they supervise.

The department is also encouraging staff to stay home when sick, practice social distancing and telework wherever possible. Every staff member that needs to report in person for work receives a verbal and temperature health screening when they enter any correctional facility. The agency recently approved staff to wear expired N95 respirators (pdf). The department continues to monitor the situation to determine if additional steps are necessary as new guidance is made available.

To demonstrate the department’s commitment to openness and transparency, Corrections has posted important information on the COVID-19 Information Center, including memos, resources and decision points.

Current Protocols Followed

Corrections’ Chief Medical Officer and her team have developed protocols (pdf) that follow recommendations for isolation and quarantine set forth by DOH and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), which are updated as needed to reflect the latest guidance.

Employees who test positive for COVID-19 self-quarantine at home for at least 14 days. Corrections also works to identify and notify employees considered to have had close contact with a staff member with positive COVID-19 test results. Those determined to have been in close contact with the positive individual will be asked to self-quarantine at home for up to 14 days from the date of last contact with the employee who tested positive, following DOH guidelines.

If an incarcerated individual shows symptoms or tests positive, they will be isolated and treated. Those who have been in contact will be quarantined even if they are asymptomatic under the same guidelines followed under other quarantines, such as those that occur during outbreaks of the stomach flu.

Corrections Assistance in Statewide Response

In addition to the internal response, the DIMT provided logistics support to DOH along with the Washington Department of Social and Health Services and the Washington Military Department – Emergency Management Division with the statewide response to COVID-19. The support is possible because the Department of Corrections trains employees in the National Incident Management System (NIMS), the national structure for emergency response enabling state and federal agencies that typically do not work together, to operate under the same structure and unified command during an emergency.

“Real world emergencies, whether it be a flood, hurricane, volcano or pandemic, provide the opportunity for our agency employees to hone their skills in emergency management and incident command,” said Emergency Operations Manager Greg Miller. “Assisting other agencies drastically increases our knowledge, skills and abilities to manage our own emergencies when they arise in the department. Above and beyond DIMT, the Department of Corrections staff statewide are always ready and willing to help out. These staff are doing great work in the offices, prisons and community during this time.”

The DIMT provided Command, Logistics and Planning staff to the Unified Command at the State Emergency Operations Center. DOC staff also provided communications support as the state stood up its Joint Information Center. Working together during an emergency allows each state agency to continue its operations, work together as a team and have a role in helping Washington to ‘flatten the curve’.

Incarcerated individuals have also expressed a desire to help. Correctional Industries (CI) workers at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center have adapted their knowledge from the textile factory to produce protective gowns to respond to the need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). CI workers across the state are also working to produce additional gowns, protective masks and face shields.

“Partnerships such as this show the department’s commitment to both our mission, ‘To improve public safety by positively changing lives’ as well as our vision, ‘Working together for safer communities,’” said Secretary Steve Sinclair. “Corrections is committed to working together with other state agencies to help support the best emergency response possible, as we know our role in creating safer communities extends beyond our commitment to operating a safe and humane corrections system. We value our partnership with others as we work to transform lives for a better Washington.”

Another positive case of coronavirus (COVID-19) has been reported in Mason County. A man in his 70s became the 18th County resident to test positive. Mason County Public Health was notified of the latest positive test on Wednesday, April 9, 2020. Mason County Public Health is conducting contact interviews at this time. The patient is currently isolating at home.

Case information for the 18 positive cases is as follows:

Only one patient has been hospitalized outside Mason County. The remaining patients are isolating at home.

So far, 502 people have been tested in Mason County.

Due to Mason County being a small community, location data of positive cases will not be released to reduce the possibility of patient identification and to protect personal health information. Identified positive cases are located throughout Mason County. To avoid exposure, continue to follow the guidance of washing hands frequently, stay home, unless essential to work and limit travel to only medical appointments, medication pick up, and once every two-week grocery shopping needs. This will help limit your exposure possibilities. Mason County Public Health is asking that the public do their part to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.


Good Omens stars Michael Sheen and David Tennant will reunite for a new lockdown comedy for BBC One.

Staged will follow the cast of a play who are furloughed when their upcoming West End production is suddenly brought to a halt and they try their best to keep the rehearsals on track in lockdown.

The six 15-minute episodes will be filmed using a combination of self-shooting and video conferencing technology to ensure it is made safely.

They will take on the challenge of creating a drama in lockdown, on stage and off, and the cast also includes Tennant’s wife Georgia Tennant, Lucy Eaton and Anna Lundberg.

The show will also have a selection of guest stars including Nina Sosanya, with others still to be confirmed.

