Monday, May 31, 2021
Happy Birthday R Madhavan: Here Are Some Hilarious Tweets by 'Maddy'
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Want to Buy a House After the Pandemic? Keep These Things in Mind
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Happy Birthday Nikhil Siddharth: 5 Best Movies of the Telugu Star
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US, EU representatives urge countries to take a greener stand during South Korea's virtual climate summit
Top US and EU representatives on Monday urged other countries to do more in the global initiative towards a greener planet, stressing the world "cannot afford to wait" at a virtual summit hosted by South Korea. Climate change is a major threat to global growth, with perils ranging from disease outbreaks and declines in crop yields. But international negotiations on how to tackle it have long been hampered by disagreements over burden-sharing between rich countries that bear far more historical responsibility for climate change and the rising giants that are now among the world's biggest polluters.
Last month, US President Joe Biden announced that the world's largest economy would cut emissions blamed for climate change by 50 to 52 percent by 2030 compared with 2005 levels, doubling the country's previous commitments.
The US' special climate envoy John Kerry told the P4G climate conference hosted by South Korea: "We are pressing other countries to step up their ambitions as well."
Moments earlier Vietnam called for developed countries to take the lead and provide financial assistance to others, but Kerry told Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh: "We all have to do it."
After the coronavirus pandemic, he added, "everyone wants to get back to normal but unfortunately we can't be satisfied with that because the fact is normal was already a crisis and existential one."
His comments came as virtual negotiations resumed ahead of the next UN climate change conference in Glasgow in November, with scientists issuing increasingly dire warnings on the situation.
At the two-day P4G or 'Partnering for Green Growth' summit -- the second of its kind following the inaugural meeting held in Copenhagen in 2018 -- world leaders called in the concluding Seoul Declaration for more action in the global drive towards a greener planet.
The Paris agreement sought to limit temperature increase to well below two degrees Celsius, aiming for 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.
But Monday's statement came as many of the largest emitters have so far failed to keep up their commitments and countries have not even agreed on a unified rulebook governing how the Paris agreement works in practice.
"We recognise that climate change, desertification and land degradation, and biodiversity loss are three of the greatest environmental challenges of our times," the declaration added.
The UN says that emissions must fall nearly eight percent annually to keep 1.5C in play -- equivalent to the emissions saved during the pandemic every single year through 2030.
"Europe will be doing its part," EU chief Ursula von der Leyen told the meeting. "But the reason we are here today is that we all need to do our share.
"It is a matter of self-interest, of mutual interest, and of collective interest."
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Seeds of nearly 5,000 plants stocked in South Korea's mountains as plant extinction threatens food security
Hidden in a South Korean mountain tunnel designed to withstand a nuclear blast, the seeds of nearly 5,000 wild plant species are stored for safekeeping against climate change, natural disaster and war. Plant extinction is progressing at an alarming rate, researchers warn, driven by increasing human population, pollution and deforestation, even before many species are catalogued. The Baekdudaegan National Arboretum Seed Vault Centre preserves nearly 100,000 seeds from 4,751 different wild plant species to ensure they are not lost to "apocalyptic events", says its head Lee Sang-yong.
It is one of only two such facilities in the world, he told AFP: unlike more commonplace seed banks, where samples are stored and regularly withdrawn for various purposes, deposits in seed vaults are meant to be permanent, with use intended only as a last resort to prevent extinction.
The vault is designated as a security installation by South Korea's National Intelligence Service, surrounded by wire fences and dozens of cameras, with restrictions on filming in place and police patrolling on a regular basis.
Inside, a lift leads about eight floors down to a cavernous concrete tunnel, where two heavy steel doors guard the storage room and its hand-cranked shelving racks, kept at minus 20 degrees Celsius to preserve the seeds and 40 percent humidity to keep them viable.
The vault's samples are largely of flora from the Korean peninsula, but with a capacity of two million seeds, the South makes its space available to other countries, with Kazakhstan and Tajikistan among those to have taken up the offer.
Depositors retain ownership of their samples and control over withdrawals.
But Lee pointed out: "The seed vault stores seeds to prevent their extinction, so the best scenario would be that the seeds never have to be taken out."
Despite its doomsday-defying role, it was built by a country that in 1950 was invaded by the neighbouring North, and Pyongyang has since developed a nuclear and missile arsenal.
The facility was built in the "safest spot" in South Korea, Lee said, designed to withstand a 6.9-magnitude earthquake and even an atomic strike.
"It's geographically very safe," Lee said. "And we paved a 46 metre-deep underground tunnel to ensure it's safe from war and nuclear threats."
Race against time
The world's biggest and best-known seed vault is buried deep inside a former coal mine on Svalbard, a remote Arctic Norwegian archipelago around 1,300 kilometres from the North Pole.
Dubbed the "Noah's Ark" of food crops, the Global Seed Vault focuses on agricultural and related plants, storing more than one million seed samples from nearly every country on the planet.
But researchers say preserving the seeds of wild plants -- the original source of the crops we eat today -- should not be overlooked.
Many crop relatives in the wild that could provide genetic diversity to help long-term food security "lack effective protection", according to a recent UN report.
It warned that farming was likely to be less resilient against climate change, pests and pathogens as a result, adding: "The biosphere, upon which humanity as a whole depends... is declining faster than at any time in human history."
Wild plants hold promise as future medicines, fuels and food, said the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew in a report last year, but around two-fifths of them are threatened with extinction, largely due to habitat destruction and climate change.
It was a "race against time" to identify them before they disappeared, it added.
Research on wild plant seeds is "lacking tremendously", said Na Chae-sun, a senior researcher at the Baekdudaegan National Arboretum.
She and her team collect samples and carry out a meticulous and extensive process including X-ray tests and trial plantations before seeds are catalogued and stored in the seed vault.
"One might ask why is that wild flower on the kerbside important?" she said.
"Our job is to identify these one by one and letting people know how important they are," she went on.
"The crops that we eat today may have come from that nameless flower on the kerbside."
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Iceland lost 750 sq km of glaciers over the last two decades due to global warming
Iceland's glaciers have lost around 750 square kilometres (290 square miles), or seven percent of their surface, since the turn of the millennium due to global warming, a study published on Monday showed. The glaciers, which cover more than 10 percent of the country's land mass, shrank in 2019 to 10,400 square kilometres, the study in the Icelandic scientific journal Jokull said. Since 1890, the land covered by glaciers has decreased by almost 2,200 square kilometres or 18 percent.
But almost a third of this decline has occurred since 2000, according to the recent calculations by glaciologists, geologists and geophysicists.
Experts have previously warned that Iceland's glaciers are at risk of disappearing entirely by 2200.
The ice's retreat over the past two decades is almost equivalent to the total surface area of Hofsjokull, Iceland's third-biggest ice cap at 810 square kilometres.
"Glacier-area variations in Iceland since around 1890 show a clear response to variations in climate," the authors of the study wrote.
"They have been rather synchronous over the country, although surges and subglacial volcanic activity influence the position of some glacier margins," they added.
In 2014, glaciologists stripped the Okjokull glacier of its status as a glacier, a first for Iceland, after determining that it was made up of dead ice and was no longer moving as glaciers do.
Nearly all of the world's 220,000 glaciers are losing mass at an ever increasing pace, contributing to more than a fifth of global sea level rise this century, according to a study published in Nature in April.
Analysing images taken by NASA's Terra satellite, they found that between 2000-2019, the world's glaciers lost an average of 267 billion tonnes of ice each year.
The team also found that the rate of glacier melt had accelerated sharply during the same period.
Between 2000 and 2004, glaciers lost 227 billion tonnes of ice per year. But between 2015-2019, they lost an average of 298 billion tonnes each year.
The findings will be included in a forthcoming assessment report from the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change due in 2022.
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Xiaomi Mi TV 4A 40 Horizon Edition to launch in India today: All you need to know
Xiaomi is scheduled to launch the Horizon Edition of its Mi 4A 40 smart TV in India today. Xiaomi is not hosting a launch event for the TV, but we can expect the details to be out by 12 pm IST today. From what we know so far, the Mi TV 4A 40 will sport a feature a bezel-less design. We also know that the new smart TV will feature 20 W stereo speakers with DTS-HD and will run on Android TV 9.0.