Charlotte Moore, the BBC’s director of content, said: “It’s so important that the BBC provides moments of humour and light relief and this mischievous idea shows what great sports Michael and David are.”

The series is written and directed by Simon Evans, based on an idea by Evan and Phin Glynn.

The series will air in June 2020 on BBC One and will be available as a box set on BBC iPlayer after transmission.

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David Tennant is to star in the new BBC comedy, "Staged." File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

May 23 (UPI) -- Good Omens stars David Tennant and Michael Sheen are reuniting for a six-episode BBC comedy called Staged. The 15-minute show will debut in June. It follows the cast of a play who continue to rehearse remotely after their upcoming West End production is suddenly brought to a halt because of the coronavirus pandemic. Advertisement

"Absurd and humorous in equal measure, Staged takes on the challenges of creating a drama in lockdown, on stage and off, with a line-up including Georgia Tennant, Lucy Eaton and Anna Lundberg," a BBC press release said. "The show will also have a selection of guest stars including Nina Sosanya, with more to be confirmed in due course."

Simon Evans and Phin Glynn came up with the idea and Evans penned the screenplay.

It will be recorded using video-conference technology in keeping with social-distancing practices.

"It's vital that the BBC provides moments of light relief and this mischievous idea shows what great sports Michael and David are in sending themselves up," Charlotte Moore, director of BBC Content, said in a statement.


ISLAMABAD: The first phase of admissions of the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) that include Matric and FA programs for the Semester Spring, 2020 will be closed on Tuesday, March 3.

There will be no further extension in this date, it was announced.

The designated banks around the country have been directed to receive the admissions’ fee of Matric, FA as well as for admission in Certificate Courses and Open Tech Courses till the closing time on March 3.

The interested Pakistanis including those living in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Sultanate of Oman, Bahrain have also been asked to enroll themselves in the on-going admission (spring, 2020).

Admission forms and prospectus for these programs could be downloaded from the University’s website.

Islamabad: Allama Iqbal Open University has introduced some academic programmes for overseas Pakistanis, including those living in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Sultanate of Oman, Bahrain and USA.

The programs include ‘Allisan-ul-Arabi’ (Basic Arabic Course), Arabic ‘Bol Chall’, Secondary School Certificate (Matric), Higher Secondary School Certificate( FA, I.com).

The interested Pakistanis have been asked to enroll themselves in the on-going admission (Spring, 2020), that will continue till March 3. Admission forms and prospectus for these programs could be downloaded from the University’s websitehttp://del.aiou.edu.pk

According to the Director Admissions, the overseas students educational facilities were being extended with the cooperation of Pakistani missions and schools abroad.

The interested Pakistanis may contact the department of the overseas Pakistanis here at the University’s main campus on email overseas@aiou.edu.pk for seeking further information.


Bigg Boss 13's Shehnaaz Gill is one of the most deserving contestants to win the show.

Bigg Boss 13 contestant Shehnaaz Gill was a known face in Punjab before she entered the BB house. But, after she appeared on the show, the singer has become a household name across India. Shehnaaz was one contestant who has been entertaining the viewers even before she entered the BB house.

Shehnaaz introduced herself to Salman Khan as Punjab Ki Katrina Kaif. Initially, Shehnaaz was seen trying to bond with Paras Chhabra but after Paras chose Mahira Sharma over her on more than one occasion, she thought it better to stay away from him. Shehnaaz, who is lovingly called Sana by her housemates, displayed all kinds of emotions in the house. She never shied away from calling a spade a spade.

Shehnaaz Gill stood by Shefali Bagga when the entire house was against her. She wasn't scared of anyone and supported what she felt was right. She was also the only one who was very clear about her priorities on the show. She has always said that all that matters to her in this game is Sidharth Shukla and would mostly get affected by things related to him.

On the show, Shehnaaz Gill has become quite popular and now enjoys a huge fan following. Apart from Sidharth Shukla and Rashami Desai, she was another contestant who was nominated many times on the show but every time, her fans saved her.

Be it her gidda performance with Sidharth Shukla, or her conversation with the crow, every time Shehnaaz Gill has managed to win our hearts with her cute antics. Initially, Bigg Boss 13 wasn't that interesting, but two contestants who made it bearable with their presence were Shehnaaz Gill and Sidharth Shukla. She was a great find by the makers as her presence in the show helped keep its entertainment quotient high.

Every weekend, Shehnaaz's conversation with Salman Khan left the viewers and Salman in splits. Shehnaaz displayed her romantic side with Sidharth and also showed her fierce side while protecting him when he got into a fight with their housemates.