Yes, just 1⃣ day to go for our #MiTV4A40.
The #HorizonEdition with Bezel-less design, launching tomorrow. Stay tuned!
RT if 🔄 you're excited too. pic.twitter.com/YLf628DXuc— Mi India (@XiaomiIndia) May 31, 2021
While Xiaomi is yet to reveal other details about the smart TV, the Mi TV 4A 40 Horizon Edition can be expected to be similar to the Horizon Edition TVs launched in September 2020. The smart TV will likely be powered by a 64-bit octa-core processor with 1 GB RAM and 8 GB internal storage. Similar to the older Mi TV Horizon Edition, this could also come with a 3.5 mm headphone jack. We can also expect a built-in Chromecast, Google Assistant and Google Data Saver on the Mi TV 4A 40.
Last month, OnePlus launched the OnePlus TV 40Y1, which could be a direct competition to the new Mi TV 4A 40 Horizon Edition. It runs on Android TV 9, offers 93.8 percent DCI-P3 colour gamut and an FHD+ resolution. The smart TV is priced starting Rs 21,999 and will be available for purchase starting 26 May on Flipkart.
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VIDEO: Aparshakti Khurana 'jamming with his Pitashree' on this old Bollywood classic
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Home-made Drinks to Strengthen Your Immune System Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
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As R Madhavan Turns 51, Here's a look at 5 Must-watch Movies of the Versatile Actor
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Marilyn Monroe Birth Anniversary: Interesting Facts About the Hollywood Icon
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Nargis Birth Anniversary: Mother India to Andaz, 5 Memorable Performances of the Iconic Actress
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FWICE writes to Maharashtra CM requesting permission to resume work
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Jacqueline Fernandez, Badshah to reunite for new song 'Paani Paani' after success of 'Genda Phool'
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Sushmita Sen's daughter Renee shares stunning portrait clicked by mother, gets compliment from Charu Asopa
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On This Day: In 1938, Superman Appears for the First Time in D.C. Comics
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Global Day of Parents 2021: Know its History, Significance and Theme
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World Milk Day 2021: History, Significance, Theme and Quotes to Share
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Indian Idol 12: Judge Vishal Dadlani confirms he is not returning to the singing reality show
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Anupamaa aka Rupali Ganguly's old audition video goes viral
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Swara Bhasker: 'Dobara Alvida' is about emotions we try to hide when a relationship is over
Salman Khan's Chulbul Pandey comes to OTT platform in animated avatar
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Jackky Bhagnani, 8 others face alleged rape and molestation complaint
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Sunday, May 30, 2021
Pfizer vaccine protects against COVID-19 strain predominant in India but is slightly less effective, finds study
The Pfizer vaccine is slightly less effective but appears to still protect against the more transmissible Indian strain of the virus that causes Covid-19, according to a study by France's Pasteur Institute. "Despite slightly diminished efficacy, the Pfizer vaccine probably protects" against the Indian variant, according to laboratory test results, said Olivier Schwartz, the institute's director and co-author of the study that was published on the BioRxiv website ahead of peer review.
The study sampled 28 healthcare workers in the city of Orleans. Sixteen of them had received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, while 12 had received one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
People who had received two doses of Pfizer saw a three-fold reduction in their antibodies against the Indian variant, B.1.617, according to the study, but were still protected.
"The situation was different with the AstraZeneca vaccine, which induced particularly low levels of antibodies neutralising" the Indian variant, the study said.
Patients who had had Covid-19 within the past year and people vaccinated with two doses of Pfizer retained enough antibodies to be protected against the Indian variant, but three to six times less antibodies than against the UK variant, Schwartz said.
The study shows that "this variant.. has acquired partial resistance to antibodies," Schwartz said.
Since first emerging in late 2019 in China, the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19 has developed several variants, usually named for the places where it first appeared including the so-called South Africa and UK strains.
The variant first detected in India appears to be much more transmissible than earlier variations. It has now been officially recorded in 53 territories, according to a World Health Organization report.
To try to curb its spread, France and Germany have re-introduced tighter rules on arrivals from affected countries, including the United Kingdom.
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Serum Institute promises GOI it will supply 9-10 crore Covishield doses in June
Serum Institute of India (SII) has informed the government that it will be able to manufacture and supply nine to 10 crore doses of Covishield in June, official sources said on Sunday amid complaint by States about the shortage of anti-coronavirus vaccine jabs. In a recent letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, SII said its employees have been working round the clock in spite of various challenges because of the pandemic.
"We are pleased to inform that in the month of June we will be able to manufacture and supply nine to 10 crore doses of our Covishield vaccine to the country as compared to our production capacity of 6.5 crore doses in May," Prakash Kumar Singh, the Director of Government and Regulatory Affairs at SII, said in the letter.
Mr Singh also thanked Mr Shah for his "valuable guidance and continuous support" at various stages of their endeavour to make India 'aatmanirbhar' (self-sufficient) in COVID-19 vaccines and making it available for the people of the country.
"Serum Institute of India has always been sincerely concerned about the protection of the citizens of our country and world at large from COVID-19. Under the leadership of our CEO, Adar C Poonawalla, our team has been working relentlessly shoulder to shoulder with our government to fight the COVID-19 pandemic," he said in the letter.
"We assure you that with the support of the Government of India and under your kind guidance, we are trying our best by utilising all of our resources to increase our production capacity of Covishield in the coming month also." In early May, SII had communicated to the Centre that production of Covishield would be ramped up to 6.5 crore in June, seven crore in July and 10 crore each in August and September.
India is currently using made-in-India vaccines — Covishield manufactured by SII and Covaxin of Bharat Biotech — in its COVID-19 immunisation programme.
The Russian Sputnik V is the third vaccine to get approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for emergency use and is being used in a few private hospitals.
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Twitter may soon rollout Facebook-like 'cheer', 'sad', 'hmm', and 'haha' emoji reactions
Twitter is reportedly working on adding new emoticons to its current heart-shaped Like button. This was revealed in a tweet by app researcher Jane Manchun Wong. The assets Wong found show 'cheer,' 'hmm,' 'sad,' and 'haha' emoji reactions. In the GIF shared by Wong, some reactions currently only have a placeholder emoji.
Twitter is working on Tweet Reactions view:
“Likes”, “Cheer”, “Hmm”, “Sad”, “Haha”
The icons for the Cheer and Sad reactions are WIP and shown as the generic heart one at the moment https://t.co/ZCBhH8z7JR pic.twitter.com/dGqq1CzIis
— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) May 28, 2021
Wong had first spotted the reactions on Twitter earlier this month.
Facebook rolled out reactions in 2016. While the Twitter reaction surely take inspiration from Facebook's, Wong's leak shows that Twitter will likely take a slightly different approach on the moods or emotions that users will be able to use to react on a post.
It has the same laughing and sad reaction but does not include the 'angry' emoticon. As per a report by The Verge, Twitter may also include a makes-you-think and cheer option.
In response to a request for comment, Twitter told the The Verge the same thing it did last time that it is "always exploring additional ways for people to express themselves in conversations."
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Kangana Ranaut visits Golden Temple for first time with family: Speechless and stunned with its beauty
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World No Tobacco Day 2021: Know the Dangers of Passive Smoking
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Smoking Can Go Beyond Lungs, Impact Quality of Life
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DIY Tips for Environment Friendly Decor Choices
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Ahilyabai Holkar Birth Anniversary: Remembering 'The Philosopher Queen' of Malwa
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COVID-19: Basic Yoga Exercises One Must Do Every Day to Stay Fit
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Realme X7 Max 5G, Realme 4K Smart TV to launch today in India at 12.30 pm: How to watch it live
Realme is all set to launch Realme X7 Max 5G and a 4K Smart TV in India today at 12.30 pm. Realme X7 Max 5G will join the company's Realme X7-series that already includes Realme X7 (Review) and Realme X7 Pro (Review). The company has revealed a handful of specifications of the smartphone including design, chipset, display and more. The smartphone will be available for purchase on Flipkart. In addition to this, a recent leak by Realme Times hints that the smart TV might come in 43-inch and 50-inch screen sizes.