The winner of Bigg Boss needs to be someone who manages to entertain no matter what. Shehnaaz Gill is one contestant who brought a smile on the viewers' face whenever she appeared on screen. She is clearly the entertainment queen of this season and deserves to win the show more than anyone else.

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With the finale of Bigg Boss 13 less than four days away, the tension inside the house is quite high at the moment. Salman Khan announced on Sunday that one contestant would be eliminated from the show soon.

The contestants were asked to rank the top five housemates, and they picked Paras Chhabra followed by Sidharth Shukla, Asim Riaz, Rashami Desai and Arti Singh.

In the previous task, Sidharth chose to save Paras. When confronted by Salman, he confessed that he picked Paras because he couldn’t decide between Shehnaaz and Arti. Soon after Salman’s exit, Shehnaaz and Sidharth had an argument. The two also had an argument with Arti regarding the same issue.

The elite club members Asim Riaz, Sidharth Shukla and Rashami Desai are safe from eliminations. Paras, meanwhile, was saved by Sidharth.


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St Thomas' Hospital - Coronavirus patients to be given the blood of survivors as part of new treatment being trialled in London hospitals - BLOOMBERG

Coronavirus Homepage Bar with counter ..

Coronavirus patients will be given the blood of survivors of the deadly disease as part of a new treatment being trialled at London’s Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals.

More than 6,500 people have signed up for the trial, which will begin in “the coming weeks”, the hospitals' Biomedical Research Centre said.

Donations have already been collected from 148 people in England, with the hope being that transfusions will boost the struggling immune systems of Covid-19 sufferers.

The potential treatment, variants of which have long been used to fight other infections, uses the liquid part of the blood, known as convalescent plasma.

The hospitals said if the trials proved it to be effective, NHS Blood and Transplant will begin a national programme to deliver up to 10,000 units of convalescent plasma per week to the National Health Service, enough to treat 5,000 patients each week.

The trial is co-led by Dr Manu Shankar-Hari, a consultant in intensive care medicine at the hospitals, along with experts from NHS Blood and Transplant and the University of Cambridge.

“As a new disease, there are no proven drugs to treat critically ill patients with Covid-19. Providing critically ill patients with plasma from patients who have recovered... could improve their chances of recovery,” said Dr Shankar-Hari.

Health and Social Care secretary Matt Hancock said: “This global pandemic is the biggest public health emergency this generation has faced and we are doing absolutely everything we can to beat it.

“The UK has world-leading life sciences and research sectors and I have every hope this treatment will be a major milestone in our fight against this disease.

“Hundreds of people are participating in national trials already for potential treatments and the scaling up of convalescent plasma collection means thousands could potentially benefit from it in the future.”


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BBC has axed The Greatest Dancer after just two series, with falling viewing figures being blamed for its demise.

The show made its debut at the start of last year, with Cheryl, Strictly star Oti Mabuse and Glee actor Matthew Morrison as its dance captains.

The Greatest Dancer returned to screens in January, with new recruit Todrick Hall joining the panel, but why it still had a loyal following, it failed to set Saturday night prime time ratings alight.

The second series, which ended in March, attracted around 3.2 million viewers week on week, significantly lower than ITV rival The Masked Singer, which has been confirmed for a second run.

A TV source told The Sun:: “The writing was on the wall a while back.

“Now the BBC and everyone involved has decided enough is enough and they’ve binned it.

“Critics liked it and it pulled in a younger audience. But the cost of the big production for the ratings the show delivered was too much.”

A BBC spokesperson confirmed The Greatest Dancer wouldn't be renewed, saying: "Whilst there are no plans for a further series of The Greatest Dancer, we are proud of the show,

"We would like to thank everyone involved in bringing so many memorable moments to BBC One".

The Greatest Dancer

The BBC has cancelled The Greatest Dancer after two series, the broadcaster has announced.

The talent show, which featured a judging panel of Cheryl, Matthew Morrison, Oti Mabuse and Todrick Hall, had reportedly struggled in the ratings for the primetime Saturday slot.

Matthew Morrison, Oti Mabuse, Cheryl and Todrick Hall (left-right) were judges on The Greatest Dancer (Ian West/PA)

Confirming the programme would not be returning, a BBC spokesman said: “Whilst there are no plans for a further series of The Greatest Dancer, we are proud of the show and would like to thank everyone involved in bringing so many memorable moments to BBC One.”

The Greatest Dancer was created by Simon Cowell’s Syco production company and launched in January 2019, returning for a second series earlier this year.

It was hosted by Alesha Dixon and Jordan Banjo with the four judges named “dance captains”.

Winners earned £50,000 and the chance to perform on Strictly Come Dancing.

Latin and ballroom duo Michael and Jowita were the most recent winners of the show.