It's almost time, get ready to achieve Max 5G Speed!
Launching #realmeX7Max5G with India’s First MediaTek Dimensity 1200 5G Processor at 12:30 PM, tomorrow on our official channels. #FutureAtFullSpeed
Watch the launch livestream here: https://t.co/CPR0kMS7aN pic.twitter.com/yd51AKMt5G
— realme (@realmeIndia) May 30, 2021
Realme X7 Max 5G, Realme 4K Smart TV launch: How to watch it live
The launch event will kick off at 12.30 pm IST. You can watch the livestream on Realme's social media handles and YouTube page. To catch all the live updates, you can also tap on the livestream link embedded below.
Realme X7 Max 5G expected specifications
Realme has confirmed that Realme X7 Max 5G will feature a 120 Hz FullHD+ Super AMOLED screen that houses a punch-hole camera at the top left corner. The smartphone will be powered by Dimensity 1200 chipset and will come with support for 50 W charging.
In terms of camera, it will sport a triple rear camera setup that includes a 64 MP primary sensor, an 8 MP ultrawide sensor, and a 2 MP macro lens. Realme has further revealed that the smartphone will come in black, pink and silver colour options.
The X7 Max 5G will be 8.4 mm thick and will weigh 179 grams.
Realme 4K Smart TV expected details
According to a report by Realme Times, Realme Smart TV 4K might come in two sizes: a 43-inch and 50-inch. It is also expected to come with support for Dolby Cinema and a voice assistant. The report further suggests that it is likely to come with a 178-degree field of view, 1.07 billion colours, built-in Chroma Boost and Picture Engine optimisation.
As for audio, it is expected to feature 24 W quad stereo speakers that support Dolby Atmos and DTS HD. For connectivity, it might come with three HDMI ports that include two USB ports and one AV input and one ethernet port. It is expected to be powered by a quad-core MediaTek chipset.
In terms of pricing, the report reveals that the 43-inch model might be priced between Rs 28,000- Rs 30,000 and the 50-inch model might be priced between Rs 33,000- Rs 35,000.
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Armaan Malik feels Indian independent acts could soon top charts internationally
Shilpa Shetty, Raj Kundra will look perfect in Punjabi version of 'Titanic' and this video is proof
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'Tarzan' actor Joe Lara passes away at 58 in plane crash
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Prateik Babbar debuts as audiobook narrator alongside Rasika Dugal
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National Memorial Day 2021: History and Significance
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World No Tobacco Day 2021: Are Smokers At Greater Risk Of Contracting COVID-19?
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World No Tobacco Day 2021: Theme, History and Significance of Anti-tobacco Day
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World No Tobacco Day: Prevent Lung Cancer by Quitting Smoking Right Now
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Anushka Sharma crashes Virat Kohli's AMA Session to ask about her headphones; his reply will win your heart
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Kiara Advani channels her inner mermaid in stunning throwback pics from exotic vacation
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Sushant Singh Rajput Death Case: NCB summons domestic helps Neeraj, Keshav after Siddharth Pithani's arrest
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Neetu Kapoor treats fans with throwback pics of Rishi, Raj Kapoor as grandfathers. Seen yet?
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Disha Patani channels her love for cats, shares adorable pictures with pets Jasmine and Keety
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Shakti turns 5: Rubina Dilaik, Kamya Panjabi, cast and crew celebrate the milestone; see inside pics, videos
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Madhuri Dixit posts family pic as son Arin graduates from high school: 'Proud moment for Ram and I' | WATCH
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Super funny videos of Riteish Deshmukh, Genelia that will make you ROFL | WATCH
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Janhvi Kapoor shares her exquisite artwork; reminds Dia Mirza of Sridevi
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Paresh Rawal Birthday: Shilpa Shetty, Suniel Shetty & other Bollywood celebs pour in wishes; see pics, video
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Ekta Kapoor, Sumona Chakravarti pen heartfelt note as Bade Achhe Lagte Hain completes 10 years
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R Madhavan thanks fans for love, wishes ahead of his birthday; reveals how he plans to spend it
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Covid-19 Guide for Kids: How to Keep Your Child Safe from Coronavirus
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